nsomecrime.Berthabegantobreathemorequickly.Gerald’sintensedesireburneditselfintohersoulshedarednotmove.ShetriedtoimploreGod’shelp,butshecouldnot.Thetemptationwhichalltheweekhadterrifiedherreturnedwithdoubleforce—thetemptationwhichsheabhorred,buttowhichshehadahorriblelongingnottoresist.
Andnowsheaskedwhatitmattered.Herstrengthwasdwindling,andGeraldhadbuttosayaword.Andnowshewishedhimtosaythewordhelovedher,andshelovedhimpassionately.Shegavewayshenolongerwishedtoresist.SheturnedherfacetoGeraldsheleanttowardshimwithpartedlips.
“Bertha,”hewhispered,andtheywerenearlyinoneanother’sarms.
Butafinesoundpiercedthesilencetheystartedbackandlistened.Theyheardakeyputintothefront-door,andthedoorwasopened.
“Takecare,”whisperedBertha,andpushedGeraldaway.
“It’sAuntPolly.”
Berthapointedtotheelectricswitch,andunderstanding,Geraldturnedonthelight.Helookedroundinstinctivelyforsomewayofescape,butBertha,withawoman’squickinvention,sprangtothedoorandflungitopen.
“Isthatyou,AuntPolly?”shecried.“HowfortunateyoucamebackGeraldisheretobidusdefinitelygood-bye.”
“Hemakesasmanyfarewellsasaprimadonna,”saidMissLey.
Shecamein,somewhatbreathless,withtwospotsofreduponhercheeks.
“Ithoughtyouwouldn’tmindifIcameheretowaittillyoureturned,”saidGerald.“AndIfoundBertha.”
“Howfunnythatourthoughtsshouldhavebeenidentical,”saidMissLey.“Itoccurredtomethatyoumightcome,andsoIhurriedhomeasquicklyasIcould.”
“You’requiteoutofbreath,”saidBertha.
MissLeysankonachair,exhausted.Asshewaseatingherfishandtalkingtoaneighbour,itsuddenlydawneduponherthatBertha’sindispositionwasassumed.
“Oh,whatafoolIam!They’vehoodwinkedmeasifIwereachild....Goodheavens,whataretheydoingnow?”
Thedinnerseemedinterminable,butimmediatelyafterwardsshetoo