brother jacob-第3节

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Jacob；　to　whom　this　once　indifferent　brother　had　all　at　once　become

a　sort　of　sweet…tasted　fetish；　stroked　David's　best　coat　with　his

adhesive　fingers；　and　then　hugged　him　with　an　accompaniment　of　that

mingled　chuckling　and　gurgling　by　which　he　was　accustomed　to　express

the　milder　passions。　　But　if　he　had　chosen　to　bite　a　small　morsel

out　of　his　beneficent　brother's　cheek；　David　would　have　been　obliged

to　bear　it。



And　here　I　must　pause；　to　point　out　to　you　the　short…sightedness　of

human　contrivance。　　This　ingenious　young　man；　Mr。　David　Faux；

thought　he　had　achieved　a　triumph　of　cunning　when　he　had　associated

himself　in　his　brother's　rudimentary　mind　with　the　flavour　of　yellow

lozenges。　　But　he　had　yet　to　learn　that　it　is　a　dreadful　thing　to

make　an　idiot　fond　of　you；　when　you　yourself　are　not　of　an

affectionate　disposition：　　especially　an　idiot　with　a　pitchfork

obviously　a　difficult　friend　to　shake　off　by　rough　usage。



It　may　seem　to　you　rather　a　blundering　contrivance　for　a　clever

young　man　to　bury　the　guineas。　　But；　if　everything　had　turned　out　as

David　had　calculated；　you　would　have　seen　that　his　plan　was　worthy

of　his　talents。　　The　guineas　would　have　lain　safely　in　the　earth

while　the　theft　was　discovered；　and　David；　with　the　calm　of

conscious　innocence；　would　have　lingered　at　home；　reluctant　to　say

good…bye　to　his　dear　mother　while　she　was　in　grief　about　her

guineas；　till　at　length；　on　the　eve　of　his　departure；　he　would　have

disinterred　them　in　the　strictest　privacy；　and　carried　them　on　his

own　person　without　inconvenience。　　But　David；　you　perceive；　had

reckoned　without　his　host；　or；　to　speak　more　precisely；　without　his

idiot　brotheran　item　of　so　uncertain　and　fluctuating　a　character；

that　I　doubt　whether　he　would　not　have　puzzled　the　astute　heroes　of

M。　de　Balzac；　whose　foresight　is　so　remarkably　at　home　in　the

future。



It　was　clear　to　David　now　that　he　had　only　one　alternative　before

him：　　he　must　either　renounce　the　guineas；　by　quietly　putting　them

back　in　his　mother's　drawer　（a　course　not　unattended　with

difficulty）；　or　he　must　leave　more　than　a　suspicion　behind　him；　by

departing　early　the　next　morning　without　giving　notice；　and　with　the

guineas　in　his　pocket。　　For　if　he　gave　notice　that　he　was　going；　his

mother；　he　knew；　would　insist　on　fetching　from　her　box　of　guineas

the　three　she　had　always　promised　him　as　his　share；　indeed；　in　his

original　plan；　he　had　counted　on　this　as　a　means　by　which　the　theft

would　be　discovered　under　circumstances　that　would　themselves　speak

for　his　innocence；　but　now；　as　I　need　hardly　explain；　that　well…

combined　plan　was　completely　frustrated。　　Even　if　David　could　have

bribed　Jacob　with　perpetual　lozenges；　an　idiot's　secrecy　is　itself

betrayal。　　He　dared　not　even　go　to　tea　at　Mr。　Lunn's；　for　in　that

case　he　would　have　lost　sight　of　Jacob；　who；　in　his　impatience　for

the　crop　of　lozenges；　might　scratch　up　the　box　again　while　he　was

absent；　and　carry　it　homedepriving　him　at　once　of　reputation　and

guineas。　　No！　he　must　think　of　nothing　all　the　rest　of　this　day；　but

of　coaxing　Jacob　and　keeping　him　out　of　mischief。　　It　was　a

fatiguing　and　anxious　evening　to　David；　nevertheless；　he　dared　not

go　to　sleep　without　tying　a　piece　of　string　to　his　thumb　and　great

toe；　to　secure　his　frequent　waking；　for　he　meant　to　be　up　with　the

first　peep　of　dawn；　and　be　far　out　of　reach　before　breakfast…time。

His　father；　he　thought；　would　certainly　cut　him　off　with　a　shilling；

but　what　then？　　Such　a　striking　young　man　as　he　would　be　sure　to　be

well　received　in　the　West　Indies：　　in　foreign　countries　there　are

always　openingseven　for　cats。　　It　was　probable　that　some　Princess

Yarico　would　want　him　to　marry　her；　and　make　him　presents　of　very

large　jewels　beforehand；　after　which；　he　needn't　marry　her　unless　he

liked。　　David　had　made　up　his　mind　not　to　steal　any　more；　even　from

people　who　were　fond　of　him：　　it　was　an　unpleasant　way　of　making

your　fortune　in　a　world　where　you　were　likely　to　surprised　in　the

act　by　brothers。　　Such　alarms　did　not　agree　with　David's

constitution；　and　he　had　felt　so　much　nausea　this　evening　that　no

doubt　his　liver　was　affected。　　Besides；　he　would　have　been　greatly

hurt　not　to　be　thought　well　of　in　the　world：　　he　always　meant　to

make　a　figure；　and　be　thought　worthy　of　the　best　seats　and　the　best

morsels。



Ruminating　to　this　effect　on　the　brilliant　future　in　reserve　for

