david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第139部分

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work　at　it　at　the　Commons；　where　I　haven’t　half　enough　to　do；　I’ll　
take　down　the　speeches　in　our　court　for　practice—Traddles；　my　
dear　fellow；　I’ll　master　it！’　

‘Dear　me；’　said　Traddles；　opening　his　eyes；　‘I　had　no　idea　you　
were　such　a　determined　character；　Copperfield！’　

I　don’t　know　how　he　should　have　had；　for　it　was　new　enough　to　

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David　Copperfield　

me。　I　passed　that　off；　and　brought　Mr。　Dick　on　the　carpet。　

‘You　see；’　said　Mr。　Dick；　wistfully；　‘if　I　could　exert　myself；　Mr。　
Traddles—if　I　could　beat　a　drum—or　blow　anything！’　

Poor　fellow！　I　have　little　doubt　he　would　have　preferred　such　an　
employment　in　his　heart　to　all　others。　Traddles；　who　would　not　
have　smiled　for　the　world；　replied　composedly：　

‘But　you　are　a　very　good　penman；　sir。　You　told　me　so；　
Copperfield？’　

‘Excellent！’　said　I。　And　indeed　he　was。　He　wrote　with　
extraordinary　neatness。　

‘Don’t　you　think；’　said　Traddles；　‘you　could　copy　writings；　sir；　if　
I　got　them　for　you？’　

Mr。　Dick　looked　doubtfully　at　me。　‘Eh；　Trotwood？’　

I　shook　my　head。　Mr。　Dick　shook　his；　and　sighed。　‘Tell　him　
about　the　Memorial；’　said　Mr。　Dick。　

I　explained　to　Traddles　that　there　was　a　difficulty　in　keeping　
King　Charles　the　First　out　of　Mr。　Dick’s　manuscripts；　Mr。　Dick　in　
the　meanwhile　looking　very　deferentially　and　seriously　at　
Traddles；　and　sucking　his　thumb。　

‘But　these　writings；　you　know；　that　I　speak　of；　are　already　
drawn　up　and　finished；’　said　Traddles　after　a　little　consideration。　
‘Mr。　Dick　has　nothing　to　do　with　them。　Wouldn’t　that　make　a　
difference；　Copperfield？　At　all　events；　wouldn’t　it　be　well　to　try？’　

This　gave　us　new　hope。　Traddles　and　I　laying　our　heads　
together　apart；　while　Mr。　Dick　anxiously　watched　us　from　his　
chair；　we　concocted　a　scheme　in　virtue　of　which　we　got　him　to　
work　next　day；　with　triumphant　success。　

On　a　table　by　the　window　in　Buckingham　Street；　we　set　out　the　
work　Traddles　procured　for　him—which　was　to　make；　I　forget　how　

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David　Copperfield　

many　copies　of　a　legal　document　about　some　right　of　way—and　on　
another　table　we　spread　the　last　unfinished　original　of　the　great　
Memorial。　Our　instructions　to　Mr。　Dick　were　that　he　should　copy　
exactly　what　he　had　before　him；　without　the　least　departure　from　
the　original；　and　that　when　he　felt　it　necessary　to　make　the　
slightest　allusion　to　King　Charles　the　First；　he　should　fly　to　the　
Memorial。　We　exhorted　him　to　be　resolute　in　this；　and　left　my　aunt　
to　observe　him。　My　aunt　reported　to　us；　afterwards；　that；　at　first；　
he　was　like　a　man　playing　the　kettle…drums；　and　constantly　
divided　his　attentions　between　the　two；　but　that；　finding　this　
confuse　and　fatigue　him；　and　having　his　copy　there；　plainly　before　
his　eyes；　he　soon　sat　at　it　in　an　orderly　business…like　manner；　and　
postponed　the　Memorial　to　a　more　convenient　time。　In　a　word；　
although　we　took　great　care　that　he　should　have　no　more　to　do　
than　was　good　for　him；　and　although　he　did　not　begin　with　the　
beginning　of　a　week；　he　earned　by　the　following　Saturday　night　
ten　shillings　and　nine…pence；　and　never；　while　I　live；　shall　I　forget　
his　going　about　to　all　the　shops　in　the　neighbourhood　to　change　
this　treasure　into　sixpences；　or　his　bringing　them　to　my　aunt　
arranged　in　the　form　of　a　heart　upon　a　waiter；　with　tears　of　joy　and　
pride　in　his　eyes。　He　was　like　one　under　the　propitious　influence　of　
a　charm；　from　the　moment　of　his　being　usefully　employed；　and　if　
there　were　a　happy　man　in　the　world；　that　Saturday　night；　it　was　
the　grateful　creature　who　thought　my　aunt　the　most　wonderful　
woman　in　existence；　and　me　the　most　wonderful　young　man。　

‘No　starving　now；　Trotwood；’　said　Mr。　Dick；　shaking　hands　with　
me　in　a　corner。　‘I’ll　provide　for　her；　Sir！’　and　he　flourished　his　ten　
fingers　in　the　air；　as　if　they　were　ten　banks。　

I　hardly　know　which　was　the　better　pleased；　Traddles　or　I。　‘It　

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David　Copperfield　

really；’　said　Traddles；　suddenly；　taking　a　letter　out　of　his　pocket；　
and　giving　it　to　me；　‘put　Mr。　Micawber　quite　out　of　my　head！’　

The　letter　（Mr。　Micawber　never　missed　any　possible　
opportunity　of　writing　a　letter）　was　addressed　to　me；　‘By　the　
kindness　of　T。　Traddles；　Esquire；　of　the　Inner　Temple。’　It　ran　
thus：—　

