05-02-大卫·科波菲尔 [27]
seemed so exciting．In fact，my flat looked empty and depressing．So，after two days of loneliness，I was very glad to receive my first visitor，Steerforth，and because I was so happy to see him，I invited him and two friends of his to dinner the next evening．
As it was my first dinner party，I did not know what to buy，but I ordered cooked dishes of chicken and fish from the restaurant，bought cheese and fruit from the market，and had a large number of bottles of wine delivered．I was quite fright ened by how much money I had spent，but when Steerforth and his friends arrived，I soon became more cheerful．The party was a great success，and we all enjoyed ourselves very much．We ate，and drank，and smoked，and drank again．I was constantly opening bottles of wine，and became unusually talkative．I began to feel rather strange，and when I caught sight of myself in a mirror，I seemed very pale．I had to confess to myself that I looked drunk．
Someone suggested going to the theatre，and in a kind of mist we left my flat and walked through the streets．Steerforth was holding my arm and laughing．Then a man in a little box looked out of the fog，and took money from somebody．Soon we were sitting high up in a very hot，very crowded theatre．There were bright lights，and there was music，but I could not understand what anyone was saying，and the whole building seemed to swim in front of my eyes．
Then someone suggested going to visit some friends in an other part of the theatre，so we went downstairs．Suddenly I saw，quite clearly，Agnes Wickfield，sitting with a lady and gentleman．She was looking at me with a surprised expression on her face．
‘Good heavens！’I cried．‘Agnes！You're in London！’
‘Quiet！’she whispered．‘People are trying to listen to the actors．You'll disturb them！’Then she added kindly，‘David，please do what I say．Ask your friends to take you home．’
I had always taken Agnes's advice，and I did so this time．I do not remember how I got home，but I do remember Steer forth helping me to undress and get into bed．What a terrible，sleepless night I spent！How ill I felt！How dry my mouth was！But the next morning I felt even worse．I was so miser able and ashamed that I had been so stupid，and that Agnes had seen me drunk．I could not even apologize to her，because I did not know where she was staying in London．I spent the whole day with my head in my hands，in my dirty，smoky room，surrounded by empty wine bottles．
But the next day a note was delivered to my flat．It was from Agnes，asking me to visit her at the house where she was staying．I went straight there after my day's work at the office．
She looked so quiet and good，and reminded me so much of my happy schooldays in Canterbury，that I could not help crying．
‘I'm so sorry，Agnes，’I said，‘that you saw me like that．I wish I were dead！’
‘David，don't be unhappy，’she said cheerfully．‘You know you can trust me，and I'll always be your friend．’
I took her hand and kissed it．‘Agnes，you're my good angel！’
She shook her head．‘No，David，but if I were，I'd warn you—to stay away from your bad angel．’
‘My dear Agnes！’I cried．‘Do you mean Steerforth？’
‘I do，David，’she replied，looking firmly at me．
‘Agnes，you're wrong！He is my trusted friend！He helps and guides me！It wasn't his fault that I got drunk，you know！’
‘I wasn't thinking of that．I judge him from what you've told me about him，and your character，and his influence over you．’Agnes spoke very seriously，and her words went straight to my heart．‘I'm certain I'm right．You've made a dangerous friend，David，because you're so trusting．Please remember what I say—and forgive me for saying it．’
‘I will，if you forgive me for getting drunk．’
Agnes agreed，smi
As it was my first dinner party，I did not know what to buy，but I ordered cooked dishes of chicken and fish from the restaurant，bought cheese and fruit from the market，and had a large number of bottles of wine delivered．I was quite fright ened by how much money I had spent，but when Steerforth and his friends arrived，I soon became more cheerful．The party was a great success，and we all enjoyed ourselves very much．We ate，and drank，and smoked，and drank again．I was constantly opening bottles of wine，and became unusually talkative．I began to feel rather strange，and when I caught sight of myself in a mirror，I seemed very pale．I had to confess to myself that I looked drunk．
Someone suggested going to the theatre，and in a kind of mist we left my flat and walked through the streets．Steerforth was holding my arm and laughing．Then a man in a little box looked out of the fog，and took money from somebody．Soon we were sitting high up in a very hot，very crowded theatre．There were bright lights，and there was music，but I could not understand what anyone was saying，and the whole building seemed to swim in front of my eyes．
Then someone suggested going to visit some friends in an other part of the theatre，so we went downstairs．Suddenly I saw，quite clearly，Agnes Wickfield，sitting with a lady and gentleman．She was looking at me with a surprised expression on her face．
‘Good heavens！’I cried．‘Agnes！You're in London！’
‘Quiet！’she whispered．‘People are trying to listen to the actors．You'll disturb them！’Then she added kindly，‘David，please do what I say．Ask your friends to take you home．’
I had always taken Agnes's advice，and I did so this time．I do not remember how I got home，but I do remember Steer forth helping me to undress and get into bed．What a terrible，sleepless night I spent！How ill I felt！How dry my mouth was！But the next morning I felt even worse．I was so miser able and ashamed that I had been so stupid，and that Agnes had seen me drunk．I could not even apologize to her，because I did not know where she was staying in London．I spent the whole day with my head in my hands，in my dirty，smoky room，surrounded by empty wine bottles．
But the next day a note was delivered to my flat．It was from Agnes，asking me to visit her at the house where she was staying．I went straight there after my day's work at the office．
She looked so quiet and good，and reminded me so much of my happy schooldays in Canterbury，that I could not help crying．
‘I'm so sorry，Agnes，’I said，‘that you saw me like that．I wish I were dead！’
‘David，don't be unhappy，’she said cheerfully．‘You know you can trust me，and I'll always be your friend．’
I took her hand and kissed it．‘Agnes，you're my good angel！’
She shook her head．‘No，David，but if I were，I'd warn you—to stay away from your bad angel．’
‘My dear Agnes！’I cried．‘Do you mean Steerforth？’
‘I do，David，’she replied，looking firmly at me．
‘Agnes，you're wrong！He is my trusted friend！He helps and guides me！It wasn't his fault that I got drunk，you know！’
‘I wasn't thinking of that．I judge him from what you've told me about him，and your character，and his influence over you．’Agnes spoke very seriously，and her words went straight to my heart．‘I'm certain I'm right．You've made a dangerous friend，David，because you're so trusting．Please remember what I say—and forgive me for saying it．’
‘I will，if you forgive me for getting drunk．’
Agnes agreed，smi