david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第147节

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papers；　and　searching　for　a　Will。　There　is　no　trace　of　any；　
elsewhere。　It　may　be　as　well　for　you　to　assist　us；　if　you　please。’　

I　had　been　in　agony　to　obtain　some　knowledge　of　the　
circumstances　in　which　my　Dora　would　be　placed—as；　in　whose　
guardianship；　and　so　forth—and　this　was　something　towards　it。　
We　began　the　search　at　once；　Mr。　Jorkins　unlocking　the　drawers　

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David　Copperfield　

and　desks；　and　we　all　taking　out　the　papers。　The　office…papers　we　
placed　on　one　side；　and　the　private　papers　（which　were　not　
numerous）　on　the　other。　We　were　very　grave；　and　when　we　came　
to　a　stray　seal；　or　pencil…case；　or　ring；　or　any　little　article　of　that　
kind　which　we　associated　personally　with　him；　we　spoke　very　low。　

We　had　sealed　up　several　packets；　and　were　still　going　on　
dustily　and　quietly；　when　Mr。　Jorkins　said　to　us；　applying　exactly　
the　same　words　to　his　late　partner　as　his　late　partner　had　applied　
to　him：　

‘Mr。　Spenlow　was　very　difficult　to　move　from　the　beaten　track。　
You　know　what　he　was！　I　am　disposed　to　think　he　had　made　no　
will。’　

‘Oh；　I　know　he　had！’　said　I。　

They　both　stopped　and　looked　at　me。　‘On　the　very　day　when　I　
last　saw　him；’　said　I；　‘he　told　me　that　he　had；　and　that　his　affairs　
were　long　since　settled。’　

Mr。　Jorkins　and　old　Tiffey　shook　their　heads　with　one　accord。　

‘That　looks　unpromising；’　said　Tiffey。　

‘Very　unpromising；’　said　Mr。　Jorkins。　

‘Surely　you　don’t　doubt—’　I　began。　

‘My　good　Mr。　Copperfield！’　said　Tiffey；　laying　his　hand　upon　my　
arm；　and　shutting　up　both　his　eyes　as　he　shook　his　head：　‘if　you　
had　been　in　the　Commons　as　long　as　I　have；　you　would　know　that　
there　is　no　subject　on　which　men　are　so　inconsistent；　and　so　little　
to　be　trusted。’　

‘Why；　bless　my　soul；　he　made　that　very　remark！’　I　replied　
persistently。　

‘I　should　call　that　almost　final；’　observed　Tiffey。　‘My　opinion　
is—no　will。’　

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It　appeared　a　wonderful　thing　to　me；　but　it　turned　out　that　
there　was　no　will。　He　had　never　so　much　as　thought　of　making　
one；　so　far　as　his　papers　afforded　any　evidence；　for　there　was　no　
kind　of　hint；　sketch；　or　memorandum；　of　any　testamentary　
intention　whatever。　What　was　scarcely　less　astonishing　to　me；　was；　
that　his　affairs　were　in　a　most　disordered　state。　It　was　extremely　
difficult；　I　heard；　to　make　out　what　he　owed；　or　what　he　had　paid；　
or　of　what　he　died　possessed。　It　was　considered　likely　that　for　
years　he　could　have　had　no　clear　opinion　on　these　subjects　
himself。　By　little　and　little　it　came　out；　that；　in　the　competition　on　
all　points　of　appearance　and　gentility　then　running　high　in　the　
Commons；　he　had　spent　more　than　his　professional　income；　which　
was　not　a　very　large　one；　and　had　reduced　his　private　means；　if　
they　ever　had　been　great　（which　was　exceedingly　doubtful）；　to　a　
very　low　ebb　indeed。　There　was　a　sale　of　the　furniture　and　lease；　at　
Norwood；　and　Tiffey　told　me；　little　thinking　how　interested　I　was　
in　the　story；　that；　paying　all　the　just　debts　of　the　deceased；　and　
deducting　his　share　of　outstanding　bad　and　doubtful　debts　due　to　
the　firm；　he　wouldn’t　give　a　thousand　pounds　for　all　the　assets　
remaining。　

