david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第39节

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had　been　otherwise。　Wild　and　full　of　childish　whims　as　Em’ly　was；　
she　was　more　of　a　little　woman　than　I　had　supposed。　She　seemed　
to　have　got　a　great　distance　away　from　me；　in　little　more　than　a　
year。　She　liked　me；　but　she　laughed　at　me；　and　tormented　me；　and　
when　I　went　to　meet　her；　stole　home　another　way；　and　was　
laughing　at　the　door　when　I　came　back；　disappointed。　The　best　
times　were　when　she　sat　quietly　at　work　in　the　doorway；　and　I　sat　
on　the　wooden　step　at　her　feet；　reading　to　her。　It　seems　to　me；　at　
this　hour；　that　I　have　never　seen　such　sunlight　as　on　those　bright　
April　afternoons；　that　I　have　never　seen　such　a　sunny　little　figure　

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David　Copperfield　203　

as　I　used　to　see；　sitting　in　the　doorway　of　the　old　boat；　that　I　have　
never　beheld　such　sky；　such　water；　such　glorified　ships　sailing　
away　into　golden　air。　

On　the　very　first　evening　after　our　arrival；　Mr。　Barkis　appeared　
in　an　exceedingly　vacant　and　awkward　condition；　and　with　a　
bundle　of　oranges　tied　up　in　a　handkerchief。　As　he　made　no　
allusion　of　any　kind　to　this　property；　he　was　supposed　to　have　left　
it　behind　him　by　accident　when　he　went　away；　until　Ham；　running　
after　him　to　restore　it；　came　back　with　the　information　that　it　was　
intended　for　Peggotty。　After　that　occasion　he　appeared　every　
evening　at　exactly　the　same　hour；　and　always　with　a　little　bundle；　
to　which　he　never　alluded；　and　which　he　regularly　put　behind　the　
door　and　left　there。　These　offerings　of　affection　were　of　a　most　
various　and　eccentric　description。　Among　them　I　remember　a　
double　set　of　pigs’　trotters；　a　huge　pin…cushion；　half　a　bushel　or　so　
of　apples；　a　pair　of　jet　earrings；　some　Spanish　onions；　a　box　of　
dominoes；　a　canary　bird　and　cage；　and　a　leg　of　pickled　pork。　

Mr。　Barkis’s　wooing；　as　I　remember　it；　was　altogether　of　a　
peculiar　kind。　He　very　seldom　said　anything；　but　would　sit　by　the　
fire　in　much　the　same　attitude　as　he　sat　in　his　cart；　and　stare　
heavily　at　Peggotty；　who　was　opposite。　One　night；　being；　as　I　
suppose；　inspired　by　love；　he　made　a　dart　at　the　bit　of　wax…candle　
she　kept　for　her　thread；　and　put　it　in　his　waistcoat…pocket　and　
carried　it　off。　After　that；　his　great　delight　was　to　produce　it　when　it　
was　wanted；　sticking　to　the　lining　of　his　pocket；　in　a　partially　
melted　state；　and　pocket　it　again　when　it　was　done　with。　He　
seemed　to　enjoy　himself　very　much；　and　not　to　feel　at　all　called　
upon　to　talk。　Even　when　he　took　Peggotty　out　for　a　walk　on　the　
flats；　he　had　no　uneasiness　on　that　head；　I　believe；　contenting　

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himself　with　now　and　then　asking　her　if　she　was　pretty　
comfortable；　and　I　remember　that　sometimes；　after　he　was　gone；　
Peggotty　would　throw　her　apron　over　her　face；　and　laugh　for　half…
an…hour。　Indeed；　we　were　all　more　or　less　amused；　except　that　
miserable　Mrs。　Gummidge；　whose　courtship　would　appear　to　have　
been　of　an　exactly　parallel　nature；　she　was　so　continually　
reminded　by　these　transactions　of　the　old　one。　

