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第39章

silas marner(织工马南)-第39章

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shuttlecock?” 

    “Hush;   lad;   hush;   that’s   the   way   the   ladies   dress   theirselves; 

that is;” said the father; adding; however; in an undertone to Mr。 

Macey: “It does make her look funny; though—partly like a short… 

necked bottle wi’ a long quill in it。 Hey; by jingo; there’s the young 



George Eliot                                                      ElecBook Classics 


… Page 140…

                                Silas Marner                                       140 



Squire leading off now; wi’ Miss Nancy for partners! There’s a lass 

for you!—like a pink…and…white posy—there’s nobody ’ud think as 

anybody   could   be   so   pretty。   I   shouldn’t   wonder   if   she’s   Madam 

Cass some day; arter all—and nobody more rightfuller; for they’d 

make a fine match。 You can find nothing against Master Godfrey’s 

shapes; Macey; I’ll bet a penny。” 

    Mr。   Macey   screwed   up   his   mouth;   leaned   his   head   further   on 

one   side;   and  twirled   his   thumbs   with  a   presto   movement   as   his 

eyes   followed   Godfrey   up   the   dance。   At   last   he   summed   up   his 

opinion。 

    “Pretty     well  down’ard;      but   a  bit  too   round    i’  the  shoulder… 

blades。   And   as   for   them   coats   as   he   gets   from   the   Flitton   tailor; 

they’re a poor cut to pay double money for。” 

    “Ah; Mr。 Macey; you and me   are  two  folks;” said   Ben;   slightly 

indignant at this carping。 “When I’ve got a pot o’ good ale; I like to 

swaller it; and do my inside good; i’stead o’ smelling and staring at 

it to see if I can’t find faut wi’ the brewing。 I should like you to pick 

me   out   a   finer…limbed   young   fellow  nor   Master   Godfrey—one   as 

’ud   knock   you   down   easier;   or’s   more   pleasanter   looksed   when 

he’s piert and merry。” 

    “Tchuh!”   said  Mr。   Macey;   provoked   to   increased   severity;   “he 

isn’t come to his right colour yet: he’s partly like a slack…baked pie。 

And I doubt he’s got a soft place in his head; else why should he be 

turned round the finger by that offal Dunsey as   nobody’s seen   o’ 

late; and let him kill that fine hunting hoss as was the talk o’ the 

country? And one while he was allays after Miss Nancy; and then 

it all went off again; like a smell o’ hot porridge; as I may say。 That 

wasn’t my way when I went a…coorting。” 

    “Ah;    but   mayhap      Miss    Nancy     hung    off  like;  and    your   lass 



George Eliot                                                         ElecBook Classics 


… Page 141…

                                Silas Marner                                       141 



didn’t;” said Ben。 

    “I should say she didn’t;” said Mr。 Macey; significantly。 “Before 

I   said   ‘sniff’;   I   took   care   to   know   as   she’d   say   ‘snaff’;   and   pretty 

quick too。 I wasn’t a…going to open my mouth; like a dog at a fly; 

and snap it to again; wi’ nothing to swaller。” 

    “Well;   I   think   Miss   Nancy’s   a…coming   round   again;”   said   Ben; 

“for Master Godfrey doesn’t look so down…hearted   tonight。   And  I 

see he’s for taking her away to sit down; now they’re at the end o’ 

the dance: that looks like sweethearting; that does。” 

    The reason why Godfrey and Nancy had left the dance was not 

so tender as   Ben  imagined。   In   the   close   press   of  couples a   slight 

accident had happened to Nancy’s dress; which; while it was short 

enough to show her neat ankle in front; was long enough behind to 

be   caught   under   the   stately   stamp   of   the   Squire’s   foot;   so   as   to 

rend     certain    stitches    at  the    waist;   and    cause    much      sisterly 

agitation in Priscilla’s mind; as well as serious concern in Nancy’s。 

One’s   thoughts   may   be   much   occupied   with   love…struggles;   but 

hardly     so   as   to  be   insensible     to   a  disorder     in   the   general 

framework of things。 Nancy had no sooner completed her duty in 

the figure they were dancing than she said to Godfrey; with a deep 

blush;   that she   must  go   and   sit   down   till   Priscilla   could   come   to 

her; for the sisters had already exchanged a short whisper and an 

open…eyed glance full of meaning。 No reason less urgent than this 

could have prevailed on Nancy to give Godfrey this opportunity of 

sitting apart with her。 As for Godfrey; he was feeling so happy and 

oblivious under the long charm of the country…dance with Nancy; 

that he got rather bold on the strength of her confusion; and was 

capable of leading her straight away; without leave asked; into the 

adjoining small parlour; where the card…tables were set。 



George Eliot                                                         ElecBook Classics 


… Page 142…

                                 Silas Marner                                        142 



    “Oh     no;   thank     you;”    said   Nancy;      coldly;   as   soon    as   she 

perceived   where   he   was   going;   “not   in   there。   I’ll      wait   here   till 

Priscilla’s ready to come to me。 I’m sorry  to  bring  you  out  of  the 

dance and make myself troublesome。” 

    “Why;   you’ll   be   more   comfortable   here   by   yourself;”   said   the 

artful   Godfrey。   “I’ll leave   you  here   till   your  sister  can   come。”   He 

spoke in an indifferent tone。 

    That     was    an   agreeable      proposition;      and    just   what    Nancy 

desired; why; then;   was   she a   little   hurt  that  Mr。   Godfrey  should 

make it? They entered; and she seated herself on a chair against 

one   of   the   card…tables;   as   the   stiffest   and   most   unapproachable 

position she could choose。 

    “Thank you; sir;” she said immediately。 “I needn’t give you any 

more trouble。 I’m sorry you’ve had such an unlucky partner。” 

    “That’s very ill…natured of you;” said Godfrey; standing  by  her 

without      any    sign   of  intended      departure;      “to  be    sorry   you’ve 

danced with me。” 

    “Oh no; sir; I don’t mean to  say  what’s ill…natured at  all;” said 

Nancy;   looking   distractingly   prim   and   pretty。   “When   gentlemen 

have so many pleasures; one dance can matter but very little。” 

    “You     know     that   isn’t   true。  You    know     one    dance     with   you 

matters more to me than all the other pleasures in the world。” 

    It   was   a   long;   long   while   since   Godfrey   had   said   anything   so 

direct as that; and Nancy was startled。 But her instinctive dignity 

and   repugnance   to   any   show   of   emotion   made   her   sit   perfectly 

still;   and   only   throw   a   little   more   decision   into   her   voice;   as   she 

said—“No;   indeed;   Mr。   Godfrey;   that’s   not   known   to   me;   and   I 

have   very   good   reasons   for   thinking   different。   But   if   it’s   true;   I 

don’t wish to hear it。” 



George Eliot                                                           ElecBook Classics 


… Page 143…

                                Silas Marner                                      143 



    “Would you never forgive me; then; Nancy—never think well of 

me;   let   what   would   happen—would   you   never   think   the   present 

made amends for the past? Not if I turned a good fellow; and gave 

up everything you didn’t like?” 

    Godfrey     was    half  conscious     that   this  sudden     opportunity     of 

speaking to Nancy alone had driven him beside himself; but blind 

feeling had got the mastery of his tongue。 Nancy really felt much 

agitated by the possibility Godfrey’s words suggested; but this very 

pressure of emotion that she   was   in danger  of  finding  too  strong 

for her roused all her power of self…command。 

    “I   should    be  

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