david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第94章

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in　their　moral　constitution—is　that　the　phrase？’　

‘It’s　as　good　a　phrase　as　another；’　said　Steerforth。　

‘Thank　you：—whether　people；　who　are　like　each　other　in　their　
moral　constitution；　are　in　greater　danger　than　people　not　so　
circumstanced；　supposing　any　serious　cause　of　variance　to　arise　

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between　them；　of　being　divided　angrily　and　deeply？’　

‘I　should　say　yes；’　said　Steerforth。　

‘Should　you？’　she　retorted。　‘Dear　me！　Supposing　then；　for　
instance—any　unlikely　thing　will　do　for　a　supposition—that　you　
and　your　mother　were　to　have　a　serious　quarrel。’　

‘My　dear　Rosa；’　interposed　Mrs。　Steerforth；　laughing　goodnaturedly；　‘suggest　some　other　supposition！　James　and　I　know　our　
duty　to　each　other　better；　I　pray　Heaven！’　

‘Oh！’　said　Miss　Dartle；　nodding　her　head　thoughtfully。　‘To　be　
sure。　That　would　prevent　it？　Why；　of　course　it　would。　Exactly。　
Now；　I　am　glad　I　have　been　so　foolish　as　to　put　the　case；　for　it　is　so　
very　good　to　know　that　your　duty　to　each　other　would　prevent　it！　
Thank　you　very　much。’　

One　other　little　circumstance　connected　with　Miss　Dartle　I　
must　not　omit；　for　I　had　reason　to　remember　it　thereafter；　when　all　
the　irremediable　past　was　rendered　plain。　During　the　whole　of　this　
day；　but　especially　from　this　period　of　it；　Steerforth　exerted　
himself　with　his　utmost　skill；　and　that　was　with　his　utmost　ease；　to　
charm　this　singular　creature　into　a　pleasant　and　pleased　
companion。　That　he　should　succeed；　was　no　matter　of　surprise　to　
me。　That　she　should　struggle　against　the　fascinating　influence　of　
his　delightful　art—delightful　nature　I　thought　it　then—did　not　
surprise　me　either；　for　I　knew　that　she　was　sometimes　jaundiced　
and　perverse。　I　saw　her　features　and　her　manner　slowly　change；　I　
saw　her　look　at　him　with　growing　admiration；　I　saw　her　try；　more　
and　more　faintly；　but　always　angrily；　as　if　she　condemned　a　
weakness　in　herself；　to　resist　the　captivating　power　that　he　
possessed；　and　finally；　I　saw　her　sharp　glance　soften；　and　her　smile　
become　quite　gentle；　and　I　ceased　to　be　afraid　of　her　as　I　had　really　

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been　all　day；　and　we　all　sat　about　the　fire；　talking　and　laughing　
together；　with　as　little　reserve　as　if　we　had　been　children。　

Whether　it　was　because　we　had　sat　there　so　long；　or　because　
Steerforth　was　resolved　not　to　lose　the　advantage　he　had　gained；　I　
do　not　know；　but　we　did　not　remain　in　the　dining…room　more　than　
five　minutes　after　her　departure。　‘She　is　playing　her　harp；’　said　
Steerforth；　softly；　at　the　drawing…room　door；　‘and　nobody　but　my　
mother　has　heard　her　do　that；　I　believe；　these　three　years。’　He　said　
it　with　a　curious　smile；　which　was　gone　directly；　and　we　went　into　
the　room　and　found　her　alone。　

‘Don’t　get　up；’　said　Steerforth　（which　she　had　already　done）’　my　
dear　Rosa；　don’t！　Be　kind　for　once；　and　sing　us　an　Irish　song。’　

‘What　do　you　care　for　an　Irish　song？’　she　returned。　

‘Much！’　said　Steerforth。　‘Much　more　than　for　any　other。　Here　is　
Daisy；　too；　loves　music　from　his　soul。　Sing　us　an　Irish　song；　Rosa！　
and　let　me　sit　and　listen　as　I　used　to　do。’　

He　did　not　touch　her；　or　the　chair　from　which　she　had　risen；　but　
sat　himself　near　the　harp。　She　stood　beside　it　for　some　little　while；　
in　a　curious　way；　going　through　the　motion　of　playing　it　with　her　
right　hand；　but　not　sounding　it。　At　length　she　sat　down；　and　drew　
it　to　her　with　one　sudden　action；　and　played　and　sang。　

I　don’t　know　what　it　was；　in　her　touch　or　voice；　that　made　that　
song　the　most　unearthly　I　have　ever　heard　in　my　life；　or　can　
imagine。　There　was　something　fearful　in　the　reality　of　it。　It　was　as　
if　it　had　never　been　written；　or　set　to　music；　but　sprung　out　of　
passion　within　her；　which　found　imperfect　utterance　in　the　low　
sounds　of　her　voice；　and　crouched　again　when　all　was　still。　I　was　
dumb　when　she　leaned　beside　the　harp　again；　playing　it；　but　not　
sounding　it；　with　her　right　hand。　

