david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第150节

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much。　I　would　trust　to　my　fidelity　and　perseverance—and　to　Dora。’　

‘But　if　they　were　to　frighten　Dora　again；　Agnes；　by　speaking　to　
her；’　said　I。　‘And　if　Dora　were　to　cry；　and　say　nothing　about　me！’　

‘Is　that　likely？’　inquired　Agnes；　with　the　same　sweet　
consideration　in　her　face。　

‘God　bless　her；　she　is　as　easily　scared　as　a　bird；’　said　I。　‘It　might　
be！　Or　if　the　two　Miss　Spenlows　（elderly　ladies　of　that　sort　are　odd　
characters　sometimes）　should　not　be　likely　persons　to　address　in　
that　way！’　

‘I　don’t　think；　Trotwood；’　returned　Agnes；　raising　her　soft　eyes　
to　mine；　‘I　would　consider　that。　Perhaps　it　would　be　better　only　to　
consider　whether　it　is　right　to　do　this；　and；　if　it　is；　to　do　it。’　

I　had　no　longer　any　doubt　on　the　subject。　With　a　lightened　
heart；　though　with　a　profound　sense　of　the　weighty　importance　of　
my　task；　I　devoted　the　whole　afternoon　to　the　composition　of　the　
draft　of　this　letter；　for　which　great　purpose；　Agnes　relinquished　
her　desk　to　me。　But　first　I　went　downstairs　to　see　Mr。　Wickfield　

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David　Copperfield　

and　Uriah　Heep。　

I　found　Uriah　in　possession　of　a　new；　plaster…smelling　office；　
built　out　in　the　garden；　looking　extraordinarily　mean；　in　the　midst　
of　a　quantity　of　books　and　papers。　He　received　me　in　his　usual　
fawning　way；　and　pretended　not　to　have　heard　of　my　arrival　from　
Mr。　Micawber；　a　pretence　I　took　the　liberty　of　disbelieving。　He　
accompanied　me　into　Mr。　Wickfield’s　room；　which　was　the　shadow　
of　its　former　self—having　been　divested　of　a　variety　of　
conveniences；　for　the　accommodation　of　the　new　partner—and　
stood　before　the　fire；　warming　his　back；　and　shaving　his　chin　with　
his　bony　hand；　while　Mr。　Wickfield　and　I　exchanged　greetings。　

‘You　stay　with　us；　Trotwood；　while　you　remain　in　Canterbury？’　
said　Mr。　Wickfield；　not　without　a　glance　at　Uriah　for　his　approval。　

‘Is　there　room　for　me？’　said　I。　

‘I　am　sure；　Master　Copperfield—I　should　say　Mister；　but　the　
other　comes　so　natural；’　said　Uriah；—’I　would　turn　out　of　your　old　
room　with　pleasure；　if　it　would　be　agreeable。’　

‘No；　no；’　said　Mr。　Wickfield。　‘Why　should　you　be　
inconvenienced？　There’s　another　room。　There’s　another　room。’　

‘Oh；　but　you　know；’　returned　Uriah；　with　a　grin；　‘I　should　really　
be　delighted！’　

To　cut　the　matter　short；　I　said　I　would　have　the　other　room　or　
none　at　all；　so　it　was　settled　that　I　should　have　the　other　room；　
and；　taking　my　leave　of　the　firm　until　dinner；　I　went　upstairs　
again。　

I　had　hoped　to　have　no　other　companion　than　Agnes。　But　Mrs。　
Heep　had　asked　permission　to　bring　herself　and　her　knitting　near　
the　fire；　in　that　room；　on　pretence　of　its　having　an　aspect　more　
favourable　for　her　rheumatics；　as　the　wind　then　was；　than　the　

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David　Copperfield　

drawing…room　or　dining…parlour。　Though　I　could　almost　have　
consigned　her　to　the　mercies　of　the　wind　on　the　topmost　pinnacle　
of　the　Cathedral；　without　remorse；　I　made　a　virtue　of　necessity；　
and　gave　her　a　friendly　salutation。　

