david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第130部分

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‘I　believe　that　is　your　writing；　Mr。　Copperfield？’　said　Mr。　
Spenlow。　

I　was　very　hot；　and　the　voice　I　heard　was　very　unlike　mine；　
when　I　said；　‘It　is；　sir！’　

‘If　I　am　not　mistaken；’　said　Mr。　Spenlow；　as　Miss　Murdstone　
brought　a　parcel　of　letters　out　of　her　reticule；　tied　round　with　the　
dearest　bit　of　blue　ribbon；　‘those　are　also　from　your　pen；　Mr。　
Copperfield？’　

I　took　them　from　her　with　a　most　desolate　sensation；　and；　
glancing　at　such　phrases　at　the　top；　as　‘My　ever　dearest　and　own　
Dora；’　‘My　best　beloved　angel；’　‘My　blessed　one　for　ever；’　and　the　
like；　blushed　deeply；　and　inclined　my　head。　

‘No；　thank　you！’　said　Mr。　Spenlow；　coldly；　as　I　mechanically　
offered　them　back　to　him。　‘I　will　not　deprive　you　of　them。　Miss　
Murdstone；　be　so　good　as　to　proceed！’　

That　gentle　creature；　after　a　moment’s　thoughtful　survey　of　the　
carpet；　delivered　herself　with　much　dry　unction　as　follows。　

‘I　must　confess　to　having　entertained　my　suspicions　of　Miss　
Spenlow；　in　reference　to　David　Copperfield；　for　some　time。　I　
observed　Miss　Spenlow　and　David　Copperfield；　when　they　first　
met；　and　the　impression　made　upon　me　then　was　not　agreeable。　
The　depravity　of　the　human　heart　is　such—’　

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‘You　will　oblige　me；　ma’am；’　interrupted　Mr。　Spenlow；　‘by　
confining　yourself　to　facts。’　

Miss　Murdstone　cast　down　her　eyes；　shook　her　head　as　if　
protesting　against　this　unseemly　interruption；　and　with　frowning　
dignity　resumed：　

‘Since　I　am　to　confine　myself　to　facts；　I　will　state　them　as　dryly　
as　I　can。　Perhaps　that　will　be　considered　an　acceptable　course　of　
proceeding。　I　have　already　said；　sir；　that　I　have　had　my　suspicions　
of　Miss　Spenlow；　in　reference　to　David　Copperfield；　for　some　time。　
I　have　frequently　endeavoured　to　find　decisive　corroboration　of　
those　suspicions；　but　without　effect。　I　have　therefore　forborne　to　
mention　them　to　Miss　Spenlow’s　father’；　looking　severely　at　him—　
‘knowing　how　little　disposition　there　usually　is　in　such　cases；　to　
acknowledge　the　conscientious　discharge　of　duty。’　

Mr。　Spenlow　seemed　quite　cowed　by　the　gentlemanly　sternness　
of　Miss　Murdstone’s　manner；　and　deprecated　her　severity　with　a　
conciliatory　little　wave　of　his　hand。　

‘On　my　return　to　Norwood；　after　the　period　of　absence　
occasioned　by　my　brother’s　marriage；’　pursued　Miss　Murdstone　in　
a　disdainful　voice；　‘and　on　the　return　of　Miss　Spenlow　from　her　
visit　to　her　friend　Miss　Mills；　I　imagined　that　the　manner　of　Miss　
Spenlow　gave　me　greater　occasion　for　suspicion　than　before。　
Therefore　I　watched　Miss　Spenlow　closely。’　

Dear；　tender　little　Dora；　so　unconscious　of　this　Dragon’s　eye！　

‘Still；’　resumed　Miss　Murdstone；　‘I　found　no　proof　until　last　
night。　It　appeared　to　me　that　Miss　Spenlow　received　too　many　
letters　from　her　friend　Miss　Mills；　but　Miss　Mills　being　her　friend　
with　her　father’s　full　concurrence；’　another　telling　blow　at　Mr。　
Spenlow；　‘it　was　not　for　me　to　interfere。　If　I　may　not　be　permitted　

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to　allude　to　the　natural　depravity　of　the　human　heart；　at　least　I　
may—I　must—be　permitted；　so　far　to　refer　to　misplaced　
confidence。’　

