The Age of Innocence cover

The Age of Innocence

Edith Wharton (1862-1937)

Original en 101254 words First published 1920 United States

Wharton's Pulitzer Prize novel of 1920 — the first awarded to a woman — and the most elegant autopsy ever performed on Old New York. On a January evening of the 1870s, Christine Nilsson sings in Faust, and Newland Archer, comfortably engaged to the lovely and conventional May Welland, catches sight of May's cousin, the Countess Olenska, lately escaped from an unhappy European marriage. What begins as a gesture of family protection becomes the one passion of his life, and the small decencies of his circle prove stronger than it. A novel of manners in which nothing is ever said aloud, and everything is understood.

Text sourced from Project Gutenberg (public domain in the United States); the Project Gutenberg trademark and license text have been removed on import. Public-domain status determined by the author's death year + 50 years rule.

Table of Contents

  1. 001 On a January evening of the early seventies, Christine Nilsson was… 2683 words
  2. 002 He knew, of course, that whatever man dared (within Fifth Avenue's limits) that old Mrs. 2565 words
  3. 003 Then the house had been boldly planned with a ball-room, so that… 2514 words
  4. 004 "Thanks. I wish it might happen oftener," said the visitor in his… 2523 words
  5. 005 "Janey!" said her mother; and Miss Archer blushed and tried to look audacious. 2542 words
  6. 006 The blow was unexpected; but the Mingotts, as their way was, met it gallantly. 2546 words
  7. 007 Mrs. Archer, who knew this to be a hint that the seventeen-hand… 2564 words
  8. 008 The young man felt a touch on his arm and saw Mrs. 2509 words
  9. 009 "Isn't that perhaps the reason?" "The reason--?" "For their great… 2538 words
  10. 010 "Sameness--sameness!" he muttered, the word running through his head… 2565 words
  11. 011 "Her uncles ought to deal with this," he said. 2537 words
  12. 012 Newland Archer had been aware of these things ever since he could… 2504 words
  13. 013 "Well, then: is it worth while to risk what may be infinitely disagreeable and painful? 2564 words
  14. 014 XIV. As he came out into the lobby Archer ran across his friend Ned… 2643 words
  15. 015 Against the uniform sheet of snow and the greyish winter sky the… 2732 words
  16. 016 "Mercy, how pale you look, Newland!" Janey commented over the… 2517 words
  17. 017 He lowered his head, staring at the black leaf-pattern on the sunny path at their feet. 2537 words
  18. 018 Beside her, in a cloud of cigar-smoke, stood the owners of the two… 2505 words
  19. 019 "You know that your aunt believes you will go back?" Madame Olenska… 2530 words
  20. 020 A light was shining through the door of the little hall-room which… 2503 words
  21. 021 "Darling!" Archer said--and suddenly the same black abyss yawned… 2677 words
  22. 022 All this tended to draw him back into his old habits of mind. 2520 words
  23. 023 Newland Archer, standing on the verandah of the house, looked… 2573 words
  24. 024 She examined and appraised with much interest the diamond-tipped… 2613 words
  25. 025 The idea of the stud-farm and the brougham horse had germinated in… 2534 words
  26. 026 "I? Oh, I'm here on business too," she answered, turning her head… 2577 words
  27. 027 "But Dr. Carver--aren't you afraid of Dr. Carver? I hear he's been… 2537 words
  28. 028 "A special mission," Archer at length repeated. 2608 words
  29. 029 "Ah, well, Boston is more conservative than New York; but I always… 2675 words
  30. 030 Her hand was still on the key of the lamp when the last word of this… 2515 words
  31. 031 Archer nodded, and pushed his telegram under the lattice. 2516 words
  32. 032 "If only it doesn't mean--poor Granny!" "Oh, no, no--she's much… 2565 words
  33. 033 She was so placed that Archer, by merely raising his eyes, could see… 2506 words
  34. 034 She had the heedless generosity and the spasmodic extravagance of… 2506 words
  35. 035 "And destroy their lives, when they've helped me to remake mine?"… 2590 words
  36. 036 "_M'ama_!" thrilled out the triumphant Marguerite; and the occupants… 2558 words
  37. 037 "Oh, eminently," Archer assented, pushing back the paper. 2629 words
  38. 038 At length he saw that Madame Olenska had risen and was saying good-bye. 2556 words
  39. 039 The telephone clicked, and Archer, turning from the photographs… 2536 words
  40. 040 He got up and walked across the Place de la Concorde and the… 1342 words