Епоха невинності

           Butalltheseabstractionsandeliminationsmadeofhismindaratheremptyandechoingplace,andhesupposedthatwasoneofthereasonswhythebusyanimatedpeopleontheBeaufortlawnshockedhimasiftheyhadbeenchildrenplayinginagrave-yard.Heheardamurmurofskirtsbesidehim,andtheMarchionessMansonflutteredoutofthedrawing-roomwindow.Asusual,shewasextraordinarilyfestoonedandbedizened,withalimpLeghornhatanchoredtoherheadbymanywindingsoffadedgauze,andalittleblackvelvetparasolonacarvedivoryhandleabsurdlybalancedoverhermuchlargerhatbrim."MydearNewland,IhadnoideathatyouandMayhadarrived!Youyourselfcameonlyyesterday,yousay?Ah,business—business—professionalduties...Iunderstand.Manyhusbands,Iknow,finditimpossibletojointheirwiveshereexceptfortheweek-end."Shecockedherheadononesideandlanguishedathimthroughscrewed-upeyes."Butmarriageisonelongsacrifice,asIusedoftentoremindmyEllen—"Archer’sheartstoppedwiththequeerjerkwhichithadgivenoncebefore,andwhichseemedsuddenlytoslamadoorbetweenhimselfandtheouterworld;butthisbreakofcontinuitymusthavebeenofthebriefest,forhepresentlyheardMedoraansweringaquestionhehadapparentlyfoundvoicetoput."No,Iamnotstayinghere,butwiththeBlenkers,intheirdelicioussolitudeatPortsmouth.Beaufortwaskindenoughtosendhisfamoustrottersformethismorning,sothatImighthaveatleastaglimpseofoneofRegina’sgarden-parties;butthiseveningIgobacktorurallife.