silas marner(织工马南)-第26章
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！
father and a good home： let her leave it to them as have got no
fortin； and can’t help themselves。 As I say； Mr。 Have…your…own…
way is the best husband； and the only one I’d ever promise to
obey。 I know it isn’t pleasant； when you’ve been used to living in a
big way； and managing hogsheads and all that； to go and put your
nose in by somebody else’s fireside； or to sit down by yourself to a
scrag or a knuckle； but； thank God！ my father’s a sober man and
likely to live； and if you’ve got a man by the chimney…corner； it
doesn’t matter if he’s childish—the business needn’t be broke up。”
The delicate process of getting her narrow gown over her head
without injury to her smooth curls obliged Miss Priscilla to pause
in this rapid survey of life； and Mrs。 Osgood seized the opportunity
of rising and saying—“Well； niece； you’ll follow us。 The Miss
Gunns will like to go down。”
“Sister；” said Nancy； when they were alone； “you’ve offended
the Miss Gunns； I’m sure。”
“What have I done； child？” said Priscilla； in some alarm。
“Why； you asked them if they minded about being ugly—you’re
so very blunt。”
“Law； did I？ Well； it popped out： it’s a mercy I said no more； for
I’m a bad ’un to live with folks when they don’t like the truth。 But
as for being ugly； look at me； child； in this silver…coloured silk—I
told you how it ’ud be—I look as yallow as a daffadil。 Anybody ’ud
say you wanted to make a mawkin of me。”
“No； Priscy； don’t say so。 I begged and prayed of you not to let
us have this silk if you’d like another better。 I was willing to have
your choice； you know I was；” said Nancy； in anxious self…
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 128…
Silas Marner 128
vindication。
“Nonsense； child！ you know you’d set your heart on this； and
reason good； for you’re the colour o’ cream。 It ’ud be fine doings
for you to dress yourself to suit my skin。 What I find fault with is
that notion o’ yours as I must dress myself just like you。 But you
do as you like with me—you always did； from when first you begun
to walk。 If you wanted to go the field’s length； the field’s length
you’d go； and there was no whipping you； for you looked as prim
and innicent as a daisy all the while。”
“Priscy；” said Nancy； gently； as she fastened a coral necklace；
exactly like her own； round Priscilla’s neck； which was very far
from being like her own； “I’m sure I’m willing to give way as far as
is right； but who shouldn’t dress alike if it isn’t sisters？ Would you
have us go about looking as if we were no kin to one another—us
that have got no mother and not another sister in the world？ I’d do
what was right； if I dressed in a gown dyed with cheese…colouring；
and I’d rather you’d choose； and let me wear what pleases you。”
“There you go again！ You’d come round to the same thing if
one talked to you from Saturday night till Saturday morning。 It’ll
be fine fun to see how you’ll master your husband and never raise
your voice above the singing o’ the kettle all the while。 I like to see
the men mastered！”
“Don’t talk so； Priscy；” said Nancy； blushing。 “You know I don’t
mean ever to be married。”
“Oh； you never mean a fiddlestick’s end！” said Priscilla； as she
arranged her discarded dress； and closed her bandbox。 “Who shall
I have to work for when father’s gone； if you are to go and take
notions in your head and be an old maid； because some folks are
no better than they should be？ I haven’t a bit o’ patience with
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 129…
Silas Marner 129
you—sitting on an addled egg forever； as if there was never a
fresh’un in the world。 One old maid’s enough out o’ two sisters；
and I shall do credit to a single life； for God A’mighty meant me for
it。 Come； we can go down now。 I’m as ready as a mawkin can be—
there’s nothing a…wanting to frighten the crows； now I’ve got my
eardroppers in。”
As the two Miss Lammeters walked into the large parlour
together； any one who did not know the character of both might
certainly have supposed that the reason why the square…
shouldered； clumsy； high…featured Priscilla wore a dress the
facsimile of her pretty sister’s； was either the mistaken vanity of
the one； or the malicious contrivance of the other in order to set off
her own rare beauty。 But the good…natured； self…forgetful
cheeriness and commonsense of Priscilla would soon have
