miss billie married-第7部分

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then；　lately；　I　take　it。''



‘‘No。''　　Aunt　Hannah　shook　her　head

abstractedly。　　‘‘I　did　see　him　once；　several　weeks

ago；　but　I　haven't；　since。　　We　had　quite　a　talk；

then；　and；　Billy；　I've　been　wanting　to　speak　to

you；''　she　hurried　on；　a　little　feverishly。　　‘‘I

didn't　like　to　leave；　of　course；　till　you　did　come

home；　as　long　as　you'd　said　nothing　about　your

plans；　but''



‘‘Leave！''　interposed　Billy；　dazedly。　　‘‘Leave

where？　　What　do　you　mean？''



‘‘Why；　leave　here；　of　course；　dear。　　I　mean。　

I　didn't　like　to　get　my　room　while　you　were

away；　but　I　shall　now；　of　course；　at　once。''



‘‘Nonsense；　Aunt　Hannah！　　As　if　I'd　let　you

do　that；''　laughed　Billy。



Aunt　Hannah　stiffened　perceptibly。　　Her　lips

looked　suddenly　thin　and　determined。　　Even　the

soft　little　curls　above　her　ears　seemed　actually

to　bristle　with　resolution。



‘‘Billy；''　she　began　firmly；　‘‘we　might　as　well

understand　each　other　at　once。　　I　know　your

good　heart；　and　I　appreciate　your　kindness。　　But

I　can　not　come　to　live　with　you。　　I　shall　not。　　It

wouldn't　be　best。　　I　should　be　like　an　interfering

elder　brother　in　your　home。　　I　should　spoil　your

young　married　life；　and　if　I　went　away　for　two

months　you'd　never　forget　the　utter　joy　and

freedom　of　those　two　months　with　the　whole

house　ali　to　yourselves。''



At　the　beginning　of　this　speech　Billy's　eyes

had　still　carried　their　dancing　smile；　but　as　the

peroration　progressed　on　to　the　end；　a　dawning

surprise；　which　soon　became　a　puzzled　questioning；

drove　the　smile　away。　　Then　Billy　sat　suddenly　erect。



‘‘Why；　Aunt　Hannah；　that's　exactly　what

Uncle　William''　　Billy　stopped；　and　regarded

Aunt　Hannah　with　quick　suspicion。　　The　next

moment　she　burst　into　gleeful　laughter。



Aunt　Hannah　looked　grieved；　and　not　a　little

surprised；　but　Billy　did　not　seem　to　notice

this。



‘‘Oh；　oh；　Aunt　Hannahyou；　too！　　How

perfectly　funny！''　she　gurgled。　　‘‘To　think　you

two　old　blesseds　should　get　your　heads　together

like　this！''



Aunt　Hannah　stirred　restively；　and　pulled　the

black　shawl　more　closely　about　her。



‘‘Indeed；　Billy；　I　don't　know　what　you　mean

by　that；''　she　sighed；　with　a　visible　effort　at　self…

control；　‘‘but　I　do　know　that　I　can　not　go　to　live

with　you。''



‘‘Bless　your　heart；　dear；　I　don't　want　you　to；''

soothed　Billy；　with　gay　promptness。



‘‘Oh！　　O…h…h；''　stammered　Aunt　Hannah；　surprise；

mortification；　dismay；　and　a　grieved　hurt

bringing　a　flood　of　color　to　her　face。　　It　is　one

thing　to　refuse　a　home；　and　quite　another　to　have

a　home　refused　you。



‘‘Oh！　　O…h…h；　Aunt　Hannah；''　cried　Billy；

turning　very　red　in　her　turn。　　‘‘Please；　_please_　don't

look　like　that。　　I　didn't　mean　it　that　way。　　I　do

want　you；　dear；　onlyI　want　you　somewhere

else　more。　　I　want　youhere。''



‘‘Here！''　　Aunt　Hannah　looked　relieved；　but

unconvinced。



‘‘Yes。　　Don't　you　like　it　here？''



‘‘Like　it！　　Why；　I　love　it；　dear。　　You　know　I

do。　　But　you　don't　need　this　house　now；　Billy。''



‘‘Oh；　yes；　I　do；''　retorted　Billy；　airily。　　‘‘I'm

going　to　keep　it　up；　and　I　want　you　here。



‘‘Fiddlededee；　Billy！　　As　if　I'd　let　you　keep　up

this　house　just　for　me；''　scorned　Aunt　Hannah。



‘‘　'Tisn't　just　for　you。　　It's　forfor　lots　of

folks。''



