The Age of Innocence Page #9

The pressure at home|must be unrelenting.

I never expected to hear such|a paean to the sanctity of the home.

The silent organization...

...which held this|whole small world together...

...was determined|to put itself on record.

It had never|for a moment questioned...

...the propriety|of Madame Olenska's conduct.

It had never questioned|Archer's fidelity.

And it had never heard of, suspected|or even conceived possible...

...anything at all to the contrary.

From the seamless performance|of this ritual...

...Archer knew that New York believed|him to be Madame Olenska's lover.

We were discussing the ball.

We have it during Easter week,|to benefit the blind.

And he understood|for the first time...

...that his wife shared the belief.

You must come visit me when you do.

I'll write to you when I'm settled|and let you know where I am.

That would be lovely.

Shall I see you to your carriage?

We're driving dear Ellen home.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

I'll see you soon in Paris.

Oh, if you and May could come.

Shall we make our way to the carriage?

- Delightful evening.|- Good night.

Good night, Sillerton, Larry.

- It did go off beautifully, didn't it?|- Oh, yes.

- May I come in and talk it over?|- Of course.

- But you must be very sleepy.|- No, I'd like to be with you.

Fine.

If you feel up to it, May...

I tried to talk to you|the other evening.

- Yes, dear, something about yourself.|- About myself, yes.

It's difficult to find|the right words.

...and I think...

...each day a little more so.

It would be better for everyone|if I were to make a break.

You mean, give up the law?

Certainly that would be|a part of it, and also just...

...to get away.

I'd like to do some traveling.

To Europe or....

How far?

I don't know. I thought...

...India or Japan.

As far as that.

Well....

I'm afraid you can't, dear.

Not unless you take me with you.

That is, if the doctors let me go.|I'm afraid they won't.

I've been sure since this morning,|and I've been longing to tell you.

Oh, my dear.

You didn't guess?

Have you told anyone else?

Only Mama and your mother...

...and Ellen.

I told you we had a long talk,|and how wonderful she was.

Did you mind my telling her?

Mind? Why should I?

That was two weeks ago, wasn't it?

I thought you just said|you weren't sure till today.

I wasn't sure then,|but I told her I was.

And you see...

...I was right.

It was the room in which|most of the real things...

Their eldest boy, Theodore...

...too delicate to be taken|to church in midwinter...

...was christened there.

I baptize thee|in the name of the Father...

...and of the Son...

...and of the Holy Spirit.

It was here that Ted|took his first steps.

And here that Archer and his wife...

...always discussed the future|of all their children:

Bill's interest in archeology.

Mary's passion for sports|and philanthropy.

Ted's inclination toward art|that led to a job with an architect...

...as well as some|considerable redecoration.

It was in this room that Mary|announced her engagement...

I'm so happy for you.

...to the dullest and most reliable|of Larry Lefferts' many sons.

And it was in this room too|that her father kissed her...

...through her wedding veil before|they had motored to Grace Church.

When May died of infectious pneumonia|after nursing Bill safely through...

...he honestly mourned her.

The world of her youth|had fallen into pieces...

...and rebuilt itself|without her ever noticing.

This hard, bright blindness...

...made her children conceal their|views from her, just like Archer.

She died thinking|the world a good place...

...full of loving and harmonious|households like her own.

Newland Archer, in his 57th year...

...mourned his past and honored it.

Yes, hello?

Chicago wants you.

- Dad?|- Is that you, Ted?

Dad, my client wants me to look at|some gardens before I start designing.

Sounds fine. Where?

- Europe.|- Gracious.

I'll sail next Wednesday|on the Mauretania.

And miss the wedding?

I'll be back on the 1st.|Our wedding's not till the 5th.

I'm surprised you remembered the date.

I was hoping you'd join me.|- What?

I'll need you to remind me|of what's important.

- Our last father-son trip.|- I appreciate the invitation--

Wonderful. Can you call|the Cunard office tomorrow?

I'd need to cancel my--

I won't hear it.|The Atlantic is calling us.

I'll be in New York on Monday.

- You'll be in--?|- On Monday.

I'll see what I can do.

I can't promise anything.|I'll see what I can do, all right?

I'm going to Versailles with Tourneur.|Will you come?

I'm going to the Louvre.

I'll meet you there later.|Countess Olenska expects us at 5:30.

- What?!|- Didn't I tell you?

Annie made me swear to do|three things in Paris:

Get her the score|of the last Debussy songs...

...go to the Grand Guignol|and see Madame Olenska.

She was good to Annie when|Mr. Beaufort sent her to the Sorbonne.

Wasn't the countess friendly|with his first wife?

Mr. Beaufort said that she was.

In any case, I called|the countess this morning...

- ...introduced myself as her cousin--|- Did you tell her I was here?

Of course. Why not?

Lovely?

I don't know.

She was different.

...it had been abstractly,|serenely...

...like an imaginary loved one|in a book or picture.

She had become the complete vision|of all that he had missed.

I'm only 57.

Did Mr. Beaufort really have|a bad time when he remarried?

No one wanted to give him an inch.

As if anyone remembers anymore.

Or cares.

Well, Annie Ring and he did|have a lovely daughter.

You're very lucky.

We're very lucky, you mean.

Of course that's what I mean.

Considering how that turned out|and all the time that's passed...

...how can you resist?

I had some resistance|at first to your marriage--

I mean resist seeing the woman you|almost threw everything over for.

Only you didn't.

I didn't?

No.

But Mother said she knew|we would be safe.

The day before she died,|she asked to see me alone, remember?

She said she knew we were safe|with you and always would be...

...because once when|she asked you to...

...you gave up the thing|that you wanted most.

She never asked.

She never asked me.

After a little while he did not|regret Ted's indiscretion.

It seemed to take an iron band|from his heart to know...

...that after all, someone had|guessed and pitied.

And that it should have been his wife,|moved him inexpressibly.

The porter says it's the third floor.

Must be the one with the awnings.

It's nearly 6.

I think I'll just sit for a while.

- You really won't come at all?|- I don't know.

She won't understand.

Go on, Ted. Maybe I'll follow you.

What will I tell her?

Don't you always|have something to say?

I'll say you're old-fashioned|and insist on walking up...

Just say I'm old-fashioned.

That should be enough. Go on.

Go on.

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