david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第60部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

and　gratified。　As　she　would　not　hear　of　staying　to　dinner；　lest　she　
should　by　any　chance　fail　to　arrive　at　home　with　the　grey　pony　
before　dark；　and　as　I　apprehend　Mr。　Wickfield　knew　her　too　well　
to　argue　any　point　with　her；　some　lunch　was　provided　for　her　
there；　and　Agnes　went　back　to　her　governess；　and　Mr。　Wickfield　to　
his　office。　So　we　were　left　to　take　leave　of　one　another　without　any　
restraint。　

She　told　me　that　everything　would　be　arranged　for　me　by　Mr。　
Wickfield；　and　that　I　should　want　for　nothing；　and　gave　me　the　
kindest　words　and　the　best　advice。　

‘Trot；’　said　my　aunt　in　conclusion；　‘be　a　credit　to　yourself；　to　me；　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

and　Mr。　Dick；　and　Heaven　be　with　you！’　

I　was　greatly　overcome；　and　could　only　thank　her；　again　and　
again；　and　send　my　love　to　Mr。　Dick。　

‘Never；’　said　my　aunt；　‘be　mean　in　anything；　never　be　false；　
never　be　cruel。　Avoid　those　three　vices；　Trot；　and　I　can　always　be　
hopeful　of　you。’　

I　promised；　as　well　as　I　could；　that　I　would　not　abuse　her　
kindness　or　forget　her　admonition。　

‘The　pony’s　at　the　door；’　said　my　aunt；　‘and　I　am　off！　Stay　here。’　
With　these　words　she　embraced　me　hastily；　and　went　out　of　the　
room；　shutting　the　door　after　her。　At　first　I　was　startled　by　so　
abrupt　a　departure；　and　almost　feared　I　had　displeased　her；　but　
when　I　looked　into　the　street；　and　saw　how　dejectedly　she　got　into　
the　chaise；　and　drove　away　without　looking　up；　I　understood　her　
better　and　did　not　do　her　that　injustice。　

By　five　o’clock；　which　was　Mr。　Wickfield’s　dinner…hour；　I　had　
mustered　up　my　spirits　again；　and　was　ready　for　my　knife　and　
fork。　The　cloth　was　only　laid　for　us　two；　but　Agnes　was　waiting　in　
the　drawing…room　before　dinner；　went　down　with　her　father；　and　
sat　opposite　to　him　at　table。　I　doubted　whether　he　could　have　
dined　without　her。　

We　did　not　stay　there；　after　dinner；　but　came　upstairs　into　the　
drawing…room　again：　in　one　snug　corner　of　which；　Agnes　set　
glasses　for　her　father；　and　a　decanter　of　port　wine。　I　thought　he　
would　have　missed　its　usual　flavour；　if　it　had　been　put　there　for　
him　by　any　other　hands。　

There　he　sat；　taking　his　wine；　and　taking　a　good　deal　of　it；　for　
two　hours；　while　Agnes　played　on　the　piano；　worked；　and　talked　to　
him　and　me。　He　was；　for　the　most　part；　gay　and　cheerful　with　us；　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

but　sometimes　his　eyes　rested　on　her；　and　he　fell　into　a　brooding　
state；　and　was　silent。　She　always　observed　this　quickly；　I　thought；　
and　always　roused　him　with　a　question　or　caress。　Then　he　came　
out　of　his　meditation；　and　drank　more　wine。　

Agnes　made　the　tea；　and　presided　over　it；　and　the　time　passed　
away　after　it；　as　after　dinner；　until　she　went　to　bed；　when　her　
father　took　her　in　his　arms　and　kissed　her；　and；　she　being　gone；　
ordered　candles　in　his　office。　Then　I　went　to　bed　too。　

But　in　the　course　of　the　evening　I　had　rambled　down　to　the　
door；　and　a　little　way　along　the　street；　that　I　might　have　another　
peep　at　the　old　houses；　and　the　grey　Cathedral；　and　might　think　of　
my　coming　through　that　old　city　on　my　journey；　and　of　my　passing　
the　very　house　I　lived　in；　without　knowing　it。　As　I　came　back；　I　saw　
Uriah　Heep　shutting　up　the　office；　and　feeling　friendly　towards　
everybody；　went　in　and　spoke　to　him；　and　at　parting；　gave　him　my　
hand。　But　oh；　what　a　clammy　hand　his　was！　as　ghostly　to　the　touch　
as　to　the　sight！　I　rubbed　mine　afterwards；　to　warm　it；　and　to　rub　his　
off。　

It　was　such　an　uncomfortable　hand；　that；　when　I　went　to　my　
room；　it　was　still　cold　and　wet　upon　my　memory。　Leaning　out　of　
the　window；　and　seeing　one　of　the　faces　on　the　beam…ends　looking　
at　me　sideways；　I　fancied　it　was　Uriah　Heep　got　up　there　
somehow；　and　shut　him　out　in　a　hurry。　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

Chapter　16　

I　AM　A　NEW　BOY　IN　MORE　SENSES　THAN　ONE　

Next　morning；　after　breakfast；　I　entered　on　school　life　
again。　I　went；　accompanied　by　Mr。　Wickfield；　to　the　
scene　of　my　future　studies—a　grave　building　in　a　
courtyard；　with　a　learned　air　about　it　that　seemed　very　well　suited　
to　the　stray　rooks　and　jackdaws　who　came　down　from　the　
Cathedral　towers　to　walk　with　a　clerkly　bearing　on　the　grass…
plot—and　was　introduced　to　my　new　master；　Doctor　Strong。　

Doctor　Strong　looked　almost　as　rusty；　to　my　thinking；　as　the　tall　
iron　rails　and　gates　outside　the　house；　and　almost　as　stiff　and　
heavy　as　the　great　stone　urns　that　flanked　them；　and　were　set　up；　
on　the　top　of　the　red…brick　wall；　at　regular　distances　all　round　the　
court；　like　sublimated　skittles；　for　Time　to　play　at。　He　was　in　his　
library　（I　mean　Doctor　Strong　was）；　with　his　clothes　not　
particularly　well　brushed；　and　his　hair　not　particularly　well　
combed；　his　knee…smalls　unbraced；　his　long　black　gaiters　
unbuttoned；　and　his　shoes　yawning　like　two　caverns　on　the　
hearth…rug。　Turning　upon　me　a　lustreless　eye；　that　reminded　me　
of　a　long…forgotten　blind　old　horse　who　once　used　to　crop　the　
grass；　and　tumble　over　the　graves；　in　Blunderstone　churchyard；　he　
said　he　was　glad　to　see　me：　and　then　he　gave　me　his　hand；　which　I　
didn’t　know　what　to　do　with；　as　it　did　nothing　for　itself。　

But；　sitting　at　work；　not　far　from　Doctor　Strong；　was　a　very　
pretty　young　lady—whom　he　called　Annie；　and　who　was　his　
daughter；　I　supposed—who　got　me　out　of　my　difficulty　by　kneeling　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

down　to　put　Doctor　Strong’s　shoes　on；　and　button　his　gaiters；　
which　she　did　with　great　cheerfulness　and　quickness。　When　she　
had　finished；　and　we　were　going　out　to　the　schoolroom；　I　was　
much　surprised　to　hear　Mr。　Wickfield；　in　bidding　her　good　
morning；　address　her　as　‘Mrs。　Strong’；　and　I　was　wondering　could　
she　be　Doctor　Strong’s　son’s　wife；　or　could　she　be　Mrs。　Doctor　
Strong；　when　Doctor　Strong　himself　unconsciously　enlightened　
me。　

‘By　the　by；　Wickfield；’　he　said；　stopping　in　a　passage　with　his　
hand　on　my　shoulder；　‘you　have　not　found　any　suitable　provision　
for　my　wife’s　cousin　yet？’　

