tohear
it
.
"
"
Would
you
never
forgive
me
,
then
,
Nancy
—
never
think
well
of
me
,
let
what
would
happen
—
would
you
never
think
the
present
made
amends
for
the
past
?
Not
if
I
turned
a
good
fellow
,
and
gave
up
everything
you
did
n't
like
?
"
Godfrey
was
half
conscious
that
this
sudden
opportunity
of
speaking
to
Nancy
alone
had
driven
him
beside
himself
;
but
blind
feeling
had
got
the
mastery
of
his
tongue
.
Nancy
really
felt
much
agitated
by
the
possibility
Godfrey
's
words
suggested
,
but
this
very
pressure
of
emotion
that
she
was
in
danger
of
finding
too
strong
for
her
,
roused
all
her
power
of
self-command
.
"
I
should
be
glad
to
see
a
good
change
in
anybody
,
Mr
Godfrey
,
"
she
answered
,
with
the
slightest
discernible
difference
of
tone
,
"
but
it
'
ud
be
better
if
no
change
was
wanted
.
"
"
You
're
very
hard-hearted
,
Nancy
,
"
said
Godfrey
,
pettishly
.
"
You
might
encourage
me
to
be
a
better
fellow
.
I
'm
very
miserable
—
but
you
've
no
feeling
.
"
"
I
think
those
have
the
least
feeling
that
act
wrong
to
begin
with
,
"
said
Nancy
,
sending
out
a
flash
in
spite
of
herself
.
Godfrey
was
delighted
with
that
little
flash
,
and
would
have
liked
to
go
on
and
make
her
quarrel
with
him
;
Nancy
was
so
exasperatingly
quiet
and
firm
.
She
was
not
indifferent
to
him
yet
,
though
—
The
entrance
of
Priscilla
,
bustling
forward
and
saying
,
"
Dear
heart
alive
,
child
,
let
us
look
at
this
gown
,
"
cut
off
Godfrey
's
hopes
of
a
quarrel
.
"
I
suppose
I
must
go
now
,
"
he
said
to
Priscilla
.
"
It
's
no
matter
to
me
whether
you
go
or
stay
,
"
said
that
frank
lady
,
searching
for
something
in
her
pocket
,
with
a
preoccupied
brow
.
"
Do
you
want
me
to
go
?
"
said
Godfrey
,
looking
at
Nancy
,
who
was
now
standing
up
by
Priscilla
's
order
.
"
As
you
like
,
"
said
Nancy
,
trying
to
recover
all
her
former
coldness
,
and
looking
down
carefully
at
the
hem
of
her
gown
.
"
Then
I
like
to
stay
,
"
said
Godfrey
,
with
a
reckless
determination
to
get
as
much
of
this
joy
as
he
could
to-night
,
and
think
nothing
of
the
morrow
.
CHAPTER
XII
.
While
Godfrey
Cass
was
taking
draughts
of
forgetfulness
from
the
sweet
presence
of
Nancy
,
willingly
losing
all
sense
of
that
hidden
bond
which
at
other
moments
galled
and
fretted
him
so
as
to
mingle
irritation
with
the
very
sunshine
,
Godfrey
's
wife
was
walking
with
slow
uncertain
steps
through
the
snow-covered
Raveloe
lanes
,
carrying
her
child
in
her
arms
.
This
journey
on
New
Year
's
Eve
was
a
premeditated
act
of
vengeance
which
she
had
kept
in
her
heart
ever
since
Godfrey
,
in
a
fit
of
passion
,
had
told
her
he
would
sooner
die
than
acknowledge
her
as
his
wife
.
There
would
be
a
great
party
at
the
Red
House
on
New
Year
's
Eve
,
she
knew
:
her
husband
would
be
smiling
and
smiled
upon
,
hiding
her
existence
in
the
darkest
corner
of
his
heart
.
But
she
would
mar
his
pleasure
:
she
would
go
in
her
dingy
rags
,
with
her
faded
face
,
once
as
handsome
as
the
best
,
with
her
little
child
that
had
its
father
's
hair
and
eyes
,
and
disclose
herself
to
the
Squire
as
his
eldest
son
's
wife
.
It
is
seldom
that
the
miserable
can
help
regarding
their
misery
as
a
wrong
inflicted
by
those
who
are
less
miserable
.
Molly
knew
that
the
cause
of
her
dingy
rags
was
not
her
husband
's
neglect
,
but
the
demon
Opium
to
whom
she
was
enslaved
,
body
and
soul
,
except
in
the
lingering
mother
's
tenderness
that
refused
to
give
him
her
hungry
child
.
She
knew
this
well
;
and
yet
,
in
the
moments
of
wretched
unbenumbed
consciousness
,
the
sense
of
her
want
and
degradation
transformed
itself
continually
into
bitterness
towards
Godfrey
.
He
was
well
off
;
and
if
she
had
her
rights
she
would
be
well
off
too
.
The
belief
that
he
repented
his
marriage
,
and
suffered
from
it
,
only
aggravated
her
vindictiveness
.
Just
and
self-reproving
thoughts
do
not
come
to
us
too
thickly
,
even
in
the
purest
air
,
and
with
the
best
lessons
of
heaven
and
earth
;
how
should
those
white-winged
delicate
messengers
make
their
way
to
Molly
's
poisoned
chamber
,
inhabited
by
no
higher
memories
than
those
of
a
bar-maid
's
paradise
of
pink
ribbons
and
gentlemen
's
jokes
?
She
had
set
out
at
an
early
hour
,
but
had
lingered
on
the
road
,
inclined
by
her
indolence
to
believe
that
if
she
waited
under
a
warm
shed
the
snow
would
cease
to
fall
.
She
had
waited
longer
than
she
knew
,
and
now
that
she
found
herself
belated
in
the
snow-hidden
ruggedness
of
the
long
lanes
,
even
the
animation
of
a
vindictive
purpose
could
not
keep
her
spirit
from
failing
.
It
was
seven
o'clock
,
and
by
this
time
she
was
not
very
far
from
Raveloe
,
but
she
was
not
familiar
enough
with
those
monotonous
lanes
to
know
how
near
she
was
to
her
journey
's
end
.
She
needed
comfort
,
and
she
knew
but
one
comforter
—
the
familiar
demon
in
her
bosom
;
but
she
hesitated
a
moment
,
after
drawing
out
the
black
remnant
,
before
she
raised
it
to
her
lips
.
In
that
moment
the
mother
's
love
pleaded
for
painful
consciousness
rather
than
oblivion
—
pleaded
to
be
left
in
aching
weariness
,
rather
than
to
have
the
encircling
arms
benumbed
so
that
they
could
not
feel
the
dear
burden
.
In
another
moment
Molly
had
flung
something
away
,
but
it
was
not
the
black
remnant
—
it
was
an
empty
phial
.
And
she
walked
on
again
under
the
breaking
cloud
,
from
which
there
came
now
and
then
the
light
of
a
quickly-veiled
star
,
for
a
freezing
wind
had
sprung
up
since
the
snowing
had
ceased
.
But
she
walked
always
more
and
more
drowsily
,
and
clutched
more
and
more
automatically
the
sleeping
child
at
her
bosom
.
Slowly
the
demon
was
working
his
will
,
and
cold
and
weariness
were
his
helpers
.
Soon
she
felt
nothing
but
a
supreme
immediate
longing
that
curtained
off
all
futurity
—
the
longing
to
lie
down
and
sleep
.
She
had
arrived
at
a
spot
where
her
footsteps
were
no
longer
checked
by
a
hedgerow
,
and
she
had
wandered
vaguely
,
unable
to
distinguish
any
objects
,
notwithstanding
the
wide
whiteness
around
her
,
and
the
growing
starlight
.
