david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第107节

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assistance；　to　copy　law　writings。　That　didn’t　answer　very　well；　and　
then　I　began　to　state　cases　for　them；　and　make　abstracts；　and　that　
sort　of　work。　For　I　am　a　plodding　kind　of　fellow；　Copperfield；　and　
had　learnt　the　way　of　doing　such　things　pithily。　Well！　That　put　it　in　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

my　head　to　enter　myself　as　a　law　student；　and　that　ran　away　with　
all　that　was　left　of　the　fifty　pounds。　Yawler　recommended　me　to　
one　or　two　other　offices；　however—Mr。　Waterbrook’s　for　one—and　
I　got　a　good　many　jobs。　I　was　fortunate　enough；　too；　to　become　
acquainted　with　a　person　in　the　publishing　way；　who　was　getting　
up　an　Encyclopaedia；　and　he　set　me　to　work；　and；　indeed’　
（glancing　at　his　table）；　‘I　am　at　work　for　him　at　this　minute。　I　am　
not　a　bad　compiler；　Copperfield；’　said　Traddles；　preserving　the　
same　air　of　cheerful　confidence　in　all　he　said；　‘but　I　have　no　
invention　at　all；　not　a　particle。　I　suppose　there　never　was　a　young　
man　with　less　originality　than　I　have。’　

As　Traddles　seemed　to　expect　that　I　should　assent　to　this　as　a　
matter　of　course；　I　nodded；　and　he　went　on；　with　the　same　
sprightly　patience—I　can　find　no　better　expression—as　before。　

‘So；　by　little　and　little；　and　not　living　high；　I　managed　to　scrape　
up　the　hundred　pounds　at　last；’　said　Traddles；　‘and　thank　Heaven　
that’s　paid—though　it　was—though　it　certainly　was；’　said　
Traddles；　wincing　again　as　if　he　had　had　another　tooth　out；　‘a　pull。　
I　am　living　by　the　sort　of　work　I　have　mentioned；　still；　and　I　hope；　
one　of　these　days；　to　get　connected　with　some　newspaper：　which　
would　almost　be　the　making　of　my　fortune。　Now；　Copperfield；　you　
are　so　exactly　what　you　used　to　be；　with　that　agreeable　face；　and　
it’s　so　pleasant　to　see　you；　that　I　sha’n’t　conceal　anything。　
Therefore　you　must　know　that　I　am　engaged。’　

Engaged！　Oh；　Dora！　

‘She　is　a　curate’s　daughter；’　said　Traddles；　‘one　of　ten；　down　in　
Devonshire。　Yes！’　For　he　saw　me　glance；　involuntarily；　at　the　
prospect　on　the　inkstand。　‘That’s　the　church！　You　come　round　
here　to　the　left；　out　of　this　gate；’　tracing　his　finger　along　the　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

inkstand；　‘and　exactly　where　I　hold　this　pen；　there　stands　the　
house—facing；　you　understand；　towards　the　church。’　

The　delight　with　which　he　entered　into　these　particulars；　did　
not　fully　present　itself　to　me　until　afterwards；　for　my　selfish　
thoughts　were　making　a　ground…plan　of　Mr。　Spenlow’s　house　and　
garden　at　the　same　moment。　

‘She　is　such　a　dear　girl！’　said　Traddles；　‘a　little　older　than　me；　
but　the　dearest　girl！　I　told　you　I　was　going　out　of　town？　I　have　
been　down　there。　I　walked　there；　and　I　walked　back；　and　I　had　the　
most　delightful　time！　I　dare　say　ours　is　likely　to　be　a　rather　long　
engagement；　but　our　motto　is　“Wait　and　hope！”　We　always　say　
that。　“Wait　and　hope；”　we　always　say。　And　she　would　wait；　
Copperfield；　till　she　was　sixty—any　age　you　can　mention—for　me！’　

Traddles　rose　from　his　chair；　and；　with　a　triumphant　smile；　put　
his　hand　upon　the　white　cloth　I　had　observed。　

‘However；’　he　said；　‘it’s　not　that　we　haven’t　made　a　beginning　
towards　housekeeping。　No；　no；　we　have　begun。　We　must　get　on　by　
degrees；　but　we　have　begun。　Here；’　drawing　the　cloth　off　with　
great　pride　and　care；　‘are　two　pieces　of　furniture　to　commence　
with。　This　flower…pot　and　stand；　she　bought　herself。　You　put　that　
in　a　parlour　window；’　said　Traddles；　falling　a　little　back　from　it　to　
survey　it　with　the　greater　admiration；　‘with　a　plant　in　it；　and—and　
there　you　are！　This　little　round　table　with　the　marble　top　（it’s　two　
feet　ten　in　circumference）；　I　bought。　You　want　to　lay　a　book　down；　
you　know；　or　somebody　comes　to　see　you　or　your　wife；　and　wants　a　
place　to　stand　a　cup　of　tea　upon；　and—and　there　you　are　again！’　
said　Traddles。　‘It’s　an　admirable　piece　of　workmanship—firm　as　a　
rock！’　I　praised　them　both；　highly；　and　Traddles　replaced　the　
covering　as　carefully　as　he　had　removed　it。　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

‘It’s　not　a　great　deal　towards　the　furnishing；’　said　Traddles；　‘but　
it’s　something。　The　table…cloths；　and　pillow…cases；　and　articles　of　
that　kind；　are　what　discourage　me　most；　Copperfield。　So　does　the　
ironmongery—candle…boxes；　and　gridirons；　and　that　sort　of　
necessaries—because　those　things　tell；　and　mount　up。　However；　
“wait　

and　hope！”　And　I　assure　you　she’s　the　dearest　girl！’　

