david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第127部分

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morning；　among　the　butterflies；　in　a　white　chip　bonnet　and　a　dress　
of　celestial　blue！　There　was　a　young　lady　with　her—comparatively　
stricken　in　years—almost　twenty；　I　should　say。　Her　name　was　Miss　

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Mills。　and　Dora　called　her　Julia。　She　was　the　bosom　friend　of　Dora。　
Happy　Miss　Mills！　

Jip　was　there；　and　Jip　would　bark　at　me　again。　When　I　
presented　my　bouquet；　he　gnashed　his　teeth　with　jealousy。　Well　he　
might。　If　he　had　the　least　idea　how　I　adored　his　mistress；　well　he　
might！　

‘Oh；　thank　you；　Mr。　Copperfield！　What　dear　flowers！’　said　Dora。　

I　had　had　an　intention　of　saying　（and　had　been　studying　the　
best　form　of　words　for　three　miles）　that　I　thought　them　beautiful　
before　I　saw　them　so　near　her。　But　I　couldn’t　manage　it。　She　was　
too　bewildering。　To　see　her　lay　the　flowers　against　her　little　
dimpled　chin；　was　to　lose　all　presence　of　mind　and　power　of　
language　in　a　feeble　ecstasy。　I　wonder　I　didn’t　say；　‘Kill　me；　if　you　
have　a　heart；　Miss　Mills。　Let　me　die　here！’　

Then　Dora　held　my　flowers　to　Jip　to　smell。　Then　Jip　growled；　
and　wouldn’t　smell　them。　Then　Dora　laughed；　and　held　them　a　
little　closer　to　Jip；　to　make　him。　Then　Jip　laid　hold　of　a　bit　of　
geranium　with　his　teeth；　and　worried　imaginary　cats　in　it。　Then　
Dora　beat　him；　and　pouted；　and　said；　‘My　poor　beautiful　flowers！’　
as　compassionately；　I　thought；　as　if　Jip　had　laid　hold　of　me。　I　
wished　he　had！　

‘You’ll　be　so　glad　to　hear；　Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Dora；　‘that　that　
cross　Miss　Murdstone　is　not　here。　She　has　gone　to　her　brother’s　
marriage；　and　will　be　away　at　least　three　weeks。　Isn’t　that　
delightful？’　

I　said　I　was　sure　it　must　be　delightful　to　her；　and　all　that　was　
delightful　to　her　was　delightful　to　me。　Miss　Mills；　with　an　air　of　
superior　wisdom　and　benevolence；　smiled　upon　us。　

‘She　is　the　most　disagreeable　thing　I　ever　saw；’　said　Dora。　‘You　

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can’t　believe　how　ill…tempered　and　shocking　she　is；　Julia。’　

‘Yes；　I　can；　my　dear！’　said　Julia。　

‘You　can；　perhaps；　love；’　returned　Dora；　with　her　hand　on　
Julia’s。　‘Forgive　my　not　excepting　you；　my　dear；　at　first。’　

I　learnt；　from　this；　that　Miss　Mills　had　had　her　trials　in　the　
course　of　a　chequered　existence；　and　that　to　these；　perhaps；　I　
might　refer　that　wise　benignity　of　manner　which　I　had　already　
noticed。　i　found；　in　the　course　of　the　day；　that　this　was　the　case：　
Miss　Mills　having　been　unhappy　in　a　misplaced　affection；　and　
being　understood　to　have　retired　from　the　world　on　her　awful　
stock　of　experience；　but　still　to　take　a　calm　interest　in　the　
unblighted　hopes　and　loves　of　youth。　

But　now　Mr。　Spenlow　came　out　of　the　house；　and　Dora　went　to　
him；　saying；　‘Look；　papa；　what　beautiful　flowers！’　And　Miss　Mills　
smiled　thoughtfully；　as　who　should　say；　‘Ye　Mayflies；　enjoy　your　
brief　existence　in　the　bright　morning　of　life！’　And　we　all　walked　
from　the　lawn　towards　the　carriage；　which　was　getting　ready。　

