david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第19部分

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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；　‘Yes。’　Upon　which　he　poured　it　out　of　a　
jug　into　a　large　tumbler；　and　held　it　up　against　the　light；　and　made　
it　look　beautiful。　

‘My　eye！’　he　said。　‘It　seems　a　good　deal；　don’t　it？’　

‘It　does　seem　a　good　deal；’　I　answered　with　a　smile。　For　it　was　
quite　delightful　to　me；　to　find　him　so　pleasant。　He　was　a　twinkling…
eyed；　pimple…faced　man；　with　his　hair　standing　upright　all　over　his　
head；　and　as　he　stood　with　one　arm　a…kimbo；　holding　up　the　glass　
to　the　light　with　the　other　hand；　he　looked　quite　friendly。　

‘There　was　a　gentleman　here；　yesterday；’　he　said—‘a　stout　
gentleman；　by　the　name　of　Topsawyer—perhaps　you　know　him？’　

‘No；’　I　said；　‘I　don’t　think—’　

‘In　breeches　and　gaiters；　broad…brimmed　hat；　grey　coat；　
speckled　choker；’　said　the　waiter。　

‘No；’　I　said　bashfully；　‘I　haven’t　the　pleasure—’　

‘He　came　in　here；’　said　the　waiter；　looking　at　the　light　through　

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the　tumbler；　‘ordered　a　glass　of　this　ale—would　order　it—I　told　
him　not—drank　it；　and　fell　dead。　It　was　too　old　for　him。　It　oughtn’t　
to　be　drawn；　that’s　the　fact。’　

I　was　very　much　shocked　to　hear　of　this　melancholy　accident；　
and　said　I　thought　I　had　better　have　some　water。　

‘Why　you　see；’　said　the　waiter；　still　looking　at　the　light　through　
the　tumbler；　with　one　of　his　eyes　shut　up；　‘our　people　don’t　like　
things　being　ordered　and　left。　It　offends　’em。　But　I’ll　drink　it；　if　you　
like。　I’m　used　to　it；　and　use　is　everything。　I　don’t　think　it’ll　hurt　me；　
if　I　throw　my　head　back；　and　take　it　off　quick。　Shall　I？’　

I　replied　that　he　would　much　oblige　me　by　drinking　it；　if　he　
thought　he　could　do　it　safely；　but　by　no　means　otherwise。　When　he　
did　throw　his　head　back；　and　take　it　off　quick；　I　had　a　horrible　fear；　
I　confess；　of　seeing　him　meet　the　fate　of　the　lamented　Mr。　
Topsawyer；　and　fall　lifeless　on　the　carpet。　But　it　didn’t　hurt　him。　
On　the　contrary；　I　thought　he　seemed　the　fresher　for　it。　

‘What　have　we　got　here？’　he　said；　putting　a　fork　into　my　dish。　
‘Not　chops？’　

‘Chops；’　I　said。　

‘Lord　bless　my　soul！’　he　exclaimed；　‘I　didn’t　know　they　were　
chops。　Why；　a　chop’s　the　very　thing　to　take　off　the　bad　effects　of　
that　beer！　Ain’t　it　lucky？’　

So　he　took　a　chop　by　the　bone　in　one　hand；　and　a　potato　in　the　
other；　and　ate　away　with　a　very　good　appetite；　to　my　extreme　
satisfaction。　He　afterwards　took　another　chop；　and　another　potato；　
and　after　that；　another　chop　and　another　potato。　When　we　had　
done；　he　brought　me　a　pudding；　and　having　set　it　before　me；　
seemed　to　ruminate；　and　to　become　absent　in　his　mind　for　some　
moments。　

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‘How’s　the　pie？’　he　said；　rousing　himself。　

‘It’s　a　pudding；’　I　made　answer。　

‘Pudding！’　he　exclaimed。　‘Why；　bless　me；　so　it　is！　What！’　looking　
at　it　nearer。　‘You　don’t　mean　to　say　it’s　a　batter…pudding！’　

