David Copperfield

Chapter 14 Meet More People

Chapter 6 Meet more people

About a month later, the man with the prosthetic leg started walking around with a mop and a bucket of water.My prophecy, that Mr. Krigul and the students will be back soon, has been confirmed.Mr. Meyer and I were kicked out soon after.For a few days, wherever we could live, we would go there and make ends meet.Sometimes we often come across two or three uncommon young women.I kept sneezing in the rising dust, as if Salem School were a big snuffbox.

On this day, Mr. Meyer told me that Mr. Krigul was coming back.And after tea in the evening, I heard that he had arrived.So before going to sleep, I was led to see him by the artificial leg.

Mr. Crigul has a more comfortable house in the school than ours.Outside is a secluded small garden.The playing field was a small desert compared with the gardens, and no one, I suppose, could be comfortable there except perhaps for a Bactrian or dromedary camel.I approached Mr. Crigul with apprehension, and surveyed the comforts of the corridor with trepidation.When I entered the house, I was so nervous that I didn't even see Mrs and Miss Crigulle (they were all in the house), let alone anything else.Mr. Crigul, who was fat, sat in an arm-chair, with a chain and pendant on him, and a cup and a jug beside him.

"Oh!" said Mr. Crigul, "you're that dull young man who has lost his teeth! Turn your back."

The artificial leg turned me around, and the white card was exposed. Mr. Krigul looked at it for a long time, and then I was turned back and stood facing him, and the artificial leg was next to Mr. Krigul.Mr. Crigul had a ferocious face, with small sunken eyes, thick veins on his forehead, a small nose, but a large chin, and a bald head with only a little thinning hair that had turned white and damp. Comb to the temples on both sides and overlap on the forehead.His voice is extremely hoarse and his voice is extremely low.When he spoke, the way he strained made his angry face even more angry, and the veins on his forehead became thicker, which naturally became the main feature of him in my recollection.

Mr. Crigul said: "What's been reported about him?"

"There's nothing wrong with it," replied the Wooden-legged man, "probably not in time."

I think Mr. Crigul was disappointed.I think Mrs and Miss Crigulle (I glanced at them for the first time, and they were both thin and quiet) were not disappointed.

"Come here, boy!" beckoned Mr. Crigul.

"Come here," repeated the wooden-legged man.

"I've had the good fortune to know your stepfather," whispered Mr. Crigul, tugging at my ear. "He's a good man, very firm, and we understand each other. Do you know me? Hey!" Mr. Crigul cruel Pulled my ear and said.

"I don't understand, sir." I said through gritted teeth in pain.

"But you'll find out before long, hey!" said Krigul.

"You will soon, hey!" the wooden-legged man whispered aside.I found out later that he was always imitating the tongue with a loud voice.

I was terrified.I felt like my ear was hurting badly because he kept twisting it so hard.

"No, I'll tell you now," said Mr. Crigul in a low voice.It was only then that he let go of my hand, but the last twist was especially memorable,

"I am a Tartar."

"Tartar," repeated the wooden-legged man.

"What I have to do is, in a nutshell," said Mr. Crigul, "I must do what I will."

"You must do what you want," said the wooden-legged man.

"I am strong-willed," said Crigul, "I take my responsibilities and do what I have to do, even to my own flesh and blood—" He looked at Mrs Crigul as he said this, " If he doesn't obey, then it's none of my business and I'll drive him away, that bastard." He said to the wooden-legged man, "Has he ever been here?"

"Not yet," replied the wooden-legged man.

"No," said Crigul. "He understands. Tell him not to run into me. I said let him not run into me." Mr. Crigul slapped the table vigorously, and he looked at Kerry again. Mrs. Goole, "Because he understands. Now you understand me too, my little friend. You can go. Take him."

I was happy when I was taken.For Mrs. Crigul and Miss were weeping there together, and I felt as sorry for them as I did myself.But I have something big on my mind, and I must say it, though I don't know yet if I have the courage:

"With your permission, sir—"

Mr. Crigul said in a low voice, "What is it?" He stared at me as if he were going to burn me with his eyes.

"With your permission, sir," I stammered, "can you remove this sign before the students come back, I very much regret my past behavior, sir—"

Krigul sprang up from his chair.I was so scared that I ran away in a hurry without waiting for him to leave the chair or for the wooden-legged man to accompany me.ran all the way to my bedroom.After entering the bedroom, I found that no one was chasing me, so I went to bed. I was lying on the bed, my heart was still beating wildly.

The next morning, Mr. Sharp, the first-class teacher above Mr. Meyer, returned.Mr Meyer dined with the students, but Mr Sharp shared it with Mr Krigul.I thought he was a very weak man, he had a big nose and his head was on one side as if he couldn't hold it up.His hair was curled and shiny; but, according to the first student who came back, it was actually an old wig Mr. Sharp had curled every Saturday afternoon.

It was, of course, Thomas Traddles who brought the news.He was the first to go back to school and he introduced himself saying I could find his name on the right corner of that door; I said "Tradddle?" .

It was my luck that Traddles came back first.He was very interested in my notice board, which dispelled my uneasiness that I was afraid of showing off and couldn't hide it.As soon as every student, big or small, came back, he said something like, "Look! It's a game!" And those who came back, mostly upset, didn't make fun of me like we expected.Some of them, of course, jumped about me like wild Indians with joy when they saw me.Most of them sometimes pat me, touch me, tell me not to bite, and say: "Dude, lie down!" and call me "Ah Huang".In the midst of so many strangers, this inevitably made me feel embarrassed and wept.But overall it was much better than I expected.

