david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第20部分

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insides　of　the　houses　were　like；　and　what　the　inhabitants　were　
about；　and　when　boys　came　running　after　us；　and　got　up　behind　
and　swung　there　for　a　little　way；　I　wondered　whether　their　fathers　
were　alive；　and　whether　they　Were　happy　at　home。　I　had　plenty　to　
think　of；　therefore；　besides　my　mind　running　continually　on　the　
kind　of　place　I　was　going　to—which　was　an　awful　speculation。　
Sometimes；　I　remember；　I　resigned　myself　to　thoughts　of　home　
and　Peggotty；　and　to　endeavouring；　in　a　confused　blind　way；　to　
recall　how　I　had　felt；　and　what　sort　of　boy　I　used　to　be；　before　I　bit　
Mr。　Murdstone：　which　I　couldn’t　satisfy　myself　about　by　any　
means；　I　seemed　to　have　bitten　him　in　such　a　remote　antiquity。　

The　night　was　not　so　pleasant　as　the　evening；　for　it　got　chilly；　
and　being　put　between　two　gentlemen　（the　rough…faced　one　and　
another）　to　prevent　my　tumbling　off　the　coach；　I　was　nearly　
smothered　by　their　falling　asleep；　and　completely　blocking　me　up。　
They　squeezed　me　so　hard　sometimes；　that　I　could　not　help　crying　

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David　Copperfield　

out；　‘Oh！　If　you　please！’—which　they　didn’t　like　at　all；　because　it　
woke　them。　Opposite　me　was　an　elderly　lady　in　a　great　fur　cloak；　
who　looked　in　the　dark　more　like　a　haystack　than　a　lady；　she　was　
wrapped　up　to　such　a　degree。　This　lady　had　a　basket　with　her；　and　
she　hadn’t　known　what　to　do　with　it；　for　a　long　time；　until　she　
found　that　on　account　of　my　legs　being　short；　it　could　go　
underneath　me。　It　cramped　and　hurt　me　so；　that　it　made　me　
perfectly　miserable；　but　if　I　moved　in　the　least；　and　made　a　glass　
that　was　in　the　basket　rattle　against　something　else　（as　it　was　sure　
to　do）；　she　gave　me　the　cruellest　poke　with　her　foot；　and　said；　
‘Come；　don’t　you　fidget。　Your　bones　are　young　enough；　I’m　sure！’　

At　last　the　sun　rose；　and　then　my　companions　seemed　to　sleep　
easier。　The　difficulties　under　which　they　had　laboured　all　night；　
and　which　had　found　utterance　in　the　most　terrific　gasps　and　
snorts；　are　not　to　be　conceived。　As　the　sun　got　higher；　their　sleep　
became　lighter；　and　so　they　gradually　one　by　one　awoke。　I　
recollect　being　very　much　surprised　by　the　feint　everybody　made；　
then；　of　not　having　been　to　sleep　at　all；　and　by　the　uncommon　
indignation　with　which　everyone　repelled　the　charge。　I　labour　
under　the　same　kind　of　astonishment　to　this　day；　having　invariably　
observed　that　of　all　human　weaknesses；　the　one　to　which　our　
common　nature　is　the　least　disposed　to　confess　（I　cannot　imagine　
why）　is　the　weakness　of　having　gone　to　sleep　in　a　coach。　

What　an　amazing　place　London　was　to　me　when　I　saw　it　in　the　
distance；　and　how　I　believed　all　the　adventures　of　all　my　favourite　
heroes　to　be　constantly　enacting　and　re…enacting　there；　and　how　I　
vaguely　made　it　out　in　my　own　mind　to　be　fuller　of　wonders　and　
wickedness　than　all　the　cities　of　the　earth；　I　need　not　stop　here　to　
relate。　We　approached　it　by　degrees；　and　got；　in　due　time；　to　the　

