david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第43部分

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perfectly　covered　with　a　great　brass…plate；　on　which　was　engraved　
‘Mrs。　Micawber’s　Boarding　Establishment　for　Young　Ladies’：　but　I　
never　found　that　any　young　lady　had　ever　been　to　school　there；　or　
that　any　young　lady　ever　came；　or　proposed　to　come；　or　that　the　
least　preparation　was　ever　made　to　receive　any　young　lady。　The　

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David　Copperfield　

only　visitors　I　ever　saw；　or　heard　of；　were　creditors。　They　used　to　
come　at　all　hours；　and　some　of　them　were　quite　ferocious。　One　
dirty…faced　man；　I　think　he　was　a　boot…maker；　used　to　edge　himself　
into　the　passage　as　early　as　seven　o’clock　in　the　morning；　and　call　
up　the　stairs　to　Mr。　Micawber—‘Come！　You　ain’t　out　yet；　you　
know。　Pay　us；　will　you？　Don’t　hide；　you　know；　that’s　mean。　I　
wouldn’t　be　mean　if　I　was　you。　Pay　us；　will　you？　You　just　pay　us；　
d’ye　hear？　Come！’　Receiving　no　answer　to　these　taunts；　he　would　
mount　in　his　wrath　to　the　words　‘swindlers’　and　‘robbers’；　and　
these　being　ineffectual　too；　would　sometimes　go　to　the　extremity　of　
crossing　the　street；　and　roaring　up　at　the　windows　of　the　second　
floor；　where　he　knew　Mr。　Micawber　was。　At　these　times；　Mr。　
Micawber　would　be　transported　with　grief　and　mortification；　even　
to　the　length　（as　I　was　once　made　aware　by　a　scream　from　his　wife）　
of　making　motions　at　himself　with　a　razor；　but　within　half…an…hour　
afterwards；　he　would　polish　up　his　shoes　with　extraordinary　pains；　
and　go　out；　humming　a　tune　with　a　greater　air　of　gentility　than　
ever。　Mrs。　Micawber　was　quite　as　elastic。　I　have　known　her　to　be　
thrown　into　fainting　fits　by　the　king’s　taxes　at　three　o’clock；　and　to　
eat　lamb　chops；　breaded；　and　drink　warm　ale　（paid　for　with　two　
tea…spoons　that　had　gone　to　the　pawnbroker’s）　at　four。　On　one　
occasion；　when　an　execution　had　just　been　put　in；　coming　home　
through　some　chance　as　early　as　six　o’clock；　I　saw　her　lying　（of　
course　with　a　twin）　under　the　grate　in　a　swoon；　with　her　hair　all　
torn　about　her　face；　but　I　never　knew　her　more　cheerful　than　she　
was；　that　very　same　night；　over　a　veal　cutlet　before　the　kitchen　
fire；　telling　me　stories　about　her　papa　and　mama；　and　the　
company　they　used　to　keep。　

In　this　house；　and　with　this　family；　I　passed　my　leisure　time。　My　

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David　Copperfield　

own　exclusive　breakfast　of　a　penny　loaf　and　a　pennyworth　of　milk；　
I　provided　myself。　I　kept　another　small　loaf；　and　a　modicum　of　
cheese；　on　a　particular　shelf　of　a　particular　cupboard；　to　make　my　
supper　on　when　I　came　back　at　night。　This　made　a　hole　in　the　six　
or　seven　shillings；　I　know　well；　and　I　was　out　at　the　warehouse　all　
day；　and　had　to　support　myself　on　that　money　all　the　week。　From　
Monday　morning　until　Saturday　night；　I　had　no　advice；　no　
counsel；　no　encouragement；　no　consolation；　no　assistance；　no　
support；　of　any　kind；　from　anyone；　that　I　can　call　to　mind；　as　I　
hope　to　go　to　heaven！　

