MARIE, WHO LONGS TO MAKE PUDDINGS
Wonderful days came then to Billy. Four songs, it seemed, had been pronounced by competent critics decidedly "worth it"--unmistakably "good enough"; and they were to be brought out as soon as possible.
"Of course you understand," explained Cyril, "that there's no 'hit'
expected. Thank heaven they aren't that sort! And there's no great money in it, either. You'd have to write a masterpiece like 'She's my Ju-Ju Baby' or some such gem to get the 'hit' and the money. But the songs are fine, and they'll take with cultured hearers. We'll get them introduced by good singers, of course, and they'll be favorites soon for the concert stage, and for parlors."Billy saw a good deal of Cyril now. Already she was at work rewriting and polishing some of her half-completed melodies, and Cyril was helping her, by his interest as well as by his criticism.
He was, in fact, at the house very frequently--too frequently, indeed, to suit either Bertram or Calderwell. Even William frowned sometimes when his cozy chats with Billy were interrupted by Cyril's appearing with a roll of new music for her to "try"; though William told himself that he ought to be thankful if there was anything that could make Cyril more companionable, less reserved and morose. And Cyril WAS different--there was no disputing that.
Calderwell said that he had come "out of his shell"; and Bertram told Billy that she must have "found his note and struck it good and hard."Billy was very happy. To the little music teacher, Marie Hawthorn, she talked more freely, perhaps, than she did to any one else.
"It's so wonderful, Marie--so wonderfully wonderful," she said one day, "to sit here in my own room and sing a little song that comes from somewhere, anywhere, out of the sky itself. Then by and by, that little song will fly away, away, over land and sea; and some day it will touch somebody's heart just as it has touched mine.
Oh, Marie, is it not wonderful?"
"It is, dear--and it is not. Your songs could not help reaching somebody's heart. There's nothing wonderful in that.""Sweet flatterer!"
"But I mean it. They are beautiful; and so is--Mr. Henshaw's music.""Yes, it is," murmured Billy, abstractedly.
There was a long pause, then Marie asked with shy hesitation:
"Do you think, Miss Billy--that he would care? I listened yesterday when he was playing to you. I was up here in your room, but when I heard the music I--I went out, on the stairs and sat down. Was it very--bad of me?"Billy laughed happily.
"If it was, he can't say anything," she reassured her. "He's done the same thing himself--and so have I.""HE has done it!"
"Yes. It was at his home last Thanksgiving. It was then that he found out--about my improvising.""Oh-h!" Marie's eyes were wistful. "And he cares so much now for your music!""Does he? Do you think he does?" demanded Billy.
"I know he does--and for the one who makes it, too.""Nonsense!" laughed Billy, with pinker cheeks. "It's the music, not the musician, that pleases him. Mr. Cyril doesn't like women.""He doesn't like women!"
"No. But don't look so shocked, my dear. Every one who knows Mr.
Cyril knows that."
"But I don't think--I believe it," demurred Marie, gazing straight into Billy's eyes. "I'm sure I don't believe it."Under the little music teacher's steady gaze Billy flushed again.
The laugh she gave was an embarrassed one, but through it vibrated a pleased ring.
"Nonsense!" she exclaimed, springing to her feet and moving restlessly about the room. With the next breath she had changed the subject to one far removed from Mr. Cyril and his likes and dislikes.
Some time later Billy played, and it was then that Marie drew a long sigh.
"How beautiful it must be to play--like that," she breathed.
"As if you, a music teacher, could not play!" laughed Billy.
"Not like that, dear. You know it is not like that."Billy frowned.
