david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第79部分
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in general； and I showed you the scraps of the Prince’s nails to
prove it。 The Prince’s nails do more for me in private families of
the genteel sort； than all my talents put together。 I always carry
’em about。 They’re the best introduction。 If Miss Mowcher cuts the
Prince’s nails； she must be all right。 I give ’em away to the young
ladies。 They put ’em in albums； I believe。 Ha！ ha！ ha！ Upon my life；
“the whole social system” （as the men call it when they make
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David Copperfield
speeches in Parliament） is a system of Prince’s nails！’ said this
least of women； trying to fold her short arms； and nodding her
large head。
Steerforth laughed heartily； and I laughed too。 Miss Mowcher
continuing all the time to shake her head （which was very much
on one side）； and to look into the air with one eye； and to wink
with the other。
‘Well； well！’ she said； smiting her small knees； and rising； ‘this is
not business。 Come； Steerforth； let’s explore the polar regions； and
have it over。’
She then selected two or three of the little instruments； and a
little bottle； and asked （to my surprise） if the table would bear。 On
Steerforth’s replying in the affirmative； she pushed a chair against
it； and begging the assistance of my hand； mounted up； pretty
nimbly； to the top； as if it were a stage。
‘If either of you saw my ankles；’ she said； when she was safely
elevated； ‘say so； and I’ll go home and destroy myself！’
‘I did not；’ said Steerforth。
‘I did not；’ said I。
‘Well then；’ cried Miss Mowcher；’ I’ll consent to live。 Now；
ducky； ducky； ducky； come to Mrs。 Bond and be killed。’
This was an invocation to Steerforth to place himself under her
hands； who； accordingly； sat himself down； with his back to the
table； and his laughing face towards me； and submitted his head to
her inspection； evidently for no other purpose than our
entertainment。 To see Miss Mowcher standing over him； looking
at his rich profusion of brown hair through a large round
magnifying glass； which she took out of her pocket； was a most
amazing spectacle。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘You’re a pretty fellow！’ said Miss Mowcher； after a brief
inspection。 ‘You’d be as bald as a friar on the top of your head in
twelve months； but for me。 just half a minute； my young friend；
and we’ll give you a polishing that shall keep your curls on for the
next ten years！’
With this； she tilted some of the contents of the little bottle on to
one of the little bits of flannel； and； again imparting some of the
virtues of that preparation to one of the little brushes； began
rubbing and scraping away with both on the crown of Steerforth’s
head in the busiest manner I ever witnessed； talking all the time。
‘There’s Charley Pyegrave； the duke’s son；’ she said。 ‘You know
Charley？’ peeping round into his face。
‘A little；’ said Steerforth。
‘What a man he is！ There’s a whisker！ As to Charley’s legs； if
they were only a pair （which they ain’t）； they’d defy competition。
Would you believe he tried to do without me—in the Life…Guards；
too？’
‘Mad！’ said Steerforth。
‘It looks like it。 However； mad or sane； he tried；’ returned Miss
Mowcher。 ‘What does he do； but； lo and behold you； he goes into a
perfumer’s shop； and wants to buy a bottle of the Madagascar
Liquid。’
‘Charley does？’ said Steerforth。
‘Charley does。 But they haven’t got any of the Madagascar
Liquid。’
‘What is it？ Something to drink？’ asked Steerforth。
‘To drink？’ returned Miss Mowcher； stopping to slap his cheek。
‘To doctor his own moustachios with； you know。 There was a
woman in the shop—elderly female—quite a Griffin—who had
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David Copperfield
never even heard of it by name。 “Begging pardon； sir；” said the
Griffin to Charley； “it’s not—not—not rouge； is it？” “Rouge；” said
Charley to the Griffin。 “What the unmentionable to ears polite； do
you think I want with rouge？” “No offence； sir；” said the Griffin；
“we have it asked for by so many names； I thought it might be。”
Now that； my child；’ continued Miss Mowcher； rubbing all the
time as busily as ever； ‘is another instance of the refreshing
humbug I was speaking of。 I do something in that way myself—
perhaps a good deal—perhaps a little—sharp’s the word； my dear
boy—never mind！’
‘In what way do you mean？ In the rouge way？’ said Steerforth。
‘Put this and that together； my tender pupil；’ returned the wary
Mowcher； touching her nose； ‘work it by the rule of Secrets in all
trades； and the product will give you the desired result。 I say I do a
little in that way myself。 One Dowager； she calls it lip…salve。
Another； she calls it gloves。 Another； she calls it tucker…edging。
Another； she calls it a fan。 I call it whatever they call it。 I supply it
for ’em； but we keep up the trick so； to one another； and make
