david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第134节

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in　the　Commons　again。　

Being　very　anxious　to　leave　no　stone　unturned；　I　waited　until　
Mr。　Spenlow　came　in；　and　then　described　what　had　passed；　giving　
him　to　understand　that　I　was　not　hopeless　of　his　being　able　to　
soften　the　adamantine　Jorkins；　if　he　would　undertake　the　task。　

‘Copperfield；’　returned　Mr。　Spenlow；　with　a　gracious　smile；　‘you　
have　not　known　my　partner；　Mr。　Jorkins；　as　long　as　I　have。　
Nothing　is　farther　from　my　thoughts　than　to　attribute　any　degree　
of　artifice　to　Mr。　Jorkins。　But　Mr。　Jorkins　has　a　way　of　stating　his　

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David　Copperfield　695　

objections　which　often　deceives　people。　No；　Copperfield！’　shaking　
his　head。　‘Mr。　Jorkins　is　not　to　be　moved；　believe　me！’　

I　was　completely　bewildered　between　Mr。　Spenlow　and　Mr。　
Jorkins；　as　to　which　of　them　really　was　the　objecting　partner；　but　I　
saw　with　sufficient　clearness　that　there　was　obduracy　somewhere　
in　the　firm；　and　that　the　recovery　of　my　aunt’s　thousand　pounds　
was　out　of　the　question。　In　a　state　of　despondency；　which　I　
remember　with　anything　but　satisfaction；　for　I　know　it　still　had　too　
much　reference　to　myself　（though　always　in　connexion　with　Dora）；　
I　left　the　office；　and　went　homeward。　

I　was　trying　to　familiarize　my　mind　with　the　worst；　and　to　
present　to　myself　the　arrangements　we　should　have　to　make　for　
the　future　in　their　sternest　aspect；　when　a　hackney…chariot　coming　
after　me；　and　stopping　at　my　very　feet；　occasioned　me　to　look　up。　
A　fair　hand　was　stretched　forth　to　me　from　the　window；　and　the　
face　I　had　never　seen　without　a　feeling　of　serenity　and　happiness；　
from　the　moment　when　it　first　turned　back　on　the　old　oak　
staircase　with　the　great　broad　balustrade；　and　when　I　associated　
its　softened　beauty　with　the　stained…glass　window　in　the　church；　
was　smiling　on　me。　

‘Agnes！’　I　joyfully　exclaimed。　‘Oh；　my　dear　Agnes；　of　all　people　
in　the　world；　what　a　pleasure　to　see　you！’　

‘Is　it；　indeed？’　she　said；　in　her　cordial　voice。　

‘I　want　to　talk　to　you　so　much！’　said　I。　‘It’s　such　a　lightening　of　
my　heart；　only　to　look　at　you！　If　I　had　had　a　conjuror’s　cap；　there　is　
no　one　I　should　have　wished　for　but　you！’　

‘What？’　returned　Agnes。　

‘Well！　perhaps　Dora　first；’　I　admitted；　with　a　blush。　

‘Certainly；　Dora　first；　I　hope；’　said　Agnes；　laughing。　

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‘But　you　next！’　said　I。　‘Where　are　you　going？’　

She　was　going　to　my　rooms　to　see　my　aunt。　The　day　being　very　
fine；　she　was　glad　to　come　out　of　the　chariot；　which　smelt　（I　had　
my　head　in　it　all　this　time）　like　a　stable　put　under　a　cucumber…
frame。　I　dismissed　the　coachman；　and　she　took　my　arm；　and　we　
walked　on　together。　She　was　like　Hope　embodied；　to　me。　How　
different　I　felt　in　one　short　minute；　having　Agnes　at　my　side！　

