david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第42节

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discovered；　however；　that　this　youth　had　not　been　christened　by　
that　name；　but　that　it　had　been　bestowed　upon　him　in　the　
warehouse；　on　account　of　his　complexion；　which　was　pale　or　
mealy。　Mealy’s　father　was　a　waterman；　who　had　the　additional　
distinction　of　being　a　fireman；　and　was　engaged　as　such　at　one　of　

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David　Copperfield　

the　large　theatres；　where　some　young　relation　of　Mealy’s—I　think　
his　little　sister—did　Imps　in　the　Pantomimes。　

No　words　can　express　the　secret　agony　of　my　soul　as　I　sunk　into　
this　companionship；　compared　these　henceforth　everyday　
associates　with　those　of　my　happier　childhood—not　to　say　with　
Steerforth；　Traddles；　and　the　rest　of　those　boys；　and　felt　my　hopes　
of　growing　up　to　be　a　learned　and　distinguished　man；　crushed　in　
my　bosom。　The　deep　remembrance　of　the　sense　I　had；　of　being　
utterly　without　hope　now；　of　the　shame　I　felt　in　my　position；　of　the　
misery　it　was　to　my　young　heart　to　believe　that　day　by　day　what　I　
had　learned；　and　thought；　and　delighted　in；　and　raised　my　fancy　
and　my　emulation　up　by；　would　pass　away　from　me；　little　by　little；　
never　to　be　brought　back　any　more；　cannot　be　written。　As　often　as　
Mick　Walker　went　away　in　the　course　of　that　forenoon；　I　mingled　
my　tears　with　the　water　in　which　I　was　washing　the　bottles；　and　
sobbed　as　if　there　were　a　flaw　in　my　own　breast；　and　it　were　in　
danger　of　bursting。　

The　counting…house　clock　was　at　half　past　twelve；　and　there　
was　general　preparation　for　going　to　dinner；　when　Mr。　Quinion　
tapped　at　the　counting…house　window；　and　beckoned　to　me　to　go　
in。　I　went　in；　and　found　there　a　stoutish；　middle…aged　person；　in　a　
brown　surtout　and　black　tights　and　shoes；　with　no　more　hair　upon　
his　head　（which　was　a　large　one；　and　very　shining）　than　there　is　
upon　an　egg；　and　with　a　very　extensive　face；　which　he　turned　full　
upon　me。　His　clothes　were　shabby；　but　he　had　an　imposing　shirt…
collar　on。　He　carried　a　jaunty　sort　of　a　stick；　with　a　large　pair　of　
rusty　tassels　to　it；　and　a　quizzing…glass　hung　outside　his　coat；—for　
ornament；　I　afterwards　found；　as　he　very　seldom　looked　through　
it；　and　couldn’t　see　anything　when　he　did。　

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‘This；’　said　Mr。　Quinion；　in　allusion　to　myself；　‘is　he。’　

‘This；’　said　the　stranger；　with　a　certain　condescending　roll　in　his　
voice；　and　a　certain　indescribable　air　of　doing　something　genteel；　
which　impressed　me　very　much；　‘is　Master　Copperfield。　I　hope　I　
see　you　well；　sir？’　

I　said　I　was　very　well；　and　hoped　he　was。　I　was　sufficiently　ill　at　
ease；　Heaven　knows；　but　it　was　not　in　my　nature　to　complain　
much　at　that　time　of　my　life；　so　I　said　I　was　very　well；　and　hoped　
he　was。　

‘I　am；’　said　the　stranger；　‘thank　Heaven；　quite　well。　I　have　
received　a　letter　from　Mr。　Murdstone；　in　which　he　mentions　that　
he　would　desire　me　to　receive　into　an　apartment　in　the　rear　of　my　
house；　which　is　at　present　unoccupied—and　is；　in　short；　to　be　let　
as　a—in　short；’　said　the　stranger；　with　a　smile　and　in　a　burst　of　
confidence；　‘as　a　bedroom—the　young　beginner　whom　I　have　now　
the　pleasure　to—’　and　the　stranger　waved　his　hand；　and　settled　his　
chin　in　his　shirt…collar。　

‘This　is　Mr。　Micawber；’　said　Mr。　Quinion　to　me。　

‘Ahem！’　said　the　stranger；　‘that　is　my　name。’　

‘Mr。　Micawber；’　said　Mr。　Quinion；　‘is　known　to　Mr。　Murdstone。　
He　takes　orders　for　us　on　commission；　when　he　can　get　any。　He　
has　been　written　to　by　Mr。　Murdstone；　on　the　subject　of　your　
lodgings；　and　he　will　receive　you　as　a　lodger。’　

‘My　address；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘is　Windsor　Terrace；　City　
Road。　I—in　short；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　with　the　same　genteel　air；　
and　in　another　burst　of　confidence—‘I　live　there。’　

I　made　him　a　bow。　

‘Under　the　impression；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘that　your　
peregrinations　in　this　metropolis　have　not　as　yet　been　extensive；　

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and　that　you　might　have　some　difficulty　in　penetrating　the　arcana　
of　the　Modern　Babylon　in　the　direction　of　the　City　Road；—in　
short；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　in　another　burst　of　confidence；　‘that　you　
might　lose　yourself—I　shall　be　happy　to　call　this　evening；　and　
install　you　in　the　knowledge　of　the　nearest　way。’　

I　thanked　him　with　all　my　heart；　for　it　was　friendly　in　him　to　
offer　to　take　that　trouble。　

‘At　what　hour；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘shall　I—’　

‘At　about　eight；’　said　Mr。　Quinion。　

‘At　about　eight；’　said　Mr。　Micawber。　‘I　beg　to　wish　you　good　day；　
Mr。　Quinion。　I　will　intrude　no　longer。’　

