miss billie married-第34章

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

and　have　a　fine　vacation　together；''　he　had　answered　her。



As　Bertram　saw　it；　however；　he　could　detect

very　little　‘‘vacation''　to　it。　　Billy　had　no　time

for　anything　but　the　baby。　　When　she　was　not

actually　engaged　in　caring　for　it；　she　was　studying

how　to　care　for　it。　　Never　had　she　been

sweeter　or　dearer；　and　never　had　Bertram　loved

her　half　so　well。　　He　was　proud；　too；　of　her

devotion；　and　of　her　triumphant　success　as　a　mother；

but　he　did　wish　that　sometimes；　just　once　in　a

while；　she　would　remember　she　was　a　wife；　and

pay　a　little　attention　to　him；　her　husband。



Bertram　was　ashamed　to　own　it；　even　to

himself；　but　he　was　feeling　just　a　little　abused　that

summer；　and　he　knew　that；　in　his　heart；　he　was

actually　getting　jealous　of　his　own　son；　in　spite

of　his　adoration　of　the　little　fellow。　　He　told

himself　defensively　that　it　was　not　to　be　expected

that　he　should　not　want　the　love　of　his　wife；　the

attentions　of　his　wife；　and　the　companionship

of　his　wifea　part　of　the　time。　　It　was　nothing

more　than　natural　that　occasionally　he　should　like

to　see　her　show　some　interest　in　subjects　not

mentioned　in　Mothers'　Guides　and　Scientific

Trainings　of　Infants；　and　he　did　not　believe　he

could　be　blamed　for　wanting　his　residence　to　be

a　home　for　himself　as　well　as　a　nursery　for　his

offspring。



Even　while　he　thus　discontentedly　argued　with

himself；　however；　Bertram　called　himself　a　selfish

brute　just　to　think　such　things　when　he　had

so　dear　and　loving　a　wife　as　Billy；　and　so　fine　and

splendid　a　baby　as　Bertram；　Jr。　　He　told　himself；

too；　that　very　likely　when　they　were　back　in

their　own　house　again；　and　when　motherhood

was　not　so　new　to　her；　Billy　would　not　be　so

absorbed　in　the　baby。　　She　would　return　to　her　old

interest　in　her　husband；　her　music；　her　friends；

and　her　own　personal　appearance。　　Meanwhile

there　was　always；　of　course；　for　him；　his

painting。　　So　he　would　paint；　accepting　gladly　what

crumbs　of　attention　fell　from　the　baby's　table；

and　trust　to　the　future　to　make　Billy　none　the

less　a　mother；　perhaps；　but　a　little　more　the

wife。



Just　how　confidently　he　was　counting　on　this

coming　change；　Bertram　hardly　realized　himself；

but　certainly　the　family　was　scarcely　settled　at

the　Strata　before　the　husband　gayly　proposed

one　evening　that　he　and　Billy　should　go　to　the

theater　to　see　‘‘Romeo　and　Juliet。''



Billy　was　clearly　both　surprised　and　shocked。



‘‘Why；　Bertram；　I　can'tyou　know　I　can't！''

she　exclaimed　reprovingly。



Bertram's　heart　sank；　but　he　kept　a　brave

front。



‘‘Why　not？''



‘‘What　a　question！　　As　if　I'd　leave　Baby！''



‘‘But；　Billy；　dear；　you'd　be　gone　less　than　three

hours；　and　you　say　Delia's　the　most　careful　of

nurses。''



Billy's　forehead　puckered　into　an　anxious

frown。



‘‘I　can't　help　it。　　Something　might　happen

to　him；　Bertram。　　I　couldn't　be　happy　a　minute。''



‘‘But；　dearest；　aren't　you　_ever_　going　to　leave

him？''　demanded　the　young　husband；　forlornly。



‘‘Why；　yes；　of　course；　when　it's　reasonable

and　necessary。　　I　went　out　to　the　Annex　yesterday

afternoon。　　I　was　gone　almost　two　whole

hours。''



‘‘Well；　did　anything　happen？''



‘‘N…no；　but　then　I　telephoned；　you　see；

several　times；　so　I　_knew_　everything　was　all　right。''



‘‘Oh；　well；　if　that's　all　you　want；　I　could

telephone；　you　know；　between　every　act；''　suggested

Bertram；　with　a　sarcasm　that　was　quite　lost　on

the　earnest　young　mother。



‘‘Y…yes；　you　could　do　that；　couldn't　you？''

conceded　Billy；　‘‘and；　of　course；　I　_haven't_　been

anywhere　much；　lately。''



