david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第52部分

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laughter。　

‘You’ll　consider　yourself　guardian；　jointly　with　me；　of　this　child；　
Mr。　Dick；’　said　my　aunt。　

‘I　shall　be　delighted；’　said　Mr。　Dick；　‘to　be　the　guardian　of　
David’s　son。’　

‘Very　good；’　returned　my　aunt；　‘that’s　settled。　I　have　been　

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David　Copperfield　

thinking；　do　you　know；　Mr。　Dick；　that　I　might　call　him　Trotwood？’　

‘Certainly；　certainly。　Call　him　Trotwood；　certainly；’　said　Mr。　
Dick。　‘David’s　son’s　Trotwood。’　

‘Trotwood　Copperfield；　you　mean；’　returned　my　aunt。　

‘Yes；　to　be　sure。　Yes。　Trotwood　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Dick；　a　
little　abashed。　

My　aunt　took　so　kindly　to　the　notion；　that　some　ready…made　
clothes；　which　were　purchased　for　me　that　afternoon；　were　
marked　‘Trotwood　Copperfield’；　in　her　own　handwriting；　and　in　
indelible　marking…ink；　before　I　put　them　on；　and　it　was　settled　that　
all　the　other　clothes　which　were　ordered　to　be　made　for　me　（a　
complete　outfit　was　bespoke　that　afternoon）　should　be　marked　in　
the　same　way。　

Thus　I　began　my　new　life；　in　a　new　name；　and　with　everything　
new　about　me。　Now　that　the　state　of　doubt　was　over；　I　felt；　for　
many　days；　like　one　in　a　dream。　I　never　thought　that　I　had　a　
curious　couple　of　guardians；　in　my　aunt　and　Mr。　Dick。　I　never　
thought　of　anything　about　myself；　distinctly。　The　two　things　
clearest　in　my　mind　were；　that　a　remoteness　had　come　upon　the　
old　Blunderstone　life—which　seemed　to　lie　in　the　haze　of　an　
immeasurable　distance；　and　that　a　curtain　had　for　ever　fallen　on　
my　life　at　Murdstone　and　Grinby’s。　No　one　has　ever　raised　that　
curtain　since。　I　have　lifted　it　for　a　moment；　even　in　this　narrative；　
with　a　reluctant　hand；　and　dropped　it　gladly。　The　remembrance　of　
that　life　is　fraught　with　so　much　pain　to　me；　with　so　much　mental　
suffering　and　want　of　hope；　that　I　have　never　had　the　courage　
even　to　examine　how　long　I　was　doomed　to　lead　it。　Whether　it　
lasted　for　a　year；　or　more；　or　less；　I　do　not　know。　I　only　know　that　
it　was；　and　ceased　to　be；　and　that　I　have　written；　and　there　I　leave　

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it。　

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David　Copperfield　

Chapter　15　

I　MAKE　ANOTHER　BEGINNING　

Mr。　Dick　and　I　soon　became　the　best　of　friends；　and　very　
often；　when　his　day’s　work　was　done；　went　out　together　
to　fly　the　great　kite。　Every　day　of　his　life　he　had　a　long　
sitting　at　the　Memorial；　which　never　made　the　least　progress；　
however　hard　he　laboured；　for　King　Charles　the　First　always　
strayed　into　it；　sooner　or　later；　and　then　it　was　thrown　aside；　and　
another　one　begun。　The　patience　and　hope　with　which　he　bore　
these　perpetual　disappointments；　the　mild　perception　he　had　that　
there　was　something　wrong　about　King　Charles　the　First；　the　
feeble　efforts　he　made　to　keep　him　out；　and　the　certainty　with　
which　he　came　in；　and　tumbled　the　Memorial　out　of　all　shape；　
made　a　deep　impression　on　me。　What　Mr。　Dick　supposed　would　
come　of　the　Memorial；　if　it　were　completed；　where　he　thought　it　
was　to　go；　or　what　he　thought　it　was　to　do；　he　knew　no　more　than　
anybody　else；　I　believe。　Nor　was　it　at　all　necessary　that　he　should　
trouble　himself　with　such　questions；　for　if　anything　were　certain　
under　the　sun；　it　was　certain　that　the　Memorial　never　would　be　
finished。　It　was　quite　an　affecting　sight；　I　used　to　think；　to　see　him　
with　the　kite　when　it　was　up　a　great　height　in　the　air。　What　he　had　
told　me；　in　his　room；　about　his　belief　in　its　disseminating　the　
statements　pasted　on　it；　which　were　nothing　but　old　leaves　of　
abortive　Memorials；　might　have　been　a　fancy　with　him　sometimes；　
but　not　when　he　was　out；　looking　up　at　the　kite　in　the　sky；　and　
feeling　it　pull　and　tug　at　his　hand。　He　never　looked　so　serene　as　he　
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did　then。　I　used　to　fancy；　as　I　sat　by　him　of　an　evening；　on　a　green　
slope；　and　saw　him　watch　the　kite　high　in　the　quiet　air；　that　it　
lifted　his　mind　out　of　its　confusion；　and　bore　it　（such　was　my　
boyish　thought）　into　the　skies。　As　he　wound　the　string　in　and　it　
came　lower　and　lower　down　out　of　the　beautiful　light；　until　it　
fluttered　to　the　ground；　and　lay　there　like　a　dead　thing；　he　seemed　
to　wake　gradually　out　of　a　dream；　and　I　remember　to　have　seen　
him　take　it　up；　and　look　about　him　in　a　lost　way；　as　if　they　had　
both　come　down　together；　so　that　I　pitied　him　with　all　my　heart。　

