brother jacob-第4节

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

changed　his　tactics；　and　walked　on　as　fast　as　he　could。　　It　was　not

safe　to　linger。　　Jacob　would　get　tired　of　following　him；　or；　at　all

events；　could　be　eluded。　　If　they　could　once　get　to　the　distant

highroad；　a　coach　would　overtake　them；　David　would　mount　it；　having

previously　by　some　ingenious　means　secured　his　bundle；　and　then

Jacob　might　howl　and　flourish　his　pitchfork　as　much　as　he　liked。

Meanwhile　he　was　under　the　fatal　necessity　of　being　very　kind　to

this　ogre；　and　of　providing　a　large　breakfast　for　him　when　they

stopped　at　a　roadside　inn。　　It　was　already　three　hours　since　they

had　started；　and　David　was　tired。　　Would　no　coach　be　coming　up　soon？

he　inquired。　　No　coach　for　the　next　two　hours。　　But　there　was　a

carrier's　cart　to　come　immediately；　on　its　way　to　the　next　town。　　If

he　could　slip　out；　even　leaving　his　bundle　behind；　and　get　into　the

cart　without　Jacob！　　But　there　was　a　new　obstacle。　　Jacob　had

recently　discovered　a　remnant　of　sugar…candy　in　one　of　his　brother's

tail…pockets；　and；　since　then；　had　cautiously　kept　his　hold　on　that

limb　of　the　garment；　perhaps　with　an　expectation　that　there　would　be

a　further　development　of　sugar…candy　after　a　longer　or　shorter

interval。　　Now　every　one　who　has　worn　a　coat　will　understand　the

sensibilities　that　must　keep　a　man　from　starting　away　in　a　hurry

when　there　is　a　grasp　on　his　coat…tail。　　David　looked　forward　to

being　well　received　among　strangers；　but　it　might　make　a　difference

if　he　had　only　one　tail　to　his　coat。



He　felt　himself　in　a　cold　perspiration。　　He　could　walk　no　more：　　he

must　get　into　the　cart　and　let　Jacob　get　in　with　him。　　Presently　a

cheering　idea　occurred　to　him：　　after　so　large　a　breakfast；　Jacob

would　be　sure　to　go　to　sleep　in　the　cart；　you　see　at　once　that　David

meant　to　seize　his　bundle；　jump　out；　and　be　free。　　His　expectation

was　partly　fulfilled：　　Jacob　did　go　to　sleep　in　the　cart；　but　it　was

in　a　peculiar　attitudeit　was　with　his　arms　tightly　fastened　round

his　dear　brother's　body；　and　if　ever　David　attempted　to　move；　the

grasp　tightened　with　the　force　of　an　affectionate　boa…constrictor。



〃Th'　innicent's　fond　on　you；〃　observed　the　carrier；　thinking　that

David　was　probably　an　amiable　brother；　and　wishing　to　pay　him　a

compliment。



David　groaned。　　The　ways　of　thieving　were　not　ways　of　pleasantness。

Oh；　why　had　he　an　idiot　brother？　　Oh；　why；　in　general；　was　the　world

so　constituted　that　a　man　could　not　take　his　mother's　guineas

comfortably？　　David　became　grimly　speculative。



Copious　dinner　at　noon　for　Jacob；　but　little　dinner；　because　little

appetite；　for　David。　　Instead　of　eating；　he　plied　Jacob　with　beer；

for　through　this　liberality　he　descried　a　hope。　　Jacob　fell　into　a

dead　sleep；　at　last；　without　having　his　arms　round　David；　who　paid

the　reckoning；　took　his　bundle；　and　walked　off。　　In　another　half…

hour　he　was　on　the　coach　on　his　way　to　Liverpool；　smiling　the　smile

of　the　triumphant　wicked。　　He　was　rid　of　Jacobhe　was　bound　for　the

Indies；　where　a　gullible　princess　awaited　him。　　He　would　never　steal

any　more；　but　there　would　be　no　need；　he　would　show　himself　so

deserving；　that　people　would　make　him　presents　freely。　　He　must　give

up　the　notion　of　his　father's　legacy；　but　it　was　not　likely　he　would

ever　want　that　trifle；　and　even　if　he　didwhy；　it　was　a

compensation　to　think　that　in　being　for　ever　divided　from　his　family

he　was　divided　from　Jacob；　more　terrible　than　Gorgon　or　Demogorgon

to　David's　timid　green　eyes。　　Thank　heaven；　he　should　never　see

Jacob　any　more！







CHAPTER　II







It　was　nearly　six　years　after　the　departure　of　Mr。　David　Faux　for

the　West　Indies；　that　the　vacant　shop　in　the　marketplace　at

Grimworth　was　understood　to　have　been　let　to　the　stranger　with　a

sallow　complexion　and　a　buff　cravat；　whose　first　appearance　had

caused　some　excitement　in　the　bar　of　the　Woolpack；　where　he　had

called　to　wait　for　the　coach。



Grimworth；　to　a　discerning　eye；　was　a　good　place　to　set　up

shopkeeping　in。　　There　was　no　competition　in　it　at　present；　the

Church…people　had　their　own　grocer　and　draper；　the　Dissenters　had

theirs；　and　the　two　or　three　butchers　found　a　ready　market　for　their

joints　without　strict　reference　to　religious　persuasionexcept　that

the　rector's　wife　had　given　a　general　order　for　the　veal　sweet…

breads　and　the　mutton　kidneys；　while　Mr。　Rodd；　the　Baptist　minister；

