david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第111章

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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　we　had　not　been　quite　so　genteel。　We　were　so　exceedingly　
genteel；　that　our　scope　was　very　limited。　A　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Gulpidge　
were　of　the　party；　who　had　something　to　do　at　second…hand　（at　
least；　Mr。　Gulpidge　had）　with　the　law　business　of　the　Bank；　and　
what　with　the　Bank；　and　what　with　the　Treasury；　we　were　as　
exclusive　as　the　Court　Circular。　To　mend　the　matter；　Hamlet’s　
aunt　had　the　family　failing　of　indulging　in　soliloquy；　and　held　forth　
in　a　desultory　manner；　by　herself；　on　every　topic　that　was　
introduced。　These　were　few　enough；　to　be　sure；　but　as　we　always　
fell　back　upon　Blood；　she　had　as　wide　a　field　for　abstract　
speculation　as　her　nephew　himself。　

We　might　have　been　a　party　of　Ogres；　the　conversation　
assumed　such　a　sanguine　complexion。　

‘I　confess　I　am　of　Mrs。　Waterbrook’s　opinion；’　said　Mr。　
Waterbrook；　with　his　wine…glass　at　his　eye。　‘Other　things　are　all　
very　well　in　their　way；　but　give　me　Blood！’　

‘Oh！　There　is　nothing；’　observed　Hamlet’s　aunt；　‘so　satisfactory　

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to　one！　There　is　nothing　that　is　so　much　one’s　beau…ideal　of—of　all　
that　sort　of　thing；　speaking　generally。　There　are　some　low　minds　
（not　many；　I　am　happy　to　believe；　but　there　are　some）　that　would　
prefer　to　do　what　I　should　call　bow　down　before　idols。　Positively　
Idols！　Before　service；　intellect；　and　so　on。　But　these　are　intangible　
points。　Blood　is　not　so。　We　see　Blood　in　a　nose；　and　we　know　it。　We　
meet　with　it　in　a　chin；　and　we　say；　“There　it　is！　That’s　Blood！”　It　is　
an　actual　matter　of　fact。　We　point　it　out。　It　admits　of　no　doubt。’　

The　simpering　fellow　with　the　weak　legs；　who　had　taken　Agnes　
down；　stated　the　question　more　decisively　yet；　I　thought。　

‘Oh；　you　know；　deuce　take　it；’　said　this　gentleman；　looking　
round　the　board　with　an　imbecile　smile；　‘we　can’t　forego　Blood；　
you　know。　We　must　have　Blood；　you　know。　Some　young　fellows；　
you　know；　may　be　a　little　behind　their　station；　perhaps；　in　point　of　
education　and　behaviour；　and　may　go　a　little　wrong；　you　know；　
and　get　themselves　and　other　people　into　a　variety　of　fixes—and　
all　that—but　deuce　take　it；　it’s　delightful　to　reflect　that　they’ve　got　
Blood　in　’em！　Myself；　I’d　rather　at　any　time　be　knocked　down　by　a　
man　who　had　got　Blood　in　him；　than　I’d　be　picked　up　by　a　man　
who　hadn’t！’　

This　sentiment；　as　compressing　the　general　question　into　a　
nutshell；　gave　the　utmost　satisfaction；　and　brought　the　gentleman　
into　great　notice　until　the　ladies　retired。　After　that；　I　observed　that　
Mr。　Gulpidge　and　Mr。　Henry　Spiker；　who　had　hitherto　been　very　
distant；　entered　into　a　defensive　alliance　against　us；　the　common　
enemy；　and　exchanged　a　mysterious　dialogue　across　the　table　for　
our　defeat　and　overthrow。　

‘That　affair　of　the　first　bond　for　four　thousand　five　hundred　
pounds　has　not　taken　the　course　that　was　expected；　Spiker；’　said　

