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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
very healthy and well…developed idiot； who consumed a dumpling about
eight inches in diameter every day； it was pretty well if they got a
hundred apiece at his death。 Under these circumstances； what was
David to do？ It was certainly hard that he should take his mother's
money； but he saw no other ready means of getting any； and it was
not to be expected that a young man of his merit should put up with
inconveniences that could be avoided。 Besides； it is not robbery to
take property belonging to your mother： she doesn't prosecute you。
And David was very well behaved to his mother； he comforted her by
speaking highly of himself to her； and assuring her that he never
fell into the vices he saw practised by other youths of his own age；
and that he was particularly fond of honesty。 If his mother would
have given him her twenty guineas as a reward of this noble
disposition； he really would not have stolen them from her； and it
would have been more agreeable to his feelings。 Nevertheless； to an
active mind like David's； ingenuity is not without its pleasures：
it was rather an interesting occupation to become stealthily
acquainted with the wards of his mother's simple key （not in the
least like Chubb's patent）； and to get one that would do its work
equally well； and also to arrange a little drama by which he would
escape suspicion； and run no risk of forfeiting the prospective
hundred at his father's death； which would be convenient in the
improbable case of his NOT making a large fortune in the 〃Indies。〃
First； he spoke freely of his intention to start shortly for
Liverpool and take ship for America； a resolution which cost his
good mother some pain； for； after Jacob the idiot； there was not one
of her sons to whom her heart clung more than to her youngest…born；
David。 Next； it appeared to him that Sunday afternoon； when
everybody was gone to church except Jacob and the cowboy； was so
singularly favourable an opportunity for sons who wanted to
appropriate their mothers' guineas； that he half thought it must
have been kindly intended by Providence for such purposes。
Especially the third Sunday in Lent； because Jacob had been out on
one of his occasional wanderings for the last two days； and David；
being a timid young man； had a considerable dread and hatred of
Jacob； as of a large personage who went about habitually with a
pitchfork in his hand。
Nothing could be easier； then； than for David on this Sunday
afternoon to decline going to church； on the ground that he was
going to tea at Mr。 Lunn's； whose pretty daughter Sally had been an
early flame of his； and； when the church…goers were at a safe
distance； to abstract the guineas from their wooden box and slip
them into a small canvas bagnothing easier than to call to the
cowboy that he was going； and tell him to keep an eye on the house
for fear of Sunday tramps。 David thought it would be easy； too； to
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