the courtship of susan bell-第2节

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would　have　been　all　up　with　him。　　But　the　widow　did　not　like　to　go
against　the　big　uncle；　and　so　she　said；　〃Perhaps　it　may；　sir。〃

〃I　guess　it　will；　finely；〃　said　Aaron。　　And　then　the　widow　seeing
that　the　matter　was　so　far　settled；　put　down　her　work　and　came　round
into　the　passage。　　Hetta　followed　her；　for　there　would　be　housework
to　do。　　Aaron　gave　himself　another　shake；　settled　the　weekly　number
of　dollarswith　very　little　difficulty　on　his　part；　for　he　had
caught　another　glance　at　Susan's　face；　and　then　went　after　his　bag。
'Twas　thus　that　Aaron　Dunn　obtained　an　entrance　into　Mrs。　Bell's
house。　　〃But　what　if　he　be　a　wolf？〃　she　said　to　herself　over　and
over　again　that　night；　though　not　exactly　in　those　words。　　Ay；　but
there　is　another　side　to　that　question。　　What　if　he　be　a　stalwart
man；　honest…minded；　with　clever　eye；　cunning　hand；　ready　brain；
broad　back；　and　warm　heart；　in　want　of　a　wife　mayhap；　a　man　that　can
earn　his　own　bread　and　another's；half　a　dozen　others'　when　the
half　dozen　come？　　Would　not　that　be　a　good　sort　of　lodger？　　Such　a
question　as　that　too　did　flit；　just　flit；　across　the　widow's
sleepless　mind。　　But　then　she　thought　so　much　more　of　the　wolf！
Wolves；　she　had　taught　herself　to　think；　were　more　common　than
stalwart；　honest…minded；　wife…desirous　men。

〃I　wonder　mother　consented　to　take　him；〃　said　Hetta；　when　they　were
in　the　little　room　together。

〃And　why　shouldn't　she？〃　said　Susan。　　〃It　will　be　a　help。〃

〃Yes；　it　will　be　a　little　help；〃　said　Hetta。　　〃But　we　have　done　very
well　hitherto　without　winter　lodgers。〃

〃But　uncle　Bell　said　she　was　to。〃

〃What　is　uncle　Bell　to　us？〃　said　Hetta；　who　had　a　spirit　of　her　own。
And　she　began　to　surmise　within　herself　whether　Aaron　Dunn　would
join　the　Baptist　congregation；　and　whether　Phineas　Beckard　would
approve　of　this　new　move。

〃He　is　a　very　well…behaved　young　man　at　any　rate；〃　said　Susan；　〃and
he　draws　beautifully。　　Did　you　see　those　things　he　was　doing？〃

〃He　draws　very　well；　I　dare　say；〃　said　Hetta；　who　regarded　this　as
but　a　poor　warranty　for　good　behaviour。　　Hetta　also　had　some　fear　of
wolvesnot　for　herself　perhaps；　but　for　her　sister。

Aaron　Dunn's　workthe　commencement　of　his　worklay　at　some
distance　from　the　Springs；　and　he　left　every　morning　with　a　lot　of
workmen　by　an　early　trainalmost　before　daylight。　　And　every
morning；　cold　and　wintry　as　the　mornings　were；　the　widow　got　him　his
breakfast　with　her　own　hands。　　She　took　his　dollars　and　would　not
leave　him　altogether　to　the　awkward　mercies　of　Kate　O'Brien；　nor
would　she　trust　her　girls　to　attend　upon　the　young　man。　　Hetta　she
might　have　trusted；　but　then　Susan　would　have　asked　why　she　was
spared　her　share　of　such　hardship。

In　the　evening；　leaving　his　work　when　it　was　dark；　Aaron　always
returned；　and　then　the　evening　was　passed　together。　　But　they　were
passed　with　the　most　demure　propriety。　　These　women　would　make　the
tea；　cut　the　bread　and　butter；　and　then　sew；　while　Aaron　Dunn；　when
the　cups　were　removed；　would　always　go　to　his　plans　and　drawings。

