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Brother Jacob
by George Eliot ＇Mary Anne Evans＇
CHAPTER I
Among the many fatalities attending the bloom of young desire； that
of blindly taking to the confectionery line has not； perhaps； been
sufficiently considered。 How is the son of a British yeoman； who
has been fed principally on salt pork and yeast dumplings； to know
that there is satiety for the human stomach even in a paradise of
glass jars full of sugared almonds and pink lozenges； and that the
tedium of life can reach a pitch where plum…buns at discretion cease
to offer the slightest excitement？ Or how； at the tender age when a
confectioner seems to him a very prince whom all the world must
envywho breakfasts on macaroons； dines on meringues； sups on
twelfth…cake； and fills up the intermediate hours with sugar…candy
or pepperminthow is he to foresee the day of sad wisdom； when he
will discern that the confectioner's calling is not socially
influential； or favourable to a soaring ambition？ I have known a
man who turned out to have a metaphysical genius； incautiously； in
the period of youthful buoyancy； commence his career as a dancing…
master； and you may imagine the use that was made of this initial
mistake by opponents who felt themselves bound to warn the public
against his doctrine of the Inconceivable。 He could not give up his
dancing…lessons； because he made his bread by them； and metaphysics
would not have found him in so much as salt to his bread。 It was
really the same with Mr。 David Faux and the confectionery business。
His uncle； the butler at the great house close by Brigford； had made
a pet of him in his early boyhood； and it was on a visit to this
uncle that the confectioners' shops in that brilliant town had； on a
single day； fired his tender imagination。 He carried home the
pleasing illusion that a confectioner must be at once the happiest
and the foremost of men； since the things he made were not only the
most beautiful to behold； but the very best eating； and such as the
Lord Mayor must always order largely for his private recreation； so
that when his father declared he must be put to a trade； David chose
his line without a moment's hesitation； and； with a rashness
inspired by a sweet tooth； wedded himself irrevocably to
confectionery。 Soon； however； the tooth lost its relish and fell
into blank indifference； and all the while； his mind expanded； his
ambition took new shapes； which could hardly be satisfied within the
sphere his youthful ardour had chosen。 But what was he to do？ He
was a young man of much mental activity； and； above all； gifted with
a spirit of contrivance； but then； his faculties would not tell with
great effect in any other medium than that of candied sugars；
conserves； and pastry。 Say what you will about the identity of the
reasoning process in all branches of thought； or about the advantage
of coming to subjects with a fresh mind； the adjustment of butter to
flour； and of heat to pastry； is NOT the best preparation for the
office of prime minister； besides； in the present imperfectly…
organized state of society； there are social barriers。 David could
invent delightful things in the way of drop…cakes； and he had the
widest views of the sugar department； but in other directions he
certainly felt hampered by the want of knowledge and practical
skill； and the world is so inconveniently constituted； that the
vague consciousness of being a fine fellow is no guarantee of
success in any line of business。
This difficulty pressed with some severity on Mr。 David Faux； even
before his apprenticeship was ended。 His soul swelled with an
impatient sense that he ought to become something very remarkable
that it was quite out of the question for him to put up with a
narrow lot as other men did： he scorned the idea that he could
accept an average。 He was sure there was nothing average about him：
even such a person as Mrs。 Tibbits； the washer…woman； perceived it；
and probably had a preference for his linen。 At that particular
period he was weighing out gingerbread nuts； but such an anomaly
could not continue。 No position could be suited to Mr。 David Faux
that was not in the highest degree easy to the flesh and flattering
to the spirit。 If he had fallen on the present times； and enjoyed
the advantages of a Mechanic's Institute； he would certainly have
taken to literature and have written reviews； but his education had
not been liberal。 He had read some novels from the adjoining
circulating library； and had even bought the story of Inkle and
Yarico； which had made him feel very sorry for poor Mr。 Inkle； so
that his ideas might not have been below a certain mark of the
literary calling； but his spelling and diction were too
unconventional。
When a man is not adequately appreciated or comfortably placed in
his own country； his thoughts naturally turn towards foreign climes；
and David's imagination circled round and round the utmost limits of
his geographical knowledge； in search of a country where a young
gentleman of pasty visage； lipless mouth； and stumpy hair； would be
likely to be received with the hospitable enthusiasm which he had a
right to expect。 Having a general idea of America as a country
where the population was chiefly black； it appeared to him the most
propitious destination for an emigrant who； to begin with； had the
broad and easily recognizable merit of whiteness； and this idea
gradually took such strong possession of him that Satan seized the
opportunity of suggesting to him that he might emigrate under easier
circumstances； if he supplied himself with a little money from his
master's till。 But that evil spirit； whose understanding； I am
convinced； has been much overrated； quite wasted his time on this
occasion。 David would certainly have liked well to have some of his
master's money in his pocket； if he had been sure his master would
have been the only man to suffer for it； but he was a cautious
youth； and quite determined to run no risks on his own account。 So
he stayed out his apprenticeship； and committed no act of dishonesty
that was at all likely to be discovered； reserving his plan of
emigration for a future opportunity。 And the circumstances under
which he carried it out were in this wise。 Having been at home a
week or two partaking of the family beans； he had used his leisure
in ascertaining a fact which was of considerable importance to him；
namely； that his mother had a small sum in guineas painfully saved
from her maiden perquisites； and kept in the corner of a drawer
where her baby…linen had reposed for the last twenty yearsever
since her son David had taken to his feet； with a slight promise of
bow…legs which had not been altogether unfulfilled。 Mr。 Faux；
senior； had told his son very frankly； that he must not look to
being set up in business by HIM： with seven sons； and one of them a
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' g