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and the human trust which come with all pure peace and joy； had
given him a dim impression that there had been some error； some
mistake； which had thrown that dark shadow over the days of his
best years； and as it grew more and more easy to him to open his
mind to Dolly Winthrop； he gradually communicated to her all he
could describe of his early life。 The communication was
necessarily a slow and difficult process； for Silas’s meagre power
of explanation was not aided by any readiness of interpretation in
Dolly； whose narrow outward experience gave her no key to
strange customs； and made every novelty a source of wonder that
arrested them at every step of the narrative。 It was only by
fragments； and at intervals which left Dolly time to revolve what
she had heard till it acquired some familiarity for her； that Silas at
last arrived at the climax of the sad story—the drawing of lots； and
its false testimony concerning him； and this had to be repeated in
several interviews； under new questions on her part as to the
nature of this plan for detecting the guilty and clearing the
innocent。
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“And yourn’s the same Bible； you’re sure o’ that； Master
Marner—the Bible as you brought wi’ you from that country—it’s
the same as what they’ve got at church； and what Eppie’s a…
learning to read in？”
“Yes；” said Silas； “every bit the same； and there’s drawing o’
lots in the Bible； mind you；” he added in a lower tone。
“Oh dear； dear；” said Dolly in a grieved voice； as if she were
hearing an unfavourable report of a sick man’s case。 She was
silent for some minutes； at last she said—“There’s wise folks；
happen； as know how it all is； the parson knows； I’ll be bound； but
it takes big words to tell them things； and such as poor folks can’t
make much out on。 I can never rightly know the meaning o’ what I
hear at church； only a bit here and there； but I know it’s good
words—I do。 But what lies upo’ your mind—it’s this； Master
Marner： as； if Them above had done the right thing by you； They’d
never ha’ let you be turned out for a wicked thief when you was
innicent。”
“Ah！” said Silas； who had now come to understand Dolly’s
phraseology； “that was what fell on me like as if it had been red…
hot iron； because； you see； there was nobody as cared for me or
clave to me above nor below。 And him as I’d gone out and in wi’
for ten year and more； since when we was lads and went halves—
mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted； had lifted up his heel
again’ me； and worked to ruin me。”
“Eh； but he was a bad un—I can’t think as there’s another
such；” said Dolly。 “But I’m o’ercome； Master Marner； I’m like as if
I’d waked and didn’t know whether it was night or morning。 I feel
somehow as sure as I do when I’ve laid something up though I
can’t justly put my hand on it； as there was a rights in what
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happened to you； if one could but make it out； and you’d no call to
lose heart as you did。 But we’ll talk on it again； for sometimes
things come into my head when I’m leeching or poulticing； or
such； as I could never think on when I was sitting still。”
Dolly was too useful a woman not to have many opportunities of
illumination of the kind she alluded to； and she was not long
before she recurred to the subject。
“Master Marner；” she said； one day that she came to bring
home Eppie’s washing； “I’ve been sore puzzled for a good bit wi’
that trouble o’ yourn and the drawing o’ lots； and it got twisted
back’ards and for’ards； as I didn’t know which end to lay hold on。
But it come to me all clear like； that night when I was sitting up wi’
poor Bessy Fawkes； as is dead and left her children behind； God
help ’em—it come to me as clear as daylight； but whether I’ve got
hold on it now； or can anyways bring it to my tongue’s end； that I
don’t know。 For I’ve often a deal inside me as’ll never come out；
and for what you talk o’ your folks in your old country niver saying
prayers by heart nor saying ’em out of a book； they must be
wonderful cliver； for if I didn’t know ‘Our Father’； and little bits o’
good words as I can carry out o’ church wi’ me； I might down o’
my knees every night； but nothing could I say。”
“But you can mostly say something as I can make sense on；
Mrs。 Winthrop；” said Silas。
“Well； then； Master Marner； it come to me summat like this： I
can make nothing o’ the drawing o’ lots and the answer coming
wrong； it ’ud mayhap take the parson to tell that； and he could
only tell us i’ big words。 But what come to me as clear as the
daylight； it was when I was troubling over poor Bessy Fawkes； and
it allays comes into my head when I’m sorry for folks； and feel as I
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can’t do a power to help ’em； not if I was to get up i’ the middle o’
the night—it comes into my head as Them above has got a deal
tenderer heart nor what I’ve got—for I can’t be anyways better nor
Them as made me； and if anything looks hard to me； it’s because
there’s things I don’t know on； and for the matter o’ that； there
may be plenty o’ things I don’t know on； for it’s little as I know—
that it is。 And so； while I was thinking o’ that； you come into my
mind； Master Marner； and it all come pouring in： if I felt i’ my
inside what was the right and just thing by you； and them as
prayed and drawed the lots； all but that wicked un； if they’d ha’
done the right thing by you if they could； isn’t there Them as was
at the making on us； and knows better and has a better will？ And
that’s all as ever I can be sure on； and everything else is a big
puzzle to me when I think on it。 For there was the fever come and
took off them as were full…growed； and left the helpless children；
and there’s the breaking o’ limbs； and them as ’ud do right and be
sober have to suffer by them as are contrairy—eh； there’s trouble
i’ this world； and there’s things as we can niver make out the
rights on。 And all as we’ve got to do is to trusten； Master Marner—
to do the right thing as fur as we know； and to trusten。 For if us as
knows so little can see a bit o’ good and rights； we may be sure as
there’s a good and a rights bigger nor what we can know—I feel it
i’ my own inside as it must be so。 And if you could but ha’ gone on
trustening； Master Marner； you wouldn’t ha’ run away from your
fellow…creaturs and been so lone。”
“Ah； but that ’ud ha’ been hard；” said Silas； in an undertone； “it
’ud ha’ been hard to trusten then。”
“And so it would；” said Dolly； almost with compunction： “them
things are easier said nor done； and I’m partly ashamed o’
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talking。”
“Nay； nay；” said Silas； “you’re i’ the right； Mrs。 Winthrop—
you’re i’ the right。 There’s good i’ this world—I’ve a feeling o’ that
now； and it makes a man feel as there’s a good more nor he can
see； i’ spite o’ the trouble and the wickedness。 That drawing o’ the
lots is dark； but the child was sent to me： there’s dealings with
us—there’s dealings。”