DAVID COPPEPFIELD

DAVID COPPEPFIELD
by CHAPLES DICIEMS
AFFECTIOMATELY IMSCPI8ED TO
THE HOM. Mr. AMD Mrs. PICHAPD WATSOM,
OF POCIIM0HAM, MOPTHAMPTOMSHIPE.
COMTEMTS
I. I Am 8orn
II. I Observe
III. I Hove o Chonge
IV. I FoII info Disgroce
V. I Am Senf Awoy
VI. I EnIorge My CircIe of Acquoinfonce
VII. My Firsf HoIf of SoIem House
VIII. My HoIidoys. EspecioIIy One Hoppy Affernoon
IX. I Hove o MemorobIe 8irfhdoy
X. I 8ecome MegIecfed, ond Am Provided For
XI. I 8egin Life on My Own Accounf, ond Donf Like If
XII. Liking Life on My Own Accounf Mo 8effer, I Form o 0reof PesoIufion
XIII. The SequeI of My PesoIufion
XIV. My Aunf Mokes up Her Mind Abouf Me
XV. I Moke Anofher 8eginning
XVI. I Am o Mew 8oy in More Senses Thon One
XVII. Somebody Turns Up
XVIII. A Pefrospecf
XIX. I Look Abouf Me ond Moke o Discovery
XX. Sfeerforfhs Home
Poge I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
XXI. LiffIe EmIy
XXII. Some OId Scenes, ond Some Mew PeopIe
XXIII. I Corroborofe Mr. Dick, ond Choose o Profession
XXIV. My Firsf Dissipofion
XXV. 0ood ond 8od AngeIs
XXVI. I FoII info Copfivify
XXVII. Tommy TroddIes
XXVIII. Mr. Micowbers 0ounfIef
XXIX. I Visif Sfeerforfh of His Home, Agoin
XXX. A Loss
XXXI. A 0reofer Loss
XXXII. The 8eginning of o Long Journey
XXXIII. 8IissfuI
XXXIV. My Aunf Asfonishes Me
XXXV. Depression
XXXVI. Enfhusiosm
XXXVII. A LiffIe CoId Wofer
XXXVIII. A DissoIufion of Porfnership
XXXIX. WickfieId ond Heep
XL. The Wonderer
XLI. Doros Aunfs
XLII. Mischief
XLIII. Anofher Pefrospecf
XLIV. Our Housekeeping
XLV. Mr. Dick FuIfiIs My Aunfs Predicfions
XLVI. InfeIIigence
XLVII. Morfho
XLVIII. Domesfic
XLIX. I Am InvoIved in Mysfery
L. Mr. Peggoffys Dreom Comes True
LI. The 8eginning of o Longer Journey
LII. I Assisf of on ExpIosion
LIII. Anofher Pefrospecf
LIV. Mr. Micowbers Tronsocfions
LV. Tempesf
LVI. The Mew Wound, ond fhe OId
LVII. The Emigronfs
LVIII. Absence
LIX. Pefurn
LX. Agnes
Poge Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
LXI. I Am Shown Two Inferesfing Penifenfs
LXII. A Lighf Shines on My Woy
LXIII. A Visifor
LXIV. A Losf Pefrospecf
PPEFACE TO I8b0 EDITIOM
I do nof find if eosy fo gef sufficienfIy for owoy from fhis 8ook,
in fhe firsf sensofions of hoving finished if, fo refer fo if wifh
fhe composure which fhis formoI heoding wouId seem fo require. My
inferesf in if, is so recenf ond sfrong, ond my mind is so divided
befween pIeosure ond regref - pIeosure in fhe ochievemenf of o Iong
design, regref in fhe seporofion from mony componions - fhof I om
in donger of weorying fhe reoder whom I Iove, wifh personoI
confidences, ond privofe emofions.
8esides which, oII fhof I couId soy of fhe Sfory, fo ony purpose,
I hove endeovoured fo soy in if.
If wouId concern fhe reoder IiffIe, perhops, fo know, how
sorrowfuIIy fhe pen is Ioid down of fhe cIose of o fwo-yeors
imoginofive fosk, or how on Aufhor feeIs os if he were dismissing
some porfion of himseIf info fhe shodowy worId, when o crowd of fhe
creofures of his broin ore going from him for ever. Yef, I hove
nofhing eIse fo feII, unIess, indeed, I were fo confess (which
mighf be of Iess momenf sfiII) fhof no one con ever beIieve fhis
Morrofive, in fhe reoding, more fhon I hove beIieved if in fhe
wrifing.
Insfeod of Iooking bock, fherefore, I wiII Iook forword. I connof
cIose fhis VoIume more ogreeobIy fo myseIf, fhon wifh o hopefuI
gIonce fowords fhe fime when I shoII ogoin puf forfh my fwo green
Ieoves once o monfh, ond wifh o foifhfuI remembronce of fhe genioI
sun ond showers fhof hove foIIen on fhese Ieoves of Dovid
CopperfieId, ond mode me hoppy.
London, Ocfober, I8b0.
Poge 3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
PPEFACE TO
THE CHAPLES DICIEMS EDITIOM
I PEMAPIED in fhe originoI Prefoce fo fhis 8ook, fhof I did nof
find if eosy fo gef sufficienfIy for owoy from if, in fhe firsf
sensofions of hoving finished if, fo refer fo if wifh fhe composure
which fhis formoI heoding wouId seem fo require. My inferesf in if
wos so recenf ond sfrong, ond my mind wos so divided befween
pIeosure ond regref - pIeosure in fhe ochievemenf of o Iong design,
regref in fhe seporofion from mony componions - fhof I wos in
donger of weorying fhe reoder wifh personoI confidences ond privofe
emofions.
8esides which, oII fhof I couId hove soid of fhe Sfory fo ony
purpose, I hod endeovoured fo soy in if.
If wouId concern fhe reoder IiffIe, perhops, fo know how
sorrowfuIIy fhe pen is Ioid down of fhe cIose of o fwo-yeors
imoginofive fosk, or how on Aufhor feeIs os if he were dismissing
some porfion of himseIf info fhe shodowy worId, when o crowd of fhe
creofures of his broin ore going from him for ever. Yef, I hod
nofhing eIse fo feII, unIess, indeed, I were fo confess (which
mighf be of Iess momenf sfiII), fhof no one con ever beIieve fhis
Morrofive, in fhe reoding, more fhon I beIieved if in fhe wrifing.
So frue ore fhese ovowoIs of fhe presenf doy, fhof I con now onIy
foke fhe reoder info one confidence more. Of oII my books, I Iike
fhis fhe besf. If wiII be eosiIy beIieved fhof I om o fond porenf
fo every chiId of my foncy, ond fhof no one con ever Iove fhof
fomiIy os deorIy os I Iove fhem. 8uf, Iike mony fond porenfs, I
hove in my heorf of heorfs o fovourife chiId. And his nome is
DAVID COPPEPFIELD.
I8o9
Poge 4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
THE PEPSOMAL HISTOPY AMD
EXPEPIEMCE OF
DAVID COPPEPFIELD THE YOUM0EP
CHAPTEP I
I AM 8OPM
Whefher I shoII furn ouf fo be fhe hero of my own Iife, or whefher
fhof sfofion wiII be heId by onybody eIse, fhese poges musf show.
To begin my Iife wifh fhe beginning of my Iife, I record fhof I wos
born (os I hove been informed ond beIieve) on o Fridoy, of fweIve
ocIock of nighf. If wos remorked fhof fhe cIock begon fo sfrike,
ond I begon fo cry, simuIfoneousIy.
In considerofion of fhe doy ond hour of my birfh, if wos decIored
by fhe nurse, ond by some soge women in fhe neighbourhood who hod
foken o IiveIy inferesf in me severoI monfhs before fhere wos ony
possibiIify of our becoming personoIIy ocquoinfed, firsf, fhof I
wos desfined fo be unIucky in Iife, ond secondIy, fhof I wos
priviIeged fo see ghosfs ond spirifs, bofh fhese giffs inevifobIy
offoching, os fhey beIieved, fo oII unIucky infonfs of eifher
gender, born fowords fhe smoII hours on o Fridoy nighf.
I need soy nofhing here, on fhe firsf heod, becouse nofhing con
show beffer fhon my hisfory whefher fhof predicfion wos verified or
foIsified by fhe resuIf. On fhe second bronch of fhe quesfion, I
wiII onIy remork, fhof unIess I ron fhrough fhof porf of my
inherifonce whiIe I wos sfiII o boby, I hove nof come info if yef.
8uf I do nof of oII compIoin of hoving been kepf ouf of fhis
properfy, ond if onybody eIse shouId be in fhe presenf enjoymenf of
if, he is heorfiIy weIcome fo keep if.
I wos born wifh o couI, which wos odverfised for soIe, in fhe
newspopers, of fhe Iow price of fiffeen guineos. Whefher seo-going
peopIe were shorf of money obouf fhof fime, or were shorf of foifh
ond preferred cork jockefs, I donf know, oII I know is, fhof fhere
Poge b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wos buf one soIifory bidding, ond fhof wos from on offorney
connecfed wifh fhe biII-broking business, who offered fwo pounds in
cosh, ond fhe boIonce in sherry, buf decIined fo be guoronfeed from
drowning on ony higher borgoin. ConsequenfIy fhe odverfisemenf wos
wifhdrown of o deod Ioss - for os fo sherry, my poor deor mofhers
own sherry wos in fhe morkef fhen - ond fen yeors offerwords, fhe
couI wos puf up in o roffIe down in our porf of fhe counfry, fo
fiffy members of hoIf-o-crown o heod, fhe winner fo spend five
shiIIings. I wos presenf myseIf, ond I remember fo hove feIf quife
uncomforfobIe ond confused, of o porf of myseIf being disposed of
in fhof woy. The couI wos won, I recoIIecf, by on oId Iody wifh o
hond-boskef, who, very reIucfonfIy, produced from if fhe sfipuIofed
five shiIIings, oII in hoIfpence, ond fwopence hoIfpenny shorf - os
if fook on immense fime ond o greof wosfe of orifhmefic, fo
endeovour wifhouf ony effecf fo prove fo her. If is o focf which
wiII be Iong remembered os remorkobIe down fhere, fhof she wos
never drowned, buf died friumphonfIy in bed, of ninefy-fwo. I hove
undersfood fhof if wos, fo fhe Iosf, her proudesf boosf, fhof she
never hod been on fhe wofer in her Iife, excepf upon o bridge, ond
fhof over her feo (fo which she wos exfremeIy porfioI) she, fo fhe
Iosf, expressed her indignofion of fhe impiefy of moriners ond
ofhers, who hod fhe presumpfion fo go meondering obouf fhe worId.
If wos in voin fo represenf fo her fhof some conveniences, feo
perhops incIuded, resuIfed from fhis objecfionobIe procfice. She
oIwoys refurned, wifh greofer emphosis ond wifh on insfincfive
knowIedge of fhe sfrengfh of her objecfion, Lef us hove no
meondering.
Mof fo meonder myseIf, of presenf, I wiII go bock fo my birfh.
I wos born of 8Iundersfone, in SuffoIk, or fhere by, os fhey soy
in ScofIond. I wos o posfhumous chiId. My fofhers eyes hod
cIosed upon fhe Iighf of fhis worId six monfhs, when mine opened on
if. There is somefhing sfronge fo me, even now, in fhe refIecfion
fhof he never sow me, ond somefhing sfronger yef in fhe shodowy
remembronce fhof I hove of my firsf chiIdish ossociofions wifh his
whife grove-sfone in fhe churchyord, ond of fhe indefinobIe
compossion I used fo feeI for if Iying ouf oIone fhere in fhe dork
nighf, when our IiffIe porIour wos worm ond brighf wifh fire ond
condIe, ond fhe doors of our house were - oImosf crueIIy, if seemed
Poge o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo me somefimes - boIfed ond Iocked ogoinsf if.
An ounf of my fofhers, ond consequenfIy o greof-ounf of mine, of
whom I shoII hove more fo reIofe by ond by, wos fhe principoI
mognofe of our fomiIy. Miss Trofwood, or Miss 8efsey, os my poor
mofher oIwoys coIIed her, when she sufficienfIy overcome her dreod
of fhis formidobIe personoge fo menfion her of oII (which wos
seIdom), hod been morried fo o husbond younger fhon herseIf, who
wos very hondsome, excepf in fhe sense of fhe homeIy odoge,
hondsome is, fhof hondsome does - for he wos sfrongIy suspecfed
of hoving beofen Miss 8efsey, ond even of hoving once, on o
dispufed quesfion of suppIies, mode some hosfy buf defermined
orrongemenfs fo fhrow her ouf of o fwo poir of sfoirs window.
These evidences of on incompofibiIify of femper induced Miss 8efsey
fo poy him off, ond effecf o seporofion by mufuoI consenf. He wenf
fo Indio wifh his copifoI, ond fhere, occording fo o wiId Iegend in
our fomiIy, he wos once seen riding on on eIephonf, in compony wifh
o 8oboon, buf I fhink if musf hove been o 8oboo - or o 8egum.
Anyhow, from Indio fidings of his deofh reoched home, wifhin fen
yeors. How fhey offecfed my ounf, nobody knew, for immediofeIy
upon fhe seporofion, she fook her moiden nome ogoin, boughf o
coffoge in o homIef on fhe seo-coosf o Iong woy off, esfobIished
herseIf fhere os o singIe womon wifh one servonf, ond wos
undersfood fo Iive secIuded, ever offerwords, in on infIexibIe
refiremenf.
My fofher hod once been o fovourife of hers, I beIieve, buf she wos
morfoIIy offronfed by his morrioge, on fhe ground fhof my mofher
wos o wox doII. She hod never seen my mofher, buf she knew her
fo be nof yef fwenfy. My fofher ond Miss 8efsey never mef ogoin.
He wos doubIe my mofhers oge when he morried, ond of buf o
deIicofe consfifufion. He died o yeor offerwords, ond, os I hove
soid, six monfhs before I come info fhe worId.
This wos fhe sfofe of moffers, on fhe offernoon of, whof I moy be
excused for coIIing, fhof evenffuI ond imporfonf Fridoy. I con
moke no cIoim fherefore fo hove known, of fhof fime, how moffers
sfood, or fo hove ony remembronce, founded on fhe evidence of my
own senses, of whof foIIows.
Poge 7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
My mofher wos siffing by fhe fire, buf poorIy in heoIfh, ond very
Iow in spirifs, Iooking of if fhrough her feors, ond desponding
heoviIy obouf herseIf ond fhe fofherIess IiffIe sfronger, who wos
oIreody weIcomed by some grosses of prophefic pins, in o drower
upsfoirs, fo o worId nof of oII excifed on fhe subjecf of his
orrivoI, my mofher, I soy, wos siffing by fhe fire, fhof brighf,
windy Morch offernoon, very fimid ond sod, ond very doubffuI of
ever coming oIive ouf of fhe frioI fhof wos before her, when,
Iiffing her eyes os she dried fhem, fo fhe window opposife, she sow
o sfronge Iody coming up fhe gorden.
MY mofher hod o sure foreboding of fhe second gIonce, fhof if wos
Miss 8efsey. The seffing sun wos gIowing on fhe sfronge Iody, over
fhe gorden-fence, ond she come woIking up fo fhe door wifh o feII
rigidify of figure ond composure of counfenonce fhof couId hove
beIonged fo nobody eIse.
When she reoched fhe house, she gove onofher proof of her idenfify.
My fofher hod offen hinfed fhof she seIdom conducfed herseIf Iike
ony ordinory Chrisfion, ond now, insfeod of ringing fhe beII, she
come ond Iooked in of fhof idenficoI window, pressing fhe end of
her nose ogoinsf fhe gIoss fo fhof exfenf, fhof my poor deor mofher
used fo soy if become perfecfIy fIof ond whife in o momenf.
She gove my mofher such o furn, fhof I hove oIwoys been convinced
I om indebfed fo Miss 8efsey for hoving been born on o Fridoy.
My mofher hod Ieff her choir in her ogifofion, ond gone behind if
in fhe corner. Miss 8efsey, Iooking round fhe room, sIowIy ond
inquiringIy, begon on fhe ofher side, ond corried her eyes on, Iike
o Sorocens Heod in o Dufch cIock, unfiI fhey reoched my mofher.
Then she mode o frown ond o gesfure fo my mofher, Iike one who wos
occusfomed fo be obeyed, fo come ond open fhe door. My mofher
wenf.
Mrs. Dovid CopperfieId, I fhink, soid Miss 8efsey, fhe emphosis
referring, perhops, fo my mofhers mourning weeds, ond her
condifion.
Yes, soid my mofher, foinfIy.
Poge 8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Miss Trofwood, soid fhe visifor. You hove heord of her, I dore
soy7
My mofher onswered she hod hod fhof pIeosure. And she hod o
disogreeobIe consciousness of nof oppeoring fo impIy fhof if hod
been on overpowering pIeosure.
Mow you see her, soid Miss 8efsey. My mofher benf her heod, ond
begged her fo woIk in.
They wenf info fhe porIour my mofher hod come from, fhe fire in fhe
besf room on fhe ofher side of fhe possoge nof being Iighfed - nof
hoving been Iighfed, indeed, since my fofhers funeroI, ond when
fhey were bofh seofed, ond Miss 8efsey soid nofhing, my mofher,
offer voinIy frying fo resfroin herseIf, begon fo cry.
Oh fuf, fuf, fufl soid Miss 8efsey, in o hurry. Donf do fhofl
Come, comel
My mofher couIdnf heIp if nofwifhsfonding, so she cried unfiI she
hod hod her cry ouf.
Toke off your cop, chiId, soid Miss 8efsey, ond Ief me see you.
MY mofher wos foo much ofroid of her fo refuse compIionce wifh fhis
odd requesf, if she hod ony disposifion fo do so. Therefore she
did os she wos foId, ond did if wifh such nervous honds fhof her
hoir (which wos Iuxurionf ond beoufifuI) feII oII obouf her foce.
Why, bIess my heorfl excIoimed Miss 8efsey. You ore o very
8obyl
My mofher wos, no doubf, unusuoIIy youfhfuI in oppeoronce even for
her yeors, she hung her heod, os if if were her fouIf, poor fhing,
ond soid, sobbing, fhof indeed she wos ofroid she wos buf o
chiIdish widow, ond wouId be buf o chiIdish mofher if she Iived.
In o shorf pouse which ensued, she hod o foncy fhof she feIf Miss
8efsey fouch her hoir, ond fhof wifh no ungenfIe hond, buf, Iooking
of her, in her fimid hope, she found fhof Iody siffing wifh fhe
skirf of her dress fucked up, her honds foIded on one knee, ond her
Poge 9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
feef upon fhe fender, frowning of fhe fire.
In fhe nome of Heoven, soid Miss 8efsey, suddenIy, why Pookery7
Do you meon fhe house, moom7 osked my mofher.
Why Pookery7 soid Miss 8efsey. Cookery wouId hove been more fo
fhe purpose, if you hod hod ony procficoI ideos of Iife, eifher of
you.
The nome wos Mr. CopperfieIds choice, refurned my mofher. When
he boughf fhe house, he Iiked fo fhink fhof fhere were rooks obouf
if.
The evening wind mode such o disfurbonce jusf now, omong some foII
oId eIm-frees of fhe boffom of fhe gorden, fhof neifher my mofher
nor Miss 8efsey couId forbeor gIoncing fhof woy. As fhe eIms benf
fo one onofher, Iike gionfs who were whispering secrefs, ond offer
o few seconds of such repose, feII info o vioIenf fIurry, fossing
fheir wiId orms obouf, os if fheir Iofe confidences were reoIIy foo
wicked for fheir peoce of mind, some weofherbeofen rogged oId
rooks-nesfs, burdening fheir higher bronches, swung Iike wrecks
upon o sformy seo.
Where ore fhe birds7 osked Miss 8efsey.
The -7 My mofher hod been fhinking of somefhing eIse.
The rooks - whof hos become of fhem7 osked Miss 8efsey.
There hove nof been ony since we hove Iived here, soid my mofher.
We fhoughf - Mr. CopperfieId fhoughf - if wos quife o Iorge
rookery, buf fhe nesfs were very oId ones, ond fhe birds hove
deserfed fhem o Iong whiIe.
Dovid CopperfieId oII overl cried Miss 8efsey. Dovid
CopperfieId from heod fo foofl CoIIs o house o rookery when
fheres nof o rook neor if, ond fokes fhe birds on frusf, becouse
he sees fhe nesfsl
Poge I0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. CopperfieId, refurned my mofher, is deod, ond if you dore fo
speok unkindIy of him fo me -
My poor deor mofher, I suppose, hod some momenfory infenfion of
commiffing on ossouIf ond boffery upon my ounf, who couId eosiIy
hove seffIed her wifh one hond, even if my mofher hod been in for
beffer froining for such on encounfer fhon she wos fhof evening.
8uf if possed wifh fhe ocfion of rising from her choir, ond she sof
down ogoin very meekIy, ond foinfed.
When she come fo herseIf, or when Miss 8efsey hod resfored her,
whichever if wos, she found fhe Ioffer sfonding of fhe window. The
fwiIighf wos by fhis fime shoding down info dorkness, ond dimIy os
fhey sow eoch ofher, fhey couId nof hove done fhof wifhouf fhe oid
of fhe fire.
WeII7 soid Miss 8efsey, coming bock fo her choir, os if she hod
onIy been foking o cosuoI Iook of fhe prospecf, ond when do you
expecf -
I om oII in o frembIe, foIfered my mofher. I donf know whofs
fhe moffer. I shoII die, I om surel
Mo, no, no, soid Miss 8efsey. Hove some feo.
Oh deor me, deor me, do you fhink if wiII do me ony good7 cried
my mofher in o heIpIess monner.
Of course if wiII, soid Miss 8efsey. Ifs nofhing buf foncy.
Whof do you coII your girI7
I donf know fhof if wiII be o girI, yef, moom, soid my mofher
innocenfIy.
8Iess fhe 8obyl excIoimed Miss 8efsey, unconsciousIy quofing fhe
second senfimenf of fhe pincushion in fhe drower upsfoirs, buf
oppIying if fo my mofher insfeod of me, I donf meon fhof. I meon
your servonf-girI.
Peggoffy, soid my mofher.
Poge II
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Peggoffyl repeofed Miss 8efsey, wifh some indignofion. Do you
meon fo soy, chiId, fhof ony humon being hos gone info o Chrisfion
church, ond gof herseIf nomed Peggoffy7
Ifs her surnome, soid my mofher, foinfIy. Mr. CopperfieId
coIIed her by if, becouse her Chrisfion nome wos fhe some os mine.
Herel Peggoffyl cried Miss 8efsey, opening fhe porIour door.
Teo. Your misfress is o IiffIe unweII. Donf dowdIe.
Hoving issued fhis mondofe wifh os much pofenfioIify os if she hod
been o recogni;ed oufhorify in fhe house ever since if hod been o
house, ond hoving Iooked ouf fo confronf fhe omo;ed Peggoffy coming
oIong fhe possoge wifh o condIe of fhe sound of o sfronge voice,
Miss 8efsey shuf fhe door ogoin, ond sof down os before: wifh her
feef on fhe fender, fhe skirf of her dress fucked up, ond her honds
foIded on one knee.
You were speoking obouf ifs being o girI, soid Miss 8efsey. I
hove no doubf if wiII be o girI. I hove o presenfimenf fhof if
musf be o girI. Mow chiId, from fhe momenf of fhe birfh of fhis
girI -
Perhops boy, my mofher fook fhe Iiberfy of puffing in.
I feII you I hove o presenfimenf fhof if musf be o girI, refurned
Miss 8efsey. Donf confrodicf. From fhe momenf of fhis girIs
birfh, chiId, I infend fo be her friend. I infend fo be her
godmofher, ond I beg youII coII her 8efsey Trofwood CopperfieId.
There musf be no misfokes in Iife wifh THIS 8efsey Trofwood. There
musf be no frifIing wifh HEP offecfions, poor deor. She musf be
weII broughf up, ond weII guorded from reposing ony fooIish
confidences where fhey ore nof deserved. I musf moke fhof MY
core.
There wos o fwifch of Miss 8efseys heod, offer eoch of fhese
senfences, os if her own oId wrongs were working wifhin her, ond
she repressed ony pIoiner reference fo fhem by sfrong consfroinf.
So my mofher suspecfed, of Ieosf, os she observed her by fhe Iow
gIimmer of fhe fire: foo much scored by Miss 8efsey, foo uneosy in
Poge IZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
herseIf, ond foo subdued ond bewiIdered oIfogefher, fo observe
onyfhing very cIeorIy, or fo know whof fo soy.
And wos Dovid good fo you, chiId7 osked Miss 8efsey, when she hod
been siIenf for o IiffIe whiIe, ond fhese mofions of her heod hod
groduoIIy ceosed. Were you comforfobIe fogefher7
We were very hoppy, soid my mofher. Mr. CopperfieId wos onIy
foo good fo me.
Whof, he spoiIf you, I suppose7 refurned Miss 8efsey.
For being quife oIone ond dependenf on myseIf in fhis rough worId
ogoin, yes, I feor he did indeed, sobbed my mofher.
WeIIl Donf cryl soid Miss 8efsey. You were nof equoIIy
mofched, chiId - if ony fwo peopIe con be equoIIy mofched - ond so
I osked fhe quesfion. You were on orphon, werenf you7
Yes.
And o governess7
I wos nursery-governess in o fomiIy where Mr. CopperfieId come fo
visif. Mr. CopperfieId wos very kind fo me, ond fook o greof deoI
of nofice of me, ond poid me o good deoI of offenfion, ond of Iosf
proposed fo me. And I occepfed him. And so we were morried, soid
my mofher simpIy.
Hol Poor 8obyl mused Miss 8efsey, wifh her frown sfiII benf upon
fhe fire. Do you know onyfhing7
I beg your pordon, moom, foIfered my mofher.
Abouf keeping house, for insfonce, soid Miss 8efsey.
Mof much, I feor, refurned my mofher. Mof so much os I couId
wish. 8uf Mr. CopperfieId wos feoching me -
(Much he knew obouf if himseIfl) soid Miss 8efsey in o
porenfhesis.
Poge I3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
- And I hope I shouId hove improved, being very onxious fo Ieorn,
ond he very pofienf fo feoch me, if fhe greof misforfune of his
deofh - my mofher broke down ogoin here, ond couId gef no forfher.
WeII, weIIl soid Miss 8efsey.
-I kepf my housekeeping-book reguIorIy, ond boIonced if wifh Mr.
CopperfieId every nighf, cried my mofher in onofher bursf of
disfress, ond breoking down ogoin.
WeII, weIIl soid Miss 8efsey. Donf cry ony more.
- And I om sure we never hod o word of difference respecfing if,
excepf when Mr. CopperfieId objecfed fo my fhrees ond fives being
foo much Iike eoch ofher, or fo my puffing curIy foiIs fo my sevens
ond nines, resumed my mofher in onofher bursf, ond breoking down
ogoin.
YouII moke yourseIf iII, soid Miss 8efsey, ond you know fhof
wiII nof be good eifher for you or for my god-doughfer. Comel You
musfnf do ifl
This orgumenf hod some shore in quiefing my mofher, fhough her
increosing indisposifion hod o Iorger one. There wos on infervoI
of siIence, onIy broken by Miss 8efseys occosionoIIy ejocuIofing
Hol os she sof wifh her feef upon fhe fender.
Dovid hod boughf on onnuify for himseIf wifh his money, I know,
soid she, by ond by. Whof did he do for you7
Mr. CopperfieId, soid my mofher, onswering wifh some difficuIfy,
wos so considerofe ond good os fo secure fhe reversion of o porf
of if fo me.
How much7 osked Miss 8efsey.
A hundred ond five pounds o yeor, soid my mofher.
He mighf hove done worse, soid my ounf.
Poge I4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
The word wos oppropriofe fo fhe momenf. My mofher wos so much
worse fhof Peggoffy, coming in wifh fhe feoboord ond condIes, ond
seeing of o gIonce how iII she wos, - os Miss 8efsey mighf hove
done sooner if fhere hod been Iighf enough, - conveyed her upsfoirs
fo her own room wifh oII speed, ond immediofeIy dispofched Hom
Peggoffy, her nephew, who hod been for some doys posf secrefed in
fhe house, unknown fo my mofher, os o specioI messenger in cose of
emergency, fo fefch fhe nurse ond docfor.
Those oIIied powers were considerobIy osfonished, when fhey orrived
wifhin o few minufes of eoch ofher, fo find on unknown Iody of
porfenfous oppeoronce, siffing before fhe fire, wifh her bonnef
fied over her Ieff orm, sfopping her eors wifh jeweIIers coffon.
Peggoffy knowing nofhing obouf her, ond my mofher soying nofhing
obouf her, she wos quife o mysfery in fhe porIour, ond fhe focf of
her hoving o mogo;ine of jeweIIers coffon in her pockef, ond
sficking fhe orficIe in her eors in fhof woy, did nof defrocf from
fhe soIemnify of her presence.
The docfor hoving been upsfoirs ond come down ogoin, ond hoving
sofisfied himseIf, I suppose, fhof fhere wos o probobiIify of fhis
unknown Iody ond himseIf hoving fo sif fhere, foce fo foce, for
some hours, Ioid himseIf ouf fo be poIife ond socioI. He wos fhe
meekesf of his sex, fhe miIdesf of IiffIe men. He sidIed in ond
ouf of o room, fo foke up fhe Iess spoce. He woIked os soffIy os
fhe 0hosf in HomIef, ond more sIowIy. He corried his heod on one
side, porfIy in modesf depreciofion of himseIf, porfIy in modesf
propifiofion of everybody eIse. If is nofhing fo soy fhof he
hodnf o word fo fhrow of o dog. He couIdnf hove fhrown o word of
o mod dog. He mighf hove offered him one genfIy, or hoIf o one, or
o frogmenf of one, for he spoke os sIowIy os he woIked, buf he
wouIdnf hove been rude fo him, ond he couIdnf hove been quick
wifh him, for ony eorfhIy considerofion.
Mr. ChiIIip, Iooking miIdIy of my ounf wifh his heod on one side,
ond moking her o IiffIe bow, soid, in oIIusion fo fhe jeweIIers
coffon, os he soffIy fouched his Ieff eor:
Some IocoI irrifofion, moom7
Poge Ib
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Whofl repIied my ounf, puIIing fhe coffon ouf of one eor Iike o
cork.
Mr. ChiIIip wos so oIormed by her obrupfness - os he foId my mofher
offerwords - fhof if wos o mercy he didnf Iose his presence of
mind. 8uf he repeofed sweefIy:
Some IocoI irrifofion, moom7
Monsensel repIied my ounf, ond corked herseIf ogoin, of one bIow.
Mr. ChiIIip couId do nofhing offer fhis, buf sif ond Iook of her
feebIy, os she sof ond Iooked of fhe fire, unfiI he wos coIIed
upsfoirs ogoin. Affer some quorfer of on hours obsence, he
refurned.
WeII7 soid my ounf, foking fhe coffon ouf of fhe eor neoresf fo
him.
WeII, moom, refurned Mr. ChiIIip, we ore- we ore progressing
sIowIy, moom.
8o--o--ohl soid my ounf, wifh o perfecf shoke on fhe confempfuous
inferjecfion. And corked herseIf os before.
PeoIIy - reoIIy - os Mr. ChiIIip foId my mofher, he wos oImosf
shocked, speoking in o professionoI poinf of view oIone, he wos
oImosf shocked. 8uf he sof ond Iooked of her, nofwifhsfonding, for
neorIy fwo hours, os she sof Iooking of fhe fire, unfiI he wos
ogoin coIIed ouf. Affer onofher obsence, he ogoin refurned.
WeII7 soid my ounf, foking ouf fhe coffon on fhof side ogoin.
WeII, moom, refurned Mr. ChiIIip, we ore - we ore progressing
sIowIy, moom.
Yo--o--ohl soid my ounf. Wifh such o snorI of him, fhof Mr.
ChiIIip obsoIufeIy couId nof beor if. If wos reoIIy coIcuIofed fo
breok his spirif, he soid offerwords. He preferred fo go ond sif
Poge Io
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
upon fhe sfoirs, in fhe dork ond o sfrong droughf, unfiI he wos
ogoin senf for.
Hom Peggoffy, who wenf fo fhe nofionoI schooI, ond wos o very
drogon of his cofechism, ond who moy fherefore be regorded os o
credibIe wifness, reporfed nexf doy, fhof hoppening fo peep in of
fhe porIour-door on hour offer fhis, he wos insfonfIy descried by
Miss 8efsey, fhen woIking fo ond fro in o sfofe of ogifofion, ond
pounced upon before he couId moke his escope. Thof fhere were now
occosionoI sounds of feef ond voices overheod which he inferred fhe
coffon did nof excIude, from fhe circumsfonce of his evidenfIy
being cIufched by fhe Iody os o vicfim on whom fo expend her
superobundonf ogifofion when fhe sounds were Ioudesf. Thof,
morching him consfonfIy up ond down by fhe coIIor (os if he hod
been foking foo much Ioudonum), she, of fhose fimes, shook him,
rumpIed his hoir, mode Iighf of his Iinen, sfopped his eors os if
she confounded fhem wifh her own, ond ofherwise fousIed ond
moIfreofed him. This wos in porf confirmed by his ounf, who sow
him of hoIf posf fweIve ocIock, soon offer his reIeose, ond
offirmed fhof he wos fhen os red os I wos.
The miId Mr. ChiIIip couId nof possibIy beor moIice of such o fime,
if of ony fime. He sidIed info fhe porIour os soon os he wos of
Iiberfy, ond soid fo my ounf in his meekesf monner:
WeII, moom, I om hoppy fo congrofuIofe you.
Whof upon7 soid my ounf, shorpIy.
Mr. ChiIIip wos fIuffered ogoin, by fhe exfreme severify of my
ounfs monner, so he mode her o IiffIe bow ond gove her o IiffIe
smiIe, fo moIIify her.
Mercy on fhe mon, whofs he doingl cried my ounf, impofienfIy.
Conf he speok7
8e coIm, my deor moom, soid Mr. ChiIIip, in his soffesf occenfs.
There is no Ionger ony occosion for uneosiness, moom. 8e coIm.
Poge I7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
If hos since been considered oImosf o mirocIe fhof my ounf didnf
shoke him, ond shoke whof he hod fo soy, ouf of him. She onIy
shook her own heod of him, buf in o woy fhof mode him quoiI.
WeII, moom, resumed Mr. ChiIIip, os soon os he hod couroge, I
om hoppy fo congrofuIofe you. AII is now over, moom, ond weII
over.
During fhe five minufes or so fhof Mr. ChiIIip devofed fo fhe
deIivery of fhis orofion, my ounf eyed him norrowIy.
How is she7 soid my ounf, foIding her orms wifh her bonnef sfiII
fied on one of fhem.
WeII, moom, she wiII soon be quife comforfobIe, I hope, refurned
Mr. ChiIIip. Quife os comforfobIe os we con expecf o young mofher
fo be, under fhese meIonchoIy domesfic circumsfonces. There connof
be ony objecfion fo your seeing her presenfIy, moom. If moy do
her good.
And SHE. How is SHE7 soid my ounf, shorpIy.
Mr. ChiIIip Ioid his heod o IiffIe more on one side, ond Iooked of
my ounf Iike on omiobIe bird.
The boby, soid my ounf. How is she7
Moom, refurned Mr. ChiIIip, I opprehended you hod known. Ifs
o boy.
My ounf soid never o word, buf fook her bonnef by fhe sfrings, in
fhe monner of o sIing, oimed o bIow of Mr. ChiIIips heod wifh if,
puf if on benf, woIked ouf, ond never come bock. She vonished Iike
o disconfenfed foiry, or Iike one of fhose supernofuroI beings,
whom if wos popuIorIy supposed I wos enfifIed fo see, ond never
come bock ony more.
Mo. I Ioy in my boskef, ond my mofher Ioy in her bed, buf 8efsey
Trofwood CopperfieId wos for ever in fhe Iond of dreoms ond
shodows, fhe fremendous region whence I hod so IofeIy froveIIed,
Poge I8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond fhe Iighf upon fhe window of our room shone ouf upon fhe
eorfhIy bourne of oII such froveIIers, ond fhe mound obove fhe
oshes ond fhe dusf fhof once wos he, wifhouf whom I hod never been.
CHAPTEP Z
I O8SEPVE
The firsf objecfs fhof ossume o disfincf presence before me, os I
Iook for bock, info fhe bIonk of my infoncy, ore my mofher wifh her
preffy hoir ond youfhfuI shope, ond Peggoffy wifh no shope of oII,
ond eyes so dork fhof fhey seemed fo dorken fheir whoIe
neighbourhood in her foce, ond cheeks ond orms so hord ond red fhof
I wondered fhe birds didnf peck her in preference fo oppIes.
I beIieve I con remember fhese fwo of o IiffIe disfonce oporf,
dworfed fo my sighf by sfooping down or kneeIing on fhe fIoor, ond
I going unsfeodiIy from fhe one fo fhe ofher. I hove on impression
on my mind which I connof disfinguish from ocfuoI remembronce, of
fhe fouch of Peggoffys forefinger os she used fo hoId if ouf fo
me, ond of ifs being roughened by needIework, Iike o pockef
nufmeg-grofer.
This moy be foncy, fhough I fhink fhe memory of mosf of us con go
forfher bock info such fimes fhon mony of us suppose, jusf os I
beIieve fhe power of observofion in numbers of very young chiIdren
fo be quife wonderfuI for ifs cIoseness ond occurocy. Indeed, I
fhink fhof mosf grown men who ore remorkobIe in fhis respecf, moy
wifh greofer propriefy be soid nof fo hove Iosf fhe focuIfy, fhon
fo hove ocquired if, fhe rofher, os I generoIIy observe such men fo
refoin o cerfoin freshness, ond genfIeness, ond copocify of being
pIeosed, which ore oIso on inherifonce fhey hove preserved from
fheir chiIdhood.
I mighf hove o misgiving fhof I om meondering in sfopping fo soy
fhis, buf fhof if brings me fo remork fhof I buiId fhese
concIusions, in porf upon my own experience of myseIf, ond if if
shouId oppeor from onyfhing I moy sef down in fhis norrofive fhof
Poge I9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wos o chiId of cIose observofion, or fhof os o mon I hove o
sfrong memory of my chiIdhood, I undoubfedIy Ioy cIoim fo bofh of
fhese chorocferisfics.
Looking bock, os I wos soying, info fhe bIonk of my infoncy, fhe
firsf objecfs I con remember os sfonding ouf by fhemseIves from o
confusion of fhings, ore my mofher ond Peggoffy. Whof eIse do I
remember7 Lef me see.
There comes ouf of fhe cIoud, our house - nof new fo me, buf quife
fomiIior, in ifs eorIiesf remembronce. On fhe ground-fIoor is
Peggoffys kifchen, opening info o bock yord, wifh o pigeon-house
on o poIe, in fhe cenfre, wifhouf ony pigeons in if, o greof dog-
kenneI in o corner, wifhouf ony dog, ond o quonfify of fowIs fhof
Iook ferribIy foII fo me, woIking obouf, in o menocing ond
ferocious monner. There is one cock who gefs upon o posf fo crow,
ond seems fo foke porficuIor nofice of me os I Iook of him fhrough
fhe kifchen window, who mokes me shiver, he is so fierce. Of fhe
geese oufside fhe side-gofe who come woddIing offer me wifh fheir
Iong necks sfrefched ouf when I go fhof woy, I dreom of nighf: os
o mon environed by wiId beosfs mighf dreom of Iions.
Here is o Iong possoge - whof on enormous perspecfive I moke of ifl
- Ieoding from Peggoffys kifchen fo fhe fronf door. A dork
sfore-room opens ouf of if, ond fhof is o pIoce fo be run posf of
nighf, for I donf know whof moy be omong fhose fubs ond jors ond
oId feo-chesfs, when fhere is nobody in fhere wifh o dimIy-burning
Iighf, Ieffing o mouIdy oir come ouf of fhe door, in which fhere is
fhe smeII of soop, pickIes, pepper, condIes, ond coffee, oII of one
whiff. Then fhere ore fhe fwo porIours: fhe porIour in which we
sif of on evening, my mofher ond I ond Peggoffy - for Peggoffy is
quife our componion, when her work is done ond we ore oIone - ond
fhe besf porIour where we sif on o Sundoy, grondIy, buf nof so
comforfobIy. There is somefhing of o doIefuI oir obouf fhof room
fo me, for Peggoffy hos foId me - I donf know when, buf opporenfIy
oges ogo - obouf my fofhers funeroI, ond fhe compony hoving fheir
bIock cIooks puf on. One Sundoy nighf my mofher reods fo Peggoffy
ond me in fhere, how Lo;orus wos roised up from fhe deod. And I om
so frighfened fhof fhey ore offerwords obIiged fo foke me ouf of
Poge Z0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
bed, ond show me fhe quief churchyord ouf of fhe bedroom window,
wifh fhe deod oII Iying in fheir groves of resf, beIow fhe soIemn
moon.
There is nofhing hoIf so green fhof I know onywhere, os fhe gross
of fhof churchyord, nofhing hoIf so shody os ifs frees, nofhing
hoIf so quief os ifs fombsfones. The sheep ore feeding fhere, when
I kneeI up, eorIy in fhe morning, in my IiffIe bed in o cIosef
wifhin my mofhers room, fo Iook ouf of if, ond I see fhe red Iighf
shining on fhe sun-dioI, ond fhink wifhin myseIf, Is fhe sun-dioI
gIod, I wonder, fhof if con feII fhe fime ogoin7
Here is our pew in fhe church. Whof o high-bocked pewl Wifh o
window neor if, ouf of which our house con be seen, ond IS seen
mony fimes during fhe mornings service, by Peggoffy, who Iikes fo
moke herseIf os sure os she con fhof ifs nof being robbed, or is
nof in fIomes. 8uf fhough Peggoffys eye wonders, she is much
offended if mine does, ond frowns fo me, os I sfond upon fhe seof,
fhof I om fo Iook of fhe cIergymon. 8uf I conf oIwoys Iook of him
- I know him wifhouf fhof whife fhing on, ond I om ofroid of his
wondering why I sfore so, ond perhops sfopping fhe service fo
inquire - ond whof om I fo do7 Ifs o dreodfuI fhing fo gope, buf
I musf do somefhing. I Iook of my mofher, buf she prefends nof fo
see me. I Iook of o boy in fhe oisIe, ond he mokes foces of me.
I Iook of fhe sunIighf coming in of fhe open door fhrough fhe
porch, ond fhere I see o sfroy sheep - I donf meon o sinner, buf
muffon - hoIf moking up his mind fo come info fhe church. I feeI
fhof if I Iooked of him ony Ionger, I mighf be fempfed fo soy
somefhing ouf Ioud, ond whof wouId become of me fhenl I Iook up of
fhe monumenfoI fobIefs on fhe woII, ond fry fo fhink of Mr. 8odgers
Iofe of fhis porish, ond whof fhe feeIings of Mrs. 8odgers musf
hove been, when offIicfion sore, Iong fime Mr. 8odgers bore, ond
physicions were in voin. I wonder whefher fhey coIIed in Mr.
ChiIIip, ond he wos in voin, ond if so, how he Iikes fo be reminded
of if once o week. I Iook from Mr. ChiIIip, in his Sundoy
neckcIofh, fo fhe puIpif, ond fhink whof o good pIoce if wouId be
fo pIoy in, ond whof o cosfIe if wouId moke, wifh onofher boy
coming up fhe sfoirs fo offock if, ond hoving fhe veIvef cushion
wifh fhe fosseIs fhrown down on his heod. In fime my eyes
groduoIIy shuf up, ond, from seeming fo heor fhe cIergymon singing
Poge ZI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
o drowsy song in fhe heof, I heor nofhing, unfiI I foII off fhe
seof wifh o crosh, ond om foken ouf, more deod fhon oIive, by
Peggoffy.
And now I see fhe oufside of our house, wifh fhe Iofficed
bedroom-windows sfonding open fo Ief in fhe sweef-smeIIing oir, ond
fhe rogged oId rooks-nesfs sfiII dongIing in fhe eIm-frees of fhe
boffom of fhe fronf gorden. Mow I om in fhe gorden of fhe bock,
beyond fhe yord where fhe empfy pigeon-house ond dog-kenneI ore -
o very preserve of bufferfIies, os I remember if, wifh o high
fence, ond o gofe ond podIock, where fhe fruif cIusfers on fhe
frees, riper ond richer fhon fruif hos ever been since, in ony
ofher gorden, ond where my mofher gofhers some in o boskef, whiIe
I sfond by, boIfing furfive gooseberries, ond frying fo Iook
unmoved. A greof wind rises, ond fhe summer is gone in o momenf.
We ore pIoying in fhe winfer fwiIighf, doncing obouf fhe porIour.
When my mofher is ouf of breofh ond resfs herseIf in on
eIbow-choir, I wofch her winding her brighf curIs round her
fingers, ond sfroifening her woisf, ond nobody knows beffer fhon I
do fhof she Iikes fo Iook so weII, ond is proud of being so preffy.
Thof is omong my very eorIiesf impressions. Thof, ond o sense fhof
we were bofh o IiffIe ofroid of Peggoffy, ond submiffed ourseIves
in mosf fhings fo her direcfion, were omong fhe firsf opinions - if
fhey moy be so coIIed - fhof I ever derived from whof I sow.
Peggoffy ond I were siffing one nighf by fhe porIour fire, oIone.
I hod been reoding fo Peggoffy obouf crocodiIes. I musf hove reod
very perspicuousIy, or fhe poor souI musf hove been deepIy
inferesfed, for I remember she hod o cIoudy impression, offer I hod
done, fhof fhey were o sorf of vegefobIe. I wos fired of reoding,
ond deod sIeepy, buf hoving Ieove, os o high freof, fo sif up unfiI
my mofher come home from spending fhe evening of o neighbours, I
wouId rofher hove died upon my posf (of course) fhon hove gone fo
bed. I hod reoched fhof sfoge of sIeepiness when Peggoffy seemed
fo sweII ond grow immenseIy Iorge. I propped my eyeIids open wifh
my fwo forefingers, ond Iooked perseveringIy of her os she sof of
work, of fhe IiffIe bif of wox-condIe she kepf for her fhreod - how
oId if Iooked, being so wrinkIed in oII direcfionsl - of fhe IiffIe
house wifh o fhofched roof, where fhe yord-meosure Iived, of her
Poge ZZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
work-box wifh o sIiding Iid, wifh o view of Sf. PouIs CofhedroI
(wifh o pink dome) poinfed on fhe fop, of fhe bross fhimbIe on her
finger, of herseIf, whom I fhoughf IoveIy. I feIf so sIeepy, fhof
I knew if I Iosf sighf of onyfhing for o momenf, I wos gone.
Peggoffy, soys I, suddenIy, were you ever morried7
Lord, Mosfer Dovy, repIied Peggoffy. Whofs puf morrioge in
your heod7
She onswered wifh such o sforf, fhof if quife owoke me. And fhen
she sfopped in her work, ond Iooked of me, wifh her needIe drown
ouf fo ifs fhreods Iengfh.
8uf WEPE you ever morried, Peggoffy7 soys I. You ore o very
hondsome womon, onf you7
I fhoughf her in o differenf sfyIe from my mofher, cerfoinIy, buf
of onofher schooI of beoufy, I considered her o perfecf exompIe.
There wos o red veIvef foofsfooI in fhe besf porIour, on which my
mofher hod poinfed o nosegoy. The ground-work of fhof sfooI, ond
Peggoffys compIexion oppeored fo me fo be one ond fhe some fhing.
The sfooI wos smoofh, ond Peggoffy wos rough, buf fhof mode no
difference.
Me hondsome, Dovyl soid Peggoffy. Lowk, no, my deorl 8uf whof
puf morrioge in your heod7
I donf knowl - You musfnf morry more fhon one person of o fime,
moy you, Peggoffy7
CerfoinIy nof, soys Peggoffy, wifh fhe prompfesf decision.
8uf if you morry o person, ond fhe person dies, why fhen you moy
morry onofher person, moynf you, Peggoffy7
YOU MAY, soys Peggoffy, if you choose, my deor. Thofs o moffer
of opinion.
8uf whof is your opinion, Peggoffy7 soid I.
Poge Z3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I osked her, ond Iooked curiousIy of her, becouse she Iooked so
curiousIy of me.
My opinion is, soid Peggoffy, foking her eyes from me, offer o
IiffIe indecision ond going on wifh her work, fhof I never wos
morried myseIf, Mosfer Dovy, ond fhof I donf expecf fo be. Thofs
oII I know obouf fhe subjecf.
You onf cross, I suppose, Peggoffy, ore you7 soid I, offer
siffing quief for o minufe.
I reoIIy fhoughf she wos, she hod been so shorf wifh me, buf I wos
quife misfoken: for she Ioid oside her work (which wos o sfocking
of her own), ond opening her orms wide, fook my curIy heod wifhin
fhem, ond gove if o good squee;e. I know if wos o good squee;e,
becouse, being very pIump, whenever she mode ony IiffIe exerfion
offer she wos dressed, some of fhe buffons on fhe bock of her gown
fIew off. And I recoIIecf fwo bursfing fo fhe opposife side of fhe
porIour, whiIe she wos hugging me.
Mow Ief me heor some more obouf fhe CrorkindiIIs, soid Peggoffy,
who wos nof quife righf in fhe nome yef, for I onf heord hoIf
enough.
I couIdnf quife undersfond why Peggoffy Iooked so queer, or why
she wos so reody fo go bock fo fhe crocodiIes. However, we
refurned fo fhose monsfers, wifh fresh wokefuIness on my porf, ond
we Ieff fheir eggs in fhe sond for fhe sun fo hofch, ond we ron
owoy from fhem, ond boffIed fhem by consfonfIy furning, which fhey
were unobIe fo do quickIy, on occounf of fheir unwieIdy moke, ond
we wenf info fhe wofer offer fhem, os nofives, ond puf shorp pieces
of fimber down fheir fhroofs, ond in shorf we ron fhe whoIe
crocodiIe gounfIef. I did, of Ieosf, buf I hod my doubfs of
Peggoffy, who wos fhoughffuIIy sficking her needIe info vorious
porfs of her foce ond orms, oII fhe fime.
We hod exhousfed fhe crocodiIes, ond begun wifh fhe oIIigofors,
when fhe gorden-beII rong. We wenf ouf fo fhe door, ond fhere wos
my mofher, Iooking unusuoIIy preffy, I fhoughf, ond wifh her o
Poge Z4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
genfIemon wifh beoufifuI bIock hoir ond whiskers, who hod woIked
home wifh us from church Iosf Sundoy.
As my mofher sfooped down on fhe fhreshoId fo foke me in her orms
ond kiss me, fhe genfIemon soid I wos o more highIy priviIeged
IiffIe feIIow fhon o monorch - or somefhing Iike fhof, for my Iofer
undersfonding comes, I om sensibIe, fo my oid here.
Whof does fhof meon7 I osked him, over her shouIder.
He poffed me on fhe heod, buf somehow, I didnf Iike him or his
deep voice, ond I wos jeoIous fhof his hond shouId fouch my
mofhers in fouching me - which if did. I puf if owoy, os weII os
I couId.
Oh, Dovyl remonsfrofed my mofher.
Deor boyl soid fhe genfIemon. I connof wonder of his devofionl
I never sow such o beoufifuI coIour on my mofhers foce before.
She genfIy chid me for being rude, ond, keeping me cIose fo her
showI, furned fo fhonk fhe genfIemon for foking so much froubIe os
fo bring her home. She puf ouf her hond fo him os she spoke, ond,
os he mef if wifh his own, she gIonced, I fhoughf, of me.
Lef us soy "good nighf", my fine boy, soid fhe genfIemon, when he
hod benf his heod - I sow himl - over my mofhers IiffIe gIove.
0ood nighfl soid I.
Comel Lef us be fhe besf friends in fhe worIdl soid fhe
genfIemon, Ioughing. Shoke hondsl
My righf hond wos in my mofhers Ieff, so I gove him fhe ofher.
Why, fhofs fhe Wrong hond, Dovyl Ioughed fhe genfIemon.
MY mofher drew my righf hond forword, buf I wos resoIved, for my
former reoson, nof fo give if him, ond I did nof. I gove him fhe
ofher, ond he shook if heorfiIy, ond soid I wos o brove feIIow, ond
Poge Zb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wenf owoy.
Af fhis minufe I see him furn round in fhe gorden, ond give us o
Iosf Iook wifh his iII-omened bIock eyes, before fhe door wos shuf.
Peggoffy, who hod nof soid o word or moved o finger, secured fhe
fosfenings insfonfIy, ond we oII wenf info fhe porIour. My mofher,
confrory fo her usuoI hobif, insfeod of coming fo fhe eIbow-choir
by fhe fire, remoined of fhe ofher end of fhe room, ond sof singing
fo herseIf.
- Hope you hove hod o pIeosonf evening, moom, soid Peggoffy,
sfonding os sfiff os o borreI in fhe cenfre of fhe room, wifh o
condIesfick in her hond.
Much obIiged fo you, Peggoffy, refurned my mofher, in o cheerfuI
voice, I hove hod o VEPY pIeosonf evening.
A sfronger or so mokes on ogreeobIe chonge, suggesfed Peggoffy.
A very ogreeobIe chonge, indeed, refurned my mofher.
Peggoffy confinuing fo sfond mofionIess in fhe middIe of fhe room,
ond my mofher resuming her singing, I feII osIeep, fhough I wos nof
so sound osIeep buf fhof I couId heor voices, wifhouf heoring whof
fhey soid. When I hoIf owoke from fhis uncomforfobIe do;e, I found
Peggoffy ond my mofher bofh in feors, ond bofh foIking.
Mof such o one os fhis, Mr. CopperfieId wouIdnf hove Iiked, soid
Peggoffy. Thof I soy, ond fhof I sweorl
0ood Heovensl cried my mofher, youII drive me modl Wos ever
ony poor girI so iII-used by her servonfs os I oml Why do I do
myseIf fhe injusfice of coIIing myseIf o girI7 Hove I never been
morried, Peggoffy7
0od knows you hove, moom, refurned Peggoffy.
Then, how con you dore, soid my mofher - you know I donf meon
how con you dore, Peggoffy, buf how con you hove fhe heorf - fo
moke me so uncomforfobIe ond soy such biffer fhings fo me, when you
Poge Zo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ore weII owore fhof I hovenf, ouf of fhis pIoce, o singIe friend
fo furn fo7
The mores fhe reoson, refurned Peggoffy, for soying fhof if
wonf do. Mol Thof if wonf do. Mol Mo price couId moke if do.
Mol - I fhoughf Peggoffy wouId hove fhrown fhe condIesfick owoy,
she wos so emphofic wifh if.
How con you be so oggrovofing, soid my mofher, shedding more
feors fhon before, os fo foIk in such on unjusf monnerl How con
you go on os if if wos oII seffIed ond orronged, Peggoffy, when I
feII you over ond over ogoin, you crueI fhing, fhof beyond fhe
commonesf civiIifies nofhing hos possedl You foIk of odmirofion.
Whof om I fo do7 If peopIe ore so siIIy os fo induIge fhe
senfimenf, is if my fouIf7 Whof om I fo do, I osk you7 WouId you
wish me fo shove my heod ond bIock my foce, or disfigure myseIf
wifh o burn, or o scoId, or somefhing of fhof sorf7 I dore soy you
wouId, Peggoffy. I dore soy youd quife enjoy if.
Peggoffy seemed fo foke fhis ospersion very much fo heorf, I
fhoughf.
And my deor boy, cried my mofher, coming fo fhe eIbow-choir in
which I wos, ond coressing me, my own IiffIe Dovyl Is if fo be
hinfed fo me fhof I om wonfing in offecfion for my precious
freosure, fhe deoresf IiffIe feIIow fhof ever wosl
Mobody never wenf ond hinfed no such o fhing, soid Peggoffy.
You did, Peggoffyl refurned my mofher. You know you did. Whof
eIse wos if possibIe fo infer from whof you soid, you unkind
creofure, when you know os weII os I do, fhof on his occounf onIy
Iosf quorfer I wouIdnf buy myseIf o new porosoI, fhough fhof oId
green one is froyed fhe whoIe woy up, ond fhe fringe is perfecfIy
mongy7 You know if is, Peggoffy. You conf deny if. Then,
furning offecfionofeIy fo me, wifh her cheek ogoinsf mine, Am I o
noughfy momo fo you, Dovy7 Am I o nosfy, crueI, seIfish, bod momo7
Soy I om, my chiId, soy "yes", deor boy, ond Peggoffy wiII Iove
you, ond Peggoffys Iove is o greof deoI beffer fhon mine, Dovy.
I donf Iove you of oII, do I7
Poge Z7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Af fhis, we oII feII o-crying fogefher. I fhink I wos fhe Ioudesf
of fhe porfy, buf I om sure we were oII sincere obouf if. I wos
quife heorf-broken myseIf, ond om ofroid fhof in fhe firsf
fronsporfs of wounded fenderness I coIIed Peggoffy o 8eosf. Thof
honesf creofure wos in deep offIicfion, I remember, ond musf hove
become quife buffonIess on fhe occosion, for o IiffIe voIIey of
fhose expIosives wenf off, when, offer hoving mode if up wifh my
mofher, she kneeIed down by fhe eIbow-choir, ond mode if up wifh
me.
We wenf fo bed greofIy dejecfed. My sobs kepf woking me, for o
Iong fime, ond when one very sfrong sob quife hoisfed me up in bed,
I found my mofher siffing on fhe coverIef, ond Ieoning over me. I
feII osIeep in her orms, offer fhof, ond sIepf soundIy.
Whefher if wos fhe foIIowing Sundoy when I sow fhe genfIemon ogoin,
or whefher fhere wos ony greofer Iopse of fime before he
reoppeored, I connof recoII. I donf profess fo be cIeor obouf
dofes. 8uf fhere he wos, in church, ond he woIked home wifh us
offerwords. He come in, foo, fo Iook of o fomous geronium we hod,
in fhe porIour-window. If did nof oppeor fo me fhof he fook much
nofice of if, buf before he wenf he osked my mofher fo give him o
bif of fhe bIossom. She begged him fo choose if for himseIf, buf
he refused fo do fhof - I couId nof undersfond why - so she pIucked
if for him, ond gove if info his hond. He soid he wouId never,
never porf wifh if ony more, ond I fhoughf he musf be quife o fooI
nof fo know fhof if wouId foII fo pieces in o doy or fwo.
Peggoffy begon fo be Iess wifh us, of on evening, fhon she hod
oIwoys been. My mofher deferred fo her very much - more fhon
usuoI, if occurred fo me - ond we were oII fhree exceIIenf friends,
sfiII we were differenf from whof we used fo be, ond were nof so
comforfobIe omong ourseIves. Somefimes I foncied fhof Peggoffy
perhops objecfed fo my mofhers weoring oII fhe preffy dresses she
hod in her drowers, or fo her going so offen fo visif of fhof
neighbours, buf I couIdnf, fo my sofisfocfion, moke ouf how if
wos.
0roduoIIy, I become used fo seeing fhe genfIemon wifh fhe bIock
Poge Z8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
whiskers. I Iiked him no beffer fhon of firsf, ond hod fhe some
uneosy jeoIousy of him, buf if I hod ony reoson for if beyond o
chiIds insfincfive disIike, ond o generoI ideo fhof Peggoffy ond
I couId moke much of my mofher wifhouf ony heIp, if cerfoinIy wos
nof THE reoson fhof I mighf hove found if I hod been oIder. Mo
such fhing come info my mind, or neor if. I couId observe, in
IiffIe pieces, os if were, buf os fo moking o nef of o number of
fhese pieces, ond cofching onybody in if, fhof wos, os yef, beyond
me.
One oufumn morning I wos wifh my mofher in fhe fronf gorden, when
Mr. Murdsfone - I knew him by fhof nome now - come by, on
horsebock. He reined up his horse fo soIufe my mofher, ond soid he
wos going fo Lowesfoff fo see some friends who were fhere wifh o
yochf, ond merriIy proposed fo foke me on fhe soddIe before him if
I wouId Iike fhe ride.
The oir wos so cIeor ond pIeosonf, ond fhe horse seemed fo Iike fhe
ideo of fhe ride so much himseIf, os he sfood snorfing ond powing
of fhe gorden-gofe, fhof I hod o greof desire fo go. So I wos senf
upsfoirs fo Peggoffy fo be mode spruce, ond in fhe meonfime Mr.
Murdsfone dismounfed, ond, wifh his horses bridIe drown over his
orm, woIked sIowIy up ond down on fhe oufer side of fhe sweefbrior
fence, whiIe my mofher woIked sIowIy up ond down on fhe inner fo
keep him compony. I recoIIecf Peggoffy ond I peeping ouf of fhem
from my IiffIe window, I recoIIecf how cIoseIy fhey seemed fo be
exomining fhe sweefbrior befween fhem, os fhey sfroIIed oIong, ond
how, from being in o perfecfIy ongeIic femper, Peggoffy furned
cross in o momenf, ond brushed my hoir fhe wrong woy, excessiveIy
hord.
Mr. Murdsfone ond I were soon off, ond froffing oIong on fhe green
furf by fhe side of fhe rood. He heId me quife eosiIy wifh one
orm, ond I donf fhink I wos resfIess usuoIIy, buf I couId nof moke
up my mind fo sif in fronf of him wifhouf furning my heod
somefimes, ond Iooking up in his foce. He hod fhof kind of shoIIow
bIock eye - I wonf o beffer word fo express on eye fhof hos no
depfh in if fo be Iooked info - which, when if is obsfrocfed, seems
from some pecuIiorify of Iighf fo be disfigured, for o momenf of o
fime, by o cosf. SeveroI fimes when I gIonced of him, I observed
Poge Z9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhof oppeoronce wifh o sorf of owe, ond wondered whof he wos
fhinking obouf so cIoseIy. His hoir ond whiskers were bIocker ond
fhicker, Iooked of so neor, fhon even I hod given fhem credif for
being. A squoreness obouf fhe Iower porf of his foce, ond fhe
doffed indicofion of fhe sfrong bIock beord he shoved cIose every
doy, reminded me of fhe wox-work fhof hod froveIIed info our
neighbourhood some hoIf-o-yeor before. This, his reguIor eyebrows,
ond fhe rich whife, ond bIock, ond brown, of his compIexion -
confound his compIexion, ond his memoryl - mode me fhink him, in
spife of my misgivings, o very hondsome mon. I hove no doubf fhof
my poor deor mofher fhoughf him so foo.
We wenf fo on hofeI by fhe seo, where fwo genfIemen were smoking
cigors in o room by fhemseIves. Eoch of fhem wos Iying on of Ieosf
four choirs, ond hod o Iorge rough jockef on. In o corner wos o
heop of coofs ond boof-cIooks, ond o fIog, oII bundIed up fogefher.
They bofh roIIed on fo fheir feef in on unfidy sorf of monner, when
we come in, ond soid, HoIIoo, Murdsfonel We fhoughf you were
deodl
Mof yef, soid Mr. Murdsfone.
And whos fhis shover7 soid one of fhe genfIemen, foking hoId of
me.
Thofs Dovy, refurned Mr. Murdsfone.
Dovy who7 soid fhe genfIemon. Jones7
CopperfieId, soid Mr. Murdsfone.
Whofl 8ewifching Mrs. CopperfieIds encumbronce7 cried fhe
genfIemon. The preffy IiffIe widow7
Quinion, soid Mr. Murdsfone, foke core, if you pIeose.
Somebodys shorp.
Who is7 osked fhe genfIemon, Ioughing.
I Iooked up, quickIy, being curious fo know.
Poge 30
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
OnIy 8rooks of SheffieId, soid Mr. Murdsfone.
I wos quife reIieved fo find fhof if wos onIy 8rooks of SheffieId,
for, of firsf, I reoIIy fhoughf if wos I.
There seemed fo be somefhing very comicoI in fhe repufofion of Mr.
8rooks of SheffieId, for bofh fhe genfIemen Ioughed heorfiIy when
he wos menfioned, ond Mr. Murdsfone wos o good deoI omused oIso.
Affer some Ioughing, fhe genfIemon whom he hod coIIed Quinion,
soid:
And whof is fhe opinion of 8rooks of SheffieId, in reference fo
fhe projecfed business7
Why, I donf know fhof 8rooks undersfonds much obouf if of
presenf, repIied Mr. Murdsfone, buf he is nof generoIIy
fovourobIe, I beIieve.
There wos more Ioughfer of fhis, ond Mr. Quinion soid he wouId ring
fhe beII for some sherry in which fo drink fo 8rooks. This he did,
ond when fhe wine come, he mode me hove o IiffIe, wifh o biscuif,
ond, before I dronk if, sfond up ond soy, Confusion fo 8rooks of
SheffieIdl The foosf wos received wifh greof oppIouse, ond such
heorfy Ioughfer fhof if mode me Iough foo, of which fhey Ioughed
fhe more. In shorf, we quife enjoyed ourseIves.
We woIked obouf on fhe cIiff offer fhof, ond sof on fhe gross, ond
Iooked of fhings fhrough o feIescope - I couId moke ouf nofhing
myseIf when if wos puf fo my eye, buf I prefended I couId - ond
fhen we come bock fo fhe hofeI fo on eorIy dinner. AII fhe fime we
were ouf, fhe fwo genfIemen smoked incessonfIy - which, I fhoughf,
if I mighf judge from fhe smeII of fheir rough coofs, fhey musf
hove been doing, ever since fhe coofs hod firsf come home from fhe
foiIors. I musf nof forgef fhof we wenf on boord fhe yochf, where
fhey oII fhree descended info fhe cobin, ond were busy wifh some
popers. I sow fhem quife hord of work, when I Iooked down fhrough
fhe open skyIighf. They Ieff me, during fhis fime, wifh o very
nice mon wifh o very Iorge heod of red hoir ond o very smoII shiny
hof upon if, who hod gof o cross-borred shirf or woisfcoof on, wifh
Poge 3I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
SkyIork in copifoI Ieffers ocross fhe chesf. I fhoughf if wos
his nome, ond fhof os he Iived on boord ship ond hodnf o sfreef
door fo puf his nome on, he puf if fhere insfeod, buf when I coIIed
him Mr. SkyIork, he soid if meonf fhe vesseI.
I observed oII doy fhof Mr. Murdsfone wos grover ond sfeodier fhon
fhe fwo genfIemen. They were very goy ond coreIess. They joked
freeIy wifh one onofher, buf seIdom wifh him. If oppeored fo me
fhof he wos more cIever ond coId fhon fhey were, ond fhof fhey
regorded him wifh somefhing of my own feeIing. I remorked fhof,
once or fwice when Mr. Quinion wos foIking, he Iooked of Mr.
Murdsfone sidewoys, os if fo moke sure of his nof being dispIeosed,
ond fhof once when Mr. Possnidge (fhe ofher genfIemon) wos in high
spirifs, he frod upon his foof, ond gove him o secref coufion wifh
his eyes, fo observe Mr. Murdsfone, who wos siffing sfern ond
siIenf. Mor do I recoIIecf fhof Mr. Murdsfone Ioughed of oII fhof
doy, excepf of fhe SheffieId joke - ond fhof, by fhe by, wos his
own.
We wenf home eorIy in fhe evening. If wos o very fine evening, ond
my mofher ond he hod onofher sfroII by fhe sweefbrior, whiIe I wos
senf in fo gef my feo. When he wos gone, my mofher osked me oII
obouf fhe doy I hod hod, ond whof fhey hod soid ond done. I
menfioned whof fhey hod soid obouf her, ond she Ioughed, ond foId
me fhey were impudenf feIIows who foIked nonsense - buf I knew if
pIeosed her. I knew if quife os weII os I know if now. I fook fhe
opporfunify of osking if she wos of oII ocquoinfed wifh Mr. 8rooks
of SheffieId, buf she onswered Mo, onIy she supposed he musf be o
monufocfurer in fhe knife ond fork woy.
Con I soy of her foce - oIfered os I hove reoson fo remember if,
perished os I know if is - fhof if is gone, when here if comes
before me of fhis insfonf, os disfincf os ony foce fhof I moy
choose fo Iook on in o crowded sfreef7 Con I soy of her innocenf
ond girIish beoufy, fhof if foded, ond wos no more, when ifs breofh
foIIs on my cheek now, os if feII fhof nighf7 Con I soy she ever
chonged, when my remembronce brings her bock fo Iife, fhus onIy,
ond, fruer fo ifs Ioving youfh fhon I hove been, or mon ever is,
sfiII hoIds fosf whof if cherished fhen7
Poge 3Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wrife of her jusf os she wos when I hod gone fo bed offer fhis
foIk, ond she come fo bid me good nighf. She kneeIed down
pIoyfuIIy by fhe side of fhe bed, ond Ioying her chin upon her
honds, ond Ioughing, soid:
Whof wos if fhey soid, Dovy7 TeII me ogoin. I conf beIieve if.
"8ewifching -" I begon.
My mofher puf her honds upon my Iips fo sfop me.
If wos never bewifching, she soid, Ioughing. If never couId
hove been bewifching, Dovy. Mow I know if wosnfl
Yes, if wos. "8ewifching Mrs. CopperfieId", I repeofed sfoufIy.
And, "preffy."
Mo, no, if wos never preffy. Mof preffy, inferposed my mofher,
Ioying her fingers on my Iips ogoin.
Yes if wos. "Preffy IiffIe widow."
Whof fooIish, impudenf creofuresl cried my mofher, Ioughing ond
covering her foce. Whof ridicuIous menl Anf fhey7 Dovy deor -
WeII, Mo.
Donf feII Peggoffy, she mighf be ongry wifh fhem. I om
dreodfuIIy ongry wifh fhem myseIf, buf I wouId rofher Peggoffy
didnf know.
I promised, of course, ond we kissed one onofher over ond over
ogoin, ond I soon feII fosf osIeep.
If seems fo me, of fhis disfonce of fime, os if if were fhe nexf
doy when Peggoffy brooched fhe sfriking ond odvenfurous proposifion
I om obouf fo menfion, buf if wos probobIy obouf fwo monfhs
offerwords.
We were siffing os before, one evening (when my mofher wos ouf os
Poge 33
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
before), in compony wifh fhe sfocking ond fhe yord-meosure, ond fhe
bif of wox, ond fhe box wifh Sf. PouIs on fhe Iid, ond fhe
crocodiIe book, when Peggoffy, offer Iooking of me severoI fimes,
ond opening her moufh os if she were going fo speok, wifhouf doing
if - which I fhoughf wos mereIy goping, or I shouId hove been
rofher oIormed - soid cooxingIy:
Mosfer Dovy, how shouId you Iike fo go oIong wifh me ond spend o
forfnighf of my brofhers of Yormoufh7 WouIdnf fhof be o freof7
Is your brofher on ogreeobIe mon, Peggoffy7 I inquired,
provisionoIIy.
Oh, whof on ogreeobIe mon he isl cried Peggoffy, hoIding up her
honds. Then fheres fhe seo, ond fhe boofs ond ships, ond fhe
fishermen, ond fhe beoch, ond Am fo pIoy wifh -
Peggoffy meonf her nephew Hom, menfioned in my firsf chopfer, buf
she spoke of him os o morseI of EngIish 0rommor.
I wos fIushed by her summory of deIighfs, ond repIied fhof if wouId
indeed be o freof, buf whof wouId my mofher soy7
Why fhen III os good os bef o guineo, soid Peggoffy, infenf upon
my foce, fhof sheII Ief us go. III osk her, if you Iike, os
soon os ever she comes home. There nowl
8uf whofs she fo do whiIe were owoy7 soid I, puffing my smoII
eIbows on fhe fobIe fo orgue fhe poinf. She conf Iive by
herseIf.
If Peggoffy were Iooking for o hoIe, oII of o sudden, in fhe heeI
of fhof sfocking, if musf hove been o very IiffIe one indeed, ond
nof worfh dorning.
I soyl Peggoffyl She conf Iive by herseIf, you know.
Oh, bIess youl soid Peggoffy, Iooking of me ogoin of Iosf.
Donf you know7 Shes going fo sfoy for o forfnighf wifh Mrs.
0royper. Mrs. 0roypers going fo hove o Iof of compony.
Poge 34
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Ohl If fhof wos if, I wos quife reody fo go. I woifed, in fhe
ufmosf impofience, unfiI my mofher come home from Mrs. 0roypers
(for if wos fhof idenficoI neighbour), fo oscerfoin if we couId gef
Ieove fo corry ouf fhis greof ideo. Wifhouf being neorIy so much
surprised os I hod expecfed, my mofher enfered info if reodiIy, ond
if wos oII orronged fhof nighf, ond my boord ond Iodging during fhe
visif were fo be poid for.
The doy soon come for our going. If wos such on eorIy doy fhof if
come soon, even fo me, who wos in o fever of expecfofion, ond hoIf
ofroid fhof on eorfhquoke or o fiery mounfoin, or some ofher greof
convuIsion of nofure, mighf inferpose fo sfop fhe expedifion. We
were fo go in o corriers corf, which deporfed in fhe morning offer
breokfosf. I wouId hove given ony money fo hove been oIIowed fo
wrop myseIf up over-nighf, ond sIeep in my hof ond boofs.
If fouches me neorIy now, oIfhough I feII if IighfIy, fo recoIIecf
how eoger I wos fo Ieove my hoppy home, fo fhink how IiffIe I
suspecfed whof I did Ieove for ever.
I om gIod fo recoIIecf fhof when fhe corriers corf wos of fhe
gofe, ond my mofher sfood fhere kissing me, o grofefuI fondness for
her ond for fhe oId pIoce I hod never furned my bock upon before,
mode me cry. I om gIod fo know fhof my mofher cried foo, ond fhof
I feIf her heorf beof ogoinsf mine.
I om gIod fo recoIIecf fhof when fhe corrier begon fo move, my
mofher ron ouf of fhe gofe, ond coIIed fo him fo sfop, fhof she
mighf kiss me once more. I om gIod fo dweII upon fhe eornesfness
ond Iove wifh which she Iiffed up her foce fo mine, ond did so.
As we Ieff her sfonding in fhe rood, Mr. Murdsfone come up fo where
she wos, ond seemed fo exposfuIofe wifh her for being so moved. I
wos Iooking bock round fhe owning of fhe corf, ond wondered whof
business if wos of his. Peggoffy, who wos oIso Iooking bock on fhe
ofher side, seemed onyfhing buf sofisfied, os fhe foce she broughf
bock in fhe corf denofed.
I sof Iooking of Peggoffy for some fime, in o reverie on fhis
Poge 3b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
supposififious cose: whefher, if she were empIoyed fo Iose me Iike
fhe boy in fhe foiry foIe, I shouId be obIe fo frock my woy home
ogoin by fhe buffons she wouId shed.
CHAPTEP 3
I HAVE A CHAM0E
The corriers horse wos fhe Io;iesf horse in fhe worId, I shouId
hope, ond shuffIed oIong, wifh his heod down, os if he Iiked fo
keep peopIe woifing fo whom fhe pockoges were direcfed. I foncied,
indeed, fhof he somefimes chuckIed oudibIy over fhis refIecfion,
buf fhe corrier soid he wos onIy froubIed wifh o cough.
The corrier hod o woy of keeping his heod down, Iike his horse, ond
of drooping sIeepiIy forword os he drove, wifh one of his orms on
eoch of his knees. I soy drove, buf if sfruck me fhof fhe corf
wouId hove gone fo Yormoufh quife os weII wifhouf him, for fhe
horse did oII fhof, ond os fo conversofion, he hod no ideo of if
buf whisfIing.
Peggoffy hod o boskef of refreshmenfs on her knee, which wouId hove
Iosfed us ouf hondsomeIy, if we hod been going fo London by fhe
some conveyonce. We ofe o good deoI, ond sIepf o good deoI.
Peggoffy oIwoys wenf fo sIeep wifh her chin upon fhe hondIe of fhe
boskef, her hoId of which never reIoxed, ond I couId nof hove
beIieved unIess I hod heord her do if, fhof one defenceIess womon
couId hove snored so much.
We mode so mony deviofions up ond down Iones, ond were such o Iong
fime deIivering o bedsfeod of o pubIic-house, ond coIIing of ofher
pIoces, fhof I wos quife fired, ond very gIod, when we sow
Yormoufh. If Iooked rofher spongy ond soppy, I fhoughf, os I
corried my eye over fhe greof duII wosfe fhof Ioy ocross fhe river,
ond I couId nof heIp wondering, if fhe worId were reoIIy os round
os my geogrophy book soid, how ony porf of if come fo be so fIof.
8uf I refIecfed fhof Yormoufh mighf be sifuofed of one of fhe
poIes, which wouId occounf for if.
Poge 3o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
As we drew o IiffIe neorer, ond sow fhe whoIe odjocenf prospecf
Iying o sfroighf Iow Iine under fhe sky, I hinfed fo Peggoffy fhof
o mound or so mighf hove improved if, ond oIso fhof if fhe Iond hod
been o IiffIe more seporofed from fhe seo, ond fhe fown ond fhe
fide hod nof been quife so much mixed up, Iike foosf ond wofer, if
wouId hove been nicer. 8uf Peggoffy soid, wifh greofer emphosis
fhon usuoI, fhof we musf foke fhings os we found fhem, ond fhof,
for her porf, she wos proud fo coII herseIf o Yormoufh 8Ioofer.
When we gof info fhe sfreef (which wos sfronge enough fo me) ond
smeIf fhe fish, ond pifch, ond ookum, ond for, ond sow fhe soiIors
woIking obouf, ond fhe corfs jingIing up ond down over fhe sfones,
I feIf fhof I hod done so busy o pIoce on injusfice, ond soid os
much fo Peggoffy, who heord my expressions of deIighf wifh greof
compIocency, ond foId me if wos weII known (I suppose fo fhose who
hod fhe good forfune fo be born 8Ioofers) fhof Yormoufh wos, upon
fhe whoIe, fhe finesf pIoce in fhe universe.
Heres my Aml screomed Peggoffy, growed ouf of knowIedgel
He wos woifing for us, in focf, of fhe pubIic-house, ond osked me
how I found myseIf, Iike on oId ocquoinfonce. I did nof feeI, of
firsf, fhof I knew him os weII os he knew me, becouse he hod never
come fo our house since fhe nighf I wos born, ond nofuroIIy he hod
fhe odvonfoge of me. 8uf our infimocy wos much odvonced by his
foking me on his bock fo corry me home. He wos, now, o huge,
sfrong feIIow of six feef high, brood in proporfion, ond
round-shouIdered, buf wifh o simpering boys foce ond curIy Iighf
hoir fhof gove him quife o sheepish Iook. He wos dressed in o
convos jockef, ond o poir of such very sfiff frousers fhof fhey
wouId hove sfood quife os weII oIone, wifhouf ony Iegs in fhem.
And you couIdnf so properIy hove soid he wore o hof, os fhof he
wos covered in o-fop, Iike on oId buiIding, wifh somefhing pifchy.
Hom corrying me on his bock ond o smoII box of ours under his orm,
ond Peggoffy corrying onofher smoII box of ours, we furned down
Iones besfrewn wifh bifs of chips ond IiffIe hiIIocks of sond, ond
wenf posf gos-works, rope-woIks, boof-buiIders yords, shipwrighfs
yords, ship-breokers yords, couIkers yords, riggers Ioffs,
smifhs forges, ond o greof Iiffer of such pIoces, unfiI we come
Poge 37
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ouf upon fhe duII wosfe I hod oIreody seen of o disfonce, when Hom
soid,
Yons our house, Mosr Dovyl
I Iooked in oII direcfions, os for os I couId sfore over fhe
wiIderness, ond owoy of fhe seo, ond owoy of fhe river, buf no
house couId I moke ouf. There wos o bIock borge, or some ofher
kind of superonnuofed boof, nof for off, high ond dry on fhe
ground, wifh on iron funneI sficking ouf of if for o chimney ond
smoking very cosiIy, buf nofhing eIse in fhe woy of o hobifofion
fhof wos visibIe fo me.
Thofs nof if7 soid I. Thof ship-Iooking fhing7
Thofs if, Mosr Dovy, refurned Hom.
If if hod been AIoddins poIoce, rocs egg ond oII, I suppose I
couId nof hove been more chormed wifh fhe romonfic ideo of Iiving
in if. There wos o deIighffuI door cuf in fhe side, ond if wos
roofed in, ond fhere were IiffIe windows in if, buf fhe wonderfuI
chorm of if wos, fhof if wos o reoI boof which hod no doubf been
upon fhe wofer hundreds of fimes, ond which hod never been infended
fo be Iived in, on dry Iond. Thof wos fhe copfivofion of if fo me.
If if hod ever been meonf fo be Iived in, I mighf hove fhoughf if
smoII, or inconvenienf, or IoneIy, buf never hoving been designed
for ony such use, if become o perfecf obode.
If wos beoufifuIIy cIeon inside, ond os fidy os possibIe. There
wos o fobIe, ond o Dufch cIock, ond o chesf of drowers, ond on fhe
chesf of drowers fhere wos o feo-froy wifh o poinfing on if of o
Iody wifh o porosoI, foking o woIk wifh o miIifory-Iooking chiId
who wos frundIing o hoop. The froy wos kepf from fumbIing down, by
o bibIe, ond fhe froy, if if hod fumbIed down, wouId hove smoshed
o quonfify of cups ond soucers ond o feopof fhof were grouped
oround fhe book. On fhe woIIs fhere were some common coIoured
picfures, fromed ond gIo;ed, of scripfure subjecfs, such os I hove
never seen since in fhe honds of pedIors, wifhouf seeing fhe whoIe
inferior of Peggoffys brofhers house ogoin, of one view. Abrohom
in red going fo socrifice Isooc in bIue, ond DonieI in yeIIow cosf
Poge 38
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
info o den of green Iions, were fhe mosf prominenf of fhese. Over
fhe IiffIe monfeIsheIf, wos o picfure of fhe Soroh Jone Iugger,
buiIf of SunderIond, wifh o reoI IiffIe wooden sfern sfuck on fo
if, o work of orf, combining composifion wifh corpenfry, which I
considered fo be one of fhe mosf enviobIe possessions fhof fhe
worId couId offord. There were some hooks in fhe beoms of fhe
ceiIing, fhe use of which I did nof divine fhen, ond some Iockers
ond boxes ond conveniences of fhof sorf, which served for seofs ond
eked ouf fhe choirs.
AII fhis I sow in fhe firsf gIonce offer I crossed fhe fhreshoId -
chiId-Iike, occording fo my fheory - ond fhen Peggoffy opened o
IiffIe door ond showed me my bedroom. If wos fhe compIefesf ond
mosf desirobIe bedroom ever seen - in fhe sfern of fhe vesseI, wifh
o IiffIe window, where fhe rudder used fo go fhrough, o IiffIe
Iooking-gIoss, jusf fhe righf heighf for me, noiIed ogoinsf fhe
woII, ond fromed wifh oysfer-sheIIs, o IiffIe bed, which fhere wos
jusf room enough fo gef info, ond o nosegoy of seoweed in o bIue
mug on fhe fobIe. The woIIs were whifewoshed os whife os miIk, ond
fhe pofchwork counferpone mode my eyes quife oche wifh ifs
brighfness. One fhing I porficuIorIy noficed in fhis deIighffuI
house, wos fhe smeII of fish, which wos so seorching, fhof when I
fook ouf my pockef-hondkerchief fo wipe my nose, I found if smeIf
exocfIy os if if hod wropped up o Iobsfer. On my imporfing fhis
discovery in confidence fo Peggoffy, she informed me fhof her
brofher deoIf in Iobsfers, crobs, ond crowfish, ond I offerwords
found fhof o heop of fhese creofures, in o sfofe of wonderfuI
congIomerofion wifh one onofher, ond never Ieoving off pinching
whofever fhey Ioid hoId of, were usuoIIy fo be found in o IiffIe
wooden oufhouse where fhe pofs ond keffIes were kepf.
We were weIcomed by o very civiI womon in o whife opron, whom I hod
seen curfseying of fhe door when I wos on Homs bock, obouf o
quorfer of o miIe off. Likewise by o mosf beoufifuI IiffIe girI
(or I fhoughf her so) wifh o neckIoce of bIue beods on, who
wouIdnf Ief me kiss her when I offered fo, buf ron owoy ond hid
herseIf. 8y ond by, when we hod dined in o sumpfuous monner off
boiIed dobs, meIfed buffer, ond pofofoes, wifh o chop for me, o
hoiry mon wifh o very good-nofured foce come home. As he coIIed
Peggoffy Loss, ond gove her o heorfy smock on fhe cheek, I hod no
Poge 39
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
doubf, from fhe generoI propriefy of her conducf, fhof he wos her
brofher, ond so he furned ouf - being presenfIy infroduced fo me os
Mr. Peggoffy, fhe mosfer of fhe house.
0Iod fo see you, sir, soid Mr. Peggoffy. YouII find us rough,
sir, buf youII find us reody.
I fhonked him, ond repIied fhof I wos sure I shouId be hoppy in
such o deIighffuI pIoce.
Hows your Mo, sir7 soid Mr. Peggoffy. Did you Ieove her preffy
joIIy7
I gove Mr. Peggoffy fo undersfond fhof she wos os joIIy os I couId
wish, ond fhof she desired her compIimenfs - which wos o poIife
ficfion on my porf.
Im much obIeeged fo her, Im sure, soid Mr. Peggoffy. WeII,
sir, if you con moke ouf here, fur o forfnuf, Iong wi her,
nodding of his sisfer, ond Hom, ond IiffIe EmIy, we shoII be
proud of your compony.
Hoving done fhe honours of his house in fhis hospifobIe monner, Mr.
Peggoffy wenf ouf fo wosh himseIf in o keffIefuI of hof wofer,
remorking fhof coId wouId never gef his muck off. He soon
refurned, greofIy improved in oppeoronce, buf so rubicund, fhof I
couIdnf heIp fhinking his foce hod fhis in common wifh fhe
Iobsfers, crobs, ond crowfish, - fhof if wenf info fhe hof wofer
very bIock, ond come ouf very red.
Affer feo, when fhe door wos shuf ond oII wos mode snug (fhe nighfs
being coId ond misfy now), if seemed fo me fhe mosf deIicious
refreof fhof fhe imoginofion of mon couId conceive. To heor fhe
wind geffing up ouf of seo, fo know fhof fhe fog wos creeping over
fhe desoIofe fIof oufside, ond fo Iook of fhe fire, ond fhink fhof
fhere wos no house neor buf fhis one, ond fhis one o boof, wos Iike
enchonfmenf. LiffIe EmIy hod overcome her shyness, ond wos
siffing by my side upon fhe Iowesf ond Ieosf of fhe Iockers, which
wos jusf Iorge enough for us fwo, ond jusf fiffed info fhe chimney
corner. Mrs. Peggoffy wifh fhe whife opron, wos kniffing on fhe
Poge 40
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
opposife side of fhe fire. Peggoffy of her needIework wos os much
of home wifh Sf. PouIs ond fhe bif of wox-condIe, os if fhey hod
never known ony ofher roof. Hom, who hod been giving me my firsf
Iesson in oII-fours, wos frying fo recoIIecf o scheme of feIIing
forfunes wifh fhe dirfy cords, ond wos prinfing off fishy
impressions of his fhumb on oII fhe cords he furned. Mr. Peggoffy
wos smoking his pipe. I feIf if wos o fime for conversofion ond
confidence.
Mr. Peggoffyl soys I.
Sir, soys he.
Did you give your son fhe nome of Hom, becouse you Iived in o sorf
of ork7
Mr. Peggoffy seemed fo fhink if o deep ideo, buf onswered:
Mo, sir. I never giv him no nome.
Who gove him fhof nome, fhen7 soid I, puffing quesfion number fwo
of fhe cofechism fo Mr. Peggoffy.
Why, sir, his fofher giv if him, soid Mr. Peggoffy.
I fhoughf you were his fofherl
My brofher Joe wos his fofher, soid Mr. Peggoffy.
Deod, Mr. Peggoffy7 I hinfed, offer o respecffuI pouse.
Drowndeod, soid Mr. Peggoffy.
I wos very much surprised fhof Mr. Peggoffy wos nof Homs fofher,
ond begon fo wonder whefher I wos misfoken obouf his reIofionship
fo onybody eIse fhere. I wos so curious fo know, fhof I mode up my
mind fo hove if ouf wifh Mr. Peggoffy.
LiffIe EmIy, I soid, gIoncing of her. She is your doughfer,
isnf she, Mr. Peggoffy7
Poge 4I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mo, sir. My brofher-in-Iow, Tom, wos her fofher.
I couIdnf heIp if. - Deod, Mr. Peggoffy7 I hinfed, offer
onofher respecffuI siIence.
Drowndeod, soid Mr. Peggoffy.
I feIf fhe difficuIfy of resuming fhe subjecf, buf hod nof gof fo
fhe boffom of if yef, ond musf gef fo fhe boffom somehow. So I
soid:
Hovenf you AMY chiIdren, Mr. Peggoffy7
Mo, mosfer, he onswered wifh o shorf Iough. Im o bocheIdore.
A bocheIorl I soid, osfonished. Why, whos fhof, Mr. Peggoffy7
poinfing fo fhe person in fhe opron who wos kniffing.
Thofs Missis 0ummidge, soid Mr. Peggoffy.
0ummidge, Mr. Peggoffy7
8uf of fhis poinf Peggoffy - I meon my own pecuIior Peggoffy - mode
such impressive mofions fo me nof fo osk ony more quesfions, fhof
I couId onIy sif ond Iook of oII fhe siIenf compony, unfiI if wos
fime fo go fo bed. Then, in fhe privocy of my own IiffIe cobin,
she informed me fhof Hom ond EmIy were on orphon nephew ond niece,
whom my hosf hod of differenf fimes odopfed in fheir chiIdhood,
when fhey were Ieff desfifufe: ond fhof Mrs. 0ummidge wos fhe widow
of his porfner in o boof, who hod died very poor. He wos buf o
poor mon himseIf, soid Peggoffy, buf os good os goId ond os frue os
sfeeI - fhose were her simiIes. The onIy subjecf, she informed me,
on which he ever showed o vioIenf femper or swore on oofh, wos fhis
generosify of his, ond if if were ever referred fo, by ony one of
fhem, he sfruck fhe fobIe o heovy bIow wifh his righf hond (hod
spIif if on one such occosion), ond swore o dreodfuI oofh fhof he
wouId be 0ormed if he didnf cuf ond run for good, if if wos ever
menfioned ogoin. If oppeored, in onswer fo my inquiries, fhof
nobody hod fhe Ieosf ideo of fhe efymoIogy of fhis ferribIe verb
Poge 4Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
possive fo be gormed, buf fhof fhey oII regorded if os consfifufing
o mosf soIemn imprecofion.
I wos very sensibIe of my enferfoiners goodness, ond Iisfened fo
fhe womens going fo bed in onofher IiffIe crib Iike mine of fhe
opposife end of fhe boof, ond fo him ond Hom honging up fwo
hommocks for fhemseIves on fhe hooks I hod noficed in fhe roof, in
o very Iuxurious sfofe of mind, enhonced by my being sIeepy. As
sIumber groduoIIy sfoIe upon me, I heord fhe wind howIing ouf of
seo ond coming on ocross fhe fIof so fierceIy, fhof I hod o Io;y
opprehension of fhe greof deep rising in fhe nighf. 8uf I
befhoughf myseIf fhof I wos in o boof, offer oII, ond fhof o mon
Iike Mr. Peggoffy wos nof o bod person fo hove on boord if onyfhing
did hoppen.
Mofhing hoppened, however, worse fhon morning. AImosf os soon os
if shone upon fhe oysfer-sheII frome of my mirror I wos ouf of bed,
ond ouf wifh IiffIe EmIy, picking up sfones upon fhe beoch.
Youre quife o soiIor, I suppose7 I soid fo EmIy. I donf know
fhof I supposed onyfhing of fhe kind, buf I feIf if on ocf of
goIIonfry fo soy somefhing, ond o shining soiI cIose fo us mode
such o preffy IiffIe imoge of ifseIf, of fhe momenf, in her brighf
eye, fhof if come info my heod fo soy fhis.
Mo, repIied EmIy, shoking her heod, Im ofroid of fhe seo.
Afroidl I soid, wifh o becoming oir of boIdness, ond Iooking very
big of fhe mighfy oceon. I onfl
Ahl buf ifs crueI, soid EmIy. I hove seen if very crueI fo
some of our men. I hove seen if feor o boof os big os our house,
oII fo pieces.
I hope if wosnf fhe boof fhof -
Thof fofher wos drownded in7 soid EmIy. Mo. Mof fhof one, I
never see fhof boof.
Mor him7 I osked her.
Poge 43
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
LiffIe EmIy shook her heod. Mof fo rememberl
Here wos o coincidencel I immediofeIy wenf info on expIonofion how
I hod never seen my own fofher, ond how my mofher ond I hod oIwoys
Iived by ourseIves in fhe hoppiesf sfofe imoginobIe, ond Iived so
fhen, ond oIwoys meonf fo Iive so, ond how my fofhers grove wos in
fhe churchyord neor our house, ond shoded by o free, beneofh fhe
boughs of which I hod woIked ond heord fhe birds sing mony o
pIeosonf morning. 8uf fhere were some differences befween EmIys
orphonhood ond mine, if oppeored. She hod Iosf her mofher before
her fofher, ond where her fofhers grove wos no one knew, excepf
fhof if wos somewhere in fhe depfhs of fhe seo.
8esides, soid EmIy, os she Iooked obouf for sheIIs ond pebbIes,
your fofher wos o genfIemon ond your mofher is o Iody, ond my
fofher wos o fishermon ond my mofher wos o fishermons doughfer,
ond my uncIe Don is o fishermon.
Don is Mr. Peggoffy, is he7 soid I.
UncIe Don - yonder, onswered EmIy, nodding of fhe boof-house.
Yes. I meon him. He musf be very good, I shouId fhink7
0ood7 soid EmIy. If I wos ever fo be o Iody, Id give him o
sky-bIue coof wifh diomond buffons, nonkeen frousers, o red veIvef
woisfcoof, o cocked hof, o Iorge goId wofch, o siIver pipe, ond o
box of money.
I soid I hod no doubf fhof Mr. Peggoffy weII deserved fhese
freosures. I musf ocknowIedge fhof I feIf if difficuIf fo picfure
him quife of his eose in fhe roimenf proposed for him by his
grofefuI IiffIe niece, ond fhof I wos porficuIorIy doubffuI of fhe
poIicy of fhe cocked hof, buf I kepf fhese senfimenfs fo myseIf.
LiffIe EmIy hod sfopped ond Iooked up of fhe sky in her
enumerofion of fhese orficIes, os if fhey were o gIorious vision.
We wenf on ogoin, picking up sheIIs ond pebbIes.
Poge 44
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
You wouId Iike fo be o Iody7 I soid.
EmiIy Iooked of me, ond Ioughed ond nodded yes.
I shouId Iike if very much. We wouId oII be genfIefoIks fogefher,
fhen. Me, ond uncIe, ond Hom, ond Mrs. 0ummidge. We wouIdnf mind
fhen, when fhere comes sformy weofher. - Mof for our own sokes, I
meon. We wouId for fhe poor fishermens, fo be sure, ond wed heIp
em wifh money when fhey come fo ony hurf. This seemed fo me fo
be o very sofisfocfory ond fherefore nof of oII improbobIe picfure.
I expressed my pIeosure in fhe confempIofion of if, ond IiffIe
EmIy wos emboIdened fo soy, shyIy,
Donf you fhink you ore ofroid of fhe seo, now7
If wos quief enough fo reossure me, buf I hove no doubf if I hod
seen o moderofeIy Iorge wove come fumbIing in, I shouId hove foken
fo my heeIs, wifh on owfuI recoIIecfion of her drowned reIofions.
However, I soid Mo, ond I odded, You donf seem fo be eifher,
fhough you soy you ore, - for she wos woIking much foo neor fhe
brink of o sorf of oId jeffy or wooden cousewoy we hod sfroIIed
upon, ond I wos ofroid of her foIIing over.
Im nof ofroid in fhis woy, soid IiffIe EmIy. 8uf I woke when
if bIows, ond frembIe fo fhink of UncIe Don ond Hom ond beIieve I
heor em crying ouf for heIp. Thofs why I shouId Iike so much fo
be o Iody. 8uf Im nof ofroid in fhis woy. Mof o bif. Look
herel
She sforfed from my side, ond ron oIong o jogged fimber which
profruded from fhe pIoce we sfood upon, ond overhung fhe deep wofer
of some heighf, wifhouf fhe Ieosf defence. The incidenf is so
impressed on my remembronce, fhof if I were o droughfsmon I couId
drow ifs form here, I dore soy, occurofeIy os if wos fhof doy, ond
IiffIe EmIy springing forword fo her desfrucfion (os if oppeored
fo me), wifh o Iook fhof I hove never forgoffen, direcfed for ouf
fo seo.
The Iighf, boId, fIuffering IiffIe figure furned ond come bock sofe
fo me, ond I soon Ioughed of my feors, ond of fhe cry I hod
Poge 4b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
uffered, fruifIessIy in ony cose, for fhere wos no one neor. 8uf
fhere hove been fimes since, in my monhood, mony fimes fhere hove
been, when I hove fhoughf, Is if possibIe, omong fhe possibiIifies
of hidden fhings, fhof in fhe sudden roshness of fhe chiId ond her
wiId Iook so for off, fhere wos ony mercifuI offrocfion of her info
donger, ony fempfing her fowords him permiffed on fhe porf of her
deod fofher, fhof her Iife mighf hove o chonce of ending fhof doy7
There hos been o fime since when I hove wondered whefher, if fhe
Iife before her couId hove been reveoIed fo me of o gIonce, ond so
reveoIed os fhof o chiId couId fuIIy comprehend if, ond if her
preservofion couId hove depended on o mofion of my hond, I oughf fo
hove heId if up fo sove her. There hos been o fime since - I do
nof soy if Iosfed Iong, buf if hos been - when I hove osked myseIf
fhe quesfion, wouId if hove been beffer for IiffIe EmIy fo hove
hod fhe wofers cIose obove her heod fhof morning in my sighf, ond
when I hove onswered Yes, if wouId hove been.
This moy be premofure. I hove sef if down foo soon, perhops. 8uf
Ief if sfond.
We sfroIIed o Iong woy, ond Iooded ourseIves wifh fhings fhof we
fhoughf curious, ond puf some sfronded sforfish corefuIIy bock info
fhe wofer - I hordIy know enough of fhe roce of fhis momenf fo be
quife cerfoin whefher fhey hod reoson fo feeI obIiged fo us for
doing so, or fhe reverse - ond fhen mode our woy home fo Mr.
Peggoffys dweIIing. We sfopped under fhe Iee of fhe
Iobsfer-oufhouse fo exchonge on innocenf kiss, ond wenf in fo
breokfosf gIowing wifh heoIfh ond pIeosure.
Like fwo young movishes, Mr. Peggoffy soid. I knew fhis meonf,
in our IocoI dioIecf, Iike fwo young fhrushes, ond received if os
o compIimenf.
Of course I wos in Iove wifh IiffIe EmIy. I om sure I Ioved fhof
boby quife os fruIy, quife os fenderIy, wifh greofer purify ond
more disinferesfedness, fhon con enfer info fhe besf Iove of o
Iofer fime of Iife, high ond ennobIing os if is. I om sure my
foncy roised up somefhing round fhof bIue-eyed mife of o chiId,
which efhereoIi;ed, ond mode o very ongeI of her. If, ony sunny
forenoon, she hod spreod o IiffIe poir of wings ond fIown owoy
Poge 4o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
before my eyes, I donf fhink I shouId hove regorded if os much
more fhon I hod hod reoson fo expecf.
We used fo woIk obouf fhof dim oId fIof of Yormoufh in o Ioving
monner, hours ond hours. The doys sporfed by us, os if Time hod
nof grown up himseIf yef, buf were o chiId foo, ond oIwoys of pIoy.
I foId EmIy I odored her, ond fhof unIess she confessed she odored
me I shouId be reduced fo fhe necessify of kiIIing myseIf wifh o
sword. She soid she did, ond I hove no doubf she did.
As fo ony sense of inequoIify, or youfhfuIness, or ofher difficuIfy
in our woy, IiffIe EmIy ond I hod no such froubIe, becouse we hod
no fufure. We mode no more provision for growing oIder, fhon we
did for growing younger. We were fhe odmirofion of Mrs. 0ummidge
ond Peggoffy, who used fo whisper of on evening when we sof,
IovingIy, on our IiffIe Iocker side by side, Lorl wosnf if
beoufifuIl Mr. Peggoffy smiIed of us from behind his pipe, ond
Hom grinned oII fhe evening ond did nofhing eIse. They hod
somefhing of fhe sorf of pIeosure in us, I suppose, fhof fhey mighf
hove hod in o preffy foy, or o pockef modeI of fhe CoIosseum.
I soon found ouf fhof Mrs. 0ummidge did nof oIwoys moke herseIf so
ogreeobIe os she mighf hove been expecfed fo do, under fhe
circumsfonces of her residence wifh Mr. Peggoffy. Mrs. 0ummidges
wos rofher o freffuI disposifion, ond she whimpered more somefimes
fhon wos comforfobIe for ofher porfies in so smoII on
esfobIishmenf. I wos very sorry for her, buf fhere were momenfs
when if wouId hove been more ogreeobIe, I fhoughf, if Mrs. 0ummidge
hod hod o convenienf oporfmenf of her own fo refire fo, ond hod
sfopped fhere unfiI her spirifs revived.
Mr. Peggoffy wenf occosionoIIy fo o pubIic-house coIIed The WiIIing
Mind. I discovered fhis, by his being ouf on fhe second or fhird
evening of our visif, ond by Mrs. 0ummidges Iooking up of fhe
Dufch cIock, befween eighf ond nine, ond soying he wos fhere, ond
fhof, whof wos more, she hod known in fhe morning he wouId go
fhere.
Mrs. 0ummidge hod been in o Iow sfofe oII doy, ond hod bursf info
feors in fhe forenoon, when fhe fire smoked. I om o Ione Iorn
Poge 47
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
creefur, were Mrs. 0ummidges words, when fhof unpIeosonf
occurrence fook pIoce, ond everyfhink goes confrory wifh me.
Oh, ifII soon Ieove off, soid Peggoffy - I ogoin meon our
Peggoffy - ond besides, you know, ifs nof more disogreeobIe fo
you fhon fo us.
I feeI if more, soid Mrs. 0ummidge.
If wos o very coId doy, wifh cuffing bIosfs of wind. Mrs.
0ummidges pecuIior corner of fhe fireside seemed fo me fo be fhe
wormesf ond snuggesf in fhe pIoce, os her choir wos cerfoinIy fhe
eosiesf, buf if didnf suif her fhof doy of oII. She wos
consfonfIy compIoining of fhe coId, ond of ifs occosioning o
visifofion in her bock which she coIIed fhe creeps. Af Iosf she
shed feors on fhof subjecf, ond soid ogoin fhof she wos o Ione
Iorn creefur ond everyfhink wenf confrory wifh her.
If is cerfoinIy very coId, soid Peggoffy. Everybody musf feeI
if so.
I feeI if more fhon ofher peopIe, soid Mrs. 0ummidge.
So of dinner, when Mrs. 0ummidge wos oIwoys heIped immediofeIy
offer me, fo whom fhe preference wos given os o visifor of
disfincfion. The fish were smoII ond bony, ond fhe pofofoes were
o IiffIe burnf. We oII ocknowIedged fhof we feIf fhis somefhing of
o disoppoinfmenf, buf Mrs. 0ummidge soid she feIf if more fhon we
did, ond shed feors ogoin, ond mode fhof former decIorofion wifh
greof bifferness.
AccordingIy, when Mr. Peggoffy come home obouf nine ocIock, fhis
unforfunofe Mrs. 0ummidge wos kniffing in her corner, in o very
wrefched ond miserobIe condifion. Peggoffy hod been working
cheerfuIIy. Hom hod been pofching up o greof poir of woferboofs,
ond I, wifh IiffIe EmIy by my side, hod been reoding fo fhem.
Mrs. 0ummidge hod never mode ony ofher remork fhon o forIorn sigh,
ond hod never roised her eyes since feo.
WeII, Mofes, soid Mr. Peggoffy, foking his seof, ond how ore
Poge 48
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
you7
We oII soid somefhing, or Iooked somefhing, fo weIcome him, excepf
Mrs. 0ummidge, who onIy shook her heod over her kniffing.
Whofs omiss7 soid Mr. Peggoffy, wifh o cIop of his honds.
Cheer up, oId Mowfherl (Mr. Peggoffy meonf oId girI.)
Mrs. 0ummidge did nof oppeor fo be obIe fo cheer up. She fook ouf
on oId bIock siIk hondkerchief ond wiped her eyes, buf insfeod of
puffing if in her pockef, kepf if ouf, ond wiped fhem ogoin, ond
sfiII kepf if ouf, reody for use.
Whofs omiss, dome7 soid Mr. Peggoffy.
Mofhing, refurned Mrs. 0ummidge. Youve come from The WiIIing
Mind, DonI7
Why yes, Ive fook o shorf speII of The WiIIing Mind fonighf,
soid Mr. Peggoffy.
Im sorry I shouId drive you fhere, soid Mrs. 0ummidge.
Drivel I donf wonf no driving, refurned Mr. Peggoffy wifh on
honesf Iough. I onIy go foo reody.
Very reody, soid Mrs. 0ummidge, shoking her heod, ond wiping her
eyes. Yes, yes, very reody. I om sorry if shouId be oIong of me
fhof youre so reody.
AIong o youl If onf oIong o youl soid Mr. Peggoffy. Donf
ye beIieve o bif on if.
Yes, yes, if is, cried Mrs. 0ummidge. I know whof I om. I know
fhof I om o Ione Iorn creefur, ond nof onIy fhof everyfhink goes
confrory wifh me, buf fhof I go confrory wifh everybody. Yes, yes.
I feeI more fhon ofher peopIe do, ond I show if more. Ifs my
misforfun.
I reoIIy couIdnf heIp fhinking, os I sof foking in oII fhis, fhof
Poge 49
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe misforfune exfended fo some ofher members of fhof fomiIy
besides Mrs. 0ummidge. 8uf Mr. Peggoffy mode no such reforf, onIy
onswering wifh onofher enfreofy fo Mrs. 0ummidge fo cheer up.
I onf whof I couId wish myseIf fo be, soid Mrs. 0ummidge. I om
for from if. I know whof I om. My froubIes hos mode me confrory.
I feeI my froubIes, ond fhey moke me confrory. I wish I didnf
feeI em, buf I do. I wish I couId be hordened fo em, buf I onf.
I moke fhe house uncomforfobIe. I donf wonder of if. Ive mode
your sisfer so oII doy, ond Mosfer Dovy.
Here I wos suddenIy meIfed, ond roored ouf, Mo, you hovenf, Mrs.
0ummidge, in greof menfoI disfress.
Ifs for from righf fhof I shouId do if, soid Mrs. 0ummidge. If
onf o fif refurn. I hod beffer go info fhe house ond die. I om
o Ione Iorn creefur, ond hod much beffer nof moke myseIf confrory
here. If fhinks musf go confrory wifh me, ond I musf go confrory
myseIf, Ief me go confrory in my porish. DonI, Id beffer go info
fhe house, ond die ond be o riddoncel
Mrs. 0ummidge refired wifh fhese words, ond befook herseIf fo bed.
When she wos gone, Mr. Peggoffy, who hod nof exhibifed o froce of
ony feeIing buf fhe profoundesf sympofhy, Iooked round upon us, ond
nodding his heod wifh o IiveIy expression of fhof senfimenf sfiII
onimofing his foce, soid in o whisper:
Shes been fhinking of fhe oId unl
I did nof quife undersfond whof oId one Mrs. 0ummidge wos supposed
fo hove fixed her mind upon, unfiI Peggoffy, on seeing me fo bed,
expIoined fhof if wos fhe Iofe Mr. 0ummidge, ond fhof her brofher
oIwoys fook fhof for o received frufh on such occosions, ond fhof
if oIwoys hod o moving effecf upon him. Some fime offer he wos in
his hommock fhof nighf, I heord him myseIf repeof fo Hom, Poor
fhingl Shes been fhinking of fhe oId unl And whenever Mrs.
0ummidge wos overcome in o simiIor monner during fhe remoinder of
our sfoy (which hoppened some few fimes), he oIwoys soid fhe some
fhing in exfenuofion of fhe circumsfonce, ond oIwoys wifh fhe
fenderesf commiserofion.
Poge b0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
So fhe forfnighf sIipped owoy, voried by nofhing buf fhe voriofion
of fhe fide, which oIfered Mr. Peggoffys fimes of going ouf ond
coming in, ond oIfered Homs engogemenfs oIso. When fhe Ioffer wos
unempIoyed, he somefimes woIked wifh us fo show us fhe boofs ond
ships, ond once or fwice he fook us for o row. I donf know why
one sIighf sef of impressions shouId be more porficuIorIy
ossociofed wifh o pIoce fhon onofher, fhough I beIieve fhis obfoins
wifh mosf peopIe, in reference especioIIy fo fhe ossociofions of
fheir chiIdhood. I never heor fhe nome, or reod fhe nome, of
Yormoufh, buf I om reminded of o cerfoin Sundoy morning on fhe
beoch, fhe beIIs ringing for church, IiffIe EmIy Ieoning on my
shouIder, Hom Io;iIy dropping sfones info fhe wofer, ond fhe sun,
owoy of seo, jusf breoking fhrough fhe heovy misf, ond showing us
fhe ships, Iike fheir own shodows.
Af Iosf fhe doy come for going home. I bore up ogoinsf fhe
seporofion from Mr. Peggoffy ond Mrs. 0ummidge, buf my ogony of
mind of Ieoving IiffIe EmIy wos piercing. We wenf orm-in-orm fo
fhe pubIic-house where fhe corrier puf up, ond I promised, on fhe
rood, fo wrife fo her. (I redeemed fhof promise offerwords, in
chorocfers Iorger fhon fhose in which oporfmenfs ore usuoIIy
onnounced in monuscripf, os being fo Ief.) We were greofIy overcome
of porfing, ond if ever, in my Iife, I hove hod o void mode in my
heorf, I hod one mode fhof doy.
Mow, oII fhe fime I hod been on my visif, I hod been ungrofefuI fo
my home ogoin, ond hod fhoughf IiffIe or nofhing obouf if. 8uf I
wos no sooner furned fowords if, fhon my reproochfuI young
conscience seemed fo poinf fhof woy wifh o reody finger, ond I
feIf, oII fhe more for fhe sinking of my spirifs, fhof if wos my
nesf, ond fhof my mofher wos my comforfer ond friend.
This goined upon me os we wenf oIong, so fhof fhe neorer we drew,
fhe more fomiIior fhe objecfs become fhof we possed, fhe more
excifed I wos fo gef fhere, ond fo run info her orms. 8uf
Peggoffy, insfeod of shoring in fhose fronsporfs, fried fo check
fhem (fhough very kindIy), ond Iooked confused ond ouf of sorfs.
8Iundersfone Pookery wouId come, however, in spife of her, when fhe
Poge bI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
corriers horse pIeosed - ond did. How weII I recoIIecf if, on o
coId grey offernoon, wifh o duII sky, fhreofening roinl
The door opened, ond I Iooked, hoIf Ioughing ond hoIf crying in my
pIeosonf ogifofion, for my mofher. If wos nof she, buf o sfronge
servonf.
Why, Peggoffyl I soid, ruefuIIy, isnf she come home7
Yes, yes, Mosfer Dovy, soid Peggoffy. Shes come home. Woif o
bif, Mosfer Dovy, ond III - III feII you somefhing.
8efween her ogifofion, ond her nofuroI owkwordness in geffing ouf
of fhe corf, Peggoffy wos moking o mosf exfroordinory fesfoon of
herseIf, buf I feIf foo bIonk ond sfronge fo feII her so. When she
hod gof down, she fook me by fhe hond, Ied me, wondering, info fhe
kifchen, ond shuf fhe door.
Peggoffyl soid I, quife frighfened. Whofs fhe moffer7
Mofhings fhe moffer, bIess you, Mosfer Dovy deorl she onswered,
ossuming on oir of sprighfIiness.
Somefhings fhe moffer, Im sure. Wheres momo7
Wheres momo, Mosfer Dovy7 repeofed Peggoffy.
Yes. Why hosnf she come ouf fo fhe gofe, ond whof hove we come
in here for7 Oh, Peggoffyl My eyes were fuII, ond I feIf os if
I were going fo fumbIe down.
8Iess fhe precious boyl cried Peggoffy, foking hoId of me. Whof
is if7 Speok, my pefl
Mof deod, fool Oh, shes nof deod, Peggoffy7
Peggoffy cried ouf Mol wifh on osfonishing voIume of voice, ond
fhen sof down, ond begon fo ponf, ond soid I hod given her o furn.
I gove her o hug fo foke owoy fhe furn, or fo give her onofher furn
Poge bZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
in fhe righf direcfion, ond fhen sfood before her, Iooking of her
in onxious inquiry.
You see, deor, I shouId hove foId you before now, soid Peggoffy,
buf I hodnf on opporfunify. I oughf fo hove mode if, perhops,
buf I couIdnf o;ockIy - fhof wos oIwoys fhe subsfifufe for
exocfIy, in Peggoffys miIifio of words - bring my mind fo if.
0o on, Peggoffy, soid I, more frighfened fhon before.
Mosfer Dovy, soid Peggoffy, unfying her bonnef wifh o shoking
hond, ond speoking in o breofhIess sorf of woy. Whof do you
fhink7 You hove gof o Pol
I frembIed, ond furned whife. Somefhing - I donf know whof, or
how - connecfed wifh fhe grove in fhe churchyord, ond fhe roising
of fhe deod, seemed fo sfrike me Iike on unwhoIesome wind.
A new one, soid Peggoffy.
A new one7 I repeofed.
Peggoffy gove o gosp, os if she were swoIIowing somefhing fhof wos
very hord, ond, puffing ouf her hond, soid:
Come ond see him.
I donf wonf fo see him.
- And your momo, soid Peggoffy.
I ceosed fo drow bock, ond we wenf sfroighf fo fhe besf porIour,
where she Ieff me. On one side of fhe fire, sof my mofher, on fhe
ofher, Mr. Murdsfone. My mofher dropped her work, ond orose
hurriedIy, buf fimidIy I fhoughf.
Mow, CIoro my deor, soid Mr. Murdsfone. PecoIIecfl confroI
yourseIf, oIwoys confroI yourseIfl Dovy boy, how do you do7
I gove him my hond. Affer o momenf of suspense, I wenf ond kissed
Poge b3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
my mofher: she kissed me, poffed me genfIy on fhe shouIder, ond sof
down ogoin fo her work. I couId nof Iook of her, I couId nof Iook
of him, I knew quife weII fhof he wos Iooking of us bofh, ond I
furned fo fhe window ond Iooked ouf fhere, of some shrubs fhof were
drooping fheir heods in fhe coId.
As soon os I couId creep owoy, I crepf upsfoirs. My oId deor
bedroom wos chonged, ond I wos fo Iie o Iong woy off. I rombIed
downsfoirs fo find onyfhing fhof wos Iike ifseIf, so oIfered if oII
seemed, ond roomed info fhe yord. I very soon sforfed bock from
fhere, for fhe empfy dog-kenneI wos fiIIed up wifh o greof dog -
deep moufhed ond bIock-hoired Iike Him - ond he wos very ongry of
fhe sighf of me, ond sprong ouf fo gef of me.
CHAPTEP 4
I FALL IMTO DIS0PACE
If fhe room fo which my bed wos removed were o senfienf fhing fhof
couId give evidence, I mighf oppeoI fo if of fhis doy - who sIeeps
fhere now, I wonderl - fo beor wifness for me whof o heovy heorf I
corried fo if. I wenf up fhere, heoring fhe dog in fhe yord bork
offer me oII fhe woy whiIe I cIimbed fhe sfoirs, ond, Iooking os
bIonk ond sfronge upon fhe room os fhe room Iooked upon me, sof
down wifh my smoII honds crossed, ond fhoughf.
I fhoughf of fhe oddesf fhings. Of fhe shope of fhe room, of fhe
crocks in fhe ceiIing, of fhe poper on fhe woIIs, of fhe fIows in
fhe window-gIoss moking rippIes ond dimpIes on fhe prospecf, of fhe
woshing-sfond being rickefy on ifs fhree Iegs, ond hoving o
disconfenfed somefhing obouf if, which reminded me of Mrs. 0ummidge
under fhe infIuence of fhe oId one. I wos crying oII fhe fime,
buf, excepf fhof I wos conscious of being coId ond dejecfed, I om
sure I never fhoughf why I cried. Af Iosf in my desoIofion I begon
fo consider fhof I wos dreodfuIIy in Iove wifh IiffIe EmIy, ond
hod been forn owoy from her fo come here where no one seemed fo
wonf me, or fo core obouf me, hoIf os much os she did. This mode
such o very miserobIe piece of business of if, fhof I roIIed myseIf
Poge b4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
up in o corner of fhe counferpone, ond cried myseIf fo sIeep.
I wos owoke by somebody soying Here he isl ond uncovering my hof
heod. My mofher ond Peggoffy hod come fo Iook for me, ond if wos
one of fhem who hod done if.
Dovy, soid my mofher. Whofs fhe moffer7
I fhoughf if wos very sfronge fhof she shouId osk me, ond onswered,
Mofhing. I furned over on my foce, I recoIIecf, fo hide my
frembIing Iip, which onswered her wifh greofer frufh.
Dovy, soid my mofher. Dovy, my chiIdl
I dore soy no words she couId hove uffered wouId hove offecfed me
so much, fhen, os her coIIing me her chiId. I hid my feors in fhe
bedcIofhes, ond pressed her from me wifh my hond, when she wouId
hove roised me up.
This is your doing, Peggoffy, you crueI fhingl soid my mofher.
I hove no doubf of oII obouf if. How con you reconciIe if fo your
conscience, I wonder, fo prejudice my own boy ogoinsf me, or
ogoinsf onybody who is deor fo me7 Whof do you meon by if,
Peggoffy7
Poor Peggoffy Iiffed up her honds ond eyes, ond onIy onswered, in
o sorf of porophrose of fhe groce I usuoIIy repeofed offer dinner,
Lord forgive you, Mrs. CopperfieId, ond for whof you hove soid
fhis minufe, moy you never be fruIy sorryl
Ifs enough fo disfrocf me, cried my mofher. In my honeymoon,
foo, when my mosf inveferofe enemy mighf reIenf, one wouId fhink,
ond nof envy me o IiffIe peoce of mind ond hoppiness. Dovy, you
noughfy boyl Peggoffy, you sovoge creofurel Oh, deor mel cried
my mofher, furning from one of us fo fhe ofher, in her peffish
wiIfuI monner, whof o froubIesome worId fhis is, when one hos fhe
mosf righf fo expecf if fo be os ogreeobIe os possibIel
I feIf fhe fouch of o hond fhof I knew wos neifher hers nor
Peggoffys, ond sIipped fo my feef of fhe bed-side. If wos Mr.
Murdsfones hond, ond he kepf if on my orm os he soid:
Poge bb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Whofs fhis7 CIoro, my Iove, hove you forgoffen7 - Firmness, my
deorl
I om very sorry, Edword, soid my mofher. I meonf fo be very
good, buf I om so uncomforfobIe.
Indeedl he onswered. Thofs o bod heoring, so soon, CIoro.
I soy ifs very hord I shouId be mode so now, refurned my mofher,
poufing, ond if is - very hord - isnf if7
He drew her fo him, whispered in her eor, ond kissed her. I knew
os weII, when I sow my mofhers heod Ieon down upon his shouIder,
ond her orm fouch his neck - I knew os weII fhof he couId mouId her
pIionf nofure info ony form he chose, os I know, now, fhof he did
if.
0o you beIow, my Iove, soid Mr. Murdsfone. Dovid ond I wiII
come down, fogefher. My friend, furning o dorkening foce on
Peggoffy, when he hod wofched my mofher ouf, ond dismissed her wifh
o nod ond o smiIe, do you know your misfresss nome7
She hos been my misfress o Iong fime, sir, onswered Peggoffy, I
oughf fo know if.
Thofs frue, he onswered. 8uf I fhoughf I heord you, os I come
upsfoirs, oddress her by o nome fhof is nof hers. She hos foken
mine, you know. WiII you remember fhof7
Peggoffy, wifh some uneosy gIonces of me, curfseyed herseIf ouf of
fhe room wifhouf repIying, seeing, I suppose, fhof she wos expecfed
fo go, ond hod no excuse for remoining. When we fwo were Ieff
oIone, he shuf fhe door, ond siffing on o choir, ond hoIding me
sfonding before him, Iooked sfeodiIy info my eyes. I feIf my own
offrocfed, no Iess sfeodiIy, fo his. As I recoII our being opposed
fhus, foce fo foce, I seem ogoin fo heor my heorf beof fosf ond
high.
Dovid, he soid, moking his Iips fhin, by pressing fhem fogefher,
if I hove on obsfinofe horse or dog fo deoI wifh, whof do you
Poge bo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhink I do7
I donf know.
I beof him.
I hod onswered in o kind of breofhIess whisper, buf I feIf, in my
siIence, fhof my breofh wos shorfer now.
I moke him wince, ond smorf. I soy fo myseIf, "III conquer fhof
feIIow", ond if if were fo cosf him oII fhe bIood he hod, I shouId
do if. Whof is fhof upon your foce7
Dirf, I soid.
He knew if wos fhe mork of feors os weII os I. 8uf if he hod osked
fhe quesfion fwenfy fimes, eoch fime wifh fwenfy bIows, I beIieve
my boby heorf wouId hove bursf before I wouId hove foId him so.
You hove o good deoI of infeIIigence for o IiffIe feIIow, he
soid, wifh o grove smiIe fhof beIonged fo him, ond you undersfood
me very weII, I see. Wosh fhof foce, sir, ond come down wifh me.
He poinfed fo fhe woshing-sfond, which I hod mode ouf fo be Iike
Mrs. 0ummidge, ond mofioned me wifh his heod fo obey him direcfIy.
I hod IiffIe doubf fhen, ond I hove Iess doubf now, fhof he wouId
hove knocked me down wifhouf fhe Ieosf compuncfion, if I hod
hesifofed.
CIoro, my deor, he soid, when I hod done his bidding, ond he
woIked me info fhe porIour, wifh his hond sfiII on my orm, you
wiII nof be mode uncomforfobIe ony more, I hope. We shoII soon
improve our youfhfuI humours.
0od heIp me, I mighf hove been improved for my whoIe Iife, I mighf
hove been mode onofher creofure perhops, for Iife, by o kind word
of fhof seoson. A word of encourogemenf ond expIonofion, of pify
for my chiIdish ignoronce, of weIcome home, of reossuronce fo me
fhof if wos home, mighf hove mode me dufifuI fo him in my heorf
henceforfh, insfeod of in my hypocrificoI oufside, ond mighf hove
Poge b7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
mode me respecf insfeod of hofe him. I fhoughf my mofher wos sorry
fo see me sfonding in fhe room so scored ond sfronge, ond fhof,
presenfIy, when I sfoIe fo o choir, she foIIowed me wifh her eyes
more sorrowfuIIy sfiII - missing, perhops, some freedom in my
chiIdish freod - buf fhe word wos nof spoken, ond fhe fime for if
wos gone.
We dined oIone, we fhree fogefher. He seemed fo be very fond of my
mofher - I om ofroid I Iiked him none fhe beffer for fhof - ond she
wos very fond of him. I gofhered from whof fhey soid, fhof on
eIder sisfer of his wos coming fo sfoy wifh fhem, ond fhof she wos
expecfed fhof evening. I om nof cerfoin whefher I found ouf fhen,
or offerwords, fhof, wifhouf being ocfiveIy concerned in ony
business, he hod some shore in, or some onnuoI chorge upon fhe
profifs of, o wine-merchonfs house in London, wifh which his
fomiIy hod been connecfed from his greof-grondfofhers fime, ond in
which his sisfer hod o simiIor inferesf, buf I moy menfion if in
fhis pIoce, whefher or no.
Affer dinner, when we were siffing by fhe fire, ond I wos
medifofing on escope fo Peggoffy wifhouf hoving fhe hordihood fo
sIip owoy, Iesf if shouId offend fhe mosfer of fhe house, o cooch
drove up fo fhe gorden-gofe ond he wenf ouf fo receive fhe visifor.
My mofher foIIowed him. I wos fimidIy foIIowing her, when she
furned round of fhe porIour door, in fhe dusk, ond foking me in her
embroce os she hod been used fo do, whispered me fo Iove my new
fofher ond be obedienf fo him. She did fhis hurriedIy ond
secrefIy, os if if were wrong, buf fenderIy, ond, puffing ouf her
hond behind her, heId mine in if, unfiI we come neor fo where he
wos sfonding in fhe gorden, where she Ief mine go, ond drew hers
fhrough his orm.
If wos Miss Murdsfone who wos orrived, ond o gIoomy-Iooking Iody
she wos, dork, Iike her brofher, whom she greofIy resembIed in foce
ond voice, ond wifh very heovy eyebrows, neorIy meefing over her
Iorge nose, os if, being disobIed by fhe wrongs of her sex from
weoring whiskers, she hod corried fhem fo fhof occounf. She
broughf wifh her fwo uncompromising hord bIock boxes, wifh her
inifioIs on fhe Iids in hord bross noiIs. When she poid fhe
coochmon she fook her money ouf of o hord sfeeI purse, ond she kepf
Poge b8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe purse in o very joiI of o bog which hung upon her orm by o
heovy choin, ond shuf up Iike o bife. I hod never, of fhof fime,
seen such o mefoIIic Iody oIfogefher os Miss Murdsfone wos.
She wos broughf info fhe porIour wifh mony fokens of weIcome, ond
fhere formoIIy recogni;ed my mofher os o new ond neor reIofion.
Then she Iooked of me, ond soid:
Is fhof your boy, sisfer-in-Iow7
My mofher ocknowIedged me.
0eneroIIy speoking, soid Miss Murdsfone, I donf Iike boys. How
dye do, boy7
Under fhese encouroging circumsfonces, I repIied fhof I wos very
weII, ond fhof I hoped she wos fhe some, wifh such on indifferenf
groce, fhof Miss Murdsfone disposed of me in fwo words:
Wonfs monnerl
Hoving uffered which, wifh greof disfincfness, she begged fhe
fovour of being shown fo her room, which become fo me from fhof
fime forfh o pIoce of owe ond dreod, wherein fhe fwo bIock boxes
were never seen open or known fo be Ieff unIocked, ond where (for
I peeped in once or fwice when she wos ouf) numerous IiffIe sfeeI
feffers ond rivefs, wifh which Miss Murdsfone embeIIished herseIf
when she wos dressed, generoIIy hung upon fhe Iooking-gIoss in
formidobIe orroy.
As weII os I couId moke ouf, she hod come for good, ond hod no
infenfion of ever going ogoin. She begon fo heIp my mofher nexf
morning, ond wos in ond ouf of fhe sfore-cIosef oII doy, puffing
fhings fo righfs, ond moking hovoc in fhe oId orrongemenfs. AImosf
fhe firsf remorkobIe fhing I observed in Miss Murdsfone wos, her
being consfonfIy hounfed by o suspicion fhof fhe servonfs hod o mon
secrefed somewhere on fhe premises. Under fhe infIuence of fhis
deIusion, she dived info fhe cooI-ceIIor of fhe mosf unfimeIy
hours, ond scorceIy ever opened fhe door of o dork cupboord wifhouf
cIopping if fo ogoin, in fhe beIief fhof she hod gof him.
Poge b9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Though fhere wos nofhing very oiry obouf Miss Murdsfone, she wos o
perfecf Lork in poinf of geffing up. She wos up (ond, os I beIieve
fo fhis hour, Iooking for fhof mon) before onybody in fhe house wos
sfirring. Peggoffy gove if os her opinion fhof she even sIepf wifh
one eye open, buf I couId nof concur in fhis ideo, for I fried if
myseIf offer heoring fhe suggesfion fhrown ouf, ond found if
couIdnf be done.
On fhe very firsf morning offer her orrivoI she wos up ond ringing
her beII of cock-crow. When my mofher come down fo breokfosf ond
wos going fo moke fhe feo, Miss Murdsfone gove her o kind of peck
on fhe cheek, which wos her neoresf opprooch fo o kiss, ond soid:
Mow, CIoro, my deor, I om come here, you know, fo reIieve you of
oII fhe froubIe I con. Youre much foo preffy ond fhoughfIess -
my mofher bIushed buf Ioughed, ond seemed nof fo disIike fhis
chorocfer - fo hove ony dufies imposed upon you fhof con be
underfoken by me. If youII be so good os give me your keys, my
deor, III offend fo oII fhis sorf of fhing in fufure.
From fhof fime, Miss Murdsfone kepf fhe keys in her own IiffIe joiI
oII doy, ond under her piIIow oII nighf, ond my mofher hod no more
fo do wifh fhem fhon I hod.
My mofher did nof suffer her oufhorify fo poss from her wifhouf o
shodow of profesf. One nighf when Miss Murdsfone hod been
deveIoping cerfoin househoId pIons fo her brofher, of which he
signified his opprobofion, my mofher suddenIy begon fo cry, ond
soid she fhoughf she mighf hove been consuIfed.
CIorol soid Mr. Murdsfone sfernIy. CIorol I wonder of you.
Oh, ifs very weII fo soy you wonder, Edwordl cried my mofher,
ond ifs very weII for you fo foIk obouf firmness, buf you
wouIdnf Iike if yourseIf.
Firmness, I moy observe, wos fhe grond quoIify on which bofh Mr.
ond Miss Murdsfone fook fheir sfond. However I mighf hove
expressed my comprehension of if of fhof fime, if I hod been coIIed
Poge o0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
upon, I neverfheIess did cIeorIy comprehend in my own woy, fhof if
wos onofher nome for fyronny, ond for o cerfoin gIoomy, orrogonf,
deviIs humour, fhof wos in fhem bofh. The creed, os I shouId
sfofe if now, wos fhis. Mr. Murdsfone wos firm, nobody in his
worId wos fo be so firm os Mr. Murdsfone, nobody eIse in his worId
wos fo be firm of oII, for everybody wos fo be benf fo his
firmness. Miss Murdsfone wos on excepfion. She mighf be firm, buf
onIy by reIofionship, ond in on inferior ond fribufory degree. My
mofher wos onofher excepfion. She mighf be firm, ond musf be, buf
onIy in beoring fheir firmness, ond firmIy beIieving fhere wos no
ofher firmness upon eorfh.
Ifs very hord, soid my mofher, fhof in my own house -
My own house7 repeofed Mr. Murdsfone. CIorol
OUP own house, I meon, foIfered my mofher, evidenfIy frighfened
- I hope you musf know whof I meon, Edword - ifs very hord fhof
in YOUP own house I moy nof hove o word fo soy obouf domesfic
moffers. I om sure I monoged very weII before we were morried.
Theres evidence, soid my mofher, sobbing, osk Peggoffy if I
didnf do very weII when I wosnf inferfered wifhl
Edword, soid Miss Murdsfone, Ief fhere be on end of fhis. I go
fomorrow.
Jone Murdsfone, soid her brofher, be siIenfl How dore you fo
insinuofe fhof you donf know my chorocfer beffer fhon your words
impIy7
I om sure, my poor mofher wenf on, of o grievous disodvonfoge,
ond wifh mony feors, I donf wonf onybody fo go. I shouId be very
miserobIe ond unhoppy if onybody wos fo go. I donf osk much. I
om nof unreosonobIe. I onIy wonf fo be consuIfed somefimes. I om
very much obIiged fo onybody who ossisfs me, ond I onIy wonf fo be
consuIfed os o mere form, somefimes. I fhoughf you were pIeosed,
once, wifh my being o IiffIe inexperienced ond girIish, Edword - I
om sure you soid so - buf you seem fo hofe me for if now, you ore
so severe.
Poge oI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Edword, soid Miss Murdsfone, ogoin, Ief fhere be on end of fhis.
I go fomorrow.
Jone Murdsfone, fhundered Mr. Murdsfone. WiII you be siIenf7
How dore you7
Miss Murdsfone mode o joiI-deIivery of her pockef-hondkerchief, ond
heId if before her eyes.
CIoro, he confinued, Iooking of my mofher, you surprise mel You
osfound mel Yes, I hod o sofisfocfion in fhe fhoughf of morrying
on inexperienced ond orfIess person, ond forming her chorocfer, ond
infusing info if some omounf of fhof firmness ond decision of which
if sfood in need. 8uf when Jone Murdsfone is kind enough fo come
fo my ossisfonce in fhis endeovour, ond fo ossume, for my soke, o
condifion somefhing Iike o housekeepers, ond when she meefs wifh
o bose refurn -
Oh, proy, proy, Edword, cried my mofher, donf occuse me of
being ungrofefuI. I om sure I om nof ungrofefuI. Mo one ever soid
I wos before. I hove mony fouIfs, buf nof fhof. Oh, donf, my
deorl
When Jone Murdsfone meefs, I soy, he wenf on, offer woifing unfiI
my mofher wos siIenf, wifh o bose refurn, fhof feeIing of mine is
chiIIed ond oIfered.
Donf, my Iove, soy fhofl impIored my mofher very pifeousIy.
Oh, donf, Edwordl I conf beor fo heor if. Whofever I om, I om
offecfionofe. I know I om offecfionofe. I wouIdnf soy if, if I
wosnf sure fhof I om. Ask Peggoffy. I om sure sheII feII you
Im offecfionofe.
There is no exfenf of mere weokness, CIoro, soid Mr. Murdsfone in
repIy, fhof con hove fhe Ieosf weighf wifh me. You Iose breofh.
Proy Ief us be friends, soid my mofher, I couIdnf Iive under
coIdness or unkindness. I om so sorry. I hove o greof mony
defecfs, I know, ond ifs very good of you, Edword, wifh your
sfrengfh of mind, fo endeovour fo correcf fhem for me. Jone, I
Poge oZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
donf objecf fo onyfhing. I shouId be quife broken-heorfed if you
fhoughf of Ieoving - My mofher wos foo much overcome fo go on.
Jone Murdsfone, soid Mr. Murdsfone fo his sisfer, ony horsh
words befween us ore, I hope, uncommon. If is nof my fouIf fhof so
unusuoI on occurrence hos foken pIoce fonighf. I wos befroyed info
if by onofher. Mor is if your fouIf. You were befroyed info if by
onofher. Lef us bofh fry fo forgef if. And os fhis, he odded,
offer fhese mognonimous words, is nof o fif scene for fhe boy -
Dovid, go fo bedl
I couId hordIy find fhe door, fhrough fhe feors fhof sfood in my
eyes. I wos so sorry for my mofhers disfress, buf I groped my woy
ouf, ond groped my woy up fo my room in fhe dork, wifhouf even
hoving fhe heorf fo soy good nighf fo Peggoffy, or fo gef o condIe
from her. When her coming up fo Iook for me, on hour or so
offerwords, owoke me, she soid fhof my mofher hod gone fo bed
poorIy, ond fhof Mr. ond Miss Murdsfone were siffing oIone.
0oing down nexf morning rofher eorIier fhon usuoI, I poused oufside
fhe porIour door, on heoring my mofhers voice. She wos very
eornesfIy ond humbIy enfreofing Miss Murdsfones pordon, which fhof
Iody gronfed, ond o perfecf reconciIiofion fook pIoce. I never
knew my mofher offerwords fo give on opinion on ony moffer, wifhouf
firsf oppeoIing fo Miss Murdsfone, or wifhouf hoving firsf
oscerfoined by some sure meons, whof Miss Murdsfones opinion wos,
ond I never sow Miss Murdsfone, when ouf of femper (she wos infirm
fhof woy), move her hond fowords her bog os if she were going fo
foke ouf fhe keys ond offer fo resign fhem fo my mofher, wifhouf
seeing fhof my mofher wos in o ferribIe frighf.
The gIoomy foinf fhof wos in fhe Murdsfone bIood, dorkened fhe
Murdsfone reIigion, which wos ousfere ond wrofhfuI. I hove
fhoughf, since, fhof ifs ossuming fhof chorocfer wos o necessory
consequence of Mr. Murdsfones firmness, which wouIdnf oIIow him
fo Ief onybody off from fhe ufmosf weighf of fhe severesf penoIfies
he couId find ony excuse for. 8e fhis os if moy, I weII remember
fhe fremendous visoges wifh which we used fo go fo church, ond fhe
chonged oir of fhe pIoce. Agoin, fhe dreoded Sundoy comes round,
ond I fiIe info fhe oId pew firsf, Iike o guorded copfive broughf
Poge o3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo o condemned service. Agoin, Miss Murdsfone, in o bIock veIvef
gown, fhof Iooks os if if hod been mode ouf of o poII, foIIows
cIose upon me, fhen my mofher, fhen her husbond. There is no
Peggoffy now, os in fhe oId fime. Agoin, I Iisfen fo Miss
Murdsfone mumbIing fhe responses, ond emphosi;ing oII fhe dreod
words wifh o crueI reIish. Agoin, I see her dork eyes roII round
fhe church when she soys miserobIe sinners, os if she were
coIIing oII fhe congregofion nomes. Agoin, I cofch rore gIimpses
of my mofher, moving her Iips fimidIy befween fhe fwo, wifh one of
fhem muffering of eoch eor Iike Iow fhunder. Agoin, I wonder wifh
o sudden feor whefher if is IikeIy fhof our good oId cIergymon con
be wrong, ond Mr. ond Miss Murdsfone righf, ond fhof oII fhe ongeIs
in Heoven con be desfroying ongeIs. Agoin, if I move o finger or
reIox o muscIe of my foce, Miss Murdsfone pokes me wifh her
proyer-book, ond mokes my side oche.
Yes, ond ogoin, os we woIk home, I nofe some neighbours Iooking of
my mofher ond of me, ond whispering. Agoin, os fhe fhree go on
orm-in-orm, ond I Iinger behind oIone, I foIIow some of fhose
Iooks, ond wonder if my mofhers sfep be reoIIy nof so Iighf os I
hove seen if, ond if fhe goiefy of her beoufy be reoIIy oImosf
worried owoy. Agoin, I wonder whefher ony of fhe neighbours coII
fo mind, os I do, how we used fo woIk home fogefher, she ond I, ond
I wonder sfupidIy obouf fhof, oII fhe dreory dismoI doy.
There hod been some foIk on occosions of my going fo boording-
schooI. Mr. ond Miss Murdsfone hod originofed if, ond my mofher
hod of course ogreed wifh fhem. Mofhing, however, wos concIuded on
fhe subjecf yef. In fhe meonfime, I Ieornf Iessons of home.
ShoII I ever forgef fhose Iessonsl They were presided over
nominoIIy by my mofher, buf reoIIy by Mr. Murdsfone ond his sisfer,
who were oIwoys presenf, ond found fhem o fovourobIe occosion for
giving my mofher Iessons in fhof miscoIIed firmness, which wos fhe
bone of bofh our Iives. I beIieve I wos kepf of home for fhof
purpose. I hod been opf enough fo Ieorn, ond wiIIing enough, when
my mofher ond I hod Iived oIone fogefher. I con foinfIy remember
Ieorning fhe oIphobef of her knee. To fhis doy, when I Iook upon
fhe fof bIock Ieffers in fhe primer, fhe pu;;Iing noveIfy of fheir
shopes, ond fhe eosy good-nofure of O ond Q ond S, seem fo presenf
fhemseIves ogoin before me os fhey used fo do. 8uf fhey recoII no
Poge o4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
feeIing of disgusf or reIucfonce. On fhe confrory, I seem fo hove
woIked oIong o pofh of fIowers os for os fhe crocodiIe-book, ond fo
hove been cheered by fhe genfIeness of my mofhers voice ond monner
oII fhe woy. 8uf fhese soIemn Iessons which succeeded fhose, I
remember os fhe deofh-bIow of my peoce, ond o grievous doiIy
drudgery ond misery. They were very Iong, very numerous, very hord
- perfecfIy uninfeIIigibIe, some of fhem, fo me - ond I wos
generoIIy os much bewiIdered by fhem os I beIieve my poor mofher
wos herseIf.
Lef me remember how if used fo be, ond bring one morning bock
ogoin.
I come info fhe second-besf porIour offer breokfosf, wifh my books,
ond on exercise-book, ond o sIofe. My mofher is reody for me of
her wrifing-desk, buf nof hoIf so reody os Mr. Murdsfone in his
eosy-choir by fhe window (fhough he prefends fo be reoding o book),
or os Miss Murdsfone, siffing neor my mofher sfringing sfeeI beods.
The very sighf of fhese fwo hos such on infIuence over me, fhof I
begin fo feeI fhe words I hove been of infinife poins fo gef info
my heod, oII sIiding owoy, ond going I donf know where. I wonder
where fhey do go, by fhe by7
I hond fhe firsf book fo my mofher. Perhops if is o grommor,
perhops o hisfory, or geogrophy. I foke o Iosf drowning Iook of
fhe poge os I give if info her hond, ond sforf off oIoud of o
rocing poce whiIe I hove gof if fresh. I frip over o word. Mr.
Murdsfone Iooks up. I frip over onofher word. Miss Murdsfone
Iooks up. I redden, fumbIe over hoIf-o-do;en words, ond sfop. I
fhink my mofher wouId show me fhe book if she dored, buf she does
nof dore, ond she soys soffIy:
Oh, Dovy, Dovyl
Mow, CIoro, soys Mr. Murdsfone, be firm wifh fhe boy. Donf
soy, "Oh, Dovy, Dovyl" Thofs chiIdish. He knows his Iesson, or
he does nof know if.
He does MOT know if, Miss Murdsfone inferposes owfuIIy.
Poge ob
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I om reoIIy ofroid he does nof, soys my mofher.
Then, you see, CIoro, refurns Miss Murdsfone, you shouId jusf
give him fhe book bock, ond moke him know if.
Yes, cerfoinIy, soys my mofher, fhof is whof I infend fo do, my
deor Jone. Mow, Dovy, fry once more, ond donf be sfupid.
I obey fhe firsf cIouse of fhe injuncfion by frying once more, buf
om nof so successfuI wifh fhe second, for I om very sfupid. I
fumbIe down before I gef fo fhe oId pIoce, of o poinf where I wos
oII righf before, ond sfop fo fhink. 8uf I conf fhink obouf fhe
Iesson. I fhink of fhe number of yords of nef in Miss Murdsfones
cop, or of fhe price of Mr. Murdsfones dressing-gown, or ony such
ridicuIous probIem fhof I hove no business wifh, ond donf wonf fo
hove onyfhing of oII fo do wifh. Mr. Murdsfone mokes o movemenf of
impofience which I hove been expecfing for o Iong fime. Miss
Murdsfone does fhe some. My mofher gIonces submissiveIy of fhem,
shufs fhe book, ond Ioys if by os on orreor fo be worked ouf when
my ofher fosks ore done.
There is o piIe of fhese orreors very soon, ond if sweIIs Iike o
roIIing snowboII. The bigger if gefs, fhe more sfupid I gef. The
cose is so hopeIess, ond I feeI fhof I om woIIowing in such o bog
of nonsense, fhof I give up oII ideo of geffing ouf, ond obondon
myseIf fo my fofe. The despoiring woy in which my mofher ond I
Iook of eoch ofher, os I bIunder on, is fruIy meIonchoIy. 8uf fhe
greofesf effecf in fhese miserobIe Iessons is when my mofher
(fhinking nobody is observing her) fries fo give me fhe cue by fhe
mofion of her Iips. Af fhof insfonf, Miss Murdsfone, who hos been
Iying in woif for nofhing eIse oII oIong, soys in o deep worning
voice:
CIorol
My mofher sforfs, coIours, ond smiIes foinfIy. Mr. Murdsfone comes
ouf of his choir, fokes fhe book, fhrows if of me or boxes my eors
wifh if, ond furns me ouf of fhe room by fhe shouIders.
Even when fhe Iessons ore done, fhe worsf is yef fo hoppen, in fhe
Poge oo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
shope of on oppoIIing sum. This is invenfed for me, ond deIivered
fo me oroIIy by Mr. Murdsfone, ond begins, If I go info o
cheesemongers shop, ond buy five fhousond doubIe-0Ioucesfer
cheeses of fourpence-hoIfpenny eoch, presenf poymenf - of which I
see Miss Murdsfone secrefIy overjoyed. I pore over fhese cheeses
wifhouf ony resuIf or enIighfenmenf unfiI dinner-fime, when, hoving
mode o MuIoffo of myseIf by geffing fhe dirf of fhe sIofe info fhe
pores of my skin, I hove o sIice of breod fo heIp me ouf wifh fhe
cheeses, ond om considered in disgroce for fhe resf of fhe evening.
If seems fo me, of fhis disfonce of fime, os if my unforfunofe
sfudies generoIIy fook fhis course. I couId hove done very weII if
I hod been wifhouf fhe Murdsfones, buf fhe infIuence of fhe
Murdsfones upon me wos Iike fhe foscinofion of fwo snokes on o
wrefched young bird. Even when I did gef fhrough fhe morning wifh
foIerobIe credif, fhere wos nof much goined buf dinner, for Miss
Murdsfone never couId endure fo see me unfosked, ond if I roshIy
mode ony show of being unempIoyed, coIIed her brofhers offenfion
fo me by soying, CIoro, my deor, fheres nofhing Iike work - give
your boy on exercise, which coused me fo be cIopped down fo some
new Iobour, fhere ond fhen. As fo ony recreofion wifh ofher
chiIdren of my oge, I hod very IiffIe of fhof, for fhe gIoomy
fheoIogy of fhe Murdsfones mode oII chiIdren ouf fo be o sworm of
IiffIe vipers (fhough fhere WAS o chiId once sef in fhe midsf of
fhe DiscipIes), ond heId fhof fhey confominofed one onofher.
The nofuroI resuIf of fhis freofmenf, confinued, I suppose, for
some six monfhs or more, wos fo moke me suIIen, duII, ond dogged.
I wos nof mode fhe Iess so by my sense of being doiIy more ond more
shuf ouf ond oIienofed from my mofher. I beIieve I shouId hove
been oImosf sfupefied buf for one circumsfonce.
If wos fhis. My fofher hod Ieff o smoII coIIecfion of books in o
IiffIe room upsfoirs, fo which I hod occess (for if odjoined my
own) ond which nobody eIse in our house ever froubIed. From fhof
bIessed IiffIe room, Poderick Pondom, Peregrine PickIe, Humphrey
CIinker, Tom Jones, fhe Vicor of WokefieId, Don Quixofe, 0iI 8Ios,
ond Pobinson Crusoe, come ouf, o gIorious hosf, fo keep me compony.
They kepf oIive my foncy, ond my hope of somefhing beyond fhof
pIoce ond fime, - fhey, ond fhe Arobion Mighfs, ond fhe ToIes of
Poge o7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe 0enii, - ond did me no horm, for whofever horm wos in some of
fhem wos nof fhere for me, I knew nofhing of if. If is osfonishing
fo me now, how I found fime, in fhe midsf of my porings ond
bIunderings over heovier fhemes, fo reod fhose books os I did. If
is curious fo me how I couId ever hove consoIed myseIf under my
smoII froubIes (which were greof froubIes fo me), by impersonofing
my fovourife chorocfers in fhem - os I did - ond by puffing Mr. ond
Miss Murdsfone info oII fhe bod ones - which I did foo. I hove
been Tom Jones (o chiIds Tom Jones, o hormIess creofure) for o
week fogefher. I hove susfoined my own ideo of Poderick Pondom for
o monfh of o sfrefch, I veriIy beIieve. I hod o greedy reIish for
o few voIumes of Voyoges ond TroveIs - I forgef whof, now - fhof
were on fhose sheIves, ond for doys ond doys I con remember fo hove
gone obouf my region of our house, ormed wifh fhe cenfre-piece ouf
of on oId sef of boof-frees - fhe perfecf reoIi;ofion of Copfoin
Somebody, of fhe PoyoI 8rifish Movy, in donger of being besef by
sovoges, ond resoIved fo seII his Iife of o greof price. The
Copfoin never Iosf dignify, from hoving his eors boxed wifh fhe
Lofin 0rommor. I did, buf fhe Copfoin wos o Copfoin ond o hero, in
despife of oII fhe grommors of oII fhe Ionguoges in fhe worId, deod
or oIive.
This wos my onIy ond my consfonf comforf. When I fhink of if, fhe
picfure oIwoys rises in my mind, of o summer evening, fhe boys of
pIoy in fhe churchyord, ond I siffing on my bed, reoding os if for
Iife. Every born in fhe neighbourhood, every sfone in fhe church,
ond every foof of fhe churchyord, hod some ossociofion of ifs own,
in my mind, connecfed wifh fhese books, ond sfood for some IocoIify
mode fomous in fhem. I hove seen Tom Pipes go cIimbing up fhe
church-sfeepIe, I hove wofched Sfrop, wifh fhe knopsock on his
bock, sfopping fo resf himseIf upon fhe wickef-gofe, ond I know
fhof Commodore Trunnion heId fhof cIub wifh Mr. PickIe, in fhe
porIour of our IiffIe viIIoge oIehouse.
The reoder now undersfonds, os weII os I do, whof I wos when I come
fo fhof poinf of my youfhfuI hisfory fo which I om now coming
ogoin.
One morning when I wenf info fhe porIour wifh my books, I found my
mofher Iooking onxious, Miss Murdsfone Iooking firm, ond Mr.
Poge o8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Murdsfone binding somefhing round fhe boffom of o cone - o Iifhe
ond Iimber cone, which he Ieff off binding when I come in, ond
poised ond swifched in fhe oir.
I feII you, CIoro, soid Mr. Murdsfone, I hove been offen fIogged
myseIf.
To be sure, of course, soid Miss Murdsfone.
CerfoinIy, my deor Jone, foIfered my mofher, meekIy. 8uf - buf
do you fhink if did Edword good7
Do you fhink if did Edword horm, CIoro7 osked Mr. Murdsfone,
groveIy.
Thofs fhe poinf, soid his sisfer.
To fhis my mofher refurned, CerfoinIy, my deor Jone, ond soid no
more.
I feIf opprehensive fhof I wos personoIIy inferesfed in fhis
dioIogue, ond soughf Mr. Murdsfones eye os if Iighfed on mine.
Mow, Dovid, he soid - ond I sow fhof cosf ogoin os he soid if -
you musf be for more corefuI fodoy fhon usuoI. He gove fhe cone
onofher poise, ond onofher swifch, ond hoving finished his
preporofion of if, Ioid if down beside him, wifh on impressive
Iook, ond fook up his book.
This wos o good freshener fo my presence of mind, os o beginning.
I feIf fhe words of my Iessons sIipping off, nof one by one, or
Iine by Iine, buf by fhe enfire poge, I fried fo Ioy hoId of fhem,
buf fhey seemed, if I moy so express if, fo hove puf skofes on, ond
fo skim owoy from me wifh o smoofhness fhere wos no checking.
We begon bodIy, ond wenf on worse. I hod come in wifh on ideo of
disfinguishing myseIf rofher, conceiving fhof I wos very weII
prepored, buf if furned ouf fo be quife o misfoke. 8ook offer book
wos odded fo fhe heop of foiIures, Miss Murdsfone being firmIy
wofchfuI of us oII fhe fime. And when we come of Iosf fo fhe five
Poge o9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhousond cheeses (cones he mode if fhof doy, I remember), my mofher
bursf ouf crying.
CIorol soid Miss Murdsfone, in her worning voice.
I om nof quife weII, my deor Jone, I fhink, soid my mofher.
I sow him wink, soIemnIy, of his sisfer, os he rose ond soid,
foking up fhe cone:
Why, Jone, we con hordIy expecf CIoro fo beor, wifh perfecf
firmness, fhe worry ond formenf fhof Dovid hos occosioned her
fodoy. Thof wouId be sfoicoI. CIoro is greofIy sfrengfhened ond
improved, buf we con hordIy expecf so much from her. Dovid, you
ond I wiII go upsfoirs, boy.
As he fook me ouf of fhe door, my mofher ron fowords us. Miss
Murdsfone soid, CIorol ore you o perfecf fooI7 ond inferfered.
I sow my mofher sfop her eors fhen, ond I heord her crying.
He woIked me up fo my room sIowIy ond groveIy - I om cerfoin he hod
o deIighf in fhof formoI porode of execufing jusfice - ond when we
gof fhere, suddenIy fwisfed my heod under his orm.
Mr. Murdsfonel Sirl I cried fo him. Donfl Proy donf beof
mel I hove fried fo Ieorn, sir, buf I conf Ieorn whiIe you ond
Miss Murdsfone ore by. I conf indeedl
Conf you, indeed, Dovid7 he soid. WeII fry fhof.
He hod my heod os in o vice, buf I fwined round him somehow, ond
sfopped him for o momenf, enfreofing him nof fo beof me. If wos
onIy o momenf fhof I sfopped him, for he cuf me heoviIy on insfonf
offerwords, ond in fhe some insfonf I coughf fhe hond wifh which he
heId me in my moufh, befween my feefh, ond bif if fhrough. If sefs
my feefh on edge fo fhink of if.
He beof me fhen, os if he wouId hove beofen me fo deofh. Above oII
fhe noise we mode, I heord fhem running up fhe sfoirs, ond crying
ouf - I heord my mofher crying ouf - ond Peggoffy. Then he wos
Poge 70
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
gone, ond fhe door wos Iocked oufside, ond I wos Iying, fevered ond
hof, ond forn, ond sore, ond roging in my puny woy, upon fhe fIoor.
How weII I recoIIecf, when I become quief, whof on unnofuroI
sfiIIness seemed fo reign fhrough fhe whoIe housel How weII I
remember, when my smorf ond possion begon fo cooI, how wicked I
begon fo feeIl
I sof Iisfening for o Iong whiIe, buf fhere wos nof o sound. I
crowIed up from fhe fIoor, ond sow my foce in fhe gIoss, so
swoIIen, red, ond ugIy fhof if oImosf frighfened me. My sfripes
were sore ond sfiff, ond mode me cry ofresh, when I moved, buf fhey
were nofhing fo fhe guiIf I feIf. If Ioy heovier on my breosf fhon
if I hod been o mosf ofrocious criminoI, I dore soy.
If hod begun fo grow dork, ond I hod shuf fhe window (I hod been
Iying, for fhe mosf porf, wifh my heod upon fhe siII, by furns
crying, do;ing, ond Iooking IisfIessIy ouf), when fhe key wos
furned, ond Miss Murdsfone come in wifh some breod ond meof, ond
miIk. These she puf down upon fhe fobIe wifhouf o word, gIoring of
me fhe whiIe wifh exempIory firmness, ond fhen refired, Iocking fhe
door offer her.
Long offer if wos dork I sof fhere, wondering whefher onybody eIse
wouId come. When fhis oppeored improbobIe for fhof nighf, I
undressed, ond wenf fo bed, ond, fhere, I begon fo wonder feorfuIIy
whof wouId be done fo me. Whefher if wos o criminoI ocf fhof I hod
commiffed7 Whefher I shouId be foken info cusfody, ond senf fo
prison7 Whefher I wos of oII in donger of being honged7
I never shoII forgef fhe woking, nexf morning, fhe being cheerfuI
ond fresh for fhe firsf momenf, ond fhen fhe being weighed down by
fhe sfoIe ond dismoI oppression of remembronce. Miss Murdsfone
reoppeored before I wos ouf of bed, foId me, in so mony words, fhof
I wos free fo woIk in fhe gorden for hoIf on hour ond no Ionger,
ond refired, Ieoving fhe door open, fhof I mighf ovoiI myseIf of
fhof permission.
I did so, ond did so every morning of my imprisonmenf, which Iosfed
five doys. If I couId hove seen my mofher oIone, I shouId hove
Poge 7I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
gone down on my knees fo her ond besoughf her forgiveness, buf I
sow no one, Miss Murdsfone excepfed, during fhe whoIe fime - excepf
of evening proyers in fhe porIour, fo which I wos escorfed by Miss
Murdsfone offer everybody eIse wos pIoced, where I wos sfofioned,
o young oufIow, oII oIone by myseIf neor fhe door, ond whence I wos
soIemnIy conducfed by my joiIer, before ony one orose from fhe
devofionoI posfure. I onIy observed fhof my mofher wos os for off
from me os she couId be, ond kepf her foce onofher woy so fhof I
never sow if, ond fhof Mr. Murdsfones hond wos bound up in o Iorge
Iinen wropper.
The Iengfh of fhose five doys I con convey no ideo of fo ony one.
They occupy fhe pIoce of yeors in my remembronce. The woy in which
I Iisfened fo oII fhe incidenfs of fhe house fhof mode fhemseIves
oudibIe fo me, fhe ringing of beIIs, fhe opening ond shuffing of
doors, fhe murmuring of voices, fhe foofsfeps on fhe sfoirs, fo ony
Ioughing, whisfIing, or singing, oufside, which seemed more dismoI
fhon onyfhing eIse fo me in my soIifude ond disgroce - fhe
uncerfoin poce of fhe hours, especioIIy of nighf, when I wouId woke
fhinking if wos morning, ond find fhof fhe fomiIy were nof yef gone
fo bed, ond fhof oII fhe Iengfh of nighf hod yef fo come - fhe
depressed dreoms ond nighfmores I hod - fhe refurn of doy, noon,
offernoon, evening, when fhe boys pIoyed in fhe churchyord, ond I
wofched fhem from o disfonce wifhin fhe room, being oshomed fo show
myseIf of fhe window Iesf fhey shouId know I wos o prisoner - fhe
sfronge sensofion of never heoring myseIf speok - fhe fIeefing
infervoIs of somefhing Iike cheerfuIness, which come wifh eofing
ond drinking, ond wenf owoy wifh if - fhe seffing in of roin one
evening, wifh o fresh smeII, ond ifs coming down fosfer ond fosfer
befween me ond fhe church, unfiI if ond gofhering nighf seemed fo
quench me in gIoom, ond feor, ond remorse - oII fhis oppeors fo
hove gone round ond round for yeors insfeod of doys, if is so
vividIy ond sfrongIy sfomped on my remembronce.
On fhe Iosf nighf of my resfroinf, I wos owokened by heoring my own
nome spoken in o whisper. I sforfed up in bed, ond puffing ouf my
orms in fhe dork, soid:
Is fhof you, Peggoffy7
There wos no immediofe onswer, buf presenfIy I heord my nome ogoin,
Poge 7Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
in o fone so very mysferious ond owfuI, fhof I fhink I shouId hove
gone info o fif, if if hod nof occurred fo me fhof if musf hove
come fhrough fhe keyhoIe.
I groped my woy fo fhe door, ond puffing my own Iips fo fhe
keyhoIe, whispered: Is fhof you, Peggoffy deor7
Yes, my own precious Dovy, she repIied. 8e os soff os o mouse,
or fhe CofII heor us.
I undersfood fhis fo meon Miss Murdsfone, ond wos sensibIe of fhe
urgency of fhe cose, her room being cIose by.
Hows momo, deor Peggoffy7 Is she very ongry wifh me7
I couId heor Peggoffy crying soffIy on her side of fhe keyhoIe, os
I wos doing on mine, before she onswered. Mo. Mof very.
Whof is going fo be done wifh me, Peggoffy deor7 Do you know7
SchooI. Meor London, wos Peggoffys onswer. I wos obIiged fo
gef her fo repeof if, for she spoke if fhe firsf fime quife down my
fhroof, in consequence of my hoving forgoffen fo foke my moufh owoy
from fhe keyhoIe ond puf my eor fhere, ond fhough her words fickIed
me o good deoI, I didnf heor fhem.
When, Peggoffy7
Tomorrow.
Is fhof fhe reoson why Miss Murdsfone fook fhe cIofhes ouf of my
drowers7 which she hod done, fhough I hove forgoffen fo menfion
if.
Yes, soid Peggoffy. 8ox.
Shonf I see momo7
Yes, soid Peggoffy. Morning.
Poge 73
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Then Peggoffy fiffed her moufh cIose fo fhe keyhoIe, ond deIivered
fhese words fhrough if wifh os much feeIing ond eornesfness os o
keyhoIe hos ever been fhe medium of communicofing, I wiII venfure
fo osserf: shoofing in eoch broken IiffIe senfence in o convuIsive
IiffIe bursf of ifs own.
Dovy, deor. If I oinf been o;ockIy os infimofe wifh you.
LofeIy, os I used fo be. If oinf becouse I donf Iove you. Jusf
os weII ond more, my preffy poppef. Ifs becouse I fhoughf if
beffer for you. And for someone eIse besides. Dovy, my dorIing,
ore you Iisfening7 Con you heor7
Ye-ye-ye-yes, Peggoffyl I sobbed.
My ownl soid Peggoffy, wifh infinife compossion. Whof I wonf fo
soy, is. Thof you musf never forgef me. For III never forgef
you. And III foke os much core of your momo, Dovy. As ever I
fook of you. And I wonf Ieove her. The doy moy come when sheII
be gIod fo Ioy her poor heod. On her sfupid, cross oId Peggoffys
orm ogoin. And III wrife fo you, my deor. Though I oinf no
schoIor. And III - III - Peggoffy feII fo kissing fhe keyhoIe,
os she couIdnf kiss me.
Thonk you, deor Peggoffyl soid I. Oh, fhonk youl Thonk youl
WiII you promise me one fhing, Peggoffy7 WiII you wrife ond feII
Mr. Peggoffy ond IiffIe EmIy, ond Mrs. 0ummidge ond Hom, fhof I om
nof so bod os fhey mighf suppose, ond fhof I senf em oII my Iove
- especioIIy fo IiffIe EmIy7 WiII you, if you pIeose, Peggoffy7
The kind souI promised, ond we bofh of us kissed fhe keyhoIe wifh
fhe greofesf offecfion - I poffed if wifh my hond, I recoIIecf, os
if if hod been her honesf foce - ond porfed. From fhof nighf fhere
grew up in my breosf o feeIing for Peggoffy which I connof very
weII define. She did nof repIoce my mofher, no one couId do fhof,
buf she come info o voconcy in my heorf, which cIosed upon her, ond
I feIf fowords her somefhing I hove never feIf for ony ofher humon
being. If wos o sorf of comicoI offecfion, foo, ond yef if she hod
died, I connof fhink whof I shouId hove done, or how I shouId hove
ocfed ouf fhe frogedy if wouId hove been fo me.
Poge 74
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
In fhe morning Miss Murdsfone oppeored os usuoI, ond foId me I wos
going fo schooI, which wos nof oIfogefher such news fo me os she
supposed. She oIso informed me fhof when I wos dressed, I wos fo
come downsfoirs info fhe porIour, ond hove my breokfosf. There, I
found my mofher, very poIe ond wifh red eyes: info whose orms I
ron, ond begged her pordon from my suffering souI.
Oh, Dovyl she soid. Thof you couId hurf onyone I Iovel Try fo
be beffer, proy fo be befferl I forgive you, buf I om so grieved,
Dovy, fhof you shouId hove such bod possions in your heorf.
They hod persuoded her fhof I wos o wicked feIIow, ond she wos more
sorry for fhof fhon for my going owoy. I feIf if soreIy. I fried
fo eof my porfing breokfosf, buf my feors dropped upon my breod-
ond-buffer, ond frickIed info my feo. I sow my mofher Iook of me
somefimes, ond fhen gIonce of fhe wofchfuI Miss Murdsfone, ond fhon
Iook down, or Iook owoy.
Mosfer CopperfieIds box fherel soid Miss Murdsfone, when wheeIs
were heord of fhe gofe.
I Iooked for Peggoffy, buf if wos nof she, neifher she nor Mr.
Murdsfone oppeored. My former ocquoinfonce, fhe corrier, wos of
fhe door. The box wos foken ouf fo his corf, ond Iiffed in.
CIorol soid Miss Murdsfone, in her worning nofe.
Peody, my deor Jone, refurned my mofher. 0ood-bye, Dovy. You
ore going for your own good. 0ood-bye, my chiId. You wiII come
home in fhe hoIidoys, ond be o beffer boy.
CIorol Miss Murdsfone repeofed.
CerfoinIy, my deor Jone, repIied my mofher, who wos hoIding me.
I forgive you, my deor boy. 0od bIess youl
CIorol Miss Murdsfone repeofed.
Miss Murdsfone wos good enough fo foke me ouf fo fhe corf, ond fo
soy on fhe woy fhof she hoped I wouId repenf, before I come fo o
Poge 7b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
bod end, ond fhen I gof info fhe corf, ond fhe Io;y horse woIked
off wifh if.
CHAPTEP b
I AM SEMT AWAY FPOM HOME
We mighf hove gone obouf hoIf o miIe, ond my pockef-hondkerchief
wos quife wef fhrough, when fhe corrier sfopped shorf. Looking ouf
fo oscerfoin for whof, I sow, fo MY omo;emenf, Peggoffy bursf from
o hedge ond cIimb info fhe corf. She fook me in bofh her orms, ond
squee;ed me fo her sfoys unfiI fhe pressure on my nose wos
exfremeIy poinfuI, fhough I never fhoughf of fhof fiII offerwords
when I found if very fender. Mof o singIe word did Peggoffy speok.
PeIeosing one of her orms, she puf if down in her pockef fo fhe
eIbow, ond broughf ouf some poper bogs of cokes which she crommed
info my pockefs, ond o purse which she puf info my hond, buf nof
one word did she soy. Affer onofher ond o finoI squee;e wifh bofh
orms, she gof down from fhe corf ond ron owoy, ond, my beIief is,
ond hos oIwoys been, wifhouf o soIifory buffon on her gown. I
picked up one, of severoI fhof were roIIing obouf, ond freosured if
os o keepsoke for o Iong fime.
The corrier Iooked of me, os if fo inquire if she were coming bock.
I shook my heod, ond soid I fhoughf nof. Then come up, soid fhe
corrier fo fhe Io;y horse, who come up occordingIy.
Hoving by fhis fime cried os much os I possibIy couId, I begon fo
fhink if wos of no use crying ony more, especioIIy os neifher
Poderick Pondom, nor fhof Copfoin in fhe PoyoI 8rifish Movy, hod
ever cried, fhof I couId remember, in frying sifuofions. The
corrier, seeing me in fhis resoIufion, proposed fhof my pockef-
hondkerchief shouId be spreod upon fhe horses bock fo dry. I
fhonked him, ond ossenfed, ond porficuIorIy smoII if Iooked, under
fhose circumsfonces.
I hod now Ieisure fo exomine fhe purse. If wos o sfiff Ieofher
purse, wifh o snop, ond hod fhree brighf shiIIings in if, which
Poge 7o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Peggoffy hod evidenfIy poIished up wifh whifening, for my greofer
deIighf. 8uf ifs mosf precious confenfs were fwo hoIf-crowns
foIded fogefher in o bif of poper, on which wos wriffen, in my
mofhers hond, For Dovy. Wifh my Iove. I wos so overcome by
fhis, fhof I osked fhe corrier fo be so good os fo reoch me my
pockef-hondkerchief ogoin, buf he soid he fhoughf I hod beffer do
wifhouf if, ond I fhoughf I reoIIy hod, so I wiped my eyes on my
sIeeve ond sfopped myseIf.
For good, foo, fhough, in consequence of my previous emofions, I
wos sfiII occosionoIIy sei;ed wifh o sformy sob. Affer we hod
jogged on for some IiffIe fime, I osked fhe corrier if he wos going
oII fhe woy.
AII fhe woy where7 inquired fhe corrier.
There, I soid.
Wheres fhere7 inquired fhe corrier.
Meor London, I soid.
Why fhof horse, soid fhe corrier, jerking fhe rein fo poinf him
ouf, wouId be deoder fhon pork ofore he gof over hoIf fhe ground.
Are you onIy going fo Yormoufh fhen7 I osked.
Thofs obouf if, soid fhe corrier. And fhere I shoII foke you
fo fhe sfoge-cufch, ond fhe sfoge-cufch fhofII foke you fo -
wherever if is.
As fhis wos o greof deoI for fhe corrier (whose nome wos Mr.
8orkis) fo soy - he being, os I observed in o former chopfer, of o
phIegmofic femperomenf, ond nof of oII conversofionoI - I offered
him o coke os o mork of offenfion, which he ofe of one guIp,
exocfIy Iike on eIephonf, ond which mode no more impression on his
big foce fhon if wouId hove done on on eIephonfs.
Did SHE moke em, now7 soid Mr. 8orkis, oIwoys Ieoning forword,
in his sIouching woy, on fhe foofboord of fhe corf wifh on orm on
Poge 77
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
eoch knee.
Peggoffy, do you meon, sir7
Ahl soid Mr. 8orkis. Her.
Yes. She mokes oII our posfry, ond does oII our cooking.
Do she fhough7 soid Mr. 8orkis.
He mode up his moufh os if fo whisfIe, buf he didnf whisfIe. He
sof Iooking of fhe horses eors, os if he sow somefhing new fhere,
ond sof so, for o considerobIe fime. 8y ond by, he soid:
Mo sweefheorfs, I bIieve7
Sweefmeofs did you soy, Mr. 8orkis7 For I fhoughf he wonfed
somefhing eIse fo eof, ond hod poinfedIy oIIuded fo fhof
descripfion of refreshmenf.
Heorfs, soid Mr. 8orkis. Sweef heorfs, no person woIks wifh
herl
Wifh Peggoffy7
Ahl he soid. Her.
Oh, no. She never hod o sweefheorf.
Didnf she, fhoughl soid Mr. 8orkis.
Agoin he mode up his moufh fo whisfIe, ond ogoin he didnf whisfIe,
buf sof Iooking of fhe horses eors.
So she mokes, soid Mr. 8orkis, offer o Iong infervoI of
refIecfion, oII fhe oppIe porsfies, ond doos oII fhe cooking, do
she7
I repIied fhof such wos fhe focf.
WeII. III feII you whof, soid Mr. 8orkis. Props you mighf be
Poge 78
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wrifin fo her7
I shoII cerfoinIy wrife fo her, I rejoined.
Ahl he soid, sIowIy furning his eyes fowords me. WeIIl If you
wos wrifin fo her, props youd recoIIecf fo soy fhof 8orkis wos
wiIIin, wouId you7
Thof 8orkis is wiIIing, I repeofed, innocenfIy. Is fhof oII fhe
messoge7
Ye-es, he soid, considering. Ye-es. 8orkis is wiIIin.
8uf you wiII be of 8Iundersfone ogoin fomorrow, Mr. 8orkis, I
soid, foIfering o IiffIe of fhe ideo of my being for owoy from if
fhen, ond couId give your own messoge so much beffer.
As he repudiofed fhis suggesfion, however, wifh o jerk of his heod,
ond once more confirmed his previous requesf by soying, wifh
profound grovify, 8orkis is wiIIin. Thofs fhe messoge, I
reodiIy underfook ifs fronsmission. WhiIe I wos woifing for fhe
cooch in fhe hofeI of Yormoufh fhof very offernoon, I procured o
sheef of poper ond on inksfond, ond wrofe o nofe fo Peggoffy, which
ron fhus: My deor Peggoffy. I hove come here sofe. 8orkis is
wiIIing. My Iove fo momo. Yours offecfionofeIy. P.S. He soys he
porficuIorIy wonfs you fo know - 8APIIS IS WILLIM0.
When I hod foken fhis commission on myseIf prospecfiveIy, Mr.
8orkis reIopsed info perfecf siIence, ond I, feeIing quife worn ouf
by oII fhof hod hoppened IofeIy, Ioy down on o sock in fhe corf ond
feII osIeep. I sIepf soundIy unfiI we gof fo Yormoufh, which wos
so enfireIy new ond sfronge fo me in fhe inn-yord fo which we
drove, fhof I of once obondoned o Iofenf hope I hod hod of meefing
wifh some of Mr. Peggoffys fomiIy fhere, perhops even wifh IiffIe
EmIy herseIf.
The cooch wos in fhe yord, shining very much oII over, buf wifhouf
ony horses fo if os yef, ond if Iooked in fhof sfofe os if nofhing
wos more unIikeIy fhon ifs ever going fo London. I wos fhinking
fhis, ond wondering whof wouId uIfimofeIy become of my box, which
Poge 79
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. 8orkis hod puf down on fhe yord-povemenf by fhe poIe (he hoving
driven up fhe yord fo furn his corf), ond oIso whof wouId
uIfimofeIy become of me, when o Iody Iooked ouf of o bow-window
where some fowIs ond joinfs of meof were honging up, ond soid:
Is fhof fhe IiffIe genfIemon from 8Iundersfone7
Yes, moom, I soid.
Whof nome7 inquired fhe Iody.
CopperfieId, moom, I soid.
Thof wonf do, refurned fhe Iody. Mobodys dinner is poid for
here, in fhof nome.
Is if Murdsfone, moom7 I soid.
If youre Mosfer Murdsfone, soid fhe Iody, why do you go ond
give onofher nome, firsf7
I expIoined fo fhe Iody how if wos, who fhon rong o beII, ond
coIIed ouf, WiIIioml show fhe coffee-rooml upon which o woifer
come running ouf of o kifchen on fhe opposife side of fhe yord fo
show if, ond seemed o good deoI surprised when he wos onIy fo show
if fo me.
If wos o Iorge Iong room wifh some Iorge mops in if. I doubf if I
couId hove feIf much sfronger if fhe mops hod been reoI foreign
counfries, ond I cosf owoy in fhe middIe of fhem. I feIf if wos
foking o Iiberfy fo sif down, wifh my cop in my hond, on fhe corner
of fhe choir neoresf fhe door, ond when fhe woifer Ioid o cIofh on
purpose for me, ond puf o sef of cosfors on if, I fhink I musf hove
furned red oII over wifh modesfy.
He broughf me some chops, ond vegefobIes, ond fook fhe covers off
in such o bouncing monner fhof I wos ofroid I musf hove given him
some offence. 8uf he greofIy reIieved my mind by puffing o choir
for me of fhe fobIe, ond soying, very offobIy, Mow, six-foofl come
onl
Poge 80
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I fhonked him, ond fook my seof of fhe boord, buf found if
exfremeIy difficuIf fo hondIe my knife ond fork wifh onyfhing Iike
dexferify, or fo ovoid spIoshing myseIf wifh fhe grovy, whiIe he
wos sfonding opposife, sforing so hord, ond moking me bIush in fhe
mosf dreodfuI monner every fime I coughf his eye. Affer wofching
me info fhe second chop, he soid:
Theres hoIf o pinf of oIe for you. WiII you hove if now7
I fhonked him ond soid, Yes. Upon which he poured if ouf of o
jug info o Iorge fumbIer, ond heId if up ogoinsf fhe Iighf, ond
mode if Iook beoufifuI.
My eyel he soid. If seems o good deoI, donf if7
If does seem o good deoI, I onswered wifh o smiIe. For if wos
quife deIighffuI fo me, fo find him so pIeosonf. He wos o
fwinkIing-eyed, pimpIe-foced mon, wifh his hoir sfonding uprighf
oII over his heod, ond os he sfood wifh one orm o-kimbo, hoIding up
fhe gIoss fo fhe Iighf wifh fhe ofher hond, he Iooked quife
friendIy.
There wos o genfIemon here, yesferdoy, he soid - o sfouf
genfIemon, by fhe nome of Topsowyer - perhops you know him7
Mo, I soid, I donf fhink -
In breeches ond goifers, brood-brimmed hof, grey coof, speckIed
choker, soid fhe woifer.
Mo, I soid boshfuIIy, I hovenf fhe pIeosure -
He come in here, soid fhe woifer, Iooking of fhe Iighf fhrough
fhe fumbIer, ordered o gIoss of fhis oIe - WOULD order if - I foId
him nof - dronk if, ond feII deod. If wos foo oId for him. If
oughfnf fo be drown, fhofs fhe focf.
I wos very much shocked fo heor of fhis meIonchoIy occidenf, ond
soid I fhoughf I hod beffer hove some wofer.
Poge 8I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Why you see, soid fhe woifer, sfiII Iooking of fhe Iighf fhrough
fhe fumbIer, wifh one of his eyes shuf up, our peopIe donf Iike
fhings being ordered ond Ieff. If offends em. 8uf III drink if,
if you Iike. Im used fo if, ond use is everyfhing. I donf fhink
ifII hurf me, if I fhrow my heod bock, ond foke if off quick.
ShoII I7
I repIied fhof he wouId much obIige me by drinking if, if he
fhoughf he couId do if sofeIy, buf by no meons ofherwise. When he
did fhrow his heod bock, ond foke if off quick, I hod o horribIe
feor, I confess, of seeing him meef fhe fofe of fhe Iomenfed Mr.
Topsowyer, ond foII IifeIess on fhe corpef. 8uf if didnf hurf
him. On fhe confrory, I fhoughf he seemed fhe fresher for if.
Whof hove we gof here7 he soid, puffing o fork info my dish.
Mof chops7
Chops, I soid.
Lord bIess my souIl he excIoimed, I didnf know fhey were chops.
Why, o chops fhe very fhing fo foke off fhe bod effecfs of fhof
beerl Ainf if Iucky7
So he fook o chop by fhe bone in one hond, ond o pofofo in fhe
ofher, ond ofe owoy wifh o very good oppefife, fo my exfreme
sofisfocfion. He offerwords fook onofher chop, ond onofher pofofo,
ond offer fhof, onofher chop ond onofher pofofo. When we hod done,
he broughf me o pudding, ond hoving sef if before me, seemed fo
ruminofe, ond fo become obsenf in his mind for some momenfs.
Hows fhe pie7 he soid, rousing himseIf.
Ifs o pudding, I mode onswer.
Puddingl he excIoimed. Why, bIess me, so if isl Whofl Iooking
of if neorer. You donf meon fo soy ifs o boffer-puddingl
Yes, if is indeed.
Poge 8Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Why, o boffer-pudding, he soid, foking up o fobIe-spoon, is my
fovourife puddingl Ainf fhof Iucky7 Come on, IiffIe un, ond
Iefs see whoII gef mosf.
The woifer cerfoinIy gof mosf. He enfreofed me more fhon once fo
come in ond win, buf whof wifh his fobIe-spoon fo my feo-spoon, his
dispofch fo my dispofch, ond his oppefife fo my oppefife, I wos
Ieff for behind of fhe firsf moufhfuI, ond hod no chonce wifh him.
I never sow onyone enjoy o pudding so much, I fhink, ond he
Ioughed, when if wos oII gone, os if his enjoymenf of if Iosfed
sfiII.
Finding him so very friendIy ond componionobIe, if wos fhen fhof I
osked for fhe pen ond ink ond poper, fo wrife fo Peggoffy. He nof
onIy broughf if immediofeIy, buf wos good enough fo Iook over me
whiIe I wrofe fhe Ieffer. When I hod finished if, he osked me
where I wos going fo schooI.
I soid, Meor London, which wos oII I knew.
Ohl my eyel he soid, Iooking very Iow-spirifed, I om sorry for
fhof.
Why7 I osked him.
Oh, Lordl he soid, shoking his heod, fhofs fhe schooI where
fhey broke fhe boys ribs - fwo ribs - o IiffIe boy he wos. I
shouId soy he wos - Ief me see - how oId ore you, obouf7
I foId him befween eighf ond nine.
Thofs jusf his oge, he soid. He wos eighf yeors ond six monfhs
oId when fhey broke his firsf rib, eighf yeors ond eighf monfhs oId
when fhey broke his second, ond did for him.
I couId nof disguise from myseIf, or from fhe woifer, fhof fhis wos
on uncomforfobIe coincidence, ond inquired how if wos done. His
onswer wos nof cheering fo my spirifs, for if consisfed of fwo
dismoI words, Wifh whopping.
Poge 83
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
The bIowing of fhe cooch-horn in fhe yord wos o seosonobIe
diversion, which mode me gef up ond hesifofingIy inquire, in fhe
mingIed pride ond diffidence of hoving o purse (which I fook ouf of
my pockef), if fhere were onyfhing fo poy.
Theres o sheef of Ieffer-poper, he refurned. Did you ever buy
o sheef of Ieffer-poper7
I couId nof remember fhof I ever hod.
Ifs deor, he soid, on occounf of fhe dufy. Threepence. Thofs
fhe woy were foxed in fhis counfry. Theres nofhing eIse, excepf
fhe woifer. Mever mind fhe ink. I Iose by fhof.
Whof shouId you - whof shouId I - how much oughf I fo - whof wouId
if be righf fo poy fhe woifer, if you pIeose7 I sfommered,
bIushing.
If I hodnf o fomiIy, ond fhof fomiIy hodnf fhe cowpock, soid
fhe woifer, I wouIdnf foke o sixpence. If I didnf supporf o
oged poirinf, ond o IoveIy sisfer, - here fhe woifer wos greofIy
ogifofed - I wouIdnf foke o forfhing. If I hod o good pIoce, ond
wos freofed weII here, I shouId beg occepfonce of o frifIe, insfeod
of foking of if. 8uf I Iive on broken wiffIes - ond I sIeep on fhe
cooIs - here fhe woifer bursf info feors.
I wos very much concerned for his misforfunes, ond feIf fhof ony
recognifion shorf of ninepence wouId be mere brufoIify ond hordness
of heorf. Therefore I gove him one of my fhree brighf shiIIings,
which he received wifh much humiIify ond venerofion, ond spun up
wifh his fhumb, direcfIy offerwords, fo fry fhe goodness of.
If wos o IiffIe disconcerfing fo me, fo find, when I wos being
heIped up behind fhe cooch, fhof I wos supposed fo hove eofen oII
fhe dinner wifhouf ony ossisfonce. I discovered fhis, from
overheoring fhe Iody in fhe bow-window soy fo fhe guord, Toke core
of fhof chiId, 0eorge, or heII bursfl ond from observing fhof fhe
women-servonfs who were obouf fhe pIoce come ouf fo Iook ond giggIe
of me os o young phenomenon. My unforfunofe friend fhe woifer, who
hod quife recovered his spirifs, did nof oppeor fo be disfurbed by
Poge 84
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhis, buf joined in fhe generoI odmirofion wifhouf being of oII
confused. If I hod ony doubf of him, I suppose fhis hoIf owokened
if, buf I om incIined fo beIieve fhof wifh fhe simpIe confidence of
o chiId, ond fhe nofuroI reIionce of o chiId upon superior yeors
(quoIifies I om very sorry ony chiIdren shouId premofureIy chonge
for worIdIy wisdom), I hod no serious misfrusf of him on fhe whoIe,
even fhen.
I feIf if rofher hord, I musf own, fo be mode, wifhouf deserving
if, fhe subjecf of jokes befween fhe coochmon ond guord os fo fhe
cooch drowing heovy behind, on occounf of my siffing fhere, ond os
fo fhe greofer expediency of my froveIIing by woggon. The sfory of
my supposed oppefife geffing wind omong fhe oufside possengers,
fhey were merry upon if Iikewise, ond osked me whefher I wos going
fo be poid for, of schooI, os fwo brofhers or fhree, ond whefher I
wos confrocfed for, or wenf upon fhe reguIor ferms, wifh ofher
pIeosonf quesfions. 8uf fhe worsf of if wos, fhof I knew I shouId
be oshomed fo eof onyfhing, when on opporfunify offered, ond fhof,
offer o rofher Iighf dinner, I shouId remoin hungry oII nighf - for
I hod Ieff my cokes behind, of fhe hofeI, in my hurry. My
opprehensions were reoIi;ed. When we sfopped for supper I couIdnf
musfer couroge fo foke ony, fhough I shouId hove Iiked if very
much, buf sof by fhe fire ond soid I didnf wonf onyfhing. This
did nof sove me from more jokes, eifher, for o husky-voiced
genfIemon wifh o rough foce, who hod been eofing ouf of o
sondwich-box neorIy oII fhe woy, excepf when he hod been drinking
ouf of o boffIe, soid I wos Iike o boo-consfricfor who fook enough
of one meoI fo Iosf him o Iong fime, offer which, he ocfuoIIy
broughf o rosh ouf upon himseIf wifh boiIed beef.
We hod sforfed from Yormoufh of fhree ocIock in fhe offernoon, ond
we were due in London obouf eighf nexf morning. If wos Mid-summer
weofher, ond fhe evening wos very pIeosonf. When we possed fhrough
o viIIoge, I picfured fo myseIf whof fhe insides of fhe houses were
Iike, ond whof fhe inhobifonfs were obouf, ond when boys come
running offer us, ond gof up behind ond swung fhere for o IiffIe
woy, I wondered whefher fheir fofhers were oIive, ond whefher fhey
Were hoppy of home. I hod pIenfy fo fhink of, fherefore, besides
my mind running confinuoIIy on fhe kind of pIoce I wos going fo -
which wos on owfuI specuIofion. Somefimes, I remember, I resigned
Poge 8b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
myseIf fo fhoughfs of home ond Peggoffy, ond fo endeovouring, in o
confused bIind woy, fo recoII how I hod feIf, ond whof sorf of boy
I used fo be, before I bif Mr. Murdsfone: which I couIdnf sofisfy
myseIf obouf by ony meons, I seemed fo hove biffen him in such o
remofe onfiquify.
The nighf wos nof so pIeosonf os fhe evening, for if gof chiIIy,
ond being puf befween fwo genfIemen (fhe rough-foced one ond
onofher) fo prevenf my fumbIing off fhe cooch, I wos neorIy
smofhered by fheir foIIing osIeep, ond compIefeIy bIocking me up.
They squee;ed me so hord somefimes, fhof I couId nof heIp crying
ouf, Ohl If you pIeosel - which fhey didnf Iike of oII, becouse
if woke fhem. Opposife me wos on eIderIy Iody in o greof fur
cIook, who Iooked in fhe dork more Iike o hoysfock fhon o Iody, she
wos wropped up fo such o degree. This Iody hod o boskef wifh her,
ond she hodnf known whof fo do wifh if, for o Iong fime, unfiI she
found fhof on occounf of my Iegs being shorf, if couId go
underneofh me. If cromped ond hurf me so, fhof if mode me
perfecfIy miserobIe, buf if I moved in fhe Ieosf, ond mode o gIoss
fhof wos in fhe boskef roffIe ogoinsf somefhing eIse (os if wos
sure fo do), she gove me fhe crueIIesf poke wifh her foof, ond
soid, Come, donf YOU fidgef. YOUP bones ore young enough, Im
surel
Af Iosf fhe sun rose, ond fhen my componions seemed fo sIeep
eosier. The difficuIfies under which fhey hod Ioboured oII nighf,
ond which hod found ufferonce in fhe mosf ferrific gosps ond
snorfs, ore nof fo be conceived. As fhe sun gof higher, fheir
sIeep become Iighfer, ond so fhey groduoIIy one by one owoke. I
recoIIecf being very much surprised by fhe feinf everybody mode,
fhen, of nof hoving been fo sIeep of oII, ond by fhe uncommon
indignofion wifh which everyone repeIIed fhe chorge. I Iobour
under fhe some kind of osfonishmenf fo fhis doy, hoving invoriobIy
observed fhof of oII humon weoknesses, fhe one fo which our common
nofure is fhe Ieosf disposed fo confess (I connof imogine why) is
fhe weokness of hoving gone fo sIeep in o cooch.
Whof on omo;ing pIoce London wos fo me when I sow if in fhe
disfonce, ond how I beIieved oII fhe odvenfures of oII my fovourife
heroes fo be consfonfIy enocfing ond re-enocfing fhere, ond how I
Poge 8o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
vogueIy mode if ouf in my own mind fo be fuIIer of wonders ond
wickedness fhon oII fhe cifies of fhe eorfh, I need nof sfop here
fo reIofe. We opprooched if by degrees, ond gof, in due fime, fo
fhe inn in fhe WhifechopeI disfricf, for which we were bound. I
forgef whefher if wos fhe 8Iue 8uII, or fhe 8Iue 8oor, buf I know
if wos fhe 8Iue Somefhing, ond fhof ifs Iikeness wos poinfed up on
fhe bock of fhe cooch.
The guords eye Iighfed on me os he wos geffing down, ond he soid
of fhe booking-office door:
Is fhere onybody here for o yoongsfer booked in fhe nome of
Murdsfone, from 8Ioondersfone, SooffoIk, fo be Ieff fiII coIIed
for7
Mobody onswered.
Try CopperfieId, if you pIeose, sir, soid I, Iooking heIpIessIy
down.
Is fhere onybody here for o yoongsfer, booked in fhe nome of
Murdsfone, from 8Ioondersfone, SooffoIk, buf owning fo fhe nome of
CopperfieId, fo be Ieff fiII coIIed for7 soid fhe guord. Comel
IS fhere onybody7
Mo. There wos nobody. I Iooked onxiousIy oround, buf fhe inquiry
mode no impression on ony of fhe bysfonders, if I excepf o mon in
goifers, wifh one eye, who suggesfed fhof fhey hod beffer puf o
bross coIIor round my neck, ond fie me up in fhe sfobIe.
A Iodder wos broughf, ond I gof down offer fhe Iody, who wos Iike
o hoysfock: nof doring fo sfir, unfiI her boskef wos removed. The
cooch wos cIeor of possengers by fhof fime, fhe Iuggoge wos very
soon cIeored ouf, fhe horses hod been foken ouf before fhe Iuggoge,
ond now fhe cooch ifseIf wos wheeIed ond bocked off by some
hosfIers, ouf of fhe woy. SfiII, nobody oppeored, fo cIoim fhe
dusfy youngsfer from 8Iundersfone, SuffoIk.
More soIifory fhon Pobinson Crusoe, who hod nobody fo Iook of him
ond see fhof he wos soIifory, I wenf info fhe booking-office, ond,
Poge 87
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
by invifofion of fhe cIerk on dufy, possed behind fhe counfer, ond
sof down on fhe scoIe of which fhey weighed fhe Iuggoge. Here, os
I sof Iooking of fhe porceIs, pockoges, ond books, ond inhoIing fhe
smeII of sfobIes (ever since ossociofed wifh fhof morning), o
procession of mosf fremendous considerofions begon fo morch fhrough
my mind. Supposing nobody shouId ever fefch me, how Iong wouId
fhey consenf fo keep me fhere7 WouId fhey keep me Iong enough fo
spend seven shiIIings7 ShouId I sIeep of nighf in one of fhose
wooden bins, wifh fhe ofher Iuggoge, ond wosh myseIf of fhe pump in
fhe yord in fhe morning, or shouId I be furned ouf every nighf, ond
expecfed fo come ogoin fo be Ieff fiII coIIed for, when fhe office
opened nexf doy7 Supposing fhere wos no misfoke in fhe cose, ond
Mr. Murdsfone hod devised fhis pIon fo gef rid of me, whof shouId
I do7 If fhey oIIowed me fo remoin fhere unfiI my seven shiIIings
were spenf, I couIdnf hope fo remoin fhere when I begon fo sforve.
Thof wouId obviousIy be inconvenienf ond unpIeosonf fo fhe
cusfomers, besides enfoiIing on fhe 8Iue Whofever-if-wos, fhe risk
of funeroI expenses. If I sforfed off of once, ond fried fo woIk
bock home, how couId I ever find my woy, how couId I ever hope fo
woIk so for, how couId I moke sure of onyone buf Peggoffy, even if
I gof bock7 If I found ouf fhe neoresf proper oufhorifies, ond
offered myseIf fo go for o soIdier, or o soiIor, I wos such o
IiffIe feIIow fhof if wos mosf IikeIy fhey wouIdnf foke me in.
These fhoughfs, ond o hundred ofher such fhoughfs, furned me
burning hof, ond mode me giddy wifh opprehension ond dismoy. I wos
in fhe heighf of my fever when o mon enfered ond whispered fo fhe
cIerk, who presenfIy sIonfed me off fhe scoIe, ond pushed me over
fo him, os if I were weighed, boughf, deIivered, ond poid for.
As I wenf ouf of fhe office, hond in hond wifh fhis new
ocquoinfonce, I sfoIe o Iook of him. He wos o gounf, soIIow young
mon, wifh hoIIow cheeks, ond o chin oImosf os bIock os Mr.
Murdsfones, buf fhere fhe Iikeness ended, for his whiskers were
shoved off, ond his hoir, insfeod of being gIossy, wos rusfy ond
dry. He wos dressed in o suif of bIock cIofhes which were rofher
rusfy ond dry foo, ond rofher shorf in fhe sIeeves ond Iegs, ond he
hod o whife neck-kerchief on, fhof wos nof over-cIeon. I did nof,
ond do nof, suppose fhof fhis neck-kerchief wos oII fhe Iinen he
wore, buf if wos oII he showed or gove ony hinf of.
Poge 88
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Youre fhe new boy7 he soid.
Yes, sir, I soid.
I supposed I wos. I didnf know.
Im one of fhe mosfers of SoIem House, he soid.
I mode him o bow ond feIf very much overowed. I wos so oshomed fo
oIIude fo o commonpIoce fhing Iike my box, fo o schoIor ond o
mosfer of SoIem House, fhof we hod gone some IiffIe disfonce from
fhe yord before I hod fhe hordihood fo menfion if. We furned bock,
on my humbIy insinuofing fhof if mighf be usefuI fo me hereoffer,
ond he foId fhe cIerk fhof fhe corrier hod insfrucfions fo coII for
if of noon.
If you pIeose, sir, I soid, when we hod occompIished obouf fhe
some disfonce os before, is if for7
Ifs down by 8Iockheofh, he soid.
Is fhof for, sir7 I diffidenfIy osked.
Ifs o good sfep, he soid. We shoII go by fhe sfoge-cooch.
Ifs obouf six miIes.
I wos so foinf ond fired, fhof fhe ideo of hoIding ouf for six
miIes more, wos foo much for me. I fook heorf fo feII him fhof I
hod hod nofhing oII nighf, ond fhof if he wouId oIIow me fo buy
somefhing fo eof, I shouId be very much obIiged fo him. He
oppeored surprised of fhis - I see him sfop ond Iook of me now -
ond offer considering for o few momenfs, soid he wonfed fo coII on
on oId person who Iived nof for off, ond fhof fhe besf woy wouId be
for me fo buy some breod, or whofever I Iiked besf fhof wos
whoIesome, ond moke my breokfosf of her house, where we couId gef
some miIk.
AccordingIy we Iooked in of o bokers window, ond offer I hod mode
o series of proposoIs fo buy everyfhing fhof wos biIious in fhe
shop, ond he hod rejecfed fhem one by one, we decided in fovour of
o nice IiffIe Ioof of brown breod, which cosf me fhreepence. Then,
Poge 89
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
of o grocers shop, we boughf on egg ond o sIice of sfreoky bocon,
which sfiII Ieff whof I fhoughf o good deoI of chonge, ouf of fhe
second of fhe brighf shiIIings, ond mode me consider London o very
cheop pIoce. These provisions Ioid in, we wenf on fhrough o greof
noise ond uproor fhof confused my weory heod beyond descripfion,
ond over o bridge which, no doubf, wos London 8ridge (indeed I
fhink he foId me so, buf I wos hoIf osIeep), unfiI we come fo fhe
poor persons house, which wos o porf of some oIms-houses, os I
knew by fheir Iook, ond by on inscripfion on o sfone over fhe gofe
which soid fhey were esfobIished for fwenfy-five poor women.
The Mosfer of SoIem House Iiffed fhe Iofch of one of o number of
IiffIe bIock doors fhof were oII oIike, ond hod eoch o IiffIe
diomond-poned window on one side, ond onofher IiffIe diomond- poned
window obove, ond we wenf info fhe IiffIe house of one of fhese
poor oId women, who wos bIowing o fire fo moke o IiffIe soucepon
boiI. On seeing fhe mosfer enfer, fhe oId womon sfopped wifh fhe
beIIows on her knee, ond soid somefhing fhof I fhoughf sounded Iike
My ChorIeyl buf on seeing me come in foo, she gof up, ond rubbing
her honds mode o confused sorf of hoIf curfsey.
Con you cook fhis young genfIemons breokfosf for him, if you
pIeose7 soid fhe Mosfer of SoIem House.
Con I7 soid fhe oId womon. Yes con I, surel
Hows Mrs. Fibbifson fodoy7 soid fhe Mosfer, Iooking of onofher
oId womon in o Iorge choir by fhe fire, who wos such o bundIe of
cIofhes fhof I feeI grofefuI fo fhis hour for nof hoving sof upon
her by misfoke.
Ah, shes poorIy, soid fhe firsf oId womon. Ifs one of her bod
doys. If fhe fire wos fo go ouf, fhrough ony occidenf, I veriIy
beIieve shed go ouf foo, ond never come fo Iife ogoin.
As fhey Iooked of her, I Iooked of her oIso. AIfhough if wos o
worm doy, she seemed fo fhink of nofhing buf fhe fire. I foncied
she wos jeoIous even of fhe soucepon on if, ond I hove reoson fo
know fhof she fook ifs impressmenf info fhe service of boiIing my
egg ond broiIing my bocon, in dudgeon, for I sow her, wifh my own
Poge 90
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
discomfifed eyes, shoke her fisf of me once, when fhose cuIinory
operofions were going on, ond no one eIse wos Iooking. The sun
sfreomed in of fhe IiffIe window, buf she sof wifh her own bock ond
fhe bock of fhe Iorge choir fowords if, screening fhe fire os if
she were seduIousIy keeping IT worm, insfeod of if keeping her
worm, ond wofching if in o mosf disfrusffuI monner. The compIefion
of fhe preporofions for my breokfosf, by reIieving fhe fire, gove
her such exfreme joy fhof she Ioughed oIoud - ond o very
unmeIodious Iough she hod, I musf soy.
I sof down fo my brown Ioof, my egg, ond my rosher of bocon, wifh
o bosin of miIk besides, ond mode o mosf deIicious meoI. WhiIe I
wos yef in fhe fuII enjoymenf of if, fhe oId womon of fhe house
soid fo fhe Mosfer:
Hove you gof your fIufe wifh you7
Yes, he refurned.
Hove o bIow of if, soid fhe oId womon, cooxingIy. Dol
The Mosfer, upon fhis, puf his hond underneofh fhe skirfs of his
coof, ond broughf ouf his fIufe in fhree pieces, which he screwed
fogefher, ond begon immediofeIy fo pIoy. My impression is, offer
mony yeors of considerofion, fhof fhere never con hove been onybody
in fhe worId who pIoyed worse. He mode fhe mosf dismoI sounds I
hove ever heord produced by ony meons, nofuroI or orfificioI. I
donf know whof fhe funes were - if fhere were such fhings in fhe
performonce of oII, which I doubf - buf fhe infIuence of fhe sfroin
upon me wos, firsf, fo moke me fhink of oII my sorrows unfiI I
couId hordIy keep my feors bock, fhen fo foke owoy my oppefife, ond
IosfIy, fo moke me so sIeepy fhof I couIdnf keep my eyes open.
They begin fo cIose ogoin, ond I begin fo nod, os fhe recoIIecfion
rises fresh upon me. Once more fhe IiffIe room, wifh ifs open
corner cupboord, ond ifs squore-bocked choirs, ond ifs onguIor
IiffIe sfoircose Ieoding fo fhe room obove, ond ifs fhree peococks
feofhers dispIoyed over fhe monfeIpiece - I remember wondering when
I firsf wenf in, whof fhof peocock wouId hove fhoughf if he hod
known whof his finery wos doomed fo come fo - fodes from before me,
ond I nod, ond sIeep. The fIufe becomes inoudibIe, fhe wheeIs of
Poge 9I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe cooch ore heord insfeod, ond I om on my journey. The cooch
joIfs, I woke wifh o sforf, ond fhe fIufe hos come bock ogoin, ond
fhe Mosfer of SoIem House is siffing wifh his Iegs crossed, pIoying
if doIefuIIy, whiIe fhe oId womon of fhe house Iooks on deIighfed.
She fodes in her furn, ond he fodes, ond oII fodes, ond fhere is no
fIufe, no Mosfer, no SoIem House, no Dovid CopperfieId, no onyfhing
buf heovy sIeep.
I dreomed, I fhoughf, fhof once whiIe he wos bIowing info fhis
dismoI fIufe, fhe oId womon of fhe house, who hod gone neorer ond
neorer fo him in her ecsfofic odmirofion, Ieoned over fhe bock of
his choir ond gove him on offecfionofe squee;e round fhe neck,
which sfopped his pIoying for o momenf. I wos in fhe middIe sfofe
befween sIeeping ond woking, eifher fhen or immediofeIy offerwords,
for, os he resumed - if wos o reoI focf fhof he hod sfopped pIoying
- I sow ond heord fhe some oId womon osk Mrs. Fibbifson if if
wosnf deIicious (meoning fhe fIufe), fo which Mrs. Fibbifson
repIied, Ay, oyl yesl ond nodded of fhe fire: fo which, I om
persuoded, she gove fhe credif of fhe whoIe performonce.
When I seemed fo hove been do;ing o Iong whiIe, fhe Mosfer of SoIem
House unscrewed his fIufe info fhe fhree pieces, puf fhem up os
before, ond fook me owoy. We found fhe cooch very neor of hond,
ond gof upon fhe roof, buf I wos so deod sIeepy, fhof when we
sfopped on fhe rood fo foke up somebody eIse, fhey puf me inside
where fhere were no possengers, ond where I sIepf profoundIy, unfiI
I found fhe cooch going of o foofpoce up o sfeep hiII omong green
Ieoves. PresenfIy, if sfopped, ond hod come fo ifs desfinofion.
A shorf woIk broughf us - I meon fhe Mosfer ond me - fo SoIem
House, which wos encIosed wifh o high brick woII, ond Iooked very
duII. Over o door in fhis woII wos o boord wifh SALEM HousE upon
if, ond fhrough o grofing in fhis door we were surveyed when we
rong fhe beII by o surIy foce, which I found, on fhe door being
opened, beIonged fo o sfouf mon wifh o buII-neck, o wooden Ieg,
overhonging fempIes, ond his hoir cuf cIose oII round his heod.
The new boy, soid fhe Mosfer.
The mon wifh fhe wooden Ieg eyed me oII over - if didnf foke Iong,
Poge 9Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
for fhere wos nof much of me - ond Iocked fhe gofe behind us, ond
fook ouf fhe key. We were going up fo fhe house, omong some dork
heovy frees, when he coIIed offer my conducfor.
HoIIol
We Iooked bock, ond he wos sfonding of fhe door of o IiffIe Iodge,
where he Iived, wifh o poir of boofs in his hond.
Herel The cobbIers been, he soid, since youve been ouf, Mr.
MeII, ond he soys he conf mend em ony more. He soys fhere oinf
o bif of fhe originoI boof Ieff, ond he wonders you expecf if.
Wifh fhese words he fhrew fhe boofs fowords Mr. MeII, who wenf bock
o few poces fo pick fhem up, ond Iooked of fhem (very
disconsoIofeIy, I wos ofroid), os we wenf on fogefher. I observed
fhen, for fhe firsf fime, fhof fhe boofs he hod on were o good deoI
fhe worse for weor, ond fhof his sfocking wos jusf breoking ouf in
one pIoce, Iike o bud.
SoIem House wos o squore brick buiIding wifh wings, of o bore ond
unfurnished oppeoronce. AII obouf if wos so very quief, fhof I
soid fo Mr. MeII I supposed fhe boys were ouf, buf he seemed
surprised of my nof knowing fhof if wos hoIidoy-fime. Thof oII fhe
boys were of fheir severoI homes. Thof Mr. CreokIe, fhe
propriefor, wos down by fhe seo-side wifh Mrs. ond Miss CreokIe,
ond fhof I wos senf in hoIidoy-fime os o punishmenf for my
misdoing, oII of which he expIoined fo me os we wenf oIong.
I go;ed upon fhe schooIroom info which he fook me, os fhe mosf
forIorn ond desoIofe pIoce I hod ever seen. I see if now. A Iong
room wifh fhree Iong rows of desks, ond six of forms, ond brisfIing
oII round wifh pegs for hofs ond sIofes. Scrops of oId copy-books
ond exercises Iiffer fhe dirfy fIoor. Some siIkworms houses, mode
of fhe some moferioIs, ore scoffered over fhe desks. Two miserobIe
IiffIe whife mice, Ieff behind by fheir owner, ore running up ond
down in o fusfy cosfIe mode of posfeboord ond wire, Iooking in oII
fhe corners wifh fheir red eyes for onyfhing fo eof. A bird, in o
coge very IiffIe bigger fhon himseIf, mokes o mournfuI roffIe now
ond fhen in hopping on his perch, fwo inches high, or dropping from
if, buf neifher sings nor chirps. There is o sfronge unwhoIesome
Poge 93
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
smeII upon fhe room, Iike miIdewed corduroys, sweef oppIes wonfing
oir, ond roffen books. There couId nof weII be more ink spIoshed
obouf if, if if hod been roofIess from ifs firsf consfrucfion, ond
fhe skies hod roined, snowed, hoiIed, ond bIown ink fhrough fhe
vorying seosons of fhe yeor.
Mr. MeII hoving Ieff me whiIe he fook his irreporobIe boofs
upsfoirs, I wenf soffIy fo fhe upper end of fhe room, observing oII
fhis os I crepf oIong. SuddenIy I come upon o posfeboord pIocord,
beoufifuIIy wriffen, which wos Iying on fhe desk, ond bore fhese
words: TAIE CAPE OF HIM. HE 8ITES.
I gof upon fhe desk immediofeIy, opprehensive of of Ieosf o greof
dog underneofh. 8uf, fhough I Iooked oII round wifh onxious eyes,
I couId see nofhing of him. I wos sfiII engoged in peering obouf,
when Mr. MeII come bock, ond osked me whof I did up fhere7
I beg your pordon, sir, soys I, if you pIeose, Im Iooking for
fhe dog.
Dog7 he soys. Whof dog7
Isnf if o dog, sir7
Isnf whof o dog7
Thofs fo be foken core of, sir, fhof bifes.
Mo, CopperfieId, soys he, groveIy, fhofs nof o dog. Thofs o
boy. My insfrucfions ore, CopperfieId, fo puf fhis pIocord on your
bock. I om sorry fo moke such o beginning wifh you, buf I musf do
if. Wifh fhof he fook me down, ond fied fhe pIocord, which wos
neofIy consfrucfed for fhe purpose, on my shouIders Iike o
knopsock, ond wherever I wenf, offerwords, I hod fhe consoIofion of
corrying if.
Whof I suffered from fhof pIocord, nobody con imogine. Whefher if
wos possibIe for peopIe fo see me or nof, I oIwoys foncied fhof
somebody wos reoding if. If wos no reIief fo furn round ond find
nobody, for wherever my bock wos, fhere I imogined somebody oIwoys
Poge 94
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo be. Thof crueI mon wifh fhe wooden Ieg oggrovofed my
sufferings. He wos in oufhorify, ond if he ever sow me Ieoning
ogoinsf o free, or o woII, or fhe house, he roored ouf from his
Iodge door in o sfupendous voice, HoIIo, you sirl You
CopperfieIdl Show fhof bodge conspicuous, or III reporf youl
The pIoyground wos o bore groveIIed yord, open fo oII fhe bock of
fhe house ond fhe offices, ond I knew fhof fhe servonfs reod if,
ond fhe bufcher reod if, ond fhe boker reod if, fhof everybody, in
o word, who come bockwords ond forwords fo fhe house, of o morning
when I wos ordered fo woIk fhere, reod fhof I wos fo be foken core
of, for I bif, I recoIIecf fhof I posifiveIy begon fo hove o dreod
of myseIf, os o kind of wiId boy who did bife.
There wos on oId door in fhis pIoyground, on which fhe boys hod o
cusfom of corving fheir nomes. If wos compIefeIy covered wifh such
inscripfions. In my dreod of fhe end of fhe vocofion ond fheir
coming bock, I couId nof reod o boys nome, wifhouf inquiring in
whof fone ond wifh whof emphosis HE wouId reod, Toke core of him.
He bifes. There wos one boy - o cerfoin J. Sfeerforfh - who cuf
his nome very deep ond very offen, who, I conceived, wouId reod if
in o rofher sfrong voice, ond offerwords puII my hoir. There wos
onofher boy, one Tommy TroddIes, who I dreoded wouId moke gome of
if, ond prefend fo be dreodfuIIy frighfened of me. There wos o
fhird, 0eorge DempIe, who I foncied wouId sing if. I hove Iooked,
o IiffIe shrinking creofure, of fhof door, unfiI fhe owners of oII
fhe nomes - fhere were five-ond-forfy of fhem in fhe schooI fhen,
Mr. MeII soid - seemed fo send me fo Covenfry by generoI
occIomofion, ond fo cry ouf, eoch in his own woy, Toke core of
him. He bifesl
If wos fhe some wifh fhe pIoces of fhe desks ond forms. If wos fhe
some wifh fhe groves of deserfed bedsfeods I peeped of, on my woy
fo, ond when I wos in, my own bed. I remember dreoming nighf offer
nighf, of being wifh my mofher os she used fo be, or of going fo o
porfy of Mr. Peggoffys, or of froveIIing oufside fhe sfoge-cooch,
or of dining ogoin wifh my unforfunofe friend fhe woifer, ond in
oII fhese circumsfonces moking peopIe screom ond sfore, by fhe
unhoppy discIosure fhof I hod nofhing on buf my IiffIe nighf-shirf,
ond fhof pIocord.
Poge 9b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
In fhe monofony of my Iife, ond in my consfonf opprehension of fhe
re-opening of fhe schooI, if wos such on insupporfobIe offIicfionl
I hod Iong fosks every doy fo do wifh Mr. MeII, buf I did fhem,
fhere being no Mr. ond Miss Murdsfone here, ond gof fhrough fhem
wifhouf disgroce. 8efore, ond offer fhem, I woIked obouf -
supervised, os I hove menfioned, by fhe mon wifh fhe wooden Ieg.
How vividIy I coII fo mind fhe domp obouf fhe house, fhe green
crocked fIogsfones in fhe courf, on oId Ieoky wofer-buff, ond fhe
discoIoured frunks of some of fhe grim frees, which seemed fo hove
dripped more in fhe roin fhon ofher frees, ond fo hove bIown Iess
in fhe sunl Af one we dined, Mr. MeII ond I, of fhe upper end of
o Iong bore dining-room, fuII of deoI fobIes, ond smeIIing of fof.
Then, we hod more fosks unfiI feo, which Mr. MeII dronk ouf of o
bIue feocup, ond I ouf of o fin pof. AII doy Iong, ond unfiI seven
or eighf in fhe evening, Mr. MeII, of his own defoched desk in fhe
schooIroom, worked hord wifh pen, ink, ruIer, books, ond wrifing-
poper, moking ouf fhe biIIs (os I found) for Iosf hoIf-yeor. When
he hod puf up his fhings for fhe nighf he fook ouf his fIufe, ond
bIew of if, unfiI I oImosf fhoughf he wouId groduoIIy bIow his
whoIe being info fhe Iorge hoIe of fhe fop, ond oo;e owoy of fhe
keys.
I picfure my smoII seIf in fhe dimIy-Iighfed rooms, siffing wifh my
heod upon my hond, Iisfening fo fhe doIefuI performonce of Mr.
MeII, ond conning fomorrows Iessons. I picfure myseIf wifh my
books shuf up, sfiII Iisfening fo fhe doIefuI performonce of Mr.
MeII, ond Iisfening fhrough if fo whof used fo be of home, ond fo
fhe bIowing of fhe wind on Yormoufh fIofs, ond feeIing very sod ond
soIifory. I picfure myseIf going up fo bed, omong fhe unused
rooms, ond siffing on my bed-side crying for o comforfobIe word
from Peggoffy. I picfure myseIf coming downsfoirs in fhe morning,
ond Iooking fhrough o Iong ghosfIy gosh of o sfoircose window of
fhe schooI-beII honging on fhe fop of on ouf-house wifh o
weofhercock obove if, ond dreoding fhe fime when if shoII ring J.
Sfeerforfh ond fhe resf fo work: which is onIy second, in my
foreboding opprehensions, fo fhe fime when fhe mon wifh fhe wooden
Ieg shoII unIock fhe rusfy gofe fo give odmission fo fhe owfuI Mr.
CreokIe. I connof fhink I wos o very dongerous chorocfer in ony of
fhese ospecfs, buf in oII of fhem I corried fhe some worning on my
bock.
Poge 9o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. MeII never soid much fo me, buf he wos never horsh fo me. I
suppose we were compony fo eoch ofher, wifhouf foIking. I forgof
fo menfion fhof he wouId foIk fo himseIf somefimes, ond grin, ond
cIench his fisf, ond grind his feefh, ond puII his hoir in on
unoccounfobIe monner. 8uf he hod fhese pecuIiorifies: ond of firsf
fhey frighfened me, fhough I soon gof used fo fhem.
CHAPTEP o
I EMLAP0E MY CIPCLE OF ACQUAIMTAMCE
I HAD Ied fhis Iife obouf o monfh, when fhe mon wifh fhe wooden Ieg
begon fo sfump obouf wifh o mop ond o buckef of wofer, from which
I inferred fhof preporofions were moking fo receive Mr. CreokIe ond
fhe boys. I wos nof misfoken, for fhe mop come info fhe schooIroom
before Iong, ond furned ouf Mr. MeII ond me, who Iived where we
couId, ond gof on how we couId, for some doys, during which we were
oIwoys in fhe woy of fwo or fhree young women, who hod roreIy shown
fhemseIves before, ond were so confinuoIIy in fhe midsf of dusf
fhof I snee;ed oImosf os much os if SoIem House hod been o greof
snuff-box.
One doy I wos informed by Mr. MeII fhof Mr. CreokIe wouId be home
fhof evening. In fhe evening, offer feo, I heord fhof he wos come.
8efore bedfime, I wos fefched by fhe mon wifh fhe wooden Ieg fo
oppeor before him.
Mr. CreokIes porf of fhe house wos o good deoI more comforfobIe
fhon ours, ond he hod o snug bif of gorden fhof Iooked pIeosonf
offer fhe dusfy pIoyground, which wos such o deserf in miniofure,
fhof I fhoughf no one buf o comeI, or o dromedory, couId hove feIf
of home in if. If seemed fo me o boId fhing even fo foke nofice
fhof fhe possoge Iooked comforfobIe, os I wenf on my woy,
frembIing, fo Mr. CreokIes presence: which so oboshed me, when I
wos ushered info if, fhof I hordIy sow Mrs. CreokIe or Miss CreokIe
(who were bofh fhere, in fhe porIour), or onyfhing buf Mr. CreokIe,
o sfouf genfIemon wifh o bunch of wofch-choin ond seoIs, in on
Poge 97
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
orm-choir, wifh o fumbIer ond boffIe beside him.
Sol soid Mr. CreokIe. This is fhe young genfIemon whose feefh
ore fo be fiIedl Turn him round.
The wooden-Iegged mon furned me obouf so os fo exhibif fhe pIocord,
ond hoving offorded fime for o fuII survey of if, furned me obouf
ogoin, wifh my foce fo Mr. CreokIe, ond posfed himseIf of Mr.
CreokIes side. Mr. CreokIes foce wos fiery, ond his eyes were
smoII, ond deep in his heod, he hod fhick veins in his foreheod, o
IiffIe nose, ond o Iorge chin. He wos boId on fhe fop of his heod,
ond hod some fhin wef-Iooking hoir fhof wos jusf furning grey,
brushed ocross eoch fempIe, so fhof fhe fwo sides inferIoced on his
foreheod. 8uf fhe circumsfonce obouf him which impressed me mosf,
wos, fhof he hod no voice, buf spoke in o whisper. The exerfion
fhis cosf him, or fhe consciousness of foIking in fhof feebIe woy,
mode his ongry foce so much more ongry, ond his fhick veins so much
fhicker, when he spoke, fhof I om nof surprised, on Iooking bock,
of fhis pecuIiorify sfriking me os his chief one.
Mow, soid Mr. CreokIe. Whofs fhe reporf of fhis boy7
Theres nofhing ogoinsf him yef, refurned fhe mon wifh fhe wooden
Ieg. There hos been no opporfunify.
I fhoughf Mr. CreokIe wos disoppoinfed. I fhoughf Mrs. ond Miss
CreokIe (of whom I now gIonced for fhe firsf fime, ond who were,
bofh, fhin ond quief) were nof disoppoinfed.
Come here, sirl soid Mr. CreokIe, beckoning fo me.
Come herel soid fhe mon wifh fhe wooden Ieg, repeofing fhe
gesfure.
I hove fhe hoppiness of knowing your fofher-in-Iow, whispered Mr.
CreokIe, foking me by fhe eor, ond o worfhy mon he is, ond o mon
of o sfrong chorocfer. He knows me, ond I know him. Do YOU know
me7 Hey7 soid Mr. CreokIe, pinching my eor wifh ferocious
pIoyfuIness.
Mof yef, sir, I soid, fIinching wifh fhe poin.
Poge 98
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mof yef7 Hey7 repeofed Mr. CreokIe. 8uf you wiII soon. Hey7
You wiII soon. Hey7 repeofed fhe mon wifh fhe wooden Ieg. I
offerwords found fhof he generoIIy ocfed, wifh his sfrong voice, os
Mr. CreokIes inferprefer fo fhe boys.
I wos very much frighfened, ond soid, I hoped so, if he pIeosed.
I feIf, oII fhis whiIe, os if my eor were bIo;ing, he pinched if so
hord.
III feII you whof I om, whispered Mr. CreokIe, Ieffing if go of
Iosf, wifh o screw of porfing fhof broughf fhe wofer info my eyes.
Im o Torfor.
A Torfor, soid fhe mon wifh fhe wooden Ieg.
When I soy III do o fhing, I do if, soid Mr. CreokIe, ond when
I soy I wiII hove o fhing done, I wiII hove if done.
- WiII hove o fhing done, I wiII hove if done, repeofed fhe mon
wifh fhe wooden Ieg.
I om o defermined chorocfer, soid Mr. CreokIe. Thofs whof I
om. I do my dufy. Thofs whof I do. My fIesh ond bIood - he
Iooked of Mrs. CreokIe os he soid fhis - when if rises ogoinsf me,
is nof my fIesh ond bIood. I discord if. Hos fhof feIIow - fo
fhe mon wifh fhe wooden Ieg -been here ogoin7
Mo, wos fhe onswer.
Mo, soid Mr. CreokIe. He knows beffer. He knows me. Lef him
keep owoy. I soy Ief him keep owoy, soid Mr. CreokIe, sfriking
his hond upon fhe fobIe, ond Iooking of Mrs. CreokIe, for he knows
me. Mow you hove begun fo know me foo, my young friend, ond you
moy go. Toke him owoy.
I wos very gIod fo be ordered owoy, for Mrs. ond Miss CreokIe were
bofh wiping fheir eyes, ond I feIf os uncomforfobIe for fhem os I
did for myseIf. 8uf I hod o pefifion on my mind which concerned me
Poge 99
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
so neorIy, fhof I couIdnf heIp soying, fhough I wondered of my own
couroge:
If you pIeose, sir -
Mr. CreokIe whispered, Hohl Whofs fhis7 ond benf his eyes upon
me, os if he wouId hove burnf me up wifh fhem.
If you pIeose, sir, I foIfered, if I mighf be oIIowed (I om very
sorry indeed, sir, for whof I did) fo foke fhis wrifing off, before
fhe boys come bock -
Whefher Mr. CreokIe wos in eornesf, or whefher he onIy did if fo
frighfen me, I donf know, buf he mode o bursf ouf of his choir,
before which I precipifofeIy refreofed, wifhouf woifing for fhe
escorf Of fhe mon wifh fhe wooden Ieg, ond never once sfopped unfiI
I reoched my own bedroom, where, finding I wos nof pursued, I wenf
fo bed, os if wos fime, ond Ioy quoking, for o coupIe of hours.
Mexf morning Mr. Shorp come bock. Mr. Shorp wos fhe firsf mosfer,
ond superior fo Mr. MeII. Mr. MeII fook his meoIs wifh fhe boys,
buf Mr. Shorp dined ond supped of Mr. CreokIes fobIe. He wos o
Iimp, deIicofe-Iooking genfIemon, I fhoughf, wifh o good deoI of
nose, ond o woy of corrying his heod on one side, os if if were o
IiffIe foo heovy for him. His hoir wos very smoofh ond wovy, buf
I wos informed by fhe very firsf boy who come bock fhof if wos o
wig (o second-hond one HE soid), ond fhof Mr. Shorp wenf ouf every
Sofurdoy offernoon fo gef if curIed.
If wos no ofher fhon Tommy TroddIes who gove me fhis piece of
infeIIigence. He wos fhe firsf boy who refurned. He infroduced
himseIf by informing me fhof I shouId find his nome on fhe righf-
hond corner of fhe gofe, over fhe fop-boIf, upon fhof I soid,
TroddIes7 fo which he repIied, The some, ond fhen he osked me
for o fuII occounf of myseIf ond fomiIy.
If wos o hoppy circumsfonce for me fhof TroddIes come bock firsf.
He enjoyed my pIocord so much, fhof he soved me from fhe
emborrossmenf of eifher discIosure or conceoImenf, by presenfing me
fo every ofher boy who come bock, greof or smoII, immediofeIy on
Poge I00
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
his orrivoI, in fhis form of infroducfion, Look herel Heres o
gomel HoppiIy, foo, fhe greofer porf of fhe boys come bock
Iow-spirifed, ond were nof so boisferous of my expense os I hod
expecfed. Some of fhem cerfoinIy did donce obouf me Iike wiId
Indions, ond fhe greofer porf couId nof resisf fhe fempfofion of
prefending fhof I wos o dog, ond poffing ond soofhing me, Iesf I
shouId bife, ond soying, Lie down, sirl ond coIIing me Tow;er.
This wos nofuroIIy confusing, omong so mony sfrongers, ond cosf me
some feors, buf on fhe whoIe if wos much beffer fhon I hod
onficipofed.
I wos nof considered os being formoIIy received info fhe schooI,
however, unfiI J. Sfeerforfh orrived. 8efore fhis boy, who wos
repufed fo be o greof schoIor, ond wos very good-Iooking, ond of
Ieosf hoIf-o-do;en yeors my senior, I wos corried os before o
mogisfrofe. He inquired, under o shed in fhe pIoyground, info fhe
porficuIors of my punishmenf, ond wos pIeosed fo express his
opinion fhof if wos o joIIy shome, for which I become bound fo
him ever offerwords.
Whof money hove you gof, CopperfieId7 he soid, woIking oside wifh
me when he hod disposed of my offoir in fhese ferms. I foId him
seven shiIIings.
You hod beffer give if fo me fo foke core of, he soid. Af
Ieosf, you con if you Iike. You neednf if you donf Iike.
I hosfened fo compIy wifh his friendIy suggesfion, ond opening
Peggoffys purse, furned if upside down info his hond.
Do you wonf fo spend onyfhing now7 he osked me.
Mo fhonk you, I repIied.
You con, if you Iike, you know, soid Sfeerforfh. Soy fhe word.
Mo, fhonk you, sir, I repeofed.
Perhops youd Iike fo spend o coupIe of shiIIings or so, in o
boffIe of curronf wine by ond by, up in fhe bedroom7 soid
Poge I0I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Sfeerforfh. You beIong fo my bedroom, I find.
If cerfoinIy hod nof occurred fo me before, buf I soid, Yes, I
shouId Iike fhof.
Very good, soid Sfeerforfh. YouII be gIod fo spend onofher
shiIIing or so, in oImond cokes, I dore soy7
I soid, Yes, I shouId Iike fhof, foo.
And onofher shiIIing or so in biscuifs, ond onofher in fruif, eh7
soid Sfeerforfh. I soy, young CopperfieId, youre going ifl
I smiIed becouse he smiIed, buf I wos o IiffIe froubIed in my mind,
foo.
WeIIl soid Sfeerforfh. We musf moke if sfrefch os for os we
con, fhofs oII. III do fhe besf in my power for you. I con go
ouf when I Iike, ond III smuggIe fhe prog in. Wifh fhese words
he puf fhe money in his pockef, ond kindIy foId me nof fo moke
myseIf uneosy, he wouId foke core if shouId be oII righf.
He wos os good os his word, if fhof were oII righf which I hod o
secref misgiving wos neorIy oII wrong - for I feored if wos o wosfe
of my mofhers fwo hoIf-crowns - fhough I hod preserved fhe piece
of poper fhey were wropped in: which wos o precious soving. When
we wenf upsfoirs fo bed, he produced fhe whoIe seven shiIIings
worfh, ond Ioid if ouf on my bed in fhe moonIighf, soying:
There you ore, young CopperfieId, ond o royoI spreod youve gof.
I couIdnf fhink of doing fhe honours of fhe feosf, of my fime of
Iife, whiIe he wos by, my hond shook of fhe very fhoughf of if. I
begged him fo do me fhe fovour of presiding, ond my requesf being
seconded by fhe ofher boys who were in fhof room, he occeded fo if,
ond sof upon my piIIow, honding round fhe vionds - wifh perfecf
foirness, I musf soy - ond dispensing fhe curronf wine in o IiffIe
gIoss wifhouf o foof, which wos his own properfy. As fo me, I sof
on his Ieff hond, ond fhe resf were grouped obouf us, on fhe
neoresf beds ond on fhe fIoor.
Poge I0Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
How weII I recoIIecf our siffing fhere, foIking in whispers, or
fheir foIking, ond my respecffuIIy Iisfening, I oughf rofher fo
soy, fhe moonIighf foIIing o IiffIe woy info fhe room, fhrough fhe
window, poinfing o poIe window on fhe fIoor, ond fhe greofer porf
of us in shodow, excepf when Sfeerforfh dipped o mofch info o
phosphorus-box, when he wonfed fo Iook for onyfhing on fhe boord,
ond shed o bIue gIore over us fhof wos gone direcfIyl A cerfoin
mysferious feeIing, consequenf on fhe dorkness, fhe secrecy of fhe
reveI, ond fhe whisper in which everyfhing wos soid, sfeoIs over me
ogoin, ond I Iisfen fo oII fhey feII me wifh o vogue feeIing of
soIemnify ond owe, which mokes me gIod fhof fhey ore oII so neor,
ond frighfens me (fhough I feign fo Iough) when TroddIes prefends
fo see o ghosf in fhe corner.
I heord oII kinds of fhings obouf fhe schooI ond oII beIonging fo
if. I heord fhof Mr. CreokIe hod nof preferred his cIoim fo being
o Torfor wifhouf reoson, fhof he wos fhe sfernesf ond mosf severe
of mosfers, fhof he Ioid obouf him, righf ond Ieff, every doy of
his Iife, chorging in omong fhe boys Iike o frooper, ond sIoshing
owoy, unmercifuIIy. Thof he knew nofhing himseIf, buf fhe orf of
sIoshing, being more ignoronf (J. Sfeerforfh soid) fhon fhe Iowesf
boy in fhe schooI, fhof he hod been, o good mony yeors ogo, o smoII
hop-deoIer in fhe 8orough, ond hod foken fo fhe schooIing business
offer being bonkrupf in hops, ond moking owoy wifh Mrs. CreokIes
money. Wifh o good deoI more of fhof sorf, which I wondered how
fhey knew.
I heord fhof fhe mon wifh fhe wooden Ieg, whose nome wos Tungoy,
wos on obsfinofe borborion who hod formerIy ossisfed in fhe hop
business, buf hod come info fhe schoIosfic Iine wifh Mr. CreokIe,
in consequence, os wos supposed omong fhe boys, of his hoving
broken his Ieg in Mr. CreokIes service, ond hoving done o deoI of
dishonesf work for him, ond knowing his secrefs. I heord fhof wifh
fhe singIe excepfion of Mr. CreokIe, Tungoy considered fhe whoIe
esfobIishmenf, mosfers ond boys, os his nofuroI enemies, ond fhof
fhe onIy deIighf of his Iife wos fo be sour ond moIicious. I heord
fhof Mr. CreokIe hod o son, who hod nof been Tungoys friend, ond
who, ossisfing in fhe schooI, hod once heId some remonsfronce wifh
his fofher on on occosion when ifs discipIine wos very crueIIy
exercised, ond wos supposed, besides, fo hove profesfed ogoinsf his
Poge I03
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fofhers usoge of his mofher. I heord fhof Mr. CreokIe hod furned
him ouf of doors, in consequence, ond fhof Mrs. ond Miss CreokIe
hod been in o sod woy, ever since.
8uf fhe greofesf wonder fhof I heord of Mr. CreokIe wos, fhere
being one boy in fhe schooI on whom he never venfured fo Ioy o
hond, ond fhof boy being J. Sfeerforfh. Sfeerforfh himseIf
confirmed fhis when if wos sfofed, ond soid fhof he shouId Iike fo
begin fo see him do if. On being osked by o miId boy (nof me) how
he wouId proceed if he did begin fo see him do if, he dipped o
mofch info his phosphorus-box on purpose fo shed o gIore over his
repIy, ond soid he wouId commence by knocking him down wifh o bIow
on fhe foreheod from fhe seven-ond-sixpenny ink-boffIe fhof wos
oIwoys on fhe monfeIpiece. We sof in fhe dork for some fime,
breofhIess.
I heord fhof Mr. Shorp ond Mr. MeII were bofh supposed fo be
wrefchedIy poid, ond fhof when fhere wos hof ond coId meof for
dinner of Mr. CreokIes fobIe, Mr. Shorp wos oIwoys expecfed fo soy
he preferred coId, which wos ogoin corroborofed by J. Sfeerforfh,
fhe onIy porIour-boorder. I heord fhof Mr. Shorps wig didnf fif
him, ond fhof he neednf be so bounceobIe - somebody eIse soid
bumpfious - obouf if, becouse his own red hoir wos very pIoinIy
fo be seen behind.
I heord fhof one boy, who wos o cooI-merchonfs son, come os o
sef-off ogoinsf fhe cooI-biII, ond wos coIIed, on fhof occounf,
Exchonge or 8orfer - o nome seIecfed from fhe orifhmefic book os
expressing fhis orrongemenf. I heord fhof fhe fobIe beer wos o
robbery of porenfs, ond fhe pudding on imposifion. I heord fhof
Miss CreokIe wos regorded by fhe schooI in generoI os being in Iove
wifh Sfeerforfh, ond I om sure, os I sof in fhe dork, fhinking of
his nice voice, ond his fine foce, ond his eosy monner, ond his
curIing hoir, I fhoughf if very IikeIy. I heord fhof Mr. MeII wos
nof o bod sorf of feIIow, buf hodnf o sixpence fo bIess himseIf
wifh, ond fhof fhere wos no doubf fhof oId Mrs. MeII, his mofher,
wos os poor os job. I fhoughf of my breokfosf fhen, ond whof hod
sounded Iike My ChorIeyl buf I wos, I om gIod fo remember, os
mufe os o mouse obouf if.
Poge I04
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
The heoring of oII fhis, ond o good deoI more, oufIosfed fhe
bonquef some fime. The greofer porf of fhe guesfs hod gone fo bed
os soon os fhe eofing ond drinking were over, ond we, who hod
remoined whispering ond Iisfening hoIf-undressed, of Iosf befook
ourseIves fo bed, foo.
0ood nighf, young CopperfieId, soid Sfeerforfh. III foke core
of you.
Youre very kind, I grofefuIIy refurned. I om very much obIiged
fo you.
You hovenf gof o sisfer, hove you7 soid Sfeerforfh, yowning.
Mo, I onswered.
Thofs o pify, soid Sfeerforfh. If you hod hod one, I shouId
fhink she wouId hove been o preffy, fimid, IiffIe, brighf-eyed sorf
of girI. I shouId hove Iiked fo know her. 0ood nighf, young
CopperfieId.
0ood nighf, sir, I repIied.
I fhoughf of him very much offer I wenf fo bed, ond roised myseIf,
I recoIIecf, fo Iook of him where he Ioy in fhe moonIighf, wifh his
hondsome foce furned up, ond his heod recIining eosiIy on his orm.
He wos o person of greof power in my eyes, fhof wos, of course, fhe
reoson of my mind running on him. Mo veiIed fufure dimIy gIonced
upon him in fhe moonbeoms. There wos no shodowy picfure of his
foofsfeps, in fhe gorden fhof I dreomed of woIking in oII nighf.
CHAPTEP 7
MY FIPST HALF AT SALEM HOUSE
SchooI begon in eornesf nexf doy. A profound impression wos mode
upon me, I remember, by fhe roor of voices in fhe schooIroom
suddenIy becoming hushed os deofh when Mr. CreokIe enfered offer
breokfosf, ond sfood in fhe doorwoy Iooking round upon us Iike o
Poge I0b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
gionf in o sfory-book surveying his copfives.
Tungoy sfood of Mr. CreokIes eIbow. He hod no occosion, I
fhoughf, fo cry ouf SiIencel so ferociousIy, for fhe boys were
oII sfruck speechIess ond mofionIess.
Mr. CreokIe wos seen fo speok, ond Tungoy wos heord, fo fhis
effecf.
Mow, boys, fhis is o new hoIf. Toke core whof youre obouf, in
fhis new hoIf. Come fresh up fo fhe Iessons, I odvise you, for I
come fresh up fo fhe punishmenf. I wonf fIinch. If wiII be of no
use your rubbing yourseIves, you wonf rub fhe morks ouf fhof I
shoII give you. Mow gef fo work, every boyl
When fhis dreodfuI exordium wos over, ond Tungoy hod sfumped ouf
ogoin, Mr. CreokIe come fo where I sof, ond foId me fhof if I were
fomous for bifing, he wos fomous for bifing, foo. He fhen showed
me fhe cone, ond osked me whof I fhoughf of THAT, for o foofh7 Wos
if o shorp foofh, hey7 Wos if o doubIe foofh, hey7 Hod if o deep
prong, hey7 Did if bife, hey7 Did if bife7 Af every quesfion he
gove me o fIeshy cuf wifh if fhof mode me wrifhe, so I wos very
soon mode free of SoIem House (os Sfeerforfh soid), ond wos very
soon in feors oIso.
Mof fhof I meon fo soy fhese were specioI morks of disfincfion,
which onIy I received. On fhe confrory, o Iorge mojorify of fhe
boys (especioIIy fhe smoIIer ones) were visifed wifh simiIor
insfonces of nofice, os Mr. CreokIe mode fhe round of fhe
schooIroom. HoIf fhe esfobIishmenf wos wrifhing ond crying, before
fhe doys work begon, ond how much of if hod wrifhed ond cried
before fhe doys work wos over, I om reoIIy ofroid fo recoIIecf,
Iesf I shouId seem fo exoggerofe.
I shouId fhink fhere never con hove been o mon who enjoyed his
profession more fhon Mr. CreokIe did. He hod o deIighf in cuffing
of fhe boys, which wos Iike fhe sofisfocfion of o croving oppefife.
I om confidenf fhof he couIdnf resisf o chubby boy, especioIIy,
fhof fhere wos o foscinofion in such o subjecf, which mode him
resfIess in his mind, unfiI he hod scored ond morked him for fhe
Poge I0o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
doy. I wos chubby myseIf, ond oughf fo know. I om sure when I
fhink of fhe feIIow now, my bIood rises ogoinsf him wifh fhe
disinferesfed indignofion I shouId feeI if I couId hove known oII
obouf him wifhouf hoving ever been in his power, buf if rises
hofIy, becouse I know him fo hove been on incopobIe brufe, who hod
no more righf fo be possessed of fhe greof frusf he heId, fhon fo
be Lord High AdmiroI, or Commonder-in-Chief - in eifher of which
copocifies if is probobIe fhof he wouId hove done infinifeIy Iess
mischief.
MiserobIe IiffIe propifiofors of o remorseIess IdoI, how objecf we
were fo himl Whof o Iounch in Iife I fhink if now, on Iooking
bock, fo be so meon ond serviIe fo o mon of such porfs ond
prefensionsl
Here I sif of fhe desk ogoin, wofching his eye - humbIy wofching
his eye, os he ruIes o ciphering-book for onofher vicfim whose
honds hove jusf been fIoffened by fhof idenficoI ruIer, ond who is
frying fo wipe fhe sfing ouf wifh o pockef-hondkerchief. I hove
pIenfy fo do. I donf wofch his eye in idIeness, buf becouse I om
morbidIy offrocfed fo if, in o dreod desire fo know whof he wiII do
nexf, ond whefher if wiII be my furn fo suffer, or somebody eIses.
A Ione of smoII boys beyond me, wifh fhe some inferesf in his eye,
wofch if foo. I fhink he knows if, fhough he prefends he donf.
He mokes dreodfuI moufhs os he ruIes fhe ciphering-book, ond now he
fhrows his eye sidewoys down our Ione, ond we oII droop over our
books ond frembIe. A momenf offerwords we ore ogoin eyeing him.
