david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第92部分

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would　not　be　better　to　try　that　course？　Are　you　certain　that　you　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

can　afford　to　part　with　so　much　money；　and　that　it　is　right　that　it　
should　be　so　expended？　I　only　ask　you；　my　second　mother；　to　
consider。　Are　you　certain？’　

My　aunt　finished　eating　the　piece　of　toast　on　which　she　was　
then　engaged；　looking　me　full　in　the　face　all　the　while；　and　then　
setting　her　glass　on　the　chimney…piece；　and　folding　her　hands　
upon　her　folded　skirts；　replied　as　follows：　

‘Trot；　my　child；　if　I　have　any　object　in　life；　it　is　to　provide　for　
your　being　a　good；　a　sensible；　and　a　happy　man。　I　am　bent　upon　
it—so　is　Dick。　I　should　like　some　people　that　I　know　to　hear　Dick’s　
conversation　on　the　subject。　Its　sagacity　is　wonderful。　But　no　one　
knows　the　resources　of　that　man’s　intellect；　except　myself！’　

She　stopped　for　a　moment　to　take　my　hand　between　hers；　and　
went　on：　

‘It’s　in　vain；　Trot；　to　recall　the　past；　unless　it　works　some　
influence　upon　the　present。　Perhaps　I　might　have　been　better　
friends　with　your　poor　father。　Perhaps　I　might　have　been　better　
friends　with　that　poor　child　your　mother；　even　after　your　sister　
Betsey　Trotwood　disappointed　me。　When　you　came　to　me；　a　little　
runaway　boy；　all　dusty　and　way…worn；　perhaps　I　thought　so。　From　
that　time　until　now；　Trot；　you　have　ever　been　a　credit　to　me　and　a　
pride　and　a　pleasure。　I　have　no　other　claim　upon　my　means；　at　
least’—here　to　my　surprise　she　hesitated；　and　was　confused—‘no；　I　
have　no　other　claim　upon　my　means—and　you　are　my　adopted　
child。　Only　be　a　loving　child　to　me　in　my　age；　and　bear　with　my　
whims　and　fancies；　and　you　will　do　more　for　an　old　woman　whose　
prime　of　life　was　not　so　happy　or　conciliating　as　it　might　have　
been；　than　ever　that　old　woman　did　for　you。’　

It　was　the　first　time　I　had　heard　my　aunt　refer　to　her　past　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

history。　There　was　a　magnanimity　in　her　quiet　way　of　doing　so；　
and　of　dismissing　it；　which　would　have　exalted　her　in　my　respect　
and　affection；　if　anything　could。　

‘All　is　agreed　and　understood　between　us；　now；　Trot；’　said　my　
aunt；　‘and　we　need　talk　of　this　no　more。　Give　me　a　kiss；　and　we’ll　
go　to　the　Commons　after　breakfast　tomorrow。’　

We　had　a　long　chat　by　the　fire　before　we　went　to　bed。　I　slept　in　a　
room　on　the　same　floor　with　my　aunt’s；　and　was　a　little　disturbed　
in　the　course　of　the　night　by　her　knocking　at　my　door　as　often　as　
she　was　agitated　by　a　distant　sound　of　hackney…coaches　or　market…
carts；　and　inquiring；　‘if　I　heard　the　engines？’　But　towards　morning　
she　slept　better；　and　suffered　me　to　do　so　too。　

At　about　mid…day；　we　set　out　for　the　office　of　Messrs　Spenlow　
and　Jorkins；　in　Doctors’　Commons。　My　aunt；　who　had　this　other　
general　opinion　in　reference　to　London；　that　every　man　she　saw　
was　a　pickpocket；　gave　me　her　purse　to　carry　for　her；　which　had　
ten　guineas　in　it　and　some　silver。　