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Mr。　Gulpidge。　

‘Do　you　mean　the　D。　of　A。’s？’　said　Mr。　Spiker。　

‘The　C。　of　B。’s！’　said　Mr。　Gulpidge。　

Mr。　Spiker　raised　his　eyebrows；　and　looked　much　concerned。　

‘When　the　question　was　referred　to　Lord—I　needn’t　name　him；’　
said　Mr。　Gulpidge；　checking　himself—　

‘I　understand；’　said　Mr。　Spiker；　‘N。’　

Mr。　Gulpidge　darkly　nodded—‘was　referred　to　him；　his　answer　
was；　“Money；　or　no　release。”’　

‘Lord　bless　my　soul！’　cried　Mr。　Spiker。　

“‘Money；　or　no　release；”’　repeated　Mr。　Gulpidge；　firmly。　‘The　
next　in　reversion—you　understand　me？’　

‘K。；’　said　Mr。　Spiker；　with　an　ominous　look。　

‘—K。　then　positively　refused　to　sign。　He　was　attended　at　
Newmarket　for　that　purpose；　and　he　point…blank　refused　to　do　it。’　

Mr。　Spiker　was　so　interested；　that　he　became　quite　stony。　

‘So　the　matter　rests　at　this　hour；’　said　Mr。　Gulpidge；　throwing　
himself　back　in　his　chair。　‘Our　friend　Waterbrook　will　excuse　me　if　
I　forbear　to　explain　myself　generally；　on　account　of　the　magnitude　
of　the　interests　involved。’　

Mr。　Waterbrook　was　only　too　happy；　as　it　appeared　to　me；　to　
have　such　interests；　and　such　names；　even　hinted　at；　across　his　
table。　He　assumed　an　expression　of　gloomy　intelligence　（though　I　
am　persuaded　he　knew　no　more　about　the　discussion　than　I　did）；　
and　highly　approved　of　the　discretion　that　had　been　observed。　Mr。　
Spiker；　after　the　receipt　of　such　a　confidence；　naturally　desired　to　
favour　his　friend　with　a　confidence　of　his　own；　therefore　the　
foregoing　dialogue　was　succeeded　by　another；　in　which　it　was　Mr。　
Gulpidge’s　turn　to　be　surprised；　and　that　by　another　in　which　the　

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surprise　came　round　to　Mr。　Spiker’s　turn　again；　and　so　on；　turn　
and　turn　about。　All　this　time　we；　the　outsiders；　remained　
oppressed　by　the　tremendous　interests　involved　in　the　
conversation；　and　our　host　regarded　us　with　pride；　as　the　victims　
of　a　salutary　awe　and　astonishment。　I　was　very　glad　indeed　to　get　
upstairs　to　Agnes；　and　to　talk　with　her　in　a　corner；　and　to　
introduce　Traddles　to　her；　who　was　shy；　but　agreeable；　and　the　
same　good…natured　creature　still。　As　he　was　obliged　to　leave　early；　
on　account　of　going　away　next　morning　for　a　month；　I　had　not　
nearly　so　much　conversation　with　him　as　I　could　have　wished；　but　
we　exchanged　addresses；　and　promised　ourselves　the　pleasure　of　
another　meeting　when　he　should　come　back　to　town。　He　was　
greatly　interested　to　hear　that　I　knew　Steerforth；　and　spoke　of　him　
with　such　warmth　that　I　made　him　tell　Agnes　what　he　thought　of　
him。　But　Agnes　only　looked　at　me　the　while；　and　very　slightly　
shook　her　head　when　only　I　observed　her。　

As　she　was　not　among　people　with　whom　I　believed　she　could　
be　very　much　at　home；　I　was　almost　glad　to　hear　that　she　was　
going　away　within　a　few　days；　though　I　was　sorry　at　the　prospect　
of　parting　from　her　again　so　soon。　This　caused　me　to　remain　until　
all　the　company　were　gone。　Conversing　with　her；　and　hearing　her　
sing；　was　such　a　delightful　reminder　to　me　of　m