Эпоха невинности

           Convincedthatnopowercouldnowturnhimfromhispurposehehadfoundstrengthtoleteventsshapethemselvesastheywould.ButashefollowedMadameOlenskaintothehallhethoughtwithasuddenhungerofbeingforamomentalonewithheratthedoorofhercarriage."Isyourcarriagehere?"heasked;andatthatmomentMrs.vanderLuyden,whowasbeingmajesticallyinsertedintohersables,saidgently:"WearedrivingdearEllenhome."Archer’sheartgaveajerk,andMadameOlenska,claspinghercloakandfanwithonehand,heldouttheothertohim."Good-bye,"shesaid."Good-bye—butIshallseeyousooninParis,"heansweredaloud—itseemedtohimthathehadshoutedit."Oh,"shemurmured,"ifyouandMaycouldcome—!"Mr.vanderLuydenadvancedtogiveherhisarm,andArcherturnedtoMrs.vanderLuyden.Foramoment,inthebillowydarknessinsidethebiglandau,hecaughtthedimovalofaface,eyesshiningsteadily—andshewasgone.AshewentupthestepshecrossedLawrenceLeffertscomingdownwithhiswife.Leffertscaughthishostbythesleeve,drawingbacktoletGertrudepass."Isay,oldchap:doyoumindjustlettingitbeunderstoodthatI’mdiningwithyouattheclubtomorrownight?Thankssomuch,youoldbrick!Good-night.""ItDIDgooffbeautifully,didn’tit?"Mayquestionedfromthethresholdofthelibrary.Archerrousedhimselfwithastart.Assoonasthelastcarriagehaddrivenaway,hehadcomeuptothelibraryandshuthimselfin,withthehopethathiswife,whostilllingeredbelow,wouldgostraighttoherroom.