david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第94节

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for　me；　and；　sure　enough；　the　river　was　outside　the　windows。　

As　I　was　delighted　with　the　place；　my　aunt　and　Mrs。　Crupp　
withdrew　into　the　pantry　to　discuss　the　terms；　while　I　remained　on　
the　sitting…room　sofa；　hardly　daring　to　think　it　possible　that　I　could　

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be　destined　to　live　in　such　a　noble　residence。　After　a　single　combat　
of　some　duration　they　returned；　and　I　saw；　to　my　joy；　both　in　Mrs。　
Crupp’s　countenance　and　in　my　aunt’s；　that　the　deed　was　done。　

‘Is　it　the　last　occupant’s　furniture？’　inquired　my　aunt。　

‘Yes；　it　is；　ma’am；’　said　Mrs。　Crupp。　

‘What’s　become　of　him？’　asked　my　aunt。　

Mrs。　Crupp　was　taken　with　a　troublesome　cough；　in　the　midst　
of　which　she　articulated　with　much　difficulty。　‘He　was　took　ill　here；　
ma’am；　and—ugh！　ugh！　ugh！　dear　me！—and　he　died！’　

‘Hey！　What　did　he　die　of？’　asked　my　aunt。　

‘Well；　ma’am；　he　died　of　drink；’　said　Mrs。　Crupp；　in　confidence。　
‘And　smoke。’　

‘Smoke？　You　don’t　mean　chimneys？’　said　my　aunt。　

‘No；　ma’am；’　returned　Mrs。　Crupp。　‘Cigars　and　pipes。’　

‘That’s　not　catching；　Trot；　at　any　rate；’　remarked　my　aunt；　
turning　to　me。　

‘No；　indeed；’　said　I。　

In　short；　my　aunt；　seeing　how　enraptured　I　was　with　the　
premises；　took　them　for　a　month；　with　leave　to　remain　for　twelve　
months　when　that　time　was　out。　Mrs。　Crupp　was　to　find　linen；　and　
to　cook；　every　other　necessary　was　already　provided；　and　Mrs。　
Crupp　expressly　intimated　that　she　should　always　yearn　towards　
me　as　a　son。　I　was　to　take　possession　the　day　after　tomorrow；　and　
Mrs。　Crupp　said；　thank　Heaven　she　had　now　found　summun　she　
could　care　for！　

On　our　way　back；　my　aunt　informed　me　how　she　confidently　
trusted　that　the　life　I　was　now　to　lead　would　make　me　firm　and　
self…reliant；　which　was　all　I　wanted。　She　repeated　this　several　
times　next　day；　in　the　intervals　of　our　arranging　for　the　

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transmission　of　my　clothes　and　books　from　Mr。　Wickfield’s；　
relative　to　which；　and　to　all　my　late　holiday；　I　wrote　a　long　letter　to　
Agnes；　of　which　my　aunt　took　charge；　as　she　was　to　leave　on　the　
succeeding　day。　Not　to　lengthen　these　particulars；　I　need　only　add；　
that　she　made　a　handsome　provision　for　all　my　possible　wants　
during　my　month　of　trial；　that　Steerforth；　to　my　great　
disappointment　and　hers　too；　did　not　make　his　appearance　before　
she　went　away；　that　I　saw　her　safely　seated　in　the　Dover　coach；　
exulting　in　the　coming　discomfiture　of　the　vagrant　donkeys；　with　
Janet　at　her　side；　and　that　when　the　coach　was　gone；　I　turned　my　
face　to　the　Adelphi；　pondering　on　the　old　days　when　I　used　to　
roam　about　its　subterranean　arches；　and　on　the　happy　changes　
which　had　brought　me　to　the　surface。　

