david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第108节

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a　little　more　slatternly　than　she　used　to　be；　or　so　she　seemed　now；　
to　my　unaccustomed　eyes；　but　still　with　some　preparation　of　
herself　for　company；　and　with　a　pair　of　brown　gloves　on。　

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David　Copperfield　

‘My　dear；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　leading　her　towards　me；　‘here　is　a　
gentleman　of　the　name　of　Copperfield；　who　wishes　to　renew　his　
acquaintance　with　you。’　

It　would　have　been　better；　as　it　turned　out；　to　have　led　gently　up　
to　this　announcement；　for　Mrs。　Micawber；　being　in　a　delicate　state　
of　health；　was　overcome　by　it；　and　was　taken　so　unwell；　that　Mr。　
Micawber　was　obliged；　in　great　trepidation；　to　run　down　to　the　
water…butt　in　the　backyard；　and　draw　a　basinful　to　lave　her　brow　
with。　She　presently　revived；　however；　and　was　really　pleased　to　
see　me。　We　had　half…an…hour’s　talk；　all　together；　and　I　asked　her　
about　the　twins；　who；　she　said；　were　‘grown　great　creatures’；　and　
after　Master　and　Miss　Micawber；　whom　she　described　as　‘absolute　
giants’；　but　they　were　not　produced　on　that　occasion。　

Mr。　Micawber　was　very　anxious　that　I　should　stay　to　dinner。　I　
should　not　have　been　averse　to　do　so；　but　that　I　imagined　I　
detected　trouble；　and　calculation　relative　to　the　extent　of　the　cold　
meat；　in　Mrs。　Micawber’s　eye。　I　therefore　pleaded　another　
engagement；　and　observing　that　Mrs。　Micawber’s　spirits　were　
immediately　lightened；　I　resisted　all　persuasion　to　forego　it。　

But　I　told　Traddles；　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Micawber；　that　before　I　
could　think　of　leaving；　they　must　appoint　a　day　when　they　would　
come　and　dine　with　me。　The　occupations　to　which　Traddles　stood　
pledged；　rendered　it　necessary　to　fix　a　somewhat　distant　one；　but　
an　appointment　was　made　for　the　purpose；　that　suited　us　all；　and　
then　I　took　my　leave。　

Mr。　Micawber；　under　pretence　of　showing　me　a　nearer　way　
than　that　by　which　I　had　come；　accompanied　me　to　the　corner　of　
the　street；　being　anxious　（he　explained　to　me）　to　say　a　few　words　
to　an　old　friend；　in　confidence。　

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‘My　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘I　need　hardly　tell　
you　that　to　have　beneath　our　roof；　under　existing　circumstances；　a　
mind　like　that　which　gleams—if　I　may　be　allowed　the　expression—　
which　gleams—in　your　friend　Traddles；　is　an　unspeakable　
comfort。　With　a　washerwoman；　who　exposes　hard…bake　for　sale　in　
her　parlour…window；　dwelling　next　door；　and　a　Bow…street　officer　
residing　over　the　way；　you　may　imagine　that　his　society　is　a　source　
of　consolation　to　myself　and　to　Mrs。　Micawber。　I　am　at　present；　my　
dear　Copperfield；　engaged　in　the　sale　of　corn　upon　commission。　It　
is　not　an　avocation　of　a　remunerative　description—in　other　words；　
it　does　not　pay—and　some　temporary　embarrassments　of　a　
pecuniary　nature　have　been　the　consequence。　I　am；　however；　
delighted　to　add　that　I　have　now　an　immediate　prospect　of　
something　turning　up　（I　am　not　at　liberty　to　say　in　what　direction）；　
which　I　trust　will　enable　me　to　provide；　permanently；　both　for　
myself　and　for　your　friend　Traddles；　in　whom　I　have　an　unaffected　
interest。　You　may；　perhaps；　be　prepared　to　hear　that　Mrs。　
Micawber　is　in　a　state　of　health　which　renders　it　not　wholly　
improbable　that　an　addition　may　be　ultimately　made　to　those　
pledges　of　affection　which—in　short；　to　the　infantine　group。　Mrs。　
Micawber’s　family　have　been　so　good　as　to　express　their　
dissatisfaction　at　this　state　of　things。　I　have　merely　to　observe；　that　
I　am　not　aware　that　it　is　any　business　of　theirs；　and　that　I　repel　
that　exhibition　of　feeling　with　scorn；　and　with　defiance！’　

Mr。　Micawber　then　shook　hands　with　me　again；　and　left　me。　

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Chapter　28　

Mr。　MICAWBER’S　GAUNTLET　

Until　the　day　arrived　on　which　I　was　to　entertain　my　
newly…found　old　friends；　I　lived　principally　on　Dora　and　
coffee。　In　my　love…lorn　condition；　my　appetite　
languished；　and　I　was　glad　of　it；　for　I　felt　as　though　it　would　have　
been　an　act　of　perfidy　towards　Dora　to　have　a　natural　relish　for　my　
dinner。　The　quantity　of　walking　exercise　I　took；　was　not　in　this　
respect　attended　with　its　usual　consequence；　as　the　
disappointment　counteracted　the　fresh　air。　I　have　my　doubts；　too；　
founded　on　the　acute　experience　acquired　at　this　period　of　my　life；　
whether　a　sound　enjoyment　of　animal　food　can　develop　itself　
freely　in　any　human　subject　who　is　always　in　torment　from　tight　
boots。　I　think　the　extremities　require　to　be　at　peace　before　the　
stomach　will　conduct　itself　with　vigour。　

