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《The Age ofInnocence《天真的时代》》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在学术论文-天天文库。
1、TheAgeofInnocencebyEdithWhartonBookII.OnaJanuaryeveningoftheearlyseventies,ChristineNilssonwassinginginFaustattheAcademyofMusicinNewYork.Thoughtherewasalreadytalkoftheerection,inremotemetropolitandistances"abovetheForties,"ofanewOperaHousewhichshouldcom
2、peteincostlinessandsplendourwiththoseofthegreatEuropeancapitals,theworldoffashionwasstillcontenttoreassembleeverywinterintheshabbyredandgoldboxesofthesociableoldAcademy.Conservativescherisheditforbeingsmallandinconvenient,andthuskeepingoutthe"newpeople"
3、whomNewYorkwasbeginningtodreadandyetbedrawnto;andthesentimentalclungtoitforitshistoricassociations,andthemusicalforitsexcellentacoustics,alwayssoproblematicaqualityinhallsbuiltforthehearingofmusic.ItwasMadameNilsson'sfirstappearancethatwinter,andwhatthe
4、dailypresshadalreadylearnedtodescribeas"anexceptionallybrilliantaudience"hadgatheredtohearher,transportedthroughtheslippery,snowystreetsinprivatebroughams,inthespaciousfamilylandau,orinthehumblerbutmoreconvenient"Browncoupe"TocometotheOperainaBrowncoupe
5、wasalmostashonourableawayofarrivingasinone'sowncarriage;anddeparturebythesamemeanshadtheimmenseadvantageofenablingone(withaplayfulallusiontodemocraticprinciples)toscrambleintothefirstBrownconveyanceintheline,insteadofwaitingtillthecold-and-gincongestedn
6、oseofone'sowncoachmangleamedundertheporticooftheAcademy.Itwasoneofthegreatlivery-stableman'smostmasterlyintuitionstohavediscoveredthatAmericanswanttogetawayfromamusementevenmorequicklythantheywanttogettoit.WhenNewlandArcheropenedthedooratthebackoftheclu
7、bboxthecurtainhadjustgoneuponthegardenscene.Therewasnoreasonwhytheyoungmanshouldnothavecomeearlier,forhehaddinedatseven,alonewithhismotherandsister,andhadlingeredafterwardoveracigarintheGothiclibrarywithglazedblack-walnutbookcasesandfinial-toppedchairsw
8、hichwastheonlyroominthehousewhereMrs.Archerallowedsmoking.But,inthefirstplace,NewYorkwasametropolis,andperfectlyawarethatinmetropolisesitwas"notthething"toarriveearlyattheopera;andwhatwasorwasnot"thething"playedapartasimportantin
