miss billie married-第26章

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those　babiesif　you　could　hear　them！　　That's

what　we　want　you　for；　to''



But　Billy　was　almost　laughing　now。



‘‘All　right；　I'll　come　outand　hear　them；''

she　called　a　bit　wildly；　as　she　hung　up　the　receiver。



Some　little　time　later；　a　palpably　nervous　maid

admitted　Billy　to　the　home　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Cyril

Henshaw。　　Even　as　the　door　was　opened；　Billy

heard　faintly；　but　unmistakably；　the　moaning

wails　of　two　infants。



‘‘Mrs。　Stetson　says　if　you　will　please　to　help

Mr。　Henshaw　with　the　babies；''　stammered　the

maid；　after　the　preliminary　questions　and

answers。　　‘‘I've　been　in　when　I　could；　and　they're

all　right；　only　they're　crying。　　They're　in　his　den。　

We　had　to　put　them　as　far　away　as　possible

their　crying　worried　Mrs。　Henshaw　so。''



‘‘Yes；　I　see；''　murmured　Billy。　　‘‘I'll　go　to

them　at　once。　　No；　don't　trouble　to　come。　　I

know　the　way。　　Just　tell　Mrs。　Stetson　I'm　here；

please；''　she　finished；　as　she　tossed　her　hat　and

gloves　on　to　the　hall　table；　and　turned　to　go　upstairs。



Billy's　feet　made　no　sound　on　the　soft　rugs。　

The　crying；　however；　grew　louder　and　louder　as

she　approached　the　den。　　Softly　she　turned　the

knob　and　pushed　open　the　door。　　She　stopped

short；　then；　at　what　she　saw。



Cyril　had　not　heard　her；　nor　seen　her。　　His

back　was　partly　toward　the　door。　　His　coat　was

off；　and　his　hair　stood　fiercely　on　end　as　if　a

nervous　hand　had　ruffled　it。　　His　usually　pale　face

was　very　red；　and　his　forehead　showed　great　drops

of　perspiration。　　He　was　on　his　feet；　hovering

over　the　couch；　at　each　end　of　which　lay　a　rumpled

roll　of　linen；　lace；　and　flannel；　from　which　emerged

a　prodigiously　puckered　little　face；　two　uncertainly

waving　rose…leaf　fists；　and　a　wail　of　protesting

rage　that　was　not　uncertain　in　the　least。



In　one　hand　Cyril　held　a　Teddy　bear；　in　the

other　his　watch；　dangling　from　its　fob　chain。　

Both　of　these　he　shook　feebly；　one　after　the　other；

above　the　tiny　faces。



‘‘Oh；　come；　come；　pretty　baby；　good　baby；

hush；　hush；''　he　begged　agitatedly。



In　the　doorway　Billy　clapped　her　hands　to　her

lips　and　stifled　a　laugh。　　Billy　knew；　of　course；

that　what　she　should　do　was　to　go　forward　at

once；　and　help　this　poor；　distracted　man；　but

Billy；　just　then；　was　not　doing　what　she　knew

she　ought　to　do。



With　a　muttered　ejaculation　（which　Billy；　to

her　sorrow；　could　not　catch）　Cyril　laid　down　the

watch　and　flung　the　Teddy　bear　aside。　　Then；　in

very　evident　despair；　he　gingerly　picked　up　one

of　the　rumpled　rolls　of　flannel；　lace；　and　linen；

and　held　it　straight　out　before　him。　　After　a

moment's　indecision　he　began　awkwardly　to　jounce

it；　teeter　it；　rock　it　back　and　forth；　and　to　pat　it

jerkily。



‘‘Oh；　come；　come；　pretty　baby；　good　baby；

hush；　hush；''　he　begged　again；　frantically。



Perhaps　it　was　the　change　of　position；　perhaps

it　was　the　novelty　of　the　motion；　perhaps　it　was

only　utter　weariness；　or　lack　of　breath。　　Whatever

the　cause；　the　wailing　sobs　from　the　bundle

in　his　arms　dwindled　suddenly　to　a　gentle　whisper；

then　ceased　altogether。



With　a　ray　of　hope　illuminating　his　drawn

countenance；　Cyril　carefully　laid　the　baby　down　and

picked　up　the　other。　　Almost　confidently　now　he

began　the　jouncing　and　teetering　and　rocking

as　before。



‘‘There；　there！　　Oh；　come；　come；　pretty　baby；

good　baby；　hush；　hush；''　he　chanted　again。



This　time　he　was　not　so　successful。　　Perhaps

he　had　lost　his　skill。　　Perhaps　it　was　merely　the

world…old　difference　in　babies。　　At　all　events；　this

infant　did　not　care　for　jerks　and　jounces；　and

showed　it　plainly　by　emitting　loud　and　yet　louder

wails　of　ragewails　in　which　his　brother　on　the

couch　speedily　joined。



‘‘Oh；　come；　come；　pretty　baby；　good　baby；

