Chapter XX

ttogivetoallandsundryformostoftheillstowhichthefleshisheir.ItwoulddoubtlessdoBerthanoharm,andthatisanimportantconsiderationtoageneralpractitioner.Dr.RamsaylikewiseadvisedEdwardtokeepcalmandbeconfidentthatBerthawouldeventuallybecomethedutifulandsubmissivespousewhomitiseveryman’sidealtoseebyhisfireside,whenhewakesupfromhisafter-dinnersnooze. Bertha’smoodswerecertainlytrying.Noonecouldtelloneday,howshewouldbethenextandthiswaspeculiarlyuncomfortabletoamanwhowaswillingtomakethebestofeverything,butontheconditionthathehadtimetogetusedtoit.Sometimesshewouldbeseizedwithmelancholy,inthetwilightofwinterafternoons,forinstance,whenthemindisnaturallyledtoacontemplationofthevanityofexistenceandthefutilityofallhumanendeavour.Edward,noticingshewaspensive,astatewhichhedetested,askedwhatwereherthoughtsandhalfdreamilyshetriedtoexpressthem. “GoodLorddeliverus!”hecriedcheerily,“whatrumthingsyoudogetintoyourlittlenoddle.Youmustbeoutofsorts.” “Itisn’tthat,”sheanswered,smilingsadly. “It’snotnaturalforawomantobroodinthatway.Ithinkyououghttostarttakingthattonicagain—butIdaresayyou’reonlytiredandyou’llthinkquitedifferentinthemorning.” Berthamadenoanswer.Shesufferedfromthenamelesspainofexistenceandheofferedher—IronandQuinine:whensherequiredsympathybecauseherheartachedforthewoesofherfellow-men,hepouredTinctureofNuxVomicadownherthroat.Hecouldnotunderstand,itwasnouseexplainingthatshefoundasavourinthetendercontemplationoftheevilsofmankind.ButtheworstofitwasthatEdwardwasquiteright—thebrute,healwayswas!Whenthemorningcame,themelancholyhadvanished,Berthawasleftwithoutacare,andtheworlddidnotevenneedrose-colouredspectaclestoseemattractive.Itwashumiliatingtofindthathermostbeautifulthoughts,theennoblingemotionswhichbroughthometoherthecharmingfictionthatallmenarebrothers,wereduetomerephysicalexhaustion. Somepeoplehaveextraordinarilyliteralminds,theyneverallowfortheplayofimagination:lifeforthemhasnobeerandskittles,and,farfrombeinganemptydream,isamatterofextremeseriousness.Ofsuchisthemanwho,whenawomantellshimshefeelsdreadfullyold,insteadofansweringthatshelooksabsurdlyyoung,repliesthatyouthhasitsdrawbacksandageitscompensations!AndofsuchwasEdward.Hecouldneverrealisethatpeopledidnotmeanexactlywhattheysaid.AtfirsthehadalwaysconsultedBerthaontheconductoftheestatebutshe,pleasedtobeanonentityinherownhouse,hadconsentedtoeverythinghesuggested,andevenbeggedhimnottoaskher.Whensheinformedhimthathewasabsolutelordnotonlyofherself,butofallherworldlygoods,itwasnotsurprisingthatheshouldatlasttakeheratherword. “Womenknownothingaboutfarming,”hesaid,“andit’sbestthatIshouldhaveafreehand.” Theresultofhisstewardshipwasallthatcouldbedesiredtheestatewasputintoapple-pieorder,andthefarmspaidrentforthefirsttimesincet