miss billie married-第22部分

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not　imagine。　　He　thought；　once　or　twice；　of

calling　up　some　of　her　friends；　but　something

held　him　back　from　thatthough　he　did　try　to

get　Marie；　knowing　very　well　that　she　was　probably

over　to　the　new　house　and　would　not　answer。　

He　was　not　surprised；　therefore；　when　he　received

no　reply　to　his　ring。



That　there　was　the　slightest　truth　in　Bessie

Bailey's　absurd　‘‘elopement''　idea；　Bertram　did

not；　of　course；　for　an　instant　believe。　　The　only

thing　that　rankled　about　that　was　the　fact　that

she　had　suggested　such　a　thing；　and　that　Miss

Winthrop　and　those　silly　children　had　heard

her。　　He　recognized　half　of　Bessie's　friends　as

neighborhood　youngsters；　and　he　knew　very　well

that　there　would　be　many　a　quiet　laugh　at　his

expense　around　various　Beacon　Street　dinner…

tables　that　night。　　At　the　thought　of　those

dinner…tables；　he　scowled　again。　　_He_　had　no

dinner…tableat　least；　he　had　no　dinner　on　it！



Who　the　man　might　be　Bertram　thought　he

could　easily　guess。　　It　was　either　Arkwright　or

Calderwell；　of　course；　and　probably　that　tiresome

Alice　Greggory　was　mixed　up　in　it　somehow。　

He　did　wish　Billy



Six　o'clock　came；　then　half…past。　　Bertram　was

indeed　frightened　now；　but　he　was　more　angry；

and　still　more　hungry。　　He　had；　in　fact；　reached

that　state　of　blind　unreasonableness　said　to　be

peculiar　to　hungry　males　from　time　immemorial。



At　ten　minutes　of　seven　a　key　clicked　in　the

lock　of　the　outer　door；　and　William　and　Billy

entered　the　hall。



It　was　almost　dark。　　Bertram　could　not　see

their　faces。　　He　had　not　lighted　the　hall　at　all。



‘‘Well；''　he　began　sharply；　‘‘is　this　the　way

you　receive　your　callers；　Billy？　　I　came　home

and　found　Miss　Winthrop　just　leavingno　one

here　to　receive　her！　　Where've　you　been？　　Where's

Eliza？　　Where's　my　dinner？　　Of　course　I　don't

mean　to　scold；　Billy；　but　there　is　a　limit　to　even

my　patienceand　it's　reached　now。　　I　can't

help　suggesting　that　if　you　would　tend　to　your

husband　and　your　home　a　little　more；　and　go

gallivanting　off　with　Calderwell　and　Arkwright

and　Alice　Greggory　a　little　less；　that　　Where　is

Eliza；　anyway？''　he　finished　irritably；　switching

on　the　lights　with　a　snap。



There　was　a　moment　of　dead　silence。　　At

Bertram's　first　words　Billy　and　William　had

stopped　short。　　Neither　had　moved　since。　　Now

William　turned　and　began　to　speak；　but　Billy

interrupted。　　She　met　her　husband's　gaze　steadily。



‘‘I　will　be　down　at　once　to　get　your　dinner；''

she　said　quietly。　　‘‘Eliza　will　not　come　to…night。　

Pete　is　dead。''



Bertram　started　forward　with　a　quick　cry。



‘‘Dead！　　Oh；　Billy！　　Then　you　were_there！_　

Billy！''



