Chapter XI

you’vetakenontheHomeFarm?” “Oh,blessyou,Ienjoyit.Factis,Ican’tgetenoughworktodo.Anditseemstomethatifyouwanttomakefarmingpaynowadaysyoumustdoitonabigscale.” AlldayEdwardwasoccupied,ifnotonthefarms,thenwithbusinessatBlackstable,Tercanbury,andFaversley. “Idon’tapproveofidleness,”hesaid.“Theyalwayssaythedevilfindsworkforidlehandstodo,anduponmywordIthinkthere’salotoftruthinit.” MissGlover,towhomthissentimentwasaddressed,naturallyapproved,andwhenEdwardimmediatelyafterwardswentout,leavingherwithBertha,shesaid— “Whatagoodfellowyourhusbandis!Youdon’tmindmysayingso,doyou?” “Notifitpleasesyou,”saidBertha,drily. “Ihearpraiseofhimfromeveryside.OfcourseCharleshasthehighestopinionofhim.” Berthadidnotanswer,andMissGloveradded,“Youcan’tthinkhowgladIamthatyou’resohappy.” Berthasmiled.“You’vegotsuchakindheart,Fanny.” Theconversationdragged,andafterfiveminutesofheavysilenceMissGloverrosetogo.Whenthedoorwascloseduponher,Berthasankbackinherchair,thinking.Thiswasoneofherunhappydays—EddiehadwalkedintoBlackstable,andshehadwishedtoaccompanyhim. “Idon’tthinkyou’dbettercomewithme,”hesaid.“I’minratherahurryandIshallwalkfast.” “Icanwalkfasttoo,”shesaid,herfacecloudingover. “No,youcan’t—Iknowwhatyoucallwalkingfast.Ifyoulikeyoucancomeandmeetmeonthewayback.” “Oh,youdoeverythingyoucantohurtme.Itlooksasifyouwelcomedanopportunityofbeingcruel.” “Howunreasonableyouare,Bertha.Can’tyouseethatI’minahurry,andIhaven’tgottimetosaunteralongandchatteraboutthebuttercups.” “Well,let’sdrivein.” “That’simpossible.Themareisn’twell,andtheponyhadaharddayyesterdayhemustrestto-day.” “It’ssimplybecauseyoudon’twantmetocome.It’salwaysthesame,dayafterday.Youinventanythingtogetridofme.” Sheburstintotears,knowingthatwhatshesaidwasunjust,butfeelingnotwithstandingextremelyill-used.Edwardsmiledwithirritatinggoodtemper. “You’llbesorryforwhatyou’vesaidwhenyou’vecalmeddown,andthenyou’llwantmetoforgiveyou.” Shelookedup,flushing.“YouthinkI’machildandafool.” “No,Ijustthinkyou’reoutofsortsto-day.” Thenhewentout,whistling,andsheheardhimgiveanordertothegardenerinhisusualmanner,ascheerfulasifnothinghadhappened.Berthaknewthathehadalreadyforgottenthelittlescene.Nothingaffectedhisgoodhumour.Shemightweep,shemighttearherheartout(metaphorically),andbangitonthefloor,Edwardwouldnotbeperturbedhewouldstillbeplacid,good-tempered,forbearing.Hardwords,hesaid,brokenobody’sbones—“Womenarelikechickens,whentheycluckandcacklesittightandtakenonotice!” Onhisretur