miss billie married-第2节

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to　a　fellow　like　Bertram　who　has　had　_his_

own　way　and　everything　_he's_　wanted　for　years。　

Pray；　what's　going　to　happen　when　those　ways

conflict；　and　neither　one　gets　the　thing　wanted？



‘‘And　think　of　her　ignorance　of　cookingbut；

there！　　What's　the　use？　　They're　married　now；

and　it　can't　be　helped。



‘‘Mercy；　what　a　letter　I've　written！　　But　I；

had　to　talk　to　some　one；　besides；　I'd　promised　I

to　let　you　know　how　matters　stood　as　soon　as　I

could。　　As　you　see；　though；　my　trip　East　has　been

practically　useless。　　I　saw　the　wedding；　to　be

sure；　but　I　didn't　prevent　it；　or　even　postpone

itthough　I　meant　to　do　one　or　the　other；　else

I　should　never　have　made　that　tiresome　journey

half　across　the　continent　at　two　hours'　notice。



‘‘However；　we　shall　see　what　we　shall　see。　　As

for　me；　I'm　dead　tired。　　Good　night。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　‘‘Affectionately　yours；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　‘‘KATE。''





Quite　naturally；　Mrs。　Kate　Hartwell　was　not

the　only　one　who　was　thinking　that　evening　of

the　wedding。　　In　the　home　of　Bertram's　brother

Cyril；　Cyril　himself　was　at　the　piano；　but　where

his　thoughts　were　was　plain　to　be　seenor

rather；　heard；　for　from　under　his　fingers　there

came　the　Lohengrin　wedding　march　until　all　the

room　seemed　filled　with　the　scent　of　orange

blossoms；　the　mistiness　of　floating　veils；　and　the

echoing　peals　of　far…away　organs　heralding　the

‘‘Fair　Bride　and　Groom。''



Over　by　the　table　in　the　glowing　circle　of　the

shaded　lamp；　sat　Marie；　Cyril's　wife；　a　dainty

sewing…basket　by　her　side。　　Her　hands；　however；

lay　idly　across　the　stocking　in　her　lap。



As　the　music　ceased；　she　drew　a　long　sigh。



What　a　perfectly　beautiful　wedding　that

was！　she　breathed。



Cyril　whirled　about　on　the　piano　stool。



‘‘It　was　a　very　sensible　wedding；''　he　said　with

emphasis。



‘‘They　looked　so　happyboth　of　them；''

went　on　Marie；　dreamily；　‘‘soso　sort　of　above

and　beyond　everything　about　them；　as　if　nothing

ever；　ever　could　trouble　them_now_。''



Cyril　lifted　his　eyebrows。



‘‘Humph！　　Well；　as　I　said　before；　it　was　a　very

_sensible_　wedding；''　he　declared。



This　time　Marie　noticed　the　emphasis。　　She

laughed；　though　her　eyes　looked　a　little　troubled。



‘‘I　know；　dear；　of　course；　what　you　mean。　　_I_

thought　our　wedding　was　beautiful；　but　I　would

have　made　it　simpler　if　I'd　realized　in　time　how

youyou''



‘‘How　I　abhorred　pink　teas　and　purple

pageants；''　he　finished　for　her；　with　a　frowning

smile。　　‘‘Oh；　well；　I　stood　itfor　the　sake　of

what　it　brought　me。''　　His　face　showed　now　only

the　smile；　the　frown　had　vanished。　　For　a　man

known　for　years　to　his　friends　as　a　‘‘hater　of

women　and　all　other　confusion；''　Cyril　Henshaw

was　looking　remarkably　well…pleased　with　himself。



His　wife　of　less　than　a　year　colored　as　she

met　his　gaze。　　Hurriedly　she　picked　up　her

needle。



The　man　laughed　happily　at　her　confusion。



‘‘What　are　you　doing？　　Is　that　my　stocking？''

