david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第169章

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and　gave　her　a　friendly　salutation。　

‘I’m　umbly　thankful　to　you；　sir；’　said　Mrs。　Heep；　in　
acknowledgement　of　my　inquiries　concerning　her　health；　‘but　I’m　
only　pretty　well。　I　haven’t　much　to　boast　of。　If　I　could　see　my　Uriah　
well　settled　in　life；　I　couldn’t　expect　much　more　I　think。　How　do　
you　think　my　Ury　looking；　sir？’　

I　thought　him　looking　as　villainous　as　ever；　and　I　replied　that　I　
saw　no　change　in　him。　

‘Oh；　don’t　you　think　he’s　changed？’　said　Mrs。　Heep。　‘There　I　
must　umbly　beg　leave　to　differ　from　you。　Don’t　you　see　a　thinness　
in　him？’　

‘Not　more　than　usual；’　I　replied。　

‘Don’t　you　though！’　said　Mrs。　Heep。　‘But　you　don’t　take　notice　of　
him　with　a　mother’s　eye！’　

His　mother’s　eye　was　an　evil　eye　to　the　rest　of　the　world；　I　
thought　as　it　met　mine；　howsoever　affectionate　to　him；　and　I　
believe　she　and　her　son　were　devoted　to　one　another。　It　passed　
me；　and　went　on　to　Agnes。　

‘Don’t　you　see　a　wasting　and　a　wearing　in　him；　Miss　Wickfield？’　
inquired　Mrs。　Heep。　

‘No；’　said　Agnes；　quietly　pursuing　the　work　on　which　she　was　
engaged。　‘You　are　too　solicitous　about　him。　He　is　very　well。’　

Mrs。　Heep；　with　a　prodigious　sniff；　resumed　her　knitting。　

She　never　left　off；　or　left　us　for　a　moment。　I　had　arrived　early　in　
the　day；　and　we　had　still　three　or　four　hours　before　dinner；　but　she　
sat　there；　plying　her　knitting…needles　as　monotonously　as　an　hour…

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David　Copperfield　

glass　might　have　poured　out　its　sands。　She　sat　on　one　side　of　the　
fire；　I　sat　at　the　desk　in　front　of　it；　a　little　beyond　me；　on　the　other　
side；　sat　Agnes。　Whensoever；　slowly　pondering　over　my　letter；　I　
lifted　up　my　eyes；　and　meeting　the　thoughtful　face　of　Agnes；　saw　it　
clear；　and　beam　encouragement　upon　me；　with　its　own　angelic　
expression；　I　was　conscious　presently　of　the　evil　eye　passing　me；　
and　going　on　to　her；　and　coming　back　to　me　again；　and　dropping　
furtively　upon　the　knitting。　What　the　knitting　was；　I　don’t　know；　
not　being　learned　in　that　art；　but　it　looked　like　a　net；　and　as　she　
worked　away　with　those　Chinese　chopsticks　of　knitting…needles；　
she　showed　in　the　firelight　like　an　ill…looking　enchantress；　baulked　
as　yet　by　the　radiant　goodness　opposite；　but　getting　ready　for　a　
cast　of　her　net　by　and　by。　

At　dinner　she　maintained　her　watch；　with　the　same　unwinking　
eyes。　After　dinner；　her　son　took　his　turn；　and　when　Mr。　Wickfield；　
himself；　and　I　were　left　alone　together；　leered　at　me；　and　writhed　
until　I　could　hardly　bear　it。　In　the　drawing…room；　there　was　the　
mother　knitting　and　watching　again。　All　the　time　that　Agnes　sang　
and　played；　the　mother　sat　at　the　piano。　Once　she　asked　for　a　
particular　ballad；　which　she　said　her　Ury　（who　was　yawning　in　a　
great　chair）　doted　on；　and　at　intervals　she　looked　round　at　him；　
and　reported　to　Agnes　that　he　was　in　raptures　with　the　music。　But　
she　hardly　ever　spoke—I　question　if　she　ever　did—without　making　
some　mention　of　him。　It　was　evident　to　me　that　this　was　the　duty　
assigned　to　her。　

This　lasted　until　bedtime。　To　have　seen　the　mother　and　son；　
like　two　great　bats　hanging　over　the　whole　house；　and　darkening　it　
with　their　ugly　forms；　made　me　so　uncomfortable；　that　I　would　
rather　have　remained　downstairs；　knitting　and　all；　than　gone　to　

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David　Copperfield　

bed。　I　hardly　got　any　sleep。　Next　day　the　knitting　and　watching　
began　again；　and　lasted　all　day。　

I　had　not　an　opportunity　of　speaking　to　Agnes；　for　ten　minutes。　
I　could　barely　show　her　my　letter。　I　proposed　to　her　to　walk　out　
with　me；　but　Mrs。　Heep　repeatedly　complaining　that　she　was　
worse；　Agnes　charitably　remained　within；　to　bear　her　company。　
Towards　the　twilight　I　went　out　by　myself；　musing　on　what　I　ought　
to　do；　and　whether　I　was　justified　in　withholding　from　Agnes；　any　
longer；　what　Uriah　Heep　had　told　me　in　London；　for　that　began　to　
trouble　me　again；　very　much。　

