david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第106章

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nothing　like　it　had　ever　been　known。　

Somehow；　as　I　wrote　to　Agnes　on　a　fine　evening　by　my　open　
window；　and　the　remembrance　of　her　clear　calm　eyes　and　gentle　
face　came　stealing　over　me；　it　shed　such　a　peaceful　influence　upon　
the　hurry　and　agitation　in　which　I　had　been　living　lately；　and　of　
which　my　very　happiness　partook　in　some　degree；　that　it　soothed　
me　into　tears。　I　remember　that　I　sat　resting　my　head　upon　my　
hand；　when　the　letter　was　half　done；　cherishing　a　general　fancy　as　
if　Agnes　were　one　of　the　elements　of　my　natural　home。　As　if；　in　the　
retirement　of　the　house　made　almost　sacred　to　me　by　her　
presence；　Dora　and　I　must　be　happier　than　anywhere。　As　if；　in　
love；　joy；　sorrow；　hope；　or　disappointment；　in　all　emotions；　my　
heart　turned　naturally　there；　and　found　its　refuge　and　best　friend。　

Of　Steerforth　I　said　nothing。　I　only　told　her　there　had　been　sad　
grief　at　Yarmouth；　on　account　of　Emily’s　flight；　and　that　on　me　it　
made　a　double　wound；　by　reason　of　the　circumstances　attending　
it。　I　knew　how　quick　she　always　was　to　divine　the　truth；　and　that　

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David　Copperfield　

she　would　never　be　the　first　to　breathe　his　name。　

To　this　letter；　I　received　an　answer　by　return　of　post。　As　I　read　
it；　I　seemed　to　hear　Agnes　speaking　to　me。　It　was　like　her　cordial　
voice　in　my　ears。　What　can　I　say　more！　

While　I　had　been　away　from　home　lately；　Traddles　had　called　
twice　or　thrice。　Finding　Peggotty　within；　and　being　informed　by　
Peggotty　（who　always　volunteered　that　information　to　
whomsoever　would　receive　it）；　that　she　was　my　old　nurse；　he　had　
established　a　good…humoured　acquaintance　with　her；　and　had　
stayed　to　have　a　little　chat　with　her　about　me。　So　Peggotty　said；　
but　I　am　afraid　the　chat　was　all　on　her　own　side；　and　of　
immoderate　length；　as　she　was　very　difficult　indeed　to　stop；　God　
bless　her！　when　she　had　me　for　her　theme。　

This　reminds　me；　not　only　that　I　expected　Traddles　on　a　certain　
afternoon　of　his　own　appointing；　which　was　now　come；　but　that　
Mrs。　Crupp　had　resigned　everything　appertaining　to　her　office　
（the　salary　excepted）　until　Peggotty　should　cease　to　present　
herself。　Mrs。　Crupp；　after　holding　divers　conversations　respecting　
Peggotty；　in　a　very　high…pitched　voice；　on　the　staircase—with　
some　invisible　Familiar　it　would　appear；　for　corporeally　speaking　
she　was　quite　alone　at　those　times—addressed　a　letter　to　me；　
developing　her　views。　Beginning　it　with　that　statement　of　
universal　application；　which　fitted　every　occurrence　of　her　life；　
namely；　that　she　was　a　mother　herself；　she　went　on　to　inform　me　
that　she　had　once　seen　very　different　days；　but　that　at　all　periods　
of　her　existence　she　had　had　a　constitutional　objection　to　spies；　
intruders；　and　informers。　She　named　no　names；　she　said；　let　them　
the　cap　fitted；　wear　it；　but　spies；　intruders；　and　informers；　
especially　in　widders’　weeds　（this　clause　was　underlined）；　she　had　

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ever　accustomed　herself　to　look　down　upon。　If　a　gentleman　was　
the　victim　of　spies；　intruders；　and　informers　（but　still　naming　no　
names）；　that　was　his　own　pleasure。　He　had　a　right　to　please　
himself；　so　let　him　do。　All　that　she；　Mrs。　Crupp；　stipulated　for；　
was；　that　she　should　not　be　‘brought　in　contract’　with　such　
persons。　Therefore　she　begged　to　be　excused　from　any　further　
attendance　on　the　top　set；　until　things　were　as　they　formerly　was；　
and　as　they　could　be　wished　to　be；　and　further　mentioned　that　her　
little　book　would　be　found　upon　the　breakfast…table　every　
Saturday　morning；　when　she　requested　an　immediate　settlement　
of　the　same；　with　the　benevolent　view　of　saving　trouble　‘and　an　illconwenience’　to　all　parties。　

