Chapter XXXII

orning. “I’llshowyouout,Gerald,”saidBertha.“Don’ttrouble,AuntPolly—youmustbedreadfullytired.” TheywentintothehallandGeraldputonhiscoat.HestretchedouthishandtoBerthawithoutspeaking,butshe,withaglanceatthedrawing-room,beckonedtohimtofollowher,andslidoutofthefront-door.Therewasnooneonthestairs.Sheflungherarmsroundhisneckandpressedherlipstohis.Shedidnottrytohideherpassionnowsheclaspedhimtoherheart,andtheirverysoulsflewtotheirlipsandmingled.Theirkisswasrapture,madnessitwasanecstasybeyonddescription,theirsenseswerepowerlesstocontaintheirpleasure.Berthafeltherselfabouttodie.Inthebliss,intheagony,herspiritfailedandshetotteredGeraldpressedhermorecloselytohim. Buttherewasasoundofsomeoneclimbingthestairs.Shetoreherselfaway. “Good-bye,forever,”shewhispered,andslippingin,closedthedoorbetweenthem. Shesankdownhalffainting,but,infear,struggledtoherfeetanddraggedherselftoherroom.Hercheekswereglowingandherlimbstrembled,thekissstillthrilledherwholebeing.Oh,nowitwastoolateforprudence!WhatdidshecareforhermarriagewhatdidshecarethatGeraldwasyoungerthatshe!Shelovedhim,shelovedhiminsanelythepresentwastherewithitsinfinitejoy,andifthefuturebroughtmisery,itwasworthsuffering.Shecouldnotlethimgohewashers—shestretchedoutherarmstotakehiminherembrace.Shewouldsurrendereverything.Shewouldbidhimstayshewouldfollowhimtotheendoftheearth.Itwastoolatenowforreason. Shewalkedupanddownherroomexcitedly.Shelookedatthedoorshehadamaddesiretogotohimnow—toabandoneverythingforhissake.Herhonour,herhappiness,herstation,wereonlypreciousbecauseshecouldsacrificethemforhim.Hewasherlifeandherlove,hewasherbodyandhersoul.ShelistenedatthedoorMissLeywouldbewatching,andshedarednotgo. “I’llwait,”saidBertha. Shetriedtosleep,butcouldnot.ThethoughtofGeralddistractedher.Shedozed,andhispresencebecamemoredistinct.Heseemedtobeintheroomandshecried:“Atlast,mydearest,atlast!”Sheawokeandstretchedoutherhandstohimshecouldnotrealisethatshehaddreamed,thatnothingwasthere. Thenthedaycame,dimandgrayatfirst,butbrighteningwiththebrilliantsummermorningthesunshoneinherwindow,andthesunbeamsdancedintheroom.Nowthemomentswereveryfew,shemustmakeuphermindquickly—andthesunbeamsspokeoflife,andhappiness,andthegloryoftheunknown.Oh,whatafoolshewastowasteherlife,tothrowawayherchanceofhappiness—howweaknottograspthelovethrowninherway!ShethoughtofGeraldpackinghisthings,gettingoff,ofthetrainspeedingthroughthesummercountry.Herlovewasirresistible.Shesprangup,andbathed,anddre