Епоха невинності

           Duringdinnertheirtalkmovedinitsusuallimitedcircle;butArchernoticedthathiswifemadenoallusiontoMadameOlenska,nortooldCatherine’sreceptionofher.Hewasthankfulforthefact,yetfeltittobevaguelyominous.Theywentuptothelibraryforcoffee,andArcherlitacigarandtookdownavolumeofMichelet.HehadtakentohistoryintheeveningssinceMayhadshownatendencytoaskhimtoreadaloudwhenevershesawhimwithavolumeofpoetry:notthathedislikedthesoundofhisownvoice,butbecausehecouldalwaysforeseehercommentsonwhatheread.Inthedaysoftheirengagementshehadsimply(ashenowperceived)echoedwhathetoldher;butsincehehadceasedtoprovideherwithopinionsshehadbeguntohazardherown,withresultsdestructivetohisenjoymentoftheworkscommentedon.Seeingthathehadchosenhistoryshefetchedherworkbasket,drewupanarm-chairtothegreen-shadedstudentlamp,anduncoveredacushionshewasembroideringforhissofa.Shewasnotacleverneedle-woman;herlargecapablehandsweremadeforriding,rowingandopen-airactivities;butsinceotherwivesembroideredcushionsfortheirhusbandsshedidnotwishtoomitthislastlinkinherdevotion.ShewassoplacedthatArcher,bymerelyraisinghiseyes,couldseeherbentaboveherwork-frame,herruffledelbow-sleevesslippingbackfromherfirmroundarms,thebetrothalsapphireshiningonherlefthandaboveherbroadgoldwedding-ring,andtherighthandslowlyandlaboriouslystabbingthecanvas.