After　this；　Mrs。　Crupp　confined　herself　to　making　pitfalls　on　the　
stairs；　principally　with　pitchers；　and　endeavouring　to　delude　
Peggotty　into　breaking　her　legs。　I　found　it　rather　harassing　to　live　
in　this　state　of　siege；　but　was　too　much　afraid　of　Mrs。　Crupp　to　see　
any　way　out　of　it。　

‘My　dear　Copperfield；’　cried　Traddles；　punctually　appearing　at　
my　door；　in　spite　of　all　these　obstacles；　‘how　do　you　do？’　

‘My　dear　Traddles；’　said　I；　‘I　am　delighted　to　see　you　at　last；　and　
very　sorry　I　have　not　been　at　home　before。　But　I　have　been　so　
much　engaged—’　

‘Yes；　yes；　I　know；’　said　Traddles；　‘of　course。　Yours　lives　in　
London；　I　think。’　

‘What　did　you　say？’　

‘She—excuse　me—Miss　D。；　you　know；’　said　Traddles；　colouring　
in　his　great　delicacy；　‘lives　in　London；　I　believe？’　

‘Oh　yes。　Near　London。’　

‘Mine；　perhaps　you　recollect；’　said　Traddles；　with　a　serious　look；　

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‘lives　down　in　Devonshire—one　of　ten。　Consequently；　I　am　not　so　

much　engaged　as　you—in　that　sense。’　

‘I　wonder　you　can　bear；’　I　returned；　‘to　see　her　so　seldom。’　

‘Hah！’　said　Traddles；　thoughtfully。　‘It　does　seem　a　wonder。　
suppose　it　is；　Copperfield；　because　there　is　no　help　for　it？’　

‘I　suppose　so；’　I　replied　with　a　smile；　and　not　without　a　blush。　
‘And　because　you　have　so　much　constancy　and　patience；　
Traddles。’　

‘Dear　me！’　said　Traddles；　considering　about　it；　‘do　I　strike　you　
in　that　way；　Copperfield？　Really　I　didn’t　know　that　I　had。　But　she　
is　such　an　extraordinarily　dear　girl　herself；　that　it’s　possible　she　
may　have　imparted　something　of　those　virtues　to　me。　Now　you　
mention　it；　Copperfield；　I　shouldn’t　wonder　at　all。　I　assure　you　she　
is　always　forgetting　herself；　and　taking　care　of　the　other　nine。’　

‘Is　she　the　eldest？’　I　inquired。　

‘Oh　dear；　no；’　said　Traddles。　‘The　eldest　is　a　Beauty。’　

He　saw；　I　suppose；　that　I　could　not　help　smiling　at　the　simplicity　
of　this　reply；　and　added；　with　a　smile　upon　his　own　ingenuous　
face：　

‘Not；　of　course；　but　that　my　Sophy—pretty　name；　Copperfield；　I　
always　think？’　

‘Very　pretty！’　said　I。　

‘Not；　of　course；　but　that　Sophy　is　beautiful　too　in　my　eyes；　and　
would　be　one　of　the　dearest　girls　that　ever　was；　in　anybody’s　eyes　
（I　should　think）。　But　when　I　say　the　eldest　is　a　Beauty；　I　mean　she　
really　is　a—’　he　seemed　to　be　describing　clouds　about　himself；　with　
both　hands：　‘Splendid；　you　know；’　said　Traddles；　energetically。　
‘Indeed！’　said　I。　

‘Oh；　I　assure　you；’　said　Traddles；　‘something　very　uncommon；　

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indeed！　Then；　you　know；　being　formed　for　society　and　admiration；　
and　not　being　able　to　enjoy　much　of　it　in　consequence　of　their　
limited　means；　she　naturally　gets　a　little　irritable　and　exacting；　
sometimes。　Sophy　puts　her　in　good　humour！’　

‘Is　Sophy　the　youngest？’　I　hazarded。　

‘Oh　dear；　no！’　said　Traddles；　stroking　his　chin。　‘The　two　
youngest　are　only　nine　and　ten。　Sophy　educates　’em。’　

‘The　second　daughter；　perhaps？’　I　hazarded。　

‘No；’　said　Traddles。　‘Sarah’s　the　second。　Sarah　has　something　
the　matter　with　her　spine；　poor　girl。　The　malady　will　wear　out　by　
and　by；　the　doctors　say；　but　in　the　meantime　she　has　to　lie　down　
for　a　twelvemonth。　Sophy　nurses　her。　Sophy’s　the　fourth。’　

‘Is　the　mother　living？’　I　inquired。　

‘Oh　yes；’　said　Traddles；　‘she　is　alive。　She　is　a　very　superior　
woman　indeed；　but　the　damp　country　is　not　adapted　to　her　
constitution；　and—in　fact；　she　has　lost　the　use　of　her　limbs。’　

