miss billy-第25章
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shrug。 〃All is； if you've got any more woodlike thisI advise
you to make it up right away。〃
〃But I have already！〃 cried the girl； excitedly。 〃There are lots
of little things that I'vethat is； there aresome；〃 she
corrected hastily； at the look that sprang into Cyril's eyes。
〃Oh； there are；〃 laughed Cyril。 〃Well； we'll see what〃 But he
did not see。 He did not even finish his sentence； for Billy's
maid； Rosa； appeared just then with a card。
〃Show Mr。 Calderwell in here；〃 said Billy。 Cyril said nothing
aloud； which was well。 His thoughts； just then； were better left
unspoken。
CHAPTER XXVII
MARIE； WHO LONGS TO MAKE PUDDINGS
Wonderful days came then to Billy。 Four songs； it seemed； had been
pronounced by competent critics decidedly 〃worth it〃unmistakably
〃good enough〃； and they were to be brought out as soon as possible。
〃Of course you understand；〃 explained Cyril； 〃that there's no 'hit'
expected。 Thank heaven they aren't that sort！ And there's no
great money in it； either。 You'd have to write a masterpiece like
'She's my Ju…Ju Baby' or some such gem to get the 'hit' and the
money。 But the songs are fine； and they'll take with cultured
hearers。 We'll get them introduced by good singers； of course； and
they'll be favorites soon for the concert stage； and for parlors。〃
Billy saw a good deal of Cyril now。 Already she was at work
rewriting and polishing some of her half…completed melodies； and
Cyril was helping her； by his interest as well as by his criticism。
He was； in fact； at the house very frequentlytoo frequently；
indeed； to suit either Bertram or Calderwell。 Even William frowned
sometimes when his cozy chats with Billy were interrupted by
Cyril's appearing with a roll of new music for her to 〃try〃； though
William told himself that he ought to be thankful if there was
anything that could make Cyril more companionable； less reserved
and morose。 And Cyril WAS differentthere was no disputing that。
Calderwell said that he had come 〃out of his shell〃； and Bertram
told Billy that she must have 〃found his note and struck it good
and hard。〃
Billy was very happy。 To the little music teacher； Marie Hawthorn；
she talked more freely； perhaps； than she did to any one else。
〃It's so wonderful； Marieso wonderfully wonderful；〃 she said one
day； 〃to sit here in my own room and sing a little song that comes
from somewhere； anywhere； out of the sky itself。 Then by and by；
that little song will fly away； away； over land and sea； and some
day it will touch somebody's heart just as it has touched mine。
Oh； Marie； is it not wonderful？〃
〃It is； dearand it is not。 Your songs could not help reaching
somebody's heart。 There's nothing wonderful in that。〃
〃Sweet flatterer！〃
〃But I mean it。 They are beautiful； and so isMr。 Henshaw's
music。〃
〃Yes； it is；〃 murmured Billy； abstractedly。
There was a long pause； then Marie asked with shy hesitation：
〃Do you think； Miss Billythat he would care？ I listened
yesterday when he was playing to you。 I was up here in your room；
but when I heard the music II went out； on the stairs and sat
down。 Was it verybad of me？〃
Billy laughed happily。
〃If it was； he can't say anything；〃 she reassured her。 〃He's done
the same thing himselfand so have I。〃
〃HE has done it！〃
〃Yes。 It was at his home last Thanksgiving。 It was then that he
found outabout my improvising。〃
〃Oh…h！〃 Marie's eyes were wistful。 〃And he cares so much now for
your music！〃
〃Does he？ Do you think he does？〃 demanded Billy。
〃I know he doesand for the one who makes it； too。〃
〃Nonsense！〃 laughed Billy； with pinker cheeks。 〃It's the music；
not the musician； that pleases him。 Mr。 Cyril doesn't like women。〃
〃He doesn't like women！〃
〃No。 But don't look so shocked； my dear。 Every one who knows Mr。
Cyril knows that。〃
〃But I don't thinkI believe it；〃 demurred Marie； gazing straight
into Billy's eyes。 〃I'm sure I don't believe it。〃
Under the little music teacher's steady gaze Billy flushed again。
