david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第88节

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they　were　only　a　pair　（which　they　ain’t）；　they’d　defy　competition。　
Would　you　believe　he　tried　to　do　without　me—in　the　Life…Guards；　
too？’　

‘Mad！’　said　Steerforth。　

‘It　looks　like　it。　However；　mad　or　sane；　he　tried；’　returned　Miss　
Mowcher。　‘What　does　he　do；　but；　lo　and　behold　you；　he　goes　into　a　
perfumer’s　shop；　and　wants　to　buy　a　bottle　of　the　Madagascar　
Liquid。’　

‘Charley　does？’　said　Steerforth。　

‘Charley　does。　But　they　haven’t　got　any　of　the　Madagascar　
Liquid。’　

‘What　is　it？　Something　to　drink？’　asked　Steerforth。　

‘To　drink？’　returned　Miss　Mowcher；　stopping　to　slap　his　cheek。　
‘To　doctor　his　own　moustachios　with；　you　know。　There　was　a　
woman　in　the　shop—elderly　female—quite　a　Griffin—who　had　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

never　even　heard　of　it　by　name。　“Begging　pardon；　sir；”　said　the　
Griffin　to　Charley；　“it’s　not—not—not　rouge；　is　it？”　“Rouge；”　said　
Charley　to　the　Griffin。　“What　the　unmentionable　to　ears　polite；　do　
you　think　I　want　with　rouge？”　“No　offence；　sir；”　said　the　Griffin；　
“we　have　it　asked　for　by　so　many　names；　I　thought　it　might　be。”　
Now　that；　my　child；’　continued　Miss　Mowcher；　rubbing　all　the　
time　as　busily　as　ever；　‘is　another　instance　of　the　refreshing　
humbug　I　was　speaking　of。　I　do　something　in　that　way　myself—　
perhaps　a　good　deal—perhaps　a　little—sharp’s　the　word；　my　dear　
boy—never　mind！’　

‘In　what　way　do　you　mean？　In　the　rouge　way？’　said　Steerforth。　

‘Put　this　and　that　together；　my　tender　pupil；’　returned　the　wary　
Mowcher；　touching　her　nose；　‘work　it　by　the　rule　of　Secrets　in　all　
trades；　and　the　product　will　give　you　the　desired　result。　I　say　I　do　a　
little　in　that　way　myself。　One　Dowager；　she　calls　it　lip…salve。　
Another；　she　calls　it　gloves。　Another；　she　calls　it　tucker…edging。　
Another；　she　calls　it　a　fan。　I　call　it　whatever　they　call　it。　I　supply　it　
for　’em；　but　we　keep　up　the　trick　so；　to　one　another；　and　make　
believe　with　such　a　face；　that　they’d　as　soon　think　of　laying　it　on；　
before　a　whole　drawing…room；　as　before　me。　And　when　I　wait　upon　
’em；　they’ll　say　to　me　sometimes—with　it　on—thick；　and　no　
mistake—“How　am　I　looking；　Mowcher？　Am　I　pale？”　Ha！　ha！　ha！　
ha！　Isn’t　that　refreshing；　my　young　friend！’　

I　never　did　in　my　days　behold　anything　like　Mowcher　as　she　
stood　upon　the　dining　table；　intensely　enjoying　this　refreshment；　
rubbing　busily　at　Steerforth’s　head；　and　winking　at　me　over　it。　

‘Ah！’　she　said。　‘Such　things　are　not　much　in　demand　
hereabouts。　That　sets　me　off　again！　I　haven’t　seen　a　pretty　woman　
since　I’ve　been　here；　jemmy。’　

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David　Copperfield　

‘No？’　said　Steerforth。　

‘Not　the　ghost　of　one；’　replied　Miss　Mowcher。　

‘We　could　show　her　the　substance　of　one；　I　think？’　said　
Steerforth；　addressing　his　eyes　to　mine。　‘Eh；　Daisy？’　

‘Yes；　indeed；’　said　I。　

‘Aha？’　cried　the　little　creature；　glancing　sharply　at　my　face；　and　
then　peeping　round　at　Steerforth’s。　‘Umph？’　

