miss billie married-第41章

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to　still　play　Bridget？''



Billy　laughed　and　shook　her　head。



‘‘No；　far　from　it。　　Eliza　has　come　back；　and

her　cousin　from　Vermont　is　coming　as　second　girl

to　help　her。　　But　I　_could_　cook　a　dinner　for　you　if

I　had　to　now；　sir；　and　it　wouldn't　be　potato…mush

and　cold　lamb；''　she　bragged　shamelessly；　as　there

sounded　Bertram's　peculiar　ring；　and　the　click　of

his　key　in　the　lock。





It　was　the　next　afternoon　that　Billy　called　on

Marie。　　From　Marie's；　Billy　went　to　the　Annex；

which　was　very　near　Cyril's　new　house；　and　there；

in　Aunt　Hannah's　room；　she　had　what　she　told

Bertram　afterwards　was　a　perfectly　lovely　visit。



Aunt　Hannah；　too；　enjoyed　the　visit　very　much；

though　yet　there　was　one　thing　that　disturbed

herthe　vaguely　troubled　look　in　Billy's　eyes；

which　to…day　was　more　apparent　than　ever。　　Not

until　just　before　Billy　went　home　did　something

occur　to　give　Aunt　Hannah　a　possible　clue　as　to

what　was　the　meaning　of　it。　　That　something

was　a　question　from　Billy。



‘‘Aunt　Hannah；　why　don't　I　feel　like　Marie

did？　why　don't　I　feel　like　everybody　does　in

books　and　stories？　　Marie　went　around　with　such

a　detached；　heavenly；　absorbed　look　in　her　eyes；

before　the　twins　came　to　her　home。　　But　I　don't。　

I　don't　find　anything　like　that　in　my　face；　when　I

look　in　the　glass。　　And　I　don't　feel　detached　and

absorbed　and　heavenly。　　I'm　happy；　of　course；

but　I　can't　help　thinking　of　the　dear；　dear　times

Bertram　and　I　have　together；　just　we　two；　and　I

can't　seem　to　imagine　it　at　all　with　a　third　person

around。''



‘‘Billy！　　_Third　person_；　indeed！''



‘‘There！　　I　knew　'twould　shock　you；''　mourned

Billy。　　It　shocks　me。　　I　_want_　to　feel　detached

and　heavenly　and　absorbed。''



‘‘But　Billy；　dear；　think　of　itcalling　your

own　baby　a　third　person！''



Billy　sighed　despairingly。



‘‘Yes；　I　know。　　And　I　suppose　I　might　as　well

own　up　to　the　rest　of　it　too。　　II'm　actually　afraid

of　babies；　Aunt　Hannah！　　Well；　I　am；''　she

reiterated；　in　answer　to　Aunt　Hannah's　gasp　of

disapproval。　　‘‘I'm　not　used　to　them　at　all。　　I　never

had　any　little　brothers　and　sisters；　and　I　don't

know　how　to　treat　babies。　　II'm　always　afraid

they'll　break；　or　something。　　I'm　just　as　afraid

of　the　twins　as　I　can　be。　　How　Marie　can　handle

them；　and　toss　them　about　as　she　does；　I　don't

see。''



‘‘Toss　them　about；　indeed！''



‘‘Well；　it　looks　that　way　to　me；''　sighed　Billy。　

‘‘Anyhow；　I　know　I　can　never　get　to　handle　them

like　thatand　that's　no　way　to　feel！　　And　I'm

ashamed　of　myself　because　I　_can't_　be　detached

and　heavenly　and　absorbed；''　she　added；　rising

to　go。　　‘‘Everybody　always　is；　it　seems；　but　just

me。''



‘‘Fiddlededee；　my　dear！''　scoffed　Aunt　Hannah；

patting　Billy's　downcast　face。　　‘‘Wait　till　a

year　from　now；　and　we'll　see　about　that　third…

person　bugaboo　you're　worrying　about。　　_I'm_

not　worrying　now；　so　you'd　better　not！''







