牛津書蟲系列 大衛(wèi)科波菲爾 Chapter 4 David and his aunt

　　So，after helping the Micawbers to pack their few clothes，and waving goodbye to them at the coach sta-tion on their way to Devon，I went to the warehouse for my last day at work.I did not tell anyone I would not be coming back the following week. In the evening I packed my case，and put the ten shillings in the little purse Peggotty had once given me.I looked around for someone to help me with my case， which was rather heavy for me, and saw a tall young man with a horse and cart passing by.

　　就這樣，幫著米考伯夫婦整理好不多的衣物，把他們送到去往德文的馬車站，與他們揮手告別后，我來到倉庫干完了最后一天的活。我沒有向任何人透露下星期將不再回來工作。晚上，我整理好自己的提箱，把10先令放進辟果提給我的小錢包里。我四處張望，希望有人能幫我提這個對我來說還太沉的箱子，這時過來一位趕馬車的高個子青年。

　　‘Could you please take my case to the coach station?’ I asked him politely.

　　“您能幫我把這個箱子帶到馬車站嗎?”我很禮貌地問道。

　　The young man put the case into his cart. Then， looking round quickly to make sure there were no witnesses， he pushed me roughly against the wall and took my purse out of my trembling hand. Before I could say a word， he had driven the horse and cart down the road and out of sight round the corner.I knew I would never see him， my case or my ten shillings again.

　　那青年人把箱子放到馬車上，然后環(huán)顧四周，確信周圍沒有外人時，就狠狠地把我推倒在墻邊，并把錢包從我發(fā)抖的手中奪走。我還沒來得及叫喊，他已經(jīng)駕著馬車上路，一拐彎就不見了。我知道我再也見不著他了，再也見不著我的錢包和我那10個先令了。

　　I sat down on the pavement and cried. Now I had lost ev-erything I owned in the world， and had no money for the coach fare to Dover.In the end I decided I would have to walk there， and I started the long journey. It took me six days to cover the hundred kilometres， as I got tired very easily, and had to rest.I sold my jacket for a shilling，so that I could buy bread and milk on the way，and at night I slept in disused farm buildings or under trees.Sometimes I was afraid of the dangerous-looking beggars and thieves I met on the road，but I knew I had to keep going.As I walked，I thought of my mother's gentle，pretty face.I felt sure she would approve of what I was doing，and that encouraged me to continue.

　　我站在路邊哭泣。我失去了我所有的東西，而且也沒有了去多佛的路費。最后我決定步行到那兒，就開始了長途跋涉。100多公里的路程我走了6天時間，因為我走不多久就累了，只好休息下來。我把茄克衫賣了，換來一先令錢買路上吃的面包和奶酪。到晚上，我就睡在廢舊農(nóng)場的木屋里或者大樹下。有時在路上遇上一些滿臉兇相的乞丐和小偷讓我很害怕，但我知道我必須繼續(xù)走下去。我邊走邊想象我母親慈愛、動人的臉，我肯定她會支持我的做法，這種想法激勵著我繼續(xù)前進。

　　But when I arrived in Dover，it seemed a much larger town than I had imagined.I spent a whole morning asking people if they knew where Miss Betsey Trotwood lived.Finally I found someone who recognized the name and showed me the way to her house.I stood at her front door，in the neat little garden，for a few moments，trembling with fear，and wondering what my aunt would think of me.My face and hands were dirty，my hair was unbrushed，and my clothes were torn and dusty.Perhaps she wouldn't even want to invite me into her house!

　　然而，當我走到多佛時才知道這個小鎮(zhèn)比我相象得要大得多。我整整花了一上午時間打聽貝茜·特拉伍德小姐的住處。最后，終于有一個人知道這個名字并指給我到她家的路。我在她門前的小花園里站了一會兒，害怕得直打哆嗦，不知道姨婆會怎么看我。我滿臉污垢，兩手骯臟不堪，頭發(fā)蓬亂，衣眼又臟又破。或許她都不歡迎我進她的房子!

　　Just then a handsome but strict-looking grey-haired woman came out of the door towards me.I knew she must be my aunt.

