miss billie married-第17章

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tribulations　of　domestic　life？　　Bertram　used　to

declare　that　the　whole　Strata　was　aquiver　with

fear　when　Cyril　was　composing；　and　I　remember

him　as　a　perfect　bear　if　anybody　so　much　as

whispered　when　he　was　in　one　of　his　moods。　　I

never　forgot　the　night　Bertram　and　I　were　up　in

William's　room　trying　to　sing　‘When　Johnnie

comes　marching　home；'　to　the　accompaniment

of　a　banjo　in　Bertram's　hands；　and　a　guitar　in

mine。　　Gorry！　it　was　Hugh　that　went　marching

home　that　night。''



‘‘Oh；　well；　from　reports　I　reckon　Mrs。　Cyril

doesn't　play　either　a　banjo　or　a　guitar；''　smiled

Arkwright。　　‘‘Alice　says　she　wears　rubber　heels

on　her　shoes；　and　has　put　hushers　on　all　the　chair…

legs；　and　felt…mats　between　all　the　plates　and

saucers。　　Anyhow；　Cyril　is　building　a　new　house；

and　he　looks　as　if　he　were　in　a　pretty　healthy

condition；　as　you'll　see　to…morrow　night。''



‘‘Humph！　　I　wish　he'd　make　his　music　healthy；

then；''　grumbled　Calderwell；　as　he　opened　the

door。







CHAPTER　XII



FOR　BILLYSOME　ADVICE





February　brought　busy　days。　　The　public

opening　of　the　Bohemian　Ten　Club　Exhibition

was　to　take　place　the　sixth　of　March；　with　a

private　view　for　invited　guests　the　night　before；

and　it　was　at　this　exhibition　that　Bertram　planned

to　show　his　portrait　of　Marguerite　Winthrop。　

He　also；　if　possible；　wished　to　enter　two　or　three

other　canvases；　upon　which　he　was　spending　all

the　time　he　could　get。



Bertram　felt　that　he　was　doing　very　good　work

now。　　The　portrait　of　Marguerite　Winthrop　was

coming　on　finely。　　The　spoiled　idol　of　society　had

at　last　found　a　pose　and　a　costume　that　suited　her；

and　she　was　graciously　pleased　to　give　the　artist

almost　as　many　sittings　as　he　wanted。　　The

‘‘elusive　something''　in　her　face；　which　had

previously　been　so　baffling；　was　now　already　caught

and　held　bewitchingly　on　his　canvas。　　He　was

confident　that　the　portrait　would　be　a　success。　

He　was　also　much　interested　in　another　piece　of

work　which　he　intended　to　show　called　‘‘The

Rose。''　　The　model　for　this　was　a　beautiful　young

girl　he　had　found　selling　flowers　with　her　father

in　a　street　booth　at　the　North　End。



On　the　whole；　Bertram　was　very　happy　these

days。　　He　could　not；　to　be　sure；　spend　quite　so

much　time　with　Billy　as　he　wished；　but　she

understood；　of　course；　as　did　he；　that　his　work　must

come　first。　　He　knew　that　she　tried　to　show　him

that　she　understood　it。　　At　the　same　time；　he

could　not　help　thinking；　occasionally；　that　Billy

did　sometimes　mind　his　necessary　absorption　in

his　painting。



To　himself　Bertram　owned　that　Billy　was；　in

some　ways；　a　puzzle　to　him。　　Her　conduct　was

still　erratic　at　times。　　One　day　he　would　seem　to

be　everything　to　her；　the　nextalmost　nothing；

judging　by　the　ease　with　which　she　relinquished

his　society　and　substituted　that　of　some　one　else：

Arkwright；　or　Calderwell；　for　instance。



And　that　was　another　thing。　　Bertram　was

ashamed　to　hint　even　to　himself　that　he　was

jealous　of　either　of　those　men。　　Surely；　after　what

had　happened；　after　Billy's　emphatic　assertion

that　she　had　never　loved　any　one　but　himself；

it　would　seem　not　only　absurd；　but　disloyal；　that

he　should　doubt　for　an　instant　Billy's　entire

devotion　to　him；　and　yetthere　were　times　when

he　wished　he　_could_　come　home　and　not　always

find　Alice　Greggory；　Calderwell；　Arkwright；　or

all　three　of　them　strumming　the　piano　in　the

drawing…room！　　At　such　times；　always；　though；

if　he　did　feel　impatient；　he　immediately　demanded

of　himself：　　‘‘Are　you；　then；　the　kind　of　husband

that　begrudges　your　wife　young　companions　of

her　own　age　and　tastes　to　help　her　while　away　the

hours　that　you　cannot　possibly　spend　with　her

yourself？''



