david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第76章

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delightful　book　in　the　world。　

As　I　think　of　them　going　up　and　down　before　those　schoolroom　
windows—the　Doctor　reading　with　his　complacent　smile；　an　
occasional　flourish　of　the　manuscript；　or　grave　motion　of　his　head；　
and　Mr。　Dick　listening；　enchained　by　interest；　with　his　poor　wits　
calmly　wandering　God　knows　where；　upon　the　wings　of　hard　
words—I　think　of　it　as　one　of　the　pleasantest　things；　in　a　quiet　
way；　that　I　have　ever　seen。　I　feel　as　if　they　might　go　walking　to　and　
fro　for　ever；　and　the　world　might　somehow　be　the　better　for　it—as　
if　a　thousand　things　it　makes　a　noise　about；　were　not　one　half　so　
good　for　it；　or　me。　

Agnes　was　one　of　Mr。　Dick’s　friends；　very　soon；　and　in　often　

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David　Copperfield　

coming　to　the　house；　he　made　acquaintance　with　Uriah。　The　
friendship　between　himself　and　me　increased　continually；　and　it　
was　maintained　on　this　odd　footing：　that；　while　Mr。　Dick　came　
professedly　to　look　after　me　as　my　guardian；　he　always　consulted　
me　in　any　little　matter　of　doubt　that　arose；　and　invariably　guided　
himself　by　my　advice；　not　only　having　a　high　respect　for　my　native　
sagacity；　but　considering　that　I　inherited　a　good　deal　from　my　
aunt。　

One　Thursday　morning；　when　I　was　about　to　walk　with　Mr。　
Dick　from　the　hotel　to　the　coach　office　before　going　back　to　school　
（for　we　had　an　hour’s　school　before　breakfast）；　I　met　Uriah　in　the　
street；　who　reminded　me　of　the　promise　I　had　made　to　take　tea　
with　himself　and　his　mother：　adding；　with　a　writhe；　‘But　I　didn’t　
expect　you　to　keep　it；　Master　Copperfield；　we’re　so　very　umble。’　

I　really　had　not　yet　been　able　to　make　up　my　mind　whether　I　
liked　Uriah　or　detested　him；　and　I　was　very　doubtful　about　it　still；　
as　I　stood　looking　him　in　the　face　in　the　street。　But　I　felt　it　quite　an　
affront　to　be　supposed　proud；　and　said　I　only　wanted　to　be　asked。　

‘Oh；　if　that’s　all；　Master　Copperfield；’　said　Uriah；　‘and　it　really　
isn’t　our　umbleness　that　prevents　you；　will　you　come　this　evening？　
But　if　it　is　our　umbleness；　I　hope　you　won’t　mind　owning　to　it；　
Master　Copperfield；　for　we　are　well　aware　of　our　condition。’　

I　said　I　would　mention　it　to　Mr。　Wickfield；　and　if　he　approved；　
as　I　had　no　doubt　he　would；　I　would　come　with　pleasure。　So；　at　six　
o’clock　that　evening；　which　was　one　of　the　early　office　evenings；　I　
announced　myself　as　ready；　to　Uriah。　

‘Mother　will　be　proud；　indeed；’　he　said；　as　we　walked　away　
together。　‘Or　she　would　be　proud；　if　it　wasn’t　sinful；　Master　
Copperfield。’　

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‘Yet　you　didn’t　mind　supposing　I　was　proud　this　morning；’　I　
returned。　

‘Oh　dear；　no；　Master　Copperfield！’　returned　Uriah。　‘Oh；　believe　
me；　no！　Such　a　thought　never　came　into　my　head！　I　shouldn’t　have　
deemed　it　at　all　proud　if　you　had　thought　us　too　umble　for　you。　
Because　we　are　so　very　umble。’　

‘Have　you　been　studying　much　law　lately？’　I　asked；　to　change　
the　subject。　

‘Oh；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　said；　with　an　air　of　self…denial；　‘my　
reading　is　hardly　to　be　called　study。　I　have　passed　an　hour　or　two　
in　the　evening；　sometimes；　with　Mr。　Tidd。’　

‘Rather　hard；　I　suppose？’　said　I。　‘He　is　hard　to　me　sometimes；’　
returned　Uriah。　‘But　I　don’t　know　what　he　might　be　to　a　gifted　
person。’　

After　beating　a　little　tune　on　his　chin　as　he　walked　on；　with　the　
two　forefingers　of　his　skeleton　right　hand；　he　added：　

‘There　are　expressions；　you　see；　Master　Copperfield—Latin　
words　and　terms—in　Mr。　Tidd；　that　are　trying　to　a　reader　of　my　
umble　attainments。’　

‘Would　you　like　to　be　taught　Latin？’　I　said　briskly。　‘I　will　teach　it　
you　with　pleasure；　as　I　learn　it。’　

‘Oh；　thank　you；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　answered；　shaking　his　
head。　‘I　am　sure　it’s　very　kind　of　you　to　make　the　offer；　but　I　am　
much　too　umble　to　accept　it。’　

‘What　nonsense；　Uriah！’　

