100 words to know before reading The Age of Innocence

1. A title of respect for a woman, equivalent to "Mrs." or "Madam."
2. Used to address or refer to a woman in a formal or polite manner.

matrons sat a young girl in white with eyes ecstatically fixed on the stagelovers. As Madame Nilsson’s “M’ama!” thrilled out above the silent house (the boxes always stopped talking during

1. A small flowering plant with white petals and a yellow center.
2. A term of endearment for someone sweet or innocent.

sang, and “M’ama!”, with a final burst of love triumphant, as she pressed the dishevelled daisy to her lips and lifted her large eyes to the sophisticated countenance of the little brown

1. A fragrant flowering plant with white or yellow blossoms.
2. A genus of tropical shrubs in the coffee family.

slope of her breast to the line where it met a modest tulle tucker fastened with a single gardenia. She dropped her eyes to the immense bouquet of lilies-of-the-valley on her knee, and Newland

1. A soft, smooth fabric with a dense pile.
2. Something resembling velvet in texture or appearance.

countenance of the little brown Faust-Capoul, who was vainly trying, in a tight purple velvet doublet and plumed cap, to look as pure and true as his artless victim. Newland Archer, leaning

1. Flowering plants known for large, fragrant blooms.
2. Symbolize purity, renewal, or devotion in various cultures.

glacé gloves. Miss Welland, evidently about to join the dancers, hung on the threshold, her lilies-of-the-valley in her hand (she carried no other bouquet), her face a little pale, her eyes

1. Flowering plants of the genus Rosa, known for their fragrant blooms and thorny stems.
2. Symbol of love, beauty, or passion in various cultures.

for an envelope he glanced about the embowered shop, and his eye lit on a cluster of yellow roses. He had never seen any as sun-golden before, and his first impulse was to send them to May

1. Engaged to be married.
2. A person to whom one is engaged.

him with significant smiles, and after taking his share of the felicitations he drew his betrothed into the middle of the ballroom floor and put his arm about her waist. “Now we shan’t have to

1. Used to emphasize a statement or response.
2. Truly or certainly (often expressing agreement).

under the unruffled surface of New York society within the last fifty years. So far indeed did his information extend, and so acutely retentive was his memory, that he was supposed to be

1. Informal term for mother.
2. (Anatomy) Milk-secreting gland in female mammals.

man to bring them nearer than any explanation would have done. Her eyes said: “You see why Mamma brought me,” and his answered: “I would not for the world have had you stay away.” “You know my

1. A small button or knob, often decorative.
2. In neurology, a swelling at the end of a nerve fiber (synaptic bouton).

his betrothed’s cousin than before their brief talk at the Opera. Wandering on to the bouton d’or drawing-room (where Beaufort had had the audacity to hang Love Victorious, the

1. Flowering plants of the genus *Camellia*, known for their showy blooms.
2. Popular ornamental shrubs, including *Camellia japonica* and *Camellia sinensis* (tea plant).

reflected in the polished parquetry, and beyond that the depths of a conservatory where camellias and tree-ferns arched their costly foliage over seats of black and gold bamboo. Newland Archer,

1. Flowerless green plants with feathery leaves.
2. Reproduce via spores instead of seeds.

into narrower quarters below. In an unclouded harmony of tastes and interests they cultivated ferns in Wardian cases, made macramé lace and wool embroidery on linen, collected American

1. A bunch of flowers arranged in an attractive way.
2. The pleasant smell of wine or other beverages.

dancers, hung on the threshold, her lilies-of-the-valley in her hand (she carried no other bouquet), her face a little pale, her eyes burning with a candid excitement. A group of young men and

1. Compliance with standards, rules, or laws.
2. Behavior that matches group norms or expectations.

sister lived. Archer too would have preferred to escape their friends’ hospitality: in conformity with the family tradition he had always travelled as a sightseer and looker-on, affecting a

