Епоха невинності

           "Meethim—myhusband?HERE?Atthisseasonhe’salwaysatCowesorBaden.""Hesentsomeone?""Yes.""Withaletter?"Sheshookherhead."No;justamessage.Heneverwrites.Idon’tthinkI’vehadmorethanoneletterfromhim."Theallusionbroughtthecolourtohercheek,anditreflecteditselfinArcher’svividblush."Whydoesheneverwrite?""Whyshouldhe?Whatdoesonehavesecretariesfor?"Theyoungman’sblushdeepened.Shehadpronouncedthewordasifithadnomoresignificancethananyotherinhervocabulary.Foramomentitwasonthetipofhistonguetoask:"Didhesendhissecretary,then?"ButtheremembranceofCountOlenski’sonlylettertohiswifewastoopresenttohim.Hepausedagain,andthentookanotherplunge."Andtheperson?"—"Theemissary?Theemissary,"MadameOlenskarejoined,stillsmiling,"might,forallIcare,haveleftalready;buthehasinsistedonwaitingtillthisevening...incase...onthechance...""Andyoucameoutheretothinkthechanceover?""Icameouttogetabreathofair.Thehotel’stoostifling.I’mtakingtheafternoontrainbacktoPortsmouth."Theysatsilent,notlookingateachother,butstraightaheadatthepeoplepassingalongthepath.Finallysheturnedhereyesagaintohisfaceandsaid:"You’renotchanged."Hefeltlikeanswering:"Iwas,tillIsawyouagain;"butinsteadhestoodupabruptlyandglancedabouthimattheuntidyswelteringpark."Thisishorrible.Whyshouldn’twegooutalittleonthebay?There’sabreeze,anditwillbecooler.WemighttakethesteamboatdowntoPointArley.