第 69 节
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about him。
‘I have discovered my friend Copperfield;’ said Mr。 Micawber
genteelly; and without addressing himself particularly to anyone;
‘not in solitude; but partaking of a social meal in company with a
widow lady; and one who is apparently her offspring—in short;’
said Mr。 Micawber; in another of his bursts of confidence; ‘her son。
I shall esteem it an honour to be presented。’
I could do no less; under these circumstances; than make Mr。
Micawber known to Uriah Heep and his mother; which I
accordingly did。 As they abased themselves before him; Mr。
Micawber took a seat; and waved his hand in his most courtly
manner。
‘Any friend of my friend Copperfield’s;’ said Mr。 Micawber; ‘has
a personal claim upon myself。’
‘We are too umble; sir;’ said Mrs。 Heep; ‘my son and me; to be
the friends of Master Copperfield。 He has been so good as take his
tea with us; and we are thankful to him for his company; also to
you; sir; for your notice。’
‘Ma’am;’ returned Mr。 Micawber; with a bow; ‘you are very
obliging: and what are you doing; Copperfield? Still in the wine
trade?’ I was excessively anxious to get Mr。 Micawber away; and
replied; with my hat in my hand; and a very red face; I have no
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
doubt; that I was a pupil at Doctor Strong’s。
‘A pupil?’ said Mr。 Micawber; raising his eyebrows。 ‘I am
extremely happy to hear it。 Although a mind like my friend
Copperfield’s’—to Uriah and Mrs。 Heep—‘does not require that
cultivation which; without his knowledge of men and things; it
would require; still it is a rich soil teeming with latent vegetation—
in short;’ said Mr。 Micawber; smiling; in another burst of
confidence; ‘it is an intellect capable of getting up the classics to
any extent。’
Uriah; with his long hands slowly twining over one another;
made a ghastly writhe from the waist upwards; to express his
concurrence in this estimation of me。
‘Shall we go and see Mrs。 Micawber; sir?’ I said; to get Mr。
Micawber away。
‘If you will do her that favour; Copperfield;’ replied Mr。
Micawber; rising。 ‘I have no scruple in saying; in the presence of
our friends here; that I am a man who has; for some years;
contended against the pressure of pecuniary difficulties。’ I knew
he was certain to say something of this kind; he always would be
so boastful about his difficulties。 ‘Sometimes I have risen superior
to my difficulties。 Sometimes my difficulties have—in short; have
floored me。 There have been times when I have administered a
succession of facers to them; there have been times when they
have been too many for me; and I have given in; and said to Mrs。
Micawber; in the words of Cato; “Plato; thou reasonest well。 It’s all
up now。 I can show fight no more。” But at no time of my life;’ said
Mr。 Micawber; ‘have I enjoyed a higher degree of satisfaction than
in pouring my griefs (if I may describe difficulties; chiefly arising
out of warrants of attorney and promissory notes at two and four
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David Copperfield
months; by that word) into the bosom of my friend Copperfield。’
Mr。 Micawber closed this handsome tribute by saying; ‘Mr。
Heep! Good evening。 Mrs。 Heep! Your servant;’ and then walking
out with me in his most fashionable manner; making a good deal
of noise on the pavement with his shoes; and humming a tune as
we went。
It was a little inn where Mr。 Micawber put up; and he occupied
a little room in it; partitioned off from the commercial room; and
strongly flavoured with tobacco…smoke。 I think it was over the
kitchen; because a warm greasy smell appeared to come up
through the chinks in the floor; and there was a flabby
perspiration on the walls。 I know it was near the bar; on account of
the smell of spirits and jingling of glasses。 Here; recumbent on a
small sofa; underneath a picture of a race…horse; with her head
close to the fire; and her feet pushing the mustard off the dumbwaiter at the other end of the room; was Mrs。 Micawber; to whom
Mr。 Micawber entered first; saying; ‘My dear; allow me to
introduce to you a pupil of Doctor Strong’s。’
I noticed; by the by; that although Mr。 Micawber was just as
much confused as ever about my age and standing; he always
remembered; as a genteel thing; that I was a pupil of Doctor
Strong’s。
Mrs。 Micawber was amazed; but very glad to see me。 I was very
glad to see her too; and; after an affectionate greeting on both
sides; sat down on the small sofa near her。
‘My dear;’ said Mr。 Micawber; ‘if you will mention to
Copperfield what our present position is; which I have no doubt he
will like to know; I will go and look at the paper the while; and see
whether anything turns up among the advertisements。’
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David Copperfield
‘I thought you were at Plymouth; ma’am;’ I said to Mrs。
Micawber; as he went out。
‘My dear Master Copperfield;’ she replied; ‘we went to
Plymouth。’
‘To be on the spot;’ I hinted。
‘Just so;’ said Mrs。 Micawber。 ‘To be on the spot。 But; the truth
is; talent is not wanted in the Custom House。 The local influence of
my family was quite unavailing to obtain any employment in that
department; for a man of Mr。 Micawber’s abilities。 They would
rather not have a man of Mr。 Micawber’s abilities。 He would only
show the deficiency of the others。 Apart from which;’ said Mrs。
Micawber; ‘I will not disguise from you; my dear Master
Copperfield; that when that branch of my family which is settled in
Plymouth; became aware that Mr。 Micawber was accompanied by
myself; and by little Wilkins and his sister; and by the twins; they
did not receive him with that ardour which he might have
expected; being so newly released from captivity。 In fact;’ said
Mrs。 Micawber; lowering her voice;—‘this is between ourselves—
our reception was cool。’
‘Dear me!’ I said。
‘Yes;’ said Mrs。 Micawber。 ‘It is truly painful to contemplate
mankind in such an aspect; Master Copperfield; but our reception
was; decidedly; cool。 There is no doubt about it。 In fact; that
branch of my family which is settled in Plymouth became quite
personal to Mr。 Micawber; before we had been there a week。’
I said; and thought; that they ought to be ashamed of
themselves。
‘Still; so it was;’ continued Mrs。 Micawber。 ‘Under such
circumstances; what could a man of Mr。 Micawber’s spirit do? But
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David Copperfield
one obvious course was left。 To borrow; of that branch of my
family; the money to return to London; and to return at any
sacrifice。’
‘Then you all came back again; ma’am?’ I said。
‘We all came back again;’ replied Mrs。 Micawber。 ‘Since then; I
have consulted other branches of my family on the course which it
is most expedient for Mr。 Micawber to take—for I maintain that he
must take some course; Master Copperfield;’ said Mrs。 Micawber;
argumentatively。 ‘It is clear that a family of six; not including a
domestic; cannot live upon air。’
‘Certainly; ma’am;’ said I。
‘The opinion of those other branches of my family;’ pursued
Mrs。 Micawber; ‘is; that Mr。 Micawber should immediately turn
his attention to coals。’
‘To what; ma’am?’
‘To coals;’ said Mrs。 Micawber。 ‘To the coal trade。 Mr。 Micawber
was induced to think; on inquiry; that there might be an opening
for a man of his talent in the Medway Coal Trade。 Then; as Mr。
Micawber very properly said; the first step to be taken clearly was;
to come and see the Medway。 Which we came and saw。 I say “we”;
Master Copperfield; for I never will;’ said Mrs。 Micawber with
emotion; ‘I never will desert Mr。 Micawber。’
I murmured my admiration and approbation。
‘We came;’ repeated Mrs。 Micawber; ‘and saw the Medway。 My
opinion of the coal trade on that river is; that it may require talent;
but that it certainly requires capital。 Talent; Mr。 Micawber has;
capital; Mr。 Micawber has not。 We saw; I think; the greater part of
the Medway; and that is my individual conclusion。 Being so near
here; Mr。 Micawber was of opinion that it would be rash not to
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David Copperfield
come on; and see the Cathedral。 Firstly; on account of its being so
well worth seeing; and our never having seen it; and secondly; on
account of the great probability of something turning up in a
cathedral town。 We have been here;’ said Mrs。 Micawber; ‘three
days。 Nothing has; as yet; turned up; and it may not surprise you;
my dear Master Copperfield; so much as it would a stranger; to
know that we are at present waiting for a remittance from London;
to discharge our pecuniary obligations at this hotel。 Until the
arrival of that remittance;’ said Mrs。 Micawber with much feeling;
‘I am cut off from my home (I allude to lodgings in Pentonville);
from my boy and girl; and from my twins。’
I felt the utmost sympathy for Mr。 and Mrs。 Micawber in this
anxious extremity; and sa