brother jacob-第4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！



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　shopkeepers　at　Grimworth　were　by　no　means　unanimous　as　to　the

advantages　promised　by　this　prospect　of　increased　population　and

trading；　being　substantial　men；　who　liked　doing　a　quiet　business　in

which　they　were　sure　of　their　customers；　and　could　calculate　their

returns　to　a　nicety。　　Hitherto；　it　had　been　held　a　point　of　honour

by　the　families　in　Grimworth　parish；　to　buy　their　sugar　and　their

flannel　at　the　shop　where　their　fathers　and　mothers　had　bought

before　them；　but；　if　newcomers　were　to　bring　in　the　system　of　neck…

and…neck　trading；　and　solicit　feminine　eyes　by　gown…pieces　laid　in

fan…like　folds；　and　surmounted　by　artificial　flowers；　giving　them　a

factitious　charm　（for　on　what　human　figure　would　a　gown　sit　like　a

fan；　or　what　female　head　was　like　a　bunch　of　China…asters？）；　or；　if

new　grocers　were　to　fill　their　windows　with　mountains　of　currants

and　sugar；　made　seductive　by　contrast　and　tickets；what　security

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　coars