miss billie married-第28部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



‘‘Why；　Alice！''　she　faltered　then。



With　a　visible　effort　Alice　forced　her　trembling

lips　to　speak。



‘‘My　husband_Mr。　Arkwright！_　　Why；　Billy；

you　couldn't　have　seenyou　haven't　seen

there's　nothing　you　_could_　see！　　He　isn'the

wasn'the　can't　be！　　Wewe're　nothing　but

friends；　Billy；　just　good　friends！''



Billy；　though　dismayed；　was　still　not　quite

convinced。



‘‘Friends！　　Nonsense！　　When''



But　Alice　interrupted　feverishly。　　Alice；　in　an

agony　of　fear　lest　the　true　state　of　affairs　should

be　suspected；　was　hiding　behind　a　bulwark　of

pride。



‘‘Now；　Billy；　please！　　Say　no　more。　　You're

quite　wrong；　entirely。　　You'll　never；　never　hear　of

my　marrying　Mr。　Arkwright。　　As　I　said　before；

we're　friendsthe　best　of　friends；　that　is　all。　

We　couldn't　be　anything　else；　possibly！''



Billy；　plainly　discomfited；　fell　back；　but　she

threw　a　sharp　glance　into　her　friend's　flushed

countenance。



‘‘You　meanbecause　ofHugh　Calderwell？''

she　demanded。　　Then；　for　the　second　time

that　afternoon　throwing　discretion　to　the　winds；

she　went　on　plaintively：　　‘‘You　won't　listen；　of

course。　　Girls　in　love　never　do。　　Hugh　is　all　right；

and　I　like　him；　but　there's　more　real　solid　worth

in　Mr。　Arkwright's　little　finger　than　there　is　in

Hugh's　whole　self。　　And''　　But　a　merry　peal

of　laughter　from　Alice　Greggory　interrupted。



‘‘And；　pray；　do　you　think　I'm　in　love　with

Hugh　Calderwell？''　she　demanded。　　There　was

a　curious　note　of　something　very　like　relief　in　her

voice。



‘‘Well；　I　didn't　know；''　began　Billy；　uncertainly。



‘‘Then　I'll　tell　you　now；''　smiled　Alice。　　‘‘I'm

not。　　Furthermore；　perhaps　it's　just　as　well　that

you　should　know　right　now　that　I　don't　intend

to　marryever。''



‘‘Oh；　Alice！''



‘‘No。''　　There　was　determination；　and　there

was　still　that　curious　note　of　relief　in　the　girl's

voice。　　It　was　as　if；　somewhere；　a　great　danger

had　been　avoided。　　‘‘I　have　my　music。　　That　is

enough。　　I'm　not　intending　to　marry。''



‘‘Oh；　but　Alice；　while　I　will　own　up　I'm　glad　it

isn't　Hugh　Calderwell；　there　_is_　Mr。　Arkwright；

and　I　did　hope''　　But　Alice　shook　her　head

and　turned　resolutely　away。　　At　that　moment；

too；　Aunt　Hannah　came　in　from　the　street；　so

Billy　could　say　no　more。



Aunt　Hannah　dropped　herself　a　little　wearily

into　a　chair。



‘‘I've　just　come　from　Marie's；''　she　said。



‘‘How　is　she？''　asked　Billy。



Aunt　Hannah　smiled；　and　raised　her　eyebrows。



‘‘Well；　just　now　she's　quite　exercised　over

another　rattlefrom　her　cousin　out　West；　this

time。　　There　were　four　little　silver　bells　on　it；

and　she　hasn't　got　any　janitor's　wife　now　to　give

it　to。''



Billy　laughed　softly；　but　Aunt　Hannah　had

more　to　say。



‘‘You　know　she　isn't　going　to　allow　any　toys

but　Teddy　bears　and　woolly　lambs；　of　which；　I

believe；　she　has　already　bought　quite　an　assortment。　

She　says　they　don't　rattle　or　squeak。　　I

declare；　when　I　see　the　woolen　pads　and　rubber

hushers　that　that　child　has　put　everywhere　all

over　the　house；　I　don't　know　whether　to　laugh

or　cry。　　And　she's　so　worried！　　It　seems　Cyril

must　needs　take　just　this　time　to　start　composing

a　new　opera　or　symphony；　or　something；　and

never　before　has　she　allowed　him　to　be　interrupted

by　anything　on　such　an　occasion。　　But　what　he'll

do　when　the　baby　comes　she　says　she　doesn't

know；　for　she　says　she　can'tshe　just　can't　keep

it　from　bothering　him　some；　she's　afraid。　　As　if

any　opera　or　symphony　that　ever　lived　was　of

more　consequence　than　a　man's　own　child！''

