david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第60章

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her　hand　on　my　shoulder；　and　the　impulse　was　upon　me；　thus　
emboldened；　to　embrace　her　and　beseech　her　protection。　But　the　
interruption；　and　the　disorder　she　was　thrown　into　by　the　struggle　
outside；　put　an　end　to　all　softer　ideas　for　the　present；　and　kept　my　
aunt　indignantly　declaiming　to　Mr。　Dick　about　her　determination　
to　appeal　for　redress　to　the　laws　of　her　country；　and　to　bring　
actions　for　trespass　against　the　whole　donkey　proprietorship　of　
Dover；　until　tea…time。　

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David　Copperfield　

After　tea；　we　sat　at　the　window—on　the　look…out；　as　I　imagined；　
from　my　aunt’s　sharp　expression　of　face；　for　more　invaders—until　
dusk；　when　Janet　set　candles；　and　a　backgammon…board；　on　the　
table；　and　pulled　down　the　blinds。　

‘Now；　Mr。　Dick；’　said　my　aunt；　with　her　grave　look；　and　her　
forefinger　up　as　before；　‘I　am　going　to　ask　you　another　question。　
Look　at　this　child。’　

‘David’s　son？’　said　Mr。　Dick；　with　an　attentive；　puzzled　face。　

‘Exactly　so；’　returned　my　aunt。　‘What　would　you　do　with　him；　
now？’　

‘Do　with　David’s　son？’　said　Mr。　Dick。　

‘Ay；’　replied　my　aunt；　‘with　David’s　son。’　

‘Oh！’　said　Mr。　Dick。　‘Yes。　Do　with—I　should　put　him　to　bed。’　

‘Janet！’　cried　my　aunt；　with　the　same　complacent　triumph　that　I　
had　remarked　before。　‘Mr。　Dick　sets　us　all　right。　If　the　bed　is　
ready；　we’ll　take　him　up　to　it。’　

Janet　reporting　it　to　be　quite　ready；　I　was　taken　up　to　it；　kindly；　
but　in　some　sort　like　a　prisoner；　my　aunt　going　in　front　and　Janet　
bringing　up　the　rear。　The　only　circumstance　which　gave　me　any　
new　hope；　was　my　aunt’s　stopping　on　the　stairs　to　inquire　about　a　
smell　of　fire　that　was　prevalent　there；　and　janet’s　replying　that　she　
had　been　making　tinder　down　in　the　kitchen；　of　my　old　shirt。　But　
there　were　no　other　clothes　in　my　room　than　the　odd　heap　of　
things　I　wore；　and　when　I　was　left　there；　with　a　little　taper　which　
my　aunt　forewarned　me　would　burn　exactly　five　minutes；　I　heard　
them　lock　my　door　on　the　outside。　Turning　these　things　over　in　my　
mind　I　deemed　it　possible　that　my　aunt；　who　could　know　nothing　
of　me；　might　suspect　I　had　a　habit　of　running　away；　and　took　
precautions；　on　that　account；　to　have　me　in　safe　keeping。　

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David　Copperfield　

The　room　was　a　pleasant　one；　at　the　top　of　the　house；　
overlooking　the　sea；　on　which　the　moon　was　shining　brilliantly。　
After　I　had　said　my　prayers；　and　the　candle　had　burnt　out；　I　
remember　how　I　still　sat　looking　at　the　moonlight　on　the　water；　as　
if　I　could　hope　to　read　my　fortune　in　it；　as　in　a　bright　book；　or　to　
see　my　mother　with　her　child；　coming　from　Heaven；　along　that　
shining　path；　to　look　upon　me　as　she　had　looked　when　I　last　saw　
her　sweet　face。　I　remember　how　the　solemn　feeling　with　which　at　
length　I　turned　my　eyes　away；　yielded　to　the　sensation　of　gratitude　
and　rest　which　the　sight　of　the　white…curtained　bed—and　how　
much　more　the　lying　softly　down　upon　it；　nestling　in　the　snow…
white　sheets！—inspired。　I　remember　how　I　thought　of　all　the　
solitary　places　under　the　night　sky　where　I　had　slept；　and　how　I　
prayed　that　I　never　might　be　houseless　any　more；　and　never　might　
forget　the　houseless。　I　remember　how　I　seemed　to　float；　then；　
down　the　melancholy　glory　of　that　track　upon　the　sea；　away　into　
the　world　of　dreams。　

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David　Copperfield　

Chapter　14　

MY　AUNT　MAKES　UP　HER　MIND　ABOUT　ME　

On　going　down　in　the　morning；　I　found　my　aunt　musing　so　
profoundly　over　the　breakfast　table；　with　her　elbow　on　
the　tray；　that　the　contents　of　the　urn　had　overflowed　the　
teapot　and　were　laying　the　whole　table…cloth　under　water；　when　
my　entrance　put　her　meditations　to　flight。　I　felt　sure　that　I　had　
been　the　subject　of　her　reflections；　and　was　more　than　ever　
anxious　to　know　her　intentions　towards　me。　Yet　I　dared　not　
express　my　anxiety；　lest　it　should　give　her　offence。　

