Епоха невинності

           ""What!Threedaysafteryou’veentreatedheronyourkneestohastenyourmarriage?""She’srefused;thatgivesmetheright—""Ah,you’vetaughtmewhatanuglywordthatis,"shesaid.Heturnedawaywithasenseofutterweariness.Hefeltasthoughhehadbeenstrugglingforhoursupthefaceofasteepprecipice,andnow,justashehadfoughthiswaytothetop,hisholdhadgivenwayandhewaspitchingdownheadlongintodarkness.Ifhecouldhavegotherinhisarmsagainhemighthavesweptawayherarguments;butshestillheldhimatadistancebysomethinginscrutablyaloofinherlookandattitude,andbyhisownawedsenseofhersincerity.Atlengthhebegantopleadagain."Ifwedothisnowitwillbeworseafterward—worseforeveryone—""No—no—no!"shealmostscreamed,asifhefrightenedher.Atthatmomentthebellsentalongtinklethroughthehouse.Theyhadheardnocarriagestoppingatthedoor,andtheystoodmotionless,lookingateachotherwithstartledeyes.Outside,Nastasia’sstepcrossedthehall,theouterdooropened,andamomentlatershecameincarryingatelegramwhichshehandedtotheCountessOlenska."Theladywasveryhappyattheflowers,"Nastasiasaid,smoothingherapron."Shethoughtitwashersignormaritowhohadsentthem,andshecriedalittleandsaiditwasafolly."Hermistresssmiledandtooktheyellowenvelope.Shetoreitopenandcarriedittothelamp;then,whenthedoorhadclosedagain,shehandedthetelegramtoArcher.ItwasdatedfromSt.Augustine,andaddressedtotheCountessOlenska.