david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第156节
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David Copperfield
comparatively reconciled Mrs。 Crewler to it； we had to break it to
Sarah。 You recollect my mentioning Sarah； as the one that has
something the matter with her spine？’
‘Perfectly！’
‘She clenched both her hands；’ said Traddles； looking at me in
dismay； ‘shut her eyes； turned lead…colour； became perfectly stiff；
and took nothing for two days but toast…and…water； administered
with a tea…spoon。’
‘What a very unpleasant girl； Traddles！’ I remarked。
‘Oh； I beg your pardon； Copperfield！’ said Traddles。 ‘She is a
very charming girl； but she has a great deal of feeling。 In fact； they
all have。 Sophy told me afterwards； that the self…reproach she
underwent while she was in attendance upon Sarah； no words
could describe。 I know it must have been severe； by my own
feelings； Copperfield； which were like a criminal’s。 After Sarah
was restored； we still had to break it to the other eight； and it
produced various effects upon them of a most pathetic nature。 The
two little ones； whom Sophy educates； have only just left off detesting me。’
‘At any rate； they are all reconciled to it now； I hope？’ said I。
‘Ye…yes； I should say they were； on the whole； resigned to it；’
said Traddles； doubtfully。 ‘The fact is； we avoid mentioning the
subject； and my unsettled prospects and indifferent circumstances
are a great consolation to them。 There will be a deplorable scene；
whenever we are married。 It will be much more like a funeral；
than a wedding。 And they’ll all hate me for taking her away！’
His honest face； as he looked at me with a serio…comic shake of
his head； impresses me more in the remembrance than it did in
the reality； for I was by this time in a state of such excessive
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
trepidation and wandering of mind； as to be quite unable to fix my
attention on anything。 On our approaching the house where the
Misses Spenlow lived； I was at such a discount in respect of my
personal looks and presence of mind； that Traddles proposed a
gentle stimulant in the form of a glass of ale。 This having been
administered at a neighbouring public…house； he conducted me；
with tottering steps； to the Misses Spenlow’s door。
I had a vague sensation of being； as it were； on view； when the
maid opened it； and of wavering； somehow； across a hall with a
weather…glass in it； into a quiet little drawing…room on the ground…
floor； commanding a neat garden。 Also of sitting down here； on a
sofa； and seeing Traddles’s hair start up； now his hat was
removed； like one of those obtrusive little figures made of springs；
that fly out of fictitious snuff…boxes when the lid is taken off。 Also
of hearing an old…fashioned clock ticking away on the chimney…
piece； and trying to make it keep time to the jerking of my heart；—
which it wouldn’t。 Also of looking round the room for any sign of
Dora； and seeing none。 Also of thinking that Jip once barked in
the distance； and was instantly choked by somebody。 Ultimately I
found myself backing Traddles into the fireplace； and bowing in
great confusion to two dry little elderly ladies； dressed in black；
and each looking wonderfully like a preparation in chip or tan of
the late Mr。 Spenlow。
‘Pray；’ said one of the two little ladies； ‘be seated。’
When I had done tumbling over Traddles； and had sat upon
something which was not a cat—my first seat was—I so far
recovered my sight； as to perceive that Mr。 Spenlow had evidently
been the youngest of the family； that there was a disparity of six or
eight years between the two sisters； and that the younger
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
appeared to be the manager of the conference； inasmuch as she
had my letter in her hand—so familiar as it looked to me； and yet
so odd！—and was referring to it through an eye…glass。 They were
dressed alike； but this sister wore her dress with a more youthful
air than the other； and perhaps had a trifle more frill； or tucker； or
brooch； or bracelet； or some little thing of that kind； which made
her look more lively。 They were both upright in their carriage；
formal； precise； composed； and quiet。 The sister who had not my
letter； had her arms crossed on her breast； and resting on each
other； like an Idol。
‘Mr。 Copperfield； I believe；’ said the sister who had got my
letter； addressing herself to Traddles。
This was a frightful beginning。 Traddles had to indicate that I
