Загадочная история Бенджамина Баттона

           Butwhenhisowntimecame,andhedriftedwithheroutuponthechangingfloortothemusicofthelatestwaltzfromParis,hisjealousiesandanxietiesmeltedfromhimlikeamantleofsnow.Blindwithenchantment,hefeltthatlifewasjustbeginning.

           "Youandyourbrothergotherejustaswedid,didn’tyou?"askedHildegarde,lookingupathimwitheyesthatwerelikebrightblueenamel.

           Benjaminhesitated.Ifshetookhimforhisfather’sbrother,woulditbebesttoenlightenher?HerememberedhisexperienceatYale,sohedecidedagainstit.Itwouldberudetocontradictalady;itwouldbecriminaltomarthisexquisiteoccasionwiththegrotesquestoryofhisorigin.Later,perhaps.Sohenodded,smiled,listened,washappy.

           "Ilikemenofyourage,"Hildegardetoldhim."Youngboysaresoidiotic.Theytellmehowmuchchampagnetheydrinkatcollege,andhowmuchmoneytheyloseplayingcards.Menofyourageknowhowtoappreciatewomen."

           Benjaminfelthimselfonthevergeofaproposal—withanefforthechokedbacktheimpulse."You’rejusttheromanticage,"shecontinued—"fifty.Twenty-fiveistoowordly-wise;thirtyisapttobepalefromoverwork;fortyistheageoflongstoriesthattakeawholecigartotell;sixtyis—oh,sixtyistoonearseventy;butfiftyisthemellowage.Ilovefifty."

           FiftyseemedtoBenjaminagloriousage.Helongedpassionatelytobefifty.

           "I’vealwayssaid,"wentonHildegarde,"thatI’drathermarryamanoffiftyandbetakencareofthanmanyamanofthirtyandtakecareofhim."