david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第133节

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in　that　airy　attire；　now　I　was　hungrily　picking　up　the　crumbs　that　
fell　from　old　Tiffey’s　daily　biscuit；　regularly　eaten　when　St。　Paul’s　
struck　one；　now　I　was　hopelessly　endeavouring　to　get　a　licence　to　
marry　Dora；　having　nothing　but　one　of　Uriah　Heep’s　gloves　to　
offer　in　exchange；　which　the　whole　Commons　rejected；　and　still；　
more　or　less　conscious　of　my　own　room；　I　was　always　tossing　about　
like　a　distressed　ship　in　a　sea　of　bed…clothes。　

My　aunt　was　restless；　too；　for　I　frequently　heard　her　walking　to　
and　fro。　Two　or　three　times　in　the　course　of　the　night；　attired　in　a　
long　flannel　wrapper　in　which　she　looked　seven　feet　high；　she　

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David　Copperfield　690　

appeared；　like　a　disturbed　ghost；　in　my　room；　and　came　to　the　side　
of　the　sofa　on　which　I　lay。　On　the　first　occasion　I　started　up　in　
alarm；　to　learn　that　she　inferred　from　a　particular　light　in　the　sky；　
that　Westminster　Abbey　was　on　fire；　and　to　be　consulted　in　
reference　to　the　probability　of　its　igniting　Buckingham　Street；　in　
case　the　wind　changed。　Lying　still；　after　that；　I　found　that　she　sat　
down　near　me；　whispering　to　herself　‘Poor　boy！’　And　then　it　made　
me　twenty　times　more　wretched；　to　know　how　unselfishly　mindful　
she　was　of　me；　and　how　selfishly　mindful　I　was　of　myself。　

It　was　difficult　to　believe　that　a　night　so　long　to　me；　could　be　
short　to　anybody　else。　This　consideration　set　me　thinking　and　
thinking　of　an　imaginary　party　where　people　were　dancing　the　
hours　away；　until　that　became　a　dream　too；　and　I　heard　the　music　
incessantly　playing　one　tune；　and　saw　Dora　incessantly　dancing　
one　dance；　without　taking　the　least　notice　of　me。　The　man　who　
had　been　playing　the　harp　all　night；　was　trying　in　vain　to　cover　it　
with　an　ordinary…sized　nightcap；　when　I　awoke；　or　I　should　rather　
say；　when　I　left　off　trying　to　go　to　sleep；　and　saw　the　sun　shining　in　
through　the　window　at　last。　

There　was　an　old　Roman　bath　in　those　days　at　the　bottom　of　
one　of　the　streets　out　of　the　Strand—it　may　be　there　still—in　
which　I　have　had　many　a　cold　plunge。　Dressing　myself　as　quietly　
as　I　could；　and　leaving　Peggotty　to　look　after　my　aunt；　I　tumbled　
head　foremost　into　it；　and　then　went　for　a　walk　to　Hampstead。　I　
had　a　hope　that　this　brisk　treatment　might　freshen　my　wits　a　little；　
and　I　think　it　did　them　good；　for　I　soon　came　to　the　conclusion　that　
the　first　step　I　ought　to　take　was；　to　try　if　my　articles　could　be　
cancelled　and　the　premium　recovered。　I　got　some　breakfast　on　the　
Heath；　and　walked　back　to　Doctors’　Commons；　along　the　watered　

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David　Copperfield　

roads　

and　through　a　pleasant　smell　of　summer　flowers；　growing　in　
gardens　and　carried　into　town　on　hucksters’　heads；　intent　on　this　
first　effort　to　meet　our　altered　circumstances。　

I　arrived　at　the　office　so　soon；　after　all；　that　I　had　half　an　hour’s　
loitering　about　the　Commons；　before　old　Tiffey；　who　was　always　
first；　appeared　with　his　key。　Then　I　sat　down　in　my　shady　corner；　
looking　up　at　the　sunlight　on　the　opposite　chimney…pots；　and　
thinking　about　Dora；　until　Mr。　Spenlow　came　in；　crisp　and　curly。　

