Эпоха невинности

           ButinspiteofherfirmtoneoldCatherinedidnotwhollyrecoverherformerattitudetowardlife.Thegrowingremotenessofoldage,thoughithadnotdiminishedhercuriosityaboutherneighbours,hadbluntedherneververylivelycompassionfortheirtroubles;andsheseemedtohavenodifficultyinputtingtheBeaufortdisasteroutofhermind.Butforthefirsttimeshebecameabsorbedinherownsymptoms,andbegantotakeasentimentalinterestincertainmembersofherfamilytowhomshehadhithertobeencontemptuouslyindifferent.Mr.Welland,inparticular,hadtheprivilegeofattractinghernotice.Ofhersons-in-lawhewastheoneshehadmostconsistentlyignored;andallhiswife’seffortstorepresenthimasamanofforcefulcharacterandmarkedintellectualability(ifhehadonly"chosen")hadbeenmetwithaderisivechuckle.Buthiseminenceasavaletudinariannowmadehimanobjectofengrossinginterest,andMrs.Mingottissuedanimperialsummonstohimtocomeandcomparedietsassoonashistemperaturepermitted;foroldCatherinewasnowthefirsttorecognisethatonecouldnotbetoocarefulabouttemperatures.Twenty-fourhoursafterMadameOlenska’ssummonsatelegramannouncedthatshewouldarrivefromWashingtonontheeveningofthefollowingday.AttheWellands’,wheretheNewlandArcherschancedtobelunching,thequestionastowhoshouldmeetheratJerseyCitywasimmediatelyraised;andthematerialdifficultiesamidwhichtheWellandhouseholdstruggledasifithadbeenafrontieroutpost,lentanimationtothedebate.ItwasagreedthatMrs.