david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第67部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
‘Ill！’ replied the Old Soldier。 ‘My dear sir； he’s all sorts of
things。’
‘Except well？’ said Mr。 Wickfield。
‘Except well； indeed！’ said the Old Soldier。 ‘He has had dreadful
strokes of the sun； no doubt； and jungle fevers and agues； and
every kind of thing you can mention。 As to his liver；’ said the Old
Soldier resignedly； ‘that； of course； he gave up altogether； when he
first went out！’
‘Does he say all this？’ asked Mr。 Wickfield。
‘Say？ My dear sir；’ returned Mrs。 Markleham； shaking her head
and her fan； ‘you little know my poor Jack Maldon when you ask
that question。 Say？ Not he。 You might drag him at the heels of
four wild horses first。’
‘Mama！’ said Mrs。 Strong。
‘Annie； my dear；’ returned her mother； ‘once for all； I must
really beg that you will not interfere with me； unless it is to
confirm what I say。 You know as well as I do that your cousin
Maldon would be dragged at the heels of any number of wild
horses—why should I confine myself to four！ I won’t confine
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
myself to four—eight； sixteen； two…and…thirty； rather than say
anything calculated to overturn the Doctor’s plans。’
‘Wickfield’s plans；’ said the Doctor； stroking his face； and
looking penitently at his adviser。 ‘That is to say； our joint plans for
him。 I said myself； abroad or at home。’
‘And I said’ added Mr。 Wickfield gravely； ‘abroad。 I was the
means of sending him abroad。 It’s my responsibility。’
‘Oh！ Responsibility！’ said the Old Soldier。 ‘Everything was done
for the best； my dear Mr。 Wickfield； everything was done for the
kindest and best； we know。 But if the dear fellow can’t live there；
he can’t live there。 And if he can’t live there； he’ll die there； sooner
than he’ll overturn the Doctor’s plans。 I know him；’ said the Old
Soldier； fanning herself； in a sort of calm prophetic agony； ‘and I
know he’ll die there； sooner than he’ll overturn the Doctor’s plans。’
‘Well； well； ma’am；’ said the Doctor cheerfully； ‘I am not bigoted
to my plans； and I can overturn them myself。 I can substitute some
other plans。 If Mr。 Jack Maldon comes home on account of ill
health； he must not be allowed to go back； and we must endeavour
to make some more suitable and fortunate provision for him in
this country。’
Mrs。 Markleham was so overcome by this generous speech—
which； I need not say； she had not at all expected or led up to—
that she could only tell the Doctor it was like himself； and go
several times through that operation of kissing the sticks of her
fan； and then tapping his hand with it。 After which she gently chid
her daughter Annie； for not being more demonstrative when such
kindnesses were showered； for her sake； on her old playfellow； and
entertained us with some particulars concerning other deserving
members of her family； whom it was desirable to set on their
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
deserving legs。
All this time； her daughter Annie never once spoke； or lifted up
her eyes。 All this time； Mr。 Wickfield had his glance upon her as
she sat by his own daughter’s side。 It appeared to me that he never
thought of being observed by anyone； but was so intent upon her；
and upon his own thoughts in connexion with her； as to be quite
absorbed。 He now asked what Mr。 Jack Maldon had actually
written in reference to himself； and to whom he had written？
‘Why； here；’ said Mrs。 Markleham； taking a letter from the
chimney…piece above the Doctor’s head； ‘the dear fellow says to
the Doctor himself—where is it？ Oh！—“I am sorry to inform you
that my health is suffering severely； and that I fear I may be
reduced to the necessity of returning home for a time； as the only
hope of restoration。” That’s pretty plain； poor fellow！ His only
hope of restoration！ But Annie’s letter is plainer still。 Annie； show
me that letter again。’
‘Not now； mama；’ she pleaded in a low tone。
‘My dear； you absolutely are； on some subjects； one of the most
ridiculous persons in the world；’ returned her mother； ‘and
perhaps the most unnatural to the claims of your own family。 We
never should have heard of the letter at all； I believe； unless I had
asked for it myself。 Do you call that confidence； my love； towards
Doctor Strong？ I am surprised。 You ought to know better。’
The letter was reluctantly produced； and as I handed it to the
old lady； I saw how the unwilling hand from which I took it；
trembled。
‘Now let us see；’ said Mrs。 Markleham； putting her glass to her
eye； ‘where the passage is。 “The remembrance of old times； my
dearest Annie”—and so forth—it’s not there。 “The amiable old
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Proctor”—who’s he？ Dear me； Annie； how illegibly your cousin
Maldon writes； and how stupid I am！ “Doctor；” of course。 Ah！
amiable indeed！’ Here she left off； to kiss her fan again； and shake
it at the Doctor； who was looking at us in a state of placid
