david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第146章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



‘I　suppose　so；’　I　replied　with　a　smile；　and　not　without　a　blush。　
‘And　because　you　have　so　much　constancy　and　patience；　
Traddles。’　

‘Dear　me！’　said　Traddles；　considering　about　it；　‘do　I　strike　you　
in　that　way；　Copperfield？　Really　I　didn’t　know　that　I　had。　But　she　
is　such　an　extraordinarily　dear　girl　herself；　that　it’s　possible　she　
may　have　imparted　something　of　those　virtues　to　me。　Now　you　
mention　it；　Copperfield；　I　shouldn’t　wonder　at　all。　I　assure　you　she　
is　always　forgetting　herself；　and　taking　care　of　the　other　nine。’　

‘Is　she　the　eldest？’　I　inquired。　

‘Oh　dear；　no；’　said　Traddles。　‘The　eldest　is　a　Beauty。’　

He　saw；　I　suppose；　that　I　could　not　help　smiling　at　the　simplicity　
of　this　reply；　and　added；　with　a　smile　upon　his　own　ingenuous　
face：　

‘Not；　of　course；　but　that　my　Sophy—pretty　name；　Copperfield；　I　
always　think？’　

‘Very　pretty！’　said　I。　

‘Not；　of　course；　but　that　Sophy　is　beautiful　too　in　my　eyes；　and　
would　be　one　of　the　dearest　girls　that　ever　was；　in　anybody’s　eyes　
（I　should　think）。　But　when　I　say　the　eldest　is　a　Beauty；　I　mean　she　
really　is　a—’　he　seemed　to　be　describing　clouds　about　himself；　with　
both　hands：　‘Splendid；　you　know；’　said　Traddles；　energetically。　
‘Indeed！’　said　I。　

‘Oh；　I　assure　you；’　said　Traddles；　‘something　very　uncommon；　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

indeed！　Then；　you　know；　being　formed　for　society　and　admiration；　
and　not　being　able　to　enjoy　much　of　it　in　consequence　of　their　
limited　means；　she　naturally　gets　a　little　irritable　and　exacting；　
sometimes。　Sophy　puts　her　in　good　humour！’　

‘Is　Sophy　the　youngest？’　I　hazarded。　

‘Oh　dear；　no！’　said　Traddles；　stroking　his　chin。　‘The　two　
youngest　are　only　nine　and　ten。　Sophy　educates　’em。’　

‘The　second　daughter；　perhaps？’　I　hazarded。　

‘No；’　said　Traddles。　‘Sarah’s　the　second。　Sarah　has　something　
the　matter　with　her　spine；　poor　girl。　The　malady　will　wear　out　by　
and　by；　the　doctors　say；　but　in　the　meantime　she　has　to　lie　down　
for　a　twelvemonth。　Sophy　nurses　her。　Sophy’s　the　fourth。’　

‘Is　the　mother　living？’　I　inquired。　

‘Oh　yes；’　said　Traddles；　‘she　is　alive。　She　is　a　very　superior　
woman　indeed；　but　the　damp　country　is　not　adapted　to　her　
constitution；　and—in　fact；　she　has　lost　the　use　of　her　limbs。’　

‘Dear　me！’　said　I。　

‘Very　sad；　is　it　not？’　returned　Traddles。　‘But　in　a　merely　
domestic　view　it　is　not　so　bad　as　it　might　be；　because　Sophy　takes　
her　place。　She　is　quite　as　much　a　mother　to　her　mother；　as　she　is　
to　the　other　nine。’　

I　felt　the　greatest　admiration　for　the　virtues　of　this　young　lady；　
and；　honestly　with　the　view　of　doing　my　best　to　prevent　the　good…
nature　of　Traddles　from　being　imposed　upon；　to　the　detriment　of　
their　joint　prospects　in　life；　inquired　how　Mr。　Micawber　was？　

‘He　is　quite　well；　Copperfield；　thank　you；’　said　Traddles。　‘I　am　
not　living　with　him　at　present。’　

‘No？’　

‘No。　You　see　the　truth　is；’　said　Traddles；　in　a　whisper；　‘he　had　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

changed　his　name　to　Mortimer；　in　consequence　of　his　temporary　
embarrassments；　and　he　don’t　come　out　till　after　dark—and　then　
in　spectacles。　There　was　an　execution　put　into　our　house；　for　rent。　
Mrs。　Micawber　was　in　such　a　dreadful　state　that　I　really　couldn’t　
resist　giving　my　name　to　that　second　bill　we　spoke　of　here。　You　
may　imagine　how　delightful　it　was　to　my　feelings；　Copperfield；　to　
see　the　matter　settled　with　it；　and　Mrs。　Micawber　recover　her　
spirits。’　

‘Hum！’　said　I。　‘Not　that　her　happiness　was　of　long　duration；’　
pursued　Traddles；　‘for；　unfortunately；　within　a　week　another　
execution　came　in。　It　broke　up　the　establishment。　I　have　been　
living　in　a　furnished　apartment　since　then；　and　the　Mortimers　
have　been　very　private　indeed。　I　hope　you　won’t　think　it　selfish；　
Copperfield；　if　I　mention　that　the　broker　carried　off　my　little　round　
table　with　the　marble　top；　and　Sophy’s　flower…pot　and　stand？’　

