miss billy-第22章

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〃Oh；　but　you　don't　know；　you　can't　tell；〃　argued　the　girl。
〃Besides；　you　have　had　so　little　experience　with　women　that　you'd
just　be　sure　to　make　a　mistake　at　first。　　You　want　to　look　around
very　carefullyvery　carefully；　before　you　decide。〃

〃I　have　looked　around；　and　very　carefully；　Billy。　　I　know　that　in
all　the　world　there　is　just　one　woman　for　me。〃

Billy　struggled　to　her　feet。　　Mingled　pain　and　terror　looked　from
her　eyes。　　She　began　to　speak　wildly；　incoherently。　　She　wondered
afterward　just　what　she　would　have　said　if　Aunt　Hannah　had　not　come
into　the　room　at　that　moment　and　announced　that　Bertram　was　at　the
door　to　take　her　for　a　sleigh…ride　if　she　cared　to　go。

〃Of　course　she'll　go；〃　declared　Cyril；　promptly；　answering　for　her。
〃It　is　time　I　was　off　anyhow。〃　　To　Billy；　he　said　in　a　low　voice：
〃You　haven't　been　very　encouraging；　little　girlin　fact；　you've
been　mighty　discouraging。　　But　some　daysome　other　day；　I'll　try
to　make　clear　to　youmany　things。〃

Billy　greeted　Bertram　very　cordially。　　It　was　such　a　reliefhis
cheery；　genial　companionship！　　The　air；　too；　was　bracing；　and　all
the　world　lay　under　a　snow…white　blanket　of　sparkling　purity。
Everything　was　so　beautiful；　so　restful！

It　was　not　surprising；　perhaps；　that　the　very　frankness　of　Billy's
joy　misled　Bertram　a　little。　　His　blood　tingled　at　her　nearness；
and　his　eyes　grew　deep　and　tender　as　he　looked　down　at　her　happy
face。　　But　of　all　the　eager　words　that　were　so　near　his　lips；　not
one　reached　the　girl's　ears　until　the　good…byes　were　said；　then
wistfully　Bertram　hazarded：

〃Billy；　don't　you　think；　sometimes；　that　I'm　gainingjust　a　little
on　that　rival　of　minethat　music？〃

Billy's　face　clouded。　　She　shook　her　head　gently。

〃Bertram；　please　don'twhen　we've　had　such　a　beautiful　hour
together；〃　she　begged。　　〃It　troubles　me。　　If　you　do；　I　can't　go
again。〃

〃But　you　shall　go　again；〃　cried　Bertram；　bravely　smiling　straight
into　her　eyes。　　〃And　there　sha'n't　ever　anything　in　the　world
trouble　you；　eitherthat　I　can　help！〃



CHAPTER　XXXIII

WILLIAM　IS　WORRIED


Billy's　sleigh…ride　had　been　due　to　the　kindness　of　a　belated
winter　storm　that　had　surprised　every　one　the　last　of　March。　　After
that；　March；　as　if　ashamed　of　her　untoward　behavior；　donned　her
sweetest　smiles　and　〃went　out〃　like　the　proverbial　lamb。　　With　the
coming　of　April；　and　the　stirring　of　life　in　the　trees；　Billy；　too；
began　to　be　restless；　and　at　the　earliest　possible　moment　she　made
her　plans　for　her　long　anticipated　〃digging　in　the　dirt。〃

Just　here；　much　to　her　surprise；　she　met　with　wonderful　assistance
from　Bertram。　　He　seemed　to　know　just　when　and　where　and　how　to
dig；　and　he　displayed　suddenly　a　remarkable　knowledge　of　landscape
gardening。　　（That　this　knowledge　was　as　recent　in　its　acquirement
as　it　was　sudden　in　its　display；　Billy　did　not　know。）　　Very
learnedly　he　talked　of　perennials　and　annuals；　and　without
hesitation　he　made　out　a　list　of　flowering　shrubs　and　plants　that
would　give　her　a　〃succession　of　bloom　throughout　the　season。〃　　His
words　and　phrases　smacked　loudly　of　the　very　newest　florists'
catalogues；　but　Billy　did　not　notice　that。　　She　only　wondered　at
the　seemingly　exhaustless　source　of　his　wisdom。

〃I　suspect　'twould　have　been　better　if　we'd　begun　things　last
fall；〃　he　told　her　frowningly　one　day。　　〃But　there's　plenty　we　can
do　now　anyway；　and　we'll　put　in　some　quick…growing　things；　just　for
this　season；　until　we　can　get　the　more　permanent　things　established。〃

