brother jacob-第7章

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is　a　hook　in　his　nose　or　a　bridle　in　his　jaws。　　Mr。　Palfrey　was　a

large　man；　but；　like　Leviathan's；　his　bulk　went　against　him　when

once　he　had　taken　a　turning。　　He　was　not　a　mercurial　man；　who　easily

changed　his　point　of　view。　　Enough。　　Before　two　months　were　over；　he

had　given　his　consent　to　Mr。　Freely's　marriage　with　his　daughter

Penny；　and　having　hit　on　a　formula　by　which　he　could　justify　it；

fenced　off　all　doubts　and　objections；　his　own　included。　　The　formula

was　this：　　〃I'm　not　a　man　to　put　my　head　up　an　entry　before　I　know

where　it　leads。〃



Little　Penny　was　very　proud　and　fluttering；　but　hardly　so　happy　as

she　expected　to　be　in　an　engagement。　　She　wondered　if　young　Towers

cared　much　about　it；　for　he　had　not　been　to　the　house　lately；　and

her　sister　and　brothers　were　rather　inclined　to　sneer　than　to

sympathize。　　Grimworth　rang　with　the　news。　　All　men　extolled　Mr。

Freely's　good　fortune；　while　the　women；　with　the　tender　solicitude

characteristic　of　the　sex；　wished　the　marriage　might　turn　out　well。



While　affairs　were　at　this　triumphant　juncture；　Mr。　Freely　one

morning　observed　that　a　stone…carver　who　had　been　breakfasting　in

the　eating…room　had　left　a　newspaper　behind。　　It　was　the　X…shire

Gazette；　and　X…shire　being　a　county　not　unknown　to　Mr。　Freely；　he

felt　some　curiosity　to　glance　over　it；　and　especially　over　the

advertisements。　　A　slight　flush　came　over　his　face　as　he　read。　　It

was　produced　by　the　following　announcement：…　〃If　David　Faux；　son　of

Jonathan　Faux；　late　of　Gilsbrook；　will　apply　at　the　office　of　Mr。

Strutt；　attorney；　of　Rodham；　he　will　hear　of　something　to　his

advantage。〃



〃Father's　dead！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Freely；　involuntarily。　　〃Can　he　have

left　me　a　legacy？〃







CHAPTER　III







Perhaps　it　was　a　result　quite　different　from　your　expectations；　that

Mr。　David　Faux　should　have　returned　from　the　West　Indies　only　a　few

years　after　his　arrival　there；　and　have　set　up　in　his　old　business；

like　any　plain　man　who　has　never　travelled。　　But　these　cases　do

occur　in　life。　　Since；　as　we　know；　men　change　their　skies　and　see

new　constellations　without　changing　their　souls；　it　will　follow

sometimes　that　they　don't　change　their　business　under　those　novel

circumstances。



Certainly；　this　result　was　contrary　to　David's　own　expectations。　　He

had　looked　forward；　you　are　aware；　to　a　brilliant　career　among　〃the

blacks〃；　but；　either　because　they　had　already　seen　too　many　white

men；　or　for　some　other　reason；　they　did　not　at　once　recognize　him　as

a　superior　order　of　human　being；　besides；　there　were　no　princesses

among　them。　　Nobody　in　Jamaica　was　anxious　to　maintain　David　for　the

mere　pleasure　of　his　society；　and　those　hidden　merits　of　a　man　which

are　so　well　known　to　himself　were　as　little　recognized　there　as　they

notoriously　are　in　the　effete　society　of　the　Old　World。　　So　that　in

the　dark　hints　that　David　threw　out　at　the　Oyster　Club　about　that

life　of　Sultanic　self…indulgence　spent　by　him　in　the　luxurious

Indies；　I　really　think　he　was　doing　himself　a　wrong；　I　believe　he

worked　for　his　bread；　and；　in　fact；　took　to　cooking　as；　after　all；

the　only　department　in　which　he　could　offer　skilled　labour。　　He　had

formed　several　ingenious　plans　by　which　he　meant　to　circumvent

people　of　large　fortune　and　small　faculty；　but　then　he　never　met

with　exactly　the　right　circumstances。　　David's　devices　for　getting

rich　without　work　had　apparently　no　direct　relation　with　the　world

outside　him；　as　his　confectionery　receipts　had。　　It　is　possible　to

pass　a　great　many　bad　half　pennies　and　bad　half…crowns；　but　I

believe　there　has　no　instance　been　known　of　passing　a　halfpenny　or　a

half…crown　as　a　sovereign。　　A　sharper　can　drive　a　brisk　trade　in

this　world：　　it　is　undeniable　that　there　may　be　a　fine　career　for

him；　if　he　will　dare　consequences；　but　David　was　too　timid　to　be　a

sharper；　or　venture　in　any　way　among　the　mantraps　of　the　law。　　He

dared　rob　nobody　but　his　mother。　　And　so　he　had　to　fall　back　on　the

genuine　value　there　was　in　himto　be　content　to　pass　as　a　good

halfpenny；　or；　to　speak　more　accurately；　as　a　good　confectioner。

For　in　spite　of　some　additional　reading　and　observation；　there　was

nothing　else　he　could　make　so　much　money　by；　nay；　he　found　in

himself　even　a　capability　of　extending　his　skill　in　this　direction；

and　embracing　all　forms　of　cookery；　while；　in　other　branches　of

human　labour；　he　began　to　see　that　it　was　not　possible　for　him　to

shine。　　Fate　was　too　strong　for　him；　he　had　thought　to　master　her

inclination　and　had　fled　over　the　seas　to　that　end；　but　she　caught

him；　tied　an　apron　round　him；　and　snatching　him　from　all　other

devices；　made　him　devise　cakes　and　patties　in　a　kitchen　at

Kingstown。　　He　was　getting　submissive　to　her；　since　she　paid　him

with　tolerable　gains；　but　fevers　and　prickly　heat；　and　other　evils

incidental　to　cooks　in　ardent　climates；　made　him　long　for　his　native

land；　so　he　took　ship　once　more；　carrying　his　six　years'　savings；

and　seeing　distinctly；　this　time；　what　were　Fate's　intentions　as　to

his　career。　　If　you　question　me　closely　as　to　whether　all　the　money

with　which　he　set　up　at　Grimworth　consisted　of　pure　and　simple

earnings；　I　am　obliged　to　confess　that　he　got　a　sum　or　two　for

charitably　abstaining　from　mentioning　some　other　people's

misdemeanours。　　Altogether；　since　no　prospects　were　attached　to　his

family　name；　and　since　a　new　christening　seemed　a　suitable

commencement　of　a　new　life；　Mr。　David　Faux　thought　it　as　well　to

call　himself　Mr。　Edward　Freely。



But　lo！　now；　in　opposition　to　all　calculable　probability；　some

benefit　appeared　to　be　attached　to　the　name　of　David　Faux。　　Should

he　neglect　it；　as　beneath　the　attention　of　a　prosperous　tradesman？

It　might　bring　him　into　contact　with　his　family　again；　and　he　felt

no　yearnings　in　that　direction：　　moreover；　he　had　small　belief　that

the　〃something　to　his　advantage〃　could　be　anything　considerable。　　On

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　be