However, I was not a full student until Jane Steerforth came back.He seemed very knowledgeable and was at least six years older than me.They met him like they were taking me to the officer.He was under a shed in the playground, asked about his passing, and then said seriously: "This is a great shame." Therefore, he is my benefactor.

"How much have you brought, Copperfield?" asked he as he took me aside.

I told him I had seven shillings.

"You give me the money to keep," he said, "if you like, give it to me. Or don't."

Of course I did as he said. I opened the purse Peggotty had given me, and poured the money into his hand.

"Is there anything you need to buy right now?" he asked me.

"No, thank you." I replied.

"You can use it if you like," said Steerforth, "go ahead."

"No thanks, man," I repeated.

"Would you like to buy a bottle of wine for two shillings later in the dormitory?" said Steerforth. "I see you staying in my dormitory."

I didn't think much of it, but I said yes anyway.

"Yes," said Steerforth, "you like macaroons for another shilling, too?"

I said, "Okay, I like it."

"One more for biscuits, and one for fruit, will you?" said Steerforth. "I say, Copperfield, run out!"

We laughed, but I was actually sad.

"But," said Steerforth, "we're going to make good use of the money, and I'm going to help you as much as I can. I can get out if I want to, and I can bring in food ideas." And he pocketed the money , and gently told me that I can rest assured that he will not make mistakes.

He was very trustworthy, but I was uncomfortable—for I was afraid my mother's two and a half crowns would be misused—though I had saved the paper, which was very unusual for me.

At bedtime he took seven shillings, laid them on the bed, and said:

"Look, Copperfield, you can have a party!"

I was standing in front of him, and it was impossible for me to preside over the banquet, and the thought of it frightened me.I begged him to preside over me; the rest of the room agreed to my request.He agreed to come down, sit on my pillow, and divide the things fairly and share the wine in a small glass with no stem.As for me, I sat on his left, surrounded by the rest.

I remember very well that we sat there, talking softly; or they talked in a low voice, and I listened in awe.Only a ray of moonlight shines through the window.It was dark, except for Steerforth, looking for something on the table, and a blue light flashed when he lit a match! It gave me a sense of mystery, and I listened respectfully to what they said; it all seemed I was still there, which pleased me, but when Traddles pretended to see a ghost in the corner, I was frightened again (though I pretended to laugh).

During the conversation I learned that Mr. Krigul called himself a Tartar; that he was the most powerful and demanding teacher; The students with the worst grades here know more than he does.He used to sell beer in South Town, but later he went bankrupt and lost money, so he came to run the school.There are many novelties.

The man with the wooden leg was called Tungai.A bad-tempered fellow who used to help Mr. Crigul's shop; the students surmised that he had broken his leg while doing Mr. Because of his activities, he knew his secret, so they entered the education field together.It is said that all the teachers and students in the school, except Krigul, are regarded as enemies by him without exception, and he only knows cruelty and viciousness.I also heard that Krigul had a son who had a bad relationship with Tungai. He used to work in the school.He was very dissatisfied with his father's cruel punishment of the students, and he also protested that his father treated his mother badly.Mr. Crigul, therefore, threw him out of the house.From that moment on Mrs. and Miss Crigulle were at their wits' end.

But the most astonishing thing I've heard about Kerry Gurr is that there was only one boy in the school who dared not fight, and that was James Steerforth.Steerforth himself thought so on the matter.A good-natured student (not I) asked him, what would he do if Mr. Crigul did use force? He put a match into his phosphorus box, and replied that he would not hesitate to use the other. The seven-and-a-half shilling bottle of ink, which stood forever on the mantelpiece, fell on his head and knocked him down.We sat in the dark too scared to breathe.

I have heard that Mr. Sharp is not very well treated. At dinner, when Mr. Crigul has hot and cold dishes on his table, Mr. Sharp always says that he likes them cold; Steerforth can Proof, because he is the only honor student.Mr. Sharp's wig, I've heard, doesn't fit, he doesn't have to be so "smug" about it, and others say he doesn't have to be so "smelly"--because his own red hair is clearly showing at the back of his head.

Also, there was a classmate whose father was a coal merchant, and he went to school to pay off debts, so the classmates called him "draft or barter."I also heard that Krigul's wine is a tribute from the parents; the pudding is also asked from the parents.I've heard that the whole school thinks that Miss Crigul is in love with Steerforth; Falling in love with him makes perfect sense.I also heard that Mr. Meyer was not a bad man, but he was very poor, and his mother, old Mrs. Meyer, was also very poor.I thought of what she had said about little Charlie at breakfast at Mrs. Meyer's, and consoled myself by being silent about it.

After they finished talking, they said a lot of other things, but they had already finished their food.Most of them went to bed after eating and drinking; but we half undressed and still sat there, listening and talking, and then went to bed too.

"Good night, young Copperfield," said Steerforth, "I will take care of you."

"You are very kind, I am very grateful."

"You have no sisters?" said Steerforth, yawning.

"No." I replied.

"That's a pity," said Steerforth. "If you have a sister, I think she must be pretty. I must get to know her. Good night, young Copperfield."

"Good night, man."

After I went to bed, I kept thinking about him; I looked at him by the moonlight: his beautiful face was turned up, and his head rested leisurely on his arm.He became a great man.No shadow of the future glided past him in the moonlight, nor did he advance in the gardens I fancied I wandered.

(End of this chapter)