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〃What a pleasant relation for us！〃 said Letitia； sarcastically。 〃I
think he's a good deal like Mr。 Freely。 He's got just the same sort
of nose； and his eyes are the same colour。〃
Poor Penny was ready to cry。
But now Mr。 Freely re…entered the shop without the constable。
During his walk of a few yards he had had time and calmness enough
to widen his view of consequences； and he saw that to get Jacob
taken to the workhouse or to the lock…up house as an offensive
stranger might have awkward effects if his family took the trouble
of inquiring after him。 He must resign himself to more patient
measures。
〃On second thoughts；〃 he said； beckoning to Mr。 Palfrey and
whispering to him while Jacob's back was turned； 〃he's a poor half…
witted fellow。 Perhaps his friends will come after him。 I don't
mind giving him something to eat； and letting him lie down for the
night。 He's got it into his head that he knows methey do get
these fancies； idiots do。 He'll perhaps go away again in an hour or
two； and make no more ado。 I'm a kind…hearted man MYSELFI
shouldn't like to have the poor fellow ill…used。〃
〃Why； he'll eat a sovereign's worth in no time；〃 said Mr。 Palfrey；
thinking Mr。 Freely a little too magnificent in his generosity。
〃Eh； Zavy； come back？〃 exclaimed Jacob； giving his dear brother
another hug； which crushed Mr。 Freely's features inconveniently
against the stale of the pitchfork。
〃Aye； aye；〃 said Mr。 Freely； smiling； with every capability of
murder in his mind； except the courage to commit it。 He wished the
Bath buns might by chance have arsenic in them。
〃Mother's zinnies？〃 said Jacob； pointing to a glass jar of yellow
lozenges that stood in the window。 〃Zive 'em me。〃
David dared not do otherwise than reach down the glass jar and give
Jacob a handful。 He received them in his smock…frock； which he held
out for more。
〃They'll keep him quiet a bit； at any rate；〃 thought David； and
emptied the jar。 Jacob grinned and mowed with delight。
〃You're very good to this stranger； Mr。 Freely；〃 said Letitia； and
then spitefully； as David joined the party at the parlour…door； 〃I
think you could hardly treat him better； if he was really your
brother。〃
〃I've always thought it a duty to be good to idiots；〃 said Mr。
Freely； striving after the most moral view of the subject。 〃We
might have been idiots ourselveseverybody might have been born
idiots； instead of having their right senses。〃
〃I don't know where there'd ha' been victual for us all then；〃
observed Mrs。 Palfrey； regarding the matter in a housewifely light。
〃But let us sit down again and finish our tea；〃 said Mr。 Freely。
〃Let us leave the poor creature to himself。〃
They walked into the parlour again； but Jacob； not apparently
appreciating the kindness of leaving him to himself； immediately
followed his brother； and seated himself； pitchfork grounded； at the
table。
〃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