第 18 节
作者:不受约束      更新:2021-05-04 17:22      字数:9181
  came to a bad end; and then I got into the cart; and the lazy horse
  walked off with it。
  Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
  David Copperfield
  Chapter 5
  I AM SENT AWAY FROM HOME
  We might have gone about half a mile; and my pocket…
  handkerchief was quite wet through; when the carrier
  stopped short。 Looking out to ascertain for what; I saw;
  to my amazement; Peggotty burst from a hedge and climb into the
  cart。 She took me in both her arms; and squeezed me to her stays
  until the pressure on my nose was extremely painful; though I
  never thought of that till afterwards when I found it very tender。
  Not a single word did Peggotty speak。 Releasing one of her arms;
  she put it down in her pocket to the elbow; and brought out some
  paper bags of cakes which she crammed into my pockets; and a
  purse which she put into my hand; but not one word did she say。
  After another and a final squeeze with both arms; she got down
  from the cart and ran away; and; my belief is; and has always
  been; without a solitary button on her gown。 I picked up one; of
  several that were rolling about; and treasured it as a keepsake for
  a long time。
  The carrier looked at me; as if to inquire if she were coming
  back。 I shook my head; and said I thought not。 ‘Then come up;’
  said the carrier to the lazy horse; who came up accordingly。
  Having by this time cried as much as I possibly could; I began
  to think it was of no use crying any more; especially as neither
  Roderick Random; nor that Captain in the Royal British Navy; had
  ever cried; that I could remember; in trying situations。 The carrier;
  seeing me in this resolution; proposed that my pocket…
  Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
  David Copperfield
  handkerchief should be spread upon the horse’s back to dry。 I
  thanked him; and assented; and particularly small it looked; under
  those circumstances。
  I had now leisure to examine the purse。 It was a stiff leather
  purse; with a snap; and had three bright shillings in it; which
  Peggotty had evidently polished up with whitening; for my greater
  delight。 But its most precious contents were two half…crowns
  folded together in a bit of paper; on which was written; in my
  mother’s hand; ‘For Davy。 With my love。’ I was so overcome by
  this; that I asked the carrier to be so good as to reach me my
  pocket…handkerchief again; but he said he thought I had better do
  without it; and I thought I really had; so I wiped my eyes on my
  sleeve and stopped myself。
  For good; too; though; in consequence of my previous emotions;
  I was still occasionally seized with a stormy sob。 After we had
  jogged on for some little time; I asked the carrier if he was going
  all the way。
  ‘All the way where?’ inquired the carrier。
  ‘There;’ I said。
  ‘Where’s there?’ inquired the carrier。
  ‘Near London;’ I said。
  ‘Why that horse;’ said the carrier; jerking the rein to point him
  out; ‘would be deader than pork afore he got over half the ground。’
  ‘Are you only going to Yarmouth then?’ I asked。
  ‘That’s about it;’ said the carrier。 ‘And there I shall take you to
  the stage…cutch; and the stage…cutch that’ll take you to—wherever
  it is。’
  As this was a great deal for the carrier (whose name was Mr。
  Barkis) to say—he being; as I observed in a former chapter; of a
  Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
  David Copperfield
  phlegmatic temperament; and not at all conversational—I offered
  him a cake as a mark of attention; which he ate at one gulp;
  exactly like an elephant; and which made no more impression on
  his big face than it would have done on an elephant’s。
  ‘Did she make ’em; now?’ said Mr。 Barkis; always leaning
  forward; in his slouching way; on the footboard of the cart with an
  arm on each knee。
  ‘Peggotty; do you mean; sir?’
  ‘Ah!’ said Mr。 Barkis。 ‘Her。’
  ‘Yes。 She makes all our pastry; and does all our cooking。’
  ‘Do she though?’ said Mr。 Barkis。 He made up his mouth as if to
  whistle; but he didn’t whistle。 He sat looking at the horse’s ears; as
  if he saw something new there; and sat so; for a considerable time。
  By and by; he said:
  ‘No sweethearts; I b’lieve?’
  ‘Sweetmeats did you say; Mr。 Barkis?’ For I thought he wanted
  something else to eat; and had pointedly alluded to that
  description of refreshment。
  ‘Hearts;’ said Mr。 Barkis。 ‘Sweet hearts; no person walks with
  her!’
  ‘With Peggotty?’
