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！
‘‘Great Scott； Bertie； what's up？'' ejaculated
Seaver。 ‘‘You look as if you'd seen a ghost。''
‘‘I have；'' answered Bertram； with grim
bitterness。 ‘‘I've seen the ghost ofof every ‘Face
of a Girl' I ever painted。''
‘‘Gorry！ So bad as that？ No wonder you
look as if you'd been disporting in graveyards；''
chuckled Seaver； laughing at his own joke
‘‘What's the matterarm on a rampage to
day？''
He paused for reply； but as Bertram did not
answer at once； he resumed； with gay insistence：
‘‘Come on！ You need cheering up。 Suppose
we go down to Trentini's and see who's
there。''
‘‘All right；'' agreed Bertram； dully。 ‘‘Suit
yourself。''
Bertram was not thinking of Seaver； Trentini's；
or whom he might find there。 Bertram was thinking
of certain words he had heard less than half
an hour ago。 He was wondering； too； if ever
again he could think of anything but those words。
‘‘The truth？'' the great surgeon had said。
‘‘Well； the truth isI'm sorry to tell you the
truth； Mr。 Henshaw； but if you will have it
you've painted the last picture you'll ever paint
with your right hand； I fear。 It's a bad case。
This break； coming as it did on top of the serious
injury of two or three years ago； was bad enough；
but； to make matters worse； the bone was imperfectly
set and wrongly treated； which could not
be helped； of course； as you were miles away from
skilled surgeons at the time of the injury。 We'll
do the best we can； of course； butwell； you
asked for the truth； you remember； so I had to
give it to you。''
CHAPTER XXVII
THE MOTHERTHE WIFE
Bertram made up his mind at once that； for
the present； at least； he would tell no one what
the surgeon had said to him。 He had placed
himself under the man's care； and there was nothing
to do but to take the prescribed treatment
and await results as patiently as he could。
Meanwhile there was no need to worry Billy； or
William； or anybody else with the matter。
Billy was so busy with her holiday plans that
she was only vaguely aware of what seemed to
be an increase of restlessness on the part of her
husband during those days just before Christmas。
‘‘Poor dear； is the arm feeling horrid to…day？''
she asked one morning； when the gloom on her
husband's face was deeper than usual。
Bertram frowned and did not answer directly。
‘‘Lots of good I am these days！'' he exclaimed；
his moody eyes on the armful of many…shaped；
many…sized packages she carried。 ‘‘What are
those for…the tree？''
‘‘Yes； and it's going to be so pretty； Bertram；''
exulted Billy。 ‘‘And； do you know； Baby
positively acts as if he suspected thingslittle as
he is；'' she went on eagerly。 ‘‘He's as nervous
as a witch。 I can't keep him still a minute！''
‘‘How about his mother？'' hinted Bertram；
with a faint smile。
Billy laughed。
‘‘Well； I'm afraid she isn't exactly calm
herself；'' she confessed； as she hurried out of the
room with her parcels。
Bertram looked after her longingly； despondently。
‘‘I wonder what she'd say if sheknew；''
he muttered。 ‘‘But she sha'n't knowtill she
just has to；'' he vowed suddenly； under his breath；
striding into the hall for his hat and coat。
Never had the Strata known such a Christmas
as this was planned to be。 Cyril； Marie； and the
twins were to be there； also Kate； her husband
and three children； Paul； Egbert； and little Kate；
from the West。 On Christmas Day there was
to be a big family dinner； with Aunt Hannah
down from the Annex。 Then； in concession to
the extreme youth of the young host and his twin
cousins； there was to be an afternoon tree。 The
shades were to be drawn and the candles lighted；
however； so that there might be no loss of effect。
In the evening the tree was to be once more loaded
with fascinating packages and candy…bags； and
this time the Greggorys； Tommy Dunn； and all
the rest from the Annex were to have the fun all
over again。
From garret to basement the Strata was aflame
with holly； and aglitter with tinsel。 Nowhere
did there seem to be a spot that did not have its
bit of tissue paper or its trail of red ribbon。 And
everythingholly； ribbon； tissue； and tinsel
led to the mysteriously closed doors of the great
front drawing…room； past which none but Billy
and her accredited messengers might venture。
No wonder； indeed； that even Baby scented
excitement； and that Baby's mother was not
exactly calm。 No wonder； too； that Bertram； with
his helpless right arm； and his heavy heart； felt
peculiarly forlorn and ‘‘out of it。'' No wonder；
also； that he took himself literally out of it with
growing frequency。
Mr。 and Mrs。 Hartwell and little Kate were
to stay at the Strata。 The boys； Paul and
Egbert； were to go to Cyril's。 Promptly at the
appointed time； two days before Christmas； they
arrived。 And from that hour until two days after
Christmas； when the last bit of holly； ribbon；
tissue； and tinsel disappeared from the floor；
Billy moved in a whirl of anxious responsibility
that was yet filled with fun； frolic； and laughter。
It was a great success； the whole affair。
Everybody seemed pleased and happythat is；
everybody but Bertram； and he very plainly tried to
seem pleased and happy。 Even Cyril unbent to
the extent of not appearing to mind the noise
one bit； and Sister Kate （Bertram said） found
only the extraordinarily small number of four
details to change in the arrangements。 Baby
obligingly let his teeth…getting go； for the
occasion； and he and the twins； Franz and Felix； were
the admiration and delight of all。 Little Kate；
to be sure； was a trifle disconcerting once or twice；
but everybody was too absorbed to pay much
attention to her。 Billy did； however； remember
her opening remarks。
‘‘Well； little Kate； do you remember me？''
Billy had greeted her pleasantly。
‘‘Oh； yes；'' little Kate had answered； with a
winning smile。 ‘‘You're my Aunt Billy what
married my Uncle Bertram instead of Uncle
William as you said you would first。''
Everybody laughed； and Billy colored； of
course； but little Kate went on eagerly：
‘‘And I've been wanting just awfully to see
you；'' she announced。
‘‘Have you？ I'm glad； I'm sure。 I feel highly
flattered；'' smiled Billy。
‘‘Well； I have。 You see； I wanted to ask you
something。 Have you ever wished that you _had_
married Uncle William instead of Uncle Bertram；
or that you'd tried for Uncle Cyril before Aunty
Marie got him？''
‘‘Kate！'' gasped her horrified mother。 ‘‘I
told you You see；'' she broke off； turning to
Billy despairingly。 ‘‘She's been pestering me
with questions like that ever since she knew she
was coming。 She never has forgotten the way
you changed from one uncle to the other。 You
may remember； it made a great impression on
her at the time。''
‘‘Yes； II remembe