miss billie married-第10部分

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turned；　but　he　could　not　see　her　face　distinctly。　

Twilight　had　come；　and　the　room　was　full　of

shadows。　　He　hesitated；　then　went　on；　a　little

more　quietly。



‘‘That's　why　I've　told　you　all　thisso　you

would　help　me。　　And　you　will；　won't　you？''



There　was　no　answer。　　Once　again　he　tried　to

see　her　face；　but　it　was　turned　now　quite　away

from　him。



‘‘You've　been　a　big　help　already；　little　girl。　

Your　friendship；　your　comradeshipthey've

been　everything　to　me。　　You're　not　going　to　make

me　do　without　themnow？''



‘‘Nooh；　no！''　The　answer　was　low　and　a

little　breathless；　but　he　heard　it。



‘‘Thank　you。　　I　knew　you　wouldn't。''　　He

paused；　then　rose　to　his　feet。　　When　he　spoke

again　his　voice　carried　a　note　of　whimsical

lightness　that　was　a　little　forced。　　‘‘But　I　must　go

else　you　_will_　take　them　from　me；　and　with　good

reason。　　And　please　don't　let　your　kind　heart

grieve　too　muchover　me。　　I'm　no　deep…dyed

villain　in　a　melodrama；　nor　wicked　lover　in　a　ten…

penny　novel；　you　know。　　I'm　just　an　everyday

man　in　real　life；　and　we're　going　to　fight　this　thing

out　in　everyday　living。　　That's　where　your　help

is　coming　in。　　We'll　go　together　to　see　Mrs。　Bertram

Henshaw。　　She's　asked　us　to；　and　you'll　do

it；　I　know。　　We'll　have　music　and　everyday　talk。　

We'll　see　Mrs。　Bertram　Henshaw　in　her　own　home

with　her　husband；　where　she　belongs；　andI'm

not　going　to　run　again。　　ButI'm　counting　on

your　help；　you　know；''　he　smiled　a　little　wistfully；

as　he　held　out　his　hand　in　good…by。



One　minute　later　Alice　Greggory；　alone；　was

hurrying　up…stairs。



‘‘I　can'tI　can'tI　know　I　can't；''　she　was

whispering　wildly。　　Then；　in　her　own　room；　she

faced　herself　in　the　mirror。　　‘‘Yesyoucan；

Alice　Greggory；''　she　asserted；　with　swift　change

of　voice　and　manner。　　‘‘This　is　_your_　tiger　skin；

and　you're　going　to　fight　it。　　Do　you　understand？　

fight　it！　　And　you're　going　to　win；　too。　　Do　you

want　that　man　to　know　you_care_？''







CHAPTER　VI



‘‘THE　PAINTING　LOOK''





It　was　toward　the　last　of　October　that　Billy

began　to　notice　her　husband's　growing　restlessness。　

Twice；　when　she　had　been　playing　to　him；

she　turned　to　find　him　testing　the　suppleness　of

his　injured　arm。　　Several　times；　failing　to　receive

an　answer　to　her　questions；　she　had　looked　up　to

discover　him　gazing　abstractedly　at　nothing　in

particular。



They　read　and　walked　and　talked　together；　to

be　sure；　and　Bertram's　devotion　to　her　lightest

wish　was　beyond　question；　but　more　and　more

frequently　these　days　Billy　found　him　hovering

over　his　sketches　in　his　studio；　and　once；　when　he

failed　to　respond　to　the　dinner…bell；　search

revealed　him　buried　in　a　profound　treatise　on　‘‘The

Art　of　Foreshortening。''