But　his　wife　did　not　apparently　hear　him。　　She

passed　him　without　turning　her　head；　and　went

on　up　the　stairs；　leaving　him　to　meet　the　sorrowful；

accusing　eyes　of　William。







CHAPTER　XV



AFTER　THE　STORM





The　young　husband's　apologies　were　profuse

and　abject。　　Bertram　was　heartily　ashamed　of

himself；　and　was　man　enough　to　acknowledge　it。　

Almost　on　his　knees　he　begged　Billy　to　forgive

him；　and　in　a　frenzy　of　self…denunciation　he

followed　her　down　into　the　kitchen　that　night；

piteously　beseeching　her　to　speak　to　him；　to　just

_look_　at　him；　even；　so　that　he　might　know　he　was

not　utterly　despisedthough　he　did；　indeed；

deserve　to　be　more　than　despised；　he　moaned。



At　first　Billy　did　not　speak；　or　even　vouchsafe

a　glance　in　his　direction。　　Very　quietly　she　went

about　her　preparations　for　a　simple　meal；　paying

apparently　no　more　attention　to　Bertram　than　as

if　he　were　not　there。　　But　that　her　ears　were　only

seemingly；　and　not　really　deaf；　was　shown　very

clearly　a　little　later；　when；　at　a　particularly　abject

wail　on　the　part　of　the　babbling　shadow　at　her

heels；　Billy　choked　into　a　little　gasp；　half　laughter；

half　sob。　　It　was　all　over　then。　　Bertram　had

her　in　his　arms　in　a　twinkling；　while　to　the　floor

clattered　and　rolled　a　knife　and　a　half…peeled

baked　potato。



Naturally；　after　that；　there　could　be　no　more

dignified　silences　on　the　part　of　the　injured　wife。　

There　were；　instead；　half…smiles；　tears；　sobs；　a

tremulous　telling　of　Pete's　going　and　his　messages；

followed　by　a　tearful　listening　to　Bertram's　story

of　the　torture　he　had　endured　at　the　hands　of

Miss　Winthrop；　Bessie　Bailey；　and　an　empty；

dinnerless　house。　　And　thus；　in　one　corner　of　the

kitchen；　some　time　later；　a　hungry；　desperate

William　found　them；　the　half…peeled；　cold　baked

potato　still　at　their　feet。



Torn　between　his　craving　for　food　and　his

desire　not　to　interfere　with　any　possible　peace…

making；　William　was　obviously　hesitating　what

to　do；　when　Billy　glanced　up　and　saw　him。　　She

saw；　too；　at　the　same　time；　the　empty；　blazing

gas…stove　burner；　and　the　pile　of　half…prepared

potatoes；　to　warm　which　the　burner　had　long

since　been　lighted。　　With　a　little　cry　she　broke

away　from　her　husband's　arms。



‘‘Mercy！　and　here's　poor　Uncle　William；

bless　his　heart；　with　not　a　thing　to　eat　yet！''



They　all　got　dinner　then；　together；　with　many

a　sigh　and　quick…coming　tear　as　everywhere　they

met　some　sad　reminder　of　the　gentle　old　hands

that　would　never　again　minister　to　their　comfort。



It　was　a　silent　meal；　and　little；　after　all；　was

eaten；　though　brave　attempts　at　cheerfulness

and　naturalness　were　made　by　all　three。　　Bertram；

especially；　talked；　and　tried　to　make　sure

that　the　shadow　on　Billy's　face　was　at　least　not

the　one　his　own　conduct　had　brought　there。



‘‘For　you　doyou　surely　do　forgive　me；　don't

you？''　he　begged；　as　he　followed　her　into　the

kitchen　after　the　sorry　meal　was　over。



‘‘Why；　yes；　dear；　yes；''　sighed　Billy；　trying　to

smile。



‘‘And　you'll　forget？''



There　was　no　answer。



‘‘Billy！　　And　you'll　forget？''　Bertram's　voice

was　insistent；　reproachful。



Billy　changed　color　and　bit　her　lip。　　She　looked

plainly　distressed。



‘‘Billy！''　cried　the　man；　still　more　reproachfully。



‘‘But；　Bertram；　I　can't　forgetquite　yet；''

