miss billy-第3节

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〃Do？　　Say　'no；'　of　course。　　As　if　we　wanted　a　boy　to　bring　up！〃

〃But　I　must　do　something。　　II'm　all　he's　got。　　He　says　so。〃

〃Good　heavens！　　Well；　send　him　to　boarding…school；　then；　or　to　the
penitentiary；　anywhere　but　here！〃

〃Shucks！　　Let　the　kid　come；〃　laughed　Bertram。　　〃Poor　little
homesick　devil！　　What's　the　use？　　I'll　take　him　in。　　How　old　is　he；
anyhow？〃

William　frowned；　and　mused　aloud　slowly。

〃Why；　I　don't　know。　　He　must　beerwhy；　boys；　he's　no　child；〃
broke　off　the　man　suddenly。　　〃Walter　himself　died　seventeen　or
eighteen　years　ago；　not　more　than　a　year　or　two　after　he　was
married。　　That　child　must　be　somewhere　around　eighteen　years　old！〃

〃And　only　think　how　Cyril　WAS　worrying　about　those　tin　carts；〃
laughed　Bertram。　　〃Never　mindeight　or　eighteenlet　him　come。　　If
he's　that　age；　he　won't　bother　much。〃

〃And　thiser'Spunk'；　do　you　take　him；　too？　　But　probably　he
doesn't　bother；　either；〃　murmured　Cyril；　with　smooth　sarcasm。

〃Gorry！　　I　forgot　Spunk；〃　acknowledged　Bertram。　　〃Say；　what　in　time
is　Spunk；　do　you　suppose？〃

〃Dog；　maybe；〃　suggested　William。

〃Well；　whatever　he　is；　you　will　kindly　keep　Spunk　down…stairs；〃
said　Cyril　with　decision。　　〃The　boy；　I　suppose　I　shall　have　to
endure；　but　the　dog！〃

〃Hm…m；　well；　judging　by　his　name；〃　murmured　Bertram；　apologetically；
〃it　may　be　just　possible　that　Spunk　won't　be　easily　controlled。　　But
maybe　he　isn't　a　dog；　anyhow。　　Heersounds　something　like　a
parrot　to　me。〃

Cyril　rose　to　his　feet　abruptly。　　He　had　eaten　almost　no　dinner。

〃Very　well；〃　he　said　coldly。　　〃But　please　remember　that　I　hold　you
responsible；　Bertram。　　Whether　it's　a　dog；　or　a　parrot；　oror　a
monkey；　I　shall　expect　you　to　keep　Spunk　down…stairs。　　This
adopting　into　the　family　an　unknown　boy　seems　to　me　very　absurd
from　beginning　to　end。　　But　if　you　and　William　will　have　it　so；　of
course　I've　nothing　to　say。　　Fortunately　my　rooms　are　at　the　TOP　of
the　house；〃　he　finished；　as　he　turned　and　left　the　dining…room。

For　a　moment　there　was　silence。　　The　brows　of　the　younger　man　were
uplifted　quizzically。

〃I'm　afraid　Cyril　is　bothered；〃　murmured　William　then；　in　a
troubled　voice。

Bertram's　face　changed。　　Stern　lines　came　to　his　boyish　mouth。

〃He　is　always　botheredwith　anything；　lately。〃

The　elder　man　sighed。

〃I　know；　but　with　his　talent〃

〃'Talent'！　　Great　Scott！〃　cut　in　Bertram。　　〃Half　the　world　has
talent　of　one　sort　or　another；　but　that　doesn't　necessarily　make
them　unable　to　live　with　any　one　else！　　Really；　Will；　it's　becoming
seriousabout　Cyril。　　He's　getting　to　be；　for　all　the　world；　like
those　finicky　old　maids　that　that　young　namesake　of　yours　wrote
about。　　He'll　make　us　whisper　and　walk　on　tiptoe　yet！〃

The　other　smiled。

〃Don't　you　worry。　　You　aren't　in　any　danger　of　being　kept　too
quiet；　young　man。〃

〃No　thanks　to　Cyril；　then；〃　retorted　Bertram。　　〃Anyhow；　that's　one
reason　why　I　was　for　taking　the　kidto　mellow　up　Cyril。　　He　needs
it　all　right。〃

