Berthagaveasighthatwaschieflyvoluptuous.“I’vethoughtthatI’mgoingtohaveason,that’smineandEddie’sandI’mawfullythankful.”
“Wouldn’tyoulikemetoreadtheBibletoyousometimes?”
“Goodheavens,youtalkasifIweregoingtodie.”
“Onecannevertell,dearBertha,”repliedMissGlover,sombrely“Ithinkyououghttobeprepared....‘Inthemidstoflifeweareindeath’—onecannevertellwhatmayhappen.”
Berthalookedathersomewhatanxiously.Shehadbeenforcingherselfoflatetobecheerful,andhadfounditnecessarytostiflearecurringpresentimentofevilfortune.TheVicar’ssisterneverrealisedthatshewasdoingeverythingpossibletomakeBerthathoroughlyunhappy.
“IbroughtmyownBiblewithme,”shesaid.“DoyoumindifIreadyouachapter?”
“Ishouldlikeit,”saidBertha,andacoldshiverwentthroughher.
“Haveyougotanypreferenceforsomeparticularpart?”askedMissGlover,extractingthebookfromalittleblackbagwhichshealwayscarried.
OnBertha’sanswerthatshehadnopreference,MissGloversuggestedopeningtheBibleatrandom,andreadingonfromthefirstlinethatcrossedhereyes.
“Charlesdoesn’tquiteapproveofit,”shesaid“hethinksitsmacksofsuperstition.ButIcan’thelpdoingit,andtheearlyProtestantsconstantlydidthesame.”
MissGlover,havingopenedthebookwithclosedeyes,begantoread:“ThesonsofPharez!Hezron,andHamul.AndthesonsofZerahZimri,andEthan,andHeman,andCalcol,andDarafiveoftheminall.”MissGloverclearedherthroat.“AndthesonsofEthanAzariah.ThesonsalsoofHezron,thatwerebornuntohimJerahmeel,andRam,andChelubai.AndRambegatAmminadabandAmminadabbegatNahshon,princeofthechildrenofJudah.”ShehadfallenuponthegenealogicaltableatthebeginningoftheBookofChronicles.Thechapterwasverylong,andconsistedentirelyofnames,uncouthanddifficulttopronouncebutMissGlovershirkednotoneofthem.Withgraveandsomewhathigh-pitcheddelivery,modelledonherbrother’s,shereadoutthebewilderinglist.Berthalookedatherinamazement.
“That’stheendofthechapter,”s