silas marner(织工马南)-第34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！
was ringing the 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 wasn’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 folks’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 creature
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 hadn’t done your part by it； Master
Marner—’noculation； and everything to save it from harm—it ’ud
be a thorn i’ your bed forever o’ this side the grave； and I can’t
think as it ’ud be easy lying down for anybody when they’d got to
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 168…
Silas Marner 168
another world if they hadn’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。 “Won’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 isn’t a
christened name。”
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 169…
Silas Marner 169
“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—wasn’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
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 170…
Silas Marner 170
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
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 171…
Silas Marner 171
sunny midday； 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； while Eppie toddled to pluck the flowers； and make
remarks to the winged things that murmured happily above the
bright petals； calling “Dad…dad’s” attention continually by
bringing him the flowers。 Then she would turn her ear to some
sudden bird…note； and Silas learned to please her by making signs
of hushed stillness； that they might listen for the note to come
again： so that when it came； she set up her small back and laughed
with gurgling triumph。 Sitting on the banks in this way； Silas
began to look for the once familiar herbs again； and as the leaves；
with their unchanged outline and markings； lay on his palm； there
was a sense of crowding remembrances from which he turned
away timidly； taking refuge in Eppie’s little world； that lay lightly
on his enfeebled spirit。
As the child’s mind was growing into knowledge； his mind was
growing into memory； as her life unfolded； his soul； long stupefied
in a cold； narrow prison； was unfolding too； and trembling
gradually into full consciousness。
It was an influence which must gather force with every new
year： the tones that stirred Silas’s heart grew articulate； and called
for more distinct an
