miss billie married-第11部分

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a　sonorous　wilderness　of　new　music　to　her　heart's

content。　　Then；　rested；　refreshed；　and　at　peace

with　all　the　world；　she　hurried　home　to　dinner

and　to　Bertram。



‘‘There！　　I　feel　better；''　she　sighed；　as　she　took

off　her　hat　in　her　own　room；　‘‘and　now　I'll　go

find　Bertram。　　Bless　his　heartof　course　he

didn't　want　me　to　play　when　he　was　so　busy！''



Billy　went　straight　to　the　studio；　but　Bertram

was　not　there。　　Neither　was　he　in　William's　room；

nor　anywhere　in　the　house。　　Down…stairs　in　the

dining…room　Pete　was　found　looking　rather　white；

leaning　back　in　a　chair。　　He　struggled　at　once　to

his　feet；　however；　as　his　mistress　entered　the

room。



Billy　hurried　forward　with　a　startled　exclamation。



‘‘Why；　Pete；　what　is　it？　　Are　you　sick？''　she

cried；　her　glance　encompassing　the　half…set　table。



‘‘No；　ma'am；　oh；　no；　ma'am！''　　The　old　man

stumbled　forward　and　began　to　arrange　the　knives

and　forks。　　‘‘It's　just　a　pesky　painbeggin'

yer　pardonin　my　side。　　But　I　ain't　sick。　　No；

Missma'am。''



Billy　frowned　and　shook　her　head。　　Her　eyes

were　on　Pete's　palpably　trembling　hands。



‘‘But；　Pete；　you　are　sick；''　she　protested。　　‘‘Let

Eliza　do　that。''



Pete　drew　himself　stiffly　erect。　　The　color　had

begun　to　come　back　to　his　face。



‘‘There　hain't　no　one　set　this　table　much　but

me　for　more'n　fifty　years；　an'　I've　got　a　sort　of

notion　that　nobody　can　do　it　just　ter　suit　me。　

Besides；　I'm　better　now。　　It's　gonethat　pain。''



‘‘But；　Pete；　what　is　it？　　How　long　have　you

had　it？''



‘‘I　hain't　had　it　any　time；　steady。　　It's　the

comin'　an'　goin'　kind。　　It　seems　silly　ter　mind　it

at　all；　only；　when　it　does　come；　it　sort　o'　takes

the　backbone　right　out　o'　my　knees；　and　they

double　up　so's　I　have　ter　set　down。　　There；　ye

see？　　I'm　pert　as　a　sparrer；　now！''　　And；　with

stiff　celerity；　Pete　resumed　his　task。



His　mistress　still　frowned。



‘‘That　isn't　right；　Pete；''　she　demurred；　with

a　slow　shake　of　her　head。　　‘‘You　should　see　a

doctor。''



The　old　man　paled　a　little。　　He　had　seen　a

doctor；　and　he　had　not　liked　what　the　doctor

had　told　him。　　In　fact；　he　stubbornly　refused　to

believe　what　the　doctor　had　said。　　He　straightened

himself　now　a　little　aggressively。



‘‘Humph！　　Beggin'　yer　pardon；　Missma'am；

but　I　don't　think　much　o'　them　doctor　chaps。''



Billy　shook　her　head　again　as　she　smiled

and　turned　away。　　Then；　as　if　casually；　she

asked：



‘‘Oh；　did　Mr。　Bertram　go　out；　Pete？''



‘‘Yes；　Miss；　about　five　o'clock。　　He　said　he'd

be　back　to　dinner。''



‘‘Oh！　　All　right。''



From　the　hall　the　telephone　jangled　sharply。



‘‘I'll　go；''　said　Pete's　mistress；　as　she　turned

and　hurried　up…stairs。



It　was　Bertram's　voice　that　answered　her

opening　‘‘Hullo。''



‘‘Oh；　Billy；　is　that　you；　dear？　　Well；　you're

just　the　one　I　wanted。　　I　wanted　to　saythat

is；　I　wanted　to　ask　you''　　The　speaker　cleared

his　throat　a　little　nervously；　and　began　all　over

again。　　‘‘The　fact　is；　Billy；　I've　run　across　a

couple　of　old　classmates　on　from　New　York；　and

they　are　very　anxious　I　should　stay　down　to　dinner

with　them。　　Would　you　mindvery　much　if　I

did？''



