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whither； to return at the end of six weeks； take up his old quarters
unforbidden； and swagger as usual。 His own family； who equally
expected this issue； with the sole difference that the Squire was
determined this time to forbid him the old quarters； never
mentioned his absence； and when his uncle Kimble or Mr。 Osgood
noticed it； the story of his having killed Wildfire and committed
some offence against his father was enough to prevent surprise。
To connect the fact of Dunsey’s disappearance with that of the
robbery occurring on the same day lay quite away from the track
of every one’s thought—even Godfrey’s； who had better reason
than any one else to know what his brother was capable of。 He
remembered no mention of the weaver between them since the
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time； twelve years ago； when it was their boyish sport to deride
him； and； besides； his imagination constantly created an alibi for
Dunstan： he saw him continually in some congenial haunt； to
which he had walked off on leaving Wildfire—saw him sponging
on chance acquaintances； and meditating a return home to the old
amusement of tormenting his elder brother。 Even if any brain in
Raveloe had put the said two facts together； I doubt whether a
combination so injurious to the prescriptive respectability of a
family with a mural monument and venerable tankards would not
have been suppressed as of unsound tendency。 But Christmas
puddings； brawn； and abundance of spirituous liquors； throwing
the mental originality into the channel of nightmare； are great
preservatives against a dangerous spontaneity of waking thought。
When the robbery was talked of at the Rainbow and elsewhere；
in good company； the balance continued to waver between the
rational explanation founded on the tinder…box； and the theory of
an impenetrable mystery that mocked investigation。 The
advocates of the tinder…box…and…pedlar view considered the other
side a muddle…headed and credulous set； who； because they
themselves were wall…eyed； supposed everybody else to have the
same blank outlook； and the adherents of the inexplicable more
than hinted that their antagonists were animals inclined to crow
before they had found any corn—mere skimming…dishes in point
of depth—whose clear…sightedness consisted in supposing there
was nothing behind a barn…door because they couldn’t see through
it； so that； though their controversy did not serve to elicit the fact
concerning the robbery； it elicited some true opinions of collateral
importance。
But while poor Silas’s loss served thus to brush the slow
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current of Raveloe conversation； Silas himself was feeling the
withering desolation of that bereavement about which his
neighbours were arguing at their ease。 To any one who had
observed him before he lost his gold； it might have seemed that so
withered and shrunken a life as his could hardly be susceptible of
a bruise； could hardly endure any subtraction but such as would
put an end to it altogether。 But in reality it had been an eager life；
filled with immediate purpose which fenced him in from the wide；
cheerless unknown。 It had been a clinging life； and though the
object round which its fibres had clung was a dead disrupted
thing； it satisfied the need for clinging。 But now the fence was
broken down—the support was snatched away。 Marner’s thoughts
could no longer move in their old round； and were baffled by a
blank like that which meets a plodding ant when the earth has
broken away on its homeward path。 The loom was there； and the
weaving； and the growing pattern in the cloth； but the bright
treasure in the hole under his feet was gone； the prospect of
handling and counting it was gone； the evening had no phantasm
of delight to still the poor soul’s craving。 The thought of the money
he would get by his actual work could bring no joy； for its meagre
image was only a fresh reminder of his loss： and hope was too
heavily crushed by the sudden blow； for his imagination to dwell
on the growth of a new hoard from that small beginning。
He filled up the blank with grief。 As he sat weaving； he every
now and then moaned low； like one in pain： it was the sign that his
thoughts had come round again to the sudden chasm—to the
empty evening time。 And all the evening； as he sat in his loneliness
by his dull fire； he leaned his elbows on his knees； and clasped his
head with his hands； and moaned very low—not as one who seeks
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to be heard。
And yet he was not utterly forsaken in his trouble。 The
repulsion Marner had always created in his neighbours was partly
dissipated by the new light in which this misfortune had shown
him。 Instead of a man who had more cunning than honest folks
could come by； and； what was worse； had not the inclination to use
that cunning in a neighbourly way； it was now apparent that Silas
had not cunning enough to keep his own。 He was generally spoken
of as a “poor mushed creatur”； and that avoidance of his
neighbours； which had before been referred to his ill…will and to a
probable addiction to worse company； was now considered mere
craziness。
This change to a kindlier feeling was shown in various ways。
The odour of Christmas cooking being on the wind； it was the
season when superfluous pork and black puddings are suggestive
of charity in well…to…do families； and Silas’s misfortune had
brought him uppermost in the memory of housekeepers like Mrs。
Osgood。 Mr。 Crackenthorp too； while he admonished Silas that his
money had probably been taken from him because he thought too
much of it and never came to church； enforced the doctrine by a
present of pigs’ pettitoes； well calculated to dissipate unfounded
prejudices against the clerical character。 Neighbours who had
nothing but verbal consolation to give showed a disposition not
only to greet Silas and discuss his misfortune at some length when
they encountered him in the village； but also to take the trouble of
calling at his cottage and getting him to repeat all the details on
the very spot； and then they would try to cheer him by saying；
“Well； Master Marner； you’re no worse off nor other poor folks；
after all； and if you was to be crippled； the parish ’ud give you a
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’lowance。”
I suppose one reason why we are seldom able to comfort our
neighbours with our words is that our good will gets adulterated；
in spite of ourselves； before it can pass our lips。 We can send black
puddings and pettitoes without giving them a flavour of our own
egoism； but language is a stream that is almost sure to smack of a
mingled soil。 There was a fair proportion of kindness in Raveloe；
but it was often of a beery and bungling sort； and took the shape
least allied to the complimentary and hypocritical。
Mr。 Macey； for example； coming one evening expressly to let
Silas know that recent events had given him the advantage of
standing mor