david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第111节

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‘Exactly　so！’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　preserving　the　same　logical　
air。　‘Quite　true；　my　dear　Mr。　Copperfield！　I　have　made　the　
identical　observation　to　Mr。　Micawber。　It　is　for　that　reason　
especially；　that　I　think　Mr。　Micawber　ought　（as　I　have　already　said；　
in　justice　to　himself；　in　justice　to　his　family；　and　in　justice　to　
society）　to　raise　a　certain　sum　of　money—on　a　bill。’　

Mr。　Micawber；　leaning　back　in　his　chair；　trifled　with　his　eyeglass　and　cast　his　eyes　up　at　the　ceiling；　but　I　thought　him　
observant　of　Traddles；　too；　who　was　looking　at　the　fire。　

‘If　no　member　of　my　family；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘is　possessed　
of　sufficient　natural　feeling　to　negotiate　that　bill—I　believe　there　is　
a　better　business…term　to　express　what　I　mean—’　

Mr。　Micawber；　with　his　eyes　still　cast　up　at　the　ceiling；　
suggested　‘Discount。’　

‘To　discount　that　bill；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘then　my　opinion　is；　
that　Mr。　Micawber　should　go　into　the　City；　should　take　that　bill　
into　the　Money　Market；　and　should　dispose　of　it　for　what　he　can　
get。　If　the　individuals　in　the　Money　Market　oblige　Mr。　Micawber　to　
sustain　a　great　sacrifice；　that　is　between　themselves　and　their　
consciences。　I　view　it；　steadily；　as　an　investment。　I　recommend　Mr。　

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David　Copperfield　

Micawber；　my　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；　to　do　the　same；　to　regard　it　as　
an　investment　which　is　sure　of　return；　and　to　make　up　his　mind　to　
any　sacrifice。’　

I　felt；　but　I　am　sure　I　don’t　know　why；　that　this　was　self…denying　
and　devoted　in　Mrs。　Micawber；　and　I　uttered　a　murmur　to　that　
effect。　Traddles；　who　took　his　tone　from　me；　did　likewise；　still　
looking　at　the　fire。　

‘I　will　not；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　finishing　her　punch；　and　
gathering　her　scarf　about　her　shoulders；　preparatory　to　her　
withdrawal　to　my　bedroom：　‘I　will　not　protract　these　remarks　on　
the　subject　of　Mr。　Micawber’s　pecuniary　affairs。　At　your　fireside；　
my　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；　and　in　the　presence　of　Mr。　Traddles；　
who；　though　not　so　old　a　friend；　is　quite　one　of　ourselves；　I　could　
not　refrain　from　making　you　acquainted　with　the　course　I　advise　
Mr。　Micawber　to　take。　I　feel　that　the　time　is　arrived　when　Mr。　
Micawber　should　exert　himself　and—I　will　add—assert　himself；　
and　it　appears　to　me　that　these　are　the　means。　I　am　aware　that　I　
am　merely　a　female；　and　that　a　masculine　judgement　is　usually　
considered　more　competent　to　the　discussion　of　such　questions；　
still　I　must　not　forget　that；　when　I　lived　at　home　with　my　papa　and　
mama；　my　papa　was　in　the　habit　of　saying；　“Emma’s　form　is　
fragile；　but　her　grasp　of　a　subject　is　inferior　to　none。”　That　my　
papa　was　too　partial；　I　well　know；　but　that　he　was　an　observer　of　
character　in　some　degree；　my　duty　and　my　reason　equally　forbid　
me　to　doubt。’　

With　these　words；　and　resisting　our　entreaties　that　she　would　
grace　the　remaining　circulation　of　the　punch　with　her　presence；　
Mrs。　Micawber　retired　to　my　bedroom。　And　really　I　felt　that　she　
was　a　noble　woman—the　sort　of　woman　who　might　have　been　a　

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David　Copperfield　

Roman　matron；　and　done　all　manner　of　heroic　things；　in　times　of　
public　trouble。　

In　the　fervour　of　this　impression；　I　congratulated　Mr。　Micawber　
on　the　treasure　he　possessed。　So　did　Traddles。　Mr。　Micawber　
extended　his　hand　to　each　of　us　in　succession；　and　then　covered　
his　face　with　his　pocket…handkerchief；　which　I　think　had　more　
snuff　upon　it　than　he　was　aware　of。　He　then　returned　to　the　punch；　
in　the　highest　state　of　exhilaration。　

He　was　full　of　eloquence。　He　gave　us　to　understand　that　in　our　
children　we　lived　again；　and　that；　under　the　pressure　of　pecuniary　
difficulties；　any　accession　to　their　number　was　doubly　welcome。　
He　said　that　Mrs。　Micawber　had　latterly　had　her　doubts　on　this　
point；　but　that　he　had　dispelled　them；　and　reassured　her。　As　to　her　
family；　they　were　totally　unworthy　of　her；　and　their　sentiments　
were　utterly　indifferent　to　him；　and　they　might—I　quote　his　own　
expression—go　to　the　Devil。　

Mr。　Micawber　then　delivered　a　warm　eulogy　on　Traddles。　He　
said　Traddles’s　was　a　character；　to　the　steady　virtues　of　which　he　
（Mr。　Micawber）　could　lay　no　claim；　but　which；　he　thanked　Heaven；　
he　could　admire。　He　feelingly　alluded　to　the　young　lady；　unknown；　
whom　Traddles　had　honoured　with　his　affection；　and　who　had　
reciprocated　that　affection　by　honouring　and　blessing　Traddles　
with　her　affection。　Mr。　Micawber　pledged　her。　So　did　I。　Traddles　
thanked　us　both；　by　saying；　with　a　simplicity　and　honesty　I　had　
sense　enough　to　be　quite　charmed　with；　‘I　am　very　much　obliged　
to　you　indeed。　And　I　do　assure　you；　she’s　the　dearest　girl！—’　

