david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第34章

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to　tell　her；　began　to　laugh；　and　throw　her　apron　over　her　face。　

‘Peggotty；’　said　my　mother。　‘What’s　the　matter？’　

Peggotty　only　laughed　the　more；　and　held　her　apron　tight　over　
her　face　when　my　mother　tried　to　pull　it　away；　and　sat　as　if　her　
head　were　in　a　bag。　

‘What　are　you　doing；　you　stupid　creature？’　said　my　mother；　
laughing。　

‘Oh；　drat　the　man！’　cried　Peggotty。　‘He　wants　to　marry　me。’　

‘It　would　be　a　very　good　match　for　you；　wouldn’t　it？’　said　my　

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mother。　

‘Oh！　I　don’t　know；’　said　Peggotty。　‘Don’t　ask　me。　I　wouldn’t　have　
him　if　he　was　made　of　gold。　Nor　I　wouldn’t　have　anybody。’　

‘Then；　why　don’t　you　tell　him　so；　you　ridiculous　thing？’　said　my　
mother。　

‘Tell　him　so；’　retorted　Peggotty；　looking　out　of　her　apron。　‘He　
has　never　said　a　word　to　me　about　it。　He　knows　better。　If　he　was　to　
make　so　bold　as　say　a　word　to　me；　I　should　slap　his　face。’　

Her　own　was　as　red　as　ever　I　saw　it；　or　any　other　face；　I　think；　
but　she　only　covered　it　again；　for　a　few　moments　at　a　time；　when　
she　was　taken　with　a　violent　fit　of　laughter；　and　after　two　or　three　
of　those　attacks；　went　on　with　her　dinner。　

I　remarked　that　my　mother；　though　she　smiled　when　Peggotty　
looked　at　her；　became　more　serious　and　thoughtful。　I　had　seen　at　
first　that　she　was　changed。　Her　face　was　very　pretty　still；　but　it　
looked　careworn；　and　too　delicate；　and　her　hand　was　so　thin　and　
white　that　it　seemed　to　me　to　be　almost　transparent。　But　the　
change　to　which　I　now　refer　was　superadded　to　this：　it　was　in　her　
manner；　which　became　anxious　and　fluttered。　At　last　she　said；　
putting　out　her　hand；　and　laying　it　affectionately　on　the　hand　of　
her　old　servant；　

‘Peggotty；　dear；　you　are　not　going　to　be　married？’　

‘Me；　ma’am？’　returned　Peggotty；　staring。　‘Lord　bless　you；　no！’　

‘Not　just　yet？’　said　my　mother；　tenderly。　

‘Never！’　cried　Peggotty。　

My　mother　took　her　hand；　and　said：　

‘Don’t　leave　me；　Peggotty。　Stay　with　me。　It　will　not　be　for　long；　
perhaps。　What　should　I　ever　do　without　you！’　

‘Me　leave　you；　my　precious！’　cried　Peggotty。　‘Not　for　all　the　

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world　and　his　wife。　Why；　what’s　put　that　in　your　silly　little　
head？’—For　Peggotty　had　been　used　of　old　to　talk　to　my　mother　
sometimes　like　a　child。　

But　my　mother　made　no　answer；　except　to　thank　her；　and　
Peggotty　went　running　on　in　her　own　fashion。　

‘Me　leave　you？　I　think　I　see　myself。　Peggotty　go　away　from　you？　
I　should　like　to　catch　her　at　it！　No；　no；　no；’　said　Peggotty；　shaking　
her　head；　and　folding　her　arms；　‘not　she；　my　dear。　It　isn’t　that　
there　ain’t　some　Cats　that　would　be　well　enough　pleased　if　she　did；　
but　they　sha’n’t　be　pleased。　They　shall　be　aggravated。　I’ll　stay　with　
you　till　I　am　a　cross　cranky　old　woman。　And　when　I’m　too　deaf；　
and　too　lame；　and　too　blind；　and　too　mumbly　for　want　of　teeth；　to　
be　of　any　use　at　all；　even　to　be　found　fault　with；　than　I　shall　go　to　
my　Davy；　and　ask　him　to　take　me　in。’　

‘And；　Peggotty；’　says　I；　‘I　shall　be　glad　to　see　you；　and　I’ll　make　
you　as　welcome　as　a　queen。’　

‘Bless　your　dear　heart！’　cried　Peggotty。　‘I　know　you　will！’　And　
she　kissed　me　beforehand；　in　grateful　acknowledgement　of　my　
hospitality。　After　that；　she　covered　her　head　up　with　her　apron　
again　and　had　another　laugh　about　Mr。　Barkis。　After　that；　she　took　
the　baby　out　of　its　little　cradle；　and　nursed　it。　After　that；　she　
cleared　the　dinner　table；　after　that；　came　in　with　another　cap　on；　
and　her　work…box；　and　the　yard…measure；　and　the　bit　of　wax…
candle；　all　just　the　same　as　ever。　

We　sat　round　the　fire；　and　talked　delightfully。　I　told　them　what　
a　hard　master　Mr。　Creakle　was；　and　they　pitied　me　very　much。　I　
told　them　what　a　fine　fellow　Steerforth　was；　and　what　a　patron　of　
mine；　and　Peggotty　said　she　would　walk　a　score　of　miles　to　see　
him。　I　took　the　little　baby　in　my　arms　when　it　was　awake；　and　

