第 18 节
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不受约束 更新:2021-05-04 17:22 字数:9181
came to a bad end; and then I got into the cart; and the lazy horse
walked off with it。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Chapter 5
I AM SENT AWAY FROM HOME
We might have gone about half a mile; and my pocket…
handkerchief was quite wet through; when the carrier
stopped short。 Looking out to ascertain for what; I saw;
to my amazement; Peggotty burst from a hedge and climb into the
cart。 She took me in both her arms; and squeezed me to her stays
until the pressure on my nose was extremely painful; though I
never thought of that till afterwards when I found it very tender。
Not a single word did Peggotty speak。 Releasing one of her arms;
she put it down in her pocket to the elbow; and brought out some
paper bags of cakes which she crammed into my pockets; and a
purse which she put into my hand; but not one word did she say。
After another and a final squeeze with both arms; she got down
from the cart and ran away; and; my belief is; and has always
been; without a solitary button on her gown。 I picked up one; of
several that were rolling about; and treasured it as a keepsake for
a long time。
The carrier looked at me; as if to inquire if she were coming
back。 I shook my head; and said I thought not。 ‘Then come up;’
said the carrier to the lazy horse; who came up accordingly。
Having by this time cried as much as I possibly could; I began
to think it was of no use crying any more; especially as neither
Roderick Random; nor that Captain in the Royal British Navy; had
ever cried; that I could remember; in trying situations。 The carrier;
seeing me in this resolution; proposed that my pocket…
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David Copperfield
handkerchief should be spread upon the horse’s back to dry。 I
thanked him; and assented; and particularly small it looked; under
those circumstances。
I had now leisure to examine the purse。 It was a stiff leather
purse; with a snap; and had three bright shillings in it; which
Peggotty had evidently polished up with whitening; for my greater
delight。 But its most precious contents were two half…crowns
folded together in a bit of paper; on which was written; in my
mother’s hand; ‘For Davy。 With my love。’ I was so overcome by
this; that I asked the carrier to be so good as to reach me my
pocket…handkerchief again; but he said he thought I had better do
without it; and I thought I really had; so I wiped my eyes on my
sleeve and stopped myself。
For good; too; though; in consequence of my previous emotions;
I was still occasionally seized with a stormy sob。 After we had
jogged on for some little time; I asked the carrier if he was going
all the way。
‘All the way where?’ inquired the carrier。
‘There;’ I said。
‘Where’s there?’ inquired the carrier。
‘Near London;’ I said。
‘Why that horse;’ said the carrier; jerking the rein to point him
out; ‘would be deader than pork afore he got over half the ground。’
‘Are you only going to Yarmouth then?’ I asked。
‘That’s about it;’ said the carrier。 ‘And there I shall take you to
the stage…cutch; and the stage…cutch that’ll take you to—wherever
it is。’
As this was a great deal for the carrier (whose name was Mr。
Barkis) to say—he being; as I observed in a former chapter; of a
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David Copperfield
phlegmatic temperament; and not at all conversational—I offered
him a cake as a mark of attention; which he ate at one gulp;
exactly like an elephant; and which made no more impression on
his big face than it would have done on an elephant’s。
‘Did she make ’em; now?’ said Mr。 Barkis; always leaning
forward; in his slouching way; on the footboard of the cart with an
arm on each knee。
‘Peggotty; do you mean; sir?’
‘Ah!’ said Mr。 Barkis。 ‘Her。’
‘Yes。 She makes all our pastry; and does all our cooking。’
‘Do she though?’ said Mr。 Barkis。 He made up his mouth as if to
whistle; but he didn’t whistle。 He sat looking at the horse’s ears; as
if he saw something new there; and sat so; for a considerable time。
By and by; he said:
‘No sweethearts; I b’lieve?’
‘Sweetmeats did you say; Mr。 Barkis?’ For I thought he wanted
something else to eat; and had pointedly alluded to that
description of refreshment。
‘Hearts;’ said Mr。 Barkis。 ‘Sweet hearts; no person walks with
her!’
‘With Peggotty?’
