Епоха невинності

           "PoorJaney!"hethought,lookingathissister,"evenbyscrewingherheadaroundshecanseeonlythepeopleinthefewfrontpews;andthey’remostlydowdyNewlandsandDagonets."OnthehithersideofthewhiteribbondividingofftheseatsreservedforthefamilieshesawBeaufort,tallandredfaced,scrutinisingthewomenwithhisarrogantstare.Besidehimsathiswife,allsilverychinchillaandviolets;andonthefarsideoftheribbon,LawrenceLefferts’ssleeklybrushedheadseemedtomountguardovertheinvisibledeityof"GoodForm"whopresidedattheceremony.ArcherwonderedhowmanyflawsLefferts’skeeneyeswoulddiscoverintheritualofhisdivinity;thenhesuddenlyrecalledthathetoohadoncethoughtsuchquestionsimportant.Thethingsthathadfilledhisdaysseemednowlikeanurseryparodyoflife,orlikethewranglesofmediaevalschoolmenovermetaphysicaltermsthatnobodyhadeverunderstood.Astormydiscussionastowhethertheweddingpresentsshouldbe"shown"haddarkenedthelasthoursbeforethewedding;anditseemedinconceivabletoArcherthatgrown-uppeopleshouldworkthemselvesintoastateofagitationoversuchtrifles,andthatthemattershouldhavebeendecided(inthenegative)byMrs.Welland’ssaying,withindignanttears:"Ishouldassoonturnthereporterslooseinmyhouse."YettherewasatimewhenArcherhadhaddefiniteandratheraggressiveopinionsonallsuchproblems,andwheneverythingconcerningthemannersandcustomsofhislittletribehadseemedtohimfraughtwithworld-widesignificance.