the courtship of susan bell-第5部分

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accepted　him。　　〃I　hope　you'll　love　your　brother…in…law；〃　said　she　to
Susan。

〃Oh；　I　will　indeed；〃　said　Susan；　and　in　the　softness　of　her　heart　at
the　moment　she　almost　made　up　her　mind　to　tell；　but　Hetta　was　full
of　her　own　affairs；　and　thus　it　passed　off。

It　was　then　arranged　that　Hetta　should　go　and　spend　a　week　with　Mr。
Beckard's　parents。　　Old　Mr。　Beckard　was　a　farmer　living　near　Utica；
and　now　that　the　match　was　declared　and　approved；　it　was　thought
well　that　Hetta　should　know　her　future　husband's　family。　　So　she
went　for　a　week；　and　Mr。　Beckard　went　with　her。　　〃He　will　be　back　in
plenty　of　time　for　me　to　speak　to　him　before　Aaron　Dunn's　six　weeks
are　over；〃　said　Mrs。　Bell　to　herself。

But　things　did　not　go　exactly　as　she　expected。　　On　the　very　morning
after　the　departure　of　the　engaged　couple；　there　came　a　letter　from
Aaron；　saying　that　he　would　be　at　Saratoga　that　very　evening。　　The
railway　people　had　ordered　him　down　again　for　some　days'　special
work；　then　he　was　to　go　elsewhere；　and　not　to　return　to　Saratoga
till　June。　　〃But　he　hoped；〃　so　said　the　letter；　〃that　Mrs。　Bell
would　not　turn　him　into　the　street　even　then；　though　the　summer
might　have　come；　and　her　regular　lodgers　might　be　expected。〃

〃Oh　dear；　oh　dear！〃　said　Mrs。　Bell　to　herself；　reflecting　that　she
had　no　one　of　whom　she　could　ask　advice；　and　that　she　must　decide
that　very　day。　　Why　had　she　let　Mr。　Beckard　go　without　telling　him？
Then　she　told　Susan；　and　Susan　spent　the　day　trembling。　　Perhaps；
thought　Mrs。　Bell；　he　will　say　nothing　about　it。　　In　such　case；
however；　would　it　not　be　her　duty　to　say　something？　　Poor　mother！
She　trembled　nearly　as　much　as　Susan。

It　was　dark　when　the　fatal　knock　came　at　the　door。　　The　tea…things
were　already　laid；　and　the　tea…cake　was　already　baked；　for　it　would
at　any　rate　be　necessary　to　give　Mr。　Dunn　his　tea。　　Susan；　when　she
heard　the　knock；　rushed　from　her　chair　and　took　refuge　up　stairs。
The　widow　gave　a　long　sigh　and　settled　her　dress。　　Kate　O'Brien　with
willing　step　opened　the　door；　and　bade　her　old　friend　welcome。

〃How　are　the　ladies？〃　asked　Aaron；　trying　to　gather　something　from
the　face　and　voice　of　the　domestic。

〃Miss　Hetta　and　Mr。　Beckard　be　gone　off　to　Utica；　just　man…and…wife
like！　and　so　they　are；　more　power　to　them。〃

〃Oh　indeed；　I'm　very　glad；〃　said　Aaronand　so　he　was；　very　glad　to
have　Hetta　the　demure　out　of　the　way。　　And　then　he　made　his　way　into
the　parlour；　doubting　much；　and　hoping　much。

Mrs。　Bell　rose　from　her　chair；　and　tried　to　look　grave。　　Aaron
glancing　round　the　room　saw　that　Susan　was　not　there。　　He　walked
straight　up　to　the　widow；　and　offered　her　his　hand；　which　she　took。
It　might　be　that　Susan　had　not　thought　fit　to　tell；　and　in　such　case
it　would　not　be　right　for　him　to　compromise　her；　so　he　said　never　a
word。

But　the　subject　was　too　important　to　the　mother　to　allow　of　her
being　silent　when　the　young　man　stood　before　her。　　〃Oh；　Mr。　Dunn；〃
said　she；　〃what　is　this　you　have　been　saying　to　Susan？〃

〃I　have　asked　her　to　be　my　wife；〃　said　he；　drawing　himself　up　and
looking　her　full　in　the　face。　　Mrs。　Bell's　heart　was　almost　as　soft
as　her　daughter's；　and　it　was　nearly　gone；　but　at　the　moment　she　had
nothing　to　say　but；　〃Oh　dear；　oh　dear！〃

〃May　I　not　call　you　mother？〃　said　he；　taking　both　her　hands　in　his。

〃Oh　dearoh　dear！　　But　will　you　be　good　to　her？　　Oh；　Aaron　Dunn；　if
you　deceive　my　child！〃

In　another　quarter　of　an　hour；　Susan　was　kneeling　at　her　mother's
knee；　with　her　face　on　her　mother's　lap；　the　mother　was　wiping　tears
out　of　her　eyes；　and　Aaron　was　standing　by　holding　one　of　the
widow's　hands。

〃You　are　my　mother　too；　now；〃　said　he。　　What　would　Hetta　and　Mr。
Beckard　say；　when　they　came　back？　　But　then　he　surely　was　not　a
wolf！

