david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第136节

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physiognomy　to　have　made　out；　without　her　own　consent。　I　believe　
there　never　was　anybody　with　such　an　imperturbable　
countenance　when　she　chose。　Her　face　might　have　been　a　dead…
wall　on　the　occasion　in　question；　for　any　light　it　threw　upon　her　
thoughts；　until　she　broke　silence　with　her　usual　abruptness。　

‘Well；　Wickfield！’　said　my　aunt；　and　he　looked　up　at　her　for　the　

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David　Copperfield　

first　time。　‘I　have　been　telling　your　daughter　how　well　I　have　been　
disposing　of　my　money　for　myself；　because　I　couldn’t　trust　it　to　
you；　as　you　were　growing　rusty　in　business　matters。　We　have　been　
taking　counsel　together；　and　getting　on　very　well；　all　things　
considered。　Agnes　is　worth　the　whole　firm；　in　my　opinion。’　

‘If　I　may　umbly　make　the　remark；’　said　Uriah　Heep；　with　a　
writhe；　‘I　fully　agree　with　Miss　Betsey　Trotwood；　and　should　be　
only　too　appy　if　Miss　Agnes　was　a　partner。’　

‘You’re　a　partner　yourself；　you　know；’　returned　my　aunt；　‘and　
that’s　about　enough　for　you；　I　expect。　How　do　you　find　yourself；　
sir？’　

In　acknowledgement　of　this　question；　addressed　to　him　with　
extraordinary　curtness；　Mr。　Heep；　uncomfortably　clutching　the　
blue　bag　he　carried；　replied　that　he　was　pretty　well；　he　thanked　
my　aunt；　and　hoped　she　was　the　same。　

‘And　you；　Master—I　should　say；　Mister　Copperfield；’　pursued　
Uriah。　‘I　hope　I　see　you　well！　I　am　rejoiced　to　see　you；　Mister　
Copperfield；　even　under　present　circumstances。’　I　believed　that；　
for　he　seemed　to　relish　them　very　much。　‘Present　circumstances　is　
not　what　your　friends　would　wish　for　you；　Mister　Copperfield；　but　
it　isn’t　money　makes　the　man：　it’s—I　am　really　unequal　with　my　
umble　powers　to　express　what　it　is；’　said　Uriah；　with　a　fawning　
jerk；　‘but　it　isn’t　money！’　

Here　he　shook　hands　with　me：　not　in　the　common　way；　but　
standing　at　a　good　distance　from　me；　and　lifting　my　hand　up　and　
down　like　a　pump　handle；　that　he　was　a　little　afraid　of。　

‘And　how　do　you　think　we　are　looking；　Master　Copperfield；—I　
should　say；　Mister？’　fawned　Uriah。　‘Don’t　you　find　Mr。　Wickfield　
blooming；　sir？　Years　don’t　tell　much　in　our　firm；　Master　

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Copperfield；　except　in　raising　up　the　umble；　namely；　mother　and　
self—and　in　developing；’　he　added；　as　an　afterthought；　‘the　
beautiful；　namely；　Miss　Agnes。’　

He　jerked　himself　about；　after　this　compliment；　in　such　an　
intolerable　manner；　that　my　aunt；　who　had　sat　looking　straight　at　
him；　lost　all　patience。　

‘Deuce　take　the　man！’　said　my　aunt；　sternly；　‘what’s　he　about？　
Don’t　be　galvanic；　sir！’　

‘I　ask　your　pardon；　Miss　Trotwood；’　returned　Uriah；　‘I’m　aware　
you’re　nervous。’　

‘Go　along　with　you；　sir！’　said　my　aunt；　anything　but　appeased。　
‘Don’t　presume　to　say　so！　I　am　nothing　of　the　sort。　If　you’re　an　eel；　
sir；　conduct　yourself　like　one。　If　you’re　a　man；　control　your　limbs；　
sir！　Good　God！’　said　my　aunt；　with　great　indignation；　‘I　am　not　
going　to　be　serpentined　and　corkscrewed　out　of　my　senses！’　

