david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第4部分
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nurse and doctor。
Those allied powers were considerably astonished； when they
arrived within a few minutes of each other； to find an unknown
lady of portentous appearance； sitting before the fire； with her
bonnet tied over her left arm； stopping her ears with jewellers’
cotton。 Peggotty knowing nothing about her； and my mother
saying nothing about her； she was quite a mystery in the parlour；
and the fact of her having a magazine of jewellers’ cotton in her
pocket； and sticking the article in her ears in that way； did not
detract from the solemnity of her presence。
The doctor having been upstairs and come down again； and
having satisfied himself； I suppose； that there was a probability of
this unknown lady and himself having to sit there； face to face； for
some hours； laid himself out to be polite and social。 He was the
meekest of his sex； the mildest of little men。 He sidled in and out of
a room； to take up the less space。 He walked as softly as the Ghost
in Hamlet； and more slowly。 He carried his head on one side；
partly in modest depreciation of himself； partly in modest
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David Copperfield
propitiation of everybody else。 It is nothing to say that he hadn’t a
word to throw at a dog。 He couldn’t have thrown a word at a mad
dog。 He might have offered him one gently； or half a one； or a
fragment of one； for he spoke as slowly as he walked； but he
wouldn’t have been rude to him； and he couldn’t have been quick
with him； for any earthly consideration。
Mr。 Chillip； looking mildly at my aunt with his head on one side；
and making her a little bow； said； in allusion to the jewellers’
cotton； as he softly touched his left ear：
‘Some local irritation； ma’am？’
‘What！’ replied my aunt； pulling the cotton out of one ear like a
cork。
Mr。 Chillip was so alarmed by her abruptness—as he told my
mother afterwards—that it was a mercy he didn’t lose his presence
of mind。 But he repeated sweetly：
‘Some local irritation； ma’am？’
‘Nonsense！’ replied my aunt； and corked herself again； at one
blow。
Mr。 Chillip could do nothing after this； but sit and look at her
feebly； as she sat and looked at the fire； until he was called
upstairs again。 After some quarter of an hour’s absence； he
returned。
‘Well？’ said my aunt； taking the cotton out of the ear nearest to
him。
‘Well； ma’am；’ returned Mr。 Chillip； ‘we are—we are
progressing slowly； ma’am。’
‘Ba—a—ah！’ said my aunt； with a perfect shake on the
contemptuous interjection。 And corked herself as before。
Really—really—as Mr。 Chillip told my mother； he was almost
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David Copperfield
shocked； speaking in a professional point of view alone； he was
almost shocked。 But he sat and looked at her； notwithstanding； for
nearly two hours； as she sat looking at the fire； until he was again
called out。 After another absence； he again returned。
‘Well？’ said my aunt； taking out the cotton on that side again。
‘Well； ma’am；’ returned Mr。 Chillip； ‘we are—we are
progressing
slowly； ma’am。’
‘Ya—a—ah！’ said my aunt。 With such a snarl at him； that Mr。
Chillip absolutely could not bear it。 It was really calculated to
break his spirit； he said afterwards。 He preferred to go and sit
upon the stairs； in the dark and a strong draught； until he was
again sent for。
Ham Peggotty； who went to the national school； and was a very
dragon at his catechism； and who may therefore be regarded as a
credible witness； reported next day； that happening to peep in at
the parlour…door an hour after this； he was instantly descried by
Miss Betsey； then walking to and fro in a state of agitation； and
pounced upon before he could make his escape。 That there were
now occasional sounds of feet and voices overhead which he
inferred the cotton did not exclude； from the circumstance of his
evidently being clutched by the lady as a victim on whom to
expend her superabundant agitation when the sounds were
loudest。 That； marching him constantly up and down by the collar
（as if he had been taking too much laudanum）； she； at those times；
shook him； rumpled his hair； made light of his linen； stopped his
ears as if she confounded them with her own； and otherwise
tousled and maltreated him。 This was in part confirmed by his
aunt； who saw him at half past twelve o’clock； soon after his
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release； and affirmed that he was then as red as I was。
The mild Mr。 Chillip could not possibly bear malice at such a
time； if at any time。 He sidled into the parlour as soon as he was at
liberty； and said to my aunt in his meekest manner：
‘Well； ma’am； I am happy to congratulate you。’
‘What upon？’ said my aunt； sharply。
Mr。 Chillip was fluttered again； by the extreme severity of my
aunt’s manner； so he made her a little bow and gave her a little
