CHAPTER I.

ouamischief. ItwaspartlytothisvaguefearthatMarnerwasindebtedforprotectinghimfromthepersecutionthathissingularitiesmighthavedrawnuponhim,butstillmoretothefactthat,theoldlinen-weaverintheneighbouringparishofTarleybeingdead,hishandicraftmadehimahighlywelcomesettlertothericherhousewivesofthedistrict,andeventothemoreprovidentcottagers,whohadtheirlittlestockofyarnattheyear’send.Theirsenseofhisusefulnesswouldhavecounteractedanyrepugnanceorsuspicionwhichwasnotconfirmedbyadeficiencyinthequalityorthetaleoftheclothhewoveforthem.AndtheyearshadrolledonwithoutproducinganychangeintheimpressionsoftheneighboursconcerningMarner,exceptthechangefromnoveltytohabit.AttheendoffifteenyearstheRaveloemensaidjustthesamethingsaboutSilasMarnerasatthebeginning:theydidnotsaythemquitesooften,buttheybelievedthemmuchmorestronglywhentheydidsaythem.Therewasonlyoneimportantadditionwhichtheyearshadbrought:itwas,thatMasterMarnerhadlaidbyafinesightofmoneysomewhere,andthathecouldbuyup“biggermen”thanhimself. Butwhileopinionconcerninghimhadremainednearlystationary,andhisdailyhabitshadpresentedscarcelyanyvisiblechange,Marner’sinwardlifehadbeenahistoryandametamorphosis,asthatofeveryfervidnaturemustbewhenithasfled,orbeencondemned,tosolitude.Hislife,beforehecametoRaveloe,hadbeenfilledwiththemovement,thementalactivity,andtheclosefellowship,which,inthatdayasinthis,markedthelifeofanartisanearlyincorporatedinanarrowreligioussect,wherethepoorestlaymanhasthechanceofdistinguishinghimselfbygiftsofspeech,andhas,attheveryleast,theweightofasilentvoterinthegovernmentofhiscommunity.Marnerwashighlythoughtofinthatlittlehiddenworld,knowntoitselfasthechurchassemblinginLanternYardhewasbelievedtobeayoungmanofexemplarylifeandardentfaithandapeculiarinteresthadbeencentredinhimeversincehehadfallen,ataprayer-meeting,intoamysteriousrigidityandsuspensionofconsciousness,which,lastingforanhourormore,hadbeenmistakenfordeath.TohavesoughtamedicalexplanationforthisphenomenonwouldhavebeenheldbySilashimself,aswellasbyhisministerandfellow-members,awilfulself-exclusionfromthespiritualsignificancethatmightlietherein.Silaswasevidentlyabrotherselectedforapeculiardisciplineandthoughtheefforttointerpretthisdisciplinewasdiscouragedbytheabsence,onhispart,ofanyspiritualvisionduringhisoutwardtrance,yetitwasbelievedbyhimselfandothersthatitseffectwasseeninanaccessionoflightandfervour.AlesstruthfulmanthanhemighthavebeentemptedintothesubsequentcreationofavisionintheformofresurgentmemoryalesssanemanmighthavebelievedinsuchacreationbutSilaswasbothsaneandhonest,though,aswithmanyhonestandferventmen,culturehadnotdefinedanychannelsforhissenseofmystery,andsoitspreaditselfovertheproperpathwayofinquiryandknowledge.Hehadinheritedfromhismothersomeacquaintancewithmedicinalherbsandtheirpreparation—alittlestoreofwisdomwhichshehadimpartedtohimasasolemnbequest—butoflateyearshehadhaddoubtsaboutthelawfulnessofapplyingthisknowledge,believingthatherbscouldhavenoefficacywithoutprayer,andthatprayermightsufficewithoutherbssothattheinheriteddelighthehadinwanderinginthefieldsinsearchoffoxgloveanddandelionandcoltsfoot,begantoweartohimthecharacterofatemptation. Amongthemembersofhischurchtherewasoneyoungman,alittleolderthanhimself,withwhomhehadlonglivedinsuchclosefriendshipthatitwasthecustomoftheirLanternYardbrethrentocallthemDavidandJonathan.TherealnameofthefriendwasWilliamDane,andhe,too,wasregardedasashininginstanceofyouthfulpiety,thoughsomewhatgiventoover-severitytowardsweakerbrethren,andtobesodazzledbyhisownlightastoholdhimselfwiserthanhisteachers.ButwhateverblemishesothersmightdiscerninWilliam,tohisfriend’smindhewasfaultlessforMarnerhadoneofthoseimpressibleself-doubtingnatureswhich,ataninexperiencedage,admireimperativenessandleanoncontradiction.TheexpressionoftrustingsimplicityinMarner’sface,heightenedbythatabsenceofspecialobservation,thatdefenceless,deer-likegazewhichbelongstolargeprominenteyes,wasstronglycontrastedbytheself-complacentsuppressionofinwardtriumphthatlurkedinthenarrowslantingeyesandcompressedlipsofWilliamDane.OneofthemostfrequenttopicsofconversationbetweenthetwofriendswasAssuranceofsalvation:Silasconfessedthathecouldnever