david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第9部分

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David　Copperfield　

Chapter　3　

I　HAVE　A　CHANGE　

The　carrier’s　horse　was　the　laziest　horse　in　the　world；　I　
should　hope；　and　shuffled　along；　with　his　head　down；　as　if　
he　liked　to　keep　people　waiting　to　whom　the　packages　
were　directed。　I　fancied；　indeed；　that　he　sometimes　chuckled　
audibly　over　this　reflection；　but　the　carrier　said　he　was　only　
troubled　with　a　cough。　The　carrier　had　a　way　of　keeping　his　head　
down；　like　his　horse；　and　of　drooping　sleepily　forward　as　he　drove；　
with　one　of　his　arms　on　each　of　his　knees。　I　say　‘drove’；　but　it　
struck　me　that　the　cart　would　have　gone　to　Yarmouth　quite　as　well　
without　him；　for　the　horse　did　all　that；　and　as　to　conversation；　he　
had　no　idea　of　it　but　whistling。　

Peggotty　had　a　basket　of　refreshments　on　her　knee；　which　
would　have　lasted　us　out　handsomely；　if　we　had　been　going　to　
London　by　the　same　conveyance。　We　ate　a　good　deal；　and　slept　a　
good　deal。　Peggotty　always　went　to　sleep　with　her　chin　upon　the　
handle　of　the　basket；　her　hold　of　which　never　relaxed；　and　I　could　
not　have　believed　unless　I　had　heard　her　do　it；　that　one　
defenceless　woman　could　have　snored　so　much。　

We　made　so　many　deviations　up　and　down　lanes；　and　were　
such　a　long　time　delivering　a　bedstead　at　a　public…house；　and　
calling　at　other　places；　that　I　was　quite　tired；　and　very　glad；　when　
we　saw　Yarmouth。　It　looked　rather　spongy　and　soppy；　I　thought；　
as　I　carried　my　eye　over　the　great　dull　waste　that　lay　across　the　
river；　and　I　could　not　help　wondering；　if　the　world　were　really　as　

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David　Copperfield　

round　as　my　geography　book　said；　how　any　part　of　it　came　to　be　so　
flat。　But　I　reflected　that　Yarmouth　might　be　situated　at　one　of　the　
poles；　which　would　account　for　it。　

As　we　drew　a　little　nearer；　and　saw　the　whole　adjacent　prospect　
lying　a　straight　low　line　under　the　sky；　I　hinted　to　Peggotty　that　a　
mound　or　so　might　have　improved　it；　and　also　that　if　the　land　had　
been　a　little　more　separated　from　the　sea；　and　the　town　and　the　
tide　had　not　been　quite　so　much　mixed　up；　like　toast　and　water；　it　
would　have　been　nicer。　But　Peggotty　said；　with　greater　emphasis　
than　usual；　that　we　must　take　things　as　we　found　them；　and　that；　
for　her　part；　she　was　proud　to　call　herself　a　Yarmouth　Bloater。　

When　we　got　into　the　street　（which　was　strange　enough　to　me）　
and　smelt　the　fish；　and　pitch；　and　oakum；　and　tar；　and　saw　the　
sailors　walking　about；　and　the　carts　jingling　up　and　down　over　the　
stones；　I　felt　that　I　had　done　so　busy　a　place　an　injustice；　and　said　
as　much　to　Peggotty；　who　heard　my　expressions　of　delight　with　
great　complacency；　and　told　me　it　was　well　known　（I　suppose　to　
those　who　had　the　good　fortune　to　be　born　Bloaters）　that　
Yarmouth　was；　upon　the　whole；　the　finest　place　in　the　universe。　

‘Here’s　my　Am！’　screamed　Peggotty；　‘growed　out　of　knowledge！’　

