andleaveoutthatdreadful`ickeywickey’？
　　Ofcoursehecan’tunderstandthingsnow，really，butweneverknowwhenhe’llbeginto，andwearen’tevergoingtolethimhearbaby-talkatall，ifwecanhelpit。Andtruly，whenyoucometothinkofit，itisabsurdtoexpectachildtotalksensiblyandrationallyonthementaldietof`moo-moos’and`choo-choos’servedouttothem。OurProfessorofMetaphysicsandIdeologyinourChildStudyCoursesaysthatnothingissoreceptiveandplasticastheMindofaLittleChild，andthatitisperfectlyappallinghowwefillitwithtrivialabsurditiesthathaven’teventhevirtueofbeingaccurate。Sothat’swhywe’retryingtobesocarefulwithBaby。Youdidn’tmindmyspeaking，Iknow，AuntHannah。’
　　Oh，no，ofcoursenot，Billy，’retortedAuntHannah，alittletartly，andwithatouchofsarcasmmostunlikehergentleself。I’msureI
　　shouldn’twishtofillthisinfant’splasticmindwithanythingsoappallingastrivialinaccuracies。
　　MayIbepardonedforsuggesting，however，’
　　shewentonasthebaby’swhimperthreatenedtobecomealustywail，thatthisyounggentlemancriesasifheweresleepyandhungry？’
　　Yes，heis，’admittedBilly。
　　Well，doesn’tyoursystemofscientifictrainingallowhimtobegivensuchtrivialabsurditiesasfoodandnaps？’inquiredthelady，mildly。
　　Ofcourseitdoes，AuntHannah，’retortedBilly，laughinginspiteofherself。Andit’salmosttimenow。Thereareonlyafewmoreminutestowait。’
　　Fewmoreminutestowait，indeed!’scornedAuntHannah。Isupposethepoorlittlefellowmightcryandcry，andyouwouldn’tsetthatclockaheadbyateenyweenyminute!’
　　Certainlynot，’saidtheyoungmother，decisively。My`DailyGuideforMothers’saysthatatimeforeverythingandeverythinginitstime，istheveryABCandwholealphabetofRightTraining。Hedoeseverythingbytheclock，andtotheminute，’declaredBilly，proudly。
　　AuntHannahsniffed，obviouslyskepticalandrebellious。AliceGreggorylaughed。
　　AuntHannahlooksasifshe’dliketobringdownherclockthatstrikeshalfanhourahead，’
　　shesaidmischievously；butAuntHannahdidnotdeigntoanswerthis。
　　Howlongdoyourockhim？’shedemandedofBilly。IsupposeImaydothat，mayn’tI？’
　　Mercy，Idon’trockhimatall，AuntHannah，’exclaimedBilly。
　　Norsingtohim？’
　　Certainlynot。’
　　Butyoudid——beforeIwentaway。I
　　rememberthatyoudid。’
　　Yes，IknowIdid，’admittedBilly，andI
　　hadanawfultime，too。Someevenings，everysingleoneofus，eventoUncleWilliam，hadtotrybeforewecouldgethimofftosleep。ButthatwasbeforeIgotmy`EfficiencyofMotherandChild，’ormy`ScientificTraining，’and，oh，lotsofothers。Yousee，Ididn’tknowathingthen，andIlovedtorockhim，soIdidit——thoughthenursesaiditwasn’tgoodforhim；butIdidn’tbelieve_her_。I’vehadanawfultimechanging；butI’vedoneit。Ijustputhiminhislittlecrib，orhiscarriage，andafterawhilehegoestosleep。
　　Sometimes，now，hedoesn’tcryhardlyany。I’mafraid，to-day，though，hewill，’sheworried。
　　Yes，I’mafraidhewill，’almostscreamedAuntHannah，inordertomakeherselfheardaboveBertram，Jr。，who，bythistime，wasvoicinghisopinionofmattersandthingsinnouncertainmanner。
　　Itwasnot，afterall，soverylongbeforepeaceandorderreigned；and，induecourse，Bertram，Jr。，inhiscarriage，layfastasleep。Then，whileAuntHannahwenttoBilly’sroomforashortrest，BillyandAlicewentoutontothewideverandawhichfacedthewonderfulexpanseofskyandsea。
　　Nowtellmeofyourself，’commandedBilly，almostatonce。It’sbeenagessinceI’veheardorseenathingofyou。’
　　There’snothingtotell。’
　　Nonsense!Buttheremustbe，’insistedBilly。Youknowit’smonthssinceI’veseenanythingofyou，hardly。’
　　Iknow。WefeelquiteneglectedattheAnnex，’saidAlice。
　　ButIdon’tgoanywhere，’defendedBilly。
　　Ican’t。Thereisn’ttime。’
　　Eventobringustheextrahappiness？’
　　smiledAlice。
　　AquickchangecametoBilly’sface。Hereyesgloweddeeply。
　　No；thoughI’vehadsomuchthatoughttohavegone——suchloadsandloadsofextrahappiness，whichIcouldn’tpossiblyusemyself!