The　first　exclamation　sounded　like　a　question　put　to　both　of　us；　
and　the　second　like　a　question　put　to　Steerforth　only。　She　seemed　
to　have　found　no　answer　to　either；　but　continued　to　rub；　with　her　
head　on　one　side　and　her　eye　turned　up；　as　if　she　were　looking　for　
an　answer　in　the　air　and　were　confident　of　its　appearing　presently。　

‘A　sister　of　yours；　Mr。　Copperfield？’　she　cried；　after　a　pause；　
and　still　keeping　the　same　look…out。　‘Aye；　aye？’　

‘No；’　said　Steerforth；　before　I　could　reply。　‘Nothing　of　the　sort。　
On　the　contrary；　Mr。　Copperfield　used—or　I　am　much　mistaken—　
to　have　a　great　admiration　for　her。’　

‘Why；　hasn’t　he　now？’　returned　Miss　Mowcher。　‘Is　he　fickle？　
Oh；　for　shame！　Did　he　sip　every　flower；　and　change　every　hour；　
until　Polly　his　passion　requited？—Is　her　name　Polly？’　

The　Elfin　suddenness　with　which　she　pounced　upon　me　with　
this　question；　and　a　searching　look；　quite　disconcerted　me　for　a　
moment。　

‘No；　Miss　Mowcher；’　I　replied。　‘Her　name　is　Emily。’　

‘Aha？’　she　cried　exactly　as　before。　‘Umph？　What　a　rattle　I　am！　
Mr。　Copperfield；　ain’t　I　volatile？’　

Her　tone　and　look　implied　something　that　was　not　agreeable　to　
me　in　connexion　with　the　subject。　So　I　said；　in　a　graver　manner　
than　any　of　us　had　yet　assumed：　‘She　is　as　virtuous　as　she　is　pretty。　

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David　Copperfield　

She　is　engaged　to　be　married　to　a　most　worthy　and　deserving　man　
in　her　own　station　of　life。　I　esteem　her　for　her　good　sense；　as　much　
as　I　admire　her　for　her　good　looks。’　

‘Well　said！’　cried　Steerforth。　‘Hear；　hear；　hear！　Now　I’ll　quench　
the　curiosity　of　this　little　Fatima；　my　dear　Daisy；　by　leaving　her　
nothing　to　guess　at。　She　is　at　present　apprenticed；　Miss　Mowcher；　
or　articled；　or　whatever　it　may　be；　to　Omer　and　Joram；　
Haberdashers；　Milliners；　and　so　forth；　in　this　town。　Do　you　
observe？　Omer　and　Joram。　The　promise　of　which　my　friend　has　
spoken；　is　made　and　entered　into　with　her　cousin；　Christian　name；　
Ham；　surname；　Peggotty；　occupation；　boat…builder；　also　of　this　
town。　She　lives　with　a　relative；　Christian　name；　unknown；　
surname；　Peggotty；　occupation；　seafaring；　also　of　this　town。　She　is　
the　prettiest　and　most　engaging　little　fairy　in　the　world。　I　admire　
her—as　my　friend　does—exceedingly。　If　it　were　not　that　I　might　
appear　to　disparage　her　Intended；　which　I　know　my　friend　would　
not　like；　I　would　add；　that　to　me　she　seems　to　be　throwing　herself　
away；　that　I　am　sure　she　might　do　better；　and　that　I　swear　she　was　
born　to　be　a　lady。’　

Miss　Mowcher　listened　to　these　words；　which　were　very　slowly　
and　distinctly　spoken；　with　her　head　on　one　side；　and　her　eye　in　
the　air　as　if　she　were　still　looking　for　that　answer。　When　he　ceased　
she　became　brisk　again　in　an　instant；　and　rattled　away　with　
surprising　volubility。　

‘Oh！　And　that’s　all　about　it；　is　it？’　she　exclaimed；　trimming　his　
whiskers　with　a　little　restless　pair　of　scissors；　that　went　glancing　
round　his　head　in　all　directions。　‘Very　well：　very　well！　Quite　a　long　
story。　Ought　to　end　“and　they　lived　happy　ever　afterwards”；　
oughtn’t　it？　Ah！　What’s　that　game　at　forfeits？　I　love　my　love　with　

