david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第42部分

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Mr。　Micawber　was　so　deeply　affected　by　this　proof　of　her　
devotion　（as　to　me；　I　was　dissolved　in　tears）；　that　he　hung　over　her　
in　a　passionate　manner；　imploring　her　to　look　up；　and　to　be　calm。　
But　the　more　he　asked　Mrs。　Micawber　to　look　up；　the　more　she　
fixed　her　eyes　on　nothing；　and　the　more　he　asked　her　to　compose　
herself；　the　more　she　wouldn’t。　Consequently　Mr。　Micawber　was　
soon　so　overcome；　that　he　mingled　his　tears　with　hers　and　mine；　
until　he　begged　me　to　do　him　the　favour　of　taking　a　chair　on　the　
staircase；　while　he　got　her　into　bed。　I　would　have　taken　my　leave　
for　the　night；　but　he　would　not　hear　of　my　doing　that　until　the　
strangers’　bell　should　ring。　So　I　sat　at　the　staircase　window；　until　
he　came　out　with　another　chair　and　joined　me。　

‘How　is　Mrs。　Micawber　now；　sir？’　I　said。　

‘Very　low；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　shaking　his　head；　‘reaction。　Ah；　
this　has　been　a　dreadful　day！　We　stand　alone　now—everything　is　
gone　from　us！’　

Mr。　Micawber　pressed　my　hand；　and　groaned；　and　afterwards　
shed　tears。　I　was　greatly　touched；　and　disappointed　too；　for　I　had　
expected　that　we　should　be　quite　gay　on　this　happy　and　long…
looked…for　occasion。　But　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Micawber　were　so　used　to　
their　old　difficulties；　I　think；　that　they　felt　quite　shipwrecked　when　
they　came　to　consider　that　they　were　released　from　them。　All　their　
elasticity　was　departed；　and　I　never　saw　them　half　so　wretched　as　

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David　Copperfield　

on　this　night；　insomuch　that　when　the　bell　rang；　and　Mr。　
Micawber　walked　with　me　to　the　lodge；　and　parted　from　me　there　
with　a　blessing；　I　felt　quite　afraid　to　leave　him　by　himself；　he　was　
so　profoundly　miserable。　

But　through　all　the　confusion　and　lowness　of　spirits　in　which　
we　had　been；　so　unexpectedly　to　me；　involved；　I　plainly　discerned　
that　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Micawber　and　their　family　were　going　away　
from　London；　and　that　a　parting　between　us　was　near　at　hand。　It　
was　in　my　walk　home　that　night；　and　in　the　sleepless　hours　which　
followed　when　I　lay　in　bed；　that　the　thought　first　occurred　to　me—　
though　I　don’t　know　how　it　came　into　my　head—which　afterwards　
shaped　itself　into　a　settled　resolution。　

I　had　grown　to　be　so　accustomed　to　the　Micawbers；　and　had　
been　so　intimate　with　them　in　their　distresses；　and　was　so　utterly　
friendless　without　them；　that　the　prospect　of　being　thrown　upon　
some　new　shift　for　a　lodging；　and　going　once　more　among　
unknown　people；　was　like　being　that　moment　turned　adrift　into　
my　present　life；　with　such　a　knowledge　of　it　ready　made　as　
experience　had　given　me。　All　the　sensitive　feelings　it　wounded　so　
cruelly；　all　the　shame　and　misery　it　kept　alive　within　my　breast；　
became　more　poignant　as　I　thought　of　this；　and　I　determined　that　
the　life　was　unendurable。　

That　there　was　no　hope　of　escape　from　it；　unless　the　escape　was　
my　own　act；　I　knew　quite　well。　I　rarely　heard　from　Miss　
Murdstone；　and　never　from　Mr。　Murdstone：　but　two　or　three　
parcels　of　made　or　mended　clothes　had　come　up　for　me；　consigned　
to　Mr。　Quinion；　and　in　each　there　was　a　scrap　of　paper　to　the　effect　
that　J。　M。　trusted　D。　C。　was　applying　himself　to　business；　and　
devoting　himself　wholly　to　his　duties—not　the　least　hint　of　my　ever　