Mr。　Spenlow　apologetically　murmured　his　assent。　

‘Last　evening　after　tea；’　pursued　Miss　Murdstone；　‘I　observed　
the　little　dog　starting；　rolling；　and　growling　about　the　drawing…
room；　worrying　something。　I　said　to　Miss　Spenlow；　“Dora；　what　is　
that　the　dog　has　in　his　mouth？　It’s　paper。”　Miss　Spenlow　
immediately　put　her　hand　to　her　frock；　gave　a　sudden　cry；　and　ran　
to　the　dog。　I　interposed；　and　said；　“Dora；　my　love；　you　must　permit　
me。”　‘　

Oh　Jip；　miserable　Spaniel；　this　wretchedness；　then；　was　your　
work！　

‘Miss　Spenlow　endeavoured；’　said　Miss　Murdstone；　‘to　bribe　me　
with　kisses；　work…boxes；　and　small　articles　of　jewellery—that；　of　
course；　I　pass　over。　The　little　dog　retreated　under　the　sofa　on　my　
approaching　him；　and　was　with　great　difficulty　dislodged　by　the　
fire…irons。　Even　when　dislodged；　he　still　kept　the　letter　in　his　
mouth；　and　on　my　endeavouring　to　take　it　from　him；　at　the　
imminent　risk　of　being　bitten；　he　kept　it　between　his　teeth　so　
pertinaciously　as　to　suffer　himself　to　be　held　suspended　in　the　air　
by　means　of　the　document。　At　length　I　obtained　possession　of　it。　
After　perusing　it；　I　taxed　Miss　Spenlow　with　having　many　such　
letters　in　her　possession；　and　ultimately　obtained　from　her　the　
packet　which　is　now　in　David　Copperfield’s　hand。’　

Here　she　ceased；　and　snapping　her　reticule　again；　and　shutting　
her　mouth；　looked　as　if　she　might　be　broken；　but　could　never　be　
bent。　

‘You　have　heard　Miss　Murdstone；’　said　Mr。　Spenlow；　turning　to　

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me。　‘I　beg　to　ask；　Mr。　Copperfield；　if　you　have　anything　to　say　in　
reply？’　

The　picture　I　had　before　me；　of　the　beautiful　little　treasure　of　
my　heart；　sobbing　and　crying　all　night—of　her　being　alone；　
frightened；　and　wretched；　then—of　her　having　so　piteously　begged　
and　prayed　that　stony…hearted　woman　to　forgive　her—of　her　
having　vainly　offered　her　those　kisses；　work…boxes；　and　trinkets—　
of　her　being　in　such　grievous　distress；　and　all　for　me—very　much　
impaired　the　little　dignity　I　had　been　able　to　muster。　I　am　afraid　I　
was　in　a　tremulous　state　for　a　minute　or　so；　though　I　did　my　best　to　
disguise　it。　

‘There　is　nothing　I　can　say；　sir；’　I　returned；　‘except　that　all　the　
blame　is　mine。　Dora—’　

‘Miss　Spenlow；　if　you　please；’　said　her　father；　majestically。　

‘—was　induced　and　persuaded　by　me；’　I　went　on；　swallowing　
that　colder　designation；　‘to　consent　to　this　concealment；　and　I　
bitterly　regret　it。’　

‘You　are　very　much　to　blame；　sir；’　said　Mr。　Spenlow；　walking　to　
and　fro　upon　the　hearth…rug；　and　emphasizing　what　he　said　with　
his　whole　body　instead　of　his　head；　on　account　of　the　stiffness　of　
his　cravat　and　spine。　‘You　have　done　a　stealthy　and　unbecoming　
action；　Mr。　Copperfield。　When　I　take　a　gentleman　to　my　house；　no　
matter　whether　he　is　nineteen；　twenty…nine；　or　ninety；　I　take　him　
there　in　a　spirit　of　confidence。　If　he　abuses　my　confidence；　he　
commits　a　dishonourable　action；　Mr。　Copperfield。’　

‘I　feel　it；　sir；　I　assure　you；’　I　returned。　‘But　I　never　thought　so；　
before。　Sincerely；　honestly；　indeed；　Mr。　Spenlow；　I　never　thought　
so；　before。　I　love　Miss　Spenlow　to　that　extent—’　

‘Pooh！　nonsense！’　said　Mr。　Spenlow；　reddening。　‘Pray　don’t　tell　

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me　to　my　face　that　you　love　my　daughter；　Mr。　Copperfield！’　