‘How　are　you；　Copperfield？’　said　he。　‘Fine　morning！’　

‘Beautiful　morning；　sir；’　said　I。　‘Could　I　say　a　word　to　you　
before　you　go　into　Court？’　

‘By　all　means；’　said　he。　‘Come　into　my　room。’　

I　followed　him　into　his　room；　and　he　began　putting　on　his　gown；　
and　touching　himself　up　before　a　little　glass　he　had；　hanging　inside　
a　closet　door。　

‘I　am　sorry　to　say；’　said　I；　‘that　I　have　some　rather　disheartening　
intelligence　from　my　aunt。’　

‘No！’　said　he。　‘Dear　me！　Not　paralysis；　I　hope？’　

‘It　has　no　reference　to　her　health；　sir；’　I　replied。　‘She　has　met　
with　some　large　losses。　In　fact；　she　has　very　little　left；　indeed。’　

‘You　as…tound　me；　Copperfield！’　cried　Mr。　Spenlow。　

I　shook　my　head。　‘Indeed；　sir；’　said　I；　‘her　affairs　are　so　
changed；　that　I　wished　to　ask　you　whether　it　would　be　possible—at　
a　sacrifice　on　our　part　of　some　portion　of　the　premium；　of　course；’　
I　put　in　this；　on　the　spur　of　the　moment；　warned　by　the　blank　
expression　of　his　face—‘to　cancel　my　articles？’　

What　it　cost　me　to　make　this　proposal；　nobody　knows。　It　was　
like　asking；　as　a　favour；　to　be　sentenced　to　transportation　from　

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David　Copperfield　

Dora。　

‘To　cancel　your　articless；　Copperfield？　Cancel？’　

I　explained　with　tolerable　firmness；　that　I　really　did　not　know　
where　my　means　of　subsistence　were　to　come　from；　unless　I　could　
earn　them　for　myself。　I　had　no　fear　for　the　future；　I　said—and　I　
laid　great　emphasis　on　that；　as　if　to　imply　that　I　should　still　be　
decidedly　eligible　for　a　son…in…law　one　of　these　days—but；　for　the　
present；　I　was　thrown　upon　my　own　resources。　‘I　am　extremely　
sorry　to　hear　this；　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Spenlow。　‘Extremely　
sorry。　It　is　not　usual　to　cancel　articles　for　any　such　reason。　It　is　
not　a　professional　course　of　proceeding。　It　is　not　a　convenient　
precedent　at　all。　Far　from　it。　At　the　same　time—’　

‘You　are　very　good；　sir；’　I　murmured；　anticipating　a　concession。　

‘Not　at　all。　Don’t　mention　it；’　said　Mr。　Spenlow。　‘At　the　same　
time；　I　was　going　to　say；　if　it　had　been　my　lot　to　have　my　hands　
unfettered—if　I　had　not　a　partner—Mr。　Jorkins—’　

My　hopes　were　dashed　in　a　moment；　but　I　made　another　effort。　

‘Do　you　think；　sir；’　said　I；　‘if　I　were　to　mention　it　to　Mr。　
Jorkins—’　

Mr。　Spenlow　shook　his　head　discouragingly。　‘Heaven　forbid；　
Copperfield；’　he　replied；　‘that　I　should　do　any　man　an　injustice：　
still　less；　Mr。　Jorkins。　But　I　know　my　partner；　Copperfield。　Mr。　
Jorkins　is　not　a　man　to　respond　to　a　proposition　of　this　peculiar　
nature。　Mr。　Jorkins　is　very　difficult　to　move　from　the　beaten　track。　
You　know　what　he　is！’　

I　am　sure　I　knew　nothing　about　him；　except　that　he　had　
originally　been　alone　in　the　business；　and　now　lived　by　himself　in　a　
house　near　Montagu　Square；　which　was　fearfully　in　want　of　
painting；　that　he　came　very　late　of　a　day；　and　went　away　very　

