miss billy-第24章

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silk　button　half　hidden　behind　a　Lowestoft　teapot。

On　the　way　down…stairs　William　stopped　a　moment　at　Billy's　old
rooms。

〃I　wish　you　were　here　now；〃　he　said　wistfully。　　〃They're　all　ready
for　youthese　rooms。〃

〃Oh；　but　why　don't　you　use　them？such　pretty　rooms！〃　cried　Billy；
quickly。

William　gave　a　gesture　of　dissent。

〃We　have　no　use　for　them；　besides；　they　belong　to　you　and　Aunt
Hannah。　　You　left　your　imprint　long　ago；　my　dearwe　should　not
feel　at　home　in　them。〃

〃Oh；　but　you　should！　　You　mustn't　feel　like　that！〃　objected　Billy；
hurriedly　crossing　the　room　to　the　window　to　hide　a　sudden
nervousness　that　had　assailed　her。　　〃And　here's　my　piano；　too；　and
open！〃　she　finished　gaily；　dropping　herself　upon　the　piano　stool
and　dashing　into　a　brilliant　mazourka。

Billy；　like　Cyril；　had　a　way　of　working　off　her　moods　at　her　finger
tips；　and　to…day　the　tripping　notes　and　crashing　chords　told　of　a
nervous　excitement　that　was　not　all　joy。　　From　the　doorway　William
watched　her　flying　fingers　with　fond　pride；　and　it　was　very
reluctantly　that　he　acceded　to　Pete's　request　to　go　down…stairs　for
a　moment　to　settle　a　vexed　question　concerning　the　table
decorations。

Billy；　left　alone；　still　played；　but　with　a　difference。　　The
tripping　notes　slowed　into　a　weird　melody　that　rose　and　fell　and
lost　itself　in　the　exquisite　harmony　that　had　been　born　of　the
crashing　chords。　　Billy　was　improvising　now；　and　into　her　music　had
crept　something　of　her　old…time　longing　when　she　had　come　to　that
house　a　lonely；　orphan　girl；　in　search　of　a　home。　　On　and　on　she
played；　then　with　a　discordant　note；　she　suddenly　rose　from　the
piano。　　She　was　thinking　of　Kate；　and　wondering　if；　had　Kate　not
〃managed〃　the　little　room　would　still　be　home。

So　swiftly　did　Billy　cross　to　the　door　that　the　man　on　the　stairs
outside　had　not　time　to　get　quite　out　of　sight。　　Billy　did　not　see
his　face；　however；　she　saw　only　a　pair　of　gray…trousered　legs
disappearing　around　the　curve　of　the　landing　above。　　She　thought
nothing　of　it　until　later　when　dinner　was　announced；　and　Cyril　came
down…stairs；　then　she　saw　that　he；　and　he　only；　that　afternoon　wore
trousers　of　that　particular　shade　of　gray。

The　dinner　was　a　great　success。　　Even　the　chocolate　fudge　in　the
little　cut　glass　bonbon　dishes　was　perfect；　and　it　was　a　question
whether　Pete　or　Dong　Ling　tried　the　harder　to　please。

After　dinner　the　family　gathered　in　the　drawing…room　and　chatted
pleasantly。　　Bertram　displayed　his　prettiest　and　newest　pictures；
and　Billy　played　and　sungbright；　tuneful　little　things　that　she
knew　Aunt　Hannah　and　Uncle　William　liked。　　If　Cyril　was　pleased　or
displeased；　he　did　not　show　itbut　Billy　had　ceased　to　play　for
Cyril's　ears。　　She　told　herself　that　she　did　not　care；　but　she　did
wonder：　was　that　Cyril　on　the　stairs；　and　if　sowhat　was　he　doing
there？



CHAPTER　XXVI

〃MUSIC　HATH　CHARMS〃


Two　days　after　Thanksgiving　Cyril　called　at　Hillside。

〃I've　come　to　hear　you　play；〃　he　announced　abruptly。

Billy's　heart　sung　within　herbut　her　temper　rose。　　Did　he　think
then　that　he　had　but　to　beckon　and　she　would　comeand　at　this　late
day；　she　asked　herself。　　Aloud　she　said：

〃Play？　　But　this　is　'so　sudden'！　　Besides；　you　have　heard　me。〃

The　man　made　a　disdainful　gesture。

〃Not　that。　　I　mean　playreally　play。　　Billy；　why　haven't　you
played　to　me　before？〃

Billy's　chin　rose　perceptibly。

〃Why　haven't　you　asked　me？〃　she　parried。

To　Billy's　surprise　the　man　answered　this　with　calm　directness。

〃Because　Calderwell　said　that　you　were　a　dandy　player；　and　I　don't
care　for　dandy　players。〃

Billy　laughed　now。

〃And　how　do　you　know　I'm　not　a　dandy　player；　Sir　Impertinent？〃　she
demanded。

〃Because　I've　heard　youwhen　you　weren't。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　murmured　Billy。

Cyril　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Oh；　you　know　very　well　what　I　mean；〃　he　defended。　　〃I've　heard
you；　that's　all。〃

〃When？〃

〃That　doesn't　signify。〃

Billy　was　silent　for　a　moment；　her　eyes　gravely　studying　his　face。
Then　she　asked：

〃Were　you　longon　that　stairway？〃

〃Eh？　　What？　　Oh！〃　　Cyril's　forehead　grew　suddenly　pink。　　〃Well？〃　he
finished　a　little　aggressively。

