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第51章

silas marner(织工马南)-第51章

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behind      her   who    is  thinking     about    her   very    particularly;     and 

mustering courage to come to her side as soon as they are out in 

the lane; else why should she look rather shy; and take care not to 

turn   away   her   head   from   her   father   Silas;   to   whom       she   keeps 

murmuring little sentences as to who was at church and who was 

not   at   church;   and   how   pretty   the   red…mountain…ash   is   over   the 

Rectory wall。 

    “I   wish   we   had   a   little   garden;   father;   with   double   daisies   in; 

like Mrs。 Winthrop’s;” said Eppie; when they were out in the lane; 

“only   they   say   it   ’ud   take   a   deal   of   digging   and   bringing   fresh 

soil—and       you   couldn’t     do   that;  could    you;   father?     Anyhow;      I 

shouldn’t like you to do it; for it ’ud be too hard work for you。” 

    “Yes; I could do it; child; if you want a bit o’ garden: these long 

evenings;   I   could   work   at   taking   in   a   little   bit   o’   the   waste;   just 

enough   for   a    root   or  two    o’  flowers   for   you;   and   again;    i’  the 

morning; I could have a turn wi’ the spade before I sat down to the 

loom。     Why     didn’t   you   tell  me    before    as  you    wanted     a  bit   o’ 

garden?” 



George Eliot                                                          ElecBook Classics 


… Page 185…

                                Silas Marner                                       185 



    “I   can   dig   it   for   you;   Master   Marner;”   said   the   young   man   in 

fustian;     who     was    now     by    Eppie’s     side;   entering     into    the 

conversation without the trouble of formalities。 “It’ll be play to me 

after  I’ve   done my   day’s   work;   or  any   odd   bits   o’   time   when   the 

work’s slack。 And I’ll bring you some soil from Mr。 Cass’s garden— 

he’ll let me; and willing。” 

    “Eh; Aaron; my lad; are you there?” said Silas; “I wasn’t aware 

of you; for when Eppie’s talking o’ things I   see  nothing but  what 

she’s   a…saying。   Well;   if   you   could   help   me   with   the   digging;   we 

might get her a bit o’ garden all the sooner。” 

    “Then; if you think well and good;” said Aaron; “I’ll come to the 

Stone…pits this afternoon; and we’ll settle what land’s to be taken 

in; and I’ll get up an hour earlier i’ the morning; and begin on it。” 

    “But    not   if  you  don’t    promise     me   not   to  work    at  the   hard 

digging;   father;”   said   Eppie。   “For   I   shouldn’t   ha’   said   anything 

about     it;”  she   added;    half…bashfully;     half…roguishly;     “only    Mrs。 

Winthrop said as Aaron ’ud be so good; and—” “And you might ha’ 

known   it   without   mother   telling   you;”   said   Aaron。   “And   Master 

Marner knows too; I hope; as I’m able and willing to do a turn o’ 

work for him; and he won’t do me the unkindness to anyways take 

it out o’ my hands。” 

    “There; now; father; you won’t work in it till it’s all easy;” said 

Eppie; “and you and me can mark   out  the   beds;  and make   holes 

and plant the roots。 It’ll   be   a deal   livelier at  the   Stone…pits   when 

we’ve got some flowers; for I always think the flowers can see us 

and know what we’re talking about。 And I’ll have a bit o’ rosemary 

and bergamot and thyme;   because   they’re   so  sweet…smelling; but 

there’s no lavender only in the gentlefolks’ gardens; I think。” 

    “That’s   no  reason   why  you  shouldn’t  have   some;”   said   Aaron; 



George Eliot                                                         ElecBook Classics 


… Page 186…

                                 Silas Marner                                        186 



“for I can bring you slips of anything; I’m forced to cut no end of 

’em   when   I’m   gardening;   and   throw   ’em   away   mostly。   There’s   a 

big bed o’ lavender at the Red House: the missis is very fond of it。” 

    “Well;” said Silas; gravely; “so as you don’t make free for us; or 

ask for anything as is worth much at the Red House: for Mr。 Cass’s 

been so good to us; and built us up the new end o’ the cottage; and 

given   us   beds   and   things;   as   I   couldn’t   abide   to   be   imposin’   for 

garden…stuff or anything else。” 

    “No;    no;   there’s    no   imposin’;”     said   Aaron;    “there’s    never    a 

garden   in   all   the   parish   but   what   there’s   endless   waste   in   it   for 

want o’ somebody as could use everything up。 It’s what I think to 

myself sometimes; as there need nobody run short o’ victuals if the 

land   was   made   the   most   on;   and   there   was   never   a   morsel   but 

what could find its way to a mouth。 It sets one thinking o’ that— 

gardening   does。   But   I   must   go   back   now;   else   mother   ’ull   be   in 

trouble as I aren’t there。” 

    “Bring     her   with    you   this   afternoon;     Aaron;”     said   Eppie;    “I 

shouldn’t like to fix about the garden and her not know everything 

from the first—should you; father?” 

    “Ay; bring her if you can; Aaron;” said Silas; “she’s sure to have 

a word to say as’ll help us to set things on their right end。” 

    Aaron turned   back   up   the   village;   while   Silas and  Eppie   went 

on up the lonely sheltered lane。 

    “Oh;   daddy!”   she   began;   when   they   were   in   privacy;   clasping 

and   squeezing   Silas’s   arm;   and   skipping   round           to   give  him   an 

energetic   kiss。   “My   little   old   daddy!   I’m   so   glad。   I   don’t   think   I 

shall   want   anything   else   when   we’ve   got   a   little      garden;   and     I 

knew      Aaron     would     dig  it  for   us;”   she   went    on   with    roguish 

triumph—”I knew that very well。” 



George Eliot                                                           ElecBook Classics 


… Page 187…

                                 Silas Marner                                       187 



    “You’re   a   deep   little   puss;   you   are;”   said   Silas;   with   the   mild 

passive     happiness      of  love…crowned       age   in  his   face;  “but    you’ll 

make yourself fine and beholden to Aaron。” 

    “Oh  no; I   shan’t;”   said   Eppie;   laughing   and   frisking;   “he   likes 

it。” 

    “Come;      come;    let   me  carry    your   prayer…book;      else   you’ll   be 

dropping it; jumping i’ that way。” 

    Eppie      was     now     aware     that    her    behaviour       was     under 

observation; but it was only the observation of a friendly donkey; 

browsing       with   a  log  fastened     to  his  foot—a     meek     donkey;    not 

scornfully   critical   of   human   trivialities;   but   thankful   to   share   in 

them; if possible; by getting his nose scratched; and Eppie did not 

fail   to   gratify   him   with   her   usual   notice;   though   it   was   attended 

with the inconvenience of his following them; painfully; up to the 

very door of their home。 

    But the sound of  a   sharp   bark inside;  as  Eppie   put  the   key  in 

the door; modified the donkey’s views; and he limped away again 

without      bidding。    The    sharp    bark    was    the   sign   of  an   excited 

welcome   that   was   awaiting   them   from   a   knowing   brown   terrier; 

who;   after   dancing   at   their   legs   in   a   hysterical   manner;   rushed 

with a worrying noise at a tortoise…shell kitten under the loom; and 

then rushed back   with  a   sharp   bark again; as   much  as  to  say;   “I 

have   done   my   duty   by   this   feeble   creature;   you   perceive”;   while 

the lady…mother of the kitten sat sunning her white bosom in the 

window; and looked round with a sleepy air of expecting caress

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