hush；　hush_confound　it_；　HUSH；　I　say！''　exploded

the　frightened；　weary；　baffled；　distracted　man；

picking　up　the　other　baby；　and　trying　to　hold

both　his　sons　at　once。



Billy　hurried　forward　then；　tearfully；　remorsefully；

her　face　all　sympathy；　her　arms　all　tenderness。



‘‘Here；　Cyril；　let　me　help　you；''　she　cried。



Cyril　turned　abruptly。



‘‘Thank　God；　_some_　one's　come；''　he　groaned；

holding　out　both　the　babies；　with　an　exuberance

of　generosity。　　‘‘Billy；　you've　saved　my　life！''



Billy　laughed　tremulously。



‘‘Yes；　I've　come；　Cyril；　and　I'll　help　every　bit

I　can；　but　I　don't　know　a　thingnot　a　single

thing　about　them　myself。　　Dear　me；　aren't　they

cunning？　　But；　Cyril；　do　they　always　cry　so？''



The　father…of…an…hour　drew　himself　stiffly　erect。



‘‘Cry？　　What　do　you　mean？　　Why　shouldn't

they　cry？''　he　demanded　indignantly。　　‘‘I　want

you　to　understand　that　Doctor　Brown　said　those

were　A　number　I　fine　boys！　　Anyhow；　I　guess

there's　no　doubt　they've　got　lungs　all　right；''　he

added；　with　a　grim　smile；　as　he　pulled　out　his

handkerchief　and　drew　it　across　his　perspiring

brow。



Billy　did　not　have　an　opportunity　to　show　Cyril

how　much　or　how　little　she　knew　about　babies；

for　in　another　minute　the　maid　had　appeared

with　the　extra　nurse；　and　that　young　woman；

with　trained　celerity　and　easy　confidence；

assumed　instant　command；　and　speedily　had　peace

and　order　restored。



Cyril；　freed　from　responsibility；　cast　longing

eyes；　for　a　moment；　upon　his　work；　but　the　next

minute；　with　a　despairing　glance　about　him；　he

turned　and　fled　precipitately。



Billy；　following　the　direction　of　his　eyes；

suppressed　a　smile。　　On　the　top　of　Cyril's　manuscript

music　on　the　table　lay　a　hot…water　bottle。　　Draped

over　the　back　of　his　favorite　chair　was　a　pink…

bordered　baby　blanket。　　On　the　piano…stool　rested

a　beribboned　and　beruffled　baby's　toilet　basket。　

From　behind　the　sofa　pillow　leered　ridiculously

the　Teddy　bear；　just　as　it　had　left　Cyril's

desperate　hand。



No　wonder；　indeed；　that　Billy　smiled。　　Billy

was　thinking　of　what　Marie　had　said　not　a　week

before：



‘‘I　shall　keep　the　baby；　of　course；　in　the　nursery。　

I've　been　in　homes　where　they've　had　baby

things　strewn　from　one　end　of　the　house　to　the

other；　but　it　won't　be　that　way　here。　　In　the　first

place；　I　don't　believe　in　it；　but；　even　if　I　did；　I'd

have　to　be　careful　on　account　of　Cyril。　　Imagine

Cyril's　trying　to　write　his　music　with　a　baby　in

the　room！　　No！　　I　shall　keep　the　baby　in　the

nursery；　if　possible；　but　wherever　it　is；　it　won't

be　anywhere　near　Cyril's　den；　anyway。''



Billy　suppressed　many　a　smile　during　the　days

that　immediately　followed　the　coming　of　the

twins。　　Some　of　the　smiles；　however；　refused　to

be　suppressed。　　They　became；　indeed；　shamelessly

audible　chuckles。



Billy　was　to　sail　the　tenth；　and；　naturally；

during　those　early　July　days；　her　time　was　pretty

much　occupied　with　her　preparations　for　departure；

but　nothing　could　keep　her　from　frequent；

though　short；　visits　to　the　home　of　her　brother…

in…law。



The　twins　were　proving　themselves　to　be　fine；

healthy　boys。　　Two　trained　maids；　and　two

trained　nurses　ruled　the　household　with　a　rod　of

iron。　　As　to　CyrilBilly　declared　that　Cyril

was　learning　something　every　day　of　his　life　now。



‘‘Oh；　yes；　he's　learning　things；''　she　said　to

Aunt　Hannah；　one　morning；　‘‘lots　of　things。　

For　instance：　he　has　his　breakfast　now；　not　when

he　wants　it；　but　when　the　maid　wants　to　give　it

to　himwhich　is　precisely　at　eight　o'clock　every

morning。　　So　he's　learning　punctuality。　　And　for

the　first　time　in　his　life　he　has　discovered　the

astounding　fact　that　there　are　several　things

more　important　in　the　world　than　is　the　special

piece　of　music　he　happens　to　be　composing

chiefly　the　twins'　bath；　the　twins'　nap；　the　twins'

airing；　and　the　twins'　colic。''



