miss billie married-第3节

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

now；　only　now　she's　coming　here　to　stay。　　She's

coming　home；　Spunkie；　and　she'll　make　it　a

home　for　you；　for　me；　and　for　all　of　us。　　Up　to

now；　you　know；　it　hasn't　really　been　a　home；　for

yearsjust　us　men；　so。　　It'll　be　very　different；

Spunkie；　as　you'll　soon　find　out。　　Now　mind；

madam！　　We　must　show　that　we　appreciate　all

this：　no　tempers；　no　tantrums；　no　showing　of

claws；　no　leaving　our　coatseither　yours　or

mineon　the　drawing…room　chairs；　no　tracking

in　of　mud　on　clean　rugs　and　floors！　　For　we're

going　to　have　a　home；　Spunkiea　home！''



At　Hillside；　Aunt　Hannah　was；　indeed；　helping

Rosa　to　put　the　house　to　rights；　as　Marie　had

said。　　She　was　crying；　too；　over　a　glove　she　had

found　on　Billy's　piano；　but　she　was　crying　over

something　else；　also。　　Not　only　had　she　lost　Billy；

but　she　had　lost　her　home。



To　be　sure；　nothing　had　been　said　during　that

nightmare　of　a　week　of　hurry　and　confusion　about

Aunt　Hannah's　future；　but　Aunt　Hannah　knew

very　well　how　it　must　be。　　This　dear　little　house

on　the　side　of　Corey　Hill　was　Billy's　home；　and

Billy　would　not　need　it　any　longer。　　It　would　be

sold；　of　course；　and　she；　Aunt　Hannah；　would　go

back　to　a　‘‘second…story　front''　and　loneliness　in

some　Back　Bay　boarding…house；　and　a　second

story　front　and　loneliness　would　not　be　easy　now；

after　these　years　of　homeand　Billy。



No　wonder；　indeed；　that　Aunt　Hannah　sat

crying　and　patting　the　little　white　glove　in　her

hand。　　No　wonder；　too；　thatbeing　Aunt　Hannah

she　reached　for　the　shawl　near　by　and

put　it　on；　shiveringly。　　Even　July；　to…night；　was

coldto　Aunt　Hannah。



In　yet　another　home　that　evening　was　the

wedding　of　Billy　Neilson　and　Bertram　Henshaw

uppermost　in　thought　and　speech。　　In　a　certain

little　South…End　flat　where；　in　two　rented　rooms；

lived　Alice　Greggory　and　her　crippled　mother；

Alice　was　talking　to　Mr。　M。　J。　Arkwright；

commonly　known　to　his　friends　as　‘‘Mary　Jane；''

owing　to　the　mystery　in　which　he　had　for　so　long

shrouded　his　name。



Arkwright　to…night　was　plainly　moody　and　ill

at　ease。



‘‘You're　not　listening。　　You're　not　listening　at

all；''　complained　Alice　Greggory　at　last；　reproachfully。



With　a　visible　effort　the　man　roused　himself。



‘‘Indeed　I　am；''　he　maintained。



‘‘I　thought　you'd　be　interested　in　the

wedding。　　You　used　to　be　friendsyou　and　Billy。''　

The　girl's　voice　still　vibrated　with　reproach。



There　was　a　moment's　silence；　then；　a　little

harshly；　the　man　said：



‘‘Perhapsbecause　I　wanted　to　be　more

thana　friendis　why　you're　not　satisfied　with

my　interest　now。''



A　look　that　was　almost　terror　came　to　Alice

Greggory's　eyes。　　She　flushed　painfully；　then

grew　very　white。



‘‘You　mean''



‘‘Yes；''　he　nodded　dully；　without　looking　up。　

‘‘I　cared　too　much　for　her。　　I　supposed　Henshaw

was　just　a　friendtill　too　late。''



There　was　a　breathless　hush　before；　a　little

unsteadily；　the　girl　stammered：



‘‘Oh；　I'm　so　sorryso　very　sorry！　　II

didn't　know。''



