david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第133部分

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Introduced　same；　cautiously；　in　course　of　airing。　D。　immediately　
overcome。　“Oh；　dear；　dear　Julia！　Oh；　I　have　been　a　naughty　and　
undutiful　child！”　Soothed　and　caressed。　Drew　ideal　picture　of　D。　

C。　on　verge　of　tomb。　D。　again　overcome。　“Oh；　what　shall　I　do；　what　
shall　I　do？　Oh；　take　me　somewhere！”　Much　alarmed。　Fainting　of　
D。　and　glass　of　water　from　public…house。　（Poetical　affinity。　
Chequered　sign　on　door…post；　chequered　human　life。　Alas！　J。　M。）　
‘Friday。　Day　of　incident。　Man　appears　in　kitchen；　with　blue　bag；　
“for　lady’s　boots　left　out　to　heel”。　Cook　replies；　“No　such　orders。”　
Man　argues　point。　Cook　withdraws　to　inquire；　leaving　man　alone　
with　J。　On　Cook’s　return；　man　still　argues　point；　but　ultimately　
goes。　J。　missing。　D。　distracted。　Information　sent　to　police。　Man　to　
be　identified　by　broad　nose；　and　legs　like　balustrades　of　bridge。　
Search　made　in　every　direction。　No　J。　D。　weeping　bitterly；　and　
inconsolable。　Renewed　reference　to　young　Gazelle。　Appropriate；　
but　unavailing。　Towards　evening；　strange　boy　calls。　Brought　into　
parlour。　Broad　nose；　but　no　balustrades。　Says　he　wants　a　pound；　
and　knows　a　dog。　Declines　to　explain　further；　though　much　
pressed。　Pound　being　produced　by　D。　takes　Cook　to　little　house；　
where　J。　alone　tied　up　to　leg　of　table。　joy　of　D。　who　dances　round　J。　
while　he　eats　his　supper。　Emboldened　by　this　happy　change；　
mention　D。　C。　upstairs。　D。　weeps　afresh；　cries　piteously；　“Oh；　
don’t；　don’t；　don’t！　It　is　so　wicked　to　think　of　anything　but　poor　
papa！”—embraces　J。　and　sobs　herself　to　sleep。　（Must　not　D。　C。　

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confine　himself　to　the　broad　pinions　of　Time？　J。　M。）’　

Miss　Mills　and　her　journal　were　my　sole　consolation　at　this　
period。　To　see　her；　who　had　seen　Dora　but　a　little　while　before—to　
trace　the　initial　letter　of　Dora’s　name　through　her　sympathetic　
pages—to　be　made　more　and　more　miserable　by　her—were　my　
only　comforts。　I　felt　as　if　I　had　been　living　in　a　palace　of　cards；　
which　had　tumbled　down；　leaving　only　Miss　Mills　and　me　among　
the　ruins；　I　felt　as　if　some　grim　enchanter　had　drawn　a　magic　
circle　round　the　innocent　goddess　of　my　heart；　which　nothing　
indeed　but　those　same　strong　pinions；　capable　of　carrying　so　many　
people　over　so　much；　would　enable　me　to　enter！　

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Chapter　39　

WICKFIELD　AND　HEEP　

My　aunt；　beginning；　I　imagine；　to　be　made　seriously　
uncomfortable　by　my　prolonged　dejection；　made　a　
pretence　of　being　anxious　that　I　should　go　to　Dover；　to　
see　that　all　was　working　well　at　the　cottage；　which　was　let；　and　to　
conclude　an　agreement；　with　the　same　tenant；　for　a　longer　term　of　
occupation。　Janet　was　drafted　into　the　service　of　Mrs。　Strong；　
where　I　saw　her　every　day。　She　had　been　undecided；　on　leaving　
Dover；　whether　or　no　to　give　the　finishing　touch　to　that　
renunciation　of　mankind　in　which　she　had　been　educated；　by　
marrying　a　pilot；　but　she　decided　against　that　venture。　Not　so　
much　for　the　sake　of　principle；　I　believe；　as　because　she　happened　
not　to　like　him。　

