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Silas Marner Misses his Gold
Gold from the wreck of the pirate-ship Whydah, lost in a storm on April 26th, 1717.
Lost and found... Gold coins from the wreck of the Whydah, a slave-ship turned pirate-ship broken on the shoals off Wellfleet, Massachusetts, during a storm on April 26th, 1717. The captain was killed along with all but two of his crew of 145 men. The wreck was brought to light by Barry Clifford in 1984, the first authenticated pirate-ship ever to be rediscovered.
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Lost and found... Gold coins from the wreck of the Whydah, a slave-ship turned pirate-ship broken on the shoals off Wellfleet, Massachusetts, during a storm on April 26th, 1717. The captain was killed along with all but two of his crew of 145 men. The wreck was brought to light by Barry Clifford in 1984, the first authenticated pirate-ship ever to be rediscovered.
Introduction
Silas Marner, the weaver, lives a reclusive life now, following an unhappy episode when he was framed for stealing. One night, while waiting for his supper to cook (a nice bit of pork, a gift or he would not have indulged himself) he decides to fetch his savings from their secret place beneath the floor, and enjoy the sight of them as he eats.
HE rose and placed his candle unsuspectingly on the floor near his loom, swept away the sand without noticing any change, and removed the bricks. The sight of the empty hole made his heart leap violently, but the belief that his gold was gone could not come at once — only terror, and the eager effort to put an end to the terror. He passed his trembling hand all about the hole, trying to think it possible that his eyes had deceived him; then he held the candle in the hole and examined it curiously, trembling more and more. At last he shook so violently that he let fall the candle, and lifted his hands to his head, trying to steady himself, that he might think. Had he put his gold somewhere else, by a sudden resolution last night, and then forgotten it? A man falling into dark waters seeks a momentary footing even on sliding stones; and Silas, by acting as if he believed in false hopes, warded off the moment of despair.
Tonight, Silas Marner plans to lay his hard-earned savings out along with his supper; so he goes to the hole in the floor where he keeps them, only to find it empty. Dazed, he tries to steady his rocking world by reasoning that he must have stowed the coins somewhere else, contrary to invariable habit. (55 / 60 words)
Tonight, Silas Marner plans to lay his hard-earned savings out along with his supper; so he goes to the hole in the floor where he keeps them, only to find it empty. Dazed, he tries to steady his rocking world by reasoning that he must have stowed the coins somewhere else, contrary to invariable habit.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, because, besides, just, otherwise, unless, whether, who.
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