Sublime

quiescence,

elle est écrivaine, naturaliste, intelligente et sensible, et quand ce jeune homme sorti de sa ferme est arrivé à l’université, elle a tout de suite compris ses extraordinaires dons intellectuels. Elle l’a soutenu, encouragé, lui a fait profiter de ses relations, et John lui a toute sa vie écrit de longues lettres qu’il adresse à Madame Ezra Carr e

She had that rare sense which discerns what is unalterable, and submits to it without murmuring. Adoring her husband’s virtues, she had very early made up her mind to his incapacity of minding his own interests, and had met the consequences cheerfully. She had been magnanimous enough to renounce all pride in teapots or children’s frilling, and had

bathos

I discovered her. Charmante, a perfect Gretchen,4 and we’ve already become acquainted. The prettiest little thing, really!’

have just reread The Age of Innocence. Poor Countess Olenska, so much more alive than everyone in New York. She was better than Newland Archer, to whom she couldn’t give herself because she was married. It didn’t matter to society that she had been wronged by her husband. They felt her life was over.