the courtship of susan bell-第3节

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〃Well　that　certainly　was　an　improvement；〃　thought　Aaron　as　he　went
through　the　same　operation；　with　a　stronger　feeling　of　self…
approbation　than　he　had　enjoyed　for　some　time　past。

In　the　course　of　the　next　fortnight　the　family　arrangements　all
altered　themselves。　　Unless　when　Beckard　was　there　Aaron　would　sit
in　the　widow's　place；　the　widow　would　take　Susan's　chair；　and　the
two　girls　would　be　opposite。　　And　then　Dunn　would　read　to　them；　not
sermons；　but　passages　from　Shakspeare；　and　Byron；　and　Longfellow。
〃He　reads　much　better　than　Mr。　Beckard；〃　Susan　had　said　one　night。
〃Of　course　you're　a　competent　judge！〃　had　been　Hetta's　retort。　　〃I
mean　that　I　like　it　better；〃　said　Susan。　　〃It's　well　that　all　people
don't　think　alike；〃　replied　Hetta。

And　then　there　was　a　deal　of　talking。　　The　widow　herself；　as
unconscious　in　this　respect　as　her　youngest　daughter；　certainly　did
find　that　a　little　variety　was　agreeable　on　those　long　winter
nights；　and　talked　herself　with　unaccustomed　freedom。　　And　Beckard
came　there　oftener　and　talked　very　much。　　When　he　was　there　the　two
young　men　did　all　the　talking；　and　they　pounded　each　other
immensely。　　But　still　there　grew　up　a　sort　of　friendship　between
them。

〃Mr。　Beckard　seems　quite　to　take　to　him；〃　said　Mrs。　Bell　to　her
eldest　daughter。

〃It　is　his　great　good　nature；　mother；〃　replied　Hetta。

It　was　at　the　end　of　the　second　month　when　Aaron　took　another　step
in　advancea　perilous　step。　　Sometimes　on　evenings　he　still　went　on
with　his　drawing　for　an　hour　or　so；　but　during　three　or　four
evenings　he　never　asked　any　one　to　look　at　what　he　was　doing。　　On
one　Friday　he　sat　over　his　work　till　late；　without　any　reading　or
talking　at　all；　so　late　that　at　last　Mrs。　Bell　said；　〃If　you're
going　to　sit　much　longer；　Mr。　Dunn；　I'll　get　you　to　put　out　the
candles。〃　　Thereby　showing；　had　he　known　it　or　had　she；　that　the
mother's　confidence　in　the　young　man　was　growing　fast。　　Hetta　knew
all　about　it；　and　dreaded　that　the　growth　was　too　quick。

〃I've　finished　now；〃　said　Aaron；　and　he　looked　carefully　at　the
cardboard　on　which　he　had　been　washing　in　his　water…colours。　　〃I've
finished　now。〃　　He　then　hesitated　a　moment；　but　ultimately　he　put
the　card　into　his　portfolio　and　carried　it　up　to　his　bedroom。　　Who
does　not　perceive　that　it　was　intended　as　a　present　to　Susan　Bell？

The　question　which　Aaron　asked　himself　that　night；　and　which　he
hardly　knew　how　to　answer；　was　this。　　Should　he　offer　the　drawing　to
Susan　in　the　presence　of　her　mother　and　sister；　or　on　some　occasion
when　they　two　might　be　alone　together？　　No　such　occasion　had　ever
yet　occurred；　but　Aaron　thought　that　it　might　probably　be　brought
about。　　But　then　he　wanted　to　make　no　fuss　about　it。　　His　first
intention　had　been　to　chuck　the　drawing　lightly　across　the　table
when　it　was　completed；　and　so　make　nothing　of　it。　　But　he　had
finished　it　with　more　care　than　he　had　at　first　intended；　and　then
he　had　hesitated　when　he　had　finished　it。　　It　was　too　late　now　for
that　plan　of　chucking　it　over　the　table。