〃But　I　had　to　take　him；　Bert；〃　argued　the　elder　brother；　his　face
growing　anxious　again。　　〃But　Heaven　only　knows　what　I'm　going　to　do
with　him　when　I　get　him。　　What　shall　I　say　to　him；　anyway？　　How
shall　I　write？　　I　don't　know　how　to　get　up　a　letter　of　that　sort！〃

〃Why　not　take　him　at　his　word　and　telegraph？　　I　fancy　you　won't
have　to　say　'come'　but　once　before　you　see　him。　　He　doesn't　seem　to
be　a　bashful　youth。〃

〃Hm…m；　I　might　do　that；〃　acquiesced　William；　slowly。　　〃But　wasn't
there　somebodya　lawyergoing　to　write　to　me？〃　he　finished；
consulting　the　letter　by　his　plate。　　〃Yes；〃　he　added；　after　a
moment；　〃a　Mr。　Harding。　　Wonder　if　he's　any　relation　to　Ned
Harding。　　I　used　to　know　Ned　at　Harvard；　and　seems　as　if　he　came
from　Hampden　Falls。　　We'll　soon　see；　at　all　events。　　Maybe　I'll
hear　to…morrow。〃

〃I　shouldn't　wonder；〃　nodded　Bertram；　as　he　rose　from　the　table。
〃Anyhow；　I　wouldn't　do　anything　till　I　did　hear。〃



CHAPTER　IV

BILLY　SENDS　A　TELEGRAM


James　Harding's　letter　very　promptly　followed　Billy's；　though　it
was　not　like　Billy's　at　all。　　It　told　something　of　Billy's
property；　and　mentioned　that；　according　to　Mrs。　Neilson's　will；
Billy　would　not　come　into　control　of　her　fortune　until　the　age　of
twenty…one　years　was　reached。　　It　dwelt　at　some　length　upon　the
fact　of　Billy's　loneliness　in　the　world；　and　expressed　the　hope
that　her　father's　friend　could　find　it　in　his　heart　to　welcome　the
orphan　into　his　home。　　It　mentioned　Ned；　and　the　old　college
friendship；　and　it　closed　by　saying　that　the　writer；　James　Harding；
was　glad　to　renew　his　acquaintance　with　the　good　old　Henshaw　family
that　he　had　known　long　years　ago；　and　that　he　hoped　soon　to　hear
from　William　Henshaw　himself。

It　was　a　good　letterbut　it　was　not　well　written。　　James　Harding's
handwriting　was　not　distinguished　for　its　legibility；　and　his
correspondents　rejoiced　that　the　most　of　his　letters　were　dictated
to　his　stenographer。　　In　this　case；　however；　he　had　elected　to　use
the　more　personal　pen；　and　it　was　because　of　this　that　William
Henshaw；　even　after　reading　the　letter；　was　still　unaware　of　his
mistake　in　supposing　his　namesake；　Billy；　to　be　a　boy。

In　the　main　the　lawyer　had　referred　to　Billy　by　name；　or　as　〃the
orphan；〃　or　as　that　〃poor；　lonely　child。〃　　And　whenever　the　more
distinctive　feminine　〃her〃　or　〃herself〃　had　occurred；　the
carelessly　formed　letters　had　made　them　so　much　like　〃his〃　and
〃himself〃　that　they　carried　no　hint　of　the　truth　to　a　man　who　had
not　the　slightest　reason　for　thinking　himself　in　the　wrong。　　It　was
therefore　still　for　the　〃boy；〃　Billy；　that　William　Henshaw　at　once
set　about　making　a　place　in　the　home。

First　he　telegraphed　the　single　word　〃Come〃　to　Billy。

〃I'll　set　the　poor　lad's　heart　at　rest；〃　he　said　to　Bertram。　　〃I
shall　answer　Harding's　letter　more　at　length；　of　course。　　Naturally
he　wants　to　know　something　about　me　now　before　he　sends　Billy
along；　but　there　is　no　need　for　the　boy　to　wait　before　he　knows
that　I'll　take　him。　　Of　course　he　won't　come　yet；　till　Harding
hears　from　me。〃

