david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第77部分

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invitation　I　was　only　too　proud　and　happy　to　accept。　It　being　now　
pretty　late；　we　took　our　candles　and　went　upstairs；　where　we　
parted　with　friendly　heartiness　at　his　door；　and　where　I　found　my　

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David　Copperfield　

new　room　a　great　improvement　on　my　old　one；　it　not　being　at　all　
musty；　and　having　an　immense　four…post　bedstead　in　it；　which　was　
quite　a　little　landed　estate。　Here；　among　pillows　enough　for　six；　I　
soon　fell　asleep　in　a　blissful　condition；　and　dreamed　of　ancient　
Rome；　Steerforth；　and　friendship；　until　the　early　morning　coaches；　
rumbling　out　of　the　archway　underneath；　made　me　dream　of　
thunder　and　the　gods。　

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David　Copperfield　

Chapter　20　

STEERFORTH’S　HOME　

When　the　chambermaid　tapped　at　my　door　at　eight　
o’clock；　and　informed　me　that　my　shaving…water　was　
outside；　I　felt　severely　the　having　no　occasion　for　it；　
and　blushed　in　my　bed。　The　suspicion　that　she　laughed　too；　when　
she　said　it；　preyed　upon　my　mind　all　the　time　I　was　dressing；　and　
gave　me；　I　was　conscious；　a　sneaking　and　guilty　air　when　I　passed　
her　on　the　staircase；　as　I　was　going　down　to　breakfast。　I　was　so　
sensitively　aware；　indeed；　of　being　younger　than　I　could　have　
wished；　that　for　some　time　I　could　not　make　up　my　mind　to　pass　
her　at　all；　under　the　ignoble　circumstances　of　the　case；　but；　
hearing　her　there　with　a　broom；　stood　peeping　out　of　window　at　
King　Charles　on　horseback；　surrounded　by　a　maze　of　hackney…
coaches；　and　looking　anything　but　regal　in　a　drizzling　rain　and　a　
dark…brown　fog；　until　I　was　admonished　by　the　waiter　that　the　
gentleman　was　waiting　for　me。　

It　was　not　in　the　coffee…room　that　I　found　Steerforth　expecting　
me；　but　in　a　snug　private　apartment；　red…curtained　and　Turkey…
carpeted；　where　the　fire　burnt　bright；　and　a　fine　hot　breakfast　was　
set　forth　on　a　table　covered　with　a　clean　cloth；　and　a　cheerful　
miniature　of　the　room；　the　fire；　the　breakfast；　Steerforth；　and　all；　
was　shining　in　the　little　round　mirror　over　the　sideboard。　I　was　
rather　bashful　at　first；　Steerforth　being　so　self…possessed；　and　
elegant；　and　superior　to　me　in　all　respects　（age　included）；　but　his　
easy　patronage　soon　put　that　to　rights；　and　made　me　quite　at　

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David　Copperfield　

home。　I　could　not　enough　admire　the　change　he　had　wrought　in　
the　Golden　Cross；　or　compare　the　dull　forlorn　state　I　had　held　
yesterday；　with　this　morning’s　comfort　and　this　morning’s　
entertainment。　As　to　the　waiter’s　familiarity；　it　was　quenched　as　if　
it　had　never　been。　He　attended　on　us；　as　I　may　say；　in　sackcloth　
and　ashes。　

‘Now；　Copperfield；’　said　Steerforth；　when　we　were　alone；　‘I　
should　like　to　hear　what　you　are　doing；　and　where　you　are　going；　
and　all　about　you。　I　feel　as　if　you　were　my　property。’　Glowing　with　
pleasure　to　find　that　he　had　still　this　interest　in　me；　I　told　him　how　
my　aunt　had　proposed　the　little　expedition　that　I　had　before　me；　
and　whither　it　tended。　

