david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第113章

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‘Oh！　Yes；　truly；’　said　Uriah。　‘Ah！　Great　imprudence；　Master　
Copperfield。　It’s　a　topic　that　I　wouldn’t　touch　upon；　to　any　soul　but　
you。　Even　to　you　I　can　only　touch　upon　it；　and　no　more。　If　anyone　
else　had　been　in　my　place　during　the　last　few　years；　by　this　time　he　
would　have　had　Mr。　Wickfield　（oh；　what　a　worthy　man　he　is；　
Master　Copperfield；　too！）　under　his　thumb。　Un—der—his　thumb；’　
said　Uriah；　very　slowly；　as　he　stretched　out　his　cruel…looking　hand　
above　my　table；　and　pressed　his　own　thumb　upon　it；　until　it　shook；　
and　shook　the　room。　

If　I　had　been　obliged　to　look　at　him　with　him　splay　foot　on　Mr。　
Wickfield’s　head；　I　think　I　could　scarcely　have　hated　him　more。　

‘Oh；　dear；　yes；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　proceeded；　in　a　soft　
voice；　most　remarkably　contrasting　with　the　action　of　his　thumb；　
which　did　not　diminish　its　hard　pressure　in　the　least　degree；　
‘there’s　no　doubt　of　it。　There　would　have　been　loss；　disgrace；　I　
don’t　know　what　at　all。　Mr。　Wickfield　knows　it。　I　am　the　umble　
instrument　of　umbly　serving　him；　and　he　puts　me　on　an　eminence　
I　hardly　could　have　hoped　to　reach。　How　thankful　should　I　be！’　
With　his　face　turned　towards　me；　as　he　finished；　but　without　
looking　at　me；　he　took　his　crooked　thumb　off　the　spot　where　he　
had　planted　it；　and　slowly　and　thoughtfully　scraped　his　lank　jaw　
with　it；　as　if　he　were　shaving　himself。　

I　recollect　well　how　indignantly　my　heart　beat；　as　I　saw　his　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

crafty　face；　with　the　appropriately　red　light　of　the　fire　upon　it；　

preparing　for　something　else。　

‘Master　Copperfield；’　he　began—‘but　am　I　keeping　you　up？’　

‘You　are　not　keeping　me　up。　I　generally　go　to　bed　late。’　

‘Thank　you；　Master　Copperfield！　I　have　risen　from　my　umble　
station　since　first　you　used　to　address　me；　it　is　true；　but　I　am　
umble　still。　I　hope　I　never　shall　be　otherwise　than　umble。　You　will　
not　think　the　worse　of　my　umbleness；　if　I　make　a　little　confidence　
to　you；　Master　Copperfield？　Will　you？’　

‘Oh　no；’　said　I；　with　an　effort。　

‘Thank　you！’　He　took　out　his　pocket…handkerchief；　and　began　
wiping　the　palms　of　his　hands。　‘Miss　Agnes；　Master　Copperfield—’　

‘Well；　Uriah？’　

‘Oh；　how　pleasant　to　be　called　Uriah；　spontaneously！’　he　cried；　
and　gave　himself　a　jerk；　like　a　convulsive　fish。　‘You　thought　her　
looking　very　beautiful　tonight；　Master　Copperfield？’　

‘I　thought　her　looking　as　she　always　does：　superior；　in　all　
respects；　to　everyone　around　her；’　I　returned。　

‘Oh；　thank　you！　It’s　so　true！’　he　cried。　‘Oh；　thank　you　very　much　
for　that！’　

‘Not　at　all；’　I　said；　loftily。　‘There　is　no　reason　why　you　should　
thank　me。’　

‘Why　that；　Master　Copperfield；’　said　Uriah；　‘is；　in　fact；　the　
confidence　that　I　am　going　to　take　the　liberty　of　reposing。　Umble　
as　I　am；’　he　wiped　his　hands　harder；　and　looked　at　them　and　at　the　
fire　by　turns；　’umble　as　my　mother　is；　and　lowly　as　our　poor　but　
honest　roof　has　ever　been；　the　image　of　Miss　Agnes　（I　don’t　mind　
trusting　you　with　my　secret；　Master　Copperfield；　for　I　have　always　
overflowed　towards　you　since　the　first　moment　I　had　the　pleasure　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

of　beholding　you　in　a　pony…shay）　has　been　in　my　breast　for　years。　
Oh；　Master　Copperfield；　with　what　a　pure　affection　do　I　love　the　
ground　my　Agnes　walks　on！’　

I　believe　I　had　a　delirious　idea　of　seizing　the　red…hot　poker　out　
of　the　fire；　and　running　him　through　with　it。　It　went　from　me　with　
a　shock；　like　a　ball　fired　from　a　rifle：　but　the　image　of　Agnes；　
outraged　by　so　much　as　a　thought　of　this　red…headed　animal’s；　
remained　in　my　mind　when　I　looked　at　him；　sitting　all　awry　as　if　
his　mean　soul　griped　his　body；　and　made　me　giddy。　He　seemed　to　
swell　and　grow　before　my　eyes；　the　room　seemed　full　of　the　echoes　
of　his　voice；　and　the　strange　feeling　（to　which；　perhaps；　no　one　is　
quite　a　stranger）　that　all　this　had　occurred　before；　at　some　
indefinite　time；　and　that　I　knew　what　he　was　going　to　say　next；　
took　possession　of　me。　

