miss billy-第32节

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always　go　away　some；　you　know；　for　a　vacation。〃

〃But　I'm　having　a　vacation　here；　doing　this；〃　laughed　Bertram。
〃I'm　sure　I'm　getting　sea　air　down　to　the　beaches　and　mountain　air
out　to　the　Blue　Hills。　　And　as　for　excitementif　you　can　find
anything　more　wildly　exciting　than　it　was　yesterday　when　Miss　Marie
and　I　took　the　widow　and　the　spinster　lady　on　the　Roller…coaster
just　show　it　to　me；　that's　all！〃

Billy　laughed。

〃They　told　me　about　itMarie　in　particular。　　She　said　you　were
lovely　to　them；　and　let　them　do　every　single　thing　they　wanted　to；
and　that　half　an　hour　after　they　got　there　they　were　like　two
children　let　out　of　school。　　Dear　me；　I　wish　I'd　gone。　　I　never
stay　at　home　that　I　don't　miss　something；〃　she　finished　regretfully。

Bertram　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃If　it's　Roller…coasters　and　Chute…the…chutes　that　you　want；　I
fancy　you'll　get　enough　before　the　week　is　out；〃　he　sighed
laughingly。　　〃They　said　they'd　like　to　go　there　to…morrow；　please；
when　I　asked　them　what　we　should　do　next。　　What　surprises　me　is
that　they　like　such　thingssuch　hair…raising　things。　　When　I　first
saw　them；　black…gowned　and　stiff…backed；　sitting　in　your　little
room　here；　I　thought　I　should　never　dare　offer　them　anything　more
wildly　exciting　than　a　church　service　or　a　lecture　on　psychology；
with　perhaps　a　band　concert　hinted　at；　provided　the　band　could　be
properly　instructed　beforehand　as　to　tempo　and　selections。　　But
nowreally；　Billy；　why　do　you　suppose　they　have　taken　such　a　fancy
to　these　kiddish　stuntsthose　two　staid　women？〃

Billy　laughed；　but　her　eyes　softened。

〃I　don't　know　unless　it's　because　all　their　lives　they've　been　tied
to　such　dead　monotony　that　just　the　exhilaration　of　motion　is　bliss
to　them。　　But　you　won't　always　have　to　risk　your　neck　and　your
temper　in　this　fashion；　Bertram。　　Next　week　my　little　couple　from
South　Boston　comes。　　She　adores　pictures　and　stuffed　animals。
You'll　have　to　do　the　museums　with　her。　　Then　there's　little
crippled　Tommyhe'll　be　perfectly　contented　if　you'll　put　him　down
where　he　can　hear　the　band　play。　　And　all　you'll　have　to　do　when
that　one　stops　is　to　pilot　him　to　the　next　one。　　This　IS　good　of
you；　Bertram；　and　I　do　thank　you　for　it；〃　finished　Billy；　fervently；
just　as　Marie；　the　widow；　and　the　〃spinster　lady〃　entered　the　room。

Billy　told　herself　these　days　that　she　was　very　happyvery　happy
indeed。　　Was　she　not　engaged　to　a　good　man；　and　did　she　not　also
have　it　in　her　power　to　make　the　long　summer　days　a　pleasure　to
many　people？　　The　fact　that　she　had　to　tell　herself　that　she　was
happy　in　order　to　convince　herself　that　she　was　so；　did　not　occur
to　Billyyet。

Not　long　after　Marie　arrived；　Billy　told　her　of　the　engagement。
William　was　at　the　house　very　frequently；　and　owing　to　the　intimacy
of　Marie's　relationship　with　the　family　Billy　decided　to　tell　her
how　matters　stood。　　Marie's　reception　of　the　news　was　somewhat
surprising。　　First　she　looked　frightened。