Then　came　the　day　when　Billy；　after　an　hour's

vain　effort　to　imprison　within　notes　a　tantalizing

melody；　captured　the　truant　and　rain　down　to　the

studio　to　tell　Bertram　of　her　victory。



But　Bertram　did　not　seem　even　to　hear　her。

True；　he　leaped　to　his　feet　and　hurried　to　meet　her；

his　face　radiantly　aglow；　but　she　had　not　ceased

to　speak　before　he　himself　was　talking。



‘‘Billy；　Billy；　I've　been　sketching；''　he　cried。　

‘‘My　hand　is　almost　steady。　　See；　some　of　those

lines　are　all　right！　　I　just　picked　up　a　crayon

and''　　He　stopped　abruptly；　his　eyes　on　Billy's

face。　　A　vaguely　troubled　shadow　crossed　his

own。　　‘‘Diddid　youwere　you　saying　anything

inin　particular；　when　you　came　in？''　he

stammered。



For　a　short　half…minute　Billy　looked　at　her

husband　without　speaking。　　Then；　a　little　queerly；

she　laughed。



‘‘Oh；　no；　nothing　at　all　in　_particular_；''　she

retorted　airily。　　The　next　moment；　with　one　of　her

unexpected　changes　of　manner；　she　darted　across

the　room；　picked　up　a　palette；　and　a　handful　of

brushes　from　the　long　box　near　it。　　Advancing

toward　her　husband　she　held　them　out　dramatically。　

‘‘And　now　paint；　my　lord；　paint！''　she

commanded　him；　with　stern　insistence；　as　she

thrust　them　into　his　hands。



Bertram　laughed　shamefacedly。



‘‘Oh；　I　say；　Billy；''　he　began；　but　Billy　had

gone。



Out　in　the　hall　Billy　was　speeding　up…stairs；

talking　fiercely　to　herself。



‘‘We'll；　Billy　Neilson　Henshaw；　it's　come！　

Now　behave　yourself。　　_That　was　the　painting　look！_　

You　know　what　that　means。　　Remember；　he　belongs

to　his　Art　before　he　does　to　you。　　Kate　and

everybody　says　so。　　And　youyou　expected

him　to　tend　to　you　and　your　silly　little　songs。　　Do

you　want　to　ruin　his　career？　　As　if　now　he　could

spend　all　his　time　and　give　all　his　thoughts　to

you！　　But　II　just　hate　that　Art！''



‘‘What　did　you　say；　Billy？''　asked　William；　in

mild　surprise；　coming　around　the　turn　of　the

balustrade　in　the　hall　above。　　‘‘Were　you　speaking

to　me；　my　dear？''



Billy　looked　up。　　Her　face　cleared　suddenly；

and　she　laughedthough　a　little　ruefully。



‘‘No；　Uncle　William；　I　wasn't　talking　to　you；''

she　sighed。　　‘‘I　was　justjust　administering

first　aid　to　the　injured；''　she　finished；　as　she

whisked　into　her　own　room。




‘‘Well；　well；　bless　the　child！　　What　can　she

mean　by　that？''　puzzled　Uncle　William；　turning

to　go　down　the　stairway。



Bertram　began　to　paint　a　very　little　the　next

day。　　He　painted　still　more　the　next；　and　yet　more

again　the　day　following。　　He　was　like　a　bird　let

out　of　a　cage；　so　joyously　alive　was　he。　　The　old

sparkle　came　back　to　his　eye；　the　old　gay　smile　to

his　lips。　　Now　that　they　had　come　back　Billy

realized　what　she　had　not　been　conscious　of

before：　that　for　several　weeks　past　they　had　not

been　there；　and　she　wondered　which　hurt　the

morethat　they　had　not　been　there　before；　or

that　they　were　there　now。　　Then　she　scolded

herself　roundly　for　asking　the　question　at　all。



They　were　not　easythose　days　for　Billy；

though　always　to　Bertram　she　managed　to　show

a　cheerfully　serene　face。　　To　Uncle　William；　also；

and　to　Aunt　Hannah　she　showed　a　smiling　countenance；

and　because　she　could　not　talk　to　anybody

else　of　her　feelings；　she　talked　to　herself。　

This；　however；　was　no　new　thing　for　Billy　to　do

From　earliest　childhood　she　had　fought　things　out

in　like　manner。



‘‘But　it's　so　absurd　of　you；　Billy　Henshaw；''

she　berated　herself　one　day；　when　Bertram　had

become　so　absorbed　in　his　work　that　he　had

forgotten　to　keep　his　appointment　with　her　for　a

walk。　　‘‘Just　because　you　have　had　his　constant

attention　almost　every　hour　since　you　were　married

is　no　reason　why　you　should　have　it　every

hour　now；　when　his　arm　is　better！　　Besides；　it's

exactly　what　you　said　you　wouldn't　doobject

to　his　giving　proper　time　to　his　work。''