We　made　a　pause　at　the　toy　shop　in　Fleet　Street；　to　see　the　
giants　of　Saint　Dunstan’s　strike　upon　the　bells—we　had　timed　our　
going；　so　as　to　catch　them　at　it；　at　twelve　o’clock—and　then　went　
on　towards　Ludgate　Hill；　and　St。　Paul’s　Churchyard。　We　were　
crossing　to　the　former　place；　when　I　found　that　my　aunt　greatly　
accelerated　her　speed；　and　looked　frightened。　I　observed；　at　the　
same　time；　that　a　lowering　ill…dressed　man　who　had　stopped　and　
stared　at　us　in　passing；　a　little　before；　was　coming　so　close　after　us　
as　to　brush　against　her。　

‘Trot！　My　dear　Trot！’　cried　my　aunt；　in　a　terrified　whisper；　and　
pressing　my　arm。　‘I　don’t　know　what　I　am　to　do。’　

‘Don’t　be　alarmed；’　said　I。　‘There’s　nothing　to　be　afraid　of。　Step　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

into　a　shop；　and　I’ll　soon　get　rid　of　this　fellow。’　

‘No；　no；　child！’　she　returned。　‘Don’t　speak　to　him　for　the　world。　I　
entreat；　I　order　you！’　

‘Good　Heaven；　aunt！’　said　I。　‘He　is　nothing　but　a　sturdy　beggar。’　

‘You　don’t　know　what　he　is！’　replied　my　aunt。　‘You　don’t　know　
who　he　is！　You　don’t　know　what　you　say！’　

We　had　stopped　in　an　empty　door…way；　while　this　was　passing；　
and　he　had　stopped　too。　

‘Don’t　look　at　him！’　said　my　aunt；　as　I　turned　my　head　
indignantly；　‘but　get　me　a　coach；　my　dear；　and　wait　for　me　in　St。　
Paul’s　Churchyard。’　

‘Wait　for　you？’　I　replied。　

‘Yes；’　rejoined　my　aunt。　‘I　must　go　alone。　I　must　go　with　him。’　

‘With　him；　aunt？　This　man？’　

‘I　am　in　my　senses；’　she　replied；　‘and　I　tell　you　I　must。　Get　mea　
coach！’　

However　much　astonished　I　might　be；　I　was　sensible　that　I　had　
no　right　to　refuse　compliance　with　such　a　peremptory　command。　I　
hurried　away　a　few　paces；　and　called　a　hackney…chariot　which　was　
passing　empty。　Almost　before　I　could　let　down　the　steps；　my　aunt　
sprang　in；　I　don’t　know　how；　and　the　man　followed。　She　waved　her　
hand　to　me　to　go　away；　so　earnestly；　that；　all　confounded　as　I　was；　
I　turned　from　them　at　once。　In　doing　so；　I　heard　her　say　to　the　
coachman；　‘Drive　anywhere！　Drive　straight　on！’　and　presently　the　
chariot　passed　me；　going　up　the　hill。　

What　Mr。　Dick　had　told　me；　and　what　I　had　supposed　to　be　a　
delusion　of　his；　now　came　into　my　mind。　I　could　not　doubt　that　this　
person　was　the　person　of　whom　he　had　made　such　mysterious　
mention；　though　what　the　nature　of　his　hold　upon　my　aunt　could　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

possibly　be；　I　was　quite　unable　to　imagine。　After　half　an　hour’s　
cooling　in　the　churchyard；　I　saw　the　chariot　coming　back。　The　
driver　stopped　beside　me；　and　my　aunt　was　sitting　in　it　alone。　

She　had　not　yet　sufficiently　recovered　from　her　agitation　to　be　
quite　prepared　for　the　visit　we　had　to　make。　She　desired　me　to　get　
into　the　chariot；　and　to　tell　the　coachman　to　drive　slowly　up　and　
down　a　little　while。　She　said　no　more；　except；　‘My　dear　child；　
never　ask　me　what　it　was；　and　don’t　refer　to　it；’　until　she　had　
perfectly　regained　her　composure；　when　she　told　me　she　was　quite　
herself　now；　and　we　might　get　out。　On　her　giving　me　her　purse　to　
pay　the　driver；　I　found　that　all　the　guineas　were　gone；　and　only　the　
loose　silver　remained。　

