织工马南-第4部分

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ce，and　felt　sure　he　was　not　honest．

Silas　himself　remembered　that　the　pedlar　had　come　to　his　cottage　door　recently．He　hoped　the　pedlar　was　indeed　the　thief，because　the　police　could　catch　him　and　make　him　give　back　the　money．His　home　seemed　very　empty　to　him　without　his　gold，and　he　desperately　wanted　to　get　it　back．

　　



　


4　Godfrey　is　in　trouble

　　

Godfrey　was　not　very　surprised　to　find　that　Dunstan　had　not　come　home　after　his　day's　hunting．Perhaps　he　was　staying　the　night　at　a　public　house．But　when　Dunstan　did　not　return　home　the　next　day，Godfrey　began　to　worry　about　Wild…fire．He　did　not　trust　his　brother，and　wondered　if　Dunstan　had　gone　away　to　spend　the　money　on　gambling．So　he　decided　to　go　to　look　for　him．On　the　road　near　Raveloe　he　met　his　neigh…bour，John　Bryce，who　had　arranged　to　buy　Wildfire　from　Dun－stan．

‘Well，Godfrey，'said　Bryce，‘did　your　brother　tell　you　about　the　horse？’

‘What　do　you　mean，John？'replied　Godfrey　quickly．‘No，he　hasn't　been　home　yet．What's　happened　to　my　horse？’

‘Ah，so　he　was　yours，was　he？Dunstan　told　me　you'd　giv…en　him　Wildfire．I　was　going　to　buy　him，you　know．’

‘What's　Dunstan　done？Is　Wildfire　hurt？’asked　Godfrey　crossly．

‘Worse　than　that，’answered　Bryce．‘I'm　afraid　your　horse　is　dead．　We've　only　just　found　him．Your　brother　rode　him　to　the　hunt　and　the　horse　fell　at　a　gate　and　broke　his　back．So　you　haven't　seen　Dunstan　since　yesterday？’

‘No，and　he'd　better　not　come　home　now！'replied　Godfrey　angrily．‘How　stupid　I　was　to　trust　him　with　my　horse！’

‘But　where　can　Dunstan　be？I　suppose　he　wasn't　hurt，be－cause　we　didn't　find　him　near　the　horse．’

‘Him？'said　Godfrey　bitterly．‘Oh，he'll　be　all　right．He'll　never　be　hurt—he　only　ever　hurts　other　people！We'll　hear　of　him　soon　enough，don't　worry．　’

Bryce　said　goodbye　and　rode　away．Godfrey　rode　slowly　back　into　Raveloe，thinking　about　what　he　would　very　soon　have　to　do．There　was　no　longer　any　escape．He　must　confess　the　whole　truth　to　his　father．For　the　rest　of　the　day　he　planned　what　he　would　say．He　would　explain　that　he　had　lent　Fowler's　money　to　Dunstan，because　Dunstan　knew　his　secret．That　would　be　the　right　moment　to　tell　the　Squire　about　his　secret　marriage　to　Molly．‘But　he'll　be　very　angry！'thought　Godfrey．‘And　when　he's　angry　with　people，he　just　wants　to　punish　them！He　won't　listen　or　calm　down！But　perhaps　he'll　keep　my　se…cret—he's　so　proud　of　the　family　name！And　if　he　disinherited　me，everyone　would　talk　about　it．’

When　he　went　to　bed　that　night，　Godfrey　thought　he　had　decided　what　to　say．But　when　he　woke　up　in　the　morning，he　could　not　see　any　reason　to　confess　to　the　marriage．Why　should　he　lose　the　chance　of　marrying　Nancy？　Why　should　he　tell　the　whole　truth　now，　when　perhaps　it　was　not　necessary？No，it　would　be　better　to　go　on　in　the　same　way　as　before．Per　haps　Dunstan　would　stay　away　for　a　while，and　then　there　would　be　no　need　to　tell　his　father　about　Molly．‘But　today　I'll　tell　the　Squire　about　the　money，’he　thought．‘He'll　have　to　know　about　that．’

Godfrey　was　already　in　the　dining…room　when　his　father　ar…rived　for　breakfast．The　Squire　sat　down　at　the　head　of　the　table　and　ordered　the　servant　to　bring　him　some　beer．

‘Haven't　you　had　breakfast　yet，Godfrey？’he　asked．

‘Yes，I　have，sir，'replied　Godfrey，‘but　I　was　waiting　to　speak　to　you．’

