miss billie married-第23部分

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yesterday　noon？''



Bertram　laughed　and　shrugged　his　shoulders。



‘‘My　dear　love；　I'm　not　questioning　your

_ability_　to　do　it；''　he　soothed　quickly。　　‘‘Still；''　he

added；　with　a　whimsical　smile；　‘‘I　must　remind

you　that　Eliza　has　been　here　half　the　time；　and

that　muffins　and　date　puffs；　however　delicious；

aren't　all　there　is　to　running　a　big　house　like　this。　

Besides；　just　be　sensible；　Billy；''　he　went　on　more

seriously；　as　he　noted　the　rebellious　gleam　coming

into　his　young　wife's　eyes；　‘‘you'd　know　you

couldn't　do　it；　if　you'd　just　stop　to　think。　　There's

the　Carletons　coming　to　dinner　Monday；　and　my

studio　Tea　to…morrow；　to　say　nothing　of　the

Symphony　and　the　opera；　and　the　concerts　you'd

lose　because　you　were　too　dead　tired　to　go　to　them。　

You　know　how　it　was　with　that　concert　yesterday

afternoon　which　Alice　Greggory　wanted　you

to　go　to　with　her。''



‘‘I　didn'twantto　go；''　choked　Billy；

under　her　breath。



‘‘And　there's　your　music。　　You　haven't　done

a　thing　with　that　for　days；　yet　only　last　week

you　told　me　the　publishers　were　hurrying　you　for

that　last　song　to　complete　the　group。''



‘‘I　haven't　felt　likewriting；''　stammered

Billy；　still　half　under　her　breath。



‘‘Of　course　you　haven't；''　triumphed　Bertram。　

‘‘You've　been　too　dead　tired。　　And　that's　just

what　I　say。　　Billy；　you　_can't_　do　it　all　yourself！''



‘‘But　I　want　to。　　I　want　toto　tend　to

things；''　faltered　Billy；　with　a　half…fearful　glance

into　her　husband's　face。



Billy　was　hearing　very　loudly　now　that　accusing

‘‘If　you'd　tend　to　your　husband　and　your　home

a　little　more''　　Bertram；　however；　was　not

hearing　it；　evidently。　　Indeed；　he　seemed　never

to　have　heard　itmuch　less　to　have　spoken　it。



‘‘　‘Tend　to　things；'　''　he　laughed　lightly。　

‘‘Well；　you'll　have　enough　to　do　to　tend　to　the

maid；　I　fancy。　　Anyhow；　we're　going　to　have　one。　

I'll　just　step　into　one　of　thosewhat　do　you　call

'em？intelligence　offices　on　my　way　down　and

send　one　up；''　he　finished；　as　he　gave　his　wife　a

good…by　kiss。



An　hour　later　Billy；　struggling　with　the　broom

and　the　drawing…room　carpet；　was　called　to　the

telephone。　　It　was　her　husband's　voice　that　came

to　her。



‘‘Billy；　for　heaven's　sake；　take　pity　on　me。　

Won't　you　put　on　your　duds　and　come　and　engage

your　maid　yourself？''



‘‘Why；　Bertram；　what's　the　matter？''



‘‘Matter？　　Holy　smoke！　　Well；　I've　been　to

three　of　those　intelligence　officesthough　why

they　call　them　that　I　can't　imagine。　　If　ever　there

was　a　place　utterly　devoid　of　intelligence…but

never　mind！　　I've　interviewed　four　fat　ladies；

two　thin　ones；　and　one　medium　with　a　wart。　　I've

cheerfully　divulged　all　our　family　secrets；　promised

every　other　half…hour　out；　and　taken　oath

that　our　household　numbers　three　adult　members；

and　no　more；　but　I　simply　_can't_　remember

how　many　handkerchiefs　we　have　in　the　wash

each　week。　　Billy；　will　you　come？　　Maybe　you

can　do　something　with　them。　　I'm　sure　you

can！''



‘‘Why；　of　course　I'll　come；''　chirped　Billy。　

‘‘Where　shall　I　meet　you？''



