Bertramwasashamedtoownit，eventohimself，buthewasfeelingjustalittleabusedthatsummer；andheknewthat，inhisheart，hewasactuallygettingjealousofhisownson，inspiteofhisadorationofthelittlefellow。Hetoldhimselfdefensivelythatitwasnottobeexpectedthatheshouldnotwanttheloveofhiswife，theattentionsofhiswife，andthecompanionshipofhiswife——apartofthetime。ItwasnothingmorethannaturalthatoccasionallyheshouldliketoseehershowsomeinterestinsubjectsnotmentionedinMothers’GuidesandScientificTrainingsofInfants；andhedidnotbelievehecouldbeblamedforwantinghisresidencetobeahomeforhimselfaswellasanurseryforhisoffspring。
　　Evenwhilehethusdiscontentedlyarguedwithhimself，however，BertramcalledhimselfaselfishbrutejusttothinksuchthingswhenhehadsodearandlovingawifeasBilly，andsofineandsplendidababyasBertram，Jr。Hetoldhimself，too，thatverylikelywhentheywerebackintheirownhouseagain，andwhenmotherhoodwasnotsonewtoher，Billywouldnotbesoabsorbedinthebaby。Shewouldreturntoheroldinterestinherhusband，hermusic，herfriends，andherownpersonalappearance。Meanwhiletherewasalways，ofcourse，forhim，hispainting。Sohewouldpaint，acceptinggladlywhatcrumbsofattentionfellfromthebaby’stable，andtrusttothefuturetomakeBillynonethelessamother，perhaps，butalittlemorethewife。
　　Justhowconfidentlyhewascountingonthiscomingchange，Bertramhardlyrealizedhimself；
　　butcertainlythefamilywasscarcelysettledattheStratabeforethehusbandgaylyproposedoneeveningthatheandBillyshouldgotothetheatertoseeRomeoandJuliet。’
　　Billywasclearlybothsurprisedandshocked。
　　Why，Bertram，Ican’t——youknowIcan’t!’
　　sheexclaimedreprovingly。
　　Bertram’sheartsank；buthekeptabravefront。
　　Whynot？’
　　Whataquestion!AsifI’dleaveBaby!’
　　But，Billy，dear，you’dbegonelessthanthreehours，andyousayDelia’sthemostcarefulofnurses。’
　　Billy’sforeheadpuckeredintoananxiousfrown。
　　Ican’thelpit。Somethingmighthappentohim，Bertram。Icouldn’tbehappyaminute。’
　　But，dearest，aren’tyou_ever_goingtoleavehim？’demandedtheyounghusband，forlornly。
　　Why，yes，ofcourse，whenit’sreasonableandnecessary。IwentouttotheAnnexyesterdayafternoon。Iwasgonealmosttwowholehours。’
　　Well，didanythinghappen？’
　　N-no；butthenItelephoned，yousee，severaltimes，soI_knew_everythingwasallright。’
　　Oh，well，ifthat’sallyouwant，Icouldtelephone，youknow，betweeneveryact，’suggestedBertram，withasarcasmthatwasquitelostontheearnestyoungmother。
　　Y-yes，youcoulddothat，couldn’tyou？’
　　concededBilly；and，ofcourse，I_haven’t_beenanywheremuch，lately。’
　　IndeedIcould，’agreedBertram，withapromptnessthatcarefullyhidhissurpriseatherliteralacceptanceofwhathehadproposedasahugejoke。Come，isitago？ShallItelephonetoseeifIcangetseats？’
　　YouthinkBaby’llsurelybeallright？’
　　Icertainlydo。’
　　Andyou’lltelephonehomebetweeneveryact？’
　　Iwill。’Bertram’svoicesoundedalmostasifhewererepeatingthemarriageservice。
　　Andwe’llcomestraighthomeafterwardsasfastasJohnandPeggycanbringus？’
　　Certainly。’
　　ThenIthink——I’ll——go，’breathedBilly，tremulously，plainlyshowingwhatamomentousconcessionshethoughtshewasmaking。Idolove`RomeoandJuliet，’andIhaven’tseenitforages!’
