miss billie married-第8章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
declared） cooked like an angel and minded her own
business like a man。 Pete； as of yore； had full
charge of the house； and a casual eye would see
few changes。 Even the brothers themselves saw
few； for that matter。
True； at the very first； Billy had donned a
ruffled apron and a bewitching dust…cap； and had
traversed the house from cellar to garret with a
prettily important air of ‘‘managing things；'' as
she suggested changes right and left。 She had
summoned Pete； too； for three mornings in
succession； and with great dignity had ordered the
meals for the day。 But when Bertram was
discovered one evening tugging back his favorite
chair； and when William had asked if Billy were
through using his pipe…tray； the young wife had
concluded to let things remain about as they
were。 And when William ate no breakfast one
morning； and Bertram aggrievedly refused dessert
that night at dinner； Billylearning through an
apologetic Pete that Master William always had
to have eggs for breakfast no matter what else
there was； and that Master Bertram never ate
boiled ricegave up planning the meals。 True；
for three more mornings she summoned Pete for
‘‘orders；'' but the orders were nothing more nor
less than a blithe ‘‘Well； Pete； what are we going
to have for dinner to…day？'' By the end of a
week even this ceremony was given up； and before
a month had passed； Billy was little more
than a guest in her own home； so far as
responsibility was concerned。
Billy was not idle； however； far from it。 First；
there were the delightful hours with Bertram。
Then there was her music： Billy was writing a
new songthe best she had ever written； Billy
declared。
‘‘Why； Bertram； it can't help being that；'' she
said to her husband； one day。 ‘‘The words just
sang themselves to me right out of my heart；
and the melody just dropped down from the sky。
And now； everywhere； I'm hearing the most
wonderful harmonies。 The whole universe is
singing to me。 If only now I can put it on paper
what I hear！ Then I can make the whole
universe sing to some one else！''
Even music； however； had to step one side for
the wedding calls which were beginning to be
received； and which must be returned； in spite
of the occasional rebellion of the young husband。
There were the more intimate friends to be seen；
also； and Cyril and Marie to be visited。 And
always there was the Annex。
The Annex was in fine running order now； and
was a source of infinite satisfaction to its founder
and great happiness to its beneficiaries。 Tommy
Dunn was there； learning wonderful things from
books and still more wonderful things from the
piano in the living…room。 Alice Greggory and
her mother were there； toothe result of much
persuasion。 Indeed； according to Bertram； Billy
had been able to fill the Annex only by telling
each prospective resident that he or she was
absolutely necessary to the welfare and happiness
of every other resident。 Not that the house was
full； either。 There were still two unoccupied
rooms。
‘‘But then； I'm glad there are；'' Billy had
declared； ‘‘for there's sure to be some one that I'll
want to send there。''
‘‘Some _one_； did you say？'' Bertram had retorted；
meaningly； but his wife had disdained to
answer this。
Billy herself was frequently at the Annex。
She told Aunt Hannah that she had to come often
to bring the happinessit accumulated so fast。
Certainly she always found plenty to do there；
whenever she came。 There was Aunt Hannah to
be read to； Mrs。 Greggory to be sung to； and
Tommy Dunn to be listened to； for Tommy
Dunn was always quivering with eagerness to
play her his latest ‘‘piece。''
Billy knew that some day at the Annex she
would meet Mr。 M。 J。 Arkwright； and she told
herself that she hoped she should。
Billy had not seen Arkwright （except on the
stage of the Boston Opera House） since the day
he had left her presence in white…faced； stony…
eyed misery after declaring his love for her； and
learning of her engagement to Bertram。 Since
then； she knew； he had been much with his old
friend； Alice Greggory。 She did not believe；
should she see him now； that he would be either
white…faced； or stony…eyed。 His heart； she was
sure； had gone where it ought to have gone in the
first placeto Alice。 Such being； in her opinion；
the case； she longed to get the embarrassment
of a first meeting between themselves over
with； for； after that； she was sure； their old
friendship could be renewed； and she would be in a
position to further this pretty love affair between
him and Alice。 Very decidedly； therefore； Billy
wished to meet Arkwright。 Very pleased； consequently；
was she when； one day； coming into the
living…room at the Annex； she found the man
sitting by the fire。
Arkwright was on his feet at once。
‘‘MissMrs。 HHenshaw；'' he stammered
‘‘Oh； Mr。 Arkwright；'' she cried； with just a
shade of nervousness in her voice as she advanced；
her hand outstretched。 ‘‘I'm glad to see you。''
‘‘Thank you。 I wanted to see Miss Greggory；''
he murmured。 Then； as the unconscious rudeness
of his reply dawned on him； he made matters
infinitely worse by an attempted apology。 ‘‘That
is； I meanI didn't mean'' he began to
stammer miserably。
