Епоха невинності

           "OnlyoldCatherineMingott,withherabsenceofmoralprejudicesandalmostparvenuindifferencetothesubtlerdistinctions,mighthavebridgedtheabyss;butshehadneveropenedabookorlookedatapicture,andcaredformusiconlybecauseitremindedherofgalanightsattheItaliens,inthedaysofhertriumphattheTuileries.PossiblyBeaufort,whowashermatchindaring,wouldhavesucceededinbringingaboutafusion;buthisgrandhouseandsilk-stockingedfootmenwereanobstacletoinformalsociability.Moreover,hewasasilliterateasoldMrs.Mingott,andconsidered"fellowswhowrote"asthemerepaidpurveyorsofrichmen’spleasures;andnoonerichenoughtoinfluencehisopinionhadeverquestionedit.NewlandArcherhadbeenawareofthesethingseversincehecouldremember,andhadacceptedthemaspartofthestructureofhisuniverse.Heknewthatthereweresocietieswherepaintersandpoetsandnovelistsandmenofscience,andevengreatactors,wereassoughtafterasDukes;hehadoftenpicturedtohimselfwhatitwouldhavebeentoliveintheintimacyofdrawing-roomsdominatedbythetalkofMerimee(whose"LettresauneInconnue"wasoneofhisinseparables),ofThackeray,BrowningorWilliamMorris.ButsuchthingswereinconceivableinNewYork,andunsettlingtothinkof.Archerknewmostofthe"fellowswhowrote,"themusiciansandthepainters:hemetthemattheCentury,oratthelittlemusicalandtheatricalclubsthatwerebeginningtocomeintoexistence.