miss billy-第26章

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Bertram　looked　up　quickly。　　An　odd　change　had　come　to　his　face。
For　a　moment　he　gazed　silently　into　Billy's　agitated　countenance；
then　he　asked　in　a　low　voice：

〃Billy；　did　you　think　that　after　you　and　William　were　married　I
should　still　continue　to　live　atthe　Strata？〃

〃Why；　of　course　you　will！〃　cried　the　girl；　indignantly。　　〃Why；
Bertram；　you'll　be　my　brother　thenmy　real　brother；　and　one　of　the
very　chiefest　things　I'm　anticipating　when　I　go　there　to　live　is
the　good　times　you　and　I　will　have　together　when　I'm　William's
wife！〃

Bertram　drew　in　his　breath　audibly；　and　caught　his　lower　lip
between　his　teeth。　　With　an　abrupt　movement　he　turned　his　back　and
walked　to　the　window。　　For　a　full　minute　he　stayed　there；　watched
by　the　amazed；　displeased　eyes　of　the　girl。　　When　he　came　back　he
sat　down　quietly　in　the　chair　facing　Billy。　　His　countenance　was
grave　and　his　eyes　were　a　little　troubled；　but　the　haggard　look　of
misery　was　quite　gone。

〃Billy；〃　he　began　gently；　〃you　must　forgive　my　saying　this；　but
are　you　quite　sure　youlove　William？〃

Billy　flushed　with　anger。

〃You　have　no　right　to　ask　such　a　question。　　Of　course　I　love
William。〃

〃Of　course　you　dowe　all　love　William。　　William　is；　in　fact；　a
most　lovable　man。　　But　William's　wife　should；　perhaps；　love　him　a
little　differently　fromall　of　us。〃

〃And　she　will；　certainly；〃　retorted　the　girl；　with　a　quick　lifting
of　her　chin。　　〃Bertram；　I　don't　think　you　have　any　right　toto
make　such　insinuations。〃

〃And　I　won't　make　them　any　more；〃　replied　Bertram；　gravely。　　〃I
just　wanted　you　to　make　sure　that　youknew。〃

〃I　shall　make　sure；　and　I　shall　know；〃　said　Billy；　firmlyso
firmly　that　it　sounded　almost　as　if　she　were　trying　to　convince
herself　as　well　as　others。

There　was　a　long　pause；　then　the　man　asked　diffidently：

〃And　so　you　are　very　sure　thatthat　you　want　me　tostay？〃

〃Indeed　I　do！　　Besides；don't　you　remember？there　are　all　my
people　to　be　entertained。　　They　must　be　taken　to　places；　and　given
motor　rides　and　picnics。　　You　told　me　last　week　that　you'd　love　to
help　me；　but；　of　course；　if　you　don't　want　to〃

〃But　I　do　want　to；〃　cried　Bertram；　heartily；　a　gleam　of　the　old
cheerfulness　springing　to　his　eyes。　　〃I'm　dying　to！〃

The　girl　looked　up　with　quick　distrust。　　For　a　moment　she　eyed　him
with　bent　brows。　　To　her　mind　he　had　gone　back　to　his　old　airy；
hopeful　light…heartedness。　　He　was　once　more　〃only　Bertram。〃　　She
hesitated；　then　said　with　stern　decision：

〃Bertram；　you　know　I　want　you；　and　you　must　know　that　I'm　delighted
to　have　you　drop　this　silly　notion　of　going　away。　　But　if　this
quick　change　means　that　you　are　staying　with　any　idea　thatthat
_I_　shall　change；　thenthen　you　must　go。　　But　if　you　will　stay　as
WILLIAM'S　BROTHER　thenI'll　be　more　than　glad　to　have　you。〃

〃I'll　stayas　William's　brother；〃　agreed　Bertram；　and　Billy　did
not　notice　the　quick　indrawing　of　his　breath　nor　the　close　shutting
of　his　lips　after　the　words　were　spoken。



CHAPTER　XXXVIII

THE　ENGAGEMENT　OF　TWO


By　the　middle　of　July　the　routine　of　Billy's　days　was　well
established。　　Marie　had　been　for　a　week　a　welcome　addition　to　the
family；　and　she　was　proving　to　be　of　invaluable　aid　in　entertaining
Billy's　guests。　　The　overworked　widow　and　the　little　lodging…house
keeper　from　the　West　End　were　enjoying　Billy's　hospitality　now；　and
just　to　look　at　their　beaming　countenances　was　an　inspiration；
Billy　said。

Cyril　had　gone　abroad。　　Aunt　Hannah　was　spending　a　week　at　the
North　Shore　with　friends。　　Bertram；　true　to　his　promise；　was
playing　the　gallant　to　Billy's　guests；　and　so　assiduous　was　he　in
his　attentions　that　Billy　at　last　remonstrated　with　him。

