david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第41部分

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used　to　go　back　to　the　prison；　and　walk　up　and　down　the　parade　
with　Mr。　Micawber；　or　play　casino　with　Mrs。　Micawber；　and　hear　
reminiscences　of　her　papa　and　mama。　Whether　Mr。　Murdstone　
knew　where　I　was；　I　am　unable　to　say。　I　never　told　them　at　
Murdstone　and　Grinby’s。　

Mr。　Micawber’s　affairs；　although　past　their　crisis；　were　very　
much　involved　by　reason　of　a　certain　‘Deed’；　of　which　I　used　to　
hear　a　great　deal；　and　which　I　suppose；　now；　to　have　been　some　
former　composition　with　his　creditors；　though　I　was　so　far　from　
being　clear　about　it　then；　that　I　am　conscious　of　having　
confounded　it　with　those　demoniacal　parchments　which　are　held　
to　have；　once　upon　a　time；　obtained　to　a　great　extent　in　Germany。　
At　last　this　document　appeared　to　be　got　out　of　the　way；　somehow；　
at　all　events　it　ceased　to　be　the　rock…ahead　it　had　been；　and　Mrs。　

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Micawber　informed　me　that　‘her　family’　had　decided　that　Mr。　
Micawber　should　apply　for　his　release　under　the　Insolvent　Debtors　
Act；　which　would　set　him　free；　she　expected；　in　about　six　weeks。　

‘And　then；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　who　was　present；　‘I　have　no　
doubt　I　shall；　please　Heaven；　begin　to　be　beforehand　with　the　
world；　and　to　live　in　a　perfectly　new　manner；　if—in　short；　if　
anything　turns　up。’　

By　way　of　going　in　for　anything　that　might　be　on　the　cards；　I　
call　to　mind　that　Mr。　Micawber；　about　this　time；　composed　a　
petition　to　the　House　of　Commons；　praying　for　an　alteration　in　the　
law　of　imprisonment　for　debt。　I　set　down　this　remembrance　here；　
because　it　is　an　instance　to　myself　of　the　manner　in　which　I　fitted　
my　old　books　to　my　altered　life；　and　made　stories　for　myself；　out　of　
the　streets；　and　out　of　men　and　women；　and　how　some　main　points　
in　the　character　I　shall　unconsciously　develop；　I　suppose；　in　
writing　my　life；　were　gradually　forming　all　this　while。　

There　was　a　club　in　the　prison；　in　which　Mr。　Micawber；　as　a　
gentleman；　was　a　great　authority。　Mr。　Micawber　had　stated　his　
idea　of　this　petition　to　the　club；　and　the　club　had　strongly　
approved　of　the　same。　Wherefore　Mr。　Micawber　（who　was　a　
thoroughly　good…natured　man；　and　as　active　a　creature　about　
everything　but　his　own　affairs　as　ever　existed；　and　never　so　happy　
as　when　he　was　busy　about　something　that　could　never　be　of　any　
profit　to　him）　set　to　work　at　the　petition；　invented　it；　engrossed　it　
on　an　immense　sheet　of　paper；　spread　it　out　on　a　table；　and　
appointed　a　time　for　all　the　club；　and　all　within　the　walls　if　they　
chose；　to　come　up　to　his　room　and　sign　it。　

When　I　heard　of　this　approaching　ceremony；　I　was　so　anxious　to　
see　them　all　come　in；　one　after　another；　though　I　knew　the　greater　