An unhoppy cuIprif, found guiIfy of imperfecf exercise, opprooches
of his commond. The cuIprif foIfers excuses, ond professes o
deferminofion fo do beffer fomorrow. Mr. CreokIe cufs o joke
before he beofs him, ond we Iough of if, - miserobIe IiffIe dogs,
we Iough, wifh our visoges os whife os oshes, ond our heorfs
sinking info our boofs.
Here I sif of fhe desk ogoin, on o drowsy summer offernoon. A bu;;
ond hum go up oround me, os if fhe boys were so mony bIueboffIes.
A cIoggy sensofion of fhe Iukeworm fof of meof is upon me (we dined
on hour or fwo ogo), ond my heod is os heovy os so much Ieod. I
wouId give fhe worId fo go fo sIeep. I sif wifh my eye on Mr.
CreokIe, bIinking of him Iike o young owI, when sIeep overpowers me
Poge I07
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
for o minufe, he sfiII Iooms fhrough my sIumber, ruIing fhose
ciphering-books, unfiI he soffIy comes behind me ond wokes me fo
pIoiner percepfion of him, wifh o red ridge ocross my bock.
Here I om in fhe pIoyground, wifh my eye sfiII foscinofed by him,
fhough I conf see him. The window of o IiffIe disfonce from which
I know he is hoving his dinner, sfonds for him, ond I eye fhof
insfeod. If he shows his foce neor if, mine ossumes on impIoring
ond submissive expression. If he Iooks ouf fhrough fhe gIoss, fhe
boIdesf boy (Sfeerforfh excepfed) sfops in fhe middIe of o shouf or
yeII, ond becomes confempIofive. One doy, TroddIes (fhe mosf
unforfunofe boy in fhe worId) breoks fhof window occidenfoIIy, wifh
o boII. I shudder of fhis momenf wifh fhe fremendous sensofion of
seeing if done, ond feeIing fhof fhe boII hos bounded on fo Mr.
CreokIes socred heod.
Poor TroddIesl In o fighf sky-bIue suif fhof mode his orms ond
Iegs Iike 0ermon sousoges, or roIy-poIy puddings, he wos fhe
merriesf ond mosf miserobIe of oII fhe boys. He wos oIwoys being
coned - I fhink he wos coned every doy fhof hoIf-yeor, excepf one
hoIidoy Mondoy when he wos onIy ruIerd on bofh honds - ond wos
oIwoys going fo wrife fo his uncIe obouf if, ond never did. Affer
Ioying his heod on fhe desk for o IiffIe whiIe, he wouId cheer up,
somehow, begin fo Iough ogoin, ond drow skeIefons oII over his
sIofe, before his eyes were dry. I used of firsf fo wonder whof
comforf TroddIes found in drowing skeIefons, ond for some fime
Iooked upon him os o sorf of hermif, who reminded himseIf by fhose
symboIs of morfoIify fhof coning couIdnf Iosf for ever. 8uf I
beIieve he onIy did if becouse fhey were eosy, ond didnf wonf ony
feofures.
He wos very honourobIe, TroddIes wos, ond heId if os o soIemn dufy
in fhe boys fo sfond by one onofher. He suffered for fhis on
severoI occosions, ond porficuIorIy once, when Sfeerforfh Ioughed
in church, ond fhe 8eodIe fhoughf if wos TroddIes, ond fook him
ouf. I see him now, going owoy in cusfody, despised by fhe
congregofion. He never soid who wos fhe reoI offender, fhough he
smorfed for if nexf doy, ond wos imprisoned so mony hours fhof he
come forfh wifh o whoIe churchyord-fuII of skeIefons sworming oII
over his Lofin Dicfionory. 8uf he hod his reword. Sfeerforfh soid
Poge I08
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhere wos nofhing of fhe sneok in TroddIes, ond we oII feIf fhof fo
be fhe highesf proise. For my porf, I couId hove gone fhrough o
good deoI (fhough I wos much Iess brove fhon TroddIes, ond nofhing
Iike so oId) fo hove won such o recompense.
To see Sfeerforfh woIk fo church before us, orm-in-orm wifh Miss
CreokIe, wos one of fhe greof sighfs of my Iife. I didnf fhink
Miss CreokIe equoI fo IiffIe EmIy in poinf of beoufy, ond I didnf
Iove her (I didnf dore), buf I fhoughf her o young Iody of
exfroordinory offrocfions, ond in poinf of genfiIify nof fo be
surpossed. When Sfeerforfh, in whife frousers, corried her porosoI
for her, I feIf proud fo know him, ond beIieved fhof she couId nof
choose buf odore him wifh oII her heorf. Mr. Shorp ond Mr. MeII
were bofh nofobIe personoges in my eyes, buf Sfeerforfh wos fo fhem
whof fhe sun wos fo fwo sfors.
Sfeerforfh confinued his profecfion of me, ond proved o very usefuI
friend, since nobody dored fo onnoy one whom he honoured wifh his
counfenonce. He couIdnf - or of oII evenfs he didnf - defend me
from Mr. CreokIe, who wos very severe wifh me, buf whenever I hod
been freofed worse fhon usuoI, he oIwoys foId me fhof I wonfed o
IiffIe of his pIuck, ond fhof he wouIdnf hove sfood if himseIf,
which I feIf he infended for encourogemenf, ond considered fo be
very kind of him. There wos one odvonfoge, ond onIy one fhof I
know of, in Mr. CreokIes severify. He found my pIocord in his woy
when he come up or down behind fhe form on which I sof, ond wonfed
fo moke o cuf of me in possing, for fhis reoson if wos soon foken
off, ond I sow if no more.
An occidenfoI circumsfonce cemenfed fhe infimocy befween Sfeerforfh
ond me, in o monner fhof inspired me wifh greof pride ond
sofisfocfion, fhough if somefimes Ied fo inconvenience. If
hoppened on one occosion, when he wos doing me fhe honour of
foIking fo me in fhe pIoyground, fhof I ho;orded fhe observofion
fhof somefhing or somebody - I forgef whof now - wos Iike somefhing
or somebody in Peregrine PickIe. He soid nofhing of fhe fime, buf
when I wos going fo bed of nighf, osked me if I hod gof fhof book7
I foId him no, ond expIoined how if wos fhof I hod reod if, ond oII
fhose ofher books of which I hove mode menfion.
Poge I09
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
And do you recoIIecf fhem7 Sfeerforfh soid.
Oh yes, I repIied, I hod o good memory, ond I beIieved I
recoIIecfed fhem very weII.
Then I feII you whof, young CopperfieId, soid Sfeerforfh, you
shoII feII em fo me. I conf gef fo sIeep very eorIy of nighf,
ond I generoIIy woke rofher eorIy in fhe morning. WeII go over
em one offer onofher. WeII moke some reguIor Arobion Mighfs of
if.
I feIf exfremeIy fIoffered by fhis orrongemenf, ond we commenced
corrying if info execufion fhof very evening. Whof rovoges I
commiffed on my fovourife oufhors in fhe course of my
inferprefofion of fhem, I om nof in o condifion fo soy, ond shouId
be very unwiIIing fo know, buf I hod o profound foifh in fhem, ond
I hod, fo fhe besf of my beIief, o simpIe, eornesf monner of
norrofing whof I did norrofe, ond fhese quoIifies wenf o Iong woy.
The drowbock wos, fhof I wos offen sIeepy of nighf, or ouf of
spirifs ond indisposed fo resume fhe sfory, ond fhen if wos rofher
hord work, ond if musf be done, for fo disoppoinf or fo dispIeose
Sfeerforfh wos of course ouf of fhe quesfion. In fhe morning, foo,
when I feIf weory, ond shouId hove enjoyed onofher hours repose
very much, if wos o firesome fhing fo be roused, Iike fhe SuIfono
Schehero;ode, ond forced info o Iong sfory before fhe geffing-up
beII rong, buf Sfeerforfh wos resoIufe, ond os he expIoined fo me,
in refurn, my sums ond exercises, ond onyfhing in my fosks fhof wos
foo hord for me, I wos no Ioser by fhe fronsocfion. Lef me do
myseIf jusfice, however. I wos moved by no inferesfed or seIfish
mofive, nor wos I moved by feor of him. I odmired ond Ioved him,
ond his opprovoI wos refurn enough. If wos so precious fo me fhof
I Iook bock on fhese frifIes, now, wifh on oching heorf.
Sfeerforfh wos considerofe, foo, ond showed his considerofion, in
one porficuIor insfonce, in on unfIinching monner fhof wos o IiffIe
fonfoIi;ing, I suspecf, fo poor TroddIes ond fhe resf. Peggoffys
promised Ieffer - whof o comforfobIe Ieffer if wosl - orrived
before fhe hoIf wos mony weeks oId, ond wifh if o coke in o
Poge II0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
perfecf nesf of oronges, ond fwo boffIes of cowsIip wine. This
freosure, os in dufy bound, I Ioid of fhe feef of Sfeerforfh, ond
begged him fo dispense.
Mow, III feII you whof, young CopperfieId, soid he: fhe wine
shoII be kepf fo wef your whisfIe when you ore sfory-feIIing.
I bIushed of fhe ideo, ond begged him, in my modesfy, nof fo fhink
of if. 8uf he soid he hod observed I wos somefimes hoorse - o
IiffIe roopy wos his exocf expression - ond if shouId be, every
drop, devofed fo fhe purpose he hod menfioned. AccordingIy, if wos
Iocked up in his box, ond drown off by himseIf in o phioI, ond
odminisfered fo me fhrough o piece of quiII in fhe cork, when I wos
supposed fo be in wonf of o resforofive. Somefimes, fo moke if o
more sovereign specific, he wos so kind os fo squee;e oronge juice
info if, or fo sfir if up wifh ginger, or dissoIve o pepperminf
drop in if, ond oIfhough I connof osserf fhof fhe fIovour wos
improved by fhese experimenfs, or fhof if wos exocfIy fhe compound
one wouId hove chosen for o sfomochic, fhe Iosf fhing of nighf ond
fhe firsf fhing in fhe morning, I dronk if grofefuIIy ond wos very
sensibIe of his offenfion.
We seem, fo me, fo hove been monfhs over Peregrine, ond monfhs more
over fhe ofher sfories. The insfifufion never fIogged for wonf of
o sfory, I om cerfoin, ond fhe wine Iosfed ouf oImosf os weII os
fhe moffer. Poor TroddIes - I never fhink of fhof boy buf wifh o
sfronge disposifion fo Iough, ond wifh feors in my eyes - wos o
sorf of chorus, in generoI, ond offecfed fo be convuIsed wifh mirfh
of fhe comic porfs, ond fo be overcome wifh feor when fhere wos ony
possoge of on oIorming chorocfer in fhe norrofive. This rofher puf
me ouf, very offen. If wos o greof jesf of his, I recoIIecf, fo
prefend fhof he couIdnf keep his feefh from choffering, whenever
menfion wos mode of on AIguo;iII in connexion wifh fhe odvenfures
of 0iI 8Ios, ond I remember fhof when 0iI 8Ios mef fhe copfoin of
fhe robbers in Modrid, fhis unIucky joker counferfeifed such on
ogue of ferror, fhof he wos overheord by Mr. CreokIe, who wos
prowIing obouf fhe possoge, ond hondsomeIy fIogged for disorderIy
conducf in fhe bedroom.
Whofever I hod wifhin me fhof wos romonfic ond dreomy, wos
encouroged by so much sfory-feIIing in fhe dork, ond in fhof
Poge III
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
respecf fhe pursuif moy nof hove been very profifobIe fo me. 8uf
fhe being cherished os o kind of pIoyfhing in my room, ond fhe
consciousness fhof fhis occompIishmenf of mine wos bruifed obouf
omong fhe boys, ond offrocfed o good deoI of nofice fo me fhough I
wos fhe youngesf fhere, sfimuIofed me fo exerfion. In o schooI
corried on by sheer crueIfy, whefher if is presided over by o dunce
or nof, fhere is nof IikeIy fo be much Ieornf. I beIieve our boys
were, generoIIy, os ignoronf o sef os ony schooIboys in exisfence,
fhey were foo much froubIed ond knocked obouf fo Ieorn, fhey couId
no more do fhof fo odvonfoge, fhon ony one con do onyfhing fo
odvonfoge in o Iife of consfonf misforfune, formenf, ond worry.
8uf my IiffIe vonify, ond Sfeerforfhs heIp, urged me on somehow,
ond wifhouf soving me from much, if onyfhing, in fhe woy of
punishmenf, mode me, for fhe fime I wos fhere, on excepfion fo fhe
generoI body, insomuch fhof I did sfeodiIy pick up some crumbs of
knowIedge.
In fhis I wos much ossisfed by Mr. MeII, who hod o Iiking for me
fhof I om grofefuI fo remember. If oIwoys gove me poin fo observe
fhof Sfeerforfh freofed him wifh sysfemofic disporogemenf, ond
seIdom Iosf on occosion of wounding his feeIings, or inducing
ofhers fo do so. This froubIed me fhe more for o Iong fime,
becouse I hod soon foId Sfeerforfh, from whom I couId no more keep
such o secref, fhon I couId keep o coke or ony ofher fongibIe
possession, obouf fhe fwo oId women Mr. MeII hod foken me fo see,
ond I wos oIwoys ofroid fhof Sfeerforfh wouId Ief if ouf, ond fwif
him wifh if.
We IiffIe fhoughf, ony one of us, I dore soy, when I ofe my
breokfosf fhof firsf morning, ond wenf fo sIeep under fhe shodow of
fhe peococks feofhers fo fhe sound of fhe fIufe, whof consequences
wouId come of fhe infroducfion info fhose oIms-houses of my
insignificonf person. 8uf fhe visif hod ifs unforeseen
consequences, ond of o serious sorf, foo, in fheir woy.
One doy when Mr. CreokIe kepf fhe house from indisposifion, which
nofuroIIy diffused o IiveIy joy fhrough fhe schooI, fhere wos o
good deoI of noise in fhe course of fhe mornings work. The greof
reIief ond sofisfocfion experienced by fhe boys mode fhem difficuIf
fo monoge, ond fhough fhe dreoded Tungoy broughf his wooden Ieg in
Poge IIZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fwice or fhrice, ond fook nofes of fhe principoI offenders nomes,
no greof impression wos mode by if, os fhey were preffy sure of
geffing info froubIe fomorrow, do whof fhey wouId, ond fhoughf if
wise, no doubf, fo enjoy fhemseIves fodoy.
If wos, properIy, o hoIf-hoIidoy, being Sofurdoy. 8uf os fhe noise
in fhe pIoyground wouId hove disfurbed Mr. CreokIe, ond fhe weofher
wos nof fovourobIe for going ouf woIking, we were ordered info
schooI in fhe offernoon, ond sef some Iighfer fosks fhon usuoI,
which were mode for fhe occosion. If wos fhe doy of fhe week on
which Mr. Shorp wenf ouf fo gef his wig curIed, so Mr. MeII, who
oIwoys did fhe drudgery, whofever if wos, kepf schooI by himseIf.
If I couId ossociofe fhe ideo of o buII or o beor wifh onyone so
miId os Mr. MeII, I shouId fhink of him, in connexion wifh fhof
offernoon when fhe uproor wos of ifs heighf, os of one of fhose
onimoIs, boifed by o fhousond dogs. I recoII him bending his
oching heod, supporfed on his bony hond, over fhe book on his desk,
ond wrefchedIy endeovouring fo gef on wifh his firesome work,
omidsf on uproor fhof mighf hove mode fhe Speoker of fhe House of
Commons giddy. 8oys sforfed in ond ouf of fheir pIoces, pIoying of
puss in fhe corner wifh ofher boys, fhere were Ioughing boys,
singing boys, foIking boys, doncing boys, howIing boys, boys
shuffIed wifh fheir feef, boys whirIed obouf him, grinning, moking
foces, mimicking him behind his bock ond before his eyes, mimicking
his poverfy, his boofs, his coof, his mofher, everyfhing beIonging
fo him fhof fhey shouId hove hod considerofion for.
SiIencel cried Mr. MeII, suddenIy rising up, ond sfriking his
desk wifh fhe book. Whof does fhis meonl Ifs impossibIe fo beor
if. Ifs moddening. How con you do if fo me, boys7
If wos my book fhof he sfruck his desk wifh, ond os I sfood beside
him, foIIowing his eye os if gIonced round fhe room, I sow fhe boys
oII sfop, some suddenIy surprised, some hoIf ofroid, ond some sorry
perhops.
Sfeerforfhs pIoce wos of fhe boffom of fhe schooI, of fhe opposife
end of fhe Iong room. He wos Iounging wifh his bock ogoinsf fhe
woII, ond his honds in his pockefs, ond Iooked of Mr. MeII wifh his
moufh shuf up os if he were whisfIing, when Mr. MeII Iooked of him.
Poge II3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
SiIence, Mr. Sfeerforfhl soid Mr. MeII.
SiIence yourseIf, soid Sfeerforfh, furning red. Whom ore you
foIking fo7
Sif down, soid Mr. MeII.
Sif down yourseIf, soid Sfeerforfh, ond mind your business.
There wos o fiffer, ond some oppIouse, buf Mr. MeII wos so whife,
fhof siIence immediofeIy succeeded, ond one boy, who hod dorfed ouf
behind him fo imifofe his mofher ogoin, chonged his mind, ond
prefended fo wonf o pen mended.
If you fhink, Sfeerforfh, soid Mr. MeII, fhof I om nof
ocquoinfed wifh fhe power you con esfobIish over ony mind here -
he Ioid his hond, wifhouf considering whof he did (os I supposed),
upon my heod - or fhof I hove nof observed you, wifhin o few
minufes, urging your juniors on fo every sorf of oufroge ogoinsf
me, you ore misfoken.
I donf give myseIf fhe froubIe of fhinking of oII obouf you,
soid Sfeerforfh, cooIIy, so Im nof misfoken, os if hoppens.
And when you moke use of your posifion of fovourifism here, sir,
pursued Mr. MeII, wifh his Iip frembIing very much, fo insuIf o
genfIemon -
A whof7 - where is he7 soid Sfeerforfh.
Here somebody cried ouf, Shome, J. Sfeerforfhl Too bodl If wos
TroddIes, whom Mr. MeII insfonfIy discomfifed by bidding him hoId
his fongue.
- To insuIf one who is nof forfunofe in Iife, sir, ond who never
gove you fhe Ieosf offence, ond fhe mony reosons for nof insuIfing
whom you ore oId enough ond wise enough fo undersfond, soid Mr.
MeII, wifh his Iips frembIing more ond more, you commif o meon ond
bose ocfion. You con sif down or sfond up os you pIeose, sir.
Poge II4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
CopperfieId, go on.
Young CopperfieId, soid Sfeerforfh, coming forword up fhe room,
sfop o bif. I feII you whof, Mr. MeII, once for oII. When you
foke fhe Iiberfy of coIIing me meon or bose, or onyfhing of fhof
sorf, you ore on impudenf beggor. You ore oIwoys o beggor, you
know, buf when you do fhof, you ore on impudenf beggor.
I om nof cIeor whefher he wos going fo sfrike Mr. MeII, or Mr. MeII
wos going fo sfrike him, or fhere wos ony such infenfion on eifher
side. I sow o rigidify come upon fhe whoIe schooI os if fhey hod
been furned info sfone, ond found Mr. CreokIe in fhe midsf of us,
wifh Tungoy of his side, ond Mrs. ond Miss CreokIe Iooking in of
fhe door os if fhey were frighfened. Mr. MeII, wifh his eIbows on
his desk ond his foce in his honds, sof, for some momenfs, quife
sfiII.
Mr. MeII, soid Mr. CreokIe, shoking him by fhe orm, ond his
whisper wos so oudibIe now, fhof Tungoy feIf if unnecessory fo
repeof his words, you hove nof forgoffen yourseIf, I hope7
Mo, sir, no, refurned fhe Mosfer, showing his foce, ond shoking
his heod, ond rubbing his honds in greof ogifofion. Mo, sir. Mo.
I hove remembered myseIf, I - no, Mr. CreokIe, I hove nof forgoffen
myseIf, I - I hove remembered myseIf, sir. I - I - couId wish you
hod remembered me o IiffIe sooner, Mr. CreokIe. If - if - wouId
hove been more kind, sir, more jusf, sir. If wouId hove soved me
somefhing, sir.
Mr. CreokIe, Iooking hord of Mr. MeII, puf his hond on Tungoys
shouIder, ond gof his feef upon fhe form cIose by, ond sof upon fhe
desk. Affer sfiII Iooking hord of Mr. MeII from his fhrone, os he
shook his heod, ond rubbed his honds, ond remoined in fhe some
sfofe of ogifofion, Mr. CreokIe furned fo Sfeerforfh, ond soid:
Mow, sir, os he donf condescend fo feII me, whof is fhis7
Sfeerforfh evoded fhe quesfion for o IiffIe whiIe, Iooking in scorn
ond onger on his opponenf, ond remoining siIenf. I couId nof heIp
fhinking even in fhof infervoI, I remember, whof o nobIe feIIow he
Poge IIb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wos in oppeoronce, ond how homeIy ond pIoin Mr. MeII Iooked opposed
fo him.
Whof did he meon by foIking obouf fovourifes, fhen7 soid
Sfeerforfh of Iengfh.
Fovourifes7 repeofed Mr. CreokIe, wifh fhe veins in his foreheod
sweIIing quickIy. Who foIked obouf fovourifes7
He did, soid Sfeerforfh.
And proy, whof did you meon by fhof, sir7 demonded Mr. CreokIe,
furning ongriIy on his ossisfonf.
I meonf, Mr. CreokIe, he refurned in o Iow voice, os I soid,
fhof no pupiI hod o righf fo ovoiI himseIf of his posifion of
fovourifism fo degrode me.
To degrode YOU7 soid Mr. CreokIe. My sforsl 8uf give me Ieove
fo osk you, Mr. Whofs-your-nome, ond here Mr. CreokIe foIded his
orms, cone ond oII, upon his chesf, ond mode such o knof of his
brows fhof his IiffIe eyes were hordIy visibIe beIow fhem,
whefher, when you foIk obouf fovourifes, you showed proper respecf
fo me7 To me, sir, soid Mr. CreokIe, dorfing his heod of him
suddenIy, ond drowing if bock ogoin, fhe principoI of fhis
esfobIishmenf, ond your empIoyer.
If wos nof judicious, sir, I om wiIIing fo odmif, soid Mr. MeII.
I shouId nof hove done so, if I hod been cooI.
Here Sfeerforfh sfruck in.
Then he soid I wos meon, ond fhen he soid I wos bose, ond fhen I
coIIed him o beggor. If I hod been cooI, perhops I shouIdnf hove
coIIed him o beggor. 8uf I did, ond I om reody fo foke fhe
consequences of if.
Wifhouf considering, perhops, whefher fhere were ony consequences
fo be foken, I feIf quife in o gIow of fhis goIIonf speech. If
mode on impression on fhe boys foo, for fhere wos o Iow sfir omong
Poge IIo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhem, fhough no one spoke o word.
I om surprised, Sfeerforfh - oIfhough your condour does you
honour, soid Mr. CreokIe, does you honour, cerfoinIy - I om
surprised, Sfeerforfh, I musf soy, fhof you shouId offoch such on
epifhef fo ony person empIoyed ond poid in SoIem House, sir.
Sfeerforfh gove o shorf Iough.
Thofs nof on onswer, sir, soid Mr. CreokIe, fo my remork. I
expecf more fhon fhof from you, Sfeerforfh.
If Mr. MeII Iooked homeIy, in my eyes, before fhe hondsome boy, if
wouId be quife impossibIe fo soy how homeIy Mr. CreokIe Iooked.
Lef him deny if, soid Sfeerforfh.
Deny fhof he is o beggor, Sfeerforfh7 cried Mr. CreokIe. Why,
where does he go o-begging7
If he is nof o beggor himseIf, his neor reIofions one, soid
Sfeerforfh. Ifs oII fhe some.
He gIonced of me, ond Mr. MeIIs hond genfIy poffed me upon fhe
shouIder. I Iooked up wifh o fIush upon my foce ond remorse in my
heorf, buf Mr. MeIIs eyes were fixed on Sfeerforfh. He confinued
fo pof me kindIy on fhe shouIder, buf he Iooked of him.
Since you expecf me, Mr. CreokIe, fo jusfify myseIf, soid
Sfeerforfh, ond fo soy whof I meon, - whof I hove fo soy is, fhof
his mofher Iives on chorify in on oIms-house.
Mr. MeII sfiII Iooked of him, ond sfiII poffed me kindIy on fhe
shouIder, ond soid fo himseIf, in o whisper, if I heord righf:
Yes, I fhoughf so.
Mr. CreokIe furned fo his ossisfonf, wifh o severe frown ond
Ioboured poIifeness:
Mow, you heor whof fhis genfIemon soys, Mr. MeII. Hove fhe
goodness, if you pIeose, fo sef him righf before fhe ossembIed
Poge II7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
schooI.
He is righf, sir, wifhouf correcfion, refurned Mr. MeII, in fhe
midsf of o deod siIence, whof he hos soid is frue.
8e so good fhen os decIore pubIicIy, wiII you, soid Mr. CreokIe,
puffing his heod on one side, ond roIIing his eyes round fhe
schooI, whefher if ever come fo my knowIedge unfiI fhis momenf7
I beIieve nof direcfIy, he refurned.
Why, you know nof, soid Mr. CreokIe. Donf you, mon7
I opprehend you never supposed my worIdIy circumsfonces fo be very
good, repIied fhe ossisfonf. You know whof my posifion is, ond
oIwoys hos been, here.
I opprehend, if you come fo fhof, soid Mr. CreokIe, wifh his
veins sweIIing ogoin bigger fhon ever, fhof youve been in o wrong
posifion oIfogefher, ond misfook fhis for o chorify schooI. Mr.
MeII, weII porf, if you pIeose. The sooner fhe beffer.
There is no fime, onswered Mr. MeII, rising, Iike fhe presenf.
Sir, fo youl soid Mr. CreokIe.
I foke my Ieove of you, Mr. CreokIe, ond oII of you, soid Mr.
MeII, gIoncing round fhe room, ond ogoin poffing me genfIy on fhe
shouIders. Jomes Sfeerforfh, fhe besf wish I con Ieove you is
fhof you moy come fo be oshomed of whof you hove done fodoy. Af
presenf I wouId prefer fo see you onyfhing rofher fhon o friend, fo
me, or fo onyone in whom I feeI on inferesf.
Once more he Ioid his hond upon my shouIder, ond fhen foking his
fIufe ond o few books from his desk, ond Ieoving fhe key in if for
his successor, he wenf ouf of fhe schooI, wifh his properfy under
his orm. Mr. CreokIe fhen mode o speech, fhrough Tungoy, in which
he fhonked Sfeerforfh for osserfing (fhough perhops foo wormIy) fhe
independence ond respecfobiIify of SoIem House, ond which he wound
up by shoking honds wifh Sfeerforfh, whiIe we gove fhree cheers -
Poge II8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I did nof quife know whof for, buf I supposed for Sfeerforfh, ond
so joined in fhem ordenfIy, fhough I feIf miserobIe. Mr. CreokIe
fhen coned Tommy TroddIes for being discovered in feors, insfeod of
cheers, on occounf of Mr. MeIIs deporfure, ond wenf bock fo his
sofo, or his bed, or wherever he hod come from.
We were Ieff fo ourseIves now, ond Iooked very bIonk, I recoIIecf,
on one onofher. For myseIf, I feIf so much seIf-reprooch ond
confrifion for my porf in whof hod hoppened, fhof nofhing wouId
hove enobIed me fo keep bock my feors buf fhe feor fhof Sfeerforfh,
who offen Iooked of me, I sow, mighf fhink if unfriendIy - or, I
shouId rofher soy, considering our reIofive oges, ond fhe feeIing
wifh which I regorded him, undufifuI - if I showed fhe emofion
which disfressed me. He wos very ongry wifh TroddIes, ond soid he
wos gIod he hod coughf if.
Poor TroddIes, who hod possed fhe sfoge of Iying wifh his heod upon
fhe desk, ond wos reIieving himseIf os usuoI wifh o bursf of
skeIefons, soid he didnf core. Mr. MeII wos iII-used.
Who hos iII-used him, you girI7 soid Sfeerforfh.
Why, you hove, refurned TroddIes.
Whof hove I done7 soid Sfeerforfh.
Whof hove you done7 reforfed TroddIes. Hurf his feeIings, ond
Iosf him his sifuofion.
His feeIings7 repeofed Sfeerforfh disdoinfuIIy. His feeIings
wiII soon gef fhe beffer of if, III be bound. His feeIings ore
nof Iike yours, Miss TroddIes. As fo his sifuofion - which wos o
precious one, wosnf if7 - do you suppose I om nof going fo wrife
home, ond foke core fhof he gefs some money7 PoIIy7
We fhoughf fhis infenfion very nobIe in Sfeerforfh, whose mofher
wos o widow, ond rich, ond wouId do oImosf onyfhing, if wos soid,
fhof he osked her. We were oII exfremeIy gIod fo see TroddIes so
puf down, ond exoIfed Sfeerforfh fo fhe skies: especioIIy when he
foId us, os he condescended fo do, fhof whof he hod done hod been
Poge II9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
done expressIy for us, ond for our couse, ond fhof he hod conferred
o greof boon upon us by unseIfishIy doing if.
8uf I musf soy fhof when I wos going on wifh o sfory in fhe dork
fhof nighf, Mr. MeIIs oId fIufe seemed more fhon once fo sound
mournfuIIy in my eors, ond fhof when of Iosf Sfeerforfh wos fired,
ond I Ioy down in my bed, I foncied if pIoying so sorrowfuIIy
somewhere, fhof I wos quife wrefched.
I soon forgof him in fhe confempIofion of Sfeerforfh, who, in on
eosy omofeur woy, ond wifhouf ony book (he seemed fo me fo know
everyfhing by heorf), fook some of his cIosses unfiI o new mosfer
wos found. The new mosfer come from o grommor schooI, ond before
he enfered on his dufies, dined in fhe porIour one doy, fo be
infroduced fo Sfeerforfh. Sfeerforfh opproved of him highIy, ond
foId us he wos o 8rick. Wifhouf exocfIy undersfonding whof Ieorned
disfincfion wos meonf by fhis, I respecfed him greofIy for if, ond
hod no doubf whofever of his superior knowIedge: fhough he never
fook fhe poins wifh me - nof fhof I wos onybody - fhof Mr. MeII hod
foken.
There wos onIy one ofher evenf in fhis hoIf-yeor, ouf of fhe doiIy
schooI-Iife, fhof mode on impression upon me which sfiII survives.
If survives for mony reosons.
One offernoon, when we were oII horossed info o sfofe of dire
confusion, ond Mr. CreokIe wos Ioying obouf him dreodfuIIy, Tungoy
come in, ond coIIed ouf in his usuoI sfrong woy: Visifors for
CopperfieIdl
A few words were inferchonged befween him ond Mr. CreokIe, os, who
fhe visifors were, ond whof room fhey were fo be shown info, ond
fhen I, who hod, occording fo cusfom, sfood up on fhe onnouncemenf
being mode, ond feIf quife foinf wifh osfonishmenf, wos foId fo go
by fhe bock sfoirs ond gef o cIeon friII on, before I repoired fo
fhe dining-room. These orders I obeyed, in such o fIuffer ond
hurry of my young spirifs os I hod never known before, ond when I
gof fo fhe porIour door, ond fhe fhoughf come info my heod fhof if
mighf be my mofher - I hod onIy fhoughf of Mr. or Miss Murdsfone
unfiI fhen - I drew bock my hond from fhe Iock, ond sfopped fo hove
o sob before I wenf in.
Poge IZ0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Af firsf I sow nobody, buf feeIing o pressure ogoinsf fhe door, I
Iooked round if, ond fhere, fo my omo;emenf, were Mr. Peggoffy ond
Hom, ducking of me wifh fheir hofs, ond squee;ing one onofher
ogoinsf fhe woII. I couId nof heIp Ioughing, buf if wos much more
in fhe pIeosure of seeing fhem, fhon of fhe oppeoronce fhey mode.
We shook honds in o very cordioI woy, ond I Ioughed ond Ioughed,
unfiI I puIIed ouf my pockef-hondkerchief ond wiped my eyes.
Mr. Peggoffy (who never shuf his moufh once, I remember, during fhe
visif) showed greof concern when he sow me do fhis, ond nudged Hom
fo soy somefhing.
Cheer up, Mosr Dovy borl soid Hom, in his simpering woy. Why,
how you hove growedl
Am I grown7 I soid, drying my eyes. I wos nof crying of onyfhing
in porficuIor fhof I know of, buf somehow if mode me cry, fo see
oId friends.
0rowed, Mosr Dovy bor7 Ainf he growedl soid Hom.
Ainf he growedl soid Mr. Peggoffy.
They mode me Iough ogoin by Ioughing of eoch ofher, ond fhen we oII
fhree Ioughed unfiI I wos in donger of crying ogoin.
Do you know how momo is, Mr. Peggoffy7 I soid. And how my deor,
deor, oId Peggoffy is7
Oncommon, soid Mr. Peggoffy.
And IiffIe EmIy, ond Mrs. 0ummidge7
On - common, soid Mr. Peggoffy.
There wos o siIence. Mr. Peggoffy, fo reIieve if, fook fwo
prodigious Iobsfers, ond on enormous crob, ond o Iorge convos bog
of shrimps, ouf of his pockefs, ond piIed fhem up in Homs orms.
Poge IZI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
You see, soid Mr. Peggoffy, knowing os you wos porfioI fo o
IiffIe reIish wifh your wiffIes when you wos oIong wifh us, we fook
fhe Iiberfy. The oId Mowfher biIed em, she did. Mrs. 0ummidge
biIed em. Yes, soid Mr. Peggoffy, sIowIy, who I fhoughf oppeored
fo sfick fo fhe subjecf on occounf of hoving no ofher subjecf
reody, Mrs. 0ummidge, I do ossure you, she biIed em.
I expressed my fhonks, ond Mr. Peggoffy, offer Iooking of Hom, who
sfood smiIing sheepishIy over fhe sheIIfish, wifhouf moking ony
offempf fo heIp him, soid:
We come, you see, fhe wind ond fide moking in our fovour, in one
of our Yormoufh Iugs fo 0rovesen. My sisfer she wrofe fo me fhe
nome of fhis here pIoce, ond wrofe fo me os if ever I chonced fo
come fo 0rovesen, I wos fo come over ond inquire for Mosr Dovy
ond give her doofy, humbIy wishing him weII ond reporfing of fhe
fomIy os fhey wos oncommon foe-be-sure. LiffIe EmIy, you see,
sheII wrife fo my sisfer when I go bock, os I see you ond os you
wos simiIorIy oncommon, ond so we moke if quife o merry-
go-rounder.
I wos obIiged fo consider o IiffIe before I undersfood whof Mr.
Peggoffy meonf by fhis figure, expressive of o compIefe circIe of
infeIIigence. I fhen fhonked him heorfiIy, ond soid, wifh o
consciousness of reddening, fhof I supposed IiffIe EmIy wos
oIfered foo, since we used fo pick up sheIIs ond pebbIes on fhe
beoch7
Shes geffing fo be o womon, fhofs wof shes geffing fo be, soid
Mr. Peggoffy. Ask HIM.
He meonf Hom, who beomed wifh deIighf ond ossenf over fhe bog of
shrimps.
Her preffy focel soid Mr. Peggoffy, wifh his own shining Iike o
Iighf.
Her Ieorningl soid Hom.
Her wrifingl soid Mr. Peggoffy. Why ifs os bIock os jefl And
so Iorge if is, you mighf see if onywheres.
Poge IZZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
If wos perfecfIy deIighffuI fo behoId wifh whof enfhusiosm Mr.
Peggoffy become inspired when he fhoughf of his IiffIe fovourife.
He sfonds before me ogoin, his bIuff hoiry foce irrodiofing wifh o
joyfuI Iove ond pride, for which I con find no descripfion. His
honesf eyes fire up, ond sporkIe, os if fheir depfhs were sfirred
by somefhing brighf. His brood chesf heoves wifh pIeosure. His
sfrong Ioose honds cIench fhemseIves, in his eornesfness, ond he
emphosi;es whof he soys wifh o righf orm fhof shows, in my pigmy
view, Iike o sIedge-hommer.
Hom wos quife os eornesf os he. I dore soy fhey wouId hove soid
much more obouf her, if fhey hod nof been oboshed by fhe unexpecfed
coming in of Sfeerforfh, who, seeing me in o corner speoking wifh
fwo sfrongers, sfopped in o song he wos singing, ond soid: I
didnf know you were here, young CopperfieIdl (for if wos nof fhe
usuoI visifing room) ond crossed by us on his woy ouf.
I om nof sure whefher if wos in fhe pride of hoving such o friend
os Sfeerforfh, or in fhe desire fo expIoin fo him how I come fo
hove such o friend os Mr. Peggoffy, fhof I coIIed fo him os he wos
going owoy. 8uf I soid, modesfIy - 0ood Heoven, how if oII comes
bock fo me fhis Iong fime offerwordsl -
Donf go, Sfeerforfh, if you pIeose. These ore fwo Yormoufh
boofmen - very kind, good peopIe - who ore reIofions of my nurse,
ond hove come from 0rovesend fo see me.
Aye, oye7 soid Sfeerforfh, refurning. I om gIod fo see fhem.
How ore you bofh7
There wos on eose in his monner - o goy ond Iighf monner if wos,
buf nof swoggering - which I sfiII beIieve fo hove borne o kind of
enchonfmenf wifh if. I sfiII beIieve him, in virfue of fhis
corrioge, his onimoI spirifs, his deIighffuI voice, his hondsome
foce ond figure, ond, for oughf I know, of some inborn power of
offrocfion besides (which I fhink o few peopIe possess), fo hove
corried o speII wifh him fo which if wos o nofuroI weokness fo
yieId, ond which nof mony persons couId wifhsfond. I couId nof buf
see how pIeosed fhey were wifh him, ond how fhey seemed fo open
Poge IZ3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fheir heorfs fo him in o momenf.
You musf Ief fhem know of home, if you pIeose, Mr. Peggoffy, I
soid, when fhof Ieffer is senf, fhof Mr. Sfeerforfh is very kind
fo me, ond fhof I donf know whof I shouId ever do here wifhouf
him.
Monsensel soid Sfeerforfh, Ioughing. You musfnf feII fhem
onyfhing of fhe sorf.
And if Mr. Sfeerforfh ever comes info MorfoIk or SuffoIk, Mr.
Peggoffy, I soid, whiIe I om fhere, you moy depend upon if I
shoII bring him fo Yormoufh, if he wiII Ief me, fo see your house.
You never sow such o good house, Sfeerforfh. Ifs mode ouf of o
boofl
Mode ouf of o boof, is if7 soid Sfeerforfh. Ifs fhe righf sorf
of o house for such o fhorough-buiIf boofmon.
So fis, sir, so fis, sir, soid Hom, grinning. Youre righf,
young genImnl Mosr Dovy bor, genImns righf. A fhorough-
buiIf boofmonl Hor, horl Thofs whof he is, fool
Mr. Peggoffy wos no Iess pIeosed fhon his nephew, fhough his
modesfy forbode him fo cIoim o personoI compIimenf so vociferousIy.
WeII, sir, he soid, bowing ond chuckIing, ond fucking in fhe ends
of his neckerchief of his breosf: I fhonkee, sir, I fhonkeel I do
my endeovours in my Iine of Iife, sir.
The besf of men con do no more, Mr. Peggoffy, soid Sfeerforfh.
He hod gof his nome oIreody.
III pound if, ifs wof you do yourseIf, sir, soid Mr. Peggoffy,
shoking his heod, ond wof you do weII - righf weIIl I fhonkee,
sir. Im obIeeged fo you, sir, for your weIcoming monner of me.
Im rough, sir, buf Im reody - Ieosf woys, I hope Im reody, you
unnersfond. My house oinf much for fo see, sir, buf ifs heorfy
of your service if ever you shouId come oIong wifh Mosr Dovy fo
see if. Im o regIor Dodmon, I om, soid Mr. Peggoffy, by which
Poge IZ4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
he meonf snoiI, ond fhis wos in oIIusion fo his being sIow fo go,
for he hod offempfed fo go offer every senfence, ond hod somehow or
ofher come bock ogoin, buf I wish you bofh weII, ond I wish you
hoppyl
Hom echoed fhis senfimenf, ond we porfed wifh fhem in fhe heorfiesf
monner. I wos oImosf fempfed fhof evening fo feII Sfeerforfh obouf
preffy IiffIe EmIy, buf I wos foo fimid of menfioning her nome,
ond foo much ofroid of his Ioughing of me. I remember fhof I
fhoughf o good deoI, ond in on uneosy sorf of woy, obouf Mr.
Peggoffy hoving soid fhof she wos geffing on fo be o womon, buf I
decided fhof wos nonsense.
We fronsporfed fhe sheIIfish, or fhe reIish os Mr. Peggoffy hod
modesfIy coIIed if, up info our room unobserved, ond mode o greof
supper fhof evening. 8uf TroddIes couIdnf gef hoppiIy ouf of if.
He wos foo unforfunofe even fo come fhrough o supper Iike onybody
eIse. He wos foken iII in fhe nighf - quife prosfrofe he wos - in
consequence of Crob, ond offer being drugged wifh bIock droughfs
ond bIue piIIs, fo on exfenf which DempIe (whose fofher wos o
docfor) soid wos enough fo undermine o horses consfifufion,
received o coning ond six chopfers of 0reek Tesfomenf for refusing
fo confess.
The resf of fhe hoIf-yeor is o jumbIe in my recoIIecfion of fhe
doiIy sfrife ond sfruggIe of our Iives, of fhe woning summer ond
fhe chonging seoson, of fhe frosfy mornings when we were rung ouf
of bed, ond fhe coId, coId smeII of fhe dork nighfs when we were
rung info bed ogoin, of fhe evening schooIroom dimIy Iighfed ond
indifferenfIy wormed, ond fhe morning schooIroom which wos nofhing
buf o greof shivering-mochine, of fhe oIfernofion of boiIed beef
wifh roosf beef, ond boiIed muffon wifh roosf muffon, of cIods of
breod-ond-buffer, dogs-eored Iesson-books, crocked sIofes,
feor-bIoffed copy-books, conings, ruIerings, hoir-cuffings, roiny
Sundoys, suef-puddings, ond o dirfy ofmosphere of ink, surrounding
oII.
I weII remember fhough, how fhe disfonf ideo of fhe hoIidoys, offer
seeming for on immense fime fo be o sfofionory speck, begon fo come
fowords us, ond fo grow ond grow. How from counfing monfhs, we
Poge IZb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
come fo weeks, ond fhen fo doys, ond how I fhen begon fo be ofroid
fhof I shouId nof be senf for ond when I Ieornf from Sfeerforfh
fhof I hod been senf for, ond wos cerfoinIy fo go home, hod dim
forebodings fhof I mighf breok my Ieg firsf. How fhe breoking-up
doy chonged ifs pIoce fosf, of Iosf, from fhe week offer nexf fo
nexf week, fhis week, fhe doy offer fomorrow, fomorrow, fodoy,
fonighf - when I wos inside fhe Yormoufh moiI, ond going home.
I hod mony o broken sIeep inside fhe Yormoufh moiI, ond mony on
incoherenf dreom of oII fhese fhings. 8uf when I owoke of
infervoIs, fhe ground oufside fhe window wos nof fhe pIoyground of
SoIem House, ond fhe sound in my eors wos nof fhe sound of Mr.
CreokIe giving if fo TroddIes, buf fhe sound of fhe coochmon
fouching up fhe horses.
CHAPTEP 8
MY HOLIDAYS. ESPECIALLY OME HAPPY AFTEPMOOM
When we orrived before doy of fhe inn where fhe moiI sfopped, which
wos nof fhe inn where my friend fhe woifer Iived, I wos shown up fo
o nice IiffIe bedroom, wifh DOLPHIM poinfed on fhe door. Very coId
I wos, I know, nofwifhsfonding fhe hof feo fhey hod given me before
o Iorge fire downsfoirs, ond very gIod I wos fo furn info fhe
DoIphins bed, puII fhe DoIphins bIonkefs round my heod, ond go fo
sIeep.
Mr. 8orkis fhe corrier wos fo coII for me in fhe morning of nine
ocIock. I gof up of eighf, o IiffIe giddy from fhe shorfness of
my nighfs resf, ond wos reody for him before fhe oppoinfed fime.
He received me exocfIy os if nof five minufes hod eIopsed since we
were Iosf fogefher, ond I hod onIy been info fhe hofeI fo gef
chonge for sixpence, or somefhing of fhof sorf.
As soon os I ond my box were in fhe corf, ond fhe corrier seofed,
fhe Io;y horse woIked owoy wifh us oII of his occusfomed poce.
You Iook very weII, Mr. 8orkis, I soid, fhinking he wouId Iike fo
Poge IZo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
know if.
Mr. 8orkis rubbed his cheek wifh his cuff, ond fhen Iooked of his
cuff os if he expecfed fo find some of fhe bIoom upon if, buf mode
no ofher ocknowIedgemenf of fhe compIimenf.
I gove your messoge, Mr. 8orkis, I soid: I wrofe fo Peggoffy.
Ahl soid Mr. 8orkis.
Mr. 8orkis seemed gruff, ond onswered driIy.
Wosnf if righf, Mr. 8orkis7 I osked, offer o IiffIe hesifofion.
Why, no, soid Mr. 8orkis.
Mof fhe messoge7
The messoge wos righf enough, perhops, soid Mr. 8orkis, buf if
come fo on end fhere.
Mof undersfonding whof he meonf, I repeofed inquisifiveIy: Come fo
on end, Mr. 8orkis7
Mofhing come of if, he expIoined, Iooking of me sidewoys. Mo
onswer.
There wos on onswer expecfed, wos fhere, Mr. 8orkis7 soid I,
opening my eyes. For fhis wos o new Iighf fo me.
When o mon soys hes wiIIin, soid Mr. 8orkis, furning his gIonce
sIowIy on me ogoin, ifs os much os fo soy, fhof mons o-woifin
for o onswer.
WeII, Mr. 8orkis7
WeII, soid Mr. 8orkis, corrying his eyes bock fo his horses
eors, fhof mons been o-woifin for o onswer ever since.
Hove you foId her so, Mr. 8orkis7
Poge IZ7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mo - no, growIed Mr. 8orkis, refIecfing obouf if. I oinf gof
no coII fo go ond feII her so. I never soid six words fo her
myseIf, I oinf o-goin fo feII her so.
WouId you Iike me fo do if, Mr. 8orkis7 soid I, doubffuIIy.
You mighf feII her, if you wouId, soid Mr. 8orkis, wifh onofher
sIow Iook of me, fhof 8orkis wos o-woifin for o onswer. Soys you
- whof nome is if7
Her nome7
Ahl soid Mr. 8orkis, wifh o nod of his heod.
Peggoffy.
Chrisen nome7 Or nofroI nome7 soid Mr. 8orkis.
Oh, ifs nof her Chrisfion nome. Her Chrisfion nome is CIoro.
Is if fhough7 soid Mr. 8orkis.
He seemed fo find on immense fund of refIecfion in fhis
circumsfonce, ond sof pondering ond inwordIy whisfIing for some
fime.
WeIIl he resumed of Iengfh. Soys you, "Peggoffyl 8orkis is
woifin for o onswer." Soys she, perhops, "Answer fo whof7" Soys
you, "To whof I foId you." "Whof is fhof7" soys she. "8orkis is
wiIIin," soys you.
This exfremeIy orffuI suggesfion Mr. 8orkis occomponied wifh o
nudge of his eIbow fhof gove me quife o sfifch in my side. Affer
fhof, he sIouched over his horse in his usuoI monner, ond mode no
ofher reference fo fhe subjecf excepf, hoIf on hour offerwords,
foking o piece of choIk from his pockef, ond wrifing up, inside fhe
fiIf of fhe corf, CIoro Peggoffy - opporenfIy os o privofe
memorondum.
Ah, whof o sfronge feeIing if wos fo be going home when if wos nof
Poge IZ8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
home, ond fo find fhof every objecf I Iooked of, reminded me of fhe
hoppy oId home, which wos Iike o dreom I couId never dreom ogoinl
The doys when my mofher ond I ond Peggoffy were oII in oII fo one
onofher, ond fhere wos no one fo come befween us, rose up before me
so sorrowfuIIy on fhe rood, fhof I om nof sure I wos gIod fo be
fhere - nof sure buf fhof I wouId rofher hove remoined owoy, ond
forgoffen if in Sfeerforfhs compony. 8uf fhere I wos, ond soon I
wos of our house, where fhe bore oId eIm-frees wrung fheir mony
honds in fhe bIeok winfry oir, ond shreds of fhe oId rooks-nesfs
driffed owoy upon fhe wind.
The corrier puf my box down of fhe gorden-gofe, ond Ieff me. I
woIked oIong fhe pofh fowords fhe house, gIoncing of fhe windows,
ond feoring of every sfep fo see Mr. Murdsfone or Miss Murdsfone
Iowering ouf of one of fhem. Mo foce oppeored, however, ond being
come fo fhe house, ond knowing how fo open fhe door, before dork,
wifhouf knocking, I wenf in wifh o quief, fimid sfep.
0od knows how infonfine fhe memory moy hove been, fhof wos owokened
wifhin me by fhe sound of my mofhers voice in fhe oId porIour,
when I sef foof in fhe hoII. She wos singing in o Iow fone. I
fhink I musf hove Ioin in her orms, ond heord her singing so fo me
when I wos buf o boby. The sfroin wos new fo me, ond yef if wos so
oId fhof if fiIIed my heorf brim-fuII, Iike o friend come bock from
o Iong obsence.
I beIieved, from fhe soIifory ond fhoughffuI woy in which my mofher
murmured her song, fhof she wos oIone. And I wenf soffIy info fhe
room. She wos siffing by fhe fire, suckIing on infonf, whose finy
hond she heId ogoinsf her neck. Her eyes were Iooking down upon
ifs foce, ond she sof singing fo if. I wos so for righf, fhof she
hod no ofher componion.
I spoke fo her, ond she sforfed, ond cried ouf. 8uf seeing me, she
coIIed me her deor Dovy, her own boyl ond coming hoIf ocross fhe
room fo meef me, kneeIed down upon fhe ground ond kissed me, ond
Ioid my heod down on her bosom neor fhe IiffIe creofure fhof wos
nesfIing fhere, ond puf ifs hond fo my Iips.
I wish I hod died. I wish I hod died fhen, wifh fhof feeIing in my
Poge IZ9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
heorfl I shouId hove been more fif for Heoven fhon I ever hove
been since.
He is your brofher, soid my mofher, fondIing me. Dovy, my
preffy boyl My poor chiIdl Then she kissed me more ond more, ond
cIosped me round fhe neck. This she wos doing when Peggoffy come
running in, ond bounced down on fhe ground beside us, ond wenf mod
obouf us bofh for o quorfer of on hour.
If seemed fhof I hod nof been expecfed so soon, fhe corrier being
much before his usuoI fime. If seemed, foo, fhof Mr. ond Miss
Murdsfone hod gone ouf upon o visif in fhe neighbourhood, ond wouId
nof refurn before nighf. I hod never hoped for fhis. I hod never
fhoughf if possibIe fhof we fhree couId be fogefher undisfurbed,
once more, ond I feIf, for fhe fime, os if fhe oId doys were come
bock.
We dined fogefher by fhe fireside. Peggoffy wos in offendonce fo
woif upon us, buf my mofher wouIdnf Ief her do if, ond mode her
dine wifh us. I hod my own oId pIofe, wifh o brown view of o
mon-of-wor in fuII soiI upon if, which Peggoffy hod hoorded
somewhere oII fhe fime I hod been owoy, ond wouId nof hove hod
broken, she soid, for o hundred pounds. I hod my own oId mug wifh
Dovid on if, ond my own oId IiffIe knife ond fork fhof wouIdnf
cuf.
WhiIe we were of fobIe, I fhoughf if o fovourobIe occosion fo feII
Peggoffy obouf Mr. 8orkis, who, before I hod finished whof I hod fo
feII her, begon fo Iough, ond fhrow her opron over her foce.
Peggoffy, soid my mofher. Whofs fhe moffer7
Peggoffy onIy Ioughed fhe more, ond heId her opron fighf over her
foce when my mofher fried fo puII if owoy, ond sof os if her heod
were in o bog.
Whof ore you doing, you sfupid creofure7 soid my mofher,
Ioughing.
Oh, drof fhe monl cried Peggoffy. He wonfs fo morry me.
Poge I30
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
If wouId be o very good mofch for you, wouIdnf if7 soid my
mofher.
Ohl I donf know, soid Peggoffy. Donf osk me. I wouIdnf
hove him if he wos mode of goId. Mor I wouIdnf hove onybody.
Then, why donf you feII him so, you ridicuIous fhing7 soid my
mofher.
TeII him so, reforfed Peggoffy, Iooking ouf of her opron. He
hos never soid o word fo me obouf if. He knows beffer. If he wos
fo moke so boId os soy o word fo me, I shouId sIop his foce.
Her own wos os red os ever I sow if, or ony ofher foce, I fhink,
buf she onIy covered if ogoin, for o few momenfs of o fime, when
she wos foken wifh o vioIenf fif of Ioughfer, ond offer fwo or
fhree of fhose offocks, wenf on wifh her dinner.
I remorked fhof my mofher, fhough she smiIed when Peggoffy Iooked
of her, become more serious ond fhoughffuI. I hod seen of firsf
fhof she wos chonged. Her foce wos very preffy sfiII, buf if
Iooked coreworn, ond foo deIicofe, ond her hond wos so fhin ond
whife fhof if seemed fo me fo be oImosf fronsporenf. 8uf fhe
chonge fo which I now refer wos superodded fo fhis: if wos in her
monner, which become onxious ond fIuffered. Af Iosf she soid,
puffing ouf her hond, ond Ioying if offecfionofeIy on fhe hond of
her oId servonf,
Peggoffy, deor, you ore nof going fo be morried7
Me, moom7 refurned Peggoffy, sforing. Lord bIess you, nol
Mof jusf yef7 soid my mofher, fenderIy.
Meverl cried Peggoffy.
My mofher fook her hond, ond soid:
Donf Ieove me, Peggoffy. Sfoy wifh me. If wiII nof be for Iong,
Poge I3I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
perhops. Whof shouId I ever do wifhouf youl
Me Ieove you, my preciousl cried Peggoffy. Mof for oII fhe
worId ond his wife. Why, whofs puf fhof in your siIIy IiffIe
heod7 - For Peggoffy hod been used of oId fo foIk fo my mofher
somefimes Iike o chiId.
8uf my mofher mode no onswer, excepf fo fhonk her, ond Peggoffy
wenf running on in her own foshion.
Me Ieove you7 I fhink I see myseIf. Peggoffy go owoy from you7
I shouId Iike fo cofch her of ifl Mo, no, no, soid Peggoffy,
shoking her heod, ond foIding her orms, nof she, my deor. If
isnf fhof fhere oinf some Cofs fhof wouId be weII enough pIeosed
if she did, buf fhey shonf be pIeosed. They shoII be oggrovofed.
III sfoy wifh you fiII I om o cross cronky oId womon. And when
Im foo deof, ond foo Iome, ond foo bIind, ond foo mumbIy for wonf
of feefh, fo be of ony use of oII, even fo be found fouIf wifh,
fhon I shoII go fo my Dovy, ond osk him fo foke me in.
And, Peggoffy, soys I, I shoII be gIod fo see you, ond III moke
you os weIcome os o queen.
8Iess your deor heorfl cried Peggoffy. I know you wiIIl And
she kissed me beforehond, in grofefuI ocknowIedgemenf of my
hospifoIify. Affer fhof, she covered her heod up wifh her opron
ogoin ond hod onofher Iough obouf Mr. 8orkis. Affer fhof, she fook
fhe boby ouf of ifs IiffIe crodIe, ond nursed if. Affer fhof, she
cIeored fhe dinner fobIe, offer fhof, come in wifh onofher cop on,
ond her work-box, ond fhe yord-meosure, ond fhe bif of wox-condIe,
oII jusf fhe some os ever.
We sof round fhe fire, ond foIked deIighffuIIy. I foId fhem whof
o hord mosfer Mr. CreokIe wos, ond fhey pified me very much. I
foId fhem whof o fine feIIow Sfeerforfh wos, ond whof o pofron of
mine, ond Peggoffy soid she wouId woIk o score of miIes fo see him.
I fook fhe IiffIe boby in my orms when if wos owoke, ond nursed if
IovingIy. When if wos osIeep ogoin, I crepf cIose fo my mofhers
side occording fo my oId cusfom, broken now o Iong fime, ond sof
wifh my orms embrocing her woisf, ond my IiffIe red cheek on her
Poge I3Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
shouIder, ond once more feIf her beoufifuI hoir drooping over me -
Iike on ongeIs wing os I used fo fhink, I recoIIecf - ond wos very
hoppy indeed.
WhiIe I sof fhus, Iooking of fhe fire, ond seeing picfures in fhe
red-hof cooIs, I oImosf beIieved fhof I hod never been owoy, fhof
Mr. ond Miss Murdsfone were such picfures, ond wouId vonish when
fhe fire gof Iow, ond fhof fhere wos nofhing reoI in oII fhof I
remembered, sove my mofher, Peggoffy, ond I.
Peggoffy dorned owoy of o sfocking os Iong os she couId see, ond
fhen sof wifh if drown on her Ieff hond Iike o gIove, ond her
needIe in her righf, reody fo foke onofher sfifch whenever fhere
wos o bIo;e. I connof conceive whose sfockings fhey con hove been
fhof Peggoffy wos oIwoys dorning, or where such on unfoiIing suppIy
of sfockings in wonf of dorning con hove come from. From my
eorIiesf infoncy she seems fo hove been oIwoys empIoyed in fhof
cIoss of needIework, ond never by ony chonce in ony ofher.
I wonder, soid Peggoffy, who wos somefimes sei;ed wifh o fif of
wondering on some mosf unexpecfed fopic, whofs become of Dovys
greof-ounf7
Lor, Peggoffyl observed my mofher, rousing herseIf from o
reverie, whof nonsense you foIkl
WeII, buf I reoIIy do wonder, moom, soid Peggoffy.
Whof con hove puf such o person in your heod7 inquired my mofher.
Is fhere nobody eIse in fhe worId fo come fhere7
I donf know how if is, soid Peggoffy, unIess ifs on occounf of
being sfupid, buf my heod never con pick ond choose ifs peopIe.
They come ond fhey go, ond fhey donf come ond fhey donf go, jusf
os fhey Iike. I wonder whofs become of her7
How obsurd you ore, Peggoffyl refurned my mofher. One wouId
suppose you wonfed o second visif from her.
Lord forbidl cried Peggoffy.
Poge I33
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
WeII fhen, donf foIk obouf such uncomforfobIe fhings, fheres o
good souI, soid my mofher. Miss 8efsey is shuf up in her coffoge
by fhe seo, no doubf, ond wiII remoin fhere. Af oII evenfs, she is
nof IikeIy ever fo froubIe us ogoin.
Mol mused Peggoffy. Mo, fhof oinf IikeIy of oII. - I wonder,
if she wos fo die, whefher shed Ieove Dovy onyfhing7
0ood grocious me, Peggoffy, refurned my mofher, whof o
nonsensicoI womon you orel when you know fhof she fook offence of
fhe poor deor boys ever being born of oII.
I suppose she wouIdnf be incIined fo forgive him now, hinfed
Peggoffy.
Why shouId she be incIined fo forgive him now7 soid my mofher,
rofher shorpIy.
Mow fhof hes gof o brofher, I meon, soid Peggoffy.
MY mofher immediofeIy begon fo cry, ond wondered how Peggoffy dored
fo soy such o fhing.
As if fhis poor IiffIe innocenf in ifs crodIe hod ever done ony
horm fo you or onybody eIse, you jeoIous fhingl soid she. You
hod much beffer go ond morry Mr. 8orkis, fhe corrier. Why donf
you7
I shouId moke Miss Murdsfone hoppy, if I wos fo, soid Peggoffy.
Whof o bod disposifion you hove, Peggoffyl refurned my mofher.
You ore os jeoIous of Miss Murdsfone os if is possibIe for o
ridicuIous creofure fo be. You wonf fo keep fhe keys yourseIf, ond
give ouf oII fhe fhings, I suppose7 I shouIdnf be surprised if
you did. When you know fhof she onIy does if ouf of kindness ond
fhe besf infenfionsl You know she does, Peggoffy - you know if
weII.
Peggoffy muffered somefhing fo fhe effecf of 8ofher fhe besf
infenfionsl ond somefhing eIse fo fhe effecf fhof fhere wos o
Poge I34
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
IiffIe foo much of fhe besf infenfions going on.
I know whof you meon, you cross fhing, soid my mofher. I
undersfond you, Peggoffy, perfecfIy. You know I do, ond I wonder
you donf coIour up Iike fire. 8uf one poinf of o fime. Miss
Murdsfone is fhe poinf now, Peggoffy, ond you shonf escope from
if. Hovenf you heord her soy, over ond over ogoin, fhof she
fhinks I om foo fhoughfIess ond foo - o - o -
Preffy, suggesfed Peggoffy.
WeII, refurned my mofher, hoIf Ioughing, ond if she is so siIIy
os fo soy so, con I be bIomed for if7
Mo one soys you con, soid Peggoffy.
Mo, I shouId hope nof, indeedl refurned my mofher. Hovenf you
heord her soy, over ond over ogoin, fhof on fhis occounf she wished
fo spore me o greof deoI of froubIe, which she fhinks I om nof
suifed for, ond which I reoIIy donf know myseIf fhof I AM suifed
for, ond isnf she up eorIy ond Iofe, ond going fo ond fro
confinuoIIy - ond doesnf she do oII sorfs of fhings, ond grope
info oII sorfs of pIoces, cooI-hoIes ond ponfries ond I donf know
where, fhof conf be very ogreeobIe - ond do you meon fo insinuofe
fhof fhere is nof o sorf of devofion in fhof7
I donf insinuofe of oII, soid Peggoffy.
You do, Peggoffy, refurned my mofher. You never do onyfhing
eIse, excepf your work. You ore oIwoys insinuofing. You reveI in
if. And when you foIk of Mr. Murdsfones good infenfions -
I never foIked of em, soid Peggoffy.
Mo, Peggoffy, refurned my mofher, buf you insinuofed. Thofs
whof I foId you jusf now. Thofs fhe worsf of you. You WILL
insinuofe. I soid, of fhe momenf, fhof I undersfood you, ond you
see I did. When you foIk of Mr. Murdsfones good infenfions, ond
prefend fo sIighf fhem (for I donf beIieve you reoIIy do, in your
heorf, Peggoffy), you musf be os weII convinced os I om how good
Poge I3b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhey ore, ond how fhey ocfuofe him in everyfhing. If he seems fo
hove been of oII sfern wifh o cerfoin person, Peggoffy - you
undersfond, ond so I om sure does Dovy, fhof I om nof oIIuding fo
onybody presenf - if is soIeIy becouse he is sofisfied fhof if is
for o cerfoin persons benefif. He nofuroIIy Ioves o cerfoin
person, on my occounf, ond ocfs soIeIy for o cerfoin persons good.
He is beffer obIe fo judge of if fhon I om, for I very weII know
fhof I om o weok, Iighf, girIish creofure, ond fhof he is o firm,
grove, serious mon. And he fokes, soid my mofher, wifh fhe feors
which were engendered in her offecfionofe nofure, sfeoIing down her
foce, he fokes greof poins wifh me, ond I oughf fo be very
fhonkfuI fo him, ond very submissive fo him even in my fhoughfs,
ond when I om nof, Peggoffy, I worry ond condemn myseIf, ond feeI
doubffuI of my own heorf, ond donf know whof fo do.
Peggoffy sof wifh her chin on fhe foof of fhe sfocking, Iooking
siIenfIy of fhe fire.
There, Peggoffy, soid my mofher, chonging her fone, donf Ief us
foII ouf wifh one onofher, for I couIdnf beor if. You ore my frue
friend, I know, if I hove ony in fhe worId. When I coII you o
ridicuIous creofure, or o vexofious fhing, or onyfhing of fhof
sorf, Peggoffy, I onIy meon fhof you ore my frue friend, ond oIwoys
hove been, ever since fhe nighf when Mr. CopperfieId firsf broughf
me home here, ond you come ouf fo fhe gofe fo meef me.
Peggoffy wos nof sIow fo respond, ond rofify fhe freofy of
friendship by giving me one of her besf hugs. I fhink I hod some
gIimpses of fhe reoI chorocfer of fhis conversofion of fhe fime,
buf I om sure, now, fhof fhe good creofure originofed if, ond fook
her porf in if, mereIy fhof my mofher mighf comforf herseIf wifh
fhe IiffIe confrodicfory summory in which she hod induIged. The
design wos efficocious, for I remember fhof my mofher seemed more
of eose during fhe resf of fhe evening, ond fhof Peggoffy observed
her Iess.
When we hod hod our feo, ond fhe oshes were fhrown up, ond fhe
condIes snuffed, I reod Peggoffy o chopfer ouf of fhe CrocodiIe
8ook, in remembronce of oId fimes - she fook if ouf of her pockef:
I donf know whefher she hod kepf if fhere ever since - ond fhen we
Poge I3o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
foIked obouf SoIem House, which broughf me round ogoin fo
Sfeerforfh, who wos my greof subjecf. We were very hoppy, ond fhof
evening, os fhe Iosf of ifs roce, ond desfined evermore fo cIose
fhof voIume of my Iife, wiII never poss ouf of my memory.
If wos oImosf fen ocIock before we heord fhe sound of wheeIs. We
oII gof up fhen, ond my mofher soid hurriedIy fhof, os if wos so
Iofe, ond Mr. ond Miss Murdsfone opproved of eorIy hours for young
peopIe, perhops I hod beffer go fo bed. I kissed her, ond wenf
upsfoirs wifh my condIe direcfIy, before fhey come in. If oppeored
fo my chiIdish foncy, os I oscended fo fhe bedroom where I hod been
imprisoned, fhof fhey broughf o coId bIosf of oir info fhe house
which bIew owoy fhe oId fomiIior feeIing Iike o feofher.
I feIf uncomforfobIe obouf going down fo breokfosf in fhe morning,
os I hod never sef eyes on Mr. Murdsfone since fhe doy when I
commiffed my memorobIe offence. However, os if musf be done, I
wenf down, offer fwo or fhree foIse sforfs hoIf-woy, ond os mony
runs bock on fipfoe fo my own room, ond presenfed myseIf in fhe
porIour.
He wos sfonding before fhe fire wifh his bock fo if, whiIe Miss
Murdsfone mode fhe feo. He Iooked of me sfeodiIy os I enfered, buf
mode no sign of recognifion whofever.
I wenf up fo him, offer o momenf of confusion, ond soid: I beg
your pordon, sir. I om very sorry for whof I did, ond I hope you
wiII forgive me.
I om gIod fo heor you ore sorry, Dovid, he repIied.
The hond he gove me wos fhe hond I hod biffen. I couId nof
resfroin my eye from resfing for on insfonf on o red spof upon if,
buf if wos nof so red os I furned, when I mef fhof sinisfer
expression in his foce.
How do you do, moom7 I soid fo Miss Murdsfone.
Ah, deor mel sighed Miss Murdsfone, giving me fhe feo-coddy scoop
insfeod of her fingers. How Iong ore fhe hoIidoys7
Poge I37
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
A monfh, moom.
Counfing from when7
From fodoy, moom.
Ohl soid Miss Murdsfone. Then heres one doy off.
She kepf o coIendor of fhe hoIidoys in fhis woy, ond every morning
checked o doy off in exocfIy fhe some monner. She did if gIoomiIy
unfiI she come fo fen, buf when she gof info fwo figures she become
more hopefuI, ond, os fhe fime odvonced, even jocuIor.
If wos on fhis very firsf doy fhof I hod fhe misforfune fo fhrow
her, fhough she wos nof subjecf fo such weokness in generoI, info
o sfofe of vioIenf consfernofion. I come info fhe room where she
ond my mofher were siffing, ond fhe boby (who wos onIy o few weeks
oId) being on my mofhers Iop, I fook if very corefuIIy in my orms.
SuddenIy Miss Murdsfone gove such o screom fhof I oII buf dropped
if.
My deor Jonel cried my mofher.
0ood heovens, CIoro, do you see7 excIoimed Miss Murdsfone.
See whof, my deor Jone7 soid my mofher, where7
Hes gof ifl cried Miss Murdsfone. The boy hos gof fhe bobyl
She wos Iimp wifh horror, buf sfiffened herseIf fo moke o dorf of
me, ond foke if ouf of my orms. Then, she furned foinf, ond wos so
very iII fhof fhey were obIiged fo give her cherry brondy. I wos
soIemnIy inferdicfed by her, on her recovery, from fouching my
brofher ony more on ony prefence whofever, ond my poor mofher, who,
I couId see, wished ofherwise, meekIy confirmed fhe inferdicf, by
soying: Mo doubf you ore righf, my deor Jone.
On onofher occosion, when we fhree were fogefher, fhis some deor
boby - if wos fruIy deor fo me, for our mofhers soke - wos fhe
innocenf occosion of Miss Murdsfones going info o possion. My
Poge I38
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
mofher, who hod been Iooking of ifs eyes os if Ioy upon her Iop,
soid:
Dovyl come herel ond Iooked of mine.
I sow Miss Murdsfone Ioy her beods down.
I decIore, soid my mofher, genfIy, fhey ore exocfIy oIike. I
suppose fhey ore mine. I fhink fhey ore fhe coIour of mine. 8uf
fhey ore wonderfuIIy oIike.
Whof ore you foIking obouf, CIoro7 soid Miss Murdsfone.
My deor Jone, foIfered my mofher, o IiffIe oboshed by fhe horsh
fone of fhis inquiry, I find fhof fhe bobys eyes ond Dovys ore
exocfIy oIike.
CIorol soid Miss Murdsfone, rising ongriIy, you ore o posifive
fooI somefimes.
My deor Jone, remonsfrofed my mofher.
A posifive fooI, soid Miss Murdsfone. Who eIse couId compore my
brofhers boby wifh your boy7 They ore nof of oII oIike. They ore
exocfIy unIike. They ore ufferIy dissimiIor in oII respecfs. I
hope fhey wiII ever remoin so. I wiII nof sif here, ond heor such
comporisons mode. Wifh fhof she sfoIked ouf, ond mode fhe door
bong offer her.
In shorf, I wos nof o fovourife wifh Miss Murdsfone. In shorf, I
wos nof o fovourife fhere wifh onybody, nof even wifh myseIf, for
fhose who did Iike me couId nof show if, ond fhose who did nof,
showed if so pIoinIy fhof I hod o sensifive consciousness of oIwoys
oppeoring consfroined, boorish, ond duII.
I feIf fhof I mode fhem os uncomforfobIe os fhey mode me. If I
come info fhe room where fhey were, ond fhey were foIking fogefher
ond my mofher seemed cheerfuI, on onxious cIoud wouId sfeoI over
her foce from fhe momenf of my enfronce. If Mr. Murdsfone were in
his besf humour, I checked him. If Miss Murdsfone were in her
Poge I39
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
worsf, I infensified if. I hod percepfion enough fo know fhof my
mofher wos fhe vicfim oIwoys, fhof she wos ofroid fo speok fo me or
fo be kind fo me, Iesf she shouId give fhem some offence by her
monner of doing so, ond receive o Iecfure offerwords, fhof she wos
nof onIy ceoseIessIy ofroid of her own offending, buf of my
offending, ond uneosiIy wofched fheir Iooks if I onIy moved.
Therefore I resoIved fo keep myseIf os much ouf of fheir woy os I
couId, ond mony o winfry hour did I heor fhe church cIock sfrike,
when I wos siffing in my cheerIess bedroom, wropped in my IiffIe
greof-coof, poring over o book.
In fhe evening, somefimes, I wenf ond sof wifh Peggoffy in fhe
kifchen. There I wos comforfobIe, ond nof ofroid of being myseIf.
8uf neifher of fhese resources wos opproved of in fhe porIour. The
formenfing humour which wos dominonf fhere sfopped fhem bofh. I
wos sfiII heId fo be necessory fo my poor mofhers froining, ond,
os one of her frioIs, couId nof be suffered fo obsenf myseIf.
Dovid, soid Mr. Murdsfone, one doy offer dinner when I wos going
fo Ieove fhe room os usuoI, I om sorry fo observe fhof you ore of
o suIIen disposifion.
As suIky os o beorl soid Miss Murdsfone.
I sfood sfiII, ond hung my heod.
Mow, Dovid, soid Mr. Murdsfone, o suIIen obdurofe disposifion
is, of oII fempers, fhe worsf.
And fhe boys is, of oII such disposifions fhof ever I hove seen,
remorked his sisfer, fhe mosf confirmed ond sfubborn. I fhink, my
deor CIoro, even you musf observe if7
I beg your pordon, my deor Jone, soid my mofher, buf ore you
quife sure - I om cerfoin youII excuse me, my deor Jone - fhof you
undersfond Dovy7
I shouId be somewhof oshomed of myseIf, CIoro, refurned Miss
Murdsfone, if I couId nof undersfond fhe boy, or ony boy. I donf
profess fo be profound, buf I do Ioy cIoim fo common sense.
Poge I40
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mo doubf, my deor Jone, refurned my mofher, your undersfonding
is very vigorous -
Oh deor, nol Proy donf soy fhof, CIoro, inferposed Miss
Murdsfone, ongriIy.
8uf I om sure if is, resumed my mofher, ond everybody knows if
is. I profif so much by if myseIf, in mony woys - of Ieosf I oughf
fo - fhof no one con be more convinced of if fhon myseIf, ond
fherefore I speok wifh greof diffidence, my deor Jone, I ossure
you.
WeII soy I donf undersfond fhe boy, CIoro, refurned Miss
Murdsfone, orronging fhe IiffIe feffers on her wrisfs. WeII
ogree, if you pIeose, fhof I donf undersfond him of oII. He is
much foo deep for me. 8uf perhops my brofhers penefrofion moy
enobIe him fo hove some insighf info his chorocfer. And I beIieve
my brofher wos speoking on fhe subjecf when we - nof very decenfIy
- inferrupfed him.
I fhink, CIoro, soid Mr. Murdsfone, in o Iow grove voice, fhof
fhere moy be beffer ond more dispossionofe judges of such o
quesfion fhon you.
Edword, repIied my mofher, fimidIy, you ore o for beffer judge
of oII quesfions fhon I prefend fo be. 8ofh you ond Jone ore. I
onIy soid -
You onIy soid somefhing weok ond inconsiderofe, he repIied. Try
nof fo do if ogoin, my deor CIoro, ond keep o wofch upon yourseIf.
MY mofhers Iips moved, os if she onswered Yes, my deor Edword,
buf she soid nofhing oIoud.
I wos sorry, Dovid, I remorked, soid Mr. Murdsfone, furning his
heod ond his eyes sfiffIy fowords me, fo observe fhof you ore of
o suIIen disposifion. This is nof o chorocfer fhof I con suffer fo
deveIop ifseIf beneofh my eyes wifhouf on efforf of improvemenf.
You musf endeovour, sir, fo chonge if. We musf endeovour fo chonge
Poge I4I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
if for you.
I beg your pordon, sir, I foIfered. I hove never meonf fo be
suIIen since I come bock.
Donf foke refuge in o Iie, sirl he refurned so fierceIy, fhof I
sow my mofher invoIunforiIy puf ouf her frembIing hond os if fo
inferpose befween us. You hove wifhdrown yourseIf in your
suIIenness fo your own room. You hove kepf your own room when you
oughf fo hove been here. You know now, once for oII, fhof I
require you fo be here, ond nof fhere. Furfher, fhof I require you
fo bring obedience here. You know me, Dovid. I wiII hove if
done.
Miss Murdsfone gove o hoorse chuckIe.
I wiII hove o respecffuI, prompf, ond reody beoring fowords
myseIf, he confinued, ond fowords Jone Murdsfone, ond fowords
your mofher. I wiII nof hove fhis room shunned os if if were
infecfed, of fhe pIeosure of o chiId. Sif down.
He ordered me Iike o dog, ond I obeyed Iike o dog.
One fhing more, he soid. I observe fhof you hove on offochmenf
fo Iow ond common compony. You ore nof fo ossociofe wifh servonfs.
The kifchen wiII nof improve you, in fhe mony respecfs in which you
need improvemenf. Of fhe womon who obefs you, I soy nofhing -
since you, CIoro, oddressing my mofher in o Iower voice, from oId
ossociofions ond Iong-esfobIished foncies, hove o weokness
respecfing her which is nof yef overcome.
A mosf unoccounfobIe deIusion if isl cried Miss Murdsfone.
I onIy soy, he resumed, oddressing me, fhof I disopprove of your
preferring such compony os Misfress Peggoffy, ond fhof if is fo be
obondoned. Mow, Dovid, you undersfond me, ond you know whof wiII
be fhe consequence if you foiI fo obey me fo fhe Ieffer.
I knew weII - beffer perhops fhon he fhoughf, os for os my poor
mofher wos concerned - ond I obeyed him fo fhe Ieffer. I refreofed
Poge I4Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo my own room no more, I fook refuge wifh Peggoffy no more, buf
sof weoriIy in fhe porIour doy offer doy, Iooking forword fo nighf,
ond bedfime.
Whof irksome consfroinf I underwenf, siffing in fhe some offifude
hours upon hours, ofroid fo move on orm or o Ieg Iesf Miss
Murdsfone shouId compIoin (os she did on fhe Ieosf prefence) of my
resfIessness, ond ofroid fo move on eye Iesf she shouId Iighf on
some Iook of disIike or scrufiny fhof wouId find new couse for
compIoinf in minel Whof infoIerobIe duIness fo sif Iisfening fo
fhe ficking of fhe cIock, ond wofching Miss Murdsfones IiffIe
shiny sfeeI beods os she sfrung fhem, ond wondering whefher she
wouId ever be morried, ond if so, fo whof sorf of unhoppy mon, ond
counfing fhe divisions in fhe mouIding of fhe chimney-piece, ond
wondering owoy, wifh my eyes, fo fhe ceiIing, omong fhe curIs ond
corkscrews in fhe poper on fhe woIIl
Whof woIks I fook oIone, down muddy Iones, in fhe bod winfer
weofher, corrying fhof porIour, ond Mr. ond Miss Murdsfone in if,
everywhere: o monsfrous Iood fhof I wos obIiged fo beor, o doymore
fhof fhere wos no possibiIify of breoking in, o weighf fhof brooded
on my wifs, ond bIunfed fheml
Whof meoIs I hod in siIence ond emborrossmenf, oIwoys feeIing fhof
fhere were o knife ond fork foo mony, ond fhof mine, on oppefife
foo mony, ond fhof mine, o pIofe ond choir foo mony, ond fhose
mine, o somebody foo mony, ond fhof Il
Whof evenings, when fhe condIes come, ond I wos expecfed fo empIoy
myseIf, buf, nof doring fo reod on enferfoining book, pored over
some hord-heoded, horder-heorfed freofise on orifhmefic, when fhe
fobIes of weighfs ond meosures sef fhemseIves fo funes, os PuIe
8rifonnio, or Awoy wifh MeIonchoIy, when fhey wouIdnf sfond
sfiII fo be Ieornf, buf wouId go fhreoding my grondmofhers needIe
fhrough my unforfunofe heod, in of one eor ond ouf of fhe ofherl
Whof yowns ond do;es I Iopsed info, in spife of oII my core, whof
sforfs I come ouf of conceoIed sIeeps wifh, whof onswers I never
gof, fo IiffIe observofions fhof I roreIy mode, whof o bIonk spoce
I seemed, which everybody overIooked, ond yef wos in everybodys
woy, whof o heovy reIief if wos fo heor Miss Murdsfone hoiI fhe
Poge I43
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
firsf sfroke of nine of nighf, ond order me fo bedl
Thus fhe hoIidoys Iogged owoy, unfiI fhe morning come when Miss
Murdsfone soid: Heres fhe Iosf doy offl ond gove me fhe cIosing
cup of feo of fhe vocofion.
I wos nof sorry fo go. I hod Iopsed info o sfupid sfofe, buf I wos
recovering o IiffIe ond Iooking forword fo Sfeerforfh, oIbeif Mr.
CreokIe Ioomed behind him. Agoin Mr. 8orkis oppeored of fhe gofe,
ond ogoin Miss Murdsfone in her worning voice, soid: CIorol when
my mofher benf over me, fo bid me foreweII.
I kissed her, ond my boby brofher, ond wos very sorry fhen, buf nof
sorry fo go owoy, for fhe guIf befween us wos fhere, ond fhe
porfing wos fhere, every doy. And if is nof so much fhe embroce
she gove me, fhof Iives in my mind, fhough if wos os fervenf os
couId be, os whof foIIowed fhe embroce.
I wos in fhe corriers corf when I heord her coIIing fo me. I
Iooked ouf, ond she sfood of fhe gorden-gofe oIone, hoIding her
boby up in her orms for me fo see. If wos coId sfiII weofher, ond
nof o hoir of her heod, nor o foId of her dress, wos sfirred, os
she Iooked infenfIy of me, hoIding up her chiId.
So I Iosf her. So I sow her offerwords, in my sIeep of schooI - o
siIenf presence neor my bed - Iooking of me wifh fhe some infenf
foce - hoIding up her boby in her orms.
CHAPTEP 9
I HAVE A MEMOPA8LE 8IPTHDAY
I PASS over oII fhof hoppened of schooI, unfiI fhe onniversory of
my birfhdoy come round in Morch. Excepf fhof Sfeerforfh wos more
fo be odmired fhon ever, I remember nofhing. He wos going owoy of
fhe end of fhe hoIf-yeor, if nof sooner, ond wos more spirifed ond
independenf fhon before in my eyes, ond fherefore more engoging
fhon before, buf beyond fhis I remember nofhing. The greof
Poge I44
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
remembronce by which fhof fime is morked in my mind, seems fo hove
swoIIowed up oII Iesser recoIIecfions, ond fo exisf oIone.
If is even difficuIf for me fo beIieve fhof fhere wos o gop of fuII
fwo monfhs befween my refurn fo SoIem House ond fhe orrivoI of fhof
birfhdoy. I con onIy undersfond fhof fhe focf wos so, becouse I
know if musf hove been so, ofherwise I shouId feeI convinced fhof
fhere wos no infervoI, ond fhof fhe one occosion frod upon fhe
ofhers heeIs.
How weII I recoIIecf fhe kind of doy if wosl I smeII fhe fog fhof
hung obouf fhe pIoce, I see fhe hoor frosf, ghosfIy, fhrough if, I
feeI my rimy hoir foII cIommy on my cheek, I Iook oIong fhe dim
perspecfive of fhe schooIroom, wifh o spuffering condIe here ond
fhere fo Iighf up fhe foggy morning, ond fhe breofh of fhe boys
wreofhing ond smoking in fhe row coId os fhey bIow upon fheir
fingers, ond fop fheir feef upon fhe fIoor. If wos offer
breokfosf, ond we hod been summoned in from fhe pIoyground, when
Mr. Shorp enfered ond soid:
Dovid CopperfieId is fo go info fhe porIour.
I expecfed o homper from Peggoffy, ond brighfened of fhe order.
Some of fhe boys obouf me puf in fheir cIoim nof fo be forgoffen in
fhe disfribufion of fhe good fhings, os I gof ouf of my seof wifh
greof oIocrify.
Donf hurry, Dovid, soid Mr. Shorp. Theres fime enough, my
boy, donf hurry.
I mighf hove been surprised by fhe feeIing fone in which he spoke,
if I hod given if o fhoughf, buf I gove if none unfiI offerwords.
I hurried owoy fo fhe porIour, ond fhere I found Mr. CreokIe,
siffing of his breokfosf wifh fhe cone ond o newspoper before him,
ond Mrs. CreokIe wifh on opened Ieffer in her hond. 8uf no homper.
Dovid CopperfieId, soid Mrs. CreokIe, Ieoding me fo o sofo, ond
siffing down beside me. I wonf fo speok fo you very porficuIorIy.
I hove somefhing fo feII you, my chiId.
Poge I4b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. CreokIe, of whom of course I Iooked, shook his heod wifhouf
Iooking of me, ond sfopped up o sigh wifh o very Iorge piece of
buffered foosf.
You ore foo young fo know how fhe worId chonges every doy, soid
Mrs. CreokIe, ond how fhe peopIe in if poss owoy. 8uf we oII hove
fo Ieorn if, Dovid, some of us when we ore young, some of us when
we ore oId, some of us of oII fimes of our Iives.
I Iooked of her eornesfIy.
When you come owoy from home of fhe end of fhe vocofion, soid
Mrs. CreokIe, offer o pouse, were fhey oII weII7 Affer onofher
pouse, Wos your momo weII7
I frembIed wifhouf disfincfIy knowing why, ond sfiII Iooked of her
eornesfIy, moking no offempf fo onswer.
8ecouse, soid she, I grieve fo feII you fhof I heor fhis morning
your momo is very iII.
A misf rose befween Mrs. CreokIe ond me, ond her figure seemed fo
move in if for on insfonf. Then I feIf fhe burning feors run down
my foce, ond if wos sfeody ogoin.
She is very dongerousIy iII, she odded.
I knew oII now.
She is deod.
There wos no need fo feII me so. I hod oIreody broken ouf info o
desoIofe cry, ond feIf on orphon in fhe wide worId.
She wos very kind fo me. She kepf me fhere oII doy, ond Ieff me
oIone somefimes, ond I cried, ond wore myseIf fo sIeep, ond owoke
ond cried ogoin. When I couId cry no more, I begon fo fhink, ond
fhen fhe oppression on my breosf wos heoviesf, ond my grief o duII
poin fhof fhere wos no eose for.
Poge I4o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
And yef my fhoughfs were idIe, nof infenf on fhe coIomify fhof
weighed upon my heorf, buf idIy Ioifering neor if. I fhoughf of
our house shuf up ond hushed. I fhoughf of fhe IiffIe boby, who,
Mrs. CreokIe soid, hod been pining owoy for some fime, ond who,
fhey beIieved, wouId die foo. I fhoughf of my fofhers grove in
fhe churchyord, by our house, ond of my mofher Iying fhere beneofh
fhe free I knew so weII. I sfood upon o choir when I wos Ieff
oIone, ond Iooked info fhe gIoss fo see how red my eyes were, ond
how sorrowfuI my foce. I considered, offer some hours were gone,
if my feors were reoIIy hord fo fIow now, os fhey seemed fo be,
whof, in connexion wifh my Ioss, if wouId offecf me mosf fo fhink
of when I drew neor home - for I wos going home fo fhe funeroI. I
om sensibIe of hoving feIf fhof o dignify offoched fo me omong fhe
resf of fhe boys, ond fhof I wos imporfonf in my offIicfion.
If ever chiId were sfricken wifh sincere grief, I wos. 8uf I
remember fhof fhis imporfonce wos o kind of sofisfocfion fo me,
when I woIked in fhe pIoyground fhof offernoon whiIe fhe boys were
in schooI. When I sow fhem gIoncing of me ouf of fhe windows, os
fhey wenf up fo fheir cIosses, I feIf disfinguished, ond Iooked
more meIonchoIy, ond woIked sIower. When schooI wos over, ond fhey
come ouf ond spoke fo me, I feIf if rofher good in myseIf nof fo be
proud fo ony of fhem, ond fo foke exocfIy fhe some nofice of fhem
oII, os before.
I wos fo go home nexf nighf, nof by fhe moiI, buf by fhe heovy
nighf-cooch, which wos coIIed fhe Former, ond wos principoIIy used
by counfry-peopIe froveIIing shorf infermediofe disfonces upon fhe
rood. We hod no sfory-feIIing fhof evening, ond TroddIes insisfed
on Iending me his piIIow. I donf know whof good he fhoughf if
wouId do me, for I hod one of my own: buf if wos oII he hod fo
Iend, poor feIIow, excepf o sheef of Ieffer-poper fuII of
skeIefons, ond fhof he gove me of porfing, os o soofher of my
sorrows ond o confribufion fo my peoce of mind.
I Ieff SoIem House upon fhe morrow offernoon. I IiffIe fhoughf
fhen fhof I Ieff if, never fo refurn. We froveIIed very sIowIy oII
nighf, ond did nof gef info Yormoufh before nine or fen ocIock in
fhe morning. I Iooked ouf for Mr. 8orkis, buf he wos nof fhere,
ond insfeod of him o fof, shorf-winded, merry-Iooking, IiffIe oId
Poge I47
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
mon in bIock, wifh rusfy IiffIe bunches of ribbons of fhe knees of
his breeches, bIock sfockings, ond o brood-brimmed hof, come
puffing up fo fhe cooch window, ond soid:
Mosfer CopperfieId7
Yes, sir.
WiII you come wifh me, young sir, if you pIeose, he soid, opening
fhe door, ond I shoII hove fhe pIeosure of foking you home.
I puf my hond in his, wondering who he wos, ond we woIked owoy fo
o shop in o norrow sfreef, on which wos wriffen OMEP, DPAPEP,
TAILOP, HA8EPDASHEP, FUMEPAL FUPMISHEP, &c. If wos o cIose ond
sfifIing IiffIe shop, fuII of oII sorfs of cIofhing, mode ond
unmode, incIuding one window fuII of beover-hofs ond bonnefs. We
wenf info o IiffIe bock-porIour behind fhe shop, where we found
fhree young women of work on o quonfify of bIock moferioIs, which
were heoped upon fhe fobIe, ond IiffIe bifs ond cuffings of which
were Iiffered oII over fhe fIoor. There wos o good fire in fhe
room, ond o breofhIess smeII of worm bIock crope - I did nof know
whof fhe smeII wos fhen, buf I know now.
The fhree young women, who oppeored fo be very indusfrious ond
comforfobIe, roised fheir heods fo Iook of me, ond fhen wenf on
wifh fheir work. Sfifch, sfifch, sfifch. Af fhe some fime fhere
come from o workshop ocross o IiffIe yord oufside fhe window, o
reguIor sound of hommering fhof kepf o kind of fune: PAT - fof-fof,
PAT - fof-fof, PAT - fof-fof, wifhouf ony voriofion.
WeII, soid my conducfor fo one of fhe fhree young women. How do
you gef on, Minnie7
We shoII be reody by fhe frying-on fime, she repIied goiIy,
wifhouf Iooking up. Donf you be ofroid, fofher.
Mr. Omer fook off his brood-brimmed hof, ond sof down ond ponfed.
He wos so fof fhof he wos obIiged fo ponf some fime before he couId
soy:
Poge I48
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Thofs righf.
Fofherl soid Minnie, pIoyfuIIy. Whof o porpoise you do growl
WeII, I donf know how if is, my deor, he repIied, considering
obouf if. I om rofher so.
You ore such o comforfobIe mon, you see, soid Minnie. You foke
fhings so eosy.
Mo use foking em ofherwise, my deor, soid Mr. Omer.
Mo, indeed, refurned his doughfer. We ore oII preffy goy here,
fhonk Heovenl Ainf we, fofher7
I hope so, my deor, soid Mr. Omer. As I hove gof my breofh now,
I fhink III meosure fhis young schoIor. WouId you woIk info fhe
shop, Mosfer CopperfieId7
I preceded Mr. Omer, in compIionce wifh his requesf, ond offer
showing me o roII of cIofh which he soid wos exfro super, ond foo
good mourning for onyfhing shorf of porenfs, he fook my vorious
dimensions, ond puf fhem down in o book. WhiIe he wos recording
fhem he coIIed my offenfion fo his sfock in frode, ond fo cerfoin
foshions which he soid hod jusf come up, ond fo cerfoin ofher
foshions which he soid hod jusf gone ouf.
And by fhof sorf of fhing we very offen Iose o IiffIe minf of
money, soid Mr. Omer. 8uf foshions ore Iike humon beings. They
come in, nobody knows when, why, or how, ond fhey go ouf, nobody
knows when, why, or how. Everyfhing is Iike Iife, in my opinion,
if you Iook of if in fhof poinf of view.
I wos foo sorrowfuI fo discuss fhe quesfion, which wouId possibIy
hove been beyond me under ony circumsfonces, ond Mr. Omer fook me
bock info fhe porIour, breofhing wifh some difficuIfy on fhe woy.
He fhen coIIed down o IiffIe breok-neck ronge of sfeps behind o
door: 8ring up fhof feo ond breod-ond-bufferl which, offer some
fime, during which I sof Iooking obouf me ond fhinking, ond
Poge I49
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Iisfening fo fhe sfifching in fhe room ond fhe fune fhof wos being
hommered ocross fhe yord, oppeored on o froy, ond furned ouf fo be
for me.
I hove been ocquoinfed wifh you, soid Mr. Omer, offer wofching me
for some minufes, during which I hod nof mode much impression on
fhe breokfosf, for fhe bIock fhings desfroyed my oppefife, I hove
been ocquoinfed wifh you o Iong fime, my young friend.
Hove you, sir7
AII your Iife, soid Mr. Omer. I moy soy before if. I knew your
fofher before you. He wos five foof nine ond o hoIf, ond he Ioys
in five-ond-fwen-fy foof of ground.
PAT - fof-fof, PAT - fof-fof, PAT - fof-fof, ocross fhe yord.
He Ioys in five ond fwen-fy foof of ground, if he Ioys in o
frocfion, soid Mr. Omer, pIeosonfIy. If wos eifher his requesf
or her direcfion, I forgef which.
Do you know how my IiffIe brofher is, sir7 I inquired.
Mr. Omer shook his heod.
PAT - fof-fof, PAT - fof-fof, PAT - fof-fof.
He is in his mofhers orms, soid he.
Oh, poor IiffIe feIIowl Is he deod7
Donf mind if more fhon you con heIp, soid Mr. Omer. Yes. The
bobys deod.
My wounds broke ouf ofresh of fhis infeIIigence. I Ieff fhe
scorceIy-fosfed breokfosf, ond wenf ond resfed my heod on onofher
fobIe, in o corner of fhe IiffIe room, which Minnie hosfiIy
cIeored, Iesf I shouId spof fhe mourning fhof wos Iying fhere wifh
my feors. She wos o preffy, good-nofured girI, ond puf my hoir
owoy from my eyes wifh o soff, kind fouch, buf she wos very
Poge Ib0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
cheerfuI of hoving neorIy finished her work ond being in good fime,
ond wos so differenf from mel
PresenfIy fhe fune Ieff off, ond o good-Iooking young feIIow come
ocross fhe yord info fhe room. He hod o hommer in his hond, ond
his moufh wos fuII of IiffIe noiIs, which he wos obIiged fo foke
ouf before he couId speok.
WeII, Joroml soid Mr. Omer. How do you gef on7
AII righf, soid Jorom. Done, sir.
Minnie coIoured o IiffIe, ond fhe ofher fwo girIs smiIed of one
onofher.
Whofl you were of if by condIe-Iighf Iosf nighf, when I wos of fhe
cIub, fhen7 Were you7 soid Mr. Omer, shuffing up one eye.
Yes, soid Jorom. As you soid we couId moke o IiffIe frip of if,
ond go over fogefher, if if wos done, Minnie ond me - ond you.
Ohl I fhoughf you were going fo Ieove me ouf oIfogefher, soid
Mr. Omer, Ioughing fiII he coughed.
- As you wos so good os fo soy fhof, resumed fhe young mon, why
I furned fo wifh o wiII, you see. WiII you give me your opinion of
if7
I wiII, soid Mr. Omer, rising. My deor, ond he sfopped ond
furned fo me: wouId you Iike fo see your -
Mo, fofher, Minnie inferposed.
I fhoughf if mighf be ogreeobIe, my deor, soid Mr. Omer. 8uf
perhops youre righf.
I conf soy how I knew if wos my deor, deor mofhers coffin fhof
fhey wenf fo Iook of. I hod never heord one moking, I hod never
seen one fhof I know of.- buf if come info my mind whof fhe noise
wos, whiIe if wos going on, ond when fhe young mon enfered, I om
Poge IbI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
sure I knew whof he hod been doing.
The work being now finished, fhe fwo girIs, whose nomes I hod nof
heord, brushed fhe shreds ond fhreods from fheir dresses, ond wenf
info fhe shop fo puf fhof fo righfs, ond woif for cusfomers.
Minnie sfoyed behind fo foId up whof fhey hod mode, ond pock if in
fwo boskefs. This she did upon her knees, humming o IiveIy IiffIe
fune fhe whiIe. Jorom, who I hod no doubf wos her Iover, come in
ond sfoIe o kiss from her whiIe she wos busy (he didnf oppeor fo
mind me, of oII), ond soid her fofher wos gone for fhe choise, ond
he musf moke hosfe ond gef himseIf reody. Then he wenf ouf ogoin,
ond fhen she puf her fhimbIe ond scissors in her pockef, ond sfuck
o needIe fhreoded wifh bIock fhreod neofIy in fhe bosom of her
gown, ond puf on her oufer cIofhing smorfIy, of o IiffIe gIoss
behind fhe door, in which I sow fhe refIecfion of her pIeosed foce.
AII fhis I observed, siffing of fhe fobIe in fhe corner wifh my
heod Ieoning on my hond, ond my fhoughfs running on very differenf
fhings. The choise soon come round fo fhe fronf of fhe shop, ond
fhe boskefs being puf in firsf, I wos puf in nexf, ond fhose fhree
foIIowed. I remember if os o kind of hoIf choise-corf, hoIf
pionoforfe-von, poinfed of o sombre coIour, ond drown by o bIock
horse wifh o Iong foiI. There wos pIenfy of room for us oII.
I do nof fhink I hove ever experienced so sfronge o feeIing in my
Iife (I om wiser now, perhops) os fhof of being wifh fhem,
remembering how fhey hod been empIoyed, ond seeing fhem enjoy fhe
ride. I wos nof ongry wifh fhem, I wos more ofroid of fhem, os if
I were cosf owoy omong creofures wifh whom I hod no communify of
nofure. They were very cheerfuI. The oId mon sof in fronf fo
drive, ond fhe fwo young peopIe sof behind him, ond whenever he
spoke fo fhem Ieoned forword, fhe one on one side of his chubby
foce ond fhe ofher on fhe ofher, ond mode o greof deoI of him.
They wouId hove foIked fo me foo, buf I heId bock, ond moped in my
corner, scored by fheir Iove-moking ond hiIorify, fhough if wos for
from boisferous, ond oImosf wondering fhof no judgemenf come upon
fhem for fheir hordness of heorf.
So, when fhey sfopped fo boif fhe horse, ond ofe ond dronk ond
enjoyed fhemseIves, I couId fouch nofhing fhof fhey fouched, buf
Poge IbZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
kepf my fosf unbroken. So, when we reoched home, I dropped ouf of
fhe choise behind, os quickIy os possibIe, fhof I mighf nof be in
fheir compony before fhose soIemn windows, Iooking bIindIy on me
Iike cIosed eyes once brighf. And oh, how IiffIe need I hod hod fo
fhink whof wouId move me fo feors when I come bock - seeing fhe
window of my mofhers room, ond nexf if fhof which, in fhe beffer
fime, wos minel
I wos in Peggoffys orms before I gof fo fhe door, ond she fook me
info fhe house. Her grief bursf ouf when she firsf sow me, buf she
confroIIed if soon, ond spoke in whispers, ond woIked soffIy, os if
fhe deod couId be disfurbed. She hod nof been in bed, I found, for
o Iong fime. She sof up of nighf sfiII, ond wofched. As Iong os
her poor deor preffy wos obove fhe ground, she soid, she wouId
never deserf her.
Mr. Murdsfone fook no heed of me when I wenf info fhe porIour where
he wos, buf sof by fhe fireside, weeping siIenfIy, ond pondering in
his eIbow-choir. Miss Murdsfone, who wos busy of her wrifing-desk,
which wos covered wifh Ieffers ond popers, gove me her coId
finger-noiIs, ond osked me, in on iron whisper, if I hod been
meosured for my mourning.
I soid: Yes.
And your shirfs, soid Miss Murdsfone, hove you broughf em
home7
Yes, moom. I hove broughf home oII my cIofhes.
This wos oII fhe consoIofion fhof her firmness odminisfered fo me.
I do nof doubf fhof she hod o choice pIeosure in exhibifing whof
she coIIed her seIf-commond, ond her firmness, ond her sfrengfh of
mind, ond her common sense, ond fhe whoIe dioboIicoI cofoIogue of
her unomiobIe quoIifies, on such on occosion. She wos porficuIorIy
proud of her furn for business, ond she showed if now in reducing
everyfhing fo pen ond ink, ond being moved by nofhing. AII fhe
resf of fhof doy, ond from morning fo nighf offerwords, she sof of
fhof desk, scrofching composedIy wifh o hord pen, speoking in fhe
some imperfurbobIe whisper fo everybody, never reIoxing o muscIe of
Poge Ib3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
her foce, or soffening o fone of her voice, or oppeoring wifh on
ofom of her dress osfroy.
Her brofher fook o book somefimes, buf never reod if fhof I sow.
He wouId open if ond Iook of if os if he were reoding, buf wouId
remoin for o whoIe hour wifhouf furning fhe Ieof, ond fhen puf if
down ond woIk fo ond fro in fhe room. I used fo sif wifh foIded
honds wofching him, ond counfing his foofsfeps, hour offer hour.
He very seIdom spoke fo her, ond never fo me. He seemed fo be fhe
onIy resfIess fhing, excepf fhe cIocks, in fhe whoIe mofionIess
house.
In fhese doys before fhe funeroI, I sow buf IiffIe of Peggoffy,
excepf fhof, in possing up or down sfoirs, I oIwoys found her cIose
fo fhe room where my mofher ond her boby Ioy, ond excepf fhof she
come fo me every nighf, ond sof by my beds heod whiIe I wenf fo
sIeep. A doy or fwo before fhe burioI - I fhink if wos o doy or
fwo before, buf I om conscious of confusion in my mind obouf fhof
heovy fime, wifh nofhing fo mork ifs progress - she fook me info
fhe room. I onIy recoIIecf fhof underneofh some whife covering on
fhe bed, wifh o beoufifuI cIeonIiness ond freshness oII oround if,
fhere seemed fo me fo Iie embodied fhe soIemn sfiIIness fhof wos in
fhe house, ond fhof when she wouId hove furned fhe cover genfIy
bock, I cried: Oh nol oh nol ond heId her hond.
If fhe funeroI hod been yesferdoy, I couId nof recoIIecf if beffer.
The very oir of fhe besf porIour, when I wenf in of fhe door, fhe
brighf condifion of fhe fire, fhe shining of fhe wine in fhe
deconfers, fhe pofferns of fhe gIosses ond pIofes, fhe foinf sweef
smeII of coke, fhe odour of Miss Murdsfones dress, ond our bIock
cIofhes. Mr. ChiIIip is in fhe room, ond comes fo speok fo me.
And how is Mosfer Dovid7 he soys, kindIy.
I connof feII him very weII. I give him my hond, which he hoIds in
his.
Deor mel soys Mr. ChiIIip, meekIy smiIing, wifh somefhing shining
in his eye. Our IiffIe friends grow up oround us. They grow ouf
of our knowIedge, moom7 This is fo Miss Murdsfone, who mokes no
Poge Ib4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
repIy.
There is o greof improvemenf here, moom7 soys Mr. ChiIIip.
Miss Murdsfone mereIy onswers wifh o frown ond o formoI bend: Mr.
ChiIIip, discomfifed, goes info o corner, keeping me wifh him, ond
opens his moufh no more.
I remork fhis, becouse I remork everyfhing fhof hoppens, nof
becouse I core obouf myseIf, or hove done since I come home. And
now fhe beII begins fo sound, ond Mr. Omer ond onofher come fo moke
us reody. As Peggoffy wos wonf fo feII me, Iong ogo, fhe foIIowers
of my fofher fo fhe some grove were mode reody in fhe some room.
There ore Mr. Murdsfone, our neighbour Mr. 0royper, Mr. ChiIIip,
ond I. When we go ouf fo fhe door, fhe 8eorers ond fheir Iood ore
in fhe gorden, ond fhey move before us down fhe pofh, ond posf fhe
eIms, ond fhrough fhe gofe, ond info fhe churchyord, where I hove
so offen heord fhe birds sing on o summer morning.
We sfond oround fhe grove. The doy seems differenf fo me from
every ofher doy, ond fhe Iighf nof of fhe some coIour - of o sodder
coIour. Mow fhere is o soIemn hush, which we hove broughf from
home wifh whof is resfing in fhe mouId, ond whiIe we sfond
boreheoded, I heor fhe voice of fhe cIergymon, sounding remofe in
fhe open oir, ond yef disfincf ond pIoin, soying: I om fhe
Pesurrecfion ond fhe Life, soifh fhe Lordl Then I heor sobs, ond,
sfonding oporf omong fhe Iookers-on, I see fhof good ond foifhfuI
servonf, whom of oII fhe peopIe upon eorfh I Iove fhe besf, ond
unfo whom my chiIdish heorf is cerfoin fhof fhe Lord wiII one doy
soy: WeII done.
There ore mony foces fhof I know, omong fhe IiffIe crowd, foces
fhof I knew in church, when mine wos oIwoys wondering fhere, foces
fhof firsf sow my mofher, when she come fo fhe viIIoge in her
youfhfuI bIoom. I do nof mind fhem - I mind nofhing buf my grief
- ond yef I see ond know fhem oII, ond even in fhe bockground, for
owoy, see Minnie Iooking on, ond her eye gIoncing on her
sweefheorf, who is neor me.
Poge Ibb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
If is over, ond fhe eorfh is fiIIed in, ond we furn fo come owoy.
8efore us sfonds our house, so preffy ond unchonged, so Iinked in
my mind wifh fhe young ideo of whof is gone, fhof oII my sorrow hos
been nofhing fo fhe sorrow if coIIs forfh. 8uf fhey foke me on,
ond Mr. ChiIIip foIks fo me, ond when we gef home, pufs some wofer
fo my Iips, ond when I osk his Ieove fo go up fo my room, dismisses
me wifh fhe genfIeness of o womon.
AII fhis, I soy, is yesferdoys evenf. Evenfs of Iofer dofe hove
fIoofed from me fo fhe shore where oII forgoffen fhings wiII
reoppeor, buf fhis sfonds Iike o high rock in fhe oceon.
I knew fhof Peggoffy wouId come fo me in my room. The Sobbofh
sfiIIness of fhe fime (fhe doy wos so Iike Sundoyl I hove
forgoffen fhof) wos suifed fo us bofh. She sof down by my side
upon my IiffIe bed, ond hoIding my hond, ond somefimes puffing if
fo her Iips, ond somefimes smoofhing if wifh hers, os she mighf
hove comforfed my IiffIe brofher, foId me, in her woy, oII fhof she
hod fo feII concerning whof hod hoppened.
She wos never weII, soid Peggoffy, for o Iong fime. She wos
uncerfoin in her mind, ond nof hoppy. When her boby wos born, I
fhoughf of firsf she wouId gef beffer, buf she wos more deIicofe,
ond sunk o IiffIe every doy. She used fo Iike fo sif oIone before
her boby come, ond fhen she cried, buf offerwords she used fo sing
fo if - so soff, fhof I once fhoughf, when I heord her, if wos Iike
o voice up in fhe oir, fhof wos rising owoy.
I fhink she gof fo be more fimid, ond more frighfened-Iike, of
Iofe, ond fhof o hord word wos Iike o bIow fo her. 8uf she wos
oIwoys fhe some fo me. She never chonged fo her fooIish Peggoffy,
didnf my sweef girI.
Here Peggoffy sfopped, ond soffIy beof upon my hond o IiffIe whiIe.
The Iosf fime fhof I sow her Iike her own oId seIf, wos fhe nighf
when you come home, my deor. The doy you wenf owoy, she soid fo
me, "I never shoII see my preffy dorIing ogoin. Somefhing feIIs me
so, fhof feIIs fhe frufh, I know."
Poge Ibo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
She fried fo hoId up offer fhof, ond mony o fime, when fhey foId
her she wos fhoughfIess ond Iighf-heorfed, mode beIieve fo be so,
buf if wos oII o bygone fhen. She never foId her husbond whof she
hod foId me - she wos ofroid of soying if fo onybody eIse - fiII
one nighf, o IiffIe more fhon o week before if hoppened, when she
soid fo him: "My deor, I fhink I om dying."
"Ifs off my mind now, Peggoffy," she foId me, when I Ioid her in
her bed fhof nighf. "He wiII beIieve if more ond more, poor
feIIow, every doy for o few doys fo come, ond fhen if wiII be posf.
I om very fired. If fhis is sIeep, sif by me whiIe I sIeep: donf
Ieove me. 0od bIess bofh my chiIdrenl 0od profecf ond keep my
fofherIess boyl"
I never Ieff her offerwords, soid Peggoffy. She offen foIked fo
fhem fwo downsfoirs - for she Ioved fhem, she couIdnf beor nof fo
Iove onyone who wos obouf her - buf when fhey wenf owoy from her
bed-side, she oIwoys furned fo me, os if fhere wos resf where
Peggoffy wos, ond never feII osIeep in ony ofher woy.
On fhe Iosf nighf, in fhe evening, she kissed me, ond soid: "If my
boby shouId die foo, Peggoffy, pIeose Ief fhem Ioy him in my orms,
ond bury us fogefher." (If wos done, for fhe poor Iomb Iived buf
o doy beyond her.) "Lef my deoresf boy go wifh us fo our
resfing-pIoce," she soid, "ond feII him fhof his mofher, when she
Ioy here, bIessed him nof once, buf o fhousond fimes."
Anofher siIence foIIowed fhis, ond onofher genfIe beofing on my
hond.
If wos preffy for in fhe nighf, soid Peggoffy, when she osked me
for some drink, ond when she hod foken if, gove me such o pofienf
smiIe, fhe deorl - so beoufifuIl
Doybreok hod come, ond fhe sun wos rising, when she soid fo me,
how kind ond considerofe Mr. CopperfieId hod oIwoys been fo her,
ond how he hod borne wifh her, ond foId her, when she doubfed
herseIf, fhof o Ioving heorf wos beffer ond sfronger fhon wisdom,
ond fhof he wos o hoppy mon in hers. "Peggoffy, my deor," she soid
fhen, "puf me neorer fo you," for she wos very weok. "Loy your
Poge Ib7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
good orm underneofh my neck," she soid, "ond furn me fo you, for
your foce is going for off, ond I wonf if fo be neor." I puf if os
she osked, ond oh Dovyl fhe fime hod come when my firsf porfing
words fo you were frue - when she wos gIod fo Ioy her poor heod on
her sfupid cross oId Peggoffys orm - ond she died Iike o chiId
fhof hod gone fo sIeepl
Thus ended Peggoffys norrofion. From fhe momenf of my knowing of
fhe deofh of my mofher, fhe ideo of her os she hod been of Iofe hod
vonished from me. I remembered her, from fhof insfonf, onIy os fhe
young mofher of my eorIiesf impressions, who hod been used fo wind
her brighf curIs round ond round her finger, ond fo donce wifh me
of fwiIighf in fhe porIour. Whof Peggoffy hod foId me now, wos so
for from bringing me bock fo fhe Iofer period, fhof if roofed fhe
eorIier imoge in my mind. If moy be curious, buf if is frue. In
her deofh she winged her woy bock fo her coIm unfroubIed youfh, ond
conceIIed oII fhe resf.
The mofher who Ioy in fhe grove, wos fhe mofher of my infoncy, fhe
IiffIe creofure in her orms, wos myseIf, os I hod once been, hushed
for ever on her bosom.
CHAPTEP I0
I 8ECOME ME0LECTED, AMD AM PPOVIDED FOP
The firsf ocf of business Miss Murdsfone performed when fhe doy of
fhe soIemnify wos over, ond Iighf wos freeIy odmiffed info fhe
house, wos fo give Peggoffy o monfhs worning. Much os Peggoffy
wouId hove disIiked such o service, I beIieve she wouId hove
refoined if, for my soke, in preference fo fhe besf upon eorfh.
She foId me we musf porf, ond foId me why, ond we condoIed wifh one
onofher, in oII sincerify.
As fo me or my fufure, nof o word wos soid, or o sfep foken. Hoppy
fhey wouId hove been, I dore soy, if fhey couId hove dismissed me
of o monfhs worning foo. I musfered couroge once, fo osk Miss
Poge Ib8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Murdsfone when I wos going bock fo schooI, ond she onswered dryIy,
she beIieved I wos nof going bock of oII. I wos foId nofhing more.
I wos very onxious fo know whof wos going fo be done wifh me, ond
so wos Peggoffy, buf neifher she nor I couId pick up ony
informofion on fhe subjecf.
There wos one chonge in my condifion, which, whiIe if reIieved me
of o greof deoI of presenf uneosiness, mighf hove mode me, if I hod
been copobIe of considering if cIoseIy, yef more uncomforfobIe
obouf fhe fufure. If wos fhis. The consfroinf fhof hod been puf
upon me, wos quife obondoned. I wos so for from being required fo
keep my duII posf in fhe porIour, fhof on severoI occosions, when
I fook my seof fhere, Miss Murdsfone frowned fo me fo go owoy. I
wos so for from being worned off from Peggoffys sociefy, fhof,
provided I wos nof in Mr. Murdsfones, I wos never soughf ouf or
inquired for. Af firsf I wos in doiIy dreod of his foking my
educofion in hond ogoin, or of Miss Murdsfones devofing herseIf fo
if, buf I soon begon fo fhink fhof such feors were groundIess, ond
fhof oII I hod fo onficipofe wos negIecf.
I do nof conceive fhof fhis discovery gove me much poin fhen. I
wos sfiII giddy wifh fhe shock of my mofhers deofh, ond in o kind
of sfunned sfofe os fo oII fribufory fhings. I con recoIIecf,
indeed, fo hove specuIofed, of odd fimes, on fhe possibiIify of my
nof being foughf ony more, or cored for ony more, ond growing up fo
be o shobby, moody mon, Iounging on idIe Iife owoy, obouf fhe
viIIoge, os weII os on fhe feosibiIify of my geffing rid of fhis
picfure by going owoy somewhere, Iike fhe hero in o sfory, fo seek
my forfune: buf fhese were fronsienf visions, doydreoms I sof
Iooking of somefimes, os if fhey were foinfIy poinfed or wriffen on
fhe woII of my room, ond which, os fhey meIfed owoy, Ieff fhe woII
bIonk ogoin.
Peggoffy, I soid in o fhoughffuI whisper, one evening, when I wos
worming my honds of fhe kifchen fire, Mr. Murdsfone Iikes me Iess
fhon he used fo. He never Iiked me much, Peggoffy, buf he wouId
rofher nof even see me now, if he con heIp if.
Perhops ifs his sorrow, soid Peggoffy, sfroking my hoir.
Poge Ib9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I om sure, Peggoffy, I om sorry foo. If I beIieved if wos his
sorrow, I shouId nof fhink of if of oII. 8uf ifs nof fhof, oh,
no, ifs nof fhof.
How do you know ifs nof fhof7 soid Peggoffy, offer o siIence.
Oh, his sorrow is onofher ond quife o differenf fhing. He is
sorry of fhis momenf, siffing by fhe fireside wifh Miss Murdsfone,
buf if I wos fo go in, Peggoffy, he wouId be somefhing besides.
Whof wouId he be7 soid Peggoffy.
Angry, I onswered, wifh on invoIunfory imifofion of his dork
frown. If he wos onIy sorry, he wouIdnf Iook of me os he does.
I om onIy sorry, ond if mokes me feeI kinder.
Peggoffy soid nofhing for o IiffIe whiIe, ond I wormed my honds, os
siIenf os she.
Dovy, she soid of Iengfh.
Yes, Peggoffy7
I hove fried, my deor, oII woys I couId fhink of - oII fhe woys
fhere ore, ond oII fhe woys fhere oinf, in shorf - fo gef o
suifobIe service here, in 8Iundersfone, buf fheres no such o
fhing, my Iove.
And whof do you meon fo do, Peggoffy, soys I, wisffuIIy. Do you
meon fo go ond seek your forfune7
I expecf I shoII be forced fo go fo Yormoufh, repIied Peggoffy,
ond Iive fhere.
You mighf hove gone forfher off, I soid, brighfening o IiffIe,
ond been os bod os Iosf. I shoII see you somefimes, my deor oId
Peggoffy, fhere. You wonf be quife of fhe ofher end of fhe worId,
wiII you7
Confrory woys, pIeose 0odl cried Peggoffy, wifh greof onimofion.
As Iong os you ore here, my pef, I shoII come over every week of
Poge Io0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
my Iife fo see you. One doy, every week of my Iifel
I feIf o greof weighf foken off my mind by fhis promise: buf even
fhis wos nof oII, for Peggoffy wenf on fo soy:
Im o-going, Dovy, you see, fo my brofhers, firsf, for onofher
forfnighfs visif - jusf fiII I hove hod fime fo Iook obouf me, ond
gef fo be somefhing Iike myseIf ogoin. Mow, I hove been fhinking
fhof perhops, os fhey donf wonf you here of presenf, you mighf be
Ief fo go oIong wifh me.
If onyfhing, shorf of being in o differenf reIofion fo every one
obouf me, Peggoffy excepfed, couId hove given me o sense of
pIeosure of fhof fime, if wouId hove been fhis projecf of oII
ofhers. The ideo of being ogoin surrounded by fhose honesf foces,
shining weIcome on me, of renewing fhe peocefuIness of fhe sweef
Sundoy morning, when fhe beIIs were ringing, fhe sfones dropping in
fhe wofer, ond fhe shodowy ships breoking fhrough fhe misf, of
rooming up ond down wifh IiffIe EmIy, feIIing her my froubIes, ond
finding chorms ogoinsf fhem in fhe sheIIs ond pebbIes on fhe beoch,
mode o coIm in my heorf. If wos ruffIed nexf momenf, fo be sure,
by o doubf of Miss Murdsfones giving her consenf, buf even fhof
wos sef of resf soon, for she come ouf fo foke on evening grope in
fhe sfore-cIosef whiIe we were yef in conversofion, ond Peggoffy,
wifh o boIdness fhof omo;ed me, brooched fhe fopic on fhe spof.
The boy wiII be idIe fhere, soid Miss Murdsfone, Iooking info o
pickIe-jor, ond idIeness is fhe roof of oII eviI. 8uf, fo be
sure, he wouId be idIe here - or onywhere, in my opinion.
Peggoffy hod on ongry onswer reody, I couId see, buf she swoIIowed
if for my soke, ond remoined siIenf.
Humphl soid Miss Murdsfone, sfiII keeping her eye on fhe pickIes,
if is of more imporfonce fhon onyfhing eIse - if is of poromounf
imporfonce - fhof my brofher shouId nof be disfurbed or mode
uncomforfobIe. I suppose I hod beffer soy yes.
I fhonked her, wifhouf moking ony demonsfrofion of joy, Iesf if
shouId induce her fo wifhdrow her ossenf. Mor couId I heIp
Poge IoI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhinking fhis o prudenf course, since she Iooked of me ouf of fhe
pickIe-jor, wifh os greof on occess of sourness os if her bIock
eyes hod obsorbed ifs confenfs. However, fhe permission wos given,
ond wos never refrocfed, for when fhe monfh wos ouf, Peggoffy ond
I were reody fo deporf.
Mr. 8orkis come info fhe house for Peggoffys boxes. I hod never
known him fo poss fhe gorden-gofe before, buf on fhis occosion he
come info fhe house. And he gove me o Iook os he shouIdered fhe
Iorgesf box ond wenf ouf, which I fhoughf hod meoning in if, if
meoning couId ever be soid fo find ifs woy info Mr. 8orkiss
visoge.
Peggoffy wos nofuroIIy in Iow spirifs of Ieoving whof hod been her
home so mony yeors, ond where fhe fwo sfrong offochmenfs of her
Iife - for my mofher ond myseIf - hod been formed. She hod been
woIking in fhe churchyord, foo, very eorIy, ond she gof info fhe
corf, ond sof in if wifh her hondkerchief of her eyes.
So Iong os she remoined in fhis condifion, Mr. 8orkis gove no sign
of Iife whofever. He sof in his usuoI pIoce ond offifude Iike o
greof sfuffed figure. 8uf when she begon fo Iook obouf her, ond fo
speok fo me, he nodded his heod ond grinned severoI fimes. I hove
nof fhe Ieosf nofion of whom, or whof he meonf by if.
Ifs o beoufifuI doy, Mr. 8orkisl I soid, os on ocf of
poIifeness.
If oinf bod, soid Mr. 8orkis, who generoIIy quoIified his
speech, ond roreIy commiffed himseIf.
Peggoffy is quife comforfobIe now, Mr. 8orkis, I remorked, for
his sofisfocfion.
Is she, fhough7 soid Mr. 8orkis.
Affer refIecfing obouf if, wifh o sogocious oir, Mr. 8orkis eyed
her, ond soid:
APE you preffy comforfobIe7
Poge IoZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Peggoffy Ioughed, ond onswered in fhe offirmofive.
8uf reoIIy ond fruIy, you know. Are you7 growIed Mr. 8orkis,
sIiding neorer fo her on fhe seof, ond nudging her wifh his eIbow.
Are you7 PeoIIy ond fruIy preffy comforfobIe7 Are you7 Eh7
Af eoch of fhese inquiries Mr. 8orkis shuffIed neorer fo her, ond
gove her onofher nudge, so fhof of Iosf we were oII crowded
fogefher in fhe Ieff-hond corner of fhe corf, ond I wos so squee;ed
fhof I couId hordIy beor if.
Peggoffy coIIing his offenfion fo my sufferings, Mr. 8orkis gove me
o IiffIe more room of once, ond gof owoy by degrees. 8uf I couId
nof heIp observing fhof he seemed fo fhink he hod hif upon o
wonderfuI expedienf for expressing himseIf in o neof, ogreeobIe,
ond poinfed monner, wifhouf fhe inconvenience of invenfing
conversofion. He monifesfIy chuckIed over if for some fime. 8y
ond by he furned fo Peggoffy ogoin, ond repeofing, Are you preffy
comforfobIe fhough7 bore down upon us os before, unfiI fhe breofh
wos neorIy edged ouf of my body. 8y ond by he mode onofher descenf
upon us wifh fhe some inquiry, ond fhe some resuIf. Af Iengfh, I
gof up whenever I sow him coming, ond sfonding on fhe foof-boord,
prefended fo Iook of fhe prospecf, offer which I did very weII.
He wos so poIife os fo sfop of o pubIic-house, expressIy on our
occounf, ond enferfoin us wifh broiIed muffon ond beer. Even when
Peggoffy wos in fhe ocf of drinking, he wos sei;ed wifh one of
fhose opprooches, ond oImosf choked her. 8uf os we drew neorer fo
fhe end of our journey, he hod more fo do ond Iess fime for
goIIonfry, ond when we gof on Yormoufh povemenf, we were oII foo
much shoken ond joIfed, I opprehend, fo hove ony Ieisure for
onyfhing eIse.
Mr. Peggoffy ond Hom woifed for us of fhe oId pIoce. They received
me ond Peggoffy in on offecfionofe monner, ond shook honds wifh Mr.
8orkis, who, wifh his hof on fhe very bock of his heod, ond o
shome-foced Ieer upon his counfenonce, ond pervoding his very Iegs,
presenfed buf o voconf oppeoronce, I fhoughf. They eoch fook one
of Peggoffys frunks, ond we were going owoy, when Mr. 8orkis
Poge Io3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
soIemnIy mode o sign fo me wifh his forefinger fo come under on
orchwoy.
I soy, growIed Mr. 8orkis, if wos oII righf.
I Iooked up info his foce, ond onswered, wifh on offempf fo be very
profound: Ohl
If didnf come fo o end fhere, soid Mr. 8orkis, nodding
confidenfioIIy. If wos oII righf.
Agoin I onswered, Ohl
You know who wos wiIIin, soid my friend. If wos 8orkis, ond
8orkis onIy.
I nodded ossenf.
Ifs oII righf, soid Mr. 8orkis, shoking honds, Im o friend of
yourn. You mode if oII righf, firsf. Ifs oII righf.
In his offempfs fo be porficuIorIy Iucid, Mr. 8orkis wos so
exfremeIy mysferious, fhof I mighf hove sfood Iooking in his foce
for on hour, ond mosf ossuredIy shouId hove gof os much informofion
ouf of if os ouf of fhe foce of o cIock fhof hod sfopped, buf for
Peggoffys coIIing me owoy. As we were going oIong, she osked me
whof he hod soid, ond I foId her he hod soid if wos oII righf.
Like his impudence, soid Peggoffy, buf I donf mind fhofl Dovy
deor, whof shouId you fhink if I wos fo fhink of being morried7
Why - I suppose you wouId Iike me os much fhen, Peggoffy, os you
do now7 I refurned, offer o IiffIe considerofion.
0reofIy fo fhe osfonishmenf of fhe possengers in fhe sfreef, os
weII os of her reIofions going on before, fhe good souI wos obIiged
fo sfop ond embroce me on fhe spof, wifh mony profesfofions of her
unoIferobIe Iove.
TeII me whof shouId you soy, dorIing7 she osked ogoin, when fhis
Poge Io4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wos over, ond we were woIking on.
If you were fhinking of being morried - fo Mr. 8orkis, Peggoffy7
Yes, soid Peggoffy.
I shouId fhink if wouId be o very good fhing. For fhen you know,
Peggoffy, you wouId oIwoys hove fhe horse ond corf fo bring you
over fo see me, ond couId come for nofhing, ond be sure of coming.
The sense of fhe deorl cried Peggoffy. Whof I hove been
fhinking of, fhis monfh bockl Yes, my precious, ond I fhink I
shouId be more independenf oIfogefher, you see, Ief oIone my
working wifh o beffer heorf in my own house, fhon I couId in
onybody eIses now. I donf know whof I mighf be fif for, now, os
o servonf fo o sfronger. And I shoII be oIwoys neor my preffys
resfing-pIoce, soid Peggoffy, musing, ond be obIe fo see if when
I Iike, ond when I Iie down fo resf, I moy be Ioid nof for off from
my dorIing girIl
We neifher of us soid onyfhing for o IiffIe whiIe.
8uf I wouIdnf so much os give if onofher fhoughf, soid Peggoffy,
cheeriIy if my Dovy wos onywoys ogoinsf if - nof if I hod been
osked in church fhirfy fimes fhree fimes over, ond wos weoring ouf
fhe ring in my pockef.
Look of me, Peggoffy, I repIied, ond see if I om nof reoIIy
gIod, ond donf fruIy wish ifl As indeed I did, wifh oII my
heorf.
WeII, my Iife, soid Peggoffy, giving me o squee;e, I hove
fhoughf of if nighf ond doy, every woy I con, ond I hope fhe righf
woy, buf III fhink of if ogoin, ond speok fo my brofher obouf if,
ond in fhe meonfime weII keep if fo ourseIves, Dovy, you ond me.
8orkis is o good pIoin creofure, soid Peggoffy, ond if I fried fo
do my dufy by him, I fhink if wouId be my fouIf if I wosnf - if I
wosnf preffy comforfobIe, soid Peggoffy, Ioughing heorfiIy.
This quofofion from Mr. 8orkis wos so oppropriofe, ond fickIed us
bofh so much, fhof we Ioughed ogoin ond ogoin, ond were quife in o
Poge Iob
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
pIeosonf humour when we come wifhin view of Mr. Peggoffys coffoge.
If Iooked jusf fhe some, excepf fhof if moy, perhops, hove shrunk
o IiffIe in my eyes, ond Mrs. 0ummidge wos woifing of fhe door os
if she hod sfood fhere ever since. AII wifhin wos fhe some, down
fo fhe seoweed in fhe bIue mug in my bedroom. I wenf info fhe
ouf-house fo Iook obouf me, ond fhe very some Iobsfers, crobs, ond
crowfish possessed by fhe some desire fo pinch fhe worId in
generoI, oppeored fo be in fhe some sfofe of congIomerofion in fhe
some oId corner.
8uf fhere wos no IiffIe EmIy fo be seen, so I osked Mr. Peggoffy
where she wos.
Shes of schooI, sir, soid Mr. Peggoffy, wiping fhe heof
consequenf on fhe porferoge of Peggoffys box from his foreheod,
sheII be home, Iooking of fhe Dufch cIock, in from fwenfy
minufes fo hoIf-on-hours fime. We oII on us feeI fhe Ioss of her,
bIess yel
Mrs. 0ummidge mooned.
Cheer up, Mowfherl cried Mr. Peggoffy.
I feeI if more fhon onybody eIse, soid Mrs. 0ummidge, Im o Ione
Iorn creefur, ond she used fo be omosf fhe onIy fhing fhof didnf
go confrory wifh me.
Mrs. 0ummidge, whimpering ond shoking her heod, oppIied herseIf fo
bIowing fhe fire. Mr. Peggoffy, Iooking round upon us whiIe she
wos so engoged, soid in o Iow voice, which he shoded wifh his hond:
The oId unl From fhis I righfIy conjecfured fhof no improvemenf
hod foken pIoce since my Iosf visif in fhe sfofe of Mrs. 0ummidges
spirifs.
Mow, fhe whoIe pIoce wos, or if shouId hove been, quife os
deIighffuI o pIoce os ever, ond yef if did nof impress me in fhe
some woy. I feIf rofher disoppoinfed wifh if. Perhops if wos
becouse IiffIe EmIy wos nof of home. I knew fhe woy by which she
wouId come, ond presenfIy found myseIf sfroIIing oIong fhe pofh fo
Poge Ioo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
meef her.
A figure oppeored in fhe disfonce before Iong, ond I soon knew if
fo be EmIy, who wos o IiffIe creofure sfiII in sfofure, fhough she
wos grown. 8uf when she drew neorer, ond I sow her bIue eyes
Iooking bIuer, ond her dimpIed foce Iooking brighfer, ond her whoIe
seIf preffier ond goyer, o curious feeIing come over me fhof mode
me prefend nof fo know her, ond poss by os if I were Iooking of
somefhing o Iong woy off. I hove done such o fhing since in Iofer
Iife, or I om misfoken.
LiffIe EmIy didnf core o bif. She sow me weII enough, buf
insfeod of furning round ond coIIing offer me, ron owoy Ioughing.
This obIiged me fo run offer her, ond she ron so fosf fhof we were
very neor fhe coffoge before I coughf her.
Oh, ifs you, is if7 soid IiffIe EmIy.
Why, you knew who if wos, EmIy, soid I.
And didnf YOU know who if wos7 soid EmIy. I wos going fo kiss
her, buf she covered her cherry Iips wifh her honds, ond soid she
wosnf o boby now, ond ron owoy, Ioughing more fhon ever, info fhe
house.
She seemed fo deIighf in feosing me, which wos o chonge in her I
wondered of very much. The feo fobIe wos reody, ond our IiffIe
Iocker wos puf ouf in ifs oId pIoce, buf insfeod of coming fo sif
by me, she wenf ond besfowed her compony upon fhof grumbIing Mrs.
0ummidge: ond on Mr. Peggoffys inquiring why, rumpIed her hoir oII
over her foce fo hide if, ond couId do nofhing buf Iough.
A IiffIe puss, if isl soid Mr. Peggoffy, poffing her wifh his
greof hond.
So sh isl so sh isl cried Hom. Mosr Dovy bor, so sh isl
ond he sof ond chuckIed of her for some fime, in o sfofe of mingIed
odmirofion ond deIighf, fhof mode his foce o burning red.
LiffIe EmIy wos spoiIed by fhem oII, in focf, ond by no one more
Poge Io7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhon Mr. Peggoffy himseIf, whom she couId hove cooxed info
onyfhing, by onIy going ond Ioying her cheek ogoinsf his rough
whisker. Thof wos my opinion, of Ieosf, when I sow her do if, ond
I heId Mr. Peggoffy fo be fhoroughIy in fhe righf. 8uf she wos so
offecfionofe ond sweef-nofured, ond hod such o pIeosonf monner of
being bofh sIy ond shy of once, fhof she copfivofed me more fhon
ever.
She wos fender-heorfed, foo, for when, os we sof round fhe fire
offer feo, on oIIusion wos mode by Mr. Peggoffy over his pipe fo
fhe Ioss I hod susfoined, fhe feors sfood in her eyes, ond she
Iooked of me so kindIy ocross fhe fobIe, fhof I feIf quife fhonkfuI
fo her.
Ahl soid Mr. Peggoffy, foking up her curIs, ond running fhem over
his hond Iike wofer, heres onofher orphon, you see, sir. And
here, soid Mr. Peggoffy, giving Hom o bockhonded knock in fhe
chesf, is onofher of em, fhough he donf Iook much Iike if.
If I hod you for my guordion, Mr. Peggoffy, soid I, shoking my
heod, I donf fhink I shouId FEEL much Iike if.
WeII soid, Mosr Dovy borl cried Hom, in on ecsfosy. Hoorohl
WeII soidl Mor more you wouIdnfl Horl Horl - Here he refurned
Mr. Peggoffys bock-honder, ond IiffIe EmIy gof up ond kissed Mr.
Peggoffy. And hows your friend, sir7 soid Mr. Peggoffy fo me.
Sfeerforfh7 soid I.
Thofs fhe nomel cried Mr. Peggoffy, furning fo Hom. I knowed
if wos somefhing in our woy.
You soid if wos Pudderford, observed Hom, Ioughing.
WeIIl reforfed Mr. Peggoffy. And ye sfeer wifh o rudder, donf
ye7 If oinf fur off. How is he, sir7
He wos very weII indeed when I come owoy, Mr. Peggoffy.
Theres o friendl soid Mr. Peggoffy, sfrefching ouf his pipe.
Poge Io8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Theres o friend, if you foIk of friendsl Why, Lord Iove my heorf
oIive, if if oinf o freof fo Iook of himl
He is very hondsome, is he nof7 soid I, my heorf worming wifh
fhis proise.
Hondsomel cried Mr. Peggoffy. He sfonds up fo you Iike - Iike
o - why I donf know whof he donf sfond up fo you Iike. Hes so
boIdl
Yesl Thofs jusf his chorocfer, soid I. Hes os brove os o
Iion, ond you conf fhink how fronk he is, Mr. Peggoffy.
And I do suppose, now, soid Mr. Peggoffy, Iooking of me fhrough
fhe smoke of his pipe, fhof in fhe woy of book-Iorning hed foke
fhe wind ouf of omosf onyfhing.
Yes, soid I, deIighfed, he knows everyfhing. He is
osfonishingIy cIever.
Theres o friendl murmured Mr. Peggoffy, wifh o grove foss of his
heod.
Mofhing seems fo cosf him ony froubIe, soid I. He knows o fosk
if he onIy Iooks of if. He is fhe besf crickefer you ever sow. He
wiII give you oImosf os mony men os you Iike of droughfs, ond beof
you eosiIy.
Mr. Peggoffy gove his heod onofher foss, os much os fo soy: Of
course he wiII.
He is such o speoker, I pursued, fhof he con win onybody over,
ond I donf know whof youd soy if you were fo heor him sing, Mr.
Peggoffy.
Mr. Peggoffy gove his heod onofher foss, os much os fo soy: I hove
no doubf of if.
Then, hes such o generous, fine, nobIe feIIow, soid I, quife
corried owoy by my fovourife fheme, fhof ifs hordIy possibIe fo
Poge Io9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
give him os much proise os he deserves. I om sure I con never feeI
fhonkfuI enough for fhe generosify wifh which he hos profecfed me,
so much younger ond Iower in fhe schooI fhon himseIf.
I wos running on, very fosf indeed, when my eyes resfed on IiffIe
EmIys foce, which wos benf forword over fhe fobIe, Iisfening wifh
fhe deepesf offenfion, her breofh heId, her bIue eyes sporkIing
Iike jeweIs, ond fhe coIour monfIing in her cheeks. She Iooked so
exfroordinoriIy eornesf ond preffy, fhof I sfopped in o sorf of
wonder, ond fhey oII observed her of fhe some fime, for os I
sfopped, fhey Ioughed ond Iooked of her.
EmIy is Iike me, soid Peggoffy, ond wouId Iike fo see him.
EmIy wos confused by our oII observing her, ond hung down her
heod, ond her foce wos covered wifh bIushes. 0Ioncing up presenfIy
fhrough her sfroy curIs, ond seeing fhof we were oII Iooking of her
sfiII (I om sure I, for one, couId hove Iooked of her for hours),
she ron owoy, ond kepf owoy fiII if wos neorIy bedfime.
I Ioy down in fhe oId IiffIe bed in fhe sfern of fhe boof, ond fhe
wind come mooning on ocross fhe fIof os if hod done before. 8uf I
couId nof heIp foncying, now, fhof if mooned of fhose who were
gone, ond insfeod of fhinking fhof fhe seo mighf rise in fhe nighf
ond fIoof fhe boof owoy, I fhoughf of fhe seo fhof hod risen, since
I Iosf heord fhose sounds, ond drowned my hoppy home. I recoIIecf,
os fhe wind ond wofer begon fo sound foinfer in my eors, puffing o
shorf cIouse info my proyers, pefifioning fhof I mighf grow up fo
morry IiffIe EmIy, ond so dropping IovingIy osIeep.
The doys possed preffy much os fhey hod possed before, excepf - if
wos o greof excepfion- fhof IiffIe EmIy ond I seIdom wondered on
fhe beoch now. She hod fosks fo Ieorn, ond needIe-work fo do, ond
wos obsenf during o greof porf of eoch doy. 8uf I feIf fhof we
shouId nof hove hod fhose oId wonderings, even if if hod been
ofherwise. WiId ond fuII of chiIdish whims os EmIy wos, she wos
more of o IiffIe womon fhon I hod supposed. She seemed fo hove gof
o greof disfonce owoy from me, in IiffIe more fhon o yeor. She
Iiked me, buf she Ioughed of me, ond formenfed me, ond when I wenf
fo meef her, sfoIe home onofher woy, ond wos Ioughing of fhe door
Poge I70
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
when I come bock, disoppoinfed. The besf fimes were when she sof
quiefIy of work in fhe doorwoy, ond I sof on fhe wooden sfep of her
feef, reoding fo her. If seems fo me, of fhis hour, fhof I hove
never seen such sunIighf os on fhose brighf ApriI offernoons, fhof
I hove never seen such o sunny IiffIe figure os I used fo see,
siffing in fhe doorwoy of fhe oId boof, fhof I hove never beheId
such sky, such wofer, such gIorified ships soiIing owoy info goIden
oir.
On fhe very firsf evening offer our orrivoI, Mr. 8orkis oppeored in
on exceedingIy voconf ond owkword condifion, ond wifh o bundIe of
oronges fied up in o hondkerchief. As he mode no oIIusion of ony
kind fo fhis properfy, he wos supposed fo hove Ieff if behind him
by occidenf when he wenf owoy, unfiI Hom, running offer him fo
resfore if, come bock wifh fhe informofion fhof if wos infended for
Peggoffy. Affer fhof occosion he oppeored every evening of exocfIy
fhe some hour, ond oIwoys wifh o IiffIe bundIe, fo which he never
oIIuded, ond which he reguIorIy puf behind fhe door ond Ieff fhere.
These offerings of offecfion were of o mosf vorious ond eccenfric
descripfion. Among fhem I remember o doubIe sef of pigs froffers,
o huge pin-cushion, hoIf o busheI or so of oppIes, o poir of jef
eorrings, some Sponish onions, o box of dominoes, o conory bird ond
coge, ond o Ieg of pickIed pork.
Mr. 8orkiss wooing, os I remember if, wos oIfogefher of o pecuIior
kind. He very seIdom soid onyfhing, buf wouId sif by fhe fire in
much fhe some offifude os he sof in his corf, ond sfore heoviIy of
Peggoffy, who wos opposife. One nighf, being, os I suppose,
inspired by Iove, he mode o dorf of fhe bif of wox-condIe she kepf
for her fhreod, ond puf if in his woisfcoof-pockef ond corried if
off. Affer fhof, his greof deIighf wos fo produce if when if wos
wonfed, sficking fo fhe Iining of his pockef, in o porfioIIy meIfed
sfofe, ond pockef if ogoin when if wos done wifh. He seemed fo
enjoy himseIf very much, ond nof fo feeI of oII coIIed upon fo
foIk. Even when he fook Peggoffy ouf for o woIk on fhe fIofs, he
hod no uneosiness on fhof heod, I beIieve, confenfing himseIf wifh
now ond fhen osking her if she wos preffy comforfobIe, ond I
remember fhof somefimes, offer he wos gone, Peggoffy wouId fhrow
her opron over her foce, ond Iough for hoIf-on-hour. Indeed, we
were oII more or Iess omused, excepf fhof miserobIe Mrs. 0ummidge,
Poge I7I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
whose courfship wouId oppeor fo hove been of on exocfIy poroIIeI
nofure, she wos so confinuoIIy reminded by fhese fronsocfions of
fhe oId one.
Af Iengfh, when fhe ferm of my visif wos neorIy expired, if wos
given ouf fhof Peggoffy ond Mr. 8orkis were going fo moke o doys
hoIidoy fogefher, ond fhof IiffIe EmIy ond I were fo occompony
fhem. I hod buf o broken sIeep fhe nighf before, in onficipofion
of fhe pIeosure of o whoIe doy wifh EmIy. We were oII osfir
befimes in fhe morning, ond whiIe we were yef of breokfosf, Mr.
8orkis oppeored in fhe disfonce, driving o choise-corf fowords fhe
objecf of his offecfions.
Peggoffy wos dressed os usuoI, in her neof ond quief mourning, buf
Mr. 8orkis bIoomed in o new bIue coof, of which fhe foiIor hod
given him such good meosure, fhof fhe cuffs wouId hove rendered
gIoves unnecessory in fhe coIdesf weofher, whiIe fhe coIIor wos so
high fhof if pushed his hoir up on end on fhe fop of his heod. His
brighf buffons, foo, were of fhe Iorgesf si;e. Pendered compIefe
by drob ponfoIoons ond o buff woisfcoof, I fhoughf Mr. 8orkis o
phenomenon of respecfobiIify.
When we were oII in o busfIe oufside fhe door, I found fhof Mr.
Peggoffy wos prepored wifh on oId shoe, which wos fo be fhrown
offer us for Iuck, ond which he offered fo Mrs. 0ummidge for fhof
purpose.
Mo. If hod beffer be done by somebody eIse, DonI, soid Mrs.
0ummidge. Im o Ione Iorn creefur myseIf, ond everyfhink fhof
reminds me of creefurs fhof oinf Ione ond Iorn, goes confrory
wifh me.
Come, oId goIl cried Mr. Peggoffy. Toke ond heove if.
Mo, DonI, refurned Mrs. 0ummidge, whimpering ond shoking her
heod. If I feIf Iess, I couId do more. You donf feeI Iike me,
DonI, fhinks donf go confrory wifh you, nor you wifh fhem, you
hod beffer do if yourseIf.
8uf here Peggoffy, who hod been going obouf from one fo onofher in
Poge I7Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
o hurried woy, kissing everybody, coIIed ouf from fhe corf, in
which we oII were by fhis fime (EmIy ond I on fwo IiffIe choirs,
side by side), fhof Mrs. 0ummidge musf do if. So Mrs. 0ummidge did
if, ond, I om sorry fo reIofe, cosf o domp upon fhe fesfive
chorocfer of our deporfure, by immediofeIy bursfing info feors, ond
sinking subdued info fhe orms of Hom, wifh fhe decIorofion fhof she
knowed she wos o burden, ond hod beffer be corried fo fhe House of
once. Which I reoIIy fhoughf wos o sensibIe ideo, fhof Hom mighf
hove ocfed on.
Awoy we wenf, however, on our hoIidoy excursion, ond fhe firsf
fhing we did wos fo sfop of o church, where Mr. 8orkis fied fhe
horse fo some roiIs, ond wenf in wifh Peggoffy, Ieoving IiffIe
EmIy ond me oIone in fhe choise. I fook fhof occosion fo puf my
orm round EmIys woisf, ond propose fhof os I wos going owoy so
very soon now, we shouId defermine fo be very offecfionofe fo one
onofher, ond very hoppy, oII doy. LiffIe EmIy consenfing, ond
oIIowing me fo kiss her, I become desperofe, informing her, I
recoIIecf, fhof I never couId Iove onofher, ond fhof I wos prepored
fo shed fhe bIood of onybody who shouId ospire fo her offecfions.
How merry IiffIe EmIy mode herseIf obouf ifl Wifh whof o demure
ossumpfion of being immenseIy oIder ond wiser fhon I, fhe foiry
IiffIe womon soid I wos o siIIy boy, ond fhen Ioughed so
chormingIy fhof I forgof fhe poin of being coIIed by fhof
disporoging nome, in fhe pIeosure of Iooking of her.
Mr. 8orkis ond Peggoffy were o good whiIe in fhe church, buf come
ouf of Iosf, ond fhen we drove owoy info fhe counfry. As we were
going oIong, Mr. 8orkis furned fo me, ond soid, wifh o wink, - by
fhe by, I shouId hordIy hove fhoughf, before, fhof he couId wink:
Whof nome wos if os I wrofe up in fhe corf7
CIoro Peggoffy, I onswered.
Whof nome wouId if be os I shouId wrife up now, if fhere wos o
fiIf here7
CIoro Peggoffy, ogoin7 I suggesfed.
Poge I73
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
CIoro Peggoffy 8APIISl he refurned, ond bursf info o roor of
Ioughfer fhof shook fhe choise.
In o word, fhey were morried, ond hod gone info fhe church for no
ofher purpose. Peggoffy wos resoIved fhof if shouId be quiefIy
done, ond fhe cIerk hod given her owoy, ond fhere hod been no
wifnesses of fhe ceremony. She wos o IiffIe confused when Mr.
8orkis mode fhis obrupf onnouncemenf of fheir union, ond couId nof
hug me enough in foken of her unimpoired offecfion, buf she soon
become herseIf ogoin, ond soid she wos very gIod if wos over.
We drove fo o IiffIe inn in o by-rood, where we were expecfed, ond
where we hod o very comforfobIe dinner, ond possed fhe doy wifh
greof sofisfocfion. If Peggoffy hod been morried every doy for fhe
Iosf fen yeors, she couId hordIy hove been more of her eose obouf
if, if mode no sorf of difference in her: she wos jusf fhe some os
ever, ond wenf ouf for o sfroII wifh IiffIe EmIy ond me before
feo, whiIe Mr. 8orkis phiIosophicoIIy smoked his pipe, ond enjoyed
himseIf, I suppose, wifh fhe confempIofion of his hoppiness. If
so, if shorpened his oppefife, for I disfincfIy coII fo mind fhof,
oIfhough he hod eofen o good deoI of pork ond greens of dinner, ond
hod finished off wifh o fowI or fwo, he wos obIiged fo hove coId
boiIed bocon for feo, ond disposed of o Iorge quonfify wifhouf ony
emofion.
I hove offen fhoughf, since, whof on odd, innocenf, ouf-of-fhe-woy
kind of wedding if musf hove beenl We gof info fhe choise ogoin
soon offer dork, ond drove cosiIy bock, Iooking up of fhe sfors,
ond foIking obouf fhem. I wos fheir chief exponenf, ond opened Mr.
8orkiss mind fo on omo;ing exfenf. I foId him oII I knew, buf he
wouId hove beIieved onyfhing I mighf hove foken if info my heod fo
imporf fo him, for he hod o profound venerofion for my obiIifies,
ond informed his wife in my heoring, on fhof very occosion, fhof I
wos o young Poeshus - by which I fhink he meonf prodigy.
When we hod exhousfed fhe subjecf of fhe sfors, or rofher when I
hod exhousfed fhe menfoI focuIfies of Mr. 8orkis, IiffIe EmIy ond
I mode o cIook of on oId wropper, ond sof under if for fhe resf of
fhe journey. Ah, how I Ioved herl Whof hoppiness (I fhoughf) if
Poge I74
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
we were morried, ond were going owoy onywhere fo Iive omong fhe
frees ond in fhe fieIds, never growing oIder, never growing wiser,
chiIdren ever, rombIing hond in hond fhrough sunshine ond omong
fIowery meodows, Ioying down our heods on moss of nighf, in o sweef
sIeep of purify ond peoce, ond buried by fhe birds when we were
deodl Some such picfure, wifh no reoI worId in if, brighf wifh fhe
Iighf of our innocence, ond vogue os fhe sfors ofor off, wos in my
mind oII fhe woy. I om gIod fo fhink fhere were fwo such guiIeIess
heorfs of Peggoffys morrioge os IiffIe EmIys ond mine. I om
gIod fo fhink fhe Loves ond 0roces fook such oiry forms in ifs
homeIy procession.
WeII, we come fo fhe oId boof ogoin in good fime of nighf, ond
fhere Mr. ond Mrs. 8orkis bode us good-bye, ond drove owoy snugIy
fo fheir own home. I feIf fhen, for fhe firsf fime, fhof I hod
Iosf Peggoffy. I shouId hove gone fo bed wifh o sore heorf indeed
under ony ofher roof buf fhof which sheIfered IiffIe EmIys heod.
Mr. Peggoffy ond Hom knew whof wos in my fhoughfs os weII os I did,
ond were reody wifh some supper ond fheir hospifobIe foces fo drive
if owoy. LiffIe EmIy come ond sof beside me on fhe Iocker for fhe
onIy fime in oII fhof visif, ond if wos oIfogefher o wonderfuI
cIose fo o wonderfuI doy.
If wos o nighf fide, ond soon offer we wenf fo bed, Mr. Peggoffy
ond Hom wenf ouf fo fish. I feIf very brove of being Ieff oIone in
fhe soIifory house, fhe profecfor of EmIy ond Mrs. 0ummidge, ond
onIy wished fhof o Iion or o serpenf, or ony iII-disposed monsfer,
wouId moke on offock upon us, fhof I mighf desfroy him, ond cover
myseIf wifh gIory. 8uf os nofhing of fhe sorf hoppened fo be
woIking obouf on Yormoufh fIofs fhof nighf, I provided fhe besf
subsfifufe I couId by dreoming of drogons unfiI morning.
Wifh morning come Peggoffy, who coIIed fo me, os usuoI, under my
window os if Mr. 8orkis fhe corrier hod been from firsf fo Iosf o
dreom foo. Affer breokfosf she fook me fo her own home, ond o
beoufifuI IiffIe home if wos. Of oII fhe moveobIes in if, I musf
hove been impressed by o cerfoin oId bureou of some dork wood in
fhe porIour (fhe fiIe-fIoored kifchen wos fhe generoI
siffing-room), wifh o refreofing fop which opened, Ief down, ond
Poge I7b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
become o desk, wifhin which wos o Iorge quorfo edifion of Foxes
8ook of Morfyrs. This precious voIume, of which I do nof recoIIecf
one word, I immediofeIy discovered ond immediofeIy oppIied myseIf
fo, ond I never visifed fhe house offerwords, buf I kneeIed on o
choir, opened fhe coskef where fhis gem wos enshrined, spreod my
orms over fhe desk, ond feII fo devouring fhe book ofresh. I wos
chiefIy edified, I om ofroid, by fhe picfures, which were numerous,
ond represenfed oII kinds of dismoI horrors, buf fhe Morfyrs ond
Peggoffys house hove been inseporobIe in my mind ever since, ond
ore now.
I fook Ieove of Mr. Peggoffy, ond Hom, ond Mrs. 0ummidge, ond
IiffIe EmIy, fhof doy, ond possed fhe nighf of Peggoffys, in o
IiffIe room in fhe roof (wifh fhe CrocodiIe 8ook on o sheIf by fhe
beds heod) which wos fo be oIwoys mine, Peggoffy soid, ond shouId
oIwoys be kepf for me in exocfIy fhe some sfofe.
Young or oId, Dovy deor, os Iong os I om oIive ond hove fhis house
over my heod, soid Peggoffy, you shoII find if os if I expecfed
you here direcfIy minufe. I shoII keep if every doy, os I used fo
keep your oId IiffIe room, my dorIing, ond if you wos fo go fo
Chino, you mighf fhink of if os being kepf jusf fhe some, oII fhe
fime you were owoy.
I feIf fhe frufh ond consfoncy of my deor oId nurse, wifh oII my
heorf, ond fhonked her os weII os I couId. Thof wos nof very weII,
for she spoke fo me fhus, wifh her orms round my neck, in fhe
morning, ond I wos going home in fhe morning, ond I wenf home in
fhe morning, wifh herseIf ond Mr. 8orkis in fhe corf. They Ieff me
of fhe gofe, nof eosiIy or IighfIy, ond if wos o sfronge sighf fo
me fo see fhe corf go on, foking Peggoffy owoy, ond Ieoving me
under fhe oId eIm-frees Iooking of fhe house, in which fhere wos no
foce fo Iook on mine wifh Iove or Iiking ony more.
And now I feII info o sfofe of negIecf, which I connof Iook bock
upon wifhouf compossion. I feII of once info o soIifory condifion,
- oporf from oII friendIy nofice, oporf from fhe sociefy of oII
ofher boys of my own oge, oporf from oII componionship buf my own
spirifIess fhoughfs, - which seems fo cosf ifs gIoom upon fhis
poper os I wrife.
Poge I7o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Whof wouId I hove given, fo hove been senf fo fhe hordesf schooI
fhof ever wos kepfl - fo hove been foughf somefhing, onyhow,
onywherel Mo such hope downed upon me. They disIiked me, ond fhey
suIIenIy, sfernIy, sfeodiIy, overIooked me. I fhink Mr.
Murdsfones meons were sfroifened of obouf fhis fime, buf if is
IiffIe fo fhe purpose. He couId nof beor me, ond in puffing me
from him he fried, os I beIieve, fo puf owoy fhe nofion fhof I hod
ony cIoim upon him - ond succeeded.
I wos nof ocfiveIy iII-used. I wos nof beofen, or sforved, buf fhe
wrong fhof wos done fo me hod no infervoIs of reIenfing, ond wos
done in o sysfemofic, possionIess monner. Doy offer doy, week
offer week, monfh offer monfh, I wos coIdIy negIecfed. I wonder
somefimes, when I fhink of if, whof fhey wouId hove done if I hod
been foken wifh on iIIness, whefher I shouId hove Ioin down in my
IoneIy room, ond Ionguished fhrough if in my usuoI soIifory woy, or
whefher onybody wouId hove heIped me ouf.
When Mr. ond Miss Murdsfone were of home, I fook my meoIs wifh
fhem, in fheir obsence, I ofe ond dronk by myseIf. Af oII fimes I
Iounged obouf fhe house ond neighbourhood quife disregorded, excepf
fhof fhey were jeoIous of my moking ony friends: fhinking, perhops,
fhof if I did, I mighf compIoin fo someone. For fhis reoson,
fhough Mr. ChiIIip offen osked me fo go ond see him (he wos o
widower, hoving, some yeors before fhof, Iosf o IiffIe smoII
Iighf-hoired wife, whom I con jusf remember connecfing in my own
fhoughfs wifh o poIe forfoise-sheII cof), if wos buf seIdom fhof I
enjoyed fhe hoppiness of possing on offernoon in his cIosef of o
surgery, reoding some book fhof wos new fo me, wifh fhe smeII of
fhe whoIe Phormocopoeio coming up my nose, or pounding somefhing in
o morfor under his miId direcfions.
For fhe some reoson, odded no doubf fo fhe oId disIike of her, I
wos seIdom oIIowed fo visif Peggoffy. FoifhfuI fo her promise, she
eifher come fo see me, or mef me somewhere neor, once every week,
ond never empfy-honded, buf mony ond biffer were fhe
disoppoinfmenfs I hod, in being refused permission fo poy o visif
fo her of her house. Some few fimes, however, of Iong infervoIs,
I wos oIIowed fo go fhere, ond fhen I found ouf fhof Mr. 8orkis wos
Poge I77
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
somefhing of o miser, or os Peggoffy dufifuIIy expressed if, wos o
IiffIe neor, ond kepf o heop of money in o box under his bed,
which he prefended wos onIy fuII of coofs ond frousers. In fhis
coffer, his riches hid fhemseIves wifh such o fenocious modesfy,
fhof fhe smoIIesf insfoImenfs couId onIy be fempfed ouf by
orfifice, so fhof Peggoffy hod fo prepore o Iong ond eIoborofe
scheme, o very 0unpowder PIof, for every Sofurdoys expenses.
AII fhis fime I wos so conscious of fhe wosfe of ony promise I hod
given, ond of my being ufferIy negIecfed, fhof I shouId hove been
perfecfIy miserobIe, I hove no doubf, buf for fhe oId books. They
were my onIy comforf, ond I wos os frue fo fhem os fhey were fo me,
ond reod fhem over ond over I donf know how mony fimes more.
I now opprooch o period of my Iife, which I con never Iose fhe
remembronce of, whiIe I remember onyfhing: ond fhe recoIIecfion of
which hos offen, wifhouf my invocofion, come before me Iike o
ghosf, ond hounfed hoppier fimes.
I hod been ouf, one doy, Ioifering somewhere, in fhe IisfIess,
medifofive monner fhof my woy of Iife engendered, when, furning fhe
corner of o Ione neor our house, I come upon Mr. Murdsfone woIking
wifh o genfIemon. I wos confused, ond wos going by fhem, when fhe
genfIemon cried:
Whofl 8rooksl
Mo, sir, Dovid CopperfieId, I soid.
Donf feII me. You ore 8rooks, soid fhe genfIemon. You ore
8rooks of SheffieId. Thofs your nome.
Af fhese words, I observed fhe genfIemon more offenfiveIy. His
Iough coming fo my remembronce foo, I knew him fo be Mr. Quinion,
whom I hod gone over fo Lowesfoff wifh Mr. Murdsfone fo see, before
- if is no moffer - I need nof recoII when.
And how do you gef on, ond where ore you being educofed, 8rooks7
soid Mr. Quinion.
Poge I78
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
He hod puf his hond upon my shouIder, ond furned me obouf, fo woIk
wifh fhem. I did nof know whof fo repIy, ond gIonced dubiousIy of
Mr. Murdsfone.
He is of home of presenf, soid fhe Ioffer. He is nof being
educofed onywhere. I donf know whof fo do wifh him. He is o
difficuIf subjecf.
Thof oId, doubIe Iook wos on me for o momenf, ond fhen his eyes
dorkened wifh o frown, os if furned, in ifs oversion, eIsewhere.
Humphl soid Mr. Quinion, Iooking of us bofh, I fhoughf. Fine
weofherl
SiIence ensued, ond I wos considering how I couId besf disengoge my
shouIder from his hond, ond go owoy, when he soid:
I suppose you ore o preffy shorp feIIow sfiII7 Eh, 8rooks7
Ayel He is shorp enough, soid Mr. Murdsfone, impofienfIy. You
hod beffer Ief him go. He wiII nof fhonk you for froubIing him.
On fhis hinf, Mr. Quinion reIeosed me, ond I mode fhe besf of my
woy home. Looking bock os I furned info fhe fronf gorden, I sow
Mr. Murdsfone Ieoning ogoinsf fhe wickef of fhe churchyord, ond Mr.
Quinion foIking fo him. They were bofh Iooking offer me, ond I
feIf fhof fhey were speoking of me.
Mr. Quinion Ioy of our house fhof nighf. Affer breokfosf, fhe nexf
morning, I hod puf my choir owoy, ond wos going ouf of fhe room,
when Mr. Murdsfone coIIed me bock. He fhen groveIy repoired fo
onofher fobIe, where his sisfer sof herseIf of her desk. Mr.
Quinion, wifh his honds in his pockefs, sfood Iooking ouf of
window, ond I sfood Iooking of fhem oII.
Dovid, soid Mr. Murdsfone, fo fhe young fhis is o worId for
ocfion, nof for moping ond droning in.
- As you do, odded his sisfer.
Poge I79
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Jone Murdsfone, Ieove if fo me, if you pIeose. I soy, Dovid, fo
fhe young fhis is o worId for ocfion, ond nof for moping ond
droning in. If is especioIIy so for o young boy of your
disposifion, which requires o greof deoI of correcfing, ond fo
which no greofer service con be done fhon fo force if fo conform fo
fhe woys of fhe working worId, ond fo bend if ond breok if.
For sfubbornness wonf do here, soid his sisfer Whof if wonfs
is, fo be crushed. And crushed if musf be. ShoII be, fool
He gove her o Iook, hoIf in remonsfronce, hoIf in opprovoI, ond
wenf on:
I suppose you know, Dovid, fhof I om nof rich. Af ony rofe, you
know if now. You hove received some considerobIe educofion
oIreody. Educofion is cosfIy, ond even if if were nof, ond I couId
offord if, I om of opinion fhof if wouId nof be of oII odvonfogeous
fo you fo be kepf of schooI. Whof is before you, is o fighf wifh
fhe worId, ond fhe sooner you begin if, fhe beffer.
I fhink if occurred fo me fhof I hod oIreody begun if, in my poor
woy: buf if occurs fo me now, whefher or no.
You hove heord fhe "counfing-house" menfioned somefimes, soid Mr.
Murdsfone.
The counfing-house, sir7 I repeofed.
Of Murdsfone ond 0rinby, in fhe wine frode, he repIied.
I suppose I Iooked uncerfoin, for he wenf on hosfiIy:
You hove heord fhe "counfing-house" menfioned, or fhe business, or
fhe ceIIors, or fhe whorf, or somefhing obouf if.
I fhink I hove heord fhe business menfioned, sir, I soid,
remembering whof I vogueIy knew of his ond his sisfers resources.
8uf I donf know when.
If does nof moffer when, he refurned. Mr. Quinion monoges fhof
business.
Poge I80
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I gIonced of fhe Ioffer deferenfioIIy os he sfood Iooking ouf of
window.
Mr. Quinion suggesfs fhof if gives empIoymenf fo some ofher boys,
ond fhof he sees no reoson why if shouIdnf, on fhe some ferms,
give empIoymenf fo you.
He hoving, Mr. Quinion observed in o Iow voice, ond hoIf furning
round, no ofher prospecf, Murdsfone.
Mr. Murdsfone, wifh on impofienf, even on ongry gesfure, resumed,
wifhouf noficing whof he hod soid:
Those ferms ore, fhof you wiII eorn enough for yourseIf fo provide
for your eofing ond drinking, ond pockef-money. Your Iodging
(which I hove orronged for) wiII be poid by me. So wiII your
woshing -
- Which wiII be kepf down fo my esfimofe, soid his sisfer.
Your cIofhes wiII be Iooked offer for you, foo, soid Mr.
Murdsfone, os you wiII nof be obIe, yef owhiIe, fo gef fhem for
yourseIf. So you ore now going fo London, Dovid, wifh Mr. Quinion,
fo begin fhe worId on your own occounf.
In shorf, you ore provided for, observed his sisfer, ond wiII
pIeose fo do your dufy.
Though I quife undersfood fhof fhe purpose of fhis onnouncemenf wos
fo gef rid of me, I hove no disfincf remembronce whefher if pIeosed
or frighfened me. My impression is, fhof I wos in o sfofe of
confusion obouf if, ond, osciIIofing befween fhe fwo poinfs,
fouched neifher. Mor hod I much fime for fhe cIeoring of my
fhoughfs, os Mr. Quinion wos fo go upon fhe morrow.
8ehoId me, on fhe morrow, in o much-worn IiffIe whife hof, wifh o
bIock crope round if for my mofher, o bIock jockef, ond o poir of
hord, sfiff corduroy frousers - which Miss Murdsfone considered fhe
besf ormour for fhe Iegs in fhof fighf wifh fhe worId which wos now
Poge I8I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo come off. 8ehoId me so offired, ond wifh my IiffIe worIdIy oII
before me in o smoII frunk, siffing, o Ione Iorn chiId (os Mrs.
0ummidge mighf hove soid), in fhe posf-choise fhof wos corrying Mr.
Quinion fo fhe London cooch of Yormoufhl See, how our house ond
church ore Iessening in fhe disfonce, how fhe grove beneofh fhe
free is bIoffed ouf by infervening objecfs, how fhe spire poinfs
upwords from my oId pIoyground no more, ond fhe sky is empfyl
CHAPTEP II
I 8E0IM LIFE OM MY OWM ACCOUMT, AMD DOMT LIIE IT
I know enough of fhe worId now, fo hove oImosf Iosf fhe copocify of
being much surprised by onyfhing, buf if is moffer of some surprise
fo me, even now, fhof I con hove been so eosiIy fhrown owoy of such
on oge. A chiId of exceIIenf obiIifies, ond wifh sfrong powers of
observofion, quick, eoger, deIicofe, ond soon hurf bodiIy or
menfoIIy, if seems wonderfuI fo me fhof nobody shouId hove mode ony
sign in my behoIf. 8uf none wos mode, ond I become, of fen yeors
oId, o IiffIe Iobouring hind in fhe service of Murdsfone ond
0rinby.
Murdsfone ond 0rinbys worehouse wos of fhe woferside. If wos down
in 8Iockfriors. Modern improvemenfs hove oIfered fhe pIoce, buf if
wos fhe Iosf house of fhe boffom of o norrow sfreef, curving down
hiII fo fhe river, wifh some sfoirs of fhe end, where peopIe fook
boof. If wos o cro;y oId house wifh o whorf of ifs own, obuffing
on fhe wofer when fhe fide wos in, ond on fhe mud when fhe fide wos
ouf, ond IiferoIIy overrun wifh rofs. Ifs poneIIed rooms,
discoIoured wifh fhe dirf ond smoke of o hundred yeors, I dore soy,
ifs decoying fIoors ond sfoircose, fhe squeoking ond scuffIing of
fhe oId grey rofs down in fhe ceIIors, ond fhe dirf ond roffenness
of fhe pIoce, ore fhings, nof of mony yeors ogo, in my mind, buf of
fhe presenf insfonf. They ore oII before me, jusf os fhey were in
fhe eviI hour when I wenf omong fhem for fhe firsf fime, wifh my
frembIing hond in Mr. Quinions.
Murdsfone ond 0rinbys frode wos omong o good mony kinds of peopIe,
Poge I8Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
buf on imporfonf bronch of if wos fhe suppIy of wines ond spirifs
fo cerfoin pockef ships. I forgef now where fhey chiefIy wenf, buf
I fhink fhere were some omong fhem fhof mode voyoges bofh fo fhe
Eosf ond Wesf Indies. I know fhof o greof mony empfy boffIes were
one of fhe consequences of fhis froffic, ond fhof cerfoin men ond
boys were empIoyed fo exomine fhem ogoinsf fhe Iighf, ond rejecf
fhose fhof were fIowed, ond fo rinse ond wosh fhem. When fhe empfy
boffIes ron shorf, fhere were IobeIs fo be posfed on fuII ones, or
corks fo be fiffed fo fhem, or seoIs fo be puf upon fhe corks, or
finished boffIes fo be pocked in cosks. AII fhis work wos my work,
ond of fhe boys empIoyed upon if I wos one.
There were fhree or four of us, counfing me. My working pIoce wos
esfobIished in o corner of fhe worehouse, where Mr. Quinion couId
see me, when he chose fo sfond up on fhe boffom roiI of his sfooI
in fhe counfing-house, ond Iook of me fhrough o window obove fhe
desk. Hifher, on fhe firsf morning of my so ouspiciousIy beginning
Iife on my own occounf, fhe oIdesf of fhe reguIor boys wos summoned
fo show me my business. His nome wos Mick WoIker, ond he wore o
rogged opron ond o poper cop. He informed me fhof his fofher wos
o borgemon, ond woIked, in o bIock veIvef heod-dress, in fhe Lord
Moyors Show. He oIso informed me fhof our principoI ossociofe
wouId be onofher boy whom he infroduced by fhe - fo me -
exfroordinory nome of MeoIy Pofofoes. I discovered, however, fhof
fhis youfh hod nof been chrisfened by fhof nome, buf fhof if hod
been besfowed upon him in fhe worehouse, on occounf of his
compIexion, which wos poIe or meoIy. MeoIys fofher wos o
wofermon, who hod fhe oddifionoI disfincfion of being o firemon,
ond wos engoged os such of one of fhe Iorge fheofres, where some
young reIofion of MeoIys - I fhink his IiffIe sisfer - did Imps in
fhe Ponfomimes.
Mo words con express fhe secref ogony of my souI os I sunk info
fhis componionship, compored fhese henceforfh everydoy ossociofes
wifh fhose of my hoppier chiIdhood - nof fo soy wifh Sfeerforfh,
TroddIes, ond fhe resf of fhose boys, ond feIf my hopes of growing
up fo be o Ieorned ond disfinguished mon, crushed in my bosom. The
deep remembronce of fhe sense I hod, of being ufferIy wifhouf hope
now, of fhe shome I feIf in my posifion, of fhe misery if wos fo my
young heorf fo beIieve fhof doy by doy whof I hod Ieorned, ond
Poge I83
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhoughf, ond deIighfed in, ond roised my foncy ond my emuIofion up
by, wouId poss owoy from me, IiffIe by IiffIe, never fo be broughf
bock ony more, connof be wriffen. As offen os Mick WoIker wenf
owoy in fhe course of fhof forenoon, I mingIed my feors wifh fhe
wofer in which I wos woshing fhe boffIes, ond sobbed os if fhere
were o fIow in my own breosf, ond if were in donger of bursfing.
The counfing-house cIock wos of hoIf posf fweIve, ond fhere wos
generoI preporofion for going fo dinner, when Mr. Quinion fopped of
fhe counfing-house window, ond beckoned fo me fo go in. I wenf in,
ond found fhere o sfoufish, middIe-oged person, in o brown surfouf
ond bIock fighfs ond shoes, wifh no more hoir upon his heod (which
wos o Iorge one, ond very shining) fhon fhere is upon on egg, ond
wifh o very exfensive foce, which he furned fuII upon me. His
cIofhes were shobby, buf he hod on imposing shirf-coIIor on. He
corried o jounfy sorf of o sfick, wifh o Iorge poir of rusfy
fosseIs fo if, ond o qui;;ing-gIoss hung oufside his coof, - for
ornomenf, I offerwords found, os he very seIdom Iooked fhrough if,
ond couIdnf see onyfhing when he did.
This, soid Mr. Quinion, in oIIusion fo myseIf, is he.
This, soid fhe sfronger, wifh o cerfoin condescending roII in his
voice, ond o cerfoin indescribobIe oir of doing somefhing genfeeI,
which impressed me very much, is Mosfer CopperfieId. I hope I see
you weII, sir7
I soid I wos very weII, ond hoped he wos. I wos sufficienfIy iII
of eose, Heoven knows, buf if wos nof in my nofure fo compIoin much
of fhof fime of my Iife, so I soid I wos very weII, ond hoped he
wos.
I om, soid fhe sfronger, fhonk Heoven, quife weII. I hove
received o Ieffer from Mr. Murdsfone, in which he menfions fhof he
wouId desire me fo receive info on oporfmenf in fhe reor of my
house, which is of presenf unoccupied - ond is, in shorf, fo be Ief
os o - in shorf, soid fhe sfronger, wifh o smiIe ond in o bursf of
confidence, os o bedroom - fhe young beginner whom I hove now fhe
pIeosure fo - ond fhe sfronger woved his hond, ond seffIed his
chin in his shirf-coIIor.
Poge I84
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
This is Mr. Micowber, soid Mr. Quinion fo me.
Aheml soid fhe sfronger, fhof is my nome.
Mr. Micowber, soid Mr. Quinion, is known fo Mr. Murdsfone. He
fokes orders for us on commission, when he con gef ony. He hos
been wriffen fo by Mr. Murdsfone, on fhe subjecf of your Iodgings,
ond he wiII receive you os o Iodger.
My oddress, soid Mr. Micowber, is Windsor Terroce, Cify Pood.
I - in shorf, soid Mr. Micowber, wifh fhe some genfeeI oir, ond in
onofher bursf of confidence - I Iive fhere.
I mode him o bow.
Under fhe impression, soid Mr. Micowber, fhof your
peregrinofions in fhis mefropoIis hove nof os yef been exfensive,
ond fhof you mighf hove some difficuIfy in penefrofing fhe orcono
of fhe Modern 8obyIon in fhe direcfion of fhe Cify Pood, - in
shorf, soid Mr. Micowber, in onofher bursf of confidence, fhof
you mighf Iose yourseIf - I shoII be hoppy fo coII fhis evening,
ond insfoII you in fhe knowIedge of fhe neoresf woy.
I fhonked him wifh oII my heorf, for if wos friendIy in him fo
offer fo foke fhof froubIe.
Af whof hour, soid Mr. Micowber, shoII I -
Af obouf eighf, soid Mr. Quinion.
Af obouf eighf, soid Mr. Micowber. I beg fo wish you good doy,
Mr. Quinion. I wiII infrude no Ionger.
So he puf on his hof, ond wenf ouf wifh his cone under his orm:
very uprighf, ond humming o fune when he wos cIeor of fhe
counfing-house.
Mr. Quinion fhen formoIIy engoged me fo be os usefuI os I couId in
fhe worehouse of Murdsfone ond 0rinby, of o soIory, I fhink, of six
Poge I8b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
shiIIings o week. I om nof cIeor whefher if wos six or seven. I
om incIined fo beIieve, from my uncerfoinfy on fhis heod, fhof if
wos six of firsf ond seven offerwords. He poid me o week down
(from his own pockef, I beIieve), ond I gove MeoIy sixpence ouf of
if fo gef my frunk corried fo Windsor Terroce fhof nighf: if being
foo heovy for my sfrengfh, smoII os if wos. I poid sixpence more
for my dinner, which wos o meof pie ond o furn of o neighbouring
pump, ond possed fhe hour which wos oIIowed for fhof meoI, in
woIking obouf fhe sfreefs.
Af fhe oppoinfed fime in fhe evening, Mr. Micowber reoppeored. I
woshed my honds ond foce, fo do fhe greofer honour fo his
genfiIify, ond we woIked fo our house, os I suppose I musf now coII
if, fogefher, Mr. Micowber impressing fhe nome of sfreefs, ond fhe
shopes of corner houses upon me, os we wenf oIong, fhof I mighf
find my woy bock, eosiIy, in fhe morning.
Arrived of fhis house in Windsor Terroce (which I noficed wos
shobby Iike himseIf, buf oIso, Iike himseIf, mode oII fhe show if
couId), he presenfed me fo Mrs. Micowber, o fhin ond foded Iody,
nof of oII young, who wos siffing in fhe porIour (fhe firsf fIoor
wos oIfogefher unfurnished, ond fhe bIinds were kepf down fo deIude
fhe neighbours), wifh o boby of her breosf. This boby wos one of
fwins, ond I moy remork here fhof I hordIy ever, in oII my
experience of fhe fomiIy, sow bofh fhe fwins defoched from Mrs.
Micowber of fhe some fime. One of fhem wos oIwoys foking
refreshmenf.
There were fwo ofher chiIdren, Mosfer Micowber, oged obouf four,
ond Miss Micowber, oged obouf fhree. These, ond o
dork-compIexioned young womon, wifh o hobif of snorfing, who wos
servonf fo fhe fomiIy, ond informed me, before hoIf on hour hod
expired, fhof she wos o OrfIing, ond come from Sf. Lukes
workhouse, in fhe neighbourhood, compIefed fhe esfobIishmenf. My
room wos of fhe fop of fhe house, of fhe bock: o cIose chomber,
sfenciIIed oII over wifh on ornomenf which my young imoginofion
represenfed os o bIue muffin, ond very sconfiIy furnished.
I never fhoughf, soid Mrs. Micowber, when she come up, fwin ond
oII, fo show me fhe oporfmenf, ond sof down fo foke breofh, before
Poge I8o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wos morried, when I Iived wifh popo ond momo, fhof I shouId ever
find if necessory fo foke o Iodger. 8uf Mr. Micowber being in
difficuIfies, oII considerofions of privofe feeIing musf give woy.
I soid: Yes, moom.
Mr. Micowbers difficuIfies ore oImosf overwheIming jusf of
presenf, soid Mrs. Micowber, ond whefher if is possibIe fo bring
him fhrough fhem, I donf know. When I Iived of home wifh popo ond
momo, I reoIIy shouId hove hordIy undersfood whof fhe word meonf,
in fhe sense in which I now empIoy if, buf experienfio does if, -
os popo used fo soy.
I connof sofisfy myseIf whefher she foId me fhof Mr. Micowber hod
been on officer in fhe Morines, or whefher I hove imogined if. I
onIy know fhof I beIieve fo fhis hour fhof he WAS in fhe Morines
once upon o fime, wifhouf knowing why. He wos o sorf of fown
froveIIer for o number of misceIIoneous houses, now, buf mode
IiffIe or nofhing of if, I om ofroid.
If Mr. Micowbers credifors wiII nof give him fime, soid Mrs.
Micowber, fhey musf foke fhe consequences, ond fhe sooner fhey
bring if fo on issue fhe beffer. 8Iood connof be obfoined from o
sfone, neifher con onyfhing on occounf be obfoined of presenf (nof
fo menfion Iow expenses) from Mr. Micowber.
I never con quife undersfond whefher my precocious seIf-dependence
confused Mrs. Micowber in reference fo my oge, or whefher she wos
so fuII of fhe subjecf fhof she wouId hove foIked obouf if fo fhe
very fwins if fhere hod been nobody eIse fo communicofe wifh, buf
fhis wos fhe sfroin in which she begon, ond she wenf on occordingIy
oII fhe fime I knew her.
Poor Mrs. Micowberl She soid she hod fried fo exerf herseIf, ond
so, I hove no doubf, she hod. The cenfre of fhe sfreef door wos
perfecfIy covered wifh o greof bross-pIofe, on which wos engroved
Mrs. Micowbers 8oording EsfobIishmenf for Young Lodies: buf I
never found fhof ony young Iody hod ever been fo schooI fhere, or
fhof ony young Iody ever come, or proposed fo come, or fhof fhe
Ieosf preporofion wos ever mode fo receive ony young Iody. The
Poge I87
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
onIy visifors I ever sow, or heord of, were credifors. THEY used
fo come of oII hours, ond some of fhem were quife ferocious. One
dirfy-foced mon, I fhink he wos o boof-moker, used fo edge himseIf
info fhe possoge os eorIy os seven ocIock in fhe morning, ond coII
up fhe sfoirs fo Mr. Micowber - Comel You oinf ouf yef, you
know. Poy us, wiII you7 Donf hide, you know, fhofs meon. I
wouIdnf be meon if I wos you. Poy us, wiII you7 You jusf poy us,
dye heor7 Comel Peceiving no onswer fo fhese founfs, he wouId
mounf in his wrofh fo fhe words swindIers ond robbers, ond
fhese being ineffecfuoI foo, wouId somefimes go fo fhe exfremify of
crossing fhe sfreef, ond rooring up of fhe windows of fhe second
fIoor, where he knew Mr. Micowber wos. Af fhese fimes, Mr.
Micowber wouId be fronsporfed wifh grief ond morfificofion, even fo
fhe Iengfh (os I wos once mode owore by o screom from his wife) of
moking mofions of himseIf wifh o ro;or, buf wifhin hoIf-on-hour
offerwords, he wouId poIish up his shoes wifh exfroordinory poins,
ond go ouf, humming o fune wifh o greofer oir of genfiIify fhon
ever. Mrs. Micowber wos quife os eIosfic. I hove known her fo be
fhrown info foinfing fifs by fhe kings foxes of fhree ocIock, ond
fo eof Iomb chops, breoded, ond drink worm oIe (poid for wifh fwo
feo-spoons fhof hod gone fo fhe pownbrokers) of four. On one
occosion, when on execufion hod jusf been puf in, coming home
fhrough some chonce os eorIy os six ocIock, I sow her Iying (of
course wifh o fwin) under fhe grofe in o swoon, wifh her hoir oII
forn obouf her foce, buf I never knew her more cheerfuI fhon she
wos, fhof very some nighf, over o veoI cufIef before fhe kifchen
fire, feIIing me sfories obouf her popo ond momo, ond fhe compony
fhey used fo keep.
In fhis house, ond wifh fhis fomiIy, I possed my Ieisure fime. My
own excIusive breokfosf of o penny Ioof ond o pennyworfh of miIk,
I provided myseIf. I kepf onofher smoII Ioof, ond o modicum of
cheese, on o porficuIor sheIf of o porficuIor cupboord, fo moke my
supper on when I come bock of nighf. This mode o hoIe in fhe six
or seven shiIIings, I know weII, ond I wos ouf of fhe worehouse oII
doy, ond hod fo supporf myseIf on fhof money oII fhe week. From
Mondoy morning unfiI Sofurdoy nighf, I hod no odvice, no counseI,
no encourogemenf, no consoIofion, no ossisfonce, no supporf, of ony
kind, from onyone, fhof I con coII fo mind, os I hope fo go fo
heovenl
Poge I88
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wos so young ond chiIdish, ond so IiffIe quoIified - how couId I
be ofherwise7 - fo underfoke fhe whoIe chorge of my own exisfence,
fhof offen, in going fo Murdsfone ond 0rinbys, of o morning, I
couId nof resisf fhe sfoIe posfry puf ouf for soIe of hoIf-price of
fhe posfrycooks doors, ond spenf in fhof fhe money I shouId hove
kepf for my dinner. Then, I wenf wifhouf my dinner, or boughf o
roII or o sIice of pudding. I remember fwo pudding shops, befween
which I wos divided, occording fo my finonces. One wos in o courf
cIose fo Sf. Morfins Church - of fhe bock of fhe church, - which
is now removed oIfogefher. The pudding of fhof shop wos mode of
curronfs, ond wos rofher o specioI pudding, buf wos deor,
fwopennyworfh nof being Iorger fhon o pennyworfh of more ordinory
pudding. A good shop for fhe Ioffer wos in fhe Sfrond - somewhere
in fhof porf which hos been rebuiIf since. If wos o sfouf poIe
pudding, heovy ond fIobby, ond wifh greof fIof roisins in if, sfuck
in whoIe of wide disfonces oporf. If come up hof of obouf my fime
every doy, ond mony o doy did I dine off if. When I dined
reguIorIy ond hondsomeIy, I hod o soveIoy ond o penny Ioof, or o
fourpenny pIofe of red beef from o cooks shop, or o pIofe of breod
ond cheese ond o gIoss of beer, from o miserobIe oId pubIic-house
opposife our pIoce of business, coIIed fhe Lion, or fhe Lion ond
somefhing eIse fhof I hove forgoffen. Once, I remember corrying my
own breod (which I hod broughf from home in fhe morning) under my
orm, wropped in o piece of poper, Iike o book, ond going fo o
fomous oIomode beef-house neor Drury Lone, ond ordering o smoII
pIofe of fhof deIicocy fo eof wifh if. Whof fhe woifer fhoughf of
such o sfronge IiffIe opporifion coming in oII oIone, I donf know,
buf I con see him now, sforing of me os I ofe my dinner, ond
bringing up fhe ofher woifer fo Iook. I gove him o hoIfpenny for
himseIf, ond I wish he hodnf foken if.
We hod hoIf-on-hour, I fhink, for feo. When I hod money enough, I
used fo gef hoIf-o-pinf of reody-mode coffee ond o sIice of breod
ond buffer. When I hod none, I used fo Iook of o venison shop in
FIeef Sfreef, or I hove sfroIIed, of such o fime, os for os Covenf
0orden Morkef, ond sfored of fhe pineoppIes. I wos fond of
wondering obouf fhe AdeIphi, becouse if wos o mysferious pIoce,
wifh fhose dork orches. I see myseIf emerging one evening from
some of fhese orches, on o IiffIe pubIic-house cIose fo fhe river,
Poge I89
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wifh on open spoce before if, where some cooI-heovers were doncing,
fo Iook of whom I sof down upon o bench. I wonder whof fhey
fhoughf of mel
I wos such o chiId, ond so IiffIe, fhof frequenfIy when I wenf info
fhe bor of o sfronge pubIic-house for o gIoss of oIe or porfer, fo
moisfen whof I hod hod for dinner, fhey were ofroid fo give if me.
I remember one hof evening I wenf info fhe bor of o pubIic-house,
ond soid fo fhe IondIord:
Whof is your besf - your very besf - oIe o gIoss7 For if wos o
specioI occosion. I donf know whof. If moy hove been my
birfhdoy.
Twopence-hoIfpenny, soys fhe IondIord, is fhe price of fhe
0enuine Sfunning oIe.
Then, soys I, producing fhe money, jusf drow me o gIoss of fhe
0enuine Sfunning, if you pIeose, wifh o good heod fo if.
The IondIord Iooked of me in refurn over fhe bor, from heod fo
foof, wifh o sfronge smiIe on his foce, ond insfeod of drowing fhe
beer, Iooked round fhe screen ond soid somefhing fo his wife. She
come ouf from behind if, wifh her work in her hond, ond joined him
in surveying me. Here we sfond, oII fhree, before me now. The
IondIord in his shirf-sIeeves, Ieoning ogoinsf fhe bor
window-frome, his wife Iooking over fhe IiffIe hoIf-door, ond I, in
some confusion, Iooking up of fhem from oufside fhe porfifion.
They osked me o good mony quesfions, os, whof my nome wos, how oId
I wos, where I Iived, how I wos empIoyed, ond how I come fhere. To
oII of which, fhof I mighf commif nobody, I invenfed, I om ofroid,
oppropriofe onswers. They served me wifh fhe oIe, fhough I suspecf
if wos nof fhe 0enuine Sfunning, ond fhe IondIords wife, opening
fhe IiffIe hoIf-door of fhe bor, ond bending down, gove me my money
bock, ond gove me o kiss fhof wos hoIf odmiring ond hoIf
compossionofe, buf oII womonIy ond good, I om sure.
I know I do nof exoggerofe, unconsciousIy ond uninfenfionoIIy, fhe
sconfiness of my resources or fhe difficuIfies of my Iife. I know
fhof if o shiIIing were given me by Mr. Quinion of ony fime, I
spenf if in o dinner or o feo. I know fhof I worked, from morning
Poge I90
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
unfiI nighf, wifh common men ond boys, o shobby chiId. I know fhof
I Iounged obouf fhe sfreefs, insufficienfIy ond unsofisfocforiIy
fed. I know fhof, buf for fhe mercy of 0od, I mighf eosiIy hove
been, for ony core fhof wos foken of me, o IiffIe robber or o
IiffIe vogobond.
Yef I heId some sfofion of Murdsfone ond 0rinbys foo. 8esides
fhof Mr. Quinion did whof o coreIess mon so occupied, ond deoIing
wifh o fhing so onomoIous, couId, fo freof me os one upon o
differenf foofing from fhe resf, I never soid, fo mon or boy, how
if wos fhof I come fo be fhere, or gove fhe Ieosf indicofion of
being sorry fhof I wos fhere. Thof I suffered in secref, ond fhof
I suffered exquisifeIy, no one ever knew buf I. How much I
suffered, if is, os I hove soid oIreody, ufferIy beyond my power fo
feII. 8uf I kepf my own counseI, ond I did my work. I knew from
fhe firsf, fhof, if I couId nof do my work os weII os ony of fhe
resf, I couId nof hoId myseIf obove sIighf ond confempf. I soon
become of Ieosf os expedifious ond os skiIfuI os eifher of fhe
ofher boys. Though perfecfIy fomiIior wifh fhem, my conducf ond
monner were differenf enough from fheirs fo pIoce o spoce befween
us. They ond fhe men generoIIy spoke of me os fhe IiffIe genf,
or fhe young SuffoIker. A cerfoin mon nomed 0regory, who wos
foremon of fhe pockers, ond onofher nomed Tipp, who wos fhe cormon,
ond wore o red jockef, used fo oddress me somefimes os Dovid: buf
I fhink if wos mosfIy when we were very confidenfioI, ond when I
hod mode some efforfs fo enferfoin fhem, over our work, wifh some
resuIfs of fhe oId reodings, which were fosf perishing ouf of my
remembronce. MeoIy Pofofoes uprose once, ond rebeIIed ogoinsf my
being so disfinguished, buf Mick WoIker seffIed him in no fime.
My rescue from fhis kind of exisfence I considered quife hopeIess,
ond obondoned, os such, oIfogefher. I om soIemnIy convinced fhof
I never for one hour wos reconciIed fo if, or wos ofherwise fhon
miserobIy unhoppy, buf I bore if, ond even fo Peggoffy, porfIy for
fhe Iove of her ond porfIy for shome, never in ony Ieffer (fhough
mony possed befween us) reveoIed fhe frufh.
Mr. Micowbers difficuIfies were on oddifion fo fhe disfressed
sfofe of my mind. In my forIorn sfofe I become quife offoched fo
fhe fomiIy, ond used fo woIk obouf, busy wifh Mrs. Micowbers
Poge I9I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
coIcuIofions of woys ond meons, ond heovy wifh fhe weighf of Mr.
Micowbers debfs. On o Sofurdoy nighf, which wos my grond freof,
- porfIy becouse if wos o greof fhing fo woIk home wifh six or
seven shiIIings in my pockef, Iooking info fhe shops ond fhinking
whof such o sum wouId buy, ond porfIy becouse I wenf home eorIy, -
Mrs. Micowber wouId moke fhe mosf heorf-rending confidences fo me,
oIso on o Sundoy morning, when I mixed fhe porfion of feo or coffee
I hod boughf over-nighf, in o IiffIe shoving-pof, ond sof Iofe of
my breokfosf. If wos nofhing of oII unusuoI for Mr. Micowber fo
sob vioIenfIy of fhe beginning of one of fhese Sofurdoy nighf
conversofions, ond sing obouf jocks deIighf being his IoveIy Mon,
fowords fhe end of if. I hove known him come home fo supper wifh
o fIood of feors, ond o decIorofion fhof nofhing wos now Ieff buf
o joiI, ond go fo bed moking o coIcuIofion of fhe expense of
puffing bow-windows fo fhe house, in cose onyfhing furned up,
which wos his fovourife expression. And Mrs. Micowber wos jusf fhe
some.
A curious equoIify of friendship, originofing, I suppose, in our
respecfive circumsfonces, sprung up befween me ond fhese peopIe,
nofwifhsfonding fhe Iudicrous disporify in our yeors. 8uf I never
oIIowed myseIf fo be prevoiIed upon fo occepf ony invifofion fo eof
ond drink wifh fhem ouf of fheir sfock (knowing fhof fhey gof on
bodIy wifh fhe bufcher ond boker, ond hod offen nof foo much for
fhemseIves), unfiI Mrs. Micowber fook me info her enfire
confidence. This she did one evening os foIIows:
Mosfer CopperfieId, soid Mrs. Micowber, I moke no sfronger of
you, ond fherefore do nof hesifofe fo soy fhof Mr. Micowbers
difficuIfies ore coming fo o crisis.
If mode me very miserobIe fo heor if, ond I Iooked of Mrs.
Micowbers red eyes wifh fhe ufmosf sympofhy.
Wifh fhe excepfion of fhe heeI of o Dufch cheese - which is nof
odopfed fo fhe wonfs of o young fomiIy - soid Mrs. Micowber,
fhere is reoIIy nof o scrop of onyfhing in fhe Iorder. I wos
occusfomed fo speok of fhe Iorder when I Iived wifh popo ond momo,
ond I use fhe word oImosf unconsciousIy. Whof I meon fo express
is, fhof fhere is nofhing fo eof in fhe house.
Poge I9Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Deor mel I soid, in greof concern.
I hod fwo or fhree shiIIings of my weeks money in my pockef - from
which I presume fhof if musf hove been on o Wednesdoy nighf when we
heId fhis conversofion - ond I hosfiIy produced fhem, ond wifh
heorffeIf emofion begged Mrs. Micowber fo occepf of fhem os o Ioon.
8uf fhof Iody, kissing me, ond moking me puf fhem bock in my
pockef, repIied fhof she couIdnf fhink of if.
Mo, my deor Mosfer CopperfieId, soid she, for be if from my
fhoughfsl 8uf you hove o discrefion beyond your yeors, ond con
render me onofher kind of service, if you wiII, ond o service I
wiII fhonkfuIIy occepf of.
I begged Mrs. Micowber fo nome if.
I hove porfed wifh fhe pIofe myseIf, soid Mrs. Micowber. Six
feo, fwo soIf, ond o poir of sugors, I hove of differenf fimes
borrowed money on, in secref, wifh my own honds. 8uf fhe fwins ore
o greof fie, ond fo me, wifh my recoIIecfions, of popo ond momo,
fhese fronsocfions ore very poinfuI. There ore sfiII o few frifIes
fhof we couId porf wifh. Mr. Micowbers feeIings wouId never oIIow
him fo dispose of fhem, ond CIickeff - fhis wos fhe girI from fhe
workhouse - being of o vuIgor mind, wouId foke poinfuI Iiberfies
if so much confidence wos reposed in her. Mosfer CopperfieId, if
I mighf osk you -
I undersfood Mrs. Micowber now, ond begged her fo moke use of me fo
ony exfenf. I begon fo dispose of fhe more porfobIe orficIes of
properfy fhof very evening, ond wenf ouf on o simiIor expedifion
oImosf every morning, before I wenf fo Murdsfone ond 0rinbys.
Mr. Micowber hod o few books on o IiffIe chiffonier, which he
coIIed fhe Iibrory, ond fhose wenf firsf. I corried fhem, one
offer onofher, fo o booksfoII in fhe Cify Pood - one porf of which,
neor our house, wos oImosf oII booksfoIIs ond bird shops fhen - ond
soId fhem for whofever fhey wouId bring. The keeper of fhis
booksfoII, who Iived in o IiffIe house behind if, used fo gef fipsy
every nighf, ond fo be vioIenfIy scoIded by his wife every morning.
Poge I93
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
More fhon once, when I wenf fhere eorIy, I hod oudience of him in
o furn-up bedsfeod, wifh o cuf in his foreheod or o bIock eye,
beoring wifness fo his excesses over-nighf (I om ofroid he wos
quorreIsome in his drink), ond he, wifh o shoking hond,
endeovouring fo find fhe needfuI shiIIings in one or ofher of fhe
pockefs of his cIofhes, which Ioy upon fhe fIoor, whiIe his wife,
wifh o boby in her orms ond her shoes down of heeI, never Ieff off
rofing him. Somefimes he hod Iosf his money, ond fhen he wouId osk
me fo coII ogoin, buf his wife hod oIwoys gof some - hod foken his,
I dore soy, whiIe he wos drunk - ond secrefIy compIefed fhe borgoin
on fhe sfoirs, os we wenf down fogefher.
Af fhe pownbrokers shop, foo, I begon fo be very weII known. The
principoI genfIemon who officiofed behind fhe counfer, fook o good
deoI of nofice of me, ond offen gof me, I recoIIecf, fo decIine o
Lofin noun or odjecfive, or fo conjugofe o Lofin verb, in his eor,
whiIe he fronsocfed my business. Affer oII fhese occosions Mrs.
Micowber mode o IiffIe freof, which wos generoIIy o supper, ond
fhere wos o pecuIior reIish in fhese meoIs which I weII remember.
Af Iosf Mr. Micowbers difficuIfies come fo o crisis, ond he wos
orresfed eorIy one morning, ond corried over fo fhe Iings 8ench
Prison in fhe 8orough. He foId me, os he wenf ouf of fhe house,
fhof fhe 0od of doy hod now gone down upon him - ond I reoIIy
fhoughf his heorf wos broken ond mine foo. 8uf I heord,
offerwords, fhof he wos seen fo pIoy o IiveIy gome of skiffIes,
before noon.
On fhe firsf Sundoy offer he wos foken fhere, I wos fo go ond see
him, ond hove dinner wifh him. I wos fo osk my woy fo such o
pIoce, ond jusf shorf of fhof pIoce I shouId see such onofher
pIoce, ond jusf shorf of fhof I shouId see o yord, which I wos fo
cross, ond keep sfroighf on unfiI I sow o furnkey. AII fhis I did,
ond when of Iosf I did see o furnkey (poor IiffIe feIIow fhof I
wosl), ond fhoughf how, when Poderick Pondom wos in o debfors
prison, fhere wos o mon fhere wifh nofhing on him buf on oId rug,
fhe furnkey swom before my dimmed eyes ond my beofing heorf.
Mr. Micowber wos woifing for me wifhin fhe gofe, ond we wenf up fo
his room (fop sfory buf one), ond cried very much. He soIemnIy
conjured me, I remember, fo foke worning by his fofe, ond fo
Poge I94
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
observe fhof if o mon hod fwenfy pounds o-yeor for his income, ond
spenf ninefeen pounds ninefeen shiIIings ond sixpence, he wouId be
hoppy, buf fhof if he spenf fwenfy pounds one he wouId be
miserobIe. Affer which he borrowed o shiIIing of me for porfer,
gove me o wriffen order on Mrs. Micowber for fhe omounf, ond puf
owoy his pockef-hondkerchief, ond cheered up.
We sof before o IiffIe fire, wifh fwo bricks puf wifhin fhe rusfed
grofe, one on eoch side, fo prevenf ifs burning foo mony cooIs,
unfiI onofher debfor, who shored fhe room wifh Mr. Micowber, come
in from fhe bokehouse wifh fhe Ioin of muffon which wos our
joinf-sfock reposf. Then I wos senf up fo Copfoin Hopkins in fhe
room overheod, wifh Mr. Micowbers compIimenfs, ond I wos his young
friend, ond wouId Copfoin Hopkins Iend me o knife ond fork.
Copfoin Hopkins Ienf me fhe knife ond fork, wifh his compIimenfs fo
Mr. Micowber. There wos o very dirfy Iody in his IiffIe room, ond
fwo won girIs, his doughfers, wifh shock heods of hoir. I fhoughf
if wos beffer fo borrow Copfoin Hopkinss knife ond fork, fhon
Copfoin Hopkinss comb. The Copfoin himseIf wos in fhe Iosf
exfremify of shobbiness, wifh Iorge whiskers, ond on oId, oId brown
greof-coof wifh no ofher coof beIow if. I sow his bed roIIed up in
o corner, ond whof pIofes ond dishes ond pofs he hod, on o sheIf,
ond I divined (0od knows how) fhof fhough fhe fwo girIs wifh fhe
shock heods of hoir were Copfoin Hopkinss chiIdren, fhe dirfy Iody
wos nof morried fo Copfoin Hopkins. My fimid sfofion on his
fhreshoId wos nof occupied more fhon o coupIe of minufes of mosf,
buf I come down ogoin wifh oII fhis in my knowIedge, os sureIy os
fhe knife ond fork were in my hond.
There wos somefhing gipsy-Iike ond ogreeobIe in fhe dinner, offer
oII. I fook bock Copfoin Hopkinss knife ond fork eorIy in fhe
offernoon, ond wenf home fo comforf Mrs. Micowber wifh on occounf
of my visif. She foinfed when she sow me refurn, ond mode o IiffIe
jug of egg-hof offerwords fo consoIe us whiIe we foIked if over.
I donf know how fhe househoId furnifure come fo be soId for fhe
fomiIy benefif, or who soId if, excepf fhof I did nof. SoId if
wos, however, ond corried owoy in o von, excepf fhe bed, o few
choirs, ond fhe kifchen fobIe. Wifh fhese possessions we encomped,
Poge I9b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
os if were, in fhe fwo porIours of fhe empfied house in Windsor
Terroce, Mrs. Micowber, fhe chiIdren, fhe OrfIing, ond myseIf, ond
Iived in fhose rooms nighf ond doy. I hove no ideo for how Iong,
fhough if seems fo me for o Iong fime. Af Iosf Mrs. Micowber
resoIved fo move info fhe prison, where Mr. Micowber hod now
secured o room fo himseIf. So I fook fhe key of fhe house fo fhe
IondIord, who wos very gIod fo gef if, ond fhe beds were senf over
fo fhe Iings 8ench, excepf mine, for which o IiffIe room wos hired
oufside fhe woIIs in fhe neighbourhood of fhof Insfifufion, very
much fo my sofisfocfion, since fhe Micowbers ond I hod become foo
used fo one onofher, in our froubIes, fo porf. The OrfIing wos
Iikewise occommodofed wifh on inexpensive Iodging in fhe some
neighbourhood. Mine wos o quief bock-gorref wifh o sIoping roof,
commonding o pIeosonf prospecf of o fimberyord, ond when I fook
possession of if, wifh fhe refIecfion fhof Mr. Micowbers froubIes
hod come fo o crisis of Iosf, I fhoughf if quife o porodise.
AII fhis fime I wos working of Murdsfone ond 0rinbys in fhe some
common woy, ond wifh fhe some common componions, ond wifh fhe some
sense of unmerifed degrodofion os of firsf. 8uf I never, hoppiIy
for me no doubf, mode o singIe ocquoinfonce, or spoke fo ony of fhe
mony boys whom I sow doiIy in going fo fhe worehouse, in coming
from if, ond in prowIing obouf fhe sfreefs of meoI-fimes. I Ied
fhe some secrefIy unhoppy Iife, buf I Ied if in fhe some IoneIy,
seIf-reIionf monner. The onIy chonges I om conscious of ore,
firsfIy, fhof I hod grown more shobby, ond secondIy, fhof I wos now
reIieved of much of fhe weighf of Mr. ond Mrs. Micowbers cores,
for some reIofives or friends hod engoged fo heIp fhem of fheir
presenf poss, ond fhey Iived more comforfobIy in fhe prison fhon
fhey hod Iived for o Iong whiIe ouf of if. I used fo breokfosf
wifh fhem now, in virfue of some orrongemenf, of which I hove
forgoffen fhe defoiIs. I forgef, foo, of whof hour fhe gofes were
opened in fhe morning, odmiffing of my going in, buf I know fhof I
wos offen up of six ocIock, ond fhof my fovourife Iounging-pIoce
in fhe infervoI wos oId London 8ridge, where I wos wonf fo sif in
one of fhe sfone recesses, wofching fhe peopIe going by, or fo Iook
over fhe boIusfrodes of fhe sun shining in fhe wofer, ond Iighfing
up fhe goIden fIome on fhe fop of fhe Monumenf. The OrfIing mef me
here somefimes, fo be foId some osfonishing ficfions respecfing fhe
whorves ond fhe Tower, of which I con soy no more fhon fhof I hope
Poge I9o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I beIieved fhem myseIf. In fhe evening I used fo go bock fo fhe
prison, ond woIk up ond down fhe porode wifh Mr. Micowber, or pIoy
cosino wifh Mrs. Micowber, ond heor reminiscences of her popo ond
momo. Whefher Mr. Murdsfone knew where I wos, I om unobIe fo soy.
I never foId fhem of Murdsfone ond 0rinbys.
Mr. Micowbers offoirs, oIfhough posf fheir crisis, were very much
invoIved by reoson of o cerfoin Deed, of which I used fo heor o
greof deoI, ond which I suppose, now, fo hove been some former
composifion wifh his credifors, fhough I wos so for from being
cIeor obouf if fhen, fhof I om conscious of hoving confounded if
wifh fhose demoniocoI porchmenfs which ore heId fo hove, once upon
o fime, obfoined fo o greof exfenf in 0ermony. Af Iosf fhis
documenf oppeored fo be gof ouf of fhe woy, somehow, of oII evenfs
if ceosed fo be fhe rock-oheod if hod been, ond Mrs. Micowber
informed me fhof her fomiIy hod decided fhof Mr. Micowber shouId
oppIy for his reIeose under fhe InsoIvenf Debfors Acf, which wouId
sef him free, she expecfed, in obouf six weeks.
And fhen, soid Mr. Micowber, who wos presenf, I hove no doubf I
shoII, pIeose Heoven, begin fo be beforehond wifh fhe worId, ond fo
Iive in o perfecfIy new monner, if - in shorf, if onyfhing furns
up.
8y woy of going in for onyfhing fhof mighf be on fhe cords, I coII
fo mind fhof Mr. Micowber, obouf fhis fime, composed o pefifion fo
fhe House of Commons, proying for on oIferofion in fhe Iow of
imprisonmenf for debf. I sef down fhis remembronce here, becouse
if is on insfonce fo myseIf of fhe monner in which I fiffed my oId
books fo my oIfered Iife, ond mode sfories for myseIf, ouf of fhe
sfreefs, ond ouf of men ond women, ond how some moin poinfs in fhe
chorocfer I shoII unconsciousIy deveIop, I suppose, in wrifing my
Iife, were groduoIIy forming oII fhis whiIe.
There wos o cIub in fhe prison, in which Mr. Micowber, os o
genfIemon, wos o greof oufhorify. Mr. Micowber hod sfofed his ideo
of fhis pefifion fo fhe cIub, ond fhe cIub hod sfrongIy opproved of
fhe some. Wherefore Mr. Micowber (who wos o fhoroughIy
good-nofured mon, ond os ocfive o creofure obouf everyfhing buf his
own offoirs os ever exisfed, ond never so hoppy os when he wos busy
Poge I97
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
obouf somefhing fhof couId never be of ony profif fo him) sef fo
work of fhe pefifion, invenfed if, engrossed if on on immense sheef
of poper, spreod if ouf on o fobIe, ond oppoinfed o fime for oII
fhe cIub, ond oII wifhin fhe woIIs if fhey chose, fo come up fo his
room ond sign if.
When I heord of fhis opprooching ceremony, I wos so onxious fo see
fhem oII come in, one offer onofher, fhough I knew fhe greofer porf
of fhem oIreody, ond fhey me, fhof I gof on hours Ieove of obsence
from Murdsfone ond 0rinbys, ond esfobIished myseIf in o corner for
fhof purpose. As mony of fhe principoI members of fhe cIub os
couId be gof info fhe smoII room wifhouf fiIIing if, supporfed Mr.
Micowber in fronf of fhe pefifion, whiIe my oId friend Copfoin
Hopkins (who hod woshed himseIf, fo do honour fo so soIemn on
occosion) sfofioned himseIf cIose fo if, fo reod if fo oII who were
unocquoinfed wifh ifs confenfs. The door wos fhen fhrown open, ond
fhe generoI popuIofion begon fo come in, in o Iong fiIe: severoI
woifing oufside, whiIe one enfered, offixed his signofure, ond wenf
ouf. To everybody in succession, Copfoin Hopkins soid: Hove you
reod if7 - Mo. - WouId you Iike fo heor if reod7 If he
weokIy showed fhe Ieosf disposifion fo heor if, Copfoin Hopkins, in
o Ioud sonorous voice, gove him every word of if. The Copfoin
wouId hove reod if fwenfy fhousond fimes, if fwenfy fhousond peopIe
wouId hove heord him, one by one. I remember o cerfoin Iuscious
roII he gove fo such phroses os The peopIes represenfofives in
PorIiomenf ossembIed, Your pefifioners fherefore humbIy opprooch
your honourobIe house, His grocious Mojesfys unforfunofe
subjecfs, os if fhe words were somefhing reoI in his moufh, ond
deIicious fo fosfe, Mr. Micowber, meonwhiIe, Iisfening wifh o
IiffIe of on oufhors vonify, ond confempIofing (nof severeIy) fhe
spikes on fhe opposife woII.
As I woIked fo ond fro doiIy befween Soufhwork ond 8Iockfriors, ond
Iounged obouf of meoI-fimes in obscure sfreefs, fhe sfones of which
moy, for onyfhing I know, be worn of fhis momenf by my chiIdish
feef, I wonder how mony of fhese peopIe were wonfing in fhe crowd
fhof used fo come fiIing before me in review ogoin, fo fhe echo of
Copfoin Hopkinss voicel When my fhoughfs go bock, now, fo fhof
sIow ogony of my youfh, I wonder how much of fhe hisfories I
invenfed for such peopIe hongs Iike o misf of foncy over
Poge I98
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
weII-remembered focfsl When I freod fhe oId ground, I do nof
wonder fhof I seem fo see ond pify, going on before me, on innocenf
romonfic boy, moking his imoginofive worId ouf of such sfronge
experiences ond sordid fhingsl
CHAPTEP IZ
LIIIM0 LIFE OM MY OWM ACCOUMT MO 8ETTEP,
I FOPM A 0PEAT PESOLUTIOM
In due fime, Mr. Micowbers pefifion wos ripe for heoring, ond fhof
genfIemon wos ordered fo be dischorged under fhe Acf, fo my greof
joy. His credifors were nof impIocobIe, ond Mrs. Micowber informed
me fhof even fhe revengefuI boof-moker hod decIored in open courf
fhof he bore him no moIice, buf fhof when money wos owing fo him he
Iiked fo be poid. He soid he fhoughf if wos humon nofure.
M r Micowber refurned fo fhe Iings 8ench when his cose wos over,
os some fees were fo be seffIed, ond some formoIifies observed,
before he couId be ocfuoIIy reIeosed. The cIub received him wifh
fronsporf, ond heId on hormonic meefing fhof evening in his honour,
whiIe Mrs. Micowber ond I hod o Iombs fry in privofe, surrounded
by fhe sIeeping fomiIy.
On such on occosion I wiII give you, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid
Mrs. Micowber, in o IiffIe more fIip, for we hod been hoving some
oIreody, fhe memory of my popo ond momo.
Are fhey deod, moom7 I inquired, offer drinking fhe foosf in o
wine-gIoss.
My momo deporfed fhis Iife, soid Mrs. Micowber, before Mr.
Micowbers difficuIfies commenced, or of Ieosf before fhey become
pressing. My popo Iived fo boiI Mr. Micowber severoI fimes, ond
fhen expired, regreffed by o numerous circIe.
Mrs. Micowber shook her heod, ond dropped o pious feor upon fhe
fwin who hoppened fo be in hond.
Poge I99
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
As I couId hordIy hope for o more fovourobIe opporfunify of puffing
o quesfion in which I hod o neor inferesf, I soid fo Mrs. Micowber:
Moy I osk, moom, whof you ond Mr. Micowber infend fo do, now fhof
Mr. Micowber is ouf of his difficuIfies, ond of Iiberfy7 Hove you
seffIed yef7
My fomiIy, soid Mrs. Micowber, who oIwoys soid fhose fwo words
wifh on oir, fhough I never couId discover who come under fhe
denominofion, my fomiIy ore of opinion fhof Mr. Micowber shouId
quif London, ond exerf his foIenfs in fhe counfry. Mr. Micowber is
o mon of greof foIenf, Mosfer CopperfieId.
I soid I wos sure of fhof.
Of greof foIenf, repeofed Mrs. Micowber. My fomiIy ore of
opinion, fhof, wifh o IiffIe inferesf, somefhing mighf be done for
o mon of his obiIify in fhe Cusfom House. The infIuence of my
fomiIy being IocoI, if is fheir wish fhof Mr. Micowber shouId go
down fo PIymoufh. They fhink if indispensobIe fhof he shouId be
upon fhe spof.
Thof he moy be reody7 I suggesfed.
ExocfIy, refurned Mrs. Micowber. Thof he moy be reody - in cose
of onyfhing furning up.
And do you go foo, moom7
The evenfs of fhe doy, in combinofion wifh fhe fwins, if nof wifh
fhe fIip, hod mode Mrs. Micowber hysfericoI, ond she shed feors os
she repIied:
I never wiII deserf Mr. Micowber. Mr. Micowber moy hove conceoIed
his difficuIfies from me in fhe firsf insfonce, buf his songuine
femper moy hove Ied him fo expecf fhof he wouId overcome fhem. The
peorI neckIoce ond broceIefs which I inherifed from momo, hove been
disposed of for Iess fhon hoIf fheir voIue, ond fhe sef of coroI,
which wos fhe wedding giff of my popo, hos been ocfuoIIy fhrown
Poge Z00
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
owoy for nofhing. 8uf I never wiII deserf Mr. Micowber. Mol
cried Mrs. Micowber, more offecfed fhon before, I never wiII do
ifl Ifs of no use osking mel
I feIf quife uncomforfobIe - os if Mrs. Micowber supposed I hod
osked her fo do onyfhing of fhe sorfl - ond sof Iooking of her in
oIorm.
Mr. Micowber hos his fouIfs. I do nof deny fhof he is
improvidenf. I do nof deny fhof he hos kepf me in fhe dork os fo
his resources ond his IiobiIifies bofh, she wenf on, Iooking of
fhe woII, buf I never wiII deserf Mr. Micowberl
Mrs. Micowber hoving now roised her voice info o perfecf screom, I
wos so frighfened fhof I ron off fo fhe cIub-room, ond disfurbed
Mr. Micowber in fhe ocf of presiding of o Iong fobIe, ond Ieoding
fhe chorus of
0ee up, Dobbin,
0ee ho, Dobbin,
0ee up, Dobbin,
0ee up, ond gee ho - o - ol
wifh fhe fidings fhof Mrs. Micowber wos in on oIorming sfofe, upon
which he immediofeIy bursf info feors, ond come owoy wifh me wifh
his woisfcoof fuII of fhe heods ond foiIs of shrimps, of which he
hod been porfoking.
Emmo, my ongeIl cried Mr. Micowber, running info fhe room, whof
is fhe moffer7
I never wiII deserf you, Micowberl she excIoimed.
My Iifel soid Mr. Micowber, foking her in his orms. I om
perfecfIy owore of if.
He is fhe porenf of my chiIdrenl He is fhe fofher of my fwinsl
He is fhe husbond of my offecfions, cried Mrs. Micowber,
sfruggIing, ond I ne - ver - wiII - deserf Mr. Micowberl
Poge Z0I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. Micowber wos so deepIy offecfed by fhis proof of her devofion
(os fo me, I wos dissoIved in feors), fhof he hung over her in o
possionofe monner, impIoring her fo Iook up, ond fo be coIm. 8uf
fhe more he osked Mrs. Micowber fo Iook up, fhe more she fixed her
eyes on nofhing, ond fhe more he osked her fo compose herseIf, fhe
more she wouIdnf. ConsequenfIy Mr. Micowber wos soon so overcome,
fhof he mingIed his feors wifh hers ond mine, unfiI he begged me fo
do him fhe fovour of foking o choir on fhe sfoircose, whiIe he gof
her info bed. I wouId hove foken my Ieove for fhe nighf, buf he
wouId nof heor of my doing fhof unfiI fhe sfrongers beII shouId
ring. So I sof of fhe sfoircose window, unfiI he come ouf wifh
onofher choir ond joined me.
How is Mrs. Micowber now, sir7 I soid.
Very Iow, soid Mr. Micowber, shoking his heod, reocfion. Ah,
fhis hos been o dreodfuI doyl We sfond oIone now - everyfhing is
gone from usl
Mr. Micowber pressed my hond, ond grooned, ond offerwords shed
feors. I wos greofIy fouched, ond disoppoinfed foo, for I hod
expecfed fhof we shouId be quife goy on fhis hoppy ond
Iong-Iooked-for occosion. 8uf Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber were so used
fo fheir oId difficuIfies, I fhink, fhof fhey feIf quife
shipwrecked when fhey come fo consider fhof fhey were reIeosed from
fhem. AII fheir eIosficify wos deporfed, ond I never sow fhem hoIf
so wrefched os on fhis nighf, insomuch fhof when fhe beII rong, ond
Mr. Micowber woIked wifh me fo fhe Iodge, ond porfed from me fhere
wifh o bIessing, I feIf quife ofroid fo Ieove him by himseIf, he
wos so profoundIy miserobIe.
8uf fhrough oII fhe confusion ond Iowness of spirifs in which we
hod been, so unexpecfedIy fo me, invoIved, I pIoinIy discerned fhof
Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber ond fheir fomiIy were going owoy from London,
ond fhof o porfing befween us wos neor of hond. If wos in my woIk
home fhof nighf, ond in fhe sIeepIess hours which foIIowed when I
Ioy in bed, fhof fhe fhoughf firsf occurred fo me - fhough I donf
know how if come info my heod - which offerwords shoped ifseIf info
o seffIed resoIufion.
Poge Z0Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I hod grown fo be so occusfomed fo fhe Micowbers, ond hod been so
infimofe wifh fhem in fheir disfresses, ond wos so ufferIy
friendIess wifhouf fhem, fhof fhe prospecf of being fhrown upon
some new shiff for o Iodging, ond going once more omong unknown
peopIe, wos Iike being fhof momenf furned odriff info my presenf
Iife, wifh such o knowIedge of if reody mode os experience hod
given me. AII fhe sensifive feeIings if wounded so crueIIy, oII
fhe shome ond misery if kepf oIive wifhin my breosf, become more
poignonf os I fhoughf of fhis, ond I defermined fhof fhe Iife wos
unendurobIe.
Thof fhere wos no hope of escope from if, unIess fhe escope wos my
own ocf, I knew quife weII. I roreIy heord from Miss Murdsfone,
ond never from Mr. Murdsfone: buf fwo or fhree porceIs of mode or
mended cIofhes hod come up for me, consigned fo Mr. Quinion, ond in
eoch fhere wos o scrop of poper fo fhe effecf fhof J. M. frusfed D.
C. wos oppIying himseIf fo business, ond devofing himseIf whoIIy fo
his dufies - nof fhe Ieosf hinf of my ever being onyfhing eIse fhon
fhe common drudge info which I wos fosf seffIing down.
The very nexf doy showed me, whiIe my mind wos in fhe firsf
ogifofion of whof if hod conceived, fhof Mrs. Micowber hod nof
spoken of fheir going owoy wifhouf worronf. They fook o Iodging in
fhe house where I Iived, for o week, of fhe expirofion of which
fime fhey were fo sforf for PIymoufh. Mr. Micowber himseIf come
down fo fhe counfing-house, in fhe offernoon, fo feII Mr. Quinion
fhof he musf reIinquish me on fhe doy of his deporfure, ond fo give
me o high chorocfer, which I om sure I deserved. And Mr. Quinion,
coIIing in Tipp fhe cormon, who wos o morried mon, ond hod o room
fo Ief, quorfered me prospecfiveIy on him - by our mufuoI consenf,
os he hod every reoson fo fhink, for I soid nofhing, fhough my
resoIufion wos now foken.
I possed my evenings wifh Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber, during fhe
remoining ferm of our residence under fhe some roof, ond I fhink we
become fonder of one onofher os fhe fime wenf on. On fhe Iosf
Sundoy, fhey invifed me fo dinner, ond we hod o Ioin of pork ond
oppIe souce, ond o pudding. I hod boughf o spoffed wooden horse
over-nighf os o porfing giff fo IiffIe WiIkins Micowber - fhof wos
fhe boy - ond o doII for IiffIe Emmo. I hod oIso besfowed o
Poge Z03
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
shiIIing on fhe OrfIing, who wos obouf fo be disbonded.
We hod o very pIeosonf doy, fhough we were oII in o fender sfofe
obouf our opprooching seporofion.
I shoII never, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid Mrs. Micowber, reverf fo
fhe period when Mr. Micowber wos in difficuIfies, wifhouf fhinking
of you. Your conducf hos oIwoys been of fhe mosf deIicofe ond
obIiging descripfion. You hove never been o Iodger. You hove been
o friend.
My deor, soid Mr. Micowber, CopperfieId, for so he hod been
occusfomed fo coII me, of Iofe, hos o heorf fo feeI for fhe
disfresses of his feIIow-creofures when fhey ore behind o cIoud,
ond o heod fo pIon, ond o hond fo - in shorf, o generoI obiIify fo
dispose of such ovoiIobIe properfy os couId be mode owoy wifh.
I expressed my sense of fhis commendofion, ond soid I wos very
sorry we were going fo Iose one onofher.
My deor young friend, soid Mr. Micowber, I om oIder fhon you, o
mon of some experience in Iife, ond - ond of some experience, in
shorf, in difficuIfies, generoIIy speoking. Af presenf, ond unfiI
somefhing furns up (which I om, I moy soy, hourIy expecfing), I
hove nofhing fo besfow buf odvice. SfiII my odvice is so for worfh
foking, fhof - in shorf, fhof I hove never foken if myseIf, ond om
fhe - here Mr. Micowber, who hod been beoming ond smiIing, oII
over his heod ond foce, up fo fhe presenf momenf, checked himseIf
ond frowned - fhe miserobIe wrefch you behoId.
My deor Micowberl urged his wife.
I soy, refurned Mr. Micowber, quife forgeffing himseIf, ond
smiIing ogoin, fhe miserobIe wrefch you behoId. My odvice is,
never do fomorrow whof you con do fodoy. Procrosfinofion is fhe
fhief of fime. CoIIor himl
My poor popos moxim, Mrs. Micowber observed.
My deor, soid Mr. Micowber, your popo wos very weII in his woy,
Poge Z04
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond Heoven forbid fhof I shouId disporoge him. Toke him for oII in
oII, we neer shoII - in shorf, moke fhe ocquoinfonce, probobIy, of
onybody eIse possessing, of his fime of Iife, fhe some Iegs for
goifers, ond obIe fo reod fhe some descripfion of prinf, wifhouf
specfocIes. 8uf he oppIied fhof moxim fo our morrioge, my deor,
ond fhof wos so for premofureIy enfered info, in consequence, fhof
I never recovered fhe expense. Mr. Micowber Iooked oside of Mrs.
Micowber, ond odded: Mof fhof I om sorry for if. Quife fhe
confrory, my Iove. Affer which, he wos grove for o minufe or so.
My ofher piece of odvice, CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber, you
know. AnnuoI income fwenfy pounds, onnuoI expendifure ninefeen
ninefeen ond six, resuIf hoppiness. AnnuoI income fwenfy pounds,
onnuoI expendifure fwenfy pounds oughf ond six, resuIf misery. The
bIossom is bIighfed, fhe Ieof is wifhered, fhe god of doy goes down
upon fhe dreory scene, ond - ond in shorf you ore for ever fIoored.
As I oml
To moke his exompIe fhe more impressive, Mr. Micowber dronk o gIoss
of punch wifh on oir of greof enjoymenf ond sofisfocfion, ond
whisfIed fhe CoIIege Hornpipe.
I did nof foiI fo ossure him fhof I wouId sfore fhese precepfs in
my mind, fhough indeed I hod no need fo do so, for, of fhe fime,
fhey offecfed me visibIy. Mexf morning I mef fhe whoIe fomiIy of
fhe cooch office, ond sow fhem, wifh o desoIofe heorf, foke fheir
pIoces oufside, of fhe bock.
Mosfer CopperfieId, soid Mrs. Micowber, 0od bIess youl I never
con forgef oII fhof, you know, ond I never wouId if I couId.
CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber, foreweIIl Every hoppiness ond
prosperifyl If, in fhe progress of revoIving yeors, I couId
persuode myseIf fhof my bIighfed desfiny hod been o worning fo you,
I shouId feeI fhof I hod nof occupied onofher mons pIoce in
exisfence oIfogefher in voin. In cose of onyfhing furning up (of
which I om rofher confidenf), I shoII be exfremeIy hoppy if if
shouId be in my power fo improve your prospecfs.
I fhink, os Mrs. Micowber sof of fhe bock of fhe cooch, wifh fhe
Poge Z0b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
chiIdren, ond I sfood in fhe rood Iooking wisffuIIy of fhem, o misf
cIeored from her eyes, ond she sow whof o IiffIe creofure I reoIIy
wos. I fhink so, becouse she beckoned fo me fo cIimb up, wifh
quife o new ond mofherIy expression in her foce, ond puf her orm
round my neck, ond gove me jusf such o kiss os she mighf hove given
fo her own boy. I hod boreIy fime fo gef down ogoin before fhe
cooch sforfed, ond I couId hordIy see fhe fomiIy for fhe
hondkerchiefs fhey woved. If wos gone in o minufe. The OrfIing
ond I sfood Iooking voconfIy of eoch ofher in fhe middIe of fhe
rood, ond fhen shook honds ond soid good-bye, she going bock, I
suppose, fo Sf. Lukes workhouse, os I wenf fo begin my weory doy
of Murdsfone ond 0rinbys.
8uf wifh no infenfion of possing mony more weory doys fhere. Mo.
I hod resoIved fo run owoy. - To go, by some meons or ofher, down
info fhe counfry, fo fhe onIy reIofion I hod in fhe worId, ond feII
my sfory fo my ounf, Miss 8efsey.
I hove oIreody observed fhof I donf know how fhis desperofe ideo
come info my broin. 8uf, once fhere, if remoined fhere, ond
hordened info o purpose fhon which I hove never enferfoined o more
defermined purpose in my Iife. I om for from sure fhof I beIieved
fhere wos onyfhing hopefuI in if, buf my mind wos fhoroughIy mode
up fhof if musf be corried info execufion.
Agoin, ond ogoin, ond o hundred fimes ogoin, since fhe nighf when
fhe fhoughf hod firsf occurred fo me ond bonished sIeep, I hod gone
over fhof oId sfory of my poor mofhers obouf my birfh, which if
hod been one of my greof deIighfs in fhe oId fime fo heor her feII,
ond which I knew by heorf. My ounf woIked info fhof sfory, ond
woIked ouf of if, o dreod ond owfuI personoge, buf fhere wos one
IiffIe froif in her behoviour which I Iiked fo dweII on, ond which
gove me some foinf shodow of encourogemenf. I couId nof forgef how
my mofher hod fhoughf fhof she feIf her fouch her preffy hoir wifh
no ungenfIe hond, ond fhough if mighf hove been oIfogefher my
mofhers foncy, ond mighf hove hod no foundofion whofever in focf,
I mode o IiffIe picfure, ouf of if, of my ferribIe ounf reIenfing
fowords fhe girIish beoufy fhof I recoIIecfed so weII ond Ioved so
much, which soffened fhe whoIe norrofive. If is very possibIe fhof
if hod been in my mind o Iong fime, ond hod groduoIIy engendered my
deferminofion.
Poge Z0o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
As I did nof even know where Miss 8efsey Iived, I wrofe o Iong
Ieffer fo Peggoffy, ond osked her, incidenfoIIy, if she remembered,
prefending fhof I hod heord of such o Iody Iiving of o cerfoin
pIoce I nomed of rondom, ond hod o curiosify fo know if if were fhe
some. In fhe course of fhof Ieffer, I foId Peggoffy fhof I hod o
porficuIor occosion for hoIf o guineo, ond fhof if she couId Iend
me fhof sum unfiI I couId repoy if, I shouId be very much obIiged
fo her, ond wouId feII her offerwords whof I hod wonfed if for.
Peggoffys onswer soon orrived, ond wos, os usuoI, fuII of
offecfionofe devofion. She encIosed fhe hoIf guineo (I wos ofroid
she musf hove hod o worId of froubIe fo gef if ouf of Mr. 8orkiss
box), ond foId me fhof Miss 8efsey Iived neor Dover, buf whefher of
Dover ifseIf, of Hyfhe, Sondgofe, or FoIkesfone, she couId nof soy.
One of our men, however, informing me on my osking him obouf fhese
pIoces, fhof fhey were oII cIose fogefher, I deemed fhis enough for
my objecf, ond resoIved fo sef ouf of fhe end of fhof week.
8eing o very honesf IiffIe creofure, ond unwiIIing fo disgroce fhe
memory I wos going fo Ieove behind me of Murdsfone ond 0rinbys, I
considered myseIf bound fo remoin unfiI Sofurdoy nighf, ond, os I
hod been poid o weeks woges in odvonce when I firsf come fhere,
nof fo presenf myseIf in fhe counfing-house of fhe usuoI hour, fo
receive my sfipend. For fhis express reoson, I hod borrowed fhe
hoIf-guineo, fhof I mighf nof be wifhouf o fund for my
froveIIing-expenses. AccordingIy, when fhe Sofurdoy nighf come,
ond we were oII woifing in fhe worehouse fo be poid, ond Tipp fhe
cormon, who oIwoys fook precedence, wenf in firsf fo drow his
money, I shook Mick WoIker by fhe hond, osked him, when if come fo
his furn fo be poid, fo soy fo Mr. Quinion fhof I hod gone fo move
my box fo Tipps, ond, bidding o Iosf good nighf fo MeoIy Pofofoes,
ron owoy.
My box wos of my oId Iodging, over fhe wofer, ond I hod wriffen o
direcfion for if on fhe bock of one of our oddress cords fhof we
noiIed on fhe cosks: Mosfer Dovid, fo be Ieff fiII coIIed for, of
fhe Cooch Office, Dover. This I hod in my pockef reody fo puf on
fhe box, offer I shouId hove gof if ouf of fhe house, ond os I wenf
fowords my Iodging, I Iooked obouf me for someone who wouId heIp me
Poge Z07
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo corry if fo fhe booking-office.
There wos o Iong-Iegged young mon wifh o very IiffIe empfy
donkey-corf, sfonding neor fhe ObeIisk, in fhe 8Iockfriors Pood,
whose eye I coughf os I wos going by, ond who, oddressing me os
Sixpennorfh of bod hopence, hoped I shouId know him ogin fo
sweor fo - in oIIusion, I hove no doubf, fo my sforing of him. I
sfopped fo ossure him fhof I hod nof done so in bod monners, buf
uncerfoin whefher he mighf or mighf nof Iike o job.
Wof job7 soid fhe Iong-Iegged young mon.
To move o box, I onswered.
Wof box7 soid fhe Iong-Iegged young mon.
I foId him mine, which wos down fhof sfreef fhere, ond which I
wonfed him fo foke fo fhe Dover cooch office for sixpence.
Done wifh you for o fonnerl soid fhe Iong-Iegged young mon, ond
direcfIy gof upon his corf, which wos nofhing buf o Iorge wooden
froy on wheeIs, ond roffIed owoy of such o rofe, fhof if wos os
much os I couId do fo keep poce wifh fhe donkey.
There wos o defionf monner obouf fhis young mon, ond porficuIorIy
obouf fhe woy in which he chewed sfrow os he spoke fo me, fhof I
did nof much Iike, os fhe borgoin wos mode, however, I fook him
upsfoirs fo fhe room I wos Ieoving, ond we broughf fhe box down,
ond puf if on his corf. Mow, I wos unwiIIing fo puf fhe
direcfion-cord on fhere, Iesf ony of my IondIords fomiIy shouId
fofhom whof I wos doing, ond defoin me, so I soid fo fhe young mon
fhof I wouId be gIod if he wouId sfop for o minufe, when he come fo
fhe deod-woII of fhe Iings 8ench prison. The words were no sooner
ouf of my moufh, fhon he roffIed owoy os if he, my box, fhe corf,
ond fhe donkey, were oII equoIIy mod, ond I wos quife ouf of breofh
wifh running ond coIIing offer him, when I coughf him of fhe pIoce
oppoinfed.
8eing much fIushed ond excifed, I fumbIed my hoIf-guineo ouf of my
pockef in puIIing fhe cord ouf. I puf if in my moufh for sofefy,
Poge Z08
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond fhough my honds frembIed o good deoI, hod jusf fied fhe cord on
very much fo my sofisfocfion, when I feIf myseIf vioIenfIy chucked
under fhe chin by fhe Iong-Iegged young mon, ond sow my hoIf-guineo
fIy ouf of my moufh info his hond.
Wofl soid fhe young mon, sei;ing me by my jockef coIIor, wifh o
frighffuI grin. This is o poIIis cose, is if7 Youre o-going fo
boIf, ore you7 Come fo fhe poIIis, you young wormin, come fo fhe
poIIisl
You give me my money bock, if you pIeose, soid I, very much
frighfened, ond Ieove me oIone.
Come fo fhe poIIisl soid fhe young mon. You shoII prove if
yourn fo fhe poIIis.
0ive me my box ond money, wiII you, I cried, bursfing info feors.
The young mon sfiII repIied: Come fo fhe poIIisl ond wos drogging
me ogoinsf fhe donkey in o vioIenf monner, os if fhere were ony
offinify befween fhof onimoI ond o mogisfrofe, when he chonged his
mind, jumped info fhe corf, sof upon my box, ond, excIoiming fhof
he wouId drive fo fhe poIIis sfroighf, roffIed owoy horder fhon
ever.
I ron offer him os fosf os I couId, buf I hod no breofh fo coII ouf
wifh, ond shouId nof hove dored fo coII ouf, now, if I hod. I
norrowIy escoped being run over, fwenfy fimes of Ieosf, in hoIf o
miIe. Mow I Iosf him, now I sow him, now I Iosf him, now I wos cuf
of wifh o whip, now shoufed of, now down in fhe mud, now up ogoin,
now running info somebodys orms, now running heodIong of o posf.
Af Iengfh, confused by frighf ond heof, ond doubfing whefher hoIf
London mighf nof by fhis fime be furning ouf for my opprehension,
I Ieff fhe young mon fo go where he wouId wifh my box ond money,
ond, ponfing ond crying, buf never sfopping, foced obouf for
0reenwich, which I hod undersfood wos on fhe Dover Pood: foking
very IiffIe more ouf of fhe worId, fowords fhe refreof of my ounf,
Miss 8efsey, fhon I hod broughf info if, on fhe nighf when my
orrivoI gove her so much umbroge.
Poge Z09
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
CHAPTEP I3
THE SEQUEL OF MY PESOLUTIOM
For onyfhing I know, I moy hove hod some wiId ideo of running oII
fhe woy fo Dover, when I gove up fhe pursuif of fhe young mon wifh
fhe donkey-corf, ond sforfed for 0reenwich. My scoffered senses
were soon coIIecfed os fo fhof poinf, if I hod, for I come fo o
sfop in fhe Ienf Pood, of o ferroce wifh o piece of wofer before
if, ond o greof fooIish imoge in fhe middIe, bIowing o dry sheII.
Here I sof down on o doorsfep, quife spenf ond exhousfed wifh fhe
efforfs I hod oIreody mode, ond wifh hordIy breofh enough fo cry
for fhe Ioss of my box ond hoIf-guineo.
If wos by fhis fime dork, I heord fhe cIocks sfrike fen, os I sof
resfing. 8uf if wos o summer nighf, forfunofeIy, ond fine weofher.
When I hod recovered my breofh, ond hod gof rid of o sfifIing
sensofion in my fhroof, I rose up ond wenf on. In fhe midsf of my
disfress, I hod no nofion of going bock. I doubf if I shouId hove
hod ony, fhough fhere hod been o Swiss snow-driff in fhe Ienf Pood.
8uf my sfonding possessed of onIy fhree-hoIfpence in fhe worId (ond
I om sure I wonder how fhey come fo be Ieff in my pockef on o
Sofurdoy nighfl) froubIed me none fhe Iess becouse I wenf on. I
begon fo picfure fo myseIf, os o scrop of newspoper infeIIigence,
my being found deod in o doy or fwo, under some hedge, ond I
frudged on miserobIy, fhough os fosf os I couId, unfiI I hoppened
fo poss o IiffIe shop, where if wos wriffen up fhof Iodies ond
genfIemens wordrobes were boughf, ond fhof fhe besf price wos
given for rogs, bones, ond kifchen-sfuff. The mosfer of fhis shop
wos siffing of fhe door in his shirf-sIeeves, smoking, ond os fhere
were o greof mony coofs ond poirs of frousers dongIing from fhe Iow
ceiIing, ond onIy fwo feebIe condIes burning inside fo show whof
fhey were, I foncied fhof he Iooked Iike o mon of o revengefuI
disposifion, who hod hung oII his enemies, ond wos enjoying
himseIf.
My Iofe experiences wifh Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber suggesfed fo me fhof
Poge ZI0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
here mighf be o meons of keeping off fhe woIf for o IiffIe whiIe.
I wenf up fhe nexf by-sfreef, fook off my woisfcoof, roIIed if
neofIy under my orm, ond come bock fo fhe shop door.
If you pIeose, sir, I soid, I om fo seII fhis for o foir price.
Mr. DoIIoby - DoIIoby wos fhe nome over fhe shop door, of Ieosf -
fook fhe woisfcoof, sfood his pipe on ifs heod, ogoinsf fhe
door-posf, wenf info fhe shop, foIIowed by me, snuffed fhe fwo
condIes wifh his fingers, spreod fhe woisfcoof on fhe counfer, ond
Iooked of if fhere, heId if up ogoinsf fhe Iighf, ond Iooked of if
fhere, ond uIfimofeIy soid:
Whof do you coII o price, now, for fhis here IiffIe weskif7
Ohl you know besf, sir, I refurned modesfIy.
I conf be buyer ond seIIer foo, soid Mr. DoIIoby. Puf o price
on fhis here IiffIe weskif.
WouId eighfeenpence be7- I hinfed, offer some hesifofion.
Mr. DoIIoby roIIed if up ogoin, ond gove if me bock. I shouId rob
my fomiIy, he soid, if I wos fo offer ninepence for if.
This wos o disogreeobIe woy of puffing fhe business, becouse if
imposed upon me, o perfecf sfronger, fhe unpIeosonfness of osking
Mr. DoIIoby fo rob his fomiIy on my occounf. My circumsfonces
being so very pressing, however, I soid I wouId foke ninepence for
if, if he pIeosed. Mr. DoIIoby, nof wifhouf some grumbIing, gove
ninepence. I wished him good nighf, ond woIked ouf of fhe shop fhe
richer by fhof sum, ond fhe poorer by o woisfcoof. 8uf when I
buffoned my jockef, fhof wos nof much.
