david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第114部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


that　post　（and　might　be；　besides；　a　clergyman；　a　pluralist；　the　
holder　of　a　staff　in　a　cathedral；　and　what　not）；—while　the　public　
was　put　to　the　inconvenience　of　which　we　had　a　specimen　every　
afternoon　when　the　office　was　busy；　and　which　we　knew　to　be　
quite　monstrous。　That；　perhaps；　in　short；　this　Prerogative　Office　of　
the　diocese　of　Canterbury　was　altogether　such　a　pestilent　job；　and　
such　a　pernicious　absurdity；　that　but　for　its　being　squeezed　away　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

in　a　corner　of　St。　Paul’s　Churchyard；　which　few　people　knew；　it　
must　have　been　turned　completely　inside　out；　and　upside　down；　
long　ago。　

Mr。　Spenlow　smiled　as　I　became　modestly　warm　on　the　subject；　
and　then　argued　this　question　with　me　as　he　had　argued　the　other。　
He　said；　what　was　it　after　all？　It　was　a　question　of　feeling。　If　the　
public　felt　that　their　wills　were　in　safe　keeping；　and　took　it　for　
granted　that　the　office　was　not　to　be　made　better；　who　was　the　
worse　for　it？　Nobody。　Who　was　the　better　for　it？　All　the　
Sinecurists。　Very　well。　Then　the　good　predominated。　It　might　not　
be　a　perfect　system；　nothing　was　perfect；　but　what　he　objected　to；　
was；　the　insertion　of　the　wedge。　Under　the　Prerogative　Office；　the　
country　had　been　glorious。　Insert　the　wedge　into　the　Prerogative　
Office；　and　the　country　would　cease　to　be　glorious。　He　considered　
it　the　principle　of　a　gentleman　to　take　things　as　he　found　them；　
and　he　had　no　doubt　the　Prerogative　Office　would　last　our　time。　I　
deferred　to　his　opinion；　though　I　had　great　doubts　of　it　myself。　I　
find　he　was　right；　however；　for　it　has　not　only　lasted　to　the　present　
moment；　but　has　done　so　in　the　teeth　of　a　great　parliamentary　
report　made　（not　too　willingly）　eighteen　years　ago；　when　all　these　
objections　of　mine　were　set　forth　in　detail；　and　when　the　existing　
stowage　for　wills　was　described　as　equal　to　the　accumulation　of　
only　two　years　and　a　half　more。　What　they　have　done　with　them　
since；　whether　they　have　lost　many；　or　whether　they　sell　any；　now　
and　then；　to　the　butter　shops；　I　don’t　know。　I　am　glad　mine　is　not　
there；　and　I　hope　it　may　not　go　there；　yet　awhile。　

I　have　set　all　this　down；　in　my　present　blissful　chapter；　because　
here　it　comes　into　its　natural　place。　Mr。　Spenlow　and　I　falling　into　
this　conversation；　prolonged　it　and　our　saunter　to　and　fro；　until　we　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

diverged　into　general　topics。　And　so　it　came　about；　in　the　end；　that　
Mr。　Spenlow　told　me　this　day　week　was　Dora’s　birthday；　and　he　
would　be　glad　if　I　would　come　down　and　join　a　little　picnic　on　the　
occasion。　I　went　out　of　my　senses　immediately；　became　a　mere　
driveller　next　day；　on　receipt　of　a　little　lace…edged　sheet　of　notepaper；　‘Favoured　by　papa。　To　remind’；　and　passed　the　intervening　
period　in　a　state　of　dotage。　

I　think　I　committed　every　possible　absurdity　in　the　way　of　
preparation　for　this　blessed　event。　I　turn　hot　when　I　remember　the　
cravat　I　bought。　My　boots　might　be　placed　in　any　collection　of　
instruments　of　torture。　I　provided；　and　sent　down　by　the　Norwood　
coach　the　night　before；　a　delicate　little　hamper；　amounting　in　
itself；　I　thought；　almost　to　a　declaration。　There　were　crackers　in　it　
with　the　tenderest　mottoes　that　could　be　got　for　money。　At　six　in　
the　morning；　I　was　in　Covent　Garden　Market；　buying　a　bouquet　
for　Dora。　At　ten　I　was　on　horseback　（I　hired　a　gallant　grey；　for　the　
occasion）；　with　the　bouquet　in　my　hat；　to　keep　it　fresh；　trotting　
down　to　Norwood。　

