david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第91节

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hundred　years　ago。　I　can　tell　you　best　what　he　is；　by　telling　you　
what　Doctors’　Commons　is。　It’s　a　little　out…of…the…way　place；　where　
they　administer　what　is　called　ecclesiastical　law；　and　play　all　kinds　

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of　tricks　with　obsolete　old　monsters　of　acts　of　Parliament；　which　
three…fourths　of　the　world　know　nothing　about；　and　the　other　
fourth　supposes　to　have　been　dug　up；　in　a　fossil　state；　in　the　days　
of　the　Edwards。　It’s　a　place　that　has　an　ancient　monopoly　in　suits　
about　people’s　wills　and　people’s　marriages；　and　disputes　among　
ships　and　boats。’　

‘Nonsense；　Steerforth！’　I　exclaimed。　‘You　don’t　mean　to　say　that　
there　is　any　affinity　between　nautical　matters　and　ecclesiastical　
matters？’　

‘I　don’t；　indeed；　my　dear　boy；’　he　returned；　‘but　I　mean　to　say　
that　they　are　managed　and　decided　by　the　same　set　of　people；　
down　in　that　same　Doctors’　Commons。　You　shall　go　there　one　day；　
and　find　them　blundering　through　half　the　nautical　terms　in　
Young’s　Dictionary；　apropos　of　the　“Nancy”　having　run　down　the　
“Sarah　Jane”；　or　Mr。　Peggotty　and　the　Yarmouth　boatmen　having　
put　off　in　a　gale　of　wind　with　an　anchor　and　cable　to　the　“Nelson”　
Indiaman　in　distress；　and　you　shall　go　there　another　day；　and　find　
them　deep　in　the　evidence；　pro　and　con；　respecting　a　clergyman　
who　has　misbehaved　himself；　and　you　shall　find　the　judge　in　the　
nautical　case；　the　advocate　in　the　clergyman’s　case；　or　
contrariwise。　They　are　like　actors：　now　a　man’s　a　judge；　and　now　
he　is　not　a　judge；　now　he’s　one　thing；　now　he’s　another；　now　he’s　
something　else；　change　and　change　about；　but　it’s　always　a　very　
pleasant；　profitable　little　affair　of　private　theatricals；　presented　to　
an　uncommonly　select　audience。’　

‘But　advocates　and　proctors　are　not　one　and　the　same？’　said　I；　a　
little　puzzled。　‘Are　they？’　

‘No；’　returned　Steerforth；　‘the　advocates　are　civilians—men　
who　have　taken　a　doctor’s　degree　at　college—which　is　the　first　

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reason　of　my　knowing　anything　about　it。　The　proctors　employ　the　
advocates。　Both　get　very　comfortable　fees；　and　altogether　they　
make　a　mighty　snug　little　party。　On　the　whole；　I　would　
recommend　you　to　take　to　Doctors’　Commons　kindly；　David。　They　
plume　themselves　on　their　gentility　there；　I　can　tell　you；　if　that’s　
any　satisfaction。’　

I　made　allowance　for　Steerforth’s　light　way　of　treating　the　
subject；　and；　considering　it　with　reference　to　the　staid　air　of　
gravity　and　antiquity　which　I　associated　with　that　‘lazy　old　nook　
near　St。　Paul’s　Churchyard’；　did　not　feel　indisposed　towards　my　
aunt’s　suggestion；　which　she　left　to　my　free　decision；　making　no　
scruple　of　telling　me　that　it　had　occurred　to　her；　on　her　lately　
visiting　her　own　proctor　in　Doctors’　Commons　for　the　purpose　of　
settling　her　will　in　my　favour。　

‘That’s　a　laudable　proceeding　on　the　part　of　our　aunt；　at　all　
events；’　said　Steerforth；　when　I　mentioned　it；　‘and　one　deserving　
of　all　encouragement。　Daisy；　my　advice　is　that　you　take　kindly　to　
Doctors’　Commons。’　

