david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第41节

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‘And　how　do　you　get　on；　and　where　are　you　being　educated；　
Brooks？’　said　Mr。　Quinion。　

He　had　put　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder；　and　turned　me　about；　
to　walk　with　them。　I　did　not　know　what　to　reply；　and　glanced　
dubiously　at　Mr。　Murdstone。　

‘He　is　at　home　at　present；’　said　the　latter。　‘He　is　not　being　
educated　anywhere。　I　don’t　know　what　to　do　with　him。　He　is　a　
difficult　subject。’　

That　old；　double　look　was　on　me　for　a　moment；　and　then　his　
eyes　darkened　with　a　frown；　as　it　turned；　in　its　aversion；　
elsewhere。　

‘Humph！’　said　Mr。　Quinion；　looking　at　us　both；　I　thought。　‘Fine　
weather！’　

Silence　ensued；　and　I　was　considering　how　I　could　best　
disengage　my　shoulder　from　his　hand；　and　go　away；　when　he　said：　

‘I　suppose　you　are　a　pretty　sharp　fellow　still？　Eh；　Brooks？’　

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‘Aye！　He　is　sharp　enough；’　said　Mr。　Murdstone；　impatiently。　
‘You　had　better　let　him　go。　He　will　not　thank　you　for　troubling　
him。’　

On　this　hint；　Mr。　Quinion　released　me；　and　I　made　the　best　of　
my　way　home。　Looking　back　as　I　turned　into　the　front　garden；　I　
saw　Mr。　Murdstone　leaning　against　the　wicket　of　the　churchyard；　
and　Mr。　Quinion　talking　to　him。　They　were　both　looking　after　me；　
and　I　felt　that　they　were　speaking　of　me。　

Mr。　Quinion　lay　at　our　house　that　night。　After　breakfast；　the　
next　morning；　I　had　put　my　chair　away；　and　was　going　out　of　the　
room；　when　Mr。　Murdstone　called　me　back。　He　then　gravely　
repaired　to　another　table；　where　his　sister　sat　herself　at　her　desk。　
Mr。　Quinion；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　stood　looking　out　of　
window；　and　I　stood　looking　at　them　all。　

‘David；’　said　Mr。　Murdstone；　‘to　the　young　this　is　a　world　for　
action；　not　for　moping　and　droning　in。’　

—‘As　you　do；’　added　his　sister。　

‘Jane　Murdstone；　leave　it　to　me；　if　you　please。　I　say；　David；　to　
the　young　this　is　a　world　for　action；　and　not　for　moping　and　
droning　in。　It　is　especially　so　for　a　young　boy　of　your　disposition；　
which　requires　a　great　deal　of　correcting；　and　to　which　no　greater　
service　can　be　done　than　to　force　it　to　conform　to　the　ways　of　the　
working　world；　and　to　bend　it　and　break　it。’　

‘For　stubbornness　won’t　do　here；’　said　his　sister　‘What　it　wants　
is；　to　be　crushed。　And　crushed　it　must　be。　Shall　be；　too！’　

He　gave　her　a　look；　half　in　remonstrance；　half　in　approval；　and　
went　on：　

‘I　suppose　you　know；　David；　that　I　am　not　rich。　At　any　rate；　you　
know　it　now。　You　have　received　some　considerable　education　

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already。　Education　is　costly；　and　even　if　it　were　not；　and　I　could　
afford　it；　I　am　of　opinion　that　it　would　not　be　at　all　advantageous　to　
you　to　be　kept　at　school。　What　is　before　you；　is　a　fight　with　the　
world；　and　the　sooner　you　begin　it；　the　better。’　

I　think　it　occurred　to　me　that　I　had　already　begun　it；　in　my　poor　
way：　but　it　occurs　to　me　now；　whether　or　no。　

‘You　have　heard　the　“counting…house”　mentioned　sometimes；’　
said　Mr。　Murdstone。　

‘The　counting…house；　sir？’　I　repeated。　‘Of　Murdstone　and　
Grinby；　in　the　wine　trade；’　he　replied。　

I　suppose　I　looked　uncertain；　for　he　went　on　hastily：　

‘You　have　heard　the　“counting…house”　mentioned；　or　the　
business；　or　the　cellars；　or　the　wharf；　or　something　about　it。’　

‘I　think　I　have　heard　the　business　mentioned；　sir；’　I　said；　
remembering　what　I　vaguely　knew　of　his　and　his　sister’s　
resources。　‘But　I　don’t　know　when。’　

‘It　does　not　matter　when；’　he　returned。　‘Mr。　Quinion　manages　
that　business。’　

I　glanced　at　the　latter　deferentially　as　he　stood　looking　out　of　
window。　

‘Mr。　Quinion　suggests　that　it　gives　employment　to　some　other　
boys；　and　that　he　sees　no　reason　why　it　shouldn’t；　on　the　same　
terms；　give　employment　to　you。’　

‘He　having；’　Mr。　Quinion　observed　in　a　low　voice；　and　half　
turning　round；　‘no　other　prospect；　Murdstone。’　

Mr。　Murdstone；　with　an　impatient；　even　an　angry　gesture；　
resumed；　without　noticing　what　he　had　said：　

‘Those　terms　are；　that　you　will　earn　enough　for　yourself　to　
provide　for　your　eating　and　drinking；　and　pocket…money。　Your　

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lodging　（which　I　have　arranged　for）　will　be　paid　by　me。　So　will　

your　washing—’　

‘—Which　will　be　kept　down　to　my　estimate；’　said　his　sister。　

‘Your　clothes　will　be　looked　after　for　you；　too；’　said　Mr。　
Murdstone；　‘as　you　will　not　be　able；　yet　awhile；　to　get　them　for　
yourself。　So　you　are　now　going　to　London；　David；　with　Mr。　
Quinion；　to　begin　the　world　on　your　own　account。’　

