david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第26部分

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in　one　particular　instance；　in　an　unflinching　manner　that　was　a　
little　tantalizing；　I　suspect；　to　poor　Traddles　and　the　rest。　
Peggotty’s　promised　letter—what　a　comfortable　letter　it　was！—　
arrived　before　‘the　half’　was　many　weeks　old；　and　with　it　a　cake　in　
a　perfect　nest　of　oranges；　and　two　bottles　of　cowslip　wine。　This　
treasure；　as　in　duty　bound；　I　laid　at　the　feet　of　Steerforth；　and　
begged　him　to　dispense。　

‘Now；　I’ll　tell　you　what；　young　Copperfield；’　said　he：　‘the　wine　
shall　be　kept　to　wet　your　whistle　when　you　are　story…telling。’　

I　blushed　at　the　idea；　and　begged　him；　in　my　modesty；　not　to　
think　of　it。　But　he　said　he　had　observed　I　was　sometimes　hoarse—　
a　little　roopy　was　his　exact　expression—and　it　should　be；　every　
drop；　devoted　to　the　purpose　he　had　mentioned。　Accordingly；　it　
was　locked　up　in　his　box；　and　drawn　off　by　himself　in　a　phial；　and　
administered　to　me　through　a　piece　of　quill　in　the　cork；　when　I　
was　supposed　to　be　in　want　of　a　restorative。　Sometimes；　to　make　it　
a　more　sovereign　specific；　he　was　so　kind　as　to　squeeze　orange　
juice　into　it；　or　to　stir　it　up　with　ginger；　or　dissolve　a　peppermint　
drop　in　it；　and　although　I　cannot　assert　that　the　flavour　was　

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David　Copperfield　

improved　by　these　experiments；　or　that　it　was　exactly　the　
compound　one　would　have　chosen　for　a　stomachic；　the　last　thing　
at　night　and　the　first　thing　in　the　morning；　I　drank　it　gratefully　and　
was　very　sensible　of　his　attention。　

We　seem；　to　me；　to　have　been　months　over　Peregrine；　and　
months　more　over　the　other　stories。　The　institution　never　flagged　
for　want　of　a　story；　I　am　certain；　and　the　wine　lasted　out　almost　as　
well　as　the　matter。　Poor　Traddles—I　never　think　of　that　boy　but　
with　a　strange　disposition　to　laugh；　and　with　tears　in　my　eyes—　
was　a　sort　of　chorus；　in　general；　and　affected　to　be　convulsed　with　
mirth　at　the　comic　parts；　and　to　be　overcome　with　fear　when　there　
was　any　passage　of　an　alarming　character　in　the　narrative。　This　
rather　put　me　out；　very　often。　It　was　a　great　jest　of　his；　I　recollect；　
to　pretend　that　he　couldn’t　keep　his　teeth　from　chattering；　
whenever　mention　was　made　of　an　Alguazill　in　connexion　with　the　
adventures　of　Gil　Blas；　and　I　remember　that　when　Gil　Blas　met　
the　captain　of　the　robbers　in　Madrid；　this　unlucky　joker　
counterfeited　such　an　ague　of　terror；　that　he　was　overheard　by　Mr。　
Creakle；　who　was　prowling　about　the　passage；　and　handsomely　
flogged　for　disorderly　conduct　in　the　bedroom。　Whatever　I　had　
within　me　that　was　romantic　and　dreamy；　was　encouraged　by　so　
much　story…telling　in　the　dark；　and　in　that　respect　the　pursuit　may　
not　have　been　very　profitable　to　me。　But　the　being　cherished　as　a　
kind　of　plaything　in　my　room；　and　the　consciousness　that　this　
accomplishment　of　mine　was　bruited　about　among　the　boys；　and　
attracted　a　good　deal　of　notice　to　me　though　I　was　the　youngest　
there；　stimulated　me　to　exertion。　In　a　school　carried　on　by　sheer　
cruelty；　whether　it　is　presided　over　by　a　dunce　or　not；　there　is　not　
likely　to　be　much　learnt。　I　believe　our　boys　were；　generally；　as　

