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wonderful handy wi’ children。 The men are awk’ard and contrairy
mostly； God help ’em—but when the drink’s out of ’em； they aren’t
unsensible； though they’re bad for leeching and bandaging—so
fiery and unpatient。 You see this goes first； next the skin；”
proceeded Dolly； taking up the little shirt； and putting it on。
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“Yes；” said Marner； docilely； bringing his eyes very close； that
they might be initiated in the mysteries； whereupon Baby seized
his head with both her small arms； and put her lips against his
face with purring noises。
“See there；” said Dolly； with a woman’s tender tact； “she’s
fondest o’ you。 She wants to go o’ your lap； I’ll be bound。 Go then：
take her； Master Marner； you can put the things on； and then you
can say as you’ve done for her from the first of her coming to you。”
Marner took her on his lap； trembling with an emotion
mysterious to himself； at something unknown dawning on his life。
Thought and feeling were so confused within him that if he had
tried to give them utterance； he could only have said that the child
was come instead of the gold—that the gold had turned into the
child。 He took the garments from Dolly； and put them on under
her teaching； interrupted； of course； by Baby’s gymnastics。
“There； then！ why； you take to it quite easy； Master Marner；”
said Dolly； “but what shall you do when you’re forced to sit in your
loom？ For she’ll get busier and mischievouser every day—she will；
bless her。 It’s lucky as you’ve got that high hearth i’stead of a
grate； for that keeps the fire more out of her reach； but if you’ve
got anything as can be spilt or broke； or as is fit to cut her fingers
off； she’ll be at it—and it is but right you should know。”
Silas meditated a little while in some perplexity。 “I’ll tie her to
the leg o’ the loom；” he said at last—”tie her with a good long strip
o’ something。”
“Well； mayhap that’ll do； as it’s a little gell； for they’re easier
persuaded to sit i’ one place nor the lads。 I know what the lads are；
for I’ve had four—four I’ve had； God knows—and if you was to
take and tie ’em up they’d make a fighting and a crying as if you
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was ringing the pigs。 But I’ll bring you my little chair； and some
bits o’ red rag and things for her to play wi’； an’ she’ll sit and
chatter to ’em as if they was alive。 Eh； if it wasn’t a sin to the lads
to wish ’em made different； bless ’em； I should ha’ been glad for
one of ’em to be a little gell； and to think as I could ha’ taught her
to scour； and mend； and the knitting； and everything！ But I can
teach ’em this little un； Master Marner； when she gets old
enough。”
“But she’ll be my little un；” said Marner； rather hastily。 “She’ll
be nobody else’s。”
“No； to be sure； you’ll have a right to her； if you’re a father to
her； and bring her up according。 But；” added Dolly； coming to a
point which she had determined beforehand to touch upon； “you
must bring her up like christened folks’s children； and take her to
church； and let her learn her catechise； as my little Aaron can say
off—the ‘I believe’； and everything； and ‘hurt nobody by word or
deed’—as well as if he was the clerk。 That’s what you must do；
Master Marner； if you’d do the right thing by the orphin child。”
Marner’s pale face flushed suddenly under a new anxiety。 His
mind was too busy trying to give some definite bearing to Dolly’s
words for him to think of answering her。
“And it’s my belief；” she went on； “as the poor little creature
has never been christened； and it’s nothing but right as the parson
should be spoke to； and if you was noways unwilling； I’d talk to
Mr。 Macey about it this very day。 For if the child ever went
anyways wrong； and you hadn’t done your part by it； Master
Marner—’noculation； and everything to save it from harm—it ’ud
be a thorn i’ your bed forever o’ this side the grave； and I can’t
think as it ’ud be easy lying down for anybody when they’d got to
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another world if they hadn’t done their part by the helpless
children as come wi’out their own asking。”
Dolly herself was disposed to be silent for some time now； for
she had spoken from the depths of her own simple belief； and was
much concerned to know whether her words would produce the
desired effect on Silas。 He was puzzled and anxious； for Dolly’s
word “christened” conveyed no distinct meaning to him。 He had
only heard of baptism； and had only seen the baptism of grown…up
men and women。
“What is it as you mean by ‘christened’？” he said at last；
timidly。 “Won’t folks be good to her without it？”
“Dear； dear！ Master Marner；” said Dolly； with gentle distress
and compassion。 “Had you never no father nor mother as taught
you to say your prayers； and as there’s good words and good
things to keep us from harm？”
“Yes；” said Silas； in a low voice； “I know a deal about that—
used to； used to。 But your ways are different： my country was a
good way off。” He paused a few moments； and then added； more
decidedly； “But I want to do everything as can be done for the
child； and whatever’s right for it i’ this country； and you think ’ull
do it good； I’ll act according； if you’ll tell me。”
“Well； then； Master Marner；” said Dolly； inwardly rejoiced； “I’ll
ask Mr。 Macey to speak to the parson about it； and you must fix on
a name for it； because it must have a name giv’ it when it’s
christened。”
“My mother’s name was Hephzibah；” said Silas； “and my little
sister was named after her。”
“Eh； that’s a hard name；” said Dolly。 “I partly think it isn’t a
christened name。”
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“It’s a Bible name；” said Silas； old ideas recurring。
“Then I’ve no call to speak again’ it；” said Dolly； rather startled
by Silas’s knowledge on this head； “but you see I’m no scholard；
and I’m slow at catching the words。 My husband says I’m allays
like as if I was putting the haft for the handle—that’s what he
says—for he’s very sharp； God help him。 But it was awk’ard calling
your little sister by such a hard name； when you’d got nothing big
to say； like—