The Age of Innocence: Chapter 14 Summary & Analysis

In the theater lobby, Archer comes upon his friend Ned Winsett, one of the intellectual set. Winsett proposes they go to a restaurant, but Archer says he needs to get some work done. They begin to walk together, and Winsett admits he wants to know the name of the lady sitting with the Beauforts. Archer is annoyed at his curiosity. Winsett explains that she’s his neighbor and she brought his son home when he fell and cut his knee, but his wife didn’t get her name. Archer is pleased at this tale and gives Ellen’s name. Winsett wonders why a countess lives in his neighborhood, and Archer is proud to say that she doesn’t care about social rules. Winsett supposes she’s been in bigger places. They part ways.

Archer has only ever seen Winsett at places frequented by the intellectual set. Supposedly his wife is an invalid. Winsett hates social conventions, and Archer thinks his “Bohemian” attitude just makes fashionable people seem simpler than other people. Even so, he likes having long talks with Winsett. Winsett is naturally a literary man, but when his attempt at literary writing failed, he took a job at a women’s magazine. Though he can poke fun at this job, he’s deeply bitter about his failure. Talking to him always makes Archer realize how empty both of their lives are.

Winsett feels that his own case is hopeless, but he insists that Archer should go into politics. Archer only laughs at this, because gentlemen don’t go into politics in America. Winsett doesn’t understand that decent people have to occupy themselves with sport and culture. Winsett argues that culture no longer exists in America. He thinks that gentlemen have to either get involved in the less refined aspects of life or emigrate to make anything of themselves. Archer always turns the conversation back to books. He doesn’t think either of these options are in the least possible. Winsett doesn’t understand that gentlemen stay out of the general fray.

The next morning, Archer goes looking for more yellow roses. He arrives late at the office and realizes that no one cares, which makes him feel useless. Old-fashioned law firms like his usually engage a few wealthy young men who do unimportant work because it’s proper for them to have an occupation. They usually have no ambition or motivation. Archer has interests and likes to be intellectually sharp, but he imagines that once he marries, he might easily sink into a dull routine.

Archer sends Ellen a note asking if he can call on her, but he receives no reply until three days later. It comes from Skuytercliff, and Ellen writes that she ran away to think somewhere quiet. Archer wonders what she’s running from, but he thinks she might be prone to exaggerating in writing. She often speaks English as though translating from French, and in French, the phrase “run away” might imply only that she wanted to escape social engagements. It’s funny that the van der Luydens have taken her in, as they rarely have guests at Skuytercliff. It seems that now they’ve rescued her once, they’re determined to continue doing so.

Archer is disappointed that Ellen is away, but he remembers that he just refused an invitation to the Chiverses’ house near Skuytercliff. Parties there are always filled with flirting and mild practical jokes, and he wanted to read some new books instead. But now he sends a telegram saying he’s changed his mind and will come after all.