On　the　Saturday　evening　when　he　came　down　from　his　room；　Mr。　Beckard
was　there；　and　there　was　no　opportunity　that　night。　　On　the　Sunday；
in　conformity　with　a　previous　engagement；　he　went　to　hear　Mr。
Beckard　preach；　and　walked　to　and　from　meeting　with　the　family。
This　pleased　Mrs。　Bell；　and　they　were　all　very　gracious　that
afternoon。　　But　Sunday　was　no　day　for　the　picture。

On　Monday　the　thing　had　become　of　importance　to　him。　　Things　always
do　when　they　are　kept　over。　　Before　tea　that　evening　when　he　came
down　Mrs。　Bell　and　Susan　only　were　in　the　room。　　He　knew　Hetta　for
his　foe；　and　therefore　determined　to　use　this　occasion。

〃Miss　Susan；〃　he　said；　stammering　somewhat；　and　blushing　too；　poor
fool！　　〃I　have　done　a　little　drawing　which　I　want　you　to　accept；〃
and　he　put　his　portfolio　down　on　the　table。

〃Oh！　　I　don't　know；〃　said　Susan；　who　had　seen　the　blush。

Mrs。　Bell　had　seen　the　blush　also；　and　pursed　her　mouth　up；　and
looked　grave。　　Had　there　been　no　stammering　and　no　blush；　she　might
have　thought　nothing　of　it。

Aaron　saw　at　once　that　his　little　gift　was　not　to　go　down　smoothly。
He　was；　however；　in　for　it　now；　so　he　picked　it　out　from　among　the
other　papers　in　the　case　and　brought　it　over　to　Susan。　　He
endeavoured　to　hand　it　to　her　with　an　air　of　indifference；　but　I
cannot　say　that　he　succeeded。

It　was　a　very　pretty；　well…finished；　water…coloured　drawing；
representing　still　the　same　bridge；　but　with　more　adjuncts。　　In
Susan's　eyes　it　was　a　work　of　high　art。　　Of　pictures　probably　she
had　seen　but　little；　and　her　liking　for　the　artist　no　doubt　added　to
her　admiration。　　But　the　more　she　admired　it　and　wished　for　it；　the
stronger　was　her　feeling　that　she　ought　not　to　take　it。

Poor　Susan！　she　stood　for　a　minute　looking　at　the　drawing；　but　she
said　nothing；　not　even　a　word　of　praise。　　She　felt　that　she　was　red
in　the　face；　and　uncourteous　to　their　lodger；　but　her　mother　was
looking　at　her　and　she　did　not　know　how　to　behave　herself。

Mrs。　Bell　put　out　her　hand　for　the　sketch；　trying　to　bethink　herself
as　she　did　so　in　what　least　uncivil　way　she　could　refuse　the
present。　　She　took　a　moment　to　look　at　it　collecting　her　thoughts；
and　as　she　did　so　her　woman's　wit　came　to　her　aid。

〃Oh　dear；　Mr。　Dunn；　it　is　very　pretty；　quite　a　beautiful　picture。　　I
cannot　let　Susan　rob　you　of　that。　　You　must　keep　that　for　some　of
your　own　particular　friends。〃

〃But　I　did　it　for　her；〃　said　Aaron　innocently。

Susan　looked　down　at　the　ground；　half　pleased　at　the　declaration。
The　drawing　would　look　very　pretty　in　a　small　gilt　frame　put　over
her　dressing…table。　　But　the　matter　now　was　altogether　in　her
mother's　hands。

〃I　am　afraid　it　is　too　valuable；　sir；　for　Susan　to　accept。〃

〃It　is　not　valuable　at　all；〃　said　Aaron；　declining　to　take　it　back
from　the　widow's　hand。

〃Oh；　I　am　quite　sure　it　is。　　It　is　worth　ten　dollars　at　leastor
twenty；〃　said　poor　Mrs。　Bell；　not　in　the　very　best　taste。　　But　she
was　perplexed；　and　did　not　know　how　to　get　out　of　the　scrape。　　The
article　in　question　now　lay　upon　the　table…cloth；　appropriated　by　no
one；　and　at　this　moment　Hetta　came　into　the　room。

