Chapter XXII

ofwiring.Iwantyoutopromisemethatifyouareeverill,youwillletmeknow.IfyouwantmeurgentlyIshallbepleasedtocome.ButdonotthinkthatIcanevercomebacktoCourtLeysforgood.SometimesIfeelillandweakandIlongforyou,butIknowImustnotgiveway.I’msure,foryourgoodaswellasformine,Imustneverrisktheunhappinessofouroldlifeagain.Itwastoodegrading.WithfirmmindandtheutmostresolutionIswearthatIwillnever,neverreturntoCourtLeys.—Youraffectionateandlovingwife, BERTHA. Telegram GareduNord,9.50a.m.,June2. Craddock,CourtLeys,Blackstable. Arriving7.25to-night.—BERTHA. 41RuedesEcoliers,Paris. MydearyoungFriend,—Iamperturbed.Bertha,asyouknow,hasforthelastsixweekslivedwithme,forreasonsthenaturalnessofwhicharousedmystrongestsuspicions.Noone,Ithought,wouldneedsomanyabsolutelyconclusivemotivestodosoverysimpleathing.IresistedthetemptationtowritetoEdward(herhusband—aniceman,butstupid!)toaskforanexplanation,fearingthatthereasonsgivenmeweretherightones(althoughIcouldnotbelieveit)inwhichcaseIshouldhavemademyselfridiculous.BerthainLondonpretendedtogotoaphysician,butneverwasseentotakemedicine,andIamcertainnowell-establishedspecialistwouldventuretotaketwoguineasfromamaladeimaginaireandnotadministercopiousdrugs.SheaccompaniedmetoParis,ostensiblytogetdresses,buthasbehavedasiftheirfitwereofnomoreconsequencethanachangeofministry.Shehastakengreatpainstoconcealheremotionsandtherebymadethemthemoreconspicuous.Icannottellyouhowoftenshehasgonethroughthevariousstagesfromanalmosthystericalelationtoanequaldespondency.Shehasmusedasprofoundlyaswasfashionablefortheyoungladiesoffiftyyearsago(wewereallyoungladiesthen—notgirls!)shehasplayedTristanandIsoldetothedistractionofmyselfshehassnubbedanamorousFrenchartisttothedistractionofhiswifefinallyshehaswept,andafterweepingover-powderedhereyes,whichinaprettywomanisaninfalliblesignofextremementalprostration. ThismorningwhenIgotupIfoundatmydoorthefollowingmessage:“Don’tthinkmeanutterfool,butIcouldn’tstandanotherdayawayfromEdward.Leavingbythe10o’clocktrain.—B.”Nowat10.30shehadanappointmentatPaquin’stotryonthemostravishingdinner-dressyoucouldimagine. Iwillnotinsultyoubydrawinginferencesfromallthesefacts:Iknowyouwouldmuchsoonerdrawthemyourself,andIhaveasufficientlygoodopinionofyoutobecertainthattheywillcoincidewithmine.—Yoursverysincerely, MARYLEY. P.S.—IamsendingthistoawaityouatSeville.Remember metoMrs.J.