david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第150章

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a　sacrifice　on　our　part　of　some　portion　of　the　premium；　of　course；’　
I　put　in　this；　on　the　spur　of　the　moment；　warned　by　the　blank　
expression　of　his　face—‘to　cancel　my　articles？’　

What　it　cost　me　to　make　this　proposal；　nobody　knows。　It　was　
like　asking；　as　a　favour；　to　be　sentenced　to　transportation　from　

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David　Copperfield　

Dora。　

‘To　cancel　your　articless；　Copperfield？　Cancel？’　

I　explained　with　tolerable　firmness；　that　I　really　did　not　know　
where　my　means　of　subsistence　were　to　come　from；　unless　I　could　
earn　them　for　myself。　I　had　no　fear　for　the　future；　I　said—and　I　
laid　great　emphasis　on　that；　as　if　to　imply　that　I　should　still　be　
decidedly　eligible　for　a　son…in…law　one　of　these　days—but；　for　the　
present；　I　was　thrown　upon　my　own　resources。　‘I　am　extremely　
sorry　to　hear　this；　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Spenlow。　‘Extremely　
sorry。　It　is　not　usual　to　cancel　articles　for　any　such　reason。　It　is　
not　a　professional　course　of　proceeding。　It　is　not　a　convenient　
precedent　at　all。　Far　from　it。　At　the　same　time—’　

‘You　are　very　good；　sir；’　I　murmured；　anticipating　a　concession。　

‘Not　at　all。　Don’t　mention　it；’　said　Mr。　Spenlow。　‘At　the　same　
time；　I　was　going　to　say；　if　it　had　been　my　lot　to　have　my　hands　
unfettered—if　I　had　not　a　partner—Mr。　Jorkins—’　

My　hopes　were　dashed　in　a　moment；　but　I　made　another　effort。　

‘Do　you　think；　sir；’　said　I；　‘if　I　were　to　mention　it　to　Mr。　
Jorkins—’　

Mr。　Spenlow　shook　his　head　discouragingly。　‘Heaven　forbid；　
Copperfield；’　he　replied；　‘that　I　should　do　any　man　an　injustice：　
still　less；　Mr。　Jorkins。　But　I　know　my　partner；　Copperfield。　Mr。　
Jorkins　is　not　a　man　to　respond　to　a　proposition　of　this　peculiar　
nature。　Mr。　Jorkins　is　very　difficult　to　move　from　the　beaten　track。　
You　know　what　he　is！’　

I　am　sure　I　knew　nothing　about　him；　except　that　he　had　
originally　been　alone　in　the　business；　and　now　lived　by　himself　in　a　
house　near　Montagu　Square；　which　was　fearfully　in　want　of　
painting；　that　he　came　very　late　of　a　day；　and　went　away　very　

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early；　that　he　never　appeared　to　be　consulted　about　anything；　and　
that　he　had　a　dingy　little　black…hole　of　his　own　upstairs；　where　no　
business　was　ever　done；　and　where　there　was　a　yellow　old　
cartridge…paper　pad　upon　his　desk；　unsoiled　by　ink；　and　reported　
to　be　twenty　years　of　age。　

‘Would　you　object　to　my　mentioning　it　to　him；　sir？’　I　asked。　

‘By　no　means；’　said　Mr。　Spenlow。　‘But　I　have　some　experience　
of　Mr。　Jorkins；　Copperfield。　I　wish　it　were　otherwise；　for　I　should　
be　happy　to　meet　your　views　in　any　respect。　I　cannot　have　the　
objection　to　your　mentioning　it　to　Mr。　Jorkins；　Copperfield；　if　you　
think　it　worth　while。’　

Availing　myself　of　this　permission；　which　was　given　with　a　
warm　shake　of　the　hand；　I　sat　thinking　about　Dora；　and　looking　at　
the　sunlight　stealing　from　the　chimney…pots　down　the　wall　of　the　
opposite　house；　until　Mr。　Jorkins　came。　I　then　went　up　to　Mr。　
Jorkins’s　room；　and　evidently　astonished　Mr。　Jorkins　very　much　
by　making　my　appearance　there。　

‘Come　in；　Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Jorkins。　‘Come　in！’　

I　went　in；　and　sat　down；　and　stated　my　case　to　Mr。　Jorkins　
pretty　much　as　I　had　stated　it　to　Mr。　Spenlow。　Mr。　Jorkins　was　not　
by　any　means　the　awful　creature　one　might　have　expected；　but　a　
large；　mild；　smooth…faced　man　of　sixty；　who　took　so　much　snuff　
that　there　was　a　tradition　in　the　Commons　that　he　lived　principally　
on　that　stimulant；　having　little　room　in　his　system　for　any　other　
article　of　diet。　

‘You　have　mentioned　this　to　Mr。　Spenlow；　I　suppose？’　said　Mr。　
Jorkins；　when　he　had　heard　me；　very　restlessly；　to　an　end。　

I　answered　Yes；　and　told　him　that　Mr。　Spenlow　had　introduced　
his　name。　

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David　Copperfield　

‘He　said　I　should　object？’　asked　Mr。　Jorkins。　

I　was　obliged　to　admit　that　Mr。　Spenlow　had　considered　it　
probable。　

‘I　am　sorry　to　say；　Mr。　Copperfield；　I　can’t　advance　your　object；’　
said　Mr。　Jorkins；　nervously。　‘The　fact　is—but　I　have　an　
appointment　at　the　Bank；　if　you’ll　have　the　goodness　to　excuse　
me。’　

