miss billie married-第2章

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ever；　ever　could　trouble　them_now_。''



Cyril　lifted　his　eyebrows。



‘‘Humph！　　Well；　as　I　said　before；　it　was　a　very

_sensible_　wedding；''　he　declared。



This　time　Marie　noticed　the　emphasis。　　She

laughed；　though　her　eyes　looked　a　little　troubled。



‘‘I　know；　dear；　of　course；　what　you　mean。　　_I_

thought　our　wedding　was　beautiful；　but　I　would

have　made　it　simpler　if　I'd　realized　in　time　how

youyou''



‘‘How　I　abhorred　pink　teas　and　purple

pageants；''　he　finished　for　her；　with　a　frowning

smile。　　‘‘Oh；　well；　I　stood　itfor　the　sake　of

what　it　brought　me。''　　His　face　showed　now　only

the　smile；　the　frown　had　vanished。　　For　a　man

known　for　years　to　his　friends　as　a　‘‘hater　of

women　and　all　other　confusion；''　Cyril　Henshaw

was　looking　remarkably　well…pleased　with　himself。



His　wife　of　less　than　a　year　colored　as　she

met　his　gaze。　　Hurriedly　she　picked　up　her

needle。



The　man　laughed　happily　at　her　confusion。



‘‘What　are　you　doing？　　Is　that　my　stocking？''

he　demanded。



A　look；　half　pain；　half　reproach；　crossed　her

face。



‘‘Why；　Cyril；　of　course　not！　　Youyou　told

me　not　to；　long　ago。　　You　said　my　darns　made

bunches。



‘‘Ho！　　I　meant　I　didn't　want　to　_wear_　them；''

retorted　the　man；　upon　whom　the　tragic　wretchedness

of　that　half…sobbed　‘‘bunches''　had　been

quite　lost。　　‘‘I　love　to　see　you　_mending_　them；''

he　finished；　with　an　approving　glance　at　the

pretty　little　picture　of　domesticity　before　him。



A　peculiar　expression　came　to　Marie's　eyes。



Why；　Cyril；　you　mean　you　_like_　to　have　me

mend　them　just　forfor　the　sake　of　seeing　me

do　it；　when　you　_know_　you　won't　ever　wear

them？''



‘‘Sure！''　nodded　the　man；　imperturbably。　

Then；　with　a　sudden　laugh；　he　asked：　　‘‘I　wonder

now；　does　Billy　love　to　mend　socks？''



Marie　smiled；　but　she　sighed；　too；　and　shook

her　head。



‘‘I'm　afraid　not；　Cyril。''



‘‘Nor　cook？''



Marie　laughed　outright　this　time。　　The　vaguely

troubled　look　had　fled　from　her　eyes



‘‘Oh；　Billy's　helped　me　beat　eggs　and　butter

sometimes；　but　I　never　knew　her　to　cook　a　thing

or　want　to　cook　a　thing；　but　once；　then　she

spent　nearly　two　weeks　trying　to　learn　to　make

puddingsfor　you。''



‘‘For　_me！_''



Marie　puckered　her　lips　queerly。



‘‘Well；　I　supposed　they　were　for　you　at　the

time。　　At　all　events　she　was　trying　to　make　them

for　some　one　of　you　boys；　probably　it　was　really

for　Bertram；　though。''



‘‘Humph！''　grunted　Cyril。　　Then；　after　a

minute；　he　observed：　　‘‘I　judge　Kate　thinks

Billy'll　never　make　themfor　anybody。　　I'm

afraid　Sister　Kate　isn't　pleased。''



‘‘Oh；　but　Mrs。　Hartwell　waswas　disappointed

in　the　wedding；''　apologized　Marie；

quickly。　　‘‘You　know　she　wanted　it　put　off

anyway；　and　she　didn't　like　such　a　simple　one。



‘‘Hm…m；　as　usual　Sister　Kate　forgot　it　wasn't

her　funeralI　mean；　her　wedding；''　retorted

Cyril；　dryly。　　‘‘Kate　is　never　happy；　you　know；

unless　she's　managing　things。''



‘‘Yes；　I　know；''　nodded　Marie；　with　a　frowning

smile　of　recollection　at　certain　features　of　her　own

wedding。



‘‘She　doesn't　approve　of　Billy's　taste　in　guests；

either；''　remarked　Cyril；　after　a　moment's　silence。



‘‘I　thought　her　guests　were　lovely；''　spoke　up

Marie；　in　quick　defense。　　‘‘Of　course；　most　of

her　social　friends　are　awayin　July；　but　Billy

is　never　a　society　girl；　you　know；　in　spite　of　the

way　Society　is　always　trying　to　lionize　her　and

Bertram。''



‘‘Oh；　of　course　Kate　knows　that；　but　she　says

it　seems　as　if　Billy　needn't　have　gone　out　and

gathered　in　the　lame　and　the　halt　and　the　blind。''



