miss billie married-第36部分

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know；''　she　explained　anxiously。　　‘‘So　of　course

we'd　want　to　be　careful。　　Bertram；　Jr。；　isn't　quite

four；　yet。''



‘‘Why；　yes；　of　course；''　murmured　Alice；

politely；　stopping　a　pat…a…cake　before　it　was　half

baked。



The　infant；　as　if　suspecting　that　he　was　being

deprived　of　his　lawful　baby　rights；　began　to　fret

and　whimper。



‘‘Poor　itty　sing；''　crooned　Aunt　Hannah；　who；

having　divested　herself　of　bonnet　and　gloves；

came　hurriedly　forward　with　outstretched　hands。　

‘‘Do　they　just　'buse　'em？　　Come　here　to　your　old

auntie；　sweetems；　and　we'll　go　walkee。　　I　saw　a

bow…wowsuch　a　tunnin'　ickey　wickey　bow…

wow　on　the　steps　when　I　came　in。　　Come；　we　go

see　ickey　wickey　bow…wow？''



‘‘Aunt　Hannah；　_please！_''　protested　Billy；　both

hands　upraised　in　horror。　　‘‘_Won't_　you　say　‘dog；'

and　leave　out　that　dreadful　‘ickey　wickey'？　

Of　course　he　can't　understand　things　now；　really；

but　we　never　know　when　he'll　begin　to；　and　we

aren't　ever　going　to　let　him　hear　baby…talk　at　all；

if　we　can　help　it。　　And　truly；　when　you　come　to

think　of　it；　it　is　absurd　to　expect　a　child　to　talk

sensibly　and　rationally　on　the　mental　diet　of

‘moo…moos'　and　‘choo…choos'　served　out　to

them。　　Our　Professor　of　Metaphysics　and　Ideology

in　our　Child　Study　Course　says　that　nothing

is　so　receptive　and　plastic　as　the　Mind　of　a　Little

Child；　and　that　it　is　perfectly　appalling　how　we

fill　it　with　trivial　absurdities　that　haven't　even

the　virtue　of　being　accurate。　　So　that's　why　we're

trying　to　be　so　careful　with　Baby。　　You　didn't

mind　my　speaking；　I　know；　Aunt　Hannah。''



‘‘Oh；　no；　of　course　not；　Billy；''　retorted　Aunt

Hannah；　a　little　tartly；　and　with　a　touch　of　sarcasm

most　unlike　her　gentle　self。　　‘‘I'm　sure　I

shouldn't　wish　to　fill　this　infant's　plastic　mind

with　anything　so　appalling　as　trivial　inaccuracies。　

May　I　be　pardoned　for　suggesting；　however；''

she　went　on　as　the　baby's　whimper　threatened　to

become　a　lusty　wail；　‘‘that　this　young　gentleman

cries　as　if　he　were　sleepy　and　hungry？''



‘‘Yes；　he　is；''　admitted　Billy。



‘‘Well；　doesn't　your　system　of　scientific　training

allow　him　to　be　given　such　trivial　absurdities

as　food　and　naps？''　inquired　the　lady；　mildly。



‘‘Of　course　it　does；　Aunt　Hannah；''　retorted

Billy；　laughing　in　spite　of　herself。　　‘‘And　it's

almost　time　now。　　There　are　only　a　few　more

minutes　to　wait。''



‘‘Few　more　minutes　to　wait；　indeed！''　scorned

Aunt　Hannah。　　‘‘I　suppose　the　poor　little　fellow

might　cry　and　cry；　and　you　wouldn't　set　that

clock　ahead　by　a　teeny　weeny　minute！''



‘‘Certainly　not；''　said　the　young　mother；

decisively。　　‘‘My　‘Daily　Guide　for　Mothers'　says

that　a　time　for　everything　and　everything　in　its

time；　is　the　very　A　B　C　and　whole　alphabet　of

Right　Training。　　He　does　everything　by　the　clock；

and　to　the　minute；''　declared　Billy；　proudly。



Aunt　Hannah　sniffed；　obviously　skeptical　and

rebellious。　　Alice　Greggory　laughed。



‘‘Aunt　Hannah　looks　as　if　she'd　like　to　bring

down　her　clock　that　strikes　half　an　hour　ahead；''

she　said　mischievously；　but　Aunt　Hannah　did　not

deign　to　answer　this。



‘‘How　long　do　you　rock　him？''　she　demanded

of　Billy。　　‘‘I　suppose　I　may　do　that；　mayn't　I？''



