The Courtship of Susan Bell
Aaron Dunn, a young engineer sent to repair storm-damaged railway works near Schenectady, lodges through the winter with the widow Mrs. Bell and her two daughters, Hetta and Susan, in their cottage at Saratoga Springs. Timid Mrs. Bell fears he may prove a "wolf" toward her girls, and demure Hetta, courted meanwhile by the Baptist minister Phineas Beckard, distrusts him too, but Susan grows drawn to the quiet, capable young man as the household settles into evening routines of reading and needlework around his engineering drawings. Aaron paints Susan a watercolor of a bridge as a gift; when Mrs. Bell hesitates to let her accept anything so valuable, Aaron impulsively burns it in the fire, upsetting Susan and prompting a stiff, silent evening. He apologizes and quietly completes a second, better drawing over several nights, which Susan is allowed to keep. Just before leaving for six weeks' work in New York, Aaron finds Susan alone, declares his love plainly, and asks nothing more than that she tell her mother; she manages only a whispered blessing in return, though her feelings are unmistakable. Susan confesses to her mother, who forbids calling it an engagement but does not forbid the attachment. Hetta becomes engaged to Phineas Beckard and departs with him to visit his family near Utica. In their absence Aaron unexpectedly returns to Saratoga for further work; Mrs. Bell, unable to consult anyone, allows him to stay, and he formally asks for Susan's hand, winning the widow over completely during a happy interlude. When Hetta and Beckard return, the family holds a conclave: since Aaron has no permanent position, only irregular railway pay, Beckard interviews him and the three decide there can be no formal engagement, no correspondence, and that Aaron must lodge elsewhere, though he may call. Aaron, proud and blunt, insists he considers himself engaged regardless and will do nothing in secret, then bids Susan a firm, affectionate farewell before departing. Hetta marries Beckard. Through the long summer and into a bleak winter, Aaron sends no word, though the family eventually learns he is thriving on the Erie line. Susan, sustained only by her private conviction that he is not the fickle sort, grows increasingly pale, thin, and ill from grief, unconsoled by Hetta's religious exhortations but comforted by her mother's tenderness. One morning, as Susan lies weak in bed, a letter arrives from Aaron announcing he has secured a permanent position with salary enough for a wife and that he will arrive at Saratoga the next evening. Mrs. Bell breaks the news gently; Susan revives with joy and rises to prepare for his visit. Aaron arrives that evening and embraces Susan and her mother without reservation. The next day Hetta and Beckard again raise cautious questions about the security of his position, but Mrs. Bell firmly refuses to let anything part the lovers again, and Beckard concurs. Susan and Aaron, meanwhile, walk together along the Balston road and settle the matter of their marriage between themselves.
By Anthony Trollope · First published 1870 · Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction, Drama · 14,682 words
First lines
John Munroe Bell had been a lawyer in Albany, State of New York, and as such had thriven well. He had thriven well as long as thrift and thriving on this earth had been allowed to him. But the Almighty had seen fit to shorten his span.
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The Courtship of Susan Bell is listed on Textopian as a novella by Anthony Trollope, dated 1870 CE.
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- Work type: Novella
- Author: Anthony Trollope
- Date: 1870 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Drama
- Length: 14,682 words
- Structure: 1 section, 274 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Courtship of Susan Bell by Anthony Trollope
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Romance — The novel's primary plot revolves around a love story between two characters, which is a primary characteristic of the romance genre.
- Historical Fiction — The setting, events, and time period of the novel align with historical times, making it a work of historical fiction.
- Drama — Throughout the novel, there are dramatic interactions and scenarios between characters, which are indicative of drama.
Tags
courtship · romance · 19th century · British literature · social class · marriage · gender roles · character development · family dynamics · society · love · humor