david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)- 第25部分

‘Why；　you　know　not；’　said　Mr。　Creakle。　‘Don’t　you；　man？’　

‘I　apprehend　you　never　supposed　my　worldly　circumstances　to　
be　very　good；’　replied　the　assistant。　‘You　know　what　my　position　
is；　and　always　has　been；　here。’　

‘I　apprehend；　if　you　come　to　that；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　with　his　
veins　swelling　again　bigger　than　ever；　‘that　you’ve　been　in　a　wrong　
position　altogether；　and　mistook　this　for　a　charity　school。　Mr。　Mell；　
we’ll　part；　if　you　please。　The　sooner　the　better。’　

‘There　is　no　time；’　answered　Mr。　Mell；　rising；　‘like　the　present。’　

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‘Sir；　to　you！’　said　Mr。　Creakle。　

‘I　take　my　leave　of　you；　Mr。　Creakle；　and　all　of　you；’　said　Mr。　
Mell；　glancing　round　the　room；　and　again　patting　me　gently　on　the　
shoulders。　‘James　Steerforth；　the　best　wish　I　can　leave　you　is　that　
you　may　come　to　be　ashamed　of　what　you　have　done　today。　At　
present　I　would　prefer　to　see　you　anything　rather　than　a　friend；　to　
me；　or　to　anyone　in　whom　I　feel　an　interest。’　

Once　more　he　laid　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder；　and　then　taking　
his　flute　and　a　few　books　from　his　desk；　and　leaving　the　key　in　it　
for　his　successor；　he　went　out　of　the　school；　with　his　property　
under　his　arm。　Mr。　Creakle　then　made　a　speech；　through　Tungay；　
in　which　he　thanked　Steerforth　for　asserting　（though　perhaps　too　
warmly）　the　independence　and　respectability　of　Salem　House；　and　
which　he　wound　up　by　shaking　hands　with　Steerforth；　while　we　
gave　three　cheers—I　did　not　quite　know　what　for；　but　I　supposed　
for　Steerforth；　and　so　joined　in　them　ardently；　though　I　felt　
miserable。　Mr。　Creakle　then　caned　Tommy　Traddles　for　being　
discovered　in　tears；　instead　of　cheers；　on　account　of　Mr。　Mell’s　
departure；　and　went　back　to　his　sofa；　or　his　bed；　or　wherever　he　
had　come　from。　

We　were　left　to　ourselves　now；　and　looked　very　blank；　I　
recollect；　on　one　another。　For　myself；　I　felt　so　much　self…reproach　
and　contrition　for　my　part　in　what　had　happened；　that　nothing　
would　have　enabled　me　to　keep　back　my　tears　but　the　fear　that　
Steerforth；　who　often　looked　at　me；　I　saw；　might　think　it　
unfriendly—or；　I　should　rather　say；　considering　our　relative　ages；　
and　the　feeling　with　which　I　regarded　him；　undutiful—if　I　showed　
the　emotion　which　distressed　me。　He　was　very　angry　with　
Traddles；　and　said　he　was　glad　he　had　caught　it。　

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Poor　Traddles；　who　had　passed　the　stage　of　lying　with　his　head　
upon　the　desk；　and　was　relieving　himself　as　usual　with　a　burst　of　
skeletons；　said　he　didn’t　care。　Mr。　Mell　was　ill…used。　

‘Who　has　ill…used　him；　you　girl？’　said　Steerforth。　

‘Why；　you　have；’　returned　Traddles。　

‘What　have　I　done？’　said　Steerforth。　

‘What　have　you　done？’　retorted　Traddles。　‘Hurt　his　feelings；　
and　lost　him　his　situation。’　

‘His　feelings？’　repeated　Steerforth　disdainfully。　‘His　feelings　
will　soon　get　the　better　of　it；　I’ll　be　bound。　His　feelings　are　not　like　
yours；　Miss　Traddles。　As　to　his　situation—which　was　a　precious　
one；　wasn’t　it？—do　you　suppose　I　am　not　going　to　write　home；　and　
take　care　that　he　gets　some　money？　Polly？’　

