david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第58部分
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only for your own sake； but for Annie’s； and John Maldon’s； and
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David Copperfield
many other people’s。 It seems but yesterday to me； John； when
you were a little creature； a head shorter than Master Copperfield；
making baby love to Annie behind the gooseberry bushes in the
back…garden。’
‘My dear mama；’ said Mrs。 Strong； ‘never mind that now。’
‘Annie； don’t be absurd；’ returned her mother。 ‘If you are to
blush to hear of such things now you are an old married woman；
when are you not to blush to hear of them？’
‘Old？’ exclaimed Mr。 Jack Maldon。 ‘Annie？ Come！’
‘Yes； John；’ returned the Soldier。 ‘Virtually； an old married
woman。 Although not old by years—for when did you ever hear
me say； or who has ever heard me say； that a girl of twenty was old
by years！—your cousin is the wife of the Doctor； and； as such； what
I have described her。 It is well for you； John； that your cousin is
the wife of the Doctor。 You have found in him an influential and
kind friend； who will be kinder yet； I venture to predict； if you
deserve it。 I have no false pride。 I never hesitate to admit； frankly；
that there are some members of our family who want a friend。 You
were one yourself； before your cousin’s influence raised up one for
you。’
The Doctor； in the goodness of his heart； waved his hand as if to
make light of it； and save Mr。 Jack Maldon from any further
reminder。 But Mrs。 Markleham changed her chair for one next the
Doctor’s； and putting her fan on his coat…sleeve； said：
‘No； really； my dear Doctor； you must excuse me if I appear to
dwell on this rather； because I feel so very strongly。 I call it quite
my monomania； it is such a subject of mine。 You are a blessing to
us。 You really are a Boon； you know。’
‘Nonsense； nonsense；’ said the Doctor。
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David Copperfield
‘No； no； I beg your pardon；’ retorted the Old Soldier。 ‘With
nobody present； but our dear and confidential friend Mr。
Wickfield； I cannot consent to be put down。 I shall begin to assert
the privileges of a mother…in…law； if you go on like that； and scold
you。 I am perfectly honest and outspoken。 What I am saying； is
what I said when you first overpowered me with surprise—you
remember how surprised I was？—by proposing for Annie。 Not
that there was anything so very much out of the way； in the mere
fact of the proposal—it would be ridiculous to say that！—but
because； you having known her poor father； and having known
her from a baby six months old； I hadn’t thought of you in such a
light at all； or indeed as a marrying man in any way；—simply that；
you know。’
‘Aye； aye；’ returned the Doctor； good…humouredly。 ‘Never
mind。’
‘But I do mind；’ said the Old Soldier； laying her fan upon his
lips。 ‘I mind very much。 I recall these things that I may be
contradicted if I am wrong。 Well！ Then I spoke to Annie； and I told
her what had happened。 I said； “My dear； here’s Doctor Strong
has positively been and made you the subject of a handsome
declaration and an offer。” Did I press it in the least？ No。 I said；
“Now； Annie； tell me the truth this moment； is your heart free？”
“Mama；” she said crying； “I am extremely young”—which was
perfectly true—“and I hardly know if I have a heart at all。” “Then；
my dear；” I said； “you may rely upon it； it’s free。 At all events； my
love；” said I； “Doctor Strong is in an agitated state of mind； and
must be answered。 He cannot be kept in his present state of
suspense。” “Mama；” said Annie； still crying； “would he be
unhappy without me？ If he would； I honour and respect him so
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David Copperfield
much； that I think I will have him。” So it was settled。 And then；
and not till then； I said to Annie； “Annie； Doctor Strong will not
only be your husband； but he will represent your late father： he
will represent the head of our family； he will represent the wisdom
and station； and I may say the means； of our family； and will be； in
short； a Boon to it。” I used the word at the time； and I have used it
again； today。 If I have any merit it is consistency。’
The daughter had sat quite silent and still during this speech；
with her eyes fixed on the ground； her cousin standing near her；
and looking on the ground too。 She now said very softly； in a
trembling voice：
‘Mama； I hope you have finished？’
‘No； my dear Annie；’ returned the Old Soldier； ‘I have not quite
finished。 Since you ask me； my love； I reply that I have not。 I
complain that you really are a little unnatural towards your own
family； and； as it is of no use complaining to you。 I mean to
complain to your husband。 Now； my dear Doctor； do look at that
silly wife of yours。’
As the Doctor turned his kind face； with its smile of simplicity
and gentleness； towards her； she drooped her head more。 I noticed
that Mr。 Wickfield looked at her steadily。
