miss billie married-第34部分

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have　them　named；　you　know！　　And　shall　we　call

them　Franz　and　Felix；　as　we'd　talked？''



‘‘Franz；　Felix；　John；　James；　Paul；　Charles

anything；　so　it's　sane　and　sensible！　　I'd　even

adopt　Calderwell's　absurd　Bildad　ander

Tomdad；　or　whatever　it　was；　rather　than　have

those　poor　little　chaps　insulted　a　day　longer　with

a　‘Dot'　and　a　‘Dimple。'　　Great　Scott！''　　And；

entirely　forgetting　what　he　had　come　to　the

nursery　for；　Cyril　strode　from　the　room。



‘‘Ahgoospggggh！''　commented　baby

from　the　middle　of　the　floor。





It　was　on　a　very　windy　March　day　that　Bertram

Henshaw's　son；　Bertram；　Jr。；　arrived　at

the　Strata。　　Billy　went　so　far　into　the　Valley　of

the　Shadow　of　Death　for　her　baby　that　it　was

some　days　before　she　realized　in　all　its　importance

the　presence　of　the　new　member　of　her

family。　　Even　when　the　days　had　become　weeks；

and　Bertram；　Jr。；　was　a　month　and　a　half　old；

the　extreme　lassitude　and　weariness　of　his　young

mother　was　a　source　of　ever…growing　anxiety　to

her　family　and　friends。　　Billy　was　so　unlike　herself；

they　all　said。



‘‘If　something　could　only　rouse　her；''

suggested　the　Henshaw's　old　family　physician　one

day。　　‘‘A　certain　sort　of　mental　shockif　not

too　severewould　do　the　deed；　I　think；　and

with　no　injuryonly　benefit。　　Her　physical

condition　is　in　just　the　state　that　needs　a　stimulus

to　stir　it　into　new　life　and　vigor。''



As　it　happened；　this　was　said　on　a　certain

Monday。　　Two　days　later　Bertram's　sister　Kate；　on

her　way　with　her　husband　to　Mr。　Hartwell's　old

home　in　Vermont；　stopped　over　in　Boston　for　a

two　days'　visit。　　She　made　her　headquarters　at

Cyril's　home；　but　very　naturally　she　went；　without

much　delay；　to　pay　her　respects　to　Bertram；　Jr。



‘‘Mr。　Hartwell's　brother　isn't　well；''　she

explained　to　Billy；　after　the　greetings　were　over。　

‘‘You　know　he's　the　only　one　left　there；　since

Mother　and　Father　Hartwell　came　West。　　We

shall　go　right　on　up　to　Vermont　in　a　couple　of

days；　but　we　just　had　to　stay　over　long　enough

to　see　the　baby；　and　we　hadn't　ever　seen　the

twins；　either；　you　know。　　By　the　way；　how　perfectly

ridiculous　Cyril　is　over　those　boys！''



‘‘Is　he？''　smiled　Billy；　faintly。



‘‘Yes。　　One　would　think　there　were　never　any

babies　born　before；　to　hear　him　talk。　　He　thinks

they're　the　most　wonderful　things　in　the　world

and　they　are　cunning　little　fellows；　I'll　admit。　

But　Cyril　thinks　they　_know_　so　much；''　went　on

Kate；　laughingly。　　‘‘He's　always　bragging　of

something　one　or　the　other　of　them　has　done。　

Think　of　it_Cyril！_　　Marie　says　it　all　started

from　the　time　last　January　when　he　discovered

the　nurses　had　been　calling　them　Dot　and　Dimple。''



‘‘Yes；　I　know；''　smiled　Billy　again；　faintly；

lifting　a　thin；　white；　very　un…Billy…like　hand　to

her　head。



Kate　frowned；　and　regarded　her　sister…in…law

thoughtfully。



‘‘Mercy！　how　you　look；　Billy！''　she　exclaimed；

with　cheerful　tactlessness。　　‘‘They　said　you　did；

but；　I　declare；　you　look　worse　than　I　thought。''



Billy's　pale　face　reddened　perceptibly。



‘‘Nonsense！　　It's　just　that　I'm　soso　tired；''

she　insisted。　　‘‘I　shall　be　all　right　soon。　　How

did　you　leave　the　children？''



‘‘Well；　and　happy'specially　little　Kate；

because　mother　was　going　away。　　Kate　is　mistress；

you　know；　when　I'm　gone；　and　she　takes

herself　very　seriously。''



