silas marner(织工马南)-第24章
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evil very strongly it is the less likely to come； and when he heard a
horse approaching at a trot； and saw a hat rising above a hedge
beyond an angle of the lane； he felt as if his conjuration had
succeeded。 But no sooner did the horse come within sight than his
heart sank again。 It was not Wildfire； and in a few moments more
he discerned that the rider was not Dunstan； but Bryce； who
pulled up to speak； with a face that implied something
disagreeable。
“Well； Mr。 Godfrey； that’s a lucky brother of yours； that Master
Dunsey； isn’t he？”
“What do you mean？” said Godfrey hastily。 “Why； hasn’t he
been home yet？” said Bryce。
“Home？ No。 What has happened？ Be quick。 What has he done
with my horse？”
“Ah； I thought it was yours； though he pretended you had
parted with it to him。”
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“Has he thrown him down and broken his knees？” said
Godfrey； flushed with exasperation。
“Worse than that；” said Bryce。 “You see； I’d made a bargain
with him to buy the horse for a hundred and twenty—a swinging
price； but I always liked the horse。 And what does he do but go
and stake him—fly at a hedge with stakes in it； atop of a bank with
a ditch before it。 The horse had been dead a pretty good while
when he was found。 So he hasn’t been home since； has he？”
“Home？ No；” said Godfrey； “and he’d better keep away。
Confound me for a fool！ I might have known this would be the end
of it。”
“Well； to tell you the truth；” said Bryce； “after I’d bargained for
the horse； it did come into my head that he might be riding and
selling the horse without your knowledge； for I didn’t believe it
was his own。 I knew Master Dunsey was up to his tricks
sometimes。 But where can he be gone？ He’s never been seen at
Batherley。 He couldn’t have been hurt； for he must have walked
off。”
“Hurt？” said Godfrey bitterly。 “He’ll never be hurt—he’s made
to hurt other people。”
“And so you did give him leave to sell the horse； eh？” said
Bryce。
“Yes； I wanted to part with the horse—he was always a little too
hard in the mouth for me；” said Godfrey； his pride making him
wince under the idea that Bryce guessed the sale to be a matter of
necessity。 “I was going to see after him—I thought some mischief
had happened。 I’ll go back now；” he added； turning the horse’s
head； and wishing he could get rid of Bryce； for he felt that the
long…dreaded crisis in his life was close upon him。 “You’re coming
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on to Raveloe； aren’t you？”
“Well； no； not now；” said Bryce。 “I was coming round there； for
I had to go to Flitton； and I thought I might as well take you in my
way； and just let you know all I knew myself about the horse。 I
suppose Master Dunsey didn’t like to show himself till the ill news
had blown over a bit。 He’s perhaps gone to pay a visit at the Three
Crowns by Whitbridge—I know he’s fond of the house。”
“Perhaps he is；” said Godfrey； rather absently。 Then rousing
himself； he said； with an effort at carelessness； “We shall hear of
him soon enough； I’ll be bound。”
“Well； here’s my turning；” said Bryce； not surprised to perceive
that Godfrey was rather “down”； “so I’ll bid you good…day； and
wish I may bring you better news another time。”
Godfrey rode along slowly； representing to himself the scene of
confession to his father from which he felt that there was now no
longer any escape。 The revelation about the money must be made
the very next morning； and if he withheld the rest； Dunstan would
be sure to come back shortly； and； finding that he must bear the
brunt of his father’s anger； would tell the whole story out of spite；
even though he had nothing to gain by it。 There was one step；
perhaps； by which he might still win Dunstan’s silence and put off
the evil day： he might tell his father that he had himself spent the
money paid to him by Fowler； and as he had never been guilty of
such an offence before； the affair would blow over after a little
storming。 But Godfrey could not bend himself to this。 He felt that
in letting Dunstan have the money； he had already been guilty of a
breach of trust hardly less culpable than that of spending the
money directly for his own behoof； and yet there was a distinction
between the two acts which made him feel that the one was so
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much more blackening than the other as to be intolerable to him。
“I don’t pretend to be a good fellow；” he said to himself； “but
I’m not a scoundrel—at least； I’ll stop short somewhere。 I’ll bear
the consequences of what I have done sooner than make believe
I’ve done what I never would have done。 I’d never have spent the
money for my own pleasure—I was tortured into it。”
Through the remainder of this day Godfrey； with only
occasional fluctuations； kept his will bent in the direction of a
complete avowal to his father； and he withheld the story of
Wildfire’s loss till the next morning； that it might serve him as an
introduction to heavier matter。 The old Squire was accustomed to
his son’s frequent absence from home； and thought neither
Dunstan’s nor Wildfire’s non…appearance a matter calling for
remark。 Godfrey said to himself again and again that if he let slip
this one opportunity of confession he might never have another；
the revelation might be made even in a more odious way than by
Dunstan’s malignity： she might come as she had threatened to do。
And then he tried to make the scene easier to himself by rehearsal：
he made up his mind how he would pass from the admission of his
weakness in letting Dunstan have the money to the fact that
Dunstan had a hold on him which he had been unable to shake off；
and how he would work up his father to expect something very
bad before he told him the fact。 The old Squire was an implacable
man： he made resolutions in violent anger； and he was not to be
moved from them after his anger had subsided—as fiery volcanic
matters cool and harden into rock。 Like many violent and
implacable men； he allowed evils to grow under favour of his own
heedlessness； till they pressed upon him with exasperating force；
and then he turned round with fierce severity and became
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Silas Marner