〃It　is　not　worth　ten　cents；〃　said　Aaron；　with　something　like　a　frown
on　his　brow。　　〃But　as　we　had　been　talking　about　the　bridge；　I
thought　Miss　Susan　would　accept　it。〃

〃Accept　what？〃　said　Hetta。　　And　then　her　eye　fell　upon　the　drawing
and　she　took　it　up。

〃It　is　beautifully　done；〃　said　Mrs。　Bell；　wishing　much　to　soften　the
matter；　perhaps　the　more　so　that　Hetta　the　demure　was　now　present。
〃I　am　telling　Mr。　Dunn　that　we　can't　take　a　present　of　anything　so
valuable。〃

〃Oh　dear　no；〃　said　Hetta。　　〃It　wouldn't　be　right。〃

It　was　a　cold　frosty　evening　in　March；　and　the　fire　was　burning
brightly　on　the　hearth。　　Aaron　Dunn　took　up　the　drawing　quietly
very　quietlyand　rolling　it　up；　as　such　drawings　are　rolled；　put　it
between　the　blazing　logs。　　It　was　the　work　of　four　evenings；　and　his
chef…d'oeuvre　in　the　way　of　art。

Susan；　when　she　saw　what　he　had　done；　burst　out　into　tears。　　The
widow　could　very　readily　have　done　so　also；　but　she　was　able　to
refrain　herself；　and　merely　exclaimed〃Oh；　Mr。　Dunn！〃

〃If　Mr。　Dunn　chooses　to　burn　his　own　picture；　he　has　certainly　a
right　to　do　so；〃　said　Hetta。

Aaron　immediately　felt　ashamed　of　what　he　had　done；　and　he　also
could　have　cried；　but　for　his　manliness。　　He　walked　away　to　one　of
the　parlour…windows；　and　looked　out　upon　the　frosty　night。　　It　was
dark；　but　the　stars　were　bright；　and　he　thought　that　he　should　like
to　be　walking　fast　by　himself　along　the　line　of　rails　towards
Balston。　　There　he　stood；　perhaps　for　three　minutes。　　He　thought　it
would　be　proper　to　give　Susan　time　to　recover　from　her　tears。

〃Will　you　please　to　come　to　your　tea；　sir？〃　said　the　soft　voice　of
Mrs。　Bell。

He　turned　round　to　do　so；　and　found　that　Susan　was　gone。　　It　was　not
quite　in　her　power　to　recover　from　her　tears　in　three　minutes。　　And
then　the　drawing　had　been　so　beautiful！　　It　had　been　done　expressly
for　her　too！　　And　there　had　been　something；　she　knew　not　what；　in
his　eye　as　he　had　so　declared。　　She　had　watched　him　intently　over
those　four　evenings'　work；　wondering　why　he　did　not　show　it；　till
her　feminine　curiosity　had　become　rather　strong。　　It　was　something
very　particular；　she　was　sure；　and　she　had　learned　that　all　that
precious　work　had　been　for　her。　　Now　all　that　precious　work　was
destroyed。　　How　was　it　possible　that　she　should　not　cry　for　more
than　three　minutes？

The　others　took　their　meal　in　perfect　silence；　and　when　it　was　over
the　two　women　sat　down　to　their　work。　　Aaron　had　a　book　which　he
pretended　to　read；　but　instead　of　reading　he　was　bethinking　himself
that　he　had　behaved　badly。　　What　right　had　he　to　throw　them　all　into
such　confusion　by　indulging　in　his　passion？　　He　was　ashamed　of　what
he　had　done；　and　fancied　that　Susan　would　hate　him。　　Fancying　that；
he　began　to　find　at　the　same　time　that　he　by　no　means　hated　her。

At　last　Hetta　got　up　and　left　the　room。　　She　knew　that　her　sister
was　sitting　alone　in　the　cold；　and　Hetta　was　affectionate。　　Susan
had　not　been　in　fault；　and　therefore　Hetta　went　up　to　console　her。