n’tknowhowIadoreyou,”shecriedpassionately.“Mylovewillneveralter,itistoostrong.TotheendofmydaysIshallalwaysloveyouwithallmyheart.IwishIcouldtellyouwhatIfeel.”
OflatetheEnglishlanguagehadseemedquiteincompetentfortheexpressionofhermanifoldemotions.
Theywenttoafarmoreexpensivehotelthantheycouldafford.Craddockhadprudentlysuggestedsomethinglessextravagant,butBerthawouldnothearofitasMissLeyshehadbeenunusedtothesecond-rate,andshewastooproudofhernewnametotakeittoanybutthebesthotelinLondon.
ThemoreBerthasawofherhusband’smind,themoreitdelightedher.Shelovedthesimplicityandthenaturalnessofthemanshecastofflikeatatteredsilkencloakthesentimentswithwhichforyearsshehadlived,androbedherselfinthesturdyhomespunwhichsowellsuitedherlordandmaster.Itwascharmingtoseehisna?veenjoymentofeverything.Tohimallwasfreshandnovelhewouldexplodewithlaughteratthecomicpapers,andinthedailiescontinuallyfindobservationswhichstruckhimfortheirprofoundoriginality.Hewastheunspoiledchildofnaturehismindfreefromthemillionperversitiesofcivilisation.ToknowhimwasinBertha’sopinionaneducationinallthegoodnessandpurity,thestrengthandvirtueoftheEnglishman!
Theywentoftentothetheatre,anditpleasedBerthatowatchherhusband’ssimpleenjoyment.Thepatheticpassagesofamelodrama,whichmadeBertha’slipscurlwithsemi-amusedcontempt,movedhimtofaciletearsandinthedarknessheheldherhandtocomforther,imaginingthathiswifeenjoyedthesameemotionsashimself.Ah,shewishedshecouldshehatedtheeducationofforeigncountries,which,inthestudyofpicturesandpalacesandstrangepeoples,hadreleasedhermindfromitsprisonofdarkness,yethaddestroyedhalfherillusionsnowshewouldfarratherhaveretainedtheplainandunadornedilliteracy,theingenuousignoranceofthetypicalandcreamyEnglishgirl.Whatistheuseofknowledge?Blessedarethepoorinspirit:allthatawomanreallywantsispurityandgoodness,andperhapsacertainacquaintancewithplaincooking.
Butthelovers,theinjuredheroinea