brother jacob-第2部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



get　to　a　small　thicket　and　bury　his　bag　in　a　hole　he　had　already

made　and　covered　up　under　the　roots　of　an　old　hollow　ash；　and　he

had；　in　fact；　found　the　hole　without　a　moment's　difficulty；　had

uncovered　it；　and　was　about　gently　to　drop　the　bag　into　it；　when　the

sound　of　a　large　body　rustling　towards　him　with　something　like　a

bellow　was　such　a　surprise　to　David；　who；　as　a　gentleman　gifted　with

much　contrivance；　was　naturally　only　prepared　for　what　he　expected；

that　instead　of　dropping　the　bag　gently　he　let　it　fall　so　as　to　make

it　untwist　and　vomit　forth　the　shining　guineas。　　In　the　same　moment

he　looked　up　and　saw　his　dear　brother　Jacob　close　upon　him；　holding

the　pitchfork　so　that　the　bright　smooth　prongs　were　a　yard　in

advance　of　his　own　body；　and　about　a　foot　off　David's。　　（A　learned

friend；　to　whom　I　once　narrated　this　history；　observed　that　it　was

David's　guilt　which　made　these　prongs　formidable；　and　that　the　〃mens

nil　conscia　sibi〃　strips　a　pitchfork　of　all　terrors。　　I　thought　this

idea　so　valuable；　that　I　obtained　his　leave　to　use　it　on　condition

of　suppressing　his　name。）　　Nevertheless；　David　did　not　entirely　lose

his　presence　of　mind；　for　in　that　case　he　would　have　sunk　on　the

earth　or　started　backward；　whereas　he　kept　his　ground　and　smiled　at

Jacob；　who　nodded　his　head　up　and　down；　and　said；　〃Hoich；　Zavy！〃　in

a　painfully　equivocal　manner。　　David's　heart　was　beating　audibly；

and　if　he　had　had　any　lips　they　would　have　been　pale；　but　his　mental

activity；　instead　of　being　paralysed；　was　stimulated。　　While　he　was

inwardly　praying　（he　always　prayed　when　he　was　much　frightened）

〃Oh；　save　me　this　once；　and　I'll　never　get　into　danger　again！〃he

was　thrusting　his　hand　into　his　pocket　in　search　of　a　box　of　yellow

lozenges；　which　he　had　brought　with　him　from　Brigford　among　other

delicacies　of　the　same　portable　kind；　as　a　means　of　conciliating

proud　beauty；　and　more　particularly　the　beauty　of　Miss　Sarah　Lunn。

Not　one　of　these　delicacies　had　he　ever　offered　to　poor　Jacob；　for

David　was　not　a　young　man　to　waste　his　jujubes　and　barley…sugar　in

giving　pleasure　to　people　from　whom　he　expected　nothing。　　But　an

idiot　with　equivocal　intentions　and　a　pitchfork　is　as　well　worth

flattering　and　cajoling　as　if　he　were　Louis　Napoleon。　　So　David；

with　a　promptitude　equal　to　the　occasion；　drew　out　his　box　of　yellow

lozenges；　lifted　the　lid；　and　performed　a　pantomime　with　his　mouth

and　fingers；　which　was　meant　to　imply　that　he　was　delighted　to　see

his　dear　brother　Jacob；　and　seized　the　opportunity　of　making　him　a

small　present；　which　he　would　find　particularly　agreeable　to　the

taste。　　Jacob；　you　understand；　was　not　an　intense　idiot；　but　within

a　certain　limited　range　knew　how　to　choose　the　good　and　reject　the

evil：　　he　took　one　lozenge；　by　way　of　test；　and　sucked　it　as　if　he

had　been　a　philosopher；　then；　in　as　great　an　ecstacy　at　its　new　and

complex　savour　as　Caliban　at　the　taste　of　Trinculo's　wine；　chuckled

and　stroked　this　suddenly　beneficent　brother；　and　held　out　his　hand

for　more；　for；　except　in　fits　of　anger；　Jacob　was　not　ferocious　or

needlessly　predatory。　　David's　courage　half　returned；　and　he　left

off　praying；　pouring　a　dozen　lozenges　into　Jacob's　palm；　and　trying

