david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第102章

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new　changes　might　happen　to　me　or　them　in　the　meanwhile。　At　
length　Steerforth；　becoming　gay　and　talkative　in　a　moment；　as　he　
could　become　anything　he　liked　at　any　moment；　pulled　me　by　the　
arm：　

‘Find　a　voice；　David。　What　about　that　letter　you　were　speaking　
of　at　breakfast？’　

‘Oh！’　said　I；　taking　it　out　of　my　pocket。　‘It’s　from　my　aunt。’　

‘And　what　does　she　say；　requiring　consideration？’　

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David　Copperfield　

‘Why；　she　reminds　me；　Steerforth；’　said　I；　‘that　I　came　out　on　
this　expedition　to　look　about　me；　and　to　think　a　little。’　

‘Which；　of　course；　you　have　done？’　

‘Indeed　I　can’t　say　I　have；　particularly。　To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　
am　afraid　I　have　forgotten　it。’　

‘Well！　look　about　you　now；　and　make　up　for　your　negligence；’　
said　Steerforth。　‘Look　to　the　right；　and　you’ll　see　a　flat　country；　
with　a　good　deal　of　marsh　in　it；　look　to　the　left；　and　you’ll　see　the　
same。　Look　to　the　front；　and　you’ll　find　no　difference；　look　to　the　
rear；　and　there　it　is　still。’　I　laughed；　and　replied　that　I　saw　no　
suitable　profession　in　the　whole　prospect；　which　was　perhaps　to　be　
attributed　to　its　flatness。　

‘What　says　our　aunt　on　the　subject？’　inquired　Steerforth；　
glancing　at　the　letter　in　my　hand。　‘Does　she　suggest　anything？’　

‘Why；　yes；’　said　I。　‘She　asks　me；　here；　if　I　think　I　should　like　to　
be　a　proctor？　What　do　you　think　of　it？’　

‘Well；　I　don’t　know；’　replied　Steerforth；　coolly。　‘You　may　as　well　
do　that　as　anything　else；　I　suppose？’　

I　could　not　help　laughing　again；　at　his　balancing　all　callings　and　
professions　so　equally；　and　I　told　him　so。　

‘What　is　a　proctor；　Steerforth？’　said　I。　

‘Why；　he　is　a　sort　of　monkish　attorney；’　replied　Steerforth。　‘He　
is；　to　some　faded　courts　held　in　Doctors’　Commons；—a　lazy　old　
nook　near　St。　Paul’s　Churchyard—what　solicitors　are　to　the　courts　
of　law　and　equity。　He　is　a　functionary　whose　existence；　in　the　
natural　course　of　things；　would　have　terminated　about　two　
hundred　years　ago。　I　can　tell　you　best　what　he　is；　by　telling　you　
what　Doctors’　Commons　is。　It’s　a　little　out…of…the…way　place；　where　
they　administer　what　is　called　ecclesiastical　law；　and　play　all　kinds　

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David　Copperfield　

of　tricks　with　obsolete　old　monsters　of　acts　of　Parliament；　which　
three…fourths　of　the　world　know　nothing　about；　and　the　other　
fourth　supposes　to　have　been　dug　up；　in　a　fossil　state；　in　the　days　
of　the　Edwards。　It’s　a　place　that　has　an　ancient　monopoly　in　suits　
about　people’s　wills　and　people’s　marriages；　and　disputes　among　
ships　and　boats。’　

‘Nonsense；　Steerforth！’　I　exclaimed。　‘You　don’t　mean　to　say　that　
there　is　any　affinity　between　nautical　matters　and　ecclesiastical　
matters？’　

‘I　don’t；　indeed；　my　dear　boy；’　he　returned；　‘but　I　mean　to　say　
that　they　are　managed　and　decided　by　the　same　set　of　people；　
down　in　that　same　Doctors’　Commons。　You　shall　go　there　one　day；　
and　find　them　blundering　through　half　the　nautical　terms　in　
Young’s　Dictionary；　apropos　of　the　“Nancy”　having　run　down　the　
“Sarah　Jane”；　or　Mr。　Peggotty　and　the　Yarmouth　boatmen　having　
put　off　in　a　gale　of　wind　with　an　anchor　and　cable　to　the　“Nelson”　
Indiaman　in　distress；　and　you　shall　go　there　another　day；　and　find　
them　deep　in　the　evidence；　pro　and　con；　respecting　a　clergyman　
who　has　misbehaved　himself；　and　you　shall　find　the　judge　in　the　
nautical　case；　the　advocate　in　the　clergyman’s　case；　or　
contrariwise。　They　are　like　actors：　now　a　man’s　a　judge；　and　now　
he　is　not　a　judge；　now　he’s　one　thing；　now　he’s　another；　now　he’s　
something　else；　change　and　change　about；　but　it’s　always　a　very　
pleasant；　profitable　little　affair　of　private　theatricals；　presented　to　
an　uncommonly　select　audience。’　

‘But　advocates　and　proctors　are　not　one　and　the　same？’　said　I；　a　
little　puzzled。　‘Are　they？’　

‘No；’　returned　Steerforth；　‘the　advocates　are　civilians—men　
who　have　taken　a　doctor’s　degree　at　college—which　is　the　first　

