david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第140节

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Copperfield；　even　by　my　papa　and　mama；　were　they　still　living。’　

I　expressed　my　opinion　that　this　was　going　in　the　right　
direction。　‘It　may　be　a　sacrifice；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘to　immure　
one’s…self　in　a　Cathedral　town；　but　surely；　Mr。　Copperfield；　if　it　is　a　
sacrifice　in　me；　it　is　much　more　a　sacrifice　in　a　man　of　Mr。　
Micawber’s　abilities。’　

‘Oh！　You　are　going　to　a　Cathedral　town？’　said　I。　

Mr。　Micawber；　who　had　been　helping　us　all；　out　of　the　wash…
hand…stand　jug；　replied：　

‘To　Canterbury。　In　fact；　my　dear　Copperfield；　I　have　entered　
into　arrangements；　by　virtue　of　which　I　stand　pledged　and　
contracted　to　our　friend　Heep；　to　assist　and　serve　him　in　the　
capacity　of—and　to　be—his　confidential　clerk。’　

I　stared　at　Mr。　Micawber；　who　greatly　enjoyed　my　surprise。　

‘I　am　bound　to　state　to　you；’　he　said；　with　an　official　air；　‘that　
the　business　habits；　and　the　prudent　suggestions；　of　Mrs。　
Micawber；　have　in　a　great　measure　conduced　to　this　result。　The　
gauntlet；　to　which　Mrs。　Micawber　referred　upon　a　former　
occasion；　being　thrown　down　in　the　form　of　an　advertisement；　was　
taken　up　by　my　friend　Heep；　and　led　to　a　mutual　recognition。　Of　
my　friend　Heep；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘who　is　a　man　of　remarkable　
shrewdness；　I　desire　to　speak　with　all　possible　respect。　My　friend　
Heep　has　not　fixed　the　positive　remuneration　at　too　high　a　figure；　
but　he　has　made　a　great　deal；　in　the　way　of　extrication　from　the　
pressure　of　pecuniary　difficulties；　contingent　on　the　value　of　my　
services；　and　on　the　value　of　those　services　I　pin　my　faith。　Such　
address　and　intelligence　as　I　chance　to　possess；’　said　Mr。　
Micawber；　boastfully　disparaging　himself；　with　the　old　genteel　air；　
‘will　be　devoted　to　my　friend　Heep’s　service。　I　have　already　some　

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acquaintance　with　the　law—as　a　defendant　on　civil　process—and　I　
shall　immediately　apply　myself　to　the　Commentaries　of　one　of　the　
most　eminent　and　remarkable　of　our　English　jurists。　I　believe　it　is　
unnecessary　to　add　that　I　allude　to　Mr。　justice　Blackstone。’　

These　observations；　and　indeed　the　greater　part　of　the　
observations　made　that　evening；　were　interrupted　by　Mrs。　
Micawber’s　discovering　that　Master　Micawber　was　sitting　on　his　
boots；　or　holding　his　head　on　with　both　arms　as　if　he　felt　it　loose；　
or　accidentally　kicking　Traddles　under　the　table；　or　shuffling　his　
feet　over　one　another；　or　producing　them　at　distances　from　
himself　apparently　outrageous　to　nature；　or　lying　sideways　with　
his　hair　among　the　wine…glasses；　or　developing　his　restlessness　of　
limb　in　some　other　form　incompatible　with　the　general　interests　of　
society；　and　by　Master　Micawber’s　receiving　those　discoveries　in　a　
resentful　spirit。　I　sat　all　the　while；　amazed　by　Mr。　Micawber’s　
disclosure；　and　wondering　what　it　meant；　until　Mrs。　Micawber　
resumed　the　thread　of　the　discourse；　and　claimed　my　attention。　

‘What　I　particularly　request　Mr。　Micawber　to　be　careful　of；　is；’　
said　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘that　he　does　not；　my　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；　in　
applying　himself　to　this　subordinate　branch　of　the　law；　place　it　out　
of　his　power　to　rise；　ultimately；　to　the　top　of　the　tree。　I　am　
convinced　that　Mr。　Micawber；　giving　his　mind　to　a　profession　so　
adapted　to　his　fertile　resources；　and　his　flow　of　language；　must　
distinguish　himself。　Now；　for　example；　Mr。　Traddles；’　said　Mrs。　
Micawber；　assuming　a　profound　air；　‘a　judge；　or　even　say　a　
Chancellor。　Does　an　individual　place　himself　beyond　the　pale　of　
those　preferments　by　entering　on　such　an　office　as　Mr。　Micawber　
has　accepted？’　

‘My　dear；’　observed　Mr。　Micawber—but　glancing　inquisitively　

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at　Traddles；　too；　‘we　have　time　enough　before　us；　for　the　
consideration　of　those　questions。’　

‘Micawber；’　she　returned；　‘no！　Your　mistake　in　life　is；　that　you　
do　not　look　forward　far　enough。　You　are　bound；　in　justice　to　your　
family；　if　not　to　yourself；　to　take　in　at　a　comprehensive　glance　the　
extremest　point　in　the　horizon　to　which　your　abilities　may　lead　
you。’　

Mr。　Micawber　coughed；　and　drank　his　punch　with　an　air　of　
exceeding　satisfaction—still　glancing　at　Traddles；　as　if　he　desired　
to　have　his　opinion。　

‘Why；　the　plain　state　of　the　case；　Mrs。　Micawber；’　said　Traddles；　
mildly　breaking　the　truth　to　her。　‘I　mean　the　real　prosaic　fact；　you　
know—’　

‘Just　so；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘my　dear　Mr。　Traddles；　I　wish　to　
be　as　prosaic　and　literal　as　possible　on　a　subject　of　so　much　
importance。’　

