第 106 节
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不受约束 更新:2021-05-04 17:23 字数:9177
want of; into the road: which not only made it rank and sloppy; but
untidy too; on account of the cabbage…leaves。 The refuse was not
wholly vegetable either; for I myself saw a shoe; a doubled…up
saucepan; a black bonnet; and an umbrella; in various stages of
decomposition; as I was looking out for the number I wanted。
The general air of the place reminded me forcibly of the days
when I lived with Mr。 and Mrs。 Micawber。 An indescribable
character of faded gentility that attached to the house I sought;
and made it unlike all the other houses in the street—though they
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were all built on one monotonous pattern; and looked like the
early copies of a blundering boy who was learning to make houses;
and had not yet got out of his cramped brick…and…mortar
pothooks—reminded me still more of Mr。 and Mrs。 Micawber。
Happening to arrive at the door as it was opened to the afternoon
milkman; I was reminded of Mr。 and Mrs。 Micawber more forcibly
yet。
‘Now;’ said the milkman to a very youthful servant girl。 ‘Has
that there little bill of mine been heerd on?’
‘Oh; master says he’ll attend to it immediate;’ was the reply。
‘Because;’ said the milkman; going on as if he had received no
answer; and speaking; as I judged from his tone; rather for the
edification of somebody within the house; than of the youthful
servant—an impression which was strengthened by his manner of
glaring down the passage—‘because that there little bill has been
running so long; that I begin to believe it’s run away altogether;
and never won’t be heerd of。 Now; I’m not a going to stand it; you
know!’ said the milkman; still throwing his voice into the house;
and glaring down the passage。
As to his dealing in the mild article of milk; by the by; there
never was a greater anomaly。 His deportment would have been
fierce in a butcher or a brandy…merchant。
The voice of the youthful servant became faint; but she seemed
to me; from the action of her lips; again to murmur that it would
be attended to immediate。
‘I tell you what;’ said the milkman; looking hard at her for the
first time; and taking her by the chin; ‘are you fond of milk?’
‘Yes; I likes it;’ she replied。 ‘Good;’ said the milkman。 ‘Then you
won’t have none tomorrow。 D’ye hear? Not a fragment of milk you
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won’t have tomorrow。’
I thought she seemed; upon the whole; relieved by the prospect
of having any today。 The milkman; after shaking his head at her
darkly; released her chin; and with anything rather than good…will
opened his can; and deposited the usual quantity in the family jug。
This done; he went away; muttering; and uttered the cry of his
trade next door; in a vindictive shriek。
‘Does Mr。 Traddles live here?’ I then inquired。
A mysterious voice from the end of the passage replied ‘Yes。’
Upon which the youthful servant replied ‘Yes。’
‘Is he at home?’ said I。
Again the mysterious voice replied in the affirmative; and again
the servant echoed it。 Upon this; I walked in; and in pursuance of
the servant’s directions walked upstairs; conscious; as I passed the
back parlour…door; that I was surveyed by a mysterious eye;
probably belonging to the mysterious voice。
When I got to the top of the stairs—the house was only a story
high above the ground floor—Traddles was on the landing to meet
me。 He was delighted to see me; and gave me welcome; with great
heartiness; to his little room。 It was in the front of the house; and
extremely neat; though sparely furnished。 It was his only room; I
saw; for there was a sofa…bedstead in it; and his blacking…brushes
and blacking were among his books—on the top shelf; behind a
dictionary。 His table was covered with papers; and he was hard at
work in an old coat。 I looked at nothing; that I know of; but I saw
everything; even to the prospect of a church upon his china
inkstand; as I sat down—and this; too; was a faculty confirmed in
me in the old Micawber times。 Various ingenious arrangements he
had made; for the disguise of his chest of drawers; and the
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accommodation of his boots; his shaving…glass; and so forth;
particularly impressed themselves upon me; as evidences of the
same Traddles who used to make models of elephants’ dens in
writing…paper to put flies in; and to comfort himself under ill
usage; with the memorable works of art I have so often mentioned。
In a corner of the room was something neatly covered up with a
large white cloth。 I could not make out what that was。
‘Traddles;’ said I; shaking hands with him again; after I had sat
down; ‘I am delighted to see you。’
‘I am delighted to see you; Copperfield;’ he returned。 ‘I am very
glad indeed to see you。 It was because I was thoroughly glad to see
you when we met in Ely Place; and was sure you were thoroughly
glad to see me; that I gave you this address instead of my address
at chambers。’
‘Oh! You have chambers?’ said I。
‘Why; I have the fourth of a room and a passage; and the fourth
of a clerk;’ returned Traddles。 ‘Three others and myself unite to
have a set of chambers—to look business…like—and we quarter the
clerk too。 Half…a…crown a week he costs me。’
His old simple character and good temper; and something of his
old unlucky fortune also; I thought; smiled at me in the smile with
which he made this explanation。
‘It’s not because I have the least pride; Copperfield; you
understand;’ said Traddles; ‘that I don’t usually give my address
here。 It’s only on account of those who come to me; who might not
like to come here。 For myself; I am fighting my way on in the
world against difficulties; and it would be ridiculous if I made a
pretence of doing anything else。’
‘You are reading for the bar; Mr。 Waterbrook informed me?’
