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Silas, always ill at ease when he was being spoken to by betters, such as Mr. Casstall, powerful, florid men, seen chiefly on horsebackanswered with some constraint, Sir, Ive a deal to thank you for aready. As for the robbery, I count it no loss to me. And if I did, you couldnt help it; you arent answerable for it. You may look at it in that way, Marner, but I never can; and I hope youll let me act according to my own feeling of whats just. I know youre easily contented; youve been a hard-working man all your life. Yes, sir, yes, said Marner meditatively. I should ha been bad off without my work; it was what I held by when everything else was gone from me. Ah, said Godfrey, applying Marners words simply to his bodily wants, it was a good trade for you in this country, because theres been a great deal of linen-weaving to be done. But youre getting rather past such close work, Marner; its time you laid by and had some rest. You look a good deal pulled down, though youre not an old man, are you? Fifty-five, as near as I can say, sir, said Silas Oh, why, you may live thirty years longerlook at old Macey! And that money on the table, after all, is but little. It wont go far either waywhether its put out to interest, or you were to live on it as long as it would last; it wouldnt go far if youd nobody to keep but yourself, and youve had two to keep for a good many years now. Eh, sir, said Silas, unaffected by anything Godfrey was saying, Im in no fear o want. We shall do very wellEppie and me ull do well enough. Theres few working-folks have got so much laid by as that. I dont know what it is to gentlefolks, but I look upon it as a dealalmost too much. And as for us, its little we want. Only the garden, father, said Eppie, blushing up to the ears the moment after. You love a garden, do you, my dear? said Nancy, thinking that this turn in the point of view might help her husband. We should agree in that; I give a deal of time to the garden. Ah, theres plenty of gardening at the Red House, said Godfrey, surprised at the difficulty he found in approaching a proposition which had seemed so easy to him in the distance. Youve done a good part by Eppie, Marner, for sixteen years. It ud be a great comfort to you to see her well provided for, wouldnt it? She looks blooming and healthy, but not fit for any hardships; she doesnt look like a strapping girl come of working parents. Youd like to see her taken care of by those who can leave her well off, and make a lady of her; shes more fit for it than for a rough life, such as she might come to have in a few years time. A slight flush came over Marners face, and disappeared, like a passing gleam. Eppie was simply wondering Mr. Cass should talk so about things that seemed to have nothing to do with reality, but Silas was hurt and uneasy. I dont take your meaning, sir, he answered, not having the words at command to express the mingled feelings with which he had heard Mr. Casss words. Well, my meaning is this, Marner, said Godfrey, determined to come to the point. Mrs. Cass and I, you know, have no childrennobody to be the better for our good home and everything else we havemore than enough for ourselves. And we should like to have somebody in the place of a daughter to uswe should like to have Eppie, and treat her in every way as our own child. It ud be a great comfort to you in your old age, I hope, to see her fortune made in that way, after youve been at the trouble of bringing her up so well. And its right you should have every reward for that. And Eppie, Im sure, will |
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