david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)- 第127部分

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David　Copperfield　

Micawber　will　be　safe　to　adorn。　Under　the　temporary　pressure　of　
pecuniary　liabilities；　contracted　with　a　view　to　their　immediate　
liquidation；　but　remaining　unliquidated　through　a　combination　of　
circumstances；　I　have　been　under　the　necessity　of　assuming　a　garb　
from　which　my　natural　instincts　recoil—I　allude　to　spectacles—　
and　possessing　myself　of　a　cognomen；　to　which　I　can　establish　no　
legitimate　pretensions。　All　I　have　to　say　on　that　score　is；　that　the　
cloud　has　passed　from　the　dreary　scene；　and　the　God　of　Day　is　
once　more　high　upon　the　mountain　tops。　On　Monday　next；　on　the　
arrival　of　the　four　o’clock　afternoon　coach　at　Canterbury；　my　foot　
will　be　on　my　native　heath—my　name；　Micawber！’　

Mr。　Micawber　resumed　his　seat　on　the　close　of　these　remarks；　
and　drank　two　glasses　of　punch　in　grave　succession。　He　then　said　
with　much　solemnity：　

‘One　thing　more　I　have　to　do；　before　this　separation　is　complete；　
and　that　is　to　perform　an　act　of　justice。　My　friend　Mr。　Thomas　
Traddles　has；　on　two　several　occasions；　“put　his　name”；　if　I　may　
use　a　common　expression；　to　bills　of　exchange　for　my　
accommodation。　On　the　first　occasion　Mr。　Thomas　Traddles　was　
left—let　me　say；　in　short；　in　the　lurch。　The　fulfilment　of　the　second　
has　not　yet　arrived。　The　amount　of　the　first　obligation；’　here　Mr。　
Micawber　carefully　referred　to　papers；　‘was；　I　believe；　twenty…
three；　four；　nine　and　a　half；　of　the　second；　according　to　my　entry　of　
that　transaction；　eighteen；　six；　two。　These　sums；　united；　make　a　
total；　if　my　calculation　is　correct；　amounting　to　forty…one；　ten；　
eleven　and　a　half。　My　friend　Copperfield　will　perhaps　do　me　the　
favour　to　check　that　total？’　

I　did　so　and　found　it　correct。　

‘To　leave　this　metropolis；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘and　my　friend　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

Mr。　Thomas　Traddles；　without　acquitting　myself　of　the　pecuniary　
part　of　this　obligation；　would　weigh　upon　my　mind　to　an　
insupportable　extent。　I　have；　therefore；　prepared　for　my　friend　Mr。　
Thomas　Traddles；　and　I　now　hold　in　my　hand；　a　document；　which　
accomplishes　the　desired　object。　I　beg　to　hand　to　my　friend　Mr。　
Thomas　Traddles　my　I。O。U。　for　forty…one；　ten；　eleven　and　a　half；　
and　I　am　happy　to　recover　my　moral　dignity；　and　to　know　that　I　
can　once　more　walk　erect　before　my　fellow　man！’　

With　this　introduction　（which　greatly　affected　him）；　Mr。　
Micawber　placed　his　I。O。U。　in　the　hands　of　Traddles；　and　said　he　
wished　him　well　in　every　relation　of　life。　I　am　persuaded；　not　only　
that　this　was　quite　the　same　to　Mr。　Micawber　as　paying　the　money；　
but　that　Traddles　himself　hardly　knew　the　difference　until　he　had　
had　time　to　think　about　it。　Mr。　Micawber　walked　so　erect　before　
his　fellow　man；　on　the　strength　of　this　virtuous　action；　that　his　
chest　looked　half　as　broad　again　when　he　lighted　us　downstairs。　
We　parted　with　great　heartiness　on　both　sides；　and　when　I　had　
seen　Traddles　to　his　own　door；　and　was　going　home　alone；　I　
thought；　among　the　other　odd　and　contradictory　things　I　mused　
upon；　that；　slippery　as　Mr。　Micawber　was；　I　was　probably　indebted　
to　some　compassionate　recollection　he　retained　of　me　as　his　boy…
lodger；　for　never　having　been　asked　by　him　for　money。　I　certainly　
should　not　have　had　the　moral　courage　to　refuse　it；　and　I　have　no　
doubt　he　knew　that　（to　his　credit　be　it　written）；　quite　as　well　as　I　
did。　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

