david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第157部分

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Copperfield；　to　visit　here；　as　the　accepted　suitor　of　our　niece。’　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

‘If　our　brother　Francis；’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　breaking　out　again；　
if　I　may　call　anything　so　calm　a　breaking　out；　‘wished　to　surround　
himself　with　an　atmosphere　of　Doctors’　Commons；　and　of　Doctors’　
Commons　only；　what　right　or　desire　had　we　to　object？　None；　I　am　
sure。　We　have　ever　been　far　from　wishing　to　obtrude　ourselves　on　
anyone。　But　why　not　say　so？　Let　our　brother　Francis　and　his　wife　
have　their　society。　Let　my　sister　Lavinia　and　myself　have　our　
society。　We　can　find　it　for　ourselves；　I　hope。’　

As　this　appeared　to　be　addressed　to　Traddles　and　me；　both　
Traddles　and　I　made　some　sort　of　reply。　Traddles　was　inaudible。　I　
think　I　observed；　myself；　that　it　was　highly　creditable　to　all　
concerned。　I　don’t　in　the　least　know　what　I　meant。　

‘Sister　Lavinia；’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　having　now　relieved　her　
mind；　‘you　can　go　on；　my　dear。’　

Miss　Lavinia　proceeded：　

‘Mr。　Copperfield；　my　sister　Clarissa　and　I　have　been　very　
careful　indeed　in　considering　this　letter；　and　we　have　not　
considered　it　without　finally　showing　it　to　our　niece；　and　
discussing　it　with　our　niece。　We　have　no　doubt　that　you　think　you　
like　her　very　much。’　

‘Think；　ma’am；’　I　rapturously　began；　‘oh！—’　

But　Miss　Clarissa　giving　me　a　look　（just　like　a　sharp　canary）；　as　
requesting　that　I　would　not　interrupt　the　oracle；　I　begged　pardon。　

‘Affection；’　said　Miss　Lavinia；　glancing　at　her　sister　for　
corroboration；　which　she　gave　in　the　form　of　a　little　nod　to　every　
clause；　‘mature　affection；　homage；　devotion；　does　not　easily　
express　itself。　Its　voice　is　low。　It　is　modest　and　retiring；　it　lies　in　
ambush；　waits　and　waits。　Such　is　the　mature　fruit。　Sometimes　a　
life　glides　away；　and　finds　it　still　ripening　in　the　shade。’　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

Of　course　I　did　not　understand　then　that　this　was　an　allusion　to　
her　supposed　experience　of　the　stricken　Pidger；　but　I　saw；　from　
the　gravity　with　which　Miss　Clarissa　nodded　her　head；　that　great　
weight　was　attached　to　these　words。　

‘The　light—for　I　call　them；　in　comparison　with　such　sentiments；　
the　light—inclinations　of　very　young　people；’　pursued　Miss　
Lavinia；　‘are　dust；　compared　to　rocks。　It　is　owing　to　the　difficulty　
of　knowing　whether　they　are　likely　to　endure　or　have　any　real　
foundation；　that　my　sister　Clarissa　and　myself　have　been　very　
undecided　how　to　act；　Mr。　Copperfield；　and　Mr。—’　

‘Traddles；’　said　my　friend；　finding　himself　looked　at。　‘I　beg　
pardon。　Of　the　Inner　Temple；　I　believe？’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　again　
glancing　at　my　letter。　

Traddles　said　‘Exactly　so；’　and　became　pretty　red　in　the　face。　

Now；　although　I　had　not　received　any　express　encouragement　
as　yet；　I　fancied　that　I　saw　in　the　two　little　sisters；　and　particularly　
in　Miss　Lavinia；　an　intensified　enjoyment　of　this　new　and　fruitful　
subject　of　domestic　interest；　a　settling　down　to　make　the　most　of　it；　
a　disposition　to　pet　it；　in　which　there　was　a　good　bright　ray　of　
hope。　I　thought　I　perceived　that　Miss　Lavinia　would　have　
uncommon　satisfaction　in　superintending　two　young　lovers；　like　
Dora　and　me；　and　that　Miss　Clarissa　would　have　hardly　less　
satisfaction　in　seeing　her　superintend　us；　and　in　chiming　in　with　
her　own　particular　department　of　the　subject　whenever　that　
impulse　was　strong　upon　her。　This　gave　me　courage　to　protest　
most　vehemently　that　I　loved　Dora　better　than　I　could　tell；　or　
anyone　believe；　that　all　my　friends　knew　how　I　loved　her；　that　my　
aunt；　Agnes；　Traddles；　everyone　who　knew　me；　knew　how　I　loved　
her；　and　how　earnest　my　love　had　made　me。　For　the　truth　of　this；　I　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

appealed　to　Traddles。　And　Traddles；　firing　up　as　if　he　were　
plunging　into　a　Parliamentary　Debate；　really　did　come　out　nobly：　
confirming　me　in　good　round　terms；　and　in　a　plain　sensible　
practical　manner；　that　evidently　made　a　favourable　impression。　

‘I　speak；　if　I　may　presume　to　say　so；　as　one　who　has　some　little　
experience　of　such　things；’　said　Traddles；　‘being　myself　engaged　to　
a　young　lady—one　of　ten；　down　in　Devonshire—and　seeing　no　
probability；　at　present；　of　our　engagement　coming　to　a　
termination。’　

‘You　may　be　able　to　confirm　what　I　have　said；　Mr。　Traddles；’　
observed　Miss　Lavinia；　evidently　taking　a　new　interest　in　him；　‘of　
the　affection　that　is　modest　and　retiring；　that　waits　and　waits？’　