‘—Is；’　said　Traddles；　‘that　this　branch　of　the　law；　even　if　Mr。　
Micawber　were　a　regular　solicitor—’　

‘Exactly　so；’　returned　Mrs。　Micawber。　（‘Wilkins；　you　are　
squinting；　and　will　not　be　able　to　get　your　eyes　back。’）　

‘—Has　nothing；’　pursued　Traddles；　‘to　do　with　that。　Only　a　
barrister　is　eligible　for　such　preferments；　and　Mr。　Micawber　could　
not　be　a　barrister；　without　being　entered　at　an　inn　of　court　as　a　
student；　for　five　years。’　

‘Do　I　follow　you？’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　with　her　most　affable　air　
of　business。　‘Do　I　understand；　my　dear　Mr。　Traddles；　that；　at　the　
expiration　of　that　period；　Mr。　Micawber　would　be　eligible　as　a　
Judge　or　Chancellor？’　

‘He　would　be　eligible；’　returned　Traddles；　with　a　strong　

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emphasis　on　that　word。　

‘Thank　you；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber。　‘That　is　quite　sufficient。　If　
such　is　the　case；　and　Mr。　Micawber　forfeits　no　privilege　by　
entering　on　these　duties；　my　anxiety　is　set　at　rest。　I　speak；’　said　
Mrs。　Micawber；　‘as　a　female；　necessarily；　but　I　have　always　been　of　
opinion　that　Mr。　Micawber　possesses　what　I　have　heard　my　papa　
call；　when　I　lived　at　home；　the　judicial　mind；　and　I　hope　Mr。　
Micawber　is　now　entering　on　a　field　where　that　mind　will　develop　
itself；　and　take　a　commanding　station。’　

I　quite　believe　that　Mr。　Micawber　saw　himself；　in　his　judicial　
mind’s　eye；　on　the　woolsack。　He　passed　his　hand　complacently　
over　his　bald　head；　and　said　with　ostentatious　resignation：　

‘My　dear；　we　will　not　anticipate　the　decrees　of　fortune。　If　I　am　
reserved　to　wear　a　wig；　I　am　at　least　prepared；　externally；’　in　
allusion　to　his　baldness；　‘for　that　distinction。　I　do　not；’　said　Mr。　
Micawber；　‘regret　my　hair；　and　I　may　have　been　deprived　of　it　for　
a　specific　purpose。　I　cannot　say。　It　is　my　intention；　my　dear　
Copperfield；　to　educate　my　son　for　the　Church；　I　will　not　deny　that　
I　should　be　happy；　on　his　account；　to　attain　to　eminence。’　

‘For　the　Church？’　said　I；　still　pondering；　between　whiles；　on　
Uriah　Heep。　

‘Yes；’　said　Mr。　Micawber。　‘He　has　a　remarkable　head…voice；　and　
will　commence　as　a　chorister。　Our　residence　at　Canterbury；　and　
our　local　connexion；　will；　no　doubt；　enable　him　to　take　advantage　
of　any　vacancy　that　may　arise　in　the　Cathedral　corps。’　

On　looking　at　Master　Micawber　again；　I　saw　that　he　had　a　
certain　expression　of　face；　as　if　his　voice　were　behind　his　
eyebrows；　where　it　presently　appeared　to　be；　on　his　singing　us　（as　
an　alternative　between　that　and　bed）　‘The　Wood…Pecker　tapping’。　

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After　many　compliments　on　this　performance；　we　fell　into　some　
general　conversation；　and　as　I　was　too　full　of　my　desperate　
intentions　to　keep　my　altered　circumstances　to　myself；　I　made　
them　known　to　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Micawber。　I　cannot　express　how　
extremely　delighted　they　both　were；　by　the　idea　of　my　aunt’s　being　
in　difficulties；　and　how　comfortable　and　friendly　it　made　them。　

When　we　were　nearly　come　to　the　last　round　of　the　punch；　I　
addressed　myself　to　Traddles；　and　reminded　him　that　we　must　not　
separate；　without　wishing　our　friends　health；　happiness；　and　
success　in　their　new　career。　I　begged　Mr。　Micawber　to　fill　us　
bumpers；　and　proposed　the　toast　in　due　form：　shaking　hands　with　
him　across　the　table；　and　kissing　Mrs。　Micawber；　to　commemorate　
that　eventful　occasion。　Traddles　imitated　me　in　the　first　particular；　
but　did　not　consider　himself　a　sufficiently　old　friend　to　venture　on　
the　second。　

‘My　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　rising　with　one　of　his　
thumbs　in　each　of　his　waistcoat　pockets；　‘the　companion　of　my　
youth：　if　I　may　be　allowed　the　expression—and　my　esteemed　
friend　Traddles：　if　I　may　be　permitted　to　call　him　so—will　allow　
me；　on　the　part　of　Mrs。　Micawber；　myself；　and　our　offspring；　to　
thank　them　in　the　warmest　and　most　uncompromising　terms　for　
their　good　wishes。　It　may　be　expected　that　on　the　eve　of　a　
migration　which　will　consign　us　to　a　perfectly　new　existence；’　Mr。　
Micawber　spoke　as　if　they　were　going　five　hundred　thousand　
miles；　‘I　should　offer　a　few　valedictory　remarks　to　two　such　friends　
as　I　see　before　me。　But　all　that　I　have　to　say　in　this　way；　I　have　
said。　Whatever　station　in　society　I　may　attain；　through　the　medium　
of　the　learned　profession　of　which　I　am　about　to　become　an　
unworthy　member；　I　shall　endeavour　not　to　disgrace；　and　Mrs。　

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Micawber　will　be　safe　to　ador