Епоха невинності

           "ItwasthenotewhichthefamilyhadtakentosoundingonthementionoftheCountessOlenska’sname,sinceshehadsurprisedandinconveniencedthembyremainingobduratetoherhusband’sadvances;butonMay’slipsitgavefoodforthought,andArcherlookedatherwiththesenseofstrangenessthatsometimescameoverhimwhenshewasmostinthetoneofherenvironment.Hismother,withlessthanherusualsensitivenesstoatmosphere,stillinsisted:"I’vealwaysthoughtthatpeopleliketheCountessOlenska,whohavelivedinaristocraticsocieties,oughttohelpustokeepupoursocialdistinctions,insteadofignoringthem."May’sblushremainedpermanentlyvivid:itseemedtohaveasignificancebeyondthatimpliedbytherecognitionofMadameOlenska’ssocialbadfaith."I’venodoubtweallseemaliketoforeigners,"saidMissJacksontartly."Idon’tthinkEllencaresforsociety;butnobodyknowsexactlywhatshedoescarefor,"Maycontinued,asifshehadbeengropingforsomethingnoncommittal."Ah,well—"Mrs.Archersighedagain.EverybodyknewthattheCountessOlenskawasnolongerinthegoodgracesofherfamily.Evenherdevotedchampion,oldMrs.MansonMingott,hadbeenunabletodefendherrefusaltoreturntoherhusband.TheMingottshadnotproclaimedtheirdisapprovalaloud:theirsenseofsolidaritywastoostrong.Theyhadsimply,asMrs.Wellandsaid,"letpoorEllenfindherownlevel"—andthat,mortifyinglyandincomprehensibly,wasinthedimdepthswheretheBlenkersprevailed,and"peoplewhowrote"celebratedtheiruntidyrites.