david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第18节
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came to a bad end； and then I got into the cart； and the lazy horse
walked off with it。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Chapter 5
I AM SENT AWAY FROM HOME
We might have gone about half a mile； and my pocket…
handkerchief was quite wet through； when the carrier
stopped short。 Looking out to ascertain for what； I saw；
to my amazement； Peggotty burst from a hedge and climb into the
cart。 She took me in both her arms； and squeezed me to her stays
until the pressure on my nose was extremely painful； though I
never thought of that till afterwards when I found it very tender。
Not a single word did Peggotty speak。 Releasing one of her arms；
she put it down in her pocket to the elbow； and brought out some
paper bags of cakes which she crammed into my pockets； and a
purse which she put into my hand； but not one word did she say。
After another and a final squeeze with both arms； she got down
from the cart and ran away； and； my belief is； and has always
been； without a solitary button on her gown。 I picked up one； of
several that were rolling about； and treasured it as a keepsake for
a long time。
The carrier looked at me； as if to inquire if she were coming
back。 I shook my head； and said I thought not。 ‘Then come up；’
said the carrier to the lazy horse； who came up accordingly。
Having by this time cried as much as I possibly could； I began
to think it was of no use crying any more； especially as neither
Roderick Random； nor that Captain in the Royal British Navy； had
ever cried； that I could remember； in trying situations。 The carrier；
seeing me in this resolution； proposed that my pocket…
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
handkerchief should be spread upon the horse’s back to dry。 I
thanked him； and assented； and particularly small it looked； under
those circumstances。
I had now leisure to examine the purse。 It was a stiff leather
purse； with a snap； and had three bright shillings in it； which
Peggotty had evidently polished up with whitening； for my greater
delight。 But its most precious contents were two half…crowns
folded together in a bit of paper； on which was written； in my
mother’s hand； ‘For Davy。 With my love。’ I was so overcome by
this； that I asked the carrier to be so good as to reach me my
pocket…handkerchief again； but he said he thought I had better do
without it； and I thought I really had； so I wiped my eyes on my
sleeve and stopped myself。
For good； too； though； in consequence of my previous emotions；
I was still occasionally seized with a stormy sob。 After we had
jogged on for some little time； I asked the carrier if he was going
all the way。
‘All the way where？’ inquired the carrier。
‘There；’ I said。
‘Where’s there？’ inquired the carrier。
‘Near London；’ I said。
‘Why that horse；’ said the carrier； jerking the rein to point him
out； ‘would be deader than pork afore he got over half the ground。’
‘Are you only going to Yarmouth then？’ I asked。
‘That’s about it；’ said the carrier。 ‘And there I shall take you to
the stage…cutch； and the stage…cutch that’ll take you to—wherever
it is。’
As this was a great deal for the carrier （whose name was Mr。
Barkis） to say—he being； as I observed in a former chapter； of a
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
phlegmatic temperament； and not at all conversational—I offered
him a cake as a mark of attention； which he ate at one gulp；
exactly like an elephant； and which made no more impression on
his big face than it would have done on an elephant’s。
‘Did she make ’em； now？’ said Mr。 Barkis； always leaning
forward； in his slouching way； on the footboard of the cart with an
arm on each knee。
‘Peggotty； do you mean； sir？’
‘Ah！’ said Mr。 Barkis。 ‘Her。’
‘Yes。 She makes all our pastry； and does all our cooking。’
‘Do she though？’ said Mr。 Barkis。 He made up his mouth as if to
whistle； but he didn’t whistle。 He sat looking at the horse’s ears； as
if he saw something new there； and sat so； for a considerable time。
By and by； he said：
‘No sweethearts； I b’lieve？’
‘Sweetmeats did you say； Mr。 Barkis？’ For I thought he wanted
something else to eat； and had pointedly alluded to that
description of refreshment。
‘Hearts；’ said Mr。 Barkis。 ‘Sweet hearts； no person walks with
her！’
‘With Peggotty？’
‘Ah！’ he said。 ‘Her。’
