david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第72章

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had　come　from　France；　and　could　only　originate　in　the　
workmanship　of　that　ingenious　nation：　but　all　I　certainly　know　
about　it；　is；　that　it　always　made　its　appearance　of　an　evening；　
wheresoever　Mrs。　Markleham　made　her　appearance；　that　it　was　

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David　Copperfield　

carried　about　to　friendly　meetings　in　a　Hindoo　basket；　that　the　
butterflies　had　the　gift　of　trembling　constantly；　and　that　they　
improved　the　shining　hours　at　Doctor　Strong’s　expense；　like　busy　
bees。　

I　observed　the　Old　Soldier—not　to　adopt　the　name　
disrespectfully—to　pretty　good　advantage；　on　a　night　which　is　
made　memorable　to　me　by　something　else　I　shall　relate。　It　was　the　
night　of　a　little　party　at　the　Doctor’s；　which　was　given　on　the　
occasion　of　Mr。　Jack　Maldon’s　departure　for　India；　whither　he　was　
going　as　a　cadet；　or　something　of　that　kind：　Mr。　Wickfield　having　
at　length　arranged　the　business。　It　happened　to　be　the　Doctor’s　
birthday；　too。　We　had　had　a　holiday；　had　made　presents　to　him　in　
the　morning；　had　made　a　speech　to　him　through　the　head…boy；　and　
had　cheered　him　until　we　were　hoarse；　and　until　he　had　shed　
tears。　And　now；　in　the　evening；　Mr。　Wickfield；　Agnes；　and　I；　went　
to　have　tea　with　him　in　his　private　capacity。　

Mr。　Jack　Maldon　was　there；　before　us。　Mrs。　Strong；　dressed　in　
white；　with　cherry…coloured　ribbons；　was　playing　the　piano；　when　
we　went　in；　and　he　was　leaning　over　her　to　turn　the　leaves。　The　
clear　red　and　white　of　her　complexion　was　not　so　blooming　and　
flower…like　as　usual；　I　thought；　when　she　turned　round；　but　she　
looked　very　pretty；　Wonderfully　pretty。　

‘I　have　forgotten；　Doctor；’　said　Mrs。　Strong’s　mama；　when　we　
were　seated；　‘to　pay　you　the　compliments　of　the　day—though　they　
are；　as　you　may　suppose；　very　far　from　being　mere　compliments　in　
my　case。　Allow　me　to　wish　you　many　happy　returns。’　

‘I　thank　you；　ma’am；’　replied　the　Doctor。　

‘Many；　many；　many；　happy　returns；’　said　the　Old　Soldier。　‘Not　
only　for　your　own　sake；　but　for　Annie’s；　and　John　Maldon’s；　and　

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many　other　people’s。　It　seems　but　yesterday　to　me；　John；　when　
you　were　a　little　creature；　a　head　shorter　than　Master　Copperfield；　
making　baby　love　to　Annie　behind　the　gooseberry　bushes　in　the　
back…garden。’　

‘My　dear　mama；’　said　Mrs。　Strong；　‘never　mind　that　now。’　

‘Annie；　don’t　be　absurd；’　returned　her　mother。　‘If　you　are　to　
blush　to　hear　of　such　things　now　you　are　an　old　married　woman；　
when　are　you　not　to　blush　to　hear　of　them？’　

‘Old？’　exclaimed　Mr。　Jack　Maldon。　‘Annie？　Come！’　

‘Yes；　John；’　returned　the　Soldier。　‘Virtually；　an　old　married　
woman。　Although　not　old　by　years—for　when　did　you　ever　hear　
me　say；　or　who　has　ever　heard　me　say；　that　a　girl　of　twenty　was　old　
by　years！—your　cousin　is　the　wife　of　the　Doctor；　and；　as　such；　what　
I　have　described　her。　It　is　well　for　you；　John；　that　your　cousin　is　
the　wife　of　the　Doctor。　You　have　found　in　him　an　influential　and　
kind　friend；　who　will　be　kinder　yet；　I　venture　to　predict；　if　you　
deserve　it。　I　have　no　false　pride。　I　never　hesitate　to　admit；　frankly；　
that　there　are　some　members　of　our　family　who　want　a　friend。　You　
were　one　yourself；　before　your　cousin’s　influence　raised　up　one　for　
you。’　

The　Doctor；　in　the　goodness　of　his　heart；　waved　his　hand　as　if　to　
make　light　of　it；　and　save　Mr。　Jack　Maldon　from　any　further　
reminder。　But　Mrs。　Markleham　changed　her　chair　for　one　next　the　
Doctor’s；　and　putting　her　fan　on　his　coat…sleeve；　said：　

‘No；　really；　my　dear　Doctor；　you　must　excuse　me　if　I　appear　to　
dwell　on　this　rather；　because　I　feel　so　very　strongly。　I　call　it　quite　
my　monomania；　it　is　such　a　subject　of　mine。　You　are　a　blessing　to　
us。　You　really　are　a　Boon；　you　know。’　

