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！
smile； to mollify her。
‘Mercy on the man； what’s he doing！’ cried my aunt；
impatiently。 ‘Can’t he speak？’
‘Be calm； my dear ma’am；’ said Mr。 Chillip； in his softest
accents。
‘There is no longer any occasion for uneasiness； ma’am。 Be
calm。’
It has since been considered almost a miracle that my aunt
didn’t shake him； and shake what he had to say； out of him。 She
only shook her own head at him； but in a way that made him quail。
‘Well； ma’am；’ resumed Mr。 Chillip； as soon as he had courage； ‘I
am happy to congratulate you。 All is now over； ma’am； and well
over。’
During the five minutes or so that Mr。 Chillip devoted to the
delivery of this oration； my aunt eyed him narrowly。
‘How is she？’ said my aunt； folding her arms with her bonnet
still tied on one of them。
‘Well； ma’am； she will soon be quite comfortable； I hope；’
returned Mr。 Chillip。 ‘Quite as comfortable as we can expect a
young mother to be； under these melancholy domestic
circumstances。 There cannot be any objection to your seeing her
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
presently； ma’am。 It may do her good。’
‘And she。 How is she？’ said my aunt； sharply。
Mr。 Chillip laid his head a little more on one side； and looked at
my aunt like an amiable bird。
‘The baby；’ said my aunt。 ‘How is she？’
‘Ma’am；’ returned Mr。 Chillip； ‘I apprehended you had known。
It’s a boy。’
My aunt said never a word； but took her bonnet by the strings；
in the manner of a sling； aimed a blow at Mr。 Chillip’s head with it；
put it on bent； walked out； and never came back。 She vanished like
a discontented fairy； or like one of those supernatural beings；
whom it was popularly supposed I was entitled to see； and never
came back any more。
No。 I lay in my basket； and my mother lay in her bed； but
Betsey Trotwood Copperfield was for ever in the land of dreams
and shadows； the tremendous region whence I had so lately
travelled； and the light upon the window of our room shone out
upon the earthly bourne of all such travellers； and the mound
above the ashes and the dust that once was he； without whom I
had never been。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Chapter 2
I OBSERVE
The first objects that assume a distinct presence before me；
as I look far back； into the blank of my infancy； are my
mother with her pretty hair and youthful shape； and
Peggotty with no shape at all； and eyes so dark that they seemed to
darken their whole neighbourhood in her face； and cheeks and
arms so hard and red that I wondered the birds didn’t peck her in
preference to apples。
I believe I can remember these two at a little distance apart；
dwarfed to my sight by stooping down or kneeling on the floor；
and I going unsteadily from the one to the other。 I have an
impression on my mind which I cannot distinguish from actual
remembrance； of the touch of Peggotty’s forefinger as she used to
hold it out to me； and of its being roughened by needlework； like a
pocket nutmeg…grater。
This may be fancy； though I think the memory of most of us can
go farther back into such times than many of us suppose； just as I
believe the power of observation in numbers of very young
children to be quite wonderful for its closeness and accuracy。
Indeed； I think that most grown men who are remarkable in this
respect； may with greater propriety be said not to have lost the
faculty； than to have acquired it； the rather； as I generally observe
such men to retain a certain freshness； and gentleness； and
capacity of being pleased； which are also an inheritance they have
preserved from their childhood。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
I might have a misgiving that I am ‘meandering’ in stopping to
say this； but that it brings me to remark that I build these
conclusions； in part upon my own experience of myself； and if it
should appear from anything I may set down in this narrative that
I was a child of close observation； or that as a man I have a strong
memory of my childhood； I undoubtedly lay claim to both of these
characteristics。
Looking back； as I was saying； into the blank of my infancy； the
first objects I can remember as standing out by themselves from a
confusion of things； are my mother and Peggotty。 What else do I
remember？ Let me see。
There comes out of the cloud； our house—not new to me； but
quite familiar； in its earliest remembrance。 On the ground…floor is
Peggotty’s kitchen； opening into a back yard； with a pigeon…house
on a pole； in the centre； without any pigeons in it； a great dog…
kennel in a corner； without any dog； and a quantity of fowls that
look terribly tall to me； walking about； in a menacing and ferocious
manner。 There is one cock who gets upon a post to crow； and
seems to take particular notice of me as I look at him through the
kitchen window； who makes me shiver； he is so fierce。 Of the geese
outside the side…gate who come waddling after me with their long
necks stretched out when I go that way； I dream at night： as a man
environed by wild beasts might dream of lions。
Here is a long passage—what an enormous perspective I make
of it！—leading from Peggotty’s kitchen to the front door。 A dark
store…room opens out of it； and that is a place to be run past at
night； for I don’t know what may be among those tubs and jars
and old tea…chests； when there is nobody in there with a dimly…
burning light； letting a mouldy air come out of the door； in which
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
there is the smell of soap； pickles； pepper； candles； and coffee； all
at one whiff。 Then there are the two parlours： the parlour in which
we sit of an evening； my mother and I and Peggotty—for Peggotty
is quite our companion； when her work is done and we are alone—
and the best parlour where we sit on a Sunday； grandly； but not so
comfortably。 There is something of a doleful air about that room to
me； for Peggotty has told me—I don’t know when； but apparently
ages ago—about my father’s funeral； and the company having
their black cloaks put on。 One Sunday night my mother reads to
Peggotty and me in there； how Lazarus was raised up from the
dead。 And I am so frightened that they are afterwards obliged to
take me out of bed； and show me the quiet churchyard out of the
bedroom window； with the dead all lying in their graves at rest；
below the solemn moon。
There is nothing half so green that I know anywhere； as the
grass of that churchyard； nothing half so shady as its trees；
nothing half so quiet as its tombstones。 The sheep are feeding
there； when I kneel up； early in the morning； in my little bed in a
closet within my mother’s room； to look out at it； and I see the red
light shining on the sun…dial； and think within myself； ‘Is the sundial glad； I wonder； that it can tell the time again？’
Here is our pew in the church。 What a high…backed pew！ With a
window near it； out of which our house can be seen； and is seen
many times dur