Епоха невинності

           Suchcasesdon’talways—presentthemselvesquiteassimplyas...Butthat’snomatter...Iloveyourgenerosity,becauseIfeelasyoudoaboutthosethings...Ifeelthateachcasemustbejudgedindividually,onitsownmerits...irrespectiveofstupidconventionalities...Imean,eachwoman’srighttoherliberty—"Hepulledhimselfup,startledbytheturnhisthoughtshadtaken,andwenton,lookingatherwithasmile:"Sinceyouunderstandsomanythings,dearest,can’tyougoalittlefarther,andunderstandtheuselessnessofoursubmittingtoanotherformofthesamefoolishconventionalities?Ifthere’snooneandnothingbetweenus,isn’tthatanargumentformarryingquickly,ratherthanformoredelay?"Sheflushedwithjoyandliftedherfacetohis;ashebenttoithesawthathereyeswerefullofhappytears.Butinanothermomentsheseemedtohavedescendedfromherwomanlyeminencetohelplessandtimorousgirlhood;andheunderstoodthathercourageandinitiativewereallforothers,andthatshehadnoneforherself.Itwasevidentthattheeffortofspeakinghadbeenmuchgreaterthanherstudiedcomposurebetrayed,andthatathisfirstwordofreassuranceshehaddroppedbackintotheusual,asatoo-adventurouschildtakesrefugeinitsmother’sarms.Archerhadnohearttogoonpleadingwithher;hewastoomuchdisappointedatthevanishingofthenewbeingwhohadcastthatonedeeplookathimfromhertransparenteyes.Mayseemedtobeawareofhisdisappointment,butwithoutknowinghowtoalleviateit;andtheystoodupandwalkedsilentlyhome.