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but yourself； and you’ve had two to keep for a good many years
now。”
“Eh； sir；” said Silas； unaffected by anything Godfrey was
saying； “I’m in no fear o’ want。 We shall do very well—Eppie and
me ’ull do well enough。 There’s few working…folks have got so
much laid by as that。 I don’t know what it is to gentlefolks； but I
look upon it as a deal—almost too much。 And as for us； it’s 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； there’s 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。
“You’ve done a good part by Eppie； Marner； for sixteen years。 It
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’ud be a great comfort to you to see her well provided for； wouldn’t
it？ She looks blooming and healthy； but not fit for any hardships：
she doesn’t look like a strapping girl come of working parents。
You’d like to see her taken care of by those who can leave her well
off； and make a lady of her； she’s 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 Marner’s 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 don’t take your meaning； sir；” he answered； not having words
at command to express the mingled feelings with which he had
heard Mr。 Cass’s words。
“Well； my meaning is this； Marner；” said Godfrey； determined
to come to the point。 “Mrs。 Cass and I； you know； have no
children—nobody to be the better for our good home and
everything else we have—more than enough for ourselves。 And we
should like to have somebody in the place of a daughter to us—we
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 you’ve been at the trouble of
bringing her up so well。 And it’s right you should have every
reward for that。 And Eppie； I’m sure； will always love you and be
grateful to you： she’d come and see you very often； and we should
all be on the lookout to do everything we could towards making
you comfortable。”
A plain man like Godfrey Cass； speaking under some
embarrassment； necessarily blunders on words that are coarser
than his intentions； and that are likely to fall gratingly on
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susceptible feelings。 While he had been speaking； Eppie had
quietly passed her arm behind Silas’s head； and let her hand rest
against it caressingly： she felt him trembling violently。 He was
silent for some moments when Mr。 Cass had ended—powerless
under the conflict of emotions； all alike painful。 Eppie’s heart was
swelling at the sense that her father was in distress； and she was
just going to lean down and speak to him； when one struggling
dread at last gained the mastery over every other in Silas； and he
said faintly—“Eppie； my child； speak。 I won’t stand in your way。
Thank Mr。 and Mrs。 Cass。”
Eppie took her hand from her father’s head； and came forward
a step。 Her cheeks were flushed； but not with shyness this time：
the sense that her father was in doubt and suffering banished that
sort of self…consciousness。 She dropped a low curtsy； first to Mrs。
Cass and then to Mr。 Cass； and said—“Thank you； ma’am—thank
you； sir。 But I can’t leave my father； nor own anybody nearer than
him。 And I don’t want to be a lady—thank you all the same” （here
Eppie dropped another curtsy）。 “I couldn’t give up the folks I’ve
been used to。”
Eppie’s lip began to tremble a little at the last words。 She
retreated to her father’s chair again； and held him round the neck；
while Silas； with a subdued sob； put up his hand to grasp hers。
The tears were in Nancy’s eyes； but her sympathy with Eppie
was； naturally； divided with distress on her husband’s account。
She dared not speak； wondering what was going on in her
husband’s mind。
Godfrey felt an irritation inevitable to almost all of us when we
encounter an unexpected obstacle。 He had been full of his own
penitence and resolution to retrieve his error as far as the time
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was left to him； he was possessed with all…important feelings； that
were to lead to a predetermined course of action which he had
fixed on as the right； and he was not prepared to enter with lively
appreciation into other people’s feelings counteracting his
virtuous resolves。 The agitation with which he spoke again was not
quite unmixed with anger。
“But I’ve a claim on you； Eppie—the strongest of all claims。 It’s
my duty； Marner； to own Eppie as my child； and provide for her。
She’s my own child： her mother was my wife。 I’ve a natural claim
on her that must stand before every other。”
Eppie had given a violent start； and turned quite pale。 Silas； on
the contrary； who had been relieved； by Eppie’s answer； from the
dread lest his mind should be in opposition to hers； felt the spirit
of resistance in him set free； not without a touch of parental
fierceness。 “Then； sir；” he answered； with an accent of bitterness
that had been silent in him since the memorable day when his
youthful hope had perished—”then； sir； why didn’t you say so
sixteen year ago； and claim her before I’d come to love her； i’stead
o’ coming to take her from me now； when you might as well take
the heart out o’ my body？ God gave her to me because you turned
your back upon her； and He looks upon her as mine： you’ve no
right to her！ When a man turns a blessing from his door； it falls to
them as take it in。”
“I know that； Marner。 I was wrong。 I’ve repented of my conduct
in that matter；” said Godfrey； who could not help feeling the edge
of Silas’s words。
“I’m glad to hear it； sir；” said Marner； with gathering
excitement； “but repentance doesn’t alter what’s been going on for
sixteen year。 Your coming now and saying ‘I’m her father’ doesn’t
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alter the feelings inside us。 It’s me she’s been calling her father
ever since she could say the word。”
“But I think you might look at the thing more reasonably；
Marner；” said Godfrey； unexpectedly awed by the weaver’s direct
truth…speaking。 “It isn’t as if she was to be taken quite away from
you； so that you’d never see her again。 She’ll be very near you； and
come to see you very often。 She’ll feel just the same towards you。”
“Just the same？” said Marner； more bitterly than ever。 “How’ll
she feel just the same for me as she does now； when we eat o’ the
same bit； and drink o’ the same cup； and think o’ the same things
from one day’s end to another？ Just the same？ That’s idle talk。
You’d cut us i’ two。”
Godfrey； unqualified by experience to discern the pregnancy of
Marner’s simple words； felt rather angry again。 It se