Some girls might have tossed the floundering
man a straw in the shape of a light laugh intended
to turn aside all embarrassmentbut not Billy。
Billy held out a frankly helping hand that was
meant to set the man squarely on his feet at her
side。
‘‘Mr。 Arkwright； don't； please；'' she begged
earnestly。 ‘‘You and I don't need to beat about
the bush。 I _am_ glad to see you； and I hope you're
glad to see me。 We're going to be the best of
friends from now on； I'm sure； and some day；
soon； you're going to bring Alice to see me； and
we'll have some music。 I left her up…stairs。 She'll
be down at once； I dare sayI met Rosa going
up with your card。 Good…by；'' she finished with
a bright smile； as she turned and walked rapidly
from the room。
Outside； on the steps； Billy drew a long
breath。
‘‘There；'' she whispered； ‘‘that's overand
well over！'' The next minute she frowned vexedly。
She had missed her glove。 ‘‘Never mind！
I sha'n't go back in there for it now； anyway；''
she decided。
In the living…room； five minutes later； Alice
Greggory found only a hastily scrawled note
waiting for her。
‘‘If you'll forgive the unforgivable；'' she read
‘‘you'll forgive me for not being here when you
come down。 ‘Circumstances over which I have
no control have called me away。' May we let
it go at that？
M。 J。 ARKWRIGHT。
As Alice Greggory's amazed； questioning eyes
left the note they fell upon the long white glove
on the floor by the door。 Half mechanically she
crossed the room and picked it up； but almost at
once she dropped it with a low cry。
‘‘Billy！ HesawBilly！'' Then a flood
of understanding dyed her face scarlet as she
turned and fled to the blessedly unseeing walls
of her own room。
Not ten minutes later Rosa tapped at her door
with a note。
‘‘It's from Mr。 Arkwright； Miss。 He's downstairs。''
Rosa's eyes were puzzled； and a bit
startled。
‘‘Mr。 Arkwright！''
‘‘Yes； Miss。 He's come again。 That is； I
didn't know he'd wentbut he must have； for
he's come again now。 He wrote something in a
little book； then he tore it out and gave it to me。
He said he'd wait； please； for an answer。''
‘‘Oh； very well； Rosa。''
Miss Greggory took the note and spoke with
an elaborate air of indifference that was meant to
express a calm ignoring of the puzzled questioning
in the other's eyes。 The next moment she read
this in Arkwright's peculiar scrawl：
‘‘If you've already forgiven the unforgivable；
you'll do it again； I know； and come down…stairs。
Won't you； please？ I want to see you。''
Miss Greggory lifted her head with a jerk。
Her face was a painful red。
‘‘Tell Mr。 Arkwright I can't possibly'' She
came to an abrupt pause。 Her eyes had encountered
Rosa's； and in Rosa's eyes the puzzled questioning
was plainly fast becoming a shrewd suspicion。
There was the briefest of hesitations； then；
lightly； Miss Greggory tossed the note aside。
‘‘Tell Mr。 Arkwright I'll be down at once；
please；'' she directed carelessly； as she turned
back into the room。
But she was not down at once。 She was not
down until she had taken time to bathe her red
eyes； powder her telltale nose； smoothe her ruffled
hair； and whip herself into the calm； steady…eyed；
self…controlled young woman that Arkwright
finally rose to meet when she came into the room。
‘‘I thought it was only women who were privileged
to change their mind；'' she began brightly；
but Arkwright ignored her attempt to conventionalize
the situation。
‘‘Thank you for coming down；'' he said； with
a weariness that instantly drove the forced smile
from the girl's lips。 ‘‘II wanted toto talk
to you。''
‘‘Yes？'' She seated herself and motioned him
to a chair near her。 He took the seat； and then
fell silent； his eyes out the window。
‘‘I thought you said youyou wanted to
talk； she reminded him nervously； after a
minute。
‘‘I did。'' He turned with disconcerting abruptness。
‘‘Alice； I'm going to tell you a story。''
I shall be glad to listen。 People always like
stories； don't they？''
‘‘Do they？'' The somber pain in Arkwright's
eyes deepened。 Alice Greggory did not know it；
but he was thinking of another story he had once
told in that same room。 Billy was his listener
then； while now A little precipitately he began
to speak。
‘‘When I was a very small boy I went to visit
my uncle； who； in his young days； had been quite
a hunter。 Before the fireplace in his library was
a huge tiger skin with a particularly lifelike head。
The first time I saw it I screamed； and ran and
hid。 I refused then even to go into the room
again。 My cousins urged； scolded； pleaded； and
laughed at me by turns； but I was obdurate。 I
would not go where I could see the fearsome thing
again； even though it was； as they said； ‘nothing
but a dead old rug！'
‘‘Finally； one day； my uncle took a hand in the
matter。 By sheer will…power he forced me to go
with him straight up to the dreaded creature； and
stand by its side。 He laid one of my shrinking
hands on the beast's smooth head； and thrust
the other one quite into the open red mouth with
its gleaming teeth。
‘‘ ‘You see；' he said； ‘there's absolutely nothing
to fear。 He can't possibly hurt you。 Just as
if you weren't bigger and finer and stronger in
every way than that dead thing on the floor！'
‘‘Then； when he had got me to the point where
