miss billy-第39章

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go！〃

〃But　you　don't　have　to　have　it　backthat　is；　you　don't　have　to
have　it　at　all；〃　stammered　Billy；　flushing　adorably。　　She；　too；　was
on　her　feet　now。

〃Billy；　what　do　you　mean？〃

〃Don't　you　see？　　II　HAVE　turned；〃　she　faltered　breathlessly；
holding　out　both　her　hands。

Even　then；　in　spite　of　the　great　light　that　leaped　to　his　eyes；
Bertram　advanced　only　a　single　step。

〃ButWilliam？〃　he　questioned；　unbelievingly。

〃It　WAS　a　mistake；　just　as　you　thought。　　We　know　nowboth　of　us。
We　don't　either　of　us　care　for　the　otherthat　way。　　AndBertram；
I　think　it　HAS　been　youall　the　time；　only　I　didn't　know！〃

〃Billy；　Billy！〃　choked　Bertram　in　a　voice　shaken　with　emotion。　　He
opened　his　arms　then；　wideand　Billy　walked　straight　into　them。



CHAPTER　XLII

THE　〃END　OF　THE　STORY〃


It　was　two　days　after　Billy's　new　happiness　had　come　to　her　that
Cyril　came　home。　　He　went　very　soon　to　see　Billy。

The　girl　was　surprised　at　the　change　in　his　appearance。　　He　had
grown　thin　and　haggard　looking；　and　his　eyes　were　somber。　　He　moved
restlessly　about　the　room　for　a　time；　finally　seating　himself　at
the　piano　and　letting　his　fingers　slip　from　one　mournful　little
melody　to　another。　　Then；　with　a　discordant　crash；　he　turned。

〃Billy；　do　you　think　any　girl　would　marryme？〃　he　demanded。

〃Why；　Cyril！〃

〃There；　now；　please　don't　begin　that；〃　he　begged　fretfully。　　〃I
realize；　of　course；　that　I'm　a　very　unlikely　subject　for　matrimony。
You　made　me　understand　that　clearly　enough　last　winter！〃

〃Lastwinter？〃

Cyril　raised　his　eyebrows。

〃Oh；　I　came　to　you　for　a　little　encouragement；　and　to　make　a
confession；〃　he　said。　　〃I　made　the　confessionbut　I　didn't　get
the　encouragement。〃

Billy　changed　color。　　She　thought　she　knew　what　he　meant；　but　at
the　same　time　she　couldn't　understand　why　he　should　wish　to　refer
to　that　conversation　now。

〃Aconfession？〃　she　repeated；　hesitatingly。

〃Yes。　　I　told　you　that　I'd　begun　to　doubt　my　being　such　a　woman…
hater；　after　all。　　I　intimated　that　YOU'D　begun　the　softening
process；　and　that　then　I'd　found　a　certain　other　young　woman　who
hadwell；　who　had　kept　up　the　good　work。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Billy　suddenly；　with　a　peculiar　intonation。　　〃Oh…h！〃
Then　she　laughed　softly。

〃Well；　that　was　the　confession；〃　resumed　Cyril。　　〃Then　I　came　out
flat…footed　and　said　that　I　wanted　to　marry　herbut　there　is　where
I　didn't　get　the　encouragement！〃

〃Indeed！　　I'm　afraid　I　wasn't　very　considerate；〃　stammered　Billy。

〃No；　you　weren't；〃　agreed　Cyril；　moodily。　　〃I　didn't　know　but　now〃
his　voice　softened　a　little〃with　this　new　happiness　of　yours
and　Bertram's　thatyou　might　find　a　little　encouragement　for　me。〃

〃And　I　will；〃　cried　Billy；　promptly。　　〃Tell　me　about　her。〃

〃I　didlast　winter；〃　reproached　the　man；　〃and　you　were　sure　I　was
deceiving　myself。　　You　drew　the　gloomiest　sort　of　picture　of　the
misery　I　would　take　with　a　wife。〃

〃I　did？〃　　Billy　was　laughing　very　merrily　now。

〃Yes。　　You　said　she'd　always　be　talking　and　laughing　when　I　wanted
to　be　quiet；　and　that　she'd　want　to　drag　me　out　to　parties　and
plays　when　I　wanted　to　stay　at　home；　andoh；　lots　of　things。　　I
tried　to　make　it　clear　to　you　thatthat　this　little　woman　wasn't
that　sort。　　But　I　couldn't；〃　finished　Cyril；　gloomily。