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being　anything　else　than　the　common　drudge　into　which　I　was　fast　
settling　down。　

The　very　next　day　showed　me；　while　my　mind　was　in　the　first　
agitation　of　what　it　had　conceived；　that　Mrs。　Micawber　had　not　
spoken　of　their　going　away　without　warrant。　They　took　a　lodging　
in　the　house　where　I　lived；　for　a　week；　at　the　expiration　of　which　
time　they　were　to　start　for　Plymouth。　Mr。　Micawber　himself　came　
down　to　the　counting…house；　in　the　afternoon；　to　tell　Mr。　Quinion　
that　he　must　relinquish　me　on　the　day　of　his　departure；　and　to　give　
me　a　high　character；　which　I　am　sure　I　deserved。　And　Mr。　
Quinion；　calling　in　Tipp　the　carman；　who　was　a　married　man；　and　
had　a　room　to　let；　quartered　me　prospectively　on　him—by　our　
mutual　consent；　as　he　had　every　reason　to　think；　for　I　said　nothing；　
though　my　resolution　was　now　taken。　

I　passed　my　evenings　with　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Micawber；　during　the　
remaining　term　of　our　residence　under　the　same　roof；　and　I　think　
we　became　fonder　of　one　another　as　the　time　went　on。　On　the　last　
Sunday；　they　invited　me　to　dinner；　and　we　had　a　loin　of　pork　and　
apple　sauce；　and　a　pudding。　I　had　bought　a　spotted　wooden　horse　
over…night　as　a　parting　gift　to　little　Wilkins　Micawber—that　was　
the　boy—and　a　doll　for　little　Emma。　I　had　also　bestowed　a　shilling　
on　the　Orfling；　who　was　about　to　be　disbanded。　

We　had　a　very　pleasant　day；　though　we　were　all　in　a　tender　
state　about　our　approaching　separation。　

‘I　shall　never；　Master　Copperfield；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘revert　
to　the　period　when　Mr。　Micawber　was　in　difficulties；　without　
thinking　of　you。　Your　conduct　has　always　been　of　the　most　delicate　
and　obliging　description。　You　have　never　been　a　lodger。　You　have　
been　a　friend。’　

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‘My　dear；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘Copperfield；’　for　so　he　had　been　
accustomed　to　call　me；　of　late；　‘has　a　heart　to　feel　for　the　distresses　
of　his　fellow…creatures　when　they　are　behind　a　cloud；　and　a　head　
to　plan；　and　a　hand　to—in　short；　a　general　ability　to　dispose　of　
such　available　property　as　could　be　made　away　with。’　

I　expressed　my　sense　of　this　commendation；　and　said　I　was　very　
sorry　we　were　going　to　lose　one　another。　

‘My　dear　young　friend；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘I　am　older　than　
you；　a　man　of　some　experience　in　life；　and—and　of　some　
experience；　in　short；　in　difficulties；　generally　speaking。　At　present；　
and　until　something　turns　up　（which　I　am；　I　may　say；　hourly　
expecting）；　I　have　nothing　to　bestow　but　advice。　Still　my　advice　is　
so　far　worth　taking；　that—in　short；　that　I　have　never　taken　it　
myself；　and　am　the’—here　Mr。　Micawber；　who　had　been　beaming　
and　smiling；　all　over　his　head　and　face；　up　to　the　present　moment；　
checked　himself　and　frowned—‘the　miserable　wretch　you　behold。’　

‘My　dear　Micawber！’　urged　his　wife。　

‘I　say；’　returned　Mr。　Micawber；　quite　forgetting　himself；　and　
smiling　again；　‘the　miserable　wretch　you　behold。　My　advice　is；　
never　do　tomorrow　what　you　can　do　today。　Procrastination　is　the　
thief　of　time。　Collar　him！’　

‘My　poor　papa’s　maxim；’　Mrs。　Micawber　observed。　

‘My　dear；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘your　papa　was　very　well　in　his　
way；　and　Heaven　forbid　that　I　should　disparage　him。　Take　him　for　
all　in　all；　we　ne’er　shall—in　short；　make　the　acquaintance；　
probably；　of　anybody　else　possessing；　at　his　time　of　life；　the　same　
legs　for　gaiters；　and　able　to　read　the　same　description　of　print；　
without　spectacles。　But　he　applied　that　maxim　to　our　marriage；　my　
dear；　and　that　was　so　far　prematurely　entered　into；　in　