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part　of　them　already；　and　they　me；　that　I　got　an　hour’s　leave　of　
absence　from　Murdstone　and　Grinby’s；　and　established　myself　in　a　
corner　for　that　purpose。　As　many　of　the　principal　members　of　the　
club　as　could　be　got　into　the　small　room　without　filling　it；　
supported　Mr。　Micawber　in　front　of　the　petition；　while　my　old　
friend　Captain　Hopkins　（who　had　washed　himself；　to　do　honour　to　
so　solemn　an　occasion）　stationed　himself　close　to　it；　to　read　it　to　all　
who　were　unacquainted　with　its　contents。　The　door　was　then　
thrown　open；　and　the　general　population　began　to　come　in；　in　a　
long　file：　several　waiting　outside；　while　one　entered；　affixed　his　
signature；　and　went　out。　To　everybody　in　succession；　Captain　
Hopkins　said：　‘Have　you　read　it？’—‘No。’—‘Would　you　like　to　hear　
it　read？’　If　he　weakly　showed　the　least　disposition　to　hear　it；　
Captain　Hopkins；　in　a　loud　sonorous　voice；　gave　him　every　word　of　
it。　The　Captain　would　have　read　it　twenty　thousand　times；　if　
twenty　thousand　people　would　have　heard　him；　one　by　one。　I　
remember　a　certain　luscious　roll　he　gave　to　such　phrases　as　‘The　
people’s　representatives　in　Parliament　assembled；’　‘Your　
petitioners　therefore　humbly　approach　your　honourable　house；’　
‘His　gracious　Majesty’s　unfortunate　subjects；’　as　if　the　words　were　
something　real　in　his　mouth；　and　delicious　to　taste；　Mr。　Micawber；　
meanwhile；　listening　with　a　little　of　an　author’s　vanity；　and　
contemplating　（not　severely）　the　spikes　on　the　opposite　wall。　

As　I　walked　to　and　fro　daily　between　Southwark　and　
Blackfriars；　and　lounged　about　at　meal…times　in　obscure　streets；　
the　stones　of　which　may；　for　anything　I　know；　be　worn　at　this　
moment　by　my　childish　feet；　I　wonder　how　many　of　these　people　
were　wanting　in　the　crowd　that　used　to　come　filing　before　me　in　
review　again；　to　the　echo　of　Captain　Hopkins’s　voice！　When　my　

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thoughts　go　back；　now；　to　that　slow　agony　of　my　youth；　I　wonder　
how　much　of　the　histories　I　invented　for　such　people　hangs　like　a　
mist　of　fancy　over　well…remembered　facts！　When　I　tread　the　old　
ground；　I　do　not　wonder　that　I　seem　to　see　and　pity；　going　on　
before　me；　an　innocent　romantic　boy；　making　his　imaginative　
world　out　of　such　strange　experiences　and　sordid　things！　

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Chapter　12　

LIKING　LIFE　ON　MY　OWN　ACCOUNT　NO
BETTER；　I　FORM　A　GREAT　RESOLUTION


In　due　time；　Mr。　Micawber’s　petition　was　ripe　for　hearing；　and　
that　gentleman　was　ordered　to　be　discharged　under　the　Act；　
to　my　great　joy。　His　creditors　were　not　implacable；　and　Mrs。　
Micawber　informed　me　that　even　the　revengeful　boot…maker　had　
declared　in　open　court　that　he　bore　him　no　malice；　but　that　when　
money　was　owing　to　him　he　liked　to　be　paid。　He　said　he　thought　it　
was　human　nature。　

M　r　Micawber　returned　to　the　King’s　Bench　when　his　case　was　
over；　as　some　fees　were　to　be　settled；　and　some　formalities　
observed；　before　he　could　be　actually　released。　The　club　received　
him　with　transport；　and　held　an　harmonic　meeting　that　evening　in　
his　honour；　while　Mrs。　Micawber　and　I　had　a　lamb’s　fry　in　private；　
surrounded　by　the　sleeping　family。　

‘On　such　an　occasion　I　will　give　you；　Master　Copperfield；’　said　
Mrs。　Micawber；　‘in　a　little　more　flip；’　for　we　had　been　having　some　
already；　‘the　memory　of　my　papa　and　mama。’　

‘Are　they　dead；　ma’am？’　I　inquired；　after　drinking　the　toast　in　a　
wine…glass。　

‘My　mama　departed　this　life；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘before　Mr。　
Micawber’s　difficulties　commenced；　or　at　least　before　they　became　
pressing。　My　papa　lived　to　bail　Mr。　Micawber　several　times；　and　
then　expired；　regretted　by　a　numerous　circle。’　

Mrs。　Micawber　shook　her　head；　and　dropped　a　pious　tear　upon　

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the　twin　who　happened　to　be　in　hand。　

As　I　could　hardly　hope　for　a　more　favourable　opportunity　of　
putting　a　question　in　which　I　had　a　near　interest；　I　said　to　Mrs。　
Micawber：　