At　length；　when　the　term　of　my　visit　was　nearly　expired；　it　was　
given　out　that　Peggotty　and　Mr。　Barkis　were　going　to　make　a　day’s　
holiday　together；　and　that　little　Em’ly　and　I　were　to　accompany　
them。　I　had　but　a　broken　sleep　the　night　before；　in　anticipation　of　
the　pleasure　of　a　whole　day　with　Em’ly。　We　were　all　astir　betimes　
in　the　morning；　and　while　we　were　yet　at　breakfast；　Mr。　Barkis　
appeared　in　the　distance；　driving　a　chaise…cart　towards　the　object　
of　his　affections。　

Peggotty　was　dressed　as　usual；　in　her　neat　and　quiet　mourning；　
but　Mr。　Barkis　bloomed　in　a　new　blue　coat；　of　which　the　tailor　had　
given　him　such　good　measure；　that　the　cuffs　would　have　rendered　
gloves　unnecessary　in　the　coldest　weather；　while　the　collar　was　so　
high　that　it　pushed　his　hair　up　on　end　on　the　top　of　his　head。　His　
bright　buttons；　too；　were　of　the　largest　size。　Rendered　complete　by　
drab　pantaloons　and　a　buff　waistcoat；　I　thought　Mr。　Barkis　a　
phenomenon　of　respectability。　

When　we　were　all　in　a　bustle　outside　the　door；　I　found　that　Mr。　
Peggotty　was　prepared　with　an　old　shoe；　which　was　to　be　thrown　
after　us　for　luck；　and　which　he　offered　to　Mrs。　Gummidge　for　that　
purpose。　

‘No。　It　had　better　be　done　by　somebody　else；　Dan’l；’　said　Mrs。　
Gummidge。　‘I’m　a　lone　lorn　creetur’　myself；　and　everythink　that　

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reminds　me　of　creetur’s　that　ain’t　lone　and　lorn；　goes　contrary　

with　me。’　

‘Come；　old　gal！’　cried　Mr。　Peggotty。　‘Take　and　heave　it。’　

‘No；　Dan’l；’　returned　Mrs。　Gummidge；　whimpering　and　shaking　
her　head。　‘If　I　felt　less；　I　could　do　more。　You　don’t　feel　like　me；　
Dan’l；　thinks　don’t　go　contrary　with　you；　nor　you　with　them；　you　
had　better　do　it　yourself。’　

But　here　Peggotty；　who　had　been　going　about　from　one　to　
another　in　a　hurried　way；　kissing　everybody；　called　out　from　the　
cart；　in　which　we　all　were　by　this　time　（Em’ly　and　I　on　two　little　
chairs；　side　by　side）；　that　Mrs。　Gummidge　must　do　it。　So　Mrs。　
Gummidge　did　it；　and；　I　am　sorry　to　relate；　cast　a　damp　upon　the　
festive　character　of　our　departure；　by　immediately　bursting　into　
tears；　and　sinking　subdued　into　the　arms　of　Ham；　with　the　
declaration　that　she　knowed　she　was　a　burden；　and　had　better　be　
carried　to　the　House　at　once。　Which　I　really　thought　was　a　sensible　
idea；　that　Ham　might　have　acted　on。　

Away　we　went；　however；　on　our　holiday　excursion；　and　the　first　
thing　we　did　was　to　stop　at　a　church；　where　Mr。　Barkis　tied　the　
horse　to　some　rails；　and　went　in　with　Peggotty；　leaving　little　Em’ly　
and　me　alone　in　the　chaise。　I　took　that　occasion　to　put　my　arm　
round　Em’ly’s　waist；　and　propose　that　as　I　was　going　away　so　very　
soon　now；　we　should　determine　to　be　very　affectionate　to　one　
another；　and　very　happy；　all　day。　Little　Em’ly　consenting；　and　
allowing　me　to　kiss　her；　I　became　desperate；　informing　her；　I　
recollect；　that　I　never　could　love　another；　and　that　I　was　prepared　
to　shed　the　blood　of　anybody　who　should　aspire　to　her　affections。　

