Silas Marner--Negatives Abound
I am having trouble parsing the following sentence, which appears in the first chapter of Silas Marner:
For how was it possible to believe that those large brown protuberant eyes in Silas Marner’s pale face really saw nothing very distinctly that was not close to them, and not rather that their dreadful stare could dart cramp, or rickets, or a wry mouth at any boy who happened to be in the rear?
I want to focus on the first part of the sentence. If I understand it correctly, it is essentially saying that it is impossible to believe that those eyes couldn't see anything distinctly that is far away. Does that sound right? Even the translation seems convoluted.
Also, what does 'dart cramp' mean?
Top answer
Eli Bashwinger If I understand it correctly, it is essentially saying that it is impossible to believe that those eyes couldn't see anything distinctly that is far away. Does that sound right? Yes, he was near-sighted.
- Eli Bashwinger If I understand it correctly, it is essentially saying that it is impossible to believe that those eyes couldn't see anything distinctly that is far away.
- Does that sound right?
- Yes, he was near-sighted.
- Eli Bashwinger Also, what does 'dart cramp' mean?
- "dart" is a verb.
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Eli BashwingerIf I understand it correctly, it is essentially saying that it is impossible to believe that those eyes couldn't see anything distinctly that is far away. Does that sound right?
Yes, he was near-sighted.
Eli BashwingerAlso, what does 'dart cramp' mean?
"dart" is a verb. From an old dictionary
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