david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第34部分

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skeletons；　and　that　he　gave　me　at　parting；　as　a　soother　of　my　
sorrows　and　a　contribution　to　my　peace　of　mind。　

I　left　Salem　House　upon　the　morrow　afternoon。　I　little　thought　
then　that　I　left　it；　never　to　return。　We　travelled　very　slowly　all　
night；　and　did　not　get　into　Yarmouth　before　nine　or　ten　o’clock　in　
the　morning。　I　looked　out　for　Mr。　Barkis；　but　he　was　not　there；　and　
instead　of　him　a　fat；　short…winded；　merry…looking；　little　old　man　in　
black；　with　rusty　little　bunches　of　ribbons　at　the　knees　of　his　
breeches；　black　stockings；　and　a　broad…brimmed　hat；　came　puffing　
up　to　the　coach　window；　and　said：　

‘Master　Copperfield？’　

‘Yes；　sir。’　

‘Will　you　come　with　me；　young　sir；　if　you　please；’　he　said；　

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David　Copperfield　

opening　the　door；　‘and　I　shall　have　the　pleasure　of　taking　you　
home。’　

I　put　my　hand　in　his；　wondering　who　he　was；　and　we　walked　
away　to　a　shop　in　a　narrow　street；　on　which　was　written　OMER；　
DRAPER；　TAILOR；　HABERDASHER；　FUNERAL　FURNISHER；　
&c。　It　was　a　close　and　stifling　little　shop；　full　of　all　sorts　of　clothing；　
made　and　unmade；　including　one　window　full　of　beaver…hats　and　
bonnets。　We　went　into　a　little　back…parlour　behind　the　shop；　where　
we　found　three　young　women　at　work　on　a　quantity　of　black　
materials；　which　were　heaped　upon　the　table；　and　little　bits　and　
cuttings　of　which　were　littered　all　over　the　floor。　There　was　a　good　
fire　in　the　room；　and　a　breathless　smell　of　warm　black　crape—I　did　
not　know　what　the　smell　was　then；　but　I　know　now。　

The　three　young　women；　who　appeared　to　be　very　industrious　
and　comfortable；　raised　their　heads　to　look　at　me；　and　then　went　
on　with　their　work。　Stitch；　stitch；　stitch。　At　the　same　time　there　
came　from　a　workshop　across　a　little　yard　outside　the　window；　a　
regular　sound　of　hammering　that　kept　a　kind　of　tune：　Rat—tat…tat；　
Rat—tat…tat；　Rat—tat…tat；　without　any　variation。　

‘Well；’　said　my　conductor　to　one　of　the　three　young　women。　
‘How　do　you　get　on；　Minnie？’　

‘We　shall　be　ready　by　the　trying…on　time；’　she　replied　gaily；　
without　looking　up。　‘Don’t　you　be　afraid；　father。’　

Mr。　Omer　took　off　his　broad…brimmed　hat；　and　sat　down　and　
panted。　He　was　so　fat　that　he　was　obliged　to　pant　some　time　before　
he　could　say：　

‘That’s　right。’　

‘Father！’　said　Minnie；　playfully。　‘What　a　porpoise　you　do　grow！’　

‘Well；　I　don’t　know　how　it　is；　my　dear；’　he　replied；　considering　

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David　Copperfield　

about　it。　‘I　am　rather　so。’　

‘You　are　such　a　comfortable　man；　you　see；’　said　Minnie。　‘You　
take　things　so　easy。’　

‘No　use　taking　’em　otherwise；　my　dear；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　

‘No；　indeed；’　returned　his　daughter。　‘We　are　all　pretty　gay　here；　
thank　Heaven！　Ain’t　we；　father？’　

‘I　hope　so；　my　dear；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　‘As　I　have　got　my　breath　
now；　I　think　I’ll　measure　this　young　scholar。　Would　you　walk　into　
the　shop；　Master　Copperfield？’　