　　SometimesI’msohappy，Alice，that——thatI’mjustfrightened。Itdoesn’tseemasifanybodyoughttobesohappy。’
　　Oh，Billy，dear，’demurredAlice，hereyesfillingsuddenlywithtears。
　　Well，I’vegottheAnnex。I’mgladI’vegotthatfortheoverflow，anyway，’resumedBilly，tryingtosteadyhervoice。I’vesentawholelotofhappinessuptherementally，ifIhaven’tactuallycarriedit；soI’msureyoumusthavegotit。Nowtellmeofyourself。’
　　There’snothingtotell，’insistedAlice，asbefore。
　　You’reworkingashardasever？’
　　Yes——harder。’
　　Newpupils？’
　　Yes，andsomeconcertengagements——goodones，fornextseason。Accompaniments，youknow。’
　　Billynodded。
　　Yes；I’veheardofyoualreadytwice，lately，inthatline，andveryflatteringly，too。’
　　Haveyou？Well，that’sgood。’
　　Hm-m。’Therewasamoment’ssilence，then，abruptly，Billychangedthesubject。I
　　hadaletterfromBelleCalderwell，yesterday。’
　　Shepausedexpectantly，buttherewasnocomment。
　　Youdon’tseeminterested，’shefrowned，afteraminute。
　　Alicelaughed。
　　Pardonme，but——Idon’tknowtheLady，yousee。Wasitagoodletter？’
　　Youknowherbrother。’
　　Verytrue。’Alice’scheeksshowedadeepercolor。Didshesayanythingofhim？’
　　Yes。ShesaidhewascomingbacktoBostonnextwinter。’
　　Indeed!’
　　Yes。Shesaysthatthistimehedeclareshereally_is_goingtosettledowntowork，’murmuredBilly，demurely，withasidelongglanceathercompanion。Shesayshe’sengagedtobemarried——oneofherfriendsoverthere。’
　　Therewasnoreply。Aliceappearedtobeabsorbedinwatchingatinywhitesailfaroutatsea。
　　AgainBillywassilent。Then，withstudiedcarelessness，shesaid：
　　Yes，andyouknowMr。Arkwright，too。Shetoldofhim。’
　　Yes？Well，whatofhim？’Alice’svoicewasstudiedlyindifferent。
　　Oh，therewasquitealotofhim。Bellehadjustbeentohearhimsing，andthenherbrotherhadintroducedhimtoher。Shethinkshe’sperfectlywonderful，ineveryway，Ishouldjudge。
　　Infact，shesimplyravedoverhim。Itseemsthatwhilewe’vebeenhearingnothingfromhimallwinter，he’sbeenwinningnoendoflaurelsforhimselfinParisandBerlin。He’sbeenstudying，too，ofcourse，aswellassinging；andnowhe’sgotachancetosingsomewhere——createarle，orsomething——Bellesaidshewasn’tquiteclearonthematterherself，butitwasaperfectlysplendidchance，andonethatwasafinefeatherinhiscap。’
　　Thenhewon’tbecominghome——thatis，toBoston——atallthiswinter，probably，’saidAlice，withacheerfulnessthatsoundedjustalittleforced。
　　NotuntilFebruary。Butheiscomingthen。
　　He’sbeenengagedforsixperformanceswiththeBostonOperaCompany——asastartenor，mindyou!Isn’tthatsplendid？’
　　Indeeditis，’murmuredAlice。
　　BellewritesthatHughsayshe’simprovedwonderfully，andthatevenhecanseethathissingingismarvelous。HesaysParisiswildoverhim；but——formypart，Iwishhe’dcomehomeandstayherewherehebelongs，’finishedBilly，abitpetulantly。
　　Why，why，Billy!’murmuredherfriend，acuriouslystartledlookcomingintohereyes。
　　Well，Ido，’maintainedBilly；then，recklessly，sheadded：Ihadsuchbeautifulplansforhim，once，Alice。Oh，ifyouonlycouldhavecaredforhim，you’dhavemadesuchasplendidcouple!’
