david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第156章

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or　unless　we　could　put　him　in　the　way　of　being　really　useful　（which　
would　be　better）；　I　made　up　my　mind　to　try　if　Traddles　could　help　
us。　Before　we　went；　I　wrote　Traddles　a　full　statement　of　all　that　
had　happened；　and　Traddles　wrote　me　back　a　capital　answer；　
expressive　of　his　sympathy　and　friendship。　

We　found　him　hard　at　work　with　his　inkstand　and　papers；　
refreshed　by　the　sight　of　the　flower…pot　stand　and　the　little　round　
table　in　a　corner　of　the　small　apartment。　He　received　us　cordially；　
and　made　friends　with　Mr。　Dick　in　a　moment。　Mr。　Dick　professed　

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David　Copperfield　

an　absolute　certainty　of　having　seen　him　before；　and　we　both　said；　
‘Very　likely。’　

The　first　subject　on　which　I　had　to　consult　Traddles　was　this；—I　
had　heard　that　many　men　distinguished　in　various　pursuits　had　
begun　life　by　reporting　the　debates　in　Parliament。　Traddles　having　
mentioned　newspapers　to　me；　as　one　of　his　hopes；　I　had　put　the　
two　things　together；　and　told　Traddles　in　my　letter　that　I　wished　to　
know　how　I　could　qualify　myself　for　this　pursuit。　Traddles　now　
informed　me；　as　the　result　of　his　inquiries；　that　the　mere　
mechanical　acquisition　necessary；　except　in　rare　cases；　for　
thorough　excellence　in　it；　that　is　to　say；　a　perfect　and　entire　
command　of　the　mystery　of　short…hand　writing　and　reading；　was　
about　equal　in　difficulty　to　the　mastery　of　six　languages；　and　that　it　
might　perhaps　be　attained；　by　dint　of　perseverance；　in　the　course　
of　a　few　years。　Traddles　reasonably　supposed　that　this　would　settle　
the　business；　but　I；　only　feeling　that　here　indeed　were　a　few　tall　
trees　to　be　hewn　down；　immediately　resolved　to　work　my　way　on　
to　Dora　through　this　thicket；　axe　in　hand。　

‘I　am　very　much　obliged　to　you；　my　dear　Traddles！’　said　I。　‘I’ll　
begin　tomorrow。’　

Traddles　looked　astonished；　as　he　well　might；　but　he　had　no　
notion　as　yet　of　my　rapturous　condition。　

‘I’ll　buy　a　book；’　said　I；　‘with　a　good　scheme　of　this　art　in　it；　I’ll　
work　at　it　at　the　Commons；　where　I　haven’t　half　enough　to　do；　I’ll　
take　down　the　speeches　in　our　court　for　practice—Traddles；　my　
dear　fellow；　I’ll　master　it！’　

‘Dear　me；’　said　Traddles；　opening　his　eyes；　‘I　had　no　idea　you　
were　such　a　determined　character；　Copperfield！’　

I　don’t　know　how　he　should　have　had；　for　it　was　new　enough　to　

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me。　I　passed　that　off；　and　brought　Mr。　Dick　on　the　carpet。　

‘You　see；’　said　Mr。　Dick；　wistfully；　‘if　I　could　exert　myself；　Mr。　
Traddles—if　I　could　beat　a　drum—or　blow　anything！’　

Poor　fellow！　I　have　little　doubt　he　would　have　preferred　such　an　
employment　in　his　heart　to　all　others。　Traddles；　who　would　not　
have　smiled　for　the　world；　replied　composedly：　

‘But　you　are　a　very　good　penman；　sir。　You　told　me　so；　
Copperfield？’　

‘Excellent！’　said　I。　And　indeed　he　was。　He　wrote　with　
extraordinary　neatness。　

‘Don’t　you　think；’　said　Traddles；　‘you　could　copy　writings；　sir；　if　
I　got　them　for　you？’　

Mr。　Dick　looked　doubtfully　at　me。　‘Eh；　Trotwood？’　

I　shook　my　head。　Mr。　Dick　shook　his；　and　sighed。　‘Tell　him　
about　the　Memorial；’　said　Mr。　Dick。　

I　explained　to　Traddles　that　there　was　a　difficulty　in　keeping　
King　Charles　the　First　out　of　Mr。　Dick’s　manuscripts；　Mr。　Dick　in　
the　meanwhile　looking　very　deferentially　and　seriously　at　
Traddles；　and　sucking　his　thumb。　

‘But　these　writings；　you　know；　that　I　speak　of；　are　already　
drawn　up　and　finished；’　said　Traddles　after　a　little　consideration。　
‘Mr。　Dick　has　nothing　to　do　with　them。　Wouldn’t　that　make　a　
difference；　Copperfield？　At　all　events；　wouldn’t　it　be　well　to　try？’　

This　gave　us　new　hope。　Traddles　and　I　laying　our　heads　
together　apart；　while　Mr。　Dick　anxiously　watched　us　from　his　
chair；　we　concocted　a　scheme　in　virtue　of　which　we　got　him　to　
work　next　day；　with　triumphant　success。　

