miss billy-第19节

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three　years　ago！　　But　what　is　he　doing　in　his　music？〃

The　other　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Same　thing。　　Plays　occasionally；　and　plays　well；　too；　but　he's　so
erratic　it's　difficult　to　get　him　to　do　it。　　Everything　must　be
just　so；　you　knowair；　light；　piano；　and　audience。　　He's　got
another　book　out；　I'm　tolda　profound　treatise　on　somebody's
something　or　othermusical；　of　course。〃

〃And　he　used　to　write　music；　doesn't　he　do　that　any　more？〃

〃I　believe　so。　　I　hear　of　it　occasionally　through　musical　friends
of　mine。　　They　even　play　it　to　me　sometimes。　　But　I　can't　stand　for
much　of　ithis　stuffreally；　Billy。〃

〃'Stuff'　indeed！　　And　why　not？〃　　An　odd　hostility　showed　in　Billy's
eyes。

Again　Calderwell　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Don't　ask　me。　　I　don't　know。　　But　they're　always　dead　slow；　somber
things；　with　the　wail　of　a　lost　spirit　shrieking　through　them。〃

〃But　I　just　love　lost　spirits　that　wail；〃　avowed　Billy；　with　more
than　a　shade　of　reproach　in　her　voice。

Calderwell　stared；　then　he　shook　his　head。

〃Not　in　mine；　thank　you；〃　he　retorted　whimsically。　　〃I　prefer　my
spirits　of　a　more　sane　and　cheerful　sort。〃

The　girl　laughed；　but　almost　instantly　she　fell　silent。

〃I've　been　wondering；〃　she　began　musingly；　after　a　time；　〃why　some
one　of　those　three　men　does　notmarry。〃

〃You　wouldn't　wonderif　you　knew　them　better；〃　declared　Calderwell。
〃Now　think。　　Let's　begin　at　the　top　of　the　Strataby　the　way；
Bertram's　name　for　that　establishment　is　mighty　clever！　　First；
Cyril：　according　to　Bertram　Cyril　hates　'all　kinds　of　women　and
other　confusion'；　and　I　fancy　Bertram　hits　it　about　right。　　So　that
settles　Cyril。　　Then　there's　Williamyou　know　William。　　Any　girl
would　say　William　was　a　dear；　but　William　isn't　a　MARRYING　man。　　Dad
says；〃Calderwell's　voice　softened　a　little〃dad　says　that　William
and　his　young　wife　were　the　most　devoted　couple　that　he　ever　saw；
and　that　when　she　died　she　seemed　to　take　with　her　the　whole　of
William's　heartthat　is；　what　hadn't　gone　with　the　baby　a　few　years
before。　　There　was　a　boy；　you　know；　that　died。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　nodded　Billy；　quick　tears　in　her　eyes。　　〃Aunt　Hannah
told　me。〃

〃Well；　that　counts　out　William；　then；〃　said　Calderwell；　with　an　air
of　finality。

〃But　how　about　Bertram？　　You　haven't　settled　Bertram；〃　laughed
Billy；　archly。

〃Bertram！〃　Calderwell's　eyes　widened。　　〃Billy；　can　you　imagine
Bertram's　making　love　in　real　earnest　to　a　girl？〃

〃Why；　Idon'tknow；　maybe！〃　　Billy　tipped　her　head　from　side　to
side　as　if　she　were　viewing　a　picture　set　up　for　her　inspection。

〃Well；　I　can't。　　In　the　first　place；　no　girl　would　think　he　was
serious；　or　if　by　any　chance　she　did；　she'd　soon　discover　that　it
was　the　turn　of　her　head　or　the　tilt　of　her　chin　that　he　admired
TO　PAINT。　　Now　isn't　that　so？〃

Billy　laughed；　but　she　did　not　answer。

〃It　is；　and　you　know　it；〃　declared　Calderwell。　　〃And　that　settles
him。　　Now　you　can　see；　perhaps；　why　none　of　these　menwill　marry。〃