I　quite　made　up　my　mind　to　do　so。　I　then　told　Steerforth　that　
my　aunt　was　in　town　awaiting　me　（as　I　found　from　her　letter）；　and　
that　she　had　taken　lodgings　for　a　week　at　a　kind　of　private　hotel　at　
Lincoln’s　Inn　Fields；　where　there　was　a　stone　staircase；　and　a　
convenient　door　in　the　roof；　my　aunt　being　firmly　persuaded　that　
every　house　in　London　was　going　to　be　burnt　down　every　night。　

We　achieved　the　rest　of　our　journey　pleasantly；　sometimes　
recurring　to　Doctors’　Commons；　and　anticipating　the　distant　days　
when　I　should　be　a　proctor　there；　which　Steerforth　pictured　in　a　
variety　of　humorous　and　whimsical　lights；　that　made　us　both　
merry。　When　we　came　to　our　journey’s　end；　he　went　home；　

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engaging　to　call　upon　me　next　day　but　one；　and　I　drove　to　
Lincoln’s　Inn　Fields；　where　I　found　my　aunt　up；　and　waiting　
supper。　

If　I　had　been　round　the　world　since　we　parted；　we　could　hardly　
have　been　better　pleased　to　meet　again。　My　aunt　cried　outright　as　
she　embraced　me；　and　said；　pretending　to　laugh；　that　if　my　poor　
mother　had　been　alive；　that　silly　little　creature　would　have　shed　
tears；　she　had　no　doubt。　

‘So　you　have　left　Mr。　Dick　behind；　aunt？’　said　I。　‘I　am　sorry　for　
that。　Ah；　Janet；　how　do　you　do？’　

As　Janet　curtsied；　hoping　I　was　well；　I　observed　my　aunt’s　
visage　lengthen　very　much。　

‘I　am　sorry　for　it；　too；’　said　my　aunt；　rubbing　her　nose。　‘I　have　
had　no　peace　of　mind；　Trot；　since　I　have　been　here。’　Before　I　could　
ask　why；　she　told　me。　

‘I　am　convinced；’　said　my　aunt；　laying　her　hand　with　
melancholy　firmness　on　the　table；　‘that　Dick’s　character　is　not　a　
character　to　keep　the　donkeys　off。　I　am　confident　he　wants　
strength　of　purpose。　I　ought　to　have　left　Janet　at　home；　instead；　
and　then　my　mind　might　perhaps　have　been　at　ease。　If　ever　there　
was　a　donkey　trespassing　on　my　green；’　said　my　aunt；　with　
emphasis；　‘there　was　one　this　afternoon　at　four　o’clock。　A　cold　
feeling　came　over　me　from　head　to　foot；　and　I　know　it　was　a　
donkey！’　

I　tried　to　comfort　her　on　this　point；　but　she　rejected　consolation。　

‘It　was　a　donkey；’　said　my　aunt；　‘and　it　was　the　one　with　the　
stumpy　tail　which　that　Murdering　sister　of　a　woman　rode；　when　
she　came　to　my　house。’　This　had　been；　ever　since；　the　only　name　
my　aunt　knew　for　Miss　Murdstone。　‘If　there　is　any　Donkey　in　

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Dover；　whose　audacity　it　is　harder　to　me　to　bear　than　another’s；　
that；’　said　my　aunt；　striking　the　table；　‘is　the　animal！’　

Janet　ventured　to　suggest　that　my　aunt　might　be　disturbing　
herself　unnecessarily；　and　that　she　believed　the　donkey　in　
question　was　then　engaged　in　the　sand…and…gravel　line　of　business；　
and　was　not　available　for　purposes　of　trespass。　But　my　aunt　
wouldn’t　hear　of　it。　