satisfaction。 ‘Now I have found it。 “You may not be surprised to
hear； Annie；”—no； to be sure； knowing that he never was really
strong； what did I say just now？—“that I have undergone so much
in this distant place； as to have decided to leave it at all hazards；
on sick leave； if I can； on total resignation； if that is not to be
obtained。 What I have endured； and do endure here； is
insupportable。” And but for the promptitude of that best of
creatures；’ said Mrs。 Markleham； telegraphing the Doctor as
before； and refolding the letter； ‘it would be insupportable to me to
think of。’
Mr。 Wickfield said not one word； though the old lady looked to
him as if for his commentary on this intelligence； but sat severely
silent； with his eyes fixed on the ground。 Long after the subject
was dismissed； and other topics occupied us； he remained so；
seldom raising his eyes； unless to rest them for a moment； with a
thoughtful frown； upon the Doctor； or his wife； or both。
The Doctor was very fond of music。 Agnes sang with great
sweetness and expression； and so did Mrs。 Strong。 They sang
together； and played duets together； and we had quite a little
concert。 But I remarked two things： first； that though Annie soon
recovered her composure； and was quite herself； there was a blank
between her and Mr。 Wickfield which separated them wholly from
each other； secondly； that Mr。 Wickfield seemed to dislike the
intimacy between her and Agnes； and to watch it with uneasiness。
And now； I must confess； the recollection of what I had seen on
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
that night when Mr。 Maldon went away； first began to return upon
me with a meaning it had never had； and to trouble me。 The
innocent beauty of her face was not as innocent to me as it had
been； I mistrusted the natural grace and charm of her manner；
and when I looked at Agnes by her side； and thought how good
and true Agnes was； suspicions arose within me that it was an ill…
assorted friendship。
She was so happy in it herself； however； and the other was so
happy too； that they made the evening fly away as if it were but an
hour。 It closed in an incident which I well remember。 They were
taking leave of each other； and Agnes was going to embrace her
and kiss her； when Mr。 Wickfield stepped between them； as if by
accident； and drew Agnes quickly away。 Then I saw； as though all
the intervening time had been cancelled； and I were still standing
in the doorway on the night of the departure； the expression of
that night in the face of Mrs。 Strong； as it confronted his。
I cannot say what an impression this made upon me； or how
impossible I found it； when I thought of her afterwards； to
separate her from this look； and remember her face in its innocent
loveliness again。 It haunted me when I got home。 I seemed to have
left the Doctor’s roof with a dark cloud lowering on it。 The
reverence that I had for his grey head； was mingled with
commiseration for his faith in those who were treacherous to him；
and with resentment against those who injured him。 The
impending shadow of a great affliction； and a great disgrace that
had no distinct form in it yet； fell like a stain upon the quiet place
where I had worked and played as a boy； and did it a cruel wrong。
I had no pleasure in thinking； any more； of the grave old broad…
leaved aloe…trees； which remained shut up in themselves a
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
hundred years together； and of the trim smooth grass…plot； and the
stone urns； and the Doctor’s walk； and the congenial sound of the
Cathedral bell hovering above them all。 It was as if the tranquil
sanctuary of my boyhood had been sacked before my face； and its
peace and honour given to the winds。
But morning brought with it my parting from the old house；
which Agnes had filled with her influence； and that occupied my
mind sufficiently。 I should be there again soon； no doubt； I might
sleep again—perhaps often—in my old room； but the days of my
inhabiting there were gone； and the old time was past。 I was
heavier at heart when I packed up such of my books and clothes as
still remained there to be sent to Dover； than I cared to show to
Uriah Heep； who was so officious to help me； that I uncharitably
thought him mighty glad that I was going。
I got away from Agnes and her father； somehow； with an
indifferent show of being very manly； and took my seat upon the
box of the London coach。 I was so softened and forgiving； going
through the town； that I had half a mind to nod to my old enemy
the butcher； and throw him five shillings to drink。 But he looked
such a very obdurate butcher as he stood scraping the great block
in the shop； and moreover； his appearance was so little improved
by the loss of a front tooth which I had knocked out； that I thought
it best to make no advances。
The main object on my mind； I remember； when we got fairly
on the road； was to appear as old as possible to the coac
