david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第37部分

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morning；　when　the　bells　were　ringing；　the　stones　dropping　in　the　
water；　and　the　shadowy　ships　breaking　through　the　mist；　of　
roaming　up　and　down　with　little　Em’ly；　telling　her　my　troubles；　
and　finding　charms　against　them　in　the　shells　and　pebbles　on　the　
beach；　made　a　calm　in　my　heart。　It　was　ruffled　next　moment；　to　be　
sure；　by　a　doubt　of　Miss　Murdstone’s　giving　her　consent；　but　even　
that　was　set　at　rest　soon；　for　she　came　out　to　take　an　evening　grope　
in　the　store…closet　while　we　were　yet　in　conversation；　and　
Peggotty；　with　a　boldness　that　amazed　me；　broached　the　topic　on　
the　spot。　

‘The　boy　will　be　idle　there；’　said　Miss　Murdstone；　looking　into　a　
pickle…jar；　‘and　idleness　is　the　root　of　all　evil。　But；　to　be　sure；　he　
would　be　idle　here—or　anywhere；　in　my　opinion。’　

Peggotty　had　an　angry　answer　ready；　I　could　see；　but　she　
swallowed　it　for　my　sake；　and　remained　silent。　

‘Humph！’　said　Miss　Murdstone；　still　keeping　her　eye　on　the　
pickles；　‘it　is　of　more　importance　than　anything　else—it　is　of　
paramount　importance—that　my　brother　should　not　be　disturbed　
or　made　uncomfortable。　I　suppose　I　had　better　say　yes。’　

I　thanked　her；　without　making　any　demonstration　of　joy；　lest　it　
should　induce　her　to　withdraw　her　assent。　Nor　could　I　help　
thinking　this　a　prudent　course；　since　she　looked　at　me　out　of　the　
pickle…jar；　with　as　great　an　access　of　sourness　as　if　her　black　eyes　

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had　absorbed　its　contents。　However；　the　permission　was　given；　
and　was　never　retracted；　for　when　the　month　was　out；　Peggotty　
and　I　were　ready　to　depart。　

Mr。　Barkis　came　into　the　house　for　Peggotty’s　boxes。　I　had　
never　known　him　to　pass　the　garden…gate　before；　but　on　this　
occasion　he　came　into　the　house。　And　he　gave　me　a　look　as　he　
shouldered　the　largest　box　and　went　out；　which　I　thought　had　
meaning　in　it；　if　meaning　could　ever　be　said　to　find　its　way　into　Mr。　
Barkis’s　visage。　

Peggotty　was　naturally　in　low　spirits　at　leaving　what　had　been　
her　home　so　many　years；　and　where　the　two　strong　attachments　of　
her　life—for　my　mother　and　myself—had　been　formed。　She　had　
been　walking　in　the　churchyard；　too；　very　early；　and　she　got　into　
the　cart；　and　sat　in　it　with　her　handkerchief　at　her　eyes。　

So　long　as　she　remained　in　this　condition；　Mr。　Barkis　gave　no　
sign　of　life　whatever。　He　sat　in　his　usual　place　and　attitude　like　a　
great　stuffed　figure。　But　when　she　began　to　look　about　her；　and　to　
speak　to　me；　he　nodded　his　head　and　grinned　several　times。　I　have　
not　the　least　notion　at　whom；　or　what　he　meant　by　it。　

‘It’s　a　beautiful　day；　Mr。　Barkis！’　I　said；　as　an　act　of　politeness。　

‘It　ain’t　bad；’　said　Mr。　Barkis；　who　generally　qualified　his　
speech；　and　rarely　committed　himself。　

‘Peggotty　is　quite　comfortable　now；　Mr。　Barkis；’　I　remarked；　for　
his　satisfaction。　

‘Is　she；　though？’　said　Mr。　Barkis。　

After　reflecting　about　it；　with　a　sagacious　air；　Mr。　Barkis　eyed　
her；　and　said：　

‘Are　you　pretty　comfortable？’　

