david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第177章

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practical　manner；　that　evidently　made　a　favourable　impression。　

‘I　speak；　if　I　may　presume　to　say　so；　as　one　who　has　some　little　
experience　of　such　things；’　said　Traddles；　‘being　myself　engaged　to　
a　young　lady—one　of　ten；　down　in　Devonshire—and　seeing　no　
probability；　at　present；　of　our　engagement　coming　to　a　
termination。’　

‘You　may　be　able　to　confirm　what　I　have　said；　Mr。　Traddles；’　
observed　Miss　Lavinia；　evidently　taking　a　new　interest　in　him；　‘of　
the　affection　that　is　modest　and　retiring；　that　waits　and　waits？’　

‘Entirely；　ma’am；’　said　Traddles。　

Miss　Clarissa　looked　at　Miss　Lavinia；　and　shook　her　head　
gravely。　Miss　Lavinia　looked　consciously　at　Miss　Clarissa；　and　
heaved　a　little　sigh。　‘Sister　Lavinia；’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　‘take　my　
smelling…bottle。’　

Miss　Lavinia　revived　herself　with　a　few　whiffs　of　aromatic　
vinegar—Traddles　and　I　looking　on　with　great　solicitude　the　
while；　and　then　went　on　to　say；　rather　faintly：　

‘My　sister　and　myself　have　been　in　great　doubt；　Mr。　Traddles；　
what　course　we　ought　to　take　in　reference　to　the　likings；　or　
imaginary　likings；　of　such　very　young　people　as　your　friend　Mr。　
Copperfield　and　our　niece。’　

‘Our　brother　Francis’s　child；’　remarked　Miss　Clarissa。　‘If　our　
brother　Francis’s　wife　had　found　it　convenient　in　her　lifetime　
（though　she　had　an　unquestionable　right　to　act　as　she　thought　
best）　to　invite　the　family　to　her　dinner…table；　we　might　have　known　
our　brother　Francis’s　child　better　at　the　present　moment。　Sister　

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David　Copperfield　

Lavinia；　proceed。’　

Miss　Lavinia　turned　my　letter；　so　as　to　bring　the　superscription　
towards　herself；　and　referred　through　her　eye…glass　to　some　
orderly…looking　notes　she　had　made　on　that　part　of　it。　

‘It　seems　to　us；’　said　she；　‘prudent；　Mr。　Traddles；　to　bring　these　
feelings　to　the　test　of　our　own　observation。　At　present　we　know　
nothing　of　them；　and　are　not　in　a　situation　to　judge　how　much　
reality　there　may　be　in　them。　Therefore　we　are　inclined　so　far　to　
accede　to　Mr。　Copperfield’s　proposal；　as　to　admit　his　visits　here。’　

‘I　shall　never；　dear　ladies；’　I　exclaimed；　relieved　of　an　immense　
load　of　apprehension；　‘forget　your　kindness！’　

‘But；’　pursued　Miss　Lavinia；—‘but；　we　would　prefer　to　regard　
those　visits；　Mr。　Traddles；　as　made；　at　present；　to　us。　We　must　
guard　ourselves　from　recognizing　any　positive　engagement　
between　Mr。　Copperfield　and　our　niece；　until　we　have　had　an　
opportunity—’　

‘Until　you　have　had　an　opportunity；　sister　Lavinia；’　said　Miss　
Clarissa。　

‘Be　it　so；’　assented　Miss　Lavinia；　with　a　sigh—‘until　I　have　had　
an　opportunity　of　observing　them。’　

‘Copperfield；’　said　Traddles；　turning　to　me；　‘you　feel；　I　am　sure；　
that　nothing　could　be　more　reasonable　or　considerate。’　

‘Nothing！’　cried　I。　‘I　am　deeply　sensible　of　it。’　

‘In　this　position　of　affairs；’　said　Miss　Lavinia；　again　referring　to　
her　notes；　‘and　admitting　his　visits　on　this　understanding　only；　we　
must　require　from　Mr。　Copperfield　a　distinct　assurance；　on　his　
word　of　honour；　that　no　communication　of　any　kind　shall　take　
place　between　him　and　our　niece　without　our　knowledge。　That　no　
project　whatever　shall　be　entertained　with　regard　to　our　niece；　

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David　Copperfield　

without　being　first　submitted　to　us—’　

‘To　you；　sister　Lavinia；’　Miss　Clarissa　interposed。　

‘Be　it　so；　Clarissa！’　assented　Miss　Lavinia　resignedly—‘to　me—　
and　receiving　our　concurrence。　We　must　make　this　a　most　express　
and　serious　stipulation；　not　to　be　broken　on　any　account。　We　
wished　Mr。　Copperfield　to　be　accompanied　by　some　confidential　
friend　today；’　with　an　inclination　of　her　head　towards　Traddles；　
who　bowed；　‘in　order　that　there　might　be　no　doubt　or　
misconception　on　this　subject。　If　Mr。　Copperfield；　or　if　you；　Mr。　
Traddles；　feel　the　least　scruple；　in　giving　this　promise；　I　beg　you　to　
take　time　to　consider　it。’　

