Епоха невинності

           Shehadbehavedbeautifully—andinbeautifulbehaviourshewasunsurpassed—duringthecallonMrs.Welland;butNewlandknew(andhisbetrotheddoubtlessguessed)thatallthroughthevisitsheandJaneywerenervouslyonthewatchforMadameOlenska’spossibleintrusion;andwhentheyleftthehousetogethershehadpermittedherselftosaytoherson:"I’mthankfulthatAugustaWellandreceivedusalone."TheseindicationsofinwarddisturbancemovedArcherthemorethathetoofeltthattheMingottshadgonealittletoofar.But,asitwasagainstalltherulesoftheircodethatthemotherandsonshouldeveralludetowhatwasuppermostintheirthoughts,hesimplyreplied:"Oh,well,there’salwaysaphaseoffamilypartiestobegonethroughwhenonegetsengaged,andthesoonerit’soverthebetter."Atwhichhismothermerelypursedherlipsunderthelaceveilthathungdownfromhergreyvelvetbonnettrimmedwithfrostedgrapes.Herrevenge,hefelt—herlawfulrevenge—wouldbeto"draw"Mr.JacksonthateveningontheCountessOlenska;and,havingpubliclydonehisdutyasafuturememberoftheMingottclan,theyoungmanhadnoobjectiontohearingtheladydiscussedinprivate—exceptthatthesubjectwasalreadybeginningtoborehim.Mr.Jacksonhadhelpedhimselftoasliceofthetepidfiletwhichthemournfulbutlerhadhandedhimwithalookasscepticalashisown,andhadrejectedthemushroomsauceafterascarcelyperceptiblesniff.Helookedbaffledandhungry,andArcherreflectedthathewouldprobablyfinishhismealonEllenOlenska.Mr.