| [00:28.98] | Chapter 3 David the orphan |
| [00:34.65] | Life went on as normal for me at school,until my birthday two months later in March. |
| [00:41.42] | I remember that day very well. It was cold,icy weather, |
| [00:46.79] | and we boys had to blow on our fingers and rub our hands to keep warm in the freezing classrooms. |
| [00:54.21] | When a message came for me to go and see Mr Creakle, I thought that Peggotty must have sent me a birthday present. |
| [01:03.12] | and so I hurried gladly along to his room. But there I realized something unusual had happened, |
| [01:11.59] | because it was Mr Creakle's wife who was waiting to speak to me. |
| [01:16.25] | "David, my child, "she said kindly, holding my hand, “ |
| [01:22.19] | "we all have to accept that our loved ones can die at any moment." “ |
| [01:29.00] | I looked at her, trying to understand what she meant. |
| [01:34.05] | "I'm sorry to tell you, " she continued, "that your mother is dangerously ill." “ |
| [01:42.52] | There was a mist in front of my eyes, and suddenly burning tears ran down my face. |
| [01:51.01] | I knew the truth. |
| [01:53.65] | "Your mother is dead, "she said. “ |
| [01:58.12] | I was alreadysobbing loudly and I felt I was an orphan,quite alone in the world. |
| [02:06.16] | Mrs Creakle packed my case herself, and sent me home on the coach for the funeral. |
| [02:14.70] | I did not realize at the time that I would never return to Salem House. |
| [02:21.06] | When I arrived home,Peggotty met me at the door, and we cried miserably in each other's arms. |
| [02:29.65] | Mr Murdstone seemed very sad, and did not speak to me at all. |
| [02:35.65] | Miss Murdstone, however,showed her usual firmness of character (which she and her brother were so proud of) |
| [02:44.69] | by checking that I had brought all my clothes back from school. |
| [02:49.32] | After that she showed no interest in me at all. |
| [02:54.52] | There was a deathly stillness in the house. |
| [02:58.11] | Peggotty took me up to the room where my dear mother's dead body lay, |
| [03:04.48] | with my little brother,who had died a few hours after her. |
| [03:09.16] | Everything was fresh and clean in the room,but I could not look at my mother's lovely face, |
| [03:17.40] | which would never smile at me again, without crying. |
| [03:22.63] | "How did it happen,Peggotty?"I asked, sobbing. “ |
| [03:27.64] | "She was ill for a long time,Master David. She got worse after the baby was born, you see. “ |
| [03:36.30] | She was sometimes unhappy and forgetful, but she was always the same to me, her old Peggotty. |
| [03:44.89] | Those two downstairs often spoke crossly to her and made her sad, but she still loved them, |
| [03:53.91] | you know—she was so sweet and loving! I always sat beside her while she went to sleep. |
| [04:02.74] | It made her feel better, she said. |
| [04:06.14] | There was a short silence while Peggotty dried her eyes, then took both my hands in hers. |
| [04:14.15] | "On the last night,she asked me for some water,and then gave me such a patient smile! She looked so beautiful! “ |
| [04:26.42] | The sun was beginning to rise, and she put her head on my arm, on her stupid cross old Peggotty's arm, |
| [04:36.28] | and died like an innocent child going to sleep! " |
| [04:43.97] | After my mother's funeral,I began to wonder what would happen to me. |
| [04:50.18] | The Murdstones did not even seem to notice that I was in the house. |
| [04:55.51] | They had told Peggotty to leave,as they did not what her as their servant any more, |
| [05:01.57] | so Peggotty was going to her brother's in Yarmouth, until she decided what work to do next. |
| [05:08.94] | She suggested taking me with her for a holiday, and to my surprise the Murdstones agreed. |
| [05:16.76] | So next morning Mr Barkis appeared at the door with his cart,and Peggotty's cases were put on it. |
| [05:25.70] | We climbed up and sat beside him. Peggotty was naturally a little sad to leave her old home, |
| [05:34.10] | where she had been so happy with my mother and me, and at first she cried a little. |
| [05:40.65] | But when Mr Barkis saw her drying her eyes and looking more cheerful, |
| [05:46.93] | he too began to look happier, and he whispered to me, "Barkis is willing! You told her that! " |
| [05:57.94] | Aloud he said to Peggotty,"Are you comfortable?" |
| [06:04.82] | Peggotty laughed and said that she was. |
| [06:09.08] | "And are you comfortable,Master David?"he asked. “ |
| [06:16.59] | I said that I was. |
| [06:19.99] | Mr Barkis was so pleased with this conversation that he repeated it many times during the journey, |
| [06:28.15] | and Peggotty and I both had to keep giving him the same answer. |
| [06:33.52] | When we arrived in Yarmouth and got down from the cart,we said goodbye to Mr Barkis. |
| [06:41.89] | Daniel and Ham Peggotty were waiting for us. |
| [06:46.08] | Daniel and Ham were exactly the same as I remembered them,cheerful and generous as ever, |
| [06:53.15] | but little Emily seemed different somehow. She was taller and prettier, |
| [07:00.50] | but she did not want to play with me, or spend her time with me. |
| [07:05.23] | I was rather disappointed, because I still considered she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, |
| [07:12.75] | and I thought I was in love with her. |
| [07:15.42] | Daniel and Ham were very proud of her intelligence and beauty, |
| [07:20.75] | and just smiled when she laughingly refused to sit next to me. |
| [07:26.19] | But they all listened with interest to my stories of school life at Salem House. |
| [07:32.22] | I told them about the other boys, especially the handsome, clever Steerforth. |
| [07:39.13] | I admired him so much that I could not stop myself telling them all about him. |
| [07:45.64] | Suddenly I noticed that Emily was listening eagerly, her blue eyes shining and a smile on her lips. |
| [07:53.77] | She blushed when she saw that we were all looking at her, and hid her face behind her hands. |
| [08:00.77] | "Emily's like me,"said Peggotty kindly,"and would like to see David's friend Mr Steerforth." “ |
| [08:08.88] | The days passed happily,although Emily and I did not play together as we had done before. |
| [08:16.10] | Mr Barkis wasa frequent visitor,and soon Peggotty explained to me that she had decided to marry him. |
