Chapter XXII
關燈
小
中
大
tcanyouwantmebackfor?YouhaveCourtLeysandyourfarms.EveryonelikesyouintheneighbourhoodIwastheonlybartoyourcompletehappiness.CourtLeysIfreelygiveyouformylifeuntilyoucameitbroughtinnothing,andtheincomenowarisingfromitisentirelyduetoyoureffortsyouearnitandIbegyoutokeepit.FormethesmallincomeIhavefrommymotherissufficient.
AuntPollystillthinksIamonavisit,andconstantlyspeaksofyou.Ithrowdustinhereyes,butIcannothopetokeepherinignoranceforlong.AtpresentIamengagedinperiodicallyseeingthedoctorforanimaginaryill,andgettingoneortwonewthings.
Shallwewritetooneanotheronceaweek?IknowwritingisatroubletoyoubutIdonotwishyoutoforgetmealtogether.Ifyoulike,IwillwritetoyoueverySunday,andyoumayanswerornotasyouplease.
BERTHA.
P.S.—Pleasedonotthinkofanyrapprochement.Iam
sureyouwilleventuallyseethatwearebothmuchhappier
apart.
72EliotMansions,Chelsea,S.W.
May15.
MydearEddie,—Iwaspleasedtogetyourletter.Iamalittletouchedatyourwantingtoseeme.Yousuggestcomingtotown—perhapsitisfortunatethatIshallbenolongerhere.Ifyouhadexpressedsuchawishbefore,muchmighthavegonedifferently.
AuntPollyhavingletherflattofriends,goestoParisfortherestoftheseason.Shestartsto-night,andIhaveofferedtoaccompanyher.IamsickofLondon.Idonotknowwhethershesuspectsanything,butInoticethatnowshenevermentionsyourname.ShelookedalittlescepticaltheotherdaywhenIexplainedthatIhadlongwishedtogotoParis,andthatyouwerehavingtheinsideofCourtLeyspainted.Fortunately,however,shemakesitapracticenottoinquireintootherpeople’sbusiness,andIcanrestassuredthatshewillneveraskmeasinglequestion.
Forgivetheshortnessofthisletter,butIamverybusy,packing.—Youraffectionatewife,
BERTHA.
41RuedesEcoliers,Paris,
May16.
MydearestEddie,—Ihavebeenunkindtoyou.Itisniceofyoutowanttoseeme,andmyrepugnancetoitwasperhapsunnatural.Onthinkingitover,Icannotthinkitwilldoanyharmifweshouldseeoneanother.Ofcourse,IcannevercomebacktoCourtLeys—therearesomechainsthathavingbrokenyoucanneverweldtogetherandnofettersaresointolerableasthefettersoflove.ButifyouwanttoseemeIwillputnoobstacleinyourwayIwillnotdenythatIalsoshouldliketoseeyou.Iamfartherawaynow,butifyoucareformeatallyouwillnothesitatetomaketheshortjourney.
Wehavehereaveryniceapartment,intheLatinQuarter,awayfromtherichpeopleandthetourists.Idonotknowwhichismorevulgar,theaveragetripperorthepartofPariswhichheinfests:Imustsaytheybecomeoneanotherto