On　the　occasion　of　this　domestic　little　party；　I　did　not　repeat　my　
former　extensive　preparations。　I　merely　provided　a　pair　of　soles；　a　
small　leg　of　mutton；　and　a　pigeon…pie。　Mrs。　Crupp　broke　out　into　
rebellion　on　my　first　bashful　hint　in　reference　to　the　cooking　of　the　
fish　and　joint；　and　said；　with　a　dignified　sense　of　injury；　‘No！　No；　
sir！　You　will　not　ask　me　sich　a　thing；　for　you　are　better　acquainted　
with　me　than　to　suppose　me　capable　of　doing　what　I　cannot　do　
with　ampial　satisfaction　to　my　own　feelings！’　But；　in　the　end；　a　
compromise　was　effected；　and　Mrs。　Crupp　consented　to　achieve　
this　feat；　on　condition　that　I　dined　from　home　for　a　fortnight　
afterwards。　

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And　here　I　may　remark；　that　what　I　underwent　from　Mrs。　
Crupp；　in　consequence　of　the　tyranny　she　established　over　me；　
was　dreadful。　I　never　was　so　much　afraid　of　anyone。　We　made　a　
compromise　of　everything。　If　I　hesitated；　she　was　taken　with　that　
wonderful　disorder　which　was　always　lying　in　ambush　in　her　
system；　ready；　at　the　shortest　notice；　to　prey　upon　her　vitals。　If　I　
rang　the　bell　impatiently；　after　half…a…dozen　unavailing　modest　
pulls；　and　she　appeared　at　last—which　was　not　by　any　means　to　be　
relied　upon—she　would　appear　with　a　reproachful　aspect；　sink　
breathless　on　a　chair　near　the　door；　lay　her　hand　upon　her　
nankeen　bosom；　and　become　so　ill；　that　I　was　glad；　at　any　sacrifice　
of　brandy　or　anything　else；　to　get　rid　of　her。　If　I　objected　to　having　
my　bed　made　at　five　o’clock　in　the　afternoon—which　I　do　still　
think　an　uncomfortable　arrangement—one　motion　of　her　hand　
towards　the　same　nankeen　region　of　wounded　sensibility　was　
enough　to　make　me　falter　an　apology。　In　short；　I　would　have　done　
anything　in　an　honourable　way　rather　than　give　Mrs。　Crupp　
offence；　and　she　was　the　terror　of　my　life。　

I　bought　a　second…hand　dumb…waiter　for　this　dinner…party；　in　
preference　to　re…engaging　the　handy　young　man；　against　whom　I　
had　conceived　a　prejudice；　in　consequence　of　meeting　him　in　the　
Strand；　one　Sunday　morning；　in　a　waistcoat　remarkably　like　one　
of　mine；　which　had　been　missing　since　the　former　occasion。　The　
‘young　gal’　was　re…engaged；　but　on　the　stipulation　that　she　should　
only　bring　in　the　dishes；　and　then　withdraw　to　the　landing…place；　
beyond　the　outer　door；　where　a　habit　of　sniffing　she　had　
contracted　would　be　lost　upon　the　guests；　and　where　her　retiring　
on　the　plates　would　be　a　physical　impossibility。　

Having　laid　in　the　materials　for　a　bowl　of　punch；　to　be　

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compounded　by　Mr。　Micawber；　having　provided　a　bottle　of　
lavender…water；　two　wax…candles；　a　paper　of　mixed　pins；　and　a　
pincushion；　to　assist　Mrs。　Micawber　in　her　toilette　at　my　dressing…
table；　having　also　caused　the　fire　in　my　bedroom　to　be　lighted　for　
Mrs。　Micawber’s　convenience；　and　having　laid　the　cloth　with　my　
own　hands；　I　awaited　the　result　with　composure。　

At　the　appointed　time；　my　three　visitors　arrived　together。　Mr。　
Micawber　with　more　shirt…collar　than　usual；　and　a　new　ribbon　to　
his　eye…glass；　Mrs。　Micawber　with　her　cap　in　a　whitey…brown　
paper　parcel；　Traddles　carrying　the　parcel；　and　supporting　Mrs。　
Micawber　on　his　arm。　They　were　all　delighted　with　my　residence。　
When　I　conducted　Mrs。　Micawber　to　my　dressing…table；　and　she　
saw　the　scale　on　which　it　was　prepared　for　her；　she　was　in　such　
raptures；　that　she　called　Mr。　Micawber　to　come　in　and　look。　

‘My　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘this　is　luxurious。　
This　is　a　way　of　life　which　reminds　me　of　the　period　when　I　was　
myself　in　a　state　of　celibacy；　and　Mrs。　Micawber　had　not　yet　been　
solicited　to　plight　her　faith　at　the　Hymeneal　altar。’　

‘He　means；　solicited　by　him；　Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Mrs。　
Micawber；　archly。　‘He　cannot　answer　for　others。’　

‘My　dear；’　returned　Mr。　Micawber　with　sudden　seriousness；　‘I　
have　no　desire　to　answer　for　others。　I　am　too　well　aware　that　
when；　in　the　inscrutable　decrees　of　Fate；　you　were　reserved　for　
me；　it　is　possible　you　may　have　been　reserved　for　one；　destined；　
after　a　protracted　struggle；　at　length　to　fall　a　victim　to　pecuniary　
involvements　of　a　complicated　nature。　I　understand　your　allusion；　
my　love。　I　regret　it；　but　I　can　bear　it。’　

‘Micawber！’　exclaimed　Mrs。　Micawber；　in　tears。　‘Have　I　
deserved　this！　I；　who　never　have　deserted　you；　who　never　WILL　

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desert　you；　Micawber！’　

‘My　love；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　m