Эпоха невинности

           Sheknewverywellthattheycouldn’t,butitwastroublesometohavetoproduceareason."I’mnotcleverenoughtoarguewithyou.Butthatkindofthingisrather—vulgar,isn’tit?"shesuggested,relievedtohavehitonawordthatwouldassuredlyextinguishthewholesubject."Areyousomuchafraid,then,ofbeingvulgar?"Shewasevidentlystaggeredbythis."OfcourseIshouldhateit—sowouldyou,"sherejoined,atrifleirritably.Hestoodsilent,beatinghissticknervouslyagainsthisboot-top;andfeelingthatshehadindeedfoundtherightwayofclosingthediscussion,shewentonlight-heartedly:"Oh,didItellyouthatIshowedEllenmyring?Shethinksitthemostbeautifulsettingsheeversaw.There’snothinglikeitintheruedelaPaix,shesaid.Idoloveyou,Newland,forbeingsoartistic!"Thenextafternoon,asArcher,beforedinner,satsmokingsullenlyinhisstudy,Janeywanderedinonhim.Hehadfailedtostopathisclubonthewayupfromtheofficewhereheexercisedtheprofessionofthelawintheleisurelymannercommontowell-to-doNewYorkersofhisclass.Hewasoutofspiritsandslightlyoutoftemper,andahauntinghorrorofdoingthesamethingeverydayatthesamehourbesiegedhisbrain."Sameness—sameness!"hemuttered,thewordrunningthroughhisheadlikeapersecutingtuneashesawthefamiliartall-hattedfiguresloungingbehindtheplate-glass;andbecauseheusuallydroppedinattheclubatthathourhehadgonehomeinstead.Heknewnotonlywhattheywerelikelytobetalkingabout,buttheparteachonewouldtakeinthediscussion.