david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第117节

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‘No；　no；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　‘You　doen’t　ought—a　married　man　
like　you—or　what’s　as　good—to　take　and　hull　away　a　day’s　work。　
And　you　doen’t　ought　to　watch　and　work　both。　That　won’t　do。　You　
go　home　and　turn　in。　You　ain’t　afeerd　of　Em’ly　not　being　took　good　
care　on；　I　know。’　Ham　yielded　to　this　persuasion；　and　took　his　hat　
to　go。　Even　when　he　kissed　her。—and　I　never　saw　him　approach　
her；　but　I　felt　that　nature　had　given　him　the　soul　of　a　gentleman—　
she　seemed　to　cling　closer　to　her　uncle；　even　to　the　avoidance　of　
her　chosen　husband。　I　shut　the　door　after　him；　that　it　might　cause　

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no　disturbance　of　the　quiet　that　prevailed；　and　when　I　turned　
back；　I　found　Mr。　Peggotty　still　talking　to　her。　

‘Now；　I’m　a　going　upstairs　to　tell　your　aunt　as　Mas’r　Davy’s　
here；　and　that’ll　cheer　her　up　a　bit；’　he　said。　‘Sit　ye　down　by　the　
fire；　the　while；　my　dear；　and　warm　those　mortal　cold　hands。　You　
doen’t　need　to　be　so　fearsome；　and　take　on　so　much。　What？　You’ll　
go　along　with　me？—Well！　come　along　with　me—come！　If　her　uncle　
was　turned　out　of　house　and　home；　and　forced　to　lay　down　in　a　
dyke；　Mas’r　Davy；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　with　no　less　pride　than　
before；　‘it’s　my　belief　she’d　go　along　with　him；　now！　But　there’ll　be　
someone　else；　soon；—someone　else；　soon；　Em’ly！’　

Afterwards；　when　I　went　upstairs；　as　I　passed　the　door　of　my　
little　chamber；　which　was　dark；　I　had　an　indistinct　impression　of　
her　being　within　it；　cast　down　upon　the　floor。　But；　whether　it　was　
really　she；　or　whether　it　was　a　confusion　of　the　shadows　in　the　
room；　I　don’t　know　now。　

I　had　leisure　to　think；　before　the　kitchen　fire；　of　pretty　little　
Emily’s　dread　of　death—which；　added　to　what　Mr。　Omer　had　told　
me；　I　took　to　be　the　cause　of　her　being　so　unlike　herself—and　I　had　
leisure；　before　Peggotty　came　down；　even　to　think　more　leniently　
of　the　weakness　of　it：　as　I　sat　counting　the　ticking　of　the　clock；　and　
deepening　my　sense　of　the　solemn　hush　around　me。　Peggotty　took　
me　in　her　arms；　and　blessed　and　thanked　me　over　and　over　again　
for　being　such　a　comfort　to　her　（that　was　what　she　said）　in　her　
distress。　She　then　entreated　me　to　come　upstairs；　sobbing　that　Mr。　
Barkis　had　always　liked　me　and　admired　me；　that　he　had　often　
talked　of　me；　before　he　fell　into　a　stupor；　and　that　she　believed；　in　
case　of　his　coming　to　himself　again；　he　would　brighten　up　at　sight　
of　me；　if　he　could　brighten　up　at　any　earthly　thing。　

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The　probability　of　his　ever　doing　so；　appeared　to　me；　when　I　
saw　him；　to　be　very　small。　He　was　lying　with　his　head　and　
shoulders　out　of　bed；　in　an　uncomfortable　attitude；　half　resting　on　
the　box　which　had　cost　him　so　much　pain　and　trouble。　I　learned；　
that；　when　he　was　past　creeping　out　of　bed　to　open　it；　and　past　
assuring　himself　of　its　safety　by　means　of　the　divining　rod　I　had　
seen　him　use；　he　had　required　to　have　it　placed　on　the　chair　at　the　
bed…side；　where　he　had　ever　since　embraced　it；　night　and　day。　His　
arm　lay　on　it　now。　Time　and　the　world　were　slipping　from　beneath　
him；　but　the　box　was　there；　and　the　last　words　he　had　uttered　
were　（in　an　explanatory　tone）　‘Old　clothes！’　

‘Barkis；　my　dear！’　said　Peggotty；　almost　cheerfully：　bending　
over　him；　while　her　brother　and　I　stood　at　the　bed’s　foot。　‘Here’s　
my　dear　boy—my　dear　boy；　Master　Davy；　who　brought　us　
together；　Barkis！　That　you　sent　messages　by；　you　know！　Won’t　you　
speak　to　Master　Davy？’　

He　was　as　mute　and　senseless　as　the　box；　from　which　his　form　
derived　the　only　expression　it　had。　

‘He’s　a　going　out　with　the　tide；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty　to　me；　behind　
his　hand。　

My　eyes　were　dim　and　so　were　Mr。　Peggotty’s；　but　I　repeated　in　
a　whisper；　‘With　the　tide？’　

‘People　can’t　die；　along　the　coast；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　’except　
when　the　tide’s　pretty　nigh　out。　They　can’t　be　born；　unless　it’s　
pretty　nigh　in—not　properly　born；　till　flood。　He’s　a　going　out　with　
the　tide。　It’s　ebb　at　half…arter　three；　slack　water　half　an　hour。　If　he　
lives　till　it　turns；　he’ll　hold　his　own　till　past　the　flood；　and　go　out　
with　the　next　tide。’　

We　remained　there；　watching　him；　a　long　time—hours。　What　

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mysterious　influence　my　presence　had　upon　him　in　that　state　of　
his　senses；　I　shall　not　pretend　to　say；　but　when　he　at　last　began　to　
wander　feebly；　it　is　certain　he　was　muttering　about　driving　me　to　
school。　