I　had　not　walked　out　far　enough　to　be　quite　clear　of　the　town；　
upon　the　Ramsgate　road；　where　there　was　a　good　path；　when　I　
was　hailed；　through　the　dust；　by　somebody　behind　me。　The　
shambling　figure；　and　the　scanty　great…coat；　were　not　to　be　
mistaken。　I　stopped；　and　Uriah　Heep　came　up。　

‘Well？’　said　I。　

‘How　fast　you　walk！’　said　he。　‘My　legs　are　pretty　long；　but　you’ve　
given　’em　quite　a　job。’　

‘Where　are　you　going？’　said　I。　

‘I　am　going　with　you；　Master　Copperfield；　if　you’ll　allow　me　the　
pleasure　of　a　walk　with　an　old　acquaintance。’　Saying　this；　with　a　
jerk　of　his　body；　which　might　have　been　either　propitiatory　or　
derisive；　he　fell　into　step　beside　me。　

‘Uriah！’　said　I；　as　civilly　as　I　could；　after　a　silence。　

‘Master　Copperfield！’　said　Uriah。　

‘To　tell　you　the　truth　（at　which　you　will　not　be　offended）；　I　came　
Out　to　walk　alone；　because　I　have　had　so　much　company。’　

He　looked　at　me　sideways；　and　said　with　his　hardest　grin；　‘You　
mean　mother。’　

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David　Copperfield　

‘Why　yes；　I　do；’　said　I。　

‘Ah！　But　you　know　we’re　so　very　umble；’　he　returned。　‘And　
having　such　a　knowledge　of　our　own　umbleness；　we　must　really　
take　care　that　we’re　not　pushed　to　the　wall　by　them　as　isn’t　umble。　
All　stratagems　are　fair　in　love；　sir。’　

Raising　his　great　hands　until　they　touched　his　chin；　he　rubbed　
them　softly；　and　softly　chuckled；　looking　as　like　a　malevolent　
baboon；　I　thought；　as　anything　human　could　look。　

‘You　see；’　he　said；　still　hugging　himself　in　that　unpleasant　way；　
and　shaking　his　head　at　me；　‘you’re　quite　a　dangerous　rival；　
Master　Copperfield。　You　always　was；　you　know。’　

‘Do　you　set　a　watch　upon　Miss　Wickfield；　and　make　her　home　
no　home；　because　of　me？’　said　I。　

‘Oh！　Master　Copperfield！　Those　are　very　arsh　words；’　he　
replied。　

‘Put　my　meaning　into　any　words　you　like；’　said　I。　‘You　know　
what　it　is；　Uriah；　as　well　as　I　do。’　

‘Oh　no！　You　must　put　it　into　words；’　he　said。　‘Oh；　really！　I　
couldn’t　myself。’　

‘Do　you　suppose；’　said　I；　constraining　myself　to　be　very　
temperate　and　quiet　with　him；　on　account　of　Agnes；　‘that　I　regard　
Miss　Wickfield　otherwise　than　as　a　very　dear　sister？’　

‘Well；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　replied；　‘you　perceive　I　am　not　
bound　to　answer　that　question。　You　may　not；　you　know。　But　then；　
you　see；　you　may！’　

Anything　to　equal　the　low　cunning　of　his　visage；　and　of　his　
shadowless　eyes　without　the　ghost　of　an　eyelash；　I　never　saw。　

‘Come　then！’　said　I。　‘For　the　sake　of　Miss　Wickfield—’　

‘My　Agnes！’　he　exclaimed；　with　a　sickly；　angular　contortion　of　

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David　Copperfield　

himself。　‘Would　you　be　so　good　as　call　her　Agnes；　Master　

Copperfield！’　

‘For　the　sake　of　Agnes　Wickfield—Heaven　bless　her！’　

‘Thank　you　for　that　blessing；　Master　Copperfield！’　he　
interposed。　

‘I　will　tell　you　what　I　should；　under　any　other　circumstances；　as　
soon　have　thought　of　telling　to—Jack　Ketch。’　

‘To　who；　sir？’　said　Uriah；　stretching　out　his　neck；　and　shading　
his　ear　with　his　hand。　

‘To　the　hangman；’　I　returned。　‘The　most　unlikely　person　I　could　
think　of；’—though　his　own　face　had　suggested　the　allusion　quite　as　
a　natural　sequence。　‘I　am　engaged　to　another　young　lady。　I　hope　
that　contents　you。’　

‘Upon　your　soul？’　said　Uriah。　

I　was　about　indignantly　to　give　my　assertion　the　confirmation　
he　required；　when　he　caught　hold　of　my　hand；　and　gave　it　a　
squeeze。　

‘Oh；　Master　Copperfield！’　he　said。　‘If　you　had　only　had　the　
condescension　to　return　my　confidence　when　I　poured　out　the　
fulness　of　my　art；　the　night　I　put　you　so　much　out　of　the　way　by　
sleeping　before　your　sitting…room　fire；　I　never　should　have　
doubted　you。　As　it　is；　I’m　sure　I’ll　take　off　mother　directly；　and　only　
too　appy。　I　know　you’ll　excuse　the　precautions　of　affection；　won’t　
you？　What　a　pity；　Master　Copperfield；　that　you　didn’t　condescend　
to　return　my　confidence！　I’m　sure　I　gave　you　every　opportunity。　
But　you　never　have　condescended　to　me；　as　much　as　I　could　have　
wished。　I　know　you　have　never　liked　me