Загадочная история Бенджамина Баттона

           "I’mnotgoingtoarguewithyou,"sheretorted."Butthere’sarightwayofdoingthingsandawrongway.Ifyou’vemadeupyourmindtobedifferentfromeverybodyelse,Idon’tsupposeIcanstopyou,butIreallydon’tthinkit’sveryconsiderate."

           "But,Hildegarde,Ican’thelpit."

           "Youcantoo.You’resimplystubborn.Youthinkyoudon’twanttobelikeanyoneelse.Youalwayshavebeenthatway,andyoualwayswillbe.Butjustthinkhowitwouldbeifeveryoneelselookedatthingsasyoudo—whatwouldtheworldbelike?"

           AsthiswasaninaneandunanswerableargumentBenjaminmadenoreply,andfromthattimeonachasmbegantowidenbetweenthem.Hewonderedwhatpossiblefascinationshehadeverexercisedoverhim.

           Toaddtothebreach,hefound,asthenewcenturygatheredheadway,thathisthirstforgaietygrewstronger.NeverapartyofanykindinthecityofBaltimorebuthewasthere,dancingwiththeprettiestoftheyoungmarriedwomen,chattingwiththemostpopularofthedebutantes,andfindingtheircompanycharming,whilehiswife,adowagerofevilomen,satamongthechaperons,nowinhaughtydisapproval,andnowfollowinghimwithsolemn,puzzled,andreproachfuleyes.

           "Look!"peoplewouldremark."Whatapity!Ayoungfellowthatagetiedtoawomanofforty-five.Hemustbetwentyyearsyoungerthanhiswife."Theyhadforgotten—aspeopleinevitablyforget—thatbackin1880theirmammasandpapashadalsoremarkedaboutthissameill-matchedpair.