david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第155节

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He　gathered　up　the　letters　thoughtfully；　smoothing　them　with　
his　hand；　put　them　into　their　little　bundle；　and　placed　it　tenderly　
in　his　breast　again。　The　face　was　gone　from　the　door。　I　still　saw　the　
snow　drifting　in；　but　nothing　else　was　there。　

‘Well！’　he　said；　looking　to　his　bag；　‘having　seen　you　tonight；　
Mas’r　Davy　（and　that　doos　me　good！）；　I　shall　away　betimes　
tomorrow　morning。　You　have　seen　what　I’ve　got　heer’；　putting　his　
hand　on　where　the　little　packet　lay；　‘all　that　troubles　me　is；　to　
think　that　any　harm　might　come　to　me；　afore　that　money　was　give　
back。　If　I　was　to　die；　and　it　was　lost；　or　stole；　or　elseways　made　
away　with；　and　it　was　never　know’d　by　him　but　what　I’d　took　it；　I　
believe　the　t’other　wureld　wouldn’t　hold　me！　I　believe　I　must　come　
back！’　

He　rose；　and　I　rose　too；　we　grasped　each　other　by　the　hand　
again；　before　going　out。　

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‘I’d　go　ten　thousand　mile；’　he　said；　‘I’d　go　till　I　dropped　dead；　to　
lay　that　money　down　afore　him。　If　I　do　that；　and　find　my　Em’ly；　I’m　
content。　If　I　doen’t　find　her；　maybe　she’ll　come　to　hear；　sometime；　
as　her　loving　uncle　only　ended　his　search　for　her　when　he　ended　
his　life；　and　if　I　know　her；　even　that　will　turn　her　home　at　last！’　

As　he　went　out　into　the　rigorous　night；　I　saw　the　lonely　figure　
flit　away　before　us。　I　turned　him　hastily　on　some　pretence；　and　
held　him　in　conversation　until　it　was　gone。　

He　spoke　of　a　traveller’s　house　on　the　Dover　Road；　where　he　
knew　he　could　find　a　clean；　plain　lodging　for　the　night。　I　went　with　
him　over　Westminster　Bridge；　and　parted　from　him　on　the　Surrey　
shore。　Everything　seemed；　to　my　imagination；　to　be　hushed　in　
reverence　for　him；　as　he　resumed　his　solitary　journey　through　the　
snow。　

I　returned　to　the　inn　yard；　and；　impressed　by　my　remembrance　
of　the　face；　looked　awfully　around　for　it。　It　was　not　there。　The　snow　
had　covered　our　late　footprints；　my　new　track　was　the　only　one　to　
be　seen；　and　even　that　began　to　die　away　（it　snowed　so　fast）　as　I　
looked　back　over　my　shoulder。　

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Chapter　41　

DORA’S　AUNTS　

At　last；　an　answer　came　from　the　two　old　ladies。　They　
presented　their　compliments　to　Mr。　Copperfield；　and　
informed　him　that　they　had　given　his　letter　their　best　
consideration；　‘with　a　view　to　the　happiness　of　both　parties’—　
which　I　thought　rather　an　alarming　expression；　not　only　because　
of　the　use　they　had　made　of　it　in　relation　to　the　family　difference　
before…mentioned；　but　because　I　had　（and　have　all　my　life）　
observed　that　conventional　phrases　are　a　sort　of　fireworks；　easily　
let　off；　and　liable　to　take　a　great　variety　of　shapes　and　colours　not　
at　all　suggested　by　their　original　form。　The　Misses　Spenlow　added　
that　they　begged　to　forbear　expressing；　‘through　the　medium　of　
correspondence’；　an　opinion　on　the　subject　of　Mr。　Copperfield’s　
communication；　but　that　if　Mr。　Copperfield　would　do　them　the　
favour　to　call；　upon　a　certain　day　（accompanied；　if　he　thought　
proper；　by　a　confidential　friend）；　they　would　be　happy　to　hold　
some　conversation　on　the　subject。　

To　this　favour；　Mr。　Copperfield　immediately　replied；　with　his　
respectful　compliments；　that　he　would　have　the　honour　of　waiting　
on　the　Misses　Spenlow；　at　the　time　appointed；　accompanied；　in　
accordance　with　their　kind　permission；　by　his　friend　Mr。　Thomas　
Traddles　of　the　Inner　Temple。　Having　dispatched　which　missive；　
Mr。　Copperfield　fell　into　a　condition　of　strong　nervous　agitation；　
and　so　remained　until　the　day　arrived。　

It　was　a　great　augmentation　of　my　uneasiness　to　be　bereaved；　at　

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this　eventful　crisis；　of　the　inestimable　services　of　Miss　Mills。　But　
Mr。　Mills；　who　was　always　doing　something　or　other　to　annoy　
me—or　I　felt　as　if　he　were；　which　was　the　same　thing—had　
brought　his　conduct　to　a　climax；　by　taking　it　into　his　head　that　he　
would　go　to　India。　Why　should　he　go　to　India；　except　to　harass　me？　
To　be　sure　he　had　nothing　to　do　with　any　other　part　of　the　world；　
and　had　a　good　deal　to　do　with　that　part；　being　entirely　in　the　
India　trade；　whatever　that　was　（I　had　floating　dreams　myself　
concerning　golden　shawls　and　elephants’　teeth）；　having　been　at　
Calcutta　in　his　youth；　and　designing　now　to　go　out　there　again；　in　
the　capacity　of　resident　partner。　But　this　was　nothing　to　me。　
However；　it　was　so　much　to　him　that　for　India　he　was　bound；　and　
Julia　with　him；　and　Julia　went　into　the　country　to　take　leave　of　her　
relations；　and　the　house　was　put　into　a　perfect　suit　of　bills；　
announcing　that　it　was　to　be　let　or　sold；　and　that　the　furniture　
（Mangle　and　all）　was　to　be　taken　at　a　valuation。　So；　here　was　
another　earthquake　of　which　I　became　the　sport；　before　I　had　
recovered　from　the　shock　of　its　predecessor！　

