miss billie married-第32章

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from　her　lips。　　Then；　when　he　found　how　really

very　much　in　earnest　she　was；　and　how　hurt　she

was　at　his　levity；　he　managed　to　pull　his　face　into

something　like　sobriety　while　she　talked　to　him；

though　he　did　persist　in　dropping　kisses　on　her

cheeks；　her　chin；　her　finger…tips；　her　hair；　and　the

little　pink　lobes　of　her　ears‘‘just　by　way　of

punctuation''　to　her　sentences；　he　said。　　And　he

told　her　that　he　wasn't　really　slighting　her　lips；

only　that　they　moved　so　fast　he　could　not　catch

them。　　Whereat　Billy　pouted；　and　told　him　severely

that　he　was　a　bad；　naughty　boy；　and　that

he　did　not　deserve　to　be　the　father　of　the　dearest；

most　wonderful　baby　in　the　world。



‘‘No；　I　know　I　don't；''　beamed　Bertram；　with

cheerful　unrepentance；　‘‘but　I　am；　just　the　same；''

he　finished　triumphantly。　　And　this　time　he　contrived

to　find　his　wife's　lips。



‘‘Oh；　Bertram；''　sighed　Billy；　despairingly。　



‘‘You're　an　old　dear；　of　course；　and　one　just

can't　be　cross　with　you；　but　you　don't；　you　just

_don't_　realize　your　Immense　Responsibility。''



‘‘Oh；　yes；　I　do；''　maintained　Bertram　so

seriously　that　even　Billy　herself　almost　believed

him。



In　spite　of　his　assertions；　however；　it　must　be

confessed　that　Bertram　was　much　more　inclined

to　regard　the　new　member　of　his　family　as　just

his　son　rather　than　as　an　Important　Trust；　and

there　is　little　doubt　that　he　liked　to　toss　him　in

the　air　and　hear　his　gleeful　crows　of　delight；

without　any　bother　of　Observing　him　at　all。　　As

to　the　Life　and　Character　and　Destiny　intrusted

to　his　care；　it　is　to　be　feared　that　Bertram　just

plain　gloried　in　his　son；　poked　him　in　the　ribs；

and　chuckled　him　under　the　chin　whenever　he

pleased；　and　gave　never　so　much　as　a　thought　to

Character　and　Destiny。　　It　is　to　be　feared；　too；

that　he　was　Proud　without　being　Humble；　and

that　the　only　Opportunity　he　really　appreciated

was　the　chance　to　show　off　his　wife　and　baby　to

some　less　fortunate　fellow…man。



But　not　so　Billy。　　Billy　joined　a　Mothers'　Club

and　entered　a　class　in　Child　Training　with　an

elaborate　system　of　Charts；　Rules；　and　Tests。

She　subscribed　to　each　new　‘‘Mothers'　Helper；''

and　the　like；　that　she　came　across；　devouring　each

and　every　one　with　an　eagerness　that　was

tempered　only　by　a　vague　uneasiness　at　finding　so

many　differences　of　opinion　among　Those　Who

Knew。



Undeniably　Billy；　if　not　Bertram；　was　indeed

realizing　the　Enormous　Responsibility；　and　was

keeping　ever　before　her　the　Important　Trust。



In　June　Bertram　took　a　cottage　at　the　South

Shore；　and　by　the　time　the　really　hot　weather　arrived

the　family　were　well　settled。　　It　was　only

an　hour　away　from　Boston；　and　easy　of　access；

but　William　said　he　guessed　he　would　not　go；　he

would　stay　in　Boston；　sleeping　at　the　house；　and

getting　his　meals　at　the　club；　until　the　middle　of

July；　when　he　was　going　down　in　Maine　for　his

usual　fishing　trip；　which　he　had　planned　to　take

a　little　earlier　than　usual　this　year。



‘‘But　you'll　be　so　lonesome；　Uncle　William；''

Billy　demurred；　‘‘in　this　great　house　all　alone！''