‘MY　DEAR　COPPERFIELD；　

‘You　may　possibly　not　be　unprepared　to　receive　the　intimation　
that　something　has　turned　up。　I　may　have　mentioned　to　you　on　a　
former　occasion　that　I　was　in　expectation　of　such　an　event。　

‘I　am　about　to　establish　myself　in　one　of　the　provincial　towns　of　
our　favoured　island　（where　the　society　may　be　described　as　a　
happy　admixture　of　the　agricultural　and　the　clerical）；　in　immediate　
connexion　with　one　of　the　learned　professions。　Mrs。　Micawber　and　
our　offspring　will　accompany　me。　Our　ashes；　at　a　future　period；　
will　probably　be　found　commingled　in　the　cemetery　attached　to　a　
venerable　pile；　for　which　the　spot　to　which　I　refer　has　acquired　a　
reputation；　shall　I　say　from　China　to　Peru？　

‘In　bidding　adieu　to　the　modern　Babylon；　where　we　have　
undergone　many　vicissitudes；　I　trust　not　ignobly；　Mrs。　Micawber　
and　myself　cannot　disguise　from　our　minds　that　we　part；　it　may　be　
for　years　and　it　may　be　for　ever；　with　an　individual　linked　by　
strong　associations　to　the　altar　of　our　domestic　life。　If；　on　the　eve　of　
such　a　departure；　you　will　accompany　our　mutual　friend；　Mr。　
Thomas　Traddles；　to　our　present　abode；　and　there　reciprocate　the　
wishes　natural　to　the　occasion；　you　will　confer　a　Boon　

‘On　

‘One　

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David　Copperfield　

‘Who　
‘Is　
‘Ever　yours；　
‘WILKINS　MICAWBER。’　

I　was　glad　to　find　that　Mr。　Micawber　had　got　rid　of　his　dust　and　
ashes；　and　that　something　really　had　turned　up　at　last。　Learning　
from　Traddles　that　the　invitation　referred　to　the　evening　then　
wearing　away；　I　expressed　my　readiness　to　do　honour　to　it；　and　we　
went　off　together　to　the　lodging　which　Mr。　Micawber　occupied　as　
Mr。　Mortimer；　and　which　was　situated　near　the　top　of　the　Gray’s　
Inn　Road。　

The　resources　of　this　lodging　were　so　limited；　that　we　found　the　
twins；　now　some　eight　or　nine　years　old；　reposing　in　a　turn…up　
bedstead　in　the　family　sitting…room；　where　Mr。　Micawber　had　
prepared；　in　a　wash…hand…stand　jug；　what　he　called　‘a　Brew’　of　the　
agreeable　beverage　for　which　he　was　famous。　I　had　the　pleasure；　
on　this　occasion；　of　renewing　the　acquaintance　of　Master　
Micawber；　whom　I　found　a　promising　boy　of　about　twelve　or　
thirteen；　very　subject　to　that　restlessness　of　limb　which　is　not　an　
unfrequent　phenomenon　in　youths　of　his　age。　I　also　became　once　
more　known　to　his　sister；　Miss　Micawber；　in　whom；　as　Mr。　
Micawber　told　us；　‘her　mother　renewed　her　youth；　like　the　
Phoenix’。　

‘My　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘yourself　and　Mr。　
Traddles　find　us　on　the　brink　of　migration；　and　will　excuse　any　
little　discomforts　incidental　to　that　position。’　

Glancing　round　as　I　made　a　suitable　reply；　I　observed　that　the　
family　effects　were　already　packed；　and　that　the　amount　of　

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David　Copperfield　

luggage　was　by　no　means　overwhelming。　I　congratulated　Mrs。　
Micawber　on　the　approaching　change。　

‘My　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘of　your　friendly　
interest　in　all　our　affairs；　I　am　well　assured。　My　family　may　
consider　it　banishment；　if　they　please；　but　I　am　a　wife　and　mother；　
and　I　never　will　desert　Mr。　Micawber。’　

Traddles；　appealed　to　by　Mrs。　Micawber’s　eye；　feelingly　
acquiesced。　

‘That；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘that；　at　least；　is　my　view；　my　dear　
Mr。　Copperfield　and　Mr。　Traddles；　of　the　obligation　which　I　took　
upon　myself　when　I　repeated　the　irrevocable　words；　“I；　Emma；　
take　thee；　Wilkins。”　I　read　the　service　over　with　a　flat…candle　on　
the　previous　night；　and　the　conclusion　I　derived　from　it　was；　that　I　
never　could　desert　Mr。　Micawber。　And；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　
‘though　it　is　possible　I　may　be　mistaken　in　my　view　of　the　
ceremony；　I　never　will！’　

‘My　dear；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　a　little　impatiently；　‘I　am　not　
conscious　that　you　are　expected　to　do　anything　of　the　sort。’　

‘I　am　aware；　my　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；’　pursued　Mrs。　Micawber；　
‘that　I　am　now　about　to　cast　my　lot　among　strangers；　and　I　am　also　
aware　that　the　various　members　of　my　family；　to　whom　Mr。　
Micawber　has　written　in　the　most　gentlemanly　terms；　announcing　
that　fact；　have　not　taken　the　least　notice　of　Mr。　Micawber’s　
communication。　Indeed　I　may　be　superstitious；’　said　Mrs。　
Micawber；　‘but　it　appears　to　me　that　Mr。　Micawber　is　destined　
never　to　receive　any　answers　whatever　to　the　great　majority　of　the　
communications　he　writes。　I　may　augur；　from　the　silence　of　my　
family；　that　they　object　to　the　resolution　I　have　taken；　but　I　should　
not　allow　myself　to　be　swerved　from　the　path　of　duty；　Mr。　

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Copperfield；　even　by　my　papa　and　mama；　were　they　still　living。’　

I　expressed　my　opinion　that　this　was　go