织工马南-第1节

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！


TXT之家　免费TXT电子书下载　　www。txtjia
附：【本作品来自互联网；本人不做任何负责】内容版权归作者所有。



1　Silas　Marner，past　and　present

　　

In　the　early　years　of　the　nineteenth　century，Strange…looking　little　men　were　often　seen　on　the　country　roads，usually　with　a　heavy　bag　on　their　shoulders．They　were　linen－weavers，taking　the　linen　they　had　woven　to　the　women　in　the　villages．Unlike　the　strong，healthy　country　people，they　were　small　and　thin，with　tired　white　faces，bent　backs　and　round　shoulders．They　were　often　shortsighted　too，because　they　had　to　look　so　closely　at　their　work．To　the　villagers　the　weavers　looked　almost　foreign，and　quite　frightening．Where　did　they　come　from？Was　it　the　devil　who　sent　them？Who　were　their　parents？How　could　you　trust　a　man　if　you　didn't　know　his　father　or　mother？Country　people　used　to　be　very　suspicious　of　all　strangers　and　travellers．They　were　also　suspi…cious　of　clever　people，people　who　could　do　something　they　themselves　had　not　learnt　to　do．That　is　why　the　linen－weavers，who　often　moved　from　towns　to　live　and　work　in　the　country，were　considered　strangers　all　their　lives　by　their　neighbours，and　were　sometimes　very　lonely　as　a　result。

Silas　Marner　was　one　of　these　weavers．He　lived　in　a　small　cottage　near　the　village　of　Raveloe．Every　day　he　worked　at　his　loom　in　the　cottage．The　small　boys　of　Raveloe　had　never　heard　the　sound　of　a　loom　before，and　sometimes　they　used　to　run　up　to　his　house　to　look　quickly　in　at　the　window．If　Silas　noticed　them，he　lifted　his　shortsighted　eyes　from　the　loom　to　stare　at　the　boys．There　was　something　terrible　about　his　stare，which　made　the　boys　run　away　at　once，screaming　with　fear．The　vil－lagers　believed　that　Silas　had　an　almost　devilish　power，which　he　could　use　to　harm　them　if　he　wanted，and　so　they　were　all　afraid　of　him．Raveloe　was　an　important－looking　village　with　a　fine　old　church　and　a　number　of　large　farms．But　it　was　at　least　an　hour　away　from　any　other　village，and　very　few　strangers　visited　it，which　explains　why　the　villagers’opinions　were　so　out　of　date．

Silas　Marner　had　first　come　to　Raveloe　fifteen　years　before，as　a　young　man．He　and　his　way　of　life　seemed　very　strange　to　the　villagers．He　worked　long　hours　at　his　loom，and　had　no　friends　or　visitors　from　the　village　or　anywhere　else．He　never　talked　to　his　neighbours　unless　it　was　necessary　for　his　work，and　he　never　looked　at　any　of　the　Raveloe　girls．‘Who　would　want　to　marry　him　anyway？'the　girls　laughed　to　each　other．‘Marry　a　dead　man　come　to　life　again，with　that　unhealthy　white　skin　and　those　insect－like　eyes　of　his？Certainly　not！’

One　of　the　villagers　had　had　a　strange　experience　with　Silas．One　evening　he　had　discovered　the　weaver　resting　on　a　field　gate，his　eyes　open　but　unseeing，and　his　body　cold　and　hard，like　a　dead　man's．After　a　few　moments　Silas　appeared　to　wake　up，said‘Good　night’，and　walked　away．

When　this　was　discussed　in　the　village，some　people　thought　that　Silas　had　had　a　fit．But　others，like　Mr　Macey，the　church　clerk，refused　to　accept　a　medical　explanation．

‘No，he　isn't　ill，that　weaver，'said　old　Mr　Macey，shaking　his　head　knowingly．‘If　he　had　a　fit，he'd　fall　down，wouldn't　he？I　think　his　soul　flies　out　of　his　body　sometimes　and　that's　why　he　looks　so　strange．He　doesn't　come　to　church，does　he？And　how　does　he　know　so　much　about　medicines？You　all　re－member　how　he　made　Sally　Oates　better，when　the　doctor　him…self　could　do　no　more　for　her．That's　the　devil's　work，believe　me！’

However，the　housewives　needed　Silas　to　weave　their　linen，and　they　could　find　nothing　wrong　with　his　work．The　years　passed，and　Raveloe　villagers　did　not　change　their　opinion　of　the　weaver．At　the　end　of　fifteen　years　they　said　exactly　the　same　things　about　him，but　they　believed　them　more　strongly．They　also　said　that　he　had　saved　up　a　lot　of　money　since　he　had　come　to　Raveloe．

Silas　had　come　from　a　large　town　to　the　north　of　Raveloe．Here　he　had　lived　a　very　different　life．Because　he　was　one　of　a　large　number　of　weavers，he　was　not　considered　strange，and　he　belonged　to　an　enthusiastic　religious　group．They　met　every　Sunday　at　the　chapel　in　Light　Street．Once，at　a　chapel　meeting，Silas　had　become　unconscious　and　had　sat　without　moving，hearing　or　seeing，for　over　an　hour．This　experience　made　him　specially　interesting　to　the　rest　of　the　group．