She
sank
down
against
a
straggling
furze
bush
,
an
easy
pillow
enough
;
and
the
bed
of
snow
,
too
,
was
soft
.
She
did
not
feel
that
the
bed
was
cold
,
and
did
not
heed
whether
the
child
would
wake
and
cry
for
her
.
But
her
arms
did
not
yet
relax
their
instinctive
clutch
;
and
the
little
one
slumbered
on
as
gently
as
if
it
had
been
rocked
in
a
lace-trimmed
cradle
.
But
the
complete
torpor
came
at
last
:
the
fingers
lost
their
tension
,
the
arms
unbent
;
then
the
little
head
fell
away
from
the
bosom
,
and
the
blue
eyes
opened
wide
on
the
cold
starlight
.
At
first
there
was
a
little
peevish
cry
of
"
mammy
,
"
and
an
effort
to
regain
the
pillowing
arm
and
bosom
;
but
mammy
's
ear
was
deaf
,
and
the
pillow
seemed
to
be
slipping
away
backward
.
Suddenly
,
as
the
child
rolled
downward
on
its
mother
's
knees
,
all
wet
with
snow
,
its
eyes
were
caught
by
a
bright
glancing
light
on
the
white
ground
,
and
,
with
the
ready
transition
of
infancy
,
it
was
immediately
absorbed
in
watching
the
bright
living
thing
running
towards
it
,
yet
never
arriving
.
That
bright
living
thing
must
be
caught
;
and
in
an
instant
the
child
had
slipped
on
all-fours
,
and
held
out
one
little
hand
to
catch
the
gleam
.
But
the
gleam
would
not
be
caught
in
that
way
,
and
now
the
head
was
held
up
to
see
where
the
cunning
gleam
came
from
.
It
came
from
a
very
bright
place
;
and
the
little
one
,
rising
on
its
legs
,
toddled
through
the
snow
,
the
old
grimy
shawl
in
which
it
was
wrapped
trailing
behind
it
,
and
the
queer
little
bonnet
dangling
at
its
back
—
toddled
on
to
the
open
door
of
Silas
Marner
's
cottage
,
and
right
up
to
the
warm
hearth
,
where
there
was
a
bright
fire
of
logs
and
sticks
,
which
had
thoroughly
warmed
the
old
sack
(
Silas
's
greatcoat
)
spread
out
on
the
bricks
to
dry
.
The
little
one
,
accustomed
to
be
left
to
itself
for
long
hours
without
notice
from
its
mother
,
squatted
down
on
the
sack
,
and
spread
its
tiny
hands
towards
the
blaze
,
in
perfect
contentment
,
gurgling
and
making
many
inarticulate
communications
to
the
cheerful
fire
,
like
a
new-hatched
gosling
beginning
to
find
itself
comfortable
.
But
presently
the
warmth
had
a
lulling
effect
,
and
the
little
golden
head
sank
down
on
the
old
sack
,
and
the
blue
eyes
were
veiled
by
their
delicate
half-transparent
lids
.
But
where
was
Silas
Marner
while
this
stranger-visitor
had
come
to
his
hearth
?
He
was
in
the
cottage
,
but
he
did
not
see
the
child
.
During
the
last
few
weeks
,
since
he
had
lost
his
money
,
he
had
contracted
the
habit
of
opening
his
door
and
looking
out
from
time
to
time
,
as
if
he
thought
that
his
money
might
be
somehow
coming
back
to
him
,
or
that
some
trace
,
some
news
of
it
,
might
be
mysteriously
on
the
road
,
and
be
caught
by
the
listening
ear
or
the
straining
eye
.
It
was
chiefly
at
night
,
when
he
was
not
occupied
in
his
loom
,
that
he
fell
into
this
repetition
of
an
act
for
which
he
could
have
assigned
no
definite
purpose
,
and
which
can
hardly
be
understood
except
by
those
who
have
undergone
a
bewildering
separation
from
a
supremely
loved
object
.
In
the
evening
twilight
,
and
later
whenever
the
night
was
not
dark
,
Silas
looked
out
on
that
narrow
prospect
round
the
Stone-pits
,
listening
and
gazing
,
not
with
hope
,
but
with
mere
yearning
and
unrest
.
This
morning
he
had
been
told
by
some
of
his
neighbours
that
it
was
New
Year
's
Eve
,
and
that
he
must
sit
up
and
hear
the
old
year
rung
out
and
the
new
rung
in
,
because
that
was
good
luck
,
and
might
bring
his
money
back
again
.
This
was
only
a
friendly
Raveloe-way
of
jesting
with
the
half-crazy
oddities
of
a
miser
,
but
it
had
perhaps
helped
to
throw
Silas
into
a
more
than
usually
excited
state
.
Since
the
on-coming
of
twilight
he
had
opened
his
door
again
and
again
,
though
only
to
shut
it
immediately
at
seeing
all
distance
veiled
by
the
falling
snow
.
But
the
last
time
he
opened
it
the
snow
had
ceased
,
and
the
clouds
were
parting
here
and
there
.
He
stood
and
listened
,
and
gazed
for
a
long
while
—
there
was
really
something
on
the
road
coming
towards
him
then
,
but
he
caught
no
sign
of
it
;
and
the
stillness
and
the
wide
trackless
snow
seemed
to
narrow
his
solitude
,
and
touched
his
yearning
with
the
chill
of
despair
.
He
went
in
again
,
and
put
his
right
hand
on
the
latch
of
the
door
to
close
it
—
but
he
did
not
close
it
:
he
was
arrested
,
as
he
had
been
already
since
his
loss
,
by
the
invisible
wand
of
catalepsy
,
and
stood
like
a
graven
image
,
with
wide
but
sightless
eyes
,
holding
open
his
door
,
powerless
to
resist
either
the
good
or
evil
that
might
enter
there
.
When
Marner
's
sensibility
returned
,
he
continued
the
action
which
had
been
arrested
,
and
closed
his
door
,
unaware
of
the
chasm
in
his
consciousness
,
unaware
of
any
intermediate
change
,
except
that
the
light
had
grown
dim
,
and
that
he
was
chilled
and
faint
.
He
thought
he
had
been
too
long
standing
at
the
door
and
looking
out
.
Turning
towards
the
hearth
,
where
the
two
logs
had
fallen
apart
,
and
sent
forth
only
a
red
uncertain
glimmer
,
he
seated
himself
on
his
fireside
chair
,
and
was
stooping
to
push
his
logs
together
,
when
,
to
his
blurred
vision
,
it
seemed
as
if
there
were
gold
on
the
floor
in
front
of
the
hearth
.
Gold
!
—
his
own
gold
—
brought
back
to
him
as
mysteriously
as
it
had
been
taken
away
!
He
felt
his
heart
begin
to
beat
violently
,
and
for
a
few
moments
he
was
unable
to
stretch
out
his
hand
and
grasp
the
restored
treasure
.
The
heap
of
gold
seemed
to
glow
and
get
larger
beneath
his
agitated
gaze
.
He
leaned
forward
at
last
,
and
stretched
forth
his
hand
;
but
instead
of
the
hard
coin
with
the
familiar
resisting
outline
,
his
fingers
encountered
soft
warm
curls
.
In
utter
amazement
,
Silas
fell
on
his
knees
and
bent
his
head
low
to
examine
the
marvel
:
it
was
a
sleeping
child
—
a
round
,
fair
thing
,
with
soft
yellow
rings
all
over
its
head
.
Could
this
be
his
little
sister
come
back
to
him
in
a
dream
—
his
little
sister
whom
he
had
carried
about
in
his
arms
for
a
year
before
she
died
,
when
he
was
a
small
boy
without
shoes
or
stockings
?
That
was
the
first
thought
that
darted
across
Silas
's
blank
wonderment
.
Was
it
a
dream
?