dissipated the one suspicion； and the modest calm of Nancy’s
speech and manners told clearly of a mind free from all disavowed
devices。
Places of honour had been kept for the Miss Lammeters near
the head of the principal tea…table in the wainscoted parlour； now
looking fresh and pleasant with handsome branches of holly； yew；
and laurel； from the abundant growths of the old garden； and
Nancy felt an inward flutter； that no firmness of purpose could
prevent； when she saw Mr。 Godfrey Cass advancing to lead her to
a seat between himself and Mr。 Crackenthorp； while Priscilla was
called to the opposite side between her father and the Squire。 It
certainly did make some difference to Nancy that the lover she
had given up was the young man of quite the highest consequence
in the parish—at home in a venerable and unique parlour； which
was the extremity of grandeur in her experience； a parlour where
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 130…
Silas Marner 130
she might one day have been mistress； with the consciousness that
she was spoken of as “Madam Cass”； the Squire’s wife。 These
circumstances exalted her inward drama in her own eyes； and
deepened the emphasis with which she declared to herself that not
the most dazzling rank should induce her to marry a man whose
conduct showed him careless of his character； but that “love once；
love always” was the motto of a true and pure woman； and no man
should ever have any right over her which would be a call on her
to destroy the dried flowers that she treasured； and always would
treasure； for Godfrey Cass’s sake。 And Nancy was capable of
keeping her word to herself under very trying conditions。 Nothing
but a becoming blush betrayed the moving thoughts that urged
themselves upon her as she accepted the seat next to Mr。
Crackenthorp； for she was so instinctively neat and adroit in all
her actions； and her pretty lips met each other with such quiet
firmness； that it would have been difficult for her to appear
agitated。
It was not the Rector’s practice to let a charming blush pass
without an appropriate compliment。 He was not in the least lofty
or aristocratic； but simply a merry…eyed； small…featured； gray…
haired man； with his chin propped by an ample many…creased
white neck…cloth which seemed to predominate over every other
point in his person； and somehow to impress its peculiar character
on his remarks； so that to have considered his amenities apart
from his cravat would have been a severe； and perhaps a
dangerous； effort of abstraction。
“Ha； Miss Nancy；” he said； turning his head within his cravat
and smiling down pleasantly upon her； “when anybody pretends
this has been a severe winter； I shall tell them I saw the roses
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 131…
Silas Marner 131
blooming on New Year’s Eve—eh； Godfrey； what do you say？”
Godfrey made no reply； and avoided looking at Nancy very
markedly； for though these complimentary personalities were held
to be in excellent taste in old…fashioned Raveloe society； reverent
love has a politeness of its own which it teaches to men otherwise
of small schooling。 But the Squire was rather impatient at
Godfrey’s showing himself a dull spark in this way。 By this
advanced hour of the day； the Squire was always in higher spirits
than we have seen him in at the breakfast…table； and felt it quite
pleasant to fulfil the hereditary duty of being noisily jovial and
patronising： the large silver snuffbox was in active service； and
was offered without fail to all neighbours from time to time；
however often they might have declined the favour。 At present； the
Squire had only given an express welcome to the heads of families
as they appeared； but always； as the evening deepened； his
hospitality rayed out more widely； till he had tapped the youngest
guests on the back and shown a peculiar fondness for their
presence； in the full belief that they must feel their lives made
happy by their belonging to a parish where there was such a
hearty man as Squire Cass to invite them and wish them well。
Even in this early stage of the jovial mood； it was natural that he
should wish to supply his son’s deficiencies by looking and
speaking for him。
“Ay； ay；” he began； offering his snuffbox to Mr。 Lammeter； who
for the second time bowed his head and waved his hand in stiff
rejection of the offer； “us old