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David　Copperfield　

an　E；　because　she’s　enticing；　I　hate　her　with　an　E；　because　she’s　
engaged。　I　took　her　to　the　sign　of　the　exquisite；　and　treated　her　
with　an　elopement；　her　name’s　Emily；　and　she　lives　in　the　east？　
Ha！　ha！　ha！　Mr。　Copperfield；　ain’t　I　volatile？’　

Merely　looking　at　me　with　extravagant　slyness；　and　not　waiting　
for　any　reply；　she　continued；　without　drawing　breath：　

‘There！　If　ever　any　scapegrace　was　trimmed　and　touched　up　to　
perfection；　you　are；　Steerforth。　If　I　understand　any　noddle　in　the　
world；　I　understand　yours。　Do　you　hear　me　when　I　tell　you　that；　
my　darling？　I　understand　yours；’　peeping　down　into　his　face。　‘Now　
you　may　mizzle；　jemmy　（as　we　say　at　Court）；　and　if　Mr。　
Copperfield　will　take　the　chair　I’ll　operate　on　him。’　

‘What　do　you　say；　Daisy？’　inquired　Steerforth；　laughing；　and　
resigning　his　seat。　‘Will　you　be　improved？’　

‘Thank　you；　Miss　Mowcher；　not　this　evening。’　

‘Don’t　say　no；’　returned　the　little　woman；　looking　at　me　with　the　
aspect　of　a　connoisseur；　‘a　little　bit　more　eyebrow？’　

‘Thank　you；’　I　returned；　‘some　other　time。’　

‘Have　it　carried　half　a　quarter　of　an　inch　towards　the　temple；’　
said　Miss　Mowcher。　‘We　can　do　it　in　a　fortnight。’　

‘No；　I　thank　you。　Not　at　present。’　

‘Go　in　for　a　tip；’　she　urged。　‘No？　Let’s　get　the　scaffolding　up；　
then；　for　a　pair　of　whiskers。　Come！’　

I　could　not　help　blushing　as　I　declined；　for　I　felt　we　were　on　my　
weak　point；　now。　But　Miss　Mowcher；　finding　that　I　was　not　at　
present　disposed　for　any　decoration　within　the　range　of　her　art；　
and　that　I　was；　for　the　time　being；　proof　against　the　blandishments　
of　the　small　bottle　which　she　held　up　before　one　eye　to　enforce　her　
persuasions；　said　we　would　make　a　beginning　on　an　early　day；　and　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

requested　the　aid　of　my　hand　to　descend　from　her　elevated　station。　
Thus　assisted；　she　skipped　down　with　much　agility；　and　began　to　
tie　her　double　chin　into　her　bonnet。　

‘The　fee；’　said　Steerforth；　‘is—’　

‘Five　bob；’　replied　Miss　Mowcher；　‘and　dirt　cheap；　my　chicken。　
Ain’t　I　volatile；　Mr。　Copperfield？’　

I　replied　politely：　‘Not　at　all。’　But　I　thought　she　was　rather　so；　
when　she　tossed　up　his　two　half…crowns　like　a　goblin　pieman；　
caught　them；　dropped　them　in　her　pocket；　and　gave　it　a　loud　slap。　

‘That’s　the　Till！’　observed　Miss　Mowcher；　standing　at　the　chair　
again；　and　replacing　in　the　bag　a　miscellaneous　collection　of　little　
objects　she　had　emptied　out　of　it。　‘Have　I　got　all　my　traps？　It　seems　
so。　It　won’t　do　to　be　like　long　Ned　Beadwood；　when　they　took　him　
to　church　“to　marry　him　to　somebody”；　as　he　says；　and　left　the　
bride　behind。　Ha！　ha！　ha！　A　wicked　rascal；　Ned；　but　droll！　Now；　I　
know　I’m　going　to　break　your　hearts；　but　I　am　forced　to　leave　you。　
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