Whatever I can do for you will
be nothing but paying a debt, even if I looked no farther than the
robbery. But there are other things I'm beholden- shall be beholden to
you for, Marner.'
Godfrey checked himself. It had been agreed between him and his
wife that the subject of his fatherhood should be approached very
carefully, and that, if possible, the disclosure should be reserved
for the future, so that it might be made to Eppie gradually. Nancy had
urged this, because she felt strongly the painful light in which Eppie
must inevitably see the relation between her father and mother.
Silas, always ill at ease when he was being spoken to by 'betters',
such as Mr Cass- tall, powerful, florid men, seen chiefly on
horseback- answered with some constraint:
'Sir, I've a deal to thank you for a'ready. As for the robbery, I
count it no loss to me. And if I did, you couldn't help it: you aren't
answerable for it.'
'You may look at it in that way, Marner, but I never can; and I hope
you'll let me act according to my own feeling of what's just. I know
you're easily contented: you've been a hard-working man all your
life.'
'Yes, sir, yes,' said Marner, meditatively. 'I should ha' been
bad off without my work: it was what I held by when everything else
was gone from me.'
'Ah,' said Godfrey, applying Marner's words simply to his bodily
wants, 'it was a good trade for you in this country, because there's
been a great deal of linen-weaving to be done.
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