On　Sundays　they　were　more　together；　but　even　on　this　day　there　was
cause　of　separation；　for　Aaron　went　to　the　Episcopalian　church；
rather　to　the　disgust　of　Hetta。　　In　the　afternoon；　however；　they
were　together；　and　then　Phineas　Beckard　came　in　to　tea　on　Sundays；
and　he　and　Aaron　got　to　talking　on　religion；　and　though　they
disagreed　pretty　much；　and　would　not　give　an　inch　either　one　or　the
other；　nevertheless　the　minister　told　the　widow；　and　Hetta　too
probably；　that　the　lad　had　good　stuff　in　him；　though　he　was　so
stiff…necked。

〃But　he　should　be　more　modest　in　talking　on　such　matters　with　a
minister；〃　said　Hetta。

The　Rev。　Phineas　acknowledged　that　perhaps　he　should；　but　he　was
honest　enough　to　repeat　that　the　lad　had　stuff　in　him。　　〃Perhaps
after　all　he　is　not　a　wolf；〃　said　the　widow　to　herself。

Things　went　on　in　this　way　for　above　a　month。　　Aaron　had　declared　to
himself　over　and　over　again　that　that　face　was　sweet　to　look　upon；
and　had　unconsciously　promised　to　himself　certain　delights　in
talking　and　perhaps　walking　with　the　owner　of　it。　　But　the　walkings
had　not　been　achievednor　even　the　talkings　as　yet。　　The　truth　was
that　Dunn　was　bashful　with　young　women；　though　he　could　be　so　stiff…
necked　with　the　minister。

And　then　he　felt　angry　with　himself；　inasmuch　as　he　had　advanced　no
further；　and　as　he　lay　in　his　bedwhich　perhaps　those　pretty　hands
had　helped　to　makehe　resolved　that　he　would　be　a　thought　bolder　in
his　bearing。　　He　had　no　idea　of　making　love　to　Susan　Bell；　of　course
not。　　But　why　should　he　not　amuse　himself　by　talking　to　a　pretty
girl　when　she　sat　so　near　him；　evening　after　evening？

〃What　a　very　quiet　young　man　he　is；〃　said　Susan　to　her　sister。

〃He　has　his　bread　to　earn；　and　sticks　to　his　work；〃　said　Hetta。　　〃No
doubt　he　has　his　amusement　when　he　is　in　the　city；〃　added　the　elder
sister；　not　wishing　to　leave　too　strong　an　impression　of　the　young
man's　virtue。

They　had　all　now　their　settled　places　in　the　parlour。　　Hetta　sat　on
one　side　of　the　fire；　close　to　the　table；　having　that　side　to
herself。　　There　she　sat　always　busy。　　She　must　have　made　every　dress
and　bit　of　linen　worn　in　the　house；　and　hemmed　every　sheet　and
towel；　so　busy　was　she　always。　　Sometimes；　once　in　a　week　or　so；
Phineas　Beckard　would　come　in；　and　then　place　was　made　for　him
between　Hetta's　usual　seat　and　the　table。　　For　when　there　he　would
read　out　loud。　　On　the　other　side；　close　also　to　the　table；　sat　the
widow；　busy；　but　not　savagely　busy　as　her　elder　daughter。　　Between
Mrs。　Bell　and　the　wall；　with　her　feet　ever　on　the　fender；　Susan　used
to　sit；　not　absolutely　idle；　but　doing　work　of　some　slender　pretty
sort；　and　talking　ever　and　anon　to　her　mother。　　Opposite　to　them
all；　at　the　other　side　of　the　table；　far　away　from　the　fire；　would
Aaron　Dunn　place　himself　with　his　plans　and　drawings　before　him。

〃Are　you　a　judge　of　bridges；　ma'am？〃　said　Aaron；　the　evening　after
he　had　made　his　resolution。　　'Twas　thus　he　began　his　courtship。

〃Of　bridges？〃　said　Mrs。　Bell〃oh　dear　no；　sir。〃　　But　she　put　out
her　hand　to　take　the　little　drawing　which　Aaron　handed　to　her。

