He rushed out in the rain, under
the stimulus of this hope, forgetting to cover his head, not caring to
fasten his door; for he felt as if he had nothing left to lose. He ran
swiftly till want of breath compelled him to slacken his pace as he
was entering the village at the turning close to the Rainbow.
The Rainbow, in Marner's view, was a place of luxurious resort
for rich and stout husbands, whose wives had superfluous stores of
linen; it was the place where he was likely to find the powers and
dignities of Raveloe, and where he could most speedily make his loss
public. He lifted the latch, and turned into the bright bar or kitchen
on the right hand, where the less lofty customers of the house were in
the habit of assembling, the parlour on the left being reserved for
the more select society in which Squire Cass frequently enjoyed the
double pleasure of conviviality and condescension. But the parlour was
dark tonight, the chief personages who ornamented its circle being all
at Mrs Osgood's birthday dance, as Godfrey Cass was. And in
consequence of this, the party on the high-screened seats in the
kitchen was more numerous than usual; several personages, who would
otherwise have been admitted into the parlour and enlarged the
opportunity of hectoring and condescension for their betters, being
content this evening to vary their enjoyment by taking their
spirits-and-water where they could themselves hector and condescend in
company that called for beer.
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