miss billy-第8节

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

〃She's　amiable；　fairly　sensible；　and　always　a　lady；〃　he　went　on；
〃and　to…morrow　morning　I　believe　I'll　run　over　and　see　if　she　can't
come　right　away。〃

〃And　may　I　ask　whicherstratum　shetheywill　occupy？〃　smiled
Bertram。

〃You　may　ask；　but　I'm　afraid　you　won't　find　out　very　soon；〃
retorted　William；　dryly；　〃if　we　take　as　long　to　decide　that　matter
as　we　have　the　rest　of　it。〃

〃ErCyril　has　the　mostUNOCCUPIED　space；〃　volunteered　Bertram；
cheerfully。

〃Indeed！〃　retaliated　Cyril。　　〃Suppose　you　let　me　speak　for　myself！
Of　course；　so　far　as　truck　is　concerned；　I'm　not　in　it　with　you　and
Will。　　But　as　for　the　USE　I　put　my　rooms　to！　　Besides；　I　already
have　Pete　there；　and　would　have　Dong　Ling　probably；　if　he　slept
here。　　However；　if　you　want　any　of　my　rooms；　don't　let　my　petty
wants　and　wishes　interfere〃

〃No；　no；〃　interrupted　William；　in　quick　conciliation。　　〃We　don't
want　your　rooms；　Cyril。　　Aunt　Hannah　abhors　stairs。　　Of　course　I
might　move；　I　suppose。　　My　rooms　are　one　flight　less；　but　if　I　only
didn't　have　so　many　things！〃

〃Oh；　you　men！〃　shrugged　Kate；　wearily。　　〃Why　don't　you　ask　my
opinion　sometimes？　　It　seems　to　me　that　in　this　case　a　woman's　wit
might　be　of　some　help！〃

〃All　right；　go　ahead！〃　nodded　William。

Kate　leaned　forward　eagerlyKate　loved　to　〃manage。〃

〃Go　easy；　now；〃　cautioned　Bertram；　warily。　　〃You　know　a　strata；
even　one　as　solid　as　ours；　won't　stand　too　much　of　an　earthquake！〃

〃It　isn't　an　earthquake　at　all；〃　sniffed　Kate。　　〃It's　a　very
sensible　move　all　around。　　Here　are　these　two　great　drawing…rooms；
the　library；　and　the　little　reception…room　across　the　hall；　and　not
one　of　them　is　ever　used　but　this。　　Of　course　the　women　wouldn't
like　to　sleep　down　here；　but　why　don't　you；　Bertram；　take　the　back
drawing…room；　the　library；　and　the　little　reception…room　for　yours；
and　leave　the　whole　of　the　second　floor　for　Billy　and　Aunt　Hannah？〃

〃Good　for　you；　Kate；〃　cried　Bertram；　appreciatively。　　〃You've　hit
it　square　on　the　head；　and　we'll　do　it。　　I'll　move　to…morrow。　　The
light　down　here　is　just　as　good　as　it　is　up…stairsif　you　let　it
in！〃

〃Thank　you；　Bertram；　and　you；　too；　Kate；〃　breathed　William；
fervently。　　〃Now；　if　you　don't　mind；　I　believe　I'll　go　to　bed。　　I
am　tired！〃



CHAPTER　X

AUNT　HANNAH


As　soon　as　possible　after　breakfast　William　went　to　see　Aunt
Hannah。

Hannah　Stetson　was　not　really　William's　aunt；　though　she　had　been
called　Aunt　Hannah　for　years。　　She　was　the　widow　of　a　distant
cousin；　and　she　lived　in　a　snug　little　room　in　a　Back　Bay　boarding…
house。　　She　was　a　slender；　white…haired　woman　with　kind　blue　eyes；
and　a　lovable　smile。　　Her　cheeks　were　still　faintly　pink；　and　her
fine　silver…white　hair　broke　into　little　kinks　and　curls　about　her
ears。　　According　to　Bertram　she　always　made　one　think　of　〃lavender
and　old　lace。〃

She　welcomed　William　cordially　this　morning；　though　with　faint
surprise　in　her　eyes。

