david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第78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！
‘From the shadow of this wall； I think；’ said I； as we emerged
upon a road on which a wall abutted。
‘It’s gone！’ he returned； looking over his shoulder。 ‘And all ill go
with it。 Now for our dinner！’
But he looked again over his shoulder towards the sea…line
glimmering afar off； and yet again。 And he wondered about it； in
some broken expressions； several times； in the short remainder of
our walk； and only seemed to forget it when the light of fire and
candle shone upon us； seated warm and merry； at table。
Littimer was there； and had his usual effect upon me。 When I
said to him that I hoped Mrs。 Steerforth and Miss Dartle were
well； he answered respectfully （and of course respectably）； that
they were tolerably well； he thanked me； and had sent their
compliments。 This was all； and yet he seemed to me to say as
plainly as a man could say： ‘You are very young； sir； you are
exceedingly young。’
We had almost finished dinner； when taking a step or two
towards the table； from the corner where he kept watch upon us；
or rather upon me； as I felt； he said to his master：
‘I beg your pardon； sir。 Miss Mowcher is down here。’
‘Who？’ cried Steerforth； much astonished。
‘Miss Mowcher； sir。’
‘Why； what on earth does she do here？’ said Steerforth。
‘It appears to be her native part of the country； sir。 She informs
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
me that she makes one of her professional visits here； every year；
sir。 I met her in the street this afternoon； and she wished to know
if she might have the honour of waiting on you after dinner； sir。’
‘Do you know the Giantess in question； Daisy？’ inquired
Steerforth。
I was obliged to confess—I felt ashamed； even of being at this
disadvantage before Littimer—that Miss Mowcher and I were
wholly unacquainted。
‘Then you shall know her；’ said Steerforth； ‘for she is one of the
seven wonders of the world。 When Miss Mowcher comes； show her
in。’
I felt some curiosity and excitement about this lady； especially
as Steerforth burst into a fit of laughing when I referred to her；
and positively refused to answer any question of which I made her
the subject。 I remained； therefore； in a state of considerable
expectation until the cloth had been removed some half an hour；
and we were sitting over our decanter of wine before the fire；
when the door opened； and Littimer； with his habitual serenity
quite undisturbed； announced：
‘Miss Mowcher！’
I looked at the doorway and saw nothing。 I was still looking at
the doorway； thinking that Miss Mowcher was a long while
making her appearance； when； to my infinite astonishment； there
came waddling round a sofa which stood between me and it； a
pursy dwarf； of about forty or forty…five； with a very large head and
face； a pair of roguish grey eyes； and such extremely little arms；
that； to enable herself to lay a finger archly against her snub nose；
as she ogled Steerforth； she was obliged to meet the finger halfway； and lay her nose against it。 Her chin； which was what is
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
called a double chin； was so fat that it entirely swallowed up the
strings of her bonnet； bow and all。 Throat she had none； waist she
had none； legs she had none； worth mentioning； for though she
was more than full…sized down to where her waist would have
been； if she had had any； and though she terminated； as human
beings generally do； in a pair of feet； she was so short that she
stood at a common…sized chair as at a table； resting a bag she
carried on the seat。 This lady—dressed in an off…hand； easy style；
bringing her nose and her forefinger together； with the difficulty I
have described； standing with her head necessarily on one side；
and； with one of her sharp eyes shut up； making an uncommonly
knowing face—after ogling Steerforth for a few moments； broke
into a torrent of words。
‘What！ My flower！’ she pleasantly began； shaking her large head
at him。 ‘You’re there； are you！ Oh； you naughty boy； fie for shame；
what do you do so far away from home？ Up to mischief； I’ll be
bound。 Oh； you’re a downy fellow； Steerforth； so you are； and I’m
another； ain’t I？ Ha； ha； ha！ You’d have betted a hundred pound to
five； now； that you wouldn’t have seen me here； wouldn’t you？
Bless you； man alive； I’m everywhere。 I’m here and there； and
where not； like the conjurer’s half…crown in the lady’s
handkercher。 Talking of handkerchers—and talking of ladies—
what a comfort you are to your blessed mother； ain’t you； my dear
boy； over one of my shoulders； and I don’t say which！’
Miss Mowcher untied her bonnet； at this passage of her
discourse； threw back the strings； and sat down； panting； on a
footstool in front of the fire—making a kind of arbour of the dining
table； which spread its mahogany shelter above her head。
