david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第139节
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work at it at the Commons； where I haven’t half enough to do； I’ll
take down the speeches in our court for practice—Traddles； my
dear fellow； I’ll master it！’
‘Dear me；’ said Traddles； opening his eyes； ‘I had no idea you
were such a determined character； Copperfield！’
I don’t know how he should have had； for it was new enough to
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me。 I passed that off； and brought Mr。 Dick on the carpet。
‘You see；’ said Mr。 Dick； wistfully； ‘if I could exert myself； Mr。
Traddles—if I could beat a drum—or blow anything！’
Poor fellow！ I have little doubt he would have preferred such an
employment in his heart to all others。 Traddles； who would not
have smiled for the world； replied composedly：
‘But you are a very good penman； sir。 You told me so；
Copperfield？’
‘Excellent！’ said I。 And indeed he was。 He wrote with
extraordinary neatness。
‘Don’t you think；’ said Traddles； ‘you could copy writings； sir； if
I got them for you？’
Mr。 Dick looked doubtfully at me。 ‘Eh； Trotwood？’
I shook my head。 Mr。 Dick shook his； and sighed。 ‘Tell him
about the Memorial；’ said Mr。 Dick。
I explained to Traddles that there was a difficulty in keeping
King Charles the First out of Mr。 Dick’s manuscripts； Mr。 Dick in
the meanwhile looking very deferentially and seriously at
Traddles； and sucking his thumb。
‘But these writings； you know； that I speak of； are already
drawn up and finished；’ said Traddles after a little consideration。
‘Mr。 Dick has nothing to do with them。 Wouldn’t that make a
difference； Copperfield？ At all events； wouldn’t it be well to try？’
This gave us new hope。 Traddles and I laying our heads
together apart； while Mr。 Dick anxiously watched us from his
chair； we concocted a scheme in virtue of which we got him to
work next day； with triumphant success。
On a table by the window in Buckingham Street； we set out the
work Traddles procured for him—which was to make； I forget how
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many copies of a legal document about some right of way—and on
another table we spread the last unfinished original of the great
Memorial。 Our instructions to Mr。 Dick were that he should copy
exactly what he had before him； without the least departure from
the original； and that when he felt it necessary to make the
slightest allusion to King Charles the First； he should fly to the
Memorial。 We exhorted him to be resolute in this； and left my aunt
to observe him。 My aunt reported to us； afterwards； that； at first；
he was like a man playing the kettle…drums； and constantly
divided his attentions between the two； but that； finding this
confuse and fatigue him； and having his copy there； plainly before
his eyes； he soon sat at it in an orderly business…like manner； and
postponed the Memorial to a more convenient time。 In a word；
although we took great care that he should have no more to do
than was good for him； and although he did not begin with the
beginning of a week； he earned by the following Saturday night
ten shillings and nine…pence； and never； while I live； shall I forget
his going about to all the shops in the neighbourhood to change
this treasure into sixpences； or his bringing them to my aunt
arranged in the form of a heart upon a waiter； with tears of joy and
pride in his eyes。 He was like one under the propitious influence of
a charm； from the moment of his being usefully employed； and if
there were a happy man in the world； that Saturday night； it was
the grateful creature who thought my aunt the most wonderful
woman in existence； and me the most wonderful young man。
‘No starving now； Trotwood；’ said Mr。 Dick； shaking hands with
me in a corner。 ‘I’ll provide for her； Sir！’ and he flourished his ten
fingers in the air； as if they were ten banks。
I hardly know which was the better pleased； Traddles or I。 ‘It
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really；’ said Traddles； suddenly； taking a letter out of his pocket；
and giving it to me； ‘put Mr。 Micawber quite out of my head！’
The letter （Mr。 Micawber never missed any possible
opportunity of writing a letter） was addressed to me； ‘By the
kindness of T。 Traddles； Esquire； of the Inner Temple。’ It ran
thus：—
‘MY DEAR COPPERFIELD；
‘You may possibly not be unprepared to receive the intimation
that something has turned up。 I may have mentioned to you on a