He
rose
to
his
feet
again
,
pushed
his
logs
together
,
and
,
throwing
on
some
dried
leaves
and
sticks
,
raised
a
flame
;
but
the
flame
did
not
disperse
the
vision
—
it
only
lit
up
more
distinctly
the
little
round
form
of
the
child
and
its
shabby
clothing
.
It
was
very
much
like
his
little
sister
.
Silas
sank
into
his
chair
powerless
,
under
the
double
presence
of
an
inexplicable
surprise
and
a
hurrying
influx
of
memories
.
How
and
when
had
the
child
come
in
without
his
knowledge
?
He
had
never
been
beyond
the
door
.
But
along
with
that
question
,
and
almost
thrusting
it
away
,
there
was
a
vision
of
the
old
home
and
the
old
streets
leading
to
Lantern
Yard
—
and
within
that
vision
another
,
of
the
thoughts
which
had
been
present
with
him
in
those
far-off
scenes
.
The
thoughts
were
strange
to
him
now
,
like
old
friendships
impossible
to
revive
;
and
yet
he
had
a
dreamy
feeling
that
this
child
was
somehow
a
message
come
to
him
from
that
far-off
life
:
it
stirred
fibres
that
had
never
been
moved
in
Raveloe
—
old
quiverings
of
tenderness
—
old
impressions
of
awe
at
the
presentiment
of
some
Power
presiding
over
his
life
;
for
his
imagination
had
not
yet
extricated
itself
from
the
sense
of
mystery
in
the
child
's
sudden
presence
,
and
had
formed
no
conjectures
of
ordinary
natural
means
by
which
the
event
could
have
been
brought
about
.
But
there
was
a
cry
on
the
hearth
:
the
child
had
awaked
,
and
Marner
stooped
to
lift
it
on
his
knee
.
It
clung
round
his
neck
,
and
burst
louder
and
louder
into
that
mingling
of
inarticulate
cries
with
"
mammy
"
by
which
little
children
express
the
bewilderment
of
waking
.
Silas
pressed
it
to
him
,
and
almost
unconsciously
uttered
sounds
of
hushing
tenderness
,
while
he
bethought
himself
that
some
of
his
porridge
,
which
had
got
cool
by
the
dying
fire
,
would
do
to
feed
the
child
with
if
it
were
only
warmed
up
a
little
.
He
had
plenty
to
do
through
the
next
hour
.
The
porridge
,
sweetened
with
some
dry
brown
sugar
from
an
old
store
which
he
had
refrained
from
using
for
himself
,
stopped
the
cries
of
the
little
one
,
and
made
her
lift
her
blue
eyes
with
a
wide
quiet
gaze
at
Silas
,
as
he
put
the
spoon
into
her
mouth
.
Presently
she
slipped
from
his
knee
and
began
to
toddle
about
,
but
with
a
pretty
stagger
that
made
Silas
jump
up
and
follow
her
lest
she
should
fall
against
anything
that
would
hurt
her
.
But
she
only
fell
in
a
sitting
posture
on
the
ground
,
and
began
to
pull
at
her
boots
,
looking
up
at
him
with
a
crying
face
as
if
the
boots
hurt
her
.
He
took
her
on
his
knee
again
,
but
it
was
some
time
before
it
occurred
to
Silas
's
dull
bachelor
mind
that
the
wet
boots
were
the
grievance
,
pressing
on
her
warm
ankles
.
He
got
them
off
with
difficulty
,
and
baby
was
at
once
happily
occupied
with
the
primary
mystery
of
her
own
toes
,
inviting
Silas
,
with
much
chuckling
,
to
consider
the
mystery
too
.
But
the
wet
boots
had
at
last
suggested
to
Silas
that
the
child
had
been
walking
on
the
snow
,
and
this
roused
him
from
his
entire
oblivion
of
any
ordinary
means
by
which
it
could
have
entered
or
been
brought
into
his
house
.
Under
the
prompting
of
this
new
idea
,
and
without
waiting
to
form
conjectures
,
he
raised
the
child
in
his
arms
,
and
went
to
the
door
.
As
soon
as
he
had
opened
it
,
there
was
the
cry
of
"
mammy
"
again
,
which
Silas
had
not
heard
since
the
child
's
first
hungry
waking
.
Bending
forward
,
he
could
just
discern
the
marks
made
by
the
little
feet
on
the
virgin
snow
,
and
he
followed
their
track
to
the
furze
bushes
.
"
Mammy
!
"
the
little
one
cried
again
and
again
,
stretching
itself
forward
so
as
almost
to
escape
from
Silas
's
arms
,
before
he
himself
was
aware
that
there
was
something
more
than
the
bush
before
him
—
that
there
was
a
human
body
,
with
the
head
sunk
low
in
the
furze
,
and
half-covered
with
the
shaken
snow
.
CHAPTER
XIII
.
It
was
after
the
early
supper-time
at
the
Red
House
,
and
the
entertainment
was
in
that
stage
when
bashfulness
itself
had
passed
into
easy
jollity
,
when
gentlemen
,
conscious
of
unusual
accomplishments
,
could
at
length
be
prevailed
on
to
dance
a
hornpipe
,
and
when
the
Squire
preferred
talking
loudly
,
scattering
snuff
,
and
patting
his
visitors
'
backs
,
to
sitting
longer
at
the
whist-table
—
a
choice
exasperating
to
uncle
Kimble
,
who
,
being
always
volatile
in
sober
business
hours
,
became
intense
and
bitter
over
cards
and
brandy
,
shuffled
before
his
adversary
's
deal
with
a
glare
of
suspicion
,
and
turned
up
a
mean
trump-card
with
an
air
of
inexpressible
disgust
,
as
if
in
a
world
where
such
things
could
happen
one
might
as
well
enter
on
a
course
of
reckless
profligacy
.
When
the
evening
had
advanced
to
this
pitch
of
freedom
and
enjoyment
,
it
was
usual
for
the
servants
,
the
heavy
duties
of
supper
being
well
over
,
to
get
their
share
of
amusement
by
coming
to
look
on
at
the
dancing
;
so
that
the
back
regions
of
the
house
were
left
in
solitude
.
There
were
two
doors
by
which
the
White
Parlour
was
entered
from
the
hall
,
and
they
were
both
standing
open
for
the
sake
of
air
;
but
the
lower
one
was
crowded
with
the
servants
and
villagers
,
and
only
the
upper
doorway
was
left
free
.
Bob
Cass
was
figuring
in
a
hornpipe
,
and
his
father
,
very
proud
of
this
lithe
son
,
whom
he
repeatedly
declared
to
be
just
like
himself
in
his
young
days
,
in
a
tone
that
implied
this
to
be
the
very
highest
stamp
of
juvenile
merit
,
was
the
centre
of
a
group
who
had
placed
themselves
opposite
the
performer
,
not
far
from
the
upper
door
.
Godfrey
was
standing
a
little
way
off
,
not
to
admire
his
brother
's
dancing
,
but
to
keep
sight
of
Nancy
,
who
was
seated
in
the
group
,
near
her
father
.
He
stood
aloof
,
because
he
wished
to
avoid
suggesting
himself
as
a
subject
for
the
Squire
's
fatherly
jokes
in
connection
with
matrimony
and
Miss
Nancy
Lammeter
's
beauty
,
which
were
likely
to
become
more
and
more
explicit
.
But
he
had
the
prospect
of
dancing
with
her
again
when
the
hornpipe
was
concluded
,
and
in
the
meanwhile
it
was
very
pleasant
to
get
long
glances
at
her
quite
unobserved
.
But
when
Godfrey
was
lifting
his
eyes
from
one
of
those
long
glances
,
they
encountered
an
object
as
startling
to
him
at
that
moment
as
if
it
had
been
an
apparition
from
the
dead
.
