Епоха невинності

           Someinvinciblerepugnancetospeakofsuchthingstothestrangeforeignwomanhadcheckedthewordsonhislips."No—Ihadn’tthechanceafterall,"hesaid,fibbinghastily."Ah."Shelookeddisappointed,butgentlyresolvedongainingherpoint."Youmust,then,forIdidn’teither;andIshouldn’tlikehertothink—""Ofcoursenot.Butaren’tyou,afterall,thepersontodoit?"Sheponderedonthis."IfI’ddoneitattherighttime,yes:butnowthatthere’sbeenadelayIthinkyoumustexplainthatI’daskedyoutotellherattheOpera,beforeourspeakingaboutittoeverybodyhere.OtherwiseshemightthinkIhadforgottenher.Yousee,she’soneofthefamily,andshe’sbeenawaysolongthatshe’srather—sensitive."Archerlookedatherglowingly."Dearandgreatangel!OfcourseI’lltellher."Heglancedatrifleapprehensivelytowardthecrowdedball-room."ButIhaven’tseenheryet.Hasshecome?""No;atthelastminuteshedecidednotto.""Atthelastminute?"heechoed,betrayinghissurprisethatsheshouldeverhaveconsideredthealternativepossible."Yes.She’sawfullyfondofdancing,"theyounggirlansweredsimply."Butsuddenlyshemadeuphermindthatherdresswasn’tsmartenoughforaball,thoughwethoughtitsolovely;andsomyaunthadtotakeherhome.""Oh,well—"saidArcherwithhappyindifference.Nothingabouthisbetrothedpleasedhimmorethanherresolutedeterminationtocarrytoitsutmostlimitthatritualofignoringthe"unpleasant"inwhichtheyhadbothbeenbroughtup