was Mr。 Copperfield； and I had to lay claim to myself； and they had
to divest themselves of a preconceived opinion that Traddles was
Mr。 Copperfield； and altogether we were in a nice condition。 To
improve it； we all distinctly heard Jip give two short barks； and
receive another choke。
‘Mr。 Copperfield！’ said the sister with the letter。
I did something—bowed； I suppose—and was all attention；
when the other sister struck in。
‘My sister Lavinia；’ said she ‘being conversant with matters of
this nature； will state what we consider most calculated to
promote the happiness of both parties。’
I discovered afterwards that Miss Lavinia was an authority in
affairs of the heart； by reason of there having anciently existed a
certain Mr。 Pidger； who played short whist； and was supposed to
have been enamoured of her。 My private opinion is； that this was
entirely a gratuitous assumption； and that Pidger was altogether
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
innocent of any such sentiments—to which he had never given any
sort of expression that I could ever hear of。 Both Miss Lavinia and
Miss Clarissa had a superstition； however； that he would have
declared his passion； if he had not been cut short in his youth （at
about sixty） by over…drinking his constitution； and over…doing an
attempt to set it right again by swilling Bath water。 They had a
lurking suspicion even； that he died of secret love； though I must
say there was a picture of him in the house with a damask nose；
which concealment did not appear to have ever preyed upon。
‘We will not；’ said Miss Lavinia； ‘enter on the past history of this
matter。 Our poor brother Francis’s death has cancelled that。’
‘We had not；’ said Miss Clarissa； ‘been in the habit of frequent
association with our brother Francis； but there was no decided
division or disunion between us。 Francis took his road； we took
ours。 We considered it conducive to the happiness of all parties
that it should be so。 And it was so。’
Each of the sisters leaned a little forward to speak； shook her
head after speaking； and became upright again when silent。 Miss
Clarissa never moved her arms。 She sometimes played tunes upon
them with her fingers—minuets and marches I should think—but
never moved them。
‘Our niece’s position； or supposed position； is much changed by
our brother Francis’s death；’ said Miss Lavinia； ‘and therefore we
consider our brother’s opinions as regarded her position as being
changed too。 We have no reason to doubt； Mr。 Copperfield； that
you are a young gentleman possessed of good qualities and
honourable character； or that you have an affection—or are fully
persuaded that you have an affection—for our niece。’
I replied； as I usually did whenever I had a chance； that nobody
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
had ever loved anybody else as I loved Dora。 Traddles came to my
assistance with a confirmatory murmur。
Miss Lavinia was going on to make some rejoinder； when Miss
Clarissa； who appeared to be incessantly beset by a desire to refer
to her brother Francis； struck in again：
‘If Dora’s mama；’ she said； ‘when she married our brother
Francis； had at once said that there was not room for the family at
the dinner…table； it would have been better for the happiness of all
parties。’
‘Sister Clarissa；’ said Miss Lavinia。 ‘Perhaps we needn’t mind
that now。’
‘Sister Lavinia；’ said Miss Clarissa； ‘it belongs to the subject。
With your branch of the subject； on which alone you are
competent to speak； I should not think of interfering。 On this
branch of the subject I have a voice and an opinion。 It would have
been better for the happiness of all parties； if Dora’s mama； when
she married our brother Francis； had mentioned plainly what her
intentions were。 We should then have known what we had to
expect。 We should have said “Pray do not invite us； at any time”；
and all possibility of misunderstanding would have been avoided。’
When Miss Clarissa had shaken her head； Miss Lavinia
resumed： again referring to my letter through her eye…glass。 They
both had little bright round twinkling eyes； by the way； which
were like birds’ eyes。 They were not unlike birds； altogether；
having a sharp； brisk； sudden manner； and a little short； spruce
way of adjusting themselves； like canaries。
Miss Lavinia； as I have said； resumed：
‘You ask permission of my sister Clarissa and myself； Mr。
Copperfield； to visit here； as the accepted suitor of our niece。’
Charle