〃Yes；　I　know　I'm　an　early　caller；　and　an　unexpected　one；〃　began
William；　hurriedly。　　〃And　I　shall　have　to　plunge　straight　into　the
matter；　too；　for　there　isn't　time　to　preamble。　　I've　taken　an
eighteen…year…old　girl　to　bring　up；　Aunt　Hannah；　and　I　want　you　to
come　down　and　live　with　us　to　chaperon　her。〃

〃My　grief　and　conscience；　WILLIAM！〃　gasped　the　little　woman；
agitatedly。

〃Yes；　yes；　I　know；　Aunt　Hannah；　everything　you　would　say　if　you
could。　　But　please　skip　the　hysterics。　　We've　all　had　them；　and
Kate　has　already　used　every　possible　adjective　that　you　could　think
up。　　Now　it's　just　this。〃　　And　he　hurriedly　gave　Mrs。　Stetson　a
full　account　of　the　case；　and　told　her　plainly　what　he　hoped　and
expected　that　she　would　do　for　him。

〃Why；　yes；　of　courseI'll　come；〃　acquiesced　the　lady；　a　little
breathlessly；　〃ifif　you　are　sure　you're　going　tokeep　her。〃

〃Good！　　And　remember　I　said　'now；'　pleasethat　I　wanted　you　to
come　right　away；　to…day。　　Of　course　Kate　can't　stay。　　Just　get　in
half　a　dozen　women　to　help　you　pack；　and　come。〃

〃Half　a　dozen　women　in　that　little　room；　Williamimpossible！〃

〃Well；　I　only　meant　to　get　enough　so　you　could　come　right　off　this
morning。〃

〃But　I　don't　need　them；　William。　　There　are　only　my　clothes　and
books；　and　such　things。　　You　know　it　is　a　FURNISHED　room。〃

〃All　right；　all　right；　Aunt　Hannah。　　I　wanted　to　make　sure　you
hurried；　that's　all。　　You　see；　I　don't　want　Billy　to　suspect　just
how　much　she's　upsetting　us。　　I've　asked　Kate　to　take　her　over　to
her　house　for　the　day；　while　Bertram　is　moving　down…stairs；　and
while　we're　getting　you　settled。　　II　think　you'll　like　it　there；
Aunt　Hannah；〃　added　William；　anxiously。　　〃Of　course　Billy's　got
Spunk；　but〃　he　hesitated；　and　smiled　a　little。

〃Got　what？〃　faltered　the　other。

〃Spunk。　　Oh；　I　don't　mean　THAT　kind；〃　laughed　William；　in　answer　to
the　dismayed　expression　on　his　aunt's　face。　　〃Spunk　is　a　cat。〃

〃A　cat！but　such　a　name；　William！　　II　think　we'll　change　that。〃

〃Eh？　　Oh；　you　do；〃　murmured　William；　with　a　curious　smile。　　〃Very
well；　be　that　as　it　may。　　Anyhow；　you're　coming；　and　we　shall　want
you　all　settled　by　dinner　time；〃　he　finished；　as　he　picked　up　his
hat　to　go。

With　Kate；　Billy　spent　the　long　day　very　contentedly　in　Kate's
beautiful　Commonwealth　Avenue　home。　　The　two　boys；　Paul；　twelve
years　old；　and　Egbert；　eight；　were　a　little　shy；　it　is　true；　and
not　really　of　much　use　as　companions；　but　there　was　a　little　Kate；
four　years　old；　who　proved　to　be　wonderfully　entertaining。

Billy　was　not　much　used　to　children；　and　she　found　this　four…year…
old　atom　of　humanity　to　be　a　great　source　of　interest　and
amusement。　　She　even　told　Mrs。　Hartwell　at　parting　that　little　Kate
was　almost　as　nice　as　Spunkwhich　remark；　oddly　enough；　did　not
appear　to　please　Mrs。　Hartwell　to　the　extent　that　Billy　thought
that　it　would。

At　the　Beacon　Street　house　Billy　was　presented　at　once　to　Mrs。
Stetson。

〃And　you　are　to　call　me　'Aunt　Hannah；'　my　dear；〃　said　the　little
woman；　graciously；　〃just　as　the　boys　do。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　dimpled　Billy；　〃and　you　don't　know；　Aunt　Hannah；　how
good　it　seems　to　me　to　come　into　so　many　relatives；　all　at　once！〃

