Chapter XX

wentyyears.Thewanderingwinds,eventhesunandtherain,seemedtoconspireinfavourofsocleverandhardworkingamanandfortuneforoncewenthandinhandwithvirtue.BerthaconstantlyreceivedcongratulationsfromthesurroundingsquiresontheadmirablewayinwhichEdwardmanagedtheplace,andhe,onhisside,neverfailedtorecounthistriumphsandthecomplimentstheyoccasioned. ButnotonlywasEdwardlookeduponasmasterbyhisfarm-handsandlabourerseventheservantsofCourtLeystreatedBerthaasaminorpersonagewhoseorderswereonlytobeconditionallyobeyed.LonggenerationsofservitudehavemadethecountrymanpeculiarlysubtleinhierarchicaldistinctionsandtherewasamarkeddifferencebetweenhismannerwithEdward,onwhomhislivelihooddepended,andhismannerwithBertha,whoshoneonlywithareflectedlightasthesquire’smissus. AtfirstthishadonlyamusedBertha,butthemostbrilliantjest,constantlyrepeated,mayloseitssavour.Morethanonceshehadtospeaksharplytoagardenerwhohesitatedtodoashewasbid,becausehisorderswerenotfromthemaster.Herpriderevivingwiththedeclineoflove,Berthabegantofindthepositionintolerablehermindwasnowverysusceptibletoaffront,andshewasdesirousofanopportunitytoshowthatafterallshewasstillthemistressofCourtLeys. Itsooncame.Foritchancedthatsomeancientloveroftrees,unpracticalastheLeyshadeverbeen,hadplantedsixbeechesinahedgerow,andtheseincourseoftimehadgrownintostatelytrees,theadmirationofallbeholders.ButonedayasBerthawalkedalong,ahideousgapcaughthereye—oneofthesixbeecheshaddisappeared.Therehadbeennostorm,itcouldnothavefallenofitself.Shewentup,andfounditcutdown,andthemenwhohaddonethedeedwerealreadystartingonanother:aladderwasleaningagainstit,uponwhichstoodalabourerattachingaline.Nosightismorepatheticthananoldtreelevelledwiththegroundandthespacewhichitfilledsuddenlystandsoutwithanunsightlyemptiness.ButBerthawasmoreangrythanpained. “Whatareyoudoing,Hodgkins?Whogaveyouorderstocutdownthistree?” “Thesquire,mum.” “Oh,itmustbeamistake.Mr.Craddocknevermeantanythingofthesort.” “‘Etolduspositivetotakedownthisoneandthemothersyonder.Youcanseehismark,mum.” “Nonsense.I’lltalktoMr.Craddockaboutit.Takethatropeoffandcomedownfromtheladder.Iforbidyoutotouchanothertree.” Themanontheladderlookedather,butmadenoattempttodoashewasbid. “Thesquiresaidmostparticularthatwewastocutthattreedownto-day.” “WillyouhavethegoodnesstodoasItellyou?”saidBertha,reddeningwithanger.“Tellthatmantounfastentheropeandcomedown.Iforbidyoutotouchthetree.” ThemanHodgkinsrepeatedBertha’sorderinasurlyvoice,andtheyalllookedathersuspiciously,wishingtodisobeybutnotdaring—incasethesquireshouldbeangry. “Well,I’lltakenoresponsibilityforit.” “PleaseholdyourtongueanddowhatItellyouasquicklyaspossible.” Shewaitedtillthemenhadgathereduptheirvariousbelongingsandtroopedoff.