david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第30节
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Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
walked along the path towards the house； glancing at the
windows； and fearing at every step to see Mr。 Murdstone or Miss
Murdstone lowering out of one of them。 No face appeared；
however； and being come to the house； and knowing how to open
the door； before dark； without knocking； I went in with a quiet；
timid step。
God knows how infantine the memory may have been； that was
awakened within me by the sound of my mother’s voice in the old
parlour； when I set foot in the hall。 She was singing in a low tone。 I
think I must have lain in her arms； and heard her singing so to me
when I was but a baby。 The strain was new to me； and yet it was so
old that it filled my heart brim…full； like a friend come back from a
long absence。
I believed； from the solitary and thoughtful way in which my
mother murmured her song； that she was alone。 And I went softly
into the room。 She was sitting by the fire； suckling an infant；
whose tiny hand she held against her neck。 Her eyes were looking
down upon its face； and she sat singing to it。 I was so far right； that
she had no other companion。
I spoke to her； and she started； and cried out。 But seeing me；
she called me her dear Davy； her own boy！ and coming half across
the room to meet me； kneeled down upon the ground and kissed
me； and laid my head down on her bosom near the little creature
that was nestling there； and put its hand to my lips。
I wish I had died。 I wish I had died then； with that feeling in my
heart！ I should have been more fit for Heaven than I ever have
been since。
‘He is your brother；’ said my mother； fondling me。 ‘Davy； my
pretty boy！ My poor child！’ Then she kissed me more and more；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
and clasped me round the neck。 This she was doing when
Peggotty came running in； and bounced down on the ground
beside us； and went mad about us both for a quarter of an hour。
It seemed that I had not been expected so soon； the carrier
being much before his usual time。 It seemed； too； that Mr。 and
Miss Murdstone had gone out upon a visit in the neighbourhood；
and would not return before night。 I had never hoped for this。 I
had never thought it possible that we three could be together
undisturbed； once more； and I felt； for the time； as if the old days
were come back。
We dined together by the fireside。 Peggotty was in attendance
to wait upon us； but my mother wouldn’t let her do it； and made
her dine with us。 I had my own old plate； with a brown view of a
man…of…war in full sail upon it； which Peggotty had hoarded
somewhere all the time I had been away； and would not have had
broken； she said； for a hundred pounds。 I had my own old mug
with David on it； and my own old little knife and fork that wouldn’t
cut。
While we were at table； I thought it a favourable occasion to tell
Peggotty about Mr。 Barkis； who； before I had finished what I had
to tell her； began to laugh； and throw her apron over her face。
‘Peggotty；’ said my mother。 ‘What’s the matter？’
Peggotty only laughed the more； and held her apron tight over
her face when my mother tried to pull it away； and sat as if her
head were in a bag。
‘What are you doing； you stupid creature？’ said my mother；
laughing。
‘Oh； drat the man！’ cried Peggotty。 ‘He wants to marry me。’
‘It would be a very good match for you； wouldn’t it？’ said my
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
mother。
‘Oh！ I don’t know；’ said Peggotty。 ‘Don’t ask me。 I wouldn’t have
him if he was made of gold。 Nor I wouldn’t have anybody。’
‘Then； why don’t you tell him so； you ridiculous thing？’ said my
mother。
‘Tell him so；’ retorted Peggotty； looking out of her apron。 ‘He
has never said a word to me about it。 He knows better。 If he was to
make so bold as say a word to me； I should slap his face。’
Her own was as red as ever I saw it； or any other face； I think；
but she only covered it again； for a few moments at a time； when
she was taken with a violent fit of laughter； and after two or three
of those attacks； went on with her dinner。
I remarked that my mother； though she smiled when Peggotty
looked at her； became more serious and thoughtful。 I had seen at
first that she was changed。 Her face was very pretty still； but it
looked careworn； and too delicate； and her hand was so thin and