It　was　a　long　minute　before　Billy　spoke。

〃Not　a　bit　of　it。　　I　don't　see　it　at　all；〃　she　declared　with
roguish　merriment。　　〃Moreover；　I　think　that　some　day；　some　one　of
themwill　marry；　Sir　Doubtful！〃

Calderwell　threw　a　quick　glance　into　her　eyes。　　Evidently　something
he　saw　there　sent　a　swift　shadow　to　his　own。　　He　waited　a　moment；
then　asked　abruptly：

〃Billy；　WON'T　you　marry　me？〃

Billy　frowned；　though　her　eyes　still　laughed。

〃Hugh；　I　told　you　not　to　ask　me　that　again；〃　she　demurred。

〃And　I　told　you　not　to　ask　impossibilities　of　me；〃　he　retorted
imperturbably。　　〃Billy；　won't　you；　nowseriously？　〃

〃Seriously；　no；　Hugh。　　Please　don't　let　us　go　all　over　that　again
when　we've　done　it　so　many　times。〃

〃No；　let's　don't；〃　agreed　the　man；　cheerfully。　　〃And　we　don't　have
to；　either；　if　you'll　only　say　'yes；'　now　right　away；　without　any
more　fuss。〃

Billy　sighed　impatiently。

〃Hugh；　won't　you　understand　that　I'm　serious？〃　she　cried；　then　she
turned　suddenly；　with　a　peculiar　flash　in　her　eyes。

〃Hugh；　I　don't　believe　Bertram　himself　could　make　love　any　more
nonsensically　than　you　can！〃

Calderwell　laughed；　but　he　frowned；　too；　and　again　he　threw　into
Billy's　face　that　keenly　questioning　glance。　　He　said　somethinga
light　somethingthat　brought　the　laugh　to　Billy's　lips　in　spite　of
herself；　but　he　was　still　frowning　when　he　left　the　house　some
minutes　later；　and　the　shadow　was　not　gone　from　his　eyes。



CHAPTER　XXIII

BERTRAM　DOES　SOME　QUESTIONING


Billy's　time　was　well　occupied。　　There　were　so　many；　many　things
she　wished　to　do；　and　so　few；　few　hours　in　which　to　do　them。　　First
there　was　her　music。　　She　made　arrangements　at　once　to　study　with
one　of　Boston's　best　piano　teachers；　and　she　also　made　plans　to
continue　her　French　and　German。　　She　joined　a　musical　club；　a
literary　club；　and　a　more　strictly　social　club；　and　to　numerous
church　charities　and　philanthropic　enterprises　she　lent　more　than
her　name；　giving　freely　of　both　time　and　money。

Friday　afternoons；　of　course；　were　to　be　held　sacred　to　the
Symphony　concerts；　and　on　certain　Wednesday　mornings　there　was　to
be　a　series　of　recitals；　in　which　she　was　greatly　interested。

For　Society　with　a　capital　S；　Billy　cared　little；　but　for
sociability　with　a　small　s；　she　cared　much；　and　very　wide　she
opened　her　doors　to　her　friends；　lavishing　upon　them　a　wealth　of
hospitality。　　Nor　did　they　all　come　in　carriages　or　automobiles
these　friends。　　A　certain　pale…faced　little　widow　over　at　the　South
End　knew　just　how　good　Miss　Neilson's　tea　tasted　on　a　crisp　October
afternoon　and　Marie　Hawthorn；　a　frail　young　woman　who　gave　music
lessons；　knew　just　how　restful　was　Miss　Neilson's　couch　after　a
weary　day　of　long　walks　and　fretful　pupils。

〃But　how　in　the　world　do　you　discover　them　allthese　forlorn
specimens　of　humanity？〃　queried　Bertram　one　evening；　when　he　had
found　Billy　entertaining　a　freckled…faced　messenger…boy　with　a
plate　of　ice　cream　and　a　big　square　of　cake。

〃Anywhereeverywhere；〃　smiled　Billy。

〃Well；　this　last　candidate　for　your　favor；　who　has　just　gonewho's
he？〃

〃I　don't　know；　beyond　that　his　name　is　'Tom；'　and　that　he　likes　ice
cream。〃

〃And　you　never　saw　him　before？〃

〃Never。〃

〃Humph！　　One　wouldn't　think　it；　to　see　his　charming　air　of
nonchalant　accustomedness。〃

