david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第116节

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so　good　as　to　invite　me；　until　his　daughter　and　his　son…in…law　came　
back；　I　inquired　how　little　Emily　was？　

‘Well；　sir；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　removing　his　pipe；　that　he　might　rub　
his　chin：　‘I　tell　you　truly；　I　shall　be　glad　when　her　marriage　has　
taken　place。’　

‘Why　so？’　I　inquired。　

‘Well；　she’s　unsettled　at　present；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　‘It　ain’t　that　
she’s　not　as　pretty　as　ever；　for　she’s　prettier—I　do　assure　you；　she　

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is　prettier。　It　ain’t　that　she　don’t　work　as　well　as　ever；　for　she　does。　
She　was　worth　any　six；　and　she　is　worth　any　six。　But　somehow　she　
wants　heart。　If　you　understand；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　after　rubbing　his　
chin　again；　and　smoking　a　little；　‘what　I　mean　in　a　general　way　by　
the　expression；　“A　long　pull；　and　a　strong　pull；　and　a　pull　
altogether；　my　hearties；　hurrah！”　I　should　say　to　you；　that　that　
was—in　a　general　way—what　I　miss　in　Em’ly。’　

Mr。　Omer’s　face　and　manner　went　for　so　much；　that　I　could　
conscientiously　nod　my　head；　as　divining　his　meaning。　My　
quickness　of　apprehension　seemed　to　please　him；　and　he　went　on：　
‘Now　I　consider　this　is　principally　on　account　of　her　being　in　an　
unsettled　state；　you　see。　We　have　talked　it　over　a　good　deal；　her　
uncle　and　myself；　and　her　sweetheart　and　myself；　after　business；　
and　I　consider　it　is　principally　on　account　of　her　being　unsettled。　
You　must　always　recollect　of　Em’ly；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　shaking　his　
head　gently；　‘that　she’s　a　most　extraordinary　affectionate　little　
thing。　The　proverb　says；　“You　can’t　make　a　silk　purse　out　of　a　
sow’s　ear。”　Well；　I　don’t　know　about　that。　I　rather　think　you　may；　if　
you　begin　early　in　life。　She　has　made　a　home　out　of　that　old　boat；　
sir；　that　stone　and　marble　couldn’t　beat。’　

‘I　am　sure　she　has！’　said　I。　

‘To　see　the　clinging　of　that　pretty　little　thing　to　her　uncle；’　said　
Mr。　Omer；　‘to　see　the　way　she　holds　on　to　him；　tighter　and　tighter；　
and　closer　and　closer；　every　day；　is　to　see　a　sight。　Now；　you　know；　
there’s　a　struggle　going　on　when　that’s　the　case。　Why　should　it　be　
made　a　longer　one　than　is　needful？’　

I　listened　attentively　to　the　good　old　fellow；　and　acquiesced；　
with　all　my　heart；　in　what　he　said。　

‘Therefore；　I　mentioned　to　them；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　in　a　

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comfortable；　easy…going　tone；　‘this。　I　said；　“Now；　don’t　consider　
Em’ly　nailed　down　in　point　of　time；　at　all。　Make　it　your　own　time。　
Her　services　have　been　more　valuable　than　was　supposed；　her　
learning　has　been　quicker　than　was　supposed；　Omer　and　Joram　
can　run　their　pen　through　what　remains；　and　she’s　free　when　you　
wish。　If　she　likes　to　make　any　little　arrangement；　afterwards；　in　the　
way　of　doing　any　little　thing　for　us　at　home；　very　well。　If　she　don’t；　
very　well　still。　We’re　no　losers；　anyhow。”　For—don’t　you　see；’　said　
Mr。　Omer；　touching　me　with　his　pipe；　‘it　ain’t　likely　that　a　man　so　
short　of　breath　as　myself；　and　a　grandfather　too；　would　go　and　
strain　points　with　a　little　bit　of　a　blue…eyed　blossom；　like　her？’　