〃Because　that's　one　I've　planned　for　our　bit　of　a　new　branch　from
Moreau　up　to　Lake　George。　　I　guess　Miss　Susan　knows　something　about
bridges。〃

〃I　guess　I　don't；〃　said　Susan〃only　that　they　oughtn't　to　tumble
down　when　the　frost　comes。〃

〃Ha；　ha；　ha；　no　more　they　ought。　　I'll　tell　McEvoy　that。〃　　McEvoy
had　been　a　former　engineer　on　the　line。　　〃Well；　that　won't　burst
with　any　frost；　I　guess。〃

〃Oh　my！　how　pretty！〃　said　the　widow；　and　then　Susan　of　course　jumped
up　to　look　over　her　mother's　shoulder。

The　artful　dodger！　he　had　drawn　and　coloured　a　beautiful　little
sketch　of　a　bridge；　not　an　engineer's　plan　with　sections　and
measurements；　vexatious　to　a　woman's　eye；　but　a　graceful　little
bridge　with　a　string　of　cars　running　under　it。　　You　could　almost
hear　the　bell　going。

〃Well；　that　is　a　pretty　bridge；〃　said　Susan。　　〃Isn't　it；　Hetta？〃

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　bridges；〃　said　Hetta；　to　whose　clever
eyes　the　dodge　was　quite　apparent。　　But　in　spite　of　her　cleverness
Mrs。　Bell　and　Susan　had　soon　moved　their　chairs　round　to　the　table；
and　were　looking　through　the　contents　of　Aaron's　portfolio。　　〃But
yet　he　may　be　a　wolf；〃　thought　the　poor　widow；　just　as　she　was
kneeling　down　to　say　her　prayers。

That　evening　certainly　made　a　commencement。　　Though　Hetta　went　on
pertinaciously　with　the　body　of　a　new　dress；　the　other　two　ladies
did　not　put　in　another　stitch　that　night。　　From　his　drawings　Aaron
got　to　his　instruments；　and　before　bedtime　was　teaching　Susan　how　to
draw　parallel　lines。　　Susan　found　that　she　had　quite　an　aptitude　for
parallel　lines；　and　altogether　had　a　good　time　of　it　that　evening。
It　is　dull　to　go　on　week　after　week；　and　month　after　month；　talking
only　to　one's　mother　and　sister。　　It　is　dull　though　one　does　not
oneself　recognise　it　to　be　so。　　A　little　change　in　such　matters　is
so　very　pleasant。　　Susan　had　not　the　slightest　idea　of　regarding
Aaron　as　even　a　possible　lover。　　But　young　ladies　do　like　the
conversation　of　young　gentlemen。　　Oh；　my　exceedingly　proper　prim　old
lady；　you　who　are　so　shocked　at　this　as　a　general　doctrine；　has　it
never　occurred　to　you　that　the　Creator　has　so　intended　it？

Susan　understanding　little　of　the　how　and　why；　knew　that　she　had　had
a　good　time；　and　was　rather　in　spirits　as　she　went　to　bed。　　But
Hetta　had　been　frightened　by　the　dodge。

〃Oh；　Hetta；　you　should　have　looked　at　those　drawings。　　He　is　so
clever！〃　said　Susan。

〃I　don't　know　that　they　would　have　done　me　much　good；〃　replied
Hetta。

〃Good！　　Well；　they'd　do　me　more　good　than　a　long　sermon；　I　know；〃
said　Susan；　〃except　on　a　Sunday；　of　course；〃　she　added
apologetically。　　This　was　an　ill…tempered　attack　both　on　Hetta　and
Hetta's　admirer。　　But　then　why　had　Hetta　been　so　snappish？

〃I'm　sure　he's　a　wolf；〃　thought　Hetta　as　she　went　to　bed。

〃What　a　very　clever　young　man　he　is！〃　thought　Susan　to　herself　as
she　pulled　the　warm　clothes　round　about　her　shoulders　and　ears。

〃Well　that　certainly　was　an　improvement；〃　thought　Aaron　as　he　went
through　the　same　operation；　with　a　st