the courtship of susan bell-第4节

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had　not　been　in　fault；　and　therefore　Hetta　went　up　to　console　her。

〃Mrs。　Bell；〃　said　Aaron；　as　soon　as　the　door　was　closed；　〃I　beg　your
pardon　for　what　I　did　just　now。〃

〃Oh；　sir；　I'm　so　sorry　that　the　picture　is　burnt；〃　said　poor　Mrs。
Bell。

〃The　picture　does　not　matter　a　straw；〃　said　Aaron。　　〃But　I　see　that
I　have　disturbed　you　all；and　I　am　afraid　I　have　made　Miss　Susan
unhappy。〃

〃She　was　grieved　because　your　picture　was　burnt；〃　said　Mrs。　Bell；
putting　some　emphasis　on　the　〃your；〃　intending　to　show　that　her
daughter　had　not　regarded　the　drawing　as　her　own。　　But　the　emphasis
bore　another　meaning；　and　so　the　widow　perceived　as　soon　as　she　had
spoken。

〃Oh；　I　can　do　twenty　more　of　the　same　if　anybody　wanted　them；〃　said
Aaron。　　〃If　I　do　another　like　it；　will　you　let　her　take　it；　Mrs。
Bell？just　to　show　that　you　have　forgiven　me；　and　that　we　are
friends　as　we　were　before？〃

Was　he；　or　was　he　not　a　wolf？　　That　was　the　question　which　Mrs。　Bell
scarcely　knew　how　to　answer。　　Hetta　had　given　her　voice；　saying　he
was　lupine。　　Mr。　Beckard's　opinion　she　had　not　liked　to　ask
directly。　　Mr。　Beckard　she　thought　would　probably　propose　to　Hetta；
but　as　yet　he　had　not　done　so。　　And；　as　he　was　still　a　stranger　in
the　family；　she　did　not　like　in　any　way　to　compromise　Susan's　name。
Indirectly　she　had　asked　the　question；　and；　indirectly　also；　Mr。
Beckard's　answer　had　been　favourable。

〃But　it　mustn't　mean　anything；　sir；〃　was　the　widow's　weak　answer；
when　she　had　paused　on　the　question　for　a　moment。

〃Oh　no；　of　course　not；〃　said　Aaron；　joyously；　and　his　face　became
radiant　and　happy。　　〃And　I　do　beg　your　pardon　for　burning　it；　and
the　young　ladies'　pardon　too。〃　　And　then　he　rapidly　got　out　his
cardboard；　and　set　himself　to　work　about　another　bridge。　　The　widow；
meditating　many　things　in　her　heart；　commenced　the　hemming　of　a
handkerchief。

In　about　an　hour　the　two　girls　came　back　to　the　room　and　silently
took　their　accustomed　places。　　Aaron　hardly　looked　up；　but　went　on
diligently　with　his　drawing。　　This　bridge　should　be　a　better　bridge
than　that　other。　　Its　acceptance　was　now　assured。　　Of　course　it　was
to　mean　nothing。　　That　was　a　matter　of　course。　　So　he　worked　away
diligently；　and　said　nothing　to　anybody。

When　they　went　off　to　bed　the　two　girls　went　into　the　mother's　room。
〃Oh；　mother；　I　hope　he　is　not　very　angry；〃　said　Susan。

〃Angry！〃　said　Hetta；　〃if　anybody　should　be　angry；　it　is　mother。　　He
ought　to　have　known　that　Susan　could　not　accept　it。　　He　should　never
have　offered　it。〃

〃But　he's　doing　another；〃　said　Mrs。　Bell。

〃Not　for　her；〃　said　Hetta。

〃Yes　he　is；〃　said　Mrs。　Bell；　〃and　I　have　promised　that　she　shall
take　it。〃　　Susan　as　she　heard　this　sank　gently　into　the　chair　behind
her；　and　her　eyes　became　full　of　tears。　　The　intimation　was　almost
too　much　for　her。

