david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第21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！


afterwards　found　that　he　generally　acted；　with　his　strong　voice；　as　
Mr。　Creakle’s　interpreter　to　the　boys。　

I　was　very　much　frightened；　and　said；　I　hoped　so；　if　he　pleased。　
I　felt；　all　this　while；　as　if　my　ear　were　blazing；　he　pinched　it　so　
hard。　

‘I’ll　tell　you　what　I　am；’　whispered　Mr。　Creakle；　letting　it　go　at　
last；　with　a　screw　at　parting　that　brought　the　water　into　my　eyes。　
‘I’m　a　Tartar。’　

‘A　Tartar；’　said　the　man　with　the　wooden　leg。　

‘When　I　say　I’ll　do　a　thing；　I　do　it；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　‘and　when　I　
say　I　will　have　a　thing　done；　I　will　have　it　done。’　

‘—Will　have　a　thing　done；　I　will　have　it　done；’　repeated　the　man　
with　the　wooden　leg。　

‘I　am　a　determined　character；’　said　Mr。　Creakle。　‘That’s　what　I　
am。　I　do　my　duty。　That’s　what　I　do。　My　flesh　and　blood’—he　looked　
at　Mrs。　Creakle　as　he　said　this—‘when　it　rises　against　me；　is　not　
my　flesh　and　blood。　I　discard　it。　Has　that　fellow’—to　the　man　with　
the　wooden　leg—‘been　here　again？’　

‘No；’　was　the　answer。　

‘No；’　said　Mr。　Creakle。　‘He　knows　better。　He　knows　me。　Let　him　
keep　away。　I　say　let　him　keep　away；’　said　Mr。　Creakle；　striking　his　
hand　upon　the　table；　and　looking　at　Mrs。　Creakle；　‘for　he　knows　
me。　Now　you　have　begun　to　know　me　too；　my　young　friend；　and　
you　may　go。　Take　him　away。’　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

I　was　very　glad　to　be　ordered　away；　for　Mrs。　and　Miss　Creakle　
were　both　wiping　their　eyes；　and　I　felt　as　uncomfortable　for　them　
as　I　did　for　myself。　But　I　had　a　petition　on　my　mind　which　
concerned　me　so　nearly；　that　I　couldn’t　help　saying；　though　I　
wondered　at　my　own　courage：　

‘If　you　please；　sir—’　

Mr。　Creakle　whispered；　‘Hah！　What’s　this？’　and　bent　his　eyes　
upon　me；　as　if　he　would　have　burnt　me　up　with　them。　

‘If　you　please；　sir；’　I　faltered；　‘if　I　might　be　allowed　（I　am　very　
sorry　indeed；　sir；　for　what　I　did）　to　take　this　writing　off；　before　the　
boys　come　back—’　

Whether　Mr。　Creakle　was　in　earnest；　or　whether　he　only　did　it　
to　frighten　me；　I　don’t　know；　but　he　made　a　burst　out　of　his　chair；　
before　which　I　precipitately　retreated；　without　waiting　for　the　
escort　Of　the　man　with　the　wooden　leg；　and　never　once　stopped　
until　I　reached　my　own　bedroom；　where；　finding　I　was　not　
pursued；　I　went　to　bed；　as　it　was　time；　and　lay　quaking；　for　a　
couple　of　hours。　

Next　morning　Mr。　Sharp　came　back。　Mr。　Sharp　was　the　first　
master；　and　superior　to　Mr。　Mell。　Mr。　Mell　took　his　meals　with　the　
boys；　but　Mr。　Sharp　dined　and　supped　at　Mr。　Creakle’s　table。　He　
was　a　limp；　delicate…looking　gentleman；　I　thought；　with　a　good　deal　
of　nose；　and　a　way　of　carrying　his　head　on　one　side；　as　if　it　were　a　
little　too　heavy　for　him。　His　hair　was　very　smooth　and　wavy；　but　I　
was　informed　by　the　very　first　boy　who　came　back　that　it　was　a　wig　
（a　second…hand　one　he　said）；　and　that　Mr。　Sharp　went　out　every　
Saturday　afternoon　to　get　it　curled。　

It　was　no　other　than　Tommy　Traddles　who　gave　me　this　piece　
of　intelligence。　He　was　the　first　boy　who　returned。　He　introduced　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

himself　by　informing　me　that　I　should　find　his　name　on　the　right…
hand　corner　of　the　gate；　over　the　top…bolt；　upon　that　I　said；　
‘Traddles？’　to　which　he　replied；　‘The　same；’　and　then　he　asked　me　
for　a　full　account　of　myself　and　family。　