Mr。　Micawber　took　an　early　opportunity；　after　that；　of　hinting；　
with　the　utmost　delicacy　and　ceremony；　at　the　state　of　my　
affections。　Nothing　but　the　serious　assurance　of　his　friend　

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David　Copperfield　

Copperfield　to　the　contrary；　he　observed；　could　deprive　him　of　the　
impression　that　his　friend　Copperfield　loved　and　was　beloved。　
After　feeling　very　hot　and　uncomfortable　for　some　time；　and　after　
a　good　deal　of　blushing；　stammering；　and　denying；　I　said；　having　
my　glass　in　my　hand；　‘Well！　I　would　give　them　D。！’　which　so　
excited　and　gratified　Mr。　Micawber；　that　he　ran　with　a　glass　of　
punch　into　my　bedroom；　in　order　that　Mrs。　Micawber　might　drink　
D。；　who　drank　it　with　enthusiasm；　crying　from　within；　in　a　shrill　
voice；　‘Hear；　hear！　My　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；　I　am　delighted。　Hear！’　
and　tapping　at　the　wall；　by　way　of　applause。　

Our　conversation；　afterwards；　took　a　more　worldly　turn；　Mr。　
Micawber　telling　us　that　he　found　Camden　Town　inconvenient；　
and　that　the　first　thing　he　contemplated　doing；　when　the　
advertisement　should　have　been　the　cause　of　something　
satisfactory　turning　up；　was　to　move。　He　mentioned　a　terrace　at　
the　western　end　of　Oxford　Street；　fronting　Hyde　Park；　on　which　he　
had　always　had　his　eye；　but　which　he　did　not　expect　to　attain　
immediately；　as　it　would　require　a　large　establishment。　There　
would　probably　be　an　interval；　he　explained；　in　which　he　should　
content　himself　with　the　upper　part　of　a　house；　over　some　
respectable　place　of　business—say　in　Piccadilly；—which　would　be　
a　cheerful　situation　for　Mrs。　Micawber；　and　where；　by　throwing　
out　a　bow…window；　or　carrying　up　the　roof　another　story；　or　
making　some　little　alteration　of　that　sort；　they　might　live；　
comfortably　and　reputably；　for　a　few　years。　Whatever　was　
reserved　for　him；　he　expressly　said；　or　wherever　his　abode　might　
be；　we　might　rely　on　this—there　would　always　be　a　room　for　
Traddles；　and　a　knife　and　fork　for　me。　We　acknowledged　his　
kindness；　and　he　begged　us　to　forgive　his　having　launched　into　

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David　Copperfield　

these　practical　and　business…like　details；　and　to　excuse　it　as　
natural　in　one　who　was　making　entirely　new　arrangements　in　life。　

Mrs。　Micawber；　tapping　at　the　wall　again　to　know　if　tea　were　
ready；　broke　up　this　particular　phase　of　our　friendly　conversation。　
She　made　tea　for　us　in　a　most　agreeable　manner；　and；　whenever　I　
went　near　her；　in　handing　about　the　tea…cups　and　bread…andbutter；　asked　me；　in　a　whisper；　whether　D。　was　fair；　or　dark；　or　
whether　she　was　short；　or　tall：　or　something　of　that　kind；　which　I　
think　I　liked。　After　tea；　we　discussed　a　variety　of　topics　before　the　
fire；　and　Mrs。　Micawber　was　good　enough　to　sing　us　（in　a　small；　
thin；　flat　voice；　which　I　remembered　to　have　considered；　when　I　
first　knew　her；　the　very　table…beer　of　acoustics）　the　favourite　
ballads　of　‘The　Dashing　White　Sergeant’；　and　‘Little　Tafflin’。　For　
both　of　these　songs　Mrs。　Micawber　had　been　famous　when　she　
lived　at　home　with　her　papa　and　mama。　Mr。　Micawber　told　us；　that　
when　he　heard　her　sing　the　first　one；　on　the　first　occasion　of　his　
seeing　her　beneath　the　parental　roof；　she　had　attracted　his　
attention　in　an　extraordinary　degree；　but　that　when　it　came　to　
Little　Tafflin；　he　had　resolved　to　win　that　woman　or　perish　in　the　
attempt。　

It　was　between　ten　and　eleven　o’clock　when　Mrs。　Micawber　
rose　to　replace　her　cap　in　the　whitey…brown　paper　parcel；　and　to　
put　on　her　bonnet。　Mr。　Micawber　took　the　opportunity　of　Traddles　
putting　on　his　great…coat；　to　slip　a　letter　into　my　hand；　with　a　
whispered　request　that　I　would　read　it　at　my　leisure。　I　also　took　
the　opportunity　of　my　holding　a　candle　over　the　banisters　to　light　
them　down；　when　Mr。　Micawber　was　going　first；　leading　Mrs。　
Micawber；　and　Traddles　was　following　with　the　cap；　to　detain　
Traddles　for　a　moment　on　the　top　of　the　stairs。　

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David　Copperfield　

‘Traddles；’　said　I；　‘Mr。　Micawber　don’t　mean　any　harm；　poor　
fellow：　but；　if　I　were　you；　I　wouldn’t　lend　him　anything。’　

‘My　dear　Copperfield；’　returned　Traddles；　smiling；　‘I　haven’t　got　
anything　to　lend。’　

‘You　have　got　a　name；　you　know；’　said　I。　

‘Oh！　You　call　that　something　to　lend？’　returned　Traddles；　with　a　
thoughtful　look。　

‘Certainly。’　

‘Oh！’　said　Traddles。　‘Yes；　to　be　sure！　I　am　very　mu