第 58 节
作者:不受约束      更新:2021-05-04 17:23      字数:9262
  come of the Memorial; if it were completed; where he thought it
  was to go; or what he thought it was to do; he knew no more than
  anybody else; I believe。 Nor was it at all necessary that he should
  trouble himself with such questions; for if anything were certain
  under the sun; it was certain that the Memorial never would be
  finished。 It was quite an affecting sight; I used to think; to see him
  with the kite when it was up a great height in the air。 What he had
  told me; in his room; about his belief in its disseminating the
  statements pasted on it; which were nothing but old leaves of
  abortive Memorials; might have been a fancy with him sometimes;
  but not when he was out; looking up at the kite in the sky; and
  feeling it pull and tug at his hand。 He never looked so serene as he
  Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
  David Copperfield
  did then。 I used to fancy; as I sat by him of an evening; on a green
  slope; and saw him watch the kite high in the quiet air; that it
  lifted his mind out of its confusion; and bore it (such was my
  boyish thought) into the skies。 As he wound the string in and it
  came lower and lower down out of the beautiful light; until it
  fluttered to the ground; and lay there like a dead thing; he seemed
  to wake gradually out of a dream; and I remember to have seen
  him take it up; and look about him in a lost way; as if they had
  both come down together; so that I pitied him with all my heart。
  While I advanced in friendship and intimacy with Mr。 Dick; I
  did not go backward in the favour of his staunch friend; my aunt。
  She took so kindly to me; that; in the course of a few weeks; she
  shortened my adopted name of Trotwood into Trot; and even
  encouraged me to hope; that if I went on as I had begun; I might
  take equal rank in her affections with my sister Betsey Trotwood。
  ‘Trot;’ said my aunt one evening; when the backgammon…board
  was placed as usual for herself and Mr。 Dick; ‘we must not forget
  your education。’
  This was my only subject of anxiety; and I felt quite delighted
  by her referring to it。
  ‘Should you like to go to school at Canterbury?’ said my aunt。
  I replied that I should like it very much; as it was so near her。
  ‘Good;’ said my aunt。 ‘Should you like to go tomorrow?’
  Being already no stranger to the general rapidity of my aunt’s
  evolutions; I was not surprised by the suddenness of the proposal;
  and said: ‘Yes。’
  ‘Good;’ said my aunt again。 ‘Janet; hire the grey pony and
  chaise tomorrow morning at ten o’clock; and pack up Master
  Trotwood’s clothes tonight。’
  Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
  David Copperfield
  I was greatly elated by these orders; but my heart smote me for
  my selfishness; when I witnessed their effect on Mr。 Dick; who was
  so low…spirited at the prospect of our separation; and played so ill
  in consequence; that my aunt; after giving him several admonitory
  raps on the knuckles with her dice…box; shut up the board; and
  declined to play with him any more。 But; on hearing from my aunt
  that I should sometimes come over on a Saturday; and that he
  could sometimes come and see me on a Wednesday; he revived;
  and vowed to make another kite for those occasions; of
  proportions greatly surpassing the present one。 In the morning he
  was downhearted again; and would have sustained himself by
  giving me all the money he had in his possession; gold and silver
  too; if my aunt had not interposed; and limited the gift to five
  shillings; which; at his earnest petition; were afterwards increased
  to ten。 We parted at the garden…gate in a most affectionate
  manner; and Mr。 Dick did not go into the house until my aunt had
  driven me out of sight of it。
  My aunt; who was perfectly indifferent to public opinion; drove
  the grey pony through Dover in a masterly manner; sitting high
  and stiff like a state coachman; keeping a steady eye upon him
  wherever he went; and making a point of not letting him have his
  own way in any respect。 When we came into the country road; she
  permitted him to relax a little; however; and looking at me down in
  a valley of cushion by her side; asked me whether I was happy?
