Епоха невинності

           "Ah,don’tletusundowhatyou’vedone!"shecried."Ican’tgobacknowtothatotherwayofthinking.Ican’tloveyouunlessIgiveyouup."Hisarmswereyearninguptoher;butshedrewaway,andtheyremainedfacingeachother,dividedbythedistancethatherwordshadcreated.Then,abruptly,hisangeroverflowed."AndBeaufort?Ishetoreplaceme?"Asthewordssprangouthewaspreparedforanansweringflareofanger;andhewouldhavewelcomeditasfuelforhisown.ButMadameOlenskaonlygrewashadepaler,andstoodwithherarmshangingdownbeforeher,andherheadslightlybent,asherwaywaswhensheponderedaquestion."He’swaitingforyounowatMrs.Struthers’s;whydon’tyougotohim?"Archersneered.Sheturnedtoringthebell."Ishallnotgooutthisevening;tellthecarriagetogoandfetchtheSignoraMarchesa,"shesaidwhenthemaidcame.AfterthedoorhadclosedagainArchercontinuedtolookatherwithbittereyes."Whythissacrifice?Sinceyoutellmethatyou’relonelyI’venorighttokeepyoufromyourfriends."Shesmiledalittleunderherwetlashes."Ishan’tbelonelynow.IWASlonely;IWASafraid.Buttheemptinessandthedarknessaregone;whenIturnbackintomyselfnowI’mlikeachildgoingatnightintoaroomwherethere’salwaysalight."Hertoneandherlookstillenvelopedherinasoftinaccessibility,andArchergroanedoutagain:"Idon’tunderstandyou!""YetyouunderstandMay!"Hereddenedundertheretort,butkepthiseyesonher."Mayisreadytogivemeup.