Chapter XI

BUTEdwardwascertainlynotanardentlover.Berthacouldnottellwhenfirstshehadnoticedhisirresponsivenessatthebeginningshehadknownonlythatshelovedherhusbandwithallherheart,andherardourhadlituphissomewhatpallidattachmenttillitseemedtoglowasfiercelyasherown.Yetgraduallyshebegantothinkthathemadeverylittlereturnforthewealthofaffectionwhichshelavisheduponhim.Thecausesofherdissatisfactionwerescarcelyexplicable:aslightmotionofwithdrawal,anindifferencetoherfeelings—littlenothingswhichhadseemedalmostcomic.BerthaatfirstlikenedEdwardtotheHippolitusofPh?dra,hewasuntamedandwildthekissesofwomanfrightenedhimhisphlegmpleasedherdisguisedasrusticsavagery,andshesaidherpassionshouldthawtheiciclesinhisheart.Butsoonsheceasedtoconsiderhispassivenessamusing,sometimessheupbraidedhim,andoften,whenalone,shewept. “Iwonderifyourealisewhatpainyoucausemeattimes,”saidBertha. “Oh,Idon’tthinkIdoanythingofthekind.” “Youdon’tseeit....WhenIkissyou,itisthemostnaturalthingintheworldforyoutopushmeaway,asif—almostasifyoucouldn’tbearme.” “Nonsense!” TohimselfEdwardwasthesamenowaswhentheywerefirstmarried. “Ofcourseafterfourmonthsofmarriedlifeyoucan’texpectamantobethesameasonhishoneymoon.Onecan’talwaysbemakingloveandcanoodling.Everythinginitspropertimeandseason,”headded,withtheunoriginalman’sfondnessforproverbialphilosophy. Aftertheday’sworkhelikedtoreadhisStandardinpeace,sowhenBerthacameuptohimheputhergentlyaside. “Leavemealoneforabit,there’sagoodgirl.” “Oh,youdon’tloveme,”shecriedthen,feelingasifherheartwouldbreak. Hedidnotlookupfromhispapernormakereplyhewasinthemiddleofaleadingarticle. “Whydon’tyouanswer?”shecried. “Becauseyou’retalkingnonsense.” Hewasthebest-humouredofmen,andBertha’stemperneverdisturbedhisequilibrium.Heknewthatwomenfeltalittleirritableattimes,butifamangave’emplentyofrope,they’dcalmdownafterabit. “Womenarelikechickens,”hetoldafriend.“Give’emagoodrun,properlyclosedinwithstoutwirenetting,sothattheycan’tgetintomischief,andwhentheycluckandcacklejustsittightandtakenonotice.” MarriagehadmadenogreatdifferenceinEdward’slife.Hehadalwaysbeenamanofregularhabits,andthesehecontinuedtocultivate.Ofcoursehewasmorecomfortable. “There’snodenyingit:afellowwantsawomantolookafterhim,”hetoldDr.Ramsay,whomhesometimesmetonthelatter’srounds.“BeforeIwasmarriedIusedtofindmyshirtsworeoutinnotime,butnowwhenIseeacuffgettingabitgroggyIjustgiveittotheMissisandshemakesitasgoodasnew.” “There’sagooddealofextrawork,isn’tthere,now