Chapter XXVIII

BUTafterEasterMissLeyproposedthattheyshouldtravelslowlybacktoEngland.Berthahaddreadedthesuggestion,notonlybecausesheregrettedtoleaveRome,butstillmorebecauseitrenderednecessarysomeexplanation.Thewinterhadpassedcomfortablyenoughwiththeexcuseofindifferenthealth,butnowsomeotherreasonmustbefoundtoaccountforthecontinuedabsencefromherhusband’ssideandBertha’srackedimaginationgavehernothing.Shewasdetermined,however,undernocircumstances,toreturntoCourtLeys:aftersuchhappyfreedomtheconfinementofbodyandsoulwouldbedoublyintolerable. EdwardhadbeensatisfiedwiththepretextandhadletBerthagowithoutaword.Ashesaid,hewasnotthemantostandinhiswife’swaywhenherhealthrequiredhertoleavehimandhecouldpegalongallrightbyhimself.Theirlettershadbeenfairlyfrequent,butonBertha’ssideaconstanteffort.ShewasalwaystellingherselfthattheonlyrationalcoursewastomakeEdwardafinalstatementofherintentions,andthenbreakoffallcommunication.Butthedreadoffussandbother,andofendlessexplanation,restrainedherandshecompromisedbywritingasseldomaspossibleandadheringtothemeresttrivialities.Shewassurprisedonceortwice,whenshehaddelayedheranswer,toreceivefromhimasecondletter,askingwithsomeshowofanxietywhyshedidnotwrite. MissLeyhadnevermentionedEdward’snameandBerthasurmisedthatsheknewmuchofthetruth.Butshekeptherowncounsel:blessedaretheywhomindtheirownbusinessandholdtheirtongues!MissLey,indeed,wasconvincedthatsomecatastrophehadoccurred,buttruetoherhabitofallowingpeopletoworkouttheirlivesintheirownway,withoutinterference,tookcaretoseemunobservantwhichwasreallyverynoble,forshepridedherselfonnothingmorethanonhertalentforobservation. “Themostdifficultthingforawisewomantodo,”shesaid,“istopretendtobeafoolishone!” Finally,sheguessedBertha’spresentdifficultyanditseemedeasilysurmountable. “Iwishyou’dcomebacktoLondonwithmeinsteadofgoingtoCourtLeys,”shesaid.“You’veneverhadaLondonseason,haveyou?OnthewholeIthinkit’samusing:theoperaisverygoodandsometimesyouseepeoplewhoarequitewelldressed.” Berthadidnotanswer,andMissLey,seeingherwishtoacceptandatthesametimeherhesitation,suggestedthatsheshouldcomeforafewweeks,wellknowingthatawoman’svisitisapttospinitselfoutforanindeterminatetime. “I’msorryIshan’thaveroomforEdwardtoo,”saidMissLey,smilingdrily,“butmyflatisverysmall,youknow.” Theyhadbeensettledafewdaysinthefl