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David　Copperfield　

early；　that　he　never　appeared　to　be　consulted　about　anything；　and　
that　he　had　a　dingy　little　black…hole　of　his　own　upstairs；　where　no　
business　was　ever　done；　and　where　there　was　a　yellow　old　
cartridge…paper　pad　upon　his　desk；　unsoiled　by　ink；　and　reported　
to　be　twenty　years　of　age。　

‘Would　you　object　to　my　mentioning　it　to　him；　sir？’　I　asked。　

‘By　no　means；’　said　Mr。　Spenlow。　‘But　I　have　some　experience　
of　Mr。　Jorkins；　Copperfield。　I　wish　it　were　otherwise；　for　I　should　
be　happy　to　meet　your　views　in　any　respect。　I　cannot　have　the　
objection　to　your　mentioning　it　to　Mr。　Jorkins；　Copperfield；　if　you　
think　it　worth　while。’　

Availing　myself　of　this　permission；　which　was　given　with　a　
warm　shake　of　the　hand；　I　sat　thinking　about　Dora；　and　looking　at　
the　sunlight　stealing　from　the　chimney…pots　down　the　wall　of　the　
opposite　house；　until　Mr。　Jorkins　came。　I　then　went　up　to　Mr。　
Jorkins’s　room；　and　evidently　astonished　Mr。　Jorkins　very　much　
by　making　my　appearance　there。　

‘Come　in；　Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Jorkins。　‘Come　in！’　

I　went　in；　and　sat　down；　and　stated　my　case　to　Mr。　Jorkins　
pretty　much　as　I　had　stated　it　to　Mr。　Spenlow。　Mr。　Jorkins　was　not　
by　any　means　the　awful　creature　one　might　have　expected；　but　a　
large；　mild；　smooth…faced　man　of　sixty；　who　took　so　much　snuff　
that　there　was　a　tradition　in　the　Commons　that　he　lived　principally　
on　that　stimulant；　having　little　room　in　his　system　for　any　other　
article　of　diet。　

‘You　have　mentioned　this　to　Mr。　Spenlow；　I　suppose？’　said　Mr。　
Jorkins；　when　he　had　heard　me；　very　restlessly；　to　an　end。　

I　answered　Yes；　and　told　him　that　Mr。　Spenlow　had　introduced　
his　name。　

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David　Copperfield　

‘He　said　I　should　object？’　asked　Mr。　Jorkins。　

I　was　obliged　to　admit　that　Mr。　Spenlow　had　considered　it　
probable。　

‘I　am　sorry　to　say；　Mr。　Copperfield；　I　can’t　advance　your　object；’　
said　Mr。　Jorkins；　nervously。　‘The　fact　is—but　I　have　an　
appointment　at　the　Bank；　if　you’ll　have　the　goodness　to　excuse　
me。’　

With　that　he　rose　in　a　great　hurry；　and　was　going　out　of　the　
room；　when　I　made　bold　to　say　that　I　feared；　then；　there　was　no　
way　of　arranging　the　matter？　

‘No！’　said　Mr。　Jorkins；　stopping　at　the　door　to　shake　his　head。　
‘Oh；　no！　I　object；　you　know；’　which　he　said　very　rapidly；　and　went　
out。　‘You　must　be　aware；　Mr。　Copperfield；’　he　added；　looking　
restlessly　in　at　the　door　again；　‘if　Mr。　Spenlow　objects—’　

‘Personally；　he　does　not　object；　sir；’　said　I。　

‘Oh！　Personally！’　repeated　Mr。　Jorkins；　in　an　impatient　manner。　
‘I　assure　you　there’s　an　objection；　Mr。　Copperfield。　Hopeless！　What　
you　wish　to　be　done；　can’t　be　done。　I—I　really　have　got　an　
appointment　at　the　Bank。’　With　that　he　fairly　ran　away；　and　to　the　
best　of　my　knowledge；　it　was　three　days　before　he　showed　himself　
in　the　Commons　again。　

Being　very　anxious　to　leave　no　stone　unturned；　I　w