faltered　Billy。



Bertram　frowned。　　For　a　minute　he　looked　as

if　he　were　about　to　take　up　the　matter　seriously

and　argue　it　with　her；　but　the　next　moment　he

smiled　and　tossed　his　head　with　jaunty　playfulness

Bertram；　to　tell　the　truth；　had　now　had

quite　enough　of　what　he　privately　termed

‘‘scenes''　and　‘‘heroics''；　and；　manlike；　he　was

very　ardently　longing　for　the　old　easy…going

friendliness；　with　all　unpleasantness　banished　to

oblivion。



‘‘Oh；　but　you'll　have　to　forget；''　he　claimed；

with　cheery　insistence；　‘‘for　you've　promised　to

forgive　meand　one　can't　forgive　without　forgetting。　

So；　there！''　he　finished；　with　a　smilingly

determined　‘‘now…everything…is…just…as…it…was…before''　air。



Billy　made　no　response。　　She　turned　hurriedly

and　began　to　busy　herself　with　the　dishes　at　the

sink。　　In　her　heart　she　was　wondering：　could

she　ever　forget　what　Bertram　had　said？　　Would

anything　ever　blot　out　those　awful　words：　　‘‘If

you　would　tend　to　your　husband　and　your　home

a　little　more；　and　go　gallivanting　off　with　Calderwell

and　Arkwright　and　Alice　Greggory　a　little

less''？　　It　seemed　now　that　always；　for　evermore；

they　would　ring　in　her　ears；　always；　for

evermore；　they　would　burn　deeper　and　deeper

into　her　soul。　　And　not　once；　in　all　Bertram's

apologies；　had　he　referred　to　themthose　words

he　had　uttered。　　He　had　not　said　he　did　not　mean

them。　　He　had　not　said　he　was　sorry　he　spoke

them。　　He　had　ignored　them；　and　he　expected

that　now　she；　too；　would　ignore　them。　　As　if

she　could！''　　If　you　would　tend　to　your　husband

and　your　home　a　little　more；　and　go　gallivanting

off　with　Calderwell　and　Arkwright　and　Alice

Greggory　a　little　less''　　Oh；　if　only　she　could；

indeed；forget！



When　Billy　went　up…stairs　that　night　she　ran

across　her　‘‘Talk　to　Young　Wives''　in　her　desk。　

With　a　half…stifled　cry　she　thrust　it　far　back　out

of　sight。



‘‘I　hate　you；　I　hate　youwith　all　your　old

talk　about　‘brushing　up　against　outside　interests'！''

she　whispered　fiercely。　　‘‘Well；　I've

‘brushed'and　now　see　what　I've　got　for　it！''



Later；　however；　after　Bertram　was　asleep；　Billy

crept　out　of　bed　and　got　the　book。　　Under　the

carefully　shaded　lamp　in　the　adjoining　room　she

turned　the　pages　softly　till　she　came　to　the　sentence：　

‘‘Perhaps　it　would　be　hard　to　find　a　more

utterly　unreasonable；　irritable；　irresponsible　creature

than　a　hungry　man。''　　With　a　long　sigh　she

began　to　read；　and　not　until　some　minutes　later

did　she　close　the　book；　turn　off　the　light；　and　steal

back　to　bed。



During　the　next　three　days；　until　after　the

funeral　at　the　shabby　little　South　Boston　house；

Eliza　spent　only　about　half　of　each　day　at　the

Strata。　　This；　much　to　her　distress；　left　many　of

the　household　tasks　for　her　young　mistress　to

perform。　　Billy；　however；　attacked　each　new　duty

with　a　feverish　eagerness　that　seemed　to　make　the

performance　of　it　very　like　some　glad　penance

done　for　past　misdeeds。　　And　whenon　the　day

after　they　had　laid　the　old　servant　in　his　last

resting　placea　despairing　message　came　from

Eliza　to　the　effect　that　now　her　mother　was　very

ill；　and　would　need　her　care；　Billy　promptly　told

Eliza　to　stay　as　long　as　was　necessary；　that　they

could　get　along　all　right　without　her。



‘‘But；　Billy；　what　_are_　we　going　to　do？''

Bertram　demanded；　when　he　heard　the　news。　　‘‘We

must　have　somebody！''



‘‘_I'm_　going　to　do　it。''



‘‘Nonsense！　　As　if　you　could！''　scoffed　Bertram。



Billy　lifted　her　chin。



‘‘Couldn't　I；　indeed；''　she　retorted。　　‘‘Do　you

realize；　young　man；　how　much　I've　done　the　last

three　days？　　How　about　those　muffins　you　had

this　morning　for　breakfast；　and　that　cake　last

night？　　And　didn't　you　yourself　say　that　you

never　ate　a　better　pudding　than　that　date　puff

yesterday　noon？''



Bertram　laughed　and　shrugged　his　shoulders。