david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第59节
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it was he； and that he was a lawyer； and steward of the estates of a
rich gentleman of the county； ‘what wind blows you here？ Not an
ill wind； I hope？’
‘No；’ replied my aunt。 ‘I have not come for any law。’
‘That’s right； ma’am；’ said Mr。 Wickfield。 ‘You had better come
for anything else。’ His hair was quite white now； though his
eyebrows were still black。 He had a very agreeable face； and； I
thought； was handsome。 There was a certain richness in his
complexion； which I had been long accustomed； under Peggotty’s
tuition； to connect with port wine； and I fancied it was in his voice
too； and referred his growing corpulency to the same cause。 He
was very cleanly dressed； in a blue coat； striped waistcoat； and
nankeen trousers； and his fine frilled shirt and cambric neckcloth
looked unusually soft and white； reminding my strolling fancy （I
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David Copperfield
call to mind） of the plumage on the breast of a swan。
‘This is my nephew；’ said my aunt。
‘Wasn’t aware you had one； Miss Trotwood；’ said Mr。 Wickfield。
‘My grand…nephew； that is to say；’ observed my aunt。
‘Wasn’t aware you had a grand…nephew； I give you my word；’
said Mr。 Wickfield。
‘I have adopted him；’ said my aunt； with a wave of her hand；
importing that his knowledge and his ignorance were all one to
her； ‘and I have brought him here； to put to a school where he may
be thoroughly well taught； and well treated。 Now tell me where
that school is； and what it is； and all about it。’
‘Before I can advise you properly；’ said Mr。 Wickfield—‘the old
question； you know。 What’s your motive in this？’
‘Deuce take the man！’ exclaimed my aunt。 ‘Always fishing for
motives； when they’re on the surface！ Why； to make the child
happy and useful。’
‘It must be a mixed motive； I think；’ said Mr。 Wickfield； shaking
his head and smiling incredulously。
‘A mixed fiddlestick；’ returned my aunt。 ‘You claim to have one
plain motive in all you do yourself。 You don’t suppose； I hope； that
you are the only plain dealer in the world？’
‘Ay； but I have only one motive in life； Miss Trotwood；’ he
rejoined； smiling。 ‘Other people have dozens； scores； hundreds。 I
have only one。 There’s the difference。 However； that’s beside the
question。 The best school？ Whatever the motive； you want the
best？’
My aunt nodded assent。
‘At the best we have；’ said Mr。 Wickfield； considering； ‘your
nephew couldn’t board just now。’
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘But he could board somewhere else； I suppose？’ suggested my
aunt。
Mr。 Wickfield thought I could。 After a little discussion； he
proposed to take my aunt to the school； that she might see it and
judge for herself； also； to take her； with the same object； to two or
three houses where he thought I could be boarded。 My aunt
embracing the proposal； we were all three going out together；
when he stopped and said：
‘Our little friend here might have some motive； perhaps； for
objecting to the arrangements。 I think we had better leave him
behind？’
My aunt seemed disposed to contest the point； but to facilitate
matters I said I would gladly remain behind； if they pleased； and
returned into Mr。 Wickfield’s office； where I sat down again； in the
chair I had first occupied； to await their return。
It so happened that this chair was opposite a narrow passage；
which ended in the little circular room where I had seen Uriah
Heep’s pale face looking out of the window。 Uriah； having taken
the pony to a neighbouring stable； was at work at a desk in this
room； which had a brass frame on the top to hang paper upon； and
on which the writing he was making a copy of was then hanging。
Though his face was towards me； I thought； for some time； the
writing being between us； that he could not see me； but looking
that way more attentively； it made me uncomfortable to observe
that； every now and then； his sleepless eyes would come below the
writing； like two red suns； and stealthily stare at me for I dare say
a whole minute at a time； during which his pen went； or pretended
to go； as cleverly as ever。 I made several attempts to get out of
their way—such as standing on a chair to look at a map on the
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David Copperfield
other side of the room； and poring over the columns of a Kentish
newspaper—but they always attracted me back again； and