‘What　a　hard　thing！’　I　exclaimed　indignantly。　

‘It　was　a—it　was　a　pull；’　said　Traddles；　with　his　usual　wince　at　
that　expression。　‘I　don’t　mention　it　reproachfully；　however；　but　
with　a　motive。　The　fact　is；　Copperfield；　I　was　unable　to　repurchase　
them　at　the　time　of　their　seizure；　in　the　first　place；　because　the　
broker；　having　an　idea　that　I　wanted　them；　ran　the　price　up　to　an　
extravagant　extent；　and；　in　the　second　place；　because　I—hadn’t　
any　money。　Now；　I　have　kept　my　eye　since；　upon　the　broker’s　
shop；’　said　Traddles；　with　a　great　enjoyment　of　his　mystery；　‘which　
is　up　at　the　top　of　Tottenham　Court　Road；　and；　at　last；　today　I　find　
them　put　out　for　sale。　I　have　only　noticed　them　from　over　the　way；　
because　if　the　broker　saw　me；　bless　you；　he’d　ask　any　price　for　
them！　What　has　occurred　to　me；　having　now　the　money；　is；　that　
perhaps　you　wouldn’t　object　to　ask　that　good　nurse　of　yours　to　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

come　with　me　to　the　shop—I　can　show　it　her　from　round　the　
corner　of　the　next　street—and　make　the　best　bargain　for　them；　as　
if　they　were　for　herself；　that　she　can！’　

The　delight　with　which　Traddles　propounded　this　plan　to　me；　
and　the　sense　he　had　of　its　uncommon　artfulness；　are　among　the　
freshest　things　in　my　remembrance。　

I　told　him　that　my　old　nurse　would　be　delighted　to　assist　him；　
and　that　we　would　all　three　take　the　field　together；　but　on　one　
condition。　That　condition　was；　that　he　should　make　a　solemn　
resolution　to　grant　no　more　loans　of　his　name；　or　anything　else；　to　
Mr。　Micawber。　

‘My　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Traddles；　‘I　have　already　done　so；　
because　I　begin　to　feel　that　I　have　not　only　been　inconsiderate；　but　
that　I　have　been　positively　unjust　to　Sophy。　My　word　being　passed　
to　myself；　there　is　no　longer　any　apprehension；　but　I　pledge　it　to　
you；　too；　with　the　greatest　readiness。　That　first　unlucky　
obligation；　I　have　paid。　I　have　no　doubt　Mr。　Micawber　would　have　
paid　it　if　he　could；　but　he　could　not。　One　thing　I　ought　to　mention；　
which　I　like　very　much　in　Mr。　Micawber；　Copperfield。　It　refers　to　
the　second　obligation；　which　is　not　yet　due。　He　don’t　tell　me　that　it　
is　provided　for；　but　he　says　it　will　be。　Now；　I　think　there　is　
something　very　fair　and　honest　about　that！’　

I　was　unwilling　to　damp　my　good　friend’s　confidence；　and　
therefore　assented。　After　a　little　further　conversation；　we　went　
round　to　the　chandler’s　shop；　to　enlist　Peggotty；　Traddles　
declining　to　pass　the　evening　with　me；　both　because　he　endured　
the　liveliest　apprehensions　that　his　property　would　be　bought　by　
somebody　else　before　he　could　re…purchase　it；　and　because　it　was　
the　evening　he　always　devoted　to　writing　to　the　dearest　girl　in　the　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

world。　

I　never　shall　forget　him　peeping　round　the　corner　of　the　street　
in　Tottenham　Court　Road；　while　Peggotty　was　bargaining　for　the　
precious　articles；　or　his　agitation　when　she　came　slowly　towards　
us　after　vainly　offering　a　price；　and　was　hailed　by　the　relenting　
broker；　and　went　back　again。　The　end　of　the　negotiation　was；　that　
she　bought　the　property　on　tolerably　easy　terms；　and　Traddles　was　
transported　with　pleasure。　

‘I　am　very　much　obliged　to　you；　indeed；’　said　Traddles；　on　
hearing　it　was　to　be　sent　to　where　he　lived；　that　night。　‘If　I　might　
ask　one　other　favour；　I　hope　you　would　not　think　it　absurd；　
Copperfield？’　

I　said　beforehand；　certainly　not。　

‘Then　if　you　would　be　good　enough；’　said　Traddles　to　Peggotty；　
‘to　get　the　flower…pot　now；　I　think　I　should　like　（it　being　Sophy’s；　
Copperfield）　to　carry　it　home　myself！’　

Peggotty　was　glad　to　get　it　for　him；　and　he　overwhelmed　her　
with　thanks；　and　went　his　way　up　Tottenham　Court　Road；　
carrying　the　flower…pot　affectionately　in　his　arms；　with　one　of　the　
most　delighted　expressions　of　countenance　I　ever　saw。　

We　then　turned　back　towards　my　chambers。　As　the　shops　had　
charms　for　Peggotty　which　I　never　knew　them　possess　in　the　same　
degree　for　anybody　else；　I　sauntered　eas