Chapter XXIV
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中
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sticktotheirowncountry.Idon’tpretendtohavereadanyFrenchbooks,butI’veneverheardanybodydeny,thatatalleventsthegreatmajorityareindecent,andnotthesortofthingawomanshouldread.”
“It’salwaysincautioustojudgefromcommonreport,”answeredBertha,withoutlookingup.
“AndnowthattheFrencharealwaysbehavingsobadlytous,IshouldliketoseeeveryFrenchbookinthekingdomputintoahugebonfire.I’msureitwouldbeallthebetterforweEnglishpeople.Whatwewantnowispurityandreconstitutionofthenationallife.I’minfavourofEnglishmorals,andEnglishhomes,Englishmothers,andEnglishhabits.”
“Whatalwaysastoundsme,dear,isthatthoughyouinvariablyreadtheStandardyoualwaystalkliketheFamilyHerald!”
BerthapaidnofurtherattentiontoEdward,whothereuponbegantotalkwithhisdogs.Likemostfrivolouspersonshefoundsilenceonerous,andBerthathoughtitdisconcertedhimbyrenderingevidenteventohimself,thevacuityofhismind.Hetalkedwitheveryanimatething,withtheservants,withhispets,withthecatandthebirdshecouldnotreadevenanewspaperwithoutmakingarunningcommentaryuponit.
Itwasonlyasubstantialmealthatcouldinduceevenapassingtaciturnity.SometimeshisunceasingchatterirritatedBerthasointenselythatshewasobligedtobeghim,forheaven’ssake,toholdhistongue.Thenhewouldlookup,withagood-naturedlaugh.
“WasImakingarow?SorryIdidn’tknowit.”
Heremainedquietfortenminutesandthenbegantohumsomeobviousmelody,thanwhichthereisnomoredetestablehabit.
Indeedthepointsofdivergencebetweenthepairwereinnumerable.Edwardwasapersonwhohadthecourageofhisopinions,andtheseheheldwithafirmnessequaltohislackofknowledge.Hedislikedalsowhateverwasnotcleartohissomewhatnarrowintelligence,andwasinclinedtothinkitimmoral.Music,forinstance,inhisopinionwasanEnglishart,carriedtothehighestpitchincertainverysimplemelodiesofhischildhood.Berthaplayedthepianowellandsangwithacultivatedvoice,butEdwardobjectedtoherperformancesbecause,whethershesangorwhethersheplayed,therewasneverarollickingtunethatafellowcouldgethisteethinto.ItmustbeconfessedthatBerthaexaggerated,andthatwhenadullmusicalafternoonwasgivenintheneighbourhood,shetookamaliciouspleasureinplayingsomelongrecitativeformofaWagneropera,whichnoonecouldmakeheadortailof.
OnsuchanoccasionattheGlovers,theeldestMissHancockturnedtoEdwardandremarkeduponhiswife’sadmirableplaying.Edwardwasalittleannoyed,becauseeveryonehadvigorouslyapplauded,andtohimthesoundshadbeenquitemeaningless.
“Well,I’maplainma