‘Not　at　all；　I　am　certain；’　said　I。　

‘Not　at　all！　You’re　right！’　said　Mr。　Omer。　‘Well；　sir；　her　cousin—　
you　know　it’s　a　cousin　she’s　going　to　be　married　to？’　

‘Oh　yes；’　I　replied。　‘I　know　him　well。’　

‘Of　course　you　do；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　‘Well；　sir！　Her　cousin　being；　
as　it　appears；　in　good　work；　and　well　to　do；　thanked　me　in　a　very　
manly　sort　of　manner　for　this　（conducting　himself　altogether；　I　
must　say；　in　a　way　that　gives　me　a　high　opinion　of　him）；　and　went　
and　took　as　comfortable　a　little　house　as　you　or　I　could　wish　to　
clap　eyes　on。　That　little　house　is　now　furnished　right　through；　as　
neat　and　complete　as　a　doll’s　parlour；　and　but　for　Barkis’s　illness　
having　taken　this　bad　turn；　poor　fellow；　they　would　have　been　man　
and　wife—I　dare　say；　by　this　time。　As　it　is；　there’s　a　
postponement。’　

‘And　Emily；　Mr。　Omer？’　I　inquired。　‘Has　she　become　more　
settled？’　

‘Why　that；　you　know；’　he　returned；　rubbing　his　double　chin　
again；　‘can’t　naturally　be　expected。　The　prospect　of　the　change　

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and　separation；　and　all　that；　is；　as　one　may　say；　close　to　her　and　far　
away　from　her；　both　at　once。　Barkis’s　death　needn’t　put　it　off　
much；　but　his　lingering　might。　Anyway；　it’s　an　uncertain　state　of　
matters；　you　see。’　

‘I　see；’　said　I。　

‘Consequently；’　pursued　Mr。　Omer；　‘Em’ly’s　still　a　little　down；　
and　a　little　fluttered；　perhaps；　upon　the　whole；　she’s　more　so　than　
she　was。　Every　day　she　seems　to　get　fonder　and　fonder　of　her　
uncle；　and　more　loth　to　part　from　all　of　us。　A　kind　word　from　me　
brings　the　tears　into　her　eyes；　and　if　you　was　to　see　her　with　my　
daughter　Minnie’s　little　girl；　you’d　never　forget　it。　Bless　my　heart　
alive！’　said　Mr。　Omer；　pondering；　‘how　she　loves　that　child！’　

Having　so　favourable　an　opportunity；　it　occurred　to　me　to　ask　
Mr。　Omer；　before　our　conversation　should　be　interrupted　by　the　
return　of　his　daughter　and　her　husband；　whether　he　knew　
anything　of　Martha。　

‘Ah！’　he　rejoined；　shaking　his　head；　and　looking　very　much　
dejected。　‘No　good。　A　sad　story；　sir；　however　you　come　to　know　it。　I　
never　thought　there　was　harm　in　the　girl。　I　wouldn’t　wish　to　
mention　it　before　my　daughter　Minnie—for　she’d　take　me　up　
directly—but　I　never　did。　None　of　us　ever　did。’　

Mr。　Omer；　hearing　his　daughter’s　footstep　before　I　heard　it；　
touched　me　with　his　pipe；　and　shut　up　one　eye；　as　a　caution。　She　
and　her　husband　came　in　immediately　afterwards。　

Their　report　was；　that　Mr。　Barkis　was　‘as　bad　as　bad　could　be’；　
that　he　was　quite　unconscious；　and　that　Mr。　Chillip　had　
mournfully　said　in　the　kitchen；　on　going　away　just　now；　that　the　
College　of　Physicians；　the　College　of　Surgeons；　and　Apothecaries’　
Hall；　if　they　were　all　called　in　together；　couldn’t　help　him。　He　was　

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past　both　Colleges；　Mr。　Chillip　said；　and　the　Hall　could　only　poison　
him。　

