david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第30章

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beside　him；　following　his　eye　as　it　glanced　round　the　room；　I　saw　
the　boys　all　stop；　some　suddenly　surprised；　some　half　afraid；　and　
some　sorry　perhaps。　

Steerforth’s　place　was　at　the　bottom　of　the　school；　at　the　
opposite　end　of　the　long　room。　He　was　lounging　with　his　back　
against　the　wall；　and　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　looked　at　Mr。　
Mell　with　his　mouth　shut　up　as　if　he　were　whistling；　when　Mr。　Mell　
looked　at　him。　

‘Silence；　Mr。　Steerforth！’　said　Mr。　Mell。　

‘Silence　yourself；’　said　Steerforth；　turning　red。　‘Whom　are　you　
talking　to？’　

‘Sit　down；’　said　Mr。　Mell。　

‘Sit　down　yourself；’　said　Steerforth；　‘and　mind　your　business。’　

There　was　a　titter；　and　some　applause；　but　Mr。　Mell　was　so　
white；　that　silence　immediately　succeeded；　and　one　boy；　who　had　
darted　out　behind　him　to　imitate　his　mother　again；　changed　his　
mind；　and　pretended　to　want　a　pen　mended。　

‘If　you　think；　Steerforth；’　said　Mr。　Mell；　‘that　I　am　not　
acquainted　with　the　power　you　can　establish　over　any　mind　
here’—he　laid　his　hand；　without　considering　what　he　did　（as　I　
supposed）；　upon　my　head—‘or　that　I　have　not　observed　you；　
within　a　few　minutes；　urging　your　juniors　on　to　every　sort　of　
outrage　against　me；　you　are　mistaken。’　

‘I　don’t　give　myself　the　trouble　of　thinking　at　all　about　you；’　said　
Steerforth；　coolly；　‘so　I’m　not　mistaken；　as　it　happens。’　

‘And　when　you　make　use　of　your　position　of　favouritism　here；　
sir；’　pursued　Mr。　Mell；　with　his　lip　trembling　very　much；　‘to　insult　
a　gentleman—’　

‘A　what？—where　is　he？’　said　Steerforth。　

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Here　somebody　cried　out；　‘Shame；　J。　Steerforth！　Too　bad！’　It　
was　Traddles；　whom　Mr。　Mell　instantly　discomfited　by　bidding　
him　hold　his　tongue。　

—‘To　insult　one　who　is　not　fortunate　in　life；　sir；　and　who　never　
gave　you　the　least　offence；　and　the　many　reasons　for　not　insulting　
whom　you　are　old　enough　and　wise　enough　to　understand；’　said　
Mr。　Mell；　with　his　lips　trembling　more　and　more；　‘you　commit　a　
mean　and　base　action。　You　can　sit　down　or　stand　up　as　you　please；　
sir。　Copperfield；　go　on。’　

‘Young　Copperfield；’　said　Steerforth；　coming　forward　up　the　
room；　‘stop　a　bit。　I　tell　you　what；　Mr。　Mell；　once　for　all。　When　you　
take　the　liberty　of　calling　me　mean　or　base；　or　anything　of　that　
sort；　you　are　an　impudent　beggar。　You　are　always　a　beggar；　you　
know；　but　when　you　do　that；　you　are　an　impudent　beggar。’　

I　am　not　clear　whether　he　was　going　to　strike　Mr。　Mell；　or　Mr。　
Mell　was　going　to　strike　him；　or　there　was　any　such　intention　on　
either　side。　I　saw　a　rigidity　come　upon　the　whole　school　as　if　they　
had　been　turned　into　stone；　and　found　Mr。　Creakle　in　the　midst　of　
us；　with　Tungay　at　his　side；　and　Mrs。　and　Miss　Creakle　looking　in　
at　the　door　as　if　they　were　frightened。　Mr。　Mell；　with　his　elbows　on　
his　desk　and　his　face　in　his　hands；　sat；　for　some　moments；　quite　
still。　

‘Mr。　Mell；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　shaking　him　by　the　arm；　and　his　
whisper　was　so　audible　now；　that　Tungay　felt　it　unnecessary　to　
repeat　his　words；　‘you　have　not　forgotten　yourself；　I　hope？’　

‘No；　sir；　no；’　returned　the　Master；　showing　his　face；　and　shaking　
his　head；　and　rubbing　his　hands　in　great　agitation。　‘No；　sir。　No。　I　
have　remembered　myself；　I—no；　Mr。　Creakle；　I　have　not　forgotten　
myself；　I—I　have　remembered　myself；　sir。　I—I—could　wish　you　

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had　remembered　me　a　little　sooner；　Mr。　Creakle。　It—it—would　
have　been　more　kind；　sir；　more　just；　sir。　It　would　have　saved　me　
something；　sir。’　

Mr。　Creakle；　looking　hard　at　Mr。　Mell；　put　his　hand　on　Tungay’s　
shoulder；　and　got　his　feet　upon　the　form　close　by；　and　sat　upon　the　
desk。　After　still　looking　hard　at　Mr。　Mell　from　his　throne；　as　he　
shook　his　head；　and　rubbed　his　hands；　and　remained　in　the　same　
state　of　agitation；　Mr。　Creakle　turned　to　Steerforth；　and　said：　

‘Now；　sir；　as　he　don’t　condescend　to　tell　me；　what　is　this？’　

