david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第55节

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him　almost　a　natural。　And　a　wise　man　he　must　have　been　to　think　
so！　Mad　himself；　no　doubt。’　

Again；　as　my　aunt　looked　quite　convinced；　I　endeavoured　to　
look　quite　convinced　also。　

‘So　I　stepped　in；’　said　my　aunt；　‘and　made　him　an　offer。　I　said；　
“Your　brother’s　sane—a　great　deal　more　sane　than　you　are；　or　
ever　will　be；　it　is　to　be　hoped。　Let　him　have　his　little　income；　and　
come　and　live　with　me。　I　am　not　afraid　of　him；　I　am　not　proud；　I　
am　ready　to　take　care　of　him；　and　shall　not　ill…treat　him　as　some　
people　（besides　the　asylum…folks）　have　done。”　After　a　good　deal　of　
squabbling；’　said　my　aunt；　‘I　got　him；　and　he　has　been　here　ever　
since。　He　is　the　most　friendly　and　amenable　creature　in　existence；　
and　as　for　advice！—But　nobody　knows　what　that　man’s　mind　is；　
except　myself。’　

My　aunt　smoothed　her　dress　and　shook　her　head；　as　if　she　
smoothed　defiance　of　the　whole　world　out　of　the　one；　and　shook　it　
out　of　the　other。　

‘He　had　a　favourite　sister；’　said　my　aunt；　‘a　good　creature；　and　
very　kind　to　him。　But　she　did　what　they　all　do—took　a　husband。　
And　he　did　what　they　all　do—made　her　wretched。　It　had　such　an　
effect　upon　the　mind　of　Mr。　Dick　（that’s　not　madness；　I　hope！）　that；　
combined　with　his　fear　of　his　brother；　and　his　sense　of　his　

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unkindness；　it　threw　him　into　a　fever。　That　was　before　he　came　to　
me；　but　the　recollection　of　it　is　oppressive　to　him　even　now。　Did　he　
say　anything　to　you　about　King　Charles　the　First；　child？’　

‘Yes；　aunt。’　

‘Ah！’　said　my　aunt；　rubbing　her　nose　as　if　she　were　a　little　
vexed。　‘That’s　his　allegorical　way　of　expressing　it。　He　connects　his　
illness　with　great　disturbance　and　agitation；　naturally；　and　that’s　
the　figure；　or　the　simile；　or　whatever　it’s　called；　which　he　chooses　
to　use。　And　why　shouldn’t　he；　if　he　thinks　proper！’　

I　said：　‘Certainly；　aunt。’　

‘It’s　not　a　business…like　way　of　speaking；’　said　my　aunt；　‘nor　a　
worldly　way。　I　am　aware　of　that；　and　that’s　the　reason　why　I　insist　
upon　it；　that　there　shan’t　be　a　word　about　it　in　his　Memorial。’　

‘Is　it　a　Memorial　about　his　own　history　that　he　is　writing；　aunt？’　

‘Yes；　child；’　said　my　aunt；　rubbing　her　nose　again。　‘He　is　
memorializing　the　Lord　Chancellor；　or　the　Lord　Somebody　or　
other—one　of　those　people；　at　all　events；　who　are　paid　to　be　
memorialized—about　his　affairs。　I　suppose　it　will　go　in；　one　of　
these　days。　He　hasn’t　been　able　to　draw　it　up　yet；　without　
introducing　that　mode　of　expressing　himself；　but　it　don’t　signify；　it　
keeps　him　employed。’　

In　fact；　I　found　out　afterwards　that　Mr。　Dick　had　been　for　
upwards　of　ten　years　endeavouring　to　keep　King　Charles　the　First　
out　of　the　Memorial；　but　he　had　been　constantly　getting　into　it；　
and　was　there　now。　

