And，withasmilethatwasmeanttobequizzical，Williamturnedandbegantoshifttheteapotsaboutagain。
But，Mr。William，why——thatis，whatwillMr。BertramandMissBillydo——withoutyou？’
venturedtheoldman。
Therewasasuddentinklingcrash。Onthefloorlaythefragmentsofasilver-lusterteapot。
Theservantexclaimedaloudindismay，buthismasterdidnotevenglancetowardhisoncetreasuredpossessiononthefloor。
Nonsense，Pete!’hewassayinginaparticularlycheeryvoice。Haveyoulivedalltheseyearsandnotfoundoutthatnewly-marriedfolksdon’t_need_anyoneelsearound？Come，doyousupposewecouldbegintopacktheseteapotsto-night？’headded，alittlefeverishly。
Aren’ttheresomeboxesdowncellar？’
I’llsee，sir，’saidPete，respectfully；buttheexpressiononhisfaceasheturnedawayshowedthathewasnotthinkingofteapots——norofboxesinwhichtopackthem。
Mr。andMrs。BertramHenshawwereexpectedhomethefirstofSeptember。Bythethirty-firstofAugusttheoldBeaconStreethomesteadfacingthePublicGardenwasinspick-and-spanorder，withDongLinginthebasementhoveringoverawell-stockedlarder，andPetesearchingtherestofthehouseforachairawry，orabitofdustundiscovered。
TwicebeforehadtheStrata——asBertramlongagodubbedthehomeofhisboyhood——
beenpreparedforthecomingofBilly，William’snamesake：once，whenithadbeendecoratedwithgunsandfishing-rodstowelcometheboy’
whoturnedouttobeagirl；andagainwhenwithpinkrosesandsewing-basketsthethreebrothersgotjoyouslyreadyforafeminineBillywhodidnotevencomeatall。
Thehousehadbeenverydifferentthen。Ithadbeen，indeed，astrata，’withitsdistinctivelayersoffadsandpursuitsasrepresentedbyBertramandhispaintingononefloor，Williamandhiscuriosonanother，andCyrilwithhismusiconathird。Cyrilwasgonenow。OnlyPeteandhishumblebelongingsoccupiedthetopfloor。Thefloorbelow，too，wassilentnow，andalmostemptysaveforarugortwo，andafewpiecesofheavyfurniturethatWilliamhadnotcaredtotakewithhimtohisnewquartersontopofBeaconHill。Belowthis，however，cameBilly’soldrooms，andonthesePetehadlavishedallhisskillanddevotion。
Freshlylaunderedcurtainswereatthewindows，dustlessrugswereonthefloor。Theoldwork-baskethadbeenbroughtdownfromthetop-floorstoreroom，andthelong-closedpianostoodinvitinglyopen。Inaconspicuousplace，also，satthelittlegreengod，uponwhoseexquisitelycarvedshoulderswassupposedtoresttheheapplentyvellygoodluckee’ofDongLing’sprophecy。
OnthefirstfloorBertram’soldroomsandthedrawing-roomcameinfortheirshareofthegeneraloverhauling。EvenSpunkiedidnotescape，buthadtosubmittotheignominyofabath。AndthendawnedfairandclearthefirstdayofSeptember，bringingatfiveo’clockthebrideandgroom。
RespectfullylinedupinthehalltomeetthemwerePeteandDongLing：Petewithhiswrinkledoldfacealightwithjoyandexcitement；DongLinggrinningandkotowing，andchantinginahigh-pitchedtreble：
MissBillee，MissBillee——plentymuchwelcome，MissBillee!’
Yes，welcomehome，Mrs。_Henshaw!_’bowedBertram，turningatthedoor，withanelaborateflourishthatdidnotintheleasthidehistenderprideinhisnewwife。
Billylaughedandcoloredaprettypink。
Thankyou——allofyou，’shecriedalittleunsteadily。Andhowgood，goodeverythingdoeslooktome!Why，where’sUncleWilliam？’
shebrokeoff，castinghurriedlyanxiouseyesabouther。
Well，Ishouldsayso，’echoedBertram。
Whereishe，Pete？Heisn’tsick，ishe？’
Aquickchangecrossedtheoldservant’sface。
Heshookhisheaddumbly。
Billygaveagleefullaugh。
Iknow——he’sasleep!’shecaroled，skippingtothebottomofthestairwayandlookingupHo，UncleWilliam!Betterwakeup，sir。Thefolkshavecome!’
