Эпоха невинности

           Theslowadvanceoftheferry-boathadceased,andherbowsbumpedagainstthepilesoftheslipwithaviolencethatmadethebroughamstagger,andflungArcherandMadameOlenskaagainsteachother.Theyoungman,trembling,feltthepressureofhershoulder,andpassedhisarmabouther."Ifyou’renotblind,then,youmustseethatthiscan’tlast.""Whatcan’t?""Ourbeingtogether—andnottogether.""No.Yououghtnottohavecometoday,"shesaidinanalteredvoice;andsuddenlysheturned,flungherarmsabouthimandpressedherlipstohis.Atthesamemomentthecarriagebegantomove,andagas-lampattheheadoftheslipflasheditslightintothewindow.Shedrewaway,andtheysatsilentandmotionlesswhilethebroughamstruggledthroughthecongestionofcarriagesabouttheferry-landing.AstheygainedthestreetArcherbegantospeakhurriedly."Don’tbeafraidofme:youneedn’tsqueezeyourselfbackintoyourcornerlikethat.Astolenkissisn’twhatIwant.Look:I’mnoteventryingtotouchthesleeveofyourjacket.Don’tsupposethatIdon’tunderstandyourreasonsfornotwantingtoletthisfeelingbetweenusdwindleintoanordinaryhole-and-cornerlove-affair.Icouldn’thavespokenlikethisyesterday,becausewhenwe’vebeenapart,andI’mlookingforwardtoseeingyou,everythoughtisburntupinagreatflame.