It　was　a　happy　circumstance　for　me　that　Traddles　came　back　
first。　He　enjoyed　my　placard　so　much；　that　he　saved　me　from　the　
embarrassment　of　either　disclosure　or　concealment；　by　presenting　
me　to　every　other　boy　who　came　back；　great　or　small；　immediately　
on　his　arrival；　in　this　form　of　introduction；　‘Look　here！　Here’s　a　
game！’　Happily；　too；　the　greater　part　of　the　boys　came　back　low…
spirited；　and　were　not　so　boisterous　at　my　expense　as　I　had　
expected。　Some　of　them　certainly　did　dance　about　me　like　wild　
Indians；　and　the　greater　part　could　not　resist　the　temptation　of　
pretending　that　I　was　a　dog；　and　patting　and　soothing　me；　lest　I　
should　bite；　and　saying；　‘Lie　down；　sir！’　and　calling　me　Towzer。　
This　was　naturally　confusing；　among　so　many　strangers；　and　cost　
me　some　tears；　but　on　the　whole　it　was　much　better　than　I　had　
anticipated。　

I　was　not　considered　as　being　formally　received　into　the　school；　
however；　until　J。　Steerforth　arrived。　Before　this　boy；　who　was　
reputed　to　be　a　great　scholar；　and　was　very　good…looking；　and　at　
least　half…a…dozen　years　my　senior；　I　was　carried　as　before　a　
magistrate。　He　inquired；　under　a　shed　in　the　playground；　into　the　
particulars　of　my　punishment；　and　was　pleased　to　express　his　
opinion　that　it　was　‘a　jolly　shame’；　for　which　I　became　bound　to　
him　ever　afterwards。　

‘What　money　have　you　got；　Copperfield？’　he　said；　walking　aside　
with　me　when　he　had　disposed　of　my　affair　in　these　terms。　I　told　
him　seven　shillings。　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

‘You　had　better　give　it　to　me　to　take　care　of；’　he　said。　‘At　least；　
you　can　if　you　like。　You　needn’t　if　you　don’t　like。’　

I　hastened　to　comply　with　his　friendly　suggestion；　and　opening　
Peggotty’s　purse；　turned　it　upside　down　into　his　hand。　

‘Do　you　want　to　spend　anything　now？’　he　asked　me。　

‘No　thank　you；’　I　replied。　

‘You　can；　if　you　like；　you　know；’　said　Steerforth。　‘Say　the　word。’　

‘No；　thank　you；　sir；’　I　repeated。　

‘Perhaps　you’d　like　to　spend　a　couple　of　shillings　or　so；　in　a　
bottle　of　currant　wine　by　and　by；　up　in　the　bedroom？’　said　
Steerforth。　‘You　belong　to　my　bedroom；　I　find。’　

It　certainly　had　not　occurred　to　me　before；　but　I　said；　Yes；　I　
should　like　that。　

‘Very　good；’　said　Steerforth。　‘You’ll　be　glad　to　spend　another　
shilling　or　so；　in　almond　cakes；　I　dare　say？’　

I　said；　Yes；　I　should　like　that；　too。　

‘And　another　shilling　or　so　in　biscuits；　and　another　in　fruit；　eh？’　
said　Steerforth。　‘I　say；　young　Copperfield；　you’re　going　it！’　

I　smiled　because　he　smiled；　but　I　was　a　little　troubled　in　my　
mind；　too。　

‘Well！’　said　Steerforth。　‘We　must　make　it　stretch　as　far　as　we　
can；　that’s　all。　I’ll　do　the　best　in　my　power　for　you。　I　can　go　out　
when　I　like；　and　I’ll　smuggle　the　prog　in。’　With　these　words　he　put　
the　money　in　his　pocket；　and　kindly　told　me　not　to　make　myself　
uneasy；　he　would　take　care　it　should　be　all　right。　He　was　as　good　
as　his　word；　if　that　were　all　right　which　I　had　a　secret　misgiving　
was　nearly　all　wrong—for　I　feared　it　was　a　waste　of　my　mother’s　
two　half…crowns—though　I　had　preserved　the　piece　of　paper　they　
were　wrapped　in：　which　was　a　precious　saving。　When　we　went　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

upstairs　to　bed；　he　produced　the　whole　seven　shillings’　worth；　and　
laid　it　out　on　my　bed　in　the　moonlight；　saying：　

