Епоха невинності
Chapter 23
Theygotintotheherdic,andasitdroveoffhetookouthiswatchandsawthatshehadbeenabsentjustthreeminutes.Intheclatterofloosewindowsthatmadetalkimpossibletheybumpedoverthedisjointedcobblestonestothewharf.Seatedsidebysideonabenchofthehalf-emptyboattheyfoundthattheyhadhardlyanythingtosaytoeachother,orratherthatwhattheyhadtosaycommunicateditselfbestintheblessedsilenceoftheirreleaseandtheirisolation.Asthepaddle-wheelsbegantoturn,andwharvesandshippingtorecedethroughtheveilofheat,itseemedtoArcherthateverythingintheoldfamiliarworldofhabitwasrecedingalso.HelongedtoaskMadameOlenskaifshedidnothavethesamefeeling:thefeelingthattheywerestartingonsomelongvoyagefromwhichtheymightneverreturn.Buthewasafraidtosayit,oranythingelsethatmightdisturbthedelicatebalanceofhertrustinhim.Inrealityhehadnowishtobetraythattrust.Therehadbeendaysandnightswhenthememoryoftheirkisshadburnedandburnedonhislips;thedaybeforeeven,onthedrivetoPortsmouth,thethoughtofherhadrunthroughhimlikefire;butnowthatshewasbesidehim,andtheyweredriftingforthintothisunknownworld,theyseemedtohavereachedthekindofdeepernearnessthatatouchmaysunder.Astheboatlefttheharbourandturnedseawardabreezestirredaboutthemandthebaybrokeupintolongoilyundulations,thenintoripplestippedwithspray.