‘‘Mistress！　　A　little　thing　like　her！　　Why；　she

can't　be　more　than　ten　or　eleven；''　murmured

Billy。



‘‘She　isn't。　　She　was　ten　last　month。　　But

you'd　think　she　was　forty；　the　airs　she　gives

herself；　sometimes。　　Oh；　of　course　there's　Nora；　and

the　cook；　and　Miss　Winton；　the　governess；　there

to　really　manage　things；　and　Mother　Hartwell

is　just　around　the　corner；　but　little　Kate　_thinks_

she's　managing；　so　she's　happy。''



Billy　suppressed　a　smile。　　Billy　was　thinking

that　little　Kate　came　naturally　by　at　least　one

of　her　traits。



‘‘Really；　that　child　is　impossible；　sometimes；''

resumed　Mrs。　Hartwell；　with　a　sigh。　　‘‘You

know　the　absurd　things　she　was　always　saying

two　or　three　years　ago；　when　we　came　on　to

Cyril's　wedding。''



‘‘Yes；　I　remember。''



‘‘Well；　I　thought　she　would　get　over　it。　　But

she　doesn't。　　She's　worse；　if　anything；　and　sometimes

her　insight；　or　intuition；　or　whatever　you

may　call　it；　is　positively　uncanny。　　I　never　know

what　she's　going　to　remark　next；　when　I　take　her

anywhere；　but　it's　safe　to　say；　whatever　it　is；　it'll

be　unexpected　and　_usually_　embarrassing　to　somebody。　

Andis　that　the　baby？''　broke　off　Mrs。

Hartwell；　as　a　cooing　laugh　and　a　woman's　voice

came　from　the　next　room。



‘‘Yes。　　The　nurse　has　just　brought　him　in；　I

think；''　said　Billy。



‘‘Then　I'll　go　right　now　and　see　him；''

rejoined　Kate；　rising　to　her　feet　and　hurrying　into

the　next　room。



Left　alone；　Billy　lay　back　wearily　in　her

reclining…chair。　　She　wondered　why　Kate　always

tired　her　so。　　She　wished　she　had　had　on　her　blue

kimono；　then　perhaps　Kate　would　not　have

thought　she　looked　so　badly。　　Blue　was　always

more　becoming　to　her　than



Billy　turned　her　head　suddenly。　　From　the

next　room　had　come　Kate's　clear…cut；　decisive

voice。



‘‘Oh；　no；　I　don't　think　he　looks　a　bit　like　his

father。　　That　little　snubby　nose　was　never　the

Henshaw　nose。''



Billy　drew　in　her　breath　sharply；　and　pulled

herself　half　erect　in　her　chair。　　From　the　next

room　came　Kate's　voice　again；　after　a　low　murmur

from　the　nurse。



‘‘Oh；　but　he　isn't；　I　tell　you。　　He　isn't　one　bit

of　a　Henshaw　baby！　　The　Henshaw　babies　are

always　_pretty_　ones。　　They　have　more　hair；　and

they　lookwell；　different。''



Billy　gave　a　low　cry；　and　struggled　to　her　feet。



‘‘Oh；　no；''　spoke　up　Kate；　in　answer　to

another　indistinct　something　from　the　nurse。　　‘‘I

don't　think　he's　near　as　pretty　as　the　twins。　　Of

course　the　twins　are　a　good　deal　older；　but　they

have　such　a　_bright_　look；and　they　did　have；

from　the　very　first。　　I　saw　it　in　their　tiniest　baby

pictures。　　But　this　baby''