My　aunt　had　written　her　one　of　the　odd；　abrupt　notes—very　
little　longer　than　a　Bank　note—to　which　her　epistolary　efforts　
were　usually　limited。　She　had　stated　therein　that　she　had　fallen　
into　adversity；　and　was　leaving　Dover　for　good；　but　had　quite　
made　up　her　mind　to　it；　and　was　so　well　that　nobody　need　be　
uncomfortable　about　her。　Agnes　had　come　to　London　to　see　my　
aunt；　between　whom　and　herself　there　had　been　a　mutual　liking　
these　many　years：　indeed；　it　dated　from　the　time　of　my　taking　up　
my　residence　in　Mr。　Wickfield’s　house。　She　was　not　alone；　she　
said。　Her　papa　was　with　her—and　Uriah　Heep。　

‘And　now　they　are　partners；’　said　I。　‘Confound　him！’　

‘Yes；’　said　Agnes。　‘They　have　some　business　here；　and　I　took　
advantage　of　their　coming；　to　come　too。　You　must　not　think　my　
visit　all　friendly　and　disinterested；　Trotwood；　for—I　am　afraid　I　
may　be　cruelly　prejudiced—I　do　not　like　to　let　papa　go　away　alone；　
with　him。’　

‘Does　he　exercise　the　same　influence　over　Mr。　Wickfield　still；　
Agnes？’　

Agnes　shook　her　head。　‘There　is　such　a　change　at　home；’　said　
she；　‘that　you　would　scarcely　know　the　dear　old　house。　They　live　
with　us　now。’　

‘They？’　said　I。　

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‘Mr。　Heep　and　his　mother。　He　sleeps　in　your　old　room；’　said　
Agnes；　looking　up　into　my　face。　

‘I　wish　I　had　the　ordering　of　his　dreams；’　said　I。　‘He　wouldn’t　
sleep　there　long。’　

‘I　keep　my　own　little　room；’　said　Agnes；　‘where　I　used　to　learn　
my　lessons。　How　the　time　goes！　You　remember？　The　little　
panelled　room　that　opens　from　the　drawing…room？’　

‘Remember；　Agnes？　When　I　saw　you；　for　the　first　time；　coming　
out　at　the　door；　with　your　quaint　little　basket　of　keys　hanging　at　
your　side？’　

‘It　is　just　the　same；’　said　Agnes；　smiling。　‘I　am　glad　you　think　of　
it　so　pleasantly。　We　were　very　happy。’　

‘We　were；　indeed；’　said　I。　

‘I　keep　that　room　to　myself　still；　but　I　cannot　always　desert　Mrs。　
Heep；　you　know。　And　so；’　said　Agnes；　quietly；　‘I　feel　obliged　to　
bear　her　company；　when　I　might　prefer　to　be　alone。　But　I　have　no　
other　reason　to　complain　of　her。　If　she　tires　me；　sometimes；　by　her　
praises　of　her　son；　it　is　only　natural　in　a　mother。　He　is　a　very　good　
son　to　her。’　

I　looked　at　Agnes　when　she　said　these　words；　without　detecting　
in　her　any　consciousness　of　Uriah’s　design。　Her　mild　but　earnest　
eyes　met　mine　with　their　own　beautiful　frankness；　and　there　was　
no　change　in　her　gentle　face。　

‘The　chief　evil　of　their　presence　in　the　house；’　said　Agnes；　‘is　
that　I　cannot　be　as　near　papa　as　I　could　wish—Uriah　Heep　being　
so　much　between　us—and　cannot　watch　over　him；　if　that　is　not　too　
bold　a　thing　to　say；　as　closely　as　I　would。　But　if　any　fraud　or　
treachery　is　practising　against　him；　I　hope　that　simple　love　and　
truth　will　be　strong　in　the　end。　I　hope　that　real　love　and　truth　are　

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stronger　in　the　end　than　any　evil　or　misfortune　in　the　world。’　

A　certain　bright　smile；　which　I　never　saw　on　any　other　face；　
died　away；　even　while　I　thought　how　good　it　was；　and　how　familiar　
it　had　once　been　to　me；　and　she　asked　me；　with　a　quick　change　of　
expression　（we　were　drawing　very　near　my　street）；　if　I　knew　how　
the　reverse　in　my　aunt’s　circumstances　had　been　brought　about。　
On　my　replying　no；　she　had　not　told　me　yet；　Agnes　became　
thoughtful；　and　I　fancied　I　felt　her　arm　tremble　in　mine。　

