david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第95节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
potatoes。 As to a fish…kittle； Mrs。 Crupp said； well！ would I only
come and look at the range？ She couldn’t say fairer than that。
Would I come and look at it？ As I should not have been much the
wiser if I had looked at it； I declined； and said； ‘Never mind fish。’
But Mrs。 Crupp said； Don’t say that； oysters was in； why not them？
So that was settled。 Mrs。 Crupp then said what she would
recommend would be this。 A pair of hot roast fowls—from the
pastry…cook’s； a dish of stewed beef； with vegetables—from the
pastry…cook’s； two little corner things； as a raised pie and a dish of
kidneys—from the pastrycook’s； a tart； and （if I liked） a shape of
jelly—from the pastrycook’s。 This； Mrs。 Crupp said； would leave
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
her at full liberty to concentrate her mind on the potatoes； and to
serve up the cheese and celery as she could wish to see it done。
I acted on Mrs。 Crupp’s opinion； and gave the order at the
pastry…cook’s myself。 Walking along the Strand； afterwards； and
observing a hard mottled substance in the window of a ham and
beef shop； which resembled marble； but was labelled ‘Mock
Turtle’； I went in and bought a slab of it； which I have since seen
reason to believe would have sufficed for fifteen people。 This
preparation； Mrs。 Crupp； after some difficulty； consented to warm
up； and it shrunk so much in a liquid state； that we found it what
Steerforth called ‘rather a tight fit’ for four。
These preparations happily completed； I bought a little dessert
in Covent Garden Market； and gave a rather extensive order at a
retail wine…merchant’s in that vicinity。 When I came home in the
afternoon； and saw the bottles drawn up in a square on the pantry
floor； they looked so numerous （though there were two missing；
which made Mrs。 Crupp very uncomfortable）； that I was
absolutely frightened at them。
One of Steerforth’s friends was named Grainger； and the other
Markham。 They were both very gay and lively fellows； Grainger；
something older than Steerforth； Markham； youthful…looking； and
I should say not more than twenty。 I observed that the latter
always spoke of himself indefinitely； as ‘a man’； and seldom or
never in the first person singular。
‘A man might get on very well here； Mr。 Copperfield；’ said
Markham—meaning himself。
‘It’s not a bad situation；’ said I； ‘and the rooms are really
commodious。’
‘I hope you have both brought appetites with you？’ said
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Steerforth。
‘Upon my honour；’ returned Markham； ‘town seems to sharpen
a man’s appetite。 A man is hungry all day long。 A man is
perpetually eating。’
Being a little embarrassed at first； and feeling much too young
to preside； I made Steerforth take the head of the table when
dinner was announced； and seated myself opposite to him。
Everything was very good； we did not spare the wine； and he
exerted himself so brilliantly to make the thing pass off well； that
there was no pause in our festivity。 I was not quite such good
company during dinner as I could have wished to be； for my chair
was opposite the door； and my attention was distracted by
observing that the handy young man went out of the room very
often； and that his shadow always presented itself； immediately
afterwards； on the wall of the entry； with a bottle at its mouth。 The
‘young gal’ likewise occasioned me some uneasiness： not so much
by neglecting to wash the plates； as by breaking them。 For being of
an inquisitive disposition； and unable to confine herself （as her
positive instructions were） to the pantry； she was constantly
peering in at us； and constantly imagining herself detected； in
which belief； she several times retired upon the plates （with which
she had carefully paved the floor）； and did a great deal of
destruction。
These； however； were small drawbacks； and easily forgotten
when the cloth was cleared； and the dessert put on the table； at
which period of the entertainment the handy young man was
discovered to be speechless。 Giving him private directions to seek
the society of Mrs。 Crupp； and to remove the ‘young gal’ to the
basement also； I abandoned myself to enjoyment。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
I began； by being singularly cheerful and light…hearted； all sorts
of half…forgotten things to talk about； came rushing into my mind；
and made me hold forth in a most unwonted manner。 I laughed