〃Oh；　mother！〃　said　Hetta。

〃But　I　particularly　said　that　it　was　to　mean　nothing。〃

〃Oh；　mother；　that　makes　it　worse。〃

Why　should　Hetta　interfere　in　this　way；　thought　Susan　to　herself。
Had　she　interfered　when　Mr。　Beckard　gave　Hetta　a　testament　bound　in
Morocco？　had　not　she　smiled；　and　looked　gratified；　and　kissed　her
sister；　and　declared　that　Phineas　Beckard　was　a　nice　dear　man；　and
by　far　the　most　elegant　preacher　at　the　Springs？　　Why　should　Hetta
be　so　cruel？

〃I　don't　see　that；　my　dear；〃　said　the　mother。　　Hetta　would　not
explain　before　her　sister；　so　they　all　went　to　bed。

On　the　Thursday　evening　the　drawing　was　finished。　　Not　a　word　had
been　said　about　it；　at　any　rate　in　his　presence；　and　he　had　gone　on
working　in　silence。　　〃There；〃　said　he；　late　on　the　Thursday　evening；
〃I　don't　know　that　it　will　be　any　better　if　I　go　on　daubing　for
another　hour。　　There；　Miss　Susan；　there's　another　bridge。　　I　hope
that　will　neither　burst　with　the　frost；　nor　yet　be　destroyed　by
fire；〃　and　he　gave　it　a　light　flip　with　his　fingers　and　sent　it
skimming　over　the　table。

Susan　blushed　and　smiled；　and　took　it　up。　　〃Oh；　it　is　beautiful；〃
she　said。　　〃Isn't　it　beautifully　done；　mother？〃　and　then　all　the
three　got　up　to　look　at　it；　and　all　confessed　that　it　was
excellently　done。

〃And　I　am　sure　we　are　very　much　obliged　to　you；〃　said　Susan　after　a
pause；　remembering　that　she　had　not　yet　thanked　him。

〃Oh；　it's　nothing；〃　said　he；　not　quite　liking　the　word　〃we。〃　　On　the
following　day　he　returned　from　his　work　to　Saratoga　about　noon。
This　he　had　never　done　before；　and　therefore　no　one　expected　that　he
would　be　seen　in　the　house　before　the　evening。　　On　this　occasion；
however；　he　went　straight　thither；　and　as　chance　would　have　it；　both
the　widow　and　her　elder　daughter　were　out。　　Susan　was　there　alone　in
charge　of　the　house。

He　walked　in　and　opened　the　parlour　door。　　There　she　sat；　with　her
feet　on　the　fender；　with　her　work　unheeded　on　the　table　behind　her；
and　the　picture；　Aaron's　drawing；　lying　on　her　knees。　　She　was
gazing　at　it　intently　as　he　entered；　thinking　in　her　young　heart
that　it　possessed　all　the　beauties　which　a　picture　could　possess。

〃Oh；　Mr。　Dunn；〃　she　said；　getting　up　and　holding　the　telltale　sketch
behind　the　skirt　of　her　dress。

〃Miss　Susan；　I　have　come　here　to　tell　your　mother　that　I　must　start
for　New　York　this　afternoon　and　be　there　for　six　weeks；　or　perhaps
longer。〃

〃Mother　is　out；〃　said　she；　〃I'm　so　sorry。〃

〃Is　she？〃　said　Aaron。

〃And　Hetta　too。　　Dear　me。　　And　you'll　be　wanting　dinner。　　I'll　go
and　see　about　it。〃

Aaron　began　to　swear　that　he　could　not　possibly　eat　any　dinner。　　He
had　dined　once；　and　was　going　to　dine　again；anything　to　keep　her
from　going。

〃But　you　must　have　something；　Mr。　Dunn；〃　and　she　walked　towards　the
door。

But　he　put　his　back　to　it。　　〃Miss　Susan；〃　said　he；　〃I　guess　I've
been　here　nearly　two　months。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　I　believe　you　have；〃　she　replied；　shaking　in　her　shoes；
and　not　knowing　which　way　to　look。

〃And　I　hope　we　have　been　good　friends。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Susan；　almost　beside　herself　as　to　what　she　was
saying。