It
was
an
apparition
from
that
hidden
life
which
lies
,
like
a
dark
by-street
,
behing
the
goodly
ornamented
facade
that
meets
the
sunlight
and
the
gaze
of
respectable
admirers
.
It
was
his
own
child
,
carried
in
Silas
Marner
's
arms
.
That
was
his
instantaneous
impression
,
unaccompanied
by
doubt
,
though
he
had
not
seen
the
child
for
months
past
;
and
when
the
hope
was
rising
that
he
might
possibly
be
mistaken
,
Mr
Crackenthorp
and
Mr
Lammeter
had
already
advanced
to
Silas
,
in
astonishment
at
this
strange
advent
.
Godfrey
joined
them
immediately
,
unable
to
rest
without
hearing
every
word
—
trying
to
control
himself
,
but
conscious
that
if
any
one
noticed
him
,
they
must
see
that
he
was
white-lipped
and
trembling
.
But
now
all
eyes
at
that
end
of
the
room
were
bent
on
Silas
Marner
;
the
Squire
himself
had
risen
,
and
asked
angrily
,
"
How
's
this
?
—
what
's
this
?
—
what
do
you
do
coming
in
here
in
this
way
?
"
"
I
'm
come
for
the
doctor
—
I
want
the
doctor
,
"
Silas
had
said
,
in
the
first
moment
,
to
Mr
Crackenthorp
.
"
Why
,
what
's
the
matter
,
Marner
?
"
said
the
rector
.
"
The
doctor
's
here
;
but
say
quietly
what
you
want
him
for
.
"
"
It
's
a
woman
,
"
said
Silas
,
speaking
low
,
and
half-breathlessly
,
just
as
Godfrey
came
up
.
"
She
's
dead
,
I
think
—
dead
in
the
snow
at
the
Stone-pits
—
not
far
from
my
door
.
"
Godfrey
felt
a
great
throb
:
there
was
one
terror
in
his
mind
at
that
moment
:
it
was
,
that
the
woman
might
not
be
dead
.
That
was
an
evil
terror
—
an
ugly
inmate
to
have
found
a
nestling-place
in
Godfrey
's
kindly
disposition
;
but
no
disposition
is
a
security
from
evil
wishes
to
a
man
whose
happiness
hangs
on
duplicity
.
"
Hush
,
hush
!
"
said
Mr
Crackenthorp
.
"
Go
out
into
the
hall
there
.
I
'll
fetch
the
doctor
to
you
.
Found
a
woman
in
the
snow
—
and
thinks
she
's
dead
,
"
he
added
,
speaking
low
to
the
Squire
.
"
Better
say
as
little
about
it
as
possible
:
it
will
shock
the
ladies
.
Just
tell
them
a
poor
woman
is
ill
from
cold
and
hunger
.
I
'll
go
and
fetch
Kimble
.
"
By
this
time
,
however
,
the
ladies
had
pressed
forward
,
curious
to
know
what
could
have
brought
the
solitary
linen-weaver
there
under
such
strange
circumstances
,
and
interested
in
the
pretty
child
,
who
,
half
alarmed
and
half
attracted
by
the
brightness
and
the
numerous
company
,
now
frowned
and
hid
her
face
,
now
lifted
up
her
head
again
and
looked
round
placably
,
until
a
touch
or
a
coaxing
word
brought
back
the
frown
,
and
made
her
bury
her
face
with
new
determination
.
"
What
child
is
it
?
"
said
several
ladies
at
once
,
and
,
among
the
rest
,
Nancy
Lammeter
,
addressing
Godfrey
.
"
I
do
n't
know
—
some
poor
woman
's
who
has
been
found
in
the
snow
,
I
believe
,
"
was
the
answer
Godfrey
wrung
from
himself
with
a
terrible
effort
.
(
"
After
all
,
am
I
certain
?
"
he
hastened
to
add
,
silently
,
in
anticipation
of
his
own
conscience
.
)
"
Why
,
you
'd
better
leave
the
child
here
,
then
,
Master
Marner
,
"
said
good-natured
Mrs
Kimble
,
hesitating
,
however
,
to
take
those
dingy
clothes
into
contact
with
her
own
ornamented
satin
boddice
.
"
I
'll
tell
one
o
'
the
girls
to
fetch
it
.
"
"
No
—
no
—
I
ca
n't
part
with
it
,
I
ca
n't
let
it
go
,
"
said
Silas
,
abruptly
.
"
It
's
come
to
me
—
I
've
a
right
to
keep
it
.
"
The
proposition
to
take
the
child
from
him
had
come
to
Sials
quite
unexpectedly
,
and
his
speech
,
uttered
under
a
strong
sudden
impulse
,
was
almost
like
a
revelation
to
himself
:
a
minute
before
,
he
had
no
distinct
intention
about
the
child
.
"
Did
you
ever
hear
the
like
?
"
said
Mrs
Kimble
,
in
mild
surprise
,
to
her
neighbour
.
"
Now
,
ladies
,
I
must
trouble
you
to
stand
aside
,
"
said
Mr
Kimble
,
coming
from
the
cardroom
,
in
some
bitterness
at
the
interruption
,
but
drilled
by
the
long
habit
of
his
profession
into
obedience
to
unpleasant
calls
,
even
when
he
was
hardly
sober
.
"
It
's
a
nasty
business
turning
out
now
,
eh
,
Kimble
?
"
said
the
Squire
.
"
He
might
ha
'
gone
for
your
young
fellow
—
the
'
prentice
,
there
—
what
's
his
name
?
"
"
Might
?
ay
—
what
's
the
use
of
talking
about
might
?
"
growled
uncle
Kimble
,
hastening
out
with
Marner
,
and
followed
by
Mr
Crackenthorp
and
Godfrey
.
"
Get
me
a
pair
of
thick
boots
,
Godfrey
,
will
you
?
And
stay
,
let
somebody
run
to
Winthrop
's
and
fetch
Dolly
—
she
's
the
best
woman
to
get
.
Ben
was
here
himself
before
supper
;
is
he
gone
?
"
"
Yes
,
sir
,
I
met
him
,
"
said
Marner
;
"
but
I
could
n't
stop
to
tell
him
anything
,
only
I
said
I
was
going
for
the
doctor
,
and
he
said
the
doctor
was
at
the
Squire
's
.
And
I
made
haste
and
ran
,
and
there
was
nobody
to
be
seen
at
the
back
o
'
the
house
,
and
so
I
went
in
to
where
the
company
was
.
"
The
child
,
no
longer
distracted
by
the
bright
light
and
the
smiling
women
's
faces
,
began
to
cry
and
call
for
"
mammy
,
"
though
always
clinging
to
Marner
,
who
had
apparently
won
her
thorough
confidence
.
Godfrey
had
come
back
with
the
boots
,
and
felt
the
cry
as
if
some
fibre
were
drawn
tight
within
him
.
"
I
'll
go
,
"
he
said
,
hastily
,
eager
for
some
movement
;
"
I
'll
go
and
fetch
the
woman
—
Mrs
Winthrop
.
"
"
O
,
pooh
—
send
somebody
else
,
"
said
uncle
Kimble
,
hurrying
away
with
Marner
.
"
You
'll
let
me
know
if
I
can
be
of
any
use
,
Kimble
,
"
said
Mr
Crackenthorp
.
But
the
doctor
was
out
of
hearing
.
Godfrey
,
too
,
had
disappeared
:
he
was
gone
to
snatch
his
hat
and
coat
,
having
just
reflection
enough
to
remember
that
he
must
not
look
like
a
madman
;
but
he
rushed
out
of
the
house
into
the
snow
without
heeding
his
thin
shoes
.
