david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第24节

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begged　him　to　do　me　the　favour　of　presiding；　and　my　request　
being　seconded　by　the　other　boys　who　were　in　that　room；　he　
acceded　to　it；　and　sat　upon　my　pillow；　handing　round　the　viands—　
with　perfect　fairness；　I　must　say—and　dispensing　the　currant　wine　
in　a　little　glass　without　a　foot；　which　was　his　own　property。　As　to　
me；　I　sat　on　his　left　hand；　and　the　rest　were　grouped　about　us；　on　
the　nearest　beds　and　on　the　floor。　

How　well　I　recollect　our　sitting　there；　talking　in　whispers；　or　
their　talking；　and　my　respectfully　listening；　I　ought　rather　to　say；　
the　moonlight　falling　a　little　way　into　the　room；　through　the　
window；　painting　a　pale　window　on　the　floor；　and　the　greater　part　
of　us　in　shadow；　except　when　Steerforth　dipped　a　match　into　a　
phosphorus…box；　when　he　wanted　to　look　for　anything　on　the　
board；　and　shed　a　blue　glare　over　us　that　was　gone　directly！　A　
certain　mysterious　feeling；　consequent　on　the　darkness；　the　
secrecy　of　the　revel；　and　the　whisper　in　which　everything　was　said；　
steals　over　me　again；　and　I　listen　to　all　they　tell　me　with　a　vague　
feeling　of　solemnity　and　awe；　which　makes　me　glad　that　they　are　
all　so　near；　and　frightens　me　（though　I　feign　to　laugh）　when　
Traddles　pretends　to　see　a　ghost　in　the　corner。　

I　heard　all　kinds　of　things　about　the　school　and　all　belonging　to　
it。　I　heard　that　Mr。　Creakle　had　not　preferred　his　claim　to　being　a　
Tartar　without　reason；　that　he　was　the　sternest　and　most　severe　of　

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masters；　that　he　laid　about　him；　right　and　left；　every　day　of　his　life；　
charging　in　among　the　boys　like　a　trooper；　and　slashing　away；　
unmercifully。　That　he　knew　nothing　himself；　but　the　art　of　
slashing；　being　more　ignorant　（J。　Steerforth　said）　than　the　lowest　
boy　in　the　school；　that　he　had　been；　a　good　many　years　ago；　a　
small　hop…dealer　in　the　Borough；　and　had　taken　to　the　schooling　
business　after　being　bankrupt　in　hops；　and　making　away　with　Mrs。　
Creakle’s　money。　With　a　good　deal　more　of　that　sort；　which　I　
wondered　how　they　knew。　

I　heard　that　the　man　with　the　wooden　leg；　whose　name　was　
Tungay；　was　an　obstinate　barbarian　who　had　formerly　assisted　in　
the　hop　business；　but　had　come　into　the　scholastic　line　with　Mr。　
Creakle；　in　consequence；　as　was　supposed　among　the　boys；　of　his　
having　broken　his　leg　in　Mr。　Creakle’s　service；　and　having　done　a　
deal　of　dishonest　work　for　him；　and　knowing　his　secrets。　I　heard　
that　with　the　single　exception　of　Mr。　Creakle；　Tungay　considered　
the　whole　establishment；　masters　and　boys；　as　his　natural　
enemies；　and　that　the　only　delight　of　his　life　was　to　be　sour　and　
malicious。　I　heard　that　Mr。　Creakle　had　a　son；　who　had　not　been　
Tungay’s　friend；　and　who；　assisting　in　the　school；　had　once　held　
some　remonstrance　with　his　father　on　an　occasion　when　its　
discipline　was　very　cruelly　exercised；　and　was　supposed；　besides；　
to　have　protested　against　his　father’s　usage　of　his　mother。　I　heard　
that　Mr。　Creakle　had　turned　him　out　of　doors；　in　consequence；　and　
that　Mrs。　and　Miss　Creakle　had　been　in　a　sad　way；　ever　since。　