We　found　my　aunt　alone；　in　a　state　of　some　excitement。　A　
difference　of　opinion　had　arisen　between　herself　and　Mrs。　Crupp；　
on　an　abstract　question　（the　propriety　of　chambers　being　
inhabited　by　the　gentler　sex）；　and　my　aunt；　utterly　indifferent　to　
spasms　on　the　part　of　Mrs。　Crupp；　had　cut　the　dispute　short；　by　
informing　that　lady　that　she　smelt　of　my　brandy；　and　that　she　
would　trouble　her　to　walk　out。　Both　of　these　expressions　Mrs。　
Crupp　considered　actionable；　and　had　expressed　her　intention　of　
bringing　before　a　‘British　Judy’—meaning；　it　was　supposed；　the　
bulwark　of　our　national　liberties。　

My　aunt；　however；　having　had　time　to　cool；　while　Peggotty　was　
out　showing　Mr。　Dick　the　soldiers　at　the　Horse　Guards—and　
being；　besides；　greatly　pleased　to　see　Agnes—rather　plumed　
herself　on　the　affair　than　otherwise；　and　received　us　with　
unimpaired　good　humour。　When　Agnes　laid　her　bonnet　on　the　
table；　and　sat　down　beside　her；　I　could　not　but　think；　looking　on　
her　mild　eyes　and　her　radiant　forehead；　how　natural　it　seemed　to　
have　her　there；　how　trustfully；　although　she　was　so　young　and　
inexperienced；　my　aunt　confided　in　her；　how　strong　she　was；　
indeed；　in　simple　love　and　truth。　

We　began　to　talk　about　my　aunt’s　losses；　and　I　told　them　what　I　

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had　tried　to　do　that　morning。　

‘Which　was　injudicious；　Trot；’　said　my　aunt；　‘but　well　meant。　
You　are　a　generous　boy—I　suppose　I　must　say；　young　man；　now—　
and　I　am　proud　of　you；　my　dear。　So　far；　so　good。　Now；　Trot　and　
Agnes；　let　us　look　the　case　of　Betsey　Trotwood　in　the　face；　and　see　
how　it　stands。’　

I　observed　Agnes　turn　pale；　as　she　looked　very　attentively　at　my　
aunt。　My　aunt；　patting　her　cat；　looked　very　attentively　at　Agnes。　

‘Betsey　Trotwood；’　said　my　aunt；　who　had　always　kept　her　
money　matters　to　herself。　‘—I　don’t　mean　your　sister；　Trot；　my　
dear；　but　myself—had　a　certain　property。　It　don’t　matter　how　
much；　enough　to　live　on。　More；　for　she　had　saved　a　little；　and　
added　to　it。　Betsey　funded　her　property　for　some　time；　and　then；　
by　the　advice　of　her　man　of　business；　laid　it　out　on　landed　security。　
That　did　very　well；　and　returned　very　good　interest；　till　Betsey　was　
paid　off。　I　am　talking　of　Betsey　as　if　she　was　a　man…of…war。　Well！　
Then；　Betsey　had　to　look　about　her；　for　a　new　investment。　She　
thought　she　was　wiser；　now；　than　her　man　of　business；　who　was　
not　such　a　good　man　of　business　by　this　time；　as　he　used　to　be—I　
am　alluding　to　your　father；　Agnes—and　she　took　it　into　her　head　to　
lay　it　out　for　herself。　So　she　took　her　pigs；’　said　my　aunt；　‘to　a　
foreign　market；　and　a　very　bad　market　it　turned　out　to　be。　First；　
she　lost　in　the　mining　way；　and　then　she　lost　in　the　diving　way—　
fishing　up　treasure；　or　some　such