第 140 节
作者:不受约束      更新:2021-05-04 17:23      字数:9220
  Copperfield; even by my papa and mama; were they still living。’
  I expressed my opinion that this was going in the right
  direction。 ‘It may be a sacrifice;’ said Mrs。 Micawber; ‘to immure
  one’s…self in a Cathedral town; but surely; Mr。 Copperfield; if it is a
  sacrifice in me; it is much more a sacrifice in a man of Mr。
  Micawber’s abilities。’
  ‘Oh! You are going to a Cathedral town?’ said I。
  Mr。 Micawber; who had been helping us all; out of the wash…
  hand…stand jug; replied:
  ‘To Canterbury。 In fact; my dear Copperfield; I have entered
  into arrangements; by virtue of which I stand pledged and
  contracted to our friend Heep; to assist and serve him in the
  capacity of—and to be—his confidential clerk。’
  I stared at Mr。 Micawber; who greatly enjoyed my surprise。
  ‘I am bound to state to you;’ he said; with an official air; ‘that
  the business habits; and the prudent suggestions; of Mrs。
  Micawber; have in a great measure conduced to this result。 The
  gauntlet; to which Mrs。 Micawber referred upon a former
  occasion; being thrown down in the form of an advertisement; was
  taken up by my friend Heep; and led to a mutual recognition。 Of
  my friend Heep;’ said Mr。 Micawber; ‘who is a man of remarkable
  shrewdness; I desire to speak with all possible respect。 My friend
  Heep has not fixed the positive remuneration at too high a figure;
  but he has made a great deal; in the way of extrication from the
  pressure of pecuniary difficulties; contingent on the value of my
  services; and on the value of those services I pin my faith。 Such
  address and intelligence as I chance to possess;’ said Mr。
  Micawber; boastfully disparaging himself; with the old genteel air;
  ‘will be devoted to my friend Heep’s service。 I have already some
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  acquaintance with the law—as a defendant on civil process—and I
  shall immediately apply myself to the Commentaries of one of the
  most eminent and remarkable of our English jurists。 I believe it is
  unnecessary to add that I allude to Mr。 justice Blackstone。’
  These observations; and indeed the greater part of the
  observations made that evening; were interrupted by Mrs。
  Micawber’s discovering that Master Micawber was sitting on his
  boots; or holding his head on with both arms as if he felt it loose;
  or accidentally kicking Traddles under the table; or shuffling his
  feet over one another; or producing them at distances from
  himself apparently outrageous to nature; or lying sideways with
  his hair among the wine…glasses; or developing his restlessness of
  limb in some other form incompatible with the general interests of
  society; and by Master Micawber’s receiving those discoveries in a
  resentful spirit。 I sat all the while; amazed by Mr。 Micawber’s
  disclosure; and wondering what it meant; until Mrs。 Micawber
  resumed the thread of the discourse; and claimed my attention。
  ‘What I particularly request Mr。 Micawber to be careful of; is;’
  said Mrs。 Micawber; ‘that he does not; my dear Mr。 Copperfield; in
  applying himself to this subordinate branch of the law; place it out
  of his power to rise; ultimately; to the top of the tree。 I am
  convinced that Mr。 Micawber; giving his mind to a profession so
  adapted to his fertile resources; and his flow of language; must
  distinguish himself。 Now; for example; Mr。 Traddles;’ said Mrs。
  Micawber; assuming a profound air; ‘a judge; or even say a
  Chancellor。 Does an individual place himself beyond the pale of
  those preferments by entering on such an office as Mr。 Micawber
  has accepted?’
