david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第68节

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‘Oh；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　said；　with　an　air　of　self…denial；　‘my　
reading　is　hardly　to　be　called　study。　I　have　passed　an　hour　or　two　
in　the　evening；　sometimes；　with　Mr。　Tidd。’　

‘Rather　hard；　I　suppose？’　said　I。　‘He　is　hard　to　me　sometimes；’　
returned　Uriah。　‘But　I　don’t　know　what　he　might　be　to　a　gifted　
person。’　

After　beating　a　little　tune　on　his　chin　as　he　walked　on；　with　the　
two　forefingers　of　his　skeleton　right　hand；　he　added：　

‘There　are　expressions；　you　see；　Master　Copperfield—Latin　
words　and　terms—in　Mr。　Tidd；　that　are　trying　to　a　reader　of　my　
umble　attainments。’　

‘Would　you　like　to　be　taught　Latin？’　I　said　briskly。　‘I　will　teach　it　
you　with　pleasure；　as　I　learn　it。’　

‘Oh；　thank　you；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　answered；　shaking　his　
head。　‘I　am　sure　it’s　very　kind　of　you　to　make　the　offer；　but　I　am　
much　too　umble　to　accept　it。’　

‘What　nonsense；　Uriah！’　

‘Oh；　indeed　you　must　excuse　me；　Master　Copperfield！　I　am　
greatly　obliged；　and　I　should　like　it　of　all　things；　I　assure　you；　but　I　
am　far　too　umble。　There　are　people　enough　to　tread　upon　me　in　
my　lowly　state；　without　my　doing　outrage　to　their　feelings　by　

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David　Copperfield　

possessing　learning。　Learning　ain’t　for　me。　A　person　like　myself　
had　better　not　aspire。　If　he　is　to　get　on　in　life；　he　must　get　on　
umbly；　Master　Copperfield！’　

I　never　saw　his　mouth　so　wide；　or　the　creases　in　his　cheeks　so　
deep；　as　when　he　delivered　himself　of　these　sentiments：　shaking　
his　head　all　the　time；　and　writhing　modestly。　

‘I　think　you　are　wrong；　Uriah；’　I　said。　‘I　dare　say　there　are　
several　things　that　I　could　teach　you；　if　you　would　like　to　learn　
them。’　

‘Oh；　I　don’t　doubt　that；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　answered；　‘not　
in　the　least。　But　not　being　umble　yourself；　you　don’t　judge　well；　
perhaps；　for　them　that　are。　I　won’t　provoke　my　betters　with　
knowledge；　thank　you。　I’m　much　too　umble。　Here　is　my　umble　
dwelling；　Master　Copperfield！’　

We　entered　a　low；　old…fashioned　room；　walked　straight　into　
from　the　street；　and　found　there　Mrs。　Heep；　who　was　the　dead　
image　of　Uriah；　only　short。　She　received　me　with　the　utmost　
humility；　and　apologized　to　me　for　giving　her　son　a　kiss；　observing　
that；　lowly　as　they　were；　they　had　their　natural　affections；　which　
they　hoped　would　give　no　offence　to　anyone。　It　was　a　perfectly　
decent　room；　half　parlour　and　half　kitchen；　but　not　at　all　a　snug　
room。　The　tea…things　were　set　upon　the　table；　and　the　kettle　was　
boiling　on　the　hob。　There　was　a　chest　of　drawers　with　an　escritoire　
top；　for　Uriah　to　read　or　write　at　of　an　evening；　there　was　Uriah’s　
blue　bag　lying　down　and　vomiting　papers；　there　was　a　company　of　
Uriah’s　books　commanded　by　Mr。　Tidd；　there　was　a　corner　
cupboard：　and　there　were　the　usual　articles　of　furniture。　I　don’t　
remember　that　any　individual　object　had　a　bare；　pinched；　spare　
look；　but　I　do　remember　that　the　whole　place　had。　