‘As　you　are　in　no　hurry；　then；’　said　Steerforth；　‘come　home　with　
me　to　Highgate；　and　stay　a　day　or　two。　You　will　be　pleased　with　my　
mother—she　is　a　little　vain　and　prosy　about　me；　but　that　you　can　
forgive　her—and　she　will　be　pleased　with　you。’　

‘I　should　like　to　be　as　sure　of　that；　as　you　are　kind　enough　to　say　
you　are；’　I　answered；　smiling。　

‘Oh！’　said　Steerforth；　’everyone　who　likes　me；　has　a　claim　on　
her　that　is　sure　to　be　acknowledged。’　

‘Then　I　think　I　shall　be　a　favourite；’　said　I。　

‘Good！’　said　Steerforth。　‘Come　and　prove　it。　We　will　go　and　see　
the　lions　for　an　hour　or　two—it’s　something　to　have　a　fresh　fellow　
like　you　to　show　them　to；　Copperfield—and　then　we’ll　journey　out　
to　Highgate　by　the　coach。’　

I　could　hardly　believe　but　that　I　was　in　a　dream；　and　that　I　
should　wake　presently　in　number　forty…four；　to　the　solitary　box　in　
the　coffee…room　and　the　familiar　waiter　again。　After　I　had　written　
to　my　aunt　and　told　her　of　my　fortunate　meeting　with　my　admired　

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old　schoolfellow；　and　my　acceptance　of　his　invitation；　we　went　out　
in　a　hackney…chariot；　and　saw　a　Panorama　and　some　other　sights；　
and　took　a　walk　through　the　Museum；　where　I　could　not　help　
observing　how　much　Steerforth　knew；　on　an　infinite　variety　of　
subjects；　and　of　how　little　account　he　seemed　to　make　his　
knowledge。　

‘You’ll　take　a　high　degree　at　college；　Steerforth；’　said　I；　‘if　you　
have　not　done　so　already；　and　they　will　have　good　reason　to　be　
proud　of　you。’　

‘I　take　a　degree！’　cried　Steerforth。　‘Not　I！　my　dear　Daisy—will　
you　mind　my　calling　you　Daisy？’　

‘Not　at　all！’　said　I。　

‘That’s　a　good　fellow！　My　dear　Daisy；’　said　Steerforth；　laughing。　
‘I　have　not　the　least　desire　or　intention　to　distinguish　myself　in　
that　way。　I　have　done　quite　sufficient　for　my　purpose。　I　find　that　I　
am　heavy　company　enough　for　myself　as　I　am。’　

‘But　the　fame—’　I　was　beginning。　

‘You　romantic　Daisy！’　said　Steerforth；　laughing　still　more　
heartily：　‘why　should　I　trouble　myself；　that　a　parcel　of　heavy…
headed　fellows　may　gape　and　hold　up　their　hands？　Let　them　do　it　
at　some　other　man。　There’s　fame　for　him；　and　he’s　welcome　to　it。’　

I　was　abashed　at　having　made　so　great　a　mistake；　and　was　glad　
to　change　the　subject。　Fortunately　it　was　not　difficult　to　do；　for　
Steerforth　could　always　pass　from　one　subject　to　another　with　a　
carelessness　and　lightness　that　were　his　own。　

Lunch　succeeded　to　our　sight…seeing；　and　the　short　winter　day　
wore　away　so　fast；　that　it　was　dusk　when　the　stage…coach　stopped　
with　us　at　an　old　brick　house　at　Highgate　on　the　summit　of　the　hill。　
An　elderly　lady；　though　not　very　far　advanced　in　years；　with　a　

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David　Copperfield　

proud　carriage　and　a　handsome　face；　was　in　the　doorway　as　we　
alighted；　and　greeting　Steerforth　as　‘My　dearest　James；’　folded　
him　in　her　arms。　To　this　lady　he　presented　me　as　his　mother；　and　
she　gave　me　a　stately　welcome。　

