ndthewronglysuspectedhero,hadbiddenoneanotheraheartrendinggood-bye,andthecurtaindescendedtorapturousapplause.Edwardclearedhisthroatandblewhisnose.
“Isn’titsplendid?”hesaid,turningtohiswife.
“Youdearthing!”shewhispered.
Ittouchedhertoseehowdeeplyhefeltitall.Howcleanandbigandsimpleandgoodmustbehisheart!Shelovedhimtentimesmorebecausehisemotionswereeasilyaroused.Ahyes,sheabhorredthecoldcynicismoftheworldly-wisewhosneerattheburningtearsofthesimpleminded.
Thecurtainroseonthenextact,andinhiseagernesstoseewhatwasabouttohappen,EdwardimmediatelyceasedtolistentowhatBerthawasinthemiddleofsaying,andgavehimselfovertotheplay.Thefeelingsoftheaudiencehavingbeensufficientlyharrowed,thecomicreliefwasturnedon.Thefunnymanmadejokesaboutvariousarticlesofclothing,tumblingovertablesandchairsanditcharmedBerthaagaintoseeherhusband’sopen-heartedhilarity.Ittickledherimmenselytohearhispealsofunrestrainedlaughterheputhisheadback,and,withhishandstohissides,simplyroared.
“Hehasacharmingcharacter,”shethought.
Craddockhadthestrictestnotionsofmorality,andabsolutelyrefusedtotakehiswifetoamusic-hallBerthahadseenabroadmanysights,thelikeofwhichEdwarddidnotdream,butsherespectedhisinnocence.Itpleasedhertoseethefirmnesswithwhichheupheldhisprinciples,anditsomewhatamusedhertobetreatedlikealittleschoolgirl.TheywenttoallthetheatresEdward,onhisrarevisitstoLondon,haddonehissightseeingeconomically,andthepurchaseofstalls,thegettingintodress-clothes,werenewsensationswhichcausedhimgreatpleasure.Berthalikedtoseeherhusbandineveningdresstheblacksuitedhisfloridstyle,andthewhiteshirtwithahighcollarthrewuphissunburnt,weather-beatenface.Helookedstrongaboveallthings,andmanlyandhewasherhusband,nevertobepartedfromherexceptbydeath:sheadoredhim.
Craddock’sinterestinthestagewasunflagginghealwayswantedtoknowwhatwasgoingtohappen,andhewasabletofollowwiththeclosestattentioneventheincomprehensibleplotofamus