CHAPTER VIII.

edtoputtwoandtwotogether—toconnectwiththetinder-box,which,asdeputy-constable,hehimselfhadhadthehonourabledistinctionoffinding,certainrecollectionsofapedlarwhohadcalledtodrinkatthehouseaboutamonthbefore,andhadactuallystatedthathecarriedatinder-boxaboutwithhimtolighthispipe.Here,surely,wasacluetobefollowedout.Andasmemory,whendulyimpregnatedwithascertainedfacts,issometimessurprisinglyfertile,Mr.Snellgraduallyrecoveredavividimpressionoftheeffectproducedonhimbythepedlar’scountenanceandconversation.Hehada“lookwithhiseye”whichfellunpleasantlyonMr.Snell’ssensitiveorganism.Tobesure,hedidn’tsayanythingparticular—no,exceptthataboutthetinder-box—butitisn’twhatamansays,it’sthewayhesaysit.Moreover,hehadaswarthyforeignnessofcomplexionwhichbodedlittlehonesty. “Didhewearear-rings?”Mr.Crackenthorpwishedtoknow,havingsomeacquaintancewithforeigncustoms. “Well—stay—letmesee,”saidMr.Snell,likeadocileclairvoyante,whowouldreallynotmakeamistakeifshecouldhelpit.Afterstretchingthecornersofhismouthandcontractinghiseyes,asifheweretryingtoseetheear-rings,heappearedtogiveuptheeffort,andsaid,“Well,he’dgotear-ringsinhisboxtosell,soit’snat’raltosupposehemightwear’em.Buthecalledateveryhouse,a’most,inthevillagethere’ssomebodyelse,mayhap,saw’eminhisears,thoughIcan’ttakeuponmerightlytosay.” Mr.Snellwascorrectinhissurmise,thatsomebodyelsewouldrememberthepedlar’sear-rings.Foronthespreadofinquiryamongthevillagersitwasstatedwithgatheringemphasis,thattheparsonhadwantedtoknowwhetherthepedlarworeear-ringsinhisears,andanimpressionwascreatedthatagreatdealdependedontheelicitingofthisfact.Ofcourse,everyonewhoheardthequestion,nothavinganydistinctimageofthepedlaraswithoutear-rings,immediatelyhadanimageofhimwithear-rings,largerorsmaller,asthecasemightbeandtheimagewaspresentlytakenforavividrecollection,sothattheglazier’swife,awell-intentionedwoman,notgiventolying,andwhosehousewasamongthecleanestinthevillage,wasreadytodeclare,assureasevershemeanttotakethesacramenttheverynextChristmasthatwasevercoming,thatshehadseenbigear-rings,intheshapeoftheyoungmoon,inthepedlar’stwoearswhileJinnyOates,thecobbler’sdaughter,beingamoreimaginativeperson,statednotonlythatshehadseenthemtoo,butthattheyhadmadeherbloodcreep,asitdidatthatverymomentwhilethereshestood. Also,bywayofthrowingfurtherlightonthisclueofthetinder-box,acollectionwasmadeofallthearticlespurchasedfromthepedlaratvarioushouses,andcarriedtotheRainbowtobeexhibitedthere.Infact,therewasageneralfeelinginthevillage,thatfortheclearing-upofthisrobberytheremustbeagreatdealdoneattheRainbow,andthatnomanneedofferhiswifeanexcuseforgoingtherewhileitwasthesceneofseverepublicduties. Somedisappointmentwasfelt,andperhapsalittleindignationalso,whenitbecameknownthatSilasMarner,onbeingquestionedbytheSquireandtheparson,hadretainednootherrecollectionofthepedlarthanthathehadcalledathisdoor,buthadnotenteredhishouse,havingturnedawayatoncewhenSilas,holdingthedoorajar,hadsaidthathewantednothing.ThishadbeenSilas’st