david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第112节

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thoughtful　look。　

‘Certainly。’　

‘Oh！’　said　Traddles。　‘Yes；　to　be　sure！　I　am　very　much　obliged　to　
you；　Copperfield；　but—I　am　afraid　I　have　lent　him　that　already。’　

‘For　the　bill　that　is　to　be　a　certain　investment？’　I　inquired。　

‘No；’　said　Traddles。　‘Not　for　that　one。　This　is　the　first　I　have　
heard　of　that　one。　I　have　been　thinking　that　he　will　most　likely　
propose　that　one；　on　the　way　home。　Mine’s　another。’　

‘I　hope　there　will　be　nothing　wrong　about　it；’　said　I。　‘I　hope　not；’　
said　Traddles。　‘I　should　think　not；　though；　because　he　told　me；　
only　the　other　day；　that　it　was　provided　for。　That　was　Mr。　
Micawber’s　expression；　“Provided　for。”’　

Mr。　Micawber　looking　up　at　this　juncture　to　where　we　were　
standing；　I　had　only　time　to　repeat　my　caution。　Traddles　thanked　
me；　and　descended。　But　I　was　much　afraid；　when　I　observed　the　
good…natured　manner　in　which　he　went　down　with　the　cap　in　his　
hand；　and　gave　Mrs。　Micawber　his　arm；　that　he　would　be　carried　
into　the　Money　Market　neck　and　heels。　

I　returned　to　my　fireside；　and　was　musing；　half　gravely　and　half　
laughing；　on　the　character　of　Mr。　Micawber　and　the　old　relations　
between　us；　when　I　heard　a　quick　step　ascending　the　stairs。　At　
first；　I　thought　it　was　Traddles　coming　back　for　something　Mrs。　
Micawber　had　left　behind；　but　as　the　step　approached；　I　knew　it；　

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David　Copperfield　

and　felt　my　heart　beat　high；　and　the　blood　rush　to　my　face；　for　it　
was　Steerforth’s。　

I　was　never　unmindful　of　Agnes；　and　she　never　left　that　
sanctuary　in　my　thoughts—if　I　may　call　it　so—where　I　had　placed　
her　from　the　first。　But　when　he　entered；　and　stood　before　me　with　
his　hand　out；　the　darkness　that　had　fallen　on　him　changed　to　light；　
and　I　felt　confounded　and　ashamed　of　having　doubted　one　I　loved　
so　heartily。　I　loved　her　none　the　less；　I　thought　of　her　as　the　same　
benignant；　gentle　angel　in　my　life；　I　reproached　myself；　not　her；　
with　having　done　him　an　injury；　and　I　would　have　made　him　any　
atonement　if　I　had　known　what　to　make；　and　how　to　make　it。　

‘Why；　Daisy；　old　boy；　dumb…foundered！’　laughed　Steerforth；　
shaking　my　hand　heartily；　and　throwing　it　gaily　away。　‘Have　I　
detected　you　in　another　feast；　you　Sybarite！　These　Doctors’　
Commons　fellows　are　the　gayest　men　in　town；　I　believe；　and　beat　
us　sober　Oxford　people　all　to　nothing！’　His　bright　glance　went　
merrily　round　the　room；　as　he　took　the　seat　on　the　sofa　opposite　to　
me；　which　Mrs。　Micawber　had　recently　vacated；　and　stirred　the　
fire　into　a　blaze。　

‘I　was　so　surprised　at　first；’　said　I；　giving　him　welcome　with　all　
the　cordiality　I　felt；　‘that　I　had　hardly　breath　to　greet　you　with；　
Steerforth。’　

‘Well；　the　sight　of　me　is　good　for　sore　eyes；　as　the　Scotch　say；’　
replied　Steerforth；　‘and　so　is　the　sight　of　you；　Daisy；　in　full　bloom。　
How　are　you；　my　Bacchanal？’　

‘I　am　very　well；’　said　I；　‘and　not　at　all　Bacchanalian　tonight；　
though　I　confess　to　another　party　of　three。’　

