david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第18部分

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came　to　a　bad　end；　and　then　I　got　into　the　cart；　and　the　lazy　horse　
walked　off　with　it。　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

Chapter　5　

I　AM　SENT　AWAY　FROM　HOME　

We　might　have　gone　about　half　a　mile；　and　my　pocket…
handkerchief　was　quite　wet　through；　when　the　carrier　
stopped　short。　Looking　out　to　ascertain　for　what；　I　saw；　
to　my　amazement；　Peggotty　burst　from　a　hedge　and　climb　into　the　
cart。　She　took　me　in　both　her　arms；　and　squeezed　me　to　her　stays　
until　the　pressure　on　my　nose　was　extremely　painful；　though　I　
never　thought　of　that　till　afterwards　when　I　found　it　very　tender。　
Not　a　single　word　did　Peggotty　speak。　Releasing　one　of　her　arms；　
she　put　it　down　in　her　pocket　to　the　elbow；　and　brought　out　some　
paper　bags　of　cakes　which　she　crammed　into　my　pockets；　and　a　
purse　which　she　put　into　my　hand；　but　not　one　word　did　she　say。　
After　another　and　a　final　squeeze　with　both　arms；　she　got　down　
from　the　cart　and　ran　away；　and；　my　belief　is；　and　has　always　
been；　without　a　solitary　button　on　her　gown。　I　picked　up　one；　of　
several　that　were　rolling　about；　and　treasured　it　as　a　keepsake　for　
a　long　time。　

The　carrier　looked　at　me；　as　if　to　inquire　if　she　were　coming　
back。　I　shook　my　head；　and　said　I　thought　not。　‘Then　come　up；’　
said　the　carrier　to　the　lazy　horse；　who　came　up　accordingly。　

Having　by　this　time　cried　as　much　as　I　possibly　could；　I　began　
to　think　it　was　of　no　use　crying　any　more；　especially　as　neither　
Roderick　Random；　nor　that　Captain　in　the　Royal　British　Navy；　had　
ever　cried；　that　I　could　remember；　in　trying　situations。　The　carrier；　
seeing　me　in　this　resolution；　proposed　that　my　pocket…

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

handkerchief　should　be　spread　upon　the　horse’s　back　to　dry。　I　
thanked　him；　and　assented；　and　particularly　small　it　looked；　under　
those　circumstances。　

I　had　now　leisure　to　examine　the　purse。　It　was　a　stiff　leather　
purse；　with　a　snap；　and　had　three　bright　shillings　in　it；　which　
Peggotty　had　evidently　polished　up　with　whitening；　for　my　greater　
delight。　But　its　most　precious　contents　were　two　half…crowns　
folded　together　in　a　bit　of　paper；　on　which　was　written；　in　my　
mother’s　hand；　‘For　Davy。　With　my　love。’　I　was　so　overcome　by　
this；　that　I　asked　the　carrier　to　be　so　good　as　to　reach　me　my　
pocket…handkerchief　again；　but　he　said　he　thought　I　had　better　do　
without　it；　and　I　thought　I　really　had；　so　I　wiped　my　eyes　on　my　
sleeve　and　stopped　myself。　

For　good；　too；　though；　in　consequence　of　my　previous　emotions；　
I　was　still　occasionally　seized　with　a　stormy　sob。　After　we　had　
jogged　on　for　some　little　time；　I　asked　the　carrier　if　he　was　going　
all　the　way。　

‘All　the　way　where？’　inquired　the　carrier。　

‘There；’　I　said。　

‘Where’s　there？’　inquired　the　carrier。　

‘Near　London；’　I　said。　

‘Why　that　horse；’　said　the　carrier；　jerking　the　rein　to　point　him　
out；　‘would　be　deader　than　pork　afore　he　got　over　half　the　ground。’　

‘Are　you　only　going　to　Yarmouth　then？’　I　asked。　

‘That’s　about　it；’　said　the　carrier。　‘And　there　I　shall　take　you　to　
the　stage…cutch；　and　the　stage…cutch　that’ll　take　you　to—wherever　
it　is。’　

