NowshefoundinWilliam’sface，notpity，butacalm，evenjovial，acceptanceofthesituationasamatterofcourse。Shehadknownshewasgoingtohatethatpity；butnow，curiouslyenough，shewasconsciousonlyofangerthatthepitywasnotthere——thatshemighthateit。
　　Shetossedherheadalittle。SoevenWilliam——UncleWilliam——regardedthismonstrousthingasaninsignificantmatterofeverydayexperience。
　　Maybeheexpectedittooccurfrequently——everynight，orso。Doubtlesshedidexpectittooccureverynight，orso。Indeed!Verywell。Asifsheweregoingtoshow_now_thatshecaredwhetherBertramwerethereornot!Theyshouldsee。
　　Sowithheadheldhighandeyesasparkle，Billymarchedintothedining-roomandtookheraccustomedplace。
　　CHAPTERVII
　　THEBIGBADQUARREL
　　Itwasabrilliantdinner——becauseBillymadeitso。AtfirstWilliammethersalliesofwitwithmildsurprise；butitwasnotlongbeforeherosegallantlytotheoccasion，andgavebackfullmeasureofretort。EvenPetetwicehadtoturnhisbacktohideasmile，andoncehishandshooksothattheteahewascarryingalmostspilled。
　　Thisthreatenedcatastrophe，however，seemedtofrightenhimsomuchthathisfacewasverygravethroughouttherestofthedinner。
　　Stilllaughingandtalkinggayly，BillyandUncleWilliam，afterthemealwasover，ascendedtothedrawing-room。There，however，theman，inspiteoftheyoungwoman’sgaybadinage，felltodozinginthebigchairbeforethefire，leavingBillywithonlySpunkieforcompany——Spunkie，who，disdainingeveryefforttoenticeherintoaromp，onlywinkedandblinkedstupideyes，andfinallycurledherselfontherugforanap。
　　Billy，lefttoherowndevices，glancedatherwatch。
　　Half-pastseven!Time，almost，forBertramtobecoming。Hehadsaiddinner’；and，ofcourse，afterdinnerwasoverhewouldbecominghome——toher。Verywell；shewouldshowhimthatshehadatleastgotalongwithouthimaswellashehadwithouther。Atalleventshewouldnotfindherforlornlysittingwithhernosepressedagainstthewindow-pane!AndforthwithBillyestablishedherselfinabigchairwithitsbackcarefullyturnedtowardthedoorbywhichBertramwouldenter，andopenedabook。
　　Five，ten，fifteenminutespassed。Billyfidgetedinherchair，twistedhernecktolookoutintothehall——anddroppedherbookwithabang。
　　UncleWilliamjerkedhimselfawake，andSpunkieopenedsleepyeyes。Thenbothsettledthemselvesforanothernap。Billysighed，pickedupherbook，andflouncedbackintoherchair。
　　Butshedidnotread。Disconsolatelyshesatstaringstraightahead——untilaquicksteponthesidewalkoutsidestirredherintoinstantaction。
　　Assumingalookofabsorbedinterestshetwitchedthebookopenandhelditbeforeherface……
　　Butthesteppassedbythedoor：andBillysawthenthatherbookwasupsidedown。
　　Five，ten，fifteenmoreminutespassed。Billystillsat，apparentlyreading，thoughshehadnotturnedapage。Thebooknow，however，wasrightsideup。Onebyoneotherminutespassedtillthegreatclockinthehallstruckninelongstrokes。
　　Well，well，blessmysoul!’mumbledUncleWilliam，resolutelyforcinghimselftowakeup。
　　Whattimewasthat？’
　　Nineo’clock。’Billyspokewithtragicdistinctness，yetverycheerfully。
　　Eh？Onlynine？’blinkedUncleWilliam。
　　Ithoughtitmustbeten。Well，anyhow，I
　　believeI’llgoup-stairs。Iseemtobeunusuallysleepy。’
　　Billysaidnothing。`Onlynine，’indeed!’
