david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第79部分

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indifferent　to　anyone　who　is　so　sensible　of　his　merit；　and　I　am　very　
glad　to　see　you　here；　and　can　assure　you　that　he　feels　an　unusual　
friendship　for　you；　and　that　you　may　rely　on　his　protection。’　

Miss　Dartle　played　backgammon　as　eagerly　as　she　did　
everything　else。　If　I　had　seen　her；　first；　at　the　board；　I　should　have　
fancied　that　her　figure　had　got　thin；　and　her　eyes　had　got　large；　

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David　Copperfield　

over　that　pursuit；　and　no　other　in　the　world。　But　I　am　very　much　
mistaken　if　she　missed　a　word　of　this；　or　lost　a　look　of　mine　as　I　
received　it　with　the　utmost　pleasure；　and　honoured　by　Mrs。　
Steerforth’s　confidence；　felt　older　than　I　had　done　since　I　left　
Canterbury。　

When　the　evening　was　pretty　far　spent；　and　a　tray　of　glasses　
and　decanters　came　in；　Steerforth　promised；　over　the　fire；　that　he　
would　seriously　think　of　going　down　into　the　country　with　me。　
There　was　no　hurry；　he　said；　a　week　hence　would　do；　and　his　
mother　hospitably　said　the　same。　While　we　were　talking；　he　more　
than　once　called　me　Daisy；　which　brought　Miss　Dartle　out　again。　

‘But　really；　Mr。　Copperfield；’　she　asked；　‘is　it　a　nickname？　And　
why　does　he　give　it　you？　Is　it—eh？—because　he　thinks　you　young　
and　innocent？　I　am　so　stupid　in　these　things。’　

I　coloured　in　replying　that　I　believed　it　was。　

‘Oh！’　said　Miss　Dartle。　‘Now　I　am　glad　to　know　that！　I　ask　for　
information；　and　I　am　glad　to　know　it。　He　thinks　you　young　and　
innocent；　and　so　you　are　his　friend。　Well；　that’s　quite　delightful！’　

She　went　to　bed　soon　after　this；　and　Mrs。　Steerforth　retired　too。　
Steerforth　and　I；　after　lingering　for　half…an…hour　over　the　fire；　
talking　about　Traddles　and　all　the　rest　of　them　at　old　Salem　
House；　went　upstairs　together。　Steerforth’s　room　was　next　to　
mine；　and　I　went　in　to　look　at　it。　It　was　a　picture　of　comfort；　full　of　
easy…chairs；　cushions　and　footstools；　worked　by　his　mother’s　hand；　
and　with　no　sort　of　thing　omitted　that　could　help　to　render　it　
complete。　Finally；　her　handsome　features　looked　down　on　her　
darling　from　a　portrait　on　the　wall；　as　if　it　were　even　something　to　
her　that　her　likeness　should　watch　him　while　he　slept。　

I　found　the　fire　burning　clear　enough　in　my　room　by　this　time；　

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David　Copperfield　

and　the　curtains　drawn　before　the　windows　and　round　the　bed；　
giving　it　a　very　snug　appearance。　I　sat　down　in　a　great　chair　upon　
the　hearth　to　meditate　on　my　happiness；　and　had　enjoyed　the　
contemplation　of　it　for　some　time；　when　I　found　a　likeness　of　Miss　
Dartle　looking　eagerly　at　me　from　above　the　chimney…piece。　

It　was　a　startling　likeness；　and　necessarily　had　a　startling　look。　
The　painter　hadn’t　made　the　scar；　but　I　made　it；　and　there　it　was；　
coming　and　going；　now　confined　to　the　upper　lip　as　I　had　seen　it　at　
dinner；　and　now　showing　the　whole　extent　of　the　wound　inflicted　
by　the　hammer；　as　I　had　seen　it　when　she　was　passionate。　

I　wondered　peevishly　why　they　couldn’t　put　her　anywhere　else　
instead　of　quartering　her　on　me。　To　get　rid　of　her；　I　undressed　
quickly；　extinguished　my　light；　and　went　to　bed。　But；　as　I　fell　
asleep；　I　could　not　forget　that　she　was　still　there　looking；　‘Is　it　
really；　though？　I　want　to　know’；　and　when　I　awoke　in　the　night；　I　
found　that　I　was　uneasily　asking　all　sorts　of　people　in　my　dreams　
whether　it　really　was　or　not—without　knowing　what　I　meant。　

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David　Copperfield　

Chapter　21　

LITTLE　EM’LY　

There　was　a　servant　in　that　house；　a　man　who；　I　
understood；　was　usually　with　Steerforth；　and　had　come　
into　his　service　at　the　University；　who　was　in　appearance　
a　pattern　of　respectability。　I　believe　there　never　existed　in　his　
station　a　more　respectable…looking　man。　He　was　taciturn；　soft…
footed；　very　quiet　in　his　manner；　deferential；　observant；　always　at　
hand　when　wanted；　and　never　near　when　not　wanted；　but　his　
great　claim　to　consideration　was　his　respectability。　He　had　not　a　
pliant　face；　he　had　rather　a　stiff　neck；　rather　a　tight　smooth　head　
with　short　hair　clinging　to　it　at　the　sides；　a　soft　way　of　speaking；　
with　a　peculiar　habit　of　whispering　the　letter　S　so　distinctly；　that　
he　seemed　to　use　it　oftener　than　any　other　man；　but　every　
peculiarity　that　he　had　he　made　respectable。　If　his　nose　had　been　
upside…down；　he　would　have　made　that　respectable。　He　
surrounded　himself　with　an　atmosphere　of　respectability；　and　
walked　secure　in　it。　It　would　have　been　next　to　impossible　to　
suspect　him　of　anything　wrong；　he　was　so　thoroughly　respectable。　
Nobody　could　have　thought　of　putting　him　in　a　livery；　he　was　so　
highly　respectable。　To　have　imposed　any　derogatory　work　upon　
him；　would　have　been　to　inflict　a　wanton　insult　on　the　feelings　of　a　
most　respectable　man。　And　of　this；　I　noticed—the　women…servants　
in　the　household　were　so　intuitively　conscious；　that　they　always　
did　such　work　themselves；　and　generally　while　he　read　the　paper　
by　the　pantry　fire。　

