david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第160章

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‘My　dearest　love；’　said　I；　‘the　crust　well…earned—’　

‘Oh；　yes；　but　I　don’t　want　to　hear　any　more　about　crusts！’　said　
Dora。　‘And　Jip　must　have　a　mutton…chop　every　day　at　twelve；　or　
he’ll　die。’　

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David　Copperfield　

I　was　charmed　with　her　childish；　winning　way。　I　fondly　
explained　to　Dora　that　Jip　should　have　his　mutton…chop　with　his　
accustomed　regularity。　I　drew　a　picture　of　our　frugal　home；　made　
independent　by　my　labour—sketching　in　the　little　house　I　had　
seen　at　Highgate；　and　my　aunt　in　her　room　upstairs。　

‘I　am　not　dreadful　now；　Dora？’　said　I；　tenderly。　

‘Oh；　no；　no！’　cried　Dora。　‘But　I　hope　your　aunt　will　keep　in　her　
own　room　a　good　deal。　And　I　hope　she’s　not　a　scolding　old　thing！’　

If　it　were　possible　for　me　to　love　Dora　more　than　ever；　I　am　sure　
I　did。　But　I　felt　she　was　a　little　impracticable。　It　damped　my　newborn　ardour；　to　find　that　ardour　so　difficult　of　communication　to　
her。　I　made　another　trial。　When　she　was　quite　herself　again；　and　
was　curling　Jip’s　ears；　as　he　lay　upon　her　lap；　I　became　grave；　and　
said：　

‘My　own！　May　I　mention　something？’　

‘Oh；　please　don’t　be　practical！’　said　Dora；　coaxingly。　‘Because　it　
frightens　me　so！’　

‘Sweetheart！’　I　returned；　‘there　is　nothing　to　alarm　you　in　all　
this。　I　want　you　to　think　of　it　quite　differently。　I　want　to　make　it　
nerve　you；　and　inspire　you；　Dora！’　

‘Oh；　but　that’s　so　shocking！’　cried　Dora。　

‘My　love；　no。　Perseverance　and　strength　of　character　will　
enable　us　to　bear　much　worse　things。’　

‘But　I　haven’t　got　any　strength　at　all；’　said　Dora；　shaking　her　
curls。　‘Have　I；　Jip？　Oh；　do　kiss　Jip；　and　be　agreeable！’　

It　was　impossible　to　resist　kissing　Jip；　when　she　held　him　up　to　
me　for　that　purpose；　putting　her　own　bright；　rosy　little　mouth　into　
kissing　form；　as　she　directed　the　operation；　which　she　insisted　
should　be　performed　symmetrically；　on　the　centre　of　his　nose。　I　

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David　Copperfield　

did　as　she　bade　me—rewarding　myself　afterwards　for　my　
obedience—and　she　charmed　me　out　of　my　graver　character　for　I　
don’t　know　how　long。　

‘But；　Dora；　my　beloved！’　said　I；　at　last　resuming　it；　‘I　was　going　
to　mention　something。’　

The　judge　of　the　Prerogative　Court　might　have　fallen　in　love　
with　her；　to　see　her　fold　her　little　hands　and　hold　them　up；　begging　
and　praying　me　not　to　be　dreadful　any　more。　

‘Indeed　I　am　not　going　to　be；　my　darling！’　I　assured　her。　‘But；　
Dora；　my　love；　if　you　will　sometimes　think；—not　despondingly；　you　
know；　far　from　that！—but　if　you　will　sometimes　think—just　to　
encourage　yourself—that　you　are　engaged　to　a　poor　man—’　

‘Don’t；　don’t！　Pray　don’t！’　cried　Dora。　‘It’s　so　very　dreadful！’　

‘My　soul；　not　at　all！’　said　I；　cheerfully。　‘If　you　will　sometimes　
think　of　that；　and　look　about　now　and　then　at　your　papa’s　
housekeeping；　and　endeavour　to　acquire　a　little　habit—of　
accounts；　for　instance—’　

Poor　little　Dora　received　this　suggestion　with　something　that　
was　half　a　sob　and　half　a　scream。　

‘—It　would　be　so　useful　to　us　afterwards；’　I　went　on。　‘And　if　you　
would　promise　me　to　read　a　little—a　little　Cookery　Book　that　I　
would　send　you；　it　would　be　so　excellent　for　both　of　us。　For　our　
path　in　life；　my　Dora；’　said　I；　warming　with　the　subject；　‘is　stony　
and　rugged　now；　and　it　rests　with　us　to　smooth　it。　We　must　fight　
our　way　onward。　We　must　be　brave。　There　are　obstacles　to　be　met；　
and　we　must　meet；　and　crush　them！’　

I　was　going　on　at　a　great　rate；　with　a　clenched　hand；　and　a　most　
enthusiastic　countenance；　but　it　was　quite　unnecessary　to　
proceed。　I　had　said　enough。　I　had　done　it　again。　Oh；　she　was　so　

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David　Copperfield　

frightened！　Oh；　where　was　Julia　Mills！　Oh；　take　her　to　Julia　Mills；　
and　go　away；　please！　So　that；　in　short；　I　was　quite　distracted；　and　
raved　about　the　drawing…room。　

