david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第57章

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awber；　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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‘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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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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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　said　as　much　to　Mr。　Micawber；　who　now　
returned：　adding　that　I　only　wished　I　had　money　enough；　to　lend　
them　the　amount　they　needed。　Mr。　Micawber’s　answer　expressed　
the　disturbance　of　his　mind。　He　said；　shaking　hands　with　me；　
‘Copperfield；　you　are　a　true　friend；　but　when　the　worst　comes　to　
the　worst；　no　man　is　without　a　friend　who　is　possessed　of　shaving　
materials。’　At　this　dreadful　hint　Mrs。　Micawber　threw　her　arms　
round　Mr。　Micawber’s　neck　and　entreated　him　to　be　calm。　He　
wept；　but　so　far　recovered；　almost　immediately；　as　to　ring　the　bell　
for　the　waiter；　and　bespeak　a　hot　kidney　pudding　and　a　plate　of　
shrimps　for　breakfast　in　the　morning。　

When　I　took　my　leave　of　them；　they　both　pressed　me　so　much　to　
come　and　dine　before　they　went　away；　that　I　could　not　refuse。　But；　
as　I　knew　I　could　not　come　next　day；　when　I　should　have　a　good　
deal　to　prepare　in　the　evening；　Mr。　Micawber　arranged　that　he　
would　call　at　Doctor　Strong’s　in　the　course　of　the　morning　（having　
a　presentiment　that　the　remittance　would　arrive　by　that　post）；　and　

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propose　the　day　after；　if　it　would　suit　me　better。　Accordingly　I　was　
called　out　of　school　next　forenoon；　and　found　Mr。　Micawber　in　the　
parlour；　who　had　called　to　say　that　the　dinner　would　take　place　as　
proposed。　When　I　asked　him　if　the　remittance　had　come；　he　
pressed　my　hand　and　departed。　

As　I　was　looking　out　of　window　that　same　evening；　it　surprised　
me；　and　made　me　rather　uneasy；　to　see　Mr。　Micawber　and　Uriah　
Heep　walk　past；　arm　in　arm：　Uriah　humbly　sensible　of　the　honour　
that　was　done　him；　and　Mr。　Micawber　taking　a　bland　delight　in　
extending　his　patronage　to　Uriah。　But　I　was　still　more　surprised；　
when　I　went　to　the　little　hotel　next　day　at　the　appointed　dinner…
hour；　which　was　four　o’clock；　to　find；　from　what　Mr。　Micawber　
said；　that　he　had　gone　home　with　Uriah；　and　had　drunk　brandy…
and…water　at　Mrs。　Heep’s。　

‘And　I’ll　tell　you　what；　my　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　
Micawber；　‘your　friend　Heep　is　a　young　fellow　who　might　be　
attorney…general。　If　I　had　known　that　young　man；　at　the　period　
when　my　difficulties　came　to　a　crisis；　all　I　can　say　is；　that　I　believe　
my　creditors　would　have　been　a　great　deal　better　managed　than　
they　were。’　

I　hardly　understood　how　this　could　have　been；　seeing　that　Mr。　
Micawber　had　paid　them　nothing　at　all　as　it　was；　but　I　did　not　like　
to　ask。　Neither　did　I　like　to　say；　that　I　hoped　he　had　not　been　too　
communicative　to　Uriah；　or　to　inquire　if　they　had　talked　much　
about　me。　I　was　afraid　of　hurting　Mr。　Micawber’s　feelings；　or；　at　all　
events；　Mrs。　Micawber’s；　she　being　very　sensitive；　but　I　was　
uncomfortable　about　it；　too；　and　often　thought　about　it　afterwards。　

We　had　a　beautiful　little　dinner。　Quite　an　elegant　dish　of　fish；　
the　kidney…end　of　a　loin　of　veal；　roasted；　fried　sausage…meat；　a　

