Епоха невинності

           Thesoundofhisvoiceechoeduncannilythroughthehomelikehush,andherepeated:"ThereissomethingI’vegottotellyou...aboutmyself..."Shesatsilent,withoutamovementoratremorofherlashes.Shewasstillextremelypale,butherfacehadacurioustranquillityofexpressionthatseemeddrawnfromsomesecretinnersource.Archercheckedtheconventionalphrasesofself-accusalthatwerecrowdingtohislips.Hewasdeterminedtoputthecasebaldly,withoutvainrecriminationorexcuse."MadameOlenska—"hesaid;butatthenamehiswiferaisedherhandasiftosilencehim.Asshedidsothegaslightstruckonthegoldofherwedding-ring."Oh,whyshouldwetalkaboutEllentonight?"sheasked,withaslightpoutofimpatience."BecauseIoughttohavespokenbefore."Herfaceremainedcalm."Isitreallyworthwhile,dear?IknowI’vebeenunfairtoherattimes—perhapsweallhave.You’veunderstoodher,nodoubt,betterthanwedid:you’vealwaysbeenkindtoher.Butwhatdoesitmatter,nowit’sallover?"Archerlookedatherblankly.Coulditbepossiblethatthesenseofunrealityinwhichhefelthimselfimprisonedhadcommunicateditselftohiswife?"Allover—whatdoyoumean?"heaskedinanindistinctstammer.Maystilllookedathimwithtransparenteyes.