‘Could　I　defend　my　conduct　if　I　did　not；　sir？’　I　returned；　with　all　
humility。　

‘Can　you　defend　your　conduct　if　you　do；　sir？’　said　Mr。　Spenlow；　
stopping　short　upon　the　hearth…rug。　‘Have　you　considered　your　
years；　and　my　daughter’s　years；　Mr。　Copperfield？　Have　you　
considered　what　it　is　to　undermine　the　confidence　that　should　
subsist　between　my　daughter　and　myself？　Have　you　considered　
my　daughter’s　station　in　life；　the　projects　I　may　contemplate　for　
her　advancement；　the　testamentary　intentions　I　may　have　with　
reference　to　her？　Have　you　considered　anything；　Mr。　
Copperfield？’　

‘Very　little；　sir；　I　am　afraid；’　I　answered；　speaking　to　him　as　
respectfully　and　sorrowfully　as　I　felt；　‘but　pray　believe　me；　I　have　
considered　my　own　worldly　position。　When　I　explained　it　to　you；　
we　were　already　engaged—’　

‘I　beg；’　said　Mr。　Spenlow；　more　like　Punch　than　I　had　ever　seen　
him；　as　he　energetically　struck　one　hand　upon　the　other—I　could　
not　help　noticing　that　even　in　my　despair；　‘that　you　Will　not　talk　to　
me　of　engagements；　Mr。　Copperfield！’　

The　otherwise　immovable　Miss　Murdstone　laughed　
contemptuously　in　one　short　syllable。　

‘When　I　explained　my　altered　position　to　you；　sir；’　I　began　
again；　substituting　a　new　form　of　expression　for　what　was　so　
unpalatable　to　him；　‘this　concealment；　into　which　I　am　so　unhappy　
as　to　have　led　Miss　Spenlow；　had　begun。　Since　I　have　been　in　that　
altered　position；　I　have　strained　every　nerve；　I　have　exerted　every　
energy；　to　improve　it。　I　am　sure　I　shall　improve　it　in　time。　Will　you　
grant　me　time—any　length　of　time？　We　are　both　so　young；　sir；—’　

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‘You　are　right；’　interrupted　Mr。　Spenlow；　nodding　his　head　a　
great　many　times；　and　frowning　very　much；　‘you　are　both　very　
young。　It’s　all　nonsense。　Let　there　be　an　end　of　the　nonsense。　Take　
away　those　letters；　and　throw　them　in　the　fire。　Give　me　Miss　
Spenlow’s　letters　to　throw　in　the　fire；　and　although　our　future　
intercourse　must；　you　are　aware；　be　restricted　to　the　Commons　
here；　we　will　agree　to　make　no　further　mention　of　the　past。　Come；　
Mr。　Copperfield；　you　don’t　want　sense；　and　this　is　the　sensible　
course。’　

No。　I　couldn’t　think　of　agreeing　to　it。　I　was　very　sorry；　but　there　
was　a　higher　consideration　than　sense。　Love　was　above　all　earthly　
considerations；　and　I　loved　Dora　to　idolatry；　and　Dora　loved　me。　I　
didn’t　exactly　say　so；　I　softened　it　down　as　much　as　I　could；　but　I　
implied　it；　and　I　was　resolute　upon　it。　I　don’t　think　I　made　myself　
very　ridiculous；　but　I　know　I　was　resolute。　

‘Very　well；　Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Spenlow；　‘I　must　try　my　
influence　with　my　daughter。’　

Miss　Murdstone；　by　an　expressive　sound；　a　long　drawn　
respiration；　which　was　neither　a　sigh　nor　a　moan；　but　was　like　
both；　gave　it　as　her　opinion　that　he　should　have　done　this　at　first。　

‘I　must　try；’　said　Mr。　Spenlow；　confirmed　by　this　support；　‘my　
influence　with　my　daughter。　Do　you　decline　to　take　those　letters；　
Mr。　Copperfield？’　For　I　had　laid　them　on　the　table。　

Yes。　I　told　him　I　hoped　he　would　not　think　it　wrong；　but　I　
couldn’t　possibly　take　them　from　Miss　Murdstone。　

‘Nor　from　me？’　said　Mr。　Spenlow。　

No；　I　replied　with　the　profoundest　respect；　nor　from　him。　

‘Very　well！’　said　Mr。　Spenlow。　

A　silence　succeeding；　I　was　undecided　whether　to　go　or　stay。　At　

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