第 106 节
作者:不受约束      更新:2021-05-04 17:23      字数:9177
  want of; into the road: which not only made it rank and sloppy; but
  untidy too; on account of the cabbage…leaves。 The refuse was not
  wholly vegetable either; for I myself saw a shoe; a doubled…up
  saucepan; a black bonnet; and an umbrella; in various stages of
  decomposition; as I was looking out for the number I wanted。
  The general air of the place reminded me forcibly of the days
  when I lived with Mr。 and Mrs。 Micawber。 An indescribable
  character of faded gentility that attached to the house I sought;
  and made it unlike all the other houses in the street—though they
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  David Copperfield
  were all built on one monotonous pattern; and looked like the
  early copies of a blundering boy who was learning to make houses;
  and had not yet got out of his cramped brick…and…mortar
  pothooks—reminded me still more of Mr。 and Mrs。 Micawber。
  Happening to arrive at the door as it was opened to the afternoon
  milkman; I was reminded of Mr。 and Mrs。 Micawber more forcibly
  yet。
  ‘Now;’ said the milkman to a very youthful servant girl。 ‘Has
  that there little bill of mine been heerd on?’
  ‘Oh; master says he’ll attend to it immediate;’ was the reply。
  ‘Because;’ said the milkman; going on as if he had received no
  answer; and speaking; as I judged from his tone; rather for the
  edification of somebody within the house; than of the youthful
  servant—an impression which was strengthened by his manner of
  glaring down the passage—‘because that there little bill has been
  running so long; that I begin to believe it’s run away altogether;
  and never won’t be heerd of。 Now; I’m not a going to stand it; you
  know!’ said the milkman; still throwing his voice into the house;
  and glaring down the passage。
  As to his dealing in the mild article of milk; by the by; there
  never was a greater anomaly。 His deportment would have been
  fierce in a butcher or a brandy…merchant。
  The voice of the youthful servant became faint; but she seemed
  to me; from the action of her lips; again to murmur that it would
  be attended to immediate。
  ‘I tell you what;’ said the milkman; looking hard at her for the
  first time; and taking her by the chin; ‘are you fond of milk?’
  ‘Yes; I likes it;’ she replied。 ‘Good;’ said the milkman。 ‘Then you
  won’t have none tomorrow。 D’ye hear? Not a fragment of milk you
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  David Copperfield
  won’t have tomorrow。’
  I thought she seemed; upon the whole; relieved by the prospect
  of having any today。 The milkman; after shaking his head at her
  darkly; released her chin; and with anything rather than good…will
  opened his can; and deposited the usual quantity in the family jug。
  This done; he went away; muttering; and uttered the cry of his
  trade next door; in a vindictive shriek。
  ‘Does Mr。 Traddles live here?’ I then inquired。
  A mysterious voice from the end of the passage replied ‘Yes。’
  Upon which the youthful servant replied ‘Yes。’
  ‘Is he at home?’ said I。
  Again the mysterious voice replied in the affirmative; and again
  the servant echoed it。 Upon this; I walked in; and in pursuance of
  the servant’s directions walked upstairs; conscious; as I passed the
  back parlour…door; that I was surveyed by a mysterious eye;
  probably belonging to the mysterious voice。
  When I got to the top of the stairs—the house was only a story
  high above the ground floor—Traddles was on the landing to meet
  me。 He was delighted to see me; and gave me welcome; with great
  heartiness; to his little room。 It was in the front of the house; and
  extremely neat; though sparely furnished。 It was his only room; I
  saw; for there was a sofa…bedstead in it; and his blacking…brushes
  and blacking were among his books—on the top shelf; behind a
  dictionary。 His table was covered with papers; and he was hard at
  work in an old coat。 I looked at nothing; that I know of; but I saw
  everything; even to the prospect of a church upon his china
  inkstand; as I sat down—and this; too; was a faculty confirmed in
  me in the old Micawber times。 Various ingenious arrangements he
  had made; for the disguise of his chest of drawers; and the
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  David Copperfield
  accommodation of his boots; his shaving…glass; and so forth;
  particularly impressed themselves upon me; as evidences of the
  same Traddles who used to make models of elephants’ dens in
  writing…paper to put flies in; and to comfort himself under ill
  usage; with the memorable works of art I have so often mentioned。
  In a corner of the room was something neatly covered up with a
  large white cloth。 I could not make out what that was。
  ‘Traddles;’ said I; shaking hands with him again; after I had sat
  down; ‘I am delighted to see you。’
  ‘I am delighted to see you; Copperfield;’ he returned。 ‘I am very
  glad indeed to see you。 It was because I was thoroughly glad to see
  you when we met in Ely Place; and was sure you were thoroughly
  glad to see me; that I gave you this address instead of my address
  at chambers。’
  ‘Oh! You have chambers?’ said I。
  ‘Why; I have the fourth of a room and a passage; and the fourth
  of a clerk;’ returned Traddles。 ‘Three others and myself unite to
  have a set of chambers—to look business…like—and we quarter the
  clerk too。 Half…a…crown a week he costs me。’
  His old simple character and good temper; and something of his
  old unlucky fortune also; I thought; smiled at me in the smile with
  which he made this explanation。
  ‘It’s not because I have the least pride; Copperfield; you
  understand;’ said Traddles; ‘that I don’t usually give my address
  here。 It’s only on account of those who come to me; who might not
  like to come here。 For myself; I am fighting my way on in the
  world against difficulties; and it would be ridiculous if I made a
  pretence of doing anything else。’
  ‘You are reading for the bar; Mr。 Waterbrook informed me?’
