miss billy-第9节

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out　into　the　hall。　　From　there　he　called：

〃Can't　stop　for　the　animals　to　perform；　Miss　Billy。　　It's　'most
dinner　time；　and　we've　got　lots　to　see　yet。〃

〃All　right；　butsometime；〃　nodded　Billy　over　her　shoulder　to　Cyril
as　she　turned　away。　　〃I　just　love　that　'Maiden's　Prayer'！〃

〃Now　this　is　William's　stratum；〃　announced　Bertram　at　the　foot　of
the　stairs。　　〃You　will　perceive　that　there　is　no　knocking　here；
William's　doors　are　always　open。〃

〃By　all　means！　　Come　income　in；〃　called　William's　cheery　voice。

〃Oh；　my；　what　a　lot　of　things！〃　exclaimed　Billy。　　〃Mymywhat　a
lot　of　things！　　How　Spunk　will　like　this　room！〃

Bertram　chuckled；　then　he　made　a　great　display　of　drawing　a　long
breath。

〃In　the　short　time　at　our　disposal；〃　he　began　loftily；　〃it　will　be
impossible　to　point　out　each　particular　article　and　give　its
history　from　the　beginning；　but　somewhere　you　will　find　four　round
white　stones；　which〃

〃Eryes；　we　know　all　about　those　white　stones；〃　interrupted
William；　〃and　you'll　please　let　me　talk　about　my　own　things
myself！〃　　And　he　beamed　benevolently　on　the　wondering…eyed　girl　at
Bertram's　side。

〃But　there　are　so　many！〃　breathed　Billy。

〃All　the　more　chance　then；〃　smiled　William；　〃that　somewhere　among
them　you'll　find　something　to　interest　you。　　Now　these　Chinese
ceramics；　and　these　bronzesmaybe　you'd　like　those；〃　he　suggested。
And　with　a　resigned　sigh　and　an　exaggerated　air　of　submission；
Bertram　stepped　back　and　gave　way　to　his　brother。

〃And　there　are　these　miniatures；　and　these　Japanese　porcelains。　　Or
perhaps　you'd　like　stamps；　or　theatre　programs　better；〃　William
finished　anxiously。

Billy　did　not　reply。　　She　was　turning　round　and　round；　her　eyes
wide　and　amazed。　　Suddenly　she　pounced　on　a　beautifully　decorated
teapot；　and　held　it　up　in　admiring　hands。

〃Oh；　what　a　pretty　teapot！　　And　what　a　cute　little　plate　it　sets
in！〃　she　cried。

The　collector　fairly　bubbled　over　with　joy。

〃That's　a　Lowestofta　real　Lowestoft！〃　he　crowed。　　〃Not　that　hard…
paste　stuff　from　the　Orient　that's　CALLED　Lowestoft；　but　the　real
thingEnglish；　you　know。　　And　that's　the　tray　that　goes　with　it；
too。　　Wonderfulhow　I　got　them　both！　　You　know　they　'most　always
get　separated。　　I　paid　a　cool　hundred　for　them；　anyhow。〃

〃A　hundred　dollars　for　a　teapot！〃　gasped　Billy。

〃Yes；　and　here's　a　nice　little　piece　of　lustre…ware。　　Prettyisn't
it？　　And　there's　a　fine　bit　of　black　basalt。　　And〃

〃ErWill；〃　interposed　Bertram；　meekly。

〃Oh；　and　here's　a　Castleford；〃　cried　William；　paying　no　attention
to　the　interruption。　　〃Marked；　too；　see？　　'D。　D。　&　Co。；　Castleford。'
You　know　there　isn't　much　of　that　ware　marked。　　This　is　a　beauty；
too；　I　think。　　You　see　this　pitted　surfacethey　made　that　with　tiny
little　points　set　into　the　inner　side　of　the　mold。　The　design　stands
out　fine　on　this。　　It's　one　of　the　best　I　ever　saw。　　And；　oh〃

〃ErWilliam；〃　interposed　Bertram　again；　a　little　louder　this　time。
〃May　I　just　say〃

〃And　did　you　notice　this　'Old　Blue'？〃　hurried　on　William；　eagerly。
〃Lid　sets　down　in；　you　seethat's　older　than　the　kind　where　it
sets　over　the　top。　　Now　here's　one〃