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David　Copperfield　

ignorant　a　set　as　any　schoolboys　in　existence；　they　were　too　much　
troubled　and　knocked　about　to　learn；　they　could　no　more　do　that　
to　advantage；　than　any　one　can　do　anything　to　advantage　in　a　life　
of　constant　misfortune；　torment；　and　worry。　But　my　little　vanity；　
and　Steerforth’s　help；　urged　me　on　somehow；　and　without　saving　
me　from　much；　if　anything；　in　the　way　of　punishment；　made　me；　
for　the　time　I　was　there；　an　exception　to　the　general　body；　
insomuch　that　I　did　steadily　pick　up　some　crumbs　of　knowledge。　

In　this　I　was　much　assisted　by　Mr。　Mell；　who　had　a　liking　for　me　
that　I　am　grateful　to　remember。　It　always　gave　me　pain　to　observe　
that　Steerforth　treated　him　with　systematic　disparagement；　and　
seldom　lost　an　occasion　of　wounding　his　feelings；　or　inducing　
others　to　do　so。　This　troubled　me　the　more　for　a　long　time；　because　
I　had　soon　told　Steerforth；　from　whom　I　could　no　more　keep　such　
a　secret；　than　I　could　keep　a　cake　or　any　other　tangible　possession；　
about　the　two　old　women　Mr。　Mell　had　taken　me　to　see；　and　I　was　
always　afraid　that　Steerforth　would　let　it　out；　and　twit　him　with　it。　

We　little　thought；　any　one　of　us；　I　dare　say；　when　I　ate　my　
breakfast　that　first　morning；　and　went　to　sleep　under　the　shadow　
of　the　peacock’s　feathers　to　the　sound　of　the　flute；　what　
consequences　would　come　of　the　introduction　into　those　almshouses　of　my　insignificant　person。　But　the　visit　had　its　unforeseen　
consequences；　and　of　a　serious　sort；　too；　in　their　way。　

One　day　when　Mr。　Creakle　kept　the　house　from　indisposition；　
which　naturally　diffused　a　lively　joy　through　the　school；　there　was　
a　good　deal　of　noise　in　the　course　of　the　morning’s　work。　The　great　
relief　and　satisfaction　experienced　by　the　boys　made　them　difficult　
to　manage；　and　though　the　dreaded　Tungay　brought　his　wooden　
leg　in　twice　or　thrice；　and　took　notes　of　the　principal　offenders’　

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names；　no　great　impression　was　made　by　it；　as　they　were　pretty　
sure　of　getting　into　trouble　tomorrow；　do　what　they　would；　and　
thought　it　wise；　no　doubt；　to　enjoy　themselves　today。　

It　was；　properly；　a　half…holiday；　being　Saturday。　But　as　the　
noise　in　the　playground　would　have　disturbed　Mr。　Creakle；　and　
the　weather　was　not　favourable　for　going　out　walking；　we　were　
ordered　into　school　in　the　afternoon；　and　set　some　lighter　tasks　
than　usual；　which　were　made　for　the　occasion。　It　was　the　day　of　
the　week　on　which　Mr。　Sharp　went　out　to　get　his　wig　curled；　so　
Mr。　Mell；　who　always　did　the　drudgery；　whatever　it　was；　kept　
school　by　himself。　If　I　could　associate　the　idea　of　a　bull　or　a　bear　
with　anyone　so　mild　as　Mr。　Mell；　I　should　think　of　him；　in　
connexion　with　that　afternoon　when　the　uproar　was　at　its　height；　
as　of　one　of　those　animals；　baited　by　a　thousand　dogs。　I　recall　him　
bending　his　aching　head；　supported　on　his　bony　hand；　over　the　
book　on　his　desk；　and　wretchedly　endeavouring　to　get　on　with　his　
tiresome　work；　amidst　an　uproar　that　might　have　made　the　
Speaker　of　the　House　of　Commons　giddy。　Boys　started　in　and　out　
of　their　places；　playing　at　puss　in　the　corner　with　other　boys；　there　
were　laughing　boys；　singing　boys；　talking　boys；　dancing　boys；　
howling　boys；　boys　shuffled　with　their　feet；　boys　whirled　about　
him；　grinning；　making　faces；　mimicking　him　behind　his　back　and　
before　his　eyes；　mimicking　his　poverty；　his　boots；　his　coat；　his　
mother；　everything　belonging　to　him　that　they　should　have　had　
consideration　for。　

