David Copperfield

Chapter 121 Returning Home (1)
Chapter 59 Homecoming (1)
I landed in London one cold evening in the autumn.

I once said - when you leave a place, it is the time when it undergoes earth-shaking changes.Looking out the car window, I saw an old house on Fish Street Hill that hadn't been repaired by a painter, carpenter, or bricklayer for a century, and had been demolished.There is also an ancient street nearby that is neither clean nor convenient, but there is also a drainage channel, which widens the road surface.Seeing this situation, I expected St. Paul's Church to be even older.

I expected a change in the situation of my friends, for my great-aunt had long since returned to live at Doulford, and Traddles had been engaged in a small legal business.He now lives in Gray Court.From his last letters to me I know that he is very likely to marry the lovely girl soon.

They expected me to be back on Christmas Eve, but they didn't expect me to come back so soon.I want to surprise them.However, when I walked through the foggy streets alone, the feeling of being greeted by no one made me feel disappointed and disappointed.

However, the bright lights in those shops cheered up my despondency a little.By the time I alighted at the Gray Court Café, I had regained my old spirits.

"Where in the courtyard does Mr. Traddles live?" I asked the waiter in the café.

"Live in this hospital, No. [-]."

"Is Mr. Traddles gaining popularity among lawyers?" I said.

"Sir," replied the waiter, "you may be right, but I haven't heard of it myself."

"I was asking," said I, "whether Mr. Traddles, who lives in No. [-] of the Court, is getting more and more famous?"

"I've never heard of that name before," said the waiter.

I am quite sorry.

"How long has he been in this courtyard?" asked the waiter.

"Less than three years." I replied.

The waiter must have lived in the deacon's bench for forty years and was quite powerful, so he didn't want to discuss such an insignificant question.He asked me what I would have for dinner.

I thought I was back in England again, and felt rather sorry for Traddles, who seemed hopeless.I ordered a fish and steak.

I followed the old teahouse away, and couldn't help imagining that in such a place, it must be extremely difficult to ascend.It is indeed surrounded by an air of seniority, obstinacy, obstinacy and solemnity.

Since I went abroad, I have never seen such a situation, and when I saw it, my hope for my friend's future was completely shattered.The waiter got tired of me, stopped talking to me, and paid attention to an old gentleman.Before he could order the wine, it was automatically brought to the table for him to drink.The little waiter told me in a low voice that the old gentleman was a retired bond broker.It is said that he had a large fortune to leave to his daughter who was a washerwoman.Also, he had a set of cutlery that he didn't use until it rusted, but no one ever saw him have more than a spoon and a fork in his house.By this time I was convinced that Traddles was out of the running.

However, as I was eager to see my old friend, I didn't care about the disdain of the waiter, so I went out through the back door after dinner.Court Two soon arrived, and the listing on the door told me that Traddles lived in a flat on the top floor.

My heart began to beat wildly when I saw the room with the sign "Mr. Traddles" on the door ajar.I knocked on the door, and there was a commotion inside, but nothing else.So I knocked again.

A boy who looked very clever and looked like a page came out.

"Is Traddles there?" I asked.

"Yes, sir. But he's busy."

"I want to see him."

The lad gave me a sharp look before letting me in, and I found my old friend (who was also out of breath) bent over a table over a pile of papers.

"My God!" exclaimed Traddles, on seeing me, "it's Copperfield!" and rushing into my arms, we embraced each other.

"My dear Traddles, is everything all right?"

"Yes, my dear Copperfield, nothing untoward happened!"

We both wept with joy.

"My dear old chap," said Traddles, "how I welcome you after so long! It's good to see you! You're tanned! I swear I've never been happier! Really, Dear Copperfield! Never!"

I don't know what to say to express my feelings. To be precise, I am too excited to speak.

"My dear!" said Traddles, "you have become so famous! Copperfield, you do me so proud! My dear, when did you come and where did you come from? What have you been doing?

"Unexpectedly," said Traddles, "you came back so early and missed the ceremony!"

"What ceremony, my dear Traddles?"

"Dear me!" cried Traddles, "didn't you get that letter I sent you last time?"

"If there was a ceremony mentioned in it, of course I didn't receive it."

"Hi, dear Copperfield," said Traddles, "I'm married!"

"Married?" I exclaimed in surprise.