There　were　four　or　five　days　left　for　courtship　before　Hetta　and　Mr。
Beckard　would　return；　four　or　five　days　during　which　Susan　might　be
happy；　Aaron　triumphant；　and　Mrs。　Bell　nervous。　　Days　I　have　said；
but　after　all　it　was　only　the　evenings　that　were　so　left。　　Every
morning　Susan　got　up　to　give　Aaron　his　breakfast；　but　Mrs。　Bell　got
up　also。　　Susan　boldly　declared　her　right　to　do　so；　and　Mrs。　Bell
found　no　objection　which　she　could　urge。

But　after　that　Aaron　was　always　absent　till　seven　or　eight　in　the
evening；　when　he　would　return　to　his　tea。　　Then　came　the　hour　or　two
of　lovers'　intercourse。

But　they　were　very　tame；　those　hours。　　The　widow　still　felt　an
undefined　fear　that　she　was　wrong；　and　though　her　heart　yearned　to
know　that　her　daughter　was　happy　in　the　sweet　happiness　of　accepted
love；　yet　she　dreaded　to　be　too　confident。　　Not　a　word　had　been　said
about　money　matters；　not　a　word　of　Aaron　Dunn's　relatives。　　So　she
did　not　leave　them　by　themselves；　but　waited　with　what　patience　she
could　for　the　return　of　her　wise　counsellors。

And　then　Susan　hardly　knew　how　to　behave　herself　with　her　accepted
suitor。　　She　felt　that　she　was　very　happy；　but　perhaps　she　was　most
happy　when　she　was　thinking　about　him　through　the　long　day；
assisting　in　fixing　little　things　for　his　comfort；　and　waiting　for
his　evening　return。　　And　as　he　sat　there　in　the　parlour；　she　could
be　happy　then　too；　if　she　were　but　allowed　to　sit　still　and　look　at
him；not　stare　at　him；　but　raise　her　eyes　every　now　and　again　to
his　face　for　the　shortest　possible　glance；　as　she　had　been　used　to
do　ever　since　he　came　there。

But　he；　unconscionable　lover；　wanted　to　hear　her　speak；　was　desirous
of　being　talked　to；　and　perhaps　thought　that　he　should　by　rights　be
allowed　to　sit　by　her；　and　hold　her　hand。　　No　such　privileges　were
accorded　to　him。　　If　they　had　been　alone　together；　walking　side　by
side　on　the　green　turf；　as　lovers　should　walk；　she　would　soon　have
found　the　use　of　her　tongue；have　talked　fast　enough　no　doubt。
Under　such　circumstances；　when　a　girl's　shyness　has　given　way　to
real　intimacy；　there　is　in　general　no　end　to　her　power　of　chatting。
But　though　there　was　much　love　between　Aaron　and　Susan；　there　was　as
yet　but　little　intimacy。　　And　then；　let　a　mother　be　ever　so
motherlyand　no　mother　could　have　more　of　a　mother's　tenderness
than　Mrs。　Bellstill　her　presence　must　be　a　restraint。　　Aaron　was
very　fond　of　Mrs。　Bell；　but　nevertheless　he　did　sometimes　wish　that
some　domestic　duty　would　take　her　out　of　the　parlour　for　a　few　happy
minutes。　　Susan　went　out　very　often；　but　Mrs。　Bell　seemed　to　be　a
fixture。

Once　for　a　moment　he　did　find　his　love　alone；　immediately　as　he　came
into　the　house。　　〃My　own　Susan；　you　do　love　me？　do　say　so　to　me
once。〃　　And　he　contrived　to　slip　his　arm　round　her　waist。　　〃Yes；〃
she　whispered；　but　she　slipped　like　an　eel　from　his　hands；　and　left
him　only　preparing　himself　for　a　kiss。　　And　then　when　she　got　to　her
room；　half　frightened；　she　clasped　her　hands　together；　and　bethought
herself　that　she　did　really　love　him　with　a　strength　and　depth　of
love　which　filled　her　whole　existence。　　Why　could　she　not　have　told
him　something　of　all　this？

And　so　the　few　days　of　his　second　sojourn　at　Saratoga　passed　away；
not　altogether　satisfactorily。　　It　was　settled　that　he　should　return
to　New　York　on　Saturday　night；　leaving　Saratoga　on　that　evening；　and
as　the　BeckardsHetta　was　already　regarded　quite　as　a　Beckardwere
to　be　back　to　dinner　on　that　day；　Mrs。　Bell　would　have　an
opportunity　of　telling　her　wondrous　tale。　　It　might　be　well　that　Mr。
Beckard　should　see　Aaron　before　his　departure。

On　that　Saturday　the　Beckards　did　arrive　just　in　time　for　dinner。
It　may　be　imagined　that　Susan's　appetite　was　not　very　keen；　nor　her
manner　very　collected。　　But　all　this　passed　by　unobserved　in　the
importance　attached　to　the　various　Beckard　arrangements　which　came
under　discussion。　　Ladies　and　gentlemen　circumstanced　as　were　Hetta
and　Mr。　Beckard　are　perhaps　a　little　too　apt　to　think　that　their　own
affairs　are　paramount。　　But　after　dinner　Susan　vanished　at　once；　and
when　Hetta　prepared　to　follow　her；　desirous　of　further　talk　about
matrimonial　arrangements；　her　mother　stopped　her；　and　the　disclosure
was　made。

〃Proposed　to　her！〃　said　Hetta；　who　perhaps　thought　that　one　marriage
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　w