believe with such a face； that they’d as soon think of laying it on；
before a whole drawing…room； as before me。 And when I wait upon
’em； they’ll say to me sometimes—with it on—thick； and no
mistake—“How am I looking； Mowcher？ Am I pale？” Ha！ ha！ ha！
ha！ Isn’t that refreshing； my young friend！’
I never did in my days behold anything like Mowcher as she
stood upon the dining table； intensely enjoying this refreshment；
rubbing busily at Steerforth’s head； and winking at me over it。
‘Ah！’ she said。 ‘Such things are not much in demand
hereabouts。 That sets me off again！ I haven’t seen a pretty woman
since I’ve been here； jemmy。’
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David Copperfield
‘No？’ said Steerforth。
‘Not the ghost of one；’ replied Miss Mowcher。
‘We could show her the substance of one； I think？’ said
Steerforth； addressing his eyes to mine。 ‘Eh； Daisy？’
‘Yes； indeed；’ said I。
‘Aha？’ cried the little creature； glancing sharply at my face； and
then peeping round at Steerforth’s。 ‘Umph？’
The first exclamation sounded like a question put to both of us；
and the second like a question put to Steerforth only。 She seemed
to have found no answer to either； but continued to rub； with her
head on one side and her eye turned up； as if she were looking for
an answer in the air and were confident of its appearing presently。
‘A sister of yours； Mr。 Copperfield？’ she cried； after a pause；
and still keeping the same look…out。 ‘Aye； aye？’
‘No；’ said Steerforth； before I could reply。 ‘Nothing of the sort。
On the contrary； Mr。 Copperfield used—or I am much mistaken—
to have a great admiration for her。’
‘Why； hasn’t he now？’ returned Miss Mowcher。 ‘Is he fickle？
Oh； for shame！ Did he sip every flower； and change every hour；
until Polly his passion requited？—Is her name Polly？’
The Elfin suddenness with which she pounced upon me with
this question； and a searching look； quite disconcerted me for a
moment。
‘No； Miss Mowcher；’ I replied。 ‘Her name is Emily。’
‘Aha？’ she cried exactly as before。 ‘Umph？ What a rattle I am！
Mr。 Copperfield； ain’t I volatile？’
Her tone and look implied something that was not agreeable to
me in connexion with the subject。 So I said； in a graver manner
than any of us had yet assumed： ‘She is as virtuous as she is pretty。
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David Copperfield
She is engaged to be married to a most worthy and deserving man
in her own station of life。 I esteem her for her good sense； as much
as I admire her for her good looks。’
‘Well said！’ cried Steerforth。 ‘Hear； hear； hear！ Now I’ll quench
the curiosity of this little Fatima； my dear Daisy； by leaving her
nothing to guess at。 She is at present apprenticed； Miss Mowcher；
or articled； or whatever it may be； to Omer and Joram；
Haberdashers； Milliners； and so forth； in this town。 Do you
observe？ Omer and Joram。 The promise of which my friend has
spoken； is made and entered into with her cousin； Christian name；
Ham； surname； Peggotty； occupation； boat…builder； also of this
town。 She lives with a relative； Christian name； unknown；
surname； Peggotty； occupation； seafaring； also of this town。 She is
the prettiest and most engaging little fairy in the world。 I admire
her—as my friend does—exceedingly。 If it were not that I might
appear to disparage her Intended； which I know my friend would
not like； I would add； that to me she seems to be throwing herself
away； that I am sure she might do better； and that I swear she was
born to be a lady。’
Miss Mowcher listened to these words； which were very slowly
and distinctly spoken； with her head on one side； and her eye in
the air as if she were still looking for that answer。 When he ceased
she became brisk again in an instant； and rattled away with
surprising volubility。
‘Oh！ And that’s all about it； is it？’ she exclaimed； trimming his
whiskers with a little restless pair of scissors； that went glancing
round his head in all directions。 ‘Very well： very well！ Quite a long
story。 Ought to end “and they lived happy ever afterwards”；
oughtn’t it？ Ah！ What’s that game at forfeits？ I love my love with
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David Copperfield
an E； because she’s enticing； I hate her with an E； because she’s
engaged。 I took her to the sign of the exquisite； and treated her
with an elopement； her name’s Emily； and she lives in the east？
Ha！ ha！ ha！ Mr。 Copperfield； ain’t I volatile？’
Merely looking at me with extravagant slyness； and not waiting
for any reply； she continued； without drawing breath：
‘There！ If ever any scapegrace was trimmed and touched up to
perfection； you are； Steerforth。 If I understand any noddle in the
world； I understand yours。 Do you hear me when I tell you that；
my darling？ I understand yours；’ peeping down into his face。 ‘Now
you may mizzle； jemmy （as we say at Court）； and if Mr。
Copperfield will take the chair I’ll operate on him。’
‘What do you say； D
