Епоха невинності

           "Doesanythingeverhappeninheaven?"Hewassilent,andtheywalkedonafewyardswithoutexchangingaword.Finallyshesaid:"Iwilltellyou—butwhere,where,where?Onecan’tbealoneforaminuteinthatgreatseminaryofahouse,withallthedoorswideopen,andalwaysaservantbringingtea,oralogforthefire,orthenewspaper!IstherenowhereinanAmericanhousewhereonemaybebyone’sself?You’resoshy,andyetyou’resopublic.IalwaysfeelasifIwereintheconventagain—oronthestage,beforeadreadfullypoliteaudiencethatneverapplauds.""Ah,youdon’tlikeus!"Archerexclaimed.TheywerewalkingpastthehouseoftheoldPatroon,withitssquatwallsandsmallsquarewindowscompactlygroupedaboutacentralchimney.Theshuttersstoodwide,andthroughoneofthenewly-washedwindowsArchercaughtthelightofafire."Why—thehouseisopen!"hesaid.Shestoodstill."No;onlyfortoday,atleast.Iwantedtoseeit,andMr.vanderLuydenhadthefirelitandthewindowsopened,sothatwemightstopthereonthewaybackfromchurchthismorning."Sheranupthestepsandtriedthedoor."It’sstillunlocked—whatluck!Comeinandwecanhaveaquiettalk.Mrs.vanderLuydenhasdrivenovertoseeheroldauntsatRhinebeckandweshan’tbemissedatthehouseforanotherhour."Hefollowedherintothenarrowpassage.Hisspirits,whichhaddroppedatherlastwords,rosewithanirrationalleap.Thehomelylittlehousestoodthere,itspanelsandbrassesshininginthefirelight,asifmagicallycreatedtoreceivethem.