In
a
few
minutes
he
was
on
his
rapid
way
to
the
Stone-pits
by
the
side
of
Dolly
,
who
,
though
feeling
that
she
was
entirely
in
her
place
in
encountering
cold
and
snow
on
an
errand
of
mercy
,
was
much
concerned
at
a
young
gentleman
's
getting
his
feet
wet
under
a
like
impulse
.
"
You
'd
a
deal
better
go
back
,
sir
,
"
said
Dolly
,
with
respectful
compassion
.
"
You
've
no
call
to
catch
cold
;
and
I
'd
ask
you
if
you
'd
be
so
good
as
tell
my
husband
to
come
,
on
your
way
back
—
he
's
at
the
Rainbow
,
I
doubt
—
if
you
found
him
anyway
sober
enough
to
be
o
'
use
.
Or
else
,
there
's
Mrs
Snell
'
ud
happen
send
the
boy
up
to
fetch
and
carry
,
for
there
may
be
things
wanted
from
the
doctor
's
.
"
"
No
,
I
'll
stay
,
now
I
'm
once
out
—
I
'll
stay
outside
here
,
"
said
Godfrey
,
when
they
came
opposite
Marner
's
cottage
.
"
You
can
come
and
tell
me
if
I
can
do
anything
.
"
"
Well
,
sir
,
you
're
very
good
:
you
've
a
tender
heart
,
"
said
Dolly
,
going
to
the
door
.
Godfrey
was
too
painfully
preoccupied
to
feel
a
twinge
of
self-reproach
at
this
undeserved
praise
.
He
walked
up
and
down
,
unconscious
that
he
was
plunging
ankle-deep
in
snow
,
unconscious
of
everything
but
trembling
suspense
about
what
was
going
on
in
the
cottage
,
and
the
effect
of
each
alternative
on
his
future
lot
.
No
,
not
quite
unconscious
of
everything
else
.
Deeper
down
,
and
half-smothered
by
passionate
desire
and
dread
,
there
was
the
sense
that
he
ought
not
to
be
waiting
on
these
alternatives
;
that
he
ought
to
accept
the
consequences
of
his
deeds
,
own
the
miserable
wife
,
and
fulfil
the
claims
of
the
helpless
child
.
But
he
had
not
moral
courage
enough
to
contemplate
that
active
renunciation
of
Nancy
as
possible
for
him
:
he
had
only
conscience
and
heart
enough
to
make
him
for
ever
uneasy
under
the
weakness
that
forbade
the
renunciation
.
And
at
this
moment
his
mind
leaped
away
from
all
restraint
toward
the
sudden
prospect
of
deliverance
from
his
long
bondage
.
"
Is
she
dead
?
"
said
the
voice
that
predominated
over
every
other
within
him
.
"
If
she
is
,
I
may
marry
Nancy
;
and
then
I
shall
be
a
good
fellow
in
future
,
and
have
no
secrets
,
and
the
child
—
shall
be
taken
care
of
somehow
.
"
But
across
that
vision
came
the
other
possibility
—
"
She
may
live
,
and
then
it
's
all
up
with
me
.
"
Godfrey
never
knew
how
long
it
was
before
the
door
of
the
cottage
opened
and
Mr
Kimble
came
out
.
He
went
forward
to
meet
his
uncle
,
prepared
to
suppress
the
agitation
he
must
feel
,
whatever
news
he
was
to
hear
.
"
I
waited
for
you
,
as
I
'd
come
so
far
,
"
he
said
,
speaking
first
.
"
Pooh
,
it
was
nonsense
for
you
to
come
out
:
why
did
n't
you
send
one
of
the
men
?
There
's
nothing
to
be
done
.
She
's
dead
—
has
been
dead
for
hours
,
I
should
say
.
"
"
What
sort
of
woman
is
she
?
"
said
Godfrey
,
feeling
the
blood
rush
to
his
face
.
"
A
young
woman
,
but
emaciated
,
with
long
black
hair
.
Some
vagrant
—
quite
in
rags
.
She
's
got
a
wedding-ring
on
,
however
.
They
must
fetch
her
away
to
the
workhouse
to-morrow
.
Come
,
come
along
.
"
"
I
want
to
look
at
her
,
"
said
Godfrey
.
"
I
think
I
saw
such
a
woman
yesterday
.
I
'll
overtake
you
in
a
minute
or
two
.
"
Mr
Kimble
went
on
,
and
Godfrey
turned
back
to
the
cottage
.
He
cast
only
one
glance
at
the
dead
face
on
the
pillow
,
which
Dolly
had
smoothed
with
decent
care
;
but
he
remembered
that
last
look
at
his
unhappy
hated
wife
so
well
,
that
at
the
end
of
sixteen
years
every
line
in
the
worn
face
was
present
to
him
when
he
told
the
full
story
of
this
night
.
He
turned
immediately
towards
the
hearth
where
Silas
Marner
sat
lulling
the
child
.
She
was
perfectly
quiet
now
,
but
not
asleep
—
only
soothed
by
sweet
porridge
and
warmth
into
that
wide-gazing
calm
which
makes
us
older
human
beings
,
with
our
inward
turmoil
,
feel
a
certain
awe
in
the
presence
of
a
little
child
,
such
as
we
feel
before
some
quiet
majesty
or
beauty
in
the
earth
or
sky
—
before
a
steady-glowing
planet
,
or
a
full-flowered
eglantine
,
or
the
bending
trees
over
a
silent
pathway
.
The
wide-open
blue
eyes
looked
up
at
Godfrey
's
without
any
uneasiness
or
sign
of
recognition
:
the
child
could
make
no
visible
audible
claim
on
its
father
;
and
the
father
felt
a
strange
mixture
of
feelings
,
a
conflict
of
regret
and
joy
,
that
the
pulse
of
that
little
heart
had
no
response
for
the
half-jealous
yearning
in
his
own
,
when
the
blue
eyes
turned
away
from
him
slowly
,
and
fixed
themselves
on
the
weaver
's
queer
face
,
which
was
bent
low
down
to
look
at
them
,
while
the
small
hand
began
to
pull
Marner
's
withered
cheek
with
loving
disfiguration
.
"
You
'll
take
the
child
to
the
parish
tomorrow
?
"
asked
Godfrey
,
speaking
as
indifferently
as
he
could
.
"
Who
says
so
?
"
said
Marner
,
sharply
.
"
Will
they
make
me
take
her
?
"
"
Why
,
you
would
n't
like
to
keep
her
,
should
you
—
an
old
bachelor
like
you
?
"
"
Till
anybody
shows
they
've
a
right
to
take
her
away
from
me
,
"
said
Marner
.
"
The
mother
's
dead
,
and
I
reckon
it
's
got
no
father
:
it
's
a
lone
thing
—
and
I
'm
a
lone
thing
.
My
money
's
gone
,
I
do
n't
know
where
—
and
this
is
come
from
I
do
n't
know
where
.
I
know
nothing
—
I
'm
partly
mazed
.
"
"
Poor
little
thing
!
"
said
Godfrey
.
"
Let
me
give
something
towards
finding
it
clothes
.
"
He
had
put
his
hand
in
his
pocket
and
found
half-a-guinea
,
and
,
thrusting
it
into
Silas
's
hand
,
he
hurried
out
of
the
cottage
to
overtake
Mr
Kimble
.
"
Ah
,
I
see
it
's
not
the
same
woman
I
saw
,
"
he
said
,
as
he
came
up
.
"
It
's
a
pretty
little
child
:
the
old
fellow
seems
to
want
to
keep
it
;
that
's
strange
for
a
miser
like
him
.
But
I
gave
him
a
trifle
to
help
him
out
:
the
parish
is
n't
likely
to
quarrel
with
him
for
the
right
to
keep
the
child
.
"
"
No
;
but
I
've
seen
the
time
when
I
might
have
quarrelled
with
him
for
it
myself
.
