david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第132章

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the　tide。　It’s　ebb　at　half…arter　three；　slack　water　half　an　hour。　If　he　
lives　till　it　turns；　he’ll　hold　his　own　till　past　the　flood；　and　go　out　
with　the　next　tide。’　

We　remained　there；　watching　him；　a　long　time—hours。　What　

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mysterious　influence　my　presence　had　upon　him　in　that　state　of　
his　senses；　I　shall　not　pretend　to　say；　but　when　he　at　last　began　to　
wander　feebly；　it　is　certain　he　was　muttering　about　driving　me　to　
school。　

‘He’s　coming　to　himself；’　said　Peggotty。　

Mr。　Peggotty　touched　me；　and　whispered　with　much　awe　and　
reverence。　‘They　are　both　a…going　out　fast。’　

‘Barkis；　my　dear！’　said　Peggotty。　

‘C。　P。　Barkis；’　he　cried　faintly。　‘No　better　woman　anywhere！’　

‘Look！　Here’s　Master　Davy！’　said　Peggotty。　For　he　now　opened　
his　eyes。　

I　was　on　the　point　of　asking　him　if　he　knew　me；　when　he　tried　to　
stretch　out　his　arm；　and　said　to　me；　distinctly；　with　a　pleasant　
smile：　

‘Barkis　is　willin’！’　

And；　it　being　low　water；　he　went　out　with　the　tide。　

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Chapter　31　

A　GREATER　LOSS　

It　was　not　difficult　for　me；　on　Peggotty’s　solicitation；　to　resolve　
to　stay　where　I　was；　until　after　the　remains　of　the　poor　carrier　
should　have　made　their　last　journey　to　Blunderstone。　She　had　
long　ago　bought；　out　of　her　own　savings；　a　little　piece　of　ground　in　
our　old　churchyard　near　the　grave　of　‘her　sweet　girl’；　as　she　always　
called　my　mother；　and　there　they　were　to　rest。　

In　keeping　Peggotty　company；　and　doing　all　I　could　for　her　
（little　enough　at　the　utmost）；　I　was　as　grateful；　I　rejoice　to　think；　as　
even　now　I　could　wish　myself　to　have　been。　But　I　am　afraid　I　had　a　
supreme　satisfaction；　of　a　personal　and　professional　nature；　in　
taking　charge　of　Mr。　Barkis’s　will；　and　expounding　its　contents。　

I　may　claim　the　merit　of　having　originated　the　suggestion　that　
the　will　should　be　looked　for　in　the　box。　After　some　search；　it　was　
found　in　the　box；　at　the　bottom　of　a　horse’s　nose…bag；　wherein　
（besides　hay）　there　was　discovered　an　old　gold　watch；　with　chain　
and　seals；　which　Mr。　Barkis　had　worn　on　his　wedding…day；　and　
which　had　never　been　seen　before　or　since；　a　silver　tobacco…
stopper；　in　the　form　of　a　leg；　an　imitation　lemon；　full　of　minute　
cups　and　saucers；　which　I　have　some　idea　Mr。　Barkis　must　have　
purchased　to　present　to　me　when　I　was　a　child；　and　afterwards　
found　himself　unable　to　part　with；　eighty…seven　guineas　and　a　half；　
in　guineas　and　half…guineas；　two　hundred　and　ten　pounds；　in　
perfectly　clean　Bank　notes；　certain　receipts　for　Bank　of　England　
stock；　an　old　horseshoe；　a　bad　shilling；　a　piece　of　camphor；　and　an　

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oyster…shell。　From　the　circumstance　of　the　latter　article　having　
been　much　polished；　and　displaying　prismatic　colours　on　the　
inside；　I　conclude　that　Mr。　Barkis　had　some　general　ideas　about　
pearls；　which　never　resolved　themselves　into　anything　definite。　

For　years　and　years；　Mr。　Barkis　had　carried　this　box；　on　all　his　
journeys；　every　day。　That　it　might　the　better　escape　notice；　he　had　
invented　a　fiction　that　it　belonged　to　‘Mr。　Blackboy’；　and　was　‘to　be　
left　with　Barkis　till　called　for’；　a　fable　he　had　elaborately　written　
on　the　lid；　in　characters　now　scarcely　legible。　

He　had　hoarded；　all　these　years；　I　found；　to　good　purpose。　His　
property　in　money　amounted　to　nearly　three　thousand　pounds。　Of　
this　he　bequeathed　the　interest　of　one　thousand　to　Mr。　Peggotty　
for　his　life；　on　his　decease；　the　principal　to　be　equally　divided　
between　Peggotty；　little　Emily；　and　me；　or　the　survivor　or　
survivors　of　us；　share　and　share　alike。　All　the　rest　he　died　
possessed　of；　he　bequeathed　to　Peggotty；　whom　he　left　residuary　
legatee；　and　sole　executrix　of　that　his　last　will　and　testament。　

I　felt　myself　quite　a　proctor　when　I　read　this　document　aloud　
with　all　possible　ceremony；　and　set　forth　its　provisions；　any　
number　of　times；　to　those　whom　they　concerned。　I　began　to　think　
there　was　more　in　the　Commons　than　I　had　supposed。　I　examined　
the　will　with　the　deepest　attention；　pronounced　it　perfectly　formal　
in　all　respects；　made　a　pencil…mark　or　so　in　the　margin；　and　
thought　it　rather　extraordinary　that　I　knew　so　much。　