| [08:24.98] | "I'll love you just as much, David, my dear, when I'm married! "she told me, holding me close to her. “ |
| [08:33.12] | "And I'll be able to come and see you in the cart any time I like. “ |
| [08:38.10] | Barkis is a good man and I'm sure I'll be happy with him. |
| [08:42.42] | He's got a nice little house,and I'll keep a little bedroom there for you to use whenever you want. |
| [08:49.20] | You'll always be welcome to come and stay! " |
| [08:52.61] | So when I returned to Blunderstone, Peggotty had become Mrs Barkis, |
| [08:59.32] | and I was glad to think of her in her own house,with a husband to take care of her. |
| [09:04.94] | At home, my stepfather and his sister did not seem pleased to see me, |
| [09:11.04] | and were clearly trying to find a way of getting rid of me. |
| [09:14.84] | As they considered school too expensive, they finally arranged for me to start work, |
| [09:21.44] | although I was still only ten years old, and very small for my age. |
| [09:26.87] | I was sent to London,to work in a warehouse in the east of the city, near the river. |
| [09:33.49] | My job was to wash bottles, which would then be filled with wine, or to pack the filled bottles in cases. |
| [09:42.32] | I was paid only six shillings a week. |
| [09:46.28] | There were several other boys who worked with me,but I was the only one who had been to school. |
| [09:52.96] | All the warehouse workers were coarse, rough people, who were used to working in dirty conditions for long hours. |
| [10:01.14] | No words can describe the horror I felt, when I realized what my life was going to be like from now on. |
| [10:09.60] | I was deeply ashamed at having such a job and I was also afraid that |
| [10:15.38] | I would forget everything I had learnt from my mother and my teachers. |
| [10:20.25] | I would never find friends like Traddles or Steerforth, or be able to get a better position in life. |
| [10:27.37] | It was an extremely unhappy time for me. |
| [10:31.58] | My stepfather had asked Mr Quinion, the manager, to find me somewhere to stay in London, |
| [10:39.96] | so at the end of my first day I was called to Mr Quinion's office |
| [10:45.14] | and introduced to an important-looking, rather fat,middle-aged man with a head as bald as an egg. |
| [10:53.12] | His name was Mr Micawber, and he offered me a spare room in the house he was renting with his family. |
| [11:01.08] | I agreed to take it, and Mr Micawber and I walked home together. |
| [11:06.92] | The Micawbers were obviously very poor, but tried hard not to let this show. |
| [11:13.97] | The house had several floors of rather dirty,empty rooms with very little furniture. |
| [11:21.81] | Mrs Micawber was a thin,tired-looking woman with a baby in her arms. |
| [11:28.29] | The baby was one of twins,and in all my experience of the family, |
| [11:33.82] | I never saw Mrs Micawber without at least one of the twins. |
| [11:38.77] | They also had a four-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter. |
| [11:44.02] | Their only servant was a young orphan girl. |
| [11:48.09] | "I never thought, "Mrs Micawber told me sadly as she showed me my room, " “ |
| [11:55.45] | when I lived with Mother and Father, before I was married,that I would ever be as poor as this. “ |
| [12:03.55] | But as Mr Micawber is for the moment in difficulties,I must of course accept the situation. |
| [12:11.82] | I'm afraid he owes a lot of money,but his creditors will just have to wait! |
| [12:18.42] | You can't get blood out of a stone, nor can anyone get any money at all out of Mr Micawber at present! " |
| [12:27.52] | I soon realized that neither Mr nor Mrs Micawger had ever been able to manage money. |
| [12:35.26] | The little that Mr Micawber earned was not enough, either to keep his creditors happy, |
| [12:41.45] | or to pay for the needs of his growing family. |
| [12:45.55] | So his creditors were constantly at the door, demanding payment, |
| [12:51.53] | and meals were rather irregular in the Micawber house. |
| [12:55.95] | Mr and Mrs Micawber's moods varied according to the situation. |
| [13:01.34] | One moment Mr Micawber looked extremely miserable and depressed, |
| [13:05.90] | the next he was brushing his shoes and singing a song before going out. |
| [13:11.22] | Mrs Micawber's character was similar to her husband's. |
| [13:15.29] | Sometimes I came home to find her lying on the floor,with her hair undone, looking wild and desperate, |
| [13:23.34] | but an hour later she was cheerfully eating a good supper. |
| [13:27.56] | I lived with these kind people for several months, and became very fond of them. |
| [13:34.36] | I bought my own food out of my wages,because I knew the Micawbers hardly ever had enough for themselves, |
| [13:41.57] | and I lived mostly on bread and cheese. |
| [13:44.32] | As they were so short of money, once or twice I offered to lend them a few shillings, |
| [13:50.21] | which they refused to accept. |
| [13:52.39] | But at last Mr Micawber's creditors became tired of waiting for their money,and went to the police, |
| [13:59.21] | who arrested him for debt. |
| [14:01.27] | He was taken to the King's Prison, and asked me to visit him there. |
| [14:05.93] | When I arrived,I was shown to his room, where he was waiting for me. |
| [14:10.75] | He seemed quite brokenhearted, and even cried a little. |
| [14:15.16] | "This is a black day for me,Copperfield! "he sobbed."I hope my mistakes will be a warning to young people like you! “ |
| [14:23.79] | Remember,if a man earns twenty pounds a year,and spends nineteen pounds and nineteen shillings, the result is happiness. |
| [14:35.29] | But if he spends twenty pounds and one shilling,the result is misery! |
| [14:42.38] | By the way, Copperfield，could you lend me a shilling for some beer? |
| [14:47.95] | Mrs Micawber will pay you back as soon as you arrive home. " |
| [14:51.79] | And when the beer arrived, he appeared much more cheerful. |
| [14:56.83] | We had a pleasant evening,telling stories and jokes. |
| [15:01.07] | He stayed in prison for several weeks, and I visited him regularly. |
| [15:06.54] | I was delighted to hear on one of my visits that he would soon be free, |
| [15:11.42] | as his creditors had unwillingly accepted the fact that he had no way of paying his debts. |
| [15:17.63] | I gave the news to Mrs Micawber when I returned home. |