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David　Copperfield　

Such　a　self…contained　man　I　never　saw。　But　in　that　quality；　as　in　
every　other　he　possessed；　he　only　seemed　to　be　the　more　
respectable。　Even　the　fact　that　no　one　knew　his　Christian　name；　
seemed　to　form　a　part　of　his　respectability。　Nothing　could　be　
objected　against　his　surname；　Littimer；　by　which　he　was　known。　
Peter　might　have　been　hanged；　or　Tom　transported；　but　Littimer　
was　perfectly　respectable。　

It　was　occasioned；　I　suppose；　by　the　reverend　nature　of　
respectability　in　the　abstract；　but　I　felt　particularly　young　in　this　
man’s　presence。　How　old　he　was　himself；　I　could　not　guess—and　
that　again　went　to　his　credit　on　the　same　score；　for　in　the　calmness　
of　respectability　he　might　have　numbered　fifty　years　as　well　as　
thirty。　

Littimer　was　in　my　room　in　the　morning　before　I　was　up；　to　
bring　me　that　reproachful　shaving…water；　and　to　put　out　my　
clothes。　When　I　undrew　the　curtains　and　looked　out　of　bed；　I　saw　
him；　in　an　equable　temperature　of　respectability；　unaffected　by　the　
east　wind　of　January；　and　not　even　breathing　frostily；　standing　my　
boots　right　and　left　in　the　first　dancing　position；　and　blowing　
specks　of　dust　off　my　coat　as　he　laid　it　down　like　a　baby。　

I　gave　him　good　morning；　and　asked　him　what　o’clock　it　was。　
He　took　out　of　his　pocket　the　most　respectable　hunting…watch　I　
ever　saw；　and　preventing　the　spring　with　his　thumb　from　opening　
far；　looked　in　at　the　face　as　if　he　were　consulting　an　oracular　
oyster；　shut　it　up　again；　and　said；　if　I　pleased；　it　was　half　past　eight。　

‘Mr。　Steerforth　will　be　glad　to　hear　how　you　have　rested；　sir。’　

‘Thank　you；’　said　I；　‘very　well　indeed。　Is　Mr。　Steerforth　quite　
well？’　

‘Thank　you；　sir；　Mr。　Steerforth　is　tolerably　well。’　Another　of　his　

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David　Copperfield　

characteristics—no　use　of　superlatives。　A　cool　calm　medium　
always。　

‘Is　there　anything　more　I　can　have　the　honour　of　doing　for　you；　
sir？　The　warning…bell　will　ring　at　nine；　the　family　take　breakfast　at　
half　past　nine。’　

‘Nothing；　I　thank　you。’　

‘I　thank　you；　sir；　if　you　please’；　and　with　that；　and　with　a　little　
inclination　of　his　head　when　he　passed　the　bed…side；　as　an　apology　
for　correcting　me；　he　went　out；　shutting　the　door　as　delicately　as　if　
I　had　just　fallen　into　a　sweet　sleep　on　which　my　life　depended。　

Every　morning　we　held　exactly　this　conversation：　never　any　
more；　and　never　any　less：　and　yet；　invariably；　however　far　I　might　
have　been　lifted　out　of　myself　over…night；　and　advanced　towards　
maturer　years；　by　Steerforth’s　companionship；　or　Mrs。　
Steerforth’s　confidence；　or　Miss　Dartle’s　conversation；　in　the　
presence　of　this　most　respectable　man　I　became；　as　our　smaller　
poets　sing；　‘a　boy　again’。　

He　got　horses　for　us；　and　Steerforth；　who　knew　everything；　
gave　me　lessons　in　riding。　He　provided　foils　for　us；　and　Steerforth　
gave　me　lessons　in　fencing—gloves；　and　I　began；　of　the　same　
master；　to　improve　in　boxing。　It　gave　me　no　manner　of　concern　
that　Steerforth　should　find　me　a　novice　in　these　sciences；　but　I　
never　could　bear　to　show　my　want　of　skill　before　the　respectable　
Littimer。　I　had　no　reason　to　believe　that　Littimer　understood　such　
arts　himself；　he　never　led　me　to　suppose　anything　of　the　kind；　by　
so　much　as　the　vibration　of　one　of　his　respectable　eyelashes；　yet　
whenever　he　was　by；　while　we　were　practising；　I　felt　myself　the　
greenest　and　most　inexperienced　of　mortals。　

I　am　particular　about　this　man；　because　he　made　a　particular　

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David　Copperfield　

effect　on　me　at　that　time；　and　because　of　what　took　place　
thereafter。　

The　week　passed　away　in　a　most　delightful　manner。　It　passed　
rapidly；　as　may　be　supposed；　to　one　entranced　as　I　was；　and　yet　it　
gave　me　so　many　occasions　for　knowing　Steerforth　better；　and　
admiring　him　more　in　a　thousand　respects；　that　at　its　close　I　
seemed　to　have　been　with　him　for　a　much　longer　time。　A　dashing　
way　he　had　of　treating　me　like　a　plaything；　was　more　agreeable　to　
me　than　any　behaviour　h