david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第120章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


used　to　tell　the　stories？　Ha；　ha；　ha！　And　do　you　remember　when　I　
got　caned　for　crying　about　Mr。　Mell？　Old　Creakle！　I　should　like　to　
see　him　again；　too！’　

‘He　was　a　brute　to　you；　Traddles；’　said　I；　indignantly；　for　his　
good　humour　made　me　feel　as　if　I　had　seen　him　beaten　but　
yesterday。　

‘Do　you　think　so？’　returned　Traddles。　‘Really？　Perhaps　he　was　
rather。　But　it’s　all　over；　a　long　while。　Old　Creakle！’　

‘You　were　brought　up　by　an　uncle；　then？’　said　I。　

‘Of　course　I　was！’　said　Traddles。　‘The　one　I　was　always　going　to　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

write　to。　And　always　didn’t；　eh！　Ha；　ha；　ha！　Yes；　I　had　an　uncle　

then。　He　died　soon　after　I　left　school。’　

‘Indeed！’　

‘Yes。　He　was　a　retired—what　do　you　call　it！—draper—clothmerchant—and　had　made　me　his　heir。　But　he　didn’t　like　me　when　
I　grew　up。’　

‘Do　you　really　mean　that？’　said　I。　He　was　so　composed；　that　I　
fancied　he　must　have　some　other　meaning。　

‘Oh　dear；　yes；　Copperfield！　I　mean　it；’　replied　Traddles。　‘It　was　
an　unfortunate　thing；　but　he　didn’t　like　me　at　all。　He　said　I　wasn’t　
at　all　what　he　expected；　and　so　he　married　his　housekeeper。’　

‘And　what　did　you　do？’　I　asked。　

‘I　didn’t　do　anything　in　particular；’　said　Traddles。　‘I　lived　with　
them；　waiting　to　be　put　out　in　the　world；　until　his　gout　
unfortunately　flew　to　his　stomach—and　so　he　died；　and　so　she　
married　a　young　man；　and　so　I　wasn’t　provided　for。’　

‘Did　you　get　nothing；　Traddles；　after　all？’　

‘Oh　dear；　yes！’　said　Traddles。　‘I　got　fifty　pounds。　I　had　never　
been　brought　up　to　any　profession；　and　at　first　I　was　at　a　loss　what　
to　do　for　myself。　However；　I　began；　with　the　assistance　of　the　son　
of　a　professional　man；　who　had　been　to　Salem　House—Yawler；　
with　his　nose　on　one　side。　Do　you　recollect　him？’　

No。　He　had　not　been　there　with　me；　all　the　noses　were　straight　
in　my　day。　

‘It　don’t　matter；’　said　Traddles。　‘I　began；　by　means　of　his　
assistance；　to　copy　law　writings。　That　didn’t　answer　very　well；　and　
then　I　began　to　state　cases　for　them；　and　make　abstracts；　and　that　
sort　of　work。　For　I　am　a　plodding　kind　of　fellow；　Copperfield；　and　
had　learnt　the　way　of　doing　such　things　pithily。　Well！　That　put　it　in　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

my　head　to　enter　myself　as　a　law　student；　and　that　ran　away　with　
all　that　was　left　of　the　fifty　pounds。　Yawler　recommended　me　to　
one　or　two　other　offices；　however—Mr。　Waterbrook’s　for　one—and　
I　got　a　good　many　jobs。　I　was　fortunate　enough；　too；　to　become　
acquainted　with　a　person　in　the　publishing　way；　who　was　getting　
up　an　Encyclopaedia；　and　he　set　me　to　work；　and；　indeed’　
（glancing　at　his　table）；　‘I　am　at　work　for　him　at　this　minute。　I　am　
not　a　bad　compiler；　Copperfield；’　said　Traddles；　preserving　the　
same　air　of　cheerful　confidence　in　all　he　said；　‘but　I　have　no　
invention　at　all；　not　a　particle。　I　suppose　there　never　was　a　young　
man　with　less　originality　than　I　have。’　

As　Traddles　seemed　to　expect　that　I　should　assent　to　this　as　a　
matter　of　course；　I　nodded；　and　he　went　on；　with　the　same　
sprightly　patience—I　can　find　no　better　expression—as　before。　

‘So；　by　little　and　little；　and　not　living　high；　I　managed　to　scrape　
up　the　hundred　pounds　at　last；’　said　Traddles；　‘and　thank　Heaven　
that’s　paid—though　it　was—though　it　certainly　was；’　said　
Traddles；　wincing　again　as　if　he　had　had　another　tooth　out；　‘a　pull。　
I　am　living　by　the　sort　of　work　I　have　mentioned；　still；　and　I　hope；　
one　of　these　days；　to　get　connected　with　some　newspaper：　which　
would　almost　be　the　making　of　my　fortune。　Now；　Copperfield；　you　
are　so　exactly　what　you　used　to　be；　with　that　agreeable　face；　and　
it’s　so　pleasant　to　see　you；　that　I　sha’n’t　conceal　anything。　
Therefore　you　must　know　that　I　am　engaged。’　

