miss billie married-第24章

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‘‘Oh；　yes；　you're　right；　he　_is！_''　sighed　Bertram；

with　meaning　emphasis；　as　he　abandoned　the

argument。



In　addition　to　her　‘‘Talk　to　Young　Wives；''

Billy　found　herself　encountering　advice　and　comment

on　the　marriage　question　from　still　other

quartersfrom　her　acquaintances　（mostly　the

feminine　ones）　right　and　left。　　Continually　she

was　hearing　such　words　as　these：



‘‘Oh；　well；　what　can　you　expect；　Billy？　　You're

an　old　married　woman；　now。''



‘‘Never　mind；　you'll　find　he's　like　all　the　rest

of　the　husbands。　　You　just　wait　and　see！''



‘‘Better　begin　with　a　high　hand；　Billy。　　Don't

let　him　fool　you！''



‘‘Mercy！　　If　I　had　a　husband　whose　business

it　was　to　look　at　women's　beautiful　eyes；　peachy

cheeks；　and　luxurious　tresses；　I　should　go　crazy！　

It's　hard　enough　to　keep　a　man's　eyes　on　yourself

when　his　daily　interests　are　supposed　to　be

just　lumps　of　coal　and　chunks　of　ice；　without

flinging　him　into　the　very　jaws　of　temptation

like　asking　him　to　paint　a　pretty　girl's　picture！''



In　response　to　all　this；　of　course；　Billy　could

but　laugh；　and　blush；　and　toss　back　some　gay　reply；

with　a　careless　unconcern。　　But　in　her　heart

she　did　not　like　it。　　Sometimes　she　told　herself

that　if　there　were　not　any　advice　or　comment　from

anybodyeither　book　or　womanif　there

were　not　anybody　but　just　Bertram　and　herself；

life　would　be　just　one　long　honeymoon　forever

and　forever。



Once　or　twice　Billy　was　tempted　to　go　to　Marie

with　this　honeymoon　question；　but　Marie　was

very　busy　these　days；　and　very　preoccupied。　　The

new　house　that　Cyril　was　building　on　Corey　Hill；

not　far　from　the　Annex；　was　almost　finished；　and

Marie　was　immersed　in　the　subject　of　house…

furnishings　and　interior　decoration。　　She　was；

too；　still　more　deeply　engrossed　in　the　fashioning

of　tiny　garments　of　the　softest　linen；　lace；　and

woolen；　and　there　was　on　her　face　such　a　look　of

beatific　wonder　and　joy　that　Billy　did　not　like　to

so　much　as　hint　that　there　was　in　the　world　such

a　book　as　‘‘When　the　Honeymoon　Wanes：　　A

Talk　to　Young　Wives。''



Billy　tried　valiantly　these　days　not　to　mind

that　Bertram's　work　was　so　absorbing。　　She　tried

not　to　mind　that　his　business　dealt；　not　with

lumps　of　coal　and　chunks　of　ice；　but　with　beautiful

women　like　Marguerite　Winthrop　who　asked

him　to　luncheon；　and　lovely　girls　like　his　model

for　‘‘The　Rose''　who　came　freely　to　his　studio

and　spent　hours　in　the　beloved　presence；　being

studied　for　what　Bertram　declared　was　absolutely

the　most　wonderful　poise　of　head　and

shoulders　that　he　had　ever　seen。



Billy　tried；　also；　these　days；　to　so　conduct

herself　that　not　by　any　chance　could　Calderwell

suspect　that　sometimes　she　was　jealous　of　Bertram's

art。　　Not　for　worlds　would　she　have　had

Calderwell　begin　to　get　the　notion　into　his　head

that　his　old…time　prophecy　concerning　Bertram's

caring　only　for　the　turn　of　a　girl's　head　or　the

tilt　of　her　chinto　paint；　was　being　fulfilled。　

Hence；　particularly　gay　and　cheerful　was　Billy

when　Calderwell　was　near。　　Nor　could　it　be　said

that　Billy　was　really　unhappy　at　any　time。　　It

was　only　that；　on　occasion；　the　very　depth　of　her

happiness　in　Bertram's　love　frightened　her；　lest

it　bring　disaster　to　herself　or　Bertram。



Billy　still　went　frequently　to　the　Annex。　　There

were　yet　two　unfilled　rooms　in　the　house。　　Billy

was　hesitating　which　two　of　six　new　friends　of

hers　to　choose　as　occupants；　and　it　was　one　day

early　in　March；　after　she　had　been　talking　the

matter　over　with　Aunt　Hannah；　that　Aunt

Hannah　said：



‘‘Dear　me；　Billy；　if　you　had　your　way　I　believe

you'd　open　another　whole　house！''



‘‘Do　you　know？that's　just　what　I'm　thinking

of；''　retorted　Billy；　gravely。　　Then　she　laughed

at　Aunt　Hannah's　shocked　gesture　of　protest。　

‘‘Oh；　well；　I　don't　expect　to；''　she　added。　　‘‘I

haven't　lived　very　long；　but　I've　lived　long　enough

to　know　that　you　can't　always　do　what　you

want　to。''



