david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第81节
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My answering in the affirmative gave him great satisfaction。
‘I believe my breath will get long next； my memory’s getting so
much so；’ said Mr。 Omer。 ‘Well； sir； we’ve got a young relation of
hers here； under articles to us； that has as elegant a taste in the
dress…making business—I assure you I don’t believe there’s a
Duchess in England can touch her。’
‘Not little Em’ly？’ said I； involuntarily。
‘Em’ly’s her name；’ said Mr。 Omer； ‘and she’s little too。 But if
you’ll believe me； she has such a face of her own that half the
women in this town are mad against her。’
‘Nonsense； father！’ cried Minnie。
‘My dear；’ said Mr。 Omer； ‘I don’t say it’s the case with you；’
winking at me； ‘but I say that half the women in Yarmouth—ah！
and in five mile round—are mad against that girl。’
‘Then she should have kept to her own station in life； father；’
said Minnie； ‘and not have given them any hold to talk about her；
and then they couldn’t have done it。’
‘Couldn’t have done it； my dear！’ retorted Mr。 Omer。 ‘Couldn’t
have done it！ Is that your knowledge of life？ What is there that any
woman couldn’t do； that she shouldn’t do—especially on the
subject of another woman’s good looks？’
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
I really thought it was all over with Mr。 Omer； after he had
uttered this libellous pleasantry。 He coughed to that extent； and
his breath eluded all his attempts to recover it with that obstinacy；
that I fully expected to see his head go down behind the counter；
and his little black breeches； with the rusty little bunches of
ribbons at the knees； come quivering up in a last ineffectual
struggle。 At length； however； he got better； though he still panted
hard； and was so exhausted that he was obliged to sit on the stool
of the shop…desk。
‘You see；’ he said； wiping his head； and breathing with
difficulty； ‘she hasn’t taken much to any companions here； she
hasn’t taken kindly to any particular acquaintances and friends；
not to mention sweethearts。 In consequence； an ill…natured story
got about； that Em’ly wanted to be a lady。 Now my opinion is； that
it came into circulation principally on account of her sometimes
saying； at the school； that if she was a lady she would like to do so…
and…so for her uncle—don’t you see？—and buy him such…and…such
fine things。’
‘I assure you； Mr。 Omer； she has said so to me；’ I returned
eagerly； ‘when we were both children。’
Mr。 Omer nodded his head and rubbed his chin。 ‘Just so。 Then
out of a very little； she could dress herself； you see； better than
most others could out of a deal； and that made things unpleasant。
Moreover； she was rather what might be called wayward—I’ll go
so far as to say what I should call wayward myself；’ said Mr。 Omer；
‘—didn’t know her own mind quite—a little spoiled—and couldn’t；
at first； exactly bind herself down。 No more than that was ever
said against her； Minnie？’
‘No； father；’ said Mrs。 Joram。 ‘That’s the worst； I believe。’
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘So when she got a situation；’ said Mr。 Omer； ‘to keep a
fractious old lady company； they didn’t very well agree； and she
didn’t stop。 At last she came here； apprenticed for three years。
Nearly two of ’em are over； and she has been as good a girl as ever
was。 Worth any six！ Minnie； is she worth any six； now？’
‘Yes； father；’ replied Minnie。 ‘Never say I detracted from her！’
‘Very good；’ said Mr。 Omer。 ‘That’s right。 And so； young
gentleman；’ he added； after a few moments’ further rubbing of his
chin； ‘that you may not consider me long…winded as well as short…
breathed； I believe that’s all about it。’
As they had spoken in a subdued tone； while speaking of Em’ly；
I had no doubt that she was near。 On my asking now； if that were
not so； Mr。 Omer nodded yes； and nodded towards the door of the
parlour。 My hurried inquiry if I might peep in； was answered with
a free permission； and； looking through the glass； I saw her sitting
at her work。 I saw her； a most beautiful little creature； with the
cloudless blue eyes； that had looked into my childish heart； turned
laughingly upon another child of Minnie’s who was playing near
her； with enough of wilfulness in her bright face to justify what I
had heard； with much of the old capricious coyness lurking in it；