Peteclearedhisthroat。
Mr。Williamisn’there，Miss——ma’am，’hecorrectedmiserably。
Billysmiled，butshefrowned，too。
Nothere!Well，Ilikethat，’shepouted；——
andwhenI’vebroughthimthemostbeautifulpairofmirrorknobsheeversaw，andallthewayinmybag，too，soIcouldgivethemtohimtheveryfirstthing，’sheadded，dartingovertothesmallbagshehadbroughtinwithher。I’mgladIdid，too，forourtrunksdidn’tcome，’shecontinuedlaughingly。Still，ifheisn’theretoreceivethem——There，Pete，aren’ttheybeautiful？’
shecried，carefullytakingfromtheirwrappingstwoexquisitelydecoratedporcelaindiscsmountedontwolongspikes。They’reBatterseas——
therealarticle。Iknowenoughforthat；andthey’refinerthananythinghe’sgot。
Won’thebepleased？’
Yes，Miss——ma’am，Imean，’stammeredtheoldman。
Thesenewtitlescomehard，don’tthey，Pete？’laughedBertram。
Petesmiledfaintly。
Nevermind，Pete，’soothedhisnewmistress。
Youshallcallme`MissBilly’allyourlifeifyouwantto。Bertram，’sheadded，turningtoherhusband，I’mgoingtojustrunup-stairsandputtheseinUncleWilliam’sroomssothey’llbetherewhenhecomesin。We’llseehowsoonhediscoversthem!’
BeforePetecouldstophershewashalf-wayupthefirstflightofstairs。Eventhenhetriedtospeaktohisyoungmaster，toexplainthatMr。Williamwasnotlivingthere；butthewordsrefusedtocome。Hecouldonlystanddumblywaiting。
Inaminuteitcame——Billy’ssharp，startledcry。
Bertram!Bertram!’
Bertramsprangforthestairway，buthehadnotreachedthetopwhenhemethiswifecomingdown。Shewaswhite-facedandtrembling。
Bertram——thoserooms——there’snotsomuchasateapotthere!UncleWilliam’s——
gone!’
Gone!’Bertramwheeledsharply。Pete，whatisthemeaningofthis？Whereismybrother？’Tohearhim，onewouldthinkhesuspectedtheoldservantofhavinghiddenhismaster。
Peteliftedashakinghandandfumbledwithhiscollar。
He’smoved，sir。’
Moved!Oh，youmeantootherrooms——toCyril’s。’Bertramrelaxedvisibly。He’supstairs，maybe。’
Peteshookhishead。
No。sir。He’smovedaway——outofthehouse，sir。’
ForabriefmomentBertramstaredasifhecouldnotbelievewhathisearshadheard。Then，stepbystep，hebegantodescendthestairs。
Doyoumean——tosay——thatmybrother——hasmoved-goneaway——_left_——his_home？_’
hedemanded。
Yes，sir。’
Billygavealowcry。
Butwhy——why？’shechoked，almoststumblingheadlongdownthestairwayinherefforttoreachthetwomenatthebottom。Pete，whydidhego？’
Therewasnoanswer。
Pete，’——Bertram’svoicewasverysharp——
whatisthemeaningofthis？Doyouknowwhymybrotherlefthishome？’
Theoldmanwethislipsandswallowedchokingly，buthedidnotspeak。
I’mwaiting，Pete。’
Billylaidonehandontheoldservant’sarm——intheotherhandshestilltightlyclutchedthemirrorknobs。
Pete，ifyoudoknow，won’tyoutellus，please？’shebegged。
Petelookeddownatthehand，thenupatthetroubledyoungfacewiththebeseechingeyes。
Hisownfeaturesworkedconvulsively。Withavisibleeffortheclearedhisthroat。
Iknow——whathesaid，’hestammered，hiseyesaverted。
Whatwasit？’
Therewasnoanswer。
