Chapter XI

hesetherselftoenjoythepastorallifewhichshehadimagined.TheelmsofCourtLeysnowweredarkwithleavesandtheheavy,close-fittingverduregavequiteastatelylooktothehouse.Theelmisthemostrespectableoftrees,over-pompousifanything,butperfectlywell-bredandtheshadeitcastsisnoordinaryshade,butsolidandself-assuredasbefitstheestateofacountyfamily.Thefallentrunkhadbeenremoved,andintheautumnyoungtreesweretobeplantedinthevacantspaces.Edwardhadsethimselfwithawilltoputtheplaceproperlytorights.ThespringhadseenanewcoatofpaintonCourtLeys,sothatitlookedspickandspanasthesuburbanvillaofastockbroker.Thebedswhichforyearshadbeenneglected,nowweretrimwiththeabominationsofcarpetbeddingsquaresofredgeraniumscontrastedwithcirclesofyellowcalcellariastheovergrownboxwoodwascutdowntoajustheightthehawthornhedgewasdoomed,andEdwardhadarrangedtoenclosethegroundswithawoodenpallisadeandlaurelbushes.Thedrivewasdecoratedwithseveralloadsofgravel,sothatitbecameathingofpridetothesuccessorofanancientandlackadaisicalrace.Craddockhadnotreignedintheirsteadafortnightbeforethegrimysheepwereexpelledfromthelawnsoneithersideoftheavenue,andsincethenthegrasshadbeenindustriouslymownandrolled.Nowatennis-courthadbeenmarkedout,which,asEdwardsaid,madethingslookhomely.Finallytheirongatesweregorgeousinblackandgoldassuitedtheentrancetoagentleman’smansion,andtherenovatedlodgeprovedtoallandsundrythatCourtLeyswasinthehandsofamanwhoknewwhatwaswhat,anddelightedintheproprieties. ThoughBerthaabhorredallinnovations,shehadmeeklyacceptedEdward’simprovements:theyformedaninexhaustibletopicofconversation,andhisenthusiasmalwayspleasedher. “ByJove,”hesaid,rubbinghishands,“thechangeswillmakeyourauntsimplyjump,won’tthey?” “Theywillindeed,”saidBertha,smiling. SheshudderedalittleattheprospectofMissLey’ssarcasticpraise. “She’llhardlyrecognisetheplacethehouselooksasgoodasnew,andthegroundsmighthavebeenlaidoutonlyhalf-a-dozenyearsago....Givemefiveyearsmoreandevenyouwon’tknowyouroldhome.” MissLeyhadatlastacceptedoneoftheinvitationswhichEdwardinsistedshouldbeshowereduponher,andwrotetosayshewascomingdownforaweek.Edwardwasofcoursemuchpleasedashesaid,hewantedtobefriendswitheverybody,anditdidn’tseemnaturalthatBertha’sonlyrelativeshouldmakeapointofavoidingthem. “Itlooksasifshedidn’tapproveofourmarriage,anditmakesthepeopletalk.” Hemetthegoodladyatthestation,andsomewhattoherdisgustgreetedherwitheffusion. “Ah,hereyouareatlast!”hebellowed,inhisjovialway.“Wethoughtyouwerenevercoming.Here,porter!”Heraisedhisvoicesothatthepla