david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第113部分

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have　as　much　effect　on　her；　as　if　I　could　do　both。　She　will　take　it　so　
kindly　that　it　will　be　a　comfort　and　support　to　her。　It　is　no　great　
effort　to　make；　I　am　sure；　for　such　a　friend　as　she　has　been　to　me。　
Wouldn’t　you　go　a　day’s　journey；　if　you　were　in　my　place？’　

His　face　was　thoughtful；　and　he　sat　considering　a　little　before　he　
answered；　in　a　low　voice；　‘Well！　Go。　You　can　do　no　harm。’　

‘You　have　just　come　back；’　said　I；　‘and　it　would　be　in　vain　to　ask　
you　to　go　with　me？’　

‘Quite；’　he　returned。　‘I　am　for　Highgate　tonight。　I　have　not　seen　
my　mother　this　long　time；　and　it　lies　upon　my　conscience；　for　it’s　
something　to　be　loved　as　she　loves　her　prodigal　son。—Bah！　
Nonsense！—You　mean　to　go　tomorrow；　I　suppose？’　he　said；　
holding　me　out　at　arm’s　length；　with　a　hand　on　each　of　my　
shoulders。　

‘Yes；　I　think　so。’　

‘Well；　then；　don’t　go　till　next　day。　I　wanted　you　to　come　and　stay　
a　few　days　with　us。　Here　I　am；　on　purpose　to　bid　you；　and　you　fly　
off　to　Yarmouth！’　

‘You　are　a　nice　fellow　to　talk　of　flying　off；　Steerforth；　who　are　

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David　Copperfield　

always　running　wild　on　some　unknown　expedition　or　other！’　

He　looked　at　me　for　a　moment　without　speaking；　and　then　
rejoined；　still　holding　me　as　before；　and　giving　me　a　shake：　

‘Come！　Say　the　next　day；　and　pass　as　much　of　tomorrow　as　you　
can　with　us！　Who　knows　when　we　may　meet　again；　else？　Come！　
Say　the　next　day！　I　want　you　to　stand　between　Rosa　Dartle　and　
me；　and　keep　us　asunder。’　

‘Would　you　love　each　other　too　much；　without　me？’　

‘Yes；　or　hate；’　laughed　Steerforth；　‘no　matter　which。　Come！　Say　
the　next　day！’　

I　said　the　next　day；　and　he　put　on　his　great…coat　and　lighted　his　
cigar；　and　set　off　to　walk　home。　Finding　him　in　this　intention；　I　put　
on　my　own　great…coat　（but　did　not　light　my　own　cigar；　having　had　
enough　of　that　for　one　while）　and　walked　with　him　as　far　as　the　
open　road：　a　dull　road；　then；　at　night。　He　was　in　great　spirits　all　
the　way；　and　when　we　parted；　and　I　looked　after　him　going　so　
gallantly　and　airily　homeward；　I　thought　of　his　saying；　‘Ride　on　
over　all　obstacles；　and　win　the　race！’　and　wished；　for　the　first　time；　
that　he　had　some　worthy　race　to　run。　

I　was　undressing　in　my　own　room；　when　Mr。　Micawber’s　letter　
tumbled　on　the　floor。　Thus　reminded　of　it；　I　broke　the　seal　and　
read　as　follows。　It　was　dated　an　hour　and　a　half　before　dinner。　I　am　
not　sure　whether　I　have　mentioned　that；　when　Mr。　Micawber　was　
at　any　particularly　desperate　crisis；　he　used　a　sort　of　legal　
phraseology；　which　he　seemed　to　think　equivalent　to　winding　up　
his　affairs。　

‘SIR—for　I　dare　not　say　my　dear　Copperfield；　
‘It　is　expedient　that　I　should　inform　you　that　the　undersigned　is　

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Crushed。　Some　flickering　efforts　to　spare　you　the　premature　
knowledge　of　his　calamitous　position；　you　may　observe　in　him　this　
day；　but　hope　has　sunk　beneath　the　horizon；　and　the　undersigned　
is　Crushed。　