‘No；’　said　Mr。　Wickfield。　‘No。　Not　yet。’　

‘I　could　wish　it　done　as　soon　as　it　can　be　done；　Wickfield；’　said　
Doctor　Strong；　‘for　Jack　Maldon　is　needy；　and　idle；　and　of　those　
two　bad　things；　worse　things　sometimes　come。　What　does　Doctor　
Watts　say；’　he　added；　looking　at　me；　and　moving　his　head　to　the　
time　of　his　quotation；　‘“Satan　finds　some　mischief　still；　for　idle　
hands　to　do。”’　

‘Egad；　Doctor；’　returned　Mr。　Wickfield；　‘if　Doctor　Watts　knew　
mankind；　he　might　have　written；　with　as　much　truth；　“Satan　finds　
some　mischief　still；　for　busy　hands　to　do。”　The　busy　people　achieve　
their　full　share　of　mischief　in　the　world；　you　may　rely　upon　it。　
What　have　the　people　been　about；　who　have　been　the　busiest　in　
getting　money；　and　in　getting　power；　this　century　or　two？　No　
mischief？’　

‘Jack　Maldon　will　never　be　very　busy　in　getting　either；　I　expect；’　
said　Doctor　Strong；　rubbing　his　chin　thoughtfully。　

‘Perhaps　not；’　said　Mr。　Wickfield；　‘and　you　bring　me　back　to　the　
question；　with　an　apology　for　digressing。　No；　I　have　not　been　able　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

to　dispose　of　Mr。　Jack　Maldon　yet。　I　believe；’　he　said　this　with　
some　hesitation；　‘I　penetrate　your　motive；　and　it　makes　the　thing　
more　difficult。’　

‘My　motive；’　returned　Doctor　Strong；　‘is　to　make　some　suitable　
provision　for　a　cousin；　and　an　old　playfellow；　of　Annie’s。’　

‘Yes；　I　know；’　said　Mr。　Wickfield；　‘at　home　or　abroad。’　

‘Aye！’　replied　the　Doctor；　apparently　wondering　why　he　
emphasized　those　words　so　much。　‘At　home　or　abroad。’　

‘Your　own　expression；　you　know；’　said　Mr。　Wickfield。　‘Or　
abroad。’　

‘Surely；’　the　Doctor　answered。　‘Surely。　One　or　other。’　

‘One　or　other？　Have　you　no　choice？’　asked　Mr。　Wickfield。　

‘No；’　returned　the　Doctor。　

‘No？’　with　astonishment。　

‘Not　the　least。’　

‘No　motive；’　said　Mr。　Wickfield；　‘for　meaning　abroad；　and　not　at　
home？’　

‘No；’　returned　the　Doctor。　

‘I　am　bound　to　believe　you；　and　of　course　I　do　believe　you；’　said　
Mr。　Wickfield。　‘It　might　have　simplified　my　office　very　much；　if　I　
had　known　it　before。　But　I　confess　I　entertained　another　
impression。’　

Doctor　Strong　regarded　him　with　a　puzzled　and　doubting　look；　
which　almost　immediately　subsided　into　a　smile　that　gave　me　
great　encouragement；　for　it　was　full　of　amiability　and　sweetness；　
and　there　was　a　simplicity　in　it；　and　indeed　in　his　whole　manner；　
when　the　studious；　pondering　frost　upon　it　was　got　through；　very　
attractive　and　hopeful　to　a　young　scholar　like　me。　Repeating　‘no’；　
and　‘not　the　least’；　and　other　short　assurances　to　the　same　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

purport；　Doctor　Strong　jogged　on　before　us；　at　a　queer；　uneven　
pace；　and　we　followed：　Mr。　Wickfield；　looking　grave；　I　observed；　
and　shaking　his　head　to　himself；　without　knowing　that　I　saw　him。　

The　schoolroom　was　a　pretty　large　hall；　on　the　quietest　side　of　
the　house；　confronted　by　the　s