Епоха невинності

           ButshewasbroughtupinthecountrybecausehermotherhadtoleaveNewYorkafterthedisgrace,whateveritwas:theyliveduptheHudsonalone,winterandsummer,tillMammawassixteen.ItwouldneverhaveoccurredtoGrandmammaSpicertoaskthefamilyto’countenance’her,asIunderstandReginacallsit;thoughaprivatedisgraceisnothingcomparedtothescandalofruininghundredsofinnocentpeople.""Yes,itwouldbemorebecominginReginatohideherowncountenancethantotalkaboutotherpeople’s,"Mrs.LovellMingottagreed."IunderstandthattheemeraldnecklacesheworeattheOperalastFridayhadbeensentonapprovalfromBallandBlack’sintheafternoon.Iwonderifthey’llevergetitback?"Archerlistenedunmovedtotherelentlesschorus.Theideaofabsolutefinancialprobityasthefirstlawofagentleman’scodewastoodeeplyingrainedinhimforsentimentalconsiderationstoweakenit.AnadventurerlikeLemuelStruthersmightbuildupthemillionsofhisShoePolishonanynumberofshadydealings;butunblemishedhonestywasthenoblesseobligeofoldfinancialNewYork.NordidMrs.Beaufort’sfategreatlymoveArcher.Hefelt,nodoubt,moresorryforherthanherindignantrelatives;butitseemedtohimthatthetiebetweenhusbandandwife,evenifbreakableinprosperity,shouldbeindissolubleinmisfortune.AsMr.Letterblairhadsaid,awife’splacewasatherhusband’ssidewhenhewasintrouble;butsociety’splacewasnotathisside,andMrs.Beaufort’scoolassumptionthatitwasseemedalmosttomakeherhisaccomplice.