‘‘No；　of　course　you　didn't。　　I've　almost　told

you；　though；　lots　of　times；　you've　been　so　good

to　me　all　these　weeks。''　　He　raised　his　head　now；

and　looked　at　her；　frank　comradeship　in　his

eyes。



The　girl　stirred　restlessly。　　Her　eyes　swerved

a　little　under　his　level　gaze。



‘‘Oh；　but　I've　done　nothingn…nothing；''　she

stammered。　　Then；　at　the　light　tap　of　crutches

on　a　bare　floor　she　turned　in　obvious　relief。　

‘‘Oh；　here's　mother。　　She's　been　in　visiting　with

Mrs。　Delano；　our　landlady。　　Mother；　Mr。　Arkwright

is　here。''





Meanwhile；　speeding　north　as　fast　as　steam

could　carry　them；　were　the　bride　and　groom。　

The　wondrousness　of　the　first　hour　of　their　journey

side　by　side　had　become　a　joyous　certitude

that　always　it　was　to　be　like　this　now。



‘‘Bertram；''　began　the　bride；　after　a　long

minute　of　eloquent　silence。



‘‘Yes；　love。''



‘‘You　know　our　wedding　was　very　different

from　most　weddings。''



‘‘Of　course　it　was！''



‘‘Yes；　but　_really_　it　was。　　Now　listen。''　　The

bride's　voice　grew　tenderly　earnest。　　‘‘I　think

our　marriage　is　going　to　be　different；　too。''



‘‘Different？''



‘‘Yes。''　　Billy's　tone　was　emphatic。　　‘‘There

are　so　many　common；　everyday　marriages　where

where　　Why；　Bertram；　as　if　you　could　ever

be　to　me　likelike　Mr。　Carleton　is；　for　instance！''



‘‘Like　Mr。　Carleton　isto　you？''　Bertram's

voice　was　frankly　puzzled。



‘‘No；　no！　　As　Mr。　Carleton　is　to　Mrs。　Carleton；

I　mean。''



‘‘Oh！''　Bertram　subsided　in　relief。



‘‘And　the　Grahams　and　Whartons；　and　the

Freddie　Agnews；　andand　a　lot　of　others。　

Why；　Bertram；　I've　seen　the　Grahams　and　the

Whartons　not　even　speak　to　each　other　a　whole

evening；　when　they've　been　at　a　dinner；　or

something；　and　I've　seen　Mrs。　Carleton　not　even

seem　to　know　her　husband　came　into　the　room。　

I　don't　mean　quarrel；　dear。　　Of　course　we'd　never

_quarrel！_　　But　I　mean　I'm　sure　we　shall　never

get　used　toto　you　being　you；　and　I　being　I。''



‘‘Indeed　we　sha'n't；''　agreed　Bertram；　rapturously。



‘‘Ours　is　going　to　be　such　a　beautiful　marriage！''



‘‘Of　course　it　will　be。''



‘‘And　we'll　be　so　happy！''



‘‘I　shall　be；　and　I　shall　try　to　make　you　so。''



‘‘As　if　I　could　be　anything　else；''　sighed　Billy；

blissfully。　　‘‘And　now　we　_can't_　have　any

misunderstandings；　you　see。''



‘‘Of　course　not。　　Erwhat's　that？''



‘‘Why；　I　mean　thatthat　we　can't　ever　repeat　

hose　miserable　weeks　of　misunderstanding。　

Everything　is　all　explained　up。　　I　_know_；　now；

that　you　don't　love　Miss　Winthrop；　or　just　girls

any　girlto　paint。　　You　love　me。　　Not　the

tilt　of　my　chin；　nor　the　turn　of　my　head；　but

_me_。''



‘‘I　dojust　you。''　　Bertram's　eyes　gave　the

caress　his　lips　would　have　given　had　it　not　been

for　the　presence　of　the　man　in　the　seat　across　the

aisle　of　the　sleeping…car。



‘‘And　youyou　know　now　that　I　love　you

just　you？''



