miss billy-第14章

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！


old　man　in　helpless　horror。

〃Yes；　yes；　Pete；　but　never　mind；　I　am　here！　　And　I　should　think　if
'twas　such　a　dreadful　thing　you　would　hurry　FAST　to　get　here；　so　I
wouldn't　be　alone；〃　appealed　Billy。

With　an　inarticulate　cry　Pete　jerked　the　receiver　on　to　the　hook；
and　stumbled　away　from　the　telephone。　　Five　minutes　later　he　had
left　the　house　and　was　hurrying　through　the　Common　to　the　Boylston
Street　subway　station。

Billy；　a　long　cloak　thrown　over　her　white　dress；　was　waiting　for
him。　　Her　white　slippers　tapped　the　platform　nervously；　and　her
hair；　under　the　light　scarf　of　lace；　fluffed　into　little　broken
curls　as　if　it　had　been　blown　by　the　wind。

〃Miss　Billy；　Miss　Billy；　what　can　this　mean？〃　gasped　the　man。
〃Where　is　Mrs。　Stetson？〃

〃At　Mrs。　Hartwell'syou　know　she　is　giving　a　reception　to…night。
But　come；　we　must　hurry！　　I'm　after　Mr。　Bertram。〃

〃After　Mr。　Bertram！〃

〃Yes；　yes。〃

〃Alone？like　this？〃

〃But　I'm　not　alone　now；　I　have　you。　　Don't　you　see？〃

At　the　blank　stupefaction　in　the　man's　face；　the　girl　sighed
impatiently。

〃Dear　me！　　I　suppose　I'll　have　to　explain；　but　we're　losing　time
and　we　mustn'twe　mustn't！〃　she　cried　feverishly。　　〃Listen　then；
quick。　　It　was　at　Mrs。　Hartwell's　tonight。　　I'd　been　watching　Mr。
Bertram。　　He　was　with　that　horrid　Mr。　Seaver；　and　I　never　liked
him；　never！　　I　overheard　something　they　said；　about　some　place　they
were　going　to；　and　I　didn't　like　what　Mr。　Seaver　said。　　I　tried　to
speak　to　Mr。　Bertram；　but　I　didn't　get　a　chance；　and　the　next　thing
I　knew　he'd　gone　with　that　Seaver　man！　　I　saw　them　just　in　time　to
snatch　my　cloak　and　follow　them。〃

〃FOLLOW　them！　　MISS　BILLY！〃

〃I　had　to；　Pete；　don't　you　see？　　There　was　no　one　else。　　Mr。　Cyril
and　Uncle　William　had　gonehome；　I　supposed。　　I　sent　back　word　by
the　maid　to　Aunt　Hannah　that　I'd　gone　ahead；　you　know　the　carriage
was　ordered　for　eleven；　but　I'm　afraid　she　won't　have　sense　to　tell
Aunt　Hannah；　she　looked　so　dazed　and　frightened　when　I　told　her。
But　I　COULDN'T　wait　to　say　more。　　Well；　I　hurried　out　and　caught　up
with　Mr。　Bertram　just　as　they　were　crossing　Arlington　Street　to　the
Garden。　　I'd　heard　them　say　they　were　going　to　walk；　so　I　knew　I
could　do　it。　　But；　Pete；　after　I　got　there；　I　didn't　dare　to　speak
I　didn't　DARE　to！　　So　I　justfollowed。　　They　went　straight
through　the　Garden　and　across　the　Common　to　Tremont　Street；　and　on
and　on　until　they　stopped　and　went　down　some　stairs；　all　marble　and
lights　and　mirrors。　　'Twas　a　restaurant；　I　think。　　I　saw　just　where
it　was；　then　I　flew　back　here　to　telephone　for　Uncle　William。　　I
knew　HE　could　do　something。　　Butwell；　you　know　the　rest。　　I　had
to　take　you。　　Now　come；　quick；　I'll　show　you。〃

〃But；　Miss　Billy；　I　can't！　　You　mustn't；　it's　impossible；〃
chattered　old　Pete。　　〃Come；　let　me　take　ye　home；　Miss　Billy；　do！〃

〃Homeand　leave　Mr。　Bertram　with　that　Seaver　man？　　No；　no！〃

〃What　CAN　ye　do？〃

〃Do？　　I　can　get　him　to　come　home　with　me；　of　course。〃

The　old　man　made　a　despairing　gesture　and　looked　about　him　as　if
for　help。　　He　saw　then　the　curious；　questioning　eyes　on　all　sides；
and　with　a　quick　change　of　manner；　he　touched　Miss　Billy's　arm。

〃Yes；　we'll　go。　　Come；〃　he　apparently　agreed。　　But　once　outside　on
the　broad　expanse　before　the　Subway　entrance　he　stopped　again。
〃Miss　Billy；　please　come　home；〃　he　implored。　　〃Ye　don't　knowye
can't　know　what　yer　a…doin'！〃

The　girl　tossed　her　head。　　She　was　angry　now。

〃Pete；　if　you　will　not　go　with　me　I　shall　go　alone。　　I　am　not
afraid。〃

〃But　the　hourthe　placeyou；　a　young　girl！　　Miss　Billy！〃
remonstrated　the　old　man　agitatedly。

〃It　isn't　so　very　late。　　I've　been　out　lots　of　times　later　than
this　at　home。　　And　as　for　the　place；　it's　all　light　and　bright；　and
lots　of　people　were　going　inladies　and　gentlemen。　　Nothing　could
hurt　me；　Pete；　and　I　shall　go；　but　I'd　rather　you　were　with　me。
Why；　Pete；　we　mustn't　leave　him。　　He　isn'the　isn't　HIMSELF；　Pete。
Hehe's　been　DRINKING！〃　　Billy's　voice　broke；　and　her　face　flushed
scarlet。　　She　was　almost　crying。　　〃Come；　you　won't　refuse　now！〃　she
finished；　resolutely　turning　toward　the　street。