And　so　they　worked　together；　studying；　scheming；　ordering　plants
and　seeds；　their　two　heads　close　together　above　the　gaily　colored
catalogues。　　Later　there　was　the　work　itself　to　be　done；　and　though
strong　men　did　the　heavier　part；　there　was　yet　plenty　left　for
Billy's　eager　fingersand　for　Bertram's。　　And　if　sometimes　in　the
intimacy　of　seed…sowing　and　plant…setting；　the　touch　of　the
slenderer　fingers　sent　a　thrill　through　the　browner　ones；　Bertram
made　no　sign。　　He　was　careful　always　to　be　the　cheerful；　helpful
assistantand　that　was　all。

Billy；　it　is　true；　was　a　little　disturbed　at　being　quite　so　much
with　Bertram。　　She　dreaded　a　repetition　of　some　such　words　as　had
been　uttered　at　the　end　of　the　sleigh…ride。　　She　told　herself　that
she　had　no　right　to　grieve　Bertram；　to　make　it　hard　for　him　by
being　with　him；　but　at　the　very　next　breath；　she　could　but
question；　did　she　grieve　him？　　Was　it　hard　for　him　to　have　her　with
him？　　Then　she　would　glance　at　his　eager　face　and　meet　his　buoyant
smileand　answer　〃no。〃　　After　that；　for　a　time；　at　least；　her
fears　would　be　less。

Systematically　Billy　avoided　Cyril　these　days。　　She　could　not
forget　his　promise　to　make　many　things　clear　to　her　some　day。　　She
thought　she　knew　what　he　meantthat　he　would　try　to　convince　her
（as　she　had　tried　to　convince　herself）　that　she　would　make　a　good
wife　for　him。

Billy　was　very　sure　that　if　Cyril　could　be　prevented　from　speaking
his　mind　just　now；　his　mind　would　change　in　time；　hence　her
determination　to　give　his　mind　that　opportunity。

Billy's　avoidance　of　Cyril　was　the　more　easily　accomplished　because
she　was　for　a　time　taking　a　complete　rest　from　her　music。　　The　new
songs　had　been　finished　and　sent　to　the　publishers。　　There　was　no
excuse；　therefore；　for　Cyril's　coming　to　the　house　on　that　score；
and；　indeed；　he　seemed　of　his　own　accord　to　be　making　only
infrequent　visits　now。　　Billy　was　pleased；　particularly　as　Marie
was　not　there　to　play　third　party。　　Marie　had　taken　up　her　teaching
again；　much　to　Billy's　distress。

〃But　I　can't　stay　here　always；　like　this；〃　Marie　had　protested。

〃But　I　should　like　to　keep　you！〃　Billy　had　responded；　with　no　less
decision。

Marie　had　been　firm；　however；　and　had　gone；　leaving　the　little
house　lonely　without　her。

Aside　from　her　work　in　the　garden　Billy　as　resolutely　avoided
Bertram　as　she　did　Cyril。　　It　was　natural；　therefore；　that　at　this
crisis　she　should　turn　to　William　with　a　peculiar　feeling　of
restfulness。　　He；　at　least；　would　be　safe；　she　told　herself。　　So
she　frankly　welcomed　his　every　appearance；　sung　to　him；　played　to
him；　and　took　long　walks　with　him　to　see　some　wonderful　bracelet　or
necklace　that　he　had　discovered　in　a　dingy　little　curio…shop。

William　was　delighted。　　He　was　very　fond　of　his　namesake；　and　he
had　secretly　chafed　a　little　at　the　way　his　younger　brothers　had
monopolized　her　attention。　　He　was　rejoiced　now　that　she　seemed　to
be　turning　to　him　for　companionship；　and　very　eagerly　he　accepted
all　the　time　she　could　give　him。

William　had；　in　truth；　been　growing　more　and　more　lonely　ever　since
Billy's　brief　stay　beneath　his　roof　years　before。　　Those　few　short
weeks　of　her　merry　presence　had　shown　him　how　very　forlorn　the
house　was　without　it。　　More　and　more　sorrowfully　during　past　years；
his　thoughts　had　gone　back　to　the　little　white　flannel　bundle　and
to　the　dear　hopes　it　had　carried　so　long　ago。　　If　the　boy　had　only
lived；　thought　William；　mournfully；　there　would　not　now　have　been
that　dreary　silence　in　his　home；　and　that　sore　ache　in　his　heart。

Very　soon　after　William　had　first　seen　Billy；　he　began　to　lay
wonderful　plans；　and　in　every　plan　was　Billy。　　She　was　not　his
child　by　flesh　and　blood；　he　acknowledged；　but　she　was　his　by　right
of　love　and　needed　care。　　In　fancy　he　looked　straight　down　the
years　ahead；　and　everywhere　he　saw　Billy；　a　loving；　much…loved
daughter；　the　joy　of　his　life；　the　solace　of　his　declining　years。