‘Oh my stars and what’s…their…names！’ she went on； clapping a
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
hand on each of her little knees； and glancing shrewdly at me； ‘I’m
of too full a habit； that’s the fact； Steerforth。 After a flight of stairs；
it gives me as much trouble to draw every breath I want； as if it
was a bucket of water。 If you saw me looking out of an upper
window； you’d think I was a fine woman； wouldn’t you？’
‘I should think that； wherever I saw you；’ replied Steerforth。
‘Go along； you dog； do！’ cried the little creature； making a whisk
at him with the handkerchief with which she was wiping her face；
‘and don’t be impudent！ But I give you my word and honour I was
at Lady Mithers’s last week—there’s a woman！ How she wears！—
and Mithers himself came into the room where I was waiting for
her—there’s a man！ How he wears！ and his wig too； for he’s had it
these ten years—and he went on at that rate in the complimentary
line； that I began to think I should be obliged to ring the bell。 Ha！
ha！ ha！ He’s a pleasant wretch； but he wants principle。’
‘What were you doing for Lady Mithers？’ asked Steerforth。
‘That’s tellings； my blessed infant；’ she retorted； tapping her
nose again； screwing up her face； and twinkling her eyes like an
imp of supernatural intelligence。 ‘Never you mind！ You’d like to
know whether I stop her hair from falling off； or dye it； or touch up
her complexion； or improve her eyebrows； wouldn’t you？ And so
you shall； my darling—when I tell you！ Do you know what my
great grandfather’s name was？’
‘No；’ said Steerforth。
‘It was Walker； my sweet pet；’ replied Miss Mowcher； ‘and he
came of a long line of Walkers； that I inherit all the Hookey estates
from。’
I never beheld anything approaching to Miss Mowcher’s wink
except Miss Mowcher’s self…possession。 She had a wonderful way
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
too； when listening to what was said to her； or when waiting for an
answer to what she had said herself； of pausing with her head
cunningly on one side； and one eye turned up like a magpie’s。
Altogether I was lost in amazement； and sat staring at her； quite
oblivious； I am afraid； of the laws of politeness。
She had by this time drawn the chair to her side； and was busily
engaged in producing from the bag （plunging in her short arm to
the shoulder； at every dive） a number of small bottles； sponges；
combs； brushes； bits of flannel； little pairs of curling…irons； and
other instruments； which she tumbled in a heap upon the chair。
From this employment she suddenly desisted； and said to
Steerforth； much to my confusion：
‘Who’s your friend？’
‘Mr。 Copperfield；’ said Steerforth； ‘he wants to know you。’
‘Well； then； he shall！ I thought he looked as if he did！’ returned
Miss Mowcher； waddling up to me； bag in hand； and laughing on
me as she came。 ‘Face like a peach！’ standing on tiptoe to pinch
my cheek as I sat。 ‘Quite tempting！ I’m very fond of peaches。
Happy to make your acquaintance； Mr。 Copperfield； I’m sure。’
I said that I congratulated myself on having the honour to make
hers； and that the happiness was mutual。
‘Oh； my goodness； how polite we are！’ exclaimed Miss
Mowcher； making a preposterous attempt to cover her large face
with her morsel of a hand。 ‘What a world of gammon and spinnage
it is； though； ain’t it！’
This was addressed confidentially to both of us； as the morsel of
a hand came away from the face； and buried itself； arm and all； in
the bag again。
‘What do you mean； Miss Mowcher？’ said Steerforth。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘Ha！ ha！ ha！ What a refreshing set of humbugs we are； to be
sure； ain’t we； my sweet child？’ replied that morsel of a woman；
feeling in the bag with her head on one side and her eye in the air。
‘Look here！’ taking something out。 ‘Scraps of the Russian Prince’s
nails。 Prince Alphabet turned topsy…turvy； I call him； for his
name’s got all the letters in it； higgledy…piggledy。’
‘The Russian Prince is a client of yours； is he？’ said Steerforth。
‘I believe you； my pet；’ replied Miss Mowcher。 ‘I keep his nails
in order for him。 Twice a week！ Fingers and toes。’
‘He pays well； I hope？’ said Steerforth。
‘Pays； as he speaks； my dear child—through the nose；’ replied
Miss Mowcher。 ‘None of your close shavers the Prince ain’t。 You’d
say so； if you saw his moustachios。 Red by nature； black by art。’
‘By your art； of course；’ said Steerforth。
Miss Mowcher winked assent。 ‘Forced to send for me。 Couldn’t
help it。 The climate affected his dye； it did very well in Russia； but
it was no go here。 You never saw such a rusty Prince in all your
born days as he was。 Like old iron！’
‘Is that why you called him a humbug； just now？’ inquired
Steerforth。
‘Oh； you’re a broth of a boy； ain’t you？’ returned Miss Mowcher；
shaking her head violently。 ‘I said； what a set of humbugs we were
in general； and I showed you the scraps of the Prince’s nails to
prove it。 The Prince’s nails
