david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第142部分

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accede　to　Mr。　Copperfield’s　proposal；　as　to　admit　his　visits　here。’　

‘I　shall　never；　dear　ladies；’　I　exclaimed；　relieved　of　an　immense　
load　of　apprehension；　‘forget　your　kindness！’　

‘But；’　pursued　Miss　Lavinia；—‘but；　we　would　prefer　to　regard　
those　visits；　Mr。　Traddles；　as　made；　at　present；　to　us。　We　must　
guard　ourselves　from　recognizing　any　positive　engagement　
between　Mr。　Copperfield　and　our　niece；　until　we　have　had　an　
opportunity—’　

‘Until　you　have　had　an　opportunity；　sister　Lavinia；’　said　Miss　
Clarissa。　

‘Be　it　so；’　assented　Miss　Lavinia；　with　a　sigh—‘until　I　have　had　
an　opportunity　of　observing　them。’　

‘Copperfield；’　said　Traddles；　turning　to　me；　‘you　feel；　I　am　sure；　
that　nothing　could　be　more　reasonable　or　considerate。’　

‘Nothing！’　cried　I。　‘I　am　deeply　sensible　of　it。’　

‘In　this　position　of　affairs；’　said　Miss　Lavinia；　again　referring　to　
her　notes；　‘and　admitting　his　visits　on　this　understanding　only；　we　
must　require　from　Mr。　Copperfield　a　distinct　assurance；　on　his　
word　of　honour；　that　no　communication　of　any　kind　shall　take　
place　between　him　and　our　niece　without　our　knowledge。　That　no　
project　whatever　shall　be　entertained　with　regard　to　our　niece；　

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David　Copperfield　

without　being　first　submitted　to　us—’　

‘To　you；　sister　Lavinia；’　Miss　Clarissa　interposed。　

‘Be　it　so；　Clarissa！’　assented　Miss　Lavinia　resignedly—‘to　me—　
and　receiving　our　concurrence。　We　must　make　this　a　most　express　
and　serious　stipulation；　not　to　be　broken　on　any　account。　We　
wished　Mr。　Copperfield　to　be　accompanied　by　some　confidential　
friend　today；’　with　an　inclination　of　her　head　towards　Traddles；　
who　bowed；　‘in　order　that　there　might　be　no　doubt　or　
misconception　on　this　subject。　If　Mr。　Copperfield；　or　if　you；　Mr。　
Traddles；　feel　the　least　scruple；　in　giving　this　promise；　I　beg　you　to　
take　time　to　consider　it。’　

I　exclaimed；　in　a　state　of　high　ecstatic　fervour；　that　not　a　
moment’s　consideration　could　be　necessary。　I　bound　myself　by　the　
required　promise；　in　a　most　impassioned　manner；　called　upon　
Traddles　to　witness　it；　and　denounced　myself　as　the　most　
atrocious　of　characters　if　I　ever　swerved　from　it　in　the　least　degree。　

‘Stay！’　said　Miss　Lavinia；　holding　up　her　hand；　‘we　resolved；　
before　we　had　the　pleasure　of　receiving　you　two　gentlemen；　to　
leave　you　alone　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　to　consider　this　point。　
You　will　allow　us　to　retire。’　

It　was　in　vain　for　me　to　say　that　no　consideration　was　necessary。　
They　persisted　in　withdrawing　for　the　specified　time。　Accordingly；　
these　little　birds　hopped　out　with　great　dignity；　leaving　me　to　
receive　the　congratulations　of　Traddles；　and　to　feel　as　if　I　were　
translated　to　regions　of　exquisite　happiness。　Exactly　at　the　
expiration　of　the　quarter　of　an　hour；　they　reappeared　with　no　less　
dignity　than　they　had　disappeared。　They　had　gone　rustling　away　
as　if　their　little　dresses　were　made　of　autumn…leaves：　and　they　
came　rustling　back；　in　like　manner。　

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David　Copperfield　

I　then　bound　myself　once　more　to　the　prescribed　conditions。　

‘Sister　Clarissa；’　said　Miss　Lavinia；　‘the　rest　is　with　you。’　

Miss　Clarissa；　unfolding　her　arms　for　the　first　time；　took　the　
notes　and　glanced　at　them。　

‘We　shall　be　happy；’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　‘to　see　Mr。　Copperfield　
to　dinner；　every　Sunday；　if　it　should　suit　his　convenience。　Our　
hour　is　three。’　