A　cold　hand　seemed　to　clutch　Billy's　heart。　

She　caught　her　breath　with　a　little　gasp　and　tried

to　speak；　but　she　had　to　try　twice　before　the

words　came。



‘‘Why；　nono；　of　course　not！''　Billy's　voice

was　very　high…pitched　and　a　little　shaky；　but　it

was　surpassingly　cheerful。



‘‘You　sure　you　won't　belonesome？''　Bertram's

voice　was　vaguely　troubled。



‘‘Of　course　not！''



‘‘You've　only　to　say　the　word；　little　girl；''

came　Bertram's　anxious　tones　again；　‘‘and　I

won't　stay。''



Billy　swallowed　convulsively。　　If　only；　only　he

would　_stop_　and　leave　her　to　herself！　　As　if　she　were

going　to　own　up　that　_she_　was　lonesome　for　_him_

if　_he_　was　not　lonesome　for　_her！_



‘‘Nonsense！　of　course　you'll　stay；''　called　Billy；

still　in　that　high…pitched；　shaky　treble。　　Then；

before　Bertram　could　answer；　she　uttered　a　gay

‘‘Good…by！''　and　hung　up　the　receiver。



Billy　had　ten　whole　minutes　in　which　to　cry

before　Pete's　gong　sounded　for　dinner；　but　she

had　only　one　minute　in　which　to　try　to　efface

the　woefully　visible　effects　of　those　ten　minutes

before　William　tapped　at　her　door；　and　called：



‘‘Gone　to　sleep；　my　dear？　　Dinner's　ready。　

Didn't　you　hear　the　gong？''



