david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第51部分

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Murdstone；　striking　in；　‘his　character；　I　trust；　would　have　been　
altogether　different。’　

‘Or　if　the　poor　child；　his　mother；　had　been　alive；　he　would　still　
have　gone　into　the　respectable　business；　would　he？’　said　my　aunt。　

‘I　believe；’　said　Mr。　Murdstone；　with　an　inclination　of　his　head；　
‘that　Clara　would　have　disputed　nothing　which　myself　and　my　
sister　Jane　Murdstone　were　agreed　was　for　the　best。’　

Miss　Murdstone　confirmed　this　with　an　audible　murmur。　

‘Humph！’　said　my　aunt。　‘Unfortunate　baby！’　

Mr。　Dick；　who　had　been　rattling　his　money　all　this　time；　was　
rattling　it　so　loudly　now；　that　my　aunt　felt　it　necessary　to　check　
him　with　a　look；　before　saying：　

‘The　poor　child’s　annuity　died　with　her？’　

‘Died　with　her；’　replied　Mr。　Murdstone。　

‘And　there　was　no　settlement　of　the　little　property—the　house　
and　garden—the　what’s…its…name　Rookery　without　any　rooks　in　
it—upon　her　boy？’　

‘It　had　been　left　to　her；　unconditionally；　by　her　first　husband；’　
Mr。　Murdstone　began；　when　my　aunt　caught　him　up　with　the　
greatest　irascibility　and　impatience。　

‘Good　Lord；　man；　there’s　no　occasion　to　say　that。　Left　to　her　
unconditionally！　I　think　I　see　David　Copperfield　looking　forward　to　
any　condition　of　any　sort　or　kind；　though　it　stared　him　point…blank　

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in　the　face！　Of　course　it　was　left　to　her　unconditionally。　But　when　
she　married　again—when　she　took　that　most　disastrous　step　of　
marrying　you；　in　short；’　said　my　aunt；　‘to　be　plain—did　no　one　put　
in　a　word　for　the　boy　at　that　time？’　

‘My　late　wife　loved　her　second　husband；　ma’am；’　said　Mr。　
Murdstone；　‘and　trusted　implicitly　in　him。’　

‘Your　late　wife；　sir；　was　a　most　unworldly；　most　unhappy；　most　
unfortunate　baby；’　returned　my　aunt；　shaking　her　head　at　him。　
‘That’s　what　she　was。　And　now；　what　have　you　got　to　say　next？’　

‘Merely　this；　Miss　Trotwood；’　he　returned。　‘I　am　here　to　take　
David　back—to　take　him　back　unconditionally；　to　dispose　of　him　
as　I　think　proper；　and　to　deal　with　him　as　I　think　right。　I　am　not　
here　to　make　any　promise；　or　give　any　pledge　to　anybody。　You　
may　possibly　have　some　idea；　Miss　Trotwood；　of　abetting　him　in　
his　running　away；　and　in　his　complaints　to　you。　Your　manner；　
which　I　must　say　does　not　seem　intended　to　propitiate；　induces　me　
to　think　it　possible。　Now　I　must　caution　you　that　if　you　abet　him　
once；　you　abet　him　for　good　and　all；　if　you　step　in　between　him　
and　me；　now；　you　must　step　in；　Miss　Trotwood；　for　ever。　I　cannot　
trifle；　or　be　trifled　with。　I　am　here；　for　the　first　and　last　time；　to　
take　him　away。　Is　he　ready　to　go？　If　he　is　not—and　you　tell　me　he　
is　not；　on　any　pretence；　it　is　indifferent　to　me　what—my　doors　are　
shut　against　him　henceforth；　and　yours；　I　take　it　for　granted；　are　
open　to　him。’　

To　this　address；　my　aunt　had　listened　with　the　closest　attention；　
sitting　perfectly　upright；　with　her　hands　folded　on　one　knee；　and　
looking　grimly　on　the　speaker。　When　he　had　finished；　she　turned　
her　eyes　so　as　to　command　Miss　Murdstone；　without　otherwise　
disturbing　her　attitude；　and　said：　

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‘Well；　ma’am；　have　you　got　anything　to　remark？’　

