david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第100节

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that　it　seems　to　rain　blessings　on　my　ed。　You　have　heard　
something；　I　des…say；　of　a　change　in　my　expectations；　Master　
Copperfield；—I　should　say；　Mister　Copperfield？’　

As　he　sat　on　my　sofa；　with　his　long　knees　drawn　up　under　his　
coffee…cup；　his　hat　and　gloves　upon　the　ground　close　to　him；　his　
spoon　going　softly　round　and　round；　his　shadowless　red　eyes；　
which　looked　as　if　they　had　scorched　their　lashes　off；　turned　
towards　me　without　looking　at　me；　the　disagreeable　dints　I　have　
formerly　described　in　his　nostrils　coming　and　going　with　his　
breath；　and　a　snaky　undulation　pervading　his　frame　from　his　chin　
to　his　boots；　I　decided　in　my　own　mind　that　I　disliked　him　
intensely。　It　made　me　very　uncomfortable　to　have　him　for　a　guest；　
for　I　was　young　then；　and　unused　to　disguise　what　I　so　strongly　
felt。　

‘You　have　heard　something；　I　des…say；　of　a　change　in　my　

expectations；　Master　Copperfield；—I　should　say；　Mister　
Copperfield？’　observed　Uriah。　
‘Yes；’　said　I；　‘something。’　
‘Ah！　I　thought　Miss　Agnes　would　know　of　it！’　he　quietly　

returned。　‘I’m　glad　to　find　Miss　Agnes　knows　of　it。　Oh；　thank　you；　
Master—Mister　Copperfield！’　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

I　could　have　thrown　my　bootjack　at　him　（it　lay　ready　on　the　
rug）；　for　having　entrapped　me　into　the　disclosure　of　anything　
concerning　Agnes；　however　immaterial。　But　I　only　drank　my　
coffee。　

‘What　a　prophet　you　have　shown　yourself；　Mister　Copperfield！’　
pursued　Uriah。　‘Dear　me；　what　a　prophet　you　have　proved　
yourself　to　be！　Don’t　you　remember　saying　to　me　once；　that　
perhaps　I　should　be　a　partner　in　Mr。　Wickfield’s　business；　and　
perhaps　it　might　be　Wickfield　and　Heep？　You　may　not　recollect　it；　
but　when　a　person　is　umble；　Master　Copperfield；　a　person　
treasures　such　things　up！’　

‘I　recollect　talking　about　it；’　said　I；　‘though　I　certainly　did　not　
think　it　very　likely　then。’　

‘Oh！　who　would　have　thought　it　likely；　Mister　Copperfield！’　
returned　Uriah；　enthusiastically。　‘I　am　sure　I　didn’t　myself。　I　
recollect　saying　with　my　own　lips　that　I　was　much　too　umble。　So　I　
considered　myself　really　and　truly。’　

He　sat；　with　that　carved　grin　on　his　face；　looking　at　the　fire；　as　I　
looked　at　him。　

‘But　the　umblest　persons；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　presently　
resumed；　‘may　be　the　instruments　of　good。　I　am　glad　to　think　I　
have　been　the　instrument　of　good　to　Mr。　Wickfield；　and　that　I　may　
be　more　so。　Oh　what　a　worthy　man　he　is；　Mister　Copperfield；　but　
how　imprudent　he　has　been！’　

‘I　am　sorry　to　hear　it；’　said　I。　I　could　not　help　adding；　rather　
pointedly；　‘on　all　accounts。’　

‘Decidedly　so；　Mister　Copperfield；’　replied　Uriah。　‘On　all　
accounts。　Miss　Agnes’s　above　all！　You　don’t　remember　your　own　
eloquent　expressions；　Master　Copperfield；　but　I　remember　how　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

you　said　one　day　that　everybody　must　admire　her；　and　how　I　
thanked　you　for　it！　You　have　forgot　that；　I　have　no　doubt；　Master　
Copperfield？’　

