miss billy-第16节

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explained。　　〃And　I'm　sure　I　think　it's　lovely　of　you　to　be　so　kind。
Aunt　Hannah'll　be　up　right　away。　　She　went　down　to　the　stateroom
to〃　　This　time　it　was　Billy　who　stopped　abruptly。　　The　two　men
facing　her　could　not　see　what　she　saw；　and　not　until　their　brother
Bertram's　merry　greeting　fell　on　their　ears　did　they　understand　her
sudden　silence。

〃And　is　this　the　way　you　meant　to　run　away　from　us；　young　lady？〃
cried　Bertram。　　〃Not　so　fast！　　You　see；　I　happened　to　be　in　New
York　this　morning；　and　so　I〃　　Something　in　Billy's　face　sent　a
pause　to　his　words　just　as　his　eyes　spied　the　two　men　at　the　girl's
side。　　For　a　moment　he　stared　dumbly；　then　he　gave　a　merry　gesture
of　defeat。

〃It's　all　up！　　I　might　as　well　confess。　　I'VE　been　planning　this
thing　for　three　weeks；　Billy；　ever　since　your　letter　came；　in　fact。
As　for　my　two　fellow…sinners　here；　I'll　wager　they　weren't　two　days
behind　me　in　their　planning。　　So　now；　own　up；　boys！〃

William　and　Cyril；　however；　did　not　have　to　〃own　up。〃　　Mrs。　Stetson
appeared　at　the　moment　and　created；　for　them；　a　very　welcome
diversion。

Long　minutes　later；　when　the　good…byes　had　become　nothing　but　a
flutter　of　white　handkerchiefs　from　deck　to　shore；　and　shore　to
deck；　William　drew　a　long　sigh。

〃That's　a　nice　little　girl；　boys；　a　nice　little　girl！〃　he
exclaimed。　　〃I　declare！　I　didn't　suppose　I'd　mind　so　much　her　going
so　far　away。〃



CHAPTER　XX

BILLY；　THE　MYTH


To　all　appearances　it　came　about　very　naturally　that　Billy　did　not
return　to　America　for　some　time。　　During　the　summer　she　wrote
occasionally　to　William；　and　gave　glowing　accounts　of　their
travels。　　Then　in　September　came　the　letter　telling　him　that　they
had　concluded　to　stay　through　the　winter　in　Paris。　　Billy　wrote
that　she　had　decided　not　to　go　to　college。　　She　would　take　up　some
studies　there　in　Paris；　she　said；　but　she　would　devote　herself　more
particularly　to　her　music。

When　the　next　summer　came　there　was　still　something　other　than
America　to　claim　her　attention：　the　Calderwells　had　invited　her　to
cruise　with　them　for　three　months。　　Their　yacht　was　a　little
floating　palace　of　delight；　Billy　declared；　not　to　mention　the
charm　of　the　unknown　lands　and　waters　that　she　and　Aunt　Hannah
would　see。

Of　all　this　Billy　wrote　to　Williamat　occasional　intervalsbut
she　did　not　come　home。　　Even　when　the　next　autumn　came；　there　was
still　Paris　to　detain　her　for　another　long　winter　of　study。

In　the　Henshaw　house　on　Beacon　Street；　William　mourned　not　a　little
as　each　recurring　season　brought　no　Billy。

〃The　idea！　　It's　just　as　if　one　didn't　have　a　namesake！〃　he　fumed。

〃Well；　did　you　have　one？〃　Bertram　demanded　one　day。　　〃Really；　Will；
I'm　beginning　to　think　she's　a　myth。　　Long　years　ago；　from　the
first　of　April　till　June　we　did　have　two　frolicsome　sprites　here
that　announced　themselves　as　'Billy'　and　'Spunk；'　I'll　own。　　And　a
year　later；　by　ways　devious　and　secret；　we　three　managed　to　see　the
one　called　'Billy'　off　on　a　great　steamship。　　Since　then；　what？　　A
worda　messagea　scrap　of　paper。　　Billy's　a　myth；　I　say！〃