〃William；〃　almost　shouted　Bertram；　〃DINNER　IS　READY！　　Pete　has
sounded　the　gong　twice　already！〃

〃Eh？　　Oh；　sure　enoughsure　enough；〃　acknowledged　William；　with　a
regretful　glance　at　his　treasures。　　〃Well；　we　must　go；　we　must　go。〃

〃But　I　haven't　seen　your　stratum　at　all；〃　demurred　Billy　to　her
guide；　as　they　went　down　the　stairway。

〃Then　there's　something　left　for　to…morrow；〃　promised　Bertram；　〃but
you　must　remember；　I　haven't　got　any　beautiful　'Old　Blues'　and
'black　basalts；'　to　say　nothing　of　stamps　and　baggage　tags。　　But
I'll　make　you　some　teasome　real　teaand　that's　more　than　William
has　done；　with　all　his　hundred　and　one　teapots！〃



CHAPTER　XI

BERTRAM　HAS　VISITORS


Spunk　did　not　change　his　name；　but　that　was　perhaps　the　only　thing
that　did　not　meet　with　some　sort　of　change　during　the　weeks　that
immediately　followed　Billy's　arrival。　　Given　a　house；　five　men；　and
an　ironbound　routine　of　life；　and　it　is　scarcely　necessary　to　say
that　the　advent　of　a　somewhat　fussy　elderly　woman；　an　impulsive
young　girl；　and　a　very…much…alive　small　cat　will　make　some
difference。　　As　to　Spunk's　nameit　was　not　Mrs。　Stetson's　fault
that　even　that　was　left　undisturbed。

Mrs。　Stetson　early　became　acquainted　with　Spunk。　　She　was
introduced　to　him；　indeed；　on　the　night　of　her　arrivalthough
fortunately　not　at　table：　William　had　seen　to　it　that　Spunk　did　not
appear　at　dinner；　though　to　accomplish　this　the　man　had　been
obliged　to　face　the　amazed　and　grieved　indignation　of　the　kitten's
mistress。

〃But　I　don't　see　how　any　one　CAN　object　to　a　nice　clean　little　cat
at　the　table；〃　Billy　had　remonstrated　tearfully。

〃I　know；　buterthey　do；　sometimes；〃　William　had　stammered；　〃and
this　is　one　of　the　times。　　Aunt　Hannah　would　never　stand　for　it
never！〃

〃Oh；　but　she　doesn't　know　Spunk；〃　Billy　had　observed　then；
hopefully。　　〃You　just　wait　until　she　knows　him。〃

Mrs。　Stetson　began　to　〃know〃　Spunk　the　next　day。　　The　immediate
source　of　her　knowledge　was　the　discovery　that　Spunk　had　found　her
ball　of　black　knitting　yarn；　and　had　delightedly　captured　it。　　Not
that　he　was　content　to　let　it　remain　where　it　wasindeed；　no。　　He
rolled　it　down　the　stairs；　batted　it　through　the　hall　to　the
drawing…room；　and　then　proceeded　to　'chasse'　with　it　in　and　out
among　the　legs　of　various　chairs　and　tables；　ending　in　one　grand
whirl　that　wound　the　yarn　round　and　round　his　small　body；　and
keeled　him　over　half　upon　his　back。　　There　he　blissfully　went　to
sleep。

Billy　found　him　after　a　gleeful　following　of　the　slender　woollen
trail。　　Mrs。　Stetson　was　with　herbut　she　was　not　gleeful。

〃Oh；　Aunt　Hannah；　Aunt　Hannah；〃　gurgled　Billy；　〃isn't　he　just　too
cute　for　anything？〃

Aunt　Hannah　shook　her　head。

〃I　must　confess　I　don't　see　it；〃　she　declared。　　〃My　dear；　just　look
at　that　hopeless　snarl！〃

〃Oh；　but　it　isn't　hopeless　at　all；〃　laughed　Billy。　　〃It's　like　one
of　those　strings　they　unwind　at　parties　with　a　present　at　the　end
of　it。　　And　Spunk　is　the　present；〃　she　added；　when　she　had
extricated　the　small　gray　cat。　　〃And　you　shall　hold　him；〃　she
finished；　graciously　entrusting　the　sleepy　kitten　to　Mrs。　Stetson's
unwilling　arms。

