Епоха невинності

           "Yes;becauseIhavestilltotalkbusinesswithMr.Archerforalittlewhile.""Ah,"Beaufortsnapped.Therewasnoappealfromhertone,andwithaslightshrugherecoveredhiscomposure,tookherhand,whichhekissedwithapractisedair,andcallingoutfromthethreshold:"Isay,Newland,ifyoucanpersuadetheCountesstostopintownofcourseyou’reincludedinthesupper,"lefttheroomwithhisheavyimportantstep.ForamomentArcherfanciedthatMr.Letterblairmusthavetoldherofhiscoming;buttheirrelevanceofhernextremarkmadehimchangehismind."Youknowpainters,then?Youliveintheirmilieu?"sheasked,hereyesfullofinterest."Oh,notexactly.Idon’tknowthattheartshaveamilieuhere,anyofthem;they’remorelikeaverythinlysettledoutskirt.""Butyoucareforsuchthings?""Immensely.WhenI’minParisorLondonInevermissanexhibition.Itrytokeepup."Shelookeddownatthetipofthelittlesatinbootthatpeepedfromherlongdraperies."Iusedtocareimmenselytoo:mylifewasfullofsuchthings.ButnowIwanttotrynotto.""Youwanttotrynotto?""Yes:Iwanttocastoffallmyoldlife,tobecomejustlikeeverybodyelsehere."Archerreddened."You’llneverbelikeeverybodyelse,"hesaid.Sheraisedherstraighteyebrowsalittle."Ah,don’tsaythat.IfyouknewhowIhatetobedifferent!"Herfacehadgrownassombreasatragicmask.Sheleanedforward,claspingherkneeinherthinhands,andlookingawayfromhimintoremotedarkdistances."Iwanttogetawayfromitall,"sheinsisted.Hewaitedamomentandclearedhisthroat.