the courtship of susan bell-第7部分

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with　haste；　to　the　bedroom　door；　but　then　she　stopped；　too　much　joy
she　had　heard　was　as　dangerous　as　too　much　sorrow；　she　must　think　it
over　for　a　while；　and　so　she　crept　back　again。

But　after　breakfastthat　is；　when　she　had　sat　for　a　while　over　her
teacupshe　returned　to　the　room；　and　this　time　she　entered　it。　　The
letter　was　in　her　hand；　but　held　so　as　to　be　hidden；in　her　left
hand　as　she　sat　down　with　her　right　arm　towards　the　invalid。

〃Susan　dear；〃　she　said；　and　smiled　at　her　child；　〃you'll　be　able　to
get　up　this　morning？　eh；　dear？〃

〃Yes；　mother；〃　said　Susan；　thinking　that　her　mother　objected　to　this
idleness　of　her　lying　in　bed。　　And　so　she　began　to　bestir　herself。

〃I　don't　mean　this　very　moment；　love。　　Indeed；　I　want　to　sit　with
you　for　a　little　while；〃　and　she　put　her　right　arm　affectionately
round　her　daughter's　waist。

〃Dearest　mother；〃　said　Susan。

〃Ah！　there's　one　dearer　than　me；　I　guess；〃　and　Mrs。　Bell　smiled
sweetly；　as　she　made　the　maternal　charge　against　her　daughter。

Susan　raised　herself　quickly　in　the　bed；　and　looked　straight　into
her　mother's　face。　　〃Mother；　mother；〃　she　said；　〃what　is　it？　　You've
something　to　tell。　　Oh；　mother！〃　　And　stretching　herself　over；　she
struck　her　hand　against　the　corner　of　Aaron's　letter。　　〃Mother；
you've　a　letter。　　Is　he　coming；　mother？〃　and　with　eager　eyes　and
open　lips；　she　sat　up；　holding　tight　to　her　mother's　arm。

〃Yes；　love。　　I　have　got　a　letter。〃

〃Is　heis　he　coming？〃

How　the　mother　answered；　I　can　hardly　tell；　but　she　did　answer；　and
they　were　soon　lying　in　each　other's　arms；　warm　with　each　other's
tears。　　It　was　almost　hard　to　say　which　was　the　happier。

Aaron　was　to　be　there　that　eveningthat　very　evening。　　〃Oh；　mother；
let　me　get　up；〃　said　Susan。

But　Mrs。　Bell　said　no；　not　yet；　her　darling　was　pale　and　thin；　and
she　almost　wished　that　Aaron　was　not　coming　for　another　week。　　What
if　he　should　come　and　look　at　her；　and　finding　her　beauty　gone；
vanish　again　and　seek　a　wife　elsewhere！

So　Susan　lay　in　bed；　thinking　of　her　happiness；　dozing　now　and
again；　and　fearing　as　she　waked　that　it　was　a　dream；　looking
constantly　at　that　drawing　of　his；　which　she　kept　outside　upon　the
bed；　nursing　her　love　and　thinking　of　it；　and　endeavouring；　vainly
endeavouring；　to　arrange　what　she　would　say　to　him。

〃Mother；〃　she　said；　when　Mrs。　Bell　once　went　up　to　her；　〃you　won't
tell　Hetta　and　Phineas；　will　you？　　Not　to…day；　I　mean？〃　　Mrs。　Bell
agreed　that　it　would　be　better　not　to　tell　them。　　Perhaps　she
thought　that　she　had　already　depended　too　much　on　Hetta　and　Phineas
in　the　matter。

Susan's　finery　in　the　way　of　dress　had　never　been　extensive；　and　now
lately；　in　these　last　sad　winter　days；　she　had　thought　but　little　of
the　fashion　of　her　clothes。　　But　when　she　began　to　dress　herself　for
the　evening；　she　did　ask　her　mother　with　some　anxiety　what　she　had
better　wear。　　〃If　he　loves　you　he　will　hardly　see　what　you　have　on；〃
said　the　mother。　　But　not　the　less　was　she　careful　to　smooth　her
daughter's　hair；　and　make　the　most　that　might　be　made　of　those　faded
roses。

How　Susan's　heart　beat；how　both　their　hearts　beat　as　the　hands　of
the　clock　came　round　to　seven！　　And　then；　sharp　at　seven；　came　the
knock；　that　same　short　bold　ringing　knock　which　Susan　had　so　soon
learned　to　know　as　belonging　to　Aaron　Dunn。　　〃Oh　mother；　I　had
better　go　up　stairs；〃　she　cried；　starting　from　her　chair。

〃No　dear；　you　would　only　be　more　nervous。〃

〃I　will；　mother。〃

〃No；　no；　dear；　you　have　not　time；〃　and　then　Aaron　Dunn　was　in　the
room。

She　had　thought　much　what　she　would　say　to　him；　but　had　not　yet
quite　made　up　her　mind。　　It　mattered　however　but　very　little。　　On
whatever　she　might　have　resolved；　her　resolution　would　have　vanished
to　the　wind。　　Aaron　Dunn　came　into　the　room；　and　in　one　second　she
found　herself　in　the　centre　of　a　whirlwind；　and　his　arms　were　the
storms　that　enveloped　her　on　every　side。

〃My　own；　own　darling　girl；〃　he　said　over　and　over　again；　as　he
pressed　her　to　his　heart；　quite　regardless　of　Mrs。　Bell；　who　stood
by；　sobbing　with　joy。　　〃My　own　Susan。〃

〃Aaron；　dear　Aaron；〃　she　whispered。　　But　she　had　already　recognised
the　fact　that　for　the　present　meeting　a　passive　part　would　become
her　well；　and　save　her　a　deal　of　trouble。　　She　had　her　lover　there
quite　safe；　safe　beyond　anything　that　Mr。　or　Mrs。　Beckard　might　have
to　say　to　the　contrary。　　She　was　quite　happy；　only　that　there　were
symptoms　now　and　again　that　the　whirlwind　was　about　to　engulf　her
yet　once　more。

〃Dear　Aaron；　I　am　so　glad　you　are　come；〃　said　the　innocent…minded
widow；　as　she　went　up　stairs　with　him；　to　show　him　his　room；　and
then　he　embraced　her　also。　　〃Dear；　dear　mother；〃　he　said。

On　the　next　day　there　was；　as　a　matter　of　course；　a　family　conclave。
Hetta　and　Phineas　came　down；　and　discussed　the　whole　subject　of　the
coming　marriage　with　Mrs。　Bell。　　Hetta　at　first　was　not　quite
certain；ought　they　not　to　inquire　whether　the　situation　was
permanent？

〃I　won't　inquire　at　all；〃　said　Mrs。　Bell；　with　an　energy　that
startled　both　the　daughter　and　son…in…law。　　〃I　would　not　part　them
now；　no；　not　if〃　and　the　widow　shuddered　as　she　thought　of　her
daughter's　sunken　eyes；　and　pale　cheeks。

〃He　is　a　good　lad；〃　said　Phineas；　〃and　I　trust　she　will　make　him　a
sober　steady　wife；〃　and　so　the　matter　was　settled。

During　this　time；　Susan　and　Aaron　were　walking　along　the　Balston
road；　and　they　also　had　settled　the　matterquite　as　satisfactorily。

Such　was　the　courtship　of　Susan　Dunn。







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