brother jacob-第9节

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the　other　hand；　even　a　small　gain　is　pleasant；　and　the　promise　of　it

in　this　instance　was　so　surprising；　that　David　felt　his　curiosity

awakened。　　The　scale　dipped　at　last　on　the　side　of　writing　to　the

lawyer；　and；　to　be　brief；　the　correspondence　ended　in　an　appointment

for　a　meeting　between　David　and　his　eldest　brother　at　Mr。　Strutt's；

the　vague　〃something〃　having　been　defined　as　a　legacy　from　his

father　of　eighty…two　pounds；　three　shillings。



David；　you　know；　had　expected　to　be　disinherited；　and　so　he　would

have　been；　if　he　had　not；　like　some　other　indifferent　sons；　come　of

excellent　parents；　whose　conscience　made　them　scrupulous　where　much

more　highly…instructed　people　often　feel　themselves　warranted　in

following　the　bent　of　their　indignation。　　Good　Mrs。　Faux　could　never

forget　that　she　had　brought　this　ill…conditioned　son　into　the　world

when　he　was　in　that　entirely　helpless　state　which　excluded　the

smallest　choice　on　his　part；　and；　somehow　or　other；　she　felt　that

his　going　wrong　would　be　his　father's　and　mother's　fault；　if　they

failed　in　one　tittle　of　their　parental　duty。　　Her　notion　of　parental

duty　was　not　of　a　high　and　subtle　kind；　but　it　included　giving　him

his　due　share　of　the　family　property；　for　when　a　man　had　got　a

little　honest　money　of　his　own；　was　he　so　likely　to　steal？　　To　cut

the　delinquent　son　off　with　a　shilling；　was　like　delivering　him　over

to　his　evil　propensities。　　No；　let　the　sum　of　twenty　guineas　which

he　had　stolen　be　deducted　from　his　share；　and　then　let　the　sum　of

three　guineas　be　put　back　from　it；　seeing　that　his　mother　had　always

considered　three　of　the　twenty　guineas　as　his；　and；　though　he　had

run　away；　and　was；　perhaps；　gone　across　the　sea；　let　the　money　be

left　to　him　all　the　same；　and　be　kept　in　reserve　for　his　possible

return。　　Mr。　Faux　agreed　to　his　wife's　views；　and　made　a　codicil　to

his　will　accordingly；　in　time　to　die　with　a　clear　conscience。　　But

for　some　time　his　family　thought　it　likely　that　David　would　never

reappear；　and　the　eldest　son；　who　had　the　charge　of　Jacob　on　his

hands；　often　thought　it　a　little　hard　that　David　might　perhaps　be

dead；　and　yet；　for　want　of　certitude　on　that　point；　his　legacy　could

not　fall　to　his　legal　heir。　　But　in　this　state　of　things　the

opposite　certitudenamely；　that　David　was　still　alive　and　in

Englandseemed　to　be　brought　by　the　testimony　of　a　neighbour；　who；

having　been　on　a　journey　to　Cattelton；　was　pretty　sure　he　had　seen

David　in　a　gig；　with　a　stout　man　driving　by　his　side。　　He　could

〃swear　it　was　David；〃　though　he　could　〃give　no　account　why；　for　he

had　no　marks　on　him；　but　no　more　had　a　white　dog；　and　that　didn't

hinder　folks　from　knowing　a　white　dog。〃　　It　was　this　incident　which

had　led　to　the　advertisement。



The　legacy　was　paid；　of　course；　after　a　few　preliminary　disclosures

as　to　Mr。　David's　actual　position。　　He　begged　to　send　his　love　to

his　mother；　and　to　say　that　he　hoped　to　pay　her　a　dutiful　visit　by

and　by；　but；　at　present；　his　business　and　near　prospect　of　marriage

made　it　difficult　for　him　to　leave　home。　　His　brother　replied　with

much　frankness。



〃My　mother　may　do　as　she　likes　about　having　you　to　see　her；　but；　for

my　part；　I　don't　want　to　catch　sight　of　you　on　the　premises　again。

When　folks　have　taken　a　new　name；　they'd　better　keep　to　their　new

'quinetance。〃



David　pocketed　the　insult　along　with　the　eighty…two　pounds　three；

and　travelled　home　again　in　some　triumph　at　the　ease　of　a

transaction　which　had　enriched　him　to　this　extent。　　He　had　no

intention　of　offending　his　brother　by　further　claims　on　his

fraternal　recognition；　and　relapsed　with　full　contentment　into　the

character　of　Mr。　Edward　Freely；　the　orphan；　scion　of　a　great　but

reduced　family；　with　an　eccentric　uncle　in　the　West　Indies。　　（I　have

already　hinted　that　he　had　some　acquaintance　with　imaginative

literature；　and　being　of　a　practical　turn；　he　had；　you　perceive；

applied　even　this　form　of　knowledge　to　practical　purposes。）



It　was　little　more　than　a　week　after　the　return　from　his　fruitful

journey；　that　the　day　of　his　marriage　with　Penny　having　been　fixed；

it　was　agreed　that　Mrs。　Palfrey　should　overcome　her　reluctance　to

move　from　home；　and　that　she　and　her　husband　should　bring　their　two

daughters　to　inspect　little　Penny's　future　abode　and　decide　on　the

new　arrangements　to　be　made　for　the　reception　of　the　bride。　　Mr。

Freely　meant　her　to　have　a　house　so　pretty　and　comfortable　that　she

