Епоха невинності

           "Archermadenoanswer,andshecontinued,withatingeofhardnessthathehadneverbeforenoticedinherfrankfreshvoice:"Afterall,Iwonderifshewouldn’tbehappierwithherhusband."Heburstintoalaugh."Sanctasimplicitas!"heexclaimed;andassheturnedapuzzledfrownonhimheadded:"Idon’tthinkIeverheardyousayacruelthingbefore.""Cruel?""Well—watchingthecontortionsofthedamnedissupposedtobeafavouritesportoftheangels;butIbelieveeventheydon’tthinkpeoplehappierinhell.""It’sapitysheevermarriedabroadthen,"saidMay,intheplacidtonewithwhichhermothermetMr.Welland’svagaries;andArcherfelthimselfgentlyrelegatedtothecategoryofunreasonablehusbands.TheydrovedownBellevueAvenueandturnedinbetweenthechamferedwoodengate-postssurmountedbycast-ironlampswhichmarkedtheapproachtotheWellandvilla.Lightswerealreadyshiningthroughitswindows,andArcher,asthecarriagestopped,caughtaglimpseofhisfather-in-law,exactlyashehadpicturedhim,pacingthedrawing-room,watchinhandandwearingthepainedexpressionthathehadlongsincefoundtobemuchmoreefficaciousthananger.Theyoungman,ashefollowedhiswifeintothehall,wasconsciousofacuriousreversalofmood.TherewassomethingabouttheluxuryoftheWellandhouseandthedensityoftheWellandatmosphere,sochargedwithminuteobservancesandexactions,thatalwaysstoleintohissystemlikeanarcotic