He　was　waiting　for　us；　in　fact；　at　the　public…house；　and　asked　
me　how　I　found　myself；　like　an　old　acquaintance。　I　did　not　feel；　at　
first；　that　I　knew　him　as　well　as　he　knew　me；　because　he　had　never　
come　to　our　house　since　the　night　I　was　born；　and　naturally　he　had　
the　advantage　of　me。　But　our　intimacy　was　much　advanced　by　his　
taking　me　on　his　back　to　carry　me　home。　He　was；　now；　a　huge；　
strong　fellow　of　six　feet　high；　broad　in　proportion；　and　round…
shouldered；　but　with　a　simpering　boy’s　face　and　curly　light　hair　
that　gave　him　quite　a　sheepish　look。　He　was　dressed　in　a　canvas　

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David　Copperfield　

jacket；　and　a　pair　of　such　very　stiff　trousers　that　they　would　have　
stood　quite　as　well　alone；　without　any　legs　in　them。　And　you　
couldn’t　so　properly　have　said　he　wore　a　hat；　as　that　he　was　
covered　in　a…top；　like　an　old　building；　with　something　pitchy。　

Ham　carrying　me　on　his　back　and　a　small　box　of　ours　under　his　
arm；　and　Peggotty　carrying　another　small　box　of　ours；　we　turned　
down　lanes　bestrewn　with　bits　of　chips　and　little　hillocks　of　sand；　
and　went　past　gas…works；　rope…walks；　boat…builders’　yards；　
shipwrights’　yards；　ship…breakers’　yards；　caulkers’　yards；　riggers’　
lofts；　smiths’　forges；　and　a　great　litter　of　such　places；　until　we　came　
out　upon　the　dull　waste　I　had　already　seen　at　a　distance；　when　
Ham　said；　

‘Yon’s　our　house；　Mas’r　Davy！’　

I　looked　in　all　directions；　as　far　as　I　could　stare　over　the　
wilderness；　and　away　at　the　sea；　and　away　at　the　river；　but　no　
house　could　I　make　out。　There　was　a　black　barge；　or　some　other　
kind　of　superannuated　boat；　not　far　off；　high　and　dry　on　the　
ground；　with　an　iron　funnel　sticking　out　of　it　for　a　chimney　and　
smoking　very　cosily；　but　nothing　else　in　the　way　of　a　habitation　
that　was　visible　to　me。　

‘That’s　not　it？’　said　I。　‘That　ship…looking　thing？’　

‘That’s　it；　Mas’r　Davy；’　returned　Ham。　

If　it　had　been　Aladdin’s　palace；　roc’s　egg　and　all；　I　suppose　I　
could　not　have　been　more　charmed　with　the　romantic　idea　of　
living　in　it。　There　was　a　delightful　door　cut　in　the　side；　and　it　was　
roofed　in；　and　there　were　little　windows　in　it；　but　the　wonderful　
charm　of　it　was；　that　it　was　a　real　boat　which　had　no　doubt　been　
upon　the　water　hundreds　of　times；　and　which　had　never　been　
intended　to　be　lived　in；　on　dry　land。　That　was　the　captivation　of　it　

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to　me。　If　it　had　ever　been　meant　to　be　lived　in；　I　might　have　
thought　it　small；　or　inconvenient；　or　lonely；　but　never　having　been　
designed　for　any　such　use；　it　became　a　perfect　abode。　