I　bowed。　

‘In　the　course　of　the　week；’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　‘we　shall　be　
happy　to　see　Mr。　Copperfield　to　tea。　Our　hour　is　half…past　six。’　

I　bowed　again。　

‘Twice　in　the　week；’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　‘but；　as　a　rule；　not　
oftener。’　

I　bowed　again。　

‘Miss　Trotwood；’　said　Miss　Clarissa；　‘mentioned　in　Mr。　
Copperfield’s　letter；　will　perhaps　call　upon　us。　When　visiting　is　
better　for　the　happiness　of　all　parties；　we　are　glad　to　receive　visits；　
and　return　them。　When　it　is　better　for　the　happiness　of　all　parties　
that　no　visiting　should　take　place；　（as　in　the　case　of　our　brother　
Francis；　and　his　establishment）　that　is　quite　different。’　

I　intimated　that　my　aunt　would　be　proud　and　delighted　to　make　
their　acquaintance；　though　I　must　say　I　was　not　quite　sure　of　their　
getting　on　very　satisfactorily　together。　The　conditions　being　now　
closed；　I　expressed　my　acknowledgements　in　the　warmest　
manner；　and；　taking　the　hand；　first　of　Miss　Clarissa；　and　then　of　
Miss　Lavinia；　pressed　it；　in　each　case；　to　my　lips。　

Miss　Lavinia　then　arose；　and　begging　Mr。　Traddles　to　excuse　us　
for　a　minute；　requested　me　to　follow　her。　I　obeyed；　all　in　a　tremble；　
and　was　conducted　into　another　room。　There　I　found　my　blessed　

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David　Copperfield　

darling　stopping　her　ears　behind　the　door；　with　her　dear　little　face　
against　the　wall；　and　Jip　in　the　plate…warmer　with　his　head　tied　up　
in　a　towel。　

Oh！　How　beautiful　she　was　in　her　black　frock；　and　how　she　
sobbed　and　cried　at　first；　and　wouldn’t　come　out　from　behind　the　
door！　How　fond　we　were　of　one　another；　when　she　did　come　out　at　
last；　and　what　a　state　of　bliss　I　was　in；　when　we　took　Jip　out　of　the　
plate…warmer；　and　restored　him　to　the　light；　sneezing　very　much；　
and　were　all　three　reunited！　

‘My　dearest　Dora！　Now；　indeed；　my　own　for　ever！’　

‘Oh；　don’t！’　pleaded　Dora。　‘Please！’　

‘Are　you　not　my　own　for　ever；　Dora？’　

‘Oh　yes；　of　course　I　am！’　cried　Dora；　‘but　I　am　so　frightened！’　

‘Frightened；　my　own？’　

‘Oh　yes！　I　don’t　like　him；’　said　Dora。　‘Why　don’t　he　go？’　

‘Who；　my　life？’　

‘Your　friend；’　said　Dora。　‘It　isn’t　any　business　of　his。　What　a　
stupid　he　must　be！’　

‘My　love！’　（There　never　was　anything　so　coaxing　as　her　childish　
ways。）　‘He　is　the　best　creature！’　

‘Oh；　but　we　don’t　want　any　best　creatures！’　pouted　Dora。　

‘My　dear；’　I　argued；　‘you　will　soon　know　him　well；　and　like　him　
of　all　things。　And　here　is　my　aunt　coming　soon；　and　you’ll　like　her　
of　all　things　too；　when　you　know　her。’　

‘No；　please　don’t　bring　her！’　said　Dora；　giving　me　a　horrified　
little　kiss；　and　folding　her　hands。　‘Don’t。　I　know　she’s　a　naughty；　
mischief…making　old　thing！　Don’t　let　her　come　here；　Doady！’　which　
was　a　corruption　of　David。　