William　sighed。

〃Sometimes　I　don't　know　but　you　are　right；〃　he　admitted。　　〃Why；
it'll　be　three　years　next　June　since　Billy　was　here。　　She　must　be
nearly　twenty…oneand　we　know　almost　nothing　about　her。〃

〃That's　so。　　I　wonder〃　　Bertram　paused；　and　laughed　a　little；　〃I
wonder　if　NOW　she'd　play　guardian　angel　to　me　through　the　streets
of　Boston。〃

William　threw　a　keen　glance　into　his　brother's　face。

〃I　don't　believe　it　would　be　quite　necessary；　NOW；　Bert；〃　he　said
quietly。

The　other　flushed　a　little；　but　his　eyes　softened。

〃Maybe　not；　Will；　stillone　can　always　find　some　use　fora
guardian　angel；　you　know；〃　he　finished；　almost　under　his　breath。

To　Cyril　Bertram　had　occasionally　spoken；　during　the　last　two
years；　of　their　first　suspicions　concerning　Billy's　absence。　　They
speculated　vaguely；　too；　as　to　why　she　had　gone；　and　if　she　would
ever　come　back；　and　they　wondered　if　anything　could　have　wounded
her　and　sent　her　away。　　To　William　they　said　nothing　of　all　this；
however；　though　they　agreed　that　they　would　have　asked　Kate　for　her
opinion；　had　she　been　there。　　But　Kate　was　not　there。　　As　it
chanced；　a　good　business　opportunity　had　called　Kate's　husband　to　a
Western　town　very　soon　after　Billy　herself　had　gone　to　Hampden
Falls；　and　since　the　family's　removal　to　the　West；　Mrs。　Hartwell
had　not　once　returned　to　Boston。

It　was　in　April；　three　years　since　Billy's　first　appearance　in　the
Beacon　Street　house；　that　Bertram　met　his　friend；　Hugh　Calderwell；
on　the　street　one　afternoon；　and　brought　him　home　to　dinner。

Hugh　Calderwell　was　a　youth　who；　Bertram　said；　had　been　born　with　a
whole　dozen　silver　spoons　in　his　mouth。　　And；　indeed；　it　would　seem
so；　if　present　prosperity　were　any　indication。　　He　was　a　good…
looking　young　fellow　with　a　frank　manliness　that　appealed　to　men；
and　a　deferential　chivalry　that　appealed　to　women；　a　combination
that　brought　him　many　friendsand　some　enemies。　　With　plenty　of
money　to　indulge　a　passion　for　traveling；　young　Calderwell　had
spent　the　most　of　his　time　since　graduation　in　daring　trips　into
the　heart　of　almost　impenetrable　forests；　or　to　the　top　of　almost
inaccessible　mountains；　with　an　occasional　more　ordinary　trip　to
give　variety。　　He　had　now　come　to　the　point；　however；　where　he　was
determined　to　〃settle　down　to　something　that　meant　something；〃　he
told　the　Henshaws；　as　the　four　men　smoked　in　Bertram's　den　after
dinner。

〃Yes；　sir；　I　have；〃　he　iterated。　　〃And；　by　the　way；　the　little　girl
that　has　set　me　to　thinking　in　such　good　earnest　is　a　friend　of
yours；　too；Miss　Neilson。　　I　met　her　in　Paris。　　She　was　on　our
yacht　all　last　summer。〃

Three　men　sat　suddenly　erect　in　their　chairs。

〃Billy？〃　cried　three　voices。　　〃Do　you　know　Billy？〃

〃To　be　sure！　　And　you　do；　too；　she　says。〃

〃Oh；　no；　we　don't；〃　disputed　Bertram；　emphatically。　　〃But　we　WISH
we　did！〃

His　guest　laughed。

〃Well；　I　fancy　you　DO　know　her；　or　you　wouldn't　have　answered　like
that；〃　he　retorted。　　〃For　you　just　begin　to　know　Miss　Billy　when
you　find　out　that　you　DON'T　know　her。　　She　is　a　charming　girla
very　charming　girl。〃