‘Yes；　it　is　indeed。’　

‘Why；　a　batter…pudding；’　he　said；　taking　up　a　table…spoon；　‘is　my　
favourite　pudding！　Ain’t　that　lucky？　Come　on；　little　’un；　and　let’s　
see　who’ll　get　most。’　

The　waiter　certainly　got　most。　He　entreated　me　more　than　once　
to　come　in　and　win；　but　what　with　his　table…spoon　to　my　tea…spoon；　
his　dispatch　to　my　dispatch；　and　his　appetite　to　my　appetite；　I　was　
left　far　behind　at　the　first　mouthful；　and　had　no　chance　with　him。　I　
never　saw　anyone　enjoy　a　pudding　so　much；　I　think；　and　he　
laughed；　when　it　was　all　gone；　as　if　his　enjoyment　of　it　lasted　still。　

Finding　him　so　very　friendly　and　companionable；　it　was　then　
that　I　asked　for　the　pen　and　ink　and　paper；　to　write　to　Peggotty。　
He　not　only　brought　it　immediately；　but　was　good　enough　to　look　
over　me　while　I　wrote　the　letter。　When　I　had　finished　it；　he　asked　
me　where　I　was　going　to　school。　

I　said；　‘Near　London；’　which　was　all　I　knew。　

‘Oh！　my　eye！’　he　said；　looking　very　low…spirited；　‘I　am　sorry　for　
that。’　

‘Why？’　I　asked　him。　

‘Oh；　Lord！’　he　said；　shaking　his　head；　‘that’s　the　school　where　
they　broke　the　boy’s　ribs—two　ribs—a　little　boy　he　was。　I　should　
say　he　was—let　me　see—how　old　are　you；　about？’　

I　told　him　between　eight　and　nine。　

‘That’s　just　his　age；’　he　said。　‘He　was　eight　years　and　six　months　
old　when　they　broke　his　first　rib；　eight　years　and　eight　months　old　

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when　they　broke　his　second；　and　did　for　him。’　

I　could　not　disguise　from　myself；　or　from　the　waiter；　that　this　
was　an　uncomfortable　coincidence；　and　inquired　how　it　was　done。　
His　answer　was　not　cheering　to　my　spirits；　for　it　consisted　of　two　
dismal　words；　‘With　whopping。’　

The　blowing　of　the　coach…horn　in　the　yard　was　a　seasonable　
diversion；　which　made　me　get　up　and　hesitatingly　inquire；　in　the　
mingled　pride　and　diffidence　of　having　a　purse　（which　I　took　out　of　
my　pocket）；　if　there　were　anything　to　pay。　

‘There’s　a　sheet　of　letter…paper；’　he　returned。　‘Did　you　ever　buy　
a　sheet　of　letter…paper？’　

I　could　not　remember　that　I　ever　had。　

‘It’s　dear；’　he　said；　‘on　account　of　the　duty。　Threepence。　That’s　
the　way　we’re　taxed　in　this　country。　There’s　nothing　else；　except　
the　waiter。　Never　mind　the　ink。　I　lose　by　that。’　

‘What　should　you—what　should　I—how　much　ought　I　to—what　
would　it　be　right　to　pay　the　waiter；　if　you　please？’　I　stammered；　
blushing。　

‘If　I　hadn’t　a　family；　and　that　family　hadn’t　the　cowpock；’　said　
the　waiter；　‘I　wouldn’t　take　a　sixpence。　If　I　didn’t　support　a　aged　
pairint；　and　a　lovely　sister；’—here　the　waiter　was　greatly　
agitated—‘I　wouldn’t　take　a　farthing。　If　I　had　a　good　place；　and　
was　treated　well　here；　I　should　beg　acceptance　of　a　trifle；　instead　
of　taking　of　it。　But　I　live　on　broken　wittles—and　I　sleep　on　the　
coals’—here　the　waiter　burst　into　tears。　

