david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第123章

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some　mushroom　ketchup　in　a　little　saucepan。　When　we　had　slices　
enough　done　to　begin　upon；　we　fell…to；　with　our　sleeves　still　tucked　
up　at　the　wrist；　more　slices　sputtering　and　blazing　on　the　fire；　and　
our　attention　divided　between　the　mutton　on　our　plates；　and　the　
mutton　then　preparing。　

What　with　the　novelty　of　this　cookery；　the　excellence　of　it；　the　
bustle　of　it；　the　frequent　starting　up　to　look　after　it；　the　frequent　
sitting　down　to　dispose　of　it　as　the　crisp　slices　came　off　the　
gridiron　hot　and　hot；　the　being　so　busy；　so　flushed　with　the　fire；　so　
amused；　and　in　the　midst　of　such　a　tempting　noise　and　savour；　we　
reduced　the　leg　of　mutton　to　the　bone。　My　own　appetite　came　back　
miraculously。　I　am　ashamed　to　record　it；　but　I　really　believe　I　
forgot　Dora　for　a　little　while。　I　am　satisfied　that　Mr。　and　Mrs。　
Micawber　could　not　have　enjoyed　the　feast　more；　if　they　had　sold　a　
bed　to　provide　it。　Traddles　laughed　as　heartily；　almost　the　whole　
time；　as　he　ate　and　worked。　Indeed　we　all　did；　all　at　once；　and　I　
dare　say　there　was　never　a　greater　success。　

We　were　at　the　height　of　our　enjoyment；　and　were　all　busily　
engaged；　in　our　several　departments；　endeavouring　to　bring　the　
last　batch　of　slices　to　a　state　of　perfection　that　should　crown　the　
feast；　when　I　was　aware　of　a　strange　presence　in　the　room；　and　my　
eyes　encountered　those　of　the　staid　Littimer；　standing　hat　in　hand　
before　me。　

‘What’s　the　matter？’　I　involuntarily　asked。　

‘I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；　I　was　directed　to　come　in。　Is　my　master　
not　here；　sir？’　

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David　Copperfield　

‘No。’　

‘Have　you　not　seen　him；　sir？’　

‘No；　don’t　you　come　from　him？’　

‘Not　immediately　so；　sir。’　

‘Did　he　tell　you　you　would　find　him　here？’　

‘Not　exactly　so；　sir。　But　I　should　think　he　might　be　here　
tomorrow；　as　he　has　not　been　here　today。’　

‘Is　he　coming　up　from　Oxford？’　

‘I　beg；　sir；’　he　returned　respectfully；　‘that　you　will　be　seated；　
and　allow　me　to　do　this。’　With　which　he　took　the　fork　from　my　
unresisting　hand；　and　bent　over　the　gridiron；　as　if　his　whole　
attention　were　concentrated　on　it。　

We　should　not　have　been　much　discomposed；　I　dare　say；　by　the　
appearance　of　Steerforth　himself；　but　we　became　in　a　moment　the　
meekest　of　the　meek　before　his　respectable　serving…man。　Mr。　
Micawber；　humming　a　tune；　to　show　that　he　was　quite　at　ease；　
subsided　into　his　chair；　with　the　handle　of　a　hastily　concealed　fork　
sticking　out　of　the　bosom　of　his　coat；　as　if　he　had　stabbed　himself。　
Mrs。　Micawber　put　on　her　brown　gloves；　and　assumed　a　genteel　
languor。　Traddles　ran　his　greasy　hands　through　his　hair；　and　stood　
it　bolt　upright；　and　stared　in　confusion　on　the　table…cloth。　As　for　
me；　I　was　a　mere　infant　at　the　head　of　my　own　table；　and　hardly　
ventured　to　glance　at　the　respectable　phenomenon；　who　had　come　
from　Heaven　knows　where；　to　put　my　establishment　to　rights。　

Meanwhile　he　took　the　mutton　off　the　gridiron；　and　gravely　
handed　it　round。　We　all　took　some；　but　our　appreciation　of　it　was　
gone；　and　we　merely　made　a　show　of　eating　it。　As　we　severally　
pushed　away　our　plates；　he　noiselessly　removed　them；　and　set　on　
the　cheese。　He　took　that　off；　too；　when　it　was　done　with；　cleared　

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the　table；　piled　everything　on　the　dumb…waiter；　gave　us　our　wineglasses；　and；　of　his　own　accord；　wheeled　the　dumb…waiter　into　the　
pantry。　All　this　was　done　in　a　perfect　manner；　and　he　never　raised　
his　eyes　from　what　he　was　about。　Yet　his　very　elbows；　when　he　
had　his　back　towards　me；　seemed　to　teem　with　the　expression　of　
his　fixed　opinion　that　I　was　extremely　young。　

‘Can　I　do　anything　more；　sir？’　

I　thanked　him　and　said；　No；　but　would　he　take　no　dinner　
himself？　

‘None；　I　am　obliged　to　you；　sir。’　

‘Is　Mr。　Steerforth　coming　from　Oxford？’　

‘I　beg　your　pardon；　sir？’　

‘Is　Mr。　Steerforth　coming　from　Oxford？’　