‘‘Mercy；　I　don't　rock　him　at　all；　Aunt

Hannah；''　exclaimed　Billy。



‘‘Nor　sing　to　him？''



‘‘Certainly　not。''



‘‘But　you　didbefore　I　went　away。　　I

remember　that　you　did。''



‘‘Yes；　I　know　I　did；''　admitted　Billy；　‘‘and　I

had　an　awful　time；　too。　　Some　evenings；　every

single　one　of　us；　even　to　Uncle　William；　had　to

try　before　we　could　get　him　off　to　sleep。　　But　that

was　before　I　got　my　‘Efficiency　of　Mother　and

Child；'　or　my　‘Scientific　Training；'　and；　oh；　lots

of　others。　　You　see；　I　didn't　know　a　thing　then；

and　I　loved　to　rock　him；　so　I　did　itthough　the

nurse　said　it　wasn't　good　for　him；　but　I　didn't

believe　_her_。　　I've　had　an　awful　time　changing；　but

I've　done　it。　　I　just　put　him　in　his　little　crib；　or

his　carriage；　and　after　a　while　he　goes　to　sleep。　

Sometimes；　now；　he　doesn't　cry　hardly　any。　　I'm

afraid；　to…day；　though；　he　will；''　she　worried。



‘‘Yes；　I'm　afraid　he　will；''　almost　screamed

Aunt　Hannah；　in　order　to　make　herself　heard

above　Bertram；　Jr。；　who；　by　this　time；　was　voicing

his　opinion　of　matters　and　things　in　no　uncertain

manner。



It　was　not；　after　all；　so　very　long　before　peace

and　order　reigned；　and；　in　due　course；　Bertram；

Jr。；　in　his　carriage；　lay　fast　asleep。　　Then；　while

Aunt　Hannah　went　to　Billy's　room　for　a　short

rest；　Billy　and　Alice　went　out　on　to　the　wide

veranda　which　faced　the　wonderful　expanse　of　sky

and　sea。



‘‘Now　tell　me　of　yourself；''　commanded　Billy；

almost　at　once。　　‘‘It's　been　ages　since　I've　heard

or　seen　a　thing　of　you。''



‘‘There's　nothing　to　tell。''



‘‘Nonsense！　　But　there　must　be；''　insisted

Billy。　　‘‘You　know　it's　months　since　I've　seen

anything　of　you；　hardly。''



‘‘I　know。　　We　feel　quite　neglected　at　the

Annex；''　said　Alice。



‘‘But　I　don't　go　anywhere；''　defended　Billy。　

‘‘I　can't。　　There　isn't　time。''



‘‘Even　to　bring　us　the　extra　happiness？''

smiled　Alice。



A　quick　change　came　to　Billy's　face。　　Her　eyes

glowed　deeply。



‘‘No；　though　I've　had　so　much　that　ought　to

have　gonesuch　loads　and　loads　of　extra　happiness；

which　I　couldn't　possibly　use　myself！　

Sometimes　I'm　so　happy；　Alice；　thatthat　I'm

just　frightened。　　It　doesn't　seem　as　if　anybody

ought　to　be　so　happy。''



‘‘Oh；　Billy；　dear；''　demurred　Alice；　her　eyes

filling　suddenly　with　tears。



‘‘Well；　I've　got　the　Annex。　　I'm　glad　I've　got

that　for　the　overflow；　anyway；''　resumed　Billy；

trying　to　steady　her　voice。　　‘‘I've　sent　a　whole

lot　of　happiness　up　there　mentally；　if　I　haven't

actually　carried　it；　so　I'm　sure　you　must　have

got　it。　　Now　tell　me　of　yourself。''



‘‘There's　nothing　to　tell；''　insisted　Alice；　as

before。



‘‘You're　working　as　hard　as　ever？''



‘‘Yesharder。''



‘‘New　pupils？''



‘‘Yes；　and　some　concert　engagementsgood

ones；　for　next　season。　　Accompaniments；　you

know。''



Billy　nodded。



‘‘Yes；　I've　heard　of　you　already　twice；　lately；

in　that　line；　and　very　flatteringly；　too。''



‘‘Have　you？　　Well；　that's　good。''



‘‘Hm…m。''　　There　was　a　moment's　silence；

then；　abruptly；　Billy　changed　the　subject。　　‘‘I

had　a　letter　from　Belle　Calderwell；　yesterday。''　

She　paused　expectantly；　but　there　was　no　comment。



‘‘You　don't　seem　interested；''　she　frowned；

after　a　minute。



Alice　laughed。



‘‘Pardon　me；　butI　don't　know　the　Lady；

you　see。　　Was　it　a　good　letter？''