‘In　short；　you　are　provided　for；’　observed　his　sister；　‘and　will　
please　to　do　your　duty。’　

Though　I　quite　understood　that　the　purpose　of　this　
announcement　was　to　get　rid　of　me；　I　have　no　distinct　
remembrance　whether　it　pleased　or　frightened　me。　My　impression　
is；　that　I　was　in　a　state　of　confusion　about　it；　and；　oscillating　
between　the　two　points；　touched　neither。　Nor　had　I　much　time　for　
the　clearing　of　my　thoughts；　as　Mr。　Quinion　was　to　go　upon　the　
morrow。　

Behold　me；　on　the　morrow；　in　a　much…worn　little　white　hat；　
with　a　black　crape　round　it　for　my　mother；　a　black　jacket；　and　a　
pair　of　hard；　stiff　corduroy　trousers—which　Miss　Murdstone　
considered　the　best　armour　for　the　legs　in　that　fight　with　the　world　
which　was　now　to　come　off。　behold　me　so　attired；　and　with　my　
little　worldly　all　before　me　in　a　small　trunk；　sitting；　a　lone　lorn　
child　（as　Mrs。　Gummidge　might　have　said）；　in　the　post…chaise　that　
was　carrying　Mr。　Quinion　to　the　London　coach　at　Yarmouth！　See；　
how　our　house　and　church　are　lessening　in　the　distance；　how　the　
grave　beneath　the　tree　is　blotted　out　by　intervening　objects；　how　
the　spire　points　upwards　from　my　old　playground　no　more；　and　
the　sky　is　empty！　

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Chapter　11　

I　BEGIN　LIFE　ON　MY　OWN　ACCOUNT；　AND
DON’T　LIKE　IT


Iknow　enough　of　the　world　now；　to　have　almost　lost　the　
capacity　of　being　much　surprised　by　anything；　but　it　is　matter　
of　some　surprise　to　me；　even　now；　that　I　can　have　been　so　
easily　thrown　away　at　such　an　age。　A　child　of　excellent　abilities；　
and　with　strong　powers　of　observation；　quick；　eager；　delicate；　and　
soon　hurt　bodily　or　mentally；　it　seems　wonderful　to　me　that　
nobody　should　have　made　any　sign　in　my　behalf。　But　none　was　
made；　and　I　became；　at　ten　years　old；　a　little　labouring　hind　in　the　
service　of　Murdstone　and　Grinby。　

Murdstone　and　Grinby’s　warehouse　was　at　the　waterside。　It　was　
down　in　Blackfriars。　Modern　improvements　have　altered　the　
place；　but　it　was　the　last　house　at　the　bottom　of　a　narrow　street；　
curving　down　hill　to　the　river；　with　some　stairs　at　the　end；　where　
people　took　boat。　It　was　a　crazy　old　house　with　a　wharf　of　its　own；　
abutting　on　the　water　when　the　tide　was　in；　and　on　the　mud　when　
the　tide　was　out；　and　literally　overrun　with　rats。　Its　panelled　
rooms；　discoloured　with　the　dirt　and　smoke　of　a　hundred　years；　I　
dare　say；　its　decaying　floors　and　staircase；　the　squeaking　and　
scuffling　of　the　old　grey　rats　down　in　the　cellars；　and　the　dirt　and　
rottenness　of　the　place；　are　things；　not　of　many　years　ago；　in　my　
mind；　but　of　the　present　instant。　They　are　all　before　me；　just　as　
they　were　in　the　evil　hour　when　I　went　among　them　for　the　first　
time；　with　my　trembling　hand　in　Mr。　Quinion’s。　

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Murdstone　and　Grinby’s　trade　was　among　a　good　many　kinds　of　
people；　but　an　important　branch　of　it　was　the　supply　of　wines　and　
spirits　to　certain　packet　ships。　I　forget　now　where　they　chiefly　
went；　but　I　think　there　were　some　among　them　that　made　voyages　
both　to　the　East　and　West　Indies。　I　know　that　a　great　many　empty　
bottles　were　one　of　the　consequences　of　this　traffic；　and　that　
certain　men　and　boys　were　employed　to　examine　them　against　the　
light；　and　reject　those　that　were　flawed；　and　to　rinse　and　wash　
them。　When　the　empty　bottles　ran　short；　there　were　labels　to　be　
pasted　on　full　ones；　or　corks　to　be　fitted　to　them；　or　seals　to　be　put　
upon　the　corks；　or　finished　bottles　to　be　packed　in　casks。　All　this　
work　was　my　work；　and　of　the　boys　employed　upon　it　I　was　one。　

There　were　three　or　four　of　us；　counting　me。　My　working　place　
was　established　in　a　corner　of　the　warehouse；　where　Mr。　Quinion　
could　see　me；　when　he　chose　to　stand　up　on　the　bottom　rail　of　his　
stool　in　the　counting…house；　and　look　at　me　through　a　window　
above　the　desk。　Hither；　on　the　first　morning　of　my　so　auspiciously　
beginning　life　on　my　own　account；　the　oldest　of　the　regular　boys　
was　summoned　to　show　me　my　business。　His　name　was　Mick　
Walker；　and　he　wore　a　ragged　apron　and　a　paper　cap。　He　informed　
me　that　his　father　was　a　bargeman；　and　walked；　in　a　black　velvet　
head…dress；　in　the　Lord　Mayor’s　Show。　He　also　informed　me　that　
our　principal　associate　would　be　another　boy　whom　he　introduced　
by　the—to　me—extraordinary　name　of　Mealy　Potatoes。　I　
discovered；　however；　that　this　youth　had　not　been　christened　by　
that　name；　but　that　it　had　been　bes