david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第23部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

teeth　are　to　be　filed！　Turn　him　round。’　

The　wooden…legged　man　turned　me　about　so　as　to　exhibit　the　
placard；　and　having　afforded　time　for　a　full　survey　of　it；　turned　me　
about　again；　with　my　face　to　Mr。　Creakle；　and　posted　himself　at　
Mr。　Creakle’s　side。　Mr。　Creakle’s　face　was　fiery；　and　his　eyes　were　
small；　and　deep　in　his　head；　he　had　thick　veins　in　his　forehead；　a　
little　nose；　and　a　large　chin。　He　was　bald　on　the　top　of　his　head；　
and　had　some　thin　wet…looking　hair　that　was　just　turning　grey；　
brushed　across　each　temple；　so　that　the　two　sides　interlaced　on　his　
forehead。　But　the　circumstance　about　him　which　impressed　me　
most；　was；　that　he　had　no　voice；　but　spoke　in　a　whisper。　The　
exertion　this　cost　him；　or　the　consciousness　of　talking　in　that　
feeble　way；　made　his　angry　face　so　much　more　angry；　and　his　thick　
veins　so　much　thicker；　when　he　spoke；　that　I　am　not　surprised；　on　
looking　back；　at　this　peculiarity　striking　me　as　his　chief　one。　‘Now；’　
said　Mr。　Creakle。　‘What’s　the　report　of　this　boy？’　

‘There’s　nothing　against　him　yet；’　returned　the　man　with　the　
wooden　leg。　‘There　has　been　no　opportunity。’　

I　thought　Mr。　Creakle　was　disappointed。　I　thought　Mrs。　and　
Miss　Creakle　（at　whom　I　now　glanced　for　the　first　time；　and　who　
were；　both；　thin　and　quiet）　were　not　disappointed。　

‘Come　here；　sir！’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　beckoning　to　me。　

‘Come　here！’　said　the　man　with　the　wooden　leg；　repeating　the　
gesture。　

‘I　have　the　happiness　of　knowing　your　father…in…law；’　whispered　
Mr。　Creakle；　taking　me　by　the　ear；　‘and　a　worthy　man　he　is；　and　a　
man　of　a　strong　character。　He　knows　me；　and　I　know　him。　Do　you　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

know　me？　Hey？’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　pinching　my　ear　with　ferocious　

playfulness。　

‘Not　yet；　sir；’　I　said；　flinching　with　the　pain。　

‘Not　yet？　Hey？’　repeated　Mr。　Creakle。　‘But　you　will　soon。　Hey？’　

‘You　will　soon。　Hey？’　repeated　the　man　with　the　wooden　leg。　I　
afterwards　found　that　he　generally　acted；　with　his　strong　voice；　as　
Mr。　Creakle’s　interpreter　to　the　boys。　

I　was　very　much　frightened；　and　said；　I　hoped　so；　if　he　pleased。　
I　felt；　all　this　while；　as　if　my　ear　were　blazing；　he　pinched　it　so　
hard。　

‘I’ll　tell　you　what　I　am；’　whispered　Mr。　Creakle；　letting　it　go　at　
last；　with　a　screw　at　parting　that　brought　the　water　into　my　eyes。　
‘I’m　a　Tartar。’　

‘A　Tartar；’　said　the　man　with　the　wooden　leg。　

‘When　I　say　I’ll　do　a　thing；　I　do　it；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　‘and　when　I　
say　I　will　have　a　thing　done；　I　will　have　it　done。’　

‘—Will　have　a　thing　done；　I　will　have　it　done；’　repeated　the　man　
with　the　wooden　leg。　

‘I　am　a　determined　character；’　said　Mr。　Creakle。　‘That’s　what　I　
am。　I　do　my　duty。　That’s　what　I　do。　My　flesh　and　blood’—he　looked　
at　Mrs。　Creakle　as　he　said　this—‘when　it　rises　against　me；　is　not　
my　flesh　and　blood。　I　discard　it。　Has　that　fellow’—to　the　man　with　
the　wooden　leg—‘been　here　again？’　

