miss billy-第7部分

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out；　and　needs　rest。　　She　mustn't　talk　another　bit　to…night。〃

〃Of　c…course　not；〃　stammered　William。　　And　only　too　glad　of　an
excuse　to　withdraw　from　a　very　embarrassing　situation；　the　three
men　called　back　a　faltering　good…night；　and　precipitately　fled
down…stairs。



CHAPTER　IX

A　FAMILY　CONCLAVE


〃Well；　William；〃　greeted　Kate；　grimly；　when　she　came　into　the
drawing…room；　after　putting　her　charge　to　bed；　〃have　you　had
enough；　now？〃

〃'Enough'！　　What　do　you　mean？〃

Kate　raised　her　eyebrows。

〃Why；　surely；　you're　not　thinking　NOW　that　you　can　keep　this　girl
here；　are　you？〃

〃I　don't　know　why　not。〃

〃William！〃

〃Well；　where　shall　she　go？　　Will　you　take　her？〃

〃I？　　Certainly　not；〃　declared　Kate；　with　decision。　　〃I'm　sure　I　see
no　reason　why　I　should。〃

〃No　more　do　I　see　why　William　should；　either；〃　cut　in　Cyril。

〃Oh；　come；　what's　the　use；〃　interposed　Bertram。　　〃Let　her　stay。
She's　a　nice　little　thing；　I'm　sure。〃

Cyril　and　Kate　turned　sharply。

〃Bertram！〃　　The　cry　was　a　duet　of　angry　amazement。　　Then　Kate
added：　　〃It　seems　that　you；　too；　have　come　under　the　sway　of　dark
eyes；　pink　cheeks；　and　an　unknown　quantity　of　curly　hair！〃

Bertram　laughed。

〃Oh；　well；　she　would　be　nice　toerpaint；〃　he　murmured。

〃See　here；　children；〃　demurred　William；　a　little　sternly；　〃all　this
is　wasting　time。　　There　is　no　way　out　of　it。　　I　wouldn't　be　seen
turning　that　homeless　child　away　now。　　We　must　keep　her；　that's
settled。　　The　question　is；　how　shall　it　be　done？　　We　must　have　some
woman　friend　here　to　be　her　companion；　of　course；　but　whom　shall　we
get？〃

Kate　sighed；　and　looked　her　dismay。　　Bertram　threw　a　glance　into
Cyril's　eyes；　and　made　an　expressive　gesture。

〃You　see；〃　it　seemed　to　say。　　〃I　told　you　how　it　would　be！〃

〃Now　whom　shall　we　get？〃　questioned　William　again。　　〃We　must
think。〃

Unattached　gentlewomen　of　suitable　age　and　desirable　temper　did　not
prove　to　be　so　numerous　among　the　Henshaws'　acquaintances；　however；
as　to　make　the　selection　of　a　chaperon　very　easy。　　Several　were
thought　of　and　suggested；　but　in　each　case　the　candidate　was　found
to　possess　one　or　more　characteristics　that　made　the　idea　of　her
presence　utterly　abhorrent　to　some　one　of　the　brothers。　　At　last
William　expostulated：

〃See　here；　boys；　we　aren't　any　nearer　a　settlement　than　we　were　in
the　first　place。　　There　isn't　any　woman；　of　course；　who　would
exactly　suit　all　of　us；　and　so　we　shall　just　have　to　be　willing　to
take　some　one　who　doesn't。〃

〃The　trouble　is；〃　explained　Bertram；　airily；　〃we　want　some　one　who
will　be　invisible　to　every　one　except　the　world　and　Billy；　and　who
will　be　inaudible　always。〃

〃I　don't　know　but　you　are　right；〃　sighed　William。　　〃But　suppose　we
settle　on　Aunt　Hannah。　　She　seems　to　be　the　least　objectionable　of
the　lot；　and　I　think　she'd　come。　　She's　alone　in　the　world；　and　I
believe　the　comfortable　roominess　of　this　house　would　be　very
grateful　to　her　after　the　inconvenience　of　her　stuffy　little　room
over　at　the　Back　Bay。〃

〃You　bet　it　would！〃　murmured　Bertram；　feelingly；　but　William　did
not　appear　to　hear　him。

〃She's　amiable；　fairly　sensible；　and　always　a　lady；〃　he　went　on；
〃and　to…morrow　morning　I　believe　I'll　run　over　and　see　if　she　can't
come　right　away。〃

〃And　may　I　ask　whicherstratum　shetheywill　occupy？〃　smiled
Bertram。

〃You　may　ask；　but　I'm　afraid　you　won't　find　out　very　soon；〃
retorted　William；　dryly；　〃if　we　take　as　long　to　decide　that　matter
as　we　have　the　rest　of　it。〃

