david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第70章

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Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

When　should　I　ever　tire　of　her！　But　that’s　different；　that’s　quite　

different。’　

He　was　musing；　not　speaking　to　me；　so　I　remained　quiet。　

‘A　dull　old　house；’　he　said；　‘and　a　monotonous　life；　but　I　must　
have　her　near　me。　I　must　keep　her　near　me。　If　the　thought　that　I　
may　die　and　leave　my　darling；　or　that　my　darling　may　die　and　
leave　me；　comes　like　a　spectre；　to　distress　my　happiest　hours；　and　
is　only　to　be　drowned　in—’　

He　did　not　supply　the　word；　but　pacing　slowly　to　the　place　
where　he　had　sat；　and　mechanically　going　through　the　action　of　
pouring　wine　from　the　empty　decanter；　set　it　down　and　paced　
back　again。　

‘If　it　is　miserable　to　bear；　when　she　is　here；’　he　said；　‘what　
would　it　be；　and　she　away？　No；　no；　no。　I　cannot　try　that。’　

He　leaned　against　the　chimney…piece；　brooding　so　long　that　I　
could　not　decide　whether　to　run　the　risk　of　disturbing　him　by　
going；　or　to　remain　quietly　where　I　was；　until　he　should　come　out　
of　his　reverie。　At　length　he　aroused　himself；　and　looked　about　the　
room　until　his　eyes　encountered　mine。　

‘Stay　with　us；　Trotwood；　eh？’　he　said　in　his　usual　manner；　and　
as　if　he　were　answering　something　I　had　just　said。　‘I　am　glad　of　it。　
You　are　company　to　us　both。　It　is　wholesome　to　have　you　here。　
Wholesome　for　me；　wholesome　for　Agnes；　wholesome　perhaps　for　
all　of　us。’　

‘I　am　sure　it　is　for　me；　sir；’　I　said。　‘I　am　so　glad　to　be　here。’　

‘That’s　a　fine　fellow！’　said　Mr。　Wickfield。　‘As　long　as　you　are　
glad　to　be　here；　you　shall　stay　here。’　He　shook　hands　with　me　upon　
it；　and　clapped　me　on　the　back；　and　told　me　that　when　I　had　
anything　to　do　at　night　after　Agnes　had　left　us；　or　when　I　wished　to　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

read　for　my　own　pleasure；　I　was　free　to　come　down　to　his　room；　if　
he　were　there　and　if　I　desired　it　for　company’s　sake；　and　to　sit　with　
him。　I　thanked　him　for　his　consideration；　and；　as　he　went　down　
soon　afterwards；　and　I　was　not　tired；　went　down　too；　with　a　book　
in　my　hand；　to　avail　myself；　for　half…an…hour；　of　his　permission。　

But；　seeing　a　light　in　the　little　round　office；　and　immediately　
feeling　myself　attracted　towards　Uriah　Heep；　who　had　a　sort　of　
fascination　for　me；　I　went　in　there　instead。　I　found　Uriah　reading　a　
great　fat　book；　with　such　demonstrative　attention；　that　his　lank　
forefinger　followed　up　every　line　as　he　read；　and　made　clammy　
tracks　along　the　page　（or　so　I　fully　believed）　like　a　snail。　

‘You　are　working　late　tonight；　Uriah；’　says　I。　

‘Yes；　Master　Copperfield；’　says　Uriah。　

As　I　was　getting　on　the　stool　opposite；　to　talk　to　him　more　
conveniently；　I　observed　that　he　had　not　such　a　thing　as　a　smile　
about　him；　and　that　he　could　only　widen　his　mouth　and　make　two　
hard　creases　down　his　cheeks；　one　on　each　side；　to　stand　for　one。　

‘I　am　not　doing　office…work；　Master　Copperfield；’　said　Uriah。　

‘What　work；　then？’　I　asked。　

‘I　am　improving　my　legal　knowledge；　Master　Copperfield；’　said　
Uriah。　‘I　am　going　through　Tidd’s　Practice。　Oh；　what　a　writer　Mr。　
Tidd　is；　Master　Copperfield！’　

My　stool　was　such　a　tower　of　observation；　that　as　I　watched　him　
reading　on　again；　after　this　rapturous　exclamation；　and　following　
up　the　lines　with　his　forefinger；　I　observed　that　his　nostrils；　which　
were　thin　and　pointed；　with　sharp　dints　in　them；　had　a　singular　
and　most　uncomfortable　way　of　expanding　and　contracting　
themselves—that　they　seemed　to　twinkle　instead　of　his　eyes；　
which　hardly　ever　twinkled　at　all。　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

‘I　suppose　you　are　quite　a　great　lawyer？’　I　said；　after　looking　at　
him　for　some　time。　

‘Me；　Master　Copperfield？’　said　Uriah。　‘Oh；　no！　I’m　a　very　umble　
person。’　

It　was　no　fancy　of　mine　about　his　hands；　I　observed；　for　he　
frequently　ground　the　palms　against　each　other　as　if　to　squeeze　
them　dry　and　warm；　besides　often　wiping　them；　in　a　stealthy　way；　
on　his　pocket…handkerchief。　

