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！
crows。”
“Ay； you remember when first Mr。 Lammeter’s father come into
these parts； don’t you； Mr。 Macey？” said the landlord。
“I should think I did；” said the old man； who had now gone
through that complimentary process necessary to bring him up to
the point of narration； “and a fine old gentleman he was—as fine；
and finer nor the Mr。 Lammeter as now is。 He came from a bit
north’ard； so far as I could ever make out。 But there’s nobody
rightly knows about those parts： only it couldn’t be far north’ard；
nor much different from this country； for he brought a fine breed
o’ sheep with him； so there must be pastures there； and everything
reasonable。 We heared tell as he’d sold his own land to come and
take the Warrens； and that seemed odd for a man as had land of
his own； to come and rent a farm in a strange place。 But they said
it was along of his wife’s dying； though there’s reasons in things as
nobody knows on—that’s pretty much what I’ve made out； yet
some folks are so wise； they’ll find you fifty reasons straight off；
and all the while the real reason’s winking at ’em in the corner；
and they niver see’t。 Howsomever； it was soon seen as we’d got a
new parish’ner as know’d the rights and customs o’ things； and
kep’ a good house； and was well looked on by everybody。 And the
young man—that’s the Mr。 Lammeter as now is； for he’d niver a
sister—soon begun to court Miss Osgood； that’s the sister o’ the
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 67…
Silas Marner 67
Mr。 Osgood as now is； and a fine handsome lass she was—eh； you
can’t think—they pretend this young lass is like her； but that’s the
way wi’ people as don’t know what come before ’em。 I should
know； for I helped the old rector； Mr。 Drumlow as was； I helped
him marry ’em。”
Here Mr。 Macey paused； he always gave his narrative in
instalments； expecting to be questioned according to precedent。
“Ay； and a partic’lar thing happened； didn’t it； Mr。 Macey； so as
you were likely to remember that marriage？” said the landlord； in
a congratulatory tone。
“I should think there did—a very partic’lar thing；” said Mr。
Macey； nodding sideways。 “For Mr。 Drumlow—poor old
gentleman； I was fond on him； though he’d got a big confused in
his head； what wi’ age and wi’ taking a drop o’ summat warm
when the service come of a cold morning。 And young Mr。
Lammeter； he’d have no way but he must be married in Janiwary；
which； to be sure； ’s a unreasonable time to be married in； for it
isn’t like a christening or a burying； as you can’t help； and so Mr。
Drumlow—poor old gentleman； I was fond on him—but when he
come to put the questions； he put ’em by the rule o’ contrairy； like；
and he says； ‘Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded wife？’ says he；
and then he says； ‘Wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded
husband？’ says he。 But the partic’larest thing of all is； as nobody
took any notice on it but me； and they answered straight off ‘yes；’
like as if it had been me saying ‘Amen’ i’ the right place； without
listening to what went before。”
“But you knew what was going on well enough； didn’t you； Mr。
Macey？ You were live enough； eh？” said the butcher。
“Lor’ bless you！” said Mr。 Macey； pausing； and smiling in pity at
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 68…
Silas Marner 68
the impotence of his hearer’s imagination—”why； I was all of a
tremble： it was as if I’d been a coat pulled by the two tails； like； for
I couldn’t stop the parson； I couldn’t take upon me to do that； and
yet I said to myself； I says； ‘Suppose they shouldn’t be fast
married； ’cause the words are contrairy？’ and my head went
working like a mill； for I was allays uncommon for turning things
over and seeing all round ’em； and I says to myself； ‘Is’t the
meanin’ or the words as makes folks fast i’ wedlock？’ For the
parson meant right； and the bride and bridegroom meant right。
But then； when I come to think on it； meanin’ goes but a little way
i’ most things； for you may mean to stick things together and your
glue may be bad； and then where are you？ And so I says to mysen；
‘It isn’t the meanin’； it’s the glue。’ And I was worreted as if I’d got
three bells to pull at once； when we went into the vestry； and they
begun to sign their names。 But where’s the use o’ talking？—you
can’t think what goes on in a ’cute man’s inside。”
“But you held in for all that； didn’t you； Mr。 Macey？” said the
landlord。
“Ay； I held in tight till I was by mysen wi’ Mr。 Drumlow； and
then I out wi’ everything； but respectful； as I allays did。 And he
made light on it； and he says； ‘Pooh； pooh； Macey； make yourself
easy；’ he says； ‘it’s neither the meaning nor the words—it’s the
regester does it—that’s the glue。’ So you see he settled it easy； for
parsons and doctors know everything by heart； like； so as they
aren’t worreted wi’ thinking what’s the rights and wrongs o’
things； as I’n been many and many’s the time。 And sure enough
the wedding turned out all right； on’y poor Mrs。 Lammeter—that’s
Miss Osgood as was—died afore the lasses was growed up； but for
prosperity and everything respectable； there’s no family more
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 69…
Silas Marner 69
looked on。”
Every one of Mr。 Macey’s audience had heard this story many
times； but it was listened to as if it had been a favourite tune； and
at certain points the puffing of the pipes was momentarily
suspended； that the listeners might give their whole minds to the
expected words。 But there was more to come； and Mr。 Snell； the
landlord； duly put the leading question。
“Why； old Mr。 Lammeter had a pretty fortin