〃ErCyril　has　the　mostUNOCCUPIED　space；〃　volunteered　Bertram；
cheerfully。

〃Indeed！〃　retaliated　Cyril。　　〃Suppose　you　let　me　speak　for　myself！
Of　course；　so　far　as　truck　is　concerned；　I'm　not　in　it　with　you　and
Will。　　But　as　for　the　USE　I　put　my　rooms　to！　　Besides；　I　already
have　Pete　there；　and　would　have　Dong　Ling　probably；　if　he　slept
here。　　However；　if　you　want　any　of　my　rooms；　don't　let　my　petty
wants　and　wishes　interfere〃

〃No；　no；〃　interrupted　William；　in　quick　conciliation。　　〃We　don't
want　your　rooms；　Cyril。　　Aunt　Hannah　abhors　stairs。　　Of　course　I
might　move；　I　suppose。　　My　rooms　are　one　flight　less；　but　if　I　only
didn't　have　so　many　things！〃

〃Oh；　you　men！〃　shrugged　Kate；　wearily。　　〃Why　don't　you　ask　my
opinion　sometimes？　　It　seems　to　me　that　in　this　case　a　woman's　wit
might　be　of　some　help！〃

〃All　right；　go　ahead！〃　nodded　William。

Kate　leaned　forward　eagerlyKate　loved　to　〃manage。〃

〃Go　easy；　now；〃　cautioned　Bertram；　warily。　　〃You　know　a　strata；
even　one　as　solid　as　ours；　won't　stand　too　much　of　an　earthquake！〃

〃It　isn't　an　earthquake　at　all；〃　sniffed　Kate。　　〃It's　a　very
sensible　move　all　around。　　Here　are　these　two　great　drawing…rooms；
the　library；　and　the　little　reception…room　across　the　hall；　and　not
one　of　them　is　ever　used　but　this。　　Of　course　the　women　wouldn't
like　to　sleep　down　here；　but　why　don't　you；　Bertram；　take　the　back
drawing…room；　the　library；　and　the　little　reception…room　for　yours；
and　leave　the　whole　of　the　second　floor　for　Billy　and　Aunt　Hannah？〃

〃Good　for　you；　Kate；〃　cried　Bertram；　appreciatively。　　〃You've　hit
it　square　on　the　head；　and　we'll　do　it。　　I'll　move　to…morrow。　　The
light　down　here　is　just　as　good　as　it　is　up…stairsif　you　let　it
in！〃

〃Thank　you；　Bertram；　and　you；　too；　Kate；〃　breathed　William；
fervently。　　〃Now；　if　you　don't　mind；　I　believe　I'll　go　to　bed。　　I
am　tired！〃



CHAPTER　X

AUNT　HANNAH


As　soon　as　possible　after　breakfast　William　went　to　see　Aunt
Hannah。

Hannah　Stetson　was　not　really　William's　aunt；　though　she　had　been
called　Aunt　Hannah　for　years。　　She　was　the　widow　of　a　distant
cousin；　and　she　lived　in　a　snug　little　room　in　a　Back　Bay　boarding…
house。　　She　was　a　slender；　white…haired　woman　with　kind　blue　eyes；
and　a　lovable　smile。　　Her　cheeks　were　still　faintly　pink；　and　her
fine　silver…white　hair　broke　into　little　kinks　and　curls　about　her
ears。　　According　to　Bertram　she　always　made　one　think　of　〃lavender
and　old　lace。〃

She　welcomed　William　cordially　this　morning；　though　with　faint
surprise　in　her　eyes。

〃Yes；　I　know　I'm　an　early　caller；　and　an　unexpected　one；〃　began
William；　hurriedly。　　〃And　I　shall　have　to　plunge　straight　into　the
matter；　too；　for　there　isn't　time　to　preamble。　　I've　taken　an
eighteen…year…old　girl　to　bring　up；　Aunt　Hannah；　and　I　want　you　to
come　down　and　live　with　us　to　chaperon　her。〃

〃My　grief　and　conscience；　WILLIAM！〃　gasped　the　little　woman；
agitatedly。

〃Yes；　yes；　I　know；　Aunt　Hannah；　everything　you　would　say　if　you
could。　　But　please　skip　the　hysterics。　　We've　all　had　them；　and
Kate　has　already　used　every　possible　adjective　that　you　could　think
up。　　Now　it's　just　this。〃　　And　he　hurriedly　gave　Mrs。　Stetson　a
full　account　of　the　case；　and　told　her　plainly　what　he　hoped　and
expected　that　she　would　do　for　him。

〃Why；　yes；　of　courseI'll　come；〃　acquiesced　the　lady；　a　little
breathlessly；　〃ifif　you　are　sure　you're　going　tokeep　her。〃

