david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第31章
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‘Why； you know not；’ said Mr。 Creakle。 ‘Don’t you； man？’
‘I apprehend you never supposed my worldly circumstances to
be very good；’ replied the assistant。 ‘You know what my position
is； and always has been； here。’
‘I apprehend； if you come to that；’ said Mr。 Creakle； with his
veins swelling again bigger than ever； ‘that you’ve been in a wrong
position altogether； and mistook this for a charity school。 Mr。 Mell；
we’ll part； if you please。 The sooner the better。’
‘There is no time；’ answered Mr。 Mell； rising； ‘like the present。’
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘Sir； to you！’ said Mr。 Creakle。
‘I take my leave of you； Mr。 Creakle； and all of you；’ said Mr。
Mell； glancing round the room； and again patting me gently on the
shoulders。 ‘James Steerforth； the best wish I can leave you is that
you may come to be ashamed of what you have done today。 At
present I would prefer to see you anything rather than a friend； to
me； or to anyone in whom I feel an interest。’
Once more he laid his hand upon my shoulder； and then taking
his flute and a few books from his desk； and leaving the key in it
for his successor； he went out of the school； with his property
under his arm。 Mr。 Creakle then made a speech； through Tungay；
in which he thanked Steerforth for asserting （though perhaps too
warmly） the independence and respectability of Salem House； and
which he wound up by shaking hands with Steerforth； while we
gave three cheers—I did not quite know what for； but I supposed
for Steerforth； and so joined in them ardently； though I felt
miserable。 Mr。 Creakle then caned Tommy Traddles for being
discovered in tears； instead of cheers； on account of Mr。 Mell’s
departure； and went back to his sofa； or his bed； or wherever he
had come from。
We were left to ourselves now； and looked very blank； I
recollect； on one another。 For myself； I felt so much self…reproach
and contrition for my part in what had happened； that nothing
would have enabled me to keep back my tears but the fear that
Steerforth； who often looked at me； I saw； might think it
unfriendly—or； I should rather say； considering our relative ages；
and the feeling with which I regarded him； undutiful—if I showed
the emotion which distressed me。 He was very angry with
Traddles； and said he was glad he had caught it。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Poor Traddles； who had passed the stage of lying with his head
upon the desk； and was relieving himself as usual with a burst of
skeletons； said he didn’t care。 Mr。 Mell was ill…used。
‘Who has ill…used him； you girl？’ said Steerforth。
‘Why； you have；’ returned Traddles。
‘What have I done？’ said Steerforth。
‘What have you done？’ retorted Traddles。 ‘Hurt his feelings；
and lost him his situation。’
‘His feelings？’ repeated Steerforth disdainfully。 ‘His feelings
will soon get the better of it； I’ll be bound。 His feelings are not like
yours； Miss Traddles。 As to his situation—which was a precious
one； wasn’t it？—do you suppose I am not going to write home； and
take care that he gets some money？ Polly？’
We thought this intention very noble in Steerforth； whose
mother was a widow； and rich； and would do almost anything； it
was said； that he asked her。 We were all extremely glad to see
Traddles so put down； and exalted Steerforth to the skies：
especially when he told us； as he condescended to do； that what he
had done had been done expressly for us； and for our cause； and
that he had conferred a great boon upon us by unselfishly doing it。
But I must say that when I was going on with a story in the dark
that night； Mr。 Mell’s old flute seemed more than once to sound
mournfully in my ears； and that when at last Steerforth was tired；
and I lay down in my bed； I fancied it playing so sorrowfully
somewhere； that I was quite wretched。
I soon forgot him in the contemplation of Steerforth； who； in an
easy amateur way； and without any book （he seemed to me to
know everything by heart）； took some of his classes until a new
master was found。 The new master came from a grammar school；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
and before he entered on his duties； dined in the parlour one day；
to be introduced to Steerforth。 Steerforth approved of him highly；
and told us he was a Brick。 Without exactly understanding what
learned distinction was meant by this； I respected him greatly for
it； and had no doubt whatever of his superior knowledge： though
he never took the pains with me—not that I was anybody—that
Mr。 Mell had taken。
There was only one other event in this half…year； out of the daily
school…life； that made an impression upon me which still survives。
It survives for many reasons。
One afternoon； when we were all harassed into a state of dire
confusion； and Mr。 Creakle was laying about him dreadfully；
Tungay came in； and called out in his usual strong way： ‘Visitors
for Copperfield！’
A few words were interchanged between him and Mr。 Creakle；
as； who the visitors were； and what room they were to be shown
into； and then I； who had； according to custom； stood up on the
announcement being made； and felt quite faint with astonishment；
was told to go by the back stairs and get a clean frill on； before I
repaired to the dining…room。 These orders I obeyed； in such a
flutter and hurry of my young spirits as I had never known before；
and when I got to the parlour door； and the thought came into my
head that it might be my mother—I had only thought of Mr。 or
Miss Murdstone until then—I drew back my hand from the lock；
and stopped to have a sob before I went in。
At first I saw nobody； but feeling a pressure against the door； I
looked round it； and there； to my amazement； were Mr。 Peggotty
and Ham； ducking at me with their hats； and squeezing one
another against the wall。 I could not help laughing； but it was
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
much more in the pleasure of seeing them； than at the appearance
they made。 We shook hands in a very cordial way； and I laughed
and laughed； until I pulled out my pocket…handkerchief and wiped
my eyes。
Mr。 Peggotty （who never shut his mouth once； I remember；
during the visit） showed great concern when he saw me do this；
and nudged Ham to say something。
‘Cheer up； Mas’r Davy bor’！’ said Ham； in his simpering way。
‘Why； how you have growed！’
‘Am I grown？’ I said； drying my eyes。 I was not crying at
anything in particular that I know of； but somehow it made me
cry； to see old friends。
‘Growed； Mas’r Davy bor’？ Ain’t he growed！’ said Ham。
‘Ain’t he growed！’ said Mr。 Peggotty。
They made me laugh again by laughing at each other； and then
we all three laughed until I was in danger of crying again。
‘Do you know how mama is； Mr。 Peggotty？’ I said。 ‘And how my
dear； dear； old Peggotty is？’
‘Oncommon；’ said Mr。 Peggotty。
‘And little Em’ly； and Mrs。 Gummidge？’
‘On—common；’ said Mr。 Peggotty。
There was a silence。 Mr。 Peggotty； to relieve it； took two
prodigious lobsters； and an enormous crab； and a large canvas bag
of shrimps； out of his pockets； and piled them up in Ham’s arms。
‘You see；’ said Mr。 Peggotty； ‘knowing as you was partial to a
little relish with your wittles when you was along with us； we took
the liberty。 The old Mawther biled ’em； she did。 Mrs。 Gummidge
biled ’em。 Yes；’ said Mr。 Peggotty； slowly； who I thought appeared
to stick to the subject on account of having no other subject ready；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘Mrs。 Gummidge； I do assure you； she biled ’em。’
I expressed my thanks； and Mr。 Peggotty； after looking at Ham；
who stood smiling sheepishly over the shellfish； without making
any attempt to help him； said：
‘We come； you see； the wind and tide making in our favour； in
one of our Yarmouth lugs to Gravesen’。 My sister she wrote to me
the name of this here place； and wrote t