‘The　present　communication　is　penned　within　the　personal　
range　（I　cannot　call　it　the　society）　of　an　individual；　in　a　state　
closely　bordering　on　intoxication；　employed　by　a　broker。　That　
individual　is　in　legal　possession　of　the　premises；　under　a　distress　
for　rent。　His　inventory　includes；　not　only　the　chattels　and　effects　of　
every　description　belonging　to　the　undersigned；　as　yearly　tenant　of　
this　habitation；　but　also　those　appertaining　to　Mr。　Thomas　
Traddles；　lodger；　a　member　of　the　Honourable　Society　of　the　Inner　
Temple。　

‘If　any　drop　of　gloom　were　wanting　in　the　overflowing　cup；　
which　is　now　“commended”　（in　the　language　of　an　immortal　
Writer）　to　the　lips　of　the　undersigned；　it　would　be　found　in　the　
fact；　that　a　friendly　acceptance　granted　to　the　undersigned；　by　the　
before…mentioned　Mr。　Thomas　Traddles；　for　the　sum　of　￡23l　4s。　
9。d。　is　over　due；　and　is　not　provided　for。　Also；　in　the　fact　that　the　
living　responsibilities　clinging　to　the　undersigned　will；　in　the　
course　of　nature；　be　increased　by　the　sum　of　one　more　helpless　
victim；　whose　miserable　appearance　may　be　looked　for—in　round　
numbers—at　the　expiration　of　a　period　not　exceeding　six　lunar　
months　from　the　present　date。　

‘After　premising　thus　much；　it　would　be　a　work　of　
supererogation　to　add；　that　dust　and　ashes　are　for　ever　scattered　
‘On　
‘The　
‘Head　

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David　Copperfield　

‘Of　
‘WILKINS　MICAWBER。’　

Poor　Traddles！　I　knew　enough　of　Mr。　Micawber　by　this　time；　to　
foresee　that　he　might　be　expected　to　recover　the　blow；　but　my　
night’s　rest　was　sorely　distressed　by　thoughts　of　Traddles；　and　of　
the　curate’s　daughter；　who　was　one　of　ten；　down　in　Devonshire；　
and　who　was　such　a　dear　girl；　and　who　would　wait　for　Traddles　
（ominous　praise！）　until　she　was　sixty；　or　any　age　that　could　be　
mentioned。　

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Chapter　29　

I　VISIT　STEERFORTH　AT　HIS　HOME；　AGAIN　

Imentioned　to　Mr。　Spenlow　in　the　morning；　that　I　wanted　
leave　of　absence　for　a　short　time；　and　as　I　was　not　in　the　
receipt　of　any　salary；　and　consequently　was　not　obnoxious　to　
the　implacable　Jorkins；　there　was　no　difficulty　about　it。　I　took　that　
opportunity；　with　my　voice　sticking　in　my　throat；　and　my　sight　
failing　as　I　uttered　the　words；　to　express　my　hope　that　Miss　
Spenlow　was　quite　well；　to　which　Mr。　Spenlow　replied；　with　no　
more　emotion　than　if　he　had　been　speaking　of　an　ordinary　human　
being；　that　he　was　much　obliged　to　me；　and　she　was　very　well。　