1. Respected due to age, wisdom, or character.
2. Worthy of reverence, especially in religious contexts.

and the tiny house in which the heroic lighthouse keeper, Ida Lewis, was living her last venerable years. Beyond it lay the flat reaches and ugly government chimneys of Goat Island, the bay

1. Wisdom or knowledge, especially in philosophy.
2. A suffix in words like "philosophy," meaning "wisdom" or "knowledge."

affairs the patience of a collector and the science of a naturalist; and his sister, Miss Sophy Jackson, who lived with him, and was entertained by all the people who could not secure her

1. A fortified wine from Portugal's Madeira Islands.
2. The largest island of the Madeira archipelago.

Archer’s you could talk about Alpine scenery and The Marble Faun; and luckily the Archer Madeira had gone round the Cape. Therefore when a friendly summons came from Mrs. Archer, Mr. Jackson,

1. Lacking strength or clarity; barely perceptible.
2. A sudden loss of consciousness.

woman to do. But at any rate it spared them the embarrassment of her presence, and the faint shadow that her unhappy past might seem to shed on their radiant future. The visit went off

1. Said something in response or comment.
2. Noticed or observed something noteworthy.

“Perhaps … that sauce … just a little, after all—”; then, having helped himself, he remarked: “I’m told she’s looking for a house. She means to live here.” “I hear she means to get a

1. A type of hat tied under the chin, typically worn by women and children.
2. The hinged metal cover over the engine of a motor vehicle (British English).

his mother merely pursed her lips under the lace veil that hung down from her grey velvet bonnet trimmed with frosted grapes. Her revenge, he felt—her lawful revenge—would be to “draw” Mr.

1. Easily seen or noticed; obvious.
2. Attracting attention by being unusual or striking.

of form, he had formed a wife so completely to his own convenience that, in the most conspicuous moments of his frequent love-affairs with other men’s wives, she went about in smiling

1. A fine, soft fiber produced by silkworms, used to make fabric.
2. Fabric or thread made from this fiber.

a young man of his position, strolled in somewhat late. He had left his overcoat with the silk-stockinged footmen (the stockings were one of Beaufort’s few fatuities), had dawdled a while in

1. To hide or keep something secret.
2. To prevent something from being seen or known.

could he and she really know of each other, since it was his duty, as a “decent” fellow, to conceal his past from her, and hers, as a marriageable girl, to have no past to conceal? What if, for

1. Used as a reflexive pronoun to refer to a group previously mentioned.
2. Used for emphasis to refer to a group previously mentioned.

to the little inner group of people who, during the long New York season, disported themselves together daily and nightly with apparently undiminished zest. Forty-eight hours later the

1. A form of government where power is held by a small, privileged ruling class.
2. The highest social class in certain societies, typically comprising nobles.

the cream-coloured house (supposed to be modelled on the private hotels of the Parisian aristocracy) was there as a visible proof of her moral courage; and she throned in it, among

1. Relating to the aristocracy or nobility.
2. Characterized by elegance, refinement, or superiority.

Earl of St. Austrey. The tie between the Dagonets, the du Lacs of Maryland, and their aristocratic Cornish kinsfolk, the Trevennas, had always remained close and cordial. Mr. and Mrs. van der

1. A gold-colored alloy of copper, zinc, and sometimes tin, used in decoration.
2. Gilded bronze or brass used for ornamental purposes.

Luyden, drawing a deep breath. There was a silence during which the tick of the monumental ormolu clock on the white marble mantelpiece grew as loud as the boom of a minute-gun. Archer

1. Relating to Venice, Italy, or its people, culture, or language.
2. A type of blind with horizontal slats that can be adjusted to control light.

