第 148 节
作者:不受约束      更新:2021-05-04 17:23      字数:9263
  much for the sake of principle; I believe; as because she happened
  not to like him。
  Although it required an effort to leave Miss Mills; I fell rather
  willingly into my aunt’s pretence; as a means of enabling me to
  pass a few tranquil hours with Agnes。 I consulted the good Doctor
  relative to an absence of three days; and the Doctor wishing me to
  take that relaxation;—he wished me to take more; but my energy
  could not bear that;—I made up my mind to go。
  As to the Commons; I had no great occasion to be particular
  about my duties in that quarter。 To say the truth; we were getting
  in no very good odour among the tip…top proctors; and were
  rapidly sliding down to but a doubtful position。 The business had
  been indifferent under Mr。 Jorkins; before Mr。 Spenlow’s time;
  and although it had been quickened by the infusion of new blood;
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  and by the display which Mr。 Spenlow made; still it was not
  established on a sufficiently strong basis to bear; without being
  shaken; such a blow as the sudden loss of its active manager。 It fell
  off very much。 Mr。 Jorkins; notwithstanding his reputation in the
  firm; was an easy…going; incapable sort of man; whose reputation
  out of doors was not calculated to back it up。 I was turned over to
  him now; and when I saw him take his snuff and let the business
  go; I regretted my aunt’s thousand pounds more than ever。
  But this was not the worst of it。 There were a number of
  hangers…on and outsiders about the Commons; who; without being
  proctors themselves; dabbled in common…form business; and got it
  done by real proctors; who lent their names in consideration of a
  share in the spoil;—and there were a good many of these too。 As
  our house now wanted business on any terms; we joined this noble
  band; and threw out lures to the hangers…on and outsiders; to
  bring their business to us。 Marriage licences and small probates
  were what we all looked for; and what paid us best; and the
  competition for these ran very high indeed。 Kidnappers and
  inveiglers were planted in all the avenues of entrance to the
  Commons; with instructions to do their utmost to cut off all
  persons in mourning; and all gentlemen with anything bashful in
  their appearance; and entice them to the offices in which their
  respective employers were interested; which instructions were so
  well observed; that I myself; before I was known by sight; was
  twice hustled into the premises of our principal opponent。 The
  conflicting interests of these touting gentlemen being of a nature
  to irritate their feelings; personal collisions took place; and the
  Commons was even scandalized by our principal inveigler (who
  had formerly been in the wine trade; and afterwards in the sworn
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  brokery line) walking about for some days with a black eye。 Any
  one of these scouts used to think nothing of politely assisting an
  old lady in black out of a vehicle; killing any proctor whom she
  inquired for; representing his employer as the lawful successor
  and representative of that proctor; and bearing the old lady off
  (sometimes greatly affected) to his employer’s office。 Many
  captives were brought to me in this way。 As to marriage licences;
  the competition rose to such a pitch; that a shy gentleman in want
  of one; had nothing to do but submit himself to the first inveigler;
  or be fought for; and become the prey of the strongest。 One of our
  clerks; who was an outsider; used; in the height of this contest; to
  sit with his hat on; that he might be ready to rush out and swear
  before a surrogate any victim who was brought in。 The system of
  inveigling continues; I believe; to this day。 The last time I was in
  the Commons; a civil able…bodied person in a white apron pounced
  out upon me from a doorway; and whispering the word ‘Marriagelicence’ in my ear; was with great difficulty prevented from taking
  me up in his arms and lifting me into a proctor’s。 From this
  digression; let me proceed to Dover。
  I found everything in a satisfactory state at the cottage; and was
  enabled to gratify my aunt exceedingly by reporting that the
  tenant inherited her feud; and waged incessant war against
  donkeys。 Having settled the little business I had to transact there;
  and slept there one night; I walked on to Canterbury early in the
  morning。 It was now winter again; and the fresh; cold windy day;