　　shewasthinkingwrathfully。
　　AtthedoorUncleWilliamturned。
　　You’renotgoingtositup，mydear，ofcourse，’heremarked。
　　ForthesecondtimethateveningacoldhandseemedtoclutchBilly’sheart。
　　_Situp!_Haditcomealreadytothat？Wassheevennowawifewhohadneedto_situp_forherhusband？
　　Ireallywouldn’t，mydear，’advisedUncleWilliamagain。Goodnight。’
　　Oh，butI’mnotsleepyatall，yet，’Billymanagedtodeclarebrightly。Goodnight。’
　　ThenUncleWilliamwentup-stairs。
　　Billyturnedtoherbook，whichhappenedtobeoneofWilliam’sonFakeAntiques。’
　　`Tocollectanything，thesedays，requiresexpertknowledge，andtheutmostcareanddiscrimination，’’readBilly’seyes。SoUncleWilliam_expected_Bertramwasgoingtospendthewholeeveningaswellasstaytodinner!’ranBilly’sthoughts。`Theenormousquantityofbijouterie，DresdenandBatterseaenamelwarethatisnowfloodingthemarket，ismadeontheContinent——andmadechieflyfortheAmericantrade，’’continuedthebook。
　　Well，whocaresifitis，’snappedBilly，springingtoherfeetandtossingthevolumeaside。
　　Spunkie，comehere!You’vesimplygottoplaywithme。Doyouhear？Iwanttobegay——_gay_——GAY!He’sgay。He’sdowntherewiththosemen，wherehewantstobe。Wherehe’d_rather_bethanbewithme!DoyouthinkIwanthimtocomehomeandfindmemopingoverastupidoldbook？Notmuch!I’mgoingtohavehimfindmegay，too。Now，come，Spunkie；
　　hurry——wakeup!He’llbehererightaway，I’msure。’AndBillyshookapairofworstedreins，hungwithlittlesoftballs，fullinSpunkie’sface。
　　ButSpunkiewouldnotwakeup，andSpunkiewouldnotplay。Shepretendedto。Shebitatthereins，andsankhersharpclawsintothedanglingballs。Forafleetinginstant，even，somethinglikemischiefgleamedinherbigyelloweyes。
　　Thenthejawsrelaxed，thepawsturnedtovelvet，andSpunkie’ssleekgrayheadsettledslowlybackintolazycomfort。Spunkiewasasleep。
　　Billygazedatthecatwithreproachfuleyes。
　　Andyou，too，Spunkie，’shemurmured。
　　Thenshegottoherfeetandwentbacktoherchair。Thistimeshepickedupamagazineandbegantoturntheleavesveryfast，oneafteranother。
　　Half-pastninecame，thenten。PeteappearedatthedoortogetSpunkie，andtoseethateverythingwasallrightforthenight。
　　Mr。Bertramisnotinyet？’hebegandoubtfully。
　　Billyshookherheadwithabrightsmile。
　　No，Pete。Gotobed。Iexpecthimeveryminute。Goodnight。’
　　Thankyou，ma’am。Goodnight。’
　　Theoldmanpickedupthesleepycatandwentdown-stairs。AlittlelaterBillyheardhisquietstepscomingbackthroughthehallandascendingthestairs。Shelisteneduntilfromawayatthetopofthehousesheheardhisdoorclose。Thenshedrewalongbreath。
　　Teno’clock——afterteno’clock，andBertramnotthereyet!Andwasthiswhathecalleddinner？
　　Didoneeat，then，tillteno’clock，whenonedinedwithone’sfriends？
　　Billywasangrynow——veryangry。Shewastooangrytobereasonable。Thisthingthatherhusbandhaddoneseemedmonstroustoher，smarting，asshewas，underthestingofhurtprideandgrievedloneliness——thestateofmindintowhichshehadworkedherself。Nolongernowdidshewishtobegaywhenherhusbandcame。Nolongerdidsheevenpretendtoassumeindifference。Bertramhaddonewrong。Hehadbeenunkind，cruel，thoughtless，inconsiderateofhercomfortandhappiness。Furthermorehe_didnot_loveheraswellasshedidhimorhenever，nevercouldhavedoneit!Shewouldlethimsee，whenhecame，justhowhurtandgrievedshewas——andhowdisappointed，too。
　　Billywaswalkingthefloornow，backandforth，backandforth。
　　Half-pasttencame，theneleven。AstheelevenlongstrokesreverberatedthroughthesilenthouseBillydrewinherbreathandhelditsuspended。
　　Anewlookcametohereyes。Agrowingterrorcreptintothemandculminatedinafrightenedstareattheclock。
　　Billyranthentothegreatouterdoorandpulleditopen。Acoldwindstungherface，andcausedhertoshutthedoorquickly。Backandforthshebegantopacetheflooragain；butinfiveminutesshehadruntothedooroncemore。ThistimesheworeaheavycoatofBertram’swhichshecaughtupasshepassedthehall-rack。