| [15:21.59] | We celebrated by sharing our supper and a glass of wine together. |
| [15:26.90] | "May I ask what you will do, madam, when Mr Micawber is free?"I asked politely. “ |
| [15:34.53] | "My family,"said Mrs Micawber grandly,"believe that Mr Micawber should move to the country,to Devon, “ |
| [15:43.89] | and carry on his business interests there. Mr Micawber is a very clever man, Master Copperfield." |
| [15:51.67] | "I'm sure he is, "I agreed. “ |
| [15:54.30] | "Although they haven't found anything exactly right for him yet, “ |
| [15:59.88] | my family think he should be ready, in Devon, in case something turns up."She put down her empty glass. |
| [16:09.62] | "And will you be going with him, madam?"I asked. “ |
| [16:13.63] | "I must! I will! "Mrs Micawber's voice rose to a scream. “ |
| [16:18.19] | "He is my life! My love! My husband! The father of my children! “ |
| [16:22.75] | I will never desert Mr Micawber! You can't ask me to desert him! " |
| [16:27.45] | I felt very uncomfortable,as I had not asked her to desert him at all, |
| [16:33.31] | but she soon became calm again and finished her supper. |
| [16:37.21] | I was becoming used to the Micawbers'changes of mood. |
| [16:41.52] | I now realized that when the Micawbers left London,as they were planning to do,I would be very lonely in the city. |
| [16:49.98] | I still hated my work in the warehouse, and wanted to make a better life for myself. |
| [16:55.92] | I thought about it for a long time, and decided there was only one thing I could do. |
| [17:01.98] | I would try to find my one surviving relation,my father's aunt, Miss Betsey Trotwood,and ask her to help me. |
| [17:10.80] | I knew she lived somewhere near Dover,in Kent. |
| [17:15.11] | I could go there by coach, because Peggotty had once sent me ten shillings to keep,in case I ever needed it. |
| [17:22.25] | The time had come to use that money. |
| [00:28.98] | Chapter 3 David the orphan |
| [00:34.65] | Life went on as normal for me at school, until my birthday two months later in March. |
| [00:41.42] | I remember that day very well. It was cold, icy weather, |
| [00:46.79] | and we boys had to blow on our fingers and rub our hands to keep warm in the freezing classrooms. |
| [00:54.21] | When a message came for me to go and see Mr Creakle, I thought that Peggotty must have sent me a birthday present. |
| [01:03.12] | and so I hurried gladly along to his room. But there I realized something unusual had happened, |
| [01:11.59] | because it was Mr Creakle' s wife who was waiting to speak to me. |
| [01:16.25] | " David, my child, " she said kindly, holding my hand, " |
| [01:22.19] | " we all have to accept that our loved ones can die at any moment." " |
| [01:29.00] | I looked at her, trying to understand what she meant. |
| [01:34.05] | " I' m sorry to tell you, " she continued, " that your mother is dangerously ill." " |
| [01:42.52] | There was a mist in front of my eyes, and suddenly burning tears ran down my face. |
| [01:51.01] | I knew the truth. |
| [01:53.65] | " Your mother is dead, " she said. " |
| [01:58.12] | I was alreadysobbing loudly and I felt I was an orphan, quite alone in the world. |
| [02:06.16] | Mrs Creakle packed my case herself, and sent me home on the coach for the funeral. |
| [02:14.70] | I did not realize at the time that I would never return to Salem House. |
| [02:21.06] | When I arrived home, Peggotty met me at the door, and we cried miserably in each other' s arms. |
| [02:29.65] | Mr Murdstone seemed very sad, and did not speak to me at all. |
| [02:35.65] | Miss Murdstone, however, showed her usual firmness of character which she and her brother were so proud of |
| [02:44.69] | by checking that I had brought all my clothes back from school. |
| [02:49.32] | After that she showed no interest in me at all. |
| [02:54.52] | There was a deathly stillness in the house. |
| [02:58.11] | Peggotty took me up to the room where my dear mother' s dead body lay, |
| [03:04.48] | with my little brother, who had died a few hours after her. |
| [03:09.16] | Everything was fresh and clean in the room, but I could not look at my mother' s lovely face, |
| [03:17.40] | which would never smile at me again, without crying. |
| [03:22.63] | " How did it happen, Peggotty?" I asked, sobbing. " |
| [03:27.64] | " She was ill for a long time, Master David. She got worse after the baby was born, you see. " |
| [03:36.30] | She was sometimes unhappy and forgetful, but she was always the same to me, her old Peggotty. |
| [03:44.89] | Those two downstairs often spoke crossly to her and made her sad, but she still loved them, |
| [03:53.91] | you know she was so sweet and loving! I always sat beside her while she went to sleep. |
| [04:02.74] | It made her feel better, she said. |
| [04:06.14] | There was a short silence while Peggotty dried her eyes, then took both my hands in hers. |
| [04:14.15] | " On the last night, she asked me for some water, and then gave me such a patient smile! She looked so beautiful! " |
| [04:26.42] | The sun was beginning to rise, and she put her head on my arm, on her stupid cross old Peggotty' s arm, |
| [04:36.28] | and died like an innocent child going to sleep! " |
| [04:43.97] | After my mother' s funeral, I began to wonder what would happen to me. |
| [04:50.18] | The Murdstones did not even seem to notice that I was in the house. |
| [04:55.51] | They had told Peggotty to leave, as they did not what her as their servant any more, |
| [05:01.57] | so Peggotty was going to her brother' s in Yarmouth, until she decided what work to do next. |
| [05:08.94] | She suggested taking me with her for a holiday, and to my surprise the Murdstones agreed. |
| [05:16.76] | So next morning Mr Barkis appeared at the door with his cart, and Peggotty' s cases were put on it. |
| [05:25.70] | We climbed up and sat beside him. Peggotty was naturally a little sad to leave her old home, |
| [05:34.10] | where she had been so happy with my mother and me, and at first she cried a little. |
| [05:40.65] | But when Mr Barkis saw her drying her eyes and looking more cheerful, |
| [05:46.93] | he too began to look happier, and he whispered to me, " Barkis is willing! You told her that! " |
| [05:57.94] | Aloud he said to Peggotty," Are you comfortable?" |
| [06:04.82] | Peggotty laughed and said that she was. |
