urduty.”
“Ihopeitwon’tbenecessaryformetoputitinthatway,Mrs.Craddock.”
Berthapausedamomentlonger,andthenaskedforaprayer-book.MissGlovergaveasmilewhichforherwasquiteradiant.
“I’vebeenwantingforalongtimetomakeyoualittlepresent,Bertha,”shesaid,“anditoccurredtomethatyoumightlikeaprayer-bookwithgoodlargeprint.I’venoticedinchurchthatthebookyougenerallyuseissosmallthatitmusttryyoureyes,andbeatemptationtoyounottofollowtheservice.SoI’vebroughtyouoneto-day,whichitwillgivemeverymuchpleasureifyouwillaccept.”
Sheproducedalargevolume,boundingloomyblackcloth,andredolentoftheantisepticodourswhichpervadedtheVicarage.Theprintwasindeedlarge,but,sincethesocietywhicharrangedthepublicationinsistedonthecombinationofcheapnesswithutility,thepaperwasabominable.
“Thankyouverymuch,”saidBertha,holdingoutherhandforthegift.“It’sawfullykindofyou.”
“ShallIfindyoutheChurchingofWomen?”
Berthanodded,andpresentlytheVicar’ssisterhandedherthebook,open.Shereadafewlinesanddroppedit.
“Ihavenowishto‘giveheartythanksuntoGod,’”shesaid,lookingalmostfiercelyattheworthypair.“I’mverysorrytooffendyourprejudices,butitseemstomeabsurdthatIshouldprostratemyselfingratitudetoGod.”
“Oh,Mrs.Craddock,Itrustyoudon’tmeanwhatyousay,”saidtheVicar.
“ThisiswhatItoldyou,Charles,”saidMissGlover.“Idon’tthinkBerthaiswell,butstillthisseemstomedreadfullywicked.”
Berthafrowned,findingitdifficulttorepressthesarcasmwhichrosetoherlipsherforbearancewassorelytried.ButMr.Gloverwasalittleundecided.
“WemustbeasthankfultoGodfortheafflictionsHesendsasforthebenefits,”hesaidatlast.
“Iamnotawormtocrawluponthegroundandgivethankstothefootthatcrushesme.”
“Ithinkthatisblasphemous,Bertha,”saidMissGlover.
“Oh,Ihavenopatiencewithyou,Fanny,”saidBertha,raisingherself,aflushlightingupherface.“CanyourealisewhatI’vegonethrough,theterriblepainofit?Oh,itwastooawful.EvennowwhenIthinkofitIalmostscream.”