david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第138部分

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Doctor　took　me　into　the　house　to　present　me　to　Mrs。　Strong；　whom　
we　found　in　the　Doctor’s　new　study；　dusting　his　books；—a　freedom　
which　he　never　permitted　anybody　else　to　take　with　those　sacred　
favourites。　

They　had　postponed　their　breakfast　on　my　account；　and　we　sat　
down　to　table　together。　We　had　not　been　seated　long；　when　I　saw　
an　approaching　arrival　in　Mrs。　Strong’s　face；　before　I　heard　any　
sound　of　it。　A　gentleman　on　horseback　came　to　the　gate；　and　

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David　Copperfield　

leading　his　horse　into　the　little　court；　with　the　bridle　over　his　arm；　
as　if　he　were　quite　at　home；　tied　him　to　a　ring　in　the　empty　coach…
house　wall；　and　came　into　the　breakfast　parlour；　whip　in　hand。　It　
was　Mr。　Jack　Maldon；　and　Mr。　Jack　Maldon　was　not　at　all　
improved　by　India；　I　thought。　I　was　in　a　state　of　ferocious　virtue；　
however；　as　to　young　men　who　were　not　cutting　down　trees　in　the　
forest　of　difficulty；　and　my　impression　must　be　received　with　due　
allowance。　

‘Mr。　Jack！’　said　the　Doctor。　‘Copperfield！’　

Mr。　Jack　Maldon　shook　hands　with　me；　but　not　very　warmly；　I　
believed；　and　with　an　air　of　languid　patronage；　at　which　I　secretly　
took　great　umbrage。　But　his　languor　altogether　was　quite　a　
wonderful　sight；　except　when　he　addressed　himself　to　his　cousin　
Annie。　‘Have　you　breakfasted　this　morning；　Mr。　Jack？’　said　the　
Doctor。　

‘I　hardly　ever　take　breakfast；　sir；’　he　replied；　with　his　head　
thrown　back　in　an　easy…chair。　‘I　find　it　bores　me。’　

‘Is　there　any　news　today？’　inquired　the　Doctor。　

‘Nothing　at　all；　sir；’　replied　Mr。　Maldon。　‘There’s　an　account　
about　the　people　being　hungry　and　discontented　down　in　the　
North；　but　they　are　always　being　hungry　and　discontented　
somewhere。’　

The　Doctor　looked　grave；　and　said；　as　though　he　wished　to　
change　the　subject；　‘Then　there’s　no　news　at　all；　and　no　news；　they　
say；　is　good　news。’　

‘There’s　a　long　statement　in　the　papers；　sir；　about　a　murder；’　
observed　Mr。　Maldon。　‘But　somebody　is　always　being　murdered；　
and　I　didn’t　read　it。’　

A　display　of　indifference　to　all　the　actions　and　passions　of　

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David　Copperfield　

mankind　was　not　supposed　to　be　such　a　distinguished　quality　at　
that　time；　I　think；　as　I　have　observed　it　to　be　considered　since。　I　
have　known　it　very　fashionable　indeed。　I　have　seen　it　displayed　
with　such　success；　that　I　have　encountered　some　fine　ladies　and　
gentlemen　who　might　as　well　have　been　born　caterpillars。　Perhaps　
it　impressed　me　the　more　then；　because　it　was　new　to　me；　but　it　
certainly　did　not　tend　to　exalt　my　opinion　of；　or　to　strengthen　my　
confidence　in；　Mr。　Jack　Maldon。　

‘I　came　out　to　inquire　whether　Annie　would　like　to　go　to　the　
opera　tonight；’　said　Mr。　Maldon；　turning　to　her。　‘It’s　the　last　good　
night　there　will　be；　this　season；　and　there’s　a　singer　there；　whom　
she　really　ought　to　hear。　She　is　perfectly　exquisite。　Besides　which；　
she　is　so　charmingly　ugly；’　relapsing　into　languor。　

The　Doctor；　ever　pleased　with　what　was　likely　to　please　his　
young　wife；　turned　to　her　and　said：　

‘You　must　go；　Annie。　You　must　go。’　

‘I　would　rather　not；’　she　said　to　the　Doctor。　‘I　prefer　to　remain　
at　home。　I　would　much　rather　remain　at　home。’　

Without　looking　at　her　cousin；　she　then　addressed　me；　and　
asked　me　about　Agnes；　and　whether　she　should　see　her；　and　
whether　she　was　not　likely　to　come　that　day；　and　was　so　much　
disturbed；　that　I　wondered　how　even　the　Doctor；　buttering　his　
toast；　could　be　blind　to　what　was　so　obvious。　

But　he　saw　nothing。　He　told　her；　good…naturedly；　that　she　was　
young　and　ought　to　be　amused　and　entertained；　and　must　not　
allow　herself　to　be　made　dull　by　a　dull　old　fellow。　Moreover；　he　
said；　he　wanted　to　hear　her　sing　all　the　new　singer’s　songs　to　him；　
and　how　could　she　do　that　well；　unless　she　went？　So　the　Doctor　
persisted　in　making　the　engagement　for　her；　and　Mr。　Jack　Maldon　

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was　to　come　back　to　dinner。　This　concluded；　he　went　to　his　Patent　
place；　I　suppose；　but　at　all　events　went　away　on　his　horse；　looking　
very　idle。　

I　was　curious　to　find　out　next　morning；　whether　she　had　been。　
She　had　not；　but　had　sent　into　London　to　put　her　cousin　off；　and　
had　gone　out　in　the　afternoon　to　see　Agnes；　and　had　prevailed　
upon　the　Doctor　to　go　with　her；　and　they　had　walked　home　by　the　
fields；　the　Doctor　told　me；　the　evening　being　delightful。　I　
wondered　then；　whether　she　would　have　gone　if　Agnes　had　not　
been　in　town；　and　whether　Agnes　had　some　good　influence　over　
her　too！　