| [06:09.08] | " And are you comfortable, Master David?" he asked. " |
| [06:16.59] | I said that I was. |
| [06:19.99] | Mr Barkis was so pleased with this conversation that he repeated it many times during the journey, |
| [06:28.15] | and Peggotty and I both had to keep giving him the same answer. |
| [06:33.52] | When we arrived in Yarmouth and got down from the cart, we said goodbye to Mr Barkis. |
| [06:41.89] | Daniel and Ham Peggotty were waiting for us. |
| [06:46.08] | Daniel and Ham were exactly the same as I remembered them, cheerful and generous as ever, |
| [06:53.15] | but little Emily seemed different somehow. She was taller and prettier, |
| [07:00.50] | but she did not want to play with me, or spend her time with me. |
| [07:05.23] | I was rather disappointed, because I still considered she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, |
| [07:12.75] | and I thought I was in love with her. |
| [07:15.42] | Daniel and Ham were very proud of her intelligence and beauty, |
| [07:20.75] | and just smiled when she laughingly refused to sit next to me. |
| [07:26.19] | But they all listened with interest to my stories of school life at Salem House. |
| [07:32.22] | I told them about the other boys, especially the handsome, clever Steerforth. |
| [07:39.13] | I admired him so much that I could not stop myself telling them all about him. |
| [07:45.64] | Suddenly I noticed that Emily was listening eagerly, her blue eyes shining and a smile on her lips. |
| [07:53.77] | She blushed when she saw that we were all looking at her, and hid her face behind her hands. |
| [08:00.77] | " Emily' s like me," said Peggotty kindly," and would like to see David' s friend Mr Steerforth." " |
| [08:08.88] | The days passed happily, although Emily and I did not play together as we had done before. |
| [08:16.10] | Mr Barkis wasa frequent visitor, and soon Peggotty explained to me that she had decided to marry him. |
| [08:24.98] | " I' ll love you just as much, David, my dear, when I' m married! " she told me, holding me close to her. " |
| [08:33.12] | " And I' ll be able to come and see you in the cart any time I like. " |
| [08:38.10] | Barkis is a good man and I' m sure I' ll be happy with him. |
| [08:42.42] | He' s got a nice little house, and I' ll keep a little bedroom there for you to use whenever you want. |
| [08:49.20] | You' ll always be welcome to come and stay! " |
| [08:52.61] | So when I returned to Blunderstone, Peggotty had become Mrs Barkis, |
| [08:59.32] | and I was glad to think of her in her own house, with a husband to take care of her. |
| [09:04.94] | At home, my stepfather and his sister did not seem pleased to see me, |
| [09:11.04] | and were clearly trying to find a way of getting rid of me. |
| [09:14.84] | As they considered school too expensive, they finally arranged for me to start work, |
| [09:21.44] | although I was still only ten years old, and very small for my age. |
| [09:26.87] | I was sent to London, to work in a warehouse in the east of the city, near the river. |
| [09:33.49] | My job was to wash bottles, which would then be filled with wine, or to pack the filled bottles in cases. |
| [09:42.32] | I was paid only six shillings a week. |
| [09:46.28] | There were several other boys who worked with me, but I was the only one who had been to school. |
| [09:52.96] | All the warehouse workers were coarse, rough people, who were used to working in dirty conditions for long hours. |
| [10:01.14] | No words can describe the horror I felt, when I realized what my life was going to be like from now on. |
| [10:09.60] | I was deeply ashamed at having such a job and I was also afraid that |
| [10:15.38] | I would forget everything I had learnt from my mother and my teachers. |
| [10:20.25] | I would never find friends like Traddles or Steerforth, or be able to get a better position in life. |
| [10:27.37] | It was an extremely unhappy time for me. |
| [10:31.58] | My stepfather had asked Mr Quinion, the manager, to find me somewhere to stay in London, |
| [10:39.96] | so at the end of my first day I was called to Mr Quinion' s office |
| [10:45.14] | and introduced to an importantlooking, rather fat, middleaged man with a head as bald as an egg. |
| [10:53.12] | His name was Mr Micawber, and he offered me a spare room in the house he was renting with his family. |
| [11:01.08] | I agreed to take it, and Mr Micawber and I walked home together. |
| [11:06.92] | The Micawbers were obviously very poor, but tried hard not to let this show. |
| [11:13.97] | The house had several floors of rather dirty, empty rooms with very little furniture. |
| [11:21.81] | Mrs Micawber was a thin, tiredlooking woman with a baby in her arms. |
| [11:28.29] | The baby was one of twins, and in all my experience of the family, |
| [11:33.82] | I never saw Mrs Micawber without at least one of the twins. |
| [11:38.77] | They also had a fouryearold son and a threeyearold daughter. |
| [11:44.02] | Their only servant was a young orphan girl. |
| [11:48.09] | " I never thought, " Mrs Micawber told me sadly as she showed me my room, " " |
| [11:55.45] | when I lived with Mother and Father, before I was married, that I would ever be as poor as this. " |
| [12:03.55] | But as Mr Micawber is for the moment in difficulties, I must of course accept the situation. |
| [12:11.82] | I' m afraid he owes a lot of money, but his creditors will just have to wait! |
| [12:18.42] | You can' t get blood out of a stone, nor can anyone get any money at all out of Mr Micawber at present! " |
| [12:27.52] | I soon realized that neither Mr nor Mrs Micawger had ever been able to manage money. |
| [12:35.26] | The little that Mr Micawber earned was not enough, either to keep his creditors happy, |
| [12:41.45] | or to pay for the needs of his growing family. |
| [12:45.55] | So his creditors were constantly at the door, demanding payment, |
| [12:51.53] | and meals were rather irregular in the Micawber house. |
| [12:55.95] | Mr and Mrs Micawber' s moods varied according to the situation. |
| [13:01.34] | One moment Mr Micawber looked extremely miserable and depressed, |
| [13:05.90] | the next he was brushing his shoes and singing a song before going out. |
| [13:11.22] | Mrs Micawber' s character was similar to her husband' s. |
