织工马南-第4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！



Just　then　Silas's　white　face　appeared　suddenly　in　the　door－way．He　had　run　all　the　way　from　his　cottage，so　he　could　not　speak　for　a　moment．He　stared　silently　at　the　men　with　his　strange　staring　eyes，looking　exactly　like　a　ghost．For　a　few　minutes　nobody　said　anything，while　Silas　tried　to　control　his　breathing．Then　the　landlord　spoke．

‘What　do　you　want，Master　Marner？Come，tell　us．’

‘Robbed！’cried　Silas，suddenly　able　to　speak．‘I've　been　robbed！I　want　the　police，and　the　Squire！’He　waved　his　arms　wildly　as　he　spoke．

‘Hold　him，Jem，'said　the　landlord　to　the　poacher，who　was　sitting　near　the　door．‘I　think　he's　gone　mad．’

But　Jem　moved　quickly　away．‘Not　me！’he　replied．‘I　don't　want　anything　to　do　with　a　ghost！’

‘Jem　Rodney！’cried　Silas，turning　and　staring　at　the　man　he　suspected．

‘Yes，Master　Marner？’answered　Jem，trembling　a　little．

‘If　it　was　you　who　stole　my　money，'said　Silas，going　close　to　Jem，‘just　give　it　back　to　me，and　I　won't　tell　the　police．Please—just　give　it　back．’

‘Stole　your　money！’cried　Jem　angrily．‘I'll　throw　this　glass　at　you　if　you　accuse　me　of　stealing　your　money！’

‘Come　now，Master　Matner，'said　the　landlord　firmly，tak－ing　Silas　by　the　arm．‘You　must　explain　what　you　mean　if　you　want　us　to　believe　you．And　sit　down　by　the　fire　to　dry　your　clothes．You're　very　wet．’

‘That's　right，'said　the　farrier．‘No　more　staring　like　a　madman．That's　what　I　thought　you　were　at　first—not　a　ghost，of　course．’

The　weaver　sat　down，in　the　centre　of　the　little　group　of　men，and　told　his　story．It　felt　strange　but　pleasant　to　him，to　talk　to　his　neighbours　and　tell　them　his　problems．The　men　re－alized　at　once　that　Silas　was　telling　the　truth．They　had　sus－pected　him　of　working　for　the　devil，but　they　knew　now　that　the　devil　was　no　longer　taking　care　of　him．

‘Well，Master　Marner，'said　the　landlord　in　the　end，‘you　mustn't　accuse　poor　Jem．He　sometimes　steals　a　chicken，we　all　know　that，but　he's　been　sitting　here　drinking　with　us　all　evening．So　he's　not　the　thief．’

‘That's　right，'said　old　Mr　Macey．‘You　can't　accuse　someone　who　hasn't　done　anything　wrong，Master　Marner．’

These　words　brought　the　past　back　to　Silas，and　he　remem－bered　standing　in　front　of　his　accusers　in　the　Light　Street　chapel．He　went　up　to　Jem．

‘I　was　wrong，’he　said　miserably．‘I'm　sorry，Jem．I　had　no　reason　to　accuse　you．But—where　can　my　gold　be？’

‘Perhaps　some　stranger　came　to　your　cottage　while　you　were　out，'said　the　farrier．‘But　we　must　report　the　robbery　to　the　police　and　the　Squire　immediately．’

Next　morning，when　the　whole　village　heard　about　the　stolen　gold，they　all　discussed　it　excitedly．A　few　people　still　did　not　trust　Silas　or　believe　his　story．Most　people，however，were　suspicious　of　the　pedlar　who　had　visited　Raveloe　the　month　be－fore．Perhaps　he　had　returned　to　hide　near　the　quarry，and　steal　the　money　when　Silas　left　his　cottage．Several　villagers　thought　they　remembered　his　evil…looking　face，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　sc