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consequence；　that　I　never　recovered　the　expense。’　Mr。　Micawber　
looked　aside　at　Mrs。　Micawber；　and　added：　‘Not　that　I　am　sorry　for　
it。　Quite　the　contrary；　my　love。’　After　which；　he　was　grave　for　a　
minute　or　so。　

‘My　other　piece　of　advice；　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘you　
know。　Annual　income　twenty　pounds；　annual　expenditure　
nineteen　nineteen　and　six；　result　happiness。　Annual　income　
twenty　pounds；　annual　expenditure　twenty　pounds　ought　and　six；　
result　misery。　The　blossom　is　blighted；　the　leaf　is　withered；　the　god　
of　day　goes　down　upon　the　dreary　scene；　and—and　in　short　you　
are　for　ever　floored。　As　I　am！’　

To　make　his　example　the　more　impressive；　Mr。　Micawber　drank　
a　glass　of　punch　with　an　air　of　great　enjoyment　and　satisfaction；　
and　whistled　the　College　Hornpipe。　

I　did　not　fail　to　assure　him　that　I　would　store　these　precepts　in　
my　mind；　though　indeed　I　had　no　need　to　do　so；　for；　at　the　time；　
they　affected　me　visibly。　Next　morning　I　met　the　whole　family　at　
the　coach　office；　and　saw　them；　with　a　desolate　heart；　take　their　
places　outside；　at　the　back。　

‘Master　Copperfield；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘God　bless　you！　I　
never　can　forget　all　that；　you　know；　and　I　never　would　if　I　could。’　

‘Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘farewell！　Every　happiness　
and　prosperity！　If；　in　the　progress　of　revolving　years；　I　could　
persuade　myself　that　my　blighted　destiny　had　been　a　warning　to　
you；　I　should　feel　that　I　had　not　occupied　another　man’s　place　in　
existence　altogether　in　vain。　In　case　of　anything　turning　up　（of　
which　I　am　rather　confident）；　I　shall　be　extremely　happy　if　it　
should　be　in　my　power　to　improve　your　prospects。’　

I　think；　as　Mrs。　Micawber　sat　at　the　back　of　the　coach；　with　the　

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children；　and　I　stood　in　the　road　looking　wistfully　at　them；　a　mist　
cleared　from　her　eyes；　and　she　saw　what　a　little　creature　I　really　
was。　I　think　so；　because　she　beckoned　to　me　to　climb　up；　with　
quite　a　new　and　motherly　expression　in　her　face；　and　put　her　arm　
round　my　neck；　and　gave　me　just　such　a　kiss　as　she　might　have　
given　to　her　own　boy。　I　had　barely　time　to　get　down　again　before　
the　coach　started；　and　I　could　hardly　see　the　family　for　the　
handkerchiefs　they　waved。　It　was　gone　in　a　minute。　The　Orfling　
and　I　stood　looking　vacantly　at　each　other　in　the　middle　of　the　
road；　and　then　shook　hands　and　said　good…bye；　she　going　back；　I　
suppose；　to　St。　Luke’s　workhouse；　as　I　went　to　begin　my　weary　day　
at　Murdstone　and　Grinby’s。　

But　with　no　intention　of　passing　many　more　weary　days　there。　
No。　I　had　resolved　to　run　away。—To　go；　by　some　means　or　other；　
down　into　the　country；　to　the　only　relation　I　had　in　the　world；　and　
tell　my　story　to　my　aunt；　Miss　Betsey。　I　have　already　observed　that　
I　don’t　know　how　this　desperate　idea　came　into　my　brain。　But；　
once　there；　it　remained　there；　and　hardened　into　a　purpose　than　
which　I　have　never　entertained　a　more　determined　purpose　in　my　
life。　I　am　far　from　sure　that　I　believed　there　was　anything　hopeful　
in　it；　but　my　mind　was　thoroughly　made　up　that　it　must　be　carried　
into　execution。　

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