david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第137部分

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whole　life。　But　that　did　not　discourage　me。　With　the　new　life；　came　
new　purpose；　new　intention。　Great　was　the　labour；　priceless　the　
reward。　Dora　was　the　reward；　and　Dora　must　be　won。　

I　got　into　such　a　transport；　that　I　felt　quite　sorry　my　coat　was　
not　a　little　shabby　already。　I　wanted　to　be　cutting　at　those　trees　in　
the　forest　of　difficulty；　under　circumstances　that　should　prove　my　
strength。　I　had　a　good　mind　to　ask　an　old　man；　in　wire　spectacles；　
who　was　breaking　stones　upon　the　road；　to　lend　me　his　hammer　
for　a　little　while；　and　let　me　begin　to　beat　a　path　to　Dora　out　of　

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David　Copperfield　

granite。　I　stimulated　myself　into　such　a　heat；　and　got　so　out　of　
breath；　that　I　felt　as　if　I　had　been　earning　I　don’t　know　how　much。　

In　this　state；　I　went　into　a　cottage　that　I　saw　was　to　let；　and　
examined　it　narrowly；—for　I　felt　it　necessary　to　be　practical。　It　
would　do　for　me　and　Dora　admirably：　with　a　little　front　garden　for　
Jip　to　run　about　in；　and　bark　at　the　tradespeople　through　the　
railings；　and　a　capital　room　upstairs　for　my　aunt。　I　came　out　again；　
hotter　and　faster　than　ever；　and　dashed　up　to　Highgate；　at　such　a　
rate　that　I　was　there　an　hour　too　early；　and；　though　I　had　not　been；　
should　have　been　obliged　to　stroll　about　to　cool　myself；　before　I　
was　at　all　presentable。　

My　first　care；　after　putting　myself　under　this　necessary　course　
of　preparation；　was　to　find　the　Doctor’s　house。　It　was　not　in　that　
part　of　Highgate　where　Mrs。　Steerforth　lived；　but　quite　on　the　
opposite　side　of　the　little　town。　When　I　had　made　this　discovery；　I　
went　back；　in　an　attraction　I　could　not　resist；　to　a　lane　by　Mrs。　
Steerforth’s；　and　looked　over　the　corner　of　the　garden　wall。　His　
room　was　shut　up　close。　The　conservatory　doors　were　standing　
open；　and　Rosa　Dartle　was　walking；　bareheaded；　with　a　quick；　
impetuous　step；　up　and　down　a　gravel　walk　on　one　side　of　the　
lawn。　She　gave　me　the　idea　of　some　fierce　thing；　that　was　dragging　
the　length　of　its　chain　to　and　fro　upon　a　beaten　track；　and　wearing　
its　heart　out。　

I　came　softly　away　from　my　place　of　observation；　and　avoiding　
that　part　of　the　neighbourhood；　and　wishing　I　had　not　gone　near　
it；　strolled　about　until　it　was　ten　o’clock。　The　church　with　the　
slender　spire；　that　stands　on　the　top　of　the　hill　now；　was　not　there　
then　to　tell　me　the　time。　An　old　red…brick　mansion；　used　as　a　
school；　was　in　its　place；　and　a　fine　old　house　it　must　have　been　to　

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go　to　school　at；　as　I　recollect　it。　

When　I　approached　the　Doctor’s　cottage—a　pretty　old　place；　on　
which　he　seemed　to　have　expended　some　money；　if　I　might　judge　
from　the　embellishments　and　repairs　that　had　the　look　of　being　
just　completed—I　saw　him　walking　in　the　garden　at　the　side；　
gaiters　and　all；　as　if　he　had　never　left　off　walking　since　the　days　of　
my　pupilage。　He　had　his　old　companions　about　him；　too；　for　there　
were　plenty　of　high　trees　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　two　or　three　
rooks　were　on　the　grass；　looking　after　him；　as　if　they　had　been　
written　to　about　him　by　the　Canterbury　rooks；　and　were　observing　
him　closely　in　consequence。　

