rimportancehadbroadenedhisbackandstraightenedhisshouldershewasquitethreeinchesmoreroundthechestthanwhenshehadfirstknownhim,andhiswaisthadproportionatelyincreased.
“Ifhegoesondevelopinginthisway,”shethought,“thegoodmanwillbecolossalbythetimehe’sforty.”
“Ofcourse,AuntPolly,”hesaid,boldlydroppingtherespectfulMissLey,whichhithertohehadinvariablyused,thoughhisnewrelativewasnotawomanwhommostmenwouldhaveventuredtotreatfamiliarly.“Ofcourseit’sallrotaboutyourleavingusinaweekyoumuststayacoupleofmonthsatleast.”
“It’sverygoodofyou,dearEdward,”repliedMissLeydrily,“butIhaveotherengagements.”
“ThenyoumustbreakthemIcan’thavepeopleleavemyhouseimmediatelytheycome.”
MissLeyraisedhereyebrowsandsmiledwasithishousealready?Dearme!
“MydearEdward,”sheanswered,“Ineverstayanywherelongerthantwodays—thefirstdayItalktopeople,thesecondIletthemtalktome,andthethirdIgo....Istayaweekathotelssoastogoenpension,andgetmywashingproperlyaired.”
“You’retreatinguslikeahotel,”saidEdward,laughing.
“It’sagreatcompliment:inprivatehousesonegetssoabominablywaitedon.”
“Ahwell,we’llsaynomoreaboutit.ButIshallhaveyourtrunktakentothebox-roomandIkeepthekeyofit.”
MissLeygavetheshort,drylaughwhichdenotedthatherinterlocutor’sremarkhadnotamusedher,butsomethinginherownmind.PresentlytheyarrivedatCourtLeys.
“D’youseeallthedifferencessinceyouwerelasthere?”askedEdward,jovially.
MissLeylookedroundandpursedherlips.
“It’scharming,”shesaid.
“Iknewitwouldmakeyousitup,”hecried,laughing.
Berthareceivedherauntinthehallandembracedherwiththegravedecorumwhichhadalwayscharacterisedtheirrelations.
“Howcleveryouare,Bertha,”saidMissLey“youmanagetopreserveyourbeautifulfigure.”
Thenshesetherselfsolemnlytoinvestigatetheconnubialblissoftheyoungcouple.