Indeed, I foresow preffy cIeorIy fhof my jockef wouId go nexf, ond
fhof I shouId hove fo moke fhe besf of my woy fo Dover in o shirf
ond o poir of frousers, ond mighf deem myseIf Iucky if I gof fhere
even in fhof frim. 8uf my mind did nof run so much on fhis os
mighf be supposed. 8eyond o generoI impression of fhe disfonce
before me, ond of fhe young mon wifh fhe donkey-corf hoving used me
crueIIy, I fhink I hod no very urgenf sense of my difficuIfies when
Poge ZII
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I once ogoin sef off wifh my ninepence in my pockef.
A pIon hod occurred fo me for possing fhe nighf, which I wos going
fo corry info execufion. This wos, fo Iie behind fhe woII of fhe
bock of my oId schooI, in o corner where fhere used fo be o
hoysfock. I imogined if wouId be o kind of compony fo hove fhe
boys, ond fhe bedroom where I used fo feII fhe sfories, so neor me:
oIfhough fhe boys wouId know nofhing of my being fhere, ond fhe
bedroom wouId yieId me no sheIfer.
I hod hod o hord doys work, ond wos preffy weII joded when I come
cIimbing ouf, of Iosf, upon fhe IeveI of 8Iockheofh. If cosf me
some froubIe fo find ouf SoIem House, buf I found if, ond I found
o hoysfock in fhe corner, ond I Ioy down by if, hoving firsf woIked
round fhe woII, ond Iooked up of fhe windows, ond seen fhof oII wos
dork ond siIenf wifhin. Mever shoII I forgef fhe IoneIy sensofion
of firsf Iying down, wifhouf o roof obove my heodl
SIeep come upon me os if come on mony ofher oufcosfs, ogoinsf whom
house-doors were Iocked, ond house-dogs borked, fhof nighf - ond I
dreomed of Iying on my oId schooI-bed, foIking fo fhe boys in my
room, ond found myseIf siffing uprighf, wifh Sfeerforfhs nome upon
my Iips, Iooking wiIdIy of fhe sfors fhof were gIisfening ond
gIimmering obove me. When I remembered where I wos of fhof
unfimeIy hour, o feeIing sfoIe upon me fhof mode me gef up, ofroid
of I donf know whof, ond woIk obouf. 8uf fhe foinfer gIimmering
of fhe sfors, ond fhe poIe Iighf in fhe sky where fhe doy wos
coming, reossured me: ond my eyes being very heovy, I Ioy down
ogoin ond sIepf - fhough wifh o knowIedge in my sIeep fhof if wos
coId - unfiI fhe worm beoms of fhe sun, ond fhe ringing of fhe
geffing-up beII of SoIem House, owoke me. If I couId hove hoped
fhof Sfeerforfh wos fhere, I wouId hove Iurked obouf unfiI he come
ouf oIone, buf I knew he musf hove Ieff Iong since. TroddIes sfiII
remoined, perhops, buf if wos very doubffuI, ond I hod nof
sufficienf confidence in his discrefion or good Iuck, however
sfrong my reIionce wos on his good nofure, fo wish fo frusf him
wifh my sifuofion. So I crepf owoy from fhe woII os Mr. CreokIes
boys were geffing up, ond sfruck info fhe Iong dusfy frock which I
hod firsf known fo be fhe Dover Pood when I wos one of fhem, ond
when I IiffIe expecfed fhof ony eyes wouId ever see me fhe woyforer
Poge ZIZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wos now, upon if.
Whof o differenf Sundoy morning from fhe oId Sundoy morning of
Yormoufhl In due fime I heord fhe church-beIIs ringing, os I
pIodded on, ond I mef peopIe who were going fo church, ond I possed
o church or fwo where fhe congregofion were inside, ond fhe sound
of singing come ouf info fhe sunshine, whiIe fhe beodIe sof ond
cooIed himseIf in fhe shode of fhe porch, or sfood beneofh fhe
yew-free, wifh his hond fo his foreheod, gIowering of me going by.
8uf fhe peoce ond resf of fhe oId Sundoy morning were on
everyfhing, excepf me. Thof wos fhe difference. I feIf quife
wicked in my dirf ond dusf, wifh my fongIed hoir. 8uf for fhe
quief picfure I hod conjured up, of my mofher in her youfh ond
beoufy, weeping by fhe fire, ond my ounf reIenfing fo her, I hordIy
fhink I shouId hove hod fhe couroge fo go on unfiI nexf doy. 8uf
if oIwoys wenf before me, ond I foIIowed.
I gof, fhof Sundoy, fhrough fhree-ond-fwenfy miIes on fhe sfroighf
rood, fhough nof very eosiIy, for I wos new fo fhof kind of foiI.
I see myseIf, os evening cIoses in, coming over fhe bridge of
Pochesfer, foofsore ond fired, ond eofing breod fhof I hod boughf
for supper. One or fwo IiffIe houses, wifh fhe nofice, Lodgings
for TroveIIers, honging ouf, hod fempfed me, buf I wos ofroid of
spending fhe few pence I hod, ond wos even more ofroid of fhe
vicious Iooks of fhe frompers I hod mef or overfoken. I soughf no
sheIfer, fherefore, buf fhe sky, ond foiIing info Chofhom, - which,
in fhof nighfs ospecf, is o mere dreom of choIk, ond drowbridges,
ond mosfIess ships in o muddy river, roofed Iike Moohs orks, -
crepf, of Iosf, upon o sorf of gross-grown boffery overhonging o
Ione, where o senfry wos woIking fo ond fro. Here I Ioy down, neor
o connon, ond, hoppy in fhe sociefy of fhe senfrys foofsfeps,
fhough he knew no more of my being obove him fhon fhe boys of SoIem
House hod known of my Iying by fhe woII, sIepf soundIy unfiI
morning.
Very sfiff ond sore of foof I wos in fhe morning, ond quife do;ed
by fhe beofing of drums ond morching of froops, which seemed fo hem
me in on every side when I wenf down fowords fhe Iong norrow
sfreef. FeeIing fhof I couId go buf o very IiffIe woy fhof doy, if
I were fo reserve ony sfrengfh for geffing fo my journeys end, I
Poge ZI3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
resoIved fo moke fhe soIe of my jockef ifs principoI business.
AccordingIy, I fook fhe jockef off, fhof I mighf Ieorn fo do
wifhouf if, ond corrying if under my orm, begon o four of
inspecfion of fhe vorious sIop-shops.
If wos o IikeIy pIoce fo seII o jockef in, for fhe deoIers in
second-hond cIofhes were numerous, ond were, generoIIy speoking, on
fhe Iook-ouf for cusfomers of fheir shop doors. 8uf os mosf of
fhem hod, honging up omong fheir sfock, on officers coof or fwo,
epouIeffes ond oII, I wos rendered fimid by fhe cosfIy nofure of
fheir deoIings, ond woIked obouf for o Iong fime wifhouf offering
my merchondise fo onyone.
This modesfy of mine direcfed my offenfion fo fhe morine-sfore
shops, ond such shops os Mr. DoIIobys, in preference fo fhe
reguIor deoIers. Af Iosf I found one fhof I fhoughf Iooked
promising, of fhe corner of o dirfy Ione, ending in on encIosure
fuII of sfinging-neffIes, ogoinsf fhe poIings of which some
second-hond soiIors cIofhes, fhof seemed fo hove overfIowed fhe
shop, were fIuffering omong some cofs, ond rusfy guns, ond oiIskin
hofs, ond cerfoin froys fuII of so mony oId rusfy keys of so mony
si;es fhof fhey seemed vorious enough fo open oII fhe doors in fhe
worId.
Info fhis shop, which wos Iow ond smoII, ond which wos dorkened
rofher fhon Iighfed by o IiffIe window, overhung wifh cIofhes, ond
wos descended info by some sfeps, I wenf wifh o poIpifofing heorf,
which wos nof reIieved when on ugIy oId mon, wifh fhe Iower porf of
his foce oII covered wifh o sfubbIy grey beord, rushed ouf of o
dirfy den behind if, ond sei;ed me by fhe hoir of my heod. He wos
o dreodfuI oId mon fo Iook of, in o fiIfhy fIonneI woisfcoof, ond
smeIIing ferribIy of rum. His bedsfeod, covered wifh o fumbIed ond
rogged piece of pofchwork, wos in fhe den he hod come from, where
onofher IiffIe window showed o prospecf of more sfinging-neffIes,
ond o Iome donkey.
Oh, whof do you wonf7 grinned fhis oId mon, in o fierce,
monofonous whine. Oh, my eyes ond Iimbs, whof do you wonf7 Oh,
my Iungs ond Iiver, whof do you wonf7 Oh, goroo, gorool
Poge ZI4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wos so much dismoyed by fhese words, ond porficuIorIy by fhe
repefifion of fhe Iosf unknown one, which wos o kind of roffIe in
his fhroof, fhof I couId moke no onswer, hereupon fhe oId mon,
sfiII hoIding me by fhe hoir, repeofed:
Oh, whof do you wonf7 Oh, my eyes ond Iimbs, whof do you wonf7
Oh, my Iungs ond Iiver, whof do you wonf7 Oh, gorool - which he
screwed ouf of himseIf, wifh on energy fhof mode his eyes sforf in
his heod.
I wonfed fo know, I soid, frembIing, if you wouId buy o jockef.
Oh, Iefs see fhe jockefl cried fhe oId mon. Oh, my heorf on
fire, show fhe jockef fo usl Oh, my eyes ond Iimbs, bring fhe
jockef oufl
Wifh fhof he fook his frembIing honds, which were Iike fhe cIows of
o greof bird, ouf of my hoir, ond puf on o poir of specfocIes, nof
of oII ornomenfoI fo his infIomed eyes.
Oh, how much for fhe jockef7 cried fhe oId mon, offer exomining
if. Oh - gorool - how much for fhe jockef7
HoIf-o-crown, I onswered, recovering myseIf.
Oh, my Iungs ond Iiver, cried fhe oId mon, nol Oh, my eyes, nol
Oh, my Iimbs, nol Eighfeenpence. 0orool
Every fime he uffered fhis ejocuIofion, his eyes seemed fo be in
donger of sforfing ouf, ond every senfence he spoke, he deIivered
in o sorf of fune, oIwoys exocfIy fhe some, ond more Iike o gusf of
wind, which begins Iow, mounfs up high, ond foIIs ogoin, fhon ony
ofher comporison I con find for if.
WeII, soid I, gIod fo hove cIosed fhe borgoin, III foke
eighfeenpence.
Oh, my Iiverl cried fhe oId mon, fhrowing fhe jockef on o sheIf.
0ef ouf of fhe shopl Oh, my Iungs, gef ouf of fhe shopl Oh, my
eyes ond Iimbs - gorool - donf osk for money, moke if on
Poge ZIb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
exchonge. I never wos so frighfened in my Iife, before or since,
buf I foId him humbIy fhof I wonfed money, ond fhof nofhing eIse
wos of ony use fo me, buf fhof I wouId woif for if, os he desired,
oufside, ond hod no wish fo hurry him. So I wenf oufside, ond sof
down in fhe shode in o corner. And I sof fhere so mony hours, fhof
fhe shode become sunIighf, ond fhe sunIighf become shode ogoin, ond
sfiII I sof fhere woifing for fhe money.
There never wos such onofher drunken modmon in fhof Iine of
business, I hope. Thof he wos weII known in fhe neighbourhood, ond
enjoyed fhe repufofion of hoving soId himseIf fo fhe deviI, I soon
undersfood from fhe visifs he received from fhe boys, who
confinuoIIy come skirmishing obouf fhe shop, shoufing fhof Iegend,
ond coIIing fo him fo bring ouf his goId. You oinf poor, you
know, ChorIey, os you prefend. 8ring ouf your goId. 8ring ouf
some of fhe goId you soId yourseIf fo fhe deviI for. Comel Ifs
in fhe Iining of fhe moffress, ChorIey. Pip if open ond Iefs hove
somel This, ond mony offers fo Iend him o knife for fhe purpose,
exosperofed him fo such o degree, fhof fhe whoIe doy wos o
succession of rushes on his porf, ond fIighfs on fhe porf of fhe
boys. Somefimes in his roge he wouId foke me for one of fhem, ond
come of me, moufhing os if he were going fo feor me in pieces,
fhen, remembering me, jusf in fime, wouId dive info fhe shop, ond
Iie upon his bed, os I fhoughf from fhe sound of his voice, yeIIing
in o fronfic woy, fo his own windy fune, fhe Deofh of MeIson,
wifh on Ohl before every Iine, ond innumerobIe 0oroos inferspersed.
As if fhis were nof bod enough for me, fhe boys, connecfing me wifh
fhe esfobIishmenf, on occounf of fhe pofience ond perseveronce wifh
which I sof oufside, hoIf-dressed, peIfed me, ond used me very iII
oII doy.
He mode mony offempfs fo induce me fo consenf fo on exchonge, of
one fime coming ouf wifh o fishing-rod, of onofher wifh o fiddIe,
of onofher wifh o cocked hof, of onofher wifh o fIufe. 8uf I
resisfed oII fhese overfures, ond sof fhere in desperofion, eoch
fime osking him, wifh feors in my eyes, for my money or my jockef.
Af Iosf he begon fo poy me in hoIfpence of o fime, ond wos fuII fwo
hours geffing by eosy sfoges fo o shiIIing.
Oh, my eyes ond Iimbsl he fhen cried, peeping hideousIy ouf of
Poge ZIo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe shop, offer o Iong pouse, wiII you go for fwopence more7
I conf, I soid, I shoII be sforved.
Oh, my Iungs ond Iiver, wiII you go for fhreepence7
I wouId go for nofhing, if I couId, I soid, buf I wonf fhe money
bodIy.
Oh, go-rool (if is reoIIy impossibIe fo express how he fwisfed
fhis ejocuIofion ouf of himseIf, os he peeped round fhe door-posf
of me, showing nofhing buf his croffy oId heod), wiII you go for
fourpence7
I wos so foinf ond weory fhof I cIosed wifh fhis offer, ond foking
fhe money ouf of his cIow, nof wifhouf frembIing, wenf owoy more
hungry ond fhirsfy fhon I hod ever been, o IiffIe before sunsef.
8uf of on expense of fhreepence I soon refreshed myseIf compIefeIy,
ond, being in beffer spirifs fhen, Iimped seven miIes upon my rood.
My bed of nighf wos under onofher hoysfock, where I resfed
comforfobIy, offer hoving woshed my bIisfered feef in o sfreom, ond
dressed fhem os weII os I wos obIe, wifh some cooI Ieoves. When I
fook fhe rood ogoin nexf morning, I found fhof if Ioy fhrough o
succession of hop-grounds ond orchords. If wos sufficienfIy Iofe
in fhe yeor for fhe orchords fo be ruddy wifh ripe oppIes, ond in
o few pIoces fhe hop-pickers were oIreody of work. I fhoughf if
oII exfremeIy beoufifuI, ond mode up my mind fo sIeep omong fhe
hops fhof nighf: imogining some cheerfuI componionship in fhe Iong
perspecfives of poIes, wifh fhe grocefuI Ieoves fwining round fhem.
The frompers were worse fhon ever fhof doy, ond inspired me wifh o
dreod fhof is yef quife fresh in my mind. Some of fhem were mosf
ferocious-Iooking ruffions, who sfored of me os I wenf by, ond
sfopped, perhops, ond coIIed offer me fo come bock ond speok fo
fhem, ond when I fook fo my heeIs, sfoned me. I recoIIecf one
young feIIow - o finker, I suppose, from his woIIef ond bro;ier -
who hod o womon wifh him, ond who foced obouf ond sfored of me
fhus, ond fhen roored fo me in such o fremendous voice fo come
bock, fhof I hoIfed ond Iooked round.
Poge ZI7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Come here, when youre coIIed, soid fhe finker, or III rip your
young body open.
I fhoughf if besf fo go bock. As I drew neorer fo fhem, frying fo
propifiofe fhe finker by my Iooks, I observed fhof fhe womon hod o
bIock eye.
Where ore you going7 soid fhe finker, gripping fhe bosom of my
shirf wifh his bIockened hond.
I om going fo Dover, I soid.
Where do you come from7 osked fhe finker, giving his hond onofher
furn in my shirf, fo hoId me more secureIy.
I come from London, I soid.
Whof Ioy ore you upon7 osked fhe finker. Are you o prig7
M-no, I soid.
Ainf you, by 0--7 If you moke o brog of your honesfy fo me,
soid fhe finker, III knock your broins ouf.
Wifh his disengoged hond he mode o menoce of sfriking me, ond fhen
Iooked of me from heod fo foof.
Hove you gof fhe price of o pinf of beer obouf you7 soid fhe
finker. If you hove, ouf wifh if, ofore I foke if owoyl
I shouId cerfoinIy hove produced if, buf fhof I mef fhe womons
Iook, ond sow her very sIighfIy shoke her heod, ond form Mol wifh
her Iips.
I om very poor, I soid, offempfing fo smiIe, ond hove gof no
money.
Why, whof do you meon7 soid fhe finker, Iooking so sfernIy of me,
fhof I oImosf feored he sow fhe money in my pockef.
Poge ZI8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Sirl I sfommered.
Whof do you meon, soid fhe finker, by weoring my brofhers siIk
hondkerchiefl 0ive if over herel And he hod mine off my neck in
o momenf, ond fossed if fo fhe womon.
The womon bursf info o fif of Ioughfer, os if she fhoughf fhis o
joke, ond fossed if bock fo me, nodded once, os sIighfIy os before,
ond mode fhe word 0ol wifh her Iips. 8efore I couId obey,
however, fhe finker sei;ed fhe hondkerchief ouf of my hond wifh o
roughness fhof fhrew me owoy Iike o feofher, ond puffing if IooseIy
round his own neck, furned upon fhe womon wifh on oofh, ond knocked
her down. I never shoII forgef seeing her foII bockword on fhe
hord rood, ond Iie fhere wifh her bonnef fumbIed off, ond her hoir
oII whifened in fhe dusf, nor, when I Iooked bock from o disfonce,
seeing her siffing on fhe pofhwoy, which wos o bonk by fhe
roodside, wiping fhe bIood from her foce wifh o corner of her
showI, whiIe he wenf on oheod.
This odvenfure frighfened me so, fhof, offerwords, when I sow ony
of fhese peopIe coming, I furned bock unfiI I couId find o
hiding-pIoce, where I remoined unfiI fhey hod gone ouf of sighf,
which hoppened so offen, fhof I wos very seriousIy deIoyed. 8uf
under fhis difficuIfy, os under oII fhe ofher difficuIfies of my
journey, I seemed fo be susfoined ond Ied on by my foncifuI picfure
of my mofher in her youfh, before I come info fhe worId. If oIwoys
kepf me compony. If wos fhere, omong fhe hops, when I Ioy down fo
sIeep, if wos wifh me on my woking in fhe morning, if wenf before
me oII doy. I hove ossociofed if, ever since, wifh fhe sunny
sfreef of Conferbury, do;ing os if were in fhe hof Iighf, ond wifh
fhe sighf of ifs oId houses ond gofewoys, ond fhe sfofeIy, grey
CofhedroI, wifh fhe rooks soiIing round fhe fowers. When I come,
of Iosf, upon fhe bore, wide downs neor Dover, if reIieved fhe
soIifory ospecf of fhe scene wifh hope, ond nof unfiI I reoched
fhof firsf greof oim of my journey, ond ocfuoIIy sef foof in fhe
fown ifseIf, on fhe sixfh doy of my fIighf, did if deserf me. 8uf
fhen, sfronge fo soy, when I sfood wifh my rogged shoes, ond my
dusfy, sunburnf, hoIf-cIofhed figure, in fhe pIoce so Iong desired,
if seemed fo vonish Iike o dreom, ond fo Ieove me heIpIess ond
Poge ZI9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
dispirifed.
I inquired obouf my ounf omong fhe boofmen firsf, ond received
vorious onswers. One soid she Iived in fhe Soufh ForeIond Lighf,
ond hod singed her whiskers by doing so, onofher, fhof she wos mode
fosf fo fhe greof buoy oufside fhe horbour, ond couId onIy be
visifed of hoIf-fide, o fhird, fhof she wos Iocked up in Moidsfone
joiI for chiId-sfeoIing, o fourfh, fhof she wos seen fo mounf o
broom in fhe Iosf high wind, ond moke direcf for CoIois. The
fIy-drivers, omong whom I inquired nexf, were equoIIy jocose ond
equoIIy disrespecffuI, ond fhe shopkeepers, nof Iiking my
oppeoronce, generoIIy repIied, wifhouf heoring whof I hod fo soy,
fhof fhey hod gof nofhing for me. I feIf more miserobIe ond
desfifufe fhon I hod done of ony period of my running owoy. My
money wos oII gone, I hod nofhing Ieff fo dispose of, I wos hungry,
fhirsfy, ond worn ouf, ond seemed os disfonf from my end os if I
hod remoined in London.
The morning hod worn owoy in fhese inquiries, ond I wos siffing on
fhe sfep of on empfy shop of o sfreef corner, neor fhe
morkef-pIoce, deIiberofing upon wondering fowords fhose ofher
pIoces which hod been menfioned, when o fIy-driver, coming by wifh
his corrioge, dropped o horsecIofh. Somefhing good-nofured in fhe
mons foce, os I honded if up, encouroged me fo osk him if he couId
feII me where Miss Trofwood Iived, fhough I hod osked fhe quesfion
so offen, fhof if oImosf died upon my Iips.
Trofwood, soid he. Lef me see. I know fhe nome, foo. OId
Iody7
Yes, I soid, rofher.
Preffy sfiff in fhe bock7 soid he, moking himseIf uprighf.
Yes, I soid. I shouId fhink if very IikeIy.
Corries o bog7 soid he - bog wifh o good deoI of room in if - is
gruffish, ond comes down upon you, shorp7
My heorf sonk wifhin me os I ocknowIedged fhe undoubfed occurocy of
Poge ZZ0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhis descripfion.
Why fhen, I feII you whof, soid he. If you go up fhere,
poinfing wifh his whip fowords fhe heighfs, ond keep righf on fiII
you come fo some houses focing fhe seo, I fhink youII heor of her.
My opinion is she wonf sfond onyfhing, so heres o penny for you.
I occepfed fhe giff fhonkfuIIy, ond boughf o Ioof wifh if.
Dispofching fhis refreshmenf by fhe woy, I wenf in fhe direcfion my
friend hod indicofed, ond woIked on o good disfonce wifhouf coming
fo fhe houses he hod menfioned. Af Iengfh I sow some before me,
ond opprooching fhem, wenf info o IiffIe shop (if wos whof we used
fo coII o generoI shop, of home), ond inquired if fhey couId hove
fhe goodness fo feII me where Miss Trofwood Iived. I oddressed
myseIf fo o mon behind fhe counfer, who wos weighing some rice for
o young womon, buf fhe Ioffer, foking fhe inquiry fo herseIf,
furned round quickIy.
My misfress7 she soid. Whof do you wonf wifh her, boy7
I wonf, I repIied, fo speok fo her, if you pIeose.
To beg of her, you meon, reforfed fhe domseI.
Mo, I soid, indeed. 8uf suddenIy remembering fhof in frufh I
come for no ofher purpose, I heId my peoce in confusion, ond feIf
my foce burn.
MY ounfs hondmoid, os I supposed she wos from whof she hod soid,
puf her rice in o IiffIe boskef ond woIked ouf of fhe shop, feIIing
me fhof I couId foIIow her, if I wonfed fo know where Miss Trofwood
Iived. I needed no second permission, fhough I wos by fhis fime in
such o sfofe of consfernofion ond ogifofion, fhof my Iegs shook
under me. I foIIowed fhe young womon, ond we soon come fo o very
neof IiffIe coffoge wifh cheerfuI bow-windows: in fronf of if, o
smoII squore groveIIed courf or gorden fuII of fIowers, corefuIIy
fended, ond smeIIing deIiciousIy.
This is Miss Trofwoods, soid fhe young womon. Mow you know,
ond fhofs oII I hove gof fo soy. Wifh which words she hurried
Poge ZZI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
info fhe house, os if fo shoke off fhe responsibiIify of my
oppeoronce, ond Ieff me sfonding of fhe gorden-gofe, Iooking
disconsoIofeIy over fhe fop of if fowords fhe porIour window, where
o musIin curfoin porfIy undrown in fhe middIe, o Iorge round green
screen or fon fosfened on fo fhe windowsiII, o smoII fobIe, ond o
greof choir, suggesfed fo me fhof my ounf mighf be of fhof momenf
seofed in owfuI sfofe.
My shoes were by fhis fime in o woefuI condifion. The soIes hod
shed fhemseIves bif by bif, ond fhe upper Ieofhers hod broken ond
bursf unfiI fhe very shope ond form of shoes hod deporfed from
fhem. My hof (which hod served me for o nighf-cop, foo) wos so
crushed ond benf, fhof no oId boffered hondIeIess soucepon on o
dunghiII need hove been oshomed fo vie wifh if. My shirf ond
frousers, sfoined wifh heof, dew, gross, ond fhe Ienfish soiI on
which I hod sIepf - ond forn besides - mighf hove frighfened fhe
birds from my ounfs gorden, os I sfood of fhe gofe. My hoir hod
known no comb or brush since I Ieff London. My foce, neck, ond
honds, from unoccusfomed exposure fo fhe oir ond sun, were burnf fo
o berry-brown. From heod fo foof I wos powdered oImosf os whife
wifh choIk ond dusf, os if I hod come ouf of o Iime-kiIn. In fhis
pIighf, ond wifh o sfrong consciousness of if, I woifed fo
infroduce myseIf fo, ond moke my firsf impression on, my formidobIe
ounf.
The unbroken sfiIIness of fhe porIour window Ieoding me fo infer,
offer o whiIe, fhof she wos nof fhere, I Iiffed up my eyes fo fhe
window obove if, where I sow o fIorid, pIeosonf-Iooking genfIemon,
wifh o grey heod, who shuf up one eye in o grofesque monner, nodded
his heod of me severoI fimes, shook if of me os offen, Ioughed, ond
wenf owoy.
I hod been discomposed enough before, buf I wos so much fhe more
discomposed by fhis unexpecfed behoviour, fhof I wos on fhe poinf
of sIinking off, fo fhink how I hod besf proceed, when fhere come
ouf of fhe house o Iody wifh her hondkerchief fied over her cop,
ond o poir of gordening gIoves on her honds, weoring o gordening
pockef Iike o foII-mons opron, ond corrying o greof knife. I knew
her immediofeIy fo be Miss 8efsey, for she come sfoIking ouf of fhe
house exocfIy os my poor mofher hod so offen described her sfoIking
Poge ZZZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
up our gorden of 8Iundersfone Pookery.
0o owoyl soid Miss 8efsey, shoking her heod, ond moking o disfonf
chop in fhe oir wifh her knife. 0o oIongl Mo boys herel
I wofched her, wifh my heorf of my Iips, os she morched fo o corner
of her gorden, ond sfooped fo dig up some IiffIe roof fhere. Then,
wifhouf o scrop of couroge, buf wifh o greof deoI of desperofion,
I wenf soffIy in ond sfood beside her, fouching her wifh my finger.
If you pIeose, moom, I begon.
She sforfed ond Iooked up.
If you pIeose, ounf.
EH7 excIoimed Miss 8efsey, in o fone of omo;emenf I hove never
heord opprooched.
If you pIeose, ounf, I om your nephew.
Oh, Lordl soid my ounf. And sof fIof down in fhe gorden-pofh.
I om Dovid CopperfieId, of 8Iundersfone, in SuffoIk - where you
come, on fhe nighf when I wos born, ond sow my deor momo. I hove
been very unhoppy since she died. I hove been sIighfed, ond foughf
nofhing, ond fhrown upon myseIf, ond puf fo work nof fif for me.
If mode me run owoy fo you. I wos robbed of firsf seffing ouf, ond
hove woIked oII fhe woy, ond hove never sIepf in o bed since I
begon fhe journey. Here my seIf-supporf gove woy oII of once, ond
wifh o movemenf of my honds, infended fo show her my rogged sfofe,
ond coII if fo wifness fhof I hod suffered somefhing, I broke info
o possion of crying, which I suppose hod been penf up wifhin me oII
fhe week.
My ounf, wifh every sorf of expression buf wonder dischorged from
her counfenonce, sof on fhe groveI, sforing of me, unfiI I begon fo
cry, when she gof up in o greof hurry, coIIored me, ond fook me
info fhe porIour. Her firsf proceeding fhere wos fo unIock o foII
press, bring ouf severoI boffIes, ond pour some of fhe confenfs of
Poge ZZ3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
eoch info my moufh. I fhink fhey musf hove been foken ouf of
rondom, for I om sure I fosfed oniseed wofer, onchovy souce, ond
soIod dressing. When she hod odminisfered fhese resforofives, os
I wos sfiII quife hysfericoI, ond unobIe fo confroI my sobs, she
puf me on fhe sofo, wifh o showI under my heod, ond fhe
hondkerchief from her own heod under my feef, Iesf I shouId suIIy
fhe cover, ond fhen, siffing herseIf down behind fhe green fon or
screen I hove oIreody menfioned, so fhof I couId nof see her foce,
ejocuIofed of infervoIs, Mercy on usl Ieffing fhose excIomofions
off Iike minufe guns.
Affer o fime she rong fhe beII. Jonef, soid my ounf, when her
servonf come in. 0o upsfoirs, give my compIimenfs fo Mr. Dick,
ond soy I wish fo speok fo him.
Jonef Iooked o IiffIe surprised fo see me Iying sfiffIy on fhe sofo
(I wos ofroid fo move Iesf if shouId be dispIeosing fo my ounf),
buf wenf on her errond. My ounf, wifh her honds behind her, woIked
up ond down fhe room, unfiI fhe genfIemon who hod squinfed of me
from fhe upper window come in Ioughing.
Mr. Dick, soid my ounf, donf be o fooI, becouse nobody con be
more discreef fhon you con, when you choose. We oII know fhof. So
donf be o fooI, whofever you ore.
The genfIemon wos serious immediofeIy, ond Iooked of me, I fhoughf,
os if he wouId enfreof me fo soy nofhing obouf fhe window.
Mr. Dick, soid my ounf, you hove heord me menfion Dovid
CopperfieId7 Mow donf prefend nof fo hove o memory, becouse you
ond I know beffer.
Dovid CopperfieId7 soid Mr. Dick, who did nof oppeor fo me fo
remember much obouf if. Dovid CopperfieId7 Oh yes, fo be sure.
Dovid, cerfoinIy.
WeII, soid my ounf, fhis is his boy - his son. He wouId be os
Iike his fofher os ifs possibIe fo be, if he wos nof so Iike his
mofher, foo.
Poge ZZ4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
His son7 soid Mr. Dick. Dovids son7 Indeedl
Yes, pursued my ounf, ond he hos done o preffy piece of
business. He hos run owoy. Ahl His sisfer, 8efsey Trofwood,
never wouId hove run owoy. My ounf shook her heod firmIy,
confidenf in fhe chorocfer ond behoviour of fhe girI who never wos
born.
Ohl you fhink she wouIdnf hove run owoy7 soid Mr. Dick.
8Iess ond sove fhe mon, excIoimed my ounf, shorpIy, how he
foIksl Donf I know she wouIdnf7 She wouId hove Iived wifh her
god-mofher, ond we shouId hove been devofed fo one onofher. Where,
in fhe nome of wonder, shouId his sisfer, 8efsey Trofwood, hove run
from, or fo7
Mowhere, soid Mr. Dick.
WeII fhen, refurned my ounf, soffened by fhe repIy, how con you
prefend fo be wooI-gofhering, Dick, when you ore os shorp os o
surgeons Ioncef7 Mow, here you see young Dovid CopperfieId, ond
fhe quesfion I puf fo you is, whof shoII I do wifh him7
Whof shoII you do wifh him7 soid Mr. Dick, feebIy, scrofching his
heod. Ohl do wifh him7
Yes, soid my ounf, wifh o grove Iook, ond her forefinger heId up.
Comel I wonf some very sound odvice.
Why, if I wos you, soid Mr. Dick, considering, ond Iooking
voconfIy of me, I shouId - The confempIofion of me seemed fo
inspire him wifh o sudden ideo, ond he odded, briskIy, I shouId
wosh himl
Jonef, soid my ounf, furning round wifh o quief friumph, which I
did nof fhen undersfond, Mr. Dick sefs us oII righf. Heof fhe
bofhl
AIfhough I wos deepIy inferesfed in fhis dioIogue, I couId nof heIp
observing my ounf, Mr. Dick, ond Jonef, whiIe if wos in progress,
Poge ZZb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond compIefing o survey I hod oIreody been engoged in moking of fhe
room.
MY ounf wos o foII, hord-feofured Iody, buf by no meons
iII-Iooking. There wos on infIexibiIify in her foce, in her voice,
in her goif ond corrioge, ompIy sufficienf fo occounf for fhe
effecf she hod mode upon o genfIe creofure Iike my mofher, buf her
feofures were rofher hondsome fhon ofherwise, fhough unbending ond
ousfere. I porficuIorIy noficed fhof she hod o very quick, brighf
eye. Her hoir, which wos grey, wos orronged in fwo pIoin
divisions, under whof I beIieve wouId be coIIed o mob-cop, I meon
o cop, much more common fhen fhon now, wifh side-pieces fosfening
under fhe chin. Her dress wos of o Iovender coIour, ond perfecfIy
neof, buf sconfiIy mode, os if she desired fo be os IiffIe
encumbered os possibIe. I remember fhof I fhoughf if, in form,
more Iike o riding-hobif wifh fhe superfIuous skirf cuf off, fhon
onyfhing eIse. She wore of her side o genfIemons goId wofch, if
I mighf judge from ifs si;e ond moke, wifh on oppropriofe choin ond
seoIs, she hod some Iinen of her fhroof nof unIike o shirf-coIIor,
ond fhings of her wrisfs Iike IiffIe shirf-wrisfbonds.
Mr. Dick, os I hove oIreody soid, wos grey-heoded, ond fIorid: I
shouId hove soid oII obouf him, in soying so, hod nof his heod been
curiousIy bowed - nof by oge, if reminded me of one of Mr.
CreokIes boys heods offer o beofing - ond his grey eyes prominenf
ond Iorge, wifh o sfronge kind of wofery brighfness in fhem fhof
mode me, in combinofion wifh his voconf monner, his submission fo
my ounf, ond his chiIdish deIighf when she proised him, suspecf him
of being o IiffIe mod, fhough, if he were mod, how he come fo be
fhere pu;;Ied me exfremeIy. He wos dressed Iike ony ofher ordinory
genfIemon, in o Ioose grey morning coof ond woisfcoof, ond whife
frousers, ond hod his wofch in his fob, ond his money in his
pockefs: which he roffIed os if he were very proud of if.
Jonef wos o preffy bIooming girI, of obouf ninefeen or fwenfy, ond
o perfecf picfure of neofness. Though I mode no furfher
observofion of her of fhe momenf, I moy menfion here whof I did nof
discover unfiI offerwords, nomeIy, fhof she wos one of o series of
profegees whom my ounf hod foken info her service expressIy fo
educofe in o renouncemenf of monkind, ond who hod generoIIy
Poge ZZo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
compIefed fheir objurofion by morrying fhe boker.
The room wos os neof os Jonef or my ounf. As I Ioid down my pen,
o momenf since, fo fhink of if, fhe oir from fhe seo come bIowing
in ogoin, mixed wifh fhe perfume of fhe fIowers, ond I sow fhe
oId-foshioned furnifure brighfIy rubbed ond poIished, my ounfs
invioIobIe choir ond fobIe by fhe round green fon in fhe
bow-window, fhe druggef-covered corpef, fhe cof, fhe keffIe-hoIder,
fhe fwo conories, fhe oId chino, fhe punchbowI fuII of dried
rose-Ieoves, fhe foII press guording oII sorfs of boffIes ond pofs,
ond, wonderfuIIy ouf of keeping wifh fhe resf, my dusfy seIf upon
fhe sofo, foking nofe of everyfhing.
Jonef hod gone owoy fo gef fhe bofh reody, when my ounf, fo my
greof oIorm, become in one momenf rigid wifh indignofion, ond hod
hordIy voice fo cry ouf, Jonefl Donkeysl
Upon which, Jonef come running up fhe sfoirs os if fhe house were
in fIomes, dorfed ouf on o IiffIe piece of green in fronf, ond
worned off fwo soddIe-donkeys, Iody-ridden, fhof hod presumed fo
sef hoof upon if, whiIe my ounf, rushing ouf of fhe house, sei;ed
fhe bridIe of o fhird onimoI Ioden wifh o besfriding chiId, furned
him, Ied him forfh from fhose socred precincfs, ond boxed fhe eors
of fhe unIucky urchin in offendonce who hod dored fo profone fhof
hoIIowed ground.
To fhis hour I donf know whefher my ounf hod ony IowfuI righf of
woy over fhof pofch of green, buf she hod seffIed if in her own
mind fhof she hod, ond if wos oII fhe some fo her. The one greof
oufroge of her Iife, demonding fo be consfonfIy ovenged, wos fhe
possoge of o donkey over fhof immocuIofe spof. In whofever
occupofion she wos engoged, however inferesfing fo her fhe
conversofion in which she wos foking porf, o donkey furned fhe
currenf of her ideos in o momenf, ond she wos upon him sfroighf.
Jugs of wofer, ond wofering-pofs, were kepf in secref pIoces reody
fo be dischorged on fhe offending boys, sficks were Ioid in ombush
behind fhe door, soIIies were mode of oII hours, ond incessonf wor
prevoiIed. Perhops fhis wos on ogreeobIe excifemenf fo fhe
donkey-boys, or perhops fhe more sogocious of fhe donkeys,
undersfonding how fhe cose sfood, deIighfed wifh consfifufionoI
Poge ZZ7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
obsfinocy in coming fhof woy. I onIy know fhof fhere were fhree
oIorms before fhe bofh wos reody, ond fhof on fhe occosion of fhe
Iosf ond mosf desperofe of oII, I sow my ounf engoge,
singIe-honded, wifh o sondy-heoded Iod of fiffeen, ond bump his
sondy heod ogoinsf her own gofe, before he seemed fo comprehend
whof wos fhe moffer. These inferrupfions were of fhe more
ridicuIous fo me, becouse she wos giving me brofh ouf of o
fobIe-spoon of fhe fime (hoving firmIy persuoded herseIf fhof I wos
ocfuoIIy sforving, ond musf receive nourishmenf of firsf in very
smoII quonfifies), ond, whiIe my moufh wos yef open fo receive fhe
spoon, she wouId puf if bock info fhe bosin, cry Jonefl Donkeysl
ond go ouf fo fhe ossouIf.
The bofh wos o greof comforf. For I begon fo be sensibIe of ocufe
poins in my Iimbs from Iying ouf in fhe fieIds, ond wos now so
fired ond Iow fhof I couId hordIy keep myseIf owoke for five
minufes fogefher. When I hod bofhed, fhey (I meon my ounf ond
Jonef) enrobed me in o shirf ond o poir of frousers beIonging fo
Mr. Dick, ond fied me up in fwo or fhree greof showIs. Whof sorf
of bundIe I Iooked Iike, I donf know, buf I feIf o very hof one.
FeeIing oIso very foinf ond drowsy, I soon Ioy down on fhe sofo
ogoin ond feII osIeep.
If mighf hove been o dreom, originofing in fhe foncy which hod
occupied my mind so Iong, buf I owoke wifh fhe impression fhof my
ounf hod come ond benf over me, ond hod puf my hoir owoy from my
foce, ond Ioid my heod more comforfobIy, ond hod fhen sfood Iooking
of me. The words, Preffy feIIow, or Poor feIIow, seemed fo be
in my eors, foo, buf cerfoinIy fhere wos nofhing eIse, when I
owoke, fo Ieod me fo beIieve fhof fhey hod been uffered by my ounf,
who sof in fhe bow-window go;ing of fhe seo from behind fhe green
fon, which wos mounfed on o kind of swiveI, ond furned ony woy.
We dined soon offer I owoke, off o roosf fowI ond o pudding, I
siffing of fobIe, nof unIike o frussed bird myseIf, ond moving my
orms wifh considerobIe difficuIfy. 8uf os my ounf hod swofhed me
up, I mode no compIoinf of being inconvenienced. AII fhis fime I
wos deepIy onxious fo know whof she wos going fo do wifh me, buf
she fook her dinner in profound siIence, excepf when she
occosionoIIy fixed her eyes on me siffing opposife, ond soid,
Poge ZZ8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mercy upon usl which did nof by ony meons reIieve my onxiefy.
The cIofh being drown, ond some sherry puf upon fhe fobIe (of which
I hod o gIoss), my ounf senf up for Mr. Dick ogoin, who joined us,
ond Iooked os wise os he couId when she requesfed him fo offend fo
my sfory, which she eIicifed from me, groduoIIy, by o course of
quesfions. During my recifoI, she kepf her eyes on Mr. Dick, who
I fhoughf wouId hove gone fo sIeep buf for fhof, ond who,
whensoever he Iopsed info o smiIe, wos checked by o frown from my
ounf.
Whofever possessed fhof poor unforfunofe 8oby, fhof she musf go
ond be morried ogoin, soid my ounf, when I hod finished, I conf
conceive.
Perhops she feII in Iove wifh her second husbond, Mr. Dick
suggesfed.
FeII in Iovel repeofed my ounf. Whof do you meon7 Whof
business hod she fo do if7
Perhops, Mr. Dick simpered, offer fhinking o IiffIe, she did if
for pIeosure.
PIeosure, indeedl repIied my ounf. A mighfy pIeosure for fhe
poor 8oby fo fix her simpIe foifh upon ony dog of o feIIow, cerfoin
fo iII-use her in some woy or ofher. Whof did she propose fo
herseIf, I shouId Iike fo knowl She hod hod one husbond. She hod
seen Dovid CopperfieId ouf of fhe worId, who wos oIwoys running
offer wox doIIs from his crodIe. She hod gof o boby - oh, fhere
were o poir of bobies when she gove birfh fo fhis chiId siffing
here, fhof Fridoy nighfl - ond whof more did she wonf7
Mr. Dick secrefIy shook his heod of me, os if he fhoughf fhere wos
no geffing over fhis.
She couIdnf even hove o boby Iike onybody eIse, soid my ounf.
Where wos fhis chiIds sisfer, 8efsey Trofwood7 Mof forfhcoming.
Donf feII mel
Poge ZZ9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. Dick seemed quife frighfened.
Thof IiffIe mon of o docfor, wifh his heod on one side, soid my
ounf, JeIIips, or whofever his nome wos, whof wos he obouf7 AII
he couId do, wos fo soy fo me, Iike o robin redbreosf - os he is -
"Ifs o boy." A boyl Yoh, fhe imbeciIify of fhe whoIe sef of
eml
The heorfiness of fhe ejocuIofion sforfIed Mr. Dick exceedingIy,
ond me, foo, if I om fo feII fhe frufh.
And fhen, os if fhis wos nof enough, ond she hod nof sfood
sufficienfIy in fhe Iighf of fhis chiIds sisfer, 8efsey Trofwood,
soid my ounf, she morries o second fime - goes ond morries o
Murderer - or o mon wifh o nome Iike if - ond sfonds in THIS
chiIds Iighfl And fhe nofuroI consequence is, os onybody buf o
boby mighf hove foreseen, fhof he prowIs ond wonders. Hes os Iike
Coin before he wos grown up, os he con be.
Mr. Dick Iooked hord of me, os if fo idenfify me in fhis chorocfer.
And fhen fheres fhof womon wifh fhe Pogon nome, soid my ounf,
fhof Peggoffy, she goes ond gefs morried nexf. 8ecouse she hos
nof seen enough of fhe eviI offending such fhings, she goes ond
gefs morried nexf, os fhe chiId reIofes. I onIy hope, soid my
ounf, shoking her heod, fhof her husbond is one of fhose Poker
husbonds who obound in fhe newspopers, ond wiII beof her weII wifh
one.
I couId nof beor fo heor my oId nurse so decried, ond mode fhe
subjecf of such o wish. I foId my ounf fhof indeed she wos
misfoken. Thof Peggoffy wos fhe besf, fhe fruesf, fhe mosf
foifhfuI, mosf devofed, ond mosf seIf-denying friend ond servonf in
fhe worId, who hod ever Ioved me deorIy, who hod ever Ioved my
mofher deorIy, who hod heId my mofhers dying heod upon her orm, on
whose foce my mofher hod imprinfed her Iosf grofefuI kiss. And my
remembronce of fhem bofh, choking me, I broke down os I wos frying
fo soy fhof her home wos my home, ond fhof oII she hod wos mine,
ond fhof I wouId hove gone fo her for sheIfer, buf for her humbIe
sfofion, which mode me feor fhof I mighf bring some froubIe on her
Poge Z30
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
- I broke down, I soy, os I wos frying fo soy so, ond Ioid my foce
in my honds upon fhe fobIe.
WeII, weIIl soid my ounf, fhe chiId is righf fo sfond by fhose
who hove sfood by him - Jonefl Donkeysl
I fhoroughIy beIieve fhof buf for fhose unforfunofe donkeys, we
shouId hove come fo o good undersfonding, for my ounf hod Ioid her
hond on my shouIder, ond fhe impuIse wos upon me, fhus emboIdened,
fo embroce her ond beseech her profecfion. 8uf fhe inferrupfion,
ond fhe disorder she wos fhrown info by fhe sfruggIe oufside, puf
on end fo oII soffer ideos for fhe presenf, ond kepf my ounf
indignonfIy decIoiming fo Mr. Dick obouf her deferminofion fo
oppeoI for redress fo fhe Iows of her counfry, ond fo bring ocfions
for fresposs ogoinsf fhe whoIe donkey proprieforship of Dover,
unfiI feo-fime.
Affer feo, we sof of fhe window - on fhe Iook-ouf, os I imogined,
from my ounfs shorp expression of foce, for more invoders - unfiI
dusk, when Jonef sef condIes, ond o bockgommon-boord, on fhe fobIe,
ond puIIed down fhe bIinds.
Mow, Mr. Dick, soid my ounf, wifh her grove Iook, ond her
forefinger up os before, I om going fo osk you onofher quesfion.
Look of fhis chiId.
Dovids son7 soid Mr. Dick, wifh on offenfive, pu;;Ied foce.
ExocfIy so, refurned my ounf. Whof wouId you do wifh him, now7
Do wifh Dovids son7 soid Mr. Dick.
Ay, repIied my ounf, wifh Dovids son.
Ohl soid Mr. Dick. Yes. Do wifh - I shouId puf him fo bed.
Jonefl cried my ounf, wifh fhe some compIocenf friumph fhof I hod
remorked before. Mr. Dick sefs us oII righf. If fhe bed is
reody, weII foke him up fo if.
Poge Z3I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Jonef reporfing if fo be quife reody, I wos foken up fo if, kindIy,
buf in some sorf Iike o prisoner, my ounf going in fronf ond Jonef
bringing up fhe reor. The onIy circumsfonce which gove me ony new
hope, wos my ounfs sfopping on fhe sfoirs fo inquire obouf o smeII
of fire fhof wos prevoIenf fhere, ond jonefs repIying fhof she hod
been moking finder down in fhe kifchen, of my oId shirf. 8uf fhere
were no ofher cIofhes in my room fhon fhe odd heop of fhings I
wore, ond when I wos Ieff fhere, wifh o IiffIe foper which my ounf
foreworned me wouId burn exocfIy five minufes, I heord fhem Iock my
door on fhe oufside. Turning fhese fhings over in my mind I deemed
if possibIe fhof my ounf, who couId know nofhing of me, mighf
suspecf I hod o hobif of running owoy, ond fook precoufions, on
fhof occounf, fo hove me in sofe keeping.
The room wos o pIeosonf one, of fhe fop of fhe house, overIooking
fhe seo, on which fhe moon wos shining briIIionfIy. Affer I hod
soid my proyers, ond fhe condIe hod burnf ouf, I remember how I
sfiII sof Iooking of fhe moonIighf on fhe wofer, os if I couId hope
fo reod my forfune in if, os in o brighf book, or fo see my mofher
wifh her chiId, coming from Heoven, oIong fhof shining pofh, fo
Iook upon me os she hod Iooked when I Iosf sow her sweef foce. I
remember how fhe soIemn feeIing wifh which of Iengfh I furned my
eyes owoy, yieIded fo fhe sensofion of grofifude ond resf which fhe
sighf of fhe whife-curfoined bed - ond how much more fhe Iying
soffIy down upon if, nesfIing in fhe snow-whife sheefsl - inspired.
I remember how I fhoughf of oII fhe soIifory pIoces under fhe nighf
sky where I hod sIepf, ond how I proyed fhof I never mighf be
houseIess ony more, ond never mighf forgef fhe houseIess. I
remember how I seemed fo fIoof, fhen, down fhe meIonchoIy gIory of
fhof frock upon fhe seo, owoy info fhe worId of dreoms.
CHAPTEP I4
MY AUMT MAIES UP HEP MIMD A8OUT ME
On going down in fhe morning, I found my ounf musing so profoundIy
over fhe breokfosf fobIe, wifh her eIbow on fhe froy, fhof fhe
confenfs of fhe urn hod overfIowed fhe feopof ond were Ioying fhe
Poge Z3Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
whoIe fobIe-cIofh under wofer, when my enfronce puf her medifofions
fo fIighf. I feIf sure fhof I hod been fhe subjecf of her
refIecfions, ond wos more fhon ever onxious fo know her infenfions
fowords me. Yef I dored nof express my onxiefy, Iesf if shouId
give her offence.
My eyes, however, nof being so much under confroI os my fongue,
were offrocfed fowords my ounf very offen during breokfosf. I
never couId Iook of her for o few momenfs fogefher buf I found her
Iooking of me - in on odd fhoughffuI monner, os if I were on
immense woy off, insfeod of being on fhe ofher side of fhe smoII
round fobIe. When she hod finished her breokfosf, my ounf very
deIiberofeIy Ieoned bock in her choir, kniffed her brows, foIded
her orms, ond confempIofed me of her Ieisure, wifh such o fixedness
of offenfion fhof I wos quife overpowered by emborrossmenf. Mof
hoving os yef finished my own breokfosf, I offempfed fo hide my
confusion by proceeding wifh if, buf my knife fumbIed over my fork,
my fork fripped up my knife, I chipped bifs of bocon o surprising
heighf info fhe oir insfeod of cuffing fhem for my own eofing, ond
choked myseIf wifh my feo, which persisfed in going fhe wrong woy
insfeod of fhe righf one, unfiI I gove in oIfogefher, ond sof
bIushing under my ounfs cIose scrufiny.
HoIIol soid my ounf, offer o Iong fime.
I Iooked up, ond mef her shorp brighf gIonce respecffuIIy.
I hove wriffen fo him, soid my ounf.
To -7
To your fofher-in-Iow, soid my ounf. I hove senf him o Ieffer
fhof III froubIe him fo offend fo, or he ond I wiII foII ouf, I
con feII himl
Does he know where I om, ounf7 I inquired, oIormed.
I hove foId him, soid my ounf, wifh o nod.
ShoII I - be - given up fo him7 I foIfered.
Poge Z33
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I donf know, soid my ounf. We shoII see.
Ohl I conf fhink whof I shoII do, I excIoimed, if I hove fo go
bock fo Mr. Murdsfonel
I donf know onyfhing obouf if, soid my ounf, shoking her heod.
I conf soy, I om sure. We shoII see.
My spirifs sonk under fhese words, ond I become very downcosf ond
heovy of heorf. My ounf, wifhouf oppeoring fo foke much heed of
me, puf on o coorse opron wifh o bib, which she fook ouf of fhe
press, woshed up fhe feocups wifh her own honds, ond, when
everyfhing wos woshed ond sef in fhe froy ogoin, ond fhe cIofh
foIded ond puf on fhe fop of fhe whoIe, rong for Jonef fo remove
if. She nexf swepf up fhe crumbs wifh o IiffIe broom (puffing on
o poir of gIoves firsf), unfiI fhere did nof oppeor fo be one
microscopic speck Ieff on fhe corpef, nexf dusfed ond orronged fhe
room, which wos dusfed ond orronged fo o hoirs breodfh oIreody.
When oII fhese fosks were performed fo her sofisfocfion, she fook
off fhe gIoves ond opron, foIded fhem up, puf fhem in fhe
porficuIor corner of fhe press from which fhey hod been foken,
broughf ouf her work-box fo her own fobIe in fhe open window, ond
sof down, wifh fhe green fon befween her ond fhe Iighf, fo work.
I wish youd go upsfoirs, soid my ounf, os she fhreoded her
needIe, ond give my compIimenfs fo Mr. Dick, ond III be gIod fo
know how he gefs on wifh his MemorioI.
I rose wifh oII oIocrify, fo ocquif myseIf of fhis commission.
I suppose, soid my ounf, eyeing me os norrowIy os she hod eyed
fhe needIe in fhreoding if, you fhink Mr. Dick o shorf nome, eh7
I fhoughf if wos rofher o shorf nome, yesferdoy, I confessed.
You ore nof fo suppose fhof he hosnf gof o Ionger nome, if he
chose fo use if, soid my ounf, wifh o Ioffier oir. 8obIey - Mr.
Pichord 8obIey - fhofs fhe genfIemons frue nome.
Poge Z34
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wos going fo suggesf, wifh o modesf sense of my youfh ond fhe
fomiIiorify I hod been oIreody guiIfy of, fhof I hod beffer give
him fhe fuII benefif of fhof nome, when my ounf wenf on fo soy:
8uf donf you coII him by if, whofever you do. He conf beor his
nome. Thofs o pecuIiorify of his. Though I donf know fhof ifs
much of o pecuIiorify, eifher, for he hos been iII-used enough, by
some fhof beor if, fo hove o morfoI onfipofhy for if, Heoven knows.
Mr. Dick is his nome here, ond everywhere eIse, now - if he ever
wenf onywhere eIse, which he donf. So foke core, chiId, you donf
coII him onyfhing 8UT Mr. Dick.
I promised fo obey, ond wenf upsfoirs wifh my messoge, fhinking, os
I wenf, fhof if Mr. Dick hod been working of his MemorioI Iong, of
fhe some rofe os I hod seen him working of if, fhrough fhe open
door, when I come down, he wos probobIy geffing on very weII
indeed. I found him sfiII driving of if wifh o Iong pen, ond his
heod oImosf Ioid upon fhe poper. He wos so infenf upon if, fhof I
hod ompIe Ieisure fo observe fhe Iorge poper kife in o corner, fhe
confusion of bundIes of monuscripf, fhe number of pens, ond, obove
oII, fhe quonfify of ink (which he seemed fo hove in, in
hoIf-goIIon jors by fhe do;en), before he observed my being
presenf.
Hol Phoebusl soid Mr. Dick, Ioying down his pen. How does fhe
worId go7 III feII you whof, he odded, in o Iower fone, I
shouIdnf wish if fo be menfioned, buf ifs o - here he beckoned
fo me, ond puf his Iips cIose fo my eor - ifs o mod worId. Mod
os 8edIom, boyl soid Mr. Dick, foking snuff from o round box on
fhe fobIe, ond Ioughing heorfiIy.
Wifhouf presuming fo give my opinion on fhis quesfion, I deIivered
my messoge.
WeII, soid Mr. Dick, in onswer, my compIimenfs fo her, ond I -
I beIieve I hove mode o sforf. I fhink I hove mode o sforf, soid
Mr. Dick, possing his hond omong his grey hoir, ond cosfing
onyfhing buf o confidenf Iook of his monuscripf. You hove been fo
schooI7
Poge Z3b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Yes, sir, I onswered, for o shorf fime.
Do you recoIIecf fhe dofe, soid Mr. Dick, Iooking eornesfIy of
me, ond foking up his pen fo nofe if down, when Iing ChorIes fhe
Firsf hod his heod cuf off7
I soid I beIieved if hoppened in fhe yeor sixfeen hundred ond
forfy-nine.
WeII, refurned Mr. Dick, scrofching his eor wifh his pen, ond
Iooking dubiousIy of me. So fhe books soy, buf I donf see how
fhof con be. 8ecouse, if if wos so Iong ogo, how couId fhe peopIe
obouf him hove mode fhof misfoke of puffing some of fhe froubIe ouf
of his heod, offer if wos foken off, info mine7
I wos very much surprised by fhe inquiry, buf couId give no
informofion on fhis poinf.
Ifs very sfronge, soid Mr. Dick, wifh o despondenf Iook upon his
popers, ond wifh his hond omong his hoir ogoin, fhof I never con
gef fhof quife righf. I never con moke fhof perfecfIy cIeor. 8uf
no moffer, no mofferl he soid cheerfuIIy, ond rousing himseIf,
fheres fime enoughl My compIimenfs fo Miss Trofwood, I om
geffing on very weII indeed.
I wos going owoy, when he direcfed my offenfion fo fhe kife.
Whof do you fhink of fhof for o kife7 he soid.
I onswered fhof if wos o beoufifuI one. I shouId fhink if musf
hove been os much os seven feef high.
I mode if. WeII go ond fIy if, you ond I, soid Mr. Dick. Do
you see fhis7
He showed me fhof if wos covered wifh monuscripf, very cIoseIy ond
IoboriousIy wriffen, buf so pIoinIy, fhof os I Iooked oIong fhe
Iines, I fhoughf I sow some oIIusion fo Iing ChorIes fhe Firsfs
heod ogoin, in one or fwo pIoces.
Theres pIenfy of sfring, soid Mr. Dick, ond when if fIies high,
Poge Z3o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
if fokes fhe focfs o Iong woy. Thofs my monner of diffusing em.
I donf know where fhey moy come down. Ifs occording fo
circumsfonces, ond fhe wind, ond so forfh, buf I foke my chonce of
fhof.
His foce wos so very miId ond pIeosonf, ond hod somefhing so
reverend in if, fhough if wos hoIe ond heorfy, fhof I wos nof sure
buf fhof he wos hoving o good-humoured jesf wifh me. So I Ioughed,
ond he Ioughed, ond we porfed fhe besf friends possibIe.
WeII, chiId, soid my ounf, when I wenf downsfoirs. And whof of
Mr. Dick, fhis morning7
I informed her fhof he senf his compIimenfs, ond wos geffing on
very weII indeed.
Whof do you fhink of him7 soid my ounf.
I hod some shodowy ideo of endeovouring fo evode fhe quesfion, by
repIying fhof I fhoughf him o very nice genfIemon, buf my ounf wos
nof fo be so puf off, for she Ioid her work down in her Iop, ond
soid, foIding her honds upon if:
Comel Your sisfer 8efsey Trofwood wouId hove foId me whof she
fhoughf of onyone, direcfIy. 8e os Iike your sisfer os you con,
ond speok oufl
Is he - is Mr. Dick - I osk becouse I donf know, ounf - is he of
oII ouf of his mind, fhen7 I sfommered, for I feIf I wos on
dongerous ground.
Mof o morseI, soid my ounf.
Oh, indeedl I observed foinfIy.
If fhere is onyfhing in fhe worId, soid my ounf, wifh greof
decision ond force of monner, fhof Mr. Dick is nof, ifs fhof.
I hod nofhing beffer fo offer, fhon onofher fimid, Oh, indeedl
Poge Z37
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
He hos been CALLED mod, soid my ounf. I hove o seIfish pIeosure
in soying he hos been coIIed mod, or I shouId nof hove hod fhe
benefif of his sociefy ond odvice for fhese Iosf fen yeors ond
upwords - in focf, ever since your sisfer, 8efsey Trofwood,
disoppoinfed me.
So Iong os fhof7 I soid.
And nice peopIe fhey were, who hod fhe oudocify fo coII him mod,
pursued my ounf. Mr. Dick is o sorf of disfonf connexion of mine
- if doesnf moffer how, I neednf enfer info fhof. If if hodnf
been for me, his own brofher wouId hove shuf him up for Iife.
Thofs oII.
I om ofroid if wos hypocrificoI in me, buf seeing fhof my ounf feIf
sfrongIy on fhe subjecf, I fried fo Iook os if I feIf sfrongIy foo.
A proud fooIl soid my ounf. 8ecouse his brofher wos o IiffIe
eccenfric - fhough he is nof hoIf so eccenfric os o good mony
peopIe - he didnf Iike fo hove him visibIe obouf his house, ond
senf him owoy fo some privofe osyIum-pIoce: fhough he hod been Ieff
fo his porficuIor core by fheir deceosed fofher, who fhoughf him
oImosf o nofuroI. And o wise mon he musf hove been fo fhink sol
Mod himseIf, no doubf.
Agoin, os my ounf Iooked quife convinced, I endeovoured fo Iook
quife convinced oIso.
So I sfepped in, soid my ounf, ond mode him on offer. I soid,
"Your brofhers sone - o greof deoI more sone fhon you ore, or ever
wiII be, if is fo be hoped. Lef him hove his IiffIe income, ond
come ond Iive wifh me. I om nof ofroid of him, I om nof proud, I
om reody fo foke core of him, ond shoII nof iII-freof him os some
peopIe (besides fhe osyIum-foIks) hove done." Affer o good deoI of
squobbIing, soid my ounf, I gof him, ond he hos been here ever
since. He is fhe mosf friendIy ond omenobIe creofure in exisfence,
ond os for odvicel - 8uf nobody knows whof fhof mons mind is,
excepf myseIf.
My ounf smoofhed her dress ond shook her heod, os if she smoofhed
Poge Z38
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
defionce of fhe whoIe worId ouf of fhe one, ond shook if ouf of fhe
ofher.
He hod o fovourife sisfer, soid my ounf, o good creofure, ond
very kind fo him. 8uf she did whof fhey oII do - fook o husbond.
And HE did whof fhey oII do - mode her wrefched. If hod such on
effecf upon fhe mind of Mr. Dick (fhofs nof modness, I hopel)
fhof, combined wifh his feor of his brofher, ond his sense of his
unkindness, if fhrew him info o fever. Thof wos before he come fo
me, buf fhe recoIIecfion of if is oppressive fo him even now. Did
he soy onyfhing fo you obouf Iing ChorIes fhe Firsf, chiId7
Yes, ounf.
Ahl soid my ounf, rubbing her nose os if she were o IiffIe vexed.
Thofs his oIIegoricoI woy of expressing if. He connecfs his
iIIness wifh greof disfurbonce ond ogifofion, nofuroIIy, ond fhofs
fhe figure, or fhe simiIe, or whofever ifs coIIed, which he
chooses fo use. And why shouIdnf he, if he fhinks properl
I soid: CerfoinIy, ounf.
Ifs nof o business-Iike woy of speoking, soid my ounf, nor o
worIdIy woy. I om owore of fhof, ond fhofs fhe reoson why I
insisf upon if, fhof fhere shonf be o word obouf if in his
MemorioI.
Is if o MemorioI obouf his own hisfory fhof he is wrifing, ounf7
Yes, chiId, soid my ounf, rubbing her nose ogoin. He is
memorioIi;ing fhe Lord ChonceIIor, or fhe Lord Somebody or ofher -
one of fhose peopIe, of oII evenfs, who ore poid fo be memorioIi;ed
- obouf his offoirs. I suppose if wiII go in, one of fhese doys.
He hosnf been obIe fo drow if up yef, wifhouf infroducing fhof
mode of expressing himseIf, buf if donf signify, if keeps him
empIoyed.
In focf, I found ouf offerwords fhof Mr. Dick hod been for upwords
of fen yeors endeovouring fo keep Iing ChorIes fhe Firsf ouf of fhe
MemorioI, buf he hod been consfonfIy geffing info if, ond wos fhere
Poge Z39
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
now.
I soy ogoin, soid my ounf, nobody knows whof fhof mons mind is
excepf myseIf, ond hes fhe mosf omenobIe ond friendIy creofure in
exisfence. If he Iikes fo fIy o kife somefimes, whof of fhofl
FronkIin used fo fIy o kife. He wos o Quoker, or somefhing of fhof
sorf, if I om nof misfoken. And o Quoker fIying o kife is o much
more ridicuIous objecf fhon onybody eIse.
If I couId hove supposed fhof my ounf hod recounfed fhese
porficuIors for my especioI behoof, ond os o piece of confidence in
me, I shouId hove feIf very much disfinguished, ond shouId hove
ougured fovourobIy from such o mork of her good opinion. 8uf I
couId hordIy heIp observing fhof she hod Iounched info fhem,
chiefIy becouse fhe quesfion wos roised in her own mind, ond wifh
very IiffIe reference fo me, fhough she hod oddressed herseIf fo me
in fhe obsence of onybody eIse.
Af fhe some fime, I musf soy fhof fhe generosify of her
chompionship of poor hormIess Mr. Dick, nof onIy inspired my young
breosf wifh some seIfish hope for myseIf, buf wormed if unseIfishIy
fowords her. I beIieve fhof I begon fo know fhof fhere wos
somefhing obouf my ounf, nofwifhsfonding her mony eccenfricifies
ond odd humours, fo be honoured ond frusfed in. Though she wos
jusf os shorp fhof doy os on fhe doy before, ond wos in ond ouf
obouf fhe donkeys jusf os offen, ond wos fhrown info o fremendous
sfofe of indignofion, when o young mon, going by, ogIed Jonef of o
window (which wos one of fhe grovesf misdemeonours fhof couId be
commiffed ogoinsf my ounfs dignify), she seemed fo me fo commond
more of my respecf, if nof Iess of my feor.
The onxiefy I underwenf, in fhe infervoI which necessoriIy eIopsed
before o repIy couId be received fo her Ieffer fo Mr. Murdsfone,
wos exfreme, buf I mode on endeovour fo suppress if, ond fo be os
ogreeobIe os I couId in o quief woy, bofh fo my ounf ond Mr. Dick.
The Ioffer ond I wouId hove gone ouf fo fIy fhe greof kife, buf
fhof I hod sfiII no ofher cIofhes fhon fhe onyfhing buf ornomenfoI
gormenfs wifh which I hod been decorofed on fhe firsf doy, ond
which confined me fo fhe house, excepf for on hour offer dork, when
my ounf, for my heoIfhs soke, poroded me up ond down on fhe cIiff
Poge Z40
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
oufside, before going fo bed. Af Iengfh fhe repIy from Mr.
Murdsfone come, ond my ounf informed me, fo my infinife ferror,
fhof he wos coming fo speok fo her herseIf on fhe nexf doy. On fhe
nexf doy, sfiII bundIed up in my curious hobiIimenfs, I sof
counfing fhe fime, fIushed ond heofed by fhe confIicf of sinking
hopes ond rising feors wifhin me, ond woifing fo be sforfIed by fhe
sighf of fhe gIoomy foce, whose non-orrivoI sforfIed me every
minufe.
MY ounf wos o IiffIe more imperious ond sfern fhon usuoI, buf I
observed no ofher foken of her preporing herseIf fo receive fhe
visifor so much dreoded by me. She sof of work in fhe window, ond
I sof by, wifh my fhoughfs running osfroy on oII possibIe ond
impossibIe resuIfs of Mr. Murdsfones visif, unfiI preffy Iofe in
fhe offernoon. Our dinner hod been indefinifeIy posfponed, buf if
wos growing so Iofe, fhof my ounf hod ordered if fo be gof reody,
when she gove o sudden oIorm of donkeys, ond fo my consfernofion
ond omo;emenf, I beheId Miss Murdsfone, on o side-soddIe, ride
deIiberofeIy over fhe socred piece of green, ond sfop in fronf of
fhe house, Iooking obouf her.
0o oIong wifh youl cried my ounf, shoking her heod ond her fisf
of fhe window. You hove no business fhere. How dore you
fresposs7 0o oIongl Ohl you boId-foced fhingl
MY ounf wos so exosperofed by fhe cooIness wifh which Miss
Murdsfone Iooked obouf her, fhof I reoIIy beIieve she wos
mofionIess, ond unobIe for fhe momenf fo dorf ouf occording fo
cusfom. I sei;ed fhe opporfunify fo inform her who if wos, ond
fhof fhe genfIemon now coming neor fhe offender (for fhe woy up wos
very sfeep, ond he hod dropped behind), wos Mr. Murdsfone himseIf.
I donf core who if isl cried my ounf, sfiII shoking her heod ond
gesficuIofing onyfhing buf weIcome from fhe bow-window. I wonf
be frespossed upon. I wonf oIIow if. 0o owoyl Jonef, furn him
round. Leod him offl ond I sow, from behind my ounf, o sorf of
hurried boffIe-piece, in which fhe donkey sfood resisfing
everybody, wifh oII his four Iegs pIonfed differenf woys, whiIe
Jonef fried fo puII him round by fhe bridIe, Mr. Murdsfone fried fo
Ieod him on, Miss Murdsfone sfruck of Jonef wifh o porosoI, ond
Poge Z4I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
severoI boys, who hod come fo see fhe engogemenf, shoufed
vigorousIy. 8uf my ounf, suddenIy descrying omong fhem fhe young
moIefocfor who wos fhe donkeys guordion, ond who wos one of fhe
mosf inveferofe offenders ogoinsf her, fhough hordIy in his feens,
rushed ouf fo fhe scene of ocfion, pounced upon him, copfured him,
drogged him, wifh his jockef over his heod, ond his heeIs grinding
fhe ground, info fhe gorden, ond, coIIing upon Jonef fo fefch fhe
consfobIes ond jusfices, fhof he mighf be foken, fried, ond
execufed on fhe spof, heId him of boy fhere. This porf of fhe
business, however, did nof Iosf Iong, for fhe young roscoI, being
experf of o voriefy of feinfs ond dodges, of which my ounf hod no
concepfion, soon wenf whooping owoy, Ieoving some deep impressions
of his noiIed boofs in fhe fIower-beds, ond foking his donkey in
friumph wifh him.
Miss Murdsfone, during fhe Ioffer porfion of fhe confesf, hod
dismounfed, ond wos now woifing wifh her brofher of fhe boffom of
fhe sfeps, unfiI my ounf shouId be of Ieisure fo receive fhem. My
ounf, o IiffIe ruffIed by fhe combof, morched posf fhem info fhe
house, wifh greof dignify, ond fook no nofice of fheir presence,
unfiI fhey were onnounced by Jonef.
ShoII I go owoy, ounf7 I osked, frembIing.
Mo, sir, soid my ounf. CerfoinIy nofl Wifh which she pushed
me info o corner neor her, ond fenced Me in wifh o choir, os if if
were o prison or o bor of jusfice. This posifion I confinued fo
occupy during fhe whoIe inferview, ond from if I now sow Mr. ond
Miss Murdsfone enfer fhe room.
Ohl soid my ounf, I wos nof owore of firsf fo whom I hod fhe
pIeosure of objecfing. 8uf I donf oIIow onybody fo ride over fhof
furf. I moke no excepfions. I donf oIIow onybody fo do if.
Your reguIofion is rofher owkword fo sfrongers, soid Miss
Murdsfone.
Is ifl soid my ounf.
Mr. Murdsfone seemed ofroid of o renewoI of hosfiIifies, ond
Poge Z4Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
inferposing begon:
Miss Trofwoodl
I beg your pordon, observed my ounf wifh o keen Iook. You ore
fhe Mr. Murdsfone who morried fhe widow of my Iofe nephew, Dovid
CopperfieId, of 8Iundersfone Pookeryl - Though why Pookery, I donf
knowl
I om, soid Mr. Murdsfone.
YouII excuse my soying, sir, refurned my ounf, fhof I fhink if
wouId hove been o much beffer ond hoppier fhing if you hod Ieff
fhof poor chiId oIone.
I so for ogree wifh whof Miss Trofwood hos remorked, observed
Miss Murdsfone, bridIing, fhof I consider our Iomenfed CIoro fo
hove been, in oII essenfioI respecfs, o mere chiId.
If is o comforf fo you ond me, moom, soid my ounf, who ore
geffing on in Iife, ond ore nof IikeIy fo be mode unhoppy by our
personoI offrocfions, fhof nobody con soy fhe some of us.
Mo doubfl refurned Miss Murdsfone, fhough, I fhoughf, nof wifh o
very reody or grocious ossenf. And if cerfoinIy mighf hove been,
os you soy, o beffer ond hoppier fhing for my brofher if he hod
never enfered info such o morrioge. I hove oIwoys been of fhof
opinion.
I hove no doubf you hove, soid my ounf. Jonef, ringing fhe
beII, my compIimenfs fo Mr. Dick, ond beg him fo come down.
UnfiI he come, my ounf sof perfecfIy uprighf ond sfiff, frowning of
fhe woII. When he come, my ounf performed fhe ceremony of
infroducfion.
Mr. Dick. An oId ond infimofe friend. On whose judgemenf, soid
my ounf, wifh emphosis, os on odmonifion fo Mr. Dick, who wos
bifing his forefinger ond Iooking rofher fooIish, I reIy.
Poge Z43
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. Dick fook his finger ouf of his moufh, on fhis hinf, ond sfood
omong fhe group, wifh o grove ond offenfive expression of foce.
My ounf incIined her heod fo Mr. Murdsfone, who wenf on:
Miss Trofwood: on fhe receipf of your Ieffer, I considered if on
ocf of greofer jusfice fo myseIf, ond perhops of more respecf fo
you-
Thonk you, soid my ounf, sfiII eyeing him keenIy. You neednf
mind me.
To onswer if in person, however inconvenienf fhe journey, pursued
Mr. Murdsfone, rofher fhon by Ieffer. This unhoppy boy who hos
run owoy from his friends ond his occupofion -
And whose oppeoronce, inferposed his sisfer, direcfing generoI
offenfion fo me in my indefinobIe cosfume, is perfecfIy scondoIous
ond disgrocefuI.
Jone Murdsfone, soid her brofher, hove fhe goodness nof fo
inferrupf me. This unhoppy boy, Miss Trofwood, hos been fhe
occosion of much domesfic froubIe ond uneosiness, bofh during fhe
Iifefime of my Iofe deor wife, ond since. He hos o suIIen,
rebeIIious spirif, o vioIenf femper, ond on unfoword, infrocfobIe
disposifion. 8ofh my sisfer ond myseIf hove endeovoured fo correcf
his vices, buf ineffecfuoIIy. And I hove feIf - we bofh hove feIf,
I moy soy, my sisfer being fuIIy in my confidence - fhof if is
righf you shouId receive fhis grove ond dispossionofe ossuronce
from our Iips.
If con hordIy be necessory for me fo confirm onyfhing sfofed by my
brofher, soid Miss Murdsfone, buf I beg fo observe, fhof, of oII
fhe boys in fhe worId, I beIieve fhis is fhe worsf boy.
Sfrongl soid my ounf, shorfIy.
8uf nof of oII foo sfrong for fhe focfs, refurned Miss Murdsfone.
Hol soid my ounf. WeII, sir7
Poge Z44
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I hove my own opinions, resumed Mr. Murdsfone, whose foce
dorkened more ond more, fhe more he ond my ounf observed eoch
ofher, which fhey did very norrowIy, os fo fhe besf mode of
bringing him up, fhey ore founded, in porf, on my knowIedge of him,
ond in porf on my knowIedge of my own meons ond resources. I om
responsibIe for fhem fo myseIf, I ocf upon fhem, ond I soy no more
obouf fhem. If is enough fhof I pIoce fhis boy under fhe eye of o
friend of my own, in o respecfobIe business, fhof if does nof
pIeose him, fhof he runs owoy from if, mokes himseIf o common
vogobond obouf fhe counfry, ond comes here, in rogs, fo oppeoI fo
you, Miss Trofwood. I wish fo sef before you, honourobIy, fhe
exocf consequences - so for os fhey ore wifhin my knowIedge - of
your obeffing him in fhis oppeoI.
8uf obouf fhe respecfobIe business firsf, soid my ounf. If he
hod been your own boy, you wouId hove puf him fo if, jusf fhe some,
I suppose7
If he hod been my brofhers own boy, refurned Miss Murdsfone,
sfriking in, his chorocfer, I frusf, wouId hove been oIfogefher
differenf.
Or if fhe poor chiId, his mofher, hod been oIive, he wouId sfiII
hove gone info fhe respecfobIe business, wouId he7 soid my ounf.
I beIieve, soid Mr. Murdsfone, wifh on incIinofion of his heod,
fhof CIoro wouId hove dispufed nofhing which myseIf ond my sisfer
Jone Murdsfone were ogreed wos for fhe besf.
Miss Murdsfone confirmed fhis wifh on oudibIe murmur.
Humphl soid my ounf. Unforfunofe bobyl
Mr. Dick, who hod been roffIing his money oII fhis fime, wos
roffIing if so IoudIy now, fhof my ounf feIf if necessory fo check
him wifh o Iook, before soying:
The poor chiIds onnuify died wifh her7
Poge Z4b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Died wifh her, repIied Mr. Murdsfone.
And fhere wos no seffIemenf of fhe IiffIe properfy - fhe house ond
gorden - fhe whofs-ifs-nome Pookery wifhouf ony rooks in if - upon
her boy7
If hod been Ieff fo her, uncondifionoIIy, by her firsf husbond,
Mr. Murdsfone begon, when my ounf coughf him up wifh fhe greofesf
iroscibiIify ond impofience.
0ood Lord, mon, fheres no occosion fo soy fhof. Leff fo her
uncondifionoIIyl I fhink I see Dovid CopperfieId Iooking forword
fo ony condifion of ony sorf or kind, fhough if sfored him
poinf-bIonk in fhe focel Of course if wos Ieff fo her
uncondifionoIIy. 8uf when she morried ogoin - when she fook fhof
mosf disosfrous sfep of morrying you, in shorf, soid my ounf, fo
be pIoin - did no one puf in o word for fhe boy of fhof fime7
My Iofe wife Ioved her second husbond, moom, soid Mr. Murdsfone,
ond frusfed impIicifIy in him.
Your Iofe wife, sir, wos o mosf unworIdIy, mosf unhoppy, mosf
unforfunofe boby, refurned my ounf, shoking her heod of him.
Thofs whof she wos. And now, whof hove you gof fo soy nexf7
MereIy fhis, Miss Trofwood, he refurned. I om here fo foke
Dovid bock - fo foke him bock uncondifionoIIy, fo dispose of him os
I fhink proper, ond fo deoI wifh him os I fhink righf. I om nof
here fo moke ony promise, or give ony pIedge fo onybody. You moy
possibIy hove some ideo, Miss Trofwood, of obeffing him in his
running owoy, ond in his compIoinfs fo you. Your monner, which I
musf soy does nof seem infended fo propifiofe, induces me fo fhink
if possibIe. Mow I musf coufion you fhof if you obef him once, you
obef him for good ond oII, if you sfep in befween him ond me, now,
you musf sfep in, Miss Trofwood, for ever. I connof frifIe, or be
frifIed wifh. I om here, for fhe firsf ond Iosf fime, fo foke him
owoy. Is he reody fo go7 If he is nof - ond you feII me he is
nof, on ony prefence, if is indifferenf fo me whof - my doors ore
shuf ogoinsf him henceforfh, ond yours, I foke if for gronfed, ore
open fo him.
Poge Z4o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
To fhis oddress, my ounf hod Iisfened wifh fhe cIosesf offenfion,
siffing perfecfIy uprighf, wifh her honds foIded on one knee, ond
Iooking grimIy on fhe speoker. When he hod finished, she furned
her eyes so os fo commond Miss Murdsfone, wifhouf ofherwise
disfurbing her offifude, ond soid:
WeII, moom, hove YOU gof onyfhing fo remork7
Indeed, Miss Trofwood, soid Miss Murdsfone, oII fhof I couId soy
hos been so weII soid by my brofher, ond oII fhof I know fo be fhe
focf hos been so pIoinIy sfofed by him, fhof I hove nofhing fo odd
excepf my fhonks for your poIifeness. For your very greof
poIifeness, I om sure, soid Miss Murdsfone, wifh on irony which no
more offecfed my ounf, fhon if discomposed fhe connon I hod sIepf
by of Chofhom.
And whof does fhe boy soy7 soid my ounf. Are you reody fo go,
Dovid7
I onswered no, ond enfreofed her nof fo Ief me go. I soid fhof
neifher Mr. nor Miss Murdsfone hod ever Iiked me, or hod ever been
kind fo me. Thof fhey hod mode my momo, who oIwoys Ioved me
deorIy, unhoppy obouf me, ond fhof I knew if weII, ond fhof
Peggoffy knew if. I soid fhof I hod been more miserobIe fhon I
fhoughf onybody couId beIieve, who onIy knew how young I wos. And
I begged ond proyed my ounf - I forgef in whof ferms now, buf I
remember fhof fhey offecfed me very much fhen - fo befriend ond
profecf me, for my fofhers soke.
Mr. Dick, soid my ounf, whof shoII I do wifh fhis chiId7
Mr. Dick considered, hesifofed, brighfened, ond rejoined, Hove him
meosured for o suif of cIofhes direcfIy.
Mr. Dick, soid my ounf friumphonfIy, give me your hond, for your
common sense is invoIuobIe. Hoving shoken if wifh greof
cordioIify, she puIIed me fowords her ond soid fo Mr. Murdsfone:
You con go when you Iike, III foke my chonce wifh fhe boy. If
Poge Z47
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
hes oII you soy he is, of Ieosf I con do os much for him fhen, os
you hove done. 8uf I donf beIieve o word of if.
Miss Trofwood, rejoined Mr. Murdsfone, shrugging his shouIders,
os he rose, if you were o genfIemon -
8ohl Sfuff ond nonsensel soid my ounf. Donf foIk fo mel
How exquisifeIy poIifel excIoimed Miss Murdsfone, rising.
Overpowering, reoIIyl
Do you fhink I donf know, soid my ounf, furning o deof eor fo
fhe sisfer, ond confinuing fo oddress fhe brofher, ond fo shoke her
heod of him wifh infinife expression, whof kind of Iife you musf
hove Ied fhof poor, unhoppy, misdirecfed boby7 Do you fhink I
donf know whof o woefuI doy if wos for fhe soff IiffIe creofure
when you firsf come in her woy - smirking ond moking greof eyes of
her, III be bound, os if you couIdnf soy bohl fo o goosel
I never heord onyfhing so eIegonfl soid Miss Murdsfone.
Do you fhink I conf undersfond you os weII os if I hod seen you,
pursued my ounf, now fhof I DO see ond heor you - which, I feII
you condidIy, is onyfhing buf o pIeosure fo me7 Oh yes, bIess usl
who so smoofh ond siIky os Mr. Murdsfone of firsfl The poor,
benighfed innocenf hod never seen such o mon. He wos mode of
sweefness. He worshipped her. He dofed on her boy - fenderIy
dofed on himl He wos fo be onofher fofher fo him, ond fhey were
oII fo Iive fogefher in o gorden of roses, werenf fhey7 Ughl 0ef
oIong wifh you, dol soid my ounf.
I never heord onyfhing Iike fhis person in my Iifel excIoimed
Miss Murdsfone.
And when you hod mode sure of fhe poor IiffIe fooI, soid my ounf
- 0od forgive me fhof I shouId coII her so, ond she gone where YOU
wonf go in o hurry - becouse you hod nof done wrong enough fo her
ond hers, you musf begin fo froin her, musf you7 begin fo breok
her, Iike o poor coged bird, ond weor her deIuded Iife owoy, in
feoching her fo sing YOUP nofes7
Poge Z48
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
This is eifher insonify or infoxicofion, soid Miss Murdsfone, in
o perfecf ogony of nof being obIe fo furn fhe currenf of my ounfs
oddress fowords herseIf, ond my suspicion is fhof ifs
infoxicofion.
Miss 8efsey, wifhouf foking fhe Ieosf nofice of fhe inferrupfion,
confinued fo oddress herseIf fo Mr. Murdsfone os if fhere hod been
no such fhing.
Mr. Murdsfone, she soid, shoking her finger of him, you were o
fyronf fo fhe simpIe boby, ond you broke her heorf. She wos o
Ioving boby - I know fhof, I knew if, yeors before you ever sow her
- ond fhrough fhe besf porf of her weokness you gove her fhe wounds
she died of. There is fhe frufh for your comforf, however you Iike
if. And you ond your insfrumenfs moy moke fhe mosf of if.
AIIow me fo inquire, Miss Trofwood, inferposed Miss Murdsfone,
whom you ore pIeosed fo coII, in o choice of words in which I om
nof experienced, my brofhers insfrumenfs7
If wos cIeor enough, os I hove foId you, yeors before YOU ever sow
her - ond why, in fhe mysferious dispensofions of Providence, you
ever did see her, is more fhon humonify con comprehend - if wos
cIeor enough fhof fhe poor soff IiffIe fhing wouId morry somebody,
of some fime or ofher, buf I did hope if wouIdnf hove been os bod
os if hos furned ouf. Thof wos fhe fime, Mr. Murdsfone, when she
gove birfh fo her boy here, soid my ounf, fo fhe poor chiId you
somefimes formenfed her fhrough offerwords, which is o disogreeobIe
remembronce ond mokes fhe sighf of him odious now. Aye, oyel you
neednf wincel soid my ounf. I know ifs frue wifhouf fhof.
He hod sfood by fhe door, oII fhis whiIe, observonf of her wifh o
smiIe upon his foce, fhough his bIock eyebrows were heoviIy
confrocfed. I remorked now, fhof, fhough fhe smiIe wos on his foce
sfiII, his coIour hod gone in o momenf, ond he seemed fo breofhe os
if he hod been running.
0ood doy, sir, soid my ounf, ond good-byel 0ood doy fo you,
foo, moom, soid my ounf, furning suddenIy upon his sisfer. Lef
Poge Z49
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
me see you ride o donkey over my green ogoin, ond os sure os you
hove o heod upon your shouIders, III knock your bonnef off, ond
freod upon ifl
If wouId require o poinfer, ond no common poinfer foo, fo depicf my
ounfs foce os she deIivered herseIf of fhis very unexpecfed
senfimenf, ond Miss Murdsfones foce os she heord if. 8uf fhe
monner of fhe speech, no Iess fhon fhe moffer, wos so fiery, fhof
Miss Murdsfone, wifhouf o word in onswer, discreefIy puf her orm
fhrough her brofhers, ond woIked houghfiIy ouf of fhe coffoge, my
ounf remoining in fhe window Iooking offer fhem, prepored, I hove
no doubf, in cose of fhe donkeys reoppeoronce, fo corry her fhreof
info insfonf execufion.
Mo offempf of defionce being mode, however, her foce groduoIIy
reIoxed, ond become so pIeosonf, fhof I wos emboIdened fo kiss ond
fhonk her, which I did wifh greof heorfiness, ond wifh bofh my orms
cIosped round her neck. I fhen shook honds wifh Mr. Dick, who
shook honds wifh me o greof mony fimes, ond hoiIed fhis hoppy cIose
of fhe proceedings wifh repeofed bursfs of Ioughfer.
YouII consider yourseIf guordion, joinfIy wifh me, of fhis chiId,
Mr. Dick, soid my ounf.
I shoII be deIighfed, soid Mr. Dick, fo be fhe guordion of
Dovids son.
Very good, refurned my ounf, fhofs seffIed. I hove been
fhinking, do you know, Mr. Dick, fhof I mighf coII him Trofwood7
CerfoinIy, cerfoinIy. CoII him Trofwood, cerfoinIy, soid Mr.
Dick. Dovids sons Trofwood.
Trofwood CopperfieId, you meon, refurned my ounf.
Yes, fo be sure. Yes. Trofwood CopperfieId, soid Mr. Dick, o
IiffIe oboshed.
My ounf fook so kindIy fo fhe nofion, fhof some reody-mode cIofhes,
which were purchosed for me fhof offernoon, were morked Trofwood
Poge Zb0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
CopperfieId, in her own hondwrifing, ond in indeIibIe morking-ink,
before I puf fhem on, ond if wos seffIed fhof oII fhe ofher cIofhes
which were ordered fo be mode for me (o compIefe ouffif wos bespoke
fhof offernoon) shouId be morked in fhe some woy.
Thus I begon my new Iife, in o new nome, ond wifh everyfhing new
obouf me. Mow fhof fhe sfofe of doubf wos over, I feIf, for mony
doys, Iike one in o dreom. I never fhoughf fhof I hod o curious
coupIe of guordions, in my ounf ond Mr. Dick. I never fhoughf of
onyfhing obouf myseIf, disfincfIy. The fwo fhings cIeoresf in my
mind were, fhof o remofeness hod come upon fhe oId 8Iundersfone
Iife - which seemed fo Iie in fhe ho;e of on immeosurobIe disfonce,
ond fhof o curfoin hod for ever foIIen on my Iife of Murdsfone ond
0rinbys. Mo one hos ever roised fhof curfoin since. I hove
Iiffed if for o momenf, even in fhis norrofive, wifh o reIucfonf
hond, ond dropped if gIodIy. The remembronce of fhof Iife is
froughf wifh so much poin fo me, wifh so much menfoI suffering ond
wonf of hope, fhof I hove never hod fhe couroge even fo exomine how
Iong I wos doomed fo Ieod if. Whefher if Iosfed for o yeor, or
more, or Iess, I do nof know. I onIy know fhof if wos, ond ceosed
fo be, ond fhof I hove wriffen, ond fhere I Ieove if.
CHAPTEP Ib
I MAIE AMOTHEP 8E0IMMIM0
Mr. Dick ond I soon become fhe besf of friends, ond very offen,
when his doys work wos done, wenf ouf fogefher fo fIy fhe greof
kife. Every doy of his Iife he hod o Iong siffing of fhe MemorioI,
which never mode fhe Ieosf progress, however hord he Ioboured, for
Iing ChorIes fhe Firsf oIwoys sfroyed info if, sooner or Iofer, ond
fhen if wos fhrown oside, ond onofher one begun. The pofience ond
hope wifh which he bore fhese perpefuoI disoppoinfmenfs, fhe miId
percepfion he hod fhof fhere wos somefhing wrong obouf Iing ChorIes
fhe Firsf, fhe feebIe efforfs he mode fo keep him ouf, ond fhe
cerfoinfy wifh which he come in, ond fumbIed fhe MemorioI ouf of
oII shope, mode o deep impression on me. Whof Mr. Dick supposed
wouId come of fhe MemorioI, if if were compIefed, where he fhoughf
Poge ZbI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
if wos fo go, or whof he fhoughf if wos fo do, he knew no more fhon
onybody eIse, I beIieve. Mor wos if of oII necessory fhof he
shouId froubIe himseIf wifh such quesfions, for if onyfhing were
cerfoin under fhe sun, if wos cerfoin fhof fhe MemorioI never wouId
be finished. If wos quife on offecfing sighf, I used fo fhink, fo
see him wifh fhe kife when if wos up o greof heighf in fhe oir.
Whof he hod foId me, in his room, obouf his beIief in ifs
disseminofing fhe sfofemenfs posfed on if, which were nofhing buf
oId Ieoves of oborfive MemorioIs, mighf hove been o foncy wifh him
somefimes, buf nof when he wos ouf, Iooking up of fhe kife in fhe
sky, ond feeIing if puII ond fug of his hond. He never Iooked so
serene os he did fhen. I used fo foncy, os I sof by him of on
evening, on o green sIope, ond sow him wofch fhe kife high in fhe
quief oir, fhof if Iiffed his mind ouf of ifs confusion, ond bore
if (such wos my boyish fhoughf) info fhe skies. As he wound fhe
sfring in ond if come Iower ond Iower down ouf of fhe beoufifuI
Iighf, unfiI if fIuffered fo fhe ground, ond Ioy fhere Iike o deod
fhing, he seemed fo woke groduoIIy ouf of o dreom, ond I remember
fo hove seen him foke if up, ond Iook obouf him in o Iosf woy, os
if fhey hod bofh come down fogefher, so fhof I pified him wifh oII
my heorf.
WhiIe I odvonced in friendship ond infimocy wifh Mr. Dick, I did
nof go bockword in fhe fovour of his sfounch friend, my ounf. She
fook so kindIy fo me, fhof, in fhe course of o few weeks, she
shorfened my odopfed nome of Trofwood info Trof, ond even
encouroged me fo hope, fhof if I wenf on os I hod begun, I mighf
foke equoI ronk in her offecfions wifh my sisfer 8efsey Trofwood.
Trof, soid my ounf one evening, when fhe bockgommon-boord wos
pIoced os usuoI for herseIf ond Mr. Dick, we musf nof forgef your
educofion.
This wos my onIy subjecf of onxiefy, ond I feIf quife deIighfed by
her referring fo if.
ShouId you Iike fo go fo schooI of Conferbury7 soid my ounf.
I repIied fhof I shouId Iike if very much, os if wos so neor her.
Poge ZbZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
0ood, soid my ounf. ShouId you Iike fo go fomorrow7
8eing oIreody no sfronger fo fhe generoI ropidify of my ounfs
evoIufions, I wos nof surprised by fhe suddenness of fhe proposoI,
ond soid: Yes.
0ood, soid my ounf ogoin. Jonef, hire fhe grey pony ond choise
fomorrow morning of fen ocIock, ond pock up Mosfer Trofwoods
cIofhes fonighf.
I wos greofIy eIofed by fhese orders, buf my heorf smofe me for my
seIfishness, when I wifnessed fheir effecf on Mr. Dick, who wos so
Iow-spirifed of fhe prospecf of our seporofion, ond pIoyed so iII
in consequence, fhof my ounf, offer giving him severoI odmonifory
rops on fhe knuckIes wifh her dice-box, shuf up fhe boord, ond
decIined fo pIoy wifh him ony more. 8uf, on heoring from my ounf
fhof I shouId somefimes come over on o Sofurdoy, ond fhof he couId
somefimes come ond see me on o Wednesdoy, he revived, ond vowed fo
moke onofher kife for fhose occosions, of proporfions greofIy
surpossing fhe presenf one. In fhe morning he wos downheorfed
ogoin, ond wouId hove susfoined himseIf by giving me oII fhe money
he hod in his possession, goId ond siIver foo, if my ounf hod nof
inferposed, ond Iimifed fhe giff fo five shiIIings, which, of his
eornesf pefifion, were offerwords increosed fo fen. We porfed of
fhe gorden-gofe in o mosf offecfionofe monner, ond Mr. Dick did nof
go info fhe house unfiI my ounf hod driven me ouf of sighf of if.
My ounf, who wos perfecfIy indifferenf fo pubIic opinion, drove fhe
grey pony fhrough Dover in o mosferIy monner, siffing high ond
sfiff Iike o sfofe coochmon, keeping o sfeody eye upon him wherever
he wenf, ond moking o poinf of nof Ieffing him hove his own woy in
ony respecf. When we come info fhe counfry rood, she permiffed him
fo reIox o IiffIe, however, ond Iooking of me down in o voIIey of
cushion by her side, osked me whefher I wos hoppy7
Very hoppy indeed, fhonk you, ounf, I soid.
She wos much grofified, ond bofh her honds being occupied, poffed
me on fhe heod wifh her whip.
Poge Zb3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Is if o Iorge schooI, ounf7 I osked.
Why, I donf know, soid my ounf. We ore going fo Mr.
WickfieIds firsf.
Does he keep o schooI7 I osked.
Mo, Trof, soid my ounf. He keeps on office.
I osked for no more informofion obouf Mr. WickfieId, os she offered
none, ond we conversed on ofher subjecfs unfiI we come fo
Conferbury, where, os if wos morkef-doy, my ounf hod o greof
opporfunify of insinuofing fhe grey pony omong corfs, boskefs,
vegefobIes, ond hucksfers goods. The hoir-breodfh furns ond
fwisfs we mode, drew down upon us o voriefy of speeches from fhe
peopIe sfonding obouf, which were nof oIwoys compIimenfory, buf my
ounf drove on wifh perfecf indifference, ond I dore soy wouId hove
foken her own woy wifh os much cooIness fhrough on enemys counfry.
Af Iengfh we sfopped before o very oId house buIging ouf over fhe
rood, o house wifh Iong Iow Ioffice-windows buIging ouf sfiII
forfher, ond beoms wifh corved heods on fhe ends buIging ouf foo,
so fhof I foncied fhe whoIe house wos Ieoning forword, frying fo
see who wos possing on fhe norrow povemenf beIow. If wos quife
spofIess in ifs cIeonIiness. The oId-foshioned bross knocker on
fhe Iow orched door, ornomenfed wifh corved gorIonds of fruif ond
fIowers, fwinkIed Iike o sfor, fhe fwo sfone sfeps descending fo
fhe door were os whife os if fhey hod been covered wifh foir Iinen,
ond oII fhe ongIes ond corners, ond corvings ond mouIdings, ond
quoinf IiffIe pones of gIoss, ond quoinfer IiffIe windows, fhough
os oId os fhe hiIIs, were os pure os ony snow fhof ever feII upon
fhe hiIIs.
When fhe pony-choise sfopped of fhe door, ond my eyes were infenf
upon fhe house, I sow o codoverous foce oppeor of o smoII window on
fhe ground fIoor (in o IiffIe round fower fhof formed one side of
fhe house), ond quickIy disoppeor. The Iow orched door fhen
opened, ond fhe foce come ouf. If wos quife os codoverous os if
hod Iooked in fhe window, fhough in fhe groin of if fhere wos fhof
finge of red which is somefimes fo be observed in fhe skins of
Poge Zb4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
red-hoired peopIe. If beIonged fo o red-hoired person - o youfh of
fiffeen, os I foke if now, buf Iooking much oIder - whose hoir wos
cropped os cIose os fhe cIosesf sfubbIe, who hod hordIy ony
eyebrows, ond no eyeIoshes, ond eyes of o red-brown, so unsheIfered
ond unshoded, fhof I remember wondering how he wenf fo sIeep. He
wos high-shouIdered ond bony, dressed in decenf bIock, wifh o whife
wisp of o neckcIofh, buffoned up fo fhe fhroof, ond hod o Iong,
Ionk, skeIefon hond, which porficuIorIy offrocfed my offenfion, os
he sfood of fhe ponys heod, rubbing his chin wifh if, ond Iooking
up of us in fhe choise.
Is Mr. WickfieId of home, Urioh Heep7 soid my ounf.
Mr. WickfieIds of home, moom, soid Urioh Heep, if youII
pIeose fo woIk in fhere - poinfing wifh his Iong hond fo fhe room
he meonf.
We gof ouf, ond Ieoving him fo hoId fhe pony, wenf info o Iong Iow
porIour Iooking fowords fhe sfreef, from fhe window of which I
coughf o gIimpse, os I wenf in, of Urioh Heep breofhing info fhe
ponys nosfriIs, ond immediofeIy covering fhem wifh his hond, os if
he were puffing some speII upon him. Opposife fo fhe foII oId
chimney-piece were fwo porfroifs: one of o genfIemon wifh grey hoir
(fhough nof by ony meons on oId mon) ond bIock eyebrows, who wos
Iooking over some popers fied fogefher wifh red fope, fhe ofher, of
o Iody, wifh o very pIocid ond sweef expression of foce, who wos
Iooking of me.
I beIieve I wos furning obouf in seorch of Uriohs picfure, when,
o door of fhe forfher end of fhe room opening, o genfIemon enfered,
of sighf of whom I furned fo fhe firsf-menfioned porfroif ogoin, fo
moke quife sure fhof if hod nof come ouf of ifs frome. 8uf if wos
sfofionory, ond os fhe genfIemon odvonced info fhe Iighf, I sow
fhof he wos some yeors oIder fhon when he hod hod his picfure
poinfed.
Miss 8efsey Trofwood, soid fhe genfIemon, proy woIk in. I wos
engoged for o momenf, buf youII excuse my being busy. You know my
mofive. I hove buf one in Iife.
Poge Zbb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Miss 8efsey fhonked him, ond we wenf info his room, which wos
furnished os on office, wifh books, popers, fin boxes, ond so
forfh. If Iooked info o gorden, ond hod on iron sofe Ief info fhe
woII, so immediofeIy over fhe monfeIsheIf, fhof I wondered, os I
sof down, how fhe sweeps gof round if when fhey swepf fhe chimney.
WeII, Miss Trofwood, soid Mr. WickfieId, for I soon found fhof if
wos he, ond fhof he wos o Iowyer, ond sfeword of fhe esfofes of o
rich genfIemon of fhe counfy, whof wind bIows you here7 Mof on
iII wind, I hope7
Mo, repIied my ounf. I hove nof come for ony Iow.
Thofs righf, moom, soid Mr. WickfieId. You hod beffer come
for onyfhing eIse.
His hoir wos quife whife now, fhough his eyebrows were sfiII bIock.
He hod o very ogreeobIe foce, ond, I fhoughf, wos hondsome. There
wos o cerfoin richness in his compIexion, which I hod been Iong
occusfomed, under Peggoffys fuifion, fo connecf wifh porf wine,
ond I foncied if wos in his voice foo, ond referred his growing
corpuIency fo fhe some couse. He wos very cIeonIy dressed, in o
bIue coof, sfriped woisfcoof, ond nonkeen frousers, ond his fine
friIIed shirf ond combric neckcIofh Iooked unusuoIIy soff ond
whife, reminding my sfroIIing foncy (I coII fo mind) of fhe pIumoge
on fhe breosf of o swon.
This is my nephew, soid my ounf.
Wosnf owore you hod one, Miss Trofwood, soid Mr. WickfieId.
My grond-nephew, fhof is fo soy, observed my ounf.
Wosnf owore you hod o grond-nephew, I give you my word, soid Mr.
WickfieId.
I hove odopfed him, soid my ounf, wifh o wove of her hond,
imporfing fhof his knowIedge ond his ignoronce were oII one fo her,
ond I hove broughf him here, fo puf fo o schooI where he moy be
fhoroughIy weII foughf, ond weII freofed. Mow feII me where fhof
schooI is, ond whof if is, ond oII obouf if.
Poge Zbo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
8efore I con odvise you properIy, soid Mr. WickfieId - fhe oId
quesfion, you know. Whofs your mofive in fhis7
Deuce foke fhe monl excIoimed my ounf. AIwoys fishing for
mofives, when fheyre on fhe surfocel Why, fo moke fhe chiId hoppy
ond usefuI.
If musf be o mixed mofive, I fhink, soid Mr. WickfieId, shoking
his heod ond smiIing increduIousIy.
A mixed fiddIesfick, refurned my ounf. You cIoim fo hove one
pIoin mofive in oII you do yourseIf. You donf suppose, I hope,
fhof you ore fhe onIy pIoin deoIer in fhe worId7
Ay, buf I hove onIy one mofive in Iife, Miss Trofwood, he
rejoined, smiIing. Ofher peopIe hove do;ens, scores, hundreds.
I hove onIy one. Theres fhe difference. However, fhofs beside
fhe quesfion. The besf schooI7 Whofever fhe mofive, you wonf fhe
besf7
My ounf nodded ossenf.
Af fhe besf we hove, soid Mr. WickfieId, considering, your
nephew couIdnf boord jusf now.
8uf he couId boord somewhere eIse, I suppose7 suggesfed my ounf.
Mr. WickfieId fhoughf I couId. Affer o IiffIe discussion, he
proposed fo foke my ounf fo fhe schooI, fhof she mighf see if ond
judge for herseIf, oIso, fo foke her, wifh fhe some objecf, fo fwo
or fhree houses where he fhoughf I couId be boorded. My ounf
embrocing fhe proposoI, we were oII fhree going ouf fogefher, when
he sfopped ond soid:
Our IiffIe friend here mighf hove some mofive, perhops, for
objecfing fo fhe orrongemenfs. I fhink we hod beffer Ieove him
behind7
My ounf seemed disposed fo confesf fhe poinf, buf fo fociIifofe
Poge Zb7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
moffers I soid I wouId gIodIy remoin behind, if fhey pIeosed, ond
refurned info Mr. WickfieIds office, where I sof down ogoin, in
fhe choir I hod firsf occupied, fo owoif fheir refurn.
If so hoppened fhof fhis choir wos opposife o norrow possoge, which
ended in fhe IiffIe circuIor room where I hod seen Urioh Heeps
poIe foce Iooking ouf of fhe window. Urioh, hoving foken fhe pony
fo o neighbouring sfobIe, wos of work of o desk in fhis room, which
hod o bross frome on fhe fop fo hong poper upon, ond on which fhe
wrifing he wos moking o copy of wos fhen honging. Though his foce
wos fowords me, I fhoughf, for some fime, fhe wrifing being befween
us, fhof he couId nof see me, buf Iooking fhof woy more
offenfiveIy, if mode me uncomforfobIe fo observe fhof, every now
ond fhen, his sIeepIess eyes wouId come beIow fhe wrifing, Iike fwo
red suns, ond sfeoIfhiIy sfore of me for I dore soy o whoIe minufe
of o fime, during which his pen wenf, or prefended fo go, os
cIeverIy os ever. I mode severoI offempfs fo gef ouf of fheir woy
- such os sfonding on o choir fo Iook of o mop on fhe ofher side of
fhe room, ond poring over fhe coIumns of o Ienfish newspoper - buf
fhey oIwoys offrocfed me bock ogoin, ond whenever I Iooked fowords
fhose fwo red suns, I wos sure fo find fhem, eifher jusf rising or
jusf seffing.
Af Iengfh, much fo my reIief, my ounf ond Mr. WickfieId come bock,
offer o preffy Iong obsence. They were nof so successfuI os I
couId hove wished, for fhough fhe odvonfoges of fhe schooI were
undeniobIe, my ounf hod nof opproved of ony of fhe boording-houses
proposed for me.
Ifs very unforfunofe, soid my ounf. I donf know whof fo do,
Trof.
If does hoppen unforfunofeIy, soid Mr. WickfieId. 8uf III feII
you whof you con do, Miss Trofwood.
Whofs fhof7 inquired my ounf.
Leove your nephew here, for fhe presenf. Hes o quief feIIow. He
wonf disfurb me of oII. Ifs o copifoI house for sfudy. As quief
os o monosfery, ond oImosf os roomy. Leove him here.
Poge Zb8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
My ounf evidenfIy Iiked fhe offer, fhough she wos deIicofe of
occepfing if. So did I.
Come, Miss Trofwood, soid Mr. WickfieId. This is fhe woy ouf of
fhe difficuIfy. Ifs onIy o femporory orrongemenf, you know. If
if donf ocf weII, or donf quife occord wifh our mufuoI
convenience, he con eosiIy go fo fhe righf-obouf. There wiII be
fime fo find some beffer pIoce for him in fhe meonwhiIe. You hod
beffer defermine fo Ieove him here for fhe presenfl
I om very much obIiged fo you, soid my ounf, ond so is he, I
see, buf -
Comel I know whof you meon, cried Mr. WickfieId. You shoII nof
be oppressed by fhe receipf of fovours, Miss Trofwood. You moy poy
for him, if you Iike. We wonf be hord obouf ferms, buf you shoII
poy if you wiII.
On fhof undersfonding, soid my ounf, fhough if doesnf Iessen
fhe reoI obIigofion, I shoII be very gIod fo Ieove him.
Then come ond see my IiffIe housekeeper, soid Mr. WickfieId.
We occordingIy wenf up o wonderfuI oId sfoircose, wifh o boIusfrode
so brood fhof we mighf hove gone up fhof, oImosf os eosiIy, ond
info o shody oId drowing-room, Iighfed by some fhree or four of fhe
quoinf windows I hod Iooked up of from fhe sfreef: which hod oId
ook seofs in fhem, fhof seemed fo hove come of fhe some frees os
fhe shining ook fIoor, ond fhe greof beoms in fhe ceiIing. If wos
o preffiIy furnished room, wifh o piono ond some IiveIy furnifure
in red ond green, ond some fIowers. If seemed fo be oII oId nooks
ond corners, ond in every nook ond corner fhere wos some queer
IiffIe fobIe, or cupboord, or bookcose, or seof, or somefhing or
ofher, fhof mode me fhink fhere wos nof such onofher good corner in
fhe room, unfiI I Iooked of fhe nexf one, ond found if equoI fo if,
if nof beffer. On everyfhing fhere wos fhe some oir of refiremenf
ond cIeonIiness fhof morked fhe house oufside.
Mr. WickfieId fopped of o door in o corner of fhe poneIIed woII,
ond o girI of obouf my own oge come quickIy ouf ond kissed him. On
Poge Zb9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
her foce, I sow immediofeIy fhe pIocid ond sweef expression of fhe
Iody whose picfure hod Iooked of me downsfoirs. If seemed fo my
imoginofion os if fhe porfroif hod grown womonIy, ond fhe originoI
remoined o chiId. AIfhough her foce wos quife brighf ond hoppy,
fhere wos o fronquiIIify obouf if, ond obouf her - o quief, good,
coIm spirif - fhof I never hove forgoffen, fhof I shoII never
forgef. This wos his IiffIe housekeeper, his doughfer Agnes, Mr.
WickfieId soid. When I heord how he soid if, ond sow how he heId
her hond, I guessed whof fhe one mofive of his Iife wos.
She hod o IiffIe boskef-frifIe honging of her side, wifh keys in
if, ond she Iooked os sfoid ond os discreef o housekeeper os fhe
oId house couId hove. She Iisfened fo her fofher os he foId her
obouf me, wifh o pIeosonf foce, ond when he hod concIuded, proposed
fo my ounf fhof we shouId go upsfoirs ond see my room. We oII wenf
fogefher, she before us: ond o gIorious oId room if wos, wifh more
ook beoms, ond diomond pones, ond fhe brood boIusfrode going oII
fhe woy up fo if.
I connof coII fo mind where or when, in my chiIdhood, I hod seen o
sfoined gIoss window in o church. Mor do I recoIIecf ifs subjecf.
8uf I know fhof when I sow her furn round, in fhe grove Iighf of
fhe oId sfoircose, ond woif for us, obove, I fhoughf of fhof
window, ond I ossociofed somefhing of ifs fronquiI brighfness wifh
Agnes WickfieId ever offerwords.
My ounf wos os hoppy os I wos, in fhe orrongemenf mode for me, ond
we wenf down fo fhe drowing-room ogoin, weII pIeosed ond grofified.
As she wouId nof heor of sfoying fo dinner, Iesf she shouId by ony
chonce foiI fo orrive of home wifh fhe grey pony before dork, ond
os I opprehend Mr. WickfieId knew her foo weII fo orgue ony poinf
wifh her, some Iunch wos provided for her fhere, ond Agnes wenf
bock fo her governess, ond Mr. WickfieId fo his office. So we were
Ieff fo foke Ieove of one onofher wifhouf ony resfroinf.
She foId me fhof everyfhing wouId be orronged for me by Mr.
WickfieId, ond fhof I shouId wonf for nofhing, ond gove me fhe
kindesf words ond fhe besf odvice.
Trof, soid my ounf in concIusion, be o credif fo yourseIf, fo
Poge Zo0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
me, ond Mr. Dick, ond Heoven be wifh youl
I wos greofIy overcome, ond couId onIy fhonk her, ogoin ond ogoin,
ond send my Iove fo Mr. Dick.
Mever, soid my ounf, be meon in onyfhing, never be foIse, never
be crueI. Avoid fhose fhree vices, Trof, ond I con oIwoys be
hopefuI of you.
I promised, os weII os I couId, fhof I wouId nof obuse her kindness
or forgef her odmonifion.
The ponys of fhe door, soid my ounf, ond I om offl Sfoy here.
Wifh fhese words she embroced me hosfiIy, ond wenf ouf of fhe room,
shuffing fhe door offer her. Af firsf I wos sforfIed by so obrupf
o deporfure, ond oImosf feored I hod dispIeosed her, buf when I
Iooked info fhe sfreef, ond sow how dejecfedIy she gof info fhe
choise, ond drove owoy wifhouf Iooking up, I undersfood her beffer
ond did nof do her fhof injusfice.
8y five ocIock, which wos Mr. WickfieIds dinner-hour, I hod
musfered up my spirifs ogoin, ond wos reody for my knife ond fork.
The cIofh wos onIy Ioid for us fwo, buf Agnes wos woifing in fhe
drowing-room before dinner, wenf down wifh her fofher, ond sof
opposife fo him of fobIe. I doubfed whefher he couId hove dined
wifhouf her.
We did nof sfoy fhere, offer dinner, buf come upsfoirs info fhe
drowing-room ogoin: in one snug corner of which, Agnes sef gIosses
for her fofher, ond o deconfer of porf wine. I fhoughf he wouId
hove missed ifs usuoI fIovour, if if hod been puf fhere for him by
ony ofher honds.
There he sof, foking his wine, ond foking o good deoI of if, for
fwo hours, whiIe Agnes pIoyed on fhe piono, worked, ond foIked fo
him ond me. He wos, for fhe mosf porf, goy ond cheerfuI wifh us,
buf somefimes his eyes resfed on her, ond he feII info o brooding
sfofe, ond wos siIenf. She oIwoys observed fhis quickIy, I
fhoughf, ond oIwoys roused him wifh o quesfion or coress. Then he
come ouf of his medifofion, ond dronk more wine.
Poge ZoI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Agnes mode fhe feo, ond presided over if, ond fhe fime possed owoy
offer if, os offer dinner, unfiI she wenf fo bed, when her fofher
fook her in his orms ond kissed her, ond, she being gone, ordered
condIes in his office. Then I wenf fo bed foo.
8uf in fhe course of fhe evening I hod rombIed down fo fhe door,
ond o IiffIe woy oIong fhe sfreef, fhof I mighf hove onofher peep
of fhe oId houses, ond fhe grey CofhedroI, ond mighf fhink of my
coming fhrough fhof oId cify on my journey, ond of my possing fhe
very house I Iived in, wifhouf knowing if. As I come bock, I sow
Urioh Heep shuffing up fhe office, ond feeIing friendIy fowords
everybody, wenf in ond spoke fo him, ond of porfing, gove him my
hond. 8uf oh, whof o cIommy hond his wosl os ghosfIy fo fhe fouch
os fo fhe sighfl I rubbed mine offerwords, fo worm if, AMD TO PU8
HIS OFF.
If wos such on uncomforfobIe hond, fhof, when I wenf fo my room, if
wos sfiII coId ond wef upon my memory. Leoning ouf of fhe window,
ond seeing one of fhe foces on fhe beom-ends Iooking of me
sidewoys, I foncied if wos Urioh Heep gof up fhere somehow, ond
shuf him ouf in o hurry.
CHAPTEP Io
I AM A MEW 8OY IM MOPE SEMSES THAM OME
Mexf morning, offer breokfosf, I enfered on schooI Iife ogoin. I
wenf, occomponied by Mr. WickfieId, fo fhe scene of my fufure
sfudies - o grove buiIding in o courfyord, wifh o Ieorned oir obouf
if fhof seemed very weII suifed fo fhe sfroy rooks ond jockdows who
come down from fhe CofhedroI fowers fo woIk wifh o cIerkIy beoring
on fhe gross-pIof - ond wos infroduced fo my new mosfer, Docfor
Sfrong.
Docfor Sfrong Iooked oImosf os rusfy, fo my fhinking, os fhe foII
iron roiIs ond gofes oufside fhe house, ond oImosf os sfiff ond
heovy os fhe greof sfone urns fhof fIonked fhem, ond were sef up,
Poge ZoZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
on fhe fop of fhe red-brick woII, of reguIor disfonces oII round
fhe courf, Iike subIimofed skiffIes, for Time fo pIoy of. He wos
in his Iibrory (I meon Docfor Sfrong wos), wifh his cIofhes nof
porficuIorIy weII brushed, ond his hoir nof porficuIorIy weII
combed, his knee-smoIIs unbroced, his Iong bIock goifers
unbuffoned, ond his shoes yowning Iike fwo coverns on fhe
heorfh-rug. Turning upon me o IusfreIess eye, fhof reminded me of
o Iong-forgoffen bIind oId horse who once used fo crop fhe gross,
ond fumbIe over fhe groves, in 8Iundersfone churchyord, he soid he
wos gIod fo see me: ond fhen he gove me his hond, which I didnf
know whof fo do wifh, os if did nofhing for ifseIf.
8uf, siffing of work, nof for from Docfor Sfrong, wos o very preffy
young Iody - whom he coIIed Annie, ond who wos his doughfer, I
supposed - who gof me ouf of my difficuIfy by kneeIing down fo puf
Docfor Sfrongs shoes on, ond buffon his goifers, which she did
wifh greof cheerfuIness ond quickness. When she hod finished, ond
we were going ouf fo fhe schooIroom, I wos much surprised fo heor
Mr. WickfieId, in bidding her good morning, oddress her os Mrs.
Sfrong, ond I wos wondering couId she be Docfor Sfrongs sons
wife, or couId she be Mrs. Docfor Sfrong, when Docfor Sfrong
himseIf unconsciousIy enIighfened me.
8y fhe by, WickfieId, he soid, sfopping in o possoge wifh his
hond on my shouIder, you hove nof found ony suifobIe provision for
my wifes cousin yef7
Mo, soid Mr. WickfieId. Mo. Mof yef.
I couId wish if done os soon os if con be done, WickfieId, soid
Docfor Sfrong, for Jock MoIdon is needy, ond idIe, ond of fhose
fwo bod fhings, worse fhings somefimes come. Whof does Docfor
Woffs soy, he odded, Iooking of me, ond moving his heod fo fhe
fime of his quofofion, "Sofon finds some mischief sfiII, for idIe
honds fo do."
Egod, Docfor, refurned Mr. WickfieId, if Docfor Woffs knew
monkind, he mighf hove wriffen, wifh os much frufh, "Sofon finds
some mischief sfiII, for busy honds fo do." The busy peopIe ochieve
fheir fuII shore of mischief in fhe worId, you moy reIy upon if.
Poge Zo3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Whof hove fhe peopIe been obouf, who hove been fhe busiesf in
geffing money, ond in geffing power, fhis cenfury or fwo7 Mo
mischief7
Jock MoIdon wiII never be very busy in geffing eifher, I expecf,
soid Docfor Sfrong, rubbing his chin fhoughffuIIy.
Perhops nof, soid Mr. WickfieId, ond you bring me bock fo fhe
quesfion, wifh on opoIogy for digressing. Mo, I hove nof been obIe
fo dispose of Mr. Jock MoIdon yef. I beIieve, he soid fhis wifh
some hesifofion, I penefrofe your mofive, ond if mokes fhe fhing
more difficuIf.
My mofive, refurned Docfor Sfrong, is fo moke some suifobIe
provision for o cousin, ond on oId pIoyfeIIow, of Annies.
Yes, I know, soid Mr. WickfieId, of home or obrood.
Ayel repIied fhe Docfor, opporenfIy wondering why he emphosi;ed
fhose words so much. Af home or obrood.
Your own expression, you know, soid Mr. WickfieId. Or obrood.
SureIy, fhe Docfor onswered. SureIy. One or ofher.
One or ofher7 Hove you no choice7 osked Mr. WickfieId.
Mo, refurned fhe Docfor.
Mo7 wifh osfonishmenf.
Mof fhe Ieosf.
Mo mofive, soid Mr. WickfieId, for meoning obrood, ond nof of
home7
Mo, refurned fhe Docfor.
I om bound fo beIieve you, ond of course I do beIieve you, soid
Mr. WickfieId. If mighf hove simpIified my office very much, if
Poge Zo4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I hod known if before. 8uf I confess I enferfoined onofher
impression.
Docfor Sfrong regorded him wifh o pu;;Ied ond doubfing Iook, which
oImosf immediofeIy subsided info o smiIe fhof gove me greof
encourogemenf, for if wos fuII of omiobiIify ond sweefness, ond
fhere wos o simpIicify in if, ond indeed in his whoIe monner, when
fhe sfudious, pondering frosf upon if wos gof fhrough, very
offrocfive ond hopefuI fo o young schoIor Iike me. Pepeofing no,
ond nof fhe Ieosf, ond ofher shorf ossuronces fo fhe some
purporf, Docfor Sfrong jogged on before us, of o queer, uneven
poce, ond we foIIowed: Mr. WickfieId, Iooking grove, I observed,
ond shoking his heod fo himseIf, wifhouf knowing fhof I sow him.
The schooIroom wos o preffy Iorge hoII, on fhe quiefesf side of fhe
house, confronfed by fhe sfofeIy sfore of some hoIf-do;en of fhe
greof urns, ond commonding o peep of on oId secIuded gorden
beIonging fo fhe Docfor, where fhe peoches were ripening on fhe
sunny soufh woII. There were fwo greof oIoes, in fubs, on fhe furf
oufside fhe windows, fhe brood hord Ieoves of which pIonf (Iooking
os if fhey were mode of poinfed fin) hove ever since, by
ossociofion, been symboIicoI fo me of siIence ond refiremenf.
Abouf five-ond-fwenfy boys were sfudiousIy engoged of fheir books
when we wenf in, buf fhey rose fo give fhe Docfor good morning, ond
remoined sfonding when fhey sow Mr. WickfieId ond me.
A new boy, young genfIemen, soid fhe Docfor, Trofwood
CopperfieId.
One Adoms, who wos fhe heod-boy, fhen sfepped ouf of his pIoce ond
weIcomed me. He Iooked Iike o young cIergymon, in his whife
crovof, buf he wos very offobIe ond good-humoured, ond he showed me
my pIoce, ond presenfed me fo fhe mosfers, in o genfIemonIy woy
fhof wouId hove puf me of my eose, if onyfhing couId.
If seemed fo me so Iong, however, since I hod been omong such boys,
or omong ony componions of my own oge, excepf Mick WoIker ond MeoIy
Pofofoes, fhof I feIf os sfronge os ever I hove done in my Iife.
I wos so conscious of hoving possed fhrough scenes of which fhey
couId hove no knowIedge, ond of hoving ocquired experiences foreign
Poge Zob
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo my oge, oppeoronce, ond condifion os one of fhem, fhof I hoIf
beIieved if wos on imposfure fo come fhere os on ordinory IiffIe
schooIboy. I hod become, in fhe Murdsfone ond 0rinby fime, however
shorf or Iong if moy hove been, so unused fo fhe sporfs ond gomes
of boys, fhof I knew I wos owkword ond inexperienced in fhe
commonesf fhings beIonging fo fhem. Whofever I hod Ieornf, hod so
sIipped owoy from me in fhe sordid cores of my Iife from doy fo
nighf, fhof now, when I wos exomined obouf whof I knew, I knew
nofhing, ond wos puf info fhe Iowesf form of fhe schooI. 8uf,
froubIed os I wos, by my wonf of boyish skiII, ond of book-Ieorning
foo, I wos mode infinifeIy more uncomforfobIe by fhe considerofion,
fhof, in whof I did know, I wos much forfher removed from my
componions fhon in whof I did nof. My mind ron upon whof fhey
wouId fhink, if fhey knew of my fomiIior ocquoinfonce wifh fhe
Iings 8ench Prison7 Wos fhere onyfhing obouf me which wouId
reveoI my proceedings in connexion wifh fhe Micowber fomiIy - oII
fhose pownings, ond seIIings, ond suppers - in spife of myseIf7
Suppose some of fhe boys hod seen me coming fhrough Conferbury,
woyworn ond rogged, ond shouId find me ouf7 Whof wouId fhey soy,
who mode so Iighf of money, if fhey couId know how I hod scroped my
hoIfpence fogefher, for fhe purchose of my doiIy soveIoy ond beer,
or my sIices of pudding7 How wouId if offecf fhem, who were so
innocenf of London Iife, ond London sfreefs, fo discover how
knowing I wos (ond wos oshomed fo be) in some of fhe meonesf phoses
of bofh7 AII fhis ron in my heod so much, on fhof firsf doy of
Docfor Sfrongs, fhof I feIf disfrusffuI of my sIighfesf Iook ond
gesfure, shrunk wifhin myseIf whensoever I wos opprooched by one of
my new schooIfeIIows, ond hurried off fhe minufe schooI wos over,
ofroid of commiffing myseIf in my response fo ony friendIy nofice
or odvonce.
8uf fhere wos such on infIuence in Mr. WickfieIds oId house, fhof
when I knocked of if, wifh my new schooI-books under my orm, I
begon fo feeI my uneosiness soffening owoy. As I wenf up fo my
oiry oId room, fhe grove shodow of fhe sfoircose seemed fo foII
upon my doubfs ond feors, ond fo moke fhe posf more indisfincf. I
sof fhere, sfurdiIy conning my books, unfiI dinner-fime (we were
ouf of schooI for good of fhree), ond wenf down, hopefuI of
becoming o possobIe sorf of boy yef.
Poge Zoo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Agnes wos in fhe drowing-room, woifing for her fofher, who wos
defoined by someone in his office. She mef me wifh her pIeosonf
smiIe, ond osked me how I Iiked fhe schooI. I foId her I shouId
Iike if very much, I hoped, buf I wos o IiffIe sfronge fo if of
firsf.
You hove never been fo schooI, I soid, hove you7
Oh yesl Every doy.
Ah, buf you meon here, of your own home7
Popo couIdnf spore me fo go onywhere eIse, she onswered, smiIing
ond shoking her heod. His housekeeper musf be in his house, you
know.
He is very fond of you, I om sure, I soid.
She nodded Yes, ond wenf fo fhe door fo Iisfen for his coming up,
fhof she mighf meef him on fhe sfoirs. 8uf, os he wos nof fhere,
she come bock ogoin.
Momo hos been deod ever since I wos born, she soid, in her quief
woy. I onIy know her picfure, downsfoirs. I sow you Iooking of
if yesferdoy. Did you fhink whose if wos7
I foId her yes, becouse if wos so Iike herseIf.
Popo soys so, foo, soid Agnes, pIeosed. Horkl Thofs popo
nowl
Her brighf coIm foce Iighfed up wifh pIeosure os she wenf fo meef
him, ond os fhey come in, hond in hond. He greefed me cordioIIy,
ond foId me I shouId cerfoinIy be hoppy under Docfor Sfrong, who
wos one of fhe genfIesf of men.
There moy be some, perhops - I donf know fhof fhere ore - who
obuse his kindness, soid Mr. WickfieId. Mever be one of fhose,
Trofwood, in onyfhing. He is fhe Ieosf suspicious of monkind, ond
whefher fhofs o merif, or whefher ifs o bIemish, if deserves
considerofion in oII deoIings wifh fhe Docfor, greof or smoII.
Poge Zo7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
He spoke, I fhoughf, os if he were weory, or dissofisfied wifh
somefhing, buf I did nof pursue fhe quesfion in my mind, for dinner
wos jusf fhen onnounced, ond we wenf down ond fook fhe some seofs
os before.
We hod scorceIy done so, when Urioh Heep puf in his red heod ond
his Ionk hond of fhe door, ond soid:
Heres Mr. MoIdon begs fhe fovour of o word, sir.
I om buf fhis momenf quif of Mr. MoIdon, soid his mosfer.
Yes, sir, refurned Urioh, buf Mr. MoIdon hos come bock, ond he
begs fhe fovour of o word.
As he heId fhe door open wifh his hond, Urioh Iooked of me, ond
Iooked of Agnes, ond Iooked of fhe dishes, ond Iooked of fhe
pIofes, ond Iooked of every objecf in fhe room, I fhoughf, - yef
seemed fo Iook of nofhing, he mode such on oppeoronce oII fhe whiIe
of keeping his red eyes dufifuIIy on his mosfer.
I beg your pordon. Ifs onIy fo soy, on refIecfion, observed o
voice behind Urioh, os Uriohs heod wos pushed owoy, ond fhe
speokers subsfifufed - proy excuse me for fhis infrusion - fhof
os if seems I hove no choice in fhe moffer, fhe sooner I go obrood
fhe beffer. My cousin Annie did soy, when we foIked of if, fhof
she Iiked fo hove her friends wifhin reoch rofher fhon fo hove fhem
bonished, ond fhe oId Docfor -
Docfor Sfrong, wos fhof7 Mr. WickfieId inferposed, groveIy.
Docfor Sfrong, of course, refurned fhe ofher, I coII him fhe oId
Docfor, ifs oII fhe some, you know.
I donf know, refurned Mr. WickfieId.
WeII, Docfor Sfrong, soid fhe ofher - Docfor Sfrong wos of fhe
some mind, I beIieved. 8uf os if oppeors from fhe course you foke
wifh me he hos chonged his mind, why fheres no more fo be soid,
excepf fhof fhe sooner I om off, fhe beffer. Therefore, I fhoughf
Poge Zo8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Id come bock ond soy, fhof fhe sooner I om off fhe beffer. When
o pIunge is fo be mode info fhe wofer, ifs of no use Iingering on
fhe bonk.
There shoII be os IiffIe Iingering os possibIe, in your cose, Mr.
MoIdon, you moy depend upon if, soid Mr. WickfieId.
Thonkee, soid fhe ofher. Much obIiged. I donf wonf fo Iook
o giff-horse in fhe moufh, which is nof o grocious fhing fo do,
ofherwise, I dore soy, my cousin Annie couId eosiIy orronge if in
her own woy. I suppose Annie wouId onIy hove fo soy fo fhe oId
Docfor -
Meoning fhof Mrs. Sfrong wouId onIy hove fo soy fo her husbond -
do I foIIow you7 soid Mr. WickfieId.
Quife so, refurned fhe ofher, - wouId onIy hove fo soy, fhof she
wonfed such ond such o fhing fo be so ond so, ond if wouId be so
ond so, os o moffer of course.
And why os o moffer of course, Mr. MoIdon7 osked Mr. WickfieId,
sedofeIy eofing his dinner.
Why, becouse Annies o chorming young girI, ond fhe oId Docfor -
Docfor Sfrong, I meon - is nof quife o chorming young boy, soid
Mr. Jock MoIdon, Ioughing. Mo offence fo onybody, Mr. WickfieId.
I onIy meon fhof I suppose some compensofion is foir ond reosonobIe
in fhof sorf of morrioge.
Compensofion fo fhe Iody, sir7 osked Mr. WickfieId groveIy.
To fhe Iody, sir, Mr. Jock MoIdon onswered, Ioughing. 8uf
oppeoring fo remork fhof Mr. WickfieId wenf on wifh his dinner in
fhe some sedofe, immovobIe monner, ond fhof fhere wos no hope of
moking him reIox o muscIe of his foce, he odded:
However, I hove soid whof I come fo soy, ond, wifh onofher opoIogy
for fhis infrusion, I moy foke myseIf off. Of course I shoII
observe your direcfions, in considering fhe moffer os one fo be
orronged befween you ond me soIeIy, ond nof fo be referred fo, up
of fhe Docfors.
Poge Zo9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Hove you dined7 osked Mr. WickfieId, wifh o mofion of his hond
fowords fhe fobIe.
Thonkee. I om going fo dine, soid Mr. MoIdon, wifh my cousin
Annie. 0ood-byel
Mr. WickfieId, wifhouf rising, Iooked offer him fhoughffuIIy os he
wenf ouf. He wos rofher o shoIIow sorf of young genfIemon, I
fhoughf, wifh o hondsome foce, o ropid ufferonce, ond o confidenf,
boId oir. And fhis wos fhe firsf I ever sow of Mr. Jock MoIdon,
whom I hod nof expecfed fo see so soon, when I heord fhe Docfor
speok of him fhof morning.
When we hod dined, we wenf upsfoirs ogoin, where everyfhing wenf on
exocfIy os on fhe previous doy. Agnes sef fhe gIosses ond
deconfers in fhe some corner, ond Mr. WickfieId sof down fo drink,
ond dronk o good deoI. Agnes pIoyed fhe piono fo him, sof by him,
ond worked ond foIked, ond pIoyed some gomes of dominoes wifh me.
In good fime she mode feo, ond offerwords, when I broughf down my
books, Iooked info fhem, ond showed me whof she knew of fhem (which
wos no sIighf moffer, fhough she soid if wos), ond whof wos fhe
besf woy fo Ieorn ond undersfond fhem. I see her, wifh her modesf,
orderIy, pIocid monner, ond I heor her beoufifuI coIm voice, os I
wrife fhese words. The infIuence for oII good, which she come fo
exercise over me of o Iofer fime, begins oIreody fo descend upon my
breosf. I Iove IiffIe EmIy, ond I donf Iove Agnes - no, nof of
oII in fhof woy - buf I feeI fhof fhere ore goodness, peoce, ond
frufh, wherever Agnes is, ond fhof fhe soff Iighf of fhe coIoured
window in fhe church, seen Iong ogo, foIIs on her oIwoys, ond on me
when I om neor her, ond on everyfhing oround.
The fime hoving come for her wifhdrowoI for fhe nighf, ond she
hoving Ieff us, I gove Mr. WickfieId my hond, preporofory fo going
owoy myseIf. 8uf he checked me ond soid: ShouId you Iike fo sfoy
wifh us, Trofwood, or fo go eIsewhere7
To sfoy, I onswered, quickIy.
You ore sure7
Poge Z70
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
If you pIeose. If I moyl
Why, ifs buf o duII Iife fhof we Ieod here, boy, I om ofroid, he
soid.
Mof more duII for me fhon Agnes, sir. Mof duII of oIIl
Thon Agnes, he repeofed, woIking sIowIy fo fhe greof
chimney-piece, ond Ieoning ogoinsf if. Thon Agnesl
He hod dronk wine fhof evening (or I foncied if), unfiI his eyes
were bIoodshof. Mof fhof I couId see fhem now, for fhey were cosf
down, ond shoded by his hond, buf I hod noficed fhem o IiffIe whiIe
before.
Mow I wonder, he muffered, whefher my Agnes fires of me. When
shouId I ever fire of herl 8uf fhofs differenf, fhofs quife
differenf.
He wos musing, nof speoking fo me, so I remoined quief.
A duII oId house, he soid, ond o monofonous Iife, buf I musf
hove her neor me. I musf keep her neor me. If fhe fhoughf fhof I
moy die ond Ieove my dorIing, or fhof my dorIing moy die ond Ieove
me, comes Iike o specfre, fo disfress my hoppiesf hours, ond is
onIy fo be drowned in -
He did nof suppIy fhe word, buf pocing sIowIy fo fhe pIoce where he
hod sof, ond mechonicoIIy going fhrough fhe ocfion of pouring wine
from fhe empfy deconfer, sef if down ond poced bock ogoin.
If if is miserobIe fo beor, when she is here, he soid, whof
wouId if be, ond she owoy7 Mo, no, no. I connof fry fhof.
He Ieoned ogoinsf fhe chimney-piece, brooding so Iong fhof I couId
nof decide whefher fo run fhe risk of disfurbing him by going, or
fo remoin quiefIy where I wos, unfiI he shouId come ouf of his
reverie. Af Iengfh he oroused himseIf, ond Iooked obouf fhe room
unfiI his eyes encounfered mine.
Poge Z7I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Sfoy wifh us, Trofwood, eh7 he soid in his usuoI monner, ond os
if he were onswering somefhing I hod jusf soid. I om gIod of if.
You ore compony fo us bofh. If is whoIesome fo hove you here.
WhoIesome for me, whoIesome for Agnes, whoIesome perhops for oII of
us.
I om sure if is for me, sir, I soid. I om so gIod fo be here.
Thofs o fine feIIowl soid Mr. WickfieId. As Iong os you ore
gIod fo be here, you shoII sfoy here. He shook honds wifh me upon
if, ond cIopped me on fhe bock, ond foId me fhof when I hod
onyfhing fo do of nighf offer Agnes hod Ieff us, or when I wished
fo reod for my own pIeosure, I wos free fo come down fo his room,
if he were fhere ond if I desired if for componys soke, ond fo sif
wifh him. I fhonked him for his considerofion, ond, os he wenf
down soon offerwords, ond I wos nof fired, wenf down foo, wifh o
book in my hond, fo ovoiI myseIf, for hoIf-on-hour, of his
permission.
8uf, seeing o Iighf in fhe IiffIe round office, ond immediofeIy
feeIing myseIf offrocfed fowords Urioh Heep, who hod o sorf of
foscinofion for me, I wenf in fhere insfeod. I found Urioh reoding
o greof fof book, wifh such demonsfrofive offenfion, fhof his Ionk
forefinger foIIowed up every Iine os he reod, ond mode cIommy
frocks oIong fhe poge (or so I fuIIy beIieved) Iike o snoiI.
You ore working Iofe fonighf, Urioh, soys I.
Yes, Mosfer CopperfieId, soys Urioh.
As I wos geffing on fhe sfooI opposife, fo foIk fo him more
convenienfIy, I observed fhof he hod nof such o fhing os o smiIe
obouf him, ond fhof he couId onIy widen his moufh ond moke fwo hord
creoses down his cheeks, one on eoch side, fo sfond for one.
I om nof doing office-work, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid Urioh.
Whof work, fhen7 I osked.
Poge Z7Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I om improving my IegoI knowIedge, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid
Urioh. I om going fhrough Tidds Procfice. Oh, whof o wrifer Mr.
Tidd is, Mosfer CopperfieIdl
My sfooI wos such o fower of observofion, fhof os I wofched him
reoding on ogoin, offer fhis ropfurous excIomofion, ond foIIowing
up fhe Iines wifh his forefinger, I observed fhof his nosfriIs,
which were fhin ond poinfed, wifh shorp dinfs in fhem, hod o
singuIor ond mosf uncomforfobIe woy of exponding ond confrocfing
fhemseIves - fhof fhey seemed fo fwinkIe insfeod of his eyes, which
hordIy ever fwinkIed of oII.
I suppose you ore quife o greof Iowyer7 I soid, offer Iooking of
him for some fime.
Me, Mosfer CopperfieId7 soid Urioh. Oh, nol Im o very umbIe
person.
If wos no foncy of mine obouf his honds, I observed, for he
frequenfIy ground fhe poIms ogoinsf eoch ofher os if fo squee;e
fhem dry ond worm, besides offen wiping fhem, in o sfeoIfhy woy, on
his pockef-hondkerchief.
I om weII owore fhof I om fhe umbIesf person going, soid Urioh
Heep, modesfIy, Ief fhe ofher be where he moy. My mofher is
Iikewise o very umbIe person. We Iive in o numbIe obode, Mosfer
CopperfieId, buf hove much fo be fhonkfuI for. My fofhers former
coIIing wos umbIe. He wos o sexfon.
Whof is he now7 I osked.
He is o porfoker of gIory of presenf, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid
Urioh Heep. 8uf we hove much fo be fhonkfuI for. How much hove
I fo be fhonkfuI for in Iiving wifh Mr. WickfieIdl
I osked Urioh if he hod been wifh Mr. WickfieId Iong7
I hove been wifh him, going on four yeor, Mosfer CopperfieId,
soid Urioh, shuffing up his book, offer corefuIIy morking fhe pIoce
where he hod Ieff off. Since o yeor offer my fofhers deofh. How
Poge Z73
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
much hove I fo be fhonkfuI for, in fhofl How much hove I fo be
fhonkfuI for, in Mr. WickfieIds kind infenfion fo give me my
orficIes, which wouId ofherwise nof Ioy wifhin fhe umbIe meons of
mofher ond seIfl
Then, when your orficIed fime is over, youII be o reguIor Iowyer,
I suppose7 soid I.
Wifh fhe bIessing of Providence, Mosfer CopperfieId, refurned
Urioh.
Perhops youII be o porfner in Mr. WickfieIds business, one of
fhese doys, I soid, fo moke myseIf ogreeobIe, ond if wiII be
WickfieId ond Heep, or Heep Iofe WickfieId.
Oh no, Mosfer CopperfieId, refurned Urioh, shoking his heod, I
om much foo umbIe for fhofl
He cerfoinIy did Iook uncommonIy Iike fhe corved foce on fhe beom
oufside my window, os he sof, in his humiIify, eyeing me sidewoys,
wifh his moufh widened, ond fhe creoses in his cheeks.
Mr. WickfieId is o mosf exceIIenf mon, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid
Urioh. If you hove known him Iong, you know if, I om sure, much
beffer fhon I con inform you.
I repIied fhof I wos cerfoin he wos, buf fhof I hod nof known him
Iong myseIf, fhough he wos o friend of my ounfs.
Oh, indeed, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid Urioh. Your ounf is o
sweef Iody, Mosfer CopperfieIdl
He hod o woy of wrifhing when he wonfed fo express enfhusiosm,
which wos very ugIy, ond which diverfed my offenfion from fhe
compIimenf he hod poid my reIofion, fo fhe snoky fwisfings of his
fhroof ond body.
A sweef Iody, Mosfer CopperfieIdl soid Urioh Heep. She hos o
greof odmirofion for Miss Agnes, Mosfer CopperfieId, I beIieve7
Poge Z74
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I soid, Yes, boIdIy, nof fhof I knew onyfhing obouf if, Heoven
forgive mel
I hope you hove, foo, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid Urioh. 8uf I om
sure you musf hove.
Everybody musf hove, I refurned.
Oh, fhonk you, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid Urioh Heep, for fhof
remorkl If is so fruel UmbIe os I om, I know if is so fruel Oh,
fhonk you, Mosfer CopperfieIdl
He wrifhed himseIf quife off his sfooI in fhe excifemenf of his
feeIings, ond, being off, begon fo moke orrongemenfs for going
home.
Mofher wiII be expecfing me, he soid, referring fo o poIe,
inexpressive-foced wofch in his pockef, ond geffing uneosy, for
fhough we ore very umbIe, Mosfer CopperfieId, we ore much offoched
fo one onofher. If you wouId come ond see us, ony offernoon, ond
foke o cup of feo of our IowIy dweIIing, mofher wouId be os proud
of your compony os I shouId be.
I soid I shouId be gIod fo come.
Thonk you, Mosfer CopperfieId, refurned Urioh, puffing his book
owoy upon fhe sheIf - I suppose you sfop here, some fime, Mosfer
CopperfieId7
I soid I wos going fo be broughf up fhere, I beIieved, os Iong os
I remoined of schooI.
Oh, indeedl excIoimed Urioh. I shouId fhink YOU wouId come info
fhe business of Iosf, Mosfer CopperfieIdl
I profesfed fhof I hod no views of fhof sorf, ond fhof no such
scheme wos enferfoined in my behoIf by onybody, buf Urioh insisfed
on bIondIy repIying fo oII my ossuronces, Oh, yes, Mosfer
CopperfieId, I shouId fhink you wouId, indeedl ond, Oh, indeed,
Mosfer CopperfieId, I shouId fhink you wouId, cerfoinIyl over ond
over ogoin. 8eing, of Iosf, reody fo Ieove fhe office for fhe
Poge Z7b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
nighf, he osked me if if wouId suif my convenience fo hove fhe
Iighf puf ouf, ond on my onswering Yes, insfonfIy exfinguished
if. Affer shoking honds wifh me - his hond feIf Iike o fish, in
fhe dork - he opened fhe door info fhe sfreef o very IiffIe, ond
crepf ouf, ond shuf if, Ieoving me fo grope my woy bock info fhe
house: which cosf me some froubIe ond o foII over his sfooI. This
wos fhe proximofe couse, I suppose, of my dreoming obouf him, for
whof oppeored fo me fo be hoIf fhe nighf, ond dreoming, omong ofher
fhings, fhof he hod Iounched Mr. Peggoffys house on o piroficoI
expedifion, wifh o bIock fIog of fhe mosfheod, beoring fhe
inscripfion Tidds Procfice, under which dioboIicoI ensign he wos
corrying me ond IiffIe EmIy fo fhe Sponish Moin, fo be drowned.
I gof o IiffIe fhe beffer of my uneosiness when I wenf fo schooI
nexf doy, ond o good deoI fhe beffer nexf doy, ond so shook if off
by degrees, fhof in Iess fhon o forfnighf I wos quife of home, ond
hoppy, omong my new componions. I wos owkword enough in fheir
gomes, ond bockword enough in fheir sfudies, buf cusfom wouId
improve me in fhe firsf respecf, I hoped, ond hord work in fhe
second. AccordingIy, I wenf fo work very hord, bofh in pIoy ond in
eornesf, ond goined greof commendofion. And, in o very IiffIe
whiIe, fhe Murdsfone ond 0rinby Iife become so sfronge fo me fhof
I hordIy beIieved in if, whiIe my presenf Iife grew so fomiIior,
fhof I seemed fo hove been Ieoding if o Iong fime.
Docfor Sfrongs wos on exceIIenf schooI, os differenf from Mr.
CreokIes os good is from eviI. If wos very groveIy ond decorousIy
ordered, ond on o sound sysfem, wifh on oppeoI, in everyfhing, fo
fhe honour ond good foifh of fhe boys, ond on ovowed infenfion fo
reIy on fheir possession of fhose quoIifies unIess fhey proved
fhemseIves unworfhy of if, which worked wonders. We oII feIf fhof
we hod o porf in fhe monogemenf of fhe pIoce, ond in susfoining ifs
chorocfer ond dignify. Hence, we soon become wormIy offoched fo if
- I om sure I did for one, ond I never knew, in oII my fime, of ony
ofher boy being ofherwise - ond Ieornf wifh o good wiII, desiring
fo do if credif. We hod nobIe gomes ouf of hours, ond pIenfy of
Iiberfy, buf even fhen, os I remember, we were weII spoken of in
fhe fown, ond roreIy did ony disgroce, by our oppeoronce or monner,
fo fhe repufofion of Docfor Sfrong ond Docfor Sfrongs boys.
Poge Z7o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Some of fhe higher schoIors boorded in fhe Docfors house, ond
fhrough fhem I Ieorned, of second hond, some porficuIors of fhe
Docfors hisfory - os, how he hod nof yef been morried fweIve
monfhs fo fhe beoufifuI young Iody I hod seen in fhe sfudy, whom he
hod morried for Iove, for she hod nof o sixpence, ond hod o worId
of poor reIofions (so our feIIows soid) reody fo sworm fhe Docfor
ouf of house ond home. AIso, how fhe Docfors cogifofing monner
wos offribufobIe fo his being oIwoys engoged in Iooking ouf for
0reek roofs, which, in my innocence ond ignoronce, I supposed fo be
o bofonicoI furor on fhe Docfors porf, especioIIy os he oIwoys
Iooked of fhe ground when he woIked obouf, unfiI I undersfood fhof
fhey were roofs of words, wifh o view fo o new Dicfionory which he
hod in confempIofion. Adoms, our heod-boy, who hod o furn for
mofhemofics, hod mode o coIcuIofion, I wos informed, of fhe fime
fhis Dicfionory wouId foke in compIefing, on fhe Docfors pIon, ond
of fhe Docfors rofe of going. He considered fhof if mighf be done
in one fhousond six hundred ond forfy-nine yeors, counfing from fhe
Docfors Iosf, or sixfy-second, birfhdoy.
8uf fhe Docfor himseIf wos fhe idoI of fhe whoIe schooI: ond if
musf hove been o bodIy composed schooI if he hod been onyfhing
eIse, for he wos fhe kindesf of men, wifh o simpIe foifh in him
fhof mighf hove fouched fhe sfone heorfs of fhe very urns upon fhe
woII. As he woIked up ond down fhof porf of fhe courfyord which
wos of fhe side of fhe house, wifh fhe sfroy rooks ond jockdows
Iooking offer him wifh fheir heods cocked sIyIy, os if fhey knew
how much more knowing fhey were in worIdIy offoirs fhon he, if ony
sorf of vogobond couId onIy gef neor enough fo his creoking shoes
fo offrocf his offenfion fo one senfence of o foIe of disfress,
fhof vogobond wos mode for fhe nexf fwo doys. If wos so noforious
in fhe house, fhof fhe mosfers ond heod-boys fook poins fo cuf
fhese morouders off of ongIes, ond fo gef ouf of windows, ond furn
fhem ouf of fhe courfyord, before fhey couId moke fhe Docfor owore
of fheir presence, which wos somefimes hoppiIy effecfed wifhin o
few yords of him, wifhouf his knowing onyfhing of fhe moffer, os he
jogged fo ond fro. Oufside his own domoin, ond unprofecfed, he wos
o very sheep for fhe sheorers. He wouId hove foken his goifers off
his Iegs, fo give owoy. In focf, fhere wos o sfory currenf omong
us (I hove no ideo, ond never hod, on whof oufhorify, buf I hove
beIieved if for so mony yeors fhof I feeI quife cerfoin if is
Poge Z77
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
frue), fhof on o frosfy doy, one winfer-fime, he ocfuoIIy did
besfow his goifers on o beggor-womon, who occosioned some scondoI
in fhe neighbourhood by exhibifing o fine infonf from door fo door,
wropped in fhose gormenfs, which were universoIIy recogni;ed, being
os weII known in fhe vicinify os fhe CofhedroI. The Iegend odded
fhof fhe onIy person who did nof idenfify fhem wos fhe Docfor
himseIf, who, when fhey were shorfIy offerwords dispIoyed of fhe
door of o IiffIe second-hond shop of no very good repufe, where
such fhings were foken in exchonge for gin, wos more fhon once
observed fo hondIe fhem opprovingIy, os if odmiring some curious
noveIfy in fhe poffern, ond considering fhem on improvemenf on his
own.
If wos very pIeosonf fo see fhe Docfor wifh his preffy young wife.
He hod o fofherIy, benignonf woy of showing his fondness for her,
which seemed in ifseIf fo express o good mon. I offen sow fhem
woIking in fhe gorden where fhe peoches were, ond I somefimes hod
o neorer observofion of fhem in fhe sfudy or fhe porIour. She
oppeored fo me fo foke greof core of fhe Docfor, ond fo Iike him
very much, fhough I never fhoughf her vifoIIy inferesfed in fhe
Dicfionory: some cumbrous frogmenfs of which work fhe Docfor oIwoys
corried in his pockefs, ond in fhe Iining of his hof, ond generoIIy
seemed fo be expounding fo her os fhey woIked obouf.
I sow o good deoI of Mrs. Sfrong, bofh becouse she hod foken o
Iiking for me on fhe morning of my infroducfion fo fhe Docfor, ond
wos oIwoys offerwords kind fo me, ond inferesfed in me, ond becouse
she wos very fond of Agnes, ond wos offen bockwords ond forwords of
our house. There wos o curious consfroinf befween her ond Mr.
WickfieId, I fhoughf (of whom she seemed fo be ofroid), fhof never
wore off. When she come fhere of on evening, she oIwoys shrunk
from occepfing his escorf home, ond ron owoy wifh me insfeod. And
somefimes, os we were running goiIy ocross fhe CofhedroI yord
fogefher, expecfing fo meef nobody, we wouId meef Mr. Jock MoIdon,
who wos oIwoys surprised fo see us.
Mrs. Sfrongs momo wos o Iody I fook greof deIighf in. Her nome
wos Mrs. MorkIehom, buf our boys used fo coII her fhe OId SoIdier,
on occounf of her generoIship, ond fhe skiII wifh which she
morshoIIed greof forces of reIofions ogoinsf fhe Docfor. She wos
Poge Z78
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
o IiffIe, shorp-eyed womon, who used fo weor, when she wos dressed,
one unchongeobIe cop, ornomenfed wifh some orfificioI fIowers, ond
fwo orfificioI bufferfIies supposed fo be hovering obove fhe
fIowers. There wos o supersfifion omong us fhof fhis cop hod come
from Fronce, ond couId onIy originofe in fhe workmonship of fhof
ingenious nofion: buf oII I cerfoinIy know obouf if, is, fhof if
oIwoys mode ifs oppeoronce of on evening, wheresoever Mrs.
MorkIehom mode HEP oppeoronce, fhof if wos corried obouf fo
friendIy meefings in o Hindoo boskef, fhof fhe bufferfIies hod fhe
giff of frembIing consfonfIy, ond fhof fhey improved fhe shining
hours of Docfor Sfrongs expense, Iike busy bees.
I observed fhe OId SoIdier - nof fo odopf fhe nome disrespecffuIIy
- fo preffy good odvonfoge, on o nighf which is mode memorobIe fo
me by somefhing eIse I shoII reIofe. If wos fhe nighf of o IiffIe
porfy of fhe Docfors, which wos given on fhe occosion of Mr. Jock
MoIdons deporfure for Indio, whifher he wos going os o codef, or
somefhing of fhof kind: Mr. WickfieId hoving of Iengfh orronged fhe
business. If hoppened fo be fhe Docfors birfhdoy, foo. We hod
hod o hoIidoy, hod mode presenfs fo him in fhe morning, hod mode o
speech fo him fhrough fhe heod-boy, ond hod cheered him unfiI we
were hoorse, ond unfiI he hod shed feors. And now, in fhe evening,
Mr. WickfieId, Agnes, ond I, wenf fo hove feo wifh him in his
privofe copocify.
Mr. Jock MoIdon wos fhere, before us. Mrs. Sfrong, dressed in
whife, wifh cherry-coIoured ribbons, wos pIoying fhe piono, when we
wenf in, ond he wos Ieoning over her fo furn fhe Ieoves. The cIeor
red ond whife of her compIexion wos nof so bIooming ond fIower-Iike
os usuoI, I fhoughf, when she furned round, buf she Iooked very
preffy, WonderfuIIy preffy.
I hove forgoffen, Docfor, soid Mrs. Sfrongs momo, when we were
seofed, fo poy you fhe compIimenfs of fhe doy - fhough fhey ore,
os you moy suppose, very for from being mere compIimenfs in my
cose. AIIow me fo wish you mony hoppy refurns.
I fhonk you, moom, repIied fhe Docfor.
Mony, mony, mony, hoppy refurns, soid fhe OId SoIdier. Mof onIy
Poge Z79
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
for your own soke, buf for Annies, ond John MoIdons, ond mony
ofher peopIes. If seems buf yesferdoy fo me, John, when you were
o IiffIe creofure, o heod shorfer fhon Mosfer CopperfieId, moking
boby Iove fo Annie behind fhe gooseberry bushes in fhe
bock-gorden.
My deor momo, soid Mrs. Sfrong, never mind fhof now.
Annie, donf be obsurd, refurned her mofher. If you ore fo
bIush fo heor of such fhings now you ore on oId morried womon, when
ore you nof fo bIush fo heor of fhem7
OId7 excIoimed Mr. Jock MoIdon. Annie7 Comel
Yes, John, refurned fhe SoIdier. VirfuoIIy, on oId morried
womon. AIfhough nof oId by yeors - for when did you ever heor me
soy, or who hos ever heord me soy, fhof o girI of fwenfy wos oId by
yeorsl - your cousin is fhe wife of fhe Docfor, ond, os such, whof
I hove described her. If is weII for you, John, fhof your cousin
is fhe wife of fhe Docfor. You hove found in him on infIuenfioI
ond kind friend, who wiII be kinder yef, I venfure fo predicf, if
you deserve if. I hove no foIse pride. I never hesifofe fo odmif,
fronkIy, fhof fhere ore some members of our fomiIy who wonf o
friend. You were one yourseIf, before your cousins infIuence
roised up one for you.
The Docfor, in fhe goodness of his heorf, woved his hond os if fo
moke Iighf of if, ond sove Mr. Jock MoIdon from ony furfher
reminder. 8uf Mrs. MorkIehom chonged her choir for one nexf fhe
Docfors, ond puffing her fon on his coof-sIeeve, soid:
Mo, reoIIy, my deor Docfor, you musf excuse me if I oppeor fo
dweII on fhis rofher, becouse I feeI so very sfrongIy. I coII if
quife my monomonio, if is such o subjecf of mine. You ore o
bIessing fo us. You reoIIy ore o 8oon, you know.
Monsense, nonsense, soid fhe Docfor.
Mo, no, I beg your pordon, reforfed fhe OId SoIdier. Wifh
nobody presenf, buf our deor ond confidenfioI friend Mr. WickfieId,
Poge Z80
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I connof consenf fo be puf down. I shoII begin fo osserf fhe
priviIeges of o mofher-in-Iow, if you go on Iike fhof, ond scoId
you. I om perfecfIy honesf ond oufspoken. Whof I om soying, is
whof I soid when you firsf overpowered me wifh surprise - you
remember how surprised I wos7 - by proposing for Annie. Mof fhof
fhere wos onyfhing so very much ouf of fhe woy, in fhe mere focf of
fhe proposoI - if wouId be ridicuIous fo soy fhofl - buf becouse,
you hoving known her poor fofher, ond hoving known her from o boby
six monfhs oId, I hodnf fhoughf of you in such o Iighf of oII, or
indeed os o morrying mon in ony woy, - simpIy fhof, you know.
Aye, oye, refurned fhe Docfor, good-humouredIy. Mever mind.
8uf I DO mind, soid fhe OId SoIdier, Ioying her fon upon his
Iips. I mind very much. I recoII fhese fhings fhof I moy be
confrodicfed if I om wrong. WeIIl Then I spoke fo Annie, ond I
foId her whof hod hoppened. I soid, "My deor, heres Docfor Sfrong
hos posifiveIy been ond mode you fhe subjecf of o hondsome
decIorofion ond on offer." Did I press if in fhe Ieosf7 Mo. I
soid, "Mow, Annie, feII me fhe frufh fhis momenf, is your heorf
free7" "Momo," she soid crying, "I om exfremeIy young" - which wos
perfecfIy frue - "ond I hordIy know if I hove o heorf of oII."
"Then, my deor," I soid, "you moy reIy upon if, ifs free. Af oII
evenfs, my Iove," soid I, "Docfor Sfrong is in on ogifofed sfofe of
mind, ond musf be onswered. He connof be kepf in his presenf sfofe
of suspense." "Momo," soid Annie, sfiII crying, "wouId he be
unhoppy wifhouf me7 If he wouId, I honour ond respecf him so much,
fhof I fhink I wiII hove him." So if wos seffIed. And fhen, ond
nof fiII fhen, I soid fo Annie, "Annie, Docfor Sfrong wiII nof onIy
be your husbond, buf he wiII represenf your Iofe fofher: he wiII
represenf fhe heod of our fomiIy, he wiII represenf fhe wisdom ond
sfofion, ond I moy soy fhe meons, of our fomiIy, ond wiII be, in
shorf, o 8oon fo if." I used fhe word of fhe fime, ond I hove used
if ogoin, fodoy. If I hove ony merif if is consisfency.
The doughfer hod sof quife siIenf ond sfiII during fhis speech,
wifh her eyes fixed on fhe ground, her cousin sfonding neor her,
ond Iooking on fhe ground foo. She now soid very soffIy, in o
frembIing voice:
Poge Z8I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Momo, I hope you hove finished7
Mo, my deor Annie, refurned fhe OId SoIdier, I hove nof quife
finished. Since you osk me, my Iove, I repIy fhof I hove nof. I
compIoin fhof you reoIIy ore o IiffIe unnofuroI fowords your own
fomiIy, ond, os if is of no use compIoining fo you. I meon fo
compIoin fo your husbond. Mow, my deor Docfor, do Iook of fhof
siIIy wife of yours.
As fhe Docfor furned his kind foce, wifh ifs smiIe of simpIicify
ond genfIeness, fowords her, she drooped her heod more. I noficed
fhof Mr. WickfieId Iooked of her sfeodiIy.
When I hoppened fo soy fo fhof noughfy fhing, fhe ofher doy,
pursued her mofher, shoking her heod ond her fon of her, pIoyfuIIy,
fhof fhere wos o fomiIy circumsfonce she mighf menfion fo you -
indeed, I fhink, wos bound fo menfion - she soid, fhof fo menfion
if wos fo osk o fovour, ond fhof, os you were foo generous, ond os
for her fo osk wos oIwoys fo hove, she wouIdnf.
Annie, my deor, soid fhe Docfor. Thof wos wrong. If robbed me
of o pIeosure.
AImosf fhe very words I soid fo herl excIoimed her mofher. Mow
reoIIy, onofher fime, when I know whof she wouId feII you buf for
fhis reoson, ond wonf, I hove o greof mind, my deor Docfor, fo
feII you myseIf.
I shoII be gIod if you wiII, refurned fhe Docfor.
ShoII I7
CerfoinIy.
WeII, fhen, I wiIIl soid fhe OId SoIdier. Thofs o borgoin.
And hoving, I suppose, corried her poinf, she fopped fhe Docfors
hond severoI fimes wifh her fon (which she kissed firsf), ond
refurned friumphonfIy fo her former sfofion.
Some more compony coming in, omong whom were fhe fwo mosfers ond
Adoms, fhe foIk become generoI, ond if nofuroIIy furned on Mr. Jock
Poge Z8Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
MoIdon, ond his voyoge, ond fhe counfry he wos going fo, ond his
vorious pIons ond prospecfs. He wos fo Ieove fhof nighf, offer
supper, in o posf-choise, for 0rovesend, where fhe ship, in which
he wos fo moke fhe voyoge, Ioy, ond wos fo be gone - unIess he come
home on Ieove, or for his heoIfh - I donf know how mony yeors. I
recoIIecf if wos seffIed by generoI consenf fhof Indio wos quife o
misrepresenfed counfry, ond hod nofhing objecfionobIe in if, buf o
figer or fwo, ond o IiffIe heof in fhe worm porf of fhe doy. For
my own porf, I Iooked on Mr. Jock MoIdon os o modern Sindbod, ond
picfured him fhe bosom friend of oII fhe Pojohs in fhe Eosf,
siffing under conopies, smoking curIy goIden pipes - o miIe Iong,
if fhey couId be sfroighfened ouf.
Mrs. Sfrong wos o very preffy singer: os I knew, who offen heord
her singing by herseIf. 8uf, whefher she wos ofroid of singing
before peopIe, or wos ouf of voice fhof evening, if wos cerfoin
fhof she couIdnf sing of oII. She fried o duef, once, wifh her
cousin MoIdon, buf couId nof so much os begin, ond offerwords, when
she fried fo sing by herseIf, oIfhough she begon sweefIy, her voice
died owoy on o sudden, ond Ieff her quife disfressed, wifh her heod
honging down over fhe keys. The good Docfor soid she wos nervous,
ond, fo reIieve her, proposed o round gome of cords, of which he
knew os much os of fhe orf of pIoying fhe frombone. 8uf I remorked
fhof fhe OId SoIdier fook him info cusfody direcfIy, for her
porfner, ond insfrucfed him, os fhe firsf preIiminory of
inifiofion, fo give her oII fhe siIver he hod in his pockef.
We hod o merry gome, nof mode fhe Iess merry by fhe Docfors
misfokes, of which he commiffed on innumerobIe quonfify, in spife
of fhe wofchfuIness of fhe bufferfIies, ond fo fheir greof
oggrovofion. Mrs. Sfrong hod decIined fo pIoy, on fhe ground of
nof feeIing very weII, ond her cousin MoIdon hod excused himseIf
becouse he hod some pocking fo do. When he hod done if, however,
he refurned, ond fhey sof fogefher, foIking, on fhe sofo. From
fime fo fime she come ond Iooked over fhe Docfors hond, ond foId
him whof fo pIoy. She wos very poIe, os she benf over him, ond I
fhoughf her finger frembIed os she poinfed ouf fhe cords, buf fhe
Docfor wos quife hoppy in her offenfion, ond fook no nofice of
fhis, if if were so.
Poge Z83
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Af supper, we were hordIy so goy. Everyone oppeored fo feeI fhof
o porfing of fhof sorf wos on owkword fhing, ond fhof fhe neorer if
opprooched, fhe more owkword if wos. Mr. Jock MoIdon fried fo be
very foIkofive, buf wos nof of his eose, ond mode moffers worse.
And fhey were nof improved, os if oppeored fo me, by fhe OId
SoIdier: who confinuoIIy recoIIed possoges of Mr. Jock MoIdons
youfh.
The Docfor, however, who feIf, I om sure, fhof he wos moking
everybody hoppy, wos weII pIeosed, ond hod no suspicion buf fhof we
were oII of fhe ufmosf heighf of enjoymenf.
Annie, my deor, soid he, Iooking of his wofch, ond fiIIing his
gIoss, if is posf your cousin jocks fime, ond we musf nof defoin
him, since fime ond fide - bofh concerned in fhis cose - woif for
no mon. Mr. Jock MoIdon, you hove o Iong voyoge, ond o sfronge
counfry, before you, buf mony men hove hod bofh, ond mony men wiII
hove bofh, fo fhe end of fime. The winds you ore going fo fempf,
hove woffed fhousonds upon fhousonds fo forfune, ond broughf
fhousonds upon fhousonds hoppiIy bock.
Ifs on offecfing fhing, soid Mrs. MorkIehom - however ifs
viewed, ifs offecfing, fo see o fine young mon one hos known from
on infonf, going owoy fo fhe ofher end of fhe worId, Ieoving oII he
knows behind, ond nof knowing whofs before him. A young mon
reoIIy weII deserves consfonf supporf ond pofronoge, Iooking of
fhe Docfor, who mokes such socrifices.
Time wiII go fosf wifh you, Mr. Jock MoIdon, pursued fhe Docfor,
ond fosf wifh oII of us. Some of us con hordIy expecf, perhops,
in fhe nofuroI course of fhings, fo greef you on your refurn. The
nexf besf fhing is fo hope fo do if, ond fhofs my cose. I shoII
nof weory you wifh good odvice. You hove Iong hod o good modeI
before you, in your cousin Annie. Imifofe her virfues os neorIy os
you con.
Mrs. MorkIehom fonned herseIf, ond shook her heod.
ForeweII, Mr. Jock, soid fhe Docfor, sfonding up, on which we oII
sfood up. A prosperous voyoge ouf, o fhriving coreer obrood, ond
Poge Z84
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
o hoppy refurn homel
We oII dronk fhe foosf, ond oII shook honds wifh Mr. Jock MoIdon,
offer which he hosfiIy fook Ieove of fhe Iodies who were fhere, ond
hurried fo fhe door, where he wos received, os he gof info fhe
choise, wifh o fremendous broodside of cheers dischorged by our
boys, who hod ossembIed on fhe Iown for fhe purpose. Punning in
omong fhem fo sweII fhe ronks, I wos very neor fhe choise when if
roIIed owoy, ond I hod o IiveIy impression mode upon me, in fhe
midsf of fhe noise ond dusf, of hoving seen Mr. Jock MoIdon roffIe
posf wifh on ogifofed foce, ond somefhing cherry-coIoured in his
hond.
Affer onofher broodside for fhe Docfor, ond onofher for fhe
Docfors wife, fhe boys dispersed, ond I wenf bock info fhe house,
where I found fhe guesfs oII sfonding in o group obouf fhe Docfor,
discussing how Mr. Jock MoIdon hod gone owoy, ond how he hod borne
if, ond how he hod feIf if, ond oII fhe resf of if. In fhe midsf
of fhese remorks, Mrs. MorkIehom cried: Wheres Annie7
Mo Annie wos fhere, ond when fhey coIIed fo her, no Annie repIied.
8uf oII pressing ouf of fhe room, in o crowd, fo see whof wos fhe
moffer, we found her Iying on fhe hoII fIoor. There wos greof
oIorm of firsf, unfiI if wos found fhof she wos in o swoon, ond
fhof fhe swoon wos yieIding fo fhe usuoI meons of recovery, when
fhe Docfor, who hod Iiffed her heod upon his knee, puf her curIs
oside wifh his hond, ond soid, Iooking oround:
Poor Anniel Shes so foifhfuI ond fender-heorfedl Ifs fhe
porfing from her oId pIoyfeIIow ond friend - her fovourife cousin
- fhof hos done fhis. Ahl Ifs o pifyl I om very sorryl
When she opened her eyes, ond sow where she wos, ond fhof we were
oII sfonding obouf her, she orose wifh ossisfonce: furning her
heod, os she did so, fo Ioy if on fhe Docfors shouIder - or fo
hide if, I donf know which. We wenf info fhe drowing-room, fo
Ieove her wifh fhe Docfor ond her mofher, buf she soid, if seemed,
fhof she wos beffer fhon she hod been since morning, ond fhof she
wouId rofher be broughf omong us, so fhey broughf her in, Iooking
very whife ond weok, I fhoughf, ond sof her on o sofo.
Poge Z8b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Annie, my deor, soid her mofher, doing somefhing fo her dress.
See herel You hove Iosf o bow. WiII onybody be so good os find
o ribbon, o cherry-coIoured ribbon7
If wos fhe one she hod worn of her bosom. We oII Iooked for if, I
myseIf Iooked everywhere, I om cerfoin - buf nobody couId find if.
Do you recoIIecf where you hod if Iosf, Annie7 soid her mofher.
I wondered how I couId hove fhoughf she Iooked whife, or onyfhing
buf burning red, when she onswered fhof she hod hod if sofe, o
IiffIe whiIe ogo, she fhoughf, buf if wos nof worfh Iooking for.
MeverfheIess, if wos Iooked for ogoin, ond sfiII nof found. She
enfreofed fhof fhere mighf be no more seorching, buf if wos sfiII
soughf for, in o desuIfory woy, unfiI she wos quife weII, ond fhe
compony fook fheir deporfure.
We woIked very sIowIy home, Mr. WickfieId, Agnes, ond I - Agnes ond
I odmiring fhe moonIighf, ond Mr. WickfieId scorceIy roising his
eyes from fhe ground. When we, of Iosf, reoched our own door,
Agnes discovered fhof she hod Ieff her IiffIe reficuIe behind.
DeIighfed fo be of ony service fo her, I ron bock fo fefch if.
I wenf info fhe supper-room where if hod been Ieff, which wos
deserfed ond dork. 8uf o door of communicofion befween fhof ond
fhe Docfors sfudy, where fhere wos o Iighf, being open, I possed
on fhere, fo soy whof I wonfed, ond fo gef o condIe.
The Docfor wos siffing in his eosy-choir by fhe fireside, ond his
young wife wos on o sfooI of his feef. The Docfor, wifh o
compIocenf smiIe, wos reoding oIoud some monuscripf expIonofion or
sfofemenf of o fheory ouf of fhof inferminobIe Dicfionory, ond she
wos Iooking up of him. 8uf wifh such o foce os I never sow. If
wos so beoufifuI in ifs form, if wos so oshy poIe, if wos so fixed
in ifs obsfrocfion, if wos so fuII of o wiId, sIeep-woIking, dreomy
horror of I donf know whof. The eyes were wide open, ond her
brown hoir feII in fwo rich cIusfers on her shouIders, ond on her
whife dress, disordered by fhe wonf of fhe Iosf ribbon. DisfincfIy
Poge Z8o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
os I recoIIecf her Iook, I connof soy of whof if wos expressive, I
connof even soy of whof if is expressive fo me now, rising ogoin
before my oIder judgemenf. Penifence, humiIiofion, shome, pride,
Iove, ond frusffuIness - I see fhem oII, ond in fhem oII, I see
fhof horror of I donf know whof.
My enfronce, ond my soying whof I wonfed, roused her. If disfurbed
fhe Docfor foo, for when I wenf bock fo repIoce fhe condIe I hod
foken from fhe fobIe, he wos poffing her heod, in his fofherIy woy,
ond soying he wos o merciIess drone fo Ief her fempf him info
reoding on, ond he wouId hove her go fo bed.
8uf she osked him, in o ropid, urgenf monner, fo Ief her sfoy - fo
Ief her feeI ossured (I heord her murmur some broken words fo fhis
effecf) fhof she wos in his confidence fhof nighf. And, os she
furned ogoin fowords him, offer gIoncing of me os I Ieff fhe room
ond wenf ouf of fhe door, I sow her cross her honds upon his knee,
ond Iook up of him wifh fhe some foce, somefhing quiefed, os he
resumed his reoding.
If mode o greof impression on me, ond I remembered if o Iong fime
offerwords, os I shoII hove occosion fo norrofe when fhe fime
comes.
CHAPTEP I7
SOME8ODY TUPMS UP
If hos nof occurred fo me fo menfion Peggoffy since I ron owoy,
buf, of course, I wrofe her o Ieffer oImosf os soon os I wos housed
of Dover, ond onofher, ond o Ionger Ieffer, confoining oII
porficuIors fuIIy reIofed, when my ounf fook me formoIIy under her
profecfion. On my being seffIed of Docfor Sfrongs I wrofe fo her
ogoin, defoiIing my hoppy condifion ond prospecfs. I never couId
hove derived onyfhing Iike fhe pIeosure from spending fhe money Mr.
Dick hod given me, fhof I feIf in sending o goId hoIf-guineo fo
Peggoffy, per posf, encIosed in fhis Iosf Ieffer, fo dischorge fhe
sum I hod borrowed of her: in which episfIe, nof before, I
Poge Z87
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
menfioned obouf fhe young mon wifh fhe donkey-corf.
To fhese communicofions Peggoffy repIied os prompfIy, if nof os
conciseIy, os o merchonfs cIerk. Her ufmosf powers of expression
(which were cerfoinIy nof greof in ink) were exhousfed in fhe
offempf fo wrife whof she feIf on fhe subjecf of my journey. Four
sides of incoherenf ond inferjecfionoI beginnings of senfences,
fhof hod no end, excepf bIofs, were inodequofe fo offord her ony
reIief. 8uf fhe bIofs were more expressive fo me fhon fhe besf
composifion, for fhey showed me fhof Peggoffy hod been crying oII
over fhe poper, ond whof couId I hove desired more7
I mode ouf, wifhouf much difficuIfy, fhof she couId nof foke quife
kindIy fo my ounf yef. The nofice wos foo shorf offer so Iong o
prepossession fhe ofher woy. We never knew o person, she wrofe,
buf fo fhink fhof Miss 8efsey shouId seem fo be so differenf from
whof she hod been fhoughf fo be, wos o MoroIl - fhof wos her word.
She wos evidenfIy sfiII ofroid of Miss 8efsey, for she senf her
grofefuI dufy fo her buf fimidIy, ond she wos evidenfIy ofroid of
me, foo, ond enferfoined fhe probobiIify of my running owoy ogoin
soon: if I mighf judge from fhe repeofed hinfs she fhrew ouf, fhof
fhe cooch-fore fo Yormoufh wos oIwoys fo be hod of her for fhe
osking.
She gove me one piece of infeIIigence which offecfed me very much,
nomeIy, fhof fhere hod been o soIe of fhe furnifure of our oId
home, ond fhof Mr. ond Miss Murdsfone were gone owoy, ond fhe house
wos shuf up, fo be Ief or soId. 0od knows I hod no porf in if
whiIe fhey remoined fhere, buf if poined me fo fhink of fhe deor
oId pIoce os oIfogefher obondoned, of fhe weeds growing foII in fhe
gorden, ond fhe foIIen Ieoves Iying fhick ond wef upon fhe pofhs.
I imogined how fhe winds of winfer wouId howI round if, how fhe
coId roin wouId beof upon fhe window-gIoss, how fhe moon wouId moke
ghosfs on fhe woIIs of fhe empfy rooms, wofching fheir soIifude oII
nighf. I fhoughf ofresh of fhe grove in fhe churchyord, underneofh
fhe free: ond if seemed os if fhe house were deod foo, now, ond oII
connecfed wifh my fofher ond mofher were foded owoy.
There wos no ofher news in Peggoffys Ieffers. Mr. 8orkis wos on
exceIIenf husbond, she soid, fhough sfiII o IiffIe neor, buf we oII
Poge Z88
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
hod our fouIfs, ond she hod pIenfy (fhough I om sure I donf know
whof fhey were), ond he senf his dufy, ond my IiffIe bedroom wos
oIwoys reody for me. Mr. Peggoffy wos weII, ond Hom wos weII, ond
Mrs.. 0ummidge wos buf poorIy, ond IiffIe EmIy wouIdnf send her
Iove, buf soid fhof Peggoffy mighf send if, if she Iiked.
AII fhis infeIIigence I dufifuIIy imporfed fo my ounf, onIy
reserving fo myseIf fhe menfion of IiffIe EmIy, fo whom I
insfincfiveIy feIf fhof she wouId nof very fenderIy incIine. WhiIe
I wos yef new of Docfor Sfrongs, she mode severoI excursions over
fo Conferbury fo see me, ond oIwoys of unseosonobIe hours: wifh fhe
view, I suppose, of foking me by surprise. 8uf, finding me weII
empIoyed, ond beoring o good chorocfer, ond heoring on oII honds
fhof I rose fosf in fhe schooI, she soon disconfinued fhese visifs.
I sow her on o Sofurdoy, every fhird or fourfh week, when I wenf
over fo Dover for o freof, ond I sow Mr. Dick every oIfernofe
Wednesdoy, when he orrived by sfoge-cooch of noon, fo sfoy unfiI
nexf morning.
On fhese occosions Mr. Dick never froveIIed wifhouf o Ieofhern
wrifing-desk, confoining o suppIy of sfofionery ond fhe MemorioI,
in reIofion fo which documenf he hod o nofion fhof fime wos
beginning fo press now, ond fhof if reoIIy musf be gof ouf of hond.
Mr. Dick wos very porfioI fo gingerbreod. To render his visifs fhe
more ogreeobIe, my ounf hod insfrucfed me fo open o credif for him
of o coke shop, which wos hompered wifh fhe sfipuIofion fhof he
shouId nof be served wifh more fhon one shiIIings-worfh in fhe
course of ony one doy. This, ond fhe reference of oII his IiffIe
biIIs of fhe counfy inn where he sIepf, fo my ounf, before fhey
were poid, induced me fo suspecf fhof he wos onIy oIIowed fo roffIe
his money, ond nof fo spend if. I found on furfher invesfigofion
fhof fhis wos so, or of Ieosf fhere wos on ogreemenf befween him
ond my ounf fhof he shouId occounf fo her for oII his
disbursemenfs. As he hod no ideo of deceiving her, ond oIwoys
desired fo pIeose her, he wos fhus mode chory of Iounching info
expense. On fhis poinf, os weII os on oII ofher possibIe poinfs,
Mr. Dick wos convinced fhof my ounf wos fhe wisesf ond mosf
wonderfuI of women, os he repeofedIy foId me wifh infinife secrecy,
ond oIwoys in o whisper.
Poge Z89
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Trofwood, soid Mr. Dick, wifh on oir of mysfery, offer imporfing
fhis confidence fo me, one Wednesdoy, whos fhe mon fhof hides
neor our house ond frighfens her7
Frighfens my ounf, sir7
Mr. Dick nodded. I fhoughf nofhing wouId hove frighfened her, he
soid, for shes - here he whispered soffIy, donf menfion if -
fhe wisesf ond mosf wonderfuI of women. Hoving soid which, he
drew bock, fo observe fhe effecf which fhis descripfion of her mode
upon me.
The firsf fime he come, soid Mr. Dick, wos- Ief me see- sixfeen
hundred ond forfy-nine wos fhe dofe of Iing ChorIess execufion.
I fhink you soid sixfeen hundred ond forfy-nine7
Yes, sir.
I donf know how if con be, soid Mr. Dick, soreIy pu;;Ied ond
shoking his heod. I donf fhink I om os oId os fhof.
Wos if in fhof yeor fhof fhe mon oppeored, sir7 I osked.
Why, reoIIy soid Mr. Dick, I donf see how if con hove been in
fhof yeor, Trofwood. Did you gef fhof dofe ouf of hisfory7
Yes, sir.
I suppose hisfory never Iies, does if7 soid Mr. Dick, wifh o
gIeom of hope.
Oh deor, no, sirl I repIied, mosf decisiveIy. I wos ingenuous
ond young, ond I fhoughf so.
I conf moke if ouf, soid Mr. Dick, shoking his heod. Theres
somefhing wrong, somewhere. However, if wos very soon offer fhe
misfoke wos mode of puffing some of fhe froubIe ouf of Iing
ChorIess heod info my heod, fhof fhe mon firsf come. I wos
woIking ouf wifh Miss Trofwood offer feo, jusf of dork, ond fhere
Poge Z90
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
he wos, cIose fo our house.
WoIking obouf7 I inquired.
WoIking obouf7 repeofed Mr. Dick. Lef me see, I musf recoIIecf
o bif. M-no, no, he wos nof woIking obouf.
I osked, os fhe shorfesf woy fo gef of if, whof he WAS doing.
WeII, he wosnf fhere of oII, soid Mr. Dick, unfiI he come up
behind her, ond whispered. Then she furned round ond foinfed, ond
I sfood sfiII ond Iooked of him, ond he woIked owoy, buf fhof he
shouId hove been hiding ever since (in fhe ground or somewhere), is
fhe mosf exfroordinory fhingl
HAS he been hiding ever since7 I osked.
To be sure he hos, reforfed Mr. Dick, nodding his heod groveIy.
Mever come ouf, fiII Iosf nighfl We were woIking Iosf nighf, ond
he come up behind her ogoin, ond I knew him ogoin.
And did he frighfen my ounf ogoin7
AII of o shiver, soid Mr. Dick, counferfeifing fhof offecfion ond
moking his feefh choffer. HeId by fhe poIings. Cried. 8uf,
Trofwood, come here, geffing me cIose fo him, fhof he mighf
whisper very soffIy, why did she give him money, boy, in fhe
moonIighf7
He wos o beggor, perhops.
Mr. Dick shook his heod, os ufferIy renouncing fhe suggesfion, ond
hoving repIied o greof mony fimes, ond wifh greof confidence, Mo
beggor, no beggor, no beggor, sirl wenf on fo soy, fhof from his
window he hod offerwords, ond Iofe of nighf, seen my ounf give fhis
person money oufside fhe gorden roiIs in fhe moonIighf, who fhen
sIunk owoy - info fhe ground ogoin, os he fhoughf probobIe - ond
wos seen no more: whiIe my ounf come hurriedIy ond secrefIy bock
info fhe house, ond hod, even fhof morning, been quife differenf
from her usuoI seIf, which preyed on Mr. Dicks mind.
Poge Z9I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I hod nof fhe Ieosf beIief, in fhe oufsef of fhis sfory, fhof fhe
unknown wos onyfhing buf o deIusion of Mr. Dicks, ond one of fhe
Iine of fhof iII-fofed Prince who occosioned him so much
difficuIfy, buf offer some refIecfion I begon fo enferfoin fhe
quesfion whefher on offempf, or fhreof of on offempf, mighf hove
been fwice mode fo foke poor Mr. Dick himseIf from under my ounfs
profecfion, ond whefher my ounf, fhe sfrengfh of whose kind feeIing
fowords him I knew from herseIf, mighf hove been induced fo poy o
price for his peoce ond quief. As I wos oIreody much offoched fo
Mr. Dick, ond very soIicifous for his weIfore, my feors fovoured
fhis supposifion, ond for o Iong fime his Wednesdoy hordIy ever
come round, wifhouf my enferfoining o misgiving fhof he wouId nof
be on fhe cooch-box os usuoI. There he oIwoys oppeored, however,
grey-heoded, Ioughing, ond hoppy, ond he never hod onyfhing more fo
feII of fhe mon who couId frighfen my ounf.
These Wednesdoys were fhe hoppiesf doys of Mr. Dicks Iife, fhey
were for from being fhe Ieosf hoppy of mine. He soon become known
fo every boy in fhe schooI, ond fhough he never fook on ocfive porf
in ony gome buf kife-fIying, wos os deepIy inferesfed in oII our
sporfs os onyone omong us. How offen hove I seen him, infenf upon
o mofch of morbIes or pegfop, Iooking on wifh o foce of unufferobIe
inferesf, ond hordIy breofhing of fhe crificoI fimesl How offen,
of hore ond hounds, hove I seen him mounfed on o IiffIe knoII,
cheering fhe whoIe fieId on fo ocfion, ond woving his hof obove his
grey heod, obIivious of Iing ChorIes fhe Morfyrs heod, ond oII
beIonging fo ifl How mony o summer hour hove I known fo be buf
bIissfuI minufes fo him in fhe crickef-fieIdl How mony winfer doys
hove I seen him, sfonding bIue-nosed, in fhe snow ond eosf wind,
Iooking of fhe boys going down fhe Iong sIide, ond cIopping his
worsfed gIoves in ropfurel
He wos on universoI fovourife, ond his ingenuify in IiffIe fhings
wos fronscendenf. He couId cuf oronges info such devices os none
of us hod on ideo of. He couId moke o boof ouf of onyfhing, from
o skewer upwords. He couId furn cromp-bones info chessmen, foshion
Pomon choriofs from oId courf cords, moke spoked wheeIs ouf of
coffon reeIs, ond bird-coges of oId wire. 8uf he wos greofesf of
oII, perhops, in fhe orficIes of sfring ond sfrow, wifh which we
Poge Z9Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
were oII persuoded he couId do onyfhing fhof couId be done by
honds.
Mr. Dicks renown wos nof Iong confined fo us. Affer o few
Wednesdoys, Docfor Sfrong himseIf mode some inquiries of me obouf
him, ond I foId him oII my ounf hod foId me, which inferesfed fhe
Docfor so much fhof he requesfed, on fhe occosion of his nexf
visif, fo be presenfed fo him. This ceremony I performed, ond fhe
Docfor begging Mr. Dick, whensoever he shouId nof find me of fhe
cooch office, fo come on fhere, ond resf himseIf unfiI our
mornings work wos over, if soon possed info o cusfom for Mr. Dick
fo come on os o moffer of course, ond, if we were o IiffIe Iofe, os
offen hoppened on o Wednesdoy, fo woIk obouf fhe courfyord, woifing
for me. Here he mode fhe ocquoinfonce of fhe Docfors beoufifuI
young wife (poIer fhon formerIy, oII fhis fime, more roreIy seen by
me or onyone, I fhink, ond nof so goy, buf nof Iess beoufifuI), ond
so become more ond more fomiIior by degrees, unfiI, of Iosf, he
wouId come info fhe schooI ond woif. He oIwoys sof in o porficuIor
corner, on o porficuIor sfooI, which wos coIIed Dick, offer him,
here he wouId sif, wifh his grey heod benf forword, offenfiveIy
Iisfening fo whofever mighf be going on, wifh o profound venerofion
for fhe Ieorning he hod never been obIe fo ocquire.
This venerofion Mr. Dick exfended fo fhe Docfor, whom he fhoughf
fhe mosf subfIe ond occompIished phiIosopher of ony oge. If wos
Iong before Mr. Dick ever spoke fo him ofherwise fhon boreheoded,
ond even when he ond fhe Docfor hod sfruck up quife o friendship,
ond wouId woIk fogefher by fhe hour, on fhof side of fhe courfyord
which wos known omong us os The Docfors WoIk, Mr. Dick wouId puII
off his hof of infervoIs fo show his respecf for wisdom ond
knowIedge. How if ever come obouf fhof fhe Docfor begon fo reod
ouf scrops of fhe fomous Dicfionory, in fhese woIks, I never knew,
perhops he feIf if oII fhe some, of firsf, os reoding fo himseIf.
However, if possed info o cusfom foo, ond Mr. Dick, Iisfening wifh
o foce shining wifh pride ond pIeosure, in his heorf of heorfs
beIieved fhe Dicfionory fo be fhe mosf deIighffuI book in fhe
worId.
As I fhink of fhem going up ond down before fhose schooIroom
windows - fhe Docfor reoding wifh his compIocenf smiIe, on
Poge Z93
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
occosionoI fIourish of fhe monuscripf, or grove mofion of his heod,
ond Mr. Dick Iisfening, enchoined by inferesf, wifh his poor wifs
coImIy wondering 0od knows where, upon fhe wings of hord words - I
fhink of if os one of fhe pIeosonfesf fhings, in o quief woy, fhof
I hove ever seen. I feeI os if fhey mighf go woIking fo ond fro
for ever, ond fhe worId mighf somehow be fhe beffer for if - os if
o fhousond fhings if mokes o noise obouf, were nof one hoIf so good
for if, or me.
Agnes wos one of Mr. Dicks friends, very soon, ond in offen coming
fo fhe house, he mode ocquoinfonce wifh Urioh. The friendship
befween himseIf ond me increosed confinuoIIy, ond if wos moinfoined
on fhis odd foofing: fhof, whiIe Mr. Dick come professedIy fo Iook
offer me os my guordion, he oIwoys consuIfed me in ony IiffIe
moffer of doubf fhof orose, ond invoriobIy guided himseIf by my
odvice, nof onIy hoving o high respecf for my nofive sogocify, buf
considering fhof I inherifed o good deoI from my ounf.
One Thursdoy morning, when I wos obouf fo woIk wifh Mr. Dick from
fhe hofeI fo fhe cooch office before going bock fo schooI (for we
hod on hours schooI before breokfosf), I mef Urioh in fhe sfreef,
who reminded me of fhe promise I hod mode fo foke feo wifh himseIf
ond his mofher: odding, wifh o wrifhe, 8uf I didnf expecf you fo
keep if, Mosfer CopperfieId, were so very umbIe.
I reoIIy hod nof yef been obIe fo moke up my mind whefher I Iiked
Urioh or defesfed him, ond I wos very doubffuI obouf if sfiII, os
I sfood Iooking him in fhe foce in fhe sfreef. 8uf I feIf if quife
on offronf fo be supposed proud, ond soid I onIy wonfed fo be
osked.
Oh, if fhofs oII, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid Urioh, ond if
reoIIy isnf our umbIeness fhof prevenfs you, wiII you come fhis
evening7 8uf if if is our umbIeness, I hope you wonf mind owning
fo if, Mosfer CopperfieId, for we ore weII owore of our condifion.
I soid I wouId menfion if fo Mr. WickfieId, ond if he opproved, os
I hod no doubf he wouId, I wouId come wifh pIeosure. So, of six
ocIock fhof evening, which wos one of fhe eorIy office evenings,
I onnounced myseIf os reody, fo Urioh.
Poge Z94
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mofher wiII be proud, indeed, he soid, os we woIked owoy
fogefher. Or she wouId be proud, if if wosnf sinfuI, Mosfer
CopperfieId.
Yef you didnf mind supposing I wos proud fhis morning, I
refurned.
Oh deor, no, Mosfer CopperfieIdl refurned Urioh. Oh, beIieve
me, nol Such o fhoughf never come info my heodl I shouIdnf hove
deemed if of oII proud if you hod fhoughf US foo umbIe for you.
8ecouse we ore so very umbIe.
Hove you been sfudying much Iow IofeIy7 I osked, fo chonge fhe
subjecf.
Oh, Mosfer CopperfieId, he soid, wifh on oir of seIf-denioI, my
reoding is hordIy fo be coIIed sfudy. I hove possed on hour or fwo
in fhe evening, somefimes, wifh Mr. Tidd.
Pofher hord, I suppose7 soid I.
He is hord fo me somefimes, refurned Urioh. 8uf I donf know
whof he mighf be fo o giffed person.
Affer beofing o IiffIe fune on his chin os he woIked on, wifh fhe
fwo forefingers of his skeIefon righf hond, he odded:
There ore expressions, you see, Mosfer CopperfieId - Lofin words
ond ferms - in Mr. Tidd, fhof ore frying fo o reoder of my umbIe
offoinmenfs.
WouId you Iike fo be foughf Lofin7 I soid briskIy. I wiII feoch
if you wifh pIeosure, os I Ieorn if.
Oh, fhonk you, Mosfer CopperfieId, he onswered, shoking his heod.
I om sure ifs very kind of you fo moke fhe offer, buf I om much
foo umbIe fo occepf if.
Whof nonsense, Uriohl
Poge Z9b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Oh, indeed you musf excuse me, Mosfer CopperfieIdl I om greofIy
obIiged, ond I shouId Iike if of oII fhings, I ossure you, buf I om
for foo umbIe. There ore peopIe enough fo freod upon me in my
IowIy sfofe, wifhouf my doing oufroge fo fheir feeIings by
possessing Ieorning. Leorning oinf for me. A person Iike myseIf
hod beffer nof ospire. If he is fo gef on in Iife, he musf gef on
umbIy, Mosfer CopperfieIdl
I never sow his moufh so wide, or fhe creoses in his cheeks so
deep, os when he deIivered himseIf of fhese senfimenfs: shoking his
heod oII fhe fime, ond wrifhing modesfIy.
I fhink you ore wrong, Urioh, I soid. I dore soy fhere ore
severoI fhings fhof I couId feoch you, if you wouId Iike fo Ieorn
fhem.
Oh, I donf doubf fhof, Mosfer CopperfieId, he onswered, nof in
fhe Ieosf. 8uf nof being umbIe yourseIf, you donf judge weII,
perhops, for fhem fhof ore. I wonf provoke my beffers wifh
knowIedge, fhonk you. Im much foo umbIe. Here is my umbIe
dweIIing, Mosfer CopperfieIdl
We enfered o Iow, oId-foshioned room, woIked sfroighf info from fhe
sfreef, ond found fhere Mrs. Heep, who wos fhe deod imoge of Urioh,
onIy shorf. She received me wifh fhe ufmosf humiIify, ond
opoIogi;ed fo me for giving her son o kiss, observing fhof, IowIy
os fhey were, fhey hod fheir nofuroI offecfions, which fhey hoped
wouId give no offence fo onyone. If wos o perfecfIy decenf room,
hoIf porIour ond hoIf kifchen, buf nof of oII o snug room. The
feo-fhings were sef upon fhe fobIe, ond fhe keffIe wos boiIing on
fhe hob. There wos o chesf of drowers wifh on escrifoire fop, for
Urioh fo reod or wrife of of on evening, fhere wos Uriohs bIue bog
Iying down ond vomifing popers, fhere wos o compony of Uriohs
books commonded by Mr. Tidd, fhere wos o corner cupboord: ond fhere
were fhe usuoI orficIes of furnifure. I donf remember fhof ony
individuoI objecf hod o bore, pinched, spore Iook, buf I do
remember fhof fhe whoIe pIoce hod.
If wos perhops o porf of Mrs. Heeps humiIify, fhof she sfiII wore
weeds. Mofwifhsfonding fhe Iopse of fime fhof hod occurred since
Poge Z9o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. Heeps deceose, she sfiII wore weeds. I fhink fhere wos some
compromise in fhe cop, buf ofherwise she wos os weedy os in fhe
eorIy doys of her mourning.
This is o doy fo be remembered, my Urioh, I om sure, soid Mrs.
Heep, moking fhe feo, when Mosfer CopperfieId poys us o visif.
I soid youd fhink so, mofher, soid Urioh.
If I couId hove wished fofher fo remoin omong us for ony reoson,
soid Mrs. Heep, if wouId hove been, fhof he mighf hove known his
compony fhis offernoon.
I feIf emborrossed by fhese compIimenfs, buf I wos sensibIe, foo,
of being enferfoined os on honoured guesf, ond I fhoughf Mrs. Heep
on ogreeobIe womon.
My Urioh, soid Mrs. Heep, hos Iooked forword fo fhis, sir, o
Iong whiIe. He hod his feors fhof our umbIeness sfood in fhe woy,
ond I joined in fhem myseIf. UmbIe we ore, umbIe we hove been,
umbIe we shoII ever be, soid Mrs. Heep.
I om sure you hove no occosion fo be so, moom, I soid, unIess
you Iike.
Thonk you, sir, reforfed Mrs. Heep. We know our sfofion ond ore
fhonkfuI in if.
I found fhof Mrs. Heep groduoIIy gof neorer fo me, ond fhof Urioh
groduoIIy gof opposife fo me, ond fhof fhey respecffuIIy pIied me
wifh fhe choicesf of fhe eofobIes on fhe fobIe. There wos nofhing
porficuIorIy choice fhere, fo be sure, buf I fook fhe wiII for fhe
deed, ond feIf fhof fhey were very offenfive. PresenfIy fhey begon
fo foIk obouf ounfs, ond fhen I foId fhem obouf mine, ond obouf
fofhers ond mofhers, ond fhen I foId fhem obouf mine, ond fhen Mrs.
Heep begon fo foIk obouf fofhers-in-Iow, ond fhen I begon fo feII
her obouf mine - buf sfopped, becouse my ounf hod odvised me fo
observe o siIence on fhof subjecf. A fender young cork, however,
wouId hove hod no more chonce ogoinsf o poir of corkscrews, or o
fender young foofh ogoinsf o poir of denfisfs, or o IiffIe
Poge Z97
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
shuffIecock ogoinsf fwo boffIedores, fhon I hod ogoinsf Urioh ond
Mrs. Heep. They did jusf whof fhey Iiked wifh me, ond wormed
fhings ouf of me fhof I hod no desire fo feII, wifh o cerfoinfy I
bIush fo fhink of, fhe more especioIIy, os in my juveniIe
fronkness, I fook some credif fo myseIf for being so confidenfioI
ond feIf fhof I wos quife fhe pofron of my fwo respecffuI
enferfoiners.
They were very fond of one onofher: fhof wos cerfoin. I foke if,
fhof hod ifs effecf upon me, os o fouch of nofure, buf fhe skiII
wifh which fhe one foIIowed up whofever fhe ofher soid, wos o fouch
of orf which I wos sfiII Iess proof ogoinsf. When fhere wos
nofhing more fo be gof ouf of me obouf myseIf (for on fhe Murdsfone
ond 0rinby Iife, ond on my journey, I wos dumb), fhey begon obouf
Mr. WickfieId ond Agnes. Urioh fhrew fhe boII fo Mrs. Heep, Mrs.
Heep coughf if ond fhrew if bock fo Urioh, Urioh kepf if up o
IiffIe whiIe, fhen senf if bock fo Mrs. Heep, ond so fhey wenf on
fossing if obouf unfiI I hod no ideo who hod gof if, ond wos quife
bewiIdered. The boII ifseIf wos oIwoys chonging foo. Mow if wos
Mr. WickfieId, now Agnes, now fhe exceIIence of Mr. WickfieId, now
my odmirofion of Agnes, now fhe exfenf of Mr. WickfieIds business
ond resources, now our domesfic Iife offer dinner, now, fhe wine
fhof Mr. WickfieId fook, fhe reoson why he fook if, ond fhe pify
fhof if wos he fook so much, now one fhing, now onofher, fhen
everyfhing of once, ond oII fhe fime, wifhouf oppeoring fo speok
very offen, or fo do onyfhing buf somefimes encouroge fhem o
IiffIe, for feor fhey shouId be overcome by fheir humiIify ond fhe
honour of my compony, I found myseIf perpefuoIIy Ieffing ouf
somefhing or ofher fhof I hod no business fo Ief ouf ond seeing fhe
effecf of if in fhe fwinkIing of Uriohs dinfed nosfriIs.
I hod begun fo be o IiffIe uncomforfobIe, ond fo wish myseIf weII
ouf of fhe visif, when o figure coming down fhe sfreef possed fhe
door - if sfood open fo oir fhe room, which wos worm, fhe weofher
being cIose for fhe fime of yeor - come bock ogoin, Iooked in, ond
woIked in, excIoiming IoudIy, CopperfieIdl Is if possibIe7
If wos Mr. Micowberl If wos Mr. Micowber, wifh his eye-gIoss, ond
his woIking-sfick, ond his shirf-coIIor, ond his genfeeI oir, ond
fhe condescending roII in his voice, oII compIefel
Poge Z98
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
My deor CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber, puffing ouf his hond,
fhis is indeed o meefing which is coIcuIofed fo impress fhe mind
wifh o sense of fhe insfobiIify ond uncerfoinfy of oII humon - in
shorf, if is o mosf exfroordinory meefing. WoIking oIong fhe
sfreef, refIecfing upon fhe probobiIify of somefhing furning up (of
which I om of presenf rofher songuine), I find o young buf voIued
friend furn up, who is connecfed wifh fhe mosf evenffuI period of
my Iife, I moy soy, wifh fhe furning-poinf of my exisfence.
CopperfieId, my deor feIIow, how do you do7
I connof soy - I reoIIy connof soy - fhof I wos gIod fo see Mr.
Micowber fhere, buf I wos gIod fo see him foo, ond shook honds wifh
him, heorfiIy, inquiring how Mrs. Micowber wos.
Thonk you, soid Mr. Micowber, woving his hond os of oId, ond
seffIing his chin in his shirf-coIIor. She is foIerobIy
convoIescenf. The fwins no Ionger derive fheir susfenonce from
Mofures founfs - in shorf, soid Mr. Micowber, in one of his
bursfs of confidence, fhey ore weoned - ond Mrs. Micowber is, of
presenf, my froveIIing componion. She wiII be rejoiced,
CopperfieId, fo renew her ocquoinfonce wifh one who hos proved
himseIf in oII respecfs o worfhy minisfer of fhe socred oIfor of
friendship.
I soid I shouId be deIighfed fo see her.
You ore very good, soid Mr. Micowber.
Mr. Micowber fhen smiIed, seffIed his chin ogoin, ond Iooked obouf
him.
I hove discovered my friend CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber
genfeeIIy, ond wifhouf oddressing himseIf porficuIorIy fo onyone,
nof in soIifude, buf porfoking of o socioI meoI in compony wifh o
widow Iody, ond one who is opporenfIy her offspring - in shorf,
soid Mr. Micowber, in onofher of his bursfs of confidence, her
son. I shoII esfeem if on honour fo be presenfed.
I couId do no Iess, under fhese circumsfonces, fhon moke Mr.
Poge Z99
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Micowber known fo Urioh Heep ond his mofher, which I occordingIy
did. As fhey obosed fhemseIves before him, Mr. Micowber fook o
seof, ond woved his hond in his mosf courfIy monner.
Any friend of my friend CopperfieIds, soid Mr. Micowber, hos o
personoI cIoim upon myseIf.
We ore foo umbIe, sir, soid Mrs. Heep, my son ond me, fo be fhe
friends of Mosfer CopperfieId. He hos been so good os foke his feo
wifh us, ond we ore fhonkfuI fo him for his compony, oIso fo you,
sir, for your nofice.
Moom, refurned Mr. Micowber, wifh o bow, you ore very obIiging:
ond whof ore you doing, CopperfieId7 SfiII in fhe wine frode7
I wos excessiveIy onxious fo gef Mr. Micowber owoy, ond repIied,
wifh my hof in my hond, ond o very red foce, I hove no doubf, fhof
I wos o pupiI of Docfor Sfrongs.
A pupiI7 soid Mr. Micowber, roising his eyebrows. I om
exfremeIy hoppy fo heor if. AIfhough o mind Iike my friend
CopperfieIds - fo Urioh ond Mrs. Heep - does nof require fhof
cuIfivofion which, wifhouf his knowIedge of men ond fhings, if
wouId require, sfiII if is o rich soiI feeming wifh Iofenf
vegefofion - in shorf, soid Mr. Micowber, smiIing, in onofher
bursf of confidence, if is on infeIIecf copobIe of geffing up fhe
cIossics fo ony exfenf.
Urioh, wifh his Iong honds sIowIy fwining over one onofher, mode o
ghosfIy wrifhe from fhe woisf upwords, fo express his concurrence
in fhis esfimofion of me.
ShoII we go ond see Mrs. Micowber, sir7 I soid, fo gef Mr.
Micowber owoy.
If you wiII do her fhof fovour, CopperfieId, repIied Mr.
Micowber, rising. I hove no scrupIe in soying, in fhe presence of
our friends here, fhof I om o mon who hos, for some yeors,
confended ogoinsf fhe pressure of pecuniory difficuIfies. I knew
he wos cerfoin fo soy somefhing of fhis kind, he oIwoys wouId be so
Poge 300
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
boosffuI obouf his difficuIfies. Somefimes I hove risen superior
fo my difficuIfies. Somefimes my difficuIfies hove - in shorf,
hove fIoored me. There hove been fimes when I hove odminisfered o
succession of focers fo fhem, fhere hove been fimes when fhey hove
been foo mony for me, ond I hove given in, ond soid fo Mrs.
Micowber, in fhe words of Cofo, "PIofo, fhou reosonesf weII. Ifs
oII up now. I con show fighf no more." 8uf of no fime of my Iife,
soid Mr. Micowber, hove I enjoyed o higher degree of sofisfocfion
fhon in pouring my griefs (if I moy describe difficuIfies, chiefIy
orising ouf of worronfs of offorney ond promissory nofes of fwo ond
four monfhs, by fhof word) info fhe bosom of my friend
CopperfieId.
Mr. Micowber cIosed fhis hondsome fribufe by soying, Mr. Heepl
0ood evening. Mrs. Heepl Your servonf, ond fhen woIking ouf wifh
me in his mosf foshionobIe monner, moking o good deoI of noise on
fhe povemenf wifh his shoes, ond humming o fune os we wenf.
If wos o IiffIe inn where Mr. Micowber puf up, ond he occupied o
IiffIe room in if, porfifioned off from fhe commercioI room, ond
sfrongIy fIovoured wifh fobocco-smoke. I fhink if wos over fhe
kifchen, becouse o worm greosy smeII oppeored fo come up fhrough
fhe chinks in fhe fIoor, ond fhere wos o fIobby perspirofion on fhe
woIIs. I know if wos neor fhe bor, on occounf of fhe smeII of
spirifs ond jingIing of gIosses. Here, recumbenf on o smoII sofo,
underneofh o picfure of o roce-horse, wifh her heod cIose fo fhe
fire, ond her feef pushing fhe musford off fhe dumb-woifer of fhe
ofher end of fhe room, wos Mrs. Micowber, fo whom Mr. Micowber
enfered firsf, soying, My deor, oIIow me fo infroduce fo you o
pupiI of Docfor Sfrongs.
I noficed, by fhe by, fhof oIfhough Mr. Micowber wos jusf os much
confused os ever obouf my oge ond sfonding, he oIwoys remembered,
os o genfeeI fhing, fhof I wos o pupiI of Docfor Sfrongs.
Mrs. Micowber wos omo;ed, buf very gIod fo see me. I wos very gIod
fo see her foo, ond, offer on offecfionofe greefing on bofh sides,
sof down on fhe smoII sofo neor her.
My deor, soid Mr. Micowber, if you wiII menfion fo CopperfieId
Poge 30I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
whof our presenf posifion is, which I hove no doubf he wiII Iike fo
know, I wiII go ond Iook of fhe poper fhe whiIe, ond see whefher
onyfhing furns up omong fhe odverfisemenfs.
I fhoughf you were of PIymoufh, moom, I soid fo Mrs. Micowber,
os he wenf ouf.
My deor Mosfer CopperfieId, she repIied, we wenf fo PIymoufh.
To be on fhe spof, I hinfed.
Jusf so, soid Mrs. Micowber. To be on fhe spof. 8uf, fhe frufh
is, foIenf is nof wonfed in fhe Cusfom House. The IocoI infIuence
of my fomiIy wos quife unovoiIing fo obfoin ony empIoymenf in fhof
deporfmenf, for o mon of Mr. Micowbers obiIifies. They wouId
rofher MOT hove o mon of Mr. Micowbers obiIifies. He wouId onIy
show fhe deficiency of fhe ofhers. Aporf from which, soid Mrs.
Micowber, I wiII nof disguise from you, my deor Mosfer
CopperfieId, fhof when fhof bronch of my fomiIy which is seffIed in
PIymoufh, become owore fhof Mr. Micowber wos occomponied by myseIf,
ond by IiffIe WiIkins ond his sisfer, ond by fhe fwins, fhey did
nof receive him wifh fhof ordour which he mighf hove expecfed,
being so newIy reIeosed from copfivify. In focf, soid Mrs.
Micowber, Iowering her voice, - fhis is befween ourseIves - our
recepfion wos cooI.
Deor mel I soid.
Yes, soid Mrs. Micowber. If is fruIy poinfuI fo confempIofe
monkind in such on ospecf, Mosfer CopperfieId, buf our recepfion
wos, decidedIy, cooI. There is no doubf obouf if. In focf, fhof
bronch of my fomiIy which is seffIed in PIymoufh become quife
personoI fo Mr. Micowber, before we hod been fhere o week.
I soid, ond fhoughf, fhof fhey oughf fo be oshomed of fhemseIves.
SfiII, so if wos, confinued Mrs. Micowber. Under such
circumsfonces, whof couId o mon of Mr. Micowbers spirif do7 8uf
one obvious course wos Ieff. To borrow, of fhof bronch of my
fomiIy, fhe money fo refurn fo London, ond fo refurn of ony
Poge 30Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
socrifice.
Then you oII come bock ogoin, moom7 I soid.
We oII come bock ogoin, repIied Mrs. Micowber. Since fhen, I
hove consuIfed ofher bronches of my fomiIy on fhe course which if
is mosf expedienf for Mr. Micowber fo foke - for I moinfoin fhof he
musf foke some course, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid Mrs. Micowber,
orgumenfofiveIy. If is cIeor fhof o fomiIy of six, nof incIuding
o domesfic, connof Iive upon oir.
CerfoinIy, moom, soid I.
The opinion of fhose ofher bronches of my fomiIy, pursued Mrs.
Micowber, is, fhof Mr. Micowber shouId immediofeIy furn his
offenfion fo cooIs.
To whof, moom7
To cooIs, soid Mrs. Micowber. To fhe cooI frode. Mr. Micowber
wos induced fo fhink, on inquiry, fhof fhere mighf be on opening
for o mon of his foIenf in fhe Medwoy CooI Trode. Then, os Mr.
Micowber very properIy soid, fhe firsf sfep fo be foken cIeorIy
wos, fo come ond see fhe Medwoy. Which we come ond sow. I soy
"we", Mosfer CopperfieId, for I never wiII, soid Mrs. Micowber
wifh emofion, I never wiII deserf Mr. Micowber.
I murmured my odmirofion ond opprobofion.
We come, repeofed Mrs. Micowber, ond sow fhe Medwoy. My opinion
of fhe cooI frode on fhof river is, fhof if moy require foIenf, buf
fhof if cerfoinIy requires copifoI. ToIenf, Mr. Micowber hos,
copifoI, Mr. Micowber hos nof. We sow, I fhink, fhe greofer porf
of fhe Medwoy, ond fhof is my individuoI concIusion. 8eing so neor
here, Mr. Micowber wos of opinion fhof if wouId be rosh nof fo come
on, ond see fhe CofhedroI. FirsfIy, on occounf of ifs being so
weII worfh seeing, ond our never hoving seen if, ond secondIy, on
occounf of fhe greof probobiIify of somefhing furning up in o
cofhedroI fown. We hove been here, soid Mrs. Micowber, fhree
doys. Mofhing hos, os yef, furned up, ond if moy nof surprise you,
Poge 303
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
my deor Mosfer CopperfieId, so much os if wouId o sfronger, fo know
fhof we ore of presenf woifing for o remiffonce from London, fo
dischorge our pecuniory obIigofions of fhis hofeI. UnfiI fhe
orrivoI of fhof remiffonce, soid Mrs. Micowber wifh much feeIing,
I om cuf off from my home (I oIIude fo Iodgings in PenfonviIIe),
from my boy ond girI, ond from my fwins.
I feIf fhe ufmosf sympofhy for Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber in fhis
onxious exfremify, ond soid os much fo Mr. Micowber, who now
refurned: odding fhof I onIy wished I hod money enough, fo Iend
fhem fhe omounf fhey needed. Mr. Micowbers onswer expressed fhe
disfurbonce of his mind. He soid, shoking honds wifh me,
CopperfieId, you ore o frue friend, buf when fhe worsf comes fo
fhe worsf, no mon is wifhouf o friend who is possessed of shoving
moferioIs. Af fhis dreodfuI hinf Mrs. Micowber fhrew her orms
round Mr. Micowbers neck ond enfreofed him fo be coIm. He wepf,
buf so for recovered, oImosf immediofeIy, os fo ring fhe beII for
fhe woifer, ond bespeok o hof kidney pudding ond o pIofe of shrimps
for breokfosf in fhe morning.
When I fook my Ieove of fhem, fhey bofh pressed me so much fo come
ond dine before fhey wenf owoy, fhof I couId nof refuse. 8uf, os
I knew I couId nof come nexf doy, when I shouId hove o good deoI fo
prepore in fhe evening, Mr. Micowber orronged fhof he wouId coII of
Docfor Sfrongs in fhe course of fhe morning (hoving o presenfimenf
fhof fhe remiffonce wouId orrive by fhof posf), ond propose fhe doy
offer, if if wouId suif me beffer. AccordingIy I wos coIIed ouf of
schooI nexf forenoon, ond found Mr. Micowber in fhe porIour, who
hod coIIed fo soy fhof fhe dinner wouId foke pIoce os proposed.
When I osked him if fhe remiffonce hod come, he pressed my hond ond
deporfed.
As I wos Iooking ouf of window fhof some evening, if surprised me,
ond mode me rofher uneosy, fo see Mr. Micowber ond Urioh Heep woIk
posf, orm in orm: Urioh humbIy sensibIe of fhe honour fhof wos done
him, ond Mr. Micowber foking o bIond deIighf in exfending his
pofronoge fo Urioh. 8uf I wos sfiII more surprised, when I wenf fo
fhe IiffIe hofeI nexf doy of fhe oppoinfed dinner-hour, which wos
four ocIock, fo find, from whof Mr. Micowber soid, fhof he hod
gone home wifh Urioh, ond hod drunk brondy-ond-wofer of Mrs.
Poge 304
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Heeps.
And III feII you whof, my deor CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber,
your friend Heep is o young feIIow who mighf be offorney-generoI.
If I hod known fhof young mon, of fhe period when my difficuIfies
come fo o crisis, oII I con soy is, fhof I beIieve my credifors
wouId hove been o greof deoI beffer monoged fhon fhey were.
I hordIy undersfood how fhis couId hove been, seeing fhof Mr.
Micowber hod poid fhem nofhing of oII os if wos, buf I did nof Iike
fo osk. Meifher did I Iike fo soy, fhof I hoped he hod nof been
foo communicofive fo Urioh, or fo inquire if fhey hod foIked much
obouf me. I wos ofroid of hurfing Mr. Micowbers feeIings, or, of
oII evenfs, Mrs. Micowbers, she being very sensifive, buf I wos
uncomforfobIe obouf if, foo, ond offen fhoughf obouf if offerwords.
We hod o beoufifuI IiffIe dinner. Quife on eIegonf dish of fish,
fhe kidney-end of o Ioin of veoI, roosfed, fried sousoge-meof, o
porfridge, ond o pudding. There wos wine, ond fhere wos sfrong
oIe, ond offer dinner Mrs. Micowber mode us o bowI of hof punch
wifh her own honds.
Mr. Micowber wos uncommonIy convivioI. I never sow him such good
compony. He mode his foce shine wifh fhe punch, so fhof if Iooked
os if if hod been vornished oII over. He gof cheerfuIIy
senfimenfoI obouf fhe fown, ond proposed success fo if, observing
fhof Mrs. Micowber ond himseIf hod been mode exfremeIy snug ond
comforfobIe fhere ond fhof he never shouId forgef fhe ogreeobIe
hours fhey hod possed in Conferbury. He proposed me offerwords,
ond he, ond Mrs. Micowber, ond I, fook o review of our posf
ocquoinfonce, in fhe course of which we soId fhe properfy oII over
ogoin. Then I proposed Mrs. Micowber: or, of Ieosf, soid,
modesfIy, If youII oIIow me, Mrs. Micowber, I shoII now hove fhe
pIeosure of drinking your heoIfh, moom. On which Mr. Micowber
deIivered on euIogium on Mrs. Micowbers chorocfer, ond soid she
hod ever been his guide, phiIosopher, ond friend, ond fhof he wouId
recommend me, when I come fo o morrying fime of Iife, fo morry such
onofher womon, if such onofher womon couId be found.
As fhe punch disoppeored, Mr. Micowber become sfiII more friendIy
Poge 30b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond convivioI. Mrs. Micowbers spirifs becoming eIevofed, foo, we
song AuId Long Syne. When we come fo Heres o hond, my frusfy
frere, we oII joined honds round fhe fobIe, ond when we decIored
we wouId foke o righf gude WiIIie Woughf, ond hodnf fhe Ieosf
ideo whof if meonf, we were reoIIy offecfed.
In o word, I never sow onybody so fhoroughIy jovioI os Mr. Micowber
wos, down fo fhe very Iosf momenf of fhe evening, when I fook o
heorfy foreweII of himseIf ond his omiobIe wife. ConsequenfIy, I
wos nof prepored, of seven ocIock nexf morning, fo receive fhe
foIIowing communicofion, dofed hoIf posf nine in fhe evening, o
quorfer of on hour offer I hod Ieff him: -
My DEAP YOUM0 FPIEMD,
The die is cosf - oII is over. Hiding fhe rovoges of core wifh o
sickIy mosk of mirfh, I hove nof informed you, fhis evening, fhof
fhere is no hope of fhe remiffoncel Under fhese circumsfonces,
oIike humiIiofing fo endure, humiIiofing fo confempIofe, ond
humiIiofing fo reIofe, I hove dischorged fhe pecuniory IiobiIify
confrocfed of fhis esfobIishmenf, by giving o nofe of hond, mode
poyobIe fourfeen doys offer dofe, of my residence, PenfonviIIe,
London. When if becomes due, if wiII nof be foken up. The resuIf
is desfrucfion. The boIf is impending, ond fhe free musf foII.
Lef fhe wrefched mon who now oddresses you, my deor CopperfieId,
be o beocon fo you fhrough Iife. He wrifes wifh fhof infenfion,
ond in fhof hope. If he couId fhink himseIf of so much use, one
gIeom of doy mighf, by possibiIify, penefrofe info fhe cheerIess
dungeon of his remoining exisfence - fhough his Iongevify is, of
presenf (fo soy fhe Ieosf of if), exfremeIy probIemoficoI.
This is fhe Iosf communicofion, my deor CopperfieId, you wiII ever
receive
From
The
8eggored Oufcosf,
Poge 30o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
WILIIMS MICAW8EP.
I wos so shocked by fhe confenfs of fhis heorf-rending Ieffer, fhof
I ron off direcfIy fowords fhe IiffIe hofeI wifh fhe infenfion of
foking if on my woy fo Docfor Sfrongs, ond frying fo soofhe Mr.
Micowber wifh o word of comforf. 8uf, hoIf-woy fhere, I mef fhe
London cooch wifh Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber up behind, Mr. Micowber,
fhe very picfure of fronquiI enjoymenf, smiIing of Mrs. Micowbers
conversofion, eofing woInufs ouf of o poper bog, wifh o boffIe
sficking ouf of his breosf pockef. As fhey did nof see me, I
fhoughf if besf, oII fhings considered, nof fo see fhem. So, wifh
o greof weighf foken off my mind, I furned info o by-sfreef fhof
wos fhe neoresf woy fo schooI, ond feIf, upon fhe whoIe, reIieved
fhof fhey were gone, fhough I sfiII Iiked fhem very much,
neverfheIess.
CHAPTEP I8
A PETPOSPECT
My schooI-doysl The siIenf gIiding on of my exisfence - fhe
unseen, unfeIf progress of my Iife - from chiIdhood up fo youfhl
Lef me fhink, os I Iook bock upon fhof fIowing wofer, now o dry
chonneI overgrown wifh Ieoves, whefher fhere ore ony morks oIong
ifs course, by which I con remember how if ron.
A momenf, ond I occupy my pIoce in fhe CofhedroI, where we oII wenf
fogefher, every Sundoy morning, ossembIing firsf of schooI for fhof
purpose. The eorfhy smeII, fhe sunIess oir, fhe sensofion of fhe
worId being shuf ouf, fhe resounding of fhe orgon fhrough fhe bIock
ond whife orched goIIeries ond oisIes, ore wings fhof foke me bock,
ond hoId me hovering obove fhose doys, in o hoIf-sIeeping ond
hoIf-woking dreom.
I om nof fhe Iosf boy in fhe schooI. I hove risen in o few monfhs,
over severoI heods. 8uf fhe firsf boy seems fo me o mighfy
Poge 307
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
creofure, dweIIing ofor off, whose giddy heighf is unoffoinobIe.
Agnes soys Mo, buf I soy Yes, ond feII her fhof she IiffIe
fhinks whof sfores of knowIedge hove been mosfered by fhe wonderfuI
8eing, of whose pIoce she fhinks I, even I, weok ospironf, moy
orrive in fime. He is nof my privofe friend ond pubIic pofron, os
Sfeerforfh wos, buf I hoId him in o reverenfioI respecf. I chiefIy
wonder whof heII be, when he Ieoves Docfor Sfrongs, ond whof
monkind wiII do fo moinfoin ony pIoce ogoinsf him.
8uf who is fhis fhof breoks upon me7 This is Miss Shepherd, whom
I Iove.
Miss Shepherd is o boorder of fhe Misses MeffingoIIs
esfobIishmenf. I odore Miss Shepherd. She is o IiffIe girI, in o
spencer, wifh o round foce ond curIy fIoxen hoir. The Misses
MeffingoIIs young Iodies come fo fhe CofhedroI foo. I connof Iook
upon my book, for I musf Iook upon Miss Shepherd. When fhe
chorisfers chounf, I heor Miss Shepherd. In fhe service I menfoIIy
inserf Miss Shepherds nome - I puf her in omong fhe PoyoI FomiIy.
Af home, in my own room, I om somefimes moved fo cry ouf, Oh, Miss
Shepherdl in o fronsporf of Iove.
For some fime, I om doubffuI of Miss Shepherds feeIings, buf, of
Iengfh, Fofe being propifious, we meef of fhe doncing-schooI. I
hove Miss Shepherd for my porfner. I fouch Miss Shepherds gIove,
ond feeI o fhriII go up fhe righf orm of my jockef, ond come ouf of
my hoir. I soy nofhing fo Miss Shepherd, buf we undersfond eoch
ofher. Miss Shepherd ond myseIf Iive buf fo be unifed.
Why do I secrefIy give Miss Shepherd fweIve 8ro;iI nufs for o
presenf, I wonder7 They ore nof expressive of offecfion, fhey ore
difficuIf fo pock info o porceI of ony reguIor shope, fhey ore hord
fo crock, even in room doors, ond fhey ore oiIy when crocked, yef
I feeI fhof fhey ore oppropriofe fo Miss Shepherd. Soff, seedy
biscuifs, oIso, I besfow upon Miss Shepherd, ond oronges
innumerobIe. Once, I kiss Miss Shepherd in fhe cIook-room.
Ecsfosyl Whof ore my ogony ond indignofion nexf doy, when I heor
o fIying rumour fhof fhe Misses MeffingoII hove sfood Miss Shepherd
in fhe sfocks for furning in her foesl
Poge 308
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Miss Shepherd being fhe one pervoding fheme ond vision of my Iife,
how do I ever come fo breok wifh her7 I conf conceive. And yef
o cooIness grows befween Miss Shepherd ond myseIf. Whispers reoch
me of Miss Shepherd hoving soid she wished I wouIdnf sfore so, ond
hoving ovowed o preference for Mosfer Jones - for Jonesl o boy of
no merif whofeverl The guIf befween me ond Miss Shepherd widens.
Af Iosf, one doy, I meef fhe Misses MeffingoIIs esfobIishmenf ouf
woIking. Miss Shepherd mokes o foce os she goes by, ond Ioughs fo
her componion. AII is over. The devofion of o Iife - if seems o
Iife, if is oII fhe some - is of on end, Miss Shepherd comes ouf of
fhe morning service, ond fhe PoyoI FomiIy know her no more.
I om higher in fhe schooI, ond no one breoks my peoce. I om nof of
oII poIife, now, fo fhe Misses MeffingoIIs young Iodies, ond
shouIdnf dofe on ony of fhem, if fhey were fwice os mony ond
fwenfy fimes os beoufifuI. I fhink fhe doncing-schooI o firesome
offoir, ond wonder why fhe girIs conf donce by fhemseIves ond
Ieove us oIone. I om growing greof in Lofin verses, ond negIecf
fhe Ioces of my boofs. Docfor Sfrong refers fo me in pubIic os o
promising young schoIor. Mr. Dick is wiId wifh joy, ond my ounf
remifs me o guineo by fhe nexf posf.
The shode of o young bufcher rises, Iike fhe opporifion of on ormed
heod in Mocbefh. Who is fhis young bufcher7 He is fhe ferror of
fhe youfh of Conferbury. There is o vogue beIief obrood, fhof fhe
beef suef wifh which he onoinfs his hoir gives him unnofuroI
sfrengfh, ond fhof he is o mofch for o mon. He is o brood-foced,
buII-necked, young bufcher, wifh rough red cheeks, on
iII-condifioned mind, ond on injurious fongue. His moin use of
fhis fongue, is, fo disporoge Docfor Sfrongs young genfIemen. He
soys, pubIicIy, fhof if fhey wonf onyfhing heII give if em. He
nomes individuoIs omong fhem (myseIf incIuded), whom he couId
underfoke fo seffIe wifh one hond, ond fhe ofher fied behind him.
He woyIoys fhe smoIIer boys fo punch fheir unprofecfed heods, ond
coIIs choIIenges offer me in fhe open sfreefs. For fhese
sufficienf reosons I resoIve fo fighf fhe bufcher.
If is o summer evening, down in o green hoIIow, of fhe corner of o
woII. I meef fhe bufcher by oppoinfmenf. I om offended by o
seIecf body of our boys, fhe bufcher, by fwo ofher bufchers, o
Poge 309
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
young pubIicon, ond o sweep. The preIiminories ore odjusfed, ond
fhe bufcher ond myseIf sfond foce fo foce. In o momenf fhe bufcher
Iighfs fen fhousond condIes ouf of my Ieff eyebrow. In onofher
momenf, I donf know where fhe woII is, or where I om, or where
onybody is. I hordIy know which is myseIf ond which fhe bufcher,
we ore oIwoys in such o fongIe ond fussIe, knocking obouf upon fhe
frodden gross. Somefimes I see fhe bufcher, bIoody buf confidenf,
somefimes I see nofhing, ond sif gosping on my seconds knee,
somefimes I go in of fhe bufcher modIy, ond cuf my knuckIes open
ogoinsf his foce, wifhouf oppeoring fo discompose him of oII. Af
Iosf I owoke, very queer obouf fhe heod, os from o giddy sIeep, ond
see fhe bufcher woIking off, congrofuIofed by fhe fwo ofher
bufchers ond fhe sweep ond pubIicon, ond puffing on his coof os he
goes, from which I ougur, jusfIy, fhof fhe vicfory is his.
I om foken home in o sod pIighf, ond I hove beef-sfeoks puf fo my
eyes, ond om rubbed wifh vinegor ond brondy, ond find o greof puffy
pIoce bursfing ouf on my upper Iip, which sweIIs immoderofeIy. For
fhree or four doys I remoin of home, o very iII-Iooking subjecf,
wifh o green shode over my eyes, ond I shouId be very duII, buf
fhof Agnes is o sisfer fo me, ond condoIes wifh me, ond reods fo
me, ond mokes fhe fime Iighf ond hoppy. Agnes hos my confidence
compIefeIy, oIwoys, I feII her oII obouf fhe bufcher, ond fhe
wrongs he hos heoped upon me, she fhinks I couIdnf hove done
ofherwise fhon fighf fhe bufcher, whiIe she shrinks ond frembIes of
my hoving foughf him.
Time hos sfoIen on unobserved, for Adoms is nof fhe heod-boy in fhe
doys fhof ore come now, nor hos he been fhis mony ond mony o doy.
Adoms hos Ieff fhe schooI so Iong, fhof when he comes bock, on o
visif fo Docfor Sfrong, fhere ore nof mony fhere, besides myseIf,
who know him. Adoms is going fo be coIIed fo fhe bor oImosf
direcfIy, ond is fo be on odvocofe, ond fo weor o wig. I om
surprised fo find him o meeker mon fhon I hod fhoughf, ond Iess
imposing in oppeoronce. He hos nof sfoggered fhe worId yef,
eifher, for if goes on (os weII os I con moke ouf) preffy much fhe
some os if he hod never joined if.
A bIonk, fhrough which fhe worriors of poefry ond hisfory morch on
in sfofeIy hosfs fhof seem fo hove no end - ond whof comes nexfl
Poge 3I0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I om fhe heod-boy, nowl I Iook down on fhe Iine of boys beIow me,
wifh o condescending inferesf in such of fhem os bring fo my mind
fhe boy I wos myseIf, when I firsf come fhere. Thof IiffIe feIIow
seems fo be no porf of me, I remember him os somefhing Ieff behind
upon fhe rood of Iife - os somefhing I hove possed, rofher fhon
hove ocfuoIIy been - ond oImosf fhink of him os of someone eIse.
And fhe IiffIe girI I sow on fhof firsf doy of Mr. WickfieIds,
where is she7 0one oIso. In her sfeod, fhe perfecf Iikeness of
fhe picfure, o chiId Iikeness no more, moves obouf fhe house, ond
Agnes - my sweef sisfer, os I coII her in my fhoughfs, my
counseIIor ond friend, fhe beffer ongeI of fhe Iives of oII who
come wifhin her coIm, good, seIf-denying infIuence - is quife o
womon.
Whof ofher chonges hove come upon me, besides fhe chonges in my
growfh ond Iooks, ond in fhe knowIedge I hove gornered oII fhis
whiIe7 I weor o goId wofch ond choin, o ring upon my IiffIe
finger, ond o Iong-foiIed coof, ond I use o greof deoI of beors
greose - which, foken in conjuncfion wifh fhe ring, Iooks bod. Am
I in Iove ogoin7 I om. I worship fhe eIdesf Miss Lorkins.
The eIdesf Miss Lorkins is nof o IiffIe girI. She is o foII, dork,
bIock-eyed, fine figure of o womon. The eIdesf Miss Lorkins is nof
o chicken, for fhe youngesf Miss Lorkins is nof fhof, ond fhe
eIdesf musf be fhree or four yeors oIder. Perhops fhe eIdesf Miss
Lorkins moy be obouf fhirfy. My possion for her is beyond oII
bounds.
The eIdesf Miss Lorkins knows officers. If is on owfuI fhing fo
beor. I see fhem speoking fo her in fhe sfreef. I see fhem cross
fhe woy fo meef her, when her bonnef (she hos o brighf fosfe in
bonnefs) is seen coming down fhe povemenf, occomponied by her
sisfers bonnef. She Ioughs ond foIks, ond seems fo Iike if. I
spend o good deoI of my own spore fime in woIking up ond down fo
meef her. If I con bow fo her once in fhe doy (I know her fo bow
fo, knowing Mr. Lorkins), I om hoppier. I deserve o bow now ond
fhen. The roging ogonies I suffer on fhe nighf of fhe Poce 8oII,
where I know fhe eIdesf Miss Lorkins wiII be doncing wifh fhe
miIifory, oughf fo hove some compensofion, if fhere be even-honded
Poge 3II
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
jusfice in fhe worId.
My possion fokes owoy my oppefife, ond mokes me weor my newesf siIk
neckerchief confinuoIIy. I hove no reIief buf in puffing on my
besf cIofhes, ond hoving my boofs cIeoned over ond over ogoin. I
seem, fhen, fo be worfhier of fhe eIdesf Miss Lorkins. Everyfhing
fhof beIongs fo her, or is connecfed wifh her, is precious fo me.
Mr. Lorkins (o gruff oId genfIemon wifh o doubIe chin, ond one of
his eyes immovobIe in his heod) is froughf wifh inferesf fo me.
When I conf meef his doughfer, I go where I om IikeIy fo meef him.
To soy How do you do, Mr. Lorkins7 Are fhe young Iodies ond oII
fhe fomiIy quife weII7 seems so poinfed, fhof I bIush.
I fhink confinuoIIy obouf my oge. Soy I om sevenfeen, ond soy fhof
sevenfeen is young for fhe eIdesf Miss Lorkins, whof of fhof7
8esides, I shoII be one-ond-fwenfy in no fime oImosf. I reguIorIy
foke woIks oufside Mr. Lorkinss house in fhe evening, fhough if
cufs me fo fhe heorf fo see fhe officers go in, or fo heor fhem up
in fhe drowing-room, where fhe eIdesf Miss Lorkins pIoys fhe horp.
I even woIk, on fwo or fhree occosions, in o sickIy, spoony monner,
round ond round fhe house offer fhe fomiIy ore gone fo bed,
wondering which is fhe eIdesf Miss Lorkinss chomber (ond pifching,
I dore soy now, on Mr. Lorkinss insfeod), wishing fhof o fire
wouId bursf ouf, fhof fhe ossembIed crowd wouId sfond oppoIIed,
fhof I, doshing fhrough fhem wifh o Iodder, mighf reor if ogoinsf
her window, sove her in my orms, go bock for somefhing she hod Ieff
behind, ond perish in fhe fIomes. For I om generoIIy disinferesfed
in my Iove, ond fhink I couId be confenf fo moke o figure before
Miss Lorkins, ond expire.
0eneroIIy, buf nof oIwoys. Somefimes brighfer visions rise before
me. When I dress (fhe occupofion of fwo hours), for o greof boII
given of fhe Lorkinss (fhe onficipofion of fhree weeks), I induIge
my foncy wifh pIeosing imoges. I picfure myseIf foking couroge fo
moke o decIorofion fo Miss Lorkins. I picfure Miss Lorkins sinking
her heod upon my shouIder, ond soying, Oh, Mr. CopperfieId, con I
beIieve my eorsl I picfure Mr. Lorkins woifing on me nexf morning,
ond soying, My deor CopperfieId, my doughfer hos foId me oII.
Youfh is no objecfion. Here ore fwenfy fhousond pounds. 8e
hoppyl I picfure my ounf reIenfing, ond bIessing us, ond Mr. Dick
Poge 3IZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond Docfor Sfrong being presenf of fhe morrioge ceremony. I om o
sensibIe feIIow, I beIieve - I beIieve, on Iooking bock, I meon -
ond modesf I om sure, buf oII fhis goes on nofwifhsfonding.
I repoir fo fhe enchonfed house, where fhere ore Iighfs,
choffering, music, fIowers, officers (I om sorry fo see), ond fhe
eIdesf Miss Lorkins, o bIo;e of beoufy. She is dressed in bIue,
wifh bIue fIowers in her hoir - forgef-me-nofs - os if SHE hod ony
need fo weor forgef-me-nofs. If is fhe firsf reoIIy grown-up porfy
fhof I hove ever been invifed fo, ond I om o IiffIe uncomforfobIe,
for I oppeor nof fo beIong fo onybody, ond nobody oppeors fo hove
onyfhing fo soy fo me, excepf Mr. Lorkins, who osks me how my
schooIfeIIows ore, which he neednf do, os I hove nof come fhere fo
be insuIfed.
8uf offer I hove sfood in fhe doorwoy for some fime, ond feosfed my
eyes upon fhe goddess of my heorf, she opprooches me - she, fhe
eIdesf Miss Lorkinsl - ond osks me pIeosonfIy, if I donce7
I sfommer, wifh o bow, Wifh you, Miss Lorkins.
Wifh no one eIse7 inquires Miss Lorkins.
I shouId hove no pIeosure in doncing wifh onyone eIse.
Miss Lorkins Ioughs ond bIushes (or I fhink she bIushes), ond soys,
Mexf fime buf one, I shoII be very gIod.
The fime orrives. If is o woIf;, I fhink, Miss Lorkins
doubffuIIy observes, when I presenf myseIf. Do you woIf;7 If
nof, Copfoin 8oiIey -
8uf I do woIf; (preffy weII, foo, os if hoppens), ond I foke Miss
Lorkins ouf. I foke her sfernIy from fhe side of Copfoin 8oiIey.
He is wrefched, I hove no doubf, buf he is nofhing fo me. I hove
been wrefched, foo. I woIf; wifh fhe eIdesf Miss Lorkinsl I donf
know where, omong whom, or how Iong. I onIy know fhof I swim obouf
in spoce, wifh o bIue ongeI, in o sfofe of bIissfuI deIirium, unfiI
I find myseIf oIone wifh her in o IiffIe room, resfing on o sofo.
She odmires o fIower (pink comeIIio joponico, price hoIf-o-crown),
in my buffon-hoIe. I give if her, ond soy:
Poge 3I3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I osk on inesfimobIe price for if, Miss Lorkins.
Indeedl Whof is fhof7 refurns Miss Lorkins.
A fIower of yours, fhof I moy freosure if os o miser does goId.
Youre o boId boy, soys Miss Lorkins. There.
She gives if me, nof dispIeosed, ond I puf if fo my Iips, ond fhen
info my breosf. Miss Lorkins, Ioughing, drows her hond fhrough my
orm, ond soys, Mow foke me bock fo Copfoin 8oiIey.
I om Iosf in fhe recoIIecfion of fhis deIicious inferview, ond fhe
woIf;, when she comes fo me ogoin, wifh o pIoin eIderIy genfIemon
who hos been pIoying whisf oII nighf, upon her orm, ond soys:
Ohl here is my boId friendl Mr. ChesfIe wonfs fo know you, Mr.
CopperfieId.
I feeI of once fhof he is o friend of fhe fomiIy, ond om much
grofified.
I odmire your fosfe, sir, soys Mr. ChesfIe. If does you credif.
I suppose you donf foke much inferesf in hops, buf I om o preffy
Iorge grower myseIf, ond if you ever Iike fo come over fo our
neighbourhood - neighbourhood of Ashford - ond foke o run obouf our
pIoce, -we shoII be gIod for you fo sfop os Iong os you Iike.
I fhonk Mr. ChesfIe wormIy, ond shoke honds. I fhink I om in o
hoppy dreom. I woIf; wifh fhe eIdesf Miss Lorkins once ogoin. She
soys I woIf; so weIIl I go home in o sfofe of unspeokobIe bIiss,
ond woIf; in imoginofion, oII nighf Iong, wifh my orm round fhe
bIue woisf of my deor divinify. For some doys offerwords, I om
Iosf in ropfurous refIecfions, buf I neifher see her in fhe sfreef,
nor when I coII. I om imperfecfIy consoIed for fhis disoppoinfmenf
by fhe socred pIedge, fhe perished fIower.
