conclusion-第1章

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CONCLUSION。



There　was　one　time　of　the　year　which　was　held　in　Raveloe　to　be

especially　suitable　for　a　wedding。　　It　was　when　the　great　lilacs　and

laburnums　in　the　old…fashioned　gardens　showed　their　golden　and

purple　wealth　above　the　lichen…tinted　walls；　and　when　there　were

calves　still　young　enough　to　want　bucketfuls　of　fragrant　milk。

People　were　not　so　busy　then　as　they　must　become　when　the　full

cheese…making　and　the　mowing　had　set　in；　and　besides；　it　was　a　time

when　a　light　bridal　dress　could　be　worn　with　comfort　and　seen　to

advantage。



Happily　the　sunshine　fell　more　warmly　than　usual　on　the　lilac　tufts

the　morning　that　Eppie　was　married；　for　her　dress　was　a　very　light

one。　　She　had　often　thought；　though　with　a　feeling　of　renunciation；

that　the　perfection　of　a　wedding…dress　would　be　a　white　cotton；　with

the　tiniest　pink　sprig　at　wide　intervals；　so　that　when　Mrs。　Godfrey

Cass　begged　to　provide　one；　and　asked　Eppie　to　choose　what　it　should

be；　previous　meditation　had　enabled　her　to　give　a　decided　answer　at

once。



Seen　at　a　little　distance　as　she　walked　across　the　churchyard　and

down　the　village；　she　seemed　to　be　attired　in　pure　white；　and　her

hair　looked　like　the　dash　of　gold　on　a　lily。　　One　hand　was　on　her

husband's　arm；　and　with　the　other　she　clasped　the　hand　of　her　father

Silas。



〃You　won't　be　giving　me　away；　father；〃　she　had　said　before　they

went　to　church；　〃you'll　only　be　taking　Aaron　to　be　a　son　to　you。〃



Dolly　Winthrop　walked　behind　with　her　husband；　and　there　ended　the

little　bridal　procession。



There　were　many　eyes　to　look　at　it；　and　Miss　Priscilla　Lammeter　was

glad　that　she　and　her　father　had　happened　to　drive　up　to　the　door　of

the　Red　House　just　in　time　to　see　this　pretty　sight。　　They　had　come

to　keep　Nancy　company　to…day；　because　Mr。　Cass　had　had　to　go　away　to

Lytherley；　for　special　reasons。　　That　seemed　to　be　a　pity；　for

otherwise　he　might　have　gone；　as　Mr。　Crackenthorp　and　Mr。　Osgood

certainly　would；　to　look　on　at　the　wedding…feast　which　he　had

ordered　at　the　Rainbow；　naturally　feeling　a　great　interest　in　the

weaver　who　had　been　wronged　by　one　of　his　own　family。



〃I　could　ha'　wished　Nancy　had　had　the　luck　to　find　a　child　like

that　and　bring　her　up；〃　said　Priscilla　to　her　father；　as　they　sat

in　the　gig；　〃I　should　ha'　had　something　young　to　think　of　then；

besides　the　lambs　and　the　calves。〃



〃Yes；　my　dear；　yes；〃　said　Mr。　Lammeter；　〃one　feels　that　as　one

gets　older。　　Things　look　dim　to　old　folks：　they'd　need　have　some

young　eyes　about　'em；　to　let　'em　know　the　world's　the　same　as　it

used　to　be。〃



Nancy　came　out　now　to　welcome　her　father　and　sister；　and　the　wedding

group　had　passed　on　beyond　the　Red　House　to　the　humbler　part　of　the

village。



Dolly　Winthrop　was　the　first　to　divine　that　old　Mr。　Macey；　who　had

been　set　in　his　arm…chair　outside　his　own　door；　would　expect　some

special　notice　as　they　passed；　since　he　was　too　old　to　be　at　the

wedding…feast。



〃Mr。　Macey's　looking　for　a　word　from　us；〃　said　Dolly；　〃he'll　be

hurt　if　we　pass　him　and　say　nothingand　him　so　racked　with

rheumatiz。〃



So　they　turned　aside　to　shake　hands　with　the　old　man。　　He　had　looked

forward　to　the　occasion；　and　had　his　premeditated　speech。



〃Well；　Master　Marner；〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　that　quavered　a　good

deal；　〃I've　lived　to　see　my　words　come　true。　　I　was　the　first　to

say　there　was　no　harm　in　you；　though　your　looks　might　be　again'　you；

and　I　was　the　first　to　say　you'd　get　your　money　back。　　And　it's

nothing　but　rightful　as　you　should。　　And　I'd　ha'　said　the　〃Amens〃；

and　willing；　at　the　holy　matrimony；　but　Tookey's　done　it　a　good

while　now；　and　I　hope　you'll　have　none　the　worse　luck。〃



In　the　open　yard　before　the　Rainbow　the　party　of　guests　were　already

assembled；　though　it　was　still　nearly　an　hour　before　the　appointed

feast　time。　　But　by　this　means　they　could　not　only　enjoy　the　slow

advent　of　their　pleasure；　they　had　also　ample　leisure　to　talk　of

Silas　Marner's　strange　history；　and　arrive　by　due　degrees　at　the

conclusion　that　he　had　brought　a　blessing　on　himself　by　acting　like

a　father　to　a　lone　motherless　child。　　Even　the　farrier　did　not

negative　this　sentiment：　on　the　contrary；　he　took　it　up　as

peculiarly　his　own；　and　invited　any　hardy　person　present　to

contradict　him。　　But　he　met　with　no　contradiction；　and　all

differences　among　the　company　were　merged　in　a　general　agreement

with　Mr。　Snell's　sentiment；　that　when　a　man　had　deserved　his　good

luck；　it　was　the　part　of　his　neighbours　to　wish　him　joy。



As　the　bridal　group　approached；　a　hearty　cheer　was　raised　in　the

Rainbow　yard；　and　Ben　Winthrop；　whose　jokes　had　retained　their

acceptable　flavour；　found　it　agreeable　to　turn　in　there　and　receive

congratulations；　not　requiring　the　proposed　interval　of　quiet　at　the

Stone…pits　before　joining　the　company。



Eppie　had　a　larger　garden　than　she　had　ever　expected　there　now；　and

in　other　ways　there　had　been　alterations　at　the　expense　of　Mr。　Cass；

the　landlord；　to　suit　Silas's　larger　family。　　For　he　and　Eppie　had

declared　that　they　would　rather　stay　at　the　Stone…pits　than　go　to

any　new　home。　　The　garden　was　fenced　with　stones　on　two　sides；　but

in　front　there　was　an　open　fence；　through　which　the　flowers　shone

with　answering　gladness；　as　the　four　united　people　came　within　sight

of　them。



〃O　father；〃　said　Eppie；　〃what　a　pretty　home　ours　is！　　I　think

nobody　could　be　happier　than　we　are。〃







End