‘‘Not　even　Arkwright？''



‘‘Not　even　Arkwright；''　smiled　Billy。



There　was　the　briefest　of　hesitations；　then；　a

little　constrainedly；　Bertram　asked：



‘‘And　you　said　youyou　never　_had_　cared　for

Arkwright；　didn't　you？''



For　the　second　time　in　her　life　Billy　was

thankful　that　Bertram's　question　had　turned　upon　_her_

love　for　Arkwright；　not　Arkwright's　love　for　her。　

In　Billy's　opinion；　a　man's　unrequited　love　for　a

girl　was　his　secret；　not　hers；　and　was　certainly

one　that　the　girl　had　no　right　to　tell。　　Once

before　Bertram　had　asked　her　if　she　had　ever

cared　for　Arkwright；　and　then　she　had　answered

emphatically；　as　she　did　now：



‘‘Never；　dear。''



‘‘I　thought　you　said　so；''　murmured　Bertram；

relaxing　a　little。



‘‘I　did；　besides；　didn't　I　tell　you？''　she　went

on　airily；　‘‘I　think　he'll　marry　Alice　Greggory。　

Alice　wrote　me　all　the　time　I　was　away；　and

oh；　she　didn't　say　anything　definite；　I'll　admit；''

confessed　Billy；　with　an　arch　smile；　‘‘but　she

spoke　of　his　being　there　lots；　and　they　used　to

know　each　other　years　ago；　you　see。　　There　was

almost　a　romance　there；　I　think；　before　the

Greggorys　lost　their　money　and　moved　away　from　all

their　friends。''



‘‘Well；　he　may　have　her。　　She's　a　nice　girl

a　mighty　nice　girl；''　answered　Bertram；　with　the

unmistakably　satisfied　air　of　the　man　who　knows

he　himself　possesses　the　nicest　girl　of　them　all。



Billy；　reading　unerringly　the　triumph　in　his

voice；　grew　suddenly　grave。　　She　regarded　her

husband　with　a　thoughtful　frown；　then　she　drew

a　profound　sigh。



‘‘Whew！''　laughed　Bertram；　whimsically。　　‘‘So

soon　as　this？''



‘‘Bertram！''　　Billy's　voice　was　tragic。



‘‘Yes；　my　love。''　　The　bridegroom　pulled　his

face　into　sobriety；　then　Billy　spoke；　with　solemn

impressiveness。



‘‘Bertram；　I　don't　know　a　thing　about

cookingexcept　what　I've　been　learning　in

Rosa's　cook…book　this　last　week。''



Bertram　laughed　so　loud　that　the　man　across

the　aisle　glanced　over　the　top　of　his　paper

surreptitiously。



‘‘Rosa's　cook…book！　　Is　that　what　you　were

doing　all　this　week？''



‘‘Yes；　that　isI　tried　so　hard　to　learn

something；''　stammered　Billy。　　‘‘But　I'm

afraid　I　didn'tmuch；　there　were　so　many

things　for　me　to　think　of；　you　know；　with

only　a　week。　　I　believe　I　_could_　make　peach

fritters；　though。　　They　were　the　last　thing　I

studied。''



Bertram　laughed　again；　uproariously；　but；　at

Billy's　unchangingly　tragic　face；　he　grew

suddenly　very　grave　and　tender。



‘‘Billy；　dear；　I　didn't　marry　you　toto　get　a

cook；''　he　said　gently。



Billy　shook　her　head。



‘‘I　know；　but　Aunt　Hannah　said　that　even　if

I　never　expected　to　cook；　myself；　I　ought　to　know

how　it　was　done；　so　to　properly　oversee　it。　　She

said　thatthat　no　woman；　who　didn't　know　how

to　cook　and　keep　house　properly；　had　any　business

to　be　a　wife。　　And；　Bertram；　I　did　try；　honestly；

all　this　week。