smile； to mollify her。
‘Mercy on the man； what’s he doing！’ cried my aunt；
impatiently。 ‘Can’t he speak？’
‘Be calm； my dear ma’am；’ said Mr。 Chillip； in his softest
accents。
‘There is no longer any occasion for uneasiness； ma’am。 Be
calm。’
It has since been considered almost a miracle that my aunt
didn’t shake him； and shake what he had to say； out of him。 She
only shook her own head at him； but in a way that made him quail。
‘Well； ma’am；’ resumed Mr。 Chillip； as soon as he had courage； ‘I
am happy to congratulate you。 All is now over； ma’am； and well
over。’
During the five minutes or so that Mr。 Chillip devoted to the
delivery of this oration； my aunt eyed him narrowly。
‘How is she？’ said my aunt； folding her arms with her bonnet
still tied on one of them。
‘Well； ma’am； she will soon be quite comfortable； I hope；’
returned Mr。 Chillip。 ‘Quite as comfortable as we can expect a
young mother to be； under these melancholy domestic
circumstances。 There cannot be any objection to your seeing her
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David Copperfield
presently； ma’am。 It may do her good。’
‘And she。 How is she？’ said my aunt； sharply。
Mr。 Chillip laid his head a little more on one side； and looked at
my aunt like an amiable bird。
‘The baby；’ said my aunt。 ‘How is she？’
‘Ma’am；’ returned Mr。 Chillip； ‘I apprehended you had known。
It’s a boy。’
My aunt said never a word； but took her bonnet by the strings；
in the manner of a sling； aimed a blow at Mr。 Chillip’s head with it；
put it on bent； walked out； and never came back。 She vanished like
a discontented fairy； or like one of those supernatural beings；
whom it was popularly supposed I was entitled to see； and never
came back any more。
No。 I lay in my basket； and my mother lay in her bed； but
Betsey Trotwood Copperfield was for ever in the land of dreams
and shadows； the tremendous region whence I had so lately
travelled； and the light upon the window of our room shone out
upon the earthly bourne of all such travellers； and the mound
above the ashes and the dust that once was he； without whom I
had never been。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Chapter 2
I OBSERVE
The first objects that assume a distinct presence before me；
as I look far back； into the blank of my infancy； are my
mother with her pretty hair and youthful shape； and
Peggotty with no shape at all； and eyes so dark that they seemed to
darken their whole neighbourhood in her face； and cheeks and
arms so hard and red that I wondered the birds didn’t peck her in
preference to apples。
I believe I can remember these two at a little distance apart；
dwarfed to my sight by stooping down or kneeling on the floor；
and I going unsteadily from the one to the other。 I have an
impression on my mind which I cannot distinguish from actual
remembrance； of the touch of Peggotty’s forefinger as she used to
hold it out to me； and of its being roughened by needlework； like a
pocket nutmeg…grater。
This may be fancy； though I think the memory of most of us can
go farther back into such times than many of us suppose； just as I
believe the power of observation in numbers of very young
children to be quite wonderful for its closeness and accuracy。
Indeed； I think that most grown men who are remarkable in this
respect； may with greater propriety be said not to have lost the
faculty； than to have acquired it； the rather； as I generally observe
such men to retain a certain freshness； and gentleness； and
capacity of being pleased； which are also an inheritance they have
preserved from their childhood。
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I might have a misgiving that I am ‘meandering’ in stopping to
say this； but that it brings me to remark that I build these
conclusions； in part upon my own experience of myself； and if it
should appear from anything I may set down in this narrative that
I was a child of close observation； or that as a man I have a strong
memory of my childhood； I undoubtedly lay claim to both of these
characteristics。
Looking back； as I was saying； into the blank of my infancy； the
first objects I can remember as standing out by themselves from a
confusion of things； are my mother and Peggotty。 What else do I
remember？ Let me see。
There comes out of the cloud； our house—not new to me； but
quite familiar； in its earliest remembrance。 On the ground…floor is
Peggotty’s kitchen； opening into a back yard； with a pigeon…house
on a pole； in the centre； without any pigeons in it； a great dog…
kennel in a corner； without any dog； and a quantity of fowls that
look terribly tall to me； walking about； in a menacing and ferocious
manner。 There is one cock who gets upon a post to crow； and
seems to take particular notice of me as I look at him through the
kitchen window； who makes me shiver； he is so fierce。 Of the geese
outside the side…gate who come waddling after me with their long
necks stretched out when I go that way； I dream at night： as