It
's
too
late
now
,
though
.
If
the
child
ran
into
the
fire
,
your
aunt
's
too
fat
to
overtake
it
:
she
could
only
sit
and
grunt
like
an
alarmed
sow
.
But
what
a
fool
you
are
,
Godfrey
,
to
come
out
in
your
dancing
shoes
and
stockings
in
this
way
—
and
you
one
of
the
beaux
of
the
evening
,
and
at
your
own
house
!
What
do
you
mean
by
such
freaks
,
young
fellow
?
Has
Miss
Nancy
been
cruel
,
and
do
you
want
to
spite
her
by
spoiling
your
pumps
?
"
"
O
,
everything
has
been
disagreeable
to-night
.
I
was
tired
to
death
of
jigging
and
gallanting
,
and
that
bother
about
the
horn-pipes
.
And
I
'd
got
to
dance
with
the
other
Miss
Gunn
,
"
said
Godfrey
,
glad
of
the
subterfuge
his
uncle
had
suggested
to
him
.
The
prevarication
and
white
lies
which
a
mind
that
keeps
itself
ambitiously
pure
is
as
uneasy
under
as
a
great
artist
under
the
false
touches
that
no
eye
detects
but
his
own
,
are
worn
as
lightly
as
mere
trimmings
when
once
the
actions
have
become
a
lie
.
Godfrey
reappeared
in
the
White
Parlour
with
dry
feet
,
and
,
since
the
truth
must
be
told
,
with
a
sense
of
relief
and
gladness
that
was
too
strong
for
painful
thoughts
to
struggle
with
.
For
could
he
not
venture
now
,
whenever
opportunity
offered
,
to
say
the
tenderest
things
to
Nancy
Lammeter
—
to
promise
her
and
himself
that
he
would
always
be
just
what
she
would
desire
to
see
him
?
There
was
no
danger
that
his
dead
wife
would
be
recognised
:
those
were
not
days
of
active
inquiry
and
wide
report
;
and
as
for
the
registry
of
their
marriage
,
that
was
a
long
way
off
,
buried
in
unturned
pages
,
away
from
every
one
's
interest
but
his
own
.
Dunsey
might
betray
him
if
he
came
back
;
but
Dunsey
might
be
won
to
silence
.
And
when
events
turn
out
so
much
better
for
a
man
than
he
has
had
reason
to
dread
,
is
it
not
a
proof
that
his
conduct
has
been
less
foolish
and
blameworthy
than
it
might
otherwise
have
appeared
?
When
we
are
treated
well
,
we
naturally
begin
to
think
that
we
are
not
altogether
unmeritorious
,
and
that
it
is
only
just
we
should
treat
ourselves
well
,
and
not
mar
our
own
good
fortune
.
Where
,
after
all
,
would
be
the
use
of
his
confessing
the
past
to
Nancy
Lammeter
,
and
throwing
away
his
happiness
?
—
nay
,
hers
?
for
he
felt
some
confidence
that
she
loved
him
.
As
for
the
child
,
he
would
see
that
it
was
cared
for
:
he
would
never
forsake
it
;
he
would
do
everything
but
own
it
.
Perhaps
it
would
be
just
as
happy
in
life
without
being
owned
by
its
father
,
seeing
that
nobody
could
tell
how
things
would
turn
out
,
and
that
—
is
there
any
other
reason
wanted
?
—
well
,
then
,
that
the
father
would
be
much
happier
without
owning
the
child
.
CHAPTER
XIV
.
There
was
a
pauper
's
burial
that
week
in
Raveloe
,
and
up
Kench
Yard
at
Batherley
it
was
known
that
the
dark-haired
woman
with
the
fair
child
,
who
had
lately
come
to
lodge
there
,
was
gone
away
again
.
That
was
all
the
express
note
taken
that
Molly
had
disappeared
from
the
eyes
of
men
.
But
the
unwept
death
which
,
to
the
general
lot
,
seemed
as
trivial
as
the
summer-shed
leaf
,
was
charged
with
the
force
of
destiny
to
certain
human
lives
that
we
know
of
,
shaping
their
joys
and
sorrows
even
to
the
end
.
Silas
Marner
's
determination
to
keep
the
"
tramp
's
child
"
was
matter
of
hardly
less
surprising
and
iterated
talk
in
the
village
than
the
robbery
of
his
money
.
That
softening
of
feeling
towards
him
which
dated
from
his
misfortune
,
that
merging
of
suspicion
and
dislike
in
a
rather
contemptuous
pity
for
him
as
lone
and
crazy
,
was
now
accompanied
with
a
more
active
sympathy
,
especially
amongst
the
women
.
Notable
mothers
,
who
knew
what
it
was
to
keep
children
"
whole
and
sweet
;
"
lazy
mothers
,
who
knew
what
it
was
to
be
interrupted
in
folding
their
arms
and
scratching
their
elbows
by
the
mischievous
propensities
of
children
just
firm
on
their
legs
,
were
equally
interested
in
conjecturing
how
a
lone
man
would
manage
with
a
two-year-old
child
on
his
hands
,
and
were
equally
ready
with
their
suggestions
:
the
notable
chiefly
telling
him
what
he
had
better
do
,
and
the
lazy
ones
being
emphatic
in
telling
him
what
he
would
never
be
able
to
do
.
Among
the
notable
mothers
,
Dolly
Winthrop
was
the
one
whose
neighbourly
offices
were
the
most
acceptable
to
Marner
,
for
they
were
rendered
without
any
show
of
bustling
instruction
.
Silas
had
shown
her
the
half-guinea
given
to
him
by
Godfrey
,
and
had
asked
her
what
he
should
do
about
getting
some
clothes
for
the
child
.
"
Eh
,
Master
Marner
,
"
said
Dolly
,
"
there
's
no
call
to
buy
,
no
more
nor
a
pair
o
'
shoes
;
for
I
've
got
the
little
petticoats
as
Aaron
wore
five
years
ago
,
and
it
's
ill
spending
the
money
on
them
baby-clothes
,
for
the
child
'
ull
grow
like
grass
i
'
May
,
bless
it
—
that
it
will
.
"
And
the
same
day
Dolly
brought
her
bundle
,
and
displayed
to
Marner
,
one
by
one
,
the
tiny
garments
in
their
due
order
of
succession
,
most
of
them
patched
and
darned
,
but
clean
and
neat
as
fresh-sprung
herbs
.
This
was
the
introduction
to
a
great
ceremony
with
soap
and
water
,
from
which
baby
came
out
in
new
beauty
,
and
sat
on
Dolly
's
knee
,
handling
her
toes
and
chuckling
and
patting
her
palms
together
with
an
air
of
having
made
several
discoveries
about
herself
,
which
she
communicated
by
alternate
sounds
of
"
gug-gug-gug
,
"
and
"
mammy
.
"
The
"
mammy
"
was
not
a
cry
of
need
or
uneasiness
:
Baby
had
been
used
to
utter
it
without
expecting
either
tender
sound
or
touch
to
follow
.
"
Anybody
'
ud
think
the
angils
in
heaven
could
n't
be
prettier
,
"
said
Dolly
,
rubbing
the
golden
curls
and
kissing
them
.
"
And
to
think
of
its
being
covered
wi
'
them
dirty
rags
—
and
the
poor
mother
—
froze
to
death
;
but
there
's
Them
as
took
care
of
it
,
and
brought
it
to
your
door
,
Master
Marner
.
The
door
was
open
,
and
it
walked
in
over
the
snow
,
like
as
if
it
had
been
a
little
starved
robin
.
Did
n't
you
say
the
door
was
open
?
"
"
Yes
,
"
said
Silas
,
meditatively
.
"
Yes
—
the
door
was
open
.
The
money
's
gone
I
do
n't
know
where
,
and
this
is
come
from
I
do
n't
know
where
.
