david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第156部分

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David　Copperfield　

comparatively　reconciled　Mrs。　Crewler　to　it；　we　had　to　break　it　to　
Sarah。　You　recollect　my　mentioning　Sarah；　as　the　one　that　has　
something　the　matter　with　her　spine？’　

‘Perfectly！’　

‘She　clenched　both　her　hands；’　said　Traddles；　looking　at　me　in　
dismay；　‘shut　her　eyes；　turned　lead…colour；　became　perfectly　stiff；　
and　took　nothing　for　two　days　but　toast…and…water；　administered　
with　a　tea…spoon。’　

‘What　a　very　unpleasant　girl；　Traddles！’　I　remarked。　

‘Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon；　Copperfield！’　said　Traddles。　‘She　is　a　
very　charming　girl；　but　she　has　a　great　deal　of　feeling。　In　fact；　they　
all　have。　Sophy　told　me　afterwards；　that　the　self…reproach　she　
underwent　while　she　was　in　attendance　upon　Sarah；　no　words　
could　describe。　I　know　it　must　have　been　severe；　by　my　own　
feelings；　Copperfield；　which　were　like　a　criminal’s。　After　Sarah　
was　restored；　we　still　had　to　break　it　to　the　other　eight；　and　it　
produced　various　effects　upon　them　of　a　most　pathetic　nature。　The　
two　little　ones；　whom　Sophy　educates；　have　only　just　left　off　detesting　me。’　

‘At　any　rate；　they　are　all　reconciled　to　it　now；　I　hope？’　said　I。　

‘Ye…yes；　I　should　say　they　were；　on　the　whole；　resigned　to　it；’　
said　Traddles；　doubtfully。　‘The　fact　is；　we　avoid　mentioning　the　
subject；　and　my　unsettled　prospects　and　indifferent　circumstances　
are　a　great　consolation　to　them。　There　will　be　a　deplorable　scene；　
whenever　we　are　married。　It　will　be　much　more　like　a　funeral；　
than　a　wedding。　And　they’ll　all　hate　me　for　taking　her　away！’　

His　honest　face；　as　he　looked　at　me　with　a　serio…comic　shake　of　
his　head；　impresses　me　more　in　the　remembrance　than　it　did　in　
the　reality；　for　I　was　by　this　time　in　a　state　of　such　excessive　

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David　Copperfield　

trepidation　and　wandering　of　mind；　as　to　be　quite　unable　to　fix　my　
attention　on　anything。　On　our　approaching　the　house　where　the　
Misses　Spenlow　lived；　I　was　at　such　a　discount　in　respect　of　my　
personal　looks　and　presence　of　mind；　that　Traddles　proposed　a　
gentle　stimulant　in　the　form　of　a　glass　of　ale。　This　having　been　
administered　at　a　neighbouring　public…house；　he　conducted　me；　
with　tottering　steps；　to　the　Misses　Spenlow’s　door。　

I　had　a　vague　sensation　of　being；　as　it　were；　on　view；　when　the　
maid　opened　it；　and　of　wavering；　somehow；　across　a　hall　with　a　
weather…glass　in　it；　into　a　quiet　little　drawing…room　on　the　ground…
floor；　commanding　a　neat　garden。　Also　of　sitting　down　here；　on　a　
sofa；　and　seeing　Traddles’s　hair　start　up；　now　his　hat　was　
removed；　like　one　of　those　obtrusive　little　figures　made　of　springs；　
that　fly　out　of　fictitious　snuff…boxes　when　the　lid　is　taken　off。　Also　
of　hearing　an　old…fashioned　clock　ticking　away　on　the　chimney…
piece；　and　trying　to　make　it　keep　time　to　the　jerking　of　my　heart；—　
which　it　wouldn’t。　Also　of　looking　round　the　room　for　any　sign　of　
Dora；　and　seeing　none。　Also　of　thinking　that　Jip　once　barked　in　
the　distance；　and　was　instantly　choked　by　somebody。　Ultimately　I　
found　myself　backing　Traddles　into　the　fireplace；　and　bowing　in　
great　confusion　to　two　dry　little　elderly　ladies；　dressed　in　black；　
and　each　looking　wonderfully　like　a　preparation　in　chip　or　tan　of　
the　late　Mr。　Spenlow。　

‘Pray；’　said　one　of　the　two　little　ladies；　‘be　seated。’　

When　I　had　done　tumbling　over　Traddles；　and　had　sat　upon　
something　which　was　not　a　cat—my　first　seat　was—I　so　far　
recovered　my　sight；　as　to　perceive　that　Mr。　Spenlow　had　evidently　
been　the　youngest　of　the　family；　that　there　was　a　disparity　of　six　or　
eight　years　between　the　two　sisters；　and　that　the　younger　

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David　Copperfield　

appeared　to　be　the　manager　of　the　conference；　inasmuch　as　she　
had　my　letter　in　her　hand—so　familiar　as　it　looked　to　me；　and　yet　
so　odd！—and　was　referring　to　it　through　an　eye…glass。　They　were　
dressed　alike；　but　this　sister　wore　her　dress　with　a　more　youthful　
air　than　the　other；　and　perhaps　had　a　trifle　more　frill；　or　tucker；　or　
brooch；　or　bracelet；　or　some　little　thing　of　that　kind；　which　made　
her　look　more　lively。　They　were　both　upright　in　their　carriage；　
formal；　precise；　composed；　and　quiet。　The　sister　who　had　not　my　
letter；　had　her　arms　crossed　on　her　breast；　and　resting　on　each　
other；　like　an　Idol。　

‘Mr。　Copperfield；　I　believe；’　said　the　sister　who　had　got　my　
letter；　addressing　herself　to　Traddles。　