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David　Copperfield　

It　was　perhaps　a　part　of　Mrs。　Heep’s　humility；　that　she　still　wore　
weeds。　Notwithstanding　the　lapse　of　time　that　had　occurred　since　
Mr。　Heep’s　decease；　she　still　wore　weeds。　I　think　there　was　some　
compromise　in　the　cap；　but　otherwise　she　was　as　weedy　as　in　the　
early　days　of　her　mourning。　

‘This　is　a　day　to　be　remembered；　my　Uriah；　I　am　sure；’　said　Mrs。　
Heep；　making　the　tea；　‘when　Master　Copperfield　pays　us　a　visit。’　

‘I　said　you’d　think　so；　mother；’　said　Uriah。　

‘If　I　could　have　wished　father　to　remain　among　us　for　any　
reason；’　said　Mrs。　Heep；　‘it　would　have　been；　that　he　might　have　
known　his　company　this　afternoon。’　

I　felt　embarrassed　by　these　compliments；　but　I　was　sensible；　
too；　of　being　entertained　as　an　honoured　guest；　and　I　thought　Mrs。　
Heep　an　agreeable　woman。　

‘My　Uriah；’　said　Mrs。　Heep；　‘has　looked　forward　to　this；　sir；　a　
long　while。　He　had　his　fears　that　our　umbleness　stood　in　the　way；　
and　I　joined　in　them　myself。　Umble　we　are；　umble　we　have　been；　
umble　we　shall　ever　be；’　said　Mrs。　Heep。　

‘I　am　sure　you　have　no　occasion　to　be　so；　ma’am；’　I　said；　‘unless　
you　like。’　

‘Thank　you；　sir；’　retorted　Mrs。　Heep。　‘We　know　our　station　and　
are　thankful　in　it。’　

I　found　that　Mrs。　Heep　gradually　got　nearer　to　me；　and　that　
Uriah　gradually　got　opposite　to　me；　and　that　they　respectfully　
plied　me　with　the　choicest　of　the　eatables　on　the　table。　There　was　
nothing　particularly　choice　there；　to　be　sure；　but　I　took　the　will　for　
the　deed；　and　felt　that　they　were　very　attentive。　Presently　they　
began　to　talk　about　aunts；　and　then　I　told　them　about　mine；　and　
about　fathers　and　mothers；　and　then　I　told　them　about　mine；　and　

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David　Copperfield　

then　Mrs。　Heep　began　to　talk　about　fathers…in…law；　and　then　I　
began　to　tell　her　about　mine—but　stopped；　because　my　aunt　had　
advised　me　to　observe　a　silence　on　that　subject。　A　tender　young　
cork；　however；　would　have　had　no　more　chance　against　a　pair　of　
corkscrews；　or　a　tender　young　tooth　against　a　pair　of　dentists；　or　a　
little　shuttlecock　against　two　battledores；　than　I　had　against　Uriah　
and　Mrs。　Heep。　They　did　just　what　they　liked　with　me；　and　
wormed　things　out　of　me　that　I　had　no　desire　to　tell；　with　a　
certainty　I　blush　to　think　of。　the　more　especially；　as　in　my　juvenile　
frankness；　I　took　some　credit　to　myself　for　being　so　confidential　
and　felt　that　I　was　quite　the　patron　of　my　two　respectful　
entertainers。　

