david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第139章

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husband；—to　her　little　children；　p’raps；—and　bide　the　time　when　
all　of　us　shall　be　alike　in　quality　afore　our　God！’　

The　rugged　eloquence　with　which　he　spoke；　was　not　devoid　of　
all　effect。　She　still　preserved　her　proud　manner；　but　there　was　a　
touch　of　softness　in　her　voice；　as　she　answered：　

‘I　justify　nothing。　I　make　no　counter…accusations。　But　I　am　sorry　
to　repeat；　it　is　impossible。　Such　a　marriage　would　irretrievably　
blight　my　son’s　career；　and　ruin　his　prospects。　Nothing　is　more　

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certain　than　that　it　never　can　take　place；　and　never　will。　If　there　is　
any　other　compensation—’　

‘I　am　looking　at　the　likeness　of　the　face；’　interrupted　Mr。　
Peggotty；　with　a　steady　but　a　kindling　eye；　‘that　has　looked　at　me；　
in　my　home；　at　my　fireside；　in　my　boat—wheer　not？—smiling　and　
friendly；　when　it　was　so　treacherous；　that　I　go　half　wild　when　I　
think　of　it。　If　the　likeness　of　that　face　don’t　turn　to　burning　fire；　at　
the　thought　of　offering　money　to　me　for　my　child’s　blight　and　ruin；　
it’s　as　bad。　I　doen’t　know；　being　a　lady’s；　but　what　it’s　worse。’　

She　changed　now；　in　a　moment。　An　angry　flush　overspread　her　
features；　and　she　said；　in　an　intolerant　manner；　grasping　the　armchair　tightly　with　her　hands：　

‘What　compensation　can　you　make　to　me　for　opening　such　a　pit　
between　me　and　my　son？　What　is　your　love　to　mine？　What　is　your　
separation　to　ours？’　

Miss　Dartle　softly　touched　her；　and　bent　down　her　head　to　
whisper；　but　she　would　not　hear　a　word。　

‘No；　Rosa；　not　a　word！　Let　the　man　listen　to　what　I　say！　My　son；　
who　has　been　the　object　of　my　life；　to　whom　its　every　thought　has　
been　devoted；　whom　I　have　gratified　from　a　child　in　every　wish；　
from　whom　I　have　had　no　separate　existence　since　his　birth；—to　
take　up　in　a　moment　with　a　miserable　girl；　and　avoid　me！　To　repay　
my　confidence　with　systematic　deception；　for　her　sake；　and　quit　
me　for　her！　To　set　this　wretched　fancy；　against　his　mother’s　claims　
upon　his　duty；　love；　respect；　gratitude—claims　that　every　day　and　
hour　of　his　life　should　have　strengthened　into　ties　that　nothing　
could　be　proof　against！　Is　this　no　injury？’　

Again　Rosa　Dartle　tried　to　soothe　her；　again　ineffectually。　

‘I　say；　Rosa；　not　a　word！　If　he　can　stake　his　all　upon　the　lightest　

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object；　I　can　stake　my　all　upon　a　greater　purpose。　Let　him　go　
where　he　will；　with　the　means　that　my　love　has　secured　to　him！　
Does　he　think　to　reduce　me　by　long　absence？　He　knows　his　
mother　very　little　if　he　does。　Let　him　put　away　his　whim　now；　and　
he　is　welcome　back。　Let　him　not　put　her　away　now；　and　he　never　
shall　come　near　me；　living　or　dying；　while　I　can　raise　my　hand　to　
make　a　sign　against　it；　unless；　being　rid　of　her　for　ever；　he　comes　
humbly　to　me　and　begs　for　my　forgiveness。　This　is　my　right。　This　
is　the　acknowledgement　I　will　have。　This　is　the　separation　that　
there　is　between　us！　And　is　this；’　she　added；　looking　at　her　visitor　
with　the　proud　intolerant　air　with　which　she　had　begun；　‘no　
injury？’　

While　I　heard　and　saw　the　mother　as　she　said　these　words；　I　
seemed　to　hear　and　see　the　son；　defying　them。　All　that　I　had　ever　
seen　in　him　of　an　unyielding；　wilful　spirit；　I　saw　in　her。　All　the　
understanding　that　I　had　now　of　his　misdirected　energy；　became　
an　understanding　of　her　character　too；　and　a　perception　that　it　
was；　in　its　strongest　springs；　the　same。　

She　now　observed　to　me；　aloud；　resuming　her　former　restraint；　
that　it　was　useless　to　hear　more；　or　to　say　more；　and　that　she　
begged　to　put　an　end　to　the　interview。　She　rose　with　an　air　of　
dignity　to　leave　the　room；　when　Mr。　Peggotty　signified　that　it　was　
needless。　

‘Doen’t　fear　me　being　any　hindrance　to　you；　I　have　no　more　to　
say；　ma’am；’　he　remarked；　as　he　moved　towards　the　door。　‘I　come　
beer　with　no　hope；　and　I　take　away　no　hope。　I　have　done　what　I　
thowt　should　be　done；　but　I　never　looked　fur　any　good　to　come　of　
my　stan’ning　where　I　do。　This　has　been　too　evil　a　house　fur　me　and　
mine；　fur　me　to　be　in　my　right　senses　and　expect　it。’　

