the courtship of susan bell-第7章
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in a family was enough at a time。
〃Yes； my loveand he did it； I must say； in a very honourable way；
telling her not to make any answer till she had spoken to me；now
that was very nice； was it not； Phineas？〃 Mrs。 Bell had become very
anxious that Aaron should not be voted a wolf。
〃And what has been said to him since？〃 asked the discreet Phineas。
〃Whynothing absolutely decisive。〃 Oh； Mrs。 Bell！ 〃You see I know
nothing as to his means。〃
〃Nothing at all；〃 said Hetta。
〃He is a man that will always earn his bread；〃 said Mr。 Beckard； and
Mrs。 Bell blessed him in her heart for saying it。
〃But has he been encouraged？〃 asked Hetta。
〃Well； yes； he has；〃 said the widow。
〃Then Susan I suppose likes him？〃 asked Phineas。
〃Well； yes； she does；〃 said the widow。 And the conference ended in
a resolution that Phineas Beckard should have a conversation with
Aaron Dunn； as to his worldly means and position； and that he；
Phineas； should decide whether Aaron might； or might not be at once
accepted as a lover； according to the tenor of that conversation。
Poor Susan was not told anything of all this。 〃Better not；〃 said
Hetta the demure。 〃It will only flurry her the more。〃 How would
she have liked it； if without consulting her； they had left it to
Aaron to decide whether or no she might marry Phineas？
They knew where on the works Aaron was to be found； and thither Mr。
Beckard rode after dinner。 We need not narrate at length the
conference between the young men。 Aaron at once declared that he
had nothing but what he made as an engineer； and explained that he
held no permanent situation on the line。 He was well paid at that
present moment； but at the end of summer he would have to look for
employment。
〃Then you can hardly marry quite at present；〃 said the discreet
minister。
〃Perhaps not quite immediately。〃
〃And long engagements are never wise；〃 said the other。
〃Three or four months；〃 suggested Aaron。 But Mr。 Beckard shook his
head。
The afternoon at Mrs。 Bell's house was melancholy。 The final
decision of the three judges was as follows。 There was to be no
engagement； of course no correspondence。 Aaron was to be told that
it would be better that he should get lodgings elsewhere when he
returned； but that he would be allowed to visit at Mrs。 Bell's
house；and at Mrs。 Beckard's； which was very considerate。 If he
should succeed in getting a permanent appointment； and if he and
Susan still held the same mind； why then&c。 &c。 Such was Susan's
fate； as communicated to her by Mrs。 Bell and Hetta。 She sat still
and wept when she heard it； but she did not complain。 She had
always felt that Hetta would be against her。
〃Mayn't I see him； then？〃 she said through her tears。
Hetta thought she had better not。 Mrs。 Bell thought she might。
Phineas decided that they might shake hands； but only in full
conclave。 There was to be no lovers' farewell。 Aaron was to leave
the house at half…past five； but before he went Susan should be
called down。 Poor Susan！ She sat down and bemoaned herself；
uncomplaining； but very sad。
Susan was soft； feminine； and manageable。 But Aaron Dunn was not
very soft； was especially masculine； and in some matters not easily
manageable。 When Mr。 Beckard in the widow's presenceHetta had
retired in obedience to her loverinformed him of the court's
decision； there came over his face the look which he had worn when
he burned the picture。 〃Mrs。 Bell；〃 he said； 〃had encouraged his
engagement； and he did not understand why other people should now
come and disturb it。〃
〃Not an engagement； Aaron；〃 said Mrs。 Bell piteously。
〃He was able and willing to work；〃 he said； 〃and knew his
profession。 What young man of his age had done better than he had？〃
and he glanced round at them with perhaps more pride than was quite
becoming。
Then Mr。 Beckard spoke out； very wisely no doubt； but perhaps a
little too much at length。 Sons and daughters； as well as fathers
and mothers； will know very well what he said； so I need not repeat
his words。 I cannot say that Aaron listened with much attention；
but he understood perfectly what the upshot of it was。 Many a man
understands the purport of many a sermon without listening to one
word in ten。 Mr。 Beckard meant to be kind in his manner； indeed was
so； only that Aaron could not accept as kindness any interference on
his part。
〃I'll tell you what； Mrs。 Bell；〃 said he。 〃I look upon myself as
engaged to her。 And I look on her as engaged to me。 I tell you so
fairly； and I believe that's her mind as well as mine。〃
〃But； Aaron； you won't try to see heror to write to her；not in
secret； will you？〃
〃When I try to see her； I'll come and knock at this door； and if I
write to her； I'll write to her full address by the post。 I never
did and never will do anything in secret。〃
〃I know you're good and honest；〃 said the widow with her
handkerchief to her eyes。
〃Then why do you separate us？〃 asked he； almost roughly。 〃I suppose
I may see her at any rate before I go。 My time's nearly up now； I
guess。〃
And then Susan was called for； and she and Hetta came down together。
Susan crept in behind her sister。 Her eyes were red with weeping；
and her appearance was altogether disconsolate。 She had had a lover
for a week； and now she was to be robbed of him。
〃Good…bye； Susan；〃 said Aaron； and he walked up to her without
bashfulness or embarrassment。 Had they all been compliant and
gracious to him he would have been as bashful as his love； but now
his temper was hot。 〃Good…bye； Susan；〃 and she took his hand； and
he held hers till he had finished。 〃And remember this； I look upon
you as my promised wife； and I don't fear that you'll deceive me。
At any rate I shan't deceive you。〃
〃Good…bye； Aaron；〃 she sobbed。
〃Good…bye； and God bless you； my own darling！〃 And then without
saying a word to any one else； he turned his back upon them and went
his way。
There had been something very consolatory； very sweet； to the poor
girl in her lover's last words。 And yet they had almost made her
tremble。 He had been so bold； and stern； and confident。 He had
seemed so utterly to defy the impregnable discretion of Mr。 Beckard；
so to despise the demure propriety of Hetta。 But of this she felt
sure； when she came to question her heart； that she could never；
never； never cease to love him better than all the world beside。
She would waitpatiently if she could find patienceand then； if
he deserted her； she would die。
In another month Hetta became Mrs。 Beckard。 Susan brisked up a
little for the occasion； and looked very pretty as bridesmaid。 She
was serviceable too in arranging household matters； hemming linen
and sewing table…cloths； though of course in these matters she did
not do a tenth of what Hetta did。
Then the summer came； the Saratoga summer of July； August； and
September； during which the widow's house was full； and Susan's
hands saved the pain of her heart； for she was forced into
occupation。 Now that Hetta was gone to her own duties； it was
necessary that Susan's part in the household should be more
prominent。
Aaron did not come back to his work at Saratoga。 Why he did not
they could not then learn。 During the whole long summer they heard
not a word of him nor from him； and then when the cold winter months
came and their boarders had left them； Mrs。 Beckard congratulated
her sister in that she had given no further encouragement to a lover
who cared so little for her。 This was very hard to bear。 But Susan
did bear it。
That winter was very sad。 They learned nothing of Aaron Dunn till
about January； and then they heard that he was doing very well。 He
was engaged on the Erie trunk line； was paid highly； and was much
esteemed。 And yet he neither came nor sent！ 〃He has an excellent
situation；〃 their informant told them。 〃And a permanent one？〃 asked
the widow。 〃Oh； yes； no doubt；〃 said the gentleman； 〃for I happen
to know that they count greatly on him。〃 And yet he sent no word of
love。
After that the winter became very sad indeed。 Mrs。 Bell thought it
to be her duty now to teach her daughter that in all probability she
woul
