Chapter V
關燈
小
中
大
viewofthe,matter,”answeredMissLey,somewhatbrutally.“Berthaismerelythefemaleattractedtothemale,andthatistheonlydecentfoundationofmarriage—theotherwayseemstomemerelyhorrid.Andwhatdoesitmatterifthemanisnotofthesamestation,theinstincthasnothingtodowiththewalkinlifeifI’deverbeeninloveIshouldn’thavecaredifitwasapot-boy,I’dhavemarriedhim—ifheaskedme.”
“Well,uponmyword!”saidthedoctor.
ButMissLeywasrousednow,andinterruptedhim:“Theparticularfunctionofawomanistopropagateherspeciesandifshe’swiseshe’llchooseastrongandhealthymantobethefatherofherchildren.Ihavenopatiencewiththosewomenwhomarryamanbecausehe’sgotbrains.Whatisthegoodofahusbandwhocanmakeabstrusemathematicalcalculations?Awomanwantsamanwithstrongarmsandthedigestionofanox.”
“MissLey,”brokeinMissGlover,“I’mnotcleverenoughtoarguewithyou,butIknowyou’rewrong.Idon’tthinkIamrighttolistentoyouI’msureCharleswouldn’tlikeit.”
“Mydear,you’vebeenbroughtuplikethemajorityofEnglishgirls—thatis,likeafool.”
PoorMissGloverblushed.“AtalleventsI’vebeenbroughtuptoregardmarriageasaholyinstitution.We’rehereuponearthtomortifytheflesh,nottoindulgeit.IhopeIshallneverbetemptedtothinkofsuchmattersinthewayyou’vesuggested.IfeverImarryIknowthatnothingwillbefurtherfrommethancarnalthoughts.Ilookuponmarriageasaspiritualunioninwhichitismydutytolove,honour,andobeymyhusband,toassistandsustainhim,tolivewithhimsuchalifethatwhentheendcomeswemaybepreparedforit.”
“Fiddlesticks!”saidMissLey.
“Ishouldhavethoughtyouofallpeople,”saidDr.Ramsay,“wouldobjecttoBerthamarryingbeneathher.”
“Theycan’tbehappy,”saidMissGlover.
“Whynot?IusedtoknowinItalyLadyJustitiaShawe,whomarriedherfootman.Shemadehimtakehername,andtheydranklikefishes.Theylivedforfortyyearsincompletefelicity,andwhenhedrankhimselftodeathpoorLadyJustitiawassogrievedthathernextattackofdeliriumtremenscarriedheroff.Itwasmostpathetic.”
“Ican’tthinkyoulookforwardwithpleasuretosuchafateforyouronlyniece,MissLey,”saidMissGlover,whotookeverythingseriously.
“Ihaveanotherniece,youknow,”answeredMissLey,“Mysister,Mrs.Vaudrey,hasthreechildren.”
Butthedoctorbrokein:“Well,Idon’tthinkyouneedtroubleyourselvesaboutthematter,forIhaveauthoritytoannouncetoyouthatthemarriageofBerthaandyoungCraddockisbrokenoff.”
“What!”criedMissLey.“Idon’tbelieveit.”
“Youdon’tsayso,”ejaculatedMissGloveratthesamemoment.“Oh,Iamrelieved.”
Dr.Ramsayrubbedhishands,beamingwithdelight.“IknewIshouldstopit,”hesaid.“Whatdoyouthinknow,MissLey?”
Hewasevidentlyrejoicingoverherdiscomfiture,andthatladybecamerathercross.
“HowcanIthinkanythingtillyouexplainyourself?”sheasked.
“Hecametoseemelastnight—yourememberheaskedforaninterviewofhisownaccord—andIputthecasebeforehim.Italkedtohim,ItoldhimthatthemarriagewasimpossibleandIsaidtheLeanhamandBlackstablepeoplewouldcallhimafortune-hunter.IappealedtohimforBertha’ssake.He’sanhonest,straightforwardfellow—Ialwayssaidhewas.Imadehimseehewasn’tdoingthestraightthing,andatlasthepromisedhe’dbreakitoff.”
“Hewon’tkeepapromiseofthatsort,”saidMissLey.
“Oh,won’the!”criedthedoctor.“I’veknownhimallhislife,andhe’dratherdiethanbreakhisword.”
“Poorfellow!”saidMissGlover,“itmusthavepainedhimterribly.”
“Heboreitlikeaman.”
MissLeypursedherlipstilltheypracticallydisappeared.“Andwhenishesupposedtocarryoutyourridiculoussuggestion,Dr.Ramsay?”sheasked.
“Hetoldmehewaslunchinghereto-day,andwouldtaketheopportunitytoaskBerthaforhisrelease.”
“Theman’safool!”mutteredMissLeytoherself,butquiteaudibly.
“Ithinkit’sverynobleofhim,”saidMissGlover,“andIshallmakeapointoftellinghimso.”
“Iwasn’tthinkingofMr.Craddock,”snappedMissLey.
MissGloverlookedatDr.RamsaytoseehowhetooktherudenessbutatthatmomentthedoorwasopenedandBerthawalkedin.MissLeycaughthermoodataglance.Berthawasevidentlynotatalldistressedtherewerenosignsoftears,buthercheeksshowedmorecolourthanusual,andherlipswerefirmlycompressedMissLeyconclu