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reason　of　my　knowing　anything　about　it。　The　proctors　employ　the　
advocates。　Both　get　very　comfortable　fees；　and　altogether　they　
make　a　mighty　snug　little　party。　On　the　whole；　I　would　
recommend　you　to　take　to　Doctors’　Commons　kindly；　David。　They　
plume　themselves　on　their　gentility　there；　I　can　tell　you；　if　that’s　
any　satisfaction。’　

I　made　allowance　for　Steerforth’s　light　way　of　treating　the　
subject；　and；　considering　it　with　reference　to　the　staid　air　of　
gravity　and　antiquity　which　I　associated　with　that　‘lazy　old　nook　
near　St。　Paul’s　Churchyard’；　did　not　feel　indisposed　towards　my　
aunt’s　suggestion；　which　she　left　to　my　free　decision；　making　no　
scruple　of　telling　me　that　it　had　occurred　to　her；　on　her　lately　
visiting　her　own　proctor　in　Doctors’　Commons　for　the　purpose　of　
settling　her　will　in　my　favour。　

‘That’s　a　laudable　proceeding　on　the　part　of　our　aunt；　at　all　
events；’　said　Steerforth；　when　I　mentioned　it；　‘and　one　deserving　
of　all　encouragement。　Daisy；　my　advice　is　that　you　take　kindly　to　
Doctors’　Commons。’　

I　quite　made　up　my　mind　to　do　so。　I　then　told　Steerforth　that　
my　aunt　was　in　town　awaiting　me　（as　I　found　from　her　letter）；　and　
that　she　had　taken　lodgings　for　a　week　at　a　kind　of　private　hotel　at　
Lincoln’s　Inn　Fields；　where　there　was　a　stone　staircase；　and　a　
convenient　door　in　the　roof；　my　aunt　being　firmly　persuaded　that　
every　house　in　London　was　going　to　be　burnt　down　every　night。　

We　achieved　the　rest　of　our　journey　pleasantly；　sometimes　
recurring　to　Doctors’　Commons；　and　anticipating　the　distant　days　
when　I　should　be　a　proctor　there；　which　Steerforth　pictured　in　a　
variety　of　humorous　and　whimsical　lights；　that　made　us　both　
merry。　When　we　came　to　our　journey’s　end；　he　went　home；　

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engaging　to　call　upon　me　next　day　but　one；　and　I　drove　to　
Lincoln’s　Inn　Fields；　where　I　found　my　aunt　up；　and　waiting　
supper。　

If　I　had　been　round　the　world　since　we　parted；　we　could　hardly　
have　been　better　pleased　to　meet　again。　My　aunt　cried　outright　as　
she　embraced　me；　and　said；　pretending　to　laugh；　that　if　my　poor　
mother　had　been　alive；　that　silly　little　creature　would　have　shed　
tears；　she　had　no　doubt。　

‘So　you　have　left　Mr。　Dick　behind；　aunt？’　said　I。　‘I　am　sorry　for　
that。　Ah；　Janet；　how　do　you　do？’　

As　Janet　curtsied；　hoping　I　was　well；　I　observed　my　aunt’s　
visage　lengthen　very　much。　

‘I　am　sorry　for　it；　too；’　said　my　aunt；　rubbing　her　nose。　‘I　have　
had　no　peace　of　mind；　Trot；　since　I　have　been　here。’　Before　I　could　
ask　why；　she　told　me。　

‘I　am　convinced；’　said　my　aunt；　laying　her　hand　with　
melancholy　firmness　on　the　table；　‘that　Dick’s　character　is　not　a　
character　to　keep　the　donkeys　off。　I　am　confident　he　wants　
strength　of　purpose。　I　ought　to　have　left　Janet　at　home；　instead；　
and　then　my　mind　might　perhaps　have　been　at　ease。　If　ever　there　
was　a　donkey　trespassing　on　my　green；’　said　my　aunt；　with　
emphasis；　‘there　was　one　this　afternoon　at　four　o’clock。　A　cold　
feeling　came　over　me　from　head　to　foot；　and　I　know　it　was　a　
donkey！’　

I　tried　to　comfort　her　on　this　point；　but　she　rejected　consolation。　

‘It　was　a　donkey；’　said　my　aunt；　‘and　it　was　the　one　with　the　
stumpy　tail　which　that　Murdering　sister　of　a　woman　rode；　when　
she　came　to　my　house。’　This　had　been；　ever　since；　the　only　name　
my　aunt　knew　for　Miss　Murdstone。　‘If　there　is　any　Donkey　in　

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Dover；　whose　audacity　it　is　harder　to　me　to　bear　than　another’s；　
that；’　said　my　aunt；　striking　the　table；　‘is　the　animal！’　

Janet　ventured　to　suggest　that　my　aunt　might　be　disturbing　
herself　unnecessarily；　and　that　she　believed　the　donkey　in　
question　was　then　engaged　in　the　sand…and…gravel　line　of　business；　
and　was　not　available　for　purposes　of　trespass。　But　my　aunt　
wouldn’t　hear　of　it。　

Supper　was　comfortably　served　and　hot；　though　my　aunt’s　
rooms　were　very　hi