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nursed　it　lovingly。　When　it　was　asleep　again；　I　crept　close　to　my　
mother’s　side　according　to　my　old　custom；　broken　now　a　long　
time；　and　sat　with　my　arms　embracing　her　waist；　and　my　little　red　
cheek　on　her　shoulder；　and　once　more　felt　her　beautiful　hair　
drooping　over　me—like　an　angel’s　wing　as　I　used　to　think；　I　
recollect—and　was　very　happy　indeed。　

While　I　sat　thus；　looking　at　the　fire；　and　seeing　pictures　in　the　
red…hot　coals；　I　almost　believed　that　I　had　never　been　away；　that　
Mr。　and　Miss　Murdstone　were　such　pictures；　and　would　vanish　
when　the　fire　got　low；　and　that　there　was　nothing　real　in　all　that　I　
remembered；　save　my　mother；　Peggotty；　and　I。　

Peggotty　darned　away　at　a　stocking　as　long　as　she　could　see；　
and　then　sat　with　it　drawn　on　her　left　hand　like　a　glove；　and　her　
needle　in　her　right；　ready　to　take　another　stitch　whenever　there　
was　a　blaze。　I　cannot　conceive　whose　stockings　they　can　have　been　
that　Peggotty　was　always　darning；　or　where　such　an　unfailing　
supply　of　stockings　in　want　of　darning　can　have　come　from。　From　
my　earliest　infancy　she　seems　to　have　been　always　employed　in　
that　class　of　needlework；　and　never　by　any　chance　in　any　other。　

‘I　wonder；’　said　Peggotty；　who　was　sometimes　seized　with　a　fit　
of　wondering　on　some　most　unexpected　topic；　‘what’s　become　of　
Davy’s　great…aunt？’　

‘Lor；　Peggotty！’　observed　my　mother；　rousing　herself　from　a　
reverie；　‘what　nonsense　you　talk！’　

‘Well；　but　I　really　do　wonder；　ma’am；’　said　Peggotty。　

‘What　can　have　put　such　a　person　in　your　head？’　inquired　my　
mother。　‘Is　there　nobody　else　in　the　world　to　come　there？’　

‘I　don’t　know　how　it　is；’　said　Peggotty；　‘unless　it’s　on　account　of　
being　stupid；　but　my　head　never　can　pick　and　choose　its　people。　

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They　come　and　they　go；　and　they　don’t　come　and　they　don’t　go；　
just　as　they　like。　I　wonder　what’s　become　of　her？’　

‘How　absurd　you　are；　Peggotty！’　returned　my　mother。　‘One　
would　suppose　you　wanted　a　second　visit　from　her。’　

‘Lord　forbid！’　cried　Peggotty。　

‘Well　then；　don’t　talk　about　such　uncomfortable　things；　there’s　a　
good　soul；’　said　my　mother。　‘Miss　Betsey　is　shut　up　in　her　cottage　
by　the　sea；　no　doubt；　and　will　remain　there。　At　all　events；　she　is　not　
likely　ever　to　trouble　us　again。’　

‘No！’　mused　Peggotty。　‘No；　that　ain’t　likely　at　all。—I　wonder；　if　
she　was　to　die；　whether　she’d　leave　Davy　anything？’　

‘Good　gracious　me；　Peggotty；’　returned　my　mother；　‘what　a　
nonsensical　woman　you　are！　when　you　know　that　she　took　offence　
at　the　poor　dear　boy’s　ever　being　born　at　all。’　

‘I　suppose　she　wouldn’t　be　inclined　to　forgive　him　now；’　hinted　
Peggotty。　

‘Why　should　she　be　inclined　to　forgive　him　now？’　said　my　
mother；　rather　sharply。　

‘Now　that　he’s　got　a　brother；　I　mean；’　said　Peggotty。　

My　mother　immediately　began　to　cry；　and　wondered　how　
Peggotty　dared　to　say　such　a　thing。　

‘As　if　this　poor　little　innocent　in　its　cradle　had　ever　done　any　
harm　to　you　or　anybody　else；　you　jealous　thing！’　said　she。　‘You　had　
much　better　go　and　marry　Mr。　Barkis；　the　carrier。　Why　don’t　you？’　

‘I　should　make　Miss　Murdstone　happy；　if　I　was　to；’　said　
Peggotty。　

‘What　a　bad　disposition　you　have；　Peggotty！’　returned　my　
mother。　‘You　are　as　jealous　of　Miss　Murdstone　as　it　is　possible　for　
a　ridiculous　creature　to　be。　You　want　to　keep　the　keys　yourself；　

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and　give　out　all　the　things；　I　suppose？　I　shouldn’t　be　surprised　if　
you　did。　When　you　know　that　she　only　does　it　out　of　kindness　and　
the　best　intentions！　You　know　she　does；　Peggotty—you　know　it　
well。’　

Peggotty　muttered　something　to　the　effect　of　‘Bother　the　best　
intentions！’　and　something　else　to　the　effect　that　there　was　a　little　
too　much　of　the　best　intentions　going　on。　

‘I　know　what　you　mean；　you　cross　thing；’　said　my　mother。　‘I　
understand　you；　Peggotty；　perfectly。　You　know　I　do；　and　I　wonder　
yo