Епоха невинності

           Thisconfidenceinthefuturehadsteadiedhimtoplayhispartinthepresent.Ithadkepthimfromwritingtoher,orbetraying,byanysignoract,hismiseryandmortification.Itseemedtohimthatinthedeadlysilentgamebetweenthemthetrumpswerestillinhishands;andhewaited.Therehadbeen,nevertheless,momentssufficientlydifficulttopass;aswhenMr.Letterblair,thedayafterMadameOlenska’sdeparture,hadsentforhimtogooverthedetailsofthetrustwhichMrs.MansonMingottwishedtocreateforhergranddaughter.ForacoupleofhoursArcherhadexaminedthetermsofthedeedwithhissenior,allthewhileobscurelyfeelingthatifhehadbeenconsulteditwasforsomereasonotherthantheobviousoneofhiscousinship;andthatthecloseoftheconferencewouldrevealit."Well,theladycan’tdenythatit’sahandsomearrangement,"Mr.Letterblairhadsummedup,aftermumblingoverasummaryofthesettlement."InfactI’mboundtosayshe’sbeentreatedprettyhandsomelyallround.""Allround?"Archerechoedwithatouchofderision."Doyourefertoherhusband’sproposaltogiveherbackherownmoney?"Mr.Letterblair’sbushyeyebrowswentupafractionofaninch."Mydearsir,thelaw’sthelaw;andyourwife’scousinwasmarriedundertheFrenchlaw.It’stobepresumedsheknewwhatthatmeant.""Evenifshedid,whathappenedsubsequently—."ButArcherpaused.Mr.