to　look　very　fond　of　him。　　He　congratulated　himself　that　he　had

formed　the　plan　of　going　to　see　Miss　Sally　Lunn　this　afternoon；　and

that；　as　a　consequence；　he　had　brought　with　him　these　propitiatory

delicacies：　　he　was　certainly　a　lucky　fellow；　indeed；　it　was　always

likely　Providence　should　be　fonder　of　him　than　of　other　apprentices；

and　since　he　WAS　to　be　interrupted；　why；　an　idiot　was　preferable　to

any　other　sort　of　witness。　　For　the　first　time　in　his　life；　David

thought　he　saw　the　advantage　of　idiots。



As　for　Jacob；　he　had　thrust　his　pitchfork　into　the　ground；　and　had

thrown　himself　down　beside　it；　in　thorough　abandonment　to　the

unprecedented　pleasure　of　having　five　lozenges　in　his　mouth　at　once；

blinking　meanwhile；　and　making　inarticulate　sounds　of　gustative

content。　　He　had　not　yet　given　any　sign　of　noticing　the　guineas；　but

in　seating　himself　he　had　laid　his　broad　right　hand　on　them；　and

unconsciously　kept　it　in　that　position；　absorbed　in　the　sensations

of　his　palate。　　If　he　could　only　be　kept　so　occupied　with　the

lozenges　as　not　to　see　the　guineas　before　David　could　manage　to

cover　them！　　That　was　David's　best　hope　of　safety；　for　Jacob　knew

his　mother's　guineas；　it　had　been　part　of　their　common　experience　as

boys　to　be　allowed　to　look　at　these　handsome　coins；　and　rattle　them

in　their　box　on　high　days　and　holidays；　and　among　all　Jacob's　narrow

experiences　as　to　money；　this　was　likely　to　be　the　most　memorable。



〃Here；　Jacob；〃　said　David；　in　an　insinuating　tone；　handing　the　box

to　him；　〃I'll　give　'em　all　to　you。　　Run！make　haste！else

somebody'll　come　and　take　'em。〃



David；　not　having　studied　the　psychology　of　idiots；　was　not　aware

that　they　are　not　to　be　wrought　upon　by　imaginative　fears。　　Jacob

took　the　box　with　his　left　hand；　but　saw　no　necessity　for　running

away。　　Was　ever　a　promising　young　man　wishing　to　lay　the　foundation

of　his　fortune　by　appropriating　his　mother's　guineas　obstructed　by

such　a　day…mare　as　this？　　But　the　moment　must　come　when　Jacob　would

move　his　right　hand　to　draw　off　the　lid　of　the　tin　box；　and　then

David　would　sweep　the　guineas　into　the　hole　with　the　utmost　address

and　swiftness；　and　immediately　seat　himself　upon　them。　　Ah；　no！

It's　of　no　use　to　have　foresight　when　you　are　dealing　with　an　idiot：

he　is　not　to　be　calculated　upon。　　Jacob's　right　hand　was　given　to

vague　clutching　and　throwing；　it　suddenly　clutched　the　guineas　as　if

they　had　been　so　many　pebbles；　and　was　raised　in　an　attitude　which

promised　to　scatter　them　like　seed　over　a　distant　bramble；　when；

from　some　prompting　or　otherprobably　of　an　unwonted　sensationit

paused；　descended　to　Jacob's　knee；　and　opened　slowly　under　the

inspection　of　Jacob's　dull　eyes。　　David　began　to　pray　again；　but

immediately　desistedanother　resource　having　occurred　to　him。



〃Mother！　zinnies！〃　exclaimed　the　innocent　Jacob。　　Then；　looking　at

David；　he　said；　interrogatively；　〃Box？〃



〃Hush！　hush！〃　said　David；　summoning　all　his　ingenuity　in　this　severe

strait。　　〃See；　Jacob！〃　　He　took　the　tin　box　from　his　brother's　hand；

and　emptied　it　of　the　lozenges；　returning　half　of　them　to　Jacob；　but

secretly　keeping　the　rest　in　his　own　hand。　　Then　he　held　out　the

empty　box；　and　said；　〃Here's　the　box；　Jacob！　　The　box　for　the

guineas！〃　gently　sweeping　them　from　Jacob's　palm　into　the　box。



This　procedure　was　not　objectionable　to　Jacob；　on　the　contrary；　the

