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〃Well；〃 said Miss Letitia； rising； 〃I don't know whether YOU mean to
stay； mother； but I shall go home。〃
〃Oh； me too；〃 said Penny； frightened to death at Jacob； who had
begun to nod and grin at her。
〃Well； I think we HAD better be going； Mr。 Palfrey；〃 said the
mother； rising more slowly。
Mr。 Freely； whose complexion had become decidedly yellower during
the last half…hour； did not resist this proposition。 He hoped they
should meet again 〃under happier circumstances。〃
〃It's my belief the man is his brother；〃 said Letitia； when they
were all on their way home。
〃Nonsense！〃 said Mr。 Palfrey。 〃Freely's got no brotherhe's said
so many and many a time； he's an orphan； he's got nothing but
unclesleastwise； one。 What's it matter what an idiot says？ What
call had Freely to tell lies？〃
Letitia tossed her head and was silent。
Mr。 Freely； left alone with his affectionate brother Jacob； brooded
over the possibility of luring him out of the town early the next
morning； and getting him conveyed to Gilsbrook without further
betrayals。 But the thing was difficult。 He saw clearly that if he
took Jacob himself； his absence； conjoined with the disappearance of
the stranger； would either cause the conviction that he was really a
relative； or would oblige him to the dangerous course of inventing a
story to account for his disappearance； and his own absence at the
same time。 David groaned。 There come occasions when falsehood is
felt to be inconvenient。 It would； perhaps； have been a longer…
headed device； if he had never told any of those clever fibs about
his uncles； grand and otherwise； for the Palfreys were simple
people； and shared the popular prejudice against lying。 Even if he
could get Jacob away this time； what security was there that he
would not come again； having once found the way？ O guineas！ O
lozenges！ what enviable people those were who had never robbed their
mothers； and had never told fibs！ David spent a sleepless night；
while Jacob was snoring close by。 Was this the upshot of travelling
to the Indies； and acquiring experience combined with anecdote？
He rose at break of day； as he had once before done when he was in
fear of Jacob； and took all gentle means to rouse this fatal brother
from his deep sleep； he dared not be loud； because his apprentice
was in the house； and would report everything。 But Jacob was not to
be roused。 He fought out with his fist at the unknown cause of
disturbance； turned over； and snored again。 He must be left to wake
as he would。 David； with a cold perspiration on his brow； confessed
to himself that Jacob could not be got away that day。
Mr。 Palfrey came over to Grimworth before noon； with a natural
curiosity to see how his future son…in…law got on with the stranger
to whom he was so benevolently inclined。 He found a crowd round the
shop。 All Grimworth by this time had heard how Freely had been
fastened on by an idiot； who called him 〃Brother Zavy〃； and the
younger population seemed to find the singular stranger an
unwearying source of fascination； while the householders dropped in
one by one to inquire into the incident。
〃Why don't you send him to the workhouse？〃 said Mr。 Prettyman。
〃You'll have a row with him and the children presently； and he'll
eat you up。 The workhouse is the proper place for him； let his kin
claim him； if he's got any。〃
〃Those may be YOUR feelings； Mr。 Prettyman；〃 said David； his mind
quite enfeebled by the torture of his position。
〃What！ IS he your brother； then？〃 said Mr。 Prettyman； looking at his
neighbour Freely rather sharply。
〃All men are our brothers； and idiots particular so；〃 said Mr。
Freely； who； like many other travelled men； was not master of the
English language。
〃Come； come； if he's your brother； tell the truth； man；〃 said Mr。
Prettyman； with growing suspicion。 〃Don't be ashamed of your own
flesh and blood。〃
Mr。 Palfrey was present； and also had his eye on Freely。 It is
difficult for a man to believe in the advantage of a truth which
will disclose him to have been a liar。 In this critical moment；
David shrank from this immediate disgrace in the eyes of his future
father…in…law。
〃Mr。 Prettyman；〃 he said； 〃I take your observations as an insult。
I've no reason to be otherwise than proud of my own flesh and blood。
If this poor man was my brother more than all men are； I should say
so。〃
A tall figure darkened the door； and David； lifting his eyes in that
direction； saw his eldest brother； Jonathan； on the door…sill。
〃I'll stay wi' Zavy；〃 shouted Jacob； as he； too； caught sight of his
eldest brother； and； running behind the counter； he clutched David
hard。
〃What； he IS here？〃 said Jonathan Faux； coming forward。 〃My mother
would have no nay； as he'd been away so long； but I must see after
him。 And it struck me he was very like come after you； because we'd
been talking of you o' late； and where you lived。〃
David saw there was no escape； he smiled a ghastly smile。
〃What！ is this a relation of yours； sir？〃 said Mr。 Palfrey to
Jonathan。
〃Aye； it's my innicent of a brother； sure enough；〃 said honest
Jonathan。 〃A fine trouble and cost he is to us； in th' eating and
other things； but we must bear what's laid on us。〃
〃And your name's Freely； is it？〃 said Mr。 Prettyman。
〃Nay； nay； my name's Faux； I know nothing o' Freelys；〃 said
Jonathan； curtly。 〃Come；〃 he added； turning to David； 〃I must take
some news to mother about Jacob。 Shall I take him with me； or will
you undertake to send him back？〃
〃Take him； if you can make him loose his hold of me；〃 said David；
feebly。
〃Is this gentleman here in the confectionery line your brother；
then； sir？〃 said Mr。 Prettyman； feeling that it was an occasion on
which format language must be used。
〃I don't want to own him；〃 said Jonathan； unable to resist a
movement of indignation that had never been allowed to satisfy
itself。 〃He ran away from home with good reasons in his pocket
years ago： he didn't want to be owned again； I reckon。〃
Mr。 Palfrey left the shop； he felt his own pride too severely
wounded by the sense that he had let himself be fooled； to feel
curiosity for further details。 The most pressing business was to go
home and tell his daughter that Freely was a poor sneak； probably a
rascal； and that her engagement was broken off。
Mr。 Prettyman stayed； with some internal self…gratulation that HE
had never given in to Freely； and that Mr。 Chaloner would see now
what sort of fellow it was that he had put over the heads of older
parishioners。 He considered it due from him （Mr。 Prettyman） that；
for the interests of the parish； he should know all that was to be
known about this 〃interloper。〃 Grimworth would have people coming
from Botany Bay to settle in it； if things went on in this way。
It soon appeared that Jacob could not be made to quit his dear
brother David