Chapter 45 Chapter 41: Dora's Two Aunts

Finally, the reply from the two old ladies came.They greeted Mr. Copperfield, and informed him that they had given his letter due consideration, "for the mutual happiness"--a terrible expression, I think, not only because they put it Used in the aforementioned family quarrels, and because I have seen (and always have) that the idiom is a kind of fireworks, liable to explode without leaving a trace.The two Miss Spenlow said that they did not consider it convenient to comment "by correspondence" on the matters raised in Mr. Copperfield's letter; Come with a close friend as you see fit), they will surely be happy to talk about that.

To this letter, Mr. Copperfield immediately and respectfully replied that he would call on the Miss Spenlow at the appointed time; Mr Ruddell for company.After that letter was sent, Mr. Copperfield fell into a state of extreme nervous excitement, which lasted until that day. My uneasiness was heightened by the loss of Miss Mills' invaluable help at such a critical juncture.Mr. Mills, who had always troubled me in various ways—or so I thought he seemed to be, and it makes no difference anyway—had developed his obnoxious manners to the point where it suddenly occurred to him that to go to India.If he didn't want to embarrass me, why did he go to India?Indeed, he had little to do with any other part of the world, but a lot with that place.He was all in the Indian trade, of all sorts (I myself had such floating dreams of ivory with gold-thread shawls); he had lived in Calcutta in his youth, and was going there as an emigre.However, I don't care about that.But it meant so much to him that he was going to India, and Julia had to go with him; so Julia went to the country to say good-bye to her relatives; Furniture (including gins, etc.) is also for sale at valuation.As a result, I was hit by another earthquake before I recovered from the previous blow.

What to wear on that big day?I can't make up my mind.I was trying to find a middle ground between the need to dress decently and the fear that the two Miss Spenlows might think me frivolous.My aunt agreed with my final decision.As we descended Mr. Dick threw his shoe behind Traddles and me for good luck. Though I knew Traddles to be a very fine fellow, and though I was so intimate with him, I could not help being resentful of his habit of combing his hair so that it stood on end for an occasion so special. hatred.The combing gave him an air of astonishment, not to mention the furnace-brush hairstyle.I'm worried we'll lose time with that hair.

As we were walking towards Putney, I told Traddles this thought quite frankly, and said that if he would do his hair better-- "My dear Copperfield," said Traddles, holding up his hat and brushing his hair in all directions, "it never pleases me like that again. But they won't listen." "Can't you smooth them out?" I said. "No," said Traddles, "nothing can make them that way. If I put a fifty-pound weight on my head on the road to Putney, they'll stand up again as soon as I take it off." .You can't imagine how tenacious my hair is, Copperfield. I'm a very badass porcupine."

I should admit, I was a little disappointed, but also overwhelmed by his good nature.I told him how much I valued his good nature, and that his hair must have taken all the stubbornness out of him, because he wasn't stubborn at all. "Oh!" replied Traddles, laughing, "my unlucky hair is a very old story, to be honest. My aunt couldn't stand them, and said she was always annoyed by them. At first I They're also quite troublesome when you're in a relationship with Sophie, very much!" "Did she ever like them too?" "She didn't," replied Traddles; "but her eldest sister—that's the beauty—made fun of them, I understand. All the sisters laughed at them, in fact."

"Very happy!" I said. "Yes," said Traddles innocently, "everyone makes a joke of it. They mean Sophie hid a lock of my hair in her desk, but she had to keep it in a tight book. in closed books to flatten them. We all laughed." "Tell me, my dear Traddles," said I, "that your experience may give me some hint. When you were engaged to the young lady you have just mentioned, you formally asked her family Marriage? Like, is it different from what we're going to do today?" I added uneasily. "Well," said Traddles, a brooding cloud over his friendly face, "it was a painful experience for me. You know, as Sophie was so useful in that family, they thought that one day she To be afraid of marrying. In fact, they have secretly agreed that she will never marry, they call her an old maid. So, when I made this request to Mrs. Crowley very carefully--"

"Is that the mother?" I said. "That's the mother," said Traddles—"the Reverend Harris Crowley's wife—who was so alarmed when I made this request to Mrs. Crowlow with due caution, One yell and one fell unconscious. I couldn't talk about it for months." "Have you finally brought it up?" I said. "Hey, Reverend Harris suggested it," said Traddles. "He was a remarkable man, the best example in every way; and he pointed out to her that, being a Christian, she should suffer sacrifices (especially if they were not sacrifices) instead of being unkind to me. As for myself, Copperfield, I will tell you the truth, I think I am a bird of prey to the family."

