david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第112章

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all　the　company　were　gone。　Conversing　with　her；　and　hearing　her　
sing；　was　such　a　delightful　reminder　to　me　of　my　happy　life　in　the　
grave　old　house　she　had　made　so　beautiful；　that　I　could　have　
remained　there　half　the　night；　but；　having　no　excuse　for　staying　
any　longer；　when　the　lights　of　Mr。　Waterbrook’s　society　were　all　
snuffed　out；　I　took　my　leave　very　much　against　my　inclination。　I　
felt　then；　more　than　ever；　that　she　was　my　better　Angel；　and　if　I　
thought　of　her　sweet　face　and　placid　smile；　as　though　they　had　
shone　on　me　from　some　removed　being；　like　an　Angel；　I　hope　I　

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David　Copperfield　

thought　no　harm。　

I　have　said　that　the　company　were　all　gone；　but　I　ought　to　have　
excepted　Uriah；　whom　I　don’t　include　in　that　denomination；　and　
who　had　never　ceased　to　hover　near　us。　He　was　close　behind　me　
when　I　went　downstairs。　He　was　close　beside　me；　when　I　walked　
away　from　the　house；　slowly　fitting　his　long　skeleton　fingers　into　
the　still　longer　fingers　of　a　great　Guy　Fawkes　pair　of　gloves。　

It　was　in　no　disposition　for　Uriah’s　company；　but　in　
remembrance　of　the　entreaty　Agnes　had　made　to　me；　that　I　asked　
him　if　he　would　come　home　to　my　rooms；　and　have　some　coffee。　

‘Oh；　really；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　rejoined—‘I　beg　your　
pardon；　Mister　Copperfield；　but　the　other　comes　so　natural；　I　don’t　
like　that　you　should　put　a　constraint　upon　yourself　to　ask　a　
numble　person　like　me　to　your　ouse。’　

‘There　is　no　constraint　in　the　case；’　said　I。　‘Will　you　come？’　

‘I　should　like　to；　very　much；’　replied　Uriah；　with　a　writhe。　

‘Well；　then；　come　along！’　said　I。　

I　could　not　help　being　rather　short　with　him；　but　he　appeared　
not　to　mind　it。　We　went　the　nearest　way；　without　conversing　much　
upon　the　road；　and　he　was　so　humble　in　respect　of　those　
scarecrow　gloves；　that　he　was　still　putting　them　on；　and　seemed　to　
have　made　no　advance　in　that　labour；　when　we　got　to　my　place。　

I　led　him　up　the　dark　stairs；　to　prevent　his　knocking　his　head　
against　anything；　and　really　his　damp　cold　hand　felt　so　like　a　frog　
in　mine；　that　I　was　tempted　to　drop　it　and　run　away。　Agnes　and　
hospitality　prevailed；　however；　and　I　conducted　him　to　my　fireside。　
When　I　lighted　my　candles；　he　fell　into　meek　transports　with　the　
room　that　was　revealed　to　him；　and　when　I　heated　the　coffee　in　an　
unassuming　block…tin　vessel　in　which　Mrs。　Crupp　delighted　to　

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David　Copperfield　

prepare　it　（chiefly；　I　believe；　because　it　was　not　intended　for　the　
purpose；　being　a　shaving…pot；　and　because　there　was　a　patent　
invention　of　great　price　mouldering　away　in　the　pantry）；　he　
professed　so　much　emotion；　that　I　could　joyfully　have　scalded　him。　

‘Oh；　really；　Master　Copperfield；—I　mean　Mister　Copperfield；’　
said　Uriah；　‘to　see　you　waiting　upon　me　is　what　I　never　could　have　
expected！　But；　one　way　and　another；　so　many　things　happen　to　me　
which　I　never　could　have　expected；　I　am　sure；　in　my　umble　station；　
that　it　seems　to　rain　blessings　on　my　ed。　You　have　heard　
something；　I　des…say；　of　a　change　in　my　expectations；　Master　
Copperfield；—I　should　say；　Mister　Copperfield？’　

As　he　sat　on　my　sofa；　with　his　long　knees　drawn　up　under　his　
coffee…cup；　his　hat　and　gloves　upon　the　ground　close　to　him；　his　
spoon　going　softly　round　and　round；　his　shadowless　red　eyes；　
which　looked　as　if　they　had　scorched　their　lashes　off；　turned　
towards　me　without　looking　at　me；　the　disagreeable　dints　I　have　
formerly　described　in　his　nostrils　coming　and　going　with　his　
breath；　and　a　snaky　undulation　pervading　his　frame　from　his　chin　
to　his　boots；　I　decided　in　my　own　mind　that　I　disliked　him　
intensely。　It　made　me　very　uncomfortable　to　have　him　for　a　guest；　
for　I　was　young　then；　and　unused　to　disguise　what　I　so　strongly　
felt。　

‘You　have　heard　something；　I　des…say；　of　a　change　in　my　

expectations；　Master　Copperfield；—I　should　say；　Mister　
Copperfield？’　observed　Uriah。　
‘Yes；’　said　I；　‘something。’　
‘Ah！　I　thought　Miss　Agnes　would　know　of　it！’　he　quietly　

returned。　‘I’m　glad　to　find　Miss　Agnes　knows　of　it。　Oh；　thank　you；　
Master—Mister　Copperfield！’　