white that it seemed to me to be almost transparent。 But the
change to which I now refer was superadded to this： it was in her
manner； which became anxious and fluttered。 At last she said；
putting out her hand； and laying it affectionately on the hand of
her old servant；
‘Peggotty； dear； you are not going to be married？’
‘Me； ma’am？’ returned Peggotty； staring。 ‘Lord bless you； no！’
‘Not just yet？’ said my mother； tenderly。
‘Never！’ cried Peggotty。
My mother took her hand； and said：
‘Don’t leave me； Peggotty。 Stay with me。 It will not be for long；
perhaps。 What should I ever do without you！’
‘Me leave you； my precious！’ cried Peggotty。 ‘Not for all the
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
world and his wife。 Why； what’s put that in your silly little
head？’—For Peggotty had been used of old to talk to my mother
sometimes like a child。
But my mother made no answer； except to thank her； and
Peggotty went running on in her own fashion。
‘Me leave you？ I think I see myself。 Peggotty go away from you？
I should like to catch her at it！ No； no； no；’ said Peggotty； shaking
her head； and folding her arms； ‘not she； my dear。 It isn’t that
there ain’t some Cats that would be well enough pleased if she did；
but they sha’n’t be pleased。 They shall be aggravated。 I’ll stay with
you till I am a cross cranky old woman。 And when I’m too deaf；
and too lame； and too blind； and too mumbly for want of teeth； to
be of any use at all； even to be found fault with； than I shall go to
my Davy； and ask him to take me in。’
‘And； Peggotty；’ says I； ‘I shall be glad to see you； and I’ll make
you as welcome as a queen。’
‘Bless your dear heart！’ cried Peggotty。 ‘I know you will！’ And
she kissed me beforehand； in grateful acknowledgement of my
hospitality。 After that； she covered her head up with her apron
again and had another laugh about Mr。 Barkis。 After that； she took
the baby out of its little cradle； and nursed it。 After that； she
cleared the dinner table； after that； came in with another cap on；
and her work…box； and the yard…measure； and the bit of wax…
candle； all just the same as ever。
We sat round the fire； and talked delightfully。 I told them what
a hard master Mr。 Creakle was； and they pitied me very much。 I
told them what a fine fellow Steerforth was； and what a patron of
mine； and Peggotty said she would walk a score of miles to see
him。 I took the little baby in my arms when it was awake； and
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
nursed it lovingly。 When it was asleep again； I crept close to my
mother’s side according to my old custom； broken now a long
time； and sat with my arms embracing her waist； and my little red
cheek on her shoulder； and once more felt her beautiful hair
drooping over me—like an angel’s wing as I used to think； I
recollect—and was very happy indeed。
While I sat thus； looking at the fire； and seeing pictures in the
red…hot coals； I almost believed that I had never been away； that
Mr。 and Miss Murdstone were such pictures； and would vanish
when the fire got low； and that there was nothing real in all that I
remembered； save my mother； Peggotty； and I。
Peggotty darned away at a stocking as long as she could see；
and then sat with it drawn on her left hand like a glove； and her
needle in her right； ready to take another stitch whenever there
was a blaze。 I cannot conceive whose stockings they can have been
that Peggotty was always darning； or where such an unfailing
supply of stockings in want of darning can have come from。 From
my earliest infancy she seems to have been always employed in
that class of needlework； and never by any chance in any other。
‘I wonder；’ said Peggotty； who was sometimes seized with a fit
of wondering on some most unexpected topic； ‘what’s become of
Davy’s great…aunt？’
‘Lor； Peggotty！’ observed my mother； rousing herself from a
reverie； ‘what nonsense you talk！’
‘Well； but I really do wonder； ma’am；’ said Peggotty。
‘What can have put such a person in your head？’ inquired my
mother。 ‘Is there nobody else in the world to come there？’
‘I don’t know how it is；’ said Peggotty； ‘unless it’s on account of
being stupid； but my head never can pick and choose its people。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
They come and they go； and they don’t come and they don’t go；
just as they like。 I wonder what’s become of her？’
‘How absurd you are； Peggotty！’ returned my mother。 ‘One
would suppose you wanted a second
