david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第10节

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sir；　but　you’ll　find　us　ready。’　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

I　thanked　him；　and　replied　that　I　was　sure　I　should　be　happy　in　
such　a　delightful　place。　

‘How’s　your　Ma；　sir？’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　‘Did　you　leave　her　
pretty　jolly？’　

I　gave　Mr。　Peggotty　to　understand　that　she　was　as　jolly　as　I　
could　wish；　and　that　she　desired　her　compliments—which　was　a　
polite　fiction　on　my　part。　

‘I’m　much　obleeged　to　her；　I’m　sure；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　‘Well；　
sir；　if　you　can　make　out　here；　fur　a　fortnut；　’long　wi’　her；’　nodding　
at　his　sister；　‘and　Ham；　and　little　Em’ly；　we　shall　be　proud　of　your　
company。’　

Having　done　the　honours　of　his　house　in　this　hospitable　
manner；　Mr。　Peggotty　went　out　to　wash　himself　in　a　kettleful　of　
hot　water；　remarking　that　‘cold　would　never　get　his　muck　off’。　He　
soon　returned；　greatly　improved　in　appearance；　but　so　rubicund；　
that　I　couldn’t　help　thinking　his　face　had　this　in　common　with　the　
lobsters；　crabs；　and　crawfish；—that　it　went　into　the　hot　water　very　
black；　and　came　out　very　red。　

After　tea；　when　the　door　was　shut　and　all　was　made　snug　（the　
nights　being　cold　and　misty　now）；　it　seemed　to　me　the　most　
delicious　retreat　that　the　imagination　of　man　could　conceive。　To　
hear　the　wind　getting　up　out　at　sea；　to　know　that　the　fog　was　
creeping　over　the　desolate　flat　outside；　and　to　look　at　the　fire；　and　
think　that　there　was　no　house　near　but　this　one；　and　this　one　a　
boat；　was　like　enchantment。　Little　Em’ly　had　overcome　her　
shyness；　and　was　sitting　by　my　side　upon　the　lowest　and　least　of　
the　lockers；　which　was　just　large　enough　for　us　two；　and　just　fitted　
into　the　chimney　corner。　Mrs。　Peggotty　with　the　white　apron；　was　
knitting　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　fire。　Peggotty　at　her　

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David　Copperfield　

needlework　was　as　much　at　home　with　St。　Paul’s　and　the　bit　of　
wax…candle；　as　if　they　had　never　known　any　other　roof。　Ham；　who　
had　been　giving　me　my　first　lesson　in　all…fours；　was　trying　to　
recollect　a　scheme　of　telling　fortunes　with　the　dirty　cards；　and　was　
printing　off　fishy　impressions　of　his　thumb　on　all　the　cards　he　
turned。　Mr。　Peggotty　was　smoking　his　pipe。　I　felt　it　was　a　time　for　
conversation　and　confidence。　

‘Mr。　Peggotty！’　says　I。　

‘Sir；’　says　he。　

‘Did　you　give　your　son　the　name　of　Ham；　because　you　lived　in　a　
sort　of　ark？’　

Mr。　Peggotty　seemed　to　think　it　a　deep　idea；　but　answered：　

‘No；　sir。　I　never　giv　him　no　name。’　

‘Who　gave　him　that　name；　then？’　said　I；　putting　question　
number　two　of　the　catechism　to　Mr。　Peggotty。　

‘Why；　sir；　his　father　giv　it　him；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　

‘I　thought　you　were　his　father！’　

‘My　brother　Joe　was　his　father；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　

‘Dead；　Mr。　Peggotty？’　I　hinted；　after　a　respectful　pause。　

‘Drowndead；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　

I　was　very　much　surprised　that　Mr。　Peggotty　was　not　Ham’s　
father；　and　began　to　wonder　whether　I　was　mistaken　about　his　
relationship　to　anybody　else　there。　I　was　so　curious　to　know；　that　I　
made　up　my　mind　to　have　it　out　with　Mr。　Peggotty。　

