Епоха невинності

           ButIheartherearepressingreasonsforourfriendLawrence’sdiatribe:—typewriterthistime,Iunderstand...."ThetalksweptpastArcherlikesomesenselessriverrunningandrunningbecauseitdidnotknowenoughtostop.Hesaw,onthefacesabouthim,expressionsofinterest,amusementandevenmirth.Helistenedtotheyoungermen’slaughter,andtothepraiseoftheArcherMadeira,whichMr.vanderLuydenandMr.Merrywerethoughtfullycelebrating.Throughitallhewasdimlyawareofageneralattitudeoffriendlinesstowardhimself,asiftheguardoftheprisonerhefelthimselftobeweretryingtosoftenhiscaptivity;andtheperceptionincreasedhispassionatedeterminationtobefree.Inthedrawing-room,wheretheypresentlyjoinedtheladies,hemetMay’striumphanteyes,andreadinthemtheconvictionthateverythinghad"goneoff"beautifully.SherosefromMadameOlenska’sside,andimmediatelyMrs.vanderLuydenbeckonedthelattertoaseatonthegiltsofawhereshethroned.Mrs.SelfridgeMerryboreacrosstheroomtojointhem,anditbecamecleartoArcherthatherealsoaconspiracyofrehabilitationandobliterationwasgoingon.ThesilentorganisationwhichheldhislittleworldtogetherwasdeterminedtoputitselfonrecordasneverforamomenthavingquestionedtheproprietyofMadameOlenska’sconduct,orthecompletenessofArcher’sdomesticfelicity.