Епоха невинності
Chapter 6
Untrainedhumannaturewasnotfrankandinnocent;itwasfullofthetwistsanddefencesofaninstinctiveguile.Andhefelthimselfoppressedbythiscreationoffactitiouspurity,socunninglymanufacturedbyaconspiracyofmothersandauntsandgrandmothersandlong-deadancestresses,becauseitwassupposedtobewhathewanted,whathehadarightto,inorderthathemightexercisehislordlypleasureinsmashingitlikeanimagemadeofsnow.Therewasacertaintritenessinthesereflections:theywerethosehabitualtoyoungmenontheapproachoftheirweddingday.Buttheyweregenerallyaccompaniedbyasenseofcompunctionandself-abasementofwhichNewlandArcherfeltnotrace.Hecouldnotdeplore(asThackeray’sheroessooftenexasperatedhimbydoing)thathehadnotablankpagetoofferhisbrideinexchangefortheunblemishedoneshewastogivetohim.HecouldnotgetawayfromthefactthatifhehadbeenbroughtupasshehadtheywouldhavebeennomorefittofindtheirwayaboutthantheBabesintheWood;norcouldhe,forallhisanxiouscogitations,seeanyhonestreason(any,thatis,unconnectedwithhisownmomentarypleasure,andthepassionofmasculinevanity)whyhisbrideshouldnothavebeenallowedthesamefreedomofexperienceashimself.Suchquestions,atsuchanhour,wereboundtodriftthroughhismind;buthewasconsciousthattheiruncomfortablepersistenceandprecisionwereduetotheinopportunearrivaloftheCountessOlenska.