CHAPTER　XXII



A　DOT　AND　A　DIMPLE





On　the　day　Cyril　Henshaw's　twins　were　six

months　old；　a　momentous　occurrence　marked　the

date　with　a　flaming　red　letter　of　remembrance；

and　it　all　began　with　a　baby's　smile。



Cyril；　in　quest　of　his　wife　at　about　ten　o'clock

that　morning；　and　not　finding　her；　pursued　his

search　even　to　the　nurserya　room　he　very

seldom　entered。　　Cyril　did　not　like　to　go　into　the

nursery。　　He　felt　ill　at　ease；　and　as　if　he　were

away　from　homeand　Cyril　was　known　to　abhor

being　away　from　home　since　he　was　married。　

Now　that　Marie　had　taken　over　the　reins　of

government　again；　he　had　been　obliged　to　see　very

little　of　those　strange　women　and　babies。　　Not

but　that　he　liked　the　babies；　of　course。　　They　were

his　sons；　and　he　was　proud　of　them。　　They　should

have　every　advantage　that　college；　special　training；

and　travel　could　give　them。　　He　quite

anticipated　what　they　would　be　to　himwhen

they　really　knew　anything。　　But；　of　course；　_now_；

when　they　could　do　nothing　but　cry　and　wave

their　absurd　little　fists；　and　wobble　their　heads

in　so　fearsome　a　manner；　as　if　they　simply　did

not　know　the　meaning　of　the　word　backbone

and；　for　that　matter；　of　course　they　didn't

why；　he　could　not　be　expected　to　be　anything

but　relieved　when　he　had　his　den　to　himself　again；

with　a　reasonable　chance　of　finding　his　manuscript

as　he　had　left　it；　and　not　cut　up　into　a　ridiculous

string　of　paper　dolls　holding　hands；　as　he　had

once　found　it；　after　a　visit　from　a　woman　with　a

small　girl。



Since　Marie　had　been　at　the　helm；　however；

he　had　not　been　troubled　in　such　a　way。　　He　had；

indeed；　known　almost　his　old　customary　peace

and　freedom　from　interruption；　with　only　an

occasional　flitting　across　his　path　of　the　strange

women　and　babiesthough　he　had　realized；　of

course；　that　they　were　in　the　house；　especially　in

the　nursery。　　For　that　reason；　therefore；　he　always

avoided　the　nursery　when　possible。　　But　to…day

he　wanted　his　wife；　and　his　wife　was　not　to　be

found　anywhere　else　in　the　house。　　So；　reluctantly；

he　turned　his　steps　toward　the　nursery；　and；　with

a　frown；　knocked　and　pushed　open　the　door。



‘‘Is　Mrs。　Henshaw　here？''　he　demanded；　not

over　gently。



Absolute　silence　greeted　his　question。　　The　man

saw　then　that　there　was　no　one　in　the　room　save

a　baby　sitting　on　a　mat　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；

barricaded　on　all　sides　with　pillows。



With　a　deeper　frown　the　man　turned　to　go；　when

a　gleeful　‘‘Ahgoo！''　halted　his　steps　midway。　

He　wheeled　sharply。



‘‘Ereh？''　he　queried；　uncertainly　eyeing

his　small　son　on　the　floor。



‘‘Ahgoo！''　observed　the　infant　（who　had

been　very　lonesome）；　with　greater　emphasis；　and

this　time　he　sent　into　his　father's　eyes　the　most

bewitching　of　smiles。



‘‘Well；　by　George！''　murmured　the　man；

weakly；　a　dawning　amazement　driving　the　frown

from　his　face。



‘‘Spggghoowah！''　gurgled　the　boy；　holding

out　two　tiny　fists。



A　slow　smile　came　to　the　man's　face。



‘‘Well；　I'llbedarned；''　he　muttered　half…

shamefacedly；　wholly　delightedly。　　‘‘If　the　rascal

doesn't　act　as　if　heknew　me！''



‘‘Ahgoospggghh！''　grinned　the　infant；

toothlessly；　but　entrancingly。



With　almost　a　stealthy　touch　Cyril　closed　the

door　back　of　him；　and　advanced　a　little　dubiously

toward　his　son。　　His　countenance　carried　a　mixture

of　guilt；　curiosity；　and　dogged　determination

so　ludicrous　that　it　was　a　pity　none　but　baby　eyes

could　see　it。　　As　if　to　meet　more　nearly　on　a　level

this　baffling　new　acquaintance；　Cyril　got　to　his

kneessomewhat　stiffly；　it　must　be　confessed

and　faced　his　son。



‘‘Gooeeeoooyah！''　crowed　the　baby

now；　thrashing　legs　and　arms　about　in　a　transport

of　joy　at　the　acquisition　of　this　new　playmate。



‘‘Well；　well；　young　man；　youyou　don't　say

so！''　stammered　the　growingly…proud　father；

thrusting　a　plainly　timid　and　unaccustomed　finger

toward　his　offspring。　　‘‘So　you　do　know　me；

eh？　　Well；　who　am　I？''



‘‘Dada！''　gurgled　the　boy；　triumphantly

clutching　the　outstretched　finger；　and　holding　on

with　a　tenacity　that　brought　a　gleeful　chuckle　to

the　lips　of　the　man。



‘‘Jove！　but　aren't　you　the　strong　little　beggar；

though！　　Needn't　tell　me　you　don't　know　a　good

thing　when　you　see　it！　　So　I'm　‘da…da；'　am　I？''

he　went　on；　unhesitatingly　accepting　as　the　pure

gold　of　knowledge　the　shameless　imitation　vocabulary

his　son　was　foisting　upon　him。　　‘‘Well；　I

expect　I　am；　and''



‘‘Oh；　Cyril！''　　The　door　had　opened；　and

Marie　was　in　the　room。　　If　she　gave　a　start　of

surprise　at　her　husband's　unaccustomed　attitude；

she　quickly　controlled　herself。　　‘‘Julia　said　you

wanted　me。　　I　must　have　been　going　down　the

back　stairs　when　you　came　up　the　front；　and''



‘‘Please；　Mrs。　Henshaw；　is　it　Dot　you　have　in

here；　or　Dimple？''　asked　a　new　voice；　as　the　second

nurse　entered　by　another　door。



Before　Mrs。　Henshaw　could　answer；　Cyril；　who

had　got　to　his　feet；　turned　sharply。



‘‘Is　it_w