david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第103部分

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compared　it　in　my　thoughts　to　fine　porcelain—and　saying；　in　a　
quick；　fierce；　passionate　way；　‘I　swear　you　to　secrecy　about　this！’　
said　not　a　word　more。　

Mrs。　Steerforth　was　particularly　happy　in　her　son’s　society；　and　
Steerforth　was；　on　this　occasion；　particularly　attentive　and　
respectful　to　her。　It　was　very　interesting　to　me　to　see　them　
together；　not　only　on　account　of　their　mutual　affection；　but　
because　of　the　strong　personal　resemblance　between　them；　and　
the　manner　in　which　what　was　haughty　or　impetuous　in　him　was　
softened　by　age　and　sex；　in　her；　to　a　gracious　dignity。　I　thought；　
more　than　once；　that　it　was　well　no　serious　cause　of　division　had　
ever　come　between　them；　or　two　such　natures—I　ought　rather　to　
express　it；　two　such　shades　of　the　same　nature—might　have　been　
harder　to　reconcile　than　the　two　extremest　opposites　in　creation。　
The　idea　did　not　originate　in　my　own　discernment；　I　am　bound　to　
confess；　but　in　a　speech　of　Rosa　Dartle’s。　

She　said　at　dinner：　

‘Oh；　but　do　tell　me；　though；　somebody；　because　I　have　been　
thinking　about　it　all　day；　and　I　want　to　know。’　

‘You　want　to　know　what；　Rosa？’　returned　Mrs。　Steerforth。　
‘Pray；　pray；　Rosa；　do　not　be　mysterious。’　

‘Mysterious！’　she　cried。　‘Oh！　really？　Do　you　consider　me　so？’　

‘Do　I　constantly　entreat　you；’　said　Mrs。　Steerforth；　‘to　speak　
plainly；　in　your　own　natural　manner？’　

‘Oh！　then　this　is　not　my　natural　manner？’　she　rejoined。　‘Now　
you　must　really　bear　with　me；　because　I　ask　for　information。　We　

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never　know　ourselves。’　

‘It　has　become　a　second　nature；’　said　Mrs。　Steerforth；　without　
any　displeasure；　‘but　I　remember；—and　so　must　you；　I　think；—　
when　your　manner　was　different；　Rosa；　when　it　was　not　so　
guarded；　and　was　more　trustful。’　

‘I　am　sure　you　are　right；’　she　returned；　‘and　so　it　is　that　bad　
habits　grow　upon　one！　Really？　Less　guarded　and　more　trustful？　
How　can　I；　imperceptibly；　have　changed；　I　wonder！　Well；　that’s　
very　odd！　I　must　study　to　regain　my　former　self。’　

‘I　wish　you　would；’　said　Mrs。　Steerforth；　with　a　smile。　

‘Oh！　I　really　will；　you　know！’　she　answered。　‘I　will　learn　
frankness　from—let　me　see—from　James。’　

‘You　cannot　learn　frankness；　Rosa；’　said　Mrs。　Steerforth　
quickly—for　there　was　always　some　effect　of　sarcasm　in　what　Rosa　
Dartle　said；　though　it　was　said；　as　this　was；　in　the　most　
unconscious　manner　in　the　world—‘in　a　better　school。’　

‘That　I　am　sure　of；’　she　answered；　with　uncommon　fervour。　‘If　I　
am　sure　of　anything；　of　course；　you　know；　I　am　sure　of　that。’　

Mrs。　Steerforth　appeared　to　me　to　regret　having　been　a　little　
nettled；　for　she　presently　said；　in　a　kind　tone：　

‘Well；　my　dear　Rosa；　we　have　not　heard　what　it　is　that　you　want　
to　be　satisfied　about？’　

‘That　I　want　to　be　satisfied　about？’　she　replied；　with　provoking　
coldness。　‘Oh！　It　was　only　whether　people；　who　are　like　each　other　
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