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partridge；　and　a　pudding。　There　was　wine；　and　there　was　strong　
ale；　and　after　dinner　Mrs。　Micawber　made　us　a　bowl　of　hot　punch　
with　her　own　hands。　

Mr。　Micawber　was　uncommonly　convivial。　I　never　saw　him　such　
good　company。　He　made　his　face　shine　with　the　punch；　so　that　it　
looked　as　if　it　had　been　varnished　all　over。　He　got　cheerfully　
sentimental　about　the　town；　and　proposed　success　to　it；　observing　
that　Mrs。　Micawber　and　himself　had　been　made　extremely　snug　
and　comfortable　there　and　that　he　never　should　forget　the　
agreeable　hours　they　had　passed　in　Canterbury。　He　proposed　me　
afterwards；　and　he；　and　Mrs。　Micawber；　and　I；　took　a　review　of　our　
past　acquaintance；　in　the　course　of　which　we　sold　the　property　all　
over　again。　Then　I　proposed　Mrs。　Micawber：　or；　at　least；　said；　
modestly；　‘If　you’ll　allow　me；　Mrs。　Micawber；　I　shall　now　have　the　
pleasure　of　drinking　your　health；　ma’am。’　On　which　Mr。　Micawber　
delivered　an　eulogium　on　Mrs。　Micawber’s　character；　and　said　she　
had　ever　been　his　guide；　philosopher；　and　friend；　and　that　he　
would　recommend　me；　when　I　came　to　a　marrying　time　of　life；　to　
marry　such　another　woman；　if　such　another　woman　could　be　
found。　

As　the　punch　disappeared；　Mr。　Micawber　became　still　more　
friendly　and　convivial。　Mrs。　Micawber’s　spirits　becoming　elevated；　
too；　we　sang　‘Auld　Lang　Syne’。　When　we　came　to　‘Here’s　a　hand；　
my　trusty　frere’；　we　all　joined　hands　round　the　table；　and　when　we　
declared　we　would　‘take　a　right　gude　Willie　Waught’；　and　hadn’t　
the　least　idea　what　it　meant；　we　were　really　affected。　

In　a　word；　I　never　saw　anybody　so　thoroughly　jovial　as　Mr。　
Micawber　was；　down　to　the　very　last　moment　of　the　evening；　when　
I　took　a　hearty　farewell　of　himself　and　his　amiable　wife。　

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Consequently；　I　was　not　prepared；　at　seven　o’clock　next　morning；　
to　receive　the　following　communication；　dated　half　past　nine　in　the　
evening；　a　quarter　of　an　hour　after　I　had　left　him：—　

‘My　DEAR　YOUNG　FRIEND；　

‘The　die　is　cast—all　is　over。　Hiding　the　ravages　of　care　with　a　
sickly　mask　of　mirth；　I　have　not　informed　you；　this　evening；　that　
there　is　no　hope　of　the　remittance！　Under　these　circumstances；　
alike　humiliating　to　endure；　humiliating　to　contemplate；　and　
humiliating　to　relate；　I　have　discharged　the　pecuniary　liability　
contracted　at　this　establishment；　by　giving　a　note　of　hand；　made　
payable　fourteen　days　after　date；　at　my　residence；　Pentonville；　
London。　When　it　becomes　due；　it　will　not　be　taken　up。　The　result　
is　destruction。　The　bolt　is　impending；　and　the　tree　must　fall。　

‘Let　the　wretched　man　who　now　addresses　you；　my　dear　
Copperfield；　be　a　beacon　to　you　through　life。　He　writes　with　that　
intention；　and　in　that　hope。　If　he　could　think　himself　of　so　much　
use；　one　gleam　of　day　might；　by　possibility；　penetrate　into　the　
cheerless　dungeon　of　his　remaining　existence—though　his　
longevity　is；　at　present　（to　say　the　least　of　it）；　extremely　
problematical。　

‘This　is　the　last　communication；　my　dear　Copperfield；　you　will　
ever　receive　
‘From　
The　
‘Beggared　Outcast；　
‘WILKINS　MICA