otlisten,andhewassomuchyoungerthanshe,hewasgoinginlessthanamonthanditwouldallbeover.Whyshouldshenotenjoythemodestcrumbsthatthegodsletfallfromtheirtable—itwaslittleenough,inallconscience!HowfoolishishewhowillnotbaskinthesunofSt.Martin’ssummer,becauseitheraldsthewinterassurelyastheeastwind!
TheyspentthewholedaytogethertoMissLey’samusement,whoforoncedidnotusehersharpeyestomucheffect.
“I’msothankfultoyou,Bertha,forlookingafterthelad.Hismotheroughttobeeternallygratefultoyouforkeepinghimoutofmischief.”
“I’mverygladifIhave,”saidBertha,“he’ssuchaniceboy,andI’msofondofhim.Ishouldbeverysorryifhegotintotrouble....I’mratheranxiousabouthimafterwards.”
“Mydear,don’tbebecausehe’scertaintogetintoscrapes—it’shisnature—butit’slikewisehisnaturetogetoutofthem.He’llsweareternaldevotiontohalf-a-dozenfairdamsels,andrideawayrejoicing,whiletheyarelefttoweepupononeanother’sbosoms.It’ssomemen’snaturetobreakwomen’shearts.”
“Ithinkhe’sonlyalittlewild:hemeansnoharm.”
“Thesesortofpeopleneverdothat’swhatmakestheirwrong-doingsomuchmorefatal.”
“Andhe’ssoaffectionate.”
“Mydear,Ishallreallybelievethatyou’reinlovewithhim.”
“Iam,”saidBertha.“Madly!”
Theplaintruthisoftenthesurestwaytohoodwinkpeople,moreespeciallywhenitistoldunconsciously.Womenoffiftyhaveanirritatinghabitoftreatingascontemporariesallpersonsoftheirownsexwhoareovertwenty-five,anditneverstruckMissLeythatBerthamightlookuponGeraldasanythingbutalittleboy.
ButEdwardcouldnolongerbekeptinthecountry.Berthawasastonishedthatheshouldwishtoseeher,andalittleannoyed,fornowofalltimeshispresencewouldbeimportunate.Shedidnotwishtohaveherdreamdisturbed,sheknewitwasnothingelseitwasamerespringdayofhappinessinthelongwinteroflife.ShelookedatGeraldnowwithaheavyheartandcouldnotbeartothinkofthefutu