‘‘_This_　baby　is　_mine_；　please；''　cut　in　a

tremulous；　but　resolute　voice；　and　Mrs。　Hartwell

turned　to　confront　Bertram；　Jr。's　mother；

manifestly　weak　and　trembling；　but　no　less

manifestly　blazing…eyed　and　determined。



‘‘Why；　Billy！''　expostulated　Mrs。　Hartwell；

as　Billy　stumbled　forward　and　snatched　the　child

into　her　arms。



‘‘Perhaps　he　doesn't　look　like　the　Henshaw

babies。　　Perhaps　he　isn't　as　pretty　as　the　twins。　

Perhaps　he　hasn't　much　hair；　and　does　have　a

snub　nose。　　He's　my　baby　just　the　same；　and　I

shall　not　stay　calmly　by　and　see　him　abused！　

Besides；　_I_　think　he's　prettier　than　the　twins　ever

thought　of　being；　and　he's　got　all　the　hair　I　want

him　to　have；　and　his　nose　is　just　exactly　what　a

baby's　nose　ought　to　be！''　　And；　with　a　superb

gesture；　Billy　turned　and　bore　the　baby　away。







CHAPTER　XXIII



BILLY　AND　THE　ENORMOUS　RESPONSIBILITY





When　the　doctor　heard　from　the　nurse　of　Mrs。

Hartwell's　visit　and　what　had　come　of　it；　he　only

gave　a　discreet　smile；　as　befitted　himself　and　the

occasion；　but　to　his　wife　privately；　that　night；

the　doctor　said；　when　he　had　finished　telling　the

story：



‘‘And　I　couldn't　have　prescribed　a　better　pill

if　I'd　tried！''



‘‘_Pill_Mrs。　Hartwell！　　Oh；　Harold；''　reproved

the　doctor's　wife；　mildly。



But　the　doctor　only　chuckled　the　more；　and

said：



‘‘You　wait　and　see。''



If　Billy's　friends　were　worried　before　because

of　her　lassitude　and　lack　of　ambition；　they　were

almost　as　worried　now　over　her　amazing　alertness

and　insistent　activity。　　Day　by　day；　almost　hour

by　hour；　she　seemed　to　gain　in　strength；　and　every

bit　she　acquired　she　promptly　tested　almost　to

the　breaking　point；　so　plainly　eager　was　she　to

be　well　and　strong。　　And　always；　from　morning

until　night；　and　again　from　night　until　morning；

the　pivot　of　her　existence；　around　which　swung

all　thoughts；　words；　actions；　and　plans；　was　the

sturdy　little　plump…cheeked；　firm…fleshed　atom

of　humanity　known　as　Bertram；　Jr。　　Even　Aunt

Hannah　remonstrated　with　her　at　last。



‘‘But；　Billy；　dear；''　she　exclaimed；　‘‘one　would

almost　get　the　idea　that　you　thought　there　wasn't

a　thing　in　the　world　but　that　baby！''



Billy　laughed。



‘‘Well；　do　you　know；　sometimes　I　'most　think

there　isn't；''　she　retorted　unblushingly。



‘‘Billy！''　protested　Aunt　Hannah；　then；　a

little　severely；　she　demanded：　　‘‘And　who　was　it

that　just　last　September　was　calling　this　same

only…object…in…the…world　a　third　person　in　your

home？''



‘‘Third　person；　indeed！　　Aunt　Hannah；　did　I？　

Did　I　really　say　such　a　dreadful　thing　as　that？　

But　I　didn't　know；　then；　of　course。　　I　couldn't

know　how　perfectly　wonderful　a　baby　is；　especially

such　a　baby　as　Bertram；　Jr。；　is。　　Why；　Aunt　Hannah；

that　little　thing　knows　a　whole　lot　already。　

He's　known　me　for　weeks；　I　know　he　has。　　And

ages　and　ages　ago　he　began　to　give　me　little　smiles

when　he　saw　me。　　They　were　smilesreal　smiles！　

Oh；　yes；　I　know　nurse　said　they　weren't　smiles　at

the　first；''　admitted　Billy；　in　answer　to　Aunt

Hannah's　doubting　expression。　　‘‘I　know　nurse　said

it　was　only　wind　on　his　stomach。　　Think　of　it

wind　on　his　stomach！　　Just　as　if　I　didn't　know　the

difference　between　my　own　baby's　smile　and　wind

on　his　stomach！　　And　you　don't　know　how　soon

he　began　to　follow　my　moving　finger　with　his

eyes！''



‘‘Yes；　I　tried　that　one　day；　I　remember；''

observed　Aunt　Hannah　demurely。　　‘‘I　moved　my

finger。　　He　looked　at　the　ceiling_fixedly_。''



‘‘Well；　probably　he　_wanted_　to　look　at　the

ceiling；　then；''　defended　the　young　mother；　promptly。　

‘‘I'm　sure　I　wouldn't　give　a　snap　for　a　baby　if　he

didn't　sometimes　have　a　mind　of　his　own；　and

exercise　it！''



‘‘Oh；　Billy；　Billy；''　laughed　Aunt　Hannah；

with　a　shake　of　her　head　as　Billy　turned　away；

chin　uptilted。



By　the　time