  ‘Very happy indeed; thank you; aunt;’ I said。
  She was much gratified; and both her hands being occupied;
  patted me on the head with her whip。
  ‘Is it a large school; aunt?’ I asked。
  ‘Why; I don’t know;’ said my aunt。 ‘We are going to Mr。
  Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
  David Copperfield
  Wickfield’s first。’
  ‘Does he keep a school?’ I asked。
  ‘No; Trot;’ said my aunt。 ‘He keeps an office。’
  I asked for no more information about Mr。 Wickfield; as she
  offered none; and we conversed on other subjects until we came to
  Canterbury; where; as it was market…day; my aunt had a great
  opportunity of insinuating the grey pony among carts; baskets;
  vegetables; and huckster’s goods。 The hair…breadth turns and
  twists we made; drew down upon us a variety of speeches from the
  people standing about; which were not always complimentary; but
  my aunt drove on with perfect indifference; and I dare say would
  have taken her own way with as much coolness through an
  enemy’s country。
  At length we stopped before a very old house bulging out over
  the road; a house with long low lattice…windows bulging out still
  farther; and beams with carved heads on the ends bulging out too;
  so that I fancied the whole house was leaning forward; trying to
  see who was passing on the narrow pavement below。 It was quite
  spotless in its cleanliness。 The old…fashioned brass knocker on the
  low arched door; ornamented with carved garlands of fruit and
  flowers; twinkled like a star; the two stone steps descending to the
  door were as white as if they had been covered with fair linen; and
  all the angles and corners; and carvings and mouldings; and
  quaint little panes of glass; and quainter little windows; though as
  old as the hills; were as pure as any snow that ever fell upon the
  hills。
  When the pony…chaise stopped at the door; and my eyes were
  intent upon the house; I saw a cadaverous face appear at a small
  window on the ground floor (in a little round tower that formed
  Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
  David Copperfield
  one side of the house); and quickly disappear。 The low arched door
  then opened; and the face came out。 It was quite as cadaverous as
  it had looked in the window; though in the grain of it there was
  that tinge of red which is sometimes to be observed in the skins of
  red…haired people。 It belonged to a red…haired person—a youth of
  fifteen; as I take it now; but looking much older—whose hair was
  cropped as close as the closest stubble; who had hardly any
  eyebrows; and no eyelashes; and eyes of a red…brown; so
  unsheltered and unshaded; that I remember wondering how he
  went to sleep。 He was high…shouldered and bony; dressed in
  decent black; with a white wisp of a neckcloth; buttoned up to the
  throat; and had a long; lank; skeleton hand; which particularly
  attracted my attention; as he stood at the pony’s head; rubbing his
  chin with it; and looking up at us in the chaise。
  ‘Is Mr。 Wickfield at home; Uriah Heep?’ said my aunt。
  ‘Mr。 Wickfield’s at home; ma’am;’ said Uriah Heep; ‘if you’ll
  please to walk in there’—pointing with his long hand to the room
  he meant。
  We got out; and leaving him to hold the pony; went into a long
  low parlour looking towards the street; from the window of which
  I caught a glimpse; as I went in; of Uriah Heep breathing into the
  pony’s nostrils; and immediately covering them with his hand; as if
  he were putting some spell upon him。 Opposite to the tall old
  chimney…piece were two portraits: one of a gentleman with grey
  hair (though not by any means an old man) and black eyebrows;
  who was looking over some papers tied together with red tape; the
  other; of a lady; with a very placid and sweet expression of face;
  who was looking at me。
  I believe I was turning about in search of Uriah’s picture; when;
  Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
  David Copperfield
  a door at the farther end of the room opening; a gentleman
  entered; at sight of whom I turned to the first…mentioned portrait
  again; to make quite sure that it had not come out of its frame。 But
  it was stationary; and as the gentleman advanced into the light; I
  saw that he was some years older than when he had had his
  picture painted。
  ‘Miss Betsey Trotwood;’ said the gentleman; ‘pray walk in。 I was
  engaged for a moment; but you’ll excuse my being busy。 You know
  my motive。 I have but one in life。’
  Miss Betsey thanked him; and we went into his room; which
  was furnished as an office; with books; papers; tin boxes; and so
  forth。 It looked into a garden; and had an iron safe let into the
  wall; so immediately over the mantelshelf; that I wondered; as I sat
  down; how the sweeps got round it when they swept the chimney。
  ‘Well; Miss Trotwood;’ said Mr。 Wickfield; for I soon found that
  it was he; and that he was a lawyer; and steward of the estates of a
  rich gentleman of the county; ‘wh