　　OutontothebroadtopstepBillyhurried，andpeereddownthestreet。Asfarasshecouldseenotapersonwasinsight。AcrossthestreetinthePublicGardenthewindstirredthegraytree-branchesandsetthemtocastingweirdshadowsonthebare，frozenground。AwarningsomethingbehindhersentBillyscurryingintothehousejustintimetopreventtheheavydoor’sclosingandshuttingherout，keyless，inthecold。
　　Half-pastelevencame，andagainBillyrantothedoor。Thistimesheputthefloor-matagainstthecasingsothatthedoorcouldnotclose。Oncemoreshepeeredwildlyupanddownthestreet，andacrossintothedeserted，wind-sweptGarden。
　　TherewasonlyterrornowinBilly’sface。Theangerwasallgone。InBilly’smindtherewasnotashadowofdoubt——somethinghadhappenedtoBertram。
　　Bertramwasill——hurt——dead!Andhewassogood，sokind，sonoble；suchadear，dearhusband!Ifonlyshecouldseehimonce。Ifonlyshecouldaskhisforgivenessforthosewicked，unkind，accusingthoughts。Ifonlyshecouldtellhimagainthatshedidlovehim。Ifonly——
　　Fardownthestreetasteprangsharplyonthefrostyair。Amasculinefigurewashurryingtowardthehouse。Retreatingwellintotheshadowofthedoorway，Billywatchedit，herheartpoundingagainsthersideingreatsuffocatingthrobs。
　　NearerandnearerstrodetheapproachingfigureuntilBillyhadalmostsprungtomeetitwithagladcry——almost，butnotquite；forthefigureneitherturnednorpaused，butmarchedstraighton——andBillysawthen，underthearclight，abrown-beardedmanwhowasnotBertramatall。
　　Threetimesduringthenextfewminutesdidthewaitinglittlebrideonthedoorstepwatchwithpalpitatingyearningashadowyformappear，approach——andpassby。Atthethirdheart-breakingdisappointment，Billywrungherhandshelplessly。
　　Idon’tseehowtherecanbe——somany——
　　utterly_useless_peopleintheworld!’shechoked。
　　Then，thoroughlychilledandsickatheart，shewentintothehouseandclosedthedoor。
　　Onceagain，backandforth，backandforth，Billytookupherwearyvigil。Shestillworetheheavycoat。Shehadforgottentotakeitoff。
　　Herfacewaspitifullywhiteanddrawn。Hereyeswerewild。Oneofherhandswasnervouslycaressingtheroughsleeveofthecoatasithungfromhershoulder。
　　One——two——three——
　　Billygaveasharpcryandranintothehall。
　　Yes，itwastwelveo’clock。Andnow，always，alltherestofthedreary，uselesshoursthatthatclockwouldtickawaythroughanendlessexistence，shewouldhavetolive——withoutBertram。
　　Ifonlyshecouldseehimoncemore!Butshecouldnot。Hewasdead。Hemustbedead，now。
　　Hereitwastwelveo’clock，and——
　　Therecameaquickstep，theclickofakeyinthelock，thenthedoorswungbackandBertram，big，strong，andmerry-eyed，stoodbeforeher。
　　Well，well，hullo，’hecalledjovially。Why，Billy，what’sthematter？’hebrokeoff，inquiteadifferenttoneofvoice。
　　Andthenacuriousthinghappened。Billy，who，aminutebefore，hadbeenseeingonlyadear，noble，adorable，_lost_Bertram，sawnowsuddenlyonlythemanthathadstayed_happily_tillmidnightwithtwofriends，whileshe——she——
　　Matter!Matter!’exclaimedBillysharply，then。Isthiswhatyoucallstayingtodinner，BertramHenshaw？’
　　Bertramstared。Aslowredstoletohisforehead。Itwashisfirstexperienceofcominghometomeetangryeyesthatquestionedhisbehavior——andhedidnotlikeit。Hehadbeen，perhaps，alittleconscience-smittenwhenhesawhowlatehehadstayed；andhehadintendedtosayhewassorry，ofcourse。Buttobethussharplycalledtoaccountforaperfectlyinnocentgoodtimewithacoupleoffriends——!TocomehomeandfindBillymakingaridiculousscenelikethis——!He——hewouldnotstandforit!He——
　　Bertram’slipssnappedopen。Theangryretortwasalmostspokenwhensomethinginthepiteouslyquiveringchinandwhite，drawnfaceoppositestoppeditjustintime。
　　Why，Billy——darling!’hemurmuredinstead。