miss billy-第10节

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but　he　did　not　paint。　　The　first　stroke　of　his　brush　against　the
canvas　was　to　Spunk　a　challenge；　and　Spunk　never　refused　a
challenge。　　With　a　bound　he　was　on　Bertram's　knee；　gleeful　paw
outstretched；　batting　at　the　end　of　the　brush。

〃Tut；　tutno；　nonaughty　Spunk！　　Say；　but　wasn't　that　cute？〃
chuckled　Billy。　　〃Do　it　again！〃

The　artist　gave　an　exasperated　sigh。

〃My　dear　girl；〃　he　protested；　〃cruel　as　it　may　seem　to　you；　this
picture　is　not　a　kindergarten　game　for　the　edification　of　small
cats。　　I　must　politely　ask　Spunk　to　desist。〃

〃But　he　won't！〃　laughed　Billy。　　〃Never　mind；　we　will　take　it　some
day　when　he's　asleep。　　Let's　not　paint　any　more；　anyhow。　　I've　come
to　see　your　rooms。〃　　And　she　sprang　blithely　to　her　feet。　　〃Dear；
dear；　what　a　lot　of　faces！and　all　girls；　too！　　How　funny！　　Why
don't　you　paint　other　things？　　Still；　they　are　rather　nice。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　accepted　Bertram；　dryly。

Bertram　did　not　paint　any　more　that　afternoon。　　Billy　found　much　to
interest　her；　and　she　asked　numberless　questions。　　She　was　greatly
excited　when　she　understood　the　full　significance　of　the
omnipresent　〃Face　of　a　Girl〃；　and　she　graciously　offered　to　pose
herself　for　the　artist。　　She　spent；　indeed；　quite　half　an　hour
turning　her　head　from　side　to　side；　and　demanding　〃Now　how's　that？
and　that？〃　　Tiring　at　last　of　this；　she　suggested　Spunk　as　a
substitute；　remarking　that；　after　all；　catspretty　cats　like
Spunkwere　even　nicer　to　paint　than　girls。

She　rescued　Spunk　then　from　the　paint…box　where　he　had　been　holding
high　carnival　with　Bertram's　tubes　of　paint；　and　demanded　if
Bertram　ever　saw　a　more　delightful；　more　entrancing；　more
altogether…to…be…desired　model。　　She　was　so　artless；　so　merry；　so
frankly　charmed　with　it　all　that　Bertram　could　not　find　it　in　his
heart　to　be　angry；　notwithstanding　his　annoyance。　　But　when　at　four
o'clock；　she　took　herself　and　her　cat　cheerily　up…stairs；　he　lifted
his　hands　in　despair。

〃Great　Scott！〃　he　groaned。　　〃If　this　is　a　sample　of　what's　coming
I'm　GOING；　that's　all！〃



CHAPTER　XII

CYRIL　TAKES　HIS　TURN


Billy　had　been　a　member　of　the　Beacon　Street　household　a　week
before　she　repeated　her　visit　to　Cyril　at　the　top　of　the　house。
This　time　Bertram　was　not　with　her。　　She　went　alone。　　Even　Spunk
was　left　behindBilly　remembered　her　prospective　host's　aversion
to　cats。

Billy　did　not　feel　that　she　knew　Cyril　very　well。　　She　had　tried
several　times　to　chat　with　him；　but　she　had　made　so　little　headway；
that　she　finally　came　to　the　conclusionprivately　expressed　to
Bertramthat　Mr。　Cyril　was　bashful。　　Bertram　had　only　laughed。　　He
had　laughed　the　harder　because　at　that　moment　he　could　hear　Cyril
pounding　out　his　angry　annoyance　on　the　piano　upstairsCyril　had
just　escaped　from　one　of　Billy's　most　determined　〃attempts；〃　and
Bertram　knew　it。　　Bertram's　laugh　had　puzzled　Billyand　it　had　not
quite　pleased　her。　　Hence　to…day　she　did　not　tell　him　of　her　plan
to　go　up…stairs　and　see　what　she　could　do　herself；　alone；　to　combat
this　〃foolish　bashfulness〃　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Cyril　Henshaw。

In　spite　of　her　bravery；　Billy　waited　quite　one　whole　minute　at　the
top　of　the　stairs　before　she　had　the　courage　to　knock　at　Cyril's
door。