　　正在此時，門口出現(xiàn)一位端莊、嚴肅的灰頭發(fā)婦人，她向我走來，我想她肯定是我的姨婆。

　　‘Go away!'she said crossly.‘I don't allow anyone to walk on my grass!’

　　“走開!”她憤憤地說，“我不許任何人踩我的草地!”

　　‘Please，madam，’I said bravely，‘please，aunt…’

　　“求您，夫人，”我鼓足勇氣說道，“求您，姨婆…”

　　‘WHAT?’cried Miss Betsey in great surprise.

　　“什么?”貝茜小姐十分震驚地叫道。

　　‘Please，aunt，I'm your nephew.’

　　“求您，姨婆，我是您的重外甥。”

　　‘Good heavens!’she cried，and sat down rather suddenly on the grass.

　　“天哪!”她叫了一聲，忽地坐在了草地上。

　　‘I'm David Copper field，your nephew's son，of Blunder stone in Suffolk，where you came on the night I was born，and saw my dear mother.I've been very unhappy since she died.My stepfather sent me to work in London，and I hated it，and ran away，and someone stole my case and my money，and I've had to walk all the way，and I haven't slept in a bed for six nights!’Here my selfcontrol broke，and I fell to the ground，sobbing bitterly.

　　“我是大衛(wèi)·科波菲爾，您外甥的兒子，在薩福克郡的布蘭德斯通。我出生的那天晚上您來過，并見了我親愛的母親。自從她去世后我非常不幸。繼父把我送到倫敦干活，我恨死了，跑了出來，我的箱子和錢都被人偷走了，我只好一路步行到這兒，我6個晚上沒有挨著床了!”說到這里，我再也抑制不住自己，倒在地上痛哭起來。

　　My aunt jumped to her feet，picked me up and took me into her sitting-room，where she mixed some medicine in a glass and made me drink it.She also wrapped me in a large blanket and put me on her sofa.Then she rang the bell for her servant，Janet.

　　姨婆迅速站起來，扶起我，把我?guī)У娇蛷d，并拿來一些藥化在杯子里讓我喝了。她用一塊大毯子把我裹住，放在沙發(fā)上。然后搖了搖鈴，招呼她的女仆詹妮特。

　　‘Please ask Mr Dick to come here，Janet，’she said.

　　“叫迪克先生到這里來，詹妮特，”她說。

　　A tall，grey-haired，pleasant-looking gentleman entered a few minutes later，laughing rather strangely to himself.

　　幾分鐘后，一位高個子、灰頭發(fā)、面色和悅的先生十分古怪地笑著走進來。

　　‘Now，Mr Dick，’said my aunt firmly，‘don't be a fool，because we all know you're intelligent.’Mr Dick looked very serious at once.‘No doubt you remember that I had a nephew，David Copperfield?Well，this is his son.He has run away.’

　　“現(xiàn)在，迪克先生，”姨婆嚴肅地說，“別裝傻了，因為我們都知道你很有天賦。”迪克先生很快認真起來。“你肯定記得我有過一個外甥，叫大衛(wèi)·科波菲爾。這位，就是他的兒子，他跑出來了。”

　　‘Oh，really?David's son!Run away!Well!’said Mr Dick.

　　“哦，是嗎?大衛(wèi)的兒子!跑出來了!噢?”迪克先生說。

　　‘Now the question is，Mr Dick，what shall I do with him?’

　　“現(xiàn)在的問題是，迪克先生，我應該怎么辦才好?”

　　‘Well—’Mr Dick looked vacantly at me，and then sudden ly his eyes shone.‘If I were you，I would wash him!’

　　“嗯，——”迪克先生目光空洞地看著我，突然他兩眼閃光，“我要是你，就先他給他洗洗澡!”

　　‘Well done，Mr Dick!You always have the right answer!’said my aunt delightedly.

　　“很好，迪克先生!你總會有正確的答案!”姨婆興奮地說道。

　　And so they washed me，and gave me clean clothes and deli cious food.While I was eating，my aunt stared at me，occa sionally whispering‘Good heavens!’to herself.When she could see that I felt better，she asked me question after ques tion，and I told her the story of my life.