Lady Angelica du Lac. Mrs. van der Luyden’s portrait by Huntington (in black velvet and Venetian point) faced that of her lovely ancestress. It was generally considered “as fine as a Cabanel,”

1. Having lost brightness or color over time.
2. Weakened or diminished in strength or intensity.

grew as loud as the boom of a minute-gun. Archer contemplated with awe the two slender faded figures, seated side by side in a kind of viceregal rigidity, mouthpieces of some remote

1. A printed publication containing news, articles, and advertisements, usually issued daily or weekly.
2. The organization responsible for producing and distributing such a publication.

to that eminence. “Don’t tell me,” Mrs. Archer would say to her children, “all this modern newspaper rubbish about a New York aristocracy. If there is one, neither the Mingotts nor the Mansons

1. A flat paper container for a letter or document.
2. The outer covering of a virus or cell.

handed in; and that evening at the Opera Mr. Sillerton Jackson was able to state that the envelope contained a card inviting the Countess Olenska to the dinner which the van der Luydens were

1. A piece of fabric worn over the shoulders or head for warmth or fashion.
2. A large rectangular or square cloth draped around the body.

who had been persuaded to come, actually wore her mother’s cameos and a Spanish blonde shawl. The Countess Olenska was the only young woman at the dinner; yet, as Archer scanned the smooth

1. A slight trembling or shaking of the body, often due to cold or fear.
2. To break or split into small fragments.

the freedom of judgment, which she had been carefully trained not to possess; and with a shiver of foreboding he saw his marriage becoming what most of the other marriages about him were: a

1. A familiar term for one's grandmother.
2. An elderly woman, often used affectionately.

the idea impartially. “They’re all a little vexed with me for setting up for myself—poor Granny especially. She wanted to keep me with her; but I had to be free—” He was impressed by this

1. A type of flowering plant with fragrant, ruffled petals.
2. Often used in bouquets and floral arrangements.

way, and went on: “She has a real gift for arranging flowers. I had sent her a few carnations from Skuytercliff, and I was astonished. Instead of massing them in big bunches as our

1. The reflexive form of "we," referring to the speaker and others.
2. Used for emphasis to indicate "we" and no one else.

folded paper. We’re like patterns stencilled on a wall. Can’t you and I strike out for ourselves, May?” He had stopped and faced her in the excitement of their discussion, and her eyes rested on

1. Lacking sophistication or good taste; crude.
2. Offensive or indecent in language or behavior.

about the room with what would have been self-satisfaction on features less purged of the vulgar passions. On his face it became a mild benevolence which Mrs. Archer’s countenance dutifully

1. A small, unimportant matter or thing.
2. A small amount, especially of money.

offended cousin Louisa and cousin Henry?” “The fact that they can be offended by such a trifle as Countess Olenska’s going to the house of a woman they consider common.” “Consider—!” “Well,

1. The hair above the eyes (also spelled 'eyebrows').
2. The act of looking through or scanning something casually (e.g., browsing the internet).

closeclipped white whiskers and ran his hand through the rumpled grey locks above his jutting brows, his disrespectful junior partner thought how much he looked like the Family Physician annoyed

1. Persistently demanding or pressing in an annoying way.
2. Troublesomely urgent or persistent.

last fortnight, and letting May’s fair looks and radiant nature obliterate the rather importunate pressure of the Mingott claims. But this behest of old Mrs. Mingott’s roused him to a sense of

1. Vehicles with wheels, typically horse-drawn, for transporting people.
2. The part of a train where passengers sit.

into. Such “women” (as they were called) were few in New York, those driving their own carriages still fewer, and the appearance of Miss Fanny Ring in Fifth Avenue at the fashionable hour had

1. A closed horse-drawn carriage with four wheels, named after Lord Brougham.
2. A type of luxury automobile body style, resembling the carriage.

on his doorstep, darkly projected against a blaze of light, descended to his private brougham, and rolled away to a mysterious and probably unmentionable destination. It was not an Opera

1. A long upholstered seat with a back and arms, for two or more people.
2. A piece of furniture designed for comfort and relaxation in living spaces.

