david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第121章

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collar。　

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

‘Sir；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘you　are　exceedingly　obliging。　I　am　in　
statu　quo。’　

‘And　Mrs。　Micawber？’　I　pursued。　

‘Sir；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘she　is　also；　thank　God；　in　statu　quo。’　

‘And　the　children；　Mr。　Micawber？’　

‘Sir；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘I　rejoice　to　reply　that　they　are；　
likewise；　in　the　enjoyment　of　salubrity。’　

All　this　time；　Mr。　Micawber　had　not　known　me　in　the　least；　
though　he　had　stood　face　to　face　with　me。　But　now；　seeing　me　
smile；　he　examined　my　features　with　more　attention；　fell　back；　
cried；　‘Is　it　possible！　Have　I　the　pleasure　of　again　beholding　
Copperfield！’　and　shook　me　by　both　hands　with　the　utmost　
fervour。　

‘Good　Heaven；　Mr。　Traddles！’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘to　think　that　
I　should　find　you　acquainted　with　the　friend　of　my　youth；　the　
companion　of　earlier　days！　My　dear！’　calling　over　the　banisters　to　
Mrs。　Micawber；　while　Traddles　looked　（with　reason）　not　a　little　
amazed　at　this　description　of　me。　‘Here　is　a　gentleman　in　Mr。　
Traddles’s　apartment；　whom　he　wishes　to　have　the　pleasure　of　
presenting　to　you；　my　love！’　

Mr。　Micawber　immediately　reappeared；　and　shook　hands　with　
me　again。　

‘And　how　is　our　good　friend　the　Doctor；　Copperfield？’　said　Mr。　

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David　Copperfield　

Micawber；　‘and　all　the　circle　at　Canterbury？’　

‘I　have　none　but　good　accounts　of　them；’　said　I。　

‘I　am　most　delighted　to　hear　it；’　said　Mr。　Micawber。　‘It　was　at　
Canterbury　where　we　last　met。　Within　the　shadow；　I　may　
figuratively　say；　of　that　religious　edifice　immortalized　by　Chaucer；　
which　was　anciently　the　resort　of　Pilgrims　from　the　remotest　
corners　of—in　short；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘in　the　immediate　
neighbourhood　of　the　Cathedral。’　

I　replied　that　it　was。　Mr。　Micawber　continued　talking　as　volubly　
as　he　could；　but　not；　I　thought；　without　showing；　by　some　marks　of　
concern　in　his　countenance；　that　he　was　sensible　of　sounds　in　the　
next　room；　as　of　Mrs。　Micawber　washing　her　hands；　and　hurriedly　
opening　and　shutting　drawers　that　were　uneasy　in　their　action。　

‘You　find　us；　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　with　one　eye　on　
Traddles；　‘at　present　established；　on　what　may　be　designated　as　a　
small　and　unassuming　scale；　but；　you　are　aware　that　I　have；　in　the　
course　of　my　career；　surmounted　difficulties；　and　conquered　
obstacles。　You　are　no　stranger　to　the　fact；　that　there　have　been　
periods　of　my　life；　when　it　has　been　requisite　that　I　should　pause；　
until　certain　expected　events　should　turn　up；　when　it　has　been　
necessary　that　I　should　fall　back；　before　making　what　I　trust　I　shall　
not　be　accused　of　presumption　in　terming—a　spring。　The　present　
is　one　of　those　momentous　stages　in　the　life　of　man。　You　find　me；　
fallen　back；　for　a　spring；　and　I　have　every　reason　to　believe　that　a　
vigorous　leap　will　shortly　be　the　result。’　

I　was　expressing　my　satisfaction；　when　Mrs。　Micawber　came　in；　
a　little　more　slatternly　than　she　used　to　be；　or　so　she　seemed　now；　
to　my　unaccustomed　eyes；　but　still　with　some　preparation　of　
herself　for　company；　and　with　a　pair　of　brown　gloves　on。　

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‘My　dear；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　leading　her　towards　me；　‘here　is　a　
gentleman　of　the　name　of　Copperfield；　who　wishes　to　renew　his　
acquaintance　with　you。’　

It　would　have　been　better；　as　it　turned　out；　to　have　led　gently　up　
to　this　announcement；　for　Mrs。　Micawber；　being　in　a　delicate　state　
of　health；　was　overcome　by　it；　and　was　taken　so　unwell；　that　Mr。　
Micawber　was　obliged；　in　great　trepidation；　to　run　down　to　the　
water…butt　in　the　backyard；　and　draw　a　basinful　to　lave　her　brow　
with。　She　presently　revived；　however；　and　was　really　pleased　to　
see　me。　We　had　half…an…hour’s　talk；　all　together；　and　I　asked　her　
about　the　twins；　who；　she　said；　were　‘grown　great　creatures’；　and　
after　Master　and　Miss　Micawber；　whom　she　described　as　‘absolute　
giants’；　but　they　were　not　produced　on　that　occasion。　