‘No；’　was　the　answer。　

‘No；’　said　Mr。　Creakle。　‘He　knows　better。　He　knows　me。　Let　him　
keep　away。　I　say　let　him　keep　away；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　striking　his　
hand　upon　the　table；　and　looking　at　Mrs。　Creakle；　‘for　he　knows　
me。　Now　you　have　begun　to　know　me　too；　my　young　friend；　and　
you　may　go。　Take　him　away。’　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

I　was　very　glad　to　be　ordered　away；　for　Mrs。　and　Miss　Creakle　
were　both　wiping　their　eyes；　and　I　felt　as　uncomfortable　for　them　
as　I　did　for　myself。　But　I　had　a　petition　on　my　mind　which　
concerned　me　so　nearly；　that　I　couldn’t　help　saying；　though　I　
wondered　at　my　own　courage：　

‘If　you　please；　sir—’　

Mr。　Creakle　whispered；　‘Hah！　What’s　this？’　and　bent　his　eyes　
upon　me；　as　if　he　would　have　burnt　me　up　with　them。　

‘If　you　please；　sir；’　I　faltered；　‘if　I　might　be　allowed　（I　am　very　
sorry　indeed；　sir；　for　what　I　did）　to　take　this　writing　off；　before　the　
boys　come　back—’　

Whether　Mr。　Creakle　was　in　earnest；　or　whether　he　only　did　it　
to　frighten　me；　I　don’t　know；　but　he　made　a　burst　out　of　his　chair；　
before　which　I　precipitately　retreated；　without　waiting　for　the　
escort　Of　the　man　with　the　wooden　leg；　and　never　once　stopped　
until　I　reached　my　own　bedroom；　where；　finding　I　was　not　
pursued；　I　went　to　bed；　as　it　was　time；　and　lay　quaking；　for　a　
couple　of　hours。　

Next　morning　Mr。　Sharp　came　back。　Mr。　Sharp　was　the　first　
master；　and　superior　to　Mr。　Mell。　Mr。　Mell　took　his　meals　with　the　
boys；　but　Mr。　Sharp　dined　and　supped　at　Mr。　Creakle’s　table。　He　
was　a　limp；　delicate…looking　gentleman；　I　thought；　with　a　good　deal　
of　nose；　and　a　way　of　carrying　his　head　on　one　side；　as　if　it　were　a　
little　too　heavy　for　him。　His　hair　was　very　smooth　and　wavy；　but　I　
was　informed　by　the　very　first　boy　who　came　back　that　it　was　a　wig　
（a　second…hand　one　he　said）；　and　that　Mr。　Sharp　went　out　every　
Saturday　afternoon　to　get　it　curled。　

It　was　no　other　than　Tommy　Traddles　who　gave　me　this　piece　
of　intelligence。　He　was　the　first　boy　who　returned。　He　introduced　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

himself　by　informing　me　that　I　should　find　his　name　on　the　right…
hand　corner　of　the　gate；　over　the　top…bolt；　upon　that　I　said；　
‘Traddles？’　to　which　he　replied；　‘The　same；’　and　then　he　asked　me　
for　a　full　account　of　myself　and　family。　

It　was　a　happy　circumstance　for　me　that　Traddles　came　back　
first。　He　enjoyed　my　placard　so　much；　that　he　saved　me　from　the　
embarrassment　of　either　disclosure　or　concealment；　by　presenting　
me　to　every　other　boy　who　came　back；　great　or　small；　immediately　
on　his　arrival；　in　this　form　of　introduction；　‘Look　here！　Here’s　a　
game！’　Happily；　too；　the　greater　part　of　the　boys　came　back　low…
spirited；　and　were　not　so　boisterous　at　my　expense　as　I　had　
expected。　Some　of　them　certainly　did　dance　about　me　like　wild　
Indians；　and　the　greater　part　could　not　resist　the　temptation　of　
pretending　that　I　was　a　dog；　and　patting　and　soothing　me；　lest　I　
should　bite；　and　saying；　‘Lie　down；　sir！’　and　calling　me　Towzer。　
This　was　naturally　confusing；　among　so　many　strangers；　and　cost　
me　some　tears；　but　on　the　whole　it　was　much　better　than　I　had　
anticipated。　