‘All　of　whom　I　met　in　the　street；　talking　loud　in　your　praise；’　
returned　Steerforth。　‘Who’s　our　friend　in　the　tights？’　

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David　Copperfield　

I　gave　him　the　best　idea　I　could；　in　a　few　words；　of　Mr。　
Micawber。　He　laughed　heartily　at　my　feeble　portrait　of　that　
gentleman；　and　said　he　was　a　man　to　know；　and　he　must　know　
him。　‘But　who　do　you　suppose　our　other　friend　is？’　said　I；　in　my　
turn。　

‘Heaven　knows；’　said　Steerforth。　‘Not　a　bore；　I　hope？　I　thought　
he　looked　a　little　like　one。’　

‘Traddles！’　I　replied；　triumphantly。　

‘Who’s　he？’　asked　Steerforth；　in　his　careless　way。　

‘Don’t　you　remember　Traddles？　Traddles　in　our　room　at　Salem　
House？’　

‘Oh！　That　fellow！’　said　Steerforth；　beating　a　lump　of　coal　on　the　
top　of　the　fire；　with　the　poker。　‘Is　he　as　soft　as　ever？　And　where　the　
deuce　did　you　pick　him　up？’　

I　extolled　Traddles　in　reply；　as　highly　as　I　could；　for　I　felt　that　
Steerforth　rather　slighted　him。　Steerforth；　dismissing　the　subject　
with　a　light　nod；　and　a　smile；　and　the　remark　that　he　would　be　
glad　to　see　the　old　fellow　too；　for　he　had　always　been　an　odd　fish；　
inquired　if　I　could　give　him　anything　to　eat？　During　most　of　this　
short　dialogue；　when　he　had　not　been　speaking　in　a　wild　vivacious　
manner；　he　had　sat　idly　beating　on　the　lump　of　coal　with　the　
poker。　I　observed　that　he　did　the　same　thing　while　I　was　getting　
out　the　remains　of　the　pigeon…pie；　and　so　forth。　

‘Why；　Daisy；　here’s　a　supper　for　a　king！’　he　exclaimed；　starting　
out　of　his　silence　with　a　burst；　and　taking　his　seat　at　the　table。　‘I　
shall　do　it　justice；　for　I　have　come　from　Yarmouth。’　

‘I　thought　you　came　from　Oxford？’　I　returned。　

‘Not　I；’　said　Steerforth。　‘I　have　been　seafaring—better　
employed。’　

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David　Copperfield　

‘Littimer　was　here　today；　to　inquire　for　you；’　I　remarked；　‘and　I　
understood　him　that　you　were　at　Oxford；　though；　now　I　think　of　it；　
he　certainly　did　not　say　so。’　

‘Littimer　is　a　greater　fool　than　I　thought　him；　to　have　been　
inquiring　for　me　at　all；’　said　Steerforth；　jovially　pouring　out　a　glass　
of　wine；　and　drinking　to　me。　‘As　to　understanding　him；　you　are　a　
cleverer　fellow　than　most　of　us；　Daisy；　if　you　can　do　that。’　

‘That’s　true；　indeed；’　said　I；　moving　my　chair　to　the　table。　‘So　
you　have　been　at　Yarmouth；　Steerforth！’　interested　to　know　all　
about　it。　‘Have　you　been　there　long？’　

‘No；’　he　returned。　‘An　escapade　of　a　week　or　so。’　

‘And　how　are　they　all？　Of　course；　little　Emily　is　not　married　
yet？’　

‘Not　yet。　Going　to　be；　I　believe—in　so　many　weeks；　or　months；　
or　something　or　other。　I　have　not　seen　much　of　’em。　By　the　by’；　he　
laid　down　his　knife　and　fork；　which　he　had　been　using　with　great　
diligence；　and　began　feeling　in　his　pockets；　‘I　have　a　letter　for　you。’　

‘From　whom？’　