　　AvividscarletflewtoAlice’sface。
　　Nonsense!’shecried，gettingquicklytoherfeetandbendingoveroneoftheflowerboxesalongtheverandarailing。Mr。Arkwrightneverthoughtofmarryingme——andI’mnotgoingtomarryanybodybutmymusic。’
　　Billysigheddespairingly。
　　Iknowthat’swhatyousaynow；butif——’
　　Shestoppedabruptly。AroundtheturnoftheverandahadappearedAuntHannah，wheelingBertram，Jr。，stillasleepinhiscarriage。
　　Icameouttheotherdoor，’sheexplainedsoftly。AnditwassolovelyIjusthadtogoinandgetthebaby。Ithoughtitwouldbesoniceforhimtofinishhisnapouthere。’
　　Billyarosewithatroubledfrown。
　　But，AuntHannah，hemustn’t——hecan’tstayouthere。I’msorry，butwe’llhavetotakehimback。’
　　AuntHannah’seyesgrewmutinous。
　　ButIthoughttheoutdoorairwasjustthethingforhim。I’msureyourscientifichygienicnonsensesays_that!_’
　　Theydo——theydid——thatis，someofthemdo，’acknowledgedBilly，worriedly；buttheydiffer，so!AndtheoneI’mgoingbynowsaysthatBabyshouldalwayssleepinan_even_
　　temperature——seventydegrees，ifpossible；andthat’sexactlywhattheroomintherewas，whenIlefthim。It’snotthesameouthere，I’msure。InfactIlookedatthethermometertosee，justbeforeIcameoutmyself。So，AuntHannah，I’mafraidI’llhavetotakehimback。’
　　Butyouusedtohavehimsleepoutofdoorsallthetime，onthatlittlebalconyoutofyourroom，’arguedAuntHannah，stillplainlyunconvinced。
　　Yes，IknowIdid。Iwasfollowingtheotherman’srules，then。AsIsaid，ifonlytheywouldn’tdifferso!OfcourseIwantthebest；butit’ssohardtoalwaysknowthebest，and——’
　　AtthisveryinopportunemomentMasterBertramtookoccasiontowakeup，whichbroughtevenadeeperwrinkleofworrytohisfondmother’sforehead；forshesaidthat，accordingtotheclock，heshouldhavebeensleepingexactlytenandone-halfmoreminutes，andthatofcoursehecouldn’tcommencethenextthinguntilthosetenandone-halfminuteswereup，orelsehisentirescheduleforthedaywouldbeshattered。Sowhatsheshoulddowithhimforthoseshould-have-
　　been-sleepingtenminutesandahalf，shedidnotknow。AllofwhichdrewfromAuntHannahtheastoundingexclamationof：
　　Oh，mygriefandconscience，Billy，ifyouaren’tthe——thelimit!’Which，indeed，shemusthavebeen，tohavebroughtcircumspectAuntHannahtothepointofactuallyusingslang。
　　CHAPTERXXIV
　　ANIGHTOFF
　　TheHenshawfamilydidnotreturntotheStratauntillateinSeptember。Billysaidthattheseaairseemedtoagreesowellwiththebabyitwouldbeapitytochangeuntiltheweatherbecamereallytoocoolattheshoretobecomfortable。
　　WilliamcamebackfromhisfishingtripinAugust，andresumedhisoldhabitofsleepingatthehouseandtakinghismealsattheclub。Tobesure，foraweekhewentbackandforthbetweenthecityandthebeachhouse；butithappenedtobeatimewhenBertram，Jr。，wascuttingatooth，andthissoworeuponWilliam’ssympathy——
　　Williamstillcouldnothelpinsistingit_might_beapin——thatheconcludedpeacelayonlyinflight。SohewentbacktotheStrata。
　　Bertramhadstayedatthecottageallsummer，paintingindustriously。Heretoforehehadtakenmoreofavacationthroughthesummermonths，butthisyearthereseemedtobenothingforhimtodobuttopaint。HedidnotliketogoawayonatripandleaveBilly，andshedeclaredshecouldnottakethebabynorleavehim，andthatshedidnotneedanytrip，anyway。
　　Allright，then，we’lljuststayatthebeach，andhaveafinevacationtogether，’hehadansweredher。
　　AsBertramsawit，however，hecoulddetectverylittlevacation’toit。Billyhadnotimeforanythingbutthebaby。Whenshewasnotactuallyengagedincaringforit，shewasstudyinghowtocareforit。Neverhadshebeensweeterordearer，andneverhadBertramlovedherhalfsowell。Hewasproud，too，ofherdevotion，andofhertriumphantsuccessasamother；
　　buthedidwishthatsometimes，justonceinawhile，shewouldremembershewasawife，andpayalittleattentiontohim，herhusband。