Епоха невинності

           "Ah—itmustbealong-distancefromDallas,whohadbeensenttoChicagobyhisfirmtotalkovertheplanoftheLakesidepalacetheyweretobuildforayoungmillionairewithideas.ThefirmalwayssentDallasonsucherrands."Hallo,Dad—Yes:Dallas.Isay—howdoyoufeelaboutsailingonWednesday?Mauretania:Yes,nextWednesdayaseveris.OurclientwantsmetolookatsomeItaliangardensbeforewesettleanything,andhasaskedmetonipoveronthenextboat.I’vegottobebackonthefirstofJune—"thevoicebrokeintoajoyfulconsciouslaugh—"sowemustlookalive.Isay,Dad,Iwantyourhelp:docome."Dallasseemedtobespeakingintheroom:thevoicewasasnearbyandnaturalasifhehadbeenlounginginhisfavouritearm-chairbythefire.ThefactwouldnotordinarilyhavesurprisedArcher,forlong-distancetelephoninghadbecomeasmuchamatterofcourseaselectriclightingandfive-dayAtlanticvoyages.Butthelaughdidstartlehim;itstillseemedwonderfulthatacrossallthosemilesandmilesofcountry—forest,river,mountain,prairie,roaringcitiesandbusyindifferentmillions—Dallas’slaughshouldbeabletosay:"Ofcourse,whateverhappens,Imustgetbackonthefirst,becauseFannyBeaufortandIaretobemarriedonthefifth."Thevoicebeganagain:"Thinkitover?No,sir:notaminute.You’vegottosayyesnow.Whynot,I’dliketoknow?Ifyoucanallegeasinglereason—No;Iknewit.Thenit’sago,eh?BecauseIcountonyoutoringuptheCunardofficefirstthingtomorrow;andyou’dbetterbookareturnonaboatfromMarseilles.