silas marner(织工马南)-第48章
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“Dear heart！” said Silas； “why； there’s people coming out o’ the
Yard as if they’d been to chapel at this time o’ day—a weekday
noon！”
Suddenly he started and stood still with a look of distressed
amazement that alarmed Eppie。 They were before an opening in
front of a large factory； from which men and women were
streaming for their midday meal。
“Father；” said Eppie； clasping his arm； “what’s the matter？”
But she had to speak again and again before Silas could answer
her。
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“It’s gone； child；” he said at last； in strong agitation—”Lantern
Yard’s gone。 It must ha’ been here； because here’s the house with
the o’erhanging window—I know that—it’s just the same； but
they’ve made this new opening； and see that big factory！ It’s all
gone—chapel and all。”
“Come into that little brush…shop and sit down； father—they’ll
let you sit down；” said Eppie； always on the watch lest one of her
father’s strange attacks should come on。 “Perhaps the people can
tell you all about it。”
But neither from the brushmaker； who had come to Shoe Lane
only ten years ago； when the factory was already built； nor from
any other source within his reach； could Silas learn anything of
the old Lantern Yard friends； or of Mr。 Paston the minister。
“The old place is all swep’ away；” Silas said to Dolly Winthrop
on the night of his return—”the little graveyard and everything。
The old home’s gone； I’ve no home but this now。 I shall never
know whether they got at the truth o’ the robbery； nor whether
Mr。 Paston could ha’ given me any light about the drawing o’ the
lots。 It’s dark to me； Mrs。 Winthrop； that is； I doubt it’ll be dark to
the last。”
“Well； yes； Master Marner；” said Dolly； who sat with a placid；
listening face； now bordered by gray hairs； “I doubt it may。 It’s the
will o’ Them above as a many things should be dark to us； but
there’s some things as I’ve never felt i’ the dark about； and they’re
mostly what comes i’ the day’s work。 You were hard done by that
once； Master Marner； and it seems as you’ll never know the rights
of it； but that doesn’t hinder there being a rights； Master Marner；
for all it’s dark to you and me。”
“No；” said Silas； “no； that doesn’t hinder。 Since the time the
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Silas Marner 239
child was sent to me and I’ve come to love her as myself； I’ve had
light enough to trusten by； and now she says she’ll never leave me；
I think I shall trusten till I die。”
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Conclusion
here was one time of the year which was held in Raveloe
to be especially suitable for a wedding。 It was when the
T
great lilacs and laburnums in the old…fashioned gardens
showed their golden and purple wealth above the lichen…tinted
walls； and when there were calves still young enough to want
bucketfuls of fragrant milk。 People were not so busy then as they
must become when the full cheese…making and the mowing had
set in； and besides； it was a time when a light bridal dress could be
worn with comfort and seen to advantage。
Happily the sunshine fell more warmly than usual on the lilac
tufts the morning that Eppie was married； for her dress was a very
light one。 She had often thought； though with a feeling of
renunciation； that the perfection of a wedding…dress would be a
white cotton； with the tiniest pink sprig at wide intervals； so that
when Mrs。 Godfrey Cass begged to provide one； and asked Eppie
to choose what it should be； previous meditation had enabled her
to give a decided answer at once。
Seen at a little distance as she walked across the churchyard
and down the village； she seemed to be attired in pure white； and
her hair looked like the dash of gold on a lily。 One hand was on her
husband’s arm； and with the other she clasped the hand of her
father Silas。
“You won’t be giving me away； father；” she had said before they
went to church； “you’ll only be taking Aaron to be a son to you。”
Dolly Winthrop walked behind with her husband； and there
ended the little bridal procession。
There were many eyes to look at it； and Miss Priscilla
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Lammeter was glad that she and her father had happened to drive
up to the door of the Red House just in time to see this pretty
sight。 They had come to keep Nancy company today； because Mr。
Cass had had to go away to Lytherly； for special reasons。 That
seemed to be a pity； for otherwise he might have gone； as Mr。
Crackenthorp and Mr。 Osgood certainly would； to look on at the
wedding…feast which he had ordered at the Rainbow； naturally
feeling a great interest in the weaver who had been wronged by
one of his own family。
“I could ha’ wished Nancy had had the luck to find a child like
that and bring her up；” said Priscilla to her father； as they sat in
the gig； “I should ha’ had something young to think of then；
besides the lambs and the calves。”
“Yes； my dear； yes；” said Mr。 Lammeter； “one feels that as one
gets older。 Things look dim to old folks： they’d need have some
young eyes about ’em； to let ’em know the world’s the same as it
used to be。”
Nancy came out now to welcome her father and sister； and the
wedding group had passed on beyond the Red House to the
humbler part of the village。
Dolly Winthrop was the first to divine that old Mr。 Macey； who
had been set in his armchair outside his own door； would expect
some special notice as they passed； since he was too old to be at
the wedding…feast。
“Mr。 Macey’s looking for a word from us；” said Dolly； “he’ll be
hurt if we pass him and say nothing—and him so racked with
rheumatise。”
So they turned aside to shake hands with the old man。 He had
looked forward to the occasion； and had his premeditated speech。
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“Well； Master Marner；” he said； in a voice that quavered a good
deal； “I’ve lived to see my words come true。 I was the first to say
there was no harm in you； though your looks might be again’ you；
and I was the first to say you’d get your money back。 And it’s
nothing but rightful as you should。 And I’d ha’ said the ‘Amens’；
and willing； at the holy matrimony； but Tookey’s done it a good
while now； and I hope you’ll have none the worse luck。”
In the open yard before the Rainbow the party of guests were
already assembled； though it was still nearly an hour before the
appointed feast…time。 But by this means they could not only enjoy
the slow advent of their pleasure； they had also ample leisure to
talk of Silas Marner’s strange history； and arrive by due degrees at
the conclusion that he had brought a blessing on himself by acting
like a father to a lone； motherless child。 Even the farrier did not
negative this sentiment： on the contrary； he took it up as
peculiarly his own； and invited any hardy person present to
contradict him。 But he met with no contradiction； and all
differences among the company were merged in a general
agreement with Mr。 Snell’s sentiment； that when a man had
deserved his good luck； it was the part of his neighbours to wish
him joy。
As the bridal group approached； a hearty cheer was raised in
the Rainbow yard； and Ben Winthrop； whose jokes had retained
their acceptable flavour； found it agreeable to turn in there and
receive congratulations； not requiring the proposed interval of
quiet at the Stone…pits before joining the company。
Eppie had a larger garden than she had ever expected there
now； and in other ways there had been alterations at the expense
of Mr。 Cass； the landlord； to suit Silas’s larger family。 For he and
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Eppie had declared that they would rather stay at the Stone…pits
than go to any new home。 The garden was fenced with stones on
two sides； but in front there was an open fence； through which the
flowers shone with answering gladness； as the four united people
came within sight of them。
“Oh； father；” said Eppie； “what a pretty home ours is！ I think
nobody could be happier than we are。”
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