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024 - A Night Off · Miss Billy Married

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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty four of Miss Billy Married. This is a
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  Speaker 1: LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
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  Speaker 1: For more information not a volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
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  Speaker 1: Recording by Phil Schinever. Miss Billy Married by Eleanor H. Porter,
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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty four, A night off. The Henshaw family did
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  Speaker 1: not return to the strata until late in September. Billy
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  Speaker 1: said that the sea air seemed to agree so well
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  Speaker 1: with the baby, it would be a pity to change
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  Speaker 1: until the weather became really too cool, let the shore
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  Speaker 1: to be comfortable. William came back from his fishing trip
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  Speaker 1: in August and resumed his old habit of sleeping at
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  Speaker 1: the house and taking his meals at the club to
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  Speaker 1: be sure. For a week he went back and forth
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  Speaker 1: between the city and the beach house. But it happened
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  Speaker 1: to be at a time when Bertram Junior was cutting
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  Speaker 1: a tooth, and this so wore upon William's sympathy. William
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  Speaker 1: still could not help, insisting it might be a pin
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  Speaker 1: that he concluded peace lay only in flight, so he
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  Speaker 1: went back to the stratum. Bertram had stayed at the
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  Speaker 1: college all summer painting industriously. Heretofore he had taken more
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  Speaker 1: of a vacation through the summer months, but this year
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  Speaker 1: this seemed to be nothing for him to do but paint.
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  Speaker 1: He did not like to go away on a trip
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  Speaker 1: and leave Billy, and she decided she could not take
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  Speaker 1: the baby nor leave him, and that she did not
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  Speaker 1: need any trip anyway. All right, then we'll just stay
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  Speaker 1: at the beach and have a fine vacation together, he
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  Speaker 1: had answered her. As Bertram saw it, however, he could
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  Speaker 1: detect very little vacation to it. Billy had no time
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  Speaker 1: for anything but the baby. When she was not actually
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  Speaker 1: engaged in caring for it, she was studying how to
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  Speaker 1: care for it. Never had she been sweeter or dearer,
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  Speaker 1: and never had Bertram loved her half so well. He
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  Speaker 1: was proud too of her devotion and of her triumphant
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  Speaker 1: success as a mother. But he did wish that sometimes,
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  Speaker 1: just once in a while, she would remember she was
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  Speaker 1: a wife and pay a little attention to him, her husband.
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  Speaker 1: Bertram was ashamed to own it, even to himself, but
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  Speaker 1: he was feeling just a little abused that summer, and
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  Speaker 1: he knew that in his heart he was actually getting
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  Speaker 1: jealous of his own son, in spite of his adoration
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  Speaker 1: of the little fellow. He told himself defensively that it
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  Speaker 1: was not to be expected that he should not want
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  Speaker 1: the love of his wife, the attentions of his wife,
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  Speaker 1: and the companionship of his wife a part of the time.
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  Speaker 1: It was nothing more than natural that occasionally he should
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  Speaker 1: like to see her show some interest in subjects not
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  Speaker 1: mentioned in mother's guides and scientific trainings of infants. And
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  Speaker 1: he did not believe he could be blamed for wanting
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  Speaker 1: his residence to be a home for himself as well
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  Speaker 1: as a nursery for his offspring, even while he thus
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  Speaker 1: discover contentedly argued with himself. However, Bertram called himself a
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  Speaker 1: selfish brute just to think such things, when he had
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  Speaker 1: so dear and loving wife as Billy, and so fine
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  Speaker 1: and splendid a baby as Bertram Junior. He told himself
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  Speaker 1: too that very likely, when they were back in their
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  Speaker 1: own house again, and when motherhood was not so new
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  Speaker 1: to her, Billy would not be so absorbed in the baby.
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  Speaker 1: She would return to her old interest in her husband,
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  Speaker 1: her music, her friends, and her own personal appearance. Meanwhile,
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  Speaker 1: there was always, of course for him his painting, so
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  Speaker 1: he would paint, accepting gladly what crumbs of attention fell
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  Speaker 1: from the baby's table, and trust the future to make
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  Speaker 1: Billy nonetheless a mother, perhaps, but a little more. The
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  Speaker 1: wife just how confidently he was counting on this coming change.
