miss billy-第31章

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got　a　scheme　I　mean　to　carry　out。〃

There　was　some　consternation　among　Billy's　friends　when　they　found
out　what　this　〃scheme〃　was：　sundry　of　Billy's　humbler　acquaintances
were　to　share　the　house；　the　air；　the　sunshine；　and　the　adorable
view　with　her。

〃But；　my　dear　Billy；〃　Bertram　cried；　aghast；　〃you　don't　mean　to　say
that　you　are　going　to　turn　your　beautiful　little　house　into　a
fresh…air　place　for　Boston's　slum　children！〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　it；〃　smiled　the　girl；　〃though　I'd　like　to；　really；　if
I　could；〃　she　added；　perversely。　　〃But　this　is　quite　another　thing。
It's　no　slum　work；　no　charity。　　In　the　first　place　my　guests　aren't
quite　so　poor　as　that；　and　they're　much　too　proud　to　be　reached　by
the　avowed　charity　worker。　　But　they　need　it　just　the　same。〃

〃But　you　haven't　much　spare　room；　have　you？〃　questioned　Bertram。

〃No；　unfortunately；　so　I　shall　have　to　take　only　two　or　three　at　a
time；　and　keep　them　maybe　a　week　or　ten　days。　　It's　just　a　sugar
plum；　Bertram。　　Truly　it　is；〃　she　added　whimsically；　but　with　a
tender　light　in　her　eyes。

〃But　who　are　these　people？〃　Bertram's　face　had　lost　its　look　of
shocked　surprise；　and　his　voice　expressed　genuine　interest。

〃Well；　to　begin　with；　there's　Marie。　　She'll　stay　all　summer　and
help　me　entertain　my　guests；　at　the　same　time　her　duties　won't　be
arduous；　and　she'll　get　a　little　playtime　herself。　　One　week　I'm
going　to　have　a　little　old　maid　who　keeps　a　lodging　house　in　the
West　End。　　For　uncounted　years　she's　been　practically　tied　to　a
doorbell；　with　never　a　whole　day　to　breathe　free。　　I've　made
arrangements　there　for　a　sister　to　keep　house　a　whole　week；　and　I'm
going　to　show　this　little　old　maid　things　she　hasn't　seen　for
years：　the　ocean；　the　green　fields；　and　a　summer　play　or　two；
perhaps。

〃Then　there's　a　little　couple　that　live　in　a　third…story　flat　in
South　Boston。　　They're　young　and　like　good　times；　but　the　man　is　on
a　small　salary；　and　they　have　had　lots　of　sickness。　　He's　been　out
so　much　he　can't　take　any　vacation；　and　they　wouldn't　have　any
money　to　go　anywhere　if　he　could。　　Well；　I'm　going　to　have　them　a
week。　　She'll　be　here　all　the　time；　and　he'll　come　out　at　night；　of
course。

〃Another　one　is　a　widow　with　six　children。　　The　children　are
already　provided　for　by　a　fresh…air　society；　but　the　woman　I'm
going　to　take；　andand　give　her　a　whole　week　of　food　that　she
didn't　have　to　cook　herself。　　Another　one　is　a　woman　who　is　not　so
very　poor；　but　who　has　lost　her　baby；　and　is　blue　and　discouraged。
There　are　some　children；　too；　one　crippled；　and　a　boy　who　says　he's
'just　lonesome。'　　And　there　arereally；　Bertram；　there　is　no　end
to　them。〃

〃I　can　well　believe　that；〃　declared　Bertram；　with　emphasis；　〃so　far
as　your　generous　heart　is　concerned。〃

Billy　colored　and　looked　distressed。

〃But　it　isn't　generosity　or　charity　at　all；　Bertram；〃　she　protested。
〃You　are　mistaken　when　you　think　it　isreally！　　Why；　I　shall　enjoy
every　bit　of　it　just　as　well　as　they　doand　better；　perhaps。〃

〃But　you　stay　herein　the　cityall　summer　for　their　sakes。〃

〃What　if　I　do？　　Besides；　this　isn't　the　real　city；〃　argued　Billy；
〃with　all　these　trees　and　lawns　about　one。　　And　another　thing；〃　she
added；　leaning　forward　confidentially；　〃I　might　as　well　confess；
Bertram；　you　couldn't　hire　me　to　leave　the　place　this　summernot
while　all　these　things　I　planted　are　coming　up！〃

Bertram　laughed；　but　for　some　reason　he　looked　wonderfully　happy　as
he　turned　away。

On　the　fifteenth　of　June　Kate　and　her　husband　arrived　from　the
West。　　A　young　brother　of　Mr。　Hartwell's　was　to　be　graduated　from
Harvard；　and　Kate　said　they　had　come　on　to　represent　the　family；　as
the　elder　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Hartwell　were　not　strong　enough　to　undertake
the　journey。　　Kate　was　looking　well　and　happy。　　She　greeted　Billy
with　effusive　cordiality；　and　openly　expressed　her　admiration　of
Hillside。　　She　looked　very　keenly　into　her　brothers'　face；　and
seemed　well　pleased　with　the　appearance　of　Cyril　and　Bertram；　but
not　so　much　so　with　William's　countenance。

〃William　does　NOT　look　well；〃　she　declared　one　day　when　she　and
Billy　were　alone　together。