"The sisters are all for you, I hope, Traddles?" "Hey, I can't say they're all rooting for me," he replied. "We've basically got Mrs. Crowlow to tell Sarah. You remember I mentioned Sarah, the one with the back?" "Remember!" "Her hands were clasped," said Traddles, looking at me with a look of fear, "with her eyes closed, pale, and stiff; and for two days, save for being fed a little toast and water by the teaspoon, Eat nothing." "What a spoiled girl, Traddles!" said I. "Oh, I'm sorry, Copperfield!" said Traddles, "she was a very sweet girl, but she had a lot of feeling. They were all like that, in fact. Sophie told me afterwards that when she nursed Sarah, Feeling an unspeakable sense of inferiority. I know from my own feelings that it must be strong, Copperfield; it seems to be the feeling of a convict. When Sara recovers, we shall tell the other eight; Every one of them had the most dismal effects. Only the two youngest, who had been educated by Sophy, had lately stopped hating me."

"Anyway, they're content with the fact now, I hope?" I said. "Yes--well, they are generally resigned to their fate," said Traddles hesitantly. "As a matter of fact, we avoided talking about it; my precarious future and bad circumstances were a great comfort to them. When When we get married, there will be a tragic scene, which is more like a funeral than a wedding. They will all hate me because I married her!" When he half-truthfully shook his head at me, that honest face struck me more in memory than in reality, because I was over-excited and restless and couldn't really focus on anything. superior.As we approached the two Miss Spenlow's houses, my countenance and expression were so altered again that Traddles suggested a glass of ale for refreshment.After drinking ale in a nearby tavern, he led me suspiciously to Miss Spenlow's door.

When the maid opened the door, I had the vague feeling that I had become an exhibit for people to look at; and that I had somehow stumbled into a hallway with a barometer, and down into a quiet little living room overlooking a tidy garden.I had a vague idea, sitting there on the sofa, of seeing Traddles take off his hat, and his hair stand on end, like a snuff-box from which a mischievous spring-loaded figure flies out.I also vaguely think I hear an old-fashioned clock ticking on the mantelpiece, and I try to make the tick tick with the beating of my heart—but it won't.I still feel vaguely that I have looked everywhere for Dora, but have found nothing.I also vaguely think that I heard Jip once in the distance, but was stopped by someone immediately.At last I found myself pushing Traddles into the fireplace, and bowing vaguely to the two stiff old ladies.Both of these ladies were dressed in black, and they all resembled the late Mr. Spenlow.

