david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第110节

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‘I　really　can’t　say；　sir。　I　think—but　I　really　can’t　say；　sir。　I　wish　
you　good　night；　sir。’　

He　comprehended　everybody　present；　in　the　respectful　bow　
with　which　he　followed　these　words；　and　disappeared。　My　visitors　
seemed　to　breathe　more　freely　when　he　was　gone；　but　my　own　
relief　was　very　great；　for　besides　the　constraint；　arising　from　that　
extraordinary　sense　of　being　at　a　disadvantage　which　I　always　had　
in　this　man’s　presence；　my　conscience　had　embarrassed　me　with　
whispers　that　I　had　mistrusted　his　master；　and　I　could　not　repress　
a　vague　uneasy　dread　that　he　might　find　it　out。　How　was　it；　having　
so　little　in　reality　to　conceal；　that　I　always　DID　feel　as　if　this　man　
were　finding　me　out？　

Mr。　Micawber　roused　me　from　this　reflection；　which　was　
blended　with　a　certain　remorseful　apprehension　of　seeing　
Steerforth　himself；　by　bestowing　many　encomiums　on　the　absent　
Littimer　as　a　most　respectable　fellow；　and　a　thoroughly　admirable　
servant。　Mr。　Micawber；　I　may　remark；　had　taken　his　full　share　of　
the　general　bow；　and　had　received　it　with　infinite　condescension。　

‘But　punch；　my　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　tasting　it；　
‘like　time　and　tide；　waits　for　no　man。　Ah！　it　is　at　the　present　
moment　in　high　flavour。　My　love；　will　you　give　me　your　opinion？’　

Mrs。　Micawber　pronounced　it　excellent。　

‘Then　I　will　drink；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘if　my　friend　Copperfield　
will　permit　me　to　take　that　social　liberty；　to　the　days　when　my　

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David　Copperfield　

friend　Copperfield　and　myself　were　younger；　and　fought　our　way　
in　the　world　side　by　side。　I　may　say；　of　myself　and　Copperfield；　in　
words　we　have　sung　together　before　now；　that　

“We　twa　hae　run　about　the　braes
And　pu’d　the　gowans’　fine”


—in　a　figurative　point　of　view—on　several　occasions。　I　am　not　
exactly　aware；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　with　the　old　roll　in　his　voice；　
and　the　old　indescribable　air　of　saying　something　genteel；　‘what　
gowans　may　be；　but　I　have　no　doubt　that　Copperfield　and　myself　
would　frequently　have　taken　a　pull　at　them；　if　it　had　been　feasible。’　

Mr。　Micawber；　at　the　then　present　moment；　took　a　pull　at　his　
punch。　So　we　all　did：　Traddles　evidently　lost　in　wondering　at　what　
distant　time　Mr。　Micawber　and　I　could　have　been　comrades　in　the　
battle　of　the　world。　

‘Ahem！’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　clearing　his　throat；　and　warming　
with　the　punch　and　with　the　fire。　‘My　dear；　another　glass？’　

Mrs。　Micawber　said　it　must　be　very　little；　but　we　couldn’t　allow　
that；　so　it　was　a　glassful。　

‘As　we　are　quite　confidential　here；　Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Mrs。　
Micawber；　sipping　her　punch；　‘Mr。　Traddles　being　a　part　of　our　
domesticity；　I　should　much　like　to　have　your　opinion　on　Mr。　
Micawber’s　prospects。　For　corn；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber　
argumentatively；　‘as　I　have　repeatedly　said　to　Mr。　Micawber；　may　
be　gentlemanly；　but　it　is　not　remunerative。　Commission　to　the　
extent　of　two　and　ninepence　in　a　fortnight　cannot；　however　limited　
our　ideas；　be　considered　remunerative。’　

We　were　all　agreed　upon　that。　

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David　Copperfield　

‘Then；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　who　prided　herself　on　taking　a　
clear　view　of　things；　and　keeping　Mr。　Micawber　straight　by　her　
woman’s　wisdom；　when　he　might　otherwise　go　a　little　crooked；　
‘then　I　ask　myself　this　question。　If　corn　is　not　to　be　relied　upon；　
what　is？　Are　coals　to　be　relied　upon？　Not　at　all。　We　have　turned　
our　attention　to　that　experiment；　on　the　suggestion　of　my　family；　
and　we　find　it　fallacious。’　

Mr。　Micawber；　leaning　back　in　his　chair　with　his　hands　in　his　
pockets；　eyed　us　aside；　and　nodded　his　head；　as　much　as　to　say　
that　the　case　was　very　clearly　put。　

‘The　articles　of　corn　and　coals；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　still　more　
argumentatively；　‘being　equally　out　of　the　question；　Mr。　
Copperfield；　I　naturally　look　round　the　world；　and　say；　“What　is　
there　in　which　a　person　of　Mr。　Micawber’s　talent　is　likely　to　
succeed？”　And　I　exclude　the　doing　anything　on　commission；　
because　commission　is　not　a　certainty。　What　is　best　suited　to　a　
person　of　Mr。　Micawber’s　peculiar　temperament　is；　I　am　
convinced；　a　certainty。’　

Traddles　and　I　both　expressed；　by　a　feeling　murmur；　that　this　
great　discovery　was　no　doubt　true　of　Mr。　Micawber；　and　that　it　did　
him　much　credit。　