‘Dear　me！’　said　I。　

‘Very　sad；　is　it　not？’　returned　Traddles。　‘But　in　a　merely　
domestic　view　it　is　not　so　bad　as　it　might　be；　because　Sophy　takes　
her　place。　She　is　quite　as　much　a　mother　to　her　mother；　as　she　is　
to　the　other　nine。’　

I　felt　the　greatest　admiration　for　the　virtues　of　this　young　lady；　
and；　honestly　with　the　view　of　doing　my　best　to　prevent　the　good…
nature　of　Traddles　from　being　imposed　upon；　to　the　detriment　of　
their　joint　prospects　in　life；　inquired　how　Mr。　Micawber　was？　

‘He　is　quite　well；　Copperfield；　thank　you；’　said　Traddles。　‘I　am　
not　living　with　him　at　present。’　

‘No？’　

‘No。　You　see　the　truth　is；’　said　Traddles；　in　a　whisper；　‘he　had　

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changed　his　name　to　Mortimer；　in　consequence　of　his　temporary　
embarrassments；　and　he　don’t　come　out　till　after　dark—and　then　
in　spectacles。　There　was　an　execution　put　into　our　house；　for　rent。　
Mrs。　Micawber　was　in　such　a　dreadful　state　that　I　really　couldn’t　
resist　giving　my　name　to　that　second　bill　we　spoke　of　here。　You　
may　imagine　how　delightful　it　was　to　my　feelings；　Copperfield；　to　
see　the　matter　settled　with　it；　and　Mrs。　Micawber　recover　her　
spirits。’　

‘Hum！’　said　I。　‘Not　that　her　happiness　was　of　long　duration；’　
pursued　Traddles；　‘for；　unfortunately；　within　a　week　another　
execution　came　in。　It　broke　up　the　establishment。　I　have　been　
living　in　a　furnished　apartment　since　then；　and　the　Mortimers　
have　been　very　private　indeed。　I　hope　you　won’t　think　it　selfish；　
Copperfield；　if　I　mention　that　the　broker　carried　off　my　little　round　
table　with　the　marble　top；　and　Sophy’s　flower…pot　and　stand？’　

‘What　a　hard　thing！’　I　exclaimed　indignantly。　

‘It　was　a—it　was　a　pull；’　said　Traddles；　with　his　usual　wince　at　
that　expression。　‘I　don’t　mention　it　reproachfully；　however；　but　
with　a　motive。　The　fact　is；　Copperfield；　I　was　unable　to　repurchase　
them　at　the　time　of　their　seizure；　in　the　first　place；　because　the　
broker；　having　an　idea　that　I　wanted　them；　ran　the　price　up　to　an　
extravagant　extent；　and；　in　the　second　place；　because　I—hadn’t　
any　money。　Now；　I　have　kept　my　eye　since；　upon　the　broker’s　
shop；’　said　Traddles；　with　a　great　enjoyment　of　his　mystery；　‘which　
is　up　at　the　top　of　Tottenham　Court　Road；　and；　at　last；　today　I　find　
them　put　out　for　sale。　I　have　only　noticed　them　from　over　the　way；　
because　if　the　broker　saw　me；　bless　you；　he’d　ask　any　price　for　
them！　What　has　occurred　to　me；　having　now　the　money；　is；　that　
perhaps　you　wouldn’t　object　to　ask　that　good　nurse　of　yours　to　

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come　with　me　to　the　shop—I　can　show　it　her　from　round　the　
corner　of　the　next　street—and　make　the　best　bargain　for　them；　as　
if　they　were　for　herself；　that　she　can！’　

The　delight　with　which　Traddles　propounded　this　plan　to　me；　
and　the　sense　he　had　of　its　uncommon　artfulness；　are　among　the　
freshest　things　in　my　remembrance。　

I　told　him　that　my　old　nurse　would　be　delighted　to　assist　him；　
and　that　we　would　all　three　take　the　field　together；　but　on　one　
condition。　That　condition　was；　that　he　should　make　a　solemn　
resolution　to　grant　no　more　loans　of　his　name；　or　anything　else；　to　
Mr。　Micawber。　

‘My　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Traddles；　‘I　have　already　done　so；　
because　I　begin　to　feel　that　I　have　not　only　been　inconsiderate；　but　
that　I　have　been　positively　unjust　to　Sophy。　My　word　being　passed　
to　myself；　there　is　no　longer　any　apprehension；　but　I　pledge　it　to　
you；　too；　with　the　greatest　readiness。　That　first　unlucky　
obligation；　I　have　paid。　I　have　no　doubt　Mr。　Micawber　would　have　
paid　it　if　he　could；　but　he　could　not。　One　thing　I　ought　to　mention；　
which　I　like　very　mu