The laugh she gave was an embarrassed one； but through it vibrated
a pleased ring。
〃Nonsense！〃 she exclaimed； springing to her feet and moving
restlessly about the room。 With the next breath she had changed
the subject to one far removed from Mr。 Cyril and his likes and
dislikes。
Some time later Billy played； and it was then that Marie drew a
long sigh。
〃How beautiful it must be to playlike that；〃 she breathed。
〃As if you； a music teacher； could not play！〃 laughed Billy。
〃Not like that； dear。 You know it is not like that。〃
Billy frowned。
〃But you are so accurate； Marie； and you can read at sight so
rapidly！〃
〃Oh； yes； like a little machine； I know！〃 scorned the usually
gentle Marie； bitterly。 〃Don't they have a thing of metal that
adds figures like magic？ Well； I'm like that。 I see g and I play
g； I see d and I play d； I see f and I play f； and after I've seen
enough g's and d's and f's and played them all； the thing is done。
I've played。〃
〃Why； Marie！ Marie； my dear！〃 The second exclamation was very
tender； for Marie was crying。
〃There！ I knew I should some day have it outall out；〃 sobbed
Marie。 〃I felt it coming。〃
〃Then perhaps you'llyou'll feel better now；〃 stammered Billy。
She tried to say moreother words that would have been a real
comfort； but her tongue refused to speak them。 She knew so well；
so woefully well； how very wooden and mechanical the little music
teacher's playing always had been。 But that Marie should realize
it herself like thisthe tragedy of it made Billy's heart ache。
At Marie's next words； however； Billy caught her breath in
surprise。
〃But you see it wasn't musicit wasn't ever music that I wanted
to do；〃 she confessed。
〃It wasn't music！ But whatI don't understand；〃 murmured Billy。
〃No； I suppose not；〃 sighed the other。 〃You play so beautifully
yourself。〃
〃But I thought you loved music。〃
〃I do。 I love it dearlyin others。 But I can'tI don't want to
make it myself。〃
〃But what do you want to do？〃
Marie laughed suddenly。
〃Do you know； my dear； I have half a mind to tell you what I do
like to dojust to make you stare。〃
〃Well？〃 Billy's eyes were wide with interest。
〃I like best of anything todarn stockings and make puddings。〃
〃Marie！〃
〃Rank heresy； isn't it？〃 smiled Marie； tearfully。 〃But I do；
truly。 I love to weave the threads evenly in and out； and see a
big hole close。 As for the puddings I don't mean the common bread…
and…butter kind； but the ones that have whites of eggs and fruit；
and pretty quivery jellies all ruby and amber lights； you know。〃
〃You dear little piece of domesticity；〃 laughed Billy。 〃Then why
in the world don't you do these things？〃
〃I can't； in my own kitchen； I can't afford a kitchen to do them
in。 And I just couldn't do themright alongin other people's
kitchens。〃
〃But why do youplay？〃
〃I was brought up to it。 You know we had money once； lots of it；〃
sighed Marie； as if she were deploring a misfortune。 〃And mother
was determined to have me musical。 Even then； as a little tot； I
liked pudding…making； and after my mud…pie days I was always
begging mother to let me go down into the kitchen； to cook。 But
she wouldn't allow it； ever。 She engaged the most expensive
masters and set me practising； always practising。 I simply had to
learn music； and I learned it like the adding machine。 Then
afterward； when father died； and then mother； and the money flew
away； why； of course I had to do something； so naturally I turned
to the music。 It was all I could do。 Butwell； you know how it
is； dear。 I teach； and teach well； perhaps； so far as the
mechanical part goes； but as for the restI am always longing for
a cozy corner with a basket of stockings to mend； or a kitchen
where there is a pudding waiting to be made。〃
〃You poor dear！〃 cried Billy。 〃I've a pair of stockings now that
needs attention； and I've been just longing for one of your
'quivery jellies all ruby and amber lights' ever since you
mentioned them。 Butwell； is there anything I could do to help？〃
〃Nothing； thank you；〃 sighed Marie； rising wearily to her feet； and
covering her