Knowing　the　utter　hopelessness　of　attracting　his　attention　from　
that　distance；　I　made　bold　to　open　the　gate；　and　walk　after　him；　so　
as　to　meet　him　when　he　should　turn　round。　When　he　did；　and　
came　towards　me；　he　looked　at　me　thoughtfully　for　a　few　
moments；　evidently　without　thinking　about　me　at　all；　and　then　his　
benevolent　face　expressed　extraordinary　pleasure；　and　he　took　me　
by　both　hands。　

‘Why；　my　dear　Copperfield；’　said　the　Doctor；　‘you　are　a　man！　
How　do　you　do？　I　am　delighted　to　see　you。　My　dear　Copperfield；　
how　very　much　you　have　improved！　You　are　quite—yes—dear　
me！’　

I　hoped　he　was　well；　and　Mrs。　Strong　too。　

‘Oh　dear；　yes！’　said　the　Doctor；　‘Annie’s　quite　well；　and　she’ll　be　
delighted　to　see　you。　You　were　always　her　favourite。　She　said　so；　
last　night；　when　I　showed　her　your　letter。　And—yes；　to　be　sure—　
you　recollect　Mr。　Jack　Maldon；　Copperfield？’　

‘Perfectly；　sir。’　

‘Of　course；’　said　the　Doctor。　‘To　be　sure。　He’s　pretty　well；　too。’　

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‘Has　he　come　home；　sir？’　I　inquired。　

‘From　India？’　said　the　Doctor。　‘Yes。　Mr。　Jack　Maldon　couldn’t　
bear　the　climate；　my　dear。　Mrs。　Markleham—you　have　not　
forgotten　Mrs。　Markleham？’　

Forgotten　the　Old　Soldier！　And　in　that　short　time！　

‘Mrs。　Markleham；’　said　the　Doctor；　‘was　quite　vexed　about　him；　
poor　thing；　so　we　have　got　him　at　home　again；　and　we　have　bought　
him　a　little　Patent　place；　which　agrees　with　him　much　better。’　I　
knew　enough　of　Mr。　Jack　Maldon　to　suspect　from　this　account　that　
it　was　a　place　where　there　was　not　much　to　do；　and　which　was　
pretty　well　paid。　The　Doctor；　walking　up　and　down　with　his　hand　
on　my　shoulder；　and　his　kind　face　turned　encouragingly　to　mine；　
went　on：　

‘Now；　my　dear　Copperfield；　in　reference　to　this　proposal　of　
yours。　It’s　very　gratifying　and　agreeable　to　me；　I　am　sure；　but　don’t　
you　think　you　could　do　better？　You　achieved　distinction；　you　
know；　when　you　were　with　us。　You　are　qualified　for　many　good　
things。　You　have　laid　a　foundation　that　any　edifice　may　be　raised　
upon；　and　is　it　not　a　pity　that　you　should　devote　the　spring…time　of　
your　life　to　such　a　poor　pursuit　as　I　can　offer？’　

I　became　very　glowing　again；　and；　expressing　myself　in　a　
rhapsodical　style；　I　am　afraid；　urged　my　request　strongly；　
reminding　the　Doctor　that　I　had　already　a　profession。　

‘Well；　well；’　said　the　Doctor；　‘that’s　true。　Certainly；　your　having　
a　profession；　and　being　actually　engaged　in　studying　it；　makes　a　
difference。　But；　my　good　young　friend；　what’s　seventy　pounds　a　
year？’　

‘It　doubles　our　income；　Doctor　Strong；’　said　I。　

‘Dear　me！’　replied　the　Doctor。　‘To　think　of　that！　Not　that　I　mean　

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to　say　it’s　rigidly　limited　to　seventy　pounds　a…year；　because　I　have　
always　contemplated　making　any　young　friend　I　might　thus　
employ；　a　present　too。　Undoubtedly；’　said　the　Doctor；　still　walking　
me　up　and　down　with　his　hand　on　my　shoulder。　‘I　have　always　
taken　an　annual　present　into　account。’　

