Епоха невинності
Chapter 14
ArcherhadknownthatWinsetthadawifeandchild,buthehadneverseenthem.ThetwomenalwaysmetattheCentury,oratsomehauntofjournalistsandtheatricalpeople,suchastherestaurantwhereWinsetthadproposedtogoforabock.HehadgivenArchertounderstandthathiswifewasaninvalid;whichmightbetrueofthepoorlady,ormightmerelymeanthatshewaslackinginsocialgiftsorineveningclothes,orinboth.Winsetthimselfhadasavageabhorrenceofsocialobservances:Archer,whodressedintheeveningbecausehethoughtitcleanerandmorecomfortabletodoso,andwhohadneverstoppedtoconsiderthatcleanlinessandcomfortaretwoofthecostliestitemsinamodestbudget,regardedWinsett’sattitudeaspartoftheboring"Bohemian"posethatalwaysmadefashionablepeople,whochangedtheirclotheswithouttalkingaboutit,andwerenotforeverharpingonthenumberofservantsonekept,seemsomuchsimplerandlessself-consciousthantheothers.Nevertheless,hewasalwaysstimulatedbyWinsett,andwheneverhecaughtsightofthejournalist’sleanbeardedfaceandmelancholyeyeshewouldrouthimoutofhiscornerandcarryhimoffforalongtalk.Winsettwasnotajournalistbychoice.
