david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第32章
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one of our Yarmouth lugs to Gravesen’。 My sister she wrote to me
the name of this here place; and wrote to me as if ever I chanced to
come to Gravesen’; I was to come over and inquire for Mas’r Davy
and give her dooty; humbly wishing him well and reporting of the
fam’ly as they was oncommon toe…be…sure。 Little Em’ly; you see;
she’ll write to my sister when I go back; as I see you and as you
was similarly oncommon; and so we make it quite a merry…gorounder。’
I was obliged to consider a little before I understood what Mr。
Peggotty meant by this figure; expressive of a complete circle of
intelligence。 I then thanked him heartily; and said; with a
consciousness of reddening; that I supposed little Em’ly was
altered too; since we used to pick up shells and pebbles on the
beach?
‘She’s getting to be a woman; that’s wot she’s getting to be;’ said
Mr。 Peggotty。 ‘Ask him。’
He meant Ham; who beamed with delight and assent over the
bag of shrimps。
‘Her pretty face!’ said Mr。 Peggotty; with his own shining like a
light。
‘Her learning!’ said Ham。
‘Her writing!’ said Mr。 Peggotty。 ‘Why it’s as black as jet! And so
large it is; you might see it anywheres。’
It was perfectly delightful to behold with what enthusiasm Mr。
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David Copperfield
Peggotty became inspired when he thought of his little favourite。
He stands before me again; his bluff hairy face irradiating with a
joyful love and pride; for which I can find no description。 His
honest eyes fire up; and sparkle; as if their depths were stirred by
something bright。 His broad chest heaves with pleasure。 His
strong loose hands clench themselves; in his earnestness; and he
emphasizes what he says with a right arm that shows; in my pigmy
view; like a sledge…hammer。
Ham was quite as earnest as he。 I dare say they would have said
much more about her; if they had not been abashed by the
unexpected coming in of Steerforth; who; seeing me in a corner
speaking with two strangers; stopped in a song he was singing;
and said: ‘I didn’t know you were here; young Copperfield!’ (for it
was not the usual visiting room) and crossed by us on his way out。
I am not sure whether it was in the pride of having such a
friend as Steerforth; or in the desire to explain to him how I came
to have such a friend as Mr。 Peggotty; that I called to him as he
was going away。 But I said; modestly—Good Heaven; how it all
comes back to me this long time afterwards!—
‘Don’t go; Steerforth; if you please。 These are two Yarmouth
boatmen—very kind; good people—who are relations of my nurse;
and have come from Gravesend to see me。’
‘Aye; aye?’ said Steerforth; returning。 ‘I am glad to see them。
How are you both?’
There was an ease in his manner—a gay and light manner it
was; but not swaggering—which I still believe to have borne a kind
of enchantment with it。 I still believe him; in virtue of this carriage;
his animal spirits; his delightful voice; his handsome face and
figure; and; for aught I know; of some inborn power of attraction
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David Copperfield
besides (which I think a few people possess); to have carried a
spell with him to which it was a natural weakness to yield; and
which not many persons could withstand。 I could not but see how
pleased they were with him; and how they seemed to open their
hearts to him in a moment。
‘You must let them know at home; if you please; Mr。 Peggotty;’ I
said; ‘when that letter is sent; that Mr。 Steerforth is very kind to
me; and that I don’t know what I should ever do here without
him。’
‘Nonsense!’ said Steerforth; laughing。 ‘You mustn’t tell them
anything of the sort。’
‘And if Mr。 Steerforth ever comes into Norfolk or Suffolk; Mr。
Peggotty;’ I said; ‘while I am there; you may depend upon it I shall
bring him to Yarmouth; if he will let me; to see your house。 You
never saw such a good house; Steerforth。 It’s made out of a boat!’
‘Made out of a boat; is it?’ said Steerforth。 ‘It’s the right sort of a
house for such a thorough…built boatman。’
‘So ’tis; sir; so ’tis; sir;’ said Ham; grinning。 ‘You’re right; young
gen’l’m’n! Mas’r Davy bor’; gen’l’m’n’s right。 A thorough…built
boatman! Hor; hor! That’s what he is; too!’
Mr。 Peggotty was no less pleased than his nephew; though his
modesty forbade him to claim a personal compliment so
vociferously。
‘Well; sir;’ he said; bowing and chuckling; and tucking in the
ends of his neckerchief at his breast: ‘I thankee; sir; I thankee! I do
my endeavours in my line of life; sir。’
‘The best of men can do no more; Mr。 Peggotty;’ said Steerforth。
He had got his name already。
‘I’ll pound it; it’s wot you do yourself; sir;’ said Mr。 Peggotty;
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David Copperfield
shaking his head; ‘and wot you do well—right well! I thankee; sir。
I’m obleeged to you; sir; for your welcoming manner of me。 I’m
rough; sir; but I’m ready—least ways; I hope I’m ready; you
unnerstand。 My house ain’t much for to see; sir; but it’s hearty at
your service if ever you should come along with Mas’r Davy to see
it。 I’m a reg’lar Dodman; I am;’ said Mr。 Peggotty; by which he
meant snail; and this was in allusion to his being slow to go; for he
had attempted to go after every sentence; and had somehow or
other come back again; ‘but I wish you both well; and I wish you
happy!’
Ham echoed this sentiment; and we parted with them in the
heartiest manner。 I was almost tempted that evening to tell
Steerforth about pretty little Em’ly; but I was too timid of
mentioning her name; and too much afraid of his laughing at me。 I
remember that I thought a good deal; and in an uneasy sort of
way; about Mr。 Peggotty having said that she was getting on to be
a woman; but I decided that was nonsense。
We transported the shellfish; or the ‘relish’ as Mr。 Peggotty had
modestly called it; up into our room unobserved; and made a great
supper that evening。 But Traddles couldn’t get happily out of it。
He was too unfortunate even to come through a supper like
anybody else。 He was taken ill in the night—quite prostrate he
was—in consequence of Crab; and after being drugged with black
draughts and blue pills; to an extent which Demple (whose father
was a doctor) said was enough to undermine a horse’s
constitution; received a caning and six chapters of Greek
Testament for refusing to confess。
The rest of the half…year is a jumble in my recollection of the
daily strife and struggle of our lives; of the waning summer and
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David Copperfield
the changing season; of the frosty mornings when we were rung
out of bed; and the cold; cold smell of the dark nights when we
were rung into bed again; of the evening schoolroom dimly lighted
and indifferently warmed; and the morning schoolroom which was
nothing but a great shivering…machine; of the alternation of boiled
beef with roast beef; and boiled mutton with roast mutton; of clods
of bread…and…butter; dog’s…eared lesson…books; cracked slates;
tear…blotted copy…books; canings; rulerings; hair…cuttings; rainy
Sundays; suet…puddings; and a dirty atmosphere of ink;
surrounding all。
I well remember though; how the distant idea of the holidays;
after seeming for an immense time to be a stationary speck; began
to come towards us; and to grow and grow。 How from counting
months; we came to weeks; and then to days; and how I then
began to be afraid that I should not be sent for and when I learnt
from Steerforth that I had been sent for; and was certainly to go
home; had dim forebodings that I might break my leg first。 How
the breaking…up day changed its place fast; at last; from the week
after next to next week; this week; the day after tomorrow;
tomorrow; today; tonight—when I was inside the Yarmouth mail;
and going home。
I had many a broken sleep inside the Yarmouth mail; and many
an incoherent dream of