How　merry　little　Em’ly　made　herself　about　it！　With　what　a　
demure　assumption　of　being　immensely　older　and　wiser　than　I；　

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the　fairy　little　woman　said　I　was　‘a　silly　boy’；　and　then　laughed　so　
charmingly　that　I　forgot　the　pain　of　being　called　by　that　
disparaging　name；　in　the　pleasure　of　looking　at　her。　

Mr。　Barkis　and　Peggotty　were　a　good　while　in　the　church；　but　
came　out　at　last；　and　then　we　drove　away　into　the　country。　As　we　
were　going　along；　Mr。　Barkis　turned　to　me；　and　said；　with　a　
wink；—by　the　by；　I　should　hardly　have　thought；　before；　that　he　
could　wink：　

‘What　name　was　it　as　I　wrote　up　in　the　cart？’　

‘Clara　Peggotty；’　I　answered。　

‘What　name　would　it　be　as　I　should　write　up　now；　if　there　was　a　
tilt　here？’　

‘Clara　Peggotty；　again？’　I　suggested。　

‘Clara　Peggotty　Barkis！’　he　returned；　and　burst　into　a　roar　of　
laughter　that　shook　the　chaise。　

In　a　word；　they　were　married；　and　had　gone　into　the　church　for　
no　other　purpose。　Peggotty　was　resolved　that　it　should　be　quietly　
done；　and　the　clerk　had　given　her　away；　and　there　had　been　no　
witnesses　of　the　ceremony。　She　was　a　little　confused　when　Mr。　
Barkis　made　this　abrupt　announcement　of　their　union；　and　could　
not　hug　me　enough　in　token　of　her　unimpaired　affection；　but　she　
soon　became　herself　again；　and　said　she　was　very　glad　it　was　over。　

We　drove　to　a　little　inn　in　a　by…road；　where　we　were　expected；　
and　where　we　had　a　very　comfortable　dinner；　and　passed　the　day　
with　great　satisfaction。　If　Peggotty　had　been　married　every　day　for　
the　last　ten　years；　she　could　hardly　have　been　more　at　her　ease　
about　it；　it　made　no　sort　of　difference　in　her：　she　was　just　the　same　
as　ever；　and　went　out　for　a　stroll　with　little　Em’ly　and　me　before　
tea；　while　Mr。　Barkis　philosophically　smoked　his　pipe；　and　enjoyed　

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himself；　I　suppose；　with　the　contemplation　of　his　happiness。　If　so；　
it　sharpened　his　appetite；　for　I　distinctly　call　to　mind　that；　
although　he　had　eaten　a　good　deal　of　pork　and　greens　at　dinner；　
and　had　finished　off　with　a　fowl　or　two；　he　was　obliged　to　have　cold　
boiled　bacon　for　tea；　and　disposed　of　a　large　quantity　without　any　
emotion。　

I　have　often　thought；　since；　what　an　odd；　innocent；　out…of…theway　kind　of　wedding　it　must　have　been！　We　got　into　the　chaise　
again　soon　after　dark；　and　drove　cosily　back；　looking　up　at　the　
stars；　and　talking　about　them。　I　was　their　chief　exponent；　and　
opened　Mr。　Barkis’s　mind　to　an　amazing　extent。　I　told　him　all　I　
knew；　but　he　would　have　believed　anything　I　might　have　taken　it　
into　my　head　to　impart　to　him；　for　he　had　a　profound　veneration　
for　my　abilities；　and　informed　his　wife　in　my　hearing；　on　that　very　
occasion；　that　I　was　‘a　young　Roeshus’—by　which　I　think　he　meant　
prodigy。　

When　we　had　exhausted　the　subject　of　the　stars；　or　rather　when　
I　had　exhausted　the　mental　faculties　of　Mr。　Barkis；　little　Em’ly　and　
I　made　a　cloak