‘May　I　ask；　ma’am；　what　you　and　Mr。　Micawber　intend　to　do；　
now　that　Mr。　Micawber　is　out　of　his　difficulties；　and　at　liberty？　
Have　you　settled　yet？’　

‘My　family；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　who　always　said　those　two　
words　with　an　air；　though　I　never　could　discover　who　came　under　
the　denomination；　‘my　family　are　of　opinion　that　Mr。　Micawber　
should　quit　London；　and　exert　his　talents　in　the　country。　Mr。　
Micawber　is　a　man　of　great　talent；　Master　Copperfield。’　

I　said　I　was　sure　of　that。　

‘Of　great　talent；’　repeated　Mrs。　Micawber。　‘My　family　are　of　
opinion；　that；　with　a　little　interest；　something　might　be　done　for　a　
man　of　his　ability　in　the　Custom　House。　The　influence　of　my　family　
being　local；　it　is　their　wish　that　Mr。　Micawber　should　go　down　to　
Plymouth。　They　think　it　indispensable　that　he　should　be　upon　the　
spot。’　

‘That　he　may　be　ready？’　I　suggested。　

‘Exactly；’　returned　Mrs。　Micawber。　‘That　he　may　be　ready—in　
case　of　anything　turning　up。’　

‘And　do　you　go　too；　ma’am？’　

The　events　of　the　day；　in　combination　with　the　twins；　if　not　with　
the　flip；　had　made　Mrs。　Micawber　hysterical；　and　she　shed　tears　as　
she　replied：　

‘I　never　will　desert　Mr。　Micawber。　Mr。　Micawber　may　have　
concealed　his　difficulties　from　me　in　the　first　instance；　but　his　
sanguine　temper　may　have　led　him　to　expect　that　he　would　

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overcome　them。　The　pearl　necklace　and　bracelets　which　I　
inherited　from　mama；　have　been　disposed　of　for　less　than　half　
their　value；　and　the　set　of　coral；　which　was　the　wedding　gift　of　my　
papa；　has　been　actually　thrown　away　for　nothing。　But　I　never　will　
desert　Mr。　Micawber。　No！’　cried　Mrs。　Micawber；　more　affected　
than　before；　‘I　never　will　do　it！　It’s　of　no　use　asking　me！’　

I　felt　quite　uncomfortable—as　if　Mrs。　Micawber　supposed　I　had　
asked　her　to　do　anything　of　the　sort！—and　sat　looking　at　her　in　
alarm。　

‘Mr。　Micawber　has　his　faults。　I　do　not　deny　that　he　is　
improvident。　I　do　not　deny　that　he　has　kept　me　in　the　dark　as　to　
his　resources　and　his　liabilities　both；’　she　went　on；　looking　at　the　
wall；　‘but　I　never　will　desert　Mr。　Micawber！’　

Mrs。　Micawber　having　now　raised　her　voice　into　a　perfect　
scream；　I　was　so　frightened　that　I　ran　off　to　the　club…room；　and　
disturbed　Mr。　Micawber　in　the　act　of　presiding　at　a　long　table；　and　
leading　the　chorus　of　

Gee　up；　Dobbin；
Gee　ho；　Dobbin；
Gee　up；　Dobbin；
Gee　up；　and　gee　ho—o—o！


—with　the　tidings　that　Mrs。　Micawber　was　in　an　alarming　state；　
upon　which　he　immediately　burst　into　tears；　and　came　away　with　
me　with　his　waistcoat　full　of　the　heads　and　tails　of　shrimps；　of　
which　he　had　been　partaking。　

‘Emma；　my　angel！’　cried　Mr。　Micawber；　running　into　the　room；　
‘what　is　the　matter？’　

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‘I　never　will　desert　you；　Micawber！’　she　exclaimed。　

‘My　life！’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　taking　her　in　his　arms。　‘I　am　
perfectly　aware　of　it。’　

‘He　is　the　parent　of　my　children！　He　is　the　father　of　my　twins！　
He　is　the　husband　of　my　affections；’　cried　Mrs。　Micawber；　
struggling；　‘and　I　ne—ver—will—desert　Mr。　Micawber！’　

Mr。　Micawber　was　so　deeply　affected　by　this　proof　of　her　
devotion　（as　to　me；　I　was　dissolved　in　tea