Епоха невинності

           Therewasnothingmeanorungenerousintheyoungman’sheart,andhewasgladthathisfuturewifeshouldnotberestrainedbyfalsepruderyfrombeingkind(inprivate)toherunhappycousin;buttoreceiveCountessOlenskainthefamilycirclewasadifferentthingfromproducingherinpublic,attheOperaofallplaces,andintheveryboxwiththeyounggirlwhoseengagementtohim,NewlandArcher,wastobeannouncedwithinafewweeks.No,hefeltasoldSillertonJacksonfelt;hedidnotthinktheMingottswouldhavetriediton!Heknew,ofcourse,thatwhatevermandared(withinFifthAvenue’slimits)thatoldMrs.MansonMingott,theMatriarchoftheline,woulddare.Hehadalwaysadmiredthehighandmightyoldlady,who,inspiteofhavingbeenonlyCatherineSpicerofStatenIsland,withafathermysteriouslydiscredited,andneithermoneynorpositionenoughtomakepeopleforgetit,hadalliedherselfwiththeheadofthewealthyMingottline,marriedtwoofherdaughtersto"foreigners"(anItalianmarquisandanEnglishbanker),andputthecrowningtouchtoheraudacitiesbybuildingalargehouseofpalecream-colouredstone(whenbrownsandstoneseemedasmuchtheonlywearasafrock-coatintheafternoon)inaninaccessiblewildernessneartheCentralPark.OldMrs.Mingott’sforeigndaughtershadbecomealegend.Theynevercamebacktoseetheirmother,andthelatterbeing,likemanypersonsofactivemindanddominatingwill,sedentaryandcorpulentinherhabit,hadphilosophicallyremainedathome.