‘‘Yes；　I'm　coming；　Uncle　William。''　　Billy

spoke　with　breezy　gayety；　and　threw　open　the

door；　but　she　did　not　meet　Uncle　William's　eyes。　

Her　head　was　turned　away。　　Her　hands　were

fussing　with　the　hang　of　her　skirt。



‘‘Bertram's　dining　out；　Pete　tells　me；''　observed

William；　with　cheerful　nonchalance；　as　they　went

down…stairs　together。



Billy　bit　her　lip　and　looked　up　sharply。　　She

had　been　bracing　herself　to　meet　with　disdainful

indifference　this　man's　pitythe　pity　due　a　poor

neglected　wife　whose　husband　_preferred_　to　dine

with　old　classmates　rather　than　with　herself。　

Now　she　found　in　William's　face；　not　pity；　but　a

calm；　even　jovial；　acceptance　of　the　situation　as　a

matter　of　course。　　She　had　known　she　was　going

to　hate　that　pity；　but　now；　curiously　enough；　she

was　conscious　only　of　anger　that　the　pity　was

not　therethat　she　might　hate　it。



She　tossed　her　head　a　little。　　So　even　William

Uncle　Williamregarded　this　monstrous　thing

as　an　insignificant　matter　of　everyday　experience。　

Maybe　he　expected　it　to　occur　frequentlyevery

night；　or　so。　　Doubtless　he　did　expect　it　to　occur

every　night；　or　so。　　Indeed！　　Very　well。　　As　if　she

were　going　to　show　_now_　that　she　cared　whether

Bertram　were　there　or　not！　　They　should　see。



So　with　head　held　high　and　eyes　asparkle；　Billy

marched　into　the　dining…room　and　took　her　accustomed　place。







CHAPTER　VII



THE　BIG　BAD　QUARREL





It　was　a　brilliant　dinnerbecause　Billy　made

it　so。　　At　first　William　met　her　sallies　of　wit　with

mild　surprise；　but　it　was　not　long　before　he　rose

gallantly　to　the　occasion；　and　gave　back　full

measure　of　retort。　　Even　Pete　twice　had　to　turn

his　back　to　hide　a　smile；　and　once　his　hand　shook

so　that　the　tea　he　was　carrying　almost　spilled。　

This　threatened　catastrophe；　however；　seemed　to

frighten　him　so　much　that　his　face　was　very　grave

throughout　the　rest　of　the　dinner。



Still　laughing　and　talking　gayly；　Billy　and

Uncle　William；　after　the　meal　was　over；　ascended

to　the　drawing…room。　　There；　however；　the　man；

in　spite　of　the　young　woman's　gay　badinage；　fell

to　dozing　in　the　big　chair　before　the　fire；　leaving

Billy　with　only　Spunkie　for　companySpunkie；

who；　disdaining　every　effort　to　entice　her　into　a

romp；　only　winked　and　blinked　stupid　eyes；　and

finally　curled　herself　on　the　rug　for　a　nap。



Billy；　left　to　her　own　devices；　glanced　at　her

watch。



Half…past　seven！　　Time；　almost；　for　Bertram

to　be　coming。　　He　had　said　‘‘dinner''；　and；　of

course；　after　dinner　was　over　he　would　be　coming

hometo　her。　　Very　well；　she　would　show　him

that　she　had　at　least　got　along　without　him　as

well　as　he　had　without　her。　　At　all　events　he

would　not　find　her　forlornly　sitting　with　her　nose

pressed　against　the　window…pane！　　And　forthwith

Billy　established　herself　in　a　big　chair　（with　its

back　carefully　turned　toward　the　door　by　which

Bertram　would　enter）；　and　opened　a　book。



Five；　ten；　fifteen　minutes　passed。　　Billy

fidgeted　in　her　chair；　twisted　her　neck　to　look　out

into　the　halland　dropped　her　book　with　a

bang。



Uncle　William　jerked　himself　awake；　and

Spunkie　opened　sleepy　eyes。　　Then　both　settled

themselves　for　another　nap。　　Billy　sighed；　picked

up　her　book；　and　flounced　back　into　her　chair。　

But　she　did　not　read。　　Disconsolately　she　sat

staring　straight　aheaduntil　a　quick　step　on

the　sidewalk　outside　stirred　her　into　instant　action。　

Assuming　a　look　of　absorbed　interest　she　twitched

the　book　open　and　held　it　before　her　face。　。　。　。　

But　the　step　passed　by　the　door：　and　Billy　saw

then　that　her　book　was　upside　down。



Five；　ten；　fifteen　more　minutes　passed。　　Billy

still　sat；　apparently　reading；　though　she　had　not

turned　a　page。　　The　book　now；　however；　was

right　side　up。　　One　by　one　other　minutes　passed

till　the　great　clock　in　the　hall　struck　nine　long

strokes。



‘‘Well；　well；　bless　my　soul！''　mumbled　Uncle

William；　resolutely　forcing　himself　to　wake　up。　

‘‘What　time　was　that？''



‘‘Nine　o'clock。''　　Billy　spoke　with　tragic

distinctness；　yet　very　cheerfully。



‘‘Eh？　　Only　nine？''　blinked　Uncle　William。　

‘‘I　thought　it　must　be　ten。　　Well；　anyhow；　I

believe　I'll　go　up…stairs。　　I　seem　to　be　unusually

sleepy。''



Billy　said　nothing。　　‘‘　‘Only　nine；'　indeed！''

she　was　thinking　wrathfully。



At　the　door　Uncle　William　turned。



‘‘You're　not　going　to　sit　up；　my　dear；　of

course；''　he　remarked。



For　the　second　time　that　evening　a　cold　hand

seemed　to　clutch　Billy's　heart。



_Sit　up！_　　Had　it　come　already　to　that？　　Was

she　even　now　a　wife　who　had　need　to　_sit　up_　for

her　husband？



‘‘I　really　wouldn't；　my　dear；''　advised　Uncle

William　again。　　‘‘Good　night。''



‘‘Oh；　but　I'm　not　sleepy　at　all；　yet；''　Billy

managed　to　declare　brightly。　　‘‘Good　night。''



Then　Uncle　William　went　up…stairs。



Billy　turned　to　her　book；　which　happened　to

be　one　of　William's　on　‘‘Fake　Antiques。''



‘‘　‘To　collect　anything；　these　days；　requires

expert　knowledge；　and　the　utmost　care　and

discrimination；'　''　read　Billy's　eyes。　　‘‘So　Uncle

William　_expected_　Bertram　was　going　to　spend　the

whole　evening　as　well　as　stay　to　dinner！''　ran

Billy's　thoughts。　　‘‘　‘The　enormous　quantity　of

bijouterie；　Dresden　and　Battersea　enamel　ware

that　is　now　flooding　the　market；　is　made　on　the

Continentand　made　chiefly　for　the　American

trade；'　''　continued　the　book。



‘‘Well；　who　cares　if　it　is；''　snapped　Billy；　springing

to　her　f