Епоха невинності
Chapter 9
Wellandhadfirmlyremindedhimthattheroundoffamilyvisitswasnothalfover,and,whenhehintedatadvancingthedateofthewedding,hadraisedreproachfuleye-browsandsighedout:"Twelvedozenofeverything—hand-embroidered—"Packedinthefamilylandautheyrolledfromonetribaldoorsteptoanother,andArcher,whentheafternoon’sroundwasover,partedfromhisbetrothedwiththefeelingthathehadbeenshownofflikeawildanimalcunninglytrapped.Hesupposedthathisreadingsinanthropologycausedhimtotakesuchacoarseviewofwhatwasafterallasimpleandnaturaldemonstrationoffamilyfeeling;butwhenherememberedthattheWellandsdidnotexpecttheweddingtotakeplacetillthefollowingautumn,andpicturedwhathislifewouldbetillthen,adampnessfelluponhisspirit."Tomorrow,"Mrs.Wellandcalledafterhim,"we’lldotheChiversesandtheDallases";andheperceivedthatshewasgoingthroughtheirtwofamiliesalphabetically,andthattheywereonlyinthefirstquarterofthealphabet.HehadmeanttotellMayoftheCountessOlenska’srequest—hercommand,rather—thatheshouldcallonherthatafternoon;butinthebriefmomentswhentheywerealonehehadhadmorepressingthingstosay.Besides,itstruckhimasalittleabsurdtoalludetothematter.
