brother jacob-第4章

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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　succeeded　in　drawing　them　away　from　those

shop…windows；　where　they　stood　according　to　gradations　of　size　and

strength；　the　biggest　and　strongest　being　nearest　the　window；　and

the　little　ones　in　the　outermost　rows　lifting　wide…open　eyes　and

mouths　towards　the　upper　tier　of　jars；　like　small　birds　at　meal…

time。



The　elder　inhabitants　pished　and　pshawed　a　little　at　the　folly　of

the　new　shopkeeper　in　venturing　on　such　an　outlay　in　goods　that

would　not　keep；　to　be　sure；　Christmas　was　coming；　but　what　housewife

in　Grimworth　would　not　think　shame　to　furnish　forth　her　table　with

articles　that　were　not　home…cooked？　　No；　no。　　Mr。　Edward　Freely；　as

he　called　himself；　was　deceived；　if　he　thought　Grimworth　money　was

to　flow　into　his　pockets　on　such　terms。



Edward　Freely　was　the　name　that　shone　in　gilt　letters　on　a　mazarine

ground　over　the　doorplace　of　the　new　shopa　generous…sounding　name；

that　might　have　belonged　to　the　open…hearted；　improvident　hero　of　an

old　comedy；　who　would　have　delighted　in　raining　sugared　almonds；

like　a　new　manna…gift；　among　that　small　generation　outside　the

windows。　　But　Mr。　Edward　Freely　was　a　man　whose　impulses　were　kept

in　due　subordination：　　he　held　that　the　desire　for　sweets　and　pastry

must　only　be　satisfied　in　a　direct　ratio　with　the　power　of　paying

for　them。　　If　the　smallest　child　in　Grimworth　would　go　to　him　with　a

halfpenny　in　its　tiny　fist；　he　would；　after　ringing　the　halfpenny；

deliver　a　just　equivalent　in　〃rock。〃　　He　was　not　a　man　to　cheat　even

the　smallest　childhe　often　said　so；　observing　at　the　same　time

that　he　loved　honesty；　and　also　that　he　was　very　tender…hearted；

though　he　didn't　show　his　feelings　as　some　people　did。



Either　in　reward　of　such　virtue；　or　according　to　some　more　hidden

law　of　sequence；　Mr。　Freely's　business；　in　spite　of　prejudice；

started　under　favourable　auspices。　　For　Mrs。　Chaloner；　the　rector's

wife；　was　among　the　earliest　customers　at　the　shop；　thinking　it　only

right　to　encourage　a　new　parishioner　who　had　made　a　decorous

appearance　at　church；　and　she　found　Mr。　Freely　a　most　civil；

obliging　young　man；　and　intelligent　to　a　surprising　degree　for　a

confectioner；　well…principled；　too；　for　in　giving　her　useful　hints

about　choosing　sugars　he　had　thrown　much　light　on　the　dishonesty　of

other　tradesmen。　　Moreover；　he　had　been　in　the　West　Indies；　and　had

seen　the　very　estate　which　had　been　her　poor　grandfather's　property；

and　he　said　the　missionaries　were　the　only　cause　of　the　negro's

discontentan　observing　young　man；　evidently。　　Mrs。　Chaloner

ordered　wine…biscuits　and　olives；　and　gave　Mr。　Freely　to　understand

that　she　should　find　his　shop　a　great　convenience。　　So　did　the

doctor's　wife；　and　so　did　Mrs。　Gate；　at　the　large　carding…mill；　who；

having　high　connexions　frequently　visiting　her；　might　be　expected　to

have　a　large　consumption　of　ratafias　and　macaroons。



The　less　aristocratic　matrons　of　Grimworth　seemed　likely　at　first　to

justify　their　husbands'　confidence　that　they　would　never　pay　a

percentage　of　profits　on　drop…cakes；　instead　of　making　their　own；　or

get　up　a　hollow　show　of　liberal　housekeeping　by　purchasing　slices　of

collared　meat　when　a　neighbour　came　in　for　supper。　　But　it　is　my

task　to　narrate　the　gradual　corruption　of　Grimworth　manners　from

their　primitive　simplicitya　melancholy　task；　if　it　were　not

cheered　by　the　prospect　of　the　fine　peripateia　or　downfall　by　which

the　progress　of　the　corruption　was　ultimately　checked。



It　was　young　Mrs。　Steene；　the　veterinary　surgeons　wife；　who　first

gave　way　to　temptation。　　I　fear　she　had　been　rather　over…educated

for　her　station　in　life；　for　she　knew　by　heart　many　passages　in

Lalla　Rookh；　the　Corsair；　and　the　Siege　of　Corinth；　which　had　given

her　a　distaste　for　domestic　occupations；　and　caused　her　a　withering

disappointment　at　the　discovery　that　Mr。　Steene；　since　his　marriage；

