david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第165部分

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about　and　embellished　by　more　fertile　minds。　He　is　called　to　the　
bar；　and　with　admirable　industry　and　self…denial　has　scraped　
another　hundred　pounds　together；　to　fee　a　Conveyancer　whose　
chambers　he　attends。　A　great　deal　of　very　hot　port　wine　was　
consumed　at　his　call；　and；　considering　the　figure；　I　should　think　
the　Inner　Temple　must　have　made　a　profit　by　it。　

I　have　come　out　in　another　way。　I　have　taken　with　fear　and　
trembling　to　authorship。　I　wrote　a　little　something；　in　secret；　and　
sent　it　to　a　magazine；　and　it　was　published　in　the　magazine。　Since　
then；　I　have　taken　heart　to　write　a　good　many　trifling　pieces。　Now；　
I　am　regularly　paid　for　them。　Altogether；　I　am　well　off；　when　I　tell　
my　income　on　the　fingers　of　my　left　hand；　I　pass　the　third　finger　
and　take　in　the　fourth　to　the　middle　joint。　

We　have　removed；　from　Buckingham　Street；　to　a　pleasant　little　
cottage　very　near　the　one　I　looked　at；　when　my　enthusiasm　first　
came　on。　My　aunt；　however　（who　has　sold　the　house　at　Dover；　to　
good　advantage）；　is　not　going　to　remain　here；　but　intends　

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David　Copperfield　

removing　herself　to　a　still　more　tiny　cottage　close　at　hand。　What　
does　this　portend？　My　marriage？　Yes！　

Yes！　I　am　going　to　be　married　to　Dora！　Miss　Lavinia　and　Miss　
Clarissa　have　given　their　consent；　and　if　ever　canary　birds　were　in　
a　flutter；　they　are。　Miss　Lavinia；　self…charged　with　the　
superintendence　of　my　darling’s　wardrobe；　is　constantly　cutting　
out　brown…paper　cuirasses；　and　differing　in　opinion　from　a　highly　
respectable　young　man；　with　a　long　bundle；　and　a　yard　measure　
under　his　arm。　A　dressmaker；　always　stabbed　in　the　breast　with　a　
needle　and　thread；　boards　and　lodges　in　the　house；　and　seems　to　
me；　eating；　drinking；　or　sleeping；　never　to　take　her　thimble　off。　
They　make　a　lay…figure　of　my　dear。　They　are　always　sending　for　
her　to　come　and　try　something　on。　We　can’t　be　happy　together　for　
five　minutes　in　the　evening；　but　some　intrusive　female　knocks　at　
the　door；　and　says；　‘Oh；　if　you　please；　Miss　Dora；　would　you　step　
upstairs！’　

Miss　Clarissa　and　my　aunt　roam　all　over　London；　to　find　out　
articles　of　furniture　for　Dora　and　me　to　look　at。　It　would　be　better　
for　them　to　buy　the　goods　at　once；　without　this　ceremony　of　
inspection；　for；　when　we　go　to　see　a　kitchen　fender　and　meat…
screen；　Dora　sees　a　Chinese　house　for　Jip；　with　little　bells　on　the　
top；　and　prefers　that。　And　it　takes　a　long　time　to　accustom　Jip　to　
his　new　residence；　after　we　have　bought　it；　whenever　he　goes　in　or　
out；　he　makes　all　the　little　bells　ring；　and　is　horribly　frightened。　

Peggotty　comes　up　to　make　herself　useful；　and　falls　to　work　
immediately。　Her　department　appears　to　be；　to　clean　everything　
over　and　over　again。　She　rubs　everything　that　can　be　rubbed；　until　
it　shines；　like　her　own　honest　forehead；　with　perpetual　friction。　
And　now　it　is；　that　I　begin　to　see　her　solitary　brother　passing　

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David　Copperfield　

through　the　dark　streets　at　night；　and　looking；　as　he　goes；　among　
the　wandering　faces。　I　never　speak　to　him　at　such　an　hour。　I　know　
too　well；　as　his　grave　figure　passes　onward；　what　he　seeks；　and　
what　he　dreads。　

Why　does　Traddles　look　so　important　when　he　calls　upon　me　
this　afternoon　in　the　Commons—where　I　still　occasionally　attend；　
for　form’s　sake；　when　I　have　time？　The　realization　of　my　boyish　
day…dreams　is　at　hand。　I　am　going　to　take　out　the　licence。　

It　is　a　little　document　to　do　so　much；　and　Traddles　
contemplates　it；　as　it　lies　upon　my　desk；　half　in　admiration；　half　in　
awe。　There　are　the　names；　in　the　sweet　old　visionary　connexion；　
David　Copperfield　and　Dora　Spenlow；　and　there；　in　the　corner；　is　
that　Parental　Institution；　the　Stamp　Office；　which　is　so　
benignantly　interested　in　the　various　transactions　of　human　life；　
looking　down　upon　our　Union；　and　there　is　the　Archbishop　of　
Canterbury　invoking　a　blessing　on　us　in　print；　and　doing　it　as　
cheap　as　could　possibly　be　expected。　