| [13:15.29] | Sometimes I came home to find her lying on the floor, with her hair undone, looking wild and desperate, |
| [13:23.34] | but an hour later she was cheerfully eating a good supper. |
| [13:27.56] | I lived with these kind people for several months, and became very fond of them. |
| [13:34.36] | I bought my own food out of my wages, because I knew the Micawbers hardly ever had enough for themselves, |
| [13:41.57] | and I lived mostly on bread and cheese. |
| [13:44.32] | As they were so short of money, once or twice I offered to lend them a few shillings, |
| [13:50.21] | which they refused to accept. |
| [13:52.39] | But at last Mr Micawber' s creditors became tired of waiting for their money, and went to the police, |
| [13:59.21] | who arrested him for debt. |
| [14:01.27] | He was taken to the King' s Prison, and asked me to visit him there. |
| [14:05.93] | When I arrived, I was shown to his room, where he was waiting for me. |
| [14:10.75] | He seemed quite brokenhearted, and even cried a little. |
| [14:15.16] | " This is a black day for me, Copperfield! " he sobbed." I hope my mistakes will be a warning to young people like you! " |
| [14:23.79] | Remember, if a man earns twenty pounds a year, and spends nineteen pounds and nineteen shillings, the result is happiness. |
| [14:35.29] | But if he spends twenty pounds and one shilling, the result is misery! |
| [14:42.38] | By the way, Copperfield, could you lend me a shilling for some beer? |
| [14:47.95] | Mrs Micawber will pay you back as soon as you arrive home. " |
| [14:51.79] | And when the beer arrived, he appeared much more cheerful. |
| [14:56.83] | We had a pleasant evening, telling stories and jokes. |
| [15:01.07] | He stayed in prison for several weeks, and I visited him regularly. |
| [15:06.54] | I was delighted to hear on one of my visits that he would soon be free, |
| [15:11.42] | as his creditors had unwillingly accepted the fact that he had no way of paying his debts. |
| [15:17.63] | I gave the news to Mrs Micawber when I returned home. |
| [15:21.59] | We celebrated by sharing our supper and a glass of wine together. |
| [15:26.90] | " May I ask what you will do, madam, when Mr Micawber is free?" I asked politely. " |
| [15:34.53] | " My family," said Mrs Micawber grandly," believe that Mr Micawber should move to the country, to Devon, " |
| [15:43.89] | and carry on his business interests there. Mr Micawber is a very clever man, Master Copperfield." |
| [15:51.67] | " I' m sure he is, " I agreed. " |
| [15:54.30] | " Although they haven' t found anything exactly right for him yet, " |
| [15:59.88] | my family think he should be ready, in Devon, in case something turns up." She put down her empty glass. |
| [16:09.62] | " And will you be going with him, madam?" I asked. " |
| [16:13.63] | " I must! I will! " Mrs Micawber' s voice rose to a scream. " |
| [16:18.19] | " He is my life! My love! My husband! The father of my children! " |
| [16:22.75] | I will never desert Mr Micawber! You can' t ask me to desert him! " |
| [16:27.45] | I felt very uncomfortable, as I had not asked her to desert him at all, |
| [16:33.31] | but she soon became calm again and finished her supper. |
| [16:37.21] | I was becoming used to the Micawbers' changes of mood. |
| [16:41.52] | I now realized that when the Micawbers left London, as they were planning to do, I would be very lonely in the city. |
| [16:49.98] | I still hated my work in the warehouse, and wanted to make a better life for myself. |
| [16:55.92] | I thought about it for a long time, and decided there was only one thing I could do. |
| [17:01.98] | I would try to find my one surviving relation, my father' s aunt, Miss Betsey Trotwood, and ask her to help me. |
| [17:10.80] | I knew she lived somewhere near Dover, in Kent. |
| [17:15.11] | I could go there by coach, because Peggotty had once sent me ten shillings to keep, in case I ever needed it. |
| [17:22.25] | The time had come to use that money. |
| [00:28.98] | Chapter 3 David the orphan |
| [00:34.65] | Life went on as normal for me at school, until my birthday two months later in March. |
| [00:41.42] | I remember that day very well. It was cold, icy weather, |
| [00:46.79] | and we boys had to blow on our fingers and rub our hands to keep warm in the freezing classrooms. |
| [00:54.21] | When a message came for me to go and see Mr Creakle, I thought that Peggotty must have sent me a birthday present. |
| [01:03.12] | and so I hurried gladly along to his room. But there I realized something unusual had happened, |
| [01:11.59] | because it was Mr Creakle' s wife who was waiting to speak to me. |
| [01:16.25] | " David, my child, " she said kindly, holding my hand, " |
| [01:22.19] | " we all have to accept that our loved ones can die at any moment." " |
| [01:29.00] | I looked at her, trying to understand what she meant. |
| [01:34.05] | " I' m sorry to tell you, " she continued, " that your mother is dangerously ill." " |
| [01:42.52] | There was a mist in front of my eyes, and suddenly burning tears ran down my face. |
| [01:51.01] | I knew the truth. |
| [01:53.65] | " Your mother is dead, " she said. " |
| [01:58.12] | I was alreadysobbing loudly and I felt I was an orphan, quite alone in the world. |
| [02:06.16] | Mrs Creakle packed my case herself, and sent me home on the coach for the funeral. |
| [02:14.70] | I did not realize at the time that I would never return to Salem House. |
| [02:21.06] | When I arrived home, Peggotty met me at the door, and we cried miserably in each other' s arms. |
| [02:29.65] | Mr Murdstone seemed very sad, and did not speak to me at all. |
| [02:35.65] | Miss Murdstone, however, showed her usual firmness of character which she and her brother were so proud of |
| [02:44.69] | by checking that I had brought all my clothes back from school. |
| [02:49.32] | After that she showed no interest in me at all. |
| [02:54.52] | There was a deathly stillness in the house. |
| [02:58.11] | Peggotty took me up to the room where my dear mother' s dead body lay, |
| [03:04.48] | with my little brother, who had died a few hours after her. |
| [03:09.16] | Everything was fresh and clean in the room, but I could not look at my mother' s lovely face, |
| [03:17.40] | which would never smile at me again, without crying. |
| [03:22.63] | " How did it happen, Peggotty?" I asked, sobbing. " |