had　lost　all　interest　in　the　〃bulbul；〃　openly　preferred　discussing

the　nature　of　spavin　with　a　coarse　neighbour；　and　was　angry　if　the

pudding　turned　out　wateryindeed；　was　simply　a　top…booted　〃vet。〃；

who　came　in　hungry　at　dinner…time；　and　not　in　the　least　like　a

nobleman　turned　Corsair　out　of　pure　scorn　for　his　race；　or　like　a

renegade　with　a　turban　and　crescent；　unless　it　were　in　the

irritability　of　his　temper。　　And　scorn　is　such　a　very　different

thing　in　top…boots！



This　brutal　man　had　invited　a　supper…party　for　Christmas　eve；　when

he　would　expect　to　see　mince…pies　on　the　table。　　Mrs。　Steene　had

prepared　her　mince…meat；　and　had　devoted　much　butter；　fine　flour；

and　labour；　to　the　making　of　a　batch　of　pies　in　the　morning；　but

they　proved　to　be　so　very　heavy　when　they　came　out　of　the　oven；　that

she　could　only　think　with　trembling　of　the　moment　when　her　husband

should　catch　sight　of　them　on　the　supper…table。　　He　would　storm　at

her；　she　was　certain；　and　before　all　the　company；　and　then　she

should　never　help　crying：　　it　was　so　dreadful　to　think　she　had　come

to　that；　after　the　bulbul　and　everything！　　Suddenly　the　thought

darted　through　her　mind　that　THIS　ONCE　she　might　send　for　a　dish　of

mince…pies　from　Freely's：　　she　knew　he　had　some。　　But　what　was　to

become　of　the　eighteen　heavy　mince…pies？　　Oh；　it　was　of　no　use

thinking　about　that；　it　was　very　expensiveindeed；　making　mince…

pies　at　all　was　a　great　expense；　when　they　were　not　sure　to　turn　out

well：　　it　would　be　much　better　to　buy　them　ready…made。　　You　paid　a

little　more　for　them；　but　there　was　no　risk　of　waste。



Such　was　the　sophistry　with　which　this　misguided　young　woman

enough。　　Mrs。　Steene　sent　for　the　mince…pies；　and；　I　am　grieved　to

add；　garbled　her　household　accounts　in　order　to　conceal　the　fact

from　her　husband。　　This　was　the　second　step　in　a　downward　course；

all　owing　to　a　young　woman's　being　out　of　harmony　with　her

circumstances；　yearning　after　renegades　and　bulbuls；　and　being

subject　to　claims　from　a　veterinary　surgeon　fond　of　mince…pies。　　The

third　step　was　to　harden　herself　by　telling　the　fact　of　the　bought

mince…pies　to　her　intimate　friend　Mrs。　Mole；　who　had　already　guessed

it；　and　who　subsequently　encouraged　herself　in　buying　a　mould　of

jelly；　instead　of　exerting　her　own　skill；　by　the　reflection　that

〃other　people〃　did　the　same　sort　of　thing。　　The　infection　spread；

soon　there　was　a　party　or　clique　in　Grimworth　on　the　side　of　〃buying

at　Freely's〃；　and　many　husbands；　kept　for　some　time　in　the　dark　on

this　point；　innocently　swallowed　at　two　mouthfuls　a　tart　on　which

they　were　paying　a　profit　of　a　hundred　per　cent。；　and　as　innocently

encouraged　a　fatal　disingenuousness　in　the　partners　of　their　bosoms

by　praising　the　pastry。　　Others；　more　keen…sighted；　winked　at　the

too　frequent　presentation　on　washing…days；　and　at　impromptu　suppers；

of　superior　spiced…beef；　which　flattered　their　palates　more　than　the

cold　remnants　they　had　formerly　been　contented　with。　　Every

housewife　who　had　once　〃bought　at　Freely's〃　felt　a　secret　joy　when

she　detected　a　similar　perversion　in　her　neighbour's　practice；　and

soon　only　two　or　three　old…fashioned　mistresses　of　families　held　out

in　the　protest　against　the　growing　demoralization；　saying　to　their

neighbours　who　came　to　sup　with　them；　〃I　can't　offer　you　Freely's

beef；　or　Freely's　cheesecakes；　everything　in　our　house　is　home…made；

I'm　afraid　you'll　hardly　have　any　appetite　for　our　plain　pastry。〃

The　doctor；　whose　cook　was　not　satisfactory；　the　curate；　who　kept　no

cook；　and　the　mining　agent；　who　was　a　great　bon　vivant；　even　began

to　rely　on　Freely　for　the　greater　part　of　their　dinner；　when　they

wished　to　give　an　entertainment　of　some　brilliancy。　　In　short；　the

business　of　manufacturing　the　more　fanciful　viands　was　fast　passing

out　of　the　hinds　of　maids　and　matrons　in　private　families；　and　was

becoming　the　work　of　a　special　commercial　organ。



I　am　not　ignorant　that　this　sort　of　thing　is　called　the　inevitable

course　of　civilization；　division　of　labour；　and　so　forth；　a