‘‘Oh；　no；　I　sha'n't；''　rejoined　Uncle　William。　

‘‘I　shall　only　be　sleeping　here；　you　know；''　he

finished。　　with　a　slightly　peculiar　smile。



It　was　well；　perhaps；　that　Billy　did　not　exactly

realize　the　significance　of　that　smile；　nor　the

unconscious　emphasis　on　the　word　‘‘sleeping；''　for

it　would　have　troubled　her　not　a　little。



William；　to　tell　the　truth；　was　quite　anticipating

that　sleeping。　　William's　nights　had　not　been

exactly　restful　since　the　baby　came。　　His　evenings；

too；　had　not　been　the　peaceful　things　they

were　wont　to　be。



Some　of　Billy's　Rules　and　Tests　were　strenuously

objected　to　on　the　part　of　her　small　son；

and　the　young　man　did　not　hesitate　to　show　it。　

Billy　said　that　it　was　good　for　the　baby　to　cry；

that　it　developed　his　lungs；　but　William　was　very

sure　that　it　was　not　good　for　_him_。　　Certainly；

when　the　baby　did　cry；　William　never　could　help

hovering　near　the　center　of　disturbance；　and　he

always　_had_　to　remind　Billy　that　it　might　be　a　pin；

you　know；　or　some　cruel　thing　that　was　hurting。　

As　if　he；　William；　a　great　strong　man；　could　sit

calmly　by　and　smoke　a　pipe；　or　lie　in　his　comfortable

bed　and　sleep；　while　that　blessed　little　baby

was　crying　his　heart　out　like　that！　　Of　course；　if

one　did　not　_know_　he　was　crying　　Hence　William's

anticipation　of　those　quiet；　restful　nights

when　he　could　not　know　it。



Very　soon　after　Billy's　arrival　at　the　cottage；

Aunt　Hannah　and　Alice　Greggory　came　down　for

a　day's　visit。　　Aunt　Hannah　had　been　away　from

Boston　for　several　weeks；　so　it　was　some　time

since　she　had　seen　the　baby。



‘‘My；　but　hasn't　he　grown！''　she　exclaimed；

picking　the　baby　up　and　stooping　to　give　him　a

snuggling　kiss。　　The　next　instant　she　almost

dropped　the　little　fellow；　so　startling　had　been

Billy's　cry。



‘‘No；　no；　wait；　Aunt　Hannah；　please；''　Billy

was　entreating；　hurrying　to　the　little　corner

cupboard。　　In　a　moment　she　was　back　with　a　small

bottle　and　a　bit　of　antiseptic　cotton。　　‘‘We

always　sterilize　our　lips　now　before　we　kiss　him

it's　so　much　safer；　you　know。''



Aunt　Hannah　sat　down　limply；　the　baby　still

in　her　arms。



‘‘Fiddlededee；　Billy！　　What　an　absurd　idea！　

What　have　you　got　in　that　bottle？''



‘‘Why；　Aunt　Hannah；　it's　just　a　little　simple

listerine；''　bridled　Billy；　‘‘and　it　isn't　absurd　at

all。　　It's　very　sensible。　　My　‘Hygienic　Guide　for

Mothers'　says''



‘‘Well；　I　suppose　I　may　kiss　his　hand；''　interposed

Aunt　Hannah；　just　a　little　curtly；　‘‘without

subjecting　myself　to　a　City　Hospital　treatment！''



Billy　laughed　shamefacedly；　but　she　still　held

her　ground。



‘‘No；　you　can'tnor　even　his　foot。　　He　might

get　them　in　his　mouth。　　Aunt　Hannah；　why　does

a　baby　think　that　everything；　from　his　own　toes

to　his　father's　watch　fob　and　the　plush　balls　on　a

caller's　wrist…bag；　is　made　to　eat？　　As　if　I　could

sterilize　everything；　and　keep　him　from　getting

hold　of　germs　somewhere！''



‘‘You'll　have　to　have　a　germ…proof　room　for

him；''　laughed　Alice　Greggory；　playfully　snapping

her　fingers　at　the　baby　in　Aunt　Hannah's

lap。



Billy　turned　eagerly。



‘‘Oh；　did　you　read　about　that；　too？''　she

cried。　　‘‘I　thought　it　was　_so_　interesting；　and　I

wondered　if　I　could　do　it。''



Alice　stared　frankly。



‘‘You　don't　mean　to　say　they　actually　_have_

such　things；''　she　challenged。



‘‘Well；　I　read　about　them　in　a　magazine；''

asserted　Billy；　‘‘how　you　could　have　a　germ…

proof　room。　　They　said　it　was　very　simple；　too。　

Just　pasteurize　the　air；　you　know；　by　heating　it

to　one　hundred　and　ten　and　one…half　degrees

Fahrenheit　for　seventeen　and　one…half　minutes。　　I

remember　just　the　figures。''



‘‘Simple；　indeed！　　It　sounds　so；''　scoffed　Aunt

Hannah；　with　uplifted　eyebrows。



‘‘Oh；　well；　I　couldn't　do　it；　of　course；''　admitted

Billy；　regretfully。　　‘‘Bertram　never'd　stand　for

that　in　the　world。　　He's　always　rushing　in　to　show

the　baby　off　to　every　Tom；　Dick　and　Harry　and

his　wife　that　comes；　and　of　course　if　you　opened

the　nursery　door；　that　would　let　in　those　germ

things；　and　you　_couldn't_　very　well　pasteurize　your

callers　by　heating　them　to　one　hundred　and　ten

and　one…half　degrees　for　seventeen　and　one…half

minutes！　　I　don't　see　how　you　could　manage　such

a　room；　anyway；　unless　you　had　a　system　of

of　rooms　like　locks；　same　as　they　do　for　water　in

canals。''