My　eyes；　however；　not　being　so　much　under　control　as　my　
tongue；　were　attracted　towards　my　aunt　very　often　during　
breakfast。　I　never　could　look　at　her　for　a　few　moments　together　
but　I　found　her　looking　at　me—in　an　odd　thoughtful　manner；　as　if　
I　were　an　immense　way　off；　instead　of　being　on　the　other　side　of　
the　small　round　table。　When　she　had　finished　her　breakfast；　my　
aunt　very　deliberately　leaned　back　in　her　chair；　knitted　her　brows；　
folded　her　arms；　and　contemplated　me　at　her　leisure；　with　such　a　
fixedness　of　attention　that　I　was　quite　overpowered　by　
embarrassment。　Not　having　as　yet　finished　my　own　breakfast；　I　
attempted　to　hide　my　confusion　by　proceeding　with　it；　but　my　
knife　tumbled　over　my　fork；　my　fork　tripped　up　my　knife；　I　
chipped　bits　of　bacon　a　surprising　height　into　the　air　instead　of　
cutting　them　for　my　own　eating；　and　choked　myself　with　my　tea；　
which　persisted　in　going　the　wrong　way　instead　of　the　right　one；　
until　I　gave　in　altogether；　and　sat　blushing　under　my　aunt’s　close　

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David　Copperfield　

scrutiny。　

‘Hallo！’　said　my　aunt；　after　a　long　time。　

I　looked　up；　and　met　her　sharp　bright　glance　respectfully。　

‘I　have　written　to　him；’　said　my　aunt。　

‘To—？’　

‘To　your　father…in…law；’　said　my　aunt。　‘I　have　sent　him　a　letter　
that　I’ll　trouble　him　to　attend　to；　or　he　and　I　will　fall　out；　I　can　tell　
him！’　

‘Does　he　know　where　I　am；　aunt？’　I　inquired；　alarmed。　

‘I　have　told　him；’　said　my　aunt；　with　a　nod。　

‘Shall　I—be—given　up　to　him？’　I　faltered。　

‘I　don’t　know；’　said　my　aunt。　‘We　shall　see。’　

‘Oh！　I　can’t　think　what　I　shall　do；’　I　exclaimed；　‘if　I　have　to　go　
back　to　Mr。　Murdstone！’　

‘I　don’t　know　anything　about　it；’　said　my　aunt；　shaking　her　
head。　‘I　can’t　say；　I　am　sure。　We　shall　see。’　

My　spirits　sank　under　these　words；　and　I　became　very　downcast　
and　heavy　of　heart。　My　aunt；　without　appearing　to　take　much　heed　
of　me；　put　on　a　coarse　apron　with　a　bib；　which　she　took　out　of　the　
press；　washed　up　the　teacups　with　her　own　hands；　and；　when　
everything　was　washed　and　set　in　the　tray　again；　and　the　cloth　
folded　and　put　on　the　top　of　the　whole；　rang　for　Janet　to　remove　it。　
She　next　swept　up　the　crumbs　with　a　little　broom　（putting　on　a　
pair　of　gloves　first）；　until　there　did　not　appear　to　be　one　
microscopic　speck　left　on　the　carpet；　next　dusted　and　arranged　the　
room；　which　was　dusted　and　arranged　to　a　hair’s　breadth　already。　
When　all　these　tasks　were　performed　to　her　satisfaction；　she　took　
off　the　gloves　and　apron；　folded　them　up；　put　them　in　the　
particular　corner　of　the　press　from　which　they　had　been　taken；　

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David　Copperfield　

brought　out　her　work…box　to　her　own　table　in　the　open　window；　
and　sat　down；　with　the　green　fan　between　her　and　the　light；　to　
work。　

‘I　wish　you’d　go　upstairs；’　said　my　aunt；　as　she　threaded　her　
needle；　‘and　give　my　compliments　to　Mr。　Dick；　and　I’ll　be　glad　to　
know　how　he　gets　on　with　his　Memorial。’　

I　rose　with　all　alacrity；　to　acquit　myself　of　this　commission。　

‘I　suppose；’　said　my　aunt；　eyeing　me　as　narrowly　as　she　had　
eyed　the　needle　in　threading　it；　‘you　think　Mr。　Dick　a　short　name；　
eh？’　

‘I　thought　it　was　rather　a　short　name；　yesterday；’　I　confessed。　

‘You　are　not　to　suppose　that　he　hasn’t　got　a　longer　name；　if　he　
chose　to　use　it；’　said　my　aunt；　with　a　loftier　air。　‘Babley—Mr。　
Richard　Babley—that’s　the　gentleman’s　true　name。’　

I　was　going　to　suggest；　with　a　modest　sense　of　my　youth　and　the　
familiarity　I　had　been　already　guilty　of；　that　I　had　better　give　him　
the　full　benefit　of　that　name；　when　my　aunt　went　on　to　say：　

‘But　don’t　you　call　him　by　it；　whatever　you　do。　He　can’t　bear　his　
name。　That’s　a　peculiarity　of　his。　Though　I　don’t　know　that　it’s　
much　of　a　peculiarity；　either；　for　he　has　been　ill…used　enough；　by　
some　that　bear　it；　to　have　a　mortal　antipathy　for　it；　Heaven　knows。　
Mr。　Dick　is　his　name　here；　and　everywhere　else；　now—if　he　ever　
went　anywhere　else；　which　he　don’t。　So　take　care；　child；　you　don’t　
call　him　anything　but　Mr。　Dick。’