And　because　old　Pete　could　not　pick　her　up　bodily　and　carry　her
home；　he　followed　close　at　her　heels。　　At　the　head　of　the　marble
stairs　〃all　lights　and　mirrors；〃　however；　he　made　one　last　plea。

〃Miss　Billy；　once　more　I　beg　of　ye；　won't　ye　come　home？　　Ye　don't
know　what　yer　a…doin'；　Miss　Billy；　ye　don'tye　don't！〃

〃I　can't　go　home；〃　persisted　Billy。　　〃I　must　get　Mr。　Bertram　away
from　that　man。　　Now　come；　we'll　just　stand　at　the　door　and　look　in
until　we　see　him。　　Then　I'll　go　straight　to　him　and　speak　to　him。〃
And　with　that　she　turned　and　ran　down　the　steps。

Billy　blinked　a　little　at　the　lights　which；　reflected　in　the　great
plate…glass　mirrors；　were　a　million　dazzling　points　that　found
themselves　again　repeated　in　the　sparkling　crystal　and　glittering
silver　on　the　flower…decked　tables。　　All　about　her　Billy　saw
flushed…faced　men；　and　bright…eyed　women；　laughing；　chatting；　and
clinking　together　their　slender…stemmed　wine　glasses。　　But　nowhere；
as　she　looked　about　her；　could　Billy　descry　the　man　she　sought。

The　head　waiter　came　forward　with　uplifted　hand；　but　Billy　did　not
see　him。　　A　girl　at　her　left　laughed　disagreeably；　and　several　men
stared　with　boldly　admiring　eyes；　but　to　them；　too；　Billy　paid　no
heed。　　Then；　halfway　across　the　room　she　spied　Bertram　and　Seaver
sitting　together　at　a　small　table　alone。

Simultaneously　her　own　and　Bertram's　eyes　met。

With　a　sharp　word　under　his　breath　Bertram　sprang　to　his　feet。　　His
befogged　brain　had　cleared　suddenly　under　the　shock　of　Billy's
presence。

〃Billy；　for　Heaven's　sake　what　are　you　doing　here？〃　he　demanded　in
a　low　voice；　as　he　reached　her　side。

〃I　came　for　you。　　I　want　you　to　go　home　with　me；　please；　Mr。
Bertram；〃　whispered　Billy；　pleadingly。

The　man　had　not　waited　for　an　answer　to　his　question。　　With　a　deft
touch　he　had　turned　Billy　toward　the　door；　and　even　as　she　finished
her　sentence　she　found　herself　in　the　marble　hallway　confronting
Pete；　pallid…faced；　and　shaking。

〃And　you；　too；　Pete！　　Great　Scott！　what　does　this　mean？〃　he
exploded　angrily。

Pete　could　only　shake　his　head　and　glance　imploringly　at　Billy。
His　dry　lips　and　tongue　refused　to　articulate　even　one　word。

〃We　cameforyou；〃　choked　Billy。　　〃You　see；　I　don't　like　that
Seaver　man。〃

〃Well；　by　Jove！　this　is　the　limit！〃　breathed　Bertram。



CHAPTER　XVI

KATE　TAKES　A　HAND


Undeniably　Billy　was　in　disgrace；　and　none　knew　it　better　than
Billy　herself。　　The　whole　family　had　contributed　to　this　knowledge。
Aunt　Hannah　was　inexpressibly　shocked；　she　had　not　breath　even　to
ejaculate　〃My　grief　and　conscience！〃　　Kate　was　disgusted；　Cyril　was
coldly　reserved；　Bertram　was　frankly　angry；　even　William　was　vexed；
and　showed　it。　　Spunk；　too；　as　if　in　league　with　the　rest；　took
this　opportunity　to　display　one　of　his　occasional　fits　of
independence；　and　when　Billy；　longing　for　some　sort　of　comfort；
called　him　to　her；　he　settled　back　on　his　tiny　haunches　and
imperturbably　winked　and　blinked　his　indifference。

Nearly　all　the　family　had　had　something　to　say　to　Billy　on　the
matter；　with　not　entirely　satisfactory　results；　when　Kate
determined　to　see　what　she　could　do。　　She　chose　a　time　when　she
could　have　the　girl　quite　to　herself　with　small　likelihood　of
interruption。

〃But；　Billy；　how　could　you　do　such　an　absurd　thing？〃　she　demanded。
〃The　idea　of　leaving　my　house　alone；　at　half…past　ten　at　night；　to
follow　a　couple　of　men　through　the　streets　of　Boston；　and　then　with
my　brothers'　butler　make　a　scene　like　that　in　aa　public　dining…
room！〃

Billy　sighed　in　a　discouraged　way。

〃Aunt　Kate；　can't　I　make　you　and　the　rest　of　them　understand　that　I
didn't　start　out　to　do　all　that？　　I　meant　just　to　speak　to　Mr。
Bertram；　and　get　him　away　from　that　man。〃

〃But；　my　dear　child；　even　that　was　bad　enough！〃

Billy　lifted　her　chin。

〃You　don't　seem　to　think；　Aunt　Kate；　Mr。　Bertram　waswas　not
sober。〃

〃All　the　more　reason　then　why　you　should　NOT　have　done　what　you
did！〃

〃Why；　Aunt　Kate；　you　wouldn't　leave　him　alone　in　that　condition
with　that　man！〃

It　was　Mrs。