Епоха невинності
Chapter 1
Thiswasespeciallythecasewhenthepleasurewasadelicateone,ashispleasuresmostlywere;andonthisoccasionthemomenthelookedforwardtowassorareandexquisiteinqualitythat—well,ifhehadtimedhisarrivalinaccordwiththeprimadonna’sstage-managerhecouldnothaveenteredtheAcademyatamoresignificantmomentthanjustasshewassinging:"Helovesme—helovesmenot—HELOVESME!—"andsprinklingthefallingdaisypetalswithnotesasclearasdew.Shesang,ofcourse,"M’ama!"andnot"helovesme,"sinceanunalterableandunquestionedlawofthemusicalworldrequiredthattheGermantextofFrenchoperassungbySwedishartistsshouldbetranslatedintoItalianfortheclearerunderstandingofEnglish-speakingaudiences.ThisseemedasnaturaltoNewlandArcherasalltheotherconventionsonwhichhislifewasmoulded:suchasthedutyofusingtwosilver-backedbrusheswithhismonograminblueenameltoparthishair,andofneverappearinginsocietywithoutaflower(preferablyagardenia)inhisbuttonhole."M’ama...nonm’ama..."theprimadonnasang,and"M’ama!",withafinalburstoflovetriumphant,asshepressedthedishevelleddaisytoherlipsandliftedherlargeeyestothesophisticatedcountenanceofthelittlebrownFaust-Capoul,whowasvainlytrying,inatightpurplevelvetdoubletandplumedcap,tolookaspureandtrueashisartlessvictim.NewlandArcher,leaningagainstthewallatthebackoftheclubbox,turnedhiseyesfromthestageandscannedtheoppositesideofthehouse.DirectlyfacinghimwastheboxofoldMrs.
