Епоха невинності

           "Orifnot,"shecontinued,pursuingherownthoughtwithapainfulapplication,"ifit’snotworthwhiletohavegivenup,tohavemissedthings,sothatothersmaybesavedfromdisillusionmentandmisery—theneverythingIcamehomefor,everythingthatmademyotherlifeseembycontrastsobareandsopoorbecausenoonetheretookaccountofthem—allthesethingsareashamoradream—"Heturnedaroundwithoutmovingfromhisplace."Andinthatcasethere’snoreasononearthwhyyoushouldn’tgoback?"heconcludedforher.Hereyeswereclingingtohimdesperately."Oh,IStherenoreason?""Notifyoustakedyourallonthesuccessofmymarriage.Mymarriage,"hesaidsavagely,"isn’tgoingtobeasighttokeepyouhere."Shemadenoanswer,andhewenton:"What’stheuse?Yougavememyfirstglimpseofareallife,andatthesamemomentyouaskedmetogoonwithashamone.It’sbeyondhumanenduring—that’sall.""Oh,don’tsaythat;whenI’menduringit!"sheburstout,hereyesfilling.Herarmshaddroppedalongthetable,andshesatwithherfaceabandonedtohisgazeasifintherecklessnessofadesperateperil.Thefaceexposedherasmuchasifithadbeenherwholeperson,withthesoulbehindit:Archerstooddumb,overwhelmedbywhatitsuddenlytoldhim."Youtoo—oh,allthistime,youtoo?"Foranswer,sheletthetearsonherlidsoverflowandrunslowlydownward.Halfthewidthoftheroomwasstillbetweenthem,andneithermadeanyshowofmoving.