david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第66章
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‘I’ll come anywhere you like；’ said Steerforth； ‘or do anything
you like。 Tell me where to come to； and in two hours I’ll produce
myself in any state you please； sentimental or comical。’
I gave him minute directions for finding the residence of Mr。
Barkis； carrier to Blunderstone and elsewhere； and； on this
understanding； went out alone。 There was a sharp bracing air； the
ground was dry； the sea was crisp and clear； the sun was diffusing
abundance of light； if not much warmth； and everything was fresh
and lively。 I was so fresh and lively myself； in the pleasure of being
there； that I could have stopped the people in the streets and
shaken hands with them。
The streets looked small； of course。 The streets that we have
only seen as children always do； I believe； when we go back to
them。 But I had forgotten nothing in them； and found nothing
changed； until I came to Mr。 Omer’s shop。 OMER AND JORAM
was now written up； where OMER used to be； but the inscription；
DRAPER； TAILOR； HABERDASHER； FUNERAL FURNISHER；
&c。； remained as it was。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
My footsteps seemed to tend so naturally to the shop door； after
I had read these words from over the way； that I went across the
road and looked in。 There was a pretty woman at the back of the
shop； dancing a little child in her arms； while another little fellow
clung to her apron。 I had no difficulty in recognizing either Minnie
or Minnie’s children。 The glass door of the parlour was not open；
but in the workshop across the yard I could faintly hear the old
tune playing； as if it had never left off。
‘Is Mr。 Omer at home？’ said I； entering。 ‘I should like to see
him； for a moment； if he is。’
‘Oh yes； sir； he is at home；’ said Minnie； ‘the weather don’t suit
his asthma out of doors。 Joe； call your grandfather！’
The little fellow； who was holding her apron； gave such a lusty
shout； that the sound of it made him bashful； and he buried his
face in her skirts； to her great admiration。 I heard a heavy puffing
and blowing coming towards us； and soon Mr。 Omer； shorter…
winded than of yore； but not much older…looking； stood before me。
‘Servant； sir；’ said Mr。 Omer。 ‘What can I do for you； sir？’
‘You can shake hands with me； Mr。 Omer； if you please；’ said I；
putting out my own。 ‘You were very good…natured to me once；
when I am afraid I didn’t show that I thought so。’
‘Was I though？’ returned the old man。 ‘I’m glad to hear it； but I
don’t remember when。 Are you sure it was me？’
‘Quite。’
‘I think my memory has got as short as my breath；’ said Mr。
Omer； looking at me and shaking his head； ‘for I don’t remember
you。’
‘Don’t you remember your coming to the coach to meet me； and
my having breakfast here； and our riding out to Blunderstone
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
together： you； and I； and Mrs。 Joram； and Mr。 Joram too—who
wasn’t her husband then？’
‘Why； Lord bless my soul！’ exclaimed Mr。 Omer； after being
thrown by his surprise into a fit of coughing； ‘you don’t say so！
Minnie； my dear； you recollect？ Dear me； yes； the party was a lady；
I think？’
‘My mother；’ I rejoined。
‘To—be—sure；’ said Mr。 Omer； touching my waistcoat with his
forefinger； ‘and there was a little child too！ There was two parties。
The little party was laid along with the other party。 Over at
Blunderstone it was； of course。 Dear me！ And how have you been
since？’
Very well； I thanked him； as I hoped he had been too。
‘Oh！ nothing to grumble at； you know；’ said Mr。 Omer。 ‘I find
my breath gets short； but it seldom gets longer as a man gets older。
I take it as it comes； and make the most of it。 That’s the best way；
ain’t it？’
Mr。 Omer coughed again； in consequence of laughing； and was
assisted out of his fit by his daughter； who now stood close beside
us； dancing her smallest child on the counter。
‘Dear me！’ said Mr。 Omer。 ‘Yes； to be sure。 Two parties！ Why； in
that very ride； if you’ll believe me； the day was named for my
Minnie to marry Joram。 “Do name it； sir；” says Joram。 “Yes； do；
father；” says Minnie。 And now he’s come into the business。 And
look here！ The youngest！’
Minnie laughed； and stroked her banded hair upon her
temples； as her father put one of his fat fingers into the hand of the
child she was dancing on the counter。
‘Two parties； of course！’ said Mr。 Omer； nodding his head
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
retrospectively。 ‘Ex…actly so！ And Joram’s at work； at this minute；
on a grey one with silver nails； not this measurement’—the
measurement of the dancing child upon the counter—‘by a good
two inches。—Will you take something？’
I thanked him； but declined。
‘Let me see；’ said Mr。 Omer。 ‘Barkis’s the carrier’s wife—
Peggotty’s the boatman’s sister—she had something to do with
your family？ She was in service there； sure？’
My answering in the affirmative gave him great satisfaction。
‘I believe my breath will get long next； my memory’s getting so
much so；’ said Mr。 Omer。 ‘Well； sir； we’ve got a young relation of
hers here； under articles to us； that has as elegant a taste in the
dress…making business—I assure you I don’t believe there’s a
Duchess in England can touch her。’
‘Not little Em’ly？’ said I； involuntarily。
‘Em’ly’s her name；’ said Mr。 Omer； ‘and she’s little too。 But if
