CHAPTER X.

emplated.Buthewantedtoshowherthathewasgrateful,andtheonlymodethatoccurredtohimwastoofferAaronabitmorecake. “Oh,no,thankyou,MasterMarner,”saidDolly,holdingdownAaron’swillinghands.“Wemustbegoinghomenow.AndsoIwishyougood-bye,MasterMarnerandifyoueverfeelanywaysbadinyourinside,asyoucan’tfendforyourself,I’llcomeandcleanupforyou,andgetyouabito’victual,andwilling.ButIbegandprayofyoutoleaveoffweavingofaSunday,forit’sbadforsoulandbody—andthemoneyascomesi’thatway’ullbeabadbedtoliedownonatthelast,ifitdoesn’tflyaway,nobodyknowswhere,likethewhitefrost.Andyou’llexcusemebeingthatfreewithyou,MasterMarner,forIwishyouwell—Ido.Makeyourbow,Aaron.” Silassaid“Good-bye,andthankyoukindly,”asheopenedthedoorforDolly,buthecouldn’thelpfeelingrelievedwhenshewasgone—relievedthathemightweaveagainandmoanathisease.Hersimpleviewoflifeanditscomforts,bywhichshehadtriedtocheerhim,wasonlylikeareportofunknownobjects,whichhisimaginationcouldnotfashion.Thefountainsofhumanloveandoffaithinadivinelovehadnotyetbeenunlocked,andhissoulwasstilltheshrunkenrivulet,withonlythisdifference,thatitslittlegrooveofsandwasblockedup,anditwanderedconfusedlyagainstdarkobstruction. Andso,notwithstandingthehonestpersuasionsofMr.MaceyandDollyWinthrop,SilasspenthisChristmas-dayinloneliness,eatinghismeatinsadnessofheart,thoughthemeathadcometohimasaneighbourlypresent.Inthemorninghelookedoutontheblackfrostthatseemedtopresscruellyoneverybladeofgrass,whilethehalf-icyredpoolshiveredunderthebitterwindbuttowardseveningthesnowbegantofall,andcurtainedfromhimeventhatdrearyoutlook,shuttinghimcloseupwithhisnarrowgrief.Andhesatinhisrobbedhomethroughthelivelongevening,notcaringtoclosehisshuttersorlockhisdoor,pressinghisheadbetweenhishandsandmoaning,tillthecoldgraspedhimandtoldhimthathisfirewasgrey. NobodyinthisworldbuthimselfknewthathewasthesameSilasMarnerwhohadoncelovedhisfellowwithtenderlove,andtrustedinanunseengoodness.Eventohimselfthatpastexperiencehadbecomedim. ButinRaveloevillagethebellsrangmerrily,andthechurchwasfullerthanallthroughtherestoftheyear,withredfacesamongtheabundantdark-greenboughs—facespreparedforalongerservicethanusualbyanodorousbreakfastoftoastandale.Thosegreenboughs,thehymnandanthemneverheardbutatChristmas—eventheAthanasianCreed,whichwasdiscriminatedfromtheothersonlyasbeinglongerandofexceptionalvirtue,sinceitwasonlyreadonrareoccasions—broughtavagueexultingsense,forwhichthegrownmencouldaslittlehavefoundwordsasthechildren,thatsomethinggreatandmysterioushadbeendonefortheminheavenaboveandinearthbelow,whichtheywereappropriatingbytheirpresence.Andthentheredfacesmadetheirwaythroughtheblackbitingfrosttotheirownhomes,feelingthemselvesfreefortherestofthedaytoeat,drink,andbemerry,andusingthatChristianfreedomwithoutdiffidence. AtSquireCass’sfamilypartythatdaynobodymentionedDunstan—nobodywassorryforhisabsence,orfeareditwouldbetoolong.Thedoctorandhiswife,uncleandauntKimble,werethere,andtheannualChristmastalkwascarriedthroughwithoutanyomissions,risingtotheclimaxofMr.Kimble’sexperiencewhenhewalkedtheLondonhospitalsthirtyyearsback,togetherwithstrikingprofessionalanecdotesthengathered.Whereuponcardsfollowed,withauntKimble’sannualfailuretofollowsuit,anduncleKimble’sirascibilityconcerningtheoddtrickwhichwasrarelyexplicabletohim,whenitwasnotonhisside,withoutageneralvisitationoftrickstoseethattheywereformedonsoundprinciples:thewholebeingaccompaniedbyastrongsteamingodourofspirits-and-water. ButthepartyonChristmas-day,beingastrictlyfamilyparty,wasnotthepre-eminentlybrilliantcelebrationoftheseasonattheRedHouse.ItwasthegreatdanceonNewYear’sEvethatmadethegloryofSquireCass’shospitality,asofhisforefathers’,timeoutofmind.ThiswastheoccasionwhenallthesocietyofRaveloeandTarley,whetheroldacquaintancesseparatedbylongruttydistances,orcooledacquaintancesseparatedbymisunderstandingsconcerningrunawaycalves,oracquaintancesfoundedonintermittentcondescension,countedonmeetingandoncomportingthemselveswithmutualappropriateness.Thiswastheoccasiononwhichfairdameswhocameonpillionssenttheirbandboxesbeforethem,suppliedwithmorethantheireveningcostumeforthefeastwasnottoendwithasingleevening,likeapaltrytownentertainment,wherethewholesupplyofeatablesisputonthetableatonce,andbeddingisscanty.TheRedHousewasprovisionedasifforasiegeandasforthesparefeather-bedsreadytobelaidonfloors,theywereasplentifulasmightnaturallybeexpectedinafamilythathadkilleditsowngeeseformanygenerations. GodfreyCasswaslookingforwardtothisNewYear’sEvewithafoolishrecklesslonging,thatmadehimhalfdeaftohisimportunatecompanion,Anxiety. “Dunseywillbecominghomesoon:therewillbeagreatblow-up,andhowwillyoubribehisspitetosilence?”saidAnxiety. “Oh,hewon’tcomehomebeforeNewYear’sEve,perhaps,”saidGodfrey“andIshallsitbyNancythen,anddancewithher,andgetakindlookfromherinspiteofherself.” “Butmoneyiswantedinanotherquarter,”saidAnxiety,inaloudervoice,“andhowwillyougetitwithoutsellingyourmother’sdiamondpin?Andifyoudon’tgetit...?” “Well,butsomethingmayhappentomakethingseasier.Atanyrate,there’sonepleasureformecloseathand:Nancyiscoming.” “Yes,andsupposeyourfathershouldbringmatterstoapassthatwillobligeyoutodeclinemarryingher—andtogiveyourreasons?” “Holdyourtongue,anddon’tworryme.IcanseeNancy’seyes,justastheywilllookatme,andfeelherhandinminealready.” ButAnxietywenton,thoughinnoisyChristmascompanyrefusingtobeutterlyquietedevenbymuchdrinking.