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！
I'd be all right。 But I can't； I find。''
‘‘Can't buy what you need！ What do you
mean？''
Billy laughed ruefully。
‘‘Well； every other question I ask Eliza； she
says： ‘Why； I don't know； you have to use
your judgment。' Just as if I had any judgment
about how much salt to use； or what dish to take！
Dear me； Aunt Hannah； the man that will grow
judgment and can it as you would a mess of peas；
has got his fortune made！''
‘‘What an absurd child you are； Billy；'' laughed
Aunt Hannah。 ‘‘I used to tell Marie By the
way； how is Marie？ Have you seen her lately？''
‘‘Oh； yes； I saw her yesterday；'' twinkled Billy。
‘‘She had a book of wall…paper samples spread
over the back of a chair； two bunches of samples
of different colored damasks on the table before
her； a ‘Young Mother's Guide' propped open
in another chair； and a pair of baby's socks in
her lap with a roll each of pink； and white； and
blue ribbon。 She spent most of the time； after
I had helped her choose the ribbon； in asking me
if I thought she ought to let the baby cry and
bother Cyril； or stop its crying and hurt the
baby； because her ‘Mother's Guide' says a certain
amount of crying is needed to develop a baby's
lungs。''
Aunt Hannah laughed； but she frowned； too。
‘‘The idea！ I guess Cyril can stand proper
cryingand laughing； toofrom his own
child！'' she said then； crisply。
‘‘Oh； but Marie is afraid he can't；'' smiled
Billy。 ‘‘And that's the trouble。 She says that's
the only thing that worries herCyril。''
‘‘Nonsense！'' ejaculated Aunt Hannah。
‘‘Oh； but it isn't nonsense to Marie；'' retorted
Billy。 ‘‘You should see the preparations she's
made and the precautions she's taken。 Actually；
when I saw those baby's socks in her lap； I didn't
know but she was going to put rubber heels on
them！ They've built the new house with deadening
felt in all the walls； and Marie's planned
the nursery and Cyril's den at opposite ends of
the house； and she says she shall keep the baby
there _all_ the timethe nursery； I mean； not the
den。 She says she's going to teach it to be a quiet
baby and hate noise。 She says she thinks she
can do it； too。''
‘‘Humph！'' sniffed Aunt Hannah； scornfully。
‘‘You should have seen Marie's disgust the
other day；'' went on Billy； a bit mischievously。
‘‘Her Cousin Jane sent on a rattle she'd made
herself； all soft worsted； with bells inside。 It
was a dear； but Marie was horror…stricken。
‘My baby have a rattle？' she cried。 ‘Why；
what would Cyril say？ As if he could stand a
rattle in the house！' And if she didn't give that
rattle to the janitor's wife that very day； while
I was there！''
‘‘Humph！'' sniffed Aunt Hannah again； as
Billy rose to go。 ‘‘Well； I'm thinking Marie has
still some things to learn in this worldand
Cyril； too； for that matter。''
‘‘I wouldn't wonder；'' laughed Billy； giving
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 per