Епоха невинності

           Riviere,orheardofhim,fornearlythirtyyears;andthatfactgavethemeasureofhisignoranceofMadameOlenska’sexistence.Morethanhalfalifetimedividedthem,andshehadspentthelongintervalamongpeoplehedidnotknow,inasocietyhebutfaintlyguessedat,inconditionshewouldneverwhollyunderstand.Duringthattimehehadbeenlivingwithhisyouthfulmemoryofher;butshehaddoubtlesshadotherandmoretangiblecompanionship.Perhapsshetoohadkepthermemoryofhimassomethingapart;butifshehad,itmusthavebeenlikearelicinasmalldimchapel,wheretherewasnottimetoprayeveryday....TheyhadcrossedthePlacedesInvalides,andwerewalkingdownoneofthethoroughfaresflankingthebuilding.Itwasaquietquarter,afterall,inspiteofitssplendouranditshistory;andthefactgaveoneanideaoftherichesParishadtodrawon,sincesuchscenesasthiswerelefttothefewandtheindifferent.Thedaywasfadingintoasoftsun-shothaze,prickedhereandtherebyayellowelectriclight,andpasserswererareinthelittlesquareintowhichtheyhadturned.Dallasstoppedagain,andlookedup."Itmustbehere,"hesaid,slippinghisarmthroughhisfather’swithamovementfromwhichArcher’sshynessdidnotshrink;andtheystoodtogetherlookingupatthehouse.Itwasamodernbuilding,withoutdistinctivecharacter,butmany-windowed,andpleasantlybalconiedupitswidecream-colouredfront.