miss billie married-第25章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Aunt　Hannah　a　good…by　kiss。







CHAPTER　XIII



PETE





Bertram　Henshaw　had　no　disquieting　forebodings

this　time　concerning　his　portrait　of　Marguerite

Winthrop　when　the　doors　of　the　Bohemian

Ten　Club　Exhibition　were　thrown　open　to　members

and　invited　guests。　　Just　how　great　a　popular

success　it　was　destined　to　be；　he　could　not　know；

of　course；　though　he　might　have　suspected　it

when　he　began　to　receive　the　admiring　and　hearty

congratulations　of　his　friends　and　fellow…artists

on　that　first　evening。



Nor　was　the　Winthrop　portrait　the　only　jewel

in　his　crown　on　that　occasion。　　His　marvelously

exquisite　‘‘The　Rose；''　and　his　smaller　ideal

picture；　‘‘Expectation；''　came　in　for　scarcely　less

commendation。　　There　was　no　doubt　now。　　The

originator　of　the　famous　‘‘Face　of　a　Girl''　had

come　into　his　own　again。　　On　all　sides　this　was

the　verdict；　one　long…haired　critic　of　international

fame　even　claiming　openly　that　Henshaw　had　not

only　equaled　his　former　best　work；　but　had　gone

beyond　it；　in　both　artistry　and　technique。



It　was　a　brilliant　gathering。　　Society；　as　usual；

in　costly　evening　gowns　and　correct　swallow…tails

rubbed　elbows　with　names　famous　in　the　world　of

Art　and　Letters。　　Everywhere　were　gay　laughter

and　sparkling　repartee。　　Even　the　austere…faced

J。　G。　Winthrop　unbent　to　the　extent　of　grim　smiles

in　response　to　the　laudatory　comments　bestowed

upon　the　pictured　image　of　his　idol；　his　beautiful

daughter。



As　to　the　great　financier's　own　opinion　of　the

work；　no　one　heard　him　express　it　except；　perhaps；

the　artist；　and　all　that　he　got　was　a　grip　of　the

hand　and　a　‘‘Good！　　I　knew　you'd　fetch　it　this

time；　my　boy！''　　But　that　was　enough。　　And；

indeed；　no　one　who　knew　the　stern　old　man　needed

to　more　than　look　into　his　face　that　evening　to

know　of　his　entire　satisfaction　in　this　portrait

soon　to　be　the　most　recent；　and　the　most　cherished

addition　to　his　far…famed　art　collection。



As　to　BertramBertram　was　pleased　and

happy　and　gratified；　of　course；　as　was　natural；

but　he　was　not　one　whit　more　so　than　was　Bertram's

wife。　　Billy　fairly　radiated　happiness　and

proud　joy。　　She　told　Bertram；　indeed；　that　if　he

did　anything　to　make　her　any　prouder；　it　would

take　an　Annex　the　size　of　the　Boston　Opera　House

to　hold　her　extra　happiness。



‘‘Sh…h；　Billy！　　Some　one　will　hear　you；''

protested　Bertram；　tragically；　but；　in　spite　of　his

horrified　voice；　he　did　not　look　displeased。



For　the　first　time　Billy　met　Marguerite

Winthrop　that　evening。　　At　the　outset　there　was　just

a　bit　of　shyness　and　constraint　in　the　young　wife's

manner。　　Billy　could　not　forget　her　old　insane

jealousy　of　this　beautiful　girl　with　the　envied

name　of　Marguerite。　　But　it　was　for　only　a　moment；

and　soon　she　was　her　natural；　charming　self。



Miss　Winthrop　was　fascinated；　and　she　made

no　pretense　of　hiding　it。　　She　even　turned　to

Bertram　at　last；　and　cried：



‘‘Surely；　now；　Mr。　Henshaw；　you　need　never

go　far　for　a　model！　　Why　don't　you　paint　your

wife？''



Billy　colored。　　Bertram　smiled。



‘‘I　have；''　he　said。　　‘‘I　have　painted　her　many

times。　　In　fact；　I　have　painted　her　so　often　that

she　once　declared　it　was　only　the　tilt　of　her　chin

and　the　turn　of　her　head　that　I　lovedto

paint；''　he　said　merrily；　enjoying　Billy's　pretty

confusion；　and　not　realizing　that　his　words　really

distressed　her。　　‘‘I　have　a　whole　studio　full　of

‘Billys'　at　home。''



‘‘Oh；　have　you；　really？''　questioned　Miss

Winthrop；　eagerly。　　‘‘Then　mayn't　I　see　them？　

Mayn't　I；　please；　Mrs。　Henshaw？　　I'd　so　love

to！''



‘‘Why；　of　course　you　may；''　murmured　both

the　artist　and　his　wife。



‘‘Thank　you。　　Then　I'm　coming　right　away。　

May　I？　　I'm　going　to　Washington　next　week；

you　see。　　Will　you　let　me　come　to…morrow　at

at　half…past　three；　then？　　Will　it　be　quite

convenient　for　you；　Mrs。　Henshaw？''



