Chapter XXIV
關燈
小
中
大
addockhasnoheart,”saidMissHancock.
“Idon’tthinkit’sfairtolaughatanoldsonglikethis,”saidEdward.“Afterallanyonecansneer....Myideaofmusicissomethingthatstirsone’sheart—I’mnotasentimentalchap,butBenBoltalmostbringsthetearstomyeyeseverytimeIsingit.”
Berthawithdifficultyabstainedfromretortingthatsometimesshealsofeltinclinedtoweep—especiallywhenhesangoutoftune.Everyonelookedather,asifshehadbehavedverybadly,whileshecalmlysmiledatEdward.Butshewasnotamused.Onthewayhomesheaskedhimifheknewwhyshehadspoilthissong.
“I’msureIdon’tknow—unlessyouwereinoneofyourbeastlytempers.Isupposeyou’resorrynow.”
“Notatall,”sheanswered,laughing.“Ithoughtyouwererudetomejustbefore,andIwantedtopunishyoualittle.Sometimesyou’rereallytoosupercilious....Andbesidesthat,Iobjecttobeingfoundfaultwithinpublic.Youwillhavethegoodnessinfuturetokeepyourstricturestillwearealone.”
“Ishouldhavethoughtyoucouldstandabitofgood-naturedchaffbynow.”
“Oh,Ican,dearEdward.Only,perhaps,youmayhavenoticedthatIamfairlyquickatdefendingmyself.”
“Whatd’youmeanbythat?”
“MerelythatIcanbehorridwhenIlike,andyouwillbewisenottoexposeyourselftoapublicsnub.”
Edwardhadneverheardfromhiswifeathreatsocalmlyadministered,anditsomewhatimpressedhim.
Butasageneralrule,Berthacheckedthesarcasmwhichconstantlyrosetohertongue.Shetreasuredinherheartthewrathandhatredwhichherhusbandoccasioned,feelingthatitwasasatisfactionatlasttobefreefromloveofhim.Lookingback,thefetterswhichhadboundherwereintolerablyheavy.Anditwasasweetrevenge,althoughheknewnothingofit,tostriptheidolofhiserminecloak,andofhiscrown,andthegew-gawsofhissovereignty.Inhisnakednesshewasapitiablefigure.
Edwardofallthiswastotallyunconscious.HewaslikealunaticreigninginamadhouseoveranimaginarykingdomhedidnotseethecurlofBertha’slipsuponsomefoolishremarkofhis,northecontemptwithwhichshetreatedhim.Andsinceshewasagreatdeallessexacting,hefoundhimselffarhappierthanbefore.TheironicphilosophermightfindsomecauseformoralisinginthefactthatitwasnottillBerthabegantohateEdwardthathefoundmarriageentirelysatisfactory.Hetoldhimselfthathiswife’sstayabroadhaddonehernoendofgood,andmadeherfarmoreamenabletoreason.Mr.Craddock’sprinciples,ofcourse,werequiterighthehadgivenherplentyofrunandignoredhercackle,andnowshehadcomehometoroost.Thereisnothinglikeaknowledgeoffarming,andanacquaintancewiththehabitsofdomesticanimals,toteachamanhowtomanagehiswife.