　　于是他們就為我洗澡，給我干凈的衣服和美味的食物。我吃飯的時候，姨婆盯著我看，偶爾自嘆一聲“我的天!”。她見我感覺好些了就一個問題接一個問題地問我，我就把我的生活經(jīng)歷統(tǒng)統(tǒng)講給她聽。

　　‘Good heavens!’she said again，when I had finished.‘Why did your poor mother marry again?What a terrible mis take!’

　　“我的天!”我講完后，她又說了一句，“你可憐的母親為何要改嫁呢?她犯了個多大的錯誤呀!”

　　‘Perhaps she was in love，’suggested Mr Dick，smiling his rather foolish smile.

　　“或許是出于愛情，”迪克先生猜測道，嘴角掛著笨拙的笑容。

　　‘In love!’said Miss Betsey crossly.‘Perhaps the poor silly girl thought she was in love!But now，Mr Dick，another question.What should we do with the boy?’

　　“愛情!”貝茜小姐憤憤地說道，“或許是因為這位可憐的傻女孩自己認為談上了戀愛!但是，現(xiàn)在，迪克先生，另一個問題是，我們拿這個孩子怎么辦?”

　　‘Well—'said Mr Dick，thinking.Then an idea suddenly came to him.‘You should put him to bed!’

　　“嗯——”迪克先生思索著說道。然后，他突然想出了一個主意，“你應該帶他上床睡覺!”

　　‘Thank you again，Mr Dick，for your common sense!’said my aunt happily.‘Janet，put the boy to bed!’

　　“再次感謝你，迪克先生，你真懂常理、知常情!”姨婆高興地說道。

　　And so，in a comfortable clean little bed，in a pleasant airy room at the top of Miss Betsey Trotwood's house，I floated away into the world of my dreams.

　　就這樣，在貝茜·特拉伍德小姐的房子頂層，在安逸的臥室里，在一張干凈而舒適的小床上，我進入了夢鄉(xiāng)。

　　At breakfast next morning I bravely asked my aunt，‘Are you—have you—what's going to happen to me?’

　　第二天早餐時分，我鼓起勇氣問姨婆：“您打算——您準備——我今后會怎么樣?”

　　‘I've written to your stepfather，’she replied.

　　“我已經(jīng)給你繼父寫了信。”她回答。

　　‘Oh!Are you going to send me back to the Murdstones?Please don't，aunt!Please let me stay here!’I cried，trembling.

　　“啊!那您準備把我送回給摩德斯通姐弟嗎?求您別這樣，姨婆!求您讓我留在這里。”我哭起來，聲音發(fā)顫。

　　‘I don't know what I'll do yet. We'll have to wait and see，’she answered firmly.

　　“我還不知道怎么辦，我們必須等等看。”她嚴肅地說。

　　This news made me very depressed，but there was nothing I could do about it and my aunt soon began to talk about some thing else.

　　這一消息令我很沮喪，但我也毫無辦法。姨婆立刻轉入了別的話題。

　　‘What do you think of Mr Dick，child?’

　　“你認為迪克先生怎么樣啊，孩子?”

　　‘He looks a little—well，mad.Is he mad，aunt?’

　　‘他有點兒——嗯，不正常。他是不太正常吧，姨婆?”

　　‘Well，his family called him mad，and wanted to lock him up for ever.But I met him，and thought—I still think—he's an extremely sensible，intelligent person.So I offered to take care of him，and he's lived in my house for ten years.Nobody knows what useful advice he's given me!I trust him com pletely!’

　　‘嗯，他的家人認為他不正常，想把他鎖起來，但我看見他的時候我認為——我至今認為——他是一個非常敏感、聰慧的人，所以我主動提出照顧他。他在我這兒住了10年了，沒人知道他給我提的建議多么有益，我完全信賴他。”

　　When I heard how generous my aunt had been to poor harmless Mr Dick，I began to understand her character better.In spite of her stern appearance and frequent crossness，she was very kind to people who needed her help.I hoped she would be kind to me.