| [03:27.64] | " She was ill for a long time, Master David. She got worse after the baby was born, you see. " |
| [03:36.30] | She was sometimes unhappy and forgetful, but she was always the same to me, her old Peggotty. |
| [03:44.89] | Those two downstairs often spoke crossly to her and made her sad, but she still loved them, |
| [03:53.91] | you know she was so sweet and loving! I always sat beside her while she went to sleep. |
| [04:02.74] | It made her feel better, she said. |
| [04:06.14] | There was a short silence while Peggotty dried her eyes, then took both my hands in hers. |
| [04:14.15] | " On the last night, she asked me for some water, and then gave me such a patient smile! She looked so beautiful! " |
| [04:26.42] | The sun was beginning to rise, and she put her head on my arm, on her stupid cross old Peggotty' s arm, |
| [04:36.28] | and died like an innocent child going to sleep! " |
| [04:43.97] | After my mother' s funeral, I began to wonder what would happen to me. |
| [04:50.18] | The Murdstones did not even seem to notice that I was in the house. |
| [04:55.51] | They had told Peggotty to leave, as they did not what her as their servant any more, |
| [05:01.57] | so Peggotty was going to her brother' s in Yarmouth, until she decided what work to do next. |
| [05:08.94] | She suggested taking me with her for a holiday, and to my surprise the Murdstones agreed. |
| [05:16.76] | So next morning Mr Barkis appeared at the door with his cart, and Peggotty' s cases were put on it. |
| [05:25.70] | We climbed up and sat beside him. Peggotty was naturally a little sad to leave her old home, |
| [05:34.10] | where she had been so happy with my mother and me, and at first she cried a little. |
| [05:40.65] | But when Mr Barkis saw her drying her eyes and looking more cheerful, |
| [05:46.93] | he too began to look happier, and he whispered to me, " Barkis is willing! You told her that! " |
| [05:57.94] | Aloud he said to Peggotty," Are you comfortable?" |
| [06:04.82] | Peggotty laughed and said that she was. |
| [06:09.08] | " And are you comfortable, Master David?" he asked. " |
| [06:16.59] | I said that I was. |
| [06:19.99] | Mr Barkis was so pleased with this conversation that he repeated it many times during the journey, |
| [06:28.15] | and Peggotty and I both had to keep giving him the same answer. |
| [06:33.52] | When we arrived in Yarmouth and got down from the cart, we said goodbye to Mr Barkis. |
| [06:41.89] | Daniel and Ham Peggotty were waiting for us. |
| [06:46.08] | Daniel and Ham were exactly the same as I remembered them, cheerful and generous as ever, |
| [06:53.15] | but little Emily seemed different somehow. She was taller and prettier, |
| [07:00.50] | but she did not want to play with me, or spend her time with me. |
| [07:05.23] | I was rather disappointed, because I still considered she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, |
| [07:12.75] | and I thought I was in love with her. |
| [07:15.42] | Daniel and Ham were very proud of her intelligence and beauty, |
| [07:20.75] | and just smiled when she laughingly refused to sit next to me. |
| [07:26.19] | But they all listened with interest to my stories of school life at Salem House. |
| [07:32.22] | I told them about the other boys, especially the handsome, clever Steerforth. |
| [07:39.13] | I admired him so much that I could not stop myself telling them all about him. |
| [07:45.64] | Suddenly I noticed that Emily was listening eagerly, her blue eyes shining and a smile on her lips. |
| [07:53.77] | She blushed when she saw that we were all looking at her, and hid her face behind her hands. |
| [08:00.77] | " Emily' s like me," said Peggotty kindly," and would like to see David' s friend Mr Steerforth." " |
| [08:08.88] | The days passed happily, although Emily and I did not play together as we had done before. |
| [08:16.10] | Mr Barkis wasa frequent visitor, and soon Peggotty explained to me that she had decided to marry him. |
| [08:24.98] | " I' ll love you just as much, David, my dear, when I' m married! " she told me, holding me close to her. " |
| [08:33.12] | " And I' ll be able to come and see you in the cart any time I like. " |
| [08:38.10] | Barkis is a good man and I' m sure I' ll be happy with him. |
| [08:42.42] | He' s got a nice little house, and I' ll keep a little bedroom there for you to use whenever you want. |
| [08:49.20] | You' ll always be welcome to come and stay! " |
| [08:52.61] | So when I returned to Blunderstone, Peggotty had become Mrs Barkis, |
| [08:59.32] | and I was glad to think of her in her own house, with a husband to take care of her. |
| [09:04.94] | At home, my stepfather and his sister did not seem pleased to see me, |
| [09:11.04] | and were clearly trying to find a way of getting rid of me. |
| [09:14.84] | As they considered school too expensive, they finally arranged for me to start work, |
| [09:21.44] | although I was still only ten years old, and very small for my age. |
| [09:26.87] | I was sent to London, to work in a warehouse in the east of the city, near the river. |
| [09:33.49] | My job was to wash bottles, which would then be filled with wine, or to pack the filled bottles in cases. |
| [09:42.32] | I was paid only six shillings a week. |
| [09:46.28] | There were several other boys who worked with me, but I was the only one who had been to school. |
| [09:52.96] | All the warehouse workers were coarse, rough people, who were used to working in dirty conditions for long hours. |
| [10:01.14] | No words can describe the horror I felt, when I realized what my life was going to be like from now on. |
| [10:09.60] | I was deeply ashamed at having such a job and I was also afraid that |
| [10:15.38] | I would forget everything I had learnt from my mother and my teachers. |
| [10:20.25] | I would never find friends like Traddles or Steerforth, or be able to get a better position in life. |
| [10:27.37] | It was an extremely unhappy time for me. |
| [10:31.58] | My stepfather had asked Mr Quinion, the manager, to find me somewhere to stay in London, |
| [10:39.96] | so at the end of my first day I was called to Mr Quinion' s office |
| [10:45.14] | and introduced to an importantlooking, rather fat, middleaged man with a head as bald as an egg. |
| [10:53.12] | His name was Mr Micawber, and he offered me a spare room in the house he was renting with his family. |