The　door　was　opened　at　once。

〃WhyBilly！〃　cried　the　man　in　surprise。

〃Yes；　it's　Billy。　　II　came　up　toto　get　acquainted；〃　she　smiled
winningly。

〃Why；　eryou　are　very　kind。　　Will　youcome　in？〃

〃Thank　you；　yes。　　You　see；　I　didn't　bring　Spunk。　　Iremembered。〃

Cyril　bowed　gravely。

〃You　are　very　kindagain；〃　he　said。

Billy　fidgeted　in　her　chair。　　To　her　mind　she　was　not　〃getting　on〃
at　all。　　She　determined　on　a　bold　stroke。

〃You　see；　I　thought　ifif　I　should　come　up　here；　where　there
wouldn't　be　so　many　around；　we　might　get　acquainted；〃　she　confided；
〃then　I　would　get　to　like　you　just　as　well　as　I　do　the　others。〃

At　the　odd　look　that　came　into　the　man's　face；　the　girl　realized
suddenly　what　she　had　said。　　Her　cheeks　flushed　a　confused　red。

〃Oh；　dear！　　That　is；　I　meanI　like　you；　of　course；〃　she　floundered
miserably；　then　she　broke　off　with　a　frank　laugh。　　〃There！　you　see
I　never　could　get　out　of　anything。　　I　might　as　well　own　right　up。
I　DON'T　like　you　as　well　as　I　do　Uncle　William　and　Mr。　Bertram。　　So
there！〃

Cyril　laughed。　　For　the　first　time　since　he　had　seen　Billy；
something　that　was　very　like　interest　came　into　his　eyes。

〃Oh；　you　don't；〃　he　retorted。　　〃Now　that　iservery　UNkind　of
you。〃

Billy　shook　her　head。

〃You　don't　say　that　as　if　you　meant　it；〃　she　accused　him；　her　eyes
gravely　studying　his　face。　　〃Now　I'M　in　earnest。　　_I_　really　want
to　like　YOU！〃

〃Thank　you。　　Then　perhaps　you　won't　mind　telling　me　why　you　don't
like　me；〃　he　suggested。

Again　Billy　flushed。

〃Why；　II　just　don't；　that's　all；〃　she　faltered。　　Then　she　cried
aggrievedly：　　〃There；　now！　you've　made　me　be　impolite；　and　I　didn't
mean　to　be；　truly。〃

〃Of　course　not；〃　assented　the　man；　〃and　it　wasn't　impolite；　because
I　asked　you　for　the　information；　you　know。　　I　may　conclude　then；〃
he　went　on　with　an　odd　twinkle　in　his　eyes；　〃that　I　am　merely
classed　with　tripe　and　rainy　days。〃

〃Withwha…at？〃

〃Tripe　and　rainy　days。　　Those　are　the　only　things；　if　I　remember
rightly；　that　you　don't　like。〃

The　girl　stared；　then　she　chuckled。

〃There！　　I　knew　I'd　like　you　better　if　you'd　only　SAY　something；〃
she　beamed。　　〃But　let's　not　talk　any　more　about　that。　　Play　to　me；
won't　you？　　You　know　you　promised　me　'The　Maiden's　Prayer。'〃

Cyril　stiffened。

〃Pardon　me；　but　you　must　be　mistaken；〃　he　replied　coldly。　　〃I　do
not　play　'The　Maiden's　Prayer。'〃

〃Oh；　what　a　shame！　　And　I　do　so　love　it！　　But　you　play　other
things；　I've　heard　you　a　little；　and　Mr。　Bertram　says　you　doin
concerts　and　things。〃

〃Does　he？〃　murmured　Cyril；　with　a　slight　lifting　of　his　eyebrows。

〃There！　　Now　off　you　go　again　all　silent　and　horrid！〃　chaffed
Billy。　　〃What　have　I　said　now？　　Mr。　Cyrildo　you　know　what　I
think？　　I　believe　you've　got　NERVES！〃　　Billy's　voice　was　so　tragic
that　the　man　could　but　laugh。