Doctors’　Commons　was　approached　by　a　little　low　archway。　
Before　we　had　taken　many　paces　down　the　street　beyond　it；　the　
noise　of　the　city　seemed　to　melt；　as　if　by　magic；　into　a　softened　
distance。　A　few　dull　courts　and　narrow　ways　brought　us　to　the　skylighted　offices　of　Spenlow　and　Jorkins；　in　the　vestibule　of　which　
temple；　accessible　to　pilgrims　without　the　ceremony　of　knocking；　
three　or　four　clerks　were　at　work　as　copyists。　One　of　these；　a　little　
dry　man；　sitting　by　himself；　who　wore　a　stiff　brown　wig　that　looked　
as　if　it　were　made　of　gingerbread；　rose　to　receive　my　aunt；　and　
show　us　into　Mr。　Spenlow’s　room。　

‘Mr。　Spenlow’s　in　Court；　ma’am；’　said　the　dry　man；　‘it’s　an　
Arches　day；　but　it’s　close　by；　and　I’ll　send　for　him　directly。’　

As　we　were　left　to　look　about　us　while　Mr。　Spenlow　was　fetched；　
I　availed　myself　of　the　opportunity。　The　furniture　of　the　room　was　
old…fashioned　and　dusty；　and　the　green　baize　on　the　top　of　the　
writing…table　had　lost　all　its　colour；　and　was　as　withered　and　pale　
as　an　old　pauper。　There　were　a　great　many　bundles　of　papers　on　it；　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

some　endorsed　as　Allegations；　and　some　（to　my　surprise）　as　Libels；　
and　some　as　being　in　the　Consistory　Court；　and　some　in　the　
Arches　Court；　and　some　in　the　Prerogative　Court；　and　some　in　the　
Admiralty　Court；　and　some　in　the　Delegates’　Court；　giving　me　
occasion　to　wonder　much；　how　many　Courts　there　might　be　in　the　
gross；　and　how　long　it　would　take　to　understand　them　all。　Besides　
these；　there　were　sundry　immense　manuscript　Books　of　Evidence　
taken　on　affidavit；　strongly　bound；　and　tied　together　in　massive　
sets；　a　set　to　each　cause；　as　if　every　cause　were　a　history　in　ten　or　
twenty　volumes。　All　this　looked　tolerably　expensive；　I　thought；　and　
gave　me　an　agreeable　notion　of　a　proctor’s　business。　I　was　casting　
my　eyes　with　increasing　complacency　over　these　and　many　similar　
objects；　when　hasty　footsteps　were　heard　in　the　room　outside；　and　
Mr。　Spenlow；　in　a　black　gown　trimmed　with　white　fur；　came　
hurrying　in；　taking　off　his　hat　as　he　came。　

He　was　a　little　light…haired　gentleman；　with　undeniable　boots；　
and　the　stiffest　of　white　cravats　and　shirt…collars。　He　was　buttoned　
up；　mighty　trim　and　tight；　and　must　have　taken　a　great　deal　of　
pains　with　his　whiskers；　which　were　accurately　curled。　His　gold　
watch…chain　was　so　massive；　that　a　fancy　came　across　me；　that　he　
ought　to　have　a　sinewy　golden　arm；　to　draw　it　out　with；　like　those　
which　are　put　up　over　the　goldbeaters’　shops。　He　was　got　up　with　
such　care；　and　was　so　stiff；　that　he　could　hardly　bend　himself；　
being　obliged；　when　he　glanced　at　some　papers　on　his　desk；　after　
sitting　down　in　his　chair；　to　move　his　whole　body；　from　the　bottom　
of　his　spine；　like　Punch。　

I　had　previously　been　presented　by　my　aunt；　and　had　been　
courteously　received。　He　now　said：