〃But　I　didn't　mean　them　to　take　ALL　your　time；〃　she　protested。

〃Don't　they　like　it？　　Do　they　see　too　much　of　me？〃　he　demanded。

〃No；　no！　　They　love　it；　of　course。　　You　must　know　that。　　Nobody
else　could　give　such　beautiful　times　as　you've　given　us。　　But　it's
yourself　I'm　thinking　of。　　You're　giving　up　all　your　time。
Besides；　I　didn't　mean　to　keep　you　here　all　summer；　of　course。　　You
always　go　away　some；　you　know；　for　a　vacation。〃

〃But　I'm　having　a　vacation　here；　doing　this；〃　laughed　Bertram。
〃I'm　sure　I'm　getting　sea　air　down　to　the　beaches　and　mountain　air
out　to　the　Blue　Hills。　　And　as　for　excitementif　you　can　find
anything　more　wildly　exciting　than　it　was　yesterday　when　Miss　Marie
and　I　took　the　widow　and　the　spinster　lady　on　the　Roller…coaster
just　show　it　to　me；　that's　all！〃

Billy　laughed。

〃They　told　me　about　itMarie　in　particular。　　She　said　you　were
lovely　to　them；　and　let　them　do　every　single　thing　they　wanted　to；
and　that　half　an　hour　after　they　got　there　they　were　like　two
children　let　out　of　school。　　Dear　me；　I　wish　I'd　gone。　　I　never
stay　at　home　that　I　don't　miss　something；〃　she　finished　regretfully。

Bertram　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃If　it's　Roller…coasters　and　Chute…the…chutes　that　you　want；　I
fancy　you'll　get　enough　before　the　week　is　out；〃　he　sighed
laughingly。　　〃They　said　they'd　like　to　go　there　to…morrow；　please；
when　I　asked　them　what　we　should　do　next。　　What　surprises　me　is
that　they　like　such　thingssuch　hair…raising　things。　　When　I　first
saw　them；　black…gowned　and　stiff…backed；　sitting　in　your　little
room　here；　I　thought　I　should　never　dare　offer　them　anything　more
wildly　exciting　than　a　church　service　or　a　lecture　on　psychology；
with　perhaps　a　band　concert　hinted　at；　provided　the　band　could　be
properly　instructed　beforehand　as　to　tempo　and　selections。　　But
nowreally；　Billy；　why　do　you　suppose　they　have　taken　such　a　fancy
to　these　kiddish　stuntsthose　two　staid　women？〃

Billy　laughed；　but　her　eyes　softened。

〃I　don't　know　unless　it's　because　all　their　lives　they've　been　tied
to　such　dead　monotony　that　just　the　exhilaration　of　motion　is　bliss
to　them。　　But　you　won't　always　have　to　risk　your　neck　and　your
temper　in　this　fashion；　Bertram。　　Next　week　my　little　couple　from
South　Boston　comes。　　She　adores　pictures　and　stuffed　animals。
You'll　have　to　do　the　museums　with　her。　　Then　there's　little
crippled　Tommyhe'll　be　perfectly　contented　if　you'll　put　him　down
where　he　can　hear　the　band　play。　　And　all　you'll　have　to　do　when
that　one　stops　is　to　pilot　him　to　the　next　one。　　This　IS　good　of
you；　Bertram；　and　I　do　thank　you　for　it；〃　finished　Billy；　fervently；
just　as　Marie；　the　widow；　and　the　〃spinster　lady〃　entered　the　room。

Billy　told　herself　these　days　that　she　was　very　happyvery　happy
indeed。　　Was　she　not　engaged　to　a　good　man；　and　did　she　not　also
have　it　in　her　power　to　make　the　long　summer　days　a　pleasure　to
many　people？　　The　fact　that　she　had　to　tell　herself　that　she　was
happy　in　order　to　convince　herself　that　she　was　so；　did　not　occur
to　Billyyet。

Not　long　after　Marie　arrived；　Billy　told　her　of　the　engagement。
William　was　at　the　house　very　frequently；　and　owing　to　the　intimacy
of　Marie's　relationship　with　the　family　Billy　decided　to　tell　her
how　matters　stood。　　Marie's　reception　of　the　news　was　somewhat
surprising。　　First　she　looked　frightened。

〃To　William？you　are　engaged　to　William？〃

〃Whyyes。〃

〃But　I　thoughtsurely　it　wasdon't　you　meanMr。　Cyril？〃

〃No；　I　don't；〃　laughed　Billy。　　〃And　certainly　I　ought　to　know。〃

〃And　you　don'tcare　for　him？〃

〃I　hope　notif　I'm　going　to　marry　William。〃

So　light　was　Billy's　voice　and　manner　that　Marie　dared　one　more
question。

〃And　hedoesn't　carefor　you？〃

〃I　hope　notif　William　is　going　to　marry　me；〃　laughed　Billy　again。

〃Oh…h！〃　breathed　Marie；　with　an　odd　intonation　of　relief。　　〃Then
I'm　gladso　glad！　　And　I　hope　you'll　be　very；　very　happy；　dear。〃