"Sit down, please," said one of the two little women. Once I fell on Traddles, and another time I sat on a cat, and then on something, but not a cat.At last I could see clearly again, and I saw that Mr. Spenlow was clearly the youngest of the family; the two ladies were between six and eight years in age, and the younger one seemed to be the one who presided over the interview. , because she was holding my letter in her hand and looking at it with a monocle—I felt so familiar and yet so strange to that letter!They were dressed alike, though one had a little more youthfulness than the other, perhaps by a little more cuff, or choker, or pectoral, or bangle, or some trifle of that sort, so that the two One looks livelier.They were all stiff, erect, prim, with calm faces.The sister who didn't take the letter folded her arms in front of her chest, supporting each other like a statue. "Mr. Copperfield, I believe," said Nathan's sister to Traddles. It was a terrible start.Traddles had to point out that I was Mr. Copperfield, and I had to bite the bullet, and they had to shake off their preconception that Traddles was Copperfield.So we are all in a delicate situation.More subtly, we all clearly heard Jip yelp twice, and then got blocked again. "Mr. Copperfield!" said the sister with the letter. I did something, probably bowed, and listened respectfully. That's when the sister chimed in. "My sister Lavinia," said she, "as she is acquainted with matters of this nature, let her speak what we think will best promote the happiness of both parties." I later found out that Miss Lavinia was an authority on matters of love, for a certain Mr. Piggle, who played five-point whist, was said to have fallen in love with her some years ago.My personal opinion is that this is nonsense, Mr. Pitchell has no such feelings at all, and I have never heard him have the slightest expression.Both Miss Lavinia and Miss Clarissa, however, were superstitious that if Mr. Pitchell had not died young (at about sixty, first broken by drink, then recuperated), and Drinking too much Bath Springs), he will surely declare his love.They even secretly suspected that he had died of lovesickness.But I should say that there is a portrait of Mr. Pitchell in that house, with a rosaceous nose, who doesn't seem to have felt the dull pain of emotion. "The past on that subject," said Miss Lavinia, "we shall not talk about it. The death of our poor brother Francis has erased that past." "We have not always been," said Miss Clarissa, "with our brother Francis; but we have had no definite differences or quarrels between us. Francis went his way, and we went ours. We feel that, for the sake of happiness in all respects, it should be so. And it is so." The two sisters leaned forward a little while speaking, shook their heads after speaking, and then straightened up silently.Miss Clarissa's arms were always folded across her breast, and sometimes she played some music with her fingers in them--minuets and marches, I believe--but her arms never moved. "Our niece's position, or imagined position, has been greatly altered by the death of my brother Francis," said Miss Lavinia, "so our opinion of her brother's opinion on her We have no reason to doubt that you, Mr. Copperfield, are a young man of good character and admirable character; nor have we any reason to doubt that you have a love for our niece—or quite believe that you With a love." I replied (as I always do at the first opportunity) that no one loved anyone as I loved Dora.Traddles murmured something to confirm my statement. Miss Lavinia was about to reply when Miss Clarissa, who seemed to have been on the point of referring to her brother, broke in again: "It would have been more beneficial to the happiness of all parties if Dora's mother," said she, "had declared, when she married her brother Francis, that there would be no room for family at the table." "Sister Clarissa," said Miss Lavinia, "perhaps we need not speak of that now." "Sister Lavinia," said Miss Clarissa, "that belongs to the question. The part of you about it--the part that only you are entitled to talk about--I don't want to interfere. The part about the question In part, I have a voice, and an opinion. It would have been more beneficial to the happiness of all parties if Dora's mother had expressed her opinion plainly when she