‘Well，you　young　people　have　plenty　of　time，’answered　the　Squire．‘We　older　ones　have　to　do　all　the　work．’

Godfrey　looked　straight　at　his　father．‘Sir，’he　said　bravely，‘I　must　tell　you－something　very　unfortunate　has　happened　to　Wildfire．’

‘What！Has　he　broken　a　leg？I　thought　you　could　ride　bet…ter　than　that！Well，you　can't　expect　me　to　pay　for　a　new　horse．I'm　very　short　of　money　at　the　moment．And　I'm　angry　with　Fowler－he　still　hasn't　paid　me　what　he　owes　me．If　he　doesn't　pay　today，he'll　go　to　prison！'the　Squire's　face　was　red，　and　he　banged　angrily　on　the　table　as　he　spoke．

‘It's　worse　than　breaking　a　leg，’continued　Godfrey　miser…ably．‘Wildfire's　dead．But　I　don't　want　you　to　buy　me　anoth…er　horse．I　just　feel　sorry　I　can't　pay　you－you　see，sir，the　truth　is，I'm　very　sorry，Fowler　did　pay　the　money．He　gave　it　to　me，and　I　was　stupid　enough　to　let　Dunstan　have　it．And　he　was　going　to　sell　Wildfire　and　then　I　was　going　to　repay　you　the　money．’

The　Squire's　face　was　purple　now，and　for　a　moment　he　could　not　speak．‘You—you　let　Dunstan　have　my　money？Why　did　you　give　it　to　him？　And　why　did　he　want　it？Where's　Dunstan　now？He'll　answer　my　questions，　or　leave　this　house！Go　and　fetch　him　at　once！’

‘Dunstan　hasn't　come　home，sir．The　horse　was　found　dead，and　nobody　knows　where　Dunstan　is．’‘Well，why　did　you　let　him　have　my　money？　Answer　me！'said　the　Squire，staring　angrily　at　Godfrey．

‘Well，sir，I　don't　know，'replied　Godfrey，hesitating．He　was　not　good　at　lying，and　was　not　prepared　for　his　father's　questions．

‘You　don't　know？'the　Squire　repeated　scornfully．‘Well，　I　know　why．　I　think　you've　done　something　wrong，　and　you've　bribed　Dunstan　to　keep　it　a　secret！That's　it，isn't　it？’

The　Squire　had　made　a　very　clever　guess，and　Godfrey's　heart　banged　in　sudden　alarm．He　was　not　ready　to　confess　ev－erything　yet．‘Well，sir，’he　said，trying　to　speak　carelessly，‘it　was　just　a　little　business　between　Dunstan　and　me．　You　wouldn't　be　interested　in　it，you　know．’

‘How　old　are　you　now？Twenty－six？’asked　the　Squire　an－grily．‘Old　enough　to　look　after　your　money　and　mine　too！I've　been　much　too　generous　to　you　boys，　but　I'm　going　to　be　harder　on　you　all　from　now　on．　You've　got　a　weak　character，Godfrey，　like　your　poor　mother．　I　think　you　need　a　wife　who　knows　what　she　wants，　because　you　can't　decide　anything　by　yourself！When　you　were　thinking　of　marrying　Nancy　Lammeter，I　agreed，　didn't　I？Have　you　asked　her　or　not？She　hasn't　refused　to　marry　you，　has　she？’

‘No，I　haven't　asked　her，'said　Godfrey，feeling　very　hot　ad　uncomfortable，‘but　I　don't　think　she'll　accept　me．’

‘Don't　be　stupid，　Godfrey！'said　the　Sqiuire　with　a　scornful　laugh．‘Any　woman　would　want　to　marry　into　our　family！Do　you　want　to　marry　her？’

‘There's　no　other　woman　I　want　to　marry，'said　Godfrey，avoiding　his　father's　eyes．

‘Well，then，let　me　speak　to　her　father　for　you，since　you　aren't　brave　enough　to　do　it　yourself．　She's　a　pretty　girl，　and　intelligent．’

‘No，sir，please　don't　say　anything　at　the　moment，'said　Godfrey　quickly．‘I　must　ask　her　myself．’

‘Well，ask　her　then．When　you　marry　her，you'll　have　to　forget　about　horses　and　so　on．It'll　be　good　for　you　to　do　some　serious　work．　You　should　get　married　soon．’

