"It is not worth ten cents," said Aaron, with something like a frown on his brow."But as we had been talking about the bridge, Ithought Miss Susan would accept it."
"Accept what?" said Hetta.And then her eye fell upon the drawing and she took it up.
"It is beautifully done," said Mrs.Bell, wishing much to soften the matter; perhaps the more so that Hetta the demure was now present.
"I am telling Mr.Dunn that we can't take a present of anything so valuable.""Oh dear no," said Hetta."It wouldn't be right."It was a cold frosty evening in March, and the fire was burning brightly on the hearth.Aaron Dunn took up the drawing quietly--very quietly--and rolling it up, as such drawings are rolled, put it between the blazing logs.It was the work of four evenings, and his chef-d'oeuvre in the way of art.
Susan, when she saw what he had done, burst out into tears.The widow could very readily have done so also, but she was able to refrain herself, and merely exclaimed--"Oh, Mr.Dunn!""If Mr.Dunn chooses to burn his own picture, he has certainly a right to do so," said Hetta.
Aaron immediately felt ashamed of what he had done; and he also could have cried, but for his manliness.He walked away to one of the parlour-windows, and looked out upon the frosty night.It was dark, but the stars were bright, and he thought that he should like to be walking fast by himself along the line of rails towards Balston.There he stood, perhaps for three minutes.He thought it would be proper to give Susan time to recover from her tears.
"Will you please to come to your tea, sir?" said the soft voice of Mrs.Bell.
He turned round to do so, and found that Susan was gone.It was not quite in her power to recover from her tears in three minutes.And then the drawing had been so beautiful! It had been done expressly for her too! And there had been something, she knew not what, in his eye as he had so declared.She had watched him intently over those four evenings' work, wondering why he did not show it, till her feminine curiosity had become rather strong.It was something very particular, she was sure, and she had learned that all that precious work had been for her.Now all that precious work was destroyed.How was it possible that she should not cry for more than three minutes?
The others took their meal in perfect silence, and when it was over the two women sat down to their work.Aaron had a book which he pretended to read, but instead of reading he was bethinking himself that he had behaved badly.What right had he to throw them all into such confusion by indulging in his passion? He was ashamed of what he had done, and fancied that Susan would hate him.Fancying that, he began to find at the same time that he by no means hated her.
At last Hetta got up and left the room.She knew that her sister was sitting alone in the cold, and Hetta was affectionate.Susan had not been in fault, and therefore Hetta went up to console her.
"Mrs.Bell," said Aaron, as soon as the door was closed, "I beg your pardon for what I did just now.""Oh, sir, I'm so sorry that the picture is burnt," said poor Mrs.
Bell.
"The picture does not matter a straw," said Aaron."But I see that I have disturbed you all,--and I am afraid I have made Miss Susan unhappy.""She was grieved because your picture was burnt," said Mrs.Bell, putting some emphasis on the "your," intending to show that her daughter had not regarded the drawing as her own.But the emphasis bore another meaning; and so the widow perceived as soon as she had spoken.
"Oh, I can do twenty more of the same if anybody wanted them," said Aaron."If I do another like it, will you let her take it, Mrs.
Bell?--just to show that you have forgiven me, and that we are friends as we were before?"Was he, or was he not a wolf? That was the question which Mrs.Bell scarcely knew how to answer.Hetta had given her voice, saying he was lupine.Mr.Beckard's opinion she had not liked to ask directly.Mr.Beckard she thought would probably propose to Hetta;but as yet he had not done so.And, as he was still a stranger in the family, she did not like in any way to compromise Susan's name.
Indirectly she had asked the question, and, indirectly also, Mr.
Beckard's answer had been favourable.
"But it mustn't mean anything, sir," was the widow's weak answer, when she had paused on the question for a moment.
"Oh no, of course not," said Aaron, joyously, and his face became radiant and happy."And I do beg your pardon for burning it; and the young ladies' pardon too." And then he rapidly got out his cardboard, and set himself to work about another bridge.The widow, meditating many things in her heart, commenced the hemming of a handkerchief.
In about an hour the two girls came back to the room and silently took their accustomed places.Aaron hardly looked up, but went on diligently with his drawing.This bridge should be a better bridge than that other.Its acceptance was now assured.Of course it was to mean nothing.That was a matter of course.So he worked away diligently, and said nothing to anybody.
When they went off to bed the two girls went into the mother's room.
"Oh, mother, I hope he is not very angry," said Susan.
"Angry!" said Hetta, "if anybody should be angry, it is mother.He ought to have known that Susan could not accept it.He should never have offered it.""But he's doing another," said Mrs.Bell.
"Not for her," said Hetta.
"Yes he is," said Mrs.Bell, "and I have promised that she shall take it." Susan as she heard this sank gently into the chair behind her, and her eyes became full of tears.The intimation was almost too much for her.
"Oh, mother!" said Hetta.
"But I particularly said that it was to mean nothing.""Oh, mother, that makes it worse."
Why should Hetta interfere in this way, thought Susan to herself.
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?