This　was　a　frightful　beginning。　Traddles　had　to　indicate　that　I　
was　Mr。　Copperfield；　and　I　had　to　lay　claim　to　myself；　and　they　had　
to　divest　themselves　of　a　preconceived　opinion　that　Traddles　was　
Mr。　Copperfield；　and　altogether　we　were　in　a　nice　condition。　To　
improve　it；　we　all　distinctly　heard　Jip　give　two　short　barks；　and　
receive　another　choke。　

‘Mr。　Copperfield！’　said　the　sister　with　the　letter。　

I　did　something—bowed；　I　suppose—and　was　all　attention；　
when　the　other　sister　struck　in。　

‘My　sister　Lavinia；’　said　she　‘being　conversant　with　matters　of　
this　nature；　will　state　what　we　consider　most　calculated　to　
promote　the　happiness　of　both　parties。’　

I　discovered　afterwards　that　Miss　Lavinia　was　an　authority　in　
affairs　of　the　heart；　by　reason　of　there　having　anciently　existed　a　
certain　Mr。　Pidger；　who　played　short　whist；　and　was　supposed　to　
have　been　enamoured　of　her。　My　private　opinion　is；　that　this　was　
entirely　a　gratuitous　assumption；　and　that　Pidger　was　altogether　

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David　Copperfield　

innocent　of　any　such　sentiments—to　which　he　had　never　given　any　
sort　of　expression　that　I　could　ever　hear　of。　Both　Miss　Lavinia　and　
Miss　Clarissa　had　a　superstition；　however；　that　he　would　have　
declared　his　passion；　if　he　had　not　been　cut　short　in　his　youth　（at　
about　sixty）　by　over…drinking　his　constitution；　and　over…doing　an　
attempt　to　set　it　right　again　by　swilling　Bath　water。　They　had　a　
lurking　suspicion　even；　that　he　died　of　secret　love；　though　I　must　
say　there　was　a　picture　of　him　in　the　house　with　a　damask　nose；　
which　concealment　did　not　appear　to　have　ever　preyed　upon。　

‘We　will　not；’　said　Miss　Lavinia；　‘enter　on　the　past　history　of　this　
matter。　Our　poor　brother　Francis’s　death　has　cancelled　that。’　

‘We　had　not；’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　‘been　in　the　habit　of　frequent　
association　with　our　brother　Francis；　but　there　was　no　decided　
division　or　disunion　between　us。　Francis　took　his　road；　we　took　
ours。　We　considered　it　conducive　to　the　happiness　of　all　parties　
that　it　should　be　so。　And　it　was　so。’　

Each　of　the　sisters　leaned　a　little　forward　to　speak；　shook　her　
head　after　speaking；　and　became　upright　again　when　silent。　Miss　
Clarissa　never　moved　her　arms。　She　sometimes　played　tunes　upon　
them　with　her　fingers—minuets　and　marches　I　should　think—but　
never　moved　them。　

‘Our　niece’s　position；　or　supposed　position；　is　much　changed　by　
our　brother　Francis’s　death；’　said　Miss　Lavinia；　‘and　therefore　we　
consider　our　brother’s　opinions　as　regarded　her　position　as　being　
changed　too。　We　have　no　reason　to　doubt；　Mr。　Copperfield；　that　
you　are　a　young　gentleman　possessed　of　good　qualities　and　
honourable　character；　or　that　you　have　an　affection—or　are　fully　
persuaded　that　you　have　an　affection—for　our　niece。’　

I　replied；　as　I　usually　did　whenever　I　had　a　chance；　that　nobody　

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David　Copperfield　

had　ever　loved　anybody　else　as　I　loved　Dora。　Traddles　came　to　my　
assistance　with　a　confirmatory　murmur。　

Miss　Lavinia　was　going　on　to　make　some　rejoinder；　when　Miss　
Clarissa；　who　appeared　to　be　incessantly　beset　by　a　desire　to　refer　
to　her　brother　Francis；　struck　in　again：　

‘If　Dora’s　mama；’　she　said；　‘when　she　married　our　brother　
Francis；　had　at　once　said　that　there　was　not　room　for　the　family　at　
the　dinner…table；　it　would　have　been　better　for　the　happiness　of　all　
parties。’　

‘Sister　Clarissa；’　said　Miss　Lavinia。　‘Perhaps　we　needn’t　mind　
that　now。’　

‘Sister　Lavinia；’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　‘it　belongs　to　the　subject。　
With　your　branch　of　the　subject；　on　which　alone　you　are　
competent　to　speak；　I　should　not　think　of　interfering。　On　this　
branch　of　the　subject　I　have　a　voice　and　an　opinion。　It　would　have　
been　better　for　the　happiness　of　all　parties；　if　Dora’s　mama；　when　
she　married　our　brother　Francis；　had　mentioned　plainly　what　her　
intentions　were。　We　should　then　have　known　what　we　had　to　
expect。　We　should　have　said　“Pray　do　not　invite　us；　at　any　time”；　
and　all　possibility　of　misunderstanding　would　have　been　avoided。’　

When　Miss　Clarissa　had　shaken　her　head；　Miss　Lavinia　
resumed：　again　referring　to　my　letter　through　her　eye…glass。　They　
both　had　little　bright　round　twinkling　eyes；　by　the　way；　which　
were　like　birds’　eyes。　They　were　not　unlike　birds；　altogether；　
having　a　sharp；　brisk；　sudden　manner；　and　a　little　short；　spruce　
way　of　adjusting　themselves；　like　canaries。　

Miss　Lavinia；　as　I　have　said；　resumed：　

‘You　ask　permission　of　my　sister　Clarissa　and　myself；　Mr。　
Copperfield；　to　visit　here；　as　the　accepted　suitor　of　our　niece。’　

Charle