david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第2章
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nothing else to tell; unless; indeed; I were to confess (which might
be of less moment still) that no one can ever believe this Narrative;
in the reading; more than I have believed it in the writing。
Instead of looking back; therefore; I will look forward。 I cannot
close this Volume more agreeably to myself; than with a hopeful
glance towards the time when I shall again put forth my two green
leaves once a month; and with a faithful remembrance of the
genial sun and showers that have fallen on these leaves of David
Copperfield; and made me happy。
London; October; 1850。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
PREFACE TO THE CHARLES DICKENS
EDITION
Iremarked in the original Preface to this Book; that I did not
find it easy to get sufficiently far away from it; in the first
sensations of having finished it; to refer to it with the
composure which this formal heading would seem to require。 My
interest in it was so recent and strong; and my mind was so
divided between pleasure and regret—pleasure in the
achievement of a long design; regret in the separation from many
companions—that I was in danger of wearying the reader with
personal confidences and private emotions。
Besides which; all that I could have said of the Story to any
purpose; I had endeavoured to say in it。
It would concern the reader little; perhaps; to know how
sorrowfully the pen is laid down at the close of a two…years’
imaginative task; or how an Author feels as if he were dismissing
some portion of himself into the shadowy world; when a crowd of
the creatures of his brain are going from him for ever。 Yet; I had
nothing else to tell; unless; indeed; I were to confess (which might
be of less moment still); that no one can ever believe this
Narrative; in the reading; more than I believed it in the writing。
So true are these avowals at the present day; that I can now
only take the reader into one confidence more。 Of all my books; I
like this the best。 It will be easily believed that I am a fond parent
to every child of my fancy; and that no one can ever love that
family as dearly as I love them。 But; like many fond parents; I have
in my heart of hearts a favourite child。 And his name is DAVID
COPPERFIELD。 1869
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Chapter 1
I AM BORN
Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life; or
whether that station will be held by anybody else; these
pages must show。 To begin my life with the beginning
of my life; I record that I was born (as I have been informed and
believe) on a Friday; at twelve o’clock at night。 It was remarked
that the clock began to strike; and I began to cry; simultaneously。
In consideration of the day and hour of my birth; it was
declared by the nurse; and by some sage women in the
neighbourhood who had taken a lively interest in me several
months before there was any possibility of our becoming
personally acquainted; first; that I was destined to be unlucky in
life; and secondly; that I was privileged to see ghosts and spirits;
both these gifts inevitably attaching; as they believed; to all
unlucky infants of either gender; born towards the small hours on
a Friday night。
I need say nothing here; on the first head; because nothing can
show better than my history whether that prediction was verified
or falsified by the result。 On the second branch of the question; I
will only remark; that unless I ran through that part of my
inheritance while I was still a baby; I have not come into it yet。 But
I do not at all complain of having been kept out of this property;
and if anybody else should be in the present enjoyment of it; he is
heartily welcome to keep it。
I was born with a caul; which was advertised for sale; in the
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
newspapers; at the low price of fifteen guineas。 Whether sea…going
people were short of money about that time; or were short of faith
and preferred cork jackets; I don’t know; all I know is; that there
was but one solitary bidding; and that was from an attorney
connected with the bill…broking business; who offered two pounds
in cash; and the balance in sherry; but declined to be guaranteed
from drowning on any higher bargain。 Consequently the
advertisement was withdrawn at a dead loss—for as to sherry; my
poor dear mother’s own sherry was in the market then—and ten
years afterwards; the caul was put up in a raffle down in our part
of the country; to fifty members at half…a…crown a head; the winner
to spend five shillings。 I was present myself; and I remember to
have felt quite uncomfortable and confused; at a part of myself
being disposed of in that way。 The caul was won; I recollect; by an
old lady with a hand…basket; who; very reluctantly; produced from
it the stipulated five shillings; all in halfpence; and twopence
halfpenny short—as it took an immense time and a great waste of
arithmetic; to endeavour without any effect to prove to her。 It is a
fact which will be long remembered as remarkable down there;
that she was never drowned; but died triumphantly in bed; at
ninety…two。 I have understood that it was; to the last; her proudest
boast; that she never had been on the water in her life; except
upon a bridge; and that over her tea (to which she was extremely
partial) she; to the last; expressed her indignation at the impiety of
mariners and others; who had the presumption to go ‘meandering’
about the world。 It was in vain to represent to her that some
conveniences; tea perhaps included; resulted from this
objectionable practice。 She always returned; with greater
emphasis and with an instinctive knowledge of the strength of her
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
objection; ‘Let us have no meandering。’
Not to meander myself; at present; I will go back to my birth。
I was born at Blunderstone; in Suffolk; or ‘there by’; as they say
in Scotland。 I was a posthumous child。 My father’s eyes had closed
upon the light of this world six months; when mine opened on it。
There is something strange to me; even now; in the reflection that
he never saw me; and something stranger yet in the shadowy
remembrance that I have of my first childish associations with his
white grave…stone in the churchyard; and of the indefinable
compassion I used to feel for it lying out alone there in the dark
night; when our little parlour was warm and bright with fire and
candle; and the doors of our house were—almost cruelly; it
seemed to me sometimes—bolted and locked against it。
An aunt of my father’s; and consequently a great…aunt of mine;
of whom I shall have more to relate by and by; was the principal
magnate of our family。 Miss Trotwood; or Miss Betsey; as my poor
mother always called her; when she sufficiently overcame her
dread of this formidable personage to mention her at all (which
was seldom); had been married to a husband younger than herself;
who was very handsome; except in the sense of the homely adage;
‘handsome is; that handsome does’—for he was strongly suspected
of having beaten Miss Betsey; and even of having once; on a
disputed question of supplies; made some hasty but determined
arrangements to throw her out of a two pair of stairs’ window。
These evidences of an incompatibility of temper induced Miss
Betsey to pay him off; and effect a separation by mutual consent。
He went to India with his capital; and there; according to a wild
legend in our family; he was once seen riding on an elephant; in
company with a Baboon; but I think it must have been a Baboo—
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
or a Begum。 Anyhow; from India tidings of his death reached
home; within ten years。 How they affected my aunt; nobody knew;
for immediately upon the separation; she took her maiden name
again; bought a cottage in a hamlet on the sea…coast a long way off;
established herself there as a single woman with one servant; and
was understood to live secluded; ever afte