david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第62节
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the same sedate； immovable manner； and that there was no hope
of making him relax a muscle of his face； he added： ‘However； I
have said what I came to say； and； with another apology for this
intrusion； I may take myself off。 Of course I shall observe your
directions； in considering the matter as one to be arranged
between you and me solely； and not to be referred to； up at the
Doctor’s。’
‘Have you dined？’ asked Mr。 Wickfield； with a motion of his
hand towards the table。
‘Thank’ee。 I am going to dine；’ said Mr。 Maldon； ‘with my
cousin Annie。 Good…bye！’
Mr。 Wickfield； without rising； looked after him thoughtfully as
he went out。 He was rather a shallow sort of young gentleman； I
thought； with a handsome face； a rapid utterance； and a confident；
bold air。 And this was the first I ever saw of Mr。 Jack Maldon；
whom I had not expected to see so soon； when I heard the Doctor
speak of him that morning。
When we had dined； we went upstairs again； where everything
went on exactly as on the previous day。 Agnes set the glasses and
decanters in the same corner； and Mr。 Wickfield sat down to drink；
and drank a good deal。 Agnes played the piano to him； sat by him；
and worked and talked； and played some games at dominoes with
me。 In good time she made tea； and afterwards； when I brought
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
down my books； looked into them； and showed me what she knew
of them （which was no slight matter； though she said it was）； and
what was the best way to learn and understand them。 I see her；
with her modest； orderly； placid manner； and I hear her beautiful
calm voice； as I write these words。 The influence for all good；
which she came to exercise over me at a later time； begins already
to descend upon my breast。 I love little Em’ly； and I don’t love
Agnes—no； not at all in that way—but I feel that there are
goodness； peace； and truth； wherever Agnes is； and that the soft
light of the coloured window in the church； seen long ago； falls on
her always； and on me when I am near her； and on everything
around。
The time having come for her withdrawal for the night； and she
having left us； I gave Mr。 Wickfield my hand； preparatory to going
away myself。 But he checked me and said： ‘Should you like to stay
with us； Trotwood； or to go elsewhere？’
‘To stay；’ I answered； quickly。
‘You are sure？’
‘If you please。 If I may！’
‘Why； it’s but a dull life that we lead here； boy； I am afraid；’ he
said。
‘Not more dull for me than Agnes； sir。 Not dull at all！’
‘Than Agnes；’ he repeated； walking slowly to the great chimney…
piece； and leaning against it。 ‘Than Agnes！’
He had drank wine that evening （or I fancied it）； until his eyes
were bloodshot。 Not that I could see them now； for they were cast
down； and shaded by his hand； but I had noticed them a little
while before。
‘Now I wonder；’ he muttered； ‘whether my Agnes tires of me。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
When should I ever tire of her！ But that’s different； that’s quite
different。’
He was musing； not speaking to me； so I remained quiet。
‘A dull old house；’ he said； ‘and a monotonous life； but I must
have her near me。 I must keep her near me。 If the thought that I
may die and leave my darling； or that my darling may die and
leave me； comes like a spectre； to distress my happiest hours； and
is only to be drowned in—’
He did not supply the word； but pacing slowly to the place
where he had sat； and mechanically going through the action of
pouring wine from the empty decanter； set it down and paced
back again。
‘If it is miserable to bear； when she is here；’ he said； ‘what
would it be； and she away？ No； no； no。 I cannot try that。’
He leaned against the chimney…piece； brooding so long that I
could not decide whether to run the risk of disturbing him by
going； or to remain quietly where I was； until he should come out
of his reverie。 At length he aroused himself； and looked about the
room until his eyes encountered mine。
‘Stay with us； Trotwood； eh？’ he said in his usual manner； and
as if he were answering something I had just said。 ‘I am glad of it。
You are company to us both。 It is wholesome to have you here。
Wholesome for me； wholesome for Agnes； wholesome perhaps for
all of us。’
‘I am sure it is for me； sir；’ I said。 ‘I am so glad to be here。’