Nevertheless；　I　am　in　a　dream；　a　flustered；　happy；　hurried　
dream。　I　can’t　believe　that　it　is　going　to　be；　and　yet　I　can’t　believe　
but　that　everyone　I　pass　in　the　street；　must　have　some　kind　of　
perception；　that　I　am　to　be　married　the　day　after　tomorrow。　The　
Surrogate　knows　me；　when　I　go　down　to　be　sworn；　and　disposes　of　
me　easily；　as　if　there　were　a　Masonic　understanding　between　us。　
Traddles　is　not　at　all　wanted；　but　is　in　attendance　as　my　general　
backer。　

‘I　hope　the　next　time　you　come　here；　my　dear　fellow；’　I　say　to　
Traddles；　‘it　will　be　on　the　same　errand　for　yourself。　And　I　hope　it　
will　be　soon。’　

‘Thank　you　for　your　good　wishes；　my　dear　Copperfield；’　he　

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David　Copperfield　

replies。　‘I　hope　so　too。　It’s　a　satisfaction　to　know　that　she’ll　wait　for　

me　any　length　of　time；　and　that　she　really　is　the　dearest　girl—’　

‘When　are　you　to　meet　her　at　the　coach？’　I　ask。　

‘At　seven；’　says　Traddles；　looking　at　his　plain　old　silver　watch—　
the　very　watch　he　once　took　a　wheel　out　of；　at　school；　to　make　a　
water…mill。　‘That　is　about　Miss　Wickfield’s　time；　is　it　not？’　

‘A　little　earlier。　Her　time　is　half　past　eight。’　

‘I　assure　you；　my　dear　boy；’　says　Traddles；　‘I　am　almost　as　
pleased　as　if　I　were　going　to　be　married　myself；　to　think　that　this　
event　is　coming　to　such　a　happy　termination。　And　really　the　great　
friendship　and　consideration　of　personally　associating　Sophy　with　
the　joyful　occasion；　and　inviting　her　to　be　a　bridesmaid　in　
conjunction　with　Miss　Wickfield；　demands　my　warmest　thanks。　I　
am　extremely　sensible　of　it。’　

I　hear　him；　and　shake　hands　with　him；　and　we　talk；　and　walk；　
and　dine；　and　so　on；　but　I　don’t　believe　it。　Nothing　is　real。　

Sophy　arrives　at　the　house　of　Dora’s　aunts；　in　due　course。　She　
has　the　most　agreeable　of　faces；—not　absolutely　beautiful；　but　
extraordinarily　pleasant；—and　is　one　of　the　most　genial；　
unaffected；　frank；　engaging　creatures　I　have　ever　seen。　Traddles　
presents　her　to　us　with　great　pride；　and　rubs　his　hands　for　ten　
minutes　by　the　clock；　with　every　individual　hair　upon　his　head　
standing　on　tiptoe；　when　I　congratulate　him　in　a　corner　on　his　
choice。　

I　have　brought　Agnes　from　the　Canterbury　coach；　and　her　
cheerful　and　beautiful　face　is　among　us　for　the　second　time。　Agnes　
has　a　great　liking　for　Traddles；　and　it　is　capital　to　see　them　meet；　
and　to　observe　the　glory　of　Traddles　as　he　commends　the　dearest　
girl　in　the　world　to　her　acquaintance。　

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David　Copperfield　

Still　I　don’t　believe　it。　We　have　a　delightful　evening；　and　are　
supremely　happy；　but　I　don’t　believe　it　yet。　I　can’t　collect　myself。　I　
can’t　check　off　my　happiness　as　it　takes　place。　I　feel　in　a　misty　and　
unsettled　kind　of　state；　as　if　I　had　got　up　very　early　in　the　morning　
a　week　or　two　ago；　and　had　never　been　to　bed　since。　I　can’t　make　
out　when　yesterday　was。　I　seem　to　have　been　carrying　the　licence　
about；　in　my　pocket；　many　months。　

Next　day；　too；　when　we　all　go　in　a　flock　to　see　the　house—our　
house—Dora’s　and　mine—I　am　quite　unable　to　regard　myself　as　
its　master。　I　seem　to　be　there；　by　permission　of　somebody　else。　I　
half　expect　the　real　master　to　come　home　presently；　and　say　he　is　
glad　to　see　me。　Such　a　beautiful　little　house　as　it　is；　with　
everything　so　bright　and　new；　with　the　flowers　on　the　carpets　
looking　as　if　freshly　gathered；　and　the　green　leaves　on　the　paper　as　
if　they　had　just　come　out；　with　the　spotless　muslin　curtains；　and　
the　blushing　rose…coloured　furniture；　and　Dora’s　garden　hat　with　
the　blue　ribbon—do　I　remember；　now；　how　I　loved　her　in　such　
another　hat　when　I　first　knew　her！—already　hanging　on　its　little　
peg；　the　guitar…case　quite　at　home　on　its　heels　in　a　corner；　and　
everybody　tumbling　over　Jip’s　pagoda；　which　is　much　too　big　for　
the　establishment。　Another　happy　evening；　quite　as　unreal　as　all　
the　rest　of　it；　and　I　steal　into　the　usual　room　before　goi