I　shall　never　have　such　a　ride　again。　I　have　never　had　such　
another。　There　were　only　those　three；　their　hamper；　my　hamper；　
and　the　guitar…case；　in　the　phaeton；　and；　of　course；　the　phaeton　
was　open；　and　I　rode　behind　it；　and　Dora　sat　with　her　back　to　the　
horses；　looking　towards　me。　She　kept　the　bouquet　close　to　her　on　
the　cushion；　and　wouldn’t　allow　Jip　to　sit　on　that　side　of　her　at　all；　
for　fear　he　should　crush　it。　She　often　carried　it　in　her　hand；　often　
refreshed　herself　with　its　fragrance。　Our　eyes　at　those　times　often　
met；　and　my　great　astonishment　is　that　I　didn’t　go　over　the　head　of　
my　gallant　grey　into　the　carriage。　

There　was　dust；　I　believe。　There　was　a　good　deal　of　dust；　I　
believe。　I　have　a　faint　impression　that　Mr。　Spenlow　remonstrated　

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with　me　for　riding　in　it；　but　I　knew　of　none。　I　was　sensible　of　a　mist　
of　love　and　beauty　about　Dora；　but　of　nothing　else。　He　stood　up　
sometimes；　and　asked　me　what　I　thought　of　the　prospect。　I　said　it　
was　delightful；　and　I　dare　say　it　was；　but　it　was　all　Dora　to　me。　The　
sun　shone　Dora；　and　the　birds　sang　Dora。　The　south　wind　blew　
Dora；　and　the　wild　flowers　in　the　hedges　were　all　Doras；　to　a　bud。　
My　comfort　is；　Miss　Mills　understood　me。　Miss　Mills　alone　could　
enter　into　my　feelings　thoroughly。　

I　don’t　know　how　long　we　were　going；　and　to　this　hour　I　know　
as　little　where　we　went。　Perhaps　it　was　near　Guildford。　Perhaps　
some　Arabian…night　magician；　opened　up　the　place　for　the　day；　
and　shut　it　up　for　ever　when　we　came　away。　It　was　a　green　spot；　on　
a　hill；　carpeted　with　soft　turf。　There　were　shady　trees；　and　heather；　
and；　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see；　a　rich　landscape。　

It　was　a　trying　thing　to　find　people　here；　waiting　for　us；　and　my　
jealousy；　even　of　the　ladies；　knew　no　bounds。　But　all　of　my　own　
sex—especially　one　impostor；　three　or　four　years　my　elder；　with　a　
red　whisker；　on　which　he　established　an　amount　of　presumption　
not　to　be　endured—were　my　mortal　foes。　

We　all　unpacked　our　baskets；　and　employed　ourselves　in　
getting　dinner　ready。　Red　Whisker　pretended　he　could　make　a　
salad　（which　I　don’t　believe）；　and　obtruded　himself　on　public　
notice。　Some　of　the　young　ladies　washed　the　lettuces　for　him；　and　
sliced　them　under　his　directions。　Dora　was　among　these。　I　felt　that　
fate　had　pitted　me　against　this　man；　and　one　of　us　must　fall。　

Red　Whisker　made　his　salad　（I　wondered　how　they　could　eat　it。　
Nothing　should　have　induced　me　to　touch　it！）　and　voted　himself　
into　the　charge　of　the　wine…cellar；　which　he　constructed；　being　an　
ingenious　beast；　in　the　hollow　trunk　of　a　tree。　By　and　by；　I　saw　

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him；　with　the　majority　of　a　lobster　on　his　plate；　eating　his　dinner　at　
the　feet　of　Dora！　