　　聽到姨婆對可憐無邪的迪克先生如此豁達時，我更了解她的性格了。盡管她看上去很嚴厲，而且常常滿臉怒容，但她對需要幫助的人非常熱心。我希望她對我也熱心。

　　Several days later，I was looking out of the sitting-room window when I saw Mr and Miss Murdstone riding into my aunt's garden.My aunt had seen them too，and hurried out，waving her umbrella angrily at them and shouting.‘Go away!Don't ride on my grass!Who do you think you are?Go away，I tell you!’

　　幾天后，透過客廳的窗戶我看見摩德斯通先生和小姐騎馬來到了姨婆的花園，姨婆也看見了他們，急匆匆地出去，揮著傘氣憤地沖他們喊，“走開，別踩著我的草地，你們是什么人，走開，我警告你們!”

　　‘Aunt!’I cried out.‘They're Mr and Miss Murdstone!’

　　“姨婆!”我叫道，“他們是摩德斯通先生和小姐!”

　　‘I don't care!’she shouted.‘Nobody is allowed to ride on my grass!’And she went back into her house，banging the door behind her.The Murdstones had to lead their horses out of the garden，and then return to ring the doorbell.They looked very uncomfortable and unsure of themselves.Janet showed them into the sitting-room，where my aunt，Mr Dick and I were waiting.

　　“我才不管呢!”她嚷道“任何人都不允許踐踏我的草地!”她走進屋子，“嘭”地一聲關上門。摩德斯通姐弟只好把馬牽出草地，退回去按門鈴。他們似乎很尷尬、很不自信。詹妮特把他們帶進了客廳。姨婆、迪克先生和我還等著他們。

　　‘Miss Trotwood—’began Mr Murdstone，stepping forward.

　　“特拉伍德小姐——”摩德斯通先生上前一步說道。

　　‘Excuse me，’said my aunt sharply.‘I imagine you are the Mr Murdstone who married my nephew's widow.In my opinion，it would have been much better if you had never mar ried the poor Child.’

　　“對不起，”姨婆尖銳地說，“我想你就是那位娶我外甥的遺孀作妻子的摩德斯通先生吧。依我看，你要是不娶那位可憐的女人，情況就會好多了!”

　　‘I agree with you，Miss Trotwood，’said Miss Murdstone，smiling falsely.‘My brother would certainly have been happi er if he hadn't married her，because I consider poor dear Clara was，in fact，just a child.’

　　“我同意您的說法，特拉伍德小姐，”摩德斯通小姐裝出一副笑臉說道，“我弟弟當初要是沒娶她當然會更幸福，因為我認為，可憐的克拉拉實際上只是個孩子。”

　　‘Fortunately，’said my aunt，‘you and I，madam，are too old and plain for anyone to say that about us.’

　　“幸運的是，”姨婆說，“你和我，女士，都太年老、太平庸，不值得任何人來說我們。”

　　Miss Murdstone did not seem eager to agree to this.Her brother，however，wanted to get down to business.

　　摩德斯通小姐對這點似乎不急于表示同意。而她弟弟則希望盡快轉入正題。

　　‘Miss Trotwood，’he said，a little crossly，‘having received your letter，I've come to explain to you，in case you haven't realized it yet，that this boy is extremely wicked and violent.

　　“特拉伍德小姐，”他說道，顯得有點生氣，“收到您的信我就趕來向您解釋，以免您還蒙在鼓里。

　　Both my sister and I have tried to change his character，but sadly we have failed.’

　　這孩子極為惡劣、粗暴，我姐姐和我堅持想改變他的性格，可遺憾的是，我們都失敗了。”

　　‘I must add，’said Miss Murdstone，‘that of all the boys in the world，I believe this is the worst boy.’

　　“我必須補充一點，”摩德斯通小姐說道，“這世界上所有的孩子中，我相信他是最壞的一個。”

　　‘I see，’said my aunt.‘Now tell me，has David inherited any money from his father or mother?’

　　“我明白了，”我姨婆說，“好吧!現(xiàn)在告訴我，大衛(wèi)從他父親或母親那兒繼承到錢了嗎?”