I　thought　I　had　killed　her；　this　time。　I　sprinkled　water　on　her　
face。　I　went　down　on　my　knees。　I　plucked　at　my　hair。　I　denounced　
myself　as　a　remorseless　brute　and　a　ruthless　beast。　I　implored　her　
forgiveness。　I　besought　her　to　look　up。　I　ravaged　Miss　Mills’s　workbox　for　a　smelling…bottle；　and　in　my　agony　of　mind　applied　an　
ivory　needle…case　instead；　and　dropped　all　the　needles　over　Dora。　I　
shook　my　fists　at　Jip；　who　was　as　frantic　as　myself。　I　did　every　wild　
extravagance　that　could　be　done；　and　was　a　long　way　beyond　the　
end　of　my　wits　when　Miss　Mills　came　into　the　room。　

‘Who　has　done　this？’　exclaimed　Miss　Mills；　succouring　her　
friend。　

I　replied；　‘I；　Miss　Mills！　I　have　done　it！　Behold　the　destroyer！’—　
or　words　to　that　effect—and　hid　my　face　from　the　light；　in　the　sofa　
cushion。　

At　first　Miss　Mills　thought　it　was　a　quarrel；　and　that　we　were　
verging　on　the　Desert　of　Sahara；　but　she　soon　found　out　how　
matters　stood；　for　my　dear　affectionate　little　Dora；　embracing　her；　
began　exclaiming　that　I　was　‘a　poor　labourer’；　and　then　cried　for　
me；　and　embraced　me；　and　asked　me　would　I　let　her　give　me　all　
her　money　to　keep；　and　then　fell　on　Miss　Mills’s　neck；　sobbing　as　if　
her　tender　heart　were　broken。　

Miss　Mills　must　have　been　born　to　be　a　blessing　to　us。　She　
ascertained　from　me　in　a　few　words　what　it　was　all　about；　
comforted　Dora；　and　gradually　convinced　her　that　I　was　not　a　
labourer—from　my　manner　of　stating　the　case　I　believe　Dora　
concluded　that　I　was　a　navigator；　and　went　balancing　myself　up　

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and　down　a　plank　all　day　with　a　wheelbarrow—and　so　brought　us　
together　in　peace。　When　we　were　quite　composed；　and　Dora　had　
gone　up…stairs　to　put　some　rose…water　to　her　eyes；　Miss　Mills　rang　
for　tea。　In　the　ensuing　interval；　I　told　Miss　Mills　that　she　was　
evermore　my　friend；　and　that　my　heart　must　cease　to　vibrate　ere　I　
could　forget　her　sympathy。　

I　then　expounded　to　Miss　Mills　what　I　had　endeavoured；　so　very　
unsuccessfully；　to　expound　to　Dora。　Miss　Mills　replied；　on　general　
principles；　that　the　Cottage　of　content　was　better　than　the　Palace　
of　cold　splendour；　and　that　where　love　was；　all　was。　

I　said　to　Miss　Mills　that　this　was　very　true；　and　who　should　
know　it　better　than　I；　who　loved　Dora　with　a　love　that　never　mortal　
had　experienced　yet？　But　on　Miss　Mills　observing；　with　
despondency；　that　it　were　well　indeed　for　some　hearts　if　this　were　
so；　I　explained　that　I　begged　leave　to　restrict　the　observation　to　
mortals　of　the　masculine　gender。　

I　then　put　it　to　Miss　Mills；　to　say　whether　she　considered　that　
there　was　or　was　not　any　practical　merit　in　the　suggestion　I　had　
been　anxious　to　make；　concerning　the　accounts；　the　housekeeping；　
and　the　Cookery　Book？　

Miss　Mills；　after　some　consideration；　thus　replied：　

‘Mr。　Copperfield；　I　will　be　plain　with　you。　Mental　suffering　and　
trial　supply；　in　some　natures；　the　place　of　years；　and　I　will　be　as　
plain　with　you　as　if　I　were　a　Lady　Abbess。　No。　The　suggestion　is　
not　appropriate　to　our　Dora。　Our　dearest　Dora　is　a　favourite　child　
of　nature。　She　is　a　thing　of　light；　and　airiness；　and　joy。　I　am　free　to　
confess　that　if　it　could　be　done；　it　might　be　well；　but—’　And　Miss　
Mills　shook　her　head。　

I　was　encouraged　by　this　closing　admission　on　the　part　of　Miss　

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Mills　to　ask　her；　whether；　for　Dora’s　sake；　if　she　had　any　
opportunity　of　luring　her　attention　to　such　preparations　for　an　
earnest　life；　she　would　avail　herself　of　it？　Miss　Mills　replied　in　the　
affirmative　so　readily；　that　I　further　asked　her　if　she　would　take　
charge　of　the　Cookery　Book；　and；　if　she　ever　could　insinuate　it　
upon　Dora’s　acceptance；　without　frightening　her；　undertake　to　do　
me　that　crowning　service。　Miss　Mills　accepted　this　trust；　too；　but　
was　not　sanguine。　

And　Dora　returned；　looking　such　a　lovely　little　creature；　that　I　
really　doubted　whether　she　ought　to　be　troubled　with　anything　so　
ordinary。　And　she　loved　me　so　much；　and　was　so　captivating　
（particularly　when　she　made　Jip　stand　on　his　hind　legs　for　toast；