〃To　William？you　are　engaged　to　William？〃

〃Whyyes。〃

〃But　I　thoughtsurely　it　wasdon't　you　meanMr。　Cyril？〃

〃No；　I　don't；〃　laughed　Billy。　　〃And　certainly　I　ought　to　know。〃

〃And　you　don'tcare　for　him？〃

〃I　hope　notif　I'm　going　to　marry　William。〃

So　light　was　Billy's　voice　and　manner　that　Marie　dared　one　more
question。

〃And　hedoesn't　carefor　you？〃

〃I　hope　notif　William　is　going　to　marry　me；〃　laughed　Billy　again。

〃Oh…h！〃　breathed　Marie；　with　an　odd　intonation　of　relief。　　〃Then
I'm　gladso　glad！　　And　I　hope　you'll　be　very；　very　happy；　dear。〃

Billy　looked　into　Marie's　glowing　face　and　was　pleased：　there
seemed　to　be　so　few；　so　very　few　faces　into　which　she　had　looked
and　found　entire　approbation　of　her　engagement　to　William。

Billy　saw　a　great　deal　of　William　now。　　He　was　always　kind　and
considerate；　and　he　tried　to　help　her　entertain　her　guests；　but
Billy；　grateful　as　she　was　to　him　for　his　efforts；　was　relieved
when　he　resigned　his　place　to　Bertram。　　Bertram　did；　indeed；　know
so　much　better　how　to　do　it。　　William　tried　to　help　her；　too；　about
training　her　vines　and　rosebushes；　but　of　course；　even　in　this；　he
could　not　be　expected　to　show　quite　the　interest　that　Bertram
manifested　in　every　green　shoot　and　opening　bud；　for　he　had　not
helped　her　plant　them；　as　Bertram　had。

Billy　was　a　little　troubled　sometimes；　that　she　did　not　feel　more
at　ease　with　William。　　She　thought　it　natural　that　she　should　feel
a　little　diffident　with　him；　in　the　face　of　his　sudden　change　from
an　〃uncle〃　to　an　accepted　lover；　but　she　did　not　see　why　she　should
be　afraid　of　himyet　she　was。　　She　owned　that　to　herself　unhappily。
And　he　was　so　good！she　owned　that；　too。　　He　seemed　not　to　have　a
thought　in　the　world　but　for　her　comfort　and　happiness；　and　there
was　no　end　to　the　tactful　little　things　he　was　always　doing　for　her
pleasure。　　He　seemed；　also；　to　have　divined　that　she　did　not　like　to
be　kissed　and　caressed；　and　only　occasionally　did　he　kiss　her；　and
then　it　was　merely　a　sort　of　fatherly　salute　on　her　foreheadfor
which　consideration　Billy　was　grateful：　Billy　decided　that　she　would
not　like　to　be　kissed　on　the　lips。

After　some　days　of　puzzling　over　the　matter　Billy　concluded　that　it
was　self…consciousness　that　caused　all　the　trouble。　　With　William
she　was　self…conscious。　　If　she　could　only　forget　that　she　was　some
day　to　be　William's　wife；　the　old　delightful　comradeship　would
return；　and　she　would　be　at　ease　again　with　him。　　In　time；　after
she　had　become　accustomed　to　the　idea　of　marriage；　it　would　not　so
confuse　her；　of　course。　　She　loved　him　dearly；　and　she　wanted　to
make　him　happy；　but　for　the　presentjust　while　she　was　〃getting
used　to　things〃she　would　try　to　forget；　sometimes；　that　she　was
going　to　be　William's　wife。

Billy　was　happier　now。　　She　was　always　happier　after　she　had
thought　things　out　to　her　own　satisfaction。　　She　turned　with　new
zest　to　the　entertainment　of　her　guests；　and　with　Bertram　she
planned　many　delightful　trips　for　their　pleasure。　　Bertram　was　a
great　comfort　to　her　these　days。　　Never；　in　word　or　look；　could　she
see　that　he　overstepped　the　role　which　he　had　promised　to　play
William's　brother。

Billy　went　back　to　her　music；　too。　　A　new　melody　was　running
through　her　head；　and　she　longed　to　put　it　on　paper。　　Already　her
first　little　〃Group　of　Songs〃　had　found　friends；　and　Billy；　to　a
very　modest　extent；　was　beginning　to　taste　the　sweets　of　fame。