finished　Aunt　Hannah；　with　an　indignant　sniff；　as

she　reached　for　her　shawl。







CHAPTER　XIX



A　TOUGH　NUT　TO　CRACK　FOR　CYRIL





It　was　early　in　the　forenoon　of　the　first　day　of

July　that　Eliza　told　her　mistress　that　Mrs。

Stetson　was　asking　for　her　at　the　telephone。　　Eliza's

face　was　not　a　little　troubled。



‘‘I'm　afraid；　maybe；　it　isn't　good　news；''　she

stammered；　as　her　mistress　hurriedly　arose。　

‘‘She's　at　Mr。　Cyril　Henshaw'sMrs。　Stetson

isand　she　seemed　so　terribly　upset　about　something

that　there　was　no　making　real　sense　out　of

what　she　said。　　But　she　asked　for　you；　and　said

to　have　you　come　quick。''



Billy；　her　own　face　paling；　was　already　at　the

telephone。



‘‘Yes；　Aunt　Hannah。　　What　is　it？''



‘‘Oh；　my　grief　and　conscience；　Billy；　if　you

_can_；　come　up　here；　please。　　You　must　come！　

_Can't_　you　come？''



‘‘Why；　yes；　of　course。　　Butbut_Marie！_　

Thethe　_baby！_''



A　faint　groan　came　across　the　wires。



‘‘Oh；　my　grief　and　conscience；　Billy！　　It　isn't

_the_　baby。　　It's　_babies！_　　It's　twinsboys。　　Cyril

has　them　nowthe　nurse　hasn't　got　here　yet。''



‘‘Twins！　　_Cyril_　has　them！''　broke　in　Billy；

hysterically。



‘‘Yes；　and　they're　crying　something　terrible。　

We've　sent　for　a　second　nurse　to　come；　too；　of

course；　but　she　hasn't　got　here　yet；　either。　　And

those　babiesif　you　could　hear　them！　　That's

what　we　want　you　for；　to''



But　Billy　was　almost　laughing　now。



‘‘All　right；　I'll　come　outand　hear　them；''

she　called　a　bit　wildly；　as　she　hung　up　the　receiver。



Some　little　time　later；　a　palpably　nervous　maid

admitted　Billy　to　the　home　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Cyril

Henshaw。　　Even　as　the　door　was　opened；　Billy

heard　faintly；　but　unmistakably；　the　moaning

wails　of　two　infants。



‘‘Mrs。　Stetson　says　if　you　will　please　to　help

Mr。　Henshaw　with　the　babies；''　stammered　the

maid；　after　the　preliminary　questions　and

answers。　　‘‘I've　been　in　when　I　could；　and　they're

all　right；　only　they're　crying。　　They're　in　his　den。　

We　had　to　put　them　as　far　away　as　possible

their　crying　worried　Mrs。　Henshaw　so。''