I　exclaimed；　in　a　state　of　high　ecstatic　fervour；　that　not　a　
moment’s　consideration　could　be　necessary。　I　bound　myself　by　the　
required　promise；　in　a　most　impassioned　manner；　called　upon　
Traddles　to　witness　it；　and　denounced　myself　as　the　most　
atrocious　of　characters　if　I　ever　swerved　from　it　in　the　least　degree。　

‘Stay！’　said　Miss　Lavinia；　holding　up　her　hand；　‘we　resolved；　
before　we　had　the　pleasure　of　receiving　you　two　gentlemen；　to　
leave　you　alone　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　to　consider　this　point。　
You　will　allow　us　to　retire。’　

It　was　in　vain　for　me　to　say　that　no　consideration　was　necessary。　
They　persisted　in　withdrawing　for　the　specified　time。　Accordingly；　
these　little　birds　hopped　out　with　great　dignity；　leaving　me　to　
receive　the　congratulations　of　Traddles；　and　to　feel　as　if　I　were　
translated　to　regions　of　exquisite　happiness。　Exactly　at　the　
expiration　of　the　quarter　of　an　hour；　they　reappeared　with　no　less　
dignity　than　they　had　disappeared。　They　had　gone　rustling　away　
as　if　their　little　dresses　were　made　of　autumn…leaves：　and　they　
came　rustling　back；　in　like　manner。　

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David　Copperfield　

I　then　bound　myself　once　more　to　the　prescribed　conditions。　

‘Sister　Clarissa；’　said　Miss　Lavinia；　‘the　rest　is　with　you。’　

Miss　Clarissa；　unfolding　her　arms　for　the　first　time；　took　the　
notes　and　glanced　at　them。　

‘We　shall　be　happy；’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　‘to　see　Mr。　Copperfield　
to　dinner；　every　Sunday；　if　it　should　suit　his　convenience。　Our　
hour　is　three。’　

I　bowed。　

‘In　the　course　of　the　week；’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　‘we　shall　be　
happy　to　see　Mr。　Copperfield　to　tea。　Our　hour　is　half…past　six。’　

I　bowed　again。　

‘Twice　in　the　week；’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　‘but；　as　a　rule；　not　
oftener。’　

I　bowed　again。　

‘Miss　Trotwood；’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　‘mentioned　in　Mr。　
Copperfield’s　letter；　will　perhaps　call　upon　us。　When　visiting　is　
better　for　the　happiness　of　all　parties；　we　are　glad　to　receive　visits；　
and　return　them。　When　it　is　better　for　the　happiness　of　all　parties　
that　no　visiting　should　take　place；　（as　in　the　case　of　our　brother　
Francis；　and　his　establishment）　that　is　quite　different。’　

I　intimated　that　my　aunt　would　be　proud　and　delighted　to　make　
their　acquaintance；　though　I　must　say　I　was　not　quite　sure　of　their　
getting　on　very　satisfactorily　together。　The　conditions　being　now　
closed；　I　expressed　my　acknowledgements　in　the　warmest　
manner；　and；　taking　the　hand；　first　of　Miss　Clarissa；　and　then　of　
Miss　Lavinia；　pressed　it；　in　each　case；　to　my　lips。　

Miss　Lavinia　then　arose；　and　begging　Mr。　Traddles　to　excuse　us　
for　a　minute；　requested　me　to　follow　her。　I　obeyed；　all　in　a　tremble；　
and　was　conducted　into　another　room。　There　I　found　my　blessed　

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David　Copperfield　

darling　stopping　her　ears　behind　the　door；　with　her　dear　little　face　
against　the　wall；　and　Jip　in　the　plate…warmer　with　his　head　tied　up　
in　a　towel。　

Oh！　How　beautiful　she　was　in　her　black　frock；　and　how　she　
sobbed　and　cried　at　first；　and　wouldn’t　come　out　from　behind　the　
door！　How　fond　we　were　of　one　another；　when　she　did　come　out　at　
last；　and　what　a　state　of　bliss　I　was　in；　when　we　took　Jip　out　of　the　
plate…warmer；　and　restored　him　to　the　light；　sneezing　very　much；　
and　were　all　three　reunited！　

‘My　dearest　Dora！　Now；　indeed；　my　own　for　ever！’　

‘Oh；　don’t！’　pleaded　Dora。　‘Please！’　

‘Are　you　not　my　own　for　ever；　Dora？’　

‘Oh　yes；　of　course　I　am！’　cried　Dora；　‘but　I　am　so　frightened！’　

‘Frightened；　my　own？’　

‘Oh　yes！　I　don’t　like　him；’　said　Dora。　‘Why　don’t　he　go？’　

‘Who；　my　life？’　

‘Your　friend；’　said　Dora。　‘It　isn’t　any　business　of　his。　What　a　
stupid　he　must　be！’　

‘My　love！’　（There　never　was　anything　so　coaxing　as　her　childish　
ways。）　‘He　is　the　best　creature！’　

‘Oh；　but　we　don’t　want　any　best　creatures！’　pouted　Dora。　

‘My　dear；’　I　argued；　‘you　will　soon　know　him　well；　and　like　him　
of　all　things。　And　here　is　my　aunt　coming　soon；　and　you’ll　like　her　
of　all　things　too；　when　you　know　her。