‘He’s　coming　to　himself；’　said　Peggotty。　

Mr。　Peggotty　touched　me；　and　whispered　with　much　awe　and　
reverence。　‘They　are　both　a…going　out　fast。’　

‘Barkis；　my　dear！’　said　Peggotty。　

‘C。　P。　Barkis；’　he　cried　faintly。　‘No　better　woman　anywhere！’　

‘Look！　Here’s　Master　Davy！’　said　Peggotty。　For　he　now　opened　
his　eyes。　

I　was　on　the　point　of　asking　him　if　he　knew　me；　when　he　tried　to　
stretch　out　his　arm；　and　said　to　me；　distinctly；　with　a　pleasant　
smile：　

‘Barkis　is　willin’！’　

And；　it　being　low　water；　he　went　out　with　the　tide。　

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Chapter　31　

A　GREATER　LOSS　

It　was　not　difficult　for　me；　on　Peggotty’s　solicitation；　to　resolve　
to　stay　where　I　was；　until　after　the　remains　of　the　poor　carrier　
should　have　made　their　last　journey　to　Blunderstone。　She　had　
long　ago　bought；　out　of　her　own　savings；　a　little　piece　of　ground　in　
our　old　churchyard　near　the　grave　of　‘her　sweet　girl’；　as　she　always　
called　my　mother；　and　there　they　were　to　rest。　

In　keeping　Peggotty　company；　and　doing　all　I　could　for　her　
（little　enough　at　the　utmost）；　I　was　as　grateful；　I　rejoice　to　think；　as　
even　now　I　could　wish　myself　to　have　been。　But　I　am　afraid　I　had　a　
supreme　satisfaction；　of　a　personal　and　professional　nature；　in　
taking　charge　of　Mr。　Barkis’s　will；　and　expounding　its　contents。　

I　may　claim　the　merit　of　having　originated　the　suggestion　that　
the　will　should　be　looked　for　in　the　box。　After　some　search；　it　was　
found　in　the　box；　at　the　bottom　of　a　horse’s　nose…bag；　wherein　
（besides　hay）　there　was　discovered　an　old　gold　watch；　with　chain　
and　seals；　which　Mr。　Barkis　had　worn　on　his　wedding…day；　and　
which　had　never　been　seen　before　or　since；　a　silver　tobacco…
stopper；　in　the　form　of　a　leg；　an　imitation　lemon；　full　of　minute　
cups　and　saucers；　which　I　have　some　idea　Mr。　Barkis　must　have　
purchased　to　present　to　me　when　I　was　a　child；　and　afterwards　
found　himself　unable　to　part　with；　eighty…seven　guineas　and　a　half；　
in　guineas　and　half…guineas；　two　hundred　and　ten　pounds；　in　
perfectly　clean　Bank　notes；　certain　receipts　for　Bank　of　England　
stock；　an　old　horseshoe；　a　bad　shilling；　a　piece　of　camphor；　and　an　

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oyster…shell。　From　the　circumstance　of　the　latter　article　having　
been　much　polished；　and　displaying　prismatic　colours　on　the　
inside；　I　conclude　that　Mr。　Barkis　had　some　general　ideas　about　
pearls；　which　never　resolved　themselves　into　anything　definite。　

For　years　and　years；　Mr。　Barkis　had　carried　this　box；　on　all　his　
journeys；　every　day。　That　it　might　the　better　escape　notice；　he　had　
invented　a　fiction　that　it　belonged　to　‘Mr。　Blackboy’；　and　was　‘to　be　
left　with　Barkis　till　called　for’；　a　fable　he　had　elaborately　written　
on　the　lid；　in　characters　now　scarcely　legible。　

He　had　hoarded；　all　these　years；　I　found；　to　good　purpose。　His　
property　in　money　amounted　to　nearly　three　thousand　pounds。　Of　
this　he　bequeathed　the　interest　of　one　thousand　to　Mr。　Peggotty　
for　his　life；　on　his　decease；　the　principal　to　be　equally　divided　
between　Peggotty；　little　Emily；　and　me；　or　the　survivor　or　
survivors　of　us；　share　and　share　alike。　All　the　rest　he　died　
possessed　of；　he　bequeathed　to　Peggotty；　whom　he　left　residuary　
legatee；　and　sole　executrix　of　that　his　last　will　and　testament。　

I　felt　myself　quite　a　proctor　when　I　read　this　document　aloud　
with　all　possible　ceremony；　and　set　forth　its　provisions；　any　
number　of　times；　to　those　whom　they　concerned。　I　began　to　think　
there　was　more　in　the　Commons　than　I　had　supposed。　I　examined　
the　will　with　the　deepest　attention；　pronounced　it　perfectly　formal　
in　all　respects；　made　a　pencil…mark　or　so　in　the　margin；　and　
thought　it　rather　extraordinary　that　I　knew　so　much。　

In　this　abstruse　pursuit；　in　making　an　account　for　Peggotty；　of　
all　the　property　into　which　she　had　come；　in　arranging　all　the　
affairs　in　an　orderly　manner；　and　in　being　her　referee　and　adviser　
on　every　point；　to　our　joint　delight；　I　passed　the　week　before　the　
funeral。　I　did　not　see　little　Emily　in　that　interval；　but　they　told　me　

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she　was　to　be　quietly　married　in　a　fortnight。　

I　did　not　attend　the　funeral　in　character；　if　I　may　venture　to　say　
so。　I　mean　I　was　not　dressed　up　in　a　black　coat　and　a　streamer；　to　
frighten　the　birds；　but　I　walked　over　to　Blunderstone　early　in　the　
morning；　and　was　in　the　churchyard　when　it　came；　attended　only　
by　Peggotty　and　her　brother。　Th