Peggotty　laughed；　and　answered　in　the　affirmative。　

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‘But　really　and　truly；　you　know。　Are　you？’　growled　Mr。　Barkis；　
sliding　nearer　to　her　on　the　seat；　and　nudging　her　with　his　elbow。　
‘Are　you？　Really　and　truly　pretty　comfortable？　Are　you？　Eh？’　

At　each　of　these　inquiries　Mr。　Barkis　shuffled　nearer　to　her；　and　
gave　her　another　nudge；　so　that　at　last　we　were　all　crowded　
together　in　the　left…hand　corner　of　the　cart；　and　I　was　so　squeezed　
that　I　could　hardly　bear　it。　

Peggotty　calling　his　attention　to　my　sufferings；　Mr。　Barkis　gave　
me　a　little　more　room　at　once；　and　got　away　by　degrees。　But　I　
could　not　help　observing　that　he　seemed　to　think　he　had　hit　upon　
a　wonderful　expedient　for　expressing　himself　in　a　neat；　agreeable；　
and　pointed　manner；　without　the　inconvenience　of　inventing　
conversation。　He　manifestly　chuckled　over　it　for　some　time。　By　
and　by　he　turned　to　Peggotty　again；　and　repeating；　‘Are　you　pretty　
comfortable　though？’　bore　down　upon　us　as　before；　until　the　
breath　was　nearly　edged　out　of　my　body。　By　and　by　he　made　
another　descent　upon　us　with　the　same　inquiry；　and　the　same　
result。　At　length；　I　got　up　whenever　I　saw　him　coming；　and　
standing　on　the　foot…board；　pretended　to　look　at　the　prospect；　after　
which　I　did　very　well。　

He　was　so　polite　as　to　stop　at　a　public…house；　expressly　on　our　
account；　and　entertain　us　with　broiled　mutton　and　beer。　Even　
when　Peggotty　was　in　the　act　of　drinking；　he　was　seized　with　one　
of　those　approaches；　and　almost　choked　her。　But　as　we　drew　
nearer　to　the　end　of　our　journey；　he　had　more　to　do　and　less　time　
for　gallantry；　and　when　we　got　on　Yarmouth　pavement；　we　were　
all　too　much　shaken　and　jolted；　I　apprehend；　to　have　any　leisure　
for　anything　else。　

Mr。　Peggotty　and　Ham　waited　for　us　at　the　old　place。　They　

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received　me　and　Peggotty　in　an　affectionate　manner；　and　shook　
hands　with　Mr。　Barkis；　who；　with　his　hat　on　the　very　back　of　his　
head；　and　a　shame…faced　leer　upon　his　countenance；　and　
pervading　his　very　legs；　presented　but　a　vacant　appearance；　I　
thought。　They　each　took　one　of　Peggotty’s　trunks；　and　we　were　
going　away；　when　Mr。　Barkis　solemnly　made　a　sign　to　me　with　his　
forefinger　to　come　under　an　archway。　

‘I　say；’　growled　Mr。　Barkis；　‘it　was　all　right。’　

I　looked　up　into　his　face；　and　answered；　with　an　attempt　to　be　
very　profound：　‘Oh！’　

‘It　didn’t　come　to　a　end　there；’　said　Mr。　Barkis；　nodding　
confidentially。　‘It　was　all　right。’　

Again　I　answered；　‘Oh！’　

‘You　know　who　was　willin’；’　said　my　friend。　‘It　was　Barkis；　and　
Barkis　only。’　

I　nodded　assent。　

‘It’s　all　right；’　said　Mr。　Barkis；　shaking　hands；　‘I’m　a　friend　of　
your’n。　You　made　it　all　right；　first。　It’s　all　right。’　

