Епоха невинності

           "I’msosorry:itshan’thappenagain,"sheanswered,inthefirmbrighttoneshehadlearnedfromhermother;anditexasperatedArchertofeelthatshewasalreadybeginningtohumourhimlikeayoungerMr.Welland.Shebentovertolowerthewick,andasthelightstruckuponherwhiteshouldersandtheclearcurvesofherfacehethought:"Howyoungsheis!Forwhatendlessyearsthislifewillhavetogoon!"Hefelt,withakindofhorror,hisownstrongyouthandtheboundingbloodinhisveins."Lookhere,"hesaidsuddenly,"ImayhavetogotoWashingtonforafewdays—soon;nextweekperhaps."Herhandremainedonthekeyofthelampassheturnedtohimslowly.Theheatfromitsflamehadbroughtbackaglowtoherface,butitpaledasshelookedup."Onbusiness?"sheasked,inatonewhichimpliedthattherecouldbenootherconceivablereason,andthatshehadputthequestionautomatically,asifmerelytofinishhisownsentence."Onbusiness,naturally.There’sapatentcasecomingupbeforetheSupremeCourt—"Hegavethenameoftheinventor,andwentonfurnishingdetailswithallLawrenceLefferts’spractisedglibness,whileshelistenedattentively,sayingatintervals:"Yes,Isee.""Thechangewilldoyougood,"shesaidsimply,whenhehadfinished;"andyoumustbesuretogoandseeEllen,"sheadded,lookinghimstraightintheeyeswithhercloudlesssmile,andspeakinginthetoneshemighthaveemployedinurginghimnottoneglectsomeirksomefamilyduty