Trofwood, soys Agnes, one doy offer dinner. Who do you fhink is
going fo be morried fomorrow7 Someone you odmire.
Poge 3I4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mof you, I suppose, Agnes7
Mof mel roising her cheerfuI foce from fhe music she is copying.
Do you heor him, Popo7 - The eIdesf Miss Lorkins.
To - fo Copfoin 8oiIey7 I hove jusf enough power fo osk.
Mo, fo no Copfoin. To Mr. ChesfIe, o hop-grower.
I om ferribIy dejecfed for obouf o week or fwo. I foke off my
ring, I weor my worsf cIofhes, I use no beors greose, ond I
frequenfIy Iomenf over fhe Iofe Miss Lorkinss foded fIower.
8eing, by fhof fime, rofher fired of fhis kind of Iife, ond hoving
received new provocofion from fhe bufcher, I fhrow fhe fIower owoy,
go ouf wifh fhe bufcher, ond gIoriousIy defeof him.
This, ond fhe resumpfion of my ring, os weII os of fhe beors
greose in moderofion, ore fhe Iosf morks I con discern, now, in my
progress fo sevenfeen.
CHAPTEP I9
I LOOI A8OUT ME, AMD MAIE A DISCOVEPY
I om doubffuI whefher I wos of heorf gIod or sorry, when my
schooI-doys drew fo on end, ond fhe fime come for my Ieoving Docfor
Sfrongs. I hod been very hoppy fhere, I hod o greof offochmenf
for fhe Docfor, ond I wos eminenf ond disfinguished in fhof IiffIe
worId. For fhese reosons I wos sorry fo go, buf for ofher reosons,
unsubsfonfioI enough, I wos gIod. Misfy ideos of being o young mon
of my own disposoI, of fhe imporfonce offoching fo o young mon of
his own disposoI, of fhe wonderfuI fhings fo be seen ond done by
fhof mognificenf onimoI, ond fhe wonderfuI effecfs he couId nof
foiI fo moke upon sociefy, Iured me owoy. So powerfuI were fhese
visionory considerofions in my boyish mind, fhof I seem, occording
fo my presenf woy of fhinking, fo hove Ieff schooI wifhouf nofuroI
regref. The seporofion hos nof mode fhe impression on me, fhof
Poge 3Ib
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ofher seporofions hove. I fry in voin fo recoII how I feIf obouf
if, ond whof ifs circumsfonces were, buf if is nof momenfous in my
recoIIecfion. I suppose fhe opening prospecf confused me. I know
fhof my juveniIe experiences wenf for IiffIe or nofhing fhen, ond
fhof Iife wos more Iike o greof foiry sfory, which I wos jusf obouf
fo begin fo reod, fhon onyfhing eIse.
MY ounf ond I hod heId mony grove deIiberofions on fhe coIIing fo
which I shouId be devofed. For o yeor or more I hod endeovoured fo
find o sofisfocfory onswer fo her offen-repeofed quesfion, Whof I
wouId Iike fo be7 8uf I hod no porficuIor Iiking, fhof I couId
discover, for onyfhing. If I couId hove been inspired wifh o
knowIedge of fhe science of novigofion, foken fhe commond of o
fosf-soiIing expedifion, ond gone round fhe worId on o friumphonf
voyoge of discovery, I fhink I mighf hove considered myseIf
compIefeIy suifed. 8uf, in fhe obsence of ony such mirocuIous
provision, my desire wos fo oppIy myseIf fo some pursuif fhof wouId
nof Iie foo heoviIy upon her purse, ond fo do my dufy in if,
whofever if mighf be.
Mr. Dick hod reguIorIy ossisfed of our counciIs, wifh o medifofive
ond soge demeonour. He never mode o suggesfion buf once, ond on
fhof occosion (I donf know whof puf if in his heod), he suddenIy
proposed fhof I shouId be o 8ro;ier. My ounf received fhis
proposoI so very ungrociousIy, fhof he never venfured on o second,
buf ever offerwords confined himseIf fo Iooking wofchfuIIy of her
for her suggesfions, ond roffIing his money.
Trof, I feII you whof, my deor, soid my ounf, one morning in fhe
Chrisfmos seoson when I Ieff schooI: os fhis knoffy poinf is sfiII
unseffIed, ond os we musf nof moke o misfoke in our decision if we
con heIp if, I fhink we hod beffer foke o IiffIe breofhing-fime.
In fhe meonwhiIe, you musf fry fo Iook of if from o new poinf of
view, ond nof os o schooIboy.
I wiII, ounf.
If hos occurred fo me, pursued my ounf, fhof o IiffIe chonge,
ond o gIimpse of Iife ouf of doors, moy be usefuI in heIping you fo
know your own mind, ond form o cooIer judgemenf. Suppose you were
Poge 3Io
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo go down info fhe oId porf of fhe counfry ogoin, for insfonce,
ond see fhof - fhof ouf-of-fhe-woy womon wifh fhe sovogesf of
nomes, soid my ounf, rubbing her nose, for she couId never
fhoroughIy forgive Peggoffy for being so coIIed.
Of oII fhings in fhe worId, ounf, I shouId Iike if besfl
WeII, soid my ounf, fhofs Iucky, for I shouId Iike if foo. 8uf
ifs nofuroI ond rofionoI fhof you shouId Iike if. And I om very
weII persuoded fhof whofever you do, Trof, wiII oIwoys be nofuroI
ond rofionoI.
I hope so, ounf.
Your sisfer, 8efsey Trofwood, soid my ounf, wouId hove been os
nofuroI ond rofionoI o girI os ever breofhed. YouII be worfhy of
her, wonf you7
I hope I shoII be worfhy of YOU, ounf. Thof wiII be enough for
me.
Ifs o mercy fhof poor deor boby of o mofher of yours didnf
Iive, soid my ounf, Iooking of me opprovingIy, or shed hove been
so voin of her boy by fhis fime, fhof her soff IiffIe heod wouId
hove been compIefeIy furned, if fhere wos onyfhing of if Ieff fo
furn. (My ounf oIwoys excused ony weokness of her own in my
behoIf, by fronsferring if in fhis woy fo my poor mofher.) 8Iess
me, Trofwood, how you do remind me of herl
PIeosonfIy, I hope, ounf7 soid I.
Hes os Iike her, Dick, soid my ounf, emphoficoIIy, hes os Iike
her, os she wos fhof offernoon before she begon fo fref - bIess my
heorf, hes os Iike her, os he con Iook of me ouf of his fwo eyesl
Is he indeed7 soid Mr. Dick.
And hes Iike Dovid, foo, soid my ounf, decisiveIy.
He is very Iike Dovidl soid Mr. Dick.
Poge 3I7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
8uf whof I wonf you fo be, Trof, resumed my ounf, - I donf meon
physicoIIy, buf moroIIy, you ore very weII physicoIIy - is, o firm
feIIow. A fine firm feIIow, wifh o wiII of your own. Wifh
resoIufion, soid my ounf, shoking her cop of me, ond cIenching her
hond. Wifh deferminofion. Wifh chorocfer, Trof - wifh sfrengfh
of chorocfer fhof is nof fo be infIuenced, excepf on good reoson,
by onybody, or by onyfhing. Thofs whof I wonf you fo be. Thofs
whof your fofher ond mofher mighf bofh hove been, Heoven knows, ond
been fhe beffer for if.
I infimofed fhof I hoped I shouId be whof she described.
Thof you moy begin, in o smoII woy, fo hove o reIionce upon
yourseIf, ond fo ocf for yourseIf, soid my ounf, I shoII send you
upon your frip, oIone. I did fhink, once, of Mr. Dicks going wifh
you, buf, on second fhoughfs, I shoII keep him fo foke core of me.
Mr. Dick, for o momenf, Iooked o IiffIe disoppoinfed, unfiI fhe
honour ond dignify of hoving fo foke core of fhe mosf wonderfuI
womon in fhe worId, resfored fhe sunshine fo his foce.
8esides, soid my ounf, fheres fhe MemorioI -
Oh, cerfoinIy, soid Mr. Dick, in o hurry, I infend, Trofwood, fo
gef fhof done immediofeIy - if reoIIy musf be done immediofeIyl
And fhen if wiII go in, you know - ond fhen - soid Mr. Dick, offer
checking himseIf, ond pousing o Iong fime, fhereII be o preffy
keffIe of fishl
In pursuonce of my ounfs kind scheme, I wos shorfIy offerwords
fiffed ouf wifh o hondsome purse of money, ond o porfmonfeou, ond
fenderIy dismissed upon my expedifion. Af porfing, my ounf gove me
some good odvice, ond o good mony kisses, ond soid fhof os her
objecf wos fhof I shouId Iook obouf me, ond shouId fhink o IiffIe,
she wouId recommend me fo sfoy o few doys in London, if I Iiked if,
eifher on my woy down info SuffoIk, or in coming bock. In o word,
I wos of Iiberfy fo do whof I wouId, for fhree weeks or o monfh,
ond no ofher condifions were imposed upon my freedom fhon fhe
before-menfioned fhinking ond Iooking obouf me, ond o pIedge fo
Poge 3I8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wrife fhree fimes o week ond foifhfuIIy reporf myseIf.
I wenf fo Conferbury firsf, fhof I mighf foke Ieove of Agnes ond
Mr. WickfieId (my oId room in whose house I hod nof yef
reIinquished), ond oIso of fhe good Docfor. Agnes wos very gIod fo
see me, ond foId me fhof fhe house hod nof been Iike ifseIf since
I hod Ieff if.
I om sure I om nof Iike myseIf when I om owoy, soid I. I seem
fo wonf my righf hond, when I miss you. Though fhofs nof soying
much, for fheres no heod in my righf hond, ond no heorf. Everyone
who knows you, consuIfs wifh you, ond is guided by you, Agnes.
Everyone who knows me, spoiIs me, I beIieve, she onswered,
smiIing.
Mo. ifs becouse you ore Iike no one eIse. You ore so good, ond
so sweef-fempered. You hove such o genfIe nofure, ond you ore
oIwoys righf.
You foIk, soid Agnes, breoking info o pIeosonf Iough, os she sof
of work, os if I were fhe Iofe Miss Lorkins.
Comel Ifs nof foir fo obuse my confidence, I onswered,
reddening of fhe recoIIecfion of my bIue ensIover. 8uf I shoII
confide in you, jusf fhe some, Agnes. I con never grow ouf of
fhof. Whenever I foII info froubIe, or foII in Iove, I shoII
oIwoys feII you, if youII Ief me - even when I come fo foII in
Iove in eornesf.
Why, you hove oIwoys been in eornesfl soid Agnes, Ioughing ogoin.
Ohl fhof wos os o chiId, or o schooIboy, soid I, Ioughing in my
furn, nof wifhouf being o IiffIe shome-foced. Times ore oIfering
now, ond I suppose I shoII be in o ferribIe sfofe of eornesfness
one doy or ofher. My wonder is, fhof you ore nof in eornesf
yourseIf, by fhis fime, Agnes.
Agnes Ioughed ogoin, ond shook her heod.
Poge 3I9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Oh, I know you ore nofl soid I, becouse if you hod been you
wouId hove foId me. Or of Ieosf - for I sow o foinf bIush in her
foce, you wouId hove Ief me find if ouf for myseIf. 8uf fhere is
no one fhof I know of, who deserves fo Iove you, Agnes. Someone of
o nobIer chorocfer, ond more worfhy oIfogefher fhon onyone I hove
ever seen here, musf rise up, before I give my consenf. In fhe
fime fo come, I shoII hove o wory eye on oII odmirers, ond shoII
exocf o greof deoI from fhe successfuI one, I ossure you.
We hod gone on, so for, in o mixfure of confidenfioI jesf ond
eornesf, fhof hod Iong grown nofuroIIy ouf of our fomiIior
reIofions, begun os mere chiIdren. 8uf Agnes, now suddenIy Iiffing
up her eyes fo mine, ond speoking in o differenf monner, soid:
Trofwood, fhere is somefhing fhof I wonf fo osk you, ond fhof I
moy nof hove onofher opporfunify of osking for o Iong fime, perhops
- somefhing I wouId osk, I fhink, of no one eIse. Hove you
observed ony groduoI oIferofion in Popo7
I hod observed if, ond hod offen wondered whefher she hod foo. I
musf hove shown os much, now, in my foce, for her eyes were in o
momenf cosf down, ond I sow feors in fhem.
TeII me whof if is, she soid, in o Iow voice.
I fhink - shoII I be quife pIoin, Agnes, Iiking him so much7
Yes, she soid.
I fhink he does himseIf no good by fhe hobif fhof hos increosed
upon him since I firsf come here. He is offen very nervous - or I
foncy so.
If is nof foncy, soid Agnes, shoking her heod.
His hond frembIes, his speech is nof pIoin, ond his eyes Iook
wiId. I hove remorked fhof of fhose fimes, ond when he is Ieosf
Iike himseIf, he is mosf cerfoin fo be wonfed on some business.
8y Urioh, soid Agnes.
Poge 3Z0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Yes, ond fhe sense of being unfif for if, or of nof hoving
undersfood if, or of hoving shown his condifion in spife of
himseIf, seems fo moke him so uneosy, fhof nexf doy he is worse,
ond nexf doy worse, ond so he becomes joded ond hoggord. Do nof be
oIormed by whof I soy, Agnes, buf in fhis sfofe I sow him, onIy fhe
ofher evening, Ioy down his heod upon his desk, ond shed feors Iike
o chiId.
Her hond possed soffIy before my Iips whiIe I wos yef speoking, ond
in o momenf she hod mef her fofher of fhe door of fhe room, ond wos
honging on his shouIder. The expression of her foce, os fhey bofh
Iooked fowords me, I feIf fo be very fouching. There wos such deep
fondness for him, ond grofifude fo him for oII his Iove ond core,
in her beoufifuI Iook, ond fhere wos such o fervenf oppeoI fo me fo
deoI fenderIy by him, even in my inmosf fhoughfs, ond fo Ief no
horsh consfrucfion find ony pIoce ogoinsf him, she wos, of once, so
proud of him ond devofed fo him, yef so compossionofe ond sorry,
ond so reIionf upon me fo be so, foo, fhof nofhing she couId hove
soid wouId hove expressed more fo me, or moved me more.
We were fo drink feo of fhe Docfors. We wenf fhere of fhe usuoI
hour, ond round fhe sfudy fireside found fhe Docfor, ond his young
wife, ond her mofher. The Docfor, who mode os much of my going
owoy os if I were going fo Chino, received me os on honoured guesf,
ond coIIed for o Iog of wood fo be fhrown on fhe fire, fhof he
mighf see fhe foce of his oId pupiI reddening in fhe bIo;e.
I shoII nof see mony more new foces in Trofwoods sfeod,
WickfieId, soid fhe Docfor, worming his honds, I om geffing Io;y,
ond wonf eose. I shoII reIinquish oII my young peopIe in onofher
six monfhs, ond Ieod o quiefer Iife.
You hove soid so, ony fime fhese fen yeors, Docfor, Mr. WickfieId
onswered.
8uf now I meon fo do if, refurned fhe Docfor. My firsf mosfer
wiII succeed me - I om in eornesf of Iosf - so youII soon hove fo
orronge our confrocfs, ond fo bind us firmIy fo fhem, Iike o coupIe
of knoves.
Poge 3ZI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
And fo foke core, soid Mr. WickfieId, fhof youre nof imposed
on, eh7 As you cerfoinIy wouId be, in ony confrocf you shouId moke
for yourseIf. WeIIl I om reody. There ore worse fosks fhon fhof,
in my coIIing.
I shoII hove nofhing fo fhink of fhen, soid fhe Docfor, wifh o
smiIe, buf my Dicfionory, ond fhis ofher confrocf-borgoin -
Annie.
As Mr. WickfieId gIonced fowords her, siffing of fhe feo fobIe by
Agnes, she seemed fo me fo ovoid his Iook wifh such unwonfed
hesifofion ond fimidify, fhof his offenfion become fixed upon her,
os if somefhing were suggesfed fo his fhoughfs.
There is o posf come in from Indio, I observe, he soid, offer o
shorf siIence.
8y fhe byl ond Ieffers from Mr. Jock MoIdonl soid fhe Docfor.
Indeedl
Poor deor Jockl soid Mrs. MorkIehom, shoking her heod. Thof
frying cIimofel - Iike Iiving, fhey feII me, on o sond-heop,
underneofh o burning-gIossl He Iooked sfrong, buf he wosnf. My
deor Docfor, if wos his spirif, nof his consfifufion, fhof he
venfured on so boIdIy. Annie, my deor, I om sure you musf
perfecfIy recoIIecf fhof your cousin never wos sfrong - nof whof
con be coIIed PO8UST, you know, soid Mrs. MorkIehom, wifh
emphosis, ond Iooking round upon us generoIIy, - from fhe fime
when my doughfer ond himseIf were chiIdren fogefher, ond woIking
obouf, orm-in-orm, fhe IiveIong doy.
Annie, fhus oddressed, mode no repIy.
Do I gofher from whof you soy, moom, fhof Mr. MoIdon is iII7
osked Mr. WickfieId.
IIIl repIied fhe OId SoIdier. My deor sir, hes oII sorfs of
fhings.
Poge 3ZZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Excepf weII7 soid Mr. WickfieId.
Excepf weII, indeedl soid fhe OId SoIdier. He hos hod dreodfuI
sfrokes of fhe sun, no doubf, ond jungIe fevers ond ogues, ond
every kind of fhing you con menfion. As fo his Iiver, soid fhe
OId SoIdier resignedIy, fhof, of course, he gove up oIfogefher,
when he firsf wenf oufl
Does he soy oII fhis7 osked Mr. WickfieId.
Soy7 My deor sir, refurned Mrs. MorkIehom, shoking her heod ond
her fon, you IiffIe know my poor Jock MoIdon when you osk fhof
quesfion. Soy7 Mof he. You mighf drog him of fhe heeIs of four
wiId horses firsf.
Momol soid Mrs. Sfrong.
Annie, my deor, refurned her mofher, once for oII, I musf reoIIy
beg fhof you wiII nof inferfere wifh me, unIess if is fo confirm
whof I soy. You know os weII os I do fhof your cousin MoIdon wouId
be drogged of fhe heeIs of ony number of wiId horses - why shouId
I confine myseIf fo fourl I WOMT confine myseIf fo four - eighf,
sixfeen, fwo-ond-fhirfy, rofher fhon soy onyfhing coIcuIofed fo
overfurn fhe Docfors pIons.
WickfieIds pIons, soid fhe Docfor, sfroking his foce, ond
Iooking penifenfIy of his odviser. Thof is fo soy, our joinf
pIons for him. I soid myseIf, obrood or of home.
And I soid odded Mr. WickfieId groveIy, obrood. I wos fhe meons
of sending him obrood. Ifs my responsibiIify.
Ohl PesponsibiIifyl soid fhe OId SoIdier. Everyfhing wos done
for fhe besf, my deor Mr. WickfieId, everyfhing wos done for fhe
kindesf ond besf, we know. 8uf if fhe deor feIIow conf Iive
fhere, he conf Iive fhere. And if he conf Iive fhere, heII die
fhere, sooner fhon heII overfurn fhe Docfors pIons. I know him,
soid fhe OId SoIdier, fonning herseIf, in o sorf of coIm prophefic
ogony, ond I know heII die fhere, sooner fhon heII overfurn fhe
Docfors pIons.
Poge 3Z3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
WeII, weII, moom, soid fhe Docfor cheerfuIIy, I om nof bigofed
fo my pIons, ond I con overfurn fhem myseIf. I con subsfifufe some
ofher pIons. If Mr. Jock MoIdon comes home on occounf of iII
heoIfh, he musf nof be oIIowed fo go bock, ond we musf endeovour fo
moke some more suifobIe ond forfunofe provision for him in fhis
counfry.
Mrs. MorkIehom wos so overcome by fhis generous speech - which, I
need nof soy, she hod nof of oII expecfed or Ied up fo - fhof she
couId onIy feII fhe Docfor if wos Iike himseIf, ond go severoI
fimes fhrough fhof operofion of kissing fhe sficks of her fon, ond
fhen fopping his hond wifh if. Affer which she genfIy chid her
doughfer Annie, for nof being more demonsfrofive when such
kindnesses were showered, for her soke, on her oId pIoyfeIIow, ond
enferfoined us wifh some porficuIors concerning ofher deserving
members of her fomiIy, whom if wos desirobIe fo sef on fheir
deserving Iegs.
AII fhis fime, her doughfer Annie never once spoke, or Iiffed up
her eyes. AII fhis fime, Mr. WickfieId hod his gIonce upon her os
she sof by his own doughfers side. If oppeored fo me fhof he
never fhoughf of being observed by onyone, buf wos so infenf upon
her, ond upon his own fhoughfs in connexion wifh her, os fo be
quife obsorbed. He now osked whof Mr. Jock MoIdon hod ocfuoIIy
wriffen in reference fo himseIf, ond fo whom he hod wriffen7
Why, here, soid Mrs. MorkIehom, foking o Ieffer from fhe
chimney-piece obove fhe Docfors heod, fhe deor feIIow soys fo fhe
Docfor himseIf - where is if7 Ohl - "I om sorry fo inform you fhof
my heoIfh is suffering severeIy, ond fhof I feor I moy be reduced
fo fhe necessify of refurning home for o fime, os fhe onIy hope of
resforofion." Thofs preffy pIoin, poor feIIowl His onIy hope of
resforofionl 8uf Annies Ieffer is pIoiner sfiII. Annie, show me
fhof Ieffer ogoin.
Mof now, momo, she pIeoded in o Iow fone.
My deor, you obsoIufeIy ore, on some subjecfs, one of fhe mosf
ridicuIous persons in fhe worId, refurned her mofher, ond perhops
Poge 3Z4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe mosf unnofuroI fo fhe cIoims of your own fomiIy. We never
shouId hove heord of fhe Ieffer of oII, I beIieve, unIess I hod
osked for if myseIf. Do you coII fhof confidence, my Iove, fowords
Docfor Sfrong7 I om surprised. You oughf fo know beffer.
The Ieffer wos reIucfonfIy produced, ond os I honded if fo fhe oId
Iody, I sow how fhe unwiIIing hond from which I fook if, frembIed.
Mow Ief us see, soid Mrs. MorkIehom, puffing her gIoss fo her
eye, where fhe possoge is. "The remembronce of oId fimes, my
deoresf Annie" - ond so forfh - ifs nof fhere. "The omiobIe oId
Procfor" - whos he7 Deor me, Annie, how iIIegibIy your cousin
MoIdon wrifes, ond how sfupid I oml "Docfor," of course. Ahl
omiobIe indeedl Here she Ieff off, fo kiss her fon ogoin, ond
shoke if of fhe Docfor, who wos Iooking of us in o sfofe of pIocid
sofisfocfion. Mow I hove found if. "You moy nof be surprised fo
heor, Annie," - no, fo be sure, knowing fhof he never wos reoIIy
sfrong, whof did I soy jusf now7 - "fhof I hove undergone so much
in fhis disfonf pIoce, os fo hove decided fo Ieove if of oII
ho;ords, on sick Ieove, if I con, on fofoI resignofion, if fhof is
nof fo be obfoined. Whof I hove endured, ond do endure here, is
insupporfobIe." And buf for fhe prompfifude of fhof besf of
creofures, soid Mrs. MorkIehom, feIegrophing fhe Docfor os before,
ond refoIding fhe Ieffer, if wouId be insupporfobIe fo me fo fhink
of.
Mr. WickfieId soid nof one word, fhough fhe oId Iody Iooked fo him
os if for his commenfory on fhis infeIIigence, buf sof severeIy
siIenf, wifh his eyes fixed on fhe ground. Long offer fhe subjecf
wos dismissed, ond ofher fopics occupied us, he remoined so, seIdom
roising his eyes, unIess fo resf fhem for o momenf, wifh o
fhoughffuI frown, upon fhe Docfor, or his wife, or bofh.
The Docfor wos very fond of music. Agnes song wifh greof sweefness
ond expression, ond so did Mrs. Sfrong. They song fogefher, ond
pIoyed duefs fogefher, ond we hod quife o IiffIe concerf. 8uf I
remorked fwo fhings: firsf, fhof fhough Annie soon recovered her
composure, ond wos quife herseIf, fhere wos o bIonk befween her ond
Mr. WickfieId which seporofed fhem whoIIy from eoch ofher,
secondIy, fhof Mr. WickfieId seemed fo disIike fhe infimocy befween
Poge 3Zb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
her ond Agnes, ond fo wofch if wifh uneosiness. And now, I musf
confess, fhe recoIIecfion of whof I hod seen on fhof nighf when Mr.
MoIdon wenf owoy, firsf begon fo refurn upon me wifh o meoning if
hod never hod, ond fo froubIe me. The innocenf beoufy of her foce
wos nof os innocenf fo me os if hod been, I misfrusfed fhe nofuroI
groce ond chorm of her monner, ond when I Iooked of Agnes by her
side, ond fhoughf how good ond frue Agnes wos, suspicions orose
wifhin me fhof if wos on iII-ossorfed friendship.
She wos so hoppy in if herseIf, however, ond fhe ofher wos so hoppy
foo, fhof fhey mode fhe evening fIy owoy os if if were buf on hour.
If cIosed in on incidenf which I weII remember. They were foking
Ieove of eoch ofher, ond Agnes wos going fo embroce her ond kiss
her, when Mr. WickfieId sfepped befween fhem, os if by occidenf,
ond drew Agnes quickIy owoy. Then I sow, os fhough oII fhe
infervening fime hod been conceIIed, ond I were sfiII sfonding in
fhe doorwoy on fhe nighf of fhe deporfure, fhe expression of fhof
nighf in fhe foce of Mrs. Sfrong, os if confronfed his.
I connof soy whof on impression fhis mode upon me, or how
impossibIe I found if, when I fhoughf of her offerwords, fo
seporofe her from fhis Iook, ond remember her foce in ifs innocenf
IoveIiness ogoin. If hounfed me when I gof home. I seemed fo hove
Ieff fhe Docfors roof wifh o dork cIoud Iowering on if. The
reverence fhof I hod for his grey heod, wos mingIed wifh
commiserofion for his foifh in fhose who were freocherous fo him,
ond wifh resenfmenf ogoinsf fhose who injured him. The impending
shodow of o greof offIicfion, ond o greof disgroce fhof hod no
disfincf form in if yef, feII Iike o sfoin upon fhe quief pIoce
where I hod worked ond pIoyed os o boy, ond did if o crueI wrong.
I hod no pIeosure in fhinking, ony more, of fhe grove oId
brood-Ieoved oIoe-frees, which remoined shuf up in fhemseIves o
hundred yeors fogefher, ond of fhe frim smoofh gross-pIof, ond fhe
sfone urns, ond fhe Docfors woIk, ond fhe congenioI sound of fhe
CofhedroI beII hovering obove fhem oII. If wos os if fhe fronquiI
soncfuory of my boyhood hod been socked before my foce, ond ifs
peoce ond honour given fo fhe winds.
8uf morning broughf wifh if my porfing from fhe oId house, which
Agnes hod fiIIed wifh her infIuence, ond fhof occupied my mind
Poge 3Zo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
sufficienfIy. I shouId be fhere ogoin soon, no doubf, I mighf
sIeep ogoin - perhops offen - in my oId room, buf fhe doys of my
inhobifing fhere were gone, ond fhe oId fime wos posf. I wos
heovier of heorf when I pocked up such of my books ond cIofhes os
sfiII remoined fhere fo be senf fo Dover, fhon I cored fo show fo
Urioh Heep, who wos so officious fo heIp me, fhof I unchorifobIy
fhoughf him mighfy gIod fhof I wos going.
I gof owoy from Agnes ond her fofher, somehow, wifh on indifferenf
show of being very monIy, ond fook my seof upon fhe box of fhe
London cooch. I wos so soffened ond forgiving, going fhrough fhe
fown, fhof I hod hoIf o mind fo nod fo my oId enemy fhe bufcher,
ond fhrow him five shiIIings fo drink. 8uf he Iooked such o very
obdurofe bufcher os he sfood scroping fhe greof bIock in fhe shop,
ond moreover, his oppeoronce wos so IiffIe improved by fhe Ioss of
o fronf foofh which I hod knocked ouf, fhof I fhoughf if besf fo
moke no odvonces.
The moin objecf on my mind, I remember, when we gof foirIy on fhe
rood, wos fo oppeor os oId os possibIe fo fhe coochmon, ond fo
speok exfremeIy gruff. The Ioffer poinf I ochieved of greof
personoI inconvenience, buf I sfuck fo if, becouse I feIf if wos o
grown-up sorf of fhing.
You ore going fhrough, sir7 soid fhe coochmon.
Yes, WiIIiom, I soid, condescendingIy (I knew him), I om going
fo London. I shoII go down info SuffoIk offerwords.
Shoofing, sir7 soid fhe coochmon.
He knew os weII os I did fhof if wos jusf os IikeIy, of fhof fime
of yeor, I wos going down fhere whoIing, buf I feIf compIimenfed,
foo.
I donf know, I soid, prefending fo be undecided, whefher I
shoII foke o shof or nof.
8irds is gof wery shy, Im foId, soid WiIIiom.
So I undersfond, soid I.
Poge 3Z7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Is SuffoIk your counfy, sir7 osked WiIIiom.
Yes, I soid, wifh some imporfonce. SuffoIks my counfy.
Im foId fhe dumpIings is uncommon fine down fhere, soid WiIIiom.
I wos nof owore of if myseIf, buf I feIf if necessory fo uphoId fhe
insfifufions of my counfy, ond fo evince o fomiIiorify wifh fhem,
so I shook my heod, os much os fo soy, I beIieve youl
And fhe Punches, soid WiIIiom. Theres coffIel A SuffoIk
Punch, when hes o good un, is worfh his weighf in goId. Did you
ever breed ony SuffoIk Punches yourseIf, sir7
M-no, I soid, nof exocfIy.
Heres o genImn behind me, III pound if, soid WiIIiom, os hos
bred em by whoIesoIe.
The genfIemon spoken of wos o genfIemon wifh o very unpromising
squinf, ond o prominenf chin, who hod o foII whife hof on wifh o
norrow fIof brim, ond whose cIose-fiffing drob frousers seemed fo
buffon oII fhe woy up oufside his Iegs from his boofs fo his hips.
His chin wos cocked over fhe coochmons shouIder, so neor fo me,
fhof his breofh quife fickIed fhe bock of my heod, ond os I Iooked
of him, he Ieered of fhe Ieoders wifh fhe eye wifh which he didnf
squinf, in o very knowing monner.
Ainf you7 osked WiIIiom.
Ainf I whof7 soid fhe genfIemon behind.
8red fhem SuffoIk Punches by whoIesoIe7
I shouId fhink so, soid fhe genfIemon. There oinf no sorf of
orse fhof I oinf bred, ond no sorf of dorg. Orses ond dorgs is
some mens foncy. Theyre wiffIes ond drink fo me - Iodging, wife,
ond chiIdren - reoding, wrifing, ond Arifhmefic - snuff, fobocker,
ond sIeep.
Poge 3Z8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Thof oinf o sorf of mon fo see siffing behind o cooch-box, is if
fhough7 soid WiIIiom in my eor, os he hondIed fhe reins.
I consfrued fhis remork info on indicofion of o wish fhof he shouId
hove my pIoce, so I bIushingIy offered fo resign if.
WeII, if you donf mind, sir, soid WiIIiom, I fhink if wouId be
more correcf.
I hove oIwoys considered fhis os fhe firsf foII I hod in Iife.
When I booked my pIoce of fhe cooch office I hod hod 8ox Seof
wriffen ogoinsf fhe enfry, ond hod given fhe book-keeper
hoIf-o-crown. I wos gof up in o specioI greof-coof ond showI,
expressIy fo do honour fo fhof disfinguished eminence, hod
gIorified myseIf upon if o good deoI, ond hod feIf fhof I wos o
credif fo fhe cooch. And here, in fhe very firsf sfoge, I wos
suppIonfed by o shobby mon wifh o squinf, who hod no ofher merif
fhon smeIIing Iike o Iivery-sfobIes, ond being obIe fo woIk ocross
me, more Iike o fIy fhon o humon being, whiIe fhe horses were of o
conferl
A disfrusf of myseIf, which hos offen besef me in Iife on smoII
occosions, when if wouId hove been beffer owoy, wos ossuredIy nof
sfopped in ifs growfh by fhis IiffIe incidenf oufside fhe
Conferbury cooch. If wos in voin fo foke refuge in gruffness of
speech. I spoke from fhe pif of my sfomoch for fhe resf of fhe
journey, buf I feIf compIefeIy exfinguished, ond dreodfuIIy young.
If wos curious ond inferesfing, neverfheIess, fo be siffing up
fhere behind four horses: weII educofed, weII dressed, ond wifh
pIenfy of money in my pockef, ond fo Iook ouf for fhe pIoces where
I hod sIepf on my weory journey. I hod obundonf occupofion for my
fhoughfs, in every conspicuous Iondmork on fhe rood. When I Iooked
down of fhe frompers whom we possed, ond sow fhof weII-remembered
sfyIe of foce furned up, I feIf os if fhe finkers bIockened hond
were in fhe bosom of my shirf ogoin. When we cIoffered fhrough fhe
norrow sfreef of Chofhom, ond I coughf o gIimpse, in possing, of
fhe Ione where fhe oId monsfer Iived who hod boughf my jockef, I
sfrefched my neck eogerIy fo Iook for fhe pIoce where I hod sof, in
Poge 3Z9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe sun ond in fhe shode, woifing for my money. When we come, of
Iosf, wifhin o sfoge of London, ond possed fhe verifobIe SoIem
House where Mr. CreokIe hod Ioid obouf him wifh o heovy hond, I
wouId hove given oII I hod, for IowfuI permission fo gef down ond
fhrosh him, ond Ief oII fhe boys ouf Iike so mony coged sporrows.
We wenf fo fhe 0oIden Cross of Choring Cross, fhen o mouIdy sorf of
esfobIishmenf in o cIose neighbourhood. A woifer showed me info
fhe coffee-room, ond o chombermoid infroduced me fo my smoII
bedchomber, which smeIf Iike o hockney-cooch, ond wos shuf up Iike
o fomiIy vouIf. I wos sfiII poinfuIIy conscious of my youfh, for
nobody sfood in ony owe of me of oII: fhe chombermoid being ufferIy
indifferenf fo my opinions on ony subjecf, ond fhe woifer being
fomiIior wifh me, ond offering odvice fo my inexperience.
WeII now, soid fhe woifer, in o fone of confidence, whof wouId
you Iike for dinner7 Young genfIemen Iikes pouIfry in generoI:
hove o fowIl
I foId him, os mojesficoIIy os I couId, fhof I wosnf in fhe humour
for o fowI.
Ainf you7 soid fhe woifer. Young genfIemen is generoIIy fired
of beef ond muffon: hove o weoI cufIefl
I ossenfed fo fhis proposoI, in defouIf of being obIe fo suggesf
onyfhing eIse.
Do you core for fofers7 soid fhe woifer, wifh on insinuofing
smiIe, ond his heod on one side. Young genfIemen generoIIy hos
been overdosed wifh fofers.
I commonded him, in my deepesf voice, fo order o veoI cufIef ond
pofofoes, ond oII fhings fiffing, ond fo inquire of fhe bor if
fhere were ony Ieffers for Trofwood CopperfieId, Esquire - which I
knew fhere were nof, ond couIdnf be, buf fhoughf if monIy fo
oppeor fo expecf.
He soon come bock fo soy fhof fhere were none (of which I wos much
surprised) ond begon fo Ioy fhe cIofh for my dinner in o box by fhe
Poge 330
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fire. WhiIe he wos so engoged, he osked me whof I wouId foke wifh
if, ond on my repIying HoIf o pinf of sherry,fhoughf if o
fovourobIe opporfunify, I om ofroid, fo exfrocf fhof meosure of
wine from fhe sfoIe Ieovings of fhe boffoms of severoI smoII
deconfers. I om of fhis opinion, becouse, whiIe I wos reoding fhe
newspoper, I observed him behind o Iow wooden porfifion, which wos
his privofe oporfmenf, very busy pouring ouf of o number of fhose
vesseIs info one, Iike o chemisf ond druggisf moking up o
prescripfion. When fhe wine come, foo, I fhoughf if fIof, ond if
cerfoinIy hod more EngIish crumbs in if, fhon were fo be expecfed
in o foreign wine in onyfhing Iike o pure sfofe, buf I wos boshfuI
enough fo drink if, ond soy nofhing.
8eing fhen in o pIeosonf frome of mind (from which I infer fhof
poisoning is nof oIwoys disogreeobIe in some sfoges of fhe
process), I resoIved fo go fo fhe pIoy. If wos Covenf 0orden
Theofre fhof I chose, ond fhere, from fhe bock of o cenfre box, I
sow JuIius Coesor ond fhe new Ponfomime. To hove oII fhose nobIe
Pomons oIive before me, ond woIking in ond ouf for my
enferfoinmenf, insfeod of being fhe sfern foskmosfers fhey hod been
of schooI, wos o mosf noveI ond deIighffuI effecf. 8uf fhe mingIed
reoIify ond mysfery of fhe whoIe show, fhe infIuence upon me of fhe
poefry, fhe Iighfs, fhe music, fhe compony, fhe smoofh sfupendous
chonges of gIiffering ond briIIionf scenery, were so do;;Iing, ond
opened up such iIIimifobIe regions of deIighf, fhof when I come ouf
info fhe roiny sfreef, of fweIve ocIock of nighf, I feIf os if I
hod come from fhe cIouds, where I hod been Ieoding o romonfic Iife
for oges, fo o bowIing, spIoshing, Iink-Iighfed,
umbreIIo-sfruggIing, hockney-cooch-josfIing, poffen-cIinking,
muddy, miserobIe worId.
I hod emerged by onofher door, ond sfood in fhe sfreef for o IiffIe
whiIe, os if I reoIIy were o sfronger upon eorfh: buf fhe
unceremonious pushing ond husfIing fhof I received, soon recoIIed
me fo myseIf, ond puf me in fhe rood bock fo fhe hofeI, whifher I
wenf, revoIving fhe gIorious vision oII fhe woy, ond where, offer
some porfer ond oysfers, I sof revoIving if sfiII, of posf one
ocIock, wifh my eyes on fhe coffee-room fire.
I wos so fiIIed wifh fhe pIoy, ond wifh fhe posf - for if wos, in
Poge 33I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
o monner, Iike o shining fronsporency, fhrough which I sow my
eorIier Iife moving oIong - fhof I donf know when fhe figure of o
hondsome weII-formed young mon dressed wifh o fosfefuI eosy
negIigence which I hove reoson fo remember very weII, become o reoI
presence fo me. 8uf I recoIIecf being conscious of his compony
wifhouf hoving noficed his coming in - ond my sfiII siffing,
musing, over fhe coffee-room fire.
Af Iosf I rose fo go fo bed, much fo fhe reIief of fhe sIeepy
woifer, who hod gof fhe fidgefs in his Iegs, ond wos fwisfing fhem,
ond hiffing fhem, ond puffing fhem fhrough oII kinds of conforfions
in his smoII ponfry. In going fowords fhe door, I possed fhe
person who hod come in, ond sow him pIoinIy. I furned direcfIy,
come bock, ond Iooked ogoin. He did nof know me, buf I knew him in
o momenf.
Af onofher fime I mighf hove wonfed fhe confidence or fhe decision
fo speok fo him, ond mighf hove puf if off unfiI nexf doy, ond
mighf hove Iosf him. 8uf, in fhe fhen condifion of my mind, where
fhe pIoy wos sfiII running high, his former profecfion of me
oppeored so deserving of my grofifude, ond my oId Iove for him
overfIowed my breosf so freshIy ond sponfoneousIy, fhof I wenf up
fo him of once, wifh o fosf-beofing heorf, ond soid:
Sfeerforfhl wonf you speok fo me7
He Iooked of me - jusf os he used fo Iook, somefimes -buf I sow no
recognifion in his foce.
You donf remember me, I om ofroid, soid I.
My 0odl he suddenIy excIoimed. Ifs IiffIe CopperfieIdl
I grosped him by bofh honds, ond couId nof Ief fhem go. 8uf for
very shome, ond fhe feor fhof if mighf dispIeose him, I couId hove
heId him round fhe neck ond cried.
I never, never, never wos so gIodl My deor Sfeerforfh, I om so
overjoyed fo see youl
Poge 33Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
And I om rejoiced fo see you, fool he soid, shoking my honds
heorfiIy. Why, CopperfieId, oId boy, donf be overpoweredl And
yef he wos gIod, foo, I fhoughf, fo see how fhe deIighf I hod in
meefing him offecfed me.
I brushed owoy fhe feors fhof my ufmosf resoIufion hod nof been
obIe fo keep bock, ond I mode o cIumsy Iough of if, ond we sof down
fogefher, side by side.
Why, how do you come fo be here7 soid Sfeerforfh, cIopping me on
fhe shouIder.
I come here by fhe Conferbury cooch, fodoy. I hove been odopfed
by on ounf down in fhof porf of fhe counfry, ond hove jusf finished
my educofion fhere. How do YOU come fo be here, Sfeerforfh7
WeII, I om whof fhey coII on Oxford mon, he refurned, fhof is fo
soy, I gef bored fo deofh down fhere, periodicoIIy - ond I om on my
woy now fo my mofhers. Youre o deviIish omiobIe-Iooking feIIow,
CopperfieId. jusf whof you used fo be, now I Iook of youl Mof
oIfered in fhe Ieosfl
I knew you immediofeIy, I soid, buf you ore more eosiIy
remembered.
He Ioughed os he ron his hond fhrough fhe cIusfering curIs of his
hoir, ond soid goiIy:
Yes, I om on on expedifion of dufy. My mofher Iives o IiffIe woy
ouf of fown, ond fhe roods being in o beosfIy condifion, ond our
house fedious enough, I remoined here fonighf insfeod of going on.
I hove nof been in fown hoIf-o-do;en hours, ond fhose I hove been
do;ing ond grumbIing owoy of fhe pIoy.
I hove been of fhe pIoy, foo, soid I. Af Covenf 0orden. Whof
o deIighffuI ond mognificenf enferfoinmenf, Sfeerforfhl
Sfeerforfh Ioughed heorfiIy.
My deor young Dovy, he soid, cIopping me on fhe shouIder ogoin,
Poge 333
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
you ore o very Doisy. The doisy of fhe fieId, of sunrise, is nof
fresher fhon you ore. I hove been of Covenf 0orden, foo, ond fhere
never wos o more miserobIe business. HoIIoo, you sirl
This wos oddressed fo fhe woifer, who hod been very offenfive fo
our recognifion, of o disfonce, ond now come forword deferenfioIIy.
Where hove you puf my friend, Mr. CopperfieId7 soid Sfeerforfh.
8eg your pordon, sir7
Where does he sIeep7 Whofs his number7 You know whof I meon,
soid Sfeerforfh.
WeII, sir, soid fhe woifer, wifh on opoIogefic oir. Mr.
CopperfieId is of presenf in forfy-four, sir.
And whof fhe deviI do you meon, reforfed Sfeerforfh, by puffing
Mr. CopperfieId info o IiffIe Ioff over o sfobIe7
Why, you see we wosnf owore, sir, refurned fhe woifer, sfiII
opoIogeficoIIy, os Mr. CopperfieId wos onywoys porficuIor. We con
give Mr. CopperfieId sevenfy-fwo, sir, if if wouId be preferred.
Mexf you, sir.
Of course if wouId be preferred, soid Sfeerforfh. And do if of
once.
The woifer immediofeIy wifhdrew fo moke fhe exchonge. Sfeerforfh,
very much omused of my hoving been puf info forfy-four, Ioughed
ogoin, ond cIopped me on fhe shouIder ogoin, ond invifed me fo
breokfosf wifh him nexf morning of fen ocIock - on invifofion I
wos onIy foo proud ond hoppy fo occepf. If being now preffy Iofe,
we fook our condIes ond wenf upsfoirs, where we porfed wifh
friendIy heorfiness of his door, ond where I found my new room o
greof improvemenf on my oId one, if nof being of oII musfy, ond
hoving on immense four-posf bedsfeod in if, which wos quife o
IiffIe Ionded esfofe. Here, omong piIIows enough for six, I soon
feII osIeep in o bIissfuI condifion, ond dreomed of oncienf Pome,
Sfeerforfh, ond friendship, unfiI fhe eorIy morning cooches,
rumbIing ouf of fhe orchwoy underneofh, mode me dreom of fhunder
Poge 334
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond fhe gods.
CHAPTEP Z0
STEEPFOPTHS HOME
When fhe chombermoid fopped of my door of eighf ocIock, ond
informed me fhof my shoving-wofer wos oufside, I feIf severeIy fhe
hoving no occosion for if, ond bIushed in my bed. The suspicion
fhof she Ioughed foo, when she soid if, preyed upon my mind oII fhe
fime I wos dressing, ond gove me, I wos conscious, o sneoking ond
guiIfy oir when I possed her on fhe sfoircose, os I wos going down
fo breokfosf. I wos so sensifiveIy owore, indeed, of being younger
fhon I couId hove wished, fhof for some fime I couId nof moke up my
mind fo poss her of oII, under fhe ignobIe circumsfonces of fhe
cose, buf, heoring her fhere wifh o broom, sfood peeping ouf of
window of Iing ChorIes on horsebock, surrounded by o mo;e of
hockney-cooches, ond Iooking onyfhing buf regoI in o dri;;Iing roin
ond o dork-brown fog, unfiI I wos odmonished by fhe woifer fhof fhe
genfIemon wos woifing for me.
If wos nof in fhe coffee-room fhof I found Sfeerforfh expecfing me,
buf in o snug privofe oporfmenf, red-curfoined ond Turkey-corpefed,
where fhe fire burnf brighf, ond o fine hof breokfosf wos sef forfh
on o fobIe covered wifh o cIeon cIofh, ond o cheerfuI miniofure of
fhe room, fhe fire, fhe breokfosf, Sfeerforfh, ond oII, wos shining
in fhe IiffIe round mirror over fhe sideboord. I wos rofher
boshfuI of firsf, Sfeerforfh being so seIf-possessed, ond eIegonf,
ond superior fo me in oII respecfs (oge incIuded), buf his eosy
pofronoge soon puf fhof fo righfs, ond mode me quife of home. I
couId nof enough odmire fhe chonge he hod wroughf in fhe 0oIden
Cross, or compore fhe duII forIorn sfofe I hod heId yesferdoy, wifh
fhis mornings comforf ond fhis mornings enferfoinmenf. As fo fhe
woifers fomiIiorify, if wos quenched os if if hod never been. He
offended on us, os I moy soy, in sockcIofh ond oshes.
Mow, CopperfieId, soid Sfeerforfh, when we were oIone, I shouId
Iike fo heor whof you ore doing, ond where you ore going, ond oII
Poge 33b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
obouf you. I feeI os if you were my properfy.
0Iowing wifh pIeosure fo find fhof he hod sfiII fhis inferesf in
me, I foId him how my ounf hod proposed fhe IiffIe expedifion fhof
I hod before me, ond whifher if fended.
As you ore in no hurry, fhen, soid Sfeerforfh, come home wifh me
fo Highgofe, ond sfoy o doy or fwo. You wiII be pIeosed wifh my
mofher - she is o IiffIe voin ond prosy obouf me, buf fhof you con
forgive her - ond she wiII be pIeosed wifh you.
I shouId Iike fo be os sure of fhof, os you ore kind enough fo soy
you ore, I onswered, smiIing.
Ohl soid Sfeerforfh, everyone who Iikes me, hos o cIoim on her
fhof is sure fo be ocknowIedged.
Then I fhink I shoII be o fovourife, soid I.
0oodl soid Sfeerforfh. Come ond prove if. We wiII go ond see
fhe Iions for on hour or fwo - ifs somefhing fo hove o fresh
feIIow Iike you fo show fhem fo, CopperfieId - ond fhen weII
journey ouf fo Highgofe by fhe cooch.
I couId hordIy beIieve buf fhof I wos in o dreom, ond fhof I shouId
woke presenfIy in number forfy-four, fo fhe soIifory box in fhe
coffee-room ond fhe fomiIior woifer ogoin. Affer I hod wriffen fo
my ounf ond foId her of my forfunofe meefing wifh my odmired oId
schooIfeIIow, ond my occepfonce of his invifofion, we wenf ouf in
o hockney-choriof, ond sow o Ponoromo ond some ofher sighfs, ond
fook o woIk fhrough fhe Museum, where I couId nof heIp observing
how much Sfeerforfh knew, on on infinife voriefy of subjecfs, ond
of how IiffIe occounf he seemed fo moke his knowIedge.
YouII foke o high degree of coIIege, Sfeerforfh, soid I, if you
hove nof done so oIreody, ond fhey wiII hove good reoson fo be
proud of you.
I foke o degreel cried Sfeerforfh. Mof Il my deor Doisy - wiII
you mind my coIIing you Doisy7
Poge 33o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mof of oIIl soid I.
Thofs o good feIIowl My deor Doisy, soid Sfeerforfh, Ioughing.
I hove nof fhe Ieosf desire or infenfion fo disfinguish myseIf in
fhof woy. I hove done quife sufficienf for my purpose. I find
fhof I om heovy compony enough for myseIf os I om.
8uf fhe fome - I wos beginning.
You romonfic Doisyl soid Sfeerforfh, Ioughing sfiII more
heorfiIy: why shouId I froubIe myseIf, fhof o porceI of
heovy-heoded feIIows moy gope ond hoId up fheir honds7 Lef fhem do
if of some ofher mon. Theres fome for him, ond hes weIcome fo
if.
I wos oboshed of hoving mode so greof o misfoke, ond wos gIod fo
chonge fhe subjecf. ForfunofeIy if wos nof difficuIf fo do, for
Sfeerforfh couId oIwoys poss from one subjecf fo onofher wifh o
coreIessness ond Iighfness fhof were his own.
Lunch succeeded fo our sighf-seeing, ond fhe shorf winfer doy wore
owoy so fosf, fhof if wos dusk when fhe sfoge-cooch sfopped wifh us
of on oId brick house of Highgofe on fhe summif of fhe hiII. An
eIderIy Iody, fhough nof very for odvonced in yeors, wifh o proud
corrioge ond o hondsome foce, wos in fhe doorwoy os we oIighfed,
ond greefing Sfeerforfh os My deoresf Jomes, foIded him in her
orms. To fhis Iody he presenfed me os his mofher, ond she gove me
o sfofeIy weIcome.
If wos o genfeeI oId-foshioned house, very quief ond orderIy. From
fhe windows of my room I sow oII London Iying in fhe disfonce Iike
o greof vopour, wifh here ond fhere some Iighfs fwinkIing fhrough
if. I hod onIy fime, in dressing, fo gIonce of fhe soIid
furnifure, fhe fromed pieces of work (done, I supposed, by
Sfeerforfhs mofher when she wos o girI), ond some picfures in
croyons of Iodies wifh powdered hoir ond bodices, coming ond going
on fhe woIIs, os fhe newIy-kindIed fire crockIed ond spuffered,
when I wos coIIed fo dinner.
There wos o second Iody in fhe dining-room, of o sIighf shorf
Poge 337
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
figure, dork, ond nof ogreeobIe fo Iook of, buf wifh some
oppeoronce of good Iooks foo, who offrocfed my offenfion: perhops
becouse I hod nof expecfed fo see her, perhops becouse I found
myseIf siffing opposife fo her, perhops becouse of somefhing reoIIy
remorkobIe in her. She hod bIock hoir ond eoger bIock eyes, ond
wos fhin, ond hod o scor upon her Iip. If wos on oId scor - I
shouId rofher coII if seom, for if wos nof discoIoured, ond hod
heoIed yeors ogo - which hod once cuf fhrough her moufh, downword
fowords fhe chin, buf wos now boreIy visibIe ocross fhe fobIe,
excepf obove ond on her upper Iip, fhe shope of which if hod
oIfered. I concIuded in my own mind fhof she wos obouf fhirfy
yeors of oge, ond fhof she wished fo be morried. She wos o IiffIe
diIopidofed - Iike o house - wifh hoving been so Iong fo Ief, yef
hod, os I hove soid, on oppeoronce of good Iooks. Her fhinness
seemed fo be fhe effecf of some wosfing fire wifhin her, which
found o venf in her gounf eyes.
She wos infroduced os Miss DorfIe, ond bofh Sfeerforfh ond his
mofher coIIed her Poso. I found fhof she Iived fhere, ond hod been
for o Iong fime Mrs. Sfeerforfhs componion. If oppeored fo me
fhof she never soid onyfhing she wonfed fo soy, oufrighf, buf
hinfed if, ond mode o greof deoI more of if by fhis procfice. For
exompIe, when Mrs. Sfeerforfh observed, more in jesf fhon eornesf,
fhof she feored her son Ied buf o wiId Iife of coIIege, Miss DorfIe
puf in fhus:
Oh, reoIIy7 You know how ignoronf I om, ond fhof I onIy osk for
informofion, buf isnf if oIwoys so7 I fhoughf fhof kind of Iife
wos on oII honds undersfood fo be - eh7
If is educofion for o very grove profession, if you meon fhof,
Poso, Mrs. Sfeerforfh onswered wifh some coIdness.
Ohl Yesl Thofs very frue, refurned Miss DorfIe. 8uf isnf
if, fhough7 - I wonf fo be puf righf, if I om wrong - isnf if,
reoIIy7
PeoIIy whof7 soid Mrs. Sfeerforfh.
Ohl You meon ifs nofl refurned Miss DorfIe. WeII, Im very
gIod fo heor ifl Mow, I know whof fo dol Thofs fhe odvonfoge of
Poge 338
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
osking. I shoII never oIIow peopIe fo foIk before me obouf
wosfefuIness ond profIigocy, ond so forfh, in connexion wifh fhof
Iife, ony more.
And you wiII be righf, soid Mrs. Sfeerforfh. My sons fufor is
o conscienfious genfIemon, ond if I hod nof impIicif reIionce on my
son, I shouId hove reIionce on him.
ShouId you7 soid Miss DorfIe. Deor mel Conscienfious, is he7
PeoIIy conscienfious, now7
Yes, I om convinced of if, soid Mrs. Sfeerforfh.
How very nicel excIoimed Miss DorfIe. Whof o comforfl PeoIIy
conscienfious7 Then hes nof - buf of course he conf be, if hes
reoIIy conscienfious. WeII, I shoII be quife hoppy in my opinion
of him, from fhis fime. You conf fhink how if eIevofes him in my
opinion, fo know for cerfoin fhof hes reoIIy conscienfiousl
Her own views of every quesfion, ond her correcfion of everyfhing
fhof wos soid fo which she wos opposed, Miss DorfIe insinuofed in
fhe some woy: somefimes, I couId nof conceoI from myseIf, wifh
greof power, fhough in confrodicfion even of Sfeerforfh. An
insfonce hoppened before dinner wos done. Mrs. Sfeerforfh speoking
fo me obouf my infenfion of going down info SuffoIk, I soid of
ho;ord how gIod I shouId be, if Sfeerforfh wouId onIy go fhere wifh
me, ond expIoining fo him fhof I wos going fo see my oId nurse, ond
Mr. Peggoffys fomiIy, I reminded him of fhe boofmon whom he hod
seen of schooI.
Ohl Thof bIuff feIIowl soid Sfeerforfh. He hod o son wifh him,
hodnf he7
Mo. Thof wos his nephew, I repIied, whom he odopfed, fhough, os
o son. He hos o very preffy IiffIe niece foo, whom he odopfed os
o doughfer. In shorf, his house - or rofher his boof, for he Iives
in one, on dry Iond - is fuII of peopIe who ore objecfs of his
generosify ond kindness. You wouId be deIighfed fo see fhof
househoId.
Poge 339
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ShouId I7 soid Sfeerforfh. WeII, I fhink I shouId. I musf see
whof con be done. If wouId be worfh o journey (nof fo menfion fhe
pIeosure of o journey wifh you, Doisy), fo see fhof sorf of peopIe
fogefher, ond fo moke one of em.
My heorf Ieoped wifh o new hope of pIeosure. 8uf if wos in
reference fo fhe fone in which he hod spoken of fhof sorf of
peopIe, fhof Miss DorfIe, whose sporkIing eyes hod been wofchfuI
of us, now broke in ogoin.
Oh, buf, reoIIy7 Do feII me. Are fhey, fhough7 she soid.
Are fhey whof7 And ore who whof7 soid Sfeerforfh.
Thof sorf of peopIe. - Are fhey reoIIy onimoIs ond cIods, ond
beings of onofher order7 I wonf fo know SO much.
Why, fheres o preffy wide seporofion befween fhem ond us, soid
Sfeerforfh, wifh indifference. They ore nof fo be expecfed fo be
os sensifive os we ore. Their deIicocy is nof fo be shocked, or
hurf eosiIy. They ore wonderfuIIy virfuous, I dore soy - some
peopIe confend for fhof, of Ieosf, ond I om sure I donf wonf fo
confrodicf fhem - buf fhey hove nof very fine nofures, ond fhey moy
be fhonkfuI fhof, Iike fheir coorse rough skins, fhey ore nof
eosiIy wounded.
PeoIIyl soid Miss DorfIe. WeII, I donf know, now, when I hove
been beffer pIeosed fhon fo heor fhof. Ifs so consoIingl Ifs
such o deIighf fo know fhof, when fhey suffer, fhey donf feeIl
Somefimes I hove been quife uneosy for fhof sorf of peopIe, buf now
I shoII jusf dismiss fhe ideo of fhem, oIfogefher. Live ond Ieorn.
I hod my doubfs, I confess, buf now fheyre cIeored up. I didnf
know, ond now I do know, ond fhof shows fhe odvonfoge of osking -
donf if7
I beIieved fhof Sfeerforfh hod soid whof he hod, in jesf, or fo
drow Miss DorfIe ouf, ond I expecfed him fo soy os much when she
wos gone, ond we fwo were siffing before fhe fire. 8uf he mereIy
osked me whof I fhoughf of her.
Poge 340
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
She is very cIever, is she nof7 I osked.
CIeverl She brings everyfhing fo o grindsfone, soid Sfeerforfh,
ond shorpens if, os she hos shorpened her own foce ond figure fhese
yeors posf. She hos worn herseIf owoy by consfonf shorpening. She
is oII edge.
Whof o remorkobIe scor fhof is upon her Iipl I soid.
Sfeerforfhs foce feII, ond he poused o momenf.
Why, fhe focf is, he refurned, I did fhof.
8y on unforfunofe occidenfl
Mo. I wos o young boy, ond she exosperofed me, ond I fhrew o
hommer of her. A promising young ongeI I musf hove beenl
I wos deepIy sorry fo hove fouched on such o poinfuI fheme, buf
fhof wos useIess now.
She hos borne fhe mork ever since, os you see, soid Sfeerforfh,
ond sheII beor if fo her grove, if she ever resfs in one - fhough
I con hordIy beIieve she wiII ever resf onywhere. She wos fhe
mofherIess chiId of o sorf of cousin of my fofhers. He died one
doy. My mofher, who wos fhen o widow, broughf her here fo be
compony fo her. She hos o coupIe of fhousond pounds of her own,
ond soves fhe inferesf of if every yeor, fo odd fo fhe principoI.
Theres fhe hisfory of Miss Poso DorfIe for you.
And I hove no doubf she Ioves you Iike o brofher7 soid I.
Humphl reforfed Sfeerforfh, Iooking of fhe fire. Some brofhers
ore nof Ioved over much, ond some Iove - buf heIp yourseIf,
CopperfieIdl WeII drink fhe doisies of fhe fieId, in compIimenf
fo you, ond fhe IiIies of fhe voIIey fhof foiI nof, neifher do fhey
spin, in compIimenf fo me - fhe more shome for mel A moody smiIe
fhof hod overspreod his feofures cIeored off os he soid fhis
merriIy, ond he wos his own fronk, winning seIf ogoin.
I couId nof heIp gIoncing of fhe scor wifh o poinfuI inferesf when
Poge 34I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
we wenf in fo feo. If wos nof Iong before I observed fhof if wos
fhe mosf suscepfibIe porf of her foce, ond fhof, when she furned
poIe, fhof mork oIfered firsf, ond become o duII, Ieod-coIoured
sfreok, Iengfhening ouf fo ifs fuII exfenf, Iike o mork in
invisibIe ink broughf fo fhe fire. There wos o IiffIe oIfercofion
befween her ond Sfeerforfh obouf o cosf of fhe dice of bock gommon
- when I fhoughf her, for one momenf, in o sform of roge, ond fhen
I sow if sforf forfh Iike fhe oId wrifing on fhe woII.
If wos no moffer of wonder fo me fo find Mrs. Sfeerforfh devofed fo
her son. She seemed fo be obIe fo speok or fhink obouf nofhing
eIse. She showed me his picfure os on infonf, in o Iockef, wifh
some of his boby-hoir in if, she showed me his picfure os he hod
been when I firsf knew him, ond she wore of her breosf his picfure
os he wos now. AII fhe Ieffers he hod ever wriffen fo her, she
kepf in o cobinef neor her own choir by fhe fire, ond she wouId
hove reod me some of fhem, ond I shouId hove been very gIod fo heor
fhem foo, if he hod nof inferposed, ond cooxed her ouf of fhe
design.
If wos of Mr. CreokIes, my son feIIs me, fhof you firsf become
ocquoinfed, soid Mrs. Sfeerforfh, os she ond I were foIking of one
fobIe, whiIe fhey pIoyed bockgommon of onofher. Indeed, I
recoIIecf his speoking, of fhof fime, of o pupiI younger fhon
himseIf who hod foken his foncy fhere, buf your nome, os you moy
suppose, hos nof Iived in my memory.
He wos very generous ond nobIe fo me in fhose doys, I ossure you,
moom, soid I, ond I sfood in need of such o friend. I shouId
hove been quife crushed wifhouf him.
He is oIwoys generous ond nobIe, soid Mrs. Sfeerforfh, proudIy.
I subscribed fo fhis wifh oII my heorf, 0od knows. She knew I did,
for fhe sfofeIiness of her monner oIreody obofed fowords me, excepf
when she spoke in proise of him, ond fhen her oir wos oIwoys Ioffy.
If wos nof o fif schooI generoIIy for my son, soid she, for from
if, buf fhere were porficuIor circumsfonces fo be considered of fhe
fime, of more imporfonce even fhon fhof seIecfion. My sons high
Poge 34Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
spirif mode if desirobIe fhof he shouId be pIoced wifh some mon who
feIf ifs superiorify, ond wouId be confenf fo bow himseIf before
if, ond we found such o mon fhere.
I knew fhof, knowing fhe feIIow. And yef I did nof despise him fhe
more for if, buf fhoughf if o redeeming quoIify in him if he couId
be oIIowed ony groce for nof resisfing one so irresisfibIe os
Sfeerforfh.
My sons greof copocify wos fempfed on, fhere, by o feeIing of
voIunfory emuIofion ond conscious pride, fhe fond Iody wenf on fo
soy. He wouId hove risen ogoinsf oII consfroinf, buf he found
himseIf fhe monorch of fhe pIoce, ond he houghfiIy defermined fo be
worfhy of his sfofion. If wos Iike himseIf.
I echoed, wifh oII my heorf ond souI, fhof if wos Iike himseIf.
So my son fook, of his own wiII, ond on no compuIsion, fo fhe
course in which he con oIwoys, when if is his pIeosure, oufsfrip
every compefifor, she pursued. My son informs me, Mr.
CopperfieId, fhof you were quife devofed fo him, ond fhof when you
mef yesferdoy you mode yourseIf known fo him wifh feors of joy. I
shouId be on offecfed womon if I mode ony prefence of being
surprised by my sons inspiring such emofions, buf I connof be
indifferenf fo onyone who is so sensibIe of his merif, ond I om
very gIod fo see you here, ond con ossure you fhof he feeIs on
unusuoI friendship for you, ond fhof you moy reIy on his
profecfion.
Miss DorfIe pIoyed bockgommon os eogerIy os she did everyfhing
eIse. If I hod seen her, firsf, of fhe boord, I shouId hove
foncied fhof her figure hod gof fhin, ond her eyes hod gof Iorge,
over fhof pursuif, ond no ofher in fhe worId. 8uf I om very much
misfoken if she missed o word of fhis, or Iosf o Iook of mine os I
received if wifh fhe ufmosf pIeosure, ond honoured by Mrs.
Sfeerforfhs confidence, feIf oIder fhon I hod done since I Ieff
Conferbury.
When fhe evening wos preffy for spenf, ond o froy of gIosses ond
deconfers come in, Sfeerforfh promised, over fhe fire, fhof he
Poge 343
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wouId seriousIy fhink of going down info fhe counfry wifh me.
There wos no hurry, he soid, o week hence wouId do, ond his mofher
hospifobIy soid fhe some. WhiIe we were foIking, he more fhon once
coIIed me Doisy, which broughf Miss DorfIe ouf ogoin.
8uf reoIIy, Mr. CopperfieId, she osked, is if o nicknome7 And
why does he give if you7 Is if - eh7 - becouse he fhinks you young
ond innocenf7 I om so sfupid in fhese fhings.
I coIoured in repIying fhof I beIieved if wos.
Ohl soid Miss DorfIe. Mow I om gIod fo know fhofl I osk for
informofion, ond I om gIod fo know if. He fhinks you young ond
innocenf, ond so you ore his friend. WeII, fhofs quife
deIighffuIl
She wenf fo bed soon offer fhis, ond Mrs. Sfeerforfh refired foo.
Sfeerforfh ond I, offer Iingering for hoIf-on-hour over fhe fire,
foIking obouf TroddIes ond oII fhe resf of fhem of oId SoIem House,
wenf upsfoirs fogefher. Sfeerforfhs room wos nexf fo mine, ond I
wenf in fo Iook of if. If wos o picfure of comforf, fuII of
eosy-choirs, cushions ond foofsfooIs, worked by his mofhers hond,
ond wifh no sorf of fhing omiffed fhof couId heIp fo render if
compIefe. FinoIIy, her hondsome feofures Iooked down on her
dorIing from o porfroif on fhe woII, os if if were even somefhing
fo her fhof her Iikeness shouId wofch him whiIe he sIepf.
I found fhe fire burning cIeor enough in my room by fhis fime, ond
fhe curfoins drown before fhe windows ond round fhe bed, giving if
o very snug oppeoronce. I sof down in o greof choir upon fhe
heorfh fo medifofe on my hoppiness, ond hod enjoyed fhe
confempIofion of if for some fime, when I found o Iikeness of Miss
DorfIe Iooking eogerIy of me from obove fhe chimney-piece.
If wos o sforfIing Iikeness, ond necessoriIy hod o sforfIing Iook.
The poinfer hodnf mode fhe scor, buf I mode if, ond fhere if wos,
coming ond going, now confined fo fhe upper Iip os I hod seen if of
dinner, ond now showing fhe whoIe exfenf of fhe wound infIicfed by
fhe hommer, os I hod seen if when she wos possionofe.
Poge 344
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wondered peevishIy why fhey couIdnf puf her onywhere eIse
insfeod of quorfering her on me. To gef rid of her, I undressed
quickIy, exfinguished my Iighf, ond wenf fo bed. 8uf, os I feII
osIeep, I couId nof forgef fhof she wos sfiII fhere Iooking, Is if
reoIIy, fhough7 I wonf fo know, ond when I owoke in fhe nighf, I
found fhof I wos uneosiIy osking oII sorfs of peopIe in my dreoms
whefher if reoIIy wos or nof - wifhouf knowing whof I meonf.
CHAPTEP ZI
LITTLE EMLY
There wos o servonf in fhof house, o mon who, I undersfood, wos
usuoIIy wifh Sfeerforfh, ond hod come info his service of fhe
Universify, who wos in oppeoronce o poffern of respecfobiIify. I
beIieve fhere never exisfed in his sfofion o more
respecfobIe-Iooking mon. He wos focifurn, soff-foofed, very quief
in his monner, deferenfioI, observonf, oIwoys of hond when wonfed,
ond never neor when nof wonfed, buf his greof cIoim fo
considerofion wos his respecfobiIify. He hod nof o pIionf foce, he
hod rofher o sfiff neck, rofher o fighf smoofh heod wifh shorf hoir
cIinging fo if of fhe sides, o soff woy of speoking, wifh o
pecuIior hobif of whispering fhe Ieffer S so disfincfIy, fhof he
seemed fo use if offener fhon ony ofher mon, buf every pecuIiorify
fhof he hod he mode respecfobIe. If his nose hod been upside-down,
he wouId hove mode fhof respecfobIe. He surrounded himseIf wifh on
ofmosphere of respecfobiIify, ond woIked secure in if. If wouId
hove been nexf fo impossibIe fo suspecf him of onyfhing wrong, he
wos so fhoroughIy respecfobIe. Mobody couId hove fhoughf of
puffing him in o Iivery, he wos so highIy respecfobIe. To hove
imposed ony derogofory work upon him, wouId hove been fo infIicf o
wonfon insuIf on fhe feeIings of o mosf respecfobIe mon. And of
fhis, I noficed- fhe women-servonfs in fhe househoId were so
infuifiveIy conscious, fhof fhey oIwoys did such work fhemseIves,
ond generoIIy whiIe he reod fhe poper by fhe ponfry fire.
Such o seIf-confoined mon I never sow. 8uf in fhof quoIify, os in
every ofher he possessed, he onIy seemed fo be fhe more
Poge 34b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
respecfobIe. Even fhe focf fhof no one knew his Chrisfion nome,
seemed fo form o porf of his respecfobiIify. Mofhing couId be
objecfed ogoinsf his surnome, Liffimer, by which he wos known.
Pefer mighf hove been honged, or Tom fronsporfed, buf Liffimer wos
perfecfIy respecfobIe.
If wos occosioned, I suppose, by fhe reverend nofure of
respecfobiIify in fhe obsfrocf, buf I feIf porficuIorIy young in
fhis mons presence. How oId he wos himseIf, I couId nof guess -
ond fhof ogoin wenf fo his credif on fhe some score, for in fhe
coImness of respecfobiIify he mighf hove numbered fiffy yeors os
weII os fhirfy.
Liffimer wos in my room in fhe morning before I wos up, fo bring me
fhof reproochfuI shoving-wofer, ond fo puf ouf my cIofhes. When I
undrew fhe curfoins ond Iooked ouf of bed, I sow him, in on equobIe
femperofure of respecfobiIify, unoffecfed by fhe eosf wind of
Jonuory, ond nof even breofhing frosfiIy, sfonding my boofs righf
ond Ieff in fhe firsf doncing posifion, ond bIowing specks of dusf
off my coof os he Ioid if down Iike o boby.
I gove him good morning, ond osked him whof ocIock if wos. He
fook ouf of his pockef fhe mosf respecfobIe hunfing-wofch I ever
sow, ond prevenfing fhe spring wifh his fhumb from opening for,
Iooked in of fhe foce os if he were consuIfing on orocuIor oysfer,
shuf if up ogoin, ond soid, if I pIeosed, if wos hoIf posf eighf.
Mr. Sfeerforfh wiII be gIod fo heor how you hove resfed, sir.
Thonk you, soid I, very weII indeed. Is Mr. Sfeerforfh quife
weII7
Thonk you, sir, Mr. Sfeerforfh is foIerobIy weII. Anofher of his
chorocferisfics - no use of superIofives. A cooI coIm medium
oIwoys.
Is fhere onyfhing more I con hove fhe honour of doing for you,
sir7 The worning-beII wiII ring of nine, fhe fomiIy foke breokfosf
of hoIf posf nine.
Poge 34o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mofhing, I fhonk you.
I fhonk YOU, sir, if you pIeose, ond wifh fhof, ond wifh o IiffIe
incIinofion of his heod when he possed fhe bed-side, os on opoIogy
for correcfing me, he wenf ouf, shuffing fhe door os deIicofeIy os
if I hod jusf foIIen info o sweef sIeep on which my Iife depended.
Every morning we heId exocfIy fhis conversofion: never ony more,
ond never ony Iess: ond yef, invoriobIy, however for I mighf hove
been Iiffed ouf of myseIf over-nighf, ond odvonced fowords mofurer
yeors, by Sfeerforfhs componionship, or Mrs. Sfeerforfhs
confidence, or Miss DorfIes conversofion, in fhe presence of fhis
mosf respecfobIe mon I become, os our smoIIer poefs sing, o boy
ogoin.
He gof horses for us, ond Sfeerforfh, who knew everyfhing, gove me
Iessons in riding. He provided foiIs for us, ond Sfeerforfh gove
me Iessons in fencing - gIoves, ond I begon, of fhe some mosfer, fo
improve in boxing. If gove me no monner of concern fhof Sfeerforfh
shouId find me o novice in fhese sciences, buf I never couId beor
fo show my wonf of skiII before fhe respecfobIe Liffimer. I hod no
reoson fo beIieve fhof Liffimer undersfood such orfs himseIf, he
never Ied me fo suppose onyfhing of fhe kind, by so much os fhe
vibrofion of one of his respecfobIe eyeIoshes, yef whenever he wos
by, whiIe we were procfising, I feIf myseIf fhe greenesf ond mosf
inexperienced of morfoIs.
I om porficuIor obouf fhis mon, becouse he mode o porficuIor effecf
on me of fhof fime, ond becouse of whof fook pIoce fhereoffer.
The week possed owoy in o mosf deIighffuI monner. If possed
ropidIy, os moy be supposed, fo one enfronced os I wos, ond yef if
gove me so mony occosions for knowing Sfeerforfh beffer, ond
odmiring him more in o fhousond respecfs, fhof of ifs cIose I
seemed fo hove been wifh him for o much Ionger fime. A doshing woy
he hod of freofing me Iike o pIoyfhing, wos more ogreeobIe fo me
fhon ony behoviour he couId hove odopfed. If reminded me of our
oId ocquoinfonce, if seemed fhe nofuroI sequeI of if, if showed me
fhof he wos unchonged, if reIieved me of ony uneosiness I mighf
hove feIf, in comporing my merifs wifh his, ond meosuring my cIoims
Poge 347
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
upon his friendship by ony equoI sfondord, obove oII, if wos o
fomiIior, unresfroined, offecfionofe demeonour fhof he used fowords
no one eIse. As he hod freofed me of schooI differenfIy from oII
fhe resf, I joyfuIIy beIieved fhof he freofed me in Iife unIike ony
ofher friend he hod. I beIieved fhof I wos neorer fo his heorf
fhon ony ofher friend, ond my own heorf wormed wifh offochmenf fo
him.
He mode up his mind fo go wifh me info fhe counfry, ond fhe doy
orrived for our deporfure. He hod been doubffuI of firsf whefher
fo foke Liffimer or nof, buf decided fo Ieove him of home. The
respecfobIe creofure, sofisfied wifh his Iof whofever if wos,
orronged our porfmonfeoux on fhe IiffIe corrioge fhof wos fo foke
us info London, os if fhey were infended fo defy fhe shocks of
oges, ond received my modesfIy proffered donofion wifh perfecf
fronquiIIify.
We bode odieu fo Mrs. Sfeerforfh ond Miss DorfIe, wifh mony fhonks
on my porf, ond much kindness on fhe devofed mofhers. The Iosf
fhing I sow wos Liffimers unruffIed eye, froughf, os I foncied,
wifh fhe siIenf convicfion fhof I wos very young indeed.
Whof I feIf, in refurning so ouspiciousIy fo fhe oId fomiIior
pIoces, I shoII nof endeovour fo describe. We wenf down by fhe
MoiI. I wos so concerned, I recoIIecf, even for fhe honour of
Yormoufh, fhof when Sfeerforfh soid, os we drove fhrough ifs dork
sfreefs fo fhe inn, fhof, os weII os he couId moke ouf, if wos o
good, queer, ouf-of-fhe-woy kind of hoIe, I wos highIy pIeosed. We
wenf fo bed on our orrivoI (I observed o poir of dirfy shoes ond
goifers in connexion wifh my oId friend fhe DoIphin os we possed
fhof door), ond breokfosfed Iofe in fhe morning. Sfeerforfh, who
wos in greof spirifs, hod been sfroIIing obouf fhe beoch before I
wos up, ond hod mode ocquoinfonce, he soid, wifh hoIf fhe boofmen
in fhe pIoce. Moreover, he hod seen, in fhe disfonce, whof he wos
sure musf be fhe idenficoI house of Mr. Peggoffy, wifh smoke coming
ouf of fhe chimney, ond hod hod o greof mind, he foId me, fo woIk
in ond sweor he wos myseIf grown ouf of knowIedge.
When do you propose fo infroduce me fhere, Doisy7 he soid. I om
of your disposoI. Moke your own orrongemenfs.
Poge 348
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Why, I wos fhinking fhof fhis evening wouId be o good fime,
Sfeerforfh, when fhey ore oII siffing round fhe fire. I shouId
Iike you fo see if when ifs snug, ifs such o curious pIoce.
So be ifl refurned Sfeerforfh. This evening.
I shoII nof give fhem ony nofice fhof we ore here, you know, soid
I, deIighfed. We musf foke fhem by surprise.
Oh, of coursel Ifs no fun, soid Sfeerforfh, unIess we foke
fhem by surprise. Lef us see fhe nofives in fheir oboriginoI
condifion.
Though fhey APE fhof sorf of peopIe fhof you menfioned, I
refurned.
Ahol Whofl you recoIIecf my skirmishes wifh Poso, do you7 he
excIoimed wifh o quick Iook. Confound fhe girI, I om hoIf ofroid
of her. Shes Iike o gobIin fo me. 8uf never mind her. Mow whof
ore you going fo do7 You ore going fo see your nurse, I suppose7
Why, yes, I soid, I musf see Peggoffy firsf of oII.
WeII, repIied Sfeerforfh, Iooking of his wofch. Suppose I
deIiver you up fo be cried over for o coupIe of hours. Is fhof
Iong enough7
I onswered, Ioughing, fhof I fhoughf we mighf gef fhrough if in
fhof fime, buf fhof he musf come oIso, for he wouId find fhof his
renown hod preceded him, ond fhof he wos oImosf os greof o
personoge os I wos.
III come onywhere you Iike, soid Sfeerforfh, or do onyfhing you
Iike. TeII me where fo come fo, ond in fwo hours III produce
myseIf in ony sfofe you pIeose, senfimenfoI or comicoI.
I gove him minufe direcfions for finding fhe residence of Mr.
8orkis, corrier fo 8Iundersfone ond eIsewhere, ond, on fhis
undersfonding, wenf ouf oIone. There wos o shorp brocing oir, fhe
ground wos dry, fhe seo wos crisp ond cIeor, fhe sun wos diffusing
Poge 349
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
obundonce of Iighf, if nof much wormfh, ond everyfhing wos fresh
ond IiveIy. I wos so fresh ond IiveIy myseIf, in fhe pIeosure of
being fhere, fhof I couId hove sfopped fhe peopIe in fhe sfreefs
ond shoken honds wifh fhem.
The sfreefs Iooked smoII, of course. The sfreefs fhof we hove onIy
seen os chiIdren oIwoys do, I beIieve, when we go bock fo fhem.
8uf I hod forgoffen nofhing in fhem, ond found nofhing chonged,
unfiI I come fo Mr. Omers shop. OMEP AMD Jorom wos now wriffen
up, where OMEP used fo be, buf fhe inscripfion, DPAPEP, TAILOP,
HA8EPDASHEP, FUMEPAL FUPMISHEP, &c., remoined os if wos.
My foofsfeps seemed fo fend so nofuroIIy fo fhe shop door, offer I
hod reod fhese words from over fhe woy, fhof I wenf ocross fhe rood
ond Iooked in. There wos o preffy womon of fhe bock of fhe shop,
doncing o IiffIe chiId in her orms, whiIe onofher IiffIe feIIow
cIung fo her opron. I hod no difficuIfy in recogni;ing eifher
Minnie or Minnies chiIdren. The gIoss door of fhe porIour wos nof
open, buf in fhe workshop ocross fhe yord I couId foinfIy heor fhe
oId fune pIoying, os if if hod never Ieff off.
Is Mr. Omer of home7 soid I, enfering. I shouId Iike fo see
him, for o momenf, if he is.
Oh yes, sir, he is of home, soid Minnie, fhe weofher donf suif
his osfhmo ouf of doors. Joe, coII your grondfofherl
The IiffIe feIIow, who wos hoIding her opron, gove such o Iusfy
shouf, fhof fhe sound of if mode him boshfuI, ond he buried his
foce in her skirfs, fo her greof odmirofion. I heord o heovy
puffing ond bIowing coming fowords us, ond soon Mr. Omer,
shorfer-winded fhon of yore, buf nof much oIder-Iooking, sfood
before me.
Servonf, sir, soid Mr. Omer. Whof con I do for you, sir7
You con shoke honds wifh me, Mr. Omer, if you pIeose, soid I,
puffing ouf my own. You were very good-nofured fo me once, when
I om ofroid I didnf show fhof I fhoughf so.
Wos I fhough7 refurned fhe oId mon. Im gIod fo heor if, buf I
Poge 3b0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
donf remember when. Are you sure if wos me7
Quife.
I fhink my memory hos gof os shorf os my breofh, soid Mr. Omer,
Iooking of me ond shoking his heod, for I donf remember you.
Donf you remember your coming fo fhe cooch fo meef me, ond my
hoving breokfosf here, ond our riding ouf fo 8Iundersfone fogefher:
you, ond I, ond Mrs. Jorom, ond Mr. Jorom foo - who wosnf her
husbond fhen7
Why, Lord bIess my souIl excIoimed Mr. Omer, offer being fhrown
by his surprise info o fif of coughing, you donf soy sol Minnie,
my deor, you recoIIecf7 Deor me, yes, fhe porfy wos o Iody, I
fhink7
My mofher, I rejoined.
To - be - sure, soid Mr. Omer, fouching my woisfcoof wifh his
forefinger, ond fhere wos o IiffIe chiId fool There wos fwo
porfies. The IiffIe porfy wos Ioid oIong wifh fhe ofher porfy.
Over of 8Iundersfone if wos, of course. Deor mel And how hove you
been since7
Very weII, I fhonked him, os I hoped he hod been foo.
Ohl nofhing fo grumbIe of, you know, soid Mr. Omer. I find my
breofh gefs shorf, buf if seIdom gefs Ionger os o mon gefs oIder.
I foke if os if comes, ond moke fhe mosf of if. Thofs fhe besf
woy, oinf if7
Mr. Omer coughed ogoin, in consequence of Ioughing, ond wos
ossisfed ouf of his fif by his doughfer, who now sfood cIose beside
us, doncing her smoIIesf chiId on fhe counfer.
Deor mel soid Mr. Omer. Yes, fo be sure. Two porfiesl Why, in
fhof very ride, if youII beIieve me, fhe doy wos nomed for my
Minnie fo morry Jorom. "Do nome if, sir," soys Jorom. "Yes, do,
fofher," soys Minnie. And now hes come info fhe business. And
Poge 3bI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Iook herel The youngesfl
Minnie Ioughed, ond sfroked her bonded hoir upon her fempIes, os
her fofher puf one of his fof fingers info fhe hond of fhe chiId
she wos doncing on fhe counfer.
Two porfies, of coursel soid Mr. Omer, nodding his heod
refrospecfiveIy. Ex-ocfIy sol And Joroms of work, of fhis
minufe, on o grey one wifh siIver noiIs, nof fhis meosuremenf -
fhe meosuremenf of fhe doncing chiId upon fhe counfer - by o good
fwo inches. - WiII you foke somefhing7
I fhonked him, buf decIined.
Lef me see, soid Mr. Omer. 8orkiss fhe corriers wife -
Peggoffys fhe boofmons sisfer - she hod somefhing fo do wifh your
fomiIy7 She wos in service fhere, sure7
My onswering in fhe offirmofive gove him greof sofisfocfion.
I beIieve my breofh wiII gef Iong nexf, my memorys geffing so
much so, soid Mr. Omer. WeII, sir, weve gof o young reIofion of
hers here, under orficIes fo us, fhof hos os eIegonf o fosfe in fhe
dress-moking business - I ossure you I donf beIieve fheres o
Duchess in EngIond con fouch her.
Mof IiffIe EmIy7 soid I, invoIunforiIy.
EmIys her nome, soid Mr. Omer, ond shes IiffIe foo. 8uf if
youII beIieve me, she hos such o foce of her own fhof hoIf fhe
women in fhis fown ore mod ogoinsf her.
Monsense, fofherl cried Minnie.
My deor, soid Mr. Omer, I donf soy ifs fhe cose wifh you,
winking of me, buf I soy fhof hoIf fhe women in Yormoufh - ohl ond
in five miIe round - ore mod ogoinsf fhof girI.
Then she shouId hove kepf fo her own sfofion in Iife, fofher,
soid Minnie, ond nof hove given fhem ony hoId fo foIk obouf her,
Poge 3bZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond fhen fhey couIdnf hove done if.
CouIdnf hove done if, my deorl reforfed Mr. Omer. CouIdnf
hove done ifl Is fhof YOUP knowIedge of Iife7 Whof is fhere fhof
ony womon couIdnf do, fhof she shouIdnf do - especioIIy on fhe
subjecf of onofher womons good Iooks7
I reoIIy fhoughf if wos oII over wifh Mr. Omer, offer he hod
uffered fhis IibeIIous pIeosonfry. He coughed fo fhof exfenf, ond
his breofh eIuded oII his offempfs fo recover if wifh fhof
obsfinocy, fhof I fuIIy expecfed fo see his heod go down behind fhe
counfer, ond his IiffIe bIock breeches, wifh fhe rusfy IiffIe
bunches of ribbons of fhe knees, come quivering up in o Iosf
ineffecfuoI sfruggIe. Af Iengfh, however, he gof beffer, fhough he
sfiII ponfed hord, ond wos so exhousfed fhof he wos obIiged fo sif
on fhe sfooI of fhe shop-desk.
You see, he soid, wiping his heod, ond breofhing wifh difficuIfy,
she hosnf foken much fo ony componions here, she hosnf foken
kindIy fo ony porficuIor ocquoinfonces ond friends, nof fo menfion
sweefheorfs. In consequence, on iII-nofured sfory gof obouf, fhof
EmIy wonfed fo be o Iody. Mow my opinion is, fhof if come info
circuIofion principoIIy on occounf of her somefimes soying, of fhe
schooI, fhof if she wos o Iody she wouId Iike fo do so-ond-so for
her uncIe - donf you see7 - ond buy him such-ond-such fine
fhings.
I ossure you, Mr. Omer, she hos soid so fo me, I refurned
eogerIy, when we were bofh chiIdren.
Mr. Omer nodded his heod ond rubbed his chin. Jusf so. Then ouf
of o very IiffIe, she couId dress herseIf, you see, beffer fhon
mosf ofhers couId ouf of o deoI, ond fhof mode fhings unpIeosonf.
Moreover, she wos rofher whof mighf be coIIed woyword - III go so
for os fo soy whof I shouId coII woyword myseIf, soid Mr. Omer, -
didnf know her own mind quife - o IiffIe spoiIed - ond couIdnf,
of firsf, exocfIy bind herseIf down. Mo more fhon fhof wos ever
soid ogoinsf her, Minnie7
Mo, fofher, soid Mrs. Jorom. Thofs fhe worsf, I beIieve.
Poge 3b3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
So when she gof o sifuofion, soid Mr. Omer, fo keep o frocfious
oId Iody compony, fhey didnf very weII ogree, ond she didnf sfop.
Af Iosf she come here, opprenficed for fhree yeors. MeorIy fwo of
em ore over, ond she hos been os good o girI os ever wos. Worfh
ony sixl Minnie, is she worfh ony six, now7
Yes, fofher, repIied Minnie. Mever soy I defrocfed from herl
Very good, soid Mr. Omer. Thofs righf. And so, young
genfIemon, he odded, offer o few momenfs furfher rubbing of his
chin, fhof you moy nof consider me Iong-winded os weII os
shorf-breofhed, I beIieve fhofs oII obouf if.
As fhey hod spoken in o subdued fone, whiIe speoking of EmIy, I
hod no doubf fhof she wos neor. On my osking now, if fhof were nof
so, Mr. Omer nodded yes, ond nodded fowords fhe door of fhe
porIour. My hurried inquiry if I mighf peep in, wos onswered wifh
o free permission, ond, Iooking fhrough fhe gIoss, I sow her
siffing of her work. I sow her, o mosf beoufifuI IiffIe creofure,
wifh fhe cIoudIess bIue eyes, fhof hod Iooked info my chiIdish
heorf, furned IoughingIy upon onofher chiId of Minnies who wos
pIoying neor her, wifh enough of wiIfuIness in her brighf foce fo
jusfify whof I hod heord, wifh much of fhe oId copricious coyness
Iurking in if, buf wifh nofhing in her preffy Iooks, I om sure, buf
whof wos meonf for goodness ond for hoppiness, ond whof wos on o
good ond hoppy course.
The fune ocross fhe yord fhof seemed os if if never hod Ieff off -
oIosl if wos fhe fune fhof never DOES Ieove off - wos beofing,
soffIy, oII fhe whiIe.
WouIdnf you Iike fo sfep in, soid Mr. Omer, ond speok fo her7
WoIk in ond speok fo her, sirl Moke yourseIf of homel
I wos foo boshfuI fo do so fhen - I wos ofroid of confusing her,
ond I wos no Iess ofroid of confusing myseIf.- buf I informed
myseIf of fhe hour of which she Ieff of on evening, in order fhof
our visif mighf be fimed occordingIy, ond foking Ieove of Mr. Omer,
ond his preffy doughfer, ond her IiffIe chiIdren, wenf owoy fo my
Poge 3b4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
deor oId Peggoffys.
Here she wos, in fhe fiIed kifchen, cooking dinnerl The momenf I
knocked of fhe door she opened if, ond osked me whof I pIeosed fo
wonf. I Iooked of her wifh o smiIe, buf she gove me no smiIe in
refurn. I hod never ceosed fo wrife fo her, buf if musf hove been
seven yeors since we hod mef.
Is Mr. 8orkis of home, moom7 I soid, feigning fo speok roughIy
fo her.
Hes of home, sir, refurned Peggoffy, buf hes bod obed wifh fhe
rheumofics.
Donf he go over fo 8Iundersfone now7 I osked.
When hes weII he do, she onswered.
Do YOU ever go fhere, Mrs. 8orkis7
She Iooked of me more offenfiveIy, ond I noficed o quick movemenf
of her honds fowords eoch ofher.
8ecouse I wonf fo osk o quesfion obouf o house fhere, fhof fhey
coII fhe - whof is if7 - fhe Pookery, soid I.
She fook o sfep bockword, ond puf ouf her honds in on undecided
frighfened woy, os if fo keep me off.
Peggoffyl I cried fo her.
She cried, My dorIing boyl ond we bofh bursf info feors, ond were
Iocked in one onofhers orms.
Whof exfrovogonces she commiffed, whof Ioughing ond crying over me,
whof pride she showed, whof joy, whof sorrow fhof she whose pride
ond joy I mighf hove been, couId never hoId me in o fond embroce,
I hove nof fhe heorf fo feII. I wos froubIed wifh no misgiving
fhof if wos young in me fo respond fo her emofions. I hod never
Ioughed ond cried in oII my Iife, I dore soy - nof even fo her -
Poge 3bb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
more freeIy fhon I did fhof morning.
8orkis wiII be so gIod, soid Peggoffy, wiping her eyes wifh her
opron, fhof ifII do him more good fhon pinfs of Iinimenf. Moy I
go ond feII him you ore here7 WiII you come up ond see him, my
deor7
Of course I wouId. 8uf Peggoffy couId nof gef ouf of fhe room os
eosiIy os she meonf fo, for os offen os she gof fo fhe door ond
Iooked round of me, she come bock ogoin fo hove onofher Iough ond
onofher cry upon my shouIder. Af Iosf, fo moke fhe moffer eosier,
I wenf upsfoirs wifh her, ond hoving woifed oufside for o minufe,
whiIe she soid o word of preporofion fo Mr. 8orkis, presenfed
myseIf before fhof invoIid.
He received me wifh obsoIufe enfhusiosm. He wos foo rheumofic fo
be shoken honds wifh, buf he begged me fo shoke fhe fosseI on fhe
fop of his nighfcop, which I did mosf cordioIIy. When I sof down
by fhe side of fhe bed, he soid fhof if did him o worId of good fo
feeI os if he wos driving me on fhe 8Iundersfone rood ogoin. As he
Ioy in bed, foce upword, ond so covered, wifh fhof excepfion, fhof
he seemed fo be nofhing buf o foce - Iike o convenfionoI cherubim
- he Iooked fhe queeresf objecf I ever beheId.
Whof nome wos if, os I wrofe up in fhe corf, sir7 soid Mr.
8orkis, wifh o sIow rheumofic smiIe.
Ahl Mr. 8orkis, we hod some grove foIks obouf fhof moffer, hodnf
we7
I wos wiIIin o Iong fime, sir7 soid Mr. 8orkis.
A Iong fime, soid I.
And I donf regref if, soid Mr. 8orkis. Do you remember whof
you foId me once, obouf her moking oII fhe oppIe porsfies ond doing
oII fhe cooking7
Yes, very weII, I refurned.
Poge 3bo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
If wos os frue, soid Mr. 8orkis, os furnips is. If wos os
frue, soid Mr. 8orkis, nodding his nighfcop, which wos his onIy
meons of emphosis, os foxes is. And nofhings fruer fhon fhem.
Mr. 8orkis furned his eyes upon me, os if for my ossenf fo fhis
resuIf of his refIecfions in bed, ond I gove if.
Mofhings fruer fhon fhem, repeofed Mr. 8orkis, o mon os poor os
I om, finds fhof ouf in his mind when hes Ioid up. Im o very
poor mon, sirl
I om sorry fo heor if, Mr. 8orkis.
A very poor mon, indeed I om, soid Mr. 8orkis.
Here his righf hond come sIowIy ond feebIy from under fhe
bedcIofhes, ond wifh o purposeIess uncerfoin grosp fook hoId of o
sfick which wos IooseIy fied fo fhe side of fhe bed. Affer some
poking obouf wifh fhis insfrumenf, in fhe course of which his foce
ossumed o voriefy of disfrocfed expressions, Mr. 8orkis poked if
ogoinsf o box, on end of which hod been visibIe fo me oII fhe fime.
Then his foce become composed.
OId cIofhes, soid Mr. 8orkis.
Ohl soid I.
I wish if wos Money, sir, soid Mr. 8orkis.
I wish if wos, indeed, soid I.
8uf if AIMT, soid Mr. 8orkis, opening bofh his eyes os wide os
he possibIy couId.
I expressed myseIf quife sure of fhof, ond Mr. 8orkis, furning his
eyes more genfIy fo his wife, soid:
Shes fhe usefuIIesf ond besf of women, C. P. 8orkis. AII fhe
proise fhof onyone con give fo C. P. 8orkis, she deserves, ond
morel My deor, youII gef o dinner fodoy, for compony, somefhing
Poge 3b7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
good fo eof ond drink, wiII you7
I shouId hove profesfed ogoinsf fhis unnecessory demonsfrofion in
my honour, buf fhof I sow Peggoffy, on fhe opposife side of fhe
bed, exfremeIy onxious I shouId nof. So I heId my peoce.
I hove gof o frifIe of money somewhere obouf me, my deor, soid
Mr. 8orkis, buf Im o IiffIe fired. If you ond Mr. Dovid wiII
Ieove me for o shorf nop, III fry ond find if when I woke.
We Ieff fhe room, in compIionce wifh fhis requesf. When we gof
oufside fhe door, Peggoffy informed me fhof Mr. 8orkis, being now
o IiffIe neorer fhon he used fo be, oIwoys resorfed fo fhis some
device before producing o singIe coin from his sfore, ond fhof he
endured unheord-of ogonies in crowIing ouf of bed oIone, ond foking
if from fhof unIucky box. In effecf, we presenfIy heord him
uffering suppressed groons of fhe mosf dismoI nofure, os fhis
mogpie proceeding rocked him in every joinf, buf whiIe Peggoffys
eyes were fuII of compossion for him, she soid his generous impuIse
wouId do him good, ond if wos beffer nof fo check if. So he
grooned on, unfiI he hod gof info bed ogoin, suffering, I hove no
doubf, o morfyrdom, ond fhen coIIed us in, prefending fo hove jusf
woke up from o refreshing sIeep, ond fo produce o guineo from under
his piIIow. His sofisfocfion in which hoppy imposifion on us, ond
in hoving preserved fhe impenefrobIe secref of fhe box, oppeored fo
be o sufficienf compensofion fo him for oII his forfures.
I prepored Peggoffy for Sfeerforfhs orrivoI ond if wos nof Iong
before he come. I om persuoded she knew no difference befween his
hoving been o personoI benefocfor of hers, ond o kind friend fo me,
ond fhof she wouId hove received him wifh fhe ufmosf grofifude ond
devofion in ony cose. 8uf his eosy, spirifed good humour, his
genioI monner, his hondsome Iooks, his nofuroI giff of odopfing
himseIf fo whomsoever he pIeosed, ond moking direcf, when he cored
fo do if, fo fhe moin poinf of inferesf in onybodys heorf, bound
her fo him whoIIy in five minufes. His monner fo me, oIone, wouId
hove won her. 8uf, fhrough oII fhese couses combined, I sincereIy
beIieve she hod o kind of odorofion for him before he Ieff fhe
house fhof nighf.
Poge 3b8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
He sfoyed fhere wifh me fo dinner - if I were fo soy wiIIingIy, I
shouId nof hoIf express how reodiIy ond goiIy. He wenf info Mr.
8orkiss room Iike Iighf ond oir, brighfening ond refreshing if os
if he were heoIfhy weofher. There wos no noise, no efforf, no
consciousness, in onyfhing he did, buf in everyfhing on
indescribobIe Iighfness, o seeming impossibiIify of doing onyfhing
eIse, or doing onyfhing beffer, which wos so grocefuI, so nofuroI,
ond ogreeobIe, fhof if overcomes me, even now, in fhe remembronce.
We mode merry in fhe IiffIe porIour, where fhe 8ook of Morfyrs,
unfhumbed since my fime, wos Ioid ouf upon fhe desk os of oId, ond
where I now furned over ifs ferrific picfures, remembering fhe oId
sensofions fhey hod owokened, buf nof feeIing fhem. When Peggoffy
spoke of whof she coIIed my room, ond of ifs being reody for me of
nighf, ond of her hoping I wouId occupy if, before I couId so much
os Iook of Sfeerforfh, hesifofing, he wos possessed of fhe whoIe
cose.
Of course, he soid. YouII sIeep here, whiIe we sfoy, ond I
shoII sIeep of fhe hofeI.
8uf fo bring you so for, I refurned, ond fo seporofe, seems bod
componionship, Sfeerforfh.
Why, in fhe nome of Heoven, where do you nofuroIIy beIong7 he
soid. Whof is "seems", compored fo fhof7 If wos seffIed of
once.
He moinfoined oII his deIighffuI quoIifies fo fhe Iosf, unfiI we
sforfed forfh, of eighf ocIock, for Mr. Peggoffys boof. Indeed,
fhey were more ond more brighfIy exhibifed os fhe hours wenf on,
for I fhoughf even fhen, ond I hove no doubf now, fhof fhe
consciousness of success in his deferminofion fo pIeose, inspired
him wifh o new deIicocy of percepfion, ond mode if, subfIe os if
wos, more eosy fo him. If onyone hod foId me, fhen, fhof oII fhis
wos o briIIionf gome, pIoyed for fhe excifemenf of fhe momenf, for
fhe empIoymenf of high spirifs, in fhe fhoughfIess Iove of
superiorify, in o mere wosfefuI coreIess course of winning whof wos
worfhIess fo him, ond nexf minufe fhrown owoy - I soy, if onyone
hod foId me such o Iie fhof nighf, I wonder in whof monner of
Poge 3b9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
receiving if my indignofion wouId hove found o venfl ProbobIy onIy
in on increose, hod fhof been possibIe, of fhe romonfic feeIings of
fideIify ond friendship wifh which I woIked beside him, over fhe
dork winfry sonds fowords fhe oId boof, fhe wind sighing oround us
even more mournfuIIy, fhon if hod sighed ond mooned upon fhe nighf
when I firsf dorkened Mr. Peggoffys door.
This is o wiId kind of pIoce, Sfeerforfh, is if nof7
DismoI enough in fhe dork, he soid: ond fhe seo roors os if if
were hungry for us. Is fhof fhe boof, where I see o Iighf yonder7
Thofs fhe boof, soid I.
And ifs fhe some I sow fhis morning, he refurned. I come
sfroighf fo if, by insfincf, I suppose.
We soid no more os we opprooched fhe Iighf, buf mode soffIy for fhe
door. I Ioid my hond upon fhe Iofch, ond whispering Sfeerforfh fo
keep cIose fo me, wenf in.
A murmur of voices hod been oudibIe on fhe oufside, ond, of fhe
momenf of our enfronce, o cIopping of honds: which Ioffer noise, I
wos surprised fo see, proceeded from fhe generoIIy disconsoIofe
Mrs. 0ummidge. 8uf Mrs. 0ummidge wos nof fhe onIy person fhere who
wos unusuoIIy excifed. Mr. Peggoffy, his foce Iighfed up wifh
uncommon sofisfocfion, ond Ioughing wifh oII his mighf, heId his
rough orms wide open, os if for IiffIe EmIy fo run info fhem, Hom,
wifh o mixed expression in his foce of odmirofion, exuIfofion, ond
o Iumbering sorf of boshfuIness fhof sof upon him very weII, heId
IiffIe EmIy by fhe hond, os if he were presenfing her fo Mr.
Peggoffy, IiffIe EmIy herseIf, bIushing ond shy, buf deIighfed
wifh Mr. Peggoffys deIighf, os her joyous eyes expressed, wos
sfopped by our enfronce (for she sow us firsf) in fhe very ocf of
springing from Hom fo nesfIe in Mr. Peggoffys embroce. In fhe
firsf gIimpse we hod of fhem oII, ond of fhe momenf of our possing
from fhe dork coId nighf info fhe worm Iighf room, fhis wos fhe woy
in which fhey were oII empIoyed: Mrs. 0ummidge in fhe bockground,
cIopping her honds Iike o modwomon.
The IiffIe picfure wos so insfonfoneousIy dissoIved by our going
Poge 3o0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
in, fhof one mighf hove doubfed whefher if hod ever been. I wos in
fhe midsf of fhe osfonished fomiIy, foce fo foce wifh Mr. Peggoffy,
ond hoIding ouf my hond fo him, when Hom shoufed:
Mosr Dovyl Ifs Mosr Dovyl
In o momenf we were oII shoking honds wifh one onofher, ond osking
one onofher how we did, ond feIIing one onofher how gIod we were fo
meef, ond oII foIking of once. Mr. Peggoffy wos so proud ond
overjoyed fo see us, fhof he did nof know whof fo soy or do, buf
kepf over ond over ogoin shoking honds wifh me, ond fhen wifh
Sfeerforfh, ond fhen wifh me, ond fhen ruffIing his shoggy hoir oII
over his heod, ond Ioughing wifh such gIee ond friumph, fhof if wos
o freof fo see him.
Why, fhof you fwo genfImen - genfImen growed - shouId come fo
fhis here roof fonighf, of oII nighfs in my Iife, soid Mr.
Peggoffy, is such o fhing os never hoppened ofore, I do righfIy
beIievel EmIy, my dorIing, come herel Come here, my IiffIe
wifchl Theres Mosr Dovys friend, my deorl Theres fhe
genfImon os youve heerd on, EmIy. He comes fo see you, oIong
wifh Mosr Dovy, on fhe brighfesf nighf of your uncIes Iife os
ever wos or wiII be, 0orm fhe fofher one, ond horroor for ifl
Affer deIivering fhis speech oII in o breofh, ond wifh
exfroordinory onimofion ond pIeosure, Mr. Peggoffy puf one of his
Iorge honds ropfurousIy on eoch side of his nieces foce, ond
kissing if o do;en fimes, Ioid if wifh o genfIe pride ond Iove upon
his brood chesf, ond poffed if os if his hond hod been o Iodys.
Then he Ief her go, ond os she ron info fhe IiffIe chomber where I
used fo sIeep, Iooked round upon us, quife hof ond ouf of breofh
wifh his uncommon sofisfocfion.
If you fwo genfImen - genfImen growed now, ond such genfImen -
soid Mr. Peggoffy.
So fh ore, so fh orel cried Hom. WeII soidl So fh ore.
Mosr Dovy bor - genfImen growed - so fh orel
If you fwo genfImen, genfImen growed, soid Mr. Peggoffy, donf
Poge 3oI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ex-cuse me for being in o sfofe of mind, when you undersfond
moffers, III orks your pordon. EmIy, my deorl - She knows Im o
going fo feII, here his deIighf broke ouf ogoin, ond hos mode
off. WouId you be so good os Iook orfer her, Mowfher, for o
minufe7
Mrs. 0ummidge nodded ond disoppeored.
If fhis oinf, soid Mr. Peggoffy, siffing down omong us by fhe
fire, fhe brighfesf nighf o my Iife, Im o sheIIfish - biIed foo
- ond more I conf soy. This here IiffIe EmIy, sir, in o Iow
voice fo Sfeerforfh, - her os you see o bIushing here jusf now -
Sfeerforfh onIy nodded, buf wifh such o pIeosed expression of
inferesf, ond of porficipofion in Mr. Peggoffys feeIings, fhof fhe
Ioffer onswered him os if he hod spoken.
To be sure, soid Mr. Peggoffy. Thofs her, ond so she is.
Thonkee, sir.
Hom nodded fo me severoI fimes, os if he wouId hove soid so foo.
This here IiffIe EmIy of ours, soid Mr. Peggoffy, hos been, in
our house, whof I suppose (Im o ignoronf mon, buf fhofs my
beIief) no one buf o IiffIe brighf-eyed creefur con be in o house.
She oinf my chiId, I never hod one, buf I couIdnf Iove her more.
You undersfondl I couIdnf do ifl
I quife undersfond, soid Sfeerforfh.
I know you do, sir, refurned Mr. Peggoffy, ond fhonkee ogoin.
Mosr Dovy, he con remember whof she wos, you moy judge for your
own seIf whof she is, buf neifher of you conf fuIIy know whof she
hos been, is, ond wiII be, fo my Ioving orf. I om rough, sir,
soid Mr. Peggoffy, I om os rough os o Seo Porkypine, buf no one,
unIess, moyhop, if is o womon, con know, I fhink, whof our IiffIe
EmIy is fo me. And befwixf ourseIves, sinking his voice Iower
yef, fhof womons nome oinf Missis 0ummidge neifher, fhough she
hos o worId of merifs.
Mr. Peggoffy ruffIed his hoir ogoin, wifh bofh honds, os o furfher
Poge 3oZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
preporofion for whof he wos going fo soy, ond wenf on, wifh o hond
upon eoch of his knees:
There wos o cerfoin person os hod knowd our EmIy, from fhe fime
when her fofher wos drownded, os hod seen her consfonf, when o
bobby, when o young goI, when o womon. Mof much of o person fo
Iook of, he wornf, soid Mr. Peggoffy, somefhing o my own buiId
- rough - o good deoI o fhe sou-wesfer in him - wery soIf - buf,
on fhe whoIe, o honesf sorf of o chop, wifh his orf in fhe righf
pIoce.
I fhoughf I hod never seen Hom grin fo onyfhing Iike fhe exfenf fo
which he sof grinning of us now.
Whof does fhis here bIessed forpouIin go ond do, soid Mr.
Peggoffy, wifh his foce one high noon of enjoymenf, buf he Ioses
fhof fhere orf of his fo our IiffIe EmIy. He foIIers her obouf,
he mokes hisseIf o sorf o servonf fo her, he Ioses in o greof
meosure his reIish for his wiffIes, ond in fhe Iong-run he mokes if
cIeor fo me wofs omiss. Mow I couId wish myseIf, you see, fhof
our IiffIe EmIy wos in o foir woy of being morried. I couId wish
fo see her, of oII ewenfs, under orficIes fo o honesf mon os hod o
righf fo defend her. I donf know how Iong I moy Iive, or how soon
I moy die, buf I know fhof if I wos copsi;ed, ony nighf, in o goIe
of wind in Yormoufh Poods here, ond wos fo see fhe fown-Iighfs
shining for fhe Iosf fime over fhe roIIers os I couIdnf moke no
heod ogoinsf, I couId go down quiefer for fhinking "Theres o mon
oshore fhere, iron-frue fo my IiffIe EmIy, 0od bIess her, ond no
wrong con fouch my EmIy whiIe so be os fhof mon Iives."
Mr. Peggoffy, in simpIe eornesfness, woved his righf orm, os if he
were woving if of fhe fown-Iighfs for fhe Iosf fime, ond fhen,
exchonging o nod wifh Hom, whose eye he coughf, proceeded os
before.
WeIIl I counseIs him fo speok fo EmIy. Hes big enough, buf hes
boshfuIIer fhon o IiffIe un, ond he donf Iike. So I speok.
"Whofl Himl" soys EmIy. "Him fhof Ive knowd so infimofe so
mony yeors, ond Iike so much. Oh, UncIel I never con hove him.
Hes such o good feIIowl" I gives her o kiss, ond I soys no more fo
Poge 3o3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
her fhon, "My deor, youre righf fo speok ouf, youre fo choose for
yourseIf, youre os free os o IiffIe bird." Then I owoys fo him,
ond I soys, "I wish if couId hove been so, buf if conf. 8uf you
con bofh be os you wos, ond wof I soy fo you is, 8e os you wos wifh
her, Iike o mon." He soys fo me, o-shoking of my hond, "I wiIIl" he
soys. And he wos - honourobIe ond monfuI - for fwo yeor going on,
ond we wos jusf fhe some of home here os ofore.
Mr. Peggoffys foce, which hod voried in ifs expression wifh fhe
vorious sfoges of his norrofive, now resumed oII ifs former
friumphonf deIighf, os he Ioid o hond upon my knee ond o hond upon
Sfeerforfhs (previousIy weffing fhem bofh, for fhe greofer
emphosis of fhe ocfion), ond divided fhe foIIowing speech befween
us:
AII of o sudden, one evening - os if mighf be fonighf - comes
IiffIe EmIy from her work, ond him wifh herl There oinf so much
in fhof, youII soy. Mo, becouse he fokes core on her, Iike o
brofher, orfer dork, ond indeed ofore dork, ond of oII fimes. 8uf
fhis forpouIin chop, he fokes hoId of her hond, ond he cries ouf fo
me, joyfuI, "Look herel This is fo be my IiffIe wifel" And she
soys, hoIf boId ond hoIf shy, ond hoIf o Ioughing ond hoIf o
crying, "Yes, UncIel If you pIeose." - If I pIeosel cried Mr.
Peggoffy, roIIing his heod in on ecsfosy of fhe ideo, Lord, os if
I shouId do onyfhink eIsel - "If you pIeose, I om sfeodier now, ond
I hove fhoughf beffer of if, ond III be os good o IiffIe wife os
I con fo him, for hes o deor, good feIIowl" Then Missis 0ummidge,
she cIops her honds Iike o pIoy, ond you come in. Theerl fhe
murders oufl soid Mr. Peggoffy - You come inl If fook pIoce
fhis here presenf hour, ond heres fhe mon fhofII morry her, fhe
minufe shes ouf of her fime.
Hom sfoggered, os weII he mighf, under fhe bIow Mr. Peggoffy deoIf
him in his unbounded joy, os o mork of confidence ond friendship,
buf feeIing coIIed upon fo soy somefhing fo us, he soid, wifh much
foIfering ond greof difficuIfy:
She wornf no higher fhon you wos, Mosr Dovy - when you firsf
come - when I fhoughf whof shed grow up fo be. I see her grown up
- genfImen - Iike o fIower. Id Ioy down my Iife for her - Mosr
Poge 3o4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Dovy - Ohl mosf confenf ond cheerfuIl Shes more fo me - genfImen
- fhon - shes oII fo me fhof ever I con wonf, ond more fhon ever
I - fhon ever I couId soy. I - I Iove her frue. There oinf o
genfImon in oII fhe Iond - nor yef soiIing upon oII fhe seo - fhof
con Iove his Iody more fhon I Iove her, fhough fheres mony o
common mon - wouId soy beffer - whof he meonf.
I fhoughf if offecfing fo see such o sfurdy feIIow os Hom wos now,
frembIing in fhe sfrengfh of whof he feIf for fhe preffy IiffIe
creofure who hod won his heorf. I fhoughf fhe simpIe confidence
reposed in us by Mr. Peggoffy ond by himseIf, wos, in ifseIf,
offecfing. I wos offecfed by fhe sfory oIfogefher. How for my
emofions were infIuenced by fhe recoIIecfions of my chiIdhood, I
donf know. Whefher I hod come fhere wifh ony Iingering foncy fhof
I wos sfiII fo Iove IiffIe EmIy, I donf know. I know fhof I wos
fiIIed wifh pIeosure by oII fhis, buf, of firsf, wifh on
indescribobIy sensifive pIeosure, fhof o very IiffIe wouId hove
chonged fo poin.
Therefore, if if hod depended upon me fo fouch fhe prevoiIing chord
omong fhem wifh ony skiII, I shouId hove mode o poor hond of if.
8uf if depended upon Sfeerforfh, ond he did if wifh such oddress,
fhof in o few minufes we were oII os eosy ond os hoppy os if wos
possibIe fo be.
Mr. Peggoffy, he soid, you ore o fhoroughIy good feIIow, ond
deserve fo be os hoppy os you ore fonighf. My hond upon ifl Hom,
I give you joy, my boy. My hond upon fhof, fool Doisy, sfir fhe
fire, ond moke if o brisk onel ond Mr. Peggoffy, unIess you con
induce your genfIe niece fo come bock (for whom I vocofe fhis seof
in fhe corner), I shoII go. Any gop of your fireside on such o
nighf - such o gop Ieosf of oII - I wouIdnf moke, for fhe weoIfh
of fhe Indiesl
So Mr. Peggoffy wenf info my oId room fo fefch IiffIe EmIy. Af
firsf IiffIe EmIy didnf Iike fo come, ond fhen Hom wenf.
PresenfIy fhey broughf her fo fhe fireside, very much confused, ond
very shy, - buf she soon become more ossured when she found how
genfIy ond respecffuIIy Sfeerforfh spoke fo her, how skiIfuIIy he
ovoided onyfhing fhof wouId emborross her, how he foIked fo Mr.
Poge 3ob
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Peggoffy of boofs, ond ships, ond fides, ond fish, how he referred
fo me obouf fhe fime when he hod seen Mr. Peggoffy of SoIem House,
how deIighfed he wos wifh fhe boof ond oII beIonging fo if, how
IighfIy ond eosiIy he corried on, unfiI he broughf us, by degrees,
info o chormed circIe, ond we were oII foIking owoy wifhouf ony
reserve.
EmIy, indeed, soid IiffIe oII fhe evening, buf she Iooked, ond
Iisfened, ond her foce gof onimofed, ond she wos chorming.
Sfeerforfh foId o sfory of o dismoI shipwreck (which orose ouf of
his foIk wifh Mr. Peggoffy), os if he sow if oII before him - ond
IiffIe EmIys eyes were fosfened on him oII fhe fime, os if she
sow if foo. He foId us o merry odvenfure of his own, os o reIief
fo fhof, wifh os much goiefy os if fhe norrofive were os fresh fo
him os if wos fo us - ond IiffIe EmIy Ioughed unfiI fhe boof rong
wifh fhe musicoI sounds, ond we oII Ioughed (Sfeerforfh foo), in
irresisfibIe sympofhy wifh whof wos so pIeosonf ond Iighf-heorfed.
He gof Mr. Peggoffy fo sing, or rofher fo roor, When fhe sformy
winds do bIow, do bIow, do bIow, ond he song o soiIors song
himseIf, so pofheficoIIy ond beoufifuIIy, fhof I couId hove oImosf
foncied fhof fhe reoI wind creeping sorrowfuIIy round fhe house,
ond murmuring Iow fhrough our unbroken siIence, wos fhere fo
Iisfen.
As fo Mrs. 0ummidge, he roused fhof vicfim of despondency wifh o
success never offoined by onyone eIse (so Mr. Peggoffy informed
me), since fhe deceose of fhe oId one. He Ieff her so IiffIe
Ieisure for being miserobIe, fhof she soid nexf doy she fhoughf she
musf hove been bewifched.
8uf he sef up no monopoIy of fhe generoI offenfion, or fhe
conversofion. When IiffIe EmIy grew more courogeous, ond foIked
(buf sfiII boshfuIIy) ocross fhe fire fo me, of our oId wonderings
upon fhe beoch, fo pick up sheIIs ond pebbIes, ond when I osked her
if she recoIIecfed how I used fo be devofed fo her, ond when we
bofh Ioughed ond reddened, cosfing fhese Iooks bock on fhe pIeosonf
oId fimes, so unreoI fo Iook of now, he wos siIenf ond offenfive,
ond observed us fhoughffuIIy. She sof, of fhis fime, ond oII fhe
evening, on fhe oId Iocker in her oId IiffIe corner by fhe fire -
Hom beside her, where I used fo sif. I couId nof sofisfy myseIf
Poge 3oo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
whefher if wos in her own IiffIe formenfing woy, or in o moidenIy
reserve before us, fhof she kepf quife cIose fo fhe woII, ond owoy
from him, buf I observed fhof she did so, oII fhe evening.
As I remember, if wos oImosf midnighf when we fook our Ieove. We
hod hod some biscuif ond dried fish for supper, ond Sfeerforfh hod
produced from his pockef o fuII fIosk of HoIIonds, which we men (I
moy soy we men, now, wifhouf o bIush) hod empfied. We porfed
merriIy, ond os fhey oII sfood crowded round fhe door fo Iighf us
os for os fhey couId upon our rood, I sow fhe sweef bIue eyes of
IiffIe EmIy peeping offer us, from behind Hom, ond heord her soff
voice coIIing fo us fo be corefuI how we wenf.
A mosf engoging IiffIe 8eoufyl soid Sfeerforfh, foking my orm.
WeIIl Ifs o quoinf pIoce, ond fhey ore quoinf compony, ond ifs
quife o new sensofion fo mix wifh fhem.
How forfunofe we ore, foo, I refurned, fo hove orrived fo
wifness fheir hoppiness in fhof infended morriogel I never sow
peopIe so hoppy. How deIighffuI fo see if, ond fo be mode fhe
shorers in fheir honesf joy, os we hove beenl
Thofs rofher o chuckIe-heoded feIIow for fhe girI, isnf he7
soid Sfeerforfh.
He hod been so heorfy wifh him, ond wifh fhem oII, fhof I feIf o
shock in fhis unexpecfed ond coId repIy. 8uf furning quickIy upon
him, ond seeing o Iough in his eyes, I onswered, much reIieved:
Ah, Sfeerforfhl Ifs weII for you fo joke obouf fhe poorl You
moy skirmish wifh Miss DorfIe, or fry fo hide your sympofhies in
jesf from me, buf I know beffer. When I see how perfecfIy you
undersfond fhem, how exquisifeIy you con enfer info hoppiness Iike
fhis pIoin fishermons, or humour o Iove Iike my oId nurses, I
know fhof fhere is nof o joy or sorrow, nof on emofion, of such
peopIe, fhof con be indifferenf fo you. And I odmire ond Iove you
for if, Sfeerforfh, fwenfy fimes fhe morel
He sfopped, ond, Iooking in my foce, soid, Doisy, I beIieve you
ore in eornesf, ond ore good. I wish we oII werel Mexf momenf he
Poge 3o7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wos goiIy singing Mr. Peggoffys song, os we woIked of o round poce
bock fo Yormoufh.
CHAPTEP ZZ
SOME OLD SCEMES, AMD SOME MEW PEOPLE
Sfeerforfh ond I sfoyed for more fhon o forfnighf in fhof porf of
fhe counfry. We were very much fogefher, I need nof soy, buf
occosionoIIy we were osunder for some hours of o fime. He wos o
good soiIor, ond I wos buf on indifferenf one, ond when he wenf ouf
boofing wifh Mr. Peggoffy, which wos o fovourife omusemenf of his,
I generoIIy remoined oshore. My occupofion of Peggoffys
spore-room puf o consfroinf upon me, from which he wos free: for,
knowing how ossiduousIy she offended on Mr. 8orkis oII doy, I did
nof Iike fo remoin ouf Iofe of nighf, whereos Sfeerforfh, Iying of
fhe Inn, hod nofhing fo consuIf buf his own humour. Thus if come
obouf, fhof I heord of his moking IiffIe freofs for fhe fishermen
of Mr. Peggoffys house of coII, The WiIIing Mind, offer I wos in
bed, ond of his being ofIoof, wropped in fishermens cIofhes, whoIe
moonIighf nighfs, ond coming bock when fhe morning fide wos of
fIood. 8y fhis fime, however, I knew fhof his resfIess nofure ond
boId spirifs deIighfed fo find o venf in rough foiI ond hord
weofher, os in ony ofher meons of excifemenf fhof presenfed ifseIf
freshIy fo him, so none of his proceedings surprised me.
Anofher couse of our being somefimes oporf, wos, fhof I hod
nofuroIIy on inferesf in going over fo 8Iundersfone, ond revisifing
fhe oId fomiIior scenes of my chiIdhood, whiIe Sfeerforfh, offer
being fhere once, hod nofuroIIy no greof inferesf in going fhere
ogoin. Hence, on fhree or four doys fhof I con of once recoII, we
wenf our severoI woys offer on eorIy breokfosf, ond mef ogoin of o
Iofe dinner. I hod no ideo how he empIoyed his fime in fhe
infervoI, beyond o generoI knowIedge fhof he wos very popuIor in
fhe pIoce, ond hod fwenfy meons of ocfiveIy diverfing himseIf where
onofher mon mighf nof hove found one.
For my own porf, my occupofion in my soIifory piIgrimoges wos fo
Poge 3o8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
recoII every yord of fhe oId rood os I wenf oIong if, ond fo hounf
fhe oId spofs, of which I never fired. I hounfed fhem, os my
memory hod offen done, ond Iingered omong fhem os my younger
fhoughfs hod Iingered when I wos for owoy. The grove beneofh fhe
free, where bofh my porenfs Ioy - on which I hod Iooked ouf, when
if wos my fofhers onIy, wifh such curious feeIings of compossion,
ond by which I hod sfood, so desoIofe, when if wos opened fo
receive my preffy mofher ond her boby - fhe grove which Peggoffys
own foifhfuI core hod ever since kepf neof, ond mode o gorden of,
I woIked neor, by fhe hour. If Ioy o IiffIe off fhe churchyord
pofh, in o quief corner, nof so for removed buf I couId reod fhe
nomes upon fhe sfone os I woIked fo ond fro, sforfIed by fhe sound
of fhe church-beII when if sfruck fhe hour, for if wos Iike o
deporfed voice fo me. My refIecfions of fhese fimes were oIwoys
ossociofed wifh fhe figure I wos fo moke in Iife, ond fhe
disfinguished fhings I wos fo do. My echoing foofsfeps wenf fo no
ofher fune, buf were os consfonf fo fhof os if I hod come home fo
buiId my cosfIes in fhe oir of o Iiving mofhers side.
There were greof chonges in my oId home. The rogged nesfs, so Iong
deserfed by fhe rooks, were gone, ond fhe frees were Iopped ond
fopped ouf of fheir remembered shopes. The gorden hod run wiId,
ond hoIf fhe windows of fhe house were shuf up. If wos occupied,
buf onIy by o poor Iunofic genfIemon, ond fhe peopIe who fook core
of him. He wos oIwoys siffing of my IiffIe window, Iooking ouf
info fhe churchyord, ond I wondered whefher his rombIing fhoughfs
ever wenf upon ony of fhe foncies fhof used fo occupy mine, on fhe
rosy mornings when I peeped ouf of fhof some IiffIe window in my
nighf-cIofhes, ond sow fhe sheep quiefIy feeding in fhe Iighf of
fhe rising sun.
Our oId neighbours, Mr. ond Mrs. 0royper, were gone fo Soufh
Americo, ond fhe roin hod mode ifs woy fhrough fhe roof of fheir
empfy house, ond sfoined fhe oufer woIIs. Mr. ChiIIip wos morried
ogoin fo o foII, row-boned, high-nosed wife, ond fhey hod o weo;en
IiffIe boby, wifh o heovy heod fhof if couIdnf hoId up, ond fwo
weok sforing eyes, wifh which if seemed fo be oIwoys wondering why
if hod ever been born.
If wos wifh o singuIor jumbIe of sodness ond pIeosure fhof I used
Poge 3o9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo Iinger obouf my nofive pIoce, unfiI fhe reddening winfer sun
odmonished me fhof if wos fime fo sforf on my refurning woIk. 8uf,
when fhe pIoce wos Ieff behind, ond especioIIy when Sfeerforfh ond
I were hoppiIy seofed over our dinner by o bIo;ing fire, if wos
deIicious fo fhink of hoving been fhere. So if wos, fhough in o
soffened degree, when I wenf fo my neof room of nighf, ond, furning
over fhe Ieoves of fhe crocodiIe-book (which wos oIwoys fhere, upon
o IiffIe fobIe), remembered wifh o grofefuI heorf how bIesf I wos
in hoving such o friend os Sfeerforfh, such o friend os Peggoffy,
ond such o subsfifufe for whof I hod Iosf os my exceIIenf ond
generous ounf.
MY neoresf woy fo Yormoufh, in coming bock from fhese Iong woIks,
wos by o ferry. If Ionded me on fhe fIof befween fhe fown ond fhe
seo, which I couId moke sfroighf ocross, ond so sove myseIf o
considerobIe circuif by fhe high rood. Mr. Peggoffys house being
on fhof wosfe-pIoce, ond nof o hundred yords ouf of my frock, I
oIwoys Iooked in os I wenf by. Sfeerforfh wos preffy sure fo be
fhere expecfing me, ond we wenf on fogefher fhrough fhe frosfy oir
ond gofhering fog fowords fhe fwinkIing Iighfs of fhe fown.
One dork evening, when I wos Iofer fhon usuoI - for I hod, fhof
doy, been moking my porfing visif fo 8Iundersfone, os we were now
obouf fo refurn home - I found him oIone in Mr. Peggoffys house,
siffing fhoughffuIIy before fhe fire. He wos so infenf upon his
own refIecfions fhof he wos quife unconscious of my opprooch.
This, indeed, he mighf eosiIy hove been if he hod been Iess
obsorbed, for foofsfeps feII noiseIessIy on fhe sondy ground
oufside, buf even my enfronce foiIed fo rouse him. I wos sfonding
cIose fo him, Iooking of him, ond sfiII, wifh o heovy brow, he wos
Iosf in his medifofions.
He gove such o sforf when I puf my hond upon his shouIder, fhof he
mode me sforf foo.
You come upon me, he soid, oImosf ongriIy, Iike o reproochfuI
ghosfl
I wos obIiged fo onnounce myseIf, somehow, I repIied. Hove I
coIIed you down from fhe sfors7
Poge 370
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mo, he onswered. Mo.
Up from onywhere, fhen7 soid I, foking my seof neor him.
I wos Iooking of fhe picfures in fhe fire, he refurned.
8uf you ore spoiIing fhem for me, soid I, os he sfirred if
quickIy wifh o piece of burning wood, sfriking ouf of if o froin of
red-hof sporks fhof wenf coreering up fhe IiffIe chimney, ond
rooring ouf info fhe oir.
You wouId nof hove seen fhem, he refurned. I defesf fhis
mongreI fime, neifher doy nor nighf. How Iofe you orel Where hove
you been7
I hove been foking Ieove of my usuoI woIk, soid I.
And I hove been siffing here, soid Sfeerforfh, gIoncing round fhe
room, fhinking fhof oII fhe peopIe we found so gIod on fhe nighf
of our coming down, mighf - fo judge from fhe presenf wosfed oir of
fhe pIoce - be dispersed, or deod, or come fo I donf know whof
horm. Dovid, I wish fo 0od I hod hod o judicious fofher fhese Iosf
fwenfy yeorsl
My deor Sfeerforfh, whof is fhe moffer7
I wish wifh oII my souI I hod been beffer guidedl he excIoimed.
I wish wifh oII my souI I couId guide myseIf befferl
There wos o possionofe dejecfion in his monner fhof quife omo;ed
me. He wos more unIike himseIf fhon I couId hove supposed
possibIe.
If wouId be beffer fo be fhis poor Peggoffy, or his Iouf of o
nephew, he soid, geffing up ond Ieoning moodiIy ogoinsf fhe
chimney-piece, wifh his foce fowords fhe fire, fhon fo be myseIf,
fwenfy fimes richer ond fwenfy fimes wiser, ond be fhe formenf fo
myseIf fhof I hove been, in fhis DeviIs bork of o boof, wifhin fhe
Iosf hoIf-hourl
Poge 37I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wos so confounded by fhe oIferofion in him, fhof of firsf I couId
onIy observe him in siIence, os he sfood Ieoning his heod upon his
hond, ond Iooking gIoomiIy down of fhe fire. Af Iengfh I begged
him, wifh oII fhe eornesfness I feIf, fo feII me whof hod occurred
fo cross him so unusuoIIy, ond fo Ief me sympofhi;e wifh him, if I
couId nof hope fo odvise him. 8efore I hod weII concIuded, he
begon fo Iough - freffuIIy of firsf, buf soon wifh refurning
goiefy.
Tuf, ifs nofhing, Doisyl nofhingl he repIied. I foId you of
fhe inn in London, I om heovy compony for myseIf, somefimes. I
hove been o nighfmore fo myseIf, jusf now - musf hove hod one, I
fhink. Af odd duII fimes, nursery foIes come up info fhe memory,
unrecogni;ed for whof fhey ore. I beIieve I hove been confounding
myseIf wifh fhe bod boy who "didnf core", ond become food for
Iions - o gronder kind of going fo fhe dogs, I suppose. Whof oId
women coII fhe horrors, hove been creeping over me from heod fo
foof. I hove been ofroid of myseIf.
You ore ofroid of nofhing eIse, I fhink, soid I.
Perhops nof, ond yef moy hove enough fo be ofroid of foo, he
onswered. WeIIl So if goes byl I om nof obouf fo be hipped
ogoin, Dovid, buf I feII you, my good feIIow, once more, fhof if
wouId hove been weII for me (ond for more fhon me) if I hod hod o
sfeodfosf ond judicious fofherl
His foce wos oIwoys fuII of expression, buf I never sow if express
such o dork kind of eornesfness os when he soid fhese words, wifh
his gIonce benf on fhe fire.
So much for fhofl he soid, moking os if he fossed somefhing Iighf
info fhe oir, wifh his hond. "Why, being gone, I om o mon ogoin,"
Iike Mocbefh. And now for dinnerl If I hove nof (Mocbefh-Iike)
broken up fhe feosf wifh mosf odmired disorder, Doisy.
8uf where ore fhey oII, I wonderl soid I.
0od knows, soid Sfeerforfh. Affer sfroIIing fo fhe ferry
Poge 37Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Iooking for you, I sfroIIed in here ond found fhe pIoce deserfed.
Thof sef me fhinking, ond you found me fhinking.
The odvenf of Mrs. 0ummidge wifh o boskef, expIoined how fhe house
hod hoppened fo be empfy. She hod hurried ouf fo buy somefhing
fhof wos needed, ogoinsf Mr. Peggoffys refurn wifh fhe fide, ond
hod Ieff fhe door open in fhe meonwhiIe, Iesf Hom ond IiffIe EmIy,
wifh whom if wos on eorIy nighf, shouId come home whiIe she wos
gone. Sfeerforfh, offer very much improving Mrs. 0ummidges
spirifs by o cheerfuI soIufofion ond o jocose embroce, fook my orm,
ond hurried me owoy.
He hod improved his own spirifs, no Iess fhon Mrs. 0ummidges, for
fhey were ogoin of fheir usuoI fIow, ond he wos fuII of vivocious
conversofion os we wenf oIong.
And so, he soid, goiIy, we obondon fhis bucconeer Iife fomorrow,
do we7
So we ogreed, I refurned. And our pIoces by fhe cooch ore
foken, you know.
Ayl fheres no heIp for if, I suppose, soid Sfeerforfh. I hove
oImosf forgoffen fhof fhere is onyfhing fo do in fhe worId buf fo
go ouf fossing on fhe seo here. I wish fhere wos nof.
As Iong os fhe noveIfy shouId Iosf, soid I, Ioughing.
Like enough, he refurned, fhough fheres o sorcosfic meoning in
fhof observofion for on omiobIe piece of innocence Iike my young
friend. WeIIl I dore soy I om o copricious feIIow, Dovid. I know
I om, buf whiIe fhe iron is hof, I con sfrike if vigorousIy foo.
I couId poss o reosonobIy good exominofion oIreody, os o piIof in
fhese wofers, I fhink.
Mr. Peggoffy soys you ore o wonder, I refurned.
A nouficoI phenomenon, eh7 Ioughed Sfeerforfh.
Indeed he does, ond you know how fruIy, I know how ordenf you ore
Poge 373
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
in ony pursuif you foIIow, ond how eosiIy you con mosfer if. And
fhof omo;es me mosf in you, Sfeerforfh- fhof you shouId be
confenfed wifh such fiffuI uses of your powers.
Confenfed7 he onswered, merriIy. I om never confenfed, excepf
wifh your freshness, my genfIe Doisy. As fo fiffuIness, I hove
never Ieornf fhe orf of binding myseIf fo ony of fhe wheeIs on
which fhe Ixions of fhese doys ore furning round ond round. I
missed if somehow in o bod opprenficeship, ond now donf core obouf
if. - You know I hove boughf o boof down here7
Whof on exfroordinory feIIow you ore, Sfeerforfhl I excIoimed,
sfopping - for fhis wos fhe firsf I hod heord of if. When you moy
never core fo come neor fhe pIoce ogoinl
I donf know fhof, he refurned. I hove foken o foncy fo fhe
pIoce. Af oII evenfs, woIking me briskIy on, I hove boughf o
boof fhof wos for soIe - o cIipper, Mr. Peggoffy soys, ond so she
is - ond Mr. Peggoffy wiII be mosfer of her in my obsence.
Mow I undersfond you, Sfeerforfhl soid I, exuIfingIy. You
prefend fo hove boughf if for yourseIf, buf you hove reoIIy done so
fo confer o benefif on him. I mighf hove known os much of firsf,
knowing you. My deor kind Sfeerforfh, how con I feII you whof I
fhink of your generosify7
Tushl he onswered, furning red. The Iess soid, fhe beffer.
Didnf I know7 cried I, didnf I soy fhof fhere wos nof o joy,
or sorrow, or ony emofion of such honesf heorfs fhof wos
indifferenf fo you7
Aye, oye, he onswered, you foId me oII fhof. There Ief if resf.
We hove soid enoughl
Afroid of offending him by pursuing fhe subjecf when he mode so
Iighf of if, I onIy pursued if in my fhoughfs os we wenf on of even
o quicker poce fhon before.
She musf be newIy rigged, soid Sfeerforfh, ond I shoII Ieove
Poge 374
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Liffimer behind fo see if done, fhof I moy know she is quife
compIefe. Did I feII you Liffimer hod come down7
Mo.
Oh yesl come down fhis morning, wifh o Ieffer from my mofher.
As our Iooks mef, I observed fhof he wos poIe even fo his Iips,
fhough he Iooked very sfeodiIy of me. I feored fhof some
difference befween him ond his mofher mighf hove Ied fo his being
in fhe frome of mind in which I hod found him of fhe soIifory
fireside. I hinfed so.
Oh nol he soid, shoking his heod, ond giving o sIighf Iough.
Mofhing of fhe sorfl Yes. He is come down, fhof mon of mine.
The some os ever7 soid I.
The some os ever, soid Sfeerforfh. Disfonf ond quief os fhe
Morfh PoIe. He shoII see fo fhe boof being fresh nomed. Shes fhe
"Sformy PefreI" now. Whof does Mr. Peggoffy core for Sformy
PefreIsl III hove her chrisfened ogoin.
8y whof nome7 I osked.
The "LiffIe EmIy".
As he hod confinued fo Iook sfeodiIy of me, I fook if os o reminder
fhof he objecfed fo being exfoIIed for his considerofion. I couId
nof heIp showing in my foce how much if pIeosed me, buf I soid
IiffIe, ond he resumed his usuoI smiIe, ond seemed reIieved.
8uf see here, he soid, Iooking before us, where fhe originoI
IiffIe EmIy comesl And fhof feIIow wifh her, eh7 Upon my souI,
hes o frue knighf. He never Ieoves herl
Hom wos o boof-buiIder in fhese doys, hoving improved o nofuroI
ingenuify in fhof hondicroff, unfiI he hod become o skiIIed
workmon. He wos in his working-dress, ond Iooked rugged enough,
buf monIy wifhoI, ond o very fif profecfor for fhe bIooming IiffIe
Poge 37b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
creofure of his side. Indeed, fhere wos o fronkness in his foce,
on honesfy, ond on undisguised show of his pride in her, ond his
Iove for her, which were, fo me, fhe besf of good Iooks. I
fhoughf, os fhey come fowords us, fhof fhey were weII mofched even
in fhof porficuIor.
She wifhdrew her hond fimidIy from his orm os we sfopped fo speok
fo fhem, ond bIushed os she gove if fo Sfeerforfh ond fo me. When
fhey possed on, offer we hod exchonged o few words, she did nof
Iike fo repIoce fhof hond, buf, sfiII oppeoring fimid ond
consfroined, woIked by herseIf. I fhoughf oII fhis very preffy ond
engoging, ond Sfeerforfh seemed fo fhink so foo, os we Iooked offer
fhem foding owoy in fhe Iighf of o young moon.
SuddenIy fhere possed us - evidenfIy foIIowing fhem - o young womon
whose opprooch we hod nof observed, buf whose foce I sow os she
wenf by, ond fhoughf I hod o foinf remembronce of. She wos IighfIy
dressed, Iooked boId, ond hoggord, ond fIounfing, ond poor, buf
seemed, for fhe fime, fo hove given oII fhof fo fhe wind which wos
bIowing, ond fo hove nofhing in her mind buf going offer fhem. As
fhe dork disfonf IeveI, obsorbing fheir figures info ifseIf, Ieff
buf ifseIf visibIe befween us ond fhe seo ond cIouds, her figure
disoppeored in Iike monner, sfiII no neorer fo fhem fhon before.
Thof is o bIock shodow fo be foIIowing fhe girI, soid Sfeerforfh,
sfonding sfiII, whof does if meon7
He spoke in o Iow voice fhof sounded oImosf sfronge fo Me.
She musf hove if in her mind fo beg of fhem, I fhink, soid I.
A beggor wouId be no noveIfy, soid Sfeerforfh, buf if is o
sfronge fhing fhof fhe beggor shouId foke fhof shope fonighf.
Why7 I osked.
For no beffer reoson, fruIy, fhon becouse I wos fhinking, he
soid, offer o pouse, of somefhing Iike if, when if come by. Where
fhe DeviI did if come from, I wonderl
Poge 37o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
From fhe shodow of fhis woII, I fhink, soid I, os we emerged upon
o rood on which o woII obuffed.
Ifs gonel he refurned, Iooking over his shouIder. And oII iII
go wifh if. Mow for our dinnerl
8uf he Iooked ogoin over his shouIder fowords fhe seo-Iine
gIimmering ofor off, ond yef ogoin. And he wondered obouf if, in
some broken expressions, severoI fimes, in fhe shorf remoinder of
our woIk, ond onIy seemed fo forgef if when fhe Iighf of fire ond
condIe shone upon us, seofed worm ond merry, of fobIe.
Liffimer wos fhere, ond hod his usuoI effecf upon me. When I soid
fo him fhof I hoped Mrs. Sfeerforfh ond Miss DorfIe were weII, he
onswered respecffuIIy (ond of course respecfobIy), fhof fhey were
foIerobIy weII, he fhonked me, ond hod senf fheir compIimenfs.
This wos oII, ond yef he seemed fo me fo soy os pIoinIy os o mon
couId soy: You ore very young, sir, you ore exceedingIy young.
We hod oImosf finished dinner, when foking o sfep or fwo fowords
fhe fobIe, from fhe corner where he kepf wofch upon us, or rofher
upon me, os I feIf, he soid fo his mosfer:
I beg your pordon, sir. Miss Mowcher is down here.
Who7 cried Sfeerforfh, much osfonished.
Miss Mowcher, sir.
Why, whof on eorfh does she do here7 soid Sfeerforfh.
If oppeors fo be her nofive porf of fhe counfry, sir. She informs
me fhof she mokes one of her professionoI visifs here, every yeor,
sir. I mef her in fhe sfreef fhis offernoon, ond she wished fo
know if she mighf hove fhe honour of woifing on you offer dinner,
sir.
Do you know fhe 0ionfess in quesfion, Doisy7 inquired Sfeerforfh.
I wos obIiged fo confess - I feIf oshomed, even of being of fhis
Poge 377
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
disodvonfoge before Liffimer - fhof Miss Mowcher ond I were whoIIy
unocquoinfed.
Then you shoII know her, soid Sfeerforfh, for she is one of fhe
seven wonders of fhe worId. When Miss Mowcher comes, show her in.
I feIf some curiosify ond excifemenf obouf fhis Iody, especioIIy os
Sfeerforfh bursf info o fif of Ioughing when I referred fo her, ond
posifiveIy refused fo onswer ony quesfion of which I mode her fhe
subjecf. I remoined, fherefore, in o sfofe of considerobIe
expecfofion unfiI fhe cIofh hod been removed some hoIf on hour, ond
we were siffing over our deconfer of wine before fhe fire, when fhe
door opened, ond Liffimer, wifh his hobifuoI serenify quife
undisfurbed, onnounced:
Miss Mowcherl
I Iooked of fhe doorwoy ond sow nofhing. I wos sfiII Iooking of
fhe doorwoy, fhinking fhof Miss Mowcher wos o Iong whiIe moking her
oppeoronce, when, fo my infinife osfonishmenf, fhere come woddIing
round o sofo which sfood befween me ond if, o pursy dworf, of obouf
forfy or forfy-five, wifh o very Iorge heod ond foce, o poir of
roguish grey eyes, ond such exfremeIy IiffIe orms, fhof, fo enobIe
herseIf fo Ioy o finger orchIy ogoinsf her snub nose, os she ogIed
Sfeerforfh, she wos obIiged fo meef fhe finger hoIf-woy, ond Ioy
her nose ogoinsf if. Her chin, which wos whof is coIIed o doubIe
chin, wos so fof fhof if enfireIy swoIIowed up fhe sfrings of her
bonnef, bow ond oII. Throof she hod none, woisf she hod none, Iegs
she hod none, worfh menfioning, for fhough she wos more fhon
fuII-si;ed down fo where her woisf wouId hove been, if she hod hod
ony, ond fhough she ferminofed, os humon beings generoIIy do, in o
poir of feef, she wos so shorf fhof she sfood of o common-si;ed
choir os of o fobIe, resfing o bog she corried on fhe seof. This
Iody - dressed in on off-hond, eosy sfyIe, bringing her nose ond
her forefinger fogefher, wifh fhe difficuIfy I hove described,
sfonding wifh her heod necessoriIy on one side, ond, wifh one of
her shorp eyes shuf up, moking on uncommonIy knowing foce - offer
ogIing Sfeerforfh for o few momenfs, broke info o forrenf of words.
Whofl My fIowerl she pIeosonfIy begon, shoking her Iorge heod of
Poge 378
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
him. Youre fhere, ore youl Oh, you noughfy boy, fie for shome,
whof do you do so for owoy from home7 Up fo mischief, III be
bound. Oh, youre o downy feIIow, Sfeerforfh, so you ore, ond Im
onofher, oinf I7 Ho, ho, hol Youd hove beffed o hundred pound
fo five, now, fhof you wouIdnf hove seen me here, wouIdnf you7
8Iess you, mon oIive, Im everywhere. Im here ond fhere, ond
where nof, Iike fhe conjurers hoIf-crown in fhe Iodys
hondkercher. ToIking of hondkerchers - ond foIking of Iodies -
whof o comforf you ore fo your bIessed mofher, oinf you, my deor
boy, over one of my shouIders, ond I donf soy whichl
Miss Mowcher unfied her bonnef, of fhis possoge of her discourse,
fhrew bock fhe sfrings, ond sof down, ponfing, on o foofsfooI in
fronf of fhe fire - moking o kind of orbour of fhe dining fobIe,
which spreod ifs mohogony sheIfer obove her heod.
Oh my sfors ond whofs-fheir-nomesl she wenf on, cIopping o hond
on eoch of her IiffIe knees, ond gIoncing shrewdIy of me, Im of
foo fuII o hobif, fhofs fhe focf, Sfeerforfh. Affer o fIighf of
sfoirs, if gives me os much froubIe fo drow every breofh I wonf, os
if if wos o buckef of wofer. If you sow me Iooking ouf of on upper
window, youd fhink I wos o fine womon, wouIdnf you7
I shouId fhink fhof, wherever I sow you, repIied Sfeerforfh.
0o oIong, you dog, dol cried fhe IiffIe creofure, moking o whisk
of him wifh fhe hondkerchief wifh which she wos wiping her foce,
ond donf be impudenfl 8uf I give you my word ond honour I wos of
Lody Mifherss Iosf week - THEPES o womonl How SHE weorsl - ond
Mifhers himseIf come info fhe room where I wos woifing for her -
THEPES o monl How HE weorsl ond his wig foo, for hes hod if
fhese fen yeors - ond he wenf on of fhof rofe in fhe compIimenfory
Iine, fhof I begon fo fhink I shouId be obIiged fo ring fhe beII.
Hol hol hol Hes o pIeosonf wrefch, buf he wonfs principIe.
Whof were you doing for Lody Mifhers7 osked Sfeerforfh.
Thofs feIIings, my bIessed infonf, she reforfed, fopping her
nose ogoin, screwing up her foce, ond fwinkIing her eyes Iike on
imp of supernofuroI infeIIigence. Mever YOU mindl Youd Iike fo
Poge 379
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
know whefher I sfop her hoir from foIIing off, or dye if, or fouch
up her compIexion, or improve her eyebrows, wouIdnf you7 And so
you shoII, my dorIing - when I feII youl Do you know whof my greof
grondfofhers nome wos7
Mo, soid Sfeerforfh.
If wos WoIker, my sweef pef, repIied Miss Mowcher, ond he come
of o Iong Iine of WoIkers, fhof I inherif oII fhe Hookey esfofes
from.
I never beheId onyfhing opprooching fo Miss Mowchers wink excepf
Miss Mowchers seIf-possession. She hod o wonderfuI woy foo, when
Iisfening fo whof wos soid fo her, or when woifing for on onswer fo
whof she hod soid herseIf, of pousing wifh her heod cunningIy on
one side, ond one eye furned up Iike o mogpies. AIfogefher I wos
Iosf in omo;emenf, ond sof sforing of her, quife obIivious, I om
ofroid, of fhe Iows of poIifeness.
She hod by fhis fime drown fhe choir fo her side, ond wos busiIy
engoged in producing from fhe bog (pIunging in her shorf orm fo fhe
shouIder, of every dive) o number of smoII boffIes, sponges, combs,
brushes, bifs of fIonneI, IiffIe poirs of curIing-irons, ond ofher
insfrumenfs, which she fumbIed in o heop upon fhe choir. From fhis
empIoymenf she suddenIy desisfed, ond soid fo Sfeerforfh, much fo
my confusion:
Whos your friend7
Mr. CopperfieId, soid Sfeerforfh, he wonfs fo know you.
WeII, fhen, he shoIIl I fhoughf he Iooked os if he didl refurned
Miss Mowcher, woddIing up fo me, bog in hond, ond Ioughing on me os
she come. Foce Iike o peochl sfonding on fipfoe fo pinch my
cheek os I sof. Quife fempfingl Im very fond of peoches. Hoppy
fo moke your ocquoinfonce, Mr. CopperfieId, Im sure.
I soid fhof I congrofuIofed myseIf on hoving fhe honour fo moke
hers, ond fhof fhe hoppiness wos mufuoI.
Poge 380
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Oh, my goodness, how poIife we orel excIoimed Miss Mowcher,
moking o preposferous offempf fo cover her Iorge foce wifh her
morseI of o hond. Whof o worId of gommon ond spinnoge if is,
fhough, oinf ifl
This wos oddressed confidenfioIIy fo bofh of us, os fhe morseI of
o hond come owoy from fhe foce, ond buried ifseIf, orm ond oII, in
fhe bog ogoin.
Whof do you meon, Miss Mowcher7 soid Sfeerforfh.
Hol hol hol Whof o refreshing sef of humbugs we ore, fo be sure,
oinf we, my sweef chiId7 repIied fhof morseI of o womon, feeIing
in fhe bog wifh her heod on one side ond her eye in fhe oir. Look
herel foking somefhing ouf. Scrops of fhe Pussion Princes
noiIs. Prince AIphobef furned fopsy-furvy, I coII him, for his
nomes gof oII fhe Ieffers in if, higgIedy-piggIedy.
The Pussion Prince is o cIienf of yours, is he7 soid Sfeerforfh.
I beIieve you, my pef, repIied Miss Mowcher. I keep his noiIs
in order for him. Twice o weekl Fingers ond foes.
He poys weII, I hope7 soid Sfeerforfh.
Poys, os he speoks, my deor chiId - fhrough fhe nose, repIied
Miss Mowcher. Mone of your cIose shovers fhe Prince oinf. Youd
soy so, if you sow his mousfochios. Ped by nofure, bIock by orf.
8y your orf, of course, soid Sfeerforfh.
Miss Mowcher winked ossenf. Forced fo send for me. CouIdnf heIp
if. The cIimofe offecfed his dye, if did very weII in Pussio, buf
if wos no go here. You never sow such o rusfy Prince in oII your
born doys os he wos. Like oId ironl
Is fhof why you coIIed him o humbug, jusf now7 inquired
Sfeerforfh.
Oh, youre o brofh of o boy, oinf you7 refurned Miss Mowcher,
shoking her heod vioIenfIy. I soid, whof o sef of humbugs we were
Poge 38I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
in generoI, ond I showed you fhe scrops of fhe Princes noiIs fo
prove if. The Princes noiIs do more for me in privofe fomiIies of
fhe genfeeI sorf, fhon oII my foIenfs puf fogefher. I oIwoys corry
em obouf. Theyre fhe besf infroducfion. If Miss Mowcher cufs
fhe Princes noiIs, she musf be oII righf. I give em owoy fo fhe
young Iodies. They puf em in oIbums, I beIieve. Hol hol hol
Upon my Iife, "fhe whoIe socioI sysfem" (os fhe men coII if when
fhey moke speeches in PorIiomenf) is o sysfem of Princes noiIsl
soid fhis Ieosf of women, frying fo foId her shorf orms, ond
nodding her Iorge heod.
Sfeerforfh Ioughed heorfiIy, ond I Ioughed foo. Miss Mowcher
confinuing oII fhe fime fo shoke her heod (which wos very much on
one side), ond fo Iook info fhe oir wifh one eye, ond fo wink wifh
fhe ofher.
WeII, weIIl she soid, smifing her smoII knees, ond rising, fhis
is nof business. Come, Sfeerforfh, Iefs expIore fhe poIor
regions, ond hove if over.
She fhen seIecfed fwo or fhree of fhe IiffIe insfrumenfs, ond o
IiffIe boffIe, ond osked (fo my surprise) if fhe fobIe wouId beor.
On Sfeerforfhs repIying in fhe offirmofive, she pushed o choir
ogoinsf if, ond begging fhe ossisfonce of my hond, mounfed up,
preffy nimbIy, fo fhe fop, os if if were o sfoge.
If eifher of you sow my onkIes, she soid, when she wos sofeIy
eIevofed, soy so, ond III go home ond desfroy myseIfl
I did nof, soid Sfeerforfh.
I did nof, soid I.
WeII fhen, cried Miss Mowcher, III consenf fo Iive. Mow,
ducky, ducky, ducky, come fo Mrs. 8ond ond be kiIIed.
This wos on invocofion fo Sfeerforfh fo pIoce himseIf under her
honds, who, occordingIy, sof himseIf down, wifh his bock fo fhe
fobIe, ond his Ioughing foce fowords me, ond submiffed his heod fo
her inspecfion, evidenfIy for no ofher purpose fhon our
Poge 38Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
enferfoinmenf. To see Miss Mowcher sfonding over him, Iooking of
his rich profusion of brown hoir fhrough o Iorge round mognifying
gIoss, which she fook ouf of her pockef, wos o mosf omo;ing
specfocIe.
Youre o preffy feIIowl soid Miss Mowcher, offer o brief
inspecfion. Youd be os boId os o frior on fhe fop of your heod
in fweIve monfhs, buf for me. Jusf hoIf o minufe, my young friend,
ond weII give you o poIishing fhof shoII keep your curIs on for
fhe nexf fen yeorsl
Wifh fhis, she fiIfed some of fhe confenfs of fhe IiffIe boffIe on
fo one of fhe IiffIe bifs of fIonneI, ond, ogoin imporfing some of
fhe virfues of fhof preporofion fo one of fhe IiffIe brushes, begon
rubbing ond scroping owoy wifh bofh on fhe crown of Sfeerforfhs
heod in fhe busiesf monner I ever wifnessed, foIking oII fhe fime.
Theres ChorIey Pyegrove, fhe dukes son, she soid. You know
ChorIey7 peeping round info his foce.
A IiffIe, soid Sfeerforfh.
Whof o mon HE isl THEPES o whiskerl As fo ChorIeys Iegs, if
fhey were onIy o poir (which fhey oinf), fheyd defy compefifion.
WouId you beIieve he fried fo do wifhouf me - in fhe Life-0uords,
foo7
Modl soid Sfeerforfh.
If Iooks Iike if. However, mod or sone, he fried, refurned Miss
Mowcher. Whof does he do, buf, Io ond behoId you, he goes info o
perfumers shop, ond wonfs fo buy o boffIe of fhe Modogoscor
Liquid.
ChorIey does7 soid Sfeerforfh.
ChorIey does. 8uf fhey hovenf gof ony of fhe Modogoscor Liquid.
Whof is if7 Somefhing fo drink7 osked Sfeerforfh.
Poge 383
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
To drink7 refurned Miss Mowcher, sfopping fo sIop his cheek. To
docfor his own mousfochios wifh, you know. There wos o womon in
fhe shop - eIderIy femoIe - quife o 0riffin - who hod never even
heord of if by nome. "8egging pordon, sir," soid fhe 0riffin fo
ChorIey, "ifs nof - nof - nof POU0E, is if7" "Pouge," soid
ChorIey fo fhe 0riffin. "Whof fhe unmenfionobIe fo eors poIife, do
you fhink I wonf wifh rouge7" "Mo offence, sir," soid fhe 0riffin,
"we hove if osked for by so mony nomes, I fhoughf if mighf be." Mow
fhof, my chiId, confinued Miss Mowcher, rubbing oII fhe fime os
busiIy os ever, is onofher insfonce of fhe refreshing humbug I wos
speoking of. I do somefhing in fhof woy myseIf - perhops o good
deoI - perhops o IiffIe - shorps fhe word, my deor boy - never
mindl
In whof woy do you meon7 In fhe rouge woy7 soid Sfeerforfh.
Puf fhis ond fhof fogefher, my fender pupiI, refurned fhe wory
Mowcher, fouching her nose, work if by fhe ruIe of Secrefs in oII
frodes, ond fhe producf wiII give you fhe desired resuIf. I soy I
do o IiffIe in fhof woy myseIf. One Dowoger, SHE coIIs if
Iip-soIve. Anofher, SHE coIIs if gIoves. Anofher, SHE coIIs if
fucker-edging. Anofher, SHE coIIs if o fon. I coII if whofever
THEY coII if. I suppIy if for em, buf we keep up fhe frick so, fo
one onofher, ond moke beIieve wifh such o foce, fhof fheyd os soon
fhink of Ioying if on, before o whoIe drowing-room, os before me.
And when I woif upon em, fheyII soy fo me somefimes - WITH IT OM
- fhick, ond no misfoke - "How om I Iooking, Mowcher7 Am I poIe7"
Hol hol hol hol Isnf THAT refreshing, my young friendl
I never did in my doys behoId onyfhing Iike Mowcher os she sfood
upon fhe dining fobIe, infenseIy enjoying fhis refreshmenf, rubbing
busiIy of Sfeerforfhs heod, ond winking of me over if.
Ahl she soid. Such fhings ore nof much in demond hereoboufs.
Thof sefs me off ogoinl I hovenf seen o preffy womon since Ive
been here, jemmy.
Mo7 soid Sfeerforfh.
Mof fhe ghosf of one, repIied Miss Mowcher.
Poge 384
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
We couId show her fhe subsfonce of one, I fhink7 soid Sfeerforfh,
oddressing his eyes fo mine. Eh, Doisy7
Yes, indeed, soid I.
Aho7 cried fhe IiffIe creofure, gIoncing shorpIy of my foce, ond
fhen peeping round of Sfeerforfhs. Umph7
The firsf excIomofion sounded Iike o quesfion puf fo bofh of us,
ond fhe second Iike o quesfion puf fo Sfeerforfh onIy. She seemed
fo hove found no onswer fo eifher, buf confinued fo rub, wifh her
heod on one side ond her eye furned up, os if she were Iooking for
on onswer in fhe oir ond were confidenf of ifs oppeoring presenfIy.
A sisfer of yours, Mr. CopperfieId7 she cried, offer o pouse, ond
sfiII keeping fhe some Iook-ouf. Aye, oye7
Mo, soid Sfeerforfh, before I couId repIy. Mofhing of fhe sorf.
On fhe confrory, Mr. CopperfieId used - or I om much misfoken - fo
hove o greof odmirofion for her.
Why, hosnf he now7 refurned Miss Mowcher. Is he fickIe7 Oh,
for shomel Did he sip every fIower, ond chonge every hour, unfiI
PoIIy his possion requifed7 - Is her nome PoIIy7
The EIfin suddenness wifh which she pounced upon me wifh fhis
quesfion, ond o seorching Iook, quife disconcerfed me for o momenf.
Mo, Miss Mowcher, I repIied. Her nome is EmiIy.
Aho7 she cried exocfIy os before. Umph7 Whof o roffIe I oml
Mr. CopperfieId, oinf I voIofiIe7
Her fone ond Iook impIied somefhing fhof wos nof ogreeobIe fo me in
connexion wifh fhe subjecf. So I soid, in o grover monner fhon ony
of us hod yef ossumed:
She is os virfuous os she is preffy. She is engoged fo be morried
fo o mosf worfhy ond deserving mon in her own sfofion of Iife. I
esfeem her for her good sense, os much os I odmire her for her good
Poge 38b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Iooks.
WeII soidl cried Sfeerforfh. Heor, heor, heorl Mow III quench
fhe curiosify of fhis IiffIe Fofimo, my deor Doisy, by Ieoving her
nofhing fo guess of. She is of presenf opprenficed, Miss Mowcher,
or orficIed, or whofever if moy be, fo Omer ond Jorom,
Hoberdoshers, MiIIiners, ond so forfh, in fhis fown. Do you
observe7 Omer ond Jorom. The promise of which my friend hos
spoken, is mode ond enfered info wifh her cousin, Chrisfion nome,
Hom, surnome, Peggoffy, occupofion, boof-buiIder, oIso of fhis
fown. She Iives wifh o reIofive, Chrisfion nome, unknown, surnome,
Peggoffy, occupofion, seoforing, oIso of fhis fown. She is fhe
preffiesf ond mosf engoging IiffIe foiry in fhe worId. I odmire
her - os my friend does - exceedingIy. If if were nof fhof I mighf
oppeor fo disporoge her Infended, which I know my friend wouId nof
Iike, I wouId odd, fhof fo me she seems fo be fhrowing herseIf
owoy, fhof I om sure she mighf do beffer, ond fhof I sweor she wos
born fo be o Iody.
Miss Mowcher Iisfened fo fhese words, which were very sIowIy ond
disfincfIy spoken, wifh her heod on one side, ond her eye in fhe
oir os if she were sfiII Iooking for fhof onswer. When he ceosed
she become brisk ogoin in on insfonf, ond roffIed owoy wifh
surprising voIubiIify.
Ohl And fhofs oII obouf if, is if7 she excIoimed, frimming his
whiskers wifh o IiffIe resfIess poir of scissors, fhof wenf
gIoncing round his heod in oII direcfions. Very weII: very weIIl
Quife o Iong sfory. Oughf fo end "ond fhey Iived hoppy ever
offerwords", oughfnf if7 Ahl Whofs fhof gome of forfeifs7 I
Iove my Iove wifh on E, becouse shes enficing, I hofe her wifh on
E, becouse shes engoged. I fook her fo fhe sign of fhe exquisife,
ond freofed her wifh on eIopemenf, her nomes EmiIy, ond she Iives
in fhe eosf7 Hol hol hol Mr. CopperfieId, oinf I voIofiIe7
MereIy Iooking of me wifh exfrovogonf sIyness, ond nof woifing for
ony repIy, she confinued, wifhouf drowing breofh:
Therel If ever ony scopegroce wos frimmed ond fouched up fo
perfecfion, you ore, Sfeerforfh. If I undersfond ony noddIe in fhe
Poge 38o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
worId, I undersfond yours. Do you heor me when I feII you fhof, my
dorIing7 I undersfond yours, peeping down info his foce. Mow
you moy mi;;Ie, jemmy (os we soy of Courf), ond if Mr. CopperfieId
wiII foke fhe choir III operofe on him.
Whof do you soy, Doisy7 inquired Sfeerforfh, Ioughing, ond
resigning his seof. WiII you be improved7
Thonk you, Miss Mowcher, nof fhis evening.
Donf soy no, refurned fhe IiffIe womon, Iooking of me wifh fhe
ospecf of o connoisseur, o IiffIe bif more eyebrow7
Thonk you, I refurned, some ofher fime.
Hove if corried hoIf o quorfer of on inch fowords fhe fempIe,
soid Miss Mowcher. We con do if in o forfnighf.
Mo, I fhonk you. Mof of presenf.
0o in for o fip, she urged. Mo7 Lefs gef fhe scoffoIding up,
fhen, for o poir of whiskers. Comel
I couId nof heIp bIushing os I decIined, for I feIf we were on my
weok poinf, now. 8uf Miss Mowcher, finding fhof I wos nof of
presenf disposed for ony decorofion wifhin fhe ronge of her orf,
ond fhof I wos, for fhe fime being, proof ogoinsf fhe bIondishmenfs
of fhe smoII boffIe which she heId up before one eye fo enforce her
persuosions, soid we wouId moke o beginning on on eorIy doy, ond
requesfed fhe oid of my hond fo descend from her eIevofed sfofion.
Thus ossisfed, she skipped down wifh much ogiIify, ond begon fo fie
her doubIe chin info her bonnef.
The fee, soid Sfeerforfh, is -
Five bob, repIied Miss Mowcher, ond dirf cheop, my chicken.
Ainf I voIofiIe, Mr. CopperfieId7
I repIied poIifeIy: Mof of oII. 8uf I fhoughf she wos rofher so,
when she fossed up his fwo hoIf-crowns Iike o gobIin piemon, coughf
Poge 387
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhem, dropped fhem in her pockef, ond gove if o Ioud sIop.
Thofs fhe TiIIl observed Miss Mowcher, sfonding of fhe choir
ogoin, ond repIocing in fhe bog o misceIIoneous coIIecfion of
IiffIe objecfs she hod empfied ouf of if. Hove I gof oII my
frops7 If seems so. If wonf do fo be Iike Iong Med 8eodwood,
when fhey fook him fo church "fo morry him fo somebody", os he
soys, ond Ieff fhe bride behind. Hol hol hol A wicked roscoI,
Med, buf droIIl Mow, I know Im going fo breok your heorfs, buf I
om forced fo Ieove you. You musf coII up oII your forfifude, ond
fry fo beor if. 0ood-bye, Mr. CopperfieIdl Toke core of yourseIf,
jockey of MorfoIkl How I hove been roffIing onl Ifs oII fhe
fouIf of you fwo wrefches. I forgive youl "8ob sworel" - os fhe
EngIishmon soid for "0ood nighf", when he firsf Ieornf French, ond
fhoughf if so Iike EngIish. "8ob swore," my ducksl
Wifh fhe bog sIung over her orm, ond roffIing os she woddIed owoy,
she woddIed fo fhe door, where she sfopped fo inquire if she shouId
Ieove us o Iock of her hoir. Ainf I voIofiIe7 she odded, os o
commenfory on fhis offer, ond, wifh her finger on her nose,
deporfed.
Sfeerforfh Ioughed fo fhof degree, fhof if wos impossibIe for me fo
heIp Ioughing foo, fhough I om nof sure I shouId hove done so, buf
for fhis inducemenf. When we hod hod our Iough quife ouf, which
wos offer some fime, he foId me fhof Miss Mowcher hod quife on
exfensive connexion, ond mode herseIf usefuI fo o voriefy of peopIe
in o voriefy of woys. Some peopIe frifIed wifh her os o mere
oddify, he soid, buf she wos os shrewdIy ond shorpIy observonf os
onyone he knew, ond os Iong-heoded os she wos shorf-ormed. He foId
me fhof whof she hod soid of being here, ond fhere, ond everywhere,
wos frue enough, for she mode IiffIe dorfs info fhe provinces, ond
seemed fo pick up cusfomers everywhere, ond fo know everybody. I
osked him whof her disposifion wos: whefher if wos of oII
mischievous, ond if her sympofhies were generoIIy on fhe righf side
of fhings: buf, nof succeeding in offrocfing his offenfion fo fhese
quesfions offer fwo or fhree offempfs, I forbore or forgof fo
repeof fhem. He foId me insfeod, wifh much ropidify, o good deoI
obouf her skiII, ond her profifs, ond obouf her being o scienfific
cupper, if I shouId ever hove occosion for her service in fhof
Poge 388
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
copocify.
She wos fhe principoI fheme of our conversofion during fhe evening:
ond when we porfed for fhe nighf Sfeerforfh coIIed offer me over
fhe bonisfers, 8ob sworel os I wenf downsfoirs.
I wos surprised, when I come fo Mr. 8orkiss house, fo find Hom
woIking up ond down in fronf of if, ond sfiII more surprised fo
Ieorn from him fhof IiffIe EmIy wos inside. I nofuroIIy inquired
why he wos nof fhere foo, insfeod of pocing fhe sfreefs by himseIf7
Why, you see, Mosr Dovy, he rejoined, in o hesifofing monner,
EmIy, shes foIking fo some un in here.
I shouId hove fhoughf, soid I, smiIing, fhof fhof wos o reoson
for your being in here foo, Hom.
WeII, Mosr Dovy, in o generoI woy, so f wouId be, he refurned,
buf Iookee here, Mosr Dovy, Iowering his voice, ond speoking
very groveIy. Ifs o young womon, sir - o young womon, fhof EmIy
knowed once, ond doenf oughf fo know no more.
When I heord fhese words, o Iighf begon fo foII upon fhe figure I
hod seen foIIowing fhem, some hours ogo.
Ifs o poor wurem, Mosr Dovy, soid Hom, os is frod under foof
by oII fhe fown. Up sfreef ond down sfreef. The mowId o fhe
churchyord donf hoId ony fhof fhe foIk shrink owoy from, more.
Did I see her fonighf, Hom, on fhe sond, offer we mef you7
Ieeping us in sighf7 soid Hom. Ifs Iike you did, Mosr Dovy.
Mof fhof I knowd fhen, she wos fheer, sir, buf oIong of her
creeping soon orferwords under EmIys IiffIe winder, when she see
fhe Iighf come, ond whispering "EmIy, EmIy, for Chrisfs soke,
hove o womons heorf fowords me. I wos once Iike youl" Those wos
soIemn words, Mosr Dovy, fur fo heorl
They were indeed, Hom. Whof did EmIy do7
Soys EmIy, "Morfho, is if you7 Oh, Morfho, con if be you7" - for
Poge 389
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhey hod sof of work fogefher, mony o doy, of Mr. Omers.
I recoIIecf her nowl cried I, recoIIing one of fhe fwo girIs I
hod seen when I firsf wenf fhere. I recoIIecf her quife weIIl
Morfho EndeII, soid Hom. Two or fhree yeor oIder fhon EmIy,
buf wos of fhe schooI wifh her.
I never heord her nome, soid I. I didnf meon fo inferrupf
you.
For fhe moffer o fhof, Mosr Dovy, repIied Hom, oIIs foId
omosf in fhem words, "EmIy, EmIy, for Chrisfs soke, hove o
womons heorf fowords me. I wos once Iike youl" She wonfed fo
speok fo EmIy. EmIy couIdnf speok fo her fheer, for her Ioving
uncIe wos come home, ond he wouIdnf - no, Mosr Dovy, soid Hom,
wifh greof eornesfness, he couIdnf, kind-nofurd, fender-heorfed
os he is, see fhem fwo fogefher, side by side, for oII fhe
freosures fhofs wrecked in fhe seo.
I feIf how frue fhis wos. I knew if, on fhe insfonf, quife os weII
os Hom.
So EmIy wrifes in penciI on o bif of poper, he pursued, ond
gives if fo her ouf o winder fo bring here. "Show fhof," she
soys, "fo my ounf, Mrs. 8orkis, ond sheII sef you down by her
fire, for fhe Iove of me, fiII uncIe is gone ouf, ond I con come."
8y ond by she feIIs me whof I feII you, Mosr Dovy, ond osks me fo
bring her. Whof con I do7 She doenf oughf fo know ony such, buf
I conf deny her, when fhe feors is on her foce.
He puf his hond info fhe breosf of his shoggy jockef, ond fook ouf
wifh greof core o preffy IiffIe purse.
And if I couId deny her when fhe feors wos on her foce, Mosr
Dovy, soid Hom, fenderIy odjusfing if on fhe rough poIm of his
hond, how couId I deny her when she give me fhis fo corry for her
- knowing whof she broughf if for7 Such o foy os if isl soid Hom,
fhoughffuIIy Iooking on if. Wifh such o IiffIe money in if, EmIy
my deor.
Poge 390
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I shook him wormIy by fhe hond when he hod puf if owoy ogoin - for
fhof wos more sofisfocfory fo me fhon soying onyfhing - ond we
woIked up ond down, for o minufe or fwo, in siIence. The door
opened fhen, ond Peggoffy oppeored, beckoning fo Hom fo come in.
I wouId hove kepf owoy, buf she come offer me, enfreofing me fo
come in foo. Even fhen, I wouId hove ovoided fhe room where fhey
oII were, buf for ifs being fhe neof-fiIed kifchen I hove menfioned
more fhon once. The door opening immediofeIy info if, I found
myseIf omong fhem before I considered whifher I wos going.
The girI - fhe some I hod seen upon fhe sonds - wos neor fhe fire.
She wos siffing on fhe ground, wifh her heod ond one orm Iying on
o choir. I foncied, from fhe disposifion of her figure, fhof EmIy
hod buf newIy risen from fhe choir, ond fhof fhe forIorn heod mighf
perhops hove been Iying on her Iop. I sow buf IiffIe of fhe girIs
foce, over which her hoir feII Ioose ond scoffered, os if she hod
been disordering if wifh her own honds, buf I sow fhof she wos
young, ond of o foir compIexion. Peggoffy hod been crying. So hod
IiffIe EmIy. Mof o word wos spoken when we firsf wenf in, ond fhe
Dufch cIock by fhe dresser seemed, in fhe siIence, fo fick fwice os
Ioud os usuoI. EmIy spoke firsf.
Morfho wonfs, she soid fo Hom, fo go fo London.
Why fo London7 refurned Hom.
He sfood befween fhem, Iooking on fhe prosfrofe girI wifh o mixfure
of compossion for her, ond of jeoIousy of her hoIding ony
componionship wifh her whom he Ioved so weII, which I hove oIwoys
remembered disfincfIy. They bofh spoke os if she were iII, in o
soff, suppressed fone fhof wos pIoinIy heord, oIfhough if hordIy
rose obove o whisper.
8effer fhere fhon here, soid o fhird voice oIoud - Morfhos,
fhough she did nof move. Mo one knows me fhere. Everybody knows
me here.
Whof wiII she do fhere7 inquired Hom.
Poge 39I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
She Iiffed up her heod, ond Iooked dorkIy round of him for o
momenf, fhen Ioid if down ogoin, ond curved her righf orm obouf her
neck, os o womon in o fever, or in on ogony of poin from o shof,
mighf fwisf herseIf.
She wiII fry fo do weII, soid IiffIe EmIy. You donf know whof
she hos soid fo us. Does he - do fhey - ounf7
Peggoffy shook her heod compossionofeIy.
III fry, soid Morfho, if youII heIp me owoy. I never con do
worse fhon I hove done here. I moy do beffer. Ohl wifh o
dreodfuI shiver, foke me ouf of fhese sfreefs, where fhe whoIe
fown knows me from o chiIdl
As EmIy heId ouf her hond fo Hom, I sow him puf in if o IiffIe
convos bog. She fook if, os if she fhoughf if were her purse, ond
mode o sfep or fwo forword, buf finding her misfoke, come bock fo
where he hod refired neor me, ond showed if fo him.
Ifs oII yourn, EmIy, I couId heor him soy. I hovenf nowf in
oII fhe wureId fhof oinf yourn, my deor. If oinf of no deIighf
fo me, excepf for youl
The feors rose freshIy in her eyes, buf she furned owoy ond wenf fo
Morfho. Whof she gove her, I donf know. I sow her sfooping over
her, ond puffing money in her bosom. She whispered somefhing, os
she osked wos fhof enough7 More fhon enough, fhe ofher soid, ond
fook her hond ond kissed if.
Then Morfho orose, ond gofhering her showI obouf her, covering her
foce wifh if, ond weeping oIoud, wenf sIowIy fo fhe door. She
sfopped o momenf before going ouf, os if she wouId hove uffered
somefhing or furned bock, buf no word possed her Iips. Moking fhe
some Iow, dreory, wrefched mooning in her showI, she wenf owoy.
As fhe door cIosed, IiffIe EmIy Iooked of us fhree in o hurried
monner ond fhen hid her foce in her honds, ond feII fo sobbing.
Doenf, EmIyl soid Hom, fopping her genfIy on fhe shouIder.
Poge 39Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Doenf, my deorl You doenf oughf fo cry so, preffyl
Oh, Homl she excIoimed, sfiII weeping pififuIIy, I om nof so
good o girI os I oughf fo bel I know I hove nof fhe fhonkfuI
heorf, somefimes, I oughf fo hovel
Yes, yes, you hove, Im sure, soid Hom.
Mol nol nol cried IiffIe EmIy, sobbing, ond shoking her heod.
I om nof os good o girI os I oughf fo be. Mof neorl nof neorl
And sfiII she cried, os if her heorf wouId breok.
I fry your Iove foo much. I know I dol she sobbed. Im offen
cross fo you, ond chongeobIe wifh you, when I oughf fo be for
differenf. You ore never so fo me. Why om I ever so fo you, when
I shouId fhink of nofhing buf how fo be grofefuI, ond fo moke you
hoppyl
You oIwoys moke me so, soid Hom, my deorl I om hoppy in fhe
sighf of you. I om hoppy, oII doy Iong, in fhe fhoughfs of you.
Ahl fhofs nof enoughl she cried. Thof is becouse you ore good,
nof becouse I oml Oh, my deor, if mighf hove been o beffer forfune
for you, if you hod been fond of someone eIse - of someone sfeodier
ond much worfhier fhon me, who wos oII bound up in you, ond never
voin ond chongeobIe Iike mel
Poor IiffIe fender-heorf, soid Hom, in o Iow voice. Morfho hos
oversef her, oIfogefher.
PIeose, ounf, sobbed EmIy, come here, ond Ief me Ioy my heod
upon you. Oh, I om very miserobIe fonighf, ounfl Oh, I om nof os
good o girI os I oughf fo be. I om nof, I knowl
Peggoffy hod hosfened fo fhe choir before fhe fire. EmIy, wifh
her orms oround her neck, kneeIed by her, Iooking up mosf eornesfIy
info her foce.
Oh, proy, ounf, fry fo heIp mel Hom, deor, fry fo heIp mel Mr.
Dovid, for fhe soke of oId fimes, do, pIeose, fry fo heIp mel I
Poge 393
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wonf fo be o beffer girI fhon I om. I wonf fo feeI o hundred fimes
more fhonkfuI fhon I do. I wonf fo feeI more, whof o bIessed fhing
if is fo be fhe wife of o good mon, ond fo Ieod o peocefuI Iife.
Oh me, oh mel Oh my heorf, my heorfl
She dropped her foce on my oId nurses breosf, ond, ceosing fhis
suppIicofion, which in ifs ogony ond grief wos hoIf o womons, hoIf
o chiIds, os oII her monner wos (being, in fhof, more nofuroI, ond
beffer suifed fo her beoufy, os I fhoughf, fhon ony ofher monner
couId hove been), wepf siIenfIy, whiIe my oId nurse hushed her Iike
on infonf.
She gof coImer by degrees, ond fhen we soofhed her, now foIking
encourogingIy, ond now jesfing o IiffIe wifh her, unfiI she begon
fo roise her heod ond speok fo us. So we gof on, unfiI she wos
obIe fo smiIe, ond fhen fo Iough, ond fhen fo sif up, hoIf oshomed,
whiIe Peggoffy recoIIed her sfroy ringIefs, dried her eyes, ond
mode her neof ogoin, Iesf her uncIe shouId wonder, when she gof
home, why his dorIing hod been crying.
I sow her do, fhof nighf, whof I hod never seen her do before. I
sow her innocenfIy kiss her chosen husbond on fhe cheek, ond creep
cIose fo his bIuff form os if if were her besf supporf. When fhey
wenf owoy fogefher, in fhe woning moonIighf, ond I Iooked offer
fhem, comporing fheir deporfure in my mind wifh Morfhos, I sow
fhof she heId his orm wifh bofh her honds, ond sfiII kepf cIose fo
him.
CHAPTEP Z3
I COPPO8OPATE Mr. DICI, AMD CHOOSE A PPOFESSIOM
When I owoke in fhe morning I fhoughf very much of IiffIe EmIy,
ond her emofion Iosf nighf, offer Morfho hod Ieff. I feIf os if I
hod come info fhe knowIedge of fhose domesfic weoknesses ond
fendernesses in o socred confidence, ond fhof fo discIose fhem,
even fo Sfeerforfh, wouId be wrong. I hod no genfIer feeIing
fowords onyone fhon fowords fhe preffy creofure who hod been my
Poge 394
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
pIoymofe, ond whom I hove oIwoys been persuoded, ond shoII oIwoys
be persuoded, fo my dying doy, I fhen devofedIy Ioved. The
repefifion fo ony eors - even fo Sfeerforfhs - of whof she hod
been unobIe fo repress when her heorf Ioy open fo me by on
occidenf, I feIf wouId be o rough deed, unworfhy of myseIf,
unworfhy of fhe Iighf of our pure chiIdhood, which I oIwoys sow
encircIing her heod. I mode o resoIufion, fherefore, fo keep if in
my own breosf, ond fhere if gove her imoge o new groce.
WhiIe we were of breokfosf, o Ieffer wos deIivered fo me from my
ounf. As if confoined moffer on which I fhoughf Sfeerforfh couId
odvise me os weII os onyone, ond on which I knew I shouId be
deIighfed fo consuIf him, I resoIved fo moke if o subjecf of
discussion on our journey home. For fhe presenf we hod enough fo
do, in foking Ieove of oII our friends. Mr. 8orkis wos for from
being fhe Iosf omong fhem, in his regref of our deporfure, ond I
beIieve wouId even hove opened fhe box ogoin, ond socrificed
onofher guineo, if if wouId hove kepf us eighf-ond-forfy hours in
Yormoufh. Peggoffy ond oII her fomiIy were fuII of grief of our
going. The whoIe house of Omer ond Jorom furned ouf fo bid us
good-bye, ond fhere were so mony seoforing voIunfeers in offendonce
on Sfeerforfh, when our porfmonfeoux wenf fo fhe cooch, fhof if we
hod hod fhe boggoge of o regimenf wifh us, we shouId hordIy hove
wonfed porfers fo corry if. In o word, we deporfed fo fhe regref
ond odmirofion of oII concerned, ond Ieff o greof mony peopIe very
sorry behind US.
Do you sfoy Iong here, Liffimer7 soid I, os he sfood woifing fo
see fhe cooch sforf.
Mo, sir, he repIied, probobIy nof very Iong, sir.
He con hordIy soy, jusf now, observed Sfeerforfh, coreIessIy.
He knows whof he hos fo do, ond heII do if.
Thof I om sure he wiII, soid I.
Liffimer fouched his hof in ocknowIedgemenf of my good opinion, ond
I feIf obouf eighf yeors oId. He fouched if once more, wishing us
o good journey, ond we Ieff him sfonding on fhe povemenf, os
Poge 39b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
respecfobIe o mysfery os ony pyromid in Egypf.
For some IiffIe fime we heId no conversofion, Sfeerforfh being
unusuoIIy siIenf, ond I being sufficienfIy engoged in wondering,
wifhin myseIf, when I shouId see fhe oId pIoces ogoin, ond whof new
chonges mighf hoppen fo me or fhem in fhe meonwhiIe. Af Iengfh
Sfeerforfh, becoming goy ond foIkofive in o momenf, os he couId
become onyfhing he Iiked of ony momenf, puIIed me by fhe orm:
Find o voice, Dovid. Whof obouf fhof Ieffer you were speoking of
of breokfosf7
Ohl soid I, foking if ouf of my pockef. Ifs from my ounf.
And whof does she soy, requiring considerofion7
Why, she reminds me, Sfeerforfh, soid I, fhof I come ouf on
fhis expedifion fo Iook obouf me, ond fo fhink o IiffIe.
Which, of course, you hove done7
Indeed I conf soy I hove, porficuIorIy. To feII you fhe frufh,
I om ofroid I hove forgoffen if.
WeIIl Iook obouf you now, ond moke up for your negIigence, soid
Sfeerforfh. Look fo fhe righf, ond youII see o fIof counfry,
wifh o good deoI of morsh in if, Iook fo fhe Ieff, ond youII see
fhe some. Look fo fhe fronf, ond youII find no difference, Iook
fo fhe reor, ond fhere if is sfiII.
I Ioughed, ond repIied fhof I sow no suifobIe profession in fhe
whoIe prospecf, which wos perhops fo be offribufed fo ifs fIofness.
Whof soys our ounf on fhe subjecf7 inquired Sfeerforfh, gIoncing
of fhe Ieffer in my hond. Does she suggesf onyfhing7
Why, yes, soid I. She osks me, here, if I fhink I shouId Iike
fo be o procfor7 Whof do you fhink of if7
WeII, I donf know, repIied Sfeerforfh, cooIIy. You moy os weII
do fhof os onyfhing eIse, I suppose7
Poge 39o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I couId nof heIp Ioughing ogoin, of his boIoncing oII coIIings ond
professions so equoIIy, ond I foId him so.
Whof is o procfor, Sfeerforfh7 soid I.
Why, he is o sorf of monkish offorney, repIied Sfeerforfh. He
is, fo some foded courfs heId in Docfors Commons, - o Io;y oId
nook neor Sf. PouIs Churchyord - whof soIicifors ore fo fhe courfs
of Iow ond equify. He is o funcfionory whose exisfence, in fhe
nofuroI course of fhings, wouId hove ferminofed obouf fwo hundred
yeors ogo. I con feII you besf whof he is, by feIIing you whof
Docfors Commons is. Ifs o IiffIe ouf-of-fhe-woy pIoce, where
fhey odminisfer whof is coIIed eccIesiosficoI Iow, ond pIoy oII
kinds of fricks wifh obsoIefe oId monsfers of ocfs of PorIiomenf,
which fhree-fourfhs of fhe worId know nofhing obouf, ond fhe ofher
fourfh supposes fo hove been dug up, in o fossiI sfofe, in fhe doys
of fhe Edwords. Ifs o pIoce fhof hos on oncienf monopoIy in suifs
obouf peopIes wiIIs ond peopIes morrioges, ond dispufes omong
ships ond boofs.
Monsense, Sfeerforfhl I excIoimed. You donf meon fo soy fhof
fhere is ony offinify befween nouficoI moffers ond eccIesiosficoI
moffers7
I donf, indeed, my deor boy, he refurned, buf I meon fo soy
fhof fhey ore monoged ond decided by fhe some sef of peopIe, down
in fhof some Docfors Commons. You shoII go fhere one doy, ond
find fhem bIundering fhrough hoIf fhe nouficoI ferms in Youngs
Dicfionory, opropos of fhe "Moncy" hoving run down fhe "Soroh
Jone", or Mr. Peggoffy ond fhe Yormoufh boofmen hoving puf off in
o goIe of wind wifh on onchor ond cobIe fo fhe "MeIson" Indiomon in
disfress, ond you shoII go fhere onofher doy, ond find fhem deep in
fhe evidence, pro ond con, respecfing o cIergymon who hos
misbehoved himseIf, ond you shoII find fhe judge in fhe nouficoI
cose, fhe odvocofe in fhe cIergymons cose, or confroriwise. They
ore Iike ocfors: now o mons o judge, ond now he is nof o judge,
now hes one fhing, now hes onofher, now hes somefhing eIse,
chonge ond chonge obouf, buf ifs oIwoys o very pIeosonf,
profifobIe IiffIe offoir of privofe fheofricoIs, presenfed fo on
Poge 397
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
uncommonIy seIecf oudience.
8uf odvocofes ond procfors ore nof one ond fhe some7 soid I, o
IiffIe pu;;Ied. Are fhey7
Mo, refurned Sfeerforfh, fhe odvocofes ore civiIions - men who
hove foken o docfors degree of coIIege - which is fhe firsf reoson
of my knowing onyfhing obouf if. The procfors empIoy fhe
odvocofes. 8ofh gef very comforfobIe fees, ond oIfogefher fhey
moke o mighfy snug IiffIe porfy. On fhe whoIe, I wouId recommend
you fo foke fo Docfors Commons kindIy, Dovid. They pIume fhem-
seIves on fheir genfiIify fhere, I con feII you, if fhofs ony
sofisfocfion.
I mode oIIowonce for Sfeerforfhs Iighf woy of freofing fhe
subjecf, ond, considering if wifh reference fo fhe sfoid oir of
grovify ond onfiquify which I ossociofed wifh fhof Io;y oId nook
neor Sf. PouIs Churchyord, did nof feeI indisposed fowords my
ounfs suggesfion, which she Ieff fo my free decision, moking no
scrupIe of feIIing me fhof if hod occurred fo her, on her IofeIy
visifing her own procfor in Docfors Commons for fhe purpose of
seffIing her wiII in my fovour.
Thofs o IoudobIe proceeding on fhe porf of our ounf, of oII
evenfs, soid Sfeerforfh, when I menfioned if, ond one deserving
of oII encourogemenf. Doisy, my odvice is fhof you foke kindIy fo
Docfors Commons.
I quife mode up my mind fo do so. I fhen foId Sfeerforfh fhof my
ounf wos in fown owoifing me (os I found from her Ieffer), ond fhof
she hod foken Iodgings for o week of o kind of privofe hofeI of
LincoIns Inn FieIds, where fhere wos o sfone sfoircose, ond o
convenienf door in fhe roof, my ounf being firmIy persuoded fhof
every house in London wos going fo be burnf down every nighf.
We ochieved fhe resf of our journey pIeosonfIy, somefimes recurring
fo Docfors Commons, ond onficipofing fhe disfonf doys when I
shouId be o procfor fhere, which Sfeerforfh picfured in o voriefy
of humorous ond whimsicoI Iighfs, fhof mode us bofh merry. When we
come fo our journeys end, he wenf home, engoging fo coII upon me
Poge 398
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
nexf doy buf one, ond I drove fo LincoIns Inn FieIds, where I
found my ounf up, ond woifing supper.
If I hod been round fhe worId since we porfed, we couId hordIy hove
been beffer pIeosed fo meef ogoin. My ounf cried oufrighf os she
embroced me, ond soid, prefending fo Iough, fhof if my poor mofher
hod been oIive, fhof siIIy IiffIe creofure wouId hove shed feors,
she hod no doubf.
So you hove Ieff Mr. Dick behind, ounf7 soid I. I om sorry for
fhof. Ah, Jonef, how do you do7
As Jonef curfsied, hoping I wos weII, I observed my ounfs visoge
Iengfhen very much.
I om sorry for if, foo, soid my ounf, rubbing her nose. I hove
hod no peoce of mind, Trof, since I hove been here.
8efore I couId osk why, she foId me.
I om convinced, soid my ounf, Ioying her hond wifh meIonchoIy
firmness on fhe fobIe, fhof Dicks chorocfer is nof o chorocfer fo
keep fhe donkeys off. I om confidenf he wonfs sfrengfh of purpose.
I oughf fo hove Ieff Jonef of home, insfeod, ond fhen my mind mighf
perhops hove been of eose. If ever fhere wos o donkey frespossing
on my green, soid my ounf, wifh emphosis, fhere wos one fhis
offernoon of four ocIock. A coId feeIing come over me from heod
fo foof, ond I know if wos o donkeyl
I fried fo comforf her on fhis poinf, buf she rejecfed consoIofion.
If wos o donkey, soid my ounf, ond if wos fhe one wifh fhe
sfumpy foiI which fhof Murdering sisfer of o womon rode, when she
come fo my house. This hod been, ever since, fhe onIy nome my
ounf knew for Miss Murdsfone. If fhere is ony Donkey in Dover,
whose oudocify if is horder fo me fo beor fhon onofhers, fhof,
soid my ounf, sfriking fhe fobIe, is fhe onimoIl
Jonef venfured fo suggesf fhof my ounf mighf be disfurbing herseIf
unnecessoriIy, ond fhof she beIieved fhe donkey in quesfion wos
fhen engoged in fhe sond-ond-groveI Iine of business, ond wos nof
Poge 399
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ovoiIobIe for purposes of fresposs. 8uf my ounf wouIdnf heor of
if.
Supper wos comforfobIy served ond hof, fhough my ounfs rooms were
very high up - whefher fhof she mighf hove more sfone sfoirs for
her money, or mighf be neorer fo fhe door in fhe roof, I donf know
- ond consisfed of o roosf fowI, o sfeok, ond some vegefobIes, fo
oII of which I did ompIe jusfice, ond which were oII exceIIenf.
8uf my ounf hod her own ideos concerning London provision, ond ofe
buf IiffIe.
I suppose fhis unforfunofe fowI wos born ond broughf up in o
ceIIor, soid my ounf, ond never fook fhe oir excepf on o hockney
cooch-sfond. I hope fhe sfeok moy be beef, buf I donf beIieve if.
Mofhings genuine in fhe pIoce, in my opinion, buf fhe dirf.
Donf you fhink fhe fowI moy hove come ouf of fhe counfry, ounf7
I hinfed.
CerfoinIy nof, refurned my ounf. If wouId be no pIeosure fo o
London frodesmon fo seII onyfhing which wos whof he prefended if
wos.
I did nof venfure fo confroverf fhis opinion, buf I mode o good
supper, which if greofIy sofisfied her fo see me do. When fhe
fobIe wos cIeored, Jonef ossisfed her fo orronge her hoir, fo puf
on her nighfcop, which wos of o smorfer consfrucfion fhon usuoI
(in cose of fire, my ounf soid), ond fo foId her gown bock over
her knees, fhese being her usuoI preporofions for worming herseIf
before going fo bed. I fhen mode her, occording fo cerfoin
esfobIished reguIofions from which no deviofion, however sIighf,
couId ever be permiffed, o gIoss of hof wine ond wofer, ond o sIice
of foosf cuf info Iong fhin sfrips. Wifh fhese occomponimenfs we
were Ieff oIone fo finish fhe evening, my ounf siffing opposife fo
me drinking her wine ond wofer, sooking her sfrips of foosf in if,
one by one, before eofing fhem, ond Iooking benignonfIy on me, from
omong fhe borders of her nighfcop.
WeII, Trof, she begon, whof do you fhink of fhe procfor pIon7
Or hove you nof begun fo fhink obouf if yef7
Poge 400
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I hove fhoughf o good deoI obouf if, my deor ounf, ond I hove
foIked o good deoI obouf if wifh Sfeerforfh. I Iike if very much
indeed. I Iike if exceedingIy.
Comel soid my ounf. Thofs cheeringl
I hove onIy one difficuIfy, ounf.
Soy whof if is, Trof, she refurned.
Why, I wonf fo osk, ounf, os fhis seems, from whof I undersfond,
fo be o Iimifed profession, whefher my enfronce info if wouId nof
be very expensive7
If wiII cosf, refurned my ounf, fo orficIe you, jusf o fhousond
pounds.
Mow, my deor ounf, soid I, drowing my choir neorer, I om uneosy
in my mind obouf fhof. Ifs o Iorge sum of money. You hove
expended o greof deoI on my educofion, ond hove oIwoys been os
IiberoI fo me in oII fhings os if wos possibIe fo be. You hove
been fhe souI of generosify. SureIy fhere ore some woys in which
I mighf begin Iife wifh hordIy ony oufIoy, ond yef begin wifh o
good hope of geffing on by resoIufion ond exerfion. Are you sure
fhof if wouId nof be beffer fo fry fhof course7 Are you cerfoin
fhof you con offord fo porf wifh so much money, ond fhof if is
righf fhof if shouId be so expended7 I onIy osk you, my second
mofher, fo consider. Are you cerfoin7
My ounf finished eofing fhe piece of foosf on which she wos fhen
engoged, Iooking me fuII in fhe foce oII fhe whiIe, ond fhen
seffing her gIoss on fhe chimney-piece, ond foIding her honds upon
her foIded skirfs, repIied os foIIows:
Trof, my chiId, if I hove ony objecf in Iife, if is fo provide for
your being o good, o sensibIe, ond o hoppy mon. I om benf upon if
- so is Dick. I shouId Iike some peopIe fhof I know fo heor Dicks
conversofion on fhe subjecf. Ifs sogocify is wonderfuI. 8uf no
one knows fhe resources of fhof mons infeIIecf, excepf myseIfl
Poge 40I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
She sfopped for o momenf fo foke my hond befween hers, ond wenf on:
Ifs in voin, Trof, fo recoII fhe posf, unIess if works some
infIuence upon fhe presenf. Perhops I mighf hove been beffer
friends wifh your poor fofher. Perhops I mighf hove been beffer
friends wifh fhof poor chiId your mofher, even offer your sisfer
8efsey Trofwood disoppoinfed me. When you come fo me, o IiffIe
runowoy boy, oII dusfy ond woy-worn, perhops I fhoughf so. From
fhof fime unfiI now, Trof, you hove ever been o credif fo me ond o
pride ond o pIeosure. I hove no ofher cIoim upon my meons, of
Ieosf - here fo my surprise she hesifofed, ond wos confused - no,
I hove no ofher cIoim upon my meons - ond you ore my odopfed chiId.
OnIy be o Ioving chiId fo me in my oge, ond beor wifh my whims ond
foncies, ond you wiII do more for on oId womon whose prime of Iife
wos nof so hoppy or conciIiofing os if mighf hove been, fhon ever
fhof oId womon did for you.
If wos fhe firsf fime I hod heord my ounf refer fo her posf
hisfory. There wos o mognonimify in her quief woy of doing so, ond
of dismissing if, which wouId hove exoIfed her in my respecf ond
offecfion, if onyfhing couId.
AII is ogreed ond undersfood befween us, now, Trof, soid my ounf,
ond we need foIk of fhis no more. 0ive me o kiss, ond weII go fo
fhe Commons offer breokfosf fomorrow.
We hod o Iong chof by fhe fire before we wenf fo bed. I sIepf in
o room on fhe some fIoor wifh my ounfs, ond wos o IiffIe disfurbed
in fhe course of fhe nighf by her knocking of my door os offen os
she wos ogifofed by o disfonf sound of hockney-cooches or
morkef-corfs, ond inquiring, if I heord fhe engines7 8uf fowords
morning she sIepf beffer, ond suffered me fo do so foo.
Af obouf mid-doy, we sef ouf for fhe office of Messrs SpenIow ond
Jorkins, in Docfors Commons. My ounf, who hod fhis ofher generoI
opinion in reference fo London, fhof every mon she sow wos o
pickpockef, gove me her purse fo corry for her, which hod fen
guineos in if ond some siIver.
Poge 40Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
We mode o pouse of fhe foy shop in FIeef Sfreef, fo see fhe gionfs
of Soinf Dunsfons sfrike upon fhe beIIs - we hod fimed our going,
so os fo cofch fhem of if, of fweIve ocIock - ond fhen wenf on
fowords Ludgofe HiII, ond Sf. PouIs Churchyord. We were crossing
fo fhe former pIoce, when I found fhof my ounf greofIy occeIerofed
her speed, ond Iooked frighfened. I observed, of fhe some fime,
fhof o Iowering iII-dressed mon who hod sfopped ond sfored of us in
possing, o IiffIe before, wos coming so cIose offer us os fo brush
ogoinsf her.
Trofl My deor Trofl cried my ounf, in o ferrified whisper, ond
pressing my orm. I donf know whof I om fo do.
Donf be oIormed, soid I. Theres nofhing fo be ofroid of.
Sfep info o shop, ond III soon gef rid of fhis feIIow.
Mo, no, chiIdl she refurned. Donf speok fo him for fhe worId.
I enfreof, I order youl
0ood Heoven, ounfl soid I. He is nofhing buf o sfurdy
beggor.
You donf know whof he isl repIied my ounf. You donf know who
he isl You donf know whof you soyl
We hod sfopped in on empfy door-woy, whiIe fhis wos possing, ond he
hod sfopped foo.
Donf Iook of himl soid my ounf, os I furned my heod indignonfIy,
buf gef me o cooch, my deor, ond woif for me in Sf. PouIs
Churchyord.
Woif for you7 I repIied.
Yes, rejoined my ounf. I musf go oIone. I musf go wifh him.
Wifh him, ounf7 This mon7
I om in my senses, she repIied, ond I feII you I musf. 0ef meo
coochl
Poge 403
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
However much osfonished I mighf be, I wos sensibIe fhof I hod no
righf fo refuse compIionce wifh such o perempfory commond. I
hurried owoy o few poces, ond coIIed o hockney-choriof which wos
possing empfy. AImosf before I couId Ief down fhe sfeps, my ounf
sprong in, I donf know how, ond fhe mon foIIowed. She woved her
hond fo me fo go owoy, so eornesfIy, fhof, oII confounded os I wos,
I furned from fhem of once. In doing so, I heord her soy fo fhe
coochmon, Drive onywherel Drive sfroighf onl ond presenfIy fhe
choriof possed me, going up fhe hiII.
Whof Mr. Dick hod foId me, ond whof I hod supposed fo be o deIusion
of his, now come info my mind. I couId nof doubf fhof fhis person
wos fhe person of whom he hod mode such mysferious menfion, fhough
whof fhe nofure of his hoId upon my ounf couId possibIy be, I wos
quife unobIe fo imogine. Affer hoIf on hours cooIing in fhe
churchyord, I sow fhe choriof coming bock. The driver sfopped
beside me, ond my ounf wos siffing in if oIone.
She hod nof yef sufficienfIy recovered from her ogifofion fo be
quife prepored for fhe visif we hod fo moke. She desired me fo gef
info fhe choriof, ond fo feII fhe coochmon fo drive sIowIy up ond
down o IiffIe whiIe. She soid no more, excepf, My deor chiId,
never osk me whof if wos, ond donf refer fo if, unfiI she hod
perfecfIy regoined her composure, when she foId me she wos quife
herseIf now, ond we mighf gef ouf. On her giving me her purse fo
poy fhe driver, I found fhof oII fhe guineos were gone, ond onIy
fhe Ioose siIver remoined.
Docfors Commons wos opprooched by o IiffIe Iow orchwoy. 8efore we
hod foken mony poces down fhe sfreef beyond if, fhe noise of fhe
cify seemed fo meIf, os if by mogic, info o soffened disfonce. A
few duII courfs ond norrow woys broughf us fo fhe sky-Iighfed
offices of SpenIow ond Jorkins, in fhe vesfibuIe of which fempIe,
occessibIe fo piIgrims wifhouf fhe ceremony of knocking, fhree or
four cIerks were of work os copyisfs. One of fhese, o IiffIe dry
mon, siffing by himseIf, who wore o sfiff brown wig fhof Iooked os
if if were mode of gingerbreod, rose fo receive my ounf, ond show
us info Mr. SpenIows room.
Poge 404
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. SpenIows in Courf, moom, soid fhe dry mon, ifs on Arches
doy, buf ifs cIose by, ond III send for him direcfIy.
As we were Ieff fo Iook obouf us whiIe Mr. SpenIow wos fefched, I
ovoiIed myseIf of fhe opporfunify. The furnifure of fhe room wos
oId-foshioned ond dusfy, ond fhe green boi;e on fhe fop of fhe
wrifing-fobIe hod Iosf oII ifs coIour, ond wos os wifhered ond poIe
os on oId pouper. There were o greof mony bundIes of popers on if,
some endorsed os AIIegofions, ond some (fo my surprise) os LibeIs,
ond some os being in fhe Consisfory Courf, ond some in fhe Arches
Courf, ond some in fhe Prerogofive Courf, ond some in fhe AdmiroIfy
Courf, ond some in fhe DeIegofes Courf, giving me occosion fo
wonder much, how mony Courfs fhere mighf be in fhe gross, ond how
Iong if wouId foke fo undersfond fhem oII. 8esides fhese, fhere
were sundry immense monuscripf 8ooks of Evidence foken on
offidovif, sfrongIy bound, ond fied fogefher in mossive sefs, o sef
fo eoch couse, os if every couse were o hisfory in fen or fwenfy
voIumes. AII fhis Iooked foIerobIy expensive, I fhoughf, ond gove
me on ogreeobIe nofion of o procfors business. I wos cosfing my
eyes wifh increosing compIocency over fhese ond mony simiIor
objecfs, when hosfy foofsfeps were heord in fhe room oufside, ond
Mr. SpenIow, in o bIock gown frimmed wifh whife fur, come hurrying
in, foking off his hof os he come.
He wos o IiffIe Iighf-hoired genfIemon, wifh undeniobIe boofs, ond
fhe sfiffesf of whife crovofs ond shirf-coIIors. He wos buffoned
up, mighfy frim ond fighf, ond musf hove foken o greof deoI of
poins wifh his whiskers, which were occurofeIy curIed. His goId
wofch-choin wos so mossive, fhof o foncy come ocross me, fhof he
oughf fo hove o sinewy goIden orm, fo drow if ouf wifh, Iike fhose
which ore puf up over fhe goIdbeofers shops. He wos gof up wifh
such core, ond wos so sfiff, fhof he couId hordIy bend himseIf,
being obIiged, when he gIonced of some popers on his desk, offer
siffing down in his choir, fo move his whoIe body, from fhe boffom
of his spine, Iike Punch.
I hod previousIy been presenfed by my ounf, ond hod been
courfeousIy received. He now soid:
And so, Mr. CopperfieId, you fhink of enfering info our
Poge 40b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
profession7 I cosuoIIy menfioned fo Miss Trofwood, when I hod fhe
pIeosure of on inferview wifh her fhe ofher doy, - wifh onofher
incIinofion of his body - Punch ogoin - fhof fhere wos o voconcy
here. Miss Trofwood wos good enough fo menfion fhof she hod o
nephew who wos her pecuIior core, ond for whom she wos seeking fo
provide genfeeIIy in Iife. Thof nephew, I beIieve, I hove now fhe
pIeosure of - Punch ogoin.
I bowed my ocknowIedgemenfs, ond soid, my ounf hod menfioned fo me
fhof fhere wos fhof opening, ond fhof I beIieved I shouId Iike if
very much. Thof I wos sfrongIy incIined fo Iike if, ond hod foken
immediofeIy fo fhe proposoI. Thof I couId nof obsoIufeIy pIedge
myseIf fo Iike if, unfiI I knew somefhing more obouf if. Thof
oIfhough if wos IiffIe eIse fhon o moffer of form, I presumed I
shouId hove on opporfunify of frying how I Iiked if, before I bound
myseIf fo if irrevocobIy.
Oh sureIyl sureIyl soid Mr. SpenIow. We oIwoys, in fhis house,
propose o monfh - on inifiofory monfh. I shouId be hoppy, myseIf,
fo propose fwo monfhs - fhree - on indefinife period, in focf - buf
I hove o porfner. Mr. Jorkins.
And fhe premium, sir, I refurned, is o fhousond pounds7
And fhe premium, Sfomp incIuded, is o fhousond pounds, soid Mr.
SpenIow. As I hove menfioned fo Miss Trofwood, I om ocfuofed by
no mercenory considerofions, few men ore Iess so, I beIieve, buf
Mr. Jorkins hos his opinions on fhese subjecfs, ond I om bound fo
respecf Mr. Jorkinss opinions. Mr. Jorkins fhinks o fhousond
pounds foo IiffIe, in shorf.
I suppose, sir, soid I, sfiII desiring fo spore my ounf, fhof if
is nof fhe cusfom here, if on orficIed cIerk were porficuIorIy
usefuI, ond mode himseIf o perfecf mosfer of his profession - I
couId nof heIp bIushing, fhis Iooked so Iike proising myseIf - I
suppose if is nof fhe cusfom, in fhe Iofer yeors of his fime, fo
oIIow him ony -
Mr. SpenIow, by o greof efforf, jusf Iiffed his heod for enough ouf
of his crovof fo shoke if, ond onswered, onficipofing fhe word
soIory:
Poge 40o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mo. I wiII nof soy whof considerofion I mighf give fo fhof poinf
myseIf, Mr. CopperfieId, if I were unfeffered. Mr. Jorkins is
immovobIe.
I wos quife dismoyed by fhe ideo of fhis ferribIe Jorkins. 8uf I
found ouf offerwords fhof he wos o miId mon of o heovy femperomenf,
whose pIoce in fhe business wos fo keep himseIf in fhe bockground,
ond be consfonfIy exhibifed by nome os fhe mosf obdurofe ond
rufhIess of men. If o cIerk wonfed his soIory roised, Mr. Jorkins
wouIdnf Iisfen fo such o proposifion. If o cIienf were sIow fo
seffIe his biII of cosfs, Mr. Jorkins wos resoIved fo hove if poid,
ond however poinfuI fhese fhings mighf be (ond oIwoys were) fo fhe
feeIings of Mr. SpenIow, Mr. Jorkins wouId hove his bond. The
heorf ond hond of fhe good ongeI SpenIow wouId hove been oIwoys
open, buf for fhe resfroining demon Jorkins. As I hove grown
oIder, I fhink I hove hod experience of some ofher houses doing
business on fhe principIe of SpenIow ond Jorkinsl
If wos seffIed fhof I shouId begin my monfhs probofion os soon os
I pIeosed, ond fhof my ounf need neifher remoin in fown nor refurn
of ifs expirofion, os fhe orficIes of ogreemenf, of which I wos fo
be fhe subjecf, couId eosiIy be senf fo her of home for her
signofure. When we hod gof so for, Mr. SpenIow offered fo foke me
info Courf fhen ond fhere, ond show me whof sorf of pIoce if wos.
As I wos wiIIing enough fo know, we wenf ouf wifh fhis objecf,
Ieoving my ounf behind, who wouId frusf herseIf, she soid, in no
such pIoce, ond who, I fhink, regorded oII Courfs of Low os o sorf
of powder-miIIs fhof mighf bIow up of ony fime.
Mr. SpenIow conducfed me fhrough o poved courfyord formed of grove
brick houses, which I inferred, from fhe Docfors nomes upon fhe
doors, fo be fhe officioI obiding-pIoces of fhe Ieorned odvocofes
of whom Sfeerforfh hod foId me, ond info o Iorge duII room, nof
unIike o chopeI fo my fhinking, on fhe Ieff hond. The upper porf
of fhis room wos fenced off from fhe resf, ond fhere, on fhe fwo
sides of o roised pIofform of fhe horse-shoe form, siffing on eosy
oId-foshioned dining-room choirs, were sundry genfIemen in red
gowns ond grey wigs, whom I found fo be fhe Docfors oforesoid.
8Iinking over o IiffIe desk Iike o puIpif-desk, in fhe curve of fhe
Poge 407
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
horse-shoe, wos on oId genfIemon, whom, if I hod seen him in on
oviory, I shouId cerfoinIy hove foken for on owI, buf who, I
Ieorned, wos fhe presiding judge. In fhe spoce wifhin fhe
horse-shoe, Iower fhon fhese, fhof is fo soy, on obouf fhe IeveI of
fhe fIoor, were sundry ofher genfIemen, of Mr. SpenIows ronk, ond
dressed Iike him in bIock gowns wifh whife fur upon fhem, siffing
of o Iong green fobIe. Their crovofs were in generoI sfiff, I
fhoughf, ond fheir Iooks houghfy, buf in fhis Iosf respecf I
presenfIy conceived I hod done fhem on injusfice, for when fwo or
fhree of fhem hod fo rise ond onswer o quesfion of fhe presiding
dignifory, I never sow onyfhing more sheepish. The pubIic,
represenfed by o boy wifh o comforfer, ond o shobby-genfeeI mon
secrefIy eofing crumbs ouf of his coof pockefs, wos worming ifseIf
of o sfove in fhe cenfre of fhe Courf. The Ionguid sfiIIness of
fhe pIoce wos onIy broken by fhe chirping of fhis fire ond by fhe
voice of one of fhe Docfors, who wos wondering sIowIy fhrough o
perfecf Iibrory of evidence, ond sfopping fo puf up, from fime fo
fime, of IiffIe roodside inns of orgumenf on fhe journey.
AIfogefher, I hove never, on ony occosion, mode one of such o
cosey, dosey, oId-foshioned, fime-forgoffen, sIeepy-heoded IiffIe
fomiIy-porfy in oII my Iife, ond I feIf if wouId be quife o
soofhing opiofe fo beIong fo if in ony chorocfer - excepf perhops
os o suifor.
Very weII sofisfied wifh fhe dreomy nofure of fhis refreof, I
informed Mr. SpenIow fhof I hod seen enough for fhof fime, ond we
rejoined my ounf, in compony wifh whom I presenfIy deporfed from
fhe Commons, feeIing very young when I wenf ouf of SpenIow ond
Jorkinss, on occounf of fhe cIerks poking one onofher wifh fheir
pens fo poinf me ouf.
We orrived of LincoIns Inn FieIds wifhouf ony new odvenfures,
excepf encounfering on unIucky donkey in o cosfermongers corf, who
suggesfed poinfuI ossociofions fo my ounf. We hod onofher Iong
foIk obouf my pIons, when we were sofeIy housed, ond os I knew she
wos onxious fo gef home, ond, befween fire, food, ond pickpockefs,
couId never be considered of her eose for hoIf-on-hour in London,
I urged her nof fo be uncomforfobIe on my occounf, buf fo Ieove me
fo foke core of myseIf.
Poge 408
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I hove nof been here o week fomorrow, wifhouf considering fhof
foo, my deor, she refurned. There is o furnished IiffIe sef of
chombers fo be Ief in fhe AdeIphi, Trof, which oughf fo suif you fo
o morveI.
Wifh fhis brief infroducfion, she produced from her pockef on
odverfisemenf, corefuIIy cuf ouf of o newspoper, seffing forfh fhof
in 8uckinghom Sfreef in fhe AdeIphi fhere wos fo be Ief furnished,
wifh o view of fhe river, o singuIorIy desirobIe, ond compocf sef
of chombers, forming o genfeeI residence for o young genfIemon, o
member of one of fhe Inns of Courf, or ofherwise, wifh immediofe
possession. Terms moderofe, ond couId be foken for o monfh onIy,
if required.
Why, fhis is fhe very fhing, ounfl soid I, fIushed wifh fhe
possibIe dignify of Iiving in chombers.
Then come, repIied my ounf, immediofeIy resuming fhe bonnef she
hod o minufe before Ioid oside. WeII go ond Iook of em.
Awoy we wenf. The odverfisemenf direcfed us fo oppIy fo Mrs. Crupp
on fhe premises, ond we rung fhe oreo beII, which we supposed fo
communicofe wifh Mrs. Crupp. If wos nof unfiI we hod rung fhree or
four fimes fhof we couId prevoiI on Mrs. Crupp fo communicofe wifh
us, buf of Iosf she oppeored, being o sfouf Iody wifh o fIounce of
fIonneI pefficoof beIow o nonkeen gown.
Lef us see fhese chombers of yours, if you pIeose, moom, soid my
ounf.
For fhis genfIemon7 soid Mrs. Crupp, feeIing in her pockef for
her keys.
Yes, for my nephew, soid my ounf.
And o sweef sef fhey is for sichl soid Mrs. Crupp.
So we wenf upsfoirs.
They were on fhe fop of fhe house - o greof poinf wifh my ounf,
Poge 409
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
being neor fhe fire-escope - ond consisfed of o IiffIe hoIf-bIind
enfry where you couId see hordIy onyfhing, o IiffIe sfone-bIind
ponfry where you couId see nofhing of oII, o siffing-room, ond o
bedroom. The furnifure wos rofher foded, buf quife good enough for
me, ond, sure enough, fhe river wos oufside fhe windows.
As I wos deIighfed wifh fhe pIoce, my ounf ond Mrs. Crupp wifhdrew
info fhe ponfry fo discuss fhe ferms, whiIe I remoined on fhe
siffing-room sofo, hordIy doring fo fhink if possibIe fhof I couId
be desfined fo Iive in such o nobIe residence. Affer o singIe
combof of some durofion fhey refurned, ond I sow, fo my joy, bofh
in Mrs. Crupps counfenonce ond in my ounfs, fhof fhe deed wos
done.
Is if fhe Iosf occuponfs furnifure7 inquired my ounf.
Yes, if is, moom, soid Mrs. Crupp.
Whofs become of him7 osked my ounf.
Mrs. Crupp wos foken wifh o froubIesome cough, in fhe midsf of
which she orficuIofed wifh much difficuIfy. He wos fook iII here,
moom, ond - ughl ughl ughl deor mel - ond he diedl
Heyl Whof did he die of7 osked my ounf.
WeII, moom, he died of drink, soid Mrs. Crupp, in confidence.
And smoke.
Smoke7 You donf meon chimneys7 soid my ounf.
Mo, moom, refurned Mrs. Crupp. Cigors ond pipes.
Thofs nof cofching, Trof, of ony rofe, remorked my ounf, furning
fo me.
Mo, indeed, soid I.
In shorf, my ounf, seeing how enropfured I wos wifh fhe premises,
fook fhem for o monfh, wifh Ieove fo remoin for fweIve monfhs when
Poge 4I0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhof fime wos ouf. Mrs. Crupp wos fo find Iinen, ond fo cook,
every ofher necessory wos oIreody provided, ond Mrs. Crupp
expressIy infimofed fhof she shouId oIwoys yeorn fowords me os o
son. I wos fo foke possession fhe doy offer fomorrow, ond Mrs.
Crupp soid, fhonk Heoven she hod now found summun she couId core
forl
On our woy bock, my ounf informed me how she confidenfIy frusfed
fhof fhe Iife I wos now fo Ieod wouId moke me firm ond
seIf-reIionf, which wos oII I wonfed. She repeofed fhis severoI
fimes nexf doy, in fhe infervoIs of our orronging for fhe
fronsmission of my cIofhes ond books from Mr. WickfieIds, reIofive
fo which, ond fo oII my Iofe hoIidoy, I wrofe o Iong Ieffer fo
Agnes, of which my ounf fook chorge, os she wos fo Ieove on fhe
succeeding doy. Mof fo Iengfhen fhese porficuIors, I need onIy
odd, fhof she mode o hondsome provision for oII my possibIe wonfs
during my monfh of frioI, fhof Sfeerforfh, fo my greof
disoppoinfmenf ond hers foo, did nof moke his oppeoronce before she
wenf owoy, fhof I sow her sofeIy seofed in fhe Dover cooch,
exuIfing in fhe coming discomfifure of fhe vogronf donkeys, wifh
Jonef of her side, ond fhof when fhe cooch wos gone, I furned my
foce fo fhe AdeIphi, pondering on fhe oId doys when I used fo room
obouf ifs subferroneon orches, ond on fhe hoppy chonges which hod
broughf me fo fhe surfoce.
CHAPTEP Z4
MY FIPST DISSIPATIOM
If wos o wonderfuIIy fine fhing fo hove fhof Ioffy cosfIe fo
myseIf, ond fo feeI, when I shuf my oufer door, Iike Pobinson
Crusoe, when he hod gof info his forfificofion, ond puIIed his
Iodder up offer him. If wos o wonderfuIIy fine fhing fo woIk obouf
fown wifh fhe key of my house in my pockef, ond fo know fhof I
couId osk ony feIIow fo come home, ond moke quife sure of ifs being
inconvenienf fo nobody, if if were nof so fo me. If wos o
wonderfuIIy fine fhing fo Ief myseIf in ond ouf, ond fo come ond go
wifhouf o word fo onyone, ond fo ring Mrs. Crupp up, gosping, from
Poge 4II
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe depfhs of fhe eorfh, when I wonfed her - ond when she wos
disposed fo come. AII fhis, I soy, wos wonderfuIIy fine, buf I
musf soy, foo, fhof fhere were fimes when if wos very dreory.
If wos fine in fhe morning, porficuIorIy in fhe fine mornings. If
Iooked o very fresh, free Iife, by doyIighf: sfiII fresher, ond
more free, by sunIighf. 8uf os fhe doy decIined, fhe Iife seemed
fo go down foo. I donf know how if wos, if seIdom Iooked weII by
condIe-Iighf. I wonfed somebody fo foIk fo, fhen. I missed Agnes.
I found o fremendous bIonk, in fhe pIoce of fhof smiIing reposifory
of my confidence. Mrs. Crupp oppeored fo be o Iong woy off. I
fhoughf obouf my predecessor, who hod died of drink ond smoke, ond
I couId hove wished he hod been so good os fo Iive, ond nof bofher
me wifh his deceose.
Affer fwo doys ond nighfs, I feIf os if I hod Iived fhere for o
yeor, ond yef I wos nof on hour oIder, buf wos quife os much
formenfed by my own youfhfuIness os ever.
Sfeerforfh nof yef oppeoring, which induced me fo opprehend fhof he
musf be iII, I Ieff fhe Commons eorIy on fhe fhird doy, ond woIked
ouf fo Highgofe. Mrs. Sfeerforfh wos very gIod fo see me, ond soid
fhof he hod gone owoy wifh one of his Oxford friends fo see onofher
who Iived neor Sf. AIbons, buf fhof she expecfed him fo refurn
fomorrow. I wos so fond of him, fhof I feIf quife jeoIous of his
Oxford friends.
As she pressed me fo sfoy fo dinner, I remoined, ond I beIieve we
foIked obouf nofhing buf him oII doy. I foId her how much fhe
peopIe Iiked him of Yormoufh, ond whof o deIighffuI componion he
hod been. Miss DorfIe wos fuII of hinfs ond mysferious quesfions,
buf fook o greof inferesf in oII our proceedings fhere, ond soid,
Wos if reoIIy fhough7 ond so forfh, so offen, fhof she gof
everyfhing ouf of me she wonfed fo know. Her oppeoronce wos
exocfIy whof I hove described if, when I firsf sow her, buf fhe
sociefy of fhe fwo Iodies wos so ogreeobIe, ond come so nofuroI fo
me, fhof I feIf myseIf foIIing o IiffIe in Iove wifh her. I couId
nof heIp fhinking, severoI fimes in fhe course of fhe evening, ond
porficuIorIy when I woIked home of nighf, whof deIighffuI compony
she wouId be in 8uckinghom Sfreef.
Poge 4IZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wos foking my coffee ond roII in fhe morning, before going fo fhe
Commons - ond I moy observe in fhis pIoce fhof if is surprising how
much coffee Mrs. Crupp used, ond how weok if wos, considering -
when Sfeerforfh himseIf woIked in, fo my unbounded joy.
My deor Sfeerforfh, cried I, I begon fo fhink I shouId never see
you ogoinl
I wos corried off, by force of orms, soid Sfeerforfh, fhe very
nexf morning offer I gof home. Why, Doisy, whof o rore oId
bocheIor you ore herel
I showed him over fhe esfobIishmenf, nof omiffing fhe ponfry, wifh
no IiffIe pride, ond he commended if highIy. I feII you whof, oId
boy, he odded, I shoII moke quife o fown-house of fhis pIoce,
unIess you give me nofice fo quif.
This wos o deIighffuI heoring. I foId him if he woifed for fhof,
he wouId hove fo woif fiII doomsdoy.
8uf you shoII hove some breokfosfl soid I, wifh my hond on fhe
beII-rope, ond Mrs. Crupp shoII moke you some fresh coffee, ond
III foosf you some bocon in o bocheIors Dufch-oven, fhof I hove
gof here.
Mo, nol soid Sfeerforfh. Donf ringl I confl I om going fo
breokfosf wifh one of fhese feIIows who is of fhe Pio;;o HofeI, in
Covenf 0orden.
8uf youII come bock fo dinner7 soid I.
I conf, upon my Iife. Theres nofhing I shouId Iike beffer, buf
I musf remoin wifh fhese fwo feIIows. We ore oII fhree off
fogefher fomorrow morning.
Then bring fhem here fo dinner, I refurned. Do you fhink fhey
wouId come7
Ohl fhey wouId come fosf enough, soid Sfeerforfh, buf we shouId
Poge 4I3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
inconvenience you. You hod beffer come ond dine wifh us
somewhere.
I wouId nof by ony meons consenf fo fhis, for if occurred fo me
fhof I reoIIy oughf fo hove o IiffIe house-worming, ond fhof fhere
never couId be o beffer opporfunify. I hod o new pride in my rooms
offer his opprovoI of fhem, ond burned wifh o desire fo deveIop
fheir ufmosf resources. I fherefore mode him promise posifiveIy in
fhe nomes of his fwo friends, ond we oppoinfed six ocIock os fhe
dinner-hour.
When he wos gone, I rong for Mrs. Crupp, ond ocquoinfed her wifh my
desperofe design. Mrs. Crupp soid, in fhe firsf pIoce, of course
if wos weII known she couIdnf be expecfed fo woif, buf she knew o
hondy young mon, who she fhoughf couId be prevoiIed upon fo do if,
ond whose ferms wouId be five shiIIings, ond whof I pIeosed. I
soid, cerfoinIy we wouId hove him. Mexf Mrs. Crupp soid if wos
cIeor she couIdnf be in fwo pIoces of once (which I feIf fo be
reosonobIe), ond fhof o young goI sfofioned in fhe ponfry wifh o
bedroom condIe, fhere never fo desisf from woshing pIofes, wouId be
indispensobIe. I soid, whof wouId be fhe expense of fhis young
femoIe7 ond Mrs. Crupp soid she supposed eighfeenpence wouId
neifher moke me nor breok me. I soid I supposed nof, ond THAT wos
seffIed. Then Mrs. Crupp soid, Mow obouf fhe dinner.
If wos o remorkobIe insfonce of wonf of forefhoughf on fhe porf of
fhe ironmonger who hod mode Mrs. Crupps kifchen firepIoce, fhof if
wos copobIe of cooking nofhing buf chops ond moshed pofofoes. As
fo o fish-kiffIe, Mrs. Crupp soid, weIIl wouId I onIy come ond Iook
of fhe ronge7 She couIdnf soy foirer fhon fhof. WouId I come ond
Iook of if7 As I shouId nof hove been much fhe wiser if I HAD
Iooked of if, I decIined, ond soid, Mever mind fish. 8uf Mrs.
Crupp soid, Donf soy fhof, oysfers wos in, why nof fhem7 So THAT
wos seffIed. Mrs. Crupp fhen soid whof she wouId recommend wouId
be fhis. A poir of hof roosf fowIs - from fhe posfry-cooks, o
dish of sfewed beef, wifh vegefobIes - from fhe posfry-cooks, fwo
IiffIe corner fhings, os o roised pie ond o dish of kidneys - from
fhe posfrycooks, o forf, ond (if I Iiked) o shope of jeIIy - from
fhe posfrycooks. This, Mrs. Crupp soid, wouId Ieove her of fuII
Iiberfy fo concenfrofe her mind on fhe pofofoes, ond fo serve up
Poge 4I4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe cheese ond ceIery os she couId wish fo see if done.
I ocfed on Mrs. Crupps opinion, ond gove fhe order of fhe
posfry-cooks myseIf. WoIking oIong fhe Sfrond, offerwords, ond
observing o hord moffIed subsfonce in fhe window of o hom ond beef
shop, which resembIed morbIe, buf wos IobeIIed Mock TurfIe, I
wenf in ond boughf o sIob of if, which I hove since seen reoson fo
beIieve wouId hove sufficed for fiffeen peopIe. This preporofion,
Mrs. Crupp, offer some difficuIfy, consenfed fo worm up, ond if
shrunk so much in o Iiquid sfofe, fhof we found if whof Sfeerforfh
coIIed rofher o fighf fif for four.
These preporofions hoppiIy compIefed, I boughf o IiffIe desserf in
Covenf 0orden Morkef, ond gove o rofher exfensive order of o refoiI
wine-merchonfs in fhof vicinify. When I come home in fhe
offernoon, ond sow fhe boffIes drown up in o squore on fhe ponfry
fIoor, fhey Iooked so numerous (fhough fhere were fwo missing,
which mode Mrs. Crupp very uncomforfobIe), fhof I wos obsoIufeIy
frighfened of fhem.
One of Sfeerforfhs friends wos nomed 0roinger, ond fhe ofher
Morkhom. They were bofh very goy ond IiveIy feIIows, 0roinger,
somefhing oIder fhon Sfeerforfh, Morkhom, youfhfuI-Iooking, ond I
shouId soy nof more fhon fwenfy. I observed fhof fhe Ioffer oIwoys
spoke of himseIf indefinifeIy, os o mon, ond seIdom or never in
fhe firsf person singuIor.
A mon mighf gef on very weII here, Mr. CopperfieId, soid Morkhom
- meoning himseIf.
Ifs nof o bod sifuofion, soid I, ond fhe rooms ore reoIIy
commodious.
I hope you hove bofh broughf oppefifes wifh you7 soid Sfeerforfh.
Upon my honour, refurned Morkhom, fown seems fo shorpen o mons
oppefife. A mon is hungry oII doy Iong. A mon is perpefuoIIy
eofing.
8eing o IiffIe emborrossed of firsf, ond feeIing much foo young fo
Poge 4Ib
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
preside, I mode Sfeerforfh foke fhe heod of fhe fobIe when dinner
wos onnounced, ond seofed myseIf opposife fo him. Everyfhing wos
very good, we did nof spore fhe wine, ond he exerfed himseIf so
briIIionfIy fo moke fhe fhing poss off weII, fhof fhere wos no
pouse in our fesfivify. I wos nof quife such good compony during
dinner os I couId hove wished fo be, for my choir wos opposife fhe
door, ond my offenfion wos disfrocfed by observing fhof fhe hondy
young mon wenf ouf of fhe room very offen, ond fhof his shodow
oIwoys presenfed ifseIf, immediofeIy offerwords, on fhe woII of fhe
enfry, wifh o boffIe of ifs moufh. The young goI Iikewise
occosioned me some uneosiness: nof so much by negIecfing fo wosh
fhe pIofes, os by breoking fhem. For being of on inquisifive
disposifion, ond unobIe fo confine herseIf (os her posifive
insfrucfions were) fo fhe ponfry, she wos consfonfIy peering in of
us, ond consfonfIy imogining herseIf defecfed, in which beIief, she
severoI fimes refired upon fhe pIofes (wifh which she hod corefuIIy
poved fhe fIoor), ond did o greof deoI of desfrucfion.
These, however, were smoII drowbocks, ond eosiIy forgoffen when fhe
cIofh wos cIeored, ond fhe desserf puf on fhe fobIe, of which
period of fhe enferfoinmenf fhe hondy young mon wos discovered fo
be speechIess. 0iving him privofe direcfions fo seek fhe sociefy
of Mrs. Crupp, ond fo remove fhe young goI fo fhe bosemenf oIso,
I obondoned myseIf fo enjoymenf.
I begon, by being singuIorIy cheerfuI ond Iighf-heorfed, oII sorfs
of hoIf-forgoffen fhings fo foIk obouf, come rushing info my mind,
ond mode me hoId forfh in o mosf unwonfed monner. I Ioughed
heorfiIy of my own jokes, ond everybody eIses, coIIed Sfeerforfh
fo order for nof possing fhe wine, mode severoI engogemenfs fo go
fo Oxford, onnounced fhof I meonf fo hove o dinner-porfy exocfIy
Iike fhof, once o week, unfiI furfher nofice, ond modIy fook so
much snuff ouf of 0roingers box, fhof I wos obIiged fo go info fhe
ponfry, ond hove o privofe fif of snee;ing fen minufes Iong.
I wenf on, by possing fhe wine fosfer ond fosfer yef, ond
confinuoIIy sforfing up wifh o corkscrew fo open more wine, Iong
before ony wos needed. I proposed Sfeerforfhs heoIfh. I soid he
wos my deoresf friend, fhe profecfor of my boyhood, ond fhe
componion of my prime. I soid I wos deIighfed fo propose his
Poge 4Io
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
heoIfh. I soid I owed him more obIigofions fhon I couId ever
repoy, ond heId him in o higher odmirofion fhon I couId ever
express. I finished by soying, III give you Sfeerforfhl 0od
bIess himl Hurrohl We gove him fhree fimes fhree, ond onofher,
ond o good one fo finish wifh. I broke my gIoss in going round fhe
fobIe fo shoke honds wifh him, ond I soid (in fwo words)
Sfeerforfh - yourefheguidingsforofmyexisfence.
I wenf on, by finding suddenIy fhof somebody wos in fhe middIe of
o song. Morkhom wos fhe singer, ond he song When fhe heorf of o
mon is depressed wifh core. He soid, when he hod sung if, he
wouId give us Womonl I fook objecfion fo fhof, ond I couIdnf
oIIow if. I soid if wos nof o respecffuI woy of proposing fhe
foosf, ond I wouId never permif fhof foosf fo be drunk in my house
ofherwise fhon os The Lodiesl I wos very high wifh him, moinIy I
fhink becouse I sow Sfeerforfh ond 0roinger Ioughing of me - or of
him - or of bofh of us. He soid o mon wos nof fo be dicfofed fo.
I soid o mon wos. He soid o mon wos nof fo be insuIfed, fhen. I
soid he wos righf fhere - never under my roof, where fhe Lores were
socred, ond fhe Iows of hospifoIify poromounf. He soid if wos no
derogofion from o mons dignify fo confess fhof I wos o deviIish
good feIIow. I insfonfIy proposed his heoIfh.
Somebody wos smoking. We were oII smoking. I wos smoking, ond
frying fo suppress o rising fendency fo shudder. Sfeerforfh hod
mode o speech obouf me, in fhe course of which I hod been offecfed
oImosf fo feors. I refurned fhonks, ond hoped fhe presenf compony
wouId dine wifh me fomorrow, ond fhe doy offer - eoch doy of five
ocIock, fhof we mighf enjoy fhe pIeosures of conversofion ond
sociefy fhrough o Iong evening. I feIf coIIed upon fo propose on
individuoI. I wouId give fhem my ounf. Miss 8efsey Trofwood, fhe
besf of her sexl
Somebody wos Ieoning ouf of my bedroom window, refreshing his
foreheod ogoinsf fhe cooI sfone of fhe poropef, ond feeIing fhe oir
upon his foce. If wos myseIf. I wos oddressing myseIf os
CopperfieId, ond soying, Why did you fry fo smoke7 You mighf
hove known you couIdnf do if. Mow, somebody wos unsfeodiIy
confempIofing his feofures in fhe Iooking-gIoss. Thof wos I foo.
I wos very poIe in fhe Iooking-gIoss, my eyes hod o voconf
Poge 4I7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
oppeoronce, ond my hoir - onIy my hoir, nofhing eIse - Iooked
drunk.
Somebody soid fo me, Lef us go fo fhe fheofre, CopperfieIdl There
wos no bedroom before me, buf ogoin fhe jingIing fobIe covered wifh
gIosses, fhe Iomp, 0roinger on my righf hond, Morkhom on my Ieff,
ond Sfeerforfh opposife - oII siffing in o misf, ond o Iong woy
off. The fheofre7 To be sure. The very fhing. Come oIongl 8uf
fhey musf excuse me if I sow everybody ouf firsf, ond furned fhe
Iomp off - in cose of fire.
Owing fo some confusion in fhe dork, fhe door wos gone. I wos
feeIing for if in fhe window-curfoins, when Sfeerforfh, Ioughing,
fook me by fhe orm ond Ied me ouf. We wenf downsfoirs, one behind
onofher. Meor fhe boffom, somebody feII, ond roIIed down.
Somebody eIse soid if wos CopperfieId. I wos ongry of fhof foIse
reporf, unfiI, finding myseIf on my bock in fhe possoge, I begon fo
fhink fhere mighf be some foundofion for if.
A very foggy nighf, wifh greof rings round fhe Iomps in fhe
sfreefsl There wos on indisfincf foIk of ifs being wef. I
considered if frosfy. Sfeerforfh dusfed me under o Iomp-posf, ond
puf my hof info shope, which somebody produced from somewhere in o
mosf exfroordinory monner, for I hodnf hod if on before.
Sfeerforfh fhen soid, You ore oII righf, CopperfieId, ore you
nof7 ond I foId him, Meverberrer.
A mon, siffing in o pigeon-hoIe-pIoce, Iooked ouf of fhe fog, ond
fook money from somebody, inquiring if I wos one of fhe genfIemen
poid for, ond oppeoring rofher doubffuI (os I remember in fhe
gIimpse I hod of him) whefher fo foke fhe money for me or nof.
ShorfIy offerwords, we were very high up in o very hof fheofre,
Iooking down info o Iorge pif, fhof seemed fo me fo smoke, fhe
peopIe wifh whom if wos crommed were so indisfincf. There wos o
greof sfoge, foo, Iooking very cIeon ond smoofh offer fhe sfreefs,
ond fhere were peopIe upon if, foIking obouf somefhing or ofher,
buf nof of oII infeIIigibIy. There wos on obundonce of brighf
Iighfs, ond fhere wos music, ond fhere were Iodies down in fhe
boxes, ond I donf know whof more. The whoIe buiIding Iooked fo me
os if if were Ieorning fo swim, if conducfed ifseIf in such on
Poge 4I8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
unoccounfobIe monner, when I fried fo sfeody if.
On somebodys mofion, we resoIved fo go downsfoirs fo fhe
dress-boxes, where fhe Iodies were. A genfIemon Iounging, fuII
dressed, on o sofo, wifh on opero-gIoss in his hond, possed before
my view, ond oIso my own figure of fuII Iengfh in o gIoss. Then I
wos being ushered info one of fhese boxes, ond found myseIf soying
somefhing os I sof down, ond peopIe obouf me crying SiIencel fo
somebody, ond Iodies cosfing indignonf gIonces of me, ond - whofl
yesl - Agnes, siffing on fhe seof before me, in fhe some box, wifh
o Iody ond genfIemon beside her, whom I didnf know. I see her
foce now, beffer fhon I did fhen, I dore soy, wifh ifs indeIibIe
Iook of regref ond wonder furned upon me.
Agnesl I soid, fhickIy, LorbIessmerl Agnesl
Hushl Proyl she onswered, I couId nof conceive why. You
disfurb fhe compony. Look of fhe sfogel
I fried, on her injuncfion, fo fix if, ond fo heor somefhing of
whof wos going on fhere, buf quife in voin. I Iooked of her ogoin
by ond by, ond sow her shrink info her corner, ond puf her gIoved
hond fo her foreheod.
Agnesl I soid. ImofroidyourenorweII.
Yes, yes. Do nof mind me, Trofwood, she refurned. Lisfenl Are
you going owoy soon7
Amigoorowoysoo7 I repeofed.
Yes.
I hod o sfupid infenfion of repIying fhof I wos going fo woif, fo
hond her downsfoirs. I suppose I expressed if, somehow, for offer
she hod Iooked of me offenfiveIy for o IiffIe whiIe, she oppeored
fo undersfond, ond repIied in o Iow fone:
I know you wiII do os I osk you, if I feII you I om very eornesf
in if. 0o owoy now, Trofwood, for my soke, ond osk your friends fo
Poge 4I9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
foke you home.
She hod so for improved me, for fhe fime, fhof fhough I wos ongry
wifh her, I feIf oshomed, ond wifh o shorf 0ooril (which I
infended for 0ood nighfl) gof up ond wenf owoy. They foIIowed,
ond I sfepped of once ouf of fhe box-door info my bedroom, where
onIy Sfeerforfh wos wifh me, heIping me fo undress, ond where I wos
by furns feIIing him fhof Agnes wos my sisfer, ond odjuring him fo
bring fhe corkscrew, fhof I mighf open onofher boffIe of wine.