‘Ah!’ he said。 ‘Her。’
‘Oh; no。 She never had a sweetheart。’
‘Didn’t she; though!’ said Mr。 Barkis。
Again he made up his mouth to whistle; and again he didn’t
whistle; but sat looking at the horse’s ears。
‘So she makes;’ said Mr。 Barkis; after a long interval of
reflection; ‘all the apple parsties; and doos all the cooking; do she?’
I replied that such was the fact。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘Well。 I’ll tell you what;’ said Mr。 Barkis。 ‘P’raps you might be
writin’ to her?’
‘I shall certainly write to her;’ I rejoined。
‘Ah!’ he said; slowly turning his eyes towards me。 ‘Well! If you
was writin’ to her; p’raps you’d recollect to say that Barkis was
willin’; would you?’
‘That Barkis is willing;’ I repeated; innocently。 ‘Is that all the
message?’
‘Ye…es;’ he said; considering。 ‘Ye…es。 Barkis is willin’。’
‘But you will be at Blunderstone again tomorrow; Mr。 Barkis;’ I
said; faltering a little at the idea of my being far away from it then;
and could give your own message so much better。’
As he repudiated this suggestion; however; with a jerk of his
head; and once more confirmed his previous request by saying;
with profound gravity; ‘Barkis is willin’。 That’s the message;’ I
readily undertook its transmission。 While I was waiting for the
coach in the hotel at Yarmouth that very afternoon; I procured a
sheet of paper and an inkstand; and wrote a note to Peggotty;
which ran thus: ‘My dear Peggotty。 I have come here safe。 Barkis
is willing。 My love to mama。 Yours affectionately。 P。S。 He says he
particularly wants you to know—Barkis is willing。’
When I had taken this commission on myself prospectively; Mr。
Barkis relapsed into perfect silence; and I; feeling quite worn out
by all that had happened lately; lay down on a sack in the cart and
fell asleep。 I slept soundly until we got to Yarmouth; which was so
entirely new and strange to me in the inn…yard to which we drove;
that I at once abandoned a latent hope I had had of meeting with
some of Mr。 Peggotty’s family there; perhaps even with little Em’ly
herself。
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David Copperfield
The coach was in the yard; shining very much all over; but
without any horses to it as yet; and it looked in that state as if
nothing was more unlikely than its ever going to London。 I was
thinking this; and wondering what would ultimately become of my
box; which Mr。 Barkis had put down on the yard…pavement by the
pole (he having driven up the yard to turn his cart); and also what
would ultimately become of me; when a lady looked out of a bow…
window where some fowls and joints of meat were hanging up;
and said:
‘Is that the little gentleman from Blunderstone?’
‘Yes; ma’am;’ I said。
‘What name?’ inquired the lady。
‘Copperfield; ma’am;’ I said。
‘That won’t do;’ returned the lady。 ‘Nobody’s dinner is paid for
here; in that name。’
‘Is it Murdstone; ma’am?’ I said。
‘If you’re Master Murdstone;’ said the lady; ‘why do you go and
give another name; first?’
I explained to the lady how it was; who than rang a bell; and
called out; ‘William! show the coffee…room!’ upon which a waiter
came running out of a kitchen on the opposite side of the yard to
show it; and seemed a good deal surprised when he was only to
show it to me。
It was a large long room with some large maps in it。 I doubt if I
could have felt much stranger if the maps had been real foreign
countries; and I cast away in the middle of them。 I felt it was
taking a liberty to sit down; with my cap in my hand; on the corner
of the chair nearest the door; and when the waiter laid a cloth on
purpose for me; and put a set of castors on it; I think I must have
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David Copperfield
turned red all over with modesty。
He brought me some chops; and vegetables; and took the covers
off in such a bouncing manner that I was afraid I must have given
him some offence。 But he greatly relieved my mind by putting a
chair for me at the table; and saying; very affably; ‘Now; six…foot!
come on!’
I thanked him; and took my seat at the board; but found it
extremely difficult to handle my knife and fork with anything like
dexterity; or to avoid splashing myself with the gravy; while he
was standing opposite; staring so hard; and making me blush in
the most dreadful manner every time I caught his eye。 After
watching me into the second chop; he said:
‘There’s half a pint of ale for you。 Will you have it now?’
I thanked him and said;