　　‘No，madam，’answered Mr Murdstone.‘My dear Clara naturally trusted me to take care of David，and I'm ready to do that，if he comes back with me now.But I alone shall de cide what to do with him，Miss Trotwood—understand that.I am here，for the first and last time，to take him away.If you decide to keep him with you，you keep him for ever.’

　　“沒有，女士，”摩德斯通先生回答道，“我親愛的克拉拉自然相信我能照顧好大衛(wèi)，我也準備這么做，要是他現(xiàn)在跟我回去。我應該自己決定我怎么對付他，特拉伍德小姐——明白了吧。我到這里來是第一次，也是最后一次，來把他帶走。如果您決定把他留下，那您就永遠留著他吧。”

　　‘What do you say，David?’asked my aunt，turning to me.

　　“你說呢，大衛(wèi)?”姨婆轉過來問我。

　　‘Please don't let me go with them，aunt!’I begged.‘They've always been unkind to me，and they made my mother very unhappy.I'll be so miserable if I have to go back with them!’

　　“請不要讓我跟他們走，姨婆!”我懇求道，“他們對我一向殘酷，他們讓我母親不幸福。要是我跟他們回去，我會痛苦不堪!”

　　‘What do you think，Mr Dick?’asked my aunt.

　　“你的意見呢，迪克先生?”姨婆問道。

　　Mr Dick thought for a moment.‘Get a suit of clothes made for him immediately，’he said.

　　迪克先生想了一想，“給他弄塊布來，立刻做套衣服。”他說道。

　　‘What would I do without you，Mr Dick!’asked my aunt，shaking his hand enthusiastically.Then she turned to Mr Murdstone.

　　“離了你我真是什么也干不了，迪克先生!”姨婆熱情地握住他的手說道。然后，她轉身對摩德斯通先生說：

　　‘You'd better go.I'll keep the boy and take my chance with him.I don't believe a word of your story.Do you think I don't know how you broke that poor girl's heart?And how you hated her son，and punished him for it?I can see by your face that I'm right.’We all stared at Mr Murdstone.It was true that his face was white and he was breathing fast.‘Good bye，sir，and goodbye to you too，madam，’added my aunt，turning suddenly to Miss Murdstone.‘If I see you riding on my grass again，I'll knock your hat right off your head!’

　　“你最好走吧。我會留下這孩子，看他到底是什么樣的孩子。我不相信你說的任何一句話，你認為我不知道你是怎么傷透那位可憐的女孩的心，你是怎樣恨她的兒子并因此而懲罰他?我可以從你臉上看出我是對的。”我們都盯著摩德斯通先生看，他的臉的確很蒼白，并且呼吸急促。“再見，先生。還有你，女士。”姨婆突然轉向摩德斯通小姐，補充道，“要是我再看見你踏進我的草坪，我會把你的帽子從你的腦袋上敲掉!”

　　The Murdstones said nothing in reply to these fierce words，but walked quickly out of the house.

　　摩德斯通姐弟對這些嚴厲的措詞沒做任何回答，他們很快走出了房間。

　　‘Thank you，thank you，aunt!’I cried.‘I'll do my best to make you proud of me!’and I kissed her many times.

　　“謝謝您，謝謝您，姨婆!”我叫道，“我會盡力讓您為我自豪!”我親了她好幾下。

　　‘Mr Dick，you and I will adopt this boy together，’said my aunt，her stern expression softening into a smile.

　　“迪克先生，你和我將一起收養(yǎng)這個孩子，”姨婆說著，嚴肅的表情轉化成一絲微笑。

　　And so a new life began for me.I was soon able to forget the warehouse and the Murdstones，in learning to please my aunt，and to play games with Mr Dick，who spent much of his time with me.

　　自此，我的新生活開始了。我努力讓姨婆高興，并和迪克先生玩游戲，他大部分時間都和我在一起，這樣我很快就忘記了倉庫和摩德斯通姐弟。

　　But one day my aunt suggested that I should go to boarding school in Canterbury.I was delighted，as I was eager to con tinue my studies，and Canterbury was very near my aunt's home in Dover.So the next day my aunt and I went to Can terbury，where I admired the beautiful old buildings in the an cient city centre.