I　suppose　that　when　I　saw　Dora　in　the　garden　and　pretended　
not　to　see　her；　and　rode　past　the　house　pretending　to　be　anxiously　
looking　for　it；　I　committed　two　small　fooleries　which　other　young　
gentlemen　in　my　circumstances　might　have　committed—because　
they　came　so　very　natural　to　me。　But　oh！　when　I　did　find　the　
house；　and　did　dismount　at　the　garden…gate；　and　drag　those　stonyhearted　boots　across　the　lawn　to　Dora　sitting　on　a　garden…seat　
under　a　lilac　tree；　what　a　spectacle　she　was；　upon　that　beautiful　
morning；　among　the　butterflies；　in　a　white　chip　bonnet　and　a　dress　
of　celestial　blue！　There　was　a　young　lady　with　her—comparatively　
stricken　in　years—almost　twenty；　I　should　say。　Her　name　was　Miss　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　658　

Mills。　and　Dora　called　her　Julia。　She　was　the　bosom　friend　of　Dora。　
Happy　Miss　Mills！　

Jip　was　there；　and　Jip　would　bark　at　me　again。　When　I　
presented　my　bouquet；　he　gnashed　his　teeth　with　jealousy。　Well　he　
might。　If　he　had　the　least　idea　how　I　adored　his　mistress；　well　he　
might！　

‘Oh；　thank　you；　Mr。　Copperfield！　What　dear　flowers！’　said　Dora。　

I　had　had　an　intention　of　saying　（and　had　been　studying　the　
best　form　of　words　for　three　miles）　that　I　thought　them　beautiful　
before　I　saw　them　so　near　her。　But　I　couldn’t　manage　it。　She　was　
too　bewildering。　To　see　her　lay　the　flowers　against　her　little　
dimpled　chin；　was　to　lose　all　presence　of　mind　and　power　of　
language　in　a　feeble　ecstasy。　I　wonder　I　didn’t　say；　‘Kill　me；　if　you　
have　a　heart；　Miss　Mills。　Let　me　die　here！’　

Then　Dora　held　my　flowers　to　Jip　to　smell。　Then　Jip　growled；　
and　wouldn’t　smell　them。　Then　Dora　laughed；　and　held　them　a　
little　closer　to　Jip；　to　make　him。　Then　Jip　laid　hold　of　a　bit　of　
geranium　with　his　teeth；　and　worried　imaginary　cats　in　it。　Then　
Dora　beat　him；　and　pouted；　and　said；　‘My　poor　beautiful　flowers！’　
as　compassionately；　I　thought；　as　if　Jip　had　laid　hold　of　me。　I　
wished　he　had！　

‘You’ll　be　so　glad　to　hear；　Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Dora；　‘that　that　
cross　Miss　Murdstone　is　not　here。　She　has　gone　to　her　brother’s　
marriage；　and　will　be　away　at　least　three　weeks。　Isn’t　that　
delightful？’　

I　said　I　was　sure　it　must　be　delightful　to　her；　and　all　that　was　
delightful　to　her　was　delightful　to　me。　Miss　Mills；　with　an　air　of　
superior　wisdom　and　benevolence；　smiled　upon　us。　

‘She　is　the　most　disagreeable　thing　I　ever　saw；’　said　Dora。　‘You　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

can’t　believe　how　ill…tempered　and　shocking　she　is；　Julia。’　

‘Yes；　I　can；　my　dear！’　said　Julia。　

‘You　can；　perhaps；　love；’　returned　Dora；　with　her　hand　on　
Julia’s。　‘Forgive　my　not　excepting　you；　my　dear；　at　first。’　

I　learnt；　from　this；　that　Miss　Mills　had　had　her　trials　in　the　
course　of　a　chequered　existence；　and　that　to　these；　perhaps；　I　
might　refer　that　wise　benignity　of　manner　which　I　had　already　
noticed。　i　found；　in　the　course　of　the　day；　that　this　was　the　case：　
Miss　Mills　having　been　unhappy　in　a　misplaced　affection；　and　
being　understood　to　have　retired　from　the　world　on　her　awful　
stock　of　experience；　but　still　to　take　a　calm　interest　in　the　
unblighted　hopes　and　loves　of　youth。　

