miss billie married-第32章

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that　was　the　comforting　thought　that　now；

certainly；　even　Bertram　himself　must　admit　that

she　was　tending　to　her　home　and　her　husband。



As　to　BertramBertram；　it　is　true；　had　at

first　uttered　frequent　and　vehement　protests

against　his　wife's　absorption　of　both　mind　and

body　in　‘‘that　plaguy　housework；''　as　he　termed

it。　　But　as　the　days　passed；　and　blessed　order

superseded　chaos；　peace　followed　discord；　and

delicious；　well…served　meals　took　the　place　of　the

horrors　that　had　been　called　meals　in　the　past；　he

gradually　accepted　the　change　with　tranquil

satisfaction；　and　forgot　to　question　how　it　was

brought　about；　though　he　did　still；　sometimes；

rebel　because　Billy　was　always　too　tired；　or　too

busy；　to　go　out　with　him。　　Of　late；　however；　he

had　not　done　even　this　so　frequently；　for　a　new

‘‘Face　of　a　Girl''　had　possessed　his　soul；　and　all

his　thoughts　and　most　of　his　time　had　gone　to

putting　on　canvas　the　vision　of　loveliness　that　his

mind's　eye　saw。



By　June　fifteenth　the　picture　was　finished。　

Bertram　awoke　then　to　his　surroundings。　　He

found　summer　was　upon　him　with　no　plans　made

for　its　enjoyment。　　He　found　William　had　started

West　for　a　two　weeks'　business　trip。　　But　what　he

did　not　find　one　dayat　least　at　firstwas　his

wife；　when　he　came　home　unexpectedly　at　four

o'clock。　　And　Bertram　especially　wanted　to　find

his　wife　that　day；　for　he　had　met　three　people

whose　words　had　disquieted　him　not　a　little。　

First；　Aunt　Hannah。　　She　had　said：



‘‘Bertram；　where　is　Billy？　　She　hasn't　been

out　to　the　Annex　for　a　week；　and　the　last　time　she

was　there　she　looked　sick。　　I　was　real　worried

about　her。''



Cyril　had　been　next。



‘‘Where's　Billy？''　he　had　asked　abruptly。　

‘‘Marie　says　she　hasn't　seen　her　for　two　weeks。　

Marie's　afraid　she's　sick。　　She　says　Billy　didn't

look　well　a　bit；　when　she　did　see　her。''



Calderwell　had　capped　the　climax。　　He　had

said：



‘‘Great　Scott；　Henshaw；　where　have　you　been

keeping　yourself？　　And　where's　your　wife？　　Not

one　of　us　has　caught　more　than　a　glimpse　of　her

for　weeks。　　She　hasn't　sung　with　us；　nor　played

for　us；　nor　let　us　take　her　anywhere　for　a　month

of　Sundays。　　Even　Miss　Greggory　says　_she_　hasn't

seen　much　of　her；　and　that　Billy　always　says

she's　too　busy　to　go　anywhere。　　But　Miss　Greggory

says　she　looks　pale　and　thin；　and　that　_she_

thinks　she's　worrying　too　much　over　running　the

house。　　I　hope　she　isn't　sick！''



‘‘Why；　no；　Billy　isn't　sick。　　Billy's　all　right；''

Bertram　had　answered。　　He　had　spoken　lightly；

nonchalantly；　with　an　elaborate　air　of　carelessness；

but　after　he　had　left　Calderwell；　he　had

turned　his　steps　abruptly　and　a　little　hastily

toward　home。



And　he　had　not　found　Billyat　least；　not　at

once。　　He　had　gone　first　down　into　the　kitchen

and　dining…room。　　He　remembered　then；　uneasily；

that　he　had　always　looked　for　Billy　in　the　kitchen

and　dining…room；　of　late。　　To…day；　however；　she

was　not　there。



On　the　kitchen　table　Bertram　did　see　a　book

wide　open；　and；　mechanically；　he　picked　it　up。　

It　was　a　much…thumbed　cookbook；　and　it　was

open　where　two　once…blank　pages　bore　his　wife's

handwriting。　　On　the　first　page；　under　the　printed

heading　‘‘Things　to　Remember；''　he　read　these

sentences：



‘‘That　rice　swells　till　every　dish　in　the　house

is　full；　and　that　spinach　shrinks　till　you　can't

find　it。



‘‘That　beets　boil　dry　if　you　look　out　the　window。



‘‘That　biscuits　which　look　as　if　they'd　been

mixed　up　with　a　rusty　stove　poker　haven't　really

been　so；　but　have　only　got　too　much　undissolved

soda　in　them。''



There　were　other　sentences；　but　Bertram's　eyes

chanced　to　fall　on　the　opposite　page　where　the

‘‘Things　to　Remember''　had　been　changed　to

‘‘Things　to　Forget''；　and　here　Billy　had　written

just　four　words：　　‘‘Burns；''　‘‘cuts；''　and

‘‘yesterday's　failures。''