he　demanded。



A　look；　half　pain；　half　reproach；　crossed　her

face。



‘‘Why；　Cyril；　of　course　not！　　Youyou　told

me　not　to；　long　ago。　　You　said　my　darns　made

bunches。



‘‘Ho！　　I　meant　I　didn't　want　to　_wear_　them；''

retorted　the　man；　upon　whom　the　tragic　wretchedness

of　that　half…sobbed　‘‘bunches''　had　been

quite　lost。　　‘‘I　love　to　see　you　_mending_　them；''

he　finished；　with　an　approving　glance　at　the

pretty　little　picture　of　domesticity　before　him。



A　peculiar　expression　came　to　Marie's　eyes。



Why；　Cyril；　you　mean　you　_like_　to　have　me

mend　them　just　forfor　the　sake　of　seeing　me

do　it；　when　you　_know_　you　won't　ever　wear

them？''



‘‘Sure！''　nodded　the　man；　imperturbably。　

Then；　with　a　sudden　laugh；　he　asked：　　‘‘I　wonder

now；　does　Billy　love　to　mend　socks？''



Marie　smiled；　but　she　sighed；　too；　and　shook

her　head。



‘‘I'm　afraid　not；　Cyril。''



‘‘Nor　cook？''



Marie　laughed　outright　this　time。　　The　vaguely

troubled　look　had　fled　from　her　eyes



‘‘Oh；　Billy's　helped　me　beat　eggs　and　butter

sometimes；　but　I　never　knew　her　to　cook　a　thing

or　want　to　cook　a　thing；　but　once；　then　she

spent　nearly　two　weeks　trying　to　learn　to　make

puddingsfor　you。''



‘‘For　_me！_''



Marie　puckered　her　lips　queerly。



‘‘Well；　I　supposed　they　were　for　you　at　the

time。　　At　all　events　she　was　trying　to　make　them

for　some　one　of　you　boys；　probably　it　was　really

for　Bertram；　though。''



‘‘Humph！''　grunted　Cyril。　　Then；　after　a

minute；　he　observed：　　‘‘I　judge　Kate　thinks

Billy'll　never　make　themfor　anybody。　　I'm

afraid　Sister　Kate　isn't　pleased。''



‘‘Oh；　but　Mrs。　Hartwell　waswas　disappointed

in　the　wedding；''　apologized　Marie；

quickly。　　‘‘You　know　she　wanted　it　put　off

anyway；　and　she　didn't　like　such　a　simple　one。



‘‘Hm…m；　as　usual　Sister　Kate　forgot　it　wasn't

her　funeralI　mean；　her　wedding；''　retorted

Cyril；　dryly。　　‘‘Kate　is　never　happy；　you　know；

unless　she's　managing　things。''



‘‘Yes；　I　know；''　nodded　Marie；　with　a　frowning

smile　of　recollection　at　certain　features　of　her　own

wedding。



‘‘She　doesn't　approve　of　Billy's　taste　in　guests；

either；''　remarked　Cyril；　after　a　moment's　silence。



‘‘I　thought　her　guests　were　lovely；''　spoke　up

Marie；　in　quick　defense。　　‘‘Of　course；　most　of

her　social　friends　are　awayin　July；　but　Billy

is　never　a　society　girl；　you　know；　in　spite　of　the

way　Society　is　always　trying　to　lionize　her　and

Bertram。''



‘‘Oh；　of　course　Kate　knows　that；　but　she　says

it　seems　as　if　Billy　needn't　have　gone　out　and

gathered　in　the　lame　and　the　halt　and　the　blind。''



‘‘Nonsense！''　cried　Marie；　with　unusual　sharpness

for　her。　　‘‘I　suppose　she　said　that　just　because

of　Mrs。　Greggory's　and　Tommy　Dunn's

crutches。''



‘‘Well；　they　didn't　make　a　real　festive…looking

wedding　party；　you　must　admit；''　laughed　Cyril；

‘‘what　with　the　bridegroom's　own　arm　in　a　sling；

too！　　But　who　were　they　all；　anyway？''