‘I　should　imagine　that　he　might　be　here　tomorrow；　sir。　I　rather　
thought　he　might　have　been　here　today；　sir。　The　mistake　is　mine；　
no　doubt；　sir。’　

‘If　you　should　see　him　first—’　said　I。　

‘If　you’ll　excuse　me；　sir；　I　don’t　think　I　shall　see　him　first。’　

‘In　case　you　do；’　said　I；　‘pray　say　that　I　am　sorry　he　was　not　here　
today；　as　an　old　schoolfellow　of　his　was　here。’　

‘Indeed；　sir！’　and　he　divided　a　bow　between　me　and　Traddles；　
with　a　glance　at　the　latter。　

He　was　moving　softly　to　the　door；　when；　in　a　forlorn　hope　of　
saying　something　naturally—which　I　never　could；　to　this　man—I　
said：　

‘Oh！　Littimer！’　

‘Sir！’　

‘Did　you　remain　long　at　Yarmouth；　that　time？’　

‘Not　particularly　so；　sir。’　

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‘You　saw　the　boat　completed？’　

‘Yes；　sir。　I　remained　behind　on　purpose　to　see　the　boat　
completed。’　

‘I　know！’　He　raised　his　eyes　to　mine　respectfully。　

‘Mr。　Steerforth　has　not　seen　it　yet；　I　suppose？’　

‘I　really　can’t　say；　sir。　I　think—but　I　really　can’t　say；　sir。　I　wish　
you　good　night；　sir。’　

He　comprehended　everybody　present；　in　the　respectful　bow　
with　which　he　followed　these　words；　and　disappeared。　My　visitors　
seemed　to　breathe　more　freely　when　he　was　gone；　but　my　own　
relief　was　very　great；　for　besides　the　constraint；　arising　from　that　
extraordinary　sense　of　being　at　a　disadvantage　which　I　always　had　
in　this　man’s　presence；　my　conscience　had　embarrassed　me　with　
whispers　that　I　had　mistrusted　his　master；　and　I　could　not　repress　
a　vague　uneasy　dread　that　he　might　find　it　out。　How　was　it；　having　
so　little　in　reality　to　conceal；　that　I　always　DID　feel　as　if　this　man　
were　finding　me　out？　

Mr。　Micawber　roused　me　from　this　reflection；　which　was　
blended　with　a　certain　remorseful　apprehension　of　seeing　
Steerforth　himself；　by　bestowing　many　encomiums　on　the　absent　
Littimer　as　a　most　respectable　fellow；　and　a　thoroughly　admirable　
servant。　Mr。　Micawber；　I　may　remark；　had　taken　his　full　share　of　
the　general　bow；　and　had　received　it　with　infinite　condescension。　

‘But　punch；　my　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　tasting　it；　
‘like　time　and　tide；　waits　for　no　man。　Ah！　it　is　at　the　present　
moment　in　high　flavour。　My　love；　will　you　give　me　your　opinion？’　

Mrs。　Micawber　pronounced　it　excellent。　

‘Then　I　will　drink；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘if　my　friend　Copperfield　
will　permit　me　to　take　that　social　liberty；　to　the　days　when　my　

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friend　Copperfield　and　myself　were　younger；　and　fought　our　way　
in　the　world　side　by　side。　I　may　say；　of　myself　and　Copperfield；　in　
words　we　have　sung　together　before　now；　that　

“We　twa　hae　run　about　the　braes
And　pu’d　the　gowans’　fine”


—in　a　figurative　point　of　view—on　several　occasions。　I　am　not　
exactly　aware；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　with　the　old　roll　in　his　voice；　
and　the　old　indescribable　air　of　saying　something　genteel；　‘what　
gowans　may　be；　but　I　have　no　doubt　that　Copperfield　and　myself　
would　frequently　have　taken　a　pull　at　them；　if　it　had　been　feasible。’　

Mr。　Micawber；　at　the　then　present　moment；　took　a　pull　at　his　
punch。　So　we　all　did：　Traddles　evidently　lost　in　wondering　at　what　
distant　time　Mr。　Micawber　and　I　could　have　been　comrades　in　the　
battle　of　the　world。　

‘Ahem！’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　clearing　his　throat；　and　warming　
with　the　punch　and　with　the　fire。　‘My　dear；　another　glass？’　

Mrs。　Micawber　said　it　must　be　very　little；　but　we　couldn’t　allow　
that；　so　it　was　a　glassful。　

‘As　we　are　quite　confidential　here；　Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Mrs。　
Micawber；　sipping　her　punch；　‘Mr。　Traddles　being　a　part　of　our　
domesticity；　I　should　much　like　to　have　your　opinion　on　Mr。　
Micawber’s　prospects。　For　corn；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber　
argumentatively；　‘as　I　have　repeatedly　said　to　Mr。　Micawber；　may　
be　gentlemanly；　but　it　is　not　remunerative。　Commission　to　the　
extent　of　two　and　ninepence　in　a　fortnight　cannot；　however　limited　
our　ideas；　be　considered　remunerative。’　

We　were　all　agreed　upon　that。　

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David　Copperfield