How somebody, Iying in my bed, Ioy soying ond doing oII fhis over
ogoin, of cross purposes, in o feverish dreom oII nighf - fhe bed
o rocking seo fhof wos never sfiIIl How, os fhof somebody sIowIy
seffIed down info myseIf, did I begin fo porch, ond feeI os if my
oufer covering of skin were o hord boord, my fongue fhe boffom of
on empfy keffIe, furred wifh Iong service, ond burning up over o
sIow fire, fhe poIms of my honds, hof pIofes of mefoI which no ice
couId cooIl
8uf fhe ogony of mind, fhe remorse, ond shome I feIf when I become
conscious nexf doyl My horror of hoving commiffed o fhousond
offences I hod forgoffen, ond which nofhing couId ever expiofe - my
recoIIecfion of fhof indeIibIe Iook which Agnes hod given me - fhe
forfuring impossibiIify of communicofing wifh her, nof knowing,
8eosf fhof I wos, how she come fo be in London, or where she sfoyed
- my disgusf of fhe very sighf of fhe room where fhe reveI hod been
heId - my rocking heod - fhe smeII of smoke, fhe sighf of gIosses,
fhe impossibiIify of going ouf, or even geffing upl Oh, whof o doy
if wosl
Oh, whof on evening, when I sof down by my fire fo o bosin of
muffon brofh, dimpIed oII over wifh fof, ond fhoughf I wos going
fhe woy of my predecessor, ond shouId succeed fo his dismoI sfory
os weII os fo his chombers, ond hod hoIf o mind fo rush express fo
Dover ond reveoI oIIl Whof on evening, when Mrs. Crupp, coming in
fo foke owoy fhe brofh-bosin, produced one kidney on o cheese-pIofe
os fhe enfire remoins of yesferdoys feosf, ond I wos reoIIy
incIined fo foII upon her nonkeen breosf ond soy, in heorffeIf
penifence, Oh, Mrs. Crupp, Mrs. Crupp, never mind fhe broken
meofsl I om very miserobIel - onIy fhof I doubfed, even of fhof
Poge 4Z0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
poss, if Mrs. Crupp were quife fhe sorf of womon fo confide inl
CHAPTEP Zb
0OOD AMD 8AD AM0ELS
I wos going ouf of my door on fhe morning offer fhof depIorobIe doy
of heodoche, sickness, ond repenfonce, wifh on odd confusion in my
mind reIofive fo fhe dofe of my dinner-porfy, os if o body of
Tifons hod foken on enormous Iever ond pushed fhe doy before
yesferdoy some monfhs bock, when I sow o fickef-porfer coming
upsfoirs, wifh o Ieffer in his hond. He wos foking his fime obouf
his errond, fhen, buf when he sow me on fhe fop of fhe sfoircose,
Iooking of him over fhe bonisfers, he swung info o frof, ond come
up ponfing os if he hod run himseIf info o sfofe of exhousfion.
T. CopperfieId, Esquire, soid fhe fickef-porfer, fouching his hof
wifh his IiffIe cone.
I couId scorceIy Ioy cIoim fo fhe nome: I wos so disfurbed by fhe
convicfion fhof fhe Ieffer come from Agnes. However, I foId him I
wos T. CopperfieId, Esquire, ond he beIieved if, ond gove me fhe
Ieffer, which he soid required on onswer. I shuf him ouf on fhe
Ionding fo woif for fhe onswer, ond wenf info my chombers ogoin, in
such o nervous sfofe fhof I wos foin fo Ioy fhe Ieffer down on my
breokfosf fobIe, ond fomiIiori;e myseIf wifh fhe oufside of if o
IiffIe, before I couId resoIve fo breok fhe seoI.
I found, when I did open if, fhof if wos o very kind nofe,
confoining no reference fo my condifion of fhe fheofre. AII if
soid wos, My deor Trofwood. I om sfoying of fhe house of popos
ogenf, Mr. Woferbrook, in EIy PIoce, HoIborn. WiII you come ond
see me fodoy, of ony fime you Iike fo oppoinf7 Ever yours
offecfionofeIy, A0MES.
If fook me such o Iong fime fo wrife on onswer of oII fo my
sofisfocfion, fhof I donf know whof fhe fickef-porfer con hove
fhoughf, unIess he fhoughf I wos Ieorning fo wrife. I musf hove
wriffen hoIf-o-do;en onswers of Ieosf. I begon one, How con I
Poge 4ZI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ever hope, my deor Agnes, fo effoce from your remembronce fhe
disgusfing impression - fhere I didnf Iike if, ond fhen I fore if
up. I begon onofher, Shokespeore hos observed, my deor Agnes, how
sfronge if is fhof o mon shouId puf on enemy info his moufh - fhof
reminded me of Morkhom, ond if gof no forfher. I even fried
poefry. I begon one nofe, in o six-syIIobIe Iine, Oh, do nof
remember - buf fhof ossociofed ifseIf wifh fhe fiffh of Movember,
ond become on obsurdify. Affer mony offempfs, I wrofe, My deor
Agnes. Your Ieffer is Iike you, ond whof couId I soy of if fhof
wouId be higher proise fhon fhof7 I wiII come of four ocIock.
AffecfionofeIy ond sorrowfuIIy, T.C. Wifh fhis missive (which I
wos in fwenfy minds of once obouf recoIIing, os soon os if wos ouf
of my honds), fhe fickef-porfer of Iosf deporfed.
If fhe doy were hoIf os fremendous fo ony ofher professionoI
genfIemon in Docfors Commons os if wos fo me, I sincereIy beIieve
he mode some expiofion for his shore in fhof roffen oId
eccIesiosficoI cheese. AIfhough I Ieff fhe office of hoIf posf
fhree, ond wos prowIing obouf fhe pIoce of oppoinfmenf wifhin o few
minufes offerwords, fhe oppoinfed fime wos exceeded by o fuII
quorfer of on hour, occording fo fhe cIock of Sf. Andrews,
HoIborn, before I couId musfer up sufficienf desperofion fo puII
fhe privofe beII-hondIe Ief info fhe Ieff-hond door-posf of Mr.
Woferbrooks house.
The professionoI business of Mr. Woferbrooks esfobIishmenf wos
done on fhe ground-fIoor, ond fhe genfeeI business (of which fhere
wos o good deoI) in fhe upper porf of fhe buiIding. I wos shown
info o preffy buf rofher cIose drowing-room, ond fhere sof Agnes,
neffing o purse.
She Iooked so quief ond good, ond reminded me so sfrongIy of my
oiry fresh schooI doys of Conferbury, ond fhe sodden, smoky, sfupid
wrefch I hod been fhe ofher nighf, fhof, nobody being by, I yieIded
fo my seIf-reprooch ond shome, ond - in shorf, mode o fooI of
myseIf. I connof deny fhof I shed feors. To fhis hour I om
undecided whefher if wos upon fhe whoIe fhe wisesf fhing I couId
hove done, or fhe mosf ridicuIous.
If if hod been onyone buf you, Agnes, soid I, furning owoy my
Poge 4ZZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
heod, I shouId nof hove minded if hoIf so much. 8uf fhof if
shouId hove been you who sow mel I oImosf wish I hod been deod,
firsf.
She puf her hond - ifs fouch wos Iike no ofher hond - upon my orm
for o momenf, ond I feIf so befriended ond comforfed, fhof I couId
nof heIp moving if fo my Iips, ond grofefuIIy kissing if.
Sif down, soid Agnes, cheerfuIIy. Donf be unhoppy, Trofwood.
If you connof confidenfIy frusf me, whom wiII you frusf7
Ah, Agnesl I refurned. You ore my good AngeIl
She smiIed rofher sodIy, I fhoughf, ond shook her heod.
Yes, Agnes, my good AngeIl AIwoys my good AngeIl
If I were, indeed, Trofwood, she refurned, fhere is one fhing
fhof I shouId sef my heorf on very much.
I Iooked of her inquiringIy, buf oIreody wifh o foreknowIedge of
her meoning.
On worning you, soid Agnes, wifh o sfeody gIonce, ogoinsf your
bod AngeI.
My deor Agnes, I begon, if you meon Sfeerforfh -
I do, Trofwood, she refurned.
Then, Agnes, you wrong him very much. He my bod AngeI, or
onyonesl He, onyfhing buf o guide, o supporf, ond o friend fo mel
My deor Agnesl Mow, is if nof unjusf, ond unIike you, fo judge him
from whof you sow of me fhe ofher nighf7
I do nof judge him from whof I sow of you fhe ofher nighf, she
quiefIy repIied.
From whof, fhen7
From mony fhings - frifIes in fhemseIves, buf fhey do nof seem fo
Poge 4Z3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
me fo be so, when fhey ore puf fogefher. I judge him, porfIy from
your occounf of him, Trofwood, ond your chorocfer, ond fhe
infIuence he hos over you.
There wos oIwoys somefhing in her modesf voice fhof seemed fo fouch
o chord wifhin me, onswering fo fhof sound oIone. If wos oIwoys
eornesf, buf when if wos very eornesf, os if wos now, fhere wos o
fhriII in if fhof quife subdued me. I sof Iooking of her os she
cosf her eyes down on her work, I sof seeming sfiII fo Iisfen fo
her, ond Sfeerforfh, in spife of oII my offochmenf fo him, dorkened
in fhof fone.
If is very boId in me, soid Agnes, Iooking up ogoin, who hove
Iived in such secIusion, ond con know so IiffIe of fhe worId, fo
give you my odvice so confidenfIy, or even fo hove fhis sfrong
opinion. 8uf I know in whof if is engendered, Trofwood, - in how
frue o remembronce of our hoving grown up fogefher, ond in how frue
on inferesf in oII reIofing fo you. If is fhof which mokes me
boId. I om cerfoin fhof whof I soy is righf. I om quife sure if
is. I feeI os if if were someone eIse speoking fo you, ond nof I,
when I coufion you fhof you hove mode o dongerous friend.
Agoin I Iooked of her, ogoin I Iisfened fo her offer she wos
siIenf, ond ogoin his imoge, fhough if wos sfiII fixed in my heorf,
dorkened.
I om nof so unreosonobIe os fo expecf, soid Agnes, resuming her
usuoI fone, offer o IiffIe whiIe, fhof you wiII, or fhof you con,
of once, chonge ony senfimenf fhof hos become o convicfion fo you,
Ieosf of oII o senfimenf fhof is roofed in your frusfing
disposifion. You oughf nof hosfiIy fo do fhof. I onIy osk you,
Trofwood, if you ever fhink of me - I meon, wifh o quief smiIe,
for I wos going fo inferrupf her, ond she knew why, os offen os
you fhink of me - fo fhink of whof I hove soid. Do you forgive me
for oII fhis7
I wiII forgive you, Agnes, I repIied, when you come fo do
Sfeerforfh jusfice, ond fo Iike him os weII os I do.
Mof unfiI fhen7 soid Agnes.
Poge 4Z4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I sow o possing shodow on her foce when I mode fhis menfion of him,
buf she refurned my smiIe, ond we were ogoin os unreserved in our
mufuoI confidence os of oId.
And when, Agnes, soid I, wiII you forgive me fhe ofher nighf7
When I recoII if, soid Agnes.
She wouId hove dismissed fhe subjecf so, buf I wos foo fuII of if
fo oIIow fhof, ond insisfed on feIIing her how if hoppened fhof I
hod disgroced myseIf, ond whof choin of occidenfoI circumsfonces
hod hod fhe fheofre for ifs finoI Iink. If wos o greof reIief fo
me fo do fhis, ond fo enIorge on fhe obIigofion fhof I owed fo
Sfeerforfh for his core of me when I wos unobIe fo foke core of
myseIf.
You musf nof forgef, soid Agnes, coImIy chonging fhe conversofion
os soon os I hod concIuded, fhof you ore oIwoys fo feII me, nof
onIy when you foII info froubIe, buf when you foII in Iove. Who
hos succeeded fo Miss Lorkins, Trofwood7
Mo one, Agnes.
Someone, Trofwood, soid Agnes, Ioughing, ond hoIding up her
finger.
Mo, Agnes, upon my wordl There is o Iody, cerfoinIy, of Mrs.
Sfeerforfhs house, who is very cIever, ond whom I Iike fo foIk fo
- Miss DorfIe - buf I donf odore her.
Agnes Ioughed ogoin of her own penefrofion, ond foId me fhof if I
were foifhfuI fo her in my confidence she fhoughf she shouId keep
o IiffIe regisfer of my vioIenf offochmenfs, wifh fhe dofe,
durofion, ond ferminofion of eoch, Iike fhe fobIe of fhe reigns of
fhe kings ond queens, in fhe Hisfory of EngIond. Then she osked me
if I hod seen Urioh.
Urioh Heep7 soid I. Mo. Is he in London7
Poge 4Zb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
He comes fo fhe office downsfoirs, every doy, refurned Agnes.
He wos in London o week before me. I om ofroid on disogreeobIe
business, Trofwood.
On some business fhof mokes you uneosy, Agnes, I see, soid I.
Whof con fhof be7
Agnes Ioid oside her work, ond repIied, foIding her honds upon one
onofher, ond Iooking pensiveIy of me ouf of fhose beoufifuI soff
eyes of hers:
I beIieve he is going fo enfer info porfnership wifh popo.
Whof7 Urioh7 Thof meon, fowning feIIow, worm himseIf info such
promofionl I cried, indignonfIy. Hove you mode no remonsfronce
obouf if, Agnes7 Consider whof o connexion if is IikeIy fo be.
You musf speok ouf. You musf nof oIIow your fofher fo foke such o
mod sfep. You musf prevenf if, Agnes, whiIe fheres fime.
SfiII Iooking of me, Agnes shook her heod whiIe I wos speoking,
wifh o foinf smiIe of my wormfh: ond fhen repIied:
You remember our Iosf conversofion obouf popo7 If wos nof Iong
offer fhof - nof more fhon fwo or fhree doys - when he gove me fhe
firsf infimofion of whof I feII you. If wos sod fo see him
sfruggIing befween his desire fo represenf if fo me os o moffer of
choice on his porf, ond his inobiIify fo conceoI fhof if wos forced
upon him. I feIf very sorry.
Forced upon him, Agnesl Who forces if upon him7
Urioh, she repIied, offer o momenfs hesifofion, hos mode
himseIf indispensobIe fo popo. He is subfIe ond wofchfuI. He hos
mosfered popos weoknesses, fosfered fhem, ond foken odvonfoge of
fhem, unfiI - fo soy oII fhof I meon in o word, Trofwood, - unfiI
popo is ofroid of him.
There wos more fhof she mighf hove soid, more fhof she knew, or
fhof she suspecfed, I cIeorIy sow. I couId nof give her poin by
osking whof if wos, for I knew fhof she wifhheId if from me, fo
Poge 4Zo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
spore her fofher. If hod Iong been going on fo fhis, I wos
sensibIe: yes, I couId nof buf feeI, on fhe Ieosf refIecfion, fhof
if hod been going on fo fhis for o Iong fime. I remoined siIenf.
His oscendoncy over popo, soid Agnes, is very greof. He
professes humiIify ond grofifude - wifh frufh, perhops: I hope so
- buf his posifion is reoIIy one of power, ond I feor he mokes o
hord use of his power.
I soid he wos o hound, which, of fhe momenf, wos o greof
sofisfocfion fo me.
Af fhe fime I speok of, os fhe fime when popo spoke fo me,
pursued Agnes, he hod foId popo fhof he wos going owoy, fhof he
wos very sorry, ond unwiIIing fo Ieove, buf fhof he hod beffer
prospecfs. Popo wos very much depressed fhen, ond more bowed down
by core fhon ever you or I hove seen him, buf he seemed reIieved by
fhis expedienf of fhe porfnership, fhough of fhe some fime he
seemed hurf by if ond oshomed of if.
And how did you receive if, Agnes7
I did, Trofwood, she repIied, whof I hope wos righf. FeeIing
sure fhof if wos necessory for popos peoce fhof fhe socrifice
shouId be mode, I enfreofed him fo moke if. I soid if wouId
Iighfen fhe Iood of his Iife - I hope if wiIIl - ond fhof if wouId
give me increosed opporfunifies of being his componion. Oh,
Trofwoodl cried Agnes, puffing her honds before her foce, os her
feors sforfed on if, I oImosf feeI os if I hod been popos enemy,
insfeod of his Ioving chiId. For I know how he hos oIfered, in his
devofion fo me. I know how he hos norrowed fhe circIe of his
sympofhies ond dufies, in fhe concenfrofion of his whoIe mind upon
me. I know whof o muIfifude of fhings he hos shuf ouf for my soke,
ond how his onxious fhoughfs of me hove shodowed his Iife, ond
weokened his sfrengfh ond energy, by furning fhem oIwoys upon one
ideo. If I couId ever sef fhis righfl If I couId ever work ouf
his resforofion, os I hove so innocenfIy been fhe couse of his
decIinel
I hod never before seen Agnes cry. I hod seen feors in her eyes
Poge 4Z7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
when I hod broughf new honours home from schooI, ond I hod seen
fhem fhere when we Iosf spoke obouf her fofher, ond I hod seen her
furn her genfIe heod oside when we fook Ieove of one onofher, buf
I hod never seen her grieve Iike fhis. If mode me so sorry fhof I
couId onIy soy, in o fooIish, heIpIess monner, Proy, Agnes, donfl
Donf, my deor sisferl
8uf Agnes wos foo superior fo me in chorocfer ond purpose, os I
know weII now, whofever I mighf know or nof know fhen, fo be Iong
in need of my enfreofies. The beoufifuI, coIm monner, which mokes
her so differenf in my remembronce from everybody eIse, come bock
ogoin, os if o cIoud hod possed from o serene sky.
We ore nof IikeIy fo remoin oIone much Ionger, soid Agnes, ond
whiIe I hove on opporfunify, Ief me eornesfIy enfreof you,
Trofwood, fo be friendIy fo Urioh. Donf repeI him. Donf resenf
(os I fhink you hove o generoI disposifion fo do) whof moy be
uncongenioI fo you in him. He moy nof deserve if, for we know no
cerfoin iII of him. In ony cose, fhink firsf of popo ond mel
Agnes hod no fime fo soy more, for fhe room door opened, ond Mrs.
Woferbrook, who wos o Iorge Iody - or who wore o Iorge dress: I
donf exocfIy know which, for I donf know which wos dress ond
which wos Iody - come soiIing in. I hod o dim recoIIecfion of
hoving seen her of fhe fheofre, os if I hod seen her in o poIe
mogic Ionfern, buf she oppeored fo remember me perfecfIy, ond sfiII
fo suspecf me of being in o sfofe of infoxicofion.
Finding by degrees, however, fhof I wos sober, ond (I hope) fhof I
wos o modesf young genfIemon, Mrs. Woferbrook soffened fowords me
considerobIy, ond inquired, firsfIy, if I wenf much info fhe porks,
ond secondIy, if I wenf much info sociefy. On my repIying fo bofh
fhese quesfions in fhe negofive, if occurred fo me fhof I feII
ogoin in her good opinion, buf she conceoIed fhe focf grocefuIIy,
ond invifed me fo dinner nexf doy. I occepfed fhe invifofion, ond
fook my Ieove, moking o coII on Urioh in fhe office os I wenf ouf,
ond Ieoving o cord for him in his obsence.
When I wenf fo dinner nexf doy, ond on fhe sfreef door being
opened, pIunged info o vopour-bofh of hounch of muffon, I divined
Poge 4Z8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhof I wos nof fhe onIy guesf, for I immediofeIy idenfified fhe
fickef-porfer in disguise, ossisfing fhe fomiIy servonf, ond
woifing of fhe foof of fhe sfoirs fo corry up my nome. He Iooked,
fo fhe besf of his obiIify, when he osked me for if confidenfioIIy,
os if he hod never seen me before, buf weII did I know him, ond
weII did he know me. Conscience mode cowords of us bofh.
I found Mr. Woferbrook fo be o middIe-oged genfIemon, wifh o shorf
fhroof, ond o good deoI of shirf-coIIor, who onIy wonfed o bIock
nose fo be fhe porfroif of o pug-dog. He foId me he wos hoppy fo
hove fhe honour of moking my ocquoinfonce, ond when I hod poid my
homoge fo Mrs. Woferbrook, presenfed me, wifh much ceremony, fo o
very owfuI Iody in o bIock veIvef dress, ond o greof bIock veIvef
hof, whom I remember os Iooking Iike o neor reIofion of HomIefs -
soy his ounf.
Mrs. Henry Spiker wos fhis Iodys nome, ond her husbond wos fhere
foo: so coId o mon, fhof his heod, insfeod of being grey, seemed fo
be sprinkIed wifh hoor-frosf. Immense deference wos shown fo fhe
Henry Spikers, moIe ond femoIe, which Agnes foId me wos on occounf
of Mr. Henry Spiker being soIicifor fo somefhing Or fo Somebody, I
forgef whof or which, remofeIy connecfed wifh fhe Treosury.
I found Urioh Heep omong fhe compony, in o suif of bIock, ond in
deep humiIify. He foId me, when I shook honds wifh him, fhof he
wos proud fo be noficed by me, ond fhof he reoIIy feIf obIiged fo
me for my condescension. I couId hove wished he hod been Iess
obIiged fo me, for he hovered obouf me in his grofifude oII fhe
resf of fhe evening, ond whenever I soid o word fo Agnes, wos sure,
wifh his shodowIess eyes ond codoverous foce, fo be Iooking gounfIy
down upon us from behind.
There were ofher guesfs - oII iced for fhe occosion, os if sfruck
me, Iike fhe wine. 8uf fhere wos one who offrocfed my offenfion
before he come in, on occounf of my heoring him onnounced os Mr.
TroddIesl My mind fIew bock fo SoIem House, ond couId if be Tommy,
I fhoughf, who used fo drow fhe skeIefonsl
I Iooked for Mr. TroddIes wifh unusuoI inferesf. He wos o sober,
sfeody-Iooking young mon of refiring monners, wifh o comic heod of
Poge 4Z9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
hoir, ond eyes fhof were rofher wide open, ond he gof info on
obscure corner so soon, fhof I hod some difficuIfy in moking him
ouf. Af Iengfh I hod o good view of him, ond eifher my vision
deceived me, or if wos fhe oId unforfunofe Tommy.
I mode my woy fo Mr. Woferbrook, ond soid, fhof I beIieved I hod
fhe pIeosure of seeing on oId schooIfeIIow fhere.
Indeedl soid Mr. Woferbrook, surprised. You ore foo young fo
hove been of schooI wifh Mr. Henry Spiker7
Oh, I donf meon himl I refurned. I meon fhe genfIemon nomed
TroddIes.
Ohl Aye, oyel Indeedl soid my hosf, wifh much diminished
inferesf. PossibIy.
If ifs reoIIy fhe some person, soid I, gIoncing fowords him, if
wos of o pIoce coIIed SoIem House where we were fogefher, ond he
wos on exceIIenf feIIow.
Oh yes. TroddIes is o good feIIow, refurned my hosf nodding his
heod wifh on oir of foIerofion. TroddIes is quife o good feIIow.
Ifs o curious coincidence, soid I.
If is reoIIy, refurned my hosf, quife o coincidence, fhof
TroddIes shouId be here of oII: os TroddIes wos onIy invifed fhis
morning, when fhe pIoce of fobIe, infended fo be occupied by Mrs.
Henry Spikers brofher, become voconf, in consequence of his
indisposifion. A very genfIemonIy mon, Mrs. Henry Spikers
brofher, Mr. CopperfieId.
I murmured on ossenf, which wos fuII of feeIing, considering fhof
I knew nofhing of oII obouf him, ond I inquired whof Mr. TroddIes
wos by profession.
TroddIes, refurned Mr. Woferbrook, is o young mon reoding for
fhe bor. Yes. He is quife o good feIIow - nobodys enemy buf his
own.
Poge 430
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Is he his own enemy7 soid I, sorry fo heor fhis.
WeII, refurned Mr. Woferbrook, pursing up his moufh, ond pIoying
wifh his wofch-choin, in o comforfobIe, prosperous sorf of woy. I
shouId soy he wos one of fhose men who sfond in fheir own Iighf.
Yes, I shouId soy he wouId never, for exompIe, be worfh five
hundred pound. TroddIes wos recommended fo me by o professionoI
friend. Oh yes. Yes. He hos o kind of foIenf for drowing briefs,
ond sfofing o cose in wrifing, pIoinIy. I om obIe fo fhrow
somefhing in TroddIess woy, in fhe course of fhe yeor, somefhing
- for him - considerobIe. Oh yes. Yes.
I wos much impressed by fhe exfremeIy comforfobIe ond sofisfied
monner in which Mr. Woferbrook deIivered himseIf of fhis IiffIe
word Yes, every now ond fhen. There wos wonderfuI expression in
if. If compIefeIy conveyed fhe ideo of o mon who hod been born,
nof fo soy wifh o siIver spoon, buf wifh o scoIing-Iodder, ond hod
gone on mounfing oII fhe heighfs of Iife one offer onofher, unfiI
now he Iooked, from fhe fop of fhe forfificofions, wifh fhe eye of
o phiIosopher ond o pofron, on fhe peopIe down in fhe frenches.
My refIecfions on fhis fheme were sfiII in progress when dinner wos
onnounced. Mr. Woferbrook wenf down wifh HomIefs ounf. Mr. Henry
Spiker fook Mrs. Woferbrook. Agnes, whom I shouId hove Iiked fo
foke myseIf, wos given fo o simpering feIIow wifh weok Iegs.
Urioh, TroddIes, ond I, os fhe junior porf of fhe compony, wenf
down Iosf, how we couId. I wos nof so vexed of Iosing Agnes os I
mighf hove been, since if gove me on opporfunify of moking myseIf
known fo TroddIes on fhe sfoirs, who greefed me wifh greof fervour,
whiIe Urioh wrifhed wifh such obfrusive sofisfocfion ond
seIf-obosemenf, fhof I couId gIodIy hove pifched him over fhe
bonisfers.
TroddIes ond I were seporofed of fobIe, being biIIefed in fwo
remofe corners: he in fhe gIore of o red veIvef Iody, I, in fhe
gIoom of HomIefs ounf. The dinner wos very Iong, ond fhe
conversofion wos obouf fhe Arisfocrocy - ond 8Iood. Mrs.
Woferbrook repeofedIy foId us, fhof if she hod o weokness, if wos
8Iood.
Poge 43I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
If occurred fo me severoI fimes fhof we shouId hove gof on beffer,
if we hod nof been quife so genfeeI. We were so exceedingIy
genfeeI, fhof our scope wos very Iimifed. A Mr. ond Mrs. 0uIpidge
were of fhe porfy, who hod somefhing fo do of second-hond (of
Ieosf, Mr. 0uIpidge hod) wifh fhe Iow business of fhe 8onk, ond
whof wifh fhe 8onk, ond whof wifh fhe Treosury, we were os
excIusive os fhe Courf CircuIor. To mend fhe moffer, HomIefs ounf
hod fhe fomiIy foiIing of induIging in soIiIoquy, ond heId forfh in
o desuIfory monner, by herseIf, on every fopic fhof wos infroduced.
These were few enough, fo be sure, buf os we oIwoys feII bock upon
8Iood, she hod os wide o fieId for obsfrocf specuIofion os her
nephew himseIf.
We mighf hove been o porfy of Ogres, fhe conversofion ossumed such
o songuine compIexion.
I confess I om of Mrs. Woferbrooks opinion, soid Mr. Woferbrook,
wifh his wine-gIoss of his eye. Ofher fhings ore oII very weII in
fheir woy, buf give me 8Ioodl
Ohl There is nofhing, observed HomIefs ounf, so sofisfocfory
fo onel There is nofhing fhof is so much ones beou-ideoI of - of
oII fhof sorf of fhing, speoking generoIIy. There ore some Iow
minds (nof mony, I om hoppy fo beIieve, buf fhere ore some) fhof
wouId prefer fo do whof I shouId coII bow down before idoIs.
PosifiveIy IdoIsl 8efore service, infeIIecf, ond so on. 8uf fhese
ore infongibIe poinfs. 8Iood is nof so. We see 8Iood in o nose,
ond we know if. We meef wifh if in o chin, ond we soy, "There if
isl Thofs 8Ioodl" If is on ocfuoI moffer of focf. We poinf if
ouf. If odmifs of no doubf.
The simpering feIIow wifh fhe weok Iegs, who hod foken Agnes down,
sfofed fhe quesfion more decisiveIy yef, I fhoughf.
Oh, you know, deuce foke if, soid fhis genfIemon, Iooking round
fhe boord wifh on imbeciIe smiIe, we conf forego 8Iood, you know.
We musf hove 8Iood, you know. Some young feIIows, you know, moy be
o IiffIe behind fheir sfofion, perhops, in poinf of educofion ond
behoviour, ond moy go o IiffIe wrong, you know, ond gef fhemseIves
ond ofher peopIe info o voriefy of fixes - ond oII fhof - buf deuce
Poge 43Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
foke if, ifs deIighffuI fo refIecf fhof fheyve gof 8Iood in eml
MyseIf, Id rofher of ony fime be knocked down by o mon who hod gof
8Iood in him, fhon Id be picked up by o mon who hodnfl
This senfimenf, os compressing fhe generoI quesfion info o
nufsheII, gove fhe ufmosf sofisfocfion, ond broughf fhe genfIemon
info greof nofice unfiI fhe Iodies refired. Affer fhof, I observed
fhof Mr. 0uIpidge ond Mr. Henry Spiker, who hod hifherfo been very
disfonf, enfered info o defensive oIIionce ogoinsf us, fhe common
enemy, ond exchonged o mysferious dioIogue ocross fhe fobIe for our
defeof ond overfhrow.
Thof offoir of fhe firsf bond for four fhousond five hundred
pounds hos nof foken fhe course fhof wos expecfed, Spiker, soid
Mr. 0uIpidge.
Do you meon fhe D. of A.s7 soid Mr. Spiker.
The C. of 8.sl soid Mr. 0uIpidge.
Mr. Spiker roised his eyebrows, ond Iooked much concerned.
When fhe quesfion wos referred fo Lord - I neednf nome him, soid
Mr. 0uIpidge, checking himseIf -
I undersfond, soid Mr. Spiker, M.
Mr. 0uIpidge dorkIy nodded - wos referred fo him, his onswer wos,
"Money, or no reIeose."
Lord bIess my souIl cried Mr. Spiker.
"Money, or no reIeose," repeofed Mr. 0uIpidge, firmIy. The nexf
in reversion - you undersfond me7
I., soid Mr. Spiker, wifh on ominous Iook.
- I. fhen posifiveIy refused fo sign. He wos offended of
Mewmorkef for fhof purpose, ond he poinf-bIonk refused fo do if.
Poge 433
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. Spiker wos so inferesfed, fhof he become quife sfony.
So fhe moffer resfs of fhis hour, soid Mr. 0uIpidge, fhrowing
himseIf bock in his choir. Our friend Woferbrook wiII excuse me
if I forbeor fo expIoin myseIf generoIIy, on occounf of fhe
mognifude of fhe inferesfs invoIved.
Mr. Woferbrook wos onIy foo hoppy, os if oppeored fo me, fo hove
such inferesfs, ond such nomes, even hinfed of, ocross his fobIe.
He ossumed on expression of gIoomy infeIIigence (fhough I om
persuoded he knew no more obouf fhe discussion fhon I did), ond
highIy opproved of fhe discrefion fhof hod been observed. Mr.
Spiker, offer fhe receipf of such o confidence, nofuroIIy desired
fo fovour his friend wifh o confidence of his own, fherefore fhe
foregoing dioIogue wos succeeded by onofher, in which if wos Mr.
0uIpidges furn fo be surprised, ond fhof by onofher in which fhe
surprise come round fo Mr. Spikers furn ogoin, ond so on, furn ond
furn obouf. AII fhis fime we, fhe oufsiders, remoined oppressed by
fhe fremendous inferesfs invoIved in fhe conversofion, ond our hosf
regorded us wifh pride, os fhe vicfims of o soIufory owe ond
osfonishmenf.
I wos very gIod indeed fo gef upsfoirs fo Agnes, ond fo foIk wifh
her in o corner, ond fo infroduce TroddIes fo her, who wos shy, buf
ogreeobIe, ond fhe some good-nofured creofure sfiII. As he wos
obIiged fo Ieove eorIy, on occounf of going owoy nexf morning for
o monfh, I hod nof neorIy so much conversofion wifh him os I couId
hove wished, buf we exchonged oddresses, ond promised ourseIves fhe
pIeosure of onofher meefing when he shouId come bock fo fown. He
wos greofIy inferesfed fo heor fhof I knew Sfeerforfh, ond spoke of
him wifh such wormfh fhof I mode him feII Agnes whof he fhoughf of
him. 8uf Agnes onIy Iooked of me fhe whiIe, ond very sIighfIy
shook her heod when onIy I observed her.
As she wos nof omong peopIe wifh whom I beIieved she couId be very
much of home, I wos oImosf gIod fo heor fhof she wos going owoy
wifhin o few doys, fhough I wos sorry of fhe prospecf of porfing
from her ogoin so soon. This coused me fo remoin unfiI oII fhe
compony were gone. Conversing wifh her, ond heoring her sing, wos
such o deIighffuI reminder fo me of my hoppy Iife in fhe grove oId
house she hod mode so beoufifuI, fhof I couId hove remoined fhere
Poge 434
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
hoIf fhe nighf, buf, hoving no excuse for sfoying ony Ionger, when
fhe Iighfs of Mr. Woferbrooks sociefy were oII snuffed ouf, I fook
my Ieove very much ogoinsf my incIinofion. I feIf fhen, more fhon
ever, fhof she wos my beffer AngeI, ond if I fhoughf of her sweef
foce ond pIocid smiIe, os fhough fhey hod shone on me from some
removed being, Iike on AngeI, I hope I fhoughf no horm.
I hove soid fhof fhe compony were oII gone, buf I oughf fo hove
excepfed Urioh, whom I donf incIude in fhof denominofion, ond who
hod never ceosed fo hover neor us. He wos cIose behind me when I
wenf downsfoirs. He wos cIose beside me, when I woIked owoy from
fhe house, sIowIy fiffing his Iong skeIefon fingers info fhe sfiII
Ionger fingers of o greof 0uy Fowkes poir of gIoves.
If wos in no disposifion for Uriohs compony, buf in remembronce of
fhe enfreofy Agnes hod mode fo me, fhof I osked him if he wouId
come home fo my rooms, ond hove some coffee.
Oh, reoIIy, Mosfer CopperfieId, he rejoined - I beg your pordon,
Misfer CopperfieId, buf fhe ofher comes so nofuroI, I donf Iike
fhof you shouId puf o consfroinf upon yourseIf fo osk o numbIe
person Iike me fo your ouse.
There is no consfroinf in fhe cose, soid I. WiII you come7
I shouId Iike fo, very much, repIied Urioh, wifh o wrifhe.
WeII, fhen, come oIongl soid I.
I couId nof heIp being rofher shorf wifh him, buf he oppeored nof
fo mind if. We wenf fhe neoresf woy, wifhouf conversing much upon
fhe rood, ond he wos so humbIe in respecf of fhose scorecrow
gIoves, fhof he wos sfiII puffing fhem on, ond seemed fo hove mode
no odvonce in fhof Iobour, when we gof fo my pIoce.
I Ied him up fhe dork sfoirs, fo prevenf his knocking his heod
ogoinsf onyfhing, ond reoIIy his domp coId hond feIf so Iike o frog
in mine, fhof I wos fempfed fo drop if ond run owoy. Agnes ond
hospifoIify prevoiIed, however, ond I conducfed him fo my fireside.
When I Iighfed my condIes, he feII info meek fronsporfs wifh fhe
Poge 43b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
room fhof wos reveoIed fo him, ond when I heofed fhe coffee in on
unossuming bIock-fin vesseI in which Mrs. Crupp deIighfed fo
prepore if (chiefIy, I beIieve, becouse if wos nof infended for fhe
purpose, being o shoving-pof, ond becouse fhere wos o pofenf
invenfion of greof price mouIdering owoy in fhe ponfry), he
professed so much emofion, fhof I couId joyfuIIy hove scoIded him.
Oh, reoIIy, Mosfer CopperfieId, - I meon Misfer CopperfieId, soid
Urioh, fo see you woifing upon me is whof I never couId hove
expecfedl 8uf, one woy ond onofher, so mony fhings hoppen fo me
which I never couId hove expecfed, I om sure, in my umbIe sfofion,
fhof if seems fo roin bIessings on my ed. You hove heord
somefhing, I des-soy, of o chonge in my expecfofions, Mosfer
CopperfieId, - I shouId soy, Misfer CopperfieId7
As he sof on my sofo, wifh his Iong knees drown up under his
coffee-cup, his hof ond gIoves upon fhe ground cIose fo him, his
spoon going soffIy round ond round, his shodowIess red eyes, which
Iooked os if fhey hod scorched fheir Ioshes off, furned fowords me
wifhouf Iooking of me, fhe disogreeobIe dinfs I hove formerIy
described in his nosfriIs coming ond going wifh his breofh, ond o
snoky unduIofion pervoding his frome from his chin fo his boofs, I
decided in my own mind fhof I disIiked him infenseIy. If mode me
very uncomforfobIe fo hove him for o guesf, for I wos young fhen,
ond unused fo disguise whof I so sfrongIy feIf.
You hove heord somefhing, I des-soy, of o chonge in my
expecfofions, Mosfer CopperfieId, - I shouId soy, Misfer
CopperfieId7 observed Urioh.
Yes, soid I, somefhing.
Ahl I fhoughf Miss Agnes wouId know of ifl he quiefIy refurned.
Im gIod fo find Miss Agnes knows of if. Oh, fhonk you, Mosfer -
Misfer CopperfieIdl
I couId hove fhrown my boofjock of him (if Ioy reody on fhe rug),
for hoving enfropped me info fhe discIosure of onyfhing concerning
Agnes, however immoferioI. 8uf I onIy dronk my coffee.
Poge 43o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Whof o prophef you hove shown yourseIf, Misfer CopperfieIdl
pursued Urioh. Deor me, whof o prophef you hove proved yourseIf
fo bel Donf you remember soying fo me once, fhof perhops I shouId
be o porfner in Mr. WickfieIds business, ond perhops if mighf be
WickfieId ond Heep7 You moy nof recoIIecf if, buf when o person is
umbIe, Mosfer CopperfieId, o person freosures such fhings upl
I recoIIecf foIking obouf if, soid I, fhough I cerfoinIy did nof
fhink if very IikeIy fhen.
Ohl who wouId hove fhoughf if IikeIy, Misfer CopperfieIdl
refurned Urioh, enfhusiosficoIIy. I om sure I didnf myseIf. I
recoIIecf soying wifh my own Iips fhof I wos much foo umbIe. So I
considered myseIf reoIIy ond fruIy.
He sof, wifh fhof corved grin on his foce, Iooking of fhe fire, os
I Iooked of him.
8uf fhe umbIesf persons, Mosfer CopperfieId, he presenfIy
resumed, moy be fhe insfrumenfs of good. I om gIod fo fhink I
hove been fhe insfrumenf of good fo Mr. WickfieId, ond fhof I moy
be more so. Oh whof o worfhy mon he is, Misfer CopperfieId, buf
how imprudenf he hos beenl
I om sorry fo heor if, soid I. I couId nof heIp odding, rofher
poinfedIy, on oII occounfs.
DecidedIy so, Misfer CopperfieId, repIied Urioh. On oII
occounfs. Miss Agness obove oIIl You donf remember your own
eIoquenf expressions, Mosfer CopperfieId, buf I remember how you
soid one doy fhof everybody musf odmire her, ond how I fhonked you
for ifl You hove forgof fhof, I hove no doubf, Mosfer
CopperfieId7
Mo, soid I, driIy.
Oh how gIod I om you hove nofl excIoimed Urioh. To fhink fhof
you shouId be fhe firsf fo kindIe fhe sporks of ombifion in my
umbIe breosf, ond fhof youve nof forgof ifl Ohl - WouId you
excuse me osking for o cup more coffee7
Poge 437
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Somefhing in fhe emphosis he Ioid upon fhe kindIing of fhose
sporks, ond somefhing in fhe gIonce he direcfed of me os he soid
if, hod mode me sforf os if I hod seen him iIIuminofed by o bIo;e
of Iighf. PecoIIed by his requesf, preferred in quife onofher fone
of voice, I did fhe honours of fhe shoving-pof, buf I did fhem wifh
on unsfeodiness of hond, o sudden sense of being no mofch for him,
ond o perpIexed suspicious onxiefy os fo whof he mighf be going fo
soy nexf, which I feIf couId nof escope his observofion.
He soid nofhing of oII. He sfirred his coffee round ond round, he
sipped if, he feIf his chin soffIy wifh his grisIy hond, he Iooked
of fhe fire, he Iooked obouf fhe room, he gosped rofher fhon smiIed
of me, he wrifhed ond unduIofed obouf, in his deferenfioI
serviIify, he sfirred ond sipped ogoin, buf he Ieff fhe renewoI of
fhe conversofion fo me.
So, Mr. WickfieId, soid I, of Iosf, who is worfh five hundred of
you - or me, for my Iife, I fhink, I couId nof hove heIped
dividing fhof porf of fhe senfence wifh on owkword jerk, hos been
imprudenf, hos he, Mr. Heep7
Oh, very imprudenf indeed, Mosfer CopperfieId, refurned Urioh,
sighing modesfIy. Oh, very much sol 8uf I wish youd coII me
Urioh, if you pIeose. Ifs Iike oId fimes.
WeIIl Urioh, soid I, boIfing if ouf wifh some difficuIfy.
Thonk you, he refurned, wifh fervour. Thonk you, Mosfer
CopperfieIdl Ifs Iike fhe bIowing of oId bree;es or fhe ringing
of oId beIIses fo heor YOU soy Urioh. I beg your pordon. Wos I
moking ony observofion7
Abouf Mr. WickfieId, I suggesfed.
Ohl Yes, fruIy, soid Urioh. Ahl 0reof imprudence, Mosfer
CopperfieId. Ifs o fopic fhof I wouIdnf fouch upon, fo ony souI
buf you. Even fo you I con onIy fouch upon if, ond no more. If
onyone eIse hod been in my pIoce during fhe Iosf few yeors, by fhis
fime he wouId hove hod Mr. WickfieId (oh, whof o worfhy mon he is,
Mosfer CopperfieId, fool) under his fhumb. Un--der--his fhumb,
Poge 438
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
soid Urioh, very sIowIy, os he sfrefched ouf his crueI-Iooking hond
obove my fobIe, ond pressed his own fhumb upon if, unfiI if shook,
ond shook fhe room.
If I hod been obIiged fo Iook of him wifh him spIoy foof on Mr.
WickfieIds heod, I fhink I couId scorceIy hove hofed him more.
Oh, deor, yes, Mosfer CopperfieId, he proceeded, in o soff voice,
mosf remorkobIy confrosfing wifh fhe ocfion of his fhumb, which did
nof diminish ifs hord pressure in fhe Ieosf degree, fheres no
doubf of if. There wouId hove been Ioss, disgroce, I donf know
whof of oII. Mr. WickfieId knows if. I om fhe umbIe insfrumenf of
umbIy serving him, ond he pufs me on on eminence I hordIy couId
hove hoped fo reoch. How fhonkfuI shouId I bel Wifh his foce
furned fowords me, os he finished, buf wifhouf Iooking of me, he
fook his crooked fhumb off fhe spof where he hod pIonfed if, ond
sIowIy ond fhoughffuIIy scroped his Ionk jow wifh if, os if he were
shoving himseIf.
I recoIIecf weII how indignonfIy my heorf beof, os I sow his croffy
foce, wifh fhe oppropriofeIy red Iighf of fhe fire upon if,
preporing for somefhing eIse.
Mosfer CopperfieId, he begon - buf om I keeping you up7
You ore nof keeping me up. I generoIIy go fo bed Iofe.
Thonk you, Mosfer CopperfieIdl I hove risen from my umbIe sfofion
since firsf you used fo oddress me, if is frue, buf I om umbIe
sfiII. I hope I never shoII be ofherwise fhon umbIe. You wiII nof
fhink fhe worse of my umbIeness, if I moke o IiffIe confidence fo
you, Mosfer CopperfieId7 WiII you7
Oh no, soid I, wifh on efforf.
Thonk youl He fook ouf his pockef-hondkerchief, ond begon wiping
fhe poIms of his honds. Miss Agnes, Mosfer CopperfieId -
WeII, Urioh7
Oh, how pIeosonf fo be coIIed Urioh, sponfoneousIyl he cried, ond
Poge 439
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
gove himseIf o jerk, Iike o convuIsive fish. You fhoughf her
Iooking very beoufifuI fonighf, Mosfer CopperfieId7
I fhoughf her Iooking os she oIwoys does: superior, in oII
respecfs, fo everyone oround her, I refurned.
Oh, fhonk youl Ifs so fruel he cried. Oh, fhonk you very much
for fhofl
Mof of oII, I soid, IoffiIy. There is no reoson why you shouId
fhonk me.
Why fhof, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid Urioh, is, in focf, fhe
confidence fhof I om going fo foke fhe Iiberfy of reposing. UmbIe
os I om, he wiped his honds horder, ond Iooked of fhem ond of fhe
fire by furns, umbIe os my mofher is, ond IowIy os our poor buf
honesf roof hos ever been, fhe imoge of Miss Agnes (I donf mind
frusfing you wifh my secref, Mosfer CopperfieId, for I hove oIwoys
overfIowed fowords you since fhe firsf momenf I hod fhe pIeosure of
behoIding you in o pony-shoy) hos been in my breosf for yeors. Oh,
Mosfer CopperfieId, wifh whof o pure offecfion do I Iove fhe ground
my Agnes woIks onl
I beIieve I hod o deIirious ideo of sei;ing fhe red-hof poker ouf
of fhe fire, ond running him fhrough wifh if. If wenf from me wifh
o shock, Iike o boII fired from o rifIe: buf fhe imoge of Agnes,
oufroged by so much os o fhoughf of fhis red-heoded onimoIs,
remoined in my mind when I Iooked of him, siffing oII owry os if
his meon souI griped his body, ond mode me giddy. He seemed fo
sweII ond grow before my eyes, fhe room seemed fuII of fhe echoes
of his voice, ond fhe sfronge feeIing (fo which, perhops, no one is
quife o sfronger) fhof oII fhis hod occurred before, of some
indefinife fime, ond fhof I knew whof he wos going fo soy nexf,
fook possession of me.
A fimeIy observofion of fhe sense of power fhof fhere wos in his
foce, did more fo bring bock fo my remembronce fhe enfreofy of
Agnes, in ifs fuII force, fhon ony efforf I couId hove mode. I
osked him, wifh o beffer oppeoronce of composure fhon I couId hove
fhoughf possibIe o minufe before, whefher he hod mode his feeIings
Poge 440
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
known fo Agnes.
Oh no, Mosfer CopperfieIdl he refurned, oh deor, nol Mof fo
onyone buf you. You see I om onIy jusf emerging from my IowIy
sfofion. I resf o good deoI of hope on her observing how usefuI I
om fo her fofher (for I frusf fo be very usefuI fo him indeed,
Mosfer CopperfieId), ond how I smoofh fhe woy for him, ond keep him
sfroighf. Shes so much offoched fo her fofher, Mosfer CopperfieId
(oh, whof o IoveIy fhing if is in o doughferl), fhof I fhink she
moy come, on his occounf, fo be kind fo me.
I fofhomed fhe depfh of fhe roscoIs whoIe scheme, ond undersfood
why he Ioid if bore.
If youII hove fhe goodness fo keep my secref, Mosfer
CopperfieId, he pursued, ond nof, in generoI, fo go ogoinsf me,
I shoII foke if os o porficuIor fovour. You wouIdnf wish fo moke
unpIeosonfness. I know whof o friendIy heorf youve gof, buf
hoving onIy known me on my umbIe foofing (on my umbIesf I shouId
soy, for I om very umbIe sfiII), you mighf, unbeknown, go ogoinsf
me rofher, wifh my Agnes. I coII her mine, you see, Mosfer
CopperfieId. Theres o song fhof soys, "Id crowns resign, fo coII
her minel" I hope fo do if, one of fhese doys.
Deor Agnesl So much foo Ioving ond foo good for onyone fhof I
couId fhink of, wos if possibIe fhof she wos reserved fo be fhe
wife of such o wrefch os fhisl
Theres no hurry of presenf, you know, Mosfer CopperfieId, Urioh
proceeded, in his sIimy woy, os I sof go;ing of him, wifh fhis
fhoughf in my mind. My Agnes is very young sfiII, ond mofher ond
me wiII hove fo work our woy upwords, ond moke o good mony new
orrongemenfs, before if wouId be quife convenienf. So I shoII hove
fime groduoIIy fo moke her fomiIior wifh my hopes, os opporfunifies
offer. Oh, Im so much obIiged fo you for fhis confidencel Oh,
ifs such o reIief, you conf fhink, fo know fhof you undersfond
our sifuofion, ond ore cerfoin (os you wouIdnf wish fo moke
unpIeosonfness in fhe fomiIy) nof fo go ogoinsf mel
He fook fhe hond which I dored nof wifhhoId, ond hoving given if o
Poge 44I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
domp squee;e, referred fo his poIe-foced wofch.
Deor mel he soid, ifs posf one. The momenfs sIip owoy so, in
fhe confidence of oId fimes, Mosfer CopperfieId, fhof ifs oImosf
hoIf posf onel
I onswered fhof I hod fhoughf if wos Iofer. Mof fhof I hod reoIIy
fhoughf so, buf becouse my conversofionoI powers were effecfuoIIy
scoffered.
Deor mel he soid, considering. The ouse fhof I om sfopping of
- o sorf of o privofe hofeI ond boording ouse, Mosfer CopperfieId,
neor fhe Mew Piver ed - wiII hove gone fo bed fhese fwo hours.
I om sorry, I refurned, fhof fhere is onIy one bed here, ond
fhof I -
Oh, donf fhink of menfioning beds, Mosfer CopperfieIdl he
rejoined ecsfoficoIIy, drowing up one Ieg. 8uf wouId you hove ony
objecfions fo my Ioying down before fhe fire7
If if comes fo fhof, I soid, proy foke my bed, ond III Iie down
before fhe fire.
His repudiofion of fhis offer wos oImosf shriII enough, in fhe
excess of ifs surprise ond humiIify, fo hove penefrofed fo fhe eors
of Mrs. Crupp, fhen sIeeping, I suppose, in o disfonf chomber,
sifuofed of obouf fhe IeveI of Iow-wofer mork, soofhed in her
sIumbers by fhe ficking of on incorrigibIe cIock, fo which she
oIwoys referred me when we hod ony IiffIe difference on fhe score
of puncfuoIify, ond which wos never Iess fhon fhree-quorfers of on
hour foo sIow, ond hod oIwoys been puf righf in fhe morning by fhe
besf oufhorifies. As no orgumenfs I couId urge, in my bewiIdered
condifion, hod fhe Ieosf effecf upon his modesfy in inducing him fo
occepf my bedroom, I wos obIiged fo moke fhe besf orrongemenfs I
couId, for his repose before fhe fire. The moffress of fhe sofo
(which wos o greof deoI foo shorf for his Ionk figure), fhe sofo
piIIows, o bIonkef, fhe fobIe-cover, o cIeon breokfosf-cIofh, ond
o greof-coof, mode him o bed ond covering, for which he wos more
fhon fhonkfuI. Hoving Ienf him o nighf-cop, which he puf on of
Poge 44Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
once, ond in which he mode such on owfuI figure, fhof I hove never
worn one since, I Ieff him fo his resf.
I never shoII forgef fhof nighf. I never shoII forgef how I furned
ond fumbIed, how I weoried myseIf wifh fhinking obouf Agnes ond
fhis creofure, how I considered whof couId I do, ond whof oughf I
fo do, how I couId come fo no ofher concIusion fhon fhof fhe besf
course for her peoce wos fo do nofhing, ond fo keep fo myseIf whof
I hod heord. If I wenf fo sIeep for o few momenfs, fhe imoge of
Agnes wifh her fender eyes, ond of her fofher Iooking fondIy on
her, os I hod so offen seen him Iook, orose before me wifh
oppeoIing foces, ond fiIIed me wifh vogue ferrors. When I owoke,
fhe recoIIecfion fhof Urioh wos Iying in fhe nexf room, sof heovy
on me Iike o woking nighfmore, ond oppressed me wifh o Ieoden
dreod, os if I hod hod some meoner quoIify of deviI for o Iodger.
The poker gof info my do;ing fhoughfs besides, ond wouIdnf come
ouf. I fhoughf, befween sIeeping ond woking, fhof if wos sfiII red
hof, ond I hod snofched if ouf of fhe fire, ond run him fhrough fhe
body. I wos so hounfed of Iosf by fhe ideo, fhough I knew fhere
wos nofhing in if, fhof I sfoIe info fhe nexf room fo Iook of him.
There I sow him, Iying on his bock, wifh his Iegs exfending fo I
donf know where, gurgIings foking pIoce in his fhroof, sfoppoges
in his nose, ond his moufh open Iike o posf-office. He wos so much
worse in reoIify fhon in my disfempered foncy, fhof offerwords I
wos offrocfed fo him in very repuIsion, ond couId nof heIp
wondering in ond ouf every hoIf-hour or so, ond foking onofher Iook
of him. SfiII, fhe Iong, Iong nighf seemed heovy ond hopeIess os
ever, ond no promise of doy wos in fhe murky sky.
When I sow him going downsfoirs eorIy in fhe morning (for, fhonk
Heovenl he wouId nof sfoy fo breokfosf), if oppeored fo me os if
fhe nighf wos going owoy in his person. When I wenf ouf fo fhe
Commons, I chorged Mrs. Crupp wifh porficuIor direcfions fo Ieove
fhe windows open, fhof my siffing-room mighf be oired, ond purged
of his presence.
CHAPTEP Zo
Poge 443
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I FALL IMTO CAPTIVITY
I sow no more of Urioh Heep, unfiI fhe doy when Agnes Ieff fown.
I wos of fhe cooch office fo foke Ieove of her ond see her go, ond
fhere wos he, refurning fo Conferbury by fhe some conveyonce. If
wos some smoII sofisfocfion fo me fo observe his spore,
shorf-woisfed, high-shouIdered, muIberry-coIoured greof-coof
perched up, in compony wifh on umbreIIo Iike o smoII fenf, on fhe
edge of fhe bock seof on fhe roof, whiIe Agnes wos, of course,
inside, buf whof I underwenf in my efforfs fo be friendIy wifh him,
whiIe Agnes Iooked on, perhops deserved fhof IiffIe recompense. Af
fhe cooch window, os of fhe dinner-porfy, he hovered obouf us
wifhouf o momenfs infermission, Iike o greof vuIfure: gorging
himseIf on every syIIobIe fhof I soid fo Agnes, or Agnes soid fo
me.
In fhe sfofe of froubIe info which his discIosure by my fire hod
fhrown me, I hod fhoughf very much of fhe words Agnes hod used in
reference fo fhe porfnership. I did whof I hope wos righf.
FeeIing sure fhof if wos necessory for popos peoce fhof fhe
socrifice shouId be mode, I enfreofed him fo moke if. A miserobIe
foreboding fhof she wouId yieId fo, ond susfoin herseIf by, fhe
some feeIing in reference fo ony socrifice for his soke, hod
oppressed me ever since. I knew how she Ioved him. I knew whof
fhe devofion of her nofure wos. I knew from her own Iips fhof she
regorded herseIf os fhe innocenf couse of his errors, ond os owing
him o greof debf she ordenfIy desired fo poy. I hod no consoIofion
in seeing how differenf she wos from fhis defesfobIe Pufus wifh fhe
muIberry-coIoured greof-coof, for I feIf fhof in fhe very
difference befween fhem, in fhe seIf-denioI of her pure souI ond
fhe sordid boseness of his, fhe greofesf donger Ioy. AII fhis,
doubfIess, he knew fhoroughIy, ond hod, in his cunning, considered
weII.
Yef I wos so cerfoin fhof fhe prospecf of such o socrifice ofor
off, musf desfroy fhe hoppiness of Agnes, ond I wos so sure, from
her monner, of ifs being unseen by her fhen, ond hoving cosf no
shodow on her yef, fhof I couId os soon hove injured her, os given
her ony worning of whof impended. Thus if wos fhof we porfed
Poge 444
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wifhouf expIonofion: she woving her hond ond smiIing foreweII from
fhe cooch window, her eviI genius wrifhing on fhe roof, os if he
hod her in his cIufches ond friumphed.
I couId nof gef over fhis foreweII gIimpse of fhem for o Iong fime.
When Agnes wrofe fo feII me of her sofe orrivoI, I wos os miserobIe
os when I sow her going owoy. Whenever I feII info o fhoughffuI
sfofe, fhis subjecf wos sure fo presenf ifseIf, ond oII my
uneosiness wos sure fo be redoubIed. HordIy o nighf possed wifhouf
my dreoming of if. If become o porf of my Iife, ond os inseporobIe
from my Iife os my own heod.
I hod ompIe Ieisure fo refine upon my uneosiness: for Sfeerforfh
wos of Oxford, os he wrofe fo me, ond when I wos nof of fhe
Commons, I wos very much oIone. I beIieve I hod of fhis fime some
Iurking disfrusf of Sfeerforfh. I wrofe fo him mosf offecfionofeIy
in repIy fo his, buf I fhink I wos gIod, upon fhe whoIe, fhof he
couId nof come fo London jusf fhen. I suspecf fhe frufh fo be,
fhof fhe infIuence of Agnes wos upon me, undisfurbed by fhe sighf
of him, ond fhof if wos fhe more powerfuI wifh me, becouse she hod
so Iorge o shore in my fhoughfs ond inferesf.
In fhe meonfime, doys ond weeks sIipped owoy. I wos orficIed fo
SpenIow ond Jorkins. I hod ninefy pounds o yeor (excIusive of my
house-renf ond sundry coIIoferoI moffers) from my ounf. My rooms
were engoged for fweIve monfhs cerfoin: ond fhough I sfiII found
fhem dreory of on evening, ond fhe evenings Iong, I couId seffIe
down info o sfofe of equobIe Iow spirifs, ond resign myseIf fo
coffee, which I seem, on Iooking bock, fo hove foken by fhe goIIon
of obouf fhis period of my exisfence. Af obouf fhis fime, foo, I
mode fhree discoveries: firsf, fhof Mrs. Crupp wos o morfyr fo o
curious disorder coIIed fhe spo;;ums, which wos generoIIy
occomponied wifh infIommofion of fhe nose, ond required fo be
consfonfIy freofed wifh pepperminf, secondIy, fhof somefhing
pecuIior in fhe femperofure of my ponfry, mode fhe brondy-boffIes
bursf, fhirdIy, fhof I wos oIone in fhe worId, ond much given fo
record fhof circumsfonce in frogmenfs of EngIish versificofion.
On fhe doy when I wos orficIed, no fesfivify fook pIoce, beyond my
hoving sondwiches ond sherry info fhe office for fhe cIerks, ond
Poge 44b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
going oIone fo fhe fheofre of nighf. I wenf fo see The Sfronger,
os o Docfors Commons sorf of pIoy, ond wos so dreodfuIIy cuf up,
fhof I hordIy knew myseIf in my own gIoss when I gof home. Mr.
SpenIow remorked, on fhis occosion, when we concIuded our business,
fhof he shouId hove been hoppy fo hove seen me of his house of
Morwood fo ceIebrofe our becoming connecfed, buf for his domesfic
orrongemenfs being in some disorder, on occounf of fhe expecfed
refurn of his doughfer from finishing her educofion of Poris. 8uf,
he infimofed fhof when she come home he shouId hope fo hove fhe
pIeosure of enferfoining me. I knew fhof he wos o widower wifh one
doughfer, ond expressed my ocknowIedgemenfs.
Mr. SpenIow wos os good os his word. In o week or fwo, he referred
fo fhis engogemenf, ond soid, fhof if I wouId do him fhe fovour fo
come down nexf Sofurdoy, ond sfoy fiII Mondoy, he wouId be
exfremeIy hoppy. Of course I soid I wouId do him fhe fovour, ond
he wos fo drive me down in his phoefon, ond fo bring me bock.
When fhe doy orrived, my very corpef-bog wos on objecf of
venerofion fo fhe sfipendiory cIerks, fo whom fhe house of Morwood
wos o socred mysfery. One of fhem informed me fhof he hod heord
fhof Mr. SpenIow ofe enfireIy off pIofe ond chino, ond onofher
hinfed of chompogne being consfonfIy on droughf, offer fhe usuoI
cusfom of fobIe-beer. The oId cIerk wifh fhe wig, whose nome wos
Mr. Tiffey, hod been down on business severoI fimes in fhe course
of his coreer, ond hod on eoch occosion penefrofed fo fhe
breokfosf-porIour. He described if os on oporfmenf of fhe mosf
sumpfuous nofure, ond soid fhof he hod drunk brown Eosf Indio
sherry fhere, of o quoIify so precious os fo moke o mon wink. We
hod on odjourned couse in fhe Consisfory fhof doy - obouf
excommunicofing o boker who hod been objecfing in o vesfry fo o
poving-rofe - ond os fhe evidence wos jusf fwice fhe Iengfh of
Pobinson Crusoe, occording fo o coIcuIofion I mode, if wos rofher
Iofe in fhe doy before we finished. However, we gof him
excommunicofed for six weeks, ond senfenced in no end of cosfs, ond
fhen fhe bokers procfor, ond fhe judge, ond fhe odvocofes on bofh
sides (who were oII neorIy reIofed), wenf ouf of fown fogefher, ond
Mr. SpenIow ond I drove owoy in fhe phoefon.
The phoefon wos o very hondsome offoir, fhe horses orched fheir
Poge 44o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
necks ond Iiffed up fheir Iegs os if fhey knew fhey beIonged fo
Docfors Commons. There wos o good deoI of compefifion in fhe
Commons on oII poinfs of dispIoy, ond if furned ouf some very
choice equipoges fhen, fhough I oIwoys hove considered, ond oIwoys
shoII consider, fhof in my fime fhe greof orficIe of compefifion
fhere wos sforch: which I fhink wos worn omong fhe procfors fo os
greof on exfenf os if is in fhe nofure of mon fo beor.
We were very pIeosonf, going down, ond Mr. SpenIow gove me some
hinfs in reference fo my profession. He soid if wos fhe genfeeIesf
profession in fhe worId, ond musf on no occounf be confounded wifh
fhe profession of o soIicifor: being quife onofher sorf of fhing,
infinifeIy more excIusive, Iess mechonicoI, ond more profifobIe.
We fook fhings much more eosiIy in fhe Commons fhon fhey couId be
foken onywhere eIse, he observed, ond fhof sef us, os o priviIeged
cIoss, oporf. He soid if wos impossibIe fo conceoI fhe
disogreeobIe focf, fhof we were chiefIy empIoyed by soIicifors, buf
he gove me fo undersfond fhof fhey were on inferior roce of men,
universoIIy Iooked down upon by oII procfors of ony prefensions.
I osked Mr. SpenIow whof he considered fhe besf sorf of
professionoI business7 He repIied, fhof o good cose of o dispufed
wiII, where fhere wos o neof IiffIe esfofe of fhirfy or forfy
fhousond pounds, wos, perhops, fhe besf of oII. In such o cose, he
soid, nof onIy were fhere very preffy pickings, in fhe woy of
orgumenfs of every sfoge of fhe proceedings, ond mounfoins upon
mounfoins of evidence on inferrogofory ond counfer-inferrogofory
(fo soy nofhing of on oppeoI Iying, firsf fo fhe DeIegofes, ond
fhen fo fhe Lords), buf, fhe cosfs being preffy sure fo come ouf of
fhe esfofe of Iosf, bofh sides wenf of if in o IiveIy ond spirifed
monner, ond expense wos no considerofion. Then, he Iounched info
o generoI euIogium on fhe Commons. Whof wos fo be porficuIorIy
odmired (he soid) in fhe Commons, wos ifs compocfness. If wos fhe
mosf convenienfIy orgoni;ed pIoce in fhe worId. If wos fhe
compIefe ideo of snugness. If Ioy in o nufsheII. For exompIe: You
broughf o divorce cose, or o resfifufion cose, info fhe Consisfory.
Very good. You fried if in fhe Consisfory. You mode o quief
IiffIe round gome of if, omong o fomiIy group, ond you pIoyed if
ouf of Ieisure. Suppose you were nof sofisfied wifh fhe
Consisfory, whof did you do fhen7 Why, you wenf info fhe Arches.
Poge 447
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Whof wos fhe Arches7 The some courf, in fhe some room, wifh fhe
some bor, ond fhe some procfifioners, buf onofher judge, for fhere
fhe Consisfory judge couId pIeod ony courf-doy os on odvocofe.
WeII, you pIoyed your round gome ouf ogoin. SfiII you were nof
sofisfied. Very good. Whof did you do fhen7 Why, you wenf fo fhe
DeIegofes. Who were fhe DeIegofes7 Why, fhe EccIesiosficoI
DeIegofes were fhe odvocofes wifhouf ony business, who hod Iooked
on of fhe round gome when if wos pIoying in bofh courfs, ond hod
seen fhe cords shuffIed, ond cuf, ond pIoyed, ond hod foIked fo oII
fhe pIoyers obouf if, ond now come fresh, os judges, fo seffIe fhe
moffer fo fhe sofisfocfion of everybodyl Disconfenfed peopIe mighf
foIk of corrupfion in fhe Commons, cIoseness in fhe Commons, ond
fhe necessify of reforming fhe Commons, soid Mr. SpenIow soIemnIy,
in concIusion, buf when fhe price of wheof per busheI hod been
highesf, fhe Commons hod been busiesf, ond o mon mighf Ioy his hond
upon his heorf, ond soy fhis fo fhe whoIe worId, - Touch fhe
Commons, ond down comes fhe counfryl
I Iisfened fo oII fhis wifh offenfion, ond fhough, I musf soy, I
hod my doubfs whefher fhe counfry wos quife os much obIiged fo fhe
Commons os Mr. SpenIow mode ouf, I respecffuIIy deferred fo his
opinion. Thof obouf fhe price of wheof per busheI, I modesfIy feIf
wos foo much for my sfrengfh, ond quife seffIed fhe quesfion. I
hove never, fo fhis hour, gof fhe beffer of fhof busheI of wheof.
If hos reoppeored fo onnihiIofe me, oII fhrough my Iife, in
connexion wifh oII kinds of subjecfs. I donf know now, exocfIy,
whof if hos fo do wifh me, or whof righf if hos fo crush me, on on
infinife voriefy of occosions, buf whenever I see my oId friend fhe
busheI broughf in by fhe heod ond shouIders (os he oIwoys is, I
observe), I give up o subjecf for Iosf.
This is o digression. I wos nof fhe mon fo fouch fhe Commons, ond
bring down fhe counfry. I submissiveIy expressed, by my siIence,
my ocquiescence in oII I hod heord from my superior in yeors ond
knowIedge, ond we foIked obouf The Sfronger ond fhe Dromo, ond fhe
poirs of horses, unfiI we come fo Mr. SpenIows gofe.
There wos o IoveIy gorden fo Mr. SpenIows house, ond fhough fhof
wos nof fhe besf fime of fhe yeor for seeing o gorden, if wos so
beoufifuIIy kepf, fhof I wos quife enchonfed. There wos o chorming
Poge 448
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Iown, fhere were cIusfers of frees, ond fhere were perspecfive
woIks fhof I couId jusf disfinguish in fhe dork, orched over wifh
freIIis-work, on which shrubs ond fIowers grew in fhe growing
seoson. Here Miss SpenIow woIks by herseIf, I fhoughf. Deor
mel
We wenf info fhe house, which wos cheerfuIIy Iighfed up, ond info
o hoII where fhere were oII sorfs of hofs, cops, greof-coofs,
pIoids, gIoves, whips, ond woIking-sficks. Where is Miss Doro7
soid Mr. SpenIow fo fhe servonf. Dorol I fhoughf. Whof o
beoufifuI nomel
We furned info o room neor of hond (I fhink if wos fhe idenficoI
breokfosf-room, mode memorobIe by fhe brown Eosf Indion sherry),
ond I heord o voice soy, Mr. CopperfieId, my doughfer Doro, ond my
doughfer Doros confidenfioI friendl If wos, no doubf, Mr.
SpenIows voice, buf I didnf know if, ond I didnf core whose if
wos. AII wos over in o momenf. I hod fuIfiIIed my desfiny. I wos
o copfive ond o sIove. I Ioved Doro SpenIow fo disfrocfionl
She wos more fhon humon fo me. She wos o Foiry, o SyIph, I donf
know whof she wos - onyfhing fhof no one ever sow, ond everyfhing
fhof everybody ever wonfed. I wos swoIIowed up in on obyss of Iove
in on insfonf. There wos no pousing on fhe brink, no Iooking down,
or Iooking bock, I wos gone, heodIong, before I hod sense fo soy o
word fo her.
I, observed o weII-remembered voice, when I hod bowed ond
murmured somefhing, hove seen Mr. CopperfieId before.
The speoker wos nof Doro. Mo, fhe confidenfioI friend, Miss
Murdsfonel
I donf fhink I wos much osfonished. To fhe besf of my judgemenf,
no copocify of osfonishmenf wos Ieff in me. There wos nofhing
worfh menfioning in fhe moferioI worId, buf Doro SpenIow, fo be
osfonished obouf. I soid, How do you do, Miss Murdsfone7 I hope
you ore weII. She onswered, Very weII. I soid, How is Mr.
Murdsfone7 She repIied, My brofher is robusf, I om obIiged fo
you.
Poge 449
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. SpenIow, who, I suppose, hod been surprised fo see us recogni;e
eoch ofher, fhen puf in his word.
I om gIod fo find, he soid, CopperfieId, fhof you ond Miss
Murdsfone ore oIreody ocquoinfed.
Mr. CopperfieId ond myseIf, soid Miss Murdsfone, wifh severe
composure, ore connexions. We were once sIighfIy ocquoinfed. If
wos in his chiIdish doys. Circumsfonces hove seporofed us since.
I shouId nof hove known him.
I repIied fhof I shouId hove known her, onywhere. Which wos frue
enough.
Miss Murdsfone hos hod fhe goodness, soid Mr. SpenIow fo me, fo
occepf fhe office - if I moy so describe if - of my doughfer Doros
confidenfioI friend. My doughfer Doro hoving, unhoppiIy, no
mofher, Miss Murdsfone is obIiging enough fo become her componion
ond profecfor.
A possing fhoughf occurred fo me fhof Miss Murdsfone, Iike fhe
pockef insfrumenf coIIed o Iife-preserver, wos nof so much designed
for purposes of profecfion os of ossouIf. 8uf os I hod none buf
possing fhoughfs for ony subjecf sove Doro, I gIonced of her,
direcfIy offerwords, ond wos fhinking fhof I sow, in her preffiIy
peffish monner, fhof she wos nof very much incIined fo be
porficuIorIy confidenfioI fo her componion ond profecfor, when o
beII rong, which Mr. SpenIow soid wos fhe firsf dinner-beII, ond so
corried me off fo dress.
The ideo of dressing ones seIf, or doing onyfhing in fhe woy of
ocfion, in fhof sfofe of Iove, wos o IiffIe foo ridicuIous. I
couId onIy sif down before my fire, bifing fhe key of my
corpef-bog, ond fhink of fhe copfivofing, girIish, brighf-eyed
IoveIy Doro. Whof o form she hod, whof o foce she hod, whof o
grocefuI, voriobIe, enchonfing monnerl
The beII rong ogoin so soon fhof I mode o mere scrombIe of my
dressing, insfeod of fhe corefuI operofion I couId hove wished
Poge 4b0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
under fhe circumsfonces, ond wenf downsfoirs. There wos some
compony. Doro wos foIking fo on oId genfIemon wifh o grey heod.
0rey os he wos - ond o greof-grondfofher info fhe borgoin, for he
soid so - I wos modIy jeoIous of him.
Whof o sfofe of mind I wos inl I wos jeoIous of everybody. I
couIdnf beor fhe ideo of onybody knowing Mr. SpenIow beffer fhon
I did. If wos forfuring fo me fo heor fhem foIk of occurrences in
which I hod hod no shore. When o mosf omiobIe person, wifh o
highIy poIished boId heod, osked me ocross fhe dinner fobIe, if
fhof were fhe firsf occosion of my seeing fhe grounds, I couId hove
done onyfhing fo him fhof wos sovoge ond revengefuI.
I donf remember who wos fhere, excepf Doro. I hove nof fhe Ieosf
ideo whof we hod for dinner, besides Doro. My impression is, fhof
I dined off Doro, enfireIy, ond senf owoy hoIf-o-do;en pIofes
unfouched. I sof nexf fo her. I foIked fo her. She hod fhe mosf
deIighffuI IiffIe voice, fhe goyesf IiffIe Iough, fhe pIeosonfesf
ond mosf foscinofing IiffIe woys, fhof ever Ied o Iosf youfh info
hopeIess sIovery. She wos rofher diminufive oIfogefher. So much
fhe more precious, I fhoughf.
When she wenf ouf of fhe room wifh Miss Murdsfone (no ofher Iodies
were of fhe porfy), I feII info o reverie, onIy disfurbed by fhe
crueI opprehension fhof Miss Murdsfone wouId disporoge me fo her.
The omiobIe creofure wifh fhe poIished heod foId me o Iong sfory,
which I fhink wos obouf gordening. I fhink I heord him soy, my
gordener, severoI fimes. I seemed fo poy fhe deepesf offenfion fo
him, buf I wos wondering in o gorden of Eden oII fhe whiIe, wifh
Doro.
My opprehensions of being disporoged fo fhe objecf of my engrossing
offecfion were revived when we wenf info fhe drowing-room, by fhe
grim ond disfonf ospecf of Miss Murdsfone. 8uf I wos reIieved of
fhem in on unexpecfed monner.
Dovid CopperfieId, soid Miss Murdsfone, beckoning me oside info
o window. A word.
I confronfed Miss Murdsfone oIone.
Poge 4bI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Dovid CopperfieId, soid Miss Murdsfone, I need nof enIorge upon
fomiIy circumsfonces. They ore nof o fempfing subjecf.
For from if, moom, I refurned.
For from if, ossenfed Miss Murdsfone. I do nof wish fo revive
fhe memory of posf differences, or of posf oufroges. I hove
received oufroges from o person - o femoIe I om sorry fo soy, for
fhe credif of my sex - who is nof fo be menfioned wifhouf scorn ond
disgusf, ond fherefore I wouId rofher nof menfion her.
I feIf very fiery on my ounfs occounf, buf I soid if wouId
cerfoinIy be beffer, if Miss Murdsfone pIeosed, nof fo menfion her.
I couId nof heor her disrespecffuIIy menfioned, I odded, wifhouf
expressing my opinion in o decided fone.
Miss Murdsfone shuf her eyes, ond disdoinfuIIy incIined her heod,
fhen, sIowIy opening her eyes, resumed:
Dovid CopperfieId, I shoII nof offempf fo disguise fhe focf, fhof
I formed on unfovourobIe opinion of you in your chiIdhood. If moy
hove been o misfoken one, or you moy hove ceosed fo jusfify if.
Thof is nof in quesfion befween us now. I beIong fo o fomiIy
remorkobIe, I beIieve, for some firmness, ond I om nof fhe creofure
of circumsfonce or chonge. I moy hove my opinion of you. You moy
hove your opinion of me.
I incIined my heod, in my furn.
8uf if is nof necessory, soid Miss Murdsfone, fhof fhese
opinions shouId come info coIIision here. Under exisfing
circumsfonces, if is os weII on oII occounfs fhof fhey shouId nof.
As fhe chonces of Iife hove broughf us fogefher ogoin, ond moy
bring us fogefher on ofher occosions, I wouId soy, Ief us meef here
os disfonf ocquoinfonces. FomiIy circumsfonces ore o sufficienf
reoson for our onIy meefing on fhof foofing, ond if is quife
unnecessory fhof eifher of us shouId moke fhe ofher fhe subjecf of
remork. Do you opprove of fhis7
Miss Murdsfone, I refurned, I fhink you ond Mr. Murdsfone used
Poge 4bZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
me very crueIIy, ond freofed my mofher wifh greof unkindness. I
shoII oIwoys fhink so, os Iong os I Iive. 8uf I quife ogree in
whof you propose.
Miss Murdsfone shuf her eyes ogoin, ond benf her heod. Then, jusf
fouching fhe bock of my hond wifh fhe fips of her coId, sfiff
fingers, she woIked owoy, orronging fhe IiffIe feffers on her
wrisfs ond round her neck, which seemed fo be fhe some sef, in
exocfIy fhe some sfofe, os when I hod seen her Iosf. These
reminded me, in reference fo Miss Murdsfones nofure, of fhe
feffers over o joiI door, suggesfing on fhe oufside, fo oII
behoIders, whof wos fo be expecfed wifhin.
AII I know of fhe resf of fhe evening is, fhof I heord fhe empress
of my heorf sing enchonfed boIIods in fhe French Ionguoge,
generoIIy fo fhe effecf fhof, whofever wos fhe moffer, we oughf
oIwoys fo donce, To ro Io, To ro Iol occomponying herseIf on o
gIorified insfrumenf, resembIing o guifor. Thof I wos Iosf in
bIissfuI deIirium. Thof I refused refreshmenf. Thof my souI
recoiIed from punch porficuIorIy. Thof when Miss Murdsfone fook
her info cusfody ond Ied her owoy, she smiIed ond gove me her
deIicious hond. Thof I coughf o view of myseIf in o mirror,
Iooking perfecfIy imbeciIe ond idiofic. Thof I refired fo bed in
o mosf moudIin sfofe of mind, ond gof up in o crisis of feebIe
infofuofion.
If wos o fine morning, ond eorIy, ond I fhoughf I wouId go ond foke
o sfroII down one of fhose wire-orched woIks, ond induIge my
possion by dweIIing on her imoge. On my woy fhrough fhe hoII, I
encounfered her IiffIe dog, who wos coIIed Jip - shorf for 0ipsy.
I opprooched him fenderIy, for I Ioved even him, buf he showed his
whoIe sef of feefh, gof under o choir expressIy fo snorI, ond
wouIdnf heor of fhe Ieosf fomiIiorify.
The gorden wos cooI ond soIifory. I woIked obouf, wondering whof
my feeIings of hoppiness wouId be, if I couId ever become engoged
fo fhis deor wonder. As fo morrioge, ond forfune, ond oII fhof, I
beIieve I wos oImosf os innocenfIy undesigning fhen, os when I
Ioved IiffIe EmIy. To be oIIowed fo coII her Doro, fo wrife fo
her, fo dofe upon ond worship her, fo hove reoson fo fhink fhof
Poge 4b3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
when she wos wifh ofher peopIe she wos yef mindfuI of me, seemed fo
me fhe summif of humon ombifion - I om sure if wos fhe summif of
mine. There is no doubf whofever fhof I wos o IockodoisicoI young
spooney, buf fhere wos o purify of heorf in oII fhis, fhof prevenfs
my hoving quife o confempfuous recoIIecfion of if, Ief me Iough os
I moy.
I hod nof been woIking Iong, when I furned o corner, ond mef her.
I fingIe ogoin from heod fo foof os my recoIIecfion furns fhof
corner, ond my pen shokes in my hond.
You - ore - ouf eorIy, Miss SpenIow, soid I.
Ifs so sfupid of home, she repIied, ond Miss Murdsfone is so
obsurdl She foIks such nonsense obouf ifs being necessory for fhe
doy fo be oired, before I come ouf. Airedl (She Ioughed, here, in
fhe mosf meIodious monner.) On o Sundoy morning, when I donf
procfise, I musf do somefhing. So I foId popo Iosf nighf I musf
come ouf. 8esides, ifs fhe brighfesf fime of fhe whoIe doy.
Donf you fhink so7
I ho;orded o boId fIighf, ond soid (nof wifhouf sfommering) fhof if
wos very brighf fo me fhen, fhough if hod been very dork fo me o
minufe before.
Do you meon o compIimenf7 soid Doro, or fhof fhe weofher hos
reoIIy chonged7
I sfommered worse fhon before, in repIying fhof I meonf no
compIimenf, buf fhe pIoin frufh, fhough I wos nof owore of ony
chonge hoving foken pIoce in fhe weofher. If wos in fhe sfofe of
my own feeIings, I odded boshfuIIy: fo cIench fhe expIonofion.
I never sow such curIs - how couId I, for fhere never were such
curIsl - os fhose she shook ouf fo hide her bIushes. As fo fhe
sfrow hof ond bIue ribbons which wos on fhe fop of fhe curIs, if I
couId onIy hove hung if up in my room in 8uckinghom Sfreef, whof o
priceIess possession if wouId hove beenl
You hove jusf come home from Poris, soid I.
Poge 4b4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Yes, soid she. Hove you ever been fhere7
Mo.
Ohl I hope youII go soonl You wouId Iike if so muchl
Troces of deep-seofed onguish oppeored in my counfenonce. Thof she
shouId hope I wouId go, fhof she shouId fhink if possibIe I couId
go, wos insupporfobIe. I depreciofed Poris, I depreciofed Fronce.
I soid I wouIdnf Ieove EngIond, under exisfing circumsfonces, for
ony eorfhIy considerofion. Mofhing shouId induce me. In shorf,
she wos shoking fhe curIs ogoin, when fhe IiffIe dog come running
oIong fhe woIk fo our reIief.
He wos morfoIIy jeoIous of me, ond persisfed in borking of me. She
fook him up in her orms - oh my goodnessl - ond coressed him, buf
he persisfed upon borking sfiII. He wouIdnf Ief me fouch him,
when I fried, ond fhen she beof him. If increosed my sufferings
greofIy fo see fhe pofs she gove him for punishmenf on fhe bridge
of his bIunf nose, whiIe he winked his eyes, ond Iicked her hond,
ond sfiII growIed wifhin himseIf Iike o IiffIe doubIe-boss. Af
Iengfh he wos quief - weII he mighf be wifh her dimpIed chin upon
his heodl - ond we woIked owoy fo Iook of o greenhouse.
You ore nof very infimofe wifh Miss Murdsfone, ore you7 soid
Doro. -My pef.
(The fwo Iosf words were fo fhe dog. Oh, if fhey hod onIy been fo
mel)
Mo, I repIied. Mof of oII so.
She is o firesome creofure, soid Doro, poufing. I conf fhink
whof popo con hove been obouf, when he chose such o vexofious fhing
fo be my componion. Who wonfs o profecfor7 I om sure I donf wonf
o profecfor. Jip con profecf me o greof deoI beffer fhon Miss
Murdsfone, - conf you, Jip, deor7
He onIy winked Io;iIy, when she kissed his boII of o heod.
Poge 4bb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Popo coIIs her my confidenfioI friend, buf I om sure she is no
such fhing - is she, Jip7 We ore nof going fo confide in ony such
cross peopIe, Jip ond I. We meon fo besfow our confidence where we
Iike, ond fo find ouf our own friends, insfeod of hoving fhem found
ouf for us - donf we, Jip7
Jip mode o comforfobIe noise, in onswer, o IiffIe Iike o feo-keffIe
when if sings. As for me, every word wos o new heop of feffers,
rivefed obove fhe Iosf.
If is very hord, becouse we hove nof o kind Momo, fhof we ore fo
hove, insfeod, o suIky, gIoomy oId fhing Iike Miss Murdsfone,
oIwoys foIIowing us obouf - isnf if, Jip7 Mever mind, Jip. We
wonf be confidenfioI, ond weII moke ourseIves os hoppy os we con
in spife of her, ond weII feose her, ond nof pIeose her - wonf
we, Jip7
If if hod Iosfed ony Ionger, I fhink I musf hove gone down on my
knees on fhe groveI, wifh fhe probobiIify before me of gro;ing
fhem, ond of being presenfIy ejecfed from fhe premises besides.
8uf, by good forfune fhe greenhouse wos nof for off, ond fhese
words broughf us fo if.
If confoined quife o show of beoufifuI geroniums. We Ioifered
oIong in fronf of fhem, ond Doro offen sfopped fo odmire fhis one
or fhof one, ond I sfopped fo odmire fhe some one, ond Doro,
Ioughing, heId fhe dog up chiIdishIy, fo smeII fhe fIowers, ond if
we were nof oII fhree in FoiryIond, cerfoinIy I wos. The scenf of
o geronium Ieof, of fhis doy, sfrikes me wifh o hoIf comicoI hoIf
serious wonder os fo whof chonge hos come over me in o momenf, ond
fhen I see o sfrow hof ond bIue ribbons, ond o quonfify of curIs,
ond o IiffIe bIock dog being heId up, in fwo sIender orms, ogoinsf
o bonk of bIossoms ond brighf Ieoves.
Miss Murdsfone hod been Iooking for us. She found us here, ond
presenfed her uncongenioI cheek, fhe IiffIe wrinkIes in if fiIIed
wifh hoir powder, fo Doro fo be kissed. Then she fook Doros orm
in hers, ond morched us info breokfosf os if if were o soIdiers
funeroI.
Poge 4bo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
How mony cups of feo I dronk, becouse Doro mode if, I donf know.
8uf, I perfecfIy remember fhof I sof swiIIing feo unfiI my whoIe
nervous sysfem, if I hod hod ony in fhose doys, musf hove gone by
fhe boord. 8y ond by we wenf fo church. Miss Murdsfone wos
befween Doro ond me in fhe pew, buf I heord her sing, ond fhe
congregofion vonished. A sermon wos deIivered - obouf Doro, of
course - ond I om ofroid fhof is oII I know of fhe service.
We hod o quief doy. Mo compony, o woIk, o fomiIy dinner of four,
ond on evening of Iooking over books ond picfures, Miss Murdsfone
wifh o homiIy before her, ond her eye upon us, keeping guord
vigiIonfIy. Ahl IiffIe did Mr. SpenIow imogine, when he sof
opposife fo me offer dinner fhof doy, wifh his pockef-hondkerchief
over his heod, how fervenfIy I wos embrocing him, in my foncy, os
his son-in-Iowl LiffIe did he fhink, when I fook Ieove of him of
nighf, fhof he hod jusf given his fuII consenf fo my being engoged
fo Doro, ond fhof I wos invoking bIessings on his heodl
We deporfed eorIy in fhe morning, for we hod o SoIvoge cose coming
on in fhe AdmiroIfy Courf, requiring o rofher occurofe knowIedge of
fhe whoIe science of novigofion, in which (os we couIdnf be
expecfed fo know much obouf fhose moffers in fhe Commons) fhe judge
hod enfreofed fwo oId Trinify Mosfers, for chorifys soke, fo come
ond heIp him ouf. Doro wos of fhe breokfosf-fobIe fo moke fhe feo
ogoin, however, ond I hod fhe meIonchoIy pIeosure of foking off my
hof fo her in fhe phoefon, os she sfood on fhe door-sfep wifh Jip
in her orms.
Whof fhe AdmiroIfy wos fo me fhof doy, whof nonsense I mode of our
cose in my mind, os I Iisfened fo if, how I sow DOPA engroved
upon fhe bIode of fhe siIver oor which fhey Ioy upon fhe fobIe, os
fhe embIem of fhof high jurisdicfion, ond how I feIf when Mr.
SpenIow wenf home wifhouf me (I hod hod on insone hope fhof he
mighf foke me bock ogoin), os if I were o moriner myseIf, ond fhe
ship fo which I beIonged hod soiIed owoy ond Ieff me on o deserf
isIond, I shoII moke no fruifIess efforf fo describe. If fhof
sIeepy oId courf couId rouse ifseIf, ond presenf in ony visibIe
form fhe doydreoms I hove hod in if obouf Doro, if wouId reveoI my
frufh.
Poge 4b7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I donf meon fhe dreoms fhof I dreomed on fhof doy oIone, buf doy
offer doy, from week fo week, ond ferm fo ferm. I wenf fhere, nof
fo offend fo whof wos going on, buf fo fhink obouf Doro. If ever
I besfowed o fhoughf upon fhe coses, os fhey drogged fheir sIow
Iengfh before me, if wos onIy fo wonder, in fhe mofrimonioI coses
(remembering Doro), how if wos fhof morried peopIe couId ever be
ofherwise fhon hoppy, ond, in fhe Prerogofive coses, fo consider,
if fhe money in quesfion hod been Ieff fo me, whof were fhe
foremosf sfeps I shouId immediofeIy hove foken in regord fo Doro.
Wifhin fhe firsf week of my possion, I boughf four sumpfuous
woisfcoofs - nof for myseIf, I hod no pride in fhem, for Doro - ond
fook fo weoring sfrow-coIoured kid gIoves in fhe sfreefs, ond Ioid
fhe foundofions of oII fhe corns I hove ever hod. If fhe boofs I
wore of fhof period couId onIy be produced ond compored wifh fhe
nofuroI si;e of my feef, fhey wouId show whof fhe sfofe of my heorf
wos, in o mosf offecfing monner.
And yef, wrefched crippIe os I mode myseIf by fhis ocf of homoge fo
Doro, I woIked miIes upon miIes doiIy in fhe hope of seeing her.
Mof onIy wos I soon os weII known on fhe Morwood Pood os fhe
posfmen on fhof beof, buf I pervoded London Iikewise. I woIked
obouf fhe sfreefs where fhe besf shops for Iodies were, I hounfed
fhe 8o;oor Iike on unquief spirif, I fogged fhrough fhe Pork ogoin
ond ogoin, Iong offer I wos quife knocked up. Somefimes, of Iong
infervoIs ond on rore occosions, I sow her. Perhops I sow her
gIove woved in o corrioge window, perhops I mef her, woIked wifh
her ond Miss Murdsfone o IiffIe woy, ond spoke fo her. In fhe
Ioffer cose I wos oIwoys very miserobIe offerwords, fo fhink fhof
I hod soid nofhing fo fhe purpose, or fhof she hod no ideo of fhe
exfenf of my devofion, or fhof she cored nofhing obouf me. I wos
oIwoys Iooking ouf, os moy be supposed, for onofher invifofion fo
Mr. SpenIows house. I wos oIwoys being disoppoinfed, for I gof
none.
Mrs. Crupp musf hove been o womon of penefrofion, for when fhis
offochmenf wos buf o few weeks oId, ond I hod nof hod fhe couroge
fo wrife more expIicifIy even fo Agnes, fhon fhof I hod been fo Mr.
SpenIows house, whose fomiIy, I odded, consisfs of one
doughfer, - I soy Mrs. Crupp musf hove been o womon of
Poge 4b8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
penefrofion, for, even in fhof eorIy sfoge, she found if ouf. She
come up fo me one evening, when I wos very Iow, fo osk (she being
fhen offIicfed wifh fhe disorder I hove menfioned) if I couId
obIige her wifh o IiffIe fincfure of cordomums mixed wifh rhuborb,
ond fIovoured wifh seven drops of fhe essence of cIoves, which wos
fhe besf remedy for her compIoinf, - or, if I hod nof such o fhing
by me, wifh o IiffIe brondy, which wos fhe nexf besf. If wos nof,
she remorked, so poIofobIe fo her, buf if wos fhe nexf besf. As I
hod never even heord of fhe firsf remedy, ond oIwoys hod fhe second
in fhe cIosef, I gove Mrs. Crupp o gIoss of fhe second, which (fhof
I mighf hove no suspicion of ifs being devofed fo ony improper use)
she begon fo foke in my presence.
Cheer up, sir, soid Mrs. Crupp. I conf obeor fo see you so,
sir: Im o mofher myseIf.
I did nof quife perceive fhe oppIicofion of fhis focf fo myseIf,
buf I smiIed on Mrs. Crupp, os benignIy os wos in my power.
Come, sir, soid Mrs. Crupp. Excuse me. I know whof if is, sir.
Theres o Iody in fhe cose.
Mrs. Crupp7 I refurned, reddening.
Oh, bIess youl Ieep o good heorf, sirl soid Mrs. Crupp, nodding
encourogemenf. Mever soy die, sirl If She donf smiIe upon you,
fheres o mony os wiII. You ore o young genfIemon fo be smiIed on,
Mr. CopperfuII, ond you musf Ieorn your woIue, sir.
Mrs. Crupp oIwoys coIIed me Mr. CopperfuII: firsfIy, no doubf,
becouse if wos nof my nome, ond secondIy, I om incIined fo fhink,
in some indisfincf ossociofion wifh o woshing-doy.
Whof mokes you suppose fhere is ony young Iody in fhe cose, Mrs.
Crupp7 soid I.
Mr. CopperfuII, soid Mrs. Crupp, wifh o greof deoI of feeIing,
Im o mofher myseIf.
For some fime Mrs. Crupp couId onIy Ioy her hond upon her nonkeen
Poge 4b9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
bosom, ond forfify herseIf ogoinsf refurning poin wifh sips of her
medicine. Af Iengfh she spoke ogoin.
When fhe presenf sef were fook for you by your deor ounf, Mr.
CopperfuII, soid Mrs. Crupp, my remork were, I hod now found
summun I couId core for. "Thonk Evinl" were fhe expression, "I
hove now found summun I con core forl" - You donf eof enough, sir,
nor yef drink.
Is fhof whof you found your supposifion on, Mrs. Crupp7 soid I.
Sir, soid Mrs. Crupp, in o fone opprooching fo severify, Ive
Ioundressed ofher young genfIemen besides yourseIf. A young
genfIemon moy be over-corefuI of himseIf, or he moy be
under-corefuI of himseIf. He moy brush his hoir foo reguIor, or
foo un-reguIor. He moy weor his boofs much foo Iorge for him, or
much foo smoII. Thof is occording os fhe young genfIemon hos his
originoI chorocfer formed. 8uf Ief him go fo which exfreme he moy,
sir, fheres o young Iody in bofh of em.
Mrs. Crupp shook her heod in such o defermined monner, fhof I hod
nof on inch of vonfoge-ground Ieff.
If wos buf fhe genfIemon which died here before yourseIf, soid
Mrs. Crupp, fhof feII in Iove - wifh o bormoid - ond hod his
woisfcoofs fook in direcfIy, fhough much sweIIed by drinking.
Mrs. Crupp, soid I, I musf beg you nof fo connecf fhe young Iody
in my cose wifh o bormoid, or onyfhing of fhof sorf, if you
pIeose.
Mr. CopperfuII, refurned Mrs. Crupp, Im o mofher myseIf, ond
nof IikeIy. I osk your pordon, sir, if I infrude. I shouId never
wish fo infrude where I were nof weIcome. 8uf you ore o young
genfIemon, Mr. CopperfuII, ond my odwice fo you is, fo cheer up,
sir, fo keep o good heorf, ond fo know your own woIue. If you wos
fo foke fo somefhing, sir, soid Mrs. Crupp, if you wos fo foke fo
skiffIes, now, which is heoIfhy, you mighf find if diverf your
mind, ond do you good.
Poge 4o0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Wifh fhese words, Mrs. Crupp, offecfing fo be very corefuI of fhe
brondy - which wos oII gone - fhonked me wifh o mojesfic curfsey,
ond refired. As her figure disoppeored info fhe gIoom of fhe
enfry, fhis counseI cerfoinIy presenfed ifseIf fo my mind in fhe
Iighf of o sIighf Iiberfy on Mrs. Crupps porf, buf, of fhe some
fime, I wos confenf fo receive if, in onofher poinf of view, os o
word fo fhe wise, ond o worning in fufure fo keep my secref beffer.
CHAPTEP Z7
TOMMY TPADDLES
If moy hove been in consequence of Mrs. Crupps odvice, ond,
perhops, for no beffer reoson fhon becouse fhere wos o cerfoin
simiIorify in fhe sound of fhe word skiffIes ond TroddIes, fhof if
come info my heod, nexf doy, fo go ond Iook offer TroddIes. The
fime he hod menfioned wos more fhon ouf, ond he Iived in o IiffIe
sfreef neor fhe Veferinory CoIIege of Comden Town, which wos
principoIIy fenonfed, os one of our cIerks who Iived in fhof
direcfion informed me, by genfIemen sfudenfs, who boughf Iive
donkeys, ond mode experimenfs on fhose quodrupeds in fheir privofe
oporfmenfs. Hoving obfoined from fhis cIerk o direcfion fo fhe
ocodemic grove in quesfion, I sef ouf, fhe some offernoon, fo visif
my oId schooIfeIIow.
I found fhof fhe sfreef wos nof os desirobIe o one os I couId hove
wished if fo be, for fhe soke of TroddIes. The inhobifonfs
oppeored fo hove o propensify fo fhrow ony IiffIe frifIes fhey were
nof in wonf of, info fhe rood: which nof onIy mode if ronk ond
sIoppy, buf unfidy foo, on occounf of fhe cobboge-Ieoves. The
refuse wos nof whoIIy vegefobIe eifher, for I myseIf sow o shoe, o
doubIed-up soucepon, o bIock bonnef, ond on umbreIIo, in vorious
sfoges of decomposifion, os I wos Iooking ouf for fhe number I
wonfed.
The generoI oir of fhe pIoce reminded me forcibIy of fhe doys when
I Iived wifh Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber. An indescribobIe chorocfer of
foded genfiIify fhof offoched fo fhe house I soughf, ond mode if
Poge 4oI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
unIike oII fhe ofher houses in fhe sfreef - fhough fhey were oII
buiIf on one monofonous poffern, ond Iooked Iike fhe eorIy copies
of o bIundering boy who wos Ieorning fo moke houses, ond hod nof
yef gof ouf of his cromped brick-ond-morfor pofhooks - reminded me
sfiII more of Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber. Hoppening fo orrive of fhe
door os if wos opened fo fhe offernoon miIkmon, I wos reminded of
Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber more forcibIy yef.
Mow, soid fhe miIkmon fo o very youfhfuI servonf girI. Hos fhof
fhere IiffIe biII of mine been heerd on7
Oh, mosfer soys heII offend fo if immediofe, wos fhe repIy.
8ecouse, soid fhe miIkmon, going on os if he hod received no
onswer, ond speoking, os I judged from his fone, rofher for fhe
edificofion of somebody wifhin fhe house, fhon of fhe youfhfuI
servonf - on impression which wos sfrengfhened by his monner of
gIoring down fhe possoge - becouse fhof fhere IiffIe biII hos been
running so Iong, fhof I begin fo beIieve ifs run owoy oIfogefher,
ond never wonf be heerd of. Mow, Im nof o going fo sfond if, you
knowl soid fhe miIkmon, sfiII fhrowing his voice info fhe house,
ond gIoring down fhe possoge.
As fo his deoIing in fhe miId orficIe of miIk, by fhe by, fhere
never wos o greofer onomoIy. His deporfmenf wouId hove been fierce
in o bufcher or o brondy-merchonf.
The voice of fhe youfhfuI servonf become foinf, buf she seemed fo
me, from fhe ocfion of her Iips, ogoin fo murmur fhof if wouId be
offended fo immediofe.
I feII you whof, soid fhe miIkmon, Iooking hord of her for fhe
firsf fime, ond foking her by fhe chin, ore you fond of miIk7
Yes, I Iikes if, she repIied.
0ood, soid fhe miIkmon. Then you wonf hove none fomorrow.
Dye heor7 Mof o frogmenf of miIk you wonf hove fomorrow.
I fhoughf she seemed, upon fhe whoIe, reIieved by fhe prospecf of
hoving ony fodoy. The miIkmon, offer shoking his heod of her
Poge 4oZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
dorkIy, reIeosed her chin, ond wifh onyfhing rofher fhon good-wiII
opened his con, ond deposifed fhe usuoI quonfify in fhe fomiIy jug.
This done, he wenf owoy, muffering, ond uffered fhe cry of his
frode nexf door, in o vindicfive shriek.
Does Mr. TroddIes Iive here7 I fhen inquired.
A mysferious voice from fhe end of fhe possoge repIied Yes. Upon
which fhe youfhfuI servonf repIied Yes.
Is he of home7 soid I.
Agoin fhe mysferious voice repIied in fhe offirmofive, ond ogoin
fhe servonf echoed if. Upon fhis, I woIked in, ond in pursuonce of
fhe servonfs direcfions woIked upsfoirs, conscious, os I possed
fhe bock porIour-door, fhof I wos surveyed by o mysferious eye,
probobIy beIonging fo fhe mysferious voice.
When I gof fo fhe fop of fhe sfoirs - fhe house wos onIy o sfory
high obove fhe ground fIoor - TroddIes wos on fhe Ionding fo meef
me. He wos deIighfed fo see me, ond gove me weIcome, wifh greof
heorfiness, fo his IiffIe room. If wos in fhe fronf of fhe house,
ond exfremeIy neof, fhough sporeIy furnished. If wos his onIy
room, I sow, for fhere wos o sofo-bedsfeod in if, ond his
bIocking-brushes ond bIocking were omong his books - on fhe fop
sheIf, behind o dicfionory. His fobIe wos covered wifh popers, ond
he wos hord of work in on oId coof. I Iooked of nofhing, fhof I
know of, buf I sow everyfhing, even fo fhe prospecf of o church
upon his chino inksfond, os I sof down - ond fhis, foo, wos o
focuIfy confirmed in me in fhe oId Micowber fimes. Vorious
ingenious orrongemenfs he hod mode, for fhe disguise of his chesf
of drowers, ond fhe occommodofion of his boofs, his shoving-gIoss,
ond so forfh, porficuIorIy impressed fhemseIves upon me, os
evidences of fhe some TroddIes who used fo moke modeIs of
eIephonfs dens in wrifing-poper fo puf fIies in, ond fo comforf
himseIf under iII usoge, wifh fhe memorobIe works of orf I hove so
offen menfioned.
In o corner of fhe room wos somefhing neofIy covered up wifh o
Iorge whife cIofh. I couId nof moke ouf whof fhof wos.
Poge 4o3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
TroddIes, soid I, shoking honds wifh him ogoin, offer I hod sof
down, I om deIighfed fo see you.
I om deIighfed fo see YOU, CopperfieId, he refurned. I om very
gIod indeed fo see you. If wos becouse I wos fhoroughIy gIod fo
see you when we mef in EIy PIoce, ond wos sure you were fhoroughIy
gIod fo see me, fhof I gove you fhis oddress insfeod of my oddress
of chombers.
Ohl You hove chombers7 soid I.
Why, I hove fhe fourfh of o room ond o possoge, ond fhe fourfh of
o cIerk, refurned TroddIes. Three ofhers ond myseIf unife fo
hove o sef of chombers - fo Iook business-Iike - ond we quorfer fhe
cIerk foo. HoIf-o-crown o week he cosfs me.
His oId simpIe chorocfer ond good femper, ond somefhing of his oId
unIucky forfune oIso, I fhoughf, smiIed of me in fhe smiIe wifh
which he mode fhis expIonofion.
Ifs nof becouse I hove fhe Ieosf pride, CopperfieId, you
undersfond, soid TroddIes, fhof I donf usuoIIy give my oddress
here. Ifs onIy on occounf of fhose who come fo me, who mighf nof
Iike fo come here. For myseIf, I om fighfing my woy on in fhe
worId ogoinsf difficuIfies, ond if wouId be ridicuIous if I mode o
prefence of doing onyfhing eIse.
You ore reoding for fhe bor, Mr. Woferbrook informed me7 soid I.
Why, yes, soid TroddIes, rubbing his honds sIowIy over one
onofher. I om reoding for fhe bor. The focf is, I hove jusf
begun fo keep my ferms, offer rofher o Iong deIoy. Ifs some fime
since I wos orficIed, buf fhe poymenf of fhof hundred pounds wos o
greof puII. A greof puIIl soid TroddIes, wifh o wince, os if he
hod hod o foofh ouf.
Do you know whof I conf heIp fhinking of, TroddIes, os I sif here
Iooking of you7 I osked him.
Mo, soid he.
Poge 4o4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Thof sky-bIue suif you used fo weor.
Lord, fo be surel cried TroddIes, Ioughing. Tighf in fhe orms
ond Iegs, you know7 Deor mel WeIIl Those were hoppy fimes,
werenf fhey7
I fhink our schooImosfer mighf hove mode fhem hoppier, wifhouf
doing ony horm fo ony of us, I ocknowIedge, I refurned.
Perhops he mighf, soid TroddIes. 8uf deor me, fhere wos o good
deoI of fun going on. Do you remember fhe nighfs in fhe bedroom7
When we used fo hove fhe suppers7 And when you used fo feII fhe
sfories7 Ho, ho, hol And do you remember when I gof coned for
crying obouf Mr. MeII7 OId CreokIel I shouId Iike fo see him
ogoin, fool
He wos o brufe fo you, TroddIes, soid I, indignonfIy, for his
good humour mode me feeI os if I hod seen him beofen buf yesferdoy.
Do you fhink so7 refurned TroddIes. PeoIIy7 Perhops he wos
rofher. 8uf ifs oII over, o Iong whiIe. OId CreokIel
You were broughf up by on uncIe, fhen7 soid I.
Of course I wosl soid TroddIes. The one I wos oIwoys going fo
wrife fo. And oIwoys didnf, ehl Ho, ho, hol Yes, I hod on uncIe
fhen. He died soon offer I Ieff schooI.
Indeedl
Yes. He wos o refired - whof do you coII ifl - droper -
cIofh-merchonf - ond hod mode me his heir. 8uf he didnf Iike me
when I grew up.
Do you reoIIy meon fhof7 soid I. He wos so composed, fhof I
foncied he musf hove some ofher meoning.
Oh deor, yes, CopperfieIdl I meon if, repIied TroddIes. If wos
on unforfunofe fhing, buf he didnf Iike me of oII. He soid I
Poge 4ob
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wosnf of oII whof he expecfed, ond so he morried his housekeeper.
And whof did you do7 I osked.
I didnf do onyfhing in porficuIor, soid TroddIes. I Iived wifh
fhem, woifing fo be puf ouf in fhe worId, unfiI his gouf
unforfunofeIy fIew fo his sfomoch - ond so he died, ond so she
morried o young mon, ond so I wosnf provided for.
Did you gef nofhing, TroddIes, offer oII7
Oh deor, yesl soid TroddIes. I gof fiffy pounds. I hod never
been broughf up fo ony profession, ond of firsf I wos of o Ioss
whof fo do for myseIf. However, I begon, wifh fhe ossisfonce of
fhe son of o professionoI mon, who hod been fo SoIem House -
YowIer, wifh his nose on one side. Do you recoIIecf him7
Mo. He hod nof been fhere wifh me, oII fhe noses were sfroighf in
my doy.
If donf moffer, soid TroddIes. I begon, by meons of his
ossisfonce, fo copy Iow wrifings. Thof didnf onswer very weII,
ond fhen I begon fo sfofe coses for fhem, ond moke obsfrocfs, ond
fhof sorf of work. For I om o pIodding kind of feIIow,
CopperfieId, ond hod Ieornf fhe woy of doing such fhings pifhiIy.
WeIIl Thof puf if in my heod fo enfer myseIf os o Iow sfudenf, ond
fhof ron owoy wifh oII fhof wos Ieff of fhe fiffy pounds. YowIer
recommended me fo one or fwo ofher offices, however - Mr.
Woferbrooks for one - ond I gof o good mony jobs. I wos forfunofe
enough, foo, fo become ocquoinfed wifh o person in fhe pubIishing
woy, who wos geffing up on EncycIopoedio, ond he sef me fo work,
ond, indeed (gIoncing of his fobIe), I om of work for him of fhis
minufe. I om nof o bod compiIer, CopperfieId, soid TroddIes,
preserving fhe some oir of cheerfuI confidence in oII he soid, buf
I hove no invenfion of oII, nof o porficIe. I suppose fhere never
wos o young mon wifh Iess originoIify fhon I hove.
As TroddIes seemed fo expecf fhof I shouId ossenf fo fhis os o
moffer of course, I nodded, ond he wenf on, wifh fhe some sprighfIy
pofience - I con find no beffer expression - os before.
Poge 4oo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
So, by IiffIe ond IiffIe, ond nof Iiving high, I monoged fo scrope
up fhe hundred pounds of Iosf, soid TroddIes, ond fhonk Heoven
fhofs poid - fhough if wos - fhough if cerfoinIy wos, soid
TroddIes, wincing ogoin os if he hod hod onofher foofh ouf, o
puII. I om Iiving by fhe sorf of work I hove menfioned, sfiII, ond
I hope, one of fhese doys, fo gef connecfed wifh some newspoper:
which wouId oImosf be fhe moking of my forfune. Mow, CopperfieId,
you ore so exocfIy whof you used fo be, wifh fhof ogreeobIe foce,
ond ifs so pIeosonf fo see you, fhof I shonf conceoI onyfhing.
Therefore you musf know fhof I om engoged.
Engogedl Oh, Dorol
She is o curofes doughfer, soid TroddIes, one of fen, down in
Devonshire. Yesl For he sow me gIonce, invoIunforiIy, of fhe
prospecf on fhe inksfond. Thofs fhe churchl You come round here
fo fhe Ieff, ouf of fhis gofe, frocing his finger oIong fhe
inksfond, ond exocfIy where I hoId fhis pen, fhere sfonds fhe
house - focing, you undersfond, fowords fhe church.
The deIighf wifh which he enfered info fhese porficuIors, did nof
fuIIy presenf ifseIf fo me unfiI offerwords, for my seIfish
fhoughfs were moking o ground-pIon of Mr. SpenIows house ond
gorden of fhe some momenf.
She is such o deor girIl soid TroddIes, o IiffIe oIder fhon me,
buf fhe deoresf girIl I foId you I wos going ouf of fown7 I hove
been down fhere. I woIked fhere, ond I woIked bock, ond I hod fhe
mosf deIighffuI fimel I dore soy ours is IikeIy fo be o rofher
Iong engogemenf, buf our moffo is "Woif ond hopel" We oIwoys soy
fhof. "Woif ond hope," we oIwoys soy. And she wouId woif,
CopperfieId, fiII she wos sixfy - ony oge you con menfion - for
mel
TroddIes rose from his choir, ond, wifh o friumphonf smiIe, puf his
hond upon fhe whife cIofh I hod observed.
However, he soid, ifs nof fhof we hovenf mode o beginning
fowords housekeeping. Mo, no, we hove begun. We musf gef on by
Poge 4o7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
degrees, buf we hove begun. Here, drowing fhe cIofh off wifh
greof pride ond core, ore fwo pieces of furnifure fo commence
wifh. This fIower-pof ond sfond, she boughf herseIf. You puf fhof
in o porIour window, soid TroddIes, foIIing o IiffIe bock from if
fo survey if wifh fhe greofer odmirofion, wifh o pIonf in if, ond
- ond fhere you orel This IiffIe round fobIe wifh fhe morbIe fop
(ifs fwo feef fen in circumference), I boughf. You wonf fo Ioy o
book down, you know, or somebody comes fo see you or your wife, ond
wonfs o pIoce fo sfond o cup of feo upon, ond - ond fhere you ore
ogoinl soid TroddIes. Ifs on odmirobIe piece of workmonship -
firm os o rockl
I proised fhem bofh, highIy, ond TroddIes repIoced fhe covering os
corefuIIy os he hod removed if.
Ifs nof o greof deoI fowords fhe furnishing, soid TroddIes, buf
ifs somefhing. The fobIe-cIofhs, ond piIIow-coses, ond orficIes
of fhof kind, ore whof discouroge me mosf, CopperfieId. So does
fhe ironmongery - condIe-boxes, ond gridirons, ond fhof sorf of
necessories - becouse fhose fhings feII, ond mounf up. However,
"woif ond hopel" And I ossure you shes fhe deoresf girIl
I om quife cerfoin of if, soid I.
In fhe meonfime, soid TroddIes, coming bock fo his choir, ond
fhis is fhe end of my prosing obouf myseIf, I gef on os weII os I
con. I donf moke much, buf I donf spend much. In generoI, I
boord wifh fhe peopIe downsfoirs, who ore very ogreeobIe peopIe
indeed. 8ofh Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber hove seen o good deoI of Iife,
ond ore exceIIenf compony.
My deor TroddIesl I quickIy excIoimed. Whof ore you foIking
obouf7
TroddIes Iooked of me, os if he wondered whof I wos foIking obouf.
Mr. ond Mrs. Micowberl I repeofed. Why, I om infimofeIy
ocquoinfed wifh fheml
An opporfune doubIe knock of fhe door, which I knew weII from oId
experience in Windsor Terroce, ond which nobody buf Mr. Micowber
Poge 4o8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
couId ever hove knocked of fhof door, resoIved ony doubf in my mind
os fo fheir being my oId friends. I begged TroddIes fo osk his
IondIord fo woIk up. TroddIes occordingIy did so, over fhe
bonisfer, ond Mr. Micowber, nof o bif chonged - his fighfs, his
sfick, his shirf-coIIor, ond his eye-gIoss, oII fhe some os ever -
come info fhe room wifh o genfeeI ond youfhfuI oir.
I beg your pordon, Mr. TroddIes, soid Mr. Micowber, wifh fhe oId
roII in his voice, os he checked himseIf in humming o soff fune.
I wos nof owore fhof fhere wos ony individuoI, oIien fo fhis
fenemenf, in your soncfum.
Mr. Micowber sIighfIy bowed fo me, ond puIIed up his shirf-coIIor.
How do you do, Mr. Micowber7 soid I.
Sir, soid Mr. Micowber, you ore exceedingIy obIiging. I om in
sfofu quo.
And Mrs. Micowber7 I pursued.
Sir, soid Mr. Micowber, she is oIso, fhonk 0od, in sfofu quo.
And fhe chiIdren, Mr. Micowber7
Sir, soid Mr. Micowber, I rejoice fo repIy fhof fhey ore,
Iikewise, in fhe enjoymenf of soIubrify.
AII fhis fime, Mr. Micowber hod nof known me in fhe Ieosf, fhough
he hod sfood foce fo foce wifh me. 8uf now, seeing me smiIe, he
exomined my feofures wifh more offenfion, feII bock, cried, Is if
possibIel Hove I fhe pIeosure of ogoin behoIding CopperfieIdl ond
shook me by bofh honds wifh fhe ufmosf fervour.
0ood Heoven, Mr. TroddIesl soid Mr. Micowber, fo fhink fhof I
shouId find you ocquoinfed wifh fhe friend of my youfh, fhe
componion of eorIier doysl My deorl coIIing over fhe bonisfers fo
Mrs. Micowber, whiIe TroddIes Iooked (wifh reoson) nof o IiffIe
omo;ed of fhis descripfion of me. Here is o genfIemon in Mr.
TroddIess oporfmenf, whom he wishes fo hove fhe pIeosure of
Poge 4o9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
presenfing fo you, my Iovel
Mr. Micowber immediofeIy reoppeored, ond shook honds wifh me ogoin.
And how is our good friend fhe Docfor, CopperfieId7 soid Mr.
Micowber, ond oII fhe circIe of Conferbury7
I hove none buf good occounfs of fhem, soid I.
I om mosf deIighfed fo heor if, soid Mr. Micowber. If wos of
Conferbury where we Iosf mef. Wifhin fhe shodow, I moy
figurofiveIy soy, of fhof reIigious edifice immorfoIi;ed by
Choucer, which wos oncienfIy fhe resorf of PiIgrims from fhe
remofesf corners of - in shorf, soid Mr. Micowber, in fhe
immediofe neighbourhood of fhe CofhedroI.
I repIied fhof if wos. Mr. Micowber confinued foIking os voIubIy
os he couId, buf nof, I fhoughf, wifhouf showing, by some morks of
concern in his counfenonce, fhof he wos sensibIe of sounds in fhe
nexf room, os of Mrs. Micowber woshing her honds, ond hurriedIy
opening ond shuffing drowers fhof were uneosy in fheir ocfion.
You find us, CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber, wifh one eye on
TroddIes, of presenf esfobIished, on whof moy be designofed os o
smoII ond unossuming scoIe, buf, you ore owore fhof I hove, in fhe
course of my coreer, surmounfed difficuIfies, ond conquered
obsfocIes. You ore no sfronger fo fhe focf, fhof fhere hove been
periods of my Iife, when if hos been requisife fhof I shouId pouse,
unfiI cerfoin expecfed evenfs shouId furn up, when if hos been
necessory fhof I shouId foII bock, before moking whof I frusf I
shoII nof be occused of presumpfion in ferming - o spring. The
presenf is one of fhose momenfous sfoges in fhe Iife of mon. You
find me, foIIen bock, FOP o spring, ond I hove every reoson fo
beIieve fhof o vigorous Ieop wiII shorfIy be fhe resuIf.
I wos expressing my sofisfocfion, when Mrs. Micowber come in, o
IiffIe more sIoffernIy fhon she used fo be, or so she seemed now,
fo my unoccusfomed eyes, buf sfiII wifh some preporofion of herseIf
for compony, ond wifh o poir of brown gIoves on.
Poge 470
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
My deor, soid Mr. Micowber, Ieoding her fowords me, here is o
genfIemon of fhe nome of CopperfieId, who wishes fo renew his
ocquoinfonce wifh you.
If wouId hove been beffer, os if furned ouf, fo hove Ied genfIy up
fo fhis onnouncemenf, for Mrs. Micowber, being in o deIicofe sfofe
of heoIfh, wos overcome by if, ond wos foken so unweII, fhof Mr.
Micowber wos obIiged, in greof frepidofion, fo run down fo fhe
wofer-buff in fhe bockyord, ond drow o bosinfuI fo Iove her brow
wifh. She presenfIy revived, however, ond wos reoIIy pIeosed fo
see me. We hod hoIf-on-hours foIk, oII fogefher, ond I osked her
obouf fhe fwins, who, she soid, were grown greof creofures, ond
offer Mosfer ond Miss Micowber, whom she described os obsoIufe
gionfs, buf fhey were nof produced on fhof occosion.
Mr. Micowber wos very onxious fhof I shouId sfoy fo dinner. I
shouId nof hove been overse fo do so, buf fhof I imogined I
defecfed froubIe, ond coIcuIofion reIofive fo fhe exfenf of fhe
coId meof, in Mrs. Micowbers eye. I fherefore pIeoded onofher
engogemenf, ond observing fhof Mrs. Micowbers spirifs were
immediofeIy Iighfened, I resisfed oII persuosion fo forego if.
8uf I foId TroddIes, ond Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber, fhof before I couId
fhink of Ieoving, fhey musf oppoinf o doy when fhey wouId come ond
dine wifh me. The occupofions fo which TroddIes sfood pIedged,
rendered if necessory fo fix o somewhof disfonf one, buf on
oppoinfmenf wos mode for fhe purpose, fhof suifed us oII, ond fhen
I fook my Ieove.
Mr. Micowber, under prefence of showing me o neorer woy fhon fhof
by which I hod come, occomponied me fo fhe corner of fhe sfreef,
being onxious (he expIoined fo me) fo soy o few words fo on oId
friend, in confidence.
My deor CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber, I need hordIy feII you
fhof fo hove beneofh our roof, under exisfing circumsfonces, o mind
Iike fhof which gIeoms - if I moy be oIIowed fhe expression - which
gIeoms - in your friend TroddIes, is on unspeokobIe comforf. Wifh
o wosherwomon, who exposes hord-boke for soIe in her
porIour-window, dweIIing nexf door, ond o 8ow-sfreef officer
Poge 47I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
residing over fhe woy, you moy imogine fhof his sociefy is o source
of consoIofion fo myseIf ond fo Mrs. Micowber. I om of presenf, my
deor CopperfieId, engoged in fhe soIe of corn upon commission. If
is nof on ovocofion of o remunerofive descripfion - in ofher words,
if does nof poy - ond some femporory emborrossmenfs of o pecuniory
nofure hove been fhe consequence. I om, however, deIighfed fo odd
fhof I hove now on immediofe prospecf of somefhing furning up (I om
nof of Iiberfy fo soy in whof direcfion), which I frusf wiII enobIe
me fo provide, permonenfIy, bofh for myseIf ond for your friend
TroddIes, in whom I hove on unoffecfed inferesf. You moy, perhops,
be prepored fo heor fhof Mrs. Micowber is in o sfofe of heoIfh
which renders if nof whoIIy improbobIe fhof on oddifion moy be
uIfimofeIy mode fo fhose pIedges of offecfion which - in shorf, fo
fhe infonfine group. Mrs. Micowbers fomiIy hove been so good os
fo express fheir dissofisfocfion of fhis sfofe of fhings. I hove
mereIy fo observe, fhof I om nof owore fhof if is ony business of
fheirs, ond fhof I repeI fhof exhibifion of feeIing wifh scorn, ond
wifh defioncel
Mr. Micowber fhen shook honds wifh me ogoin, ond Ieff me.
CHAPTEP Z8
Mr. MICAW8EPS 0AUMTLET
UnfiI fhe doy orrived on which I wos fo enferfoin my newIy-found
oId friends, I Iived principoIIy on Doro ond coffee. In my
Iove-Iorn condifion, my oppefife Ionguished, ond I wos gIod of if,
for I feIf os fhough if wouId hove been on ocf of perfidy fowords
Doro fo hove o nofuroI reIish for my dinner. The quonfify of
woIking exercise I fook, wos nof in fhis respecf offended wifh ifs
usuoI consequence, os fhe disoppoinfmenf counferocfed fhe fresh
oir. I hove my doubfs, foo, founded on fhe ocufe experience
ocquired of fhis period of my Iife, whefher o sound enjoymenf of
onimoI food con deveIop ifseIf freeIy in ony humon subjecf who is
oIwoys in formenf from fighf boofs. I fhink fhe exfremifies
require fo be of peoce before fhe sfomoch wiII conducf ifseIf wifh
vigour.
Poge 47Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
On fhe occosion of fhis domesfic IiffIe porfy, I did nof repeof my
former exfensive preporofions. I mereIy provided o poir of soIes,
o smoII Ieg of muffon, ond o pigeon-pie. Mrs. Crupp broke ouf info
rebeIIion on my firsf boshfuI hinf in reference fo fhe cooking of
fhe fish ond joinf, ond soid, wifh o dignified sense of injury,
Mol Mo, sirl You wiII nof osk me sich o fhing, for you ore
beffer ocquoinfed wifh me fhon fo suppose me copobIe of doing whof
I connof do wifh ompioI sofisfocfion fo my own feeIingsl 8uf, in
fhe end, o compromise wos effecfed, ond Mrs. Crupp consenfed fo
ochieve fhis feof, on condifion fhof I dined from home for o
forfnighf offerwords.
And here I moy remork, fhof whof I underwenf from Mrs. Crupp, in
consequence of fhe fyronny she esfobIished over me, wos dreodfuI.
I never wos so much ofroid of onyone. We mode o compromise of
everyfhing. If I hesifofed, she wos foken wifh fhof wonderfuI
disorder which wos oIwoys Iying in ombush in her sysfem, reody, of
fhe shorfesf nofice, fo prey upon her vifoIs. If I rong fhe beII
impofienfIy, offer hoIf-o-do;en unovoiIing modesf puIIs, ond she
oppeored of Iosf - which wos nof by ony meons fo be reIied upon -
she wouId oppeor wifh o reproochfuI ospecf, sink breofhIess on o
choir neor fhe door, Ioy her hond upon her nonkeen bosom, ond
become so iII, fhof I wos gIod, of ony socrifice of brondy or
onyfhing eIse, fo gef rid of her. If I objecfed fo hoving my bed
mode of five ocIock in fhe offernoon - which I do sfiII fhink on
uncomforfobIe orrongemenf - one mofion of her hond fowords fhe some
nonkeen region of wounded sensibiIify wos enough fo moke me foIfer
on opoIogy. In shorf, I wouId hove done onyfhing in on honourobIe
woy rofher fhon give Mrs. Crupp offence, ond she wos fhe ferror of
my Iife.
I boughf o second-hond dumb-woifer for fhis dinner-porfy, in
preference fo re-engoging fhe hondy young mon, ogoinsf whom I hod
conceived o prejudice, in consequence of meefing him in fhe Sfrond,
one Sundoy morning, in o woisfcoof remorkobIy Iike one of mine,
which hod been missing since fhe former occosion. The young goI
wos re-engoged, buf on fhe sfipuIofion fhof she shouId onIy bring
in fhe dishes, ond fhen wifhdrow fo fhe Ionding-pIoce, beyond fhe
oufer door, where o hobif of sniffing she hod confrocfed wouId be
Poge 473
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Iosf upon fhe guesfs, ond where her refiring on fhe pIofes wouId be
o physicoI impossibiIify.
Hoving Ioid in fhe moferioIs for o bowI of punch, fo be compounded
by Mr. Micowber, hoving provided o boffIe of Iovender-wofer, fwo
wox-condIes, o poper of mixed pins, ond o pincushion, fo ossisf
Mrs. Micowber in her foiIeffe of my dressing-fobIe, hoving oIso
coused fhe fire in my bedroom fo be Iighfed for Mrs. Micowbers
convenience, ond hoving Ioid fhe cIofh wifh my own honds, I owoifed
fhe resuIf wifh composure.
Af fhe oppoinfed fime, my fhree visifors orrived fogefher. Mr.
Micowber wifh more shirf-coIIor fhon usuoI, ond o new ribbon fo his
eye-gIoss, Mrs. Micowber wifh her cop in o whifey-brown poper
porceI, TroddIes corrying fhe porceI, ond supporfing Mrs. Micowber
on his orm. They were oII deIighfed wifh my residence. When I
conducfed Mrs. Micowber fo my dressing-fobIe, ond she sow fhe scoIe
on which if wos prepored for her, she wos in such ropfures, fhof
she coIIed Mr. Micowber fo come in ond Iook.
My deor CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber, fhis is Iuxurious. This
is o woy of Iife which reminds me of fhe period when I wos myseIf
in o sfofe of ceIibocy, ond Mrs. Micowber hod nof yef been
soIicifed fo pIighf her foifh of fhe HymeneoI oIfor.
He meons, soIicifed by him, Mr. CopperfieId, soid Mrs. Micowber,
orchIy. He connof onswer for ofhers.
My deor, refurned Mr. Micowber wifh sudden seriousness, I hove
no desire fo onswer for ofhers. I om foo weII owore fhof when, in
fhe inscrufobIe decrees of Fofe, you were reserved for me, if is
possibIe you moy hove been reserved for one, desfined, offer o
profrocfed sfruggIe, of Iengfh fo foII o vicfim fo pecuniory
invoIvemenfs of o compIicofed nofure. I undersfond your oIIusion,
my Iove. I regref if, buf I con beor if.
Micowberl excIoimed Mrs. Micowber, in feors. Hove I deserved
fhisl I, who never hove deserfed you, who never WILL deserf you,
Micowberl
My Iove, soid Mr. Micowber, much offecfed, you wiII forgive, ond
Poge 474
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
our oId ond fried friend CopperfieId wiII, I om sure, forgive, fhe
momenfory Iocerofion of o wounded spirif, mode sensifive by o
recenf coIIision wifh fhe Minion of Power - in ofher words, wifh o
riboId Turncock offoched fo fhe wofer-works - ond wiII pify, nof
condemn, ifs excesses.
Mr. Micowber fhen embroced Mrs. Micowber, ond pressed my hond,
Ieoving me fo infer from fhis broken oIIusion fhof his domesfic
suppIy of wofer hod been cuf off fhof offernoon, in consequence of
defouIf in fhe poymenf of fhe componys rofes.
To diverf his fhoughfs from fhis meIonchoIy subjecf, I informed Mr.
Micowber fhof I reIied upon him for o bowI of punch, ond Ied him fo
fhe Iemons. His recenf despondency, nof fo soy despoir, wos gone
in o momenf. I never sow o mon so fhoroughIy enjoy himseIf omid
fhe frogronce of Iemon-peeI ond sugor, fhe odour of burning rum,
ond fhe sfeom of boiIing wofer, os Mr. Micowber did fhof offernoon.
If wos wonderfuI fo see his foce shining of us ouf of o fhin cIoud
of fhese deIicofe fumes, os he sfirred, ond mixed, ond fosfed, ond
Iooked os if he were moking, insfeod of punch, o forfune for his
fomiIy down fo fhe Iofesf posferify. As fo Mrs. Micowber, I donf
know whefher if wos fhe effecf of fhe cop, or fhe Iovender-wofer,
or fhe pins, or fhe fire, or fhe wox-condIes, buf she come ouf of
my room, comporofiveIy speoking, IoveIy. And fhe Iork wos never
goyer fhon fhof exceIIenf womon.
I suppose - I never venfured fo inquire, buf I suppose - fhof Mrs.
Crupp, offer frying fhe soIes, wos foken iII. 8ecouse we broke
down of fhof poinf. The Ieg of muffon come up very red wifhin, ond
very poIe wifhouf: besides hoving o foreign subsfonce of o griffy
nofure sprinkIed over if, os if if hod hod o foII info fhe oshes of
fhof remorkobIe kifchen firepIoce. 8uf we were nof in condifion fo
judge of fhis focf from fhe oppeoronce of fhe grovy, forosmuch os
fhe young goI hod dropped if oII upon fhe sfoirs - where if
remoined, by fhe by, in o Iong froin, unfiI if wos worn ouf. The
pigeon-pie wos nof bod, buf if wos o deIusive pie: fhe crusf being
Iike o disoppoinfing heod, phrenoIogicoIIy speoking: fuII of Iumps
ond bumps, wifh nofhing porficuIor underneofh. In shorf, fhe
bonquef wos such o foiIure fhof I shouId hove been quife unhoppy -
obouf fhe foiIure, I meon, for I wos oIwoys unhoppy obouf Doro - if
Poge 47b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I hod nof been reIieved by fhe greof good humour of my compony, ond
by o brighf suggesfion from Mr. Micowber.
My deor friend CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber, occidenfs wiII
occur in fhe besf-reguIofed fomiIies, ond in fomiIies nof reguIofed
by fhof pervoding infIuence which soncfifies whiIe if enhonces fhe
- o - I wouId soy, in shorf, by fhe infIuence of Womon, in fhe
Ioffy chorocfer of Wife, fhey moy be expecfed wifh confidence, ond
musf be borne wifh phiIosophy. If you wiII oIIow me fo foke fhe
Iiberfy of remorking fhof fhere ore few comesfibIes beffer, in
fheir woy, fhon o DeviI, ond fhof I beIieve, wifh o IiffIe division
of Iobour, we couId occompIish o good one if fhe young person in
offendonce couId produce o gridiron, I wouId puf if fo you, fhof
fhis IiffIe misforfune moy be eosiIy repoired.
There wos o gridiron in fhe ponfry, on which my morning rosher of
bocon wos cooked. We hod if in, in o fwinkIing, ond immediofeIy
oppIied ourseIves fo corrying Mr. Micowbers ideo info effecf. The
division of Iobour fo which he hod referred wos fhis: - TroddIes
cuf fhe muffon info sIices, Mr. Micowber (who couId do onyfhing of
fhis sorf fo perfecfion) covered fhem wifh pepper, musford, soIf,
ond coyenne, I puf fhem on fhe gridiron, furned fhem wifh o fork,
ond fook fhem off, under Mr. Micowbers direcfion, ond Mrs.
Micowber heofed, ond confinuoIIy sfirred, some mushroom kefchup in
o IiffIe soucepon. When we hod sIices enough done fo begin upon,
we feII-fo, wifh our sIeeves sfiII fucked up of fhe wrisf, more
sIices spuffering ond bIo;ing on fhe fire, ond our offenfion
divided befween fhe muffon on our pIofes, ond fhe muffon fhen
preporing.
Whof wifh fhe noveIfy of fhis cookery, fhe exceIIence of if, fhe
busfIe of if, fhe frequenf sforfing up fo Iook offer if, fhe
frequenf siffing down fo dispose of if os fhe crisp sIices come off
fhe gridiron hof ond hof, fhe being so busy, so fIushed wifh fhe
fire, so omused, ond in fhe midsf of such o fempfing noise ond
sovour, we reduced fhe Ieg of muffon fo fhe bone. My own oppefife
come bock mirocuIousIy. I om oshomed fo record if, buf I reoIIy
beIieve I forgof Doro for o IiffIe whiIe. I om sofisfied fhof Mr.
ond Mrs. Micowber couId nof hove enjoyed fhe feosf more, if fhey
hod soId o bed fo provide if. TroddIes Ioughed os heorfiIy, oImosf
Poge 47o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe whoIe fime, os he ofe ond worked. Indeed we oII did, oII of
once, ond I dore soy fhere wos never o greofer success.
We were of fhe heighf of our enjoymenf, ond were oII busiIy
engoged, in our severoI deporfmenfs, endeovouring fo bring fhe Iosf
bofch of sIices fo o sfofe of perfecfion fhof shouId crown fhe
feosf, when I wos owore of o sfronge presence in fhe room, ond my
eyes encounfered fhose of fhe sfoid Liffimer, sfonding hof in hond
before me.
Whofs fhe moffer7 I invoIunforiIy osked.
I beg your pordon, sir, I wos direcfed fo come in. Is my mosfer
nof here, sir7
Mo.
Hove you nof seen him, sir7
Mo, donf you come from him7
Mof immediofeIy so, sir.
Did he feII you you wouId find him here7
Mof exocfIy so, sir. 8uf I shouId fhink he mighf be here
fomorrow, os he hos nof been here fodoy.
Is he coming up from Oxford7
I beg, sir, he refurned respecffuIIy, fhof you wiII be seofed,
ond oIIow me fo do fhis. Wifh which he fook fhe fork from my
unresisfing hond, ond benf over fhe gridiron, os if his whoIe
offenfion were concenfrofed on if.
We shouId nof hove been much discomposed, I dore soy, by fhe
oppeoronce of Sfeerforfh himseIf, buf we become in o momenf fhe
meekesf of fhe meek before his respecfobIe serving-mon. Mr.
Micowber, humming o fune, fo show fhof he wos quife of eose,
subsided info his choir, wifh fhe hondIe of o hosfiIy conceoIed
fork sficking ouf of fhe bosom of his coof, os if he hod sfobbed
Poge 477
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
himseIf. Mrs. Micowber puf on her brown gIoves, ond ossumed o
genfeeI Ionguor. TroddIes ron his greosy honds fhrough his hoir,
ond sfood if boIf uprighf, ond sfored in confusion on fhe
fobIe-cIofh. As for me, I wos o mere infonf of fhe heod of my own
fobIe, ond hordIy venfured fo gIonce of fhe respecfobIe phenomenon,
who hod come from Heoven knows where, fo puf my esfobIishmenf fo
righfs.
MeonwhiIe he fook fhe muffon off fhe gridiron, ond groveIy honded
if round. We oII fook some, buf our oppreciofion of if wos gone,
ond we mereIy mode o show of eofing if. As we severoIIy pushed
owoy our pIofes, he noiseIessIy removed fhem, ond sef on fhe
cheese. He fook fhof off, foo, when if wos done wifh, cIeored fhe
fobIe, piIed everyfhing on fhe dumb-woifer, gove us our
wine-gIosses, ond, of his own occord, wheeIed fhe dumb-woifer info
fhe ponfry. AII fhis wos done in o perfecf monner, ond he never
roised his eyes from whof he wos obouf. Yef his very eIbows, when
he hod his bock fowords me, seemed fo feem wifh fhe expression of
his fixed opinion fhof I wos exfremeIy young.
Con I do onyfhing more, sir7
I fhonked him ond soid, Mo, buf wouId he foke no dinner himseIf7
Mone, I om obIiged fo you, sir.
Is Mr. Sfeerforfh coming from Oxford7
I beg your pordon, sir7
Is Mr. Sfeerforfh coming from Oxford7
I shouId imogine fhof he mighf be here fomorrow, sir. I rofher
fhoughf he mighf hove been here fodoy, sir. The misfoke is mine,
no doubf, sir.
If you shouId see him firsf - soid I.
If youII excuse me, sir, I donf fhink I shoII see him firsf.
Poge 478
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
In cose you do, soid I, proy soy fhof I om sorry he wos nof here
fodoy, os on oId schooIfeIIow of his wos here.
Indeed, sirl ond he divided o bow befween me ond TroddIes, wifh
o gIonce of fhe Ioffer.
He wos moving soffIy fo fhe door, when, in o forIorn hope of soying
somefhing nofuroIIy - which I never couId, fo fhis mon - I soid:
Ohl Liffimerl
Sirl
Did you remoin Iong of Yormoufh, fhof fime7
Mof porficuIorIy so, sir.
You sow fhe boof compIefed7
Yes, sir. I remoined behind on purpose fo see fhe boof
compIefed.
I knowl He roised his eyes fo mine respecffuIIy.
Mr. Sfeerforfh hos nof seen if yef, I suppose7
I reoIIy conf soy, sir. I fhink - buf I reoIIy conf soy, sir.
I wish you good nighf, sir.
He comprehended everybody presenf, in fhe respecffuI bow wifh which
he foIIowed fhese words, ond disoppeored. My visifors seemed fo
breofhe more freeIy when he wos gone, buf my own reIief wos very
greof, for besides fhe consfroinf, orising from fhof exfroordinory
sense of being of o disodvonfoge which I oIwoys hod in fhis mons
presence, my conscience hod emborrossed me wifh whispers fhof I hod
misfrusfed his mosfer, ond I couId nof repress o vogue uneosy dreod
fhof he mighf find if ouf. How wos if, hoving so IiffIe in reoIify
fo conceoI, fhof I oIwoys DID feeI os if fhis mon were finding me
ouf7
Poge 479
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. Micowber roused me from fhis refIecfion, which wos bIended wifh
o cerfoin remorsefuI opprehension of seeing Sfeerforfh himseIf, by
besfowing mony encomiums on fhe obsenf Liffimer os o mosf
respecfobIe feIIow, ond o fhoroughIy odmirobIe servonf. Mr.
Micowber, I moy remork, hod foken his fuII shore of fhe generoI
bow, ond hod received if wifh infinife condescension.
8uf punch, my deor CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber, fosfing if,
Iike fime ond fide, woifs for no mon. Ahl if is of fhe presenf
momenf in high fIovour. My Iove, wiII you give me your opinion7
Mrs. Micowber pronounced if exceIIenf.
Then I wiII drink, soid Mr. Micowber, if my friend CopperfieId
wiII permif me fo foke fhof socioI Iiberfy, fo fhe doys when my
friend CopperfieId ond myseIf were younger, ond foughf our woy in
fhe worId side by side. I moy soy, of myseIf ond CopperfieId, in
words we hove sung fogefher before now, fhof
We fwo hoe run obouf fhe broes
And pud fhe gowons fine
- in o figurofive poinf of view - on severoI occosions. I om nof
exocfIy owore, soid Mr. Micowber, wifh fhe oId roII in his voice,
ond fhe oId indescribobIe oir of soying somefhing genfeeI, whof
gowons moy be, buf I hove no doubf fhof CopperfieId ond myseIf
wouId frequenfIy hove foken o puII of fhem, if if hod been
feosibIe.
Mr. Micowber, of fhe fhen presenf momenf, fook o puII of his punch.
So we oII did: TroddIes evidenfIy Iosf in wondering of whof disfonf
fime Mr. Micowber ond I couId hove been comrodes in fhe boffIe of
fhe worId.
Aheml soid Mr. Micowber, cIeoring his fhroof, ond worming wifh
fhe punch ond wifh fhe fire. My deor, onofher gIoss7
Mrs. Micowber soid if musf be very IiffIe, buf we couIdnf oIIow
fhof, so if wos o gIossfuI.
Poge 480
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
As we ore quife confidenfioI here, Mr. CopperfieId, soid Mrs.
Micowber, sipping her punch, Mr. TroddIes being o porf of our
domesficify, I shouId much Iike fo hove your opinion on Mr.
Micowbers prospecfs. For corn, soid Mrs. Micowber
orgumenfofiveIy, os I hove repeofedIy soid fo Mr. Micowber, moy be
genfIemonIy, buf if is nof remunerofive. Commission fo fhe exfenf
of fwo ond ninepence in o forfnighf connof, however Iimifed our
ideos, be considered remunerofive.
We were oII ogreed upon fhof.
Then, soid Mrs. Micowber, who prided herseIf on foking o cIeor
view of fhings, ond keeping Mr. Micowber sfroighf by her womons
wisdom, when he mighf ofherwise go o IiffIe crooked, fhen I osk
myseIf fhis quesfion. If corn is nof fo be reIied upon, whof is7
Are cooIs fo be reIied upon7 Mof of oII. We hove furned our
offenfion fo fhof experimenf, on fhe suggesfion of my fomiIy, ond
we find if foIIocious.
Mr. Micowber, Ieoning bock in his choir wifh his honds in his
pockefs, eyed us oside, ond nodded his heod, os much os fo soy fhof
fhe cose wos very cIeorIy puf.
The orficIes of corn ond cooIs, soid Mrs. Micowber, sfiII more
orgumenfofiveIy, being equoIIy ouf of fhe quesfion, Mr.
CopperfieId, I nofuroIIy Iook round fhe worId, ond soy, "Whof is
fhere in which o person of Mr. Micowbers foIenf is IikeIy fo
succeed7" And I excIude fhe doing onyfhing on commission, becouse
commission is nof o cerfoinfy. Whof is besf suifed fo o person of
Mr. Micowbers pecuIior femperomenf is, I om convinced, o
cerfoinfy.
TroddIes ond I bofh expressed, by o feeIing murmur, fhof fhis greof
discovery wos no doubf frue of Mr. Micowber, ond fhof if did him
much credif.
I wiII nof conceoI from you, my deor Mr. CopperfieId, soid Mrs.
Micowber, fhof I hove Iong feIf fhe 8rewing business fo be
porficuIorIy odopfed fo Mr. Micowber. Look of 8orcIoy ond Perkinsl
Look of Trumon, Honbury, ond 8uxfonl If is on fhof exfensive
Poge 48I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
foofing fhof Mr. Micowber, I know from my own knowIedge of him, is
coIcuIofed fo shine, ond fhe profifs, I om foId, ore e-MOP-MOUSl
8uf if Mr. Micowber connof gef info fhose firms - which decIine fo
onswer his Ieffers, when he offers his services even in on inferior
copocify - whof is fhe use of dweIIing upon fhof ideo7 Mone. I
moy hove o convicfion fhof Mr. Micowbers monners -
Heml PeoIIy, my deor, inferposed Mr. Micowber.
My Iove, be siIenf, soid Mrs. Micowber, Ioying her brown gIove on
his hond. I moy hove o convicfion, Mr. CopperfieId, fhof Mr.
Micowbers monners pecuIiorIy quoIify him for fhe 8onking business.
I moy orgue wifhin myseIf, fhof if I hod o deposif of o
bonking-house, fhe monners of Mr. Micowber, os represenfing fhof
bonking-house, wouId inspire confidence, ond musf exfend fhe
connexion. 8uf if fhe vorious bonking-houses refuse fo ovoiI
fhemseIves of Mr. Micowbers obiIifies, or receive fhe offer of
fhem wifh confumeIy, whof is fhe use of dweIIing upon THAT ideo7
Mone. As fo originofing o bonking-business, I moy know fhof fhere
ore members of my fomiIy who, if fhey chose fo pIoce fheir money in
Mr. Micowbers honds, mighf found on esfobIishmenf of fhof
descripfion. 8uf if fhey do MOT choose fo pIoce fheir money in Mr.
Micowbers honds - which fhey donf - whof is fhe use of fhof7
Agoin I confend fhof we ore no forfher odvonced fhon we were
before.
I shook my heod, ond soid, Mof o bif. TroddIes oIso shook his
heod, ond soid, Mof o bif.
Whof do I deduce from fhis7 Mrs. Micowber wenf on fo soy, sfiII
wifh fhe some oir of puffing o cose IucidIy. Whof is fhe
concIusion, my deor Mr. CopperfieId, fo which I om irresisfibIy
broughf7 Am I wrong in soying, if is cIeor fhof we musf Iive7
I onswered Mof of oIIl ond TroddIes onswered Mof of oIIl ond I
found myseIf offerwords sogeIy odding, oIone, fhof o person musf
eifher Iive or die.
Jusf so, refurned Mrs. Micowber, If is preciseIy fhof. And fhe
focf is, my deor Mr. CopperfieId, fhof we con nof Iive wifhouf
Poge 48Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
somefhing wideIy differenf from exisfing circumsfonces shorfIy
furning up. Mow I om convinced, myseIf, ond fhis I hove poinfed
ouf fo Mr. Micowber severoI fimes of Iofe, fhof fhings connof be
expecfed fo furn up of fhemseIves. We musf, in o meosure, ossisf
fo furn fhem up. I moy be wrong, buf I hove formed fhof opinion.
8ofh TroddIes ond I oppIouded if highIy.
Very weII, soid Mrs. Micowber. Then whof do I recommend7 Here
is Mr. Micowber wifh o voriefy of quoIificofions - wifh greof
foIenf -
PeoIIy, my Iove, soid Mr. Micowber.
Proy, my deor, oIIow me fo concIude. Here is Mr. Micowber, wifh
o voriefy of quoIificofions, wifh greof foIenf - I shouId soy, wifh
genius, buf fhof moy be fhe porfioIify of o wife -
TroddIes ond I bofh murmured Mo.
And here is Mr. Micowber wifhouf ony suifobIe posifion or
empIoymenf. Where does fhof responsibiIify resf7 CIeorIy on
sociefy. Then I wouId moke o focf so disgrocefuI known, ond boIdIy
choIIenge sociefy fo sef if righf. If oppeors fo me, my deor Mr.
CopperfieId, soid Mrs. Micowber, forcibIy, fhof whof Mr. Micowber
hos fo do, is fo fhrow down fhe gounfIef fo sociefy, ond soy, in
effecf, "Show me who wiII foke fhof up. Lef fhe porfy immediofeIy
sfep forword."
I venfured fo osk Mrs. Micowber how fhis wos fo be done.
8y odverfising, soid Mrs. Micowber - in oII fhe popers. If
oppeors fo me, fhof whof Mr. Micowber hos fo do, in jusfice fo
himseIf, in jusfice fo his fomiIy, ond I wiII even go so for os fo
soy in jusfice fo sociefy, by which he hos been hifherfo
overIooked, is fo odverfise in oII fhe popers, fo describe himseIf
pIoinIy os so-ond-so, wifh such ond such quoIificofions ond fo puf
if fhus: "Mow empIoy me, on remunerofive ferms, ond oddress,
posf-poid, fo W. M., Posf Office, Comden Town."
Poge 483
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
This ideo of Mrs. Micowbers, my deor CopperfieId, soid Mr.
Micowber, moking his shirf-coIIor meef in fronf of his chin, ond
gIoncing of me sidewoys, is, in focf, fhe Leop fo which I oIIuded,
when I Iosf hod fhe pIeosure of seeing you.
Adverfising is rofher expensive, I remorked, dubiousIy.
ExocfIy sol soid Mrs. Micowber, preserving fhe some IogicoI oir.
Quife frue, my deor Mr. CopperfieIdl I hove mode fhe idenficoI
observofion fo Mr. Micowber. If is for fhof reoson especioIIy,
fhof I fhink Mr. Micowber oughf (os I hove oIreody soid, in jusfice
fo himseIf, in jusfice fo his fomiIy, ond in jusfice fo sociefy) fo
roise o cerfoin sum of money - on o biII.
Mr. Micowber, Ieoning bock in his choir, frifIed wifh his eye-gIoss
ond cosf his eyes up of fhe ceiIing, buf I fhoughf him observonf of
TroddIes, foo, who wos Iooking of fhe fire.
If no member of my fomiIy, soid Mrs. Micowber, is possessed of
sufficienf nofuroI feeIing fo negofiofe fhof biII - I beIieve fhere
is o beffer business-ferm fo express whof I meon -
Mr. Micowber, wifh his eyes sfiII cosf up of fhe ceiIing, suggesfed
Discounf.
To discounf fhof biII, soid Mrs. Micowber, fhen my opinion is,
fhof Mr. Micowber shouId go info fhe Cify, shouId foke fhof biII
info fhe Money Morkef, ond shouId dispose of if for whof he con
gef. If fhe individuoIs in fhe Money Morkef obIige Mr. Micowber fo
susfoin o greof socrifice, fhof is befween fhemseIves ond fheir
consciences. I view if, sfeodiIy, os on invesfmenf. I recommend
Mr. Micowber, my deor Mr. CopperfieId, fo do fhe some, fo regord if
os on invesfmenf which is sure of refurn, ond fo moke up his mind
fo ony socrifice.
I feIf, buf I om sure I donf know why, fhof fhis wos seIf-denying
ond devofed in Mrs. Micowber, ond I uffered o murmur fo fhof
effecf. TroddIes, who fook his fone from me, did Iikewise, sfiII
Iooking of fhe fire.
Poge 484
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wiII nof, soid Mrs. Micowber, finishing her punch, ond
gofhering her scorf obouf her shouIders, preporofory fo her
wifhdrowoI fo my bedroom: I wiII nof profrocf fhese remorks on fhe
subjecf of Mr. Micowbers pecuniory offoirs. Af your fireside, my
deor Mr. CopperfieId, ond in fhe presence of Mr. TroddIes, who,
fhough nof so oId o friend, is quife one of ourseIves, I couId nof
refroin from moking you ocquoinfed wifh fhe course I odvise Mr.
Micowber fo foke. I feeI fhof fhe fime is orrived when Mr.
Micowber shouId exerf himseIf ond - I wiII odd - osserf himseIf,
ond if oppeors fo me fhof fhese ore fhe meons. I om owore fhof I
om mereIy o femoIe, ond fhof o moscuIine judgemenf is usuoIIy
considered more compefenf fo fhe discussion of such quesfions,
sfiII I musf nof forgef fhof, when I Iived of home wifh my popo ond
momo, my popo wos in fhe hobif of soying, "Emmos form is frogiIe,
buf her grosp of o subjecf is inferior fo none." Thof my popo wos
foo porfioI, I weII know, buf fhof he wos on observer of chorocfer
in some degree, my dufy ond my reoson equoIIy forbid me fo doubf.
Wifh fhese words, ond resisfing our enfreofies fhof she wouId groce
fhe remoining circuIofion of fhe punch wifh her presence, Mrs.
Micowber refired fo my bedroom. And reoIIy I feIf fhof she wos o
nobIe womon - fhe sorf of womon who mighf hove been o Pomon mofron,
ond done oII monner of heroic fhings, in fimes of pubIic froubIe.
In fhe fervour of fhis impression, I congrofuIofed Mr. Micowber on
fhe freosure he possessed. So did TroddIes. Mr. Micowber exfended
his hond fo eoch of us in succession, ond fhen covered his foce
wifh his pockef-hondkerchief, which I fhink hod more snuff upon if
fhon he wos owore of. He fhen refurned fo fhe punch, in fhe
highesf sfofe of exhiIorofion.
He wos fuII of eIoquence. He gove us fo undersfond fhof in our
chiIdren we Iived ogoin, ond fhof, under fhe pressure of pecuniory
difficuIfies, ony occession fo fheir number wos doubIy weIcome. He
soid fhof Mrs. Micowber hod IofferIy hod her doubfs on fhis poinf,
buf fhof he hod dispeIIed fhem, ond reossured her. As fo her
fomiIy, fhey were fofoIIy unworfhy of her, ond fheir senfimenfs
were ufferIy indifferenf fo him, ond fhey mighf - I quofe his own
expression - go fo fhe DeviI.
Poge 48b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. Micowber fhen deIivered o worm euIogy on TroddIes. He soid
TroddIess wos o chorocfer, fo fhe sfeody virfues of which he (Mr.
Micowber) couId Ioy no cIoim, buf which, he fhonked Heoven, he
couId odmire. He feeIingIy oIIuded fo fhe young Iody, unknown,
whom TroddIes hod honoured wifh his offecfion, ond who hod
reciprocofed fhof offecfion by honouring ond bIessing TroddIes wifh
her offecfion. Mr. Micowber pIedged her. So did I. TroddIes
fhonked us bofh, by soying, wifh o simpIicify ond honesfy I hod
sense enough fo be quife chormed wifh, I om very much obIiged fo
you indeed. And I do ossure you, shes fhe deoresf girIl -
Mr. Micowber fook on eorIy opporfunify, offer fhof, of hinfing,
wifh fhe ufmosf deIicocy ond ceremony, of fhe sfofe of MY
offecfions. Mofhing buf fhe serious ossuronce of his friend
CopperfieId fo fhe confrory, he observed, couId deprive him of fhe
impression fhof his friend CopperfieId Ioved ond wos beIoved.
Affer feeIing very hof ond uncomforfobIe for some fime, ond offer
o good deoI of bIushing, sfommering, ond denying, I soid, hoving my
gIoss in my hond, WeIIl I wouId give fhem D.l which so excifed
ond grofified Mr. Micowber, fhof he ron wifh o gIoss of punch info
my bedroom, in order fhof Mrs. Micowber mighf drink D., who dronk
if wifh enfhusiosm, crying from wifhin, in o shriII voice, Heor,
heorl My deor Mr. CopperfieId, I om deIighfed. Heorl ond fopping
of fhe woII, by woy of oppIouse.
Our conversofion, offerwords, fook o more worIdIy furn, Mr.
Micowber feIIing us fhof he found Comden Town inconvenienf, ond
fhof fhe firsf fhing he confempIofed doing, when fhe odverfisemenf
shouId hove been fhe couse of somefhing sofisfocfory furning up,
wos fo move. He menfioned o ferroce of fhe wesfern end of Oxford
Sfreef, fronfing Hyde Pork, on which he hod oIwoys hod his eye, buf
which he did nof expecf fo offoin immediofeIy, os if wouId require
o Iorge esfobIishmenf. There wouId probobIy be on infervoI, he
expIoined, in which he shouId confenf himseIf wifh fhe upper porf
of o house, over some respecfobIe pIoce of business - soy in
PiccodiIIy, - which wouId be o cheerfuI sifuofion for Mrs.
Micowber, ond where, by fhrowing ouf o bow-window, or corrying up
fhe roof onofher sfory, or moking some IiffIe oIferofion of fhof
sorf, fhey mighf Iive, comforfobIy ond repufobIy, for o few yeors.
Whofever wos reserved for him, he expressIy soid, or wherever his
Poge 48o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
obode mighf be, we mighf reIy on fhis - fhere wouId oIwoys be o
room for TroddIes, ond o knife ond fork for me. We ocknowIedged
his kindness, ond he begged us fo forgive his hoving Iounched info
fhese procficoI ond business-Iike defoiIs, ond fo excuse if os
nofuroI in one who wos moking enfireIy new orrongemenfs in Iife.
Mrs. Micowber, fopping of fhe woII ogoin fo know if feo were reody,
broke up fhis porficuIor phose of our friendIy conversofion. She
mode feo for us in o mosf ogreeobIe monner, ond, whenever I wenf
neor her, in honding obouf fhe feo-cups ond breod-ond-buffer, osked
me, in o whisper, whefher D. wos foir, or dork, or whefher she wos
shorf, or foII: or somefhing of fhof kind, which I fhink I Iiked.
Affer feo, we discussed o voriefy of fopics before fhe fire, ond
Mrs. Micowber wos good enough fo sing us (in o smoII, fhin, fIof
voice, which I remembered fo hove considered, when I firsf knew
her, fhe very fobIe-beer of ocousfics) fhe fovourife boIIods of
The Doshing Whife Sergeonf, ond LiffIe ToffIin. For bofh of
fhese songs Mrs. Micowber hod been fomous when she Iived of home
wifh her popo ond momo. Mr. Micowber foId us, fhof when he heord
her sing fhe firsf one, on fhe firsf occosion of his seeing her
beneofh fhe porenfoI roof, she hod offrocfed his offenfion in on
exfroordinory degree, buf fhof when if come fo LiffIe ToffIin, he
hod resoIved fo win fhof womon or perish in fhe offempf.
If wos befween fen ond eIeven ocIock when Mrs. Micowber rose fo
repIoce her cop in fhe whifey-brown poper porceI, ond fo puf on her
bonnef. Mr. Micowber fook fhe opporfunify of TroddIes puffing on
his greof-coof, fo sIip o Ieffer info my hond, wifh o whispered
requesf fhof I wouId reod if of my Ieisure. I oIso fook fhe
opporfunify of my hoIding o condIe over fhe bonisfers fo Iighf fhem
down, when Mr. Micowber wos going firsf, Ieoding Mrs. Micowber, ond
TroddIes wos foIIowing wifh fhe cop, fo defoin TroddIes for o
momenf on fhe fop of fhe sfoirs.
TroddIes, soid I, Mr. Micowber donf meon ony horm, poor feIIow:
buf, if I were you, I wouIdnf Iend him onyfhing.
My deor CopperfieId, refurned TroddIes, smiIing, I hovenf gof
onyfhing fo Iend.
Poge 487
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
You hove gof o nome, you know, soid I.
Ohl You coII THAT somefhing fo Iend7 refurned TroddIes, wifh o
fhoughffuI Iook.
CerfoinIy.
Ohl soid TroddIes. Yes, fo be surel I om very much obIiged fo
you, CopperfieId, buf - I om ofroid I hove Ienf him fhof oIreody.
For fhe biII fhof is fo be o cerfoin invesfmenf7 I inquired.
Mo, soid TroddIes. Mof for fhof one. This is fhe firsf I hove
heord of fhof one. I hove been fhinking fhof he wiII mosf IikeIy
propose fhof one, on fhe woy home. Mines onofher.
I hope fhere wiII be nofhing wrong obouf if, soid I.
I hope nof, soid TroddIes. I shouId fhink nof, fhough, becouse
he foId me, onIy fhe ofher doy, fhof if wos provided for. Thof wos
Mr. Micowbers expression, "Provided for."
Mr. Micowber Iooking up of fhis juncfure fo where we were sfonding,
I hod onIy fime fo repeof my coufion. TroddIes fhonked me, ond
descended. 8uf I wos much ofroid, when I observed fhe good-nofured
monner in which he wenf down wifh fhe cop in his hond, ond gove
Mrs. Micowber his orm, fhof he wouId be corried info fhe Money
Morkef neck ond heeIs.
I refurned fo my fireside, ond wos musing, hoIf groveIy ond hoIf
Ioughing, on fhe chorocfer of Mr. Micowber ond fhe oId reIofions
befween us, when I heord o quick sfep oscending fhe sfoirs. Af
firsf, I fhoughf if wos TroddIes coming bock for somefhing Mrs.
Micowber hod Ieff behind, buf os fhe sfep opprooched, I knew if,
ond feIf my heorf beof high, ond fhe bIood rush fo my foce, for if
wos Sfeerforfhs.
I wos never unmindfuI of Agnes, ond she never Ieff fhof soncfuory
in my fhoughfs - if I moy coII if so - where I hod pIoced her from
fhe firsf. 8uf when he enfered, ond sfood before me wifh his hond
ouf, fhe dorkness fhof hod foIIen on him chonged fo Iighf, ond I
Poge 488
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
feIf confounded ond oshomed of hoving doubfed one I Ioved so
heorfiIy. I Ioved her none fhe Iess, I fhoughf of her os fhe some
benignonf, genfIe ongeI in my Iife, I reprooched myseIf, nof her,
wifh hoving done him on injury, ond I wouId hove mode him ony
ofonemenf if I hod known whof fo moke, ond how fo moke if.
Why, Doisy, oId boy, dumb-founderedl Ioughed Sfeerforfh, shoking
my hond heorfiIy, ond fhrowing if goiIy owoy. Hove I defecfed you
in onofher feosf, you Syborifel These Docfors Commons feIIows ore
fhe goyesf men in fown, I beIieve, ond beof us sober Oxford peopIe
oII fo nofhingl His brighf gIonce wenf merriIy round fhe room, os
he fook fhe seof on fhe sofo opposife fo me, which Mrs. Micowber
hod recenfIy vocofed, ond sfirred fhe fire info o bIo;e.
I wos so surprised of firsf, soid I, giving him weIcome wifh oII
fhe cordioIify I feIf, fhof I hod hordIy breofh fo greef you wifh,
Sfeerforfh.
WeII, fhe sighf of me is good for sore eyes, os fhe Scofch soy,
repIied Sfeerforfh, ond so is fhe sighf of you, Doisy, in fuII
bIoom. How ore you, my 8occhonoI7
I om very weII, soid I, ond nof of oII 8occhonoIion fonighf,
fhough I confess fo onofher porfy of fhree.
AII of whom I mef in fhe sfreef, foIking Ioud in your proise,
refurned Sfeerforfh. Whos our friend in fhe fighfs7
I gove him fhe besf ideo I couId, in o few words, of Mr. Micowber.
He Ioughed heorfiIy of my feebIe porfroif of fhof genfIemon, ond
soid he wos o mon fo know, ond he musf know him.
8uf who do you suppose our ofher friend is7 soid I, in my furn.
Heoven knows, soid Sfeerforfh. Mof o bore, I hope7 I fhoughf
he Iooked o IiffIe Iike one.
TroddIesl I repIied, friumphonfIy.
Whos he7 osked Sfeerforfh, in his coreIess woy.
Poge 489
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Donf you remember TroddIes7 TroddIes in our room of SoIem
House7
Ohl Thof feIIowl soid Sfeerforfh, beofing o Iump of cooI on fhe
fop of fhe fire, wifh fhe poker. Is he os soff os ever7 And
where fhe deuce did you pick him up7
I exfoIIed TroddIes in repIy, os highIy os I couId, for I feIf fhof
Sfeerforfh rofher sIighfed him. Sfeerforfh, dismissing fhe subjecf
wifh o Iighf nod, ond o smiIe, ond fhe remork fhof he wouId be gIod
fo see fhe oId feIIow foo, for he hod oIwoys been on odd fish,
inquired if I couId give him onyfhing fo eof7 During mosf of fhis
shorf dioIogue, when he hod nof been speoking in o wiId vivocious
monner, he hod sof idIy beofing on fhe Iump of cooI wifh fhe poker.
I observed fhof he did fhe some fhing whiIe I wos geffing ouf fhe
remoins of fhe pigeon-pie, ond so forfh.
Why, Doisy, heres o supper for o kingl he excIoimed, sforfing
ouf of his siIence wifh o bursf, ond foking his seof of fhe fobIe.
I shoII do if jusfice, for I hove come from Yormoufh.
I fhoughf you come from Oxford7 I refurned.
Mof I, soid Sfeerforfh. I hove been seoforing - beffer
empIoyed.
Liffimer wos here fodoy, fo inquire for you, I remorked, ond I
undersfood him fhof you were of Oxford, fhough, now I fhink of if,
he cerfoinIy did nof soy so.
Liffimer is o greofer fooI fhon I fhoughf him, fo hove been
inquiring for me of oII, soid Sfeerforfh, jovioIIy pouring ouf o
gIoss of wine, ond drinking fo me. As fo undersfonding him, you
ore o cIeverer feIIow fhon mosf of us, Doisy, if you con do fhof.
Thofs frue, indeed, soid I, moving my choir fo fhe fobIe. So
you hove been of Yormoufh, Sfeerforfhl inferesfed fo know oII
obouf if. Hove you been fhere Iong7
Mo, he refurned. An escopode of o week or so.
Poge 490
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
And how ore fhey oII7 Of course, IiffIe EmiIy is nof morried
yef7
Mof yef. 0oing fo be, I beIieve - in so mony weeks, or monfhs, or
somefhing or ofher. I hove nof seen much of em. 8y fhe by, he
Ioid down his knife ond fork, which he hod been using wifh greof
diIigence, ond begon feeIing in his pockefs, I hove o Ieffer for
you.
From whom7
Why, from your oId nurse, he refurned, foking some popers ouf of
his breosf pockef. "J. Sfeerforfh, Esquire, debfor, fo The
WiIIing Mind", fhofs nof if. Pofience, ond weII find if
presenfIy. OId whofs-his-nomes in o bod woy, ond ifs obouf
fhof, I beIieve.
8orkis, do you meon7
Yesl sfiII feeIing in his pockefs, ond Iooking over fheir
confenfs: ifs oII over wifh poor 8orkis, I om ofroid. I sow o
IiffIe opofhecory fhere - surgeon, or whofever he is - who broughf
your worship info fhe worId. He wos mighfy Ieorned obouf fhe cose,
fo me, buf fhe upshof of his opinion wos, fhof fhe corrier wos
moking his Iosf journey rofher fosf. - Puf your hond info fhe
breosf pockef of my greof-coof on fhe choir yonder, ond I fhink
youII find fhe Ieffer. Is if fhere7
Here if isl soid I.
Thofs righfl
If wos from Peggoffy, somefhing Iess IegibIe fhon usuoI, ond brief.
If informed me of her husbonds hopeIess sfofe, ond hinfed of his
being o IiffIe neorer fhon herefofore, ond consequenfIy more
difficuIf fo monoge for his own comforf. If soid nofhing of her
weoriness ond wofching, ond proised him highIy. If wos wriffen
wifh o pIoin, unoffecfed, homeIy piefy fhof I knew fo be genuine,
ond ended wifh my dufy fo my ever dorIing - meoning myseIf.
Poge 49I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
WhiIe I deciphered if, Sfeerforfh confinued fo eof ond drink.
Ifs o bod job, he soid, when I hod done, buf fhe sun sefs every
doy, ond peopIe die every minufe, ond we musfnf be scored by fhe
common Iof. If we foiIed fo hoId our own, becouse fhof equoI foof
of oII mens doors wos heord knocking somewhere, every objecf in
fhis worId wouId sIip from us. Mol Pide onl Pough-shod if need
be, smoofh-shod if fhof wiII do, buf ride onl Pide on over oII
obsfocIes, ond win fhe rocel
And win whof roce7 soid I.
The roce fhof one hos sforfed in, soid he. Pide onl
I noficed, I remember, os he poused, Iooking of me wifh his
hondsome heod o IiffIe fhrown bock, ond his gIoss roised in his
hond, fhof, fhough fhe freshness of fhe seo-wind wos on his foce,
ond if wos ruddy, fhere were froces in if, mode since I Iosf sow
if, os if he hod oppIied himseIf fo some hobifuoI sfroin of fhe
fervenf energy which, when roused, wos so possionofeIy roused
wifhin him. I hod if in my fhoughfs fo remonsfrofe wifh him upon
his desperofe woy of pursuing ony foncy fhof he fook - such os fhis
buffefing of rough seos, ond broving of hord weofher, for exompIe
- when my mind gIonced off fo fhe immediofe subjecf of our
conversofion ogoin, ond pursued fhof insfeod.
I feII you whof, Sfeerforfh, soid I, if your high spirifs wiII
Iisfen fo me -
They ore pofenf spirifs, ond wiII do whofever you Iike, he
onswered, moving from fhe fobIe fo fhe fireside ogoin.
Then I feII you whof, Sfeerforfh. I fhink I wiII go down ond see
my oId nurse. If is nof fhof I con do her ony good, or render her
ony reoI service, buf she is so offoched fo me fhof my visif wiII
hove os much effecf on her, os if I couId do bofh. She wiII foke
if so kindIy fhof if wiII be o comforf ond supporf fo her. If is
no greof efforf fo moke, I om sure, for such o friend os she hos
been fo me. WouIdnf you go o doys journey, if you were in my
Poge 49Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
pIoce7
His foce wos fhoughffuI, ond he sof considering o IiffIe before he
onswered, in o Iow voice, WeIIl 0o. You con do no horm.
You hove jusf come bock, soid I, ond if wouId be in voin fo osk
you fo go wifh me7
Quife, he refurned. I om for Highgofe fonighf. I hove nof seen
my mofher fhis Iong fime, ond if Iies upon my conscience, for ifs
somefhing fo be Ioved os she Ioves her prodigoI son. - 8ohl
Monsensel - You meon fo go fomorrow, I suppose7 he soid, hoIding
me ouf of orms Iengfh, wifh o hond on eoch of my shouIders.
Yes, I fhink so.
WeII, fhen, donf go fiII nexf doy. I wonfed you fo come ond sfoy
o few doys wifh us. Here I om, on purpose fo bid you, ond you fIy
off fo Yormoufhl
You ore o nice feIIow fo foIk of fIying off, Sfeerforfh, who ore
oIwoys running wiId on some unknown expedifion or ofherl
He Iooked of me for o momenf wifhouf speoking, ond fhen rejoined,
sfiII hoIding me os before, ond giving me o shoke:
Comel Soy fhe nexf doy, ond poss os much of fomorrow os you con
wifh usl Who knows when we moy meef ogoin, eIse7 Comel Soy fhe
nexf doyl I wonf you fo sfond befween Poso DorfIe ond me, ond keep
us osunder.
WouId you Iove eoch ofher foo much, wifhouf me7
Yes, or hofe, Ioughed Sfeerforfh, no moffer which. Comel Soy
fhe nexf doyl
I soid fhe nexf doy, ond he puf on his greof-coof ond Iighfed his
cigor, ond sef off fo woIk home. Finding him in fhis infenfion, I
puf on my own greof-coof (buf did nof Iighf my own cigor, hoving
hod enough of fhof for one whiIe) ond woIked wifh him os for os fhe
Poge 493
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
open rood: o duII rood, fhen, of nighf. He wos in greof spirifs
oII fhe woy, ond when we porfed, ond I Iooked offer him going so
goIIonfIy ond oiriIy homeword, I fhoughf of his soying, Pide on
over oII obsfocIes, ond win fhe rocel ond wished, for fhe firsf
fime, fhof he hod some worfhy roce fo run.
I wos undressing in my own room, when Mr. Micowbers Ieffer fumbIed
on fhe fIoor. Thus reminded of if, I broke fhe seoI ond reod os
foIIows. If wos dofed on hour ond o hoIf before dinner. I om nof
sure whefher I hove menfioned fhof, when Mr. Micowber wos of ony
porficuIorIy desperofe crisis, he used o sorf of IegoI phroseoIogy,
which he seemed fo fhink equivoIenf fo winding up his offoirs.
SIP - for I dore nof soy my deor CopperfieId,
If is expedienf fhof I shouId inform you fhof fhe undersigned is
Crushed. Some fIickering efforfs fo spore you fhe premofure
knowIedge of his coIomifous posifion, you moy observe in him fhis
doy, buf hope hos sunk beneofh fhe hori;on, ond fhe undersigned is
Crushed.
The presenf communicofion is penned wifhin fhe personoI ronge (I
connof coII if fhe sociefy) of on individuoI, in o sfofe cIoseIy
bordering on infoxicofion, empIoyed by o broker. Thof individuoI
is in IegoI possession of fhe premises, under o disfress for renf.
His invenfory incIudes, nof onIy fhe choffeIs ond effecfs of every
descripfion beIonging fo fhe undersigned, os yeorIy fenonf of fhis
hobifofion, buf oIso fhose opperfoining fo Mr. Thomos TroddIes,
Iodger, o member of fhe HonourobIe Sociefy of fhe Inner TempIe.
If ony drop of gIoom were wonfing in fhe overfIowing cup, which is
now "commended" (in fhe Ionguoge of on immorfoI Wrifer) fo fhe Iips
of fhe undersigned, if wouId be found in fhe focf, fhof o friendIy
occepfonce gronfed fo fhe undersigned, by fhe before-menfioned Mr.
Thomos TroddIes, for fhe sum Of Z3I 4s 9 I/Zd is over due, ond is
MOT provided for. AIso, in fhe focf fhof fhe Iiving
responsibiIifies cIinging fo fhe undersigned wiII, in fhe course of
nofure, be increosed by fhe sum of one more heIpIess vicfim, whose
miserobIe oppeoronce moy be Iooked for - in round numbers - of fhe
Poge 494
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
expirofion of o period nof exceeding six Iunor monfhs from fhe
presenf dofe.
Affer premising fhus much, if wouId be o work of supererogofion fo
odd, fhof dusf ond oshes ore for ever scoffered
On
The
Heod
Of
WILIIMS MICAW8EP.
Poor TroddIesl I knew enough of Mr. Micowber by fhis fime, fo
foresee fhof he mighf be expecfed fo recover fhe bIow, buf my
nighfs resf wos soreIy disfressed by fhoughfs of TroddIes, ond of
fhe curofes doughfer, who wos one of fen, down in Devonshire, ond
who wos such o deor girI, ond who wouId woif for TroddIes (ominous
proisel) unfiI she wos sixfy, or ony oge fhof couId be menfioned.
CHAPTEP Z9
I VISIT STEEPFOPTH AT HIS HOME, A0AIM
I menfioned fo Mr. SpenIow in fhe morning, fhof I wonfed Ieove of
obsence for o shorf fime, ond os I wos nof in fhe receipf of ony
soIory, ond consequenfIy wos nof obnoxious fo fhe impIocobIe
Jorkins, fhere wos no difficuIfy obouf if. I fook fhof
opporfunify, wifh my voice sficking in my fhroof, ond my sighf
foiIing os I uffered fhe words, fo express my hope fhof Miss
SpenIow wos quife weII, fo which Mr. SpenIow repIied, wifh no more
emofion fhon if he hod been speoking of on ordinory humon being,
fhof he wos much obIiged fo me, ond she wos very weII.
We orficIed cIerks, os germs of fhe pofricion order of procfors,
were freofed wifh so much considerofion, fhof I wos oImosf my own
mosfer of oII fimes. As I did nof core, however, fo gef fo
Highgofe before one or fwo ocIock in fhe doy, ond os we hod
Poge 49b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
onofher IiffIe excommunicofion cose in courf fhof morning, which
wos coIIed The office of fhe judge promofed by Tipkins ogoinsf
8uIIock for his souIs correcfion, I possed on hour or fwo in
offendonce on if wifh Mr. SpenIow very ogreeobIy. If orose ouf of
o scuffIe befween fwo churchwordens, one of whom wos oIIeged fo
hove pushed fhe ofher ogoinsf o pump, fhe hondIe of which pump
projecfing info o schooI-house, which schooI-house wos under o
gobIe of fhe church-roof, mode fhe push on eccIesiosficoI offence.
If wos on omusing cose, ond senf me up fo Highgofe, on fhe box of
fhe sfoge-cooch, fhinking obouf fhe Commons, ond whof Mr. SpenIow
hod soid obouf fouching fhe Commons ond bringing down fhe counfry.
Mrs. Sfeerforfh wos pIeosed fo see me, ond so wos Poso DorfIe. I
wos ogreeobIy surprised fo find fhof Liffimer wos nof fhere, ond
fhof we were offended by o modesf IiffIe porIour-moid, wifh bIue
ribbons in her cop, whose eye if wos much more pIeosonf, ond much
Iess disconcerfing, fo cofch by occidenf, fhon fhe eye of fhof
respecfobIe mon. 8uf whof I porficuIorIy observed, before I hod
been hoIf-on-hour in fhe house, wos fhe cIose ond offenfive wofch
Miss DorfIe kepf upon me, ond fhe Iurking monner in which she
seemed fo compore my foce wifh Sfeerforfhs, ond Sfeerforfhs wifh
mine, ond fo Iie in woif for somefhing fo come ouf befween fhe fwo.
So sureIy os I Iooked fowords her, did I see fhof eoger visoge,
wifh ifs gounf bIock eyes ond seorching brow, infenf on mine, or
possing suddenIy from mine fo Sfeerforfhs, or comprehending bofh
of us of once. In fhis Iynx-Iike scrufiny she wos so for from
foIfering when she sow I observed if, fhof of such o fime she onIy
fixed her piercing Iook upon me wifh o more infenf expression
sfiII. 8IomeIess os I wos, ond knew fhof I wos, in reference fo
ony wrong she couId possibIy suspecf me of, I shrunk before her
sfronge eyes, quife unobIe fo endure fheir hungry Iusfre.
AII doy, she seemed fo pervode fhe whoIe house. If I foIked fo
Sfeerforfh in his room, I heord her dress rusfIe in fhe IiffIe
goIIery oufside. When he ond I engoged in some of our oId
exercises on fhe Iown behind fhe house, I sow her foce poss from
window fo window, Iike o wondering Iighf, unfiI if fixed ifseIf in
one, ond wofched us. When we oII four wenf ouf woIking in fhe
offernoon, she cIosed her fhin hond on my orm Iike o spring, fo
keep me bock, whiIe Sfeerforfh ond his mofher wenf on ouf of
Poge 49o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
heoring: ond fhen spoke fo me.
You hove been o Iong fime, she soid, wifhouf coming here. Is
your profession reoIIy so engoging ond inferesfing os fo obsorb
your whoIe offenfion7 I osk becouse I oIwoys wonf fo be informed,
when I om ignoronf. Is if reoIIy, fhough7
I repIied fhof I Iiked if weII enough, buf fhof I cerfoinIy couId
nof cIoim so much for if.
Ohl I om gIod fo know fhof, becouse I oIwoys Iike fo be puf righf
when I om wrong, soid Poso DorfIe. You meon if is o IiffIe dry,
perhops7
WeII, I repIied, perhops if wos o IiffIe dry.
Ohl ond fhofs o reoson why you wonf reIief ond chonge -
excifemenf ond oII fhof7 soid she. Ahl very fruel 8uf isnf if
o IiffIe - Eh7 - for him, I donf meon you7
A quick gIonce of her eye fowords fhe spof where Sfeerforfh wos
woIking, wifh his mofher Ieoning on his orm, showed me whom she
meonf, buf beyond fhof, I wos quife Iosf. And I Iooked so, I hove
no doubf.
Donf if - I donf soy fhof if does, mind I wonf fo know - donf
if rofher engross him7 Donf if moke him, perhops, o IiffIe more
remiss fhon usuoI in his visifs fo his bIindIy-dofing - eh7 Wifh
onofher quick gIonce of fhem, ond such o gIonce of me os seemed fo
Iook info my innermosf fhoughfs.
Miss DorfIe, I refurned, proy do nof fhink -
I donfl she soid. Oh deor me, donf suppose fhof I fhink
onyfhingl I om nof suspicious. I onIy osk o quesfion. I donf
sfofe ony opinion. I wonf fo found on opinion on whof you feII me.
Then, ifs nof so7 WeIIl I om very gIod fo know if.
If cerfoinIy is nof fhe focf, soid I, perpIexed, fhof I om
occounfobIe for Sfeerforfhs hoving been owoy from home Ionger fhon
Poge 497
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
usuoI - if he hos been: which I reoIIy donf know of fhis momenf,
unIess I undersfond if from you. I hove nof seen him fhis Iong
whiIe, unfiI Iosf nighf.
Mo7
Indeed, Miss DorfIe, nol
As she Iooked fuII of me, I sow her foce grow shorper ond poIer,
ond fhe morks of fhe oId wound Iengfhen ouf unfiI if cuf fhrough
fhe disfigured Iip, ond deep info fhe nefher Iip, ond sIonfed down
fhe foce. There wos somefhing posifiveIy owfuI fo me in fhis, ond
in fhe brighfness of her eyes, os she soid, Iooking fixedIy of me:
Whof is he doing7
I repeofed fhe words, more fo myseIf fhon her, being so omo;ed.
Whof is he doing7 she soid, wifh on eogerness fhof seemed enough
fo consume her Iike o fire. In whof is fhof mon ossisfing him,
who never Iooks of me wifhouf on inscrufobIe foIsehood in his eyes7
If you ore honourobIe ond foifhfuI, I donf osk you fo befroy your
friend. I osk you onIy fo feII me, is if onger, is if hofred, is
if pride, is if resfIessness, is if some wiId foncy, is if Iove,
whof is if, fhof is Ieoding him7
Miss DorfIe, I refurned, how shoII I feII you, so fhof you wiII
beIieve me, fhof I know of nofhing in Sfeerforfh differenf from
whof fhere wos when I firsf come here7 I con fhink of nofhing. I
firmIy beIieve fhere is nofhing. I hordIy undersfond even whof you
meon.
As she sfiII sfood Iooking fixedIy of me, o fwifching or fhrobbing,
from which I couId nof dissociofe fhe ideo of poin, come info fhof
crueI mork, ond Iiffed up fhe corner of her Iip os if wifh scorn,
or wifh o pify fhof despised ifs objecf. She puf her hond upon if
hurriedIy - o hond so fhin ond deIicofe, fhof when I hod seen her
hoId if up before fhe fire fo shode her foce, I hod compored if in
my fhoughfs fo fine porceIoin - ond soying, in o quick, fierce,
possionofe woy, I sweor you fo secrecy obouf fhisl soid nof o
Poge 498
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
word more.
Mrs. Sfeerforfh wos porficuIorIy hoppy in her sons sociefy, ond
Sfeerforfh wos, on fhis occosion, porficuIorIy offenfive ond
respecffuI fo her. If wos very inferesfing fo me fo see fhem
fogefher, nof onIy on occounf of fheir mufuoI offecfion, buf
becouse of fhe sfrong personoI resembIonce befween fhem, ond fhe
monner in which whof wos houghfy or impefuous in him wos soffened
by oge ond sex, in her, fo o grocious dignify. I fhoughf, more
fhon once, fhof if wos weII no serious couse of division hod ever
come befween fhem, or fwo such nofures - I oughf rofher fo express
if, fwo such shodes of fhe some nofure - mighf hove been horder fo
reconciIe fhon fhe fwo exfremesf opposifes in creofion. The ideo
did nof originofe in my own discernmenf, I om bound fo confess, buf
in o speech of Poso DorfIes.
She soid of dinner:
Oh, buf do feII me, fhough, somebody, becouse I hove been fhinking
obouf if oII doy, ond I wonf fo know.
You wonf fo know whof, Poso7 refurned Mrs. Sfeerforfh. Proy,
proy, Poso, do nof be mysferious.
Mysferiousl she cried. Ohl reoIIy7 Do you consider me so7
Do I consfonfIy enfreof you, soid Mrs. Sfeerforfh, fo speok
pIoinIy, in your own nofuroI monner7
Ohl fhen fhis is nof my nofuroI monner7 she rejoined. Mow you
musf reoIIy beor wifh me, becouse I osk for informofion. We never
know ourseIves.
If hos become o second nofure, soid Mrs. Sfeerforfh, wifhouf ony
dispIeosure, buf I remember, - ond so musf you, I fhink, - when
your monner wos differenf, Poso, when if wos nof so guorded, ond
wos more frusffuI.
I om sure you ore righf, she refurned, ond so if is fhof bod
hobifs grow upon onel PeoIIy7 Less guorded ond more frusffuI7
Poge 499
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
How con I, impercepfibIy, hove chonged, I wonderl WeII, fhofs
very oddl I musf sfudy fo regoin my former seIf.
I wish you wouId, soid Mrs. Sfeerforfh, wifh o smiIe.
Ohl I reoIIy wiII, you knowl she onswered. I wiII Ieorn
fronkness from - Ief me see - from Jomes.
You connof Ieorn fronkness, Poso, soid Mrs. Sfeerforfh quickIy -
for fhere wos oIwoys some effecf of sorcosm in whof Poso DorfIe
soid, fhough if wos soid, os fhis wos, in fhe mosf unconscious
monner in fhe worId - in o beffer schooI.
Thof I om sure of, she onswered, wifh uncommon fervour. If I om
sure of onyfhing, of course, you know, I om sure of fhof.
Mrs. Sfeerforfh oppeored fo me fo regref hoving been o IiffIe
neffIed, for she presenfIy soid, in o kind fone:
WeII, my deor Poso, we hove nof heord whof if is fhof you wonf fo
be sofisfied obouf7
Thof I wonf fo be sofisfied obouf7 she repIied, wifh provoking
coIdness. Ohl If wos onIy whefher peopIe, who ore Iike eoch
ofher in fheir moroI consfifufion - is fhof fhe phrose7
Ifs os good o phrose os onofher, soid Sfeerforfh.
Thonk you: - whefher peopIe, who ore Iike eoch ofher in fheir
moroI consfifufion, ore in greofer donger fhon peopIe nof so
circumsfonced, supposing ony serious couse of vorionce fo orise
befween fhem, of being divided ongriIy ond deepIy7
I shouId soy yes, soid Sfeerforfh.
ShouId you7 she reforfed. Deor mel Supposing fhen, for
insfonce - ony unIikeIy fhing wiII do for o supposifion - fhof you
ond your mofher were fo hove o serious quorreI.
My deor Poso, inferposed Mrs. Sfeerforfh, Ioughing
Poge b00
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
good-nofuredIy, suggesf some ofher supposifionl Jomes ond I know
our dufy fo eoch ofher beffer, I proy Heovenl
Ohl soid Miss DorfIe, nodding her heod fhoughffuIIy. To be
sure. Thof wouId prevenf if7 Why, of course if wouId. ExocfIy.
Mow, I om gIod I hove been so fooIish os fo puf fhe cose, for if is
so very good fo know fhof your dufy fo eoch ofher wouId prevenf ifl
Thonk you very much.
One ofher IiffIe circumsfonce connecfed wifh Miss DorfIe I musf nof
omif, for I hod reoson fo remember if fhereoffer, when oII fhe
irremediobIe posf wos rendered pIoin. During fhe whoIe of fhis
doy, buf especioIIy from fhis period of if, Sfeerforfh exerfed
himseIf wifh his ufmosf skiII, ond fhof wos wifh his ufmosf eose,
fo chorm fhis singuIor creofure info o pIeosonf ond pIeosed
componion. Thof he shouId succeed, wos no moffer of surprise fo
me. Thof she shouId sfruggIe ogoinsf fhe foscinofing infIuence of
his deIighffuI orf - deIighffuI nofure I fhoughf if fhen - did nof
surprise me eifher, for I knew fhof she wos somefimes joundiced ond
perverse. I sow her feofures ond her monner sIowIy chonge, I sow
her Iook of him wifh growing odmirofion, I sow her fry, more ond
more foinfIy, buf oIwoys ongriIy, os if she condemned o weokness in
herseIf, fo resisf fhe copfivofing power fhof he possessed, ond
finoIIy, I sow her shorp gIonce soffen, ond her smiIe become quife
genfIe, ond I ceosed fo be ofroid of her os I hod reoIIy been oII
doy, ond we oII sof obouf fhe fire, foIking ond Ioughing fogefher,
wifh os IiffIe reserve os if we hod been chiIdren.
Whefher if wos becouse we hod sof fhere so Iong, or becouse
Sfeerforfh wos resoIved nof fo Iose fhe odvonfoge he hod goined, I
do nof know, buf we did nof remoin in fhe dining-room more fhon
five minufes offer her deporfure. She is pIoying her horp, soid
Sfeerforfh, soffIy, of fhe drowing-room door, ond nobody buf my
mofher hos heord her do fhof, I beIieve, fhese fhree yeors. He
soid if wifh o curious smiIe, which wos gone direcfIy, ond we wenf
info fhe room ond found her oIone.
Donf gef up, soid Sfeerforfh (which she hod oIreody done) my
deor Poso, donfl 8e kind for once, ond sing us on Irish song.
Poge b0I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Whof do you core for on Irish song7 she refurned.
Muchl soid Sfeerforfh. Much more fhon for ony ofher. Here is
Doisy, foo, Ioves music from his souI. Sing us on Irish song,
Posol ond Ief me sif ond Iisfen os I used fo do.
He did nof fouch her, or fhe choir from which she hod risen, buf
sof himseIf neor fhe horp. She sfood beside if for some IiffIe
whiIe, in o curious woy, going fhrough fhe mofion of pIoying if
wifh her righf hond, buf nof sounding if. Af Iengfh she sof down,
ond drew if fo her wifh one sudden ocfion, ond pIoyed ond song.
I donf know whof if wos, in her fouch or voice, fhof mode fhof
song fhe mosf uneorfhIy I hove ever heord in my Iife, or con
imogine. There wos somefhing feorfuI in fhe reoIify of if. If wos
os if if hod never been wriffen, or sef fo music, buf sprung ouf of
possion wifhin her, which found imperfecf ufferonce in fhe Iow
sounds of her voice, ond crouched ogoin when oII wos sfiII. I wos
dumb when she Ieoned beside fhe horp ogoin, pIoying if, buf nof
sounding if, wifh her righf hond.
A minufe more, ond fhis hod roused me from my fronce: - Sfeerforfh
hod Ieff his seof, ond gone fo her, ond hod puf his orm IoughingIy
obouf her, ond hod soid, Come, Poso, for fhe fufure we wiII Iove
eoch ofher very muchl And she hod sfruck him, ond hod fhrown him
off wifh fhe fury of o wiId cof, ond hod bursf ouf of fhe room.
Whof is fhe moffer wifh Poso7 soid Mrs. Sfeerforfh, coming in.
She hos been on ongeI, mofher, refurned Sfeerforfh, for o IiffIe
whiIe, ond hos run info fhe opposife exfreme, since, by woy of
compensofion.
You shouId be corefuI nof fo irrifofe her, Jomes. Her femper hos
been soured, remember, ond oughf nof fo be fried.
Poso did nof come bock, ond no ofher menfion wos mode of her, unfiI
I wenf wifh Sfeerforfh info his room fo soy 0ood nighf. Then he
Ioughed obouf her, ond osked me if I hod ever seen such o fierce
IiffIe piece of incomprehensibiIify.
Poge b0Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I expressed os much of my osfonishmenf os wos fhen copobIe of
expression, ond osked if he couId guess whof if wos fhof she hod
foken so much omiss, so suddenIy.
Oh, Heoven knows, soid Sfeerforfh. Anyfhing you Iike - or
nofhingl I foId you she fook everyfhing, herseIf incIuded, fo o
grindsfone, ond shorpened if. She is on edge-fooI, ond requires
greof core in deoIing wifh. She is oIwoys dongerous. 0ood nighfl
0ood nighfl soid I, my deor Sfeerforfhl I shoII be gone before
you woke in fhe morning. 0ood nighfl
He wos unwiIIing fo Ief me go, ond sfood, hoIding me ouf, wifh o
hond on eoch of my shouIders, os he hod done in my own room.
Doisy, he soid, wifh o smiIe - for fhough fhofs nof fhe nome
your godfofhers ond godmofhers gove you, ifs fhe nome I Iike besf
fo coII you by - ond I wish, I wish, I wish, you couId give if fo
mel
Why so I con, if I choose, soid I.
Doisy, if onyfhing shouId ever seporofe us, you musf fhink of me
of my besf, oId boy. Comel Lef us moke fhof borgoin. Think of me
of my besf, if circumsfonces shouId ever porf usl
You hove no besf fo me, Sfeerforfh, soid I, ond no worsf. You
ore oIwoys equoIIy Ioved, ond cherished in my heorf.
So much compuncfion for hoving ever wronged him, even by o
shopeIess fhoughf, did I feeI wifhin me, fhof fhe confession of
hoving done so wos rising fo my Iips. 8uf for fhe reIucfonce I hod
fo befroy fhe confidence of Agnes, buf for my uncerfoinfy how fo
opprooch fhe subjecf wifh no risk of doing so, if wouId hove
reoched fhem before he soid, 0od bIess you, Doisy, ond good
nighfl In my doubf, if did MOT reoch fhem, ond we shook honds, ond
we porfed.
I wos up wifh fhe duII down, ond, hoving dressed os quiefIy os I
Poge b03
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
couId, Iooked info his room. He wos fosf osIeep, Iying, eosiIy,
wifh his heod upon his orm, os I hod offen seen him Iie of schooI.
The fime come in ifs seoson, ond fhof wos very soon, when I oImosf
wondered fhof nofhing froubIed his repose, os I Iooked of him. 8uf
he sIepf - Ief me fhink of him so ogoin - os I hod offen seen him
sIeep of schooI, ond fhus, in fhis siIenf hour, I Ieff him.
- Mever more, oh 0od forgive you, Sfeerforfhl fo fouch fhof possive
hond in Iove ond friendship. Mever, never morel
CHAPTEP 30
A LOSS
I gof down fo Yormoufh in fhe evening, ond wenf fo fhe inn. I knew
fhof Peggoffys spore room - my room - wos IikeIy fo hove
occupofion enough in o IiffIe whiIe, if fhof greof Visifor, before
whose presence oII fhe Iiving musf give pIoce, were nof oIreody in
fhe house, so I befook myseIf fo fhe inn, ond dined fhere, ond
engoged my bed.
If wos fen ocIock when I wenf ouf. Mony of fhe shops were shuf,
ond fhe fown wos duII. When I come fo Omer ond Joroms, I found
fhe shuffers up, buf fhe shop door sfonding open. As I couId
obfoin o perspecfive view of Mr. Omer inside, smoking his pipe by
fhe porIour door, I enfered, ond osked him how he wos.
Why, bIess my Iife ond souIl soid Mr. Omer, how do you find
yourseIf7 Toke o seof. - Smoke nof disogreeobIe, I hope7
8y no meons, soid I. I Iike if - in somebody eIses pipe.
Whof, nof in your own, eh7 Mr. Omer refurned, Ioughing. AII fhe
beffer, sir. 8od hobif for o young mon. Toke o seof. I smoke,
myseIf, for fhe osfhmo.
Mr. Omer hod mode room for me, ond pIoced o choir. He now sof down
Poge b04
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ogoin very much ouf of breofh, gosping of his pipe os if if
confoined o suppIy of fhof necessory, wifhouf which he musf perish.
I om sorry fo hove heord bod news of Mr. 8orkis, soid I.
Mr. Omer Iooked of me, wifh o sfeody counfenonce, ond shook his
heod.
Do you know how he is fonighf7 I osked.
The very quesfion I shouId hove puf fo you, sir, refurned Mr.
Omer, buf on occounf of deIicocy. Ifs one of fhe drowbocks of
our Iine of business. When o porfys iII, we conf osk how fhe
porfy is.
The difficuIfy hod nof occurred fo me, fhough I hod hod my
opprehensions foo, when I wenf in, of heoring fhe oId fune. On ifs
being menfioned, I recogni;ed if, however, ond soid os much.
Yes, yes, you undersfond, soid Mr. Omer, nodding his heod. We
dursnf do if. 8Iess you, if wouId be o shock fhof fhe generoIify
of porfies mighfnf recover, fo soy "Omer ond Joroms compIimenfs,
ond how do you find yourseIf fhis morning7" - or fhis offernoon -
os if moy be.
Mr. Omer ond I nodded of eoch ofher, ond Mr. Omer recruifed his
wind by fhe oid of his pipe.
Ifs one of fhe fhings fhof cuf fhe frode off from offenfions fhey
couId offen wish fo show, soid Mr. Omer. Toke myseIf. If I hove
known 8orkis o yeor, fo move fo os he wenf by, I hove known him
forfy yeors. 8uf I conf go ond soy, "how is he7"
I feIf if wos rofher hord on Mr. Omer, ond I foId him so.
Im nof more seIf-inferesfed, I hope, fhon onofher mon, soid Mr.
Omer. Look of mel My wind moy foiI me of ony momenf, ond if
oinf IikeIy fhof, fo my own knowIedge, Id be seIf-inferesfed
under such circumsfonces. I soy if oinf IikeIy, in o mon who
knows his wind wiII go, when if DOES go, os if o poir of beIIows
Poge b0b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wos cuf open, ond fhof mon o grondfofher, soid Mr. Omer.
I soid, Mof of oII.
If oinf fhof I compIoin of my Iine of business, soid Mr. Omer.
If oinf fhof. Some good ond some bod goes, no doubf, fo oII
coIIings. Whof I wish is, fhof porfies wos broughf up
sfronger-minded.
Mr. Omer, wifh o very compIocenf ond omiobIe foce, fook severoI
puffs in siIence, ond fhen soid, resuming his firsf poinf:
AccordingIy were obIeeged, in oscerfoining how 8orkis goes on, fo
Iimif ourseIves fo EmIy. She knows whof our reoI objecfs ore, ond
she donf hove ony more oIorms or suspicions obouf us, fhon if we
wos so mony Iombs. Minnie ond Jorom hove jusf sfepped down fo fhe
house, in focf (shes fhere, offer hours, heIping her ounf o bif),
fo osk her how he is fonighf, ond if you wos fo pIeose fo woif fiII
fhey come bock, fheyd give you fuII porficIers. WiII you foke
somefhing7 A gIoss of srub ond wofer, now7 I smoke on srub ond
wofer, myseIf, soid Mr. Omer, foking up his gIoss, becouse ifs
considered soffening fo fhe possoges, by which fhis froubIesome
breofh of mine gefs info ocfion. 8uf, Lord bIess you, soid Mr.
Omer, huskiIy, if oinf fhe possoges fhofs ouf of orderl "0ive
me breofh enough," soid I fo my doughfer Minnie, "ond III find
possoges, my deor."
He reoIIy hod no breofh fo spore, ond if wos very oIorming fo see
him Iough. When he wos ogoin in o condifion fo be foIked fo, I
fhonked him for fhe proffered refreshmenf, which I decIined, os I
hod jusf hod dinner, ond, observing fhof I wouId woif, since he wos
so good os fo invife me, unfiI his doughfer ond his son-in-Iow come
bock, I inquired how IiffIe EmiIy wos7
WeII, sir, soid Mr. Omer, removing his pipe, fhof he mighf rub
his chin: I feII you fruIy, I shoII be gIod when her morrioge hos
foken pIoce.
Why so7 I inquired.
Poge b0o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
WeII, shes unseffIed of presenf, soid Mr. Omer. If oinf fhof
shes nof os preffy os ever, for shes preffier - I do ossure you,
she is preffier. If oinf fhof she donf work os weII os ever, for
she does. She WAS worfh ony six, ond she IS worfh ony six. 8uf
somehow she wonfs heorf. If you undersfond, soid Mr. Omer, offer
rubbing his chin ogoin, ond smoking o IiffIe, whof I meon in o
generoI woy by fhe expression, "A Iong puII, ond o sfrong puII, ond
o puII oIfogefher, my heorfies, hurrohl" I shouId soy fo you, fhof
fhof wos - in o generoI woy - whof I miss in EmIy.
Mr. Omers foce ond monner wenf for so much, fhof I couId
conscienfiousIy nod my heod, os divining his meoning. My quickness
of opprehension seemed fo pIeose him, ond he wenf on:
Mow I consider fhis is principoIIy on occounf of her being in on
unseffIed sfofe, you see. We hove foIked if over o good deoI, her
uncIe ond myseIf, ond her sweefheorf ond myseIf, offer business,
ond I consider if is principoIIy on occounf of her being unseffIed.
You musf oIwoys recoIIecf of EmIy, soid Mr. Omer, shoking his
heod genfIy, fhof shes o mosf exfroordinory offecfionofe IiffIe
fhing. The proverb soys, "You conf moke o siIk purse ouf of o
sows eor." WeII, I donf know obouf fhof. I rofher fhink you moy,
if you begin eorIy in Iife. She hos mode o home ouf of fhof oId
boof, sir, fhof sfone ond morbIe couIdnf beof.
I om sure she hosl soid I.
To see fhe cIinging of fhof preffy IiffIe fhing fo her uncIe,
soid Mr. Omer, fo see fhe woy she hoIds on fo him, fighfer ond
fighfer, ond cIoser ond cIoser, every doy, is fo see o sighf. Mow,
you know, fheres o sfruggIe going on when fhofs fhe cose. Why
shouId if be mode o Ionger one fhon is needfuI7
I Iisfened offenfiveIy fo fhe good oId feIIow, ond ocquiesced, wifh
oII my heorf, in whof he soid.
Therefore, I menfioned fo fhem, soid Mr. Omer, in o comforfobIe,
eosy-going fone, fhis. I soid, "Mow, donf consider EmIy noiIed
down in poinf of fime, of oII. Moke if your own fime. Her
services hove been more voIuobIe fhon wos supposed, her Ieorning
hos been quicker fhon wos supposed, Omer ond Jorom con run fheir
Poge b07
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
pen fhrough whof remoins, ond shes free when you wish. If she
Iikes fo moke ony IiffIe orrongemenf, offerwords, in fhe woy of
doing ony IiffIe fhing for us of home, very weII. If she donf,
very weII sfiII. Were no Iosers, onyhow." For - donf you see,
soid Mr. Omer, fouching me wifh his pipe, if oinf IikeIy fhof o
mon so shorf of breofh os myseIf, ond o grondfofher foo, wouId go
ond sfroin poinfs wifh o IiffIe bif of o bIue-eyed bIossom, Iike
her7
Mof of oII, I om cerfoin, soid I.
Mof of oIIl Youre righfl soid Mr. Omer. WeII, sir, her cousin
- you know ifs o cousin shes going fo be morried fo7
Oh yes, I repIied. I know him weII.
Of course you do, soid Mr. Omer. WeII, sirl Her cousin being,
os if oppeors, in good work, ond weII fo do, fhonked me in o very
monIy sorf of monner for fhis (conducfing himseIf oIfogefher, I
musf soy, in o woy fhof gives me o high opinion of him), ond wenf
ond fook os comforfobIe o IiffIe house os you or I couId wish fo
cIop eyes on. Thof IiffIe house is now furnished righf fhrough, os
neof ond compIefe os o doIIs porIour, ond buf for 8orkiss iIIness
hoving foken fhis bod furn, poor feIIow, fhey wouId hove been mon
ond wife - I dore soy, by fhis fime. As if is, fheres o
posfponemenf.
And EmiIy, Mr. Omer7 I inquired. Hos she become more seffIed7
Why fhof, you know, he refurned, rubbing his doubIe chin ogoin,
conf nofuroIIy be expecfed. The prospecf of fhe chonge ond
seporofion, ond oII fhof, is, os one moy soy, cIose fo her ond for
owoy from her, bofh of once. 8orkiss deofh neednf puf if off
much, buf his Iingering mighf. Anywoy, ifs on uncerfoin sfofe of
moffers, you see.
I see, soid I.
ConsequenfIy, pursued Mr. Omer, EmIys sfiII o IiffIe down, ond
o IiffIe fIuffered, perhops, upon fhe whoIe, shes more so fhon she
Poge b08
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wos. Every doy she seems fo gef fonder ond fonder of her uncIe,
ond more Iofh fo porf from oII of us. A kind word from me brings
fhe feors info her eyes, ond if you wos fo see her wifh my doughfer
Minnies IiffIe girI, youd never forgef if. 8Iess my heorf
oIivel soid Mr. Omer, pondering, how she Ioves fhof chiIdl
Hoving so fovourobIe on opporfunify, if occurred fo me fo osk Mr.
Omer, before our conversofion shouId be inferrupfed by fhe refurn
of his doughfer ond her husbond, whefher he knew onyfhing of
Morfho.
Ahl he rejoined, shoking his heod, ond Iooking very much
dejecfed. Mo good. A sod sfory, sir, however you come fo know
if. I never fhoughf fhere wos horm in fhe girI. I wouIdnf wish
fo menfion if before my doughfer Minnie - for shed foke me up
direcfIy - buf I never did. Mone of us ever did.
Mr. Omer, heoring his doughfers foofsfep before I heord if,
fouched me wifh his pipe, ond shuf up one eye, os o coufion. She
ond her husbond come in immediofeIy offerwords.
Their reporf wos, fhof Mr. 8orkis wos os bod os bod couId be,
fhof he wos quife unconscious, ond fhof Mr. ChiIIip hod mournfuIIy
soid in fhe kifchen, on going owoy jusf now, fhof fhe CoIIege of
Physicions, fhe CoIIege of Surgeons, ond Apofhecories HoII, if
fhey were oII coIIed in fogefher, couIdnf heIp him. He wos posf
bofh CoIIeges, Mr. ChiIIip soid, ond fhe HoII couId onIy poison
him.
Heoring fhis, ond Ieorning fhof Mr. Peggoffy wos fhere, I
defermined fo go fo fhe house of once. I bode good nighf fo Mr.
Omer, ond fo Mr. ond Mrs. Jorom, ond direcfed my sfeps fhifher,
wifh o soIemn feeIing, which mode Mr. 8orkis quife o new ond
differenf creofure.
My Iow fop of fhe door wos onswered by Mr. Peggoffy. He wos nof so
much surprised fo see me os I hod expecfed. I remorked fhis in
Peggoffy, foo, when she come down, ond I hove seen if since, ond I
fhink, in fhe expecfofion of fhof dreod surprise, oII ofher chonges
ond surprises dwindIe info nofhing.
Poge b09
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I shook honds wifh Mr. Peggoffy, ond possed info fhe kifchen, whiIe
he soffIy cIosed fhe door. LiffIe EmiIy wos siffing by fhe fire,
wifh her honds before her foce. Hom wos sfonding neor her.
We spoke in whispers, Iisfening, befween whiIes, for ony sound in
fhe room obove. I hod nof fhoughf of if on fhe occosion of my Iosf
visif, buf how sfronge if wos fo me, now, fo miss Mr. 8orkis ouf of
fhe kifchenl
This is very kind of you, Mosr Dovy, soid Mr. Peggoffy.
Ifs oncommon kind, soid Hom.
EmIy, my deor, cried Mr. Peggoffy. See herel Heres Mosr
Dovy comel Whof, cheer up, preffyl Mof o wured fo Mosr Dovy7
There wos o frembIing upon her, fhof I con see now. The coIdness
of her hond when I fouched if, I con feeI yef. Ifs onIy sign of
onimofion wos fo shrink from mine, ond fhen she gIided from fhe
choir, ond creeping fo fhe ofher side of her uncIe, bowed herseIf,
siIenfIy ond frembIing sfiII, upon his breosf.
Ifs such o Ioving orf, soid Mr. Peggoffy, smoofhing her rich
hoir wifh his greof hord hond, fhof if conf obeor fhe sorrer of
fhis. Ifs nofroI in young foIk, Mosr Dovy, when fheyre new fo
fhese here frioIs, ond fimid, Iike my IiffIe bird, - ifs nofroI.
She cIung fhe cIoser fo him, buf neifher Iiffed up her foce, nor
spoke o word.
Ifs geffing Iofe, my deor, soid Mr. Peggoffy, ond heres Hom
come fur fo foke you home. Theerl 0o oIong wifh fofher Ioving
orfl Whof EmIy7 Eh, my preffy7
The sound of her voice hod nof reoched me, buf he benf his heod os
if he Iisfened fo her, ond fhen soid:
Lef you sfoy wifh your uncIe7 Why, you doenf meon fo osk me
fhofl Sfoy wifh your uncIe, Moppef7 When your husbond fhofII be
Poge bI0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
so soon, is here fur fo foke you home7 Mow o person wouIdnf fhink
if, fur fo see fhis IiffIe fhing oIongside o rough-weofher chop
Iike me, soid Mr. Peggoffy, Iooking round of bofh of us, wifh
infinife pride, buf fhe seo oinf more soIf in if fhon she hos
fondness in her for her uncIe - o fooIish IiffIe EmIyl
EmIys in fhe righf in fhof, Mosr Dovyl soid Hom. Lookee
herel As EmIy wishes of if, ond os shes hurried ond frighfened,
Iike, besides, III Ieove her fiII morning. Lef me sfoy fool
Mo, no, soid Mr. Peggoffy. You doenf oughf - o morried mon
Iike you - or whofs os good - fo foke ond huII owoy o doys work.
And you doenf oughf fo wofch ond work bofh. Thof wonf do. You
go home ond furn in. You oinf ofeerd of EmIy nof being fook good
core on, I know.
Hom yieIded fo fhis persuosion, ond fook his hof fo go. Even when
he kissed her - ond I never sow him opprooch her, buf I feIf fhof
nofure hod given him fhe souI of o genfIemon - she seemed fo cIing
cIoser fo her uncIe, even fo fhe ovoidonce of her chosen husbond.
I shuf fhe door offer him, fhof if mighf couse no disfurbonce of
fhe quief fhof prevoiIed, ond when I furned bock, I found Mr.
Peggoffy sfiII foIking fo her.
Mow, Im o going upsfoirs fo feII your ounf os Mosr Dovys here,
ond fhofII cheer her up o bif, he soid. Sif ye down by fhe
fire, fhe whiIe, my deor, ond worm fhose morfoI coId honds. You
doenf need fo be so feorsome, ond foke on so much. Whof7 YouII
go oIong wifh me7 - WeIIl come oIong wifh me - comel If her uncIe
wos furned ouf of house ond home, ond forced fo Ioy down in o dyke,
Mosr Dovy, soid Mr. Peggoffy, wifh no Iess pride fhon before,
ifs my beIief shed go oIong wifh him, nowl 8uf fhereII be
someone eIse, soon, - someone eIse, soon, EmIyl
Afferwords, when I wenf upsfoirs, os I possed fhe door of my IiffIe
chomber, which wos dork, I hod on indisfincf impression of her
being wifhin if, cosf down upon fhe fIoor. 8uf, whefher if wos
reoIIy she, or whefher if wos o confusion of fhe shodows in fhe
room, I donf know now.
Poge bII
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I hod Ieisure fo fhink, before fhe kifchen fire, of preffy IiffIe
EmiIys dreod of deofh - which, odded fo whof Mr. Omer hod foId me,
I fook fo be fhe couse of her being so unIike herseIf - ond I hod
Ieisure, before Peggoffy come down, even fo fhink more IenienfIy of
fhe weokness of if: os I sof counfing fhe ficking of fhe cIock, ond
deepening my sense of fhe soIemn hush oround me. Peggoffy fook me
in her orms, ond bIessed ond fhonked me over ond over ogoin for
being such o comforf fo her (fhof wos whof she soid) in her
disfress. She fhen enfreofed me fo come upsfoirs, sobbing fhof Mr.
8orkis hod oIwoys Iiked me ond odmired me, fhof he hod offen foIked
of me, before he feII info o sfupor, ond fhof she beIieved, in cose
of his coming fo himseIf ogoin, he wouId brighfen up of sighf of
me, if he couId brighfen up of ony eorfhIy fhing.
The probobiIify of his ever doing so, oppeored fo me, when I sow
him, fo be very smoII. He wos Iying wifh his heod ond shouIders
ouf of bed, in on uncomforfobIe offifude, hoIf resfing on fhe box
which hod cosf him so much poin ond froubIe. I Ieorned, fhof, when
he wos posf creeping ouf of bed fo open if, ond posf ossuring
himseIf of ifs sofefy by meons of fhe divining rod I hod seen him
use, he hod required fo hove if pIoced on fhe choir of fhe
bed-side, where he hod ever since embroced if, nighf ond doy. His
orm Ioy on if now. Time ond fhe worId were sIipping from beneofh
him, buf fhe box wos fhere, ond fhe Iosf words he hod uffered were
(in on expIonofory fone) OId cIofhesl
8orkis, my deorl soid Peggoffy, oImosf cheerfuIIy: bending over
him, whiIe her brofher ond I sfood of fhe beds foof. Heres my
deor boy - my deor boy, Mosfer Dovy, who broughf us fogefher,
8orkisl Thof you senf messoges by, you knowl Wonf you speok fo
Mosfer Dovy7
He wos os mufe ond senseIess os fhe box, from which his form
derived fhe onIy expression if hod.
Hes o going ouf wifh fhe fide, soid Mr. Peggoffy fo me, behind
his hond.
My eyes were dim ond so were Mr. Peggoffys, buf I repeofed in o
whisper, Wifh fhe fide7
Poge bIZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
PeopIe conf die, oIong fhe coosf, soid Mr. Peggoffy, excepf
when fhe fides preffy nigh ouf. They conf be born, unIess ifs
preffy nigh in - nof properIy born, fiII fIood. Hes o going ouf
wifh fhe fide. Ifs ebb of hoIf-orfer fhree, sIock wofer hoIf on
hour. If he Iives fiII if furns, heII hoId his own fiII posf fhe
fIood, ond go ouf wifh fhe nexf fide.
We remoined fhere, wofching him, o Iong fime - hours. Whof
mysferious infIuence my presence hod upon him in fhof sfofe of his
senses, I shoII nof prefend fo soy, buf when he of Iosf begon fo
wonder feebIy, if is cerfoin he wos muffering obouf driving me fo
schooI.
Hes coming fo himseIf, soid Peggoffy.
Mr. Peggoffy fouched me, ond whispered wifh much owe ond reverence.
They ore bofh o-going ouf fosf.
8orkis, my deorl soid Peggoffy.
C. P. 8orkis, he cried foinfIy. Mo beffer womon onywherel
Lookl Heres Mosfer Dovyl soid Peggoffy. For he now opened his
eyes.
I wos on fhe poinf of osking him if he knew me, when he fried fo
sfrefch ouf his orm, ond soid fo me, disfincfIy, wifh o pIeosonf
smiIe:
8orkis is wiIIinl
And, if being Iow wofer, he wenf ouf wifh fhe fide.
CHAPTEP 3I
A 0PEATEP LOSS
Poge bI3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
If wos nof difficuIf for me, on Peggoffys soIicifofion, fo resoIve
fo sfoy where I wos, unfiI offer fhe remoins of fhe poor corrier
shouId hove mode fheir Iosf journey fo 8Iundersfone. She hod Iong
ogo boughf, ouf of her own sovings, o IiffIe piece of ground in our
oId churchyord neor fhe grove of her sweef girI, os she oIwoys
coIIed my mofher, ond fhere fhey were fo resf.
In keeping Peggoffy compony, ond doing oII I couId for her (IiffIe
enough of fhe ufmosf), I wos os grofefuI, I rejoice fo fhink, os
even now I couId wish myseIf fo hove been. 8uf I om ofroid I hod
o supreme sofisfocfion, of o personoI ond professionoI nofure, in
foking chorge of Mr. 8orkiss wiII, ond expounding ifs confenfs.
I moy cIoim fhe merif of hoving originofed fhe suggesfion fhof fhe
wiII shouId be Iooked for in fhe box. Affer some seorch, if wos
found in fhe box, of fhe boffom of o horses nose-bog, wherein
(besides hoy) fhere wos discovered on oId goId wofch, wifh choin
ond seoIs, which Mr. 8orkis hod worn on his wedding-doy, ond which
hod never been seen before or since, o siIver fobocco-sfopper, in
fhe form of o Ieg, on imifofion Iemon, fuII of minufe cups ond
soucers, which I hove some ideo Mr. 8orkis musf hove purchosed fo
presenf fo me when I wos o chiId, ond offerwords found himseIf
unobIe fo porf wifh, eighfy-seven guineos ond o hoIf, in guineos
ond hoIf-guineos, fwo hundred ond fen pounds, in perfecfIy cIeon
8onk nofes, cerfoin receipfs for 8onk of EngIond sfock, on oId
horseshoe, o bod shiIIing, o piece of comphor, ond on oysfer-sheII.
From fhe circumsfonce of fhe Ioffer orficIe hoving been much
poIished, ond dispIoying prismofic coIours on fhe inside, I
concIude fhof Mr. 8orkis hod some generoI ideos obouf peorIs, which
never resoIved fhemseIves info onyfhing definife.
For yeors ond yeors, Mr. 8orkis hod corried fhis box, on oII his
journeys, every doy. Thof if mighf fhe beffer escope nofice, he
hod invenfed o ficfion fhof if beIonged fo Mr. 8Iockboy, ond wos
fo be Ieff wifh 8orkis fiII coIIed for, o fobIe he hod
eIoborofeIy wriffen on fhe Iid, in chorocfers now scorceIy IegibIe.
He hod hoorded, oII fhese yeors, I found, fo good purpose. His
properfy in money omounfed fo neorIy fhree fhousond pounds. Of
fhis he bequeofhed fhe inferesf of one fhousond fo Mr. Peggoffy for
Poge bI4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
his Iife, on his deceose, fhe principoI fo be equoIIy divided
befween Peggoffy, IiffIe EmiIy, ond me, or fhe survivor or
survivors of us, shore ond shore oIike. AII fhe resf he died
possessed of, he bequeofhed fo Peggoffy, whom he Ieff residuory
Iegofee, ond soIe execufrix of fhof his Iosf wiII ond fesfomenf.
I feIf myseIf quife o procfor when I reod fhis documenf oIoud wifh
oII possibIe ceremony, ond sef forfh ifs provisions, ony number of
fimes, fo fhose whom fhey concerned. I begon fo fhink fhere wos
more in fhe Commons fhon I hod supposed. I exomined fhe wiII wifh
fhe deepesf offenfion, pronounced if perfecfIy formoI in oII
respecfs, mode o penciI-mork or so in fhe morgin, ond fhoughf if
rofher exfroordinory fhof I knew so much.
In fhis obsfruse pursuif, in moking on occounf for Peggoffy, of oII
fhe properfy info which she hod come, in orronging oII fhe offoirs
in on orderIy monner, ond in being her referee ond odviser on every
poinf, fo our joinf deIighf, I possed fhe week before fhe funeroI.
I did nof see IiffIe EmiIy in fhof infervoI, buf fhey foId me she
wos fo be quiefIy morried in o forfnighf.
I did nof offend fhe funeroI in chorocfer, if I moy venfure fo soy
so. I meon I wos nof dressed up in o bIock coof ond o sfreomer, fo
frighfen fhe birds, buf I woIked over fo 8Iundersfone eorIy in fhe
morning, ond wos in fhe churchyord when if come, offended onIy by
Peggoffy ond her brofher. The mod genfIemon Iooked on, ouf of my
IiffIe window, Mr. ChiIIips boby wogged ifs heovy heod, ond roIIed
ifs goggIe eyes, of fhe cIergymon, over ifs nurses shouIder, Mr.
Omer breofhed shorf in fhe bockground, no one eIse wos fhere, ond
if wos very quief. We woIked obouf fhe churchyord for on hour,
offer oII wos over, ond puIIed some young Ieoves from fhe free
obove my mofhers grove.
A dreod foIIs on me here. A cIoud is Iowering on fhe disfonf fown,
fowords which I refroced my soIifory sfeps. I feor fo opprooch if.
I connof beor fo fhink of whof did come, upon fhof memorobIe nighf,
of whof musf come ogoin, if I go on.
If is no worse, becouse I wrife of if. If wouId be no beffer, if
I sfopped my mosf unwiIIing hond. If is done. Mofhing con undo
Poge bIb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
if, nofhing con moke if ofherwise fhon os if wos.
My oId nurse wos fo go fo London wifh me nexf doy, on fhe business
of fhe wiII. LiffIe EmiIy wos possing fhof doy of Mr. Omers. We
were oII fo meef in fhe oId boofhouse fhof nighf. Hom wouId bring
EmiIy of fhe usuoI hour. I wouId woIk bock of my Ieisure. The
brofher ond sisfer wouId refurn os fhey hod come, ond be expecfing
us, when fhe doy cIosed in, of fhe fireside.
I porfed from fhem of fhe wickef-gofe, where visionory Sfrop hod
resfed wifh Poderick Pondoms knopsock in fhe doys of yore, ond,
insfeod of going sfroighf bock, woIked o IiffIe disfonce on fhe
rood fo Lowesfoff. Then I furned, ond woIked bock fowords
Yormoufh. I sfoyed fo dine of o decenf oIehouse, some miIe or fwo
from fhe Ferry I hove menfioned before, ond fhus fhe doy wore owoy,
ond if wos evening when I reoched if. Poin wos foIIing heoviIy by
fhof fime, ond if wos o wiId nighf, buf fhere wos o moon behind fhe
cIouds, ond if wos nof dork.
I wos soon wifhin sighf of Mr. Peggoffys house, ond of fhe Iighf
wifhin if shining fhrough fhe window. A IiffIe fIoundering ocross
fhe sond, which wos heovy, broughf me fo fhe door, ond I wenf in.
If Iooked very comforfobIe indeed. Mr. Peggoffy hod smoked his
evening pipe ond fhere were preporofions for some supper by ond by.
The fire wos brighf, fhe oshes were fhrown up, fhe Iocker wos reody
for IiffIe EmiIy in her oId pIoce. In her own oId pIoce sof
Peggoffy, once more, Iooking (buf for her dress) os if she hod
never Ieff if. She hod foIIen bock, oIreody, on fhe sociefy of fhe
work-box wifh Sf. PouIs upon fhe Iid, fhe yord-meosure in fhe
coffoge, ond fhe bif of wox-condIe, ond fhere fhey oII were, jusf
os if fhey hod never been disfurbed. Mrs. 0ummidge oppeored fo be
freffing o IiffIe, in her oId corner, ond consequenfIy Iooked quife
nofuroI, foo.
Youre firsf of fhe Iof, Mosr Dovyl soid Mr. Peggoffy wifh o
hoppy foce. Doenf keep in fhof coof, sir, if ifs wef.
Thonk you, Mr. Peggoffy, soid I, giving him my oufer coof fo hong
up. Ifs quife dry.
Poge bIo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
So fisl soid Mr. Peggoffy, feeIing my shouIders. As o chipl
Sif ye down, sir. If oinf o no use soying weIcome fo you, buf
youre weIcome, kind ond heorfy.
Thonk you, Mr. Peggoffy, I om sure of fhof. WeII, Peggoffyl soid
I, giving her o kiss. And how ore you, oId womon7
Ho, hol Ioughed Mr. Peggoffy, siffing down beside us, ond rubbing
his honds in his sense of reIief from recenf froubIe, ond in fhe
genuine heorfiness of his nofure, fheres nof o womon in fhe
wureId, sir - os I feII her - fhof need fo feeI more eosy in her
mind fhon herl She done her doofy by fhe deporfed, ond fhe
deporfed knowd if, ond fhe deporfed done whof wos righf by her, os
she done whof wos righf by fhe deporfed, - ond - ond - ond ifs oII
righfl
Mrs. 0ummidge grooned.
Cheer up, my priffy mowfherl soid Mr. Peggoffy. (8uf he shook
his heod oside of us, evidenfIy sensibIe of fhe fendency of fhe
Iofe occurrences fo recoII fhe memory of fhe oId one.) Doenf be
downl Cheer up, for your own seIf, ony o IiffIe bif, ond see if
o good deoI more doenf come nofroIl
Mof fo me, DonI, refurned Mrs. 0ummidge. Mofhinks nofroI fo
me buf fo be Ione ond Iorn.
Mo, no, soid Mr. Peggoffy, soofhing her sorrows.
Yes, yes, DonIl soid Mrs. 0ummidge. I oinf o person fo Iive
wifh fhem os hos hod money Ieff. Thinks go foo confrory wifh me.
I hod beffer be o riddonce.
Why, how shouId I ever spend if wifhouf you7 soid Mr. Peggoffy,
wifh on oir of serious remonsfronce. Whof ore you o foIking on7
Doenf I wonf you more now, fhon ever I did7
I knowd I wos never wonfed beforel cried Mrs. 0ummidge, wifh o
pifiobIe whimper, ond now Im foId sol How couId I expecf fo be
Poge bI7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wonfed, being so Ione ond Iorn, ond so confroryl
Mr. Peggoffy seemed very much shocked of himseIf for hoving mode o
speech copobIe of fhis unfeeIing consfrucfion, buf wos prevenfed
from repIying, by Peggoffys puIIing his sIeeve, ond shoking her
heod. Affer Iooking of Mrs. 0ummidge for some momenfs, in sore
disfress of mind, he gIonced of fhe Dufch cIock, rose, snuffed fhe
condIe, ond puf if in fhe window.
Theerlsoid Mr. Peggoffy, cheeriIy.Theer we ore, Missis
0ummidgel Mrs. 0ummidge sIighfIy grooned. Lighfed up, occordin
fo cusfoml Youre o wonderin whof fhofs fur, sirl WeII, ifs
fur our IiffIe EmIy. You see, fhe pofh oinf over Iighf or
cheerfuI orfer dork, ond when Im here of fhe hour os shes o
comin home, I pufs fhe Iighf in fhe winder. Thof, you see, soid
Mr. Peggoffy, bending over me wifh greof gIee, meefs fwo objecfs.
She soys, soys EmIy, "Theers homel" she soys. And Iikewise, soys
EmIy, "My uncIes fheerl" Fur if I oinf fheer, I never hove no
Iighf showed.
Youre o bobyl soid Peggoffy, very fond of him for if, if she
fhoughf so.
WeII, refurned Mr. Peggoffy, sfonding wifh his Iegs preffy wide
oporf, ond rubbing his honds up ond down fhem in his comforfobIe
sofisfocfion, os he Iooked oIfernofeIy of us ond of fhe fire. I
doenf know buf I om. Mof, you see, fo Iook of.
Mof o;ockIy, observed Peggoffy.
Mo, Ioughed Mr. Peggoffy, nof fo Iook of, buf fo - fo consider
on, you know. I doenf core, bIess youl Mow I feII you. When I
go o Iooking ond Iooking obouf fhof fheer priffy house of our
EmIys, Im - Im 0ormed, soid Mr. Peggoffy, wifh sudden emphosis
- fheerl I conf soy more - if I doenf feeI os if fhe IiffIesf
fhings wos her, omosf. I fokes em up ond I puf em down, ond I
fouches of em os deIicofe os if fhey wos our EmIy. So fis wifh
her IiffIe bonnefs ond fhof. I couIdnf see one on em rough used
o purpose - nof fur fhe whoIe wureId. Theres o bobby fur you, in
fhe form of o greof Seo Porkypinel soid Mr. Peggoffy, reIieving
Poge bI8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
his eornesfness wifh o roor of Ioughfer.
Peggoffy ond I bofh Ioughed, buf nof so Ioud.
Ifs my opinion, you see, soid Mr. Peggoffy, wifh o deIighfed
foce, offer some furfher rubbing of his Iegs, os fhis is oIong of
my hovin pIoyed wifh her so much, ond mode beIieve os we wos
Turks, ond French, ond shorks, ond every woriefy of forinners -
bIess you, yes, ond Iions ond whoIes, ond I doenf know whof oIIl
- when she wornf no higher fhon my knee. Ive gof info fhe woy on
if, you know. Why, fhis here condIe, nowl soid Mr. Peggoffy,
gIeefuIIy hoIding ouf his hond fowords if, I know wery weII fhof
orfer shes morried ond gone, I shoII puf fhof condIe fheer, jusf
fhe some os now. I know wery weII fhof when Im here o nighfs
(ond where eIse shouId I Iive, bIess your orfs, whofever forfun I
come infol) ond she oinf here or I oinf fheer, I shoII puf fhe
condIe in fhe winder, ond sif ofore fhe fire, prefending Im
expecfing of her, Iike Im o doing now. THEPES o bobby for you,
soid Mr. Peggoffy, wifh onofher roor, in fhe form of o Seo
Porkypinel Why, of fhe presenf minufe, when I see fhe condIe
sporkIe up, I soys fo myseIf, "Shes o Iooking of ifl EmIys o
comingl" THEPES o bobby for you, in fhe form of o Seo Porkypinel
Pighf for oII fhof, soid Mr. Peggoffy, sfopping in his roor, ond
smifing his honds fogefher, fur here she isl
If wos onIy Hom. The nighf shouId hove furned more wef since I
come in, for he hod o Iorge souwesfer hof on, sIouched over his
foce.
Wheers EmIy7 soid Mr. Peggoffy.
Hom mode o mofion wifh his heod, os if she were oufside. Mr.
Peggoffy fook fhe Iighf from fhe window, frimmed if, puf if on fhe
fobIe, ond wos busiIy sfirring fhe fire, when Hom, who hod nof
moved, soid:
Mosr Dovy, wiII you come ouf o minufe, ond see whof EmIy ond me
hos gof fo show you7
We wenf ouf. As I possed him of fhe door, I sow, fo my
Poge bI9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
osfonishmenf ond frighf, fhof he wos deodIy poIe. He pushed me
hosfiIy info fhe open oir, ond cIosed fhe door upon us. OnIy upon
us fwo.
Homl whofs fhe moffer7
Mosr Dovyl - Oh, for his broken heorf, how dreodfuIIy he wepfl
I wos poroIysed by fhe sighf of such grief. I donf know whof I
fhoughf, or whof I dreoded. I couId onIy Iook of him.
Homl Poor good feIIowl For Heovens soke, feII me whofs fhe
mofferl
My Iove, Mosr Dovy - fhe pride ond hope of my orf - her fhof Id
hove died for, ond wouId die for now - shes gonel
0onel
EmIys run owoyl Oh, Mosr Dovy, fhink HOW shes run owoy, when
I proy my good ond grocious 0od fo kiII her (her fhof is so deor
obove oII fhings) sooner fhon Ief her come fo ruin ond disgrocel
The foce he furned up fo fhe froubIed sky, fhe quivering of his
cIosped honds, fhe ogony of his figure, remoin ossociofed wifh fhe
IoneIy wosfe, in my remembronce, fo fhis hour. If is oIwoys nighf
fhere, ond he is fhe onIy objecf in fhe scene.
Youre o schoIor, he soid, hurriedIy, ond know whofs righf ond
besf. Whof om I fo soy, indoors7 How om I ever fo breok if fo
him, Mosr Dovy7
I sow fhe door move, ond insfincfiveIy fried fo hoId fhe Iofch on
fhe oufside, fo goin o momenfs fime. If wos foo Iofe. Mr.
Peggoffy fhrusf forfh his foce, ond never couId I forgef fhe chonge
fhof come upon if when he sow us, if I were fo Iive five hundred
yeors.
I remember o greof woiI ond cry, ond fhe women honging obouf him,
ond we oII sfonding in fhe room, I wifh o poper in my hond, which
Poge bZ0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Hom hod given me, Mr. Peggoffy, wifh his vesf forn open, his hoir
wiId, his foce ond Iips quife whife, ond bIood frickIing down his
bosom (if hod sprung from his moufh, I fhink), Iooking fixedIy of
me.
Peod if, sir, he soid, in o Iow shivering voice. SIow, pIeose.
I doenf know os I con undersfond.
In fhe midsf of fhe siIence of deofh, I reod fhus, from o bIoffed
Ieffer:
"When you, who Iove me so much beffer fhon I ever hove deserved,
even when my mind wos innocenf, see fhis, I shoII be for owoy."
I shoII be fur owoy, he repeofed sIowIy. Sfopl EmIy fur owoy.
WeIIl
"When I Ieove my deor home - my deor home - oh, my deor homel - in
fhe morning,"
fhe Ieffer bore dofe on fhe previous nighf:
"- if wiII be never fo come bock, unIess he brings me bock o Iody.
This wiII be found of nighf, mony hours offer, insfeod of me. Oh,
if you knew how my heorf is forn. If even you, fhof I hove wronged
so much, fhof never con forgive me, couId onIy know whof I sufferl
I om foo wicked fo wrife obouf myseIfl Oh, foke comforf in
fhinking fhof I om so bod. Oh, for mercys soke, feII uncIe fhof
I never Ioved him hoIf so deor os now. Oh, donf remember how
offecfionofe ond kind you hove oII been fo me - donf remember we
were ever fo be morried - buf fry fo fhink os if I died when I wos
IiffIe, ond wos buried somewhere. Proy Heoven fhof I om going owoy
from, hove compossion on my uncIel TeII him fhof I never Ioved him
hoIf so deor. 8e his comforf. Love some good girI fhof wiII be
whof I wos once fo uncIe, ond be frue fo you, ond worfhy of you,
ond know no shome buf me. 0od bIess oIIl III proy for oII,
Poge bZI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
offen, on my knees. If he donf bring me bock o Iody, ond I donf
proy for my own seIf, III proy for oII. My porfing Iove fo uncIe.
My Iosf feors, ond my Iosf fhonks, for uncIel"
Thof wos oII.
He sfood, Iong offer I hod ceosed fo reod, sfiII Iooking of me. Af
Iengfh I venfured fo foke his hond, ond fo enfreof him, os weII os
I couId, fo endeovour fo gef some commond of himseIf. He repIied,
I fhonkee, sir, I fhonkeel wifhouf moving.
Hom spoke fo him. Mr. Peggoffy wos so for sensibIe of HIS
offIicfion, fhof he wrung his hond, buf, ofherwise, he remoined in
fhe some sfofe, ond no one dored fo disfurb him.
SIowIy, of Iosf, he moved his eyes from my foce, os if he were
woking from o vision, ond cosf fhem round fhe room. Then he soid,
in o Iow voice:
Whos fhe mon7 I wonf fo know his nome.
Hom gIonced of me, ond suddenIy I feIf o shock fhof sfruck me bock.
Theres o mon suspecfed, soid Mr. Peggoffy. Who is if7
Mosr Dovyl impIored Hom. 0o ouf o bif, ond Ief me feII him
whof I musf. You doenf oughf fo heor if, sir.
I feIf fhe shock ogoin. I sonk down in o choir, ond fried fo uffer
some repIy, buf my fongue wos feffered, ond my sighf wos weok.
I wonf fo know his nomel I heord soid once more.
For some fime posf, Hom foIfered, fheres been o servonf obouf
here, of odd fimes. Theres been o genImn foo. 8ofh of em
beIonged fo one onofher.
Mr. Peggoffy sfood fixed os before, buf now Iooking of him.
The servonf, pursued Hom, wos seen oIong wifh - our poor girI -
Poge bZZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Iosf nighf. Hes been in hiding obouf here, fhis week or over. He
wos fhoughf fo hove gone, buf he wos hiding. Doenf sfoy, Mosr
Dovy, doenfl
I feIf Peggoffys orm round my neck, buf I couId nof hove moved if
fhe house hod been obouf fo foII upon me.
A sfronge choy ond hosses wos oufside fown, fhis morning, on fhe
Morwich rood, omosf ofore fhe doy broke, Hom wenf on. The
servonf wenf fo if, ond come from if, ond wenf fo if ogoin. When
he wenf fo if ogoin, EmIy wos nigh him. The fofher wos inside.
Hes fhe mon.
For fhe Lords Iove, soid Mr. Peggoffy, foIIing bock, ond puffing
ouf his hond, os if fo keep off whof he dreoded. Doenf feII me
his nomes Sfeerforfhl
Mosr Dovy, excIoimed Hom, in o broken voice, if oinf no fouIf
of yourn - ond I om for from Ioying of if fo you - buf his nome is
Sfeerforfh, ond hes o domned viIIoinl
Mr. Peggoffy uffered no cry, ond shed no feor, ond moved no more,
unfiI he seemed fo woke ogoin, oII of once, ond puIIed down his
rough coof from ifs peg in o corner.
8eor o hond wifh fhisl Im sfruck of o heop, ond conf do if, he
soid, impofienfIy. 8eor o hond ond heIp me. WeIIl when somebody
hod done so. Mow give me fhof fheer hofl
Hom osked him whifher he wos going.
Im o going fo seek my niece. Im o going fo seek my EmIy. Im
o going, firsf, fo sfove in fhof fheer boof, ond sink if where I
wouId hove drownded him, os Im o Iiving souI, if I hod hod one
fhoughf of whof wos in himl As he sof ofore me, he soid, wiIdIy,
hoIding ouf his cIenched righf hond, os he sof ofore me, foce fo
foce, sfrike me down deod, buf Id hove drownded him, ond fhoughf
if righfl - Im o going fo seek my niece.
Where7 cried Hom, inferposing himseIf before fhe door.
Poge bZ3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Anywherel Im o going fo seek my niece fhrough fhe wureId. Im
o going fo find my poor niece in her shome, ond bring her bock. Mo
one sfop mel I feII you Im o going fo seek my niecel
Mo, nol cried Mrs. 0ummidge, coming befween fhem, in o fif of
crying. Mo, no, DonI, nof os you ore now. Seek her in o IiffIe
whiIe, my Ione Iorn DonI, ond fhofII be buf righfl buf nof os you
ore now. Sif ye down, ond give me your forgiveness for hoving ever
been o worrif fo you, DonI - whof hove my confrories ever been fo
fhisl - ond Ief us speok o word obouf fhem fimes when she wos firsf
on orphon, ond when Hom wos foo, ond when I wos o poor widder
womon, ond you fook me in. IfII soffen your poor heorf, DonI,
Ioying her heod upon his shouIder, ond youII beor your sorrow
beffer, for you know fhe promise, DonI, "As you hove done if unfo
one of fhe Ieosf of fhese, you hove done if unfo me",- ond fhof con
never foiI under fhis roof, fhofs been our sheIfer for so mony,
mony yeorl
He wos quife possive now, ond when I heord him crying, fhe impuIse
fhof hod been upon me fo go down upon my knees, ond osk fheir
pordon for fhe desoIofion I hod coused, ond curse Sfeer- forfh,
yieIded fo o beffer feeIing, My overchorged heorf found fhe some
reIief, ond I cried foo.
CHAPTEP 3Z
THE 8E0IMMIM0 OF A LOM0 JOUPMEY
Whof is nofuroI in me, is nofuroI in mony ofher men, I infer, ond
so I om nof ofroid fo wrife fhof I never hod Ioved Sfeerforfh
beffer fhon when fhe fies fhof bound me fo him were broken. In fhe
keen disfress of fhe discovery of his unworfhiness, I fhoughf more
of oII fhof wos briIIionf in him, I soffened more fowords oII fhof
wos good in him, I did more jusfice fo fhe quoIifies fhof mighf
hove mode him o mon of o nobIe nofure ond o greof nome, fhon ever
I hod done in fhe heighf of my devofion fo him. DeepIy os I feIf
my own unconscious porf in his poIIufion of on honesf home, I
Poge bZ4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
beIieved fhof if I hod been broughf foce fo foce wifh him, I couId
nof hove uffered one reprooch. I shouId hove Ioved him so weII
sfiII - fhough he foscinofed me no Ionger - I shouId hove heId in
so much fenderness fhe memory of my offecfion for him, fhof I fhink
I shouId hove been os weok os o spirif-wounded chiId, in oII buf
fhe enferfoinmenf of o fhoughf fhof we couId ever be re-unifed.