I　was　so　young　and　childish；　and　so　little　qualified—how　could　I　
be　otherwise？—to　undertake　the　whole　charge　of　my　own　
existence；　that　often；　in　going　to　Murdstone　and　Grinby’s；　of　a　
morning；　I　could　not　resist　the　stale　pastry　put　out　for　sale　at　half…
price　at　the　pastrycooks’　doors；　and　spent　in　that　the　money　I　
should　have　kept　for　my　dinner。　Then；　I　went　without　my　dinner；　
or　bought　a　roll　or　a　slice　of　pudding。　I　remember　two　pudding　
shops；　between　which　I　was　divided；　according　to　my　finances。　
One　was　in　a　court　close　to　St。　Martin’s　Church—at　the　back　of　the　
church；—which　is　now　removed　altogether。　The　pudding　at　that　
shop　was　made　of　currants；　and　was　rather　a　special　pudding；　but　
was　dear；　twopennyworth　not　being　larger　than　a　pennyworth　of　
more　ordinary　pudding。　A　good　shop　for　the　latter　was　in　the　
Strand—somewhere　in　that　part　which　has　been　rebuilt　since。　It　
was　a　stout　pale　pudding；　heavy　and　flabby；　and　with　great　flat　
raisins　in　it；　stuck　in　whole　at　wide　distances　apart。　It　came　up　hot　
at　about　my　time　every　day；　and　many　a　day　did　I　dine　off　it。　When　
I　dined　regularly　and　handsomely；　I　had　a　saveloy　and　a　penny　
loaf；　or　a　fourpenny　plate　of　red　beef　from　a　cook’s　shop；　or　a　plate　

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of　bread　and　cheese　and　a　glass　of　beer；　from　a　miserable　old　
public…house　opposite　our　place　of　business；　called　the　Lion；　or　the　
Lion　and　something　else　that　I　have　forgotten。　Once；　I　remember　
carrying　my　own　bread　（which　I　had　brought　from　home　in　the　
morning）　under　my　arm；　wrapped　in　a　piece　of　paper；　like　a　book；　
and　going　to　a　famous　alamode　beef…house　near　Drury　Lane；　and　
ordering　a　‘small　plate’　of　that　delicacy　to　eat　with　it。　What　the　
waiter　thought　of　such　a　strange　little　apparition　coming　in　all　
alone；　I　don’t　know；　but　I　can　see　him　now；　staring　at　me　as　I　ate　
my　dinner；　and　bringing　up　the　other　waiter　to　look。　I　gave　him　a　
halfpenny　for　himself；　and　I　wish　he　hadn’t　taken　it。　

We　had　half…an…hour；　I　think；　for　tea。　When　I　had　money　
enough；　I　used　to　get　half…a…pint　of　ready…made　coffee　and　a　slice　
of　bread　and　butter。　When　I　had　none；　I　used　to　look　at　a　venison　
shop　in　Fleet　Street；　or　I　have　strolled；　at　such　a　time；　as　far　as　
Covent　Garden　Market；　and　stared　at　the　pineapples。　I　was　fond　of　
wandering　about　the　Adelphi；　because　it　was　a　mysterious　place；　
with　those　dark　arches。　I　see　myself　emerging　one　evening　from　
some　of　these　arches；　on　a　little　public…house　close　to　the　river；　
with　an　open　space　before　it；　where　some　coal…heavers　were　
dancing；　to　look　at　whom　I　sat　down　upon　a　bench。　I　wonder　what　
they　thought　of　me！　

I　was　such　a　child；　and　so　little；　that　frequently　when　I　went　into　
the　bar　of　a　strange　public…house　for　a　glass　of　ale　or　porter；　to　
moisten　what　I　had　had　for　dinner；　they　were　afraid　to　give　it　me。　I　
remember　one　hot　evening　I　went　into　the　bar　of　a　public…house；　
and　said　to　the　landlord：　

‘What　is　your　best—your　very　best—ale　a　glass？’　For　it　was　a　
special　occasion。　I　don’t　know　what。　It　may　have　been　my　