had　requested　that；　so　far　as　was　compatible　with　the　fair

accommodation　of　other　customers；　the　sheep's　trotters　might　be

reserved　for　him。　　And　it　was　likely　to　be　a　growing　place；　for　the

trustees　of　Mr。　Zephaniah　Crypt's　Charity；　under　the　stimulus　of　a

late　visitation　by　commissioners；　were　beginning　to　apply　long…

accumulating　funds　to　the　rebuilding　of　the　Yellow　Coat　School；

which　was　henceforth　to　be　carried　forward　on　a　greatly…extended

scale；　the　testator　having　left　no　restrictions　concerning　the

curriculum；　but　only　concerning　the　coat。



The　shopkeepers　at　Grimworth　were　by　no　means　unanimous　as　to　the

advantages　promised　by　this　prospect　of　increased　population　and

trading；　being　substantial　men；　who　liked　doing　a　quiet　business　in

which　they　were　sure　of　their　customers；　and　could　calculate　their

returns　to　a　nicety。　　Hitherto；　it　had　been　held　a　point　of　honour

by　the　families　in　Grimworth　parish；　to　buy　their　sugar　and　their

flannel　at　the　shop　where　their　fathers　and　mothers　had　bought

before　them；　but；　if　newcomers　were　to　bring　in　the　system　of　neck…

and…neck　trading；　and　solicit　feminine　eyes　by　gown…pieces　laid　in

fan…like　folds；　and　surmounted　by　artificial　flowers；　giving　them　a

factitious　charm　（for　on　what　human　figure　would　a　gown　sit　like　a

fan；　or　what　female　head　was　like　a　bunch　of　China…asters？）；　or；　if

new　grocers　were　to　fill　their　windows　with　mountains　of　currants

and　sugar；　made　seductive　by　contrast　and　tickets；what　security

was　there　for　Grimworth；　that　a　vagrant　spirit　in　shopping；　once

introduced；　would　not　in　the　end　carry　the　most　important　families

to　the　larger　market　town　of　Cattleton；　where；　business　being　done

on　a　system　of　small　profits　and　quick　returns；　the　fashions　were　of

the　freshest；　and　goods　of　all　kinds　might　be　bought　at　an

advantage？



With　this　view　of　the　times　predominant　among　the　tradespeople　at

Grimworth；　their　uncertainty　concerning　the　nature　of　the　business

which　the　sallow…complexioned　stranger　was　about　to　set　up　in　the

vacant　shop；　naturally　gave　some　additional　strength　to　the　fears　of

the　less　sanguine。　　If　he　was　going　to　sell　drapery；　it　was　probable

that　a　pale…faced　fellow　like　that　would　deal　in　showy　and　inferior

articlesprinted　cottons　and　muslins　which　would　leave　their　dye　in

the　wash…tub；　jobbed　linen　full　of　knots；　and　flannel　that　would

soon　look　like　gauze。　　If　grocery；　then　it　was　to　be　hoped　that　no

mother　of　a　family　would　trust　the　teas　of　an　untried　grocer。　　Such

things　had　been　known　in　some　parishes　as　tradesmen　going　about

canvassing　for　custom　with　cards　in　their　pockets：　　when　people　came

from　nobody　knew　where；　there　was　no　knowing　what　they　might　do。　　It

was　a　thousand　pities　that　Mr。　Moffat；　the　auctioneer　and　broker；

had　died　without　leaving　anybody　to　follow　him　in　the　business；　and

Mrs。　Cleve's　trustee　ought　to　have　known　better　than　to　let　a　shop

to　a　stranger。　　Even　the　discovery　that　ovens　were　being　put　up　on

the　premises；　and　that　the　shop　was；　in　fact；　being　fitted　up　for　a

confectioner　and　pastry…cook's　business；　hitherto　unknown　in

Grimworth；　did　not　quite　suffice　to　turn　the　scale　in　the　newcomer's

favour；　though　the　landlady　at　the　Woolpack　defended　him　warmly；

said　he　seemed　to　be　a　very　clever　young　man；　and　from　what　she

could　make　out；　came　of　a　very　good　family；　indeed；　was　most　likely

a　good　many　people's　betters。



It　certainly　made　a　blaze　of　light　and　colour；　almost　as　if　a

rainbow　had　suddenly　descended　into　the　marketplace；　when；　one　fine

morning；　the　shutters　were　taken　down　from　the　new　shop；　and　the　two

windows　displayed　their　decorations。　　On　one　side；　there　were　the

variegated　tints　of　collared　and　marbled　meats；　set　off　by　bright

green　leaves；　the　pale　brown　of　glazed　pies；　the　rich　tones　of

sauces　and　bottled　fruits　enclosed　in　their　veil　of　glass

altogether　a　sight　to　bring　tears　into　the　eyes　of　a　Dutch　painter；

and　on　the　other；　there　was　a　predominance　of　the　more　delicate　hues

of　pink；　and　white；　and　yellow；　and　buff；　in　the　abundant　lozenges；

candies；　sweet　biscuits　and　icings；　which　to　the　eyes　of　a　bilious

person　might　easily　have　been　blended　into　a　faery　landscape　in

Turner's　latest　style。　　What　a　sight　to　dawn　upon　the　eyes　of

Grimworth　children！　　They　almost　forgot　to　go　to　their　dinner　that

day；　their　appetites　being　preoccupied　with　imaginary　sugar…plums；

and　I　think　even　Punch；　setting　up　his　tabernacle　in　the　market…

place；　would　not　have　su