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I　could　have　thrown　my　bootjack　at　him　（it　lay　ready　on　the　
rug）；　for　having　entrapped　me　into　the　disclosure　of　anything　
concerning　Agnes；　however　immaterial。　But　I　only　drank　my　
coffee。　

‘What　a　prophet　you　have　shown　yourself；　Mister　Copperfield！’　
pursued　Uriah。　‘Dear　me；　what　a　prophet　you　have　proved　
yourself　to　be！　Don’t　you　remember　saying　to　me　once；　that　
perhaps　I　should　be　a　partner　in　Mr。　Wickfield’s　business；　and　
perhaps　it　might　be　Wickfield　and　Heep？　You　may　not　recollect　it；　
but　when　a　person　is　umble；　Master　Copperfield；　a　person　
treasures　such　things　up！’　

‘I　recollect　talking　about　it；’　said　I；　‘though　I　certainly　did　not　
think　it　very　likely　then。’　

‘Oh！　who　would　have　thought　it　likely；　Mister　Copperfield！’　
returned　Uriah；　enthusiastically。　‘I　am　sure　I　didn’t　myself。　I　
recollect　saying　with　my　own　lips　that　I　was　much　too　umble。　So　I　
considered　myself　really　and　truly。’　

He　sat；　with　that　carved　grin　on　his　face；　looking　at　the　fire；　as　I　
looked　at　him。　

‘But　the　umblest　persons；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　presently　
resumed；　‘may　be　the　instruments　of　good。　I　am　glad　to　think　I　
have　been　the　instrument　of　good　to　Mr。　Wickfield；　and　that　I　may　
be　more　so。　Oh　what　a　worthy　man　he　is；　Mister　Copperfield；　but　
how　imprudent　he　has　been！’　

‘I　am　sorry　to　hear　it；’　said　I。　I　could　not　help　adding；　rather　
pointedly；　‘on　all　accounts。’　

‘Decidedly　so；　Mister　Copperfield；’　replied　Uriah。　‘On　all　
accounts。　Miss　Agnes’s　above　all！　You　don’t　remember　your　own　
eloquent　expressions；　Master　Copperfield；　but　I　remember　how　

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you　said　one　day　that　everybody　must　admire　her；　and　how　I　
thanked　you　for　it！　You　have　forgot　that；　I　have　no　doubt；　Master　
Copperfield？’　

‘No；’　said　I；　drily。　

‘Oh　how　glad　I　am　you　have　not！’　exclaimed　Uriah。　‘To　think　
that　you　should　be　the　first　to　kindle　the　sparks　of　ambition　in　my　
umble　breast；　and　that　you’ve　not　forgot　it！　Oh！—Would　you　
excuse　me　asking　for　a　cup　more　coffee？’　

Something　in　the　emphasis　he　laid　upon　the　kindling　of　those　
sparks；　and　something　in　the　glance　he　directed　at　me　as　he　said　it；　
had　made　me　start　as　if　I　had　seen　him　illuminated　by　a　blaze　of　
light。　Recalled　by　his　request；　preferred　in　quite　another　tone　of　
voice；　I　did　the　honours　of　the　shaving…pot；　but　I　did　them　with　an　
unsteadiness　of　hand；　a　sudden　sense　of　being　no　match　for　him；　
and　a　perplexed　suspicious　anxiety　as　to　what　he　might　be　going　to　
say　next；　which　I　felt　could　not　escape　his　observation。　

He　said　nothing　at　all。　He　stirred　his　coffee　round　and　round；　he　
sipped　it；　he　felt　his　chin　softly　with　his　grisly　hand；　he　looked　at　
the　fire；　he　looked　about　the　room；　he　gasped　rather　than　smiled　at　
me；　he　writhed　and　undulated　about；　in　his　deferential　servility；　he　
stirred　and　sipped　again；　but　he　left　the　renewal　of　the　
conversation　to　me。　

‘So；　Mr。　Wickfield；’　said　I；　at　last；　‘who　is　worth　five　hundred　of　
you—or　me’；　for　my　life；　I　think；　I　could　not　have　helped　dividing　
that　part　of　the　sentence　with　an　awkward　jerk；　‘has　been　
imprudent；　has　he；　Mr。　Heep？’　

‘Oh；　very　imprudent　indeed；　Master　Copperfield；’　returned　
Uriah；　sighing　modestly。　‘Oh；　very　much　so！　But　I　wish　you’d　call　
me　Uriah；　if　you　please。　It’s　like　old　times。’　

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David　Copperfield　

‘Well！　Uriah；’　said　I；　bolting　it　out　with　some　difficulty。　

‘Thank　you；’　he　returned；　with　fervour。　‘Thank　you；　Master　
Copperfield！　It’s　like　the　blowing　of　old　breezes　or　the　ringing　of　
old　bellses　to　hear　you　say　Uriah。　I　beg　your　pardon。　Was　I　making　
any　observation？’　

‘About　Mr。　Wickfield；’　I　suggested。　

‘Oh！　Yes；　truly；’　said　Uriah。　‘Ah！　Great　imprudence；　Master　
Copperfield。　It’s　a　topic　that　I　wouldn’t　touch　u