Chapter XXVI

WhatdidItellyou?”saidhe. “Iseeyou’vegotin.” “Gotinisn’tthewordforit!WhatdidItellyou,eh?Mydeargirl,I’vesimplyknocked’emallintoacockedhat.Igotdoublethenumberofvotesthattheotherchapdid,andit’sthebiggestpollthey’veeverhad....Aren’tyouproudthatyourhubbyshouldbeaCountyCouncillor?ItellyouIshallbeanM.P.beforeIdie.” “Icongratulateyou—withallmyheart,”saidBerthadrilybuttryingtobeenthusiastic. Edwardinhisexcitementdidnotobservehercoolness.Hewaswalkingupanddowntheroomconcoctingschemes—askinghimselfhowlongitwouldbebeforeMilesCampbell,themember,wasconfrontedbytheinevitabledilemmaoftheunopposedM.P.,onehornofwhichistheKingdomofHeaven,andtheother—theHouseofLords. Presentlyhestopped.“I’mnotavainman,”heremarked,“butImustsayIdon’tthinkI’vedonebadly.” Edward,forawhile,wassomewhatoverwhelmedbyhisowngreatness,buttheopinioncametohisrescuethattherewardswereonlyaccordingtohisdesertsandpresentlyheenteredenergeticallyintothenotveryarduousdutiesoftheCountyCouncillor. Berthacontinuallyexpectedtohearsomethingtohisdisadvantagebut,onthecontrary,everythingseemedtoproceedverysatisfactorilyandEdward’saptitudeforbusiness,hiskeennessinmakingabargain,hiscommonsense,wereheraldedabroadinamannerthatshouldhavebeenmostgratifyingtohiswife. ButasamatteroffacttheseconstantpraisesexceedinglydisquietedBertha.Sheaskedherselfuneas