david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第98部分

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I　know　how　he　has　narrowed　the　circle　of　his　sympathies　and　
duties；　in　the　concentration　of　his　whole　mind　upon　me。　I　know　
what　a　multitude　of　things　he　has　shut　out　for　my　sake；　and　how　
his　anxious　thoughts　of　me　have　shadowed　his　life；　and　weakened　
his　strength　and　energy；　by　turning　them　always　upon　one　idea。　If　
I　could　ever　set　this　right！　If　I　could　ever　work　out　his　restoration；　
as　I　have　so　innocently　been　the　cause　of　his　decline！’　

I　had　never　before　seen　Agnes　cry。　I　had　seen　tears　in　her　eyes　
when　I　had　brought　new　honours　home　from　school；　and　I　had　
seen　them　there　when　we　last　spoke　about　her　father；　and　I　had　
seen　her　turn　her　gentle　head　aside　when　we　took　leave　of　one　
another；　but　I　had　never　seen　her　grieve　like　this。　It　made　me　so　
sorry　that　I　could　only　say；　in　a　foolish；　helpless　manner；　‘Pray；　
Agnes；　don’t！　Don’t；　my　dear　sister！’　

But　Agnes　was　too　superior　to　me　in　character　and　purpose；　as　
I　know　well　now；　whatever　I　might　know　or　not　know　then；　to　be　

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David　Copperfield　

long　in　need　of　my　entreaties。　The　beautiful；　calm　manner；　which　
makes　her　so　different　in　my　remembrance　from　everybody　else；　
came　back　again；　as　if　a　cloud　had　passed　from　a　serene　sky。　

‘We　are　not　likely　to　remain　alone　much　longer；’　said　Agnes；　
‘and　while　I　have　an　opportunity；　let　me　earnestly　entreat　you；　
Trotwood；　to　be　friendly　to　Uriah。　Don’t　repel　him。　Don’t　resent　
（as　I　think　you　have　a　general　disposition　to　do）　what　may　be　
uncongenial　to　you　in　him。　He　may　not　deserve　it；　for　we　know　no　
certain　ill　of　him。　In　any　case；　think　first　of　papa　and　me！’　

Agnes　had　no　time　to　say　more；　for　the　room　door　opened；　and　
Mrs。　Waterbrook；　who　was　a　large　lady—or　who　wore　a　large　
dress：　I　don’t　exactly　know　which；　for　I　don’t　know　which　was　
dress　and　which　was　lady—came　sailing　in。　I　had　a　dim　
recollection　of　having　seen　her　at　the　theatre；　as　if　I　had　seen　her　
in　a　pale　magic　lantern；　but　she　appeared　to　remember　me　
perfectly；　and　still　to　suspect　me　of　being　in　a　state　of　intoxication。　

Finding　by　degrees；　however；　that　I　was　sober；　and　（I　hope）　that　
I　was　a　modest　young　gentleman；　Mrs。　Waterbrook　softened　
towards　me　considerably；　and　inquired；　firstly；　if　I　went　much　into　
the　parks；　and　secondly；　if　I　went　much　into　society。　On　my　
replying　to　both　these　questions　in　the　negative；　it　occurred　to　me　
that　I　fell　again　in　her　good　opinion；　but　she　concealed　the　fact　
gracefully；　and　invited　me　to　dinner　next　day。　I　accepted　the　
invitation；　and　took　my　leave；　making　a　call　on　Uriah　in　the　office　
as　I　went　out；　and　leaving　a　card　for　him　in　his　absence。　

When　I　went　to　dinner　next　day；　and　on　the　street　door　being　
opened；　plunged　into　a　vapour…bath　of　haunch　of　mutton；　I　divined　
that　I　was　not　the　only　guest；　for　I　immediately　identified　the　
ticket…porter　in　disguise；　assisting　the　family　servant；　and　waiting　