I　have　but　an　indistinct　idea　of　what　happened　for　some　time　
after　this　baleful　object　presented　itself　to　my　view。　I　was　very　
merry；　I　know；　but　it　was　hollow　merriment。　I　attached　myself　to　a　
young　creature　in　pink；　with　little　eyes；　and　flirted　with　her　
desperately。　She　received　my　attentions　with　favour；　but　whether　
on　my　account　solely；　or　because　she　had　any　designs　on　Red　
Whisker；　I　can’t　say。　Dora’s　health　was　drunk。　When　I　drank　it；　I　
affected　to　interrupt　my　conversation　for　that　purpose；　and　to　
resume　it　immediately　afterwards。　I　caught　Dora’s　eye　as　I　bowed　
to　her；　and　I　thought　it　looked　appealing。　But　it　looked　at　me　over　
the　head　of　Red　Whisker；　and　I　was　adamant。　

The　young　creature　in　pink　had　a　mother　in　green；　and　I　rather　
think　the　latter　separated　us　from　motives　of　policy。　Howbeit；　
there　was　a　general　breaking　up　of　the　party；　while　the　remnants　
of　the　dinner　were　being　put　away；　and　I　strolled　off　by　myself　
among　the　trees；　in　a　raging　and　remorseful　state。　I　was　debating　
whether　I　should　pretend　that　I　was　not　well；　and　fly—I　don’t　
know　where—upon　my　gallant　grey；　when　Dora　and　Miss　Mills　
met　me。　

‘Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Miss　Mills；　‘you　are　dull。’　

I　begged　her　pardon。　Not　at　all。　

‘And　Dora；’　said　Miss　Mills；　‘you　are　dull。’　

Oh　dear　no！　Not　in　the　least。　

‘Mr。　Copperfield　and　Dora；’　said　Miss　Mills；　with　an　almost　
venerable　air。　‘Enough　of　this。　Do　not　allow　a　trivial　
misunderstanding　to　wither　the　blossoms　of　spring；　which；　once　
put　forth　and　blighted；　cannot　be　renewed。　I　speak；’　said　Miss　

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Mills；　‘from　experience　of　the　past—the　remote；　irrevocable　past。　
The　gushing　fountains　which　sparkle　in　the　sun；　must　not　be　
stopped　in　mere　caprice；　the　oasis　in　the　desert　of　Sahara　must　not　
be　plucked　up　idly。’　

I　hardly　knew　what　I　did；　I　was　burning　all　over　to　that　
extraordinary　extent；　but　I　took　Dora’s　little　hand　and　kissed　it—　
and　she　let　me！　I　kissed　Miss　Mills’s　hand；　and　we　all　seemed；　to　
my　thinking；　to　go　straight　up　to　the　seventh　heaven。　We　did　not　
come　down　again。　We　stayed　up　there　all　the　evening。　At　first　we　
strayed　to　and　fro　among　the　trees：　I　with　Dora’s　shy　arm　drawn　
through　mine：　and　Heaven　knows；　folly　as　it　all　was；　it　would　have　
been　a　happy　fate　to　have　been　struck　immortal　with　those　foolish　
feelings；　and　have　stayed　among　the　trees　for　ever！　

But；　much　too　soon；　we　heard　the　others　laughing　and　talking；　
and　calling　‘where’s　Dora？’　So　we　went　back；　and　they　wanted　
Dora　to　sing。　Red　Whisker　would　have　got　the　guitar…case　out　of　
the　carriage；　but　Dora　told　him　nobody　knew　where　it　was；　but　I。　
So　Red　Whisker　was　done　for　in　a　moment；　and　I　got　it；　and　I　
unlocked　it；　and　I　took　the　guitar　out；　and　I　sat　by　her；　and　I　held　
her　handkerchief　and　gloves；　and　I　drank　in　every　note　of　her　dear　
voice；　and　she　sang　to　me　who　loved　her；　and　all　the　others　might　
applaud　as　much　as　they　liked；　but　they　had　nothing　to　do　with　it！　

I　was　intoxicated　with　joy。　I　was　afraid　it　was　too　happy　to　be　
real；　and　that　I　should　wake　in　Buckingham　Street　presently；　and　
hear　Mrs。　Crupp　clinking　the　teacups　in　getting　breakfast　ready。　
But　Dora　s