‘Little　Em’ly；’　I　said；　glancing　at　her。　‘She　is　your　daughter；　isn’t　
she；　Mr。　Peggotty？’　

‘No；　sir。　My　brother…in…law；　Tom；　was　her　father。’　

I　couldn’t　help　it。　‘—Dead；　Mr。　Peggotty？’　I　hinted；　after　
another　respectful　silence。　

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David　Copperfield　

‘Drowndead；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　

I　felt　the　difficulty　of　resuming　the　subject；　but　had　not　got　to　
the　bottom　of　it　yet；　and　must　get　to　the　bottom　somehow。　So　I　
said：　

‘Haven’t　you　any　children；　Mr。　Peggotty？’　

‘No；　master；’　he　answered　with　a　short　laugh。　‘I’m　a　
bacheldore。’　

‘A　bachelor！’　I　said；　astonished。　‘Why；　who’s　that；　Mr。　
Peggotty？’　pointing　to　the　person　in　the　apron　who　was　knitting。　

‘That’s　Missis　Gummidge；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　

‘Gummidge；　Mr。　Peggotty？’　

But　at　this　point　Peggotty—I　mean　my　own　peculiar　Peggotty—　
made　such　impressive　motions　to　me　not　to　ask　any　more　
questions；　that　I　could　only　sit　and　look　at　all　the　silent　company；　
until　it　was　time　to　go　to　bed。　Then；　in　the　privacy　of　my　own　little　
cabin；　she　informed　me　that　Ham　and　Em’ly　were　an　orphan　
nephew　and　niece；　whom　my　host　had　at　different　times　adopted　
in　their　childhood；　when　they　were　left　destitute：　and　that　Mrs。　
Gummidge　was　the　widow　of　his　partner　in　a　boat；　who　had　died　
very　poor。　He　was　but　a　poor　man　himself；　said　Peggotty；　but　as　
good　as　gold　and　as　true　as　steel—those　were　her　similes。　The　only　
subject；　she　informed　me；　on　which　he　ever　showed　a　violent　
temper　or　swore　an　oath；　was　this　generosity　of　his；　and　if　it　were　
ever　referred　to；　by　any　one　of　them；　he　struck　the　table　a　heavy　
blow　with　his　right　hand　（had　split　it　on　one　such　occasion）；　and　
swore　a　dreadful　oath　that　he　would　be　‘Gormed’　if　he　didn’t　cut　
and　run　for　good；　if　it　was　ever　mentioned　again。　It　appeared；　in　
answer　to　my　inquiries；　that　nobody　had　the　least　idea　of　the　
etymology　of　this　terrible　verb　passive　to　be　gormed；　but　that　they　

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David　Copperfield　

all　regarded　it　as　constituting　a　most　solemn　imprecation。　

I　was　very　sensible　of　my　entertainer’s　goodness；　and　listened　
to　the　women’s　going　to　bed　in　another　little　crib　like　mine　at　the　
opposite　end　of　the　boat；　and　to　him　and　Ham　hanging　up　two　
hammocks　for　themselves　on　the　hooks　I　had　noticed　in　the　roof；　
in　a　very　luxurious　state　of　mind；　enhanced　by　my　being　sleepy。　As　
slumber　gradually　stole　upon　me；　I　heard　the　wind　howling　out　at　
sea　and　coming　on　across　the　flat　so　fiercely；　that　I　had　a　lazy　
apprehension　of　the　great　deep　rising　in　the　night。　But　I　bethought　
myself　that　I　was　in　a　boat；　after　all；　and　that　a　man　like　Mr。　
Peggotty　was　not　a　bad　person　to　have　on　board　if　anything　did　
happen。　

Nothing　happened；　however；　worse　than　morning。　Almost　as　
soon　as　it　shone　upon　the　oyster…shell　frame　of　my　mirror　I　was　
out　of　bed；　and　out　with　little　Em’ly；　picking　up　stones　upon　the　
beach。　