need　not　envy　even　a　wool…factor's　wife。　　Of　course；　the　upper　room

over　the　shop　was　to　be　the　best　sitting…room；　but　also　the　parlour

behind　the　shop　was　to　be　made　a　suitable　bower　for　the　lovely

Penny；　who　would　naturally　wish　to　be　near　her　husband；　though　Mr。

Freely　declared　his　resolution　never　to　allow　HIS　wife　to　wait　in

the　shop。　　The　decisions　about　the　parlour　furniture　were　left　till

last；　because　the　party　was　to　take　tea　there；　and；　about　five

o'clock；　they　were　all　seated　there　with　the　best　muffins　and

buttered　buns　before　them；　little　Penny　blushing　and　smiling；　with

her　〃crop〃　in　the　best　order；　and　a　blue　frock　showing　her　little

white　shoulders；　while　her　opinion　was　being　always　asked　and　never

given。　　She　secretly　wished　to　have　a　particular　sort　of　chimney

ornaments；　but　she　could　not　have　brought　herself　to　mention　it。

Seated　by　the　side　of　her　yellow　and　rather　withered　lover；　who；

though　he　had　not　reached　his　thirtieth　year；　had　already　crow's…

feet　about　his　eyes；　she　was　quite　tremulous　at　the　greatness　of　her

lot　in　being　married　to　a　man　who　had　travelled　so　muchand　before

her　sister　Letty！　　The　handsome　Letitia　looked　rather　proud　and

contemptuous；　thought　her　nature　brother…in…law　an　odious　person；

and　was　vexed　with　her　father　and　mother　for　letting　Penny　marry

him。　　Dear　little　Penny！　　She　certainly　did　look　like　a　fresh　white…

heart　cherry　going　to　be　bitten　off　the　stem　by　that　lipless　mouth。

Would　no　deliverer　come　to　make　a　slip　between　that　cherry　and　that

mouth　without　a　lip？



〃Quite　a　family　likeness　between　the　admiral　and　you；　Mr。　Freely；〃

observed　Mrs。　Palfrey；　who　was　looking　at　the　family　portrait　for

the　first　time。　　〃It's　wonderful！　and　only　a　grand…uncle。　　Do　you

feature　the　rest　of　your　family；　as　you　know　of？〃



〃I　can't　say；〃　said　Mr。　Freely；　with　a　sigh。　　〃My　family　have　mostly

thought　themselves　too　high　to　take　any　notice　of　me。〃



At　this　moment　an　extraordinary　disturbance　was　heard　in　the　shop；

as　of　a　heavy　animal　stamping　about　and　making　angry　noises；　and

then　of　a　glass　vessel　falling　in　shivers；　while　the　voice　of　the

apprentice　was　heard　calling　〃Master〃　in　great　alarm。



Mr。　Freely　rose　in　anxious　astonishment；　and　hastened　into　the　shop；

followed　by　the　four　Palfreys；　who　made　a　group　at　the　parlour…door；

transfixed　with　wonder　at　seeing　a　large　man　in　a　smock…frock；　with

a　pitchfork　in　his　hand；　rush　up　to　Mr。　Freely　and　hug　him；　crying

out；〃Zavy；　Zavy；　b'other　Zavy！〃



It　was　Jacob；　and　for　some　moments　David　lost　all　presence　of　mind。

He　felt　arrested　for　having　stolen　his　mother's　guineas。　　He　turned

cold；　and　trembled　in　his　brother's　grasp。



〃Why；　how's　this？〃　said　Mr。　Palfrey；　advancing　from　the　door。　　〃Who

is　he？〃



Jacob　supplied　the　answer　by　saying　over　and　over　again　…



〃I'se　Zacob；　b'other　Zacob。　　Come　'o　zee　Zavy〃till　hunger　prompted

him　to　relax　his　grasp；　and　to　seize　a　large　raised　pie；　which　he

lifted　to　his　mouth。



By　this　time　David's　power　of　device　had　begun　to　return；　but　it　was

a　very　hard　task　for　his　prudence　to　master　his　rage　and　hatred

towards　poor　Jacob。



〃I　don't　know　who　he　is；　he　must　be　drunk；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　tone

to　Mr。　Palfrey。　　〃But　he's　dangerous　with　that　pitchfork。　　He'll

never　let　it　go。〃　　Then　checking　himself　on　the　point　of　betraying

too　great　an　intimacy　with　Jacob's　habits；　he　added　〃You　watch　him；

while　I　run　for　the　constable。〃　　And　he　hurried　out　of　the　shop。



〃Why；　where　do　you　come　from；　my　man？〃　said　Mr。　Palfrey；　speaking　to

Jacob　in　a　conciliatory　tone。　　Jacob　was　eating　his　pie　by　large

mouthfuls；　and　looking　round　at　the　other　good　things　in　the　shop；

while　he　embraced　his　pitchfork　with　his　left　arm；　and　laid　his　left

hand　on　some　Bath　buns。　　He　was　in　the　rare　position　of　a　person　who

recovers　a　long　absent　friend　and　finds　him　richer　than　ever　in　the

characteristics　that　won　his　heart。



〃I's　Zacobb'other　Zacob't　home。　　I　love　Zavyb'other　Zavy；〃　he

said；　as　soon　as　Mr。　Palfrey　had　drawn　his　attention。　　〃Zavy　come

back　from　z'　Indiesgot　mother's　zinnies。　　Where's　Zavy？〃　he　added；

looking　round　and　then　turning　to　the　others　with　a　questioning　air；

puzzled　by　David's　disappearance。



〃It's　very　odd；〃　observed　Mr。　Palfrey　to　his　wife　and　daughters。

〃He　seems　to　say　Freely's　his　brother　come　back　from　th'　Indies。〃



〃What　a　pleasant　relation　for　us！〃　said　Letitia；　sarcastically。　　〃I

think　he's　a　good　deal　like　Mr。　Freely。　　He's　got　ju