In　this　abstruse　pursuit；　in　making　an　account　for　Peggotty；　of　
all　the　property　into　which　she　had　come；　in　arranging　all　the　
affairs　in　an　orderly　manner；　and　in　being　her　referee　and　adviser　
on　every　point；　to　our　joint　delight；　I　passed　the　week　before　the　
funeral。　I　did　not　see　little　Emily　in　that　interval；　but　they　told　me　

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she　was　to　be　quietly　married　in　a　fortnight。　

I　did　not　attend　the　funeral　in　character；　if　I　may　venture　to　say　
so。　I　mean　I　was　not　dressed　up　in　a　black　coat　and　a　streamer；　to　
frighten　the　birds；　but　I　walked　over　to　Blunderstone　early　in　the　
morning；　and　was　in　the　churchyard　when　it　came；　attended　only　
by　Peggotty　and　her　brother。　The　mad　gentleman　looked　on；　out　of　
my　little　window；　Mr。　Chillip’s　baby　wagged　its　heavy　head；　and　
rolled　its　goggle　eyes；　at　the　clergyman；　over　its　nurse’s　shoulder；　
Mr。　Omer　breathed　short　in　the　background；　no　one　else　was　
there；　and　it　was　very　quiet。　We　walked　about　the　churchyard　for　
an　hour；　after　all　was　over；　and　pulled　some　young　leaves　from　the　
tree　above　my　mother’s　grave。　

A　dread　falls　on　me　here。　A　cloud　is　lowering　on　the　distant　
town；　towards　which　I　retraced　my　solitary　steps。　I　fear　to　
approach　it。　I　cannot　bear　to　think　of　what　did　come；　upon　that　
memorable　night；　of　what　must　come　again；　if　I　go　on。　

It　is　no　worse；　because　I　write　of　it。　It　would　be　no　better；　if　I　
stopped　my　most　unwilling　hand。　It　is　done。　Nothing　can　undo　it；　
nothing　can　make　it　otherwise　than　as　it　was。　

My　old　nurse　was　to　go　to　London　with　me　next　day；　on　the　
business　of　the　will。　Little　Emily　was　passing　that　day　at　Mr。　
Omer’s。　We　were　all　to　meet　in　the　old　boathouse　that　night。　Ham　
would　bring　Emily　at　the　usual　hour。　I　would　walk　back　at　my　
leisure。　The　brother　and　sister　would　return　as　they　had　come；　
and　be　expecting　us；　when　the　day　closed　in；　at　the　fireside。　

I　parted　from　them　at　the　wicket…gate；　where　visionary　Strap　
had　rested　with　Roderick　Random’s　knapsack　in　the　days　of　yore；　
and；　instead　of　going　straight　back；　walked　a　little　distance　on　the　
road　to　Lowestoft。　Then　I　turned；　and　walked　back　towards　

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Yarmouth。　I　stayed　to　dine　at　a　decent　alehouse；　some　mile　or　two　
from　the　Ferry　I　have　mentioned　before；　and　thus　the　day　wore　
away；　and　it　was　evening　when　I　reached　it。　Rain　was　falling　
heavily　by　that　time；　and　it　was　a　wild　night；　but　there　was　a　moon　
behind　the　clouds；　and　it　was　not　dark。　

I　was　soon　within　sight　of　Mr。　Peggotty’s　house；　and　of　the　light　
within　it　shining　through　the　window。　A　little　floundering　across　
the　sand；　which　was　heavy；　brought　me　to　the　door；　and　I　went　in。　

It　looked　very　comfortable　indeed。　Mr。　Peggotty　had　smoked　his　
evening　pipe　and　there　were　preparations　for　some　supper　by　and　
by。　The　fire　was　bright；　the　ashes　were　thrown　up；　the　locker　was　
ready　for　little　Emily　in　her　old　place。　In　her　own　old　place　sat　
Peggotty；　once　more；　looking　（but　for　her　dress）　as　if　she　had　
never　left　it。　She　had　fallen　back；　already；　on　the　society　of　the　
work…box　with　St。　Paul’s　upon　the　lid；　the　yard…measure　in　the　
cottage；　and　the　bit　of　wax…candle；　and　there　they　all　were；　just　as　
if　they　had　never　been　disturbed。　Mrs。　Gummidge　appeared　to　be　
fretting　a　little；　in　her　old　corner；　and　consequently　looked　quite　
natural；　too。　

‘You’re　first　of　the　lot；　Mas’r　Davy！’　said　Mr。　Peggotty　with　a　
happy　face。　‘Doen’t　keep　in　that　coat；　sir；　if　it’s　wet。’　

‘Thank　you；　Mr。　Peggotty；’　said　I；　giving　him　my　outer　coat　to　
hang　up。　‘It’s　quite　dry。’　

‘So　’tis！’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　feeling　my　shoulders。　‘As　a　chip！　Sit　
ye　down；　sir。　It　ain’t　o’　no　use　sa