Bertram　gave　the　street　and　number。



‘‘Good！　　I'll　be　there；''　promised　Billy；　as　she

hung　up　the　receiver。



Quite　forgetting　the　broom　in　the　middle　of　the

drawing…room　floor；　Billy　tripped　up…stairs　to

change　her　dress。　　On　her　lips　was　a　gay　little

song。　　In　her　heart　was　joy。



‘‘I　rather　guess　_now_　I'm　tending　to　my　husband

and　my　home！''　she　was　crowing　to　herself。



Just　as　Billy　was　about　to　leave　the　house　the

telephone　bell　jangled　again。



It　was　Alice　Greggory。



‘‘Billy；　dear；''　she　called；　‘‘can't　you　come

out？　　Mr。　Arkwright　and　Mr。　Calderwell　are

here；　and　they've　brought　some　new　music。　　We

want　you。　　Will　you　come？''



‘‘I　can't；　dear。　　Bertram　wants　me。　　He's　sent

for　me。　　I've　got　some　_housewifely_　duties　to　perform

to…day；''　returned　Billy；　in　a　voice　so　curiously

triumphant　that　Alice；　at　her　end　of　the

wires；　frowned　in　puzzled　wonder　as　she　turned

away　from　the　telephone。







CHAPTER　XVI



INTO　TRAINING　FOR　MARY　ELLEN





Bertram　told　a　friend　afterwards　that　he　never

knew　the　meaning　of　the　word　‘‘chaos''　until　he

had　seen　the　Strata　during　the　weeks　immediately

following　the　laying　away　of　his　old　servant。



‘‘Every　stratum　was　aquiver　with　apprehension；''

he　declared；　‘‘and　there　was　never　any

telling　when　the　next　grand　upheaval　would　rock

the　whole　structure　to　its　foundations。''



Nor　was　Bertram　so　far　from　being　right。　　It

was；　indeed；　a　chaos；　as　none　knew　better　than

did　Bertram's　wife。



Poor　Billy！　　Sorry　indeed　were　these　days　for

Billy；　and；　as　if　to　make　her　cup　of　woe　full　to

overflowing；　there　were　Sister　Kate's　epistolary

‘‘I　told　you　so；''　and　Aunt　Hannah's　ever

recurring　lament：　　‘‘If　only；　Billy；　you　were　a

practical　housekeeper　yourself；　they　wouldn't

impose　on　you　so！''



Aunt　Hannah；　to　be　sure；　offered　Rosa；　and

Kate；　by　letter；　offered　adviceplenty　of　it。　

But　Billy；　stung　beyond　all　endurance；　and　fairly

radiating　hurt　pride　and　dogged　determination；

disdained　all　assistance；　and；　with　head　held　high；

declared　she　was　getting　along　very　well；　very

well　indeed！



And　this　was　the　way　she　‘‘got　along。''



