brother jacob-第4章

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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　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　shopkeep