‘‘My　grief　and　conscience；　Billy！　　What　are

you　talking　about？''



Billy　laughed；　and　settled　herself　more

comfortably　on　the　hassock　at　Aunt　Hannah's　feet。



‘‘Well；　I'll　tell　you。　　Just　now　I　want　it　for

Tommy　Dunn；　and　the　Greggorys　if　I　can　get

them；　and　maybe　one　or　two　others。　　There'll

always　be　somebody。　　You　see；　I　had　thought

I'd　have　them　at　the　Strata。''



‘‘Tommy　Dunnat　the　Strata！''



Billy　laughed　again　ruefully。



‘‘O　dear！　　You　sound　just　like　Bertram；''　she

pouted。　　‘‘He　didn't　want　Tommy；　either；　nor

any　of　the　rest　of　them。''



‘‘The　rest　of　them！''



‘‘Well；　I　could　have　had　a　lot　more；　you　know；

the　Strata　is　so　big；　especially　now　that　Cyril

has　gone；　and　left　all　those　empty　rooms。　　_I_　got

real　enthusiastic；　but　Bertram　didn't。　　He　just

laughed　and　said　‘nonsense！'　until　he　found　I

was　really　in　earnest；　then　hewell；　he　said

‘nonsense；'　then；　tooonly　he　didn't　laugh；''

finished　Billy；　with　a　sigh。



Aunt　Hannah　regarded　her　with　fond；　though

slightly　exasperated　eyes。



‘‘Billy；　you　are；　indeed；　a　most　extraordinary

young　womanat　times。　　Surely；　with　you；　a

body　never　knows　what　to　expectexcept　the

unexpected。''



‘‘Why；　Aunt　Hannah！and　from　you；　too！''

reproached　Billy；　mischievously；　but　Aunt　Hannah

had　yet　more　to　say。



‘‘Of　course　Bertram　thought　it　was　nonsense。　

The　idea　of　you；　a　bride；　filling　up　your　house

withwith　people　like　that！　　Tommy　Dunn；

indeed！''



‘‘Oh；　Bertram　said　he　liked　Tommy　all　right；''

sighed　Billy；　‘‘but　he　said　that　that　didn't　mean

he　wanted　him　for　three　meals　a　day。　　One　would

think　poor　Tommy　was　a　breakfast　food！　　So

that　is　when　I　thought　of　keeping　up　this　house；

you　see；　and　that's　why　I　want　you　hereto

take　charge　of　it。　　And　you'll　do　thatfor　me；

won't　you？''



Aunt　Hannah　fell　back　in　her　chair。



Why；　y…yes；　Billy；　of　course；　ifif　you　want

it。　　But　what　an　extraordinary　idea；　child！''



Billy　shook　her　head。　　A　deeper　color　came　to

her　cheeks；　and　a　softer　glow　to　her　eyes。



‘‘I　don't　think　so；　Aunt　Hannah。　　It's　only

that　I'm　so　happy　that　some　of　it　has　just　got　to

overflow　somewhere；　and　this　is　going　to　be　the

overflow　housea　sort　of　safety　valve　for　me；

you　see。　　I'm　going　to　call　it　the　Annexit　will

be　an　annex　to　our　home。　　And　I　want　to　keep　it

full；　always；　of　people　whowho　can　make　the

best　use　of　all　that　extra　happiness　that　I　can't

possibly　use　myself；''　she　finished　a　little

tremulously。　　‘‘Don't　you　see？''



‘‘Oh；　yes；　I　_see_；''　replied　Aunt　Hannah；　with　a

fond　shake　of　the　head。



‘‘But；　really；　listenit's　sensible；''　urged

Billy。　　‘‘First；　there's　Tommy。　　His　mother　died

last　month。　　He's　at　a　neighbor's　now；　but　they're

going　to　send　him　to　a　Home　for　Crippled　Children；

and　he's　grieving　his　heart　out　over　it。　

I'm　going　to　bring　him　here　to　a　real　home

the　kind　that　doesn't　begin　with　a　capital　letter。　

He　adores　music；　and　he's　got　real　talent；　I　think。　

Then　there's　the　Greggorys。''



Aunt　Hannah　looked　dubious。



‘‘You　can't　get　the　Greggorys　toto　use　any

of　that　happiness；　Billy。　　They're　too　proud。''



Billy　smiled　radiantly。



‘‘I　know　I　can't　get　them　to　_use_　it；　Aunt

Hannah；　but　I　believe　I　can　get　them　to　_give_　it；''

she　declared　triumphantly。　　‘‘I　shall　ask　Alice

Greggory　to　teach　Tommy　music；　and　I　shall

ask　Mrs。　Greggory　to　teach　him　books；　and　I

shall　tell　them　both　that　I　positively　need　them

to　keep　you　company。''