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said I。
‘Why; yes;’ said Traddles; rubbing his hands slowly over one
another。 ‘I am reading for the bar。 The fact is; I have just begun to
keep my terms; after rather a long delay。 It’s some time since I was
articled; but the payment of that hundred pounds was a great pull。
A great pull!’ said Traddles; with a wince; as if he had had a tooth
out。
‘Do you know what I can’t help thinking of; Traddles; as I sit
here looking at you?’ I asked him。
‘No;’ said he。
‘That sky…blue suit you used to wear。’
‘Lord; to be sure!’ cried Traddles; laughing。 ‘Tight in the arms
and legs; you know? Dear me! Well! Those were happy times;
weren’t they?’
‘I think our schoolmaster might have made them happier;
without doing any harm to any of us; I acknowledge;’ I returned。
‘Perhaps he might;’ said Traddles。 ‘But dear me; there was a
good deal of fun going on。 Do you remember the nights in the
bedroom? When we used to have the suppers? And when you
used to tell the stories? Ha; ha; ha! And do you remember when I
got caned for crying about Mr。 Mell? Old Creakle! I should like to
see him again; too!’
‘He was a brute to you; Traddles;’ said I; indignantly; for his
good humour made me feel as if I had seen him beaten but
yesterday。
‘Do you think so?’ returned Traddles。 ‘Really? Perhaps he was
rather。 But it’s all over; a long while。 Old Creakle!’
‘You were brought up by an uncle; then?’ said I。
‘Of course I was!’ said Traddles。 ‘The one I was always going to
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write to。 And always didn’t; eh! Ha; ha; ha! Yes; I had an uncle
then。 He died soon after I left school。’
‘Indeed!’
‘Yes。 He was a retired—what do you call it!—draper—clothmerchant—and had made me his heir。 But he didn’t like me when
I grew up。’
‘Do you really mean that?’ said I。 He was so composed; that I
fancied he must have some other meaning。
‘Oh dear; yes; Copperfield! I mean it;’ replied Traddles。 ‘It was
an unfortunate thing; but he didn’t like me at all。 He said I wasn’t
at all what he expected; and so he married his housekeeper。’
‘And what did you do?’ I asked。
‘I didn’t do anything in particular;’ said Traddles。 ‘I lived with
them; waiting to be put out in the world; until his gout
unfortunately flew to his stomach—and so he died; and so she
married a young man; and so I wasn’t provided for。’
‘Did you get nothing; Traddles; after all?’
‘Oh dear; yes!’ said Traddles。 ‘I got fifty pounds。 I had never
been brought up to any profession; and at first I was at a loss what
to do for myself。 However; I began; with the assistance of the son
of a professional man; who had been to Salem House—Yawler;
with his nose on one side。 Do you recollect him?’
No。 He had not been there with me; all the noses were straight
in my day。
‘It don’t matter;’ said Traddles。 ‘I began; by means of his
assistance; to copy law writings。 That didn’t answer very well; and
then I beg