david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第148章

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I　tried　to　ascertain　whether　Mr。　Dick　had　any　understanding　of　
the　causes　of　this　sudden　and　great　change　in　my　aunt’s　affairs。　
As　I　might　have　expected；　he　had　none　at　all。　The　only　account　he　
could　give　of　it　was；　that　my　aunt　had　said　to　him；　the　day　before　
yesterday；　‘Now；　Dick；　are　you　really　and　truly　the　philosopher　I　

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David　Copperfield　

take　you　for？’　That　then　he　had　said；　Yes；　he　hoped　so。　That　then　
my　aunt　had　said；　‘Dick；　I　am　ruined。’　That　then　he　had　said；　‘Oh；　
indeed！’　That　then　my　aunt　had　praised　him　highly；　which　he　was　
glad　of。　And　that　then　they　had　come　to　me；　and　had　had　bottled　
porter　and　sandwiches　on　the　road。　

Mr。　Dick　was　so　very　complacent；　sitting　on　the　foot　of　the　bed；　
nursing　his　leg；　and　telling　me　this；　with　his　eyes　wide　open　and　a　
surprised　smile；　that　I　am　sorry　to　say　I　was　provoked　into　
explaining　to　him　that　ruin　meant　distress；　want；　and　starvation；　
but　I　was　soon　bitterly　reproved　for　this　harshness；　by　seeing　his　
face　turn　pale；　and　tears　course　down　his　lengthened　cheeks；　while　
he　fixed　upon　me　a　look　of　such　unutterable　woe；　that　it　might　
have　softened　a　far　harder　heart　than　mine。　I　took　infinitely　
greater　pains　to　cheer　him　up　again　than　I　had　taken　to　depress　
him；　and　I　soon　understood　（as　I　ought　to　have　known　at　first）　that　
he　had　been　so　confident；　merely　because　of　his　faith　in　the　wisest　
and　most　wonderful　of　women；　and　his　unbounded　reliance　on　my　
intellectual　resources。　The　latter；　I　believe；　he　considered　a　match　
for　any　kind　of　disaster　not　absolutely　mortal。　

‘What　can　we　do；　Trotwood？’　said　Mr。　Dick。　‘There’s　the　
Memorial—’　

‘To　be　sure　there　is；’　said　I。　‘But　all　we　can　do　just　now；　Mr。　
Dick；　is　to　keep　a　cheerful　countenance；　and　not　let　my　aunt　see　
that　we　are　thinking　about　it。’　

He　assented　to　this　in　the　most　earnest　manner；　and　implored　
me；　if　I　should　see　him　wandering　an　inch　out　of　the　right　course；　
to　recall　him　by　some　of　those　superior　methods　which　were　
always　at　my　command。　But　I　regret　to　state　that　the　fright　I　had　
given　him　proved　too　much　for　his　best　attempts　at　concealment。　

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All　the　evening　his　eyes　wandered　to　my　aunt’s　face；　with　an　
expression　of　the　most　dismal　apprehension；　as　if　he　saw　her　
growing　thin　on　the　spot。　He　was　conscious　of　this；　and　put　a　
constraint　upon　his　head；　but　his　keeping　that　immovable；　and　
sitting　rolling　his　eyes　like　a　piece　of　machinery；　did　not　mend　the　
matter　at　all。　I　saw　him　look　at　the　loaf　at　supper　（which　happened　
to　be　a　small　one）；　as　if　nothing　else　stood　between　us　and　famine；　
and　when　my　aunt　insisted　on　his　making　his　customary　repast；　I　
detected　him　in　the　act　of　pocketing　fragments　of　his　bread　and　
cheese；　I　have　no　doubt　for　the　purpose　of　reviving　us　with　those　
savings；　when　we　should　have　reached　an　advanced　stage　of　
attenuation。　

My　aunt；　on　the　other　hand；　was　in　a　composed　frame　of　mind；　
which　was　a　lesson　to　all　of　us—to　me；　I　am　sure。　She　was　
extremely　gracious　to　Peggotty；　except　when　I　inadvertently　called　
her　by　that　name；　and；　strange　as　I　knew　she　felt　in　London；　
appeared　quite　at　home。　She　was　to　have　my　bed；　and　I　was　to　lie　
in　the　sitting…room；　to　keep　guard　over　her。　She　made　a　great　
point　of　being　so　near　the　river；　in　case　of　a　conflagration；　and　I　
suppose　really　did　find　some　satisfaction　in　that　circumstance。　

‘Trot；　my　dear；’　said　my　aunt；　when　she　saw　me　making　
preparations　for　compounding　her　usual　night…draught；　‘No！’　

‘Nothing；　aunt？’　

‘Not　wine；　my　dear。　Ale。’　

‘But　there　is　wine　here；　aunt。　And　you　always　have　it　made　of　
wine。’　

‘Keep　that；　in　case　of　sickness；’　said　my　aunt。　‘We　mustn’t　use　it　
carelessly；　Trot。　Ale　for　me。　Half　a　pint。’　

I　thought　Mr。　Dick　would　have　fallen；　insensible。　My　aunt　

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being　resolute；　I　went　out　and　got　the　ale　myself。　As　it　was　
growing　late；　Peggotty　and　Mr。　Dick　took　that　opportunity　of　
repairing　to　the　chandler’s　shop　together。　I　parted　from　him；　poor　
fellow；　at　the　corner　of　the　street；　with　his　great　kite　at　his　back；　a　
very　monument　of　human　misery。　

