Chapter XVI

you,I’venothadanaccidentwithacowabovetwice,allthetimeI’vegoneinforbreeding....ButI’dbetterbegoingtoseehowtheMissusisgettingon.Goodafternoontoyou,Mrs.Jones.” “NowwhatIlikeaboutthesquire,”saidMrs.Jones,“isthatthere’sno‘aughtinessin’im.’Eain’ttooproudtotakeacupofteawithyou,although’eisthesquirenow.” “‘E’sthebestsquirewe’ve’adforthirtyyears,”saidFarmerJones,“and,asyousay,mydear,there’snotadropof’aughtinessin‘im—whichismorethanyoucansayforhismissus.” “Ohwell,she’syoung-like,”repliedhiswife.“Theydosayas’ow’e’sthemaster,andIdaresay’e’llteach’erbetter.” “Trust’imformakin’’iswifebuckleunder’e’snotamantostandnonsensefromanybody.” Edwardswungalongtheroad,whirlinghisstickround,whistling,andtalkingtothedogsthataccompaniedhim.Hewasofahopefuldisposition,anddidnotthinkitwouldbenecessarytoslaughterhisbestcow.Hedidnotbelieveinthevet.halfsomuchasinhimself,andhisfirmopinionwasthatshewouldrecover.HewalkeduptheavenueofCourtLeys,lookingattheyoungelmshehadplantedtofillthegapstheywereprettyhealthyonthewhole,andhewaspleasedwithhiswork. HewenttoBertha’sroomandknockedatthedoor.Dr.Ramsayopenedit,butwithhisburlyframebarredthepassage. “Oh,don’tbeafraid,”saidEdward,“Idon’twanttocomein.IknowwhenI’mbestoutoftheway....Howisshegettingon?” “Well,I’mafraiditwon’tbesuchaneasyjobasIthought,”whisperedthedoctor“butthere’snoreasontogetalarmed.” “Ishallbedownstairsifyouwantmeforanything.” “Shewasaskingforyouagooddealjustnow,butnursetoldheritwouldupsetyouifyouweretheresothenshesaid,‘Don’tlethimcomeI’llbearitalone.’” “Oh,that’sallright.Inatimelikethisthehusbandismuchbetteroutoftheway,Ithink.” Dr.Ramsayshutthedooruponhim. “Sensiblechapthat,”hesaid.“Ilikehimbetterandbetter.Why,mostmenwouldbefussingaboutandgettinghysterical,andLordknowswhat.” “WasthatEddie?”askedBertha,hervoicetremblingwithrecentagony. “Yeshecametoseehowyouwere.” “Heisn’tverymuchupset,ishe?Don’ttellhimI’mverybad—it’llmakehimwretched.I’llbearitalone.” Edward,downstairs,toldhimselfitwasnousegettingintoastate,whichwasquitetrue,andtakingthemostcomfortablechairintheroom,settleddowntoreadhispaper.Beforedinnerhewenttomakemoreinquiries.D