‘‘Oh；　my　grief　and　consciencelocks；

indeed！''　almost　groaned　Aunt　Hannah。　　‘‘Here；

Alice；　will　you　please　take　this　childthat　is；　if

you　have　a　germ…proof　certificate　about　you　to

show　to　his　mother。　　I　want　to　take　off　my　bonnet

and　gloves。''



‘‘Take　him？　　Of　course　I'll　take　him；''　laughed

Alice；　‘‘and　right　under　his　mother's　nose；　too；''

she　added；　with　a　playful　grimace　at　Billy。　　‘‘And

we'll　make　pat…a…cakes；　and　send　the　little　pigs

to　market；　and　have　such　a　beautiful　time　that

we'll　forget　there　ever　was　such　a　thing　in　the

world　as　an　old　germ。　　Eh；　babykins？''



‘‘Babykins''　cooed　his　unqualified　approval

of　this　plan；　but　his　mother　looked　troubled。



‘‘That's　all　right；　Alice。　　You　may　play　with

him；''　she　frowned　doubtfully；　‘‘but　you　mustn't

do　it　long；　you　knownot　over　five　minutes。''



‘‘Five　minutes！　　Well；　I　like　that；　when　I've

come　all　the　way　from　Boston　purposely　to　see

him；''　pouted　Alice。　　‘‘What's　the　matter　now？　

Time　for　his　nap？''



‘‘Oh；　no；　not　forthirteen　minutes；''　replied

Billy；　consulting　the　watch　at　her　belt。　　‘‘But

we　never　play　with　Baby　more　than　five　minutes

at　a　time。　　My　‘Scientific　Care　of　Infants'　says

it　isn't　wise；　that　with　some　babies　it's　positively

dangerous；　until　after　they're　six　months　old。　　It

makes　them　nervous；　and　forces　their　mind；　you

know；''　she　explained　anxiously。　　‘‘So　of　course

we'd　want　to　be　careful。　　Bertram；　Jr。；　isn't　quite

four；　yet。''



‘‘Why；　yes；　of　course；''　murmured　Alice；

politely；　stopping　a　pat…a…cake　before　it　was　half

baked。



The　infant；　as　if　suspecting　that　he　was　being

deprived　of　his　lawful　baby　rights；　began　to　fret

and　whimper。



‘‘Poor　itty　sing；''　crooned　Aunt　Hannah；　who；

having　divested　herself　of　bonnet　and　gloves；

came　hurriedly　forward　with　outstretched　hands。　

‘‘Do　they　just　'buse　'em？　　Come　here　to　your　old

auntie；　sweetems；　and　we'll　go　walkee。　　I　saw　a

bow…wowsuch　a　tunnin'　ickey　wickey　bow…

wow　on　the　steps　when　I　came　in。　　Come；　we　go

see　ickey　wickey　bow…wow？''



‘‘Aunt　Hannah；　_please！_''　protested　Billy；　both

hands　upraised　in　horror。　　‘‘_Won't_　you　say　‘dog；'

and　leave　out　that　dreadful　‘ickey　wickey'？　

Of　course　he　can't　understand　things　now；　really；

but　we　never　know　when　he'll　begin　to；　and　we

aren't　ever　going　to　let　him　hear　baby…talk　at　all；

if　we　can　help　it。　　And　truly；　when　you　come　to

think　of　it；　it　is　absurd　to　expect　a　child　to　talk

sensibly　and　rationally　on　the　mental　diet　of

‘moo…moos'　and　‘choo…choos'　served　out　to

them。　　Our　Professor　of　Metaphysics　and　Ideology

in　our　Child　Study　Course　says　that　nothing

is　so　receptive　and　plastic　as　the　Mind　of　a　Little

Child；　and　that　it　is　perfectly　appalling　how　we

fill　it　with　trivial　absurdities　that　haven't　even

the　virtue　of　being　accurate。　　So　that's　why　we're

trying　to　be　so　careful　with　Baby。　　You　didn't

mind　my　speaking；　I　know；　Aunt　Hannah。''



‘‘Oh；　no；　of　course　not；　Billy；''　retorted　Aunt

Hannah；　a　little　tartly；　and　with　a　touch　of　sarcasm

most　unlike　her　gentle　self。　　‘‘I'm　sure　I

shouldn't　wish　to　fill　this　infant's　plastic　mind

with　anything　so　appalling　as　trivial　inaccuracies。　

May　I　be　pardoned　for　suggesting；　however；''

she　went　on　as　the　baby's　whimper　threatened　to

become　a　lusty　wail；　‘‘that　this　young　gentleman

cries　as　if　he　were　sleepy　and　hungry？