Chapter　37　

A　LITTLE　COLD　WATER　

My　new　life　had　lasted　for　more　than　a　week；　and　I　was　
stronger　than　ever　in　those　tremendous　practical　
resolutions　that　I　felt　the　crisis　required。　I　continued　to　
walk　extremely　fast；　and　to　have　a　general　idea　that　I　was　getting　
on。　I　made　it　a　rule　to　take　as　much　out　of　myself　as　I　possibly　
could；　in　my　way　of　doing　everything　to　which　I　applied　my　
energies。　I　made　a　perfect　victim　of　myself。　I　even　entertained　
some　idea　of　putting　myself　on　a　vegetable　diet；　vaguely　
conceiving　that；　in　becoming　a　graminivorous　animal；　I　should　
sacrifice　to　Dora。　

As　yet；　little　Dora　was　quite　unconscious　of　my　desperate　
firmness；　otherwise　than　as　my　letters　darkly　shadowed　it　forth。　
But　another　Saturday　came；　and　on　that　Saturday　evening　she　
was　to　be　at　Miss　Mills’s；　and　when　Mr。　Mills　had　gone　to　his　
whist…club　（telegraphed　to　me　in　the　street；　by　a　bird…cage　in　the　
drawing…room　middle　window）；　I　was　to　go　there　to　tea。　

By　this　time；　we　were　quite　settled　down　in　Buckingham　Street；　
where　Mr。　Dick　continued　his　copying　in　a　state　of　absolute　
felicity。　My　aunt　had　obtained　a　signal　victory　over　Mrs。　Crupp；　by　
paying　her　off；　throwing　the　first　pitcher　she　planted　on　the　stairs　
out　of　window；　and　protecting　in　person；　up　and　down　the　
staircase；　a　supernumerary　whom　she　engaged　from　the　outer　
world。　These　vigorous　measures　struck　such　terror　to　the　breast　of　
Mrs。　Crupp；　that　she　subsided　into　her　own　kitchen；　under　the　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

impression　that　my　aunt　was　mad。　My　aunt　being　supremely　
indifferent　to　Mrs。　Crupp’s　opinion　and　everybody　else’s；　and　
rather　favouring　than　discouraging　the　idea；　Mrs。　Crupp；　of　late　
the　bold；　became　within　a　few　days　so　faint…hearted；　that　rather　
than　encounter　my　aunt　upon　the　staircase；　she　would　endeavour　
to　hide　her　portly　form　behind　doors—leaving　visible；　however；　a　
wide　margin　of　flannel　petticoat—or　would　shrink　into　dark　
corners。　This　gave　my　aunt　such　unspeakable　satisfaction；　that　I　
believe　she　took　a　delight　in　prowling　up　and　down；　with　her　
bonnet　insanely　perched　on　the　top　of　her　head；　at　times　when　
Mrs。　Crupp　was　likely　to　be　in　the　way。　

My　aunt；　being　uncommonly　neat　and　ingenious；　made　so　many　
little　improvements　in　our　domestic　arrangements；　that　I　seemed　
to　be　richer　instead　of　poorer。　Among　the　rest；　she　converted　the　
pantry　into　a　dressing…room　for　me；　and　purchased　and　
embellished　a　bedstead　for　my　occupation；　which　looked　as　like　a　
bookcase　in　the　daytime　as　a　bedstead　could。　I　was　the　object　of　
her　constant　solicitude；　and　my　poor　mother　herself　could　not　
have　loved　me　better；　or　studied　more　how　to　make　me　happy。　

Peggotty　had　considered　herself　highly　privileged　in　being　
allowed　to　participate　in　these　labours；　and；　although　she　still　
retained　something　of　her　old　sentiment　of　awe　in　reference　to　my　
aunt；　had　received　so　many　marks　of　encouragement　and　
confidence；　that　they　were　the　best　friends　possible。　But　the　time　
had　now　come　（I　am　speaking　of　the　Saturday　when　I　was　to　take　
tea　at　Miss　Mills’s）　when　it　was　necessary　for　her　to　return　home；　
and　enter　on　the　discharge　of　the　duties　she　had　undertaken　in　
behalf　of　Ham。　‘So　good…bye；　Barkis；’　said　my　aunt；　‘and　take　care　
of　yourself！　I　am　sure　I　never　thought　I　could　be　sorry　to　lose　you！’　

