david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第23部分

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believe　he　only　did　it　because　they　were　easy；　and　didn’t　want　any　
features。　

He　was　very　honourable；　Traddles　was；　and　held　it　as　a　solemn　
duty　in　the　boys　to　stand　by　one　another。　He　suffered　for　this　on　
several　occasions；　and　particularly　once；　when　Steerforth　laughed　
in　church；　and　the　Beadle　thought　it　was　Traddles；　and　took　him　
out。　I　see　him　now；　going　away　in　custody；　despised　by　the　
congregation。　He　never　said　who　was　the　real　offender；　though　he　
smarted　for　it　next　day；　and　was　imprisoned　so　many　hours　that　he　

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David　Copperfield　

came　forth　with　a　whole　churchyard…full　of　skeletons　swarming　all　
over　his　Latin　Dictionary。　But　he　had　his　reward。　Steerforth　said　
there　was　nothing　of　the　sneak　in　Traddles；　and　we　all　felt　that　to　
be　the　highest　praise。　For　my　part；　I　could　have　gone　through　a　
good　deal　（though　I　was　much　less　brave　than　Traddles；　and　
nothing　like　so　old）　to　have　won　such　a　recompense。　

To　see　Steerforth　walk　to　church　before　us；　arm…in…arm　with　
Miss　Creakle；　was　one　of　the　great　sights　of　my　life。　I　didn’t　think　
Miss　Creakle　equal　to　little　Em’ly　in　point　of　beauty；　and　I　didn’t　
love　her　（I　didn’t　dare）；　but　I　thought　her　a　young　lady　of　
extraordinary　attractions；　and　in　point　of　gentility　not　to　be　
surpassed。　When　Steerforth；　in　white　trousers；　carried　her　parasol　
for　her；　I　felt　proud　to　know　him；　and　believed　that　she　could　not　
choose　but　adore　him　with　all　her　heart。　Mr。　Sharp　and　Mr。　Mell　
were　both　notable　personages　in　my　eyes；　but　Steerforth　was　to　
them　what　the　sun　was　to　two　stars。　

Steerforth　continued　his　protection　of　me；　and　proved　a　very　
useful　friend；　since　nobody　dared　to　annoy　one　whom　he　
honoured　with　his　countenance。　He　couldn’t—or　at　all　events　he　
didn’t—defend　me　from　Mr。　Creakle；　who　was　very　severe　with　
me；　but　whenever　I　had　been　treated　worse　than　usual；　he　always　
told　me　that　I　wanted　a　little　of　his　pluck；　and　that　he　wouldn’t　
have　stood　it　himself；　which　I　felt　he　intended　for　encouragement；　
and　considered　to　be　very　kind　of　him。　There　was　one　advantage；　
and　only　one　that　I　know　of；　in　Mr。　Creakle’s　severity。　He　found　
my　placard　in　his　way　when　he　came　up　or　down　behind　the　form　
on　which　I　sat；　and　wanted　to　make　a　cut　at　me　in　passing；　for　this　
reason　it　was　soon　taken　off；　and　I　saw　it　no　more。　

An　accidental　circumstance　cemented　the　intimacy　between　

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Steerforth　and　me；　in　a　manner　that　inspired　me　with　great　pride　
and　satisfaction；　though　it　sometimes　led　to　inconvenience。　It　
happened　on　one　occasion；　when　he　was　doing　me　the　honour　of　
talking　to　me　in　the　playground；　that　I　hazarded　the　observation　
that　something　or　somebody—I　forget　what　now—was　like　
something　or　somebody　in　Peregrine　Pickle。　He　said　nothing　at　
the　time；　but　when　I　was　going　to　bed　at　night；　asked　me　if　I　had　
got　that　book？　

I　told　him　no；　and　explained　how　it　was　that　I　had　read　it；　and　
all　those　other　books　of　which　I　have　made　mention。　

‘And　do　you　recollect　them？’　Steerforth　said。　

‘Oh　yes；’　I　replied；　I　had　a　good　memory；　and　I　believed　I　
recollected　them　very　well。　

