ointedoutwhenone’sonlysurpriseisatnothavingseenthembefore.IhopeitwillnotoffendyouifIsuggestthatBertha’shandiworkseemstomenotinvisibleinsomeofthesentiments(especiallyinthatpassageabouttheUnionJack).Didyoureallywritethewholespeechyourself?Come,now,confessthatBerthahelpedyou.—Yoursverysincerely,
MARYLEY
Edwardreadtheletterandtossedit,laughing,toBertha.“Whatcheekhersuggestingthatyouhelpedme!Ilikethat.”
“I’llwriteatonceandtellherthatitwasallyourown.”
Berthastillcouldhardlybelievegenuinetheadmirationwhichherhusbandexcited.Knowinghisextremeincapacity,shewasastoundedthattherestoftheworldshouldthinkhimanuncommonlycleverfellow.Toherhispretensionsweremerelyridiculousshemarvelledthatheshouldventuretodiscuss,withdogmaticglibness,subjectsofwhichheknewnothingbutshemarvelledstillmorethatpeopleshouldbeimpressedthereby:hehadanastonishingfacultyofconcealinghisignorance.
Atlastthepolling-dayarrived,andBerthawaitedanxiouslyatCourtLeysfortheresult.Edwardeventuallyappeared,radiant.
“WhatdidItellyou?”saidhe.
“Iseeyou’vegotin.”
“Gotinisn’tthewordforit!WhatdidItellyou,eh?Mydeargirl,I’vesimplyknocked’emallintoacockedhat.Igotdoublethenumberofvotesthattheotherchapdid,andit’sthebiggestpollthey’veeverhad....Aren’tyouproudthatyourhubbyshouldbeaCountyCouncillor?ItellyouIshallbeanM.P.beforeIdie.”
“Icongratulateyou—withallmyheart,”saidBerthadrilybuttryingtobeenthusiastic.
Edwardinhisexcitementdidnotobservehercoolness.Hewaswalkingupanddowntheroomconcoctingschemes—askinghimselfhowlongitwouldbebeforeMilesCampbell,themember,wasconfrontedbytheinevitabledilemmaoftheunopposedM.P.,onehornofwhichistheKingdomofHeaven,andtheother—theHouseofLor