‘Nonsense；　nonsense；’　said　the　Doctor。　

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‘No；　no；　I　beg　your　pardon；’　retorted　the　Old　Soldier。　‘With　
nobody　present；　but　our　dear　and　confidential　friend　Mr。　
Wickfield；　I　cannot　consent　to　be　put　down。　I　shall　begin　to　assert　
the　privileges　of　a　mother…in…law；　if　you　go　on　like　that；　and　scold　
you。　I　am　perfectly　honest　and　outspoken。　What　I　am　saying；　is　
what　I　said　when　you　first　overpowered　me　with　surprise—you　
remember　how　surprised　I　was？—by　proposing　for　Annie。　Not　
that　there　was　anything　so　very　much　out　of　the　way；　in　the　mere　
fact　of　the　proposal—it　would　be　ridiculous　to　say　that！—but　
because；　you　having　known　her　poor　father；　and　having　known　
her　from　a　baby　six　months　old；　I　hadn’t　thought　of　you　in　such　a　
light　at　all；　or　indeed　as　a　marrying　man　in　any　way；—simply　that；　
you　know。’　

‘Aye；　aye；’　returned　the　Doctor；　good…humouredly。　‘Never　
mind。’　

‘But　I　do　mind；’　said　the　Old　Soldier；　laying　her　fan　upon　his　
lips。　‘I　mind　very　much。　I　recall　these　things　that　I　may　be　
contradicted　if　I　am　wrong。　Well！　Then　I　spoke　to　Annie；　and　I　told　
her　what　had　happened。　I　said；　“My　dear；　here’s　Doctor　Strong　
has　positively　been　and　made　you　the　subject　of　a　handsome　
declaration　and　an　offer。”　Did　I　press　it　in　the　least？　No。　I　said；　
“Now；　Annie；　tell　me　the　truth　this　moment；　is　your　heart　free？”　
“Mama；”　she　said　crying；　“I　am　extremely　young”—which　was　
perfectly　true—“and　I　hardly　know　if　I　have　a　heart　at　all。”　“Then；　
my　dear；”　I　said；　“you　may　rely　upon　it；　it’s　free。　At　all　events；　my　
love；”　said　I；　“Doctor　Strong　is　in　an　agitated　state　of　mind；　and　
must　be　answered。　He　cannot　be　kept　in　his　present　state　of　
suspense。”　“Mama；”　said　Annie；　still　crying；　“would　he　be　
unhappy　without　me？　If　he　would；　I　honour　and　respect　him　so　

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much；　that　I　think　I　will　have　him。”　So　it　was　settled。　And　then；　
and　not　till　then；　I　said　to　Annie；　“Annie；　Doctor　Strong　will　not　
only　be　your　husband；　but　he　will　represent　your　late　father：　he　
will　represent　the　head　of　our　family；　he　will　represent　the　wisdom　
and　station；　and　I　may　say　the　means；　of　our　family；　and　will　be；　in　
short；　a　Boon　to　it。”　I　used　the　word　at　the　time；　and　I　have　used　it　
again；　today。　If　I　have　any　merit　it　is　consistency。’　

The　daughter　had　sat　quite　silent　and　still　during　this　speech；　
with　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground；　her　cousin　standing　near　her；　
and　looking　on　the　ground　too。　She　now　said　very　softly；　in　a　
trembling　voice：　

‘Mama；　I　hope　you　have　finished？’　

‘No；　my　dear　Annie；’　returned　the　Old　Soldier；　‘I　have　not　quite　
finished。　Since　you　ask　me；　my　love；　I　reply　that　I　have　not。　I　
complain　that　you　really　are　a　little　unnatural　towards　your　own　
family；　and；　as　it　is　of　no　use　complaining　to　you。　I　mean　to　
complain　to　your　husband。　Now；　my　dear　Doctor；　do　look　at　that　
silly　wife　of　yours。’　

As　the　Doctor　turned　his　kind　face；　with　its　smile　of　simplicity　
and　gentleness；　towards　her；　she　drooped　her　head　more。　I　noticed　
that　Mr。　Wickfield　looked　at　her　steadily。　

‘When　I　happened　to　say　to　that　naughty　thing；　the　other　day；’　
pursued　her　mother；　shaking　her　head　and　her　fan　at　her；　
playfully；　‘that　there　was　a　family　circumstance　she　might　mention　
to　you—indeed；　I　think；　was　bound　to　mention—she　said；　that　to　
mention　it　was　to　ask　a　favour；　and　that；　as　you　were　too　generous；　
and　as　for　her　to　ask　was　always　to　have；　she　wouldn’t。’　

‘Annie；　my　dear；’　said　the　Doctor。　‘That　was　wrong。　It　robbed　
me　of　a　pleasure。’　

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‘Almost　the　very　words　I　said　to　her！’　exclaimed　her　mother。　
‘Now　really；　another　time；　when　I　know　what　she　would　tell　you　
but　for　this　reason；　and　won’t；　I　have　a　great　mind；　my　dear　
Doctor；　to　tell　you　myself。’　

‘I　shall　be　glad　if　you　will；’　returned　the　Doctor。　

‘Shall　I？’　

‘Certainly。’　

‘Well；　then；　I　will！’　said　the　Old　Soldier。　‘That’s　a　bargain。’　And　
having；　I　suppose；　carried　her　point；　she　tapped　the　Doctor’s　hand　
several　times　with　her　fan　（which　she　kissed　first）；　and　returned　
triumphantly　to　her　former　station。