"Why, isn't it!" said Traddles. "Married by the Reverend Haylace--married Sophie--in Devonshire. She's behind the curtain! Look!"

While he was saying this, the sweetest girl ran out of her hiding-place, red in the face, and really startled me.I think she is the happiest, most tender, happiest, most sincere, most radiant bride in the whole world.I sincerely wish them happiness.

"Dear me," said Traddles, "what a delight this reunion is! You're dark, my dear Copperfield! I'm so excited!"

"Me too," I said.

"I'm sure I am too!" said Sophie.

"How happy we all should be!" said Traddles. "Even the girls were happy. Why, really, I nearly forgot them."

"Forgot who?" I asked.

"Those girls," said Traddles, "Sophie's sisters. They're staying with us to see London. In fact, you were the one who fell on the stairs just now, Copperfield." you?"

"Exactly." I said with a smile.

"Well, let me tell you, then," said Traddles, "I was playing a game with the girls. In fact, we were playing 'take your seat.' But because it's not good at Westminster They were playing in the Great Hall, and it was considered unseemly to be seen by the customers, so they fled. They were listening to us, however," said Traddles, looking towards the other door.

"I'm sorry," I said with a smile, "for disturbing your interest."

Traddles interrupted me cheerfully: "Go and fetch those girls, my dear?"

Sophie walked briskly away.After a while, we heard a roar of laughter from the neighboring room.

"It's like music, isn't it, Copperfield?" said Traddles. "It's very sweet, and adds a lot of life to the old house. It's wonderful for a man who has always been celibate." , do you know? Poor little ones, they lost a lot when Sophie left. Copperfield, I assure you, Sophie is the cutest girl. Seeing them so happy makes me very satisfied .It's a pleasure to play with girls, Copperfield. A little unseemly, but very pleasant."

I saw that he was incoherent, and, out of kindness, feared that his words would upset me.My behavior reassured him.

"But," said Traddles, "the way our house is set up is a bit disgraceful, and Sophie does her a disgrace by living here. We have no other dwelling, a boat in the midst of the sea, but we have endured hardship." Sophie is a good housekeeper! It would surprise you if you knew how the girls were arranged. I don't even know how to do it myself."

"Are there any young girls living with you?" I asked.

"Yes," said Traddles, "there are all the flats now—three rooms though, and Sophie has arranged them so wonderfully that they sleep most comfortably.

"I'm so glad you're happily married at last, Traddles!" said I.

"Thank you, Copperfield," said Traddles. "Now I am as happy as I can be."

"Now you just have to work hard and earn money, don't you?" I said.

"Indeed," replied Traddles.

"You see, Copperfield," he said again, in the tone of extreme secrecy, "after I had published my supposed defense of the defendant Giddens against Verliuer, I went to Devonshire, and secretly spoke with the Reverend Haylace. Negotiated. I explained to him in detail that Sophie—Copperfield, I tell you without exaggeration—is the most beloved girl!”

"I absolutely take your word for it!" I said.

"She is," went on Traddles, "but I hope I'm not digressing. Did I just say anything about Reverend Harace?"

"You said you detailed—"

"Yes! I recounted that Sophie and I had been engaged for a long time, and that Sophie, with her parents' permission, would," said Traddles, with her usual frank smile, "marry me, yes. Then I Putting my opinion to the Reverend Horest--Harris is the greatest of priests, Copperfield, to be a bishop, at least not to suffer poverty--I said that if I had a chance, I would earn £250 a year, and be sure of earning that much next year, possibly more than that. Add a rough place like this one, and Sophie and I can get married. I venture to say that we've waited Even though Sophie has been extremely useful to her family for several years, her loving parents shouldn't let her get in the way of starting a family of her own—do you understand?"

"Of course." I said.

"I'm glad you think so, Copperfield," went on Traddles. "I don't mean to blame the Reverend Harace, but I think that parents, brothers, and so on, in matters of this kind, It's always about myself. I must say that my most sincere wish is to do something good for that family. As long as I'm doing well in this world, and he's in misfortune—I mean the Reverend Harace—"

"I understand." I said.

"--or Mrs. Kruller--I was very happy to take care of the girls, and he obliged me in a commendable manner, which made me very happy, and went out to ask Mrs. Kruller for it. They got into a fight with her." Big difference. So something went up her legs and hit her head—"

"Up what?" I asked.

(End of this chapter)