david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第47节

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mutual　consent；　as　he　had　every　reason　to　think；　for　I　said　nothing；　
though　my　resolution　was　now　taken。　

I　passed　my　evenings　with　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Micawber；　during　the　
remaining　term　of　our　residence　under　the　same　roof；　and　I　think　
we　became　fonder　of　one　another　as　the　time　went　on。　On　the　last　
Sunday；　they　invited　me　to　dinner；　and　we　had　a　loin　of　pork　and　
apple　sauce；　and　a　pudding。　I　had　bought　a　spotted　wooden　horse　
over…night　as　a　parting　gift　to　little　Wilkins　Micawber—that　was　
the　boy—and　a　doll　for　little　Emma。　I　had　also　bestowed　a　shilling　
on　the　Orfling；　who　was　about　to　be　disbanded。　

We　had　a　very　pleasant　day；　though　we　were　all　in　a　tender　
state　about　our　approaching　separation。　

‘I　shall　never；　Master　Copperfield；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘revert　
to　the　period　when　Mr。　Micawber　was　in　difficulties；　without　
thinking　of　you。　Your　conduct　has　always　been　of　the　most　delicate　
and　obliging　description。　You　have　never　been　a　lodger。　You　have　
been　a　friend。’　

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David　Copperfield　

‘My　dear；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘Copperfield；’　for　so　he　had　been　
accustomed　to　call　me；　of　late；　‘has　a　heart　to　feel　for　the　distresses　
of　his　fellow…creatures　when　they　are　behind　a　cloud；　and　a　head　
to　plan；　and　a　hand　to—in　short；　a　general　ability　to　dispose　of　
such　available　property　as　could　be　made　away　with。’　

I　expressed　my　sense　of　this　commendation；　and　said　I　was　very　
sorry　we　were　going　to　lose　one　another。　

‘My　dear　young　friend；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘I　am　older　than　
you；　a　man　of　some　experience　in　life；　and—and　of　some　
experience；　in　short；　in　difficulties；　generally　speaking。　At　present；　
and　until　something　turns　up　（which　I　am；　I　may　say；　hourly　
expecting）；　I　have　nothing　to　bestow　but　advice。　Still　my　advice　is　
so　far　worth　taking；　that—in　short；　that　I　have　never　taken　it　
myself；　and　am　the’—here　Mr。　Micawber；　who　had　been　beaming　
and　smiling；　all　over　his　head　and　face；　up　to　the　present　moment；　
checked　himself　and　frowned—‘the　miserable　wretch　you　behold。’　

‘My　dear　Micawber！’　urged　his　wife。　

‘I　say；’　returned　Mr。　Micawber；　quite　forgetting　himself；　and　
smiling　again；　‘the　miserable　wretch　you　behold。　My　advice　is；　
never　do　tomorrow　what　you　can　do　today。　Procrastination　is　the　
thief　of　time。　Collar　him！’　

‘My　poor　papa’s　maxim；’　Mrs。　Micawber　observed。　

‘My　dear；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘your　papa　was　very　well　in　his　
way；　and　Heaven　forbid　that　I　should　disparage　him。　Take　him　for　
all　in　all；　we　ne’er　shall—in　short；　make　the　acquaintance；　
probably；　of　anybody　else　possessing；　at　his　time　of　life；　the　same　
legs　for　gaiters；　and　able　to　read　the　same　description　of　print；　
without　spectacles。　But　he　applied　that　maxim　to　our　marriage；　my　
dear；　and　that　was　so　far　prematurely　entered　into；　in　

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David　Copperfield　

consequence；　that　I　never　recovered　the　expense。’　Mr。　Micawber　
looked　aside　at　Mrs。　Micawber；　and　added：　‘Not　that　I　am　sorry　for　
it。　Quite　the　contrary；　my　love。’　After　which；　he　was　grave　for　a　
minute　or　so。　

‘My　other　piece　of　advice；　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘you　
know。　Annual　income　twenty　pounds；　annual　expenditure　
nineteen　nineteen　and　six；　result　happiness。　Annual　income　
twenty　pounds；　annual　expenditure　twenty　pounds　ought　and　six；　
result　misery。　The　blossom　is　blighted；　the　leaf　is　withered；　the　god　
of　day　goes　down　upon　the　dreary　scene；　and—and　in　short　you　
are　for　ever　floored。　As　I　am！’　

To　make　his　example　the　more　impressive；　Mr。　Micawber　drank　
a　glass　of　punch　with　an　air　of　great　enjoyment　and　satisfaction；　
and　whistled　the　College　Hornpipe。　

I　did　not　fail　to　assure　him　that　I　would　store　these　precepts　in　
my　mind；　though　indeed　I　had　no　need　to　do　so；　for；　at　the　time；　
they　affected　me　visibly。　Next　morning　I　met　the　whole　family　at　
the　coach　office；　and　saw　them；　with　a　desolate　heart；　take　their　
places　outside；　at　the　back。　

‘Master　Copperfield；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘God　bless　you！　I　
never　can　forget　all　that；　you　know；　and　I　never　would　if　I　could。’　

‘Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘farewell！　Every　happiness　
and　prosperity！　If；　in　the　progress　of　revolving　years；　I　could　
persuade　myself　that　my　blighted　destiny　had　been　a　warning　to　
you；　I　should　feel　that　I　had　not　occupied　another　man’s　place　in　
existence　altogether　in　vain。　In　case　of　anything　turning　up　（of　
which　I　am　rather　confident）；　I　shall　be　extremely　happy　if　it　
should　be　in　my　power　to　improve　your　prospects。’　