I　was　not　considered　as　being　formally　received　into　the　school；　
however；　until　J。　Steerforth　arrived。　Before　this　boy；　who　was　
reputed　to　be　a　great　scholar；　and　was　very　good…looking；　and　at　
least　half…a…dozen　years　my　senior；　I　was　carried　as　before　a　
magistrate。　He　inquired；　under　a　shed　in　the　playground；　into　the　
particulars　of　my　punishment；　and　was　pleased　to　express　his　
opinion　that　it　was　‘a　jolly　shame’；　for　which　I　became　bound　to　
him　ever　afterwards。　

‘What　money　have　you　got；　Copperfield？’　he　said；　walking　aside　
with　me　when　he　had　disposed　of　my　affair　in　these　terms。　I　told　
him　seven　shillings。　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

‘You　had　better　give　it　to　me　to　take　care　of；’　he　said。　‘At　least；　
you　can　if　you　like。　You　needn’t　if　you　don’t　like。’　

I　hastened　to　comply　with　his　friendly　suggestion；　and　opening　
Peggotty’s　purse；　turned　it　upside　down　into　his　hand。　

‘Do　you　want　to　spend　anything　now？’　he　asked　me。　

‘No　thank　you；’　I　replied。　

‘You　can；　if　you　like；　you　know；’　said　Steerforth。　‘Say　the　word。’　

‘No；　thank　you；　sir；’　I　repeated。　

‘Perhaps　you’d　like　to　spend　a　couple　of　shillings　or　so；　in　a　
bottle　of　currant　wine　by　and　by；　up　in　the　bedroom？’　said　
Steerforth。　‘You　belong　to　my　bedroom；　I　find。’　

It　certainly　had　not　occurred　to　me　before；　but　I　said；　Yes；　I　
should　like　that。　

‘Very　good；’　said　Steerforth。　‘You’ll　be　glad　to　spend　another　
shilling　or　so；　in　almond　cakes；　I　dare　say？’　

I　said；　Yes；　I　should　like　that；　too。　

‘And　another　shilling　or　so　in　biscuits；　and　another　in　fruit；　eh？’　
said　Steerforth。　‘I　say；　young　Copperfield；　you’re　going　it！’　

I　smiled　because　he　smiled；　but　I　was　a　little　troubled　in　my　
mind；　too。　

‘Well！’　said　Steerforth。　‘We　must　make　it　stretch　as　far　as　we　
can；　that’s　all。　I’ll　do　the　best　in　my　power　for　you。　I　can　go　out　
when　I　like；　and　I’ll　smuggle　the　prog　in。’　With　these　words　he　put　
the　money　in　his　pocket；　and　kindly　told　me　not　to　make　myself　
uneasy；　he　would　take　care　it　should　be　all　right。　He　was　as　good　
as　his　word；　if　that　were　all　right　which　I　had　a　secret　misgiving　
was　nearly　all　wrong—for　I　feared　it　was　a　waste　of　my　mother’s　
two　half…crowns—though　I　had　preserved　the　piece　of　paper　they　
were　wrapped　in：　which　was　a　precious　saving。　When　we　went　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

upstairs　to　bed；　he　produced　the　whole　seven　shillings’　worth；　and　
laid　it　out　on　my　bed　in　the　moonlight；　saying：　

‘There　you　are；　young　Copperfield；　and　a　royal　spread　you’ve　
got。’　

I　couldn’t　think　of　doing　the　honours　of　the　feast；　at　my　time　of　
life；　while　he　was　by；　my　hand　shook　at　the　very　thought　of　it。　I　
begged　him　to　do　me　the　favour　of　presiding；　and　my　request　
being　seconded　by　the　other　boys　who　were　in　that　roo