‘No；’　said　I；　drily。　

‘Oh　how　glad　I　am　you　have　not！’　exclaimed　Uriah。　‘To　think　
that　you　should　be　the　first　to　kindle　the　sparks　of　ambition　in　my　
umble　breast；　and　that　you’ve　not　forgot　it！　Oh！—Would　you　
excuse　me　asking　for　a　cup　more　coffee？’　

Something　in　the　emphasis　he　laid　upon　the　kindling　of　those　
sparks；　and　something　in　the　glance　he　directed　at　me　as　he　said　it；　
had　made　me　start　as　if　I　had　seen　him　illuminated　by　a　blaze　of　
light。　Recalled　by　his　request；　preferred　in　quite　another　tone　of　
voice；　I　did　the　honours　of　the　shaving…pot；　but　I　did　them　with　an　
unsteadiness　of　hand；　a　sudden　sense　of　being　no　match　for　him；　
and　a　perplexed　suspicious　anxiety　as　to　what　he　might　be　going　to　
say　next；　which　I　felt　could　not　escape　his　observation。　

He　said　nothing　at　all。　He　stirred　his　coffee　round　and　round；　he　
sipped　it；　he　felt　his　chin　softly　with　his　grisly　hand；　he　looked　at　
the　fire；　he　looked　about　the　room；　he　gasped　rather　than　smiled　at　
me；　he　writhed　and　undulated　about；　in　his　deferential　servility；　he　
stirred　and　sipped　again；　but　he　left　the　renewal　of　the　
conversation　to　me。　

‘So；　Mr。　Wickfield；’　said　I；　at　last；　‘who　is　worth　five　hundred　of　
you—or　me’；　for　my　life；　I　think；　I　could　not　have　helped　dividing　
that　part　of　the　sentence　with　an　awkward　jerk；　‘has　been　
imprudent；　has　he；　Mr。　Heep？’　

‘Oh；　very　imprudent　indeed；　Master　Copperfield；’　returned　
Uriah；　sighing　modestly。　‘Oh；　very　much　so！　But　I　wish　you’d　call　
me　Uriah；　if　you　please。　It’s　like　old　times。’　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

‘Well！　Uriah；’　said　I；　bolting　it　out　with　some　difficulty。　

‘Thank　you；’　he　returned；　with　fervour。　‘Thank　you；　Master　
Copperfield！　It’s　like　the　blowing　of　old　breezes　or　the　ringing　of　
old　bellses　to　hear　you　say　Uriah。　I　beg　your　pardon。　Was　I　making　
any　observation？’　

‘About　Mr。　Wickfield；’　I　suggested。　

‘Oh！　Yes；　truly；’　said　Uriah。　‘Ah！　Great　imprudence；　Master　
Copperfield。　It’s　a　topic　that　I　wouldn’t　touch　upon；　to　any　soul　but　
you。　Even　to　you　I　can　only　touch　upon　it；　and　no　more。　If　anyone　
else　had　been　in　my　place　during　the　last　few　years；　by　this　time　he　
would　have　had　Mr。　Wickfield　（oh；　what　a　worthy　man　he　is；　
Master　Copperfield；　too！）　under　his　thumb。　Un—der—his　thumb；’　
said　Uriah；　very　slowly；　as　he　stretched　out　his　cruel…looking　hand　
above　my　table；　and　pressed　his　own　thumb　upon　it；　until　it　shook；　
and　shook　the　room。　

If　I　had　been　obliged　to　look　at　him　with　him　splay　foot　on　Mr。　
Wickfield’s　head；　I　think　I　could　scarcely　have　hated　him　more。　

‘Oh；　dear；　yes；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　proceeded；　in　a　soft　
voice；　most　remarkably　contrasting　with　the　action　of　his　thumb；　
which　did　not　diminish　its　hard　pressure　in　the　least　degree；　
‘there’s　no　doubt　of　it。　There　would　have　been　loss；　disgrace；　I　
don’t　know　what　at　all。　Mr。　Wickfield　knows　it。　I　am　the　umble　
instrument　of　umbly　serving　him；　and　he　puts　me　on　an　eminence　
I　hardly　could　have　hoped　to　reach。　How　thankful　should　I　be！’　
With　his　face　turned　towards　me；　as　he　finished；　but　without　
looking　at　me；　he　took　his　crooked　thumb　off　the　spot　where　he　
had　planted　it；　and　slowly　and　thoughtfully　scraped　his　lank　jaw　
with　it；　as　if　he　were　shaving　himself。　

