Эпоха невинности

           "Shesaiditinthesimplestmanner,asifshehadsaid:"He’sfondofwild-flowers";andafteramomentsheaddedcandidly:"Ithinkhe’sthedullestmanIevermet."Thispleasedhercompanionsomuchthatheforgottheslightshockherpreviousremarkhadcausedhim.ItwasundeniablyexcitingtomeetaladywhofoundthevanderLuydens’Dukedull,anddaredtouttertheopinion.Helongedtoquestionher,tohearmoreaboutthelifeofwhichhercarelesswordshadgivenhimsoilluminatingaglimpse;buthefearedtotouchondistressingmemories,andbeforehecouldthinkofanythingtosayshehadstrayedbacktoheroriginalsubject."Mayisadarling;I’veseennoyounggirlinNewYorksohandsomeandsointelligent.Areyouverymuchinlovewithher?"NewlandArcherreddenedandlaughed."Asmuchasamancanbe."Shecontinuedtoconsiderhimthoughtfully,asifnottomissanyshadeofmeaninginwhathesaid,"Doyouthink,then,thereisalimit?""Tobeinginlove?Ifthereis,Ihaven’tfoundit!"Sheglowedwithsympathy."Ah—it’sreallyandtrulyaromance?""Themostromanticofromances!""Howdelightful!Andyoufounditalloutforyourselves—itwasnotintheleastarrangedforyou?"Archerlookedatherincredulously."Haveyouforgotten,"heaskedwithasmile,"thatinourcountrywedon’tallowourmarriagestobearrangedforus?"Aduskyblushrosetohercheek,andheinstantlyregrettedhiswords."Yes,"sheanswered,"I’dforgotten.YoumustforgivemeifIsometimesmakethesemistakes.