david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第86节
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‘What an extraordinary fellow you are； Steerforth！’ I exclaimed；
stopping—for this was the first I had heard of it。 ‘When you may
never care to come near the place again！’
‘I don’t know that；’ he returned。 ‘I have taken a fancy to the
place。 At all events；’ walking me briskly on； ‘I have bought a boat
that was for sale—a clipper； Mr。 Peggotty says； and so she is—and
Mr。 Peggotty will be master of her in my absence。’
‘Now I understand you； Steerforth！’ said I； exultingly。 ‘You
pretend to have bought it for yourself； but you have really done so
to confer a benefit on him。 I might have known as much at first；
knowing you。 My dear kind Steerforth； how can I tell you what I
think of your generosity？’
‘Tush！’ he answered； turning red。 ‘The less said； the better。’
‘Didn’t I know？’ cried I； ‘didn’t I say that there was not a joy； or
sorrow； or any emotion of such honest hearts that was indifferent
to you？’
‘Aye； aye；’ he answered； ‘you told me all that。 There let it rest。
We have said enough！’
Afraid of offending him by pursuing the subject when he made
so light of it； I only pursued it in my thoughts as we went on at
even a quicker pace than before。
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David Copperfield
‘She must be newly rigged；’ said Steerforth； ‘and I shall leave
Littimer behind to see it done； that I may know she is quite
complete。 Did I tell you Littimer had come down？’
‘ No。’
‘Oh yes！ came down this morning； with a letter from my
mother。’
As our looks met； I observed that he was pale even to his lips；
though he looked very steadily at me。 I feared that some difference
between him and his mother might have led to his being in the
frame of mind in which I had found him at the solitary fireside。 I
hinted so。
‘Oh no！’ he said； shaking his head； and giving a slight laugh。
‘Nothing of the sort！ Yes。 He is come down； that man of mine。’
‘The same as ever？’ said I。
‘The same as ever；’ said Steerforth。 ‘Distant and quiet as the
North Pole。 He shall see to the boat being fresh named。 She’s the
“Stormy Petrel” now。 What does Mr。 Peggotty care for Stormy
Petrels！ I’ll have her christened again。’
‘By what name？’ I asked。
‘The “Little Em’ly”。’
As he had continued to look steadily at me； I took it as a
reminder that he objected to being extolled for his consideration。 I
could not help showing in my face how much it pleased me； but I
said little； and he resumed his usual smile； and seemed relieved。
‘But see here；’ he said； looking before us； ‘where the original
little Em’ly comes！ And that fellow with her； eh？ Upon my soul；
he’s a true knight。 He never leaves her！’
Ham was a boat…builder in these days； having improved a
natural ingenuity in that handicraft； until he had become a skilled
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David Copperfield
workman。 He was in his working…dress； and looked rugged
enough； but manly withal； and a very fit protector for the
blooming little creature at his side。 Indeed； there was a frankness
in his face； an honesty； and an undisguised show of his pride in
her； and his love for her； which were； to me； the best of good looks。
I thought； as they came towards us； that they were well matched
even in that particular。
She withdrew her hand timidly from his arm as we stopped to
speak to them； and blushed as she gave it to Steerforth and to me。
When they passed on； after we had exchanged a few words； she
did not like to replace that hand； but； still appearing timid and
constrained； walked by herself。 I thought all this very pretty and
engaging； and Steerforth seemed to think so too； as we looked
after them fading away in the light of a young moon。
Suddenly there passed us—evidently following them—a young
woman whose approach we had not observed； but whose face I
saw as she went by； and thought I had a faint remembrance of。
She was lightly dressed； looked bold； and haggard； and flaunting；
and poor； but seemed； for the time； to have given all that to the
wind which was blowing； and to have nothing in her mind but
going after them。 As the dark distant level； absorbing their figures
into itself； left but itself visible between us and the sea and clouds；
her figure disappeared in like manner； still no nearer to them than
before。
‘That is a black shadow to be following the girl；’ said Steerforth；
standing still； ‘what does it mean？’