So　he　put　on　his　hat；　and　went　out　with　his　cane　under　his　arm：　
very　upright；　and　humming　a　tune　when　he　was　clear　of　the　
counting…house。　

Mr。　Quinion　then　formally　engaged　me　to　be　as　useful　as　I　could　
in　the　warehouse　of　Murdstone　and　Grinby；　at　a　salary；　I　think；　of　
six　shillings　a　week。　I　am　not　clear　whether　it　was　six　or　seven。　I　
am　inclined　to　believe；　from　my　uncertainty　on　this　head；　that　it　
was　six　at　first　and　seven　afterwards。　He　paid　me　a　week　down　
（from　his　own　pocket；　I　believe）；　and　I　gave　Mealy　sixpence　out　of　
it　to　get　my　trunk　carried　to　Windsor　Terrace　that　night：　it　being　
too　heavy　for　my　strength；　small　as　it　was。　I　paid　sixpence　more　for　
my　dinner；　which　was　a　meat　pie　and　a　turn　at　a　neighbouring　
pump；　and　passed　the　hour　which　was　allowed　for　that　meal；　in　
walking　about　the　streets。　

At　the　appointed　time　in　the　evening；　Mr。　Micawber　
reappeared。　I　washed　my　hands　and　face；　to　do　the　greater　honour　
to　his　gentility；　and　we　walked　to　our　house；　as　I　suppose　I　must　
now　call　it；　together；　Mr。　Micawber　impressing　the　name　of　

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streets；　and　the　shapes　of　corner　houses　upon　me；　as　we　went　
along；　that　I　might　find　my　way　back；　easily；　in　the　morning。　

Arrived　at　this　house　in　Windsor　Terrace　（which　I　noticed　was　
shabby　like　himself；　but　also；　like　himself；　made　all　the　show　it　
could）；　he　presented　me　to　Mrs。　Micawber；　a　thin　and　faded　lady；　
not　at　all　young；　who　was　sitting　in　the　parlour　（the　first　floor　was　
altogether　unfurnished；　and　the　blinds　were　kept　down　to　delude　
the　neighbours）；　with　a　baby　at　her　breast。　This　baby　was　one　of　
twins；　and　I　may　remark　here　that　I　hardly　ever；　in　all　my　
experience　of　the　family；　saw　both　the　twins　detached　from　Mrs。　
Micawber　at　the　same　time。　One　of　them　was　always　taking　
refreshment。　

There　were　two　other　children；　Master　Micawber；　aged　about　
four；　and　Miss　Micawber；　aged　about　three。　These；　and　a　dark…
complexioned　young　woman；　with　a　habit　of　snorting；　who　was　
servant　to　the　family；　and　informed　me；　before　half　an　hour　had　
expired；　that　she　was　‘a　Orfling’；　and　came　from　St。　Luke’s　
workhouse；　in　the　neighbourhood；　completed　the　establishment。　
My　room　was　at　the　top　of　the　house；　at　the　back：　a　close　chamber；　
stencilled　all　over　with　an　ornament　which　my　young　imagination　
represented　as　a　blue　muffin；　and　very　scantily　furnished。　

‘I　never　thought；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　when　she　came　up；　twin　
and　all；　to　show　me　the　apartment；　and　sat　down　to　take　breath；　
‘before　I　was　married；　when　I　lived　with　papa　and　mama；　that　I　
should　ever　find　it　necessary　to　take　a　lodger。　But　Mr。　Micawber　
being　in　difficulties；　all　considerations　of　private　feeling　must　give　
way。’　

I　said：　‘Yes；　ma’am。’　

‘Mr。　Micawber’s　difficulties　are　almost　overwhelming　just　at　

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David　Copperfield　

present；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘and　whether　it　is　possible　to　bring　
him　through　them；　I　don’t　know。　When　I　lived　at　home　with　papa　
and　mama；　I　really　should　have　hardly　understood　what　the　word　
meant；　in　the　sense　in　which　I　now　employ　it；　but　experientia　does　
it；—as　papa　used　to　say。’　

I　cannot　satisfy　myself　whether　she　told　me　that　Mr。　Micawber　
had　been　an　officer　in　the　Marines；　or　whether　I　have　imagined　it。　
I　only　know　that　I　believe　to　this　hour　that　he　WAS　in　the　Marines　
once　upon　a　time；　without　knowing　why。　He　was　a　sort　of　town　
traveller　for　a　number　of　miscellaneous　houses；　now；　but　made　
little　or　nothing　of　it；　I　am　afraid。　

‘If　Mr。　Micawber’s　creditors　will　not　give　him　time；’　said　Mrs。　
Micawber；　‘they　must　take　the　consequences；　and　the　sooner　they　
bring　it　to　an　issue　the　better。　Blood　cannot　be　obtained　from　a　
stone；　neither　can　anything　on　account　be　obtained　at　present　（not　
to　mention　law　expenses）　from　Mr。　Micawber。’　

I　never　can　quite　understand　whether　my　precocious　self…
dependence　confused　Mrs。　Micawber　in　reference　to　my　age；　or　
whether　she　was　so　full　of　the　subject　that　she　would　have　talked　
about　it　to　the　very　twins　if　there　had　been　nobody　else　to　
communicate　with；　but　this　was　the　strain　in　which　she　began；　and　
she　went　on　accordingly　all　the　time　I　knew　her。　

Poor　Mrs。　Micawber！　She　said　she　had　tried　to　exert　herself；　
and　so；　I　have　no　doubt；　she　had。　The　centre　of　the　street　door　was　
perfectly　covered　with　a　great　brass…plate；　on　which　was　engraved　
‘Mrs。　Micawber’s　Boarding　Establishment　for　Youn