aidBertha.
“Butmyfathercanhavenothingtodowithityoucan’tmarryhimbecausehe’sbeendeadthesethirtyyears,andyoucan’tmarrymebecauseI’vegotawifealready.”
MissLey,amusedatthedoctor’sbluntness,concealedasmilebutBertha,gettingratherangry,thoughthimsingularlyrude.
“Andwhathaveyouagainsthim?”sheasked.
“Ifyouwanttomakeafoolofyourself,he’sgotnorighttoencourageyou.Heknowsheisn’tafitmatchforyou.”
“Whynot,ifIlovehim?”
“Whynot!”shoutedDr.Ramsay.“Becausehe’sthesonofafarmer—likeIam—andyou’reMissLeyofCourtLeys.Becauseamaninthatpositionwithoutfiftypoundstohisbackdoesn’tmakeloveontheslytoagirlwithafortune.”
“Fivethousandacreswhichpaynorent,”murmuredMissLey,whowasalwaysinopposition.
“Youhavenothingwhateveragainsthim,”retortedBertha“youtoldmeyourselfthathehadtheverybestreputation.”
“Ididn’tknowyouwereaskingmewithaviewtomatrimony.”
“Iwasn’t.Icarenothingforhisreputation.IfheweredrunkenandidleanddissoluteI’dmarryhim,becauseIlovehim.”
“MydearBertha,”saidMissLey,“thedoctorwillhaveanapoplecticfitifyousaysuchthings.”
“Youtoldmehewasoneofthebestfellowsyouknew,Dr.Ramsay,”saidBertha.
“Idon’tdenyit,”criedthedoctor,andhisredcheeksreallyhadinthemapurpletingethatwasquitealarming.“Heknowshisbusinessandheworkshard,andhe’sstraightandsteady.”
“Goodheavens,Doctor,”criedMissLey,“hemustbeamiracleofruralexcellence.Berthawouldsurelyneverhavefalleninlovewithhimifhewerefaultless.”
“IfBerthawantedanagent,”Dr.Ramsayproceeded,“Icouldrecommendnoonebetter,butasformarryinghim——“
“Doeshepayhisrent?”askedMissLey.
“He’soneofthebesttenantswe’vegot,”growledthedoctor,somewhatannoyedbyMissLey’sfrivolousinterruptions.
“Ofcourseinthesebadtimes,”addedMissLey,whowasdeterminednottoallowDr.Ramsaytoplaytheheavyfatherwithtoomuchseriousness,“Isupposeabouttheonlyresourceoftherespectablefarmeristomarryhislandlady.”
“Hereheis!”interruptedBertha.
“GoodGod,ishecominghere?”criedherguardian.
“Isentforhim.Rememberheisgoingtobemyhusband.”
“I’mdamnedifheis!”saidDr.Ramsay.