Although　it　required　an　effort　to　leave　Miss　Mills；　I　fell　rather　
willingly　into　my　aunt’s　pretence；　as　a　means　of　enabling　me　to　
pass　a　few　tranquil　hours　with　Agnes。　I　consulted　the　good　Doctor　
relative　to　an　absence　of　three　days；　and　the　Doctor　wishing　me　to　
take　that　relaxation；—he　wished　me　to　take　more；　but　my　energy　
could　not　bear　that；—I　made　up　my　mind　to　go。　

As　to　the　Commons；　I　had　no　great　occasion　to　be　particular　
about　my　duties　in　that　quarter。　To　say　the　truth；　we　were　getting　
in　no　very　good　odour　among　the　tip…top　proctors；　and　were　
rapidly　sliding　down　to　but　a　doubtful　position。　The　business　had　
been　indifferent　under　Mr。　Jorkins；　before　Mr。　Spenlow’s　time；　
and　although　it　had　been　quickened　by　the　infusion　of　new　blood；　

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and　by　the　display　which　Mr。　Spenlow　made；　still　it　was　not　
established　on　a　sufficiently　strong　basis　to　bear；　without　being　
shaken；　such　a　blow　as　the　sudden　loss　of　its　active　manager。　It　fell　
off　very　much。　Mr。　Jorkins；　notwithstanding　his　reputation　in　the　
firm；　was　an　easy…going；　incapable　sort　of　man；　whose　reputation　
out　of　doors　was　not　calculated　to　back　it　up。　I　was　turned　over　to　
him　now；　and　when　I　saw　him　take　his　snuff　and　let　the　business　
go；　I　regretted　my　aunt’s　thousand　pounds　more　than　ever。　

But　this　was　not　the　worst　of　it。　There　were　a　number　of　
hangers…on　and　outsiders　about　the　Commons；　who；　without　being　
proctors　themselves；　dabbled　in　common…form　business；　and　got　it　
done　by　real　proctors；　who　lent　their　names　in　consideration　of　a　
share　in　the　spoil；—and　there　were　a　good　many　of　these　too。　As　
our　house　now　wanted　business　on　any　terms；　we　joined　this　noble　
band；　and　threw　out　lures　to　the　hangers…on　and　outsiders；　to　
bring　their　business　to　us。　Marriage　licences　and　small　probates　
were　what　we　all　looked　for；　and　what　paid　us　best；　and　the　
competition　for　these　ran　very　high　indeed。　Kidnappers　and　
inveiglers　were　planted　in　all　the　avenues　of　entrance　to　the　
Commons；　with　instructions　to　do　their　utmost　to　cut　off　all　
persons　in　mourning；　and　all　gentlemen　with　anything　bashful　in　
their　appearance；　and　entice　them　to　the　offices　in　which　their　
respective　employers　were　interested；　which　instructions　were　so　
well　observed；　that　I　myself；　before　I　was　known　by　sight；　was　
twice　hustled　into　the　premises　of　our　principal　opponent。　The　
conflicting　interests　of　these　touting　gentlemen　being　of　a　nature　
to　irritate　their　feelings；　personal　collisions　took　place；　and　the　
Commons　was　even　scandalized　by　our　principal　inveigler　（who　
had　formerly　been　in　the　wine　trade；　and　afterwards　in　the　sworn　

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brokery　line）　walking　about　for　some　days　with　a　black　eye。　Any　
one　of　these　scouts　used　to　think　nothing　of　politely　assisting　an　
old　lady　in　black　out　of　a　vehicle；　killing　any　proctor　whom　she　
inquired　for；　representing　his　employer　as　the　lawful　successor　
and　representative　of　that　proctor；　and　bearing　the　old　lady　off　
（sometimes　greatly　affected）　to　his　employer’s　office。　Many　
captives　were　brought　to　me　in　this　way。　As　to　marriage　licences；　
the　competition　rose　to　such　a　pitch；　that　a　shy　gentleman　in　want　
of　one；　had　nothing　to　do　but　submit　himself　to　the　first　inveigler；　
or　be　fought　for；　and　become　the　prey　of　the　strongest。　One　of　our　
clerks；　who　was　an　outsider；　used；　in　the　height　of　this　contest；　to　
sit　with　his　hat　on；　that　he　might　be　ready　to　rush　out　and　swear　
before　a　surrogate　any　victim　who　was　brought　in。　The　system　of　
inveigling　continues；　I　believe；　to　this　day。　The　last　time　I　was　in　
the　Commons；　a　civil　able…bodied　person　in　a　white　apron　pounced　
out　upon　me　from　a　doorway；　and　whispering　the　word　‘Marriagelicence’　in　my　ear；　was　with　great　difficulty　prevented　from　taking　
me　up　in　his　arms　and　lifting　me　into　a　proctor’s。　From　this　
digression；　let　me　proceed　to　Dover。　