  ‘Ah!’ he said。 ‘Her。’
  ‘Oh; no。 She never had a sweetheart。’
  ‘Didn’t she; though!’ said Mr。 Barkis。
  Again he made up his mouth to whistle; and again he didn’t
  whistle; but sat looking at the horse’s ears。
  ‘So she makes;’ said Mr。 Barkis; after a long interval of
  reflection; ‘all the apple parsties; and doos all the cooking; do she?’
  I replied that such was the fact。
  Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
  David Copperfield
  ‘Well。 I’ll tell you what;’ said Mr。 Barkis。 ‘P’raps you might be
  writin’ to her?’
  ‘I shall certainly write to her;’ I rejoined。
  ‘Ah!’ he said; slowly turning his eyes towards me。 ‘Well! If you
  was writin’ to her; p’raps you’d recollect to say that Barkis was
  willin’; would you?’
  ‘That Barkis is willing;’ I repeated; innocently。 ‘Is that all the
  message?’
  ‘Ye…es;’ he said; considering。 ‘Ye…es。 Barkis is willin’。’
  ‘But you will be at Blunderstone again tomorrow; Mr。 Barkis;’ I
  said; faltering a little at the idea of my being far away from it then;
  and could give your own message so much better。’
  As he repudiated this suggestion; however; with a jerk of his
  head; and once more confirmed his previous request by saying;
  with profound gravity; ‘Barkis is willin’。 That’s the message;’ I
  readily undertook its transmission。 While I was waiting for the
  coach in the hotel at Yarmouth that very afternoon; I procured a
  sheet of paper and an inkstand; and wrote a note to Peggotty;
  which ran thus: ‘My dear Peggotty。 I have come here safe。 Barkis
  is willing。 My love to mama。 Yours affectionately。 P。S。 He says he
  particularly wants you to know—Barkis is willing。’
  When I had taken this commission on myself prospectively; Mr。
  Barkis relapsed into perfect silence; and I; feeling quite worn out
  by all that had happened lately; lay down on a sack in the cart and
  fell asleep。 I slept soundly until we got to Yarmouth; which was so
  entirely new and strange to me in the inn…yard to which we drove;
  that I at once abandoned a latent hope I had had of meeting with
  some of Mr。 Peggotty’s family there; perhaps even with little Em’ly
  herself。
  Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
  David Copperfield
  The coach was in the yard; shining very much all over; but
  without any horses to it as yet; and it looked in that state as if
  nothing was more unlikely than its ever going to London。 I was
  thinking this; and wondering what would ultimately become of my
  box; which Mr。 Barkis had put down on the yard…pavement by the
  pole (he having driven up the yard to turn his cart); and also what
  would ultimately become of me; when a lady looked out of a bow…
  window where some fowls and joints of meat were hanging up;
  and said:
  ‘Is that the little gentleman from Blunderstone?’
  ‘Yes; ma’am;’ I said。
  ‘What name?’ inquired the lady。
  ‘Copperfield; ma’am;’ I said。
  ‘That won’t do;’ returned the lady。 ‘Nobody’s dinner is paid for
  here; in that name。’
  ‘Is it Murdstone; ma’am?’ I said。
  ‘If you’re Master Murdstone;’ said the lady; ‘why do you go and
  give another name; first?’
  I explained to the lady how it was; who than rang a bell; and
  called out; ‘William! show the coffee…room!’ upon which a waiter
  came running out of a kitchen on the opposite side of the yard to
  show it; and seemed a good deal surprised when he was only to
  show it to me。
  It was a large long room with some large maps in it。 I doubt if I
  could have felt much stranger if the maps had been real foreign
  countries; and I cast away in the middle of them。 I felt it was
  taking a liberty to sit down; with my cap in my hand; on the corner
  of the chair nearest the door; and when the waiter laid a cloth on
  purpose for me; and put a set of castors on it; I think I must have
  Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
  David Copperfield
  turned red all over with modesty。
  He brought me some chops; and vegetables; and took the covers
  off in such a bouncing manner that I was afraid I must have given
  him some offence。 But he greatly relieved my mind by putting a
  chair for me at the table; and saying; very affably; ‘Now; six…foot!
  come on!’
  I thanked him; and took my seat at the board; but found it
  extremely difficult to handle my knife and fork with anything like
  dexterity; or to avoid splashing myself with the gravy; while he
  was standing opposite; staring so hard; and making me blush in
  the most dreadful manner every time I caught his eye。 After
  watching me into the second chop; he said:
  ‘There’s half a pint of ale for you。 Will you have it now?’
  I thanked him and said;