Chapter X

dshefailtoadorehim!Berthawasonlyhappyinherhusband’scompany,anditwasanexquisitepleasureforhertothinkthattheirbondscouldnotbesundered,thatsolongastheylivedtheywouldbealwaystogether,alwaysinseparable.Shefollowedhimlikeadog,withasubjectionthatwasreallytouchingherpridehadutterlyvanished,andshedesiredtoexistonlyinEdward,tofusehercharacterwithhisandbeentirelyonewithhim.Shewantedhimtobeheronlyindividuality,likeningherselftoivyclimbingtotheoaktreeforhewasanoaktree,apillarofstrength,andshewasveryweak.Inthemorningafterbreakfastsheaccompaniedhimonhiswalkaroundthefarms,andonlywhenherpresencewasimpossibledidshestayathometolookafterherhouse.Theattempttoreadwashopeless,andshehadthrownasideherbooks.Whyshouldsheread?Notforentertainment,sinceherhusbandwasaperpetualoccupationandifsheknewhowtolove,whatotherknowledgewasuseful?Often,leftaloneforawhile,shewouldtakeupsomevolume,buthermindquicklywanderedandshethoughtofEdwardagain,wishingtobewithhim. Bertha’slifewasanexquisitedream,adreamwhichneedneverendforherhappinesswasnotofthatboisteroussortwhichneedsexcursionsandalarums,butequableandsmoothshedweltinaparadiseofrosytints,inwhichwereneitherviolentshadowsnorglaringlights.Shewasinheaven,andtheonlylinkattachinghertoearthwastheweeklyserviceatLeanham.Therewasadelightfulhumanityaboutthebarechurchwithitspitch-pine,highlyvarnishedpews,andtheodoursofhair-pomadeandReckitt’sBlue.EdwardwasinhisSabbathgarments,theorganistmadehorridsounds,andthevillagechoirsangoutoftuneMr.Glover’smechanicaldeliveryoftheprayerscleverlyextractedallbeautyfromthem,andhissermonwasintenselyprosaic.ThosetwohoursofchurchgaveBerthajustthetouchofearthlinesswhichwasnecessarytomakeherrealizethatlifewasnotentirelyspiritual. NowcameApril.TheelmsbeforeCourtLeyswerebeginningtoburstintoleafthegreenbudscoveredthebrancheslikeadelicaterain,averdanthazethatwasvisiblefromalittledistanceandvanishedwhenonecamenear.Thebrownfieldsalsoclothedthemselveswithasummergarmentthecloversprangupgreenandluxurious,andthecropsshowedgoodpromiseforthefuture.Thereweredayswhentheairwasalmostbalmy,whenthesun