I　recollect　well　how　indignantly　my　heart　beat；　as　I　saw　his　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

crafty　face；　with　the　appropriately　red　light　of　the　fire　upon　it；　

preparing　for　something　else。　

‘Master　Copperfield；’　he　began—‘but　am　I　keeping　you　up？’　

‘You　are　not　keeping　me　up。　I　generally　go　to　bed　late。’　

‘Thank　you；　Master　Copperfield！　I　have　risen　from　my　umble　
station　since　first　you　used　to　address　me；　it　is　true；　but　I　am　
umble　still。　I　hope　I　never　shall　be　otherwise　than　umble。　You　will　
not　think　the　worse　of　my　umbleness；　if　I　make　a　little　confidence　
to　you；　Master　Copperfield？　Will　you？’　

‘Oh　no；’　said　I；　with　an　effort。　

‘Thank　you！’　He　took　out　his　pocket…handkerchief；　and　began　
wiping　the　palms　of　his　hands。　‘Miss　Agnes；　Master　Copperfield—’　

‘Well；　Uriah？’　

‘Oh；　how　pleasant　to　be　called　Uriah；　spontaneously！’　he　cried；　
and　gave　himself　a　jerk；　like　a　convulsive　fish。　‘You　thought　her　
looking　very　beautiful　tonight；　Master　Copperfield？’　

‘I　thought　her　looking　as　she　always　does：　superior；　in　all　
respects；　to　everyone　around　her；’　I　returned。　

‘Oh；　thank　you！　It’s　so　true！’　he　cried。　‘Oh；　thank　you　very　much　
for　that！’　

‘Not　at　all；’　I　said；　loftily。　‘There　is　no　reason　why　you　should　
thank　me。’　

‘Why　that；　Master　Copperfield；’　said　Uriah；　‘is；　in　fact；　the　
confidence　that　I　am　going　to　take　the　liberty　of　reposing。　Umble　
as　I　am；’　he　wiped　his　hands　harder；　and　looked　at　them　and　at　the　
fire　by　turns；　’umble　as　my　mother　is；　and　lowly　as　our　poor　but　
honest　roof　has　ever　been；　the　image　of　Miss　Agnes　（I　don’t　mind　
trusting　you　with　my　secret；　Master　Copperfield；　for　I　have　always　
overflowed　towards　you　since　the　first　moment　I　had　the　pleasure　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

of　beholding　you　in　a　pony…shay）　has　been　in　my　breast　for　years。　
Oh；　Master　Copperfield；　with　what　a　pure　affection　do　I　love　the　
ground　my　Agnes　walks　on！’　

I　believe　I　had　a　delirious　idea　of　seizing　the　red…hot　poker　out　
of　the　fire；　and　running　him　through　with　it。　It　went　from　me　with　
a　shock；　like　a　ball　fired　from　a　rifle：　but　the　image　of　Agnes；　
outraged　by　so　much　as　a　thought　of　this　red…headed　animal’s；　
remained　in　my　mind　when　I　looked　at　him；　sitting　all　awry　as　if　
his　mean　soul　griped　his　body；　and　made　me　giddy。　He　seemed　to　
swell　and　grow　before　my　eyes；　the　room　seemed　full　of　the　echoes　
of　his　voice；　and　the　strange　feeling　（to　which；　perhaps；　no　one　is　
quite　a　stranger）　that　all　this　had　occurred　before；　at　some　
indefinite　time；　and　that　I　knew　what　he　was　going　to　say　next；　
took　possession　of　me。　

A　timely　observation　of　the　sense　of　power　that　the