david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第130章

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line　of　business。　When　a　party’s　ill；　we　can’t　ask　how　the　party　is。’　

The　difficulty　had　not　occurred　to　me；　though　I　had　had　my　
apprehensions　too；　when　I　went　in；　of　hearing　the　old　tune。　On　its　
being　mentioned；　I　recognized　it；　however；　and　said　as　much。　

‘Yes；　yes；　you　understand；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　nodding　his　head。　
‘We　dursn’t　do　it。　Bless　you；　it　would　be　a　shock　that　the　generality　
of　parties　mightn’t　recover；　to　say　“Omer　and　Joram’s　
compliments；　and　how　do　you　find　yourself　this　morning？”—or　
this　afternoon—as　it　may　be。’　

Mr。　Omer　and　I　nodded　at　each　other；　and　Mr。　Omer　recruited　
his　wind　by　the　aid　of　his　pipe。　

‘It’s　one　of　the　things　that　cut　the　trade　off　from　attentions　they　
could　often　wish　to　show；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　‘Take　myself。　If　I　have　
known　Barkis　a　year；　to　move　to　as　he　went　by；　I　have　known　him　
forty　years。　But　I　can’t　go　and　say；　“how　is　he？”’　

I　felt　it　was　rather　hard　on　Mr。　Omer；　and　I　told　him　so。　

‘I’m　not　more　self…interested；　I　hope；　than　another　man；’　said　
Mr。　Omer。　‘Look　at　me！　My　wind　may　fail　me　at　any　moment；　and　
it　ain’t　likely　that；　to　my　own　knowledge；　I’d　be　self…interested　
under　such　circumstances。　I　say　it　ain’t　likely；　in　a　man　who　knows　
his　wind　will　go；　when　it　does　go；　as　if　a　pair　of　bellows　was　cut　
open；　and　that　man　a　grandfather；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　

I　said；　‘Not　at　all。’　

‘It　ain’t　that　I　complain　of　my　line　of　business；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　
‘It　ain’t　that。　Some　good　and　some　bad　goes；　no　doubt；　to　all　
callings。　What　I　wish　is；　that　parties　was　brought　up　stronger…

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minded。’　

Mr。　Omer；　with　a　very　complacent　and　amiable　face；　took　
several　puffs　in　silence；　and　then　said；　resuming　his　first　point：　

‘Accordingly　we’re　obleeged；　in　ascertaining　how　Barkis　goes　
on；　to　limit　ourselves　to　Em’ly。　She　knows　what　our　real　objects　
are；　and　she　don’t　have　any　more　alarms　or　suspicions　about　us；　
than　if　we　was　so　many　lambs。　Minnie　and　Joram　have　just　
stepped　down　to　the　house；　in　fact　（she’s　there；　after　hours；　
helping　her　aunt　a　bit）；　to　ask　her　how　he　is　tonight；　and　if　you　was　
to　please　to　wait　till　they　come　back；　they’d　give　you　full　
partic’lers。　Will　you　take　something？　A　glass　of　srub　and　water；　
now？　I　smoke　on　srub　and　water；　myself；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　taking　
up　his　glass；　‘because　it’s　considered　softening　to　the　passages；　by　
which　this　troublesome　breath　of　mine　gets　into　action。　But；　Lord　
bless　you；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　huskily；　‘it　ain’t　the　passages　that’s　out　
of　order！　“Give　me　breath　enough；”　said　I　to　my　daughter　Minnie；　
“and　I’ll　find　passages；　my　dear。”’　

He　really　had　no　breath　to　spare；　and　it　was　very　alarming　to　
see　him　laugh。　When　he　was　again　in　a　condition　to　be　talked　to；　I　
thanked　him　for　the　proffered　refreshment；　which　I　declined；　as　I　
had　just　had　dinner；　and；　observing　that　I　would　wait；　since　he　was　
so　good　as　to　invite　me；　until　his　daughter　and　his　son…in…law　came　
back；　I　inquired　how　little　Emily　was？　

‘Well；　sir；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　removing　his　pipe；　that　he　might　rub　
his　chin：　‘I　tell　you　truly；　I　shall　be　glad　when　her　marriage　has　
taken　place。’　

‘Why　so？’　I　inquired。　

‘Well；　she’s　unsettled　at　present；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　‘It　ain’t　that　
she’s　not　as　pretty　as　ever；　for　she’s　prettier—I　do　assure　you；　she　

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is　prettier。　It　ain’t　that　she　don’t　work　as　well　as　ever；　for　she　does。　
She　was　worth　any　six；　and　she　is　worth　any　six。　But　somehow　she　
wants　heart。　If　you　understand；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　after　rubbing　his　
chin　again；　and　smoking　a　little；　‘what　I　mean　in　a　general　way　by　
the　expression；　“A　long　pull；　and　a　strong　pull；　and　a　pull　
altogether；　my　hearties；　hurrah！”　I　should　say　to　you；　that　that　
was—in　a　general　way—what　I　miss　in　Em’ly。’　