Supper　was　comfortably　served　and　hot；　though　my　aunt’s　
rooms　were　very　high　up—whether　that　she　might　have　more　
stone　stairs　for　her　money；　or　might　be　nearer　to　the　door　in　the　
roof；　I　don’t　know—and　consisted　of　a　roast　fowl；　a　steak；　and　
some　vegetables；　to　all　of　which　I　did　ample　justice；　and　which　
were　all　excellent。　But　my　aunt　had　her　own　ideas　concerning　
London　provision；　and　ate　but　little。　

‘I　suppose　this　unfortunate　fowl　was　born　and　brought　up　in　a　
cellar；’　said　my　aunt；　‘and　never　took　the　air　except　on　a　hackney　
coach…stand。　I　hope　the　steak　may　be　beef；　but　I　don’t　believe　it。　
Nothing’s　genuine　in　the　place；　in　my　opinion；　but　the　dirt。’　

‘Don’t　you　think　the　fowl　may　have　come　out　of　the　country；　
aunt？’　I　hinted。　

‘Certainly　not；’　returned　my　aunt。　‘It　would　be　no　pleasure　to　a　
London　tradesman　to　sell　anything　which　was　what　he　pretended　
it　was。’　

I　did　not　venture　to　controvert　this　opinion；　but　I　made　a　good　
supper；　which　it　greatly　satisfied　her　to　see　me　do。　When　the　table　
was　cleared；　Janet　assisted　her　to　arrange　her　hair；　to　put　on　her　
nightcap；　which　was　of　a　smarter　construction　than　usual　（‘in　case　
of　fire’；　my　aunt　said）；　and　to　fold　her　gown　back　over　her　knees；　
these　being　her　usual　preparations　for　warming　herself　before　

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going　to　bed。　I　then　made　her；　according　to　certain　established　
regulations　from　which　no　deviation；　however　slight；　could　ever　be　
permitted；　a　glass　of　hot　wine　and　water；　and　a　slice　of　toast　cut　
into　long　thin　strips。　With　these　accompaniments　we　were　left　
alone　to　finish　the　evening；　my　aunt　sitting　opposite　to　me　
drinking　her　wine　and　water；　soaking　her　strips　of　toast　in　it；　one　
by　one；　before　eating　them；　and　looking　benignantly　on　me；　from　
among　the　borders　of　her　nightcap。　

‘Well；　Trot；’　she　began；　‘what　do　you　think　of　the　proctor　plan？　
Or　have　you　not　begun　to　think　about　it　yet？’　

‘I　have　thought　a　good　deal　about　it；　my　dear　aunt；　and　I　have　
talked　a　good　deal　about　it　with　Steerforth。　I　like　it　very　much　
indeed。　I　like　it　exceedingly。’　

‘Come！’　said　my　aunt。　‘That’s　cheering！’　

‘I　have　only　one　difficulty；　aunt。’　

‘Say　what　it　is；　Trot；’　she　returned。　

‘Why；　I　want　to　ask；　aunt；　as　this　seems；　from　what　I　
understand；　to　be　a　limited　profession；　whether　my　entrance　into　
it　would　not　be　very　expensive？’　

‘It　will　cost；’　returned　my　aunt；　‘to　article　you；　just　a　thousand　
pounds。’　

‘Now；　my　dear　aunt；’　said　I；　drawing　my　chair　nearer；　‘I　am　
uneasy　in　my　mind　about　that。　It’s　a　large　sum　of　money。　You　have　
expended　a　great　deal　on　my　education；　and　have　always　been　as　
liberal　to　me　in　all　things　as　it　was　possible　to　be。　You　have　been　
the　soul　of　generosity。　Surely　there　are　some　ways　in　which　I　
might　begin　life　with　hardly　any　outlay；　and　yet　begin　with　a　good　
hope　of　getting　on　by　resolution　and　exertion。　Are　you　sure　that　it　
would　not　be　better　to　try　that　course？　Are　you　certain　that　you　

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