‘Oh；　indeed　you　must　excuse　me；　Master　Copperfield！　I　am　
greatly　obliged；　and　I　should　like　it　of　all　things；　I　assure　you；　but　I　
am　far　too　umble。　There　are　people　enough　to　tread　upon　me　in　
my　lowly　state；　without　my　doing　outrage　to　their　feelings　by　

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possessing　learning。　Learning　ain’t　for　me。　A　person　like　myself　
had　better　not　aspire。　If　he　is　to　get　on　in　life；　he　must　get　on　
umbly；　Master　Copperfield！’　

I　never　saw　his　mouth　so　wide；　or　the　creases　in　his　cheeks　so　
deep；　as　when　he　delivered　himself　of　these　sentiments：　shaking　
his　head　all　the　time；　and　writhing　modestly。　

‘I　think　you　are　wrong；　Uriah；’　I　said。　‘I　dare　say　there　are　
several　things　that　I　could　teach　you；　if　you　would　like　to　learn　
them。’　

‘Oh；　I　don’t　doubt　that；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　answered；　‘not　
in　the　least。　But　not　being　umble　yourself；　you　don’t　judge　well；　
perhaps；　for　them　that　are。　I　won’t　provoke　my　betters　with　
knowledge；　thank　you。　I’m　much　too　umble。　Here　is　my　umble　
dwelling；　Master　Copperfield！’　

We　entered　a　low；　old…fashioned　room；　walked　straight　into　
from　the　street；　and　found　there　Mrs。　Heep；　who　was　the　dead　
image　of　Uriah；　only　short。　She　received　me　with　the　utmost　
humility；　and　apologized　to　me　for　giving　her　son　a　kiss；　observing　
that；　lowly　as　they　were；　they　had　their　natural　affections；　which　
they　hoped　would　give　no　offence　to　anyone。　It　was　a　perfectly　
decent　room；　half　parlour　and　half　kitchen；　but　not　at　all　a　snug　
room。　The　tea…things　were　set　upon　the　table；　and　the　kettle　was　
boiling　on　the　hob。　There　was　a　chest　of　drawers　with　an　escritoire　
top；　for　Uriah　to　read　or　write　at　of　an　evening；　there　was　Uriah’s　
blue　bag　lying　down　and　vomiting　papers；　there　was　a　company　of　
Uriah’s　books　commanded　by　Mr。　Tidd；　there　was　a　corner　
cupboard：　and　there　were　the　usual　articles　of　furniture。　I　don’t　
remember　that　any　individual　object　had　a　bare；　pinched；　spare　
look；　but　I　do　remember　that　the　whole　place　had。　

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It　was　perhaps　a　part　of　Mrs。　Heep’s　humility；　that　she　still　wore　
weeds。　Notwithstanding　the　lapse　of　time　that　had　occurred　since　
Mr。　Heep’s　decease；　she　still　wore　weeds。　I　think　there　was　some　
compromise　in　the　cap；　but　otherwise　she　was　as　weedy　as　in　the　
early　days　of　her　mourning。　

‘This　is　a　day　to　be　remembered；　my　Uriah；　I　am　sure；’　said　Mrs。　
Heep；　making　the　tea；　‘when　Master　Copperfield　pays　us　a　visit。’　

‘I　said　you’d　think　so；　mother；’　said　Uriah。　

‘If　I　could　have　wished　father　to　remain　among　us　for　any　
reason；’　said　Mrs。　Heep；　‘it　would　have　been；　that　he　might　have　
known　his　company　this　afternoon。’　

I　felt　embarrassed　by　these　compliments；　but　I　was　sensible；　
too；　of　being　entertained　as　an　honoured　guest；　and　I　thought　Mrs。　
Heep　an　agreeable　woman。　

‘My　Uriah；’　said　Mrs。　Heep；　‘has　looked　forward　to　this；　sir；　a　
long　while。　He　had　his　fears　that　our　umbleness　stood　in　the　way；　
and　I　joined　in　them　myself。　Umble　we　are；　umble　we　have　been；　
umble　we　shall　ever　be；’　said　Mrs。　Heep。　

‘I　am　sure　you　have　no　occasion　to　be　so；　ma’am；’　I　said；　‘unless　
you　like。’　

‘Thank　you；　sir；’　retorted　Mrs。　Heep。　‘We　know　our　station　and　
are　thankful　in　it。’　

I　found　that　Mrs。　Heep　gradually　got　nearer　to　me；　and　that　
Uriah　gradually　got　opposite　to　me；　and　that　they　respectfully　
plied　me　with　the　choicest　of　the　eatables　on　the　table。　There　was　
nothing　particularly　choice　there；　to　be　sure；　but　I　took　the　will　for　
the　deed；　and　felt　that　they　were　very　attentive。　Presently　they　
began　to　talk　about　aunts；　and　then　I　told　them　about　mine；　and　
about　fathers　and　mothers；　and　then　I　told　them　about　mine；　and　

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then　Mrs。　Heep　began　to　talk　about　fathers…in…law；　and　then　I　
began　to　tell　her　about　mine—but　stopped；　because　my　aunt　had　
advised　me　to　observe　a　silence　on　that　subject。　A　tender　young　
cork；　however；　would　have　had　no　more　chance　against　a　pair　of　
corkscrews；　or　a　tender　young　tooth　against　a　pair　of　dentists；　or　a