I　was　in　several　minds　how　to　dress　myself　on　the　important　
day；　being　divided　between　my　desire　to　appear　to　advantage；　and　
my　apprehensions　of　putting　on　anything　that　might　impair　my　
severely　practical　character　in　the　eyes　of　the　Misses　Spenlow。　I　
endeavoured　to　hit　a　happy　medium　between　these　two　extremes；　
my　aunt　approved　the　result；　and　Mr。　Dick　threw　one　of　his　shoes　
after　Traddles　and　me；　for　luck；　as　we　went　downstairs。　

Excellent　fellow　as　I　knew　Traddles　to　be；　and　warmly　attached　
to　him　as　I　was；　I　could　not　help　wishing；　on　that　delicate　occasion；　
that　he　had　never　contracted　the　habit　of　brushing　his　hair　so　very　
upright。　It　gave　him　a　surprised　look—not　to　say　a　hearth…broomy　

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kind　of　expression—which；　my　apprehensions　whispered；　might　
be　fatal　to　us。　

I　took　the　liberty　of　mentioning　it　to　Traddles；　as　we　were　
walking　to　Putney；　and　saying　that　if　he　would　smooth　it　down　a　
little—　

‘My　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Traddles；　lifting　off　his　hat；　and　
rubbing　his　hair　all　kinds　of　ways；　‘nothing　would　give　me　greater　
pleasure。　But　it　won’t。’　

‘Won’t　be　smoothed　down？’　said　I。　

‘No；’　said　Traddles。　‘Nothing　will　induce　it。　If　I　was　to　carry　a　
half…hundred…weight　upon　it；　all　the　way　to　Putney；　it　would　be　up　
again　the　moment　the　weight　was　taken　off。　You　have　no　idea　
what　obstinate　hair　mine　is；　Copperfield。　I　am　quite　a　fretful　
porcupine。’　

I　was　a　little　disappointed；　I　must　confess；　but　thoroughly　
charmed　by　his　good…nature　too。　I　told　him　how　I　esteemed　his　
good…nature；　and　said　that　his　hair　must　have　taken　all　the　
obstinacy　out　of　his　character；　for　he　had　none。　

‘Oh！’　returned　Traddles；　laughing。　‘I　assure　you；　it’s　quite　an　old　
story；　my　unfortunate　hair。　My　uncle’s　wife　couldn’t　bear　it。　She　
said　it　exasperated　her。　It　stood　very　much　in　my　way；　too；　when　I　
first　fell　in　love　with　Sophy。　Very　much！’　

‘Did　she　object　to　it？’　

‘She　didn’t；’　rejoined　Traddles；　‘but　her　eldest　sister—the　one　
that’s　the　Beauty—quite　made　game　of　it；　I　understand。　In　fact；　all　
the　sisters　laugh　at　it。’　

‘Agreeable！’　said　I。　

‘Yes；’　returned　Traddles　with　perfect　innocence；　‘it’s　a　joke　for　
us。　They　pretend　that　Sophy　has　a　lock　of　it　in　her　desk；　and　is　

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obliged　to　shut　it　in　a　clasped　book；　to　keep　it　down。　We　laugh　
about　it。’　

‘By　the　by；　my　dear　Traddles；’　said　I；　‘your　experience　may　
suggest　something　to　me。　When　you　became　engaged　to　the　young　
lady　whom　you　have　just　mentioned；　did　you　make　a　regular　
proposal　to　her　family？　Was　there　anything　like—what　we　are　
going　through　today；　for　instance？’　I　added；　nervously。　

‘Why；’　replied　Traddles；　on　whose　attentive　face　a　thoughtful　
shade　had　stolen；　‘it　was　rather　a　painful　transaction；　Copperfield；　
in　my　case。　You　see；　Sophy　being　of　so　much　use　in　the　family；　
none　of　them　could　endure　the　thought　of　her　ever　being　married。　
Indeed；　they　had　quite　settled　among　themselves　that　she　never　
was　to　be　married；　and　they　called　her　the　old　maid。　Accordingly；　
when　I　mentioned　it；　with　the　greatest　precaution；　to　Mrs。　
Crewler—’　

‘The　mama？’　said　I。　

‘The　mama；’　said　Traddles—‘Reverend　Horace　Crewler—when　
I　mentioned　it　with　every　possible　precaution　to　Mrs。　Crewler；　the　
effect　upon　her　was　such　that　she　gave　a　scream　and　became　
insensible。　I　couldn’t　approach　the　subject　again；　for　months。’　

‘You　did　at　last？’　said　I。　

‘Well；　the　Reverend　Horace　did；’　said　Traddles。　‘He　is　an　
excellent　man；　most　exemplary　in　every　way；　and　he　pointed　out　
to　her　that　she　ought；　as　a　Christian；　to　reconcile　herself　to　the　
sacrifice　（especially　as　it　was　so　uncertain）；　and　to　bear　no　
uncharitable　feeling　towards　me。　As　to　myself；　Copperfield；　I　give　
you　my　word；　I　felt　a　perfect　bird　of　prey　towards　the　family。’　

‘The　sisters　took　your　part；　I　hope；　Traddles？’　

‘Why；　I　can’t　say　they　did；’　he　returned。　‘When　we　had　

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comparatively　reconciled　Mrs。　Crewler　to　it；　we　had　to　break　it　to　
Sarah。　You　recollect　my　ment