miss billie married-第33章

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become　a　lusty　wail；　‘‘that　this　young　gentleman

cries　as　if　he　were　sleepy　and　hungry？''



‘‘Yes；　he　is；''　admitted　Billy。



‘‘Well；　doesn't　your　system　of　scientific　training

allow　him　to　be　given　such　trivial　absurdities

as　food　and　naps？''　inquired　the　lady；　mildly。



‘‘Of　course　it　does；　Aunt　Hannah；''　retorted

Billy；　laughing　in　spite　of　herself。　　‘‘And　it's

almost　time　now。　　There　are　only　a　few　more

minutes　to　wait。''



‘‘Few　more　minutes　to　wait；　indeed！''　scorned

Aunt　Hannah。　　‘‘I　suppose　the　poor　little　fellow

might　cry　and　cry；　and　you　wouldn't　set　that

clock　ahead　by　a　teeny　weeny　minute！''



‘‘Certainly　not；''　said　the　young　mother；

decisively。　　‘‘My　‘Daily　Guide　for　Mothers'　says

that　a　time　for　everything　and　everything　in　its

time；　is　the　very　A　B　C　and　whole　alphabet　of

Right　Training。　　He　does　everything　by　the　clock；

and　to　the　minute；''　declared　Billy；　proudly。



Aunt　Hannah　sniffed；　obviously　skeptical　and

rebellious。　　Alice　Greggory　laughed。



‘‘Aunt　Hannah　looks　as　if　she'd　like　to　bring

down　her　clock　that　strikes　half　an　hour　ahead；''

she　said　mischievously；　but　Aunt　Hannah　did　not

deign　to　answer　this。



‘‘How　long　do　you　rock　him？''　she　demanded

of　Billy。　　‘‘I　suppose　I　may　do　that；　mayn't　I？''



‘‘Mercy；　I　don't　rock　him　at　all；　Aunt

Hannah；''　exclaimed　Billy。



‘‘Nor　sing　to　him？''



‘‘Certainly　not。''



‘‘But　you　didbefore　I　went　away。　　I

remember　that　you　did。''



‘‘Yes；　I　know　I　did；''　admitted　Billy；　‘‘and　I

had　an　awful　time；　too。　　Some　evenings；　every

single　one　of　us；　even　to　Uncle　William；　had　to

try　before　we　could　get　him　off　to　sleep。　　But　that

was　before　I　got　my　‘Efficiency　of　Mother　and

Child；'　or　my　‘Scientific　Training；'　and；　oh；　lots

of　others。　　You　see；　I　didn't　know　a　thing　then；

and　I　loved　to　rock　him；　so　I　did　itthough　the

nurse　said　it　wasn't　good　for　him；　but　I　didn't

believe　_her_。　　I've　had　an　awful　time　changing；　but

I've　done　it。　　I　just　put　him　in　his　little　crib；　or

his　carriage；　and　after　a　while　he　goes　to　sleep。　

Sometimes；　now；　he　doesn't　cry　hardly　any。　　I'm

afraid；　to…day；　though；　he　will；''　she　worried。



‘‘Yes；　I'm　afraid　he　will；''　almost　screamed

Aunt　Hannah；　in　order　to　make　herself　heard

above　Bertram；　Jr。；　who；　by　this　time；　was　voicing

his　opinion　of　matters　and　things　in　no　uncertain

manner。



It　was　not；　after　all；　so　very　long　before　peace

and　order　reigned；　and；　in　due　course；　Bertram；

Jr。；　in　his　carriage；　lay　fast　asleep。　　Then；　while

Aunt　Hannah　went　to　Billy's　room　for　a　short

rest；　Billy　and　Alice　went　out　on　to　the　wide

veranda　which　faced　the　wonderful　expanse　of　sky

and　sea。



‘‘Now　tell　me　of　yourself；''　commanded　Billy；

almost　at　once。　　‘‘It's　been　ages　since　I've　heard

or　seen　a　thing　of　you。''



‘‘There's　nothing　to　tell。''



‘‘Nonsense！　　But　there　must　be；''　insisted

Billy。　　‘‘You　know　it's　months　since　I've　seen

anything　of　you；　hardly。''



‘‘I　know。　　We　feel　quite　neglected　at　the

Annex；''　said　Alice。



‘‘But　I　don't　go　anywhere；''　defended　Billy。　

‘‘I　can't。　　There　isn't　time。''



‘‘Even　to　bring　us　the　extra　happiness？''

smiled　Alice。



A　quick　change　came　to　Billy's　face。　　Her　eyes

glowed　deeply。



‘‘No；　though　I've　had　so　much　that　ought　to

have　gonesuch　loads　and　loads　of　extra　happiness；

which　I　couldn't　possibly　use　myself！　

Sometimes　I'm　so　happy；　Alice；　thatthat　I'm

just　frightened。　　It　doesn't　seem　as　if　anybody

ought　to　be　so　happy。''