Engaged！　Oh；　Dora！　

‘She　is　a　curate’s　daughter；’　said　Traddles；　‘one　of　ten；　down　in　
Devonshire。　Yes！’　For　he　saw　me　glance；　involuntarily；　at　the　
prospect　on　the　inkstand。　‘That’s　the　church！　You　come　round　
here　to　the　left；　out　of　this　gate；’　tracing　his　finger　along　the　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

inkstand；　‘and　exactly　where　I　hold　this　pen；　there　stands　the　
house—facing；　you　understand；　towards　the　church。’　

The　delight　with　which　he　entered　into　these　particulars；　did　
not　fully　present　itself　to　me　until　afterwards；　for　my　selfish　
thoughts　were　making　a　ground…plan　of　Mr。　Spenlow’s　house　and　
garden　at　the　same　moment。　

‘She　is　such　a　dear　girl！’　said　Traddles；　‘a　little　older　than　me；　
but　the　dearest　girl！　I　told　you　I　was　going　out　of　town？　I　have　
been　down　there。　I　walked　there；　and　I　walked　back；　and　I　had　the　
most　delightful　time！　I　dare　say　ours　is　likely　to　be　a　rather　long　
engagement；　but　our　motto　is　“Wait　and　hope！”　We　always　say　
that。　“Wait　and　hope；”　we　always　say。　And　she　would　wait；　
Copperfield；　till　she　was　sixty—any　age　you　can　mention—for　me！’　

Traddles　rose　from　his　chair；　and；　with　a　triumphant　smile；　put　
his　hand　upon　the　white　cloth　I　had　observed。　

‘However；’　he　said；　‘it’s　not　that　we　haven’t　made　a　beginning　
towards　housekeeping。　No；　no；　we　have　begun。　We　must　get　on　by　
degrees；　but　we　have　begun。　Here；’　drawing　the　cloth　off　with　
great　pride　and　care；　‘are　two　pieces　of　furniture　to　commence　
with。　This　flower…pot　and　stand；　she　bought　herself。　You　put　that　
in　a　parlour　window；’　said　Traddles；　falling　a　little　back　from　it　to　
survey　it　with　the　greater　admiration；　‘with　a　plant　in　it；　and—and　
there　you　are！　This　little　round　table　with　the　marble　top　（it’s　two　
feet　ten　in　circumference）；　I　bought。　You　want　to　lay　a　book　down；　
you　know；　or　somebody　comes　to　see　you　or　your　wife；　and　wants　a　
place　to　stand　a　cup　of　tea　upon；　and—and　there　you　are　again！’　
said　Traddles。　‘It’s　an　admirable　piece　of　workmanship—firm　as　a　
rock！’　I　praised　them　both；　highly；　and　Traddles　replaced　the　
covering　as　carefully　as　he　had　removed　it。　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

‘It’s　not　a　great　deal　towards　the　furnishing；’　said　Traddles；　‘but　
it’s　something。　The　table…cloths；　and　pillow…cases；　and　articles　of　
that　kind；　are　what　discourage　me　most；　Copperfield。　So　does　the　
ironmongery—candle…boxes；　and　gridirons；　and　that　sort　of　
necessaries—because　those　things　tell；　and　mount　up。　However；　
“wait　

and　hope！”　And　I　assure　you　she’s　the　dearest　girl！’　

‘I　am　quite　certain　of　it；’　said　I。　

‘In　the　meantime；’　said　Traddles；　coming　back　to　his　chair；　‘and　
this　is　the　end　of　my　prosing　about　myself；　I　get　on　as　well　as　I　can。　
I　don’t　make　much；　but　I　don’t　spend　much。　In　general；　I　board　
with　the　people　downstairs；　who　are　very　agreeable　people　indeed。　
Both　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Micawber　have　seen　a　good　deal　of　life；　and　are　
excellent　company。’　

‘My　dear　Traddles！’　I　quickly　exclaimed。　‘What　are　you　talking　
about？’　

Traddles　looked　at　me；　as　if　he　wondered　what　I　was　talking　
about。　

‘Mr。　and　Mrs。　Micawber！’　I　repeated。　‘Why；　I　am　intimately　
acquainted　with　them！’　

An　opportune　double　knock　at　the　door；　which　I　knew　well　
from　old　experience　in　Windsor　Terrace；　and　which　nobody　but　
Mr。　Micawber　could　ever　have　knocked　at　that　door；　resolved　any　
doubt　in　my　mind　as　to　their　being　my　old　friends。　I　begged　
Traddles　to　ask　his　landlord　to　walk　up。　Traddles　accordingly　did　
so；　over　the　banister；　and　Mr。　Micawber；　not　a　bit　changed—his　
tights；　his　stick；　his　shirt…collar；　and　his　eye…glass；　all　the　same　as　
ever—came　into　the　room　with　a　genteel　and　youthful　air。　

‘I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。　Traddles；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　with　the　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

old　roll　in　his　voice；　as　he　checked　himself　in　humming　a　soft　tune。　
‘I　was　not　aware　that　there　was　any　individual；　alien　to　this　
tenement；　in　your　sanctum。’　

Mr。　Micawber　slightly　bowed　to　me；　and　pulled　up　his　shirt…
collar。　

‘How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Micawber？’　said　I。　

‘Sir；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘you　are　exce