It　was　beautifully　clean　inside；　and　as　tidy　as　possible。　There　
was　a　table；　and　a　Dutch　clock；　and　a　chest　of　drawers；　and　on　the　
chest　of　drawers　there　was　a　tea…tray　with　a　painting　on　it　of　a　lady　
with　a　parasol；　taking　a　walk　with　a　military…looking　child　who　was　
trundling　a　hoop。　The　tray　was　kept　from　tumbling　down；　by　a　
bible；　and　the　tray；　if　it　had　tumbled　down；　would　have　smashed　a　
quantity　of　cups　and　saucers　and　a　teapot　that　were　grouped　
around　the　book。　On　the　walls　there　were　some　common　coloured　
pictures；　framed　and　glazed；　of　scripture　subjects；　such　as　I　have　
never　seen　since　in　the　hands　of　pedlars；　without　seeing　the　whole　
interior　of　Peggotty’s　brother’s　house　again；　at　one　view。　Abraham　
in　red　going　to　sacrifice　Isaac　in　blue；　and　Daniel　in　yellow　cast　
into　a　den　of　green　lions；　were　the　most　prominent　of　these。　Over　
the　little　mantelshelf；　was　a　picture　of　the　‘Sarah　Jane’　lugger；　
built　at　Sunderland；　with　a　real　little　wooden　stern　stuck　on　to　it；　a　
work　of　art；　combining　composition　with　carpentry；　which　I　
considered　to　be　one　of　the　most　enviable　possessions　that　the　
world　could　afford。　There　were　some　hooks　in　the　beams　of　the　
ceiling；　the　use　of　which　I　did　not　divine　then；　and　some　lockers　
and　boxes　and　conveniences　of　that　sort；　which　served　for　seats　
and　eked　out　the　chairs。　

All　this　I　saw　in　the　first　glance　after　I　crossed　the　threshold—　
child…like；　according　to　my　theory—and　then　Peggotty　opened　a　
little　door　and　showed　me　my　bedroom。　It　was　the　completest　and　
most　desirable　bedroom　ever　seen—in　the　stern　of　the　vessel；　with　
a　little　window；　where　the　rudder　used　to　go　through；　a　little　

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looking…glass；　just　the　right　height　for　me；　nailed　against　the　wall；　
and　framed　with　oyster…shells；　a　little　bed；　which　there　was　just　
room　enough　to　get　into；　and　a　nosegay　of　seaweed　in　a　blue　mug　
on　the　table。　The　walls　were　whitewashed　as　white　as　milk；　and　
the　patchwork　counterpane　made　my　eyes　quite　ache　with　its　
brightness。　One　thing　I　particularly　noticed　in　this　delightful　
house；　was　the　smell　of　fish；　which　was　so　searching；　that　when　I　
took　out　my　pocket…handkerchief　to　wipe　my　nose；　I　found　it　smelt　
exactly　as　if　it　had　wrapped　up　a　lobster。　On　my　imparting　this　
discovery　in　confidence　to　Peggotty；　she　informed　me　that　her　
brother　dealt　in　lobsters；　crabs；　and　crawfish；　and　I　afterwards　
found　that　a　heap　of　these　creatures；　in　a　state　of　wonderful　
conglomeration　with　one　another；　and　never　leaving　off　pinching　
whatever　they　laid　hold　of；　were　usually　to　be　found　in　a　little　
wooden　outhouse　where　the　pots　and　kettles　were　kept。　

We　were　welcomed　by　a　very　civil　woman　in　a　white　apron；　
whom　I　had　seen　curtseying　at　the　door　when　I　was　on　Ham’s　
back；　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　off。　Likewise　by　a　most　beautiful　
little　girl　（or　I　thought　her　so）　with　a　necklace　of　blue　beads　on；　
who　wouldn’t　let　me　kiss　her　when　I　offered　to；　but　ran　away　and　
hid　herself。　By　and　by；　when　we　had　dined　in　a　sumptuous　
manner　off　boiled　dabs；　melted　butter；　and　potatoes；　with　a　chop　
for　me；　a　hairy　man　with　a　very　good…natured　face　came　home。　As　
he　called　Peggotty　‘Lass’；　and　gave　her　a　hearty　smack　on　the　
cheek；　I　had　no　doubt；　from　the　general　propriety　of　her　conduct；　
that　he　was　her　brother；　and　so　he　turned　out—being　presently　
introduced　to　me　as　Mr。　Peggotty；　the　master　of　the　house。　

‘Glad　to　see　you；　sir；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　‘You’ll　find　us　rough；　
sir；　but　you’ll　find　us　ready。’　

Charles　Di