〃I'm　going　away　now；　and　it　seems　to　be　such　a　time　before　I'll　be
back。〃

〃Will　it；　Sir？〃

〃Six　weeks；　Miss　Susan！〃　and　then　he　paused；　looking　into　her　eyes；
to　see　what　he　could　read　there。　　She　leant　against　the　table；
pulling　to　pieces　a　morsel　of　half…ravelled　muslin　which　she　held　in
her　hand；　but　her　eyes　were　turned　to　the　ground；　and　he　could
hardly　see　them。

〃Miss　Susan；〃　he　continued；　〃I　may　as　well　speak　out　now　as　at
another　time。〃　　He　too　was　looking　towards　the　ground；　and　clearly
did　not　know　what　to　do　with　his　hands。　　〃The　truth　is　just　this。
II　love　you　dearly；　with　all　my　heart。　　I　never　saw　any　one　I　ever
thought　so　beautiful；　so　nice；　and　so　good；and　what's　more；　I
never　shall。　　I'm　not　very　good　at　this　sort　of　thing；　I　know；　but　I
couldn't　go　away　from　Saratoga　for　six　weeks　and　not　tell　you。〃　　And
then　he　ceased。　　He　did　not　ask　for　any　love　in　return。　　His
presumption　had　not　got　so　far　as　that　yet。　　He　merely　declared　his
passion；　leaning　against　the　door；　and　there　he　stood　twiddling　his
thumbs。

Susan　had　not　the　slightest　conception　of　the　way　in　which　she　ought
to　receive　such　a　declaration。　　She　had　never　had　a　lover　before；
nor　had　she　ever　thought　of　Aaron　absolutely　as　a　lover；　though
something　very　like　love　for　him　had　been　crossing　over　her　spirit。
Now；　at　this　moment；　she　felt　that　he　was　the　beau…ideal　of　manhood；
though　his　boots　were　covered　with　the　railway　mud；　and　though　his
pantaloons　were　tucked　up　in　rolls　round　his　ankles。　　He　was　a　fine；
well…grown；　open…faced　fellow；　whose　eye　was　bold　and　yet　tender；
whose　brow　was　full　and　broad；　and　all　his　bearing　manly。　　Love　him！
Of　course　she　loved　him。　　Why　else　had　her　heart　melted　with
pleasure　when　her　mother　said　that　that　second　picture　was　to　be
accepted？

But　what　was　she　to　say？　　Anything　but　the　open　truth；　she　well　knew
that。　　The　open　truth　would　not　do　at　all。　　What　would　her　mother
say　and　Hetta　if　she　were　rashly　to　say　that？　　Hetta；　she　knew；
would　be　dead　against　such　a　lover；　and　of　her　mother's　approbation
she　had　hardly　more　hope。　　Why　they　should　disapprove　of　Aaron　as　a
lover　she　had　never　asked　herself。　　There　are　many　nice　things　that
seem　to　be　wrong　only　because　they　are　so　nice。　　Maybe　that　Susan
regarded　a　lover　as　one　of　them。　　〃Oh；　Mr。　Dunn；　you　shouldn't。〃
That　in　fact　was　all　that　she　could　say。

〃Should　not　I？〃　said　he。　　〃Well；　perhaps　not；　but　there's　the　truth；
and　no　harm　ever　comes　of　that。　　Perhaps　I'd　better　not　ask　you　for
an　answer　now；　but　I　thought　it　better　you　should　know　it　all。　　And
remember　thisI　only　care　for　one　thing　now　in　the　world；　and　that
is　for　your　love。〃　　And　then　he　paused；　thinking　possibly　that　in
spite　of　what　he　had　said　he　might　perhaps　get　some　sort　of　an
answer；　some　inkling　of　the　state　of　her　heart's　disposition　towards
him。

But　Susan　had　at　once　resolved　to　take　him　at　his　word　when　he
suggested　that　an　immediate　reply　was　not　necessary。　　To　say　that
she　loved　him　was　of　course　impossible；　and　to　say　that　she　did　not
was　equally　so。　　She　determined　therefore　to　close　at　once　with　the
offer　of　silence。

When　he　ceased　speaking　there　was　a　moment's　pause；　during　which　he
strove　hard　to　read　what　might