married her younger brother Francis. We were then We know what to expect. We say, 'Don't ask us, whenever;' and any possibility of misunderstanding is ruled out." After Miss Clarissa shook her head, Miss Lavinia resumed her conversation—reading my letter with her monocle.By the way, their eyes were both bright and round, and always twinkling, like a bird's eye.Looking at their overall appearance, they are not like birds.They all have a sharp, quick, abrupt demeanor, and a canary-like clean, neat habit of grooming themselves. As I said before, Mademoiselle Lavinia picked up her words and said: "You ask my sister Clarissa and I to allow you, Mr. Copperfield, to visit the abode as my niece's official suitor." "If brother-in-law Francis likes," Miss Clarissa went into another fit--if I may call such a peaceful thing a fit--"enclose myself in the air of the doctor's house, which is only the doctor's house. What right and will do we have to object in the air of the Let my sister, Lavinia, and I pursue our company. We shall find our own friends, too, I believe!" As it seemed to be addressed to Traddles and me, we both said something in reply.What Traddles said was not at all intelligible, and I felt as if I had said that it was respectable to all concerned.I have no idea what I mean by that. "Sister Lavinia," said Miss Clarissa, who had had enough of it now, "you may go on, my dear." Miss Lavinia went on: "Mr Copperfield, my sister Clarissa and I have considered this letter very carefully, and have shown it to my niece and discussed it with her. You think you like her very much, we believe it. " "Think, ladies?" I said, ecstatically. "Oh!—" But Miss Clarissa took one look at me (like a canary) and begged me not to interrupt, and I apologized. "Love," said Miss Lavinia, seeking her sister's approval with her eyes, and her sister nodded slightly in agreement with every word, "mature love, respect, devotion do not show easily. It is Low-key, humble, retreating, lurking, it waits, waits. Ripe fruit is like this. Sometimes, life is gone, and love is still waiting to ripen in secret!" Of course I did not understand at the time that this was referring to the experience she thought she had gained from Mr. Piggle, who had been secretly in love; but I knew from the gravity of Miss Clarissa's nod that the words were meant. Meaningful. "The frivolity of youth—I call it frivolity in comparison with that sentiment—inclination," said Mademoiselle Lavinia, "is like dust against a rock. Since it is not known whether it will last , whether there is a real basis, my sister Clarissa and I are at a loss for what to make up our minds, Mr. Copperfield, and—” "Traddles," said my friend, seeing her looking at him. "Excuse me. From the Inner Court? I believe." Miss Clarissa looked at the letter again. "That's right," said Traddles, and suddenly flushed. At the time, though I had not received any apparent encouragement, I thought I saw that the two little sisters--Miss Lavinia in particular--was keenly interested in this new and promising In addition to the determination to make the best use of it, and a sense of caring for it, there is a glimmer of hope.I see, I think, that Miss Lavinia finds great satisfaction in supervising two young lovers like Dora and myself; Miss Clarissa felt less than satisfied when the urge was strong enough to add her own special part to the matter.These circumstances gave me courage to express with the utmost ardor that I loved Dora far more than I could express, and far more than people could believe; all my friends knew how I loved her; my aunt , Agnes, Traddles, all who know me know how I love her; how earnest and sincere my love is.I asked Traddles to confirm.Traddles responded, and spoke as impassionedly as if he had been in a parliamentary debate, confirming my words with impeccable words and frankness of practicality, apparently making a good impression. "If I may say so, I do so as a man who has had a little experience in such matters," said Traddles, "for I myself had been with a young lady—one of ten sisters. One, living in Devon—engaged, and at present there is no prospect of our engagement ending." "Mr. Traddles," said Miss Lavinia, evidently finding something new and interesting in him, "you may perhaps confirm what I have just said—that love is humble, yielding, and waiting. ?” "Exactly, miss," said