pressure on her lips. To counteract the audacity of this proceeding he led her to a bamboo sofa in a less secluded part of the conservatory, and sitting down beside her broke a

1. A strong, dark beer traditionally brewed in Germany.
2. A type of lager with a rich, malty flavor.

and theatrical people, such as the restaurant where Winsett had proposed to go for a bock. He had given Archer to understand that his wife was an invalid; which might be true of the poor

1. Overwhelmed by bright light or brilliance.
2. Impressed or amazed by someone's skill or beauty.

like Ellen, he felt, to have rushed in bareheaded, carrying the boy in her arms, and to have dazzled poor Mrs. Winsett into forgetting to ask who she was. “That is the Countess Olenska—a

1. Stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or action.
2. Difficult to manage, control, or overcome.

be, if you’d let them.” “Ah, well—” It was their old interminable argument as to the obstinate unwillingness of the “clever people” to frequent the fashionable, and both men knew that there

1. To leave one's country to live permanently in another.
2. To move from one region or habitat to another.

any of you, till you roll up your sleeves and get right down into the muck. That, or emigrate … God! If I could emigrate …” Archer mentally shrugged his shoulders and turned the

1. A loose outer garment without sleeves, worn over other clothing.
2. Something that hides or covers, like a disguise or concealment.

the walls. Archer stooped over and threw a log upon the embers. Madame Olenska, dropping her cloak, sat down in one of the chairs. Archer leaned against the chimney and looked at her. “You’re

1. To join or come together again after being separated.
2. To reply or respond, especially in a sharp or witty manner.

and made her pale face paler. “There are plenty of people to tell you what to do,” Archer rejoined, obscurely envious of them. “Oh—all my aunts? And my dear old Granny?” She considered the idea

1. A vertical structure for venting smoke from a fireplace or furnace.
2. A narrow opening or passage, often in rock formations.

from one of her bracelets, held it out to him, and took a cigarette herself. On the chimney were long spills for lighting them. “Ah, then we can both help each other. But I want help so

1. The floor of a fireplace, often extending into a room.
2. Symbolically represents home or family life.

stole through him like a temptation, and to close his senses to it he moved away from the hearth and stood gazing out at the black tree-boles against the snow. But it was as if she too had

1. Suddenly surprised or alarmed.
2. Caused to feel shock or fear unexpectedly.

than he had intended, for the blood rose to her face and she drew back as if he had startled her. “What is it?” he asked, smiling; and she looked at him with surprise, and answered:

1. Interrupted a conversation with a sudden remark.
2. Inserted a comment or opinion abruptly.

even when she is calling on an old lady.” “Mother doesn’t think her simple,” Janey interjected, her eyes screwed upon her brother’s face. “It’s just my old-fashioned feeling; dear May is my

1. The wife or widow of a marquess.
2. A woman holding the rank of marquess in her own right.

mighty limbs for departure. “I shall see you later, dear friend?” he suggested to the Marchioness, who replied with a smile: “As soon as Ellen’s carriage comes I will join you; I do hope the

1. A person who carves wood, stone, or other materials.
2. A tool used for carving.

But I was called away by our dear great friend here, Dr. Carver. You don’t know Dr. Agathon Carver, founder of the Valley of Love Community?” Dr. Carver inclined his leonine head, and the

1. In a rough or curt manner.
2. Without warning or preparation.

difficulties her cousin’s anomalous situation might involve her in; this impulse had abruptly overruled all scruples and hesitations, and sent him hurrying through the red corridors to the

1. A message sent by telegraph and then delivered in written or printed form.
2. A popular messaging app known for its speed and security features.

over the pages with trembling fingers; but he did not find what he wanted, and cramming the telegram into his pocket he mounted the stairs. A light was shining through the door of the little

