david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第44部分

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foreman　of　the　packers；　and　another　named　Tipp；　who　was　the　
carman；　and　wore　a　red　jacket；　used　to　address　me　sometimes　as　
‘David’：　but　I　think　it　was　mostly　when　we　were　very　confidential；　
and　when　I　had　made　some　efforts　to　entertain　them；　over　our　
work；　with　some　results　of　the　old　readings；　which　were　fast　
perishing　out　of　my　remembrance。　Mealy　Potatoes　uprose　once；　
and　rebelled　against　my　being　so　distinguished；　but　Mick　Walker　
settled　him　in　no　time。　

My　rescue　from　this　kind　of　existence　I　considered　quite　
hopeless；　and　abandoned；　as　such；　altogether。　I　am　solemnly　
convinced　that　I　never　for　one　hour　was　reconciled　to　it；　or　was　
otherwise　than　miserably　unhappy；　but　I　bore　it；　and　even　to　
Peggotty；　partly　for　the　love　of　her　and　partly　for　shame；　never　in　

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any　letter　（though　many　passed　between　us）　revealed　the　truth。　

Mr。　Micawber’s　difficulties　were　an　addition　to　the　distressed　
state　of　my　mind。　In　my　forlorn　state　I　became　quite　attached　to　
the　family；　and　used　to　walk　about；　busy　with　Mrs。　Micawber’s　
calculations　of　ways　and　means；　and　heavy　with　the　weight　of　Mr。　
Micawber’s　debts。　On　a　Saturday　night；　which　was　my　grand　
treat；—partly　because　it　was　a　great　thing　to　walk　home　with　six　or　
seven　shillings　in　my　pocket；　looking　into　the　shops　and　thinking　
what　such　a　sum　would　buy；　and　partly　because　I　went　home　
early；—Mrs。　Micawber　would　make　the　most　heart…rending　
confidences　to　me；　also　on　a　Sunday　morning；　when　I　mixed　the　
portion　of　tea　or　coffee　I　had　bought　over…night；　in　a　little　shaving…
pot；　and　sat　late　at　my　breakfast。　It　was　nothing　at　all　unusual　for　
Mr。　Micawber　to　sob　violently　at　the　beginning　of　one　of　these　
Saturday　night　conversations；　and　sing　about　jack’s　delight　being　
his　lovely　Nan；　towards　the　end　of　it。　I　have　known　him　come　
home　to　supper　with　a　flood　of　tears；　and　a　declaration　that　
nothing　was　now　left　but　a　jail；　and　go　to　bed　making　a　calculation　
of　the　expense　of　putting　bow…windows　to　the　house；　‘in　case　
anything　turned　up’；　which　was　his　favourite　expression。　And　Mrs。　
Micawber　was　just　the　same。　

A　curious　equality　of　friendship；　originating；　I　suppose；　in　our　
respective　circumstances；　sprung　up　between　me　and　these　
people；　notwithstanding　the　ludicrous　disparity　in　our　years。　But　I　
never　allowed　myself　to　be　prevailed　upon　to　accept　any　invitation　
to　eat　and　drink　with　them　out　of　their　stock　（knowing　that　they　
got　on　badly　with　the　butcher　and　baker；　and　had　often　not　too　
much　for　themselves）；　until　Mrs。　Micawber　took　me　into　her　entire　
confidence。　This　she　did　one　evening　as　follows：　

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‘Master　Copperfield；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘I　make　no　stranger　
of　you；　and　therefore　do　not　hesitate　to　say　that　Mr。　Micawber’s　
difficulties　are　coming　to　a　crisis。’　

It　made　me　very　miserable　to　hear　it；　and　I　looked　at　Mrs。　
Micawber’s　red　eyes　with　the　utmost　sympathy。　

‘With　the　exception　of　the　heel　of　a　Dutch　cheese—which　is　not　
adapted　to　the　wants　of　a　young　family’—said　Mrs。　Micawber；　
‘there　is　really　not　a　scrap　of　anything　in　the　larder。　I　was　
accustomed　to　speak　of　the　larder　when　I　lived　with　papa　and　
mama；　and　I　use　the　word　almost　unconsciously。　What　I　mean　to　
express　is；　that　there　is　nothing　to　eat　in　the　house。’　

‘Dear　me！’　I　said；　in　great　concern。　

I　had　two　or　three　shillings　of　my　week’s　money　in　my　pocket—　
from　which　I　presume　that　it　must　have　been　on　a　Wednesday　
night　when　we　held　this　conversation—and　I　hastily　produced　
them；　and　with　heartfelt　emotion　begged　Mrs。　Micawber　to　accept　
of　them　as　a　loan。　But　that　lady；　kissing　me；　and　making　me　put　
them　back　in　my　pocket；　replied　that　she　couldn’t　think　of　it。　

‘No；　my　dear　Master　Copperfield；’　said　she；　‘far　be　it　from　my　
thoughts！　But　you　have　a　discretion　beyond　your　years；　and　can　
render　me　another　kind　of　service；　if　you　will；　and　a　service　I　will　
thankfully　accept　of。’　

I　begged　Mrs。　Micawber　to　name　it。　

‘I　have　parted　with　the　plate　myself；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber。　‘Six　
tea；　two　salt；　and　a　pair　of　sugars；　I　have　at　different　times　
borrowed　money　on；　in　secret；　with　my　own　hands。　But　the　twins　
are　a　great　tie；　and　to　me；　with　my　recollections；　of　papa　and　
mama；　these　transactions　are　very　painful。　There　are　still　a　few　
trifles　that　we　could　part　with。　Mr。　Micawber’s　feelings　would　