As　this　was　a　great　deal　for　the　carrier　（whose　name　was　Mr。　
Barkis）　to　say—he　being；　as　I　observed　in　a　former　chapter；　of　a　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

phlegmatic　temperament；　and　not　at　all　conversational—I　offered　
him　a　cake　as　a　mark　of　attention；　which　he　ate　at　one　gulp；　
exactly　like　an　elephant；　and　which　made　no　more　impression　on　
his　big　face　than　it　would　have　done　on　an　elephant’s。　

‘Did　she　make　’em；　now？’　said　Mr。　Barkis；　always　leaning　
forward；　in　his　slouching　way；　on　the　footboard　of　the　cart　with　an　
arm　on　each　knee。　

‘Peggotty；　do　you　mean；　sir？’　

‘Ah！’　said　Mr。　Barkis。　‘Her。’　

‘Yes。　She　makes　all　our　pastry；　and　does　all　our　cooking。’　

‘Do　she　though？’　said　Mr。　Barkis。　He　made　up　his　mouth　as　if　to　
whistle；　but　he　didn’t　whistle。　He　sat　looking　at　the　horse’s　ears；　as　
if　he　saw　something　new　there；　and　sat　so；　for　a　considerable　time。　
By　and　by；　he　said：　

‘No　sweethearts；　I　b’lieve？’　

‘Sweetmeats　did　you　say；　Mr。　Barkis？’　For　I　thought　he　wanted　
something　else　to　eat；　and　had　pointedly　alluded　to　that　
description　of　refreshment。　

‘Hearts；’　said　Mr。　Barkis。　‘Sweet　hearts；　no　person　walks　with　
her！’　

‘With　Peggotty？’　

‘Ah！’　he　said。　‘Her。’　

‘Oh；　no。　She　never　had　a　sweetheart。’　

‘Didn’t　she；　though！’　said　Mr。　Barkis。　

Again　he　made　up　his　mouth　to　whistle；　and　again　he　didn’t　
whistle；　but　sat　looking　at　the　horse’s　ears。　

‘So　she　makes；’　said　Mr。　Barkis；　after　a　long　interval　of　
reflection；　‘all　the　apple　parsties；　and　doos　all　the　cooking；　do　she？’　

I　replied　that　such　was　the　fact。　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

‘Well。　I’ll　tell　you　what；’　said　Mr。　Barkis。　‘P’raps　you　might　be　
writin’　to　her？’　

‘I　shall　certainly　write　to　her；’　I　rejoined。　

‘Ah！’　he　said；　slowly　turning　his　eyes　towards　me。　‘Well！　If　you　
was　writin’　to　her；　p’raps　you’d　recollect　to　say　that　Barkis　was　
willin’；　would　you？’　

‘That　Barkis　is　willing；’　I　repeated；　innocently。　‘Is　that　all　the　
message？’　

‘Ye…es；’　he　said；　considering。　‘Ye…es。　Barkis　is　willin’。’　

‘But　you　will　be　at　Blunderstone　again　tomorrow；　Mr。　Barkis；’　I　
said；　faltering　a　little　at　the　idea　of　my　being　far　away　from　it　then；　
and　could　give　your　own　message　so　much　better。’　

As　he　repudiated　this　suggestion；　however；　with　a　jerk　of　his　
head；　and　once　more　confirmed　his　previous　request　by　saying；　
with　profound　gravity；　‘Barkis　is　willin’。　That’s　the　message；’　I　
readily　undertook　its　transmission。　While　I　was　waiting　for　the　
coach　in　the　hotel　at　Yarmouth　that　very　afternoon；　I　procured　a　
sheet　of　paper　and　an　inkstand；　and　wrote　a　note　to　Peggotty；　
which　ran　thus：　‘My　dear　Peggotty。　I　have　come　here　safe。　Barkis　
is　willing。　My　love　to　mama。　Yours　affectionately。　P。S。　He　says　he　
particularly　wants　you　to　know—Barkis　is　willing。’　

