Chapter XXXII

dthemaboutinvisibly.BerthafeltthetremblingofGerald’shand,anditpassedtohers.Sheshudderedandtriedtowithdraw,buthewouldnotletitgo.Thesilencenowbecamesuddenlyintolerable:Berthatriedtospeak,butherthroatwasdry,andshecouldutternoword. Aweaknesscametoherlimbsandherheartbeatpainfully.HereyecrossedwithGerald’s,andtheybothlookedinstantlyaside,asifcaughtinsomecrime.Berthabegantobreathemorequickly.Gerald’sintensedesireburneditselfintohersoulshedarednotmove.ShetriedtoimploreGod’shelp,butshecouldnot.Thetemptationwhichalltheweekhadterrifiedherreturnedwithdoubleforce—thetemptationwhichsheabhorred,buttowhichshehadahorriblelongingnottoresist. Andnowsheaskedwhatitmattered.Herstrengthwasdwindling,andGeraldhadbuttosayaword.Andnowshewishedhimtosaythewordhelovedher,andshelovedhimpassionately.Shegavewayshenolongerwishedtoresist.SheturnedherfacetoGeraldsheleanttowardshimwithpartedlips. “Bertha,”hewhispered,andtheywerenearlyinoneanother’sarms. Butafinesoundpiercedthesilencetheystartedbackandlistened.Theyheardakeyputintothefront-door,andthedoorwasopened. “Takecare,”whisperedBertha,andpushedGeraldaway. “It’sAuntPolly.” Berthapointedtotheelectricswitch,andunderstanding,Geraldturnedonthelight.Helookedroundinstinctivelyforsomewayofescape,butBertha,withawoman’squickinvention,sprangtothedoorandflungitopen. “Isthatyou,AuntPolly?”shecried.“HowfortunateyoucamebackGeraldisheretobidusdefinitelygood-bye.” “Hemakesasmanyfarewellsasaprimadonna,”saidMissLey. Shecamein,somewhatbreathless,withtwospotsofreduponhercheeks. “Ithoughtyouwouldn’tmindifIcameheretowaittillyoureturned,”saidGerald.“AndIfoundBertha.” “Howfunnythatourthoughtsshouldhavebeenidentical,”saidMissLey.“Itoccurredtomethatyoumightcome,andsoIhurriedhomeasquicklyasIcould.” “You’requiteoutofbreath,”saidBertha. MissLeysankonachair,exhausted.Asshewaseatingherfishandtalkingtoaneighbour,itsuddenlydawneduponherthatBertha’sindispositionwasassumed. “Oh,whatafoolIam!They’vehoodwinkedmeasifIwereachild....Goodheavens,whataretheydoingnow?” Thedinnerseemedinterminable,butimmediatelyafterwardsshetookleaveofherastonishedhostessandgavethecabmanorderstodrivefuriously.Shearrived,inveighingagainstthedeceitfulnessofthehumanrace.Shehadneverrunupthestairssoquickly. “Howisyourheadache,Bertha?” “Thanks,it’smuchbetter.Geraldhasdrivenitaway.” ThistimeMissLey’sgood-byetotheprecociousyouthwasratherchillyshewasdevoutlythankfulthathisboatsailednextm