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  Speaker 1: Bertram hardly realized himself, but certainly the family was scarcely
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  Speaker 1: settled at the strata before the husband gaily proposed one
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  Speaker 1: evening that he and Billy should go to the theater
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  Speaker 1: to see Romeo and Juliette. Billy was clearly both surprised
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  Speaker 1: and shocked. Why Bertram, I can't you know? I can't,
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  Speaker 1: she exclaimed, reprovingly. Bertram's heart sank, but he kept a
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  Speaker 1: brave front. Why not? What a question? As if I'd
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  Speaker 1: leave baby, But Billy, dear, you'd be gone less than
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  Speaker 1: three hours, and you say, Delia's the most careful of nurses.
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  Speaker 1: Billy's forehead puckered into an anxious frown. I can't help it.
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  Speaker 1: Something might happen to him, Bertram. I couldn't be happy
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  Speaker 1: a minute. But dearest, aren't you ever going to leave him?
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  Speaker 1: Demanded the young husband forlornly. Why yes, of course, when
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  Speaker 1: it's reasonable and necessary. I went out to the annex
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  Speaker 1: yesterday afternoon. I was gone almost two whole hours. Well,
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  Speaker 1: did anything happen? No? But then I telephoned you see
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  Speaker 1: several times, so I knew everything was all right. Oh well,
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  Speaker 1: if that's all you want, I could telephone, you know,
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  Speaker 1: between every act, suggested Bertram, with a sarcasm that was
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  Speaker 1: quite lost on the earnest young mother. Yes you could
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  Speaker 1: do that, couldn't you, conceded Billy. And of course I
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  Speaker 1: haven't been anywhere much lately, indeed, I could, agreed Bertram,
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  Speaker 1: with a promptness that carefully hid his surprise at her
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  Speaker 1: literal acceptance of what he had proposed as a huge joke. Come,
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  Speaker 1: is it a go? Shall I telephone to see if
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  Speaker 1: I can get seats? You think, baby, you'll surely be
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  Speaker 1: all right? I certainly do. And you'll telephone home between
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  Speaker 1: every act? I will, Bertram's voice sounded almost as if
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  Speaker 1: he were repeating the marriage surface. And we'll come straight
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  Speaker 1: home afterwards as fast as Johnny and Pecky can bring us. Certainly,
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  Speaker 1: then I think I'll go, breathed Billy tremulously, plainly, showing
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  Speaker 1: what a momentous concession she thought she was making. I
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  Speaker 1: do love Romeo and Juliet, and I haven't seen it
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  Speaker 1: for ages. Good, then I'll find out about the tickets,
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  Speaker 1: cried Bertram, so elated at the prospect of having an
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  Speaker 1: old time evening out with his wife that even the
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  Speaker 1: half hourly telephones did not seem too great a price
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  Speaker 1: to pay. When the time came, they were a little
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  Speaker 1: late in starting. Baby was fretful, and though Billy usually
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  Speaker 1: laid him in his crib and unhesitatingly left the room,
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  Speaker 1: insisting that he should go to sleep by himself, in
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  Speaker 1: accordance with the most approved rules in her scientific training,
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  Speaker 1: yet tonight she could not bring herself to the point
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  Speaker 1: of leaving the house until he was quiet. Hurried as
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  Speaker 1: they were when they did start, Billy was conscious of
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  Speaker 1: Bertram's frowning disapproval of our frock. You don't like it,
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  Speaker 1: of course, dear, and I don't blame you, she smiled remorsefully.
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  Speaker 1: Oh I like it, that is, I did when it
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  Speaker 1: was new, rejarned her husband with apologetic frankness. But dear,
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  Speaker 1: didn't you have anything else? This looks almost well mussy,
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  Speaker 1: you know? No? Well, yes, maybe there were others, admitted Billy.
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  Speaker 1: But this was the quickest and easiest to get into,
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  Speaker 1: and it all came just as I was getting baby
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  Speaker 1: ready for bed. You know I am afright, though I'll
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  Speaker 1: acknowledge as forests clothes go. I haven't had time to
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  Speaker 1: get a thing since baby came. I must get something
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  Speaker 1: right away. I suppose, yes, indeed, declared Bertram with emphasis,
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  Speaker 1: hurrying his wife into the waiting automobile. Billy had to
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  Speaker 1: apologize again at the theater, for the curtain had already
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  Speaker 1: risen on the ancient quarrel between the houses of Capulet
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  Speaker 1: and Montague, and Billy knew her husband's special abhorrence of
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  Speaker 1: tardy arrivals. Later, though, when well established in their seats,
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  Speaker 1: Billy's mind was plainly not with the players on the stage.