  ‘My dear;’ observed Mr。 Micawber—but glancing inquisitively
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  at Traddles; too; ‘we have time enough before us; for the
  consideration of those questions。’
  ‘Micawber;’ she returned; ‘no! Your mistake in life is; that you
  do not look forward far enough。 You are bound; in justice to your
  family; if not to yourself; to take in at a comprehensive glance the
  extremest point in the horizon to which your abilities may lead
  you。’
  Mr。 Micawber coughed; and drank his punch with an air of
  exceeding satisfaction—still glancing at Traddles; as if he desired
  to have his opinion。
  ‘Why; the plain state of the case; Mrs。 Micawber;’ said Traddles;
  mildly breaking the truth to her。 ‘I mean the real prosaic fact; you
  know—’
  ‘Just so;’ said Mrs。 Micawber; ‘my dear Mr。 Traddles; I wish to
  be as prosaic and literal as possible on a subject of so much
  importance。’
  ‘—Is;’ said Traddles; ‘that this branch of the law; even if Mr。
  Micawber were a regular solicitor—’
  ‘Exactly so;’ returned Mrs。 Micawber。 (‘Wilkins; you are
  squinting; and will not be able to get your eyes back。’)
  ‘—Has nothing;’ pursued Traddles; ‘to do with that。 Only a
  barrister is eligible for such preferments; and Mr。 Micawber could
  not be a barrister; without being entered at an inn of court as a
  student; for five years。’
  ‘Do I follow you?’ said Mrs。 Micawber; with her most affable air
  of business。 ‘Do I understand; my dear Mr。 Traddles; that; at the
  expiration of that period; Mr。 Micawber would be eligible as a
  Judge or Chancellor?’
  ‘He would be eligible;’ returned Traddles; with a strong
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  emphasis on that word。
  ‘Thank you;’ said Mrs。 Micawber。 ‘That is quite sufficient。 If
  such is the case; and Mr。 Micawber forfeits no privilege by
  entering on these duties; my anxiety is set at rest。 I speak;’ said
  Mrs。 Micawber; ‘as a female; necessarily; but I have always been of
  opinion that Mr。 Micawber possesses what I have heard my papa
  call; when I lived at home; the judicial mind; and I hope Mr。
  Micawber is now entering on a field where that mind will develop
  itself; and take a commanding station。’
  I quite believe that Mr。 Micawber saw himself; in his judicial
  mind’s eye; on the woolsack。 He passed his hand complacently
  over his bald head; and said with ostentatious resignation:
  ‘My dear; we will not anticipate the decrees of fortune。 If I am
  reserved to wear a wig; I am at least prepared; externally;’ in
  allusion to his baldness; ‘for that distinction。 I do not;’ said Mr。
  Micawber; ‘regret my hair; and I may have been deprived of it for
  a specific purpose。 I cannot say。 It is my intention; my dear
  Copperfield; to educate my son for the Church; I will not deny that
  I should be happy; on his account; to attain to eminence。’
  ‘For the Church?’ said I; still pondering; between whiles; on
  Uriah Heep。
  ‘Yes;’ said Mr。 Micawber。 ‘He has a remarkable head…voice; and
  will commence as a chorister。 Our residence at Canterbury; and
  our local connexion; will; no doubt; enable him to take advantage
  of any vacancy that may arise in the Cathedral corps。’
  On looking at Master Micawber again; I saw that he had a
  certain expression of face; as if his voice were behind his
  eyebrows; where it presently appeared to be; on his singing us (as
  an alternative between that and bed) ‘The Wood…Pecker tapping’。
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  After many compliments on this performance; we fell into some
  general conversation; and as I was too full of my desperate
  intentions to keep my altered circumstances to myself; I made
  them known to Mr。 and Mrs。 Micawber。 I cannot express how
  extremely delighted they both were; by the idea of my aunt’s being
  in difficulties; and how comfortable and friendly it made them。
  When we were nearly come to the last round of the punch; I
  addressed myself to Traddles; and reminded him that we must not
  separate; without wishing our friends health; happiness; and
  success in their new career。 I begged Mr。 Micawber to fill us
  bumpers; and proposed the toast in due form: shaking hands with
  him across the table; and kissing Mrs。 Micawber; to commemorate
  that eventful occasion。 Traddles imitated me in the first particular;
  but did not consider himself a sufficiently old friend to venture on
  the second。
  ‘My dear Copperfield;’ said Mr。 Micawber; rising with one of his
  thumbs in each of his waistcoat pockets; ‘the companion of my
  youth: if I may be allowed the expression—and my esteemed
  friend Traddles: if I may be permitted to call him so—will allow
  me; on the part of Mrs。 Micawber; myself; and our offspring; to
  thank them in the warmest and most uncompromising terms for
  their good wishes。 It may be expected that on the eve of a
  migration which will consign us to a perfectly new existence;’ Mr。
  Micawber spoke as if they were going five hundred thousand
  miles; ‘I should offer a few valedictory remarks to two such friends
  as I see before me。 But all that I have to say in this way; I have
  said。 Whatever station in society I may attain; through the medium
  of the learned profession of which I am about to become an
  unworthy member; I shall endeavour not to disgrace; and Mrs。
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  Micawber will be safe to ador