织工马南-第3节

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ing　that　Godfrey　would　fall　in　love　and　marry　her．Dunstan　was　clearly　delighted　that　his　evil　plan　had　succeeded．Godfrey　was　now　in　a　difficult　situation．He　no　longer　loved　his　young　wife，and　could　not　stop　thinking　of　Nancy　Lammeter．He　felt　sure　that　with　Nancy　as　his　wife　he　would　not　need　to　have　secrets，and　could　be　open　and　honest　with　everybody．But　for　the　moment　he　had　to　give　Dunstan　whatever　he　wanted，keep　Molly　happy，and　lie　to　his　father　and　his　friends．If　he　told　his　father　the　truth，the　situation　would　become　impossible．The　Squire　would　disinherit　him　and　he　would　be　just　a　poor　working　man　for　the　rest　of　his　life．And　far　worse　than　that，he　would　lose　any　hope　of　marrying　Nancy．No！He　could　not　accept　that．He　would　find　the　money　for　Dunstan，and　wait　for　the　situa－tion　to　get　better．Living　with　fear　in　his　heart，the　fear　of　be－ing　discovered，was　better　than　living　without　Nancy's　love．

He　turned　to　Dunstan．‘It's　just　like　you　to　talk　of　selling　Wildfire—the　best　horse　I've　ever　had！’

‘Let　me　sell　him　for　you…you　know　I'm　good　at　buying　and　selling．I　can　ride　him　to　the　hunt　for　you　tomorrow，and　bring　you　back　the　money．But　you　must　decide．You　lent　me　that　money，and　you'll　have　to　pay　it　back　to　the　Squire．So　it's　your　problem，not　mine！’

Godfrey　thought　for　a　moment．‘All　right，’he　said．‘But　make　sure　you　bring　me　back　all　the　money，Dunstan！’

The　next　morning，as　Dunstan　was　riding　Wildfire　out　of　Rav－eloe，he　passed　the　old　quarry．All　the　stone　had　been　taken　out　of　it　and　it　was　no　longer　used；now　all　that　was　left　was　a　deep　hole　full　of　reddish　water．Opposite　the　quarry　was　Silas　Marn－er's　cottage．Dunstan　suddenly　had　an　idea．‘Everybody　in　Raveloe　talks　of　the　weaver's　money—he　must　have　a　lot　hid－den　away　in　that　cottage！Why　doesn't　Godfrey　borrow　some　money　from　him，and　pay　him　back　when　he　becomes　the　Squire？’He　wondered　whether　to　go　back　to　the　Red　House　at　once，to　tell　Godfrey　about　this　wonderful　idea　of　his，but　he　did　not　want　to　miss　the　hunt，so　he　decided　to　continue　on　his　way．

At　the　hunt　he　met　several　friends　and　neighbours，and　be　fore　the　hunt　started　he　managed　to　sell　Wildfire　for　a　good　price．The　money　would　be　paid　when　he　brought　the　horse　to　the　neighbour's　house　later　that　day．Dunstan　knew　it　would　be　safer　to　take　the　horse　there　immediately，so　that　he　could　be　sure　of　receiving　the　money．But　he　was　confident　that　he　could　take　care　of　Wildfire　during　the　hunt，and　so，after　a　glass　or　two　of　whisky，he　joined　the　other　riders　in　the　fields．This　time，however，he　was　not　as　lucky　as　usual，and　horse　and　rid…er　fell　while　jumping　a　gate．Dunstan　got　up，shaken　but　unhurt，but　poor　Wildfire's　back　was　broken，and　in　a　few　mo－ments　he　died．

Dunstan　looked　around，and　was　glad　to　see　that　no　other　riders　had　noticed　his　accident．He　did　not　want　people　to　think　he　was　a　bad　rider．He　did　not　care　much　about　Wildfire，be－cause　he　thought　he　now　had　a　much　better　plan　to　offer　God－frey．The　worst　thing　was　that　he　would　have　to　walk　home，something　he　was　not　at　all　used　to　doing．

He　drank　some　more　whisky　from　the　bottle　he　kept　in　his　pocket，and　started　down　the　country　road．He　kept　thinking　about　Silas's　money．There　would　certainly　be　enough　for　his　own　needs　as　well　as　Godfrey's．Dunstan　thought　it　would　be　easy　to　frighten　the　weaver　a　little，and　then　Silas　would　quick－ly　agree　to　lend　his　money．

It　was　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon，and　the　whole　country－side　was　covered　by　a　thick　mist．Dunstan　did　not　see　anyone　on　his　way　back　to　Raveloe．He　knew　he　was　getting　close　to　the　old　quarry，although　he　could　not　see　the　road　in　front　of　him．At　last　he　saw　light　coming　from　the　weaver's　cottage，and　he　decided　to　knock　at　the　door．‘Why　not　ask　the　old　man　for　the　money　now？he　thought．

But　when　he　knocked　loudly，there　was　no　reply．And　when　he　pushed　the　door，it　opened．Dunstan　found　himself　in　front　of　a　bright　fire　which　showed　every　corner　of　the　small　living…room．Silas　Marner　was　not　there．Dunstan　was　tired　and　cold，so　he　went　quickly　to　sit　by　the　warm　fire．As　he　sat　down，he　noticed　a　small　piece　of　meat　cooking　over　the　fire．It　was　hanging　from　a　large　door　key．　‘So，the　old　man's　cooking　meat　for　his　supper，is　he？'thought　Dunstan．‘But　where　is　he？Why　is　his　door　unlocked？Perhaps　he　went　out　to　fetch　some　wood　for　the　fire，and　fell　into　the　quarry！Perhaps　he's　dead！'this　was　an　interesting　new　idea．‘And　if　he's　dead，who　inherits　his　mon－ey？Who　would　know　that　anybody　had　come　to　take　it　away？’And　the　most　important　question　of　all—‘Where　is　the　money？’