  and the sweeping downland; brightened up my hopes a little。
  Coming into Canterbury; I loitered through the old streets with
  a sober pleasure that calmed my spirits; and eased my heart。
  There were the old signs; the old names over the shops; the old
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  people serving in them。 It appeared so long; since I had been a
  schoolboy there; that I wondered the place was so little changed;
  until I reflected how little I was changed myself。 Strange to say;
  that quiet influence which was inseparable in my mind from
  Agnes; seemed to pervade even the city where she dwelt。 The
  venerable cathedral towers; and the old jackdaws and rooks whose
  airy voices made them more retired than perfect silence would
  have done; the battered gateways; one stuck full with statues; long
  thrown down; and crumbled away; like the reverential pilgrims
  who had gazed upon them; the still nooks; where the ivied growth
  of centuries crept over gabled ends and ruined walls; the ancient
  houses; the pastoral landscape of field; orchard; and garden;
  everywhere—on everything—I felt the same serener air; the same
  calm; thoughtful; softening spirit。
  Arrived at Mr。 Wickfield’s house; I found; in the little lower
  room on the ground floor; where Uriah Heep had been of old
  accustomed to sit; Mr。 Micawber plying his pen with great
  assiduity。 He was dressed in a legal…looking suit of black; and
  loomed; burly and large; in that small office。
  Mr。 Micawber was extremely glad to see me; but a little
  confused too。 He would have conducted me immediately into the
  presence of Uriah; but I declined。
  ‘I know the house of old; you recollect;’ said I; ‘and will find my
  way upstairs。 How do you like the law; Mr。 Micawber?’
  ‘My dear Copperfield;’ he replied。 ‘To a man possessed of the
  higher imaginative powers; the objection to legal studies is the
  amount of detail which they involve。 Even in our professional
  correspondence;’ said Mr。 Micawber; glancing at some letters he
  was writing; ‘the mind is not at liberty to soar to any exalted form
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  of expression。 Still; it is a great pursuit。 A great pursuit!’
  He then told me that he had become the tenant of Uriah Heep’s
  old house; and that Mrs。 Micawber would be delighted to receive
  me; once more; under her own roof。
  ‘It is humble;’ said Mr。 Micawber; ‘—to quote a favourite
  expression of my friend Heep; but it may prove the stepping…stone
  to more ambitious domiciliary accommodation。’
  I asked him whether he had reason; so far; to be satisfied with
  his friend Heep’s treatment of him? He got up to ascertain if the
  door were close shut; before he replied; in a lower voice:
  ‘My dear Copperfield; a man who labours under the pressure of
  pecuniary embarrassments; is; with the generality of people; at a
  disadvantage。 That disadvantage is not diminished; when that
  pressure necessitates the drawing of stipendiary emoluments;
  before those emoluments are strictly due and payable。 All I can
  say is; that my friend Heep has responded to appeals to which I
  need not more particularly refer; in a manner calculated to
  redound equally to the honour of his head; and of his heart。’
  ‘I should not have supposed him to be very free with his money
  either;’ I observed。
  ‘Pardon me!’ said Mr。 Micawber; with an air of constraint; ‘I
  speak of my friend Heep as I have experience。’
  ‘I am glad your experience is so favourable;’ I returned。
  ‘You are very obliging; my dear Copperfield;’ said Mr。
  Micawber; and hummed a tune。
  ‘Do you see much of Mr。 Wickfield?’ I asked; to change the
  subject。
  ‘Not much;’ said Mr。 Micawber; slightingly。 ‘Mr。 Wickfield is; I
  dare say; a man of very excellent intentions; but he is—in short; he
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  is obsolete。’
  ‘I am afraid his partner seeks to make him so;’ said I。
  ‘My dear Copperfield!’ returned Mr。 Micawber; after some
  uneasy evolutions on his stool; ‘allow me to offer a remark! I am
  here; in a capacity of confidence。 I am here; in a position of trust。
  The discussion of some topics; even with Mrs。 Micawber herself
  (so long the partner of my various vicissitudes; and a woman of a
  remarkable lucidity of intellect); is; I am led to consider;
  incompatible with the functions now devolving on me。 I would
  therefore take the liberty of suggesting that in our friendly
  intercourse—which I trust will never be disturbed!—we draw a
  line。 On one side of this line;’ said Mr。 Micawber; representing it