‘I’m　umbly　thankful　to　you；　sir；’　said　Mrs。　Heep；　in　
acknowledgement　of　my　inquiries　concerning　her　health；　‘but　I’m　
only　pretty　well。　I　haven’t　much　to　boast　of。　If　I　could　see　my　Uriah　
well　settled　in　life；　I　couldn’t　expect　much　more　I　think。　How　do　
you　think　my　Ury　looking；　sir？’　

I　thought　him　looking　as　villainous　as　ever；　and　I　replied　that　I　
saw　no　change　in　him。　

‘Oh；　don’t　you　think　he’s　changed？’　said　Mrs。　Heep。　‘There　I　
must　umbly　beg　leave　to　differ　from　you。　Don’t　you　see　a　thinness　
in　him？’　

‘Not　more　than　usual；’　I　replied。　

‘Don’t　you　though！’　said　Mrs。　Heep。　‘But　you　don’t　take　notice　of　
him　with　a　mother’s　eye！’　

His　mother’s　eye　was　an　evil　eye　to　the　rest　of　the　world；　I　
thought　as　it　met　mine；　howsoever　affectionate　to　him；　and　I　
believe　she　and　her　son　were　devoted　to　one　another。　It　passed　
me；　and　went　on　to　Agnes。　

‘Don’t　you　see　a　wasting　and　a　wearing　in　him；　Miss　Wickfield？’　
inquired　Mrs。　Heep。　

‘No；’　said　Agnes；　quietly　pursuing　the　work　on　which　she　was　
engaged。　‘You　are　too　solicitous　about　him。　He　is　very　well。’　

Mrs。　Heep；　with　a　prodigious　sniff；　resumed　her　knitting。　

She　never　left　off；　or　left　us　for　a　moment。　I　had　arrived　early　in　
the　day；　and　we　had　still　three　or　four　hours　before　dinner；　but　she　
sat　there；　plying　her　knitting…needles　as　monotonously　as　an　hour…

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glass　might　have　poured　out　its　sands。　She　sat　on　one　side　of　the　
fire；　I　sat　at　the　desk　in　front　of　it；　a　little　beyond　me；　on　the　other　
side；　sat　Agnes。　Whensoever；　slowly　pondering　over　my　letter；　I　
lifted　up　my　eyes；　and　meeting　the　thoughtful　face　of　Agnes；　saw　it　
clear；　and　beam　encouragement　upon　me；　with　its　own　angelic　
expression；　I　was　conscious　presently　of　the　evil　eye　passing　me；　
and　going　on　to　her；　and　coming　back　to　me　again；　and　dropping　
furtively　upon　the　knitting。　What　the　knitting　was；　I　don’t　know；　
not　being　learned　in　that　art；　but　it　looked　like　a　net；　and　as　she　
worked　away　with　those　Chinese　chopsticks　of　knitting…needles；　
she　showed　in　the　firelight　like　an　ill…looking　enchantress；　baulked　
as　yet　by　the　radiant　goodness　opposite；　but　getting　ready　for　a　
cast　of　her　net　by　and　by。　

At　dinner　she　maintained　her　watch；　with　the　same　unwinking　
eyes。　After　dinner；　her　son　took　his　turn；　and　when　Mr。　Wickfield；　
himself；　and　I　were　left　alone　together；　leered　at　me；　and　writhed　
until　I　could　hardly　bear　it。　In　the　drawing…room；　there　was　the　
mother　knitting　and　watching　again。　All　the　time　that　Agnes　sang　
and　played；　the　mother　sat　at　the　piano。　Once　she　asked　for　a　
particular　ballad；　which　she　said　her　Ury　（who　was　yawning　in　a　
great　chair）　doted　on；　and　at　intervals　she　looked　round　at　him；　
and　reported　to　Agnes　that　he　was　in　raptures　with　the　music。　But　
she　hardly　ever　spoke—I　question　if　she　ever　did—without　making　
some　mention　of　him。　It　was　evident　to　me　that　this　was　the　duty　
assigned　to　her。　