‘‘Yes；　I　see；''　murmured　Billy。　　‘‘I'll　go　to

them　at　once。　　No；　don't　trouble　to　come。　　I

know　the　way。　　Just　tell　Mrs。　Stetson　I'm　here；

please；''　she　finished；　as　she　tossed　her　hat　and

gloves　on　to　the　hall　table；　and　turned　to　go　upstairs。



Billy's　feet　made　no　sound　on　the　soft　rugs。　

The　crying；　however；　grew　louder　and　louder　as

she　approached　the　den。　　Softly　she　turned　the

knob　and　pushed　open　the　door。　　She　stopped

short；　then；　at　what　she　saw。



Cyril　had　not　heard　her；　nor　seen　her。　　His

back　was　partly　toward　the　door。　　His　coat　was

off；　and　his　hair　stood　fiercely　on　end　as　if　a

nervous　hand　had　ruffled　it。　　His　usually　pale　face

was　very　red；　and　his　forehead　showed　great　drops

of　perspiration。　　He　was　on　his　feet；　hovering

over　the　couch；　at　each　end　of　which　lay　a　rumpled

roll　of　linen；　lace；　and　flannel；　from　which　emerged

a　prodigiously　puckered　little　face；　two　uncertainly

waving　rose…leaf　fists；　and　a　wail　of　protesting

rage　that　was　not　uncertain　in　the　least。



In　one　hand　Cyril　held　a　Teddy　bear；　in　the

other　his　watch；　dangling　from　its　fob　chain。　

Both　of　these　he　shook　feebly；　one　after　the　other；

above　the　tiny　faces。



‘‘Oh；　come；　come；　pretty　baby；　good　baby；

hush；　hush；''　he　begged　agitatedly。



In　the　doorway　Billy　clapped　her　hands　to　her

lips　and　stifled　a　laugh。　　Billy　knew；　of　course；

that　what　she　should　do　was　to　go　forward　at

once；　and　help　this　poor；　distracted　man；　but

Billy；　just　then；　was　not　doing　what　she　knew

she　ought　to　do。



With　a　muttered　ejaculation　（which　Billy；　to

her　sorrow；　could　not　catch）　Cyril　laid　down　the

watch　and　flung　the　Teddy　bear　aside。　　Then；　in

very　evident　despair；　he　gingerly　picked　up　one

of　the　rumpled　rolls　of　flannel；　lace；　and　linen；

and　held　it　straight　out　before　him。　　After　a

moment's　indecision　he　began　awkwardly　to　jounce

it；　teeter　it；　rock　it　back　and　forth；　and　to　pat　it

jerkily。



‘‘Oh；　come；　come；　pretty　baby；　good　baby；

hush；　hush；''　he　begged　again；　frantically。



Perhaps　it　was　the　change　of　position；　perhaps

it　was　the　novelty　of　the　motion；　perhaps　it　was

only　utter　weariness；　or　lack　of　breath。　　Whatever

the　cause；　the　wailing　sobs　from　the　bundle

in　his　arms　dwindled　suddenly　to　a　gentle　whisper；

then　ceased　altogether。



With　a　ray　of　hope　illuminating　his　drawn

countenance；　Cyril　carefully　laid　the　baby　down　and

picked　up　the　other。　　Almost　confidently　now　he

began　the　jouncing　and　teetering　and　rocking

as　before。



‘‘There；　there！　　Oh；　come；　come；　pretty　baby；

good　baby；　hush；　hush；''　he　chanted　again。



This　time　he　was　not　so　successful。　　Perhaps

he　had　lost　his　skill。　　Perhaps　it　was　merely　the

world…old　difference　in　babies。　　At　all　events；　this

infant　did　not　care　for　jerks　and　jounces；　and

showed　it　plainly　by　emitting　loud　and　yet　louder

wails　of　ragewails　in　which　his　brother　on　the

couch　speedily　joined。



‘‘Oh；　come；　come；　pretty　baby；　good　baby；

hush；　hush_confound　it_；　HUSH；　I　say！''　exploded

the　frightened；　weary；　baffled；　distracted　man；

picking　up　the　other　baby；　and　trying　to　hold

both　his　sons　at　once。



Billy　hurried　forward　then；　tearfully；　remorsefully；

her　face　all　sympathy；　her　arms　all　tenderness。



‘‘Here；　Cyril；　let　me　help　you；''　she　cried。



Cyril　turned　abruptly。



‘‘Thank　God；　_some_　one's　come；''　he　groaned；

holding　out　both　the　babies；　with　an　exuberance

of　generosity。　　‘‘Billy；　you've　saved　my　life！''



Billy　laughed　tremulously。



‘‘Yes；　I've　come；　Cyril；　and　I'll　help　every　bit

I　can；　but　I　don't　know　a　thingnot　a　single

thing　about　them　myself。　　Dear　me；　aren't　they

cunning？　　But；　Cyril；　do　they　always　cry　so？''



The　father…of…an…hour　drew　himself　stiffly　erect。



‘‘Cry？　　What　do　you　mean？　　Why　shouldn't

they　cry？''　he　demanded　indignantly。　　‘‘I　want

you　to　understand　that　Doctor　Brown　said　those

were　A　number　I　fine　boys！　　Anyhow；　I　guess

there's　no　doubt　they've　got　lungs　all　right；''　he

added；　with　a　grim　smile；　as　he　pulled　out　his

handkerchief　and　drew　it　across　his　perspiring

brow。



Billy　did　not　have　an　opportunity　to　show　Cyril

how　much　or　how　little　she　knew　about　babies；

for　in　ano