"
He
had
not
mentioned
to
any
one
his
unconsciousness
of
the
child
's
entrance
,
shrinking
from
questions
which
might
lead
to
the
fact
he
himself
suspected
—
namely
,
that
he
had
been
in
one
of
his
trances
.
"
Ah
,
"
said
Dolly
,
with
soothing
gravity
,
"
it
's
like
the
night
and
the
morning
,
and
the
sleeping
and
the
waking
,
and
the
rain
and
the
harvest
—
one
goes
and
the
other
comes
,
and
we
know
nothing
how
nor
where
.
We
may
strive
and
scrat
and
fend
,
but
it
's
little
we
can
do
arter
all
—
the
big
things
come
and
go
wi
'
no
striving
o
'
our'n
—
they
do
,
that
they
do
;
and
I
think
you
're
in
the
right
on
it
to
keep
the
little
un
,
Master
Marner
,
seeing
as
it
's
been
sent
to
you
,
though
there
's
folks
as
thinks
different
.
You
'll
happen
be
a
bit
moithered
with
it
while
it
's
so
little
;
but
I
'll
come
,
and
welcome
,
and
see
to
it
for
you
:
I
've
a
bit
o
'
time
to
spare
most
days
,
for
when
one
gets
up
be-times
i
'
the
morning
,
the
clock
seems
to
stan
'
still
tow'rt
ten
,
afore
it
's
time
to
go
about
the
victual
.
So
,
as
I
say
,
I
'll
come
and
see
to
the
child
for
you
,
and
welcome
.
"
"
Thank
you
...
kindly
,
"
said
Silas
,
hesitating
a
little
.
"
I
'll
be
glad
if
you
'll
tell
me
things
.
But
,
"
he
added
,
uneasily
,
leaning
forward
to
look
at
Baby
with
some
jealousy
,
as
she
was
resting
her
head
backward
against
Dolly
's
arm
,
and
eyeing
him
contentedly
from
a
distance
—
"
But
I
want
to
do
things
for
it
myself
,
else
it
may
get
fond
o
'
somebody
else
,
and
not
fond
o
'
me
.
I
've
been
used
to
fending
for
myself
in
the
house
—
I
can
learn
,
I
can
learn
.
"
"
Eh
,
to
be
sure
,
"
said
Dolly
,
gently
.
"
I
've
seen
men
as
are
wonderful
handy
wi
'
children
.
The
men
are
awk'ard
and
contrairy
mostly
,
God
help
'
em
—
but
when
the
drink
's
out
of
'
em
,
they
are
n't
unsensible
,
though
they
're
bad
for
leeching
and
bandaging
—
so
fiery
and
unpatient
.
You
see
this
goes
first
,
next
the
skin
,
"
proceeded
Dolly
,
taking
up
the
little
shirt
,
and
putting
it
on
.
"
Yes
,
"
said
Marner
,
docilely
,
bringing
his
eyes
very
close
,
that
they
might
be
initiated
in
the
mysteries
;
whereupon
Baby
seized
his
head
with
both
her
small
arms
,
and
put
her
lips
against
his
face
with
purring
noises
.
"
See
there
,
"
said
Dolly
,
with
a
woman
's
tender
tact
,
"
she
's
fondest
o
'
you
.
She
wants
to
go
o
'
your
lap
,
I
'll
be
bound
.
Go
,
then
:
take
her
,
Master
Marner
;
you
can
put
the
things
on
,
and
then
you
can
say
as
you
've
done
for
her
from
the
first
of
her
coming
to
you
.
"
Marner
took
her
on
his
lap
,
trembling
with
an
emotion
mysterious
to
himself
,
at
something
unknown
dawning
on
his
life
.
Thought
and
feeling
were
so
confused
within
him
,
that
if
he
had
tried
to
give
them
utterance
,
he
could
only
have
said
that
the
child
was
come
instead
of
the
gold
—
that
the
gold
had
turned
into
the
child
.
He
took
the
garments
from
Dolly
,
and
put
them
on
under
her
teaching
;
interrupted
,
of
course
,
by
Baby
's
gymnastics
.
"
There
,
then
!
why
,
you
take
to
it
quite
easy
,
Master
Marner
,
"
said
Dolly
;
"
but
what
shall
you
do
when
you
're
forced
to
sit
in
your
loom
?
For
she
'll
get
busier
and
mischievouser
every
day
—
she
will
,
bless
her
.
It
's
lucky
as
you
've
got
that
high
hearth
i'stead
of
a
grate
,
for
that
keeps
the
fire
more
out
of
her
reach
;
but
if
you
've
got
anything
as
can
be
spilt
or
broke
,
or
as
is
fit
to
cut
her
fingers
off
,
she
'll
be
at
it
—
and
it
is
but
right
you
should
know
.
"
Silas
meditated
a
little
while
in
some
perplexity
.
"
I
'll
tie
her
to
the
leg
o
'
the
loom
,
"
he
said
at
last
—
"
tie
her
with
a
good
long
strip
o
'
something
.
"
"
Well
,
mayhap
that
'll
do
,
as
it
's
a
little
gell
,
for
they
're
easier
persuaded
to
sit
i
'
one
place
nor
the
lads
.
I
know
what
the
lads
are
;
for
I
've
had
four
—
four
I
've
had
,
God
knows
—
and
if
you
was
to
take
and
tie
'
em
up
,
they
'd
make
a
fighting
and
a
crying
as
if
you
was
ringing
pigs
.
But
I
'll
bring
you
my
little
chair
,
and
some
bits
o
'
red
rag
and
things
for
her
to
play
wi
'
;
an
'
she
'll
sit
and
chatter
to
'
em
as
if
they
was
alive
.
Eh
,
if
it
was
n't
a
sin
to
the
lads
to
wish
'
em
made
different
,
bless
'
em
,
I
should
ha
'
been
glad
for
one
of
'
em
to
be
a
little
gell
;
and
to
think
as
I
could
ha
'
taught
her
to
scour
,
and
mend
,
and
the
knitting
,
and
everything
.
But
I
can
teach
'
em
this
little
un
,
Master
Marner
,
when
she
gets
old
enough
.
"
"
But
she
'll
be
my
little
un
,
"
said
Marner
,
rather
hastily
.
"
She
'll
be
nobody
else
's
.
"
"
No
,
to
be
sure
;
you
'll
have
a
right
to
her
if
you
're
a
father
to
her
,
and
bring
her
up
according
.
But
,
"
added
Dolly
,
coming
to
a
point
which
she
had
determined
beforehand
to
touch
upon
,
"
you
must
bring
her
up
like
christened
folk
's
children
,
and
take
her
to
church
,
and
let
her
learn
her
catechise
,
as
my
little
Aaron
can
say
off
—
the
'
I
believe
,
'
and
everything
,
and
'
hurt
nobody
by
word
or
deed
,
'
—
as
well
as
if
he
was
the
clerk
.
That
's
what
you
must
do
,
Master
Marner
,
if
you
'd
do
the
right
thing
by
the
orphin
child
.
"
Marner
's
pale
face
flushed
suddenly
under
a
new
anxiety
.
His
mind
was
too
busy
trying
to
give
some
definite
bearing
to
Dolly
's
words
for
him
to
think
of
answering
her
.
"
And
it
's
my
belief
,
"
she
went
on
,
"
as
the
poor
little
creatur
has
never
been
christened
,
and
it
's
nothing
but
right
as
the
parson
should
be
spoke
to
;
and
if
you
was
noways
unwilling
,
I
'd
talk
to
Mr
Macey
about
it
this
very
day
.