〃Oh；　nothing；〃　smiled　the　girl。　　〃Of　course　people　who　live　in
glass　houses　must　not　throw　stones。〃

〃Very　well　then；　I　did　listen；〃　acknowledged　the　man；　testily。　　〃I
liked　what　you　were　playing。　　I　hoped；　down…stairs　later；　that
you'd　play　it　again；　but　you　didn't。　　I　came　to…day　to　hear　it。〃

Again　Billy's　heart　sung　within　herbut　again　her　temper　rose；
too。

〃I　don't　think　I　feel　like　it；〃　she　said　sweetly；　with　a　shake　of
her　head。　　〃Not　to…day。〃

For　a　brief　moment　Cyril　stared　frowningly；　then　his　face　lighted
with　his　rare　smile。

〃I'm　fairly　checkmated；〃　he　said；　rising　to　his　feet　and　going
straight　to　the　piano。

For　long　minutes　he　played；　modulating　from　one　enchanting
composition　to　another；　and　finishing　with　the　one　〃all　chords　with
big　bass　notes〃　that　marched　on　and　onthe　one　Billy　had　sat　long
ago　on　the　stairs　to　hear。

〃There！　　Now　will　you　play　for　me？〃　he　asked；　rising　to　his　feet；
and　turning　reproachful　eyes　upon　her。

Billy；　too；　rose　to　her　feet。　　Her　face　was　flushed　and　her　eyes
were　shining。　　Her　lips　quivered　with　emotion。　　As　was　always　the
case；　Cyril's　music　had　carried　her　quite　out　of　herself。

〃Oh；　thank　you；　thank　you；〃　she　sighed。　　〃You　don't　knowyou　can't
know　how　beautiful　it　all　isto　me！〃

〃Thank　you。　　Then　surely　now　you'll　play　to　me；〃　he　returned。

A　look　of　real　distress　came　to　Billy's　face。

〃But　I　can'tnot　what　you　heard　the　other　day；〃　she　cried
remorsefully。　　〃You　see；　I　wasonly　improvising。〃

Cyril　turned　quickly。

〃Only　improvising！　　Billy；　did　you　ever　write　it　downany　of　your
improvising？〃

An　embarrassed　red　flew　to　Billy's　face。

〃Notnot　that　amounted　towell；　that　is；　somea　little；〃　she
stammered。

〃Let　me　see　it。〃

〃No；　no；　I　couldn'tnot　YOU！〃

Again　the　rare　smile　lighted　Cyril's　eyes。

〃Billy；　let　me　see　that　paperplease。〃

Very　slowly　the　girl　turned　toward　the　music　cabinet。　　She
hesitated；　glanced　once　more　appealingly　into　Cyril's　face；　then
with　nervous　haste　opened　the　little　mahogany　door　and　took　from
one　of　the　shelves　a　sheet　of　manuscript　music。　　But；　like　a　shy
child　with　her　first　copy　book；　she　held　it　half　behind　her　back　as
she　came　toward　the　piano。

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Cyril　as　he　reached　far　out　for　the　music。　　The
next　moment　he　seated　himself　again　at　the　piano。

Twice　he　played　the　little　song　through　carefully；　slowly。

〃Now；　sing　it；〃　he　directed。

Falteringly；　in　a　very　faint　voice；　and　with　very　many　breaths
taken　where　they　should　not　have　been　taken；　Billy　obeyed。

〃When　we　want　to　show　off　your　song；　Billy；　we　won't　ask　you　to
sing　it；〃　observed　the　man；　dryly；　when　she　had　finished。

Billy　laughed　and　dimpled　into　a　blush。

〃When　I　want　to　show　off　my　song　I　sha'n't　be　singing　it　to　you　for
the　first　time；〃　she　pouted。

Cyril　did　not　answer。　　He　was　playing　over　and　over　certain
harmonies　in　the　music　before　him。

〃Hm…m；　I　see　you've　studied　your　counterpoint　to　some　purpose；〃　he
vouchsafed；　finally；　then：　　〃Where　did　you　get　the　words？〃

The　girl　hesitated。　　The　flush　had　deepened　on　her　face。

〃Well；　I〃　she　stopped　and　gave　an　embarrassed　laugh。　　〃I'm　like
the　small　boy　who　made　the　toys。　　'I　got　them　all　out　of　my　own
head；　and　there's　wood　enough　to　make　another。'〃

〃Hm…m；　indeed！〃　grunted　the　man。　　〃Well；　have　you　made　any　others？〃

〃Oneor　two；　maybe。〃

〃Let　me　see　them；　please。〃

〃I　thinkwe've　had　enoughfor　today；〃　she　faltered。

〃I　haven't。　　Besides；　if　I　could　have　a　couple　more　to　go　with
this；　it　would　make　a　very　pretty　little　group　of　songs。〃

〃'To　go　with　this'！　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃To　the　publishers；　of　course。〃

〃The　PUBLISHERS！〃

〃Certainly。　　Did　you　think　you　were　going　to　keep　these　songs　to
yourself？〃

〃But　they　aren't　worth　it！　　They　can't　begood　enough！〃
Unbelieving　joy　was　in　Billy's　voice。

〃No？　　Well；　we'll　let　others　decide　that；〃　observed　Cyril；　with　a
shrug。　　〃All　is；　if　you've　got　any　more　woodlike　thisI　advise
you　to　make　it　up　right　away。〃

〃But　I　have　already！〃