First　came　Nora。　　Nora　was　a　blue…eyed；　black…

haired　Irish　girl；　the　sixth　that　the　despairing

Billy　had　interviewed　on　that　fateful　morning

when　Bertram　had　summoned　her　to　his　aid。　

Nora　stayed　two　days。　　During　her　reign　the

entire　Strata　echoed　to　banged　doors；　dropped

china；　and　slammed　furniture。　　At　her　departure

the　Henshaws'　possessions　were　less　by　four　cups；

two　saucers；　one　plate；　one　salad　bowl；　two　cut

glass　tumblers；　and　a　teapotthe　latter　William's

choicest　bit　of　Lowestoft。



Olga　came　next。　　Olga　was　a　Treasure。　　She

was　low…voiced；　gentle…eyed；　and　a　good　cook。　

She　stayed　a　week。　　By　that　time　the　growing

frequency　of　the　disappearance　of　sundry　small

articles　of　value　and　convenience　led　to　Billy's

making　a　reluctant　search　of　Olga's　roomand

to　Olga's　departure；　for　the　room　was；　indeed；　a

treasure　house；　the　Treasure　having　gathered

unto　itself　other　treasures。



Following　Olga　came　a　period　of　what　Bertram

called　‘‘one　night　stands；''　so　frequently　were　the

dramatis　person　below　stairs　changed。　　Gretchen

drank。　　Christine　knew　only　four　words　of　English：

salt；　good…by；　no；　and　yes；　and　Billy　found

need　occasionally　of　using　other　words。　　Mary

was　impertinent　and　lazy。　　Jennie　could　not　even

boil　a　potato　properly；　much　less　cook　a　dinner。　

Sarah　（colored）　was　willing　and　pleasant；　but

insufferably　untidy。　　Bridget　was　neatness　itself；

but　she　had　no　conception　of　the　value　of　time。　

Her　meals　were　always　from　thirty　to　sixty

minutes　late；　and　half…cooked　at　that。　　Vera

sangwhen　she　wasn't　whistlingand　as　she

was　generally　off　the　key；　and　always　off　the

tune；　her　almost　frantic　mistress　dismissed　her

before　twenty…four　hours　had　passed。　　Then　came

Mary　Ellen。



Mary　Ellen　began　well。　　She　was　neat；　capable；

and　obliging；　but　it　did　not　take　her　long　to

discover　just　how　muchand　how　littleher

mistress　really　knew　of　practical　housekeeping。　

Matters　and　things　were　very　different　then。　

Mary　Ellen　became　argumentative；　impertinent；

and　domineering。　　She　openly　shirked　her　work；

when　it　pleased　her　so　to　do；　and　demanded

perquisites　and　privileges　so　insolently　that　even

William　asked　Billy　one　day　whether　Mary　Ellen

or　Billy　herself　were　the　mistress　of　the　Strata：

and　Bertram；　with　mock　humility；　inquired　how

_soon_　Mary　Ellen　would　be　wanting　the　house。

Billy；　in　weary　despair；　submitted　to　this　bullying

for　almost　a　week；　then；　in　a　sudden　accession

of　outraged　dignity　that　left　Mary　Ellen　gasping

with　surprise；　she　told　the　girl　to　go。



And　thus　the　days　passed。　　The　maids　came

and　the　maids　went；　and；　to　Billy；　each　one　seemed

a　little　worse　than　the　one　before。　　Nowhere　was

there　comfort；　rest；　or　peacefulness。　　The　nights

were　a　torture　of　apprehension；　and　the　days　an

even　greater　torture　of　fulfilment。　　Noise；　confusion；

meals　poorly　cooked　and　worse　served；　dust；

disorder；　and　uncertainty。　　And　this　was　_home_；

Billy　told　herself　bitterly。　　No　wonder　that　Bertram

telephoned　more　and　more　frequently　that

he　had　met　a　friend；　and　was　dining　in　town。　　No

wonder　that　William　pushed　back　his　plate　almost

every　meal　with　his　food　scarcely　touched；　and

then　wandered　about　the　house　with　that　hungry；

homesick；　homeless　look　that　nearly　broke　her

heart。　　No　wonder；　indeed！



And　so　it　had　come。　　It　was　true。　　Aunt　Hannah

and　Kate　and　the　‘‘Talk　to　Young　Wives''

were　right。　　She　had　not　been　fit　to　marry　Bertram。　

She　had　not　been　fit　to　marry　anybody。　

Her　honeymoon　was　not　only　waning；　but　going

into　a　total　eclipse。　　Had　not　Bertram　already

declared　that　if　she　would　tend　to　her　husband

and　her　home　a　little　more



Billy　clenched　her　small　hands　and　set　her

round　chin　squarely。



Very　well；　she　would　show　them。　　She　would

tend　to　her　husband　and　her　home。　　She　fancied

she　could　_learn_　to　run　that　house；　and　run　it　well！　

And　forthwith　she　descended　to　the　kitchen　and

told　the　then　reigning　tormentor　that　her　wages

would　be　paid　until　the　end　of　the　week；　but

that　her　services　would　be　immediately　dispensed

with。



Billy　was　well　aware　now　that　housekeeping

was　a　matter　of　more　than　muffins　and　date　puffs。　

She　could　gauge；　in　a　measure；　the　magnitude　of

the　task　to　which　she　had　set　herself。　　But　she

did　not　falter；　and　very　systematically　she　set

about　making　her　plans。



With　a　good　stout　woman　to　come　in　twice　a

week　for　the　heavier　work；　she　believed　she　could

manage　by　herself　very　well　until　Eliza　could　come

back。　　At　least　she　could　serve　more　palatable

meals　than　the　most　of　those　that　had　appeared