the courtship of susan bell-第4部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


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　be　written　on　her　down…turned　face。
But　he　was　not　good　at　such　reading。　　〃Well；　I　guess　I'll　go　and　get
my　things　ready　now；〃　he　said；　and　then　turned　round　to　open　the
door。

〃Mother　will　be　in　before　you　are　gone；　I　suppose；〃　said　Susan。

〃I　have　only　got　twenty　minutes；〃　said　he；　looking　at　his　watch。
〃But；　Susan；　tell　her　what　I　have　said　to　you。　　Goodbye。〃　　And　he
put　out　his　hand。　　He　knew　he　should　see　her　again；　but　this　had
been　his　plan　to　get　her　hand　in　his。

〃Good…bye；　Mr。　Dunn；〃　and　she　gave　him　her　hand。

He　held　it　tight　for　a　moment；　so　that　she　could　not　draw　it　away；
could　not　if　she　would。　　〃Will　you　tell　your　mother？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　quite　in　a　whisper。　　〃I　guess　I'd　better　tell
her。〃　　And　then　she　gave　a　long　sigh。　　He　pressed　her　hand　again　and
got　it　up　to　his　lips。

〃Mr。　Dunn；　don't；〃　she　said。　　But　he　did　kiss　it。　　〃God　bless　you；
my　own　dearest；　dearest　girl！　　I'll　just　open　the　door　as　I　come
down。　　Perhaps　Mrs。　Bell　will　be　here。〃　　And　then　he　rushed　up
stairs。

But　Mrs。　Bell　did　not　come　in。　　She　and　Hetta　were　at　a　weekly
service　at　Mr。　Beckard's　meeting…house；　and　Mr。　Beckard　it　seemed
had　much　to　say。　　Susan；　when　left　alone；　sat　down　and　tried　to
think。　　But　she　could　not　think；　she　could　only　love。　　She　could　use
her　mind　only　in　recounting　to　herself　the　perfections　of　that
demigod　whose　heavy　steps　were　so　audible　overhead；　as　he　walked　to
and　fro　collecting　his　things　and　putting　them　into　his　bag。

And　then；　just　when　he　had　finished；　she　bethought　herself　that　he
must　be　hungry。　　She　flew　to　the　kitchen；　but　she　was　too　late。
Before　she　could　even　reach　at　the　loaf　of　bread　he　descended　the
stairs；　with　a　clattering　noise；　and　heard　her　voice　as　she　spoke
quickly　to　Kate　O'Brien。

〃Miss　Susan；〃　he　said；　〃don't　get　anything　for　me；　for　I'm　off。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Dunn；　I　am　so　sorry。　　You'll　be　so　hungry　on　your　journey；〃
and　she　came　out　to　him　in　the　passage。

〃I　shall　want　nothing　on　the　journey；　dearest；　if　you'll　say　one
kind　word　to　me。〃

Again　her　eyes　went　to　the　ground。　　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　say；　Mr。
Dunn？〃

〃Say；　God　bless　you；　Aaron。〃

〃God　bless　you；　Aaron；〃　said　she；　and　yet　she　was　sure　that　she　had
not　declared　her　love。　　He　however　thought　otherwise；　and　went　up　to
New　York　with　a　happy　heart。

Things　happened　in　the　next　fortnight　rather　quickly。　　Susan　at　once
resolved　to　tell　her　mother；　but　she　resolved　also　not　to　tell
Hetta。　　That　afternoon　she　got　her　mother　to　herself　in　Mrs。　Bell's
own　room；　and　then　she　made　a　clean　breast　of　it。

〃And　what　did　you　say　to　him；　Susan？〃

〃I　said　nothing；　mother。〃

〃Nothing；　dear！〃

〃No；　mother；　not　a　word。　　He　told　me　he　didn't　want　it。〃　　She　forgot
how　she　had　used　his　Christian　name　in　bidding　God　bless　him。

〃Oh　dear！〃　said　the　widow。

〃Was　it　very　wrong？〃　asked　Susan。

〃But　what　do　you　think　yourself；　my　child？〃　asked　Mrs。　Bell　after　a
while。　　〃What　are　your　own　feelings。〃

Mrs。　Bell　was　sitting　on　a　chair　and　Susan　was　standing　opposite　to
her　against　the　post　of　the　bed。　　She　made　no　answer；　but　moving
from　her　place；　she　threw　herself　into　her　mother's　arms；　and　hid
her　face　on　her　mother's　shoulder。　　It　was　easy　enough　to　guess　what
were　her　feelings。

〃But；　my　darling；〃　said　her　mother；　〃you　must　not　think　that　it　is
an　engagement。〃

〃No；〃　said　Susan；　sorrowfully。

〃Young　men　say　those　things　to　amuse　themselves。〃　　Wolves；　she　would
have　said；　had　she　spoken　out　her　mind　freely。

〃Oh；　mother；　he　is　not　like　that。〃

The　daughter　contrived　to　extract　a　promise　from　the　mother　that
Hetta　should　not　be　told　just　at　present。　　Mrs。　Bell　calculated　that
she　had　six　weeks　before　her；　as　yet　Mr。　Beckard　had　not　spoken　out；
but　there　was　reason　to　suppose　that　he　would　do　so　before　those　six
weeks　would　be　over；　and　then　she　would　be　able　to　seek　counsel　from
him。

Mr。　Beckard　spoke　out　at　the　end　of　six　days；　and　Hetta　frankly
accepted　him。　　〃I　hope　you'll　love　your　brother…in…law；〃　said　she　to
S