ion.
“Soyouintendtobemarried,Bertha?”saidthedoctor,againlaughing.
“Yes.”
“When?”askedMissLey,whodidnottakeBertha’sremarkasmerelyplayful.
Berthawaslookingoutthewindow,wonderingwhenEdwardwouldarrive.
“When?”sherepeated,turninground.“Thisdayfourweeks!”
“What!”criedDr.Ramsay,jumpingup.“Youdon’tmeantosayyou’vefoundsomeone!Areyouengaged?Oh,Isee,Isee.You’vebeenhavingalittlejokewithme.Whydidn’tyoutellmethatBerthawasengagedallthetime,MissLey?”
“Mygooddoctor,”answeredMissLey,withgreatcomposure,“untilthismomentIknewnothingwhateveraboutit....Isupposeweoughttoofferourcongratulationsit’sablessingtogetthemalloverononeday.”
Dr.Ramsaylookedfromonetotheotherwithperplexity.
“Well,uponmyword,”hesaid,“Idon’tunderstand.”
“NeitherdoI,”repliedMissLey,“butIkeepcalm.”
“It’sverysimple,”saidBertha.“Igotengagedlastnight,andasIsay,Imeantobemarriedexactlyfourweeksfromto-day—toMr.Craddock.”
“What!”criedDr.Ramsay,jumpingupinastonishmentandcausingthefloortoquakeinthemostdangerousway.“Craddock!Whatd’youmean?WhichCraddock?”
“EdwardCraddock,”repliedBerthacoolly,“ofBewlie’sFarm.”
“Brrh!!”Dr.Ramsay’sexclamationcannotbetranscribed,butitsoundedhorrid!“Thescoundrel!It’sabsurd.You’lldonothingofthesort.”
Berthalookedathimwithagentlesmile,butdidnottroubletoanswer.
“You’reveryemphatic,deardoctor,”saidMissLey.“Whoisthisgentleman?”
“Heisn’tagentleman,”saidDr.Ramsay,purplewithvexation.
“He’sgoingtobemyhusband,Dr.Ramsay,”saidBertha,compressingherlipsinthemannerwhichwithMissLeyhadbecomehabitualandturnedtothatlady:“I’veknownhimallmylife,andfatherwasagreatfriendofhisfather’s.He’sagentleman-farmer.”
“Thedefinitionofwhich,”saidDr.Ramsay,“isamanwho’sneitherafarmernoragentleman.”
“Iforgetwhatyourfatherwas?”saidBertha,whorememberedperfectlywell.
“Myfatherwasafarmer,”repliedDr.Ramsay,withsomeheat,“and,thankGod!hemadenopretenceofbeingagentleman.HeworkedwithhisownhandsI’veseenhimoftenenoughwithapitchfork,turningoveraheapofmanure,whennooneelsewashandy.”
“Isee,”s