CHAPTER X.

oughttoomuchofitandnevercametochurch,enforcedthedoctrinebyapresentofpigs’pettitoes,wellcalculatedtodissipateunfoundedprejudicesagainsttheclericalcharacter.NeighbourswhohadnothingbutverbalconsolationtogiveshowedadispositionnotonlytogreetSilasanddiscusshismisfortuneatsomelengthwhentheyencounteredhiminthevillage,butalsototakethetroubleofcallingathiscottageandgettinghimtorepeatallthedetailsontheveryspotandthentheywouldtrytocheerhimbysaying,“Well,MasterMarner,you’renoworseoffnorotherpoorfolks,afterallandifyouwastobecrippled,theparish’udgiveyoua’lowance.” Isupposeonereasonwhyweareseldomabletocomfortourneighbourswithourwordsisthatourgoodwillgetsadulterated,inspiteofourselves,beforeitcanpassourlips.Wecansendblackpuddingsandpettitoeswithoutgivingthemaflavourofourownegoismbutlanguageisastreamthatisalmostsuretosmackofamingledsoil.TherewasafairproportionofkindnessinRaveloebutitwasoftenofabeeryandbunglingsort,andtooktheshapeleastalliedtothecomplimentaryandhypocritical. Mr.Macey,forexample,comingoneeveningexpresslytoletSilasknowthatrecenteventshadgivenhimtheadvantageofstandingmorefavourablyintheopinionofamanwhosejudgmentwasnotformedlightly,openedtheconversationbysaying,assoonashehadseatedhimselfandadjustedhisthumbs— “Come,MasterMarner,why,you’venocalltosita-moaning.You’readealbetterofftoha’lostyourmoney,nortoha’kepitbyfoulmeans.Iusedtothink,whenyoufirstcomeintotheseparts,asyouwerenobetternoryoushouldbeyouwereyoungeradealthanwhatyouarenowbutyouwereallaysastaring,white-facedcreatur,partlylikeabald-facedcalf,asImaysay.Butthere’snoknowing:itisn’teveryqueer-looksedthingasOldHarry’shadthemakingof—Imean,speakingo’toadsandsuchforthey’reoftenharmless,like,andusefulagainstvarmin.Andit’sprettymuchthesamewi’you,asfurasIcansee.Thoughastotheyarbsandstufftocurethebreathing,ifyoubroughtthatsorto’knowledgefromdistantparts,youmightha’beenabitfreerofit.Andiftheknowledgewasn’twellcomeby,why,youmightha’madeupforitbycomingtochurchreg’larfor,asforthechildrenastheWiseWomancharmed,I’vebeenatthechristeningof’emagainandagain,andtheytookthewaterjustaswell.Andthat’sreasonableforifOldHarry’samindtodoabito’kindnessforaholiday,like,who’sgotanythingagainstit?That’smythinkingandI’vebeenclerko’thisparishfortyyear,andIknow,whentheparsonandmedoesthecussingofaAshWednesday,there’snocussingo’folksashaveamindtobecuredwithoutadoctor,letKimblesaywhathewill.Andso,MasterMarner,asIwassaying—forthere’swindingsi’thingsastheymaycarryyoutothefurendo’theprayer-bookaforeyougetbackto’em—myadviceis,asyoukeepupyoursperritsforasforthinkingyou’readeepun,andha’gotmoreinsideyounor’ullbeardaylight,I’mnoto’thatopinionatall,andsoItelltheneighbours.For,saysI,youtalko’MasterMarnermakingoutatale—why,it’snonsense,thatis:it’udtakea’cutemantomakeatalelikethatand,saysI,helookedasscaredasarabbit.” DuringthisdiscursiveaddressSilashadcontinuedmotionlessinhispreviousattitude,leaninghiselbowsonhisknees,andpressinghishandsagainsthishead.Mr.Macey,notdoubtingthathehadbeenlistenedto,paused,intheexpectationofsomeappreciatoryreply,butMarnerremainedsilent.Hehadasensethattheoldmanmeanttobegood-naturedandneighbourlybutthekindnessfellonhimassunshinefallsonthewretched—hehadnohearttotasteit,andfeltthatitwasveryfaroffhim. “Come,MasterMarner,haveyougotnothingtosaytothat?”saidMr.Maceyatlast,withaslightaccentofimpatience. “Oh,”saidMarner,slowly,shakinghisheadbetweenhishands,“Ithankyou—thankyou—kindly.” “Aye,aye,tobesure:Ithoughtyouwould,”saidMr.Macey“andmyadviceis—haveyougotaSundaysuit?” “No,”saidMarner. “Idoubteditwasso,”saidMr.Macey.“Now,letmeadviseyoutogetaSundaysuit:there’sTookey,he’sapoorcreatur,buthe’sgotmytailoringbusiness,andsomeo’mymoneyinit,andheshallmakeasuitatalowprice,andgiveyoutrust,andthenyoucancometochurch,andbeabitneighbourly.Why,you’veneverhearedmesay“Amen”sinceyoucomeintotheseparts,andIrecommendyoutolosenotime,forit’llbepoorworkwhenTookeyhasitalltohimself,forImayn’tbeequiltostandi’thedeskatall,comeanotherwinter.”HereMr.Maceypaused,perhapsexpectingsomesignofemotioninhishearerbutnotobservingany,hewenton.“Andasforthemoneyforthesuito’clothes,why,yougetamatterofapounda-weekatyourweaving,MasterMarner,andyou’reayoungman,eh,forallyoulooksomushed.Why,youcouldn’tha’beenfive-and-twentywhenyoucomeintotheseparts,eh?” Silasstartedalittleatthechangetoaquestioningtone,andansweredmildly,“Idon’tknowIcan’trightlysay—it’salongwhilesince.” Afterreceivingsuchananswerasthis,itisnotsurprisingthatMr.Maceyobserved,lateronintheeveningattheRainbow,thatMarner’sheadwas“allofamuddle”,andthatitwastobedoubtedifheeverknewwhenSundaycameround,whichshowedhimaworseheathenthanmanyadog. AnotherofSilas’scomforters,besidesMr.Macey,cametohimwithamindhighlychargedonthesametopic.ThiswasMrs.Winthrop,thewheelwright’swife.TheinhabitantsofRaveloewerenotseverelyregularintheirchurch-going,andperhapstherewashardlyapersonintheparishwhowouldnothaveheldthattogotochurcheverySundayinthecalendarwouldhaveshownagreedydesiretostandwellwithHeaven,andgetanundueadvantageovertheirneighbours—awishtobebetterthanthe“commonrun”,thatwouldhaveimpliedareflectiononthosewhohadhadgodfathersandgodmothersaswellasthemselves,andhadanequalrighttotheburying-service.Atthesametime,itwasunderstoodtoberequisiteforallwhowerenothouseholdservants,oryoungmen,totakethesacramentatoneofthegreatfestivals:SquireCasshimselftookitonChristmas-daywhilethosewhowereh