‘I　say　again；’　said　my　aunt；　‘nobody　knows　what　that　man’s　
mind　is　except　myself；　and　he’s　the　most　amenable　and　friendly　
creature　in　existence。　If　he　likes　to　fly　a　kite　sometimes；　what　of　
that！　Franklin　used　to　fly　a　kite。　He　was　a　Quaker；　or　something　of　

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that　sort；　if　I　am　not　mistaken。　And　a　Quaker　flying　a　kite　is　a　
much　more　ridiculous　object　than　anybody　else。’　

If　I　could　have　supposed　that　my　aunt　had　recounted　these　
particulars　for　my　especial　behoof；　and　as　a　piece　of　confidence　in　
me；　I　should　have　felt　very　much　distinguished；　and　should　have　
augured　favourably　from　such　a　mark　of　her　good　opinion。　But　I　
could　hardly　help　observing　that　she　had　launched　into　them；　
chiefly　because　the　question　was　raised　in　her　own　mind；　and　with　
very　little　reference　to　me；　though　she　had　addressed　herself　to　me　
in　the　absence　of　anybody　else。　

At　the　same　time；　I　must　say　that　the　generosity　of　her　
championship　of　poor　harmless　Mr。　Dick；　not　only　inspired　my　
young　breast　with　some　selfish　hope　for　myself；　but　warmed　it　
unselfishly　towards　her。　I　believe　that　I　began　to　know　that　there　
was　something　about　my　aunt；　notwithstanding　her　many　
eccentricities　and　odd　humours；　to　be　honoured　and　trusted　in。　
Though　she　was　just　as　sharp　that　day　as　on　the　day　before；　and　
was　in　and　out　about　the　donkeys　just　as　often；　and　was　thrown　
into　a　tremendous　state　of　indignation；　when　a　young　man；　going　
by；　ogled　Janet　at　a　window　（which　was　one　of　the　gravest　
misdemeanours　that　could　be　committed　against　my　aunt’s　
dignity）；　she　seemed　to　me　to　command　more　of　my　respect；　if　not　
less　of　my　fear。　

The　anxiety　I　underwent；　in　the　interval　which　necessarily　
elapsed　before　a　reply　could　be　received　to　her　letter　to　Mr。　
Murdstone；　was　extreme；　but　I　made　an　endeavour　to　suppress　it；　
and　to　be　as　agreeable　as　I　could　in　a　quiet　way；　both　to　my　aunt　
and　Mr。　Dick。　The　latter　and　I　would　have　gone　out　to　fly　the　great　
kite；　but　that　I　had　still　no　other　clothes　than　the　anything　but　

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ornamental　garments　with　which　I　had　been　decorated　on　the　first　
day；　and　which　confined　me　to　the　house；　except　for　an　hour　after　
dark；　when　my　aunt；　for　my　health’s　sake；　paraded　me　up　and　
down　on　the　cliff　outside；　before　going　to　bed。　At　length　the　reply　
from　Mr。　Murdstone　came；　and　my　aunt　informed　me；　to　my　
infinite　terror；　that　he　was　coming　to　speak　to　her　herself　on　the　
next　day。　On　the　next　day；　still　bundled　up　in　my　curious　
habiliments；　I　sat　counting　the　time；　flushed　and　heated　by　the　
conflict　of　sinking　hopes　and　rising　fears　within　me；　and　waiting　to　
be　startled　by　the　sight　of　the　gloomy　face；　whose　non…arrival　
startled　me　every　minute。　

My　aunt　was　a　little　more　imperious　and　stern　than　usual；　but　I　
observed　no　other　token　of　her　preparing　herself　to　receive　the　
visitor　so　much　dreaded　by　me。　She　sat　at　work　in　the　window；　
and　I　sat　by；　with　my　thoughts　running　astray　on　all　possible　and　
impossible　results　of　Mr。　Murdstone’s　visit；　until　pretty　late　in　the　
afternoon。　Our　dinner　had　been　indefinitely　postponed；　but　it　was　
growing　so　late；　that　my　aunt　had　ordered　it　to　be　got　ready；　when　
she　gave　a　sudden　alarm　of　donkeys；　and　to　my　consternation　and　
amazement；　I　beheld　Miss　Murdstone；　on　a　side…saddle；　ride　
deliberately　over　the　sacred　piece　of　green；　and　stop　in　front　of　the　
house；　looking　about　her。　