‘Please　don't　try　to　hurry　things，sir，’begged　Godfrey．

‘I'll　do　what　I　like，'said　the　Squire　firmly．‘And　if　you　don't　do　what　I　want，I'll　disinherit　you　and　you　can　leave　the　house．Now，if　you　know　where　Dunstan's　hiding－I　expect　you　do－tell　him　he　needn't　come　home．　He'll　pay　for　his　own　food　from　now　on．’

‘I　don't　know　where　he　is，sir．Anyway，it's　you　who　should　tell　him　to　leave　home．’

‘Don't　argue　with　me，Godfrey，'said　the　Squire，turning　back　to　his　breakfast．‘Just　go　and　tell　the　servants　to　get　my　horse　ready．’

Godfrey　left　the　room．　He　was　relieved　that　his　father　had　not　discovered　the　whole　truth　However，　he　was　a　little　wor－ried　that　the　Squire　would　try　to　arrange　his　marriage　with　Nancy．While　he　was　married　to　Molly，he　could　not　marry　Nancy，although　it　was　his　dearest　wish．But　as　usual　he　was　waiting　and　hoping　for　some　unexpected　change　in　his　situation，　which　would　save　him　from　any　unpleasantness．

　　



　



5　Silas's　neighbours

　　

In　the　weeks　following　the　robbery，the　police　tried　hard　to　find　the　pedlar，because　so　many　people　suspected　him　of　being　the　thief．But　there　was　no　sign　of　him　in　any　of　the　towns　and　villages　round　Raveloe．

Nobody　was　surprised　at　Dunstan　Cass's　absence．Once　be…fore　he　had　stayed　away　for　six　weeks　and　then　come　back．No…body　imagined　he　could　have　anything　to　do　with　the　robbery．The　villagers　continued　to　discuss　Silas　and　his　lost　gold，but　they　had　no　more　explanations　to　offer．

Silas　himself　still　had　his　loom　and　his　work，so　he　went　on　weaving　But　the　only　thing　that　had　made　his　life　worth　living　had　gone，and　now　he　had　nothing　to　look　forward　to．A　life－time　of　empty　evenings　lay　ahead　of　him．　He　did　not　enjoy　thinking　of　the　money　he　would　earn，because　it　reminded　him　of　the　money　he　had　lost．As　he　sat　weaving，he　sometimes　used　to　moan　quietly　to　himself．And　in　the　evenings，as　he　sat　alone　in　front　of　the　fire，he　used　to　put　his　head　in　his　hands　and　moan　again．

But　this　disaster　had　one　good　result．Little　by　little，Silas's　neighbours　realized　it　was　wrong　to　be　suspicious　of　him．　He　was　just　a　poor，simple，harmless　man，who　needed　their　help．

They　showed　their　new　opinion　of　him　in　many　different　ways．Some　of　the　women，who　were　baking　cakes　and　preparing　meat　for　Christmas，brought　him　presents　of　food．Some　of　the　men，who　had　nothing　to　give　him，stopped　him　in　the　village　to　ask　about　his　health，or　visited　him　to　discuss　the　robbery．They　often　finished　their　conversation　by　saying　cheerfully，‘Now　you're　the　same　as　the　rest　of　us—we're　poor　too！Cheer　up，Master　Marner！If　you　get　ill　and　can't　work　any　more，the　Squire'll　give　you　food　and　your　neigh－bours　will　take　care　of　you．'this　did　not　make　Silas　feel　better，but　he　realized　it　was　meant　kindly．

Old　Mr　Macey，the　church　clerk，came　to　the　cottage　one　day，to　explain　how　his　opinion　of　the　weaver　had　changed．

‘You　see，Master　Marner，’he　said　in　his　high　old　voice，‘I　used　to　think　you　worked　for　the　devil—you've　always　looked　strange，you　know．But　now　I'm　sure　you're　not　evil，just　a　lit…tle　bit　crazy．That's　what　I　tell　the　neighbours．’

He　stopped　to　give　Silas　time　to　reply，but　the　weaver　did　not　speak．He　was　sitting　with　his　head　in　his　hands　as　usual．He　knew　that　the　old　man　was　trying　to　be　kind，but　he　was　too　miserable　to　show　any　interest．

‘Come，Master　Marner，　what's　your　ans