Епоха невинності
Chapter 3
ItwasevidentthatMissWellandwasintheactofannouncingherengagement,whilehermotheraffectedtheairofparentalreluctanceconsideredsuitabletotheoccasion.Archerpausedamoment.Itwasathisexpresswishthattheannouncementhadbeenmade,andyetitwasnotthusthathewouldhavewishedtohavehishappinessknown.Toproclaimitintheheatandnoiseofacrowdedball-roomwastorobitofthefinebloomofprivacywhichshouldbelongtothingsnearesttheheart.Hisjoywassodeepthatthisblurringofthesurfaceleftitsessenceuntouched;buthewouldhavelikedtokeepthesurfacepuretoo.ItwassomethingofasatisfactiontofindthatMayWellandsharedthisfeeling.Hereyesfledtohisbeseechingly,andtheirlooksaid:"Remember,we’redoingthisbecauseit’sright."NoappealcouldhavefoundamoreimmediateresponseinArcher’sbreast;buthewishedthatthenecessityoftheiractionhadbeenrepresentedbysomeidealreason,andnotsimplybypoorEllenOlenska.ThegroupaboutMissWellandmadewayforhimwithsignificantsmiles,andaftertakinghisshareofthefelicitationshedrewhisbetrothedintothemiddleoftheball-roomfloorandputhisarmaboutherwaist."Nowweshan’thavetotalk,"hesaid,smilingintohercandideyes,astheyfloatedawayonthesoftwavesoftheBlueDanube.Shemadenoanswer.Herlipstrembledintoasmile,buttheeyesremaineddistantandserious,asifbentonsomeineffablevision.
