Chapter XII

confessit.” “RuleBritannia,”sangBertha,“Britanniarulesthewaves,Britonsnever,nevershallbeslaves.Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay!Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay!” “It’sthesameeverywherenow,”proceededtheorator.“We’rechokefullofforeignersandtheirgoods.Ithinkit’sscandalous.Englishmusicisn’tgoodenoughforyou—yougetitfromFranceandGermany.Wheredoyougetyourbutterfrom?Brittany!Whered’yougetyourmeatfrom?NewZealand!”Thishesaidwithgreatscorn,andBerthapunctuatedtheobservationwitharesoundingchord.“Andasfarasthebuttergoes,itisn’tbutter—it’smargarine.Wheredoesyourbreadcomefrom?America.YourvegetablesfromJersey.” “Yourfishfromthesea,”interposedBertha. “Andsoitisallalongtheline—theBritishfarmerhasn’tgotachance!” TothisspeechBerthaplayedaburlesqueaccompaniment,whichwouldhaveirritatedamoresensitivemanthanCraddockbuthemerelylaughedgood-naturedly. “Berthawon’ttakethesethingsseriously,”hesaid,passinghishandaffectionatelyoverherhair. Shesuddenlystoppedplaying,andhisgood-humour,joinedwiththelovinggesture,filledherwithremorse.Hereyesfilledwithtears. “Youareadear,goodthing,”shefaltered,“andI’mutterlyhorrid.” “Nowdon’ttalkstuffbeforeAuntPolly.Youknowshe’lllaughatus.” “Oh,Idon’tcare,”saidBertha,smilinghappily.Shestoodupandlinkedherarmwithhis.“Eddie’sthebesttemperedpersonintheworld—he’sperfectlywonderful.” “Hemustbe,indeed,”saidMissLey,“ifyouhavepreservedyourfaithinhimaftersixmonthsofmarriage.” Butthemaidenladyhadstoredsomanyobservationsthatshefeltanurgentneedtoretiretotheprivacyofherbed-chamber,andsortthem.ShekissedBerthaandheldoutherhandtoEdward. “Oh,ifyoukissBertha,youmustkissmetoo,”saidhe,bendingforwardwithalaugh. “Uponmyword!”saidMissLey,somewhattakenabackthenashewasevidentlyinsistingsheembracedhimonthecheek.Shepositivelyblushed. TheupshotofMissLey’sinvestigationswasthatonceagainthehymenealpathhadbeenfoundstrewnwithrosesandtheideacrossedherheadasshelaiditonthepillow,thatDr.Ramsaywouldcertainlycomeandcrowoverher:itwasnotinmasculinehumannature,shethought,tomissanopportunityofexultingoveravanquishedfoe. “He’llvowthatIwasthedirectcauseofthemarriage.Thedearman,he’llbesopleasedwithmydiscomfiturethatIshallneverhearthelastofit.He’ssuretocallto-morrow.” IndeedthenewsofMissLey’sarrivalhadbeenbyEdwardindustriouslyspreadabroad,andpromptlyMrs.Ramsayputonherbluevelvetcalling-dress,andinthedoctor’sbroughamdrovewithhimtoCourtLeys.TheRamsaysfoundMissGloverandtheVicarofLeanhamalreadyinpossessionofthefield.Mr.GloverlookedthinnerandolderthanwhenMissLeyhadlastseenhimhewasmoreweary,meekandbrow-beatenMissGloverneveraltered. “Theparish?”saidtheparson,inanswertoMissLey’spoliteinquiry,“I’mafraidit’sinabadway.Thedissentershavegotanewchapel,youknow—andtheysaytheSalvationArmyisgoingtosetup‘barracks’astheycallthem.It’sagreatpitythegovernmentdoes