Traddles. Miss Clarissa looked at Miss Lavinia and shook her head solemnly.Miss Lavinia looked at Miss Clarissa understandingly, and shook her head. "Sister Lavinia," said Miss Clarissa, "will you use my sniffing bottle?" Miss Lavinia refreshed herself with a few drops of balsamic vinegar—Traddles and I were watching with deep apprehension; then she continued feebly: "Mr Traddles, my sister and I have many doubts as to what course we should take with respect to the inclinations and imagined inclinations of persons so young as Mr. Copperfield and my niece." "My niece is the daughter of my brother Francis," said Miss Clarissa, "and if my brother Francis' wife had thought it right to invite the whole family to her table--it is true that she did. The natural right to act at will——we will know more about the daughter of my brother-in-law at present. Sister Lavinia, go on." Miss Lavinia turned my letter over, with the addressed side towards her, and looked through her spectacles at some neat memoranda which she herself had written on one side. "We feel," said she, "that such feelings, Mr. Traddles, would be prudent to proceed upon our own examination. We know nothing of them at present, and cannot judge how much of them there are." It is true. So we intend to accept Copperfield's proposal to come here for an interview." "My dear ladies," I cried, with a great relief, "I shall never forget your kindness!" "However," continued Miss Lavinia--"for the present, however, we would like to regard such visits as visits to us. Until we have an opportunity of examining them--" "Before you get a chance to examine them, Sister Lavinia," said Miss Clarissa. "That's all," said Miss Lavinia, with a sigh—"we cannot admit any formal engagement between Mr. Copperfield and his niece until I have had an opportunity to examine them." "Copperfield," said Traddles, turning to me, "I trust you think nothing more reasonable and prudent than that?" "No more!" I exclaimed, "I understand that very well." "In that case," said Miss Lavinia, looking again at her memorandum, "we accept his interview only on that understanding. We must have Mr. Copperfield's unmistakable assurance that between him and his niece , not to communicate any information without telling us. Before proposing to us-" "A request to you, Sister Lavinia," put in Miss Clarissa. "So be it, Clarissa!" agreed Miss Lavinia resignedly--"no private plans are to be made of me, and with our consent. We should make this very clear and solemn." It is settled, and cannot be broken for any reason. The reason we wish Mr. Copperfield to come today with an intimate friend," she cast her head to Traddles, who bowed, "is that we may not be in the There are any doubts and misunderstandings on the subject. If Mr. Copperfield, or if you, Mr. Traddles, feel the slightest hesitation in making this promise, I beg you to take your time to reconsider." I was so intoxicated that I said aloud that I didn't even need to think about it for a moment.It is with great emotion that I declare that I will strictly abide by the rules and call on Traddles to testify.I also said that if I violated even an iota, I was also the most vicious person. "Wait a moment!" Miss Lavinia stretched out her hand and said; "Before meeting you gentlemen, we decided to give you 15 minutes to consider this issue alone. We take our leave for now. " Although I keep saying that there is no need to think about it, it is of no use.They insisted on quitting within the specified time.So the two birds sprang out with grandeur, and I had an opportunity of being congratulated by Traddles, and of feeling what it was like to step into a very happy country.No more, no less, just after 15 minutes, they reappeared with the air of just quitting.They went out with a rustle as if their clothes were made of autumn leaves; and they came back with that rustle still. At this time, I declared that I would abide by the regulations. "Sister Clarissa," said Miss Lavinia, "the rest will be yours." Then Miss Clarissa opened her arms and picked up the memorandum to read. "Mr. Copperfield is welcome to supper every Sunday, if the date does not inconvenience him. Our time is three o'clock." I bowed. "On other days," said Miss Clarissa, "we welcome Mr. Copperfield for tea. It is six-thirty." I bow again. "Twice a week," said Miss Clarissa; "but