This　question；　and　the　answer　that　his　better

self　always　gave　to　it；　were　usually　sufficient　to

send　him　into　some　florists　for　a　bunch　of　violets

for　Billy；　or　into　a　candy　shop　on　a　like　atoning

errand。



As　to　BillyBilly；　too；　was　busy　these　days

chief　of　her　concerns　being；　perhaps；　attention

to　that　honeymoon　of　hers；　to　see　that　it　did

not　wane。　　At　least；　the　most　of　her　thoughts；

and　many　of　her　actions；　centered　about　that

object。



Billy　had　the　book；　nowthe　‘‘Talk　to　Young

Wives。''　　For　a　time　she　had　worked　with　only

the　newspaper　criticism　to　guide　her；　but；　coming

at　last　to　the　conclusion　that　if　a　little　was　good；

more　must　be　better；　she　had　shyly　gone　into　a

bookstore　one　day　and；　with　a　pink　blush；　had

asked　for　the　book。　　Since　bringing　it　home　she

had　studied　assiduously　（though　never　if　Bertram

was　near）；　keeping　it　well…hidden；　when　not　in

use；　in　a　remote　corner　of　her　desk。



There　was　a　good　deal　in　the　book　that　Billy

did　not　like；　and　there　were　some　statements　that

worried　her；　but　yet　there　was　much　that　she

tried　earnestly　to　follow。　　She　was　still　striving

to　be　the　oak；　and　she　was　still　eagerly　endeavoring

to　brush　up　against　those　necessary　outside

interests。　　She　was　so　thankful；　in　this　connection；

for　Alice　Greggory；　and　for　Arkwright　and　Hugh

Calderwell。　　It　was　such　a　help　that　she　had

them！　　They　were　not　only　very　pleasant　and

entertaining　outside　interests；　but　one　or　another

of　them　was　almost　always　conveniently　within

reach。



Then；　too；　it　pleased　her　to　think　that　she　was

furthering　the　pretty　love　story　between　Alice

and　Mr。　Arkwright。　　And　she　_was_　furthering　it。　

She　was　sure　of　that。　　Already　she　could　see　how

dependent　the　man　was　on　Alice；　how　he　looked

to　her　for　approbation；　and　appealed　to　her　on

all　occasions；　exactly　as　if　there　was　not　a　move

that　he　wanted　to　make　without　her　presence

near　him。　　Billy　was　very　sure；　now；　of　Arkwright。　

She　only　wished　she　were　as　much　so　of　Alice。　

But　Alice　troubled　her。　　Not　but　that　Alice　was

kindness　itself　to　the　man；　either。　　It　was　only　a

peculiar　something　almost　like　fear；　or　constraint；

that　Billy　thought　she　saw　in　Alice's　eyes；　sometimes；

when　Arkwright　made　a　particularly　intimate

appeal。　　There　was　Calderwell；　too。　　He；

also；　worried　Billy。　　She　feared　he　was　going　to

complicate　matters　still　more　by　falling　in　love

with　Alice；　himself；　and　this；　certainly；　Billy　did

not　want　at　all。　　As　this　phase　of　the　matter

presented　itself；　indeed；　Billy　determined　to

appropriate　Calderwell　a　little　more　exclusively　to

herself；　when　the　four　were　together；　thus　leaving

Alice　for　Arkwright。　　After　all；　it　was　rather

entertainingthis　playing　at　Cupid's　assistant。　

If　she　_could_　not　have　Bertram　all　the　time；　it　was

fortunate　that　these　outside　interests　were　so

pleasurable。



Most　of　the　mornings　Billy　spent　in　the　kitchen；

despite　the　remonstrances　of　both　Pete　and　Eliza。　

Almost　every　meal；　now；　was　graced　with　a　palatable

cake；　pudding；　or　muffin　that　Billy　would

proudly　claim　as　her　handiwork。　　Pete　still　served

at　table；　and　made　strenuous　efforts　to　keep　up

all　his　old　duties；　but　he　was　obviously　growing

weaker；　and　really　serious　blunders　were　beginning

to　be　noticeable。　　Bertram　even　hinted　once

or　twice　that　perhaps　it　would　be　just　as　well　to

insist　on　his　going；　but　to　this　Billy　would　not

give　her　consent。　　Even　when　one　night　his　poor

old　trembling　hands　spilled　half　the　contents　of