Hearing　this；　and　learning　that　Mr。　Peggotty　was　there；　I　
determined　to　go　to　the　house　at　once。　I　bade　good　night　to　Mr。　
Omer；　and　to　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Joram；　and　directed　my　steps　thither；　
with　a　solemn　feeling；　which　made　Mr。　Barkis　quite　a　new　and　
different　creature。　

My　low　tap　at　the　door　was　answered　by　Mr。　Peggotty。　He　was　
not　so　much　surprised　to　see　me　as　I　had　expected。　I　remarked　
this　in　Peggotty；　too；　when　she　came　down；　and　I　have　seen　it　
since；　and　I　think；　in　the　expectation　of　that　dread　surprise；　all　
other　changes　and　surprises　dwindle　into　nothing。　

I　shook　hands　with　Mr。　Peggotty；　and　passed　into　the　kitchen；　
while　he　softly　closed　the　door。　Little　Emily　was　sitting　by　the　fire；　
with　her　hands　before　her　face。　Ham　was　standing　near　her。　

We　spoke　in　whispers；　listening；　between　whiles；　for　any　sound　
in　the　room　above。　I　had　not　thought　of　it　on　the　occasion　of　my　
last　visit；　but　how　strange　it　was　to　me；　now；　to　miss　Mr。　Barkis　out　
of　the　kitchen！　

‘This　is　very　kind　of　you；　Mas’r　Davy；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　

‘It’s　oncommon　kind；’　said　Ham。　

‘Em’ly；　my　dear；’　cried　Mr。　Peggotty。　‘See　here！　Here’s　Mas’r　
Davy　come！　What；　cheer　up；　pretty！　Not　a　wured　to　Mas’r　Davy？’　

There　was　a　trembling　upon　her；　that　I　can　see　now。　The　
coldness　of　her　hand　when　I　touched　it；　I　can　feel　yet。　Its　only　sign　
of　animation　was　to　shrink　from　mine；　and　then　she　glided　from　
the　chair；　and　creeping　to　the　other　side　of　her　uncle；　bowed　
herself；　silently　and　trembling　still；　upon　his　breast。　

‘It’s　such　a　loving　art；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　smoothing　her　rich　

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hair　with　his　great　hard　hand；　‘that　it　can’t　abear　the　sorrer　of　this。　
It’s　nat’ral　in　young　folk；　Mas’r　Davy；　when　they’re　new　to　these　
here　trials；　and　timid；　like　my　little　bird；—it’s　nat’ral。’　

She　clung　the　closer　to　him；　but　neither　lifted　up　her　face；　nor　
spoke　a　word。　

‘It’s　getting　late；　my　dear；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　‘and　here’s　Ham　
come　fur　to　take　you　home。　Theer！　Go　along　with　t’other　loving　
art！　What’　Em’ly？　Eh；　my　pretty？’　

The　sound　of　her　voice　had　not　reached　me；　but　he　bent　his　
head　as　if　he　listened　to　her；　and　then　said：　

‘Let　you　stay　with　your　uncle？　Why；　you　doen’t　mean　to　ask　me　
that！　Stay　with　your　uncle；　Moppet？　When　your　husband　that’ll　be　
so　soon；　is　here　fur　to　take　you　home？　Now　a　person　wouldn’t　
think　it；　fur　to　see　this　little　thing　alongside　a　rough…weather　chap　
like　me；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　looking　round　at　both　of　us；　with　
infinite　pride；　‘but　the　sea　ain’t　more　salt　in　it　than　she　has　
fondness　in　her　for　her　uncle—a　foolish　little　Em’ly！’　

‘Em’ly’s　in　the　right　in　that；　Mas’r　Davy！’　said　Ham。　‘Lookee　
here！　As　Em’ly　wishes　of　it；　and　as　she’s　hurried　and　frightened；　
like；　besides；　I’ll　leave　her　till　morning。　Let　me　stay　too！’　

‘No；　no；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　‘You　doen’t　ought—a　married　man　
like　you—or　what’s　as　good—