Chapter XXVI
關燈
小
中
大
ilywhethershewasdoinghimaninjustice.Washereallysocleverhadheindeedthevirtueswhichcommonreportascribedtohim?Perhapsshewasprejudicedorperhaps—hewasclevererthanshe.Thisthoughtcamelikeablow,forshehadneverdoubtedthatherintellectwassuperiortoEdward’s.Theirrespectiveknowledgewasnotcomparable:sheoccupiedherselfwithideasthatEdwarddidnotconceivehismindwaseverengagedintheutteresttrivialities.Heneverinterestedhimselfinabstractthings,andhisconversationwastedious,asonlytheabsenceofspeculationcouldmakeit.Itwasextraordinarythateveryonebutherselfshouldsohighlyestimatehisintelligence.Berthaknewthathismindwaspaltryandhisignorancephenomenal:hispretentiousnessmadehimacharlatan.Onedayhecametoher,hisheadfullofanewidea.
“Isay,Bertha,I’vebeenthinkingitoveranditseemsapitythatyournameshouldbedroppedentirely.AnditsoundsfunnythatpeoplecalledCraddockshouldliveatCourtLeys.”
“D’youthinkso?Idon’tknowhowyoucanremedyit—unlessyouthinkofadvertisingfortenantswithamoresuitablename.”
“Well,Iwasthinkingitwouldn’tbeabadidea,anditwouldhaveagoodeffectonthecounty,ifwetookyournameagain.”
HelookedatBertha,whostaredathimicily,butanswerednothing.
“I’vetalkedtooldBacotaboutitandhethinksitwouldbejustthethingsoIthinkwe’dbetterdoit.”
“Isupposeyou’regoingtoconsultmeonthesubject.”
“That’swhatI’mdoingnow.”
“Doyouthinkofcallingyourself