〃Perhaps　I　have；　Miss　Billy。〃

〃Like　Miss　Letty's？〃

〃I'm　not　acquainted　with　the　lady。〃

〃Gee！　wouldn't　you　two　make　a　pair！〃　chuckled　Billy　unexpectedly。
〃No；　but；　really；　I　meando　you　want　people　to　walk　on　tiptoe　and
speak　in　whispers？〃

〃Sometimes；　perhaps。〃

The　girl　sprang　to　her　feetbut　she　sighed。

〃Then　I'm　going。　　This　might　be　one　of　the　times；　you　know。〃　　She
hesitated；　then　walked　to　the　piano。　　〃My；　wouldn't　I　like　to　play
on　that！〃　she　breathed。

Cyril　shuddered。　　Cyril　could　imagine　what　Billy　would　playand
Cyril　did　not　like　〃rag…time；〃　nor　〃The　Storm。〃

〃Oh；　do　you　play？〃　he　asked　constrainedly。

Billy　shook　her　head。

〃Not　much。　　Only　little　bits　of　things；　you　know；〃　she　said
wistfully；　as　she　turned　toward　the　door。

For　some　minutes　after　she　had　gone；　Cyril　stood　where　she　had　left
him；　his　eyes　moody　and　troubled。

〃I　suppose　I　might　have　playedsomething；〃　he　muttered　at　last；
〃but'The　Maiden's　Prayer'！good　heavens！〃

Billy　was　a　little　shy　with　Cyril　when　he　came　down　to　dinner　that
night。　　For　the　next　few　days；　indeed；　she　held　herself　very
obviously　aloof　from　him。　　Cyril　caught　himself　wondering　once　if
she　were　afraid　of　his　〃nerves。〃　　He　did　not　try　to　find　out；
however；　he　was　too　emphatically　content　that　of　her　own　accord　she
seemed　to　be　leaving　him　in　peace。

It　must　have　been　a　week　after　Billy's　visit　to　the　top　of　the
house　that　Cyril　stopped　his　playing　very　abruptly　one　day；　and
opened　his　door　to　go　down…stairs。　　At　the　first　step　he　started
back　in　amazement。

〃Why；　Billy！〃　he　ejaculated。

The　girl　was　sitting　very　near　the　top　of　the　stairway。　　At　his
appearance　she　got　to　her　feet　shamefacedly。

〃Why；　Billy；　what　in　the　world　are　you　doing　there？〃

〃Listening。〃

〃Listening！〃

〃Yes。　　Do　you　mind？〃

The　man　did　not　answer。　　He　was　too　surprised　to　find　words　at
once；　and　he　was　trying　to　recollect　what　he　had　been　playing。

〃You　see；　listening　to　music　this　way　isn't　like　listening　toto
talking；〃　hurried　on　Billy；　feverishly。　　〃It　isn't　sneaking　like
that；　is　it？〃

〃Whyno。〃

〃And　you　don't　mind？〃

〃Why；　surely；　I　ought　not　to　mindthat；〃　he　admitted。

〃Then　I　can　keep　right　on　as　I　have　done。　　Thank　you；〃　sighed
Billy；　in　relief。

〃Keep　right　on！　　Have　you　been　here　before？〃

〃Why；　yes；　lots　of　days。　　And；　say；　Mr。　Cyril；　what　is　thatthat
thing　that's　all　chords　with　big　bass　notes　that　keep　saying
something　so　fine　and　splendid　that　it　marches　on　and　on；　getting
bigger　and　grander；　just　as　if　there　couldn't　anything　stop　it；
until　it　all　ends　in　one　great　burst　of　triumph？　　Mr。　Cyril；　what
is　that？〃

〃Why；　Billy！〃the　interest　this　time　in　the　man's　face　was　not
faint〃I　wish　I　might　make　others　catch　my　meaning　as　I　have
evidently　made　you　do　it！　　That's　something　of　my　ownthat　I'm
writing；　you　understand；　and　I've　tried　to　sayjust　what　you　say
you　heard。〃

〃And　I　did　hear　itI　did！　　Oh；　won't　you　play　it；　please；　with　the
door　open？〃

〃I　can't；　Billy。　　I'm　sorry；　indeed　I　am。　　But　I've　an　appointment；
and　I'm　late　now。　　You　shall　hear　it；　though；　I　promise　you；　and
with　the　door　wide　open；〃　continued　the　m