With　that　he　rose　in　a　great　hurry；　and　was　going　out　of　the　
room；　when　I　made　bold　to　say　that　I　feared；　then；　there　was　no　
way　of　arranging　the　matter？　

‘No！’　said　Mr。　Jorkins；　stopping　at　the　door　to　shake　his　head。　
‘Oh；　no！　I　object；　you　know；’　which　he　said　very　rapidly；　and　went　
out。　‘You　must　be　aware；　Mr。　Copperfield；’　he　added；　looking　
restlessly　in　at　the　door　again；　‘if　Mr。　Spenlow　objects—’　

‘Personally；　he　does　not　object；　sir；’　said　I。　

‘Oh！　Personally！’　repeated　Mr。　Jorkins；　in　an　impatient　manner。　
‘I　assure　you　there’s　an　objection；　Mr。　Copperfield。　Hopeless！　What　
you　wish　to　be　done；　can’t　be　done。　I—I　really　have　got　an　
appointment　at　the　Bank。’　With　that　he　fairly　ran　away；　and　to　the　
best　of　my　knowledge；　it　was　three　days　before　he　showed　himself　
in　the　Commons　again。　

Being　very　anxious　to　leave　no　stone　unturned；　I　waited　until　
Mr。　Spenlow　came　in；　and　then　described　what　had　passed；　giving　
him　to　understand　that　I　was　not　hopeless　of　his　being　able　to　
soften　the　adamantine　Jorkins；　if　he　would　undertake　the　task。　

‘Copperfield；’　returned　Mr。　Spenlow；　with　a　gracious　smile；　‘you　
have　not　known　my　partner；　Mr。　Jorkins；　as　long　as　I　have。　
Nothing　is　farther　from　my　thoughts　than　to　attribute　any　degree　
of　artifice　to　Mr。　Jorkins。　But　Mr。　Jorkins　has　a　way　of　stating　his　

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objections　which　often　deceives　people。　No；　Copperfield！’　shaking　
his　head。　‘Mr。　Jorkins　is　not　to　be　moved；　believe　me！’　

I　was　completely　bewildered　between　Mr。　Spenlow　and　Mr。　
Jorkins；　as　to　which　of　them　really　was　the　objecting　partner；　but　I　
saw　with　sufficient　clearness　that　there　was　obduracy　somewhere　
in　the　firm；　and　that　the　recovery　of　my　aunt’s　thousand　pounds　
was　out　of　the　question。　In　a　state　of　despondency；　which　I　
remember　with　anything　but　satisfaction；　for　I　know　it　still　had　too　
much　reference　to　myself　（though　always　in　connexion　with　Dora）；　
I　left　the　office；　and　went　homeward。　

I　was　trying　to　familiarize　my　mind　with　the　worst；　and　to　
present　to　myself　the　arrangements　we　should　have　to　make　for　
the　future　in　their　sternest　aspect；　when　a　hackney…chariot　coming　
after　me；　and　stopping　at　my　very　feet；　occasioned　me　to　look　up。　
A　fair　hand　was　stretched　forth　to　me　from　the　window；　and　the　
face　I　had　never　seen　without　a　feeling　of　serenity　and　happiness；　
from　the　moment　when　it　first　turned　back　on　the　old　oak　
staircase　with　the　great　broad　balustrade；　and　when　I　associated　
its　softened　beauty　with　the　stained…glass　window　in　the　church；　
was　smiling　on　me。　

‘Agnes！’　I　joyfully　exclaimed。　‘Oh；　my　dear　Agnes；　of　all　people　
in　the　world；　what　a　pleasure　to　see　you！’　

‘Is　it；　indeed？’　she　said；　in　her　cordial　voice。　

‘I　want　to　talk　to　you　so　much！’　said　I。　‘It’s　such　a　lightening　of　
my　heart；　only　to　look　at　you！　If　I　had　had　a　conjuror’s　cap；　there　is　
no　one　I　should　have　wished　for　but　you！’　

‘What？’　returned　Agnes。　

‘Well！　perhaps　Dora　first；’　I　admitted；　with　a　blush。　

‘Certainly；　Dora　first；　I　hope；’　said　Agnes；　laughing。　

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‘But　you　next！’　said　I。　‘Where　are　you　going？’　

She　was　going　to　my　rooms　to　see　my　aunt。　The　day　being　very　
fine；　she　was　glad　to　come　out　of　the　chariot；　which　smelt　（I　had　
my　head　in　it　all　this　time）　like　a　stable　put　under　a　cucumber…
frame。　I　dismissed　the　coachman；　and　she　took　my　arm；　and　we　
walked　on　together。　She　was　like　Hope　embodied；　to　me。　How　
different　I　felt　in　one　short　minute；　having　Agnes　at　my　side！　

My　aunt　had　written　her　one　of　the　odd；　abrupt　notes—very　
little　longer　than　a　Bank　note—to　which　her　epistolary　efforts　
were　usually　limited。　She　had　stated　therein　that　she　had　fallen　
into　adversity；　and　was　leaving　Dover　for　good；　but　had　quite