‘I　will　not　conceal　from　you；　my　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Mrs。　
Micawber；　‘that　I　have　long　felt　the　Brewing　business　to　be　
particularly　adapted　to　Mr。　Micawber。　Look　at　Barclay　and　
Perkins！　Look　at　Truman；　Hanbury；　and　Buxton！　It　is　on　that　
extensive　footing　that　Mr。　Micawber；　I　know　from　my　own　
knowledge　of　him；　is　calculated　to　shine；　and　the　profits；　I　am　told；　
are　e…nor…mous！　But　if　Mr。　Micawber　cannot　get　into　those　firms—　
which　decline　to　answer　his　letters；　when　he　offers　his　services　

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even　in　an　inferior　capacity—what　is　the　use　of　dwelling　upon　that　
idea？　None。　I　may　have　a　conviction　that　Mr。　Micawber’s　
manners—’　

‘Hem！　Really；　my　dear；’　interposed　Mr。　Micawber。　

‘My　love；　be　silent；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　laying　her　brown　glove　
on　his　hand。　‘I　may　have　a　conviction；　Mr。　Copperfield；　that　Mr。　
Micawber’s　manners　peculiarly　qualify　him　for　the　Banking　
business。　I　may　argue　within　myself；　that　if　I　had　a　deposit　at　a　
banking…house；　the　manners　of　Mr。　Micawber；　as　representing　
that　banking…house；　would　inspire　confidence；　and　must　extend　
the　connexion。　But　if　the　various　banking…houses　refuse　to　avail　
themselves　of　Mr。　Micawber’s　abilities；　or　receive　the　offer　of　them　
with　contumely；　what　is　the　use　of　dwelling　upon　that　idea？　None。　
As　to　originating　a　banking…business；　I　may　know　that　there　are　
members　of　my　family　who；　if　they　chose　to　place　their　money　in　
Mr。　Micawber’s　hands；　might　found　an　establishment　of　that　
description。　But　if　they　do　not　choose　to　place　their　money　in　Mr。　
Micawber’s　hands—which　they　don’t—what　is　the　use　of　that？　
Again　I　contend　that　we　are　no　farther　advanced　than　we　were　
before。’　

I　shook　my　head；　and　said；　‘Not　a　bit。’　Traddles　also　shook　his　
head；　and　said；　‘Not　a　bit。’　

‘What　do　I　deduce　from　this？’　Mrs。　Micawber　went　on　to　say；　
still　with　the　same　air　of　putting　a　case　lucidly。　‘What　is　the　
conclusion；　my　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；　to　which　I　am　irresistibly　
brought？　Am　I　wrong　in　saying；　it　is　clear　that　we　must　live？’　

I　answered　‘Not　at　all！’　and　Traddles　answered　‘Not　at　all！’　and　
I　found　myself　afterwards　sagely　adding；　alone；　that　a　person　must　
either　live　or　die。　

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David　Copperfield　

‘Just　so；’　returned　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘It　is　precisely　that。　And　the　
fact　is；　my　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；　that　we　can　not　live　without　
something　widely　different　from　existing　circumstances　shortly　
turning　up。　Now　I　am　convinced；　myself；　and　this　I　have　pointed　
out　to　Mr。　Micawber　several　times　of　late；　that　things　cannot　be　
expected　to　turn　up　of　themselves。　We　must；　in　a　measure；　assist　to　
turn　them　up。　I　may　be　wrong；　but　I　have　formed　that　opinion。’　

Both　Traddles　and　I　applauded　it　highly。　

‘Very　well；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber。　‘Then　what　do　I　recommend？　
Here　is　Mr。　Micawber　with　a　variety　of　qualifications—with　great　
talent—’　

‘Really；　my　love；’　said　Mr。　Micawber。　

‘Pray；　my　dear；　allow　me　to　conclude。　Here　is　Mr。　Micawber；　
with　a　variety　of　qualifications；　with　great　talent—I　should　say；　
with　genius；　but　that　may　be　the　partiality　of　a　wife—’　

Traddles　and　I　both　murmured　‘No。’　

‘And　here　is　Mr。　Micawber　without　any　suitable　position　or　
employment。　Where　does　that　responsibility　rest？　Clearly　on　
society。　Then　I　would　make　a　fact　so　disgraceful　known；　and　
boldly　challenge　society　to　set　it　right。　It　appears　to　me；　my　dear　
Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　forcibly；　‘that　what　Mr。　
Micawber　has　to　do；　is　to　throw　down　the　gauntlet　to　society；　and　
say；　in　effect；　“Show　me　who　will　take　that　up。　Let　the　party　
immediately　step　forward。”’　

I　ventured　to　ask　Mrs。　Micawber　how　this　was　to　be　done。　

‘By　advertising；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber—‘in　all　the　papers。　It　
appears　to　me；　that　what　Mr。　Micawber　has　to　do；　in　justice　to　
himself；　in　justice　to　his　family；　and　I　will　even　go　so　far　as　to　say　in　
justice　to　society；　by　which　he　has　been　hitherto　overlooked；　is　to　

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David　Copperfield　

advertise　in　all　the　papers；　to　describe　himself　plainly　as　so…and…so；　
with　such　and　such　qualifications　and　to　put　it　thus：　“Now　employ　
me；　on　remunerative　terms；　and　address；　post…paid；　to　W。　M。；　Post　
Office；　Camden　Town。”’　

‘This　idea　of　Mrs。　Micawber’s；　my　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　
Micawber；　making　his　shirt…collar　meet　in　front　of　his　chin；　and　
glancing　at　me　sideways；　‘is；　in　fact；　the　Leap　to　which　I　alluded；　
when　I　last　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you。’　

‘Advertising　is　rather　expensive；’　I　remarked；　dubiously。　

‘Exactly　so！’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　preserving　the　same　logical　
air。　‘Quite　true；　my　dear