brother jacob-第6部分

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as　men　are　wont　to　do　when　they　intimate　that　they　have　become　a

little　too　wise　to　be　instructed　about　a　world　which　has　long　been

flat　and　stale　to　them。



For　some　time　he　was　quite　general　in　his　attentions　to　the　fair

sex；　combining　the　gallantries　of　a　lady's　man　with　a　severity　of

criticism　on　the　person　and　manners　of　absent　belles；　which　tended

rather　to　stimulate　in　the　feminine　breast　the　desire　to　conquer　the

approval　of　so　fastidious　a　judge。　　Nothing　short　of　the　very　best

in　the　department　of　female　charms　and　virtues　could　suffice　to

kindle　the　ardour　of　Mr。　Edward　Freely；　who　had　become　familiar　with

the　most　luxuriant　and　dazzling　beauty　in　the　West　Indies。　　It　may

seem　incredible　that　a　confectioner　should　have　ideas　and

conversation　so　much　resembling　those　to　be　met　with　in　a　higher

walk　of　life；　but　it　must　be　remembered　that　he　had　not　merely

travelled；　he　had　also　bow…legs　and　a　sallow；　small…featured　visage；

so　that　nature　herself　had　stamped　him　for　a　fastidious　connoisseur

of　the　fair　sex。



At　last；　however；　it　seemed　clear　that　Cupid　had　found　a　sharper

arrow　than　usual；　and　that　Mr。　Freely's　heart　was　pierced。　　It　was

the　general　talk　among　the　young　people　at　Grimworth。　　But　was　it

really　love；　and　not　rather　ambition？　　Miss　Fullilove；　the　timber…

merchant's　daughter；　was　quite　sure　that　if　SHE　were　Miss　Penny

Palfrey；　she　would　be　cautious；　it　was　not　a　good　sign　when　men

looked　so　much　above　themselves　for　a　wife。　　For　it　was　no　less　a

person　than　Miss　Penelope　Palfrey；　second　daughter　of　the　Mr。

Palfrey　who　farmed　his　own　land；　that　had　attracted　Mr。　Freely's

peculiar　regard；　and　conquered　his　fastidiousness；　and　no　wonder；

for　the　Ideal；　as　exhibited　in　the　finest　waxwork；　was　perhaps　never

so　closely　approached　by　the　Real　as　in　the　person　of　the　pretty

Penelope。　　Her　yellowish　flaxen　hair　did　not　curl　naturally；　I

admit；　but　its　bright　crisp　ringlets　were　such　smooth；　perfect

miniature　tubes；　that　you　would　have　longed　to　pass　your　little

finger　through　them；　and　feel　their　soft　elasticity。　　She　wore　them

in　a　crop；　for　in　those　days；　when　society　was　in　a　healthier　state；

young　ladies　wore　crops　long　after　they　were　twenty；　and　Penelope

was　not　yet　nineteen。　　Like　the　waxen　ideal；　she　had　round　blue

eyes；　and　round　nostrils　in　her　little　nose；　and　teeth　such　as　the

ideal　would　be　seen　to　have；　if　it　ever　showed　them。　　Altogether；

she　was　a　small；　round　thing；　as　neat　as　a　pink　and　white　double

daisy；　and　as　guileless；　for　I　hope　it　does　not　argue　guile　in　a

pretty　damsel　of　nineteen；　to　think　that　she　should　like　to　have　a

beau　and　be　〃engaged；〃　when　her　elder　sister　had　already　been　in

that　position　a　year　and　a　half。　　To　be　sure；　there　was　young　Towers

always　coming　to　the　house；　but　Penny　felt　convinced　he　only　came　to

see　her　brother；　for　he　never　had　anything　to　say　to　her；　and　never

offered　her　his　arm；　and　was　as　awkward　and　silent　as　possible。



It　is　not　unlikely　that　Mr。　Freely　had　early　been　smitten　by　Penny's

charms；　as　brought　under　his　observation　at　church；　but　he　had　to

make　his　way　in　society　a　little　before　he　could　come　into　nearer

contact　with　them；　and　even　after　he　was　well　received　in　Grimworth

