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！
But if it is our umbleness； I hope you won’t mind owning to it；
Master Copperfield； for we are well aware of our condition。’
I said I would mention it to Mr。 Wickfield； and if he approved；
as I had no doubt he would； I would come with pleasure。 So； at six
o’clock that evening； which was one of the early office evenings； I
announced myself as ready； to Uriah。
‘Mother will be proud； indeed；’ he said； as we walked away
together。 ‘Or she would be proud； if it wasn’t sinful； Master
Copperfield。’
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘Yet you didn’t mind supposing I was proud this morning；’ I
returned。
‘Oh dear； no； Master Copperfield！’ returned Uriah。 ‘Oh； believe
me； no！ Such a thought never came into my head！ I shouldn’t have
deemed it at all proud if you had thought us too umble for you。
Because we are so very umble。’
‘Have you been studying much law lately？’ I asked； to change
the subject。
‘Oh； Master Copperfield；’ he said； with an air of self…denial； ‘my
reading is hardly to be called study。 I have passed an hour or two
in the evening； sometimes； with Mr。 Tidd。’
‘Rather hard； I suppose？’ said I。 ‘He is hard to me sometimes；’
returned Uriah。 ‘But I don’t know what he might be to a gifted
person。’
After beating a little tune on his chin as he walked on； with the
two forefingers of his skeleton right hand； he added：
‘There are expressions； you see； Master Copperfield—Latin
words and terms—in Mr。 Tidd； that are trying to a reader of my
umble attainments。’
‘Would you like to be taught Latin？’ I said briskly。 ‘I will teach it
you with pleasure； as I learn it。’
‘Oh； thank you； Master Copperfield；’ he answered； shaking his
head。 ‘I am sure it’s very kind of you to make the offer； but I am
much too umble to accept it。’
‘What nonsense； Uriah！’
‘Oh； indeed you must excuse me； Master Copperfield！ I am
greatly obliged； and I should like it of all things； I assure you； but I
am far too umble。 There are people enough to tread upon me in
my lowly state； without my doing outrage to their feelings by
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
possessing learning。 Learning ain’t for me。 A person like myself
had better not aspire。 If he is to get on in life； he must get on
umbly； Master Copperfield！’
I never saw his mouth so wide； or the creases in his cheeks so
deep； as when he delivered himself of these sentiments： shaking
his head all the time； and writhing modestly。
‘I think you are wrong； Uriah；’ I said。 ‘I dare say there are
several things that I could teach you； if you would like to learn
them。’
‘Oh； I don’t doubt that； Master Copperfield；’ he answered； ‘not
in the least。 But not being umble yourself； you don’t judge well；
perhaps； for them that are。 I won’t provoke my betters with
knowledge； thank you。 I’m much too umble。 Here is my umble
dwelling； Master Copperfield！’
We entered a low； old…fashioned room； walked straight into
from the street； and found there Mrs。 Heep； who was the dead
image of Uriah； only short。 She received me with the utmost
humility； and apologized to me for giving her son a kiss； observing
that； lowly as they were； they had their natural affections； which
they hoped would give no offence to anyone。 It was a perfectly
decent room； half parlour and half kitchen； but not at all a snug
room。 The tea…things were set upon the table； and the kettle was
boiling on the hob。 There was a chest of drawers with an escritoire
top； for Uriah to read or write at of an evening； there was Uriah’s
blue bag lying down and vomiting papers； there was a company of
Uriah’s books commanded by Mr。 Tidd； there was a corner
cupboard： and there were the usual articles of furniture。 I don’t
remember that any individual object had a bare； pinched； spare
look； but I do remember that the whole place had。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
It was perhaps a part of Mrs。 Heep’s humility； that she still wore
weeds。 Notwithstanding the lapse of time that had occurred since
Mr。 Heep’s decease； she still wore weeds。 I think there was some
compromise in the cap； but otherwise she was as weedy as in the
early days of her mourning。
‘This is a day to be remembered； my Uriah； I am sure；’ said Mrs。
Heep； making the tea； ‘when Master Copperfield pays us a visit。’
‘I said you’d think so； mother；’ said Uriah。
‘If I could have wished father to remain among us for any
reason；’ said Mrs。 Heep； ‘it would have been； that he might have
known his company this afternoon。’
I felt embarrassed by these compliments； but I was sensible；
too； of being entertained as an honoured guest； and I thought Mrs。
Heep an agreeable woman。
‘My Uriah；’ said Mrs。 Heep； ‘has looked forward to this； sir； a
long while。 He had his fears that our umbleness stood in the way；
and I joined in them myself。 Umble we are； umble we have been；
umble we shall ever be；’ said Mrs。 Heep。
‘I am sure you have no occasion to be so； ma’am；’ I said； ‘unless
you like。’
‘Thank you； sir；’ retorted Mrs。 Heep。 ‘We know our station and
are thankful in it。’
I found that Mrs。 Heep gradually got nearer to me； and that
Uriah gradually got opposite to me； and that they respectfully
plied me with the choicest of the eatables on the table。 There was
nothing particularly choice there； to be sure； but I took the will for
the deed； and felt that they were very attentive。 Presently they
began to talk about aunts； and then I told them about mine； and
about fathers and mothers； and then I told them about mine； and
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
then Mrs。 Heep began to talk about fathers…in…law； and then I
began to tell her about mine—but stopped； because my aunt had
advised me to observe a silence on that subject。 A tender young
cork； however； would have had no more chance against a pair of
corkscrews； or a tender young tooth against a pair of dentists； or a
little shuttlecock against two battledores； than I had against Uriah
and Mrs。 Heep。 They did just what they liked with me； and
wormed things out of me that I had no desire to tell； with a
certainty I blush to think of。 the more especially； as in my juvenile
frankness； I took some credit to myself for being so confidential
and felt that I was quite the patron of my two respectful
entertainers。
They were very fond of one another： that was certain。 I take it；
that had its effect upon me； as a touch of nature； but the skill with
which the one followed up whatever the other said； was a touch of
art which I was still less proof against。 When there was nothing
more to be got out of me about myself （for on the Murdstone and
Grinby life； and on my journey； I was dumb）； they began about Mr。
Wickfield and Agnes。 Uriah threw the ball to Mrs。 Heep； Mrs。
Heep caught it and threw it back to Uriah； Uriah kept it up a little
while； then sent it back to Mrs。 Heep； and so they went on tossing
it about until I had no idea wh