| [11:01.08] | I agreed to take it, and Mr Micawber and I walked home together. |
| [11:06.92] | The Micawbers were obviously very poor, but tried hard not to let this show. |
| [11:13.97] | The house had several floors of rather dirty, empty rooms with very little furniture. |
| [11:21.81] | Mrs Micawber was a thin, tiredlooking woman with a baby in her arms. |
| [11:28.29] | The baby was one of twins, and in all my experience of the family, |
| [11:33.82] | I never saw Mrs Micawber without at least one of the twins. |
| [11:38.77] | They also had a fouryearold son and a threeyearold daughter. |
| [11:44.02] | Their only servant was a young orphan girl. |
| [11:48.09] | " I never thought, " Mrs Micawber told me sadly as she showed me my room, " " |
| [11:55.45] | when I lived with Mother and Father, before I was married, that I would ever be as poor as this. " |
| [12:03.55] | But as Mr Micawber is for the moment in difficulties, I must of course accept the situation. |
| [12:11.82] | I' m afraid he owes a lot of money, but his creditors will just have to wait! |
| [12:18.42] | You can' t get blood out of a stone, nor can anyone get any money at all out of Mr Micawber at present! " |
| [12:27.52] | I soon realized that neither Mr nor Mrs Micawger had ever been able to manage money. |
| [12:35.26] | The little that Mr Micawber earned was not enough, either to keep his creditors happy, |
| [12:41.45] | or to pay for the needs of his growing family. |
| [12:45.55] | So his creditors were constantly at the door, demanding payment, |
| [12:51.53] | and meals were rather irregular in the Micawber house. |
| [12:55.95] | Mr and Mrs Micawber' s moods varied according to the situation. |
| [13:01.34] | One moment Mr Micawber looked extremely miserable and depressed, |
| [13:05.90] | the next he was brushing his shoes and singing a song before going out. |
| [13:11.22] | Mrs Micawber' s character was similar to her husband' s. |
| [13:15.29] | Sometimes I came home to find her lying on the floor, with her hair undone, looking wild and desperate, |
| [13:23.34] | but an hour later she was cheerfully eating a good supper. |
| [13:27.56] | I lived with these kind people for several months, and became very fond of them. |
| [13:34.36] | I bought my own food out of my wages, because I knew the Micawbers hardly ever had enough for themselves, |
| [13:41.57] | and I lived mostly on bread and cheese. |
| [13:44.32] | As they were so short of money, once or twice I offered to lend them a few shillings, |
| [13:50.21] | which they refused to accept. |
| [13:52.39] | But at last Mr Micawber' s creditors became tired of waiting for their money, and went to the police, |
| [13:59.21] | who arrested him for debt. |
| [14:01.27] | He was taken to the King' s Prison, and asked me to visit him there. |
| [14:05.93] | When I arrived, I was shown to his room, where he was waiting for me. |
| [14:10.75] | He seemed quite brokenhearted, and even cried a little. |
| [14:15.16] | " This is a black day for me, Copperfield! " he sobbed." I hope my mistakes will be a warning to young people like you! " |
| [14:23.79] | Remember, if a man earns twenty pounds a year, and spends nineteen pounds and nineteen shillings, the result is happiness. |
| [14:35.29] | But if he spends twenty pounds and one shilling, the result is misery! |
| [14:42.38] | By the way, Copperfield, could you lend me a shilling for some beer? |
| [14:47.95] | Mrs Micawber will pay you back as soon as you arrive home. " |
| [14:51.79] | And when the beer arrived, he appeared much more cheerful. |
| [14:56.83] | We had a pleasant evening, telling stories and jokes. |
| [15:01.07] | He stayed in prison for several weeks, and I visited him regularly. |
| [15:06.54] | I was delighted to hear on one of my visits that he would soon be free, |
| [15:11.42] | as his creditors had unwillingly accepted the fact that he had no way of paying his debts. |
| [15:17.63] | I gave the news to Mrs Micawber when I returned home. |
| [15:21.59] | We celebrated by sharing our supper and a glass of wine together. |
| [15:26.90] | " May I ask what you will do, madam, when Mr Micawber is free?" I asked politely. " |
| [15:34.53] | " My family," said Mrs Micawber grandly," believe that Mr Micawber should move to the country, to Devon, " |
| [15:43.89] | and carry on his business interests there. Mr Micawber is a very clever man, Master Copperfield." |
| [15:51.67] | " I' m sure he is, " I agreed. " |
| [15:54.30] | " Although they haven' t found anything exactly right for him yet, " |
| [15:59.88] | my family think he should be ready, in Devon, in case something turns up." She put down her empty glass. |
| [16:09.62] | " And will you be going with him, madam?" I asked. " |
| [16:13.63] | " I must! I will! " Mrs Micawber' s voice rose to a scream. " |
| [16:18.19] | " He is my life! My love! My husband! The father of my children! " |
| [16:22.75] | I will never desert Mr Micawber! You can' t ask me to desert him! " |
| [16:27.45] | I felt very uncomfortable, as I had not asked her to desert him at all, |
| [16:33.31] | but she soon became calm again and finished her supper. |
| [16:37.21] | I was becoming used to the Micawbers' changes of mood. |
| [16:41.52] | I now realized that when the Micawbers left London, as they were planning to do, I would be very lonely in the city. |
| [16:49.98] | I still hated my work in the warehouse, and wanted to make a better life for myself. |
| [16:55.92] | I thought about it for a long time, and decided there was only one thing I could do. |
| [17:01.98] | I would try to find my one surviving relation, my father' s aunt, Miss Betsey Trotwood, and ask her to help me. |
| [17:10.80] | I knew she lived somewhere near Dover, in Kent. |
| [17:15.11] | I could go there by coach, because Peggotty had once sent me ten shillings to keep, in case I ever needed it. |
| [17:22.25] | The time had come to use that money. |
| [ti:] | |
| [ar:] | |
| [al:] | |
| [00:28.98] | 第3章 孤儿大卫 |
| [00:34.65] | 学校生活一切照常，直到两个月后我三月份生日的那天。 |
| [00:41.42] | 我对那天的情景记忆犹新。那是个寒冷冰冷的一天， |
| [00:46.79] | 孩子们坐在冰冷的教室里不得不哈着热气搓手取暖。 |
| [00:54.21] | 有人带给我口信让我去见克里古尔先生，我以为是辟果提给我送生日礼物来了， |
| [01:03.12] | 所以兴冲冲地来到了他的房间。一到那儿我意识到事情有些异常， |
| [01:11.59] | 因为是克里古尔先生的妻子等在那里，准备跟我谈话。 |
| [01:16.25] | 大卫，孩子，”她握住我的手温和地说道， |