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With　this；　we　departed；　leaving　her　standing　by　her　elbow…
chair；　a　picture　of　a　noble　presence　and　a　handsome　face。　

We　had；　on　our　way　out；　to　cross　a　paved　hall；　with　glass　sides　
and　roof；　over　which　a　vine　was　trained。　Its　leaves　and　shoots　were　
green　then；　and　the　day　being　sunny；　a　pair　of　glass　doors　leading　
to　the　garden　were　thrown　open。　Rosa　Dartle；　entering　this　way　
with　a　noiseless　step；　when　we　were　close　to　them；　addressed　
herself　to　me：　

‘You　do　well；’　she　said；　‘indeed；　to　bring　this　fellow　here！’　

Such　a　concentration　of　rage　and　scorn　as　darkened　her　face；　
and　flashed　in　her　jet…black　eyes；　I　could　not　have　thought　
compressible　even　into　that　face。　The　scar　made　by　the　hammer　
was；　as　usual　in　this　excited　state　of　her　features；　strongly　marked。　
When　the　throbbing　I　had　seen　before；　came　into　it　as　I　looked　at　
her；　she　absolutely　lifted　up　her　hand；　and　struck　it。　

‘This　is　a　fellow；’　she　said；　‘to　champion　and　bring　here；　is　he　
not？　You　are　a　true　man！’　

‘Miss　Dartle；’　I　returned；　‘you　are　surely　not　so　unjust　as　to　
condemn　me！’　

‘Why　do　you　bring　division　between　these　two　mad　creatures？’　
she　returned。　‘Don’t　you　know　that　they　are　both　mad　with　their　
own　self…will　and　pride？’　

‘Is　it　my　doing？’　I　returned。　

‘Is　it　your　doing！’　she　retorted。　‘Why　do　you　bring　this　man　
here？’　

‘He　is　a　deeply…injured　man；　Miss　Dartle；’　I　replied。　‘You　may　
not　know　it。’　

‘I　know　that　James　Steerforth；’　she　said；　with　her　hand　on　her　
bosom；　as　if　to　prevent　the　storm　that　was　raging　there；　from　being　

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loud；　‘has　a　false；　corrupt　heart；　and　is　a　traitor。　But　what　need　I　
know　or　care　about　this　fellow；　and　his　common　niece？’　

‘Miss　Dartle；’　I　returned；　‘you　deepen　the　injury。　It　is　sufficient　
already。　I　will　only　say；　at　parting；　that　you　do　him　a　great　wrong。’　

‘I　do　him　no　wrong；’　she　returned。　‘They　are　a　depraved；　
worthless　set。　I　would　have　her　whipped！’　

Mr。　Peggotty　passed　on；　without　a　word；　and　went　out　at　the　
door。　

‘Oh；　shame；　Miss　Dartle！　shame！’　I　said　indignantly。　‘How　can　
you　bear　to　trample　on　his　undeserved　affliction！’　

‘I　would　trample　on　them　all；’　she　answered。　‘I　would　have　his　
house　pulled　down。　I　would　have　her　branded　on　the　face；　dressed　
in　rags；　and　cast　out　in　the　streets　to　starve。　If　I　had　the　power　to　
sit　in　judgement　on　her；　I　would　see　it　done。　See　it　done？　I　would　
do　it！　I　detest　her。　If　I　ever　could　reproach　her　with　her　infamous　
condition；　I　would　go　anywhere　to　do　so。　If　I　could　hunt　her　to　her　
grave；　I　would。　If　there　was　any　word　of　comfort　that　would　be　a　
solace　to　her　in　her　dying　hour；　and　only　I　possessed　it；　I　wouldn’t　
part　with　it　for　Life　itself。’　

The　mere　vehemence　of　her　words　can　convey；　I　am　sensible；　
but　a　weak　impression　of　the　passion　by　which　she　was　possessed；　
and　which　made　itself　articulate　in　her　whole　figure；　though　her　
voice；　instead　of　being　raised；　was　lower　than　usual。　No　
description　I　could　give　of　her　would　do　justice　to　my　recollection　
of　her；　or　to　her　entire　deliverance　of　herself　to　her　anger。　I　have　
seen　passion　in　many　forms；　but　I　have　never　seen　it　in　such　a　
form　as　that。　

When　I　joined　Mr。　Peggotty；　he　was　walking　slowly　and　
thoughtfully　down　the　hill。　He　told　me；　as　soon　as　I　came　up　with　

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him；　that　having　now　discharged　his　mind　of　what　he　had　
purposed　doing　in　London；　he　meant　‘to　set　out　on　his　travels’；　
that　night。　I　asked　him　where　he　meant　to　go？　He　only　answered；　
‘I’m　a　going；　sir；　to　seek　my　niece。’　

We　went　back　to　the　little　lodging　over　the　chandler’s　shop；　and　
there　I　found　an　opportunity　of　repeating　to　Peggotty　what　he　had　
said　to　me。　She　informed　me；　in　return；　that　he　had　said　the　same　
to　her　that　morning。　S