‘Indeed；　Miss　Trotwood；’　said　Miss　Murdstone；　‘all　that　I　could　
say　has　been　so　well　said　by　my　brother；　and　all　that　I　know　to　be　
the　fact　has　been　so　plainly　stated　by　him；　that　I　have　nothing　to　
add　except　my　thanks　for　your　politeness。　For　your　very　great　
politeness；　I　am　sure；’　said　Miss　Murdstone；　with　an　irony　which　
no　more　affected　my　aunt；　than　it　discomposed　the　cannon　I　had　
slept　by　at　Chatham。　

‘And　what　does　the　boy　say？’　said　my　aunt。　‘Are　you　ready　to　
go；　David？’　

I　answered　no；　and　entreated　her　not　to　let　me　go。　I　said　that　
neither　Mr。　nor　Miss　Murdstone　had　ever　liked　me；　or　had　ever　
been　kind　to　me。　That　they　had　made　my　mama；　who　always　loved　
me　dearly；　unhappy　about　me；　and　that　I　knew　it　well；　and　that　
Peggotty　knew　it。　I　said　that　I　had　been　more　miserable　than　I　
thought　anybody　could　believe；　who　only　knew　how　young　I　was。　
And　I　begged　and　prayed　my　aunt—I　forget　in　what　terms　now；　
but　I　remember　that　they　affected　me　very　much　then—to　
befriend　and　protect　me；　for　my　father’s　sake。　

‘Mr。　Dick；’　said　my　aunt；　‘what　shall　I　do　with　this　child？’　

Mr。　Dick　considered；　hesitated；　brightened；　and　rejoined；　‘Have　
him　measured　for　a　suit　of　clothes　directly。’　

‘Mr。　Dick；’　said　my　aunt　triumphantly；　‘give　me　your　hand；　for　
your　common　sense　is　invaluable。’　Having　shaken　it　with　great　
cordiality；　she　pulled　me　towards　her　and　said　to　Mr。　Murdstone：　

‘You　can　go　when　you　like；　I’ll　take　my　chance　with　the　boy。　If　
he’s　all　you　say　he　is；　at　least　I　can　do　as　much　for　him　then；　as　you　
have　done。　But　I　don’t　believe　a　word　of　it。’　

‘Miss　Trotwood；’　rejoined　Mr。　Murdstone；　shrugging　his　

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shoulders；　as　he　rose；　‘if　you　were　a　gentleman—’　

‘Bah！　Stuff　and　nonsense！’　said　my　aunt。　‘Don’t　talk　to　me！’　

‘How　exquisitely　polite！’　exclaimed　Miss　Murdstone；　rising。　
‘Overpowering；　really！’　

‘Do　you　think　I　don’t　know；’　said　my　aunt；　turning　a　deaf　ear　to　
the　sister；　and　continuing　to　address　the　brother；　and　to　shake　her　
head　at　him　with　infinite　expression；　‘what　kind　of　life　you　must　
have　led　that　poor；　unhappy；　misdirected　baby？　Do　you　think　I　
don’t　know　what　a　woeful　day　it　was　for　the　soft　little　creature　
when　you　first　came　in　her　way—smirking　and　making　great　eyes　
at　her；　I’ll　be　bound；　as　if　you　couldn’t　say　boh！　to　a　goose！’　

‘I　never　heard　anything　so　elegant！’　said　Miss　Murdstone。　

‘Do　you　think　I　can’t　understand　you　as　well　as　if　I　had　seen　
you；’　pursued　my　aunt；　‘now　that　I　do　see　and　hear　you—which；　I　
tell　you　candidly；　is　anything　but　a　pleasure　to　me？　Oh　yes；　bless　
us！　who　so　smooth　and　silky　as　Mr。　Murdstone　at　first！　The　poor；　
benighted　innocent　had　never　seen　such　a　man。　He　was　made　of　
sweetness。　He　worshipped　her。　He　doted　on　her　boy—tenderly　
doted　on　him！　He　was　to　be　another　father　to　him；　and　they　were　
all　to　live　together　in　a　garden　of　roses；　weren’t　they？　Ugh！　Get　
along　with　you；　do！’　said　my　aunt。　

‘I　never　heard　anything　like　this　person　in　my　life！’　exclaimed　
Miss　Murdstone。　

‘And　when　you　had　made　sure　of　the　poor　little　fool；’　said　my　
aunt—‘God　forgive　me　that　I　should　call　her　so；　and　she　gone　
where　you　won’t　go　in　a　hurry—because　you　had　not　done　wrong　
enough　to　her　and　hers；　you　must　begin　to　train　her；　must　you？　
begin　to　break　her；　like　a　poor　caged　bird；　and　wear　her　deluded　
life　away；　in　teaching　her　to　sing　your　notes？’　

