the courtship of susan bell-第4章
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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。
〃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 Yor