‘‘Nonsense！''　cried　Marie；　with　unusual　sharpness

for　her。　　‘‘I　suppose　she　said　that　just　because

of　Mrs。　Greggory's　and　Tommy　Dunn's

crutches。''



‘‘Well；　they　didn't　make　a　real　festive…looking

wedding　party；　you　must　admit；''　laughed　Cyril；

‘‘what　with　the　bridegroom's　own　arm　in　a　sling；

too！　　But　who　were　they　all；　anyway？''



‘‘Why；　you　knew　Mrs。　Greggory　and　Alice；　of

courseand　Pete；''　smiled　Marie。　　‘‘And　wasn't

Pete　happy？　　Billy　says　she'd　have　had　Pete　if

she　had　no　one　else；　that　there　wouldn't　have

been　any　wedding；　anyway；　if　it　hadn't　been　for

his　telephoning　Aunt　Hannah　that　night。''



‘‘Yes；　Will　told　me。''



‘‘As　for　Tommy　and　the　othersmost　of

them　were　those　people　that　Billy　had　at　her

home　last　summer　for　a　two　weeks'　vacation

people；　you　know；　too　poor　to　give　themselves

one；　and　too　proud　to　accept　one　from　ordinary

charity。　　Billy's　been　following　them　up　and

doing　little　things　for　them　ever　sincesugarplums

and　frosting　on　their　cake；　she　calls　it；　and　they

adore　her；　of　course。　　I　think　it　was　lovely　of　her

to　have　them；　and　they　did　have　such　a　good

time！　　You　should　have　seen　Tommy　when　you

played　that　wedding　march　for　Billy　to　enter　the

room。　　His　poor　little　face　was　so　transfigured

with　joy　that　I　almost　cried；　just　to　look　at　him。　

Billy　says　he　loves　musicpoor　little　fellow！''



‘‘Well；　I　hope　they'll　be　happy；　in　spite　of

Kate's　doleful　prophecies。　　Certainly　they　looked

happy　enough　to…day；''　declared　Cyril；　patting　a

yawn　as　he　rose　to　his　feet。　　‘‘I　fancy　Will　and

Aunt　Hannah　are　lonesome；　though；　about　now；''

he　added。



‘‘Yes；''　smiled　Marie；　mistily；　as　she　gathered

up　her　work。　　‘‘I　know　what　Aunt　Hannah's

doing。　　She's　helping　Rosa　put　the　house　to

rights；　and　she's　stopping　to　cry　over　every　slipper

and　handkerchief　of　Billy's　she　finds。　　And　she'll

do　that　until　that　funny　clock　of　hers　strikes

twelve；　then　she'll　say　‘Oh；　my　grief　and

consciencemidnight！'　　But　the　next　minute　she'll

remember　that　it's　only　half…past　eleven；　after

all；　and　she'll　send　Rosa　to　bed　and　sit　patting

Billy's　slipper　in　her　lap　till　it　really　is　midnight

by　all　the　other　clocks。''



Cyril　laughed　appreciatively。



‘‘Well；　I　know　what　Will　is　doing；''　he　declared。



‘‘Will　is　in　Bertram's　den　dozing　before　the

fireplace　with　Spunkie　curled　up　in　his　lap。''



As　it　happened；　both　these　surmises　were　not

far　from　right。　　In　the　Strata；　the　Henshaws'　old

Beacon　Street　home；　William　was　sitting　before

the　fireplace　with　the　cat　in　his　lap；　but　he　was

not　dozing。　　He　was　talking。



‘‘Spunkie；''　he　was　saying；　‘‘your　master；

Bertram；　got　married　to…dayand　to　Miss

Billy。　　He'll　be　bringing　her　home　one　of　these


daysyour　new　mistress。　　And　such　a　mistress！　

Never　did　cat　or　house　have　a　better！



‘‘Just　think；　for　the　first　time　in　years　this　old

place　is　to　know　the　touch　of　a　woman's　hand

and　that's　what　it　hasn't　known　for　almost

twenty　years；　except　for　those　few　short　months

six　years　ago　when　a　dark…eyed　girl　and　a　little

gray　kitten　（that　was　Spunk；　your　predecessor；

you　know）　blew　in　and　blew　out　again　before　we

scarcely　knew　they　were　here。　　That　girl　was

Miss　Billy；　and　she　was　a　dear　then；　just　as　she　is

now；　only　now　she's　coming　here　to　stay。　　She's

coming　home；　Spunkie；　and　she'll　make　it　a

home　for　you；　for　me；　and　for　all　of　us。　　Up　to

now；　you　know；　it　hasn't　really　been　a　home；　for

yearsjust　us　men；　so。　　It'll　be　very　different；

Spunkie；　as　you'll　soon　find　out。　　Now　mind；

madam！　　We　must　show　that　we　appreciate　all

this：　no　tempers；　no　tantrums；　no　showing　of

claws；　no　leaving　our　coatseither　yours　or

mineon　the　drawing…room　chairs；　no　tracking

in　of　mud　on　clean　rugs　and　floors！　　For　we're

going　to　have　a　home；　Spunkiea　home！''