‘Silence！’　cried　Mr。　Mell；　suddenly　rising　up；　and　striking　his　
desk　with　the　book。　‘What　does　this　mean！　It’s　impossible　to　bear　
it。　It’s　maddening。　How　can　you　do　it　to　me；　boys？’　

It　was　my　book　that　he　struck　his　desk　with；　and　as　I　stood　

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beside　him；　following　his　eye　as　it　glanced　round　the　room；　I　saw　
the　boys　all　stop；　some　suddenly　surprised；　some　half　afraid；　and　
some　sorry　perhaps。　

Steerforth’s　place　was　at　the　bottom　of　the　school；　at　the　
opposite　end　of　the　long　room。　He　was　lounging　with　his　back　
against　the　wall；　and　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　looked　at　Mr。　
Mell　with　his　mouth　shut　up　as　if　he　were　whistling；　when　Mr。　Mell　
looked　at　him。　

‘Silence；　Mr。　Steerforth！’　said　Mr。　Mell。　

‘Silence　yourself；’　said　Steerforth；　turning　red。　‘Whom　are　you　
talking　to？’　

‘Sit　down；’　said　Mr。　Mell。　

‘Sit　down　yourself；’　said　Steerforth；　‘and　mind　your　business。’　

There　was　a　titter；　and　some　applause；　but　Mr。　Mell　was　so　
white；　that　silence　immediately　succeeded；　and　one　boy；　who　had　
darted　out　behind　him　to　imitate　his　mother　again；　changed　his　
mind；　and　pretended　to　want　a　pen　mended。　

‘If　you　think；　Steerforth；’　said　Mr。　Mell；　‘that　I　am　not　
acquainted　with　the　power　you　can　establish　over　any　mind　
here’—he　laid　his　hand；　without　considering　what　he　did　（as　I　
supposed）；　upon　my　head—‘or　that　I　have　not　observed　you；　
within　a　few　minutes；　urging　your　juniors　on　to　every　sort　of　
outrage　against　me；　you　are　mistaken。’　

‘I　don’t　give　myself　the　trouble　of　thinking　at　all　about　you；’　said　
Steerforth；　coolly；　‘so　I’m　not　mistaken；　as　it　happens。’　

‘And　when　you　make　use　of　your　position　of　favouritism　here；　
sir；’　pursued　Mr。　Mell；　with　his　lip　trembling　very　much；　‘to　insult　
a　gentleman—’　

‘A　what？—where　is　he？’　said　Steerforth。　

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Here　somebody　cried　out；　‘Shame；　J。　Steerforth！　Too　bad！’　It　
was　Traddles；　whom　Mr。　Mell　instantly　discomfited　by　bidding　
him　hold　his　tongue。　

—‘To　insult　one　who　is　not　fortunate　in　life；　sir；　and　who　never　
gave　you　the　least　offence；　and　the　many　reasons　for　not　insulting　
whom　you　are　old　enough　and　wise　enough　to　understand；’　said　
Mr。　Mell；　with　his　lips　trembling　more　and　more；　‘you　commit　a　
mean　and　base　action。　You　can　sit　down　or　stand　up