Mr。　Heep　was　rather　abashed；　as　most　people　might　have　been；　
by　this　explosion；　which　derived　great　additional　force　from　the　
indignant　manner　in　which　my　aunt　afterwards　moved　in　her　
chair；　and　shook　her　head　as　if　she　were　making　snaps　or　bounces　
at　him。　But　he　said　to　me　aside　in　a　meek　voice：　

‘I　am　well　aware；　Master　Copperfield；　that　Miss　Trotwood；　
though　an　excellent　lady；　has　a　quick　temper　（indeed　I　think　I　had　
the　pleasure　of　knowing　her；　when　I　was　a　numble　clerk；　before　
you　did；　Master　Copperfield）；　and　it’s　only　natural；　I　am　sure；　that　
it　should　be　made　quicker　by　present　circumstances。　The　wonder　
is；　that　it　isn’t　much　worse！　I　only　called　to　say　that　if　there　was　
anything　we　could　do；　in　present　circumstances；　mother　or　self；　or　
Wickfield　and　Heep；—we　should　be　really　glad。　I　may　go　so　far？’　
said　Uriah；　with　a　sickly　smile　at　his　partner。　

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‘Uriah　Heep；’　said　Mr。　Wickfield；　in　a　monotonous　forced　way；　
‘is　active　in　the　business；　Trotwood。　What　he　says；　I　quite　concur　
in。　You　know　I　had　an　old　interest　in　you。　Apart　from　that；　what　
Uriah　says　I　quite　concur　in！’　

‘Oh；　what　a　reward　it　is；’　said　Uriah；　drawing　up　one　leg；　at　the　
risk　of　bringing　down　upon　himself　another　visitation　from　my　
aunt；　‘to　be　so　trusted　in！　But　I　hope　I　am　able　to　do　something　to　
relieve　him　from　the　fatigues　of　business；　Master　Copperfield！’　

‘Uriah　Heep　is　a　great　relief　to　me；’　said　Mr。　Wickfield；　in　the　
same　dull　voice。　‘It’s　a　load　off　my　mind；　Trotwood；　to　have　such　a　
partner。’　

The　red　fox　made　him　say　all　this；　I　knew；　to　exhibit　him　to　me　
in　the　light　he　had　indicated　on　the　night　when　he　poisoned　my　
rest。　I　saw　the　same　ill…favoured　smile　upon　his　face　again；　and　
saw　how　he　watched　me。　

‘You　are　not　going；　papa？’　said　Agnes；　anxiously。　‘Will　you　not　
walk　back　with　Trotwood　and　me？’　

He　would　have　looked　to　Uriah；　I　believe；　before　replying；　if　
that　worthy　had　not　anticipated　him。　

‘I　am　bespoke　myself；’　said　Uriah；　‘on　business；　otherwise　I　
should　have　been　appy　to　have　kept　with　my　friends。　But　I　leave　
my　partner　to　represent　the　firm。　Miss　Agnes；　ever　yours！　I　wish　
you　good…day；　Master　Copperfield；　and　leave　my　umble　respects　
for　Miss　Betsey　Trotwood。’　

With　those　words；　he　retired；　kissing　his　great　hand；　and　leering　
at　us　like　a　mask。　

We　sat　there；　talking　about　our　pleasant　old　Canterbury　days；　
an　hour　or　two。　Mr。　Wickfield；　left　to　Agnes；　soon　became　more　
like　his　former　self；　though　there　was　a　settled　depression　upon　

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him；　which　he　never　shook　off。　For　all　that；　he　brightened；　and　had　
an　evident　pleasure　in　hearing　us　recall　the　little　incidents　of　our　
old　life；　many　of　which　he　remembered　very　well。　He　said　it　was　
like　those　times；　to　be　alone　with　Agnes　and　me　again；　and　he　
wished　to　Heaven　they　had　never　changed。　I　am　sure　there　was　an　
influence　in　the　placid　face　of　Agnes；　and　in　the　very　touch　of　her　
hand　upon　his　arm；　that　did　wonders　for　him。　