〃Oh；　but　it　doesn't　take　much　to　make　a　little　fellow　like　that
feel　at　home；〃　laughed　Billy。

〃And　are　you　in　the　habit　of　feeding　every　one　who　comes　to　your
house；　on　ice　cream　and　chocolate　cake？　　I　thought　that　stone
doorstep　of　yours　was　looking　a　little　worn。〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　it；〃　retorted　Billy。　　〃This　little　chap　came　with　a
message　just　as　I　was　finishing　dinner。　　The　ice　cream　was
particularly　good　to…night；　and　it　occurred　to　me　that　he　might
like　a　taste；　so　I　gave　it　to　him。〃

Bertram　raised　his　eyebrows　quizzically。

〃Very　kind；　of　course；　butwhy　ice　cream？〃　he　questioned。　　〃I
thought　it　was　roast　beef　and　boiled　potatoes　that　was　supposed　to
be　handed　out　to　gaunt…eyed　hunger。〃

〃It　is；〃　nodded　Billy；　〃and　that's　why　I　think　sometimes　they'd
like　ice　cream　and　chocolate　frosting。　　Besides；　to　give　sugar
plums　one　doesn't　have　to　unwind　yards　of　red　tape；　or　worry　about
'pauperizing　the　poor。'　　To　give　red　flannels　and　a　ton　of　coal；
one　must　be　properly　circumspect　and　consult　records　and　city
missionaries；　of　course；　and　that's　why　it's　such　a　relief
sometimes　just　to　hand　over　a　simple　little　sugar　plum　and　see　them
smile。〃

For　a　minute　Bertram　was　silent；　then　he　asked　abruptly：

〃Billy；　why　did　you　leave　the　Strata？〃

Billy　was　taken　quite　by　surprise。　　A　pink　flush　spread　to　her
forehead；　and　her　tongue　stumbled　at　first　over　her　reply。

〃Why；　Iit　seemedyouwhy；　I　left　to　go　to　Hampden　Falls；　to　be
sure。　　Don't　you　remember？〃　she　finished　gaily。

〃Oh；　yes；　I　remember　THAT；〃　conceded　Bertram　with　disdainful
emphasis。　　〃But　why　did　you　go　to　Hampden　Falls？〃

〃Why；　itit　was　the　only　place　to　gothat　is；　I　WANTED　to　go
there；〃　she　corrected　hastily。　　〃Didn't　Aunt　Hannah　tell　you　that
II　was　homesick　to　get　back　there？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　Aunt　Hannah　SAID　that；〃　observed　the　man；　〃but　wasn't
that　homesickness　a　littlesudden？〃

Billy　blushed　pink　again。

〃Why；　maybe；　butwell；　homesickness　is　always　more　or　less　sudden；
isn't　it？〃　she　parried。

Bertram　laughed；　but　his　eyes　grew　suddenly　almost　tender。

〃See　here；　Billy；　you　can't　bluff　worth　a　cent；〃　he　declared。　　〃You
are　much　too　refreshingly　frank　for　that。　　Something　was　the
trouble。　　Now　what　was　it？　　Won't　you　tell　me；　please？〃

Billy　pouted。　　She　hesitated　and　gazed　anywhere　but　into　the
challenging　eyes　before　her。　　Then　very　suddenly　she　looked
straight　into　them。

〃Very　well；　there　WAS　a　reason　for　my　leaving；〃　she　confessed　a
little　breathlessly。　　〃Ididn't　want　tobother　you　any　moreall
of　you。〃

〃Bother　us！〃

〃No。　　I　found　out。　　You　couldn't　paint；　Mr。　Cyril　couldn't　play　or
write；　andand　everything　was　different　because　I　was　there。　　But
I　didn't　blame　youno；　no！〃　she　assured　him　hastily。　　〃It　was　only
that　Ifound　out。〃

〃And　may　I　ask　HOW　you　obtained　this　most　extraordinary　information？〃
demanded　Bertram；　savagely。

Billy　shook　her　head。　　Her　round　litt