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  David Copperfield
  said I。
  ‘Why; yes;’ said Traddles; rubbing his hands slowly over one
  another。 ‘I am reading for the bar。 The fact is; I have just begun to
  keep my terms; after rather a long delay。 It’s some time since I was
  articled; but the payment of that hundred pounds was a great pull。
  A great pull!’ said Traddles; with a wince; as if he had had a tooth
  out。
  ‘Do you know what I can’t help thinking of; Traddles; as I sit
  here looking at you?’ I asked him。
  ‘No;’ said he。
  ‘That sky…blue suit you used to wear。’
  ‘Lord; to be sure!’ cried Traddles; laughing。 ‘Tight in the arms
  and legs; you know? Dear me! Well! Those were happy times;
  weren’t they?’
  ‘I think our schoolmaster might have made them happier;
  without doing any harm to any of us; I acknowledge;’ I returned。
  ‘Perhaps he might;’ said Traddles。 ‘But dear me; there was a
  good deal of fun going on。 Do you remember the nights in the
  bedroom? When we used to have the suppers? And when you
  used to tell the stories? Ha; ha; ha! And do you remember when I
  got caned for crying about Mr。 Mell? Old Creakle! I should like to
  see him again; too!’
  ‘He was a brute to you; Traddles;’ said I; indignantly; for his
  good humour made me feel as if I had seen him beaten but
  yesterday。
  ‘Do you think so?’ returned Traddles。 ‘Really? Perhaps he was
  rather。 But it’s all over; a long while。 Old Creakle!’
  ‘You were brought up by an uncle; then?’ said I。
  ‘Of course I was!’ said Traddles。 ‘The one I was always going to
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  David Copperfield
  write to。 And always didn’t; eh! Ha; ha; ha! Yes; I had an uncle
  then。 He died soon after I left school。’
  ‘Indeed!’
  ‘Yes。 He was a retired—what do you call it!—draper—clothmerchant—and had made me his heir。 But he didn’t like me when
  I grew up。’
  ‘Do you really mean that?’ said I。 He was so composed; that I
  fancied he must have some other meaning。
  ‘Oh dear; yes; Copperfield! I mean it;’ replied Traddles。 ‘It was
  an unfortunate thing; but he didn’t like me at all。 He said I wasn’t
  at all what he expected; and so he married his housekeeper。’
  ‘And what did you do?’ I asked。
  ‘I didn’t do anything in particular;’ said Traddles。 ‘I lived with
  them; waiting to be put out in the world; until his gout
  unfortunately flew to his stomach—and so he died; and so she
  married a young man; and so I wasn’t provided for。’
  ‘Did you get nothing; Traddles; after all?’
  ‘Oh dear; yes!’ said Traddles。 ‘I got fifty pounds。 I had never
  been brought up to any profession; and at first I was at a loss what
  to do for myself。 However; I began; with the assistance of the son
  of a professional man; who had been to Salem House—Yawler;
  with his nose on one side。 Do you recollect him?’
  No。 He had not been there with me; all the noses were straight
  in my day。
  ‘It don’t matter;’ said Traddles。 ‘I began; by means of his
  assistance; to copy law writings。 That didn’t answer very well; and
  then I beg