But　now　Mr。　Spenlow　came　out　of　the　house；　and　Dora　went　to　
him；　saying；　‘Look；　papa；　what　beautiful　flowers！’　And　Miss　Mills　
smiled　thoughtfully；　as　who　should　say；　‘Ye　Mayflies；　enjoy　your　
brief　existence　in　the　bright　morning　of　life！’　And　we　all　walked　
from　the　lawn　towards　the　carriage；　which　was　getting　ready。　

I　shall　never　have　such　a　ride　again。　I　have　never　had　such　
another。　There　were　only　those　three；　their　hamper；　my　hamper；　
and　the　guitar…case；　in　the　phaeton；　and；　of　course；　the　phaeton　
was　open；　and　I　rode　behind　it；　and　Dora　sat　with　her　back　to　the　
horses；　looking　towards　me。　She　kept　the　bouquet　close　to　her　on　
the　cushion；　and　wouldn’t　allow　Jip　to　sit　on　that　side　of　her　at　all；　
for　fear　he　should　crush　it。　She　often　carried　it　in　her　hand；　often　
refreshed　herself　with　its　fragrance。　Our　eyes　at　those　times　often　
met；　and　my　great　astonishment　is　that　I　didn’t　go　over　the　head　of　
my　gallant　grey　into　the　carriage。　

There　was　dust；　I　believe。　There　was　a　good　deal　of　dust；　I　
believe。　I　have　a　faint　impression　that　Mr。　Spenlow　remonstrated　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

with　me　for　riding　in　it；　but　I　knew　of　none。　I　was　sensible　of　a　mist　
of　love　and　beauty　about　Dora；　but　of　nothing　else。　He　stood　up　
sometimes；　and　asked　me　what　I　thought　of　the　prospect。　I　said　it　
was　delightful；　and　I　dare　say　it　was；　but　it　was　all　Dora　to　me。　The　
sun　shone　Dora；　and　the　birds　sang　Dora。　The　south　wind　blew　
Dora；　and　the　wild　flowers　in　the　hedges　were　all　Doras；　to　a　bud。　
My　comfort　is；　Miss　Mills　understood　me。　Miss　Mills　alone　could　
enter　into　my　feelings　thoroughly。　

I　don’t　know　how　long　we　were　going；　and　to　this　hour　I　know　
as　little　where　we　went。　Perhaps　it　was　near　Guildford。　Perhaps　
some　Arabian…night　magician；　opened　up　the　place　for　the　day；　
and　shut　it　up　for　ever　when　we　came　away。　It　was　a　green　spot；　on　
a　hill；　carpeted　with　soft　turf。　There　were　shady　trees；　and　heather；　
and；　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see；　a　rich　landscape。　

It　was　a　trying　thing　to　find　people　here；　waiting　for　us；　and　my　
jealousy；　even　of　the　ladies；　knew　no　bounds。　But　all　of　my　own　
sex—especially　one　impostor；　three　or　four　years　my　elder；　with　a　
red　whisker；　on　which　he　established　an　amount　of　presumption　
not　to　be　endured—were　my　mortal　foes。　

We　all　unpacked　our　baskets；　and　employed　ourselves　in　
getting　dinner　ready。　Red　Whisker　pretended　he　could　make　a　
salad　（which　I　don’t　believe）；　and　obtruded　himself　on　public　
notice。　Some　of　the　young　ladies　washed　the　lettuces　for　him；　and　
sliced　them　under　his　directions。　Dora　was　among　these。　I　felt　that　
fate　had　pitted　me　against　this　man；　and　one　of　us　must　fall。　

Red　Whisker　made　his　salad　（I　wondered　how　they　could　eat　it。　
Nothing　should　have　induced　me　to　touch　it！）　and　voted　himself　
into　the　charge　of　the　wine…cellar；　which　he　constructed；　being　an　
ingenious　beast；　in　the　hollow　trunk　of　a　tree。　By　and　by；　I　saw　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

him；　with　the　majority　of　a　lobster　on　his　plate；　eating　his　dinner　at　
the　feet　of　Dora！　

I　have　but　an　indistinct　idea　of　what　happened　for　some　time　
after　this　baleful　object　presented　itself　to　my　view。　I　was　very　
merry；　I　know；　but　it　was　hollow　merriment。　I　attached　myself　to　a　
young　crea