you’ll believe me； she has such a face of her own that half the
women in this town are mad against her。’
‘Nonsense； father！’ cried Minnie。
‘My dear；’ said Mr。 Omer； ‘I don’t say it’s the case with you；’
winking at me； ‘but I say that half the women in Yarmouth—ah！
and in five mile round—are mad against that girl。’
‘Then she should have kept to her own station in life； father；’
said Minnie； ‘and not have given them any hold to talk about her；
and then they couldn’t have done it。’
‘Couldn’t have done it； my dear！’ retorted Mr。 Omer。 ‘Couldn’t
have done it！ Is that your knowledge of life？ What is there that any
woman couldn’t do； that she shouldn’t do—especially on the
subject of another woman’s good looks？’
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
I really thought it was all over with Mr。 Omer； after he had
uttered this libellous pleasantry。 He coughed to that extent； and
his breath eluded all his attempts to recover it with that obstinacy；
that I fully expected to see his head go down behind the counter；
and his little black breeches； with the rusty little bunches of
ribbons at the knees； come quivering up in a last ineffectual
struggle。 At length； however； he got better； though he still panted
hard； and was so exhausted that he was obliged to sit on the stool
of the shop…desk。
‘You see；’ he said； wiping his head； and breathing with
difficulty； ‘she hasn’t taken much to any companions here； she
hasn’t taken kindly to any particular acquaintances and friends；
not to mention sweethearts。 In consequence； an ill…natured story
got about； that Em’ly wanted to be a lady。 Now my opinion is； that
it came into circulation principally on account of her sometimes
saying； at the school； that if she was a lady she would like to do so…
and…so for her uncle—don’t you see？—and buy him such…and…such
fine things。’
‘I assure you； Mr。 Omer； she has said so to me；’ I returned
eagerly； ‘when we were both children。’
Mr。 Omer nodded his head and rubbed his chin。 ‘Just so。 Then
out of a very little； she could dress herself； you see； better than
most others could out of a deal； and that made things unpleasant。
Moreover； she was rather what might be called wayward—I’ll go
so far as to say what I should call wayward myself；’ said Mr。 Omer；
‘—didn’t know her own mind quite—a little spoiled—and couldn’t；
at first； exactly bind herself down。 No more than that was ever
said against her； Minnie？’
‘No； father；’ said Mrs。 Joram。 ‘That’s the worst； I believe。’
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘So when she got a situation；’ said Mr。 Omer； ‘to keep a
fractious old lady company； they didn’t very well agree； and she
didn’t stop。 At last she came here； apprenticed for three years。
Nearly two of ’em are over； and she has been as good a girl as ever
was。 Worth any six！ Minnie； is she worth any six； now？’
‘Yes； father；’ replied Minnie。 ‘Never say I detracted from her！’
‘Very good；’ said Mr。 Omer。 ‘That’s right。 And so； young
gentleman；’ he added； after a few moments’ further rubbing of his
chin； ‘that you may not consider me long…winded as well as short…
breathed； I believe that’s all about it。’
As they had spoken in a subdued tone； while speaking of Em’ly；
I had no doubt that she was near。 On my asking now； if that were
not so； Mr。 Omer nodded yes； and nodded towards the door of the
parlour。 My hurried inquiry if I might peep in； was answered with
a free permission； and； looking through the glass； I saw her sitting
at her work。 I saw her； a most beautiful little creature； with the
cloudless blue eyes； that had looked into my childish heart； turned
laughingly upon another child of Minnie’s who was playing near
her； with enough of wilfulness in her bright face to justify what I
had heard； with much of the old capricious coyness lurking in it；
but with nothing in her pretty looks； I am sure； but what was
meant for goodness and for happiness； and what was on a good
and happy course。
The tune across the yard that seemed as if it never had left off—
alas！ it was the tune that never does leave off—was beating； softly；
all the while。
‘Wouldn’t you like to step in；’ said Mr。 Omer； ‘and speak to her？
Walk in and speak to her； sir！ Make yourself at home！’
I was too bashful to do so then—I was afraid of confusing her；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
and I was no less afraid of confusing myself。—but I informed
myself of the hour at which she left of an evening； in order that our
visit might be timed accordingly； and taking leave of Mr。 Omer；
and his pretty daughter； and her little children； went away to my
dear old Peggotty’s。
Here she was； in the tiled kitchen； cooking dinner！ The moment
I knocked at the door she opened it； and asked me what I pleased
to want。 I looked at her with a smile； but she gave me no smile in
return。 I had never ceased to write to her； but it must have been
seven years since we had met。
‘Is Mr。 Barkis at home； ma’am？’ I said； feigning to speak
roughly to her。
‘He’s at home； sir；’ returned Peggotty； ‘but he’s bad abed with
the rheumatics。’
‘Don’t he go over to Blunderstone now？’ I asked。
‘When he’s well he do；’ she answered。
‘Do you ever go there； Mrs。 Barkis？’
She looked at me more attentively； and I noticed a quick
movement of her hands towards each other。
‘Because I want to ask a question about a house there； that they
call the—
