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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
herself。 There she sat always busy。 She must have made every dress
and bit of linen worn in the house； and hemmed every sheet and
towel； so busy was she always。 Sometimes； once in a week or so；
Phineas Beckard would come in； and then place was made for him
between Hetta's usual seat and the table。 For when there he would
read out loud。 On the other side； close also to the table； sat the
widow； busy； but not savagely busy as her elder daughter。 Between
Mrs。 Bell and the wall； with her feet ever on the fender； Susan used
to sit； not absolutely idle； but doing work of some slender pretty
sort； and talking ever and anon to her mother。 Opposite to them
all； at the other side of the table； far away from the fire； would
Aaron Dunn place himself with his plans and drawings before him。
〃Are you a judge of bridges； ma'am？〃 said Aaron； the evening after
he had made his resolution。 'Twas thus he began his courtship。
〃Of bridges？〃 said Mrs。 Bell〃oh dear no； sir。〃 But she put out
her hand to take the little drawing which Aaron handed to her。
〃Because that's one I've planned for our bit of a new branch from
Moreau up to Lake George。 I guess Miss Susan knows something about
bridges。〃
〃I guess I don't；〃 said Susan〃only that they oughtn't to tumble
down when the frost comes。〃
〃Ha； ha； ha； no more they ought。 I'll tell McEvoy that。〃 McEvoy
had been a former engineer on the line。 〃Well； that won't burst
with any frost； I guess。〃
〃Oh my！ how pretty！〃 said the widow； and then Susan of course jumped
up to look over her mother's shoulder。
The artful dodger！ he had drawn and coloured a beautiful little
sketch of a bridge； not an engineer's plan with sections and
measurements； vexatious to a woman's eye； but a graceful little
bridge with a string of cars running under it。 You could almost
hear the bell going。
〃Well； that is a pretty bridge；〃 said Susan。 〃Isn't it； Hetta？〃
〃I don't know anything about bridges；〃 said Hetta； to whose clever
eyes the dodge was quite apparent。 But in spite of her cleverness
Mrs。 Bell and Susan had soon moved their chairs round to the table；
and were looking through the contents of Aaron's portfolio。 〃But
yet he may be a wolf；〃 thought the poor widow； just as she was
kneeling down to say her prayers。
That evening certainly made a commencement。 Though Hetta went on
pertinaciously with the body of a new dress； the other two ladies
did not put in another stitch that night。 From his drawings Aaron
got to his instruments； and before bedtime was teaching Susan how to
draw parallel lines。 Susan found that she had quite an aptitude for
parallel lines； and altogether had a good time of it that evening。
It is dull to go on week after week； and month after month； talking
only to one's mother and sister。 It is dull though one does not
oneself recognise it to be so。 A little change in such matters is
so very pleasant。 Susan had not the slightest idea of regarding
Aaron as even a possible lover。 But young ladies do like the
conversation of young gentlemen。 Oh； my exceedingly proper prim old
lady； you who are so shocked at this as a general doctrine； has it
never occurred to you that the Creator has so intended it？
Susan understanding little of the how and why； knew that she had had
a good time； and was rather in spirits as she went to bed。 But
Hetta had been frightened by the dodge。
〃Oh； Hetta； you should have looked at those drawings。 He is so
clever！〃 said Susan。
〃I don't know that they would have done me much good；〃 replied
Hetta。
〃Good！ Well； they'd do me more good than a long sermon； I know；〃
said Susan； 〃except on a Sunday； of course；〃 she added
apologetically。 This was an ill…tempered attack both on Hetta and
Hetta's admirer。 But then why had Hetta been so snappish？
〃I'm sure he's a wolf；〃 thought Hetta as she went to bed。
〃What a very clever young man he is！〃 thought Susan to herself as
she pulled the warm clothes round about her shoulders and ears。
〃Well that certainly was an improvement；〃 thought Aaron as he went
through the same operation； with a stronger feeling of self…
approbation than he had enjoyed for some time past。
In the course of the next fortnight the family arrangements all
altered themselves。 Unless when Beckard was there Aaron would sit
in the widow's place； the widow would take Susan's chair； and the
two girls would be opposite。 And then Dunn would read to them； not
sermons； but passages from Shakspeare； and Byron； and Longfellow。
〃He reads much better than Mr。 Beckard；〃 Susan had said one night。
〃Of course you're a competent judge！〃 had been Hetta's retort。 〃I
mean that I like it better；〃 said Susan。 〃It's well that all people
don't think alike；〃 replied Hetta。
And then there was a deal of talking。 The widow herself； as
unconscious in this respect as her youngest daughter； certainly did
find that a little variety was agreeable on those long winter
nights； and talked herself with unaccustomed freedom。 And Beckard
came there oftener and talked very much。 When he was there the two
young men did all the talking； and they pounded each other
immensely。 But still there grew up a sort of friendship between
them。
〃Mr。 Beckard seems quite to take to him；〃 said Mrs。 Bell to her
eldest daughter。
〃It is his great good nature； mother；〃 replied Hetta。
It was at the end of the second month when Aaron took another step
in advancea perilous step。 Sometimes on evenings he still went on
with his drawing for an hour or so； but during three or four
evenings he never asked any one to look at what he was doing。 On
one Friday he sat over his work till late； without any reading or
talking at all； so late that at last Mrs。 Bell said； 〃If you're
going to sit much longer； Mr。 Dunn； I'll get you to put out the
candles。〃 Thereby showing； had he known it or had she； that the
mother's confidence in the young man was growing fast。 Hetta knew
all about it； and dreaded that the growth was too quick。
〃I've finished now；〃 said Aaron； and he looked carefully at the
cardboard on which he had been washing in his water…colours。 〃I've
finished now。〃 He then hesitated a moment； but ultimately he put
the card into his portfolio and carried it up to his bedroom。 Who
does not perceive that it was intended as a present to Susan Bell？
The question which Aaron asked himself that night； and which he
hardly knew how to answer； was this。 Should he offer the drawing to
Susan in the presence of her mother and sister； or on some occasion
when they two might be alone together？ No such occasion had ever
yet occurred； but Aaron thought that it might probably be brought
about。 But then he wanted to make no fuss about it。 His first
intention had been to chuck the drawing lightly across the table
when it was completed； and so make nothing of it。 But he had
finished it with more care than he had at first intended； and then
he had hesitated when he had finished it。 It was too late now for
that plan of chucking it over the table。
On the Saturday evening when he came down from his room； Mr。 Beckard
was there； and there was no opportunity that night。 On the Sunday；
i