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David　Copperfield　

birthday。　

‘Twopence…halfpenny；’　says　the　landlord；　‘is　the　price　of　the　
Genuine　Stunning　ale。’　

‘Then；’　says　I；　producing　the　money；　‘just　draw　me　a　glass　of　the　
Genuine　Stunning；　if　you　please；　with　a　good　head　to　it。’　

The　landlord　looked　at　me　in　return　over　the　bar；　from　head　to　
foot；　with　a　strange　smile　on　his　face；　and　instead　of　drawing　the　
beer；　looked　round　the　screen　and　said　something　to　his　wife。　She　
came　out　from　behind　it；　with　her　work　in　her　hand；　and　joined　
him　in　surveying　me。　Here　we　stand；　all　three；　before　me　now。　The　
landlord　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　leaning　against　the　bar　window…
frame；　his　wife　looking　over　the　little　half…door；　and　I；　in　some　
confusion；　looking　up　at　them　from　outside　the　partition。　They　
asked　me　a　good　many　questions；　as；　what　my　name　was；　how　old　
I　was；　where　I　lived；　how　I　was　employed；　and　how　I　came　there。　
To　all　of　which；　that　I　might　commit　nobody；　I　invented；　I　am　
afraid；　appropriate　answers。　They　served　me　with　the　ale；　though　I　
suspect　it　was　not　the　Genuine　Stunning；　and　the　landlord’s　wife；　
opening　the　little　half…door　of　the　bar；　and　bending　down；　gave　me　
my　money　back；　and　gave　me　a　kiss　that　was　half　admiring　and　
half　compassionate；　but　all　womanly　and　good；　I　am　sure。　

I　know　I　do　not　exaggerate；　unconsciously　and　unintentionally；　
the　scantiness　of　my　resources　or　the　difficulties　of　my　life。　I　know　
that　if　a　shilling　were　given　me　by　Mr。　Quinion　at　any　time；　I　spent　
it　in　a　dinner　or　a　tea。　I　know　that　I　worked；　from　morning　until　
night；　with　common　men　and　boys；　a　shabby　child。　I　know　that　I　
lounged　about　the　streets；　insufficiently　and　unsatisfactorily　fed。　I　
know　that；　but　for　the　mercy　of　God；　I　might　easily　have　been；　for　
any　care　that　was　taken　of　me；　a　little　robber　or　a　little　vagabond。　

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Yet　I　held　some　station　at　Murdstone　and　Grinby’s　too。　Besides　
that　Mr。　Quinion　did　what　a　careless　man　so　occupied；　and　dealing　
with　a　thing　so　anomalous；　could；　to　treat　me　as　one　upon　a　
different　footing　from　the　rest；　I　never　said；　to　man　or　boy；　how　it　
was　that　I　came　to　be　there；　or　gave　the　least　indication　of　being　
sorry　that　I　was　there。　That　I　suffered　in　secret；　and　that　I　suffered　
exquisitely；　no　one　ever　knew　but　I。　How　much　I　suffered；　it　is；　as　I　
have　said　already；　utterly　beyond　my　power　to　tell。　But　I　kept　my　
own　counsel；　and　I　did　my　work。　I　knew　from　the　first；　that；　if　I　
could　not　do　my　work　as　well　as　any　of　the　rest；　I　could　not　hold　
myself　above　slight　and　contempt。　I　soon　became　at　least　as　
expeditious　and　as　skilful　as　either　of　the　other　boys。　Though　
perfectly　familiar　with　them；　my　conduct　and　manner　were　
different　enough　from　theirs　to　place　a　space　between　us。　They　
and　the　men　generally　spoke　of　me　as　‘the　little　gent’；　or　‘the　
young　Suffolker。’　A　certain　man　named　Gregory；　who　was　
foreman　of　the　packers；　and　another　named　Tipp；　who　was　the　
carman；　and　wore　a　red　jacket；　us