England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
A short, thick-set man had appeared in the garden, giving rise to the
concluding remark of Mrs. Hastings. If you have not forgotten the first
chapter, you may remember that Bessy Godolphin spoke of a man who had
expressed his pleasure at seeing her father out again. She called him
"Old Jekyl." Old Jekyl lived in a cottage on the outskirts of Prior's
Ash. He had been in his days a working gardener, but rheumatism and age
had put him beyond work now. There was a good bit of garden-ground to
his cottage, and it was well cultivated. Vegetables and fruit grew in
it; and a small board was fastened in front of the laburnum-tree at the
gate, with the intimation "Cut flowers sold here." There were also
bee-hives. Old Jekyl (Prior's Ash never dignified him by any other
title) had no wife: she was dead: but his two sons lived with him, and
they followed the occupation that had been his. I could not tell you how
many gardens in Prior's Ash and its environs those two men kept in
order. Many a family, not going to the expense of keeping a regular
gardener, some, perhaps, not able to go to it, entrusted the care of
their garden to the Jekyls, paying them a stipulated sum yearly. The
plan answered. The gardens were kept in order, and the Jekyls earned a
good living; both masters and men were contented.
They had been named Jonathan and David: and were as opposite as men and
brothers could well be, both in nature and appearance. Each was worthy
in his way. Jonathan stood six feet three if he stood an inch, and was
sufficiently slender for a lamp-post: rumour went that he had
occasionally been taken for one. An easy-going, obliging, talkative,
mild-tempered man, was Jonathan, his opinion agreeing with every one's.
Mrs. Hastings was wont to declare that if she were to say to him, "You
know, Jonathan, the sun never shone," his answer would be, "Well, ma'am,
I don't know as ever it did, over bright like." David had the build of a
Dutchman, and was taciturn upon most subjects. In manner he was somewhat
surly, and would hold his own opinion, especially if it touched upon his
occupation, against the world.
Amongst others who employed them in this way, was the Rector of All
Souls'. They were in the habit of coming and going to that or any other
garden, as they pleased, at whatever day or time suited their
convenience; sometimes one brother, sometimes the other, sometimes one
of the two boys they employed, as they might arrange between themselves.
Any garden entrusted to their care they were sure to keep in order;
therefore their time and manner of doing it was not interfered with.
Mrs. Hastings suddenly saw David in the garden. "I will get him to sweep
those ugly dead leaves from the paths," she exclaimed, throwing up the
window. "David!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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