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used to think it ’ud be。”
The tears fell； and Nancy ceased to speak。
“But you wouldn’t have married me then； Nancy； if I’d told
you；” said Godfrey； urged； in the bitterness of his self…reproach； to
prove to himself that his conduct had not been utter folly。 “You
may think you would now； but you wouldn’t then。 With your pride
and your father’s you’d have hated having anything to do with me
after the talk there’d have been。”
“I can’t say what I should have done about that； Godfrey。 I
should never have married anybody else。 But I wasn’t worth doing
wrong for—nothing is in this world。 Nothing is so good as it seems
beforehand—not even our marrying wasn’t； you see。” There was a
faint sad smile on Nancy’s face as she said the last words。
“I’m a worse man than you thought I was； Nancy；” said
Godfrey； rather tremulously。 “Can you forgive me ever？”
“The wrong to me is but little； Godfrey： you’ve made it up to
me—you’ve been good to me for fifteen years。 It’s another you did
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the wrong to； and I doubt it can never be all made up for。”
“But we can take Eppie now；” said Godfrey。 “I won’t mind the
world knowing at last。 I’ll be plain and open for the rest o’ my life。”
“It’ll be different coming to us； now she’s grown up；” said
Nancy； shaking her head sadly。 “But it’s your duty to acknowledge
her and provide for her； and I’ll do my part by her； and pray to
God Almighty to make her love me。”
“Then we’ll go together to Silas Marner’s this very night； as
soon as everything’s quiet at the Stone…pits。”
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Chapter 19
etween eight and nine o’clock that evening； Eppie and
BSilas were seated alone in the cottage。 After the great
excitement the weaver had undergone from the events of
the afternoon； he had felt a longing for this quietude； and had even
begged Mrs。 Winthrop and Aaron； who had naturally lingered
behind every one else； to leave him alone with his child。 The
excitement had not passed away： it had only reached that stage
when the keenness of the susceptibility makes external stimulus
intolerable—when there is no sense of weariness； but rather an
intensity of inward life； under which sleep is an impossibility。 Any
one who has watched such moments in other men remembers the
brightness of the eyes and the strange definiteness that comes
over coarse features from that transient influence。 It is as if a new
fineness of ear for all spiritual voices had sent wonder…working
vibrations through the heavy mortal frame—as if “beauty born of
murmuring sound” had passed into the face of the listener。
Silas’s face showed that sort of transfiguration； as he sat in his
armchair and looked at Eppie。 She had drawn her own chair
towards his knees； and leaned forward； holding both his hands；
while she looked up at him。 On the table near them； lit by a candle；
lay the recovered gold—the old long…loved gold； ranged in orderly
heaps； as Silas used to range it in the days when it was his only
joy。 He had been telling her how he used to count it every night；
and how his soul was utterly desolate till she was sent to him。
“At first； I’d a sort o’ feeling come across me now and then；” he
was saying in a subdued tone； “as if you might be changed into the
gold again； for sometimes； turn my head which way I would； I
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seemed to see the gold； and I thought I should be glad if I could
feel it； and find it was come back。 But that didn’t last long。 After a
bit； I should have thought it was a curse come again if it had drove
you from me； for I’d got to feel the need o’ your looks and your
voice and the touch o’ your little fingers。 You didn’t know then；
Eppie； when you were such a little ’un—you didn’t know what
your old father Silas felt for you。”
“But I know now； father；” said Eppie。 “If it hadn’t been for you；
they’d have taken me to the workhouse； and there’d have been
nobody to love me。”
“Eh； my precious child； the blessing was mine。 If you hadn’t
been sent to save me； I should ha’ gone to the grave in my misery。
The money was taken away from me in time； and you see it’s been
kept—kept till it was wanted for you。 It’s wonderful—our life is
wonderful。”
Silas sat in silence a few minutes； looking at the money。 “It
takes no hold of me now；” he said ponderingly—”the money
doesn’t。 I wonder if it ever could again—I doubt it might； if I lost
you； Eppie。 I might come to think I was forsaken again； and lose
the feeling that God was good to me。”
At that moment there was a knocking at the door； and Eppie
was obliged to rise without answering Silas。 Beautiful she looked；
with the tenderness of gathering tears in her eyes and a slight
flush on her cheeks； as she stepped to open the door。 The flush
deepened when she saw Mr。 and Mrs。 Godfrey Cass。 She made her
little rustic curtsy； and held the door wide for them to enter。
“We’re disturbing you very late； my dear；” said Mrs。 Cass；
taking Eppie’s hand； and looking in her face with an expression of
anxious interest and admiration。 Nancy herself was pale and
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tremulous。
Eppie； after placing chairs for Mr。 and Mrs。 Cass； went to stand
against Silas； opposite to them。
“Well； Marner；” said Godfrey； t