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David　Copperfield　

inn　in　the　Whitechapel　district；　for　which　we　were　bound。　I　forget　
whether　it　was　the　Blue　Bull；　or　the　Blue　Boar；　but　I　know　it　was　
the　Blue　Something；　and　that　its　likeness　was　painted　up　on　the　
back　of　the　coach。　

The　guard’s　eye　lighted　on　me　as　he　was　getting　down；　and　he　
said　at　the　booking…office　door：　

‘Is　there　anybody　here　for　a　yoongster　booked　in　the　name　of　
Murdstone；　from　Bloonderstone；　Sooffolk；　to　be　left　till　called　for？’　

Nobody　answered。　

‘Try　Copperfield；　if　you　please；　sir；’　said　I；　looking　helplessly　
down。　

‘Is　there　anybody　here　for　a　yoongster；　booked　in　the　name　of　
Murdstone；　from　Bloonderstone；　Sooffolk；　but　owning　to　the　name　
of　Copperfield；　to　be　left　till　called　for？’　said　the　guard。　‘Come！　Is　
there　anybody？’　

No。　There　was　nobody。　I　looked　anxiously　around；　but　the　
inquiry　made　no　impression　on　any　of　the　bystanders；　if　I　except　a　
man　in　gaiters；　with　one　eye；　who　suggested　that　they　had　better　
put　a　brass　collar　round　my　neck；　and　tie　me　up　in　the　stable。　

A　ladder　was　brought；　and　I　got　down　after　the　lady；　who　was　
like　a　haystack：　not　daring　to　stir；　until　her　basket　was　removed。　
The　coach　was　clear　of　passengers　by　that　time；　the　luggage　was　
very　soon　cleared　out；　the　horses　had　been　taken　out　before　the　
luggage；　and　now　the　coach　itself　was　wheeled　and　backed　off　by　
some　hostlers；　out　of　the　way。　Still；　nobody　appeared；　to　claim　the　
dusty　youngster　from　Blunderstone；　Suffolk。　

More　solitary　than　Robinson　Crusoe；　who　had　nobody　to　look　at　
him　and　see　that　he　was　solitary；　I　went　into　the　booking…office；　
and；　by　invitation　of　the　clerk　on　duty；　passed　behind　the　counter；　

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David　Copperfield　

and　sat　down　on　the　scale　at　which　they　weighed　the　luggage。　
Here；　as　I　sat　looking　at　the　parcels；　packages；　and　books；　and　
inhaling　the　smell　of　stables　（ever　since　associated　with　that　
morning）；　a　procession　of　most　tremendous　considerations　began　
to　march　through　my　mind。　Supposing　nobody　should　ever　fetch　
me；　how　long　would　they　consent　to　keep　me　there？　Would　they　
keep　me　long　enough　to　spend　seven　shillings？　Should　I　sleep　at　
night　in　one　of　those　wooden　bins；　with　the　other　luggage；　and　
wash　myself　at　the　pump　in　the　yard　in　the　morning；　or　should　I　
be　turned　out　every　night；　and　expected　to　come　again　to　be　left　
till　called　for；　when　the　office　opened　next　day？　Supposing　there　
was　no　mistake　in　the　case；　and　Mr。　Murdstone　had　devised　this　
plan　to　get　rid　of　me；　what　should　I　do？　If　they　allowed　me　to　
remain　there　until　my　seven　shillings　were　spent；　I　couldn’t　hope　
to　remain　there　when　I　began　to　starve。　That　would　obviously　be　
inconvenient　and　unpleasant　to　the　customers；　besides　entailing　
on　the　Blue　Whatever…it…was；　the　risk　of　funeral　expenses。　If　I　
started　off　at　once；　and　tried　to　walk　back　home；　how　could　I　ever　
find　my　way；　how　could　I　ever　hope　to　walk　so　far；　how　could　I　
make　sure　of　anyone　but　Peggotty；　even　if　I　got　back？　If　I　found　
out　the　nearest　proper　authorities；　and　offered　myself　to　go　for　a　
soldier；　or　a　sailor；　I　was　such　a　little　fellow　that　it　was　most　likely　
they　wouldn’t　take　me　in。　These　thoughts；　and　a　hundred　other　
such　thoughts；　turned　me　burning　hot；　and　made　me　giddy　with　
apprehension　and　dismay。　I　was　in　the　height　of　my　fever　when　a　
man　entered　and　whispered　to　the　clerk；　who　presently　slanted　me　
off　the　scale；　and　pushed　me　over　to　him；　as　if　I　were　weighed；　
bought；　delivered；　and　paid　for。　