‘‘Oh；　Billy；　dear；''　demurred　Alice；　her　eyes

filling　suddenly　with　tears。



‘‘Well；　I've　got　the　Annex。　　I'm　glad　I've　got

that　for　the　overflow；　anyway；''　resumed　Billy；

trying　to　steady　her　voice。　　‘‘I've　sent　a　whole

lot　of　happiness　up　there　mentally；　if　I　haven't

actually　carried　it；　so　I'm　sure　you　must　have

got　it。　　Now　tell　me　of　yourself。''



‘‘There's　nothing　to　tell；''　insisted　Alice；　as

before。



‘‘You're　working　as　hard　as　ever？''



‘‘Yesharder。''



‘‘New　pupils？''



‘‘Yes；　and　some　concert　engagementsgood

ones；　for　next　season。　　Accompaniments；　you

know。''



Billy　nodded。



‘‘Yes；　I've　heard　of　you　already　twice；　lately；

in　that　line；　and　very　flatteringly；　too。''



‘‘Have　you？　　Well；　that's　good。''



‘‘Hm…m。''　　There　was　a　moment's　silence；

then；　abruptly；　Billy　changed　the　subject。　　‘‘I

had　a　letter　from　Belle　Calderwell；　yesterday。''　

She　paused　expectantly；　but　there　was　no　comment。



‘‘You　don't　seem　interested；''　she　frowned；

after　a　minute。



Alice　laughed。



‘‘Pardon　me；　butI　don't　know　the　Lady；

you　see。　　Was　it　a　good　letter？''



‘‘You　know　her　brother。''



‘‘Very　true。''　　Alice's　cheeks　showed　a　deeper

color。　　‘‘Did　she　say　anything　of　him？''



‘‘Yes。　　She　said　he　was　coming　back　to　Boston

next　winter。''



‘‘Indeed！''



‘‘Yes。　　She　says　that　this　time　he　declares　he

really　_is_　going　to　settle　down　to　work；''　murmured

Billy；　demurely；　with　a　sidelong　glance　at　her

companion。　　‘‘She　says　he's　engaged　to　be　married

one　of　her　friends　over　there。''



There　was　no　reply。　　Alice　appeared　to　be

absorbed　in　watching　a　tiny　white　sail　far　out　at　sea。



Again　Billy　was　silent。　　Then；　with　studied

carelessness；　she　said：



‘‘Yes；　and　you　know　Mr。　Arkwright；　too。　　She

told　of　him。''



‘‘Yes？　　Well；　what　of　him？''　Alice's　voice

was　studiedly　indifferent。



‘‘Oh；　there　was　quite　a　lot　of　him。　　Belle　had

just　been　to　hear　him　sing；　and　then　her　brother

had　introduced　him　to　her。　　She　thinks　he's　perfectly

wonderful；　in　every　way；　I　should　judge。　

In　fact；　she　simply　raved　over　him。　　It　seems　that

while　we've　been　hearing　nothing　from　him　all

winter；　he's　been　winning　no　end　of　laurels　for

himself　in　Paris　and　Berlin。　　He's　been　studying；

too；　of　course；　as　well　as　singing；　and　now　he's

got　a　chance　to　sing　somewherecreate　a　rle；　or

somethingBelle　said　she　wasn't　quite　clear　on

the　matter　herself；　but　it　was　a　perfectly　splendid

chance；　and　one　that　was　a　fine　feather　in　his　cap。''



‘‘Then　he　won't　be　coming　homethat　is；

to　Bostonat　all　this　winter；　probably；''　said

Alice；　with　a　cheerfulness　that　sounded　just　a

little　forced。



‘‘Not　until　February。　　But　he　is　coming　then。　

He's　been　engaged　for　six　performances　with　the

Boston　Opera　Companyas　a　star　tenor；　mind

you！　　Isn't　that　splendid？''



‘‘Indeed　it　is；''　murmured　Alice。



‘‘Belle　writes　that　Hugh　says　he's　improved

wonderfully；　and　that　even　he　can　see　that　his

singing　is　marvelous。　　He　says　Paris　is　wild　over

him；　butfor　my　part；　I　wish　he'd　come　home

and　stay　here　where　he　belongs；''　finished　Billy；

a　bit　petulantly。



‘‘Why；　why；　Billy！''　murmured　her　friend；　a

curiously　startled　look　coming　into　her　eyes。



‘‘Well；　I　do；''　maintained　Billy；　then；

recklessly；　she　added：　　‘‘I　had　such　beautiful　plans

for　him；　once；　Alice。　　Oh；　if　you　only　could　have

cared　for　him；　you'd　have　made　such　a　splendid

couple！''