‘There　you　are；　young　Copperfield；　and　a　royal　spread　you’ve　
got。’　

I　couldn’t　think　of　doing　the　honours　of　the　feast；　at　my　time　of　
life；　while　he　was　by；　my　hand　shook　at　the　very　thought　of　it。　I　
begged　him　to　do　me　the　favour　of　presiding；　and　my　request　
being　seconded　by　the　other　boys　who　were　in　that　room；　he　
acceded　to　it；　and　sat　upon　my　pillow；　handing　round　the　viands—　
with　perfect　fairness；　I　must　say—and　dispensing　the　currant　wine　
in　a　little　glass　without　a　foot；　which　was　his　own　property。　As　to　
me；　I　sat　on　his　left　hand；　and　the　rest　were　grouped　about　us；　on　
the　nearest　beds　and　on　the　floor。　

How　well　I　recollect　our　sitting　there；　talking　in　whispers；　or　
their　talking；　and　my　respectfully　listening；　I　ought　rather　to　say；　
the　moonlight　falling　a　little　way　into　the　room；　through　the　
window；　painting　a　pale　window　on　the　floor；　and　the　greater　part　
of　us　in　shadow；　except　when　Steerforth　dipped　a　match　into　a　
phosphorus…box；　when　he　wanted　to　look　for　anything　on　the　
board；　and　shed　a　blue　glare　over　us　that　was　gone　directly！　A　
certain　mysterious　feeling；　consequent　on　the　darkness；　the　
secrecy　of　the　revel；　and　the　whisper　in　which　everything　was　said；　
steals　over　me　again；　and　I　listen　to　all　they　tell　me　with　a　vague　
feeling　of　solemnity　and　awe；　which　makes　me　glad　that　they　are　
all　so　near；　and　frightens　me　（though　I　feign　to　laugh）　when　
Traddles　pretends　to　see　a　ghost　in　the　corner。　

I　heard　all　kinds　of　things　about　the　school　and　all　belonging　to　
it。　I　heard　that　Mr。　Creakle　had　not　preferred　his　claim　to　being　a　
Tartar　without　reason；　that　he　was　the　sternest　and　most　severe　of　

Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics　


David　Copperfield　

masters；　that　he　laid　about　him；　right　and　left；　every　day　of　his　life；　
charging　in　among　the　boys　like　a　trooper；　and　slashing　away；　
unmercifully。　That　he　knew　nothing　himself；　but　the　art　of　
slashing；　being　more　ignorant　（J。　Steerforth　said）　than　the　lowest　
boy　in　the　school；　that　he　had　been；　a　good　many　years　ago；　a　
small　hop…dealer　in　the　Borough；　and　had　taken　to　the　schooling　
business　after　being　bankrupt　in　hops；　and　making　away　with　Mrs。　
Creakle’s　money。　With　a　good　deal　more　of　that　sort；　which　I　
wondered　how　they　knew。　

I　heard　that　the　man　with　the　wooden　leg；　whose　name　was　
Tungay；　was　an　obstinate　barbarian　who　had　formerly　assisted　in　
the　hop　business；　but　had　come　into　the　scholastic　line　with　Mr。　
Creakle；　in　consequence；　as　was　supposed　among　the　boys；　of　his　
having　broken　his　leg　in　Mr。　Creakle’s　service；　and　having　done　a　
deal　of　dishonest　work　for　him；　and　knowing　his　secrets。　I　heard　
that　with　the　single　exception　of　Mr。　Creakle；　Tungay　considered　
the　whole　establishment；　masters　and　boys；　as　his　natural　
enemies；　and　that　the　only　delight　of　his　life　was　to　be　sour　and　
malicious。　I　heard　that　Mr。　Creakle　had　a　son；　who　had　not　been　
Tungay’s　friend；　and　who；　assisting　in　the　school；　had　once　held　
some　remonstrance　with　his　father　on　an　occasion　when　its　
discipline　was　very　cruelly　exercised；　and　was　supposed；　besides；　
to　have　protested　against　his　father’s　usage　of　his　mother。　I　heard　
that　Mr。　Creakle　had　turned　him　out　of　doors；　in　consequence；　and　
that　Mrs。　and　Miss　Creakle　had　been　in　a　sad　way；　ever　since。　

But