Steerforth　evaded　the　question　for　a　little　while；　looking　in　
scorn　and　anger　on　his　opponent；　and　remaining　silent。　I　could　not　
help　thinking　even　in　that　interval；　I　remember；　what　a　noble　
fellow　he　was　in　appearance；　and　how　homely　and　plain　Mr。　Mell　
looked　opposed　to　him。　

‘What　did　he　mean　by　talking　about　favourites；　then？’　said　
Steerforth　at　length。　

‘Favourites？’　repeated　Mr。　Creakle；　with　the　veins　in　his　
forehead　swelling　quickly。　‘Who　talked　about　favourites？’　

‘He　did；’　said　Steerforth。　

‘And　pray；　what　did　you　mean　by　that；　sir？’　demanded　Mr。　
Creakle；　turning　angrily　on　his　assistant。　

‘I　meant；　Mr。　Creakle；’　he　returned　in　a　low　voice；　‘as　I　said；　that　
no　pupil　had　a　right　to　avail　himself　of　his　position　of　favouritism　
to　degrade　me。’　

‘To　degrade　you？’　said　Mr。　Creakle。　‘My　stars！　But　give　me　
leave　to　ask　you；　Mr。　What’s…your…name’；　and　here　Mr。　Creakle　
folded　his　arms；　cane　and　all；　upon　his　chest；　and　made　such　a　
knot　of　his　brows　that　his　little　eyes　were　hardly　visible　below　
them；　‘whether；　when　you　talk　about　favourites；　you　showed　

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proper　respect　to　me？　To　me；　sir；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　darting　his　
head　at　him　suddenly；　and　drawing　it　back　again；　‘the　principal　of　
this　establishment；　and　your　employer。’　

‘It　was　not　judicious；　sir；　I　am　willing　to　admit；’　said　Mr。　Mell。　‘I　
should　not　have　done　so；　if　I　had　been　cool。’　

Here　Steerforth　struck　in。　

‘Then　he　said　I　was　mean；　and　then　he　said　I　was　base；　and　then　
I　called　him　a　beggar。　If　I　had　been　cool；　perhaps　I　shouldn’t　have　
called　him　a　beggar。　But　I　did；　and　I　am　ready　to　take　the　
consequences　of　it。’　

Without　considering；　perhaps；　whether　there　were　any　
consequences　to　be　taken；　I　felt　quite　in　a　glow　at　this　gallant　
speech。　It　made　an　impression　on　the　boys　too；　for　there　was　a　low　
stir　among　them；　though　no　one　spoke　a　word。　

‘I　am　surprised；　Steerforth—although　your　candour　does　you　
honour；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　‘does　you　honour；　certainly—I　am　
surprised；　Steerforth；　I　must　say；　that　you　should　attach　such　an　
epithet　to　any　person　employed　and　paid　in　Salem　House；　sir。’　

Steerforth　gave　a　short　laugh。　

‘That’s　not　an　answer；　sir；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　‘to　my　remark。　I　
expect　more　than　that　from　you；　Steerforth。’　

If　Mr。　Mell　looked　homely；　in　my　eyes；　before　the　handsome　
boy；　it　would　be　quite　impossible　to　say　how　homely　Mr。　Creakle　
looked。　‘Let　him　deny　it；’　said　Steerforth。　

‘Deny　that　he　is　a　beggar；　Steerforth？’　cried　Mr。　Creakle。　‘Why；　
where　does　he　go　a…begging？’　

‘If　he　is　not　a　beggar　himself；　his　near　relation’s　one；’　said　
Steerforth。　‘It’s　all　the　same。’　

He　glanced　at　me；　and　Mr。　Mell’s　hand　gently　patted　me　upon　

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the　shoulder。　I　looked　up　with　a　flush　upon　my　face　and　remorse　
in　my　heart；　but　Mr。　Mell’s　eyes　were　fixed　on　Steerforth。　He　
continued　to　pat　me　kindly　on　the　shoulder；　but　he　looked　at　him。　

‘Since　you　expect　me；　Mr。　Creakle；　to　justify　myself；’　said　
Steerforth；　‘and　to　say　what　I　mean；—what　I　have　to　say　is；　that　his　
mother　lives　on　charity　in　an　alms…house。’　

Mr。　Mell　still　looked　at　him；　and　still　patted　me　kindly　on　the　
shoulder；　and　said　to　himself；　in　a　whisper；　if　I　heard　right：　‘Yes；　I　
thought　so。’　

Mr。　Creakle　turned　to　his　assistant；　with　a　severe　frown　and　
laboured　politeness：　

‘Now；　you　hear　what　this　gentleman　says；　Mr。　Mell。　Have　the　
goodness；　if　you　please；　to　set　him　right　before　the　assembled　
school。’　

‘He　is　right；　sir；　without　correction；’　returned　Mr。　Mell；　in　the　
midst　of　a　dead　silence；　‘what　he　has　said　is　true。’　

‘Be　so　good　then　as　declare　publicly；　will　you；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　
putting　his　head　on　one　side；　and　rolling　his　eyes　round　the　school；　
‘whether　it　ever　came　to　my　knowledge　until　this　moment？’　

‘I　believe　not　directly；’　he　returned。　

‘Why；　you　know　not；’　said　Mr。　Creakle。　‘Don’t　you；　man？’　

‘I　apprehend