Chapter VII

EXACTLYonemonthafterhertwenty-firstbirthday,asBerthahadannounced,themarriagetookplaceandtheyoungcouplestartedofftospendtheirhoneymooninLondon.Bertha,knowingshewouldnotread,tookwithhernotwithstandingabook,towittheMeditationsofMarcusAureliusandEdward,thinkingthatrailwayjourneyswerealwaystedious,boughtfortheoccasionTheMysteryoftheSix-fingeredWoman,thetitleofwhichattractedhim.Hewasdeterminednottobebored,for,notcontentwithhisnovel,hepurchasedatthestationaSportingTimes. “Oh,”saidBertha,whenthetrainhadstarted,heavingagreatsighofrelief,“I’msogladtobealonewithyouatlast.Nowweshan’thaveanybodytoworryus,andnoonecanseparateus,andweshallbetogetherfortherestofourlives.” Craddockputdownthenewspaper,which,fromforceofhabit,hehadopenedaftersettlinghimselfinhisseat. “I’mgladtohavetheceremonyovertoo.” “D’youknow,”shesaid,“Iwasterrifiedonthewaytochurchitoccurredtomethatyoumightnotbethere—thatyoumighthavechangedyourmindandfled.” Helaughed.“WhyonearthshouldIchangemymind?That’sathingIneverdo.” “Oh,Ican’tsitsolemnlyoppositeyouasifwe’dbeenmarriedacentury.Makeroomforme,boy.” Shecameovertohissideandnestledclosetohim. “Tellmeyouloveme,”shewhispered. “Iloveyouverymuch.” Hebentdownandkissedhiswife,thenputtinghisarmaroundherwaistdrewhernearertohim.Hewasalittlenervous,hewouldnotreallyhavebeenverysorryifsomeofficiouspersonhaddisregardedtheengagedonthecarriageandentered.HefeltscarcelyathomewithBertha,andwasstillbewilderedbyhischangeoffortunetherewas,indeed,avastdifferencebetweenCourtLeysandBewlie’sFarm. “I’msohappy,”saidBertha.“SometimesI’mafraid....D’youthinkitcanlast,d’youthinkweshallalwaysbeashappy?I’vegoteverythingIwantintheworld,andI’mabsolutelyandcompletelycontent.”Shewassilentforaminute,caressinghishands.“Youwillalwaysloveme,Eddie,won’tyou—evenwhenI’moldandhorrible?” “I’mnotthesortofchaptoalter.” “Oh,youdon’tknowhowIadoreyou,”shecriedpassionately.“Mylovewillneveralter,itistoostrong.TotheendofmydaysIshallalwaysloveyouwithallmyheart.IwishIcouldtellyouwhatIfeel.” OflatetheEnglishlanguagehadseemedquiteincompetentfortheexpressionofhermanifoldemotions. Theywenttoafarmoreexpensivehotelthantheycouldafford.Craddockhadprudentlysuggestedsomethinglessextravagant,butBerthawouldnothearofitasMissLeyshehadbeenunusedtothesecond-rate,andshewastooproudofhernewnametotakeittoanybutthebesthotelinLondon. ThemoreBerthasawofherhusband’smind,themoreitdelightedher.Shelovedthesimplicityandthenaturalnessofthemanshecastofflikeatatteredsilkencloakthesentimentswithwhichforyearsshehadlived,androbedherselfinthesturdyhomespunwhichsowellsuitedherlordandmaster.Itwascharmingtoseehisna?veenjoymentofeverything.Tohimallwasfreshandnovelhewouldexplodewithlaughteratthecomicpapers,andinthedailiescontinuallyfindobservationswhichstruckhimfortheirprofoundoriginality.Hewastheunspoiledchildofnaturehismindfreefromthemillionperversitiesofcivilisation.ToknowhimwasinBertha’sopinionaneducationinallthegoodnessandpurity,thestrengthandvirtueoftheEnglishman!