david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第175章

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pleasure。　But　it　won’t。’　

‘Won’t　be　smoothed　down？’　said　I。　

‘No；’　said　Traddles。　‘Nothing　will　induce　it。　If　I　was　to　carry　a　
half…hundred…weight　upon　it；　all　the　way　to　Putney；　it　would　be　up　
again　the　moment　the　weight　was　taken　off。　You　have　no　idea　
what　obstinate　hair　mine　is；　Copperfield。　I　am　quite　a　fretful　
porcupine。’　

I　was　a　little　disappointed；　I　must　confess；　but　thoroughly　
charmed　by　his　good…nature　too。　I　told　him　how　I　esteemed　his　
good…nature；　and　said　that　his　hair　must　have　taken　all　the　
obstinacy　out　of　his　character；　for　he　had　none。　

‘Oh！’　returned　Traddles；　laughing。　‘I　assure　you；　it’s　quite　an　old　
story；　my　unfortunate　hair。　My　uncle’s　wife　couldn’t　bear　it。　She　
said　it　exasperated　her。　It　stood　very　much　in　my　way；　too；　when　I　
first　fell　in　love　with　Sophy。　Very　much！’　

‘Did　she　object　to　it？’　

‘She　didn’t；’　rejoined　Traddles；　‘but　her　eldest　sister—the　one　
that’s　the　Beauty—quite　made　game　of　it；　I　understand。　In　fact；　all　
the　sisters　laugh　at　it。’　

‘Agreeable！’　said　I。　

‘Yes；’　returned　Traddles　with　perfect　innocence；　‘it’s　a　joke　for　
us。　They　pretend　that　Sophy　has　a　lock　of　it　in　her　desk；　and　is　

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David　Copperfield　

obliged　to　shut　it　in　a　clasped　book；　to　keep　it　down。　We　laugh　
about　it。’　

‘By　the　by；　my　dear　Traddles；’　said　I；　‘your　experience　may　
suggest　something　to　me。　When　you　became　engaged　to　the　young　
lady　whom　you　have　just　mentioned；　did　you　make　a　regular　
proposal　to　her　family？　Was　there　anything　like—what　we　are　
going　through　today；　for　instance？’　I　added；　nervously。　

‘Why；’　replied　Traddles；　on　whose　attentive　face　a　thoughtful　
shade　had　stolen；　‘it　was　rather　a　painful　transaction；　Copperfield；　
in　my　case。　You　see；　Sophy　being　of　so　much　use　in　the　family；　
none　of　them　could　endure　the　thought　of　her　ever　being　married。　
Indeed；　they　had　quite　settled　among　themselves　that　she　never　
was　to　be　married；　and　they　called　her　the　old　maid。　Accordingly；　
when　I　mentioned　it；　with　the　greatest　precaution；　to　Mrs。　
Crewler—’　

‘The　mama？’　said　I。　

‘The　mama；’　said　Traddles—‘Reverend　Horace　Crewler—when　
I　mentioned　it　with　every　possible　precaution　to　Mrs。　Crewler；　the　
effect　upon　her　was　such　that　she　gave　a　scream　and　became　
insensible。　I　couldn’t　approach　the　subject　again；　for　months。’　

‘You　did　at　last？’　said　I。　

‘Well；　the　Reverend　Horace　did；’　said　Traddles。　‘He　is　an　
excellent　man；　most　exemplary　in　every　way；　and　he　pointed　out　
to　her　that　she　ought；　as　a　Christian；　to　reconcile　herself　to　the　
sacrifice　（especially　as　it　was　so　uncertain）；　and　to　bear　no　
uncharitable　feeling　towards　me。　As　to　myself；　Copperfield；　I　give　
you　my　word；　I　felt　a　perfect　bird　of　prey　towards　the　family。’　

‘The　sisters　took　your　part；　I　hope；　Traddles？’　

‘Why；　I　can’t　say　they　did；’　he　returned。　‘When　we　had　

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David　Copperfield　

comparatively　reconciled　Mrs。　Crewler　to　it；　we　had　to　break　it　to　
Sarah。　You　recollect　my　mentioning　Sarah；　as　the　one　that　has　
something　the　matter　with　her　spine？’　

‘Perfectly！’　

‘She　clenched　both　her　hands；’　said　Traddles；　looking　at　me　in　
dismay；　‘shut　her　eyes；　turned　lead…colour；　became　perfectly　stiff；　
and　took　nothing　for　two　days　but　toast…and…water；　administered　
with　a　tea…spoon。’　

‘What　a　very　unpleasant　girl；　Traddles！’　I　remarked。　

‘Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon；　Copperfield！’　said　Traddles。　‘She　is　a　
very　charming　girl；　but　she　has　a　great　deal　of　feeling。　In　fact；　they　
all　have。　Sophy　told　me　afterwards；　that　the　self…reproach　she　
underwent　while　she　was　in　attendance　upon　Sarah；　no　words　
could　describe。　I　know　it　must　have　been　severe；　by　my　own　
feelings；　Copperfield；　which　were　like　a　criminal’s。　After　Sarah　
was　restored；　we　still　had　to　break　it　to　the　other　eight；　and　it　
produced　various　effects　upon　them　of　a　most　pathetic　nature。　The　
two　little　ones；　whom　Sophy　educates；　have　only　just　left　off　detesting　me。’　