We　thought　this　intention　very　noble　in　Steerforth；　whose　
mother　was　a　widow；　and　rich；　and　would　do　almost　anything；　it　
was　said；　that　he　asked　her。　We　were　all　extremely　glad　to　see　
Traddles　so　put　down；　and　exalted　Steerforth　to　the　skies：　
especially　when　he　told　us；　as　he　condescended　to　do；　that　what　he　
had　done　had　been　done　expressly　for　us；　and　for　our　cause；　and　
that　he　had　conferred　a　great　boon　upon　us　by　unselfishly　doing　it。　
But　I　must　say　that　when　I　was　going　on　with　a　story　in　the　dark　
that　night；　Mr。　Mell’s　old　flute　seemed　more　than　once　to　sound　
mournfully　in　my　ears；　and　that　when　at　last　Steerforth　was　tired；　
and　I　lay　down　in　my　bed；　I　fancied　it　playing　so　sorrowfully　
somewhere；　that　I　was　quite　wretched。　

I　soon　forgot　him　in　the　contemplation　of　Steerforth；　who；　in　an　
easy　amateur　way；　and　without　any　book　（he　seemed　to　me　to　
know　everything　by　heart）；　took　some　of　his　classes　until　a　new　
master　was　found。　The　new　master　came　from　a　grammar　school；　

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and　before　he　entered　on　his　duties；　dined　in　the　parlour　one　day；　
to　be　introduced　to　Steerforth。　Steerforth　approved　of　him　highly；　
and　told　us　he　was　a　Brick。　Without　exactly　understanding　what　
learned　distinction　was　meant　by　this；　I　respected　him　greatly　for　
it；　and　had　no　doubt　whatever　of　his　superior　knowledge：　though　
he　never　took　the　pains　with　me—not　that　I　was　anybody—that　
Mr。　Mell　had　taken。　

There　was　only　one　other　event　in　this　half…year；　out　of　the　daily　
school…life；　that　made　an　impression　upon　me　which　still　survives。　
It　survives　for　many　reasons。　

One　afternoon；　when　we　were　all　harassed　into　a　state　of　dire　
confusion；　and　Mr。　Creakle　was　laying　about　him　dreadfully；　
Tungay　came　in；　and　called　out　in　his　usual　strong　way：　‘Visitors　
for　Copperfield！’　

A　few　words　were　interchanged　between　him　and　Mr。　Creakle；　
as；　who　the　visitors　were；　and　what　room　they　were　to　be　shown　
into；　and　then　I；　who　had；　according　to　custom；　stood　up　on　the　
announcement　being　made；　and　felt　quite　faint　with　astonishment；　
was　told　to　go　by　the　back　stairs　and　get　a　clean　frill　on；　before　I　
repaired　to　the　dining…room。　These　orders　I　obeyed；　in　such　a　
flutter　and　hurry　of　my　young　spirits　as　I　had　never　known　before；　
and　when　I　got　to　the　parlour　door；　and　the　thought　came　into　my　
head　that　it　might　be　my　mother—I　had　only　thought　of　Mr。　or　
Miss　Murdstone　until　then—I　drew　back　my　hand　from　the　lock；　
and　stopped　to　have　a　sob　before　I　went　in。　

At　first　I　saw　nobody；　but　feeling　a　pressure　against　the　door；　I　
looked　round　it；　and　there；　to　my　amazement；　were　Mr。　Peggotty　
and　Ham；　ducking　at　me　with　their　hats；　and　squeezing　one　
another　against　the　wall。　I　could　not　help　laughing；　but　it　was　

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much　more　in　the　pleasure　of　seeing　them；　than　at　the　appearance　
they　made。　We　shook　hands　in　a　very　cordial　way；　and　I　laughed　
and　laughed；　until　I　pulled　out　my　pocket…handkerchief　and　wiped　
my　eyes。　

Mr。　Peggotty　（who　never　shut　his　mouth　once；　I　remember；　
during　the　visit）　showed　great　concern　when　he　saw　me　do　this；　
and　nudged　Ham　to　say　something。　

‘Cheer　up；　Mas’r　Davy　bor’！’　said　Ham；　in　his　simpering　way。　
‘Why；　how　you　have　growed！’　

‘Am　I　grown？’　I　said；　drying　my　eyes。　I　was　not　crying　at　
anything　in　particular　that　I　know　of；　but　somehow　it　made　me　
cry；　to　see　old　friends。　

