david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第124节

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there　is　between　us！　And　is　this；’　she　added；　looking　at　her　visitor　
with　the　proud　intolerant　air　with　which　she　had　begun；　‘no　
injury？’　

While　I　heard　and　saw　the　mother　as　she　said　these　words；　I　
seemed　to　hear　and　see　the　son；　defying　them。　All　that　I　had　ever　
seen　in　him　of　an　unyielding；　wilful　spirit；　I　saw　in　her。　All　the　
understanding　that　I　had　now　of　his　misdirected　energy；　became　
an　understanding　of　her　character　too；　and　a　perception　that　it　
was；　in　its　strongest　springs；　the　same。　

She　now　observed　to　me；　aloud；　resuming　her　former　restraint；　
that　it　was　useless　to　hear　more；　or　to　say　more；　and　that　she　
begged　to　put　an　end　to　the　interview。　She　rose　with　an　air　of　
dignity　to　leave　the　room；　when　Mr。　Peggotty　signified　that　it　was　
needless。　

‘Doen’t　fear　me　being　any　hindrance　to　you；　I　have　no　more　to　
say；　ma’am；’　he　remarked；　as　he　moved　towards　the　door。　‘I　come　
beer　with　no　hope；　and　I　take　away　no　hope。　I　have　done　what　I　
thowt　should　be　done；　but　I　never　looked　fur　any　good　to　come　of　
my　stan’ning　where　I　do。　This　has　been　too　evil　a　house　fur　me　and　
mine；　fur　me　to　be　in　my　right　senses　and　expect　it。’　

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With　this；　we　departed；　leaving　her　standing　by　her　elbow…
chair；　a　picture　of　a　noble　presence　and　a　handsome　face。　

We　had；　on　our　way　out；　to　cross　a　paved　hall；　with　glass　sides　
and　roof；　over　which　a　vine　was　trained。　Its　leaves　and　shoots　were　
green　then；　and　the　day　being　sunny；　a　pair　of　glass　doors　leading　
to　the　garden　were　thrown　open。　Rosa　Dartle；　entering　this　way　
with　a　noiseless　step；　when　we　were　close　to　them；　addressed　
herself　to　me：　

‘You　do　well；’　she　said；　‘indeed；　to　bring　this　fellow　here！’　

Such　a　concentration　of　rage　and　scorn　as　darkened　her　face；　
and　flashed　in　her　jet…black　eyes；　I　could　not　have　thought　
compressible　even　into　that　face。　The　scar　made　by　the　hammer　
was；　as　usual　in　this　excited　state　of　her　features；　strongly　marked。　
When　the　throbbing　I　had　seen　before；　came　into　it　as　I　looked　at　
her；　she　absolutely　lifted　up　her　hand；　and　struck　it。　

‘This　is　a　fellow；’　she　said；　‘to　champion　and　bring　here；　is　he　
not？　You　are　a　true　man！’　

‘Miss　Dartle；’　I　returned；　‘you　are　surely　not　so　unjust　as　to　
condemn　me！’　

‘Why　do　you　bring　division　between　these　two　mad　creatures？’　
she　returned。　‘Don’t　you　know　that　they　are　both　mad　with　their　
own　self…will　and　pride？’　

‘Is　it　my　doing？’　I　returned。　

‘Is　it　your　doing！’　she　retorted。　‘Why　do　you　bring　this　man　
here？’　

‘He　is　a　deeply…injured　man；　Miss　Dartle；’　I　replied。　‘You　may　
not　know　it。’　

‘I　know　that　James　Steerforth；’　she　said；　with　her　hand　on　her　
bosom；　as　if　to　prevent　the　storm　that　was　raging　there；　from　being　

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loud；　‘has　a　false；　corrupt　heart；　and　is　a　traitor。　But　what　need　I　
know　or　care　about　this　fellow；　and　his　common　niece？’　