It　was　just　here；　however；　that　William　Henshaw　met　with　a
surprise；　for　within　twenty…four　hours　came　Billy's　answer；　and　by
telegraph。


〃I'm　coming　to…morrow。　　Train　due　at　five　P。　M。

〃BILLY。〃


William　Henshaw　did　not　know　that　in　Hampden　Falls　Billy's　trunk
had　been　packed　for　days。　　Billy　was　desperate。　　The　house；　even
with　the　maid；　and　with　the　obliging　neighbor　and　his　wife　who
stayed　there　nights；　was　to　Billy　nothing　but　a　dismal　tomb。
Lawyer　Harding　had　fallen　suddenly　ill；　she　could　not　even　tell　him
that　the　blessed　telegram　〃Come〃　had　arrived。　　Hence　Billy；　lonely；
impulsive；　and　always　used　to　pleasing　herself；　had　taken　matters
in　hand　with　a　confident　grasp；　and　had　determined　to　wait　no
longer。

That　it　was　a　fearsomely　unknown　future　to　which　she　was　so
jauntily　pledging　herself　did　not　trouble　the　girl　in　the　least。
Billy　was　romantic。　　To　sally　gaily　forth　with　a　pink　in　the
buttonhole　of　her　coat　to　find　her　father's　friend　who　was　a
〃Billy〃　too；　seemed　to　Billy　Neilson　not　only　delightful；　but
eminently　sensible；　and　an　excellent　way　out　of　her　present
homesick　loneliness。　　So　she　bought　the　pink　and　her　ticket；　and
impatiently　awaited　the　time　to　start。

To　the　Beacon　Street　house；　Billy's　cheerful　telegram　brought　the
direst　consternation。　　Even　Kate　was　hastily　summoned　to　the　family
conclave　that　immediately　resulted。

〃There's　nothingsimply　nothing　that　I　can　do；〃　she　declared
irritably；　when　she　had　heard　the　story。　　〃Surely；　you　don't　expect
ME　to　take　the　boy！〃

〃No；　no；　of　course　not；〃　sighed　William。　　〃But　you　see；　I　supposed
I'd　have　time　toto　get　used　to　things；　and　to　make　arrangements；
and　this　is　soso　sudden！　　I　hadn't　even　answered　Harding's　letter
until　to…day；　and　he　hasn't　got　thatmuch　less　replied　to　it。〃

〃But　what　could　you　expect　after　sending　that　idiotic　telegram？〃
demanded　the　lady。　　〃'Come；'　indeed！〃

〃But　that's　what　Billy　told　me　to　do。〃

〃What　if　it　was？　　Just　because　a　foolish　eighteen…year…old　boy
tells　you　to　do　something；　must　you；　a　supposedly　sensible　forty…
year…old　man　obey？〃

〃I　think　it　tickled　Will's　romantic　streak；〃　laughed　Bertram。　　〃It
seemed　so　sort　of　alluring　to　send　that　one　word　'Come'　out　into
space；　and　watch　what　happened。〃

〃Well；　he's　found　out；　certainly；〃　observed　Cyril；　with　grim
satisfaction。

〃Oh；　no；　it　hasn't　happened　yet；〃　corrected　Bertram；　cheerfully。
〃It's　just　going　to　happen。　　William's　got　to　put　on　the　pink
first；　you　know。　　That's　the　talisman。〃

William　reddened。

〃Bertram；　don't　be　foolish。　　I　sha'n't　wear　any　pink。　　You　must
know　that。〃

〃How'll　you　find　him；　then？〃

〃Why；　he'll　have　one　on；　that's　enough；〃　settled　William。

〃Hm…m；　maybe。　　Then　he'll　have　Spunk；　too；〃　murmured　Bertram；
mischievously。

〃Spunk！〃　cried　Kate。

〃Yes。　　He　wrote　that　he　hoped　we　wouldn't　mind　his　bringing　Spunk
with　him。〃

〃Who's　Spunk？

〃We　don't　know。〃　　Bertram's　lips　twitched。

〃You　don't　know！　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Well；　Will　thinks　it's　a　dog；　and　I　believe　Cyril　is　anticipating
a　monkey。　　I　myself　am　backing　it　for　a　parrot。〃

〃Boys；　what　have　you　done！〃　groaned　Kate；　falling　back