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A　minute　more；　and　this　had　roused　me　from　my　trance：—　
Steerforth　had　left　his　seat；　and　gone　to　her；　and　had　put　his　arm　
laughingly　about　her；　and　had　said；　‘Come；　Rosa；　for　the　future　we　
will　love　each　other　very　much！’　And　she　had　struck　him；　and　had　
thrown　him　off　with　the　fury　of　a　wild　cat；　and　had　burst　out　of　the　
room。　

‘What　is　the　matter　with　Rosa？’　said　Mrs。　Steerforth；　coming　in。　

‘She　has　been　an　angel；　mother；’　returned　Steerforth；　‘for　a　
little　while；　and　has　run　into　the　opposite　extreme；　since；　by　way　of　
compensation。’　

‘You　should　be　careful　not　to　irritate　her；　James。　Her　temper　
has　been　soured；　remember；　and　ought　not　to　be　tried。’　

Rosa　did　not　come　back；　and　no　other　mention　was　made　of　
her；　until　I　went　with　Steerforth　into　his　room　to　say　Good　night。　
Then　he　laughed　about　her；　and　asked　me　if　I　had　ever　seen　such　a　
fierce　little　piece　of　incomprehensibility。　

I　expressed　as　much　of　my　astonishment　as　was　then　capable　of　
expression；　and　asked　if　he　could　guess　what　it　was　that　she　had　
taken　so　much　amiss；　so　suddenly。　

‘Oh；　Heaven　knows；’　said　Steerforth。　‘Anything　you　like—or　
nothing！　I　told　you　she　took　everything；　herself　included；　to　a　
grindstone；　and　sharpened　it。　She　is　an　edge…tool；　and　requires　
great　care　in　dealing　with。　She　is　always　dangerous。　Good　night！’　

‘Good　night！’　said　I；　‘my　dear　Steerforth！　I　shall　be　gone　before　
you　wake　in　the　morning。　Good　night！’　

He　was　unwilling　to　let　me　go；　and　stood；　holding　me　out；　with　a　
hand　on　each　of　my　shoulders；　as　he　had　done　in　my　own　room。　

‘Daisy；’　he　said；　with　a　smile—‘for　though　that’s　not　the　name　
your　godfathers　and　godmothers　gave　you；　it’s　the　name　I　like　best　

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to　call　you　by—and　I　wish；　I　wish；　I　wish；　you　could　give　it　to　me！’　

‘Why　so　I　can；　if　I　choose；’　said　I。　

‘Daisy；　if　anything　should　ever　separate　us；　you　must　think　of　
me　at　my　best；　old　boy。　Come！　Let　us　make　that　bargain。　Think　of　
me　at　my　best；　if　circumstances　should　ever　part　us！’　

‘You　have　no　best　to　me；　Steerforth；’　said　I；　‘and　no　worst。　You　
are　always　equally　loved；　and　cherished　in　my　heart。’　

So　much　compunction　for　having　ever　wronged　him；　even　by　a　
shapeless　thought；　did　I　feel　within　me；　that　the　confession　of　
having　done　so　was　rising　to　my　lips。　But　for　the　reluctance　I　had　
to　betray　the　confidence　of　Agnes；　but　for　my　uncertainty　how　to　
approach　the　subject　with　no　risk　of　doing　so；　it　would　have　
reached　them　before　he　said；　‘God　bless　you；　Daisy；　and　good　
night！’　In　my　doubt；　it　did　not　reach　them；　and　we　shook　hands；　
and　we　parted。　

I　was　up　with　the　dull　dawn；　and；　having　dressed　as　quietly　as　I　
could；　looked　into　his　room。　He　was　fast　asleep；　lying；　easily；　with　
his　head　upon　his　arm；　as　I　had　often　seen　him　lie　at　school。　

The　time　came　in　its　season；　and　that　was　very　soon；　when　I　
almost　wondered　that　nothing　troubled　his　repose；　as　I　looked　at　
him。　But　he　slept—let　me　think　of　him　so　again—as　I　had　often　
seen　him　sleep　at　school；　and　thus；　in　this　silent　hour；　I　left　him。　

—Never　more；　oh　God　forgive　you；　Steerforth！　to　touch　that　
passive　hand　in　love　and　friendship。　Never；　never　more！　

