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1NovelAnalysisALTHOUGHBerthaYoungwasthirtyshestillhadmomentslikethiswhenshewantedtoruninsteadofwalk,totakedancingstepsonandoffthepavement,tobowlahoop,tothrowsomethingupintheairandcatchitagain,ortostandstillandlaughat–nothing–atnothing,simply.Whatcanyoudoifyouarethirtyand,turningthecornerofyourownstreet,youareovercome,suddenlybyafeelingofbliss–absolutebliss!–asthoughyou'dsuddenlyswallowedabrightpieceofthatlateafternoonsunanditburnedinyourbosom,sendingoutalittleshowerofsparksintoeveryparticle,intoeveryfingerandtoe?...Oh,istherenowayyoucanexpressitwithoutbeingdrunkanddisorderly?Howidioticcivilizationis!Whybegivenabodyifyouhavetokeepitshutupinacaselikearare,rarefiddle?No,thataboutthefiddleisnotquitewhatImean,shethought,runningupthestepsandfeelinginherbagforthekey–she'dforgottenit,asusual––andrattlingtheletter-box.It'snotwhatImean,because–Thankyou,Mary––shewentintothehall.Isnurseback?Yes,M'm.Andhasthefruitcome?Yes,M'm.Everything'scome.Bringthefruituptothedining-room,willyou?I'llarrangeitbeforeIgoupstairs.Itwasduskyinthedining-roomandquitechilly.ButallthesameBerthathrewoffhercoat;shecouldnotbearthetightclaspofitanothermoment,andthecoldairfellonherarms.Butinherbosomtherewasstillthatbrightglowingplace––thatshoweroflittlesparkscomingfromit.Itwasalmostunbearable.Shehardlydaredtobreatheforfearoffanningithigher,andyetshebreatheddeeply,deeply.Shehardlydaredtolookintothecoldmirror––butshedidlook,anditgaveherbackawoman,radiant,withsmiling,tremblinglips,withbig,darkeyesandanairoflistening,waitingforsomething...divinetohappen...thatsheknewmusthappen...infallibly.Marybroughtinthefruitonatrayandwithitaglassbowl,andabluedish,verylovely,withastrangesheenonitasthoughithadbeendippedinmilk.ShallIturnonthelight,M'm?No,thankyou.Icanseequitewell.Thereweretangerinesandapplesstainedwithstrawberrypink.Someyellowpears,smoothassilk,somewhitegrapescoveredwithasilverbloomandabigclusterofpurpleones.Theselastshehadboughttotoneinwiththenewdining-roomcarpet.Yes,thatdidsoundratherfar-fetchedandabsurd,butitwasreallywhyshehadboughtthem.Shehadthoughtintheshop:Imusthavesomepurpleonestobringthecarpetuptothetable.Andithadseemedquitesenseatthetime.Whenshehadfinishedwiththemandhadmadetwopyramidsofthesebrightroundshapes,shestoodawayfromthetabletogettheeffect––anditreallywasmostcurious.Forthedarktableseemed2tomeltintotheduskylightandtheglassdishandthebluebowltofloatintheair.This,ofcourse,inherpresentmood,wassoincrediblybeautiful....Shebegantolaugh.No,no.I'mgettinghysterical.Andsheseizedherbagandcoatandranupstairstothenursery.NursesatatalowtablegivingLittleBhersupperafterherbath.Thebabyhadonawhiteflannelgownandabluewoolenjacket,andherdark,finehairwasbrushedupintoafunnylittlepeak.Shelookedupwhenshesawhermotherandbegantojump.Now,mylovey,eatituplikeagoodgirl,saidnurse,settingherlipsinawaythatBerthaknew,andthatmeantshehadcomeintothenurseryatanotherwrongmoment.Hasshebeengood,Nanny?She'sbeenalittlesweetalltheafternoon,whisperedNanny.WewenttotheparkandIsatdownonachairandtookheroutofthepramandabigdogcamealongandputitsheadonmykneeandsheclutcheditsear,tuggedit.Oh,youshouldhaveseenher.Berthawantedtoaskifitwasn'tratherdangeroustoletherclutchatastrangedog'sear.Butshedidnotdareto.Shestoodwatchingthem,herhandsbyherside,likethepoorlittlegirlinfrontoftherichgirlwiththedoll.Thebabylookedupatheragain,stared,andthensmiledsocharminglythatBerthacouldn'thelpcrying:Oh,Nanny,doletmefinishgivingherhersupperwhileyouputthebaththingsaway.Well,M'm,sheoughtn'ttobechangedhandswhileshe'seating,saidNanny,stillwhispering.Itunsettlesher;it'sverylikelytoupsether.Howabsurditwas.Whyhaveababyifithastobekept–notinacaselikearare,rarefiddle––butinanotherwoman'sarms?Oh,Imust!saidshe.Veryoffended,Nannyhandedherover.Now,don'texciteherafterhersupper.Youknowyoudo,M'm.AndIhavesuchatimewithherafter!Thankheaven!Nannywentoutoftheroomwiththebathtowels.NowI'vegotyoutomyself,mylittleprecious,saidBertha,asthebabyleanedagainsther.Sheatedelightfully,holdingupherlipsforthespoonandthenwavingherhands.Sometimesshewouldn'tletthespoongo;andsometimes,justasBerthahadfilledit,shewaveditawaytothefourwinds.WhenthesoupwasfinishedBerthaturnedroundtothefire.You'renice––you'reverynice!saidshe,kissingherwarmbaby.I'mfondofyou.Ilikeyou.Andindeed,shelovedLittleBsomuch––herneckasshebentforward,herexquisitetoesastheyshonetransparentinthefirelight––thatallherfeelingofblisscamebackagain,andagainshedidn'tknowhowtoexpressit––whattodowithit.3You'rewantedonthetelephone,saidNanny,comingbackintriumphandseizingherLittleB.Downsheflew.ItwasHarry.Oh,isthatyou,Ber?Lookhere.I'llbelate.I'lltakeataxiandcomealongasquicklyasIcan,butgetdinnerputbacktenminutes––willyou?Allright?Yes,perfectly.Oh,Harry!Yes?Whathadshetosay?She'dnothingtosay.Sheonlywantedtogetintouchwithhimforamoment.Shecouldn'tabsurdlycry:Hasn'titbeenadivineday!Whatisit?rappedoutthelittlevoice.Nothing.Entendu,saidBertha,andhungupthereceiver,thinkinghowmuchmorethanidioticcivilizationwas.Theyhadpeoplecomingtodinner.TheNormanKnights––averysoundcouple––hewasabouttostartatheatre,andshewasawfull