Aunt　Hannah　laughed；　though　she　frowned；

too。



‘‘But；　surely；　Billy；　with　two　nurses　and　the

maids；　Cyril　doesn't　have　toto''　　She

came　to　a　helpless　pause。



‘‘Oh；　no；''　laughed　Billy；　‘‘Cyril　doesn't　have

to　really　attend　to　any　of　those　thingsthough

I　have　seen　each　of　the　nurses；　at　different　times；

unhesitatingly　thrust　a　twin　into　his　arms　and

bid　him　hold　the　child　till　she　comes　back。　　But

it's　this　way。　　You　see；　Marie　must　be　kept　quiet；

and　the　nursery　is　very　near　her　room。　　It　worries

her　terribly　when　either　of　the　children　cries。　

Besides；　the　little　rascals　have　apparently　fixed　up

some　sort　of　labor…union　compact　with　each　other；

so　that　if　one　cries　for　something　or　nothing；　the

other　promptly　joins　in　and　helps。　　So　the　nurses

have　got　into　the　habit　of　picking　up　the　first

disturber　of　the　peace；　and　hurrying　him　to

quarters　remote；　and　Cyril's　den　being　the　most

remote　of　all；　they　usually　fetch　up　there。''



‘‘You　meanthey　take　those　babies　into

Cyril's　den_now_？''　　Even　Aunt　Hannah　was

plainly　aghast。



‘‘Yes；''　twinkled　Billy。　　‘‘I　fancy　their

Hygienic　Immaculacies　approved　of　Cyril's　bare

floors；　undraped　windows；　and　generally　knick…

knackless　condition。　　Anyhow；　they've　made　his

den　a　sort　ofof　annex　to　the　nursery。''



‘‘Butbut　Cyril！　　What　does　he　say？''

stammered　the　dumfounded　Aunt　Hannah。　　‘‘Think

of　Cyril's　standing　a　thing　like　that！　　Doesn't　he

do　anythingor　say　anything？''



Billy　smiled；　and　lifted　her　brows　quizzically。



‘‘My　dear　Aunt　Hannah；　did　you　ever　know

_many_　people　to　have　the　courage　to　‘say　things'

to　one　of　those　becapped；　beaproned；　bespotless

creatures　of　loftily　superb　superiority　known　as

trained　nurses？　　Besides；　you　wouldn't　recognize

Cyril　now。　　Nobody　would。　　He's　as　meek　as

Moses；　and　has　been　ever　since　his　two　young　sons

were　laid　in　his　reluctant；　trembling　arms。　　He

breaks　into　a　cold　sweat　at　nothing；　and　moves

about　his　own　home　as　if　he　were　a　stranger　and

an　interloper；　endured　merely　on　sufferance　in

this　abode　of　strange　women　and　strange　babies。''



‘‘Nonsense！''　scoffed　Aunt　Hannah。



‘‘But　it's　so；''　maintained　Billy；　merrily。　

‘‘Now；　for　instance。　　You　know　Cyril　always

has　been　in　the　habit　of　venting　his　moods　on　the

piano　（just　as　I　do；　only　more　so）　by　playing

exactly　as　he　feels。　　Well；　as　near　as　I　can　gather；

he　was　at　his　usual　trick　the　next　day　after　the

twins　arrived；　and　you　can　imagine　about　what

sort　of　music　it　would　be；　after　what　he　had　been

through　the　preceding　forty…eight　hours。



‘‘Of　course　I　don't　know　exactly　what

happened；　but　JuliaMarie's　second　maid；　you

knowtells　the　story。　　She's　been　with　them

long　enough　to　know　something　of　the　way　the

whole　household　always　turns　on　the　pivot　of

the　master's　whims；　so　she　fully　appreciated　the

situation。　　She　says　she　heard　him　begin　to　play；

and　that　she　never　heard　such　queer；　creepy；

shivery　music　in　her　life；　but　that　he　hadn't　been

playing　five　minutes　before　one　of　the　nurses

came　into　the　living…room　where　Julia　was　dusting；

and　told　her　to　tell　whoever　was　playing　to

stop　that　dreadful　noise；　as　they　wanted　to　tak