a　soup　plate　over　a　new　and　costly　evening　gown

of　Billy's　own；　she　still　refused　to　have　him　dismissed。



‘‘Why；　Bertram；　I　wouldn't　do　it；''　she　declared

hotly；　‘‘and　you　wouldn't；　either。　　He's　been

here　more　than　fifty　years。　　It　would　break　his

heart。　　He's　really　too　ill　to　work；　and　I　wish　he

would　go　of　his　own　accord；　of　course；　but　I

sha'n't　ever　tell　him　to　gonot　if　he　spills　soup

on　every　dress　I've　got。　　I'll　buy　moreand　more；

if　it's　necessary。　　Bless　his　dear　old　heart！　　He

thinks　he's　really　serving　usand　he　is；　too。''



‘‘Oh；　yes；　you're　right；　he　_is！_''　sighed　Bertram；

with　meaning　emphasis；　as　he　abandoned　the

argument。



In　addition　to　her　‘‘Talk　to　Young　Wives；''

Billy　found　herself　encountering　advice　and　comment

on　the　marriage　question　from　still　other

quartersfrom　her　acquaintances　（mostly　the

feminine　ones）　right　and　left。　　Continually　she

was　hearing　such　words　as　these：



‘‘Oh；　well；　what　can　you　expect；　Billy？　　You're

an　old　married　woman；　now。''



‘‘Never　mind；　you'll　find　he's　like　all　the　rest

of　the　husbands。　　You　just　wait　and　see！''



‘‘Better　begin　with　a　high　hand；　Billy。　　Don't

let　him　fool　you！''



‘‘Mercy！　　If　I　had　a　husband　whose　business

it　was　to　look　at　women's　beautiful　eyes；　peachy

cheeks；　and　luxurious　tresses；　I　should　go　crazy！　

It's　hard　enough　to　keep　a　man's　eyes　on　yourself

when　his　daily　interests　are　supposed　to　be

just　lumps　of　coal　and　chunks　of　ice；　without

flinging　him　into　the　very　jaws　of　temptation

like　asking　him　to　paint　a　pretty　girl's　picture！''



In　response　to　all　this；　of　course；　Billy　could

but　laugh；　and　blush；　and　toss　back　some　gay　reply；

with　a　careless　unconcern。　　But　in　her　heart

she　did　not　like　it。　　Sometimes　she　told　herself

that　if　there　were　not　any　advice　or　comment　from

anybodyeither　book　or　womanif　there

were　not　anybody　but　just　Bertram　and　herself；

life　would　be　just　one　long　honeymoon　forever

and　forever。



Once　or　twice　Billy　was　tempted　to　go　to　Marie

with　this　honeymoon　question；　but　Marie　was

very　busy　these　days；　and　very　preoccupied。　　The

new　house　that　Cyril　was　building　on　Corey　Hill；

not　far　from　the　Annex；　was　almost　finished；　and

Marie　was　immersed　in　the　subject　of　house…

furnishings　and　interior　decoration。　　She　was；

too；　still　more　deeply　engrossed　in　the　fashioning

of　tiny　garments　of　the　softest　linen；　lace；　and

woolen；　and　there　was　on　her　face　such　a　look　of

beatific　wonder　and　joy　that　Billy　did　not　like　to

so　much　as　hint　that　there　was　in　the　world　such

a　book　as　‘‘When　the　Honeymoon　Wanes：　　A

Talk　to　Young　Wives。''



Billy　tried　valiantly　these　days　not　to　mind

that　Bertram's　work　was　so　absorbing。　　She　tried

not　to　mind　that　his　business　dealt；　not　with

lumps　of　coal　and　chunks　of　ice；　but　with　beautiful

women　like　Marguerite　Winthrop　who　asked

him　to　luncheon；　and　lovely　girls　like　his　model

for　‘‘The　Rose''　who　came　freely　to　his　studio

and　spent　hours　in　the　beloved　presence；　being

studied　for　what　Bertram　declared　was　absolutely

the　most　wonderful　poise　of　head　and

shoulders　that　he　had　ever　seen。



Billy　tried；　also；　these　days；　to　so　conduct

herself　that　not　by　any　chance　could　Calderwell

suspect　that　sometimes　she　was　jealous　of　Bertram's

art。　　Not　for　worlds　would　she　have　had

Calderwell　begin　to　get　the　notion　into　his　head

that　his　old…time　prophecy　concerning　Bertram's

caring　only　for　the　turn　of　a　girl's　head　or　the

tilt　of　her　chinto　paint；　was　being　fulfilled。　

Hence；　particularly　gay　and　cheerful　was　Billy

when