Billy　looked　into　Marie's　glowing　face　and　was　pleased：　there
seemed　to　be　so　few；　so　very　few　faces　into　which　she　had　looked
and　found　entire　approbation　of　her　engagement　to　William。

Billy　saw　a　great　deal　of　William　now。　　He　was　always　kind　and
considerate；　and　he　tried　to　help　her　entertain　her　guests；　but
Billy；　grateful　as　she　was　to　him　for　his　efforts；　was　relieved
when　he　resigned　his　place　to　Bertram。　　Bertram　did；　indeed；　know
so　much　better　how　to　do　it。　　William　tried　to　help　her；　too；　about
training　her　vines　and　rosebushes；　but　of　course；　even　in　this；　he
could　not　be　expected　to　show　quite　the　interest　that　Bertram
manifested　in　every　green　shoot　and　opening　bud；　for　he　had　not
helped　her　plant　them；　as　Bertram　had。

Billy　was　a　little　troubled　sometimes；　that　she　did　not　feel　more
at　ease　with　William。　　She　thought　it　natural　that　she　should　feel
a　little　diffident　with　him；　in　the　face　of　his　sudden　change　from
an　〃uncle〃　to　an　accepted　lover；　but　she　did　not　see　why　she　should
be　afraid　of　himyet　she　was。　　She　owned　that　to　herself　unhappily。
And　he　was　so　good！she　owned　that；　too。　　He　seemed　not　to　have　a
thought　in　the　world　but　for　her　comfort　and　happiness；　and　there
was　no　end　to　the　tactful　little　things　he　was　always　doing　for　her
pleasure。　　He　seemed；　also；　to　have　divined　that　she　did　not　like　to
be　kissed　and　caressed；　and　only　occasionally　did　he　kiss　her；　and
then　it　was　merely　a　sort　of　fatherly　salute　on　her　foreheadfor
which　consideration　Billy　was　grateful：　Billy　decided　that　she　would
not　like　to　be　kissed　on　the　lips。

After　some　days　of　puzzling　over　the　matter　Billy　concluded　that　it
was　self…consciousness　that　caused　all　the　trouble。　　With　William
she　was　self…conscious。　　If　she　could　only　forget　that　she　was　some
day　to　be　William's　wife；　the　old　delightful　comradeship　would
return；　and　she　would　be　at　ease　again　with　him。　　In　time；　after
she　had　become　accustomed　to　the　idea　of　marriage；　it　would　not　so
confuse　her；　of　course。　　She　loved　him　dearly；　and　she　wanted　to
make　him　happy；　but　for　the　presentjust　while　she　was　〃getting
used　to　things〃she　would　try　to　forget；　sometimes；　that　she　was
going　to　be　William's　wife。

Billy　was　happier　now。　　She　was　always　happier　after　she　had
thought　things　out　to　her　own　satisfaction。　　She　turned　with　new
zest　to　the　entertainment　of　her　guests；　and　with　Bertram　she
planned　many　delightful　trips　for　their　pleasure。　　Bertram　was　a
great　comfort　to　her　these　days。　　Never；　in　word　or　look；　could　she
see　that　he　overstepped　the　role　which　he　had　promised　to　play
William's　brother。

Billy　went　back　to　her　music；　too。　　A　new　melody　was　running
through　her　head；　and　she　longed　to　put　it　on　paper。　　Already　her
first　little　〃Group　of　Songs〃　had　found　friends；　and　Billy；　to　a
very　modest　extent；　was　beginning　to　taste　the　sweets　of　fame。

Thus；　by　all　these　interests；　did　Billy　try　〃to　get　used　to　things。〃



CHAPTER　XXXIX

A　LITTLE　PIECE　OF　PAPER


Of　all　Billy's　guests；　Marie　was　very　plainly　the　happiest。　　She
was　a　permanent　guest；　it　is　true；　while　the　others　came　for　only　a
week　or　two　at　a　time；　but　it　was　not　this；　Billy　decided；　that　had
brought　so　brilliant　a　sparkle　to　Marie's　eyes；　so　joyous　a　laugh
to　her　lips。　　The　joyousness　was　all　the　more　noticeable；　because
heretofore　Marie；　while　very　sweet；　had　been　also　sad。　　Her　big
blue　eyes　had　always　carried　a　haunting　shadow；　and　her　step　had
lacked　the　spring　belonging　to　youth　and　happiness。　　Certainly；
Billy　had　never　seen　her　like　this　before。

〃Verily；　Marie；〃　she　teased　one　day；　〃have　you　found　an