　　Good!ThenI’llfindoutaboutthetickets，’
　　criedBertram，soelatedattheprospectofhavinganold-timeeveningoutwithhiswifethateventhehalf-hourlytelephonesdidnotseemtoogreatapricetopay。
　　Whenthetimecame，theywerealittlelateinstarting。Babywasfretful，andthoughBillyusuallylaidhiminhiscribandunhesitatinglylefttheroom，insistingthatheshouldgotosleepbyhimselfinaccordancewiththemostapprovedrulesinherScientificTraining；yetto-nightshecouldnotbringherselftothepointofleavingthehouseuntilhewasquiet。Hurriedastheywerewhentheydidstart，BillywasconsciousofBertram’sfrowningdisapprovalofherfrock。
　　Youdon’tlikeit，ofcourse，dear，andIdon’tblameyou，’shesmiledremorsefully。
　　Oh，Ilikeit——thatis，Idid，whenitwasnew，’rejoinedherhusband，withapologeticfrankness。But，dear，didn’tyouhaveanythingelse？Thislooksalmost——well，mussy，youknow。’
　　No——well，yes，maybetherewereothers，’
　　admittedBilly；butthiswasthequickestandeasiesttogetinto，anditallcamejustasIwasgettingBabyreadyforbed，youknow。Iamafright，though，I’llacknowledge，sofarasclothesgo。Ihaven’thadtimetogetathingsinceBabycame。Imustgetsomethingrightaway，Isuppose。’
　　Yes，indeed，’declaredBertram，withemphasis，hurryinghiswifeintothewaitingautomobile。
　　Billyhadtoapologizeagainatthetheater，forthecurtainhadalreadyrisenontheancientquarrelbetweenthehousesofCapuletandMontague，andBillyknewherhusband’sspecialabhorrenceoftardyarrivals。Later，though，whenwellestablishedintheirseats，Billy’smindwasplainlynotwiththeplayersonthestage。
　　DoyousupposeBaby_is_allright？’shewhispered，afteratime。
　　Sh-h!Ofcourseheis，dear!’
　　Therewasabriefsilence，duringwhichBillypeeredatherprograminthesemi-darkness。
　　Thenshenudgedherhusband’sarmecstatically。
　　Bertram，Icouldn’thavechosenabetterplayifI’dtried。Thereare_five_acts!I’dforgottenthereweresomany。Thatmeansyoucantelephonefourtimes!’
　　Yes，dear。’Bertram’svoicewassternlycheerful。
　　YoumustbesuretheytellyouexactlyhowBabyis。’
　　Allright，dear。Sh-h!Here’sRomeo。’
　　Billysubsided。Sheevenclappedalittleinspasmodicenthusiasm。Presentlyshepeeredatherprogramagain。
　　Therewouldn’tbetime，Isuppose，totelephonebetweenthescenes，’shehazardedwistfully。
　　Therearesixteenofthose!’
　　Well，hardly!Billy，youaren’tpayingonebitofattentiontotheplay!’
　　Why，ofcourseIam，’whisperedBilly，indignantly。Ithinkit’sperfectlylovely，andI’mperfectlycontented，too——sinceIfoundoutaboutthosefiveacts，andaslongasI_can’t_havethesixteenscenes，’sheadded，settlingbackinherseat。
　　Asiftoprovethatshewasinterestedintheplay，hernextwhisper，sometimelater，hadtodowithoneofthecharactersonthestage。
　　Who’sthat——thenurse？Mercy!Wewouldn’twantherforBaby，wouldwe？’
　　InspiteofhimselfBertramchuckledthistime。
　　Billy，too，laughedatherself。Then，resolutely，shesettledintoherseatagain。
　　ThecurtainwasnotfairlydownonthefirstactbeforeBillyhadlaidanurgenthandonherhusband’sarm。
　　Now，remember；askifhe’swakedup，oranything，’shedirected。AndbesuretosayI’llcomerighthomeiftheyneedme。Nowhurry。’
　　Yes，dear。’Bertramrosewithalacrity。
　　I’llbebackrightaway。’
　　Oh，butIdon’twantyoutohurry_too_much，’
　　shecalledafterhim，softly。Iwantyoutotakeplentyoftimetoaskquestions。’
　　Allright，’noddedBertram，withaquizzicalsmile，asheturnedaway。
　　ObedientlyBertramaskedallthequestionshecouldthinkof，thencamebacktohiswife。
　　TherewasnothinginhisreportthatevenBillycoulddisapproveof，orworryabout；andwithalmostacontentedlookonherfacesheturnedtowardthestageasthecurtainwentuponthesecondact。
　　Ilovethisbalconyscene，’shesighedhappily。
　　Romeo，however，hadnothalffinishedhisimpassionedlove-makingwhenBillyclutchedherhusband’sarmalmostfiercely。
　　Bertram，’shefairlyhissedinatragicwhisper，I’vejusthappenedtothink!Won’titbeawfulwhenBabyfallsinlove？IknowIshalljusthatethatgirlfortakinghimawayfromme!’
