miss billy-第13章

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that　tickles　his　fancy；　then　lug　it　in　his　mouth　towell；　anywhere
that　he　happens　to　feel　like　going。　　Cyril　has　found　him　up…stairs
with　a　small　miniature；　battered　and　chewed　almost　beyond
recognition。　　And　Aunt　Hannah　nearly　had　a　fit　one　day　when　he
appeared　in　her　room　with　an　enormous　hard…shelled　black　bugdead；
of　coursethat　he　had　fished　from　a　case　that　Pete　had　left　open。
As　for　me；　I　can　swear　that　the　little　round　white　stone　he　was
playing　with　in　my　part　of　the　house　was　one　of　William's
Collection　Number　One。

〃And　that　isn't　all；〃　Bertram　continued。　　〃Billy　brings　her　music
down　to　show　to　me；　and　lugs　my　heads　all　over　the　rest　of　the
house　to　show　to　other　folks。　　And　there　is　always　everywhere　a
knit　shawl；　for　Aunt　Hannah　is　sure　to　feel　a　draught；　and　Billy
keeps　shawls　handy。　　So　there　you　are！　　We　certainly　aren't　a
strata　any　longer；〃　he　finished。

Billy　was；　indeed；　very　much　at　home　in　the　Beacon　Street　house
too　much　so；　Aunt　Hannah　thought。　　Aunt　Hannah　was；　in　fact；
seriously　disturbed。　　To　William　one　evening；　late　in　May；　she
spoke　her　mind。

〃William；　what　are　you　going　to　do　with　Billy？〃　she　asked　abruptly。

〃Do　with　her？　　What　do　you　mean？〃　returned　William　with　the
contented　smile　that　was　so　often　on　his　lips　these　days。　　〃This　is
Billy's　home。〃

〃That's　the　worst　of　it；〃　sighed　the　woman；　with　a　shake　of　her
head。

〃The　worst　of　it！　　Aunt　Hannah；　what　do　you　mean？　　Don't　you　like
Billy？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　William；　of　course　I　like　Billy。　　I　love　her！　　Who　could
help　it？　　That's　not　what　I　mean。　　It's　of　Billy　I'm　thinking；　and
of　the　rest　of　you。　　She　can't　stay　here　like　this。　　She　must　go
away；　to　school；　oror　somewhere。〃

〃And　she's　going　in　September；〃　replied　the　man。　　〃She'll　go　to
preparatory　school　first；　and　to　college；　probably。〃

〃Yes；　but　nowright　away。　　She　ought　to　gosomewhere。〃

〃Why；　yes；　for　the　summer；　of　course。　　But　those　plans　aren't
completed　yet。　　Billy　and　I　were　talking　of　it　last　evening。　　You
know　the　boys　are　always　away　more　or　less；　but　I　seldom　go　until
August；　and　we　let　Pete　and　Dong　Ling　off　then　for　a　month　and
close　the　house。　　I　told　Billy　I'd　send　you　and　her　anywhere　she
liked　for　the　whole　summer；　but　she　says　no。　　She　prefers　to　stay
here　with　me。　　But　I　don't　quite　fancy　that　ideathrough　all　the
hot　June　and　Julyso　I　don't　know　but　I'll　get　a　cottage　somewhere
near　at　one　of　the　beaches；　where　I　can　run　back　and　forth　night
and　morning。　　Of　course；　in　that　case；　we　take　Pete　and　Dong　Ling
with　us　and　close　the　house　right　away。　　I　fear　Cyril　would　not
fancy　it　much；　but；　after　all；　he　and　Bertram　would　be　off　more　or
less。　　They　always　are　in　the　summer。〃

〃But；　William；　you　haven't　yet　got　my　idea　at　all；〃　demurred　Aunt
Hannah；　with　a　discouraged　shake　of　her　head。　　〃It's　away！away
from　all　thisfrom　youthat　I　want　to　get　Billy。〃

〃Away！　　Away　from　me；〃　cried　the　man；　with　an　odd　intonation　of
terror；　as　he　started　forward　in　his　chair。　　〃Why；　Aunt　Hannah；
what　are　you　talking　about？〃

〃About　Billy。　　This　is　no　place　in　which　to　bring　up　a　young　girl
a　young　girl　who　has　not　one　shred　of　relationship　to　excuse　it。〃

〃But　she　is　my　namesake；　and　quite　alone　in　the　world；　Aunt　Hannah；
quite　alonepoor　child！〃

〃My　dear　William；　that　is　exactly　itshe　is　a　child；　and　yet　she
is　not。　　That's　where　the　trouble　lies。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃William；　Billy　has　been　brought　up　in　a　little　country　town　with
a　spinster　aunt　and　a　whole　good…natured；　tolerant　village　for
company。　　Well；　she　has　accepted　you　and　your　entire　household；
even　down　to　Dong　Ling；　on　the　same　basis。〃

〃Well；　I'm　sure　I'm　glad；〃　asserted　the　man　with　genial　warmth。
〃It's　good　for　us　to　have　her　here。　　It's　good　for　the　boys。　　She's
already　livened　Cyril　up　and　toned　Bertram　down。　　I　may　as　well
confess；　Aunt　Hannah；　that　I've　been　more　than　a　little　disturbed
about　Bertram　of　late。　　I　don't　like　that　Bob　Seaver　that　he　is　so
fond　of；　and　some　other　fellows；　too；　that　have　been　coming　here
altogether　too　much　during　the　last　year。　　Bertram　says　they're
only　a　little　'Bohemian'　in　their　tastes。　　And　to　me　that's　the
worst　of　it；　for　Bertram　himself　is　quite　too　much　inclined　that
way。〃