I　found　everything　in　a　satisfactory　state　at　the　cottage；　and　was　
enabled　to　gratify　my　aunt　exceedingly　by　reporting　that　the　
tenant　inherited　her　feud；　and　waged　incessant　war　against　
donkeys。　Having　settled　the　little　business　I　had　to　transact　there；　
and　slept　there　one　night；　I　walked　on　to　Canterbury　early　in　the　
morning。　It　was　now　winter　again；　and　the　fresh；　cold　windy　day；　
and　the　sweeping　downland；　brightened　up　my　hopes　a　little。　

Coming　into　Canterbury；　I　loitered　through　the　old　streets　with　
a　sober　pleasure　that　calmed　my　spirits；　and　eased　my　heart。　
There　were　the　old　signs；　the　old　names　over　the　shops；　the　old　

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people　serving　in　them。　It　appeared　so　long；　since　I　had　been　a　
schoolboy　there；　that　I　wondered　the　place　was　so　little　changed；　
until　I　reflected　how　little　I　was　changed　myself。　Strange　to　say；　
that　quiet　influence　which　was　inseparable　in　my　mind　from　
Agnes；　seemed　to　pervade　even　the　city　where　she　dwelt。　The　
venerable　cathedral　towers；　and　the　old　jackdaws　and　rooks　whose　
airy　voices　made　them　more　retired　than　perfect　silence　would　
have　done；　the　battered　gateways；　one　stuck　full　with　statues；　long　
thrown　down；　and　crumbled　away；　like　the　reverential　pilgrims　
who　had　gazed　upon　them；　the　still　nooks；　where　the　ivied　growth　
of　centuries　crept　over　gabled　ends　and　ruined　walls；　the　ancient　
houses；　the　pastoral　landscape　of　field；　orchard；　and　garden；　
everywhere—on　everything—I　felt　the　same　serener　air；　the　same　
calm；　thoughtful；　softening　spirit。　

Arrived　at　Mr。　Wickfield’s　house；　I　found；　in　the　little　lower　
room　on　the　ground　floor；　where　Uriah　Heep　had　been　of　old　
accustomed　to　sit；　Mr。　Micawber　plying　his　pen　with　great　
assiduity。　He　was　dressed　in　a　legal…looking　suit　of　black；　and　
loomed；　burly　and　large；　in　that　small　office。　

Mr。　Micawber　was　extremely　glad　to　see　me；　but　a　little　
confused　too。　He　would　have　conducted　me　immediately　into　the　
presence　of　Uriah；　but　I　declined。　

‘I　know　the　house　of　old；　you　recollect；’　said　I；　‘and　will　find　my　
way　upstairs。　How　do　you　like　the　law；　Mr。　Micawber？’　

‘My　dear　Copperfield；’　he　replied。　‘To　a　man　possessed　of　the　
higher　imaginative　powers；　the　objection　to　legal　studies　is　the　
amount　of　detail　which　they　involve。　Even　in　our　professional　
correspondence；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　glancing　at　some　letters　he　
was　writing；　‘the　mind　is　not　at　liberty　to　soar　to　any　exalted　form　

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of　expression。　Still；　it　is　a　great　pursuit。　A　great　pursuit！’　

He　then　told　me　that　he　had　become　the　tenant　of　Uriah　Heep’s　
old　house；　and　that　Mrs。　Micawber　would　be　delighted　to　receive　
me；　once　more；　under　her　own　roof。　

‘It　is　humble；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘—to　quote　a　favourite　
expression　of　my　friend　Heep；　but　it　may　prove　the　stepping…stone　
to　more　ambitious　domiciliary　accommodation。’　

I　asked　him　whether　he　had　reason；　so　far；　to　be