david copperfield(大卫.科波维尔)-第95部分
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me； with a little brandy； which was the next best。 It was not； she
remarked； so palatable to her； but it was the next best。 As I had
never even heard of the first remedy； and always had the second
in the closet； I gave Mrs。 Crupp a glass of the second； which （that I
might have no suspicion of its being devoted to any improper use）
she began to take in my presence。
‘Cheer up； sir；’ said Mrs。 Crupp。 ‘I can’t abear to see you so； sir：
I’m a mother myself。’
I did not quite perceive the application of this fact to myself； but
I smiled on Mrs。 Crupp； as benignly as was in my power。
‘Come； sir；’ said Mrs。 Crupp。 ‘Excuse me。 I know what it is； sir。
There’s a lady in the case。’
‘Mrs。 Crupp？’ I returned； reddening。
‘Oh； bless you！ Keep a good heart； sir！’ said Mrs。 Crupp；
nodding encouragement。 ‘Never say die； sir！ If She don’t smile
upon you； there’s a many as will。 You are a young gentleman to be
smiled on； Mr。 Copperfull； and you must learn your walue； sir。’
Mrs。 Crupp always called me Mr。 Copperfull： firstly； no doubt；
because it was not my name； and secondly； I am inclined to think；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
in some indistinct association with a washing…day。
‘What makes you suppose there is any young lady in the case；
Mrs。 Crupp？’ said I。
‘Mr。 Copperfull；’ said Mrs。 Crupp； with a great deal of feeling；
‘I’m a mother myself。’
For some time Mrs。 Crupp could only lay her hand upon her
nankeen bosom； and fortify herself against returning pain with
sips of her medicine。 At length she spoke again。
‘When the present set were took for you by your dear aunt； Mr。
Copperfull；’ said Mrs。 Crupp； ‘my remark were； I had now found
summun I could care for。 “Thank Ev’in！” were the expression； “I
have now found summun I can care for！”—You don’t eat enough；
sir； nor yet drink。’
‘Is that what you found your supposition on； Mrs。 Crupp？’ said
I。
‘Sir；’ said Mrs。 Crupp； in a tone approaching to severity； ‘I’ve
laundressed other young gentlemen besides yourself。 A young
gentleman may be over…careful of himself； or he may be under…
careful of himself。 He may brush his hair too regular； or too unregular。 He may wear his boots much too large for him； or much
too small。 That is according as the young gentleman has his
original character formed。 But let him go to which extreme he
may； sir； there’s a young lady in both of ’em。’
Mrs。 Crupp shook her head in such a determined manner； that
I had not an inch of vantage…ground left。
‘It was but the gentleman which died here before yourself；’ said
Mrs。 Crupp； ‘that fell in love—with a barmaid—and had his
waistcoats took in directly； though much swelled by drinking。’
‘Mrs。 Crupp；’ said I； ‘I must beg you not to connect the young
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David Copperfield
lady in my case with a barmaid； or anything of that sort； if you
please。’
‘Mr。 Copperfull；’ returned Mrs。 Crupp； ‘I’m a mother myself；
and not likely。 I ask your pardon； sir； if I intrude。 I should never
wish to intrude where I were not welcome。 But you are a young
gentleman； Mr。 Copperfull； and my adwice to you is； to cheer up；
sir； to keep a good heart； and to know your own walue。 If you was
to take to something； sir；’ said Mrs。 Crupp； ‘if you was to take to
skittles； now； which is healthy； you might find it divert your mind；
and do you good。’
With these words； Mrs。 Crupp； affecting to be very careful of the
brandy—which was all gone—thanked me with a majestic curtsey；
and retired。 As her figure disappeared into the gloom of the entry；
this counsel certainly presented itself to my mind in the light of a
slight liberty on Mrs。 Crupp’s part； but； at the same time； I was
content to receive it； in another point of view； as a word to the
wise； and a warning in future to keep my secret better。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Chapter 27
TOMMY TRADDLES
It may have been in consequence of Mrs。 Crupp’s advice； and；
perhaps； for no better reason than because there was a
certain similarity in the sound of the word skittles and
Traddles； that it came into my head； next day； to go and look after
Traddles。 The time he had mentioned was more than out； and he
lived in a little street near the Veterinary College at Camden
Town； which was principally tenanted； as one of our clerks who
lived in that direction informed me； by gentlemen students； who
bought live donkeys； and made experiments on those quadrupeds
in their private apartments。 Having obtained from this clerk a
direction to the academic grove in question； I set out； the same
afternoon； to visit my old schoolfellow。
I found that the street was not as desirable a one as I could have
wished it to be； for the sake of Traddles。 The inhabitants appeared
to have a propensity to throw any little trifles they were not in
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
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
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
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
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
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
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。
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