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never　allow　him　to　dispose　of　them；　and　Clickett’—this　was　the　girl　
from　the　workhouse—‘being　of　a　vulgar　mind；　would　take　painful　
liberties　if　so　much　confidence　was　reposed　in　her。　Master　
Copperfield；　if　I　might　ask　you—’　

I　understood　Mrs。　Micawber　now；　and　begged　her　to　make　use　
of　me　to　any　extent。　I　began　to　dispose　of　the　more　portable　
articles　of　property　that　very　evening；　and　went　out　on　a　similar　
expedition　almost　every　morning；　before　I　went　to　Murdstone　and　
Grinby’s。　

Mr。　Micawber　had　a　few　books　on　a　little　chiffonier；　which　he　
called　the　library；　and　those　went　first。　I　carried　them；　one　after　
another；　to　a　bookstall　in　the　City　Road—one　part　of　which；　near　
our　house；　was　almost　all　bookstalls　and　bird　shops　then—and　
sold　them　for　whatever　they　would　bring。　The　keeper　of　this　
bookstall；　who　lived　in　a　little　house　behind　it；　used　to　get　tipsy　
every　night；　and　to　be　violently　scolded　by　his　wife　every　morning。　
More　than　once；　when　I　went　there　early；　I　had　audience　of　him　in　
a　turn…up　bedstead；　with　a　cut　in　his　forehead　or　a　black　eye；　
bearing　witness　to　his　excesses　over…night　（I　am　afraid　he　was　
quarrelsome　in　his　drink）；　and　he；　with　a　shaking　hand；　
endeavouring　to　find　the　needful　shillings　in　one　or　other　of　the　
pockets　of　his　clothes；　which　lay　upon　the　floor；　while　his　wife；　
with　a　baby　in　her　arms　and　her　shoes　down　at　heel；　never　left　off　
rating　him。　Sometimes　he　had　lost　his　money；　and　then　he　would　
ask　me　to　call　again；　but　his　wife　had　always　got　some—had　taken　
his；　I　dare　say；　while　he　was　drunk—and　secretly　completed　the　
bargain　on　the　stairs；　as　we　went　down　together。　At　the　
pawnbroker’s　shop；　too；　I　began　to　be　very　well　known。　The　
principal　gentleman　who　officiated　behind　the　counter；　took　a　

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good　deal　of　notice　of　me；　and　often　got　me；　I　recollect；　to　decline　a　
Latin　noun　or　adjective；　or　to　conjugate　a　Latin　verb；　in　his　ear；　
while　he　transacted　my　business。　After　all　these　occasions　Mrs。　
Micawber　made　a　little　treat；　which　was　generally　a　supper；　and　
there　was　a　peculiar　relish　in　these　meals　which　I　well　remember。　

At　last　Mr。　Micawber’s　difficulties　came　to　a　crisis；　and　he　was　
arrested　early　one　morning；　and　carried　over　to　the　King’s　Bench　
Prison　in　the　Borough。　He　told　me；　as　he　went　out　of　the　house；　
that　the　God　of　day　had　now　gone　down　upon　him—and　I　really　
thought　his　heart　was　broken　and　mine　too。　But　I　heard；　
afterwards；　that　he　was　seen　to　play　a　lively　game　at　skittles；　
before　noon。　

On　the　first　Sunday　after　he　was　taken　there；　I　was　to　go　and　
see　him；　and　have　dinner　with　him。　I　was　to　ask　my　way　to　such　a　
place；　and　just　short　of　that　place　I　should　see　such　another　place；　
and　just　short　of　that　I　should　see　a　yard；　which　I　was　to　cross；　and　
keep　straight　on　until　I　saw　a　turnkey。　All　this　I　did；　and　when　at　
last　I　did　see　a　turnkey　（poor　little　fellow　that　I　was！）；　and　thought　
how；　when　Roderick　Random　was　in　a　debtors’　prison；　there　was　a　
man　there　with　nothing　on　him　but　an　old　rug；　the　turnkey　swam　
before　my　dimmed　eyes　and　my　beating　heart。　

Mr。　Micawber　was　waiting　for　me　within　the　gate；　and　we　went　
up　to　his　room　（top　story　but　one）；　and　cried　very　much。　He　
solemnly　conjured　me；　I　remember；　to　take　warning　by　his　fate；　
and　to　observe　that　if　a　man　had　twenty　pounds　a…year　for　his　
income；　and　spent　nineteen　pounds　nineteen　shillings　and　
sixpence；　he　would　be　happy；　but　that　if　he　spent　twenty　pounds　
one　he　would　be　miserable。　After　which　he　borrowed　a　shilling　of　
me　for　porter；　gave　me　a　written　order　on　Mrs。　Micawber　for　the　

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amount；　and　put　away　his　pocket…handkerchief；　and　cheered　up。　

We　sat　before　a　little　fire；　with　two　bricks　put　within　the　rusted　
grate；　one　on　each　side；　to　prevent　its　burning　too　many　coals；　
until　another　debtor；　who　shared　the　room　with　Mr。　Micawber；　
came　in　from　the　bakehouse　with　the　loin　of　mutton　which　was　
our　joint…stock　repast。　Then　I　was　sent　up　to　‘Captain　Hopkins’　in　
the　room　overhead；　with　Mr。　Micawber’s　compliments；　and　I　was　
his　young　friend；　and　would　Captain　Hopkins　lend　me　a　knife　and　
fork。　

Captain　Hopkins　lent　me　the　knife　and　fork；　with　his　
compliments　to　Mr。　Micawber。　There　was　a　very　dirty　lady　in　his　
little　room；　and　two　wan　girls；　his　daughters；　with　shock　heads　of　
hair。　I　thought　it　was　better　to　borrow　Captain　Hopkins’s　knife　and　
fork；　than　Captain　Hopkins’s　comb。　The　Captain　himself　was　in