'
Dolly's exhortation, which was an unusually long effort of speech
for her, was uttered in the soothing persuasive tone with which she
would have tried to prevail on a sick man to take his medicine, or a
basin of gruel for which he had no appetite. Silas had never before
been closely urged on the point of his absence from church, which
had only been thought of as a part of his general queerness; and he
was too direct and simple to evade Dolly's appeal.
'Nay, nay,' he said, 'I know nothing o' church. I've never been
to church.'
'No!' said Dolly, in a low tone of wonderment. Then bethinking
herself of Silas's advent from an unknown country, she said, 'Could it
ha' been as they'd no church where you was born?'
'Oh, yes,' said Silas, meditatively, sitting in his usual posture
of leaning on his knees, and supporting his head. 'There was churches-
a many- it was a big town. But I knew nothing of 'em- I went to
chapel.'
Dolly was much puzzled at this new word, but she was rather
afraid of inquiring further, lest 'chapel' might mean some haunt of
wickedness. After a little thought, she said:
'Well, Master Marner, it's niver too late to turn over a new
leaf, and if you've niver had no church, there's no telling the good
it'll do you. For I feel so set up and comfortable as niver was,
when I've been and heard the prayers, and the singing to the praise
and glory o' God, as Mr Macey gives out- and Mr Crackenthorp saying
good words, and more particular on Sacramen' Day; and if a bit o'
trouble comes, I feel as I can put up wi' it, for I've looked for help
i' the right quarter, and gev myself up to Them as we must all give
ourselves up to at the last; and if we'n done our part, it isn't to be
believed as Them as are above us 'ull be worse nor we are, and come
short o' Theirn.
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