Mr。　Omer’s　face　and　manner　went　for　so　much；　that　I　could　
conscientiously　nod　my　head；　as　divining　his　meaning。　My　
quickness　of　apprehension　seemed　to　please　him；　and　he　went　on：　
‘Now　I　consider　this　is　principally　on　account　of　her　being　in　an　
unsettled　state；　you　see。　We　have　talked　it　over　a　good　deal；　her　
uncle　and　myself；　and　her　sweetheart　and　myself；　after　business；　
and　I　consider　it　is　principally　on　account　of　her　being　unsettled。　
You　must　always　recollect　of　Em’ly；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　shaking　his　
head　gently；　‘that　she’s　a　most　extraordinary　affectionate　little　
thing。　The　proverb　says；　“You　can’t　make　a　silk　purse　out　of　a　
sow’s　ear。”　Well；　I　don’t　know　about　that。　I　rather　think　you　may；　if　
you　begin　early　in　life。　She　has　made　a　home　out　of　that　old　boat；　
sir；　that　stone　and　marble　couldn’t　beat。’　

‘I　am　sure　she　has！’　said　I。　

‘To　see　the　clinging　of　that　pretty　little　thing　to　her　uncle；’　said　
Mr。　Omer；　‘to　see　the　way　she　holds　on　to　him；　tighter　and　tighter；　
and　closer　and　closer；　every　day；　is　to　see　a　sight。　Now；　you　know；　
there’s　a　struggle　going　on　when　that’s　the　case。　Why　should　it　be　
made　a　longer　one　than　is　needful？’　

I　listened　attentively　to　the　good　old　fellow；　and　acquiesced；　
with　all　my　heart；　in　what　he　said。　

‘Therefore；　I　mentioned　to　them；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　in　a　

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comfortable；　easy…going　tone；　‘this。　I　said；　“Now；　don’t　consider　
Em’ly　nailed　down　in　point　of　time；　at　all。　Make　it　your　own　time。　
Her　services　have　been　more　valuable　than　was　supposed；　her　
learning　has　been　quicker　than　was　supposed；　Omer　and　Joram　
can　run　their　pen　through　what　remains；　and　she’s　free　when　you　
wish。　If　she　likes　to　make　any　little　arrangement；　afterwards；　in　the　
way　of　doing　any　little　thing　for　us　at　home；　very　well。　If　she　don’t；　
very　well　still。　We’re　no　losers；　anyhow。”　For—don’t　you　see；’　said　
Mr。　Omer；　touching　me　with　his　pipe；　‘it　ain’t　likely　that　a　man　so　
short　of　breath　as　myself；　and　a　grandfather　too；　would　go　and　
strain　points　with　a　little　bit　of　a　blue…eyed　blossom；　like　her？’　

‘Not　at　all；　I　am　certain；’　said　I。　

‘Not　at　all！　You’re　right！’　said　Mr。　Omer。　‘Well；　sir；　her　cousin—　
you　know　it’s　a　cousin　she’s　going　to　be　married　to？’　

‘Oh　yes；’　I　replied。　‘I　know　him　well。’　

‘Of　course　you　do；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　‘Well；　sir！　Her　cousin　being；　
as　it　appears；　in　good　work；　and　well　to　do；　thanked　me　in　a　very　
manly　sort　of　manner　for　this　（conducting　himself　altogether；　I　
must　say；　in　a　way　that　gives　me　a　high　opinion　of　him）；　and　went　
and　took　as　comfortable　a　little　house　as　you　or　I　could　wish　to　
clap　eyes　on。　That　little　house　is　now　furnished　right　through；　as　
neat　and　complete　as　a　doll’s　parlour；　and　but　for　Barkis’s　illness　
having　taken　this　bad　turn；　poor　fellow；　they　would　have　been　man　
and　wife—I　dare　say；　by　this　time。　As　it　is；　there’s　a　
postponement。’　

‘And　Emily；　Mr。　Omer？’　I　inquired。　‘Has　she　become　more　
settled？’　

‘Why　that；　you　know；’　he　returned；　rubbing　his　double　chin　
again；　‘can’t　naturally　be　expected。　The　prospect　of　the　change　

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and　separation；　and　all　that；　is；　as　one　may　say；　close　to　her　and　far　
away　from　her；　both　at　once。　Barkis’s　death　needn’t　put　it　off　
much；　but　his　lingering　might。　Anyway；　it’s　an　uncertain　state　of　
matters；　you　see。’　

‘I　see；’　said　I。　

‘Consequently；’　pursued　Mr。　Omer；　‘Em’ly’s　still　a　little　down；　
and　a　little　fluttered；　perhaps；　upon　the　whole；　she’s　more　so　than　
she　was。　Every　day　she　seems　to　get　fonder　and　fonder　of　her　
uncle；　and　more　loth　to　part　from　all　of　us。　A　kind　word　from　me　
brings　the　tears　into　her　eyes；　and　if　you　was　to　see　her　with　my　
daughter　Minnie’s　little　girl；　you’d　never　forget　it。　Bless　my　heart　
alive！’　said　Mr。　Omer；　pondering；　‘how　she　loves　that　child！’　

Having　so　favourable　an　opportunity；　it　occurred　to　me　to　ask　
Mr。　Omer；　before　our　conversation　should　be　interrupted　by　the　
return　of　his　daughter　and　her　husband；　whether　he　knew　
anything　of　Martha。　

‘Ah！