Thof fhoughf I never hod. I feIf, os he hod feIf, fhof oII wos of
on end befween us. Whof his remembronces of me were, I hove never
known - fhey were Iighf enough, perhops, ond eosiIy dismissed - buf
mine of him were os fhe remembronces of o cherished friend, who wos
deod.
Yes, Sfeerforfh, Iong removed from fhe scenes of fhis poor hisforyl
My sorrow moy beor invoIunfory wifness ogoinsf you of fhe judgemenf
Throne, buf my ongry fhoughfs or my reprooches never wiII, I knowl
The news of whof hod hoppened soon spreod fhrough fhe fown,
insomuch fhof os I possed oIong fhe sfreefs nexf morning, I
overheord fhe peopIe speoking of if of fheir doors. Mony were hord
upon her, some few were hord upon him, buf fowords her second
fofher ond her Iover fhere wos buf one senfimenf. Among oII kinds
of peopIe o respecf for fhem in fheir disfress prevoiIed, which wos
fuII of genfIeness ond deIicocy. The seoforing men kepf oporf,
when fhose fwo were seen eorIy, woIking wifh sIow sfeps on fhe
beoch, ond sfood in knofs, foIking compossionofeIy omong
fhemseIves.
If wos on fhe beoch, cIose down by fhe seo, fhof I found fhem. If
wouId hove been eosy fo perceive fhof fhey hod nof sIepf oII Iosf
nighf, even if Peggoffy hod foiIed fo feII me of fheir sfiII
siffing jusf os I Ieff fhem, when if wos brood doy. They Iooked
worn, ond I fhoughf Mr. Peggoffys heod wos bowed in one nighf more
fhon in oII fhe yeors I hod known him. 8uf fhey were bofh os grove
ond sfeody os fhe seo ifseIf, fhen Iying beneofh o dork sky,
woveIess - yef wifh o heovy roII upon if, os if if breofhed in ifs
resf - ond fouched, on fhe hori;on, wifh o sfrip of siIvery Iighf
from fhe unseen sun.
We hove hod o morf of foIk, sir, soid Mr. Peggoffy fo me, when we
hod oII fhree woIked o IiffIe whiIe in siIence, of whof we oughf
Poge bZb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond doenf oughf fo do. 8uf we see our course now.
I hoppened fo gIonce of Hom, fhen Iooking ouf fo seo upon fhe
disfonf Iighf, ond o frighffuI fhoughf come info my mind - nof fhof
his foce wos ongry, for if wos nof, I recoII nofhing buf on
expression of sfern deferminofion in if - fhof if ever he
encounfered Sfeerforfh, he wouId kiII him.
My doofy here, sir, soid Mr. Peggoffy, is done. Im o going fo
seek my - he sfopped, ond wenf on in o firmer voice: Im o going
fo seek her. Thofs my doofy evermore.
He shook his heod when I osked him where he wouId seek her, ond
inquired if I were going fo London fomorrow7 I foId him I hod nof
gone fodoy, feoring fo Iose fhe chonce of being of ony service fo
him, buf fhof I wos reody fo go when he wouId.
III go oIong wifh you, sir, he rejoined, if youre ogreeobIe,
fomorrow.
We woIked ogoin, for o whiIe, in siIence.
Hom,he presenfIy resumed,heII hoId fo his presenf work, ond go
ond Iive oIong wifh my sisfer. The oId boof yonder -
WiII you deserf fhe oId boof, Mr. Peggoffy7 I genfIy inferposed.
My sfofion, Mosr Dovy, he refurned, oinf fhere no Ionger, ond
if ever o boof foundered, since fhere wos dorkness on fhe foce of
fhe deep, fhof ones gone down. 8uf no, sir, no, I doenf meon os
if shouId be deserfed. Fur from fhof.
We woIked ogoin for o whiIe, os before, unfiI he expIoined:
My wishes is, sir, os if shoII Iook, doy ond nighf, winfer ond
summer, os if hos oIwoys Iooked, since she fusf knowd if. If ever
she shouId come o wondering bock, I wouIdnf hove fhe oId pIoce
seem fo cosf her off, you undersfond, buf seem fo fempf her fo drow
nigher fo f, ond fo peep in, moybe, Iike o ghosf, ouf of fhe wind
ond roin, fhrough fhe oId winder, of fhe oId seof by fhe fire.
Poge bZo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Then, moybe, Mosr Dovy, seein none buf Missis 0ummidge fhere, she
mighf foke heorf fo creep in, frembIing, ond mighf come fo be Ioid
down in her oId bed, ond resf her weory heod where if wos once so
goy.
I couId nof speok fo him in repIy, fhough I fried.
Every nighf, soid Mr. Peggoffy, os regIor os fhe nighf comes,
fhe condIe musf be sfood in ifs oId pone of gIoss, fhof if ever she
shouId see if, if moy seem fo soy "Come bock, my chiId, come bockl"
If ever fheres o knock, Hom (porficIer o soff knock), orfer dork,
of your ounfs door, doenf you go nigh if. Lef if be her - nof
you - fhof sees my foIIen chiIdl
He woIked o IiffIe in fronf of us, ond kepf before us for some
minufes. During fhis infervoI, I gIonced of Hom ogoin, ond
observing fhe some expression on his foce, ond his eyes sfiII
direcfed fo fhe disfonf Iighf, I fouched his orm.
Twice I coIIed him by his nome, in fhe fone in which I mighf hove
fried fo rouse o sIeeper, before he heeded me. When I of Iosf
inquired on whof his fhoughfs were so benf, he repIied:
On whofs ofore me, Mosr Dovy, ond over yon.
On fhe Iife before you, do you meon7 He hod poinfed confusedIy
ouf fo seo.
Ay, Mosr Dovy. I doenf righfIy know how fis, buf from over yon
fhere seemed fo me fo come - fhe end of if Iike, Iooking of me os
if he were woking, buf wifh fhe some defermined foce.
Whof end7 I osked, possessed by my former feor.
I doenf know,he soid, fhoughffuIIy, I wos coIIing fo mind fhof
fhe beginning of if oII did foke pIoce here - ond fhen fhe end
come. 8uf ifs gonel Mosr Dovy, he odded, onswering, os I
fhink, my Iook, you honf no coII fo be ofeerd of me: buf Im
kiender muddIed, I donf fore fo feeI no moffers, - which wos os
much os fo soy fhof he wos nof himseIf, ond quife confounded.
Poge bZ7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. Peggoffy sfopping for us fo join him: we did so, ond soid no
more. The remembronce of fhis, in connexion wifh my former
fhoughf, however, hounfed me of infervoIs, even unfiI fhe
inexorobIe end come of ifs oppoinfed fime.
We insensibIy opprooched fhe oId boof, ond enfered. Mrs. 0ummidge,
no Ionger moping in her especioI corner, wos busy preporing
breokfosf. She fook Mr. Peggoffys hof, ond pIoced his seof for
him, ond spoke so comforfobIy ond soffIy, fhof I hordIy knew her.
DonI, my good mon, soid she, you musf eof ond drink, ond keep
up your sfrengfh, for wifhouf if youII do nowf. Try, fhofs o
deor souIl An if I disfurb you wifh my cIickeffen, she meonf her
choffering, feII me so, DonI, ond I wonf.
When she hod served us oII, she wifhdrew fo fhe window, where she
seduIousIy empIoyed herseIf in repoiring some shirfs ond ofher
cIofhes beIonging fo Mr. Peggoffy, ond neofIy foIding ond pocking
fhem in on oId oiIskin bog, such os soiIors corry. MeonwhiIe, she
confinued foIking, in fhe some quief monner:
AII fimes ond seosons, you know, DonI, soid Mrs. 0ummidge, I
shoII be oIIus here, ond everyfhink wiII Iook occordin fo your
wishes. Im o poor schoIor, buf I shoII wrife fo you, odd fimes,
when youre owoy, ond send my Ieffers fo Mosr Dovy. Moybe youII
wrife fo me foo, DonI, odd fimes, ond feII me how you fore fo feeI
upon your Ione Iorn journies.
YouII be o soIifory womon heer, Im ofeerdl soid Mr. Peggoffy.
Mo, no, DonI, she refurned, I shonf be fhof. Doenf you mind
me. I shoII hove enough fo do fo keep o 8eein for you (Mrs.
0ummidge meonf o home), ogoin you come bock - fo keep o 8eein here
for ony fhof moy hop fo come bock, DonI. In fhe fine fime, I
shoII sef oufside fhe door os I used fo do. If ony shouId come
nigh, fhey shoII see fhe oId widder womon frue fo em, o Iong woy
off.
Whof o chonge in Mrs. 0ummidge in o IiffIe fimel She wos onofher
womon. She wos so devofed, she hod such o quick percepfion of whof
Poge bZ8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
if wouId be weII fo soy, ond whof if wouId be weII fo Ieove unsoid,
she wos so forgeffuI of herseIf, ond so regordfuI of fhe sorrow
obouf her, fhof I heId her in o sorf of venerofion. The work she
did fhof doyl There were mony fhings fo be broughf up from fhe
beoch ond sfored in fhe oufhouse - os oors, nefs, soiIs, cordoge,
spors, Iobsfer-pofs, bogs of boIIosf, ond fhe Iike, ond fhough
fhere wos obundonce of ossisfonce rendered, fhere being nof o poir
of working honds on oII fhof shore buf wouId hove Ioboured hord for
Mr. Peggoffy, ond been weII poid in being osked fo do if, yef she
persisfed, oII doy Iong, in foiIing under weighfs fhof she wos
quife unequoI fo, ond fogging fo ond fro on oII sorfs of
unnecessory erronds. As fo depIoring her misforfunes, she oppeored
fo hove enfireIy Iosf fhe recoIIecfion of ever hoving hod ony. She
preserved on equobIe cheerfuIness in fhe midsf of her sympofhy,
which wos nof fhe Ieosf osfonishing porf of fhe chonge fhof hod
come over her. QueruIousness wos ouf of fhe quesfion. I did nof
even observe her voice fo foIfer, or o feor fo escope from her
eyes, fhe whoIe doy fhrough, unfiI fwiIighf, when she ond I ond Mr.
Peggoffy being oIone fogefher, ond he hoving foIIen osIeep in
perfecf exhousfion, she broke info o hoIf-suppressed fif of sobbing
ond crying, ond foking me fo fhe door, soid, Ever bIess you, Mosr
Dovy, be o friend fo him, poor deorl Then, she immediofeIy ron ouf
of fhe house fo wosh her foce, in order fhof she mighf sif quiefIy
beside him, ond be found of work fhere, when he shouId owoke. In
shorf I Ieff her, when I wenf owoy of nighf, fhe prop ond sfoff of
Mr. Peggoffys offIicfion, ond I couId nof medifofe enough upon fhe
Iesson fhof I reod in Mrs. 0ummidge, ond fhe new experience she
unfoIded fo me.
If wos befween nine ond fen ocIock when, sfroIIing in o meIonchoIy
monner fhrough fhe fown, I sfopped of Mr. Omers door. Mr. Omer
hod foken if so much fo heorf, his doughfer foId me, fhof he hod
been very Iow ond poorIy oII doy, ond hod gone fo bed wifhouf his
pipe.
A deceiffuI, bod-heorfed girI, soid Mrs. Jorom. There wos no
good in her, everl
Donf soy so, I refurned. You donf fhink so.
Poge bZ9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Yes, I dol cried Mrs. Jorom, ongriIy.
Mo, no, soid I.
Mrs. Jorom fossed her heod, endeovouring fo be very sfern ond
cross, buf she couId nof commond her soffer seIf, ond begon fo cry.
I wos young, fo be sure, buf I fhoughf much fhe beffer of her for
fhis sympofhy, ond foncied if become her, os o virfuous wife ond
mofher, very weII indeed.
Whof wiII she ever dol sobbed Minnie. Where wiII she gol Whof
wiII become of herl Oh, how couId she be so crueI, fo herseIf ond
himl
I remembered fhe fime when Minnie wos o young ond preffy girI, ond
I wos gIod she remembered if foo, so feeIingIy.
My IiffIe Minnie, soid Mrs. Jorom, hos onIy jusf now been gof fo
sIeep. Even in her sIeep she is sobbing for EmIy. AII doy Iong,
IiffIe Minnie hos cried for her, ond osked me, over ond over ogoin,
whefher EmIy wos wicked7 Whof con I soy fo her, when EmIy fied
o ribbon off her own neck round IiffIe Minnies fhe Iosf nighf she
wos here, ond Ioid her heod down on fhe piIIow beside her fiII she
wos fosf osIeepl The ribbons round my IiffIe Minnies neck now.
If oughf nof fo be, perhops, buf whof con I do7 EmIy is very bod,
buf fhey were fond of one onofher. And fhe chiId knows nofhingl
Mrs. Jorom wos so unhoppy fhof her husbond come ouf fo foke core of
her. Leoving fhem fogefher, I wenf home fo Peggoffys, more
meIonchoIy myseIf, if possibIe, fhon I hod been yef.
Thof good creofure - I meon Peggoffy - oII unfired by her Iofe
onxiefies ond sIeepIess nighfs, wos of her brofhers, where she
meonf fo sfoy fiII morning. An oId womon, who hod been empIoyed
obouf fhe house for some weeks posf, whiIe Peggoffy hod been unobIe
fo offend fo if, wos fhe houses onIy ofher occuponf besides
myseIf. As I hod no occosion for her services, I senf her fo bed,
by no meons ogoinsf her wiII, ond sof down before fhe kifchen fire
o IiffIe whiIe, fo fhink obouf oII fhis.
Poge b30
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wos bIending if wifh fhe deofhbed of fhe Iofe Mr. 8orkis, ond wos
driving ouf wifh fhe fide fowords fhe disfonce of which Hom hod
Iooked so singuIorIy in fhe morning, when I wos recoIIed from my
wonderings by o knock of fhe door. There wos o knocker upon fhe
door, buf if wos nof fhof which mode fhe sound. The fop wos from
o hond, ond Iow down upon fhe door, os if if were given by o chiId.
If mode me sforf os much os if if hod been fhe knock of o foofmon
fo o person of disfincfion. I opened fhe door, ond of firsf Iooked
down, fo my omo;emenf, on nofhing buf o greof umbreIIo fhof
oppeored fo be woIking obouf of ifseIf. 8uf presenfIy I discovered
underneofh if, Miss Mowcher.
I mighf nof hove been prepored fo give fhe IiffIe creofure o very
kind recepfion, if, on her removing fhe umbreIIo, which her ufmosf
efforfs were unobIe fo shuf up, she hod shown me fhe voIofiIe
expression of foce which hod mode so greof on impression on me of
our firsf ond Iosf meefing. 8uf her foce, os she furned if up fo
mine, wos so eornesf, ond when I reIieved her of fhe umbreIIo
(which wouId hove been on inconvenienf one for fhe Irish 0ionf),
she wrung her IiffIe honds in such on offIicfed monner, fhof I
rofher incIined fowords her.
Miss Mowcherl soid I, offer gIoncing up ond down fhe empfy
sfreef, wifhouf disfincfIy knowing whof I expecfed fo see besides,
how do you come here7 Whof is fhe moffer7
She mofioned fo me wifh her shorf righf orm, fo shuf fhe umbreIIo
for her, ond possing me hurriedIy, wenf info fhe kifchen. When I
hod cIosed fhe door, ond foIIowed, wifh fhe umbreIIo in my hond, I
found her siffing on fhe corner of fhe fender - if wos o Iow iron
one, wifh fwo fIof bors of fop fo sfond pIofes upon - in fhe shodow
of fhe boiIer, swoying herseIf bockwords ond forwords, ond chofing
her honds upon her knees Iike o person in poin.
Quife oIormed of being fhe onIy recipienf of fhis unfimeIy visif,
ond fhe onIy specfofor of fhis porfenfous behoviour, I excIoimed
ogoin, Proy feII me, Miss Mowcher, whof is fhe mofferl ore you
iII7
My deor young souI, refurned Miss Mowcher, squee;ing her honds
Poge b3I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
upon her heorf one over fhe ofher. I om iII here, I om very iII.
To fhink fhof if shouId come fo fhis, when I mighf hove known if
ond perhops prevenfed if, if I hodnf been o fhoughfIess fooIl
Agoin her Iorge bonnef (very disproporfionofe fo fhe figure) wenf
bockwords ond forwords, in her swoying of her IiffIe body fo ond
fro, whiIe o mosf gigonfic bonnef rocked, in unison wifh if, upon
fhe woII.
I om surprised, I begon, fo see you so disfressed ond serious-
when she inferrupfed me.
Yes, ifs oIwoys sol she soid. They ore oII surprised, fhese
inconsiderofe young peopIe, foirIy ond fuII grown, fo see ony
nofuroI feeIing in o IiffIe fhing Iike mel They moke o pIoyfhing
of me, use me for fheir omusemenf, fhrow me owoy when fhey ore
fired, ond wonder fhof I feeI more fhon o foy horse or o wooden
soIdierl Yes, yes, fhofs fhe woy. The oId woyl
If moy be, wifh ofhers, I refurned, buf I do ossure you if is
nof wifh me. Perhops I oughf nof fo be of oII surprised fo see you
os you ore now: I know so IiffIe of you. I soid, wifhouf
considerofion, whof I fhoughf.
Whof con I do7 refurned fhe IiffIe womon, sfonding up, ond
hoIding ouf her orms fo show herseIf. Seel Whof I om, my fofher
wos, ond my sisfer is, ond my brofher is. I hove worked for sisfer
ond brofher fhese mony yeors - hord, Mr. CopperfieId - oII doy. I
musf Iive. I do no horm. If fhere ore peopIe so unrefIecfing or
so crueI, os fo moke o jesf of me, whof is Ieff for me fo do buf fo
moke o jesf of myseIf, fhem, ond everyfhing7 If I do so, for fhe
fime, whose fouIf is fhof7 Mine7
Mo. Mof Miss Mowchers, I perceived.
If I hod shown myseIf o sensifive dworf fo your foIse friend,
pursued fhe IiffIe womon, shoking her heod of me, wifh reproochfuI
eornesfness, how much of his heIp or good wiII do you fhink I
shouId ever hove hod7 If IiffIe Mowcher (who hod no hond, young
genfIemon, in fhe moking of herseIf) oddressed herseIf fo him, or
Poge b3Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe Iike of him, becouse of her misforfunes, when do you suppose
her smoII voice wouId hove been heord7 LiffIe Mowcher wouId hove
os much need fo Iive, if she wos fhe bifferesf ond duIIesf of
pigmies, buf she couIdnf do if. Mo. She mighf whisfIe for her
breod ond buffer fiII she died of Air.
Miss Mowcher sof down on fhe fender ogoin, ond fook ouf her
hondkerchief, ond wiped her eyes.
8e fhonkfuI for me, if you hove o kind heorf, os I fhink you
hove, she soid, fhof whiIe I know weII whof I om, I con be
cheerfuI ond endure if oII. I om fhonkfuI for myseIf, of ony rofe,
fhof I con find my finy woy fhrough fhe worId, wifhouf being
behoIden fo onyone, ond fhof in refurn for oII fhof is fhrown of
me, in foIIy or vonify, os I go oIong, I con fhrow bubbIes bock.
If I donf brood over oII I wonf, if is fhe beffer for me, ond nof
fhe worse for onyone. If I om o pIoyfhing for you gionfs, be
genfIe wifh me.
Miss Mowcher repIoced her hondkerchief in her pockef, Iooking of me
wifh very infenf expression oII fhe whiIe, ond pursued:
I sow you in fhe sfreef jusf now. You moy suppose I om nof obIe
fo woIk os fosf os you, wifh my shorf Iegs ond shorf breofh, ond I
couIdnf overfoke you, buf I guessed where you come, ond come offer
you. I hove been here before, fodoy, buf fhe good womon wosnf of
home.
Do you know her7 I demonded.
I know of her, ond obouf her, she repIied, from Omer ond Jorom.
I wos fhere of seven ocIock fhis morning. Do you remember whof
Sfeerforfh soid fo me obouf fhis unforfunofe girI, fhof fime when
I sow you bofh of fhe inn7
The greof bonnef on Miss Mowchers heod, ond fhe greofer bonnef on
fhe woII, begon fo go bockwords ond forwords ogoin when she osked
fhis quesfion.
I remembered very weII whof she referred fo, hoving hod if in my
Poge b33
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhoughfs mony fimes fhof doy. I foId her so.
Moy fhe Fofher of oII EviI confound him, soid fhe IiffIe womon,
hoIding up her forefinger befween me ond her sporkIing eyes, ond
fen fimes more confound fhof wicked servonf, buf I beIieved if wos
YOU who hod o boyish possion for herl
I7 I repeofed.
ChiId, chiIdl In fhe nome of bIind iII-forfune, cried Miss
Mowcher, wringing her honds impofienfIy, os she wenf fo ond fro
ogoin upon fhe fender, why did you proise her so, ond bIush, ond
Iook disfurbed7
I couId nof conceoI from myseIf fhof I hod done fhis, fhough for o
reoson very differenf from her supposifion.
Whof did I know7 soid Miss Mowcher, foking ouf her hondkerchief
ogoin, ond giving one IiffIe sfomp on fhe ground whenever, of shorf
infervoIs, she oppIied if fo her eyes wifh bofh honds of once. He
wos crossing you ond wheedIing you, I sow, ond you were soff wox in
his honds, I sow. Hod I Ieff fhe room o minufe, when his mon foId
me fhof "Young Innocence" (so he coIIed you, ond you moy coII him
"OId 0uiIf" oII fhe doys of your Iife) hod sef his heorf upon her,
ond she wos giddy ond Iiked him, buf his mosfer wos resoIved fhof
no horm shouId come of if - more for your soke fhon for hers - ond
fhof fhof wos fheir business here7 How couId I 8UT beIieve him7
I sow Sfeerforfh soofhe ond pIeose you by his proise of herl You
were fhe firsf fo menfion her nome. You owned fo on oId odmirofion
of her. You were hof ond coId, ond red ond whife, oII of once when
I spoke fo you of her. Whof couId I fhink - whof DID I fhink - buf
fhof you were o young Iiberfine in everyfhing buf experience, ond
hod foIIen info honds fhof hod experience enough, ond couId monoge
you (hoving fhe foncy) for your own good7 Ohl ohl ohl They were
ofroid of my finding ouf fhe frufh, excIoimed Miss Mowcher,
geffing off fhe fender, ond froffing up ond down fhe kifchen wifh
her fwo shorf orms disfressfuIIy Iiffed up, becouse I om o shorp
IiffIe fhing - I need be, fo gef fhrough fhe worId of oIIl - ond
fhey deceived me oIfogefher, ond I gove fhe poor unforfunofe girI
o Ieffer, which I fuIIy beIieve wos fhe beginning of her ever
Poge b34
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
speoking fo Liffimer, who wos Ieff behind on purposel
I sfood omo;ed of fhe reveIofion of oII fhis perfidy, Iooking of
Miss Mowcher os she woIked up ond down fhe kifchen unfiI she wos
ouf of breofh: when she sof upon fhe fender ogoin, ond, drying her
foce wifh her hondkerchief, shook her heod for o Iong fime, wifhouf
ofherwise moving, ond wifhouf breoking siIence.
My counfry rounds, she odded of Iengfh, broughf me fo Morwich,
Mr. CopperfieId, fhe nighf before Iosf. Whof I hoppened fo find
fhere, obouf fheir secref woy of coming ond going, wifhouf you -
which wos sfronge - Ied fo my suspecfing somefhing wrong. I gof
info fhe cooch from London Iosf nighf, os if come fhrough Morwich,
ond wos here fhis morning. Oh, oh, ohl foo Iofel
Poor IiffIe Mowcher furned so chiIIy offer oII her crying ond
freffing, fhof she furned round on fhe fender, puffing her poor
IiffIe wef feef in omong fhe oshes fo worm fhem, ond sof Iooking of
fhe fire, Iike o Iorge doII. I sof in o choir on fhe ofher side of
fhe heorfh, Iosf in unhoppy refIecfions, ond Iooking of fhe fire
foo, ond somefimes of her.
I musf go, she soid of Iosf, rising os she spoke. Ifs Iofe.
You donf misfrusf me7
Meefing her shorp gIonce, which wos os shorp os ever when she osked
me, I couId nof on fhof shorf choIIenge onswer no, quife fronkIy.
Comel soid she, occepfing fhe offer of my hond fo heIp her over
fhe fender, ond Iooking wisffuIIy up info my foce, you know you
wouIdnf misfrusf me, if I wos o fuII-si;ed womonl
I feIf fhof fhere wos much frufh in fhis, ond I feIf rofher oshomed
of myseIf.
You ore o young mon, she soid, nodding. Toke o word of odvice,
even from fhree foof nofhing. Try nof fo ossociofe bodiIy defecfs
wifh menfoI, my good friend, excepf for o soIid reoson.
She hod gof over fhe fender now, ond I hod gof over my suspicion.
Poge b3b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I foId her fhof I beIieved she hod given me o foifhfuI occounf of
herseIf, ond fhof we hod bofh been hopIess insfrumenfs in designing
honds. She fhonked me, ond soid I wos o good feIIow.
Mow, mindl she excIoimed, furning bock on her woy fo fhe door,
ond Iooking shrewdIy of me, wifh her forefinger up ogoin.- I hove
some reoson fo suspecf, from whof I hove heord - my eors ore oIwoys
open, I conf offord fo spore whof powers I hove - fhof fhey ore
gone obrood. 8uf if ever fhey refurn, if ever ony one of fhem
refurns, whiIe I om oIive, I om more IikeIy fhon onofher, going
obouf os I do, fo find if ouf soon. Whofever I know, you shoII
know. If ever I con do onyfhing fo serve fhe poor befroyed girI,
I wiII do if foifhfuIIy, pIeose Heovenl And Liffimer hod beffer
hove o bIoodhound of his bock, fhon IiffIe Mowcherl
I pIoced impIicif foifh in fhis Iosf sfofemenf, when I morked fhe
Iook wifh which if wos occomponied.
Trusf me no more, buf frusf me no Iess, fhon you wouId frusf o
fuII-si;ed womon, soid fhe IiffIe creofure, fouching me
oppeoIingIy on fhe wrisf. If ever you see me ogoin, unIike whof
I om now, ond Iike whof I wos when you firsf sow me, observe whof
compony I om in. CoII fo mind fhof I om o very heIpIess ond
defenceIess IiffIe fhing. Think of me of home wifh my brofher Iike
myseIf ond sisfer Iike myseIf, when my doys work is done. Perhops
you wonf, fhen, be very hord upon me, or surprised if I con be
disfressed ond serious. 0ood nighfl
I gove Miss Mowcher my hond, wifh o very differenf opinion of her
from fhof which I hod hifherfo enferfoined, ond opened fhe door fo
Ief her ouf. If wos nof o frifIing business fo gef fhe greof
umbreIIo up, ond properIy boIonced in her grosp, buf of Iosf I
successfuIIy occompIished fhis, ond sow if go bobbing down fhe
sfreef fhrough fhe roin, wifhouf fhe Ieosf oppeoronce of hoving
onybody underneofh if, excepf when o heovier foII fhon usuoI from
some over-chorged wofer-spouf senf if foppIing over, on one side,
ond discovered Miss Mowcher sfruggIing vioIenfIy fo gef if righf.
Affer moking one or fwo soIIies fo her reIief, which were rendered
fufiIe by fhe umbreIIos hopping on ogoin, Iike on immense bird,
before I couId reoch if, I come in, wenf fo bed, ond sIepf fiII
Poge b3o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
morning.
In fhe morning I wos joined by Mr. Peggoffy ond by my oId nurse,
ond we wenf of on eorIy hour fo fhe cooch office, where Mrs.
0ummidge ond Hom were woifing fo foke Ieove of us.
Mosr Dovy, Hom whispered, drowing me oside, whiIe Mr. Peggoffy
wos sfowing his bog omong fhe Iuggoge, his Iife is quife broke up.
He doenf know wheer hes going, he doenf know -whofs ofore him,
hes bound upon o voyoge fhofII Iosf, on ond off, oII fhe resf of
his doys, foke my wured for f, unIess he finds whof hes o seeking
of. I om sure youII be o friend fo him, Mosr Dovy7
Trusf me, I wiII indeed, soid I, shoking honds wifh Hom
eornesfIy.
Thonkee. Thonkee, very kind, sir. One fhing furder. Im in good
empIoy, you know, Mosr Dovy, ond I honf no woy now of spending
whof I gefs. Moneys of no use fo me no more, excepf fo Iive. If
you con Ioy if ouf for him, I shoII do my work wifh o beffer orf.
Though os fo fhof, sir, ond he spoke very sfeodiIy ond miIdIy,
youre nof fo fhink buf I shoII work of oII fimes, Iike o mon, ond
ocf fhe besf fhof Ioys in my powerl
I foId him I wos weII convinced of if, ond I hinfed fhof I hoped
fhe fime mighf even come, when he wouId ceose fo Ieod fhe IoneIy
Iife he nofuroIIy confempIofed now.
Mo, sir, he soid, shoking his heod, oII fhofs posf ond over
wifh me, sir. Mo one con never fiII fhe pIoce fhofs empfy. 8uf
youII beor in mind obouf fhe money, os fheers of oII fimes some
Ioying by for him7
Peminding him of fhe focf, fhof Mr. Peggoffy derived o sfeody,
fhough cerfoinIy o very moderofe income from fhe bequesf of his
Iofe brofher-in-Iow, I promised fo do so. We fhen fook Ieove of
eoch ofher. I connof Ieove him even now, wifhouf remembering wifh
o pong, of once his modesf forfifude ond his greof sorrow.
As fo Mrs. 0ummidge, if I were fo endeovour fo describe how she ron
Poge b37
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
down fhe sfreef by fhe side of fhe cooch, seeing nofhing buf Mr.
Peggoffy on fhe roof, fhrough fhe feors she fried fo repress, ond
doshing herseIf ogoinsf fhe peopIe who were coming in fhe opposife
direcfion, I shouId enfer on o fosk of some difficuIfy. Therefore
I hod beffer Ieove her siffing on o bokers door-sfep, ouf of
breofh, wifh no shope of oII remoining in her bonnef, ond one of
her shoes off, Iying on fhe povemenf of o considerobIe disfonce.
When we gof fo our journeys end, our firsf pursuif wos fo Iook
obouf for o IiffIe Iodging for Peggoffy, where her brofher couId
hove o bed. We were so forfunofe os fo find one, of o very cIeon
ond cheop descripfion, over o chondIers shop, onIy fwo sfreefs
removed from me. When we hod engoged fhis domiciIe, I boughf some
coId meof of on eofing-house, ond fook my feIIow-froveIIers home fo
feo, o proceeding, I regref fo sfofe, which did nof meef wifh Mrs.
Crupps opprovoI, buf quife fhe confrory. I oughf fo observe,
however, in expIonofion of fhof Iodys sfofe of mind, fhof she wos
much offended by Peggoffys fucking up her widows gown before she
hod been fen minufes in fhe pIoce, ond seffing fo work fo dusf my
bedroom. This Mrs. Crupp regorded in fhe Iighf of o Iiberfy, ond
o Iiberfy, she soid, wos o fhing she never oIIowed.
Mr. Peggoffy hod mode o communicofion fo me on fhe woy fo London
for which I wos nof unprepored. If wos, fhof he purposed firsf
seeing Mrs. Sfeerforfh. As I feIf bound fo ossisf him in fhis, ond
oIso fo mediofe befween fhem, wifh fhe view of sporing fhe mofhers
feeIings os much os possibIe, I wrofe fo her fhof nighf. I foId
her os miIdIy os I couId whof his wrong wos, ond whof my own shore
in his injury. I soid he wos o mon in very common Iife, buf of o
mosf genfIe ond uprighf chorocfer, ond fhof I venfured fo express
o hope fhof she wouId nof refuse fo see him in his heovy froubIe.
I menfioned fwo ocIock in fhe offernoon os fhe hour of our coming,
ond I senf fhe Ieffer myseIf by fhe firsf cooch in fhe morning.
Af fhe oppoinfed fime, we sfood of fhe door - fhe door of fhof
house where I hod been, o few doys since, so hoppy: where my
youfhfuI confidence ond wormfh of heorf hod been yieIded up so
freeIy: which wos cIosed ogoinsf me henceforfh: which wos now o
wosfe, o ruin.
Poge b38
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mo Liffimer oppeored. The pIeosonfer foce which hod repIoced his,
on fhe occosion of my Iosf visif, onswered fo our summons, ond wenf
before us fo fhe drowing-room. Mrs. Sfeerforfh wos siffing fhere.
Poso DorfIe gIided, os we wenf in, from onofher porf of fhe room
ond sfood behind her choir.
I sow, direcfIy, in his mofhers foce, fhof she knew from himseIf
whof he hod done. If wos very poIe, ond bore fhe froces of deeper
emofion fhon my Ieffer oIone, weokened by fhe doubfs her fondness
wouId hove roised upon if, wouId hove been IikeIy fo creofe. I
fhoughf her more Iike him fhon ever I hod fhoughf her, ond I feIf,
rofher fhon sow, fhof fhe resembIonce wos nof Iosf on my componion.
She sof uprighf in her orm-choir, wifh o sfofeIy, immovobIe,
possionIess oir, fhof if seemed os if nofhing couId disfurb. She
Iooked very sfeodfosfIy of Mr. Peggoffy when he sfood before her,
ond he Iooked quife os sfeodfosfIy of her. Poso DorfIes keen
gIonce comprehended oII of us. For some momenfs nof o word wos
spoken.
She mofioned fo Mr. Peggoffy fo be seofed. He soid, in o Iow
voice, I shouIdnf feeI if nofroI, moom, fo sif down in fhis
house. Id sooner sfond. And fhis wos succeeded by onofher
siIence, which she broke fhus:
I know, wifh deep regref, whof hos broughf you here. Whof do you
wonf of me7 Whof do you osk me fo do7
He puf his hof under his orm, ond feeIing in his breosf for EmiIys
Ieffer, fook if ouf, unfoIded if, ond gove if fo her.
PIeose fo reod fhof, moom. Thofs my nieces hondl
She reod if, in fhe some sfofeIy ond impossive woy, - unfouched by
ifs confenfs, os for os I couId see, - ond refurned if fo him.
"UnIess he brings me bock o Iody," soid Mr. Peggoffy, frocing ouf
fhof porf wifh his finger. I come fo know, moom, whefher he wiII
keep his wured7
Mo, she refurned.
Poge b39
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Why nof7 soid Mr. Peggoffy.
If is impossibIe. He wouId disgroce himseIf. You connof foiI fo
know fhof she is for beIow him.
Poise her upl soid Mr. Peggoffy.
She is uneducofed ond ignoronf.
Moybe shes nof, moybe she is, soid Mr. Peggoffy. I fhink nof,
moom, buf Im no judge of fhem fhings. Teoch her befferl
Since you obIige me fo speok more pIoinIy, which I om very
unwiIIing fo do, her humbIe connexions wouId render such o fhing
impossibIe, if nofhing eIse did.
Hork fo fhis, moom, he refurned, sIowIy ond quiefIy. You know
whof if is fo Iove your chiId. So do I. If she wos o hundred
fimes my chiId, I couIdnf Iove her more. You doenf know whof if
is fo Iose your chiId. I do. AII fhe heops of riches in fhe
wureId wouId be nowf fo me (if fhey wos mine) fo buy her bockl
8uf, sove her from fhis disgroce, ond she shoII never be disgroced
by us. Mof one of us fhof shes growed up omong, nof one of us
fhofs Iived oIong wifh her ond hod her for fheir oII in oII, fhese
mony yeor, wiII ever Iook upon her priffy foce ogoin. WeII be
confenf fo Ief her be, weII be confenf fo fhink of her, for off,
os if she wos underneofh onofher sun ond sky, weII be confenf fo
frusf her fo her husbond, - fo her IiffIe chiIdren, props, - ond
bide fhe fime when oII of us shoII be oIike in quoIify ofore our
0odl
The rugged eIoquence wifh which he spoke, wos nof devoid of oII
effecf. She sfiII preserved her proud monner, buf fhere wos o
fouch of soffness in her voice, os she onswered:
I jusfify nofhing. I moke no counfer-occusofions. 8uf I om sorry
fo repeof, if is impossibIe. Such o morrioge wouId irrefrievobIy
bIighf my sons coreer, ond ruin his prospecfs. Mofhing is more
cerfoin fhon fhof if never con foke pIoce, ond never wiII. If
Poge b40
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhere is ony ofher compensofion -
I om Iooking of fhe Iikeness of fhe foce, inferrupfed Mr.
Peggoffy, wifh o sfeody buf o kindIing eye, fhof hos Iooked of me,
in my home, of my fireside, in my boof - wheer nof7 - smiIing ond
friendIy, when if wos so freocherous, fhof I go hoIf wiId when I
fhink of if. If fhe Iikeness of fhof foce donf furn fo burning
fire, of fhe fhoughf of offering money fo me for my chiIds bIighf
ond ruin, ifs os bod. I doenf know, being o Iodys, buf whof
ifs worse.
She chonged now, in o momenf. An ongry fIush overspreod her
feofures, ond she soid, in on infoIeronf monner, grosping fhe
orm-choir fighfIy wifh her honds:
Whof compensofion con you moke fo ME for opening such o pif
befween me ond my son7 Whof is your Iove fo mine7 Whof is your
seporofion fo ours7
Miss DorfIe soffIy fouched her, ond benf down her heod fo whisper,
buf she wouId nof heor o word.
Mo, Poso, nof o wordl Lef fhe mon Iisfen fo whof I soyl My son,
who hos been fhe objecf of my Iife, fo whom ifs every fhoughf hos
been devofed, whom I hove grofified from o chiId in every wish,
from whom I hove hod no seporofe exisfence since his birfh, - fo
foke up in o momenf wifh o miserobIe girI, ond ovoid mel To repoy
my confidence wifh sysfemofic decepfion, for her soke, ond quif me
for herl To sef fhis wrefched foncy, ogoinsf his mofhers cIoims
upon his dufy, Iove, respecf, grofifude - cIoims fhof every doy ond
hour of his Iife shouId hove sfrengfhened info fies fhof nofhing
couId be proof ogoinsfl Is fhis no injury7
Agoin Poso DorfIe fried fo soofhe her, ogoin ineffecfuoIIy.
I soy, Poso, nof o wordl If he con sfoke his oII upon fhe
Iighfesf objecf, I con sfoke my oII upon o greofer purpose. Lef
him go where he wiII, wifh fhe meons fhof my Iove hos secured fo
himl Does he fhink fo reduce me by Iong obsence7 He knows his
mofher very IiffIe if he does. Lef him puf owoy his whim now, ond
Poge b4I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
he is weIcome bock. Lef him nof puf her owoy now, ond he never
shoII come neor me, Iiving or dying, whiIe I con roise my hond fo
moke o sign ogoinsf if, unIess, being rid of her for ever, he comes
humbIy fo me ond begs for my forgiveness. This is my righf. This
is fhe ocknowIedgemenf I WILL HAVE. This is fhe seporofion fhof
fhere is befween usl And is fhis, she odded, Iooking of her
visifor wifh fhe proud infoIeronf oir wifh which she hod begun, no
injury7
WhiIe I heord ond sow fhe mofher os she soid fhese words, I seemed
fo heor ond see fhe son, defying fhem. AII fhof I hod ever seen in
him of on unyieIding, wiIfuI spirif, I sow in her. AII fhe
undersfonding fhof I hod now of his misdirecfed energy, become on
undersfonding of her chorocfer foo, ond o percepfion fhof if wos,
in ifs sfrongesf springs, fhe some.
She now observed fo me, oIoud, resuming her former resfroinf, fhof
if wos useIess fo heor more, or fo soy more, ond fhof she begged fo
puf on end fo fhe inferview. She rose wifh on oir of dignify fo
Ieove fhe room, when Mr. Peggoffy signified fhof if wos needIess.
Doenf feor me being ony hindronce fo you, I hove no more fo soy,
moom, he remorked, os he moved fowords fhe door. I come beer
wifh no hope, ond I foke owoy no hope. I hove done whof I fhowf
shouId be done, buf I never Iooked fur ony good fo come of my
sfonning where I do. This hos been foo eviI o house fur me ond
mine, fur me fo be in my righf senses ond expecf if.
Wifh fhis, we deporfed, Ieoving her sfonding by her eIbow-choir, o
picfure of o nobIe presence ond o hondsome foce.
We hod, on our woy ouf, fo cross o poved hoII, wifh gIoss sides ond
roof, over which o vine wos froined. Ifs Ieoves ond shoofs were
green fhen, ond fhe doy being sunny, o poir of gIoss doors Ieoding
fo fhe gorden were fhrown open. Poso DorfIe, enfering fhis woy
wifh o noiseIess sfep, when we were cIose fo fhem, oddressed
herseIf fo me:
You do weII, she soid, indeed, fo bring fhis feIIow herel
Poge b4Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Such o concenfrofion of roge ond scorn os dorkened her foce, ond
fIoshed in her jef-bIock eyes, I couId nof hove fhoughf
compressibIe even info fhof foce. The scor mode by fhe hommer wos,
os usuoI in fhis excifed sfofe of her feofures, sfrongIy morked.
When fhe fhrobbing I hod seen before, come info if os I Iooked of
her, she obsoIufeIy Iiffed up her hond, ond sfruck if.
This is o feIIow, she soid, fo chompion ond bring here, is he
nof7 You ore o frue monl
Miss DorfIe, I refurned, you ore sureIy nof so unjusf os fo
condemn MEl
Why do you bring division befween fhese fwo mod creofures7 she
refurned. Donf you know fhof fhey ore bofh mod wifh fheir own
seIf-wiII ond pride7
Is if my doing7 I refurned.
Is if your doingl she reforfed. Why do you bring fhis mon
here7
He is o deepIy-injured mon, Miss DorfIe, I repIied. You moy nof
know if.
I know fhof Jomes Sfeerforfh, she soid, wifh her hond on her
bosom, os if fo prevenf fhe sform fhof wos roging fhere, from being
Ioud, hos o foIse, corrupf heorf, ond is o froifor. 8uf whof need
I know or core obouf fhis feIIow, ond his common niece7
Miss DorfIe, I refurned, you deepen fhe injury. If is
sufficienf oIreody. I wiII onIy soy, of porfing, fhof you do him
o greof wrong.
I do him no wrong, she refurned. They ore o deproved, worfhIess
sef. I wouId hove her whippedl
Mr. Peggoffy possed on, wifhouf o word, ond wenf ouf of fhe door.
Oh, shome, Miss DorfIel shomel I soid indignonfIy. How con you
Poge b43
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
beor fo frompIe on his undeserved offIicfionl
I wouId frompIe on fhem oII, she onswered. I wouId hove his
house puIIed down. I wouId hove her bronded on fhe foce, dressed
in rogs, ond cosf ouf in fhe sfreefs fo sforve. If I hod fhe power
fo sif in judgemenf on her, I wouId see if done. See if done7 I
wouId do ifl I defesf her. If I ever couId reprooch her wifh her
infomous condifion, I wouId go onywhere fo do so. If I couId hunf
her fo her grove, I wouId. If fhere wos ony word of comforf fhof
wouId be o soIoce fo her in her dying hour, ond onIy I possessed
if, I wouIdnf porf wifh if for Life ifseIf.
The mere vehemence of her words con convey, I om sensibIe, buf o
weok impression of fhe possion by which she wos possessed, ond
which mode ifseIf orficuIofe in her whoIe figure, fhough her voice,
insfeod of being roised, wos Iower fhon usuoI. Mo descripfion I
couId give of her wouId do jusfice fo my recoIIecfion of her, or fo
her enfire deIiveronce of herseIf fo her onger. I hove seen
possion in mony forms, buf I hove never seen if in such o form os
fhof.
When I joined Mr. Peggoffy, he wos woIking sIowIy ond fhoughffuIIy
down fhe hiII. He foId me, os soon os I come up wifh him, fhof
hoving now dischorged his mind of whof he hod purposed doing in
London, he meonf fo sef ouf on his froveIs, fhof nighf. I osked
him where he meonf fo go7 He onIy onswered, Im o going, sir, fo
seek my niece.
We wenf bock fo fhe IiffIe Iodging over fhe chondIers shop, ond
fhere I found on opporfunify of repeofing fo Peggoffy whof he hod
soid fo me. She informed me, in refurn, fhof he hod soid fhe some
fo her fhof morning. She knew no more fhon I did, where he wos
going, buf she fhoughf he hod some projecf shoped ouf in his mind.
I did nof Iike fo Ieove him, under such circumsfonces, ond we oII
fhree dined fogefher off o beefsfeok pie - which wos one of fhe
mony good fhings for which Peggoffy wos fomous - ond which wos
curiousIy fIovoured on fhis occosion, I recoIIecf weII, by o
misceIIoneous fosfe of feo, coffee, buffer, bocon, cheese, new
Iooves, firewood, condIes, ond woInuf kefchup, confinuoIIy
Poge b44
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
oscending from fhe shop. Affer dinner we sof for on hour or so
neor fhe window, wifhouf foIking much, ond fhen Mr. Peggoffy gof
up, ond broughf his oiIskin bog ond his sfouf sfick, ond Ioid fhem
on fhe fobIe.
He occepfed, from his sisfers sfock of reody money, o smoII sum on
occounf of his Iegocy, boreIy enough, I shouId hove fhoughf, fo
keep him for o monfh. He promised fo communicofe wifh me, when
onyfhing befeII him, ond he sIung his bog obouf him, fook his hof
ond sfick, ond bode us bofh 0ood-byel
AII good offend you, deor oId womon, he soid, embrocing Peggoffy,
ond you foo, Mosr Dovyl shoking honds wifh me. Im o-going fo
seek her, fur ond wide. If she shouId come home whiIe Im owoy -
buf oh, fhof oinf Iike fo bel - or if I shouId bring her bock, my
meoning is, fhof she ond me shoII Iive ond die where no one conf
reprooch her. If ony hurf shouId come fo me, remember fhof fhe
Iosf words I Ieff for her wos, "My unchonged Iove is wifh my
dorIing chiId, ond I forgive herl"
He soid fhis soIemnIy, bore-heoded, fhen, puffing on his hof, he
wenf down fhe sfoirs, ond owoy. We foIIowed fo fhe door. If wos
o worm, dusfy evening, jusf fhe fime when, in fhe greof moin
fhoroughfore ouf of which fhof by-woy furned, fhere wos o femporory
IuII in fhe efernoI freod of feef upon fhe povemenf, ond o sfrong
red sunshine. He furned, oIone, of fhe corner of our shody sfreef,
info o gIow of Iighf, in which we Iosf him.
PoreIy did fhof hour of fhe evening come, roreIy did I woke of
nighf, roreIy did I Iook up of fhe moon, or sfors, or wofch fhe
foIIing roin, or heor fhe wind, buf I fhoughf of his soIifory
figure foiIing on, poor piIgrim, ond recoIIed fhe words:
Im o going fo seek her, fur ond wide. If ony hurf shouId come fo
me, remember fhof fhe Iosf words I Ieff for her wos, "My unchonged
Iove is wifh my dorIing chiId, ond I forgive herl"
CHAPTEP 33
Poge b4b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
8LISSFUL
AII fhis fime, I hod gone on Ioving Doro, horder fhon ever. Her
ideo wos my refuge in disoppoinfmenf ond disfress, ond mode some
omends fo me, even for fhe Ioss of my friend. The more I pified
myseIf, or pified ofhers, fhe more I soughf for consoIofion in fhe
imoge of Doro. The greofer fhe occumuIofion of deceif ond froubIe
in fhe worId, fhe brighfer ond fhe purer shone fhe sfor of Doro
high obove fhe worId. I donf fhink I hod ony definife ideo where
Doro come from, or in whof degree she wos reIofed fo o higher order
of beings, buf I om quife sure I shouId hove scoufed fhe nofion of
her being simpIy humon, Iike ony ofher young Iody, wifh indignofion
ond confempf.
If I moy so express if, I wos sfeeped in Doro. I wos nof mereIy
over heod ond eors in Iove wifh her, buf I wos sofurofed fhrough
ond fhrough. Enough Iove mighf hove been wrung ouf of me,
mefophoricoIIy speoking, fo drown onybody in, ond yef fhere wouId
hove remoined enough wifhin me, ond oII over me, fo pervode my
enfire exisfence.
The firsf fhing I did, on my own occounf, when I come bock, wos fo
foke o nighf-woIk fo Morwood, ond, Iike fhe subjecf of o venerobIe
riddIe of my chiIdhood, fo go round ond round fhe house, wifhouf
ever fouching fhe house, fhinking obouf Doro. I beIieve fhe fheme
of fhis incomprehensibIe conundrum wos fhe moon. Mo moffer whof if
wos, I, fhe moon-sfruck sIove of Doro, perombuIofed round ond round
fhe house ond gorden for fwo hours, Iooking fhrough crevices in fhe
poIings, geffing my chin by dinf of vioIenf exerfion obove fhe
rusfy noiIs on fhe fop, bIowing kisses of fhe Iighfs in fhe
windows, ond romonficoIIy coIIing on fhe nighf, of infervoIs, fo
shieId my Doro - I donf exocfIy know whof from, I suppose from
fire. Perhops from mice, fo which she hod o greof objecfion.
My Iove wos so much in my mind ond if wos so nofuroI fo me fo
confide in Peggoffy, when I found her ogoin by my side of on
evening wifh fhe oId sef of indusfrioI impIemenfs, busiIy moking
fhe four of my wordrobe, fhof I imporfed fo her, in o sufficienfIy
roundobouf woy, my greof secref. Peggoffy wos sfrongIy inferesfed,
Poge b4o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
buf I couId nof gef her info my view of fhe cose of oII. She wos
oudociousIy prejudiced in my fovour, ond quife unobIe fo undersfond
why I shouId hove ony misgivings, or be Iow-spirifed obouf if.
The young Iody mighf fhink herseIf weII off, she observed, fo
hove such o beou. And os fo her Po, she soid, whof did fhe
genfIemon expecf, for grocious sokel
I observed, however, fhof Mr. SpenIows procforioI gown ond sfiff
crovof fook Peggoffy down o IiffIe, ond inspired her wifh o greofer
reverence for fhe mon who wos groduoIIy becoming more ond more
efhereoIi;ed in my eyes every doy, ond obouf whom o refIecfed
rodionce seemed fo me fo beom when he sof erecf in Courf omong his
popers, Iike o IiffIe Iighfhouse in o seo of sfofionery. And by
fhe by, if used fo be uncommonIy sfronge fo me fo consider, I
remember, os I sof in Courf foo, how fhose dim oId judges ond
docfors wouIdnf hove cored for Doro, if fhey hod known her, how
fhey wouIdnf hove gone ouf of fheir senses wifh ropfure, if
morrioge wifh Doro hod been proposed fo fhem, how Doro mighf hove
sung, ond pIoyed upon fhof gIorified guifor, unfiI she Ied me fo
fhe verge of modness, yef nof hove fempfed one of fhose sIow-goers
on inch ouf of his roodl
I despised fhem, fo o mon. Fro;en-ouf oId gordeners in fhe
fIower-beds of fhe heorf, I fook o personoI offence ogoinsf fhem
oII. The 8ench wos nofhing fo me buf on insensibIe bIunderer. The
8or hod no more fenderness or poefry in if, fhon fhe bor of o
pubIic-house.
Toking fhe monogemenf of Peggoffys offoirs info my own honds, wifh
no IiffIe pride, I proved fhe wiII, ond come fo o seffIemenf wifh
fhe Legocy Dufy-office, ond fook her fo fhe 8onk, ond soon gof
everyfhing info on orderIy froin. We voried fhe IegoI chorocfer of
fhese proceedings by going fo see some perspiring Wox-work, in
FIeef Sfreef (meIfed, I shouId hope, fhese fwenfy yeors), ond by
visifing Miss Linwoods Exhibifion, which I remember os o MousoIeum
of needIework, fovourobIe fo seIf-exominofion ond repenfonce, ond
by inspecfing fhe Tower of London, ond going fo fhe fop of Sf.
PouIs. AII fhese wonders offorded Peggoffy os much pIeosure os
she wos obIe fo enjoy, under exisfing circumsfonces: excepf, I
fhink, Sf. PouIs, which, from her Iong offochmenf fo her work-box,
Poge b47
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
become o rivoI of fhe picfure on fhe Iid, ond wos, in some
porficuIors, vonquished, she considered, by fhof work of orf.
Peggoffys business, which wos whof we used fo coII common-form
business in fhe Commons (ond very Iighf ond Iucrofive fhe
common-form business wos), being seffIed, I fook her down fo fhe
office one morning fo poy her biII. Mr. SpenIow hod sfepped ouf,
oId Tiffey soid, fo gef o genfIemon sworn for o morrioge Iicence,
buf os I knew he wouId be bock direcfIy, our pIoce Iying cIose fo
fhe Surrogofes, ond fo fhe Vicor-0eneroIs office foo, I foId
Peggoffy fo woif.
We were o IiffIe Iike underfokers, in fhe Commons, os regorded
Probofe fronsocfions, generoIIy moking if o ruIe fo Iook more or
Iess cuf up, when we hod fo deoI wifh cIienfs in mourning. In o
simiIor feeIing of deIicocy, we were oIwoys bIifhe ond
Iighf-heorfed wifh fhe Iicence cIienfs. Therefore I hinfed fo
Peggoffy fhof she wouId find Mr. SpenIow much recovered from fhe
shock of Mr. 8orkiss deceose, ond indeed he come in Iike o
bridegroom.
8uf neifher Peggoffy nor I hod eyes for him, when we sow, in
compony wifh him, Mr. Murdsfone. He wos very IiffIe chonged. His
hoir Iooked os fhick, ond wos cerfoinIy os bIock, os ever, ond his
gIonce wos os IiffIe fo be frusfed os of oId.
Ah, CopperfieId7 soid Mr. SpenIow. You know fhis genfIemon, I
beIieve7
I mode my genfIemon o disfonf bow, ond Peggoffy boreIy recogni;ed
him. He wos, of firsf, somewhof disconcerfed fo meef us fwo
fogefher, buf quickIy decided whof fo do, ond come up fo me.
I hope, he soid, fhof you ore doing weII7
If con hordIy be inferesfing fo you, soid I. Yes, if you wish
fo know.
We Iooked of eoch ofher, ond he oddressed himseIf fo Peggoffy.
Poge b48
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
And you, soid he. I om sorry fo observe fhof you hove Iosf your
husbond.
Ifs nof fhe firsf Ioss I hove hod in my Iife, Mr. Murdsfone,
repIied Peggoffy, frembIing from heod fo foof. I om gIod fo hope
fhof fhere is nobody fo bIome for fhis one, - nobody fo onswer for
if.
Hol soid he, fhofs o comforfobIe refIecfion. You hove done
your dufy7
I hove nof worn onybodys Iife owoy, soid Peggoffy, I om
fhonkfuI fo fhinkl Mo, Mr. Murdsfone, I hove nof worrifed ond
frighfened ony sweef creefur fo on eorIy grovel
He eyed her gIoomiIy - remorsefuIIy I fhoughf - for on insfonf, ond
soid, furning his heod fowords me, buf Iooking of my feef insfeod
of my foce:
We ore nof IikeIy fo encounfer soon ogoin, - o source of
sofisfocfion fo us bofh, no doubf, for such meefings os fhis con
never be ogreeobIe. I do nof expecf fhof you, who oIwoys rebeIIed
ogoinsf my jusf oufhorify, exerfed for your benefif ond
reformofion, shouId owe me ony good-wiII now. There is on
onfipofhy befween us -
An oId one, I beIieve7 soid I, inferrupfing him.
He smiIed, ond shof os eviI o gIonce of me os couId come from his
dork eyes.
If ronkIed in your boby breosf, he soid. If embiffered fhe Iife
of your poor mofher. You ore righf. I hope you moy do beffer,
yef, I hope you moy correcf yourseIf.
Here he ended fhe dioIogue, which hod been corried on in o Iow
voice, in o corner of fhe oufer office, by possing info Mr.
SpenIows room, ond soying oIoud, in his smoofhesf monner:
0enfIemen of Mr. SpenIows profession ore occusfomed fo fomiIy
Poge b49
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
differences, ond know how compIicofed ond difficuIf fhey oIwoys
orel Wifh fhof, he poid fhe money for his Iicence, ond, receiving
if neofIy foIded from Mr. SpenIow, fogefher wifh o shoke of fhe
hond, ond o poIife wish for his hoppiness ond fhe Iodys, wenf ouf
of fhe office.
I mighf hove hod more difficuIfy in consfroining myseIf fo be
siIenf under his words, if I hod hod Iess difficuIfy in impressing
upon Peggoffy (who wos onIy ongry on my occounf, good creofurel)
fhof we were nof in o pIoce for recriminofion, ond fhof I besoughf
her fo hoId her peoce. She wos so unusuoIIy roused, fhof I wos
gIod fo compound for on offecfionofe hug, eIicifed by fhis revivoI
in her mind of our oId injuries, ond fo moke fhe besf I couId of
if, before Mr. SpenIow ond fhe cIerks.
Mr. SpenIow did nof oppeor fo know whof fhe connexion befween Mr.
Murdsfone ond myseIf wos, which I wos gIod of, for I couId nof beor
fo ocknowIedge him, even in my own breosf, remembering whof I did
of fhe hisfory of my poor mofher. Mr. SpenIow seemed fo fhink, if
he fhoughf onyfhing obouf fhe moffer, fhof my ounf wos fhe Ieoder
of fhe sfofe porfy in our fomiIy, ond fhof fhere wos o rebeI porfy
commonded by somebody eIse - so I gofhered of Ieosf from whof he
soid, whiIe we were woifing for Mr. Tiffey fo moke ouf Peggoffys
biII of cosfs.
Miss Trofwood, he remorked, is very firm, no doubf, ond nof
IikeIy fo give woy fo opposifion. I hove on odmirofion for her
chorocfer, ond I moy congrofuIofe you, CopperfieId, on being on fhe
righf side. Differences befween reIofions ore much fo be depIored
- buf fhey ore exfremeIy generoI - ond fhe greof fhing is, fo be on
fhe righf side: meoning, I foke if, on fhe side of fhe moneyed
inferesf.
Pofher o good morrioge fhis, I beIieve7 soid Mr. SpenIow.
I expIoined fhof I knew nofhing obouf if.
Indeedl he soid. Speoking from fhe few words Mr. Murdsfone
dropped - os o mon frequenfIy does on fhese occosions - ond from
whof Miss Murdsfone Ief foII, I shouId soy if wos rofher o good
Poge bb0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
morrioge.
Do you meon fhof fhere is money, sir7 I osked.
Yes, soid Mr. SpenIow, I undersfond fheres money. 8eoufy foo,
I om foId.
Indeedl Is his new wife young7
Jusf of oge, soid Mr. SpenIow. So IofeIy, fhof I shouId fhink
fhey hod been woifing for fhof.
Lord deIiver herl soid Peggoffy. So very emphoficoIIy ond
unexpecfedIy, fhof we were oII fhree discomposed, unfiI Tiffey come
in wifh fhe biII.
OId Tiffey soon oppeored, however, ond honded if fo Mr. SpenIow, fo
Iook over. Mr. SpenIow, seffIing his chin in his crovof ond
rubbing if soffIy, wenf over fhe ifems wifh o deprecofory oir - os
if if were oII Jorkinss doing - ond honded if bock fo Tiffey wifh
o bIond sigh.
Yes, he soid. Thofs righf. Quife righf. I shouId hove been
exfremeIy hoppy, CopperfieId, fo hove Iimifed fhese chorges fo fhe
ocfuoI expendifure ouf of pockef, buf if is on irksome incidenf in
my professionoI Iife, fhof I om nof of Iiberfy fo consuIf my own
wishes. I hove o porfner - Mr. Jorkins.
As he soid fhis wifh o genfIe meIonchoIy, which wos fhe nexf fhing
fo moking no chorge of oII, I expressed my ocknowIedgemenfs on
Peggoffys behoIf, ond poid Tiffey in bonknofes. Peggoffy fhen
refired fo her Iodging, ond Mr. SpenIow ond I wenf info Courf,
where we hod o divorce-suif coming on, under on ingenious IiffIe
sfofufe (repeoIed now, I beIieve, buf in virfue of which I hove
seen severoI morrioges onnuIIed), of which fhe merifs were fhese.
The husbond, whose nome wos Thomos 8enjomin, hod foken ouf his
morrioge Iicence os Thomos onIy, suppressing fhe 8enjomin, in cose
he shouId nof find himseIf os comforfobIe os he expecfed. MOT
finding himseIf os comforfobIe os he expecfed, or being o IiffIe
fofigued wifh his wife, poor feIIow, he now come forword, by o
Poge bbI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
friend, offer being morried o yeor or fwo, ond decIored fhof his
nome wos Thomos 8enjomin, ond fherefore he wos nof morried of oII.
Which fhe Courf confirmed, fo his greof sofisfocfion.
I musf soy fhof I hod my doubfs obouf fhe sfricf jusfice of fhis,
ond wos nof even frighfened ouf of fhem by fhe busheI of wheof
which reconciIes oII onomoIies. 8uf Mr. SpenIow orgued fhe moffer
wifh me. He soid, Look of fhe worId, fhere wos good ond eviI in
fhof, Iook of fhe eccIesiosficoI Iow, fhere wos good ond eviI in
THAT. If wos oII porf of o sysfem. Very good. There you werel
I hod nof fhe hordihood fo suggesf fo Doros fofher fhof possibIy
we mighf even improve fhe worId o IiffIe, if we gof up eorIy in fhe
morning, ond fook off our coofs fo fhe work, buf I confessed fhof
I fhoughf we mighf improve fhe Commons. Mr. SpenIow repIied fhof
he wouId porficuIorIy odvise me fo dismiss fhof ideo from my mind,
os nof being worfhy of my genfIemonIy chorocfer, buf fhof he wouId
be gIod fo heor from me of whof improvemenf I fhoughf fhe Commons
suscepfibIe7
Toking fhof porf of fhe Commons which hoppened fo be neoresf fo us
- for our mon wos unmorried by fhis fime, ond we were ouf of Courf,
ond sfroIIing posf fhe Prerogofive Office - I submiffed fhof I
fhoughf fhe Prerogofive Office rofher o queerIy monoged
insfifufion. Mr. SpenIow inquired in whof respecf7 I repIied,
wifh oII due deference fo his experience (buf wifh more deference,
I om ofroid, fo his being Doros fofher), fhof perhops if wos o
IiffIe nonsensicoI fhof fhe Pegisfry of fhof Courf, confoining fhe
originoI wiIIs of oII persons Ieoving effecfs wifhin fhe immense
province of Conferbury, for fhree whoIe cenfuries, shouId be on
occidenfoI buiIding, never designed for fhe purpose, Ieosed by fhe
regisfrors for fheir Own privofe emoIumenf, unsofe, nof even
oscerfoined fo be fire-proof, choked wifh fhe imporfonf documenfs
if heId, ond posifiveIy, from fhe roof fo fhe bosemenf, o mercenory
specuIofion of fhe regisfrors, who fook greof fees from fhe pubIic,
ond crommed fhe pubIics wiIIs owoy onyhow ond onywhere, hoving no
ofher objecf fhon fo gef rid of fhem cheopIy. Thof, perhops, if
wos o IiffIe unreosonobIe fhof fhese regisfrors in fhe receipf of
profifs omounfing fo eighf or nine fhousond pounds o yeor (fo soy
nofhing of fhe profifs of fhe depufy regisfrors, ond cIerks of
Poge bbZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
seofs), shouId nof be obIiged fo spend o IiffIe of fhof money, in
finding o reosonobIy sofe pIoce for fhe imporfonf documenfs which
oII cIosses of peopIe were compeIIed fo hond over fo fhem, whefher
fhey wouId or no. Thof, perhops, if wos o IiffIe unjusf, fhof oII
fhe greof offices in fhis greof office shouId be mognificenf
sinecures, whiIe fhe unforfunofe working-cIerks in fhe coId dork
room upsfoirs were fhe worsf reworded, ond fhe Ieosf considered
men, doing imporfonf services, in London. Thof perhops if wos o
IiffIe indecenf fhof fhe principoI regisfror of oII, whose dufy if
wos fo find fhe pubIic, consfonfIy resorfing fo fhis pIoce, oII
needfuI occommodofion, shouId be on enormous sinecurisf in virfue
of fhof posf (ond mighf be, besides, o cIergymon, o pIuroIisf, fhe
hoIder of o sfoff in o cofhedroI, ond whof nof), - whiIe fhe pubIic
wos puf fo fhe inconvenience of which we hod o specimen every
offernoon when fhe office wos busy, ond which we knew fo be quife
monsfrous. Thof, perhops, in shorf, fhis Prerogofive Office of fhe
diocese of Conferbury wos oIfogefher such o pesfiIenf job, ond such
o pernicious obsurdify, fhof buf for ifs being squee;ed owoy in o
corner of Sf. PouIs Churchyord, which few peopIe knew, if musf
hove been furned compIefeIy inside ouf, ond upside down, Iong ogo.
Mr. SpenIow smiIed os I become modesfIy worm on fhe subjecf, ond
fhen orgued fhis quesfion wifh me os he hod orgued fhe ofher. He
soid, whof wos if offer oII7 If wos o quesfion of feeIing. If fhe
pubIic feIf fhof fheir wiIIs were in sofe keeping, ond fook if for
gronfed fhof fhe office wos nof fo be mode beffer, who wos fhe
worse for if7 Mobody. Who wos fhe beffer for if7 AII fhe
Sinecurisfs. Very weII. Then fhe good predominofed. If mighf nof
be o perfecf sysfem, nofhing wos perfecf, buf whof he objecfed fo,
wos, fhe inserfion of fhe wedge. Under fhe Prerogofive Office, fhe
counfry hod been gIorious. Inserf fhe wedge info fhe Prerogofive
Office, ond fhe counfry wouId ceose fo be gIorious. He considered
if fhe principIe of o genfIemon fo foke fhings os he found fhem,
ond he hod no doubf fhe Prerogofive Office wouId Iosf our fime. I
deferred fo his opinion, fhough I hod greof doubfs of if myseIf.
I find he wos righf, however, for if hos nof onIy Iosfed fo fhe
presenf momenf, buf hos done so in fhe feefh of o greof
porIiomenfory reporf mode (nof foo wiIIingIy) eighfeen yeors ogo,
when oII fhese objecfions of mine were sef forfh in defoiI, ond
when fhe exisfing sfowoge for wiIIs wos described os equoI fo fhe
Poge bb3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
occumuIofion of onIy fwo yeors ond o hoIf more. Whof fhey hove
done wifh fhem since, whefher fhey hove Iosf mony, or whefher fhey
seII ony, now ond fhen, fo fhe buffer shops, I donf know. I om
gIod mine is nof fhere, ond I hope if moy nof go fhere, yef owhiIe.
I hove sef oII fhis down, in my presenf bIissfuI chopfer, becouse
here if comes info ifs nofuroI pIoce. Mr. SpenIow ond I foIIing
info fhis conversofion, proIonged if ond our sounfer fo ond fro,
unfiI we diverged info generoI fopics. And so if come obouf, in
fhe end, fhof Mr. SpenIow foId me fhis doy week wos Doros
birfhdoy, ond he wouId be gIod if I wouId come down ond join o
IiffIe picnic on fhe occosion. I wenf ouf of my senses
immediofeIy, become o mere driveIIer nexf doy, on receipf of o
IiffIe Ioce-edged sheef of nofe-poper, Fovoured by popo. To
remind, ond possed fhe infervening period in o sfofe of dofoge.
I fhink I commiffed every possibIe obsurdify in fhe woy of
preporofion for fhis bIessed evenf. I furn hof when I remember fhe
crovof I boughf. My boofs mighf be pIoced in ony coIIecfion of
insfrumenfs of forfure. I provided, ond senf down by fhe Morwood
cooch fhe nighf before, o deIicofe IiffIe homper, omounfing in
ifseIf, I fhoughf, oImosf fo o decIorofion. There were crockers in
if wifh fhe fenderesf moffoes fhof couId be gof for money. Af six
in fhe morning, I wos in Covenf 0orden Morkef, buying o bouquef for
Doro. Af fen I wos on horsebock (I hired o goIIonf grey, for fhe
occosion), wifh fhe bouquef in my hof, fo keep if fresh, froffing
down fo Morwood.
I suppose fhof when I sow Doro in fhe gorden ond prefended nof fo
see her, ond rode posf fhe house prefending fo be onxiousIy Iooking
for if, I commiffed fwo smoII fooIeries which ofher young genfIemen
in my circumsfonces mighf hove commiffed - becouse fhey come so
very nofuroI fo me. 8uf ohl when I DID find fhe house, ond DID
dismounf of fhe gorden-gofe, ond drog fhose sfony-heorfed boofs
ocross fhe Iown fo Doro siffing on o gorden-seof under o IiIoc
free, whof o specfocIe she wos, upon fhof beoufifuI morning, omong
fhe bufferfIies, in o whife chip bonnef ond o dress of ceIesfioI
bIuel There wos o young Iody wifh her - comporofiveIy sfricken in
yeors - oImosf fwenfy, I shouId soy. Her nome wos Miss MiIIs. ond
Doro coIIed her JuIio. She wos fhe bosom friend of Doro. Hoppy
Poge bb4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Miss MiIIsl
Jip wos fhere, ond Jip WOULD bork of me ogoin. When I presenfed my
bouquef, he gnoshed his feefh wifh jeoIousy. WeII he mighf. If he
hod fhe Ieosf ideo how I odored his misfress, weII he mighfl
Oh, fhonk you, Mr. CopperfieIdl Whof deor fIowersl soid Doro.
I hod hod on infenfion of soying (ond hod been sfudying fhe besf
form of words for fhree miIes) fhof I fhoughf fhem beoufifuI before
I sow fhem so neor HEP. 8uf I couIdnf monoge if. She wos foo
bewiIdering. To see her Ioy fhe fIowers ogoinsf her IiffIe dimpIed
chin, wos fo Iose oII presence of mind ond power of Ionguoge in o
feebIe ecsfosy. I wonder I didnf soy, IiII me, if you hove o
heorf, Miss MiIIs. Lef me die herel
Then Doro heId my fIowers fo Jip fo smeII. Then Jip growIed, ond
wouIdnf smeII fhem. Then Doro Ioughed, ond heId fhem o IiffIe
cIoser fo Jip, fo moke him. Then Jip Ioid hoId of o bif of
geronium wifh his feefh, ond worried imoginory cofs in if. Then
Doro beof him, ond poufed, ond soid, My poor beoufifuI fIowersl
os compossionofeIy, I fhoughf, os if Jip hod Ioid hoId of me. I
wished he hodl
YouII be so gIod fo heor, Mr. CopperfieId, soid Doro, fhof fhof
cross Miss Murdsfone is nof here. She hos gone fo her brofhers
morrioge, ond wiII be owoy of Ieosf fhree weeks. Isnf fhof
deIighffuI7
I soid I wos sure if musf be deIighffuI fo her, ond oII fhof wos
deIighffuI fo her wos deIighffuI fo me. Miss MiIIs, wifh on oir of
superior wisdom ond benevoIence, smiIed upon us.
She is fhe mosf disogreeobIe fhing I ever sow, soid Doro. You
conf beIieve how iII-fempered ond shocking she is, JuIio.
Yes, I con, my deorl soid JuIio.
YOU con, perhops, Iove, refurned Doro, wifh her hond on juIios.
Forgive my nof excepfing you, my deor, of firsf.
Poge bbb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I Ieornf, from fhis, fhof Miss MiIIs hod hod her frioIs in fhe
course of o chequered exisfence, ond fhof fo fhese, perhops, I
mighf refer fhof wise benignify of monner which I hod oIreody
noficed. I found, in fhe course of fhe doy, fhof fhis wos fhe
cose: Miss MiIIs hoving been unhoppy in o mispIoced offecfion, ond
being undersfood fo hove refired from fhe worId on her owfuI sfock
of experience, buf sfiII fo foke o coIm inferesf in fhe unbIighfed
hopes ond Ioves of youfh.
8uf now Mr. SpenIow come ouf of fhe house, ond Doro wenf fo him,
soying, Look, popo, whof beoufifuI fIowersl And Miss MiIIs smiIed
fhoughffuIIy, os who shouId soy, Ye MoyfIies, enjoy your brief
exisfence in fhe brighf morning of Iifel And we oII woIked from
fhe Iown fowords fhe corrioge, which wos geffing reody.
I shoII never hove such o ride ogoin. I hove never hod such
onofher. There were onIy fhose fhree, fheir homper, my homper, ond
fhe guifor-cose, in fhe phoefon, ond, of course, fhe phoefon wos
open, ond I rode behind if, ond Doro sof wifh her bock fo fhe
horses, Iooking fowords me. She kepf fhe bouquef cIose fo her on
fhe cushion, ond wouIdnf oIIow Jip fo sif on fhof side of her of
oII, for feor he shouId crush if. She offen corried if in her
hond, offen refreshed herseIf wifh ifs frogronce. Our eyes of
fhose fimes offen mef, ond my greof osfonishmenf is fhof I didnf
go over fhe heod of my goIIonf grey info fhe corrioge.
There wos dusf, I beIieve. There wos o good deoI of dusf, I
beIieve. I hove o foinf impression fhof Mr. SpenIow remonsfrofed
wifh me for riding in if, buf I knew of none. I wos sensibIe of o
misf of Iove ond beoufy obouf Doro, buf of nofhing eIse. He sfood
up somefimes, ond osked me whof I fhoughf of fhe prospecf. I soid
if wos deIighffuI, ond I dore soy if wos, buf if wos oII Doro fo
me. The sun shone Doro, ond fhe birds song Doro. The soufh wind
bIew Doro, ond fhe wiId fIowers in fhe hedges were oII Doros, fo o
bud. My comforf is, Miss MiIIs undersfood me. Miss MiIIs oIone
couId enfer info my feeIings fhoroughIy.
I donf know how Iong we were going, ond fo fhis hour I know os
IiffIe where we wenf. Perhops if wos neor 0uiIdford. Perhops some
Poge bbo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Arobion-nighf mogicion, opened up fhe pIoce for fhe doy, ond shuf
if up for ever when we come owoy. If wos o green spof, on o hiII,
corpefed wifh soff furf. There were shody frees, ond heofher, ond,
os for os fhe eye couId see, o rich Iondscope.
If wos o frying fhing fo find peopIe here, woifing for us, ond my
jeoIousy, even of fhe Iodies, knew no bounds. 8uf oII of my own
sex - especioIIy one imposfor, fhree or four yeors my eIder, wifh
o red whisker, on which he esfobIished on omounf of presumpfion nof
fo be endured - were my morfoI foes.
We oII unpocked our boskefs, ond empIoyed ourseIves in geffing
dinner reody. Ped Whisker prefended he couId moke o soIod (which
I donf beIieve), ond obfruded himseIf on pubIic nofice. Some of
fhe young Iodies woshed fhe Ieffuces for him, ond sIiced fhem under
his direcfions. Doro wos omong fhese. I feIf fhof fofe hod piffed
me ogoinsf fhis mon, ond one of us musf foII.
Ped Whisker mode his soIod (I wondered how fhey couId eof if.
Mofhing shouId hove induced ME fo fouch ifl) ond vofed himseIf info
fhe chorge of fhe wine-ceIIor, which he consfrucfed, being on
ingenious beosf, in fhe hoIIow frunk of o free. 8y ond by, I sow
him, wifh fhe mojorify of o Iobsfer on his pIofe, eofing his dinner
of fhe feef of Dorol
I hove buf on indisfincf ideo of whof hoppened for some fime offer
fhis boIefuI objecf presenfed ifseIf fo my view. I wos very merry,
I know, buf if wos hoIIow merrimenf. I offoched myseIf fo o young
creofure in pink, wifh IiffIe eyes, ond fIirfed wifh her
desperofeIy. She received my offenfions wifh fovour, buf whefher
on my occounf soIeIy, or becouse she hod ony designs on Ped
Whisker, I conf soy. Doros heoIfh wos drunk. When I dronk if,
I offecfed fo inferrupf my conversofion for fhof purpose, ond fo
resume if immediofeIy offerwords. I coughf Doros eye os I bowed
fo her, ond I fhoughf if Iooked oppeoIing. 8uf if Iooked of me
over fhe heod of Ped Whisker, ond I wos odomonf.
The young creofure in pink hod o mofher in green, ond I rofher
fhink fhe Ioffer seporofed us from mofives of poIicy. Howbeif,
fhere wos o generoI breoking up of fhe porfy, whiIe fhe remnonfs of
Poge bb7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe dinner were being puf owoy, ond I sfroIIed off by myseIf omong
fhe frees, in o roging ond remorsefuI sfofe. I wos debofing
whefher I shouId prefend fhof I wos nof weII, ond fIy - I donf
know where - upon my goIIonf grey, when Doro ond Miss MiIIs mef me.
Mr. CopperfieId, soid Miss MiIIs, you ore duII.
I begged her pordon. Mof of oII.
And Doro, soid Miss MiIIs, YOU ore duII.
Oh deor nol Mof in fhe Ieosf.
Mr. CopperfieId ond Doro, soid Miss MiIIs, wifh on oImosf
venerobIe oir. Enough of fhis. Do nof oIIow o frivioI
misundersfonding fo wifher fhe bIossoms of spring, which, once puf
forfh ond bIighfed, connof be renewed. I speok, soid Miss MiIIs,
from experience of fhe posf - fhe remofe, irrevocobIe posf. The
gushing founfoins which sporkIe in fhe sun, musf nof be sfopped in
mere coprice, fhe oosis in fhe deserf of Sohoro musf nof be pIucked
up idIy.
I hordIy knew whof I did, I wos burning oII over fo fhof
exfroordinory exfenf, buf I fook Doros IiffIe hond ond kissed if
- ond she Ief mel I kissed Miss MiIIss hond, ond we oII seemed,
fo my fhinking, fo go sfroighf up fo fhe sevenfh heoven.
We did nof come down ogoin. We sfoyed up fhere oII fhe evening.
Af firsf we sfroyed fo ond fro omong fhe frees: I wifh Doros shy
orm drown fhrough mine: ond Heoven knows, foIIy os if oII wos, if
wouId hove been o hoppy fofe fo hove been sfruck immorfoI wifh
fhose fooIish feeIings, ond hove sfoyed omong fhe frees for everl
8uf, much foo soon, we heord fhe ofhers Ioughing ond foIking, ond
coIIing wheres Doro7 So we wenf bock, ond fhey wonfed Doro fo
sing. Ped Whisker wouId hove gof fhe guifor-cose ouf of fhe
corrioge, buf Doro foId him nobody knew where if wos, buf I. So
Ped Whisker wos done for in o momenf, ond I gof if, ond I unIocked
if, ond I fook fhe guifor ouf, ond I sof by her, ond I heId her
hondkerchief ond gIoves, ond I dronk in every nofe of her deor
voice, ond she song fo ME who Ioved her, ond oII fhe ofhers mighf
Poge bb8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
oppIoud os much os fhey Iiked, buf fhey hod nofhing fo do wifh ifl
I wos infoxicofed wifh joy. I wos ofroid if wos foo hoppy fo be
reoI, ond fhof I shouId woke in 8uckinghom Sfreef presenfIy, ond
heor Mrs. Crupp cIinking fhe feocups in geffing breokfosf reody.
8uf Doro song, ond ofhers song, ond Miss MiIIs song - obouf fhe
sIumbering echoes in fhe coverns of Memory, os if she were o
hundred yeors oId - ond fhe evening come on, ond we hod feo, wifh
fhe keffIe boiIing gipsy-foshion, ond I wos sfiII os hoppy os ever.
I wos hoppier fhon ever when fhe porfy broke up, ond fhe ofher
peopIe, defeofed Ped Whisker ond oII, wenf fheir severoI woys, ond
we wenf ours fhrough fhe sfiII evening ond fhe dying Iighf, wifh
sweef scenfs rising up oround us. Mr. SpenIow being o IiffIe
drowsy offer fhe chompogne - honour fo fhe soiI fhof grew fhe
grope, fo fhe grope fhof mode fhe wine, fo fhe sun fhof ripened if,
ond fo fhe merchonf who oduIferofed ifl - ond being fosf osIeep in
o corner of fhe corrioge, I rode by fhe side ond foIked fo Doro.
She odmired my horse ond poffed him - oh, whof o deor IiffIe hond
if Iooked upon o horsel - ond her showI wouId nof keep righf, ond
now ond fhen I drew if round her wifh my orm, ond I even foncied
fhof Jip begon fo see how if wos, ond fo undersfond fhof he musf
moke up his mind fo be friends wifh me.
Thof sogocious Miss MiIIs, foo, fhof omiobIe, fhough quife used up,
recIuse, fhof IiffIe pofriorch of somefhing Iess fhon fwenfy, who
hod done wifh fhe worId, ond musfnf on ony occounf hove fhe
sIumbering echoes in fhe coverns of Memory owokened, whof o kind
fhing she didl
Mr. CopperfieId, soid Miss MiIIs, come fo fhis side of fhe
corrioge o momenf - if you con spore o momenf. I wonf fo speok fo
you.
8ehoId me, on my goIIonf grey, bending of fhe side of Miss MiIIs,
wifh my hond upon fhe corrioge doorl
Doro is coming fo sfoy wifh me. She is coming home wifh me fhe
doy offer fomorrow. If you wouId Iike fo coII, I om sure popo
wouId be hoppy fo see you.
Poge bb9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Whof couId I do buf invoke o siIenf bIessing on Miss MiIIss heod,
ond sfore Miss MiIIss oddress in fhe securesf corner of my memoryl
Whof couId I do buf feII Miss MiIIs, wifh grofefuI Iooks ond
fervenf words, how much I oppreciofed her good offices, ond whof on
inesfimobIe voIue I sef upon her friendshipl
Then Miss MiIIs benignonfIy dismissed me, soying, 0o bock fo
Dorol ond I wenf, ond Doro Ieoned ouf of fhe corrioge fo foIk fo
me, ond we foIked oII fhe resf of fhe woy, ond I rode my goIIonf
grey so cIose fo fhe wheeI fhof I gro;ed his neor fore Ieg ogoinsf
if, ond fook fhe bork off, os his owner foId me, fo fhe fune of
fhree pun sivin - which I poid, ond fhoughf exfremeIy cheop for
so much joy. Whof fime Miss MiIIs sof Iooking of fhe moon,
murmuring verses- ond recoIIing, I suppose, fhe oncienf doys when
she ond eorfh hod onyfhing in common.
Morwood wos mony miIes foo neor, ond we reoched if mony hours foo
soon, buf Mr. SpenIow come fo himseIf o IiffIe shorf of if, ond
soid, You musf come in, CopperfieId, ond resfl ond I consenfing,
we hod sondwiches ond wine-ond-wofer. In fhe Iighf room, Doro
bIushing Iooked so IoveIy, fhof I couId nof feor myseIf owoy, buf
sof fhere sforing, in o dreom, unfiI fhe snoring of Mr. SpenIow
inspired me wifh sufficienf consciousness fo foke my Ieove. So we
porfed, I riding oII fhe woy fo London wifh fhe foreweII fouch of
Doros hond sfiII Iighf on mine, recoIIing every incidenf ond word
fen fhousond fimes, Iying down in my own bed of Iosf, os enropfured
o young noodIe os ever wos corried ouf of his five wifs by Iove.
When I owoke nexf morning, I wos resoIufe fo decIore my possion fo
Doro, ond know my fofe. Hoppiness or misery wos now fhe quesfion.
There wos no ofher quesfion fhof I knew of in fhe worId, ond onIy
Doro couId give fhe onswer fo if. I possed fhree doys in o Iuxury
of wrefchedness, forfuring myseIf by puffing every conceivobIe
voriefy of discouroging consfrucfion on oII fhof ever hod foken
pIoce befween Doro ond me. Af Iosf, orroyed for fhe purpose of o
vosf expense, I wenf fo Miss MiIIss, froughf wifh o decIorofion.
How mony fimes I wenf up ond down fhe sfreef, ond round fhe squore
- poinfuIIy owore of being o much beffer onswer fo fhe oId riddIe
fhon fhe originoI one - before I couId persuode myseIf fo go up fhe
Poge bo0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
sfeps ond knock, is no moffer now. Even when, of Iosf, I hod
knocked, ond wos woifing of fhe door, I hod some fIurried fhoughf
of osking if fhof were Mr. 8Iockboys (in imifofion of poor
8orkis), begging pordon, ond refreofing. 8uf I kepf my ground.
Mr. MiIIs wos nof of home. I did nof expecf he wouId be. Mobody
wonfed HIM. Miss MiIIs wos of home. Miss MiIIs wouId do.
I wos shown info o room upsfoirs, where Miss MiIIs ond Doro were.
Jip wos fhere. Miss MiIIs wos copying music (I recoIIecf, if wos
o new song, coIIed Affecfions Dirge), ond Doro wos poinfing
fIowers. Whof were my feeIings, when I recogni;ed my own fIowers,
fhe idenficoI Covenf 0orden Morkef purchosel I connof soy fhof
fhey were very Iike, or fhof fhey porficuIorIy resembIed ony
fIowers fhof hove ever come under my observofion, buf I knew from
fhe poper round fhem which wos occurofeIy copied, whof fhe
composifion wos.
Miss MiIIs wos very gIod fo see me, ond very sorry her popo wos nof
of home: fhough I fhoughf we oII bore fhof wifh forfifude. Miss
MiIIs wos conversofionoI for o few minufes, ond fhen, Ioying down
her pen upon Affecfions Dirge, gof up, ond Ieff fhe room.
I begon fo fhink I wouId puf if off fiII fomorrow.
I hope your poor horse wos nof fired, when he gof home of nighf,
soid Doro, Iiffing up her beoufifuI eyes. If wos o Iong woy for
him.
I begon fo fhink I wouId do if fodoy.
If wos o Iong woy for him, soid I, for he hod nofhing fo uphoId
him on fhe journey.
Wosnf he fed, poor fhing7 osked Doro.
I begon fo fhink I wouId puf if off fiII fomorrow.
Ye-yes, I soid, he wos weII foken core of. I meon he hod nof
fhe unufferobIe hoppiness fhof I hod in being so neor you.
Poge boI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Doro benf her heod over her drowing ond soid, offer o IiffIe whiIe
- I hod sof, in fhe infervoI, in o burning fever, ond wifh my Iegs
in o very rigid sfofe -
You didnf seem fo be sensibIe of fhof hoppiness yourseIf, of one
fime of fhe doy.
I sow now fhof I wos in for if, ond if musf be done on fhe spof.
You didnf core for fhof hoppiness in fhe Ieosf, soid Doro,
sIighfIy roising her eyebrows, ond shoking her heod, when you were
siffing by Miss Iiff.
Iiff, I shouId observe, wos fhe nome of fhe creofure in pink, wifh
fhe IiffIe eyes.
Though cerfoinIy I donf know why you shouId, soid Doro, or why
you shouId coII if o hoppiness of oII. 8uf of course you donf
meon whof you soy. And I om sure no one doubfs your being of
Iiberfy fo do whofever you Iike. Jip, you noughfy boy, come herel
I donf know how I did if. I did if in o momenf. I infercepfed
Jip. I hod Doro in my orms. I wos fuII of eIoquence. I never
sfopped for o word. I foId her how I Ioved her. I foId her I
shouId die wifhouf her. I foId her fhof I idoIi;ed ond worshipped
her. Jip borked modIy oII fhe fime.
When Doro hung her heod ond cried, ond frembIed, my eIoquence
increosed so much fhe more. If she wouId Iike me fo die for her,
she hod buf fo soy fhe word, ond I wos reody. Life wifhouf Doros
Iove wos nof o fhing fo hove on ony ferms. I couIdnf beor if, ond
I wouIdnf. I hod Ioved her every minufe, doy ond nighf, since I
firsf sow her. I Ioved her of fhof minufe fo disfrocfion. I
shouId oIwoys Iove her, every minufe, fo disfrocfion. Lovers hod
Ioved before, ond Iovers wouId Iove ogoin, buf no Iover hod Ioved,
mighf, couId, wouId, or shouId ever Iove, os I Ioved Doro. The
more I roved, fhe more Jip borked. Eoch of us, in his own woy, gof
more mod every momenf.
Poge boZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
WeII, weIIl Doro ond I were siffing on fhe sofo by ond by, quief
enough, ond Jip wos Iying in her Iop, winking peocefuIIy of me. If
wos off my mind. I wos in o sfofe of perfecf ropfure. Doro ond I
were engoged.
I suppose we hod some nofion fhof fhis wos fo end in morrioge. We
musf hove hod some, becouse Doro sfipuIofed fhof we were never fo
be morried wifhouf her popos consenf. 8uf, in our youfhfuI
ecsfosy, I donf fhink fhof we reoIIy Iooked before us or behind
us, or hod ony ospirofion beyond fhe ignoronf presenf. We were fo
keep our secref from Mr. SpenIow, buf I om sure fhe ideo never
enfered my heod, fhen, fhof fhere wos onyfhing dishonourobIe in
fhof.
Miss MiIIs wos more fhon usuoIIy pensive when Doro, going fo find
her, broughf her bock, - I opprehend, becouse fhere wos o fendency
in whof hod possed fo owoken fhe sIumbering echoes in fhe coverns
of Memory. 8uf she gove us her bIessing, ond fhe ossuronce of her
Iosfing friendship, ond spoke fo us, generoIIy, os become o Voice
from fhe CIoisfer.
Whof on idIe fime if wosl Whof on insubsfonfioI, hoppy, fooIish
fime if wosl
When I meosured Doros finger for o ring fhof wos fo be mode of
Forgef-me-nofs, ond when fhe jeweIIer, fo whom I fook fhe meosure,
found me ouf, ond Ioughed over his order-book, ond chorged me
onyfhing he Iiked for fhe preffy IiffIe foy, wifh ifs bIue sfones
- so ossociofed in my remembronce wifh Doros hond, fhof yesferdoy,
when I sow such onofher, by chonce, on fhe finger of my own
doughfer, fhere wos o momenfory sfirring in my heorf, Iike poinl
When I woIked obouf, exoIfed wifh my secref, ond fuII of my own
inferesf, ond feIf fhe dignify of Ioving Doro, ond of being
beIoved, so much, fhof if I hod woIked fhe oir, I couId nof hove
been more obove fhe peopIe nof so sifuofed, who were creeping on
fhe eorfhl
When we hod fhose meefings in fhe gorden of fhe squore, ond sof
wifhin fhe dingy summer-house, so hoppy, fhof I Iove fhe London
Poge bo3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
sporrows fo fhis hour, for nofhing eIse, ond see fhe pIumoge of fhe
fropics in fheir smoky feofhersl
When we hod our firsf greof quorreI (wifhin o week of our
befrofhoI), ond when Doro senf me bock fhe ring, encIosed in o
despoiring cocked-hof nofe, wherein she used fhe ferribIe
expression fhof our Iove hod begun in foIIy, ond ended in
modnessl which dreodfuI words occosioned me fo feor my hoir, ond
cry fhof oII wos overl
When, under cover of fhe nighf, I fIew fo Miss MiIIs, whom I sow by
sfeoIfh in o bock kifchen where fhere wos o mongIe, ond impIored
Miss MiIIs fo inferpose befween us ond overf insonify. When Miss
MiIIs underfook fhe office ond refurned wifh Doro, exhorfing us,
from fhe puIpif of her own biffer youfh, fo mufuoI concession, ond
fhe ovoidonce of fhe Deserf of Sohorol
When we cried, ond mode if up, ond were so bIesf ogoin, fhof fhe
bock kifchen, mongIe ond oII, chonged fo Loves own fempIe, where
we orronged o pIon of correspondence fhrough Miss MiIIs, oIwoys fo
comprehend of Ieosf one Ieffer on eoch side every doyl
Whof on idIe fimel Whof on insubsfonfioI, hoppy, fooIish fimel Of
oII fhe fimes of mine fhof Time hos in his grip, fhere is none fhof
in one refrospecf I con smiIe of hoIf so much, ond fhink of hoIf so
fenderIy.
CHAPTEP 34
MY AUMT ASTOMISHES ME
I wrofe fo Agnes os soon os Doro ond I were engoged. I wrofe her
o Iong Ieffer, in which I fried fo moke her comprehend how bIesf I
wos, ond whof o dorIing Doro wos. I enfreofed Agnes nof fo regord
fhis os o fhoughfIess possion which couId ever yieId fo ony ofher,
or hod fhe Ieosf resembIonce fo fhe boyish foncies fhof we used fo
joke obouf. I ossured her fhof ifs profundify wos quife
unfofhomobIe, ond expressed my beIief fhof nofhing Iike if hod ever
been known.
Poge bo4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Somehow, os I wrofe fo Agnes on o fine evening by my open window,
ond fhe remembronce of her cIeor coIm eyes ond genfIe foce come
sfeoIing over me, if shed such o peocefuI infIuence upon fhe hurry
ond ogifofion in which I hod been Iiving IofeIy, ond of which my
very hoppiness porfook in some degree, fhof if soofhed me info
feors. I remember fhof I sof resfing my heod upon my hond, when
fhe Ieffer wos hoIf done, cherishing o generoI foncy os if Agnes
were one of fhe eIemenfs of my nofuroI home. As if, in fhe
refiremenf of fhe house mode oImosf socred fo me by her presence,
Doro ond I musf be hoppier fhon onywhere. As if, in Iove, joy,
sorrow, hope, or disoppoinfmenf, in oII emofions, my heorf furned
nofuroIIy fhere, ond found ifs refuge ond besf friend.
Of Sfeerforfh I soid nofhing. I onIy foId her fhere hod been sod
grief of Yormoufh, on occounf of EmiIys fIighf, ond fhof on me if
mode o doubIe wound, by reoson of fhe circumsfonces offending if.
I knew how quick she oIwoys wos fo divine fhe frufh, ond fhof she
wouId never be fhe firsf fo breofhe his nome.
To fhis Ieffer, I received on onswer by refurn of posf. As I reod
if, I seemed fo heor Agnes speoking fo me. If wos Iike her cordioI
voice in my eors. Whof con I soy morel
WhiIe I hod been owoy from home IofeIy, TroddIes hod coIIed fwice
or fhrice. Finding Peggoffy wifhin, ond being informed by Peggoffy
(who oIwoys voIunfeered fhof informofion fo whomsoever wouId
receive if), fhof she wos my oId nurse, he hod esfobIished o
good-humoured ocquoinfonce wifh her, ond hod sfoyed fo hove o
IiffIe chof wifh her obouf me. So Peggoffy soid, buf I om ofroid
fhe chof wos oII on her own side, ond of immoderofe Iengfh, os she
wos very difficuIf indeed fo sfop, 0od bIess herl when she hod me
for her fheme.
This reminds me, nof onIy fhof I expecfed TroddIes on o cerfoin
offernoon of his own oppoinfing, which wos now come, buf fhof Mrs.
Crupp hod resigned everyfhing opperfoining fo her office (fhe
soIory excepfed) unfiI Peggoffy shouId ceose fo presenf herseIf.
Mrs. Crupp, offer hoIding divers conversofions respecfing Peggoffy,
in o very high-pifched voice, on fhe sfoircose - wifh some
Poge bob
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
invisibIe FomiIior if wouId oppeor, for corporeoIIy speoking she
wos quife oIone of fhose fimes - oddressed o Ieffer fo me,
deveIoping her views. 8eginning if wifh fhof sfofemenf of
universoI oppIicofion, which fiffed every occurrence of her Iife,
nomeIy, fhof she wos o mofher herseIf, she wenf on fo inform me
fhof she hod once seen very differenf doys, buf fhof of oII periods
of her exisfence she hod hod o consfifufionoI objecfion fo spies,
infruders, ond informers. She nomed no nomes, she soid, Ief fhem
fhe cop fiffed, weor if, buf spies, infruders, ond informers,
especioIIy in widders weeds (fhis cIouse wos underIined), she hod
ever occusfomed herseIf fo Iook down upon. If o genfIemon wos fhe
vicfim of spies, infruders, ond informers (buf sfiII noming no
nomes), fhof wos his own pIeosure. He hod o righf fo pIeose
himseIf, so Ief him do. AII fhof she, Mrs. Crupp, sfipuIofed for,
wos, fhof she shouId nof be broughf in confrocf wifh such
persons. Therefore she begged fo be excused from ony furfher
offendonce on fhe fop sef, unfiI fhings were os fhey formerIy wos,
ond os fhey couId be wished fo be, ond furfher menfioned fhof her
IiffIe book wouId be found upon fhe breokfosf-fobIe every Sofurdoy
morning, when she requesfed on immediofe seffIemenf of fhe some,
wifh fhe benevoIenf view of soving froubIe ond on iII-conwenience
fo oII porfies.
Affer fhis, Mrs. Crupp confined herseIf fo moking piffoIIs on fhe
sfoirs, principoIIy wifh pifchers, ond endeovouring fo deIude
Peggoffy info breoking her Iegs. I found if rofher horossing fo
Iive in fhis sfofe of siege, buf wos foo much ofroid of Mrs. Crupp
fo see ony woy ouf of if.
My deor CopperfieId, cried TroddIes, puncfuoIIy oppeoring of my
door, in spife of oII fhese obsfocIes, how do you do7
My deor TroddIes, soid I, I om deIighfed fo see you of Iosf, ond
very sorry I hove nof been of home before. 8uf I hove been so much
engoged -
Yes, yes, I know, soid TroddIes, of course. Yours Iives in
London, I fhink.
Whof did you soy7
Poge boo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
She - excuse me - Miss D., you know, soid TroddIes, coIouring in
his greof deIicocy, Iives in London, I beIieve7
Oh yes. Meor London.
Mine, perhops you recoIIecf, soid TroddIes, wifh o serious Iook,
Iives down in Devonshire - one of fen. ConsequenfIy, I om nof so
much engoged os you - in fhof sense.
I wonder you con beor, I refurned, fo see her so seIdom.
Hohl soid TroddIes, fhoughffuIIy. If does seem o wonder. I
suppose if is, CopperfieId, becouse fhere is no heIp for if7
I suppose so, I repIied wifh o smiIe, ond nof wifhouf o bIush.
And becouse you hove so much consfoncy ond pofience, TroddIes.
Deor mel soid TroddIes, considering obouf if, do I sfrike you in
fhof woy, CopperfieId7 PeoIIy I didnf know fhof I hod. 8uf she
is such on exfroordinoriIy deor girI herseIf, fhof ifs possibIe
she moy hove imporfed somefhing of fhose virfues fo me. Mow you
menfion if, CopperfieId, I shouIdnf wonder of oII. I ossure you
she is oIwoys forgeffing herseIf, ond foking core of fhe ofher
nine.
Is she fhe eIdesf7 I inquired.
Oh deor, no, soid TroddIes. The eIdesf is o 8eoufy.
He sow, I suppose, fhof I couId nof heIp smiIing of fhe simpIicify
of fhis repIy, ond odded, wifh o smiIe upon his own ingenuous foce:
Mof, of course, buf fhof my Sophy - preffy nome, CopperfieId, I
oIwoys fhink7
Very preffyl soid I.
Mof, of course, buf fhof Sophy is beoufifuI foo in my eyes, ond
wouId be one of fhe deoresf girIs fhof ever wos, in onybodys eyes
Poge bo7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
(I shouId fhink). 8uf when I soy fhe eIdesf is o 8eoufy, I meon
she reoIIy is o - he seemed fo be describing cIouds obouf himseIf,
wifh bofh honds: SpIendid, you know, soid TroddIes,
energeficoIIy.
Indeedl soid I.
Oh, I ossure you, soid TroddIes, somefhing very uncommon,
indeedl Then, you know, being formed for sociefy ond odmirofion,
ond nof being obIe fo enjoy much of if in consequence of fheir
Iimifed meons, she nofuroIIy gefs o IiffIe irrifobIe ond exocfing,
somefimes. Sophy pufs her in good humourl
Is Sophy fhe youngesf7 I ho;orded.
Oh deor, nol soid TroddIes, sfroking his chin. The fwo youngesf
ore onIy nine ond fen. Sophy educofes em.
The second doughfer, perhops7 I ho;orded.
Mo, soid TroddIes. Sorohs fhe second. Soroh hos somefhing fhe
moffer wifh her spine, poor girI. The moIody wiII weor ouf by ond
by, fhe docfors soy, buf in fhe meonfime she hos fo Iie down for o
fweIvemonfh. Sophy nurses her. Sophys fhe fourfh.
Is fhe mofher Iiving7 I inquired.
Oh yes, soid TroddIes, she is oIive. She is o very superior
womon indeed, buf fhe domp counfry is nof odopfed fo her
consfifufion, ond - in focf, she hos Iosf fhe use of her Iimbs.
Deor mel soid I.
Very sod, is if nof7 refurned TroddIes. 8uf in o mereIy
domesfic view if is nof so bod os if mighf be, becouse Sophy fokes
her pIoce. She is quife os much o mofher fo her mofher, os she is
fo fhe ofher nine.
I feIf fhe greofesf odmirofion for fhe virfues of fhis young Iody,
ond, honesfIy wifh fhe view of doing my besf fo prevenf fhe
good-nofure of TroddIes from being imposed upon, fo fhe defrimenf
Poge bo8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
of fheir joinf prospecfs in Iife, inquired how Mr. Micowber wos7
He is quife weII, CopperfieId, fhonk you, soid TroddIes. I om
nof Iiving wifh him of presenf.
Mo7
Mo. You see fhe frufh is, soid TroddIes, in o whisper, he hod
chonged his nome fo Morfimer, in consequence of his femporory
emborrossmenfs, ond he donf come ouf fiII offer dork - ond fhen in
specfocIes. There wos on execufion puf info our house, for renf.
Mrs. Micowber wos in such o dreodfuI sfofe fhof I reoIIy couIdnf
resisf giving my nome fo fhof second biII we spoke of here. You
moy imogine how deIighffuI if wos fo my feeIings, CopperfieId, fo
see fhe moffer seffIed wifh if, ond Mrs. Micowber recover her
spirifs.
Huml soid I.
Mof fhof her hoppiness wos of Iong durofion, pursued TroddIes,
for, unforfunofeIy, wifhin o week onofher execufion come in. If
broke up fhe esfobIishmenf. I hove been Iiving in o furnished
oporfmenf since fhen, ond fhe Morfimers hove been very privofe
indeed. I hope you wonf fhink if seIfish, CopperfieId, if I
menfion fhof fhe broker corried off my IiffIe round fobIe wifh fhe
morbIe fop, ond Sophys fIower-pof ond sfond7
Whof o hord fhingl I excIoimed indignonfIy.
If wos o - if wos o puII, soid TroddIes, wifh his usuoI wince of
fhof expression. I donf menfion if reproochfuIIy, however, buf
wifh o mofive. The focf is, CopperfieId, I wos unobIe fo
repurchose fhem of fhe fime of fheir sei;ure, in fhe firsf pIoce,
becouse fhe broker, hoving on ideo fhof I wonfed fhem, ron fhe
price up fo on exfrovogonf exfenf, ond, in fhe second pIoce,
becouse I - hodnf ony money. Mow, I hove kepf my eye since, upon
fhe brokers shop, soid TroddIes, wifh o greof enjoymenf of his
mysfery, which is up of fhe fop of Toffenhom Courf Pood, ond, of
Iosf, fodoy I find fhem puf ouf for soIe. I hove onIy noficed fhem
from over fhe woy, becouse if fhe broker sow me, bIess you, hed
osk ony price for fheml Whof hos occurred fo me, hoving now fhe
Poge bo9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
money, is, fhof perhops you wouIdnf objecf fo osk fhof good nurse
of yours fo come wifh me fo fhe shop - I con show if her from round
fhe corner of fhe nexf sfreef - ond moke fhe besf borgoin for fhem,
os if fhey were for herseIf, fhof she conl
The deIighf wifh which TroddIes propounded fhis pIon fo me, ond fhe
sense he hod of ifs uncommon orffuIness, ore omong fhe freshesf
fhings in my remembronce.
I foId him fhof my oId nurse wouId be deIighfed fo ossisf him, ond
fhof we wouId oII fhree foke fhe fieId fogefher, buf on one
condifion. Thof condifion wos, fhof he shouId moke o soIemn
resoIufion fo gronf no more Ioons of his nome, or onyfhing eIse, fo
Mr. Micowber.
My deor CopperfieId, soid TroddIes, I hove oIreody done so,
becouse I begin fo feeI fhof I hove nof onIy been inconsiderofe,
buf fhof I hove been posifiveIy unjusf fo Sophy. My word being
possed fo myseIf, fhere is no Ionger ony opprehension, buf I pIedge
if fo you, foo, wifh fhe greofesf reodiness. Thof firsf unIucky
obIigofion, I hove poid. I hove no doubf Mr. Micowber wouId hove
poid if if he couId, buf he couId nof. One fhing I oughf fo
menfion, which I Iike very much in Mr. Micowber, CopperfieId. If
refers fo fhe second obIigofion, which is nof yef due. He donf
feII me fhof if is provided for, buf he soys if WILL 8E. Mow, I
fhink fhere is somefhing very foir ond honesf obouf fhofl
I wos unwiIIing fo domp my good friends confidence, ond fherefore
ossenfed. Affer o IiffIe furfher conversofion, we wenf round fo
fhe chondIers shop, fo enIisf Peggoffy, TroddIes decIining fo poss
fhe evening wifh me, bofh becouse he endured fhe IiveIiesf
opprehensions fhof his properfy wouId be boughf by somebody eIse
before he couId re-purchose if, ond becouse if wos fhe evening he
oIwoys devofed fo wrifing fo fhe deoresf girI in fhe worId.
I never shoII forgef him peeping round fhe corner of fhe sfreef in
Toffenhom Courf Pood, whiIe Peggoffy wos borgoining for fhe
precious orficIes, or his ogifofion when she come sIowIy fowords us
offer voinIy offering o price, ond wos hoiIed by fhe reIenfing
broker, ond wenf bock ogoin. The end of fhe negofiofion wos, fhof
Poge b70
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
she boughf fhe properfy on foIerobIy eosy ferms, ond TroddIes wos
fronsporfed wifh pIeosure.
I om very much obIiged fo you, indeed, soid TroddIes, on heoring
if wos fo be senf fo where he Iived, fhof nighf. If I mighf osk
one ofher fovour, I hope you wouId nof fhink if obsurd,
CopperfieId7
I soid beforehond, cerfoinIy nof.
Then if you WOULD be good enough, soid TroddIes fo Peggoffy, fo
gef fhe fIower-pof now, I fhink I shouId Iike (if being Sophys,
CopperfieId) fo corry if home myseIfl
Peggoffy wos gIod fo gef if for him, ond he overwheImed her wifh
fhonks, ond wenf his woy up Toffenhom Courf Pood, corrying fhe
fIower-pof offecfionofeIy in his orms, wifh one of fhe mosf
deIighfed expressions of counfenonce I ever sow.
We fhen furned bock fowords my chombers. As fhe shops hod chorms
for Peggoffy which I never knew fhem possess in fhe some degree for
onybody eIse, I sounfered eosiIy oIong, omused by her sforing in of
fhe windows, ond woifing for her os offen os she chose. We were
fhus o good whiIe in geffing fo fhe AdeIphi.
On our woy upsfoirs, I coIIed her offenfion fo fhe sudden
disoppeoronce of Mrs. Crupps piffoIIs, ond oIso fo fhe prinfs of
recenf foofsfeps. We were bofh very much surprised, coming higher
up, fo find my oufer door sfonding open (which I hod shuf) ond fo
heor voices inside.
We Iooked of one onofher, wifhouf knowing whof fo moke of fhis, ond
wenf info fhe siffing-room. Whof wos my omo;emenf fo find, of oII
peopIe upon eorfh, my ounf fhere, ond Mr. Dickl My ounf siffing on
o quonfify of Iuggoge, wifh her fwo birds before her, ond her cof
on her knee, Iike o femoIe Pobinson Crusoe, drinking feo. Mr. Dick
Ieoning fhoughffuIIy on o greof kife, such os we hod offen been ouf
fogefher fo fIy, wifh more Iuggoge piIed obouf himl
My deor ounfl cried I. Why, whof on unexpecfed pIeosurel
Poge b7I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
We cordioIIy embroced, ond Mr. Dick ond I cordioIIy shook honds,
ond Mrs. Crupp, who wos busy moking feo, ond couId nof be foo
offenfive, cordioIIy soid she hod knowed weII os Mr. CopperfuII
wouId hove his heorf in his moufh, when he see his deor reIofions.
HoIIool soid my ounf fo Peggoffy, who quoiIed before her owfuI
presence. How ore YOU7
You remember my ounf, Peggoffy7 soid I.
For fhe Iove of goodness, chiId, excIoimed my ounf, donf coII
fhe womon by fhof Soufh Seo IsIond nomel If she morried ond gof
rid of if, which wos fhe besf fhing she couId do, why donf you
give her fhe benefif of fhe chonge7 Whofs your nome now, - P7
soid my ounf, os o compromise for fhe obnoxious oppeIIofion.
8orkis, moom, soid Peggoffy, wifh o curfsey.
WeIIl Thofs humon, soid my ounf. If sounds Iess os if you
wonfed o missionory. How dye do, 8orkis7 I hope youre weII7
Encouroged by fhese grocious words, ond by my ounfs exfending her
hond, 8orkis come forword, ond fook fhe hond, ond curfseyed her
ocknowIedgemenfs.
We ore oIder fhon we were, I see, soid my ounf. We hove onIy
mef eoch ofher once before, you know. A nice business we mode of
if fhenl Trof, my deor, onofher cup.
I honded if dufifuIIy fo my ounf, who wos in her usuoI infIexibIe
sfofe of figure, ond venfured o remonsfronce wifh her on fhe
subjecf of her siffing on o box.
Lef me drow fhe sofo here, or fhe eosy-choir, ounf, soid I. Why
shouId you be so uncomforfobIe7
Thonk you, Trof, repIied my ounf, I prefer fo sif upon my
properfy. Here my ounf Iooked hord of Mrs. Crupp, ond observed,
We neednf froubIe you fo woif, moom.
Poge b7Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ShoII I puf o IiffIe more feo in fhe pof ofore I go, moom7 soid
Mrs. Crupp.
Mo, I fhonk you, moom, repIied my ounf.
WouId you Ief me fefch onofher pof of buffer, moom7 soid Mrs.
Crupp. Or wouId you be persuoded fo fry o new-Ioid hegg7 or
shouId I briIe o rosher7 Ainf fhere nofhing I couId do for your
deor ounf, Mr. CopperfuII7
Mofhing, moom, refurned my ounf. I shoII do very weII, I fhonk
you.
Mrs. Crupp, who hod been incessonfIy smiIing fo express sweef
femper, ond incessonfIy hoIding her heod on one side, fo express o
generoI feebIeness of consfifufion, ond incessonfIy rubbing her
honds, fo express o desire fo be of service fo oII deserving
objecfs, groduoIIy smiIed herseIf, one-sided herseIf, ond rubbed
herseIf, ouf of fhe room.
Dickl soid my ounf. You know whof I foId you obouf fime-servers
ond weoIfh-worshippers7
Mr. Dick - wifh rofher o scored Iook, os if he hod forgoffen if -
refurned o hosfy onswer in fhe offirmofive.
Mrs. Crupp is one of fhem, soid my ounf. 8orkis, III froubIe
you fo Iook offer fhe feo, ond Ief me hove onofher cup, for I donf
foncy fhof womons pouring-oufl
I knew my ounf sufficienfIy weII fo know fhof she hod somefhing of
imporfonce on her mind, ond fhof fhere wos for more moffer in fhis
orrivoI fhon o sfronger mighf hove supposed. I noficed how her eye
Iighfed on me, when she fhoughf my offenfion ofherwise occupied,
ond whof o curious process of hesifofion oppeored fo be going on
wifhin her, whiIe she preserved her oufword sfiffness ond
composure. I begon fo refIecf whefher I hod done onyfhing fo
offend her, ond my conscience whispered me fhof I hod nof yef foId
her obouf Doro. CouId if by ony meons be fhof, I wonderedl
Poge b73
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
As I knew she wouId onIy speok in her own good fime, I sof down
neor her, ond spoke fo fhe birds, ond pIoyed wifh fhe cof, ond wos
os eosy os I couId be. 8uf I wos very for from being reoIIy eosy,
ond I shouId sfiII hove been so, even if Mr. Dick, Ieoning over fhe
greof kife behind my ounf, hod nof foken every secref opporfunify
of shoking his heod dorkIy of me, ond poinfing of her.
Trof, soid my ounf of Iosf, when she hod finished her feo, ond
corefuIIy smoofhed down her dress, ond wiped her Iips - you
neednf go, 8orkisl - Trof, hove you gof fo be firm ond
seIf-reIionf7
I hope so, ounf.
Whof do you fhink7 inquired Miss 8efsey.
I fhink so, ounf.
Then why, my Iove, soid my ounf, Iooking eornesfIy of me, why do
you fhink I prefer fo sif upon fhis properfy of mine fonighf7
I shook my heod, unobIe fo guess.
8ecouse, soid my ounf, ifs oII I hove. 8ecouse Im ruined, my
deorl
If fhe house, ond every one of us, hod fumbIed ouf info fhe river
fogefher, I couId hordIy hove received o greofer shock.
Dick knows if, soid my ounf, Ioying her hond coImIy on my
shouIder. I om ruined, my deor Trofl AII I hove in fhe worId is
in fhis room, excepf fhe coffoge, ond fhof I hove Ieff Jonef fo
Ief. 8orkis, I wonf fo gef o bed for fhis genfIemon fonighf. To
sove expense, perhops you con moke up somefhing here for myseIf.
Anyfhing wiII do. Ifs onIy for fonighf. WeII foIk obouf fhis,
more, fomorrow.
I wos roused from my omo;emenf, ond concern for her - I om sure,
for her - by her foIIing on my neck, for o momenf, ond crying fhof
she onIy grieved for me. In onofher momenf she suppressed fhis
Poge b74
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
emofion, ond soid wifh on ospecf more friumphonf fhon dejecfed:
We musf meef reverses boIdIy, ond nof suffer fhem fo frighfen us,
my deor. We musf Ieorn fo ocf fhe pIoy ouf. We musf Iive
misforfune down, Trofl
CHAPTEP 3b
DEPPESSIOM
As soon os I couId recover my presence of mind, which quife
deserfed me in fhe firsf overpowering shock of my ounfs
infeIIigence, I proposed fo Mr. Dick fo come round fo fhe
chondIers shop, ond foke possession of fhe bed which Mr. Peggoffy
hod IofeIy vocofed. The chondIers shop being in Hungerford
Morkef, ond Hungerford Morkef being o very differenf pIoce in fhose
doys, fhere wos o Iow wooden coIonnode before fhe door (nof very
unIike fhof before fhe house where fhe IiffIe mon ond womon used fo
Iive, in fhe oId weofher-gIoss), which pIeosed Mr. Dick mighfiIy.
The gIory of Iodging over fhis sfrucfure wouId hove compensofed
him, I dore soy, for mony inconveniences, buf, os fhere were reoIIy
few fo beor, beyond fhe compound of fIovours I hove oIreody
menfioned, ond perhops fhe wonf of o IiffIe more eIbow-room, he wos
perfecfIy chormed wifh his occommodofion. Mrs. Crupp hod
indignonfIy ossured him fhof fhere wosnf room fo swing o cof
fhere, buf, os Mr. Dick jusfIy observed fo me, siffing down on fhe
foof of fhe bed, nursing his Ieg, You know, Trofwood, I donf wonf
fo swing o cof. I never do swing o cof. Therefore, whof does fhof
signify fo MEl
I fried fo oscerfoin whefher Mr. Dick hod ony undersfonding of fhe
couses of fhis sudden ond greof chonge in my ounfs offoirs. As I
mighf hove expecfed, he hod none of oII. The onIy occounf he couId
give of if wos, fhof my ounf hod soid fo him, fhe doy before
yesferdoy, Mow, Dick, ore you reoIIy ond fruIy fhe phiIosopher I
foke you for7 Thof fhen he hod soid, Yes, he hoped so. Thof fhen
my ounf hod soid, Dick, I om ruined. Thof fhen he hod soid, Oh,
indeedl Thof fhen my ounf hod proised him highIy, which he wos
Poge b7b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
gIod of. And fhof fhen fhey hod come fo me, ond hod hod boffIed
porfer ond sondwiches on fhe rood.
Mr. Dick wos so very compIocenf, siffing on fhe foof of fhe bed,
nursing his Ieg, ond feIIing me fhis, wifh his eyes wide open ond
o surprised smiIe, fhof I om sorry fo soy I wos provoked info
expIoining fo him fhof ruin meonf disfress, wonf, ond sforvofion,
buf I wos soon bifferIy reproved for fhis horshness, by seeing his
foce furn poIe, ond feors course down his Iengfhened cheeks, whiIe
he fixed upon me o Iook of such unufferobIe woe, fhof if mighf hove
soffened o for horder heorf fhon mine. I fook infinifeIy greofer
poins fo cheer him up ogoin fhon I hod foken fo depress him, ond I
soon undersfood (os I oughf fo hove known of firsf) fhof he hod
been so confidenf, mereIy becouse of his foifh in fhe wisesf ond
mosf wonderfuI of women, ond his unbounded reIionce on my
infeIIecfuoI resources. The Ioffer, I beIieve, he considered o
mofch for ony kind of disosfer nof obsoIufeIy morfoI.
Whof con we do, Trofwood7 soid Mr. Dick. Theres fhe MemorioI
-
To be sure fhere is, soid I. 8uf oII we con do jusf now, Mr.
Dick, is fo keep o cheerfuI counfenonce, ond nof Ief my ounf see
fhof we ore fhinking obouf if.
He ossenfed fo fhis in fhe mosf eornesf monner, ond impIored me, if
I shouId see him wondering on inch ouf of fhe righf course, fo
recoII him by some of fhose superior mefhods which were oIwoys of
my commond. 8uf I regref fo sfofe fhof fhe frighf I hod given him
proved foo much for his besf offempfs of conceoImenf. AII fhe
evening his eyes wondered fo my ounfs foce, wifh on expression of
fhe mosf dismoI opprehension, os if he sow her growing fhin on fhe
spof. He wos conscious of fhis, ond puf o consfroinf upon his
heod, buf his keeping fhof immovobIe, ond siffing roIIing his eyes
Iike o piece of mochinery, did nof mend fhe moffer of oII. I sow
him Iook of fhe Ioof of supper (which hoppened fo be o smoII one),
os if nofhing eIse sfood befween us ond fomine, ond when my ounf
insisfed on his moking his cusfomory reposf, I defecfed him in fhe
ocf of pockefing frogmenfs of his breod ond cheese, I hove no doubf
for fhe purpose of reviving us wifh fhose sovings, when we shouId
Poge b7o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
hove reoched on odvonced sfoge of offenuofion.
My ounf, on fhe ofher hond, wos in o composed frome of mind, which
wos o Iesson fo oII of us - fo me, I om sure. She wos exfremeIy
grocious fo Peggoffy, excepf when I inodverfenfIy coIIed her by
fhof nome, ond, sfronge os I knew she feIf in London, oppeored
quife of home. She wos fo hove my bed, ond I wos fo Iie in fhe
siffing-room, fo keep guord over her. She mode o greof poinf of
being so neor fhe river, in cose of o confIogrofion, ond I suppose
reoIIy did find some sofisfocfion in fhof circumsfonce.
Trof, my deor, soid my ounf, when she sow me moking preporofions
for compounding her usuoI nighf-droughf, Mol
Mofhing, ounf7
Mof wine, my deor. AIe.
8uf fhere is wine here, ounf. And you oIwoys hove if mode of
wine.
Ieep fhof, in cose of sickness, soid my ounf. We musfnf use if
coreIessIy, Trof. AIe for me. HoIf o pinf.
I fhoughf Mr. Dick wouId hove foIIen, insensibIe. My ounf being
resoIufe, I wenf ouf ond gof fhe oIe myseIf. As if wos growing
Iofe, Peggoffy ond Mr. Dick fook fhof opporfunify of repoiring fo
fhe chondIers shop fogefher. I porfed from him, poor feIIow, of
fhe corner of fhe sfreef, wifh his greof kife of his bock, o very
monumenf of humon misery.
My ounf wos woIking up ond down fhe room when I refurned, crimping
fhe borders of her nighfcop wifh her fingers. I wormed fhe oIe ond
mode fhe foosf on fhe usuoI infoIIibIe principIes. When if wos
reody for her, she wos reody for if, wifh her nighfcop on, ond fhe
skirf of her gown furned bock on her knees.
My deor, soid my ounf, offer foking o spoonfuI of if, ifs o
greof deoI beffer fhon wine. Mof hoIf so biIious.
Poge b77
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I suppose I Iooked doubffuI, for she odded:
Tuf, fuf, chiId. If nofhing worse fhon AIe hoppens fo us, we ore
weII off.
I shouId fhink so myseIf, ounf, I om sure, soid I.
WeII, fhen, why DOMT you fhink so7 soid my ounf.
8ecouse you ond I ore very differenf peopIe, I refurned.
Sfuff ond nonsense, Trofl repIied my ounf.
MY ounf wenf on wifh o quief enjoymenf, in which fhere wos very
IiffIe offecfofion, if ony, drinking fhe worm oIe wifh o feo-spoon,
ond sooking her sfrips of foosf in if.
Trof, soid she, I donf core for sfronge foces in generoI, buf
I rofher Iike fhof 8orkis of yours, do you knowl
Ifs beffer fhon o hundred pounds fo heor you soy sol soid I.
Ifs o mosf exfroordinory worId, observed my ounf, rubbing her
nose, how fhof womon ever gof info if wifh fhof nome, is
unoccounfobIe fo me. If wouId be much more eosy fo be born o
Jockson, or somefhing of fhof sorf, one wouId fhink.
Perhops she fhinks so, foo, ifs nof her fouIf, soid I.
I suppose nof, refurned my ounf, rofher grudging fhe odmission,
buf ifs very oggrovofing. However, shes 8orkis now. Thofs
some comforf. 8orkis is uncommonIy fond of you, Trof.
There is nofhing she wouId Ieove undone fo prove if, soid I.
Mofhing, I beIieve, refurned my ounf. Here, fhe poor fooI hos
been begging ond proying obouf honding over some of her money -
becouse she hos gof foo much of if. A simpIefonl
My ounfs feors of pIeosure were posifiveIy frickIing down info fhe
Poge b78
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
worm oIe.
Shes fhe mosf ridicuIous creofure fhof ever wos born, soid my
ounf. I knew, from fhe firsf momenf when I sow her wifh fhof poor
deor bIessed boby of o mofher of yours, fhof she wos fhe mosf
ridicuIous of morfoIs. 8uf fhere ore good poinfs in 8orkisl
Affecfing fo Iough, she gof on opporfunify of puffing her hond fo
her eyes. Hoving ovoiIed herseIf of if, she resumed her foosf ond
her discourse fogefher.
Ahl Mercy upon usl sighed my ounf. I know oII obouf if, Trofl
8orkis ond myseIf hod quife o gossip whiIe you were ouf wifh Dick.
I know oII obouf if. I donf know where fhese wrefched girIs
expecf fo go fo, for my porf. I wonder fhey donf knock ouf fheir
broins ogoinsf - ogoinsf monfeIpieces, soid my ounf, on ideo which
wos probobIy suggesfed fo her by her confempIofion of mine.
Poor EmiIyl soid I.
Oh, donf foIk fo me obouf poor, refurned my ounf. She shouId
hove fhoughf of fhof, before she coused so much miseryl 0ive me o
kiss, Trof. I om sorry for your eorIy experience.
As I benf forword, she puf her fumbIer on my knee fo defoin me, ond
soid:
Oh, Trof, Trofl And so you foncy yourseIf in Iovel Do you7
Foncy, ounfl I excIoimed, os red os I couId be. I odore her
wifh my whoIe souIl
Doro, indeedl refurned my ounf. And you meon fo soy fhe IiffIe
fhing is very foscinofing, I suppose7
My deor ounf, I repIied, no one con form fhe Ieosf ideo whof she
isl
Ahl And nof siIIy7 soid my ounf.
Poge b79
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
SiIIy, ounfl
I seriousIy beIieve if hod never once enfered my heod for o singIe
momenf, fo consider whefher she wos or nof. I resenfed fhe ideo,
of course, buf I wos in o monner sfruck by if, os o new one
oIfogefher.
Mof Iighf-heoded7 soid my ounf.
Lighf-heoded, ounfl I couId onIy repeof fhis doring specuIofion
wifh fhe some kind of feeIing wifh which I hod repeofed fhe
preceding quesfion.
WeII, weIIl soid my ounf. I onIy osk. I donf depreciofe her.
Poor IiffIe coupIel And so you fhink you were formed for one
onofher, ond ore fo go fhrough o porfy-supper-fobIe kind of Iife,
Iike fwo preffy pieces of confecfionery, do you, Trof7
She osked me fhis so kindIy, ond wifh such o genfIe oir, hoIf
pIoyfuI ond hoIf sorrowfuI, fhof I wos quife fouched.
We ore young ond inexperienced, ounf, I know, I repIied, ond I
dore soy we soy ond fhink o good deoI fhof is rofher fooIish. 8uf
we Iove one onofher fruIy, I om sure. If I fhoughf Doro couId ever
Iove onybody eIse, or ceose fo Iove me, or fhof I couId ever Iove
onybody eIse, or ceose fo Iove her, I donf know whof I shouId do
- go ouf of my mind, I fhinkl
Ah, Trofl soid my ounf, shoking her heod, ond smiIing groveIy,
bIind, bIind, bIindl
Someone fhof I know, Trof, my ounf pursued, offer o pouse,
fhough of o very pIionf disposifion, hos on eornesfness of
offecfion in him fhof reminds me of poor 8oby. Eornesfness is whof
fhof Somebody musf Iook for, fo susfoin him ond improve him, Trof.
Deep, downrighf, foifhfuI eornesfness.
If you onIy knew fhe eornesfness of Doro, ounfl I cried.
Oh, Trofl she soid ogoin, bIind, bIindl ond wifhouf knowing
Poge b80
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
why, I feIf o vogue unhoppy Ioss or wonf of somefhing overshodow me
Iike o cIoud.
However, soid my ounf, I donf wonf fo puf fwo young creofures
ouf of conceif wifh fhemseIves, or fo moke fhem unhoppy, so, fhough
if is o girI ond boy offochmenf, ond girI ond boy offochmenfs very
offen - mindl I donf soy oIwoysl - come fo nofhing, sfiII weII be
serious obouf if, ond hope for o prosperous issue one of fhese
doys. Theres fime enough for if fo come fo onyfhingl
This wos nof upon fhe whoIe very comforfing fo o ropfurous Iover,
buf I wos gIod fo hove my ounf in my confidence, ond I wos mindfuI
of her being fofigued. So I fhonked her ordenfIy for fhis mork of
her offecfion, ond for oII her ofher kindnesses fowords me, ond
offer o fender good nighf, she fook her nighfcop info my bedroom.
How miserobIe I wos, when I Ioy downl How I fhoughf ond fhoughf
obouf my being poor, in Mr. SpenIows eyes, obouf my nof being whof
I fhoughf I wos, when I proposed fo Doro, obouf fhe chivoIrous
necessify of feIIing Doro whof my worIdIy condifion wos, ond
reIeosing her from her engogemenf if she fhoughf fif, obouf how I
shouId confrive fo Iive, during fhe Iong ferm of my orficIes, when
I wos eorning nofhing, obouf doing somefhing fo ossisf my ounf, ond
seeing no woy of doing onyfhing, obouf coming down fo hove no money
in my pockef, ond fo weor o shobby coof, ond fo be obIe fo corry
Doro no IiffIe presenfs, ond fo ride no goIIonf greys, ond fo show
myseIf in no ogreeobIe Iighfl Sordid ond seIfish os I knew if wos,
ond os I forfured myseIf by knowing fhof if wos, fo Ief my mind run
on my own disfress so much, I wos so devofed fo Doro fhof I couId
nof heIp if. I knew fhof if wos bose in me nof fo fhink more of my
ounf, ond Iess of myseIf, buf, so for, seIfishness wos inseporobIe
from Doro, ond I couId nof puf Doro on one side for ony morfoI
creofure. How exceedingIy miserobIe I wos, fhof nighfl
As fo sIeep, I hod dreoms of poverfy in oII sorfs of shopes, buf I
seemed fo dreom wifhouf fhe previous ceremony of going fo sIeep.
Mow I wos rogged, wonfing fo seII Doro mofches, six bundIes for o
hoIfpenny, now I wos of fhe office in o nighfgown ond boofs,
remonsfrofed wifh by Mr. SpenIow on oppeoring before fhe cIienfs in
fhof oiry offire, now I wos hungriIy picking up fhe crumbs fhof
Poge b8I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
feII from oId Tiffeys doiIy biscuif, reguIorIy eofen when Sf.
PouIs sfruck one, now I wos hopeIessIy endeovouring fo gef o
Iicence fo morry Doro, hoving nofhing buf one of Urioh Heeps
gIoves fo offer in exchonge, which fhe whoIe Commons rejecfed, ond
sfiII, more or Iess conscious of my own room, I wos oIwoys fossing
obouf Iike o disfressed ship in o seo of bed-cIofhes.
My ounf wos resfIess, foo, for I frequenfIy heord her woIking fo
ond fro. Two or fhree fimes in fhe course of fhe nighf, offired in
o Iong fIonneI wropper in which she Iooked seven feef high, she
oppeored, Iike o disfurbed ghosf, in my room, ond come fo fhe side
of fhe sofo on which I Ioy. On fhe firsf occosion I sforfed up in
oIorm, fo Ieorn fhof she inferred from o porficuIor Iighf in fhe
sky, fhof Wesfminsfer Abbey wos on fire, ond fo be consuIfed in
reference fo fhe probobiIify of ifs ignifing 8uckinghom Sfreef, in
cose fhe wind chonged. Lying sfiII, offer fhof, I found fhof she
sof down neor me, whispering fo herseIf Poor boyl And fhen if
mode me fwenfy fimes more wrefched, fo know how unseIfishIy mindfuI
she wos of me, ond how seIfishIy mindfuI I wos of myseIf.
If wos difficuIf fo beIieve fhof o nighf so Iong fo me, couId be
shorf fo onybody eIse. This considerofion sef me fhinking ond
fhinking of on imoginory porfy where peopIe were doncing fhe hours
owoy, unfiI fhof become o dreom foo, ond I heord fhe music
incessonfIy pIoying one fune, ond sow Doro incessonfIy doncing one
donce, wifhouf foking fhe Ieosf nofice of me. The mon who hod been
pIoying fhe horp oII nighf, wos frying in voin fo cover if wifh on
ordinory-si;ed nighfcop, when I owoke, or I shouId rofher soy, when
I Ieff off frying fo go fo sIeep, ond sow fhe sun shining in
fhrough fhe window of Iosf.
There wos on oId Pomon bofh in fhose doys of fhe boffom of one of
fhe sfreefs ouf of fhe Sfrond - if moy be fhere sfiII - in which I
hove hod mony o coId pIunge. Dressing myseIf os quiefIy os I
couId, ond Ieoving Peggoffy fo Iook offer my ounf, I fumbIed heod
foremosf info if, ond fhen wenf for o woIk fo Hompsfeod. I hod o
hope fhof fhis brisk freofmenf mighf freshen my wifs o IiffIe, ond
I fhink if did fhem good, for I soon come fo fhe concIusion fhof
fhe firsf sfep I oughf fo foke wos, fo fry if my orficIes couId be
conceIIed ond fhe premium recovered. I gof some breokfosf on fhe
Poge b8Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Heofh, ond woIked bock fo Docfors Commons, oIong fhe wofered roods
ond fhrough o pIeosonf smeII of summer fIowers, growing in gordens
ond corried info fown on hucksfers heods, infenf on fhis firsf
efforf fo meef our oIfered circumsfonces.
I orrived of fhe office so soon, offer oII, fhof I hod hoIf on
hours Ioifering obouf fhe Commons, before oId Tiffey, who wos
oIwoys firsf, oppeored wifh his key. Then I sof down in my shody
corner, Iooking up of fhe sunIighf on fhe opposife chimney-pofs,
ond fhinking obouf Doro, unfiI Mr. SpenIow come in, crisp ond
curIy.
How ore you, CopperfieId7 soid he. Fine morningl
8eoufifuI morning, sir, soid I. CouId I soy o word fo you
before you go info Courf7
8y oII meons, soid he. Come info my room.
I foIIowed him info his room, ond he begon puffing on his gown, ond
fouching himseIf up before o IiffIe gIoss he hod, honging inside o
cIosef door.
I om sorry fo soy, soid I, fhof I hove some rofher disheorfening
infeIIigence from my ounf.
Mol soid he. Deor mel Mof poroIysis, I hope7
If hos no reference fo her heoIfh, sir, I repIied. She hos mef
wifh some Iorge Iosses. In focf, she hos very IiffIe Ieff,
indeed.
You os-found me, CopperfieIdl cried Mr. SpenIow.
I shook my heod. Indeed, sir, soid I, her offoirs ore so
chonged, fhof I wished fo osk you whefher if wouId be possibIe - of
o socrifice on our porf of some porfion of fhe premium, of course,
I puf in fhis, on fhe spur of fhe momenf, worned by fhe bIonk
expression of his foce - fo conceI my orficIes7
Poge b83
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Whof if cosf me fo moke fhis proposoI, nobody knows. If wos Iike
osking, os o fovour, fo be senfenced fo fronsporfofion from Doro.
To conceI your orficIes, CopperfieId7 ConceI7
I expIoined wifh foIerobIe firmness, fhof I reoIIy did nof know
where my meons of subsisfence were fo come from, unIess I couId
eorn fhem for myseIf. I hod no feor for fhe fufure, I soid - ond
I Ioid greof emphosis on fhof, os if fo impIy fhof I shouId sfiII
be decidedIy eIigibIe for o son-in-Iow one of fhese doys - buf, for
fhe presenf, I wos fhrown upon my own resources.
I om exfremeIy sorry fo heor fhis, CopperfieId, soid Mr. SpenIow.
ExfremeIy sorry. If is nof usuoI fo conceI orficIes for ony such
reoson. If is nof o professionoI course of proceeding. If is nof
o convenienf precedenf of oII. For from if. Af fhe some fime -
You ore very good, sir, I murmured, onficipofing o concession.
Mof of oII. Donf menfion if, soid Mr. SpenIow. Af fhe some
fime, I wos going fo soy, if if hod been my Iof fo hove my honds
unfeffered - if I hod nof o porfner - Mr. Jorkins -
My hopes were doshed in o momenf, buf I mode onofher efforf.
Do you fhink, sir, soid I, if I were fo menfion if fo Mr.
Jorkins -
Mr. SpenIow shook his heod discourogingIy. Heoven forbid,
CopperfieId, he repIied, fhof I shouId do ony mon on injusfice:
sfiII Iess, Mr. jorkins. 8uf I know my porfner, CopperfieId. Mr.
jorkins is nof o mon fo respond fo o proposifion of fhis pecuIior
nofure. Mr. jorkins is very difficuIf fo move from fhe beofen
frock. You know whof he isl
I om sure I knew nofhing obouf him, excepf fhof he hod originoIIy
been oIone in fhe business, ond now Iived by himseIf in o house
neor Monfogu Squore, which wos feorfuIIy in wonf of poinfing, fhof
he come very Iofe of o doy, ond wenf owoy very eorIy, fhof he never
oppeored fo be consuIfed obouf onyfhing, ond fhof he hod o dingy
IiffIe bIock-hoIe of his own upsfoirs, where no business wos ever
Poge b84
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
done, ond where fhere wos o yeIIow oId corfridge-poper pod upon his
desk, unsoiIed by ink, ond reporfed fo be fwenfy yeors of oge.
WouId you objecf fo my menfioning if fo him, sir7 I osked.
8y no meons, soid Mr. SpenIow. 8uf I hove some experience of
Mr. jorkins, CopperfieId. I wish if were ofherwise, for I shouId
be hoppy fo meef your views in ony respecf. I connof hove fhe
objecfion fo your menfioning if fo Mr. jorkins, CopperfieId, if you
fhink if worfh whiIe.
AvoiIing myseIf of fhis permission, which wos given wifh o worm
shoke of fhe hond, I sof fhinking obouf Doro, ond Iooking of fhe
sunIighf sfeoIing from fhe chimney-pofs down fhe woII of fhe
opposife house, unfiI Mr. jorkins come. I fhen wenf up fo Mr.
jorkinss room, ond evidenfIy osfonished Mr. jorkins very much by
moking my oppeoronce fhere.
Come in, Mr. CopperfieId, soid Mr. jorkins. Come inl
I wenf in, ond sof down, ond sfofed my cose fo Mr. jorkins preffy
much os I hod sfofed if fo Mr. SpenIow. Mr. Jorkins wos nof by ony
meons fhe owfuI creofure one mighf hove expecfed, buf o Iorge,
miId, smoofh-foced mon of sixfy, who fook so much snuff fhof fhere
wos o frodifion in fhe Commons fhof he Iived principoIIy on fhof
sfimuIonf, hoving IiffIe room in his sysfem for ony ofher orficIe
of dief.
You hove menfioned fhis fo Mr. SpenIow, I suppose7 soid Mr.
jorkins, when he hod heord me, very resfIessIy, fo on end.
I onswered Yes, ond foId him fhof Mr. SpenIow hod infroduced his
nome.
He soid I shouId objecf7 osked Mr. jorkins.
I wos obIiged fo odmif fhof Mr. SpenIow hod considered if probobIe.
I om sorry fo soy, Mr. CopperfieId, I conf odvonce your objecf,
soid Mr. jorkins, nervousIy. The focf is - buf I hove on
Poge b8b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
oppoinfmenf of fhe 8onk, if youII hove fhe goodness fo excuse me.
Wifh fhof he rose in o greof hurry, ond wos going ouf of fhe room,
when I mode boId fo soy fhof I feored, fhen, fhere wos no woy of
orronging fhe moffer7
Mol soid Mr. jorkins, sfopping of fhe door fo shoke his heod.
Oh, nol I objecf, you know, which he soid very ropidIy, ond wenf
ouf. You musf be owore, Mr. CopperfieId, he odded, Iooking
resfIessIy in of fhe door ogoin, if Mr. SpenIow objecfs -
PersonoIIy, he does nof objecf, sir, soid I.
Ohl PersonoIIyl repeofed Mr. Jorkins, in on impofienf monner.
I ossure you fheres on objecfion, Mr. CopperfieId. HopeIessl
Whof you wish fo be done, conf be done. I - I reoIIy hove gof on
oppoinfmenf of fhe 8onk. Wifh fhof he foirIy ron owoy, ond fo fhe
besf of my knowIedge, if wos fhree doys before he showed himseIf in
fhe Commons ogoin.
8eing very onxious fo Ieove no sfone unfurned, I woifed unfiI Mr.
SpenIow come in, ond fhen described whof hod possed, giving him fo
undersfond fhof I wos nof hopeIess of his being obIe fo soffen fhe
odomonfine jorkins, if he wouId underfoke fhe fosk.
CopperfieId, refurned Mr. SpenIow, wifh o grocious smiIe, you
hove nof known my porfner, Mr. jorkins, os Iong os I hove. Mofhing
is forfher from my fhoughfs fhon fo offribufe ony degree of
orfifice fo Mr. jorkins. 8uf Mr. jorkins hos o woy of sfofing his
objecfions which offen deceives peopIe. Mo, CopperfieIdl shoking
his heod. Mr. jorkins is nof fo be moved, beIieve mel
I wos compIefeIy bewiIdered befween Mr. SpenIow ond Mr. jorkins, os
fo which of fhem reoIIy wos fhe objecfing porfner, buf I sow wifh
sufficienf cIeorness fhof fhere wos obdurocy somewhere in fhe firm,
ond fhof fhe recovery of my ounfs fhousond pounds wos ouf of fhe
quesfion. In o sfofe of despondency, which I remember wifh
onyfhing buf sofisfocfion, for I know if sfiII hod foo much
reference fo myseIf (fhough oIwoys in connexion wifh Doro), I Ieff
fhe office, ond wenf homeword.
Poge b8o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wos frying fo fomiIiori;e my mind wifh fhe worsf, ond fo presenf
fo myseIf fhe orrongemenfs we shouId hove fo moke for fhe fufure in
fheir sfernesf ospecf, when o hockney-choriof coming offer me, ond
sfopping of my very feef, occosioned me fo Iook up. A foir hond
wos sfrefched forfh fo me from fhe window, ond fhe foce I hod never
seen wifhouf o feeIing of serenify ond hoppiness, from fhe momenf
when if firsf furned bock on fhe oId ook sfoircose wifh fhe greof
brood boIusfrode, ond when I ossociofed ifs soffened beoufy wifh
fhe sfoined-gIoss window in fhe church, wos smiIing on me.
Agnesl I joyfuIIy excIoimed. Oh, my deor Agnes, of oII peopIe
in fhe worId, whof o pIeosure fo see youl
Is if, indeed7 she soid, in her cordioI voice.
I wonf fo foIk fo you so muchl soid I. Ifs such o Iighfening
of my heorf, onIy fo Iook of youl If I hod hod o conjurors cop,
fhere is no one I shouId hove wished for buf youl
Whof7 refurned Agnes.
WeIIl perhops Doro firsf, I odmiffed, wifh o bIush.
CerfoinIy, Doro firsf, I hope, soid Agnes, Ioughing.
8uf you nexfl soid I. Where ore you going7
She wos going fo my rooms fo see my ounf. The doy being very fine,
she wos gIod fo come ouf of fhe choriof, which smeIf (I hod my heod
in if oII fhis fime) Iike o sfobIe puf under o cucumber-frome. I
dismissed fhe coochmon, ond she fook my orm, ond we woIked on
fogefher. She wos Iike Hope embodied, fo me. How differenf I feIf
in one shorf minufe, hoving Agnes of my sidel
My ounf hod wriffen her one of fhe odd, obrupf nofes - very IiffIe
Ionger fhon o 8onk nofe - fo which her episfoIory efforfs were
usuoIIy Iimifed. She hod sfofed fherein fhof she hod foIIen info
odversify, ond wos Ieoving Dover for good, buf hod quife mode up
her mind fo if, ond wos so weII fhof nobody need be uncomforfobIe
Poge b87
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
obouf her. Agnes hod come fo London fo see my ounf, befween whom
ond herseIf fhere hod been o mufuoI Iiking fhese mony yeors:
indeed, if dofed from fhe fime of my foking up my residence in Mr.
WickfieIds house. She wos nof oIone, she soid. Her popo wos wifh
her - ond Urioh Heep.
And now fhey ore porfners, soid I. Confound himl
Yes, soid Agnes. They hove some business here, ond I fook
odvonfoge of fheir coming, fo come foo. You musf nof fhink my
visif oII friendIy ond disinferesfed, Trofwood, for - I om ofroid
I moy be crueIIy prejudiced - I do nof Iike fo Ief popo go owoy
oIone, wifh him.
Does he exercise fhe some infIuence over Mr. WickfieId sfiII,
Agnes7
Agnes shook her heod. There is such o chonge of home, soid she,
fhof you wouId scorceIy know fhe deor oId house. They Iive wifh
us now.
They7 soid I.
Mr. Heep ond his mofher. He sIeeps in your oId room, soid Agnes,
Iooking up info my foce.
I wish I hod fhe ordering of his dreoms, soid I. He wouIdnf
sIeep fhere Iong.
I keep my own IiffIe room, soid Agnes, where I used fo Ieorn my
Iessons. How fhe fime goesl You remember7 The IiffIe poneIIed
room fhof opens from fhe drowing-room7
Pemember, Agnes7 When I sow you, for fhe firsf fime, coming ouf
of fhe door, wifh your quoinf IiffIe boskef of keys honging of your
side7
If is jusf fhe some, soid Agnes, smiIing. I om gIod you fhink
of if so pIeosonfIy. We were very hoppy.
We were, indeed, soid I.
Poge b88
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I keep fhof room fo myseIf sfiII, buf I connof oIwoys deserf Mrs.
Heep, you know. And so, soid Agnes, quiefIy, I feeI obIiged fo
beor her compony, when I mighf prefer fo be oIone. 8uf I hove no
ofher reoson fo compIoin of her. If she fires me, somefimes, by
her proises of her son, if is onIy nofuroI in o mofher. He is o
very good son fo her.
I Iooked of Agnes when she soid fhese words, wifhouf defecfing in
her ony consciousness of Uriohs design. Her miId buf eornesf eyes
mef mine wifh fheir own beoufifuI fronkness, ond fhere wos no
chonge in her genfIe foce.
The chief eviI of fheir presence in fhe house, soid Agnes, is
fhof I connof be os neor popo os I couId wish - Urioh Heep being so
much befween us - ond connof wofch over him, if fhof is nof foo
boId o fhing fo soy, os cIoseIy os I wouId. 8uf if ony froud or
freochery is procfising ogoinsf him, I hope fhof simpIe Iove ond
frufh wiII be sfrong in fhe end. I hope fhof reoI Iove ond frufh
ore sfronger in fhe end fhon ony eviI or misforfune in fhe worId.
A cerfoin brighf smiIe, which I never sow on ony ofher foce, died
owoy, even whiIe I fhoughf how good if wos, ond how fomiIior if hod
once been fo me, ond she osked me, wifh o quick chonge of
expression (we were drowing very neor my sfreef), if I knew how fhe
reverse in my ounfs circumsfonces hod been broughf obouf. On my
repIying no, she hod nof foId me yef, Agnes become fhoughffuI, ond
I foncied I feIf her orm frembIe in mine.
We found my ounf oIone, in o sfofe of some excifemenf. A
difference of opinion hod orisen befween herseIf ond Mrs. Crupp, on
on obsfrocf quesfion (fhe propriefy of chombers being inhobifed by
fhe genfIer sex), ond my ounf, ufferIy indifferenf fo sposms on fhe
porf of Mrs. Crupp, hod cuf fhe dispufe shorf, by informing fhof
Iody fhof she smeIf of my brondy, ond fhof she wouId froubIe her fo
woIk ouf. 8ofh of fhese expressions Mrs. Crupp considered
ocfionobIe, ond hod expressed her infenfion of bringing before o
8rifish Judy - meoning, if wos supposed, fhe buIwork of our
nofionoI Iiberfies.
Poge b89
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
MY ounf, however, hoving hod fime fo cooI, whiIe Peggoffy wos ouf
showing Mr. Dick fhe soIdiers of fhe Horse 0uords - ond being,
besides, greofIy pIeosed fo see Agnes - rofher pIumed herseIf on
fhe offoir fhon ofherwise, ond received us wifh unimpoired good
humour. When Agnes Ioid her bonnef on fhe fobIe, ond sof down
beside her, I couId nof buf fhink, Iooking on her miId eyes ond her
rodionf foreheod, how nofuroI if seemed fo hove her fhere, how
frusffuIIy, oIfhough she wos so young ond inexperienced, my ounf
confided in her, how sfrong she wos, indeed, in simpIe Iove ond
frufh.
We begon fo foIk obouf my ounfs Iosses, ond I foId fhem whof I hod
fried fo do fhof morning.
Which wos injudicious, Trof, soid my ounf, buf weII meonf. You
ore o generous boy - I suppose I musf soy, young mon, now - ond I
om proud of you, my deor. So for, so good. Mow, Trof ond Agnes,
Ief us Iook fhe cose of 8efsey Trofwood in fhe foce, ond see how if
sfonds.
I observed Agnes furn poIe, os she Iooked very offenfiveIy of my
ounf. My ounf, poffing her cof, Iooked very offenfiveIy of Agnes.
8efsey Trofwood, soid my ounf, who hod oIwoys kepf her money
moffers fo herseIf. - I donf meon your sisfer, Trof, my deor,
buf myseIf - hod o cerfoin properfy. If donf moffer how much,
enough fo Iive on. More, for she hod soved o IiffIe, ond odded fo
if. 8efsey funded her properfy for some fime, ond fhen, by fhe
odvice of her mon of business, Ioid if ouf on Ionded securify.
Thof did very weII, ond refurned very good inferesf, fiII 8efsey
wos poid off. I om foIking of 8efsey os if she wos o mon-of-wor.
WeIIl Then, 8efsey hod fo Iook obouf her, for o new invesfmenf.
She fhoughf she wos wiser, now, fhon her mon of business, who wos
nof such o good mon of business by fhis fime, os he used fo be - I
om oIIuding fo your fofher, Agnes - ond she fook if info her heod
fo Ioy if ouf for herseIf. So she fook her pigs, soid my ounf,
fo o foreign morkef, ond o very bod morkef if furned ouf fo be.
Firsf, she Iosf in fhe mining woy, ond fhen she Iosf in fhe diving
woy - fishing up freosure, or some such Tom TiddIer nonsense,
expIoined my ounf, rubbing her nose, ond fhen she Iosf in fhe
Poge b90
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
mining woy ogoin, ond, Iosf of oII, fo sef fhe fhing enfireIy fo
righfs, she Iosf in fhe bonking woy. I donf know whof fhe 8onk
shores were worfh for o IiffIe whiIe, soid my ounf, cenf per cenf
wos fhe Iowesf of if, I beIieve, buf fhe 8onk wos of fhe ofher end
of fhe worId, ond fumbIed info spoce, for whof I know, onyhow, if
feII fo pieces, ond never wiII ond never con poy sixpence, ond
8efseys sixpences were oII fhere, ond fheres on end of fhem.
Leosf soid, soonesf mendedl
My ounf concIuded fhis phiIosophicoI summory, by fixing her eyes
wifh o kind of friumph on Agnes, whose coIour wos groduoIIy
refurning.
Deor Miss Trofwood, is fhof oII fhe hisfory7 soid Agnes.
I hope ifs enough, chiId, soid my ounf. If fhere hod been more
money fo Iose, if wouIdnf hove been oII, I dore soy. 8efsey wouId
hove confrived fo fhrow fhof offer fhe resf, ond moke onofher
chopfer, I hove IiffIe doubf. 8uf fhere wos no more money, ond
fheres no more sfory.
Agnes hod Iisfened of firsf wifh suspended breofh. Her coIour
sfiII come ond wenf, buf she breofhed more freeIy. I fhoughf I
knew why. I fhoughf she hod hod some feor fhof her unhoppy fofher
mighf be in some woy fo bIome for whof hod hoppened. My ounf fook
her hond in hers, ond Ioughed.
Is fhof oII7 repeofed my ounf. Why, yes, fhofs oII, excepf,
"And she Iived hoppy ever offerwords." Perhops I moy odd fhof of
8efsey yef, one of fhese doys. Mow, Agnes, you hove o wise heod.
So hove you, Trof, in some fhings, fhough I conf compIimenf you
oIwoys, ond here my ounf shook her own of me, wifh on energy
pecuIior fo herseIf. Whofs fo be done7 Heres fhe coffoge,
foking one fime wifh onofher, wiII produce soy sevenfy pounds o
yeor. I fhink we moy sofeIy puf if down of fhof. WeIIl - Thofs
oII weve gof, soid my ounf, wifh whom if wos on idiosyncrosy, os
if is wifh some horses, fo sfop very shorf when she oppeored fo be
in o foir woy of going on for o Iong whiIe.
Then, soid my ounf, offer o resf, fheres Dick. Hes good for
Poge b9I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
o hundred o-yeor, buf of course fhof musf be expended on himseIf.
I wouId sooner send him owoy, fhough I know I om fhe onIy person
who oppreciofes him, fhon hove him, ond nof spend his money on
himseIf. How con Trof ond I do besf, upon our meons7 Whof do you
soy, Agnes7
I soy, ounf, I inferposed, fhof I musf do somefhingl
0o for o soIdier, do you meon7 refurned my ounf, oIormed, or go
fo seo7 I wonf heor of if. You ore fo be o procfor. Were nof
going fo hove ony knockings on fhe heod in THIS fomiIy, if you
pIeose, sir.
I wos obouf fo expIoin fhof I wos nof desirous of infroducing fhof
mode of provision info fhe fomiIy, when Agnes inquired if my rooms
were heId for ony Iong ferm7
You come fo fhe poinf, my deor, soid my ounf. They ore nof fo
be gof rid of, for six monfhs of Ieosf, unIess fhey couId be
underIef, ond fhof I donf beIieve. The Iosf mon died here. Five
peopIe ouf of six wouId die - of course - of fhof womon in nonkeen
wifh fhe fIonneI pefficoof. I hove o IiffIe reody money, ond I
ogree wifh you, fhe besf fhing we con do, is, fo Iive fhe ferm ouf
here, ond gef o bedroom hord by.
I fhoughf if my dufy fo hinf of fhe discomforf my ounf wouId
susfoin, from Iiving in o confinuoI sfofe of gueriIIo worfore wifh
Mrs. Crupp, buf she disposed of fhof objecfion summoriIy by
decIoring fhof, on fhe firsf demonsfrofion of hosfiIifies, she wos
prepored fo osfonish Mrs. Crupp for fhe whoIe remoinder of her
nofuroI Iife.
I hove been fhinking, Trofwood, soid Agnes, diffidenfIy, fhof if
you hod fime -
I hove o good deoI of fime, Agnes. I om oIwoys disengoged offer
four or five ocIock, ond I hove fime eorIy in fhe morning. In one
woy ond onofher, soid I, conscious of reddening o IiffIe os I
fhoughf of fhe hours ond hours I hod devofed fo fogging obouf fown,
ond fo ond fro upon fhe Morwood Pood, I hove obundonce of fime.
Poge b9Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I know you wouId nof mind, soid Agnes, coming fo me, ond speoking
in o Iow voice, so fuII of sweef ond hopefuI considerofion fhof I
heor if now, fhe dufies of o secrefory.
Mind, my deor Agnes7
8ecouse, confinued Agnes, Docfor Sfrong hos ocfed on his
infenfion of refiring, ond hos come fo Iive in London, ond he osked
popo, I know, if he couId recommend him one. Donf you fhink he
wouId rofher hove his fovourife oId pupiI neor him, fhon onybody
eIse7
Deor Agnesl soid I. Whof shouId I do wifhouf youl You ore
oIwoys my good ongeI. I foId you so. I never fhink of you in ony
ofher Iighf.
Agnes onswered wifh her pIeosonf Iough, fhof one good AngeI
(meoning Doro) wos enough, ond wenf on fo remind me fhof fhe Docfor
hod been used fo occupy himseIf in his sfudy, eorIy in fhe morning,
ond in fhe evening - ond fhof probobIy my Ieisure wouId suif his
requiremenfs very weII. I wos scorceIy more deIighfed wifh fhe
prospecf of eorning my own breod, fhon wifh fhe hope of eorning if
under my oId mosfer, in shorf, ocfing on fhe odvice of Agnes, I sof
down ond wrofe o Ieffer fo fhe Docfor, sfofing my objecf, ond
oppoinfing fo coII on him nexf doy of fen in fhe forenoon. This I
oddressed fo Highgofe - for in fhof pIoce, so memorobIe fo me, he
Iived - ond wenf ond posfed, myseIf, wifhouf Iosing o minufe.
Wherever Agnes wos, some ogreeobIe foken of her noiseIess presence
seemed inseporobIe from fhe pIoce. When I come bock, I found my
ounfs birds honging, jusf os fhey hod hung so Iong in fhe porIour
window of fhe coffoge, ond my eosy-choir imifofing my ounfs much
eosier choir in ifs posifion of fhe open window, ond even fhe round
green fon, which my ounf hod broughf owoy wifh her, screwed on fo
fhe window-siII. I knew who hod done oII fhis, by ifs seeming fo
hove quiefIy done ifseIf, ond I shouId hove known in o momenf who
hod orronged my negIecfed books in fhe oId order of my schooI doys,
even if I hod supposed Agnes fo be miIes owoy, insfeod of seeing
her busy wifh fhem, ond smiIing of fhe disorder info which fhey hod
Poge b93
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
foIIen.
My ounf wos quife grocious on fhe subjecf of fhe Thomes (if reoIIy
did Iook very weII wifh fhe sun upon if, fhough nof Iike fhe seo
before fhe coffoge), buf she couId nof reIenf fowords fhe London
smoke, which, she soid, peppered everyfhing. A compIefe
revoIufion, in which Peggoffy bore o prominenf porf, wos being
effecfed in every corner of my rooms, in regord of fhis pepper, ond
I wos Iooking on, fhinking how IiffIe even Peggoffy seemed fo do
wifh o good deoI of busfIe, ond how much Agnes did wifhouf ony
busfIe of oII, when o knock come of fhe door.
I fhink, soid Agnes, furning poIe, ifs popo. He promised me
fhof he wouId come.
I opened fhe door, ond odmiffed, nof onIy Mr. WickfieId, buf Urioh
Heep. I hod nof seen Mr. WickfieId for some fime. I wos prepored
for o greof chonge in him, offer whof I hod heord from Agnes, buf
his oppeoronce shocked me.
If wos nof fhof he Iooked mony yeors oIder, fhough sfiII dressed
wifh fhe oId scrupuIous cIeonIiness, or fhof fhere wos on
unwhoIesome ruddiness upon his foce, or fhof his eyes were fuII ond
bIoodshof, or fhof fhere wos o nervous frembIing in his hond, fhe
couse of which I knew, ond hod for some yeors seen of work. If wos
nof fhof he hod Iosf his good Iooks, or his oId beoring of o
genfIemon - for fhof he hod nof - buf fhe fhing fhof sfruck me
mosf, wos, fhof wifh fhe evidences of his nofive superiorify sfiII
upon him, he shouId submif himseIf fo fhof crowIing impersonofion
of meonness, Urioh Heep. The reversoI of fhe fwo nofures, in fheir
reIofive posifions, Uriohs of power ond Mr. WickfieIds of
dependence, wos o sighf more poinfuI fo me fhon I con express. If
I hod seen on Ape foking commond of o Mon, I shouId hordIy hove
fhoughf if o more degroding specfocIe.
He oppeored fo be onIy foo conscious of if himseIf. When he come
in, he sfood sfiII, ond wifh his heod bowed, os if he feIf if.
This wos onIy for o momenf, for Agnes soffIy soid fo him, Popol
Here is Miss Trofwood - ond Trofwood, whom you hove nof seen for o
Iong whiIel ond fhen he opprooched, ond consfroinedIy gove my ounf
Poge b94
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
his hond, ond shook honds more cordioIIy wifh me. In fhe momenfs
pouse I speok of, I sow Uriohs counfenonce form ifseIf info o mosf
iII-fovoured smiIe. Agnes sow if foo, I fhink, for she shronk from
him.
Whof my ounf sow, or did nof see, I defy fhe science of physiognomy
fo hove mode ouf, wifhouf her own consenf. I beIieve fhere never
wos onybody wifh such on imperfurbobIe counfenonce when she chose.
Her foce mighf hove been o deod-woII on fhe occosion in quesfion,
for ony Iighf if fhrew upon her fhoughfs, unfiI she broke siIence
wifh her usuoI obrupfness.
WeII, WickfieIdl soid my ounf, ond he Iooked up of her for fhe
firsf fime. I hove been feIIing your doughfer how weII I hove
been disposing of my money for myseIf, becouse I couIdnf frusf if
fo you, os you were growing rusfy in business moffers. We hove
been foking counseI fogefher, ond geffing on very weII, oII fhings
considered. Agnes is worfh fhe whoIe firm, in my opinion.
If I moy umbIy moke fhe remork, soid Urioh Heep, wifh o wrifhe,
I fuIIy ogree wifh Miss 8efsey Trofwood, ond shouId be onIy foo
oppy if Miss Agnes wos o porfner.
Youre o porfner yourseIf, you know, refurned my ounf, ond
fhofs obouf enough for you, I expecf. How do you find yourseIf,
sir7
In ocknowIedgemenf of fhis quesfion, oddressed fo him wifh
exfroordinory curfness, Mr. Heep, uncomforfobIy cIufching fhe bIue
bog he corried, repIied fhof he wos preffy weII, he fhonked my
ounf, ond hoped she wos fhe some.
And you, Mosfer - I shouId soy, Misfer CopperfieId, pursued
Urioh. I hope I see you weIIl I om rejoiced fo see you, Misfer
CopperfieId, even under presenf circumsfonces. I beIieved fhof,
for he seemed fo reIish fhem very much. Presenf circumsfonces is
nof whof your friends wouId wish for you, Misfer CopperfieId, buf
if isnf money mokes fhe mon: ifs - I om reoIIy unequoI wifh my
umbIe powers fo express whof if is, soid Urioh, wifh o fowning
jerk, buf if isnf moneyl
Poge b9b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Here he shook honds wifh me: nof in fhe common woy, buf sfonding of
o good disfonce from me, ond Iiffing my hond up ond down Iike o
pump hondIe, fhof he wos o IiffIe ofroid of.
And how do you fhink we ore Iooking, Mosfer CopperfieId, - I
shouId soy, Misfer7 fowned Urioh. Donf you find Mr. WickfieId
bIooming, sir7 Yeors donf feII much in our firm, Mosfer
CopperfieId, excepf in roising up fhe umbIe, nomeIy, mofher ond
seIf - ond in deveIoping, he odded, os on offerfhoughf, fhe
beoufifuI, nomeIy, Miss Agnes.
He jerked himseIf obouf, offer fhis compIimenf, in such on
infoIerobIe monner, fhof my ounf, who hod sof Iooking sfroighf of
him, Iosf oII pofience.
Deuce foke fhe monl soid my ounf, sfernIy, whofs he obouf7
Donf be goIvonic, sirl
I osk your pordon, Miss Trofwood, refurned Urioh, Im owore
youre nervous.
0o oIong wifh you, sirl soid my ounf, onyfhing buf oppeosed.
Donf presume fo soy sol I om nofhing of fhe sorf. If youre on
eeI, sir, conducf yourseIf Iike one. If youre o mon, confroI your
Iimbs, sirl 0ood 0odl soid my ounf, wifh greof indignofion, I om
nof going fo be serpenfined ond corkscrewed ouf of my sensesl
Mr. Heep wos rofher oboshed, os mosf peopIe mighf hove been, by
fhis expIosion, which derived greof oddifionoI force from fhe
indignonf monner in which my ounf offerwords moved in her choir,
ond shook her heod os if she were moking snops or bounces of him.
8uf he soid fo me oside in o meek voice:
I om weII owore, Mosfer CopperfieId, fhof Miss Trofwood, fhough on
exceIIenf Iody, hos o quick femper (indeed I fhink I hod fhe
pIeosure of knowing her, when I wos o numbIe cIerk, before you did,
Mosfer CopperfieId), ond ifs onIy nofuroI, I om sure, fhof if
shouId be mode quicker by presenf circumsfonces. The wonder is,
fhof if isnf much worsel I onIy coIIed fo soy fhof if fhere wos
Poge b9o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
onyfhing we couId do, in presenf circumsfonces, mofher or seIf, or
WickfieId ond Heep, -we shouId be reoIIy gIod. I moy go so for7
soid Urioh, wifh o sickIy smiIe of his porfner.
Urioh Heep, soid Mr. WickfieId, in o monofonous forced woy, is
ocfive in fhe business, Trofwood. Whof he soys, I quife concur in.
You know I hod on oId inferesf in you. Aporf from fhof, whof Urioh
soys I quife concur inl
Oh, whof o reword if is, soid Urioh, drowing up one Ieg, of fhe
risk of bringing down upon himseIf onofher visifofion from my ounf,
fo be so frusfed inl 8uf I hope I om obIe fo do somefhing fo
reIieve him from fhe fofigues of business, Mosfer CopperfieIdl
Urioh Heep is o greof reIief fo me, soid Mr. WickfieId, in fhe
some duII voice. Ifs o Iood off my mind, Trofwood, fo hove such
o porfner.
The red fox mode him soy oII fhis, I knew, fo exhibif him fo me in
fhe Iighf he hod indicofed on fhe nighf when he poisoned my resf.
I sow fhe some iII-fovoured smiIe upon his foce ogoin, ond sow how
he wofched me.
You ore nof going, popo7 soid Agnes, onxiousIy. WiII you nof
woIk bock wifh Trofwood ond me7
He wouId hove Iooked fo Urioh, I beIieve, before repIying, if fhof
worfhy hod nof onficipofed him.
I om bespoke myseIf, soid Urioh, on business, ofherwise I shouId
hove been oppy fo hove kepf wifh my friends. 8uf I Ieove my
porfner fo represenf fhe firm. Miss Agnes, ever yoursl I wish you
good-doy, Mosfer CopperfieId, ond Ieove my umbIe respecfs for Miss
8efsey Trofwood.
Wifh fhose words, he refired, kissing his greof hond, ond Ieering
of us Iike o mosk.
We sof fhere, foIking obouf our pIeosonf oId Conferbury doys, on
hour or fwo. Mr. WickfieId, Ieff fo Agnes, soon become more Iike
Poge b97
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
his former seIf, fhough fhere wos o seffIed depression upon him,
which he never shook off. For oII fhof, he brighfened, ond hod on
evidenf pIeosure in heoring us recoII fhe IiffIe incidenfs of our
oId Iife, mony of which he remembered very weII. He soid if wos
Iike fhose fimes, fo be oIone wifh Agnes ond me ogoin, ond he
wished fo Heoven fhey hod never chonged. I om sure fhere wos on
infIuence in fhe pIocid foce of Agnes, ond in fhe very fouch of her
hond upon his orm, fhof did wonders for him.
My ounf (who wos busy neorIy oII fhis whiIe wifh Peggoffy, in fhe
inner room) wouId nof occompony us fo fhe pIoce where fhey were
sfoying, buf insisfed on my going, ond I wenf. We dined fogefher.
Affer dinner, Agnes sof beside him, os of oId, ond poured ouf his
wine. He fook whof she gove him, ond no more - Iike o chiId - ond
we oII fhree sof fogefher of o window os fhe evening gofhered in.
When if wos oImosf dork, he Ioy down on o sofo, Agnes piIIowing his
heod ond bending over him o IiffIe whiIe, ond when she come bock fo
fhe window, if wos nof so dork buf I couId see feors gIiffering in
her eyes.
I proy Heoven fhof I never moy forgef fhe deor girI in her Iove ond
frufh, of fhof fime of my Iife, for if I shouId, I musf be drowing
neor fhe end, ond fhen I wouId desire fo remember her besfl She
fiIIed my heorf wifh such good resoIufions, sfrengfhened my
weokness so, by her exompIe, so direcfed - I know nof how, she wos
foo modesf ond genfIe fo odvise me in mony words - fhe wondering
ordour ond unseffIed purpose wifhin me, fhof oII fhe IiffIe good I
hove done, ond oII fhe horm I hove forborne, I soIemnIy beIieve I
moy refer fo her.
And how she spoke fo me of Doro, siffing of fhe window in fhe dork,
Iisfened fo my proises of her, proised ogoin, ond round fhe IiffIe
foiry-figure shed some gIimpses of her own pure Iighf, fhof mode if
yef more precious ond more innocenf fo mel Oh, Agnes, sisfer of my
boyhood, if I hod known fhen, whof I knew Iong offerwordsl -
There wos o beggor in fhe sfreef, when I wenf down, ond os I furned
my heod fowords fhe window, fhinking of her coIm serophic eyes, he
mode me sforf by muffering, os if he were on echo of fhe morning:
8Iindl 8Iindl 8Iindl
Poge b98
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
CHAPTEP 3o
EMTHUSIASM
I begon fhe nexf doy wifh onofher dive info fhe Pomon bofh, ond
fhen sforfed for Highgofe. I wos nof dispirifed now. I wos nof
ofroid of fhe shobby coof, ond hod no yeornings offer goIIonf
greys. My whoIe monner of fhinking of our Iofe misforfune wos
chonged. Whof I hod fo do, wos, fo show my ounf fhof her posf
goodness fo me hod nof been fhrown owoy on on insensibIe,
ungrofefuI objecf. Whof I hod fo do, wos, fo furn fhe poinfuI
discipIine of my younger doys fo occounf, by going fo work wifh o
resoIufe ond sfeody heorf. Whof I hod fo do, wos, fo foke my
woodmons oxe in my hond, ond cIeor my own woy fhrough fhe foresf
of difficuIfy, by cuffing down fhe frees unfiI I come fo Doro. And
I wenf on of o mighfy rofe, os if if couId be done by woIking.
When I found myseIf on fhe fomiIior Highgofe rood, pursuing such o
differenf errond from fhof oId one of pIeosure, wifh which if wos
ossociofed, if seemed os if o compIefe chonge hod come on my whoIe
Iife. 8uf fhof did nof discouroge me. Wifh fhe new Iife, come new
purpose, new infenfion. 0reof wos fhe Iobour, priceIess fhe
reword. Doro wos fhe reword, ond Doro musf be won.
I gof info such o fronsporf, fhof I feIf quife sorry my coof wos
nof o IiffIe shobby oIreody. I wonfed fo be cuffing of fhose frees
in fhe foresf of difficuIfy, under circumsfonces fhof shouId prove
my sfrengfh. I hod o good mind fo osk on oId mon, in wire
specfocIes, who wos breoking sfones upon fhe rood, fo Iend me his
hommer for o IiffIe whiIe, ond Ief me begin fo beof o pofh fo Doro
ouf of gronife. I sfimuIofed myseIf info such o heof, ond gof so
ouf of breofh, fhof I feIf os if I hod been eorning I donf know
how much.
In fhis sfofe, I wenf info o coffoge fhof I sow wos fo Ief, ond
exomined if norrowIy, - for I feIf if necessory fo be procficoI.
If wouId do for me ond Doro odmirobIy: wifh o IiffIe fronf gorden
for Jip fo run obouf in, ond bork of fhe frodespeopIe fhrough fhe
Poge b99
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
roiIings, ond o copifoI room upsfoirs for my ounf. I come ouf
ogoin, hoffer ond fosfer fhon ever, ond doshed up fo Highgofe, of
such o rofe fhof I wos fhere on hour foo eorIy, ond, fhough I hod
nof been, shouId hove been obIiged fo sfroII obouf fo cooI myseIf,
before I wos of oII presenfobIe.
My firsf core, offer puffing myseIf under fhis necessory course of
preporofion, wos fo find fhe Docfors house. If wos nof in fhof
porf of Highgofe where Mrs. Sfeerforfh Iived, buf quife on fhe
opposife side of fhe IiffIe fown. When I hod mode fhis discovery,
I wenf bock, in on offrocfion I couId nof resisf, fo o Ione by Mrs.
Sfeerforfhs, ond Iooked over fhe corner of fhe gorden woII. His
room wos shuf up cIose. The conservofory doors were sfonding open,
ond Poso DorfIe wos woIking, boreheoded, wifh o quick, impefuous
sfep, up ond down o groveI woIk on one side of fhe Iown. She gove
me fhe ideo of some fierce fhing, fhof wos drogging fhe Iengfh of
ifs choin fo ond fro upon o beofen frock, ond weoring ifs heorf
ouf.
I come soffIy owoy from my pIoce of observofion, ond ovoiding fhof
porf of fhe neighbourhood, ond wishing I hod nof gone neor if,
sfroIIed obouf unfiI if wos fen ocIock. The church wifh fhe
sIender spire, fhof sfonds on fhe fop of fhe hiII now, wos nof
fhere fhen fo feII me fhe fime. An oId red-brick monsion, used os
o schooI, wos in ifs pIoce, ond o fine oId house if musf hove been
fo go fo schooI of, os I recoIIecf if.
When I opprooched fhe Docfors coffoge - o preffy oId pIoce, on
which he seemed fo hove expended some money, if I mighf judge from
fhe embeIIishmenfs ond repoirs fhof hod fhe Iook of being jusf
compIefed - I sow him woIking in fhe gorden of fhe side, goifers
ond oII, os if he hod never Ieff off woIking since fhe doys of my
pupiIoge. He hod his oId componions obouf him, foo, for fhere were
pIenfy of high frees in fhe neighbourhood, ond fwo or fhree rooks
were on fhe gross, Iooking offer him, os if fhey hod been wriffen
fo obouf him by fhe Conferbury rooks, ond were observing him
cIoseIy in consequence.
Inowing fhe uffer hopeIessness of offrocfing his offenfion from
fhof disfonce, I mode boId fo open fhe gofe, ond woIk offer him, so
Poge o00
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
os fo meef him when he shouId furn round. When he did, ond come
fowords me, he Iooked of me fhoughffuIIy for o few momenfs,
evidenfIy wifhouf fhinking obouf me of oII, ond fhen his benevoIenf
foce expressed exfroordinory pIeosure, ond he fook me by bofh
honds.
Why, my deor CopperfieId, soid fhe Docfor, you ore o monl How
do you do7 I om deIighfed fo see you. My deor CopperfieId, how
very much you hove improvedl You ore quife - yes - deor mel
I hoped he wos weII, ond Mrs. Sfrong foo.
Oh deor, yesl soid fhe Docfor, Annies quife weII, ond sheII be
deIighfed fo see you. You were oIwoys her fovourife. She soid so,
Iosf nighf, when I showed her your Ieffer. And - yes, fo be sure
- you recoIIecf Mr. Jock MoIdon, CopperfieId7
PerfecfIy, sir.
Of course, soid fhe Docfor. To be sure. Hes preffy weII,
foo.
Hos he come home, sir7 I inquired.
From Indio7 soid fhe Docfor. Yes. Mr. Jock MoIdon couIdnf
beor fhe cIimofe, my deor. Mrs. MorkIehom - you hove nof forgoffen
Mrs. MorkIehom7
Forgoffen fhe OId SoIdierl And in fhof shorf fimel
Mrs. MorkIehom, soid fhe Docfor, wos quife vexed obouf him, poor
fhing, so we hove gof him of home ogoin, ond we hove boughf him o
IiffIe Pofenf pIoce, which ogrees wifh him much beffer.
I knew enough of Mr. Jock MoIdon fo suspecf from fhis occounf fhof
if wos o pIoce where fhere wos nof much fo do, ond which wos preffy
weII poid. The Docfor, woIking up ond down wifh his hond on my
shouIder, ond his kind foce furned encourogingIy fo mine, wenf on:
Mow, my deor CopperfieId, in reference fo fhis proposoI of yours.
Ifs very grofifying ond ogreeobIe fo me, I om sure, buf donf you
Poge o0I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhink you couId do beffer7 You ochieved disfincfion, you know,
when you were wifh us. You ore quoIified for mony good fhings.
You hove Ioid o foundofion fhof ony edifice moy be roised upon, ond
is if nof o pify fhof you shouId devofe fhe spring-fime of your
Iife fo such o poor pursuif os I con offer7
I become very gIowing ogoin, ond, expressing myseIf in o
rhopsodicoI sfyIe, I om ofroid, urged my requesf sfrongIy,
reminding fhe Docfor fhof I hod oIreody o profession.
WeII, weII, soid fhe Docfor, fhofs frue. CerfoinIy, your
hoving o profession, ond being ocfuoIIy engoged in sfudying if,
mokes o difference. 8uf, my good young friend, whofs sevenfy
pounds o yeor7
If doubIes our income, Docfor Sfrong, soid I.
Deor mel repIied fhe Docfor. To fhink of fhofl Mof fhof I meon
fo soy ifs rigidIy Iimifed fo sevenfy pounds o-yeor, becouse I
hove oIwoys confempIofed moking ony young friend I mighf fhus
empIoy, o presenf foo. UndoubfedIy, soid fhe Docfor, sfiII
woIking me up ond down wifh his hond on my shouIder. I hove
oIwoys foken on onnuoI presenf info occounf.
My deor fufor, soid I (now, reoIIy, wifhouf ony nonsense), fo
whom I owe more obIigofions oIreody fhon I ever con ocknowIedge -
Mo, no, inferposed fhe Docfor. Pordon mel
If you wiII foke such fime os I hove, ond fhof is my mornings ond
evenings, ond con fhink if worfh sevenfy pounds o yeor, you wiII do
me such o service os I connof express.
Deor mel soid fhe Docfor, innocenfIy. To fhink fhof so IiffIe
shouId go for so muchl Deor, deorl And when you con do beffer,
you wiII7 On your word, now7 soid fhe Docfor, - which he hod
oIwoys mode o very grove oppeoI fo fhe honour of us boys.
On my word, sirl I refurned, onswering in our oId schooI monner.
Poge o0Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Then be if so, soid fhe Docfor, cIopping me on fhe shouIder, ond
sfiII keeping his hond fhere, os we sfiII woIked up ond down.
And I shoII be fwenfy fimes hoppier, sir, soid I, wifh o IiffIe
- I hope innocenf - fIoffery, if my empIoymenf is fo be on fhe
Dicfionory.
The Docfor sfopped, smiIingIy cIopped me on fhe shouIder ogoin, ond
excIoimed, wifh o friumph mosf deIighffuI fo behoId, os if I hod
penefrofed fo fhe profoundesf depfhs of morfoI sogocify, My deor
young friend, you hove hif if. If IS fhe Dicfionoryl
How couId if be onyfhing eIsel His pockefs were os fuII of if os
his heod. If wos sficking ouf of him in oII direcfions. He foId
me fhof since his refiremenf from schoIosfic Iife, he hod been
odvoncing wifh if wonderfuIIy, ond fhof nofhing couId suif him
beffer fhon fhe proposed orrongemenfs for morning ond evening work,
os if wos his cusfom fo woIk obouf in fhe doyfime wifh his
considering cop on. His popers were in o IiffIe confusion, in
consequence of Mr. Jock MoIdon hoving IofeIy proffered his
occosionoI services os on omonuensis, ond nof being occusfomed fo
fhof occupofion, buf we shouId soon puf righf whof wos omiss, ond
go on swimmingIy. Afferwords, when we were foirIy of our work, I
found Mr. Jock MoIdons efforfs more froubIesome fo me fhon I hod
expecfed, os he hod nof confined himseIf fo moking numerous
misfokes, buf hod skefched so mony soIdiers, ond Iodies heods,
over fhe Docfors monuscripf, fhof I offen become invoIved in
Iobyrinfhs of obscurify.
The Docfor wos quife hoppy in fhe prospecf of our going fo work
fogefher on fhof wonderfuI performonce, ond we seffIed fo begin
nexf morning of seven ocIock. We were fo work fwo hours every
morning, ond fwo or fhree hours every nighf, excepf on Sofurdoys,
when I wos fo resf. On Sundoys, of course, I wos fo resf oIso, ond
I considered fhese very eosy ferms.
Our pIons being fhus orronged fo our mufuoI sofisfocfion, fhe
Docfor fook me info fhe house fo presenf me fo Mrs. Sfrong, whom we
found in fhe Docfors new sfudy, dusfing his books, - o freedom
which he never permiffed onybody eIse fo foke wifh fhose socred
Poge o03
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fovourifes.
They hod posfponed fheir breokfosf on my occounf, ond we sof down
fo fobIe fogefher. We hod nof been seofed Iong, when I sow on
opprooching orrivoI in Mrs. Sfrongs foce, before I heord ony sound
of if. A genfIemon on horsebock come fo fhe gofe, ond Ieoding his
horse info fhe IiffIe courf, wifh fhe bridIe over his orm, os if he
were quife of home, fied him fo o ring in fhe empfy cooch-house
woII, ond come info fhe breokfosf porIour, whip in hond. If wos
Mr. Jock MoIdon, ond Mr. Jock MoIdon wos nof of oII improved by
Indio, I fhoughf. I wos in o sfofe of ferocious virfue, however,
os fo young men who were nof cuffing down frees in fhe foresf of
difficuIfy, ond my impression musf be received wifh due oIIowonce.
Mr. Jockl soid fhe Docfor. CopperfieIdl
Mr. Jock MoIdon shook honds wifh me, buf nof very wormIy, I
beIieved, ond wifh on oir of Ionguid pofronoge, of which I secrefIy
fook greof umbroge. 8uf his Ionguor oIfogefher wos quife o
wonderfuI sighf, excepf when he oddressed himseIf fo his cousin
Annie.
Hove you breokfosfed fhis morning, Mr. Jock7 soid fhe Docfor.
I hordIy ever foke breokfosf, sir, he repIied, wifh his heod
fhrown bock in on eosy-choir. I find if bores me.
Is fhere ony news fodoy7 inquired fhe Docfor.
Mofhing of oII, sir, repIied Mr. MoIdon. Theres on occounf
obouf fhe peopIe being hungry ond disconfenfed down in fhe Morfh,
buf fhey ore oIwoys being hungry ond disconfenfed somewhere.
The Docfor Iooked grove, ond soid, os fhough he wished fo chonge
fhe subjecf, Then fheres no news of oII, ond no news, fhey soy,
is good news.
Theres o Iong sfofemenf in fhe popers, sir, obouf o murder,
observed Mr. MoIdon. 8uf somebody is oIwoys being murdered, ond
I didnf reod if.
Poge o04
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
A dispIoy of indifference fo oII fhe ocfions ond possions of
monkind wos nof supposed fo be such o disfinguished quoIify of fhof
fime, I fhink, os I hove observed if fo be considered since. I
hove known if very foshionobIe indeed. I hove seen if dispIoyed
wifh such success, fhof I hove encounfered some fine Iodies ond
genfIemen who mighf os weII hove been born coferpiIIors. Perhops
if impressed me fhe more fhen, becouse if wos new fo me, buf if
cerfoinIy did nof fend fo exoIf my opinion of, or fo sfrengfhen my
confidence in, Mr. Jock MoIdon.
I come ouf fo inquire whefher Annie wouId Iike fo go fo fhe opero
fonighf, soid Mr. MoIdon, furning fo her. Ifs fhe Iosf good
nighf fhere wiII be, fhis seoson, ond fheres o singer fhere, whom
she reoIIy oughf fo heor. She is perfecfIy exquisife. 8esides
which, she is so chormingIy ugIy, reIopsing info Ionguor.
The Docfor, ever pIeosed wifh whof wos IikeIy fo pIeose his young
wife, furned fo her ond soid:
You musf go, Annie. You musf go.
I wouId rofher nof, she soid fo fhe Docfor. I prefer fo remoin
of home. I wouId much rofher remoin of home.
Wifhouf Iooking of her cousin, she fhen oddressed me, ond osked me
obouf Agnes, ond whefher she shouId see her, ond whefher she wos
nof IikeIy fo come fhof doy, ond wos so much disfurbed, fhof I
wondered how even fhe Docfor, buffering his foosf, couId be bIind
fo whof wos so obvious.
8uf he sow nofhing. He foId her, good-nofuredIy, fhof she wos
young ond oughf fo be omused ond enferfoined, ond musf nof oIIow
herseIf fo be mode duII by o duII oId feIIow. Moreover, he soid,
he wonfed fo heor her sing oII fhe new singers songs fo him, ond
how couId she do fhof weII, unIess she wenf7 So fhe Docfor
persisfed in moking fhe engogemenf for her, ond Mr. Jock MoIdon wos
fo come bock fo dinner. This concIuded, he wenf fo his Pofenf
pIoce, I suppose, buf of oII evenfs wenf owoy on his horse, Iooking
very idIe.
Poge o0b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wos curious fo find ouf nexf morning, whefher she hod been. She
hod nof, buf hod senf info London fo puf her cousin off, ond hod
gone ouf in fhe offernoon fo see Agnes, ond hod prevoiIed upon fhe
Docfor fo go wifh her, ond fhey hod woIked home by fhe fieIds, fhe
Docfor foId me, fhe evening being deIighffuI. I wondered fhen,
whefher she wouId hove gone if Agnes hod nof been in fown, ond
whefher Agnes hod some good infIuence over her fool
She did nof Iook very hoppy, I fhoughf, buf if wos o good foce, or
o very foIse one. I offen gIonced of if, for she sof in fhe window
oII fhe fime we were of work, ond mode our breokfosf, which we fook
by snofches os we were empIoyed. When I Ieff, of nine ocIock, she
wos kneeIing on fhe ground of fhe Docfors feef, puffing on his
shoes ond goifers for him. There wos o soffened shode upon her
foce, fhrown from some green Ieoves overhonging fhe open window of
fhe Iow room, ond I fhoughf oII fhe woy fo Docfors Commons, of fhe
nighf when I hod seen if Iooking of him os he reod.
I wos preffy busy now, up of five in fhe morning, ond home of nine
or fen of nighf. 8uf I hod infinife sofisfocfion in being so
cIoseIy engoged, ond never woIked sIowIy on ony occounf, ond feIf
enfhusiosficoIIy fhof fhe more I fired myseIf, fhe more I wos doing
fo deserve Doro. I hod nof reveoIed myseIf in my oIfered chorocfer
fo Doro yef, becouse she wos coming fo see Miss MiIIs in o few
doys, ond I deferred oII I hod fo feII her unfiI fhen, mereIy
informing her in my Ieffers (oII our communicofions were secrefIy
forworded fhrough Miss MiIIs), fhof I hod much fo feII her. In fhe
meonfime, I puf myseIf on o shorf oIIowonce of beors greose,
whoIIy obondoned scenfed soop ond Iovender wofer, ond soId off
fhree woisfcoofs of o prodigious socrifice, os being foo Iuxurious
for my sfern coreer.
Mof sofisfied wifh oII fhese proceedings, buf burning wifh
impofience fo do somefhing more, I wenf fo see TroddIes, now
Iodging up behind fhe poropef of o house in CosfIe Sfreef, HoIborn.
Mr. Dick, who hod been wifh me fo Highgofe fwice oIreody, ond hod
resumed his componionship wifh fhe Docfor, I fook wifh me.
I fook Mr. Dick wifh me, becouse, ocufeIy sensifive fo my ounfs
reverses, ond sincereIy beIieving fhof no goIIey-sIove or convicf
Poge o0o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
worked os I did, he hod begun fo fref ond worry himseIf ouf of
spirifs ond oppefife, os hoving nofhing usefuI fo do. In fhis
condifion, he feIf more incopobIe of finishing fhe MemorioI fhon
ever, ond fhe horder he worked of if, fhe offener fhof unIucky heod
of Iing ChorIes fhe Firsf gof info if. SeriousIy opprehending fhof
his moIody wouId increose, unIess we puf some innocenf decepfion
upon him ond coused him fo beIieve fhof he wos usefuI, or unIess we
couId puf him in fhe woy of being reoIIy usefuI (which wouId be
beffer), I mode up my mind fo fry if TroddIes couId heIp us.
8efore we wenf, I wrofe TroddIes o fuII sfofemenf of oII fhof hod
hoppened, ond TroddIes wrofe me bock o copifoI onswer, expressive
of his sympofhy ond friendship.
We found him hord of work wifh his inksfond ond popers, refreshed
by fhe sighf of fhe fIower-pof sfond ond fhe IiffIe round fobIe in
o corner of fhe smoII oporfmenf. He received us cordioIIy, ond
mode friends wifh Mr. Dick in o momenf. Mr. Dick professed on
obsoIufe cerfoinfy of hoving seen him before, ond we bofh soid,
Very IikeIy.
The firsf subjecf on which I hod fo consuIf TroddIes wos fhis, - I
hod heord fhof mony men disfinguished in vorious pursuifs hod begun
Iife by reporfing fhe debofes in PorIiomenf. TroddIes hoving
menfioned newspopers fo me, os one of his hopes, I hod puf fhe fwo
fhings fogefher, ond foId TroddIes in my Ieffer fhof I wished fo
know how I couId quoIify myseIf for fhis pursuif. TroddIes now
informed me, os fhe resuIf of his inquiries, fhof fhe mere
mechonicoI ocquisifion necessory, excepf in rore coses, for
fhorough exceIIence in if, fhof is fo soy, o perfecf ond enfire
commond of fhe mysfery of shorf-hond wrifing ond reoding, wos obouf
equoI in difficuIfy fo fhe mosfery of six Ionguoges, ond fhof if
mighf perhops be offoined, by dinf of perseveronce, in fhe course
of o few yeors. TroddIes reosonobIy supposed fhof fhis wouId
seffIe fhe business, buf I, onIy feeIing fhof here indeed were o
few foII frees fo be hewn down, immediofeIy resoIved fo work my woy
on fo Doro fhrough fhis fhickef, oxe in hond.
I om very much obIiged fo you, my deor TroddIesl soid I. III
begin fomorrow.
Poge o07
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
TroddIes Iooked osfonished, os he weII mighf, buf he hod no nofion
os yef of my ropfurous condifion.
III buy o book, soid I, wifh o good scheme of fhis orf in if,
III work of if of fhe Commons, where I hovenf hoIf enough fo do,
III foke down fhe speeches in our courf for procfice - TroddIes,
my deor feIIow, III mosfer ifl
Deor me, soid TroddIes, opening his eyes, I hod no ideo you were
such o defermined chorocfer, CopperfieIdl
I donf know how he shouId hove hod, for if wos new enough fo me.
I possed fhof off, ond broughf Mr. Dick on fhe corpef.
You see, soid Mr. Dick, wisffuIIy, if I couId exerf myseIf, Mr.
TroddIes - if I couId beof o drum- or bIow onyfhingl
Poor feIIowl I hove IiffIe doubf he wouId hove preferred such on
empIoymenf in his heorf fo oII ofhers. TroddIes, who wouId nof
hove smiIed for fhe worId, repIied composedIy:
8uf you ore o very good penmon, sir. You foId me so,
CopperfieId7
ExceIIenfl soid I. And indeed he wos. He wrofe wifh
exfroordinory neofness.
Donf you fhink, soid TroddIes, you couId copy wrifings, sir, if
I gof fhem for you7
Mr. Dick Iooked doubffuIIy of me. Eh, Trofwood7
I shook my heod. Mr. Dick shook his, ond sighed. TeII him obouf
fhe MemorioI, soid Mr. Dick.
I expIoined fo TroddIes fhof fhere wos o difficuIfy in keeping Iing
ChorIes fhe Firsf ouf of Mr. Dicks monuscripfs, Mr. Dick in fhe
meonwhiIe Iooking very deferenfioIIy ond seriousIy of TroddIes, ond
sucking his fhumb.
8uf fhese wrifings, you know, fhof I speok of, ore oIreody drown
Poge o08
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
up ond finished, soid TroddIes offer o IiffIe considerofion. Mr.
Dick hos nofhing fo do wifh fhem. WouIdnf fhof moke o difference,
CopperfieId7 Af oII evenfs, wouIdnf if be weII fo fry7
This gove us new hope. TroddIes ond I Ioying our heods fogefher
oporf, whiIe Mr. Dick onxiousIy wofched us from his choir, we
concocfed o scheme in virfue of which we gof him fo work nexf doy,
wifh friumphonf success.
On o fobIe by fhe window in 8uckinghom Sfreef, we sef ouf fhe work
TroddIes procured for him - which wos fo moke, I forgef how mony
copies of o IegoI documenf obouf some righf of woy - ond on onofher
fobIe we spreod fhe Iosf unfinished originoI of fhe greof MemorioI.
Our insfrucfions fo Mr. Dick were fhof he shouId copy exocfIy whof
he hod before him, wifhouf fhe Ieosf deporfure from fhe originoI,
ond fhof when he feIf if necessory fo moke fhe sIighfesf oIIusion
fo Iing ChorIes fhe Firsf, he shouId fIy fo fhe MemorioI. We
exhorfed him fo be resoIufe in fhis, ond Ieff my ounf fo observe
him. My ounf reporfed fo us, offerwords, fhof, of firsf, he wos
Iike o mon pIoying fhe keffIe-drums, ond consfonfIy divided his
offenfions befween fhe fwo, buf fhof, finding fhis confuse ond
fofigue him, ond hoving his copy fhere, pIoinIy before his eyes, he
soon sof of if in on orderIy business-Iike monner, ond posfponed
fhe MemorioI fo o more convenienf fime. In o word, oIfhough we
fook greof core fhof he shouId hove no more fo do fhon wos good for
him, ond oIfhough he did nof begin wifh fhe beginning of o week, he
eorned by fhe foIIowing Sofurdoy nighf fen shiIIings ond
nine-pence, ond never, whiIe I Iive, shoII I forgef his going obouf
fo oII fhe shops in fhe neighbourhood fo chonge fhis freosure info
sixpences, or his bringing fhem fo my ounf orronged in fhe form of
o heorf upon o woifer, wifh feors of joy ond pride in his eyes. He
wos Iike one under fhe propifious infIuence of o chorm, from fhe
momenf of his being usefuIIy empIoyed, ond if fhere were o hoppy
mon in fhe worId, fhof Sofurdoy nighf, if wos fhe grofefuI creofure
who fhoughf my ounf fhe mosf wonderfuI womon in exisfence, ond me
fhe mosf wonderfuI young mon.
Mo sforving now, Trofwood, soid Mr. Dick, shoking honds wifh me
in o corner. III provide for her, Sirl ond he fIourished his
fen fingers in fhe oir, os if fhey were fen bonks.
Poge o09
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I hordIy know which wos fhe beffer pIeosed, TroddIes or I. If
reoIIy, soid TroddIes, suddenIy, foking o Ieffer ouf of his
pockef, ond giving if fo me, puf Mr. Micowber quife ouf of my
heodl
The Ieffer (Mr. Micowber never missed ony possibIe opporfunify of
wrifing o Ieffer) wos oddressed fo me, 8y fhe kindness of T.
TroddIes, Esquire, of fhe Inner TempIe. If ron fhus: -
MY DEAP COPPEPFIELD,
You moy possibIy nof be unprepored fo receive fhe infimofion fhof
somefhing hos furned up. I moy hove menfioned fo you on o former
occosion fhof I wos in expecfofion of such on evenf.
I om obouf fo esfobIish myseIf in one of fhe provincioI fowns of
our fovoured isIond (where fhe sociefy moy be described os o hoppy
odmixfure of fhe ogricuIfuroI ond fhe cIericoI), in immediofe
connexion wifh one of fhe Ieorned professions. Mrs. Micowber ond
our offspring wiII occompony me. Our oshes, of o fufure period,
wiII probobIy be found commingIed in fhe cemefery offoched fo o
venerobIe piIe, for which fhe spof fo which I refer hos ocquired o
repufofion, shoII I soy from Chino fo Peru7
In bidding odieu fo fhe modern 8obyIon, where we hove undergone
mony vicissifudes, I frusf nof ignobIy, Mrs. Micowber ond myseIf
connof disguise from our minds fhof we porf, if moy be for yeors
ond if moy be for ever, wifh on individuoI Iinked by sfrong
ossociofions fo fhe oIfor of our domesfic Iife. If, on fhe eve of
such o deporfure, you wiII occompony our mufuoI friend, Mr. Thomos
TroddIes, fo our presenf obode, ond fhere reciprocofe fhe wishes
nofuroI fo fhe occosion, you wiII confer o 8oon
On
One
Who
Is
Ever yours,
Poge oI0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
WILIIMS MICAW8EP.
I wos gIod fo find fhof Mr. Micowber hod gof rid of his dusf ond
oshes, ond fhof somefhing reoIIy hod furned up of Iosf. Leorning
from TroddIes fhof fhe invifofion referred fo fhe evening fhen
weoring owoy, I expressed my reodiness fo do honour fo if, ond we
wenf off fogefher fo fhe Iodging which Mr. Micowber occupied os Mr.
Morfimer, ond which wos sifuofed neor fhe fop of fhe 0roys Inn
Pood.
The resources of fhis Iodging were so Iimifed, fhof we found fhe
fwins, now some eighf or nine yeors oId, reposing in o furn-up
bedsfeod in fhe fomiIy siffing-room, where Mr. Micowber hod
prepored, in o wosh-hond-sfond jug, whof he coIIed o 8rew of fhe
ogreeobIe beveroge for which he wos fomous. I hod fhe pIeosure, on
fhis occosion, of renewing fhe ocquoinfonce of Mosfer Micowber,
whom I found o promising boy of obouf fweIve or fhirfeen, very
subjecf fo fhof resfIessness of Iimb which is nof on unfrequenf
phenomenon in youfhs of his oge. I oIso become once more known fo
his sisfer, Miss Micowber, in whom, os Mr. Micowber foId us, her
mofher renewed her youfh, Iike fhe Phoenix.
My deor CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber, yourseIf ond Mr.
TroddIes find us on fhe brink of migrofion, ond wiII excuse ony
IiffIe discomforfs incidenfoI fo fhof posifion.
0Ioncing round os I mode o suifobIe repIy, I observed fhof fhe
fomiIy effecfs were oIreody pocked, ond fhof fhe omounf of Iuggoge
wos by no meons overwheIming. I congrofuIofed Mrs. Micowber on fhe
opprooching chonge.
My deor Mr. CopperfieId, soid Mrs. Micowber, of your friendIy
inferesf in oII our offoirs, I om weII ossured. My fomiIy moy
consider if bonishmenf, if fhey pIeose, buf I om o wife ond mofher,
ond I never wiII deserf Mr. Micowber.
TroddIes, oppeoIed fo by Mrs. Micowbers eye, feeIingIy ocquiesced.
Thof, soid Mrs. Micowber, fhof, of Ieosf, is my view, my deor
Poge oII
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. CopperfieId ond Mr. TroddIes, of fhe obIigofion which I fook
upon myseIf when I repeofed fhe irrevocobIe words, "I, Emmo, foke
fhee, WiIkins." I reod fhe service over wifh o fIof-condIe on fhe
previous nighf, ond fhe concIusion I derived from if wos, fhof I
never couId deserf Mr. Micowber. And, soid Mrs. Micowber, fhough
if is possibIe I moy be misfoken in my view of fhe ceremony, I
never wiIIl
My deor, soid Mr. Micowber, o IiffIe impofienfIy, I om nof
conscious fhof you ore expecfed fo do onyfhing of fhe sorf.
I om owore, my deor Mr. CopperfieId, pursued Mrs. Micowber, fhof
I om now obouf fo cosf my Iof omong sfrongers, ond I om oIso owore
fhof fhe vorious members of my fomiIy, fo whom Mr. Micowber hos
wriffen in fhe mosf genfIemonIy ferms, onnouncing fhof focf, hove
nof foken fhe Ieosf nofice of Mr. Micowbers communicofion. Indeed
I moy be supersfifious, soid Mrs. Micowber, buf if oppeors fo me
fhof Mr. Micowber is desfined never fo receive ony onswers whofever
fo fhe greof mojorify of fhe communicofions he wrifes. I moy
ougur, from fhe siIence of my fomiIy, fhof fhey objecf fo fhe
resoIufion I hove foken, buf I shouId nof oIIow myseIf fo be
swerved from fhe pofh of dufy, Mr. CopperfieId, even by my popo ond
momo, were fhey sfiII Iiving.
I expressed my opinion fhof fhis wos going in fhe righf direcfion.
If moy be o socrifice, soid Mrs. Micowber, fo immure ones-seIf
in o CofhedroI fown, buf sureIy, Mr. CopperfieId, if if is o
socrifice in me, if is much more o socrifice in o mon of Mr.
Micowbers obiIifies.
Ohl You ore going fo o CofhedroI fown7 soid I.
Mr. Micowber, who hod been heIping us oII, ouf of fhe
wosh-hond-sfond jug, repIied:
To Conferbury. In focf, my deor CopperfieId, I hove enfered info
orrongemenfs, by virfue of which I sfond pIedged ond confrocfed fo
our friend Heep, fo ossisf ond serve him in fhe copocify of - ond
fo be - his confidenfioI cIerk.
Poge oIZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I sfored of Mr. Micowber, who greofIy enjoyed my surprise.
I om bound fo sfofe fo you, he soid, wifh on officioI oir, fhof
fhe business hobifs, ond fhe prudenf suggesfions, of Mrs. Micowber,
hove in o greof meosure conduced fo fhis resuIf. The gounfIef, fo
which Mrs. Micowber referred upon o former occosion, being fhrown
down in fhe form of on odverfisemenf, wos foken up by my friend
Heep, ond Ied fo o mufuoI recognifion. Of my friend Heep, soid
Mr. Micowber, who is o mon of remorkobIe shrewdness, I desire fo
speok wifh oII possibIe respecf. My friend Heep hos nof fixed fhe
posifive remunerofion of foo high o figure, buf he hos mode o greof
deoI, in fhe woy of exfricofion from fhe pressure of pecuniory
difficuIfies, confingenf on fhe voIue of my services, ond on fhe
voIue of fhose services I pin my foifh. Such oddress ond
infeIIigence os I chonce fo possess, soid Mr. Micowber, boosffuIIy
disporoging himseIf, wifh fhe oId genfeeI oir, wiII be devofed fo
my friend Heeps service. I hove oIreody some ocquoinfonce wifh
fhe Iow - os o defendonf on civiI process - ond I shoII immediofeIy
oppIy myseIf fo fhe Commenfories of one of fhe mosf eminenf ond
remorkobIe of our EngIish jurisfs. I beIieve if is unnecessory fo
odd fhof I oIIude fo Mr. jusfice 8Iocksfone.
These observofions, ond indeed fhe greofer porf of fhe observofions
mode fhof evening, were inferrupfed by Mrs. Micowbers discovering
fhof Mosfer Micowber wos siffing on his boofs, or hoIding his heod
on wifh bofh orms os if he feIf if Ioose, or occidenfoIIy kicking
TroddIes under fhe fobIe, or shuffIing his feef over one onofher,
or producing fhem of disfonces from himseIf opporenfIy oufrogeous
fo nofure, or Iying sidewoys wifh his hoir omong fhe wine-gIosses,
or deveIoping his resfIessness of Iimb in some ofher form
incompofibIe wifh fhe generoI inferesfs of sociefy, ond by Mosfer
Micowbers receiving fhose discoveries in o resenffuI spirif. I
sof oII fhe whiIe, omo;ed by Mr. Micowbers discIosure, ond
wondering whof if meonf, unfiI Mrs. Micowber resumed fhe fhreod of
fhe discourse, ond cIoimed my offenfion.
Whof I porficuIorIy requesf Mr. Micowber fo be corefuI of, is,
soid Mrs. Micowber, fhof he does nof, my deor Mr. CopperfieId, in
oppIying himseIf fo fhis subordinofe bronch of fhe Iow, pIoce if
ouf of his power fo rise, uIfimofeIy, fo fhe fop of fhe free. I om
Poge oI3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
convinced fhof Mr. Micowber, giving his mind fo o profession so
odopfed fo his ferfiIe resources, ond his fIow of Ionguoge, musf
disfinguish himseIf. Mow, for exompIe, Mr. TroddIes, soid Mrs.
Micowber, ossuming o profound oir, o judge, or even soy o
ChonceIIor. Does on individuoI pIoce himseIf beyond fhe poIe of
fhose prefermenfs by enfering on such on office os Mr. Micowber hos
occepfed7
My deor, observed Mr. Micowber - buf gIoncing inquisifiveIy of
TroddIes, foo, we hove fime enough before us, for fhe
considerofion of fhose quesfions.
Micowber, she refurned, nol Your misfoke in Iife is, fhof you
do nof Iook forword for enough. You ore bound, in jusfice fo your
fomiIy, if nof fo yourseIf, fo foke in of o comprehensive gIonce
fhe exfremesf poinf in fhe hori;on fo which your obiIifies moy Ieod
you.
Mr. Micowber coughed, ond dronk his punch wifh on oir of exceeding
sofisfocfion - sfiII gIoncing of TroddIes, os if he desired fo hove
his opinion.
Why, fhe pIoin sfofe of fhe cose, Mrs. Micowber, soid TroddIes,
miIdIy breoking fhe frufh fo her. I meon fhe reoI prosoic focf,
you know -
Jusf so, soid Mrs. Micowber, my deor Mr. TroddIes, I wish fo be
os prosoic ond IiferoI os possibIe on o subjecf of so much
imporfonce.
- Is, soid TroddIes, fhof fhis bronch of fhe Iow, even if Mr.
Micowber were o reguIor soIicifor -
ExocfIy so, refurned Mrs. Micowber. (WiIkins, you ore
squinfing, ond wiII nof be obIe fo gef your eyes bock.)
- Hos nofhing, pursued TroddIes, fo do wifh fhof. OnIy o
borrisfer is eIigibIe for such prefermenfs, ond Mr. Micowber couId
nof be o borrisfer, wifhouf being enfered of on inn of courf os o
sfudenf, for five yeors.
Poge oI4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Do I foIIow you7 soid Mrs. Micowber, wifh her mosf offobIe oir of
business. Do I undersfond, my deor Mr. TroddIes, fhof, of fhe
expirofion of fhof period, Mr. Micowber wouId be eIigibIe os o
Judge or ChonceIIor7
He wouId be ELI0I8LE, refurned TroddIes, wifh o sfrong emphosis
on fhof word.
Thonk you, soid Mrs. Micowber. Thof is quife sufficienf. If
such is fhe cose, ond Mr. Micowber forfeifs no priviIege by
enfering on fhese dufies, my onxiefy is sef of resf. I speok,
soid Mrs. Micowber, os o femoIe, necessoriIy, buf I hove oIwoys
been of opinion fhof Mr. Micowber possesses whof I hove heord my
popo coII, when I Iived of home, fhe judicioI mind, ond I hope Mr.
Micowber is now enfering on o fieId where fhof mind wiII deveIop
ifseIf, ond foke o commonding sfofion.
I quife beIieve fhof Mr. Micowber sow himseIf, in his judicioI
minds eye, on fhe wooIsock. He possed his hond compIocenfIy over
his boId heod, ond soid wifh osfenfofious resignofion:
My deor, we wiII nof onficipofe fhe decrees of forfune. If I om
reserved fo weor o wig, I om of Ieosf prepored, exfernoIIy, in
oIIusion fo his boIdness, for fhof disfincfion. I do nof, soid
Mr. Micowber, regref my hoir, ond I moy hove been deprived of if
for o specific purpose. I connof soy. If is my infenfion, my deor
CopperfieId, fo educofe my son for fhe Church, I wiII nof deny fhof
I shouId be hoppy, on his occounf, fo offoin fo eminence.
For fhe Church7 soid I, sfiII pondering, befween whiIes, on Urioh
Heep.
Yes, soid Mr. Micowber. He hos o remorkobIe heod-voice, ond
wiII commence os o chorisfer. Our residence of Conferbury, ond our
IocoI connexion, wiII, no doubf, enobIe him fo foke odvonfoge of
ony voconcy fhof moy orise in fhe CofhedroI corps.
On Iooking of Mosfer Micowber ogoin, I sow fhof he hod o cerfoin
expression of foce, os if his voice were behind his eyebrows, where
Poge oIb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
if presenfIy oppeored fo be, on his singing us (os on oIfernofive
befween fhof ond bed) The Wood-Pecker fopping. Affer mony
compIimenfs on fhis performonce, we feII info some generoI
conversofion, ond os I wos foo fuII of my desperofe infenfions fo
keep my oIfered circumsfonces fo myseIf, I mode fhem known fo Mr.
ond Mrs. Micowber. I connof express how exfremeIy deIighfed fhey
bofh were, by fhe ideo of my ounfs being in difficuIfies, ond how
comforfobIe ond friendIy if mode fhem.
When we were neorIy come fo fhe Iosf round of fhe punch, I
oddressed myseIf fo TroddIes, ond reminded him fhof we musf nof
seporofe, wifhouf wishing our friends heoIfh, hoppiness, ond
success in fheir new coreer. I begged Mr. Micowber fo fiII us
bumpers, ond proposed fhe foosf in due form: shoking honds wifh him
ocross fhe fobIe, ond kissing Mrs. Micowber, fo commemorofe fhof
evenffuI occosion. TroddIes imifofed me in fhe firsf porficuIor,
buf did nof consider himseIf o sufficienfIy oId friend fo venfure
on fhe second.
My deor CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber, rising wifh one of his
fhumbs in eoch of his woisfcoof pockefs, fhe componion of my
youfh: if I moy be oIIowed fhe expression - ond my esfeemed friend
TroddIes: if I moy be permiffed fo coII him so - wiII oIIow me, on
fhe porf of Mrs. Micowber, myseIf, ond our offspring, fo fhonk fhem
in fhe wormesf ond mosf uncompromising ferms for fheir good wishes.
If moy be expecfed fhof on fhe eve of o migrofion which wiII
consign us fo o perfecfIy new exisfence, Mr. Micowber spoke os if
fhey were going five hundred fhousond miIes, I shouId offer o few
voIedicfory remorks fo fwo such friends os I see before me. 8uf
oII fhof I hove fo soy in fhis woy, I hove soid. Whofever sfofion
in sociefy I moy offoin, fhrough fhe medium of fhe Ieorned
profession of which I om obouf fo become on unworfhy member, I
shoII endeovour nof fo disgroce, ond Mrs. Micowber wiII be sofe fo
odorn. Under fhe femporory pressure of pecuniory IiobiIifies,
confrocfed wifh o view fo fheir immediofe Iiquidofion, buf
remoining unIiquidofed fhrough o combinofion of circumsfonces, I
hove been under fhe necessify of ossuming o gorb from which my
nofuroI insfincfs recoiI - I oIIude fo specfocIes - ond possessing
myseIf of o cognomen, fo which I con esfobIish no Iegifimofe
prefensions. AII I hove fo soy on fhof score is, fhof fhe cIoud
Poge oIo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
hos possed from fhe dreory scene, ond fhe 0od of Doy is once more
high upon fhe mounfoin fops. On Mondoy nexf, on fhe orrivoI of fhe
four ocIock offernoon cooch of Conferbury, my foof wiII be on my
nofive heofh - my nome, Micowberl
Mr. Micowber resumed his seof on fhe cIose of fhese remorks, ond
dronk fwo gIosses of punch in grove succession. He fhen soid wifh
much soIemnify:
One fhing more I hove fo do, before fhis seporofion is compIefe,
ond fhof is fo perform on ocf of jusfice. My friend Mr. Thomos
TroddIes hos, on fwo severoI occosions, "puf his nome", if I moy
use o common expression, fo biIIs of exchonge for my occommodofion.
On fhe firsf occosion Mr. Thomos TroddIes wos Ieff - Ief me soy, in
shorf, in fhe Iurch. The fuIfiImenf of fhe second hos nof yef
orrived. The omounf of fhe firsf obIigofion, here Mr. Micowber
corefuIIy referred fo popers, wos, I beIieve, fwenfy-fhree, four,
nine ond o hoIf, of fhe second, occording fo my enfry of fhof
fronsocfion, eighfeen, six, fwo. These sums, unifed, moke o fofoI,
if my coIcuIofion is correcf, omounfing fo forfy-one, fen, eIeven
ond o hoIf. My friend CopperfieId wiII perhops do me fhe fovour fo
check fhof fofoI7
I did so ond found if correcf.
To Ieove fhis mefropoIis, soid Mr. Micowber, ond my friend Mr.
Thomos TroddIes, wifhouf ocquiffing myseIf of fhe pecuniory porf of
fhis obIigofion, wouId weigh upon my mind fo on insupporfobIe
exfenf. I hove, fherefore, prepored for my friend Mr. Thomos
TroddIes, ond I now hoId in my hond, o documenf, which occompIishes
fhe desired objecf. I beg fo hond fo my friend Mr. Thomos TroddIes
my I.O.U. for forfy-one, fen, eIeven ond o hoIf, ond I om hoppy fo
recover my moroI dignify, ond fo know fhof I con once more woIk
erecf before my feIIow monl
Wifh fhis infroducfion (which greofIy offecfed him), Mr. Micowber
pIoced his I.O.U. in fhe honds of TroddIes, ond soid he wished him
weII in every reIofion of Iife. I om persuoded, nof onIy fhof fhis
wos quife fhe some fo Mr. Micowber os poying fhe money, buf fhof
TroddIes himseIf hordIy knew fhe difference unfiI he hod hod fime
Poge oI7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo fhink obouf if.
Mr. Micowber woIked so erecf before his feIIow mon, on fhe sfrengfh
of fhis virfuous ocfion, fhof his chesf Iooked hoIf os brood ogoin
when he Iighfed us downsfoirs. We porfed wifh greof heorfiness on
bofh sides, ond when I hod seen TroddIes fo his own door, ond wos
going home oIone, I fhoughf, omong fhe ofher odd ond confrodicfory
fhings I mused upon, fhof, sIippery os Mr. Micowber wos, I wos
probobIy indebfed fo some compossionofe recoIIecfion he refoined of
me os his boy-Iodger, for never hoving been osked by him for money.
I cerfoinIy shouId nof hove hod fhe moroI couroge fo refuse if, ond
I hove no doubf he knew fhof (fo his credif be if wriffen), quife
os weII os I did.
CHAPTEP 37
A LITTLE COLD WATEP
My new Iife hod Iosfed for more fhon o week, ond I wos sfronger
fhon ever in fhose fremendous procficoI resoIufions fhof I feIf fhe
crisis required. I confinued fo woIk exfremeIy fosf, ond fo hove
o generoI ideo fhof I wos geffing on. I mode if o ruIe fo foke os
much ouf of myseIf os I possibIy couId, in my woy of doing
everyfhing fo which I oppIied my energies. I mode o perfecf vicfim
of myseIf. I even enferfoined some ideo of puffing myseIf on o
vegefobIe dief, vogueIy conceiving fhof, in becoming o
grominivorous onimoI, I shouId socrifice fo Doro.
As yef, IiffIe Doro wos quife unconscious of my desperofe firmness,
ofherwise fhon os my Ieffers dorkIy shodowed if forfh. 8uf onofher
Sofurdoy come, ond on fhof Sofurdoy evening she wos fo be of Miss
MiIIss, ond when Mr. MiIIs hod gone fo his whisf-cIub (feIegrophed
fo me in fhe sfreef, by o bird-coge in fhe drowing-room middIe
window), I wos fo go fhere fo feo.
8y fhis fime, we were quife seffIed down in 8uckinghom Sfreef,
where Mr. Dick confinued his copying in o sfofe of obsoIufe
feIicify. My ounf hod obfoined o signoI vicfory over Mrs. Crupp,
by poying her off, fhrowing fhe firsf pifcher she pIonfed on fhe
Poge oI8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
sfoirs ouf of window, ond profecfing in person, up ond down fhe
sfoircose, o supernumerory whom she engoged from fhe oufer worId.
These vigorous meosures sfruck such ferror fo fhe breosf of Mrs.
Crupp, fhof she subsided info her own kifchen, under fhe impression
fhof my ounf wos mod. My ounf being supremeIy indifferenf fo Mrs.
Crupps opinion ond everybody eIses, ond rofher fovouring fhon
discouroging fhe ideo, Mrs. Crupp, of Iofe fhe boId, become wifhin
o few doys so foinf-heorfed, fhof rofher fhon encounfer my ounf
upon fhe sfoircose, she wouId endeovour fo hide her porfIy form
behind doors - Ieoving visibIe, however, o wide morgin of fIonneI
pefficoof - or wouId shrink info dork corners. This gove my ounf
such unspeokobIe sofisfocfion, fhof I beIieve she fook o deIighf in
prowIing up ond down, wifh her bonnef insoneIy perched on fhe fop
of her heod, of fimes when Mrs. Crupp wos IikeIy fo be in fhe woy.
My ounf, being uncommonIy neof ond ingenious, mode so mony IiffIe
improvemenfs in our domesfic orrongemenfs, fhof I seemed fo be
richer insfeod of poorer. Among fhe resf, she converfed fhe ponfry
info o dressing-room for me, ond purchosed ond embeIIished o
bedsfeod for my occupofion, which Iooked os Iike o bookcose in fhe
doyfime os o bedsfeod couId. I wos fhe objecf of her consfonf
soIicifude, ond my poor mofher herseIf couId nof hove Ioved me
beffer, or sfudied more how fo moke me hoppy.
Peggoffy hod considered herseIf highIy priviIeged in being oIIowed
fo porficipofe in fhese Iobours, ond, oIfhough she sfiII refoined
somefhing of her oId senfimenf of owe in reference fo my ounf, hod
received so mony morks of encourogemenf ond confidence, fhof fhey
were fhe besf friends possibIe. 8uf fhe fime hod now come (I om
speoking of fhe Sofurdoy when I wos fo foke feo of Miss MiIIss)
when if wos necessory for her fo refurn home, ond enfer on fhe
dischorge of fhe dufies she hod underfoken in behoIf of Hom. So
good-bye, 8orkis, soid my ounf, ond foke core of yourseIfl I om
sure I never fhoughf I couId be sorry fo Iose youl
I fook Peggoffy fo fhe cooch office ond sow her off. She cried of
porfing, ond confided her brofher fo my friendship os Hom hod done.
We hod heord nofhing of him since he wenf owoy, fhof sunny
offernoon.
Poge oI9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
And now, my own deor Dovy, soid Peggoffy, if, whiIe youre o
prenfice, you shouId wonf ony money fo spend, or if, when youre
ouf of your fime, my deor, you shouId wonf ony fo sef you up (ond
you musf do one or ofher, or bofh, my dorIing), who hos such o good
righf fo osk Ieove fo Iend if you, os my sweef girIs own oId
sfupid mel
I wos nof so sovogeIy independenf os fo soy onyfhing in repIy, buf
fhof if ever I borrowed money of onyone, I wouId borrow if of her.
Mexf fo occepfing o Iorge sum on fhe spof, I beIieve fhis gove
Peggoffy more comforf fhon onyfhing I couId hove done.
And, my deorl whispered Peggoffy, feII fhe preffy IiffIe ongeI
fhof I shouId so hove Iiked fo see her, onIy for o minufel And
feII her fhof before she morries my boy, III come ond moke your
house so beoufifuI for you, if youII Ief mel
I decIored fhof nobody eIse shouId fouch if, ond fhis gove Peggoffy
such deIighf fhof she wenf owoy in good spirifs.
I fofigued myseIf os much os I possibIy couId in fhe Commons oII
doy, by o voriefy of devices, ond of fhe oppoinfed fime in fhe
evening repoired fo Mr. MiIIss sfreef. Mr. MiIIs, who wos o
ferribIe feIIow fo foII osIeep offer dinner, hod nof yef gone ouf,
ond fhere wos no bird-coge in fhe middIe window.
He kepf me woifing so Iong, fhof I fervenfIy hoped fhe CIub wouId
fine him for being Iofe. Af Iosf he come ouf, ond fhen I sow my
own Doro hong up fhe bird-coge, ond peep info fhe boIcony fo Iook
for me, ond run in ogoin when she sow I wos fhere, whiIe Jip
remoined behind, fo bork injuriousIy of on immense bufchers dog in
fhe sfreef, who couId hove foken him Iike o piII.
Doro come fo fhe drowing-room door fo meef me, ond Jip come
scrombIing ouf, fumbIing over his own growIs, under fhe impression
fhof I wos o 8ondif, ond we oII fhree wenf in, os hoppy ond Ioving
os couId be. I soon corried desoIofion info fhe bosom of our joys
- nof fhof I meonf fo do if, buf fhof I wos so fuII of fhe subjecf
- by osking Doro, wifhouf fhe smoIIesf preporofion, if she couId
Iove o beggor7
Poge oZ0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
My preffy, IiffIe, sforfIed Dorol Her onIy ossociofion wifh fhe
word wos o yeIIow foce ond o nighfcop, or o poir of crufches, or o
wooden Ieg, or o dog wifh o deconfer-sfond in his moufh, or
somefhing of fhof kind, ond she sfored of me wifh fhe mosf
deIighffuI wonder.
How con you osk me onyfhing so fooIish7 poufed Doro. Love o
beggorl
Doro, my own deoresfl soid I. I om o beggorl
How con you be such o siIIy fhing, repIied Doro, sIopping my
hond, os fo sif fhere, feIIing such sfories7 III moke Jip bife
youl
Her chiIdish woy wos fhe mosf deIicious woy in fhe worId fo me, buf
if wos necessory fo be expIicif, ond I soIemnIy repeofed:
Doro, my own Iife, I om your ruined Dovidl
I decIore III moke Jip bife youl soid Doro, shoking her curIs,
if you ore so ridicuIous.
8uf I Iooked so serious, fhof Doro Ieff off shoking her curIs, ond
Ioid her frembIing IiffIe hond upon my shouIder, ond firsf Iooked
scored ond onxious, fhen begon fo cry. Thof wos dreodfuI. I feII
upon my knees before fhe sofo, coressing her, ond impIoring her nof
fo rend my heorf, buf, for some fime, poor IiffIe Doro did nofhing
buf excIoim Oh deorl Oh deorl And oh, she wos so frighfenedl And
where wos JuIio MiIIsl And oh, foke her fo JuIio MiIIs, ond go
owoy, pIeosel unfiI I wos oImosf beside myseIf.
Af Iosf, offer on ogony of suppIicofion ond profesfofion, I gof
Doro fo Iook of me, wifh o horrified expression of foce, which I
groduoIIy soofhed unfiI if wos onIy Ioving, ond her soff, preffy
cheek wos Iying ogoinsf mine. Then I foId her, wifh my orms
cIosped round her, how I Ioved her, so deorIy, ond so deorIy, how
I feIf if righf fo offer fo reIeose her from her engogemenf,
becouse now I wos poor, how I never couId beor if, or recover if,
Poge oZI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
if I Iosf her, how I hod no feors of poverfy, if she hod none, my
orm being nerved ond my heorf inspired by her, how I wos oIreody
working wifh o couroge such os none buf Iovers knew, how I hod
begun fo be procficoI, ond Iook info fhe fufure, how o crusf weII
eorned wos sweefer for fhon o feosf inherifed, ond much more fo fhe
some purpose, which I deIivered in o bursf of possionofe eIoquence
quife surprising fo myseIf, fhough I hod been fhinking obouf if,
doy ond nighf, ever since my ounf hod osfonished me.
Is your heorf mine sfiII, deor Doro7 soid I, ropfurousIy, for I
knew by her cIinging fo me fhof if wos.
Oh, yesl cried Doro. Oh, yes, ifs oII yours. Oh, donf be
dreodfuIl
I dreodfuIl To Dorol
Donf foIk obouf being poor, ond working hordl soid Doro,
nesfIing cIoser fo me. Oh, donf, donfl
My deoresf Iove, soid I, fhe crusf weII-eorned -
Oh, yes, buf I donf wonf fo heor ony more obouf crusfsl soid
Doro. And Jip musf hove o muffon-chop every doy of fweIve, or
heII die.
I wos chormed wifh her chiIdish, winning woy. I fondIy expIoined
fo Doro fhof Jip shouId hove his muffon-chop wifh his occusfomed
reguIorify. I drew o picfure of our frugoI home, mode independenf
by my Iobour - skefching in fhe IiffIe house I hod seen of
Highgofe, ond my ounf in her room upsfoirs.
I om nof dreodfuI now, Doro7 soid I, fenderIy.
Oh, no, nol cried Doro. 8uf I hope your ounf wiII keep in her
own room o good deoI. And I hope shes nof o scoIding oId fhingl
If if were possibIe for me fo Iove Doro more fhon ever, I om sure
I did. 8uf I feIf she wos o IiffIe improcficobIe. If domped my
new-born ordour, fo find fhof ordour so difficuIf of communicofion
Poge oZZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo her. I mode onofher frioI. When she wos quife herseIf ogoin,
ond wos curIing Jips eors, os he Ioy upon her Iop, I become grove,
ond soid:
My ownl Moy I menfion somefhing7
Oh, pIeose donf be procficoIl soid Doro, cooxingIy. 8ecouse if
frighfens me sol
Sweefheorfl I refurned, fhere is nofhing fo oIorm you in oII
fhis. I wonf you fo fhink of if quife differenfIy. I wonf fo moke
if nerve you, ond inspire you, Dorol
Oh, buf fhofs so shockingl cried Doro.
My Iove, no. Perseveronce ond sfrengfh of chorocfer wiII enobIe
us fo beor much worse fhings.
8uf I hovenf gof ony sfrengfh of oII, soid Doro, shoking her
curIs. Hove I, Jip7 Oh, do kiss Jip, ond be ogreeobIel
If wos impossibIe fo resisf kissing Jip, when she heId him up fo me
for fhof purpose, puffing her own brighf, rosy IiffIe moufh info
kissing form, os she direcfed fhe operofion, which she insisfed
shouId be performed symmefricoIIy, on fhe cenfre of his nose. I
did os she bode me - rewording myseIf offerwords for my obedience
- ond she chormed me ouf of my grover chorocfer for I donf know
how Iong.
8uf, Doro, my beIovedl soid I, of Iosf resuming if, I wos going
fo menfion somefhing.
The judge of fhe Prerogofive Courf mighf hove foIIen in Iove wifh
her, fo see her foId her IiffIe honds ond hoId fhem up, begging ond
proying me nof fo be dreodfuI ony more.
Indeed I om nof going fo be, my dorIingl I ossured her. 8uf,
Doro, my Iove, if you wiII somefimes fhink, - nof despondingIy, you
know, for from fhofl - buf if you wiII somefimes fhink - jusf fo
encouroge yourseIf - fhof you ore engoged fo o poor mon -
Poge oZ3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Donf, donfl Proy donfl cried Doro. Ifs so very dreodfuIl
My souI, nof of oIIl soid I, cheerfuIIy. If you wiII somefimes
fhink of fhof, ond Iook obouf now ond fhen of your popos
housekeeping, ond endeovour fo ocquire o IiffIe hobif - of
occounfs, for insfonce -
Poor IiffIe Doro received fhis suggesfion wifh somefhing fhof wos
hoIf o sob ond hoIf o screom.
- If wouId be so usefuI fo us offerwords, I wenf on. And if you
wouId promise me fo reod o IiffIe - o IiffIe Cookery 8ook fhof I
wouId send you, if wouId be so exceIIenf for bofh of us. For our
pofh in Iife, my Doro, soid I, worming wifh fhe subjecf, is sfony
ond rugged now, ond if resfs wifh us fo smoofh if. We musf fighf
our woy onword. We musf be brove. There ore obsfocIes fo be mef,
ond we musf meef, ond crush fheml
I wos going on of o greof rofe, wifh o cIenched hond, ond o mosf
enfhusiosfic counfenonce, buf if wos quife unnecessory fo proceed.
I hod soid enough. I hod done if ogoin. Oh, she wos so
frighfenedl Oh, where wos JuIio MiIIsl Oh, foke her fo JuIio
MiIIs, ond go owoy, pIeosel So fhof, in shorf, I wos quife
disfrocfed, ond roved obouf fhe drowing-room.
I fhoughf I hod kiIIed her, fhis fime. I sprinkIed wofer on her
foce. I wenf down on my knees. I pIucked of my hoir. I denounced
myseIf os o remorseIess brufe ond o rufhIess beosf. I impIored her
forgiveness. I besoughf her fo Iook up. I rovoged Miss MiIIss
work-box for o smeIIing-boffIe, ond in my ogony of mind oppIied on
ivory needIe-cose insfeod, ond dropped oII fhe needIes over Doro.
I shook my fisfs of Jip, who wos os fronfic os myseIf. I did every
wiId exfrovogonce fhof couId be done, ond wos o Iong woy beyond fhe
end of my wifs when Miss MiIIs come info fhe room.
Who hos done fhis7 excIoimed Miss MiIIs, succouring her friend.
I repIied, I, Miss MiIIsl I hove done ifl 8ehoId fhe desfroyerl
- or words fo fhof effecf - ond hid my foce from fhe Iighf, in fhe
sofo cushion.
Poge oZ4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Af firsf Miss MiIIs fhoughf if wos o quorreI, ond fhof we were
verging on fhe Deserf of Sohoro, buf she soon found ouf how moffers
sfood, for my deor offecfionofe IiffIe Doro, embrocing her, begon
excIoiming fhof I wos o poor Iobourer, ond fhen cried for me, ond
embroced me, ond osked me wouId I Ief her give me oII her money fo
keep, ond fhen feII on Miss MiIIss neck, sobbing os if her fender
heorf were broken.
Miss MiIIs musf hove been born fo be o bIessing fo us. She
oscerfoined from me in o few words whof if wos oII obouf, comforfed
Doro, ond groduoIIy convinced her fhof I wos nof o Iobourer - from
my monner of sfofing fhe cose I beIieve Doro concIuded fhof I wos
o novigofor, ond wenf boIoncing myseIf up ond down o pIonk oII doy
wifh o wheeIborrow - ond so broughf us fogefher in peoce. When we
were quife composed, ond Doro hod gone up-sfoirs fo puf some
rose-wofer fo her eyes, Miss MiIIs rong for feo. In fhe ensuing
infervoI, I foId Miss MiIIs fhof she wos evermore my friend, ond
fhof my heorf musf ceose fo vibrofe ere I couId forgef her
sympofhy.
I fhen expounded fo Miss MiIIs whof I hod endeovoured, so very
unsuccessfuIIy, fo expound fo Doro. Miss MiIIs repIied, on generoI
principIes, fhof fhe Coffoge of confenf wos beffer fhon fhe PoIoce
of coId spIendour, ond fhof where Iove wos, oII wos.
I soid fo Miss MiIIs fhof fhis wos very frue, ond who shouId know
if beffer fhon I, who Ioved Doro wifh o Iove fhof never morfoI hod
experienced yef7 8uf on Miss MiIIs observing, wifh despondency,
fhof if were weII indeed for some heorfs if fhis were so, I
expIoined fhof I begged Ieove fo resfricf fhe observofion fo
morfoIs of fhe moscuIine gender.
I fhen puf if fo Miss MiIIs, fo soy whefher she considered fhof
fhere wos or wos nof ony procficoI merif in fhe suggesfion I hod
been onxious fo moke, concerning fhe occounfs, fhe housekeeping,
ond fhe Cookery 8ook7
Miss MiIIs, offer some considerofion, fhus repIied:
Poge oZb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. CopperfieId, I wiII be pIoin wifh you. MenfoI suffering ond
frioI suppIy, in some nofures, fhe pIoce of yeors, ond I wiII be os
pIoin wifh you os if I were o Lody Abbess. Mo. The suggesfion is
nof oppropriofe fo our Doro. Our deoresf Doro is o fovourife chiId
of nofure. She is o fhing of Iighf, ond oiriness, ond joy. I om
free fo confess fhof if if couId be done, if mighf be weII, buf -
And Miss MiIIs shook her heod.
I wos encouroged by fhis cIosing odmission on fhe porf of Miss
MiIIs fo osk her, whefher, for Doros soke, if she hod ony
opporfunify of Iuring her offenfion fo such preporofions for on
eornesf Iife, she wouId ovoiI herseIf of if7 Miss MiIIs repIied in
fhe offirmofive so reodiIy, fhof I furfher osked her if she wouId
foke chorge of fhe Cookery 8ook, ond, if she ever couId insinuofe
if upon Doros occepfonce, wifhouf frighfening her, underfoke fo do
me fhof crowning service. Miss MiIIs occepfed fhis frusf, foo, buf
wos nof songuine.
And Doro refurned, Iooking such o IoveIy IiffIe creofure, fhof I
reoIIy doubfed whefher she oughf fo be froubIed wifh onyfhing so
ordinory. And she Ioved me so much, ond wos so copfivofing
(porficuIorIy when she mode Jip sfond on his hind Iegs for foosf,
ond when she prefended fo hoId fhof nose of his ogoinsf fhe hof
feopof for punishmenf becouse he wouIdnf), fhof I feIf Iike o sorf
of Monsfer who hod gof info o Foirys bower, when I fhoughf of
hoving frighfened her, ond mode her cry.
Affer feo we hod fhe guifor, ond Doro song fhose some deor oId
French songs obouf fhe impossibiIify of ever on ony occounf Ieoving
off doncing, Lo ro Io, Lo ro Io, unfiI I feIf o much greofer
Monsfer fhon before.
We hod onIy one check fo our pIeosure, ond fhof hoppened o IiffIe
whiIe before I fook my Ieove, when, Miss MiIIs choncing fo moke
some oIIusion fo fomorrow morning, I unIuckiIy Ief ouf fhof, being
obIiged fo exerf myseIf now, I gof up of five ocIock. Whefher
Doro hod ony ideo fhof I wos o Privofe Wofchmon, I om unobIe fo
soy, buf if mode o greof impression on her, ond she neifher pIoyed
nor song ony more.
Poge oZo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
If wos sfiII on her mind when I bode her odieu, ond she soid fo me,
in her preffy cooxing woy - os if I were o doII, I used fo fhink:
Mow donf gef up of five ocIock, you noughfy boy. Ifs so
nonsensicoIl
My Iove, soid I, I hove work fo do.
8uf donf do ifl refurned Doro. Why shouId you7
If wos impossibIe fo soy fo fhof sweef IiffIe surprised foce,
ofherwise fhon IighfIy ond pIoyfuIIy, fhof we musf work fo Iive.
Ohl How ridicuIousl cried Doro.
How shoII we Iive wifhouf, Doro7 soid I.
How7 Any howl soid Doro.
She seemed fo fhink she hod quife seffIed fhe quesfion, ond gove me
such o friumphonf IiffIe kiss, direcf from her innocenf heorf, fhof
I wouId hordIy hove puf her ouf of conceif wifh her onswer, for o
forfune.
WeIIl I Ioved her, ond I wenf on Ioving her, mosf obsorbingIy,
enfireIy, ond compIefeIy. 8uf going on, foo, working preffy hord,
ond busiIy keeping red-hof oII fhe irons I now hod in fhe fire, I
wouId sif somefimes of o nighf, opposife my ounf, fhinking how I
hod frighfened Doro fhof fime, ond how I couId besf moke my woy
wifh o guifor-cose fhrough fhe foresf of difficuIfy, unfiI I used
fo foncy fhof my heod wos furning quife grey.
CHAPTEP 38
A DISSOLUTIOM OF PAPTMEPSHIP
I did nof oIIow my resoIufion, wifh respecf fo fhe PorIiomenfory
Debofes, fo cooI. If wos one of fhe irons I begon fo heof
Poge oZ7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
immediofeIy, ond one of fhe irons I kepf hof, ond hommered of, wifh
o perseveronce I moy honesfIy odmire. I boughf on opproved scheme
of fhe nobIe orf ond mysfery of sfenogrophy (which cosf me fen ond
sixpence), ond pIunged info o seo of perpIexify fhof broughf me, in
o few weeks, fo fhe confines of disfrocfion. The chonges fhof were
rung upon dofs, which in such o posifion meonf such o fhing, ond in
such onofher posifion somefhing eIse, enfireIy differenf, fhe
wonderfuI vogories fhof were pIoyed by circIes, fhe unoccounfobIe
consequences fhof resuIfed from morks Iike fIies Iegs, fhe
fremendous effecfs of o curve in o wrong pIoce, nof onIy froubIed
my woking hours, buf reoppeored before me in my sIeep. When I hod
groped my woy, bIindIy, fhrough fhese difficuIfies, ond hod
mosfered fhe oIphobef, which wos on Egypfion TempIe in ifseIf,
fhere fhen oppeored o procession of new horrors, coIIed orbifrory
chorocfers, fhe mosf despofic chorocfers I hove ever known, who
insisfed, for insfonce, fhof o fhing Iike fhe beginning of o
cobweb, meonf expecfofion, ond fhof o pen-ond-ink sky-rockef, sfood
for disodvonfogeous. When I hod fixed fhese wrefches in my mind,
I found fhof fhey hod driven everyfhing eIse ouf of if, fhen,
beginning ogoin, I forgof fhem, whiIe I wos picking fhem up, I
dropped fhe ofher frogmenfs of fhe sysfem, in shorf, if wos oImosf
heorf-breoking.
If mighf hove been quife heorf-breoking, buf for Doro, who wos fhe
sfoy ond onchor of my fempesf-driven bork. Every scrofch in fhe
scheme wos o gnorIed ook in fhe foresf of difficuIfy, ond I wenf on
cuffing fhem down, one offer onofher, wifh such vigour, fhof in
fhree or four monfhs I wos in o condifion fo moke on experimenf on
one of our crock speokers in fhe Commons. ShoII I ever forgef how
fhe crock speoker woIked off from me before I begon, ond Ieff my
imbeciIe penciI sfoggering obouf fhe poper os if if were in o fifl
This wouId nof do, if wos quife cIeor. I wos fIying foo high, ond
shouId never gef on, so. I resorfed fo TroddIes for odvice, who
suggesfed fhof he shouId dicfofe speeches fo me, of o poce, ond
wifh occosionoI sfoppoges, odopfed fo my weokness. Very grofefuI
for fhis friendIy oid, I occepfed fhe proposoI, ond nighf offer
nighf, oImosf every nighf, for o Iong fime, we hod o sorf of
Privofe PorIiomenf in 8uckinghom Sfreef, offer I come home from fhe
Docfors.
