CHAPTER I.

e,butisallovergrownbyrecollectionsthatareaperpetualpasturetofear.“Isthereanythingyoucanfancythatyouwouldliketoeat?”Ioncesaidtoanoldlabouringman,whowasinhislastillness,andwhohadrefusedallthefoodhiswifehadofferedhim.“No,”heanswered,“I’veneverbeenusedtonothingbutcommonvictual,andIcan’teatthat.”Experiencehadbrednofanciesinhimthatcouldraisethephantasmofappetite. AndRaveloewasavillagewheremanyoftheoldechoeslingered,undrownedbynewvoices.Notthatitwasoneofthosebarrenparisheslyingontheoutskirtsofcivilization—inhabitedbymeagresheepandthinly-scatteredshepherds:onthecontrary,itlayintherichcentralplainofwhatwearepleasedtocallMerryEngland,andheldfarmswhich,speakingfromaspiritualpointofview,paidhighly-desirabletithes.Butitwasnestledinasnugwell-woodedhollow,quiteanhour’sjourneyonhorsebackfromanyturnpike,whereitwasneverreachedbythevibrationsofthecoach-horn,orofpublicopinion.Itwasanimportant-lookingvillage,withafineoldchurchandlargechurchyardintheheartofit,andtwoorthreelargebrick-and-stonehomesteads,withwell-walledorchardsandornamentalweathercocks,standingcloseupontheroad,andliftingmoreimposingfrontsthantherectory,whichpeepedfromamongthetreesontheothersideofthechurchyard:—avillagewhichshowedatoncethesummitsofitssociallife,andtoldthepractisedeyethattherewasnogreatparkandmanor-houseinthevicinity,butthattherewereseveralchiefsinRaveloewhocouldfarmbadlyquiteattheirease,drawingenoughmoneyfromtheirbadfarming,inthosewartimes,toliveinarollickingfashion,andkeepajollyChristmas,Whitsun,andEastertide. ItwasfifteenyearssinceSilasMarnerhadfirstcometoRaveloehewasthensimplyapallidyoungman,withprominentshort-sightedbrowneyes,whoseappearancewouldhavehadnothingstrangeforpeopleofaveragecultureandexperience,butforthevillagersnearwhomhehadcometosettleithadmysteriouspeculiaritieswhichcorrespondedwiththeexceptionalnatureofhisoccupation,andhisadventfromanunknownregioncalled“North’ard”.Sohadhiswayoflife:—heinvitednocomertostepacrosshisdoor-sill,andheneverstrolledintothevillagetodrinkapintattheRainbow,ortogossipatthewheelwright’s:hesoughtnomanorwoman,saveforthepurposesofhiscalling,orinordertosupplyhimselfwithnecessariesanditwassooncleartotheRaveloelassesthathewouldneverurgeoneofthemtoaccepthimagainstherwill—quiteasifhehadheardthemdeclarethattheywouldnevermarryadeadmancometolifeagain.ThisviewofMarner’spersonalitywasnotwithoutanothergroundthanhispalefaceandunexampledeyesforJemRodney,themole-catcher,averredthatoneeveningashewasreturninghomeward,hesawSilasMarnerleaningagainstastilewithaheavybagonhisback,insteadofrestingthebagonthestileasamaninhissenseswouldhavedoneandthat,oncominguptohim,hesawthatMarner’seyesweresetlikeadeadman’s,andhespoketohim,andshookhim,andhislimbswerestiff,andhishandsclutchedthebagasifthey’dbeenmadeofironbutjustashehadmadeuphismindthattheweaverwasdead,hecameallrightagain,like,asyoumightsay,inthewinkingofaneye,andsaid“Good-night”,andwalkedoff.AllthisJemsworehehadseen,morebytokenthatitwastheverydayhehadbeenmole-catchingonSquireCass’sland,downbytheoldsaw-pit.SomesaidMarnermusthavebeenina“fit”,awordwhichseemedtoexplainthingsotherwiseincrediblebuttheargumentativeMr.Macey,clerkoftheparish,shookhishead,andaskedifanybodywaseverknowntogooffinafitandnotfalldown.Afitwasastroke,wasn’tit?anditwasinthenatureofastroketopartlytakeawaytheuseofaman’slimbsandthrowhimontheparish,ifhe’dgotnochildrentolookto.No,noitwasnostrokethatwouldletamanstandonhislegs,likeahorsebetweentheshafts,andthenwalkoffassoonasyoucansay“Gee!”Buttheremightbesuchathingasaman’ssoulbeingloosefromhisbody,andgoingoutandin,likeabirdoutofitsnestandbackandthatwashowfolksgotover-wise,fortheywenttoschoolinthisshell-lessstatetothosewhocouldteachthemmorethantheirneighbourscouldlearnwiththeirfivesensesandtheparson.AndwheredidMasterMarnergethisknowledgeofherbsfrom—andcharmstoo,ifhelikedtogivethemaway?JemRodney’sstorywasnomorethanwhatmighthavebeenexpectedbyanybodywhohadseenhowMarnerhadcuredSallyOates,andmadehersleeplikeababy,whenherhearthadbeenbeatingenoughtoburstherbody,fortwomonthsandmore,whileshehadbeenunderthedoctor’scare.Hemightcuremorefolksifhewouldbuthewasworthspeakingfair,ifitwasonlytokeephimfromdoingy