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David　Copperfield　

I　took　Peggotty　to　the　coach　office　and　saw　her　off。　She　cried　at　
parting；　and　confided　her　brother　to　my　friendship　as　Ham　had　
done。　We　had　heard　nothing　of　him　since　he　went　away；　that　
sunny　afternoon。　

‘And　now；　my　own　dear　Davy；’　said　Peggotty；　‘if；　while　you’re　a　
prentice；　you　should　want　any　money　to　spend；　or　if；　when　you’re　
out　of　your　time；　my　dear；　you　should　want　any　to　set　you　up　（and　
you　must　do　one　or　other；　or　both；　my　darling）；　who　has　such　a　
good　right　to　ask　leave　to　lend　it　you；　as　my　sweet　girl’s　own　old　
stupid　me！’　

I　was　not　so　savagely　independent　as　to　say　anything　in　reply；　
but　that　if　ever　I　borrowed　money　of　anyone；　I　would　borrow　it　of　
her。　Next　to　accepting　a　large　sum　on　the　spot；　I　believe　this　gave　
Peggotty　more　comfort　than　anything　I　could　have　done。　

‘And；　my　dear！’　whispered　Peggotty；　‘tell　the　pretty　little　angel　
that　I　should　so　have　liked　to　see　her；　only　for　a　minute！　And　tell　
her　that　before　she　marries　my　boy；　I’ll　come　and　make　your　house　
so　beautiful　for　you；　if　you’ll　let　me！’　

I　declared　that　nobody　else　should　touch　it；　and　this　gave　
Peggotty　such　delight　that　she　went　away　in　good　spirits。　

I　fatigued　myself　as　much　as　I　possibly　could　in　the　Commons　
all　day；　by　a　variety　of　devices；　and　at　the　appointed　time　in　the　
evening　repaired　to　Mr。　Mills’s　street。　Mr。　Mills；　who　was　a　terrible　
fellow　to　fall　asleep　after　dinner；　had　not　yet　gone　out；　and　there　
was　no　bird…cage　in　the　middle　window。　

He　kept　me　waiting　so　long；　that　I　fervently　hoped　the　Club　
would　fine　him　for　being　late。　At　last　he　came　out；　and　then　I　saw　
my　own　Dora　hang　up　the　bird…cage；　and　peep　into　the　balcony　to　
look　for　me；　and　run　in　again　when　she　saw　I　was　there；　while　Jip　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

remained　behind；　to　bark　injuriously　at　an　immense　butcher’s　dog　
in　the　street；　who　could　have　taken　him　like　a　pill。　

Dora　came　to　the　drawing…room　door　to　meet　me；　and　Jip　came　
scrambling　out；　tumbling　over　his　own　growls；　under　the　
impression　that　I　was　a　Bandit；　and　we　all　three　went　in；　as　happy　
and　loving　as　could　be。　I　soon　carried　desolation　into　the　bosom　of　
our　joys—not　that　I　meant　to　do　it；　but　that　I　was　so　full　of　the　
subject—by　asking　Dora；　without　the　smallest　preparation；　if　she　
could　love　a　beggar？　

My　pretty；　little；　startled　Dora！　Her　only　association　with　the　
word　was　a　yellow　face　and　a　nightcap；　or　a　pair　of　crutches；　or　a　
wooden　leg；　or　a　dog　with　a　decanter…stand　in　his　mouth；　or　
something　of　that　kind；　and　she　stared　at　me　with　the　most　
delightful　wonder。　

‘How　can　you　ask　me　anything　so　foolish？’　pouted　Dora。　‘Love　a　
beggar！’　

‘Dora；　my　own　dearest！’　said　I。　‘I　am　a　beggar！’　

‘How　can　you　be　such　a　silly　thing；’　replied　Dora；　slapping　my　
hand；　‘as　to　sit　there；　telling　such　stories？　I’ll　make　Jip　bite　you！’　

Her　childish　way　was　the　most　delicious　way　in　the　world　to　me；　
but　it　was　necessary　to　be　explicit；　and　I　solemnly　repeated：　

‘Dora；　my　own　life；　I　am　your　ruined　David！’　

‘I　declare　I’ll　make　Jip　bite　you！’　said　Dora；　shaking　her　curls；　‘