Upon　going　up…stairs　Billy　found　her　room　somewhat　changed。　　It　was
far　less　warlike；　and　the　case　of　spiders　had　been　taken　away。

〃And　this　will　be　your　stratum；　you　know；〃　announced　Bertram　from
the　stairway；　〃yours　and　Aunt　Hannah's。　　You're　to　have　this　whole
floor。　　Will　and　Cyril　are　above；　and　I'm　down…stairs。〃

〃You　are？　　Why；　I　thought　youwerehere。〃　　Billy's　face　was
puzzled。

〃Here？　　Oh；　well；　I　did　havesome　things　here；〃　he　retorted
airily；　〃but　I　took　them　all　away　to…day。　　You　see；　my　stratum　is
down…stairs；　and　it　doesn't　do　to　mix　the　layers。　　By　the　way；　you
haven't　been　up…stairs　yet；　have　you？　　Come　on；　and　I'll　show　you
and　you；　too；　Aunt　Hannah。〃

Billy　clapped　her　hands；　but　Aunt　Hannah　shook　her　head。

〃I'll　leave　that　for　younger　feet　than　mine；〃　she　said；　adding
whimsically：　　〃It's　best　sometimes　that　one　doesn't　try　to　step　too
far　off　one's　own　level；　you　know。〃

〃All　right；〃　laughed　the　man。　　〃Come　on；　Miss　Billy。〃

On　the　door　at　the　head　of　the　stairs　he　tapped　twice；　lightly。

〃Well；　Pete；〃　called　Cyril's　voice；　none　too　cordially。

〃Pete；　indeed！〃　scoffed　Bertram。　　〃You've　got　company；　young　man。
Open　the　door。　　Miss　Billy　is　viewing　the　Strata。〃

The　bare　floor　echoed　to　a　quick　tread；　then　the　door　opened　and
Cyril　faced　them　with　a　forced　smile　on　his　lips。

〃Come　inthough　I　fear　there　will　be　littleto　see；〃　he　said。

Bertram　assumed　a　pompous　attitude。

〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　you　behold　here　the　lion　in　his　lair。〃

〃Be　still；　Bertram；〃　ordered　Cyril。

〃He　is　a　lion；　really；〃　confided　Bertram；　in　a　lower　voice；　〃but　as
he　prefers　it；　we'll　just　call　him　'the　Musical　Man。'〃

〃I　should　think　I　was　some　sort　of　music…box　that　turned　with　a
crank；〃　bristled　Cyril。

Bertram　grinned。

〃ACRANK；　did　you　say？　　Well；　even　I　wouldn't　have　quite　dared　to
say　that；　you　know！〃

With　an　impatient　gesture　Cyril　turned　on　his　heel。　　Bertram　fell
once　more　into　his　pompous　attitude。

〃Before　you　is　the　Man's　workshop；〃　he　orated。　　〃At　your　right　you
see　his　instruments　of　tor　　I　mean；　his　instruments：　a　piano；
flute；　etc。　　At　your　left　is　the　desk　with　its　pens；　paper；
erasers；　ink　and　postage　stamps。　　I　mention　these　because　there
areerso　few　things　to　mention　here。　　Beyond；　through　the　open
door；　one　may　catch　glimpses　of　still　other　rooms；　but　they　hold
even　less　than　this　one　holds。　　Tradition　doth　assert；　however；
that　in　one　is　a　couch…bed；　and　in　another；　two　chairs。〃

Billy　listened　silently。　　Her　eyes　were　questioning。　　She　was　not
quite　sure　how　to　take　Bertram's　words；　and　the　bare　rooms　and
their　stern…faced　master　filled　her　with　a　vague　pity。　　But　the
pause　that　followed　Bertram's　nonsense　seemed　to　be　waiting　for　her
to　fill　it。

〃Oh；　I　should　like　to　hear　youplay；　Mr。　Cyril；〃　she　stammered。
Then；　gathering　courage。　　〃CAN　you　play　'The　Maiden's　Prayer'？〃

Bertram　gave　a　cough；　a　spasmodic　cough　that　sent　him；　red…faced；
out　into　the　hall。　　From　there　he　called：

〃Can't　stop　for　t