1. Female attendants to a bride at a wedding.
2. The title of a popular comedy film about pre-wedding mishaps.

to be a considerable interval of adjustment and consultation in the lobby, where the bridesmaids were already hovering like a cluster of Easter blossoms. During this unavoidable lapse of time

1. A man who is about to be married or has recently been married.
2. The male partner in a wedding ceremony.

hovering like a cluster of Easter blossoms. During this unavoidable lapse of time the bridegroom, in proof of his eagerness, was expected to expose himself alone to the gaze of the assembled

1. A priest in charge of a parish or congregation.
2. The head of certain universities, colleges, or schools.

consent wedding Tuesday after Easter at twelve Grace Church eight bridesmaids please see Rector so happy love May.” Archer crumpled up the yellow sheet as if the gesture could annihilate the

1. The central part of a church, extending from the entrance to the chancel.
2. The hub of a wheel, where spokes are attached.

his heart had stopped beating, for the white and rosy procession was in fact halfway up the nave, the Bishop, the Rector and two white-winged assistants were hovering about the flower-banked

1. A smooth, glossy fabric with a soft, lustrous surface, typically made from silk, polyester, or nylon.
2. A weave pattern that produces a shiny, smooth texture on one side of the fabric.

Medora Manson gave her. What can you expect of a girl who was allowed to wear black satin at her coming-out ball?” “Ah—don’t I remember her in it!” said Mr. Jackson; adding: “Poor girl!”

1. Taken by force or legal authority.
2. Grasped suddenly and firmly.

to the “delightful Americans” who had been so kind at Botzen. With touching fidelity they seized every chance of meeting Mrs. Archer and Janey in the course of their continental travels, and

1. A piece of fabric worn over the shoulders or head for warmth or fashion.
2. A decorative wrap, often knitted or woven, used as an accessory.

Mrs. Carfry and Miss Harle won’t. They’ll wear caps like my mother’s—and shawls; very soft shawls.” “Yes; but how will the other women be dressed?” “Not as well as you, dear,” he rejoined,

1. A type of horse-drawn carriage with two wheels and a covered passenger compartment.
2. Named after its designer, Joseph Hansom.

some awfully good talk after dinner about books and things,” he threw out tentatively in the hansom. May roused herself from one of the dreamy silences into which he had read so many meanings

1. A priest in the Anglican Church responsible for a parish.
2. A representative or deputy acting on behalf of someone else.

her sister, they found, in the long chilly drawing-room, only another shawled lady, a genial Vicar who was her husband, a silent lad whom Mrs. Carfry named as her nephew, and a small dark

1. A person who teaches or instructs, often individually or in small groups.
2. A private teacher who provides extra help outside of regular classes.

of itself, awakens confidence in the manly heart; and the Vicar and the French-named tutor were soon manifesting to May their desire to put her at her ease. In spite of their best efforts,

1. A roofed platform along the outside of a house, level with the ground floor.
2. An open-air gallery or porch, often partly enclosed.

better than ever now that they were to be there together. But as he stood on the Beaufort verandah and looked out on the brightly peopled lawn it came home to him with a shiver that he was not

1. Relating to sexual or gender identities that are not heterosexual or cisgender.
2. Strange, odd, or unconventional.

for the press; just for myself,” Winsett rejoined. “The fact is she’s a neighbour of mine—queer quarter for such a beauty to settle in—and she’s been awfully kind to my little boy, who fell

1. The feet of certain animals, especially pigs or sheep, used as food.
2. A person or animal that trots, especially a horse trained for trotting races.

and thinking of Ellen Olenska driving home across the gleaming beaches behind Beaufort’s trotters.

1. A quick or brief look at something.
2. A faint or partial view.

adrift far off in the unknown. What was it that had sent him there, he wondered? Perhaps the glimpse, among the anonymous spectators in the transept, of a dark coil of hair under a hat which, a

1. A green citrus fruit with acidic juice used in cooking and drinks.
2. A white alkaline substance (calcium oxide) used in construction and agriculture.