‘‘Indeed　I　could；''　agreed　Bertram；　with　a

promptness　that　carefully　hid　his　surprise　at　her

literal　acceptance　of　what　he　had　proposed　as　a

huge　joke。　　‘‘Come；　is　it　a　go？　　Shall　I　telephone

to　see　if　I　can　get　seats？''



‘‘You　think　Baby'll　surely　be　all　right？''



‘‘I　certainly　do。''



‘‘And　you'll　telephone　home　between　every

act？''



‘‘I　will。''　　Bertram's　voice　sounded　almost　as

if　he　were　repeating　the　marriage　service。



‘‘And　we'll　come　straight　home　afterwards　as

fast　as　John　and　Peggy　can　bring　us？''



‘‘Certainly。''



‘‘Then　I　thinkI'llgo；''　breathed　Billy；

tremulously；　plainly　showing　what　a　momentous

concession　she　thought　she　was　making。　　‘‘I　do

love　‘Romeo　and　Juliet；'　and　I　haven't　seen　it

for　ages！''



‘‘Good！　　Then　I'll　find　out　about　the　tickets；''

cried　Bertram；　so　elated　at　the　prospect　of　having

an　old…time　evening　out　with　his　wife　that

even　the　half…hourly　telephones　did　not　seem　too

great　a　price　to　pay。



When　the　time　came；　they　were　a　little　late　in

starting。　　Baby　was　fretful；　and　though　Billy

usually　laid　him　in　his　crib　and　unhesitatingly

left　the　room；　insisting　that　he　should　go　to　sleep

by　himself　in　accordance　with　the　most　approved

rules　in　her　Scientific　Training；　yet　to…night　she

could　not　bring　herself　to　the　point　of　leaving　the

house　until　he　was　quiet。　　Hurried　as　they　were

when　they　did　start；　Billy　was　conscious　of　Bertram's

frowning　disapproval　of　her　frock。



‘‘You　don't　like　it；　of　course；　dear；　and　I　don't

blame　you；''　she　smiled　remorsefully。



‘‘Oh；　I　like　itthat　is；　I　did；　when　it　was

new；''　rejoined　her　husband；　with　apologetic

frankness。　　‘‘But；　dear；　didn't　you　have　anything

else？　　This　looks　almostwell；　mussy；

you　know。''



‘‘Nowell；　yes；　maybe　there　were　others；''

admitted　Billy；　‘‘but　this　was　the　quickest　and

easiest　to　get　into；　and　it　all　came　just　as　I　was

getting　Baby　ready　for　bed；　you　know。　　I　am　a

fright；　though；　I'll　acknowledge；　so　far　as　clothes

go。　　I　haven't　had　time　to　get　a　thing　since　Baby

came。　　I　must　get　something　right　away；　I　suppose。''



‘‘Yes；　indeed；''　declared　Bertram；　with

emphasis；　hurrying　his　wife　into　the　waiting　automobile。



Billy　had　to　apologize　again　at　the　theater；　for

the　curtain　had　already　risen　on　the　ancient　quarrel

between　the　houses　of　Capulet　and　Montague；

and　Billy　knew　her　husband's　special　abhorrence

of　tardy　arrivals。　　Later；　though；　when　well

established　in　their　seats；　Billy's　mind　was　plainly

not　with　the　players　on　the　stage。



‘‘Do　you　suppose　Baby　_is_　all　right？''　she

whispered；　after　a　time。



‘‘Sh…h！　　Of　course　he　is；　dear！''



There　was　a　brief　silence；　during　which　Billy

peered　at　her　program　in　the　semi…darkness。　

Then　she　nudged　her　husband's　arm　ecstatically。



‘‘Bertram；　I　couldn't　have　chosen　a　better

play　if　I'd　tried。　　There　are　_five_　acts！　　I'd　forgotten

there　were　so　many。　　That　means　you　can

telephone　four　times！''



‘‘Yes；　dear。''　　Bertram's　voice　was　sternly

cheerful。



‘‘You　must　be　sure　they　tell　you　exactly　how

Baby　is。''



‘‘All　right；　dear。　　Sh…h！　　Here's　Romeo。''



Billy　subsided。　　She　even　clapped　a　little　in

spasmodic　enthusiasm。　　Presently　she　peered　at

her　program　again。



‘‘There　wouldn't　be　time；　I　suppose；　to　telephone

between　the　scenes；''　she　hazarded　wistfully。　

‘‘There　are　sixteen　of　those！''



‘‘Well；　hardly！　　Billy；　you　aren't　paying　one

bit　of　attention　to　the　play！''



