david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第125部分

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moon。　No　matter　what　it　was；　I；　the　moon…struck　slave　of　Dora；　
perambulated　round　and　round　the　house　and　garden　for　two　

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David　Copperfield　

hours；　looking　through　crevices　in　the　palings；　getting　my　chin　by　
dint　of　violent　exertion　above　the　rusty　nails　on　the　top；　blowing　
kisses　at　the　lights　in　the　windows；　and　romantically　calling　on　the　
night；　at　intervals；　to　shield　my　Dora—I　don’t　exactly　know　what　
from；　I　suppose　from　fire。　Perhaps　from　mice；　to　which　she　had　a　
great　objection。　

My　love　was　so　much　in　my　mind　and　it　was　so　natural　to　me　to　
confide　in　Peggotty；　when　I　found　her　again　by　my　side　of　an　
evening　with　the　old　set　of　industrial　implements；　busily　making　
the　tour　of　my　wardrobe；　that　I　imparted　to　her；　in　a　sufficiently　
roundabout　way；　my　great　secret。　Peggotty　was　strongly　
interested；　but　I　could　not　get　her　into　my　view　of　the　case　at　all。　
She　was　audaciously　prejudiced　in　my　favour；　and　quite　unable　to　
understand　why　I　should　have　any　misgivings；　or　be　low…spirited　
about　it。　‘The　young　lady　might　think　herself　well　off；’　she　
observed；　‘to　have　such　a　beau。　And　as　to　her　Pa；’　she　said；　‘what　
did　the　gentleman　expect；　for　gracious　sake！’　

I　observed；　however；　that　Mr。　Spenlow’s　proctorial　gown　and　
stiff　cravat　took　Peggotty　down　a　little；　and　inspired　her　with　a　
greater　reverence　for　the　man　who　was　gradually　becoming　more　
and　more　etherealized　in　my　eyes　every　day；　and　about　whom　a　
reflected　radiance　seemed　to　me　to　beam　when　he　sat　erect　in　
Court　among　his　papers；　like　a　little　lighthouse　in　a　sea　of　
stationery。　And　by　the　by；　it　used　to　be　uncommonly　strange　to　me　
to　consider；　I　remember；　as　I　sat　in　Court　too；　how　those　dim　old　
judges　and　doctors　wouldn’t　have　cared　for　Dora；　if　they　had　
known　her；　how　they　wouldn’t　have　gone　out　of　their　senses　with　
rapture；　if　marriage　with　Dora　had　been　proposed　to　them；　how　
Dora　might　have　sung；　and　played　upon　that　glorified　guitar；　until　

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David　Copperfield　649　

she　led　me　to　the　verge　of　madness；　yet　not　have　tempted　one　of　
those　slow…goers　an　inch　out　of　his　road！　

I　despised　them；　to　a　man。　Frozen…out　old　gardeners　in　the　
flower…beds　of　the　heart；　I　took　a　personal　offence　against　them　all。　
The　Bench　was　nothing　to　me　but　an　insensible　blunderer。　The　
Bar　had　no　more　tenderness　or　poetry　in　it；　than　the　bar　of　a　
public…house。　

Taking　the　management　of　Peggotty’s　affairs　into　my　own　
hands；　with　no　little　pride；　I　proved　the　will；　and　came　to　a　
settlement　with　the　Legacy　Duty…office；　and　took　her　to　the　Bank；　
and　soon　got　everything　into　an　orderly　train。　We　varied　the　legal　
character　of　these　proceedings　by　going　to　see　some　perspiring　
Wax…work；　in　Fleet　Street　（melted；　I　should　hope；　these　twenty　
years）；　and　by　visiting　Miss　Linwood’s　Exhibition；　which　I　
remember　as　a　Mausoleum　of　needlework；　favourable　to　self…
examination　and　repentance；　and　by　inspecting　the　Tower　of　
London；　and　going　to　the　top　of　St。　Paul’s。　All　these　wonders　
afforded　Peggotty　as　much　pleasure　as　she　was　able　to　enjoy；　
under　existing　circumstances：　except；　I　think；　St。　Paul’s；　which；　
from　her　long　attachment　to　her　work…box；　became　a　rival　of　the　
picture　on　the　lid；　and　was；　in　some　particulars；　vanquished；　she　
considered；　by　that　work　of　art。　