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  Speaker 1: Do you suppose baby is all right? She whispered, after
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  Speaker 1: a time. Of course, he is dear. There was a
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  Speaker 1: brief silence during which Billy peered at her program in
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  Speaker 1: the semidarkness. Then she nudged her husband's arm esthetically. Bertram,
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  Speaker 1: I couldn't have chosen a better play if I'd tried.
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  Speaker 1: There are five acts. I'd forgotten. There were so many
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  Speaker 1: that means you can telephone four times. Yes, dear, Bertram's
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  Speaker 1: voice was sternly cheerful. You must be sure they tell
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  Speaker 1: you exactly how Baby is all right? Dear, here's Romeo.
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  Speaker 1: Billy subsided. She even clapped a little in spasmodic enthusiasm. Presently,
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  Speaker 1: she peered at her program again. There wouldn't be time
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  Speaker 1: I suppose to telephone between the scenes, she hazard wistfully.
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  Speaker 1: There are sixteen of those. Well, hardly, Billy, you aren't
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  Speaker 1: paying one bit of attention to the play. Why of
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  Speaker 1: course I am, whispered Billy indignantly. I think it's perfectly lovely,
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  Speaker 1: and I'm perfectly contented too, since I've found out about
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  Speaker 1: those five acts, and as long as I can't have
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  Speaker 1: the sixteen scenes, she added, settling back in her seat
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  Speaker 1: as if to prove that she was interested in the play.
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  Speaker 1: Her next whisper, some time later had to do with
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  Speaker 1: one of the characters on the stage. Who's that the
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  Speaker 1: nurse Mercy. We wouldn't want her for baby, would we?
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  Speaker 1: In spite of himself, Bertram chuckled this time. Billy too,
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  Speaker 1: laughed at herself. Then resolutely she settled into her seat again.
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  Speaker 1: The curtain was not fairly down on the first act,
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  Speaker 1: before Billy had laid an urgent hand on her husband's arm.
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  Speaker 1: Now remember, ask if he's waked up or anything, she directed,
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  Speaker 1: and be sure to say I'll come right home if
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  Speaker 1: they need me. Now hurry, yes, dear Bertram rose with alacrity.
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  Speaker 1: I'll be back right away. Oh but I don't want
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  Speaker 1: you to hurry too much, she called after him softly.
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  Speaker 1: I want you to take plenty of time to ask questions,
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  Speaker 1: all right, nodded Bertram with a quizzical smile as he
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  Speaker 1: turned away. Obediently. Bertram asked all the questions he could
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  Speaker 1: think of, then came back to his wife. There was
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  Speaker 1: nothing in his report that even Billy could disapprove of
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  Speaker 1: or worry about, And with almost a contented look on
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  Speaker 1: her face, she turned toward the stage as the curtain
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  Speaker 1: went up on the second act. I love this balcony scene,
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  Speaker 1: she sighed happily. Romeo, however, had not half finished his
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  Speaker 1: impassioned love making. When Billy clutched her husband's arm almost fiercely. Bertram,
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  Speaker 1: she fairly hissed in a tragic whisper, I've just happened
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  Speaker 1: to think, won't it be awful when baby falls in love?
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  Speaker 1: I know I shall just hate that girl for taking
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  Speaker 1: him away from me. Sh Billy expostulated her husband, choking
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  Speaker 1: with half stifled laughter. That woman in front heard you.
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  Speaker 1: I know she did well, I shall, sighed Billy mournfully,
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  Speaker 1: turning back to the stage. Good Night, good night, parting
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  Speaker 1: is such sweet sorrow that I shall say good night
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  Speaker 1: till it be morrow, sighed Juliette passionately to her Rombio Mercy.
