david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第52节
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business。 He has run away。 Ah！ His sister； Betsey Trotwood； never
would have run away。’ My aunt shook her head firmly； confident
in the character and behaviour of the girl who never was born。
‘Oh！ you think she wouldn’t have run away？’ said Mr。 Dick。
‘Bless and save the man；’ exclaimed my aunt； sharply； ‘how he
talks！ Don’t I know she wouldn’t？ She would have lived with her
god…mother； and we should have been devoted to one another。
Where； in the name of wonder； should his sister； Betsey Trotwood；
have run from； or to？’
‘Nowhere；’ said Mr。 Dick。
‘Well then；’ returned my aunt； softened by the reply； ‘how can
you pretend to be wool…gathering； Dick； when you are as sharp as
a surgeon’s lancet？ Now； here you see young David Copperfield；
and the question I put to you is； what shall I do with him？’
‘What shall you do with him？’ said Mr。 Dick； feebly； scratching
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
his head。 ‘Oh！ do with him？’
‘Yes；’ said my aunt； with a grave look； and her forefinger held
up。 ‘Come！ I want some very sound advice。’
‘Why； if I was you；’ said Mr。 Dick； considering； and looking
vacantly at me； ‘I should—’ The contemplation of me seemed to
inspire him with a sudden idea； and he added； briskly； ‘I should
wash him！’
‘Janet；’ said my aunt； turning round with a quiet triumph；
which I did not then understand； ‘Mr。 Dick sets us all right。 Heat
the bath！’
Although I was deeply interested in this dialogue； I could not
help observing my aunt； Mr。 Dick； and Janet； while it was in
progress； and completing a survey I had already been engaged in
making of the room。
My aunt was a tall； hard…featured lady； but by no means ill…
looking。 There was an inflexibility in her face； in her voice； in her
gait and carriage； amply sufficient to account for the effect she had
made upon a gentle creature like my mother； but her features
were rather handsome than otherwise； though unbending and
austere。 I particularly noticed that she had a very quick； bright
eye。 Her hair； which was grey； was arranged in two plain divisions；
under what I believe would be called a mob…cap； I mean a cap；
much more common then than now； with side…pieces fastening
under the chin。 Her dress was of a lavender colour； and perfectly
neat； but scantily made； as if she desired to be as little
encumbered as possible。 I remember that I thought it； in form；
more like a riding…habit with the superfluous skirt cut off； than
anything else。 She wore at her side a gentleman’s gold watch； if I
might judge from its size and make； with an appropriate chain and
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
seals； she had some linen at her throat not unlike a shirt…collar；
and things at her wrists like little shirt…wristbands。
Mr。 Dick； as I have already said； was grey…headed； and florid： I
should have said all about him； in saying so； had not his head been
curiously bowed—not by age； it reminded me of one of Mr。
Creakle’s boys’ heads after a beating—and his grey eyes
prominent and large； with a strange kind of watery brightness in
them that made me； in combination with his vacant manner； his
submission to my aunt； and his childish delight when she praised
him； suspect him of being a little mad； though； if he were mad；
how he came to be there puzzled me extremely。 He was dressed
like any other ordinary gentleman； in a loose grey morning coat
and waistcoat； and white trousers； and had his watch in his fob；
and his money in his pockets： which he rattled as if he were very
proud of it。
Janet was a pretty blooming girl； of about nineteen or twenty；
and a perfect picture of neatness。 Though I made no further
observation of her at the moment； I may mention here what I did
not discover until afterwards； namely； that she was one of a series
of protégées whom my aunt had taken into her service expressly to
educate in a renouncement of mankind； and who had generally
completed their abjuration by marrying the baker。
The room was as neat as Janet or my aunt。 As I laid down my
pen； a moment since； to think of it； the air from the sea came
blowing in again； mixed with the perfume of the flowers； and I saw
the old…fashioned furniture brightly rubbed and polished； my
aunt’s inviolable chair and table by the round green fan in the
bow…window； the drugget…covered carpet； the cat； the kettle…
holder； the two canaries； the old china； the punchbowl full of dried
