david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第27节

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Mr。　Mell；　with　his　lips　trembling　more　and　more；　‘you　commit　a　
mean　and　base　action。　You　can　sit　down　or　stand　up　as　you　please；　
sir。　Copperfield；　go　on。’　

‘Young　Copperfield；’　said　Steerforth；　coming　forward　up　the　
room；　‘stop　a　bit。　I　tell　you　what；　Mr。　Mell；　once　for　all。　When　you　
take　the　liberty　of　calling　me　mean　or　base；　or　anything　of　that　
sort；　you　are　an　impudent　beggar。　You　are　always　a　beggar；　you　
know；　but　when　you　do　that；　you　are　an　impudent　beggar。’　

I　am　not　clear　whether　he　was　going　to　strike　Mr。　Mell；　or　Mr。　
Mell　was　going　to　strike　him；　or　there　was　any　such　intention　on　
either　side。　I　saw　a　rigidity　come　upon　the　whole　school　as　if　they　
had　been　turned　into　stone；　and　found　Mr。　Creakle　in　the　midst　of　
us；　with　Tungay　at　his　side；　and　Mrs。　and　Miss　Creakle　looking　in　
at　the　door　as　if　they　were　frightened。　Mr。　Mell；　with　his　elbows　on　
his　desk　and　his　face　in　his　hands；　sat；　for　some　moments；　quite　
still。　

‘Mr。　Mell；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　shaking　him　by　the　arm；　and　his　
whisper　was　so　audible　now；　that　Tungay　felt　it　unnecessary　to　
repeat　his　words；　‘you　have　not　forgotten　yourself；　I　hope？’　

‘No；　sir；　no；’　returned　the　Master；　showing　his　face；　and　shaking　
his　head；　and　rubbing　his　hands　in　great　agitation。　‘No；　sir。　No。　I　
have　remembered　myself；　I—no；　Mr。　Creakle；　I　have　not　forgotten　
myself；　I—I　have　remembered　myself；　sir。　I—I—could　wish　you　

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had　remembered　me　a　little　sooner；　Mr。　Creakle。　It—it—would　
have　been　more　kind；　sir；　more　just；　sir。　It　would　have　saved　me　
something；　sir。’　

Mr。　Creakle；　looking　hard　at　Mr。　Mell；　put　his　hand　on　Tungay’s　
shoulder；　and　got　his　feet　upon　the　form　close　by；　and　sat　upon　the　
desk。　After　still　looking　hard　at　Mr。　Mell　from　his　throne；　as　he　
shook　his　head；　and　rubbed　his　hands；　and　remained　in　the　same　
state　of　agitation；　Mr。　Creakle　turned　to　Steerforth；　and　said：　

‘Now；　sir；　as　he　don’t　condescend　to　tell　me；　what　is　this？’　

Steerforth　evaded　the　question　for　a　little　while；　looking　in　
scorn　and　anger　on　his　opponent；　and　remaining　silent。　I　could　not　
help　thinking　even　in　that　interval；　I　remember；　what　a　noble　
fellow　he　was　in　appearance；　and　how　homely　and　plain　Mr。　Mell　
looked　opposed　to　him。　

‘What　did　he　mean　by　talking　about　favourites；　then？’　said　
Steerforth　at　length。　

‘Favourites？’　repeated　Mr。　Creakle；　with　the　veins　in　his　
forehead　swelling　quickly。　‘Who　talked　about　favourites？’　

‘He　did；’　said　Steerforth。　

‘And　pray；　what　did　you　mean　by　that；　sir？’　demanded　Mr。　
Creakle；　turning　angrily　on　his　assistant。　

‘I　meant；　Mr。　Creakle；’　he　returned　in　a　low　voice；　‘as　I　said；　that　
no　pupil　had　a　right　to　avail　himself　of　his　position　of　favouritism　
to　degrade　me。’　