　　可有一天，姨婆提議我應該到坎特伯雷寄宿學校去上學。我很高興，因為我自己急切希望能繼續(xù)學習，而坎特伯雷離多佛的姨婆家又很近。于是，姨婆陪我來到了坎特伯雷，我很欣賞這座城市中心美麗的舊式建筑。

　　‘Is it a large school，aunt?’I asked politely.

　　“那是一所很大的學校嗎，姨婆?”我很有禮貌地問道。

　　‘I haven't decided which school you'll go to yet，’she replied.‘First we're going to ask my old friend Mr Wickfield's advice about it.He lives and works in Canterbury，you see.’

　　“我還沒決定你上哪所學校，”她回答。“我們首先要聽聽我的老朋友威克菲爾先生對此的看法。他就住在坎特伯雷，在這兒工作，明白了吧。”

　　Soon we stopped in front of a very old house，with a very clean front doorstep，and fresh white curtains at the windows.A strange-looking person，dressed in black，with short red hair and a very thin white face came out to meet us.I thought he must be a servant.He was about fifteen，but looked much older.

　　很快，我們在一幢十分古舊的房子前停了下來。門前的臺階十分干凈，窗戶掛著潔白的窗簾。有一位相貌古怪、身著黑衣、留紅色短發(fā)、面孔精瘦蒼白的男子出來迎接我們。我想他一定是這家的仆人。他大概15歲，但看上去要大得多。

　　‘Is Mr Wickfield at home，Uriah Heep?’asked my aunt.

　　“威克菲爾先生在家嗎，尤賴亞·希普?”姨婆問他。

　　‘He is，madam，’replied Uriah，smiling unpleasantly.He showed us into the sitting-room，where I noticed two large paintings on the wall，one of a grey-haired gentleman and the other of a lady with a sweet，gentle face.Just then a gentle man entered the room，looking a little older than his picture.I soon discovered he was Mr Wickfield，my aunt's lawyer.

　　“在家，小姐，”尤賴亞回答，不自在地笑了笑。他領我們進了客廳，我注意到客廳墻上掛著兩幅畫像，一幅是位灰頭發(fā)男子，另一幅是位恬靜、溫柔的女士。這時，一位先生走進客廳，顯得比像片老些。我立刻意識到他就是威克菲爾先生，我姨婆的律師。

　　‘Mr Wickfield，’said my aunt，‘this is my nephew.I have adopted him，and I want to send him to a good boarding school here in Canterbury.Can you help me find a school for him?’

　　“威克菲爾先生，”姨婆說道，“這是我的外孫，我收養(yǎng)了他，我想送他上一所較好的寄宿學校，就在坎特伯雷城，您能幫我找一所嗎?”

　　Mr Wickfield thought for a moment.‘There's a very good school I can recommend，Dr Strong's，but the boy can't board there，and it's too far to travel from Dover every day.However，he could live here，if you liked，in my house.There's plenty of room for him.’

　　威克菲爾先生想了一會兒，“我可以推薦他去一所非常好的學校，斯特朗博士學校，可學生不能寄宿，而且每天從多佛趕到這里也太遠了。不過，他可以住在這兒，在我家，如果您愿意的話。家里有的是空房間。”

　　‘That's very kind of you，Mr Wickfield.I'll pay you for his food，of course，’said my aunt.

　　“您真是太好了，威克菲爾先生。當然他的生活費由我負擔。”姨婆說。

　　‘Come and meet Agnes，who takes care of everything and manages the house，’said Mr Wickfield.We all went upstairs to another sitting-room，prettily furnished，where a girl of my own age was sitting.On her face I saw immediately the beau tiful，calm expression of the lady in the painting downstairs，and I knew she must be Mr Wickfield's daughter，Agnes.When I saw the way Mr Wickfield looked at Agnes and held her hand，I realized that she was the only thing that made life worth living for him.The lady in the painting was her mother，who had died some years before，and Agnes was now in complete charge of the house.She welcomed me warmly as a guest，and showed me the comfortable bedroom I would sleep in.My aunt was very happy to leave me in the care of Mr Wickfield and his daughter.