A　timely　observation　of　the　sense　of　power　that　there　was　in　his　
face；　did　more　to　bring　back　to　my　remembrance　the　entreaty　of　
Agnes；　in　its　full　force；　than　any　effort　I　could　have　made。　I　asked　
him；　with　a　better　appearance　of　composure　than　I　could　have　
thought　possible　a　minute　before；　whether　he　had　made　his　
feelings　known　to　Agnes。　

‘Oh　no；　Master　Copperfield！’　he　returned；　‘oh　dear；　no！　Not　to　
anyone　but　you。　You　see　I　am　only　just　emerging　from　my　lowly　
station。　I　rest　a　good　deal　of　hope　on　her　observing　how　useful　I　
am　to　her　father　（for　I　trust　to　be　very　useful　to　him　indeed；　Master　
Copperfield）；　and　how　I　smooth　the　way　for　him；　and　keep　him　
straight。　She’s　so　much　attached　to　her　father；　Master　Copperfield　
（oh；　what　a　lovely　thing　it　is　in　a　daughter！）；　that　I　think　she　may　
come；　on　his　account；　to　be　kind　to　me。’　

I　fathomed　the　depth　of　the　rascal’s　whole　scheme；　and　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

understood　why　he　laid　it　bare。　

‘If　you’ll　have　the　goodness　to　keep　my　secret；　Master　
Copperfield；’　he　pursued；　‘and　not；　in　general；　to　go　against　me；　I　
shall　take　it　as　a　particular　favour。　You　wouldn’t　wish　to　make　
unpleasantness。　I　know　what　a　friendly　heart　you’ve　got；　but　
having　only　known　me　on　my　umble　footing　（on　my　umblest　I　
should　say；　for　I　am　very　umble　still）；　you　might；　unbeknown；　go　
against　me　rather；　with　my　Agnes。　I　call　her　mine；　you　see；　Master　
Copperfield。　There’s　a　song　that　says；　“I’d　crowns　resign；　to　call　
her　mine！”　I　hope　to　do　it；　one　of　these　days。’　

Dear　Agnes！　So　much　too　loving　and　too　good　for　anyone　that　I　
could　think　of；　was　it　possible　that　she　was　reserved　to　be　the　wife　
of　such　a　wretch　as　this！　

‘There’s　no　hurry　at　present；　you　know；　Master　Copperfield；’　
Uriah　proceeded；　in　his　slimy　way；　as　I　sat　gazing　at　him；　with　this　
thought　in　my　mind。　‘My　Agnes　is　very　young　still；　and　mother　and　
me　will　have　to　work　our　way　upwards；　and　make　a　good　many　
new　arrangements；　before　it　would　be　quite　convenient。　So　I　shall　
have　time　gradually　to　make　her　familiar　with　my　hopes；　as　
opportunities　offer。　Oh；　I’m　so　much　obliged　to　you　for　this　
confidence！　Oh；　it’s　such　a　relief；　you　can’t　think；　to　know　that　you　
understand　our　situation；　and　are　certain　（as　you　wouldn’t　wish　to　
make　unpleasantness　in　the　family）　not　to　go　against　me！’　

He　took　the　hand　which　I　dared　not　withhold；　and　having　given　
it　a　damp　squeeze；　referred　to　his　pale…faced　watch。　

‘Dear　me！’　he　said；　‘it’s　past　one。　The　moments　slip　away　so；　in　
the　confidence　of　old　times；　Master　Copperfield；　that　it’s　almost　
half　past　one！’　

I　answered　that　I　had　thought　it　was　later。　Not　that　I　had　really　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

thought　so；　but　because　my　conversational　powers　were　
effectually　scattered。　

‘Dear　me！’　he　said；　considering。　‘The　ouse　that　I　am　stopping　
at—a　sort　of　a　private　hotel　and　boarding　ouse；　Master　
Copperfield；　near　the　New　River　ed—will　have　gone　to　bed　these　
two　hours。’　

‘I　am　sorry；’　I　returned；　‘that　there　is　only　one　bed　here；　and　
that　I—’　

‘Oh；　don’t　think　of　mentioning　beds；　Master　Copperfield！’　he　
rejoined　ecstatically；　drawing　up　one　leg。　‘But　would　you　have　any　
objections　to　my　laying　down　before　the　fire？’　

‘If　it　comes　to　that；’　I　said；　‘pray　take　my　bed；　and　I’ll　lie　down　
before　the　fire。’　

His　repudiation　of　this　offer　was　almost　shrill　enough；　in　the　
excess　of　its　surprise　and　humility；　to　have　penetrated　to　the　ears　
of　Mrs。　Crupp；　then　sleeping；　I　suppose；　in　a　distant　chamber；　
situated　at　about　the　level　of　low…water　mark；　soothed　in　her　
slumbers　by　the　ticking　of　an　incorrigible　clock；　to　which　she　
always　referred　me　when　we　had　any　little　difference　on　the　score　
of　punctuality；　and　which　was　never　less　than　three…quarters　of　an　
hour　too　slow；　and　had　always　been　put　right　in　the　morning　by　
the　best　authorities。　As　no　arguments　I　could　urge；　in　my　
bewilde