‘Entirely；　ma’am；’　said　Traddles。　

Miss　Clarissa　looked　at　Miss　Lavinia；　and　shook　her　head　
gravely。　Miss　Lavinia　looked　consciously　at　Miss　Clarissa；　and　
heaved　a　little　sigh。　‘Sister　Lavinia；’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　‘take　my　
smelling…bottle。’　

Miss　Lavinia　revived　herself　with　a　few　whiffs　of　aromatic　
vinegar—Traddles　and　I　looking　on　with　great　solicitude　the　
while；　and　then　went　on　to　say；　rather　faintly：　

‘My　sister　and　myself　have　been　in　great　doubt；　Mr。　Traddles；　
what　course　we　ought　to　take　in　reference　to　the　likings；　or　
imaginary　likings；　of　such　very　young　people　as　your　friend　Mr。　
Copperfield　and　our　niece。’　

‘Our　brother　Francis’s　child；’　remarked　Miss　Clarissa。　‘If　our　
brother　Francis’s　wife　had　found　it　convenient　in　her　lifetime　
（though　she　had　an　unquestionable　right　to　act　as　she　thought　
best）　to　invite　the　family　to　her　dinner…table；　we　might　have　known　
our　brother　Francis’s　child　better　at　the　present　moment。　Sister　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

Lavinia；　proceed。’　

Miss　Lavinia　turned　my　letter；　so　as　to　bring　the　superscription　
towards　herself；　and　referred　through　her　eye…glass　to　some　
orderly…looking　notes　she　had　made　on　that　part　of　it。　

‘It　seems　to　us；’　said　she；　‘prudent；　Mr。　Traddles；　to　bring　these　
feelings　to　the　test　of　our　own　observation。　At　present　we　know　
nothing　of　them；　and　are　not　in　a　situation　to　judge　how　much　
reality　there　may　be　in　them。　Therefore　we　are　inclined　so　far　to　
accede　to　Mr。　Copperfield’s　proposal；　as　to　admit　his　visits　here。’　

‘I　shall　never；　dear　ladies；’　I　exclaimed；　relieved　of　an　immense　
load　of　apprehension；　‘forget　your　kindness！’　

‘But；’　pursued　Miss　Lavinia；—‘but；　we　would　prefer　to　regard　
those　visits；　Mr。　Traddles；　as　made；　at　present；　to　us。　We　must　
guard　ourselves　from　recognizing　any　positive　engagement　
between　Mr。　Copperfield　and　our　niece；　until　we　have　had　an　
opportunity—’　

‘Until　you　have　had　an　opportunity；　sister　Lavinia；’　said　Miss　
Clarissa。　

‘Be　it　so；’　assented　Miss　Lavinia；　with　a　sigh—‘until　I　have　had　
an　opportunity　of　observing　them。’　

‘Copperfield；’　said　Traddles；　turning　to　me；　‘you　feel；　I　am　sure；　
that　nothing　could　be　more　reasonable　or　considerate。’　

‘Nothing！’　cried　I。　‘I　am　deeply　sensible　of　it。’　

‘In　this　position　of　affairs；’　said　Miss　Lavinia；　again　referring　to　
her　notes；　‘and　admitting　his　visits　on　this　understanding　only；　we　
must　require　from　Mr。　Copperfield　a　distinct　assurance；　on　his　
word　of　honour；　that　no　communication　of　any　kind　shall　take　
place　between　him　and　our　niece　without　our　knowledge。　That　no　
project　whatever　shall　be　entertained　with　regard　to　our　niece；　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

without　being　first　submitted　to　us—’　

‘To　you；　sister　Lavinia；’　Miss　Clarissa　interposed。　

‘Be　it　so；　Clarissa！’　assented　Miss　Lavinia　resignedly—‘to　me—　
and　receiving　our　concurrence。　We　must　make　this　a　most　express　
and　serious　stipulation；　not　to　be　broken　on　any　account。　We　
wished　Mr。　Copperfield　to　be　accompanied　by　some　confidential　
friend　today；’　with　an　inclination　of　her　head　towards　Traddles；　
who　bowed；　‘in　order　that　there　might　be　no　doubt　or　
misconception　on　this　subject。　If　Mr。　Copperfield；　or　if　you；　Mr。　
Traddles；　feel　the　least　scruple；　in　giving　this　promise；　I　beg　you　to　
take　time　to　consider　it。’　

I　exclaimed；　in　a　state　of　high　ecstatic　fervour；　that　not　a　
moment’s　consideration　could　be　necessary。　I　bound　myself　by　the　
required　promise；　in　a　most　impassioned　manner；　called　upon　
Traddles　to　witness　it；　and　denounced　myself　as　the　most　
atrocious　of　characters　if　I　ever　swerved　from　it　in　the　least　degree。　

‘Stay！’　said　Miss　Lavinia；　holding　up　her　hand；　‘we　resolved；　
before　we　had　the　pleasure　of　receiving　you　two　gentlemen；　to　
leave　you　alone　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　to　consider　this　point。　
You　will　allow　us　to　retire。’　

It　was　in　vain　for　me　to　say　that　no　consideration　was　necessary。　
They　persisted　in　withdrawing　for　the　specified　time。　Accordingly；　
these　little　birds　hopped　out　with　great　dignity；　leaving　me　to　
receive　the　congratulations　of　Traddles；　and　to　feel　as　if　I　were　
translated　to　regions　of　exquisite　happiness。　Exactly　at　the　
expiration　of　the　quarter　of　an　hour；　they　reappeared　with　no　less　
dignity　than　they　had　disappeared。　They　had　gone　rustling　away　
as　if　their　little　dresses　were　made　of　autumn…leaves：　and　they　
came　rustling　back；　in　like　manner。　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook