第 53 节
作者:不受约束      更新:2021-05-04 17:23      字数:9220
  to attend to my story; which she elicited from me; gradually; by a
  course of questions。 During my recital; she kept her eyes on Mr。
  Dick; who I thought would have gone to sleep but for that; and
  who; whensoever he lapsed into a smile; was checked by a frown
  from my aunt。
  ‘Whatever possessed that poor unfortunate Baby; that she must
  go and be married again;’ said my aunt; when I had finished; ‘I
  can’t conceive。’
  ‘Perhaps she fell in love with her second husband;’ Mr。 Dick
  suggested。
  ‘Fell in love!’ repeated my aunt。 ‘What do you mean? What
  business had she to do it?’
  ‘Perhaps;’ Mr。 Dick simpered; after thinking a little; ‘she did it
  for pleasure。’
  ‘Pleasure; indeed!’ replied my aunt。 ‘A mighty pleasure for the
  poor Baby to fix her simple faith upon any dog of a fellow; certain
  to ill…use her in some way or other。 What did she propose to
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  David Copperfield
  herself; I should like to know! She had had one husband。 She had
  seen David Copperfield out of the world; who was always running
  after wax dolls from his cradle。 She had got a baby—oh; there
  were a pair of babies when she gave birth to this child sitting here;
  that Friday night!—and what more did she want?’
  Mr。 Dick secretly shook his head at me; as if he thought there
  was no getting over this。
  ‘She couldn’t even have a baby like anybody else;’ said my aunt。
  ‘Where was this child’s sister; Betsey Trotwood? Not forthcoming。
  Don’t tell me!’
  Mr。 Dick seemed quite frightened。
  ‘That little man of a doctor; with his head on one side;’ said my
  aunt; ‘Jellips; or whatever his name was; what was he about? All
  he could do; was to say to me; like a robin redbreast—as he is—
  “It’s a boy。” A boy! Yah; the imbecility of the whole set of ’em!’
  The heartiness of the ejaculation startled Mr。 Dick exceedingly;
  and me; too; if I am to tell the truth。
  ‘And then; as if this was not enough; and she had not stood
  sufficiently in the light of this child’s sister; Betsey Trotwood;’ said
  my aunt; ‘she marries a second time—goes and marries a
  Murderer—or a man with a name like it—and stands in this child’s
  light! And the natural consequence is; as anybody but a baby
  might have foreseen; that he prowls and wanders。 He’s as like
  Cain before he was grown up; as he can be。’
  Mr。 Dick looked hard at me; as if to identify me in this
  character。
  ‘And then there’s that woman with the Pagan name;’ said my
  aunt; ‘that Peggotty; she goes and gets married next。 Because she
  has not seen enough of the evil attending such things; she goes and
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  gets married next; as the child relates。 I only hope;’ said my aunt;
  shaking her head; ‘that her husband is one of those Poker
  husbands who abound in the newspapers; and will beat her well
  with one。’
  I could not bear to hear my old nurse so decried; and made the
  subject of such a wish。 I told my aunt that indeed she was
  mistaken。 That Peggotty was the best; the truest; the most faithful;
  most devoted; and most self…denying friend and servant in the
  world; who had ever loved me dearly; who had ever loved my
  mother dearly; who had held my mother’s dying head upon her
  arm; on whose face my mother had imprinted her last grateful
  kiss。 And my remembrance of them both; choking me; I broke
  down as I was trying to say that her home was my home; and that
  all she had was mine; and that I would have gone to her for
  shelter; but for her humble station; which made me fear that I
  might bring some trouble on her—I broke down; I say; as I was
  trying to say so; and laid my face in my hands upon the table。
  ‘Well; well!’ said my aunt; ‘the child is right to stand by those
  who have stood by him—Janet! Donkeys!’
  I thoroughly believe that but for those unfortunate donkeys; we
  should have come to a good understanding; for my aunt had laid
  her hand on my shoulder; and the impulse was upon me; thus
  emboldened; to embrace her and beseech her protection。 But the
  interruption; and the disorder she was thrown into by the struggle
  outside; put an end to all softer ideas for the present; and kept my
  aunt indignantly declaiming to Mr。 Dick about her determination
  to appeal for redress to the laws of her country; and to bring
  actions for trespass against the whole donkey proprietorship of
  Dover; until tea…time。
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  After tea; we sat at the window—on the look…out; as I imagined;
  from my aunt’s sharp expression of face; for more invaders—until
  dusk; when Janet set candles; and a backgammon…board; on the
  table; and pulled down the blinds。
  ‘Now; Mr。 Dick;’ said my aunt; with her grave look; and her
  forefinger up as before; ‘I am going to ask you another question。
  Look at this child。’
  ‘David’s son?’ said Mr。 Dick; with an attentive; puzzled face。
  ‘Exactly so;’ returned my aunt。 ‘What would you do with him;
  now?’
  ‘Do with David’s son?’ said Mr。 Dick。
  ‘Ay;’ replied my aunt; ‘with David’s son。’
  ‘Oh!’ said Mr。 Dick。 ‘Yes。 Do with—I should put him to bed。’
  ‘Janet!’ cried my aunt; with the same complacent triumph that I
  had remarked before。 ‘Mr。 Dick sets us all right。 If the bed is
  ready; we’ll take him up to it。’
  Janet reporting it to be quite ready; I was taken up to it; kindly;
  but in some sort like a prisoner; my aunt going in front and Janet
  bringing up the rear。 The only circumstance which gave me any
  new hope; was my aunt’s stopping on the stairs to inquire about a
  smell of fire that was prevalent there; and janet’s replying that she
  had been making tinder down in the kitchen; of my old shirt。 But
  there were no other clothes in my room than the odd heap of
  things I wore; and when I was left there; with a little taper which
  my aunt forewarned me would burn exactly five minutes; I heard
  them lock my door on the outside。 Turning these things over in my
  mind I deemed it possible that my aunt; who could know nothing
  of me; might suspect I had a habit of running away; and took
  precautions; on that account; to have me in safe keeping。
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  David Copperfield
  The room was a pleasant one; at the top of the house;
  overlooking the sea; on which the moon was shining brilliantly。
  After I had said my prayers; and the candle had burnt out; I
  remember how I still sat looking at the moonlight on the water; as
  if I could hope to read my fortune in it; as in a bright book; or to
  see my mother with her child; coming from Heaven; along that
  shining path; to look upon me as she had looked when I last saw
  her sweet face。 I remember how the solemn feeling with which at
  length I turned my eyes away; yielded to the sensation of gratitude
  and rest which the sight of the white…curtained bed—and how
  much more the lying softly down upon it; nestling in the snow…
  white sheets!—inspired。 I remember how I thought of all the
  solitary places under the night sky where I had slept; and how I
  prayed that I never might be houseless any more; and never might
  forget the houseless。 I remember how I seemed to float; then;
  down the melancholy glory of that track upon the sea; away into
  the world of dreams。
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  David Copperfield
  Chapter 14
  MY AUNT MAKES UP HER MIND ABOUT ME
  On going down in the morning; I found my aunt musing so
  profoundly over the breakfast table; with her elbow on
  the tray; that the contents of the urn had overflowed the
  teapot and were laying the whole table…cloth under water; when
  my entrance put her meditations to flight。 I felt sure that I had
  been the subject of her reflections; and was more than ever
  anxious to know her intentions towards me。 Yet I dared not
  express my anxiety; lest it should give her offence。
  My eyes; however; not being so much under control as my
  tongue; were attracted towards my aunt very often during
  breakfast。 I never could look at her for a few moments together
  but I found her looking at me—in an odd thoughtful manner; as if
  I were an immense way off; instead of being on the other side of
  the small round table。 When she had finished her breakfast; my
  aunt very deliberately leaned back in her chair; knitted her brows;
  folded her arms; and contemplated me at her leisure; with such a
  fixedness of attention that I was quite overpowered by
  embarrassment。 Not having as yet finished my own breakfast; I
  attempted to hide my confusion by proceeding with it; but my
  knife tumbled over my fork; my fork tripped up my knife; I
  chipped bits of bacon a surprising height into the air instead of
  cutting them for my own eating; and choked myself with my tea;
  which persisted in going the wrong way instead of the right one;
  until I gave in altogether; and sat blushing under my aunt’s close
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  scrutiny。
  ‘Hallo!’ said my aunt; after a long time。
  I looked up; and met her sharp bright glanc