miss billy-第7节

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true；　made　a　valiant　attempt　to　cause　the　conversation　to　be
general；　but　he　failed　dismally。　　Kate　was　sternly　silent；　while
Cyril　was　openly　repellent。　　Bertram　talked；　indeedbut　Bertram
always　talked；　and　very　soon　he　and　Billy　had　things　pretty　much　to
themselvesthat　is；　with　occasional　interruptions　caused　by　Spunk。
Spunk　had　an　inquisitive　nose　or　paw　for　each　new　dish　placed
before　his　mistress；　and　Billy　spent　much　time　admonishing　him。
Billy　said　she　was　training　him；　that　it　was　wonderful　what
training　would　do；　and；　of　course；　Spunk　WAS　little；　now。

Dinner　was　half　over　when　there　was　a　slight　diversion　created　by
Spunk's　conclusion　to　get　acquainted　with　the　silent　man　at　his
left。　　Cyril；　however；　did　not　respond　to　Spunk's　advances。　　So
very　evident；　indeed；　was　the　man's　aversion　that　Billy　turned　in
amazement。

〃Why；　Mr。　Cyril；　don't　you　see？　　Spunk　is　trying　to　say　'How　do　you
do'？〃

〃Very　likely；　but　I'm　not　fond　of　cats；　Miss　Billy。〃

〃You're　not　fondofcats！〃　repeated　the　girl；　as　if　she　could　not
have　heard　aright。　　〃Why　not？〃

Cyril　changed　his　position。

〃Why；　just　because　II'm　not；〃　he　retorted　lamely。　　〃Isn't　there
anything　thatthat　you　don't　like？〃

Billy　considered。

〃Why；　not　that　I　know　of；〃　she　began；　after　a　moment；　〃only　rainy
days　andtripe。　　And　Spunk　isn't　a　bit　like　those。〃

Bertram　chuckled；　and　even　Cyril　smiledthough　unwillingly。

〃All　the　same；〃　he　reiterated；　〃I　don't　like　cats。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　so　sorry；〃　lamented　Billy；　and　at　the　grieved　hurt　in　her
dark　eyes　Bertram　came　promptly　to　the　rescue。

〃Never　mind；　Miss　Billy。　　Cyril　is　only　ONE　of　us；　and　there　is　all
the　rest　of　the　Strata　besides。〃

〃Thewhat？〃

〃The　Strata。　　You　don't　know；　of　course；　but　listen；　and　I'll　tell
you。〃　　And　he　launched　gaily　forth　into　his　favorite　story。

Billy　was　duly　amused　and　interested。　　She　laughed　and　clapped　her
hands；　and　when　the　story　was　done　she　clapped　them　again。

〃Oh；　what　a　funny　house！　　And　how　perfectly　lovely　that　I'm　going
to　live　in　it；〃　she　cried。　　Then　straight　at　Mrs。　Hartwell　she
hurled　a　bombshell。　　〃But　where　is　your　stratum？〃　she　demanded。
〃Mr。　Bertram　didn't　mention　a　thing　about　you！〃

Cyril　said　a　sharp　word　under　his　breath。　　Bertram　choked　over　a
cough。　　Kate　threw　into　William's　eyes　a　look　that　was　at　once
angry；　accusing；　and　despairing。　　Then　William　spoke。

〃Ersheit　isn't　anywhere；　my　dear；〃　he　stammered；　〃or　rather；　it
isn't　here。　　Kate　lives　up　on　the　Avenue；　you　see；　and　is　only　here
forfor　a　day　or　twojust　now。〃

〃Oh！〃　murmured　Billy。　　And　there　was　not　one　in　the　room　at　that
moment　who　did　not　bless　Spunkfor　Spunk　suddenly　leaped　to　the
table　before　him；　and　in　the　ensuing　confusion　his　mistress　quite
forgot　to　question　further　concerning　Mrs。　Hartwell's　stratum。