‘‘Oh；　but　Billy；''　bridled　Aunt　Hannah；　with

prompt　objection。



‘‘Tut；　tut！I　know　you'll　be　willing　to　be

thrown　as　a　little　bit　of　a　sop　to　the　Greggorys'

pride；''　coaxed　Billy。　　‘‘You　just　wait　till　I　get

the　Overflow　Annex　in　running　order。　　Why；

Aunt　Hannah；　you　don't　know　how　busy　you're

going　to　be　handing　out　all　that　extra　happiness

that　I　can't　use！''



‘‘You　dear　child！''　Aunt　Hannah　smiled

mistily。　　The　black　shawl　had　fallen　unheeded

to　the　floor　now。　　‘‘As　if　anybody　ever　had　any

more　happiness　than　one's　self　could　use！''



‘‘I　have；''　avowed　Billy；　promptly；　‘‘and　it's

going　to　keep　growing　and　growing；　I　know。''



‘‘Oh；　my　grief　and　conscience；　Billy；　don't！''

exclaimed　Aunt　Hannah；　lifting　shocked　hands　of

remonstrance。　　‘‘Rap　on　wooddo！　　How　can

you　boast　like　that？''



Billy　dimpled　roguishly　and　sprang　to　her　feet｛。？？｝



‘‘Why；　Aunt　Hannah；　I'm　ashamed　of　you！　

To　be　superstitious　like　thatyou；　a　good

Presbyterian！''



Aunt　Hannah　subsided　shamefacedly。



‘‘Yes；　I　know；　Billy；　it　is　silly；　but　I　just　can't

help　it。''



‘‘Oh；　but　it's　worse　than　silly；　Aunt　Hannah；''

teased　Billy；　with　a　remorseless　chuckle。　　‘‘It's

really　_heathen！_　　Bertram　told　me　once　that　it

dates　'way　back　to　the　time　of　the　Druids

appealing　to　the　god　of　trees；　or　something　like　that

when　you　rap　on　wood；　you　know。''



‘‘Ugh！''　shuddered　Aunt　Hannah。　　‘‘As　if

I　would；　Billy！　　How　is　Bertram；　by　the　by？''



A　swift　shadow　crossed　Billy's　bright　face。



‘‘He's　lovelyonly　his　arm。''



‘‘His　arm！　　But　I　thought　that　was　better。''



‘‘Oh；　it　is；''　drooped　Billy；　‘‘but　it　gets　along

so　slowly；　and　it　frets　him　dreadfully。　　You　know

he　never　can　do　anything　with　his　left　hand；　he

says；　and　he　just　hates　to　have　things　done　for

himthough　Pete　and　Dong　Ling　are　quarreling

with　each　other　all　the　time　to　do　things　for

him；　and　I'm　quarreling　with　both　of　them　to　do

them　for　him　myself！　　By　the　way；　Dong　Ling

is　going　to　leave　us　next　week。　　Did　you　know

it？''



‘‘Dong　Lingleave！''



‘‘Yes。　　Oh；　he　told　Bertram　long　ago　he

should　go　when　we　were　married；　that　he　had

plenty　much　money；　and　was　going　back　to　China；

and　not　be　Melican　man　any　longer。　　But　I　don't

think　Bertram　thought　he'd　do　it。　　William　says

Dong　Ling　went　to　Pete；　however；　after　we　left；

and　told　him　he　wanted　to　go；　that　he　liked　the

little　Missee　plenty　well；　but　that　there'd　be　too

much　hen…talk　when　she　got　back；　and''



‘‘Why；　the　impudent　creature！''



Billy　laughed　merrily。



‘‘Yes；　Pete　was　furious；　William　says；　but

Dong　Ling　didn't　mean　any　disrespect；　I'm　sure。　

He　just　wasn't　used　to　having　petticoats　around；

and　didn't　want　to　take　orders　from　them；　that's

all。''



‘‘But；　Billy；　what　will　you　do？''



‘‘Oh；　Pete's　fixed　all　that　lovely；''　returned

Billy；　nonchalantly。　　‘‘You　know　his　niece　lives

over　in　South　Boston；　and　it　seems　she's　got　a

daughter　who's　a　fine　cook　and　will　be　glad　to

come。　　Mercy！　　Look　at　the　time；''　she　broke　off；

glancing　at　the　clock。　　‘‘I　shall　be