‘At　any　rate；　they　are　all　reconciled　to　it　now；　I　hope？’　said　I。　

‘Ye…yes；　I　should　say　they　were；　on　the　whole；　resigned　to　it；’　
said　Traddles；　doubtfully。　‘The　fact　is；　we　avoid　mentioning　the　
subject；　and　my　unsettled　prospects　and　indifferent　circumstances　
are　a　great　consolation　to　them。　There　will　be　a　deplorable　scene；　
whenever　we　are　married。　It　will　be　much　more　like　a　funeral；　
than　a　wedding。　And　they’ll　all　hate　me　for　taking　her　away！’　

His　honest　face；　as　he　looked　at　me　with　a　serio…comic　shake　of　
his　head；　impresses　me　more　in　the　remembrance　than　it　did　in　
the　reality；　for　I　was　by　this　time　in　a　state　of　such　excessive　

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trepidation　and　wandering　of　mind；　as　to　be　quite　unable　to　fix　my　
attention　on　anything。　On　our　approaching　the　house　where　the　
Misses　Spenlow　lived；　I　was　at　such　a　discount　in　respect　of　my　
personal　looks　and　presence　of　mind；　that　Traddles　proposed　a　
gentle　stimulant　in　the　form　of　a　glass　of　ale。　This　having　been　
administered　at　a　neighbouring　public…house；　he　conducted　me；　
with　tottering　steps；　to　the　Misses　Spenlow’s　door。　

I　had　a　vague　sensation　of　being；　as　it　were；　on　view；　when　the　
maid　opened　it；　and　of　wavering；　somehow；　across　a　hall　with　a　
weather…glass　in　it；　into　a　quiet　little　drawing…room　on　the　ground…
floor；　commanding　a　neat　garden。　Also　of　sitting　down　here；　on　a　
sofa；　and　seeing　Traddles’s　hair　start　up；　now　his　hat　was　
removed；　like　one　of　those　obtrusive　little　figures　made　of　springs；　
that　fly　out　of　fictitious　snuff…boxes　when　the　lid　is　taken　off。　Also　
of　hearing　an　old…fashioned　clock　ticking　away　on　the　chimney…
piece；　and　trying　to　make　it　keep　time　to　the　jerking　of　my　heart；—　
which　it　wouldn’t。　Also　of　looking　round　the　room　for　any　sign　of　
Dora；　and　seeing　none。　Also　of　thinking　that　Jip　once　barked　in　
the　distance；　and　was　instantly　choked　by　somebody。　Ultimately　I　
found　myself　backing　Traddles　into　the　fireplace；　and　bowing　in　
great　confusion　to　two　dry　little　elderly　ladies；　dressed　in　black；　
and　each　looking　wonderfully　like　a　preparation　in　chip　or　tan　of　
the　late　Mr。　Spenlow。　

‘Pray；’　said　one　of　the　two　little　ladies；　‘be　seated。’　

When　I　had　done　tumbling　over　Traddles；　and　had　sat　upon　
something　which　was　not　a　cat—my　first　seat　was—I　so　far　
recovered　my　sight；　as　to　perceive　that　Mr。　Spenlow　had　evidently　
been　the　youngest　of　the　family；　that　there　was　a　disparity　of　six　or　
eight　years　between　the　two　sisters；　and　that　the　younger　

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appeared　to　be　the　manager　of　the　conference；　inasmuch　as　she　
had　my　letter　in　her　hand—so　familiar　as　it　looked　to　me；　and　yet　
so　odd！—and　was　referring　to　it　through　an　eye…glass。　They　were　
dressed　alike；　but　this　sister　wore　her　dress　with　a　more　youthful　
air　than　the　other；　and　perhaps　had　a　trifle　more　frill；　or　tucker；　or　
brooch；　or　bracelet；　or　some　little　thing　of　that　kind；　which　made　
her　look　more　lively。　They　were　both　upright　in　their　carriage；　
formal；　precise；　composed；　and　quiet。　The　sister　who　had　not　my　
letter；　had　her　arms　crossed　on　her　breast；　and　resting　on　each　
other；　like　an　Idol。　

‘Mr。　Copperfield；　I　believe；’　said　the　sister　who　had　got　my　
letter；　addressing　herself　to　Traddles。　

This　was　a　frightful　beginning。　Traddles　had　to　indicate　that　I　
was　Mr。　Copperfield；　and　I　had　to　lay　claim　to　myself；　and　they　had　
to　divest　themselves　of　a　preconceived　opinion　that　Traddles　was　
Mr。　Copperfield；　and　altogether　we　were　in　a　nice　condition。　To　
improve　it；　we　all　distinctly　heard　Jip　give　two　short　barks；　and　
receive　another　choke。　

‘Mr。　Copperfield！’　said　the　sister　with　the　letter。　

I　did　something—bowed；　I　suppose—and　was　all　attention；　
when　the　other　sister　struck　in。　

‘My　sister　Lavinia；’　said　she　‘being　conversant　with　matters　of　
this　nature；　will　state　what　we　consider　most　calculated　to　
promote　the　happiness　of　both　parties。’　

I　discove