heartily at my own jokes； and everybody else’s； called Steerforth to
order for not passing the wine； made several engagements to go to
Oxford； announced that I meant to have a dinner…party exactly
like that； once a week； until further notice； and madly took so
much snuff out of Grainger’s box； that I was obliged to go into the
pantry； and have a private fit of sneezing ten minutes long。
I went on； by passing the wine faster and faster yet； and
continually starting up with a corkscrew to open more wine； long
before any was needed。 I proposed Steerforth’s health。 I said he
was my dearest friend； the protector of my boyhood； and the
companion of my prime。 I said I was delighted to propose his
health。 I said I owed him more obligations than I could ever repay；
and held him in a higher admiration than I could ever express。 I
finished by saying； ‘I’ll give you Steerforth！ God bless him！
Hurrah！’ We gave him three times three； and another； and a good
one to finish with。 I broke my glass in going round the table to
shake hands with him； and I said （in two words） ‘Steerforth—
you’retheguidingstarofmyexistence。’
I went on； by finding suddenly that somebody was in the middle
of a song。 Markham was the singer； and he sang ‘When the heart
of a man is depressed with care’。 He said； when he had sung it； he
would give us ‘Woman！’ I took objection to that； and I couldn’t
allow it。 I said it was not a respectful way of proposing the toast；
and I would never permit that toast to be drunk in my house
otherwise than as ‘The Ladies！’ I was very high with him； mainly I
think because I saw Steerforth and Grainger laughing at me—or
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
at him—or at both of us。 He said a man was not to be dictated to。 I
said a man was。 He said a man was not to be insulted； then。 I said
he was right there—never under my roof； where the Lares were
sacred； and the laws of hospitality paramount。 He said it was no
derogation from a man’s dignity to confess that I was a devilish
good fellow。 I instantly proposed his health。
Somebody was smoking。 We were all smoking。 I was smoking；
and trying to suppress a rising tendency to shudder。 Steerforth
had made a speech about me； in the course of which I had been
affected almost to tears。 I returned thanks； and hoped the present
company would dine with me tomorrow； and the day after—each
day at five o’clock； that we might enjoy the pleasures of
conversation and society through a long evening。 I felt called upon
to propose an individual。 I would give them my aunt。 Miss Betsey
Trotwood； the best of her sex！
Somebody was leaning out of my bedroom window； refreshing
his forehead against the cool stone of the parapet； and feeling the
air upon his face。 It was myself。 I was addressing myself as
‘Copperfield’； and saying； ‘Why did you try to smoke？ You might
have known you couldn’t do it。’ Now； somebody was unsteadily
contemplating his features in the looking…glass。 That was I too。 I
was very pale in the looking…glass； my eyes had a vacant
appearance； and my hair—only my hair； nothing else—looked
drunk。
Somebody said to me； ‘Let us go to the theatre； Copperfield！’
There was no bedroom before me； but again the jingling table
covered with glasses； the lamp； Grainger on my right hand；
Markham on my left； and Steerforth opposite—all sitting in a mist；
and a long way off。 The theatre？ To be sure。 The very thing。 Come
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
along！ But they must excuse me if I saw everybody out first； and
turned the lamp off—in case of fire。
Owing to some confusion in the dark； the door was gone。 I was
feeling for it in the window…curtains； when Steerforth； laughing；
took me by the arm and led me out。 We went downstairs； one
behind another。 Near the bottom； somebody fell； and rolled down。
Somebody else said it was Copperfield。 I was angry at that false
report； until； finding myself on my back in the passage； I began to
think there might be some foundation for it。
A very foggy night； with great rings round the lamps in the
streets！ There was an indistinct talk of its being wet。 I considered
it frosty。 Steerforth dusted me under a lamp…post； and put my hat
into shape； which somebody produced from somewhere in a most
extraordinary manner； for I hadn’t had it on before。 Steerforth
then said； ‘You are all right； Copperfield； are you not？’ and I told
him； ‘Neverberrer。’
A man； sitting in a pigeon…hole…place； looked out of the