Dinner　over；　the　three　men；　with　their　sister　and　Billy；　trailed
up…stairs　to　the　drawing…rooms。　　Billy　told　them；　then；　of　her　life
at　Hampden　Falls。　　She　cried　a　little　at　the　mention　of　Aunt　Ella；
and　she　portrayed　very　vividly　the　lonely　life　from　which　she
herself　had　so　gladly　escaped。　　She　soon　had　every　one　laughing；
even　Cyril；　over　her　stories　of　the　lawyer's　home　that　might　have
been　hers；　with　its　gloom　and　its　hush　and　its　socketed　chairs。

As　soon　as　possible；　however；　Mrs。　Hartwell；　with　a　murmured　〃I
know　you　must　be　tired；　Billy；〃　suggested　that　the　girl　go　up…
stairs　to　her　room。　　〃Come；〃　she　added；　〃I　will　show　you　the　way。〃

There　was　some　delay；　even　then；　for　Spunk　had　to　be　provided　with
sleeping　quarters；　and　it　was　not　without　some　hesitation　that
Billy　finally　placed　the　kitten　in　the　reluctant　hands　of　Pete；　who
had　been　hastily　summoned。　　Then　she　turned　and　followed　Mrs。
Hartwell　up…stairs。

It　seemed　to　the　three　men　in　the　drawing…room　that　almost
immediately　came　the　piercing　shriek；　and　the　excited　voice　of
their　sister　in　expostulation。　　Without　waiting　for　more　they
leaped　to　the　stairway　and　hurried　up；　two　steps　at　a　time。

〃For　heaven's　sake；　Kate；　what　is　it？〃　panted　William；　who　had　been
outdistanced　by　his　more　agile　brothers。

Kate　was　on　her　feet；　her　face　the　picture　of　distressed　amazement。
In　the　low　chair　by　the　window　Billy　sat　where　she　had　flung
herself；　her　hands　over　her　face。　　Her　shoulders　were　shaking；　and
from　her　throat　came　choking　little　cries。

〃I　don't　know；〃　quavered　Kate。　　〃I　haven't　the　least　idea。　　She　was
all　right　till　she　got　up…stairs　here；　and　I　turned　on　the　lights。
Then　she　gave　one　shriek　andyou　know　all　I　know。〃

William　advanced　hurriedly。

〃Billy；　what　is　the　matter？　　What　are　you　crying　for？〃　he　demanded。

Billy　dropped　her　hands　then；　and　they　saw　her　face。　　She　was　not
crying。　　She　was　laughing。　　She　was　laughing　so　she　could　scarcely
speak。

〃Oh；　you　did；　you　did！〃　she　gurgled。　　〃I　thought　you　did；　and　now　I
know！〃

〃Did　what？　　What　do　you　mean？〃　　William's　usually　gentle　voice　was
sharp。　　Even　William's　nerves　were　beginning　to　feel　the　strain　of
the　last　few　hours。

〃Thought　I　was　ab…boy！〃　choked　Billy。　　〃You　called　me　'he'　once
in　the　stationI　thought　you　did；　but　I　wasn't　surenot　till　I
saw　this　room。　　But　now　I　knowI　know！〃　　And　off　she　went　into
another　hysterical　gale　of　laughterBilly's　nerves；　too；　were
beginning　to　respond　to　the　excitement　of　the　last　few　hours。

As　to　the　three　men　and　the　woman；　they　stood　silent；　helpless；
looking　into　each　other's　faces　with　despairing　eyes。

In　a　moment　Billy　was　on　her　feet；　fluttering　about　the　room；
touching　this　thing；　looking　at　that。　　Nothing　escaped　her。

〃I'm　to　fishand　shootand　fence！〃　she　crowed。　　〃And；　oh！look
at　those　knives！　　U…ugh！　。　。　。　　And；　my！　what　are　these？〃　she
cried；　pouncing　on　the　Indian　clubs。　　〃And　look　at　the　spiders！
Dear；　dear；　I　AM　glad　they're　dead；　anyhow；〃　she　shuddered　with　a
nervous　laugh　that　was　almost　a　sob。

Something　in　Billy's　voice　stirred　Mrs。　Hartwell　to　sudden　action。

〃Come；　come；　this　will　never　do；〃　she　protested　authoritatively；
motioning　her　brothers　to　leave　the　room。　　〃Billy　is　quite　tired
out；　and　needs　rest。　　She　mustn't　talk　another　bit　to…night。〃