‘My　dear　tutor；’　said　I　（now；　really；　without　any　nonsense）；　‘to　
whom　I　owe　more　obligations　already　than　I　ever　can　
acknowledge—’　

‘No；　no；’　interposed　the　Doctor。　‘Pardon　me！’　

‘If　you　will　take　such　time　as　I　have；　and　that　is　my　mornings　
and　evenings；　and　can　think　it　worth　seventy　pounds　a　year；　you　
will　do　me　such　a　service　as　I　cannot　express。’　

‘Dear　me！’　said　the　Doctor；　innocently。　‘To　think　that　so　little　
should　go　for　so　much！　Dear；　dear！　And　when　you　can　do　better；　
you　will？　On　your　word；　now？’　said　the　Doctor；—which　he　had　
always　made　a　very　grave　appeal　to　the　honour　of　us　boys。　

‘On　my　word；　sir！’　I　returned；　answering　in　our　old　school　
manner。　

‘Then　be　it　so；’　said　the　Doctor；　clapping　me　on　the　shoulder；　
and　still　keeping　his　hand　there；　as　we　still　walked　up　and　down。　

‘And　I　shall　be　twenty　times　happier；　sir；’　said　I；　with　a　little—I　
hope　innocent—flattery；　‘if　my　employment　is　to　be　on　the　
Dictionary。’　

The　Doctor　stopped；　smilingly　clapped　me　on　the　shoulder　
again；　and　exclaimed；　with　a　triumph　most　delightful　to　behold；　as　
if　I　had　penetrated　to　the　profoundest　depths　of　mortal　sagacity；　
‘My　dear　young　friend；　you　have　hit　it。　It　is　the　Dictionary！’　

How　could　it　be　anything　else！　His　pockets　were　as　full　of　it　as　
his　head。　It　was　sticking　out　of　him　in　all　directions。　He　told　me　

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that　since　his　retirement　from　scholastic　life；　he　had　been　
advancing　with　it　wonderfully；　and　that　nothing　could　suit　him　
better　than　the　proposed　arrangements　for　morning　and　evening　
work；　as　it　was　his　custom　to　walk　about　in　the　daytime　with　his　
considering　cap　on。　His　papers　were　in　a　little　confusion；　in　
consequence　of　Mr。　Jack　Maldon　having　lately　proffered　his　
occasional　services　as　an　amanuensis；　and　not　being　accustomed　
to　that　occupation；　but　we　should　soon　put　right　what　was　amiss；　
and　go　on　swimmingly。　Afterwards；　when　we　were　fairly　at　our　
work；　I　found　Mr。　Jack　Maldon’s　efforts　more　troublesome　to　me　
than　I　had　expected；　as　he　had　not　confined　himself　to　making　
numerous　mistakes；　but　had　sketched　so　many　soldiers；　and　
ladies’　heads；　over　the　Doctor’s　manuscript；　that　I　often　became　
involved　in　labyrinths　of　obscurity。　

The　Doctor　was　quite　happy　in　the　prospect　of　our　going　to　
work　together　on　that　wonderful　performance；　and　we　settled　to　
begin　next　morning　at　seven　o’clock。　We　were　to　work　two　hours　
every　morning；　and　two　or　three　hours　every　night；　except　on　
Saturdays；　when　I　was　to　rest。　On　Sundays；　of　course；　I　was　to　rest　
also；　and　I　considered　these　very　easy　terms。　

Our　plans　being　thus　arranged　to　our　mutual　satisfaction；　the　
Doctor　took　me　into　the　house　to　present　me　to　Mrs。　Strong；　whom　
we　found　in　the　Doc