present itself.

"It isn't Jem Rodney as has done this work, Master Marner," said the
landlord. "You mustn't be a-casting your eye at poor Jem. There may be
a bit of a reckoning against Jem for the matter of a hare or so, if
anybody was bound to keep their eyes staring open, and niver to wink;
but Jem's been a-sitting here drinking his can, like the decentest man
i' the parish, since before you left your house, Master Marner, by your
own account."

"Aye, aye," said Mr. Macey; "let's have no accusing o' the innicent.
That isn't the law. There must be folks to swear again' a man before
he can be ta'en up. Let's have no accusing o' the innicent, Master
Marner."

Memory was not so utterly torpid in Silas that it could not be awakened
by these words. With a movement of compunction as new and strange to
him as everything else within the last hour, he started from his chair
and went close up to Jem, looking at him as if he wanted to assure
himself of the expression in his face.

"I was wrong," he said--"yes, yes--I ought to have thought. There's
nothing to witness against you, Jem. Only you'd been into my house
oftener than anybody else, and so you came into my head. I don't accuse
you--I won't accuse anybody--only," he added, lifting up his hands to
his head, and turning away with bewildered misery, "I try--I try to
think where my guineas can be."

"Aye, aye, they're gone where it's hot enough to melt 'em, I doubt,"
said Mr. Macey.

"Tchuh!" said the farrier. And then he asked, with a cross-examining
air, "How much money might there be in the bags, Master Marner?"

"Two hundred and seventy-two pounds, twelve and sixpence, last night
when I counted it," said Silas, seating himself again, with a groan.

"Pooh! why, they'd be none so heavy to carry. Some tramp's been in,
that's all; and as for the no footmarks, and the bricks and the sand
being all right--why, your eyes are pretty much like a insect's, Master
Marner; they're obliged to look so close, you can't see much at a time.
It's my opinion as, if I'd been you, or you'd been me--for it comes to
the same thing--you wouldn't have thought you'd found everything as you
left it. But what I vote is, as two of the sensiblest o' the company
should go with you to Master Kench, the constable's--he's ill i' bed, I
know that much--and get him to appoint one of us his deppity; for
that's the law, and I don't think anybody 'ull take upon him to
contradick me there.