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！
resumed； without noticing what he had said：
‘Those terms are； that you will earn enough for yourself to
provide for your eating and drinking； and pocket…money。 Your
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
lodging （which I have arranged for） will be paid by me。 So will
your washing—’
‘—Which will be kept down to my estimate；’ said his sister。
‘Your clothes will be looked after for you； too；’ said Mr。
Murdstone； ‘as you will not be able； yet awhile； to get them for
yourself。 So you are now going to London； David； with Mr。
Quinion； to begin the world on your own account。’
‘In short； you are provided for；’ observed his sister； ‘and will
please to do your duty。’
Though I quite understood that the purpose of this
announcement was to get rid of me； I have no distinct
remembrance whether it pleased or frightened me。 My impression
is； that I was in a state of confusion about it； and； oscillating
between the two points； touched neither。 Nor had I much time for
the clearing of my thoughts； as Mr。 Quinion was to go upon the
morrow。
Behold me； on the morrow； in a much…worn little white hat；
with a black crape round it for my mother； a black jacket； and a
pair of hard； stiff corduroy trousers—which Miss Murdstone
considered the best armour for the legs in that fight with the world
which was now to come off。 behold me so attired； and with my
little worldly all before me in a small trunk； sitting； a lone lorn
child （as Mrs。 Gummidge might have said）； in the post…chaise that
was carrying Mr。 Quinion to the London coach at Yarmouth！ See；
how our house and church are lessening in the distance； how the
grave beneath the tree is blotted out by intervening objects； how
the spire points upwards from my old playground no more； and
the sky is empty！
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Chapter 11
I BEGIN LIFE ON MY OWN ACCOUNT； AND
DON’T LIKE IT
Iknow enough of the world now； to have almost lost the
capacity of being much surprised by anything； but it is matter
of some surprise to me； even now； that I can have been so
easily thrown away at such an age。 A child of excellent abilities；
and with strong powers of observation； quick； eager； delicate； and
soon hurt bodily or mentally； it seems wonderful to me that
nobody should have made any sign in my behalf。 But none was
made； and I became； at ten years old； a little labouring hind in the
service of Murdstone and Grinby。
Murdstone and Grinby’s warehouse was at the waterside。 It was
down in Blackfriars。 Modern improvements have altered the
place； but it was the last house at the bottom of a narrow street；
curving down hill to the river； with some stairs at the end； where
people took boat。 It was a crazy old house with a wharf of its own；
abutting on the water when the tide was in； and on the mud when
the tide was out； and literally overrun with rats。 Its panelled
rooms； discoloured with the dirt and smoke of a hundred years； I
dare say； its decaying floors and staircase； the squeaking and
scuffling of the old grey rats down in the cellars； and the dirt and
rottenness of the place； are things； not of many years ago； in my
mind； but of the present instant。 They are all before me； just as
they were in the evil hour when I went among them for the first
time； with my trembling hand in Mr。 Quinion’s。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Murdstone and Grinby’s trade was among a good many kinds of
people； but an important branch of it was the supply of wines and
spirits to certain packet ships。 I forget now where they chiefly
went； but I think there were some among them that made voyages
both to the East and West Indies。 I know that a great many empty
bottles were one of the consequences of this traffic； and that
certain men and boys were employed to examine them against the
light； and reject those that were flawed； and to rinse and wash
them。 When the empty bottles ran short； there were labels to be
pasted on full ones； or corks to be fitted to them； or seals to be put
upon the corks； or finished bottles to be packed in casks。 All this
work was my work； and of the boys employed upon it I was one。
There were three or four of us； counting me。 My working place
was established in a corner of the warehouse； where Mr。 Quinion
could see me； when he chose to stand up on the bottom rail of his
stool in the counting…house； and look at me through a window
above the desk。 Hither； on the first morning of my so auspiciously
beginning life on my own account； the oldest of the regular boys
was summoned to show me my business。 His name was Mick
Walker； and he wore a ragged apron and a paper cap。 He informed
me that his father was a bargeman； and walked； in a black velvet
head…dress； in the Lord Mayor’s Show。 He also informed me that
our principal associate would be another boy whom he introduced
by the—to me—extraordinary name of Mealy Potatoes。 I
discovered； however； that this youth had not been christened by
that name； but that it had been bestowed upon him in the
warehouse； on account of his complexion； which was pale or
mealy。 Mealy’s father was a waterman； who had the additional
distinction of being a fireman； and was engaged as such at one of
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
the large theatres； where some young relation of Mealy’s—I think
his little sister—did Imps in the Pantomimes。
No words can express the secret agony of my soul as I sunk into
this companionship； compared these henceforth everyday
associates with those of my happier childhood—not to say with
Steerforth； Traddles； and the rest of those boys； and felt my hopes
of growing up to be a learned and distinguished man； crushed in
my bosom。 The deep remembrance of the sense I had； of being
utterly without hope now； of the shame I felt in my position； of the
misery it was to my young heart to believe that day by day what I
had learned； and thought； and delighted in； and raised my fancy
and my emulation up by； would pass away from me； little by little；
never to be brought back any more； cannot be written。 As often as
Mick Walker went away in the course of that forenoon； I mingled
my tears with the water in which I was washing the bottles； and
sobbed as if there were a flaw in my own breast； and it were in
danger of bursting。
The counting…house clock was at half past twelve； and there
was general preparation for going to dinner； when Mr。 Quinion
tapped at the counting…house window； and beckoned to me to go
in。 I went in； and found there a stoutish； middle…aged person； in a
brown surtout and black tights and shoes； with no more hair upon
his head （which was a large one； and very shining） than there is
upon an egg； and with a very extensive face； which he turned full
upon me。 His clothes were shabby； but he had an imposing shirt…
collar on。 He carried a jaunty sort of a stick； with a large pair of
rusty tassels to it； and a quizzing…glass hung outside his coat；—for
ornament； I afterwards