david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第152章

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think　we　may　safely　put　it　down　at　that。　Well！—That’s　all　we’ve　
got；’　said　my　aunt；　with　whom　it　was　an　idiosyncrasy；　as　it　is　with　
some　horses；　to　stop　very　short　when　she　appeared　to　be　in　a　fair　
way　of　going　on　for　a　long　while。　

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‘Then；’　said　my　aunt；　after　a　rest；　‘there’s　Dick。　He’s　good　for　a　
hundred　a…year；　but　of　course　that　must　be　expended　on　himself。　I　
would　sooner　send　him　away；　though　I　know　I　am　the　only　person　
who　appreciates　him；　than　have　him；　and　not　spend　his　money　on　
himself。　How　can　Trot　and　I　do　best；　upon　our　means？　What　do　
you　say；　Agnes？’　

‘I　say；　aunt；’　I　interposed；　‘that　I　must　do　something！’　

‘Go　for　a　soldier；　do　you　mean？’　returned　my　aunt；　alarmed；　‘or　
go　to　sea？　I　won’t　hear　of　it。　You　are　to　be　a　proctor。　We’re　not　
going　to　have　any　knockings　on　the　head　in　this　family；　if　you　
please；　sir。’　

I　was　about　to　explain　that　I　was　not　desirous　of　introducing　
that　mode　of　provision　into　the　family；　when　Agnes　inquired　if　my　
rooms　were　held　for　any　long　term？　

‘You　come　to　the　point；　my　dear；’　said　my　aunt。　‘They　are　not　to　
be　got　rid　of；　for　six　months　at　least；　unless　they　could　be　underlet；　
and　that　I　don’t　believe。　The　last　man　died　here。　Five　people　out　of　
six　would　die—of　course—of　that　woman　in　nankeen　with　the　
flannel　petticoat。　I　have　a　little　ready　money；　and　I　agree　with　you；　
the　best　thing　we　can　do；　is；　to　live　the　term　out　here；　and　get　a　
bedroom　hard　by。’　

I　thought　it　my　duty　to　hint　at　the　discomfort　my　aunt　would　
sustain；　from　living　in　a　continual　state　of　guerilla　warfare　with　
Mrs。　Crupp；　but　she　disposed　of　that　objection　summarily　by　
declaring　that；　on　the　first　demonstration　of　hostilities；　she　was　
prepared　to　astonish　Mrs。　Crupp　for　the　whole　remainder　of　her　
natural　life。　

‘I　have　been　thinking；　Trotwood；’　said　Agnes；　diffidently；　‘that　if　
you　had　time—’　

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‘I　have　a　good　deal　of　time；　Agnes。　I　am　always　disengaged　after　
four　or　five　o’clock；　and　I　have　time　early　in　the　morning。　In　one　
way　and　another；’　said　I；　conscious　of　reddening　a　little　as　I　
thought　of　the　hours　and　hours　I　had　devoted　to　fagging　about　
town；　and　to　and　fro　upon　the　Norwood　Road；　‘I　have　abundance　
of　time。’　

‘I　know　you　would　not　mind；’　said　Agnes；　coming　to　me；　and　
speaking　in　a　low　voice；　so　full　of　sweet　and　hopeful　consideration　
that　I　hear　it　now；　‘the　duties　of　a　secretary。’　

‘Mind；　my　dear　Agnes？’　

‘Because；’　continued　Agnes；　‘Doctor　Strong　has　acted　on　his　
intention　of　retiring；　and　has　come　to　live　in　London；　and　he　asked　
papa；　I　know；　if　he　could　recommend　him　one。　Don’t　you　think　he　
would　rather　have　his　favourite　old　pupil　near　him；　than　anybody　
else？’　

‘Dear　Agnes！’　said　I。　‘What　should　I　do　without　you！　You　are　
always　my　good　angel。　I　told　you　so。　I　never　think　of　you　in　any　
other　light。’　

Agnes　answered　with　her　pleasant　laugh；　that　one　good　Angel　
（meaning　Dora）　was　enough；　and　went　on　to　remind　me　that　the　
Doctor　had　been　used　to　occupy　himself　in　his　study；　early　in　the　
morning；　and　in　the　evening—and　that　probably　my　leisure　would　
suit　his　requirements　very　well。　I　was　scarcely　more　delighted　with　
the　prospect　of　earning　my　own　bread；　than　with　the　hope　of　
earning　it　under　my　old　master；　in　short；　acting　on　the　advice　of　
Agnes；　I　sat　down　and　wrote　a　letter　to　the　Doctor；　stating　my　
object；　and　appointing　to　call　on　him　next　day　at　ten　in　the　
forenoon。　This　I　addressed　to　Highgate—for　in　that　place；　so　
memorable　to　me；　he　lived—and　went　and　posted；　myself；　without　