‘Miss　Dartle；’　I　returned；　‘you　deepen　the　injury。　It　is　sufficient　
already。　I　will　only　say；　at　parting；　that　you　do　him　a　great　wrong。’　

‘I　do　him　no　wrong；’　she　returned。　‘They　are　a　depraved；　
worthless　set。　I　would　have　her　whipped！’　

Mr。　Peggotty　passed　on；　without　a　word；　and　went　out　at　the　
door。　

‘Oh；　shame；　Miss　Dartle！　shame！’　I　said　indignantly。　‘How　can　
you　bear　to　trample　on　his　undeserved　affliction！’　

‘I　would　trample　on　them　all；’　she　answered。　‘I　would　have　his　
house　pulled　down。　I　would　have　her　branded　on　the　face；　dressed　
in　rags；　and　cast　out　in　the　streets　to　starve。　If　I　had　the　power　to　
sit　in　judgement　on　her；　I　would　see　it　done。　See　it　done？　I　would　
do　it！　I　detest　her。　If　I　ever　could　reproach　her　with　her　infamous　
condition；　I　would　go　anywhere　to　do　so。　If　I　could　hunt　her　to　her　
grave；　I　would。　If　there　was　any　word　of　comfort　that　would　be　a　
solace　to　her　in　her　dying　hour；　and　only　I　possessed　it；　I　wouldn’t　
part　with　it　for　Life　itself。’　

The　mere　vehemence　of　her　words　can　convey；　I　am　sensible；　
but　a　weak　impression　of　the　passion　by　which　she　was　possessed；　
and　which　made　itself　articulate　in　her　whole　figure；　though　her　
voice；　instead　of　being　raised；　was　lower　than　usual。　No　
description　I　could　give　of　her　would　do　justice　to　my　recollection　
of　her；　or　to　her　entire　deliverance　of　herself　to　her　anger。　I　have　
seen　passion　in　many　forms；　but　I　have　never　seen　it　in　such　a　
form　as　that。　

When　I　joined　Mr。　Peggotty；　he　was　walking　slowly　and　
thoughtfully　down　the　hill。　He　told　me；　as　soon　as　I　came　up　with　

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him；　that　having　now　discharged　his　mind　of　what　he　had　
purposed　doing　in　London；　he　meant　‘to　set　out　on　his　travels’；　
that　night。　I　asked　him　where　he　meant　to　go？　He　only　answered；　
‘I’m　a　going；　sir；　to　seek　my　niece。’　

We　went　back　to　the　little　lodging　over　the　chandler’s　shop；　and　
there　I　found　an　opportunity　of　repeating　to　Peggotty　what　he　had　
said　to　me。　She　informed　me；　in　return；　that　he　had　said　the　same　
to　her　that　morning。　She　knew　no　more　than　I　did；　where　he　was　
going；　but　she　thought　he　had　some　project　shaped　out　in　his　
mind。　

I　did　not　like　to　leave　him；　under　such　circumstances；　and　we　
all　three　dined　together　off　a　beefsteak　pie—which　was　one　of　the　
many　good　things　for　which　Peggotty　was　famous—and　which　was　
curiously　flavoured　on　this　occasion；　I　recollect　well；　by　a　
miscellaneous　taste　of　tea；　coffee；　butter；　bacon；　cheese；　new　
loaves；　firewood；　candles；　and　walnut　ketchup；　continually　
ascending　from　the　shop。　After　dinner　we　sat　for　an　hour　or　so　
near　the　window；　without　talking　much；　and　then　Mr。　Peggotty　got　
up；　and　brought　his　oilskin　bag　and　his　stout　stick；　and　laid　them　
on　the　table。　

He　accepted；　from　his　sister’s　stock　of　ready　money；　a　small　
sum　on　account　of　his　legacy；　barely　enough；　I　should　have　
thought；　to　keep　him　for　a　month。　He　promised　to　communicate　
with　me；　when　anything　befell　him；　and　he　slung　his　bag　about　
him；　took　his　hat　and　stick；　and　bade　us　both　‘Good…bye！’　