‘We　should　not　call　this　strange　unconsciousness　a　fit，'the　minister，Mr　Paston，told　them．‘No，　it's　much　more　than　that．In　that　moment，when　he　is　absent　from　us，our　young　friend　Silas's　soul　is　open，open　to　a　possible　message　from　God．I　believe　he　has　been　chosen　by　God！’

silas's　best　friend　at　chapel　was　William　Dane，a　serious　young　man　who　was，some　people　thought，a　little　too　sure　of　his　own　goodness　and　cleverness．Silas，however，could　see　no　fault　in　him，and　trusted　his　friend　completely．They　remained　good　friends，when　Silas　became　engaged　to　a　young　woman，Sarah，who　belonged　to　the　same　chapel．In　fact　Silas　was　de－lighted　that　Sarah　did　not　mind　if　William　joined　them　some－times　on　their　Sunday　walks．

Strangely，when　Silas　had　his　fit　at　the　chapel　meeting，William　was　the　only　one　who　disagreed　with　the　minister．

‘To　me　it　looks　more　like　the　devil's　work　than　God's，’William　had　said．‘Look　deep　into　yourself，friend　Silas．Is　there　any　evil　hiding　in　your　soul？’

Silas　was　hurt　that　his　friend　doubted　him，and　he　began　to　be　worried，too，about　Sarah．She　seemed　to　be　showing　signs　of　dislike　towards　him，but　when　he　asked　her　about　it，she　did　not　give　him　any　answer．

At　that　time　one　of　the　chapel　leaders　was　dangerously　ill，and　because　he　had　no　family，some　of　the　young　men　offered　to　sit　with　him　at　night．One　night　Silas　was　sitting　alone　at　the　old　man's　bedside．Time　seemed　to　pass　slowly　in　the　quiet，dark　room．But　suddenly　he　realized　that　the　man　was　no　longer　breathing．He　was　dead．

‘Strange！'thought　Silas．‘His　body's　cold！He's　been　dead　for　some　time！Why　did't　I　notice？Perhaps　I've　had　anoth－er　fit．And　it's　already　four　o'clock　in　the　morning．Why　hasn't　William　come？He　promised　he'd　come　at　two　o'clock！’He　hurried　out　of　the　house　to　call　the　doctor　and　the　minister，and　then　went　to　work　as　usual，still　wondering　why　William　had　not　arrived．

But　that　evening，after　work，William　came　to　his　room，with　the　minister．They　were　both　looking　very　serious．

‘You　must　come　to　the　chapel　at　once，'said　Mr　Paston．

‘But　why？’asked　Silas，looking　unhappily　at　them．

‘You　will　hear　when　you　get　there，was　the　only　answer．

Then，in　the　chapel，Silas　stood　alone，in　front　of　all　the　peo－ple　who　were　once　his　friends．The　room　was　silent．There　was　a　pocket－knife　in　the　minister's　hand．

‘Where　did　you　leave　this　knife？’he　asked．

Silas　was　trembling　at　this　strange　question．I　don't　re－member，’he　answered．

‘Silas，Silas，you　must　confess！’cried　the　minister．‘Tell　us　the　truth！This　knife，your　knife，was　found　at　the　dead　man's　bedside，and　the　bag　of　church　money，which　I　saw　there　myself　only　yesterday，has　gone！

Silas　did　not　speak　for　a　moment．Then　he　said，‘God　knows　I　did　not　steal　the　money．Search　my　room－you　won't　find　the　money．I'm　not　a　thief．’

‘You　were　the　only　one　in　our　dead　friend's　house　last　night，when　the　money　was　stolen，'said　Mr　Paston．‘William　tells　us　he　was　suddenly　ill，which　prevented　him　from　coming　to　take　your　place．We　will　search　your　room．

And　when　they　went　to　Silas's　room，Willia　m　fond　the　missing　bag，now　empty，under　Silas's　bed．

‘Silas，my　friend，’cried　William，‘confess　your　crime　to　us　now！Send　the　devil　away　from　your　soul！’

Silas　turned　to　the　man　he　had　always　trusted．‘William，in　the　nine　years　since　we've　been　friends，have　I　ever　told　you　a　lie？But　God　will　prove　the　truth．’

As　he　looked　at　William，he　suddenly　remembered　something，and　reddened．He　said　in　a　trembling　voice，‘The　knife　wasn't　in　my　pocket　last　night！’

‘I　don't　know　what　you　mean，'replied　William　coldly．

In　the　strange　little　world　of　the　Light　Street　chapel，they　did　not　believe　in　the　law　or　judges．They　thought　only　God　knew　the　answers，so　they　agreed　to　draw　lots　to　decide　what　had　happened．They　all　went　down　on　their　knees　to　ask　for　God's　help　in　finding　th　truth．Silas　knelt　with　them，sure　that　God　would　prove　his　honesty．There　was　silence，as　the　minister　took　one　of　the　papers　out　of　the　covered　box．

‘The　lots　say　that　Silas　Marner　has　stolen　the　money，’he　said．‘You　will　leave　the　chapel，Silas　Marner，and　you　will　not　be　accepted　back　until　you　confess　your　crime．’

Silas　listened　in　horror．At　last　he　walked　over　to　William　Dane　and　said　firmly，‘I　lent　you　my　knife，you　know　that．You　stole　the　money，while　I　was　having　a　fit，and　you've　blamed　me　for　it．But　perhaps　you'll　never　be　punished，since　there　is　no　God　who　takes　care　of　the　good　and　punishes　the　bad，only　a　God　of　lies．’

‘You　hear，my　friends？'said　William，smiling　sadly．‘　This　is　the　voice　of　the　devil　speaking．’

Silas　went　home．The　next　day　he　sat　alone　for　the　whole　day，too　miserable