Lookhere，Pete，you’llhavetotellus，youknow，’cutinBertram，decisively，soyoumightaswelldoitnowasever。’
OncemorePeteclearedhisthroat。Thistimethewordscameinaburstofdesperation。
Yes，sir。Iunderstand，sir。Itwasonlythathesaid——hesaidashowyoungfolksdidn’t_need_
anyoneelsearound。Sohewasgoin’。’
Didn’t_need_anyoneelse!’exclaimedBertram，plainlynotcomprehending。
Yes，sir。Youtwobein’marriedso，now。’
Pete’seyeswerestillaverted。
Billygavealowcry。
Youmean——because_I_came？’shedemanded。
Why，yes，Miss——no——thatis——’PetestoppedwithanappealingglanceatBertram。
Thenitwas——it_was_——onaccountof_me_，’
chokedBilly。
PetelookedstillmoredistressedNo，no!’hefaltered。Itwasonlythathethoughtyouwouldn’twanthimherenow。’
Wanthimhere!’ejaculatedBertram。
Wanthimhere!’echoedBilly，withasob。
Pete，whereishe？’Assheaskedthequestionshedroppedthemirrorknobsintoheropenbag，andreachedforhercoatandgloves——shehadnotremovedherhat。
Petegavetheaddress。
It’sjustdownthestreetabitandupthehill，’headdedexcitedly，diviningherpurpose。
It’sasortofaboarding-house，Ireckon。’
A_boarding-house_——forUncleWilliam!’
scornedBilly，hereyesablaze。Come，Bertram，we’llseeaboutthat。’
Bertramreachedoutadetaininghand。
But，dearest，you’resotired，’hedemurred。
Hadn’twebetterwaittillafterdinner，ortillto-morrow？’
Afterdinner!To-morrow!’Billy’seyesblazedanew。Why，BertramHenshaw，doyouthinkI’dleavethatdearmanevenoneminutelonger，ifIcouldhelpit，withanotioninhisblessedoldheadthatwedidn’t_want_him？’
Butyousaidalittlewhileagoyouhadaheadache，dear，’stillobjectedBertram。Ifyou’djusteatyourdinner!’
Dinner!’chokedBilly。IwonderifyouthinkIcouldeatanydinnerwithUncleWilliamturnedoutofhishome!I’mgoingtofindUncleWilliam。’Andshestumbledblindlytowardthedoor。
Bertramreachedforhishat。HethrewadespairingglanceintoPete’seyes。
We’llbeback——whenwecan，’hesaid，withafrown。
Yes，sir，’answeredPete，respectfully。Then，asifimpelledbysomehiddenforce，hetouchedhismaster’sarm。Itwasthatwayshelooked，sir，whenshecameto_you_——thatnightlastJuly——withhereyesallshining，’hewhispered。
AtendersmilecurvedBertram’slips。Thefrownvanishedfromhisface。
Blessyou，Pete——andblessher，too!’hewhisperedback。Thenextmomenthehadhurriedafterhiswife。
ThehousethatborethenumberPetehadgivenprovedtohaveapretentiousdoorway，andalandladywho，inresponsetothesummonsoftheneatmaid，appearedwithamostimpressiverustleofblacksilkandjetbugles。
No，Mr。WilliamHenshawwasnotinhisrooms。Infact，hewasveryseldomthere。Hisbusiness，shebelieved，calledhimtoStateStreetthroughtheday。Outsideofthat，shehadbeentold，hespentmuchtimesittingonabenchintheCommon。Doubtless，iftheycaredtosearch，theycouldfindhimtherenow。
AbenchintheCommon，indeed!’stormedBilly，assheandBertramhurrieddownthewidestonesteps。UncleWilliam——onabench!’
Butsurelynow，dear，’venturedherhusband，you’llcomehomeandgetyourdinner!’
Billyturnedindignantly。