‘You’re　quite　a　sailor；　I　suppose？’　I　said　to　Em’ly。　I　don’t　know　
that　I　supposed　anything　of　the　kind；　but　I　felt　it　an　act　of　gallantry　
to　say　something；　and　a　shining　sail　close　to　us　made　such　a　pretty　
little　image　of　itself；　at　the　moment；　in　her　bright　eye；　that　it　came　
into　my　head　to　say　this。　

‘No；’　replied　Em’ly；　shaking　her　head；　‘I’m　afraid　of　the　sea。’　

‘Afraid！’　I　said；　with　a　becoming　air　of　boldness；　and　looking　
very　big　at　the　mighty　ocean。　‘I　an’t！’　

‘Ah！　but　it’s　cruel；’　said　Em’ly。　‘I　have　seen　it　very　cruel　to　some　
of　our　men。　I　have　seen　it　tear　a　boat　as　big　as　our　house；　all　to　
pieces。’　

‘I　hope　it　wasn’t　the　boat　that—’　

‘That　father　was　drownded　in？’　said　Em’ly。　‘No。　Not　that　one；　I　

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David　Copperfield　

never　see　that　boat。’　

‘Nor　him？’　I　asked　her。　

Little　Em’ly　shook　her　head。　‘Not　to　remember！’　

Here　was　a　coincidence！　I　immediately　went　into　an　
explanation　how　I　had　never　seen　my　own　father；　and　how　my　
mother　and　I　had　always　lived　by　ourselves　in　the　happiest　state　
imaginable；　and　lived　so　then；　and　always　meant　to　live　so；　and　
how　my　father’s　grave　was　in　the　churchyard　near　our　house；　and　
shaded　by　a　tree；　beneath　the　boughs　of　which　I　had　walked　and　
heard　the　birds　sing　many　a　pleasant　morning。　But　there　were　
some　differences　between　Em’ly’s　orphanhood　and　mine；　it　
appeared。　She　had　lost　her　mother　before　her　father；　and　where　
her　father’s　grave　was　no　one　knew；　except　that　it　was　somewhere　
in　the　depths　of　the　sea。　

‘Besides；’　said　Em’ly；　as　she　looked　about　for　shells　and　
pebbles；　‘your　father　was　a　gentleman　and　your　mother　is　a　lady；　
and　my　father　was　a　fisherman　and　my　mother　was　a　fisherman’s　
daughter；　and　my　uncle　Dan　is　a　fisherman。’　

‘Dan　is　Mr。　Peggotty；　is　he？’　said　I。　

‘Uncle　Dan—yonder；’　answered　Em’ly；　nodding　at　the　boathouse。　

‘Yes。　I　mean　him。　He　must　be　very　good；　I　should　think？’　

‘Good？’　said　Em’ly。　‘If　I　was　ever　to　be　a　lady；　I’d　give　him　a　sky…
blue　coat　with　diamond　buttons；　nankeen　trousers；　a　red　velvet　
waistcoat；　a　cocked　hat；　a　large　gold　watch；　a　silver　pipe；　and　a　box　
of　money。’　

I　said　I　had　no　doubt　that　Mr。　Peggotty　well　deserved　these　
treasures。　I　must　acknowledge　that　I　felt　it　difficult　to　picture　him　
quite　at　his　ease　in　the　raiment　proposed　for　him　by　his　grateful　

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David　Copperfield　

little　niece；　and　that　I　was　particularly　doubtful　of　the　policy　of　the　
cocked　hat；　but　I　kept　these　sentiments　to　myself。　

Little　Em’ly　had　stopped　and　looked　up　at　the　sky　in　her　
enumeration　of　these　articles；　as　if　they　were　a　glorious　vision。　We　
went　on　again；　picking　up　shells　and　pebbles。　

‘You　would　like　to　be　a　lady？’　I　said。　

Emily　looked　at　me；　and　laughed　and　nodded　‘yes’。　

‘I　should　like　it　very　much。　We　would　all　be　gentlefolks　
together；　then。　Me；　and　uncle；　and　Ham；　and　Mrs。　Gummidge。　We　
w