He spoke in a low voice that sounded almost strange to Me。
‘She must have it in her mind to beg of them； I think；’ said I。
‘A beggar would be no novelty；’ said Steerforth； ‘but it is a
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strange thing that the beggar should take that shape tonight。’
‘Why？’ I asked。
‘For no better reason； truly； than because I was thinking；’ he
said； after a pause； ‘of something like it； when it came by。 Where
the Devil did it come from； I wonder！’
‘From the shadow of this wall； I think；’ said I； as we emerged
upon a road on which a wall abutted。
‘It’s gone！’ he returned； looking over his shoulder。 ‘And all ill go
with it。 Now for our dinner！’
But he looked again over his shoulder towards the sea…line
glimmering afar off； and yet again。 And he wondered about it； in
some broken expressions； several times； in the short remainder of
our walk； and only seemed to forget it when the light of fire and
candle shone upon us； seated warm and merry； at table。
Littimer was there； and had his usual effect upon me。 When I
said to him that I hoped Mrs。 Steerforth and Miss Dartle were
well； he answered respectfully （and of course respectably）； that
they were tolerably well； he thanked me； and had sent their
compliments。 This was all； and yet he seemed to me to say as
plainly as a man could say： ‘You are very young； sir； you are
exceedingly young。’
We had almost finished dinner； when taking a step or two
towards the table； from the corner where he kept watch upon us；
or rather upon me； as I felt； he said to his master：
‘I beg your pardon； sir。 Miss Mowcher is down here。’
‘Who？’ cried Steerforth； much astonished。
‘Miss Mowcher； sir。’
‘Why； what on earth does she do here？’ said Steerforth。
‘It appears to be her native part of the country； sir。 She informs
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me that she makes one of her professional visits here； every year；
sir。 I met her in the street this afternoon； and she wished to know
if she might have the honour of waiting on you after dinner； sir。’
‘Do you know the Giantess in question； Daisy？’ inquired
Steerforth。
I was obliged to confess—I felt ashamed； even of being at this
disadvantage before Littimer—that Miss Mowcher and I were
wholly unacquainted。
‘Then you shall know her；’ said Steerforth； ‘for she is one of the
seven wonders of the world。 When Miss Mowcher comes； show her
in。’
I felt some curiosity and excitement about this lady； especially
as Steerforth burst into a fit of laughing when I referred to her；
and positively refused to answer any question of which I made her
the subject。 I remained； therefore； in a state of considerable
expectation until the cloth had been removed some half an hour；
and we were sitting over our decanter of wine before the fire；
when the door opened； and Littimer； with his habitual serenity
quite undisturbed； announced：
‘Miss Mowcher！’
I looked at the doorway and saw nothing。 I was still looking at
the doorway； thinking that Miss Mowcher was a long while
making her appearance； when； to my infinite astonishment； there
came waddling round a sofa which stood between me and it； a
pursy dwarf； of about forty or forty…five； with a very large head and
face； a pair of roguish grey eyes； and such extremely little arms；
that； to enable herself to lay a finger archly against her snub nose；
as she ogled Steerforth； she was obliged to meet the finger halfway； and lay her nose against it。 Her chin； which was what is
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called a double chin； was so fat that it entirely swallowed up the
strings of her bonnet； bow and all。 Throat she had none； waist she
had none； legs she had none； worth mentioning； for though she
was more than full…sized down to where her waist would have
been； if she had had any； and though she terminated； as human
beings generally do； in a pair of feet； she was so short that she
stood at a common…sized chair as at a table； resting a bag she
carried on the seat。 This lady—dressed in an off…hand； easy style；
bringing her nose and her forefinger together； with the difficulty I
have described； standing with her head necessarily on one side；
and； with one of her sharp eyes shut up； making an uncommonly
knowing face—after ogling Steerforth for a few moments； broke
into a torrent of words。
‘What！ My flower！’ she pleasantly began； shaking her large head
at him。 ‘You’re there； are you！ Oh； you naughty boy； fie for