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  Speaker 1: I hope not, whispered Billy flippantly in Bertram's ear. I'm
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  Speaker 1: sure I don't want to stay here till tomorrow. I'm
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  Speaker 1: want to go home and see baby. Billy, pleaded Bertram
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  Speaker 1: so despairingly that Billy, really conscious smitten, sat back in
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  Speaker 1: her seat and remained for the rest of the act
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  Speaker 1: very quiet, indeed deceived by her apparent tranquility. Bertram turned
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  Speaker 1: as the curtain went down. Now, Billy, surely you don't
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  Speaker 1: think it'll be necessary to telephone so soon as this again,
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  Speaker 1: he ventured. Billy's countenance fell. But Bertram, you said you would,
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  Speaker 1: of course, if you aren't willing to. But I've been
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  Speaker 1: counting on hearing all through this hard, long act, and
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  Speaker 1: goodness me, Billy I'll telephone every minute for you, of course,
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  Speaker 1: if you want me to, cried Bertram, springing to his
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  Speaker 1: feet and trying not to show his impatience. He was
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  Speaker 1: back more promptly this time. Everything okay, he smiled reassuringly
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  Speaker 1: into Billy's anxious eyes. Dilia said she'd just been up
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  Speaker 1: and the little chap was sound asleep. To the man's
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  Speaker 1: unbounded surprise, his wife grew actually white up up, she exclaimed,
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  Speaker 1: do you mean that Delia went downstairs to stay and
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  Speaker 1: left my baby up there alone? But Billy, she said,
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  Speaker 1: he was all right, murmured Bertram, softly, casting uneasy, sidelong
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  Speaker 1: glances at his two interested neighbors. All right, perhaps he
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  Speaker 1: was then, but he may not be later. Delia should
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  Speaker 1: stay in the next room all the time, where she
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  Speaker 1: could hear the least thing. Yes, dear, she will. I
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  Speaker 1: am sure if you you tell her to, soothed Bertram quickly,
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  Speaker 1: it'll be all right. Next time Billy shook her head.
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  Speaker 1: She was obviously near to crying. But Bertram, I can't
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  Speaker 1: stand it to sit here enjoying myself all safe and comfortable,
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  Speaker 1: and know that baby is alone up there in that
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  Speaker 1: great big room, please, please, won't you go and telephone
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  Speaker 1: Delia to go up now and stay there. Bertram, weary,
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  Speaker 1: sorely tried and increasingly aware of those annoyingly interested neighbors,
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  Speaker 1: was on the point of saying a very decided no,
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  Speaker 1: but a glance into Billy's pleading eyes settled it. Without
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  Speaker 1: a word, he went back to the telephone. The curtain
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  Speaker 1: was up when he slipped into a seat, very red
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  Speaker 1: a face. In answer to Billy's hurried whisper, he shook
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  Speaker 1: his head, but in the short pause between the first
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  Speaker 1: and second scenes, he said, in a low voice, I'm sorry, Billy,
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  Speaker 1: but I couldn't get the house at all. Couldn't get them.
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  Speaker 1: But you've just been talking with them, that's it. Probably
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  Speaker 1: I had just telephoned, so they weren't watching for the
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  Speaker 1: bell anyhow. I couldn't get them. Then you didn't get
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  Speaker 1: Delia at all, of course not. And baby is still
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  Speaker 1: all alone. But he's all right, Dear Delia's keeping watch
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  Speaker 1: of him. For a moment, there was silence, Then with
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  Speaker 1: clear decisiveness, came Billy's voice. Bertram, I am going home, Billy,
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  Speaker 1: I am Billy. For heaven's sake, don't be a silly goose.
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  Speaker 1: The play's half over already, We'll soon be going anyway.
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  Speaker 1: Billy's lips came together in a thin, little determined line. Bertram,
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  Speaker 1: I am going home now, please, she said, you needn't
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  Speaker 1: come with me, I can go alone. Bertram said two
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  Speaker 1: words under his breath, which it was just as well,
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  Speaker 1: perhaps that Billy and the neighbors did not hear. Then
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  Speaker 1: he gathered up their wraps, and with Billy, stalked out
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  Speaker 1: of the theater. At home, everything was found to be
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  Speaker 1: absolutely as it should be. Bertram Junior was peacefully sleeping,
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  Speaker 1: and Dahlia, who had come up from downstairs, was sewing
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  Speaker 1: in the next room. There, you see, observed Bertram, a
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  Speaker 1: little sorrowing. Billy drew a long, contented sigh. Yes, I
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  Speaker 1: see everything is all right. But that's exactly what I
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  Speaker 1: wanted to do, Bertram, you know, to see for myself.
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  Speaker 1: She finished happily, and Bertram, looking at her wrapped face
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  Speaker 1: as she hovered over the baby's crib, called himself a
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  Speaker 1: brute and a beast to mind anything that could make
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  Speaker 1: Billy look like that. End of Chapter twenty four