‘Then　I　tell　you　what；　young　Copperfield；’　said　Steerforth；　‘you　
shall　tell　’em　to　me。　I　can’t　get　to　sleep　very　early　at　night；　and　I　
generally　wake　rather　early　in　the　morning。　We’ll　go　over　’em　one　
after　another。　We’ll　make　some　regular　Arabian　Nights　of　it。’　

I　felt　extremely　flattered　by　this　arrangement；　and　we　
commenced　carrying　it　into　execution　that　very　evening。　What　
ravages　I　committed　on　my　favourite　authors　in　the　course　of　my　
interpretation　of　them；　I　am　not　in　a　condition　to　say；　and　should　
be　very　unwilling　to　know；　but　I　had　a　profound　faith　in　them；　and　
I　had；　to　the　best　of　my　belief；　a　simple；　earnest　manner　of　
narrating　what　I　did　narrate；　and　these　qualities　went　a　long　way。　

The　drawback　was；　that　I　was　often　sleepy　at　night；　or　out　of　
spirits　and　indisposed　to　resume　the　story；　and　then　it　was　rather　
hard　work；　and　it　must　be　done；　for　to　disappoint　or　to　displease　
Steerforth　was　of　course　out　of　the　question。　In　the　morning；　too；　
when　I　felt　weary；　and　should　have　enjoyed　another　hour’s　repose　

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very　much；　it　was　a　tiresome　thing　to　be　roused；　like　the　Sultana　
Scheherazade；　and　forced　into　a　long　story　before　the　getting…up　
bell　rang；　but　Steerforth　was　resolute；　and　as　he　explained　to　me；　
in　return；　my　sums　and　exercises；　and　anything　in　my　tasks　that　
was　too　hard　for　me；　I　was　no　loser　by　the　transaction。　Let　me　do　
myself　justice；　however。　I　was　moved　by　no　interested　or　selfish　
motive；　nor　was　I　moved　by　fear　of　him。　I　admired　and　loved　him；　
and　his　approval　was　return　enough。　It　was　so　precious　to　me　that　
I　look　back　on　these　trifles；　now；　with　an　aching　heart。　

Steerforth　was　considerate；　too；　and　showed　his　consideration；　
in　one　particular　instance；　in　an　unflinching　manner　that　was　a　
little　tantalizing；　I　suspect；　to　poor　Traddles　and　the　rest。　
Peggotty’s　promised　letter—what　a　comfortable　letter　it　was！—　
arrived　before　‘the　half’　was　many　weeks　old；　and　with　it　a　cake　in　
a　perfect　nest　of　oranges；　and　two　bottles　of　cowslip　wine。　This　
treasure；　as　in　duty　bound；　I　laid　at　the　feet　of　Steerforth；　and　
begged　him　to　dispense。　

‘Now；　I’ll　tell　you　what；　young　Copperfield；’　said　he：　‘the　wine　
shall　be　kept　to　wet　your　whistle　when　you　are　story…telling。’　

I　blushed　at　the　idea；　and　begged　him；　in　my　modesty；　not　to　
think　of　it。　But　he　said　he　had　observed　I　was　sometimes　hoarse—　
a　little　roopy　was　his　exact　expression—and　it　should　be；　every　
drop；　devoted　to　the　purpose　he　had　mentioned。　Accordingly；　it　
was　locked　up　in　his　box；　and　drawn　off　by　himself　in　a　phial；　and　
administered　to　me　through　a　piece　of　quill　in　the　cork；　when　I　
was　supposed　to　be　in　want　of　a　restorative。　Sometimes；　to　make　it　
a　more　sovereign　specific；　he　was　so　kind　as　to　squeeze　orange　
juice　into　it；　or　to　stir　it　up　with　ginger；　or　dissolve　a　peppermint　
drop　in　it；　and　although　I　cannot　assert　that　the　flavour　was　

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improved　by　these　experiments；　or　that　it　was　exactly　the　
compound　one　would　have　chosen　for　a　stomachic；　the　last　thing　
at　night　and　the　first　thing　in　the　morning；　I　drank　it　gratefully　and　
was　very　sensible　of　his　attention。　