I　preceded　Mr。　Omer；　in　compliance　with　his　request；　and　after　
showing　me　a　roll　of　cloth　which　he　said　was　extra　super；　and　too　
good　mourning　for　anything　short　of　parents；　he　took　my　various　
dimensions；　and　put　them　down　in　a　book。　While　he　was　recording　
them　he　called　my　attention　to　his　stock　in　trade；　and　to　certain　
fashions　which　he　said　had　‘just　come　up’；　and　to　certain　other　
fashions　which　he　said　had　‘just　gone　out’。　

‘And　by　that　sort　of　thing　we　very　often　lose　a　little　mint　of　
money；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　‘But　fashions　are　like　human　beings。　They　
come　in；　nobody　knows　when；　why；　or　how；　and　they　go　out；　
nobody　knows　when；　why；　or　how。　Everything　is　like　life；　in　my　
opinion；　if　you　look　at　it　in　that　point　of　view。’　

I　was　too　sorrowful　to　discuss　the　question；　which　would　
possibly　have　been　beyond　me　under　any　circumstances；　and　Mr。　
Omer　took　me　back　into　the　parlour；　breathing　with　some　
difficulty　on　the　way。　

He　then　called　down　a　little　break…neck　range　of　steps　behind　a　
door：　‘Bring　up　that　tea　and　bread…and…butter！’　which；　after　some　
time；　during　which　I　sat　looking　about　me　and　thinking；　and　
listening　to　the　stitching　in　the　room　and　the　tune　that　was　being　

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hammered　across　the　yard；　appeared　on　a　tray；　and　turned　out　to　
be　for　me。　

‘I　have　been　acquainted　with　you；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　after　
watching　me　for　some　minutes；　during　which　I　had　not　made　
much　impression　on　the　breakfast；　for　the　black　things　destroyed　
my　appetite；　‘I　have　been　acquainted　with　you　a　long　time；　my　
young　friend。’　

‘Have　you；　sir？’　

‘All　your　life；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　‘I　may　say　before　it。　I　knew　your　
father　before　you。　He　was　five　foot　nine　and　a　half；　and　he　lays　in　
five…and…twen…ty　foot　of　ground。’　

‘Rat—tat…tat；　Rat—tat…tat；　Rat—tat…tat；’　across　the　yard。　

‘He　lays　in　five　and　twen…ty　foot　of　ground；　if　he　lays　in　a　
fraction；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　pleasantly。　‘It　was　either　his　request　or　
her　direction；　I　forget　which。’　

‘Do　you　know　how　my　little　brother　is；　sir？’　I　inquired。　

Mr。　Omer　shook　his　head。　

‘Rat—tat…tat；　Rat—tat…tat；　Rat—tat…tat。’　

‘He　is　in　his　mother’s　arms；’　said　he。　

‘Oh；　poor　little　fellow！　Is　he　dead？’　

‘Don’t　mind　it　more　than　you　can　help；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　‘Yes。　
The　baby’s　dead。’　

My　wounds　broke　out　afresh　at　this　intelligence。　I　left　the　
scarcely…tasted　breakfast；　and　went　and　rested　my　head　on　
another　table；　in　a　corner　of　the　little　room；　which　Minnie　hastily　
cleared；　lest　I　should　spot　the　mourning　that　was　lying　there　with　
my　tears。　She　was　a　pretty；　good…natured　girl；　and　put　my　hair　
away　from　my　eyes　with　a　soft；　kind　touch；　but　she　was　very　
cheerful　at　having　nearly　finished　her　work　and　being　in　good　

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time；　and　was　so　different　from　me！　

Presently　the　tune　left　off；　and　a　good…looking　young　fellow　
came　across　the　yard　into　the　room。　He　had　a　hammer　in　his　hand；　
and　his　mouth　was　full　of　little　nails；　which　he　was　obliged　to　take　
out　before　he　could　speak。　

