Епоха невинності
Chapter 6
Archerwouldsaytoherchildren,"allthismodernnewspaperrubbishaboutaNewYorkaristocracy.Ifthereisone,neithertheMingottsnortheMansonsbelongtoit;no,northeNewlandsortheChiverseseither.Ourgrandfathersandgreat-grandfatherswerejustrespectableEnglishorDutchmerchants,whocametothecoloniestomaketheirfortune,andstayedherebecausetheydidsowell.Oneofyourgreat-grandfatherssignedtheDeclaration,andanotherwasageneralonWashington’sstaff,andreceivedGeneralBurgoyne’sswordafterthebattleofSaratoga.Thesearethingstobeproudof,buttheyhavenothingtodowithrankorclass.NewYorkhasalwaysbeenacommercialcommunity,andtherearenotmorethanthreefamiliesinitwhocanclaimanaristocraticoriginintherealsenseoftheword."Mrs.Archerandhersonanddaughter,likeeveryoneelseinNewYork,knewwhotheseprivilegedbeingswere:theDagonetsofWashingtonSquare,whocameofanoldEnglishcountyfamilyalliedwiththePittsandFoxes;theLannings,whohadintermarriedwiththedescendantsofCountdeGrasse,andthevanderLuydens,directdescendantsofthefirstDutchgovernorofManhattan,andrelatedbypre-revolutionarymarriagestoseveralmembersoftheFrenchandBritisharistocracy.