‘‘But　I'm　not　objecting；''　stormed　the　other

half　of　herself。　　‘‘I'm　_telling_　him　to　do　it。　　It's

only　that　he's　soso　_pleased_　to　do　it。　　He　doesn't

seem　to　mind　a　bit　being　away　from　me。　　He's

actually　happy！''



‘‘Well；　don't　you　want　him　to　be　happy　in　his

work？　　Fie！　　For　shame！　　A　fine　artist's　wife　you

are。　　It　seems　Kate　was　right；　then；　you　_are_　going

to　spoil　his　career！''



‘‘Ho！''　quoth　Billy；　and　tossed　her　head。　

Forthwith　she　crossed　the　room　to　her　piano　and

plumped　herself　down　hard　on　to　the　stool。　　Then；

from　under　her　fingers　there　fell　a　rollicking　melody

that　seemed　to　fill　the　room　with　little　dancing

feet。　　Faster　and　faster　sped　Billy's　fingers；

swifter　and　swifter　twinkled　the　little　dancing

feet。　　Then　a　door　was　jerked　open；　and　Bertram's

voice　called：



‘‘Billy！''



The　music　stopped　instantly。　　Billy　sprang　from

her　seat；　her　eyes　eagerly　seeking　the　direction

from　which　had　come　the　voice。　　Perhaps_perhaps_

Bertram　wanted　her。　　Perhaps　he　was　not

going　to　paint　any　longer　that　morning；　after　all。　

‘‘Billy！''　called　the　voice　again。　　‘‘Please；　do

you　mind　stopping　that　playing　just　for　a　little

while？　　I'm　a　brute；　I　know；　dear；　but　my　brush

_will_　try　to　keep　time　with　that　crazy　little　tune　of

yours；　and　you　know　my　hand　is　none　too　steady；

anyhow；　and　when　it　tries　to　keep　up　with　that

jiggety；　jig；　jig；　jiggety；　jig；　jig！　　_Do_　you　mind；；

darling；　justjust　sewing；　or　doing　something

still　for　a　while？''



All　the　light　fled　from　Billy's　face；　but　her　voice；

when　she　spoke；　was　the　quintessence　of　cheery

indifference。



‘‘Why；　no；　of　course　not；　dear。''



‘‘Thank　you。　　I　knew　you　wouldn't；''　sighed

Bertram。　　Then　the　door　shut。



For　a　long　minute　Billy　stood　motionless　before

she　glanced　at　her　watch　and　sped　to　the　telephone。



‘‘Is　Miss　Greggory　there；　Rosa？''　she　called

when　the　operator's　ring　was　answered。



‘‘Mis'　Greggory；　the　lame　one？''



‘‘No；　_Miss_　GreggoryMiss　Alice。''



‘‘Oh！　　Yes'm。''



‘‘Then　won't　you　ask　her　to　come　to　the　telephone；

please。''



There　was　a　moment's　wait；　during　which　Billy's

small；　well…shod　foot　beat　a　nervous　tattoo　on

the　floor。



‘‘Oh；　is　that　you；　Alice？''　she　called　then。　

‘‘Are　you　going　to　be　home　for　an　hour　or　two？''



‘‘Why；　y…yes；　yes；　indeed。''



‘‘Then　I'm　coming　over。　　We'll　play　duets；

singanything。　　I　want　some　music。''



‘‘Do！　　AndMr。　Arkwright　is　here。　　He'll

help。''



‘‘Mr。　Arkwright？　　You　say　he's　there？　　Then

I　won't　　Yes；　I　will；　too。''　　Billy　spoke　with

renewed　firmness。　　‘‘I'll　be　there　right　away。　

Good…by。''　　And　she　hung　up　the　receiver；　and

went　to　tell　Pete　to　order　John　and　Peggy　at　once。



‘‘I　suppose　I　ought　to　have　left　Alice　and　Mr。

Arkwright　alone　together；''　muttered　the　young

wife　feverishly；　as　she　hurriedly　prepared　for

departure。　　‘‘But　I'll　make　it　up　to　them　later。　

I'm　going　to　give　them　lots　of　chances。　　But　to…

dayto…day　I　just　had　to　gosomewhere！''



At　the　Annex；　with　Alice　Greggory　and

Arkwright；　Billy　sang　duets　and　trios；　and　reveled　in

a　sonorous　wilderness　of　new　music　to　her　heart's

content。　　Then；　rested；　refreshed；　and　at　peace

with　all　the　world；　she