As　I　went　out　of　the　office；　hand　in　hand　with　this　new　

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David　Copperfield　

acquaintance；　I　stole　a　look　at　him。　He　was　a　gaunt；　sallow　young　
man；　with　hollow　cheeks；　and　a　chin　almost　as　black　as　Mr。　
Murdstone’s；　but　there　the　likeness　ended；　for　his　whiskers　were　
shaved　off；　and　his　hair；　instead　of　being　glossy；　was　rusty　and　dry。　
He　was　dressed　in　a　suit　of　black　clothes　which　were　rather　rusty　
and　dry　too；　and　rather　short　in　the　sleeves　and　legs；　and　he　had　a　
white　neck…kerchief　on；　that　was　not　over…clean。　I　did　not；　and　do　
not；　suppose　that　this　neck…kerchief　was　all　the　linen　he　wore；　but　
it　was　all　he　showed　or　gave　any　hint　of。　

‘You’re　the　new　boy？’　he　said。　‘Yes；　sir；’　I　said。　

I　supposed　I　was。　I　didn’t　know。　

‘I’m　one　of　the　masters　at　Salem　House；’　he　said。　

I　made　him　a　bow　and　felt　very　much　overawed。　I　was　so　
ashamed　to　allude　to　a　commonplace　thing　like　my　box；　to　a　
scholar　and　a　master　at　Salem　House；　that　we　had　gone　some　little　
distance　from　the　yard　before　I　had　the　hardihood　to　mention　it。　
We　turned　back；　on　my　humbly　insinuating　that　it　might　be　useful　
to　me　hereafter；　and　he　told　the　clerk　that　the　carrier　had　
instructions　to　call　for　it　at　noon。　

‘If　you　please；　sir；’　I　said；　when　we　had　accomplished　about　the　
same　distance　as　before；　‘is　it　far？’　

‘It’s　down　by　Blackheath；’　he　said。　

‘Is　that　far；　sir？’　I　diffidently　asked。　

‘It’s　a　good　step；’　he　said。　‘We　shall　go　by　the　stage…coach。　It’s　
about　six　miles。’　

I　was　so　faint　and　tired；　that　the　idea　of　holding　out　for　six　miles　
more；　was　too　much　for　me。　I　took　heart　to　tell　him　that　I　had　had　
nothing　all　night；　and　that　if　he　would　allow　me　to　buy　something　
to　eat；　I　should　be　very　much　obliged　to　him。　He　appeared　

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David　Copperfield　

surprised　at　this—I　see　him　stop　and　look　at　me　now—and　after　
considering　for　a　few　moments；　said　he　wanted　to　call　on　an　old　
person　who　lived　not　far　off；　and　that　the　best　way　would　be　for　me　
to　buy　some　bread；　or　whatever　I　liked　best　that　was　wholesome；　
and　make　my　breakfast　at　her　house；　where　we　could　get　some　
milk。　

Accordingly　we　looked　in　at　a　baker’s　window；　and　after　I　had　
made　a　series　of　proposals　to　buy　everything　that　was　bilious　in　
the　shop；　and　he　had　rejected　them　one　by　one；　we　decided　in　
favour　of　a　nice　little　loaf　of　brown　bread；　which　cost　me　
threepence。　Then；　at　a　grocer’s　shop；　we　bought　an　egg　and　a　slice　
of　streaky　bacon；　which