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Chapter　24　

MY　FIRST　DISSIPATION　

It　was　a　wonderfully　fine　thing　to　have　that　lofty　castle　to　
myself；　and　to　feel；　when　I　shut　my　outer　door；　like　Robinson　
Crusoe；　when　he　had　got　into　his　fortification；　and　pulled　his　
ladder　up　after　him。　It　was　a　wonderfully　fine　thing　to　walk　about　
town　with　the　key　of　my　house　in　my　pocket；　and　to　know　that　I　
could　ask　any　fellow　to　come　home；　and　make　quite　sure　of　its　
being　inconvenient　to　nobody；　if　it　were　not　so　to　me。　It　was　a　
wonderfully　fine　thing　to　let　myself　in　and　out；　and　to　come　and　go　
without　a　word　to　anyone；　and　to　ring　Mrs。　Crupp　up；　gasping；　
from　the　depths　of　the　earth；　when　I　wanted　her—and　when　she　
was　disposed　to　come。　All　this；　I　say；　was　wonderfully　fine；　but　I　
must　say；　too；　that　there　were　times　when　it　was　very　dreary。　

It　was　fine　in　the　morning；　particularly　in　the　fine　mornings。　It　
looked　a　very　fresh；　free　life；　by　daylight：　still　fresher；　and　more　
free；　by　sunlight。　But　as　the　day　declined；　the　life　seemed　to　go　
down　too。　I　don’t　know　how　it　was；　it　seldom　looked　well　by　
candle…light。　I　wanted　somebody　to　talk　to；　then。　I　missed　Agnes。　I　
found　a　tremendous　blank；　in　the　place　of　that　smiling　repository　
of　my　confidence。　Mrs。　Crupp　appeared　to　be　a　long　way　off。　I　
thought　about　my　predecessor；　who　had　died　of　drink　and　smoke；　
and　I　could　have　wished　he　had　been　so　good　as　to　live；　and　not　
bother　me　with　his　decease。　

After　two　days　and　nights；　I　felt　as　if　I　had　lived　there　for　a　year；　
and　yet　I　was　not　an　hour　older；　but　was　quite　as　much　tormented　

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by　my　own　youthfulness　as　ever。　

Steerforth　not　yet　appearing；　which　induced　me　to　apprehend　
that　he　must　be　ill；　I　left　the　Commons　early　on　the　third　day；　and　
walked　out　to　Highgate。　Mrs。　Steerforth　was　very　glad　to　see　me；　
and　said　that　he　had　gone　away　with　one　of　his　Oxford　friends　to　
see　another　who　lived　near　St。　Albans；　but　that　she　expected　him　
to　return　tomorrow。　I　was　so　fond　of　him；　that　I　felt　quite　jealous　of　
his　Oxford　friends。　

As　she　pressed　me　to　stay　to　dinner；　I　remained；　and　I　believe　
we　talked　about　nothing　but　him　all　day。　I　told　her　how　much　the　
people　liked　him　at　Yarmouth；　and　what　a　delightful　companion　
he　had　been。　Miss　Dartle　was　full　of　hints　and　mysterious　
questions；　but　took　a　great　interest　in　all　our　proceedings　there；　
and　said；　‘Was　it　really　though？’　and　so　forth；　so　often；　that　she　got　
everything　out　of　me　she　wanted　to　know。　Her　appearance　was　
exactly　what　I　have　described　it；　when　I　first　saw　her；　but　the　
society　of　the　two　ladies　was　so　agreeable；　and　came　so　natural　to　
me；　that　I　felt　myself　falling　a　little　in　love　with　her。　I　could　not　
help　thinking；　several　times　in　the　course　of　the　evening；　and　
particularly　when　I　walked　home　at　night；　what　delightful　
company　she　would　be　in　Buckingham　Street。　

I　was　taking　my　coffee　and　roll　in　the　morning；　before　going　to　
the　Commons—and　I　may　observe　in　this　place　that　it　is　surprising　
how　much　coffee　Mrs。　Crupp　used；　and　how　weak　it　was；　
considering—when　Steerforth　himself　walked　in；　to　my　
unbounded　joy。　

