Chapter VIII

pewwhichwastheirsbyright. “Helooksathome,don’the?”murmuredthenatives,forthebehaviourofEdwardinterestedthemmorethanthatofhiswife,whowassufficientlyabovethemtobealmostastranger. Berthasailedupwitharoyalunconsciousnessoftheeyesuponhershewaspleasedwithherpersonalappearance,andintenselyproudofhergood-lookinghusband.Mrs.Branderton,themotherofCraddock’sbestman,fixedhereye-glassuponherandstaredasisthecustomofgreatladiesinthesuburbs.Mrs.Brandertonwasawomanwhocultivatedthemodeinthedepthsofthecountry,alittle,giggling,grey-hairedcreaturewhotalkedstupidlyinahigh,crackedvoiceandhadhertoojuvenilebonnetsstraightfromParis.Shewasagentlewoman,andthis,ofcourse,isaveryfinethingtobe.Shewasproudofit(inquiteaniceway),andinthehabitofsayingthatgentlefolkweregentlefolkwhich,ifyoucometothinkofit,isamostprofoundremark. “ImeantogoandspeaktotheCraddocksafterwards,”shewhisperedtoherson.“ItwillhaveagoodeffectontheLeanhampeopleIwonderifpoorBerthafeelsityet.” Mrs.Brandertonhadaself-importancewhichwasalmostsublimeitneveroccurredtoherthattheremightbepersonssufficientlyill-conditionedastoresentherpatronage.Shediditallinkindness—sheshoweredadviceuponallandsundry,besidessoupsandjelliesuponthepoor,towhomwhentheywereillsheevensenthercooktoreadtheBible.Shewouldhavegoneherself,onlyshestronglydisapprovedoffamiliaritywiththelowerclasses,whichmadethemindependentandoftenrude.Mrs.Brandertonknewwithoutpossibilityofquestionthatsheandherequalsweremadeofdifferentclayfromcommonfolkbut,beingagentlewoman,didnotthrowthisfactinthelatters’faces,unless,ofcourse,theygavethemselvesairs,whenshethoughtastraighttalking-todidthemgood.Withoutanystrikingadvantagesofbirth,money,orintelligence,Mrs.Brandertonneverdoubtedherrighttodirecttheaffairsandfashions,eventhemodesofthoughtofherneighboursandbysheerforceofself-esteemhadcausedthemtosubmitforthirtyyearstohertyranny,hatingherandyetlookinguponherinvitationstoabaddinner,assomethingquitedesirable. Mrs.BrandertonhaddebatedwithherselfhowsheshouldtreattheCraddocks. “Iwonderifit’smydutytocutthem,”shesaid.“EdwardCraddockisnotthesortofmanaMissLeyoughttomarry.Buttherearesofewgentlefolkintheneighbourhood,andofcoursepeopledomakemarriageswhichtheywouldn’thavedreamedoftwentyyearsago.Eventhebestsocietyisverymixednowadays.PerhapsI’dbettererronthesideofmercy!” Mrs.BrandertonwasalittlepleasedtothinkthattheLeysrequiredhersupport—aswasprovedbytherequestofherson’sservicesatthewedding. “Thefactisgentlefolkaregentlefolk,andtheymuststandbyoneanotherinthesedaysofpork-butchersandfurniturepeople.” Aftertheservice,whentheparishionerswerestandingaboutthechurchyard,Mrs.BrandertonsaileduptotheCraddocksfollowedbyArthur,andinherhigh,crackedvoicebegantotalkwithEdward.ShekeptaneyeontheLeanhampeopletoseethatheractionwasbeingdulynoticed,speakingtoCraddockinthemanneragentlewomanshouldadoptwithamanwhosegentilitywasalittledoubtful.Ofcoursehewasverymuchpleasedandflattered.