Rock light I’ll go back.” The boat was gliding out on the receding tide. It slid before the Lime Rock, blotted out Ida Lewis’s little house, and passed across the turret in which the light was

1. A male horse used for breeding.
2. A vertical post or support in a building.

the sky and sea enclosed it, the rest of the world might seem less empty. When he reached the stud-farm a glance showed him that the horse was not what he wanted; nevertheless he took a turn

1. The Roman god of love, often depicted as a winged boy with a bow and arrows.
2. A symbol or representation of love, especially as a cherubic figure.

a ghostly summerhouse of trellis-work that had once been white, surmounted by a wooden Cupid who had lost his bow and arrow but continued to take ineffectual aim. Archer leaned for a while

1. A lightweight umbrella used for shade from the sun.
2. A decorative or functional canopy, often used outdoors.

to stare through her as though she had been transparent. All he saw was the trumpery parasol that arched its pinkness above her giggling head. After a moment he ventured: “You don’t happen

1. Spoke with involuntary pauses or repetitions due to nervousness or speech difficulty.
2. Expressed something haltingly or with hesitation.

House. “The lady was out, sir,” he suddenly heard a waiter’s voice at his elbow; and he stammered: “Out?—” as if it were a word in a strange language. He got up and went into the hall. It must

1. Spoke softly or indistinctly in a low voice.
2. Made a low, continuous sound, like a stream or wind.

the wedding to be?” she broke off, fixing her eyes on Archer’s face. “Oh—” Mrs. Welland murmured, while the young man, smiling at his betrothed, replied: “As soon as ever it can, if only you’ll

1. A person sent on a mission to represent or negotiate for another.
2. A messenger or agent, often in a diplomatic or political context.

if Madame Olenska was so long in reappearing, it could only be because she had met the emissary and been waylaid by him. At the thought Archer’s apprehension rose to anguish. “If she doesn’t

1. A horse-drawn carriage used for public transportation in the 19th century.
2. Specifically refers to a type of omnibus or hackney coach.

walked back toward Beacon Street, and near the club Archer caught sight of the plush-lined “herdic” which had carried his note to the Parker House, and whose driver was reposing from this effort

1. To look steadily and intently, often with curiosity or admiration.
2. A fixed or intent look.

put down his glass of port and fixed on his young partner a cautious and apprehensive gaze. Archer understood that he ran the risk of having his mandate withdrawn, and for some obscure

1. A French title of respect for a man, equivalent to "Mr." or "sir."
2. Used as a polite form of address for a man in French-speaking contexts.

He fixed his vivid eyes on Archer as he lit another cigarette. “Voyez-vous, Monsieur, to be able to look life in the face: that’s worth living in a garret for, isn’t it? But, after

1. A person's face or facial expression.
2. Support or approval of something.

of the vulgar passions. On his face it became a mild benevolence which Mrs. Archer’s countenance dutifully reflected. “How kind you both are, dear Henry—always! Newland will particularly

1. With enthusiasm or sincerity.
2. In a hearty or robust manner.

mind, never changed without changing for the worse; and in this view Miss Sophy Jackson heartily concurred. Mr. Sillerton Jackson, as became a man of the world, suspended his judgment and

1. The Latin word for "queen," often used as a title for female monarchs.
2. A city in Canada, the capital of Saskatchewan.

Lemuel Struthers. “It’s a pity the Beauforts asked her,” Mrs. Archer said gently. “But then Regina always does what he tells her; and Beaufort—” “Certain nuances escape Beaufort,” said Mr.