My　aunt　（who　was　busy　nearly　all　this　while　with　Peggotty；　in　
the　inner　room）　would　not　accompany　us　to　the　place　where　they　
were　staying；　but　insisted　on　my　going；　and　I　went。　We　dined　
together。　After　dinner；　Agnes　sat　beside　him；　as　of　old；　and　poured　
out　his　wine。　He　took　what　she　gave　him；　and　no　more—like　a　
child—and　we　all　three　sat　together　at　a　window　as　the　evening　
gathered　in。　When　it　was　almost　dark；　he　lay　down　on　a　sofa；　
Agnes　pillowing　his　head　and　bending　over　him　a　little　while；　and　
when　she　came　back　to　the　window；　it　was　not　so　dark　but　I　could　
see　tears　glittering　in　her　eyes。　

I　pray　Heaven　that　I　never　may　forget　the　dear　girl　in　her　love　
and　truth；　at　that　time　of　my　life；　for　if　I　should；　I　must　be　drawing　
near　the　end；　and　then　I　would　desire　to　remember　her　best！　She　
filled　my　heart　with　such　good　resolutions；　strengthened　my　
weakness　so；　by　her　example；　so　directed—I　know　not　how；　she　
was　too　modest　and　gentle　to　advise　me　in　many　words—the　
wandering　ardour　and　unsettled　purpose　within　me；　that　all　the　
little　good　I　have　done；　and　all　the　harm　I　have　forborne；　I　
solemnly　believe　I　may　refer　to　her。　

And　how　she　spoke　to　me　of　Dora；　sitting　at　the　window　in　the　
dark；　listened　to　my　praises　of　her；　praised　again；　and　round　the　
little　fairy…figure　shed　some　glimpses　of　her　own　pure　light；　that　

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made　it　yet　more　precious　and　more　innocent　to　me！　Oh；　Agnes；　
sister　of　my　boyhood；　if　I　had　known　then；　what　I　knew　long　
afterwards！—　

There　was　a　beggar　in　the　street；　when　I　went　down；　and　as　I　
turned　my　head　towards　the　window；　thinking　of　her　calm　
seraphic　eyes；　he　made　me　start　by　muttering；　as　if　he　were　an　
echo　of　the　morning：　‘Blind！　Blind！　Blind！’　

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Chapter　36　

ENTHUSIASM　

Ibegan　the　next　day　with　another　dive　into　the　Roman　bath；　
and　then　started　for　Highgate。　I　was　not　dispirited　now。　I　was　
not　afraid　of　the　shabby　coat；　and　had　no　yearnings　after　
gallant　greys。　My　whole　manner　of　thinking　of　our　late　misfortune　
was　changed。　What　I　had　to　do；　was；　to　show　my　aunt　that　her　past　
goodness　to　me　had　not　been　thrown　away　on　an　insensible；　
ungrateful　object。　What　I　had　to　do；　was；　to　turn　the　painful　
discipline　of　my　younger　days　to　account；　by　going　to　work　with　a　
resolute　and　steady　heart。　What　I　had　to　do；　was；　to　take　my　
woodman’s　axe　in　my　hand；　and　clear　my　own　way　through　the　
forest　of　difficulty；　by　cutting　down　the　trees　until　I　came　to　Dora。　
And　I　went　on　at　a　mighty　rate；　as　if　it　could　be　done　by　walking。　

When　I　found　myself　on　the　familiar　Highgate　road；　pursuing　
such　a　different　errand　from　that　old　one　of　pleasure；　with　which　it　
was　associated；　it　seemed　as　if　a　complete　change　had　come　on　my　
whole　life。　But　that　did　not　discourage　me。　With　the　new　life；　came　
new　purp