Эпоха невинности

           Theythoughtthey’dconvincedmewhenthesecretary,orwhateverhewas,cameoutwiththelastproposals:handsomeproposalsIconfesstheywere.Afterall,marriageismarriage,andmoney’smoney—bothusefulthingsintheirway...andIdidn’tknowwhattoanswer—"Shebrokeoffanddrewalongbreath,asifspeakinghadbecomeaneffort."ButtheminuteIlaideyesonher,Isaid:’Yousweetbird,you!Shutyouupinthatcageagain?Never!’Andnowit’ssettledthatshe’stostayhereandnurseherGrannyaslongasthere’saGrannytonurse.It’snotagayprospect,butshedoesn’tmind;andofcourseI’vetoldLetterblairthatshe’stobegivenherproperallowance."Theyoungmanheardherwithveinsaglow;butinhisconfusionofmindhehardlyknewwhetherhernewsbroughtjoyorpain.Hehadsodefinitelydecidedonthecoursehemeanttopursuethatforthemomenthecouldnotreadjusthisthoughts.Butgraduallytherestoleoverhimthedelicioussenseofdifficultiesdeferredandopportunitiesmiraculouslyprovided.IfEllenhadconsentedtocomeandlivewithhergrandmotheritmustsurelybebecauseshehadrecognisedtheimpossibilityofgivinghimup.Thiswasheranswertohisfinalappealoftheotherday:ifshewouldnottaketheextremestephehadurged,shehadatlastyieldedtohalf-measures.Hesankbackintothethoughtwiththeinvoluntaryreliefofamanwhohasbeenreadytoriskeverything,andsuddenlytastesthedangeroussweetnessofsecurity."Shecouldn’thavegoneback—itwasimpossible!"heexclaimed.