Епоха невинності

           "Better—?""Weshallhurtothersless.Isn’tit,afterall,whatyoualwayswanted?""Tohaveyouhere,youmean—inreachandyetoutofreach?Tomeetyouinthisway,onthesly?It’stheveryreverseofwhatIwant.ItoldyoutheotherdaywhatIwanted."Shehesitated."Andyoustillthinkthis—worse?""Athousandtimes!"Hepaused."Itwouldbeeasytolietoyou;butthetruthisIthinkitdetestable.""Oh,sodoI!"shecriedwithadeepbreathofrelief.Hesprangupimpatiently."Well,then—it’smyturntoask:whatisit,inGod’sname,thatyouthinkbetter?"Shehungherheadandcontinuedtoclaspandunclaspherhandsinhermuff.Thestepdrewnearer,andaguardianinabraidedcapwalkedlistlesslythroughtheroomlikeaghoststalkingthroughanecropolis.Theyfixedtheireyessimultaneouslyonthecaseoppositethem,andwhentheofficialfigurehadvanisheddownavistaofmummiesandsarcophagiArcherspokeagain."Whatdoyouthinkbetter?"Insteadofansweringshemurmured:"IpromisedGrannytostaywithherbecauseitseemedtomethathereIshouldbesafer.""Fromme?"Shebentherheadslightly,withoutlookingathim."Saferfromlovingme?"Herprofiledidnotstir,buthesawatearoverflowonherlashesandhanginameshofherveil."Saferfromdoingirreparableharm.Don’tletusbelikealltheothers!"sheprotested."Whatothers?Idon’tprofesstobedifferentfrommykind.I’mconsumedbythesamewantsandthesamelongings."Sheglancedathimwithakindofterror,andhesawafaintcolourstealintohercheeks.