‘When I happened to say to that naughty thing； the other day；’
pursued her mother； shaking her head and her fan at her；
playfully； ‘that there was a family circumstance she might mention
to you—indeed； I think； was bound to mention—she said； that to
mention it was to ask a favour； and that； as you were too generous；
and as for her to ask was always to have； she wouldn’t。’
‘Annie； my dear；’ said the Doctor。 ‘That was wrong。 It robbed
me of a pleasure。’
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David Copperfield
‘Almost the very words I said to her！’ exclaimed her mother。
‘Now really； another time； when I know what she would tell you
but for this reason； and won’t； I have a great mind； my dear
Doctor； to tell you myself。’
‘I shall be glad if you will；’ returned the Doctor。
‘Shall I？’
‘Certainly。’
‘Well； then； I will！’ said the Old Soldier。 ‘That’s a bargain。’ And
having； I suppose； carried her point； she tapped the Doctor’s hand
several times with her fan （which she kissed first）； and returned
triumphantly to her former station。
Some more company coming in； among whom were the two
masters and Adams； the talk became general； and it naturally
turned on Mr。 Jack Maldon； and his voyage； and the country he
was going to； and his various plans and prospects。 He was to leave
that night； after supper； in a post…chaise； for Gravesend； where the
ship； in which he was to make the voyage； lay； and was to be
gone—unless he came home on leave； or for his health—I don’t
know how many years。 I recollect it was settled by general consent
that India was quite a misrepresented country； and had nothing
objectionable in it； but a tiger or two； and a little heat in the warm
part of the day。 For my own part； I looked on Mr。 Jack Maldon as a
modern Sindbad； and pictured him the bosom friend of all the
Rajahs in the East； sitting under canopies； smoking curly golden
pipes—a mile long； if they could be straightened out。
Mrs。 Strong was a very pretty singer： as I knew； who often
heard her singing by herself。 But； whether she was afraid of
singing before people； or was out of voice that evening； it was
certain that she couldn’t sing at all。 She tried a duet； once； with
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David Copperfield
her cousin Maldon； but could not so much as begin； and
afterwards； when she tried to sing by herself； although she began
sweetly； her voice died away on a sudden； and left her quite
distressed； with her head hanging down over the keys。 The good
Doctor said she was nervous； and； to relieve her； proposed a round
game at cards； of which he knew as much as of the art of playing
the trombone。 But I remarked that the Old Soldier took him into
custody directly； for her partner； and instructed him； as the first
preliminary of initiation； to give her all the silver he had in his
pocket。
We had a merry game； not made the less merry by the Doctor’s
mistakes； of which he committed an innumerable quantity； in spite
of the watchfulness of the butterflies； and to their great
aggravation。 Mrs。 Strong had declined to play； on the ground of
not feeling very well； and her cousin Maldon had excused himself
because he had some packing to do。 When he had done it；
however； he returned； and they sat together； talking； on the sofa。
From time to time she came and looked over the Doctor’s hand；
and told him what to play。 She was very pale； as she bent over
him； and I thought her finger trembled as she pointed out the
cards； but the Doctor was quite happy in her attention； and took
no notice of this； if it were so。
At supper； we were hardly so gay。 Everyone appeared to feel
that a parting of that sort was an awkward thing； and that the
nearer it approached； the more awkward it was。 Mr。 Jack Maldon
tried to be very talkative； but was not at his ease； and made
matters worse。 And they were not improved； as it appeared to me；
by the Old Soldier： who continually recalled passages of Mr。 Jack
Maldon’s youth。
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David Copperfield
The Doctor； however； who felt； I am sure； that he was making
everybody happy； was well pleased； and had no suspicion but that
we were all at the utmost height of enjoyment。
‘Annie； my dear；’ said he； looking at his watch； and filling his
glass； ‘it is past your cousin jack’s time； and we must not detain
him； since time and tide—both concerned in this case—wait for no
man。 Mr。 Jack Maldon； you have a long voyage； and a strange
country； before you； but many men have had both； and many men
will have both； to the end of time。 The winds you are going to
tempt； have wafted thousands upon thousands to fortune； and
brought thousands upon thousands happily back。’
‘It’s an affecting thing；’ said Mrs。 Markleham—‘however it’s
viewed； it’s affecting； to see a fine young man one has known from
an infant； going away to the other end of the world； leaving all he
knows behind； and not knowing what’s before him。 A young man
really well deserves constant support
