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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 the guineas； but
in seating himself he had laid his broad right hand on them； and
unconsciously kept it in that position； absorbed in the sensations
of his palate。 If he could only be kept so occupied with the
lozenges as not to see the guineas before David could manage to
cover them！ That was David's best hope of safety； for Jacob knew
his mother's guineas； it had been part of their common experience as
boys to be allowed to look at these handsome coins； and rattle them
in their box on high days and holidays； and among all Jacob's narrow
experiences as to money； this was likely to be the most memorable。
〃Here； Jacob；〃 said David； in an insinuating tone； handing the box
to him； 〃I'll give 'em all to you。 Run！make haste！else
somebody'll come and take 'em。〃
David； not having studied the psychology of idiots； was not aware
that they are not to be wrought upon by imaginative fears。 Jacob
took the box with his left hand； but saw no necessity for running
away。 Was ever a promising young man wishing to lay the foundation
of his fortune by appropriating his mother's guineas obstructed by
such a day…mare as this？ But the moment must come when Jacob would
move his right hand to draw off the lid of the tin box； and then
David would sweep the guineas into the hole with the utmost address
and swiftness； and immediately seat himself upon them。 Ah； no！
It's of no use to have foresight when you are dealing with an idiot：
he is not to be calculated upon。 Jacob's right hand was given to
vague clutching and throwing； it suddenly clutched the guineas as if
they had been so many pebbles； and was raised in an attitude which
promised to scatter them like seed over a distant bramble； when；
from some prompting or otherprobably of an unwonted sensationit
paused； descended to Jacob's knee； and opened slowly under the
inspection of Jacob's dull eyes。 David began to pray again； but
immediately desistedanother resource having occurred to him。
〃Mother！ zinnies！〃 exclaimed the innocent Jacob。 Then； looking at
David； he said； interrogatively； 〃Box？〃
〃Hush！ hush！〃 said David； summoning all his ingenuity in this severe
strait。 〃See； Jacob！〃 He took the tin box from his brother's hand；
and emptied it of the lozenges； returning half of them to Jacob； but
secretly keeping the rest in his own hand。 Then he held out the
empty box； and said； 〃Here's the box； Jacob！ The box for the
guineas！〃 gently sweeping them from Jacob's palm into the box。
This procedure was not objectionable to Jacob； on the contrary； the
guineas clinked so pleasantly as they fell； that he wished for a
repetition of the sound； and seizing the box； began to rattle it
very gleefully。 David； seizing the opportunity； deposited his
reserve of lozenges in the ground and hastily swept some earth over
them。 〃Look； Jacob！〃 he said； at last。 Jacob paused from his
clinking； and looked into the hole； while David began to scratch
away the earth； as if in doubtful expectation。 When the lozenges
were laid bare； he took them out one by one； and gave them to Jacob。
〃Hush！〃 he said； in a loud whisper； 〃Tell nobodyall for Jacob
hushshsh！ Put guineas in the holethey'll come out like this！〃
To make the lesson more complete； he took a guinea； and lowering it
into the hole； said； 〃Put in SO。〃 Then； as he took the last lozenge
out； he said； 〃Come out SO；〃 and put the lozenge into Jacob's
hospitable mouth。
Jacob turned his head on one side； looked first at his brother and
then at the hole； like a reflective monkey； and； finally； laid the
box of guineas in the hole with much decision。 David made haste to
add every one of the stray coins； put on the lid； and covered it
well with earth； saying in his meet coaxing tone …
〃Take 'm out to…morrow； Jacob； all for Jacob！ Hushshsh！〃
Jacob； to whom this once indifferent brother had all at once become
a so