‘To　degrade　you？’　said　Mr。　Creakle。　‘My　stars！　But　give　me　
leave　to　ask　you；　Mr。　What’s…your…name’；　and　here　Mr。　Creakle　
folded　his　arms；　cane　and　all；　upon　his　chest；　and　made　such　a　
knot　of　his　brows　that　his　little　eyes　were　hardly　visible　below　
them；　‘whether；　when　you　talk　about　favourites；　you　showed　

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proper　respect　to　me？　To　me；　sir；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　darting　his　
head　at　him　suddenly；　and　drawing　it　back　again；　‘the　principal　of　
this　establishment；　and　your　employer。’　

‘It　was　not　judicious；　sir；　I　am　willing　to　admit；’　said　Mr。　Mell。　‘I　
should　not　have　done　so；　if　I　had　been　cool。’　

Here　Steerforth　struck　in。　

‘Then　he　said　I　was　mean；　and　then　he　said　I　was　base；　and　then　
I　called　him　a　beggar。　If　I　had　been　cool；　perhaps　I　shouldn’t　have　
called　him　a　beggar。　But　I　did；　and　I　am　ready　to　take　the　
consequences　of　it。’　

Without　considering；　perhaps；　whether　there　were　any　
consequences　to　be　taken；　I　felt　quite　in　a　glow　at　this　gallant　
speech。　It　made　an　impression　on　the　boys　too；　for　there　was　a　low　
stir　among　them；　though　no　one　spoke　a　word。　

‘I　am　surprised；　Steerforth—although　your　candour　does　you　
honour；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　‘does　you　honour；　certainly—I　am　
surprised；　Steerforth；　I　must　say；　that　you　should　attach　such　an　
epithet　to　any　person　employed　and　paid　in　Salem　House；　sir。’　

Steerforth　gave　a　short　laugh。　

‘That’s　not　an　answer；　sir；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　‘to　my　remark。　I　
expect　more　than　that　from　you；　Steerforth。’　

If　Mr。　Mell　looked　homely；　in　my　eyes；　before　the　handsome　
boy；　it　would　be　quite　impossible　to　say　how　homely　Mr。　Creakle　
looked。　‘Let　him　deny　it；’　said　Steerforth。　

‘Deny　that　he　is　a　beggar；　Steerforth？’　cried　Mr。　Creakle。　‘Why；　
where　does　he　go　a…begging？’　

‘If　he　is　not　a　beggar　himself；　his　near　relation’s　one；’　said　
Steerforth。　‘It’s　all　the　same。’　

He　glanced　at　me；　and　Mr。　Mell’s　hand　gently　patted　me　upon　

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the　shoulder。　I　looked　up　with　a　flush　upon　my　face　and　remorse　
in　my　heart；　but　Mr。　Mell’s　eyes　were　fixed　on　Steerforth。　He　
continued　to　pat　me　kindly　on　the　shoulder；　but　he　looked　at　him。　

‘Since　you　expect　me；　Mr。　Creakle；　to　justify　myself；’　said　
Steerforth；　‘and　to　say　what　I　mean；—what　I　have　to　say　is；　that　his　
mother　lives　on　charity　in　an　alms…house。’　

Mr。　Mell　still　looked　at　him；　and　still　patted　me　kindly　on　the　
shoulder；　and　said　to　himself；　in　a　whisper；　if　I　heard　right：　‘Yes；　I　
thought　so。’　

Mr。　Creakle　turned　to　his　assistant；　with　a　severe　frown　and　
laboured　politeness：　

‘Now；　you　hear　what　this　gentleman　says；　Mr。　Mell。　Have　the　
goodness；　if　you　please；　to　set　him　right　before　the　assembled　
school。’　

‘He　is　right；　sir；　without　correction；’　returned　Mr。　Mell；　in　the　
midst　of　a　dead　silence；　‘what　he　has　said　is　true。’　

‘Be　so　good　then　as　declare　publicly；　will　you；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　
putting　his　head　on　one　side；　and　rolling　his　eyes　round　the　school；　
‘whether　it　ever　came　to　my　knowledge　until　this　moment？’　