I　think；　as　Mrs。　Micawber　sat　at　the　back　of　the　coach；　with　the　

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David　Copperfield　

children；　and　I　stood　in　the　road　looking　wistfully　at　them；　a　mist　
cleared　from　her　eyes；　and　she　saw　what　a　little　creature　I　really　
was。　I　think　so；　because　she　beckoned　to　me　to　climb　up；　with　
quite　a　new　and　motherly　expression　in　her　face；　and　put　her　arm　
round　my　neck；　and　gave　me　just　such　a　kiss　as　she　might　have　
given　to　her　own　boy。　I　had　barely　time　to　get　down　again　before　
the　coach　started；　and　I　could　hardly　see　the　family　for　the　
handkerchiefs　they　waved。　It　was　gone　in　a　minute。　The　Orfling　
and　I　stood　looking　vacantly　at　each　other　in　the　middle　of　the　
road；　and　then　shook　hands　and　said　good…bye；　she　going　back；　I　
suppose；　to　St。　Luke’s　workhouse；　as　I　went　to　begin　my　weary　day　
at　Murdstone　and　Grinby’s。　

But　with　no　intention　of　passing　many　more　weary　days　there。　
No。　I　had　resolved　to　run　away。—To　go；　by　some　means　or　other；　
down　into　the　country；　to　the　only　relation　I　had　in　the　world；　and　
tell　my　story　to　my　aunt；　Miss　Betsey。　I　have　already　observed　that　
I　don’t　know　how　this　desperate　idea　came　into　my　brain。　But；　
once　there；　it　remained　there；　and　hardened　into　a　purpose　than　
which　I　have　never　entertained　a　more　determined　purpose　in　my　
life。　I　am　far　from　sure　that　I　believed　there　was　anything　hopeful　
in　it；　but　my　mind　was　thoroughly　made　up　that　it　must　be　carried　
into　execution。　

Again；　and　again；　and　a　hundred　times　again；　since　the　night　
when　the　thought　had　first　occurred　to　me　and　banished　sleep；　I　
had　gone　over　that　old　story　of　my　poor　mother’s　about　my　birth；　
which　it　had　been　one　of　my　great　delights　in　the　old　time　to　hear　
her　tell；　and　which　I　knew　by　heart。　My　aunt　walked　into　that　
story；　and　walked　out　of　it；　a　dread　and　awful　personage；　but　there　
was　one　little　trait　in　her　behaviour　which　I　liked　to　dwell　on；　and　

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which　gave　me　some　faint　shadow　of　encouragement。　I　could　not　
forget　how　my　mother　had　thought　that　she　felt　her　touch　her　
pretty　hair　with　no　ungentle　hand；　and　though　it　might　have　been　
altogether　my　mother’s　fancy；　and　might　have　had　no　foundation　
whatever　in　fact；　I　made　a　little　picture；　out　of　it；　of　my　terrible　
aunt　relenting　towards　the　girlish　beauty　that　I　recollected　so　well　
and　loved　so　much；　which　softened　the　whole　narrative。　It　is　very　
possible　that　it　had　been　in　my　mind　a　long　time；　and　had　
gradually　engendered　my　determination。　

As　I　did　not　even　know　where　Miss　Betsey　lived；　I　wrote　a　long　
letter　to　Peggotty；　and　asked　her；　incidentally；　if　she　remembered；　
pretending　that　I　had　heard　of　such　a　lady　living　at　a　certain　place　
I　named　at　random；　and　had　a　curiosity　to　know　if　it　were　the　
same。　In　the　course　of　that　letter；　I　told　Peggotty　that　I　had　a　
particular　occasion　for　half　a　guinea；　and　that　if　she　could　lend　me　
that　sum　until　I　could　repay　it；　I　should　be　very　much　obliged　to　
her；　and　would　tell　her　afterwards　what　I　had　wanted　it　for。　

Peggotty’s　answer　soon　arrived；　and　was；　as　usual；　full　of　
affectionate　devotion。　She　enclosed　the　half　guinea　（I　was　afraid　
she　must　have　had　a　world　of　trouble　to　get　it　out　of　Mr。　Barkis’s　
box）；　and　told　me　that　Miss　Betsey　lived　near　Dover；　but　whether　
at　Dover　itself；　at　Hythe；　Sandgate；　or　Folkestone；　she　could　not　
say。　One　of　our　men；　however；　informing　me　on　my　asking　him　
about　these　places；　that　they　were　all　close　together；　I　deemed　this　
enough　for　my　object；　and　resolved　to　set　out　at　the　end　of　that　
week。　

Being　a　very　honest　little　creature；　and　unwilling　to　disgrace　
the　memory　I　was　going　to　leave　behind　me　at　Murdstone　and　
Grinby’s；　I　considered　myself　bound　to　remain　until　Saturday　

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David　Copperfield　

night；　and；　as　I　had　been　paid　a　week’s　wages　in　advance　when　I　
first　came　there；　not　to　present　myself　in　the　counting…house　at　the　
usual　hour；　to　receive　my　stipend。　For　this　express　reason；　I　had　
borrowed　the　half…guinea；　that　I　might　not　be　without　a　fund　for　
my　travelling…expenses。　Accordingly；　when　the　Saturday　night　
came；　and　we　were　all　waiting　in　the　warehouse　to　be　paid；　and　
Tipp　the　carman；　who　always　took　precedence；　went　in　first　to　
draw　his　money；　I　shook　Mick　Walker　by　the　hand；　asked　him；　
when　it　came　to　his　turn　to　be　paid；　to　say　to　Mr。　Quinion　that　I　
had　gone　to　move　my　box　to　Tipp’s；　and；　bidding　a　last　g