Епоха невинності

           Thefogofsultrinessstillhungoverthecity,butaheadlayafreshworldofruffledwaters,anddistantpromontorieswithlight-housesinthesun.MadameOlenska,leaningbackagainsttheboat-rail,drankinthecoolnessbetweenpartedlips.Shehadwoundalongveilaboutherhat,butitleftherfaceuncovered,andArcherwasstruckbythetranquilgaietyofherexpression.Sheseemedtotaketheiradventureasamatterofcourse,andtobeneitherinfearofunexpectedencounters,nor(whatwasworse)undulyelatedbytheirpossibility.Inthebaredining-roomoftheinn,whichhehadhopedtheywouldhavetothemselves,theyfoundastridentpartyofinnocent-lookingyoungmenandwomen—school-teachersonaholiday,thelandlordtoldthem—andArcher’sheartsankattheideaofhavingtotalkthroughtheirnoise."Thisishopeless—I’llaskforaprivateroom,"hesaid;andMadameOlenska,withoutofferinganyobjection,waitedwhilehewentinsearchofit.Theroomopenedonalongwoodenverandah,withtheseacominginatthewindows.Itwasbareandcool,withatablecoveredwithacoarsecheckeredclothandadornedbyabottleofpicklesandablueberrypieunderacage.Nomoreguileless-lookingcabinetparticuliereveroffereditssheltertoaclandestinecouple:ArcherfanciedhesawthesenseofitsreassuranceinthefaintlyamusedsmilewithwhichMadameOlenskasatdownoppositetohim