‘‘Why；　you　knew　Mrs。　Greggory　and　Alice；　of

courseand　Pete；''　smiled　Marie。　　‘‘And　wasn't

Pete　happy？　　Billy　says　she'd　have　had　Pete　if

she　had　no　one　else；　that　there　wouldn't　have

been　any　wedding；　anyway；　if　it　hadn't　been　for

his　telephoning　Aunt　Hannah　that　night。''



‘‘Yes；　Will　told　me。''



‘‘As　for　Tommy　and　the　othersmost　of

them　were　those　people　that　Billy　had　at　her

home　last　summer　for　a　two　weeks'　vacation

people；　you　know；　too　poor　to　give　themselves

one；　and　too　proud　to　accept　one　from　ordinary

charity。　　Billy's　been　following　them　up　and

doing　little　things　for　them　ever　sincesugarplums

and　frosting　on　their　cake；　she　calls　it；　and　they

adore　her；　of　course。　　I　think　it　was　lovely　of　her

to　have　them；　and　they　did　have　such　a　good

time！　　You　should　have　seen　Tommy　when　you

played　that　wedding　march　for　Billy　to　enter　the

room。　　His　poor　little　face　was　so　transfigured

with　joy　that　I　almost　cried；　just　to　look　at　him。　

Billy　says　he　loves　musicpoor　little　fellow！''



‘‘Well；　I　hope　they'll　be　happy；　in　spite　of

Kate's　doleful　prophecies。　　Certainly　they　looked

happy　enough　to…day；''　declared　Cyril；　patting　a

yawn　as　he　rose　to　his　feet。　　‘‘I　fancy　Will　and

Aunt　Hannah　are　lonesome；　though；　about　now；''

he　added。



‘‘Yes；''　smiled　Marie；　mistily；　as　she　gathered

up　her　work。　　‘‘I　know　what　Aunt　Hannah's

doing。　　She's　helping　Rosa　put　the　house　to

rights；　and　she's　stopping　to　cry　over　every　slipper

and　handkerchief　of　Billy's　she　finds。　　And　she'll

do　that　until　that　funny　clock　of　hers　strikes

twelve；　then　she'll　say　‘Oh；　my　grief　and

consciencemidnight！'　　But　the　next　minute　she'll

remember　that　it's　only　half…past　eleven；　after

all；　and　she'll　send　Rosa　to　bed　and　sit　patting

Billy's　slipper　in　her　lap　till　it　really　is　midnight

by　all　the　other　clocks。''



Cyril　laughed　appreciatively。



‘‘Well；　I　know　what　Will　is　doing；''　he　declared。



‘‘Will　is　in　Bertram's　den　dozing　before　the

fireplace　with　Spunkie　curled　up　in　his　lap。''



As　it　happened；　both　these　surmises　were　not

far　from　right。　　In　the　Strata；　the　Henshaws'　old

Beacon　Street　home；　William　was　sitting　before

the　fireplace　with　the　cat　in　his　lap；　but　he　was

not　dozing。　　He　was　talking。



‘‘Spunkie；''　he　was　saying；　‘‘your　master；

Bertram；　got　married　to…dayand　to　Miss

Billy。　　He'll　be　bringing　her　home　one　of　these


daysyour　new　mistress。　　And　such　a　mistress！　

Never　did　cat　or　house　have　a　better！



‘‘Just　think；　for　the　first　time　in　years　this　old

place　is　to　know　the　touch　of　a　woman's　hand

and　that's　what　it　hasn't　known　for　almost

twenty　years；　except　for　those　few　short　months

six　years　ago　when　a　dark…eyed　girl　and　a　little

gray　kitten　（that　was　Spunk；　your　predecessor；

you　know）　blew　in　and　blew　out　again　before　we

scarcely　knew　they　were　here。　　That　girl　was

Miss　Billy；　and　she　was　a　dear　then；　just　as　she　is

now；　only　now　she's　coming　here　to