Епоха невинності

           IknowyouthinktheWellandsareunreasonableaboutyourmarriage,andofcourseIagreewithyou.InEuropepeopledon’tunderstandourlongAmericanengagements;Isupposetheyarenotascalmasweare."Shepronouncedthe"we"withafaintemphasisthatgaveitanironicsound.Archerfelttheironybutdidnotdaretotakeitup.Afterall,shehadperhapspurposelydeflectedtheconversationfromherownaffairs,andafterthepainhislastwordshadevidentlycausedherhefeltthatallhecoulddowastofollowherlead.Butthesenseofthewaninghourmadehimdesperate:hecouldnotbearthethoughtthatabarrierofwordsshoulddropbetweenthemagain."Yes,"hesaidabruptly;"IwentsouthtoaskMaytomarrymeafterEaster.There’snoreasonwhyweshouldn’tbemarriedthen.""AndMayadoresyou—andyetyoucouldn’tconvinceher?Ithoughthertoointelligenttobetheslaveofsuchabsurdsuperstitions.""SheIStoointelligent—she’snottheirslave."MadameOlenskalookedathim."Well,then—Idon’tunderstand."Archerreddened,andhurriedonwitharush."Wehadafranktalk—almostthefirst.Shethinksmyimpatienceabadsign.""Mercifulheavens—abadsign?""ShethinksitmeansthatIcan’ttrustmyselftogooncaringforher.Shethinks,inshort,IwanttomarryheratoncetogetawayfromsomeonethatI—careformore."MadameOlenskaexaminedthiscuriously."Butifshethinksthat—whyisn’tsheinahurrytoo?""Becauseshe’snotlikethat:she’ssomuchnobler.