It　was　a　genteel　old…fashioned　house；　very　quiet　and　orderly。　
From　the　windows　of　my　room　I　saw　all　London　lying　in　the　
distance　like　a　great　vapour；　with　here　and　there　some　lights　
twinkling　through　it。　I　had　only　time；　in　dressing；　to　glance　at　the　
solid　furniture；　the　framed　pieces　of　work　（done；　I　supposed；　by　
Steerforth’s　mother　when　she　was　a　girl）；　and　some　pictures　in　
crayons　of　ladies　with　powdered　hair　and　bodices；　coming　and　
going　on　the　walls；　as　the　newly…kindled　fire　crackled　and　
sputtered；　when　I　was　called　to　dinner。　

There　was　a　second　lady　in　the　dining…room；　of　a　slight　short　
figure；　dark；　and　not　agreeable　to　look　at；　but　with　some　
appearance　of　good　looks　too；　who　attracted　my　attention：　perhaps　
because　I　had　not　expected　to　see　her；　perhaps　because　I　found　
myself　sitting　opposite　to　her；　perhaps　because　of　something　really　
remarkable　in　her。　She　had　black　hair　and　eager　black　eyes；　and　
was　thin；　and　had　a　scar　upon　her　lip。　It　was　an　old　scar—I　should　
rather　call　it　seam；　for　it　was　not　discoloured；　and　had　healed　
years　ago—which　had　once　cut　through　her　mouth；　downward　
towards　the　chin；　but　was　now　barely　visible　across　the　table；　
except　above　and　on　her　upper　lip；　the　shape　of　which　it　had　
altered。　I　concluded　in　my　own　mind　that　she　was　about　thirty　
years　of　age；　and　that　she　wished　to　be　married。　She　was　a　little　
dilapidated—like　a　house—with　having　been　so　long　to　let；　yet　
had；　as　I　have　said；　an　appearance　of　good　looks。　Her　thinness　
seemed　to　be　the　effect　of　some　wasting　fire　within　her；　which　

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found　a　vent　in　her　gaunt　eyes。　

She　was　introduced　as　Miss　Dartle；　and　both　Steerforth　and　his　
mother　called　her　Rosa。　I　found　that　she　lived　there；　and　had　been　
for　a　long　time　Mrs。　Steerforth’s　companion。　It　appeared　to　me　
that　she　never　said　anything　she　wanted　to　say；　outright；　but　
hinted　it；　and　made　a　great　deal　more　of　it　by　this　practice。　For　
example；　when　Mrs。　Steerforth　observed；　more　in　jest　than　
earnest；　that　she　feared　her　son　led　but　a　wild　life　at　college；　Miss　
Dartle　put　in　thus：　

‘Oh；　really？　You　know　how　ignorant　I　am；　and　that　I　only　ask　
for　information；　but　isn’t　it　always　so？　I　thought　that　kind　of　life　
was　on　all　hands　understood　to　be—eh？’　

‘It　is　education　for　a　very　grave　profession；　if　you　mean　that；　
Rosa；’　Mrs。　Steerforth　answered　with　some　coldness。　

‘Oh！　Yes！　That’s　very　true；’　returned　Miss　Dartle。　‘But　isn’t　it；　
though？—I　want　to　be　put　right；　if　I　am　wrong—isn’t　it；　really？’　

‘Really　what？’　said　Mrs。　Steerforth。　

‘Oh！　You　mean　it’s　not！’　returned　Miss　Dartle。　‘Well；　I’m　very　
glad　to　hear　it！　Now；　I　know　what　to　do！　That’s　the　advantage　of　
asking。　I　shall　never　allow　people　to　talk　before　me　about　
wastefulness　and　profligacy；　and　so　forth；　in　connexion　with　that　
life；　any　more。’　

‘And　you　will　be　right；’　said　Mrs。　Steerforth。　‘My　son’s　tutor　is　a　
conscientious　gentleman；　and　if　I　had　not　implicit　reliance　o