〃Good！　　And　remember　I　said　'now；'　pleasethat　I　wanted　you　to
come　right　away；　to…day。　　Of　course　Kate　can't　stay。　　Just　get　in
half　a　dozen　women　to　help　you　pack；　and　come。〃

〃Half　a　dozen　women　in　that　little　room；　Williamimpossible！〃

〃Well；　I　only　meant　to　get　enough　so　you　could　come　right　off　this
morning。〃

〃But　I　don't　need　them；　William。　　There　are　only　my　clothes　and
books；　and　such　things。　　You　know　it　is　a　FURNISHED　room。〃

〃All　right；　all　right；　Aunt　Hannah。　　I　wanted　to　make　sure　you
hurried；　that's　all。　　You　see；　I　don't　want　Billy　to　suspect　just
how　much　she's　upsetting　us。　　I've　asked　Kate　to　take　her　over　to
her　house　for　the　day；　while　Bertram　is　moving　down…stairs；　and
while　we're　getting　you　settled。　　II　think　you'll　like　it　there；
Aunt　Hannah；〃　added　William；　anxiously。　　〃Of　course　Billy's　got
Spunk；　but〃　he　hesitated；　and　smiled　a　little。

〃Got　what？〃　faltered　the　other。

〃Spunk。　　Oh；　I　don't　mean　THAT　kind；〃　laughed　William；　in　answer　to
the　dismayed　expression　on　his　aunt's　face。　　〃Spunk　is　a　cat。〃

〃A　cat！but　such　a　name；　William！　　II　think　we'll　change　that。〃

〃Eh？　　Oh；　you　do；〃　murmured　William；　with　a　curious　smile。　　〃Very
well；　be　that　as　it　may。　　Anyhow；　you're　coming；　and　we　shall　want
you　all　settled　by　dinner　time；〃　he　finished；　as　he　picked　up　his
hat　to　go。

With　Kate；　Billy　spent　the　long　day　very　contentedly　in　Kate's
beautiful　Commonwealth　Avenue　home。　　The　two　boys；　Paul；　twelve
years　old；　and　Egbert；　eight；　were　a　little　shy；　it　is　true；　and
not　really　of　much　use　as　companions；　but　there　was　a　little　Kate；
four　years　old；　who　proved　to　be　wonderfully　entertaining。

Billy　was　not　much　used　to　children；　and　she　found　this　four…year…
old　atom　of　humanity　to　be　a　great　source　of　interest　and
amusement。　　She　even　told　Mrs。　Hartwell　at　parting　that　little　Kate
was　almost　as　nice　as　Spunkwhich　remark；　oddly　enough；　did　not
appear　to　please　Mrs。　Hartwell　to　the　extent　that　Billy　thought
that　it　would。

At　the　Beacon　Street　house　Billy　was　presented　at　once　to　Mrs。
Stetson。

〃And　you　are　to　call　me　'Aunt　Hannah；'　my　dear；〃　said　the　little
woman；　graciously；　〃just　as　the　boys　do。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　dimpled　Billy；　〃and　you　don't　know；　Aunt　Hannah；　how
good　it　seems　to　me　to　come　into　so　many　relatives；　all　at　once！〃

Upon　going　up…stairs　Billy　found　her　room　somewhat　changed。　　It　was
far　less　warlike；　and　the　case　of　spiders　had　been　taken　away。

〃And　this　will　be　your　stratum；　you　know；〃　announced　Bertram　from
the　stairway；　〃yours　and　Aunt　Hannah's。　　You're　to　have　this　whole
floor。　　Will　and　Cyril　are　above；　and　I'm　down…stairs。〃

〃You　are？　　Why；　I　thought　youwerehere。〃　　Billy's　face　was
puzzled。

〃Here？　　Oh；　well；　I　did　havesome　things　here；〃　he　retorted
airily；　〃but　I　took　them　all　away　to…day。　　You　see；　my　stratum　is
down…stairs；　and　it　doesn't　do　to　mix　the　layers。　　By　the　way；　you
haven't　been　up…stairs　yet；　have　you？　　Come　on；　and　I'll　show　you
and　you；　too；　Aunt　Hannah。〃

Billy　clapped　her　hands；　but　Aunt　Hannah　shook　her　head。

〃I'll　leave　that　for　younger　feet　than　mine；〃　she　said；　adding
whimsically：　　〃It's　best　sometimes　that　one　doesn't　try　to　step　too
far　off　one's　own　level；　you　know。〃

〃All　right；〃　laughed　the　man。　　〃Come　on；　Miss　Billy。〃

On　the　door　at　the　head　of　the　stai