families；　it　was　a　long　while　before　he　could　converse　with　Penny

otherwise　than　in　an　incidental　meeting　at　Mr。　Luff's。　　It　was　not

so　easy　to　get　invited　to　Long　Meadows；　the　residence　of　the

Palfreys；　for　though　Mr。　Palfrey　had　been　losing　money　of　late

years；　not　being　able　quite　to　recover　his　feet　after　the　terrible

murrain　which　forced　him　to　borrow；　his　family　were　far　from

considering　themselves　on　the　same　level　even　as　the　old…established

tradespeople　with　whom　they　visited。　　The　greatest　people；　even

kings　and　queens；　must　visit　with　somebody；　and　the　equals　of　the

great　are　scarce。　　They　were　especially　scarce　at　Grimworth；　which；

as　I　have　before　observed；　was　a　low　parish；　mentioned　with　the　most

scornful　brevity　in　gazetteers。　　Even　the　great　people　there　were

far　behind　those　of　their　own　standing　in　other　parts　of　this　realm。

Mr。　Palfrey's　farmyard　doors　had　the　paint　all　worn　off　them；　and

the　front　garden　walks　had　long　been　merged　in　a　general　weediness。

Still；　his　father　had　been　called　Squire　Palfrey；　and　had　been

respected　by　the　last　Grimworth　generation　as　a　man　who　could　afford

to　drink　too　much　in　his　own　house。



Pretty　Penny　was　not　blind　to　the　fact　that　Mr。　Freely　admired　her；

and　she　felt　sure　that　it　was　he　who　had　sent　her　a　beautiful

valentine；　but　her　sister　seemed　to　think　so　lightly　of　him　（all

young　ladies　think　lightly　of　the　gentlemen　to　whom　they　are　not

engaged）；　that　Penny　never　dared　mention　him；　and　trembled　and

blushed　whenever　they　met　him；　thinking　of　the　valentine；　which　was

very　strong　in　its　expressions；　and　which　she　felt　guilty　of　knowing

by　heart。　　A　man　who　had　been　to　the　Indies；　and　knew　the　sea　so

well；　seemed　to　her　a　sort　of　public　character；　almost　like　Robinson

Crusoe　or　Captain　Cook；　and　Penny　had　always　wished　her　husband　to

be　a　remarkable　personage；　likely　to　be　put　in　Mangnall's　Questions；

with　which　register　of　the　immortals　she　had　become　acquainted

during　her　one　year　at　a　boarding…school。　　Only　it　seemed　strange

that　a　remarkable　man　should　be　a　confectioner　and　pastry…cook；　and

this　anomaly　quite　disturbed　Penny's　dreams。　　Her　brothers；　she

knew；　laughed　at　men　who　couldn't　sit　on　horseback　well；　and　called

them　tailors；　but　her　brothers　were　very　rough；　and　were　quite

without　that　power　of　anecdote　which　made　Mr。　Freely　such　a

delightful　companion。　　He　was　a　very　good　man；　she　thought；　for　she

had　heard　him　say　at　Mr。　Luff's；　one　day；　that　he　always　wished　to

do　his　duty　in　whatever　state　of　life　he　might　be　placed；　and　he

knew　a　great　deal　of　poetry；　for　one　day　he　had　repeated　a　verse　of

a　song。　　She　wondered　if　he　had　made　the　words　of　the　valentine！it

ended　in　this　way：…





〃Without　thee；　it　is　pain　to　live；

But　with　thee；　it　were　sweet　to　die。〃





Poor　Mr。　Freely！　her　father　would　very　likely　objectshe　felt　sure

he　would；　for　he　always　called　Mr。　Freely　〃that　sugar…plum　fellow。〃

Oh；　it　was　very　cruel；　when　true　love　was　crossed　in　that　way；　and

all　because　Mr。　Freely　was　a　confectioner：　　well；　Penny　would　be

true　to　him；　for　all　that；　and　since　his　being　a　confectioner　gave

her　an　opportunity　of　showing　her　faithfulness；　she　was　glad　of　it。

Edward　Freely　was　a　pretty　name；　much　better　than　John　Towers。

Young　Towers　had　offered　her　a　rose　out　of　his　button…hole　the　other