‘Oh； no。 She never had a sweetheart。’
‘Didn’t she； though！’ said Mr。 Barkis。
Again he made up his mouth to whistle； and again he didn’t
whistle； but sat looking at the horse’s ears。
‘So she makes；’ said Mr。 Barkis； after a long interval of
reflection； ‘all the apple parsties； and doos all the cooking； do she？’
I replied that such was the fact。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘Well。 I’ll tell you what；’ said Mr。 Barkis。 ‘P’raps you might be
writin’ to her？’
‘I shall certainly write to her；’ I rejoined。
‘Ah！’ he said； slowly turning his eyes towards me。 ‘Well！ If you
was writin’ to her； p’raps you’d recollect to say that Barkis was
willin’； would you？’
‘That Barkis is willing；’ I repeated； innocently。 ‘Is that all the
message？’
‘Ye…es；’ he said； considering。 ‘Ye…es。 Barkis is willin’。’
‘But you will be at Blunderstone again tomorrow； Mr。 Barkis；’ I
said； faltering a little at the idea of my being far away from it then；
and could give your own message so much better。’
As he repudiated this suggestion； however； with a jerk of his
head； and once more confirmed his previous request by saying；
with profound gravity； ‘Barkis is willin’。 That’s the message；’ I
readily undertook its transmission。 While I was waiting for the
coach in the hotel at Yarmouth that very afternoon； I procured a
sheet of paper and an inkstand； and wrote a note to Peggotty；
which ran thus： ‘My dear Peggotty。 I have come here safe。 Barkis
is willing。 My love to mama。 Yours affectionately。 P。S。 He says he
particularly wants you to know—Barkis is willing。’
When I had taken this commission on myself prospectively； Mr。
Barkis relapsed into perfect silence； and I； feeling quite worn out
by all that had happened lately； lay down on a sack in the cart and
fell asleep。 I slept soundly until we got to Yarmouth； which was so
entirely new and strange to me in the inn…yard to which we drove；
that I at once abandoned a latent hope I had had of meeting with
some of Mr。 Peggotty’s family there； perhaps even with little Em’ly
herself。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
The coach was in the yard； shining very much all over； but
without any horses to it as yet； and it looked in that state as if
nothing was more unlikely than its ever going to London。 I was
thinking this； and wondering what would ultimately become of my
box； which Mr。 Barkis had put down on the yard…pavement by the
pole （he having driven up the yard to turn his cart）； and also what
would ultimately become of me； when a lady looked out of a bow…
window where some fowls and joints of meat were hanging up；
and said：
‘Is that the little gentleman from Blunderstone？’
‘Yes； ma’am；’ I said。
‘What name？’ inquired the lady。
‘Copperfield； ma’am；’ I said。
‘That won’t do；’ returned the lady。 ‘Nobody’s dinner is paid for
here； in that name。’
‘Is it Murdstone； ma’am？’ I said。
‘If you’re Master Murdstone；’ said the lady； ‘why do you go and
give another name； first？’
I explained to the lady how it was； who than rang a bell； and
called out； ‘William！ show the coffee…room！’ upon which a waiter
came running out of a kitchen on the opposite side of the yard to
show it； and seemed a good deal surprised when he was only to
show it to me。
It was a large long room with some large maps in it。 I doubt if I
could have felt much stranger if the maps had been real foreign
countries； and I cast away in the middle of them。 I felt it was
taking a liberty to sit down； with my cap in my hand； on the corner
of the chair nearest the door； and when the waiter laid a cloth on
purpose for me； and put a set of castors on it； I think I must have
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
turned red all over with modesty。
He brought me some chops； and vegetables； and took the covers
off in such a bouncing manner that I was afraid I must have given
him some offence。 But he greatly relieved my mind by putting a
chair for me at the table； and saying； very affably； ‘Now； six…foot！
come on！’
I thanked him； and took my seat at the board； but found it
extremely difficult to handle my knife and fork with anything like
dexterity； or to avoid splashing myself with the gravy； while he
was standing opposite； staring so hard； and making me blush in
the most dreadful manner every time I caught his eye。 After
watching me into the second chop； he said：
‘There’s half a pint of ale for you。 Will you have it now？’
I thanked him and said；