At　Hillside；　Aunt　Hannah　was；　indeed；　helping

Rosa　to　put　the　house　to　rights；　as　Marie　had

said。　　She　was　crying；　too；　over　a　glove　she　had

found　on　Billy's　piano；　but　she　was　crying　over

something　else；　also。　　Not　only　had　she　lost　Billy；

but　she　had　lost　her　home。



To　be　sure；　nothing　had　been　said　during　that

nightmare　of　a　week　of　hurry　and　confusion　about

Aunt　Hannah's　future；　but　Aunt　Hannah　knew

very　well　how　it　must　be。　　This　dear　little　house

on　the　side　of　Corey　Hill　was　Billy's　home；　and

Billy　would　not　need　it　any　longer。　　It　would　be

sold；　of　course；　and　she；　Aunt　Hannah；　would　go

back　to　a　‘‘second…story　front''　and　loneliness　in

some　Back　Bay　boarding…house；　and　a　second

story　front　and　loneliness　would　not　be　easy　now；

after　these　years　of　homeand　Billy。



No　wonder；　indeed；　that　Aunt　Hannah　sat

crying　and　patting　the　little　white　glove　in　her

hand。　　No　wonder；　too；　thatbeing　Aunt　Hannah

she　reached　for　the　shawl　near　by　and

put　it　on；　shiveringly。　　Even　July；　to…night；　was

coldto　Aunt　Hannah。



In　yet　another　home　that　evening　was　the

wedding　of　Billy　Neilson　and　Bertram　Henshaw

uppermost　in　thought　and　speech。　　In　a　certain

little　South…End　flat　where；　in　two　rented　rooms；

lived　Alice　Greggory　and　her　crippled　mother；

Alice　was　talking　to　Mr。　M。　J。　Arkwright；

commonly　known　to　his　friends　as　‘‘Mary　Jane；''

owing　to　the　mystery　in　which　he　had　for　so　long

shrouded　his　name。



Arkwright　to…night　was　plainly　moody　and　ill

at　ease。



‘‘You're　not　listening。　　You're　not　listening　at

all；''　complained　Alice　Greggory　at　last；　reproachfully。



With　a　visible　effort　the　man　roused　himself。



‘‘Indeed　I　am；''　he　maintained。



‘‘I　thought　you'd　be　interested　in　the

wedding。　　You　used　to　be　friendsyou　and　Billy。''　

The　girl's　voice　still　vibrated　with　reproach。



There　was　a　moment's　silence；　then；　a　little

harshly；　the　man　said：



‘‘Perhapsbecause　I　wanted　to　be　more

thana　friendis　why　you're　not　satisfied　with

my　interest　now。''



A　look　that　was　almost　terror　came　to　Alice

Greggory's　eyes。　　She　flushed　painfully；　then

grew　very　white。



‘‘You　mean''



‘‘Yes；''　he　nodded　dully；　without　looking　up。　

‘‘I　cared　too　much　for　her。　　I　supposed　Henshaw

was　just　a　friendtill　too　late。''



There　was　a　breathless　hush　before；　a　little

unsteadily；　the　girl　stammered：



‘‘Oh；　I'm　so　sorryso　very　sorry！　　II

didn't　know。''



‘‘No；　of　course　you　didn't。　　I've　almost　told

you；　though；　lots　of　times；　you've　been　so　good

to　me　all　these　weeks。''　　He　raised　his　head　now；

and　looked　at　her；　frank　comradeship　in　his

eyes。



The　girl　stirred　restlessly。　　Her　eyes　swerved

a　little　under　his　level　gaze。



‘‘Oh；　but　I've　done　nothingn…nothing；''　she

stammered。　　Then；　at　the　light　tap　of　crutches

on　a　bare　floor　she　turned　in　obvious　relief。　

‘‘Oh；　here's　mother。　　She's　been　in　visiting　with

Mrs。　Delano；　our　landlady。　　Mother；　Mr。　Arkwright

is　here。''





Meanwhile；　speeding　north　as　fast　as　steam

could　carry　them；　were　the　bride　and　groom。　

The　wondrousness　of　the　first　hour　of　their　journey

side　by　side　had　become　a　joyous　certitude

that　always　it　was　to　be　like　this　now。



‘‘Bertram；''　began　the　bride；　after　a　long

minute　of　eloquent　silence。



‘‘Yes；　love。''



‘‘You　know　our　wedding　was　very　different

from　most　weddings。''



‘‘Of　c