Эпоха невинности

           Welland,whoconfidedittoNewlandArcher;who,aflameattheoutrage,appealedpassionatelyandauthoritativelytohismother;who,afterapainfulperiodofinwardresistanceandoutwardtemporising,succumbedtohisinstances(asshealwaysdid),andimmediatelyembracinghiscausewithanenergyredoubledbyherprevioushesitations,putonhergreyvelvetbonnetandsaid:"I’llgoandseeLouisavanderLuyden."TheNewYorkofNewlandArcher’sdaywasasmallandslipperypyramid,inwhich,asyet,hardlyafissurehadbeenmadeorafootholdgained.AtitsbasewasafirmfoundationofwhatMrs.Archercalled"plainpeople";anhonourablebutobscuremajorityofrespectablefamilieswho(asinthecaseoftheSpicersortheLeffertsesortheJacksons)hadbeenraisedabovetheirlevelbymarriagewithoneoftherulingclans.People,Mrs.Archeralwayssaid,werenotasparticularastheyusedtobe;andwitholdCatherineSpicerrulingoneendofFifthAvenue,andJuliusBeauforttheother,youcouldn’texpecttheoldtraditionstolastmuchlonger.FirmlynarrowingupwardfromthiswealthybutinconspicuoussubstratumwasthecompactanddominantgroupwhichtheMingotts,Newlands,ChiversesandMansonssoactivelyrepresented.Mostpeopleimaginedthemtobetheveryapexofthepyramid;buttheythemselves(atleastthoseofMrs.Archer’sgeneration)wereawarethat,intheeyesoftheprofessionalgenealogist,onlyastillsmallernumberoffamiliescouldlayclaimtothateminence."Don’ttellme,"Mrs.