She　did　not　look　very　happy；　I　thought；　but　it　was　a　good　face；　
or　a　very　false　one。　I　often　glanced　at　it；　for　she　sat　in　the　window　
all　the　time　we　were　at　work；　and　made　our　breakfast；　which　we　
took　by　snatches　as　we　were　employed。　When　I　left；　at　nine　
o’clock；　she　was　kneeling　on　the　ground　at　the　Doctor’s　feet；　
putting　on　his　shoes　and　gaiters　for　him。　There　was　a　softened　
shade　upon　her　face；　thrown　from　some　green　leaves　overhanging　
the　open　window　of　the　low　room；　and　I　thought　all　the　way　to　
Doctors’　Commons；　of　the　night　when　I　had　seen　it　looking　at　him　
as　he　read。　

I　was　pretty　busy　now；　up　at　five　in　the　morning；　and　home　at　
nine　or　ten　at　night。　But　I　had　infinite　satisfaction　in　being　so　
closely　engaged；　and　never　walked　slowly　on　any　account；　and　felt　
enthusiastically　that　the　more　I　tired　myself；　the　more　I　was　doing　
to　deserve　Dora。　I　had　not　revealed　myself　in　my　altered　character　
to　Dora　yet；　because　she　was　coming　to　see　Miss　Mills　in　a　few　
days；　and　I　deferred　all　I　had　to　tell　her　until　then；　merely　
informing　her　in　my　letters　（all　our　communications　were　secretly　

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forwarded　through　Miss　Mills）；　that　I　had　much　to　tell　her。　In　the　
meantime；　I　put　myself　on　a　short　allowance　of　bear’s　grease；　
wholly　abandoned　scented　soap　and　lavender　water；　and　sold　off　
three　waistcoats　at　a　prodigious　sacrifice；　as　being　too　luxurious　
for　my　stern　career。　

Not　satisfied　with　all　these　proceedings；　but　burning　with　
impatience　to　do　something　more；　I　went　to　see　Traddles；　now　
lodging　up　behind　the　parapet　of　a　house　in　Castle　Street；　
Holborn。　Mr。　Dick；　who　had　been　with　me　to　Highgate　twice　
already；　and　had　resumed　his　companionship　with　the　Doctor；　I　
took　with　me。　

I　took　Mr。　Dick　with　me；　because；　acutely　sensitive　to　my　aunt’s　
reverses；　and　sincerely　believing　that　no　galley…slave　or　convict　
worked　as　I　did；　he　had　begun　to　fret　and　worry　himself　out　of　
spirits　and　appetite；　as　having　nothing　useful　to　do。　In　this　
condition；　he　felt　more　incapable　of　finishing　the　Memorial　than　
ever；　and　the　harder　he　worked　at　it；　the　oftener　that　unlucky　head　
of　King　Charles　the　First　got　into　it。　Seriously　apprehending　that　
his　malady　would　increase；　unless　we　put　some　innocent　
deception　upon　him　and　caused　him　to　believe　that　he　was　useful；　
or　unless　we　could　put　him　in　the　way　of　being　really　useful　（which　
would　be　better）；　I　made　up　my　mind　to　try　if　Traddles　could　help　
us。　Before　we　went；　I　wrote　Traddles　a　full　statement　of　all　that　
had　happened；　and　Traddles　wrote　me　back　a　capital　answer；　
expressive　of　his　sympathy　and　friendship。　

We　found　him　hard　at　work　with　his　inkstand　and　papers；　
refreshed　by　the　sight　of　the　flower…pot　stand　and　the　little　round　
table　in　a　corner　of　the　small　apartment。　He　received　us　cordially；　
and　made　friends　with　Mr。　Dick　in　a　moment。　Mr。　Dick　professed　

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an　absolute　certainty　of　having　seen　him　before；　and　we　both　said；　
‘Very　likely。’　

The　first　subject　on　which　I　had　to　consult　Traddles　was　this；—I　
had　heard　that　many　men　distinguished　in　various　pursuits　had　
begun　life　by　reporting　the　debates　in　Parliament。　Traddles　having　
mentioned　newspapers　to　me；　as　one　of　his　hopes；　I　had　put　the　
two　things　together；　and　told　Traddles　in　my　letter　that　I　wished　to　
know　how　I　could　qualify　myself　for　this　pursuit。　Traddles　now　
informed　me；　as　the　result　of　his　inquiries；　that　the　mere　
mechanical　acquisition　necessary；　except　in　rare　cases；　for　
thorough　excellence　in　it；　that　is　to　say；　a　perfect　and　entire　
command　of　the　mystery　of　short…hand　writing　and　reading；　was　
about　equal　in　difficulty　to　the　mastery　of　six　languages；　and　that　it　
might　perhaps　be　attained；　by　dint　of　perseverance；　in　the　course　
of　a　few　years。　Traddles　reasonably　supposed　that　this　would　settle　
the　business；　but　I；　only　feeling　that　here　indeed　were　a　few　tall　
trees　to　be　hewn　down；　immediately　resolved　to　work　my　way　on　
to　Dora　through　this　thicket；　axe　in　hand。　

‘I　am　very　much　obliged　to　you；　my　dear　Traddles！’　said　I。　‘I’ll　
begin　tomorrow。’　

Traddles　looked　astonished；　as　he　well　might；　but　he　had　no　
notion　as　yet　of　my　rapturous　condition。　

‘I’ll　buy　a　book；’　said　I；　‘with　a　good　scheme　of　this　art　in　it；　I’ll　
work　at　it　at　the　Commons；　where　I　haven’t　half　enough　to　do；　I’ll　
take　down　the　speeches　in　our　court　for