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Bertha's next visit was from M. de Bois, and could she have banished from her mind a vague impression that he loved Madeleine, or was beloved by her, the interview would have afforded her unmitigated happiness. M. de Bois had not yet gained sufficient mastery over himself to command his utterance in the presence of the woman who had most power to confuse him.
Indeed, ever since leaving Coronado the ex-beach-comber had made himself very useful about the schooner; had been, in fact, obsequiousness itself, and seemed to be particularly desirous of gaining the good-will of the "Bertha's" officers. He understood pigeon English better than Jim, and spoke it even better than Charlie had done.
No, there was only one pursuit left open to him, the pursuit of pleasure, and he had not sufficiently recovered from his late shock to start off in chase of that illusive phantom. Bertha's letter roused him out of this miserable, mind-paralyzing apathy. In the very next train which left for Rennes he was on his way back to Brittany. It was the fourth day after Madeleine's departure.
Toys are made in almost every house. Every one in a family works on the same kind of toy, just as it is in Bertha's home. The people think: "It would be foolish to spend one's time in learning new things. The longer a person works at making one kind of toy, the faster he can make them, and he can earn more money." One of Bertha's neighbours makes nothing but Noah's Arks.
Bertha's emotion did not appear to her in the least misplaced or exaggerated. "You admire this set of diamonds and emeralds very much, then?" she asked, complacently. "The fleur-de-lis and shamrock," faltered Bertha, "where where did they come from?"
And so the days passed on: I witnessed Bertha's engagement and heard her marriage discussed as if I were under a conscious nightmare knowing it was a dream that would vanish, but feeling stifled under the grasp of hard-clutching fingers.
I say it was this fact that chiefly determined the strong effect she produced on me: for, in the abstract, no womanly character could seem to have less affinity for that of a shrinking, romantic, passionate youth than Bertha's.
After a time I interfered so little with Bertha's habits that it might seem wonderful how her hatred towards me could grow so intense and active as it did.
I didn't mean to tempt you to anything wrong. Good-bye!" and so they parted in such anguish as only lovers know when farewells seem final, and their empty hearts, calling for a word of promise, are denied. Marshall Haney was a brave man, and his resolution was fully taken, but that final touch of Bertha's hand upon his arm very nearly unnerved him.
"Ah, just so, I had quite forgotten that!" said Richard, and, whilst continuing to play, he placed his lips close to Bertha's cheek. Her sister-in-law came in with her bunch of keys rattling and a deep dejection on her pale and indistinct features. "I have given Brigitta notice," she said in a feeble tone. "I couldn't endure it any longer."
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