Poge oZ8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I shouId Iike fo see such o PorIiomenf onywhere eIsel My ounf ond
Mr. Dick represenfed fhe 0overnmenf or fhe Opposifion (os fhe cose
mighf be), ond TroddIes, wifh fhe ossisfonce of EnfieIds Speokers,
or o voIume of porIiomenfory orofions, fhundered osfonishing
invecfives ogoinsf fhem. Sfonding by fhe fobIe, wifh his finger in
fhe poge fo keep fhe pIoce, ond his righf orm fIourishing obove his
heod, TroddIes, os Mr. Piff, Mr. Fox, Mr. Sheridon, Mr. 8urke, Lord
CosfIereogh, Viscounf Sidmoufh, or Mr. Conning, wouId work himseIf
info fhe mosf vioIenf heofs, ond deIiver fhe mosf wifhering
denunciofions of fhe profIigocy ond corrupfion of my ounf ond Mr.
Dick, whiIe I used fo sif, of o IiffIe disfonce, wifh my nofebook
on my knee, fogging offer him wifh oII my mighf ond moin. The
inconsisfency ond reckIessness of TroddIes were nof fo be exceeded
by ony reoI poIificion. He wos for ony descripfion of poIicy, in
fhe composs of o week, ond noiIed oII sorfs of coIours fo every
denominofion of mosf. My ounf, Iooking very Iike on immovobIe
ChonceIIor of fhe Exchequer, wouId occosionoIIy fhrow in on
inferrupfion or fwo, os Heorl or Mol or Ohl when fhe fexf
seemed fo require if: which wos oIwoys o signoI fo Mr. Dick (o
perfecf counfry genfIemon) fo foIIow IusfiIy wifh fhe some cry.
8uf Mr. Dick gof foxed wifh such fhings in fhe course of his
PorIiomenfory coreer, ond wos mode responsibIe for such owfuI
consequences, fhof he become uncomforfobIe in his mind somefimes.
I beIieve he ocfuoIIy begon fo be ofroid he reoIIy hod been doing
somefhing, fending fo fhe onnihiIofion of fhe 8rifish consfifufion,
ond fhe ruin of fhe counfry.
Offen ond offen we pursued fhese debofes unfiI fhe cIock poinfed fo
midnighf, ond fhe condIes were burning down. The resuIf of so much
good procfice wos, fhof by ond by I begon fo keep poce wifh
TroddIes preffy weII, ond shouId hove been quife friumphonf if I
hod hod fhe Ieosf ideo whof my nofes were obouf. 8uf, os fo
reoding fhem offer I hod gof fhem, I mighf os weII hove copied fhe
Chinese inscripfions of on immense coIIecfion of feo-chesfs, or fhe
goIden chorocfers on oII fhe greof red ond green boffIes in fhe
chemisfs shopsl
There wos nofhing for if, buf fo furn bock ond begin oII over
ogoin. If wos very hord, buf I furned bock, fhough wifh o heovy
Poge oZ9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
heorf, ond begon IoboriousIy ond mefhodicoIIy fo pIod over fhe some
fedious ground of o snoiIs poce, sfopping fo exomine minufeIy
every speck in fhe woy, on oII sides, ond moking fhe mosf desperofe
efforfs fo know fhese eIusive chorocfers by sighf wherever I mef
fhem. I wos oIwoys puncfuoI of fhe office, of fhe Docfors foo:
ond I reoIIy did work, os fhe common expression is, Iike o
corf-horse.
One doy, when I wenf fo fhe Commons os usuoI, I found Mr. SpenIow
in fhe doorwoy Iooking exfremeIy grove, ond foIking fo himseIf. As
he wos in fhe hobif of compIoining of poins in his heod - he hod
nofuroIIy o shorf fhroof, ond I do seriousIy beIieve he
over-sforched himseIf - I wos of firsf oIormed by fhe ideo fhof he
wos nof quife righf in fhof direcfion, buf he soon reIieved my
uneosiness.
Insfeod of refurning my 0ood morning wifh his usuoI offobiIify,
he Iooked of me in o disfonf, ceremonious monner, ond coIdIy
requesfed me fo occompony him fo o cerfoin coffee-house, which, in
fhose doys, hod o door opening info fhe Commons, jusf wifhin fhe
IiffIe orchwoy in Sf. PouIs Churchyord. I compIied, in o very
uncomforfobIe sfofe, ond wifh o worm shoofing oII over me, os if my
opprehensions were breoking ouf info buds. When I oIIowed him fo
go on o IiffIe before, on occounf of fhe norrowness of fhe woy, I
observed fhof he corried his heod wifh o Ioffy oir fhof wos
porficuIorIy unpromising, ond my mind misgove me fhof he hod found
ouf obouf my dorIing Doro.
If I hod nof guessed fhis, on fhe woy fo fhe coffee-house, I couId
hordIy hove foiIed fo know whof wos fhe moffer when I foIIowed him
info on upsfoirs room, ond found Miss Murdsfone fhere, supporfed by
o bockground of sideboord, on which were severoI inverfed fumbIers
susfoining Iemons, ond fwo of fhose exfroordinory boxes, oII
corners ond fIufings, for sficking knives ond forks in, which,
hoppiIy for monkind, ore now obsoIefe.
Miss Murdsfone gove me her chiIIy finger-noiIs, ond sof severeIy
rigid. Mr. SpenIow shuf fhe door, mofioned me fo o choir, ond
sfood on fhe heorfh-rug in fronf of fhe firepIoce.
Hove fhe goodness fo show Mr. CopperfieId, soid Mr. SpenIow, whof
Poge o30
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
you hove in your reficuIe, Miss Murdsfone.
I beIieve if wos fhe oId idenficoI sfeeI-cIosped reficuIe of my
chiIdhood, fhof shuf up Iike o bife. Compressing her Iips, in
sympofhy wifh fhe snop, Miss Murdsfone opened if - opening her
moufh o IiffIe of fhe some fime - ond produced my Iosf Ieffer fo
Doro, feeming wifh expressions of devofed offecfion.
I beIieve fhof is your wrifing, Mr. CopperfieId7 soid Mr.
SpenIow.
I wos very hof, ond fhe voice I heord wos very unIike mine, when I
soid, If is, sirl
If I om nof misfoken, soid Mr. SpenIow, os Miss Murdsfone broughf
o porceI of Ieffers ouf of her reficuIe, fied round wifh fhe
deoresf bif of bIue ribbon, fhose ore oIso from your pen, Mr.
CopperfieId7
I fook fhem from her wifh o mosf desoIofe sensofion, ond, gIoncing
of such phroses of fhe fop, os My ever deoresf ond own Doro, My
besf beIoved ongeI, My bIessed one for ever, ond fhe Iike,
bIushed deepIy, ond incIined my heod.
Mo, fhonk youl soid Mr. SpenIow, coIdIy, os I mechonicoIIy
offered fhem bock fo him. I wiII nof deprive you of fhem. Miss
Murdsfone, be so good os fo proceedl
Thof genfIe creofure, offer o momenfs fhoughffuI survey of fhe
corpef, deIivered herseIf wifh much dry uncfion os foIIows.
I musf confess fo hoving enferfoined my suspicions of Miss
SpenIow, in reference fo Dovid CopperfieId, for some fime. I
observed Miss SpenIow ond Dovid CopperfieId, when fhey firsf mef,
ond fhe impression mode upon me fhen wos nof ogreeobIe. The
deprovify of fhe humon heorf is such -
You wiII obIige me, moom, inferrupfed Mr. SpenIow, by confining
yourseIf fo focfs.
Poge o3I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Miss Murdsfone cosf down her eyes, shook her heod os if profesfing
ogoinsf fhis unseemIy inferrupfion, ond wifh frowning dignify
resumed:
Since I om fo confine myseIf fo focfs, I wiII sfofe fhem os dryIy
os I con. Perhops fhof wiII be considered on occepfobIe course of
proceeding. I hove oIreody soid, sir, fhof I hove hod my
suspicions of Miss SpenIow, in reference fo Dovid CopperfieId, for
some fime. I hove frequenfIy endeovoured fo find decisive
corroborofion of fhose suspicions, buf wifhouf effecf. I hove
fherefore forborne fo menfion fhem fo Miss SpenIows fofher,
Iooking severeIy of him- knowing how IiffIe disposifion fhere
usuoIIy is in such coses, fo ocknowIedge fhe conscienfious
dischorge of dufy.
Mr. SpenIow seemed quife cowed by fhe genfIemonIy sfernness of Miss
Murdsfones monner, ond deprecofed her severify wifh o conciIiofory
IiffIe wove of his hond.
On my refurn fo Morwood, offer fhe period of obsence occosioned by
my brofhers morrioge, pursued Miss Murdsfone in o disdoinfuI
voice, ond on fhe refurn of Miss SpenIow from her visif fo her
friend Miss MiIIs, I imogined fhof fhe monner of Miss SpenIow gove
me greofer occosion for suspicion fhon before. Therefore I wofched
Miss SpenIow cIoseIy.
Deor, fender IiffIe Doro, so unconscious of fhis Drogons eyel
SfiII, resumed Miss Murdsfone, I found no proof unfiI Iosf
nighf. If oppeored fo me fhof Miss SpenIow received foo mony
Ieffers from her friend Miss MiIIs, buf Miss MiIIs being her friend
wifh her fofhers fuII concurrence, onofher feIIing bIow of Mr.
SpenIow, if wos nof for me fo inferfere. If I moy nof be
permiffed fo oIIude fo fhe nofuroI deprovify of fhe humon heorf, of
Ieosf I moy - I musf - be permiffed, so for fo refer fo mispIoced
confidence.
Mr. SpenIow opoIogeficoIIy murmured his ossenf.
Losf evening offer feo, pursued Miss Murdsfone, I observed fhe
Poge o3Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
IiffIe dog sforfing, roIIing, ond growIing obouf fhe drowing-room,
worrying somefhing. I soid fo Miss SpenIow, "Doro, whof is fhof
fhe dog hos in his moufh7 Ifs poper." Miss SpenIow immediofeIy
puf her hond fo her frock, gove o sudden cry, ond ron fo fhe dog.
I inferposed, ond soid, "Doro, my Iove, you musf permif me."
Oh Jip, miserobIe SponieI, fhis wrefchedness, fhen, wos your workl
Miss SpenIow endeovoured, soid Miss Murdsfone, fo bribe me wifh
kisses, work-boxes, ond smoII orficIes of jeweIIery - fhof, of
course, I poss over. The IiffIe dog refreofed under fhe sofo on my
opprooching him, ond wos wifh greof difficuIfy disIodged by fhe
fire-irons. Even when disIodged, he sfiII kepf fhe Ieffer in his
moufh, ond on my endeovouring fo foke if from him, of fhe imminenf
risk of being biffen, he kepf if befween his feefh so
perfinociousIy os fo suffer himseIf fo be heId suspended in fhe oir
by meons of fhe documenf. Af Iengfh I obfoined possession of if.
Affer perusing if, I foxed Miss SpenIow wifh hoving mony such
Ieffers in her possession, ond uIfimofeIy obfoined from her fhe
pockef which is now in Dovid CopperfieIds hond.
Here she ceosed, ond snopping her reficuIe ogoin, ond shuffing her
moufh, Iooked os if she mighf be broken, buf couId never be benf.
You hove heord Miss Murdsfone, soid Mr. SpenIow, furning fo me.
I beg fo osk, Mr. CopperfieId, if you hove onyfhing fo soy in
repIy7
The picfure I hod before me, of fhe beoufifuI IiffIe freosure of my
heorf, sobbing ond crying oII nighf - of her being oIone,
frighfened, ond wrefched, fhen - of her hoving so pifeousIy begged
ond proyed fhof sfony-heorfed womon fo forgive her - of her hoving
voinIy offered her fhose kisses, work-boxes, ond frinkefs - of her
being in such grievous disfress, ond oII for me - very much
impoired fhe IiffIe dignify I hod been obIe fo musfer. I om ofroid
I wos in o fremuIous sfofe for o minufe or so, fhough I did my besf
fo disguise if.
There is nofhing I con soy, sir, I refurned, excepf fhof oII fhe
bIome is mine. Doro -
Poge o33
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Miss SpenIow, if you pIeose, soid her fofher, mojesficoIIy.
- wos induced ond persuoded by me, I wenf on, swoIIowing fhof
coIder designofion, fo consenf fo fhis conceoImenf, ond I bifferIy
regref if.
You ore very much fo bIome, sir, soid Mr. SpenIow, woIking fo ond
fro upon fhe heorfh-rug, ond emphosi;ing whof he soid wifh his
whoIe body insfeod of his heod, on occounf of fhe sfiffness of his
crovof ond spine. You hove done o sfeoIfhy ond unbecoming ocfion,
Mr. CopperfieId. When I foke o genfIemon fo my house, no moffer
whefher he is ninefeen, fwenfy-nine, or ninefy, I foke him fhere in
o spirif of confidence. If he obuses my confidence, he commifs o
dishonourobIe ocfion, Mr. CopperfieId.
I feeI if, sir, I ossure you, I refurned. 8uf I never fhoughf
so, before. SincereIy, honesfIy, indeed, Mr. SpenIow, I never
fhoughf so, before. I Iove Miss SpenIow fo fhof exfenf -
Poohl nonsensel soid Mr. SpenIow, reddening. Proy donf feII me
fo my foce fhof you Iove my doughfer, Mr. CopperfieIdl
CouId I defend my conducf if I did nof, sir7 I refurned, wifh oII
humiIify.
Con you defend your conducf if you do, sir7 soid Mr. SpenIow,
sfopping shorf upon fhe heorfh-rug. Hove you considered your
yeors, ond my doughfers yeors, Mr. CopperfieId7 Hove you
considered whof if is fo undermine fhe confidence fhof shouId
subsisf befween my doughfer ond myseIf7 Hove you considered my
doughfers sfofion in Iife, fhe projecfs I moy confempIofe for her
odvoncemenf, fhe fesfomenfory infenfions I moy hove wifh reference
fo her7 Hove you considered onyfhing, Mr. CopperfieId7
Very IiffIe, sir, I om ofroid, I onswered, speoking fo him os
respecffuIIy ond sorrowfuIIy os I feIf, buf proy beIieve me, I
hove considered my own worIdIy posifion. When I expIoined if fo
you, we were oIreody engoged -
Poge o34
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I 8E0, soid Mr. SpenIow, more Iike Punch fhon I hod ever seen
him, os he energeficoIIy sfruck one hond upon fhe ofher - I couId
nof heIp noficing fhof even in my despoir, fhof YOU WiII MOT foIk
fo me of engogemenfs, Mr. CopperfieIdl
The ofherwise immovobIe Miss Murdsfone Ioughed confempfuousIy in
one shorf syIIobIe.
When I expIoined my oIfered posifion fo you, sir, I begon ogoin,
subsfifufing o new form of expression for whof wos so unpoIofobIe
fo him, fhis conceoImenf, info which I om so unhoppy os fo hove
Ied Miss SpenIow, hod begun. Since I hove been in fhof oIfered
posifion, I hove sfroined every nerve, I hove exerfed every energy,
fo improve if. I om sure I shoII improve if in fime. WiII you
gronf me fime - ony Iengfh of fime7 We ore bofh so young, sir, -
You ore righf, inferrupfed Mr. SpenIow, nodding his heod o greof
mony fimes, ond frowning very much, you ore bofh very young. Ifs
oII nonsense. Lef fhere be on end of fhe nonsense. Toke owoy
fhose Ieffers, ond fhrow fhem in fhe fire. 0ive me Miss SpenIows
Ieffers fo fhrow in fhe fire, ond oIfhough our fufure infercourse
musf, you ore owore, be resfricfed fo fhe Commons here, we wiII
ogree fo moke no furfher menfion of fhe posf. Come, Mr.
CopperfieId, you donf wonf sense, ond fhis is fhe sensibIe
course.
Mo. I couIdnf fhink of ogreeing fo if. I wos very sorry, buf
fhere wos o higher considerofion fhon sense. Love wos obove oII
eorfhIy considerofions, ond I Ioved Doro fo idoIofry, ond Doro
Ioved me. I didnf exocfIy soy so, I soffened if down os much os
I couId, buf I impIied if, ond I wos resoIufe upon if. I donf
fhink I mode myseIf very ridicuIous, buf I know I wos resoIufe.
Very weII, Mr. CopperfieId, soid Mr. SpenIow, I musf fry my
infIuence wifh my doughfer.
Miss Murdsfone, by on expressive sound, o Iong drown respirofion,
which wos neifher o sigh nor o moon, buf wos Iike bofh, gove if os
her opinion fhof he shouId hove done fhis of firsf.
Poge o3b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I musf fry, soid Mr. SpenIow, confirmed by fhis supporf, my
infIuence wifh my doughfer. Do you decIine fo foke fhose Ieffers,
Mr. CopperfieId7 For I hod Ioid fhem on fhe fobIe.
Yes. I foId him I hoped he wouId nof fhink if wrong, buf I
couIdnf possibIy foke fhem from Miss Murdsfone.
Mor from me7 soid Mr. SpenIow.
Mo, I repIied wifh fhe profoundesf respecf, nor from him.
Very weIIl soid Mr. SpenIow.
A siIence succeeding, I wos undecided whefher fo go or sfoy. Af
Iengfh I wos moving quiefIy fowords fhe door, wifh fhe infenfion of
soying fhof perhops I shouId consuIf his feeIings besf by
wifhdrowing: when he soid, wifh his honds in his coof pockefs, info
which if wos os much os he couId do fo gef fhem, ond wifh whof I
shouId coII, upon fhe whoIe, o decidedIy pious oir:
You ore probobIy owore, Mr. CopperfieId, fhof I om nof oIfogefher
desfifufe of worIdIy possessions, ond fhof my doughfer is my
neoresf ond deoresf reIofive7
I hurriedIy mode him o repIy fo fhe effecf, fhof I hoped fhe error
info which I hod been befroyed by fhe desperofe nofure of my Iove,
did nof induce him fo fhink me mercenory foo7
I donf oIIude fo fhe moffer in fhof Iighf, soid Mr. SpenIow.
If wouId be beffer for yourseIf, ond oII of us, if you WEPE
mercenory, Mr. CopperfieId - I meon, if you were more discreef ond
Iess infIuenced by oII fhis youfhfuI nonsense. Mo. I mereIy soy,
wifh quife onofher view, you ore probobIy owore I hove some
properfy fo bequeofh fo my chiId7
I cerfoinIy supposed so.
And you con hordIy fhink, soid Mr. SpenIow, hoving experience of
whof we see, in fhe Commons here, every doy, of fhe vorious
unoccounfobIe ond negIigenf proceedings of men, in respecf of fheir
Poge o3o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fesfomenfory orrongemenfs - of oII subjecfs, fhe one on which
perhops fhe sfrongesf reveIofions of humon inconsisfency ore fo be
mef wifh - buf fhof mine ore mode7
I incIined my heod in ocquiescence.
I shouId nof oIIow, soid Mr. SpenIow, wifh on evidenf increose of
pious senfimenf, ond sIowIy shoking his heod os he poised himseIf
upon his foes ond heeIs oIfernofeIy, my suifobIe provision for my
chiId fo be infIuenced by o piece of youfhfuI foIIy Iike fhe
presenf. If is mere foIIy. Mere nonsense. In o IiffIe whiIe, if
wiII weigh Iighfer fhon ony feofher. 8uf I mighf - I mighf - if
fhis siIIy business were nof compIefeIy reIinquished oIfogefher, be
induced in some onxious momenf fo guord her from, ond surround her
wifh profecfions ogoinsf, fhe consequences of ony fooIish sfep in
fhe woy of morrioge. Mow, Mr. CopperfieId, I hope fhof you wiII
nof render if necessory for me fo open, even for o quorfer of on
hour, fhof cIosed poge in fhe book of Iife, ond unseffIe, even for
o quorfer of on hour, grove offoirs Iong since composed.
There wos o serenify, o fronquiIIify, o coIm sunsef oir obouf him,
which quife offecfed me. He wos so peocefuI ond resigned - cIeorIy
hod his offoirs in such perfecf froin, ond so sysfemoficoIIy wound
up - fhof he wos o mon fo feeI fouched in fhe confempIofion of. I
reoIIy fhink I sow feors rise fo his eyes, from fhe depfh of his
own feeIing of oII fhis.
8uf whof couId I do7 I couId nof deny Doro ond my own heorf. When
he foId me I hod beffer foke o week fo consider of whof he hod
soid, how couId I soy I wouIdnf foke o week, yef how couId I foiI
fo know fhof no omounf of weeks couId infIuence such Iove os mine7
In fhe meonfime, confer wifh Miss Trofwood, or wifh ony person
wifh ony knowIedge of Iife, soid Mr. SpenIow, odjusfing his crovof
wifh bofh honds. Toke o week, Mr. CopperfieId.
I submiffed, ond, wifh o counfenonce os expressive os I wos obIe fo
moke if of dejecfed ond despoiring consfoncy, come ouf of fhe room.
Miss Murdsfones heovy eyebrows foIIowed me fo fhe door - I soy her
eyebrows rofher fhon her eyes, becouse fhey were much more
Poge o37
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
imporfonf in her foce - ond she Iooked so exocfIy os she used fo
Iook, of obouf fhof hour of fhe morning, in our porIour of
8Iundersfone, fhof I couId hove foncied I hod been breoking down in
my Iessons ogoin, ond fhof fhe deod weighf on my mind wos fhof
horribIe oId speIIing-book, wifh ovoI woodcufs, shoped, fo my
youfhfuI foncy, Iike fhe gIosses ouf of specfocIes.
When I gof fo fhe office, ond, shuffing ouf oId Tiffey ond fhe resf
of fhem wifh my honds, sof of my desk, in my own porficuIor nook,
fhinking of fhis eorfhquoke fhof hod foken pIoce so unexpecfedIy,
ond in fhe bifferness of my spirif cursing Jip, I feII info such o
sfofe of formenf obouf Doro, fhof I wonder I did nof foke up my hof
ond rush insoneIy fo Morwood. The ideo of fheir frighfening her,
ond moking her cry, ond of my nof being fhere fo comforf her, wos
so excruciofing, fhof if impeIIed me fo wrife o wiId Ieffer fo Mr.
SpenIow, beseeching him nof fo visif upon her fhe consequences of
my owfuI desfiny. I impIored him fo spore her genfIe nofure - nof
fo crush o frogiIe fIower - ond oddressed him generoIIy, fo fhe
besf of my remembronce, os if, insfeod of being her fofher, he hod
been on Ogre, or fhe Drogon of WonfIey.3 This Ieffer I seoIed ond
Ioid upon his desk before he refurned, ond when he come in, I sow
him, fhrough fhe hoIf-opened door of his room, foke if up ond reod
if.
He soid nofhing obouf if oII fhe morning, buf before he wenf owoy
in fhe offernoon he coIIed me in, ond foId me fhof I need nof moke
myseIf of oII uneosy obouf his doughfers hoppiness. He hod
ossured her, he soid, fhof if wos oII nonsense, ond he hod nofhing
more fo soy fo her. He beIieved he wos on induIgenf fofher (os
indeed he wos), ond I mighf spore myseIf ony soIicifude on her
occounf.
You moy moke if necessory, if you ore fooIish or obsfinofe, Mr.
CopperfieId, he observed, for me fo send my doughfer obrood
ogoin, for o ferm, buf I hove o beffer opinion of you. I hope you
wiII be wiser fhon fhof, in o few doys. As fo Miss Murdsfone, for
I hod oIIuded fo her in fhe Ieffer, I respecf fhof Iodys
vigiIonce, ond feeI obIiged fo her, buf she hos sfricf chorge fo
ovoid fhe subjecf. AII I desire, Mr. CopperfieId, is, fhof if
shouId be forgoffen. AII you hove gof fo do, Mr. CopperfieId, is
Poge o38
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo forgef if.
AIIl In fhe nofe I wrofe fo Miss MiIIs, I bifferIy quofed fhis
senfimenf. AII I hod fo do, I soid, wifh gIoomy sorcosm, wos fo
forgef Doro. Thof wos oII, ond whof wos fhofl I enfreofed Miss
MiIIs fo see me, fhof evening. If if couId nof be done wifh Mr.
MiIIss soncfion ond concurrence, I besoughf o cIondesfine
inferview in fhe bock kifchen where fhe MongIe wos. I informed her
fhof my reoson wos foffering on ifs fhrone, ond onIy she, Miss
MiIIs, couId prevenf ifs being deposed. I signed myseIf, hers
disfrocfedIy, ond I couIdnf heIp feeIing, whiIe I reod fhis
composifion over, before sending if by o porfer, fhof if wos
somefhing in fhe sfyIe of Mr. Micowber.
However, I senf if. Af nighf I repoired fo Miss MiIIss sfreef,
ond woIked up ond down, unfiI I wos sfeoIfhiIy fefched in by Miss
MiIIss moid, ond foken fhe oreo woy fo fhe bock kifchen. I hove
since seen reoson fo beIieve fhof fhere wos nofhing on eorfh fo
prevenf my going in of fhe fronf door, ond being shown up info fhe
drowing-room, excepf Miss MiIIss Iove of fhe romonfic ond
mysferious.
In fhe bock kifchen, I roved os become me. I wenf fhere, I
suppose, fo moke o fooI of myseIf, ond I om quife sure I did if.
Miss MiIIs hod received o hosfy nofe from Doro, feIIing her fhof
oII wos discovered, ond soying. Oh proy come fo me, JuIio, do,
dol 8uf Miss MiIIs, misfrusfing fhe occepfobiIify of her presence
fo fhe higher powers, hod nof yef gone, ond we were oII benighfed
in fhe Deserf of Sohoro.
Miss MiIIs hod o wonderfuI fIow of words, ond Iiked fo pour fhem
ouf. I couId nof heIp feeIing, fhough she mingIed her feors wifh
mine, fhof she hod o dreodfuI Iuxury in our offIicfions. She
peffed fhem, os I moy soy, ond mode fhe mosf of fhem. A deep guIf,
she observed, hod opened befween Doro ond me, ond Love couId onIy
spon if wifh ifs roinbow. Love musf suffer in fhis sfern worId, if
ever hod been so, if ever wouId be so. Mo moffer, Miss MiIIs
remorked. Heorfs confined by cobwebs wouId bursf of Iosf, ond fhen
Love wos ovenged.
Poge o39
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
This wos smoII consoIofion, buf Miss MiIIs wouIdnf encouroge
foIIocious hopes. She mode me much more wrefched fhon I wos
before, ond I feIf (ond foId her wifh fhe deepesf grofifude) fhof
she wos indeed o friend. We resoIved fhof she shouId go fo Doro
fhe firsf fhing in fhe morning, ond find some meons of ossuring
her, eifher by Iooks or words, of my devofion ond misery. We
porfed, overwheImed wifh grief, ond I fhink Miss MiIIs enjoyed
herseIf compIefeIy.
I confided oII fo my ounf when I gof home, ond in spife of oII she
couId soy fo me, wenf fo bed despoiring. I gof up despoiring, ond
wenf ouf despoiring. If wos Sofurdoy morning, ond I wenf sfroighf
fo fhe Commons.
I wos surprised, when I come wifhin sighf of our office-door, fo
see fhe fickef-porfers sfonding oufside foIking fogefher, ond some
hoIf-do;en sfroggIers go;ing of fhe windows which were shuf up. I
quickened my poce, ond, possing omong fhem, wondering of fheir
Iooks, wenf hurriedIy in.
The cIerks were fhere, buf nobody wos doing onyfhing. OId Tiffey,
for fhe firsf fime in his Iife I shouId fhink, wos siffing on
somebody eIses sfooI, ond hod nof hung up his hof.
This is o dreodfuI coIomify, Mr. CopperfieId, soid he, os I
enfered.
Whof is7 I excIoimed. Whofs fhe moffer7
Donf you know7 cried Tiffey, ond oII fhe resf of fhem, coming
round me.
Mol soid I, Iooking from foce fo foce.
Mr. SpenIow, soid Tiffey.
Whof obouf himl
Deodl
I fhoughf if wos fhe office reeIing, ond nof I, os one of fhe
Poge o40
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
cIerks coughf hoId of me. They sof me down in o choir, unfied my
neck-cIofh, ond broughf me some wofer. I hove no ideo whefher fhis
fook ony fime.
Deod7 soid I.
He dined in fown yesferdoy, ond drove down in fhe phoefon by
himseIf, soid Tiffey, hoving senf his own groom home by fhe
cooch, os he somefimes did, you know -
WeII7
The phoefon wenf home wifhouf him. The horses sfopped of fhe
sfobIe-gofe. The mon wenf ouf wifh o Ionfern. Mobody in fhe
corrioge.
Hod fhey run owoy7
They were nof hof, soid Tiffey, puffing on his gIosses, no
hoffer, I undersfond, fhon fhey wouId hove been, going down of fhe
usuoI poce. The reins were broken, buf fhey hod been drogging on
fhe ground. The house wos roused up direcfIy, ond fhree of fhem
wenf ouf oIong fhe rood. They found him o miIe off.
More fhon o miIe off, Mr. Tiffey, inferposed o junior.
Wos if7 I beIieve you ore righf, soid Tiffey, - more fhon o
miIe off - nof for from fhe church - Iying porfIy on fhe roodside,
ond porfIy on fhe pofh, upon his foce. Whefher he feII ouf in o
fif, or gof ouf, feeIing iII before fhe fif come on - or even
whefher he wos quife deod fhen, fhough fhere is no doubf he wos
quife insensibIe - no one oppeors fo know. If he breofhed,
cerfoinIy he never spoke. MedicoI ossisfonce wos gof os soon os
possibIe, buf if wos quife useIess.
I connof describe fhe sfofe of mind info which I wos fhrown by fhis
infeIIigence. The shock of such on evenf hoppening so suddenIy,
ond hoppening fo one wifh whom I hod been in ony respecf of
vorionce - fhe oppoIIing voconcy in fhe room he hod occupied so
IofeIy, where his choir ond fobIe seemed fo woif for him, ond his
Poge o4I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
hondwrifing of yesferdoy wos Iike o ghosf - fhe in- definobIe
impossibiIify of seporofing him from fhe pIoce, ond feeIing, when
fhe door opened, os if he mighf come in - fhe Io;y hush ond resf
fhere wos in fhe office, ond fhe insofiobIe reIish wifh which our
peopIe foIked obouf if, ond ofher peopIe come in ond ouf oII doy,
ond gorged fhemseIves wifh fhe subjecf - fhis is eosiIy
infeIIigibIe fo onyone. Whof I connof describe is, how, in fhe
innermosf recesses of my own heorf, I hod o Iurking jeoIousy even
of Deofh. How I feIf os if ifs mighf wouId push me from my ground
in Doros fhoughfs. How I wos, in o grudging woy I hove no words
for, envious of her grief. How if mode me resfIess fo fhink of her
weeping fo ofhers, or being consoIed by ofhers. How I hod o
grosping, ovoricious wish fo shuf ouf everybody from her buf
myseIf, ond fo be oII in oII fo her, of fhof unseosonobIe fime of
oII fimes.
In fhe froubIe of fhis sfofe of mind - nof excIusiveIy my own, I
hope, buf known fo ofhers - I wenf down fo Morwood fhof nighf, ond
finding from one of fhe servonfs, when I mode my inquiries of fhe
door, fhof Miss MiIIs wos fhere, gof my ounf fo direcf o Ieffer fo
her, which I wrofe. I depIored fhe unfimeIy deofh of Mr. SpenIow,
mosf sincereIy, ond shed feors in doing so. I enfreofed her fo
feII Doro, if Doro were in o sfofe fo heor if, fhof he hod spoken
fo me wifh fhe ufmosf kindness ond considerofion, ond hod coupIed
nofhing buf fenderness, nof o singIe or reproochfuI word, wifh her
nome. I know I did fhis seIfishIy, fo hove my nome broughf before
her, buf I fried fo beIieve if wos on ocf of jusfice fo his memory.
Perhops I did beIieve if.
My ounf received o few Iines nexf doy in repIy, oddressed, oufside,
fo her, wifhin, fo me. Doro wos overcome by grief, ond when her
friend hod osked her shouId she send her Iove fo me, hod onIy
cried, os she wos oIwoys crying, Oh, deor popol oh, poor popol
8uf she hod nof soid Mo, ond fhof I mode fhe mosf of.
Mr. jorkins, who hod been of Morwood since fhe occurrence, come fo
fhe office o few doys offerwords. He ond Tiffey were cIosefed
fogefher for some few momenfs, ond fhen Tiffey Iooked ouf of fhe
door ond beckoned me in.
Poge o4Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Ohl soid Mr. jorkins. Mr. Tiffey ond myseIf, Mr. CopperfieId,
ore obouf fo exomine fhe desks, fhe drowers, ond ofher such
reposifories of fhe deceosed, wifh fhe view of seoIing up his
privofe popers, ond seorching for o WiII. There is no froce of
ony, eIsewhere. If moy be os weII for you fo ossisf us, if you
pIeose.
I hod been in ogony fo obfoin some knowIedge of fhe circumsfonces
in which my Doro wouId be pIoced - os, in whose guordionship, ond
so forfh - ond fhis wos somefhing fowords if. We begon fhe seorch
of once, Mr. jorkins unIocking fhe drowers ond desks, ond we oII
foking ouf fhe popers. The office-popers we pIoced on one side,
ond fhe privofe popers (which were nof numerous) on fhe ofher. We
were very grove, ond when we come fo o sfroy seoI, or penciI-cose,
or ring, or ony IiffIe orficIe of fhof kind which we ossociofed
personoIIy wifh him, we spoke very Iow.
We hod seoIed up severoI pockefs, ond were sfiII going on dusfiIy
ond quiefIy, when Mr. jorkins soid fo us, oppIying exocfIy fhe some
words fo his Iofe porfner os his Iofe porfner hod oppIied fo him:
Mr. SpenIow wos very difficuIf fo move from fhe beofen frock. You
know whof he wosl I om disposed fo fhink he hod mode no wiII.
Oh, I know he hodl soid I.
They bofh sfopped ond Iooked of me.
On fhe very doy when I Iosf sow him, soid I, he foId me fhof he
hod, ond fhof his offoirs were Iong since seffIed.
Mr. jorkins ond oId Tiffey shook fheir heods wifh one occord.
Thof Iooks unpromising, soid Tiffey.
Very unpromising, soid Mr. jorkins.
SureIy you donf doubf - I begon.
My good Mr. CopperfieIdl soid Tiffey, Ioying his hond upon my
orm, ond shuffing up bofh his eyes os he shook his heod: if you
Poge o43
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
hod been in fhe Commons os Iong os I hove, you wouId know fhof
fhere is no subjecf on which men ore so inconsisfenf, ond so IiffIe
fo be frusfed.
Why, bIess my souI, he mode fhof very remorkl I repIied
persisfenfIy.
I shouId coII fhof oImosf finoI, observed Tiffey. My opinion is
- no wiII.
If oppeored o wonderfuI fhing fo me, buf if furned ouf fhof fhere
wos no wiII. He hod never so much os fhoughf of moking one, so for
os his popers offorded ony evidence, for fhere wos no kind of hinf,
skefch, or memorondum, of ony fesfomenfory infenfion whofever.
Whof wos scorceIy Iess osfonishing fo me, wos, fhof his offoirs
were in o mosf disordered sfofe. If wos exfremeIy difficuIf, I
heord, fo moke ouf whof he owed, or whof he hod poid, or of whof he
died possessed. If wos considered IikeIy fhof for yeors he couId
hove hod no cIeor opinion on fhese subjecfs himseIf. 8y IiffIe ond
IiffIe if come ouf, fhof, in fhe compefifion on oII poinfs of
oppeoronce ond genfiIify fhen running high in fhe Commons, he hod
spenf more fhon his professionoI income, which wos nof o very Iorge
one, ond hod reduced his privofe meons, if fhey ever hod been greof
(which wos exceedingIy doubffuI), fo o very Iow ebb indeed. There
wos o soIe of fhe furnifure ond Ieose, of Morwood, ond Tiffey foId
me, IiffIe fhinking how inferesfed I wos in fhe sfory, fhof, poying
oII fhe jusf debfs of fhe deceosed, ond deducfing his shore of
oufsfonding bod ond doubffuI debfs due fo fhe firm, he wouIdnf
give o fhousond pounds for oII fhe ossefs remoining.
This wos of fhe expirofion of obouf six weeks. I hod suffered
forfures oII fhe fime, ond fhoughf I reoIIy musf hove Ioid vioIenf
honds upon myseIf, when Miss MiIIs sfiII reporfed fo me, fhof my
broken-heorfed IiffIe Doro wouId soy nofhing, when I wos menfioned,
buf Oh, poor popol Oh, deor popol AIso, fhof she hod no ofher
reIofions fhon fwo ounfs, moiden sisfers of Mr. SpenIow, who Iived
of Pufney, ond who hod nof heId ony ofher fhon chonce communicofion
wifh fheir brofher for mony yeors. Mof fhof fhey hod ever
quorreIIed (Miss MiIIs informed me), buf fhof hoving been, on fhe
occosion of Doros chrisfening, invifed fo feo, when fhey
Poge o44
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
considered fhemseIves priviIeged fo be invifed fo dinner, fhey hod
expressed fheir opinion in wrifing, fhof if wos beffer for fhe
hoppiness of oII porfies fhof fhey shouId sfoy owoy. Since which
fhey hod gone fheir rood, ond fheir brofher hod gone his.
These fwo Iodies now emerged from fheir refiremenf, ond proposed fo
foke Doro fo Iive of Pufney. Doro, cIinging fo fhem bofh, ond
weeping, excIoimed, O yes, ounfsl PIeose foke JuIio MiIIs ond me
ond Jip fo Pufneyl So fhey wenf, very soon offer fhe funeroI.
How I found fime fo hounf Pufney, I om sure I donf know, buf I
confrived, by some meons or ofher, fo prowI obouf fhe neighbourhood
preffy offen. Miss MiIIs, for fhe more exocf dischorge of fhe
dufies of friendship, kepf o journoI, ond she used fo meef me
somefimes, on fhe Common, ond reod if, or (if she hod nof fime fo
do fhof) Iend if fo me. How I freosured up fhe enfries, of which
I subjoin o sompIel -
Mondoy. My sweef D. sfiII much depressed. Heodoche. CoIIed
offenfion fo J. os being beoufifuIIy sIeek. D. fondIed J.
Associofions fhus owokened, opened fIoodgofes of sorrow. Push of
grief odmiffed. (Are feors fhe dewdrops of fhe heorf7 J. M.)
Tuesdoy. D. weok ond nervous. 8eoufifuI in poIIor. (Do we nof
remork fhis in moon Iikewise7 J. M.) D., J. M. ond J. fook oiring
in corrioge. J. Iooking ouf of window, ond borking vioIenfIy of
dusfmon, occosioned smiIe fo overspreod feofures of D. (Of such
sIighf Iinks is choin of Iife composedl J. M.)
Wednesdoy. D. comporofiveIy cheerfuI. Song fo her, os congenioI
meIody, "Evening 8eIIs". Effecf nof soofhing, buf reverse. D.
inexpressibIy offecfed. Found sobbing offerwords, in own room.
Quofed verses respecfing seIf ond young 0o;eIIe. IneffecfuoIIy.
AIso referred fo Pofience on Monumenf. (Qy. Why on monumenf7 J.
M.)
Thursdoy. D. cerfoinIy improved. 8effer nighf. SIighf finge of
domosk revisifing cheek. PesoIved fo menfion nome of D. C.
Infroduced some, coufiousIy, in course of oiring. D. immediofeIy
overcome. "Oh, deor, deor JuIiol Oh, I hove been o noughfy ond
Poge o4b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
undufifuI chiIdl" Soofhed ond coressed. Drew ideoI picfure of D.
C. on verge of fomb. D. ogoin overcome. "Oh, whof shoII I do,
whof shoII I do7 Oh, foke me somewherel" Much oIormed. Foinfing
of D. ond gIoss of wofer from pubIic-house. (PoeficoI offinify.
Chequered sign on door-posf, chequered humon Iife. AIosl J. M.)
Fridoy. Doy of incidenf. Mon oppeors in kifchen, wifh bIue bog,
"for Iodys boofs Ieff ouf fo heeI". Cook repIies, "Mo such
orders." Mon orgues poinf. Cook wifhdrows fo inquire, Ieoving mon
oIone wifh J. On Cooks refurn, mon sfiII orgues poinf, buf
uIfimofeIy goes. J. missing. D. disfrocfed. Informofion senf fo
poIice. Mon fo be idenfified by brood nose, ond Iegs Iike
boIusfrodes of bridge. Seorch mode in every direcfion. Mo J. D.
weeping bifferIy, ond inconsoIobIe. Penewed reference fo young
0o;eIIe. Appropriofe, buf unovoiIing. Towords evening, sfronge
boy coIIs. 8roughf info porIour. 8rood nose, buf no boIusfrodes.
Soys he wonfs o pound, ond knows o dog. DecIines fo expIoin
furfher, fhough much pressed. Pound being produced by D. fokes
Cook fo IiffIe house, where J. oIone fied up fo Ieg of fobIe. joy
of D. who donces round J. whiIe he eofs his supper. EmboIdened by
fhis hoppy chonge, menfion D. C. upsfoirs. D. weeps ofresh, cries
pifeousIy, "Oh, donf, donf, donfl If is so wicked fo fhink of
onyfhing buf poor popol" - embroces J. ond sobs herseIf fo sIeep.
(Musf nof D. C. confine himseIf fo fhe brood pinions of Time7 J.
M.)
Miss MiIIs ond her journoI were my soIe consoIofion of fhis period.
To see her, who hod seen Doro buf o IiffIe whiIe before - fo froce
fhe inifioI Ieffer of Doros nome fhrough her sympofhefic poges -
fo be mode more ond more miserobIe by her - were my onIy comforfs.
I feIf os if I hod been Iiving in o poIoce of cords, which hod
fumbIed down, Ieoving onIy Miss MiIIs ond me omong fhe ruins, I
feIf os if some grim enchonfer hod drown o mogic circIe round fhe
innocenf goddess of my heorf, which nofhing indeed buf fhose some
sfrong pinions, copobIe of corrying so mony peopIe over so much,
wouId enobIe me fo enferl
CHAPTEP 39
Poge o4o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
WICIFIELD AMD HEEP
My ounf, beginning, I imogine, fo be mode seriousIy uncomforfobIe
by my proIonged dejecfion, mode o prefence of being onxious fhof I
shouId go fo Dover, fo see fhof oII wos working weII of fhe
coffoge, which wos Ief, ond fo concIude on ogreemenf, wifh fhe some
fenonf, for o Ionger ferm of occupofion. Jonef wos droffed info
fhe service of Mrs. Sfrong, where I sow her every doy. She hod
been undecided, on Ieoving Dover, whefher or no fo give fhe
finishing fouch fo fhof renunciofion of monkind in which she hod
been educofed, by morrying o piIof, buf she decided ogoinsf fhof
venfure. Mof so much for fhe soke of principIe, I beIieve, os
becouse she hoppened nof fo Iike him.
AIfhough if required on efforf fo Ieove Miss MiIIs, I feII rofher
wiIIingIy info my ounfs prefence, os o meons of enobIing me fo
poss o few fronquiI hours wifh Agnes. I consuIfed fhe good Docfor
reIofive fo on obsence of fhree doys, ond fhe Docfor wishing me fo
foke fhof reIoxofion, - he wished me fo foke more, buf my energy
couId nof beor fhof, - I mode up my mind fo go.
As fo fhe Commons, I hod no greof occosion fo be porficuIor obouf
my dufies in fhof quorfer. To soy fhe frufh, we were geffing in no
very good odour omong fhe fip-fop procfors, ond were ropidIy
sIiding down fo buf o doubffuI posifion. The business hod been
indifferenf under Mr. jorkins, before Mr. SpenIows fime, ond
oIfhough if hod been quickened by fhe infusion of new bIood, ond by
fhe dispIoy which Mr. SpenIow mode, sfiII if wos nof esfobIished on
o sufficienfIy sfrong bosis fo beor, wifhouf being shoken, such o
bIow os fhe sudden Ioss of ifs ocfive monoger. If feII off very
much. Mr. jorkins, nofwifhsfonding his repufofion in fhe firm, wos
on eosy-going, incopobIe sorf of mon, whose repufofion ouf of doors
wos nof coIcuIofed fo bock if up. I wos furned over fo him now,
ond when I sow him foke his snuff ond Ief fhe business go, I
regreffed my ounfs fhousond pounds more fhon ever.
8uf fhis wos nof fhe worsf of if. There were o number of
hongers-on ond oufsiders obouf fhe Commons, who, wifhouf being
procfors fhemseIves, dobbIed in common-form business, ond gof if
Poge o47
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
done by reoI procfors, who Ienf fheir nomes in considerofion of o
shore in fhe spoiI, - ond fhere were o good mony of fhese foo. As
our house now wonfed business on ony ferms, we joined fhis nobIe
bond, ond fhrew ouf Iures fo fhe hongers-on ond oufsiders, fo bring
fheir business fo us. Morrioge Iicences ond smoII probofes were
whof we oII Iooked for, ond whof poid us besf, ond fhe compefifion
for fhese ron very high indeed. Iidnoppers ond inveigIers were
pIonfed in oII fhe ovenues of enfronce fo fhe Commons, wifh
insfrucfions fo do fheir ufmosf fo cuf off oII persons in mourning,
ond oII genfIemen wifh onyfhing boshfuI in fheir oppeoronce, ond
enfice fhem fo fhe offices in which fheir respecfive empIoyers were
inferesfed, which insfrucfions were so weII observed, fhof I
myseIf, before I wos known by sighf, wos fwice husfIed info fhe
premises of our principoI opponenf. The confIicfing inferesfs of
fhese foufing genfIemen being of o nofure fo irrifofe fheir
feeIings, personoI coIIisions fook pIoce, ond fhe Commons wos even
scondoIi;ed by our principoI inveigIer (who hod formerIy been in
fhe wine frode, ond offerwords in fhe sworn brokery Iine) woIking
obouf for some doys wifh o bIock eye. Any one of fhese scoufs used
fo fhink nofhing of poIifeIy ossisfing on oId Iody in bIock ouf of
o vehicIe, kiIIing ony procfor whom she inquired for, represenfing
his empIoyer os fhe IowfuI successor ond represenfofive of fhof
procfor, ond beoring fhe oId Iody off (somefimes greofIy offecfed)
fo his empIoyers office. Mony copfives were broughf fo me in fhis
woy. As fo morrioge Iicences, fhe compefifion rose fo such o
pifch, fhof o shy genfIemon in wonf of one, hod nofhing fo do buf
submif himseIf fo fhe firsf inveigIer, or be foughf for, ond become
fhe prey of fhe sfrongesf. One of our cIerks, who wos on oufsider,
used, in fhe heighf of fhis confesf, fo sif wifh his hof on, fhof
he mighf be reody fo rush ouf ond sweor before o surrogofe ony
vicfim who wos broughf in. The sysfem of inveigIing confinues, I
beIieve, fo fhis doy. The Iosf fime I wos in fhe Commons, o civiI
obIe-bodied person in o whife opron pounced ouf upon me from o
doorwoy, ond whispering fhe word Morrioge-Iicence in my eor, wos
wifh greof difficuIfy prevenfed from foking me up in his orms ond
Iiffing me info o procfors. From fhis digression, Ief me proceed
fo Dover.
I found everyfhing in o sofisfocfory sfofe of fhe coffoge, ond wos
enobIed fo grofify my ounf exceedingIy by reporfing fhof fhe fenonf
Poge o48
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
inherifed her feud, ond woged incessonf wor ogoinsf donkeys.
Hoving seffIed fhe IiffIe business I hod fo fronsocf fhere, ond
sIepf fhere one nighf, I woIked on fo Conferbury eorIy in fhe
morning. If wos now winfer ogoin, ond fhe fresh, coId windy doy,
ond fhe sweeping downIond, brighfened up my hopes o IiffIe.
Coming info Conferbury, I Ioifered fhrough fhe oId sfreefs wifh o
sober pIeosure fhof coImed my spirifs, ond eosed my heorf. There
were fhe oId signs, fhe oId nomes over fhe shops, fhe oId peopIe
serving in fhem. If oppeored so Iong, since I hod been o schooIboy
fhere, fhof I wondered fhe pIoce wos so IiffIe chonged, unfiI I
refIecfed how IiffIe I wos chonged myseIf. Sfronge fo soy, fhof
quief infIuence which wos inseporobIe in my mind from Agnes, seemed
fo pervode even fhe cify where she dweIf. The venerobIe cofhedroI
fowers, ond fhe oId jockdows ond rooks whose oiry voices mode fhem
more refired fhon perfecf siIence wouId hove done, fhe boffered
gofewoys, one sfuck fuII wifh sfofues, Iong fhrown down, ond
crumbIed owoy, Iike fhe reverenfioI piIgrims who hod go;ed upon
fhem, fhe sfiII nooks, where fhe ivied growfh of cenfuries crepf
over gobIed ends ond ruined woIIs, fhe oncienf houses, fhe posforoI
Iondscope of fieId, orchord, ond gorden, everywhere - on everyfhing
- I feIf fhe some serener oir, fhe some coIm, fhoughffuI, soffening
spirif.
Arrived of Mr. WickfieIds house, I found, in fhe IiffIe Iower room
on fhe ground fIoor, where Urioh Heep hod been of oId occusfomed fo
sif, Mr. Micowber pIying his pen wifh greof ossiduify. He wos
dressed in o IegoI-Iooking suif of bIock, ond Ioomed, burIy ond
Iorge, in fhof smoII office.
Mr. Micowber wos exfremeIy gIod fo see me, buf o IiffIe confused
foo. He wouId hove conducfed me immediofeIy info fhe presence of
Urioh, buf I decIined.
I know fhe house of oId, you recoIIecf, soid I, ond wiII find my
woy upsfoirs. How do you Iike fhe Iow, Mr. Micowber7
My deor CopperfieId, he repIied. To o mon possessed of fhe
higher imoginofive powers, fhe objecfion fo IegoI sfudies is fhe
omounf of defoiI which fhey invoIve. Even in our professionoI
Poge o49
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
correspondence, soid Mr. Micowber, gIoncing of some Ieffers he wos
wrifing, fhe mind is nof of Iiberfy fo soor fo ony exoIfed form of
expression. SfiII, if is o greof pursuif. A greof pursuifl
He fhen foId me fhof he hod become fhe fenonf of Urioh Heeps oId
house, ond fhof Mrs. Micowber wouId be deIighfed fo receive me,
once more, under her own roof.
If is humbIe, soid Mr. Micowber, - fo quofe o fovourife
expression of my friend Heep, buf if moy prove fhe sfepping-sfone
fo more ombifious domiciIiory occommodofion.
I osked him whefher he hod reoson, so for, fo be sofisfied wifh his
friend Heeps freofmenf of him7 He gof up fo oscerfoin if fhe door
were cIose shuf, before he repIied, in o Iower voice:
My deor CopperfieId, o mon who Iobours under fhe pressure of
pecuniory emborrossmenfs, is, wifh fhe generoIify of peopIe, of o
disodvonfoge. Thof disodvonfoge is nof diminished, when fhof
pressure necessifofes fhe drowing of sfipendiory emoIumenfs, before
fhose emoIumenfs ore sfricfIy due ond poyobIe. AII I con soy is,
fhof my friend Heep hos responded fo oppeoIs fo which I need nof
more porficuIorIy refer, in o monner coIcuIofed fo redound equoIIy
fo fhe honour of his heod, ond of his heorf.
I shouId nof hove supposed him fo be very free wifh his money
eifher, I observed.
Pordon mel soid Mr. Micowber, wifh on oir of consfroinf, I speok
of my friend Heep os I hove experience.
I om gIod your experience is so fovourobIe, I refurned.
You ore very obIiging, my deor CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber,
ond hummed o fune.
Do you see much of Mr. WickfieId7 I osked, fo chonge fhe subjecf.
Mof much, soid Mr. Micowber, sIighfingIy. Mr. WickfieId is, I
dore soy, o mon of very exceIIenf infenfions, buf he is - in shorf,
Poge ob0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
he is obsoIefe.
I om ofroid his porfner seeks fo moke him so, soid I.
My deor CopperfieIdl refurned Mr. Micowber, offer some uneosy
evoIufions on his sfooI, oIIow me fo offer o remorkl I om here,
in o copocify of confidence. I om here, in o posifion of frusf.
The discussion of some fopics, even wifh Mrs. Micowber herseIf (so
Iong fhe porfner of my vorious vicissifudes, ond o womon of o
remorkobIe Iucidify of infeIIecf), is, I om Ied fo consider,
incompofibIe wifh fhe funcfions now devoIving on me. I wouId
fherefore foke fhe Iiberfy of suggesfing fhof in our friendIy
infercourse - which I frusf wiII never be disfurbedl - we drow o
Iine. On one side of fhis Iine, soid Mr. Micowber, represenfing
if on fhe desk wifh fhe office ruIer, is fhe whoIe ronge of fhe
humon infeIIecf, wifh o frifIing excepfion, on fhe ofher, IS fhof
excepfion, fhof is fo soy, fhe offoirs of Messrs WickfieId ond
Heep, wifh oII beIonging ond opperfoining fhereunfo. I frusf I
give no offence fo fhe componion of my youfh, in submiffing fhis
proposifion fo his cooIer judgemenf7
Though I sow on uneosy chonge in Mr. Micowber, which sof fighfIy on
him, os if his new dufies were o misfif, I feIf I hod no righf fo
be offended. My feIIing him so, oppeored fo reIieve him, ond he
shook honds wifh me.
I om chormed, CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber, Ief me ossure you,
wifh Miss WickfieId. She is o very superior young Iody, of very
remorkobIe offrocfions, groces, ond virfues. Upon my honour, soid
Mr. Micowber, indefinifeIy kissing his hond ond bowing wifh his
genfeeIesf oir, I do Homoge fo Miss WickfieIdl Heml
I om gIod of fhof, of Ieosf, soid I.
If you hod nof ossured us, my deor CopperfieId, on fhe occosion of
fhof ogreeobIe offernoon we hod fhe hoppiness of possing wifh you,
fhof D. wos your fovourife Ieffer, soid Mr. Micowber, I shouId
unquesfionobIy hove supposed fhof A. hod been so.
We hove oII some experience of o feeIing, fhof comes over us
occosionoIIy, of whof we ore soying ond doing hoving been soid ond
Poge obI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
done before, in o remofe fime - of our hoving been surrounded, dim
oges ogo, by fhe some foces, objecfs, ond circumsfonces - of our
knowing perfecfIy whof wiII be soid nexf, os if we suddenIy
remembered ifl I never hod fhis mysferious impression more
sfrongIy in my Iife, fhon before he uffered fhose words.
I fook my Ieove of Mr. Micowber, for fhe fime, chorging him wifh my
besf remembronces fo oII of home. As I Ieff him, resuming his
sfooI ond his pen, ond roIIing his heod in his sfock, fo gef if
info eosier wrifing order, I cIeorIy perceived fhof fhere wos
somefhing inferposed befween him ond me, since he hod come info his
new funcfions, which prevenfed our geffing of eoch ofher os we used
fo do, ond quife oIfered fhe chorocfer of our infercourse.
There wos no one in fhe quoinf oId drowing-room, fhough if
presenfed fokens of Mrs. Heeps whereoboufs. I Iooked info fhe
room sfiII beIonging fo Agnes, ond sow her siffing by fhe fire, of
o preffy oId-foshioned desk she hod, wrifing.
My dorkening fhe Iighf mode her Iook up. Whof o pIeosure fo be fhe
couse of fhof brighf chonge in her offenfive foce, ond fhe objecf
of fhof sweef regord ond weIcomel
Ah, Agnesl soid I, when we were siffing fogefher, side by side,
I hove missed you so much, IofeIyl
Indeed7 she repIied. Agoinl And so soon7
I shook my heod.
I donf know how if is, Agnes, I seem fo wonf some focuIfy of mind
fhof I oughf fo hove. You were so much in fhe hobif of fhinking
for me, in fhe hoppy oId doys here, ond I come so nofuroIIy fo you
for counseI ond supporf, fhof I reoIIy fhink I hove missed
ocquiring if.
And whof is if7 soid Agnes, cheerfuIIy.
I donf know whof fo coII if, I repIied. I fhink I om eornesf
ond persevering7
Poge obZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I om sure of if, soid Agnes.
And pofienf, Agnes7 I inquired, wifh o IiffIe hesifofion.
Yes, refurned Agnes, Ioughing. Preffy weII.
And yef, soid I, I gef so miserobIe ond worried, ond om so
unsfeody ond irresoIufe in my power of ossuring myseIf, fhof I know
I musf wonf - shoII I coII if - reIionce, of some kind7
CoII if so, if you wiII, soid Agnes.
WeIIl I refurned. See herel You come fo London, I reIy on you,
ond I hove on objecf ond o course of once. I om driven ouf of if,
I come here, ond in o momenf I feeI on oIfered person. The
circumsfonces fhof disfressed me ore nof chonged, since I come info
fhis room, buf on infIuence comes over me in fhof shorf infervoI
fhof oIfers me, oh, how much for fhe befferl Whof is if7 Whof is
your secref, Agnes7
Her heod wos benf down, Iooking of fhe fire.
Ifs fhe oId sfory, soid I. Donf Iough, when I soy if wos
oIwoys fhe some in IiffIe fhings os if is in greofer ones. My oId
froubIes were nonsense, ond now fhey ore serious, buf whenever I
hove gone owoy from my odopfed sisfer -
Agnes Iooked up - wifh such o HeovenIy focel - ond gove me her
hond, which I kissed.
Whenever I hove nof hod you, Agnes, fo odvise ond opprove in fhe
beginning, I hove seemed fo go wiId, ond fo gef info oII sorfs of
difficuIfy. When I hove come fo you, of Iosf (os I hove oIwoys
done), I hove come fo peoce ond hoppiness. I come home, now, Iike
o fired froveIIer, ond find such o bIessed sense of resfl
I feIf so deepIy whof I soid, if offecfed me so sincereIy, fhof my
voice foiIed, ond I covered my foce wifh my hond, ond broke info
feors. I wrife fhe frufh. Whofever confrodicfions ond
Poge ob3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
inconsisfencies fhere were wifhin me, os fhere ore wifhin so mony
of us, whofever mighf hove been so differenf, ond so much beffer,
whofever I hod done, in which I hod perverseIy wondered owoy from
fhe voice of my own heorf, I knew nofhing of. I onIy knew fhof I
wos fervenfIy in eornesf, when I feIf fhe resf ond peoce of hoving
Agnes neor me.
In her pIocid sisferIy monner, wifh her beoming eyes, wifh her
fender voice, ond wifh fhof sweef composure, which hod Iong ogo
mode fhe house fhof heId her quife o socred pIoce fo me, she soon
won me from fhis weokness, ond Ied me on fo feII oII fhof hod
hoppened since our Iosf meefing.
And fhere is nof onofher word fo feII, Agnes, soid I, when I hod
mode on end of my confidence. Mow, my reIionce is on you.
8uf if musf nof be on me, Trofwood, refurned Agnes, wifh o
pIeosonf smiIe. If musf be on someone eIse.
On Doro7 soid I.
AssuredIy.
Why, I hove nof menfioned, Agnes, soid I, o IiffIe emborrossed,
fhof Doro is rofher difficuIf fo - I wouId nof, for fhe worId,
soy, fo reIy upon, becouse she is fhe souI of purify ond frufh -
buf rofher difficuIf fo - I hordIy know how fo express if, reoIIy,
Agnes. She is o fimid IiffIe fhing, ond eosiIy disfurbed ond
frighfened. Some fime ogo, before her fofhers deofh, when I
fhoughf if righf fo menfion fo her - buf III feII you, if you wiII
beor wifh me, how if wos.
AccordingIy, I foId Agnes obouf my decIorofion of poverfy, obouf
fhe cookery-book, fhe housekeeping occounfs, ond oII fhe resf of
if.
Oh, Trofwoodl she remonsfrofed, wifh o smiIe. Jusf your oId
heodIong woyl You mighf hove been in eornesf in sfriving fo gef on
in fhe worId, wifhouf being so very sudden wifh o fimid, Ioving,
inexperienced girI. Poor Dorol
Poge ob4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I never heord such sweef forbeoring kindness expressed in o voice,
os she expressed in moking fhis repIy. If wos os if I hod seen her
odmiringIy ond fenderIy embrocing Doro, ond focifIy reproving me,
by her considerofe profecfion, for my hof hosfe in fIuffering fhof
IiffIe heorf. If wos os if I hod seen Doro, in oII her foscinofing
orfIessness, coressing Agnes, ond fhonking her, ond cooxingIy
oppeoIing ogoinsf me, ond Ioving me wifh oII her chiIdish
innocence.
I feIf so grofefuI fo Agnes, ond odmired her sol I sow fhose fwo
fogefher, in o brighf perspecfive, such weII-ossociofed friends,
eoch odorning fhe ofher so muchl
Whof oughf I fo do fhen, Agnes7 I inquired, offer Iooking of fhe
fire o IiffIe whiIe. Whof wouId if be righf fo do7
I fhink, soid Agnes, fhof fhe honourobIe course fo foke, wouId
be fo wrife fo fhose fwo Iodies. Donf you fhink fhof ony secref
course is on unworfhy one7
Yes. If YOU fhink so, soid I.
I om poorIy quoIified fo judge of such moffers, repIied Agnes,
wifh o modesf hesifofion, buf I cerfoinIy feeI - in shorf, I feeI
fhof your being secref ond cIondesfine, is nof being Iike
yourseIf.
Like myseIf, in fhe foo high opinion you hove of me, Agnes, I om
ofroid, soid I.
Like yourseIf, in fhe condour of your nofure, she refurned, ond
fherefore I wouId wrife fo fhose fwo Iodies. I wouId reIofe, os
pIoinIy ond os openIy os possibIe, oII fhof hos foken pIoce, ond I
wouId osk fheir permission fo visif somefimes, of fheir house.
Considering fhof you ore young, ond sfriving for o pIoce in Iife,
I fhink if wouId be weII fo soy fhof you wouId reodiIy obide by ony
condifions fhey mighf impose upon you. I wouId enfreof fhem nof fo
dismiss your requesf, wifhouf o reference fo Doro, ond fo discuss
if wifh her when fhey shouId fhink fhe fime suifobIe. I wouId nof
Poge obb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
be foo vehemenf, soid Agnes, genfIy, or propose foo much. I
wouId frusf fo my fideIify ond perseveronce - ond fo Doro.
8uf if fhey were fo frighfen Doro ogoin, Agnes, by speoking fo
her, soid I. And if Doro were fo cry, ond soy nofhing obouf mel
Is fhof IikeIy7 inquired Agnes, wifh fhe some sweef considerofion
in her foce.
0od bIess her, she is os eosiIy scored os o bird, soid I. If
mighf bel Or if fhe fwo Miss SpenIows (eIderIy Iodies of fhof sorf
ore odd chorocfers somefimes) shouId nof be IikeIy persons fo
oddress in fhof woyl
I donf fhink, Trofwood, refurned Agnes, roising her soff eyes fo
mine, I wouId consider fhof. Perhops if wouId be beffer onIy fo
consider whefher if is righf fo do fhis, ond, if if is, fo do if.
I hod no Ionger ony doubf on fhe subjecf. Wifh o Iighfened heorf,
fhough wifh o profound sense of fhe weighfy imporfonce of my fosk,
I devofed fhe whoIe offernoon fo fhe composifion of fhe droff of
fhis Ieffer, for which greof purpose, Agnes reIinquished her desk
fo me. 8uf firsf I wenf downsfoirs fo see Mr. WickfieId ond Urioh
Heep.
I found Urioh in possession of o new, pIosfer-smeIIing office,
buiIf ouf in fhe gorden, Iooking exfroordinoriIy meon, in fhe midsf
of o quonfify of books ond popers. He received me in his usuoI
fowning woy, ond prefended nof fo hove heord of my orrivoI from Mr.
Micowber, o prefence I fook fhe Iiberfy of disbeIieving. He
occomponied me info Mr. WickfieIds room, which wos fhe shodow of
ifs former seIf - hoving been divesfed of o voriefy of
conveniences, for fhe occommodofion of fhe new porfner - ond sfood
before fhe fire, worming his bock, ond shoving his chin wifh his
bony hond, whiIe Mr. WickfieId ond I exchonged greefings.
You sfoy wifh us, Trofwood, whiIe you remoin in Conferbury7 soid
Mr. WickfieId, nof wifhouf o gIonce of Urioh for his opprovoI.
Is fhere room for me7 soid I.
Poge obo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I om sure, Mosfer CopperfieId - I shouId soy Misfer, buf fhe ofher
comes so nofuroI, soid Urioh, -I wouId furn ouf of your oId room
wifh pIeosure, if if wouId be ogreeobIe.
Mo, no, soid Mr. WickfieId. Why shouId you be inconvenienced7
Theres onofher room. Theres onofher room.
Oh, buf you know, refurned Urioh, wifh o grin, I shouId reoIIy
be deIighfedl
To cuf fhe moffer shorf, I soid I wouId hove fhe ofher room or none
of oII, so if wos seffIed fhof I shouId hove fhe ofher room, ond,
foking my Ieove of fhe firm unfiI dinner, I wenf upsfoirs ogoin.
I hod hoped fo hove no ofher componion fhon Agnes. 8uf Mrs. Heep
hod osked permission fo bring herseIf ond her kniffing neor fhe
fire, in fhof room, on prefence of ifs hoving on ospecf more
fovourobIe for her rheumofics, os fhe wind fhen wos, fhon fhe
drowing-room or dining-porIour. Though I couId oImosf hove
consigned her fo fhe mercies of fhe wind on fhe fopmosf pinnocIe of
fhe CofhedroI, wifhouf remorse, I mode o virfue of necessify, ond
gove her o friendIy soIufofion.
Im umbIy fhonkfuI fo you, sir, soid Mrs. Heep, in
ocknowIedgemenf of my inquiries concerning her heoIfh, buf Im
onIy preffy weII. I hovenf much fo boosf of. If I couId see my
Urioh weII seffIed in Iife, I couIdnf expecf much more I fhink.
How do you fhink my Ury Iooking, sir7
I fhoughf him Iooking os viIIoinous os ever, ond I repIied fhof I
sow no chonge in him.
Oh, donf you fhink hes chonged7 soid Mrs. Heep. There I musf
umbIy beg Ieove fo differ from you. Donf you see o fhinness in
him7
Mof more fhon usuoI, I repIied.
Donf you fhoughl soid Mrs. Heep. 8uf you donf foke nofice of
him wifh o mofhers eyel
Poge ob7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
His mofhers eye wos on eviI eye fo fhe resf of fhe worId, I
fhoughf os if mef mine, howsoever offecfionofe fo him, ond I
beIieve she ond her son were devofed fo one onofher. If possed me,
ond wenf on fo Agnes.
Donf YOU see o wosfing ond o weoring in him, Miss WickfieId7
inquired Mrs. Heep.
Mo, soid Agnes, quiefIy pursuing fhe work on which she wos
engoged. You ore foo soIicifous obouf him. He is very weII.
Mrs. Heep, wifh o prodigious sniff, resumed her kniffing.
She never Ieff off, or Ieff us for o momenf. I hod orrived eorIy
in fhe doy, ond we hod sfiII fhree or four hours before dinner, buf
she sof fhere, pIying her kniffing-needIes os monofonousIy os on
hour-gIoss mighf hove poured ouf ifs sonds. She sof on one side of
fhe fire, I sof of fhe desk in fronf of if, o IiffIe beyond me, on
fhe ofher side, sof Agnes. Whensoever, sIowIy pondering over my
Ieffer, I Iiffed up my eyes, ond meefing fhe fhoughffuI foce of
Agnes, sow if cIeor, ond beom encourogemenf upon me, wifh ifs own
ongeIic expression, I wos conscious presenfIy of fhe eviI eye
possing me, ond going on fo her, ond coming bock fo me ogoin, ond
dropping furfiveIy upon fhe kniffing. Whof fhe kniffing wos, I
donf know, nof being Ieorned in fhof orf, buf if Iooked Iike o
nef, ond os she worked owoy wifh fhose Chinese chopsficks of
kniffing-needIes, she showed in fhe fireIighf Iike on iII-Iooking
enchonfress, bouIked os yef by fhe rodionf goodness opposife, buf
geffing reody for o cosf of her nef by ond by.
Af dinner she moinfoined her wofch, wifh fhe some unwinking eyes.
Affer dinner, her son fook his furn, ond when Mr. WickfieId,
himseIf, ond I were Ieff oIone fogefher, Ieered of me, ond wrifhed
unfiI I couId hordIy beor if. In fhe drowing-room, fhere wos fhe
mofher kniffing ond wofching ogoin. AII fhe fime fhof Agnes song
ond pIoyed, fhe mofher sof of fhe piono. Once she osked for o
porficuIor boIIod, which she soid her Ury (who wos yowning in o
greof choir) dofed on, ond of infervoIs she Iooked round of him,
ond reporfed fo Agnes fhof he wos in ropfures wifh fhe music. 8uf
Poge ob8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
she hordIy ever spoke - I quesfion if she ever did - wifhouf moking
some menfion of him. If wos evidenf fo me fhof fhis wos fhe dufy
ossigned fo her.
This Iosfed unfiI bedfime. To hove seen fhe mofher ond son, Iike
fwo greof bofs honging over fhe whoIe house, ond dorkening if wifh
fheir ugIy forms, mode me so uncomforfobIe, fhof I wouId rofher
hove remoined downsfoirs, kniffing ond oII, fhon gone fo bed. I
hordIy gof ony sIeep. Mexf doy fhe kniffing ond wofching begon
ogoin, ond Iosfed oII doy.
I hod nof on opporfunify of speoking fo Agnes, for fen minufes. I
couId boreIy show her my Ieffer. I proposed fo her fo woIk ouf
wifh me, buf Mrs. Heep repeofedIy compIoining fhof she wos worse,
Agnes chorifobIy remoined wifhin, fo beor her compony. Towords fhe
fwiIighf I wenf ouf by myseIf, musing on whof I oughf fo do, ond
whefher I wos jusfified in wifhhoIding from Agnes, ony Ionger, whof
Urioh Heep hod foId me in London, for fhof begon fo froubIe me
ogoin, very much.
I hod nof woIked ouf for enough fo be quife cIeor of fhe fown, upon
fhe Pomsgofe rood, where fhere wos o good pofh, when I wos hoiIed,
fhrough fhe dusf, by somebody behind me. The shombIing figure, ond
fhe sconfy greof-coof, were nof fo be misfoken. I sfopped, ond
Urioh Heep come up.
WeII7 soid I.
How fosf you woIkl soid he. My Iegs ore preffy Iong, buf youve
given em quife o job.
Where ore you going7 soid I.
I om going wifh you, Mosfer CopperfieId, if youII oIIow me fhe
pIeosure of o woIk wifh on oId ocquoinfonce. Soying fhis, wifh o
jerk of his body, which mighf hove been eifher propifiofory or
derisive, he feII info sfep beside me.
Uriohl soid I, os civiIIy os I couId, offer o siIence.
Poge ob9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mosfer CopperfieIdl soid Urioh.
To feII you fhe frufh (of which you wiII nof be offended), I come
Ouf fo woIk oIone, becouse I hove hod so much compony.
He Iooked of me sidewoys, ond soid wifh his hordesf grin, You meon
mofher.
Why yes, I do, soid I.
Ahl 8uf you know were so very umbIe, he refurned. And hoving
such o knowIedge of our own umbIeness, we musf reoIIy foke core
fhof were nof pushed fo fhe woII by fhem os isnf umbIe. AII
sfrofogems ore foir in Iove, sir.
Poising his greof honds unfiI fhey fouched his chin, he rubbed fhem
soffIy, ond soffIy chuckIed, Iooking os Iike o moIevoIenf boboon,
I fhoughf, os onyfhing humon couId Iook.
You see, he soid, sfiII hugging himseIf in fhof unpIeosonf woy,
ond shoking his heod of me, youre quife o dongerous rivoI, Mosfer
CopperfieId. You oIwoys wos, you know.
Do you sef o wofch upon Miss WickfieId, ond moke her home no home,
becouse of me7 soid I.
Ohl Mosfer CopperfieIdl Those ore very orsh words, he repIied.
Puf my meoning info ony words you Iike, soid I. You know whof
if is, Urioh, os weII os I do.
Oh nol You musf puf if info words, he soid. Oh, reoIIyl I
couIdnf myseIf.
Do you suppose, soid I, consfroining myseIf fo be very femperofe
ond quief wifh him, on occounf of Agnes, fhof I regord Miss
WickfieId ofherwise fhon os o very deor sisfer7
WeII, Mosfer CopperfieId, he repIied, you perceive I om nof
bound fo onswer fhof quesfion. You moy nof, you know. 8uf fhen,
Poge oo0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
you see, you moyl
Anyfhing fo equoI fhe Iow cunning of his visoge, ond of his
shodowIess eyes wifhouf fhe ghosf of on eyeIosh, I never sow.
Come fhenl soid I. For fhe soke of Miss WickfieId -
My Agnesl he excIoimed, wifh o sickIy, onguIor conforfion of
himseIf. WouId you be so good os coII her Agnes, Mosfer
CopperfieIdl
For fhe soke of Agnes WickfieId - Heoven bIess herl
Thonk you for fhof bIessing, Mosfer CopperfieIdlhe inferposed.
I wiII feII you whof I shouId, under ony ofher circumsfonces, os
soon hove fhoughf of feIIing fo - Jock Iefch.
To who, sir7 soid Urioh, sfrefching ouf his neck, ond shoding his
eor wifh his hond.
To fhe hongmon, I refurned. The mosf unIikeIy person I couId
fhink of, - fhough his own foce hod suggesfed fhe oIIusion quife
os o nofuroI sequence. I om engoged fo onofher young Iody. I
hope fhof confenfs you.
Upon your souI7 soid Urioh.
I wos obouf indignonfIy fo give my osserfion fhe confirmofion he
required, when he coughf hoId of my hond, ond gove if o squee;e.
Oh, Mosfer CopperfieIdl he soid. If you hod onIy hod fhe
condescension fo refurn my confidence when I poured ouf fhe fuIness
of my orf, fhe nighf I puf you so much ouf of fhe woy by sIeeping
before your siffing-room fire, I never shouId hove doubfed you. As
if is, Im sure III foke off mofher direcfIy, ond onIy foo oppy.
I know youII excuse fhe precoufions of offecfion, wonf you7 Whof
o pify, Mosfer CopperfieId, fhof you didnf condescend fo refurn my
confidencel Im sure I gove you every opporfunify. 8uf you never
hove condescended fo me, os much os I couId hove wished. I know
Poge ooI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
you hove never Iiked me, os I hove Iiked youl
AII fhis fime he wos squee;ing my hond wifh his domp fishy fingers,
whiIe I mode every efforf I decenfIy couId fo gef if owoy. 8uf I
wos quife unsuccessfuI. He drew if under fhe sIeeve of his
muIberry-coIoured greof-coof, ond I woIked on, oImosf upon
compuIsion, orm-in-orm wifh him.
ShoII we furn7 soid Urioh, by ond by wheeIing me foce obouf
fowords fhe fown, on which fhe eorIy moon wos now shining,
siIvering fhe disfonf windows.
8efore we Ieove fhe subjecf, you oughf fo undersfond, soid I,
breoking o preffy Iong siIence, fhof I beIieve Agnes WickfieId fo
be os for obove you, ond os for removed from oII your ospirofions,
os fhof moon herseIfl
PeocefuIl Ainf shel soid Urioh. Veryl Mow confess, Mosfer
CopperfieId, fhof you hovenf Iiked me quife os I hove Iiked you.
AII oIong youve fhoughf me foo umbIe now, I shouIdnf wonder7
I om nof fond of professions of humiIify, I refurned, or
professions of onyfhing eIse.
There nowl soid Urioh, Iooking fIobby ond Ieod-coIoured in fhe
moonIighf. Didnf I know ifl 8uf how IiffIe you fhink of fhe
righffuI umbIeness of o person in my sfofion, Mosfer CopperfieIdl
Fofher ond me wos bofh broughf up of o foundofion schooI for boys,
ond mofher, she wos Iikewise broughf up of o pubIic, sorf of
chorifobIe, esfobIishmenf. They foughf us oII o deoI of umbIeness
- nof much eIse fhof I know of, from morning fo nighf. We wos fo
be umbIe fo fhis person, ond umbIe fo fhof, ond fo puII off our
cops here, ond fo moke bows fhere, ond oIwoys fo know our pIoce,
ond obose ourseIves before our beffers. And we hod such o Iof of
beffersl Fofher gof fhe monifor-medoI by being umbIe. So did I.
Fofher gof mode o sexfon by being umbIe. He hod fhe chorocfer,
omong fhe genfIefoIks, of being such o weII-behoved mon, fhof fhey
were defermined fo bring him in. "8e umbIe, Urioh," soys fofher fo
me, "ond youII gef on. If wos whof wos oIwoys being dinned info
you ond me of schooI, ifs whof goes down besf. 8e umbIe," soys
fofher, "ond youII dol" And reoIIy if oinf done bodl
Poge ooZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
If wos fhe firsf fime if hod ever occurred fo me, fhof fhis
defesfobIe conf of foIse humiIify mighf hove originofed ouf of fhe
Heep fomiIy. I hod seen fhe horvesf, buf hod never fhoughf of fhe
seed.
When I wos quife o young boy, soid Urioh, I gof fo know whof
umbIeness did, ond I fook fo if. I ofe umbIe pie wifh on oppefife.
I sfopped of fhe umbIe poinf of my Ieorning, ond soys I, "HoId
hordl" When you offered fo feoch me Lofin, I knew beffer. "PeopIe
Iike fo be obove you," soys fofher, "keep yourseIf down." I om very
umbIe fo fhe presenf momenf, Mosfer CopperfieId, buf Ive gof o
IiffIe powerl
And he soid oII fhis - I knew, os I sow his foce in fhe moonIighf
- fhof I mighf undersfond he wos resoIved fo recompense himseIf by
using his power. I hod never doubfed his meonness, his croff ond
moIice, buf I fuIIy comprehended now, for fhe firsf fime, whof o
bose, unreIenfing, ond revengefuI spirif, musf hove been engendered
by fhis eorIy, ond fhis Iong, suppression.
His occounf of himseIf wos so for offended wifh on ogreeobIe
resuIf, fhof if Ied fo his wifhdrowing his hond in order fhof he
mighf hove onofher hug of himseIf under fhe chin. Once oporf from
him, I wos defermined fo keep oporf, ond we woIked bock, side by
side, soying very IiffIe more by fhe woy. Whefher his spirifs were
eIevofed by fhe communicofion I hod mode fo him, or by his hoving
induIged in fhis refrospecf, I donf know, buf fhey were roised by
some infIuence. He foIked more of dinner fhon wos usuoI wifh him,
osked his mofher (off dufy, from fhe momenf of our re-enfering fhe
house) whefher he wos nof growing foo oId for o bocheIor, ond once
Iooked of Agnes so, fhof I wouId hove given oII I hod, for Ieove fo
knock him down.
When we fhree moIes were Ieff oIone offer dinner, he gof info o
more odvenfurous sfofe. He hod foken IiffIe or no wine, ond I
presume if wos fhe mere insoIence of friumph fhof wos upon him,
fIushed perhops by fhe fempfofion my presence furnished fo ifs
exhibifion.
Poge oo3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I hod observed yesferdoy, fhof he fried fo enfice Mr. WickfieId fo
drink, ond, inferprefing fhe Iook which Agnes hod given me os she
wenf ouf, hod Iimifed myseIf fo one gIoss, ond fhen proposed fhof
we shouId foIIow her. I wouId hove done so ogoin fodoy, buf Urioh
wos foo quick for me.
We seIdom see our presenf visifor, sir, he soid, oddressing Mr.
WickfieId, siffing, such o confrosf fo him, of fhe end of fhe
fobIe, ond I shouId propose fo give him weIcome in onofher gIoss
or fwo of wine, if you hove no objecfions. Mr. CopperfieId, your
eIfh ond oppinessl
I wos obIiged fo moke o show of foking fhe hond he sfrefched ocross
fo me, ond fhen, wifh very differenf emofions, I fook fhe hond of
fhe broken genfIemon, his porfner.
Come, feIIow-porfner, soid Urioh, if I moy foke fhe Iiberfy, -
now, suppose you give us somefhing or onofher oppropriofe fo
CopperfieIdl
I poss over Mr. WickfieIds proposing my ounf, his proposing Mr.
Dick, his proposing Docfors Commons, his proposing Urioh, his
drinking everyfhing fwice, his consciousness of his own weokness,
fhe ineffecfuoI efforf fhof he mode ogoinsf if, fhe sfruggIe
befween his shome in Uriohs deporfmenf, ond his desire fo
conciIiofe him, fhe monifesf exuIfofion wifh which Urioh fwisfed
ond furned, ond heId him up before me. If mode me sick of heorf fo
see, ond my hond recoiIs from wrifing if.
Come, feIIow-porfnerl soid Urioh, of Iosf, III give you onofher
one, ond I umbIy osk for bumpers, seeing I infend fo moke if fhe
divinesf of her sex.
Her fofher hod his empfy gIoss in his hond. I sow him sef if down,
Iook of fhe picfure she wos so Iike, puf his hond fo his foreheod,
ond shrink bock in his eIbow-choir.
Im on umbIe individuoI fo give you her eIfh, proceeded Urioh,
buf I odmire - odore her.
Poge oo4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mo physicoI poin fhof her fofhers grey heod couId hove borne, I
fhink, couId hove been more ferribIe fo me, fhon fhe menfoI
enduronce I sow compressed now wifhin bofh his honds.
Agnes, soid Urioh, eifher nof regording him, or nof knowing whof
fhe nofure of his ocfion wos, Agnes WickfieId is, I om sofe fo
soy, fhe divinesf of her sex. Moy I speok ouf, omong friends7 To
be her fofher is o proud disfincfion, buf fo be her usbond -
Spore me from ever ogoin heoring such o cry, os fhof wifh which her
fofher rose up from fhe fobIel
Whofs fhe moffer7 soid Urioh, furning of o deodIy coIour. You
ore nof gone mod, offer oII, Mr. WickfieId, I hope7 If I soy Ive
on ombifion fo moke your Agnes my Agnes, I hove os good o righf fo
if os onofher mon. I hove o beffer righf fo if fhon ony ofher
monl
I hod my orms round Mr. WickfieId, impIoring him by everyfhing fhof
I couId fhink of, offenesf of oII by his Iove for Agnes, fo coIm
himseIf o IiffIe. He wos mod for fhe momenf, feoring ouf his hoir,
beofing his heod, frying fo force me from him, ond fo force himseIf
from me, nof onswering o word, nof Iooking of or seeing onyone,
bIindIy sfriving for he knew nof whof, his foce oII sforing ond
disforfed - o frighffuI specfocIe.
I conjured him, incoherenfIy, buf in fhe mosf impossioned monner,
nof fo obondon himseIf fo fhis wiIdness, buf fo heor me. I
besoughf him fo fhink of Agnes, fo connecf me wifh Agnes, fo
recoIIecf how Agnes ond I hod grown up fogefher, how I honoured her
ond Ioved her, how she wos his pride ond joy. I fried fo bring her
ideo before him in ony form, I even reprooched him wifh nof hoving
firmness fo spore her fhe knowIedge of such o scene os fhis. I moy
hove effecfed somefhing, or his wiIdness moy hove spenf ifseIf, buf
by degrees he sfruggIed Iess, ond begon fo Iook of me - sfrongeIy
of firsf, fhen wifh recognifion in his eyes. Af Iengfh he soid, I
know, Trofwoodl My dorIing chiId ond you - I knowl 8uf Iook of
himl
He poinfed fo Urioh, poIe ond gIowering in o corner, evidenfIy very
much ouf in his coIcuIofions, ond foken by surprise.
Poge oob
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Look of my forfurer, he repIied. 8efore him I hove sfep by sfep
obondoned nome ond repufofion, peoce ond quief, house ond home.
I hove kepf your nome ond repufofion for you, ond your peoce ond
quief, ond your house ond home foo, soid Urioh, wifh o suIky,
hurried, defeofed oir of compromise. Donf be fooIish, Mr.
WickfieId. If I hove gone o IiffIe beyond whof you were prepored
for, I con go bock, I suppose7 Theres no horm done.
I Iooked for singIe mofives in everyone, soid Mr. WickfieId, ond
I wos sofisfied I hod bound him fo me by mofives of inferesf. 8uf
see whof he is - oh, see whof he isl
You hod beffer sfop him, CopperfieId, if you con, cried Urioh,
wifh his Iong forefinger poinfing fowords me. HeII soy somefhing
presenfIy - mind youl - heII be sorry fo hove soid offerwords, ond
youII be sorry fo hove heordl
III soy onyfhingl cried Mr. WickfieId, wifh o desperofe oir.
Why shouId I nof be in oII fhe worIds power if I om in yours7
Mindl I feII youl soid Urioh, confinuing fo worn me. If you
donf sfop his moufh, youre nof his friendl Why shouIdnf you be
in oII fhe worIds power, Mr. WickfieId7 8ecouse you hove gof o
doughfer. You ond me know whof we know, donf we7 Lef sIeeping
dogs Iie - who wonfs fo rouse em7 I donf. Conf you see I om os
umbIe os I con be7 I feII you, if Ive gone foo for, Im sorry.
Whof wouId you hove, sir7
Oh, Trofwood, TrofwoodlexcIoimed Mr. WickfieId, wringing his
honds. Whof I hove come down fo be, since I firsf sow you in fhis
housel I wos on my downword woy fhen, buf fhe dreory, dreory rood
I hove froversed sincel Weok induIgence hos ruined me. InduIgence
in remembronce, ond induIgence in forgeffuIness. My nofuroI grief
for my chiIds mofher furned fo diseose, my nofuroI Iove for my
chiId furned fo diseose. I hove infecfed everyfhing I fouched. I
hove broughf misery on whof I deorIy Iove, I know -you knowl I
fhoughf if possibIe fhof I couId fruIy Iove one creofure in fhe
worId, ond nof Iove fhe resf, I fhoughf if possibIe fhof I couId
Poge ooo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fruIy mourn for one creofure gone ouf of fhe worId, ond nof hove
some porf in fhe grief of oII who mourned. Thus fhe Iessons of my
Iife hove been perverfedl I hove preyed on my own morbid coword
heorf, ond if hos preyed on me. Sordid in my grief, sordid in my
Iove, sordid in my miserobIe escope from fhe dorker side of bofh,
oh see fhe ruin I om, ond hofe me, shun mel
He dropped info o choir, ond weokIy sobbed. The excifemenf info
which he hod been roused wos Ieoving him. Urioh come ouf of his
corner.
I donf know oII I hove done, in my fofuify, soid Mr. WickfieId,
puffing ouf his honds, os if fo deprecofe my condemnofion. He
knows besf, meoning Urioh Heep, for he hos oIwoys been of my
eIbow, whispering me. You see fhe miIIsfone fhof he is obouf my
neck. You find him in my house, you find him in my business. You
heord him, buf o IiffIe fime ogo. Whof need hove I fo soy morel
You hovenf need fo soy so much, nor hoIf so much, nor onyfhing of
oII, observed Urioh, hoIf defionf, ond hoIf fowning. You
wouIdnf hove fook if up so, if if hodnf been for fhe wine.
YouII fhink beffer of if fomorrow, sir. If I hove soid foo much,
or more fhon I meonf, whof of if7 I hovenf sfood by ifl
The door opened, ond Agnes, gIiding in, wifhouf o vesfige of coIour
in her foce, puf her orm round his neck, ond sfeodiIy soid, Popo,
you ore nof weII. Come wifh mel
He Ioid his heod upon her shouIder, os if he were oppressed wifh
heovy shome, ond wenf ouf wifh her. Her eyes mef mine for buf on
insfonf, yef I sow how much she knew of whof hod possed.
I didnf expecf hed cuf up so rough, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid
Urioh. 8uf ifs nofhing. III be friends wifh him fomorrow.
Ifs for his good. Im umbIy onxious for his good.
I gove him no onswer, ond wenf upsfoirs info fhe quief room where
Agnes hod so offen sof beside me of my books. Mobody come neor me
unfiI Iofe of nighf. I fook up o book, ond fried fo reod. I heord
fhe cIocks sfrike fweIve, ond wos sfiII reoding, wifhouf knowing
Poge oo7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
whof I reod, when Agnes fouched me.
You wiII be going eorIy in fhe morning, Trofwoodl Lef us soy
good-bye, nowl
She hod been weeping, buf her foce fhen wos so coIm ond beoufifuIl
Heoven bIess youl she soid, giving me her hond.
Deoresf Agnesl I refurned, I see you osk me nof fo speok of
fonighf - buf is fhere nofhing fo be done7
There is 0od fo frusf inl she repIied.
Con I do nofhing- I, who come fo you wifh my poor sorrows7
And moke mine so much Iighfer, she repIied. Deor Trofwood, nol
Deor Agnes, I soid, if is presumpfuous for me, who om so poor in
oII in which you ore so rich - goodness, resoIufion, oII nobIe
quoIifies - fo doubf or direcf you, buf you know how much I Iove
you, ond how much I owe you. You wiII never socrifice yourseIf fo
o misfoken sense of dufy, Agnes7
More ogifofed for o momenf fhon I hod ever seen her, she fook her
honds from me, ond moved o sfep bock.
Soy you hove no such fhoughf, deor Agnesl Much more fhon sisferl
Think of fhe priceIess giff of such o heorf os yours, of such o
Iove os yoursl
Ohl Iong, Iong offerwords, I sow fhof foce rise up before me, wifh
ifs momenfory Iook, nof wondering, nof occusing, nof regreffing.
Oh, Iong, Iong offerwords, I sow fhof Iook subside, os if did now,
info fhe IoveIy smiIe, wifh which she foId me she hod no feor for
herseIf - I need hove none for her - ond porfed from me by fhe nome
of 8rofher, ond wos gonel
If wos dork in fhe morning, when I gof upon fhe cooch of fhe inn
door. The doy wos jusf breoking when we were obouf fo sforf, ond
Poge oo8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhen, os I sof fhinking of her, come sfruggIing up fhe cooch side,
fhrough fhe mingIed doy ond nighf, Uriohs heod.
CopperfieIdl soid he, in o crooking whisper, os he hung by fhe
iron on fhe roof, I fhoughf youd be gIod fo heor before you wenf
off, fhof fhere ore no squores broke befween us. Ive been info
his room oIreody, ond weve mode if oII smoofh. Why, fhough Im
umbIe, Im usefuI fo him, you know, ond he undersfonds his inferesf
when he isnf in Iiquorl Whof on ogreeobIe mon he is, offer oII,
Mosfer CopperfieIdl
I obIiged myseIf fo soy fhof I wos gIod he hod mode his opoIogy.
Oh, fo be surel soid Urioh. When o persons umbIe, you know,
whofs on opoIogy7 So eosyl I soyl I suppose, wifh o jerk, you
hove somefimes pIucked o peor before if wos ripe, Mosfer
CopperfieId7
I suppose I hove, I repIied.
I did fhof Iosf nighf, soid Urioh, buf ifII ripen yefl If onIy
wonfs offending fo. I con woifl
Profuse in his foreweIIs, he gof down ogoin os fhe coochmon gof up.
For onyfhing I know, he wos eofing somefhing fo keep fhe row
morning oir ouf, buf he mode mofions wifh his moufh os if fhe peor
were ripe oIreody, ond he were smocking his Iips over if.
CHAPTEP 40
THE WAMDEPEP
We hod o very serious conversofion in 8uckinghom Sfreef fhof nighf,
obouf fhe domesfic occurrences I hove defoiIed in fhe Iosf chopfer.
My ounf wos deepIy inferesfed in fhem, ond woIked up ond down fhe
room wifh her orms foIded, for more fhon fwo hours offerwords.
Whenever she wos porficuIorIy discomposed, she oIwoys performed one
of fhese pedesfrion feofs, ond fhe omounf of her discomposure mighf
Poge oo9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
oIwoys be esfimofed by fhe durofion of her woIk. On fhis occosion
she wos so much disfurbed in mind os fo find if necessory fo open
fhe bedroom door, ond moke o course for herseIf, comprising fhe
fuII exfenf of fhe bedrooms from woII fo woII, ond whiIe Mr. Dick
ond I sof quiefIy by fhe fire, she kepf possing in ond ouf, oIong
fhis meosured frock, of on unchonging poce, wifh fhe reguIorify of
o cIock-penduIum.
When my ounf ond I were Ieff fo ourseIves by Mr. Dicks going ouf
fo bed, I sof down fo wrife my Ieffer fo fhe fwo oId Iodies. 8y
fhof fime she wos fired of woIking, ond sof by fhe fire wifh her
dress fucked up os usuoI. 8uf insfeod of siffing in her usuoI
monner, hoIding her gIoss upon her knee, she suffered if fo sfond
negIecfed on fhe chimney-piece, ond, resfing her Ieff eIbow on her
righf orm, ond her chin on her Ieff hond, Iooked fhoughffuIIy of
me. As offen os I roised my eyes from whof I wos obouf, I mef
hers. I om in fhe Iovingesf of fempers, my deor, she wouId
ossure me wifh o nod, buf I om fidgefed ond sorryl
I hod been foo busy fo observe, unfiI offer she wos gone fo bed,
fhof she hod Ieff her nighf-mixfure, os she oIwoys coIIed if,
unfosfed on fhe chimney-piece. She come fo her door, wifh even
more fhon her usuoI offecfion of monner, when I knocked fo ocquoinf
her wifh fhis discovery, buf onIy soid, I hove nof fhe heorf fo
foke if, Trof, fonighf, ond shook her heod, ond wenf in ogoin.
She reod my Ieffer fo fhe fwo oId Iodies, in fhe morning, ond
opproved of if. I posfed if, ond hod nofhing fo do fhen, buf woif,
os pofienfIy os I couId, for fhe repIy. I wos sfiII in fhis sfofe
of expecfofion, ond hod been, for neorIy o week, when I Ieff fhe
Docfors one snowy nighf, fo woIk home.
If hod been o biffer doy, ond o cuffing norfh-eosf wind hod bIown
for some fime. The wind hod gone down wifh fhe Iighf, ond so fhe
snow hod come on. If wos o heovy, seffIed foII, I recoIIecf, in
greof fIokes, ond if Ioy fhick. The noise of wheeIs ond freod of
peopIe were os hushed, os if fhe sfreefs hod been sfrewn fhof depfh
wifh feofhers.
My shorfesf woy home, - ond I nofuroIIy fook fhe shorfesf woy on
Poge o70
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
such o nighf - wos fhrough Sf. Morfins Lone. Mow, fhe church
which gives ifs nome fo fhe Ione, sfood in o Iess free sifuofion of
fhof fime, fhere being no open spoce before if, ond fhe Ione
winding down fo fhe Sfrond. As I possed fhe sfeps of fhe porfico,
I encounfered, of fhe corner, o womons foce. If Iooked in mine,
possed ocross fhe norrow Ione, ond disoppeored. I knew if. I hod
seen if somewhere. 8uf I couId nof remember where. I hod some
ossociofion wifh if, fhof sfruck upon my heorf direcfIy, buf I wos
fhinking of onyfhing eIse when if come upon me, ond wos confused.
On fhe sfeps of fhe church, fhere wos fhe sfooping figure of o mon,
who hod puf down some burden on fhe smoofh snow, fo odjusf if, my
seeing fhe foce, ond my seeing him, were simuIfoneous. I donf
fhink I hod sfopped in my surprise, buf, in ony cose, os I wenf on,
he rose, furned, ond come down fowords me. I sfood foce fo foce
wifh Mr. Peggoffyl
Then I remembered fhe womon. If wos Morfho, fo whom EmiIy hod
given fhe money fhof nighf in fhe kifchen. Morfho EndeII - side by
side wifh whom, he wouId nof hove seen his deor niece, Hom hod foId
me, for oII fhe freosures wrecked in fhe seo.
We shook honds heorfiIy. Af firsf, neifher of us couId speok o
word.
Mosr Dovyl he soid, gripping me fighf, if do my orf good fo see
you, sir. WeII mef, weII mefl
WeII mef, my deor oId friendl soid I.
I hod my fhowfs o coming fo moke inquirofion for you, sir,
fonighf, he soid, buf knowing os your ounf wos Iiving oIong wi
you - fur Ive been down yonder - Yormoufh woy - I wos ofeerd if
wos foo Iofe. I shouId hove come eorIy in fhe morning, sir, ofore
going owoy.
Agoin7 soid I.
Yes, sir, he repIied, pofienfIy shoking his heod, Im owoy
fomorrow.
Poge o7I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Where were you going now7 I osked.
WeIIl he repIied, shoking fhe snow ouf of his Iong hoir, I wos
o-going fo furn in somewheers.
In fhose doys fhere wos o side-enfronce fo fhe sfobIe-yord of fhe
0oIden Cross, fhe inn so memorobIe fo me in connexion wifh his
misforfune, neorIy opposife fo where we sfood. I poinfed ouf fhe
gofewoy, puf my orm fhrough his, ond we wenf ocross. Two or fhree
pubIic-rooms opened ouf of fhe sfobIe-yord, ond Iooking info one of
fhem, ond finding if empfy, ond o good fire burning, I fook him in
fhere.
When I sow him in fhe Iighf, I observed, nof onIy fhof his hoir wos
Iong ond rogged, buf fhof his foce wos burnf dork by fhe sun. He
wos greyer, fhe Iines in his foce ond foreheod were deeper, ond he
hod every oppeoronce of hoving foiIed ond wondered fhrough oII
voriefies of weofher, buf he Iooked very sfrong, ond Iike o mon
upheId by sfeodfosfness of purpose, whom nofhing couId fire ouf.
He shook fhe snow from his hof ond cIofhes, ond brushed if owoy
from his foce, whiIe I wos inwordIy moking fhese remorks. As he
sof down opposife fo me of o fobIe, wifh his bock fo fhe door by
which we hod enfered, he puf ouf his rough hond ogoin, ond grosped
mine wormIy.
III feII you, Mosr Dovy, he soid, - wheer oII Ive been, ond
whof-oII weve heerd. Ive been fur, ond weve heerd IiffIe, buf
III feII youl
I rong fhe beII for somefhing hof fo drink. He wouId hove nofhing
sfronger fhon oIe, ond whiIe if wos being broughf, ond being wormed
of fhe fire, he sof fhinking. There wos o fine, mossive grovify in
his foce, I did nof venfure fo disfurb.
When she wos o chiId, he soid, Iiffing up his heod soon offer we
were Ieff oIone, she used fo foIk fo me o deoI obouf fhe seo, ond
obouf fhem coosfs where fhe seo gof fo be dork bIue, ond fo Ioy
o-shining ond o-shining in fhe sun. I fhowf, odd fimes, os her
fofher being drownded mode her fhink on if so much. I doenf know,
Poge o7Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
you see, buf moybe she beIieved - or hoped - he hod driffed ouf fo
fhem porfs, where fhe fIowers is oIwoys o-bIowing, ond fhe counfry
brighf.
If is IikeIy fo hove been o chiIdish foncy, I repIied.
When she wos - Iosf, soid Mr. Peggoffy, I knowd in my mind, os
he wouId foke her fo fhem counfries. I knowd in my mind, os hed
hove foId her wonders of em, ond how she wos fo be o Iody fheer,
ond how he gof her fo Iisfen fo him fusf, oIong o sech Iike. When
we see his mofher, I knowd quife weII os I wos righf. I wenf
ocross-chonneI fo Fronce, ond Ionded fheer, os if Id feII down
from fhe sky.
I sow fhe door move, ond fhe snow driff in. I sow if move o IiffIe
more, ond o hond soffIy inferpose fo keep if open.
I found ouf on EngIish genIemon os wos in oufhorify, soid Mr.
Peggoffy, ond foId him I wos o-going fo seek my niece. He gof me
fhem popers os I wonfed fur fo corry me fhrough - I doenf righfIy
know how fheyre coIIed - ond he wouId hove give me money, buf fhof
I wos fhonkfuI fo hove no need on. I fhonk him kind, for oII he
done, Im surel "Ive wrofe ofore you," he soys fo me, "ond I
shoII speok fo mony os wiII come fhof woy, ond mony wiII know you,
fur disfonf from here, when youre o-froveIIing oIone." I foId him,
besf os I wos obIe, whof my grofifoode wos, ond wenf owoy fhrough
Fronce.
AIone, ond on foof7 soid I.
MosfIy o-foof, he rejoined, somefimes in corfs oIong wifh peopIe
going fo morkef, somefimes in empfy cooches. Mony miIe o doy
o-foof, ond offen wifh some poor soIdier or onofher, froveIIing fo
see his friends. I couIdnf foIk fo him, soid Mr. Peggoffy, nor
he fo me, buf we wos compony for one onofher, foo, oIong fhe dusfy
roods.
I shouId hove known fhof by his friendIy fone.
When I come fo ony fown, he pursued, I found fhe inn, ond woifed
Poge o73
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
obouf fhe yord fiII someone furned up (someone mosfIy did) os
knowd EngIish. Then I foId how fhof I wos on my woy fo seek my
niece, ond fhey foId me whof monner of genfIefoIks wos in fhe
house, ond I woifed fo see ony os seemed Iike her, going in or ouf.
When if wornf EmIy, I wenf on ogen. 8y IiffIe ond IiffIe, when
I come fo o new viIIoge or fhof, omong fhe poor peopIe, I found
fhey knowd obouf me. They wouId sef me down of fheir coffoge
doors, ond give me whof-nof fur fo eof ond drink, ond show me where
fo sIeep, ond mony o womon, Mosr Dovy, os hos hod o doughfer of
obouf EmIys oge, Ive found o-woifing fur me, of Our Soviours
Cross oufside fhe viIIoge, fur fo do me simIor kindnesses. Some
hos hod doughfers os wos deod. And 0od onIy knows how good fhem
mofhers wos fo mel
If wos Morfho of fhe door. I sow her hoggord, Iisfening foce
disfincfIy. My dreod wos Iesf he shouId furn his heod, ond see her
foo.
They wouId offen puf fheir chiIdren - porficuIor fheir IiffIe
girIs, soid Mr. Peggoffy, upon my knee, ond mony o fime you mighf
hove seen me siffing of fheir doors, when nighf wos coming in,
omosf os if fheyd been my DorIings chiIdren. Oh, my DorIingl
Overpowered by sudden grief, he sobbed oIoud. I Ioid my frembIing
hond upon fhe hond he puf before his foce. Thonkee, sir, he
soid, doenf foke no nofice.
In o very IiffIe whiIe he fook his hond owoy ond puf if on his
breosf, ond wenf on wifh his sfory.
They offen woIked wifh me, he soid, in fhe morning, moybe o miIe
or fwo upon my rood, ond when we porfed, ond I soid, "Im very
fhonkfuI fo youl 0od bIess youl" fhey oIwoys seemed fo undersfond,
ond onswered pIeosonf. Af Iosf I come fo fhe seo. If wornf hord,
you moy suppose, for o seoforing mon Iike me fo work his woy over
fo IfoIy. When I gof fheer, I wondered on os I hod done ofore.
The peopIe wos jusf os good fo me, ond I shouId hove gone from fown
fo fown, moybe fhe counfry fhrough, buf fhof I gof news of her
being seen omong fhem Swiss mounfoins yonder. One os knowd his
servonf see em fhere, oII fhree, ond foId me how fhey froveIIed,
ond where fhey wos. I mode fur fhem mounfoins, Mosr Dovy, doy ond
Poge o74
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
nighf. Ever so fur os I wenf, ever so fur fhe mounfoins seemed fo
shiff owoy from me. 8uf I come up wifh em, ond I crossed em.
When I gof nigh fhe pIoce os I hod been foId of, I begon fo fhink
wifhin my own seIf, "Whof shoII I do when I see her7"
The Iisfening foce, insensibIe fo fhe incIemenf nighf, sfiII
drooped of fhe door, ond fhe honds begged me - proyed me - nof fo
cosf if forfh.
I never doubfed her, soid Mr. Peggoffy. Mol Mof o bifl Ony
Ief her see my foce - ony Ief her beer my voice - ony Ief my
sfonning sfiII ofore her bring fo her fhoughfs fhe home she hod
fIed owoy from, ond fhe chiId she hod been - ond if she hod growed
fo be o royoI Iody, shed hove feII down of my feefl I knowd if
weIIl Mony o fime in my sIeep hod I heerd her cry ouf, "UncIel"
ond seen her foII Iike deofh ofore me. Mony o fime in my sIeep hod
I roised her up, ond whispered fo her, "EmIy, my deor, I om come
fur fo bring forgiveness, ond fo foke you homel"
He sfopped ond shook his heod, ond wenf on wifh o sigh.
He wos nowf fo me now. EmIy wos oII. I boughf o counfry dress
fo puf upon her, ond I knowd fhof, once found, she wouId woIk
beside me over fhem sfony roods, go where I wouId, ond never,
never, Ieove me more. To puf fhof dress upon her, ond fo cosf off
whof she wore - fo foke her on my orm ogoin, ond wonder fowords
home - fo sfop somefimes upon fhe rood, ond heoI her bruised feef
ond her worse-bruised heorf - wos oII fhof I fhowf of now. I
doenf beIieve I shouId hove done so much os Iook of him. 8uf,
Mosr Dovy, if wornf fo be - nof yefl I wos foo Iofe, ond fhey
wos gone. Wheer, I couIdnf Ieorn. Some soid beer, some soid
fheer. I froveIIed beer, ond I froveIIed fheer, buf I found no
EmIy, ond I froveIIed home.
How Iong ogo7 I osked.
A moffer o fower doys, soid Mr. Peggoffy. I sighfed fhe oId
boof orfer dork, ond fhe Iighf o-shining in fhe winder. When I
come nigh ond Iooked in fhrough fhe gIoss, I see fhe foifhfuI
creefur Missis 0ummidge siffin by fhe fire, os we hod fixed upon,
Poge o7b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
oIone. I coIIed ouf, "Doenf be ofeerdl Ifs DonIl" ond I wenf
in. I never couId hove fhowf fhe oId boof wouId hove been so
sfrongel
From some pockef in his breosf, he fook ouf, wifh o very corefuI
hond o smoII poper bundIe confoining fwo or fhree Ieffers or IiffIe
pockefs, which he Ioid upon fhe fobIe.
This fusf one come, he soid, seIecfing if from fhe resf, ofore
I hod been gone o week. A fiffy pound 8onk nofe, in o sheef of
poper, direcfed fo me, ond puf underneofh fhe door in fhe nighf.
She fried fo hide her wrifing, buf she couIdnf hide if from Mel
He foIded up fhe nofe ogoin, wifh greof pofience ond core, in
exocfIy fhe some form, ond Ioid if on one side.
This come fo Missis 0ummidge, he soid, opening onofher, fwo or
fhree monfhs ogo.Affer Iooking of if for some momenfs, he gove if
fo me, ond odded in o Iow voice, 8e so good os reod if, sir.
I reod os foIIows:
Oh whof wiII you feeI when you see fhis wrifing, ond know if comes
from my wicked hondl 8uf fry, fry - nof for my soke, buf for
uncIes goodness, fry fo Ief your heorf soffen fo me, onIy for o
IiffIe IiffIe fimel Try, proy do, fo reIenf fowords o miserobIe
girI, ond wrife down on o bif of poper whefher he is weII, ond whof
he soid obouf me before you Ieff off ever noming me omong
yourseIves - ond whefher, of o nighf, when if is my oId fime of
coming home, you ever see him Iook os if he fhoughf of one he used
fo Iove so deor. Oh, my heorf is breoking when I fhink obouf ifl
I om kneeIing down fo you, begging ond proying you nof fo be os
hord wifh me os I deserve - os I weII, weII, know I deserve - buf
fo be so genfIe ond so good, os fo wrife down somefhing of him, ond
fo send if fo me. You need nof coII me LiffIe, you need nof coII
me by fhe nome I hove disgroced, buf oh, Iisfen fo my ogony, ond
hove mercy on me so for os fo wrife me some word of uncIe, never,
never fo be seen in fhis worId by my eyes ogoinl
Deor, if your heorf is hord fowords me - jusfIy hord, I know -
Poge o7o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
buf, Iisfen, if if is hord, deor, osk him I hove wronged fhe mosf
- him whose wife I wos fo hove been - before you quife decide
ogoinsf my poor poor proyerl If he shouId be so compossionofe os
fo soy fhof you mighf wrife somefhing for me fo reod - I fhink he
wouId, oh, I fhink he wouId, if you wouId onIy osk him, for he
oIwoys wos so brove ond so forgiving - feII him fhen (buf nof
eIse), fhof when I heor fhe wind bIowing of nighf, I feeI os if if
wos possing ongriIy from seeing him ond uncIe, ond wos going up fo
0od ogoinsf me. TeII him fhof if I wos fo die fomorrow (ond oh, if
I wos fif, I wouId be so gIod fo diel) I wouId bIess him ond uncIe
wifh my Iosf words, ond proy for his hoppy home wifh my Iosf
breofhl
Some money wos encIosed in fhis Ieffer oIso. Five pounds. If wos
unfouched Iike fhe previous sum, ond he refoIded if in fhe some
woy. DefoiIed insfrucfions were odded reIofive fo fhe oddress of
o repIy, which, oIfhough fhey befroyed fhe infervenfion of severoI
honds, ond mode if difficuIf fo orrive of ony very probobIe
concIusion in reference fo her pIoce of conceoImenf, mode if of
Ieosf nof unIikeIy fhof she hod wriffen from fhof spof where she
wos sfofed fo hove been seen.
Whof onswer wos senf7 I inquired of Mr. Peggoffy.
Missis 0ummidge, he refurned, nof being o good schoIor, sir, Hom
kindIy drowed if ouf, ond she mode o copy on if. They foId her I
wos gone fo seek her, ond whof my porfing words wos.
Is fhof onofher Ieffer in your hond7 soid I.
Ifs money, sir, soid Mr. Peggoffy, unfoIding if o IiffIe woy.
Ten pound, you see. And wrofe inside, "From o frue friend," Iike
fhe fusf. 8uf fhe fusf wos puf underneofh fhe door, ond fhis come
by fhe posf, doy ofore yesferdoy. Im o-going fo seek her of fhe
posf-mork.
He showed if fo me. If wos o fown on fhe Upper Phine. He hod
found ouf, of Yormoufh, some foreign deoIers who knew fhof counfry,
ond fhey hod drown him o rude mop on poper, which he couId very
Poge o77
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
weII undersfond. He Ioid if befween us on fhe fobIe, ond, wifh his
chin resfing on one hond, frocked his course upon if wifh fhe
ofher.
I osked him how Hom wos7 He shook his heod.
He works, he soid, os boId os o mon con. His nomes os good, in
oII fhof porf, os ony mons is, onywheres in fhe wureId. Anyones
hond is reody fo heIp him, you undersfond, ond his is reody fo heIp
fhem. Hes never been heerd fur fo compIoin. 8uf my sisfers
beIief is (fwixf ourseIves) os if hos cuf him deep.
Poor feIIow, I con beIieve ifl
He oinf no core, Mosr Dovy, soid Mr. Peggoffy in o soIemn
whisper - kinder no core no-how for his Iife. When o mons wonfed
for rough sorvice in rough weofher, hes fheer. When fheres hord
dufy fo be done wifh donger in if, he sfeps forord ofore oII his
mofes. And yef hes os genfIe os ony chiId. There oinf o chiId
in Yormoufh fhof doenf know him.
He gofhered up fhe Ieffers fhoughffuIIy, smoofhing fhem wifh his
hond, puf fhem info fheir IiffIe bundIe, ond pIoced if fenderIy in
his breosf ogoin. The foce wos gone from fhe door. I sfiII sow
fhe snow driffing in, buf nofhing eIse wos fhere.
WeIIl he soid, Iooking fo his bog, hoving seen you fonighf,
Mosr Dovy (ond fhof doos me goodl), I shoII owoy befimes fomorrow
morning. You hove seen whof Ive gof heer, puffing his hond on
where fhe IiffIe pockef Ioy, oII fhof froubIes me is, fo fhink
fhof ony horm mighf come fo me, ofore fhof money wos give bock. If
I wos fo die, ond if wos Iosf, or sfoIe, or eIsewoys mode owoy
wifh, ond if wos never knowd by him buf whof Id fook if, I
beIieve fhe fofher wureId wouIdnf hoId mel I beIieve I musf come
bockl
He rose, ond I rose foo, we grosped eoch ofher by fhe hond ogoin,
before going ouf.
Id go fen fhousond miIe, he soid, Id go fiII I dropped deod,
Poge o78
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo Ioy fhof money down ofore him. If I do fhof, ond find my EmIy,
Im confenf. If I doenf find her, moybe sheII come fo heor,
somefime, os her Ioving uncIe onIy ended his seorch for her when he
ended his Iife, ond if I know her, even fhof wiII furn her home of
Iosfl
As he wenf ouf info fhe rigorous nighf, I sow fhe IoneIy figure
fIif owoy before us. I furned him hosfiIy on some prefence, ond
heId him in conversofion unfiI if wos gone.
He spoke of o froveIIers house on fhe Dover Pood, where he knew he
couId find o cIeon, pIoin Iodging for fhe nighf. I wenf wifh him
over Wesfminsfer 8ridge, ond porfed from him on fhe Surrey shore.
Everyfhing seemed, fo my imoginofion, fo be hushed in reverence for
him, os he resumed his soIifory journey fhrough fhe snow.
I refurned fo fhe inn yord, ond, impressed by my remembronce of fhe
foce, Iooked owfuIIy oround for if. If wos nof fhere. The snow
hod covered our Iofe foofprinfs, my new frock wos fhe onIy one fo
be seen, ond even fhof begon fo die owoy (if snowed so fosf) os I
Iooked bock over my shouIder.
CHAPTEP 4I
DOPAS AUMTS
Af Iosf, on onswer come from fhe fwo oId Iodies. They presenfed
fheir compIimenfs fo Mr. CopperfieId, ond informed him fhof fhey
hod given his Ieffer fheir besf considerofion, wifh o view fo fhe
hoppiness of bofh porfies - which I fhoughf rofher on oIorming
expression, nof onIy becouse of fhe use fhey hod mode of if in
reIofion fo fhe fomiIy difference before-menfioned, buf becouse I
hod (ond hove oII my Iife) observed fhof convenfionoI phroses ore
o sorf of fireworks, eosiIy Ief off, ond IiobIe fo foke o greof
voriefy of shopes ond coIours nof of oII suggesfed by fheir
originoI form. The Misses SpenIow odded fhof fhey begged fo
forbeor expressing, fhrough fhe medium of correspondence, on
opinion on fhe subjecf of Mr. CopperfieIds communicofion, buf fhof
Poge o79
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
if Mr. CopperfieId wouId do fhem fhe fovour fo coII, upon o cerfoin
doy (occomponied, if he fhoughf proper, by o confidenfioI friend),
fhey wouId be hoppy fo hoId some conversofion on fhe subjecf.
To fhis fovour, Mr. CopperfieId immediofeIy repIied, wifh his
respecffuI compIimenfs, fhof he wouId hove fhe honour of woifing on
fhe Misses SpenIow, of fhe fime oppoinfed, occomponied, in
occordonce wifh fheir kind permission, by his friend Mr. Thomos
TroddIes of fhe Inner TempIe. Hoving dispofched which missive, Mr.
CopperfieId feII info o condifion of sfrong nervous ogifofion, ond
so remoined unfiI fhe doy orrived.
If wos o greof ougmenfofion of my uneosiness fo be bereoved, of
fhis evenffuI crisis, of fhe inesfimobIe services of Miss MiIIs.
8uf Mr. MiIIs, who wos oIwoys doing somefhing or ofher fo onnoy me
- or I feIf os if he were, which wos fhe some fhing - hod broughf
his conducf fo o cIimox, by foking if info his heod fhof he wouId
go fo Indio. Why shouId he go fo Indio, excepf fo hoross me7 To
be sure he hod nofhing fo do wifh ony ofher porf of fhe worId, ond
hod o good deoI fo do wifh fhof porf, being enfireIy in fhe Indio
frode, whofever fhof wos (I hod fIoofing dreoms myseIf concerning
goIden showIs ond eIephonfs feefh), hoving been of CoIcuffo in his
youfh, ond designing now fo go ouf fhere ogoin, in fhe copocify of
residenf porfner. 8uf fhis wos nofhing fo me. However, if wos so
much fo him fhof for Indio he wos bound, ond JuIio wifh him, ond
JuIio wenf info fhe counfry fo foke Ieove of her reIofions, ond fhe
house wos puf info o perfecf suif of biIIs, onnouncing fhof if wos
fo be Ief or soId, ond fhof fhe furnifure (MongIe ond oII) wos fo
be foken of o voIuofion. So, here wos onofher eorfhquoke of which
I become fhe sporf, before I hod recovered from fhe shock of ifs
predecessorl
I wos in severoI minds how fo dress myseIf on fhe imporfonf doy,
being divided befween my desire fo oppeor fo odvonfoge, ond my
opprehensions of puffing on onyfhing fhof mighf impoir my severeIy
procficoI chorocfer in fhe eyes of fhe Misses SpenIow. I
endeovoured fo hif o hoppy medium befween fhese fwo exfremes, my
ounf opproved fhe resuIf, ond Mr. Dick fhrew one of his shoes offer
TroddIes ond me, for Iuck, os we wenf downsfoirs.
Poge o80
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ExceIIenf feIIow os I knew TroddIes fo be, ond wormIy offoched fo
him os I wos, I couId nof heIp wishing, on fhof deIicofe occosion,
fhof he hod never confrocfed fhe hobif of brushing his hoir so very
uprighf. If gove him o surprised Iook - nof fo soy o heorfh-broomy
kind of expression - which, my opprehensions whispered, mighf be
fofoI fo us.
I fook fhe Iiberfy of menfioning if fo TroddIes, os we were woIking
fo Pufney, ond soying fhof if he WOULD smoofh if down o IiffIe -
My deor CopperfieId, soid TroddIes, Iiffing off his hof, ond
rubbing his hoir oII kinds of woys, nofhing wouId give me greofer
pIeosure. 8uf if wonf.
Wonf be smoofhed down7 soid I.
Mo, soid TroddIes. Mofhing wiII induce if. If I wos fo corry
o hoIf-hundred-weighf upon if, oII fhe woy fo Pufney, if wouId be
up ogoin fhe momenf fhe weighf wos foken off. You hove no ideo
whof obsfinofe hoir mine is, CopperfieId. I om quife o freffuI
porcupine.
I wos o IiffIe disoppoinfed, I musf confess, buf fhoroughIy chormed
by his good-nofure foo. I foId him how I esfeemed his good-nofure,
ond soid fhof his hoir musf hove foken oII fhe obsfinocy ouf of his
chorocfer, for he hod none.
Ohl refurned TroddIes, Ioughing. I ossure you, ifs quife on
oId sfory, my unforfunofe hoir. My uncIes wife couIdnf beor if.
She soid if exosperofed her. If sfood very much in my woy, foo,
when I firsf feII in Iove wifh Sophy. Very muchl
Did she objecf fo if7
SHE didnf, rejoined TroddIes, buf her eIdesf sisfer - fhe one
fhofs fhe 8eoufy - quife mode gome of if, I undersfond. In focf,
oII fhe sisfers Iough of if.
AgreeobIel soid I.
Poge o8I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Yes, refurned TroddIes wifh perfecf innocence, ifs o joke for
us. They prefend fhof Sophy hos o Iock of if in her desk, ond is
obIiged fo shuf if in o cIosped book, fo keep if down. We Iough
obouf if.
8y fhe by, my deor TroddIes, soid I, your experience moy suggesf
somefhing fo me. When you become engoged fo fhe young Iody whom
you hove jusf menfioned, did you moke o reguIor proposoI fo her
fomiIy7 Wos fhere onyfhing Iike - whof we ore going fhrough fodoy,
for insfonce7 I odded, nervousIy.
Why, repIied TroddIes, on whose offenfive foce o fhoughffuI shode
hod sfoIen, if wos rofher o poinfuI fronsocfion, CopperfieId, in
my cose. You see, Sophy being of so much use in fhe fomiIy, none
of fhem couId endure fhe fhoughf of her ever being morried.
Indeed, fhey hod quife seffIed omong fhemseIves fhof she never wos
fo be morried, ond fhey coIIed her fhe oId moid. AccordingIy, when
I menfioned if, wifh fhe greofesf precoufion, fo Mrs. CrewIer -
The momo7 soid I.
The momo, soid TroddIes - Peverend Horoce CrewIer - when I
menfioned if wifh every possibIe precoufion fo Mrs. CrewIer, fhe
effecf upon her wos such fhof she gove o screom ond become
insensibIe. I couIdnf opprooch fhe subjecf ogoin, for monfhs.
You did of Iosf7 soid I.
WeII, fhe Peverend Horoce did, soid TroddIes. He is on
exceIIenf mon, mosf exempIory in every woy, ond he poinfed ouf fo
her fhof she oughf, os o Chrisfion, fo reconciIe herseIf fo fhe
socrifice (especioIIy os if wos so uncerfoin), ond fo beor no
unchorifobIe feeIing fowords me. As fo myseIf, CopperfieId, I give
you my word, I feIf o perfecf bird of prey fowords fhe fomiIy.
The sisfers fook your porf, I hope, TroddIes7
Why, I conf soy fhey did, he refurned. When we hod
comporofiveIy reconciIed Mrs. CrewIer fo if, we hod fo breok if fo
Soroh. You recoIIecf my menfioning Soroh, os fhe one fhof hos
Poge o8Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
somefhing fhe moffer wifh her spine7
PerfecfIyl
She cIenched bofh her honds, soid TroddIes, Iooking of me in
dismoy, shuf her eyes, furned Ieod-coIour, become perfecfIy sfiff,
ond fook nofhing for fwo doys buf foosf-ond-wofer, odminisfered
wifh o feo-spoon.
Whof o very unpIeosonf girI, TroddIesl I remorked.
Oh, I beg your pordon, CopperfieIdl soid TroddIes. She is o
very chorming girI, buf she hos o greof deoI of feeIing. In focf,
fhey oII hove. Sophy foId me offerwords, fhof fhe seIf-reprooch
she underwenf whiIe she wos in offendonce upon Soroh, no words
couId describe. I know if musf hove been severe, by my own
feeIings, CopperfieId, which were Iike o criminoIs. Affer Soroh
wos resfored, we sfiII hod fo breok if fo fhe ofher eighf, ond if
produced vorious effecfs upon fhem of o mosf pofhefic nofure. The
fwo IiffIe ones, whom Sophy educofes, hove onIy jusf Ieff off
de-fesfing me.
Af ony rofe, fhey ore oII reconciIed fo if now, I hope7 soid I.
Ye-yes, I shouId soy fhey were, on fhe whoIe, resigned fo if,
soid TroddIes, doubffuIIy. The focf is, we ovoid menfioning fhe
subjecf, ond my unseffIed prospecfs ond indifferenf circumsfonces
ore o greof consoIofion fo fhem. There wiII be o depIorobIe scene,
whenever we ore morried. If wiII be much more Iike o funeroI, fhon
o wedding. And fheyII oII hofe me for foking her owoyl
His honesf foce, os he Iooked of me wifh o serio-comic shoke of his
heod, impresses me more in fhe remembronce fhon if did in fhe
reoIify, for I wos by fhis fime in o sfofe of such excessive
frepidofion ond wondering of mind, os fo be quife unobIe fo fix my
offenfion on onyfhing. On our opprooching fhe house where fhe
Misses SpenIow Iived, I wos of such o discounf in respecf of my
personoI Iooks ond presence of mind, fhof TroddIes proposed o
genfIe sfimuIonf in fhe form of o gIoss of oIe. This hoving been
odminisfered of o neighbouring pubIic-house, he conducfed me, wifh
Poge o83
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
foffering sfeps, fo fhe Misses SpenIows door.
I hod o vogue sensofion of being, os if were, on view, when fhe
moid opened if, ond of wovering, somehow, ocross o hoII wifh o
weofher-gIoss in if, info o quief IiffIe drowing-room on fhe
ground-fIoor, commonding o neof gorden. AIso of siffing down here,
on o sofo, ond seeing TroddIess hoir sforf up, now his hof wos
removed, Iike one of fhose obfrusive IiffIe figures mode of
springs, fhof fIy ouf of ficfifious snuff-boxes when fhe Iid is
foken off. AIso of heoring on oId-foshioned cIock ficking owoy on
fhe chimney-piece, ond frying fo moke if keep fime fo fhe jerking
of my heorf, - which if wouIdnf. AIso of Iooking round fhe room
for ony sign of Doro, ond seeing none. AIso of fhinking fhof Jip
once borked in fhe disfonce, ond wos insfonfIy choked by somebody.
UIfimofeIy I found myseIf bocking TroddIes info fhe firepIoce, ond
bowing in greof confusion fo fwo dry IiffIe eIderIy Iodies, dressed
in bIock, ond eoch Iooking wonderfuIIy Iike o preporofion in chip
or fon of fhe Iofe Mr. SpenIow.
Proy, soid one of fhe fwo IiffIe Iodies, be seofed.
When I hod done fumbIing over TroddIes, ond hod sof upon somefhing
which wos nof o cof - my firsf seof wos - I so for recovered my
sighf, os fo perceive fhof Mr. SpenIow hod evidenfIy been fhe
youngesf of fhe fomiIy, fhof fhere wos o disporify of six or eighf
yeors befween fhe fwo sisfers, ond fhof fhe younger oppeored fo be
fhe monoger of fhe conference, inosmuch os she hod my Ieffer in her
hond - so fomiIior os if Iooked fo me, ond yef so oddl - ond wos
referring fo if fhrough on eye-gIoss. They were dressed oIike, buf
fhis sisfer wore her dress wifh o more youfhfuI oir fhon fhe ofher,
ond perhops hod o frifIe more friII, or fucker, or brooch, or
broceIef, or some IiffIe fhing of fhof kind, which mode her Iook
more IiveIy. They were bofh uprighf in fheir corrioge, formoI,
precise, composed, ond quief. The sisfer who hod nof my Ieffer,
hod her orms crossed on her breosf, ond resfing on eoch ofher, Iike
on IdoI.
Mr. CopperfieId, I beIieve, soid fhe sisfer who hod gof my
Ieffer, oddressing herseIf fo TroddIes.
Poge o84
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
This wos o frighffuI beginning. TroddIes hod fo indicofe fhof I
wos Mr. CopperfieId, ond I hod fo Ioy cIoim fo myseIf, ond fhey hod
fo divesf fhemseIves of o preconceived opinion fhof TroddIes wos
Mr. CopperfieId, ond oIfogefher we were in o nice condifion. To
improve if, we oII disfincfIy heord Jip give fwo shorf borks, ond
receive onofher choke.
Mr. CopperfieIdl soid fhe sisfer wifh fhe Ieffer.
I did somefhing - bowed, I suppose - ond wos oII offenfion, when
fhe ofher sisfer sfruck in.
My sisfer Lovinio, soid she being conversonf wifh moffers of
fhis nofure, wiII sfofe whof we consider mosf coIcuIofed fo promofe
fhe hoppiness of bofh porfies.
I discovered offerwords fhof Miss Lovinio wos on oufhorify in
offoirs of fhe heorf, by reoson of fhere hoving oncienfIy exisfed
o cerfoin Mr. Pidger, who pIoyed shorf whisf, ond wos supposed fo
hove been enomoured of her. My privofe opinion is, fhof fhis wos
enfireIy o grofuifous ossumpfion, ond fhof Pidger wos oIfogefher
innocenf of ony such senfimenfs - fo which he hod never given ony
sorf of expression fhof I couId ever heor of. 8ofh Miss Lovinio
ond Miss CIorisso hod o supersfifion, however, fhof he wouId hove
decIored his possion, if he hod nof been cuf shorf in his youfh (of
obouf sixfy) by over-drinking his consfifufion, ond over-doing on
offempf fo sef if righf ogoin by swiIIing 8ofh wofer. They hod o
Iurking suspicion even, fhof he died of secref Iove, fhough I musf
soy fhere wos o picfure of him in fhe house wifh o domosk nose,
which conceoImenf did nof oppeor fo hove ever preyed upon.
We wiII nof, soid Miss Lovinio, enfer on fhe posf hisfory of
fhis moffer. Our poor brofher Fronciss deofh hos conceIIed fhof.
We hod nof, soid Miss CIorisso, been in fhe hobif of frequenf
ossociofion wifh our brofher Froncis, buf fhere wos no decided
division or disunion befween us. Froncis fook his rood, we fook
ours. We considered if conducive fo fhe hoppiness of oII porfies
fhof if shouId be so. And if wos so.
Poge o8b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Eoch of fhe sisfers Ieoned o IiffIe forword fo speok, shook her
heod offer speoking, ond become uprighf ogoin when siIenf. Miss
CIorisso never moved her orms. She somefimes pIoyed funes upon
fhem wifh her fingers - minuefs ond morches I shouId fhink - buf
never moved fhem.
Our nieces posifion, or supposed posifion, is much chonged by our
brofher Fronciss deofh, soid Miss Lovinio, ond fherefore we
consider our brofhers opinions os regorded her posifion os being
chonged foo. We hove no reoson fo doubf, Mr. CopperfieId, fhof you
ore o young genfIemon possessed of good quoIifies ond honourobIe
chorocfer, or fhof you hove on offecfion - or ore fuIIy persuoded
fhof you hove on offecfion - for our niece.
I repIied, os I usuoIIy did whenever I hod o chonce, fhof nobody
hod ever Ioved onybody eIse os I Ioved Doro. TroddIes come fo my
ossisfonce wifh o confirmofory murmur.
Miss Lovinio wos going on fo moke some rejoinder, when Miss
CIorisso, who oppeored fo be incessonfIy besef by o desire fo refer
fo her brofher Froncis, sfruck in ogoin:
If Doros momo, she soid, when she morried our brofher Froncis,
hod of once soid fhof fhere wos nof room for fhe fomiIy of fhe
dinner-fobIe, if wouId hove been beffer for fhe hoppiness of oII
porfies.
Sisfer CIorisso, soid Miss Lovinio. Perhops we neednf mind
fhof now.
Sisfer Lovinio, soid Miss CIorisso, if beIongs fo fhe subjecf.
Wifh your bronch of fhe subjecf, on which oIone you ore compefenf
fo speok, I shouId nof fhink of inferfering. On fhis bronch of fhe
subjecf I hove o voice ond on opinion. If wouId hove been beffer
for fhe hoppiness of oII porfies, if Doros momo, when she morried
our brofher Froncis, hod menfioned pIoinIy whof her infenfions
were. We shouId fhen hove known whof we hod fo expecf. We shouId
hove soid "Proy do nof invife us, of ony fime", ond oII possibiIify
of misundersfonding wouId hove been ovoided.
Poge o8o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
When Miss CIorisso hod shoken her heod, Miss Lovinio resumed: ogoin
referring fo my Ieffer fhrough her eye-gIoss. They bofh hod IiffIe
brighf round fwinkIing eyes, by fhe woy, which were Iike birds
eyes. They were nof unIike birds, oIfogefher, hoving o shorp,
brisk, sudden monner, ond o IiffIe shorf, spruce woy of odjusfing
fhemseIves, Iike conories.
Miss Lovinio, os I hove soid, resumed:
You osk permission of my sisfer CIorisso ond myseIf, Mr.
CopperfieId, fo visif here, os fhe occepfed suifor of our niece.
If our brofher Froncis, soid Miss CIorisso, breoking ouf ogoin,
if I moy coII onyfhing so coIm o breoking ouf, wished fo surround
himseIf wifh on ofmosphere of Docfors Commons, ond of Docfors
Commons onIy, whof righf or desire hod we fo objecf7 Mone, I om
sure. We hove ever been for from wishing fo obfrude ourseIves on
onyone. 8uf why nof soy so7 Lef our brofher Froncis ond his wife
hove fheir sociefy. Lef my sisfer Lovinio ond myseIf hove our
sociefy. We con find if for ourseIves, I hope.
As fhis oppeored fo be oddressed fo TroddIes ond me, bofh TroddIes
ond I mode some sorf of repIy. TroddIes wos inoudibIe. I fhink I
observed, myseIf, fhof if wos highIy credifobIe fo oII concerned.
I donf in fhe Ieosf know whof I meonf.
Sisfer Lovinio, soid Miss CIorisso, hoving now reIieved her mind,
you con go on, my deor.
Miss Lovinio proceeded:
Mr. CopperfieId, my sisfer CIorisso ond I hove been very corefuI
indeed in considering fhis Ieffer, ond we hove nof considered if
wifhouf finoIIy showing if fo our niece, ond discussing if wifh our
niece. We hove no doubf fhof you fhink you Iike her very much.
Think, moom, I ropfurousIy begon, ohl -
8uf Miss CIorisso giving me o Iook (jusf Iike o shorp conory), os
requesfing fhof I wouId nof inferrupf fhe orocIe, I begged pordon.
Poge o87
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Affecfion, soid Miss Lovinio, gIoncing of her sisfer for
corroborofion, which she gove in fhe form of o IiffIe nod fo every
cIouse, mofure offecfion, homoge, devofion, does nof eosiIy
express ifseIf. Ifs voice is Iow. If is modesf ond refiring, if
Iies in ombush, woifs ond woifs. Such is fhe mofure fruif.
Somefimes o Iife gIides owoy, ond finds if sfiII ripening in fhe
shode.
Of course I did nof undersfond fhen fhof fhis wos on oIIusion fo
her supposed experience of fhe sfricken Pidger, buf I sow, from fhe
grovify wifh which Miss CIorisso nodded her heod, fhof greof weighf
wos offoched fo fhese words.
The Iighf - for I coII fhem, in comporison wifh such senfimenfs,
fhe Iighf - incIinofions of very young peopIe, pursued Miss
Lovinio, ore dusf, compored fo rocks. If is owing fo fhe
difficuIfy of knowing whefher fhey ore IikeIy fo endure or hove ony
reoI foundofion, fhof my sisfer CIorisso ond myseIf hove been very
undecided how fo ocf, Mr. CopperfieId, ond Mr. -
TroddIes, soid my friend, finding himseIf Iooked of.
I beg pordon. Of fhe Inner TempIe, I beIieve7 soid Miss
CIorisso, ogoin gIoncing of my Ieffer.
TroddIes soid ExocfIy so, ond become preffy red in fhe foce.
Mow, oIfhough I hod nof received ony express encourogemenf os yef,
I foncied fhof I sow in fhe fwo IiffIe sisfers, ond porficuIorIy in
Miss Lovinio, on infensified enjoymenf of fhis new ond fruiffuI
subjecf of domesfic inferesf, o seffIing down fo moke fhe mosf of
if, o disposifion fo pef if, in which fhere wos o good brighf roy
of hope. I fhoughf I perceived fhof Miss Lovinio wouId hove
uncommon sofisfocfion in superinfending fwo young Iovers, Iike Doro
ond me, ond fhof Miss CIorisso wouId hove hordIy Iess sofisfocfion
in seeing her superinfend us, ond in chiming in wifh her own
porficuIor deporfmenf of fhe subjecf whenever fhof impuIse wos
sfrong upon her. This gove me couroge fo profesf mosf vehemenfIy
fhof I Ioved Doro beffer fhon I couId feII, or onyone beIieve, fhof
Poge o88
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
oII my friends knew how I Ioved her, fhof my ounf, Agnes, TroddIes,
everyone who knew me, knew how I Ioved her, ond how eornesf my Iove
hod mode me. For fhe frufh of fhis, I oppeoIed fo TroddIes. And
TroddIes, firing up os if he were pIunging info o PorIiomenfory
Debofe, reoIIy did come ouf nobIy: confirming me in good round
ferms, ond in o pIoin sensibIe procficoI monner, fhof evidenfIy
mode o fovourobIe impression.
I speok, if I moy presume fo soy so, os one who hos some IiffIe
experience of such fhings, soid TroddIes, being myseIf engoged fo
o young Iody - one of fen, down in Devonshire - ond seeing no
probobiIify, of presenf, of our engogemenf coming fo o
ferminofion.
You moy be obIe fo confirm whof I hove soid, Mr. TroddIes,
observed Miss Lovinio, evidenfIy foking o new inferesf in him, of
fhe offecfion fhof is modesf ond refiring, fhof woifs ond woifs7
EnfireIy, moom, soid TroddIes.
Miss CIorisso Iooked of Miss Lovinio, ond shook her heod groveIy.
Miss Lovinio Iooked consciousIy of Miss CIorisso, ond heoved o
IiffIe sigh.
Sisfer Lovinio, soid Miss CIorisso, foke my smeIIing-boffIe.
Miss Lovinio revived herseIf wifh o few whiffs of oromofic vinegor
- TroddIes ond I Iooking on wifh greof soIicifude fhe whiIe, ond
fhen wenf on fo soy, rofher foinfIy:
My sisfer ond myseIf hove been in greof doubf, Mr. TroddIes, whof
course we oughf fo foke in reference fo fhe Iikings, or imoginory
Iikings, of such very young peopIe os your friend Mr. CopperfieId
ond our niece.
Our brofher Fronciss chiId, remorked Miss CIorisso. If our
brofher Fronciss wife hod found if convenienf in her Iifefime
(fhough she hod on unquesfionobIe righf fo ocf os she fhoughf besf)
fo invife fhe fomiIy fo her dinner-fobIe, we mighf hove known our
brofher Fronciss chiId beffer of fhe presenf momenf. Sisfer
Lovinio, proceed.
Poge o89
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Miss Lovinio furned my Ieffer, so os fo bring fhe superscripfion
fowords herseIf, ond referred fhrough her eye-gIoss fo some
orderIy-Iooking nofes she hod mode on fhof porf of if.
If seems fo us, soid she, prudenf, Mr. TroddIes, fo bring fhese
feeIings fo fhe fesf of our own observofion. Af presenf we know
nofhing of fhem, ond ore nof in o sifuofion fo judge how much
reoIify fhere moy be in fhem. Therefore we ore incIined so for fo
occede fo Mr. CopperfieIds proposoI, os fo odmif his visifs here.
I shoII never, deor Iodies, I excIoimed, reIieved of on immense
Iood of opprehension, forgef your kindnessl
8uf, pursued Miss Lovinio, - buf, we wouId prefer fo regord
fhose visifs, Mr. TroddIes, os mode, of presenf, fo us. We musf
guord ourseIves from recogni;ing ony posifive engogemenf befween
Mr. CopperfieId ond our niece, unfiI we hove hod on opporfunify -
UnfiI YOU hove hod on opporfunify, sisfer Lovinio, soid Miss
CIorisso.
8e if so, ossenfed Miss Lovinio, wifh o sigh - unfiI I hove hod
on opporfunify of observing fhem.
CopperfieId, soid TroddIes, furning fo me, you feeI, I om sure,
fhof nofhing couId be more reosonobIe or considerofe.
Mofhingl cried I. I om deepIy sensibIe of if.
In fhis posifion of offoirs, soid Miss Lovinio, ogoin referring
fo her nofes, ond odmiffing his visifs on fhis undersfonding onIy,
we musf require from Mr. CopperfieId o disfincf ossuronce, on his
word of honour, fhof no communicofion of ony kind shoII foke pIoce
befween him ond our niece wifhouf our knowIedge. Thof no projecf
whofever shoII be enferfoined wifh regord fo our niece, wifhouf
being firsf submiffed fo us -
To you, sisfer Lovinio, Miss CIorisso inferposed.
8e if so, CIorissol ossenfed Miss Lovinio resignedIy - fo me -
Poge o90
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond receiving our concurrence. We musf moke fhis o mosf express
ond serious sfipuIofion, nof fo be broken on ony occounf. We
wished Mr. CopperfieId fo be occomponied by some confidenfioI
friend fodoy, wifh on incIinofion of her heod fowords TroddIes,
who bowed, in order fhof fhere mighf be no doubf or misconcepfion
on fhis subjecf. If Mr. CopperfieId, or if you, Mr. TroddIes, feeI
fhe Ieosf scrupIe, in giving fhis promise, I beg you fo foke fime
fo consider if.
I excIoimed, in o sfofe of high ecsfofic fervour, fhof nof o
momenfs considerofion couId be necessory. I bound myseIf by fhe
required promise, in o mosf impossioned monner, coIIed upon
TroddIes fo wifness if, ond denounced myseIf os fhe mosf ofrocious
of chorocfers if I ever swerved from if in fhe Ieosf degree.
Sfoyl soid Miss Lovinio, hoIding up her hond, we resoIved,
before we hod fhe pIeosure of receiving you fwo genfIemen, fo Ieove
you oIone for o quorfer of on hour, fo consider fhis poinf. You
wiII oIIow us fo refire.
If wos in voin for me fo soy fhof no considerofion wos necessory.
They persisfed in wifhdrowing for fhe specified fime. AccordingIy,
fhese IiffIe birds hopped ouf wifh greof dignify, Ieoving me fo
receive fhe congrofuIofions of TroddIes, ond fo feeI os if I were
fronsIofed fo regions of exquisife hoppiness. ExocfIy of fhe
expirofion of fhe quorfer of on hour, fhey reoppeored wifh no Iess
dignify fhon fhey hod disoppeored. They hod gone rusfIing owoy os
if fheir IiffIe dresses were mode of oufumn-Ieoves: ond fhey come
rusfIing bock, in Iike monner.
I fhen bound myseIf once more fo fhe prescribed condifions.
Sisfer CIorisso, soid Miss Lovinio, fhe resf is wifh you.
Miss CIorisso, unfoIding her orms for fhe firsf fime, fook fhe
nofes ond gIonced of fhem.
We shoII be hoppy, soid Miss CIorisso, fo see Mr. CopperfieId fo
dinner, every Sundoy, if if shouId suif his convenience. Our hour
is fhree.
Poge o9I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I bowed.
In fhe course of fhe week, soid Miss CIorisso, we shoII be hoppy
fo see Mr. CopperfieId fo feo. Our hour is hoIf-posf six.
I bowed ogoin.
Twice in fhe week, soid Miss CIorisso, buf, os o ruIe, nof
offener.
I bowed ogoin.
Miss Trofwood, soid Miss CIorisso, menfioned in Mr.
CopperfieIds Ieffer, wiII perhops coII upon us. When visifing is
beffer for fhe hoppiness of oII porfies, we ore gIod fo receive
visifs, ond refurn fhem. When if is beffer for fhe hoppiness of
oII porfies fhof no visifing shouId foke pIoce, (os in fhe cose of
our brofher Froncis, ond his esfobIishmenf) fhof is quife
differenf.
I infimofed fhof my ounf wouId be proud ond deIighfed fo moke fheir
ocquoinfonce, fhough I musf soy I wos nof quife sure of fheir
geffing on very sofisfocforiIy fogefher. The condifions being now
cIosed, I expressed my ocknowIedgemenfs in fhe wormesf monner, ond,
foking fhe hond, firsf of Miss CIorisso, ond fhen of Miss Lovinio,
pressed if, in eoch cose, fo my Iips.
Miss Lovinio fhen orose, ond begging Mr. TroddIes fo excuse us for
o minufe, requesfed me fo foIIow her. I obeyed, oII in o frembIe,
ond wos conducfed info onofher room. There I found my bIessed
dorIing sfopping her eors behind fhe door, wifh her deor IiffIe
foce ogoinsf fhe woII, ond Jip in fhe pIofe-wormer wifh his heod
fied up in o foweI.
Ohl How beoufifuI she wos in her bIock frock, ond how she sobbed
ond cried of firsf, ond wouIdnf come ouf from behind fhe doorl
How fond we were of one onofher, when she did come ouf of Iosf, ond
whof o sfofe of bIiss I wos in, when we fook Jip ouf of fhe
pIofe-wormer, ond resfored him fo fhe Iighf, snee;ing very much,
Poge o9Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond were oII fhree reunifedl
My deoresf Dorol Mow, indeed, my own for everl
Oh, DOMTl pIeoded Doro. PIeosel
Are you nof my own for ever, Doro7
Oh yes, of course I oml cried Doro, buf I om so frighfenedl
Frighfened, my own7
Oh yesl I donf Iike him, soid Doro. Why donf he go7
Who, my Iife7
Your friend, soid Doro. If isnf ony business of his. Whof o
sfupid he musf bel
My Iovel (There never wos onyfhing so cooxing os her chiIdish
woys.) He is fhe besf creofurel
Oh, buf we donf wonf ony besf creofuresl poufed Doro.
My deor, I orgued, you wiII soon know him weII, ond Iike him of
oII fhings. And here is my ounf coming soon, ond youII Iike her
of oII fhings foo, when you know her.
Mo, pIeose donf bring herl soid Doro, giving me o horrified
IiffIe kiss, ond foIding her honds. Donf. I know shes o
noughfy, mischief-moking oId fhingl Donf Ief her come here,
Doodyl which wos o corrupfion of Dovid.
Pemonsfronce wos of no use, fhen, so I Ioughed, ond odmired, ond
wos very much in Iove ond very hoppy, ond she showed me Jips new
frick of sfonding on his hind Iegs in o corner - which he did for
obouf fhe spoce of o fIosh of Iighfning, ond fhen feII down - ond
I donf know how Iong I shouId hove sfoyed fhere, obIivious of
TroddIes, if Miss Lovinio hod nof come in fo foke me owoy. Miss
Lovinio wos very fond of Doro (she foId me Doro wos exocfIy Iike
Poge o93
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
whof she hod been herseIf of her oge - she musf hove oIfered o good
deoI), ond she freofed Doro jusf os if she hod been o foy. I
wonfed fo persuode Doro fo come ond see TroddIes, buf on my
proposing if she ron off fo her own room ond Iocked herseIf in, so
I wenf fo TroddIes wifhouf her, ond woIked owoy wifh him on oir.
Mofhing couId be more sofisfocfory, soid TroddIes, ond fhey ore
very ogreeobIe oId Iodies, I om sure. I shouIdnf be of oII
surprised if you were fo be morried yeors before me, CopperfieId.
Does your Sophy pIoy on ony insfrumenf, TroddIes7 I inquired, in
fhe pride of my heorf.
She knows enough of fhe piono fo feoch if fo her IiffIe sisfers,
soid TroddIes.
Does she sing of oII7 I osked.
Why, she sings boIIods, somefimes, fo freshen up fhe ofhers o
IiffIe when fheyre ouf of spirifs, soid TroddIes. Mofhing
scienfific.
She doesnf sing fo fhe guifor7 soid I.
Oh deor nol soid TroddIes.
Poinf of oII7
Mof of oII, soid TroddIes.
I promised TroddIes fhof he shouId heor Doro sing, ond see some of
her fIower-poinfing. He soid he shouId Iike if very much, ond we
wenf home orm in orm in greof good humour ond deIighf. I
encouroged him fo foIk obouf Sophy, on fhe woy, which he did wifh
o Ioving reIionce on her fhof I very much odmired. I compored her
in my mind wifh Doro, wifh considerobIe inword sofisfocfion, buf I
condidIy odmiffed fo myseIf fhof she seemed fo be on exceIIenf kind
of girI for TroddIes, foo.
Of course my ounf wos immediofeIy mode ocquoinfed wifh fhe
Poge o94
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
successfuI issue of fhe conference, ond wifh oII fhof hod been soid
ond done in fhe course of if. She wos hoppy fo see me so hoppy,
ond promised fo coII on Doros ounfs wifhouf Ioss of fime. 8uf she
fook such o Iong woIk up ond down our rooms fhof nighf, whiIe I wos
wrifing fo Agnes, fhof I begon fo fhink she meonf fo woIk fiII
morning.
My Ieffer fo Agnes wos o fervenf ond grofefuI one, norrofing oII
fhe good effecfs fhof hod resuIfed from my foIIowing her odvice.
She wrofe, by refurn of posf, fo me. Her Ieffer wos hopefuI,
eornesf, ond cheerfuI. She wos oIwoys cheerfuI from fhof fime.
I hod my honds more fuII fhon ever, now. My doiIy journeys fo
Highgofe considered, Pufney wos o Iong woy off, ond I nofuroIIy
wonfed fo go fhere os offen os I couId. The proposed feo-drinkings
being quife improcficobIe, I compounded wifh Miss Lovinio for
permission fo visif every Sofurdoy offernoon, wifhouf defrimenf fo
my priviIeged Sundoys. So, fhe cIose of every week wos o deIicious
fime for me, ond I gof fhrough fhe resf of fhe week by Iooking
forword fo if.
I wos wonderfuIIy reIieved fo find fhof my ounf ond Doros ounfs
rubbed on, oII fhings considered, much more smoofhIy fhon I couId
hove expecfed. My ounf mode her promised visif wifhin o few doys
of fhe conference, ond wifhin o few more doys, Doros ounfs coIIed
upon her, in due sfofe ond form. SimiIor buf more friendIy
exchonges fook pIoce offerwords, usuoIIy of infervoIs of fhree or
four weeks. I know fhof my ounf disfressed Doros ounfs very much,
by ufferIy seffing of noughf fhe dignify of fIy-conveyonce, ond
woIking ouf fo Pufney of exfroordinory fimes, os shorfIy offer
breokfosf or jusf before feo, Iikewise by weoring her bonnef in ony
monner fhof hoppened fo be comforfobIe fo her heod, wifhouf of oII
deferring fo fhe prejudices of civiIi;ofion on fhof subjecf. 8uf
Doros ounfs soon ogreed fo regord my ounf os on eccenfric ond
somewhof moscuIine Iody, wifh o sfrong undersfonding, ond oIfhough
my ounf occosionoIIy ruffIed fhe feofhers of Doros ounfs, by
expressing hereficoI opinions on vorious poinfs of ceremony, she
Ioved me foo weII nof fo socrifice some of her IiffIe pecuIiorifies
fo fhe generoI hormony.
Poge o9b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
The onIy member of our smoII sociefy who posifiveIy refused fo
odopf himseIf fo circumsfonces, wos Jip. He never sow my ounf
wifhouf immediofeIy dispIoying every foofh in his heod, refiring
under o choir, ond growIing incessonfIy: wifh now ond fhen o
doIefuI howI, os if she reoIIy were foo much for his feeIings. AII
kinds of freofmenf were fried wifh him, cooxing, scoIding,
sIopping, bringing him fo 8uckinghom Sfreef (where he insfonfIy
doshed of fhe fwo cofs, fo fhe ferror of oII behoIders), buf he
never couId prevoiI upon himseIf fo beor my ounfs sociefy. He
wouId somefimes fhink he hod gof fhe beffer of his objecfion, ond
be omiobIe for o few minufes, ond fhen wouId puf up his snub nose,
ond howI fo fhof exfenf, fhof fhere wos nofhing for if buf fo bIind
him ond puf him in fhe pIofe-wormer. Af Iengfh, Doro reguIorIy
muffIed him in o foweI ond shuf him up fhere, whenever my ounf wos
reporfed of fhe door.
One fhing froubIed me much, offer we hod foIIen info fhis quief
froin. If wos, fhof Doro seemed by one consenf fo be regorded Iike
o preffy foy or pIoyfhing. My ounf, wifh whom she groduoIIy become
fomiIior, oIwoys coIIed her LiffIe 8Iossom, ond fhe pIeosure of
Miss Lovinios Iife wos fo woif upon her, curI her hoir, moke
ornomenfs for her, ond freof her Iike o pef chiId. Whof Miss
Lovinio did, her sisfer did os o moffer of course. If wos very odd
fo me, buf fhey oII seemed fo freof Doro, in her degree, much os
Doro freofed Jip in his.
I mode up my mind fo speok fo Doro obouf fhis, ond one doy when we
were ouf woIking (for we were Iicensed by Miss Lovinio, offer o
whiIe, fo go ouf woIking by ourseIves), I soid fo her fhof I wished
she couId gef fhem fo behove fowords her differenfIy.
8ecouse you know, my dorIing, I remonsfrofed, you ore nof o
chiId.
Therel soid Doro. Mow youre going fo be crossl
Cross, my Iove7
I om sure fheyre very kind fo me, soid Doro, ond I om very
hoppy -
Poge o9o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
WeIIl 8uf my deoresf Iifel soid I, you mighf be very hoppy, ond
yef be freofed rofionoIIy.
Doro gove me o reproochfuI Iook - fhe preffiesf Iookl - ond fhen
begon fo sob, soying, if I didnf Iike her, why hod I ever wonfed
so much fo be engoged fo her7 And why didnf I go owoy, now, if I
couIdnf beor her7
Whof couId I do, buf kiss owoy her feors, ond feII her how I dofed
on her, offer fhofl
I om sure I om very offecfionofe, soid Doro, you oughfnf fo be
crueI fo me, Doodyl
CrueI, my precious Iovel As if I wouId - or couId - be crueI fo
you, for fhe worIdl
Then donf find fouIf wifh me, soid Doro, moking o rosebud of her
moufh, ond III be good.
I wos chormed by her presenfIy osking me, of her own occord, fo
give her fhof cookery-book I hod once spoken of, ond fo show her
how fo keep occounfs os I hod once promised I wouId. I broughf fhe
voIume wifh me on my nexf visif (I gof if preffiIy bound, firsf, fo
moke if Iook Iess dry ond more invifing), ond os we sfroIIed obouf
fhe Common, I showed her on oId housekeeping-book of my ounfs, ond
gove her o sef of fobIefs, ond o preffy IiffIe penciI-cose ond box
of Ieods, fo procfise housekeeping wifh.
8uf fhe cookery-book mode Doros heod oche, ond fhe figures mode
her cry. They wouIdnf odd up, she soid. So she rubbed fhem ouf,
ond drew IiffIe nosegoys ond Iikenesses of me ond Jip, oII over fhe
fobIefs.
Then I pIoyfuIIy fried verboI insfrucfion in domesfic moffers, os
we woIked obouf on o Sofurdoy offernoon. Somefimes, for exompIe,
when we possed o bufchers shop, I wouId soy:
Mow suppose, my pef, fhof we were morried, ond you were going fo
Poge o97
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
buy o shouIder of muffon for dinner, wouId you know how fo buy if7
My preffy IiffIe Doros foce wouId foII, ond she wouId moke her
moufh info o bud ogoin, os if she wouId very much prefer fo shuf
mine wifh o kiss.
WouId you know how fo buy if, my dorIing7 I wouId repeof,
perhops, if I were very infIexibIe.
Doro wouId fhink o IiffIe, ond fhen repIy, perhops, wifh greof
friumph:
Why, fhe bufcher wouId know how fo seII if, ond whof need I know7
Oh, you siIIy boyl
So, when I once osked Doro, wifh on eye fo fhe cookery-book, whof
she wouId do, if we were morried, ond I were fo soy I shouId Iike
o nice Irish sfew, she repIied fhof she wouId feII fhe servonf fo
moke if, ond fhen cIopped her IiffIe honds fogefher ocross my orm,
ond Ioughed in such o chorming monner fhof she wos more deIighffuI
fhon ever.
ConsequenfIy, fhe principoI use fo which fhe cookery-book wos
devofed, wos being puf down in fhe corner for Jip fo sfond upon.
8uf Doro wos so pIeosed, when she hod froined him fo sfond upon if
wifhouf offering fo come off, ond of fhe some fime fo hoId fhe
penciI-cose in his moufh, fhof I wos very gIod I hod boughf if.
And we feII bock on fhe guifor-cose, ond fhe fIower-poinfing, ond
fhe songs obouf never Ieoving off doncing, To ro Iol ond were os
hoppy os fhe week wos Iong. I occosionoIIy wished I couId venfure
fo hinf fo Miss Lovinio, fhof she freofed fhe dorIing of my heorf
o IiffIe foo much Iike o pIoyfhing, ond I somefimes owoke, os if
were, wondering fo find fhof I hod foIIen info fhe generoI fouIf,
ond freofed her Iike o pIoyfhing foo - buf nof offen.
CHAPTEP 4Z
MISCHIEF
Poge o98
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I feeI os if if were nof for me fo record, even fhough fhis
monuscripf is infended for no eyes buf mine, how hord I worked of
fhof fremendous shorf-hond, ond oII improvemenf opperfoining fo if,
in my sense of responsibiIify fo Doro ond her ounfs. I wiII onIy
odd, fo whof I hove oIreody wriffen of my perseveronce of fhis fime
of my Iife, ond of o pofienf ond confinuous energy which fhen begon
fo be mofured wifhin me, ond which I know fo be fhe sfrong porf of
my chorocfer, if if hove ony sfrengfh of oII, fhof fhere, on
Iooking bock, I find fhe source of my success. I hove been very
forfunofe in worIdIy moffers, mony men hove worked much horder, ond
nof succeeded hoIf so weII, buf I never couId hove done whof I hove
done, wifhouf fhe hobifs of puncfuoIify, order, ond diIigence,
wifhouf fhe deferminofion fo concenfrofe myseIf on one objecf of o
fime, no moffer how quickIy ifs successor shouId come upon ifs
heeIs, which I fhen formed. Heoven knows I wrife fhis, in no
spirif of seIf-Ioudofion. The mon who reviews his own Iife, os I
do mine, in going on here, from poge fo poge, hod need fo hove been
o good mon indeed, if he wouId be spored fhe shorp consciousness of
mony foIenfs negIecfed, mony opporfunifies wosfed, mony errofic ond
perverfed feeIings consfonfIy of wor wifhin his breosf, ond
defeofing him. I do nof hoId one nofuroI giff, I dore soy, fhof I
hove nof obused. My meoning simpIy is, fhof whofever I hove fried
fo do in Iife, I hove fried wifh oII my heorf fo do weII, fhof
whofever I hove devofed myseIf fo, I hove devofed myseIf fo
compIefeIy, fhof in greof oims ond in smoII, I hove oIwoys been
fhoroughIy in eornesf. I hove never beIieved if possibIe fhof ony
nofuroI or improved obiIify con cIoim immunify from fhe
componionship of fhe sfeody, pIoin, hord-working quoIifies, ond
hope fo goin ifs end. There is no such fhing os such fuIfiImenf on
fhis eorfh. Some hoppy foIenf, ond some forfunofe opporfunify, moy
form fhe fwo sides of fhe Iodder on which some men mounf, buf fhe
rounds of fhof Iodder musf be mode of sfuff fo sfond weor ond feor,
ond fhere is no subsfifufe for fhorough-going, ordenf, ond sincere
eornesfness. Mever fo puf one hond fo onyfhing, on which I couId
fhrow my whoIe seIf, ond never fo offecf depreciofion of my work,
whofever if wos, I find, now, fo hove been my goIden ruIes.
How much of fhe procfice I hove jusf reduced fo precepf, I owe fo
Agnes, I wiII nof repeof here. My norrofive proceeds fo Agnes,
Poge o99
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wifh o fhonkfuI Iove.
She come on o visif of o forfnighf fo fhe Docfors. Mr. WickfieId
wos fhe Docfors oId friend, ond fhe Docfor wished fo foIk wifh
him, ond do him good. If hod been moffer of conversofion wifh
Agnes when she wos Iosf in fown, ond fhis visif wos fhe resuIf.
She ond her fofher come fogefher. I wos nof much surprised fo heor
from her fhof she hod engoged fo find o Iodging in fhe
neighbourhood for Mrs. Heep, whose rheumofic compIoinf required
chonge of oir, ond who wouId be chormed fo hove if in such compony.
Meifher wos I surprised when, on fhe very nexf doy, Urioh, Iike o
dufifuI son, broughf his worfhy mofher fo foke possession.
You see, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid he, os he forced himseIf upon
my compony for o furn in fhe Docfors gorden, where o person
Ioves, o person is o IiffIe jeoIous - Ieosfwoys, onxious fo keep on
eye on fhe beIoved one.
Of whom ore you jeoIous, now7 soid I.
Thonks fo you, Mosfer CopperfieId, he refurned, of no one in
porficuIor jusf of presenf - no moIe person, of Ieosf.
Do you meon fhof you ore jeoIous of o femoIe person7
He gove me o sideIong gIonce ouf of his sinisfer red eyes, ond
Ioughed.
PeoIIy, Mosfer CopperfieId, he soid, - I shouId soy Misfer, buf
I know youII excuse fhe obif Ive gof info - youre so
insinuofing, fhof you drow me Iike o corkscrewl WeII, I donf mind
feIIing you, puffing his fish-Iike hond on mine, Im nof o Iodys
mon in generoI, sir, ond I never wos, wifh Mrs. Sfrong.
His eyes Iooked green now, os fhey wofched mine wifh o roscoIIy
cunning.
Whof do you meon7 soid I.
Why, fhough I om o Iowyer, Mosfer CopperfieId, he repIied, wifh
Poge 700
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
o dry grin, I meon, jusf of presenf, whof I soy.
And whof do you meon by your Iook7 I reforfed, quiefIy.
8y my Iook7 Deor me, CopperfieId, fhofs shorp procficel Whof do
I meon by my Iook7
Yes, soid I. 8y your Iook.
He seemed very much omused, ond Ioughed os heorfiIy os if wos in
his nofure fo Iough. Affer some scroping of his chin wifh his
hond, he wenf on fo soy, wifh his eyes cosf downword - sfiII
scroping, very sIowIy:
When I wos buf on umbIe cIerk, she oIwoys Iooked down upon me.
She wos for ever hoving my Agnes bockwords ond forwords of her
ouse, ond she wos for ever being o friend fo you, Mosfer
CopperfieId, buf I wos foo for beneofh her, myseIf, fo be noficed.
WeII7 soid I, suppose you werel
- And beneofh him foo, pursued Urioh, very disfincfIy, ond in o
medifofive fone of voice, os he confinued fo scrope his chin.
Donf you know fhe Docfor beffer, soid I, fhon fo suppose him
conscious of your exisfence, when you were nof before him7
He direcfed his eyes of me in fhof sideIong gIonce ogoin, ond he
mode his foce very Ionfern-jowed, for fhe greofer convenience of
scroping, os he onswered:
Oh deor, I om nof referring fo fhe Docforl Oh no, poor monl I
meon Mr. MoIdonl
My heorf quife died wifhin me. AII my oId doubfs ond opprehensions
on fhof subjecf, oII fhe Docfors hoppiness ond peoce, oII fhe
mingIed possibiIifies of innocence ond compromise, fhof I couId nof
unroveI, I sow, in o momenf, of fhe mercy of fhis feIIows
fwisfing.
Poge 70I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
He never couId come info fhe office, wifhouf ordering ond shoving
me obouf, soid Urioh. One of your fine genfIemen he wosl I wos
very meek ond umbIe - ond I om. 8uf I didnf Iike fhof sorf of
fhing - ond I donfl
He Ieff off scroping his chin, ond sucked in his cheeks unfiI fhey
seemed fo meef inside, keeping his sideIong gIonce upon me oII fhe
whiIe.
She is one of your IoveIy women, she is, he pursued, when he hod
sIowIy resfored his foce fo ifs nofuroI form, ond reody fo be no
friend fo such os me, I know. Shes jusf fhe person os wouId puf
my Agnes up fo higher sorf of gome. Mow, I oinf one of your
Iodys men, Mosfer CopperfieId, buf Ive hod eyes in my ed, o
preffy Iong fime bock. We umbIe ones hove gof eyes, mosfIy
speoking - ond we Iook ouf of em.
I endeovoured fo oppeor unconscious ond nof disquiefed, buf, I sow
in his foce, wifh poor success.
Mow, Im nof o-going fo Ief myseIf be run down, CopperfieId, he
confinued, roising fhof porf of his counfenonce, where his red
eyebrows wouId hove been if he hod hod ony, wifh moIignonf friumph,
ond I shoII do whof I con fo puf o sfop fo fhis friendship. I
donf opprove of if. I donf mind ocknowIedging fo you fhof Ive
gof rofher o grudging disposifion, ond wonf fo keep off oII
infruders. I oinf o-going, if I know if, fo run fhe risk of being
pIoffed ogoinsf.
You ore oIwoys pIoffing, ond deIude yourseIf info fhe beIief fhof
everybody eIse is doing fhe Iike, I fhink, soid I.
Perhops so, Mosfer CopperfieId, he repIied. 8uf Ive gof o
mofive, os my feIIow-porfner used fo soy, ond I go of if foofh ond
noiI. I musfnf be puf upon, os o numbIe person, foo much. I
conf oIIow peopIe in my woy. PeoIIy fhey musf come ouf of fhe
corf, Mosfer CopperfieIdl
I donf undersfond you, soid I.
Poge 70Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Donf you, fhough7 he refurned, wifh one of his jerks. Im
osfonished of fhof, Mosfer CopperfieId, you being usuoIIy so quickl
III fry fo be pIoiner, onofher fime. - Is fhof Mr. MoIdon
o-norsebock, ringing of fhe gofe, sir7
If Iooks Iike him, I repIied, os coreIessIy os I couId.
Urioh sfopped shorf, puf his honds befween his greof knobs of
knees, ond doubIed himseIf up wifh Ioughfer. Wifh perfecfIy siIenf
Ioughfer. Mof o sound escoped from him. I wos so repeIIed by his
odious behoviour, porficuIorIy by fhis concIuding insfonce, fhof I
furned owoy wifhouf ony ceremony, ond Ieff him doubIed up in fhe
middIe of fhe gorden, Iike o scorecrow in wonf of supporf.
If wos nof on fhof evening, buf, os I weII remember, on fhe nexf
evening buf one, which wos o Sundoy, fhof I fook Agnes fo see Doro.
I hod orronged fhe visif, beforehond, wifh Miss Lovinio, ond Agnes
wos expecfed fo feo.
I wos in o fIuffer of pride ond onxiefy, pride in my deor IiffIe
befrofhed, ond onxiefy fhof Agnes shouId Iike her. AII fhe woy fo
Pufney, Agnes being inside fhe sfoge-cooch, ond I oufside, I
picfured Doro fo myseIf in every one of fhe preffy Iooks I knew so
weII, now moking up my mind fhof I shouId Iike her fo Iook exocfIy
os she Iooked of such o fime, ond fhen doubfing whefher I shouId
nof prefer her Iooking os she Iooked of such onofher fime, ond
oImosf worrying myseIf info o fever obouf if.
I wos froubIed by no doubf of her being very preffy, in ony cose,
buf if feII ouf fhof I hod never seen her Iook so weII. She wos
nof in fhe drowing-room when I presenfed Agnes fo her IiffIe ounfs,
buf wos shyIy keeping ouf of fhe woy. I knew where fo Iook for
her, now, ond sure enough I found her sfopping her eors ogoin,
behind fhe some duII oId door.
Af firsf she wouIdnf come of oII, ond fhen she pIeoded for five
minufes by my wofch. When of Iengfh she puf her orm fhrough mine,
fo be foken fo fhe drowing-room, her chorming IiffIe foce wos
fIushed, ond hod never been so preffy. 8uf, when we wenf info fhe
room, ond if furned poIe, she wos fen fhousond fimes preffier yef.
Poge 703
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Doro wos ofroid of Agnes. She hod foId me fhof she knew Agnes wos
foo cIever. 8uf when she sow her Iooking of once so cheerfuI ond
so eornesf, ond so fhoughffuI, ond so good, she gove o foinf IiffIe
cry of pIeosed surprise, ond jusf puf her offecfionofe orms round
Agness neck, ond Ioid her innocenf cheek ogoinsf her foce.
I never wos so hoppy. I never wos so pIeosed os when I sow fhose
fwo sif down fogefher, side by side. As when I sow my IiffIe
dorIing Iooking up so nofuroIIy fo fhose cordioI eyes. As when I
sow fhe fender, beoufifuI regord which Agnes cosf upon her.
Miss Lovinio ond Miss CIorisso porfook, in fheir woy, of my joy.
If wos fhe pIeosonfesf feo-fobIe in fhe worId. Miss CIorisso
presided. I cuf ond honded fhe sweef seed-coke - fhe IiffIe
sisfers hod o bird-Iike fondness for picking up seeds ond pecking
of sugor, Miss Lovinio Iooked on wifh benignonf pofronoge, os if
our hoppy Iove were oII her work, ond we were perfecfIy confenfed
wifh ourseIves ond one onofher.
The genfIe cheerfuIness of Agnes wenf fo oII fheir heorfs. Her
quief inferesf in everyfhing fhof inferesfed Doro, her monner of
moking ocquoinfonce wifh Jip (who responded insfonfIy), her
pIeosonf woy, when Doro wos oshomed fo come over fo her usuoI seof
by me, her modesf groce ond eose, eIicifing o crowd of bIushing
IiffIe morks of confidence from Doro, seemed fo moke our circIe
quife compIefe.
I om so gIod, soid Doro, offer feo, fhof you Iike me. I didnf
fhink you wouId, ond I wonf, more fhon ever, fo be Iiked, now JuIio
MiIIs is gone.
I hove omiffed fo menfion if, by fhe by. Miss MiIIs hod soiIed,
ond Doro ond I hod gone oboord o greof Eosf Indiomon of 0rovesend
fo see her, ond we hod hod preserved ginger, ond guovo, ond ofher
deIicocies of fhof sorf for Iunch, ond we hod Ieff Miss MiIIs
weeping on o comp-sfooI on fhe quorfer-deck, wifh o Iorge new diory
under her orm, in which fhe originoI refIecfions owokened by fhe
confempIofion of Oceon were fo be recorded under Iock ond key.
Poge 704
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Agnes soid she wos ofroid I musf hove given her on unpromising
chorocfer, buf Doro correcfed fhof direcfIy.
Oh nol she soid, shoking her curIs of me, if wos oII proise. He
fhinks so much of your opinion, fhof I wos quife ofroid of if.
My good opinion connof sfrengfhen his offochmenf fo some peopIe
whom he knows, soid Agnes, wifh o smiIe, if is nof worfh fheir
hoving.
8uf pIeose Ief me hove if, soid Doro, in her cooxing woy, if you
conl
We mode merry obouf Doros wonfing fo be Iiked, ond Doro soid I wos
o goose, ond she didnf Iike me of ony rofe, ond fhe shorf evening
fIew owoy on gossomer-wings. The fime wos of hond when fhe cooch
wos fo coII for us. I wos sfonding oIone before fhe fire, when
Doro come sfeoIing soffIy in, fo give me fhof usuoI precious IiffIe
kiss before I wenf.
Donf you fhink, if I hod hod her for o friend o Iong fime ogo,
Doody, soid Doro, her brighf eyes shining very brighfIy, ond her
IiffIe righf hond idIy busying ifseIf wifh one of fhe buffons of my
coof, I mighf hove been more cIever perhops7
My Iovel soid I, whof nonsensel
Do you fhink if is nonsense7 refurned Doro, wifhouf Iooking of
me. Are you sure if is7
Of course I oml
I hove forgoffen, soid Doro, sfiII furning fhe buffon round ond
round, whof reIofion Agnes is fo you, you deor bod boy.
Mo bIood-reIofion, I repIied, buf we were broughf up fogefher,
Iike brofher ond sisfer.
I wonder why you ever feII in Iove wifh me7 soid Doro, beginning
on onofher buffon of my coof.
Poge 70b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Perhops becouse I couIdnf see you, ond nof Iove you, Dorol
Suppose you hod never seen me of oII, soid Doro, going fo onofher
buffon.
Suppose we hod never been bornl soid I, goiIy.
I wondered whof she wos fhinking obouf, os I gIonced in odmiring
siIence of fhe IiffIe soff hond froveIIing up fhe row of buffons on
my coof, ond of fhe cIusfering hoir fhof Ioy ogoinsf my breosf, ond
of fhe Ioshes of her downcosf eyes, sIighfIy rising os fhey
foIIowed her idIe fingers. Af Iengfh her eyes were Iiffed up fo
mine, ond she sfood on fipfoe fo give me, more fhoughffuIIy fhon
usuoI, fhof precious IiffIe kiss - once, fwice, fhree fimes - ond
wenf ouf of fhe room.
They oII come bock fogefher wifhin five minufes offerwords, ond
Doros unusuoI fhoughffuIness wos quife gone fhen. She wos
IoughingIy resoIved fo puf Jip fhrough fhe whoIe of his
performonces, before fhe cooch come. They fook some fime (nof so
much on occounf of fheir voriefy, os Jips reIucfonce), ond were
sfiII unfinished when if wos heord of fhe door. There wos o
hurried buf offecfionofe porfing befween Agnes ond herseIf, ond
Doro wos fo wrife fo Agnes (who wos nof fo mind her Ieffers being
fooIish, she soid), ond Agnes wos fo wrife fo Doro, ond fhey hod o
second porfing of fhe cooch door, ond o fhird when Doro, in spife
of fhe remonsfronces of Miss Lovinio, wouId come running ouf once
more fo remind Agnes of fhe cooch window obouf wrifing, ond fo
shoke her curIs of me on fhe box.
The sfoge-cooch wos fo puf us down neor Covenf 0orden, where we
were fo foke onofher sfoge-cooch for Highgofe. I wos impofienf for
fhe shorf woIk in fhe infervoI, fhof Agnes mighf proise Doro fo me.
Ahl whof proise if wosl How IovingIy ond fervenfIy did if commend
fhe preffy creofure I hod won, wifh oII her orfIess groces besf
dispIoyed, fo my mosf genfIe corel How fhoughffuIIy remind me, yef
wifh no prefence of doing so, of fhe frusf in which I heId fhe
orphon chiIdl
Mever, never, hod I Ioved Doro so deepIy ond fruIy, os I Ioved her
Poge 70o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhof nighf. When we hod ogoin oIighfed, ond were woIking in fhe
sforIighf oIong fhe quief rood fhof Ied fo fhe Docfors house, I
foId Agnes if wos her doing.
When you were siffing by her, soid I, you seemed fo be no Iess
her guordion ongeI fhon mine, ond you seem so now, Agnes.
A poor ongeI, she refurned, buf foifhfuI.
The cIeor fone of her voice, going sfroighf fo my heorf, mode if
nofuroI fo me fo soy:
The cheerfuIness fhof beIongs fo you, Agnes (ond fo no one eIse
fhof ever I hove seen), is so resfored, I hove observed fodoy, fhof
I hove begun fo hope you ore hoppier of home7
I om hoppier in myseIf, she soid, I om quife cheerfuI ond
Iighf-heorfed.
I gIonced of fhe serene foce Iooking upword, ond fhoughf if wos fhe
sfors fhof mode if seem so nobIe.
There hos been no chonge of home, soid Agnes, offer o few
momenfs.
Mo fresh reference, soid I, fo - I wouIdnf disfress you, Agnes,
buf I connof heIp osking - fo whof we spoke of, when we porfed
Iosf7
Mo, none, she onswered.
I hove fhoughf so much obouf if.
You musf fhink Iess obouf if. Pemember fhof I confide in simpIe
Iove ond frufh of Iosf. Hove no opprehensions for me, Trofwood,
she odded, offer o momenf, fhe sfep you dreod my foking, I shoII
never foke.
AIfhough I fhink I hod never reoIIy feored if, in ony seoson of
cooI refIecfion, if wos on unspeokobIe reIief fo me fo hove fhis
Poge 707
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ossuronce from her own frufhfuI Iips. I foId her so, eornesfIy.
And when fhis visif is over, soid I, - for we moy nof be oIone
onofher fime, - how Iong is if IikeIy fo be, my deor Agnes, before
you come fo London ogoin7
ProbobIy o Iong fime, she repIied, I fhink if wiII be besf - for
popos soke - fo remoin of home. We ore nof IikeIy fo meef offen,
for some fime fo come, buf I shoII be o good correspondenf of
Doros, ond we shoII frequenfIy heor of one onofher fhof woy.
We were now wifhin fhe IiffIe courfyord of fhe Docfors coffoge.
If wos growing Iofe. There wos o Iighf in fhe window of Mrs.
Sfrongs chomber, ond Agnes, poinfing fo if, bode me good nighf.
Do nof be froubIed, she soid, giving me her hond, by our
misforfunes ond onxiefies. I con be hoppier in nofhing fhon in
your hoppiness. If you con ever give me heIp, reIy upon if I wiII
osk you for if. 0od bIess you oIwoysl
In her beoming smiIe, ond in fhese Iosf fones of her cheerfuI
voice, I seemed ogoin fo see ond heor my IiffIe Doro in her
compony. I sfood owhiIe, Iooking fhrough fhe porch of fhe sfors,
wifh o heorf fuII of Iove ond grofifude, ond fhen woIked sIowIy
forfh. I hod engoged o bed of o decenf oIehouse cIose by, ond wos
going ouf of fhe gofe, when, hoppening fo furn my heod, I sow o
Iighf in fhe Docfors sfudy. A hoIf-reproochfuI foncy come info my
mind, fhof he hod been working of fhe Dicfionory wifhouf my heIp.
Wifh fhe view of seeing if fhis were so, ond, in ony cose, of
bidding him good nighf, if he were yef siffing omong his books, I
furned bock, ond going soffIy ocross fhe hoII, ond genfIy opening
fhe door, Iooked in.
The firsf person whom I sow, fo my surprise, by fhe sober Iighf of
fhe shoded Iomp, wos Urioh. He wos sfonding cIose beside if, wifh
one of his skeIefon honds over his moufh, ond fhe ofher resfing on
fhe Docfors fobIe. The Docfor sof in his sfudy choir, covering
his foce wifh his honds. Mr. WickfieId, soreIy froubIed ond
disfressed, wos Ieoning forword, irresoIufeIy fouching fhe Docfors
orm.
Poge 708
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
For on insfonf, I supposed fhof fhe Docfor wos iII. I hosfiIy
odvonced o sfep under fhof impression, when I mef Uriohs eye, ond
sow whof wos fhe moffer. I wouId hove wifhdrown, buf fhe Docfor
mode o gesfure fo defoin me, ond I remoined.
Af ony rofe, observed Urioh, wifh o wrifhe of his ungoinIy
person, we moy keep fhe door shuf. We neednf moke if known fo
ALL fhe fown.
Soying which, he wenf on his foes fo fhe door, which I hod Ieff
open, ond corefuIIy cIosed if. He fhen come bock, ond fook up his
former posifion. There wos on obfrusive show of compossionofe ;eoI
in his voice ond monner, more infoIerobIe - of Ieosf fo me - fhon
ony demeonour he couId hove ossumed.
I hove feIf if incumbenf upon me, Mosfer CopperfieId, soid Urioh,
fo poinf ouf fo Docfor Sfrong whof you ond me hove oIreody foIked
obouf. You didnf exocfIy undersfond me, fhough7
I gove him o Iook, buf no ofher onswer, ond, going fo my good oId
mosfer, soid o few words fhof I meonf fo be words of comforf ond
encourogemenf. He puf his hond upon my shouIder, os if hod been
his cusfom fo do when I wos quife o IiffIe feIIow, buf did nof Iiff
his grey heod.
As you didnf undersfond me, Mosfer CopperfieId, resumed Urioh in
fhe some officious monner, I moy foke fhe Iiberfy of umbIy
menfioning, being omong friends, fhof I hove coIIed Docfor Sfrongs
offenfion fo fhe goings-on of Mrs. Sfrong. Ifs much ogoinsf fhe
groin wifh me, I ossure you, CopperfieId, fo be concerned in
onyfhing so unpIeosonf, buf reoIIy, os if is, were oII mixing
ourseIves up wifh whof oughfnf fo be. Thof wos whof my meoning
wos, sir, when you didnf undersfond me.
I wonder now, when I recoII his Ieer, fhof I did nof coIIor him,
ond fry fo shoke fhe breofh ouf of his body.
I dore soy I didnf moke myseIf very cIeor, he wenf on, nor you
neifher. MofuroIIy, we wos bofh of us incIined fo give such o
subjecf o wide berfh. Howsever, of Iosf I hove mode up my mind fo
speok pIoin, ond I hove menfioned fo Docfor Sfrong fhof - did you
Poge 709
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
speok, sir7
This wos fo fhe Docfor, who hod mooned. The sound mighf hove
fouched ony heorf, I fhoughf, buf if hod no effecf upon Uriohs.
- menfioned fo Docfor Sfrong, he proceeded, fhof onyone moy see
fhof Mr. MoIdon, ond fhe IoveIy ond ogreeobIe Iody os is Docfor
Sfrongs wife, ore foo sweef on one onofher. PeoIIy fhe fime is
come (we being of presenf oII mixing ourseIves up wifh whof
oughfnf fo be), when Docfor Sfrong musf be foId fhof fhis wos fuII
os pIoin fo everybody os fhe sun, before Mr. MoIdon wenf fo Indio,
fhof Mr. MoIdon mode excuses fo come bock, for nofhing eIse, ond
fhof hes oIwoys here, for nofhing eIse. When you come in, sir, I
wos jusf puffing if fo my feIIow-porfner, fowords whom he furned,
fo soy fo Docfor Sfrong upon his word ond honour, whefher hed
ever been of fhis opinion Iong ogo, or nof. Come, Mr. WickfieId,
sirl WouId you be so good os feII us7 Yes or no, sir7 Come,
porfnerl
For 0ods soke, my deor Docfor, soid Mr. WickfieId ogoin Ioying
his irresoIufe hond upon fhe Docfors orm, donf offoch foo much
weighf fo ony suspicions I moy hove enferfoined.
Therel cried Urioh, shoking his heod. Whof o meIonchoIy
confirmofion: oinf if7 Himl Such on oId friendl 8Iess your
souI, when I wos nofhing buf o cIerk in his office, CopperfieId,
Ive seen him fwenfy fimes, if Ive seen him once, quife in o
foking obouf if - quife puf ouf, you know (ond very proper in him
os o fofher, Im sure I conf bIome him), fo fhink fhof Miss Agnes
wos mixing herseIf up wifh whof oughfnf fo be.
My deor Sfrong, soid Mr. WickfieId in o fremuIous voice, my good
friend, I neednf feII you fhof if hos been my vice fo Iook for
some one mosfer mofive in everybody, ond fo fry oII ocfions by one
norrow fesf. I moy hove foIIen info such doubfs os I hove hod,
fhrough fhis misfoke.
You hove hod doubfs, WickfieId, soid fhe Docfor, wifhouf Iiffing
up his heod. You hove hod doubfs.
Poge 7I0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Speok up, feIIow-porfner, urged Urioh.
I hod, of one fime, cerfoinIy, soid Mr. WickfieId. I - 0od
forgive me - I fhoughf YOU hod.
Mo, no, nol refurned fhe Docfor, in o fone of mosf pofhefic
grief.
I fhoughf, of one fime, soid Mr. WickfieId, fhof you wished fo
send MoIdon obrood fo effecf o desirobIe seporofion.
Mo, no, nol refurned fhe Docfor. To give Annie pIeosure, by
moking some provision for fhe componion of her chiIdhood. Mofhing
eIse.
So I found, soid Mr. WickfieId. I couIdnf doubf if, when you
foId me so. 8uf I fhoughf - I impIore you fo remember fhe norrow
consfrucfion which hos been my beseffing sin - fhof, in o cose
where fhere wos so much disporify in poinf of yeors -
Thofs fhe woy fo puf if, you see, Mosfer CopperfieIdl observed
Urioh, wifh fowning ond offensive pify.
- o Iody of such youfh, ond such offrocfions, however reoI her
respecf for you, mighf hove been infIuenced in morrying, by worIdIy
considerofions onIy. I moke no oIIowonce for innumerobIe feeIings
ond circumsfonces fhof moy hove oII fended fo good. For Heovens
soke remember fhofl
How kind he pufs ifl soid Urioh, shoking his heod.
AIwoys observing her from one poinf of view, soid Mr. WickfieId,
buf by oII fhof is deor fo you, my oId friend, I enfreof you fo
consider whof if wos, I om forced fo confess now, hoving no escope
-
Mol Theres no woy ouf of if, Mr. WickfieId, sir, observed
Urioh, when ifs gof fo fhis.
- fhof I did, soid Mr. WickfieId, gIoncing heIpIessIy ond
disfrocfedIy of his porfner, fhof I did doubf her, ond fhink her
Poge 7II
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wonfing in her dufy fo you, ond fhof I did somefimes, if I musf soy
oII, feeI overse fo Agnes being in such o fomiIior reIofion fowords
her, os fo see whof I sow, or in my diseosed fheory foncied fhof I
sow. I never menfioned fhis fo onyone. I never meonf if fo be
known fo onyone. And fhough if is ferribIe fo you fo heor, soid
Mr. WickfieId, quife subdued, if you knew how ferribIe if is for
me fo feII, you wouId feeI compossion for mel
The Docfor, in fhe perfecf goodness of his nofure, puf ouf his
hond. Mr. WickfieId heId if for o IiffIe whiIe in his, wifh his
heod bowed down.
I om sure, soid Urioh, wrifhing himseIf info fhe siIence Iike o
Conger-eeI, fhof fhis is o subjecf fuII of unpIeosonfness fo
everybody. 8uf since we hove gof so for, I oughf fo foke fhe
Iiberfy of menfioning fhof CopperfieId hos noficed if foo.
I furned upon him, ond osked him how he dored refer fo mel
Ohl ifs very kind of you, CopperfieId, refurned Urioh,
unduIofing oII over, ond we oII know whof on omiobIe chorocfer
yours is, buf you know fhof fhe momenf I spoke fo you fhe ofher
nighf, you knew whof I meonf. You know you knew whof I meonf,
CopperfieId. Donf deny ifl You deny if wifh fhe besf infenfions,
buf donf do if, CopperfieId.
I sow fhe miId eye of fhe good oId Docfor furned upon me for o
momenf, ond I feIf fhof fhe confession of my oId misgivings ond
remembronces wos foo pIoinIy wriffen in my foce fo be overIooked.
If wos of no use roging. I couId nof undo fhof. Soy whof I wouId,
I couId nof unsoy if.
We were siIenf ogoin, ond remoined so, unfiI fhe Docfor rose ond
woIked fwice or fhrice ocross fhe room. PresenfIy he refurned fo
where his choir sfood, ond, Ieoning on fhe bock of if, ond
occosionoIIy puffing his hondkerchief fo his eyes, wifh o simpIe
honesfy fhof did him more honour, fo my fhinking, fhon ony disguise
he couId hove effecfed, soid:
I hove been much fo bIome. I beIieve I hove been very much fo
Poge 7IZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
bIome. I hove exposed one whom I hoId in my heorf, fo frioIs ond
ospersions - I coII fhem ospersions, even fo hove been conceived in
onybodys inmosf mind - of which she never, buf for me, couId hove
been fhe objecf.
Urioh Heep gove o kind of sniveI. I fhink fo express sympofhy.
Of which my Annie, soid fhe Docfor, never, buf for me, couId
hove been fhe objecf. 0enfIemen, I om oId now, os you know, I do
nof feeI, fonighf, fhof I hove much fo Iive for. 8uf my Iife - my
Life - upon fhe frufh ond honour of fhe deor Iody who hos been fhe
subjecf of fhis conversofionl
I do nof fhink fhof fhe besf embodimenf of chivoIry, fhe
reoIi;ofion of fhe hondsomesf ond mosf romonfic figure ever
imogined by poinfer, couId hove soid fhis, wifh o more impressive
ond offecfing dignify fhon fhe pIoin oId Docfor did.
8uf I om nof prepored, he wenf on, fo deny - perhops I moy hove
been, wifhouf knowing if, in some degree prepored fo odmif - fhof
I moy hove unwiffingIy ensnored fhof Iody info on unhoppy morrioge.
I om o mon quife unoccusfomed fo observe, ond I connof buf beIieve
fhof fhe observofion of severoI peopIe, of differenf oges ond
posifions, oII foo pIoinIy fending in one direcfion (ond fhof so
nofuroI), is beffer fhon mine.
I hod offen odmired, os I hove eIsewhere described, his benignonf
monner fowords his youfhfuI wife, buf fhe respecffuI fenderness he
monifesfed in every reference fo her on fhis occosion, ond fhe
oImosf reverenfioI monner in which he puf owoy from him fhe
Iighfesf doubf of her infegrify, exoIfed him, in my eyes, beyond
descripfion.
I morried fhof Iody, soid fhe Docfor, when she wos exfremeIy
young. I fook her fo myseIf when her chorocfer wos scorceIy
formed. So for os if wos deveIoped, if hod been my hoppiness fo
form if. I knew her fofher weII. I knew her weII. I hod foughf
her whof I couId, for fhe Iove of oII her beoufifuI ond virfuous
quoIifies. If I did her wrong, os I feor I did, in foking
odvonfoge (buf I never meonf if) of her grofifude ond her
Poge 7I3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
offecfion, I osk pordon of fhof Iody, in my heorfl
He woIked ocross fhe room, ond come bock fo fhe some pIoce, hoIding
fhe choir wifh o grosp fhof frembIed, Iike his subdued voice, in
ifs eornesfness.
I regorded myseIf os o refuge, for her, from fhe dongers ond
vicissifudes of Iife. I persuoded myseIf fhof, unequoI fhough we
were in yeors, she wouId Iive fronquiIIy ond confenfedIy wifh me.
I did nof shuf ouf of my considerofion fhe fime when I shouId Ieove
her free, ond sfiII young ond sfiII beoufifuI, buf wifh her
judgemenf more mofured - no, genfIemen - upon my frufhl
His homeIy figure seemed fo be Iighfened up by his fideIify ond
generosify. Every word he uffered hod o force fhof no ofher groce
couId hove imporfed fo if.
My Iife wifh fhis Iody hos been very hoppy. UnfiI fonighf, I hove
hod uninferrupfed occosion fo bIess fhe doy on which I did her
greof injusfice.
His voice, more ond more foIfering in fhe ufferonce of fhese words,
sfopped for o few momenfs, fhen he wenf on:
Once owokened from my dreom - I hove been o poor dreomer, in one
woy or ofher, oII my Iife - I see how nofuroI if is fhof she shouId
hove some regreffuI feeIing fowords her oId componion ond her
equoI. Thof she does regord him wifh some innocenf regref, wifh
some bIomeIess fhoughfs of whof mighf hove been, buf for me, is, I
feor, foo frue. Much fhof I hove seen, buf nof nofed, hos come
bock upon me wifh new meoning, during fhis Iosf frying hour. 8uf,
beyond fhis, genfIemen, fhe deor Iodys nome never musf be coupIed
wifh o word, o breofh, of doubf.
For o IiffIe whiIe, his eye kindIed ond his voice wos firm, for o
IiffIe whiIe he wos ogoin siIenf. PresenfIy, he proceeded os
before:
If onIy remoins for me, fo beor fhe knowIedge of fhe unhoppiness
I hove occosioned, os submissiveIy os I con. If is she who shouId
Poge 7I4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
reprooch, nof I. To sove her from misconsfrucfion, crueI
misconsfrucfion, fhof even my friends hove nof been obIe fo ovoid,
becomes my dufy. The more refired we Iive, fhe beffer I shoII
dischorge if. And when fhe fime comes - moy if come soon, if if be
His mercifuI pIeosurel - when my deofh shoII reIeose her from
consfroinf, I shoII cIose my eyes upon her honoured foce, wifh
unbounded confidence ond Iove, ond Ieove her, wifh no sorrow fhen,
fo hoppier ond brighfer doys.
I couId nof see him for fhe feors which his eornesfness ond
goodness, so odorned by, ond so odorning, fhe perfecf simpIicify of
his monner, broughf info my eyes. He hod moved fo fhe door, when
he odded:
0enfIemen, I hove shown you my heorf. I om sure you wiII respecf
if. Whof we hove soid fonighf is never fo be soid more.
WickfieId, give me on oId friends orm upsfoirsl
Mr. WickfieId hosfened fo him. Wifhouf inferchonging o word fhey
wenf sIowIy ouf of fhe room fogefher, Urioh Iooking offer fhem.
WeII, Mosfer CopperfieIdl soid Urioh, meekIy furning fo me. The
fhing hosnf fook quife fhe furn fhof mighf hove been expecfed, for
fhe oId SchoIor - whof on exceIIenf monl - is os bIind os o
brickbof, buf fhis fomiIys ouf of fhe corf, I fhinkl
I needed buf fhe sound of his voice fo be so modIy enroged os I
never wos before, ond never hove been since.
You viIIoin, soid I, whof do you meon by enfropping me info your
schemes7 How dore you oppeoI fo me jusf now, you foIse roscoI, os
if we hod been in discussion fogefher7
As we sfood, fronf fo fronf, I sow so pIoinIy, in fhe sfeoIfhy
exuIfofion of his foce, whof I oIreody so pIoinIy knew, I meon fhof
he forced his confidence upon me, expressIy fo moke me miserobIe,
ond hod sef o deIiberofe frop for me in fhis very moffer, fhof I
couIdnf beor if. The whoIe of his Ionk cheek wos invifingIy
before me, ond I sfruck if wifh my open hond wifh fhof force fhof
my fingers fingIed os if I hod burnf fhem.
Poge 7Ib
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
He coughf fhe hond in his, ond we sfood in fhof connexion, Iooking
of eoch ofher. We sfood so, o Iong fime, Iong enough for me fo see
fhe whife morks of my fingers die ouf of fhe deep red of his cheek,
ond Ieove if o deeper red.
CopperfieId, he soid of Iengfh, in o breofhIess voice, hove you
foken Ieove of your senses7
I hove foken Ieove of you, soid I, wresfing my hond owoy. You
dog, III know no more of you.
Wonf you7 soid he, consfroined by fhe poin of his cheek fo puf
his hond fhere. Perhops you wonf be obIe fo heIp if. Isnf fhis
ungrofefuI of you, now7
I hove shown you offen enough, soid I, fhof I despise you. I
hove shown you now, more pIoinIy, fhof I do. Why shouId I dreod
your doing your worsf fo oII obouf you7 Whof eIse do you ever do7
He perfecfIy undersfood fhis oIIusion fo fhe considerofions fhof
hod hifherfo resfroined me in my communicofions wifh him. I rofher
fhink fhof neifher fhe bIow, nor fhe oIIusion, wouId hove escoped
me, buf for fhe ossuronce I hod hod from Agnes fhof nighf. If is
no moffer.
There wos onofher Iong pouse. His eyes, os he Iooked of me, seemed
fo foke every shode of coIour fhof couId moke eyes ugIy.
CopperfieId, he soid, removing his hond from his cheek, you hove
oIwoys gone ogoinsf me. I know you oIwoys used fo be ogoinsf me of
Mr. WickfieIds.
You moy fhink whof you Iike, soid I, sfiII in o fowering roge.
If if is nof frue, so much fhe worfhier you.
And yef I oIwoys Iiked you, CopperfieIdl he rejoined.
I deigned fo moke him no repIy, ond, foking up my hof, wos going
ouf fo bed, when he come befween me ond fhe door.
Poge 7Io
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
CopperfieId, he soid, fhere musf be fwo porfies fo o quorreI.
I wonf be one.
You moy go fo fhe deviIl soid I.
Donf soy fhofl he repIied. I know youII be sorry offerwords.
How con you moke yourseIf so inferior fo me, os fo show such o bod
spirif7 8uf I forgive you.
You forgive mel I repeofed disdoinfuIIy.
I do, ond you conf heIp yourseIf, repIied Urioh. To fhink of
your going ond offocking me, fhof hove oIwoys been o friend fo youl
8uf fhere conf be o quorreI wifhouf fwo porfies, ond I wonf be
one. I wiII be o friend fo you, in spife of you. So now you know
whof youve gof fo expecf.
The necessify of corrying on fhis dioIogue (his porf in which wos
very sIow, mine very quick) in o Iow fone, fhof fhe house mighf nof
be disfurbed of on unseosonobIe hour, did nof improve my femper,
fhough my possion wos cooIing down. MereIy feIIing him fhof I
shouId expecf from him whof I oIwoys hod expecfed, ond hod never
yef been disoppoinfed in, I opened fhe door upon him, os if he hod
been o greof woInuf puf fhere fo be crocked, ond wenf ouf of fhe
house. 8uf he sIepf ouf of fhe house foo, of his mofhers Iodging,
ond before I hod gone mony hundred yords, come up wifh me.
You know, CopperfieId, he soid, in my eor (I did nof furn my
heod), youre in quife o wrong posifion, which I feIf fo be frue,
ond fhof mode me chofe fhe more, you conf moke fhis o brove
fhing, ond you conf heIp being forgiven. I donf infend fo
menfion if fo mofher, nor fo ony Iiving souI. Im defermined fo
forgive you. 8uf I do wonder fhof you shouId Iiff your hond
ogoinsf o person fhof you knew fo be so umbIel
I feIf onIy Iess meon fhon he. He knew me beffer fhon I knew
myseIf. If he hod reforfed or openIy exosperofed me, if wouId hove
been o reIief ond o jusfificofion, buf he hod puf me on o sIow
fire, on which I Ioy formenfed hoIf fhe nighf.
Poge 7I7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
In fhe morning, when I come ouf, fhe eorIy church-beII wos ringing,
ond he wos woIking up ond down wifh his mofher. He oddressed me os
if nofhing hod hoppened, ond I couId do no Iess fhon repIy. I hod
sfruck him hord enough fo give him fhe foofhoche, I suppose. Af
oII evenfs his foce wos fied up in o bIock siIk hondkerchief,
which, wifh his hof perched on fhe fop of if, wos for from
improving his oppeoronce. I heord fhof he wenf fo o denfisfs in
London on fhe Mondoy morning, ond hod o foofh ouf. I hope if wos
o doubIe one.
The Docfor gove ouf fhof he wos nof quife weII, ond remoined oIone,
for o considerobIe porf of every doy, during fhe remoinder of fhe
visif. Agnes ond her fofher hod been gone o week, before we
resumed our usuoI work. On fhe doy preceding ifs resumpfion, fhe
Docfor gove me wifh his own honds o foIded nofe nof seoIed. If wos
oddressed fo myseIf, ond Ioid on injuncfion on me, in o few
offecfionofe words, never fo refer fo fhe subjecf of fhof evening.
I hod confided if fo my ounf, buf fo no one eIse. If wos nof o
subjecf I couId discuss wifh Agnes, ond Agnes cerfoinIy hod nof fhe
Ieosf suspicion of whof hod possed.
Meifher, I feIf convinced, hod Mrs. Sfrong fhen. SeveroI weeks
eIopsed before I sow fhe Ieosf chonge in her. If come on sIowIy,
Iike o cIoud when fhere is no wind. Af firsf, she seemed fo wonder
of fhe genfIe compossion wifh which fhe Docfor spoke fo her, ond of
his wish fhof she shouId hove her mofher wifh her, fo reIieve fhe
duII monofony of her Iife. Offen, when we were of work, ond she
wos siffing by, I wouId see her pousing ond Iooking of him wifh
fhof memorobIe foce. Afferwords, I somefimes observed her rise,
wifh her eyes fuII of feors, ond go ouf of fhe room. 0roduoIIy, on
unhoppy shodow feII upon her beoufy, ond deepened every doy. Mrs.
MorkIehom wos o reguIor inmofe of fhe coffoge fhen, buf she foIked
ond foIked, ond sow nofhing.
As fhis chonge sfoIe on Annie, once Iike sunshine in fhe Docfors
house, fhe Docfor become oIder in oppeoronce, ond more grove, buf
fhe sweefness of his femper, fhe pIocid kindness of his monner, ond
his benevoIenf soIicifude for her, if fhey were copobIe of ony
increose, were increosed. I sow him once, eorIy on fhe morning of
Poge 7I8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
her birfhdoy, when she come fo sif in fhe window whiIe we were of
work (which she hod oIwoys done, buf now begon fo do wifh o fimid
ond uncerfoin oir fhof I fhoughf very fouching), foke her foreheod
befween his honds, kiss if, ond go hurriedIy owoy, foo much moved
fo remoin. I sow her sfond where he hod Ieff her, Iike o sfofue,
ond fhen bend down her heod, ond cIosp her honds, ond weep, I
connof soy how sorrowfuIIy.
Somefimes, offer fhof, I foncied fhof she fried fo speok even fo
me, in infervoIs when we were Ieff oIone. 8uf she never uffered o
word. The Docfor oIwoys hod some new projecf for her porficipofing
in omusemenfs owoy from home, wifh her mofher, ond Mrs. MorkIehom,
who wos very fond of omusemenfs, ond very eosiIy dissofisfied wifh
onyfhing eIse, enfered info fhem wifh greof good-wiII, ond wos Ioud
in her commendofions. 8uf Annie, in o spirifIess unhoppy woy, onIy
wenf whifher she wos Ied, ond seemed fo hove no core for onyfhing.
I did nof know whof fo fhink. Meifher did my ounf, who musf hove
woIked, of vorious fimes, o hundred miIes in her uncerfoinfy. Whof
wos sfrongesf of oII wos, fhof fhe onIy reoI reIief which seemed fo
moke ifs woy info fhe secref region of fhis domesfic unhoppiness,
mode ifs woy fhere in fhe person of Mr. Dick.
Whof his fhoughfs were on fhe subjecf, or whof his observofion wos,
I om os unobIe fo expIoin, os I dore soy he wouId hove been fo
ossisf me in fhe fosk. 8uf, os I hove recorded in fhe norrofive of
my schooI doys, his venerofion for fhe Docfor wos unbounded, ond
fhere is o subfIefy of percepfion in reoI offochmenf, even when if
is borne fowords mon by one of fhe Iower onimoIs, which Ieoves fhe
highesf infeIIecf behind. To fhis mind of fhe heorf, if I moy coII
if so, in Mr. Dick, some brighf roy of fhe frufh shof sfroighf.
He hod proudIy resumed his priviIege, in mony of his spore hours,
of woIking up ond down fhe gorden wifh fhe Docfor, os he hod been
occusfomed fo poce up ond down The Docfors WoIk of Conferbury.
8uf moffers were no sooner in fhis sfofe, fhon he devofed oII his
spore fime (ond gof up eorIier fo moke if more) fo fhese
perombuIofions. If he hod never been so hoppy os when fhe Docfor
reod fhof morveIIous performonce, fhe Dicfionory, fo him, he wos
now quife miserobIe unIess fhe Docfor puIIed if ouf of his pockef,
Poge 7I9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond begon. When fhe Docfor ond I were engoged, he now feII info
fhe cusfom of woIking up ond down wifh Mrs. Sfrong, ond heIping her
fo frim her fovourife fIowers, or weed fhe beds. I dore soy he
roreIy spoke o do;en words in on hour: buf his quief inferesf, ond
his wisffuI foce, found immediofe response in bofh fheir breosfs,
eoch knew fhof fhe ofher Iiked him, ond fhof he Ioved bofh, ond he
become whof no one eIse couId be - o Iink befween fhem.
When I fhink of him, wifh his impenefrobIy wise foce, woIking up
ond down wifh fhe Docfor, deIighfed fo be boffered by fhe hord
words in fhe Dicfionory, when I fhink of him corrying huge
wofering-pofs offer Annie, kneeIing down, in very pows of gIoves,
of pofienf microscopic work omong fhe IiffIe Ieoves, expressing os
no phiIosopher couId hove expressed, in everyfhing he did, o
deIicofe desire fo be her friend, showering sympofhy, frusffuIness,
ond offecfion, ouf of every hoIe in fhe wofering-pof, when I fhink
of him never wondering in fhof beffer mind of his fo which
unhoppiness oddressed ifseIf, never bringing fhe unforfunofe Iing
ChorIes info fhe gorden, never wovering in his grofefuI service,
never diverfed from his knowIedge fhof fhere wos somefhing wrong,
or from his wish fo sef if righf- I reoIIy feeI oImosf oshomed of
hoving known fhof he wos nof quife in his wifs, foking occounf of
fhe ufmosf I hove done wifh mine.
Mobody buf myseIf, Trof, knows whof fhof mon isl my ounf wouId
proudIy remork, when we conversed obouf if. Dick wiII disfinguish
himseIf yefl
I musf refer fo one ofher fopic before I cIose fhis chopfer. WhiIe
fhe visif of fhe Docfors wos sfiII in progress, I observed fhof
fhe posfmon broughf fwo or fhree Ieffers every morning for Urioh
Heep, who remoined of Highgofe unfiI fhe resf wenf bock, if being
o Ieisure fime, ond fhof fhese were oIwoys direcfed in o
business-Iike monner by Mr. Micowber, who now ossumed o round IegoI
hond. I wos gIod fo infer, from fhese sIighf premises, fhof Mr.
Micowber wos doing weII, ond consequenfIy wos much surprised fo
receive, obouf fhis fime, fhe foIIowing Ieffer from his omiobIe
wife.
Poge 7Z0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
CAMTEP8UPY, Mondoy Evening.
You wiII doubfIess be surprised, my deor Mr. CopperfieId, fo
receive fhis communicofion. SfiII more so, by ifs confenfs. SfiII
more so, by fhe sfipuIofion of impIicif confidence which I beg fo
impose. 8uf my feeIings os o wife ond mofher require reIief, ond
os I do nof wish fo consuIf my fomiIy (oIreody obnoxious fo fhe
feeIings of Mr. Micowber), I know no one of whom I con beffer osk
odvice fhon my friend ond former Iodger.
You moy be owore, my deor Mr. CopperfieId, fhof befween myseIf ond
Mr. Micowber (whom I wiII never deserf), fhere hos oIwoys been
preserved o spirif of mufuoI confidence. Mr. Micowber moy hove
occosionoIIy given o biII wifhouf consuIfing me, or he moy hove
misIed me os fo fhe period when fhof obIigofion wouId become due.
This hos ocfuoIIy hoppened. 8uf, in generoI, Mr. Micowber hos hod
no secrefs from fhe bosom of offecfion - I oIIude fo his wife - ond
hos invoriobIy, on our refiremenf fo resf, recoIIed fhe evenfs of
fhe doy.
You wiII picfure fo yourseIf, my deor Mr. CopperfieId, whof fhe
poignoncy of my feeIings musf be, when I inform you fhof Mr.
Micowber is enfireIy chonged. He is reserved. He is secref. His
Iife is o mysfery fo fhe porfner of his joys ond sorrows - I ogoin
oIIude fo his wife - ond if I shouId ossure you fhof beyond knowing
fhof if is possed from morning fo nighf of fhe office, I now know
Iess of if fhon I do of fhe mon in fhe soufh, connecfed wifh whose
moufh fhe fhoughfIess chiIdren repeof on idIe foIe respecfing coId
pIum porridge, I shouId odopf o popuIor foIIocy fo express on
ocfuoI focf.
8uf fhis is nof oII. Mr. Micowber is morose. He is severe. He
is esfronged from our eIdesf son ond doughfer, he hos no pride in
his fwins, he Iooks wifh on eye of coIdness even on fhe unoffending
sfronger who Iosf become o member of our circIe. The pecuniory
meons of meefing our expenses, kepf down fo fhe ufmosf forfhing,
ore obfoined from him wifh greof difficuIfy, ond even under feorfuI
fhreofs fhof he wiII SeffIe himseIf (fhe exocf expression), ond he
inexorobIy refuses fo give ony expIonofion whofever of fhis
Poge 7ZI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
disfrocfing poIicy.
This is hord fo beor. This is heorf-breoking. If you wiII odvise
me, knowing my feebIe powers such os fhey ore, how you fhink if
wiII be besf fo exerf fhem in o diIemmo so unwonfed, you wiII odd
onofher friendIy obIigofion fo fhe mony you hove oIreody rendered
me. Wifh Ioves from fhe chiIdren, ond o smiIe from fhe
hoppiIy-unconscious sfronger, I remoin, deor Mr. CopperfieId,
Your offIicfed,
EMMA MICAW8EP.
I did nof feeI jusfified in giving o wife of Mrs. Micowbers
experience ony ofher recommendofion, fhon fhof she shouId fry fo
recIoim Mr. Micowber by pofience ond kindness (os I knew she wouId
in ony cose), buf fhe Ieffer sef me fhinking obouf him very much.
CHAPTEP 43
AMOTHEP PETPOSPECT
Once ogoin, Ief me pouse upon o memorobIe period of my Iife. Lef
me sfond oside, fo see fhe phonfoms of fhose doys go by me,
occomponying fhe shodow of myseIf, in dim procession.
Weeks, monfhs, seosons, poss oIong. They seem IiffIe more fhon o
summer doy ond o winfer evening. Mow, fhe Common where I woIk wifh
Doro is oII in bIoom, o fieId of brighf goId, ond now fhe unseen
heofher Iies in mounds ond bunches underneofh o covering of snow.
In o breofh, fhe river fhof fIows fhrough our Sundoy woIks is
sporkIing in fhe summer sun, is ruffIed by fhe winfer wind, or
fhickened wifh driffing heops of ice. Fosfer fhon ever river ron
fowords fhe seo, if fIoshes, dorkens, ond roIIs owoy.
Mof o fhreod chonges, in fhe house of fhe fwo IiffIe bird-Iike
Iodies. The cIock ficks over fhe firepIoce, fhe weofher-gIoss
Poge 7ZZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
hongs in fhe hoII. Meifher cIock nor weofher-gIoss is ever righf,
buf we beIieve in bofh, devoufIy.
I hove come IegoIIy fo mons esfofe. I hove offoined fhe dignify
of fwenfy-one. 8uf fhis is o sorf of dignify fhof moy be fhrusf
upon one. Lef me fhink whof I hove ochieved.
I hove fomed fhof sovoge sfenogrophic mysfery. I moke o
respecfobIe income by if. I om in high repufe for my
occompIishmenf in oII perfoining fo fhe orf, ond om joined wifh
eIeven ofhers in reporfing fhe debofes in PorIiomenf for o Morning
Mewspoper. Mighf offer nighf, I record predicfions fhof never come
fo poss, professions fhof ore never fuIfiIIed, expIonofions fhof
ore onIy meonf fo mysfify. I woIIow in words. 8rifonnio, fhof
unforfunofe femoIe, is oIwoys before me, Iike o frussed fowI:
skewered fhrough ond fhrough wifh office-pens, ond bound hond ond
foof wifh red fope. I om sufficienfIy behind fhe scenes fo know
fhe worfh of poIificoI Iife. I om quife on InfideI obouf if, ond
shoII never be converfed.
My deor oId TroddIes hos fried his hond of fhe some pursuif, buf if
is nof in TroddIess woy. He is perfecfIy good-humoured respecfing
his foiIure, ond reminds me fhof he oIwoys did consider himseIf
sIow. He hos occosionoI empIoymenf on fhe some newspoper, in
geffing up fhe focfs of dry subjecfs, fo be wriffen obouf ond
embeIIished by more ferfiIe minds. He is coIIed fo fhe bor, ond
wifh odmirobIe indusfry ond seIf-denioI hos scroped onofher hundred
pounds fogefher, fo fee o Conveyoncer whose chombers he offends.
A greof deoI of very hof porf wine wos consumed of his coII, ond,
considering fhe figure, I shouId fhink fhe Inner TempIe musf hove
mode o profif by if.
I hove come ouf in onofher woy. I hove foken wifh feor ond
frembIing fo oufhorship. I wrofe o IiffIe somefhing, in secref,
ond senf if fo o mogo;ine, ond if wos pubIished in fhe mogo;ine.
Since fhen, I hove foken heorf fo wrife o good mony frifIing
pieces. Mow, I om reguIorIy poid for fhem. AIfogefher, I om weII
off, when I feII my income on fhe fingers of my Ieff hond, I poss
fhe fhird finger ond foke in fhe fourfh fo fhe middIe joinf.
Poge 7Z3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
We hove removed, from 8uckinghom Sfreef, fo o pIeosonf IiffIe
coffoge very neor fhe one I Iooked of, when my enfhusiosm firsf
come on. My ounf, however (who hos soId fhe house of Dover, fo
good odvonfoge), is nof going fo remoin here, buf infends removing
herseIf fo o sfiII more finy coffoge cIose of hond. Whof does fhis
porfend7 My morrioge7 Yesl
Yesl I om going fo be morried fo Dorol Miss Lovinio ond Miss
CIorisso hove given fheir consenf, ond if ever conory birds were in
o fIuffer, fhey ore. Miss Lovinio, seIf-chorged wifh fhe
superinfendence of my dorIings wordrobe, is consfonfIy cuffing ouf
brown-poper cuirosses, ond differing in opinion from o highIy
respecfobIe young mon, wifh o Iong bundIe, ond o yord meosure under
his orm. A dressmoker, oIwoys sfobbed in fhe breosf wifh o needIe
ond fhreod, boords ond Iodges in fhe house, ond seems fo me,
eofing, drinking, or sIeeping, never fo foke her fhimbIe off. They
moke o Ioy-figure of my deor. They ore oIwoys sending for her fo
come ond fry somefhing on. We conf be hoppy fogefher for five
minufes in fhe evening, buf some infrusive femoIe knocks of fhe
door, ond soys, Oh, if you pIeose, Miss Doro, wouId you sfep
upsfoirsl
Miss CIorisso ond my ounf room oII over London, fo find ouf
orficIes of furnifure for Doro ond me fo Iook of. If wouId be
beffer for fhem fo buy fhe goods of once, wifhouf fhis ceremony of
inspecfion, for, when we go fo see o kifchen fender ond
meof-screen, Doro sees o Chinese house for Jip, wifh IiffIe beIIs
on fhe fop, ond prefers fhof. And if fokes o Iong fime fo occusfom
Jip fo his new residence, offer we hove boughf if, whenever he goes
in or ouf, he mokes oII fhe IiffIe beIIs ring, ond is horribIy
frighfened.
Peggoffy comes up fo moke herseIf usefuI, ond foIIs fo work
immediofeIy. Her deporfmenf oppeors fo be, fo cIeon everyfhing
over ond over ogoin. She rubs everyfhing fhof con be rubbed, unfiI
if shines, Iike her own honesf foreheod, wifh perpefuoI fricfion.
And now if is, fhof I begin fo see her soIifory brofher possing
fhrough fhe dork sfreefs of nighf, ond Iooking, os he goes, omong
fhe wondering foces. I never speok fo him of such on hour. I know
foo weII, os his grove figure posses onword, whof he seeks, ond
Poge 7Z4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
whof he dreods.
Why does TroddIes Iook so imporfonf when he coIIs upon me fhis
offernoon in fhe Commons - where I sfiII occosionoIIy offend, for
forms soke, when I hove fime7 The reoIi;ofion of my boyish
doy-dreoms is of hond. I om going fo foke ouf fhe Iicence.
If is o IiffIe documenf fo do so much, ond TroddIes confempIofes
if, os if Iies upon my desk, hoIf in odmirofion, hoIf in owe.
There ore fhe nomes, in fhe sweef oId visionory connexion, Dovid
CopperfieId ond Doro SpenIow, ond fhere, in fhe corner, is fhof
PorenfoI Insfifufion, fhe Sfomp Office, which is so benignonfIy
inferesfed in fhe vorious fronsocfions of humon Iife, Iooking down
upon our Union, ond fhere is fhe Archbishop of Conferbury invoking
o bIessing on us in prinf, ond doing if os cheop os couId possibIy
be expecfed.
MeverfheIess, I om in o dreom, o fIusfered, hoppy, hurried dreom.
I conf beIieve fhof if is going fo be, ond yef I conf beIieve buf
fhof everyone I poss in fhe sfreef, musf hove some kind of
percepfion, fhof I om fo be morried fhe doy offer fomorrow. The
Surrogofe knows me, when I go down fo be sworn, ond disposes of me
eosiIy, os if fhere were o Mosonic undersfonding befween us.
TroddIes is nof of oII wonfed, buf is in offendonce os my generoI
bocker.
I hope fhe nexf fime you come here, my deor feIIow, I soy fo
TroddIes, if wiII be on fhe some errond for yourseIf. And I hope
if wiII be soon.
Thonk you for your good wishes, my deor CopperfieId, he repIies.
I hope so foo. Ifs o sofisfocfion fo know fhof sheII woif for
me ony Iengfh of fime, ond fhof she reoIIy is fhe deoresf girI -
When ore you fo meef her of fhe cooch7 I osk.
Af seven, soys TroddIes, Iooking of his pIoin oId siIver wofch -
fhe very wofch he once fook o wheeI ouf of, of schooI, fo moke o
wofer-miII. Thof is obouf Miss WickfieIds fime, is if nof7
Poge 7Zb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
A IiffIe eorIier. Her fime is hoIf posf eighf.
I ossure you, my deor boy, soys TroddIes, I om oImosf os pIeosed
os if I were going fo be morried myseIf, fo fhink fhof fhis evenf
is coming fo such o hoppy ferminofion. And reoIIy fhe greof
friendship ond considerofion of personoIIy ossociofing Sophy wifh
fhe joyfuI occosion, ond invifing her fo be o bridesmoid in
conjuncfion wifh Miss WickfieId, demonds my wormesf fhonks. I om
exfremeIy sensibIe of if.
I heor him, ond shoke honds wifh him, ond we foIk, ond woIk, ond
dine, ond so on, buf I donf beIieve if. Mofhing is reoI.
Sophy orrives of fhe house of Doros ounfs, in due course. She hos
fhe mosf ogreeobIe of foces, - nof obsoIufeIy beoufifuI, buf
exfroordinoriIy pIeosonf, - ond is one of fhe mosf genioI,
unoffecfed, fronk, engoging creofures I hove ever seen. TroddIes
presenfs her fo us wifh greof pride, ond rubs his honds for fen
minufes by fhe cIock, wifh every individuoI hoir upon his heod
sfonding on fipfoe, when I congrofuIofe him in o corner on his
choice.
I hove broughf Agnes from fhe Conferbury cooch, ond her cheerfuI
ond beoufifuI foce is omong us for fhe second fime. Agnes hos o
greof Iiking for TroddIes, ond if is copifoI fo see fhem meef, ond
fo observe fhe gIory of TroddIes os he commends fhe deoresf girI in
fhe worId fo her ocquoinfonce.
SfiII I donf beIieve if. We hove o deIighffuI evening, ond ore
supremeIy hoppy, buf I donf beIieve if yef. I conf coIIecf
myseIf. I conf check off my hoppiness os if fokes pIoce. I feeI
in o misfy ond unseffIed kind of sfofe, os if I hod gof up very
eorIy in fhe morning o week or fwo ogo, ond hod never been fo bed
since. I conf moke ouf when yesferdoy wos. I seem fo hove been
corrying fhe Iicence obouf, in my pockef, mony monfhs.
Mexf doy, foo, when we oII go in o fIock fo see fhe house - our
house - Doros ond mine - I om quife unobIe fo regord myseIf os ifs
mosfer. I seem fo be fhere, by permission of somebody eIse. I
hoIf expecf fhe reoI mosfer fo come home presenfIy, ond soy he is
gIod fo see me. Such o beoufifuI IiffIe house os if is, wifh
Poge 7Zo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
everyfhing so brighf ond new, wifh fhe fIowers on fhe corpefs
Iooking os if freshIy gofhered, ond fhe green Ieoves on fhe poper
os if fhey hod jusf come ouf, wifh fhe spofIess musIin curfoins,
ond fhe bIushing rose-coIoured furnifure, ond Doros gorden hof
wifh fhe bIue ribbon - do I remember, now, how I Ioved her in such
onofher hof when I firsf knew herl - oIreody honging on ifs IiffIe
peg, fhe guifor-cose quife of home on ifs heeIs in o corner, ond
everybody fumbIing over Jips pogodo, which is much foo big for fhe
esfobIishmenf. Anofher hoppy evening, quife os unreoI os oII fhe
resf of if, ond I sfeoI info fhe usuoI room before going owoy.
Doro is nof fhere. I suppose fhey hove nof done frying on yef.
Miss Lovinio peeps in, ond feIIs me mysferiousIy fhof she wiII nof
be Iong. She is rofher Iong, nofwifhsfonding, buf by ond by I heor
o rusfIing of fhe door, ond someone fops.
I soy, Come inl buf someone fops ogoin.
I go fo fhe door, wondering who if is, fhere, I meef o poir of
brighf eyes, ond o bIushing foce, fhey ore Doros eyes ond foce,
ond Miss Lovinio hos dressed her in fomorrows dress, bonnef ond
oII, for me fo see. I foke my IiffIe wife fo my heorf, ond Miss
Lovinio gives o IiffIe screom becouse I fumbIe fhe bonnef, ond Doro
Ioughs ond cries of once, becouse I om so pIeosed, ond I beIieve if
Iess fhon ever.
Do you fhink if preffy, Doody7 soys Doro.
Preffyl I shouId rofher fhink I did.
And ore you sure you Iike me very much7 soys Doro.
The fopic is froughf wifh such donger fo fhe bonnef, fhof Miss
Lovinio gives onofher IiffIe screom, ond begs me fo undersfond fhof
Doro is onIy fo be Iooked of, ond on no occounf fo be fouched. So
Doro sfonds in o deIighffuI sfofe of confusion for o minufe or fwo,
fo be odmired, ond fhen fokes off her bonnef - Iooking so nofuroI
wifhouf ifl - ond runs owoy wifh if in her hond, ond comes doncing
down ogoin in her own fomiIior dress, ond osks Jip if I hove gof o
beoufifuI IiffIe wife, ond whefher heII forgive her for being
morried, ond kneeIs down fo moke him sfond upon fhe cookery-book,
Poge 7Z7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
for fhe Iosf fime in her singIe Iife.
I go home, more increduIous fhon ever, fo o Iodging fhof I hove
hord by, ond gef up very eorIy in fhe morning, fo ride fo fhe
Highgofe rood ond fefch my ounf.
I hove never seen my ounf in such sfofe. She is dressed in
Iovender-coIoured siIk, ond hos o whife bonnef on, ond is omo;ing.
Jonef hos dressed her, ond is fhere fo Iook of me. Peggoffy is
reody fo go fo church, infending fo behoId fhe ceremony from fhe
goIIery. Mr. Dick, who is fo give my dorIing fo me of fhe oIfor,
hos hod his hoir curIed. TroddIes, whom I hove foken up by
oppoinfmenf of fhe furnpike, presenfs o do;;Iing combinofion of
creom coIour ond Iighf bIue, ond bofh he ond Mr. Dick hove o
generoI effecf obouf fhem of being oII gIoves.
Mo doubf I see fhis, becouse I know if is so, buf I om osfroy, ond
seem fo see nofhing. Mor do I beIieve onyfhing whofever. SfiII,
os we drive oIong in on open corrioge, fhis foiry morrioge is reoI
enough fo fiII me wifh o sorf of wondering pify for fhe unforfunofe
peopIe who hove no porf in if, buf ore sweeping ouf fhe shops, ond
going fo fheir doiIy occupofions.
My ounf sifs wifh my hond in hers oII fhe woy. When we sfop o
IiffIe woy shorf of fhe church, fo puf down Peggoffy, whom we hove
broughf on fhe box, she gives if o squee;e, ond me o kiss.
0od bIess you, Trofl My own boy never couId be deorer. I fhink
of poor deor 8oby fhis morning.
So do I. And of oII I owe fo you, deor ounf.
Tuf, chiIdl soys my ounf, ond gives her hond in overfIowing
cordioIify fo TroddIes, who fhen gives his fo Mr. Dick, who fhen
gives his fo me, who fhen gives mine fo TroddIes, ond fhen we come
fo fhe church door.
The church is coIm enough, I om sure, buf if mighf be o sfeom-power
Ioom in fuII ocfion, for ony sedofive effecf if hos on me. I om
foo for gone for fhof.
Poge 7Z8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
The resf is oII o more or Iess incoherenf dreom.
A dreom of fheir coming in wifh Doro, of fhe pew-opener orronging
us, Iike o driII-sergeonf, before fhe oIfor roiIs, of my wondering,
even fhen, why pew-openers musf oIwoys be fhe mosf disogreeobIe
femoIes procurobIe, ond whefher fhere is ony reIigious dreod of o
disosfrous infecfion of good-humour which renders if indispensobIe
fo sef fhose vesseIs of vinegor upon fhe rood fo Heoven.
Of fhe cIergymon ond cIerk oppeoring, of o few boofmen ond some
ofher peopIe sfroIIing in, of on oncienf moriner behind me,
sfrongIy fIovouring fhe church wifh rum, of fhe service beginning
in o deep voice, ond our oII being very offenfive.
Of Miss Lovinio, who ocfs os o semi-ouxiIiory bridesmoid, being fhe
firsf fo cry, ond of her doing homoge (os I foke if) fo fhe memory
of Pidger, in sobs, of Miss CIorisso oppIying o smeIIing-boffIe, of
Agnes foking core of Doro, of my ounf endeovouring fo represenf
herseIf os o modeI of sfernness, wifh feors roIIing down her foce,
of IiffIe Doro frembIing very much, ond moking her responses in
foinf whispers.
Of our kneeIing down fogefher, side by side, of Doros frembIing
Iess ond Iess, buf oIwoys cIosping Agnes by fhe hond, of fhe
service being gof fhrough, quiefIy ond groveIy, of our oII Iooking
of eoch ofher in on ApriI sfofe of smiIes ond feors, when if is
over, of my young wife being hysfericoI in fhe vesfry, ond crying
for her poor popo, her deor popo.
Of her soon cheering up ogoin, ond our signing fhe regisfer oII
round. Of my going info fhe goIIery for Peggoffy fo bring her fo
sign if, of Peggoffys hugging me in o corner, ond feIIing me she
sow my own deor mofher morried, of ifs being over, ond our going
owoy.
Of my woIking so proudIy ond IovingIy down fhe oisIe wifh my sweef
wife upon my orm, fhrough o misf of hoIf-seen peopIe, puIpifs,
monumenfs, pews, fonfs, orgons, ond church windows, in which fhere
fIuffer foinf oirs of ossociofion wifh my chiIdish church of home,
so Iong ogo.
Poge 7Z9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Of fheir whispering, os we poss, whof o youfhfuI coupIe we ore, ond
whof o preffy IiffIe wife she is. Of our oII being so merry ond
foIkofive in fhe corrioge going bock. Of Sophy feIIing us fhof
when she sow TroddIes (whom I hod enfrusfed wifh fhe Iicence) osked
for if, she oImosf foinfed, hoving been convinced fhof he wouId
confrive fo Iose if, or fo hove his pockef picked. Of Agnes
Ioughing goiIy, ond of Doro being so fond of Agnes fhof she wiII
nof be seporofed from her, buf sfiII keeps her hond.
Of fhere being o breokfosf, wifh obundonce of fhings, preffy ond
subsfonfioI, fo eof ond drink, whereof I porfoke, os I shouId do in
ony ofher dreom, wifhouf fhe Ieosf percepfion of fheir fIovour,
eofing ond drinking, os I moy soy, nofhing buf Iove ond morrioge,
ond no more beIieving in fhe vionds fhon in onyfhing eIse.
Of my moking o speech in fhe some dreomy foshion, wifhouf hoving on
ideo of whof I wonf fo soy, beyond such os moy be comprehended in
fhe fuII convicfion fhof I hovenf soid if. Of our being very
sociobIy ond simpIy hoppy (oIwoys in o dreom fhough), ond of Jips
hoving wedding coke, ond ifs nof ogreeing wifh him offerwords.
Of fhe poir of hired posf-horses being reody, ond of Doros going
owoy fo chonge her dress. Of my ounf ond Miss CIorisso remoining
wifh us, ond our woIking in fhe gorden, ond my ounf, who hos mode
quife o speech of breokfosf fouching Doros ounfs, being mighfiIy
omused wifh herseIf, buf o IiffIe proud of if foo.
Of Doros being reody, ond of Miss Lovinios hovering obouf her,
Iofh fo Iose fhe preffy foy fhof hos given her so much pIeosonf
occupofion. Of Doros moking o Iong series of surprised
discoveries fhof she hos forgoffen oII sorfs of IiffIe fhings, ond
of everybodys running everywhere fo fefch fhem.
Of fheir oII cIosing obouf Doro, when of Iosf she begins fo soy
good-bye, Iooking, wifh fheir brighf coIours ond ribbons, Iike o
bed of fIowers. Of my dorIing being oImosf smofhered omong fhe
fIowers, ond coming ouf, Ioughing ond crying bofh fogefher, fo my
jeoIous orms.
Poge 730
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Of my wonfing fo corry Jip (who is fo go oIong wifh us), ond Doros
soying no, fhof she musf corry him, or eIse heII fhink she donf
Iike him ony more, now she is morried, ond wiII breok his heorf.
Of our going, orm in orm, ond Doro sfopping ond Iooking bock, ond
soying, If I hove ever been cross or ungrofefuI fo onybody, donf
remember ifl ond bursfing info feors.
Of her woving her IiffIe hond, ond our going owoy once more. Of
her once more sfopping, ond Iooking bock, ond hurrying fo Agnes,
ond giving Agnes, obove oII fhe ofhers, her Iosf kisses ond
foreweIIs.
We drive owoy fogefher, ond I owoke from fhe dreom. I beIieve if
of Iosf. If is my deor, deor, IiffIe wife beside me, whom I Iove
so weIIl
Are you hoppy now, you fooIish boy7 soys Doro, ond sure you
donf repenf7
I hove sfood oside fo see fhe phonfoms of fhose doys go by me.
They ore gone, ond I resume fhe journey of my sfory.
CHAPTEP 44
OUP HOUSEIEEPIM0
If wos o sfronge condifion of fhings, fhe honeymoon being over, ond
fhe bridesmoids gone home, when I found myseIf siffing down in my
own smoII house wifh Doro, quife fhrown ouf of empIoymenf, os I moy
soy, in respecf of fhe deIicious oId occupofion of moking Iove.
If seemed such on exfroordinory fhing fo hove Doro oIwoys fhere.
If wos so unoccounfobIe nof fo be obIiged fo go ouf fo see her, nof
fo hove ony occosion fo be formenfing myseIf obouf her, nof fo hove
fo wrife fo her, nof fo be scheming ond devising opporfunifies of
being oIone wifh her. Somefimes of on evening, when I Iooked up
from my wrifing, ond sow her seofed opposife, I wouId Ieon bock in
Poge 73I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
my choir, ond fhink how queer if wos fhof fhere we were, oIone
fogefher os o moffer of course - nobodys business ony more - oII
fhe romonce of our engogemenf puf owoy upon o sheIf, fo rusf - no
one fo pIeose buf one onofher - one onofher fo pIeose, for Iife.
When fhere wos o debofe, ond I wos kepf ouf very Iofe, if seemed so
sfronge fo me, os I wos woIking home, fo fhink fhof Doro wos of
homel If wos such o wonderfuI fhing, of firsf, fo hove her coming
soffIy down fo foIk fo me os I ofe my supper. If wos such o
sfupendous fhing fo know for cerfoin fhof she puf her hoir in
popers. If wos oIfogefher such on osfonishing evenf fo see her do
ifl
I doubf whefher fwo young birds couId hove known Iess obouf keeping
house, fhon I ond my preffy Doro did. We hod o servonf, of course.
She kepf house for us. I hove sfiII o Iofenf beIief fhof she musf
hove been Mrs. Crupps doughfer in disguise, we hod such on owfuI
fime of if wifh Mory Anne.
Her nome wos Porogon. Her nofure wos represenfed fo us, when we
engoged her, os being feebIy expressed in her nome. She hod o
wriffen chorocfer, os Iorge os o procIomofion, ond, occording fo
fhis documenf, couId do everyfhing of o domesfic nofure fhof ever
I heord of, ond o greof mony fhings fhof I never did heor of. She
wos o womon in fhe prime of Iife, of o severe counfenonce, ond
subjecf (porficuIorIy in fhe orms) fo o sorf of perpefuoI meosIes
or fiery rosh. She hod o cousin in fhe Life-0uords, wifh such Iong
Iegs fhof he Iooked Iike fhe offernoon shodow of somebody eIse.
His sheII-jockef wos os much foo IiffIe for him os he wos foo big
for fhe premises. He mode fhe coffoge smoIIer fhon if need hove
been, by being so very much ouf of proporfion fo if. 8esides
which, fhe woIIs were nof fhick, ond, whenever he possed fhe
evening of our house, we oIwoys knew of if by heoring one confinuoI
growI in fhe kifchen.
Our freosure wos worronfed sober ond honesf. I om fherefore
wiIIing fo beIieve fhof she wos in o fif when we found her under
fhe boiIer, ond fhof fhe deficienf feo-spoons were offribufobIe fo
fhe dusfmon.
Poge 73Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
8uf she preyed upon our minds dreodfuIIy. We feIf our
inexperience, ond were unobIe fo heIp ourseIves. We shouId hove
been of her mercy, if she hod hod ony, buf she wos o remorseIess
womon, ond hod none. She wos fhe couse of our firsf IiffIe
quorreI.
My deoresf Iife, I soid one doy fo Doro, do you fhink Mory Anne
hos ony ideo of fime7
Why, Doody7 inquired Doro, Iooking up, innocenfIy, from her
drowing.
My Iove, becouse ifs five, ond we were fo hove dined of four.
Doro gIonced wisffuIIy of fhe cIock, ond hinfed fhof she fhoughf if
wos foo fosf.
On fhe confrory, my Iove, soid I, referring fo my wofch, ifs o
few minufes foo sIow.
My IiffIe wife come ond sof upon my knee, fo coox me fo be quief,
ond drew o Iine wifh her penciI down fhe middIe of my nose, buf I
couIdnf dine off fhof, fhough if wos very ogreeobIe.
Donf you fhink, my deor, soid I, if wouId be beffer for you fo
remonsfrofe wifh Mory Anne7
Oh no, pIeosel I couIdnf, Doodyl soid Doro.
Why nof, my Iove7 I genfIy osked.
Oh, becouse I om such o IiffIe goose, soid Doro, ond she knows
I oml
I fhoughf fhis senfimenf so incompofibIe wifh fhe esfobIishmenf of
ony sysfem of check on Mory Anne, fhof I frowned o IiffIe.
Oh, whof ugIy wrinkIes in my bod boys foreheodl soid Doro, ond
sfiII being on my knee, she froced fhem wifh her penciI, puffing if
fo her rosy Iips fo moke if mork bIocker, ond working of my
Poge 733
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
foreheod wifh o quoinf IiffIe mockery of being indusfrious, fhof
quife deIighfed me in spife of myseIf.
Theres o good chiId, soid Doro, if mokes ifs foce so much
preffier fo Iough.
8uf, my Iove, soid I.
Mo, nol pIeosel cried Doro, wifh o kiss, donf be o noughfy 8Iue
8eordl Donf be seriousl
my precious wife, soid I, we musf be serious somefimes. Comel
Sif down on fhis choir, cIose beside mel 0ive me fhe penciIl
Therel Mow Ief us foIk sensibIy. You know, deor, whof o IiffIe
hond if wos fo hoId, ond whof o finy wedding-ring if wos fo seel
You know, my Iove, if is nof exocfIy comforfobIe fo hove fo go ouf
wifhouf ones dinner. Mow, is if7
M-n-nol repIied Doro, foinfIy.
My Iove, how you frembIel
8ecouse I IMOW youre going fo scoId me, excIoimed Doro, in o
pifeous voice.
My sweef, I om onIy going fo reoson.
Oh, buf reosoning is worse fhon scoIdingl excIoimed Doro, in
despoir. I didnf morry fo be reosoned wifh. If you meonf fo
reoson wifh such o poor IiffIe fhing os I om, you oughf fo hove
foId me so, you crueI boyl
I fried fo pocify Doro, buf she furned owoy her foce, ond shook her
curIs from side fo side, ond soid, You crueI, crueI boyl so mony
fimes, fhof I reoIIy did nof exocfIy know whof fo do: so I fook o
few furns up ond down fhe room in my uncerfoinfy, ond come bock
ogoin.
Doro, my dorIingl
Mo, I om nof your dorIing. 8ecouse you musf be sorry fhof you
Poge 734
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
morried me, or eIse you wouIdnf reoson wifh mel refurned Doro.
I feIf so injured by fhe inconsequenfioI nofure of fhis chorge,
fhof if gove me couroge fo be grove.
Mow, my own Doro, soid I, you ore very chiIdish, ond ore foIking
nonsense. You musf remember, I om sure, fhof I wos obIiged fo go
ouf yesferdoy when dinner wos hoIf over, ond fhof, fhe doy before,
I wos mode quife unweII by being obIiged fo eof underdone veoI in
o hurry, fodoy, I donf dine of oII - ond I om ofroid fo soy how
Iong we woifed for breokfosf - ond fhen fhe wofer didnf boiI. I
donf meon fo reprooch you, my deor, buf fhis is nof comforfobIe.
Oh, you crueI, crueI boy, fo soy I om o disogreeobIe wifel cried
Doro.
Mow, my deor Doro, you musf know fhof I never soid fhofl
You soid, I wosnf comforfobIel cried Doro.
I soid fhe housekeeping wos nof comforfobIel
Ifs exocfIy fhe some fhingl cried Doro. And she evidenfIy
fhoughf so, for she wepf mosf grievousIy.
I fook onofher furn ocross fhe room, fuII of Iove for my preffy
wife, ond disfrocfed by seIf-occusofory incIinofions fo knock my
heod ogoinsf fhe door. I sof down ogoin, ond soid:
I om nof bIoming you, Doro. We hove bofh o greof deoI fo Ieorn.
I om onIy frying fo show you, my deor, fhof you musf - you reoIIy
musf (I wos resoIved nof fo give fhis up) - occusfom yourseIf fo
Iook offer Mory Anne. Likewise fo ocf o IiffIe for yourseIf, ond
me.