〃She　is　my　namesake；〃　announced　William；　in　what　Bertram　called　his
〃finest　ever〃　voice　that　he　used　only　for　the　choicest　bits　in　his
collections。

〃Yes；　she　told　me；〃　smiled　Calderwell。　　〃'Billy'　for　'William。'
Odd　idea；　too；　but　clever。　　It　helps　to　distinguish　her　even　more
though　she　doesn't　need　it；　for　that　matter。〃

〃'Doesn't　need　it；'〃　echoed　William　in　a　puzzled　voice。

〃No。　　Perhaps　you　don't　know；　Mr。　Henshaw；　but　Miss　Billy　is　a　very
popular　young　woman。　　You　have　reason　to　be　proud　of　your　namesake。〃

〃I　have　always　been　that；〃　declared　William；　with　just　a　touch　of
hauteur。

〃Tell　us　about　her；〃　begged　Bertram。　　〃You　remember　I　said　that　we
wished　we　did　know　her。〃

Calderwell　smiled。

〃I　don't　believe；　after　all；　that　you　do　know　much　about　her；〃　he
began　musingly。　〃Billy　is　not　one　who　talks　much　of　herself；　I
fancy；　in　her　letters。〃

William　frowned。　　This　time　there　was　more　than　a　touch　of　hauteur
in　his　voice。

〃MISS　NEILSON　is　not　one　to　show　vanity　anywhere；〃　he　said；　with
suggestive　emphasis　on　the　name。

〃Indeed　she　isn't；〃　agreed　Calderwell；　heartily。　　〃She　is　a　fine
girlquite　one　of　the　finest　I　know；　in　fact。〃

There　was　an　uncomfortable　silence。　　Over　in　the　corner　Cyril
puffed　at　his　cigar　with　an　air　almost　of　boredom。　　He　had　not
spoken　since　his　first　surprised　questioning　with　the　others；　〃Do
you　know　Billy？〃　　William　was　still　frowning。　　Even　Bertram　wore　a
look　that　was　not　quite　satisfied。

〃Miss　Neilson　has　spent　two　winters　in　Paris　now；　you　know；〃
resumed　Calderwell；　after　a　moment；　〃and　she　is　very　popular　both
with　the　American　colony；　and　with　the　other　students。　　As　for　her
'Aunt　Hannah'they　all　make　a　pet　of　her；　but　that　is；　perhaps；
because　Billy　herself　is　so　devoted。〃

Again　William　frowned　at　the　familiar　〃Billy〃；　but　Calderwell
talked　on　unheeding。

〃After　all；　I'm　not　sure　but　some　of　us　regard　'Aunt　Hannah'　with
scant　favor；　occasionally；〃　he　laughed；　〃something　as　if　she　were
the　dragon　that　guarded　the　princess；　you　know。　　Miss　Billy　IS
popular　with　the　men；　and　she　has　suitors　enough　to　turn　any　girl's
headbut　her　own。〃

〃Suitors！〃　cried　William；　plainly　aghast。　　〃Why；　Billy's　nothing
but　a　child！〃

Calderwell　gave　an　odd　smile。

〃How　long　is　it　since　you've　seenMiss　Neilson？〃　he　asked。

〃Two　years。〃

〃And　then　only　for　a　few　minutes　just　before　she　sailed；〃　amended
Bertram。　　〃We　haven't　really　seen　much　of　her　since　three　years
ago。〃

〃Hm…m；　well；　you'll　see　for　yourself　soon。　　You　know　she's　coming
home　next　month。〃

Not　one　of　the　brothers　did　know　itbut　not　one　of　them　intended
that　Calderwell　should　find　out　that　they　did　not。

〃Yes；　she's　coming　home；〃　said　William；　lifting　his　chin　a　little。

〃Oh；　yes；　next　month；〃　added　Bertram；　nonchalantly。

Even　Cyril　across　the　room　was　not　to　be　outdone。

〃Yes。　　Miss　Neilson　comes　home　next　month；〃　he　said。



CHAPTER　XXI

BILLY；　THE　REALITY


Very　early　in　May　came　the　cheery　letter　from　Billy　herself
announci