CHAPTER XII.

agravenimage,withwidebutsightlesseyes,holdingopenhisdoor,powerlesstoresisteitherthegoodortheevilthatmightenterthere. WhenMarner’ssensibilityreturned,hecontinuedtheactionwhichhadbeenarrested,andclosedhisdoor,unawareofthechasminhisconsciousness,unawareofanyintermediatechange,exceptthatthelighthadgrowndim,andthathewaschilledandfaint.Hethoughthehadbeentoolongstandingatthedoorandlookingout.Turningtowardsthehearth,wherethetwologshadfallenapart,andsentforthonlyareduncertainglimmer,heseatedhimselfonhisfiresidechair,andwasstoopingtopushhislogstogether,when,tohisblurredvision,itseemedasifthereweregoldonthefloorinfrontofthehearth.Gold!—hisowngold—broughtbacktohimasmysteriouslyasithadbeentakenaway!Hefelthisheartbegintobeatviolently,andforafewmomentshewasunabletostretchouthishandandgrasptherestoredtreasure.Theheapofgoldseemedtoglowandgetlargerbeneathhisagitatedgaze.Heleanedforwardatlast,andstretchedforthhishandbutinsteadofthehardcoinwiththefamiliarresistingoutline,hisfingersencounteredsoftwarmcurls.Inutteramazement,Silasfellonhiskneesandbenthisheadlowtoexaminethemarvel:itwasasleepingchild—around,fairthing,withsoftyellowringsalloveritshead.Couldthisbehislittlesistercomebacktohiminadream—hislittlesisterwhomhehadcarriedaboutinhisarmsforayearbeforeshedied,whenhewasasmallboywithoutshoesorstockings?ThatwasthefirstthoughtthatdartedacrossSilas’sblankwonderment.Wasitadream?Herosetohisfeetagain,pushedhislogstogether,and,throwingonsomedriedleavesandsticks,raisedaflamebuttheflamedidnotdispersethevision—itonlylitupmoredistinctlythelittleroundformofthechild,anditsshabbyclothing.Itwasverymuchlikehislittlesister.Silassankintohischairpowerless,underthedoublepresenceofaninexplicablesurpriseandahurryinginfluxofmemories.Howandwhenhadthechildcomeinwithouthisknowledge?Hehadneverbeenbeyondthedoor.Butalongwiththatquestion,andalmostthrustingitaway,therewasavisionoftheoldhomeandtheoldstreetsleadingtoLanternYard—andwithinthatvisionanother,ofthethoughtswhichhadbeenpresentwithhiminthosefar-offscenes.Thethoughtswerestrangetohimnow,likeoldfriendshipsimpossibletoreviveandyethehadadreamyfeelingthatthischildwassomehowamessagecometohimfromthatfar-offlife:itstirredfibresthathadneverbeenmovedinRaveloe—oldquiveringsoftenderness—oldim