Thus；　by　all　these　interests；　did　Billy　try　〃to　get　used　to　things。〃



CHAPTER　XXXIX

A　LITTLE　PIECE　OF　PAPER


Of　all　Billy's　guests；　Marie　was　very　plainly　the　happiest。　　She
was　a　permanent　guest；　it　is　true；　while　the　others　came　for　only　a
week　or　two　at　a　time；　but　it　was　not　this；　Billy　decided；　that　had
brought　so　brilliant　a　sparkle　to　Marie's　eyes；　so　joyous　a　laugh
to　her　lips。　　The　joyousness　was　all　the　more　noticeable；　because
heretofore　Marie；　while　very　sweet；　had　been　also　sad。　　Her　big
blue　eyes　had　always　carried　a　haunting　shadow；　and　her　step　had
lacked　the　spring　belonging　to　youth　and　happiness。　　Certainly；
Billy　had　never　seen　her　like　this　before。

〃Verily；　Marie；〃　she　teased　one　day；　〃have　you　found　an　exhaustless
supply　of　stockings　to　mend；　or　a　never…done　pudding　to　make
which？〃

〃Why？　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Oh；　nothing。　　I　was　only　wondering　just　what　had　brought　that　new
light　to　your　eyes。〃

〃Is　there　a　new　light？〃

〃There　certainly　is。〃

〃It　must　be　because　I'm　so　happy；　then；〃　sighed　Marie；　〃because
you're　so　good　to　me。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃

〃Isn't　that　enough？〃　　Marie's　tone　was　evasive。

〃No。〃　　Billy　shook　her　head　mischievously。　　〃Marie；　what　is　it？〃

〃It's　nothingreally；　it's　nothing；〃　protested　Marie；　hurrying　out
of　the　room　with　a　nervous　laugh。

Billy　frowned。　　She　was　suspicious　before；　she　was　sure　now。　　In
less　than　twelve　hours'　time　came　her　opportunity。　　She　was　alone
again　with　Marie。

〃Marie；　who　is　he？〃　she　asked　abruptly。

〃He？　　Who？〃

〃The　man　who　is　to　wear　the　stockings　and　eat　the　pudding。〃

The　little　music　teacher　flushed　very　red；　but　she　managed　to
display　something　that　might　pass　for　surprise。

〃BILLY！〃

〃Come；　dear；〃　coaxed　Billy；　winningly。　　〃Tell　me　about　it。　　I'm　so
interested！〃

〃But　there　isn't　anything　to　tellreally　there　isn't。〃

〃Who　is　he？〃

〃He　isn't　anybodythat　is；　he　doesn't　know　he's　anybody；〃　amended
Marie。

Billy　laughed　softly。

〃Oh；　doesn't　he！　　Hasn't　he　ever　shownthat　he　cared？〃

〃No；　that　isperhaps　he　has；　only　I　thought　thenthat　it　was
another　girl。〃

〃Another　girl！　　So　there's　another　girl　in　the　case？〃

〃Yes。　　I　mean；　no；〃　corrected　Marie；　suddenly　beginning　to　realize
what　she　was　saying。　　〃Really；　it　wasn't　anythingit　isn't
anything！〃　she　protested。

〃Hm…m；〃　murmured　Billy；　archly。　　〃Oh；　I'm　getting　on　some！　　He　did
show；　once；　that　he　cared；　but　you　thought　it　was　another　girl；　and
you　coldly　looked　the　other　way。　　Now；　there　ISN'T　any　other　girl；
you　find；　andMarie；　tell　me　the　rest！〃

Marie　shook　her　head　emphatically；　and　pulled　herself　gently　away
from　Billy's　grasp。

〃No；　no；　please！〃　she　begged。　　〃It　really　isn't　anything。　　I'm　sure
I'm　imagining　it　all！〃　she　cried；　as　she　ran　away。

During　the　day