While　I　advanced　in　friendship　and　intimacy　with　Mr。　Dick；　I　
did　not　go　backward　in　the　favour　of　his　staunch　friend；　my　aunt。　
She　took　so　kindly　to　me；　that；　in　the　course　of　a　few　weeks；　she　
shortened　my　adopted　name　of　Trotwood　into　Trot；　and　even　
encouraged　me　to　hope；　that　if　I　went　on　as　I　had　begun；　I　might　
take　equal　rank　in　her　affections　with　my　sister　Betsey　Trotwood。　

‘Trot；’　said　my　aunt　one　evening；　when　the　backgammon…board　
was　placed　as　usual　for　herself　and　Mr。　Dick；　‘we　must　not　forget　
your　education。’　

This　was　my　only　subject　of　anxiety；　and　I　felt　quite　delighted　
by　her　referring　to　it。　

‘Should　you　like　to　go　to　school　at　Canterbury？’　said　my　aunt。　

I　replied　that　I　should　like　it　very　much；　as　it　was　so　near　her。　

‘Good；’　said　my　aunt。　‘Should　you　like　to　go　tomorrow？’　

Being　already　no　stranger　to　the　general　rapidity　of　my　aunt’s　
evolutions；　I　was　not　surprised　by　the　suddenness　of　the　proposal；　
and　said：　‘Yes。’　

‘Good；’　said　my　aunt　again。　‘Janet；　hire　the　grey　pony　and　
chaise　tomorrow　morning　at　ten　o’clock；　and　pack　up　Master　
Trotwood’s　clothes　tonight。’　

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I　was　greatly　elated　by　these　orders；　but　my　heart　smote　me　for　
my　selfishness；　when　I　witnessed　their　effect　on　Mr。　Dick；　who　was　
so　low…spirited　at　the　prospect　of　our　separation；　and　played　so　ill　
in　consequence；　that　my　aunt；　after　giving　him　several　admonitory　
raps　on　the　knuckles　with　her　dice…box；　shut　up　the　board；　and　
declined　to　play　with　him　any　more。　But；　on　hearing　from　my　aunt　
that　I　should　sometimes　come　over　on　a　Saturday；　and　that　he　
could　sometimes　come　and　see　me　on　a　Wednesday；　he　revived；　
and　vowed　to　make　another　kite　for　those　occasions；　of　
proportions　greatly　surpassing　the　present　one。　In　the　morning　he　
was　downhearted　again；　and　would　have　sustained　himself　by　
giving　me　all　the　money　he　had　in　his　possession；　gold　and　silver　
too；　if　my　aunt　had　not　interposed；　and　limited　the　gift　to　five　
shillings；　which；　at　his　earnest　petition；　were　afterwards　increased　
to　ten。　We　parted　at　the　garden…gate　in　a　most　affectionate　
manner；　and　Mr。　Dick　did　not　go　into　the　house　until　my　aunt　had　
driven　me　out　of　sight　of　it。　