‘All　good　attend　you；　dear　old　woman；’　he　said；　embracing　
Peggotty；　‘and　you　too；　Mas’r　Davy！’　shaking　hands　with　me。　‘I’m　
a…going　to　seek　her；　fur　and　wide。　If　she　should　come　home　while　
I’m　away—but　ah；　that　ain’t　like　to　be！—or　if　I　should　bring　her　

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back；　my　meaning　is；　that　she　and　me　shall　live　and　die　where　no　
one　can’t　reproach　her。　If　any　hurt　should　come　to　me；　remember　
that　the　last　words　I　left　for　her　was；　“My　unchanged　love　is　with　
my　darling　child；　and　I　forgive　her！”’　

He　said　this　solemnly；　bare…headed；　then；　putting　on　his　hat；　he　
went　down　the　stairs；　and　away。　We　followed　to　the　door。　It　was　a　
warm；　dusty　evening；　just　the　time　when；　in　the　great　main　
thoroughfare　out　of　which　that　by…way　turned；　there　was　a　
temporary　lull　in　the　eternal　tread　of　feet　upon　the　pavement；　and　
a　strong　red　sunshine。　He　turned；　alone；　at　the　corner　of　our　shady　
street；　into　a　glow　of　light；　in　which　we　lost　him。　

Rarely　did　that　hour　of　the　evening　come；　rarely　did　I　wake　at　
night；　rarely　did　I　look　up　at　the　moon；　or　stars；　or　watch　the　
falling　rain；　or　hear　the　wind；　but　I　thought　of　his　solitary　figure　
toiling　on；　poor　pilgrim；　and　recalled　the　words：　

‘I’m　a　going　to　seek　her；　fur　and　wide。　If　any　hurt　should　come　
to　me；　remember　that　the　last　words　I　left　for　her　was；　“My　
unchanged　love　is　with　my　darling　child；　and　I　forgive　her！”’　

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Chapter　33　

BLISSFUL　

All　this　time；　I　had　gone　on　loving　Dora；　harder　than　ever。　Her　
idea　was　my　refuge　in　disappointment　and　distress；　and　made　
some　amends　to　me；　even　for　the　loss　of　my　friend。　The　more　I　
pitied　myself；　or　pitied　others；　the　more　I　sought　for　consolation　in　
the　image　of　Dora。　The　greater　the　accumulation　of　deceit　and　
trouble　in　the　world；　the　brighter　and　the　purer　shone　the　star　of　
Dora　high　above　the　world。　I　don’t　think　I　had　any　definite　idea　
where　Dora　came　from；　or　in　what　degree　she　was　related　to　a　
higher　order　of　beings；　but　I　am　quite　sure　I　should　have　scouted　
the　notion　of　her　being　simply　human；　like　any　other　young　lady；　
with　indignation　and　contempt。　

If　I　may　so　express　it；　I　was　steeped　in　Dora。　I　was　not　merely　
over　head　and　ears　in　love　with　her；　but　I　was　saturated　through　
and　through。　Enough　love　might　have　been　wrung　out　of　me；　
metaphorically　speaking；　to　drown　anybody　in；　and　yet　there　
would　have　remained　enough　within　me；　and　all　over　me；　to　
pervade　my　entire　existence。　

The　first　thing　I　did；　on　my　own　account；　when　I　came　back；　
was　to　take　a　night…walk　to　Norwood；　and；　like　the　subject　of　a　
venerable　riddle　of　my　childhood；　to　go　‘round　and　round　the　
house；　without　ever　touching　the　house’；　thinking　about　Dora。　I　
believe　the　theme　of　this　incomprehensible　conundrum　was　the　
moon。　No　matter　what　it　was；　I；　the　moon…struck　slave　of　Dora；　
perambulated