irtingwiththepoorboy,anditseemstopleasehim:soshemakeshimfetchandcarry,anddazzleshim,anddriveshimquitedistracted,tillhisyouthfulficklenesscomestotherescueandhefallspassionatelyenamouredofabarmaid—when,ofcourse,shecallshimanungratefulandlow-mindedwretch,regretsshewassomistakeninhischaracter,andtellshimnevertocomenearheragain.
Thisofcourseonlyreferstothewomenthatmenfallinlovewithitiswellknownthattheothershavethestrictestviewsonthesubject,andwouldsoonerdiethantriflewithanyone’saffections.
Geraldhadthecharminggiftofbecomingintimatewithpeopleattheshortestnotice,andacousinisanagreeablerelation(especiallywhenshe’spretty),withwhomitiseasytogeton.Therelationshipisnotsocloseastowarrantchronicdisagreeableness,andcloseenoughtopermitpersonalities,whicharethemostamusingpartofconversation.
WithinaweekGeraldtooktospendinghiswholedaywithBertha,andshefoundtheLondonseasonmuchmoreamusingthanshehadexpected.Shelookedbackwithdistastetoheronlytwovisitstotown.Onehadbeenherhoneymoon,andtheotherthefirstseparationfromherhusband:itwasoddthatinretrospectbothseemequallydreary.Edwardhadalmostdisappearedfromherthoughts,andsheexultedlikeacaptivefreefromchains.Heronlyannoyancewashisoften-expresseddesiretoseeher.Whycouldhenotleaveheralone,asshelefthim?HewasperpetuallyaskingwhenshewouldreturntoCourtLeysandshehadtoinventexcusestopreventhiscomingtoLondon.Sheloathedtheideaofseeinghimagain.
ButsheputasidethesethoughtswhenGeraldcametofetchher,sometimesforabicyclerideinBatterseaPark,sometimestospendanhourinoneofthemuseums.ItisnowonderthattheEnglishareapopulousracewhenoneobserveshowmanyaretheresortssuppliedbythemunificenceofgoverningbodiesfortheexpresspurposeofphilandering.Onahotdaywhatspotcanbemoreenchantingthan