david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第103章

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wouldn’t　hear　of　it。　

Supper　was　comfortably　served　and　hot；　though　my　aunt’s　
rooms　were　very　high　up—whether　that　she　might　have　more　
stone　stairs　for　her　money；　or　might　be　nearer　to　the　door　in　the　
roof；　I　don’t　know—and　consisted　of　a　roast　fowl；　a　steak；　and　
some　vegetables；　to　all　of　which　I　did　ample　justice；　and　which　
were　all　excellent。　But　my　aunt　had　her　own　ideas　concerning　
London　provision；　and　ate　but　little。　

‘I　suppose　this　unfortunate　fowl　was　born　and　brought　up　in　a　
cellar；’　said　my　aunt；　‘and　never　took　the　air　except　on　a　hackney　
coach…stand。　I　hope　the　steak　may　be　beef；　but　I　don’t　believe　it。　
Nothing’s　genuine　in　the　place；　in　my　opinion；　but　the　dirt。’　

‘Don’t　you　think　the　fowl　may　have　come　out　of　the　country；　
aunt？’　I　hinted。　

‘Certainly　not；’　returned　my　aunt。　‘It　would　be　no　pleasure　to　a　
London　tradesman　to　sell　anything　which　was　what　he　pretended　
it　was。’　

I　did　not　venture　to　controvert　this　opinion；　but　I　made　a　good　
supper；　which　it　greatly　satisfied　her　to　see　me　do。　When　the　table　
was　cleared；　Janet　assisted　her　to　arrange　her　hair；　to　put　on　her　
nightcap；　which　was　of　a　smarter　construction　than　usual　（‘in　case　
of　fire’；　my　aunt　said）；　and　to　fold　her　gown　back　over　her　knees；　
these　being　her　usual　preparations　for　warming　herself　before　

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going　to　bed。　I　then　made　her；　according　to　certain　established　
regulations　from　which　no　deviation；　however　slight；　could　ever　be　
permitted；　a　glass　of　hot　wine　and　water；　and　a　slice　of　toast　cut　
into　long　thin　strips。　With　these　accompaniments　we　were　left　
alone　to　finish　the　evening；　my　aunt　sitting　opposite　to　me　
drinking　her　wine　and　water；　soaking　her　strips　of　toast　in　it；　one　
by　one；　before　eating　them；　and　looking　benignantly　on　me；　from　
among　the　borders　of　her　nightcap。　

‘Well；　Trot；’　she　began；　‘what　do　you　think　of　the　proctor　plan？　
Or　have　you　not　begun　to　think　about　it　yet？’　

‘I　have　thought　a　good　deal　about　it；　my　dear　aunt；　and　I　have　
talked　a　good　deal　about　it　with　Steerforth。　I　like　it　very　much　
indeed。　I　like　it　exceedingly。’　

‘Come！’　said　my　aunt。　‘That’s　cheering！’　

‘I　have　only　one　difficulty；　aunt。’　

‘Say　what　it　is；　Trot；’　she　returned。　

‘Why；　I　want　to　ask；　aunt；　as　this　seems；　from　what　I　
understand；　to　be　a　limited　profession；　whether　my　entrance　into　
it　would　not　be　very　expensive？’　

‘It　will　cost；’　returned　my　aunt；　‘to　article　you；　just　a　thousand　
pounds。’　

‘Now；　my　dear　aunt；’　said　I；　drawing　my　chair　nearer；　‘I　am　
uneasy　in　my　mind　about　that。　It’s　a　large　sum　of　money。　You　have　
expended　a　great　deal　on　my　education；　and　have　always　been　as　
liberal　to　me　in　all　things　as　it　was　possible　to　be。　You　have　been　
the　soul　of　generosity。　Surely　there　are　some　ways　in　which　I　
might　begin　life　with　hardly　any　outlay；　and　yet　begin　with　a　good　
hope　of　getting　on　by　resolution　and　exertion。　Are　you　sure　that　it　
would　not　be　better　to　try　that　course？　Are　you　certain　that　you　

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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　

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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　

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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！’　a