　　“來吧，見見阿格尼斯，她掌管著家里的一切，”威克菲爾先生說。我們來到樓上的另一個客廳，這里的陳設非常漂亮，一位年齡跟我相仿的姑娘坐在那兒。從她臉上我立刻看出了樓下像片中那位女士的那種美麗、安詳?shù)纳袂椤Ｎ蚁胨欢ㄊ峭朔茽栂壬呐畠喊⒏衲崴?。從威克菲爾先生看阿格尼斯的眼神中和他握她手的方式中我意識到她是他生活中的唯一寄托。像片上的女士是她的母親，幾年前去世了，現(xiàn)在的這個家完全由阿格尼斯負責。她把我當成貴賓一樣熱情招待，并帶我看了為我準備的舒適的臥房。姨婆很放心把我交給威克菲爾先生和她的女兒照顧。

　　‘I must leave now，David，’she told me.‘Mr Wickfield will take you to school tomorrow，and make all the arrange ments. I'm sure you will work hard，and do well.’

　　“我要走了，大衛(wèi)，”她跟我說，“威克菲爾先生明天帶你去學校，并為你安排一切。我相信你一定會好好學習，干出成就的。”

　　‘Thank you，aunt!’I said，trying not to cry.‘And give my love to Mr Dick!And thank you again!’

　　“謝謝您，姨婆!”我說道，盡力忍住不哭，“并代我問候迪克先生!再次感謝您!”

　　When she had gone，I dried my tears and spent a pleasant evening with the Wickfields.We ate supper and talked in the pretty little sitting-room.Agnes played the piano and tried to amuse her father，but he often looked serious and rather sad.During the evening he drank a good deal of wine.I wondered why he seemed unhappy.

　　她走后，我擦干眼淚，和威克菲爾一家度過了愉快的一晚上。我們就在這美麗的客廳里吃晚餐，聊天。阿格尼斯彈奏鋼琴，設法取悅她父親，可他總是很嚴肅，很憂郁。一晚上他喝了好多酒，我不知道他為什么顯得不高興。

　　The next day I had my first experience of a well-organized school.It could not have been more different from Salem House.The headmaster，Dr Strong，was a gentle，kind man who enjoyed teaching and never punished anybody.I soon made friends with the other boys，and as time went on，with the teachers too.But although I liked school very much，I was always happy to return to the Wickfields’quiet house every evening.There，Agnes used to help me with my studies and listen sympathetically to my problems，and her father always seemed pleased to see me.I often wrote to my aunt and Peg gotty，and Mr Dick came to visit me once a week.

　　第二天，我第一次感受到了一個正規(guī)學校的氣氛。它與薩倫學校有著天壤之別。校長斯特朗博士溫和、友善，熱愛教學，從不懲罰任何人。不久我就和這里的孩子們成了朋友，而且時間一長，跟老師們也成了朋友。然而，盡管我非常喜歡學校，我還是很高興每天晚上回到威克菲爾先生那安靜的家。在那兒，阿格尼斯常常幫助我做功課，并極為同情地聽我訴說我的難題。她父親見著我也總是顯得很高興。我常寫信給姨婆，給辟果提，迪克先生每星期都來看我一次。

　　The strangest person in my new life was Uriah Heep.Soon after I arrived in Canterbury，we had a conversation one evening.He was doing a lot of Mr Wickfield's work，and was working late in his small office，just off the hall of the Wick fields’house.

　　我新生活中遇到的最奇特的人物就是尤賴亞·希普。我到坎特伯雷后不久，一天晚上我們進行了一次談話。威克菲爾先生的很多事情都由他在做，他在他的小辦公室里干得很晚，那間辦公室離威克菲爾先生家大廳很近。

　　‘Come in，come in，Master Copperfield!’he cried when he saw me passing the door.I entered，and found him reading a large dusty book，and making careful notes in a notebook.

　　“進來，進來，科波菲爾少爺!”他看見我從門前經(jīng)過就叫住了我。我進去了，見他正在讀一本厚厚的、滿是灰塵的書，并認真地做著筆記。

　　‘What are you studying，Uriah?’I asked politely.

　　“你在學什么，尤賴亞?”我禮貌地問道。

　　‘I'm going to be a lawyer，’he replied，rubbing his thin hands together and smiling his oily smile.

