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' 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.'
This dialogue took place in Eppie's earlier years, when Silas had
to part with her for two hours every day, that she might learn to read
at the dame school, after he had vainly tried himself to guide her
in that first step to learning. Now that she was grown up, Silas had
often been led, in those moments of quiet outpouring which come to
people who live together in perfect love, to talk with her too of
the past, and how and why he had lived a lonely man until she had been
sent to him.
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