We　articled　clerks；　as　germs　of　the　patrician　order　of　proctors；　
were　treated　with　so　much　consideration；　that　I　was　almost　my　
own　master　at　all　times。　As　I　did　not　care；　however；　to　get　to　
Highgate　before　one　or　two　o’clock　in　the　day；　and　as　we　had　
another　little　excommunication　case　in　court　that　morning；　which　
was　called　The　office　of　the　judge　promoted　by　Tipkins　against　
Bullock　for　his　soul’s　correction；　I　passed　an　hour　or　two　in　
attendance　on　it　with　Mr。　Spenlow　very　agreeably。　It　arose　out　of　a　
scuffle　between　two　churchwardens；　one　of　whom　was　alleged　to　
have　pushed　the　other　against　a　pump；　the　handle　of　which　pump　
projecting　into　a　school…house；　which　school…house　was　under　a　
gable　of　the　church…roof；　made　the　push　an　ecclesiastical　offence。　
It　was　an　amusing　case；　and　sent　me　up　to　Highgate；　on　the　box　of　
the　stage…coach；　thinking　about　the　Commons；　and　what　Mr。　
Spenlow　had　said　about　touching　the　Commons　and　bringing　

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down　the　country。　

Mrs。　Steerforth　was　pleased　to　see　me；　and　so　was　Rosa　Dartle。　
I　was　agreeably　surprised　to　find　that　Littimer　was　not　there；　and　
that　we　were　attended　by　a　modest　little　parlour…maid；　with　blue　
ribbons　in　her　cap；　whose　eye　it　was　much　more　pleasant；　and　
much　less　disconcerting；　to　catch　by　accident；　than　the　eye　of　that　
respectable　man。　But　what　I　particularly　observed；　before　I　had　
been　half…an…hour　in　the　house；　was　the　close　and　attentive　watch　
Miss　Dartle　kept　upon　me；　and　the　lurking　manner　in　which　she　
seemed　to　compare　my　face　with　Steerforth’s；　and　Steerforth’s　
with　mine；　and　to　lie　in　wait　for　something　to　come　out　between　
the　two。　So　surely　as　I　looked　towards　her；　did　I　see　that　eager　
visage；　with　its　gaunt　black　eyes　and　searching　brow；　intent　on　
mine；　or　passing　suddenly　from　mine　to　Steerforth’s；　or　
comprehending　both　of　us　at　once。　In　this　lynx…like　scrutiny　she　
was　so　far　from　faltering　when　she　saw　I　observed　it；　that　at　such　a　
time　she　only　fixed　her　piercing　look　upon　me　with　a　more　intent　
expression　still。　Blameless　as　I　was；　and　knew　that　I　was；　in　
reference　to　any　wrong　she　could　possibly　suspect　me　of；　I　shrunk　
before　her　strange　eyes；　quite　unable　to　endure　their　hungry　
lustre。　

All　day；　she　seemed　to　pervade　the　whole　house。　If　I　talked　to　
Steerforth　in　his　room；　I　heard　her　dress　rustle　in　the　little　gallery　
outside。　When　he　and　I　engaged　in　some　of　our　old　exercises　on　
the　lawn　behind　the　house；　I　saw　her　face　pass　from　window　to　
window；　like　a　wandering　light；　until　it　fixed　itself　in　one；　and　
watched　us。　When　we　all　four　went　out　walking　in　the　afternoon；　
she　closed　her　thin　hand　on　my　arm　like　a　spring；　to　keep　me　back；　
while　Steerforth　and　his　mother　went　on　out　of　hearing：　and　then　

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David　Copperfield　

spoke　to　me。　

‘You　have　been　a　long　time；’　she　said；　‘without　coming　here。　Is　
your　profession　really　so　engaging　and　interesting　as　to　absorb　
your　whole　attention？　I　ask　because　I　always　want　to　be　informed；　
when　I　am　ignorant。　Is　it　really；　though？’　

I　replied　that　I　liked　it　well　enough；　but　that　I　certainly　could　
not　claim　so　much　for　it。　

‘Oh！　I　am　glad　to　know　that；　because　I　always　like　to　be　put　
right　when　I　am　wrong；’　said　Rosa　Dartle。　‘You　mean　it　is　a　little　
dry；　perhaps？’　

‘Well；’　I　replied；　‘perhaps　it　was　a　little　dry。’　

‘Oh！　and　that’s　a　reason　why　you　want　relief　and　change—　
excitement　and　all　that？’　said　she。　‘A