BUTEdwardwascertainlynotanardentlover.Berthacouldnottellwhenfirstshehadnoticedhisirresponsivenessatthebeginningshehadknownonlythatshelovedherhusbandwithallherheart,andherardourhadlituphissomewhatpallidattachmenttillitseemedtoglowasfiercelyasherown.Yetgraduallyshebegantothinkthathemadeverylittlereturnforthewealthofaffectionwhichshelavisheduponhim.Thecausesofherdissatisfactionwerescarcelyexplicable:aslightmotionofwithdrawal,anindifferencetoherfeelings—littlenothingswhichhadseemedalmostcomic.BerthaatfirstlikenedEdwardtotheHippolitusofPh?dra,hewasuntamedandwildthekissesofwomanfrightenedhimhisphlegmpleasedherdisguisedasrusticsavagery,andshesaidherpassionshouldthawtheiciclesinhisheart.Butsoonsheceasedtoconsiderhispassivenessamusing,sometimessheupbraidedhim,andoften,whenalone,shewept.
“Iwonderifyourealisewhatpainyoucausemeattimes,”saidBertha.
“Oh,Idon’tthinkIdoanythingofthekind.”
“Youdon’tseeit....WhenIkissyou,itisthemostnaturalthingintheworldforyoutopushmeaway,asif—almostasifyoucouldn’tbearme.”
“Nonsense!”
TohimselfEdwardwasthesamenowaswhentheywerefirstmarried.
“Ofcourseafterfourmonthsofmarriedlifeyoucan’texpectamantobethesameasonhishoneymoon.Onecan’talwaysbemakingloveandcanoodling.Everythinginitspropertimeandseason,”headded,withtheunoriginalman’sfondnessforproverbialphilosophy.
Aftertheday’sworkhelikedtoreadhisStandardinpeace,sowhenBerthacameuptohimheputhergentlyaside.
“Leavemealoneforabit,there’sagoodgirl.”
“Oh,youdon’tloveme,”shecriedthen,feelingasifherheartwouldbreak.
Hedidnotlookupfromhispapernormakereplyhewasinthemiddleofaleadingarticle.
“Whydon’tyouanswer?”shecried.
“Becauseyou’retalkingnonsense.”
Hewasthebest-humouredofmen,andBertha’stemperneverdisturbedhisequilibrium.Heknewth