Mr。　Micawber　was　very　anxious　that　I　should　stay　to　dinner。　I　
should　not　have　been　averse　to　do　so；　but　that　I　imagined　I　
detected　trouble；　and　calculation　relative　to　the　extent　of　the　cold　
meat；　in　Mrs。　Micawber’s　eye。　I　therefore　pleaded　another　
engagement；　and　observing　that　Mrs。　Micawber’s　spirits　were　
immediately　lightened；　I　resisted　all　persuasion　to　forego　it。　

But　I　told　Traddles；　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Micawber；　that　before　I　
could　think　of　leaving；　they　must　appoint　a　day　when　they　would　
come　and　dine　with　me。　The　occupations　to　which　Traddles　stood　
pledged；　rendered　it　necessary　to　fix　a　somewhat　distant　one；　but　
an　appointment　was　made　for　the　purpose；　that　suited　us　all；　and　
then　I　took　my　leave。　

Mr。　Micawber；　under　pretence　of　showing　me　a　nearer　way　
than　that　by　which　I　had　come；　accompanied　me　to　the　corner　of　
the　street；　being　anxious　（he　explained　to　me）　to　say　a　few　words　
to　an　old　friend；　in　confidence。　

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‘My　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘I　need　hardly　tell　
you　that　to　have　beneath　our　roof；　under　existing　circumstances；　a　
mind　like　that　which　gleams—if　I　may　be　allowed　the　expression—　
which　gleams—in　your　friend　Traddles；　is　an　unspeakable　
comfort。　With　a　washerwoman；　who　exposes　hard…bake　for　sale　in　
her　parlour…window；　dwelling　next　door；　and　a　Bow…street　officer　
residing　over　the　way；　you　may　imagine　that　his　society　is　a　source　
of　consolation　to　myself　and　to　Mrs。　Micawber。　I　am　at　present；　my　
dear　Copperfield；　engaged　in　the　sale　of　corn　upon　commission。　It　
is　not　an　avocation　of　a　remunerative　description—in　other　words；　
it　does　not　pay—and　some　temporary　embarrassments　of　a　
pecuniary　nature　have　been　the　consequence。　I　am；　however；　
delighted　to　add　that　I　have　now　an　immediate　prospect　of　
something　turning　up　（I　am　not　at　liberty　to　say　in　what　direction）；　
which　I　trust　will　enable　me　to　provide；　permanently；　both　for　
myself　and　for　your　friend　Traddles；　in　whom　I　have　an　unaffected　
interest。　You　may；　perhaps；　be　prepared　to　hear　that　Mrs。　
Micawber　is　in　a　state　of　health　which　renders　it　not　wholly　
improbable　that　an　addition　may　be　ultimately　made　to　those　
pledges　of　affection　which—in　short；　to　the　infantine　group。　Mrs。　
Micawber’s　family　have　been　so　good　as　to　express　their　
dissatisfaction　at　this　state　of　things。　I　have　merely　to　observe；　that　
I　am　not　aware　that　it　is　any　business　of　theirs；　and　that　I　repel　
that　exhibition　of　feeling　with　scorn；　and　with　defiance！’　

Mr。　Micawber　then　shook　hands　with　me　again；　and　left　me。　

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David　Copperfield　

Chapter　28　

Mr。　MICAWBER’S　GAUNTLET　

Until　the　day　arrived　on　which　I　was　to　entertain　my　
newly…found　old　friends；　I　lived　principally　on　Dora　and　
coffee。　In　my　love…lorn　condition；　my　appetite　
languished；　and　I　was　glad　of　it；　for　I　felt　as　though　it　would　have　
been　an　act　of　perfidy　towards　Dora　to　have　a　natural　relish　for　my　
dinner。　The　quantity　of　walking　exercise　I　took；　was　not　in　this　
respect　attended　with　its　usual　consequence；　as　the　
disappointment　counteracted　the　fresh　air。　I　have　my　doubts；　too；　
founded　on　the　acute　experience　acquired　at　this　period　of　my　life；　
whether　a　sound　enjoyment　of　animal　food　can　develop　itself　
freely　in　any　human　subject　who　is　always　in　torment　from　tight　
boots。　I　think　the　extremities　require　to　be　at　peace　before　the　
stomach　will　conduct　itself　with　vigour。　

On　the　occasion　of　this　domestic　little　party；　I　did　not　repeat　my　
former　extensive　preparations。　I　merely　provided　a　pair　of　soles；　a　
small　leg　of　mutton；　and　a　pigeon…pie。　Mrs。　Crupp　broke　out　into　
rebellion　on　my　first　bashful　hint　in　reference　to　the　cooking　of　the　
fish　and　joint；　and　said；　with　a　dignified　sense　of　injury；　‘No！　No；　
sir！　You　will　not　ask　me　sich　a　thing；　for　you　are　better　acquainted　
with　me　than　to　suppose　me　capable　of　doing　what　I　cannot　do　
with　ampial　satisfaction　to　my　own　feelings！’　But；　in　the　end；　a　
compromise　was　effected；　and　Mrs。