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！
〃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