　　Sh-h!_Billy!_’expostulatedherhusband，chokingwithhalf-stifledlaughter。Thatwomaninfrontheardyou，Iknowshedid!’
　　Well，Ishall，’sighedBilly，mournfully，turningbacktothestage。
　　`Goodnight，goodnight!partingissuchsweetsorrow，ThatIshallsaygoodnight，tillitbemorrow，’
　　sighedJulietpassionatelytoherRomeo。
　　Mercy!Ihopenot，’whisperedBillyflippantlyinBertram’sear。I’msureIdon’twanttostayheretillto-morrow!IwanttogohomeandseeBaby。’
　　_Billy!_’pleadedBertramsodespairingly，thatBilly，reallyconscience-smitten，satbackinherseatandremained，fortherestoftheact，veryquietindeed。
　　Deceivedbyherapparenttranquillity，Bertramturnedasthecurtainwentdown。
　　Now，Billy，surelyyoudon’tthinkit’llbenecessarytotelephonesosoonasthisagain，’heventured。
　　Billy’scountenancefell。
　　But，Bertram，you_said_youwould!Ofcourseifyouaren’twillingto——butI’vebeencountingonhearingallthroughthishorridlongact，and——’
　　Goodnessme，Billy，I’lltelephoneeveryminuteforyou，ofcourse，ifyouwantmeto，’
　　criedBertram，springingtohisfeet，andtryingnottoshowhisimpatience。
　　Hewasbackmorepromptlythistime。
　　Everything0。K。，’hesmiledreassuringlyintoBilly’sanxiouseyes。Deliasaidshe’djustbeenup，andthelittlechapwassoundasleep。’
　　Totheman’sunboundedsurprise，hiswifegrewactuallywhite。
　　Up!Up!’sheexclaimed。DoyoumeanthatDeliawentdown-stairsto_stay_，andleftmybabyuptherealone？’
　　But，Billy，shesaidhewasallright，’
　　murmuredBertram，softly，castinguneasysidelongglancesathistoointerestedneighbors。
　　`Allright’!Perhapshewas，_then_——buthemaynotbe，later。Deliashouldstayinthenextroomallthetime，whereshecouldheartheleastthing。’
　　Yes，dear，shewill，I’msure，ifyoutellherto，’soothedBertram，quickly。It’llbeallrightnexttime。’
　　Billyshookherhead。Shewasobviouslyneartocrying。
　　But，Bertram，Ican’tstandittosithereenjoyingmyselfallsafeandcomfortable，andknowthatBabyis_alone_upthereinthatgreatbigroom!
　　Please，_please_won’tyougoandtelephoneDeliatogoup_now_andstaythere？’
　　Bertram，weary，sorelytried，andincreasinglyawareofthoseannoyinglyinterestedneighbors，wasonthepointofsayingaverydecidedno；butaglanceintoBilly’spleadingeyessettledit。
　　Withoutawordhewentbacktothetelephone。
　　Thecurtainwasupwhenheslippedintohisseat，veryredofface。InanswertoBilly’shurriedwhisperheshookhishead；butintheshortpausebetweenthefirstandsecondsceneshesaid，inalowvoice：
　　I’msorry，Billy，butIcouldn’tgetthehouseatall。’
　　Couldn’tgetthem!Butyou’djustbeentalkingwiththem!’
　　That’sexactlyit，probably。Ihadjusttelephoned，sotheyweren’twatchingforthebell。
　　Anyhow，Icouldn’tgetthem。’
　　Thenyoudidn’tgetDeliaatall!’
　　Ofcoursenot。’
　　AndBabyisstill——allalone!’
　　Buthe’sallright，dear。Delia’skeepingwatchofhim。’
　　Foramomenttherewassilence；then，withcleardecisivenesscarneBilly’svoice。