Епоха невинності

           Shemightbelieveherselfwhollyinrevoltagainstit;butwhathadcharmedherinitwouldstillcharmher,eventhoughitwereagainstherwill.Thus,withapainfulimpartiality,didtheyoungmanmakeoutthecaseforBeaufort,andforBeaufort’svictim.Alongingtoenlightenherwasstronginhim;andthereweremomentswhenheimaginedthatallsheaskedwastobeenlightened.ThateveningheunpackedhisbooksfromLondon.Theboxwasfullofthingshehadbeenwaitingforimpatiently;anewvolumeofHerbertSpencer,anothercollectionoftheprolificAlphonseDaudet’sbrillianttales,andanovelcalled"Middlemarch,"astowhichtherehadlatelybeeninterestingthingssaidinthereviews.Hehaddeclinedthreedinnerinvitationsinfavourofthisfeast;butthoughheturnedthepageswiththesensuousjoyofthebook-lover,hedidnotknowwhathewasreading,andonebookafteranotherdroppedfromhishand.Suddenly,amongthem,helitonasmallvolumeofversewhichhehadorderedbecausethenamehadattractedhim:"TheHouseofLife."Hetookitup,andfoundhimselfplungedinanatmosphereunlikeanyhehadeverbreathedinbooks;sowarm,sorich,andyetsoineffablytender,thatitgaveanewandhauntingbeautytothemostelementaryofhumanpassions.AllthroughthenighthepursuedthroughthoseenchantedpagesthevisionofawomanwhohadthefaceofEllenOlenska;butwhenhewokethenextmorning,andlookedoutatthebrownstonehousesacrossthestreet,andthoughtofhisdeskinMr.