In　his　attempts　to　be　particularly　lucid；　Mr。　Barkis　was　so　
extremely　mysterious；　that　I　might　have　stood　looking　in　his　face　
for　an　hour；　and　most　assuredly　should　have　got　as　much　
information　out　of　it　as　out　of　the　face　of　a　clock　that　had　stopped；　
but　for　Peggotty’s　calling　me　away。　As　we　were　going　along；　she　
asked　me　what　he　had　said；　and　I　told　her　he　had　said　it　was　all　
right。　

‘Like　his　impudence；’　said　Peggotty；　‘but　I　don’t　mind　that！　
Davy　dear；　what　should　you　think　if　I　was　to　think　of　being　
married？’　

‘Why—I　suppose　you　would　like　me　as　much　then；　Peggotty；　as　

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you　do　now？’　I　returned；　after　a　little　consideration。　

Greatly　to　the　astonishment　of　the　passengers　in　the　street；　as　
well　as　of　her　relations　going　on　before；　the　good　soul　was　obliged　
to　stop　and　embrace　me　on　the　spot；　with　many　protestations　of　
her　unalterable　love。　

‘Tell　me　what　should　you　say；　darling？’　she　asked　again；　when　
this　was　over；　and　we　were　walking　on。　

‘If　you　were　thinking　of　being　married—to　Mr。　Barkis；　
Peggotty？’　

‘Yes；’　said　Peggotty。　

‘I　should　think　it　would　be　a　very　good　thing。　For　then　you　
know；　Peggotty；　you　would　always　have　the　horse　and　cart　to　
bring　you　over　to　see　me；　and　could　come　for　nothing；　and　be　sure　
of　coming。’　

‘The　sense　of　the　dear！’　cried　Peggotty。　‘What　I　have　been　
thinking　of；　this　month　back！　Yes；　my　precious；　and　I　think　I　
should　be　more　independent　altogether；　you　see；　let　alone　my　
working　with　a　better　heart　in　my　own　house；　than　I　could　in　
anybody　else’s　now。　I　don’t　know　what　I　might　be　fit　for；　now；　as　a　
servant　to　a　stranger。　And　I　shall　be　always　near　my　pretty’s　
resting…place；’　said　Peggotty；　musing；　‘and　be　able　to　see　it　when　I　
like；　and　when　I　lie　down　to　rest；　I　may　be　laid　not　far　off　from　my　
darling　girl！’　

We　neither　of　us　said　anything　for　a　little　while。　

‘But　I　wouldn’t　so　much　as　give　it　another　thought；’　said　
Peggotty；　cheerily　‘if　my　Davy　was　anyways　against　it—not　if　I　had　
been　asked　in　church　thirty　times　three　times　over；　and　was　
wearing　out　the　ring　in　my　pocket。’　

‘Look　at　me；　Peggotty；’　I　replied；　‘and　see　if　I　am　not　really　glad；　

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and　don’t　truly　wish　it！’　As　indeed　I　did；　with　all　my　heart。　

‘Well；　my　life；’　said　Peggotty；　giving　me　a　squeeze；　‘I　have　
thought　of　it　night　and　day；　every　way　I　can；　and　I　hope　the　right　
way；　but　I’ll　think　of　it　again；　and　speak　to　my　brother　about　it；　
and　in　the　meantime　we’ll　keep　it　to　ourselves；　Davy；　you　and　me。　
Barkis　is　a　good　plain　creature；’　said　Peggotty；　‘and　if　I　tried　to　do　
my　duty　by　him；　I　think　it　would　be　my　fault　if　I　wasn’t—if　I　wasn’t　
pretty　comfortable；’　said　Peggotty；　laughing　heartily。　This　
quotation　from　Mr。　Barkis　was　so　appropriate；　and　tickled　us　both　
so　much；　that　we　laughed　again　and　again；　and　were　quite　in　a　
pleasant　humour　when　we　came　within　view　of　Mr。　Peggotty’s　
cottage。　

It　looked　just　the　same；　except　that　it　may；　perhaps；　have　
shrunk　a　little　in　my　eyes；　and　Mrs。　Gummidge　was　waiting　at　the　
door　as　if　she　had　stood　there　ever