Remonstrance　was　of　no　use；　then；　so　I　laughed；　and　admired；　

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David　Copperfield　821　

and　was　very　much　in　love　and　very　happy；　and　she　showed　me　
Jip’s　new　trick　of　standing　on　his　hind　legs　in　a　corner—which　he　
did　for　about　the　space　of　a　flash　of　lightning；　and　then　fell　down—　
and　I　don’t　know　how　long　I　should　have　stayed　there；　oblivious　of　
Traddles；　if　Miss　Lavinia　had　not　come　in　to　take　me　away。　Miss　
Lavinia　was　very　fond　of　Dora　（she　told　me　Dora　was　exactly　like　
what　she　had　been　herself　at　her　age—she　must　have　altered　a　
good　deal）；　and　she　treated　Dora　just　as　if　she　had　been　a　toy。　I　
wanted　to　persuade　Dora　to　come　and　see　Traddles；　but　on　my　
proposing　it　she　ran　off　to　her　own　room　and　locked　herself　in；　so　I　
went　to　Traddles　without　her；　and　walked　away　with　him　on　air。　

‘Nothing　could　be　more　satisfactory；’　said　Traddles；　‘and　they　
are　very　agreeable　old　ladies；　I　am　sure。　I　shouldn’t　be　at　all　
surprised　if　you　were　to　be　married　years　before　me；　Copperfield。’　

‘Does　your　Sophy　play　on　any　instrument；　Traddles？’　I　
inquired；　in　the　pride　of　my　heart。　

‘She　knows　enough　of　the　piano　to　teach　it　to　her　little　sisters；’　
said　Traddles。　

‘Does　she　sing　at　all？’　I　asked。　

‘Why；　she　sings　ballads；　sometimes；　to　freshen　up　the　others　a　
little　when　they’re　out　of　spirits；’　said　Traddles。　‘Nothing　
scientific。’　

‘She　doesn’t　sing　to　the　guitar？’　said　I。　

‘Oh　dear　no！’　said　Traddles。　

‘Paint　at　all？’　

‘Not　at　all；’　said　Traddles。　

I　promised　Traddles　that　he　should　hear　Dora　sing；　and　see　
some　of　her　flower…painting。　He　said　he　should　like　it　very　much；　
and　we　went　home　arm　in　arm　in　great　good　humour　and　delight。　I　

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David　Copperfield　822　

encouraged　him　to　talk　about　Sophy；　on　the　way；　which　he　did　
with　a　loving　reliance　on　her　that　I　very　much　admired。　I　
compared　her　in　my　mind　with　Dora；　with　considerable　inward　
satisfaction；　but　I　candidly　admitted　to　myself　that　she　seemed　to　
be　an　excellent　kind　of　girl　for　Traddles；　too。　

Of　course　my　aunt　was　immediately　made　acquainted　with　the　
successful　issue　of　the　conference；　and　with　all　that　had　been　said　
and　done　in　the　course　of　it。　She　was　happy　to　see　me　so　happy；　
and　promised　to　call　on　Dora’s　aunts　without　loss　of　time。　But　she　
took　such　a　long　walk　up　and　down　our　rooms　that　night；　while　I　
was　writing　to　Agnes；　that　I　began　to　think　she　meant　to　walk　till　
morning。　

My　letter　to　Agnes　was　a　fervent　and　grateful　one；　narrating　all　
the　good　effects　that　had　resulted　from　my　following　her　advice。　
She　wrote；　by　return　of　post；　to　me。　Her　letter　was　hopeful；　
earnest；　and　cheerful。　She　was　always　cheerful　from　that　time。　

I　had　my　hands　more　full　than　ever；　now。　My　daily　journeys　to　
Highgate　considered；　Putney　was　a　long　way　off；　and　I　naturally　
wanted　to　go　there　as　often　as　I　could。　The　proposed　tea…drinkings　
being　quite　impracticable；　I　compounded　with　Miss　Lavinia　for　
permission　to　visit　every　Saturday　afternoon；　without　detriment　to　
my　privileged　Sundays。　So；　the　close　of　every　week　was　a　delicious　
time　for　me；　and　I　got　through　the　rest　of　the　week　by　looking　
forward　to　it。　

I　was　wonderfully　relieved　to　find　that　my　aunt　and　Dora’s　
aunts　rubbed　on；　all　things　considered；　much　more　smoothly　than　
I　could　have　expected。　My　aunt　made　her　promised　visit　within　a　
few　days　of　the　conference；　and　within　a　few　more　days；　Dora’s　
aunts　called　upon　her；　in　due　state　and　form。　Similar　but　more　

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David　Copperfield　

friendly　exchanges　took　place　afterwards；　usually　at　intervals　of　
three　or　four　weeks。　I　know　that　my　aunt　distressed　Dora’s　aunts　
very　much；　by　utterly　setting　at　naught　the