I　was　very　much　concerned　for　his　misfortunes；　and　felt　that　
any　recognition　short　of　ninepence　would　be　mere　brutality　and　
hardness　of　heart。　Therefore　I　gave　him　one　of　my　three　bright　
shillings；　which　he　received　with　much　humility　and　veneration；　

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and　spun　up　with　his　thumb；　directly　afterwards；　to　try　the　
goodness　of。　

It　was　a　little　disconcerting　to　me；　to　find；　when　I　was　being　
helped　up　behind　the　coach；　that　I　was　supposed　to　have　eaten　all　
the　dinner　without　any　assistance。　I　discovered　this；　from　
overhearing　the　lady　in　the　bow…window　say　to　the　guard；　‘Take　
care　of　that　child；　George；　or　he’ll　burst！’　and　from　observing　that　
the　women…servants　who　were　about　the　place　came　out　to　look　
and　giggle　at　me　as　a　young　phenomenon。　My　unfortunate　friend　
the　waiter；　who　had　quite　recovered　his　spirits；　did　not　appear　to　
be　disturbed　by　this；　but　joined　in　the　general　admiration　without　
being　at　all　confused。　If　I　had　any　doubt　of　him；　I　suppose　this　half　
awakened　it；　but　I　am　inclined　to　believe　that　with　the　simple　
confidence　of　a　child；　and　the　natural　reliance　of　a　child　upon　
superior　years　（qualities　I　am　very　sorry　any　children　should　
prematurely　change　for　worldly　wisdom）；　I　had　no　serious　mistrust　
of　him　on　the　whole；　even　then。　

I　felt　it　rather　hard；　I　must　own；　to　be　made；　without　deserving　
it；　the　subject　of　jokes　between　the　coachman　and　guard　as　to　the　
coach　drawing　heavy　behind；　on　account　of　my　sitting　there；　and　
as　to　the　greater　expediency　of　my　travelling　by　waggon。　The　story　
of　my　supposed　appetite　getting　wind　among　the　outside　
passengers；　they　were　merry　upon　it　likewise；　and　asked　me　
whether　I　was　going　to　be　paid　for；　at　school；　as　two　brothers　or　
three；　and　whether　I　was　contracted　for；　or　went　upon　the　regular　
terms；　with　other　pleasant　questions。　But　the　worst　of　it　was；　that　I　
knew　I　should　be　ashamed　to　eat　anything；　when　an　opportunity　
offered；　and　that；　after　a　rather　light　dinner；　I　should　remain　
hungry　all　night—for　I　had　left　my　cakes　behind；　at　the　hotel；　in　

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my　hurry。　My　apprehensions　were　realized。　When　we　stopped　for　
supper　I　couldn’t　muster　courage　to　take　any；　though　I　should　
have　liked　it　very　much；　but　sat　by　the　fire　and　said　I　didn’t　want　
anything。　This　did　not　save　me　from　more　jokes；　either；　for　a　
husky…voiced　gentleman　with　a　rough　face；　who　had　been　eating　
out　of　a　sandwich…box　nearly　all　the　way；　except　when　he　had　been　
drinking　out　of　a　bottle；　said　I　was　like　a　boa…constrictor　who　took　
enough　at　one　meal　to　last　him　a　long　time；　after　which；　he　
actually　brought　a　rash　out　upon　himself　with　boiled　beef。　

We　had　started　from　Yarmouth　at　three　o’clock　in　the　
afternoon；　and　we　were　due　in　London　about　eight　next　morning。　
It　was　Mid…summer　weather；　and　the　evening　was　very　pleasant。　
When　we　passed　through　a　village；　I　pictured　to　myself　what　the　
insides　of　the　houses　were　like；　and　what　the　inhabitants　were　
about；　and　when　bo