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！
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；
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 152…
Silas Marner 152
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。
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 153…
Silas Marner 153
Chapter 13
t was after the early supper…time at the Red House；and the
entertainment was in that stage when bashfulness itself had
I
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
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 154…
Silas Marner 154
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；
behind 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 ev