guineas　clinked　so　pleasantly　as　they　fell；　that　he　wished　for　a

repetition　of　the　sound；　and　seizing　the　box；　began　to　rattle　it

very　gleefully。　　David；　seizing　the　opportunity；　deposited　his

reserve　of　lozenges　in　the　ground　and　hastily　swept　some　earth　over

them。　　〃Look；　Jacob！〃　he　said；　at　last。　　Jacob　paused　from　his

clinking；　and　looked　into　the　hole；　while　David　began　to　scratch

away　the　earth；　as　if　in　doubtful　expectation。　　When　the　lozenges

were　laid　bare；　he　took　them　out　one　by　one；　and　gave　them　to　Jacob。

〃Hush！〃　he　said；　in　a　loud　whisper；　〃Tell　nobodyall　for　Jacob

hushshsh！　　Put　guineas　in　the　holethey'll　come　out　like　this！〃

To　make　the　lesson　more　complete；　he　took　a　guinea；　and　lowering　it

into　the　hole；　said；　〃Put　in　SO。〃　　Then；　as　he　took　the　last　lozenge

out；　he　said；　〃Come　out　SO；〃　and　put　the　lozenge　into　Jacob's

hospitable　mouth。



Jacob　turned　his　head　on　one　side；　looked　first　at　his　brother　and

then　at　the　hole；　like　a　reflective　monkey；　and；　finally；　laid　the

box　of　guineas　in　the　hole　with　much　decision。　　David　made　haste　to

add　every　one　of　the　stray　coins；　put　on　the　lid；　and　covered　it

well　with　earth；　saying　in　his　meet　coaxing　tone　…



〃Take　'm　out　to…morrow；　Jacob；　all　for　Jacob！　　Hushshsh！〃



Jacob；　to　whom　this　once　indifferent　brother　had　all　at　once　become

a　sort　of　sweet…tasted　fetish；　stroked　David's　best　coat　with　his

adhesive　fingers；　and　then　hugged　him　with　an　accompaniment　of　that

mingled　chuckling　and　gurgling　by　which　he　was　accustomed　to　express

the　milder　passions。　　But　if　he　had　chosen　to　bite　a　small　morsel

out　of　his　beneficent　brother's　cheek；　David　would　have　been　obliged

to　bear　it。



And　here　I　must　pause；　to　point　out　to　you　the　short…sightedness　of

human　contrivance。　　This　ingenious　young　man；　Mr。　David　Faux；

thought　he　had　achieved　a　triumph　of　cunning　when　he　had　associated

himself　in　his　brother's　rudimentary　mind　with　the　flavour　of　yellow

lozenges。　　But　he　had　yet　to　learn　that　it　is　a　dreadful　thing　to

make　an　idiot　fond　of　you；　when　you　yourself　are　not　of　an

affectionate　disposition：　　especially　an　idiot　with　a　pitchfork

obviously　a　difficult　friend　to　shake　off　by　rough　usage。



It　may　seem　to　you　rather　a　blundering　contrivance　for　a　clever

young　man　to　bury　the　guineas。　　But；　if　everything　had　turned　out　as

David　had　calculated；　you　would　have　seen　that　his　plan　was　worthy

of　his　talents。　　The　guineas　would　have　lain　safely　in　the　earth

while　the　theft　was　discovered；　and　David；　with　the　calm　of

conscious　innocence；　would　have　lingered　at　home；　reluctant　to　say

good…bye　to　his　dear　mother　while　she　was　in　grief　about　her

guineas；　till　at　length；　on　the　eve　of　his　departure；　he　would　have

disinterred　them　in　the　strictest　privacy；　and　carried　them　on　his

own　person　without　inconvenience。　　But　David；　you　perceive；　had

reckoned　without　his　host；　or；　to　speak　more　precisely；　without　his

idiot　brotheran　item　of　so　uncertain　and　fluctuating　a　character；

that　I　doubt　whether　he　would　not　have　puzzled　the　astute　heroes　of

M。　de　Balzac；　whose　foresight　is　so　remarkably　at　home　in　the

future。



It　was　clear　to　David　now　that　he　had　only　one　alternative　before

him：　　he　must　either　renounce　the　guineas；　by　quietly　putting　them

back　in　his　mother's　drawer　（a　course　not