They　were　very　fond　of　one　another：　that　was　certain。　I　take　it；　
that　had　its　effect　upon　me；　as　a　touch　of　nature；　but　the　skill　with　
which　the　one　followed　up　whatever　the　other　said；　was　a　touch　of　
art　which　I　was　still　less　proof　against。　When　there　was　nothing　
more　to　be　got　out　of　me　about　myself　（for　on　the　Murdstone　and　
Grinby　life；　and　on　my　journey；　I　was　dumb）；　they　began　about　Mr。　
Wickfield　and　Agnes。　Uriah　threw　the　ball　to　Mrs。　Heep；　Mrs。　
Heep　caught　it　and　threw　it　back　to　Uriah；　Uriah　kept　it　up　a　little　
while；　then　sent　it　back　to　Mrs。　Heep；　and　so　they　went　on　tossing　
it　about　until　I　had　no　idea　who　had　got　it；　and　was　quite　
bewildered。　The　ball　itself　was　always　changing　too。　Now　it　was　
Mr。　Wickfield；　now　Agnes；　now　the　excellence　of　Mr。　Wickfield；　
now　my　admiration　of　Agnes；　now　the　extent　of　Mr。　Wickfield’s　
business　and　resources；　now　our　domestic　life　after　dinner；　now；　
the　wine　that　Mr。　Wickfield　took；　the　reason　why　he　took　it；　and　
the　pity　that　it　was　he　took　so　much；　now　one　thing；　now　another；　
then　everything　at　once；　and　all　the　time；　without　appearing　to　

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speak　very　often；　or　to　do　anything　but　sometimes　encourage　them　
a　little；　for　fear　they　should　be　overcome　by　their　humility　and　the　
honour　of　my　company；　I　found　myself　perpetually　letting　out　
something　or　other　that　I　had　no　business　to　let　out　and　seeing　the　
effect　of　it　in　the　twinkling　of　Uriah’s　dinted　nostrils。　

I　had　begun　to　be　a　little　uncomfortable；　and　to　wish　myself　well　
out　of　the　visit；　when　a　figure　coming　down　the　street　passed　the　
door—it　stood　open　to　air　the　room；　which　was　warm；　the　weather　
being　close　for　the　time　of　year—came　back　again；　looked　in；　and　
walked　in；　exclaiming　loudly；　‘Copperfield！　Is　it　possible？’　

It　was　Mr。　Micawber！　It　was　Mr。　Micawber；　with　his　eye…glass；　
and　his　walking…stick；　and　his　shirt…collar；　and　his　genteel　air；　and　
the　condescending　roll　in　his　voice；　all　complete！　

‘My　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　putting　out　his　hand；　
‘this　is　indeed　a　meeting　which　is　calculated　to　impress　the　mind　
with　a　sense　of　the　instability　and　uncertainty　of　all　human—in　
short；　it　is　a　most　extraordinary　meeting。　Walking　along　the　street；　
reflecting　upon　the　probability　of　something　turning　up　（of　which　I　
am　at　present　rather　sanguine）；　I　find　a　young　but　valued　friend　
turn　up；　who　is　connected　with　the　most　eventful　period　of　my　life；　
I　may　say；　with　the　turning…point　of　my　existence。　Copperfield；　my　
dear　fellow；　how　do　you　do？’　

I　cannot　say—I　really　cannot　say—that　I　was　glad　to　see　Mr。　
Micawber　there；　but　I　was　glad　to　see　him　too；　and　shook　hands　
with　him；　heartily；　inquiring　how　Mrs。　Micawber　was。　

‘Thank　you；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　waving　his　hand　as　of　old；　and　
settling　his　chin　in　his　shirt…collar。　‘She　is　tolerably　convalescent。　
The　twins　no　longer　derive　their　sustenance　from　Nature’s　
founts—in　short；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　in　one　of　his　bursts　of　

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David　Copperfield　

confidence；　‘they　are　weaned—and　Mrs。　Micawber　is；　at　present；　
my　travelling　companion。　She　will　be　rejoiced；　Copperfield；　to　
renew　her　acquaintance　with　one　who　has　proved　himself　in　all　
respects　a　worthy　minister　at　the　sacred　altar　of　friendship。’　

I　said　I　should　be　delighted　to　see　her。　

‘You　are　very　good；’　said　Mr。　Micawber。　

Mr。　Micawber　then　smiled；　settled　his　chin　again；　and　looked　
about　him。　

‘I　have　discovered　my　friend　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber　
genteelly；　and