‘That’s a fine fellow！’ said Mr。 Wickfield。 ‘As long as you are
glad to be here； you shall stay here。’ He shook hands with me upon
it； and clapped me on the back； and told me that when I had
anything to do at night after Agnes had left us； or when I wished to
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
read for my own pleasure； I was free to come down to his room； if
he were there and if I desired it for company’s sake； and to sit with
him。 I thanked him for his consideration； and； as he went down
soon afterwards； and I was not tired； went down too； with a book
in my hand； to avail myself； for half…an…hour； of his permission。
But； seeing a light in the little round office； and immediately
feeling myself attracted towards Uriah Heep； who had a sort of
fascination for me； I went in there instead。 I found Uriah reading a
great fat book； with such demonstrative attention； that his lank
forefinger followed up every line as he read； and made clammy
tracks along the page （or so I fully believed） like a snail。
‘You are working late tonight； Uriah；’ says I。
‘Yes； Master Copperfield；’ says Uriah。
As I was getting on the stool opposite； to talk to him more
conveniently； I observed that he had not such a thing as a smile
about him； and that he could only widen his mouth and make two
hard creases down his cheeks； one on each side； to stand for one。
‘I am not doing office…work； Master Copperfield；’ said Uriah。
‘What work； then？’ I asked。
‘I am improving my legal knowledge； Master Copperfield；’ said
Uriah。 ‘I am going through Tidd’s Practice。 Oh； what a writer Mr。
Tidd is； Master Copperfield！’
My stool was such a tower of observation； that as I watched him
reading on again； after this rapturous exclamation； and following
up the lines with his forefinger； I observed that his nostrils； which
were thin and pointed； with sharp dints in them； had a singular
and most uncomfortable way of expanding and contracting
themselves—that they seemed to twinkle instead of his eyes；
which hardly ever twinkled at all。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘I suppose you are quite a great lawyer？’ I said； after looking at
him for some time。
‘Me； Master Copperfield？’ said Uriah。 ‘Oh； no！ I’m a very umble
person。’
It was no fancy of mine about his hands； I observed； for he
frequently ground the palms against each other as if to squeeze
them dry and warm； besides often wiping them； in a stealthy way；
on his pocket…handkerchief。
‘I am well aware that I am the umblest person going；’ said
Uriah Heep； modestly； ‘let the other be where he may。 My mother
is likewise a very umble person。 We live in a numble abode；
Master Copperfield； but have much to be thankful for。 My father’s
former calling was umble。 He was a sexton。’
‘What is he now？’ I asked。
‘He is a partaker of glory at present； Master Copperfield；’ said
Uriah Heep。 ‘But we have much to be thankful for。 How much
have I to be thankful for in living with Mr。 Wickfield！’
I asked Uriah if he had been with Mr。 Wickfield long？
‘I have been with him； going on four year； Master Copperfield；’
said Uriah； shutting up his book； after carefully marking the place
where he had left off。 ‘Since a year after my father’s death。 How
much have I to be thankful for； in that！ How much have I to be
thankful for； in Mr。 Wickfield’s kind intention to give me my
articles； which would otherwise not lay within the umble means of
mother and self！’
‘Then； when your articled time is over； you’ll be a regular
lawyer； I suppose？’ said I。
‘With the blessing of Providence； Master Copperfield；’ returned
Uriah。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘Perhaps you’ll be a partner in Mr。 Wickfield’s business； one of
these days；’ I said； to make myself agreeable； ‘and it will be
Wickfield and Heep； or Heep late Wickfield。’
‘Oh no； Master Copperfield；’ returned Uriah； shaking his head；
‘I am much too umble for that！’
He certainly did look uncommonly like the carved face on the
beam outside my window； as he sat； in his humility； eyeing me
sideways； with his mouth widened； and the creases in his cheeks。
‘Mr。 Wickfield is a most excellent man； Master Copperfield；’
said Uriah。 ‘If you have known him long； you know it； I am sure；
much better than I can inform you。’
I replied that I was certain he was； but that I had not known
him long myself； though he was a friend of my aunt’s。
‘Oh； indeed； Master Copperfield；’ said Uriah。 ‘Your aunt is a
sweet lady； Master Coppe