perhaps not more." I bow again. "Miss Trotwood, mentioned in Mr. Copperfield's letter, may be visiting us," said Miss Clarissa. "When the interview is beneficial to the well-being of all parties, we are happy to accept interviews and will return. When the visit is detrimental to the well-being of all parties (such as for brother Francis and his family), then it is another matter entirely. Something happened." I said that my aunt and grandma must be honored to know them and would be very happy to get to know them.I must say, though, that I can't guarantee that they'll get along well.As the terms were settled, I thanked them most warmly, and taking first Miss Clarissa's and then Miss Lavinia's hands, pressed each to my lips. At this point Miss Lavinia rose, and asking Mr. Traddles to allow us to retire for a minute, then she bade me go with her.I followed her, trembling all over, as she led me into a room.There I saw my sweet baby with plugged ears, her cute little face against the wall, standing behind the door, and Kip lying in the warmer with a handkerchief tied around her head. Oh!How beautiful she is in the black gown!How she choked and wept at first and refused to come out from behind the door!How we loved each other when she came out at last!What a blissful state I entered when I took Jeep out of the heater to see it again, it sneezed like hell, and the three of us were reunited again! "My dearest Dora! Now, surely, you are mine forever!" "Oh, no!" begged Dora, "please!" "Aren't you mine forever, Dora?" "Oh! yes, of course I am!" said Dora, "but I am so frightened!" "Afraid, my dear?" "Oh, yes! I don't like him," said Dora. "Why doesn't he go?" "Who is it, my darling?" "Your friend," said Dora, "has nothing to do with him. He must be a very stupid fellow!" "My love!" She couldn't be more endearing than her innocent look. "He's the nicest guy!" "Oh, but we don't want the best!" said Dora, pouting. "My dear," I tried to persuade her, "you will soon know him, and you will like him very much. My aunt will be here soon, and you will like her very much when you get to know her." "No, please don't bring her here!" Dora kissed me hastily, clasped her hands together and said, "No. I know, she's a naughty old gossip! Don't let her come here, fat! "She mistook David for Da Fat. At this time, no amount of persuasion will help.Then I laugh, I praise; my heart is full of love and joy.She showed me Kip's new trick of standing on two legs in a corner--it stood for a second and then fell--if Miss Lavinia hadn't come and taken me out, I don't know where I'd be How long he stayed there, Traddles was quite forgotten.Miss Lavinia loved Dora very much (she told me that Dora was exactly like herself at her age--then she must have changed a lot? She treated Dora as if she were a big toy. I think Persuaded Dora to go out to Traddles, but no sooner had I said it than she ran to her own room and locked herself in; so I had to come out alone, and ride with Traddles like a cloud gone. "It couldn't be better," said Traddles; "they are very pleasant old women, I believe. I should not be surprised if you married some years before me, Copperfield. " "Does your Sophie play any instrument, Traddles?" I asked triumphantly. "She can teach her little sisters to play the piano," said Traddles. "Can she sing?" I asked. "Well, she sings a little tune sometimes, to cheer up the other sisters when they're not happy," said Traddles, "but not professionally." "Doesn't she sing with the guitar?" I said. "Oh, no!" said Traddles. "What about painting?" "Not at all," said Traddles. I promised Traddles that he would hear Dora sing, and see her draw flowers.He said he would be very happy.So, we went home happily arm in arm.On the way, I encouraged him to talk about Sophie; he talked about her with devotion to her, and I praised him.I compared her with Dora with a smug smugness; but I was obliged to admit to myself that she, too, seemed to be a remarkable girl who made Traddles a perfect match. I immediately reported to my aunt the achievements of the talks, and everything said and done during it.She saw me so happy, and very happy, and promised to visit Dora's aunts at once.But that night, when I wrote to Agnes, she was pacing our room.She walked around for so long, I couldn't help thinking that she was going to go to dawn. My letters