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David　Copperfield　

at　the　foot　of　the　stairs　to　carry　up　my　name。　He　looked；　to　the　best　
of　his　ability；　when　he　asked　me　for　it　confidentially；　as　if　he　had　
never　seen　me　before；　but　well　did　I　know　him；　and　well　did　he　
know　me。　Conscience　made　cowards　of　us　both。　

I　found　Mr。　Waterbrook　to　be　a　middle…aged　gentleman；　with　a　
short　throat；　and　a　good　deal　of　shirt…collar；　who　only　wanted　a　
black　nose　to　be　the　portrait　of　a　pug…dog。　He　told　me　he　was　
happy　to　have　the　honour　of　making　my　acquaintance；　and　when　I　
had　paid　my　homage　to　Mrs。　Waterbrook；　presented　me；　with　
much　ceremony；　to　a　very　awful　lady　in　a　black　velvet　dress；　and　a　
great　black　velvet　hat；　whom　I　remember　as　looking　like　a　near　
relation　of　Hamlet’s—say　his　aunt。　

Mrs。　Henry　Spiker　was　this　lady’s　name；　and　her　husband　was　
there　too：　so　cold　a　man；　that　his　head；　instead　of　being　grey；　
seemed　to　be　sprinkled　with　hoar…frost。　Immense　deference　was　
shown　to　the　Henry　Spikers；　male　and　female；　which　Agnes　told　
me　was　on　account　of　Mr。　Henry　Spiker　being　solicitor　to　
something　Or　to　Somebody；　I　forget　what　or　which；　remotely　
connected　with　the　Treasury。　

I　found　Uriah　Heep　among　the　company；　in　a　suit　of　black；　and　
in　deep　humility。　He　told　me；　when　I　shook　hands　with　him；　that　
he　was　proud　to　be　noticed　by　me；　and　that　he　really　felt　obliged　to　
me　for　my　condescension。　I　could　have　wished　he　had　been　less　
obliged　to　me；　for　he　hovered　about　me　in　his　gratitude　all　the　rest　
of　the　evening；　and　whenever　I　said　a　word　to　Agnes；　was　sure；　
with　his　shadowless　eyes　and　cadaverous　face；　to　be　looking　
gauntly　down　upon　us　from　behind。　

There　were　other　guests—all　iced　for　the　occasion；　as　it　struck　
me；　like　the　wine。　But　there　was　one　who　attracted　my　attention　

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before　he　came　in；　on　account　of　my　hearing　him　announced　as　
Mr。　Traddles！　My　mind　flew　back　to　Salem　House；　and　could　it　be　
Tommy；　I　thought；　who　used　to　draw　the　skeletons！　

I　looked　for　Mr。　Traddles　with　unusual　interest。　He　was　a　sober；　
steady…looking　young　man　of　retiring　manners；　with　a　comic　head　
of　hair；　and　eyes　that　were　rather　wide　open；　and　he　got　into　an　
obscure　corner　so　soon；　that　I　had　some　difficulty　in　making　him　
out。　At　length　I　had　a　good　view　of　him；　and　either　my　vision　
deceived　me；　or　it　was　the　old　unfortunate　Tommy。　

I　made　my　way　to　Mr。　Waterbrook；　and　said；　that　I　believed　I　
had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　an　old　schoolfellow　there。　

‘Indeed！’　said　Mr。　Waterbrook；　surprised。　‘You　are　too　young　to　
have　been　at　school　with　Mr。　Henry　Spiker？’　

‘Oh；　I　don’t　mean　him！’　I　returned。　‘I　mean　the　gentleman　
named　Traddles。’　

‘Oh！　Aye；　aye！　Indeed！’　said　my　host；　with　much　diminished　
interest。　‘Possibly。’　

‘If　it’s　really　the　same　person；’　said　I；　glancing　towards　him；　‘it　
was　at　a　place　called　Salem　House　where　we　were　together；　and　he　
was　an　excellent　fellow。’　

‘Oh　yes。　Traddles　is　a　good　fellow；’　returned　my　host　nodding　
his　head　with　an　air　of　toleration。　‘Traddles　is　quite　a　good　fellow。’　