1. A reddening of the face due to embarrassment, shyness, or modesty.
2. A pink or rosy color, often used in cosmetics.

unconsciousness, saying that “Lawrence was so frightfully strict”; and had been known to blush indignantly, and avert her gaze, when someone alluded in her presence to the fact that Julius

1. Loss of respect or honor; shame.
2. A person or thing that brings shame.

to ask the family to ‘countenance’ her, as I understand Regina calls it; though a private disgrace is nothing compared to the scandal of ruining hundreds of innocent people.” “Yes, it would be

1. A structure of crossed wooden or metal strips forming a pattern.
2. A regular, repeated three-dimensional arrangement of atoms or molecules in a crystal.

you. I suppose you’ve come from there?” Archer nodded, and pushed his telegram under the lattice. “Very bad, eh?” Lefferts continued. “Wiring to the family, I suppose. I gather it is bad, if

1. Delayed to a later time.
2. Rescheduled for a future date.

English aunt, the banker’s wife, who was still in Yorkshire; in fact, they had purposely postponed going to London till the autumn in order that their arrival during the season might not appear

1. A boat or ship for transporting passengers and vehicles across water.
2. To transport people or goods by boat across a short stretch of water.

him; and one could not ask May, at the close of a winter afternoon, to go alone across the ferry to Jersey City, even in her own carriage. Nevertheless, it might appear inhospitable—and

1. A structure built along the shore for loading and unloading ships.
2. A dock or pier where vessels can moor.

way out of the coil about the station, and they were crawling down the slippery incline to the wharf, menaced by swaying coal-carts, bewildered horses, dishevelled express-wagons, and an empty

1. A female domestic servant who cleans and maintains a household.
2. A young unmarried woman (archaic or poetic).

that she was less simple than she seemed. The door was opened by a swarthy foreign-looking maid, with a prominent bosom under a gay neckerchief, whom he vaguely fancied to be Sicilian. She

1. To hesitate or be indecisive.
2. To move unsteadily back and forth.

And that was not to be imagined. But he saw the shadow of the lashes on her wet cheek, and wavered. “After all,” he began again, “we have lives of our own. … There’s no use attempting the

1. A long, low sofa without a back or arms.
2. A legislative body or council in certain Muslim countries.

say; and instantly everything about him vanished, and he was sitting alone on a hard leather divan against a radiator, while a slight figure in a long sealskin cloak moved away down the

1. A warm tubular covering for the hands.
2. A failure to catch or hold a ball in sports.

arm, sat weeping softly under her Chantilly veil, her hands in her grandmother’s ermine muff. “Poor Janey!” he thought, looking at his sister, “even by screwing her head around she can see

1. Covered thinly with gold leaf or gold paint.
2. A young female pig.

and left for three-hundred-and-sixty-four days of the year to shuttered darkness, with its gilt chairs stacked in a corner and its chandelier in a bag; this undoubted superiority was felt to

1. At the present time; in these modern times.
2. Currently; in contrast to the past.

Georgian types, and protesting at the meaningless use of the word “Colonial.” Nobody nowadays had “Colonial” houses except the millionaire grocers of the suburbs. But above all—sometimes

1. Informal term for buttocks (chiefly British).
2. Slang term for female genitalia (chiefly American).

few in New York, those driving their own carriages still fewer, and the appearance of Miss Fanny Ring in Fifth Avenue at the fashionable hour had profoundly agitated society. Only the day

1. Magnificent and impressive beauty or grandeur.
2. Brilliant or radiant light.

and he had pictured the quarter as quiet and almost obscure, forgetting the central splendour that lit it up. Now, by some queer process of association, that golden light became for him the

1. Roof-like coverings extending over windows or doors for shade or shelter.
2. Fabric or metal structures used outdoors to protect from sun or rain.

balconies, which hung well above the rounded tops of the horse-chestnuts in the square, the awnings were still lowered, as though the sun had just left it. “I wonder which floor—?” Dallas

1. A platform projecting from the wall of a building, enclosed by a railing or parapet.
2. An upper level in a theater or auditorium with seating.

the bell of the peeling stucco house with a giant wisteria throttling its feeble cast-iron balcony, which she had hired, far down West Twenty-third Street, from the vagabond Medora. It was