Епоха невинності

           Archerhadalwaysbeeninclinedtothinkthatchanceandcircumstanceplayedasmallpartinshapingpeople’slotscomparedwiththeirinnatetendencytohavethingshappentothem.ThistendencyhehadfeltfromthefirstinMadameOlenska.Thequiet,almostpassiveyoungwomanstruckhimasexactlythekindofpersontowhomthingswereboundtohappen,nomatterhowmuchsheshrankfromthemandwentoutofherwaytoavoidthem.Theexcitingfactwasherhavinglivedinanatmospheresothickwithdramathatherowntendencytoprovokeithadapparentlypassedunperceived.Itwaspreciselytheoddabsenceofsurpriseinherthatgavehimthesenseofherhavingbeenpluckedoutofaverymaelstrom:thethingsshetookforgrantedgavethemeasureofthoseshehadrebelledagainst.ArcherhadleftherwiththeconvictionthatCountOlenski’saccusationwasnotunfounded.Themysteriouspersonwhofiguredinhiswife’spastas"thesecretary"hadprobablynotbeenunrewardedforhisshareinherescape.Theconditionsfromwhichshehadfledwereintolerable,pastspeakingof,pastbelieving:shewasyoung,shewasfrightened,shewasdesperate—whatmorenaturalthanthatsheshouldbegratefultoherrescuer?Thepitywasthathergratitudeputher,inthelaw’seyesandtheworld’s,onaparwithherabominablehusband.Archerhadmadeherunderstandthis,ashewasboundtodo;hehadalsomadeherunderstandthatsimpleheartedkindlyNewYork,onwhoselargercharityshehadapparentlycounted,waspreciselytheplacewhereshecouldleasthopeforindulgence.