Епоха невинності

           Iknowhewastoseesomeoftheinfluentialpeopletoday.Ofcourse,"Mr.Jacksonreluctantlyconceded,"it’stobehopedtheycantidehimover—thistimeanyhow.Ishouldn’tliketothinkofpoorRegina’sspendingtherestofherlifeinsomeshabbyforeignwatering-placeforbankrupts."Archersaidnothing.Itseemedtohimsonatural—howevertragic—thatmoneyill-gottenshouldbecruellyexpiated,thathismind,hardlylingeringoverMrs.Beaufort’sdoom,wanderedbacktocloserquestions.WhatwasthemeaningofMay’sblushwhentheCountessOlenskahadbeenmentioned?FourmonthshadpassedsincethemidsummerdaythatheandMadameOlenskahadspenttogether;andsincethenhehadnotseenher.HeknewthatshehadreturnedtoWashington,tothelittlehousewhichsheandMedoraMansonhadtakenthere:hehadwrittentoheronce—afewwords,askingwhentheyweretomeetagain—andshehadevenmorebrieflyreplied:"Notyet."Sincethentherehadbeennofarthercommunicationbetweenthem,andhehadbuiltupwithinhimselfakindofsanctuaryinwhichshethronedamonghissecretthoughtsandlongings.Littlebylittleitbecamethesceneofhisreallife,ofhisonlyrationalactivities;thitherhebroughtthebooksheread,theideasandfeelingswhichnourishedhim,hisjudgmentsandhisvisions.Outsideit,inthesceneofhisactuallife,hemovedwithagrowingsenseofunrealityandinsufficiency,blunderingagainstfamiliarprejudicesandtraditionalpointsofviewasanabsent-mindedmangoesonbumpingintothefurnitureofhisownroom.