‘My　dear　Steerforth；’　cried　I；　‘I　began　to　think　I　should　never　
see　you　again！’　

‘I　was　carried　off；　by　force　of　arms；’　said　Steerforth；　‘the　very　

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next　morning　after　I　got　home。　Why；　Daisy；　what　a　rare　old　
bachelor　you　are　here！’　

I　showed　him　over　the　establishment；　not　omitting　the　pantry；　
with　no　little　pride；　and　he　commended　it　highly。　‘I　tell　you　what；　
old　boy；’　he　added；　‘I　shall　make　quite　a　town…house　of　this　place；　
unless　you　give　me　notice　to　quit。’　

This　was　a　delightful　hearing。　I　told　him　if　he　waited　for　that；　he　
would　have　to　wait　till　doomsday。　

‘But　you　shall　have　some　breakfast！’　said　I；　with　my　hand　on　the　
bell…rope；　‘and　Mrs。　Crupp　shall　make　you　some　fresh　coffee；　and　
I’ll　toast　you　some　bacon　in　a　bachelor’s　Dutch…oven；　that　I　have　
got　here。’　

‘No；　no！’　said　Steerforth。　‘Don’t　ring！　I　can’t！　I　am　going　to　
breakfast　with　one　of　these　fellows　who　is　at　the　Piazza　Hotel；　in　
Covent　Garden。’　

‘But　you’ll　come　back　to　dinner？’　said　I。　

‘I　can’t；　upon　my　life。　There’s　nothing　I　should　like　better；　but　I　
must　remain　with　these　two　fellows。　We　are　all　three　off　together　
tomorrow　morning。’　

‘Then　bring　them　here　to　dinner；’　I　returned。　‘Do　you　think　they　
would　come？’　

‘Oh！　they　would　come　fast　enough；’　said　Steerforth；　‘but　we　
should　inconvenience　you。　You　had　better　come　and　dine　with　us　
somewhere。’　

I　would　not　by　any　means　consent　to　this；　for　it　occurred　to　me　
that　I　really　ought　to　have　a　little　house…warming；　and　that　there　
never　could　be　a　better　opportunity。　I　had　a　new　pride　in　my　
rooms　after　his　approval　of　them；　and　burned　with　a　desire　to　
develop　their　utmost　resources。　I　therefore　made　him　promise　

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positively　in　the　names　of　his　two　friends；　and　we　appointed　six　
o’clock　as　the　dinner…hour。　

When　he　was　gone；　I　rang　for　Mrs。　Crupp；　and　acquainted　her　
with　my　desperate　design。　Mrs。　Crupp　said；　in　the　first　place；　of　
course　it　was　well　known　she　couldn’t　be　expected　to　wait；　but　she　
knew　a　handy　young　man；　who　she　thought　could　be　prevailed　
upon　to　do　it；　and　whose　terms　would　be　five　shillings；　and　what　I　
pleased。　I　said；　certainly　we　would　have　him。　Next　Mrs。　Crupp　said　
it　was　clear　she　couldn’t　be　in　two　places　at　once　（which　I　felt　to　be　
reasonable）；　and　that　‘a　young　gal’　stationed　in　the　pantry　with　a　
bedroom　candle；　there　never　to　desist　from　washing　plates；　would　
be　indispensable。　I　said；　what　would　be　the　expense　of　this　young　
female？　and　Mrs。　Crupp　said　she　supposed　eighteenpence　would　
neither　make　me　nor　break　me。　I　said　I　supposed　not；　and　that　was　
settled。　Then　Mrs。　Crupp　said；　Now　about　the　dinner。　

It　was　a　remarkable　instance　of　want　of　forethought　on　the　part　
of　the　ironmonger　who　had　made　Mrs。　Crupp’s　kitchen　fireplace；　
that　it　was　capable　of　cooking　nothing　but　chops　and　mashed　
potatoes。　As　to　a　fish…kittle；　Mrs。　Crupp　said；　well！　would　I　only　
come　and　look　at　the　ra