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
rose…leaves； the tall press guarding all sorts of bottles and pots；
and； wonderfully out of keeping with the rest； my dusty self upon
the sofa； taking note of everything。
Janet had gone away to get the bath ready； when my aunt； to
my great alarm； became in one moment rigid with indignation；
and had hardly voice to cry out； ‘Janet！ Donkeys！’
Upon which； Janet came running up the stairs as if the house
were in flames； darted out on a little piece of green in front； and
warned off two saddle…donkeys； lady…ridden； that had presumed to
set hoof upon it； while my aunt； rushing out of the house； seized
the bridle of a third animal laden with a bestriding child； turned
him； led him forth from those sacred precincts； and boxed the ears
of the unlucky urchin in attendance who had dared to profane that
hallowed ground。
To this hour I don’t know whether my aunt had any lawful right
of way over that patch of green； but she had settled it in her own
mind that she had； and it was all the same to her。 The one great
outrage of her life； demanding to be constantly avenged； was the
passage of a donkey over that immaculate spot。 In whatever
occupation she was engaged； however interesting to her the
conversation in which she was taking part； a donkey turned the
current of her ideas in a moment； and she was upon him straight。
Jugs of water； and watering…pots； were kept in secret places ready
to be discharged on the offending boys； sticks were laid in ambush
behind the door； sallies were made at all hours； and incessant war
prevailed。 Perhaps this was an agreeable excitement to the
donkey…boys； or perhaps the more sagacious of the donkeys；
understanding how the case stood； delighted with constitutional
obstinacy in coming that way。 I only know that there were three
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
alarms before the bath was ready； and that on the occasion of the
last and most desperate of all； I saw my aunt engage； single…
handed； with a sandy…headed lad of fifteen； and bump his sandy
head against her own gate； before he seemed to comprehend what
was the matter。 These interruptions were of the more ridiculous to
me； because she was giving me broth out of a table…spoon at the
time （having firmly persuaded herself that I was actually starving；
and must receive nourishment at first in very small quantities）；
and； while my mouth was yet open to receive the spoon； she would
put it back into the basin； cry ‘Janet！ Donkeys！’ and go out to the
assault。
The bath was a great comfort。 For I began to be sensible of
acute pains in my limbs from lying out in the fields； and was now
so tired and low that I could hardly keep myself awake for five
minutes together。 When I had bathed； they （I mean my aunt and
Janet） enrobed me in a shirt and a pair of trousers belonging to
Mr。 Dick； and tied me up in two or three great shawls。 What sort of
bundle I looked like； I don’t know； but I felt a very hot one。 Feeling
also very faint and drowsy； I soon lay down on the sofa again and
fell asleep。
It might have been a dream； originating in the fancy which had
occupied my mind so long； but I awoke with the impression that
my aunt had come and bent over me； and had put my hair away
from my face； and laid my head more comfortably； and had then
stood looking at me。 The words； ‘Pretty fellow；’ or ‘Poor fellow；’
seemed to be in my ears； too； but certainly there was nothing else；
when I awoke； to lead me to believe that they had been uttered by
my aunt； who sat in the bow…window gazing at the sea from
behind the green fan； which was mounted on a kind of swivel； and
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
turned any way。
We dined soon after I awoke； off a roast fowl and a pudding； I
sitting at table； not unlike a trussed bird myself； and moving my
arms with considerable difficulty。 But as my aunt had swathed me
up； I made no complaint of being inconvenienced。 All this time I
was deeply anxious to know what she was going to do with me； but
she took her dinner in profound silence； except when she
occasionally fixed her eyes on me sitting opposite； and said； ‘Mercy
upon us！’ which did not by any means relieve my anxiety。
The cloth being drawn； and some sherry put upon the table （of
which I had a glass）； my aunt sent up for Mr。 Dick again； who
joined us； and looked as wise as he could when she requested him
to attend to my story； which she elicited from me； gradually； by a
course of qu