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Chapter　30　

A　LOSS　

Igot　down　to　Yarmouth　in　the　evening；　and　went　to　the　inn。　I　
knew　that　Peggotty’s　spare　room—my　room—was　likely　to　
have　occupation　enough　in　a　little　while；　if　that　great　Visitor；　
before　whose　presence　all　the　living　must　give　place；　were　not　
already　in　the　house；　so　I　betook　myself　to　the　inn；　and　dined　
there；　and　engaged　my　bed。　

It　was　ten　o’clock　when　I　went　out。　Many　of　the　shops　were　
shut；　and　the　town　was　dull。　When　I　came　to　Omer　and　Joram’s；　I　
found　the　shutters　up；　but　the　shop　door　standing　open。　As　I　could　
obtain　a　perspective　view　of　Mr。　Omer　inside；　smoking　his　pipe　by　
the　parlour　door；　I　entered；　and　asked　him　how　he　was。　

‘Why；　bless　my　life　and　soul！’　said　Mr。　Omer；　‘how　do　you　find　
yourself？　Take　a　seat。—Smoke　not　disagreeable；　I　hope？’　

‘By　no　means；’　said　I。　‘I　like　it—in　somebody　else’s　pipe。’　

‘What；　not　in　your　own；　eh？’　Mr。　Omer　returned；　laughing。　‘All　
the　better；　sir。　Bad　habit　for　a　young　man。　Take　a　seat。　I　smoke；　
myself；　for　the　asthma。’　

Mr。　Omer　had　made　room　for　me；　and　placed　a　chair。　He　now　
sat　down　again　very　much　out　of　breath；　gasping　at　his　pipe　as　if　it　
contained　a　supply　of　that　necessary；　without　which　he　must　
perish。　

‘I　am　sorry　to　have　heard　bad　news　of　Mr。　Barkis；’　said　I。　

Mr。　Omer　looked　at　me；　with　a　steady　countenance；　and　shook　
his　head。　

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‘Do　you　know　how　he　is　tonight？’　I　asked。　

‘The　very　question　I　should　have　put　to　you；　sir；’　returned　Mr。　
Omer；　‘but　on　account　of　delicacy。　It’s　one　of　the　drawbacks　of　our　
line　of　business。　When　a　party’s　ill；　we　can’t　ask　how　the　party　is。’　

The　difficulty　had　not　occurred　to　me；　though　I　had　had　my　
apprehensions　too；　when　I　went　in；　of　hearing　the　old　tune。　On　its　
being　mentioned；　I　recognized　it；　however；　and　said　as　much。　

‘Yes；　yes；　you　understand；’　said　Mr。　Omer；　nodding　his　head。　
‘We　dursn’t　do　it。　Bless　you；　it　would　be　a　shock　that　the　generality　
of　parties　mightn’t　recover；　to　say　“Omer　and　Joram’s　
compliments；　and　how　do　you　find　yourself　this　morning？”—or　
this　afternoon—as　it　may　be。’　

Mr。　Omer　and　I　nodded　at　each　other；　and　Mr。　Omer　recruited　
his　wind　by　the　aid　of　his　pipe。　

‘It’s　one　of　the　things　that　cut　the　trade　off　from　attentions　they　
could　often　wish　to　show；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　‘Take　myself。　If　I　have　
known　Barkis　a　year；　to　move　to　as　he　went　by；　I　have　known　him　
forty　years。　But　I　can’t　go　and　say；　“how　is　he？”’　

I　felt　it　was　rather　hard　on　Mr。　Omer；　and　I　told　him　so。　

‘I’m　not　more　self…interested；　I　hope；　than　another　man；’　said　
Mr。　Omer。　‘Look　at　me！　My　wind　may　fail　me　at　any　moment；　and　
it　ain’t　likely　that；　to　my　own　knowledge；　I’d　be　self…interested　
under　such　circumstances。　I　say　it　ain’t　likely；　in　a　man　who　knows　
his　wind　will　go；　when　it　does　go；　as　if　a　pair　of　bellows　was　cut　
open；　and　that　man　a　grandfather；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　

I　said；　‘Not　at　all。’　

‘It　ain’t　that　I　complain　of　my　line　of　business；’　said　Mr。　Omer。　
‘It　ain’t　that。　Some　good　and　some　bad　goes；　no　doubt；　to　all　
callings。　What　I　wish　is；　that　parties　was　brought　up　stronger…

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minded。’　

Mr。　Omer；　with　a　very　complacent　and　amiable　face；　took　
several　puffs　in　silence；　and　then　said；　resuming　his　first　point：　

‘Accordingly　we’re　obleeged；　in　ascertaining　how　Barkis　goes　
on；　to　limit　ourselves　to　Em’ly。　She　knows　what　our　real　objects　
are；　and　she　don’t　have　any　more　alarms　or　suspicions　about　us；　
than　if　we　was　so　many　lambs。　Minnie　and　Joram　have　just　
stepped　do