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losing　a　minute。　

Wherever　Agnes　was；　some　agreeable　token　of　her　noiseless　
presence　seemed　inseparable　from　the　place。　When　I　came　back；　I　
found　my　aunt’s　birds　hanging；　just　as　they　had　hung　so　long　in　
the　parlour　window　of　the　cottage；　and　my　easy…chair　imitating　my　
aunt’s　much　easier　chair　in　its　position　at　the　open　window；　and　
even　the　round　green　fan；　which　my　aunt　had　brought　away　with　
her；　screwed　on　to　the　window…sill。　I　knew　who　had　done　all　this；　
by　its　seeming　to　have　quietly　done　itself；　and　I　should　have　
known　in　a　moment　who　had　arranged　my　neglected　books　in　the　
old　order　of　my　school　days；　even　if　I　had　supposed　Agnes　to　be　
miles　away；　instead　of　seeing　her　busy　with　them；　and　smiling　at　
the　disorder　into　which　they　had　fallen。　

My　aunt　was　quite　gracious　on　the　subject　of　the　Thames　（it　
really　did　look　very　well　with　the　sun　upon　it；　though　not　like　the　
sea　before　the　cottage）；　but　she　could　not　relent　towards　the　
London　smoke；　which；　she　said；　‘peppered　everything’。　A　complete　
revolution；　in　which　Peggotty　bore　a　prominent　part；　was　being　
effected　in　every　corner　of　my　rooms；　in　regard　of　this　pepper；　and　
I　was　looking　on；　thinking　how　little　even　Peggotty　seemed　to　do　
with　a　good　deal　of　bustle；　and　how　much　Agnes　did　without　any　
bustle　at　all；　when　a　knock　came　at　the　door。　

‘I　think；’　said　Agnes；　turning　pale；　‘it’s　papa。　He　promised　me　
that　he　would　come。’　

I　opened　the　door；　and　admitted；　not　only　Mr。　Wickfield；　but　
Uriah　Heep。　I　had　not　seen　Mr。　Wickfield　for　some　time。　I　was　
prepared　for　a　great　change　in　him；　after　what　I　had　heard　from　
Agnes；　but　his　appearance　shocked　me。　

It　was　not　that　he　looked　many　years　older；　though　still　dressed　

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with　the　old　scrupulous　cleanliness；　or　that　there　was　an　
unwholesome　ruddiness　upon　his　face；　or　that　his　eyes　were　full　
and　bloodshot；　or　that　there　was　a　nervous　trembling　in　his　hand；　
the　cause　of　which　I　knew；　and　had　for　some　years　seen　at　work。　It　
was　not　that　he　had　lost　his　good　looks；　or　his　old　bearing　of　a　
gentleman—for　that　he　had　not—but　the　thing　that　struck　me　
most；　was；　that　with　the　evidences　of　his　native　superiority　still　
upon　him；　he　should　submit　himself　to　that　crawling　
impersonation　of　meanness；　Uriah　Heep。　The　reversal　of　the　two　
natures；　in　their　relative　positions；　Uriah’s　of　power　and　Mr。　
Wickfield’s　of　dependence；　was　a　sight　more　painful　to　me　than　I　
can　express。　If　I　had　seen　an　Ape　taking　command　of　a　Man；　I　
should　hardly　have　thought　it　a　more　degrading　spectacle。　

He　appeared　to　be　only　too　conscious　of　it　himself。　When　he　
came　in；　he　stood　still；　and　with　his　head　bowed；　as　if　he　felt　it。　
This　was　only　for　a　moment；　for　Agnes　softly　said　to　him；　‘Papa！　
Here　is　Miss　Trotwood—and　Trotwood；　whom　you　have　not　seen　
for　a　long　while！’　and　then　he　approached；　and　constrainedly　gave　
my　aunt　his　hand；　and　shook　hands　more　cordially　with　me。　In　the　
moment’s　pause　I　speak　of；　I　saw　Uriah’s　countenance　form　itself　
into　a　most　ill…favoured　smile。　Agnes　saw　it　too；　I　think；　for　she　
shrank　from　him。　

What　my　aunt　saw；　or　did　not　see；　I　defy　the　science　of　
physiognomy　to　have　made　out；　without　her　own　consent。　I　believe　
there　never　was　anybody　with　such　an　imperturbable　
countenance　when　she　chose。　Her　face　might　have　been　a　dead…
wall　on　the　occasion　in　question；　for　any　light　it　threw　upon　her　
thoughts；　until　she　broke　silence　with　her　usual　abruptness。　

‘Well；　Wickfield！’　said　my　aunt；　and　he　looked　up　at　her　for　the　

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first　time。　‘I　have　been　telling　your　daughter　how　well　I　have　been　
disposing　of　my　money　for　myself；　because　I　couldn’t　trust　it　to　
you；　as　you　were　growing　rusty　in　business　matters。　We　have　been　
taking　counsel　together；　and　getting　on　very　well；　all　things　
considered。　Agnes　is　worth　the　whole　firm；　in　my　opinion。’　

‘If　I　may　umbly　make　the　remark；’　said　Uriah　Heep；　with　a　
writhe；　‘I　fully　agree　with　Miss　Betsey　Trotwood；　and　should　be　
only　too　appy　if　Miss　Agnes　was　a　partner。’　

‘You’re　a　partner　yourself；　you　know；’　returned　my　aunt；　‘and　
that’s　about　enough　for　you；　I　expect。　How　do　you　find　yourself；　
sir？’　

In　acknowledgement　of　this　question；　addressed　t