〃But　of　course　she　isn't；〃　declared　Billy；　with　quick　sympathy。
〃II　didn't　knowWHATI　wastalking　about；〃　she　added　with
emphatic　distinctness。　　Then　she　smiled　to　think　how　little　Cyril
knew　how　very　true　those　words　were。　　〃Tell　me　about　her；〃　she
begged　again。　　〃I　know　she　must　be　very　lovely　and　brilliant；　and
of　course　a　wonderful　musician。　　YOU　couldn't　choose　any　one　else！〃

To　her　surprise　Cyril　turned　abruptly　and　began　to　play　again。　　A
nervous　little　staccato　scherzo　fell　from　his　fingers；　but　it
dropped　almost　at　once　into　a　quieter　melody；　and　ended　with
something　that　sounded　very　much　like　the　last　strain　of　〃Home；
Sweet　Home。〃　　Then　he　wheeled　about　on　the　piano　stool。

〃Billy；　that's　exactly　where　you're　wrongI　DON'T　want　that　kind
of　wife。　　I　don't　want　a　brilliant　one；　andnow；　Billy；　this
sounds　like　horrible　heresy；　I　know；　but　it's　trueI　don't　care
whether　she　can　play；　or　not；　but　I　should　prefer　that　she
shouldn't　playmuch！〃

〃Why；　Cyril　Henshaw！and　you；　with　your　music！　　As　if　you　could　be
contented　with　a　woman　like　that！〃

〃Oh；　I　want　her　to　like　music；　of　course；〃　modified　Cyril；　〃but　I
don't　care　to　have　her　MAKE　it。　　Billy；　do　you　know？　　You'll　laugh；
of　course；　but　my　picture　of　a　wife　is　always　one　thing：　a　room
with　a　table　and　a　shaded　lamp；　and　a　little　woman　beside　it　with
the　light　on　her　hair；　and　a　great；　basket　of　sewing　beside　her。
You　see　I　AM　domestic！〃　he　finished　a　little　defiantly。

〃I　should　say　you　were；〃　laughed　Billy。　　〃And　have　you　found　her？
this　little　woman　who　is　to　do　nothing　but　sit　and　sew　in　the
circle　of　the　shaded　lamp？〃

〃Yes；　I've　found　her；　but　I'm　not　at　all　sure　she's　found　me。
That's　where　I　want　your　help。　　Oh；　I　don't　mean；　of　course；〃　he
added；　〃that　she's　got　to　sit　under　that　lamp　all　the　time。　　It's
only　thatthat　I　hope　she　likes　that　sort　of　thing。〃

〃Anddoes　she？〃

〃Yes；　that　is；　I　think　she　does；〃　smiled　Cyril。　　〃Anyhow；　she　told
me　once　thatthat　the　things　she　liked　best　to　do　in　all　the　world
were　to　mend　stockings　and　to　make　puddings。〃

Billy　sprang　to　her　feet　with　a　little　cry。　　Now；　indeed；　had　Cyril
kept　his　promise　and　made　〃many　things　clear〃　to　her。

〃Cyril；　come　here；〃　she　cried　tremulously；　leading　the　way　to　the
open　veranda　door。　　The　next　moment　Cyril　was　looking　across　the
lawn　to　the　little　summerhouse　in　the　midst　of　Billy's　rose　garden。
In　full　view　within　the　summerhouse　sat　Mariesewing。

〃Go；　Cyril；　she's　waiting　for　you；〃　smiled　Billy；　mistily。　　〃The
light's　only　the　sun；　to　be　sure；　and　maybe　there　isn't　a　whole
basket　of　sewing　there。　　ButSHE'S　there！〃

〃You'veguessed；　then！〃　breathed　Cyril。

〃I've　not　guessedI　know。　　Andit's　all　right。〃

〃You　mean？〃　　Only　Cyril's　pleading　eyes　finished　the　question。

〃Yes；　I'm　sure　she　does；〃　nodded　Billy。　　And　then　she　added　under
her　breath　as　the　man　passed　swiftly　down　the　steps：　　〃'Marie
Henshaw'　indeed！　　So　'twas　Cyril　all　the　timeand　never　Bertram
who　was　the　inspiration　of　that　bit　of　paper　give…away！〃

When　she　turned　back　into　the　room　she　came　face　to　face　with
Bertram。

〃I　spoke；　dear；　but　you　didn't　hear；〃　he　said；　as　he　hurried
forward　with　outstretched　hands。

〃Bertram；〃　greeted　Billy；　with　surprising　irrelevance；　〃'and　they
all　lived　happily　ever　after'they　DID！　　Isn't　that　always　the
ending　to　the　storya　love　story？〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Bertram　with　emphasis；〃OUR　love　story！〃

〃And　theirs；〃　supplemented　Billy；　softly；　but　Bertram　did　not　hear
that。







End