Епоха невинності

           "Archerhadknownforthelastfewminutesthatthewordswerecoming;butwhentheycametheysentthebloodrushingtohistemplesasifhehadbeencaughtbyabent-backbranchinathicket."Andonwhosebehalf,"hesaid,"doyouwishtodothis?"M.Rivieremetthequestionsturdily."Well—ImightsayHERS,ifitdidnotsoundlikealiberty.ShallIsayinstead:onbehalfofabstractjustice?"Archerconsideredhimironically."Inotherwords:youareCountOlenski’smessenger?"HesawhisblushmoredarklyreflectedinM.Riviere’ssallowcountenance."NottoYOU,Monsieur.IfIcometoyou,itisonquiteothergrounds.""Whatrighthaveyou,inthecircumstances,toBEonanyotherground?"Archerretorted."Ifyou’reanemissaryyou’reanemissary."Theyoungmanconsidered."Mymissionisover:asfarastheCountessOlenskagoes,ithasfailed.""Ican’thelpthat,"Archerrejoinedonthesamenoteofirony."No:butyoucanhelp—"M.Rivierepaused,turnedhishataboutinhisstillcarefullyglovedhands,lookedintoitsliningandthenbackatArcher’sface."Youcanhelp,Monsieur,Iamconvinced,tomakeitequallyafailurewithherfamily."Archerpushedbackhischairandstoodup."Well—andbyGodIwill!"heexclaimed.Hestoodwithhishandsinhispockets,staringdownwrathfullyatthelittleFrenchman,whoseface,thoughhetoohadrisen,wasstillaninchortwobelowthelineofArcher’seyes.M.Rivierepaledtohisnormalhue:palerthanthathiscomplexioncouldhardlyturn.