　　“我準備做一名律師，”他邊說邊搓著他細瘦的手指，僵硬地笑了笑。

　　‘You're Mr Wickfield's assistant，aren't you?Perhaps one day you'll be his partner，’I said，trying to make conversation.

　　“你是威克菲爾先生的助手，是嗎?或許哪天你會成為他的合作伙伴，”我沒話找話地說道。

　　‘Oh no，Master Copperfield!’cried Uriah，rolling his eyes upwards.‘I could never rise so high!No，I'm much too humble for that!But thank you，Master Copperfield，for thinking kindly of me.And may I say，that if ever you have the time(and I'm sure a young gentleman like you is much too busy to spare the time for a poor person like me)，my mother and I would be glad to offer you a cup of tea at our humble home.’

　　“哦，不，科波菲爾少爺!”尤賴亞叫起來，兩眼往上一翻。“我不會升得這么高!不，我太卑微，夠不上那種職位!但還是謝謝你，科波菲爾少爺!謝謝你能這么看我。恕我冒昧，如果你有時間(我肯定像你這樣的年輕人會忙得勻不出時間給我這樣的可憐人)，我母親和我很高興邀請你去我們卑微的家里喝杯茶。”

　　‘Of course—if I have time，’I answered，and left the room quickly.I did not feel comfortable with him，for some reason.

　　“當然可以——只要我有時間，”我回答道，并很快離開了房間。不知什么原因，跟他在一起我感到很不自在。

　　But the following week he invited me to tea again，and I did not want to appear rude，so I agreed.That evening he and I walked to the small house where he lived with his mother.It was a warm day and we were drinking our tea near the open door when a gentleman I recognized passed by.It was Mr Mi cawber!He saw me sitting near the door and called out.‘Cop perfield!Is it really you?’

　　緊接著的第二個星期，他再次邀請我去喝茶，我不想失禮，所以同意了。那天晚上，他帶我到了他和他母親居住的小屋子。那天天氣暖和，我們坐在敞開的門邊喝茶，這時有一個我熟識的身影從門口走過。是米考伯先生!他見我站在門口就叫起來，“科波菲爾!真的是你嗎?”

　　I was delighted to see him again，and Mrs Heep invited him in for some tea.I had to introduce him to the Heeps，but I did not think that Uriah would be a good influence on Mr Micaw ber.However，I was interested to discover that the Micawbers were now living in Canterbury，as nothing had‘turned up’in Devon.They seemed to be very short of money again，and surrounded by creditors as usual.I left the Heeps’house as soon as possible，taking Mr Micawber with me，as I did not want him to tell Uriah all about my life at the warehouse in London.

　　我很高興和他重逢，希普太太邀請他進屋喝茶，我只好把他介紹給希普母子。但我并沒想到尤賴亞后來會對米考伯先生產(chǎn)生巨大的影響。不管怎么說，我感興趣的是知道米考伯一家現(xiàn)住在坎特伯雷，因為在德文并沒出現(xiàn)“轉機”。他們似乎又缺錢了，又像以前那樣債臺高筑。我盡快離開了希普家，把米考伯先生帶出來，因為我不想讓他告訴尤賴亞我在倫敦倉庫工作時的全部生活。

　　And so the years passed.I learnt everything that Dr Strong and his teachers could teach me，and at seventeen，came to the end of my schooldays.My aunt suggested that，before decid ing what profession to choose，I should spend a month in Lon don or travelling round the country.This would give me time to consider my next step.I agreed enthusiastically，and al though I was sorry to say goodbye to my sweet friend Agnes and her father，I was looking forward to leading the life of an independent young gentleman.

　　一晃幾年過去了，我學到了斯特朗博士和老師們能教給我的所有知識。17歲那年我的學生生涯結束了。姨婆建議我在決定選擇職業(yè)前先去倫敦或附近的城鎮(zhèn)度一個月假，這樣可以有充分的時間考慮一下下一步的打算。我熱切地表示同意，盡管與恬靜的朋友阿格尼斯和她父親道別令我難過，我還是期望能過一種獨立的、年輕人的生活。