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‘This　is　either　insanity　or　intoxication；’　said　Miss　Murdstone；　in　
a　perfect　agony　at　not　being　able　to　turn　the　current　of　my　aunt’s　
address　towards　herself；　‘and　my　suspicion　is　that　it’s　intoxication。’　

Miss　Betsey；　without　taking　the　least　notice　of　the　interruption；　
continued　to　address　herself　to　Mr。　Murdstone　as　if　there　had　been　
no　such　thing。　

‘Mr。　Murdstone；’　she　said；　shaking　her　finger　at　him；　‘you　were　
a　tyrant　to　the　simple　baby；　and　you　broke　her　heart。　She　was　a　
loving　baby—I　know　that；　I　knew　it　years　before　you　ever　saw　
her—and　through　the　best　part　of　her　weakness　you　gave　her　the　
wounds　she　died　of。　There　is　the　truth　for　your　comfort；　however　
you　like　it。　And　you　and　your　instruments　may　make　the　most　of　
it。’　

‘Allow　me　to　inquire；　Miss　Trotwood；’　interposed　Miss　
Murdstone；　‘whom　you　are　pleased　to　call；　in　a　choice　of　words　in　
which　I　am　not　experienced；　my　brother’s　instruments？’　

‘It　was　clear　enough；　as　I　have　told　you；　years　before　you　ever　
saw　her—and　why；　in　the　mysterious　dispensations　of　Providence；　
you　ever　did　see　her；　is　more　than　humanity　can　comprehend—it　
was　clear　enough　that　the　poor　soft　little　thing　would　marry　
somebody；　at　some　time　or　other；　but　I　did　hope　it　wouldn’t　have　
been　as　bad　as　it　has　turned　out。　That　was　the　time；　Mr。　
Murdstone；　when　she　gave　birth　to　her　boy　here；’　said　my　aunt；　‘to　
the　poor　child　you　sometimes　tormented　her　through　afterwards；　
which　is　a　disagreeable　remembrance　and　makes　the　sight　of　him　
odious　now。　Aye；　aye！　you　needn’t　wince！’　said　my　aunt。　‘I　know　
it’s　true　without　that。’　

He　had　stood　by　the　door；　all　this　while；　observant　of　her　with　a　
smile　upon　his　face；　though　his　black　eyebrows　were　heavily　

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contracted。　I　remarked　now；　that；　though　the　smile　was　on　his　face　
still；　his　colour　had　gone　in　a　moment；　and　he　seemed　to　breathe　
as　if　he　had　been　running。　

‘Good　day；　sir；’　said　my　aunt；　‘and　good…bye！　Good　day　to　you；　
too；　ma’am；’　said　my　aunt；　turning　suddenly　upon　his　sister。　‘Let　
me　see　you　ride　a　donkey　over　my　green　again；　and　as　sure　as　you　
have　a　head　upon　your　shoulders；　I’ll　knock　your　bonnet　off；　and　
tread　upon　it！’　

It　would　require　a　painter；　and　no　common　painter　too；　to　
depict　my　aunt’s　face　as　she　delivered　herself　of　this　very　
unexpected　sentiment；　and　Miss　Murdstone’s　face　as　she　heard　it。　
But　the　manner　of　the　speech；　no　less　than　the　matter；　was　so　
fiery；　that　Miss　Murdstone；　without　a　word　in　answer；　discreetly　
put　her　arm　through　her　brother’s；　and　walked　haughtily　out　of　
the　cottage；　my　aunt　remaining　in　the　window　looking　after　them；　
prepared；　I　have　no　doubt；　in　case　of　the　donkey’s　reappearance；　
to　carry　her　threat　into　instant　execution。　

No　attempt　at　defiance　being　made；　however；　her　face　gradually　
relaxed；　and　became　so　pleasant；　that　I　was　emboldened　to　kiss　
and　thank　her；　which　I　did　with　great　heartiness；　and　with　both　
my　arms　clasped　round　her　neck。　I　then　shook　hands　with　Mr。　
Dick；　who　shook　hands　with　me　a　great　many　times；　and　hailed　
this　happy　close　of　the　proceedings　with　repeated　bursts　of　
laughter。　

‘You’ll　consider　yourself　guardian；　jointly　with　me；　of　this　child；