‘Go　along　with　you！’　cried　my　aunt；　shaking　her　head　and　her　
fist　at　the　window。　‘You　have　no　business　there。　How　dare　you　
trespass？　Go　along！　Oh！　you　bold…faced　thing！’　

My　aunt　was　so　exasperated　by　the　coolness　with　which　Miss　
Murdstone　looked　about　her；　that　I　really　believe　she　was　
motionless；　and　unable　for　the　moment　to　dart　out　according　to　
custom。　I　seized　the　opportunity　to　inform　her　who　it　was；　and　that　

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the　gentleman　now　coming　near　the　offender　（for　the　way　up　was　
very　steep；　and　he　had　dropped　behind）；　was　Mr。　Murdstone　
himself。　

‘I　don’t　care　who　it　is！’　cried　my　aunt；　still　shaking　her　head　and　
gesticulating　anything　but　welcome　from　the　bow…window。　‘I　won’t　
be　trespassed　upon。　I　won’t　allow　it。　Go　away！　Janet；　turn　him　
round。　Lead　him　off！’　and　I　saw；　from　behind　my　aunt；　a　sort　of　
hurried　battle…piece；　in　which　the　donkey　stood　resisting　
everybody；　with　all　his　four　legs　planted　different　ways；　while　
Janet　tried　to　pull　him　round　by　the　bridle；　Mr。　Murdstone　tried　to　
lead　him　on；　Miss　Murdstone　struck　at　Janet　with　a　parasol；　and　
several　boys；　who　had　come　to　see　the　engagement；　shouted　
vigorously。　But　my　aunt；　suddenly　descrying　among　them　the　
young　malefactor　who　was　the　donkey’s　guardian；　and　who　was　
one　of　the　most　inveterate　offenders　against　her；　though　hardly　in　
his　teens；　rushed　out　to　the　scene　of　action；　pounced　upon　him；　
captured　him；　dragged　him；　with　his　jacket　over　his　head；　and　his　
heels　grinding　the　ground；　into　the　garden；　and；　calling　upon　
Janet　to　fetch　the　constables　and　justices；　that　he　might　be　taken；　
tried；　and　executed　on　the　spot；　held　him　at　bay　there。　This　part　of　
the　business；　however；　did　not　last　long；　for　the　young　rascal；　
being　expert　at　a　variety　of　feints　and　dodges；　of　which　my　aunt　
had　no　conception；　soon　went　whooping　away；　leaving　some　deep　
impressions　of　his　nailed　boots　in　the　flower…beds；　and　taking　his　
donkey　in　triumph　with　him。　

Miss　Murdstone；　during　the　latter　portion　of　the　contest；　had　
dismounted；　and　was　now　waiting　with　her　brother　at　the　bottom　
of　the　steps；　until　my　aunt　should　be　at　leisure　to　receive　them。　My　
aunt；　a　little　ruffled　by　the　combat；　marched　past　them　into　the　

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house；　with　great　dignity；　and　took　no　notice　of　their　presence；　

until　they　were　announced　by　Janet。　

‘Shall　I　go　away；　aunt？’　I　asked；　trembling。　

‘No；　sir；’　said　my　aunt。　‘Certainly　not！’　With　which　she　pushed　
me　into　a　corner　near　her；　and　fenced　Me　in　with　a　chair；　as　if　it　
were　a　prison　or　a　bar　of　justice。　This　position　I　continued　to　
occupy　during　the　whole　interview；　and　from　it　I　now　saw　Mr。　and　
Miss　Murds