‘‘Just　as　if　there　were　anything　_you_　wanted　to

do　that　you　don't　do；　my　dear；''　reproved　Aunt

Hannah；　mildly。



‘‘Yes；　I　know。''　　Billy　drew　in　her　breath　with

a　little　catch。　　‘‘I　have　so　much　that　is　lovely；

and　that's　why　I　need　this　house；　you　know；　for

the　overflow；''　she　nodded　brightly。　　Then；　with

a　characteristic　change　of　subject；　she　added：　

‘‘My；　but　you　should　have　tasted　of　the　popovers

I　made　for　breakfast　this　morning！''



‘‘I　should　like　to；''　smiled　Aunt　Hannah。　

‘‘William　says　you're　getting　to　be　quite　a　cook。''



‘‘Well；　maybe；''　conceded　Billy；　doubtfully。　

‘‘Oh；　I　can　do　some　things　all　right；　but　just

wait　till　Pete　and　Eliza　go　away　again；　and　Bertram

brings　home　a　friend　to　dinner。　　That'll

tell　the　tale。　　I　think　now　I　could　have　something

besides　potato…mush　and　burned　cornbut

maybe　I　wouldn't；　when　the　time　came。　　If　only

I　could　buy　everything　I　needed　to　cook　with；

I'd　be　all　right。　　But　I　can't；　I　find。''



‘‘Can't　buy　what　you　need！　　What　do　you

mean？''



Billy　laughed　ruefully。



‘‘Well；　every　other　question　I　ask　Eliza；　she

says：　　‘Why；　I　don't　know；　you　have　to　use

your　judgment。'　　Just　as　if　I　had　any　judgment

about　how　much　salt　to　use；　or　what　dish　to　take！　

Dear　me；　Aunt　Hannah；　the　man　that　will　grow

judgment　and　can　it　as　you　would　a　mess　of　peas；

has　got　his　fortune　made！''



‘‘What　an　absurd　child　you　are；　Billy；''　laughed

Aunt　Hannah。　　‘‘I　used　to　tell　Marie　　By　the

way；　how　is　Marie？　　Have　you　seen　her　lately？''



‘‘Oh；　yes；　I　saw　her　yesterday；''　twinkled　Billy。　

‘‘She　had　a　book　of　wall…paper　samples　spread

over　the　back　of　a　chair；　two　bunches　of　samples

of　different　colored　damasks　on　the　table　before

her；　a　‘Young　Mother's　Guide'　propped　open

in　another　chair；　and　a　pair　of　baby's　socks　in

her　lap　with　a　roll　each　of　pink；　and　white；　and

blue　ribbon。　　She　spent　most　of　the　time；　after

I　had　helped　her　choose　the　ribbon；　in　asking　me

if　I　thought　she　ought　to　let　the　baby　cry　and

bother　Cyril；　or　stop　its　crying　and　hurt　the

baby；　because　her　‘Mother's　Guide'　says　a　certain

amount　of　crying　is　needed　to　develop　a　baby's

lungs。''



Aunt　Hannah　laughed；　but　she　frowned；　too。



‘‘The　idea！　　I　guess　Cyril　can　stand　proper

cryingand　laughing；　toofrom　his　own

child！''　she　said　then；　crisply。



‘‘Oh；　but　Marie　is　afraid　he　can't；''　smiled

Billy。　　‘‘And　that's　the　trouble。　　She　says　that's

the　only　thing　that　worries　herCyril。''



‘‘Nonsense！''　ejaculated　Aunt　Hannah。



‘‘Oh；　but　it　isn't　nonsense　to　Marie；''　retorted

Billy。　　‘‘You　should　see　the　preparations　she's

made　and　the　precautions　she's　taken。　　Actually；

when　I　saw　those　baby's　socks　in　her　lap；　I　didn't

know　but　she　was　going　to　put　rubber　heels　on

them！　　They've　built　the　new　house　with　deadening

felt　in　all　the　walls；　and　Marie's　planned

the　nursery　and　Cyril's　den　at　opposite　ends　of

the　house；　and　she　says　she　shall　keep　the　baby

there　_all_　the　timethe　nursery；　I　mean；　not　the

den。　　She　says　she's　going　to　teach　it　to　be　a　quiet

baby　and　hate　noise。　　She　says　she　thinks　she

can　do　it；　too。''



‘‘Humph！''　sniffed　Aunt　Hannah；　scornfully。



‘‘You　should　have　seen　Marie's　disgust　the

other　day；''　went　on　Billy；　a　bit　mischievously。　

‘‘Her　Cousin　Jane　sent　on　a　rattle　she'd　made

herself；　all　soft　worsted；　with　bells　inside。　　It

was　a　dear；　but　Marie　was　horror…stricken。　

‘My　baby　have　a　rattle？'　she　cried。　　‘Why；

what　would　Cyril　say？　　As　if　he　could　stand　a

rattle　in　the　house！'　　And　if　she　didn't　give　that

rattle　to　the　janitor's　wife　that　very　day；　while

I　was　there！''



‘‘Humph！''　sniffed　Aunt　Hannah　again；　as

Billy　rose　to　go。　　‘‘Well；　I'm　thinking　Marie　has

still　some　things　to　learn　in　this　worldand

Cyril；　too；　for　that　matter。''



‘‘I　wouldn't　wonder；''　laughed　Billy；　giving

Aunt　Hannah　a　good…by　kiss。







CHAPTER　XIII



PETE





Bertram　Hens