BUTafterEasterMissLeyproposedthattheyshouldtravelslowlybacktoEngland.Berthahaddreadedthesuggestion,notonlybecausesheregrettedtoleaveRome,butstillmorebecauseitrenderednecessarysomeexplanation.Thewinterhadpassedcomfortablyenoughwiththeexcuseofindifferenthealth,butnowsomeotherreasonmustbefoundtoaccountforthecontinuedabsencefromherhusband’ssideandBertha’srackedimaginationgavehernothing.Shewasdetermined,however,undernocircumstances,toreturntoCourtLeys:aftersuchhappyfreedomtheconfinementofbodyandsoulwouldbedoublyintolerable.
EdwardhadbeensatisfiedwiththepretextandhadletBerthagowithoutaword.Ashesaid,hewasnotthemantostandinhiswife’swaywhenherhealthrequiredhertoleavehimandhecouldpegalongallrightbyhimself.Theirlettershadbeenfairlyfrequent,butonBertha’ssideaconstanteffort.ShewasalwaystellingherselfthattheonlyrationalcoursewastomakeEdwardafinalstatementofherintentions,andthenbreakoffallcommunication.Butthedreadoffussandbother,andofendlessexplanation,restrainedherandshecompromisedbywritingasseldomaspossibleandadheringtothemeresttrivialities.Shewassurprisedonceortwice,whenshehaddelayedheranswer,toreceivefromhimasecondletter,askingwithsomeshowofanxietywhyshedidnotwrite.
MissLeyhadnevermentionedEdward’snameandBerthasurmisedthatsheknewmuchofthetruth.Butshekeptherowncounsel:blessedaretheywhomindtheirownbusinessandholdtheirtongues!MissLey,indeed,wasconvincedthatsomecatastrophehadoccurred,buttruetoherhabitofallowingpeopletoworkouttheirlivesintheirownway,withoutinterference,tookcaretoseemunobservantwhichwasreallyverynoble,forshepridedherselfonnothingmorethanonhertalentforobservation.
“Themostdifficultthingforawisewomantodo,”shesaid,“istopretendtobeafoolishone!”
Finally,sheguessedBertha’spresentdifficultyanditseemedeasilysurmountable.
“Iwishyou’dcomebacktoLondonwithmeinsteadofgoingtoCourtLeys,”shesaid.“You’veneverhadaLondonseason,haveyou?OnthewholeIthinkit’samusing:theoperaisve