My　aunt；　who　was　perfectly　indifferent　to　public　opinion；　drove　
the　grey　pony　through　Dover　in　a　masterly　manner；　sitting　high　
and　stiff　like　a　state　coachman；　keeping　a　steady　eye　upon　him　
wherever　he　went；　and　making　a　point　of　not　letting　him　have　his　
own　way　in　any　respect。　When　we　came　into　the　country　road；　she　
permitted　him　to　relax　a　little；　however；　and　looking　at　me　down　in　
a　valley　of　cushion　by　her　side；　asked　me　whether　I　was　happy？　

‘Very　happy　indeed；　thank　you；　aunt；’　I　said。　

She　was　much　gratified；　and　both　her　hands　being　occupied；　
patted　me　on　the　head　with　her　whip。　

‘Is　it　a　large　school；　aunt？’　I　asked。　

‘Why；　I　don’t　know；’　said　my　aunt。　‘We　are　going　to　Mr。　

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Wickfield’s　first。’　

‘Does　he　keep　a　school？’　I　asked。　

‘No；　Trot；’　said　my　aunt。　‘He　keeps　an　office。’　

I　asked　for　no　more　information　about　Mr。　Wickfield；　as　she　
offered　none；　and　we　conversed　on　other　subjects　until　we　came　to　
Canterbury；　where；　as　it　was　market…day；　my　aunt　had　a　great　
opportunity　of　insinuating　the　grey　pony　among　carts；　baskets；　
vegetables；　and　huckster’s　goods。　The　hair…breadth　turns　and　
twists　we　made；　drew　down　upon　us　a　variety　of　speeches　from　the　
people　standing　about；　which　were　not　always　complimentary；　but　
my　aunt　drove　on　with　perfect　indifference；　and　I　dare　say　would　
have　taken　her　own　way　with　as　much　coolness　through　an　
enemy’s　country。　

At　length　we　stopped　before　a　very　old　house　bulging　out　over　
the　road；　a　house　with　long　low　lattice…windows　bulging　out　still　
farther；　and　beams　with　carved　heads　on　the　ends　bulging　out　too；　
so　that　I　fancied　the　whole　house　was　leaning　forward；　trying　to　
see　who　was　passing　on　the　narrow　pavement　below。　It　was　quite　
spotless　in　its　cleanliness。　The　old…fashioned　brass　knocker　on　the　
low　arched　door；　ornamented　with　carved　garlands　of　fruit　and　
flowers；　twinkled　like　a　star；　the　two　stone　steps　descending　to　the　
door　were　as　white　as　if　they　had　been　covered　with　fair　linen；　and　
all　the　angles　and　corners；　and　carvings　and　mouldings；　and　
quaint　little　panes　of　glass；　and　quainter　little　windows；　though　as　
old　as　the　hills；　were　as　pure　as　any　snow　that　ever　fell　upon　the　
hills。　

When　the　pony…chaise　stopped　at　the　door；　and　my　eyes　were　
intent　upon　the　house；　I　saw　a　cadaverous　face　appear　at　a　small　
window　on　the　ground　floor　（in　a　little　round　tower　that　formed　

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one　side　of　the　house）；　and　quickly　disappear。　The　low　arched　door　
then　opened；　and　the　face　came　out。　It　was　quite　as　cadaverous　as　
it　had　looked　in　the　window；　though　in　the　grain　of　it　there　was　
that　tinge　of　red　which　is　sometimes　to　be　observed　in　the　skins　of　
red…haired　people。　It　belonged　to　a　red…haired　person—a　youth　of　
fifteen；　as　I　take　it　now；　but　looking　much　older—whose　hair　was　
cropped　as　close　as　the　closest　stubble；　who　had　hardly　any　
eyebrows；　and　no　eyelashes；　and　eyes　of　a　red…brown；　so　
unsheltered　and　unshaded；　that　I　remember　wondering　how　he　
went　to　sleep。　He　was　high…shouldered　and　bony；　dressed　in　
decent　black；　with　a　white　wisp　of　a　neckcloth；　buttoned　up　to　the　
throat；　and　had　a　long；　lank；　skeleton　hand；　which　particularly　
attracted　my　attention；　as　he　stood　at　the　pony’s　head；　rubbing　his　
chin　with　it；　and　looking　up　at　us　in　t