‘Growed；　Mas’r　Davy　bor’？　Ain’t　he　growed！’　said　Ham。　

‘Ain’t　he　growed！’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　

They　made　me　laugh　again　by　laughing　at　each　other；　and　then　
we　all　three　laughed　until　I　was　in　danger　of　crying　again。　

‘Do　you　know　how　mama　is；　Mr。　Peggotty？’　I　said。　‘And　how　my　
dear；　dear；　old　Peggotty　is？’　

‘Oncommon；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　

‘And　little　Em’ly；　and　Mrs。　Gummidge？’　

‘On—common；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　

There　was　a　silence。　Mr。　Peggotty；　to　relieve　it；　took　two　
prodigious　lobsters；　and　an　enormous　crab；　and　a　large　canvas　bag　
of　shrimps；　out　of　his　pockets；　and　piled　them　up　in　Ham’s　arms。　

‘You　see；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　‘knowing　as　you　was　partial　to　a　
little　relish　with　your　wittles　when　you　was　along　with　us；　we　took　
the　liberty。　The　old　Mawther　biled　’em；　she　did。　Mrs。　Gummidge　
biled　’em。　Yes；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　slowly；　who　I　thought　appeared　
to　stick　to　the　subject　on　account　of　having　no　other　subject　ready；　

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‘Mrs。　Gummidge；　I　do　assure　you；　she　biled　’em。’　

I　expressed　my　thanks；　and　Mr。　Peggotty；　after　looking　at　Ham；　
who　stood　smiling　sheepishly　over　the　shellfish；　without　making　
any　attempt　to　help　him；　said：　

‘We　come；　you　see；　the　wind　and　tide　making　in　our　favour；　in　
one　of　our　Yarmouth　lugs　to　Gravesen’。　My　sister　she　wrote　to　me　
the　name　of　this　here　place；　and　wrote　to　me　as　if　ever　I　chanced　to　
come　to　Gravesen’；　I　was　to　come　over　and　inquire　for　Mas’r　Davy　
and　give　her　dooty；　humbly　wishing　him　well　and　reporting　of　the　
fam’ly　as　they　was　oncommon　toe…be…sure。　Little　Em’ly；　you　see；　
she’ll　write　to　my　sister　when　I　go　back；　as　I　see　you　and　as　you　
was　similarly　oncommon；　and　so　we　make　it　quite　a　merry…gorounder。’　

I　was　obliged　to　consider　a　little　before　I　understood　what　Mr。　
Peggotty　meant　by　this　figure；　expressive　of　a　complete　circle　of　
intelligence。　I　then　thanked　him　heartily；　and　said；　with　a　
consciousness　of　reddening；　that　I　supposed　little　Em’ly　was　
altered　too；　since　we　used　to　pick　up　shells　and　pebbles　on　the　
beach？　

‘She’s　getting　to　be　a　woman；　that’s　wot　she’s　getting　to　be；’　said　
Mr。　Peggotty。　‘Ask　him。’　

He　meant　Ham；　who　beamed　with　delight　and　assent　over　the　
bag　of　shrimps。　

‘Her　pretty　face！’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　with　his　own　shining　like　a　
light。　

‘Her　learning！’　said　Ham。　

‘Her　writing！’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　‘Why　it’s　as　black　as　jet！　And　so　
large　it　is；　you　might　see　it　anywheres。’　

It　was　perfectly　delightful　to　behold　with　what　enthusiasm　Mr。　

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Peggotty　became　inspired　when　he　thought　of　his　little　favourite。　
He　stands　before　me　again；　his　bluff　hairy　face　irradiating　with　a　
joyful　love　and　pride；　for　which　I　can　find　no　description。　His　
honest　eyes　fire　up；　and　sparkle；　as　if　their　depths　were　stirred　by　
something　bright。　His　broad　chest　heaves　with　pleasure。　His　
strong　loose　hands　clench　themselves；　in　his　earnestness；　and　he　
emphasizes　what　he　says　with　a　right　arm　that　shows；　in　my　pigmy　
view；　like　a　sledge…hammer。　

Ham　was　quite　as　earnest　as　he。　I　dare　say　they　would　have　said　
much　more　about　her；　if　they　had　not　been　abashed　by　the　
unexpected　coming　in　of　Steerforth；　who；　seeing　me　in　a　corner　
speaking　with　two　strangers；　stopped　in　a　song　he　was　singing；　
and　said：　‘I　didn’t　know