‘I　am　quite　certain　of　it；’　said　I。　

‘In　the　meantime；’　said　Traddles；　coming　back　to　his　chair；　‘and　
this　is　the　end　of　my　prosing　about　myself；　I　get　on　as　well　as　I　can。　
I　don’t　make　much；　but　I　don’t　spend　much。　In　general；　I　board　
with　the　people　downstairs；　who　are　very　agreeable　people　indeed。　
Both　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Micawber　have　seen　a　good　deal　of　life；　and　are　
excellent　company。’　

‘My　dear　Traddles！’　I　quickly　exclaimed。　‘What　are　you　talking　
about？’　

Traddles　looked　at　me；　as　if　he　wondered　what　I　was　talking　
about。　

‘Mr。　and　Mrs。　Micawber！’　I　repeated。　‘Why；　I　am　intimately　
acquainted　with　them！’　

An　opportune　double　knock　at　the　door；　which　I　knew　well　
from　old　experience　in　Windsor　Terrace；　and　which　nobody　but　
Mr。　Micawber　could　ever　have　knocked　at　that　door；　resolved　any　
doubt　in　my　mind　as　to　their　being　my　old　friends。　I　begged　
Traddles　to　ask　his　landlord　to　walk　up。　Traddles　accordingly　did　
so；　over　the　banister；　and　Mr。　Micawber；　not　a　bit　changed—his　
tights；　his　stick；　his　shirt…collar；　and　his　eye…glass；　all　the　same　as　
ever—came　into　the　room　with　a　genteel　and　youthful　air。　

‘I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。　Traddles；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　with　the　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

old　roll　in　his　voice；　as　he　checked　himself　in　humming　a　soft　tune。　
‘I　was　not　aware　that　there　was　any　individual；　alien　to　this　
tenement；　in　your　sanctum。’　

Mr。　Micawber　slightly　bowed　to　me；　and　pulled　up　his　shirt…
collar。　

‘How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Micawber？’　said　I。　

‘Sir；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘you　are　exceedingly　obliging。　I　am　in　
statu　quo。’　

‘And　Mrs。　Micawber？’　I　pursued。　

‘Sir；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘she　is　also；　thank　God；　in　statu　quo。’　

‘And　the　children；　Mr。　Micawber？’　

‘Sir；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘I　rejoice　to　reply　that　they　are；　
likewise；　in　the　enjoyment　of　salubrity。’　

All　this　time；　Mr。　Micawber　had　not　known　me　in　the　least；　
though　he　had　stood　face　to　face　with　me。　But　now；　seeing　me　
smile；　he　examined　my　features　with　more　attention；　fell　back；　
cried；　‘Is　it　possible！　Have　I　the　pleasure　of　again　beholding　
Copperfield！’　and　shook　me　by　both　hands　with　the　utmost　
fervour。　

‘Good　Heaven；　Mr。　Traddles！’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘to　think　that　
I　should　find　you　acquainted　with　the　friend　of　my　youth；　the　
companion　of　earlier　days！　My　dear！’　calling　over　the　banisters　to　
Mrs。　Micawber；　while　Traddles　looked　（with　reason）　not　a　little　
amazed　at　this　description　of　me。　‘Here　is　a　gentleman　in　Mr。　
Traddles’s　apartment；　whom　he　wishes　to　have　the　pleasure　of　
presenting　to　you；　my　love！’　

Mr。　Micawber　immediately　reappeared；　and　shook　hands　with　
me　again。　

‘And　how　is　our　good　friend　the　Doctor；　Copperfield？’　said　Mr。　

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David　Copperfield　

Micawber；　‘and　all　the　circle　at　Canterbury？’　

‘I　have　none　but　good　accounts　of　them；’　said　I。　

‘I　am　most　delighted　to　hear　it；’　said　Mr。　Micawber。　‘It　was　at　
Canterbury　where　we　last　met。　Within　the　shadow；　I　may　
figuratively　say；　of　that　religious　edifice　immortalized　by　Chaucer；　
which　was　anciently　the　resort　of　Pilgrims　from　the　remotest　
corners　of—in　short；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘in　the　immediate　
neighbourhood　of　the　Cathedral。’　

I　replied　that　it　was。　Mr。　Micawber　continued　talking　as　volubly　
as　he　could；　but　not；　I　thought；　without　showing；　by　some　marks　of　
concern　in　his　countenance；　that　he　was　sensible　of　sounds　in　the　
next　room；　as　of　Mrs。　Micawber　washing　her　hands；　and　hurriedly　
opening　and　shutting　drawers　that　were　uneasy　in　their　action。　

‘You　find　us；　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　with　one　eye　on　
Traddles；　‘at　present　established；　on　what　may　be　designated　as　a　
small　and　unassuming　scale；　but；　you　are　aware　that　I　have；　in　the　
course　of　my　career；　surmounted　difficulties；　and　conquered　
obstacles。　You　are　no　stranger　to　the　fact；　that　there　have　been　
periods　of　my　life；　when　it　has　been　requisite　that　I　should　pause；　
until　certain　expected　events　should　turn　up；　when　it　has　been　
necessary　that　I　should　fall　back；　before　making　what　I　trust　I　shall　
not　be　accused　of　presumption　in　terming—a　spring。　The　present　
is　one　of　those　momentous　stages　in　the　life　of　man。　You　find　me；　
fallen　back；　for　a　spring；　and　I　have　every　reason　to　believe　that　a　
vigorous　leap　will　shortly　be　the　result。’　

I　was　expressing　my　satisfaction；　when　Mrs。　Micawber　came　in；　
a　little　more　slatternly　than　she　used　to　be；　or　so　she　seemed　now；　
to　my　unaccustomed　eyes；　but　still　with　some　pr