‘Well；　Joram！’　said　Mr。　Omer。　‘How　do　you　get　on？’　

‘All　right；’　said　Joram。　‘Done；　sir。’　

Minnie　coloured　a　little；　and　the　other　two　girls　smiled　at　one　
another。　

‘What！　you　were　at　it　by　candle…light　last　night；　when　I　was　at　
the　club；　then？　Were　you？’　said　Mr。　Omer；　shutting　up　one　eye。　

‘Yes；’　said　Joram。　‘As　you　said　we　could　make　a　little　trip　of　it；　
and　go　over　together；　if　it　was　done；　Minnie　and　me—and　you。’　

‘Oh！　I　thought　you　were　going　to　leave　me　out　altogether；’　said　
Mr。　Omer；　laughing　till　he　coughed。　

‘—As　you　was　so　good　as　to　say　that；’　resumed　the　young　man；　
‘why　I　turned　to　with　a　will；　you　see。　Will　you　give　me　your　opinion　
of　it？’　

‘I　will；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　rising。　‘My　dear’；　and　he　stopped　and　
turned　to　me：　‘would　you　like　to　see　your—’　

‘No；　father；’　Minnie　interposed。　

‘I　thought　it　might　be　agreeable；　my　dear；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　‘But　
perhaps　you’re　right。’　

I　can’t　say　how　I　knew　it　was　my　dear；　dear　mother’s　coffin　that　
they　went　to　look　at。　I　had　never　heard　one　making；　I　had　never　
seen　one　that　I　know　of。—but　it　came　into　my　mind　what　the　noise　
was；　while　it　was　going　on；　and　when　the　young　man　entered；　I　am　
sure　I　knew　what　he　had　been　doing。　

The　work　being　now　finished；　the　two　girls；　whose　names　I　had　

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not　heard；　brushed　the　shreds　and　threads　from　their　dresses；　and　
went　into　the　shop　to　put　that　to　rights；　and　wait　for　customers。　
Minnie　stayed　behind　to　fold　up　what　they　had　made；　and　pack　it　
in　two　baskets。　This　she　did　upon　her　knees；　humming　a　lively　
little　tune　the　while。　Joram；　who　I　had　no　doubt　was　her　lover；　
came　in　and　stole　a　kiss　from　her　while　she　was　busy　（he　didn’t　
appear　to　mind　me；　at　all）；　and　said　her　father　was　gone　for　the　
chaise；　and　he　must　make　haste　and　get　himself　ready。　Then　he　
went　out　again；　and　then　she　put　her　thimble　and　scissors　in　her　
pocket；　and　stuck　a　needle　threaded　with　black　thread　neatly　in　
the　bosom　of　her　gown；　and　put　on　her　outer　clothing　smartly；　at　a　
little　glass　behind　the　door；　in　which　I　saw　the　reflection　of　her　
pleased　face。　

All　this　I　observed；　sitting　at　the　table　in　the　corner　with　my　
head　leaning　on　my　hand；　and　my　thoughts　running　on　very　
different　things。　The　chaise　soon　came　round　to　the　front　of　the　
shop；　and　the　baskets　being　put　in　first；　I　was　put　in　next；　and　
those　three　followed。　I　remember　it　as　a　kind　of　half　chaise…cart；　
half　pianoforte…van；　painted　of　a　sombre　colour；　and　drawn　by　a　
black　horse　with　a　long　tail。　There　was　plenty　of　room　for　us　all。　

I　do　not　think　I　have　ever　experienced　so　strange　a　feeling　in　
my　life　（I　am　wiser　now；　perhaps）　as　that　of　being　with　them；　
remembering　how　they　had　been　employed；　and　seeing　them　
enjoy　the　ride。　I　was　not　angry　with　them；　I　was　more　afraid　of　
them；　as　if　I　were　cast　away　among　creatures　with　whom　I　had　no　
community　of　nature。　They　were　ver