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.