dn’tplaytogetherwhenwehadpeoplehere.Theylaughatusasitisforbeingsodevotedtooneanother.”
“Iftheyonlyknewhowlittleyoucaredforme!”
“Imighthavemanagedasetwithyoulateron,ifyouhadn’tsulkedandrefusedtoplayatall.”
“Itwouldneverhaveoccurredtoyou,Iknowyoubetterthanthat.You’reabsolutelyselfish.”
“Come,come,Bertha,”hecriedgood-humouredly,“that’sathingI’venotbeenaccusedofbefore.Noonehasevercalledmeselfish.”
“Ohno,theythinkyoucharming.Theythinkbecauseyou’recheerfulandeven-tempered,becauseyou’rehail-fellow-well-metwitheveryoneyouknow,thatyou’vegotsuchanicecharacter.IftheyknewyouaswellasIdo,they’dunderstanditwasmerelybecauseyou’reperfectlyindifferenttothem.Youtreatpeopleasiftheywereyourbosomfriends,andthen,fiveminutesafterthey’vegone,you’veforgottenallaboutthem....Andtheworstofitis,thatI’mnomoretoyouthananybodyelse.”
“Oh,come,Idon’tthinkyoucanreallyfindsuchawfulthingswrongwithme.”
“I’veneverknownyousacrificeyourslightestwhimtogratifymymostearnestdesire.”
“Youcan’texpectmetodothingswhichIthinkunreasonable.”
“Ifyoulovedme,you’dnotalwaysbeaskingifthethingsIwantarereasonable.Ididn’tthinkofreasonwhenImarriedyou.”
Edwardmadenoanswer,whichnaturallyaddedtoBertha’sirritation.Shewasarrangingflowersforthetable,andbrokeoffthestalkssavagely.Edward,afterapause,wenttothedoor.
“Whereareyougoing?”sheasked.
“Sinceyouwon’tplay,I’mjustgoingtodoafewservesforpractice.”
“Whydon’tyousendforMissGlovertocomeandplaywithyou?”
Anewideasuddenlycametohim(theycameatsufficientlyrareintervalsnottospoilhisequanimity),buttheabsurdityofitmadehimlaugh.
“Surelyyou’renotjealousofher,Bertha?”
“I?”beganBertha,withtremendousscorn,andthenchanginghermind:“Youprefertoplaywithherthantoplaywithme.”
Hewiselyignoredpartofthecharge.“Lookather