〃But；　IitI　can'tBilly！　　I　don't　like　that　name；〃　blurted　out
the　indignant　little　lady　with　as　much　warmth　as　she　ever　allowed
herself　to　show。　　〃It　must　be　changed　toto　'Thomas。'〃

〃Changed？　　Spunk's　name　changed？〃　demanded　Billy；　in　a　horrified
voice。　　〃Why；　Aunt　Hannah；　it　can't　be　changed；　it's　HIS；　you
know。〃　　Then　she　laughed　merrily。　〃'Thomas；'　indeed！　　Why；　you　old
dear！just　suppose　I　should　ask　YOU　to　change　your　name！　　Now　_I_
like　'Helen　Clarabella'　lots　better　than　'Hannah；'　but　I'm　not
going　to　ask　you　to　change　thatand　I'm　going　to　love　you　just　as
well；　even　if　you　are　'Hannah'see　if　I　don't！　　And　you'll　love
Spunk；　too；　I'm　sure　you　will。　　Now　watch　me　find　the　end　of　this
snarl！〃　　And　she　danced　over　to　the　dumbfounded　little　lady　in　the
big　chair；　gave　her　an　affectionate　kiss；　and　then　attacked　the
tangled　mass　of　black　with　skilful　fingers。

〃But；　Iyouoh；　my　grief　and　conscience！〃　finished　the　little
woman　whose　name　was　not　Helen　Clarabella。〃Oh；　my　grief　and
conscience；〃　according　to　Bertram；　was　Aunt　Hannah's　deadliest
swear…word。

In　Aunt　Hannah's　black　silk　lap　Spunk　stretched　luxuriously；　and
blinked　sleepy　eyes；　then　with　a　long　purr　of　content　he　curled
himself　for　another　napstill　Spunk。

It　was　some　time　after　luncheon　that　day　that　Bertram　heard　a　knock
at　his　studio　door。　　Bertram　was　busy。　　His　particular　pet　〃Face　of
a　Girl〃　was　to　be　submitted　soon　to　the　judges　of　a　forthcoming　Art
Exhibition；　and　it　was　not　yet　finished。　　He　was　trying　to　make　up
now　for　the　many　hours　lost　during　the　last　few　days；　and　even
Bertram；　at　times；　did　not　like　interruptions。　　His　model　had　gone；
but　he　was　still　working　rapidly　when　the　knock　came。　　His　tone　was
not　quite　cordial　when　he　answered。

〃Well？〃

〃It's　ISpunk　and　I。　　May　we　come　in？〃　called　a　confident　voice。

Bertram　said　a　sharp　word　behind　his　teethbut　he　opened　the　door。

〃Of　course！　　I　waspainting；〃　he　announced。

〃How　lovely！　　And　I'll　watch　you。　　Oh；　mywhat　a　pretty　room！〃

〃I'm　glad　you　like　it。〃

〃Indeed　I　do；　I　like　it　ever　so　much。　　I　shall　stay　here　lots；　I
know。〃

〃Oh；　youwill！〃　　For　once　even　Bertram's　ready　tongue　failed　to
find　fitting　response。

〃Yes。　　Now　paint。　　I　want　to　see　you。　　Aunt　Hannah　has　gone　out
anyway；　and　I'm　lonesome。　　I　think　I'll　stay。〃

〃But　I　can'tthat　is；　I'm　not　used　to　spectators。〃

〃Of　course　you　aren't；　you　poor　old　lonesomeness！　　But　it　isn't
going　to　be　that　way；　any　more；　you　know；　now　that　I've　come。　　I
sha'n't　let　you　be　lonesome。〃

〃I　could　swear　to　that；〃　declared　the　man；　with　sudden　fervor；　and
for　Billy's　peace　of　mind　it　was　just　as　well；　perhaps；　that　she
did　not　know　the　exact　source　of　that　fervency。

〃Now　paint；〃　commanded　Billy　again。

Because　he　did　not　know　what　else　to　do；　Bertram　picked　up　a　brush；
but　he　did　not　paint。　　The　first　stroke　of　his　brush　against　the
canvas　was　to　Spunk　a　challeng