My　aunt　was　walking　up　and　down　the　room　when　I　returned；　
crimping　the　borders　of　her　nightcap　with　her　fingers。　I　warmed　
the　ale　and　made　the　toast　on　the　usual　infallible　principles。　When　
it　was　ready　for　her；　she　was　ready　for　it；　with　her　nightcap　on；　
and　the　skirt　of　her　gown　turned　back　on　her　knees。　

‘My　dear；’　said　my　aunt；　after　taking　a　spoonful　of　it；　‘it’s　a　great　
deal　better　than　wine。　Not　half　so　bilious。’　

I　suppose　I　looked　doubtful；　for　she　added：　

‘Tut；　tut；　child。　If　nothing　worse　than　Ale　happens　to　us；　we　are　
well　off。’　

‘I　should　think　so　myself；　aunt；　I　am　sure；’　said　I。　

‘Well；　then；　why　don’t　you　think　so？’　said　my　aunt。　

‘Because　you　and　I　are　very　different　people；’　I　returned。　

‘Stuff　and　nonsense；　Trot！’　replied　my　aunt。　

My　aunt　went　on　with　a　quiet　enjoyment；　in　which　there　was　
very　little　affectation；　if　any；　drinking　the　warm　ale　with　a　teaspoon；　and　soaking　her　strips　of　toast　in　it。　

‘Trot；’　said　she；　‘I　don’t　care　for　strange　faces　in　general；　but　I　
rather　like　that　Barkis　of　yours；　do　you　know！’　

‘It’s　better　than　a　hundred　pounds　to　hear　you　say　so！’　said　I。　

‘It’s　a　most　extraordinary　world；’　observed　my　aunt；　rubbing　
her　nose；　‘how　that　woman　ever　got　into　it　with　that　name；　is　
unaccountable　to　me。　It　would　be　much　more　easy　to　be　born　a　
Jackson；　or　something　of　that　sort；　one　would　think。’　

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‘Perhaps　she　thinks　so；　too；　it’s　not　her　fault；’　said　I。　

‘I　suppose　not；’　returned　my　aunt；　rather　grudging　the　
admission；　‘but　it’s　very　aggravating。　However；　she’s　Barkis　now。　
That’s　some　comfort。　Barkis　is　uncommonly　fond　of　you；　Trot。’　

‘There　is　nothing　she　would　leave　undone　to　prove　it；’　said　I。　

‘Nothing；　I　believe；’　returned　my　aunt。　‘Here；　the　poor　fool　has　
been　begging　and　praying　about　handing　over　some　of　her　
money—because　she　has　got　too　much　of　it。　A　simpleton！’　

My　aunt’s　tears　of　pleasure　were　positively　trickling　down　into　
the　warm　ale。　

‘She’s　the　most　ridiculous　creature　that　ever　was　born；’　said　my　
aunt。　‘I　knew；　from　the　first　moment　when　I　saw　her　with　that　
poor　dear　blessed　baby　of　a　mother　of　yours；　that　she　was　the　most　
ridiculous　of　mortals。　But　there　are　good　points　in　Barkis！’　

Affecting　to　laugh；　she　got　an　opportunity　of　putting　her　hand　
to　her　eyes。　Having　availed　herself　of　it；　she　resumed　her　toast　
and　her　discourse　together。　

‘Ah！　Mercy　upon　us！’　sighed　my　aunt。　‘I　know　all　about　it；　Trot！　
Barkis　and　myself　had　quite　a　gossip　while　you　were　out　with　
Dick。　I　know　all　about　it。　I　don’t　know　where　these　wretched　girls　
expect　to　go　to；　for　my　part。　I　wonder　they　don’t　knock　out　their　
brains　against—against　mantelpieces；’　said　my　aunt；　an　idea　
which　was　probably　suggested　to　her　by　her　contemplation　of　
mine。　

‘Poor　Emily！’　said　I。　

‘Oh；　don’t　talk　to　me　about　poor；’　returned　my　aunt。　‘She　
should　have　thought　of　that；　before　she　caused　so　much　misery！　
Give　me　a　kiss；　Trot。　I　am　sorry　for　your　early　experience。’　

As　I　bent　forward；　she　put　her　tumbler　on　my　knee　to　detain　

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me；　and　said：　

‘Oh；　Trot；　Trot！　And　so　you　fancy　yourself　in　love！　Do　you？’　

‘Fancy；　aunt！’　I　exclaimed；　as　red　as　I　could　be。　‘I　adore　her　
with　my　whole　soul！’　

‘Dora；　indeed！’　returned　my　aunt。　‘And　you　mean　to　say　the　
little　thing　is　very　fascinating；　I　suppose？’　

‘My　dear　aunt；’　I　replied；　‘no　one　can　form　the　least　idea　what　
she　is！’　

‘Ah！　And　not　silly？’　said　my　aunt。　

‘Silly；　aunt！’　

I　seriously　believe　it　had　never　once　entered　my　head　for　a　
single　moment；　to　consider　whether　she　was　or　not。　I　resented　the　
idea；　of　course；　but　I　was　in　a　manner　struck　by　it；　as