him；　David　by　the　help　of　his　check…string　kept　himself　on　the　alert

to　seize　the　time　of　earliest　dawn　for　his　rising　and　departure。

His　brothers；　of　course；　were　early　risers；　but　he　should　anticipate

them　by　at　least　an　hour　and　a　half；　and　the　little　room　which　he

had　to　himself　as　only　an　occasional　visitor；　had　its　window　over

the　horse…block；　so　that　he　could　slip　out　through　the　window

without　the　least　difficulty。　　Jacob；　the　horrible　Jacob；　had　an

awkward　trick　of　getting　up　before　everybody　else；　to　stem　his

hunger　by　emptying　the　milk…bowl　that　was　〃duly　set〃　for　him；　but　of

late　he　had　taken　to　sleeping　in　the　hay…loft；　and　if　he　came　into

the　house；　it　would　be　on　the　opposite　side　to　that　from　which　David

was　making　his　exit。　　There　was　no　need　to　think　of　Jacob；　yet　David

was　liberal　enough　to　bestow　a　curse　on　himit　was　the　only　thing

he　ever　did　bestow　gratuitously。　　His　small　bundle　of　clothes　was

ready　packed；　and　he　was　soon　treading　lightly　on　the　steps　of　the

horse…block；　soon　walking　at　a　smart　pace　across　the　fields　towards

the　thicket。　　It　would　take　him　no　more　than　two　minutes　to　get　out

the　box；　he　could　make　out　the　tree　it　was　under　by　the　pale　strip

where　the　bark　was　off；　although　the　dawning　light　was　rather　dimmer

in　the　thicket。　　But　what；　in　the　name　ofburnt　pastrywas　that

large　body　with　a　staff　planted　beside　it；　close　at　the　foot　of　the

ash…tree？　　David　paused；　not　to　make　up　his　mind　as　to　the　nature　of

the　apparitionhe　had　not　the　happiness　of　doubting　for　a　moment

that　the　staff　was　Jacob's　pitchforkbut　to　gather　the　self…command

necessary　for　addressing　his　brother　with　a　sufficiently　honeyed

accent。　　Jacob　was　absorbed　in　scratching　up　the　earth；　and　had　not

heard　David's　approach。



〃I　say；　Jacob；〃　said　David　in　a　loud　whisper；　just　as　the　tin　box

was　lifted　out　of　the　hole。



Jacob　looked　up；　and　discerning　his　sweet…flavoured　brother；　nodded

and　grinned　in　the　dim　light　in　a　way　that　made　him　seem　to　David

like　a　triumphant　demon。　　If　he　had　been　of　an　impetuous

disposition；　he　would　have　snatched　the　pitchfork　from　the　ground

and　impaled　this　fraternal　demon。　　But　David　was　by　no　means

impetuous；　he　was　a　young　man　greatly　given　to　calculate

consequences；　a　habit　which　has　been　held　to　be　the　foundation　of

virtue。　　But　somehow　it　had　not　precisely　that　effect　in　David：　　he

calculated　whether　an　action　would　harm　himself；　or　whether　it　would

only　harm　other　people。　　In　the　former　case　he　was　very　timid　about

satisfying　his　immediate　desires；　but　in　the　latter　he　would　risk

the　result　with　much　courage。



〃Give　it　me；　Jacob；〃　he　said；　stooping　down　and　patting　his　brother。

〃Let　us　see。〃



Jacob；　finding　the　lid　rather　tight；　gave　the　box　to　his　brother　in

perfect　faith。　　David　raised　the　lids　and　shook　his　head；　while

Jacob　put　his　finger　in　and　took　out　a　guinea　to　taste　whether　the

metamorphosis　into　lozenges　was　complete　and　satisfactory。



〃No；　Jacob；　too　soon；　too　soon；〃　said　David；　when　the　guinea　had

been　tasted。　　〃Give　it　me；　we'll　go　and　bury　it　somewhere　else；

we'll　put　it　in　yonder；〃　he　added；　pointing　vaguely　toward　the

distance。



David　screwed　on　the　lid；　while　Jacob；　looking　grave；　rose　and

grasped　his　pitchfork。　　Then；　seeing　David's　bundle；　he　snatched　it；

like　a　too　officious　Newfoundland；　stuck　his　pitchfork　into　it　and

carried　it　over　his　shoulder　in　triumph　as　he　accompanied　David　and

the　box　out　of　the　thicket。



What　on　earth　was　David　to　do？　　It　would　have　been　easy　to　frown　at

Jacob；　and　kick　him；　and　order　him　to　get　away；　but　David　dared　as

soon　have　kicked　the　bull。　　Jacob　was　quiet　as　long　as　he　was

treated　indulgently；　but　on　the　slightest　show　of　anger；　he　became

unmanageable；　and　was　liable　to　fits　of　fury　which　would　have　made

him　formidable　even　without　his　pitchfork。　　There　was　no　mastery　to

be　obtained　over　him　except　by　kindness　or　guile。　　David　tried

guile。



〃Go；　Jacob；〃　he　said；　when　they　were　out　of　the　thicketpointing

towards　the　house　as　he　spoke；　〃go　and　fetch　me　a　spadea　spade。

But　give　ME　the　bundle；〃　he　added；　trying　to　reach　it　from　the　fork；

where　it　hung　high　above　Jacob's　tall　shoulder。



But　Jacob　showed　as　much　alacrity　in　obeying　as　a　wasp　shows　in

leaving　a　sugar…basin。　　Near　David；　he　felt　himself　in　the　vicinity

of　lozenges：　　he　chuckled　and　rubbed　his　brother's　back；　brandishing

the　bundle　higher　out　of　reach。　　David；　with　an　inward　groan；

changed　his　tactics；　and　walked　on　as　fast　as　h