On　a　table　by　the　window　in　Buckingham　Street；　we　set　out　the　
work　Traddles　procured　for　him—which　was　to　make；　I　forget　how　

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many　copies　of　a　legal　document　about　some　right　of　way—and　on　
another　table　we　spread　the　last　unfinished　original　of　the　great　
Memorial。　Our　instructions　to　Mr。　Dick　were　that　he　should　copy　
exactly　what　he　had　before　him；　without　the　least　departure　from　
the　original；　and　that　when　he　felt　it　necessary　to　make　the　
slightest　allusion　to　King　Charles　the　First；　he　should　fly　to　the　
Memorial。　We　exhorted　him　to　be　resolute　in　this；　and　left　my　aunt　
to　observe　him。　My　aunt　reported　to　us；　afterwards；　that；　at　first；　
he　was　like　a　man　playing　the　kettle…drums；　and　constantly　
divided　his　attentions　between　the　two；　but　that；　finding　this　
confuse　and　fatigue　him；　and　having　his　copy　there；　plainly　before　
his　eyes；　he　soon　sat　at　it　in　an　orderly　business…like　manner；　and　
postponed　the　Memorial　to　a　more　convenient　time。　In　a　word；　
although　we　took　great　care　that　he　should　have　no　more　to　do　
than　was　good　for　him；　and　although　he　did　not　begin　with　the　
beginning　of　a　week；　he　earned　by　the　following　Saturday　night　
ten　shillings　and　nine…pence；　and　never；　while　I　live；　shall　I　forget　
his　going　about　to　all　the　shops　in　the　neighbourhood　to　change　
this　treasure　into　sixpences；　or　his　bringing　them　to　my　aunt　
arranged　in　the　form　of　a　heart　upon　a　waiter；　with　tears　of　joy　and　
pride　in　his　eyes。　He　was　like　one　under　the　propitious　influence　of　
a　charm；　from　the　moment　of　his　being　usefully　employed；　and　if　
there　were　a　happy　man　in　the　world；　that　Saturday　night；　it　was　
the　grateful　creature　who　thought　my　aunt　the　most　wonderful　
woman　in　existence；　and　me　the　most　wonderful　young　man。　

‘No　starving　now；　Trotwood；’　said　Mr。　Dick；　shaking　hands　with　
me　in　a　corner。　‘I’ll　provide　for　her；　Sir！’　and　he　flourished　his　ten　
fingers　in　the　air；　as　if　they　were　ten　banks。　

I　hardly　know　which　was　the　better　pleased；　Traddles　or　I。　‘It　

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really；’　said　Traddles；　suddenly；　taking　a　letter　out　of　his　pocket；　
and　giving　it　to　me；　‘put　Mr。　Micawber　quite　out　of　my　head！’　

The　letter　（Mr。　Micawber　never　missed　any　possible　
opportunity　of　writing　a　letter）　was　addressed　to　me；　‘By　the　
kindness　of　T。　Traddles；　Esquire；　of　the　Inner　Temple。’　It　ran　
thus：—　

‘MY　DEAR　COPPERFIELD；　

‘You　may　possibly　not　be　unprepared　to　receive　the　intimation　
that　something　has　turned　up。　I　may　have　mentioned　to　you　on　a　
former　occasion　that　I　was　in　expectation　of　such　an　event。　

‘I　am　about　to　establish　myself　in　one　of　the　provincial　towns　of　
our　favoured　island　（where　the　society　may　be　described　as　a　
happy　admixture　of　the　agricultural　and　the　clerical）；　in　immediate　
connexion　with　one　of　the　learned　professions。　Mrs。　Micawber　and　
our　offspring　will　accompany　me。　Our　ashes；　at　a　future　period；　
will　probably　be　found　commingled　in　the　cemetery　attached　to　a　
venerable　pile；　for　which　the　spot　to　which　I　refer　has　acquired　a　
reputation；　shall　I　say　from　China　to　Peru？　

‘In　bidding　adieu　to　the　modern　Babylon；　where　we　have　
undergone　many　vicissitudes；　I　trust　not　ignobly；　Mrs。　Micawber　
and　myself　cannot　disguise　from　our　minds　that　we　part；　it　may　be　
for　years　and　it　may　be　for　ever；　with　an　individual　linked　by　
strong　associations　to　the　altar　of　our　domestic　life。　If；　on　the　eve　of　
such　a　departure；　you　will　accompany　our　mutual　friend；　Mr。　
Thomas　Traddles；　to　our　present　abode；　and　there　reciprocate　the　
wishes　natural　to　the　occasion；　you　will　confer　a　Boon　

‘On　

‘One　

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David　Copperfield　

‘Who　
‘Is　
‘Ever　yours；　
‘WILKINS　MICAWBER。’　

I　was　glad　to　find　that　Mr。　Micawber　had　got　rid　of　his　dust　and　
ashes；　and　that　something　really　had　turned　up　at　last。　Learning　
from　Traddles　that　the　invitation　referred　to　the　evening　then　
wearing　away；　I　expressed　my　readiness　to　do　honour　to　it；　and　we　
went　off　together　to　the　lodging　which　Mr。　Micawber　occupied　as　
Mr。　Mortimer；　and　which　was　situated