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织工马南
Silas Marner

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3 Where is Silas's gold？

When Dunstan Cass left the cottage，Silas Marner was only a hundred metres away．He was walking home from the village，where he had gone to buy what he needed for his next day's work．His legs were tired，but he felt almost happy．He was looking forward to supper-time，when he would bring out his gold．Tonight he had an extra reason to hurry home．He was going to eat hot meat，which was unusual for him．And it would cost him nothing，because someone had giv-en him a piece of meat as a present．He had left it cooking over the fire．The door key was needed to hold it safely in place，but Silas was not at all worried about leaving his gold in the cot-tage with the door unlocked．He could not imagine that a thief would find his way through the mist，rain and darkness to the little cottage by the quarry．

When he reached his cottage and opened the door，he did not notice that anything was different．He threw off his wet coat，and pushed the meat closer to the fire．As soon as he was warm again，he began to think about his gold．It seemed a long time to wait until after supper，when he usually brought out the coins to look at．So he decided to bring out his gold immediate－ly，while the meat was still cooking．

But when he took up the floorboards near the loom，and saw the empty hole，he did not understand at once．His heart beat violently as his trembling hands felt all round the hole．There was nothing there！He put his hands to his head and tried to think．Had he put his gold in a different place，and forgotten about it？He searched every corner of his small cottage，until he could not pretend to himself any more．He had to accept the truth－his gold had been stolen！

He gave a wild，desperate scream，and stood still for a mo－ment．Then he turned towards his loom，and almost fell into the seat where he always worked．He touched the loom to make sure it，too，had not been stolen．Now he was beginning to think more clearly．'A thief has been here！If I can find him，he'll have to give back my gold！But I was only away for a short time，and there's no sign of anyone entering the cottage．'He wondered whether it was really a thief who had taken his money，or whether it was the same cruel God who had already destroyed his happiness once．But Silas preferred to suspect a thief，who would perhaps return the money．He began to think it must be Jem Rodney，a local poacher，who had known about Silas's money，and who sometimes visited the cottage．Silas felt stronger now that he thought he knew the thief．'I must go and tell the Squire，and the police！'he said to himself．'They'll make Jem give me back the money！'so he hurried out in the rain without a coat，and ran towards the Rainbow．

He thought he would find the most important people in Rav－eloe at the public house，but in fact most of them were at Mrs Osgood's birthday dance．There were，however，five villagers at the Rainbow，enjoying an interesting conversation about ghosts，while drinking their beer．

'I tell you，people have seen ghosts，'the butcher said．'And I'll tell you where，too．Behind the church！'

'That's right，'agreed old Mr Macey．'You young ones aren't old enough to remember，but people have seen ghosts near the church since I was a boy．Oh yes，it's true．'

The farrier laughed scornfully．'Ghosts！People imagine they see things on a dark night！You can't make me believe in ghosts！It's a question of fact！There are no ghosts！'

'Now，now，'began the lanalord，who always tried to keep the peace，'in some ways you're all wrong，and in some ways you're all right，that's my opinion．There are ghosts，and there aren't，well，that's what people say．And…'

Just then Silas's white face appeared suddenly in the door－way．He had run all the way from his cottage，so he could not speak for a moment．He stared silently at the men with his strange staring eyes，looking exactly like a ghost．For a few minutes nobody said anything，while Silas tried to control his breathing．Then the landlord spoke．

'What do you want，Master Marner？Come，tell us．'

'Robbed！'cried Silas，suddenly able to speak．'I've been robbed！I want the police，and the Squire！'He waved his arms wildly as he spoke．

'Hold him，Jem，'said the landlord to the poacher，who was sitting near the door．'I think he's gone mad．'

But Jem moved quickly away．'Not me！'he replied．'I don't want anything to do with a ghost！'

'Jem Rodney！'cried Silas，turning and staring at the man he suspected．

'Yes，Master Marner？'answered Jem，trembling a little．

'If it was you who stole my money，'said Silas，going close to Jem，'just give it back to me，and I won't tell the police．Please—just give it back．'

'Stole your money！'cried Jem angrily．'I'll throw this glass at you if you accuse me of stealing your money！'

'Come now，Master Matner，'said the landlord firmly，tak－ing Silas by the arm．'You must explain what you mean if you want us to believe you．And sit down by the fire to dry your clothes．You're very wet．'

'That's right，'said the farrier．'No more staring like a madman．That's what I thought you were at first—not a ghost，of course．'

The weaver sat down，in the centre of the little group of men，and told his story．It felt strange but pleasant to him，to talk to his neighbours and tell them his problems．The men re－alized at once that Silas was telling the truth．They had sus－pected him of working for the devil，but they knew now that the devil was no longer taking care of him．

'Well，Master Marner，'said the landlord in the end，'you mustn't accuse poor Jem．He sometimes steals a chicken，we all know that，but he's been sitting here drinking with us all evening．So he's not the thief．'

'That's right，'said old Mr Macey．'You can't accuse someone who hasn't done anything wrong，Master Marner．'

These words brought the past back to Silas，and he remem－bered standing in front of his accusers in the Light Street chapel．He went up to Jem．

'I was wrong，'he said miserably．'I'm sorry，Jem．I had no reason to accuse you．But—where can my gold be？'

'Perhaps some stranger came to your cottage while you were out，'said the farrier．'But we must report the robbery to the police and the Squire immediately．'

Next morning，when the whole village heard about the stolen gold，they all discussed it excitedly．A few people still did not trust Silas or believe his story．Most people，however，were suspicious of the pedlar who had visited Raveloe the month be－fore．Perhaps he had returned to hide near the quarry，and steal the money when Silas left his cottage．Several villagers thought they remembered his evil-looking face，and felt sure he was not honest．

Silas himself remembered that the pedlar had come to his cottage door recently．He hoped the pedlar was indeed the thief，because the police could catch him and make him give back the money．His home seemed very empty to him without his gold，and he desperately wanted to get it back．