‘‘Why；　of　course　I　am；''　whispered　Billy；

indignantly。　　‘‘I　think　it's　perfectly　lovely；　and

I'm　perfectly　contented；　toosince　I　found　out

about　those　five　acts；　and　as　long　as　I　_can't_　have

the　sixteen　scenes；''　she　added；　settling　back　in

her　seat。



As　if　to　prove　that　she　was　interested　in　the

play；　her　next　whisper；　some　time　later；　had　to

do　with　one　of　the　characters　on　the　stage。



‘‘Who's　thatthe　nurse？　　Mercy！　　We

wouldn't　want　her　for　Baby；　would　we？''



In　spite　of　himself　Bertram　chuckled　this　time。　

Billy；　too；　laughed　at　herself。　　Then；　resolutely；

she　settled　into　her　seat　again。



The　curtain　was　not　fairly　down　on　the　first

act　before　Billy　had　laid　an　urgent　hand　on　her

husband's　arm。



‘‘Now；　remember；　ask　if　he's　waked　up；　or

anything；''　she　directed。　　‘‘And　be　sure　to　say　I'll

come　right　home　if　they　need　me。　　Now　hurry。''



‘‘Yes；　dear。''　　Bertram　rose　with　alacrity。　

‘‘I'll　be　back　right　away。''



‘‘Oh；　but　I　don't　want　you　to　hurry　_too_　much；''

she　called　after　him；　softly。　　‘‘I　want　you　to　take

plenty　of　time　to　ask　questions。''



‘‘All　right；''　nodded　Bertram；　with　a　quizzical

smile；　as　he　turned　away。



Obediently　Bertram　asked　all　the　question

she　could　think　of；　then　came　back　to　his　wife。　

There　was　nothing　in　his　report　that　even　Billy

could　disapprove　of；　or　worry　about；　and　with

almost　a　contented　look　on　her　face　she　turned

toward　the　stage　as　the　curtain　went　up　on　the

second　act。



‘‘I　love　this　balcony　scene；''　she　sighed　happily。



Romeo；　however；　had　not　half　finished　his

impassioned　love…making　when　Billy　clutched　her

husband's　arm　almost　fiercely。



‘‘Bertram；''　she　fairly　hissed　in　a　tragic

whisper；　‘‘I've　just　happened　to　think！　　Won't　it　be

awful　when　Baby　falls　in　love？　　I　know　I　shall

just　hate　that　girl　for　taking　him　away　from　me！''



‘‘Sh…h！　　_Billy！_''　expostulated　her　husband；

choking　with　half…stifled　laughter。　　‘‘That　woman

in　front　heard　you；　I　know　she　did！''



‘‘Well；　I　shall；''　sighed　Billy；　mournfully；

turning　back　to　the　stage。



　　　　　‘‘　‘Good　night；　good　night！　parting　is　such　sweet　sorrow；

　　　　　　　　　That　I　shall　say　good　night；　till　it　be　morrow；'''



sighed　Juliet　passionately　to　her　Romeo。



‘‘Mercy！　　I　hope　not；''　whispered　Billy　flippantly

in　Bertram's　ear。　　‘‘I'm　sure　I　don't　want

to　stay　here　till　to…morrow！　　I　want　to　go　home

and　see　Baby。''



‘‘_Billy！_''　pleaded　Bertram　so　despairingly；

that　Billy；　really　conscience…smitten；　sat　back　in

her　seat　and　remained；　for　the　rest　of　the　act；

very　quiet　indeed。



Deceived　by　her　apparent　tranquillity；　Bertram

turned　as　the　curtain　went　down。



‘‘Now；　Billy；　surely　you　don't　think　it'll　be

necessary　to　telephone　so　soon　as　this　again；''　he

ventured。



Billy's　countenance　fell。



‘‘But；　Bertram；　you　_said_　you　would！　　Of　course

if　you　aren't　willing　tobut　I've　been　counting　on

hearing　all　through　this　horrid　long　act；　and''



‘‘Goodness　me；　Billy；　I'll　telephone　every

minute　for　you；　of　course；　if　you　want　me　to；''

cried　Bertram；　springing　to　his　feet；　and　trying

not　to　show　his　impatience。



He　was　back　more　promptly　this　time。



‘‘Everything　0。　K。；''　he　smiled　reassuringly

into　Billy's　anxious　eyes。　　‘‘Delia　said　she'd　just

been　up；　and　the　little　chap　was　sound　asleep。''



To　the　man's　unbounded　surprise；　his　wife

grew　actually　white。



‘‘Up！　　Up！''　she　exclaimed。　　‘‘Do　you　mean

that　Delia　went　down…stairs　to　_stay_；　and　left　my

baby　up　there　alone？''



‘‘But；　Billy；　she　said　he　was　all　right；''

murmured　Bertram；　softly；　casting　uneasy　sidelong

glances　at　his　too　interested　neighbor