Епоха невинності
Chapter 9
Theneighbourhoodwasthoughtremote,andthehousewasbuiltinaghastlygreenish-yellowstonethattheyoungerarchitectswerebeginningtoemployasaprotestagainstthebrownstoneofwhichtheuniformhuecoatedNewYorklikeacoldchocolatesauce;buttheplumbingwasperfect.Archerwouldhavelikedtotravel,toputoffthehousingquestion;but,thoughtheWellandsapprovedofanextendedEuropeanhoneymoon(perhapsevenawinterinEgypt),theywerefirmastotheneedofahouseforthereturningcouple.Theyoungmanfeltthathisfatewassealed:fortherestofhislifehewouldgoupeveryeveningbetweenthecast-ironrailingsofthatgreenish-yellowdoorstep,andpassthroughaPompeianvestibuleintoahallwithawainscotingofvarnishedyellowwood.Butbeyondthathisimaginationcouldnottravel.Heknewthedrawing-roomabovehadabaywindow,buthecouldnotfancyhowMaywoulddealwithit.ShesubmittedcheerfullytothepurplesatinandyellowtuftingsoftheWellanddrawing-room,toitsshamBuhltablesandgiltvitrinesfullofmodernSaxe.Hesawnoreasontosupposethatshewouldwantanythingdifferentinherownhouse;andhisonlycomfortwastoreflectthatshewouldprobablylethimarrangehislibraryashepleased—whichwouldbe,ofcourse,with"sincere"Eastlakefurniture,andtheplainnewbookcaseswithoutglassdoors.Theround-bosomedmaidcamein,drewthecurtains,pushedbackalog,andsaidconsolingly:"Verra—verra."WhenshehadgoneArcherstoodupandbegantowanderabout.Shouldhewaitanylonger?Hispositionwasbecomingratherfoolish.
