Chapter VII

Theywentoftentothetheatre,anditpleasedBerthatowatchherhusband’ssimpleenjoyment.Thepatheticpassagesofamelodrama,whichmadeBertha’slipscurlwithsemi-amusedcontempt,movedhimtofaciletearsandinthedarknessheheldherhandtocomforther,imaginingthathiswifeenjoyedthesameemotionsashimself.Ah,shewishedshecouldshehatedtheeducationofforeigncountries,which,inthestudyofpicturesandpalacesandstrangepeoples,hadreleasedhermindfromitsprisonofdarkness,yethaddestroyedhalfherillusionsnowshewouldfarratherhaveretainedtheplainandunadornedilliteracy,theingenuousignoranceofthetypicalandcreamyEnglishgirl.Whatistheuseofknowledge?Blessedarethepoorinspirit:allthatawomanreallywantsispurityandgoodness,andperhapsacertainacquaintancewithplaincooking. Butthelovers,theinjuredheroineandthewronglysuspectedhero,hadbiddenoneanotheraheartrendinggood-bye,andthecurtaindescendedtorapturousapplause.Edwardclearedhisthroatandblewhisnose. “Isn’titsplendid?”hesaid,turningtohiswife. “Youdearthing!”shewhispered. Ittouchedhertoseehowdeeplyhefeltitall.Howcleanandbigandsimpleandgoodmustbehisheart!Shelovedhimtentimesmorebecausehisemotionswereeasilyaroused.Ahyes,sheabhorredthecoldcynicismoftheworldly-wisewhosneerattheburningtearsofthesimpleminded. Thecurtainroseonthenextact,andinhiseagernesstoseewhatwasabouttohappen,EdwardimmediatelyceasedtolistentowhatBerthawasinthemiddleofsaying,andgavehimselfovertotheplay.Thefeelingsoftheaudiencehavingbeensufficientlyharrowed,thecomicreliefwasturnedon.Thefunnymanmadejokesaboutvariousarticlesofclothing,tumblingovertablesandchairsanditcharmedBerthaagaintoseeherhusband’sopen-heartedhilarity.Ittickledherimmenselytohearhispealsofunrestrainedlaughterheputhisheadback,and,withhishandstohissides,simplyroared. “Hehasacharmingcharacter,”shethought. Craddockhadthestrictestnotionsofmorality,andabsolutelyrefusedtotakehiswifetoamusic-hallBerthahadseenabroadmanysights,thelikeofwhichEdwarddidnotdream,butsherespectedhisinnocence.Itpleasedhertoseethefirmnesswithwhichheupheldhisprinciples,anditsomewhatamusedhertobetreatedlikealittleschoolgirl.TheywenttoallthetheatresEdward,onhisrarevisitstoLondon,haddonehissightseeingeconomically,andthepurchaseofstalls,thegettingintodress-clothes,werenewsensationswhichcausedhimgreatpleasure.Berthalikedtoseeherhusbandineveningdresstheblacksuitedhisfloridstyle,andthewhiteshirtwithahighcollarthrewuphissunburnt,weather-beatenface.Helookedstrongaboveallthings,andmanlyandhewasherhusband,nevertobepartedfromherexceptbydeath:sheadoredhim. Craddock’sinterestinthestagewasunflagginghealwayswantedtoknowwhatwasgoingtohappen,andhewasabletofollowwiththeclosestattentioneventheincomprehensibleplotofamusicalcomedy.Nothingboredhim.EventhemostingenuousfindalittlecloyingthehumoursandtheharmoniesofaGaietyburlesquetheyareliketoffeeandbutterscotch,delicaciesforwhichwecannotunderstandouryouthfulcraving.Berthahadlearntsomethingofmusicinlandswhereitiscultivatedasapleasureratherthanasaduty,andthepopularmelodieswithobviousrefrainssentcoldshiversdownherbackbuttheystirredCraddocktothedep