david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第104章

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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　

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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；　

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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：　

‘And　so；　Mr。　Copperfield；　you　think　of　entering　into　our　

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profession？　I　casually　mentioned　to　Miss　Trotwood；　when　I　had　
the　pleasure　of　an　interview　with　her　the　other　day；’—with　
another　inclination　of　his　body—Punch　again—‘that　there　was　a　
vacancy　here。　Miss　Trotwood　was　good　enough　to　mention　that　
she　had　a　nephew　who　was　her　peculiar　care；　and　for　whom　she　
was　seeking　to　provide　genteelly　in　life。　That　nephew；　I　believe；　I　
have　now　the　pleasure　of’—Punch　again。　I　bowed　my　
acknowledgements；　and　said；　my　aunt　had　mentioned　to　me　that　
there　was　that　opening；　and　that　I　believed　I　should　like　it　very　
much。　That　I　was　strongly　inclined　to　like　it；　and　had　taken　
immediately　to　the　proposal。　That　I　could　not　absolutely　pledge　
myself　to　like　it；　until　I　knew　something　more　about　it。　That　
although　it　was　little　else　than　a　matter　of　form；　I　presumed　I　
should　have　an　opportunity　of　trying　how　I　liked　it；　before　I　bound　
myself　to　it　irrevocably。　

‘Oh　surely！　surely！’　said　Mr。　Spenlow。　‘We　always；　in　this　house；　
propose　a　month—an　initiatory　month。　I　should　be　happy；　myself；　
to　propose　two　months—three—an　indefinite　period；　in　fact—but　I　
have　a　partner。　Mr。　Jorkins。’　

‘And　the　premium；　sir；’　I　returned；　‘is　a　thousand　pounds？’　

‘And　the　premium；　Stamp　included；　is　a　thousand　pounds；’　said　
Mr。　Spenlow。　‘As　I　have　mentioned　to　Miss　Trotwood；　I　am　
actuated　by　no　mercenary　considerations；　few　men　are　less　so；　I　
believe；　but　Mr。　Jorkins　has　his　opinions　on　these　subjects；　and　I　
am　bound　to　respect　Mr。　Jorkins’s　opinions。　Mr。　Jorkins　thinks　a　
thousand　pounds　too　little；　in　short。’　

‘I　suppose；　sir；’　said　I；　still　desiring　to　spare　my　aunt；　‘that　it　is　
not　the　custom　here；　if　an　articled　clerk　were　particularly　useful；　
and　made　himself　a　perfect　master　of　his　profession’—I　could　not　

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help　blushing；　this　looked　so　like　praising　myself—‘I　suppose　it　is　
not　the　custom；　in　the　later　years　of　his　time；　to　allow　him　any—’　

Mr。　Spenlow；　by　a　great　effort；　just　lifted　his　head　far　enough　
out　of　his　cravat　to　shake　it；　and　answered；　anticipating　the　word　
‘salary’：　

‘No。　I　will　not　say　what　consideration　I　might　give　to　that　point　
myself；　Mr。　Copperfield；　if　I　were　unfettered。　Mr。　Jorkins　is　
immovable。’　

I　was　quite　dismayed　by　the　idea　of　this　terrible　Jorkins。　But　I　
found　out　afterwards　that　he　was　a　mild　man　of　a　heavy　
temperament；　whose　place　in　the　business　was　to　keep　himself　in　
the　background；　and　be　constantly　exhibited　by　name　as　the　most　
obdurate　and　ruthless　of　men。　If　a　clerk　wanted　his　salary　raised；　
Mr。　Jorkins　wouldn’t　listen　to　such　a　proposition。　If　a　client　were　
slow　to　settle　his　bill　of　costs；　Mr。　Jorkins　was　resolved　to　have　it　
paid；　and　however　painful　these　things　might　be　（and　always　
were）　to　the　feelings　of　Mr。　Spenlow；　Mr。　Jorkins　would　have　his　
bond。　The　heart　and　hand　of　the　good　angel　Spenlow　would　have　
been　always　open；　but　for　the　restraining　demon　Jorkins。　As　I　
have　grown　older；　I　think　I　have　had　experience　of　some　other　
houses　doing　business　on　the　principle　of　Spenlow　and　Jorkins！　

It　was　settled　that　I　should　begin　my　month’s　probation　as　soon　
as　I　pleased；　and　that　my　aunt　need　neither　remain　in　town　nor　
return　at　its　expiration；　as　the　articles　of　agreement；　of　which　I　
was　to　be　the　subject；　could　easily　be　sent　to　her　at　home　for　her　
signature。　When　we　had　got　so　far；　Mr。　Spenlow　offered　to　take　me　
into　Court　then　and　there；　and　show　me　what　sort　of　place　it　was。　
As　I　was　willing　enough　to　know；　we　went　out　with　this　object；　
leaving　my　aunt　behind；　who　would　trust　herself；　she　said；　in　no　

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such　place；　and　who；　I　think；　regarded　all　Courts　of　Law　as　a　sort　
of　powder…mills　that　might　blow　up　at　any　time。　

Mr。　Spenlow　conducted　me　through　a　paved　courtyard　formed　
of　grave　brick　houses；　w