miss billie married-第55章

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at　all　hours；　and　some　nights　even　her　dreams

were　of　ruined；　castles　where　kings　and　queens

and　bishops　disported　themselves；　with　pawns

for　servants；　and　where　a　weird　knight　on　horseback

used　the　castle's　highest　tower　for　a　hurdle；

landing　always　a　hundred　yards　to　one　side　of

where　he　would　be　expected　to　come　down。



It　was　not　long；　of　course；　before　Billy　could

play　a　game　of　chess；　after　a　fashion；　but　she

knew　just　enough　to　realize　that　she　actually

knew　nothing；　and　she　knew；　too；　that　until　she

could　play　a　really　good　game；　her　moves　would

not　hold　Bertram's　attention　for　one　minute。　

Not　at　present；　therefore；　was　she　willing　Bertram

should　know　what　she　was　attempting　to　do。



Billy　had　not　yet　learned　what　the　great

surgeon　had　said　to　Bertram。　　She　knew　only　that

his　arm　was　no　better；　and　that　he　never　voluntarily

spoke　of　his　painting。　　Over　her　now　seemed

to　be　hanging　a　vague　horror。　　Something　was

the　matter。　　She　knew　that。　　But　what　it　was

she　could　not　fathom。　　She　realized　that　Arkwright

was　trying　to　help；　and　her　gratitude；

though　silent；　knew　no　bounds。　　Not　even　to

Aunt　Hannah　or　Uncle　William　could　she　speak

of　this　thing　that　was　troubling　her。　　That　they；

too；　understood；　in　a　measure；　she　realized。　　But

still　she　said　no　word。　　Billy　was　wearing　a　proud

little　air　of　aloofness　these　days　that　was　heart…

breaking　to　those　who　saw　it　and　read　it　aright

for　what　it　was：　loyalty　to　Bertram；　no　matter

what　happened。　　And　so　Billy　pored　over　her

chessboard　feverishly；　tirelessly；　having　ever

before　her　longing　eyes　the　dear　time　when　Bertram；

across　the　table　from　her；　should　sit　happily

staring　for　half　an　hour　at　a　move　she　had

made。



Whatever　Billy's　chess…playing　was　to　signify；

however；　in　her　own　life；　it　was　destined　to　play

a　part　in　the　lives　of　two　friends　of　hers　that　was

most　unexpected。



During　Billy's　very　first　lesson；　as　it　chanced；

Alice　Greggory　called　and　found　Billy　and　Arkwright

so　absorbed　in　their　game　that　they　did

not　at　first　hear　Eliza　speak　her　name。



The　quick　color　that　flew　to　Arkwright's　face

at　sight　of　herself　was　construed　at　once　by　Alice

as　embarrassment　on　his　part　at　being　found

tte……tte　with　Bertram　Henshaw's　wife。　　And

she　did　not　like　it。　　She　was　not　pleased　that　he

was　there。　　She　was　less　pleased　that　he　blushed

for　being　there。



It　so　happened　that　Alice　found　him　there

again　several　times。　　Alice　gave　a　piano　lesson

at　two　o'clock　every　Tuesday　and　Friday　afternoon

to　a　little　Beacon　Street　neighbor　of　Billy's；

and　she　had　fallen　into　the　habit　of　stepping　in

to　see　Billy　for　a　few　minutes　afterward；　which

brought　her　there　at　a　little　past　three；　just　after

the　chess　lesson　was　well　started。



If；　the　first　time　that　Alice　Greggory　found

Arkwright　opposite　Billy　at　the　chess…table；　she

was　surprised　and　displeased；　the　second　and　third

times　she　was　much　more　so。　　When　it　finally

came　to　her　one　day　with　sickening　illumination；

that　always　the　tte……ttes　were　during　Bertram's

hour　at　the　doctor's；　she　was　appalled。



What　could　it　mean？　　Had　Arkwright　given

up　his　fight？　　Was　he　playing　false　to　himself

and　to　Bertram　by　trying　thus；　on　the　sly；　to　win

the　love　of　his　friend's　wife？　　Was　this　man；

whom　she　had　so　admired　for　his　brave　stand；

and　to　whom　all　unasked　she　had　given　her　heart's

best　love　（more　the　pity　of　it！）was　this　idol

of　hers　to　show　feet　of　clay；　after　all？　　She　could

not　believe　it。　　And　yet



Sick　at　heart；　but　imbued　with　the　determination

of　a　righteous　cause；　Alice　Greggory　resolved；

for　Billy's　sake；　to　watch　and　wait。　　If

necessary　she　should　speak　to　some　onethough

to　whom　she　did　not　know。　　Billy's　happiness

should　not　be　put　in　jeopardy　if　she　could　help　it。　

Indeed；　no！



As　the　weeks　passed；　Alice　came　to　be　more

