Епоха невинності

           HegotupandwalkedacrossthePlacedelaConcordeandtheTuileriesgardenstotheLouvre.Shehadoncetoldhimthatsheoftenwentthere,andhehadafancytospendtheinterveningtimeinaplacewherehecouldthinkofherasperhapshavinglatelybeen.Foranhourormorehewanderedfromgallerytogallerythroughthedazzleofafternoonlight,andonebyonethepicturesburstonhimintheirhalf-forgottensplendour,fillinghissoulwiththelongechoesofbeauty.Afterall,hislifehadbeentoostarved....Suddenly,beforeaneffulgentTitian,hefoundhimselfsaying:"ButI’monlyfifty-seven—"andthenheturnedaway.Forsuchsummerdreamsitwastoolate;butsurelynotforaquietharvestoffriendship,ofcomradeship,intheblessedhushofhernearness.Hewentbacktothehotel,whereheandDallasweretomeet;andtogethertheywalkedagainacrossthePlacedelaConcordeandoverthebridgethatleadstotheChamberofDeputies.Dallas,unconsciousofwhatwasgoingoninhisfather’smind,wastalkingexcitedlyandabundantlyofVersailles.Hehadhadbutonepreviousglimpseofit,duringaholidaytripinwhichhehadtriedtopackallthesightshehadbeendeprivedofwhenhehadhadtogowiththefamilytoSwitzerland;andtumultuousenthusiasmandcock-surecriticismtrippedeachotheruponhislips.AsArcherlistened,hissenseofinadequacyandinexpressivenessincreased.Theboywasnotinsensitive,heknew;buthehadthefacilityandself-confidencethatcameoflookingatfatenotasamasterbutasanequal.