ant!”shethought.
“What!I’vemadespeechesatcricketdinnersyousetmeonmylegsandI’llsaysomething.”
“Butthisisdifferent—youknownothingabouttheCountyCouncil.”
“Allyouhavetodoistolookaftersteam-rollersandgetglanderedhorseskilled.Iknowallaboutit.”
Thereisnothingsodifficultastopersuadementhattheyarenotomniscient.Bertha,exaggeratingtheseriousnessoftheaffair,thoughtitcharlantrytoundertakeapostwithoutknowledgeandwithoutcapacity.Fortunatelythatisnottheopinionofthemajority,orthegovernmentofthisenlightenedcountrycouldnotproceed.
“Ishouldhavethoughtyou’dbegladtoseemegetaliftintheworld,”saidEdward,somewhatoffendedthathiswifedidnotfalldownandworship.
“Idon’twantyoutomakeafoolofyourself,Edward.You’vetoldmeoftenthatyoudon’tgoinforbook-learninganditcan’thurtyourfeelingswhenIsaythatyou’reutterlyignorant.Idon’tthinkitshonesttotakeapositionyou’renotcompetenttofill.”
“Me—notcompetent?”criedEdward,withsurprise.“That’sagoodone!Uponmyword,I’mnotgiventoboasting,butImustsayIthinkmyselfcompetenttodomostthings....YoujustaskoldBacotwhathethinksofme,andthat’llopenyoureyes.Thefactis,everyoneappreciatesmebutyou:buttheysayaman’sneveraherotohisvalet.”
“Yourproverbismostapt,dearEdward....ButIhavenointentionofthwartingyouinanyofyourplans.Ionlythoughtyoudidnotknowwhatyouweregoinginfor,andthatImightsaveyoufromsomehumiliation.”
“Humiliation,where?Pooh,youthinkIshan’tgetelected.Well,lookhere,IbetyouanymoneyyoulikethatIshallcomeouttopofthepoll.”
NextdayEdwardwrotetoMr.BacotexpressingpleasurethathewasabletofallinwiththeviewsoftheConservativeAssociationandBertha,whoknewthatnoargumentcouldturnhimfromhispurpose,determinedtocoachhim,sothatheshouldnotmaketooarrantafoolofhimself.HerfearswereproportionatetoherestimateofEdward’sability!ShesenttoLondonforpamphletsandblue-booksontherightsanddutiesoftheCountyCouncil,andbeggedEdwardtoreadthem.Butinhis