| [01:22.19] | 我们都必须有思想准备，我们的亲人会随时离开我们。” |
| [01:29.00] | 我看着她，竭力想理解她的意思。 |
| [01:34.05] | 我很难过，”她继续道，“你母亲病得很厉害。” |
| [01:42.52] | 我的眼前一片模糊，忽地，眼泪顺着脸颊往下流。 |
| [01:51.01] | 我知道了真相。 |
| [01:53.65] | 你母亲死了，”她说。 |
| [01:58.12] | 我大声地哭开了，感觉到自己已是个孤儿，孤单单一个人活在这世上。 |
| [02:06.16] | 克里古尔夫人亲自为我收拾行李，把我送上马车，回家参加葬礼。 |
| [02:14.70] | 我当时没有想到我再也不能回萨伦学校了。 |
| [02:21.06] | 我到家时，辟果提在门口迎我，我们俩抱头痛哭。 |
| [02:29.65] | 摩德斯通先生似乎很悲伤，几乎不跟我说话。 |
| [02:35.65] | 摩德斯通小姐则带着她一惯严肃的表情（她和她兄弟都以此为荣） |
| [02:44.69] | 检查了一下我是否把我在学校的衣物都拿回来了。 |
| [02:49.32] | 之后，她对我不再有任何兴趣。 |
| [02:54.52] | 家里面死一般地寂静。 |
| [02:58.11] | 辟果提把我带到楼上安放我母亲遗体的房间， |
| [03:04.48] | 还有我的小弟弟的遗体，他是在母亲去世数小时后死去的。 |
| [03:09.16] | 房间里每一件东西都清新整洁，可我看不见母亲动人的脸， |
| [03:17.40] | 它再也不会对着我微笑，再也不会哭泣。 |
| [03:22.63] | 怎么会这样，辟果提？”我抽泣着问道。 |
| [03:27.64] | 她病了很长时间，大卫少爷。生完孩子后身体更虚了，你知道。 |
| [03:36.30] | 她有时会闷闷不乐，而且容易忘事。但在我，在她的老辟果提看来，她一直没变。 |
| [03:44.89] | 楼下那两位时常怒斥她，令她难堪，可她依然爱他们， |
| [03:53.91] | 你知道——她是那么的恬静可爱！她睡觉时我总坐在她身边， |
| [04:02.74] | 她说这样她感觉好受多了。” |
| [04:06.14] | 辟果提停了片刻，擦了擦眼泪，然后握住我的双手， |
| [04:14.15] | 最后那天晚上，她向我要了点水喝，然后冲我那么欣慰地笑了笑！她看上去美极了！ |
| [04:26.42] | 太阳开始升起，她把手枕在我的胳膊上，枕在她笨拙的老辟果提的胳膊上， |
| [04:36.28] | 像天真的孩童一般睡着了，永远地睡着了。” |
| [04:43.97] | 母亲的葬礼结束后，我开始考虑我今后的安排。 |
| [04:50.18] | 摩德斯通姐弟像是压根儿没注意到我的存在。 |
| [04:55.51] | 他们叫辟果提离开，因为他们不想继续雇佣她。 |
| [05:01.57] | 所以辟果提准备先去雅茅斯她兄弟家，直到她决定下一步干什么为止。 |
| [05:08.94] | 她提出来想带我一起去度假，奇怪的是摩德斯通姐弟居然答应了。 |
| [05:16.76] | 就这样，第二天一早巴克斯先生驾着他的马车出现在门口，辟果提的行李随即被搬上了车。 |
| [05:25.70] | 我们爬上马车，坐在他身边。就要离开旧居， |
| [05:34.10] | 离开她曾经和我母亲度过快乐时光的地方，辟果提自然有些伤感，刚启动她就轻轻地哭泣起来。 |
| [05:40.65] | 可后来，当巴克斯先生看见她擦干了眼泪，情绪好了些时， |
| [05:46.93] | 他自己也愉快了许多，他悄声对我说：“巴克斯很愿意！你是那么说的吧！” |
| [05:57.94] | 他提高嗓门对辟果提说：“你感觉舒服点了吗？” |
| [06:04.82] | 辟果提笑了，并回答说是的。 |
| [06:09.08] | 你舒服点了吗，大卫少爷？”他问。 |
| [06:16.59] | 我说是的。 |
| [06:19.99] | 巴克斯先生对这句话是如此的满意以致于一路上重复问了好几遍， |
| [06:28.15] | 辟果提和我只好一遍一遍给他同样的答复。 |
| [06:33.52] | 我们到达雅茅斯，下了马车，与巴克斯先生道别。 |
| [06:41.89] | 丹尼尔和哈姆·辟果提在那里迎接我们。 |
| [06:46.08] | 丹尼尔和哈姆和我记忆中的模样无异，依旧那么开心，那么坦荡， |
| [06:53.15] | 而小埃米莉却多少有些不同。她长高了，也更漂亮了， |
| [07:00.50] | 可她不再愿意和我一起玩，不情愿跟我呆在一起。 |
| [07:05.23] | 我很失望，因为我仍然认为她是我见过的最美丽的女孩， |
| [07:12.75] | 我想我爱上了她。 |
| [07:15.42] | 丹尼尔和哈姆很为她的聪慧和美丽而自豪， |
| [07:20.75] | 当她笑着拒绝坐到我身边时，他们只是报以一笑。 |
| [07:26.19] | 但他们都饶有兴趣地听我讲叙萨伦学校的故事。 |
| [07:32.22] | 我跟他们讲其他孩子，尤其是那位英俊聪明的斯提福兹， |
| [07:39.13] | 我是如此佩服他以致于不停地告诉他们有关他的所有的事。 |
| [07:45.64] | 突然，我注意到小埃米莉听得非常出神，她的蓝眼睛扑闪扑闪的，嘴角挂着笑容。 |
| [07:53.77] | 当她发现我们大家都看着她时，她脸红了，并用双手捂住了自己的脸。 |
| [08:00.77] | 小埃米莉跟我一样，”辟果提友好地说，“都想见见大卫的这位朋友——斯提福兹先生。” |
| [08:08.88] | 那些天过得很愉快，尽管埃米莉和我不像以前那样一块儿玩了。 |
| [08:16.10] | 巴克斯先生是这儿的常客，很快，辟果提向我解释，她决定嫁给他。 |
| [08:24.98] | 我结婚后会照样爱你，大卫，亲爱的，”她把我拉到跟前说， |
| [08:33.12] | 我随时都会坐车去看你。 |
| [08:38.10] | 巴克斯是个好人，我相信跟他一起生活会很快乐。 |
| [08:42.42] | 他有一所很不错的小房子，我会在那儿给你留一个小卧室，以备你随时歇脚之用。 |
| [08:49.20] | 你的到来是永远受欢迎的。” |
| [08:52.61] | 就这样，当我回到布兰德斯通时，辟果提已经成了巴克斯太太了。 |
| [08:59.32] | 想到她能住上自己的房子，并有丈夫照顾她，我就很高兴。 |
| [09:04.94] | 到家中，继父和他姐姐似乎并不乐意见到我， |
| [09:11.04] | 很明显，他们正设法寻找打发我的办法。 |
| [09:14.84] | 因为考虑到学校开销太大，最后他们决定给我安排工作， |
| [09:21.44] | 尽管我当时只有10岁，并且看上去不到10岁。 |
| [09:26.87] | 我被送到伦敦，在市区东郊一条小河旁的仓库里工作。 |
| [09:33.49] | 我的工作是洗刷那些用来装酒的瓶子，或者把灌了酒的瓶子集装成箱。 |
| [09:42.32] | 他们只付我一星期6先令的工钱。 |
| [09:46.28] | 那儿还有其他一些孩子和我一起干活，但我是唯一上过学的。 |
| [09:52.96] | 所有仓库工人都很粗鲁、庸俗，他们已经习惯于在肮脏的环境下连续工作数小时。 |
| [10:01.14] | 当我意识到我的生活从此之后便是这个模样，我就产生一种不可名状的恐惧。 |
| [10:09.60] | 我为做这样的工作感到十分羞愧，我害怕 |
| [10:15.38] | 我会把母亲和老师们教给我的知识都忘光。 |
| [10:20.25] | 我再也找不到像特拉德和斯提福兹那样的朋友了，也不可能有更好的生活境遇。 |
| [10:27.37] | 那一段生活我过得很不愉快。 |
| [10:31.58] | 我继父要求经理奎宁先生为我在伦敦寻找一处住处， |
| [10:39.96] | 所以第一天工作结束后我被叫到奎宁先生的办公室， |
| [10:45.14] | 并认识了一位大人物长相、脑袋像鸡蛋一样光亮的肥胖的中年男子， |
| [10:53.12] | 他叫米考伯先生。他给我提供了他们家正租用着的一所房子的一间空房， |
| [11:01.08] | 我答应接受，于是米考伯先生和我就一同回家了。 |
| [11:06.92] | 米考伯先生一家显然穷困潦倒，但他们尽量掩饰这一点。 |
| [11:13.97] | 房子分为数层，有几间肮脏不堪的空房间，没什么家具。 |
| [11:21.81] | 米考伯太太是个消瘦、一脸倦容的女人，怀里抱着婴儿， |
| [11:28.29] | 婴儿是双胞胎中的一个。我和这个家相处的经历中 |
| [11:33.82] | 从未见到米考伯太太没抱孩子的时候。 |
| [11:38.77] | 他们还有一个4岁的男孩和一个3岁的女孩。 |
| [11:44.02] | 他们唯一的保姆是一个小孤儿。 |
| [11:48.09] | 我从未想到，”米考伯太太带我看房间的时候伤心地说， |
| [11:55.45] | 我结婚前和父母住在一起的时候，我从未想到我会穷到这个地步， |
| [12:03.55] | 但是，如今米考伯先生正处于困难时期，我当然必须接受这种现状。 |
| [12:11.82] | 恐怕他是欠了很多钱，但他的债主得等一等。 |
| [12:18.42] | 石头里是挤不出血来的，同样，目前任何人都不能从米考伯先生那儿逼出一分钱。” |
| [12:27.52] | 我很快意识到无论是米考伯先生还是米考伯太太都没法弄到钱。 |
| [12:35.26] | 米考伯先生仅有的一点收入远远不够，既不能让他的债主放心， |
| [12:41.45] | 也不能承担他那日见膨胀的家庭支出。 |
| [12:45.55] | 所以，他的债主们就常常出现在他的家门口索取债务， |
| [12:51.53] | 而米考伯先生家中却常常是上顿不接下顿。 |
| [12:55.95] | 米考伯夫妇的情绪会随境况的改变而改变。 |
| [13:01.34] | 忽儿，米考伯先生看上去极其痛苦、消沉，忽儿， |
| [13:05.90] | 他又会边擦皮鞋边哼哼小曲儿准备外出。 |
| [13:11.22] | 米考伯太太的性格很像她丈夫。 |
| [13:15.29] | 有时，我走进家里见她躺在地上，头发蓬乱，表情疯狂而绝望。 |
| [13:23.34] | 但一小时后，她就会兴高采烈地享受一顿丰盛的晚餐。 |
| [13:27.56] | 我和这些友善的人住了几个月就开始喜欢他们了。 |
| [13:34.36] | 我用自己的工资买食物，因为我知道米考伯一家很难够自己吃的， |
| [13:41.57] | 而我的食物大致上也只是面包和奶酪。 |
| [13:44.32] | 由于他们如此缺钱，有那么一两次我主动提出借他们几先令， |
| [13:50.21] | 但被他们拒绝了。 |
| [13:52.39] | 然而，米考伯先生的债主们最终没有耐心再等待下去，就找来警察， |
| [13:59.21] | 以拖欠债务之名拘捕了米考伯先生。 |
| [14:01.27] | 他被送往王家监狱，他要求我去那儿看他。 |
| [14:05.93] | 我一到那儿就被带到他的房间，他早已在那里等我。 |
| [14:10.75] | 他似乎痛心疾首，甚至还伤心落泪。 |
| [14:15.16] | 这是我倒霉的日子，科波菲尔！”他抽泣道，“希望我的错误能给像你这样的年轻人一个警示！ |
| [14:23.79] | 记住，如果一个人一年收入20英镑，花费19英镑19先令，结局是幸福， |
| [14:35.29] | 但假如他花费20英镑零1先令，结果就是痛苦！ |
| [14:42.38] | 顺便问一下，科波菲尔，你能借我1先令买点啤酒吗？ |
| [14:47.95] | 回家米考伯太太会还给你的。” |
| [14:51.79] | 啤酒买回来后，他似乎高兴了许多。 |
| [14:56.83] | 我们俩愉快地过了一晚上，不停地讲故事，说笑话。 |
| [15:01.07] | 他在监狱里关了几个星期，其间我时常去探望他。 |
| [15:06.54] | 有一次他告诉我他将很快被释放， |
| [15:11.42] | 因为他的债主们最终很不情愿地接受了米考伯先生无法偿债的事实，我真替他高兴。 |
| [15:17.63] | 我回家时把这一消息告诉了米考伯太太， |
| [15:21.59] | 我们一起吃晚餐并开了一瓶酒以示庆祝。 |
| [15:26.90] | 我想问问，夫人，米考伯先生获释后你们打算干什么？”我很礼貌地问了一句。 |
| [15:34.53] | 我娘家人，”米考伯太太自豪地说道，“认为米考伯先生应该离开这儿去德文， |
| [15:43.89] | 去那儿展示他的经商兴趣。米考伯先生是个聪明人，科波菲尔少爷。” |
| [15:51.67] | 我相信他是，”我表示同意。 |
| [15:54.30] | 尽管我娘家人还没有给他找到具体的事做， |
| [15:59.88] | 他们认为他应该去德文时刻准备着，等待机遇的降临。”她放下空酒杯。 |
| [16:09.62] | 您跟他一起走吗，夫人？”我问。 |
| [16:13.63] | 我必须去！我一定去！”米考伯太太的声音高得都要尖叫起来， |
| [16:18.19] | 他是我的生命！我的爱！我的丈夫！孩子们的父亲！ |
| [16:22.75] | 我不能抛弃米考伯先生！要我那么做绝对不成！” |
| [16:27.45] | 我觉得很尴尬，因为我压根儿就没让她抛弃他， |
| [16:33.31] | 但她很快又平静下来，吃完了她的晚餐。 |
| [16:37.21] | 我开始习惯米考伯夫妇的情绪的大起大落了。 |
| [16:41.52] | 米考伯夫妇按预定计划离开伦敦的同时，我才意识到我在这个城市中将会孤身一人。 |
| [16:49.98] | 我仍然讨厌仓库的工作，总想让自己生活得好一些。 |
| [16:55.92] | 为此我考虑了很久，终于决定走唯一的一条路。 |
| [17:01.98] | 我要去找我唯一活着的亲人，我父亲的姨妈贝茜·特拉伍德小姐，并争取她的帮助。 |
| [17:10.80] | 我知道她住在肯特郡的多佛镇附近。 |
| [17:15.11] | 我可以坐马车去，因为辟果提给过我10先令，她让我留着以备急需之用。 |
| [17:22.25] | 现在是用这笔钱的时候了。 |
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