the courtship of susan bell-第2章
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The widow listened to him as he gave his message； and then she took
the card and looked at it。 Hetta； who was sitting on the side of
the fireplace facing the door； went on demurely with her work。
Susan gave one glance roundher back was to the strangerand then
another； and then she moved her chair a little nearer to the wall；
so as to give the young man room to come to the fire； if he would。
He did not come； but his eyes glanced upon Susan Bell； and he
thought that the old man in New York was right； and that the big
hotel would be cold and dull。 It was a pretty face to look on that
cold evening as she turned it up from the stocking she was mending。
〃Perhaps you don't wish to take winter boarders； ma'am？〃 said Aaron
Dunn。
〃We never have done so yet； sir；〃 said Mrs。 Bell timidly。 Could she
let this young wolf in among her lamb…fold？ He might be a wolf；
who could tell？
〃Mr。 Bell seemed to think it would suit；〃 said Aaron。
Had he acquiesced in her timidity and not pressed the point； it
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 ha
