Эпоха невинности

           Beaufort’shavingsentherwonderfulorchids,andcousinHenryvanderLuydenawholehamperofcarnationsfromSkuytercliff.Sheseemssosurprisedtoreceiveflowers.Don’tpeoplesendtheminEurope?Shethinksitsuchaprettycustom.""Oh,well,nowonderminewereovershadowedbyBeaufort’s,"saidArcherirritably.Thenherememberedthathehadnotputacardwiththeroses,andwasvexedathavingspokenofthem.Hewantedtosay:"Icalledonyourcousinyesterday,"buthesitated.IfMadameOlenskahadnotspokenofhisvisititmightseemawkwardthatheshould.Yetnottodosogavetheaffairanairofmysterythathedisliked.Toshakeoffthequestionhebegantotalkoftheirownplans,theirfuture,andMrs.Welland’sinsistenceonalongengagement."Ifyoucallitlong!IsabelChiversandReggiewereengagedfortwoyears:GraceandThorleyfornearlyayearandahalf.Whyaren’tweverywelloffasweare?"Itwasthetraditionalmaidenlyinterrogation,andhefeltashamedofhimselfforfindingitsingularlychildish.Nodoubtshesimplyechoedwhatwassaidforher;butshewasnearinghertwenty-secondbirthday,andhewonderedatwhatage"nice"womenbegantospeakforthemselves."Never,ifwewon’tletthem,Isuppose,"hemused,andrecalledhismadoutbursttoMr.SillertonJackson:"Womenoughttobeasfreeasweare—"Itwouldpresentlybehistasktotakethebandagefromthisyoungwoman’seyes,andbidherlookforthontheworld.