‘Why；　from　your　old　nurse；’　he　returned；　taking　some　papers　
out　of　his　breast　pocket。　“‘J。　Steerforth；　Esquire；　debtor；　to　The　
Willing　Mind”；　that’s　not　it。　Patience；　and　we’ll　find　it　presently。　
Old　what’s…his…name’s　in　a　bad　way；　and　it’s　about　that；　I　believe。’　

‘Barkis；　do　you　mean？’　

‘Yes！’　still　feeling　in　his　pockets；　and　looking　over　their　
contents：　‘it’s　all　over　with　poor　Barkis；　I　am　afraid。　I　saw　a　little　
apothecary　there—surgeon；　or　whatever　he　is—who　brought　your　
worship　into　the　world。　He　was　mighty　learned　about　the　case；　to　
me；　but　the　upshot　of　his　opinion　was；　that　the　carrier　was　making　
his　last　journey　rather　fast。—Put　your　hand　into　the　breast　pocket　

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David　Copperfield　

of　my　great…coat　on　the　chair　yonder；　and　I　think　you’ll　find　the　

letter。　Is　it　there？’　

‘Here　it　is！’　said　I。　

‘That’s　right！’　

It　was　from　Peggotty；　something　less　legible　than　usual；　and　
brief。　It　informed　me　of　her　husband’s　hopeless　state；　and　hinted　
at　his　being　‘a　little　nearer’　than　heretofore；　and　consequently　
more　difficult　to　manage　for　his　own　comfort。　It　said　nothing　of　her　
weariness　and　watching；　and　praised　him　highly。　It　was　written　
with　a　plain；　unaffected；　homely　piety　that　I　knew　to　be　genuine；　
and　ended　with　‘my　duty　to　my　ever　darling’—meaning　myself。　

While　I　deciphered　it；　Steerforth　continued　to　eat　and　drink。　

‘It’s　a　bad　job；’　he　said；　when　I　had　done；　‘but　the　sun　sets　every　
day；　and　people　die　every　minute；　and　we　mustn’t　be　scared　by　the　
common　lot。　If　we　failed　to　hold　our　own；　because　that　equal　foot　
at　all　men’s　doors　was　heard　knocking　somewhere；　every　object　in　
this　world　would　slip　from　us。　No！　Ride　on！　Rough…shod　if　need　be；　
smooth…shod　if　that　will　do；　but　ride　on！　Ride　on　over　all　obstacles；　
and　win　the　race！’　

‘And　win　what　race？’　said　I。　

‘The　race　that　one　has　started　in；’　said　he。　‘Ride　on！’　

I　noticed；　I　remember；　as　he　paused；　looking　at　me　with　his　
handsome　head　a　little　thrown　back；　and　his　glass　raised　in　his　
hand；　that；　though　the　freshness　of　the　sea…wind　was　on　his　face；　
and　it　was　ruddy；　there　were　traces　in　it；　made　since　I　last　saw　it；　
as　if　he　had　applied　himself　to　some　habitual　strain　of　the　fervent　
energy　which；　when　roused；　was　so　passionately　roused　within　
him。　I　had　it　in　my　thoughts　to　remonstrate　with　him　upon　his　
desperate　way　of　pursuing　any　fancy　that　he　took—such　as　this　

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David　Copperfield　

buffeting　of　rough　seas；　and　braving　of　hard　weather；　for　
example—when　my　mind　glanced　off　to　the　immediate　subject　of　
our　conversation　again；　and　pursued　that　instead。　

‘I　tell　you　what；　Steerforth；’　said　I；　‘if　your　high　spirits　will　listen　
to　me—’　

‘They　are　potent　spirits；　and　will　do　whatever　you　like；’　he　
answered；　moving　from　the　table　to　the　fireside　again。　

‘Then　I　tell　you　what；　Steerforth。　I　think　I　will　go　down　and　see　
my　old　nurse。　It　is　not　that　I　can　do　her　any　good；　or　render　her　
any　real　service；　but　she　is　so　attached　to　me　that　my　visit　will　
have　as　much　effect　on　her；　as　if　I　could　do　both。　She　will