〃Of　c…course　not；〃　stammered　William。　　And　only　too　glad　of　an
excuse　to　withdraw　from　a　very　embarrassing　situation；　the　three
men　called　back　a　faltering　good…night；　and　precipitately　fled
down…stairs。



CHAPTER　IX

A　FAMILY　CONCLAVE


〃Well；　William；〃　greeted　Kate；　grimly；　when　she　came　into　the
drawing…room；　after　putting　her　charge　to　bed；　〃have　you　had
enough；　now？〃

〃'Enough'！　　What　do　you　mean？〃

Kate　raised　her　eyebrows。

〃Why；　surely；　you're　not　thinking　NOW　that　you　can　keep　this　girl
here；　are　you？〃

〃I　don't　know　why　not。〃

〃William！〃

〃Well；　where　shall　she　go？　　Will　you　take　her？〃

〃I？　　Certainly　not；〃　declared　Kate；　with　decision。　　〃I'm　sure　I　see
no　reason　why　I　should。〃

〃No　more　do　I　see　why　William　should；　either；〃　cut　in　Cyril。

〃Oh；　come；　what's　the　use；〃　interposed　Bertram。　　〃Let　her　stay。
She's　a　nice　little　thing；　I'm　sure。〃

Cyril　and　Kate　turned　sharply。

〃Bertram！〃　　The　cry　was　a　duet　of　angry　amazement。　　Then　Kate
added：　　〃It　seems　that　you；　too；　have　come　under　the　sway　of　dark
eyes；　pink　cheeks；　and　an　unknown　quantity　of　curly　hair！〃

Bertram　laughed。

〃Oh；　well；　she　would　be　nice　toerpaint；〃　he　murmured。

〃See　here；　children；〃　demurred　William；　a　little　sternly；　〃all　this
is　wasting　time。　　There　is　no　way　out　of　it。　　I　wouldn't　be　seen
turning　that　homeless　child　away　now。　　We　must　keep　her；　that's
settled。　　The　question　is；　how　shall　it　be　done？　　We　must　have　some
woman　friend　here　to　be　her　companion；　of　course；　but　whom　shall　we
get？〃

Kate　sighed；　and　looked　her　dismay。　　Bertram　threw　a　glance　into
Cyril's　eyes；　and　made　an　expressive　gesture。

〃You　see；〃　it　seemed　to　say。　　〃I　told　you　how　it　would　be！〃

〃Now　whom　shall　we　get？〃　questioned　William　again。　　〃We　must
think。〃

Unattached　gentlewomen　of　suitable　age　and　desirable　temper　did　not
prove　to　be　so　numerous　among　the　Henshaws'　acquaintances；　however；
as　to　make　the　selection　of　a　chaperon　very　easy。　　Several　were
thought　of　and　suggested；　but　in　each　case　the　candidate　was　found
to　possess　one　or　more　characteristics　that　made　the　idea　of　her
presence　utterly　abhorrent　to　some　one　of　the　brothers。　　At　last
William　expostulated：

〃See　here；　boys；　we　aren't　any　nearer　a　settlement　than　we　were　in
the　first　place。　　There　isn't　any　woman；　of　course；　who　would
exactly　suit　all　of　us；　and　so　we　shall　just　have　to　be　willing　to
take　some　one　who　doesn't。〃

〃The　trouble　is；〃　explained　Bertram；　airily；　〃we　want　some　one　who
will　be　invisible　to　every　one　except　the　world　and　Billy；　and　who
will　be　inaudible　always。〃

〃I　don't　know　but　you　are　right；〃　sighed　William。　　〃But　suppose　we
settle　on　Aunt　Hannah。　　She　seems　to　be　the　least　objectionable　of
the　lot；　and　I　think　she'd　come。　　She's　alone　in　the　world；　and　I
believe　the　comfortable　roominess　of　this　house　would　be　very
grateful　to　her　after　the　inconvenience　of　her　stuffy　little　room
over　at　the　Back　Bay。〃

〃You　bet　it　would！〃　murmured　Bertram；　feelingly；　but　William　did
not　appear　to　hear　him。

〃She's　amiable；　fairly　sensible