brother jacob-第6节

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sugar　department。　　When　I　think　of　the　sweet…tasted　swans　and　other

ingenious　white　shapes　crunched　by　the　small　teeth　of　that　rising

generation；　I　am　glad　to　remember　that　a　certain　amount　of

calcareous　food　has　been　held　good　for　young　creatures　whose　bones

are　not　quite　formed；　for　I　have　observed　these　delicacies　to　have

an　inorganic　flavour　which　would　have　recommended　them　greatly　to

that　young　lady　of　the　Spectator's　acquaintance　who　habitually　made

her　dessert　on　the　stems　of　tobacco…pipes。



As　for　the　confectioner　himself；　he　made　his　way　gradually　into

Grimworth　homes；　as　his　commodities　did；　in　spite　of　some　initial

repugnance。　　Somehow　or　other；　his　reception　as　a　guest　seemed　a

thing　that　required　justifying；　like　the　purchasing　of　his　pastry。

In　the　first　place；　he　was　a　stranger；　and　therefore　open　to

suspicion；　secondly；　the　confectionery　business　was　so　entirely　new

at　Grimworth；　that　its　place　in　the　scale　of　rank　had　not　been

distinctly　ascertained。　　There　was　no　doubt　about　drapers　and

grocers；　when　they　came　of　good　old　Grimworth　families；　like　Mr。

Luff　and　Mr。　Prettyman：　　they　visited　with　the　Palfreys；　who　farmed

their　own　land；　played　many　a　game　at　whist　with　the　doctor；　and

condescended　a　little　towards　the　timber…merchant；　who　had　lately

taken　to　the　coal…trade　also；　and　had　got　new　furniture；　but　whether

a　confectioner　should　be　admitted　to　this　higher　level　of

respectability；　or　should　be　understood　to　find　his　associates　among

butchers　and　bakers；　was　a　new　question　on　which　tradition　threw　no

light。　　His　being　a　bachelor　was　in　his　favour；　and　would　perhaps

have　been　enough　to　turn　the　scale；　even　if　Mr。　Edward　Freely's

other　personal　pretensions　had　been　of　an　entirely　insignificant

cast。　　But　so　far　from　this；　it　very　soon　appeared　that　he　was　a

remarkable　young　man；　who　had　been　in　the　West　Indies；　and　had　seen

many　wonders　by　sea　and　land；　so　that　he　could　charm　the　ears　of

Grimworth　Desdemonas　with　stories　of　strange　fishes；　especially

sharks；　which　he　had　stabbed　in　the　nick　of　time　by　bravely　plunging

overboard　just　as　the　monster　was　turning　on　his　side　to　devour　the

cook's　mate；　of　terrible　fevers　which　he　had　undergone　in　a　land

where　the　wind　blows　from　all　quarters　at　once；　of　rounds　of　toast

cut　straight　from　the　breadfruit　trees；　of　toes　bitten　off　by　land…

crabs；　of　large　honours　that　had　been　offered　to　him　as　a　man　who

knew　what　was　what；　and　was　therefore　particularly　needed　in　a

tropical　climate；　and　of　a　Creole　heiress　who　had　wept　bitterly　at

his　departure。　　Such　conversational　talents　as　these；　we　know；　will

overcome　disadvantages　of　complexion；　and　young　Towers；　whose　cheeks

were　of　the　finest　pink；　set　off　by　a　fringe　of　dark　whisker；　was

quite　eclipsed　by　the　presence　of　the　sallow　Mr。　Freely。　　So

exceptional　a　confectioner　elevated　the　business；　and　might　well

begin　to　make　disengaged　hearts　flutter　a　little。



Fathers　and　mothers　were　naturally　more　slow　and　cautious　in　their

recognition　of　the　new…comer's　merits。



〃He's　an　amusing　fellow；〃　said　Mr。　Prettyman；　the　highly　respectable

grocer。　　（Mrs。　Prettyman　was　a　Miss　Fothergill；　and　her　sister　had

married　a　London　mercer。）　　〃He's　an　amusing　fellow；　and　I've　no

objection　to　his　making　one　at　the　Oyster　Club；　but　he's　a　bit　too

fond　of　riding　the　high　horse。　　He's　uncommonly　knowing；　I'll　allow；

but　how　came　he　to　go　to　the　Indies？　　I　should　like　that　answered。

It's　unnatural　in　a　confectioner。　　I'm　not　fond　of　people　that　have

been　beyond　seas；　if　they　can't　give　a　good　account　how　they

happened　to　go。　　When　folks　go　so　far　off；　it's　because　they've　got

little　credit　nearer　homethat's　my　opinion。　　However；　he's　got

some　good　rum；　but　I　don't　want　to　be　hand　and　glove　with　him；　for

all　that。〃



It　was　this　kind　of　dim　suspicion　which　beclouded　the　view　of　Mr。

Freely's　qualities　in　the　maturer　minds　of　Grimworth　through　the

early　months　of　his　residence　there。　　But　when　the　confectioner

ceased　to　be　a　novelty；　the　suspicions　also　ceased　to　be　novel；　and

people　got　tired　of　hinting　at　them；　especially　as　they　seemed　to　be

refuted　by　his　advancing　prosperity　and　importance。　　Mr。　Freely　was

becoming　a　person　of　influence　in　the　parish；　he　was　found　useful　as

an　overseer　of　the　poor；　having　great　firmness　in　enduring　other

people's　pain；　which　firmness；　he　said；　was　due　to　his　great

benevolence；　he　always　did　what　was　good　for　people　in　the　end。　　Mr。