‘I　am　well　aware　that　I　am　the　umblest　person　going；’　said　
Uriah　Heep；　modestly；　‘let　the　other　be　where　he　may。　My　mother　
is　likewise　a　very　umble　person。　We　live　in　a　numble　abode；　
Master　Copperfield；　but　have　much　to　be　thankful　for。　My　father’s　
former　calling　was　umble。　He　was　a　sexton。’　

‘What　is　he　now？’　I　asked。　

‘He　is　a　partaker　of　glory　at　present；　Master　Copperfield；’　said　
Uriah　Heep。　‘But　we　have　much　to　be　thankful　for。　How　much　
have　I　to　be　thankful　for　in　living　with　Mr。　Wickfield！’　

I　asked　Uriah　if　he　had　been　with　Mr。　Wickfield　long？　

‘I　have　been　with　him；　going　on　four　year；　Master　Copperfield；’　
said　Uriah；　shutting　up　his　book；　after　carefully　marking　the　place　
where　he　had　left　off。　‘Since　a　year　after　my　father’s　death。　How　
much　have　I　to　be　thankful　for；　in　that！　How　much　have　I　to　be　
thankful　for；　in　Mr。　Wickfield’s　kind　intention　to　give　me　my　
articles；　which　would　otherwise　not　lay　within　the　umble　means　of　
mother　and　self！’　

‘Then；　when　your　articled　time　is　over；　you’ll　be　a　regular　
lawyer；　I　suppose？’　said　I。　

‘With　the　blessing　of　Providence；　Master　Copperfield；’　returned　
Uriah。　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

‘Perhaps　you’ll　be　a　partner　in　Mr。　Wickfield’s　business；　one　of　
these　days；’　I　said；　to　make　myself　agreeable；　‘and　it　will　be　
Wickfield　and　Heep；　or　Heep　late　Wickfield。’　

‘Oh　no；　Master　Copperfield；’　returned　Uriah；　shaking　his　head；　
‘I　am　much　too　umble　for　that！’　

He　certainly　did　look　uncommonly　like　the　carved　face　on　the　
beam　outside　my　window；　as　he　sat；　in　his　humility；　eyeing　me　
sideways；　with　his　mouth　widened；　and　the　creases　in　his　cheeks。　

‘Mr。　Wickfield　is　a　most　excellent　man；　Master　Copperfield；’　
said　Uriah。　‘If　you　have　known　him　long；　you　know　it；　I　am　sure；　
much　better　than　I　can　inform　you。’　

I　replied　that　I　was　certain　he　was；　but　that　I　had　not　known　
him　long　myself；　though　he　was　a　friend　of　my　aunt’s。　

‘Oh；　indeed；　Master　Copperfield；’　said　Uriah。　‘Your　aunt　is　a　
sweet　lady；　Master　Copperfield！’　

He　had　a　way　of　writhing　when　he　wanted　to　express　
enthusiasm；　which　was　very　ugly；　and　which　diverted　my　attention　
from　the　compliment　he　had　paid　my　relation；　to　the　snaky　
twistings　of　his　throat　and　body。　

‘A　sweet　lady；　Master　Copperfield！’　said　Uriah　Heep。　‘She　has　a　
great　admiration　for　Miss　Agnes；　Master　Copperfield；　I　believe？’　

I　said；　‘Yes；’　boldly；　not　that　I　knew　anything　about　it；　Heaven　
forgive　me！　

‘I　hope　you　have；　too；　Master　Copperfield；’　said　Uriah。　‘But　I　am　
sure　you　must　have。’　

‘Everybody　must　have；’　I　returned。　

‘Oh；　thank　you；　Master　Copperfield；’　said　Uriah　Heep；　‘for　that　
remark！　It　is　so　true！　Umble　as　I　am；　I　know　it　is　so　true！　Oh；　thank　
you；　Master　Copperfield！’　He　writhed　himself　quite　off　his　stool　in　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

the　excitement　of　his　feelings；　and；　being　off；　began　to　make　
arrangements　for　going　home。　

‘Mother　will　be　expecting　me；’　he　said；　referring　to　a　pale；　
inexpressive…faced　watch　in　his　pocket；　‘and　getting　uneasy；　for　
though　we　are　very　umble；　Master　Copperfield；　we　are　much　
attached　to　one　another。　If　you　would　come　and　see　us；　any　
afternoon；　and　take　a　cup　of　tea　at　our　lowly　dwelling；　mother　
would　be　as　proud　of　your　company　as　I　should　be。’　

I　said　I　should　be　glad　to　come。　

‘Thank　you；　Master　Copperfield；’　returned　Uriah；　putting　his　
book　away　upon　the　shelf—‘I　suppose　you　stop　here；　some　time；　
Master　Copperfield？’　

I　said　I　was　going　to　be　brought　up　there；　I　believed；　as　long　as　I　
remained　at　school。　

‘Oh；　indeed！’　exclaimed　Uriah。　‘I　should　think　you　would　come　
into　the　business　at　last；　Master　Copperfield！’　

I　protested　that　I　had　no　views　of　that　sort；　and　that　no　such　
scheme　was　entertained　in　my　behalf　by　anybody；　but　Uriah　
insisted　on　blandly　replying　to　all　my　assurances；　‘Oh；　yes；　Master　
Copperfield；　I　should　think　you　would；　indeed！’　and；　‘Oh；　indeed；　
Master　C