‘‘You　know　her　brother。''



‘‘Very　true。''　　Alice's　cheeks　showed　a　deeper

color。　　‘‘Did　she　say　anything　of　him？''



‘‘Yes。　　She　said　he　was　coming　back　to　Boston

next　winter。''



‘‘Indeed！''



‘‘Yes。　　She　says　that　this　time　he　declares　he

really　_is_　going　to　settle　down　to　work；''　murmured

Billy；　demurely；　with　a　sidelong　glance　at　her

companion。　　‘‘She　says　he's　engaged　to　be　married

one　of　her　friends　over　there。''



There　was　no　reply。　　Alice　appeared　to　be

absorbed　in　watching　a　tiny　white　sail　far　out　at　sea。



Again　Billy　was　silent。　　Then；　with　studied

carelessness；　she　said：



‘‘Yes；　and　you　know　Mr。　Arkwright；　too。　　She

told　of　him。''



‘‘Yes？　　Well；　what　of　him？''　Alice's　voice

was　studiedly　indifferent。



‘‘Oh；　there　was　quite　a　lot　of　him。　　Belle　had

just　been　to　hear　him　sing；　and　then　her　brother

had　introduced　him　to　her。　　She　thinks　he's　perfectly

wonderful；　in　every　way；　I　should　judge。　

In　fact；　she　simply　raved　over　him。　　It　seems　that

while　we've　been　hearing　nothing　from　him　all

winter；　he's　been　winning　no　end　of　laurels　for

himself　in　Paris　and　Berlin。　　He's　been　studying；

too；　of　course；　as　well　as　singing；　and　now　he's

got　a　chance　to　sing　somewherecreate　a　rle；　or

somethingBelle　said　she　wasn't　quite　clear　on

the　matter　herself；　but　it　was　a　perfectly　splendid

chance；　and　one　that　was　a　fine　feather　in　his　cap。''



‘‘Then　he　won't　be　coming　homethat　is；

to　Bostonat　all　this　winter；　probably；''　said

Alice；　with　a　cheerfulness　that　sounded　just　a

little　forced。



‘‘Not　until　February。　　But　he　is　coming　then。　

He's　been　engaged　for　six　performances　with　the

Boston　Opera　Companyas　a　star　tenor；　mind

you！　　Isn't　that　splendid？''



‘‘Indeed　it　is；''　murmured　Alice。



‘‘Belle　writes　that　Hugh　says　he's　improved

wonderfully；　and　that　even　he　can　see　that　his

singing　is　marvelous。　　He　says　Paris　is　wild　over

him；　butfor　my　part；　I　wish　he'd　come　home

and　stay　here　where　he　belongs；''　finished　Billy；

a　bit　petulantly。



‘‘Why；　why；　Billy！''　murmured　her　friend；　a

curiously　startled　look　coming　into　her　eyes。



‘‘Well；　I　do；''　maintained　Billy；　then；

recklessly；　she　added：　　‘‘I　had　such　beautiful　plans

for　him；　once；　Alice。　　Oh；　if　you　only　could　have

cared　for　him；　you'd　have　made　such　a　splendid

couple！''



A　vivid　scarlet　flew　to　Alice's　face。



‘‘Nonsense！''　she　cried；　getting　quickly　to

her　feet　and　bending　over　one　of　the　flower　boxes

along　the　veranda　railing。　　‘‘Mr。　Arkwright

never　thought　of　marrying　meand　I'm　not

going　to　marry　anybody　but　my　music。''



Billy　sighed　despairingly。



‘‘I　know　that's　what　you　say　now；　but　if''　

She　stopped　abruptly。　　Around　the　turn　of　the

veranda　had　appeared　Aunt　Hannah；　wheeling

Bertram；　Jr。；　still　asleep　in　his　carriage。



‘‘I　came　out　the　other　door；''　she　explained

softly。　　‘‘And　it　was　so　lovely　I　just　had　to　go

in　and　get　the　baby。　　I　thought　it　would　be　so

nice　for　him　to　finish　his　nap　out　here。''



Billy　arose　with　a　troubled　frown。



‘‘But；　Aunt　Hannah；　he　mustn'the　can't

stay　out　here。　　I'm　sorry；　but　we'll　have　to　take

him　back。''



Aunt　Hannah's　eyes　grew　mutinous。



‘‘But　I　thought　the　outdoor　air　was　just　the

thing　for　him。