former occasion that I was in expectation of such an event。
‘I am about to establish myself in one of the provincial towns of
our favoured island （where the society may be described as a
happy admixture of the agricultural and the clerical）； in immediate
connexion with one of the learned professions。 Mrs。 Micawber and
our offspring will accompany me。 Our ashes； at a future period；
will probably be found commingled in the cemetery attached to a
venerable pile； for which the spot to which I refer has acquired a
reputation； shall I say from China to Peru？
‘In bidding adieu to the modern Babylon； where we have
undergone many vicissitudes； I trust not ignobly； Mrs。 Micawber
and myself cannot disguise from our minds that we part； it may be
for years and it may be for ever； with an individual linked by
strong associations to the altar of our domestic life。 If； on the eve of
such a departure； you will accompany our mutual friend； Mr。
Thomas Traddles； to our present abode； and there reciprocate the
wishes natural to the occasion； you will confer a Boon
‘On
‘One
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‘Who
‘Is
‘Ever yours；
‘WILKINS MICAWBER。’
I was glad to find that Mr。 Micawber had got rid of his dust and
ashes； and that something really had turned up at last。 Learning
from Traddles that the invitation referred to the evening then
wearing away； I expressed my readiness to do honour to it； and we
went off together to the lodging which Mr。 Micawber occupied as
Mr。 Mortimer； and which was situated near the top of the Gray’s
Inn Road。
The resources of this lodging were so limited； that we found the
twins； now some eight or nine years old； reposing in a turn…up
bedstead in the family sitting…room； where Mr。 Micawber had
prepared； in a wash…hand…stand jug； what he called ‘a Brew’ of the
agreeable beverage for which he was famous。 I had the pleasure；
on this occasion； of renewing the acquaintance of Master
Micawber； whom I found a promising boy of about twelve or
thirteen； very subject to that restlessness of limb which is not an
unfrequent phenomenon in youths of his age。 I also became once
more known to his sister； Miss Micawber； in whom； as Mr。
Micawber told us； ‘her mother renewed her youth； like the
Phoenix’。
‘My dear Copperfield；’ said Mr。 Micawber； ‘yourself and Mr。
Traddles find us on the brink of migration； and will excuse any
little discomforts incidental to that position。’
Glancing round as I made a suitable reply； I observed that the
family effects were already packed； and that the amount of
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luggage was by no means overwhelming。 I congratulated Mrs。
Micawber on the approaching change。
‘My dear Mr。 Copperfield；’ said Mrs。 Micawber； ‘of your friendly
interest in all our affairs； I am well assured。 My family may
consider it banishment； if they please； but I am a wife and mother；
and I never will desert Mr。 Micawber。’
Traddles； appealed to by Mrs。 Micawber’s eye； feelingly
acquiesced。
‘That；’ said Mrs。 Micawber； ‘that； at least； is my view； my dear
Mr。 Copperfield and Mr。 Traddles； of the obligation which I took
upon myself when I repeated the irrevocable words； “I； Emma；
take thee； Wilkins。” I read the service over with a flat…candle on
the previous night； and the conclusion I derived from it was； that I
never could desert Mr。 Micawber。 And；’ said Mrs。 Micawber；
‘though it is possible I may be mistaken in my view of the
ceremony； I never will！’
‘My dear；’ said Mr。 Micawber； a little impatiently； ‘I am not
conscious that you are expected to do anything of the sort。’
‘I am aware； my dear Mr。 Copperfield；’ pursued Mrs。 Micawber；
‘that I am now about to cast my lot among strangers； and I am also
aware that the various members of my family； to whom Mr。
Micawber has written in the most gentlemanly terms； announcing
that fact； have not taken the least notice of Mr。 Micawber’s
communication。 Indeed I may be superstitious；’ said Mrs。
Micawber； ‘but it appears to me that Mr。 Micawber is destined
never to receive any answers whatever to the great majority of the
communications he writes。 I may augur； from the silence of my
family； that they object to the resolution I have taken； but I should
not allow myself to be swerved from the path of duty； Mr。
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Copperfield； even by my papa and mama； were they still living。’
I expressed my opinion that this was go