day；　blushing　very　much；　but　she　refused　it；　and　thought　with

delight　how　much　Mr。　Freely　would　be　comforted　if　he　knew　her

firmness　of　mind。



Poor　little　Penny！　the　days　were　so　very　long　among　the　daisies　on　a

grazing　farm；　and　thought　is　so　activehow　was　it　possible　that　the

inward　drama　should　not　get　the　start　of　the　outward？　　I　have　known

young　ladies；　much　better　educated；　and　with　an　outward　world

diversified　by　instructive　lectures；　to　say　nothing　of　literature

and　highly…developed　fancy…work；　who　have　spun　a　cocoon　of　visionary

joys　and　sorrows　for　themselves；　just　as　Penny　did。　　Her　elder

sister　Letitia；　who　had　a　prouder　style　of　beauty；　and　a　more

worldly　ambition；　was　engaged　to　a　wool…factor；　who　came　all　the　way

from　Cattelton　to　see　her；　and　everybody　knows　that　a　wool…factor

takes　a　very　high　rank；　sometimes　driving　a　double…bodied　gig。

Letty's　notions　got　higher　every　day；　and　Penny　never　dared　to　speak

of　her　cherished　griefs　to　her　lofty　sisternever　dared　to　propose

that　they　should　call　at　Mr。　Freely's　to　buy　liquorice；　though　she

had　prepared　for　such　an　incident　by　mentioning　a　slight　sore

throat。　　So　she　had　to　pass　the　shop　on　the　other　side　of　the

market…place；　and　reflect；　with　a　suppressed　sigh；　that　behind　those

pink　and　white　jars　somebody　was　thinking　of　her　tenderly；

unconscious　of　the　small　space　that　divided　her　from　him。



And　it　was　quite　true　that；　when　business　permitted；　Mr。　Freely

thought　a　great　deal　of　Penny。　　He　thought　her　prettiness　comparable

to　the　loveliest　things　in　confectionery；　he　judged　her　to　be　of

submissive　temperlikely　to　wait　upon　him　as　well　as　if　she　had

been　a　negress；　and　to　be　silently　terrified　when　his　liver　made　him

irritable；　and　he　considered　the　Palfrey　family　quite　the　best　in

the　parish；　possessing　marriageable　daughters。　　On　the　whole；　he

thought　her　worthy　to　become　Mrs。　Edward　Freely；　and　all　the　more

so；　because　it　would　probably　require　some　ingenuity　to　win　her。

Mr。　Palfrey　was　capable　of　horse…whipping　a　too　rash　pretender　to

his　daughter's　hand；　and；　moreover；　he　had　three　tall　sons：　　it　was

clear　that　a　suitor　would　be　at　a　disadvantage　with　such　a　family；

unless　travel　and　natural　acumen　had　given　him　a　countervailing

power　of　contrivance。　　And　the　first　idea　that　occurred　to　him　in

the　matter　was；　that　Mr。　Palfrey　would　object　less　if　he　knew　that

the　Freelys　were　a　much　higher　family　than　his　own。　　It　had　been

foolish　modesty　in　him　hitherto　to　conceal　the　fact　that　a　branch　of

the　Freelys　held　a　manor　in　Yorkshire；　and　to　shut　up　the　portrait

of　his　great　uncle　the　admiral；　instead　of　hanging　it　up　where　a

family　portrait　should　be　hungover　the　mantelpiece　in　the　parlour。

Admiral　Freely；　K。C。B。；　once　placed　in　this　conspicuous　position；

was　seen　to　have　had　one　arm　only；　and　one　eyein　these　points

resembling　the　heroic　Nelsonwhile　a　certain　pallid　insignificance

of　feature　confirmed　the　relationship　between　himself　and　his　grand…

nephew。



Next；　Mr。　Freely　was　seized　with　an　irrepressible　ambition　to　posses

Mrs。　Palfrey's　receipt　for　brawn；　hers　being　pronounced　on　all　hands

to　be　superior　to　his　ownas　he　informed　her　in　a　very　flattering

letter　carried　by　his　errand…boy。　　Now　Mrs。　Palfrey；　like　other

geniuses；　wrought　by　instinct　rather　than　by　rule；　and　possessed　no

receiptsindeed；　d