But　the　greatest　wonder　that　I　heard　of　Mr。　Creakle　was；　there　
being　one　boy　in　the　school　on　whom　he　never　ventured　to　lay　a　
hand；　and　that　boy　being　J。　Steerforth。　Steerforth　himself　
confirmed　this　when　it　was　stated；　and　said　that　he　should　like　to　

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begin　to　see　him　do　it。　On　being　asked　by　a　mild　boy　（not　me）　how　
he　would　proceed　if　he　did　begin　to　see　him　do　it；　he　dipped　a　
match　into　his　phosphorus…box　on　purpose　to　shed　a　glare　over　his　
reply；　and　said　he　would　commence　by　knocking　him　down　with　a　
blow　on　the　forehead　from　the　seven…and…sixpenny　ink…bottle　that　
was　always　on　the　mantelpiece。　We　sat　in　the　dark　for　some　time；　
breathless。　

I　heard　that　Mr。　Sharp　and　Mr。　Mell　were　both　supposed　to　be　
wretchedly　paid；　and　that　when　there　was　hot　and　cold　meat　for　
dinner　at　Mr。　Creakle’s　table；　Mr。　Sharp　was　always　expected　to　
say　he　preferred　cold；　which　was　again　corroborated　by　J。　
Steerforth；　the　only　parlour…boarder。　I　heard　that　Mr。　Sharp’s　wig　
didn’t　fit　him；　and　that　he　needn’t　be　so　‘bounceable’—somebody　
else　said　‘bumptious’—about　it；　because　his　own　red　hair　was　very　
plainly　to　be　seen　behind。　

I　heard　that　one　boy；　who　was　a　coal…merchant’s　son；　came　as　a　
set…off　against　the　coal…bill；　and　was　called；　on　that　account；　
‘Exchange　or　Barter’—a　name　selected　from　the　arithmetic　book　
as　expressing　this　arrangement。　I　heard　that　the　table　beer　was　a　
robbery　of　parents；　and　the　pudding　an　imposition。　I　heard　that　
Miss　Creakle　was　regarded　by　the　school　in　general　as　being　in　
love　with　Steerforth；　and　I　am　sure；　as　I　sat　in　the　dark；　thinking　of　
his　nice　voice；　and　his　fine　face；　and　his　easy　manner；　and　his　
curling　hair；　I　thought　it　very　likely。　I　heard　that　Mr。　Mell　was　not　
a　bad　sort　of　fellow；　but　hadn’t　a　sixpence　to　bless　himself　with；　
and　that　there　was　no　doubt　that　old　Mrs。　Mell；　his　mother；　was　as　
poor　as　job。　I　thought　of　my　breakfast　then；　and　what　had　sounded　
like　‘My　Charley！’　but　I　was；　I　am　glad　to　remember；　as　mute　as　a　
mouse　about　it。　

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The　hearing　of　all　this；　and　a　good　deal　more；　outlasted　the　
banquet　some　time。　The　greater　part　of　the　guests　had　gone　to　bed　
as　soon　as　the　eating　and　drinking　were　over；　and　we；　who　had　
remained　whispering　and　listening　half…undressed；　at　last　betook　
ourselves　to　bed；　too。　

‘Good　night；　young　Copperfield；’　said　Steerforth。　‘I’ll　take　care　
of　you。’　

‘You’re　very　kind；’　I　gratefully　returned。　‘I　am　very　much　
obliged　to　you。’　

‘You　haven’t　got　a　sister；　have　you？’　said　Steerforth；　yawning。　

‘No；’　I　answered。　

‘That’s　a　pity；’　said　Steerforth。　‘If　you　had　had　one；　I　should　
think　she　would　have　been　a　pretty；　timid；　little；　bright…eyed　sort　
of　girl。　I　should　have　liked　to　know　her。　Good　night；　young　
Copperfield。’　

