But he had the prospect of dancing with her again when the hornpipe was concluded, and in the meanwhile it was very pleasant to get long glances at her quite unobserved.
But when Godfrey was lifting his eyes from one of those long glances, they encountered an object as startling to him at that moment as if it had been an apparition from the dead.

It _was_ an apparition from that hidden life which lies, like a dark by-street, behind the goodly ornamented facade that meets the sunlight and the gaze of respectable admirers.

It was his own child, carried in Silas Marner's arms.

That was his instantaneous impression, unaccompanied by doubt, though he had not seen the child for months past; and when the hope was rising that he might possibly be mistaken, Mr.Crackenthorp and Mr.Lammeter had already advanced to Silas, in astonishment at this strange advent.
Godfrey joined them immediately, unable to rest without hearing every word--trying to control himself, but conscious that if any one noticed him, they must see that he was white-lipped and trembling.
But now all eyes at that end of the room were bent on Silas Marner; the Squire himself had risen, and asked angrily, "How's this ?--what's this ?--what do you do coming in here in this way ?" "I'm come for the doctor--I want the doctor," Silas had said, in the first moment, to Mr.Crackenthorp.
"Why, what's the matter, Marner ?" said the rector.

"The doctor's here; but say quietly what you want him for." "It's a woman," said Silas, speaking low, and half-breathlessly, just as Godfrey came up.