We　seem；　to　me；　to　have　been　months　over　Peregrine；　and　
months　more　over　the　other　stories。　The　institution　never　flagged　
for　want　of　a　story；　I　am　certain；　and　the　wine　lasted　out　almost　as　
well　as　the　matter。　Poor　Traddles—I　never　think　of　that　boy　but　
with　a　strange　disposition　to　laugh；　and　with　tears　in　my　eyes—　
was　a　sort　of　chorus；　in　general；　and　affected　to　be　convulsed　with　
mirth　at　the　comic　parts；　and　to　be　overcome　with　fear　when　there　
was　any　passage　of　an　alarming　character　in　the　narrative。　This　
rather　put　me　out；　very　often。　It　was　a　great　jest　of　his；　I　recollect；　
to　pretend　that　he　couldn’t　keep　his　teeth　from　chattering；　
whenever　mention　was　made　of　an　Alguazill　in　connexion　with　the　
adventures　of　Gil　Blas；　and　I　remember　that　when　Gil　Blas　met　
the　captain　of　the　robbers　in　Madrid；　this　unlucky　joker　
counterfeited　such　an　ague　of　terror；　that　he　was　overheard　by　Mr。　
Creakle；　who　was　prowling　about　the　passage；　and　handsomely　
flogged　for　disorderly　conduct　in　the　bedroom。　Whatever　I　had　
within　me　that　was　romantic　and　dreamy；　was　encouraged　by　so　
much　story…telling　in　the　dark；　and　in　that　respect　the　pursuit　may　
not　have　been　very　profitable　to　me。　But　the　being　cherished　as　a　
kind　of　plaything　in　my　room；　and　the　consciousness　that　this　
accomplishment　of　mine　was　bruited　about　among　the　boys；　and　
attracted　a　good　deal　of　notice　to　me　though　I　was　the　youngest　
there；　stimulated　me　to　exertion。　In　a　school　carried　on　by　sheer　
cruelty；　whether　it　is　presided　over　by　a　dunce　or　not；　there　is　not　
likely　to　be　much　learnt。　I　believe　our　boys　were；　generally；　as　

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ignorant　a　set　as　any　schoolboys　in　existence；　they　were　too　much　
troubled　and　knocked　about　to　learn；　they　could　no　more　do　that　
to　advantage；　than　any　one　can　do　anything　to　advantage　in　a　life　
of　constant　misfortune；　torment；　and　worry。　But　my　little　vanity；　
and　Steerforth’s　help；　urged　me　on　somehow；　and　without　saving　
me　from　much；　if　anything；　in　the　way　of　punishment；　made　me；　
for　the　time　I　was　there；　an　exception　to　the　general　body；　
insomuch　that　I　did　steadily　pick　up　some　crumbs　of　knowledge。　

In　this　I　was　much　assisted　by　Mr。　Mell；　who　had　a　liking　for　me　
that　I　am　grateful　to　remember。　It　always　gave　me　pain　to　observe　
that　Steerforth　treated　him　with　systematic　disparagement；　and　
seldom　lost　an　occasion　of　wounding　his　feelings；　or　inducing　
others　to　do　so。　This　troubled　me　the　more　for　a　long　time；　because　
I　had　soon　told　Steerforth；　from　whom　I　could　no　more　keep　such　
a　secret；　than　I　could　keep　a　cake　or　any　other　tangible　possession；　
about　the　two　old　women　Mr。　Mell　had　taken　me　to　see；　and　I　was　
always　afraid　that　Steerforth　would　let　it　out；　and　twit　him　with　it。　

We　little　thought；　any　one　of　us；　I　dare　say；　when　I　ate　my　
breakfast　that　first　morning；　and　went　to　sleep　under　the　shadow　
of　the　peacock’s　feathers　to　the　sound　of　the　flute；　what　
consequences　would　come　of　the　introduction　into　those　almshouses　of　my　insignificant　person。　But　the　visit　had　its　unforeseen　
consequences；　and　of　a　serious　sort；　too；　in　their　way。　

One　day　when　Mr。　Creakle　kept　the　house　from　indisposition；　
which　naturally　diffused　a　lively　joy　through　the　school；　there　was　
a　good　deal　of　noise　in　the　course　of　the　morning’s　work。　The　great　
relief　and　satisfaction　experienced　by　the　boys　made　them　difficult　
to　manage；　and　though　the　dreaded　Tungay　brought　his　wooden　
leg　in　twice　or　thrice；　and　took　notes　of　the　principal　offenders’　

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