david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第69章

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Agnes　was　in　the　drawing…room；　waiting　for　her　father；　who　was　
detained　by　someone　in　his　office。　She　met　me　with　her　pleasant　
smile；　and　asked　me　how　I　liked　the　school。　I　told　her　I　should　like　
it　very　much；　I　hoped；　but　I　was　a　little　strange　to　it　at　first。　

‘You　have　never　been　to　school；’　I　said；　‘have　you？’　

‘Oh　yes！　Every　day。’　

‘Ah；　but　you　mean　here；　at　your　own　home？’　

‘Papa　couldn’t　spare　me　to　go　anywhere　else；’　she　answered；　
smiling　and　shaking　her　head。　‘His　housekeeper　must　be　in　his　
house；　you　know。’　

‘He　is　very　fond　of　you；　I　am　sure；’　I　said。　

She　nodded　‘Yes；’　and　went　to　the　door　to　listen　for　his　coming　
up；　that　she　might　meet　him　on　the　stairs。　But；　as　he　was　not　
there；　she　came　back　again。　

‘Mama　has　been　dead　ever　since　I　was　born；’　she　said；　in　her　
quiet　way。　‘I　only　know　her　picture；　downstairs。　I　saw　you　looking　
at　it　yesterday。　Did　you　think　whose　it　was？’　

I　told　her　yes；　because　it　was　so　like　herself。　

‘Papa　says　so；　too；’　said　Agnes；　pleased。　‘Hark！　That’s　papa　
now！’　

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Her　bright　calm　face　lighted　up　with　pleasure　as　she　went　to　
meet　him；　and　as　they　came　in；　hand　in　hand。　He　greeted　me　
cordially；　and　told　me　I　should　certainly　be　happy　under　Doctor　
Strong；　who　was　one　of　the　gentlest　of　men。　

‘There　may　be　some；　perhaps—I　don’t　know　that　there　are—　
who　abuse　his　kindness；’　said　Mr。　Wickfield。　‘Never　be　one　of　
those；　Trotwood；　in　anything。　He　is　the　least　suspicious　of　
mankind；　and　whether　that’s　a　merit；　or　whether　it’s　a　blemish；　it　
deserves　consideration　in　all　dealings　with　the　Doctor；　great　or　
small。’　

He　spoke；　I　thought；　as　if　he　were　weary；　or　dissatisfied　with　
something；　but　I　did　not　pursue　the　question　in　my　mind；　for　
dinner　was　just　then　announced；　and　we　went　down　and　took　the　
same　seats　as　before。　

We　had　scarcely　done　so；　when　Uriah　Heep　put　in　his　red　head　
and　his　lank　hand　at　the　door；　and　said：　

‘Here’s　Mr。　Maldon　begs　the　favour　of　a　word；　sir。’　

‘I　am　but　this　moment　quit　of　Mr。　Maldon；’　said　his　master。　

‘Yes；　sir；’　returned　Uriah；　‘but　Mr。　Maldon　has　come　back；　and　
he　begs　the　favour　of　a　word。’　As　he　held　the　door　open　with　his　
hand；　Uriah　looked　at　me；　and　looked　at　Agnes；　and　looked　at　the　
dishes；　and　looked　at　the　plates；　and　looked　at　every　object　in　the　
room；　I　thought；—yet　seemed　to　look　at　nothing；　he　made　such　an　
appearance　all　the　while　of　keeping　his　red　eyes　dutifully　on　his　
master。　‘I　beg　your　pardon。　It’s　only　to　say；　on　reflection；’　observed　
a　voice　behind　Uriah；　as　Uriah’s　head　was　pushed　away；　and　the　
speaker’s　substituted—‘pray　excuse　me　for　this　intrusion—that　as　
it　seems　I　have　no　choice　in　the　matter；　the　sooner　I　go　abroad　the　
better。　My　cousin　Annie　did　say；　when　we　talked　of　it；　that　she　

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liked　to　have　her　friends　within　reach　rather　than　to　have　them　

banished；　and　the　old　Doctor—’　

‘Doctor　Strong；　was　that？’　Mr。　Wickfield　interposed；　gravely。　

‘Doctor　Strong；　of　course；’　returned　the　other；　‘I　call　him　the　old　
Doctor；　it’s　all　the　same；　you　know。’　

‘I　don’t　know；’　returned　Mr。　Wickfield。　

‘Well；　Doctor　Strong；’　said　the　other—‘Doctor　Strong　was　of　the　
same　mind；　I　believed。　But　as　it　appears　from　the　course　you　take　
with　me　he　has　changed　his　mind；　why　there’s　no　more　to　be　said；　
except　that　the　sooner　I　am　off；　the　better。　Therefore；　I　thought　I’d　
come　back　and　say；　that　the　sooner　I　am　off　the　better。　When　a　
plunge　is　to　be　made　into　the　water；　it’s　of　no　use　lingering　on　the　
bank。’　

‘There　shall　be　as　little　lingering　as　possible；　in　your　case；　Mr。　
Maldon；　you　may　depend　upon　it；’　said　Mr。　Wickfield。　

‘Thank’ee；’　said　the　other。　‘Much　obliged。　I　don’t　want　to　look　a　
gift…horse　in　the　mouth；　which　is　not　a　gracious　thing　to　do；　
otherwise；　I　dare　say；　my　cousin　Annie　could　easily　arrange　it　in　
her　own　way。　I　suppose　Annie　would　only　have　to　say　to　the　old　
Doctor—’　