A　vivid　scarlet　flew　to　Alice's　face。



‘‘Nonsense！''　she　cried；　getting　quickly　to

her　feet　and　bending　over　one　of　the　flower　boxes

along　the　veranda　railing。　　‘‘Mr。　Arkwright

never　thought　of　marrying　meand　I'm　not

going　to　marry　anybody　but　my　music。''



Billy　sighed　despairingly。



‘‘I　know　that's　what　you　say　now；　but　if''　

She　stopped　abruptly。　　Around　the　turn　of　the

veranda　had　appeared　Aunt　Hannah；　wheeling

Bertram；　Jr。；　still　asleep　in　his　carriage。



‘‘I　came　out　the　other　door；''　she　explained

softly。　　‘‘And　it　was　so　lovely　I　just　had　to　go

in　and　get　the　baby。　　I　thought　it　would　be　so

nice　for　him　to　finish　his　nap　out　here。''



Billy　arose　with　a　troubled　frown。



‘‘But；　Aunt　Hannah；　he　mustn'the　can't

stay　out　here。　　I'm　sorry；　but　we'll　have　to　take

him　back。''



Aunt　Hannah's　eyes　grew　mutinous。



‘‘But　I　thought　the　outdoor　air　was　just　the

thing　for　him。　　I'm　sure　your　scientific　hygienic

nonsense　says　_that！_''



‘‘They　dothey　didthat　is；　some　of　them

do；''　acknowledged　Billy；　worriedly；　‘‘but　they

differ；　so！　　And　the　one　I'm　going　by　now　says

that　Baby　should　always　sleep　in　an　_even_

temperatureseventy　degrees；　if　possible；　and　that's

exactly　what　the　room　in　there　was；　when　I　left

him。　　It's　not　the　same　out　here；　I'm　sure。　　In

fact　I　looked　at　the　thermometer　to　see；　just

before　I　came　out　myself。　　So；　Aunt　Hannah；　I'm

afraid　I'll　have　to　take　him　back。''



‘‘But　you　used　to　have　him　sleep　out　of　doors

all　the　time；　on　that　little　balcony　out　of　your

room；''　argued　Aunt　Hannah；　still　plainly　unconvinced。



‘‘Yes；　I　know　I　did。　　I　was　following　the　other

man's　rules；　then。　　As　I　said；　if　only　they　wouldn't

differ　so！　　Of　course　I　want　the　best；　but　it's　so

hard　to　always　know　the　best；　and''



At　this　very　inopportune　moment　Master　Bertram

took　occasion　to　wake　up；　which　brought

even　a　deeper　wrinkle　of　worry　to　his　fond　mother's

forehead；　for　she　said　that；　according　to　the

clock；　he　should　have　been　sleeping　exactly　ten

and　one…half　more　minutes；　and　that　of　course　he

couldn't　commence　the　next　thing　until　those　ten

and　one…half　minutes　were　up；　or　else　his　entire

schedule　for　the　day　would　be　shattered。　　So　what

she　should　do　with　him　for　those　should…have…

been…sleeping　ten　minutes　and　a　half；　she　did　not

know。　　All　of　which　drew　from　Aunt　Hannah

the　astounding　exclamation　of：



‘‘Oh；　my　grief　and　conscience；　Billy；　if　you

aren't　thethe　limit！''　　Which；　indeed；　she

must　have　been；　to　have　brought　circumspect

Aunt　Hannah　to　the　point　of　actually　using　slang。







CHAPTER　XXIV



A　NIGHT　OFF





The　Henshaw　family　did　not　return　to　the

Strata　until　late　in　September。　　Billy　said　that

the　sea　air　seemed　to　agree　so　well　with　the　baby

it　would　be　a　pity　to　change　until　the　weather

became　really　too　cool　at　the　shore　to　be　comfortable。



William　came　back　from　his　fishing　trip　in

August；　and　resumed　his　old　habit　of　sleeping　at　the

house　and　taking　his　meals　at　the　club。　　To　be

sure；　for　a　week　he　went　back　and　forth　between

the　city　and　the　beach　house；　but　it　happened

to　be　a　time　when　Bertram；　Jr。；　was　cutting　a

tooth；　and　this　so　wore　upon　William's　sympathy

William　still　could　not　help　insisting

it　_might_　be　a　pinthat　he　concluded　peace　lay

only　in　flight。　　So　he　went　back　to　the　Strata。



Bertram　had　stayed　at　the　cottage　all　summer；

painting　industriously。　　Heretofore　he　had　taken

more　of　a　vacation　through　the　summer　months；

but　this　year　there　seemed　to　be　nothing　for　him

to　do　but　to　paint。　　He　did　not　like　to　go　away

on　a　trip　and　leave　Billy；　and　she　declared　she

could　not　take　the　baby　nor　leave　him；　and　that

she　did　not　need　any　trip；　anyway。



‘‘All　right；　then；　we'll　just　stay　at　the　beach；

and　have　a　fine　vacation