to Agnes were warm and grateful, and I told her all the good results I had obtained from following her advice.She wrote back to me by the same post.Her letter was full of hope and earnestness, but also of joy.She has been perpetually cheerful ever since. I'm busier now than I used to be.Plus I had to go to Highgate every day, and Putney was quite a walk.Of course, I would like to see as much of Highgate as possible.As appointments for tea were difficult, I begged Miss Lavinia to allow me to visit every Saturday afternoon without interfering with my Sunday.So, every weekend is my happiest time; I look forward to this time on other days. My aunt and Dora's aunts were generally on good terms, much better than I had expected, and I was greatly relieved.In the days following that meeting, my aunt carried out the visit she had promised.A few days later, Dora's two aunts also came to visit her in full dress.Thereafter, about every three or four weeks, they made the same but friendlier visits to each other.My aunt never considered it much more respectable to travel by car, but walked to Putney at the most unexpected time—soon after breakfast, or right at tea-time; Pushed the hat on his head.I know it embarrasses Dora's two aunts.But Dora's two aunts soon agreed, and regarded my aunt as a woman of extraordinary understanding, withdrawn and manly; There were criticisms of Dora's two aunts; but she loved me too much to sacrifice some of her little eccentricities to the greater harmony. The only member of our social circle who would not adapt was Kip.Every time he saw his aunt, he always bared his teeth and cracked his mouth, hid under the chair and kept barking, sometimes wailing, as if it was unbearable because of her.Everything was done to him about it, coaxed, scolded, beaten, taken to Buckingham Street (where he threw himself on the two cats, to the astonishment of all present), but he was Refuse to be friendly with aunt and grandma.At times it seemed to overcome its aversion and be at peace for a few minutes; but then immediately raised its snub nose, and kept barking until it had to be blindfolded and put in a warmer, and there was nothing else to do.Afterwards, whenever she heard that her aunt was at the door, Dora wrapped it up in a handkerchief, and shut it up there. Now that we have embarked on such a peaceful track, one thing bothers me a bit.This is why everyone seems to regard Dora as a beautiful toy or pet.Her aunt, who was getting to know her by degrees, called her Little Flower; Miss Lavinia's pleasure in life was to look after her, to curl her hair, to adorn her, and to think of her as a spoiled child.Whatever Lavinia did, her sister did as well.I think it's unbelievable that they should do that, but they got what they deserved for Dora, as Dora was for Kip. I resolved to speak this idea to Dora.So, one day, when we were out for a walk—and we were soon to have Miss Lavinia's permission to go unaccompanied—I said to her that I hoped she would make them think of her differently. "Because, you know, my dear," I advised, "you're not a child anymore." "Come now!" said Dora, "you're going to be angry now!" "Looking for anger, my love?" "I believe they have been very kind to me," said Dora, "and I am very happy." "Yes! But my dearest heart!" said I, "you may be happy, and be rightly treated." Dora gave me a hateful look--a lovely look--and immediately began to whimper.她说，如果我不喜欢她，为什么非和她订婚？如果我不能容忍她，为什么不现在就走开？ 这一来，我能怎么办？我只能吻干她的眼泪；告诉她我多么多么地爱她。 “我相信我很重感情，”朵拉说道，“大肥，你不该虐待我呀！” “虐待，我的无价之宝！无论怎样，我哪会——哪能—— 虐待你呢！ " “那就不要挑剔我，”朵拉说道，并把她的嘴嘟成一朵蔷薇花的花蕊，“我会变好的。” 然后，她主动请我把我曾提到过的《烹饪学》给她看，还请我照我曾应许过的教她记帐。这下，我可开心了。下次访问时，我就带去了那本书；这之前，我把那本书精心加工包装，使它看起来不那么乏味反而特别吸引人一样。我们在那一带街区散步时，我就把姨奶奶的一本旧家用帐本给她看，还给她一些白纸簿，一个精美的铅笔盒，一盒铅笔，好让她练习时用。 可是那本《烹饪学》使朵拉头疼，数目字让她哭了起来。她说，那些数字不肯相加。于是，她把那些数字擦掉，在白纸簿上画满小花束，还有我和吉普的肖像。 以后，星期六下午我们散步时，我试着像做游戏一样在家政方面口授一些课程。比如，经过一家肉店时，我说道： “喏，我亲爱的，如果我们结婚了，你去买一只前羊腿来做做晚饭，你想知道该怎么买吗？” 我可爱的小朵拉的脸就沉了下来，她又把嘴嘟成一个小花蕊，好像她很想用一个亲吻堵住我的嘴。 “你想知道该怎么买吗，我的心儿？”我重复道，也许我很固执。 朵拉就想了想，然后很得意地答道： “嘿，肉铺老板知道怎么卖肉，我干吗要知道呢？哦，你这傻孩子！” 就这样，有一次我瞟着那本《烹饪学》向朵拉问道，如果我们结婚了，我想吃一份好吃的爱尔兰燉菜，她该怎么做呢。她回答说，那只需吩咐仆人去做就是了；然后她用她的两只小手抓住我的胳臂，那么可爱的大笑起来，使她比以往更让人开心。 结果，那本《烹饪学》的主要用处就是放在屋角供吉普去站立其上。当看到吉普被训练得不用引诱就肯站到上面去，同时还衔起那个笔盒，朵拉是那么开心，我也为我买了那本书而高兴。 于是，我们回到吉它、回到花卉画，回到那嗒啦啦永远跳舞没个完的歌，我们的快活和那个星期一样久。有时，我觉得，我最好斗胆向拉芬尼娅小姐暗示，说她把我的心上人太当成一个玩具了。我有时也恍然大悟，发现我也陷入这种误区，把她看成一个玩具了，只不过我不总是那样罢了。