〃Exactly；　William。　　And　that　only　goes　to　prove　what　I　said　before。
Bertram　is　not　a　spinster　aunt；　and　neither　are　any　of　the　rest　of
you。　　But　Billy　takes　you　that　way。〃

〃Takes　us　that　wayas　spinster　aunts！〃

〃Yes。　　She　makes　herself　as　free　in　this　house　as　she　was　in　her
Aunt　Ella's　at　Hampden　Falls。　　She　flies　up　to　Cyril's　rooms　half　a
dozen　times　a　day　with　some　question　about　her　lessons；　and　I　don't
know　how　long　she'd　sit　at　his　feet　and　adoringly　listen　to　his
playing　if　he　didn't　sometimes　get　out　of　patience　and　tell　her　to
go　and　practise　herself。　　She　makes　nothing　of　tripping　into
Bertram's　studio　at　all　hours　of　the　day；　and　he's　sketched　her
head　at　every　conceivable　anglewhich　certainly　doesn't　tend　to
make　Billy　modest　or　retiring。　　As　to　youyou　know　how　much　she's
in　your　rooms；　spending　evening　after　evening　fussing　over　your
collections。〃

〃I　know；　but　we'rewe're　sorting　them　and　making　a　catalogue；〃
defended　the　man；　anxiously。　　〃Besides；　II　like　to　have　her
there。　　She　doesn't　bother　me　a　bit。〃

〃No；　I　know　she　doesn't；〃　replied　Aunt　Hannah；　with　a　curious
inflection。　　〃But　don't　you　see；　William；　that　all　this　isn't　going
to　quite　do？　　Billy's　too　youngand　too　old。〃

〃Come；　come；　Aunt　Hannah；　is　that　exactly　logical？〃

〃It's　true；　at　least。〃

〃But；　after　all；　where's　the　harm？　　Don't　you　think　that　you　are
just　a　little　bit　toofastidious？　　Billy's　nothing　but　a　care…free
child。〃

〃It's　the　'free'　part　that　I　object　to；　William。　　She　has　taken
every　one　of　you　into　intimate　companionshipeven　Pete　and　Dong
Ling。〃

〃Pete　and　Dong　Ling！〃

〃Yes。〃　　Mrs。　Stetson's　chin　came　up；　and　her　nostrils　dilated　a
little。　　〃Billy　went　to　Pete　the　other　day　to　have　him　button　her
shirt…waist　up　in　the　back；　and　yesterday　I　found　her　down…stairs
in　the　kitchen　instructing　Dong　Ling　how　to　make　chocolate　fudge！〃

William　fell　back　in　his　chair。

〃Well；　well；〃　he　muttered；　〃well；　well！　　She　is　a　child；　and　no
mistake！〃　　He　paused；　his　brows　drawn　into　a　troubled　frown。　　〃But；
Aunt　Hannah；　what　CAN　I　do？　　Of　course　you　could　talk　to　her；　but
I　don't　seem　to　quite　like　that　idea。〃

〃My　grief　and　conscienceno；　no！　　That　isn't　what　is　needed　at
all。　　It　would　only　serve　to　make　her　self…conscious；　and　that's
her　one　salvation　nowthat　she　isn't　self…conscious。　　You　see；
it's　only　the　fault　of　her　environment　and　training；　after　all。　　It
isn't　her　heart　that's　wrong。〃

〃Indeed　it　isn't！〃

〃It　will　be　different　when　she　is　olderwhen　she　has　seen　a　little
more　of　the　world　outside　Hampden　Falls。　　She'll　go　to　school；　of
course；　and　I　think　she　ought　to　travel　a　little。　　Meanwhile；　she
mustn't　livejust　like　this；　though；　certainly　not　for　a　time；　at
least。〃

〃No；　no；　I'm　afraid　not；〃　agreed　William；　perplexedly；　rising　to
his　feet。　　〃But　we　must　thinkwhat　can　be　done。〃　　His　step　was
even　slower　than　usual　as　he　left　the　room；　and　his　eyes　were
troubled。



CHAPTER　XV

WHAT　BERTRAM　CALLS　〃THE　LIMIT〃


At　half　past　ten　o'clock　on　the　evening　following　Mrs。　Stetson's
very　plain　talk　with　William；　the　telephone　bell　at　the　Beacon
Street　house　rang　sharply。　　Pete　answered　it。

〃Well？〃Pete　never　said　〃hello。〃

〃Hello。　　Is　that　you；　Pete？〃　called　Billy's　voice　agitatedly。　　〃Is
Uncle　William　there？〃

〃No；　Miss　Billy。〃

〃Oh　dear！　　Well；　Mr。　Cyril；　then？〃

〃He's　out；　too；　Miss　Billy。　　And　Mr。　Bertramthey're　all　out。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　know　HE'S　out；〃　almost　sobbed　Billy。　　〃Dear；　dear；
what　shall　I　do！　　Pete；　you'll　have　to　come。　　There　isn't　any　other
way！〃

〃Yes；　Miss；　where？〃　　Pete's　voice　was　dubious；　but　respectful。

〃To　the　Boylston　Street　subwayon　the　Common；　you　knowNorth…
bound　side。　　I'll　wait　for　youbut　HURRY！　　You　see；　I'm　all　alone
here。〃

〃Alone！　　Miss　Billyin　the　subway　at　this　time　of　night！　　But；
Miss　Billy；　you　shouldn'tyou　can'tyou　mustn't〃stuttered　the
old　man　in　helpless　horror。

〃Yes；　yes；　Pete；　but　never　mind；　I　am　her