For
if
the
child
ever
went
anyways
wrong
,
and
you
had
n't
done
your
part
by
it
,
Master
Marner
—
'
noculation
,
and
everything
to
save
it
from
harm
—
it
'
ud
be
a
thorn
i
'
your
bed
for
ever
o
'
this
side
the
grave
;
and
I
ca
n't
think
as
it
'
ud
be
easy
lying
down
for
anybody
when
they
'd
got
to
another
world
,
if
they
had
n't
done
their
part
by
the
helpless
children
as
come
wi'out
their
own
asking
.
"
Dolly
herself
was
disposed
to
be
silent
for
some
time
now
,
for
she
had
spoken
from
the
depths
of
her
own
simple
belief
,
and
was
much
concerned
to
know
whether
her
words
would
produce
the
desired
effect
on
Silas
.
He
was
puzzled
and
anxious
,
for
Dolly
's
word
"
christened
"
conveyed
no
distinct
meaning
to
him
.
He
had
only
heard
of
baptism
,
and
had
only
seen
the
baptism
of
grown-up
men
and
women
.
"
What
is
it
as
you
mean
by
'
christened
'
?
"
he
said
at
last
,
timidly
.
"
Wo
n't
folks
be
good
to
her
without
it
?
"
"
Dear
,
dear
!
Master
Marner
,
"
said
Dolly
,
with
gentle
distress
and
compassion
.
"
Had
you
never
no
father
nor
mother
as
taught
you
to
say
your
prayers
,
and
as
there
's
good
words
and
good
things
to
keep
us
from
harm
?
"
"
Yes
,
"
said
Silas
,
in
a
low
voice
;
"
I
know
a
deal
about
that
—
used
to
,
used
to
.
But
your
ways
are
different
:
my
country
was
a
good
way
off
.
"
He
paused
a
few
moments
,
and
then
added
,
more
decidedly
,
"
But
I
want
to
do
everything
as
can
be
done
for
the
child
.
And
whatever
's
right
for
it
i
'
this
country
,
and
you
think
'
ull
do
it
good
,
I
'll
act
according
,
if
you
'll
tell
me
.
"
"
Well
,
then
,
Master
Marner
,
"
said
Dolly
,
inwardly
rejoiced
,
"
I
'll
ask
Mr
Macey
to
speak
to
the
parson
about
it
;
and
you
must
fix
on
a
name
for
it
,
because
it
must
have
a
name
giv
'
it
when
it
's
christened
.
"
"
My
mother
's
name
was
Hephzibah
,
"
said
Silas
,
"
and
my
little
sister
was
named
after
her
.
"
"
Eh
,
that
's
a
hard
name
,
"
said
Dolly
.
"
I
partly
think
it
is
n't
a
christened
name
.
"
"
It
's
a
Bible
name
,
"
said
Silas
,
old
ideas
recurring
.
"
Then
I
've
no
call
to
speak
again
'
it
,
"
said
Dolly
,
rather
startled
by
Silas
's
knowledge
on
this
head
;
"
but
you
see
I
'm
no
scholard
,
and
I
'm
slow
at
catching
the
words
.
My
husband
says
I
'm
allays
like
as
if
I
was
putting
the
haft
for
the
handle
—
that
's
what
he
says
—
for
he
's
very
sharp
,
God
help
him
.
But
it
was
awk'ard
calling
your
little
sister
by
such
a
hard
name
,
when
you
'd
got
nothing
big
to
say
,
like
—
was
n't
it
,
Master
Marner
?
"
"
We
called
her
Eppie
,
"
said
Silas
.
"
Well
,
if
it
was
noways
wrong
to
shorten
the
name
,
it
'
ud
be
a
deal
handier
.
And
so
I
'll
go
now
,
Master
Marner
,
and
I
'll
speak
about
the
christening
afore
dark
;
and
I
wish
you
the
best
o
'
luck
,
and
it
's
my
belief
as
it
'll
come
to
you
,
if
you
do
what
's
right
by
the
orphin
child
;
—
and
there
's
the
'
noculation
to
be
seen
to
;
and
as
to
washing
its
bits
o
'
things
,
you
need
look
to
nobody
but
me
,
for
I
can
do
'
em
wi
'
one
hand
when
I
've
got
my
suds
about
.
Eh
,
the
blessed
angil
!
You
'll
let
me
bring
my
Aaron
one
o
'
these
days
,
and
he
'll
show
her
his
little
cart
as
his
father
's
made
for
him
,
and
the
black-and-white
pup
as
he
's
got
a-rearing
.
"
Baby
was
christened
,
the
rector
deciding
that
a
double
baptism
was
the
lesser
risk
to
incur
;
and
on
this
occasion
Silas
,
making
himself
as
clean
and
tidy
as
he
could
,
appeared
for
the
first
time
within
the
church
,
and
shared
in
the
observances
held
sacred
by
his
neighbours
.
He
was
quite
unable
,
by
means
of
anything
he
heard
or
saw
,
to
identify
the
Raveloe
religion
with
his
old
faith
:
if
he
could
at
any
time
in
his
previous
life
have
done
so
,
it
must
have
been
by
the
aid
of
a
strong
feeling
ready
to
vibrate
with
sympathy
,
rather
than
by
a
comparison
of
phrases
and
ideas
;
and
now
for
long
years
that
feeling
had
been
dormant
.
He
had
no
distinct
idea
about
the
baptism
and
the
church-going
,
except
that
Dolly
had
said
it
was
for
the
good
of
the
child
;
and
in
this
way
,
as
the
weeks
grew
to
months
,
the
child
created
fresh
and
fresh
links
between
his
life
and
the
lives
from
which
he
had
hitherto
shrunk
continually
into
narrower
isolation
.
Unlike
the
gold
which
needed
nothing
,
and
must
be
worshipped
in
close-locked
solitude
—
which
was
hidden
away
from
the
daylight
,
was
deaf
to
the
song
of
birds
,
and
started
to
no
human
tones
—
Eppie
was
a
creature
of
endless
claims
and
ever-growing
desires
,
seeking
and
loving
sunshine
,
and
living
sounds
,
and
living
movements
;
making
trial
of
everything
,
with
trust
in
new
joy
,
and
stirring
the
human
kindness
in
all
eyes
that
looked
on
her
.
The
gold
had
kept
his
thoughts
in
an
ever-repeated
circle
,
leading
to
nothing
beyond
itself
;
but
Eppie
was
an
object
compacted
of
changes
and
hopes
that
forced
his
thoughts
onward
,
and
carried
them
far
away
from
their
old
eager
pacing
towards
the
same
blank
limit
—
carried
them
away
to
the
new
things
that
would
come
with
the
coming
years
,
when
Eppie
would
have
learned
to
understand
how
her
father
Silas
cared
for
her
;
and
made
him
look
for
images
of
that
time
in
the
ties
and
charities
that
bound
together
the
families
of
his
neighbours
.
The
gold
had
asked
that
he
should
sit
weaving
longer
and
longer
,
deafened
and
blinded
more
and
more
to
all
things
except
the
monotony
of
his
loom
and
the
repetition
of
his
web
;
but
Eppie
called
him
away
from
his
weaving
,
and
made
him
think
all
its
pauses
a
holiday
,
reawakening
his
senses
with
her
fresh
life
,
even
to
the
old
winter-flies
that
came
crawling
forth
in
the
early
spring
sunshine
,
and
warming
him
into
joy
because
she
had
joy
.
And
when
the
sunshine
grew
strong
and
lasting
,
so
that
the
buttercups
were
thick
in
the
meadows
,
Silas
might
be
seen
in
the
sunny
mid-day
,
or
in
the
late
afternoon
when
the
shadows
were
lengthening
under
the
hedgerows
,
strolling
out
with
uncovered
head
to
carry
Eppie
beyond
the
Stone-pits
to
where
the
flowers
grew
,
till
they
reached
some
favourite
bank
where
he
could
sit
down