Chaloner　had　even　selected　him　as　clergyman's　churchwarden；　for　he

was　a　very　handy　man；　and　much　more　of　Mr。　Chaloner's　opinion　in

everything　about　church　business　than　the　older　parishioners。　　Mr。

Freely　was　a　very　regular　churchman；　but　at　the　Oyster　Club　he　was

sometimes　a　little　free　in　his　conversation；　more　than　hinting　at　a

life　of　Sultanic　self…indulgence　which　he　had　passed　in　the　West

Indies；　shaking　his　head　now　and　then　and　smiling　rather　bitterly；

as　men　are　wont　to　do　when　they　intimate　that　they　have　become　a

little　too　wise　to　be　instructed　about　a　world　which　has　long　been

flat　and　stale　to　them。



For　some　time　he　was　quite　general　in　his　attentions　to　the　fair

sex；　combining　the　gallantries　of　a　lady's　man　with　a　severity　of

criticism　on　the　person　and　manners　of　absent　belles；　which　tended

rather　to　stimulate　in　the　feminine　breast　the　desire　to　conquer　the

approval　of　so　fastidious　a　judge。　　Nothing　short　of　the　very　best

in　the　department　of　female　charms　and　virtues　could　suffice　to

kindle　the　ardour　of　Mr。　Edward　Freely；　who　had　become　familiar　with

the　most　luxuriant　and　dazzling　beauty　in　the　West　Indies。　　It　may

seem　incredible　that　a　confectioner　should　have　ideas　and

conversation　so　much　resembling　those　to　be　met　with　in　a　higher

walk　of　life；　but　it　must　be　remembered　that　he　had　not　merely

travelled；　he　had　also　bow…legs　and　a　sallow；　small…featured　visage；

so　that　nature　herself　had　stamped　him　for　a　fastidious　connoisseur

of　the　fair　sex。



At　last；　however；　it　seemed　clear　that　Cupid　had　found　a　sharper

arrow　than　usual；　and　that　Mr。　Freely's　heart　was　pierced。　　It　was

the　general　talk　among　the　young　people　at　Grimworth。　　But　was　it

really　love；　and　not　rather　ambition？　　Miss　Fullilove；　the　timber…

merchant's　daughter；　was　quite　sure　that　if　SHE　were　Miss　Penny

Palfrey；　she　would　be　cautious；　it　was　not　a　good　sign　when　men

looked　so　much　above　themselves　for　a　wife。　　For　it　was　no　less　a

person　than　Miss　Penelope　Palfrey；　second　daughter　of　the　Mr。

Palfrey　who　farmed　his　own　land；　that　had　attracted　Mr。　Freely's

peculiar　regard；　and　conquered　his　fastidiousness；　and　no　wonder；

for　the　Ideal；　as　exhibited　in　the　finest　waxwork；　was　perhaps　never

so　closely　approached　by　the　Real　as　in　the　person　of　the　pretty

Penelope。　　Her　yellowish　flaxen　hair　did　not　curl　naturally；　I

admit；　but　its　bright　crisp　ringlets　were　such　smooth；　perfect

miniature　tubes；　that　you　would　have　longed　to　pass　your　little

finger　through　them；　and　feel　their　soft　elasticity。　　She　wore　them

in　a　crop；　for　in　those　days；　when　society　was　in　a　healthier　state；

young　ladies　wore　crops　long　after　they　were　twenty；　and　Penelope

was　not　yet　nineteen。　　Like　the　waxen　ideal；　she　had　round　blue

eyes；　and　round　nostrils　in　her　little　nose；　and　teeth　such　as　the

ideal　would　be　seen　to　have；　if　it　ever　showed　them。　　Altogether；

she　was　a　small；　round　thing；　as　neat　as　a　pink　and　white　double

daisy；　and　as　guileless；　for　I　hope　it　does　not　argue　guile　in　a

pretty　damsel　of　nineteen；　to　think　that　she　should　like　to　have　a

beau　and　be　〃engaged；〃　when　her　elder　sister　had　already　been　in

that　position　a　year　and　a　half。　　To　be　sure；　there　was　young　Towers

always　coming　to　the　house；　but　Penny　felt　convinced　he　only　came　to

see　her　brother；　for　he　never　had　anything　to　say　to　her；　and　never

offered　her　his　arm；　and　was　as　awkward　and　silent　as　possible。



It　is　not　unlikely　that　Mr。　Freely　had　early　been　smitten　by　Penny's

charms；　as　brought　under　his　observation　at　church；　but　he　had　to

make　his　way　in　society　a　little　before　he　could　come　into　nearer

contact　with　them；　and　even　after　he　was　well　received　in　Grimworth

families；　it　was　a　long　while　before　he　could　converse　with　Penny

otherwise　than　in　an　incidental　meeting　at　Mr。　Luff's。　　It　was　not

so　easy　to　get　invited　to　Long　Meadows；　the　residence　of　the

Palfreys；　for　though　Mr。　Palfrey　had　been　losing　money　of　late

years；　not　being　able　quite　to　recover　his　feet　after　the　terrible

murrain　which　forced　him　to　borrow；　his　family　were　far　from

considering　themselves　on　the　same　level　even　as　the　old…established

tradespeople　with　whom　they　visited。　　The　greatest　people；　even

kings　and　queens；　must　visit　with　somebody；　and　the　equals　of　the

great　are　scarce。　　They　were　especially　scarce　at　Grimworth；　which；

as　I　have　before　observed；　was　a　low　parish；　mentioned　with　the　most

scornful　brevity　in　gazetteers。　　Even　the　great　peopl