Dunstan's　excitement　made　him　forget　that　the　weaver　could　still　be　alive．He　wanted　Silas　to　be　dead，and　he　wanted　Silas's　money．He　looked　round　the　cottage　again．There　was　very　little　furniture，just　a　bed，the　loom，three　chairs　and　a　table．Dunstan　looked　under　the　bed，but　the　money　was　not　there．Then　he　noticed　a　plsce　on　the　floor，near　the　loom，where　the　floorboards　looked　different．By　pulling　up　one　of　the　boards，he　discovered　Silas's　hiding－place．He　took　out　the　two　heavy　bags　filled　with　gold，put　the　boards　back　and　hurried　to　the　door．

Outside，the　rain　was　falling　heavily，and　he　could　not　see　anything　at　all．Carrying　the　heavy　bags，he　stepped　forward　into　the　darkness．

　　




3　Where　is　Silas's　gold？

　　

When　Dunstan　Cass　left　the　cottage，Silas　Marner　was　only　a　hundred　metres　away．He　was　walking　home　from　the　village，where　he　had　gone　to　buy　what　he　needed　for　his　next　day's　work．His　legs　were　tired，but　he　felt　almost　happy．He　was　looking　forward　to　supper…time，when　he　would　bring　out　his　gold．Tonight　he　had　an　extra　reason　to　hurry　home．He　was　going　to　eat　hot　meat，which　was　unusual　for　him．And　it　would　cost　him　nothing，because　someone　had　giv…en　him　a　piece　of　meat　as　a　present．He　had　left　it　cooking　over　the　fire．The　door　key　was　needed　to　hold　it　safely　in　place，but　Silas　was　not　at　all　worried　about　leaving　his　gold　in　the　cot…tage　with　the　door　unlocked．He　could　not　imagine　that　a　thief　would　find　his　way　through　the　mist，rain　and　darkness　to　the　little　cottage　by　the　quarry．

When　he　reached　his　cottage　and　opened　the　door，he　did　not　notice　that　anything　was　different．He　threw　off　his　wet　coat，and　pushed　the　meat　closer　to　the　fire．As　soon　as　he　was　warm　again，he　began　to　think　about　his　gold．It　seemed　a　long　time　to　wait　until　after　supper，when　he　usually　brought　out　the　coins　to　look　at．So　he　decided　to　bring　out　his　gold　immediate－ly，while　the　meat　was　still　cooking．

But　when　he　took　up　the　floorboards　near　the　loom，and　saw　the　empty　hole，he　did　not　understand　at　once．His　heart　beat　violently　as　his　trembling　hands　felt　all　round　the　hole．There　was　nothing　there！He　put　his　hands　to　his　head　and　tried　to　think．Had　he　put　his　gold　in　a　different　place，and　forgotten　about　it？He　searched　every　corner　of　his　small　cottage，until　he　could　not　pretend　to　himself　any　more．He　had　to　accept　the　truth－his　gold　had　been　stolen！

He　gave　a　wild，desperate　scream，and　stood　still　for　a　mo－ment．Then　he　turned　towards　his　loom，and　almost　fell　into　the　seat　where　he　always　worked．He　touched　the　loom　to　make　sure　it，too，had　not　been　stolen．Now　he　was　beginning　to　think　more　clearly．‘A　thief　has　been　here！If　I　can　find　him，he'll　have　to　give　back　my　gold！But　I　was　only　away　for　a　short　time，and　there's　no　sign　of　anyone　entering　the　cottage．’He　wondered　whether　it　was　really　a　thief　who　had　taken　his　money，or　whether　it　was　the　same　cruel　God　who　had　already　destroyed　his　happiness　once．But　Silas　preferred　to　suspect　a　thief，who　would　perhaps　return　the　money．He　began　to　think　it　must　be　Jem　Rodney，a　local　poacher，who　had　known　about　Silas's　money，and　who　sometimes　visited　the　cottage．Silas　felt　stronger　now　that　he　thought　he　knew　the　thief．‘I　must　go　and　tell　the　Squire，and　the　police！’he　said　to　himself．‘They'll　make　Jem　give　me　back　the　money！'so　he　hurried　out　in　the　rain　without　a　coat，and　ran　towards　the　Rainbow．

He　thought　he　would　find　the　most　important　people　in　Rav－eloe　at　the　public　house，but　in　fact　most　of　them　were　at　Mrs　Osgood's　birthday　dance．There　were，however，five　villagers　at　the　Rainbow，enjoying　an　interesting　conversation　about　ghosts，while　drinking　their　beer．

‘I　tell　you，people　have　seen　ghosts，'the　butcher　said．‘And　I'll　tell　you　where，too．Behind　the　church！’

‘That's　right，’agreed　old　Mr　Macey．‘You　young　ones　aren't　old　enough　to　remember，but　people　have　seen　ghosts　near　the　church　since　I　was　a　boy．Oh　yes，it's　true．’

The　farrier　laughed　scornfully．‘Ghosts！People　imagine　they　see　things　on　a　dark　night！You　can't　make　me　believe　in　ghosts！It's　a　question　of　fact！There　are　no　ghosts！’

‘Now，now，’began　the　lanalord，who　always　tried　to　keep　the　peace，‘in　some　ways　you're　all　wrong，and　in　some　ways　you're　all　right，that's　my　opinion．There　are　ghosts，and　there　aren't，well，that's　what　people　say．And…’

Just　then　Silas's　white　face　appeared　suddenly　in　the　door－way．He　had　run　all　the　way　from　his　cottage