This　was　at　the　expiration　of　about　six　weeks。　I　had　suffered　
tortures　all　the　time；　and　thought　I　really　must　have　laid　violent　
hands　upon　myself；　when　Miss　Mills　still　reported　to　me；　that　my　
broken…hearted　little　Dora　would　say　nothing；　when　I　was　
mentioned；　but　‘Oh；　poor　papa！　Oh；　dear　papa！’　Also；　that　she　had　
no　other　relations　than　two　aunts；　maiden　sisters　of　Mr。　Spenlow；　
who　lived　at　Putney；　and　who　had　not　held　any　other　than　chance　
communication　with　their　brother　for　many　years。　Not　that　they　
had　ever　quarrelled　（Miss　Mills　informed　me）；　but　that　having　

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David　Copperfield　

been；　on　the　occasion　of　Dora’s　christening；　invited　to　tea；　when　
they　considered　themselves　privileged　to　be　invited　to　dinner；　they　
had　expressed　their　opinion　in　writing；　that　it　was　‘better　for　the　
happiness　of　all　parties’　that　they　should　stay　away。　Since　which　
they　had　gone　their　road；　and　their　brother　had　gone　his。　

These　two　ladies　now　emerged　from　their　retirement；　and　
proposed　to　take　Dora　to　live　at　Putney。　Dora；　clinging　to　them　
both；　and　weeping；　exclaimed；　‘O　yes；　aunts！　Please　take　Julia　
Mills　and　me　and　Jip　to　Putney！’　So　they　went；　very　soon　after　the　
funeral。　

How　I　found　time　to　haunt　Putney；　I　am　sure　I　don’t　know；　but　I　
contrived；　by　some　means　or　other；　to　prowl　about　the　
neighbourhood　pretty　often。　Miss　Mills；　for　the　more　exact　
discharge　of　the　duties　of　friendship；　kept　a　journal；　and　she　used　
to　meet　me　sometimes；　on　the　Common；　and　read　it；　or　（if　she　had　
not　time　to　do　that）　lend　it　to　me。　How　I　treasured　up　the　entries；　
of　which　I　subjoin　a　sample！—　

‘Monday。　My　sweet　D。　still　much　depressed。　Headache。　Called　
attention　to　J。　as　being　beautifully　sleek。　D。　fondled　J。　Associations　
thus　awakened；　opened　floodgates　of　sorrow。　Rush　of　grief　
admitted。　（Are　tears　the　dewdrops　of　the　heart？　J。　M。）　

‘Tuesday。　D。　weak　and　nervous。　Beautiful　in　pallor。　（Do　we　not　
remark　this　in　moon　likewise？　J。　M。）　D。；　J。　M。　and　J。　took　airing　in　
carriage。　J。　looking　out　of　window；　and　barking　violently　at　
dustman；　occasioned　smile　to　overspread　features　of　D。　（Of　such　
slight　links　is　chain　of　life　composed！　J。　M。）　

‘Wednesday。　D。　comparatively　cheerful。　Sang　to　her；　as　
congenial　melody；　“Evening　Bells”。　Effect　not　soothing；　but　
reverse。　D。　inexpressibly　affected。　Found　sobbing　afterwards；　in　

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own　room。　Quoted　verses　respecting　self　and　young　Gazelle。　
Ineffectually。　Also　referred　to　Patience　on　Monument。　（Qy。　Why　on　
monument？　J。　M。）　

‘Thursday。　D。　certainly　improved。　Better　night。　Slight　tinge　of　
damask　revisiting　cheek。　Resolved　to　mention　name　of　D。　C。　
Introduced　same；　cautiously；　in　course　of　airing。　D。　immediately　
overcome。　“Oh；　dear；　dear　Julia！　Oh；　I　have　been　a　naughty　and　
undutiful　child！”　Soothed　and　caressed。　Drew　ideal　picture　of　D。　