but with nothing in her pretty looks； I am sure； but what was
meant for goodness and for happiness； and what was on a good
and happy course。
The tune across the yard that seemed as if it never had left off—
alas！ it was the tune that never does leave off—was beating； softly；
all the while。
‘Wouldn’t you like to step in；’ said Mr。 Omer； ‘and speak to her？
Walk in and speak to her； sir！ Make yourself at home！’
I was too bashful to do so then—I was afraid of confusing her；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
and I was no less afraid of confusing myself。—but I informed
myself of the hour at which she left of an evening； in order that our
visit might be timed accordingly； and taking leave of Mr。 Omer；
and his pretty daughter； and her little children； went away to my
dear old Peggotty’s。
Here she was； in the tiled kitchen； cooking dinner！ The moment
I knocked at the door she opened it； and asked me what I pleased
to want。 I looked at her with a smile； but she gave me no smile in
return。 I had never ceased to write to her； but it must have been
seven years since we had met。
‘Is Mr。 Barkis at home； ma’am？’ I said； feigning to speak
roughly to her。
‘He’s at home； sir；’ returned Peggotty； ‘but he’s bad abed with
the rheumatics。’
‘Don’t he go over to Blunderstone now？’ I asked。
‘When he’s well he do；’ she answered。
‘Do you ever go there； Mrs。 Barkis？’
She looked at me more attentively； and I noticed a quick
movement of her hands towards each other。
‘Because I want to ask a question about a house there； that they
call the—what is it？—the Rookery；’ said I。
She took a step backward； and put out her hands in an
undecided frightened way； as if to keep me off。
‘Peggotty！’ I cried to her。
She cried； ‘My darling boy！’ and we both burst into tears； and
were locked in one another’s arms。
What extravagances she committed； what laughing and crying
over me； what pride she showed； what joy； what sorrow that she
whose pride and joy I might have been； could never hold me in a
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
fond embrace； I have not the heart to tell。 I was troubled with no
misgiving that it was young in me to respond to her emotions。 I
had never laughed and cried in all my life； I dare say—not even to
her—more freely than I did that morning。
‘Barkis will be so glad；’ said Peggotty； wiping her eyes with her
apron； ‘that it’ll do him more good than pints of liniment。 May I go
and tell him you are here？ Will you come up and see him； my
dear？’
Of course I would。 But Peggotty could not get out of the room
as easily as she meant to； for as often as she got to the door and
looked round at me； she came back again to have another laugh
and another cry upon my shoulder。 At last； to make the matter
easier； I went upstairs with her； and having waited outside for a
minute； while she said a word of preparation to Mr。 Barkis；
presented myself before that invalid。
He received me with absolute enthusiasm。 He was too
rheumatic to be shaken hands with； but he begged me to shake the
tassel on the top of his nightcap； which I did most cordially。 When
I sat down by the side of the bed； he said that it did him a world of
good to feel as if he was driving me on the Blunderstone road
again。 As he lay in bed； face upward； and so covered； with that
exception； that he seemed to be nothing but a face—like a
conventional cherubim—he looked the queerest object I ever
beheld。
‘What name was it； as I wrote up in the cart； sir？’ said Mr。
Barkis； with a slow rheumatic smile。
‘Ah！ Mr。 Barkis； we had some grave talks about that matter；
hadn’t we？’
‘I was willin’ a long time； sir？’ said Mr。 Barkis。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘A long time；’ said I。
‘And I don’t regret it；’ said Mr。 Barkis。 ‘Do you remember what
you told me once； about her making all the apple parsties and
doing all the cooking？’
‘Yes； very well；’ I returned。
‘It was as true；’ said Mr。 Barkis； ‘as turnips is。 It was as true；’
said Mr。 Barkis； nodding his nightcap； which was his only means
of emphasis； ‘as taxes is。 And nothing’s truer than them。’
Mr。 Barkis turned his eyes upon me； as if for my assent to this
result of his reflections in bed； and I gave it。
‘Nothing’s truer than them；’ repeated Mr。 Barkis； ‘a man as
poor as I am； finds that out in his mind when he’s laid up。 I’m a
very poor man； sir！’
‘I am sorry to hear it； Mr。 Barkis。’
‘A very poor man； indeed I am；’ said Mr。 Barki