‘Good　night；　sir；’　I　replied。　

I　thought　of　him　very　much　after　I　went　to　bed；　and　raised　
myself；　I　recollect；　to　look　at　him　where　he　lay　in　the　moonlight；　
with　his　handsome　face　turned　up；　and　his　head　reclining　easily　on　
his　arm。　He　was　a　person　of　great　power　in　my　eyes；　that　was；　of　
course；　the　reason　of　my　mind　running　on　him。　No　veiled　future　
dimly　glanced　upon　him　in　the　moonbeams。　There　was　no　
shadowy　picture　of　his　footsteps；　in　the　garden　that　I　dreamed　of　
walking　in　all　night。　

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Chapter　7　

MY　‘FIRST　HALF’　AT　SALEM　HOUSE　

School　began　in　earnest　next　day。　A　profound　impression　
was　made　upon　me；　I　remember；　by　the　roar　of　voices　in　
the　schoolroom　suddenly　becoming　hushed　as　death　when　
Mr。　Creakle　entered　after　breakfast；　and　stood　in　the　doorway　
looking　round　upon　us　like　a　giant　in　a　story…book　surveying　his　
captives。　

Tungay　stood　at　Mr。　Creakle’s　elbow。　He　had　no　occasion；　I　
thought；　to　cry　out　‘Silence！’　so　ferociously；　for　the　boys　were　all　
struck　speechless　and　motionless。　

Mr。　Creakle　was　seen　to　speak；　and　Tungay　was　heard；　to　this　
effect。　

‘Now；　boys；　this　is　a　new　half。　Take　care　what　you’re　about；　in　
this　new　half。　Come　fresh　up　to　the　lessons；　I　advise　you；　for　I　
come　fresh　up　to　the　punishment。　I　won’t　flinch。　It　will　be　of　no　
use　your　rubbing　yourselves；　you　won’t　rub　the　marks　out　that　I　
shall　give　you。　Now　get　to　work；　every　boy！’　

When　this　dreadful　exordium　was　over；　and　Tungay　had　
stumped　out　again；　Mr。　Creakle　came　to　where　I　sat；　and　told　me　
that　if　I　were　famous　for　biting；　he　was　famous　for　biting；　too。　He　
then　showed　me　the　cane；　and　asked　me　what　I　thought　of　that；　for　
a　tooth？　Was　it　a　sharp　tooth；　hey？　Was　it　a　double　tooth；　hey？　
Had　it　a　deep　prong；　hey？　Did　it　bite；　hey？　Did　it　bite？　At　every　
question　he　gave　me　a　fleshy　cut　with　it　that　made　me　writhe；　so　I　
was　very　soon　made　free　of　Salem　House　（as　Steerforth　said）；　and　

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was　very　soon　in　tears　also。　

Not　that　I　mean　to　say　these　were　special　marks　of　distinction；　
which　only　I　received。　On　the　contrary；　a　large　majority　of　the　boys　
（especially　the　smaller　ones）　were　visited　with　similar　instances　of　
notice；　as　Mr。　Creakle　made　the　round　of　the　schoolroom。　Half　the　
establishment　was　writhing　and　crying；　before　the　day’s　work　
began；　and　how　much　of　it　had　writhed　and　cried　before　the　day’s　
work　was　over；　I　am　really　afraid　to　recollect；　lest　I　should　seem　to　
exaggerate。　

I　should　think　there　never　can　have　been　a　man　who　enjoyed　
his　profession　more　than　Mr。　Creakle　did。　He　had　a　delight　in　
cutting　at　the　boys；　which　was　like　the　satisfaction　of　a　craving　
appetite。　I　am　confident　that　he　couldn’t　resist　a　chubby　boy；　
especially；　that　there　was　a　fascination　in　such　a　subject；　which　
made　him　restless　in　his　mind；　until　he　had　scored　and　marked　
him　for　the　day。　I　was　chubby　myself；　and　ought　to　know。　I　am　
sure　when　I　think　of　the　fellow　now；　my　blood　rises　against　him　
with　t