Портрет Доріана Грея
Chapter 2
"Howdreadful!"exclaimedLadyAgatha."Really,someoneshouldinterfere."
"Iamtold,onexcellentauthority,thatherfatherkeepsanAmericandry-goodsstore,"saidSirThomasBurdon,lookingsupercilious.
"Myunclehasalreadysuggestedpork-packing,SirThomas."
"Dry-goods!WhatareAmericandry-goods?"askedtheDuchess,raisingherlargehandsinwonder,andaccentuatingtheverb.
"Americannovels,"answeredLordHenry,helpinghimselftosomequail.
TheDuchesslookedpuzzled.
"Don’tmindhim,mydear,"whisperedLadyAgatha."Henevermeansanythingthathesays."
"WhenAmericawasdiscovered,"saidtheRadicalmember,andhebegantogivesomewearisomefacts. Likeallpeoplewhotrytoexhaustasubject,heexhaustedhislisteners. TheDuchesssighed,andexercisedherprivilegeofinterruption. "Iwishtogoodnessitneverhadbeendiscoveredatall!"sheexclaimed. "Really,ourgirlshavenochancenowadays.Itismostunfair."
"Perhaps,afterall,Americaneverhasbeendiscovered,"saidMr.Erskine. "Imyselfwouldsaythatithadmerelybeendetected."
"Oh!butIhaveseenspecimensoftheinhabitants,"answeredtheDuchess,vaguely. "Imustconfessthatmostofthemareextremelypretty.Andtheydresswell,too. TheygetalltheirdressesinParis.IwishIcouldaffordtodothesame."