‘‘Quite　convenient。　　I　shall　be　glad　to　see

you；''　smiled　Billy。　　And　Bertram　echoed　his

wife's　cordial　permission。



‘‘Thank　you。　　Then　I'll　be　there　at　half…past

three；''　nodded　Miss　Winthrop；　with　a　smile；　as

she　turned　to　give　place　to　an　admiring　group；

who　were　waiting　to　pay　their　respects　to　the

artist　and　his　wife。



There　was；　after　all；　that　evening；　one　fly　in

Billy's　ointment。



It　fluttered　in　at　the　behest　of　an　old

acquaintanceone　of　the　‘‘advice　women；''　as

Billy　termed　some　of　her　too　interested

friends。



‘‘Well；　they're　lovely；　perfectly　lovely；　of

course；　Mrs。　Henshaw；''　said　this　lady；　coming　up

to　say　good…night。　　‘‘But；　all　the　samee｛sic｝；　I'm

glad　my　husband　is　just　a　plain　lawyer。　　Look

out；　my　dear；　that　while　Mr。　Henshaw　is　stealing

all　those　pretty　faces　for　his　canvasesjust　look

out　that　the　fair　ladies　don't　turn　around　and　steal

his　heart　before　you　know　it。　　Dear　me；　but　you

must　be　so　proud　of　him！''



‘‘I　am；''　smiled　Billy；　serenely；　and　only　the

jagged　split　that　rent　the　glove　on　her　hand；　at

that　moment；　told　of　the　fierce　anger　behind　that

smile。



‘‘As　if　I　couldn't　trust　Bertram！''　raged　Billy

passionately　to　herself；　stealing　a　surreptitious

glance　at　her　ruined　glove。　　‘‘And　as　if　there

weren't　ever　any　perfectly　happy　marriages

even　if　you　don't　ever　hear　of　them；　or　read　of

them！''



Bertram　was　not　home　to　luncheon　on　the　day

following　the　opening　night　of　the　Bohemian　Ten

Club。　　A　matter　of　business　called　him　away

from　the　house　early　in　the　morning；　but　he

told　his　wife　that　he　surely　would　be　on　hand　for

Miss　Winthrop's　call　at　half…past　three　o'clock

that　afternoon。



‘‘Yes；　do；''　Billy　had　urged。　　‘‘I　think　she's

lovely；　but　you　know　her　so　much　better　than　I

do　that　I　want　you　here。　　Besides；　you　needn't

think　_I'm_　going　to　show　her　all　those　Billys　of

yours。　　I　may　be　vain；　but　I'm　not　quite　vain

enough　for　that；　sir！''



‘‘Don't　worry；''　her　husband　had　laughed。　

‘‘I'll　be　here。''



As　it　chanced；　however；　something　occurred

an　hour　before　half…past　three　o'clock　that　drove

every　thought　of　Miss　Winthrop's　call　from

Billy's　head。



For　three　days；　now；　Pete　had　been　at　the　home

of　his　niece　in　South　Boston。　　He　had　been　forced；

finally；　to　give　up　and　go　away。　　News　from　him

the　day　before　had　been　anything　but　reassuring；

and　to…day；　Bertram　being　gone；　Billy　had　suggested

that　Eliza　serve　a　simple　luncheon　and　go

immediately　afterward　to　South　Boston　to　see

how　her　uncle　was。　　This　suggestion　Eliza　had

followed；　leaving　the　house　at　one　o'clock。



Shortly　after　two　Calderwell　had　dropped　in

to　bring　Bertram；　as　he　expressed　it；　a　bunch　of

bouquets　he　had　gathered　at　the　picture　show

the　night　before。　　He　was　still　in　the　drawing…

room；　chatting　with　Billy；　when　the　telephone

bell　rang。



‘‘If　that's　Bertram；　tell　him　to　come　home；

he's　got　company；''　laughed　Calderwell；　as　Billy

passed　into　the　hall。



A　moment　later　he　heard　Billy　give　a　startled

cry；　followed　by　a　few　broken　words　at　short

intervals。　　Then；　before　he　could　surmise　what　had

happened；　she　was　back　in　the　drawing…room

again；　her　eyes　full　of　tears。



‘‘It's　Pete；''　she　choked。　　‘‘Eliza　says　he　can't

live　but　a　few　minutes。　　He　wants　to　see　me　once

more。　　What　shall　I　do？　　John's　got　Peggy　out

with　Aunt　Hannah　and　Mrs。　Greggory。　　It　was　so

nice　to…day　I　made　them　go。　　But　I　must　get

there　some　wayPete　is　calling　for　me。　　Uncle

William　is　going；　and　I　told　Eliza　where　she　might

reach　Bertram；　but　what　shall　_I_　do？　　How　shall

I　go？''



Calderwell　was　on　his　feet　at　once。



‘‘I'll　get　a　taxi。　　Don't　worrywe'll　get

there。　　Poor　old　soulof　course　he　wants　to　see

you！　　Get　on　your　things。　　I'll　have　it　here　in　no

time；''　he　finished；　hurrying　to　the　telephone。



‘‘Oh；　Hugh；　I'm　so　glad　I've　got　_you_　here；''

sobbed　Billy；　stumbling　blindly　toward　the

stairway。　　‘‘I'll　be　ready　in　two　minutes。''



And　s