.Idon’twanttogoawaywithouttellingyou.”
“Oh,mydearGerald,don’t,”saidBertha,hervoicealmostbreaking.“It’snogood,andweshallbothbedreadfullyunhappy.Mydear,youdon’tknowhowmucholderIamthanyou.EvenifIwasn’tmarried,itwouldbeimpossibleforustoloveoneanother.”
“ButIloveyouwithallmyheart.”
Heseizedherhandsandpressedthem,andshemadenoefforttoresist.
“Don’tyoulovemeatall?”heasked.
Berthadidnotanswer,andhebentnearertolookintohereyes.Thenleavingherhands,heflunghisarmsaboutherandpressedhertohisheart.
“Bertha,Bertha!”Hekissedherpassionately.“Oh,Bertha,sayyouloveme.Itwouldmakemesohappy.”
“Mydearest,”shewhispered,andtakinghisheadinherhand,shekissedhim.
Butthekissthatshehadreceivedfiredherbloodandshecouldnotresistnowfromdoingasshehadwished.Shekissedhimonthelips,andontheeyes,andshekissedhiscurlyhair.Butatlastshetoreherselfaway,andsprangtoherfeet.
“Whatfoolsweare!Let’sgotothestation,Geraldit’sgrowinglate.”
“Oh,Bertha,don’tgoyet.”
“Wemust.Idaren’tstay.”
Hetriedtotakeherinhisarms,begginghereagerlytoremain.
“Pleasedon’t,Gerald,”shesaid.“Don’taskme,youmakemetoounhappy.Don’tyouseehowhopelessitis?Whatistheuseofourlovingoneanother?You’regoingawayinaweekandweshallnevermeetagain.Andevenifyouwerestaying,I’mmarriedandI’mtwenty-sixandyou’reonlynineteen.Mydearest,weshouldonlymakeourselvesridiculous.”
“ButIcan’tgoaway.WhatdoIcareifyou’reolderthanI?Andit’snothingifyou’remarried:youdon’tcareforyourhusbandandhedoesn’tcaretwostrawsforyou.”
“Howdoyouknow?”
“Oh,Isawit.Ifeltsosorryforyou.”
“Youdearboy!”murmuredBertha,almostcrying.“I’vebeendreadfullyunhappy.It’strue,Edwardneverlovedme—andhedidn’ttreatmeverywell.Oh,Ican’tunderstandhowIevercaredforhim.”
“I’mglad.”
“Iwouldneverallowmyselftofallinloveagain.Isufferedtoomuch.”
“ButIloveyouwithallmyheart,Berthadon’tyouseeit?Oh,thisisn’tlikewhatI’vefeltbeforeit’ssomethingquitenewanddifferent.Ican’tlivewithoutyou,Bertha.Oh,letmestay.”
“It’simpossible.Comeawaynow,dearestwe’vebeenheret