‘Meaning　that　Mrs。　Strong　would　only　have　to　say　to　her　
husband—do　I　follow　you？’　said　Mr。　Wickfield。　

‘Quite　so；’　returned　the　other；　‘—would　only　have　to　say；　that　
she　wanted　such　and　such　a　thing　to　be　so　and　so；　and　it　would　be　
so　and　so；　as　a　matter　of　course。’　

‘And　why　as　a　matter　of　course；　Mr。　Maldon？’　asked　Mr。　
Wickfield；　sedately　eating　his　dinner。　

‘Why；　because　Annie’s　a　charming　young　girl；　and　the　old　
Doctor—Doctor　Strong；　I　mean—is　not　quite　a　charming　young　

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boy；’　said　Mr。　Jack　Maldon；　laughing。　‘No　offence　to　anybody；　Mr。　
Wickfield。　I　only　mean　that　I　suppose　some　compensation　is　fair　
and　reasonable　in　that　sort　of　marriage。’　

‘Compensation　to　the　lady；　sir？’　asked　Mr。　Wickfield　gravely。　

‘To　the　lady；　sir；’　Mr。　Jack　Maldon　answered；　laughing。　But　
appearing　to　remark　that　Mr。　Wickfield　went　on　with　his　dinner　in　
the　same　sedate；　immovable　manner；　and　that　there　was　no　hope　
of　making　him　relax　a　muscle　of　his　face；　he　added：　‘However；　I　
have　said　what　I　came　to　say；　and；　with　another　apology　for　this　
intrusion；　I　may　take　myself　off。　Of　course　I　shall　observe　your　
directions；　in　considering　the　matter　as　one　to　be　arranged　
between　you　and　me　solely；　and　not　to　be　referred　to；　up　at　the　
Doctor’s。’　

‘Have　you　dined？’　asked　Mr。　Wickfield；　with　a　motion　of　his　
hand　towards　the　table。　

‘Thank’ee。　I　am　going　to　dine；’　said　Mr。　Maldon；　‘with　my　
cousin　Annie。　Good…bye！’　

Mr。　Wickfield；　without　rising；　looked　after　him　thoughtfully　as　
he　went　out。　He　was　rather　a　shallow　sort　of　young　gentleman；　I　
thought；　with　a　handsome　face；　a　rapid　utterance；　and　a　confident；　
bold　air。　And　this　was　the　first　I　ever　saw　of　Mr。　Jack　Maldon；　
whom　I　had　not　expected　to　see　so　soon；　when　I　heard　the　Doctor　
speak　of　him　that　morning。　

When　we　had　dined；　we　went　upstairs　again；　where　everything　
went　on　exactly　as　on　the　previous　day。　Agnes　set　the　glasses　and　
decanters　in　the　same　corner；　and　Mr。　Wickfield　sat　down　to　drink；　
and　drank　a　good　deal。　Agnes　played　the　piano　to　him；　sat　by　him；　
and　worked　and　talked；　and　played　some　games　at　dominoes　with　
me。　In　good　time　she　made　tea；　and　afterwards；　when　I　brought　

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down　my　books；　looked　into　them；　and　showed　me　what　she　knew　
of　them　（which　was　no　slight　matter；　though　she　said　it　was）；　and　
what　was　the　best　way　to　learn　and　understand　them。　I　see　her；　
with　her　modest；　orderly；　placid　manner；　and　I　hear　her　beautiful　
calm　voice；　as　I　write　these　words。　The　influence　for　all　good；　
which　she　came　to　exercise　over　me　at　a　later　time；　begins　already　
to　descend　upon　my　breast。　I　love　little　Em’ly；　and　I　don’t　love　
Agnes—no；　not　at　all　in　that　way—but　I　feel　that　there　are　
goodness；　peace；　and　truth；　wherever　Agnes　is；　and　that　the　soft　
light　of　the　coloured　window　in　the　church；　seen　long　ago；　falls　on　
her　always；　and　on　me　when　I　am　near　her；　and　on　everything　
around。　

The　time　having　come　for　her　withdrawal　for　the　night；　and　she　
having　left　us；　I　gave　Mr。　Wickfield　my　hand；　preparatory　to　going　
away　myself。　But　he　checked　me　and　said：　‘Should　you　like　to　stay　
with　us；　Trotwood；　or　to　go　elsewhere？’　

‘To　stay；’　I　answered；　quickly。　

‘You　are　sure？’　

‘If　you　please。　If　I　may！’　

‘Why；　it’s　but　a　dull　life　that　we　lead　here；　boy；　I　am　afraid；’　he　
said。　

‘Not　more　dull　for　me　than　Agnes；　sir。　Not　dull　at　all！’　

‘Than　Agnes；’　he　repeated；　walking　slowly　to　the　great　chimney…
piece；　and　leaning　against　it。　‘Than　Agnes！’　

He　had　drank　wine　that　evening　（or　I　fancied　it）；　until　his　eyes　
were　bloodshot。　Not　that　I　could　see　them　now；　for　they　were　cast　
down；　and　shaded　by　his　hand；　but　I　had　noticed　them　a　little　
while　before。　

‘Now　I　wonder；’　he　muttered；　‘whether　my　Agnes　tires　of　me。　

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When　should　I　ever　tire　of