To　no　one　had　William　talked　of　thisand　to　no　one　did　he　show
the　bitterness　of　his　grief　when　he　saw　his　vision　fade　into
nothingness　through　Billy's　unchanging　refusal　to　live　in　his　home。
Only　he　himself　knew　the　heartache；　the　loneliness；　the　almost
unbearable　longing　of　the　past　winter　months　while　Billy　had　lived
at　Hillside；　and　only　he　himself　knew　now　the　almost　overwhelming
joy　that　was　his　because　of　what　he　thought　he　saw　in　Billy's
changed　attitude　toward　himself。

Great　as　was　William's　joy；　however；　his　caution　was　greater。　　He
said　nothing　to　Billy　of　his　new　hopes；　though　he　did　try　to　pave
the　way　by　dropping　an　occasional　word　about　the　loneliness　of　the
Beacon　Street　house　since　she　went　away。　　There　was　something　else；
too；　that　caused　William　to　be　silentwhat　he　thought　he　saw
between　Billy　and　Bertram。　　That　Bertram　was　in　love　with　Billy；　he
guessed；　but　that　Billy　was　not　in　love　with　Bertram　he　very　much
feared。　　He　hesitated　almost　to　speak　or　move　lest　something　he
should　say　or　do　should；　just　at　the　critical　moment；　turn　matters
the　wrong　way。　　To　William　this　marriage　of　Bertram　and　Billy　was
an　ideal　method　of　solving　the　problem；　as　of　course　Billy　would
come　there　to　the　house　to　live；　and　he　would　have　his　〃daughter〃
after　all。　　But　as　the　days　passed；　and　he　could　see　no　progress　on
Bertram's　part；　no　change　in　Billy；　he　began　to　be　seriously
worriedand　to　show　it。



CHAPTER　XXXIV

CLASS　DAY


Early　in　June　Billy　announced　her　intention　of　not　going　away　at
all　that　summer。

〃I　don't　need　it；〃　she　declared。　　〃I　have　this　cool；　beautiful
house；　this　air；　this　sunshine；　this　adorable　view。　　Besides；　I've
got　a　scheme　I　mean　to　carry　out。〃

There　was　some　consternation　among　Billy's　friends　when　they　found
out　what　this　〃scheme〃　was：　sundry　of　Billy's　humbler　acquaintances
were　to　share　the　house；　the　air；　the　sunshine；　and　the　adorable
view　with　her。

〃But；　my　dear　Billy；〃　Bertram　cried；　aghast；　〃you　don't　mean　to　say
that　you　are　going　to　turn　your　beautiful　little　house　into　a
fresh…air　place　for　Boston's　slum　children！〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　it；〃　smiled　the　girl；　〃though　I'd　like　to；　really；　if
I　could；〃　she　added；　perversely。　　〃But　this　is　quite　another　thing。
It's　no　slum　work；　no　charity。　　In　the　first　place　my　guests　aren't
quite　so　poor　as　that；　and　they're　much　too　proud　to　be　reached　by
the　avowed　charity　worker。　　But　they　need　it　just　the　same。〃

〃But　you　haven't　much　spare　room；　have　you？〃　questioned　Bertram。

〃No；　unfortunately；　so　I　shall　have　to　take　only　two　or　three　at　a
time；　and　keep　them　maybe　a　week　or　ten　days。　　It's　just　a　sugar
plum；　Bertram。　　Truly　it　is；〃　she　added　whimsically；　but　with　a
tender　light　in　her　eyes。

〃But　who　are　these　people？〃　Bertram's　face　had　lost　its　look　of
shocked　surprise；　and　his　voice　expressed　genuine　interest。

〃Well；　to　begin　with；　there's　Marie。　　She'll　stay　all　summer　and
help　me　entertain　my　guests；　at　the　same　time　her　duties　won't　be
arduous；　and　she'll　get　a　little　playtime　herself。　　One　week　I'm
going　to　have　a　little　old　maid　who　keeps　a　lodging　house　in　the
West　End。　　For　uncounted　years　she's　been　practically　tied　to　a
doorbell；　with　never　a　whole　day　to　breathe　free。　　I've　made
arrangements　there　for　a　sister　to　keep　house　a　whole　week；　and　I'm
going　to　show　this　little　old　maid　things　she　hasn't　seen　for
years：　the　ocean；　the　green　fields；　and　a　summer　play　or　two；
perhaps。

〃Then　there's　a　little　couple　that　live　in　a　third…story　flat　in
South　Boston。　　They're　young　and　like　good　times；　but　the　man　is　on
a　small　salary；　and　they　have　had　lots　of　sickness。　　He's　been　out
so　much　he　can't　take　any　vacation；　and　they　wouldn't　have　any
money　to　go　anywhere　if　he　could。　　Well；