〃Sick？　　Uncle　William　sick？　　Oh；　I　hope　not！〃　cried　the　girl。

〃I　don't　know　whether　it's　'sick'　or　not；〃　returned　Mrs。　Hartwell。
〃But　it's　something。　　He's　troubled。　　I'm　going　to　speak　to　him。
He's　worried　over　something；　and　he's　grown　terribly　thin。〃

〃But　he's　always　thin；〃　reasoned　Billy。

〃I　know；　but　not　like　thisever。　　You　don't　notice　it；　perhaps；　or
realize　it；　seeing　him　every　day　as　you　do。　　But　I　know　something
troubles　him。〃

〃Oh；　I　hope　not；〃　murmured　Billy；　with　anxious　eyes。　　〃We　don't
want　Uncle　William　troubled：　we　all　love　him　too　well。〃

Mrs。　Hartwell　did　not　at　once　reply；　but　for　a　long　minute　she
thoughtfully　studied　Billy's　face　as　it　was　bent　above　the　sewing
in　Billy's　hand。　　When　she　did　speak　she　had　changed　the　subject。

Young　Hartwell　was　to　deliver　the　Ivy　Oration　in　the　Stadium　on
Class　Day；　and　all　the　Henshaws　were　looking　eagerly　forward　to　the
occasion。

〃You　have　seen　the　Stadium；　of　course；〃　said　Bertram　to　Billy；　a
few　days　before　the　anticipated　Friday。

〃Only　from　across　the　river。〃

〃Is　that　so？　　And　you've　never　been　here　Class　Day；　either。　　Good！
Then　you've　got　a　treat　in　store。　　Just　wait　and　see！〃

And　Billy　waitedand　she　saw。　　Billy　began　to　see；　in　fact；　before
Class　Day。　　Young　Hartwell　was　a　popular　fellow；　and　he　was　eager
to　have　his　friends　meet　Billy　and　the　Henshaws。　　He　was　a　member
of　the　Institute　of　1770；　D。　K。　E。；　Stylus；　Signet；　Round　Table；
and　Hasty　Pudding　Clubs；　and　nearly　every　one　of　these　had　some
sort　of　function　planned　for　Class…Day　week。　　By　the　time　the　day
itself　arrived　Billy　was　almost　as　excited　as　was　young　Hartwell
himself。

It　rained　Class…Day　morning；　but　at　nine　o'clock　the　sun　came　out
and　drove　the　clouds　away；　much　to　every　one's　delight。　　Billy's
day　began　at　noon　with　the　spread　given　by　the　Hasty　Pudding　Club。
Billy　wondered　afterward　how　many　times　that　day　remarks　like　these
were　made　to　her：

〃You've　been　here　Class　Day　before；　of　course。　　You've　seen　the
confetti…throwing！　。　。　。　　No？　　Well；　you　just　wait！〃

At　ten　minutes　of　four　Billy　and　Mrs。　Hartwell；　with　Mr。　Hartwell
and　Bertram　as　escorts；　entered　the　cool；　echoing　shadows　under　the
Stadium；　and　then　out　in　the　sunlight　they　began　to　climb　the　broad
steps　to　their　seats。

〃I　wanted　them　high　up；　you　see；〃　explained　Bertram；　〃because　you
can　get　the　effect　so　much　better。　　There；　here　we　are！〃

For　the　first　time　Billy　turned　and　looked　about　her。　　She　gave　a
low　cry　of　delight。

〃Oh；　oh；　how　beautifulhow　wonderfully　beautiful！〃

〃You　just　wait！〃　crowed　Bertram。　　〃If　you　think　this　is　beautiful；
you　just　wait！〃

Billy　did　not　seem　to　hear　him。　　Her　eyes　were　sweeping　the
wonderful　scene　before　her；　and　her　face　was　aglow　with　delight。

First　there　was　the　great　amphitheater　itself。　　Only　the　wide　curve
of　the　horseshoe　was　roped　off　for　to…day's　audience。　　Beyond　lay
the　two　sides　with　their　tier　above　tier　of　empty　seats；　almost
dazzling　in　the　sunshine。　　Within　the　roped…off　curve　the　scene　was
of　kaleidoscopic　beauty。　　Charmingly　gowned　young　women　and
carefully　groomed　young　men　were　everywhere；　stirring；　chatting；
laughing。　　Gay…colored　parasols　and　flower…garden　hats　made　here
and　there　brilliant　splashes　of　rainbow　tints。　　Above　was　an　almost
cloudless　canopy　of　blue；　and　at　the　far　horizon；　earth　and　sky　met
and　made　a　picture　that　was　like　a　wondrous　painted　curtain　hung
from　heaven　itself。

At　the　first　sound　of　the　distant　band　that　told　of　the　graduates'
coming；　Bertram　said　almost　wistfully：

〃Class　Day　is　the　only　time　when　I　feel　'out　of　it。'　　You　see　I'm
the　first　male　Henshaw　for　ages　that　hasn't　been　through　Harvard；
and　to…day；　you　know；　is　the　time　when　the　old　grads　come　back　and
do　stunts　like　the　kidsif　they　can　（and　some　of　them　can　all
right！）。　　They　march　in　by　classes　ahead　of　the　seniors；　and　vie
with　each　other　in　giving　their　yells。　　You'll　see　Cyril　and
William；　if　your　eyes　are　sharp　enoughand　you'll　see　them　as　you
never　saw　them　before。〃

Far　down　the　green　field　Bi