按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
hands with Mr。 Barkis； who； with his hat on the very back of his
head； and a shame…faced leer upon his countenance； and
pervading his very legs； presented but a vacant appearance； I
thought。 They each took one of Peggotty’s trunks； and we were
going away； when Mr。 Barkis solemnly made a sign to me with his
forefinger to come under an archway。
‘I say；’ growled Mr。 Barkis； ‘it was all right。’
I looked up into his face； and answered； with an attempt to be
very profound： ‘Oh！’
‘It didn’t come to a end there；’ said Mr。 Barkis； nodding
confidentially。 ‘It was all right。’
Again I answered； ‘Oh！’
‘You know who was willin’；’ said my friend。 ‘It was Barkis； and
Barkis only。’
I nodded assent。
‘It’s all right；’ said Mr。 Barkis； shaking hands； ‘I’m a friend of
your’n。 You made it all right； first。 It’s all right。’
In his attempts to be particularly lucid； Mr。 Barkis was so
extremely mysterious； that I might have stood looking in his face
for an hour； and most assuredly should have got as much
information out of it as out of the face of a clock that had stopped；
but for Peggotty’s calling me away。 As we were going along； she
asked me what he had said； and I told her he had said it was all
right。
‘Like his impudence；’ said Peggotty； ‘but I don’t mind that！
Davy dear； what should you think if I was to think of being
married？’
‘Why—I suppose you would like me as much then； Peggotty； as
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
you do now？’ I returned； after a little consideration。
Greatly to the astonishment of the passengers in the street； as
well as of her relations going on before； the good soul was obliged
to stop and embrace me on the spot； with many protestations of
her unalterable love。
‘Tell me what should you say； darling？’ she asked again； when
this was over； and we were walking on。
‘If you were thinking of being married—to Mr。 Barkis；
Peggotty？’
‘Yes；’ said Peggotty。
‘I should think it would be a very good thing。 For then you
know； Peggotty； you would always have the horse and cart to
bring you over to see me； and could come for nothing； and be sure
of coming。’
‘The sense of the dear！’ cried Peggotty。 ‘What I have been
thinking of； this month back！ Yes； my precious； and I think I
should be more independent altogether； you see； let alone my
working with a better heart in my own house； than I could in
anybody else’s now。 I don’t know what I might be fit for； now； as a
servant to a stranger。 And I shall be always near my pretty’s
resting…place；’ said Peggotty； musing； ‘and be able to see it when I
like； and when I lie down to rest； I may be laid not far off from my
darling girl！’
We neither of us said anything for a little while。
‘But I wouldn’t so much as give it another thought；’ said
Peggotty； cheerily ‘if my Davy was anyways against it—not if I had
been asked in church thirty times three times over； and was
wearing out the ring in my pocket。’
‘Look at me； Peggotty；’ I replied； ‘and see if I am not really glad；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
and don’t truly wish it！’ As indeed I did； with all my heart。
‘Well； my life；’ said Peggotty； giving me a squeeze； ‘I have
thought of it night and day； every way I can； and I hope the right
way； but I’ll think of it again； and speak to my brother about it；
and in the meantime we’ll keep it to ourselves； Davy； you and me。
Barkis is a good plain creature；’ said Peggotty； ‘and if I tried to do
my duty by him； I think it would be my fault if I wasn’t—if I wasn’t
pretty comfortable；’ said Peggotty； laughing heartily。 This
quotation from Mr。 Barkis was so appropriate； and tickled us both
so much； that we laughed again and again； and were quite in a
pleasant humour when we came within view of Mr。 Peggotty’s
cottage。
It looked just the same； except that it may； perhaps； have
shrunk a little in my eyes； and Mrs。 Gummidge was waiting at the
door as if she had stood there ever since。 All within was the same；
down to the seaweed in the blue mug in my bedroom。 I went into
the out…house to look about me； and the very same lobsters； crabs；
and crawfish possessed by the same desire to pinch the world in
general； appeared to be in the same state of conglomeration in the
same old corner。
But there was no little Em’ly to be seen； so I asked Mr。 Peggotty
where she was。
‘She’s at school； sir；’ said Mr。 Peggotty； wiping the heat
consequent on the porterage of Peggotty’s box from his forehead；
‘she’ll be home；’ looking at the Dutch clock； ‘in from twenty
minutes to half…an…hour’s time。 We all on us feel the loss of her；
bless ye！’
Mrs。 Gummidge moaned。
‘Cheer up； Mawther！’ cried Mr。 Peggotty。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘I feel it more than anybody else；’ said Mrs。 Gummidge； ‘I’m a
lone lorn creetur’； and she used to be a’most the only thing that
didn’t go contrary with me。’
Mrs。 Gummidge； whimpering and shaking her head； applied
herself to blowing the fire。 Mr。 Peggotty； looking round upon us
while she was so engaged； said in a low voice； which he shaded
with his hand： ‘The old ’un！’ From this I rightly conjectured that
no improvement had taken place since my last visit in the state of
Mrs。 Gummidge’s spirits。
Now； the whole place was； or it should have been； quite as
delightful a place as ever； and yet it did not impress me in the
same way。 I felt rather disappointed with it。 Perhaps it was
because little Em’ly was not at home。 I knew the way by which she
would come； and presently found myself strolling along the path to
meet her。
A figure appeared in the distance before long； and I soon knew
it to be Em’ly； who was a little creature still in stature； though she
was grown。 But when she drew nearer； and I saw her blue eyes
looking bluer； and her dimpled face looking brighter； and her
whole self prettier and gayer； a curious feeling came over me that
made me pretend not to know her； and pass by as if I were looking
at something a long way off。 I have done such a thing since in later
life； or I am mistaken。
Little Em’ly didn’t care a bit。 She saw me well enough； but
instead of turning round and calling after me； ran away laughing。
This obliged me to run after her； and she ran so fast that we were
very near the cottage before I caught her。
‘Oh； it’s you； is it？’ said little Em’ly。
‘Why； you knew who it was； Em’ly；’ said I。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘And didn’t you know who it was？’ said Em’ly。 I was going to
kiss her； but she covered her cherry lips with her hands； and said
she wasn’t a baby now； and ran away； laughing more than ever；
into the house。
She seemed to delight in teasing me； which was a change in her
I wondered at very much。 The tea table was ready； and our little
locker was put out in its old place； but instead of coming to sit by
me； she went and bestowed her co