whenever I looked towards those two red suns； I was sure to find
them； either just rising or just setting。
At length； much to my relief； my aunt and Mr。 Wickfield came
back； after a pretty long absence。 They were not so successful as I
could have wished； for though the advantages of the school were
undeniable； my aunt had not approved of any of the boardinghouses proposed for me。
‘It’s very unfortunate；’ said my aunt。 ‘I don’t know what to do；
Trot。’
‘It does happen unfortunately；’ said Mr。 Wickfield。 ‘But I’ll tell
you what you can do； Miss Trotwood。’
‘What’s that？’ inquired my aunt。
‘Leave your nephew here； for the present。 He’s a quiet fellow。
He won’t disturb me at all。 It’s a capital house for study。 As quiet
as a monastery； and almost as roomy。 Leave him here。’
My aunt evidently liked the offer； though she was delicate of
accepting it。 So did I。 ‘Come； Miss Trotwood；’ said Mr。 Wickfield。
‘This is the way out of the difficulty。 It’s only a temporary
arrangement； you know。 If it don’t act well； or don’t quite accord
with our mutual convenience； he can easily go to the right…about。
There will be time to find some better place for him in the
meanwhile。 You had better determine to leave him here for the
present！’
‘I am very much obliged to you；’ said my aunt； ‘and so is he； I
see； but—’
‘Come！ I know what you mean；’ cried Mr。 Wickfield。 ‘You shall
not be oppressed by the receipt of favours； Miss Trotwood。 You
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
may pay for him； if you like。 We won’t be hard about terms； but
you shall pay if you will。’
‘On that understanding；’ said my aunt； ‘though it doesn’t lessen
the real obligation； I shall be very glad to leave him。’
‘Then come and see my little housekeeper；’ said Mr。 Wickfield。
We accordingly went up a wonderful old staircase； with a
balustrade so broad that we might have gone up that； almost as
easily； and into a shady old drawing…room； lighted by some three
or four of the quaint windows I had looked up at from the street：
which had old oak seats in them； that seemed to have come of the
same trees as the shining oak floor； and the great beams in the
ceiling。 It was a prettily furnished room； with a piano and some
lively furniture in red and green； and some flowers。 It seemed to
be all old nooks and corners； and in every nook and corner there
was some queer little table； or cupboard； or bookcase； or seat； or
something or other； that made me think there was not such
another good corner in the room； until I looked at the next one；
and found it equal to it； if not better。 On everything there was the
same air of retirement and cleanliness that marked the house
outside。
Mr。 Wickfield tapped at a door in a corner of the panelled wall；
and a girl of about my own age came quickly out and kissed him。
On her face； I saw immediately the placid and sweet expression of
the lady whose picture had looked at me downstairs。 It seemed to
my imagination as if the portrait had grown womanly； and the
original remained a child。 Although her face was quite bright and
happy； there was a tranquillity about it； and about her—a quiet；
good； calm spirit—that I never have forgotten； that I shall never
forget。 This was his little housekeeper； his daughter Agnes； Mr。
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David Copperfield
Wickfield said。 When I heard how he said it； and saw how he held
her hand； I guessed what the one motive of his life was。
She had a little basket…trifle hanging at her side； with keys in it；
and she looked as staid and as discreet a housekeeper as the old
house could have。 She listened to her father as he told her about
me； with a pleasant face； and when he had concluded； proposed to
my aunt that we should go upstairs and see my room。 We all went
together； she before us： and a glorious old room it was； with more
oak beams； and diamond panes； and the broad balustrade going
all the way up to it。
I cannot call to mind where or when； in my childhood； I had
seen a stained glass window in a church。 Nor do I recollect its
subject。 But I know that when I saw her turn round； in the grave
light of the old staircase； and wait for us； above； I thought of that
window； and I associated something of its tranquil brightness with
Agnes Wickfield ever afterwards。
My aunt was as happy as I was； in the arrangement made for
me； and we went down to the drawing…room again； well pleased
and gratified。 As she would not hear of staying to dinner； lest she
should by a