C。　on　verge　of　tomb。　D。　again　overcome。　“Oh；　what　shall　I　do；　what　
shall　I　do？　Oh；　take　me　somewhere！”　Much　alarmed。　Fainting　of　
D。　and　glass　of　water　from　public…house。　（Poetical　affinity。　
Chequered　sign　on　door…post；　chequered　human　life。　Alas！　J。　M。）　
‘Friday。　Day　of　incident。　Man　appears　in　kitchen；　with　blue　bag；　
“for　lady’s　boots　left　out　to　heel”。　Cook　replies；　“No　such　orders。”　
Man　argues　point。　Cook　withdraws　to　inquire；　leaving　man　alone　
with　J。　On　Cook’s　return；　man　still　argues　point；　but　ultimately　
goes。　J。　missing。　D。　distracted。　Information　sent　to　police。　Man　to　
be　identified　by　broad　nose；　and　legs　like　balustrades　of　bridge。　
Search　made　in　every　direction。　No　J。　D。　weeping　bitterly；　and　
inconsolable。　Renewed　reference　to　young　Gazelle。　Appropriate；　
but　unavailing。　Towards　evening；　strange　boy　calls。　Brought　into　
parlour。　Broad　nose；　but　no　balustrades。　Says　he　wants　a　pound；　
and　knows　a　dog。　Declines　to　explain　further；　though　much　
pressed。　Pound　being　produced　by　D。　takes　Cook　to　little　house；　
where　J。　alone　tied　up　to　leg　of　table。　joy　of　D。　who　dances　round　J。　
while　he　eats　his　supper。　Emboldened　by　this　happy　change；　
mention　D。　C。　upstairs。　D。　weeps　afresh；　cries　piteously；　“Oh；　
don’t；　don’t；　don’t！　It　is　so　wicked　to　think　of　anything　but　poor　
papa！”—embraces　J。　and　sobs　herself　to　sleep。　（Must　not　D。　C。　

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confine　himself　to　the　broad　pinions　of　Time？　J。　M。）’　

Miss　Mills　and　her　journal　were　my　sole　consolation　at　this　
period。　To　see　her；　who　had　seen　Dora　but　a　little　while　before—to　
trace　the　initial　letter　of　Dora’s　name　through　her　sympathetic　
pages—to　be　made　more　and　more　miserable　by　her—were　my　
only　comforts。　I　felt　as　if　I　had　been　living　in　a　palace　of　cards；　
which　had　tumbled　down；　leaving　only　Miss　Mills　and　me　among　
the　ruins；　I　felt　as　if　some　grim　enchanter　had　drawn　a　magic　
circle　round　the　innocent　goddess　of　my　heart；　which　nothing　
indeed　but　those　same　strong　pinions；　capable　of　carrying　so　many　
people　over　so　much；　would　enable　me　to　enter！　

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Chapter　39　

WICKFIELD　AND　HEEP　

My　aunt；　beginning；　I　imagine；　to　be　made　seriously　
uncomfortable　by　my　prolonged　dejection；　made　a　
pretence　of　being　anxious　that　I　should　go　to　Dover；　to　
see　that　all　was　working　well　at　the　cottage；　which　was　let；　and　to　
conclude　an　agreement；　with　the　same　tenant；　for　a　longer　term　of　
occupation。　Janet　was　drafted　into　the　service　of　Mrs。　Strong；　
where　I　saw　her　every　day。　She　had　been　undecided；　on　leaving　
Dover；　whether　or　no　to　give　the　finishing　touch　to　that　
renunciation　of　mankind　in　which　she　had　been　educated；　by　
marrying　a　pilot；　but　she　decided　against　that　venture。　Not　so　
much　for　the　sake　of　principle；　I　believe；　as　because　she　happened　
not　to　like　him。　

Althoug