When　I　had　taken　this　commission　on　myself　prospectively；　Mr。　
Barkis　relapsed　into　perfect　silence；　and　I；　feeling　quite　worn　out　
by　all　that　had　happened　lately；　lay　down　on　a　sack　in　the　cart　and　
fell　asleep。　I　slept　soundly　until　we　got　to　Yarmouth；　which　was　so　
entirely　new　and　strange　to　me　in　the　inn…yard　to　which　we　drove；　
that　I　at　once　abandoned　a　latent　hope　I　had　had　of　meeting　with　
some　of　Mr。　Peggotty’s　family　there；　perhaps　even　with　little　Em’ly　
herself。　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

The　coach　was　in　the　yard；　shining　very　much　all　over；　but　
without　any　horses　to　it　as　yet；　and　it　looked　in　that　state　as　if　
nothing　was　more　unlikely　than　its　ever　going　to　London。　I　was　
thinking　this；　and　wondering　what　would　ultimately　become　of　my　
box；　which　Mr。　Barkis　had　put　down　on　the　yard…pavement　by　the　
pole　（he　having　driven　up　the　yard　to　turn　his　cart）；　and　also　what　
would　ultimately　become　of　me；　when　a　lady　looked　out　of　a　bow…
window　where　some　fowls　and　joints　of　meat　were　hanging　up；　
and　said：　

‘Is　that　the　little　gentleman　from　Blunderstone？’　

‘Yes；　ma’am；’　I　said。　

‘What　name？’　inquired　the　lady。　

‘Copperfield；　ma’am；’　I　said。　

‘That　won’t　do；’　returned　the　lady。　‘Nobody’s　dinner　is　paid　for　
here；　in　that　name。’　

‘Is　it　Murdstone；　ma’am？’　I　said。　

‘If　you’re　Master　Murdstone；’　said　the　lady；　‘why　do　you　go　and　
give　another　name；　first？’　

I　explained　to　the　lady　how　it　was；　who　than　rang　a　bell；　and　
called　out；　‘William！　show　the　coffee…room！’　upon　which　a　waiter　
came　running　out　of　a　kitchen　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　yard　to　
show　it；　and　seemed　a　good　deal　surprised　when　he　was　only　to　
show　it　to　me。　

It　was　a　large　long　room　with　some　large　maps　in　it。　I　doubt　if　I　
could　have　felt　much　stranger　if　the　maps　had　been　real　foreign　
countries；　and　I　cast　away　in　the　middle　of　them。　I　felt　it　was　
taking　a　liberty　to　sit　down；　with　my　cap　in　my　hand；　on　the　corner　
of　the　chair　nearest　the　door；　and　when　the　waiter　laid　a　cloth　on　
purpose　for　me；　and　put　a　set　of　castors　on　it；　I　think　I　must　have　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

turned　red　all　over　with　modesty。　

He　brought　me　some　chops；　and　vegetables；　and　took　the　covers　
off　in　such　a　bouncing　manner　that　I　was　afraid　I　must　have　given　
him　some　offence。　But　he　greatly　relieved　my　mind　by　putting　a　
chair　for　me　at　the　table；　and　saying；　very　affably；　‘Now；　six…foot！　
come　on！’　

I　thanked　him；　and　took　my　seat　at　the　board；　but　found　it　
extremely　difficult　to　handle　my　knife　and　fork　with　anything　like　
dexterity；　or　to　avoid　splashing　myself　with　the　gravy；　while　he　
was　standing　opposite；　staring　so　hard；　and　making　me　blush　in　
the　most　dreadful　manner　every　time　I　caught　his　eye。　After　
watching　me　into　the　second　chop；　he　said：　

‘There’s　half　a　pint　of　ale　for　you。　Will　you　have　it　now？’　

I　thanked　him　and　said；