This　lasted　until　bedtime。　To　have　seen　the　mother　and　son；　
like　two　great　bats　hanging　over　the　whole　house；　and　darkening　it　
with　their　ugly　forms；　made　me　so　uncomfortable；　that　I　would　
rather　have　remained　downstairs；　knitting　and　all；　than　gone　to　

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David　Copperfield　

bed。　I　hardly　got　any　sleep。　Next　day　the　knitting　and　watching　
began　again；　and　lasted　all　day。　

I　had　not　an　opportunity　of　speaking　to　Agnes；　for　ten　minutes。　
I　could　barely　show　her　my　letter。　I　proposed　to　her　to　walk　out　
with　me；　but　Mrs。　Heep　repeatedly　complaining　that　she　was　
worse；　Agnes　charitably　remained　within；　to　bear　her　company。　
Towards　the　twilight　I　went　out　by　myself；　musing　on　what　I　ought　
to　do；　and　whether　I　was　justified　in　withholding　from　Agnes；　any　
longer；　what　Uriah　Heep　had　told　me　in　London；　for　that　began　to　
trouble　me　again；　very　much。　

I　had　not　walked　out　far　enough　to　be　quite　clear　of　the　town；　
upon　the　Ramsgate　road；　where　there　was　a　good　path；　when　I　
was　hailed；　through　the　dust；　by　somebody　behind　me。　The　
shambling　figure；　and　the　scanty　great…coat；　were　not　to　be　
mistaken。　I　stopped；　and　Uriah　Heep　came　up。　

‘Well？’　said　I。　

‘How　fast　you　walk！’　said　he。　‘My　legs　are　pretty　long；　but　you’ve　
given　’em　quite　a　job。’　

‘Where　are　you　going？’　said　I。　

‘I　am　going　with　you；　Master　Copperfield；　if　you’ll　allow　me　the　
pleasure　of　a　walk　with　an　old　acquaintance。’　Saying　this；　with　a　
jerk　of　his　body；　which　might　have　been　either　propitiatory　or　
derisive；　he　fell　into　step　beside　me。　

‘Uriah！’　said　I；　as　civilly　as　I　could；　after　a　silence。　

‘Master　Copperfield！’　said　Uriah。　

‘To　tell　you　the　truth　（at　which　you　will　not　be　offended）；　I　came　
Out　to　walk　alone；　because　I　have　had　so　much　company。’　

He　looked　at　me　sideways；　and　said　with　his　hardest　grin；　‘You　
mean　mother。’　

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David　Copperfield　

‘Why　yes；　I　do；’　said　I。　

‘Ah！　But　you　know　we’re　so　very　umble；’　he　returned。　‘And　
having　such　a　knowledge　of　our　own　umbleness；　we　must　really　
take　care　that　we’re　not　pushed　to　the　wall　by　them　as　isn’t　umble。　
All　stratagems　are　fair　in　love；　sir。’　

Raising　his　great　hands　until　they　touched　his　chin；　he　rubbed　
them　softly；　and　softly　chuckled；　looking　as　like　a　malevolent　
baboon；　I　thought；　as　anything　human　could　look。　

‘You　see；’　he　said；　still　hugging　himself　in　that　unpleasant　way；　
and　shaking　his　head　at　me；　‘you’re　quite　a　dangerous　rival；　
Master　Copperfield。　You　always　was；　you　know。’　

‘Do　you　set　a　watch　upon　Miss　Wickfield；　and　make　her　home　
no　home；　because　of　me？’　said　I。　

‘Oh！　Master　Copperfield！　Those　are　very　arsh　words；’　he　
replied。　

‘Put　my　meaning　into　any　words　you　like；’　said　I。　‘You　know　
what　it　is；　Uriah；　as　well　as　I　do。’　

‘Oh　no！　You　must　put　it　into　words；’　he　said。　‘Oh；　really！　I　
couldn’t　myself。’　

‘Do　you　suppose；’　said　I；　constraining　myself　to　b