and　more　uneasy；　distressed；　and　grieved。　　Of

Billy　she　could　believe　no　evil；　but　of　Arkwright

she　was　beginning　to　think　she　could　believe

everything　that　was　dishonorable　and　despicable。　

And　to　believe　that　of　the　man　she　still　loved

no　wonder　that　Alice　did　not　look　nor　act　like

herself　these　days。



Incensed　at　herself　because　she　did　love　him；

angry　at　him　because　he　seemed　to　be　proving

himself　so　unworthy　of　that　love；　and　genuinely

frightened　at　what　she　thought　was　the　fast…

approaching　wreck　of　all　happiness　for　her　dear

friend；　Billy；　Alice　did　not　know　which　way　to

turn。　　At　the　first　she　had　told　herself　confidently

that　she　would　‘‘speak　to　somebody。''　　But；　as

time　passed；　she　saw　the　impracticability　of　that

idea。　　Speak　to　somebody；　indeed！　　To　whom？　

When？　　Where？　　What　should　she　say？　　Where

was　her　right　to　say　anything？　　She　was　not

dealing　with　a　parcel　of　naughty　children　who　had

pilfered　the　cake　jar！　　She　was　dealing　with　grown

men　and　women；　who；　presumedly；　knew　their

own　affairs；　and　who；　certainly；　would　resent

any　interference　from　her。　　On　the　other　hand；

could　she　stand　calmly　by　and　see　Bertram　lose

his　wife；　Arkwright　his　honor；　Billy　her　happiness；

and　herself　her　faith　in　human　nature；　all

because　to　do　otherwise　would　be　to　meddle　in　other

people's　business？　　Apparently　she　could；　and

should。　　At　least　that　seemed　to　be　the　rle　which

she　was　expected　to　play。



It　was　when　Alice　had　reached　this　unhappy

frame　of　mind　that　Arkwright　himself　unexpectedly

opened　the　door　for　her。



The　two　were　alone　together　in　Bertram

Henshaw's　den。　　It　was　Tuesday　afternoon。　　Alice

had　called　to　find　Billy　and　Arkwright　deep　in

their　usual　game　of　chess。　　Then　a　matter　of

domestic　affairs　had　taken　Billy　from　the　room。



‘‘I'm　afraid　I'll　have　to　be　gone　ten　minutes；

or　more；''　she　had　said；　as　she　rose　from　the　table

reluctantly。　　‘‘But　you　might　be　showing　Alice

the　moves；　Mr。　Arkwright；''　she　had　added；　with

a　laugh；　as　she　disappeared。



‘‘Shall　I　teach　you　the　moves？''　he　had　smiled；

when　they　were　alone　together。



Alice's　reply　had　been　so　indignantly　short

and　sharp　that　Arkwright；　after　a　moment's

pause；　had　said；　with　a　whimsical　smile　that　yet

carried　a　touch　of　sadness：



‘‘I　am　forced　to　surmise　from　your　answer

that　you　think　it　is　_you_　who　should　be　teaching

_me_　moves。　　At　all　events；　I　seem　to　have　been

making　some　moves　lately　that　have　not　suited

you；　judging　by　your　actions。　　Have　I　offended

you　in　any　way；　Alice？''



The　girl　turned　with　a　quick　lifting　of　her　head。　

Alice　knew　that　if　ever　she　were　to　speak；　it　must

be　now。　　Never　again　could　she　hope　for　such

an　opportunity　as　this。　　Suddenly　throwing

circumspect　caution　quite　aside；　she　determined

that　she　would　speak。　　Springing　to　her　feet　she

crossed　the　room　and　seated　herself　in　Billy's

chair　at　the　chess…table。



‘‘Me！　　Offend　me！''　she　exclaimed；　in　a　low

voice。　　‘‘As　if　I　were　the　one　you　were　offending！''



‘‘Why；　_Alice！_''　murmured　the　man；　in　obvious

stupefaction。



Alice　raised　her　hand；　palm　outward。



‘‘Now　don't；　_please_　don't　pretend　you　don't

know；''　she　begged；　almost　piteously。　　‘‘Please

don't　add　that　to　all　the　rest。　　Oh；　I　understand；

of　course；　it's　none　of　my　affairs；　and　I　wasn't

going　to　speak；''　she　choked；　‘‘but；　to…day；　when

you　gave　me　this　chance；　I　had　to。　　At　first　I

couldn't　believe　it；''　she　plunged　on；　plainly　hurrying

against　Billy's　return。　　‘‘After　all　you'd

told　me　of　how　you　meant　to　fight　ityour

tiger　skin。　　And　I　thought　it　merely　_happened_

that　you　were　here　alone　with　her　those　days　I

came。　　Then；　when　I　found　out　they　were　_always_

the　days　Mr。　Henshaw　was　away　at　the　doctor's；

I　had　to　believe。''



She　stopped　for　breath。　　Arkwright；　who；　up

to　this　moment　had　shown　that　he　was　completely

mystified　as　to　what　she　was　talking

about；　suddenly　flushed　a　painful　red。　　He　was

obviously　about　to　spea