‘I　believe　not　directly；’　he　returned。　

‘Why；　you　know　not；’　said　Mr。　Creakle。　‘Don’t　you；　man？’　

‘I　apprehend　you　never　supposed　my　worldly　circumstances　to　
be　very　good；’　replied　the　assistant。　‘You　know　what　my　position　
is；　and　always　has　been；　here。’　

‘I　apprehend；　if　you　come　to　that；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　with　his　
veins　swelling　again　bigger　than　ever；　‘that　you’ve　been　in　a　wrong　
position　altogether；　and　mistook　this　for　a　charity　school。　Mr。　Mell；　
we’ll　part；　if　you　please。　The　sooner　the　better。’　

‘There　is　no　time；’　answered　Mr。　Mell；　rising；　‘like　the　present。’　

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‘Sir；　to　you！’　said　Mr。　Creakle。　

‘I　take　my　leave　of　you；　Mr。　Creakle；　and　all　of　you；’　said　Mr。　
Mell；　glancing　round　the　room；　and　again　patting　me　gently　on　the　
shoulders。　‘James　Steerforth；　the　best　wish　I　can　leave　you　is　that　
you　may　come　to　be　ashamed　of　what　you　have　done　today。　At　
present　I　would　prefer　to　see　you　anything　rather　than　a　friend；　to　
me；　or　to　anyone　in　whom　I　feel　an　interest。’　

Once　more　he　laid　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder；　and　then　taking　
his　flute　and　a　few　books　from　his　desk；　and　leaving　the　key　in　it　
for　his　successor；　he　went　out　of　the　school；　with　his　property　
under　his　arm。　Mr。　Creakle　then　made　a　speech；　through　Tungay；　
in　which　he　thanked　Steerforth　for　asserting　（though　perhaps　too　
warmly）　the　independence　and　respectability　of　Salem　House；　and　
which　he　wound　up　by　shaking　hands　with　Steerforth；　while　we　
gave　three　cheers—I　did　not　quite　know　what　for；　but　I　supposed　
for　Steerforth；　and　so　joined　in　them　ardently；　though　I　felt　
miserable。　Mr。　Creakle　then　caned　Tommy　Traddles　for　being　
discovered　in　tears；　instead　of　cheers；　on　account　of　Mr。　Mell’s　
departure；　and　went　back　to　his　sofa；　or　his　bed；　or　wherever　he　
had　come　from。　

We　were　left　to　ourselves　now；　and　looked　very　blank；　I　
recollect；　on　one　another。　For　myself；　I　felt　so　much　self…reproach　
and　contrition　for　my　part　in　what　had　happened；　that　nothing　
would　have　enabled　me　to　keep　back　my　tears　but　the　fear　that　
Steerforth；　who　often　looked　at　me；　I　saw；　might　think　it　
unfriendly—or；　I　should　rather　say；　considering　our　relative　ages；　
and　the　feeling　with　which　I　regarded　him；　undutiful—if　I　showed　
the　emotion　which　distressed　me。　He　was　very　angry　with　
Traddles；　and　said　he　was　glad　he　had　caught　it。　

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Poor　Traddles；　who　had　passed　the　stage　of　lying　with　his　head　
upon　the　desk；　and　was　relieving　himself　as　usual　with　a　burst　of　
skeletons；　said　he　didn’t　care。　Mr。　Mell　was　ill…used。　

‘Who　has　ill…used　him；　you　girl？’　said　Steerforth。　

‘Why；　you　have；’　returned　Traddles。　

‘What　have　I　done？’　said　Steerforth。　

‘What　have　you　done？’　retorted　Traddles。　‘Hurt　his　feelings；　
and　lost　him　his　situation。’　

‘His　feelings？’　repeated　Steerforth　disdainfully。　‘His　feelings　
will　soon　get　the　better　of　it；　I’ll　be　bound。　His　feelings　are　not　like　
yours；　Miss　Traddles。　As　to　his　situation—which　was　a　precious