‘It’s　a　curious　coincidence；’　said　I。　

‘It　is　really；’　returned　my　host；　‘quite　a　coincidence；　that　
Traddles　should　be　here　at　all：　as　Traddles　was　only　invited　this　
morning；　when　the　place　at　table；　intended　to　be　occupied　by　Mrs。　
Henry　Spiker’s　brother；　became　vacant；　in　consequence　of　his　
indisposition。　A　very　gentlemanly　man；　Mrs。　Henry　Spiker’s　
brother；　Mr。　Copperfield。’　

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David　Copperfield　

I　murmured　an　assent；　which　was　full　of　feeling；　considering　
that　I　knew　nothing　at　all　about　him；　and　I　inquired　what　Mr。　
Traddles　was　by　profession。　

‘Traddles；’　returned　Mr。　Waterbrook；　‘is　a　young　man　reading　
for　the　bar。　Yes。　He　is　quite　a　good　fellow—nobody’s　enemy　but　his　
own。’　

‘Is　he　his　own　enemy？’　said　I；　sorry　to　hear　this。　

‘Well；’　returned　Mr。　Waterbrook；　pursing　up　his　mouth；　and　
playing　with　his　watch…chain；　in　a　comfortable；　prosperous　sort　of　
way。　‘I　should　say　he　was　one　of　those　men　who　stand　in　their　own　
light。　Yes；　I　should　say　he　would　never；　for　example；　be　worth　five　
hundred　pound。　Traddles　was　recommended　to　me　by　a　
professional　friend。　Oh　yes。　Yes。　He　has　a　kind　of　talent　for　
drawing　briefs；　and　stating　a　case　in　writing；　plainly。　I　am　able　to　
throw　something　in　Traddles’s　way；　in　the　course　of　the　year；　
something—for　him—considerable。　Oh　yes。　Yes。’　

I　was　much　impressed　by　the　extremely　comfortable　and　
satisfied　manner　in　which　Mr。　Waterbrook　delivered　himself　of　
this　little　word　‘Yes’；　every　now　and　then。　There　was　wonderful　
expression　in　it。　It　completely　conveyed　the　idea　of　a　man　who　had　
been　born；　not　to　say　with　a　silver　spoon；　but　with　a　scaling…ladder；　
and　had　gone　on　mounting　all　the　heights　of　life　one　after　another；　
until　now　he　looked；　from　the　top　of　the　fortifications；　with　the　eye　
of　a　philosopher　and　a　patron；　on　the　people　down　in　the　trenches。　

My　reflections　on　this　theme　were　still　in　progress　when　dinner　
was　announced。　Mr。　Waterbrook　went　down　with　Hamlet’s　aunt。　
Mr。　Henry　Spiker　took　Mrs。　Waterbrook。　Agnes；　whom　I　should　
have　liked　to　take　myself；　was　given　to　a　simpering　fellow　with　
weak　legs。　Uriah；　Traddles；　and　I；　as　the　junior　part　of　the　

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David　Copperfield　

company；　went　down　last；　how　we　could。　I　was　not　so　vexed　at　
losing　Agnes　as　I　might　have　been；　since　it　gave　me　an　opportunity　
of　making　myself　known　to　Traddles　on　the　stairs；　who　greeted　me　
with　great　fervour；　while　Uriah　writhed　with　such　obtrusive　
satisfaction　and　self…abasement；　that　I　could　gladly　have　pitched　
him　over　the　banisters。　Traddles　and　I　were　separated　at　table；　
being　billeted　in　two　remote　corners：　he　in　the　glare　of　a　red　velvet　
lady；　I；　in　the　gloom　of　Hamlet’s　aunt。　The　dinner　was　very　long；　
and　the　conversation　was　about　the　Aristocracy—and　Blood。　Mrs。　
Waterbrook　repeatedly　told　us；　that　if　she　had　a　weakness；　it　was　
Blood。　

It　occurred　to　me　several　times　that　we　should　have　got　on　
better；　if　w