Peggotty’s　business；　which　was　what　we　used　to　call　‘commonform　business’　in　the　Commons　（and　very　light　and　lucrative　the　
common…form　business　was）；　being　settled；　I　took　her　down　to　the　
office　one　morning　to　pay　her　bill。　Mr。　Spenlow　had　stepped　out；　
old　Tiffey　said；　to　get　a　gentleman　sworn　for　a　marriage　licence；　
but　as　I　knew　he　would　be　back　directly；　our　place　lying　close　to　
the　Surrogate’s；　and　to　the　Vicar…General’s　office　too；　I　told　

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David　Copperfield　

Peggotty　to　wait。　

We　were　a　little　like　undertakers；　in　the　Commons；　as　regarded　
Probate　transactions；　generally　making　it　a　rule　to　look　more　or　
less　cut　up；　when　we　had　to　deal　with　clients　in　mourning。　In　a　
similar　feeling　of　delicacy；　we　were　always　blithe　and　light…hearted　
with　the　licence　clients。　Therefore　I　hinted　to　Peggotty　that　she　
would　find　Mr。　Spenlow　much　recovered　from　the　shock　of　Mr。　
Barkis’s　decease；　and　indeed　he　came　in　like　a　bridegroom。　

But　neither　Peggotty　nor　I　had　eyes　for　him；　when　we　saw；　in　
company　with　him；　Mr。　Murdstone。　He　was　very　little　changed。　
His　hair　looked　as　thick；　and　was　certainly　as　black；　as　ever；　and　
his　glance　was　as　little　to　be　trusted　as　of　old。　

‘Ah；　Copperfield？’　said　Mr。　Spenlow。　‘You　know　this　gentleman；　
I　believe？’　

I　made　my　gentleman　a　distant　bow；　and　Peggotty　barely　
recognized　him。　He　was；　at　first；　somewhat　disconcerted　to　meet　
us　two　together；　but　quickly　decided　what　to　do；　and　came　up　to　
me。　

‘I　hope；’　he　said；　‘that　you　are　doing　well？’　

‘It　can　hardly　be　interesting　to　you；’　said　I。　‘Yes；　if　you　wish　to　
know。’　

We　looked　at　each　other；　and　he　addressed　himself　to　Peggotty。　

‘And　you；’　said　he。　‘I　am　sorry　to　observe　that　you　have　lost　your　
husband。’　

‘It’s　not　the　first　loss　I　have　had　in　my　life；　Mr。　Murdstone；’　
replied　Peggotty；　trembling　from　head　to　foot。　‘I　am　glad　to　hope　
that　there　is　nobody　to　blame　for　this　one；—nobody　to　answer　for　
it。’　

‘Ha！’　said　he；　‘that’s　a　comfortable　reflection。　You　have　done　

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David　Copperfield　

your　duty？’　

‘I　have　not　worn　anybody’s　life　away；’　said　Peggotty；　‘I　am　
thankful　to　think！　No；　Mr。　Murdstone；　I　have　not　worrited　and　
frightened　any　sweet　creetur　to　an　early　grave！’　

He　eyed　her　gloomily—remorsefully　I　thought—for　an　instant；　
and　said；　turning　his　head　towards　me；　but　looking　at　my　feet　
instead　of　my　face：　

‘We　are　not　likely　to　encounter　soon　again；—a　source　of　
satisfaction　to　us　both；　no　doubt；　for　such　meetings　as　this　can　
never　be　agreeable。　I　do　not　expect　that　you；　who　always　rebelled　
against　my　just　authority；　exerted　for　your　benefit　and　
reformation；　should　owe　me　any　good…will　now。　There　is　an　
antipathy　between　us—’　