Bertram　dropped　the　book　then　with　a　spasmodic

clearing　of　his　throat；　and　hurriedly　resumed

his　search。　　When　he　did　find　his　wife；　at

last；　he　gave　a　cry　of　dismayshe　was　on　her

own　bed；　huddled　in　a　little　heap；　and　shaking

with　sobs。



‘‘Billy！　　Why；　Billy！''　he　gasped；　striding　to

the　bedside。



Billy　sat　up　at　once；　and　hastily　wiped　her　eyes。



‘‘Oh；　is　it　you；　B…Bertram？　I　didn't　hear　you

come　in。　　Youyou　s…said　you　weren't　coming

till　six　o'clock！''　she　choked。



‘‘Billy；　what　is　the　meaning　of　this？''



‘‘N…nothing。　　II　guess　I'm　just　tired。''



‘‘What　have　you　been　doing？''　Bertram　spoke

sternly；　almost　sharply。　　He　was　wondering　why

he　had　not　noticed　before　the　little　hollows　in

his　wife's　cheeks。　　‘‘Billy；　what　have　you　been

doing？''



‘‘Why；　n…nothing　extra；　only　some　sweeping；

and　cleaning　out　the　refrigerator。''



‘‘Sweeping！　　Cleaning！　　_You！_　　I　thought　Mrs。

Durgin　did　that。''



‘‘She　does。　　I　mean　she　did。　　But　she　couldn't

come。　　She　broke　her　legfell　off　the　stepladder

where　she　was　three　days　ago。　　So　I　_had_　to　do　it。　

And　to…day；　someway；　everything　went　wrong。　

I　burned　me；　and　I　cut　me；　and　I　used　two　sodas

with　not　any　cream　of　tartar；　and　I　should　think

I　didn't　know　anything；　not　anything！''　　And

down　went　Billy's　head　into　the　pillows　again　in

another　burst　of　sobs。



With　gentle　yet　uncompromising　determination；

Bertram　gathered　his　wife　into　his　arms　and　carried

her　to　the　big　chair。　　There；　for　a　few　minutes；

he　soothed　and　petted　her　as　if　she　were　a

tired　childwhich；　indeed；　she　was。



‘‘Billy；　this　thing　has　got　to　stop；''　he　said　then。　

There　was　a　very　inexorable　ring　of　decision　in　his

voice。



‘‘What　thing？''



‘‘This　housework　business。''



Billy　sat　up　with　a　jerk。



‘‘But；　Bertram；　it　isn't　fair。　　You　can'tyou

mustn'tjust　because　of　to…day！　　I　_can_　do　it。　

I　have　done　it。　　I've　done　it　days　and　days；　and

it's　gone　beautifullyeven　if　they　did　say　I

couldn't！''



‘‘Couldn't　what？''



‘‘Be　an　e…efficient　housekeeper。''



‘‘Who　said　you　couldn't？''



‘‘Aunt　Hannah　and　K…Kate。''



Bertram　said　a　savage　word　under　his　breath。



‘‘Holy　smoke；　Billy！　　I　didn't　marry　you　for　a

cook　or　a　scrub…lady。　　If　you　_had_　to　do　it；　that

would　be　another　matter；　of　course；　and　if　we　did

have　to　do　it；　we　wouldn't　have　a　big　house　like

this　for　you　to　do　it　in。　　But　I　didn't　marry　for　a

cook；　and　I　knew　I　wasn't　getting　one　when　I

married　you。''



Billy　bridled　into　instant　wrath。



‘‘Well；　I　like　that；　Bertram　Henshaw！　　Can't

I　cook？　　Haven't　I　proved　that　I　can　cook？''



Bertram　laughed；　and　kissed　the　indignant　lips

till　they　quivered　into　an　unwilling　smile。



‘‘Bless　your　spunky　little　heart；　of　course　you

have！　　But　that　doesn't　mean　that　I　want　you

to　do　it。　　You　see；　it　so　happens　that　you　can　do

other　things；　too；　and　I'd　rather　you　did　those。　

Billy；　you　haven't　played　to　me　for　a　week；　nor

sung　to　me　for　a　month。　　You're　too　tired　every

night　to　talk；　or　read　together；　or　go　anywhere

with　me。　　I　married　for　companionshipnot

cooking　and　sweeping！''



Billy　shook　her　head　stubbornly。　　Her　mouth

settled　into　determined　lines。



‘‘That's　all　very　well　to　say。　　You　aren't

hungry　now；　Bertram。　　But　it's　different　when

you　are；　and　they　said　'twould　be。''



‘‘Humph！　　‘They'　are　Aunt　Hannah　and

Kate；　I　suppose。''



‘‘Yesand　the　‘Talk　to　Young　Wives。'　''



‘‘The　w…what？''



Billy　choked　a　little。　　She　had　forgotten　that

Bertram　did　not　know　about　the　‘‘Talk　to　Young

Wives。''　　She　wished　that　she　had　not　mentioned

the　book；　but　now　that　she　had；　she　would　make

the　best　of　it。　　She　drew　herself　up　with　dignity。



‘‘It's　a　book；　a　very　nice　book。　　It　says　lots

of　thingsthat　have　come　true。''



‘‘Where　is　that　book？　　Let　me　see　it；　please。''



With　visible　reluctance　Billy　got　down　from　her

perch　on　Bertram's　knee；　went　to　her　desk　and

brought　back　the　book。



Bertram　regarded　it　frowning