Эпоха невинности

           Butthenyoucome;andyou’resomuchmorethanIremembered,andwhatIwantofyouissomuchmorethananhourortwoeverynowandthen,withwastesofthirstywaitingbetween,thatIcansitperfectlystillbesideyou,likethis,withthatothervisioninmymind,justquietlytrustingtoittocometrue."Foramomentshemadenoreply;thensheasked,hardlyaboveawhisper:"Whatdoyoumeanbytrustingtoittocometrue?""Why—youknowitwill,don’tyou?""Yourvisionofyouandmetogether?"Sheburstintoasuddenhardlaugh."Youchooseyourplacewelltoputittome!""Doyoumeanbecausewe’reinmywife’sbrougham?Shallwegetoutandwalk,then?Idon’tsupposeyoumindalittlesnow?"Shelaughedagain,moregently."No;Ishan’tgetoutandwalk,becausemybusinessistogettoGranny’sasquicklyasIcan.Andyou’llsitbesideme,andwe’lllook,notatvisions,butatrealities.""Idon’tknowwhatyoumeanbyrealities.Theonlyrealitytomeisthis."Shemetthewordswithalongsilence,duringwhichthecarriagerolleddownanobscureside-streetandthenturnedintothesearchingilluminationofFifthAvenue."Isityouridea,then,thatIshouldlivewithyouasyourmistress—sinceIcan’tbeyourwife?"sheasked.Thecrudenessofthequestionstartledhim:thewordwasonethatwomenofhisclassfoughtshyof,evenwhentheirtalkflittedclosestaboutthetopic.HenoticedthatMadameOlenskapronounceditasifithadarecognisedplaceinhervocabulary,andhewonderedifithadbeenusedfamiliarlyinherpresenceinthehorriblelifeshehadfledfrom.