‘An　old　one；　I　believe？’　said　I；　interrupting　him。　

He　smiled；　and　shot　as　evil　a　glance　at　me　as　could　come　from　
his　dark　eyes。　

‘It　rankled　in　your　baby　breast；’　he　said。　‘It　embittered　the　life　of　
your　poor　mother。　You　are　right。　I　hope　you　may　do　better；　yet；　I　
hope　you　may　correct　yourself。’　

Here　he　ended　the　dialogue；　which　had　been　carried　on　in　a　low　
voice；　in　a　corner　of　the　outer　office；　by　passing　into　Mr。　Spenlow’s　
room；　and　saying　aloud；　in　his　smoothest　manner：　

‘Gentlemen　of　Mr。　Spenlow’s　profession　are　accustomed　to　
family　differences；　and　know　how　complicated　and　difficult　they　
always　are！’　With　that；　he　paid　the　money　for　his　licence；　and；　
receiving　it　neatly　folded　from　Mr。　Spenlow；　together　with　a　shake　
of　the　hand；　and　a　polite　wish　for　his　happiness　and　the　lady’s；　
went　out　of　the　office。　

I　might　have　had　more　difficulty　in　constraining　myself　to　be　

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David　Copperfield　

silent　under　his　words；　if　I　had　had　less　difficulty　in　impressing　
upon　Peggotty　（who　was　only　angry　on　my　account；　good　
creature！）　that　we　were　not　in　a　place　for　recrimination；　and　that　I　
besought　her　to　hold　her　peace。　She　was　so　unusually　roused；　that　
I　was　glad　to　compound　for　an　affectionate　hug；　elicited　by　this　
revival　in　her　mind　of　our　old　injuries；　and　to　make　the　best　I　
could　of　it；　before　Mr。　Spenlow　and　the　clerks。　

Mr。　Spenlow　did　not　appear　to　know　what　the　connexion　
between　Mr。　Murdstone　and　myself　was；　which　I　was　glad　of；　for　I　
could　not　bear　to　acknowledge　him；　even　in　my　own　breast；　
remembering　what　I　did　of　the　history　of　my　poor　mother。　Mr。　
Spenlow　seemed　to　think；　if　he　thought　anything　about　the　matter；　
that　my　aunt　was　the　leader　of　the　state　party　in　our　family；　and　
that　there　was　a　rebel　party　commanded　by　somebody　else—so　I　
gathered　at　least　from　what　he　said；　while　we　were　waiting　for　Mr。　
Tiffey　to　make　out　Peggotty’s　bill　of　costs。　

‘Miss　Trotwood；’　he　remarked；　‘is　very　firm；　no　doubt；　and　not　
likely　to　give　way　to　opposition。　I　have　an　admiration　for　her　
character；　and　I　may　congratulate　you；　Copperfield；　on　being　on　
the　right　side。　Differences　between　relations　are　much　to　be　
deplored—but　they　are　extremely　general—and　the　great　thing　is；　
to　be　on　the　right　side’：　meaning；　I　take　it；　on　the　side　of　the　
moneyed　interest。　

‘Rather　a　good　marriage　this；　I　believe？’　said　Mr。　Spenlow。　

I　explained　that　I　knew　nothing　about　it。　

‘Indeed！’　he　said。　‘Speaking　from　the　few　words　Mr。　Murdstone　
dropped—as　a　man　frequently　does　on　these　occasions—and　from　
what　Miss　Murdstone　let　fall；　I　should　say　it　was　rather　a　good　
marriage。’　

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David　Copperfield　

‘Do　you　mean　that　there　is　money；　sir？’　I　asked。　

‘Yes；’　said　Mr。　Spenlow；　‘I　understand　there’s　money。　Beauty　
too；　I　am　told。’　

‘Indeed！　Is　h