Эпоха невинности

           HewouldseeifshelikedhisreferencetoRiviereanybetterthanhelikedherstoMay!Asoncertainotheroccasionswhenhehadexpectedtoshakeheroutofherusualcomposure,shebetrayednosignofsurprise:andatonceheconcluded:"Hewritestoher,then.""M.Rivierewenttoseeyou?""Yes:didn’tyouknow?""No,"sheansweredsimply."Andyou’renotsurprised?"Shehesitated."WhyshouldIbe?HetoldmeinBostonthatheknewyou;thathe’dmetyouinEnglandIthink.""Ellen—Imustaskyouonething.""Yes.""IwantedtoaskitafterIsawhim,butIcouldn’tputitinaletter.ItwasRivierewhohelpedyoutogetaway—whenyouleftyourhusband?"Hisheartwasbeatingsuffocatingly.Wouldshemeetthisquestionwiththesamecomposure?"Yes:Iowehimagreatdebt,"sheanswered,withouttheleasttremorinherquietvoice.Hertonewassonatural,soalmostindifferent,thatArcher’sturmoilsubsided.Oncemoreshehadmanaged,byhersheersimplicity,tomakehimfeelstupidlyconventionaljustwhenhethoughthewasflingingconventiontothewinds."Ithinkyou’rethemosthonestwomanIevermet!"heexclaimed."Oh,no—butprobablyoneoftheleastfussy,"sheanswered,asmileinhervoice."Callitwhatyoulike:youlookatthingsastheyare.""Ah—I’vehadto.I’vehadtolookattheGorgon.""Well—ithasn’tblindedyou!You’veseenthatshe’sjustanoldbogeylikealltheothers.""Shedoesn’tblindone;butshedriesupone’stears."TheanswercheckedthepleadingonArcher’slips:itseemedtocomefromdepthsofexperiencebeyondhisreach.