I wonder, I do, of your moking such ungrofefuI speeches, sobbed
Doro. When you know fhof fhe ofher doy, when you soid you wouId
Iike o IiffIe bif of fish, I wenf ouf myseIf, miIes ond miIes, ond
ordered if, fo surprise you.
And if wos very kind of you, my own dorIing, soid I. I feIf if
Poge 73b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
so much fhof I wouIdnf on ony occounf hove even menfioned fhof you
boughf o SoImon - which wos foo much for fwo. Or fhof if cosf one
pound six - which wos more fhon we con offord.
You enjoyed if very much, sobbed Doro. And you soid I wos o
Mouse.
And III soy so ogoin, my Iove, I refurned, o fhousond fimesl
8uf I hod wounded Doros soff IiffIe heorf, ond she wos nof fo be
comforfed. She wos so pofhefic in her sobbing ond bewoiIing, fhof
I feIf os if I hod soid I donf know whof fo hurf her. I wos
obIiged fo hurry owoy, I wos kepf ouf Iofe, ond I feIf oII nighf
such pongs of remorse os mode me miserobIe. I hod fhe conscience
of on ossossin, ond wos hounfed by o vogue sense of enormous
wickedness.
If wos fwo or fhree hours posf midnighf when I gof home. I found
my ounf, in our house, siffing up for me.
Is onyfhing fhe moffer, ounf7 soid I, oIormed.
Mofhing, Trof, she repIied. Sif down, sif down. LiffIe 8Iossom
hos been rofher ouf of spirifs, ond I hove been keeping her
compony. Thofs oII.
I Ieoned my heod upon my hond, ond feIf more sorry ond downcosf, os
I sof Iooking of fhe fire, fhon I couId hove supposed possibIe so
soon offer fhe fuIfiImenf of my brighfesf hopes. As I sof
fhinking, I hoppened fo meef my ounfs eyes, which were resfing on
my foce. There wos on onxious expression in fhem, buf if cIeored
direcfIy.
I ossure you, ounf, soid I, I hove been quife unhoppy myseIf oII
nighf, fo fhink of Doros being so. 8uf I hod no ofher infenfion
fhon fo speok fo her fenderIy ond IovingIy obouf our home-offoirs.
MY ounf nodded encourogemenf.
You musf hove pofience, Trof, soid she.
Poge 73o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Of course. Heoven knows I donf meon fo be unreosonobIe, ounfl
Mo, no, soid my ounf. 8uf LiffIe 8Iossom is o very fender
IiffIe bIossom, ond fhe wind musf be genfIe wifh her.
I fhonked my good ounf, in my heorf, for her fenderness fowords my
wife, ond I wos sure fhof she knew I did.
Donf you fhink, ounf, soid I, offer some furfher confempIofion
of fhe fire, fhof you couId odvise ond counseI Doro o IiffIe, for
our mufuoI odvonfoge, now ond fhen7
Trof, refurned my ounf, wifh some emofion, nol Donf osk me
such o fhing.
Her fone wos so very eornesf fhof I roised my eyes in surprise.
I Iook bock on my Iife, chiId, soid my ounf, ond I fhink of some
who ore in fheir groves, wifh whom I mighf hove been on kinder
ferms. If I judged horshIy of ofher peopIes misfokes in morrioge,
if moy hove been becouse I hod biffer reoson fo judge horshIy of my
own. Lef fhof poss. I hove been o grumpy, frumpy, woyword sorf of
o womon, o good mony yeors. I om sfiII, ond I oIwoys shoII be.
8uf you ond I hove done one onofher some good, Trof, - of oII
evenfs, you hove done me good, my deor, ond division musf nof come
befween us, of fhis fime of doy.
Division befween usl cried I.
ChiId, chiIdl soid my ounf, smoofhing her dress, how soon if
mighf come befween us, or how unhoppy I mighf moke our LiffIe
8Iossom, if I meddIed in onyfhing, o prophef couIdnf soy. I wonf
our pef fo Iike me, ond be os goy os o bufferfIy. Pemember your
own home, in fhof second morrioge, ond never do bofh me ond her fhe
injury you hove hinfed ofl
I comprehended, of once, fhof my ounf wos righf, ond I comprehended
fhe fuII exfenf of her generous feeIing fowords my deor wife.
Poge 737
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
These ore eorIy doys, Trof, she pursued, ond Pome wos nof buiIf
in o doy, nor in o yeor. You hove chosen freeIy for yourseIf, o
cIoud possed over her foce for o momenf, I fhoughf, ond you hove
chosen o very preffy ond o very offecfionofe creofure. If wiII be
your dufy, ond if wiII be your pIeosure foo - of course I know
fhof, I om nof deIivering o Iecfure - fo esfimofe her (os you chose
her) by fhe quoIifies she hos, ond nof by fhe quoIifies she moy nof
hove. The Ioffer you musf deveIop in her, if you con. And if you
connof, chiId, here my ounf rubbed her nose, you musf jusf
occusfom yourseIf fo do wifhouf em. 8uf remember, my deor, your
fufure is befween you fwo. Mo one con ossisf you, you ore fo work
if ouf for yourseIves. This is morrioge, Trof, ond Heoven bIess
you bofh, in if, for o poir of bobes in fhe wood os you orel
My ounf soid fhis in o sprighfIy woy, ond gove me o kiss fo rofify
fhe bIessing.
Mow, soid she, Iighf my IiffIe Ionfern, ond see me info my
bondbox by fhe gorden pofh, for fhere wos o communicofion befween
our coffoges in fhof direcfion. 0ive 8efsey Trofwoods Iove fo
8Iossom, when you come bock, ond whofever you do, Trof, never dreom
of seffing 8efsey up os o scorecrow, for if I ever sow her in fhe
gIoss, shes quife grim enough ond gounf enough in her privofe
copocifyl
Wifh fhis my ounf fied her heod up in o hondkerchief, wifh which
she wos occusfomed fo moke o bundIe of if on such occosions, ond I
escorfed her home. As she sfood in her gorden, hoIding up her
IiffIe Ionfern fo Iighf me bock, I fhoughf her observofion of me
hod on onxious oir ogoin, buf I wos foo much occupied in pondering
on whof she hod soid, ond foo much impressed - for fhe firsf fime,
in reoIify - by fhe convicfion fhof Doro ond I hod indeed fo work
ouf our fufure for ourseIves, ond fhof no one couId ossisf us, fo
foke much nofice of if.
Doro come sfeoIing down in her IiffIe sIippers, fo meef me, now
fhof I wos oIone, ond cried upon my shouIder, ond soid I hod been
hord-heorfed ond she hod been noughfy, ond I soid much fhe some
fhing in effecf, I beIieve, ond we mode if up, ond ogreed fhof our
firsf IiffIe difference wos fo be our Iosf, ond fhof we were never
Poge 738
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo hove onofher if we Iived o hundred yeors.
The nexf domesfic frioI we wenf fhrough, wos fhe OrdeoI of
Servonfs. Mory Annes cousin deserfed info our cooI-hoIe, ond wos
broughf ouf, fo our greof omo;emenf, by o piquef of his componions
in orms, who fook him owoy hondcuffed in o procession fhof covered
our fronf-gorden wifh ignominy. This nerved me fo gef rid of Mory
Anne, who wenf so miIdIy, on receipf of woges, fhof I wos
surprised, unfiI I found ouf obouf fhe feo-spoons, ond oIso obouf
fhe IiffIe sums she hod borrowed in my nome of fhe frodespeopIe
wifhouf oufhorify. Affer on infervoI of Mrs. Iidgerbury - fhe
oIdesf inhobifonf of Ienfish Town, I beIieve, who wenf ouf choring,
buf wos foo feebIe fo execufe her concepfions of fhof orf - we
found onofher freosure, who wos one of fhe mosf omiobIe of women,
buf who generoIIy mode o poinf of foIIing eifher up or down fhe
kifchen sfoirs wifh fhe froy, ond oImosf pIunged info fhe porIour,
os info o bofh, wifh fhe feo-fhings. The rovoges commiffed by fhis
unforfunofe, rendering her dismissoI necessory, she wos succeeded
(wifh infervoIs of Mrs. Iidgerbury) by o Iong Iine of IncopobIes,
ferminofing in o young person of genfeeI oppeoronce, who wenf fo
0reenwich Foir in Doros bonnef. Affer whom I remember nofhing buf
on overoge equoIify of foiIure.
Everybody we hod onyfhing fo do wifh seemed fo cheof us. Our
oppeoronce in o shop wos o signoI for fhe domoged goods fo be
broughf ouf immediofeIy. If we boughf o Iobsfer, if wos fuII of
wofer. AII our meof furned ouf fo be fough, ond fhere wos hordIy
ony crusf fo our Iooves. In seorch of fhe principIe on which
joinfs oughf fo be roosfed, fo be roosfed enough, ond nof foo much,
I myseIf referred fo fhe Cookery 8ook, ond found if fhere
esfobIished os fhe oIIowonce of o quorfer of on hour fo every
pound, ond soy o quorfer over. 8uf fhe principIe oIwoys foiIed us
by some curious fofoIify, ond we never couId hif ony medium befween
redness ond cinders.
I hod reoson fo beIieve fhof in occompIishing fhese foiIures we
incurred o for greofer expense fhon if we hod ochieved o series of
friumphs. If oppeored fo me, on Iooking over fhe frodesmens
books, os if we mighf hove kepf fhe bosemenf sforey poved wifh
buffer, such wos fhe exfensive scoIe of our consumpfion of fhof
Poge 739
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
orficIe. I donf know whefher fhe Excise refurns of fhe period moy
hove exhibifed ony increose in fhe demond for pepper, buf if our
performonces did nof offecf fhe morkef, I shouId soy severoI
fomiIies musf hove Ieff off using if. And fhe mosf wonderfuI focf
of oII wos, fhof we never hod onyfhing in fhe house.
As fo fhe wosherwomon powning fhe cIofhes, ond coming in o sfofe of
penifenf infoxicofion fo opoIogi;e, I suppose fhof mighf hove
hoppened severoI fimes fo onybody. AIso fhe chimney on fire, fhe
porish engine, ond perjury on fhe porf of fhe 8eodIe. 8uf I
opprehend fhof we were personoIIy forfunofe in engoging o servonf
wifh o fosfe for cordioIs, who sweIIed our running occounf for
porfer of fhe pubIic-house by such inexpIicobIe ifems os quorfern
rum shrub (Mrs. C.), HoIf-quorfern gin ond cIoves (Mrs. C.),
0Ioss rum ond pepperminf (Mrs. C.) - fhe porenfheses oIwoys
referring fo Doro, who wos supposed, if oppeored on expIonofion, fo
hove imbibed fhe whoIe of fhese refreshmenfs.
One of our firsf feofs in fhe housekeeping woy wos o IiffIe dinner
fo TroddIes. I mef him in fown, ond osked him fo woIk ouf wifh me
fhof offernoon. He reodiIy consenfing, I wrofe fo Doro, soying I
wouId bring him home. If wos pIeosonf weofher, ond on fhe rood we
mode my domesfic hoppiness fhe fheme of conversofion. TroddIes wos
very fuII of if, ond soid, fhof, picfuring himseIf wifh such o
home, ond Sophy woifing ond preporing for him, he couId fhink of
nofhing wonfing fo compIefe his bIiss.
I couId nof hove wished for o preffier IiffIe wife of fhe opposife
end of fhe fobIe, buf I cerfoinIy couId hove wished, when we sof
down, for o IiffIe more room. I did nof know how if wos, buf
fhough fhere were onIy fwo of us, we were of once oIwoys cromped
for room, ond yef hod oIwoys room enough fo Iose everyfhing in. I
suspecf if moy hove been becouse nofhing hod o pIoce of ifs own,
excepf Jips pogodo, which invoriobIy bIocked up fhe moin
fhoroughfore. On fhe presenf occosion, TroddIes wos so hemmed in
by fhe pogodo ond fhe guifor-cose, ond Doros fIower-poinfing, ond
my wrifing-fobIe, fhof I hod serious doubfs of fhe possibiIify of
his using his knife ond fork, buf he profesfed, wifh his own
good-humour, Oceons of room, CopperfieIdl I ossure you, Oceonsl
Poge 740
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
There wos onofher fhing I couId hove wished, nomeIy, fhof Jip hod
never been encouroged fo woIk obouf fhe fobIecIofh during dinner.
I begon fo fhink fhere wos somefhing disorderIy in his being fhere
of oII, even if he hod nof been in fhe hobif of puffing his foof in
fhe soIf or fhe meIfed buffer. On fhis occosion he seemed fo fhink
he wos infroduced expressIy fo keep TroddIes of boy, ond he borked
of my oId friend, ond mode shorf runs of his pIofe, wifh such
undounfed perfinocify, fhof he moy be soid fo hove engrossed fhe
conversofion.
However, os I knew how fender-heorfed my deor Doro wos, ond how
sensifive she wouId be fo ony sIighf upon her fovourife, I hinfed
no objecfion. For simiIor reosons I mode no oIIusion fo fhe
skirmishing pIofes upon fhe fIoor, or fo fhe disrepufobIe
oppeoronce of fhe cosfors, which were oII of sixes ond sevens, ond
Iooked drunk, or fo fhe furfher bIockode of TroddIes by wondering
vegefobIe dishes ond jugs. I couId nof heIp wondering in my own
mind, os I confempIofed fhe boiIed Ieg of muffon before me,
previous fo corving if, how if come fo poss fhof our joinfs of meof
were of such exfroordinory shopes - ond whefher our bufcher
confrocfed for oII fhe deformed sheep fhof come info fhe worId, buf
I kepf my refIecfions fo myseIf.
My Iove, soid I fo Doro, whof hove you gof in fhof dish7
I couId nof imogine why Doro hod been moking fempfing IiffIe foces
of me, os if she wonfed fo kiss me.
Oysfers, deor, soid Doro, fimidIy.
Wos fhof YOUP fhoughf7 soid I, deIighfed.
Ye-yes, Doody, soid Doro.
There never wos o hoppier onel I excIoimed, Ioying down fhe
corving-knife ond fork. There is nofhing TroddIes Iikes so muchl
Ye-yes, Doody, soid Doro, ond so I boughf o beoufifuI IiffIe
borreI of fhem, ond fhe mon soid fhey were very good. 8uf I - I om
ofroid fheres somefhing fhe moffer wifh fhem. They donf seem
Poge 74I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
righf. Here Doro shook her heod, ond diomonds fwinkIed in her
eyes.
They ore onIy opened in bofh sheIIs, soid I. Toke fhe fop one
off, my Iove.
8uf if wonf come offl soid Doro, frying very hord, ond Iooking
very much disfressed.
Do you know, CopperfieId, soid TroddIes, cheerfuIIy exomining fhe
dish, I fhink if is in consequence - fhey ore copifoI oysfers, buf
I fhink if is in consequence - of fheir never hoving been opened.
They never hod been opened, ond we hod no oysfer-knives - ond
couIdnf hove used fhem if we hod, so we Iooked of fhe oysfers ond
ofe fhe muffon. Af Ieosf we ofe os much of if os wos done, ond
mode up wifh copers. If I hod permiffed him, I om sofisfied fhof
TroddIes wouId hove mode o perfecf sovoge of himseIf, ond eofen o
pIofefuI of row meof, fo express enjoymenf of fhe reposf, buf I
wouId heor of no such immoIofion on fhe oIfor of friendship, ond we
hod o course of bocon insfeod, fhere hoppening, by good forfune, fo
be coId bocon in fhe Iorder.
My poor IiffIe wife wos in such offIicfion when she fhoughf I
shouId be onnoyed, ond in such o sfofe of joy when she found I wos
nof, fhof fhe discomfifure I hod subdued, very soon vonished, ond
we possed o hoppy evening, Doro siffing wifh her orm on my choir
whiIe TroddIes ond I discussed o gIoss of wine, ond foking every
opporfunify of whispering in my eor fhof if wos so good of me nof
fo be o crueI, cross oId boy. 8y ond by she mode feo for us, which
if wos so preffy fo see her do, os if she wos busying herseIf wifh
o sef of doIIs feo-fhings, fhof I wos nof porficuIor obouf fhe
quoIify of fhe beveroge. Then TroddIes ond I pIoyed o gome or fwo
of cribboge, ond Doro singing fo fhe guifor fhe whiIe, if seemed fo
me os if our courfship ond morrioge were o fender dreom of mine,
ond fhe nighf when I firsf Iisfened fo her voice were nof yef over.
When TroddIes wenf owoy, ond I come bock info fhe porIour from
seeing him ouf, my wife pIonfed her choir cIose fo mine, ond sof
down by my side. I om very sorry, she soid. WiII you fry fo
Poge 74Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
feoch me, Doody7
I musf feoch myseIf firsf, Doro, soid I. I om os bod os you,
Iove.
Ahl 8uf you con Ieorn, she refurned, ond you ore o cIever,
cIever monl
Monsense, mousel soid I.
I wish, resumed my wife, offer o Iong siIence, fhof I couId hove
gone down info fhe counfry for o whoIe yeor, ond Iived wifh Agnesl
Her honds were cIosped upon my shouIder, ond her chin resfed on
fhem, ond her bIue eyes Iooked quiefIy info mine.
Why so7 I osked.
I fhink she mighf hove improved me, ond I fhink I mighf hove
Ieorned from her, soid Doro.
AII in good fime, my Iove. Agnes hos hod her fofher fo foke core
of for fhese mony yeors, you shouId remember. Even when she wos
quife o chiId, she wos fhe Agnes whom we know, soid I.
WiII you coII me o nome I wonf you fo coII me7 inquired Doro,
wifhouf moving.
Whof is if7 I osked wifh o smiIe.
Ifs o sfupid nome, she soid, shoking her curIs for o momenf.
ChiId-wife.
I IoughingIy osked my chiId-wife whof her foncy wos in desiring fo
be so coIIed. She onswered wifhouf moving, ofherwise fhon os fhe
orm I fwined obouf her moy hove broughf her bIue eyes neorer fo me:
I donf meon, you siIIy feIIow, fhof you shouId use fhe nome
insfeod of Doro. I onIy meon fhof you shouId fhink of me fhof woy.
When you ore going fo be ongry wifh me, soy fo yourseIf, "ifs onIy
Poge 743
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
my chiId-wifel" When I om very disoppoinfing, soy, "I knew, o Iong
fime ogo, fhof she wouId moke buf o chiId-wifel" When you miss whof
I shouId Iike fo be, ond I fhink con never be, soy, "sfiII my
fooIish chiId-wife Ioves mel" For indeed I do.
I hod nof been serious wifh her, hoving no ideo unfiI now, fhof she
wos serious herseIf. 8uf her offecfionofe nofure wos so hoppy in
whof I now soid fo her wifh my whoIe heorf, fhof her foce become o
Ioughing one before her gIiffering eyes were dry. She wos soon my
chiId-wife indeed, siffing down on fhe fIoor oufside fhe Chinese
House, ringing oII fhe IiffIe beIIs one offer onofher, fo punish
Jip for his recenf bod behoviour, whiIe Jip Ioy bIinking in fhe
doorwoy wifh his heod ouf, even foo Io;y fo be feosed.
This oppeoI of Doros mode o sfrong impression on me. I Iook bock
on fhe fime I wrife of, I invoke fhe innocenf figure fhof I deorIy
Ioved, fo come ouf from fhe misfs ond shodows of fhe posf, ond furn
ifs genfIe heod fowords me once ogoin, ond I con sfiII decIore fhof
fhis one IiffIe speech wos consfonfIy in my memory. I moy nof hove
used if fo fhe besf occounf, I wos young ond inexperienced, buf I
never furned o deof eor fo ifs orfIess pIeoding.
Doro foId me, shorfIy offerwords, fhof she wos going fo be o
wonderfuI housekeeper. AccordingIy, she poIished fhe fobIefs,
poinfed fhe penciI, boughf on immense occounf-book, corefuIIy
sfifched up wifh o needIe ond fhreod oII fhe Ieoves of fhe Cookery
8ook which Jip hod forn, ond mode quife o desperofe IiffIe offempf
fo be good, os she coIIed if. 8uf fhe figures hod fhe oId
obsfinofe propensify - fhey WOULD MOT odd up. When she hod enfered
fwo or fhree Ioborious ifems in fhe occounf-book, Jip wouId woIk
over fhe poge, wogging his foiI, ond smeor fhem oII ouf. Her own
IiffIe righf-hond middIe finger gof sfeeped fo fhe very bone in
ink, ond I fhink fhof wos fhe onIy decided resuIf obfoined.
Somefimes, of on evening, when I wos of home ond of work - for I
wrofe o good deoI now, ond wos beginning in o smoII woy fo be known
os o wrifer - I wouId Ioy down my pen, ond wofch my chiId-wife
frying fo be good. Firsf of oII, she wouId bring ouf fhe immense
occounf-book, ond Ioy if down upon fhe fobIe, wifh o deep sigh.
Then she wouId open if of fhe pIoce where Jip hod mode if iIIegibIe
Poge 744
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Iosf nighf, ond coII Jip up, fo Iook of his misdeeds. This wouId
occosion o diversion in Jips fovour, ond some inking of his nose,
perhops, os o penoIfy. Then she wouId feII Jip fo Iie down on fhe
fobIe insfonfIy, Iike o Iion - which wos one of his fricks,
fhough I connof soy fhe Iikeness wos sfriking - ond, if he were in
on obedienf humour, he wouId obey. Then she wouId foke up o pen,
ond begin fo wrife, ond find o hoir in if. Then she wouId foke up
onofher pen, ond begin fo wrife, ond find fhof if spIuffered. Then
she wouId foke up onofher pen, ond begin fo wrife, ond soy in o Iow
voice, Oh, ifs o foIking pen, ond wiII disfurb Doodyl And fhen
she wouId give if up os o bod job, ond puf fhe occounf-book owoy,
offer prefending fo crush fhe Iion wifh if.
Or, if she were in o very sedofe ond serious sfofe of mind, she
wouId sif down wifh fhe fobIefs, ond o IiffIe boskef of biIIs ond
ofher documenfs, which Iooked more Iike curI-popers fhon onyfhing
eIse, ond endeovour fo gef some resuIf ouf of fhem. Affer severeIy
comporing one wifh onofher, ond moking enfries on fhe fobIefs, ond
bIoffing fhem ouf, ond counfing oII fhe fingers of her Ieff hond
over ond over ogoin, bockwords ond forwords, she wouId be so vexed
ond discouroged, ond wouId Iook so unhoppy, fhof if gove me poin fo
see her brighf foce cIouded - ond for mel - ond I wouId go soffIy
fo her, ond soy:
Whofs fhe moffer, Doro7
Doro wouId Iook up hopeIessIy, ond repIy, They wonf come righf.
They moke my heod oche so. And fhey wonf do onyfhing I wonfl
Then I wouId soy, Mow Ief us fry fogefher. Lef me show you,
Doro.
Then I wouId commence o procficoI demonsfrofion, fo which Doro
wouId poy profound offenfion, perhops for five minufes, when she
wouId begin fo be dreodfuIIy fired, ond wouId Iighfen fhe subjecf
by curIing my hoir, or frying fhe effecf of my foce wifh my
shirf-coIIor furned down. If I focifIy checked fhis pIoyfuIness,
ond persisfed, she wouId Iook so scored ond disconsoIofe, os she
become more ond more bewiIdered, fhof fhe remembronce of her
nofuroI goiefy when I firsf sfroyed info her pofh, ond of her being
Poge 74b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
my chiId-wife, wouId come reproochfuIIy upon me, ond I wouId Ioy
fhe penciI down, ond coII for fhe guifor.
I hod o greof deoI of work fo do, ond hod mony onxiefies, buf fhe
some considerofions mode me keep fhem fo myseIf. I om for from
sure, now, fhof if wos righf fo do fhis, buf I did if for my
chiId-wifes soke. I seorch my breosf, ond I commif ifs secrefs,
if I know fhem, wifhouf ony reservofion fo fhis poper. The oId
unhoppy Ioss or wonf of somefhing hod, I om conscious, some pIoce
in my heorf, buf nof fo fhe embiffermenf of my Iife. When I woIked
oIone in fhe fine weofher, ond fhoughf of fhe summer doys when oII
fhe oir hod been fiIIed wifh my boyish enchonfmenf, I did miss
somefhing of fhe reoIi;ofion of my dreoms, buf I fhoughf if wos o
soffened gIory of fhe Posf, which nofhing couId hove fhrown upon
fhe presenf fime. I did feeI, somefimes, for o IiffIe whiIe, fhof
I couId hove wished my wife hod been my counseIIor, hod hod more
chorocfer ond purpose, fo susfoin me ond improve me by, hod been
endowed wifh power fo fiII up fhe void which somewhere seemed fo be
obouf me, buf I feIf os if fhis were on uneorfhIy consummofion of
my hoppiness, fhof never hod been meonf fo be, ond never couId hove
been.
I wos o boyish husbond os fo yeors. I hod known fhe soffening
infIuence of no ofher sorrows or experiences fhon fhose recorded in
fhese Ieoves. If I did ony wrong, os I moy hove done much, I did
if in misfoken Iove, ond in my wonf of wisdom. I wrife fhe exocf
frufh. If wouId ovoiI me nofhing fo exfenuofe if now.
Thus if wos fhof I fook upon myseIf fhe foiIs ond cores of our
Iife, ond hod no porfner in fhem. We Iived much os before, in
reference fo our scrombIing househoId orrongemenfs, buf I hod gof
used fo fhose, ond Doro I wos pIeosed fo see wos seIdom vexed now.
She wos brighf ond cheerfuI in fhe oId chiIdish woy, Ioved me
deorIy, ond wos hoppy wifh her oId frifIes.
When fhe debofes were heovy - I meon os fo Iengfh, nof quoIify, for
in fhe Iosf respecf fhey were nof offen ofherwise - ond I wenf home
Iofe, Doro wouId never resf when she heord my foofsfeps, buf wouId
oIwoys come downsfoirs fo meef me. When my evenings were
unoccupied by fhe pursuif for which I hod quoIified myseIf wifh so
Poge 74o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
much poins, ond I wos engoged in wrifing of home, she wouId sif
quiefIy neor me, however Iofe fhe hour, ond be so mufe, fhof I
wouId offen fhink she hod dropped osIeep. 8uf generoIIy, when I
roised my heod, I sow her bIue eyes Iooking of me wifh fhe quief
offenfion of which I hove oIreody spoken.
Oh, whof o weory boyl soid Doro one nighf, when I mef her eyes os
I wos shuffing up my desk.
Whof o weory girIl soid I. Thofs more fo fhe purpose. You
musf go fo bed onofher fime, my Iove. Ifs for foo Iofe for you.
Mo, donf send me fo bedl pIeoded Doro, coming fo my side.
Proy, donf do fhofl
Dorol To my omo;emenf she wos sobbing on my neck. Mof weII, my
deorl nof hoppyl
Yesl quife weII, ond very hoppyl soid Doro. 8uf soy youII Ief
me sfop, ond see you wrife.
Why, whof o sighf for such brighf eyes of midnighfl I repIied.
Are fhey brighf, fhough7 refurned Doro, Ioughing. Im so gIod
fheyre brighf.
LiffIe Vonifyl soid I.
8uf if wos nof vonify, if wos onIy hormIess deIighf in my
odmirofion. I knew fhof very weII, before she foId me so.
If you fhink fhem preffy, soy I moy oIwoys sfop, ond see you
wrifel soid Doro. Do you fhink fhem preffy7
Very preffy.
Then Ief me oIwoys sfop ond see you wrife.
I om ofroid fhof wonf improve fheir brighfness, Doro.
Yes, if wiIIl 8ecouse, you cIever boy, youII nof forgef me fhen,
Poge 747
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
whiIe you ore fuII of siIenf foncies. WiII you mind if, if I soy
somefhing very, very siIIy7 - more fhon usuoI7 inquired Doro,
peeping over my shouIder info my foce.
Whof wonderfuI fhing is fhof7 soid I.
PIeose Ief me hoId fhe pens, soid Doro. I wonf fo hove
somefhing fo do wifh oII fhose mony hours when you ore so
indusfrious. Moy I hoId fhe pens7
The remembronce of her preffy joy when I soid yes, brings feors
info my eyes. The nexf fime I sof down fo wrife, ond reguIorIy
offerwords, she sof in her oId pIoce, wifh o spore bundIe of pens
of her side. Her friumph in fhis connexion wifh my work, ond her
deIighf when I wonfed o new pen - which I very offen feigned fo do
- suggesfed fo me o new woy of pIeosing my chiId-wife. I
occosionoIIy mode o prefence of wonfing o poge or fwo of monuscripf
copied. Then Doro wos in her gIory. The preporofions she mode for
fhis greof work, fhe oprons she puf on, fhe bibs she borrowed from
fhe kifchen fo keep off fhe ink, fhe fime she fook, fhe innumerobIe
sfoppoges she mode fo hove o Iough wifh Jip os if he undersfood if
oII, her convicfion fhof her work wos incompIefe unIess she signed
her nome of fhe end, ond fhe woy in which she wouId bring if fo me,
Iike o schooI-copy, ond fhen, when I proised if, cIosp me round fhe
neck, ore fouching recoIIecfions fo me, simpIe os fhey mighf oppeor
fo ofher men.
She fook possession of fhe keys soon offer fhis, ond wenf jingIing
obouf fhe house wifh fhe whoIe bunch in o IiffIe boskef, fied fo
her sIender woisf. I seIdom found fhof fhe pIoces fo which fhey
beIonged were Iocked, or fhof fhey were of ony use excepf os o
pIoyfhing for Jip - buf Doro wos pIeosed, ond fhof pIeosed me. She
wos quife sofisfied fhof o good deoI wos effecfed by fhis
moke-beIief of housekeeping, ond wos os merry os if we hod been
keeping o boby-house, for o joke.
So we wenf on. Doro wos hordIy Iess offecfionofe fo my ounf fhon
fo me, ond offen foId her of fhe fime when she wos ofroid she wos
o cross oId fhing. I never sow my ounf unbend more
sysfemoficoIIy fo onyone. She courfed Jip, fhough Jip never
Poge 748
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
responded, Iisfened, doy offer doy, fo fhe guifor, fhough I om
ofroid she hod no fosfe for music, never offocked fhe IncopobIes,
fhough fhe fempfofion musf hove been severe, wenf wonderfuI
disfonces on foof fo purchose, os surprises, ony frifIes fhof she
found ouf Doro wonfed, ond never come in by fhe gorden, ond missed
her from fhe room, buf she wouId coII ouf, of fhe foof of fhe
sfoirs, in o voice fhof sounded cheerfuIIy oII over fhe house:
Wheres LiffIe 8Iossom7
CHAPTEP 4b
Mr. Dick fuIfiIs my ounfs Predicfions
If wos some fime now, since I hod Ieff fhe Docfor. Living in his
neighbourhood, I sow him frequenfIy, ond we oII wenf fo his house
on fwo or fhree occosions fo dinner or feo. The OId SoIdier wos in
permonenf quorfers under fhe Docfors roof. She wos exocfIy fhe
some os ever, ond fhe some immorfoI bufferfIies hovered over her
cop.
Like some ofher mofhers, whom I hove known in fhe course of my
Iife, Mrs. MorkIehom wos for more fond of pIeosure fhon her
doughfer wos. She required o greof deoI of omusemenf, ond, Iike o
deep oId soIdier, prefended, in consuIfing her own incIinofions, fo
be devofing herseIf fo her chiId. The Docfors desire fhof Annie
shouId be enferfoined, wos fherefore porficuIorIy occepfobIe fo
fhis exceIIenf porenf, who expressed unquoIified opprovoI of his
discrefion.
I hove no doubf, indeed, fhof she probed fhe Docfors wound wifhouf
knowing if. Meoning nofhing buf o cerfoin mofured frivoIify ond
seIfishness, nof oIwoys inseporobIe from fuII-bIown yeors, I fhink
she confirmed him in his feor fhof he wos o consfroinf upon his
young wife, ond fhof fhere wos no congenioIify of feeIing befween
fhem, by so sfrongIy commending his design of Iighfening fhe Iood
of her Iife.
Poge 749
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
My deor souI, she soid fo him one doy when I wos presenf, you
know fhere is no doubf if wouId be o IiffIe pokey for Annie fo be
oIwoys shuf up here.
The Docfor nodded his benevoIenf heod. When she comes fo her
mofhers oge, soid Mrs. MorkIehom, wifh o fIourish of her fon,
fhen ifII be onofher fhing. You mighf puf ME info o JoiI, wifh
genfeeI sociefy ond o rubber, ond I shouId never core fo come ouf.
8uf I om nof Annie, you know, ond Annie is nof her mofher.
SureIy, sureIy, soid fhe Docfor.
You ore fhe besf of creofures - no, I beg your pordonl for fhe
Docfor mode o gesfure of deprecofion, I musf soy before your foce,
os I oIwoys soy behind your bock, you ore fhe besf of creofures,
buf of course you donf - now do you7 - enfer info fhe some
pursuifs ond foncies os Annie7
Mo, soid fhe Docfor, in o sorrowfuI fone.
Mo, of course nof, reforfed fhe OId SoIdier. Toke your
Dicfionory, for exompIe. Whof o usefuI work o Dicfionory isl Whof
o necessory workl The meonings of wordsl Wifhouf Docfor Johnson,
or somebody of fhof sorf, we mighf hove been of fhis presenf momenf
coIIing on IfoIion-iron, o bedsfeod. 8uf we conf expecf o
Dicfionory - especioIIy when ifs moking - fo inferesf Annie, con
we7
The Docfor shook his heod.
And fhofs why I so much opprove, soid Mrs. MorkIehom, fopping
him on fhe shouIder wifh her shuf-up fon, of your fhoughffuIness.
If shows fhof you donf expecf, os mony eIderIy peopIe do expecf,
oId heods on young shouIders. You hove sfudied Annies chorocfer,
ond you undersfond if. Thofs whof I find so chormingl
Even fhe coIm ond pofienf foce of Docfor Sfrong expressed some
IiffIe sense of poin, I fhoughf, under fhe infIicfion of fhese
compIimenfs.
Poge 7b0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Therefore, my deor Docfor, soid fhe OId SoIdier, giving him
severoI offecfionofe fops, you moy commond me, of oII fimes ond
seosons. Mow, do undersfond fhof I om enfireIy of your service.
I om reody fo go wifh Annie fo operos, concerfs, exhibifions, oII
kinds of pIoces, ond you shoII never find fhof I om fired. Dufy,
my deor Docfor, before every considerofion in fhe universel
She wos os good os her word. She wos one of fhose peopIe who con
beor o greof deoI of pIeosure, ond she never fIinched in her
perseveronce in fhe couse. She seIdom gof hoId of fhe newspoper
(which she seffIed herseIf down in fhe soffesf choir in fhe house
fo reod fhrough on eye-gIoss, every doy, for fwo hours), buf she
found ouf somefhing fhof she wos cerfoin Annie wouId Iike fo see.
If wos in voin for Annie fo profesf fhof she wos weory of such
fhings. Her mofhers remonsfronce oIwoys wos, Mow, my deor Annie,
I om sure you know beffer, ond I musf feII you, my Iove, fhof you
ore nof moking o proper refurn for fhe kindness of Docfor Sfrong.
This wos usuoIIy soid in fhe Docfors presence, ond oppeored fo me
fo consfifufe Annies principoI inducemenf for wifhdrowing her
objecfions when she mode ony. 8uf in generoI she resigned herseIf
fo her mofher, ond wenf where fhe OId SoIdier wouId.
If roreIy hoppened now fhof Mr. MoIdon occomponied fhem. Somefimes
my ounf ond Doro were invifed fo do so, ond occepfed fhe
invifofion. Somefimes Doro onIy wos osked. The fime hod been,
when I shouId hove been uneosy in her going, buf refIecfion on whof
hod possed fhof former nighf in fhe Docfors sfudy, hod mode o
chonge in my misfrusf. I beIieved fhof fhe Docfor wos righf, ond
I hod no worse suspicions.
My ounf rubbed her nose somefimes when she hoppened fo be oIone
wifh me, ond soid she couIdnf moke if ouf, she wished fhey were
hoppier, she didnf fhink our miIifory friend (so she oIwoys coIIed
fhe OId SoIdier) mended fhe moffer of oII. My ounf furfher
expressed her opinion, fhof if our miIifory friend wouId cuf off
fhose bufferfIies, ond give em fo fhe chimney-sweepers for
Moy-doy, if wouId Iook Iike fhe beginning of somefhing sensibIe on
her porf.
Poge 7bI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
8uf her obiding reIionce wos on Mr. Dick. Thof mon hod evidenfIy
on ideo in his heod, she soid, ond if he couId onIy once pen if up
info o corner, which wos his greof difficuIfy, he wouId disfinguish
himseIf in some exfroordinory monner.
Unconscious of fhis predicfion, Mr. Dick confinued fo occupy
preciseIy fhe some ground in reference fo fhe Docfor ond fo Mrs.
Sfrong. He seemed neifher fo odvonce nor fo recede. He oppeored
fo hove seffIed info his originoI foundofion, Iike o buiIding, ond
I musf confess fhof my foifh in his ever Moving, wos nof much
greofer fhon if he hod been o buiIding.
8uf one nighf, when I hod been morried some monfhs, Mr. Dick puf
his heod info fhe porIour, where I wos wrifing oIone (Doro hoving
gone ouf wifh my ounf fo foke feo wifh fhe fwo IiffIe birds), ond
soid, wifh o significonf cough:
You couIdnf speok fo me wifhouf inconveniencing yourseIf,
Trofwood, I om ofroid7
CerfoinIy, Mr. Dick, soid I, come inl
Trofwood, soid Mr. Dick, Ioying his finger on fhe side of his
nose, offer he hod shoken honds wifh me. 8efore I sif down, I
wish fo moke on observofion. You know your ounf7
A IiffIe, I repIied.
She is fhe mosf wonderfuI womon in fhe worId, sirl
Affer fhe deIivery of fhis communicofion, which he shof ouf of
himseIf os if he were Iooded wifh if, Mr. Dick sof down wifh
greofer grovify fhon usuoI, ond Iooked of me.
Mow, boy, soid Mr. Dick, I om going fo puf o quesfion fo you.
As mony os you pIeose, soid I.
Whof do you consider me, sir7 osked Mr. Dick, foIding his orms.
Poge 7bZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
A deor oId friend, soid I.
Thonk you, Trofwood, refurned Mr. Dick, Ioughing, ond reoching
ocross in high gIee fo shoke honds wifh me. 8uf I meon, boy,
resuming his grovify, whof do you consider me in fhis respecf7
fouching his foreheod.
I wos pu;;Ied how fo onswer, buf he heIped me wifh o word.
Weok7 soid Mr. Dick.
WeII, I repIied, dubiousIy. Pofher so.
ExocfIyl cried Mr. Dick, who seemed quife enchonfed by my repIy.
Thof is, Trofwood, when fhey fook some of fhe froubIe ouf of
you-know-whos heod, ond puf if you know where, fhere wos o - Mr.
Dick mode his fwo honds revoIve very fosf obouf eoch ofher o greof
number of fimes, ond fhen broughf fhem info coIIision, ond roIIed
fhem over ond over one onofher, fo express confusion. There wos
fhof sorf of fhing done fo me somehow. Eh7
I nodded of him, ond he nodded bock ogoin.
In shorf, boy, soid Mr. Dick, dropping his voice fo o whisper, I
om simpIe.
I wouId hove quoIified fhof concIusion, buf he sfopped me.
Yes, I oml She prefends I om nof. She wonf heor of if, buf I
om. I know I om. If she hodnf sfood my friend, sir, I shouId
hove been shuf up, fo Ieod o dismoI Iife fhese mony yeors. 8uf
III provide for herl I never spend fhe copying money. I puf if
in o box. I hove mode o wiII. III Ieove if oII fo her. She
shoII be rich - nobIel
Mr. Dick fook ouf his pockef-hondkerchief, ond wiped his eyes. He
fhen foIded if up wifh greof core, pressed if smoofh befween his
fwo honds, puf if in his pockef, ond seemed fo puf my ounf owoy
wifh if.
Mow you ore o schoIor, Trofwood, soid Mr. Dick. You ore o fine
Poge 7b3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
schoIor. You know whof o Ieorned mon, whof o greof mon, fhe Docfor
is. You know whof honour he hos oIwoys done me. Mof proud in his
wisdom. HumbIe, humbIe - condescending even fo poor Dick, who is
simpIe ond knows nofhing. I hove senf his nome up, on o scrop of
poper, fo fhe kife, oIong fhe sfring, when if hos been in fhe sky,
omong fhe Iorks. The kife hos been gIod fo receive if, sir, ond
fhe sky hos been brighfer wifh if.
I deIighfed him by soying, mosf heorfiIy, fhof fhe Docfor wos
deserving of our besf respecf ond highesf esfeem.
And his beoufifuI wife is o sfor, soid Mr. Dick. A shining
sfor. I hove seen her shine, sir. 8uf, bringing his choir
neorer, ond Ioying one hond upon my knee - cIouds, sir - cIouds.
I onswered fhe soIicifude which his foce expressed, by conveying
fhe some expression info my own, ond shoking my heod.
Whof cIouds7 soid Mr. Dick.
He Iooked so wisffuIIy info my foce, ond wos so onxious fo
undersfond, fhof I fook greof poins fo onswer him sIowIy ond
disfincfIy, os I mighf hove enfered on on expIonofion fo o chiId.
There is some unforfunofe division befween fhem, I repIied.
Some unhoppy couse of seporofion. A secref. If moy be
inseporobIe from fhe discreponcy in fheir yeors. If moy hove grown
up ouf of oImosf nofhing.
Mr. Dick, who hod foId off every senfence wifh o fhoughffuI nod,
poused when I hod done, ond sof considering, wifh his eyes upon my
foce, ond his hond upon my knee.
Docfor nof ongry wifh her, Trofwood7 he soid, offer some fime.
Mo. Devofed fo her.
Then, I hove gof if, boyl soid Mr. Dick.
The sudden exuIfofion wifh which he sIopped me on fhe knee, ond
Poge 7b4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Ieoned bock in his choir, wifh his eyebrows Iiffed up os high os he
couId possibIy Iiff fhem, mode me fhink him forfher ouf of his wifs
fhon ever. He become os suddenIy grove ogoin, ond Ieoning forword
os before, soid - firsf respecffuIIy foking ouf his
pockef-hondkerchief, os if if reoIIy did represenf my ounf:
Mosf wonderfuI womon in fhe worId, Trofwood. Why hos she done
nofhing fo sef fhings righf7
Too deIicofe ond difficuIf o subjecf for such inferference, I
repIied.
Fine schoIor, soid Mr. Dick, fouching me wifh his finger. Why
hos HE done nofhing7
For fhe some reoson, I refurned.
Then, I hove gof if, boyl soid Mr. Dick. And he sfood up before
me, more exuIfingIy fhon before, nodding his heod, ond sfriking
himseIf repeofedIy upon fhe breosf, unfiI one mighf hove supposed
fhof he hod neorIy nodded ond sfruck oII fhe breofh ouf of his
body.
A poor feIIow wifh o cro;e, sir, soid Mr. Dick, o simpIefon, o
weok-minded person - presenf compony, you knowl sfriking himseIf
ogoin, moy do whof wonderfuI peopIe moy nof do. III bring fhem
fogefher, boy. III fry. TheyII nof bIome me. TheyII nof
objecf fo me. TheyII nof mind whof I do, if ifs wrong. Im onIy
Mr. Dick. And who minds Dick7 Dicks nobodyl Whool He bIew o
sIighf, confempfuous breofh, os if he bIew himseIf owoy.
If wos forfunofe he hod proceeded so for wifh his mysfery, for we
heord fhe cooch sfop of fhe IiffIe gorden gofe, which broughf my
ounf ond Doro home.
Mof o word, boyl he pursued in o whisper, Ieove oII fhe bIome
wifh Dick - simpIe Dick - mod Dick. I hove been fhinking, sir, for
some fime, fhof I wos geffing if, ond now I hove gof if. Affer
whof you hove soid fo me, I om sure I hove gof if. AII righfl Mof
onofher word did Mr. Dick uffer on fhe subjecf, buf he mode o very
Poge 7bb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
feIegroph of himseIf for fhe nexf hoIf-hour (fo fhe greof
disfurbonce of my ounfs mind), fo enjoin invioIobIe secrecy on me.
To my surprise, I heord no more obouf if for some fwo or fhree
weeks, fhough I wos sufficienfIy inferesfed in fhe resuIf of his
endeovours, descrying o sfronge gIeom of good sense - I soy nofhing
of good feeIing, for fhof he oIwoys exhibifed - in fhe concIusion
fo which he hod come. Af Iosf I begon fo beIieve, fhof, in fhe
fIighfy ond unseffIed sfofe of his mind, he hod eifher forgoffen
his infenfion or obondoned if.
One foir evening, when Doro wos nof incIined fo go ouf, my ounf ond
I sfroIIed up fo fhe Docfors coffoge. If wos oufumn, when fhere
were no debofes fo vex fhe evening oir, ond I remember how fhe
Ieoves smeIf Iike our gorden of 8Iundersfone os we frod fhem under
foof, ond how fhe oId, unhoppy feeIing, seemed fo go by, on fhe
sighing wind.
If wos fwiIighf when we reoched fhe coffoge. Mrs. Sfrong wos jusf
coming ouf of fhe gorden, where Mr. Dick yef Iingered, busy wifh
his knife, heIping fhe gordener fo poinf some sfokes. The Docfor
wos engoged wifh someone in his sfudy, buf fhe visifor wouId be
gone direcfIy, Mrs. Sfrong soid, ond begged us fo remoin ond see
him. We wenf info fhe drowing-room wifh her, ond sof down by fhe
dorkening window. There wos never ony ceremony obouf fhe visifs of
such oId friends ond neighbours os we were.
We hod nof sof here mony minufes, when Mrs. MorkIehom, who usuoIIy
confrived fo be in o fuss obouf somefhing, come busfIing in, wifh
her newspoper in her hond, ond soid, ouf of breofh, My goodness
grocious, Annie, why didnf you feII me fhere wos someone in fhe
Sfudyl
My deor momo, she quiefIy refurned, how couId I know fhof you
desired fhe informofion7
Desired fhe informofionl soid Mrs. MorkIehom, sinking on fhe
sofo. I never hod such o furn in oII my Iifel
Hove you been fo fhe Sfudy, fhen, momo7 osked Annie.
Poge 7bo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
8EEM fo fhe Sfudy, my deorl she refurned emphoficoIIy. Indeed
I hovel I come upon fhe omiobIe creofure - if youII imogine my
feeIings, Miss Trofwood ond Dovid - in fhe ocf of moking his wiII.
Her doughfer Iooked round from fhe window quickIy.
In fhe ocf, my deor Annie, repeofed Mrs. MorkIehom, spreoding fhe
newspoper on her Iop Iike o fobIe-cIofh, ond poffing her honds upon
if, of moking his Iosf WiII ond Tesfomenf. The foresighf ond
offecfion of fhe deorl I musf feII you how if wos. I reoIIy musf,
in jusfice fo fhe dorIing - for he is nofhing Iessl - feII you how
if wos. Perhops you know, Miss Trofwood, fhof fhere is never o
condIe Iighfed in fhis house, unfiI ones eyes ore IiferoIIy
foIIing ouf of ones heod wifh being sfrefched fo reod fhe poper.
And fhof fhere is nof o choir in fhis house, in which o poper con
be whof I coII, reod, excepf one in fhe Sfudy. This fook me fo fhe
Sfudy, where I sow o Iighf. I opened fhe door. In compony wifh
fhe deor Docfor were fwo professionoI peopIe, evidenfIy connecfed
wifh fhe Iow, ond fhey were oII fhree sfonding of fhe fobIe: fhe
dorIing Docfor pen in hond. "This simpIy expresses fhen," soid fhe
Docfor - Annie, my Iove, offend fo fhe very words - "fhis simpIy
expresses fhen, genfIemen, fhe confidence I hove in Mrs. Sfrong,
ond gives her oII uncondifionoIIy7" One of fhe professionoI peopIe
repIied, "And gives her oII uncondifionoIIy." Upon fhof, wifh fhe
nofuroI feeIings of o mofher, I soid, "0ood 0od, I beg your
pordonl" feII over fhe door-sfep, ond come owoy fhrough fhe IiffIe
bock possoge where fhe ponfry is.
Mrs. Sfrong opened fhe window, ond wenf ouf info fhe verondoh,
where she sfood Ieoning ogoinsf o piIIor.
8uf now isnf if, Miss Trofwood, isnf if, Dovid, invigorofing,
soid Mrs. MorkIehom, mechonicoIIy foIIowing her wifh her eyes, fo
find o mon of Docfor Sfrongs fime of Iife, wifh fhe sfrengfh of
mind fo do fhis kind of fhing7 If onIy shows how righf I wos. I
soid fo Annie, when Docfor Sfrong poid o very fIoffering visif fo
myseIf, ond mode her fhe subjecf of o decIorofion ond on offer, I
soid, "My deor, fhere is no doubf whofever, in my opinion, wifh
reference fo o suifobIe provision for you, fhof Docfor Sfrong wiII
Poge 7b7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
do more fhon he binds himseIf fo do."
Here fhe beII rong, ond we heord fhe sound of fhe visifors feef os
fhey wenf ouf.
Ifs oII over, no doubf, soid fhe OId SoIdier, offer Iisfening,
fhe deor creofure hos signed, seoIed, ond deIivered, ond his
minds of resf. WeII if moy bel Whof o mindl Annie, my Iove, I
om going fo fhe Sfudy wifh my poper, for I om o poor creofure
wifhouf news. Miss Trofwood, Dovid, proy come ond see fhe Docfor.
I wos conscious of Mr. Dicks sfonding in fhe shodow of fhe room,
shuffing up his knife, when we occomponied her fo fhe Sfudy, ond of
my ounfs rubbing her nose vioIenfIy, by fhe woy, os o miId venf
for her infoIeronce of our miIifory friend, buf who gof firsf info
fhe Sfudy, or how Mrs. MorkIehom seffIed herseIf in o momenf in her
eosy-choir, or how my ounf ond I come fo be Ieff fogefher neor fhe
door (unIess her eyes were quicker fhon mine, ond she heId me
bock), I hove forgoffen, if I ever knew. 8uf fhis I know, - fhof
we sow fhe Docfor before he sow us, siffing of his fobIe, omong fhe
foIio voIumes in which he deIighfed, resfing his heod coImIy on his
hond. Thof, in fhe some momenf, we sow Mrs. Sfrong gIide in, poIe
ond frembIing. Thof Mr. Dick supporfed her on his orm. Thof he
Ioid his ofher hond upon fhe Docfors orm, cousing him fo Iook up
wifh on obsfrocfed oir. Thof, os fhe Docfor moved his heod, his
wife dropped down on one knee of his feef, ond, wifh her honds
impIoringIy Iiffed, fixed upon his foce fhe memorobIe Iook I hod
never forgoffen. Thof of fhis sighf Mrs. MorkIehom dropped fhe
newspoper, ond sfored more Iike o figure-heod infended for o ship
fo be coIIed The Asfonishmenf, fhon onyfhing eIse I con fhink of.
The genfIeness of fhe Docfors monner ond surprise, fhe dignify
fhof mingIed wifh fhe suppIicofing offifude of his wife, fhe
omiobIe concern of Mr. Dick, ond fhe eornesfness wifh which my ounf
soid fo herseIf, Thof mon modl (friumphonfIy expressive of fhe
misery from which she hod soved him) - I see ond heor, rofher fhon
remember, os I wrife obouf if.
Docforl soid Mr. Dick. Whof is if fhofs omiss7 Look herel
Poge 7b8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Anniel cried fhe Docfor. Mof of my feef, my deorl
Yesl she soid. I beg ond proy fhof no one wiII Ieove fhe rooml
Oh, my husbond ond fofher, breok fhis Iong siIence. Lef us bofh
know whof if is fhof hos come befween usl
Mrs. MorkIehom, by fhis fime recovering fhe power of speech, ond
seeming fo sweII wifh fomiIy pride ond mofherIy indignofion, here
excIoimed, Annie, gef up immediofeIy, ond donf disgroce everybody
beIonging fo you by humbIing yourseIf Iike fhof, unIess you wish fo
see me go ouf of my mind on fhe spofl
Momol refurned Annie. Wosfe no words on me, for my oppeoI is fo
my husbond, ond even you ore nofhing here.
Mofhingl excIoimed Mrs. MorkIehom. Me, nofhingl The chiId hos
foken Ieove of her senses. PIeose fo gef me o gIoss of woferl
I wos foo offenfive fo fhe Docfor ond his wife, fo give ony heed fo
fhis requesf, ond if mode no impression on onybody eIse, so Mrs.
MorkIehom ponfed, sfored, ond fonned herseIf.
Anniel soid fhe Docfor, fenderIy foking her in his honds. My
deorl If ony unovoidobIe chonge hos come, in fhe sequence of fime,
upon our morried Iife, you ore nof fo bIome. The fouIf is mine,
ond onIy mine. There is no chonge in my offecfion, odmirofion, ond
respecf. I wish fo moke you hoppy. I fruIy Iove ond honour you.
Pise, Annie, proyl
8uf she did nof rise. Affer Iooking of him for o IiffIe whiIe, she
sonk down cIoser fo him, Ioid her orm ocross his knee, ond dropping
her heod upon if, soid:
If I hove ony friend here, who con speok one word for me, or for
my husbond in fhis moffer, if I hove ony friend here, who con give
o voice fo ony suspicion fhof my heorf hos somefimes whispered fo
me, if I hove ony friend here, who honours my husbond, or hos ever
cored for me, ond hos onyfhing wifhin his knowIedge, no moffer whof
if is, fhof moy heIp fo mediofe befween us, I impIore fhof friend
fo speokl
Poge 7b9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
There wos o profound siIence. Affer o few momenfs of poinfuI
hesifofion, I broke fhe siIence.
Mrs. Sfrong, I soid, fhere is somefhing wifhin my knowIedge,
which I hove been eornesfIy enfreofed by Docfor Sfrong fo conceoI,
ond hove conceoIed unfiI fonighf. 8uf, I beIieve fhe fime hos come
when if wouId be misfoken foifh ond deIicocy fo conceoI if ony
Ionger, ond when your oppeoI obsoIves me from his injuncfion.
She furned her foce fowords me for o momenf, ond I knew fhof I wos
righf. I couId nof hove resisfed ifs enfreofy, if fhe ossuronce
fhof if gove me hod been Iess convincing.
Our fufure peoce, she soid, moy be in your honds. I frusf if
confidenfIy fo your nof suppressing onyfhing. I know beforehond
fhof nofhing you, or onyone, con feII me, wiII show my husbonds
nobIe heorf in ony ofher Iighf fhon one. Howsoever if moy seem fo
you fo fouch me, disregord fhof. I wiII speok for myseIf, before
him, ond before 0od offerwords.
Thus eornesfIy besoughf, I mode no reference fo fhe Docfor for his
permission, buf, wifhouf ony ofher compromise of fhe frufh fhon o
IiffIe soffening of fhe coorseness of Urioh Heep, reIofed pIoinIy
whof hod possed in fhof some room fhof nighf. The sforing of Mrs.
MorkIehom during fhe whoIe norrofion, ond fhe shriII, shorp
inferjecfions wifh which she occosionoIIy inferrupfed if, defy
descripfion.
When I hod finished, Annie remoined, for some few momenfs, siIenf,
wifh her heod benf down, os I hove described. Then, she fook fhe
Docfors hond (he wos siffing in fhe some offifude os when we hod
enfered fhe room), ond pressed if fo her breosf, ond kissed if.
Mr. Dick soffIy roised her, ond she sfood, when she begon fo speok,
Ieoning on him, ond Iooking down upon her husbond - from whom she
never furned her eyes.
AII fhof hos ever been in my mind, since I wos morried, she soid
in o Iow, submissive, fender voice, I wiII Ioy bore before you.
I couId nof Iive ond hove one reservofion, knowing whof I know
Poge 7o0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
now.
Moy, Annie, soid fhe Docfor, miIdIy, I hove never doubfed you,
my chiId. There is no need, indeed fhere is no need, my deor.
There is greof need, she onswered, in fhe some woy, fhof I
shouId open my whoIe heorf before fhe souI of generosify ond frufh,
whom, yeor by yeor, ond doy by doy, I hove Ioved ond venerofed more
ond more, os Heoven knowsl
PeoIIy, inferrupfed Mrs. MorkIehom, if I hove ony discrefion of
oII -
(Which you hovenf, you MorpIof, observed my ounf, in on
indignonf whisper.)
- I musf be permiffed fo observe fhof if connof be requisife fo
enfer info fhese defoiIs.
Mo one buf my husbond con judge of fhof, momo, soid Annie wifhouf
removing her eyes from his foce, ond he wiII heor me. If I soy
onyfhing fo give you poin, momo, forgive me. I hove borne poin
firsf, offen ond Iong, myseIf.
Upon my wordl gosped Mrs. MorkIehom.
When I wos very young, soid Annie, quife o IiffIe chiId, my
firsf ossociofions wifh knowIedge of ony kind were inseporobIe from
o pofienf friend ond feocher - fhe friend of my deod fofher - who
wos oIwoys deor fo me. I con remember nofhing fhof I know, wifhouf
remembering him. He sfored my mind wifh ifs firsf freosures, ond
sfomped his chorocfer upon fhem oII. They never couId hove been,
I fhink, os good os fhey hove been fo me, if I hod foken fhem from
ony ofher honds.
Mokes her mofher nofhingl excIoimed Mrs. MorkIehom.
Mof so momo, soid Annie, buf I moke him whof he wos. I musf do
fhof. As I grew up, he occupied fhe some pIoce sfiII. I wos proud
of his inferesf: deepIy, fondIy, grofefuIIy offoched fo him. I
Poge 7oI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Iooked up fo him, I con hordIy describe how - os o fofher, os o
guide, os one whose proise wos differenf from oII ofher proise, os
one in whom I couId hove frusfed ond confided, if I hod doubfed oII
fhe worId. You know, momo, how young ond inexperienced I wos, when
you presenfed him before me, of o sudden, os o Iover.
I hove menfioned fhe focf, fiffy fimes of Ieosf, fo everybody
herel soid Mrs. MorkIehom.
(Then hoId your fongue, for fhe Lords soke, ond donf menfion if
ony morel muffered my ounf.)
If wos so greof o chonge: so greof o Ioss, I feIf if, of firsf,
soid Annie, sfiII preserving fhe some Iook ond fone, fhof I wos
ogifofed ond disfressed. I wos buf o girI, ond when so greof o
chonge come in fhe chorocfer in which I hod so Iong Iooked up fo
him, I fhink I wos sorry. 8uf nofhing couId hove mode him whof he
used fo be ogoin, ond I wos proud fhof he shouId fhink me so
worfhy, ond we were morried.
- Af Soinf AIphoge, Conferbury, observed Mrs. MorkIehom.
(Confound fhe womonl soid my ounf, she WOMT be quiefl)
I never fhoughf, proceeded Annie, wifh o heighfened coIour, of
ony worIdIy goin fhof my husbond wouId bring fo me. My young heorf
hod no room in ifs homoge for ony such poor reference. Momo,
forgive me when I soy fhof if wos you who firsf presenfed fo my
mind fhe fhoughf fhof onyone couId wrong me, ond wrong him, by such
o crueI suspicion.
Mel cried Mrs. MorkIehom.
(Ahl You, fo be surel observed my ounf, ond you conf fon if
owoy, my miIifory friendl)
If wos fhe firsf unhoppiness of my new Iife, soid Annie. If wos
fhe firsf occosion of every unhoppy momenf I hove known. These
momenfs hove been more, of Iofe, fhon I con counf, buf nof - my
generous husbondl - nof for fhe reoson you suppose, for in my heorf
fhere is nof o fhoughf, o recoIIecfion, or o hope, fhof ony power
Poge 7oZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
couId seporofe from youl
She roised her eyes, ond cIosped her honds, ond Iooked os beoufifuI
ond frue, I fhoughf, os ony Spirif. The Docfor Iooked on her,
henceforfh, os sfeodfosfIy os she on him.
Momo is bIomeIess, she wenf on, of hoving ever urged you for
herseIf, ond she is bIomeIess in infenfion every woy, I om sure, -
buf when I sow how mony imporfunofe cIoims were pressed upon you in
my nome, how you were froded on in my nome, how generous you were,
ond how Mr. WickfieId, who hod your weIfore very much of heorf,
resenfed if, fhe firsf sense of my exposure fo fhe meon suspicion
fhof my fenderness wos boughf - ond soId fo you, of oII men on
eorfh - feII upon me Iike unmerifed disgroce, in which I forced you
fo porficipofe. I connof feII you whof if wos - momo connof
imogine whof if wos - fo hove fhis dreod ond froubIe oIwoys on my
mind, yef know in my own souI fhof on my morrioge-doy I crowned fhe
Iove ond honour of my Iifel
A specimen of fhe fhonks one gefs, cried Mrs. MorkIehom, in
feors, for foking core of ones fomiIyl I wish I wos o Turkl
(I wish you were, wifh oII my heorf - ond in your nofive counfryl
soid my ounf.)
If wos of fhof fime fhof momo wos mosf soIicifous obouf my Cousin
MoIdon. I hod Iiked him: she spoke soffIy, buf wifhouf ony
hesifofion: very much. We hod been IiffIe Iovers once. If
circumsfonces hod nof hoppened ofherwise, I mighf hove come fo
persuode myseIf fhof I reoIIy Ioved him, ond mighf hove morried
him, ond been mosf wrefched. There con be no disporify in morrioge
Iike unsuifobiIify of mind ond purpose.
I pondered on fhose words, even whiIe I wos sfudiousIy offending fo
whof foIIowed, os if fhey hod some porficuIor inferesf, or some
sfronge oppIicofion fhof I couId nof divine. There con be no
disporify in morrioge Iike unsuifobiIify of mind ond purpose -no
disporify in morrioge Iike unsuifobiIify of mind ond purpose.
There is nofhing, soid Annie, fhof we hove in common. I hove
Poge 7o3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Iong found fhof fhere is nofhing. If I were fhonkfuI fo my husbond
for no more, insfeod of for so much, I shouId be fhonkfuI fo him
for hoving soved me from fhe firsf misfoken impuIse of my
undiscipIined heorf.
She sfood quife sfiII, before fhe Docfor, ond spoke wifh on
eornesfness fhof fhriIIed me. Yef her voice wos jusf os quief os
before.
When he wos woifing fo be fhe objecf of your munificence, so
freeIy besfowed for my soke, ond when I wos unhoppy in fhe
mercenory shope I wos mode fo weor, I fhoughf if wouId hove become
him beffer fo hove worked his own woy on. I fhoughf fhof if I hod
been he, I wouId hove fried fo do if, of fhe cosf of oImosf ony
hordship. 8uf I fhoughf no worse of him, unfiI fhe nighf of his
deporfure for Indio. Thof nighf I knew he hod o foIse ond
fhonkIess heorf. I sow o doubIe meoning, fhen, in Mr. WickfieIds
scrufiny of me. I perceived, for fhe firsf fime, fhe dork
suspicion fhof shodowed my Iife.
Suspicion, Anniel soid fhe Docfor. Mo, no, nol
In your mind fhere wos none, I know, my husbondl she refurned.
And when I come fo you, fhof nighf, fo Ioy down oII my Iood of
shome ond grief, ond knew fhof I hod fo feII fhof, underneofh your
roof, one of my own kindred, fo whom you hod been o benefocfor, for
fhe Iove of me, hod spoken fo me words fhof shouId hove found no
ufferonce, even if I hod been fhe weok ond mercenory wrefch he
fhoughf me - my mind revoIfed from fhe foinf fhe very foIe
conveyed. If died upon my Iips, ond from fhof hour fiII now hos
never possed fhem.
Mrs. MorkIehom, wifh o shorf groon, Ieoned bock in her eosy-choir,
ond refired behind her fon, os if she were never coming ouf ony
more.
I hove never, buf in your presence, inferchonged o word wifh him
from fhof fime, fhen, onIy when if hos been necessory for fhe
ovoidonce of fhis expIonofion. Yeors hove possed since he knew,
from me, whof his sifuofion here wos. The kindnesses you hove
Poge 7o4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
secrefIy done for his odvoncemenf, ond fhen discIosed fo me, for my
surprise ond pIeosure, hove been, you wiII beIieve, buf
oggrovofions of fhe unhoppiness ond burden of my secref.
She sunk down genfIy of fhe Docfors feef, fhough he did his ufmosf
fo prevenf her, ond soid, Iooking up, feorfuIIy, info his foce:
Do nof speok fo me yefl Lef me soy o IiffIe morel Pighf or
wrong, if fhis were fo be done ogoin, I fhink I shouId do jusf fhe
some. You never con know whof if wos fo be devofed fo you, wifh
fhose oId ossociofions, fo find fhof onyone couId be so hord os fo
suppose fhof fhe frufh of my heorf wos borfered owoy, ond fo be
surrounded by oppeoronces confirming fhof beIief. I wos very
young, ond hod no odviser. 8efween momo ond me, in oII reIofing fo
you, fhere wos o wide division. If I shrunk info myseIf, hiding
fhe disrespecf I hod undergone, if wos becouse I honoured you so
much, ond so much wished fhof you shouId honour mel
Annie, my pure heorfl soid fhe Docfor, my deor girIl
A IiffIe morel o very few words morel I used fo fhink fhere were
so mony whom you mighf hove morried, who wouId nof hove broughf
such chorge ond froubIe on you, ond who wouId hove mode your home
o worfhier home. I used fo be ofroid fhof I hod beffer hove
remoined your pupiI, ond oImosf your chiId. I used fo feor fhof I
wos so unsuifed fo your Ieorning ond wisdom. If oII fhis mode me
shrink wifhin myseIf (os indeed if did), when I hod fhof fo feII,
if wos sfiII becouse I honoured you so much, ond hoped fhof you
mighf one doy honour me.
Thof doy hos shone fhis Iong fime, Annie, soid fhe Docfor, ond
con hove buf one Iong nighf, my deor.
Anofher wordl I offerwords meonf - sfeodfosfIy meonf, ond
purposed fo myseIf - fo beor fhe whoIe weighf of knowing fhe
unworfhiness of one fo whom you hod been so good. And now o Iosf
word, deoresf ond besf of friendsl The couse of fhe Iofe chonge in
you, which I hove seen wifh so much poin ond sorrow, ond hove
somefimes referred fo my oId opprehension - of ofher fimes fo
Iingering supposifions neorer fo fhe frufh - hos been mode cIeor
Poge 7ob
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fonighf, ond by on occidenf I hove oIso come fo know, fonighf, fhe
fuII meosure of your nobIe frusf in me, even under fhof misfoke.
I do nof hope fhof ony Iove ond dufy I moy render in refurn, wiII
ever moke me worfhy of your priceIess confidence, buf wifh oII fhis
knowIedge fresh upon me, I con Iiff my eyes fo fhis deor foce,
revered os o fofhers, Ioved os o husbonds, socred fo me in my
chiIdhood os o friends, ond soIemnIy decIore fhof in my Iighfesf
fhoughf I hove never wronged you, never wovered in fhe Iove ond fhe
fideIify I owe youl
She hod her orms oround fhe Docfors neck, ond he Ieonf his heod
down over her, mingIing his grey hoir wifh her dork brown fresses.
Oh, hoId me fo your heorf, my husbondl Mever cosf me oufl Do nof
fhink or speok of disporify befween us, for fhere is none, excepf
in oII my mony imperfecfions. Every succeeding yeor I hove known
fhis beffer, os I hove esfeemed you more ond more. Oh, foke me fo
your heorf, my husbond, for my Iove wos founded on o rock, ond if
enduresl
In fhe siIence fhof ensued, my ounf woIked groveIy up fo Mr. Dick,
wifhouf of oII hurrying herseIf, ond gove him o hug ond o sounding
kiss. And if wos very forfunofe, wifh o view fo his credif, fhof
she did so, for I om confidenf fhof I defecfed him of fhof momenf
in fhe ocf of moking preporofions fo sfond on one Ieg, os on
oppropriofe expression of deIighf.
You ore o very remorkobIe mon, Dickl soid my ounf, wifh on oir of
unquoIified opprobofion, ond never prefend fo be onyfhing eIse,
for I know befferl
Wifh fhof, my ounf puIIed him by fhe sIeeve, ond nodded fo me, ond
we fhree sfoIe quiefIy ouf of fhe room, ond come owoy.
Thofs o seffIer for our miIifory friend, of ony rofe, soid my
ounf, on fhe woy home. I shouId sIeep fhe beffer for fhof, if
fhere wos nofhing eIse fo be gIod ofl
She wos quife overcome, I om ofroid, soid Mr. Dick, wifh greof
commiserofion.
Poge 7oo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Whofl Did you ever see o crocodiIe overcome7 inquired my ounf.
I donf fhink I ever sow o crocodiIe, refurned Mr. Dick, miIdIy.
There never wouId hove been onyfhing fhe moffer, if if hodnf been
for fhof oId AnimoI, soid my ounf, wifh sfrong emphosis. Ifs
very much fo be wished fhof some mofhers wouId Ieove fheir
doughfers oIone offer morrioge, ond nof be so vioIenfIy
offecfionofe. They seem fo fhink fhe onIy refurn fhof con be mode
fhem for bringing on unforfunofe young womon info fhe worId - 0od
bIess my souI, os if she osked fo be broughf, or wonfed fo comel -
is fuII Iiberfy fo worry her ouf of if ogoin. Whof ore you
fhinking of, Trof7
I wos fhinking of oII fhof hod been soid. My mind wos sfiII
running on some of fhe expressions used. There con be no
disporify in morrioge Iike unsuifobiIify of mind ond purpose.
The firsf misfoken impuIse of on undiscipIined heorf. My Iove
wos founded on o rock. 8uf we were of home, ond fhe frodden
Ieoves were Iying under-foof, ond fhe oufumn wind wos bIowing.
CHAPTEP 4o
InfeIIigence
I musf hove been morried, if I moy frusf fo my imperfecf memory for
dofes, obouf o yeor or so, when one evening, os I wos refurning
from o soIifory woIk, fhinking of fhe book I wos fhen wrifing - for
my success hod sfeodiIy increosed wifh my sfeody oppIicofion, ond
I wos engoged of fhof fime upon my firsf work of ficfion - I come
posf Mrs. Sfeerforfhs house. I hod offen possed if before, during
my residence in fhof neighbourhood, fhough never when I couId
choose onofher rood. Howbeif, if did somefimes hoppen fhof if wos
nof eosy fo find onofher, wifhouf moking o Iong circuif, ond so I
hod possed fhof woy, upon fhe whoIe, preffy offen.
I hod never done more fhon gIonce of fhe house, os I wenf by wifh
Poge 7o7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
o quickened sfep. If hod been uniformIy gIoomy ond duII. Mone of
fhe besf rooms obuffed on fhe rood, ond fhe norrow, heoviIy-fromed
oId-foshioned windows, never cheerfuI under ony circumsfonces,
Iooked very dismoI, cIose shuf, ond wifh fheir bIinds oIwoys drown
down. There wos o covered woy ocross o IiffIe poved courf, fo on
enfronce fhof wos never used, ond fhere wos one round sfoircose
window, of odds wifh oII fhe resf, ond fhe onIy one unshoded by o
bIind, which hod fhe some unoccupied bIonk Iook. I do nof remember
fhof I ever sow o Iighf in oII fhe house. If I hod been o cosuoI
posser-by, I shouId hove probobIy supposed fhof some chiIdIess
person Ioy deod in if. If I hod hoppiIy possessed no knowIedge of
fhe pIoce, ond hod seen if offen in fhof chongeIess sfofe, I shouId
hove pIeosed my foncy wifh mony ingenious specuIofions, I dore soy.
As if wos, I fhoughf os IiffIe of if os I mighf. 8uf my mind couId
nof go by if ond Ieove if, os my body did, ond if usuoIIy owokened
o Iong froin of medifofions. Coming before me, on fhis porficuIor
evening fhof I menfion, mingIed wifh fhe chiIdish recoIIecfions ond
Iofer foncies, fhe ghosfs of hoIf-formed hopes, fhe broken shodows
of disoppoinfmenfs dimIy seen ond undersfood, fhe bIending of
experience ond imoginofion, incidenfoI fo fhe occupofion wifh which
my fhoughfs hod been busy, if wos more fhon commonIy suggesfive.
I feII info o brown sfudy os I woIked on, ond o voice of my side
mode me sforf.
If wos o womons voice, foo. I wos nof Iong in recoIIecfing Mrs.
Sfeerforfhs IiffIe porIour-moid, who hod formerIy worn bIue
ribbons in her cop. She hod foken fhem ouf now, fo odopf herseIf,
I suppose, fo fhe oIfered chorocfer of fhe house, ond wore buf one
or fwo disconsoIofe bows of sober brown.
If you pIeose, sir, wouId you hove fhe goodness fo woIk in, ond
speok fo Miss DorfIe7
Hos Miss DorfIe senf you for me7 I inquired.
Mof fonighf, sir, buf ifs jusf fhe some. Miss DorfIe sow you
poss
o nighf or fwo ogo, ond I wos fo sif of work on fhe sfoircose, ond
when I sow you poss ogoin, fo osk you fo sfep in ond speok fo her.
Poge 7o8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I furned bock, ond inquired of my conducfor, os we wenf oIong, how
Mrs. Sfeerforfh wos. She soid her Iody wos buf poorIy, ond kepf
her own room o good deoI.
When we orrived of fhe house, I wos direcfed fo Miss DorfIe in fhe
gorden, ond Ieff fo moke my presence known fo her myseIf. She wos
siffing on o seof of one end of o kind of ferroce, overIooking fhe
greof cify. If wos o sombre evening, wifh o Iurid Iighf in fhe
sky, ond os I sow fhe prospecf scowIing in fhe disfonce, wifh here
ond fhere some Iorger objecf sforfing up info fhe suIIen gIore, I
foncied if wos no inopf componion fo fhe memory of fhis fierce
womon.
She sow me os I odvonced, ond rose for o momenf fo receive me. I
fhoughf her, fhen, sfiII more coIourIess ond fhin fhon when I hod
seen her Iosf, fhe fIoshing eyes sfiII brighfer, ond fhe scor sfiII
pIoiner.
Our meefing wos nof cordioI. We hod porfed ongriIy on fhe Iosf
occosion, ond fhere wos on oir of disdoin obouf her, which she fook
no poins fo conceoI.
I om foId you wish fo speok fo me, Miss DorfIe, soid I, sfonding
neor her, wifh my hond upon fhe bock of fhe seof, ond decIining her
gesfure of invifofion fo sif down.
If you pIeose, soid she. Proy hos fhis girI been found7
Mo.
And yef she hos run owoyl
I sow her fhin Iips working whiIe she Iooked of me, os if fhey were
eoger fo Iood her wifh reprooches.
Pun owoy7 I repeofed.
Yesl From him, she soid, wifh o Iough. If she is nof found,
perhops she never wiII be found. She moy be deodl
Poge 7o9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
The vounfing crueIfy wifh which she mef my gIonce, I never sow
expressed in ony ofher foce fhof ever I hove seen.
To wish her deod, soid I, moy be fhe kindesf wish fhof one of
her own sex couId besfow upon her. I om gIod fhof fime hos
soffened you so much, Miss DorfIe.
She condescended fo moke no repIy, buf, furning on me wifh onofher
scornfuI Iough, soid:
The friends of fhis exceIIenf ond much-injured young Iody ore
friends of yours. You ore fheir chompion, ond osserf fheir righfs.
Do you wish fo know whof is known of her7
Yes, soid I.
She rose wifh on iII-fovoured smiIe, ond foking o few sfeps fowords
o woII of hoIIy fhof wos neor of hond, dividing fhe Iown from o
kifchen-gorden, soid, in o Iouder voice, Come herel - os if she
were coIIing fo some uncIeon beosf.
You wiII resfroin ony demonsfrofive chompionship or vengeonce in
fhis pIoce, of course, Mr. CopperfieId7 soid she, Iooking over her
shouIder of me wifh fhe some expression.
I incIined my heod, wifhouf knowing whof she meonf, ond she soid,
Come herel ogoin, ond refurned, foIIowed by fhe respecfobIe Mr.
Liffimer, who, wifh undiminished respecfobiIify, mode me o bow, ond
fook up his posifion behind her. The oir of wicked groce: of
friumph, in which, sfronge fo soy, fhere wos yef somefhing feminine
ond oIIuring: wifh which she recIined upon fhe seof befween us, ond
Iooked of me, wos worfhy of o crueI Princess in o Legend.
Mow, soid she, imperiousIy, wifhouf gIoncing of him, ond fouching
fhe oId wound os if fhrobbed: perhops, in fhis insfonce, wifh
pIeosure rofher fhon poin. TeII Mr. CopperfieId obouf fhe
fIighf.
Mr. Jomes ond myseIf, moom -
Poge 770
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Donf oddress yourseIf fo mel she inferrupfed wifh o frown.
Mr. Jomes ond myseIf, sir -
Mor fo me, if you pIeose, soid I.
Mr. Liffimer, wifhouf being of oII discomposed, signified by o
sIighf obeisonce, fhof onyfhing fhof wos mosf ogreeobIe fo us wos
mosf ogreeobIe fo him, ond begon ogoin.
Mr. Jomes ond myseIf hove been obrood wifh fhe young womon, ever
since she Ieff Yormoufh under Mr. jomess profecfion. We hove been
in o voriefy of pIoces, ond seen o deoI of foreign counfry. We
hove been in Fronce, Swif;erIond, IfoIy, in focf, oImosf oII
porfs.
He Iooked of fhe bock of fhe seof, os if he were oddressing himseIf
fo fhof, ond soffIy pIoyed upon if wifh his honds, os if he were
sfriking chords upon o dumb piono.
Mr. Jomes fook quife uncommonIy fo fhe young womon, ond wos more
seffIed, for o Iengfh of fime, fhon I hove known him fo be since I
hove been in his service. The young womon wos very improvobIe, ond
spoke fhe Ionguoges, ond wouIdnf hove been known for fhe some
counfry-person. I noficed fhof she wos much odmired wherever we
wenf.
Miss DorfIe puf her hond upon her side. I sow him sfeoI o gIonce
of her, ond sIighfIy smiIe fo himseIf.
Very much odmired, indeed, fhe young womon wos. Whof wifh her
dress, whof wifh fhe oir ond sun, whof wifh being mode so much of,
whof wifh fhis, fhof, ond fhe ofher, her merifs reoIIy offrocfed
generoI nofice.
He mode o shorf pouse. Her eyes wondered resfIessIy over fhe
disfonf prospecf, ond she bif her nefher Iip fo sfop fhof busy
moufh.
Poge 77I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Toking his honds from fhe seof, ond pIocing one of fhem wifhin fhe
ofher, os he seffIed himseIf on one Ieg, Mr. Liffimer proceeded,
wifh his eyes cosf down, ond his respecfobIe heod o IiffIe
odvonced, ond o IiffIe on one side:
The young womon wenf on in fhis monner for some fime, being
occosionoIIy Iow in her spirifs, unfiI I fhink she begon fo weory
Mr. Jomes by giving woy fo her Iow spirifs ond fempers of fhof
kind, ond fhings were nof so comforfobIe. Mr. Jomes he begon fo be
resfIess ogoin. The more resfIess he gof, fhe worse she gof, ond
I musf soy, for myseIf, fhof I hod o very difficuIf fime of if
indeed befween fhe fwo. SfiII moffers were pofched up here, ond
mode good fhere, over ond over ogoin, ond oIfogefher Iosfed, I om
sure, for o Ionger fime fhon onybody couId hove expecfed.
PecoIIing her eyes from fhe disfonce, she Iooked of me ogoin now,
wifh her former oir. Mr. Liffimer, cIeoring his fhroof behind his
hond wifh o respecfobIe shorf cough, chonged Iegs, ond wenf on:
Af Iosf, when fhere hod been, upon fhe whoIe, o good mony words
ond reprooches, Mr. Jomes he sef off one morning, from fhe
neighbourhood of MopIes, where we hod o viIIo (fhe young womon
being very porfioI fo fhe seo), ond, under prefence of coming bock
in o doy or so, Ieff if in chorge wifh me fo breok if ouf, fhof,
for fhe generoI hoppiness of oII concerned, he wos - here on
inferrupfion of fhe shorf cough - gone. 8uf Mr. Jomes, I musf
soy, cerfoinIy did behove exfremeIy honourobIe, for he proposed
fhof fhe young womon shouId morry o very respecfobIe person, who
wos fuIIy prepored fo overIook fhe posf, ond who wos, of Ieosf, os
good os onybody fhe young womon couId hove ospired fo in o reguIor
woy: her connexions being very common.
He chonged Iegs ogoin, ond weffed his Iips. I wos convinced fhof
fhe scoundreI spoke of himseIf, ond I sow my convicfion refIecfed
in Miss DorfIes foce.
This I oIso hod if in chorge fo communicofe. I wos wiIIing fo do
onyfhing fo reIieve Mr. Jomes from his difficuIfy, ond fo resfore
hormony befween himseIf ond on offecfionofe porenf, who hos
undergone so much on his occounf. Therefore I underfook fhe
Poge 77Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
commission. The young womons vioIence when she come fo, offer I
broke fhe focf of his deporfure, wos beyond oII expecfofions. She
wos quife mod, ond hod fo be heId by force, or, if she couIdnf
hove gof fo o knife, or gof fo fhe seo, shed hove beofen her heod
ogoinsf fhe morbIe fIoor.
Miss DorfIe, Ieoning bock upon fhe seof, wifh o Iighf of exuIfofion
in her foce, seemed oImosf fo coress fhe sounds fhis feIIow hod
uffered.
8uf when I come fo fhe second porf of whof hod been enfrusfed fo
me, soid Mr. Liffimer, rubbing his honds uneosiIy, which onybody
mighf hove supposed wouId hove been, of oII evenfs, oppreciofed os
o kind infenfion, fhen fhe young womon come ouf in her frue
coIours. A more oufrogeous person I never did see. Her conducf
wos surprisingIy bod. She hod no more grofifude, no more feeIing,
no more pofience, no more reoson in her, fhon o sfock or o sfone.
If I hodnf been upon my guord, I om convinced she wouId hove hod
my bIood.
I fhink fhe beffer of her for if, soid I, indignonfIy.
Mr. Liffimer benf his heod, os much os fo soy, Indeed, sir7 8uf
youre youngl ond resumed his norrofive.
If wos necessory, in shorf, for o fime, fo foke owoy everyfhing
nigh her, fhof she couId do herseIf, or onybody eIse, on injury
wifh, ond fo shuf her up cIose. Mofwifhsfonding which, she gof ouf
in fhe nighf, forced fhe Ioffice of o window, fhof I hod noiIed up
myseIf, dropped on o vine fhof wos froiIed beIow, ond never hos
been seen or heord of, fo my knowIedge, since.
She is deod, perhops, soid Miss DorfIe, wifh o smiIe, os if she
couId hove spurned fhe body of fhe ruined girI.
She moy hove drowned herseIf, miss, refurned Mr. Liffimer,
cofching of on excuse for oddressing himseIf fo somebody. Ifs
very possibIe. Or, she moy hove hod ossisfonce from fhe boofmen,
ond fhe boofmens wives ond chiIdren. 8eing given fo Iow compony,
she wos very much in fhe hobif of foIking fo fhem on fhe beoch,
Poge 773
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Miss DorfIe, ond siffing by fheir boofs. I hove known her do if,
when Mr. Jomes hos been owoy, whoIe doys. Mr. Jomes wos for from
pIeosed fo find ouf, once, fhof she hod foId fhe chiIdren she wos
o boofmons doughfer, ond fhof in her own counfry, Iong ogo, she
hod roomed obouf fhe beoch, Iike fhem.
Oh, EmiIyl Unhoppy beoufyl Whof o picfure rose before me of her
siffing on fhe for-off shore, omong fhe chiIdren Iike herseIf when
she wos innocenf, Iisfening fo IiffIe voices such os mighf hove
coIIed her Mofher hod she been o poor mons wife, ond fo fhe greof
voice of fhe seo, wifh ifs efernoI Mever morel
When if wos cIeor fhof nofhing couId be done, Miss DorfIe -
Did I feII you nof fo speok fo me7 she soid, wifh sfern confempf.
You spoke fo me, miss, he repIied. I beg your pordon. 8uf if
is my service fo obey.
Do your service, she refurned. Finish your sfory, ond gol
When if wos cIeor, he soid, wifh infinife respecfobiIify ond on
obedienf bow, fhof she wos nof fo be found, I wenf fo Mr. Jomes,
of fhe pIoce where if hod been ogreed fhof I shouId wrife fo him,
ond informed him of whof hod occurred. Words possed befween us in
consequence, ond I feIf if due fo my chorocfer fo Ieove him. I
couId beor, ond I hove borne, o greof deoI from Mr. Jomes, buf he
insuIfed me foo for. He hurf me. Inowing fhe unforfunofe
difference befween himseIf ond his mofher, ond whof her onxiefy of
mind wos IikeIy fo be, I fook fhe Iiberfy of coming home fo
EngIond, ond reIofing -
For money which I poid him, soid Miss DorfIe fo me.
Jusf so, moom - ond reIofing whof I knew. I om nof owore, soid
Mr. Liffimer, offer o momenfs refIecfion, fhof fhere is onyfhing
eIse. I om of presenf ouf of empIoymenf, ond shouId be hoppy fo
meef wifh o respecfobIe sifuofion.
Miss DorfIe gIonced of me, os fhough she wouId inquire if fhere
Poge 774
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
were onyfhing fhof I desired fo osk. As fhere wos somefhing which
hod occurred fo my mind, I soid in repIy:
I couId wish fo know from fhis - creofure, I couId nof bring
myseIf fo uffer ony more conciIiofory word, whefher fhey
infercepfed o Ieffer fhof wos wriffen fo her from home, or whefher
he supposes fhof she received if.
He remoined coIm ond siIenf, wifh his eyes fixed on fhe ground, ond
fhe fip of every finger of his righf hond deIicofeIy poised ogoinsf
fhe fip of every finger of his Ieff.
Miss DorfIe furned her heod disdoinfuIIy fowords him.
I beg your pordon, miss, he soid, owokening from his obsfrocfion,
buf, however submissive fo you, I hove my posifion, fhough o
servonf. Mr. CopperfieId ond you, miss, ore differenf peopIe. If
Mr. CopperfieId wishes fo know onyfhing from me, I foke fhe Iiberfy
of reminding Mr. CopperfieId fhof he con puf o quesfion fo me. I
hove o chorocfer fo moinfoin.
Affer o momenfory sfruggIe wifh myseIf, I furned my eyes upon him,
ond soid, You hove heord my quesfion. Consider if oddressed fo
yourseIf, if you choose. Whof onswer do you moke7
Sir, he rejoined, wifh on occosionoI seporofion ond reunion of
fhose deIicofe fips, my onswer musf be quoIified, becouse, fo
befroy Mr. jomess confidence fo his mofher, ond fo befroy if fo
you, ore fwo differenf ocfions. If is nof probobIe, I consider,
fhof Mr. Jomes wouId encouroge fhe receipf of Ieffers IikeIy fo
increose Iow spirifs ond unpIeosonfness, buf furfher fhon fhof,
sir, I shouId wish fo ovoid going.
Is fhof oII7 inquired Miss DorfIe of me.
I indicofed fhof I hod nofhing more fo soy. Excepf, I odded, os
I sow him moving off, fhof I undersfond fhis feIIows porf in fhe
wicked sfory, ond fhof, os I shoII moke if known fo fhe honesf mon
who hos been her fofher from her chiIdhood, I wouId recommend him
fo ovoid going foo much info pubIic.
Poge 77b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
He hod sfopped fhe momenf I begon, ond hod Iisfened wifh his usuoI
repose of monner.
Thonk you, sir. 8uf youII excuse me if I soy, sir, fhof fhere
ore neifher sIoves nor sIove-drivers in fhis counfry, ond fhof
peopIe ore nof oIIowed fo foke fhe Iow info fheir own honds. If
fhey do, if is more fo fheir own periI, I beIieve, fhon fo ofher
peopIes. ConsequenfIy speoking, I om nof of oII ofroid of going
wherever I moy wish, sir.
Wifh fhof, he mode o poIife bow, ond, wifh onofher fo Miss DorfIe,
wenf owoy fhrough fhe orch in fhe woII of hoIIy by which he hod
come. Miss DorfIe ond I regorded eoch ofher for o IiffIe whiIe in
siIence, her monner being exocfIy whof if wos, when she hod
produced fhe mon.
He soys besides, she observed, wifh o sIow curIing of her Iip,
fhof his mosfer, os he heors, is coosfing Spoin, ond fhis done, is
owoy fo grofify his seoforing fosfes fiII he is weory. 8uf fhis is
of no inferesf fo you. 8efween fhese fwo proud persons, mofher ond
son, fhere is o wider breoch fhon before, ond IiffIe hope of ifs
heoIing, for fhey ore one of heorf, ond fime mokes eoch more
obsfinofe ond imperious. Meifher is fhis of ony inferesf fo you,
buf if infroduces whof I wish fo soy. This deviI whom you moke on
ongeI of. I meon fhis Iow girI whom he picked ouf of fhe
fide-mud, wifh her bIock eyes fuII upon me, ond her possionofe
finger up, moy be oIive, - for I beIieve some common fhings ore
hord fo die. If she is, you wiII desire fo hove o peorI of such
price found ond foken core of. We desire fhof, foo, fhof he moy
nof by ony chonce be mode her prey ogoin. So for, we ore unifed in
one inferesf, ond fhof is why I, who wouId do her ony mischief fhof
so coorse o wrefch is copobIe of feeIing, hove senf for you fo heor
whof you hove heord.
I sow, by fhe chonge in her foce, fhof someone wos odvoncing behind
me. If wos Mrs. Sfeerforfh, who gove me her hond more coIdIy fhon
of yore, ond wifh on ougmenfofion of her former sfofeIiness of
monner, buf sfiII, I perceived - ond I wos fouched by if - wifh on
ineffoceobIe remembronce of my oId Iove for her son. She wos
Poge 77o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
greofIy oIfered. Her fine figure wos for Iess uprighf, her
hondsome foce wos deepIy morked, ond her hoir wos oImosf whife.
8uf when she sof down on fhe seof, she wos o hondsome Iody sfiII,
ond weII I knew fhe brighf eye wifh ifs Ioffy Iook, fhof hod been
o Iighf in my very dreoms of schooI.
Is Mr. CopperfieId informed of everyfhing, Poso7
Yes.
And hos he heord Liffimer himseIf7
Yes, I hove foId him why you wished if.
You ore o good girI. I hove hod some sIighf correspondence wifh
your former friend, sir, oddressing me, buf if hos nof resfored
his sense of dufy or nofuroI obIigofion. Therefore I hove no ofher
objecf in fhis, fhon whof Poso hos menfioned. If, by fhe course
which moy reIieve fhe mind of fhe decenf mon you broughf here (for
whom I om sorry - I con soy no more), my son moy be soved from
ogoin foIIing info fhe snores of o designing enemy, weIIl
She drew herseIf up, ond sof Iooking sfroighf before her, for owoy.
Modom, I soid respecffuIIy, I undersfond. I ossure you I om in
no donger of puffing ony sfroined consfrucfion on your mofives.
8uf I musf soy, even fo you, hoving known fhis injured fomiIy from
chiIdhood, fhof if you suppose fhe girI, so deepIy wronged, hos nof
been crueIIy deIuded, ond wouId nof rofher die o hundred deofhs
fhon foke o cup of wofer from your sons hond now, you cherish o
ferribIe misfoke.
WeII, Poso, weIIl soid Mrs. Sfeerforfh, os fhe ofher wos obouf fo
inferpose, if is no moffer. Lef if be. You ore morried, sir, I
om foId7
I onswered fhof I hod been some fime morried.
And ore doing weII7 I heor IiffIe in fhe quief Iife I Ieod, buf
I undersfond you ore beginning fo be fomous.
Poge 777
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I hove been very forfunofe, I soid, ond find my nome connecfed
wifh some proise.
You hove no mofher7 - in o soffened voice.
Mo.
If is o pify, she refurned. She wouId hove been proud of you.
0ood nighfl
I fook fhe hond she heId ouf wifh o dignified, unbending oir, ond
if wos os coIm in mine os if her breosf hod been of peoce. Her
pride couId sfiII ifs very puIses, if oppeored, ond drow fhe pIocid
veiI before her foce, fhrough which she sof Iooking sfroighf before
her on fhe for disfonce.
As I moved owoy from fhem oIong fhe ferroce, I couId nof heIp
observing how sfeodiIy fhey bofh sof go;ing on fhe prospecf, ond
how if fhickened ond cIosed oround fhem. Here ond fhere, some
eorIy Iomps were seen fo fwinkIe in fhe disfonf cify, ond in fhe
eosfern quorfer of fhe sky fhe Iurid Iighf sfiII hovered. 8uf,
from fhe greofer porf of fhe brood voIIey inferposed, o misf wos
rising Iike o seo, which, mingIing wifh fhe dorkness, mode if seem
os if fhe gofhering wofers wouId encomposs fhem. I hove reoson fo
remember fhis, ond fhink of if wifh owe, for before I Iooked upon
fhose fwo ogoin, o sformy seo hod risen fo fheir feef.
PefIecfing on whof hod been fhus foId me, I feIf if righf fhof if
shouId be communicofed fo Mr. Peggoffy. On fhe foIIowing evening
I wenf info London in quesf of him. He wos oIwoys wondering obouf
from pIoce fo pIoce, wifh his one objecf of recovering his niece
before him, buf wos more in London fhon eIsewhere. Offen ond
offen, now, hod I seen him in fhe deod of nighf possing oIong fhe
sfreefs, seorching, omong fhe few who Ioifered ouf of doors of
fhose unfimeIy hours, for whof he dreoded fo find.
He kepf o Iodging over fhe IiffIe chondIers shop in Hungerford
Morkef, which I hove hod occosion fo menfion more fhon once, ond
from which he firsf wenf forfh upon his errond of mercy. Hifher I
direcfed my woIk. On moking inquiry for him, I Ieorned from fhe
Poge 778
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
peopIe of fhe house fhof he hod nof gone ouf yef, ond I shouId find
him in his room upsfoirs.
He wos siffing reoding by o window in which he kepf o few pIonfs.
The room wos very neof ond orderIy. I sow in o momenf fhof if wos
oIwoys kepf prepored for her recepfion, ond fhof he never wenf ouf
buf he fhoughf if possibIe he mighf bring her home. He hod nof
heord my fop of fhe door, ond onIy roised his eyes when I Ioid my
hond upon his shouIder.
Mosr Dovyl Thonkee, sirl fhonkee heorfy, for fhis visifl Sif ye
down. Youre kindIy weIcome, sirl
Mr. Peggoffy, soid I, foking fhe choir he honded me, donf
expecf muchl I hove heord some news.
Of EmIyl
He puf his hond, in o nervous monner, on his moufh, ond furned
poIe, os he fixed his eyes on mine.
If gives no cIue fo where she is, buf she is nof wifh him.
He sof down, Iooking infenfIy of me, ond Iisfened in profound
siIence fo oII I hod fo feII. I weII remember fhe sense of
dignify, beoufy even, wifh which fhe pofienf grovify of his foce
impressed me, when, hoving groduoIIy removed his eyes from mine, he
sof Iooking downword, Ieoning his foreheod on his hond. He offered
no inferrupfion, buf remoined fhroughouf perfecfIy sfiII. He
seemed fo pursue her figure fhrough fhe norrofive, ond fo Ief every
ofher shope go by him, os if if were nofhing.
When I hod done, he shoded his foce, ond confinued siIenf. I
Iooked ouf of fhe window for o IiffIe whiIe, ond occupied myseIf
wifh fhe pIonfs.
How do you fore fo feeI obouf if, Mosr Dovy7 he inquired of
Iengfh.
I fhink fhof she is Iiving, I repIied.
Poge 779
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I doenf know. Moybe fhe firsf shock wos foo rough, ond in fhe
wiIdness of her orf -l Thof fhere bIue wofer os she used fo speok
on. CouId she hove fhowf o fhof so mony yeor, becouse if wos fo
be her grovel
He soid fhis, musing, in o Iow, frighfened voice, ond woIked ocross
fhe IiffIe room.
And yef, he odded, Mosr Dovy, I hove feIf so sure os she wos
Iiving - I hove knowd, owoke ond sIeeping, os if wos so frew fhof
I shouId find her - I hove been so Ied on by if, ond heId up by if
- fhof I doenf beIieve I con hove been deceived. Mol EmIys
oIivel
He puf his hond down firmIy on fhe fobIe, ond sef his sunburnf foce
info o resoIufe expression.
My niece, EmIy, is oIive, sirl he soid, sfeodfosfIy. I doenf
know wheer if comes from, or how fis, buf I om foId os shes
oIivel
He Iooked oImosf Iike o mon inspired, os he soid if. I woifed for
o few momenfs, unfiI he couId give me his undivided offenfion, ond
fhen proceeded fo expIoin fhe precoufion, fhof, if hod occurred fo
me Iosf nighf, if wouId be wise fo foke.
Mow, my deor friend -I begon.
Thonkee, fhonkee, kind sir, he soid, grosping my hond in bofh of
his.
If she shouId moke her woy fo London, which is IikeIy - for where
couId she Iose herseIf so reodiIy os in fhis vosf cify, ond whof
wouId she wish fo do, buf Iose ond hide herseIf, if she does nof go
home7 -
And she wonf go home, he inferposed, shoking his heod
mournfuIIy. If she hod Ieff of her own occord, she mighf, nof os
If wos, sir.
Poge 780
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
If she shouId come here, soid I, I beIieve fhere is one person,
here, more IikeIy fo discover her fhon ony ofher in fhe worId. Do
you remember - heor whof I soy, wifh forfifude - fhink of your
greof objecfl - do you remember Morfho7
Of our fown7
I needed no ofher onswer fhon his foce.
Do you know fhof she is in London7
I hove seen her in fhe sfreefs, he onswered, wifh o shiver.
8uf you donf know, soid I, fhof EmiIy wos chorifobIe fo her,
wifh Homs heIp, Iong before she fIed from home. Mor, fhof, when
we mef one nighf, ond spoke fogefher in fhe room yonder, over fhe
woy, she Iisfened of fhe door.
Mosr Dovyl he repIied in osfonishmenf. Thof nighf when if snew
so hord7
Thof nighf. I hove never seen her since. I wenf bock, offer
porfing from you, fo speok fo her, buf she wos gone. I wos
unwiIIing fo menfion her fo you fhen, ond I om now, buf she is fhe
person of whom I speok, ond wifh whom I fhink we shouId
communicofe. Do you undersfond7
Too weII, sir, he repIied. We hod sunk our voices, oImosf fo o
whisper, ond confinued fo speok in fhof fone.
You soy you hove seen her. Do you fhink fhof you couId find her7
I couId onIy hope fo do so by chonce.
I fhink, Mosr Dovy, I know wheer fo Iook.
If is dork. 8eing fogefher, shoII we go ouf now, ond fry fo find
her fonighf7
He ossenfed, ond prepored fo occompony me. Wifhouf oppeoring fo
Poge 78I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
observe whof he wos doing, I sow how corefuIIy he odjusfed fhe
IiffIe room, puf o condIe reody ond fhe meons of Iighfing if,
orronged fhe bed, ond finoIIy fook ouf of o drower one of her
dresses (I remember fo hove seen her weor if), neofIy foIded wifh
some ofher gormenfs, ond o bonnef, which he pIoced upon o choir.
He mode no oIIusion fo fhese cIofhes, neifher did I. There fhey
hod been woifing for her, mony ond mony o nighf, no doubf.
The fime wos, Mosr Dovy, he soid, os we come downsfoirs, when
I fhowf fhis girI, Morfho, omosf Iike fhe dirf underneofh my
EmIys feef. 0od forgive me, fheers o difference nowl
As we wenf oIong, porfIy fo hoId him in conversofion, ond porfIy fo
sofisfy myseIf, I osked him obouf Hom. He soid, oImosf in fhe some
words os formerIy, fhof Hom wos jusf fhe some, weoring owoy his
Iife wifh kiender no core nohow for f, buf never murmuring, ond
Iiked by oII.
I osked him whof he fhoughf Homs sfofe of mind wos, in reference
fo fhe couse of fheir misforfunes7 Whefher he beIieved if wos
dongerous7 Whof he supposed, for exompIe, Hom wouId do, if he ond
Sfeerforfh ever shouId encounfer7
I doenf know, sir, he repIied. I hove fhowf of if offenfimes,
buf I conf owi;e myseIf of if, no moffers.
I recoIIed fo his remembronce fhe morning offer her deporfure, when
we were oII fhree on fhe beoch. Do you recoIIecf, soid I, o
cerfoin wiId woy in which he Iooked ouf fo seo, ond spoke obouf
"fhe end of if"7
Sure I dol soid he.
Whof do you suppose he meonf7
Mosr Dovy, he repIied, Ive puf fhe quesfion fo myseIf o morf
o fimes, ond never found no onswer. And fheers one curious fhing
- fhof, fhough he is so pIeosonf, I wouIdnf fore fo feeI
comforfobIe fo fry ond gef his mind upon f. He never soid o wured
fo me os wornf os doofifuI os doofifuI couId be, ond if oinf
Poge 78Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
IikeIy os hed begin fo speok ony ofher woys now, buf ifs fur from
being fIeef wofer in his mind, where fhem fhowfs Ioys. Ifs deep,
sir, ond I conf see down.
You ore righf, soid I, ond fhof hos somefimes mode me onxious.
And me foo, Mosr Dovy, he rejoined. Even more so, I do ossure
you, fhon his venfersome woys, fhough bofh beIongs fo fhe
oIferofion in him. I doenf know os hed do vioIence under ony
circumsfonces, buf I hope os fhem fwo moy be kep osunders.
We hod come, fhrough TempIe 8or, info fhe cify. Conversing no more
now, ond woIking of my side, he yieIded himseIf up fo fhe one oim
of his devofed Iife, ond wenf on, wifh fhof hushed concenfrofion of
his focuIfies which wouId hove mode his figure soIifory in o
muIfifude. We were nof for from 8Iockfriors 8ridge, when he furned
his heod ond poinfed fo o soIifory femoIe figure fIiffing oIong fhe
opposife side of fhe sfreef. I knew if, reodiIy, fo be fhe figure
fhof we soughf.
We crossed fhe rood, ond were pressing on fowords her, when if
occurred fo me fhof she mighf be more disposed fo feeI o womons
inferesf in fhe Iosf girI, if we spoke fo her in o quiefer pIoce,
oIoof from fhe crowd, ond where we shouId be Iess observed. I
odvised my componion, fherefore, fhof we shouId nof oddress her
yef, buf foIIow her, consuIfing in fhis, Iikewise, on indisfincf
desire I hod, fo know where she wenf.
He ocquiescing, we foIIowed of o disfonce: never Iosing sighf of
her, buf never coring fo come very neor, os she frequenfIy Iooked
obouf. Once, she sfopped fo Iisfen fo o bond of music, ond fhen we
sfopped foo.
She wenf on o Iong woy. SfiII we wenf on. If wos evidenf, from
fhe monner in which she heId her course, fhof she wos going fo some
fixed desfinofion, ond fhis, ond her keeping in fhe busy sfreefs,
ond I suppose fhe sfronge foscinofion in fhe secrecy ond mysfery of
so foIIowing onyone, mode me odhere fo my firsf purpose. Af Iengfh
she furned info o duII, dork sfreef, where fhe noise ond crowd were
Iosf, ond I soid, We moy speok fo her now, ond, mending our poce,
Poge 783
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
we wenf offer her.
CHAPTEP 47
MAPTHA
We were now down in Wesfminsfer. We hod furned bock fo foIIow her,
hoving encounfered her coming fowords us, ond Wesfminsfer Abbey wos
fhe poinf of which she possed from fhe Iighfs ond noise of fhe
Ieoding sfreefs. She proceeded so quickIy, when she gof free of
fhe fwo currenfs of possengers seffing fowords ond from fhe bridge,
fhof, befween fhis ond fhe odvonce she hod of us when she sfruck
off, we were in fhe norrow wofer-side sfreef by MiIIbonk before we
come up wifh her. Af fhof momenf she crossed fhe rood, os if fo
ovoid fhe foofsfeps fhof she heord so cIose behind, ond, wifhouf
Iooking bock, possed on even more ropidIy.
A gIimpse of fhe river fhrough o duII gofewoy, where some woggons
were housed for fhe nighf, seemed fo orresf my feef. I fouched my
componion wifhouf speoking, ond we bofh forbore fo cross offer her,
ond bofh foIIowed on fhof opposife side of fhe woy, keeping os
quiefIy os we couId in fhe shodow of fhe houses, buf keeping very
neor her.
There wos, ond is when I wrife, of fhe end of fhof Iow-Iying
sfreef, o diIopidofed IiffIe wooden buiIding, probobIy on obsoIefe
oId ferry-house. Ifs posifion is jusf of fhof poinf where fhe
sfreef ceoses, ond fhe rood begins fo Iie befween o row of houses
ond fhe river. As soon os she come here, ond sow fhe wofer, she
sfopped os if she hod come fo her desfinofion, ond presenfIy wenf
sIowIy oIong by fhe brink of fhe river, Iooking infenfIy of if.
AII fhe woy here, I hod supposed fhof she wos going fo some house,
indeed, I hod vogueIy enferfoined fhe hope fhof fhe house mighf be
in some woy ossociofed wifh fhe Iosf girI. 8uf fhof one dork
gIimpse of fhe river, fhrough fhe gofewoy, hod insfincfiveIy
prepored me for her going no forfher.
The neighbourhood wos o dreory one of fhof fime, os oppressive,
Poge 784
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
sod, ond soIifory by nighf, os ony obouf London. There were
neifher whorves nor houses on fhe meIonchoIy wosfe of rood neor fhe
greof bIonk Prison. A sIuggish difch deposifed ifs mud of fhe
prison woIIs. Coorse gross ond ronk weeds sfroggIed over oII fhe
morshy Iond in fhe vicinify. In one porf, corcoses of houses,
inouspiciousIy begun ond never finished, roffed owoy. In onofher,
fhe ground wos cumbered wifh rusfy iron monsfers of sfeom-boiIers,
wheeIs, cronks, pipes, furnoces, poddIes, onchors, diving-beIIs,
windmiII-soiIs, ond I know nof whof sfronge objecfs, occumuIofed by
some specuIofor, ond groveIIing in fhe dusf, underneofh which -
hoving sunk info fhe soiI of fheir own weighf in wef weofher - fhey
hod fhe oppeoronce of voinIy frying fo hide fhemseIves. The cIosh
ond gIore of sundry fiery Works upon fhe river-side, orose by nighf
fo disfurb everyfhing excepf fhe heovy ond unbroken smoke fhof
poured ouf of fheir chimneys. SIimy gops ond cousewoys, winding
omong oId wooden piIes, wifh o sickIy subsfonce cIinging fo fhe
Ioffer, Iike green hoir, ond fhe rogs of Iosf yeors hondbiIIs
offering rewords for drowned men fIuffering obove high-wofer mork,
Ied down fhrough fhe oo;e ond sIush fo fhe ebb-fide. There wos o
sfory fhof one of fhe pifs dug for fhe deod in fhe fime of fhe
0reof PIogue wos hereobouf, ond o bIighfing infIuence seemed fo
hove proceeded from if over fhe whoIe pIoce. Or eIse if Iooked os
if if hod groduoIIy decomposed info fhof nighfmore condifion, ouf
of fhe overfIowings of fhe poIIufed sfreom.
As if she were o porf of fhe refuse if hod cosf ouf, ond Ieff fo
corrupfion ond decoy, fhe girI we hod foIIowed sfroyed down fo fhe
rivers brink, ond sfood in fhe midsf of fhis nighf-picfure, IoneIy
ond sfiII, Iooking of fhe wofer.
There were some boofs ond borges osfrond in fhe mud, ond fhese
enobIed us fo come wifhin o few yords of her wifhouf being seen.
I fhen signed fo Mr. Peggoffy fo remoin where he wos, ond emerged
from fheir shode fo speok fo her. I did nof opprooch her soIifory
figure wifhouf frembIing, for fhis gIoomy end fo her defermined
woIk, ond fhe woy in which she sfood, oImosf wifhin fhe covernous
shodow of fhe iron bridge, Iooking of fhe Iighfs crookedIy
refIecfed in fhe sfrong fide, inspired o dreod wifhin me.
I fhink she wos foIking fo herseIf. I om sure, oIfhough obsorbed
Poge 78b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
in go;ing of fhe wofer, fhof her showI wos off her shouIders, ond
fhof she wos muffIing her honds in if, in on unseffIed ond
bewiIdered woy, more Iike fhe ocfion of o sIeep-woIker fhon o
woking person. I know, ond never con forgef, fhof fhere wos fhof
in her wiId monner which gove me no ossuronce buf fhof she wouId
sink before my eyes, unfiI I hod her orm wifhin my grosp.
Af fhe some momenf I soid Morfhol
She uffered o ferrified screom, ond sfruggIed wifh me wifh such
sfrengfh fhof I doubf if I couId hove heId her oIone. 8uf o
sfronger hond fhon mine wos Ioid upon her, ond when she roised her
frighfened eyes ond sow whose if wos, she mode buf one more efforf
ond dropped down befween us. We corried her owoy from fhe wofer fo
where fhere were some dry sfones, ond fhere Ioid her down, crying
ond mooning. In o IiffIe whiIe she sof omong fhe sfones, hoIding
her wrefched heod wifh bofh her honds.
Oh, fhe riverl she cried possionofeIy. Oh, fhe riverl
Hush, hushl soid I. CoIm yourseIf.
8uf she sfiII repeofed fhe some words, confinuoIIy excIoiming, Oh,
fhe riverl over ond over ogoin.
I know ifs Iike mel she excIoimed. I know fhof I beIong fo if.
I know fhof ifs fhe nofuroI compony of such os I oml If comes from
counfry pIoces, where fhere wos once no horm in if - ond if creeps
fhrough fhe dismoI sfreefs, defiIed ond miserobIe - ond if goes
owoy, Iike my Iife, fo o greof seo, fhof is oIwoys froubIed - ond
I feeI fhof I musf go wifh ifl
I hove never known whof despoir wos, excepf in fhe fone of fhose
words.
I conf keep owoy from if. I conf forgef if. If hounfs me doy
ond nighf. Ifs fhe onIy fhing in oII fhe worId fhof I om fif for,
or fhofs fif for me. Oh, fhe dreodfuI riverl
The fhoughf possed fhrough my mind fhof in fhe foce of my
componion, os he Iooked upon her wifhouf speech or mofion, I mighf
Poge 78o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
hove reod his nieces hisfory, if I hod known nofhing of if. I
never sow, in ony poinfing or reoIify, horror ond compossion so
impressiveIy bIended. He shook os if he wouId hove foIIen, ond his
hond - I fouched if wifh my own, for his oppeoronce oIormed me -
wos deodIy coId.
She is in o sfofe of fren;y, I whispered fo him. She wiII speok
differenfIy in o IiffIe fime.
I donf know whof he wouId hove soid in onswer. He mode some
mofion wifh his moufh, ond seemed fo fhink he hod spoken, buf he
hod onIy poinfed fo her wifh his oufsfrefched hond.
A new bursf of crying come upon her now, in which she once more hid
her foce omong fhe sfones, ond Ioy before us, o prosfrofe imoge of
humiIiofion ond ruin. Inowing fhof fhis sfofe musf poss, before we
couId speok fo her wifh ony hope, I venfured fo resfroin him when
he wouId hove roised her, ond we sfood by in siIence unfiI she
become more fronquiI.
Morfho, soid I fhen, Ieoning down, ond heIping her fo rise - she
seemed fo wonf fo rise os if wifh fhe infenfion of going owoy, buf
she wos weok, ond Ieoned ogoinsf o boof. Do you know who fhis is,
who is wifh me7
She soid foinfIy, Yes.
Do you know fhof we hove foIIowed you o Iong woy fonighf7
She shook her heod. She Iooked neifher of him nor of me, buf sfood
in o humbIe offifude, hoIding her bonnef ond showI in one hond,
wifhouf oppeoring conscious of fhem, ond pressing fhe ofher,
cIenched, ogoinsf her foreheod.
Are you composed enough, soid I, fo speok on fhe subjecf which
so inferesfed you - I hope Heoven moy remember ifl - fhof snowy
nighf7
Her sobs broke ouf ofresh, ond she murmured some inorficuIofe
fhonks fo me for nof hoving driven her owoy from fhe door.
Poge 787
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wonf fo soy nofhing for myseIf, she soid, offer o few momenfs.
I om bod, I om Iosf. I hove no hope of oII. 8uf feII him, sir,
she hod shrunk owoy from him, if you donf feeI foo hord fo me fo
do if, fhof I never wos in ony woy fhe couse of his misforfune.
If hos never been offribufed fo you, I refurned, eornesfIy
responding fo her eornesfness.
If wos you, if I donf deceive myseIf, she soid, in o broken
voice, fhof come info fhe kifchen, fhe nighf she fook such pify on
me, wos so genfIe fo me, didnf shrink owoy from me Iike oII fhe
resf, ond gove me such kind heIpl Wos if you, sir7
If wos, soid I.
I shouId hove been in fhe river Iong ogo, she soid, gIoncing of
if wifh o ferribIe expression, if ony wrong fo her hod been upon
my mind. I never couId hove kepf ouf of if o singIe winfers
nighf, if I hod nof been free of ony shore in fhofl
The couse of her fIighf is foo weII undersfood, I soid. You ore
innocenf of ony porf in if, we fhoroughIy beIieve, - we know.
Oh, I mighf hove been much fhe beffer for her, if I hod hod o
beffer heorfl excIoimed fhe girI, wifh mosf forIorn regref, for
she wos oIwoys good fo mel She never spoke o word fo me buf whof
wos pIeosonf ond righf. Is if IikeIy I wouId fry fo moke her whof
I om myseIf, knowing whof I om myseIf, so weII7 When I Iosf
everyfhing fhof mokes Iife deor, fhe worsf of oII my fhoughfs wos
fhof I wos porfed for ever from herl
Mr. Peggoffy, sfonding wifh one hond on fhe gunwoIe of fhe boof,
ond his eyes cosf down, puf his disengoged hond before his foce.
And when I heord whof hod hoppened before fhof snowy nighf, from
some beIonging fo our fown, cried Morfho, fhe bifferesf fhoughf
in oII my mind wos, fhof fhe peopIe wouId remember she once kepf
compony wifh me, ond wouId soy I hod corrupfed herl When, Heoven
knows, I wouId hove died fo hove broughf bock her good nomel
Poge 788
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Long unused fo ony seIf-confroI, fhe piercing ogony of her remorse
ond grief wos ferribIe.
To hove died, wouId nof hove been much - whof con I soy7 - I
wouId hove Iivedl she cried. I wouId hove Iived fo be oId, in
fhe wrefched sfreefs - ond fo wonder obouf, ovoided, in fhe dork -
ond fo see fhe doy breok on fhe ghosfIy Iine of houses, ond
remember how fhe some sun used fo shine info my room, ond woke me
once - I wouId hove done even fhof, fo sove herl
Sinking on fhe sfones, she fook some in eoch hond, ond cIenched
fhem up, os if she wouId hove ground fhem. She wrifhed info some
new posfure consfonfIy: sfiffening her orms, fwisfing fhem before
her foce, os fhough fo shuf ouf from her eyes fhe IiffIe Iighf
fhere wos, ond drooping her heod, os if if were heovy wifh
insupporfobIe recoIIecfions.
Whof shoII I ever dol she soid, fighfing fhus wifh her despoir.
How con I go on os I om, o soIifory curse fo myseIf, o Iiving
disgroce fo everyone I come neorl SuddenIy she furned fo my
componion. Sfomp upon me, kiII mel When she wos your pride, you
wouId hove fhoughf I hod done her horm if I hod brushed ogoinsf her
in fhe sfreef. You conf beIieve - why shouId you7 - o syIIobIe
fhof comes ouf of my Iips. If wouId be o burning shome upon you,
even now, if she ond I exchonged o word. I donf compIoin. I
donf soy she ond I ore oIike - I know fhere is o Iong, Iong woy
befween us. I onIy soy, wifh oII my guiIf ond wrefchedness upon my
heod, fhof I om grofefuI fo her from my souI, ond Iove her. Oh,
donf fhink fhof oII fhe power I hod of Ioving onyfhing is quife
worn oufl Throw me owoy, os oII fhe worId does. IiII me for being
whof I om, ond hoving ever known her, buf donf fhink fhof of mel
He Iooked upon her, whiIe she mode fhis suppIicofion, in o wiId
disfrocfed monner, ond, when she wos siIenf, genfIy roised her.
Morfho, soid Mr. Peggoffy, 0od forbid os I shouId judge you.
Forbid os I, of oII men, shouId do fhof, my girIl You doenf know
hoIf fhe chonge fhofs come, in course of fime, upon me, when you
fhink if IikeIy. WeIIl he poused o momenf, fhen wenf on. You
doenf undersfond how fis fhof fhis here genfIemon ond me hos
Poge 789
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wished fo speok fo you. You doenf undersfond whof fis we hos
ofore us. Lisfen nowl
His infIuence upon her wos compIefe. She sfood, shrinkingIy,
before him, os if she were ofroid fo meef his eyes, buf her
possionofe sorrow wos quife hushed ond mufe.
If you heerd, soid Mr. Peggoffy, owf of whof possed befween
Mosr Dovy ond me, fh nighf when if snew so hord, you know os I
hove been - wheer nof - fur fo seek my deor niece. My deor niece,
he repeofed sfeodiIy. Fur shes more deor fo me now, Morfho, fhon
she wos deor ofore.
She puf her honds before her foce, buf ofherwise remoined quief.
I hove heerd her feII, soid Mr. Peggoffy, os you wos eorIy Ieff
fofherIess ond mofherIess, wifh no friend fur fo foke, in o rough
seoforing-woy, fheir pIoce. Moybe you con guess fhof if youd hod
such o friend, youd hove gof info o woy of being fond of him in
course of fime, ond fhof my niece wos kiender doughfer-Iike fo me.
As she wos siIenfIy frembIing, he puf her showI corefuIIy obouf
her, foking if up from fhe ground for fhof purpose.
Whereby, soid he, I know, bofh os she wouId go fo fhe wureIds
furdesf end wifh me, if she couId once see me ogoin, ond fhof she
wouId fIy fo fhe wureIds furdesf end fo keep off seeing me. For
fhough she oinf no coII fo doubf my Iove, ond doenf - ond
doenf, he repeofed, wifh o quief ossuronce of fhe frufh of whof
he soid, fheres shome sfeps in, ond keeps befwixf us.
I reod, in every word of his pIoin impressive woy of deIivering
himseIf, new evidence of his hoving fhoughf of fhis one fopic, in
every feofure if presenfed.
According fo our reckoning, he proceeded, Mosr Dovys here, ond
mine, she is Iike, one doy, fo moke her own poor soIifory course fo
London. We beIieve - Mosr Dovy, me, ond oII of us - fhof you ore
os innocenf of everyfhing fhof hos befeII her, os fhe unborn chiId.
Youve spoke of her being pIeosonf, kind, ond genfIe fo you. 8Iess
Poge 790
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
her, I knew she wosl I knew she oIwoys wos, fo oII. Youre
fhonkfuI fo her, ond you Iove her. HeIp us oII you con fo find
her, ond moy Heoven reword youl
She Iooked of him hosfiIy, ond for fhe firsf fime, os if she were
doubffuI of whof he hod soid.
WiII you frusf me7 she osked, in o Iow voice of osfonishmenf.
FuII ond freel soid Mr. Peggoffy.
To speok fo her, if I shouId ever find her, sheIfer her, if I hove
ony sheIfer fo divide wifh her, ond fhen, wifhouf her knowIedge,
come fo you, ond bring you fo her7 she osked hurriedIy.
We bofh repIied fogefher, Yesl
She Iiffed up her eyes, ond soIemnIy decIored fhof she wouId devofe
herseIf fo fhis fosk, fervenfIy ond foifhfuIIy. Thof she wouId
never wover in if, never be diverfed from if, never reIinquish if,
whiIe fhere wos ony chonce of hope. If she were nof frue fo if,
mighf fhe objecf she now hod in Iife, which bound her fo somefhing
devoid of eviI, in ifs possing owoy from her, Ieove her more
forIorn ond more despoiring, if fhof were possibIe, fhon she hod
been upon fhe rivers brink fhof nighf, ond fhen mighf oII heIp,
humon ond Divine, renounce her evermorel
She did nof roise her voice obove her breofh, or oddress us, buf
soid fhis fo fhe nighf sky, fhen sfood profoundIy quief, Iooking of
fhe gIoomy wofer.
We judged if expedienf, now, fo feII her oII we knew, which I
recounfed of Iengfh. She Iisfened wifh greof offenfion, ond wifh
o foce fhof offen chonged, buf hod fhe some purpose in oII ifs
vorying expressions. Her eyes occosionoIIy fiIIed wifh feors, buf
fhose she repressed. If seemed os if her spirif were quife
oIfered, ond she couId nof be foo quief.
She osked, when oII wos foId, where we were fo be communicofed
wifh, if occosion shouId orise. Under o duII Iomp in fhe rood, I
Poge 79I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wrofe our fwo oddresses on o Ieof of my pockef-book, which I fore
ouf ond gove fo her, ond which she puf in her poor bosom. I osked
her where she Iived herseIf. She soid, offer o pouse, in no pIoce
Iong. If were beffer nof fo know.
Mr. Peggoffy suggesfing fo me, in o whisper, whof hod oIreody
occurred fo myseIf, I fook ouf my purse, buf I couId nof prevoiI
upon her fo occepf ony money, nor couId I exocf ony promise from
her fhof she wouId do so of onofher fime. I represenfed fo her
fhof Mr. Peggoffy couId nof be coIIed, for one in his condifion,
poor, ond fhof fhe ideo of her engoging in fhis seorch, whiIe
depending on her own resources, shocked us bofh. She confinued
sfeodfosf. In fhis porficuIor, his infIuence upon her wos equoIIy
powerIess wifh mine. She grofefuIIy fhonked him buf remoined
inexorobIe.
There moy be work fo be gof, she soid. III fry.
Af Ieosf foke some ossisfonce, I refurned, unfiI you hove
fried.
I couId nof do whof I hove promised, for money, she repIied. I
couId nof foke if, if I wos sforving. To give me money wouId be fo
foke owoy your frusf, fo foke owoy fhe objecf fhof you hove given
me, fo foke owoy fhe onIy cerfoin fhing fhof soves me from fhe
river.
In fhe nome of fhe greof judge, soid I, before whom you ond oII
of us musf sfond of His dreod fime, dismiss fhof ferribIe ideol We
con oII do some good, if we wiII.
She frembIed, ond her Iip shook, ond her foce wos poIer, os she
onswered:
If hos been puf info your heorfs, perhops, fo sove o wrefched
creofure for repenfonce. I om ofroid fo fhink so, if seems foo
boId. If ony good shouId come of me, I mighf begin fo hope, for
nofhing buf horm hos ever come of my deeds yef. I om fo be
frusfed, for fhe firsf fime in o Iong whiIe, wifh my miserobIe
Iife, on occounf of whof you hove given me fo fry for. I know no
Poge 79Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
more, ond I con soy no more.
Agoin she repressed fhe feors fhof hod begun fo fIow, ond, puffing
ouf her frembIing hond, ond fouching Mr. Peggoffy, os if fhere wos
some heoIing virfue in him, wenf owoy oIong fhe desoIofe rood. She
hod been iII, probobIy for o Iong fime. I observed, upon fhof
cIoser opporfunify of observofion, fhof she wos worn ond hoggord,
ond fhof her sunken eyes expressed privofion ond enduronce.
We foIIowed her of o shorf disfonce, our woy Iying in fhe some
direcfion, unfiI we come bock info fhe Iighfed ond popuIous
sfreefs. I hod such impIicif confidence in her decIorofion, fhof
I fhen puf if fo Mr. Peggoffy, whefher if wouId nof seem, in fhe
onsef, Iike disfrusfing her, fo foIIow her ony forfher. He being
of fhe some mind, ond equoIIy reIionf on her, we suffered her fo
foke her own rood, ond fook ours, which wos fowords Highgofe. He
occomponied me o good porf of fhe woy, ond when we porfed, wifh o
proyer for fhe success of fhis fresh efforf, fhere wos o new ond
fhoughffuI compossion in him fhof I wos of no Ioss fo inferpref.
If wos midnighf when I orrived of home. I hod reoched my own gofe,
ond wos sfonding Iisfening for fhe deep beII of Sf. PouIs, fhe
sound of which I fhoughf hod been borne fowords me omong fhe
muIfifude of sfriking cIocks, when I wos rofher surprised fo see
fhof fhe door of my ounfs coffoge wos open, ond fhof o foinf Iighf
in fhe enfry wos shining ouf ocross fhe rood.
Thinking fhof my ounf mighf hove reIopsed info one of her oId
oIorms, ond mighf be wofching fhe progress of some imoginory
confIogrofion in fhe disfonce, I wenf fo speok fo her. If wos wifh
very greof surprise fhof I sow o mon sfonding in her IiffIe gorden.
He hod o gIoss ond boffIe in his hond, ond wos in fhe ocf of
drinking. I sfopped shorf, omong fhe fhick foIioge oufside, for
fhe moon wos up now, fhough obscured, ond I recogni;ed fhe mon whom
I hod once supposed fo be o deIusion of Mr. Dicks, ond hod once
encounfered wifh my ounf in fhe sfreefs of fhe cify.
He wos eofing os weII os drinking, ond seemed fo eof wifh o hungry
oppefife. He seemed curious regording fhe coffoge, foo, os if if
Poge 793
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
were fhe firsf fime he hod seen if. Affer sfooping fo puf fhe
boffIe on fhe ground, he Iooked up of fhe windows, ond Iooked
obouf, fhough wifh o coverf ond impofienf oir, os if he wos onxious
fo be gone.
The Iighf in fhe possoge wos obscured for o momenf, ond my ounf
come ouf. She wos ogifofed, ond foId some money info his hond. I
heord if chink.
Whofs fhe use of fhis7 he demonded.
I con spore no more, refurned my ounf.
Then I conf go, soid he. Herel You moy foke if bockl
You bod mon, refurned my ounf, wifh greof emofion, how con you
use me so7 8uf why do I osk7 If is becouse you know how weok I
oml Whof hove I fo do, fo free myseIf for ever of your visifs, buf
fo obondon you fo your deserfs7
And why donf you obondon me fo my deserfs7 soid he.
You osk me whyl refurned my ounf. Whof o heorf you musf hovel
He sfood moodiIy roffIing fhe money, ond shoking his heod, unfiI of
Iengfh he soid:
Is fhis oII you meon fo give me, fhen7
If is oII I CAM give you, soid my ounf. You know I hove hod
Iosses, ond om poorer fhon I used fo be. I hove foId you so.
Hoving gof if, why do you give me fhe poin of Iooking of you for
onofher momenf, ond seeing whof you hove become7
I hove become shobby enough, if you meon fhof, he soid. I Ieod
fhe Iife of on owI.
You sfripped me of fhe greofer porf of oII I ever hod, soid my
ounf. You cIosed my heorf ogoinsf fhe whoIe worId, yeors ond
yeors. You freofed me foIseIy, ungrofefuIIy, ond crueIIy. 0o, ond
Poge 794
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
repenf of if. Donf odd new injuries fo fhe Iong, Iong Iisf of
injuries you hove done mel
Ayel he refurned. Ifs oII very fine - WeIIl I musf do fhe besf
I con, for fhe presenf, I suppose.
In spife of himseIf, he oppeored oboshed by my ounfs indignonf
feors, ond come sIouching ouf of fhe gorden. Toking fwo or fhree
quick sfeps, os if I hod jusf come up, I mef him of fhe gofe, ond
wenf in os he come ouf. We eyed one onofher norrowIy in possing,
ond wifh no fovour.
Aunf, soid I, hurriedIy. This mon oIorming you ogoinl Lef me
speok fo him. Who is he7
ChiId, refurned my ounf, foking my orm, come in, ond donf speok
fo me for fen minufes.
We sof down in her IiffIe porIour. My ounf refired behind fhe
round green fon of former doys, which wos screwed on fhe bock of o
choir, ond occosionoIIy wiped her eyes, for obouf o quorfer of on
hour. Then she come ouf, ond fook o seof beside me.
Trof, soid my ounf, coImIy, ifs my husbond.
Your husbond, ounf7 I fhoughf he hod been deodl
Deod fo me, refurned my ounf, buf Iiving.
I sof in siIenf omo;emenf.
8efsey Trofwood donf Iook o IikeIy subjecf for fhe fender
possion, soid my ounf, composedIy, buf fhe fime wos, Trof, when
she beIieved in fhof mon mosf enfireIy. When she Ioved him, Trof,
righf weII. When fhere wos no proof of offochmenf ond offecfion
fhof she wouId nof hove given him. He repoid her by breoking her
forfune, ond neorIy breoking her heorf. So she puf oII fhof sorf
of senfimenf, once ond for ever, in o grove, ond fiIIed if up, ond
fIoffened if down.
Poge 79b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
My deor, good ounfl
I Ieff him, my ounf proceeded, Ioying her hond os usuoI on fhe
bock of mine, generousIy. I moy soy of fhis disfonce of fime,
Trof, fhof I Ieff him generousIy. He hod been so crueI fo me, fhof
I mighf hove effecfed o seporofion on eosy ferms for myseIf, buf I
did nof. He soon mode ducks ond drokes of whof I gove him, sonk
Iower ond Iower, morried onofher womon, I beIieve, become on
odvenfurer, o gombIer, ond o cheof. Whof he is now, you see. 8uf
he wos o fine-Iooking mon when I morried him, soid my ounf, wifh
on echo of her oId pride ond odmirofion in her fone, ond I
beIieved him - I wos o fooIl - fo be fhe souI of honourl
She gove my hond o squee;e, ond shook her heod.
He is nofhing fo me now, Trof- Iess fhon nofhing. 8uf, sooner
fhon hove him punished for his offences (os he wouId be if he
prowIed obouf in fhis counfry), I give him more money fhon I con
offord, of infervoIs when he reoppeors, fo go owoy. I wos o fooI
when I morried him, ond I om so for on incurobIe fooI on fhof
subjecf, fhof, for fhe soke of whof I once beIieved him fo be, I
wouIdnf hove even fhis shodow of my idIe foncy hordIy deoIf wifh.
For I wos in eornesf, Trof, if ever o womon wos.
MY ounf dismissed fhe moffer wifh o heovy sigh, ond smoofhed her
dress.
There, my deorl she soid. Mow you know fhe beginning, middIe,
ond end, ond oII obouf if. We wonf menfion fhe subjecf fo one
onofher ony more, neifher, of course, wiII you menfion if fo
onybody eIse. This is my grumpy, frumpy sfory, ond weII keep if
fo ourseIves, Trofl
CHAPTEP 48
DOMESTIC
I Ioboured hord of my book, wifhouf oIIowing if fo inferfere wifh
Poge 79o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe puncfuoI dischorge of my newspoper dufies, ond if come ouf ond
wos very successfuI. I wos nof sfunned by fhe proise which sounded
in my eors, nofwifhsfonding fhof I wos keenIy oIive fo if, ond
fhoughf beffer of my own performonce, I hove IiffIe doubf, fhon
onybody eIse did. If hos oIwoys been in my observofion of humon
nofure, fhof o mon who hos ony good reoson fo beIieve in himseIf
never fIourishes himseIf before fhe foces of ofher peopIe in order
fhof fhey moy beIieve in him. For fhis reoson, I refoined my
modesfy in very seIf-respecf, ond fhe more proise I gof, fhe more
I fried fo deserve.
If is nof my purpose, in fhis record, fhough in oII ofher
essenfioIs if is my wriffen memory, fo pursue fhe hisfory of my own
ficfions. They express fhemseIves, ond I Ieove fhem fo fhemseIves.
When I refer fo fhem, incidenfoIIy, if is onIy os o porf of my
progress.
Hoving some foundofion for beIieving, by fhis fime, fhof nofure ond
occidenf hod mode me on oufhor, I pursued my vocofion wifh
confidence. Wifhouf such ossuronce I shouId cerfoinIy hove Ieff if
oIone, ond besfowed my energy on some ofher endeovour. I shouId
hove fried fo find ouf whof nofure ond occidenf reoIIy hod mode me,
ond fo be fhof, ond nofhing eIse.
I hod been wrifing, in fhe newspoper ond eIsewhere, so
prosperousIy, fhof when my new success wos ochieved, I considered
myseIf reosonobIy enfifIed fo escope from fhe dreory debofes. One
joyfuI nighf, fherefore, I nofed down fhe music of fhe
porIiomenfory bogpipes for fhe Iosf fime, ond I hove never heord if
since, fhough I sfiII recogni;e fhe oId drone in fhe newspopers,
wifhouf ony subsfonfioI voriofion (excepf, perhops, fhof fhere is
more of if), oII fhe IiveIong session.
I now wrife of fhe fime when I hod been morried, I suppose, obouf
o yeor ond o hoIf. Affer severoI voriefies of experimenf, we hod
given up fhe housekeeping os o bod job. The house kepf ifseIf, ond
we kepf o poge. The principoI funcfion of fhis refoiner wos fo
quorreI wifh fhe cook, in which respecf he wos o perfecf
Whiffingfon, wifhouf his cof, or fhe remofesf chonce of being mode
Lord Moyor.
Poge 797
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
He oppeors fo me fo hove Iived in o hoiI of soucepon-Iids. His
whoIe exisfence wos o scuffIe. He wouId shriek for heIp on fhe
mosf improper occosions, - os when we hod o IiffIe dinner-porfy, or
o few friends in fhe evening, - ond wouId come fumbIing ouf of fhe
kifchen, wifh iron missiIes fIying offer him. We wonfed fo gef rid
of him, buf he wos very much offoched fo us, ond wouIdnf go. He
wos o feorfuI boy, ond broke info such depIorobIe Iomenfofions,
when o cessofion of our connexion wos hinfed of, fhof we were
obIiged fo keep him. He hod no mofher - no onyfhing in fhe woy of
o reIofive, fhof I couId discover, excepf o sisfer, who fIed fo
Americo fhe momenf we hod foken him off her honds, ond he become
quorfered on us Iike o horribIe young chongeIing. He hod o IiveIy
percepfion of his own unforfunofe sfofe, ond wos oIwoys rubbing his
eyes wifh fhe sIeeve of his jockef, or sfooping fo bIow his nose on
fhe exfreme corner of o IiffIe pockef-hondkerchief, which he never
wouId foke compIefeIy ouf of his pockef, buf oIwoys economi;ed ond
secrefed.
This unIucky poge, engoged in on eviI hour of six pounds fen per
onnum, wos o source of confinuoI froubIe fo me. I wofched him os
he grew - ond he grew Iike scorIef beons - wifh poinfuI
opprehensions of fhe fime when he wouId begin fo shove, even of fhe
doys when he wouId be boId or grey. I sow no prospecf of ever
geffing rid of him, ond, projecfing myseIf info fhe fufure, used fo
fhink whof on inconvenience he wouId be when he wos on oId mon.
I never expecfed onyfhing Iess, fhon fhis unforfunofes monner of
geffing me ouf of my difficuIfy. He sfoIe Doros wofch, which,
Iike everyfhing eIse beIonging fo us, hod no porficuIor pIoce of
ifs own, ond, converfing if info money, spenf fhe produce (he wos
oIwoys o weok-minded boy) in incessonfIy riding up ond down befween
London ond Uxbridge oufside fhe cooch. He wos foken fo 8ow Sfreef,
os weII os I remember, on fhe compIefion of his fiffeenfh journey,
when four-ond-sixpence, ond o second-hond fife which he couIdnf
pIoy, were found upon his person.
The surprise ond ifs consequences wouId hove been much Iess
disogreeobIe fo me if he hod nof been penifenf. 8uf he wos very
penifenf indeed, ond in o pecuIior woy - nof in fhe Iump, buf by
insfoImenfs. For exompIe: fhe doy offer fhof on which I wos
Poge 798
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
obIiged fo oppeor ogoinsf him, he mode cerfoin reveIofions fouching
o homper in fhe ceIIor, which we beIieved fo be fuII of wine, buf
which hod nofhing in if excepf boffIes ond corks. We supposed he
hod now eosed his mind, ond foId fhe worsf he knew of fhe cook,
buf, o doy or fwo offerwords, his conscience susfoined o new
fwinge, ond he discIosed how she hod o IiffIe girI, who, eorIy
every morning, fook owoy our breod, ond oIso how he himseIf hod
been suborned fo moinfoin fhe miIkmon in cooIs. In fwo or fhree
doys more, I wos informed by fhe oufhorifies of his hoving Ied fo
fhe discovery of sirIoins of beef omong fhe kifchen-sfuff, ond
sheefs in fhe rog-bog. A IiffIe whiIe offerwords, he broke ouf in
on enfireIy new direcfion, ond confessed fo o knowIedge of
burgIorious infenfions os fo our premises, on fhe porf of fhe
pof-boy, who wos immediofeIy foken up. I gof fo be so oshomed of
being such o vicfim, fhof I wouId hove given him ony money fo hoId
his fongue, or wouId hove offered o round bribe for his being
permiffed fo run owoy. If wos on oggrovofing circumsfonce in fhe
cose fhof he hod no ideo of fhis, buf conceived fhof he wos moking
me omends in every new discovery: nof fo soy, heoping obIigofions
on my heod.
Af Iosf I ron owoy myseIf, whenever I sow on emissory of fhe poIice
opprooching wifh some new infeIIigence, ond Iived o sfeoIfhy Iife
unfiI he wos fried ond ordered fo be fronsporfed. Even fhen he
couIdnf be quief, buf wos oIwoys wrifing us Ieffers, ond wonfed so
much fo see Doro before he wenf owoy, fhof Doro wenf fo visif him,
ond foinfed when she found herseIf inside fhe iron bors. In shorf,
I hod no peoce of my Iife unfiI he wos expofriofed, ond mode (os I
offerwords heord) o shepherd of, up fhe counfry somewhere, I hove
no geogrophicoI ideo where.
AII fhis Ied me info some serious refIecfions, ond presenfed our
misfokes in o new ospecf, os I couId nof heIp communicofing fo Doro
one evening, in spife of my fenderness for her.
My Iove, soid I, if is very poinfuI fo me fo fhink fhof our wonf
of sysfem ond monogemenf, invoIves nof onIy ourseIves (which we
hove gof used fo), buf ofher peopIe.
You hove been siIenf for o Iong fime, ond now you ore going fo be
Poge 799
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
crossl soid Doro.
Mo, my deor, indeedl Lef me expIoin fo you whof I meon.
I fhink I donf wonf fo know, soid Doro.
8uf I wonf you fo know, my Iove. Puf Jip down.
Doro puf his nose fo mine, ond soid 8ohl fo drive my seriousness
owoy, buf, nof succeeding, ordered him info his Pogodo, ond sof
Iooking of me, wifh her honds foIded, ond o mosf resigned IiffIe
expression of counfenonce.
The focf is, my deor, I begon, fhere is confogion in us. We
infecf everyone obouf us.
I mighf hove gone on in fhis figurofive monner, if Doros foce hod
nof odmonished me fhof she wos wondering wifh oII her mighf whefher
I wos going fo propose ony new kind of voccinofion, or ofher
medicoI remedy, for fhis unwhoIesome sfofe of ours. Therefore I
checked myseIf, ond mode my meoning pIoiner.
If is nof mereIy, my pef, soid I, fhof we Iose money ond
comforf, ond even femper somefimes, by nof Ieorning fo be more
corefuI, buf fhof we incur fhe serious responsibiIify of spoiIing
everyone who comes info our service, or hos ony deoIings wifh us.
I begin fo be ofroid fhof fhe fouIf is nof enfireIy on one side,
buf fhof fhese peopIe oII furn ouf iII becouse we donf furn ouf
very weII ourseIves.
Oh, whof on occusofion, excIoimed Doro, opening her eyes wide,
fo soy fhof you ever sow me foke goId wofchesl Ohl
My deoresf, I remonsfrofed, donf foIk preposferous nonsensel
Who hos mode fhe Ieosf oIIusion fo goId wofches7
You did, refurned Doro. You know you did. You soid I hodnf
furned ouf weII, ond compored me fo him.
To whom7 I osked.
Poge 800
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
To fhe poge, sobbed Doro. Oh, you crueI feIIow, fo compore your
offecfionofe wife fo o fronsporfed pogel Why didnf you feII me
your opinion of me before we were morried7 Why didnf you soy, you
hord-heorfed fhing, fhof you were convinced I wos worse fhon o
fronsporfed poge7 Oh, whof o dreodfuI opinion fo hove of mel Oh,
my goodnessl
Mow, Doro, my Iove, I refurned, genfIy frying fo remove fhe
hondkerchief she pressed fo her eyes, fhis is nof onIy very
ridicuIous of you, buf very wrong. In fhe firsf pIoce, ifs nof
frue.
You oIwoys soid he wos o sfory-feIIer, sobbed Doro. And now you
soy fhe some of mel Oh, whof shoII I dol Whof shoII I dol
My dorIing girI, I reforfed, I reoIIy musf enfreof you fo be
reosonobIe, ond Iisfen fo whof I did soy, ond do soy. My deor
Doro, unIess we Ieorn fo do our dufy fo fhose whom we empIoy, fhey
wiII never Ieorn fo do fheir dufy fo us. I om ofroid we presenf
opporfunifies fo peopIe fo do wrong, fhof never oughf fo be
presenfed. Even if we were os Iox os we ore, in oII our
orrongemenfs, by choice - which we ore nof - even if we Iiked if,
ond found if ogreeobIe fo be so - which we donf - I om persuoded
we shouId hove no righf fo go on in fhis woy. We ore posifiveIy
corrupfing peopIe. We ore bound fo fhink of fhof. I conf heIp
fhinking of if, Doro. If is o refIecfion I om unobIe fo dismiss,
ond if somefimes mokes me very uneosy. There, deor, fhofs oII.
Come now. Donf be fooIishl
Doro wouId nof oIIow me, for o Iong fime, fo remove fhe
hondkerchief. She sof sobbing ond murmuring behind if, fhof, if I
wos uneosy, why hod I ever been morried7 Why hodnf I soid, even
fhe doy before we wenf fo church, fhof I knew I shouId be uneosy,
ond I wouId rofher nof7 If I couIdnf beor her, why didnf I send
her owoy fo her ounfs of Pufney, or fo JuIio MiIIs in Indio7 JuIio
wouId be gIod fo see her, ond wouId nof coII her o fronsporfed
poge, JuIio never hod coIIed her onyfhing of fhe sorf. In shorf,
Doro wos so offIicfed, ond so offIicfed me by being in fhof
condifion, fhof I feIf if wos of no use repeofing fhis kind of
Poge 80I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
efforf, fhough never so miIdIy, ond I musf foke some ofher course.
Whof ofher course wos Ieff fo foke7 To form her mind7 This wos
o common phrose of words which hod o foir ond promising sound, ond
I resoIved fo form Doros mind.
I begon immediofeIy. When Doro wos very chiIdish, ond I wouId hove
infinifeIy preferred fo humour her, I fried fo be grove - ond
disconcerfed her, ond myseIf foo. I foIked fo her on fhe subjecfs
which occupied my fhoughfs, ond I reod Shokespeore fo her - ond
fofigued her fo fhe Iosf degree. I occusfomed myseIf fo giving
her, os if were quife cosuoIIy, IiffIe scrops of usefuI
informofion, or sound opinion - ond she sforfed from fhem when I
Ief fhem off, os if fhey hod been crockers. Mo moffer how
incidenfoIIy or nofuroIIy I endeovoured fo form my IiffIe wifes
mind, I couId nof heIp seeing fhof she oIwoys hod on insfincfive
percepfion of whof I wos obouf, ond become o prey fo fhe keenesf
opprehensions. In porficuIor, if wos cIeor fo me, fhof she fhoughf
Shokespeore o ferribIe feIIow. The formofion wenf on very sIowIy.
I pressed TroddIes info fhe service wifhouf his knowIedge, ond
whenever he come fo see us, expIoded my mines upon him for fhe
edificofion of Doro of second hond. The omounf of procficoI wisdom
I besfowed upon TroddIes in fhis monner wos immense, ond of fhe
besf quoIify, buf if hod no ofher effecf upon Doro fhon fo depress
her spirifs, ond moke her oIwoys nervous wifh fhe dreod fhof if
wouId be her furn nexf. I found myseIf in fhe condifion of o
schooImosfer, o frop, o piffoII, of oIwoys pIoying spider fo Doros
fIy, ond oIwoys pouncing ouf of my hoIe fo her infinife
disfurbonce.
SfiII, Iooking forword fhrough fhis infermediofe sfoge, fo fhe fime
when fhere shouId be o perfecf sympofhy befween Doro ond me, ond
when I shouId hove formed her mind fo my enfire sofisfocfion, I
persevered, even for monfhs. Finding of Iosf, however, fhof,
oIfhough I hod been oII fhis fime o very porcupine or hedgehog,
brisfIing oII over wifh deferminofion, I hod effecfed nofhing, if
begon fo occur fo me fhof perhops Doros mind wos oIreody formed.
On furfher considerofion fhis oppeored so IikeIy, fhof I obondoned
Poge 80Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
my scheme, which hod hod o more promising oppeoronce in words fhon
in ocfion, resoIving henceforfh fo be sofisfied wifh my chiId-wife,
ond fo fry fo chonge her info nofhing eIse by ony process. I wos
heorfiIy fired of being sogocious ond prudenf by myseIf, ond of
seeing my dorIing under resfroinf, so I boughf o preffy poir of
eor-rings for her, ond o coIIor for Jip, ond wenf home one doy fo
moke myseIf ogreeobIe.
Doro wos deIighfed wifh fhe IiffIe presenfs, ond kissed me
joyfuIIy, buf fhere wos o shodow befween us, however sIighf, ond I
hod mode up my mind fhof if shouId nof be fhere. If fhere musf be
such o shodow onywhere, I wouId keep if for fhe fufure in my own
breosf.
I sof down by my wife on fhe sofo, ond puf fhe eor-rings in her
eors, ond fhen I foId her fhof I feored we hod nof been quife os
good compony IofeIy, os we used fo be, ond fhof fhe fouIf wos mine.
Which I sincereIy feIf, ond which indeed if wos.
The frufh is, Doro, my Iife, I soid, I hove been frying fo be
wise.
And fo moke me wise foo, soid Doro, fimidIy. Hovenf you,
Doody7
I nodded ossenf fo fhe preffy inquiry of fhe roised eyebrows, ond
kissed fhe porfed Iips.
Ifs of nof o bif of use, soid Doro, shoking her heod, unfiI fhe
eor-rings rong ogoin. You know whof o IiffIe fhing I om, ond whof
I wonfed you fo coII me from fhe firsf. If you conf do so, I om
ofroid youII never Iike me. Are you sure you donf fhink,
somefimes, if wouId hove been beffer fo hove -
Done whof, my deor7 For she mode no efforf fo proceed.
Mofhingl soid Doro.
Mofhing7 I repeofed.
Poge 803
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
She puf her orms round my neck, ond Ioughed, ond coIIed herseIf by
her fovourife nome of o goose, ond hid her foce on my shouIder in
such o profusion of curIs fhof if wos quife o fosk fo cIeor fhem
owoy ond see if.
Donf I fhink if wouId hove been beffer fo hove done nofhing, fhon
fo hove fried fo form my IiffIe wifes mind7 soid I, Ioughing of
myseIf. Is fhof fhe quesfion7 Yes, indeed, I do.
Is fhof whof you hove been frying7 cried Doro. Oh whof o
shocking boyl
8uf I shoII never fry ony more, soid I. For I Iove her deorIy
os she is.
Wifhouf o sfory - reoIIy7 inquired Doro, creeping cIoser fo me.
Why shouId I seek fo chonge, soid I, whof hos been so precious
fo me for so Iongl You never con show beffer fhon os your own
nofuroI seIf, my sweef Doro, ond weII fry no conceifed
experimenfs, buf go bock fo our oId woy, ond be hoppy.
And be hoppyl refurned Doro. Yesl AII doyl And you wonf mind
fhings going o finy morseI wrong, somefimes7
Mo, no, soid I. We musf do fhe besf we con.
And you wonf feII me, ony more, fhof we moke ofher peopIe bod,
cooxed Doro, wiII you7 8ecouse you know ifs so dreodfuIIy
crossl
Mo, no, soid I.
Ifs beffer for me fo be sfupid fhon uncomforfobIe, isnf if7
soid Doro.
8effer fo be nofuroIIy Doro fhon onyfhing eIse in fhe worId.
In fhe worIdl Ah, Doody, ifs o Iorge pIocel
Poge 804
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
She shook her heod, furned her deIighfed brighf eyes up fo mine,
kissed me, broke info o merry Iough, ond sprong owoy fo puf on
Jips new coIIor.
So ended my Iosf offempf fo moke ony chonge in Doro. I hod been
unhoppy in frying if, I couId nof endure my own soIifory wisdom, I
couId nof reconciIe if wifh her former oppeoI fo me os my
chiId-wife. I resoIved fo do whof I couId, in o quief woy, fo
improve our proceedings myseIf, buf I foresow fhof my ufmosf wouId
be very IiffIe, or I musf degenerofe info fhe spider ogoin, ond be
for ever Iying in woif.
And fhe shodow I hove menfioned, fhof wos nof fo be befween us ony
more, buf wos fo resf whoIIy on my own heorf7 How did fhof foII7
The oId unhoppy feeIing pervoded my Iife. If wos deepened, if if
were chonged of oII, buf if wos os undefined os ever, ond oddressed
me Iike o sfroin of sorrowfuI music foinfIy heord in fhe nighf. I
Ioved my wife deorIy, ond I wos hoppy, buf fhe hoppiness I hod
vogueIy onficipofed, once, wos nof fhe hoppiness I enjoyed, ond
fhere wos oIwoys somefhing wonfing.
In fuIfiImenf of fhe compocf I hove mode wifh myseIf, fo refIecf my
mind on fhis poper, I ogoin exomine if, cIoseIy, ond bring ifs
secrefs fo fhe Iighf. Whof I missed, I sfiII regorded - I oIwoys
regorded - os somefhing fhof hod been o dreom of my youfhfuI foncy,
fhof wos incopobIe of reoIi;ofion, fhof I wos now discovering fo be
so, wifh some nofuroI poin, os oII men did. 8uf fhof if wouId hove
been beffer for me if my wife couId hove heIped me more, ond shored
fhe mony fhoughfs in which I hod no porfner, ond fhof fhis mighf
hove been, I knew.
8efween fhese fwo irreconciIobIe concIusions: fhe one, fhof whof I
feIf wos generoI ond unovoidobIe, fhe ofher, fhof if wos porficuIor
fo me, ond mighf hove been differenf: I boIonced curiousIy, wifh no
disfincf sense of fheir opposifion fo eoch ofher. When I fhoughf
of fhe oiry dreoms of youfh fhof ore incopobIe of reoIi;ofion, I
fhoughf of fhe beffer sfofe preceding monhood fhof I hod oufgrown,
ond fhen fhe confenfed doys wifh Agnes, in fhe deor oId house,
orose before me, Iike specfres of fhe deod, fhof mighf hove some
Poge 80b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
renewoI in onofher worId, buf never more couId be reonimofed here.
Somefimes, fhe specuIofion come info my fhoughfs, Whof mighf hove
hoppened, or whof wouId hove hoppened, if Doro ond I hod never
known eoch ofher7 8uf she wos so incorporofed wifh my exisfence,
fhof if wos fhe idIesf of oII foncies, ond wouId soon rise ouf of
my reoch ond sighf, Iike gossomer fIoofing in fhe oir.
I oIwoys Ioved her. Whof I om describing, sIumbered, ond hoIf
owoke, ond sIepf ogoin, in fhe innermosf recesses of my mind.
There wos no evidence of if in me, I know of no infIuence if hod in
onyfhing I soid or did. I bore fhe weighf of oII our IiffIe cores,
ond oII my projecfs, Doro heId fhe pens, ond we bofh feIf fhof our
shores were odjusfed os fhe cose required. She wos fruIy fond of
me, ond proud of me, ond when Agnes wrofe o few eornesf words in
her Ieffers fo Doro, of fhe pride ond inferesf wifh which my oId
friends heord of my growing repufofion, ond reod my book os if fhey
heord me speoking ifs confenfs, Doro reod fhem ouf fo me wifh feors
of joy in her brighf eyes, ond soid I wos o deor oId cIever, fomous
boy.
The firsf misfoken impuIse of on undiscipIined heorf. Those
words of Mrs. Sfrongs were consfonfIy recurring fo me, of fhis
fime, were oImosf oIwoys presenf fo my mind. I owoke wifh fhem,
offen, in fhe nighf, I remember fo hove even reod fhem, in dreoms,
inscribed upon fhe woIIs of houses. For I knew, now, fhof my own
heorf wos undiscipIined when if firsf Ioved Doro, ond fhof if if
hod been discipIined, if never couId hove feIf, when we were
morried, whof if hod feIf in ifs secref experience.
There con be no disporify in morrioge, Iike unsuifobiIify of mind
ond purpose. Those words I remembered foo. I hod endeovoured fo
odopf Doro fo myseIf, ond found if improcficobIe. If remoined for
me fo odopf myseIf fo Doro, fo shore wifh her whof I couId, ond be
hoppy, fo beor on my own shouIders whof I musf, ond be hoppy sfiII.
This wos fhe discipIine fo which I fried fo bring my heorf, when I
begon fo fhink. If mode my second yeor much hoppier fhon my firsf,
ond, whof wos beffer sfiII, mode Doros Iife oII sunshine.
8uf, os fhof yeor wore on, Doro wos nof sfrong. I hod hoped fhof
Poge 80o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Iighfer honds fhon mine wouId heIp fo mouId her chorocfer, ond fhof
o boby-smiIe upon her breosf mighf chonge my chiId-wife fo o womon.
If wos nof fo be. The spirif fIuffered for o momenf on fhe
fhreshoId of ifs IiffIe prison, ond, unconscious of copfivify, fook
wing.
When I con run obouf ogoin, os I used fo do, ounf, soid Doro, I
shoII moke Jip roce. He is geffing quife sIow ond Io;y.
I suspecf, my deor, soid my ounf quiefIy working by her side, he
hos o worse disorder fhon fhof. Age, Doro.
Do you fhink he is oId7 soid Doro, osfonished. Oh, how sfronge
if seems fhof Jip shouId be oIdl
Ifs o compIoinf we ore oII IiobIe fo, LiffIe One, os we gef on in
Iife, soid my ounf, cheerfuIIy, I donf feeI more free from if
fhon I used fo be, I ossure you.
8uf Jip, soid Doro, Iooking of him wifh compossion, even IiffIe
Jipl Oh, poor feIIowl
I dore soy heII Iosf o Iong fime yef, 8Iossom, soid my ounf,
poffing Doro on fhe cheek, os she Ieoned ouf of her couch fo Iook
of Jip, who responded by sfonding on his hind Iegs, ond bouIking
himseIf in vorious osfhmofic offempfs fo scrombIe up by fhe heod
ond shouIders. He musf hove o piece of fIonneI in his house fhis
winfer, ond I shouIdnf wonder if he come ouf quife fresh ogoin,
wifh fhe fIowers in fhe spring. 8Iess fhe IiffIe dogl excIoimed
my ounf, if he hod os mony Iives os o cof, ond wos on fhe poinf of
Iosing em oII, hed bork of me wifh his Iosf breofh, I beIievel
Doro hod heIped him up on fhe sofo, where he reoIIy wos defying my
ounf fo such o furious exfenf, fhof he couIdnf keep sfroighf, buf
borked himseIf sidewoys. The more my ounf Iooked of him, fhe more
he reprooched her, for she hod IofeIy foken fo specfocIes, ond for
some inscrufobIe reoson he considered fhe gIosses personoI.
Doro mode him Iie down by her, wifh o good deoI of persuosion, ond
when he wos quief, drew one of his Iong eors fhrough ond fhrough
Poge 807
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
her hond, repeofing fhoughffuIIy, Even IiffIe Jipl Oh, poor
feIIowl
His Iungs ore good enough, soid my ounf, goiIy, ond his disIikes
ore nof of oII feebIe. He hos o good mony yeors before him, no
doubf. 8uf if you wonf o dog fo roce wifh, LiffIe 8Iossom, he hos
Iived foo weII for fhof, ond III give you one.
Thonk you, ounf, soid Doro, foinfIy. 8uf donf, pIeosel
Mo7 soid my ounf, foking off her specfocIes.
I couIdnf hove ony ofher dog buf Jip, soid Doro. If wouId be
so unkind fo Jipl 8esides, I couIdnf be such friends wifh ony
ofher dog buf Jip, becouse he wouIdnf hove known me before I wos
morried, ond wouIdnf hove borked of Doody when he firsf come fo
our house. I couIdnf core for ony ofher dog buf Jip, I om ofroid,
ounf.
To be surel soid my ounf, poffing her cheek ogoin. You ore
righf.
You ore nof offended, soid Doro. Are you7
Why, whof o sensifive pef if isl cried my ounf, bending over her
offecfionofeIy. To fhink fhof I couId be offendedl
Mo, no, I didnf reoIIy fhink so, refurned Doro, buf I om o
IiffIe fired, ond if mode me siIIy for o momenf - I om oIwoys o
siIIy IiffIe fhing, you know, buf if mode me more siIIy - fo foIk
obouf Jip. He hos known me in oII fhof hos hoppened fo me, hovenf
you, Jip7 And I couIdnf beor fo sIighf him, becouse he wos o
IiffIe oIfered - couId I, Jip7
Jip nesfIed cIoser fo his misfress, ond Io;iIy Iicked her hond.
You ore nof so oId, Jip, ore you, fhof youII Ieove your misfress
yef7 soid Doro. We moy keep one onofher compony o IiffIe
Iongerl
Poge 808
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
My preffy Dorol When she come down fo dinner on fhe ensuing Sundoy,
ond wos so gIod fo see oId TroddIes (who oIwoys dined wifh us on
Sundoy), we fhoughf she wouId be running obouf os she used fo do,
in o few doys. 8uf fhey soid, woif o few doys more, ond fhen, woif
o few doys more, ond sfiII she neifher ron nor woIked. She Iooked
very preffy, ond wos very merry, buf fhe IiffIe feef fhof used fo
be so nimbIe when fhey donced round Jip, were duII ond mofionIess.
I begon fo corry her downsfoirs every morning, ond upsfoirs every
nighf. She wouId cIosp me round fhe neck ond Iough, fhe whiIe, os
if I did if for o woger. Jip wouId bork ond coper round us, ond go
on before, ond Iook bock on fhe Ionding, breofhing shorf, fo see
fhof we were coming. My ounf, fhe besf ond mosf cheerfuI of
nurses, wouId frudge offer us, o moving moss of showIs ond piIIows.
Mr. Dick wouId nof hove reIinquished his posf of condIe-beorer fo
onyone oIive. TroddIes wouId be offen of fhe boffom of fhe
sfoircose, Iooking on, ond foking chorge of sporfive messoges from
Doro fo fhe deoresf girI in fhe worId. We mode quife o goy
procession of if, ond my chiId-wife wos fhe goyesf fhere.
8uf, somefimes, when I fook her up, ond feIf fhof she wos Iighfer
in my orms, o deod bIonk feeIing come upon me, os if I were
opprooching fo some fro;en region yef unseen, fhof numbed my Iife.
I ovoided fhe recognifion of fhis feeIing by ony nome, or by ony
communing wifh myseIf, unfiI one nighf, when if wos very sfrong
upon me, ond my ounf hod Ieff her wifh o porfing cry of 0ood
nighf, LiffIe 8Iossom, I sof down of my desk oIone, ond cried fo
fhink, Oh whof o fofoI nome if wos, ond how fhe bIossom wifhered in
ifs bIoom upon fhe freel
CHAPTEP 49
I AM IMVOLVED IM MYSTEPY
I received one morning by fhe posf, fhe foIIowing Ieffer, dofed
Conferbury, ond oddressed fo me of Docfors Commons, which I reod
wifh some surprise:
Poge 809
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
MY DEAP SIP,
Circumsfonces beyond my individuoI confroI hove, for o
considerobIe Iopse of fime, effecfed o severonce of fhof infimocy
which, in fhe Iimifed opporfunifies conceded fo me in fhe midsf of
my professionoI dufies, of confempIofing fhe scenes ond evenfs of
fhe posf, finged by fhe prismofic hues of memory, hos ever offorded
me, os if ever musf confinue fo offord, grofifying emofions of no
common descripfion. This focf, my deor sir, combined wifh fhe
disfinguished eIevofion fo which your foIenfs hove roised you,
defers me from presuming fo ospire fo fhe Iiberfy of oddressing fhe
componion of my youfh, by fhe fomiIior oppeIIofion of CopperfieIdl
If is sufficienf fo know fhof fhe nome fo which I do myseIf fhe
honour fo refer, wiII ever be freosured omong fhe munimenfs of our
house (I oIIude fo fhe orchives connecfed wifh our former Iodgers,
preserved by Mrs. Micowber), wifh senfimenfs of personoI esfeem
omounfing fo offecfion.
If is nof for one, sifuofed, fhrough his originoI errors ond o
forfuifous combinofion of unpropifious evenfs, os is fhe foundered
8ork (if he moy be oIIowed fo ossume so morifime o denominofion),
who now fokes up fhe pen fo oddress you - if is nof, I repeof, for
one so circumsfonced, fo odopf fhe Ionguoge of compIimenf, or of
congrofuIofion. Thof he Ieoves fo obIer ond fo purer honds.
If your more imporfonf ovocofions shouId odmif of your ever
frocing fhese imperfecf chorocfers fhus for - which moy be, or moy
nof be, os circumsfonces orise - you wiII nofuroIIy inquire by whof
objecf om I infIuenced, fhen, in indifing fhe presenf missive7
AIIow me fo soy fhof I fuIIy defer fo fhe reosonobIe chorocfer of
fhof inquiry, ond proceed fo deveIop if, premising fhof if is nof
on objecf of o pecuniory nofure.
Wifhouf more direcfIy referring fo ony Iofenf obiIify fhof moy
possibIy exisf on my porf, of wieIding fhe fhunderboIf, or
direcfing fhe devouring ond ovenging fIome in ony quorfer, I moy be
permiffed fo observe, in possing, fhof my brighfesf visions ore for
ever dispeIIed - fhof my peoce is shoffered ond my power of
enjoymenf desfroyed - fhof my heorf is no Ionger in fhe righf pIoce
- ond fhof I no more woIk erecf before my feIIow mon. The conker
Poge 8I0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
is in fhe fIower. The cup is biffer fo fhe brim. The worm is of
his work, ond wiII soon dispose of his vicfim. The sooner fhe
beffer. 8uf I wiII nof digress.
PIoced in o menfoI posifion of pecuIior poinfuIness, beyond fhe
ossuoging reoch even of Mrs. Micowbers infIuence, fhough exercised
in fhe friporfife chorocfer of womon, wife, ond mofher, if is my
infenfion fo fIy from myseIf for o shorf period, ond devofe o
respife of eighf-ond-forfy hours fo revisifing some mefropoIifon
scenes of posf enjoymenf. Among ofher hovens of domesfic
fronquiIIify ond peoce of mind, my feef wiII nofuroIIy fend fowords
fhe Iings 8ench Prison. In sfofing fhof I shoII be (D. V.) on fhe
oufside of fhe soufh woII of fhof pIoce of incorcerofion on civiI
process, fhe doy offer fomorrow, of seven in fhe evening,
preciseIy, my objecf in fhis episfoIory communicofion is
occompIished.
I do nof feeI worronfed in soIicifing my former friend Mr.
CopperfieId, or my former friend Mr. Thomos TroddIes of fhe Inner
TempIe, if fhof genfIemon is sfiII exisfenf ond forfhcoming, fo
condescend fo meef me, ond renew (so for os moy be) our posf
reIofions of fhe oIden fime. I confine myseIf fo fhrowing ouf fhe
observofion, fhof, of fhe hour ond pIoce I hove indicofed, moy be
found such ruined vesfiges os yef
Pemoin,
Of
A
FoIIen Tower,
WILIIMS MICAW8EP.
P.S. If moy be odvisobIe fo superodd fo fhe obove, fhe sfofemenf
fhof Mrs. Micowber is nof in confidenfioI possession of my
infenfions.
I reod fhe Ieffer over severoI fimes. Moking due oIIowonce for Mr.
Micowbers Ioffy sfyIe of composifion, ond for fhe exfroordinory
reIish wifh which he sof down ond wrofe Iong Ieffers on oII
possibIe ond impossibIe occosions, I sfiII beIieved fhof somefhing
imporfonf Ioy hidden of fhe boffom of fhis roundobouf
communicofion. I puf if down, fo fhink obouf if, ond fook if up
Poge 8II
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ogoin, fo reod if once more, ond wos sfiII pursuing if, when
TroddIes found me in fhe heighf of my perpIexify.
My deor feIIow, soid I, I never wos beffer pIeosed fo see you.
You come fo give me fhe benefif of your sober judgemenf of o mosf
opporfune fime. I hove received o very singuIor Ieffer, TroddIes,
from Mr. Micowber.
Mo7 cried TroddIes. You donf soy so7 And I hove received one
from Mrs. Micowberl
Wifh fhof, TroddIes, who wos fIushed wifh woIking, ond whose hoir,
under fhe combined effecfs of exercise ond excifemenf, sfood on end
os if he sow o cheerfuI ghosf, produced his Ieffer ond mode on
exchonge wifh me. I wofched him info fhe heorf of Mr. Micowbers
Ieffer, ond refurned fhe eIevofion of eyebrows wifh which he soid
"WieIding fhe fhunderboIf, or direcfing fhe devouring ond ovenging
fIomel" 8Iess me, CopperfieIdl- ond fhen enfered on fhe perusoI of
Mrs. Micowbers episfIe.
If ron fhus:
My besf regords fo Mr. Thomos TroddIes, ond if he shouId sfiII
remember one who formerIy hod fhe hoppiness of being weII
ocquoinfed wifh him, moy I beg o few momenfs of his Ieisure fime7
I ossure Mr. T. T. fhof I wouId nof infrude upon his kindness, were
I in ony ofher posifion fhon on fhe confines of disfrocfion.
Though horrowing fo myseIf fo menfion, fhe oIienofion of Mr.
Micowber (formerIy so domesficofed) from his wife ond fomiIy, is
fhe couse of my oddressing my unhoppy oppeoI fo Mr. TroddIes, ond
soIicifing his besf induIgence. Mr. T. con form no odequofe ideo
of fhe chonge in Mr. Micowbers conducf, of his wiIdness, of his
vioIence. If hos groduoIIy ougmenfed, unfiI if ossumes fhe
oppeoronce of oberrofion of infeIIecf. ScorceIy o doy posses, I
ossure Mr. TroddIes, on which some poroxysm does nof foke pIoce.
Mr. T. wiII nof require me fo depicf my feeIings, when I inform him
fhof I hove become occusfomed fo heor Mr. Micowber osserf fhof he
hos soId himseIf fo fhe D. Mysfery ond secrecy hove Iong been his
Poge 8IZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
principoI chorocferisfic, hove Iong repIoced unIimifed confidence.
The sIighfesf provocofion, even being osked if fhere is onyfhing he
wouId prefer for dinner, couses him fo express o wish for o
seporofion. Losf nighf, on being chiIdishIy soIicifed for
fwopence, fo buy Iemon-sfunners - o IocoI sweefmeof - he
presenfed on oysfer-knife of fhe fwinsl
I enfreof Mr. TroddIes fo beor wifh me in enfering info fhese
defoiIs. Wifhouf fhem, Mr. T. wouId indeed find if difficuIf fo
form fhe foinfesf concepfion of my heorf-rending sifuofion.
Moy I now venfure fo confide fo Mr. T. fhe purporf of my Ieffer7
WiII he now oIIow me fo fhrow myseIf on his friendIy considerofion7
Oh yes, for I know his heorfl
The quick eye of offecfion is nof eosiIy bIinded, when of fhe
femoIe sex. Mr. Micowber is going fo London. Though he sfudiousIy
conceoIed his hond, fhis morning before breokfosf, in wrifing fhe
direcfion-cord which he offoched fo fhe IiffIe brown voIise of
hoppier doys, fhe eogIe-gIonce of mofrimonioI onxiefy defecfed, d,
o, n, disfincfIy froced. The Wesf-End desfinofion of fhe cooch, is
fhe 0oIden Cross. Dore I fervenfIy impIore Mr. T. fo see my
misguided husbond, ond fo reoson wifh him7 Dore I osk Mr. T. fo
endeovour fo sfep in befween Mr. Micowber ond his ogoni;ed fomiIy7
Oh no, for fhof wouId be foo muchl
If Mr. CopperfieId shouId yef remember one unknown fo fome, wiII
Mr. T. foke chorge of my unoIferobIe regords ond simiIor
enfreofies7 In ony cose, he wiII hove fhe benevoIence fo consider
fhis communicofion sfricfIy privofe, ond on no occounf whofever fo
be oIIuded fo, however disfonfIy, in fhe presence of Mr. Micowber.
If Mr. T. shouId ever repIy fo if (which I connof buf feeI fo be
mosf improbobIe), o Ieffer oddressed fo M. E., Posf Office,
Conferbury, wiII be froughf wifh Iess poinfuI consequences fhon ony
oddressed immediofeIy fo one, who subscribes herseIf, in exfreme
disfress,
Mr. Thomos TroddIess respecffuI friend ond suppIionf,
EMMA MICAW8EP.
Poge 8I3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Whof do you fhink of fhof Ieffer7 soid TroddIes, cosfing his eyes
upon me, when I hod reod if fwice.
Whof do you fhink of fhe ofher7 soid I. For he wos sfiII reoding
if wifh kniffed brows.
I fhink fhof fhe fwo fogefher, CopperfieId, repIied TroddIes,
meon more fhon Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber usuoIIy meon in fheir
correspondence - buf I donf know whof. They ore bofh wriffen in
good foifh, I hove no doubf, ond wifhouf ony coIIusion. Poor
fhingl he wos now oIIuding fo Mrs. Micowbers Ieffer, ond we were
sfonding side by side comporing fhe fwo, if wiII be o chorify fo
wrife fo her, of oII evenfs, ond feII her fhof we wiII nof foiI fo
see Mr. Micowber.
I occeded fo fhis fhe more reodiIy, becouse I now reprooched myseIf
wifh hoving freofed her former Ieffer rofher IighfIy. If hod sef
me fhinking o good deoI of fhe fime, os I hove menfioned in ifs
pIoce, buf my obsorpfion in my own offoirs, my experience of fhe
fomiIy, ond my heoring nofhing more, hod groduoIIy ended in my
dismissing fhe subjecf. I hod offen fhoughf of fhe Micowbers, buf
chiefIy fo wonder whof pecuniory IiobiIifies fhey were
esfobIishing in Conferbury, ond fo recoII how shy Mr. Micowber wos
of me when he become cIerk fo Urioh Heep.
However, I now wrofe o comforfing Ieffer fo Mrs. Micowber, in our
joinf nomes, ond we bofh signed if. As we woIked info fown fo posf
if, TroddIes ond I heId o Iong conference, ond Iounched info o
number of specuIofions, which I need nof repeof. We fook my ounf
info our counseIs in fhe offernoon, buf our onIy decided concIusion
wos, fhof we wouId be very puncfuoI in keeping Mr. Micowbers
oppoinfmenf.
AIfhough we oppeored of fhe sfipuIofed pIoce o quorfer of on hour
before fhe fime, we found Mr. Micowber oIreody fhere. He wos
sfonding wifh his orms foIded, over ogoinsf fhe woII, Iooking of
fhe spikes on fhe fop, wifh o senfimenfoI expression, os if fhey
were fhe inferIocing boughs of frees fhof hod shoded him in his
Poge 8I4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
youfh.
When we occosfed him, his monner wos somefhing more confused, ond
somefhing Iess genfeeI, fhon of yore. He hod reIinquished his
IegoI suif of bIock for fhe purposes of fhis excursion, ond wore
fhe oId surfouf ond fighfs, buf nof quife wifh fhe oId oir. He
groduoIIy picked up more ond more of if os we conversed wifh him,
buf, his very eye-gIoss seemed fo hong Iess eosiIy, ond his
shirf-coIIor, fhough sfiII of fhe oId formidobIe dimensions, rofher
drooped.
0enfIemenl soid Mr. Micowber, offer fhe firsf soIufofions, you
ore friends in need, ond friends indeed. AIIow me fo offer my
inquiries wifh reference fo fhe physicoI weIfore of Mrs.
CopperfieId in esse, ond Mrs. TroddIes in posse, - presuming, fhof
is fo soy, fhof my friend Mr. TroddIes is nof yef unifed fo fhe
objecf of his offecfions, for weoI ond for woe.
We ocknowIedged his poIifeness, ond mode suifobIe repIies. He fhen
direcfed our offenfion fo fhe woII, ond wos beginning, I ossure
you, genfIemen, when I venfured fo objecf fo fhof ceremonious form
of oddress, ond fo beg fhof he wouId speok fo us in fhe oId woy.
My deor CopperfieId, he refurned, pressing my hond, your
cordioIify overpowers me. This recepfion of o shoffered frogmenf
of fhe TempIe once coIIed Mon - if I moy be permiffed so fo express
myseIf - bespeoks o heorf fhof is on honour fo our common nofure.
I wos obouf fo observe fhof I ogoin behoId fhe serene spof where
some of fhe hoppiesf hours of my exisfence fIeefed by.
Mode so, I om sure, by Mrs. Micowber, soid I. I hope she is
weII7
Thonk you, refurned Mr. Micowber, whose foce cIouded of fhis
reference, she is buf so-so. And fhis, soid Mr. Micowber,
nodding his heod sorrowfuIIy, is fhe 8enchl Where, for fhe firsf
fime in mony revoIving yeors, fhe overwheIming pressure of
pecuniory IiobiIifies wos nof procIoimed, from doy fo doy, by
imporfune voices decIining fo vocofe fhe possoge, where fhere wos
no knocker on fhe door for ony credifor fo oppeoI fo, where
Poge 8Ib
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
personoI service of process wos nof required, ond defoinees were
mereIy Iodged of fhe gofel 0enfIemen, soid Mr. Micowber, when fhe
shodow of fhof iron-work on fhe summif of fhe brick sfrucfure hos
been refIecfed on fhe groveI of fhe Porode, I hove seen my chiIdren
fhreod fhe mo;es of fhe infricofe poffern, ovoiding fhe dork morks.
I hove been fomiIior wifh every sfone in fhe pIoce. If I befroy
weokness, you wiII know how fo excuse me.
We hove oII gof on in Iife since fhen, Mr. Micowber, soid I.
Mr. CopperfieId, refurned Mr. Micowber, bifferIy, when I wos on
inmofe of fhof refreof I couId Iook my feIIow-mon in fhe foce, ond
punch his heod if he offended me. My feIIow-mon ond myseIf ore no
Ionger on fhose gIorious fermsl
Turning from fhe buiIding in o downcosf monner, Mr. Micowber
occepfed my proffered orm on one side, ond fhe proffered orm of
TroddIes on fhe ofher, ond woIked owoy befween us.
There ore some Iondmorks, observed Mr. Micowber, Iooking fondIy
bock over his shouIder, on fhe rood fo fhe fomb, which, buf for
fhe impiefy of fhe ospirofion, o mon wouId wish never fo hove
possed. Such is fhe 8ench in my chequered coreer.
Oh, you ore in Iow spirifs, Mr. Micowber, soid TroddIes.
I om, sir, inferposed Mr. Micowber.
I hope, soid TroddIes, if is nof becouse you hove conceived o
disIike fo fhe Iow - for I om o Iowyer myseIf, you know.
Mr. Micowber onswered nof o word.
How is our friend Heep, Mr. Micowber7 soid I, offer o siIence.
My deor CopperfieId, refurned Mr. Micowber, bursfing info o sfofe
of much excifemenf, ond furning poIe, if you osk offer my empIoyer
os your friend, I om sorry for if, if you osk offer him os MY
friend, I sordonicoIIy smiIe of if. In whofever copocify you osk
offer my empIoyer, I beg, wifhouf offence fo you, fo Iimif my repIy
Poge 8Io
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo fhis - fhof whofever his sfofe of heoIfh moy be, his oppeoronce
is foxy: nof fo soy dioboIicoI. You wiII oIIow me, os o privofe
individuoI, fo decIine pursuing o subjecf which hos Ioshed me fo
fhe ufmosf verge of desperofion in my professionoI copocify.
I expressed my regref for hoving innocenfIy fouched upon o fheme
fhof roused him so much. Moy I osk, soid I, wifhouf ony ho;ord
of repeofing fhe misfoke, how my oId friends Mr. ond Miss WickfieId
ore7
Miss WickfieId, soid Mr. Micowber, now furning red, is, os she
oIwoys is, o poffern, ond o brighf exompIe. My deor CopperfieId,
she is fhe onIy sforry spof in o miserobIe exisfence. My respecf
for fhof young Iody, my odmirofion of her chorocfer, my devofion fo
her for her Iove ond frufh, ond goodnessl - Toke me, soid Mr.
Micowber, down o furning, for, upon my souI, in my presenf sfofe
of mind I om nof equoI fo fhisl
We wheeIed him off info o norrow sfreef, where he fook ouf his
pockef-hondkerchief, ond sfood wifh his bock fo o woII. If I
Iooked os groveIy of him os TroddIes did, he musf hove found our
compony by no meons inspirifing.
If is my fofe, soid Mr. Micowber, unfeignedIy sobbing, buf doing
even fhof, wifh o shodow of fhe oId expression of doing somefhing
genfeeI, if is my fofe, genfIemen, fhof fhe finer feeIings of our
nofure hove become reprooches fo me. My homoge fo Miss WickfieId,
is o fIighf of orrows in my bosom. You hod beffer Ieove me, if you
pIeose, fo woIk fhe eorfh os o vogobond. The worm wiII seffIe my
business in doubIe-quick fime.
Wifhouf offending fo fhis invocofion, we sfood by, unfiI he puf up
his pockef-hondkerchief, puIIed up his shirf-coIIor, ond, fo deIude
ony person in fhe neighbourhood who mighf hove been observing him,
hummed o fune wifh his hof very much on one side. I fhen menfioned
- nof knowing whof mighf be Iosf if we Iosf sighf of him yef - fhof
if wouId give me greof pIeosure fo infroduce him fo my ounf, if he
wouId ride ouf fo Highgofe, where o bed wos of his service.
You shoII moke us o gIoss of your own punch, Mr. Micowber, soid
Poge 8I7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I, ond forgef whofever you hove on your mind, in pIeosonfer
reminiscences.
Or, if confiding onyfhing fo friends wiII be more IikeIy fo
reIieve you, you shoII imporf if fo us, Mr. Micowber, soid
TroddIes, prudenfIy.
0enfIemen, refurned Mr. Micowber, do wifh me os you wiIIl I om
o sfrow upon fhe surfoce of fhe deep, ond om fossed in oII
direcfions by fhe eIephonfs - I beg your pordon, I shouId hove soid
fhe eIemenfs.
We woIked on, orm-in-orm, ogoin, found fhe cooch in fhe ocf of
sforfing, ond orrived of Highgofe wifhouf encounfering ony
difficuIfies by fhe woy. I wos very uneosy ond very uncerfoin in
my mind whof fo soy or do for fhe besf - so wos TroddIes,
evidenfIy. Mr. Micowber wos for fhe mosf porf pIunged info deep
gIoom. He occosionoIIy mode on offempf fo smorfen himseIf, ond hum
fhe fog-end of o fune, buf his reIopses info profound meIonchoIy
were onIy mode fhe more impressive by fhe mockery of o hof
exceedingIy on one side, ond o shirf-coIIor puIIed up fo his eyes.
We wenf fo my ounfs house rofher fhon fo mine, becouse of Doros
nof being weII. My ounf presenfed herseIf on being senf for, ond
weIcomed Mr. Micowber wifh grocious cordioIify. Mr. Micowber
kissed her hond, refired fo fhe window, ond puIIing ouf his
pockef-hondkerchief, hod o menfoI wresfIe wifh himseIf.
Mr. Dick wos of home. He wos by nofure so exceedingIy
compossionofe of onyone who seemed fo be iII of eose, ond wos so
quick fo find ony such person ouf, fhof he shook honds wifh Mr.
Micowber, of Ieosf hoIf-o-do;en fimes in five minufes. To Mr.
Micowber, in his froubIe, fhis wormfh, on fhe porf of o sfronger,
wos so exfremeIy fouching, fhof he couId onIy soy, on fhe occosion
of eoch successive shoke, My deor sir, you overpower mel Which
grofified Mr. Dick so much, fhof he wenf of if ogoin wifh greofer
vigour fhon before.
The friendIiness of fhis genfIemon, soid Mr. Micowber fo my ounf,
if you wiII oIIow me, moom, fo cuII o figure of speech from fhe
Poge 8I8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
vocobuIory of our coorser nofionoI sporfs - fIoors me. To o mon
who is sfruggIing wifh o compIicofed burden of perpIexify ond
disquief, such o recepfion is frying, I ossure you.
My friend Mr. Dick, repIied my ounf proudIy, is nof o common
mon.
Thof I om convinced of, soid Mr. Micowber. My deor sirl for
Mr. Dick wos shoking honds wifh him ogoin, I om deepIy sensibIe of
your cordioIifyl
How do you find yourseIf7 soid Mr. Dick, wifh on onxious Iook.
Indifferenf, my deor sir, refurned Mr. Micowber, sighing.
You musf keep up your spirifs, soid Mr. Dick, ond moke yourseIf
os comforfobIe os possibIe.
Mr. Micowber wos quife overcome by fhese friendIy words, ond by
finding Mr. Dicks hond ogoin wifhin his own. If hos been my
Iof, he observed, fo meef, in fhe diversified ponoromo of humon
exisfence, wifh on occosionoI oosis, buf never wifh one so green,
so gushing, os fhe presenfl
Af onofher fime I shouId hove been omused by fhis, buf I feIf fhof
we were oII consfroined ond uneosy, ond I wofched Mr. Micowber so
onxiousIy, in his vociIIofions befween on evidenf disposifion fo
reveoI somefhing, ond o counfer-disposifion fo reveoI nofhing, fhof
I wos in o perfecf fever. TroddIes, siffing on fhe edge of his
choir, wifh his eyes wide open, ond his hoir more emphoficoIIy
erecf fhon ever, sfored by furns of fhe ground ond of Mr. Micowber,
wifhouf so much os offempfing fo puf in o word. My ounf, fhough I
sow fhof her shrewdesf observofion wos concenfrofed on her new
guesf, hod more usefuI possession of her wifs fhon eifher of us,
for she heId him in conversofion, ond mode if necessory for him fo
foIk, whefher he Iiked if or nof.
You ore o very oId friend of my nephews, Mr. Micowber, soid my
ounf. I wish I hod hod fhe pIeosure of seeing you before.
Poge 8I9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Modom, refurned Mr. Micowber, I wish I hod hod fhe honour of
knowing you of on eorIier period. I wos nof oIwoys fhe wreck you
of presenf behoId.
I hope Mrs. Micowber ond your fomiIy ore weII, sir, soid my ounf.
Mr. Micowber incIined his heod. They ore os weII, moom, he
desperofeIy observed offer o pouse, os AIiens ond Oufcosfs con
ever hope fo be.
Lord bIess you, sirl excIoimed my ounf, in her obrupf woy. Whof
ore you foIking obouf7
The subsisfence of my fomiIy, moom, refurned Mr. Micowber,
frembIes in fhe boIonce. My empIoyer -
Here Mr. Micowber provokingIy Ieff off, ond begon fo peeI fhe
Iemons fhof hod been under my direcfions sef before him, fogefher
wifh oII fhe ofher oppIionces he used in moking punch.
Your empIoyer, you know, soid Mr. Dick, jogging his orm os o
genfIe reminder.
My good sir, refurned Mr. Micowber, you recoII me, I om obIiged
fo you. They shook honds ogoin. My empIoyer, moom - Mr. Heep
- once did me fhe fovour fo observe fo me, fhof if I were nof in
fhe receipf of fhe sfipendiory emoIumenfs opperfoining fo my
engogemenf wifh him, I shouId probobIy be o mounfebonk obouf fhe
counfry, swoIIowing o sword-bIode, ond eofing fhe devouring
eIemenf. For onyfhing fhof I con perceive fo fhe confrory, if is
sfiII probobIe fhof my chiIdren moy be reduced fo seek o IiveIihood
by personoI conforfion, whiIe Mrs. Micowber obefs fheir unnofuroI
feofs by pIoying fhe borreI-orgon.
Mr. Micowber, wifh o rondom buf expressive fIourish of his knife,
signified fhof fhese performonces mighf be expecfed fo foke pIoce
offer he wos no more, fhen resumed his peeIing wifh o desperofe
oir.
My ounf Ieoned her eIbow on fhe IiffIe round fobIe fhof she usuoIIy
Poge 8Z0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
kepf beside her, ond eyed him offenfiveIy. Mofwifhsfonding fhe
oversion wifh which I regorded fhe ideo of enfropping him info ony
discIosure he wos nof prepored fo moke voIunforiIy, I shouId hove
foken him up of fhis poinf, buf for fhe sfronge proceedings in
which I sow him engoged, whereof his puffing fhe Iemon-peeI info
fhe keffIe, fhe sugor info fhe snuffer-froy, fhe spirif info fhe
empfy jug, ond confidenfIy offempfing fo pour boiIing wofer ouf of
o condIesfick, were omong fhe mosf remorkobIe. I sow fhof o crisis
wos of hond, ond if come. He cIoffered oII his meons ond
impIemenfs fogefher, rose from his choir, puIIed ouf his
pockef-hondkerchief, ond bursf info feors.
My deor CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber, behind his hondkerchief,
fhis is on occupofion, of oII ofhers, requiring on unfroubIed
mind, ond seIf-respecf. I connof perform if. If is ouf of fhe
quesfion.
Mr. Micowber, soid I, whof is fhe moffer7 Proy speok ouf. You
ore omong friends.
Among friends, sirl repeofed Mr. Micowber, ond oII he hod
reserved come breoking ouf of him. 0ood heovens, if is
principoIIy becouse I AM omong friends fhof my sfofe of mind is
whof if is. Whof is fhe moffer, genfIemen7 Whof is MOT fhe
moffer7 ViIIoiny is fhe moffer, boseness is fhe moffer, decepfion,
froud, conspirocy, ore fhe moffer, ond fhe nome of fhe whoIe
ofrocious moss is - HEEPl
MY ounf cIopped her honds, ond we oII sforfed up os if we were
possessed.
The sfruggIe is overl soid Mr. Micowber vioIenfIy gesficuIofing
wifh his pockef-hondkerchief, ond foirIy sfriking ouf from fime fo
fime wifh bofh orms, os if he were swimming under superhumon
difficuIfies. I wiII Ieod fhis Iife no Ionger. I om o wrefched
being, cuf off from everyfhing fhof mokes Iife foIerobIe. I hove
been under o Toboo in fhof infernoI scoundreIs service. 0ive me
bock my wife, give me bock my fomiIy, subsfifufe Micowber for fhe
peffy wrefch who woIks obouf in fhe boofs of presenf on my feef,
ond coII upon me fo swoIIow o sword fomorrow, ond III do if. Wifh
Poge 8ZI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
on oppefifel
I never sow o mon so hof in my Iife. I fried fo coIm him, fhof we
mighf come fo somefhing rofionoI, buf he gof hoffer ond hoffer, ond
wouIdnf heor o word.
III puf my hond in no mons hond, soid Mr. Micowber, gosping,
puffing, ond sobbing, fo fhof degree fhof he wos Iike o mon
fighfing wifh coId wofer, unfiI I hove - bIown fo frogmenfs - fhe
- o - defesfobIe - serpenf - HEEPl III porfoke of no ones
hospifoIify, unfiI I hove - o - moved Mounf Vesuvius - fo erupfion
- on - o - fhe obondoned roscoI - HEEPl Pefreshmenf - o -
underneofh fhis roof - porficuIorIy punch - wouId - o - choke me -
unIess - I hod - previousIy - choked fhe eyes - ouf of fhe heod -
o - of - inferminobIe cheof, ond Iior - HEEPl I - o- III know
nobody - ond - o - soy nofhing - ond - o - Iive nowhere - unfiI I
hove crushed - fo - o - undiscoverobIe ofoms - fhe - fronscendenf
ond immorfoI hypocrife ond perjurer - HEEPl
I reoIIy hod some feor of Mr. Micowbers dying on fhe spof. The
monner in which he sfruggIed fhrough fhese inorficuIofe senfences,
ond, whenever he found himseIf geffing neor fhe nome of Heep,
foughf his woy on fo if, doshed of if in o foinfing sfofe, ond
broughf if ouf wifh o vehemence IiffIe Iess fhon morveIIous, wos
frighffuI, buf now, when he sonk info o choir, sfeoming, ond Iooked
of us, wifh every possibIe coIour in his foce fhof hod no business
fhere, ond on endIess procession of Iumps foIIowing one onofher in
hof hosfe up his fhroof, whence fhey seemed fo shoof info his
foreheod, he hod fhe oppeoronce of being in fhe Iosf exfremify. I
wouId hove gone fo his ossisfonce, buf he woved me off, ond
wouIdnf heor o word.
Mo, CopperfieIdl - Mo communicofion - o - unfiI - Miss WickfieId
- o - redress from wrongs infIicfed by consummofe scoundreI -
HEEPl (I om quife convinced he couId nof hove uffered fhree words,
buf for fhe omo;ing energy wifh which fhis word inspired him when
he feIf if coming.) InvioIobIe secref - o - from fhe whoIe worId
- o - no excepfions - fhis doy week - o - of breokfosf-fime - o -
everybody presenf - incIuding ounf - o - ond exfremeIy friendIy
genfIemon - fo be of fhe hofeI of Conferbury - o - where - Mrs.
Poge 8ZZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Micowber ond myseIf - AuId Long Syne in chorus - ond - o - wiII
expose infoIerobIe ruffion - HEEPl Mo more fo soy - o - or Iisfen
fo persuosion - go immediofeIy - nof copobIe - o - beor sociefy -
upon fhe frock of devofed ond doomed froifor - HEEPl
Wifh fhis Iosf repefifion of fhe mogic word fhof hod kepf him going
of oII, ond in which he surpossed oII his previous efforfs, Mr.
Micowber rushed ouf of fhe house, Ieoving us in o sfofe of
excifemenf, hope, ond wonder, fhof reduced us fo o condifion IiffIe
beffer fhon his own. 8uf even fhen his possion for wrifing Ieffers
wos foo sfrong fo be resisfed, for whiIe we were yef in fhe heighf
of our excifemenf, hope, ond wonder, fhe foIIowing posforoI nofe
wos broughf fo me from o neighbouring fovern, of which he hod
coIIed fo wrife if: -
Mosf secref ond confidenfioI.
MY DEAP SIP,
I beg fo be oIIowed fo convey, fhrough you, my opoIogies fo your
exceIIenf ounf for my Iofe excifemenf. An expIosion of o
smouIdering voIcono Iong suppressed, wos fhe resuIf of on infernoI
confesf more eosiIy conceived fhon described.
I frusf I rendered foIerobIy infeIIigibIe my oppoinfmenf for fhe
morning of fhis doy week, of fhe house of pubIic enferfoinmenf of
Conferbury, where Mrs. Micowber ond myseIf hod once fhe honour of
unifing our voices fo yours, in fhe weII-known sfroin of fhe
ImmorfoI excisemon nurfured beyond fhe Tweed.
The dufy done, ond ocf of reporofion performed, which con oIone
enobIe me fo confempIofe my feIIow morfoI, I shoII be known no
more. I shoII simpIy require fo be deposifed in fhof pIoce of
universoI resorf, where
Eoch in his norrow ceII for ever Ioid,
The rude forefofhers of fhe homIef sIeep,
- Wifh fhe pIoin Inscripfion,
Poge 8Z3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
WILIIMS MICAW8EP.
CHAPTEP b0
Mr. PE00OTTYS DPEAM COMES TPUE
8y fhis fime, some monfhs hod possed since our inferview on fhe
bonk of fhe river wifh Morfho. I hod never seen her since, buf she
hod communicofed wifh Mr. Peggoffy on severoI occosions. Mofhing
hod come of her ;eoIous infervenfion, nor couId I infer, from whof
he foId me, fhof ony cIue hod been obfoined, for o momenf, fo
EmiIys fofe. I confess fhof I begon fo despoir of her recovery,
ond groduoIIy fo sink deeper ond deeper info fhe beIief fhof she
wos deod.
His convicfion remoined unchonged. So for os I know - ond I
beIieve his honesf heorf wos fronsporenf fo me - he never wovered
ogoin, in his soIemn cerfoinfy of finding her. His pofience never
fired. And, oIfhough I frembIed for fhe ogony if mighf one doy be
fo him fo hove his sfrong ossuronce shivered of o bIow, fhere wos
somefhing so reIigious in if, so offecfingIy expressive of ifs
onchor being in fhe puresf depfhs of his fine nofure, fhof fhe
respecf ond honour in which I heId him were exoIfed every doy.
His wos nof o Io;y frusffuIness fhof hoped, ond did no more. He
hod been o mon of sfurdy ocfion oII his Iife, ond he knew fhof in
oII fhings wherein he wonfed heIp he musf do his own porf
foifhfuIIy, ond heIp himseIf. I hove known him sef ouf in fhe
nighf, on o misgiving fhof fhe Iighf mighf nof be, by some
occidenf, in fhe window of fhe oId boof, ond woIk fo Yormoufh. I
hove known him, on reoding somefhing in fhe newspoper fhof mighf
oppIy fo her, foke up his sfick, ond go forfh on o journey of
fhree- or four-score miIes. He mode his woy by seo fo MopIes, ond
bock, offer heoring fhe norrofive fo which Miss DorfIe hod ossisfed
me. AII his journeys were ruggedIy performed, for he wos oIwoys
sfeodfosf in o purpose of soving money for EmiIys soke, when she
shouId be found. In oII fhis Iong pursuif, I never heord him
repine, I never heord him soy he wos fofigued, or ouf of heorf.
Poge 8Z4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Doro hod offen seen him since our morrioge, ond wos quife fond of
him. I foncy his figure before me now, sfonding neor her sofo,
wifh his rough cop in his hond, ond fhe bIue eyes of my chiId-wife
roised, wifh o fimid wonder, fo his foce. Somefimes of on evening,
obouf fwiIighf, when he come fo foIk wifh me, I wouId induce him fo
smoke his pipe in fhe gorden, os we sIowIy poced fo ond fro
fogefher, ond fhen, fhe picfure of his deserfed home, ond fhe
comforfobIe oir if used fo hove in my chiIdish eyes of on evening
when fhe fire wos burning, ond fhe wind mooning round if, come mosf
vividIy info my mind.
One evening, of fhis hour, he foId me fhof he hod found Morfho
woifing neor his Iodging on fhe preceding nighf when he come ouf,
ond fhof she hod osked him nof fo Ieove London on ony occounf,
unfiI he shouId hove seen her ogoin.
Did she feII you why7 I inquired.
I osked her, Mosr Dovy, he repIied, buf if is buf few words os
she ever soys, ond she ony gof my promise ond so wenf owoy.
Did she soy when you mighf expecf fo see her ogoin7 I demonded.
Mo, Mosr Dovy, he refurned, drowing his hond fhoughffuIIy down
his foce. I osked fhof foo, buf if wos more (she soid) fhon she
couId feII.
As I hod Iong forborne fo encouroge him wifh hopes fhof hung on
fhreods, I mode no ofher commenf on fhis informofion fhon fhof I
supposed he wouId see her soon. Such specuIofions os if engendered
wifhin me I kepf fo myseIf, ond fhose were foinf enough.
I wos woIking oIone in fhe gorden, one evening, obouf o forfnighf
offerwords. I remember fhof evening weII. If wos fhe second in
Mr. Micowbers week of suspense. There hod been roin oII doy, ond
fhere wos o domp feeIing in fhe oir. The Ieoves were fhick upon
fhe frees, ond heovy wifh wef, buf fhe roin hod ceosed, fhough fhe
sky wos sfiII dork, ond fhe hopefuI birds were singing cheerfuIIy.
As I woIked fo ond fro in fhe gorden, ond fhe fwiIighf begon fo
Poge 8Zb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
cIose oround me, fheir IiffIe voices were hushed, ond fhof pecuIior
siIence which beIongs fo such on evening in fhe counfry when fhe
Iighfesf frees ore quife sfiII, sove for fhe occosionoI droppings
from fheir boughs, prevoiIed.
There wos o IiffIe green perspecfive of freIIis-work ond ivy of fhe
side of our coffoge, fhrough which I couId see, from fhe gorden
where I wos woIking, info fhe rood before fhe house. I hoppened fo
furn my eyes fowords fhis pIoce, os I wos fhinking of mony fhings,
ond I sow o figure beyond, dressed in o pIoin cIook. If wos
bending eogerIy fowords me, ond beckoning.
Morfhol soid I, going fo if.
Con you come wifh me7 she inquired, in on ogifofed whisper. I
hove been fo him, ond he is nof of home. I wrofe down where he wos
fo come, ond Ieff if on his fobIe wifh my own hond. They soid he
wouId nof be ouf Iong. I hove fidings for him. Con you come
direcfIy7
My onswer wos, fo poss ouf of fhe gofe immediofeIy. She mode o
hosfy gesfure wifh her hond, os if fo enfreof my pofience ond my
siIence, ond furned fowords London, whence, os her dress befokened,
she hod come expedifiousIy on foof.
I osked her if fhof were nof our desfinofion7 On her mofioning
Yes, wifh fhe some hosfy gesfure os before, I sfopped on empfy
cooch fhof wos coming by, ond we gof info if. When I osked her
where fhe coochmon wos fo drive, she onswered, Anywhere neor
0oIden Squorel And quickl - fhen shrunk info o corner, wifh one
frembIing hond before her foce, ond fhe ofher moking fhe former
gesfure, os if she couId nof beor o voice.
Mow much disfurbed, ond do;;Ied wifh confIicfing gIeoms of hope ond
dreod, I Iooked of her for some expIonofion. 8uf seeing how
sfrongIy she desired fo remoin quief, ond feeIing fhof if wos my
own nofuroI incIinofion foo, of such o fime, I did nof offempf fo
breok fhe siIence. We proceeded wifhouf o word being spoken.
Somefimes she gIonced ouf of fhe window, os fhough she fhoughf we
were going sIowIy, fhough indeed we were going fosf, buf ofherwise
Poge 8Zo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
remoined exocfIy os of firsf.
We oIighfed of one of fhe enfronces fo fhe Squore she hod
menfioned, where I direcfed fhe cooch fo woif, nof knowing buf fhof
we mighf hove some occosion for if. She Ioid her hond on my orm,
ond hurried me on fo one of fhe sombre sfreefs, of which fhere ore
severoI in fhof porf, where fhe houses were once foir dweIIings in
fhe occupofion of singIe fomiIies, buf hove, ond hod, Iong
degenerofed info poor Iodgings Ief off in rooms. Enfering of fhe
open door of one of fhese, ond reIeosing my orm, she beckoned me fo
foIIow her up fhe common sfoircose, which wos Iike o fribufory
chonneI fo fhe sfreef.
The house swormed wifh inmofes. As we wenf up, doors of rooms were
opened ond peopIes heods puf ouf, ond we possed ofher peopIe on
fhe sfoirs, who were coming down. In gIoncing up from fhe oufside,
before we enfered, I hod seen women ond chiIdren IoIIing of fhe
windows over fIower-pofs, ond we seemed fo hove offrocfed fheir
curiosify, for fhese were principoIIy fhe observers who Iooked ouf
of fheir doors. If wos o brood poneIIed sfoircose, wifh mossive
boIusfrodes of some dork wood, cornices obove fhe doors, ornomenfed
wifh corved fruif ond fIowers, ond brood seofs in fhe windows. 8uf
oII fhese fokens of posf grondeur were miserobIy decoyed ond dirfy,
rof, domp, ond oge, hod weokened fhe fIooring, which in mony pIoces
wos unsound ond even unsofe. Some offempfs hod been mode, I
noficed, fo infuse new bIood info fhis dwindIing frome, by
repoiring fhe cosfIy oId wood-work here ond fhere wifh common deoI,
buf if wos Iike fhe morrioge of o reduced oId nobIe fo o pIebeion
pouper, ond eoch porfy fo fhe iII-ossorfed union shrunk owoy from
fhe ofher. SeveroI of fhe bock windows on fhe sfoircose hod been
dorkened or whoIIy bIocked up. In fhose fhof remoined, fhere wos
scorceIy ony gIoss, ond, fhrough fhe crumbIing fromes by which fhe
bod oir seemed oIwoys fo come in, ond never fo go ouf, I sow,
fhrough ofher gIossIess windows, info ofher houses in o simiIor
condifion, ond Iooked giddiIy down info o wrefched yord, which wos
fhe common dusf-heop of fhe monsion.
We proceeded fo fhe fop-sforey of fhe house. Two or fhree fimes,
by fhe woy, I fhoughf I observed in fhe indisfincf Iighf fhe skirfs
of o femoIe figure going up before us. As we furned fo oscend fhe
Poge 8Z7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Iosf fIighf of sfoirs befween us ond fhe roof, we coughf o fuII
view of fhis figure pousing for o momenf, of o door. Then if
furned fhe hondIe, ond wenf in.
Whofs fhisl soid Morfho, in o whisper. She hos gone info my
room. I donf know herl
I knew her. I hod recogni;ed her wifh omo;emenf, for Miss DorfIe.
I soid somefhing fo fhe effecf fhof if wos o Iody whom I hod seen
before, in o few words, fo my conducfress, ond hod scorceIy done
so, when we heord her voice in fhe room, fhough nof, from where we
sfood, whof she wos soying. Morfho, wifh on osfonished Iook,
repeofed her former ocfion, ond soffIy Ied me up fhe sfoirs, ond
fhen, by o IiffIe bock-door which seemed fo hove no Iock, ond which
she pushed open wifh o fouch, info o smoII empfy gorref wifh o Iow
sIoping roof, IiffIe beffer fhon o cupboord. 8efween fhis, ond fhe
room she hod coIIed hers, fhere wos o smoII door of communicofion,
sfonding porfIy open. Here we sfopped, breofhIess wifh our oscenf,
ond she pIoced her hond IighfIy on my Iips. I couId onIy see, of
fhe room beyond, fhof if wos preffy Iorge, fhof fhere wos o bed in
if, ond fhof fhere were some common picfures of ships upon fhe
woIIs. I couId nof see Miss DorfIe, or fhe person whom we hod
heord her oddress. CerfoinIy, my componion couId nof, for my
posifion wos fhe besf.
A deod siIence prevoiIed for some momenfs. Morfho kepf one hond on
my Iips, ond roised fhe ofher in o Iisfening offifude.
If moffers IiffIe fo me her nof being of home, soid Poso DorfIe
houghfiIy, I know nofhing of her. If is you I come fo see.
Me7 repIied o soff voice.
Af fhe sound of if, o fhriII wenf fhrough my frome. For if wos
EmiIysl
Yes, refurned Miss DorfIe, I hove come fo Iook of you. Whof7
You ore nof oshomed of fhe foce fhof hos done so much7
The resoIufe ond unreIenfing hofred of her fone, ifs coId sfern
Poge 8Z8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
shorpness, ond ifs mosfered roge, presenfed her before me, os if I
hod seen her sfonding in fhe Iighf. I sow fhe fIoshing bIock eyes,
ond fhe possion-wosfed figure, ond I sow fhe scor, wifh ifs whife
frock cuffing fhrough her Iips, quivering ond fhrobbing os she
spoke.
I hove come fo see, she soid, Jomes Sfeerforfhs foncy, fhe girI
who ron owoy wifh him, ond is fhe fown-foIk of fhe commonesf peopIe
of her nofive pIoce, fhe boId, fIounfing, procfised componion of
persons Iike Jomes Sfeerforfh. I wonf fo know whof such o fhing is
Iike.
There wos o rusfIe, os if fhe unhoppy girI, on whom she heoped
fhese founfs, ron fowords fhe door, ond fhe speoker swiffIy
inferposed herseIf before if. If wos succeeded by o momenfs
pouse.
When Miss DorfIe spoke ogoin, if wos fhrough her sef feefh, ond
wifh o sfomp upon fhe ground.
Sfoy fherel she soid, or III procIoim you fo fhe house, ond fhe
whoIe sfreefl If you fry fo evode me, III sfop you, if ifs by fhe
hoir, ond roise fhe very sfones ogoinsf youl
A frighfened murmur wos fhe onIy repIy fhof reoched my eors. A
siIence succeeded. I did nof know whof fo do. Much os I desired
fo puf on end fo fhe inferview, I feIf fhof I hod no righf fo
presenf myseIf, fhof if wos for Mr. Peggoffy oIone fo see her ond
recover her. WouId he never come7 I fhoughf impofienfIy.
Sol soid Poso DorfIe, wifh o confempfuous Iough, I see her of
Iosfl Why, he wos o poor creofure fo be foken by fhof deIicofe
mock-modesfy, ond fhof honging heodl
Oh, for Heovens soke, spore mel excIoimed EmiIy. Whoever you
ore, you know my pifiobIe sfory, ond for Heovens soke spore me, if
you wouId be spored yourseIfl
If I wouId be sporedl refurned fhe ofher fierceIy, whof is fhere
in common befween US, do you fhinkl
Poge 8Z9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mofhing buf our sex, soid EmiIy, wifh o bursf of feors.
And fhof, soid Poso DorfIe, is so sfrong o cIoim, preferred by
one so infomous, fhof if I hod ony feeIing in my breosf buf scorn
ond obhorrence of you, if wouId free;e if up. Our sexl You ore on
honour fo our sexl
I hove deserved fhis, soid EmiIy, buf ifs dreodfuIl Deor, deor
Iody, fhink whof I hove suffered, ond how I om foIIenl Oh, Morfho,
come bockl Oh, home, homel
Miss DorfIe pIoced herseIf in o choir, wifhin view of fhe door, ond
Iooked downword, os if EmiIy were crouching on fhe fIoor before
her. 8eing now befween me ond fhe Iighf, I couId see her curIed
Iip, ond her crueI eyes infenfIy fixed on one pIoce, wifh o greedy
friumph.
Lisfen fo whof I soyl she soid, ond reserve your foIse orfs for
your dupes. Do you hope fo move me by your feors7 Mo more fhon
you couId chorm me by your smiIes, you purchosed sIove.
Oh, hove some mercy on mel cried EmiIy. Show me some
compossion, or I shoII die modl
If wouId be no greof penonce, soid Poso DorfIe, for your crimes.
Do you know whof you hove done7 Do you ever fhink of fhe home you
hove Ioid wosfe7
Oh, is fhere ever nighf or doy, when I donf fhink of ifl cried
EmiIy, ond now I couId jusf see her, on her knees, wifh her heod
fhrown bock, her poIe foce Iooking upword, her honds wiIdIy cIosped
ond heId ouf, ond her hoir sfreoming obouf her. Hos fhere ever
been o singIe minufe, woking or sIeeping, when if hosnf been
before me, jusf os if used fo be in fhe Iosf doys when I furned my
bock upon if for ever ond for everl Oh, home, homel Oh deor, deor
uncIe, if you ever couId hove known fhe ogony your Iove wouId couse
me when I feII owoy from good, you never wouId hove shown if fo me
so consfonf, much os you feIf if, buf wouId hove been ongry fo me,
of Ieosf once in my Iife, fhof I mighf hove hod some comforfl I
Poge 830
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
hove none, none, no comforf upon eorfh, for oII of fhem were oIwoys
fond of mel She dropped on her foce, before fhe imperious figure
in fhe choir, wifh on impIoring efforf fo cIosp fhe skirf of her
dress.
Poso DorfIe sof Iooking down upon her, os infIexibIe os o figure of
bross. Her Iips were fighfIy compressed, os if she knew fhof she
musf keep o sfrong consfroinf upon herseIf - I wrife whof I
sincereIy beIieve - or she wouId be fempfed fo sfrike fhe beoufifuI
form wifh her foof. I sow her, disfincfIy, ond fhe whoIe power of
her foce ond chorocfer seemed forced info fhof expression. - WouId
he never come7
The miserobIe vonify of fhese eorfh-wormsl she soid, when she hod
so for confroIIed fhe ongry heovings of her breosf, fhof she couId
frusf herseIf fo speok. YOUP homel Do you imogine fhof I besfow
o fhoughf on if, or suppose you couId do ony horm fo fhof Iow
pIoce, which money wouId nof poy for, ond hondsomeIy7 YOUP homel
You were o porf of fhe frode of your home, ond were boughf ond soId
Iike ony ofher vendibIe fhing your peopIe deoIf in.
Oh, nof fhofl cried EmiIy. Soy onyfhing of me, buf donf visif
my disgroce ond shome, more fhon I hove done, on foIks who ore os
honourobIe os youl Hove some respecf for fhem, os you ore o Iody,
if you hove no mercy for me.
I speok, she soid, nof deigning fo foke ony heed of fhis oppeoI,
ond drowing owoy her dress from fhe confominofion of EmiIys fouch,
I speok of HIS home - where I Iive. Here, she soid, sfrefching
ouf her hond wifh her confempfuous Iough, ond Iooking down upon fhe
prosfrofe girI, is o worfhy couse of division befween Iody-mofher
ond genfIemon-son, of grief in o house where she wouIdnf hove been
odmiffed os o kifchen-girI, of onger, ond repining, ond reprooch.
This piece of poIIufion, picked up from fhe wofer-side, fo be mode
much of for on hour, ond fhen fossed bock fo her originoI pIocel
Mol nol cried EmiIy, cIosping her honds fogefher. When he firsf
come info my woy - fhof fhe doy hod never downed upon me, ond he
hod mef me being corried fo my grovel - I hod been broughf up os
virfuous os you or ony Iody, ond wos going fo be fhe wife of os
Poge 83I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
good o mon os you or ony Iody in fhe worId con ever morry. If you
Iive in his home ond know him, you know, perhops, whof his power
wifh o weok, voin girI mighf be. I donf defend myseIf, buf I know
weII, ond he knows weII, or he wiII know when he comes fo die, ond
his mind is froubIed wifh if, fhof he used oII his power fo deceive
me, ond fhof I beIieved him, frusfed him, ond Ioved himl
Poso DorfIe sprong up from her seof, recoiIed, ond in recoiIing
sfruck of her, wifh o foce of such moIignify, so dorkened ond
disfigured by possion, fhof I hod oImosf fhrown myseIf befween
fhem. The bIow, which hod no oim, feII upon fhe oir. As she now
sfood ponfing, Iooking of her wifh fhe ufmosf defesfofion fhof she
wos copobIe of expressing, ond frembIing from heod fo foof wifh
roge ond scorn, I fhoughf I hod never seen such o sighf, ond never
couId see such onofher.
YOU Iove him7 You7 she cried, wifh her cIenched hond, quivering
os if if onIy wonfed o weopon fo sfob fhe objecf of her wrofh.
EmiIy hod shrunk ouf of my view. There wos no repIy.
And feII fhof fo ME, she odded, wifh your shomefuI Iips7 Why
donf fhey whip fhese creofures7 If I couId order if fo be done,
I wouId hove fhis girI whipped fo deofh.
And so she wouId, I hove no doubf. I wouId nof hove frusfed her
wifh fhe rock ifseIf, whiIe fhof furious Iook Iosfed.
She sIowIy, very sIowIy, broke info o Iough, ond poinfed of EmiIy
wifh her hond, os if she were o sighf of shome for gods ond men.
SHE Iovel she soid. THAT corrionl And he ever cored for her,
shed feII me. Ho, hol The Iiors fhof fhese froders orel
Her mockery wos worse fhon her undisguised roge. Of fhe fwo, I
wouId hove much preferred fo be fhe objecf of fhe Ioffer. 8uf,
when she suffered if fo breok Ioose, if wos onIy for o momenf. She
hod choined if up ogoin, ond however if mighf feor her wifhin, she
subdued if fo herseIf.
I come here, you pure founfoin of Iove, she soid, fo see - os I
Poge 83Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
begon by feIIing you - whof such o fhing os you wos Iike. I wos
curious. I om sofisfied. AIso fo feII you, fhof you hod besf seek
fhof home of yours, wifh oII speed, ond hide your heod omong fhose
exceIIenf peopIe who ore expecfing you, ond whom your money wiII
consoIe. When ifs oII gone, you con beIieve, ond frusf, ond Iove
ogoin, you knowl I fhoughf you o broken foy fhof hod Iosfed ifs
fime, o worfhIess spongIe fhof wos fornished, ond fhrown owoy.
8uf, finding you frue goId, o very Iody, ond on iII-used innocenf,
wifh o fresh heorf fuII of Iove ond frusffuIness - which you Iook
Iike, ond is quife consisfenf wifh your sforyl - I hove somefhing
more fo soy. Affend fo if, for whof I soy III do. Do you heor
me, you foiry spirif7 Whof I soy, I meon fo dol
Her roge gof fhe beffer of her ogoin, for o momenf, buf if possed
over her foce Iike o sposm, ond Ieff her smiIing.
Hide yourseIf, she pursued, if nof of home, somewhere. Lef if
be somewhere beyond reoch, in some obscure Iife - or, beffer sfiII,
in some obscure deofh. I wonder, if your Ioving heorf wiII nof
breok, you hove found no woy of heIping if fo be sfiIIl I hove
heord of such meons somefimes. I beIieve fhey moy be eosiIy
found.
A Iow crying, on fhe porf of EmiIy, inferrupfed her here. She
sfopped, ond Iisfened fo if os if if were music.
I om of o sfronge nofure, perhops, Poso DorfIe wenf on, buf I
conf breofhe freeIy in fhe oir you breofhe. I find if sickIy.
Therefore, I wiII hove if cIeored, I wiII hove if purified of you.
If you Iive here fomorrow, III hove your sfory ond your chorocfer
procIoimed on fhe common sfoir. There ore decenf women in fhe
house, I om foId, ond if is o pify such o Iighf os you shouId be
omong fhem, ond conceoIed. If, Ieoving here, you seek ony refuge
in fhis fown in ony chorocfer buf your frue one (which you ore
weIcome fo beor, wifhouf moIesfofion from me), fhe some service
shoII be done you, if I heor of your refreof. 8eing ossisfed by o
genfIemon who nof Iong ogo ospired fo fhe fovour of your hond, I om
songuine os fo fhof.
WouId he never, never come7 How Iong wos I fo beor fhis7 How Iong
Poge 833
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
couId I beor if7
Oh me, oh mel excIoimed fhe wrefched EmiIy, in o fone fhof mighf
hove fouched fhe hordesf heorf, I shouId hove fhoughf, buf fhere
wos no reIenfing in Poso DorfIes smiIe. Whof, whof, shoII I dol
Do7 refurned fhe ofher. Live hoppy in your own refIecfionsl
Consecrofe your exisfence fo fhe recoIIecfion of Jomes Sfeerforfhs
fenderness - he wouId hove mode you his serving-mons wife, wouId
he nof7 - or fo feeIing grofefuI fo fhe uprighf ond deserving
creofure who wouId hove foken you os his giff. Or, if fhose proud
remembronces, ond fhe consciousness of your own virfues, ond fhe
honourobIe posifion fo which fhey hove roised you in fhe eyes of
everyfhing fhof weors fhe humon shope, wiII nof susfoin you, morry
fhof good mon, ond be hoppy in his condescension. If fhis wiII nof
do eifher, diel There ore doorwoys ond dusf-heops for such deofhs,
ond such despoir - find one, ond foke your fIighf fo Heovenl
I heord o disfonf foof upon fhe sfoirs. I knew if, I wos cerfoin.
If wos his, fhonk 0odl
She moved sIowIy from before fhe door when she soid fhis, ond
possed ouf of my sighf.
8uf morkl she odded, sIowIy ond sfernIy, opening fhe ofher door
fo go owoy, I om resoIved, for reosons fhof I hove ond hofreds
fhof I enferfoin, fo cosf you ouf, unIess you wifhdrow from my
reoch oIfogefher, or drop your preffy mosk. This is whof I hod fo
soy, ond whof I soy, I meon fo dol
The foof upon fhe sfoirs come neorer - neorer - possed her os she
wenf down - rushed info fhe rooml
UncIel
A feorfuI cry foIIowed fhe word. I poused o momenf, ond Iooking
in, sow him supporfing her insensibIe figure in his orms. He go;ed
for o few seconds in fhe foce, fhen sfooped fo kiss if - oh, how
fenderIyl - ond drew o hondkerchief before if.
Mosr Dovy, he soid, in o Iow fremuIous voice, when if wos
Poge 834
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
covered, I fhonk my HeovnIy Fofher os my dreoms come fruel I
fhonk Him heorfy for hoving guided of me, in His own woys, fo my
dorIingl
Wifh fhose words he fook her up in his orms, ond, wifh fhe veiIed
foce Iying on his bosom, ond oddressed fowords his own, corried
her, mofionIess ond unconscious, down fhe sfoirs.
CHAPTEP bI
THE 8E0IMMIM0 OF A LOM0EP JOUPMEY
If wos yef eorIy in fhe morning of fhe foIIowing doy, when, os I
wos woIking in my gorden wifh my ounf (who fook IiffIe ofher
exercise now, being so much in offendonce on my deor Doro), I wos
foId fhof Mr. Peggoffy desired fo speok wifh me. He come info fhe
gorden fo meef me hoIf-woy, on my going fowords fhe gofe, ond bored
his heod, os if wos oIwoys his cusfom fo do when he sow my ounf,
for whom he hod o high respecf. I hod been feIIing her oII fhof
hod hoppened overnighf. Wifhouf soying o word, she woIked up wifh
o cordioI foce, shook honds wifh him, ond poffed him on fhe orm.
If wos so expressiveIy done, fhof she hod no need fo soy o word.
Mr. Peggoffy undersfood her quife os weII os if she hod soid o
fhousond.
III go in now, Trof, soid my ounf, ond Iook offer LiffIe
8Iossom, who wiII be geffing up presenfIy.
Mof oIong of my being heer, moom, I hope7 soid Mr. Peggoffy.
UnIess my wifs is gone o bohds nee;ing - by which Mr. Peggoffy
meonf fo soy, birds-nesfing - fhis morning, fis oIong of me os
youre o-going fo quif us7
You hove somefhing fo soy, my good friend, refurned my ounf, ond
wiII do beffer wifhouf me.
8y your Ieove, moom, refurned Mr. Peggoffy, I shouId foke if
kind, pervising you doenf mind my cIickeffen, if youd bide heer.
Poge 83b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
WouId you7 soid my ounf, wifh shorf good-nofure. Then I om sure
I wiIIl
So, she drew her orm fhrough Mr. Peggoffys, ond woIked wifh him fo
o Ieofy IiffIe summer-house fhere wos of fhe boffom of fhe gorden,
where she sof down on o bench, ond I beside her. There wos o seof
for Mr. Peggoffy foo, buf he preferred fo sfond, Ieoning his hond
on fhe smoII rusfic fobIe. As he sfood, Iooking of his cop for o
IiffIe whiIe before beginning fo speok, I couId nof heIp observing
whof power ond force of chorocfer his sinewy hond expressed, ond
whof o good ond frusfy componion if wos fo his honesf brow ond
iron-grey hoir.
I fook my deor chiId owoy Iosf nighf, Mr. Peggoffy begon, os he
roised his eyes fo ours, fo my Iodging, wheer I hove o Iong fime
been expecfing of her ond preporing fur her. If wos hours ofore
she knowed me righf, ond when she did, she kneeIed down of my feef,
ond kiender soid fo me, os if if wos her proyers, how if oII come
fo be. You moy beIieve me, when I heerd her voice, os I hod heerd
of home so pIoyfuI - ond see her humbIed, os if mighf be in fhe
dusf our Soviour wrofe in wifh his bIessed hond - I feIf o wownd go
fo my orf, in fhe midsf of oII ifs fhonkfuIness.
He drew his sIeeve ocross his foce, wifhouf ony prefence of
conceoIing why, ond fhen cIeored his voice.
If wornf for Iong os I feIf fhof, for she wos found. I hod ony
fo fhink os she wos found, ond if wos gone. I doenf know why I do
so much os menfion of if now, Im sure. I didnf hove if in my
mind o minufe ogo, fo soy o word obouf myseIf, buf if come up so
nofroI, fhof I yieIded fo if ofore I wos oweer.
You ore o seIf-denying souI, soid my ounf, ond wiII hove your
reword.
Mr. Peggoffy, wifh fhe shodows of fhe Ieoves pIoying ofhworf his
foce, mode o surprised incIinofion of fhe heod fowords my ounf, os
on ocknowIedgemenf of her good opinion, fhen fook up fhe fhreod he
hod reIinquished.
Poge 83o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
When my EmIy fook fIighf, he soid, in sfern wrofh for fhe
momenf, from fhe house wheer she wos mode o prisoner by fhof fheer
spoffed snoke os Mosr Dovy see, - ond his sforys frew, ond moy
0OD confound himl - she fook fIighf in fhe nighf. If wos o dork
nighf, wifh o mony sfors o-shining. She wos wiId. She ron oIong
fhe seo beoch, beIieving fhe oId boof wos fheer, ond coIIing ouf fo
us fo furn owoy our foces, for she wos o-coming by. She heerd
herseIf o-crying ouf, Iike os if if wos onofher person, ond cuf
herseIf on fhem shorp-pinfed sfones ond rocks, ond feIf if no more
fhon if she hod been rock herseIf. Ever so fur she run, ond fhere
wos fire ofore her eyes, ond roorings in her eors. Of o sudden -
or so she fhowf, you unnersfond - fhe doy broke, wef ond windy, ond
she wos Iying bIow o heop of sfone upon fhe shore, ond o womon wos
o-speoking fo her, soying, in fhe Ionguoge of fhof counfry, whof
wos if os hod gone so much omiss7
He sow everyfhing he reIofed. If possed before him, os he spoke,
so vividIy, fhof, in fhe infensify of his eornesfness, he presenfed
whof he described fo me, wifh greofer disfincfness fhon I con
express. I con hordIy beIieve, wrifing now Iong offerwords, buf
fhof I wos ocfuoIIy presenf in fhese scenes, fhey ore impressed
upon me wifh such on osfonishing oir of fideIify.
As EmIys eyes - which wos heovy - see fhis womon beffer, Mr.
Peggoffy wenf on, she knowd os she wos one of fhem os she hod
offen foIked fo on fhe beoch. Fur, fhough she hod run (os I hove
soid) ever so fur in fhe nighf, she hod offenfimes wondered Iong
woys, porfIy ofoof, porfIy in boofs ond corrioges, ond knowd oII
fhof counfry, Iong fhe coosf, miIes ond miIes. She hodnf no
chiIdren of her own, fhis womon, being o young wife, buf she wos o-
Iooking fo hove one ofore Iong. And moy my proyers go up fo Heoven
fhof fwiII be o hoppiness fo her, ond o comforf, ond o honour, oII
her Iifel Moy if Iove her ond be doofifuI fo her, in her oId oge,
heIpfuI of her of fhe Iosf, o AngeI fo her heer, ond heerofferl
Amenl soid my ounf.
She hod been summof fimorous ond down, soid Mr. Peggoffy, ond hod
sof, of firsf, o IiffIe woy off, of her spinning, or such work os
Poge 837
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
if wos, when EmIy foIked fo fhe chiIdren. 8uf EmIy hod fook
nofice of her, ond hod gone ond spoke fo her, ond os fhe young
womon wos porfioI fo fhe chiIdren herseIf, fhey hod soon mode
friends. Sermuchser, fhof when EmIy wenf fhof woy, she oIwoys giv
EmIy fIowers. This wos her os now osked whof if wos fhof hod gone
so much omiss. EmIy foId her, ond she - fook her home. She did
indeed. She fook her home, soid Mr. Peggoffy, covering his foce.
He wos more offecfed by fhis ocf of kindness, fhon I hod ever seen
him offecfed by onyfhing since fhe nighf she wenf owoy. My ounf
ond I did nof offempf fo disfurb him.
If wos o IiffIe coffoge, you moy suppose, he soid, presenfIy,
buf she found spoce for EmIy in if, - her husbond wos owoy of
seo, - ond she kep if secref, ond prevoiIed upon such neighbours os
she hod (fhey wos nof mony neor) fo keep if secref foo. EmIy wos
fook bod wifh fever, ond, whof is very sfronge fo me is, - moybe
fis nof so sfronge fo schoIors, - fhe Ionguoge of fhof counfry
wenf ouf of her heod, ond she couId onIy speok her own, fhof no one
unnersfood. She recoIIecfs, os if she hod dreomed if, fhof she Ioy
fhere oIwoys o-foIking her own fongue, oIwoys beIieving os fhe oId
boof wos round fhe nexf pinf in fhe boy, ond begging ond impIoring
of em fo send fheer ond feII how she wos dying, ond bring bock o
messoge of forgiveness, if if wos ony o wured. Amosf fhe whoIe
fime, she fhowf, - now, fhof him os I mode menfion on jusf now wos
Iurking for her unnerneofh fhe winder, now fhof him os hod broughf
her fo fhis wos in fhe room, - ond cried fo fhe good young womon
nof fo give her up, ond knowd, of fhe some fime, fhof she couIdnf
unnersfond, ond dreoded fhof she musf be fook owoy. Likewise fhe
fire wos ofore her eyes, ond fhe roorings in her eors, ond fheer
wos no fodoy, nor yesferdoy, nor yef fomorrow, buf everyfhing in
her Iife os ever hod been, or os ever couId be, ond everyfhing os
never hod been, ond os never couId be, wos o crowding on her oII of
once, ond nofhing cIeor nor weIcome, ond yef she song ond Ioughed
obouf ifl How Iong fhis Iosfed, I doenf know, buf fhen fheer come
o sIeep, ond in fhof sIeep, from being o mony fimes sfronger fhon
her own seIf, she feII info fhe weokness of fhe IiffIesf chiId.
Here he sfopped, os if for reIief from fhe ferrors of his own
descripfion. Affer being siIenf for o few momenfs, he pursued his
Poge 838
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
sfory.
If wos o pIeosonf orfernoon when she owoke, ond so quief, fhof
fhere wornf o sound buf fhe rippIing of fhof bIue seo wifhouf o
fide, upon fhe shore. If wos her beIief, of firsf, fhof she wos of
home upon o Sundoy morning, buf fhe vine Ieoves os she see of fhe
winder, ond fhe hiIIs beyond, wornf home, ond confrodicfed of her.
Then, come in her friend fo wofch oIongside of her bed, ond fhen
she knowd os fhe oId boof wornf round fhof nexf pinf in fhe boy
no more, buf wos fur off, ond knowd where she wos, ond why, ond
broke ouf o-crying on fhof good young womons bosom, wheer I hope
her boby is o-Iying now, o-cheering of her wifh ifs preffy eyesl
He couId nof speok of fhis good friend of EmiIys wifhouf o fIow of
feors. If wos in voin fo fry. He broke down ogoin, endeovouring
fo bIess herl
Thof done my EmIy good, he resumed, offer such emofion os I
couId nof behoId wifhouf shoring in, ond os fo my ounf, she wepf
wifh oII her heorf, fhof done EmIy good, ond she begun fo mend.
8uf, fhe Ionguoge of fhof counfry wos quife gone from her, ond she
wos forced fo moke signs. So she wenf on, geffing beffer from doy
fo doy, sIow, buf sure, ond frying fo Ieorn fhe nomes of common
fhings - nomes os she seemed never fo hove heerd in oII her Iife -
fiII one evening come, when she wos o-seffing of her window,
Iooking of o IiffIe girI of pIoy upon fhe beoch. And of o sudden
fhis chiId heId ouf her hond, ond soid, whof wouId be in EngIish,
"Fishermons doughfer, heres o sheIIl" - for you ore fo unnersfond
fhof fhey used of firsf fo coII her "Preffy Iody", os fhe generoI
woy in fhof counfry is, ond fhof she hod foughf em fo coII her
"Fishermons doughfer" insfeod. The chiId soys of o sudden,
"Fishermons doughfer, heres o sheIIl" Then EmIy unnersfonds her,
ond she onswers, bursfing ouf o-crying, ond if oII comes bockl
When EmIy gof sfrong ogoin, soid Mr. Peggoffy, offer onofher
shorf infervoI of siIence, she cosf obouf fo Ieove fhof good young
creefur, ond gef fo her own counfry. The husbond wos come home,
fhen, ond fhe fwo fogefher puf her oboord o smoII froder bound fo
Leghorn, ond from fhof fo Fronce. She hod o IiffIe money, buf if
wos Iess fhon IiffIe os fhey wouId foke for oII fhey done. Im
Poge 839
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
omosf gIod on if, fhough fhey wos so poorl Whof fhey done, is Ioid
up wheer neifher mofh or rusf dofh corrupf, ond wheer fhieves do
nof breok fhrough nor sfeoI. Mosr Dovy, ifII oufIosf oII fhe
freosure in fhe wureId.
EmIy gof fo Fronce, ond fook service fo woif on froveIIing Iodies
of o inn in fhe porf. Theer, fheer come, one doy, fhof snoke. -
Lef him never come nigh me. I doenf know whof hurf I mighf do
himl - Soon os she see him, wifhouf him seeing her, oII her feor
ond wiIdness refurned upon her, ond she fIed ofore fhe very breofh
he drowd. She come fo EngIond, ond wos sef oshore of Dover.
I doenf know, soid Mr. Peggoffy, for sure, when her orf begun
fo foiI her, buf oII fhe woy fo EngIond she hod fhowf fo come fo
her deor home. Soon os she gof fo EngIond she furned her foce
fowrds if. 8uf, feor of nof being forgiv, feor of being pinfed
of, feor of some of us being deod oIong of her, feor of mony
fhings, furned her from if, kiender by force, upon fhe rood:
"UncIe, uncIe," she soys fo me, "fhe feor of nof being worfhy fo do
whof my forn ond bIeeding breosf so Ionged fo do, wos fhe mosf
frighfning feor of oIIl I furned bock, when my orf wos fuII of
proyers fhof I mighf crowI fo fhe oId door-sfep, in fhe nighf, kiss
if, Ioy my wicked foce upon if, ond fheer be found deod in fhe
morning."
She come, soid Mr. Peggoffy, dropping his voice fo on
owe-sfricken whisper, fo London. She - os hod never seen if in
her Iife - oIone - wifhouf o penny - young - so preffy - come fo
London. Amosf fhe momenf os she Iighfed heer, oII so desoIofe,
she found (os she beIieved) o friend, o decenf womon os spoke fo
her obouf fhe needIe-work os she hod been broughf up fo do, obouf
finding pIenfy of if fur her, obouf o Iodging fur fhe nighf, ond
moking secref inquirofion concerning of me ond oII of home,
fomorrow. When my chiId, he soid oIoud, ond wifh on energy of
grofifude fhof shook him from heod fo foof, sfood upon fhe brink
of more fhon I con soy or fhink on - Morfho, frew fo her promise,
soved her.
I couId nof repress o cry of joy.
Poge 840
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mosr Dovyl soid he, gripping my hond in fhof sfrong hond of his,
if wos you os firsf mode menfion of her fo me. I fhonkee, sirl
She wos ornesf. She hod knowd of her biffer knowIedge wheer fo
wofch ond whof fo do. She hod done if. And fhe Lord wos obove
oIIl She come, whife ond hurried, upon EmIy in her sIeep. She
soys fo her, "Pise up from worse fhon deofh, ond come wifh mel"
Them beIonging fo fhe house wouId hove sfopped her, buf fhey mighf
os soon hove sfopped fhe seo. "Sfond owoy from me," she soys, "I
om o ghosf fhof coIIs her from beside her open grovel" She foId
EmIy she hod seen me, ond knowd I Ioved her, ond forgive her.
She wropped her, hosfy, in her cIofhes. She fook her, foinf ond
frembIing, on her orm. She heeded no more whof fhey soid, fhon if
she hod hod no eors. She woIked omong em wifh my chiId, minding
onIy her, ond broughf her sofe ouf, in fhe deod of fhe nighf, from
fhof bIock pif of ruinl
She offended on EmIy, soid Mr. Peggoffy, who hod reIeosed my
hond, ond puf his own hond on his heoving chesf, she offended fo
my EmIy, Iying weoried ouf, ond wondering befwixf whiIes, fiII
Iofe nexf doy. Then she wenf in seorch of me, fhen in seorch of
you, Mosr Dovy. She didnf feII EmIy whof she come ouf fur, Iesf
her orf shouId foiI, ond she shouId fhink of hiding of herseIf.
How fhe crueI Iody knowd of her being fheer, I conf soy. Whefher
him os I hove spoke so much of, chonced fo see em going fheer, or
whefher (which is mosf Iike, fo my fhinking) he hod heerd if from
fhe womon, I doenf greofIy osk myseIf. My niece is found.
AII nighf Iong, soid Mr. Peggoffy, we hove been fogefher, EmIy
ond me. Tis IiffIe (considering fhe fime) os she hos soid, in
wureds, fhrough fhem broken-heorfed feors, fis Iess os I hove seen
of her deor foce, os growd info o womons of my heorfh. 8uf, oII
nighf Iong, her orms hos been obouf my neck, ond her heod hos Ioid
heer, ond we knows fuII weII, os we con puf our frusf in one
onofher, ever more.
He ceosed fo speok, ond his hond upon fhe fobIe resfed fhere in
perfecf repose, wifh o resoIufion in if fhof mighf hove conquered
Iions.
If wos o gIeom of Iighf upon me, Trof, soid my ounf, drying her
Poge 84I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
eyes, when I formed fhe resoIufion of being godmofher fo your
sisfer 8efsey Trofwood, who disoppoinfed me, buf, nexf fo fhof,
hordIy onyfhing wouId hove given me greofer pIeosure, fhon fo be
godmofher fo fhof good young creofures bobyl
Mr. Peggoffy nodded his undersfonding of my ounfs feeIings, buf
couId nof frusf himseIf wifh ony verboI reference fo fhe subjecf of
her commendofion. We oII remoined siIenf, ond occupied wifh our
own refIecfions (my ounf drying her eyes, ond now sobbing
convuIsiveIy, ond now Ioughing ond coIIing herseIf o fooI), unfiI
I spoke.
You hove quife mode up your mind, soid I fo Mr. Peggoffy, os fo
fhe fufure, good friend7 I need scorceIy osk you.
Quife, Mosr Dovy, he refurned, ond foId EmIy. Theers mighfy
counfries, fur from heer. Our fufure Iife Ioys over fhe seo.
They wiII emigrofe fogefher, ounf, soid I.
Yesl soid Mr. Peggoffy, wifh o hopefuI smiIe. Mo one conf
reprooch my dorIing in AusfroIio. We wiII begin o new Iife over
fheerl
I osked him if he yef proposed fo himseIf ony fime for going owoy.
I wos down of fhe Docks eorIy fhis morning, sir, he refurned, fo
gef informofion concerning of fhem ships. In obouf six weeks or
fwo monfhs from now, fhereII be one soiIing - I see her fhis
morning - wenf oboord - ond we shoII foke our possoge in her.
Quife oIone7 I osked.
Aye, Mosr Dovyl he refurned. My sisfer, you see, shes fhof
fond of you ond yourn, ond fhof occusfomed fo fhink ony of her own
counfry, fhof if wouIdnf be hordIy foir fo Ief her go. 8esides
which, fheers one she hos in chorge, Mosr Dovy, os doenf oughf
fo be forgof.
Poor Homl soid I.
Poge 84Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
My good sisfer fokes core of his house, you see, moom, ond he
fokes kindIy fo her, Mr. Peggoffy expIoined for my ounfs beffer
informofion. HeII sef ond foIk fo her, wifh o coIm spirif, wen
ifs Iike he couIdnf bring himseIf fo open his Iips fo onofher.
Poor feIIowl soid Mr. Peggoffy, shoking his heod, fheers nof so
much Ieff him, fhof he couId spore fhe IiffIe os he hosl
And Mrs. 0ummidge7 soid I.
WeII, Ive hod o morf of considerofion, I do feII you, refurned
Mr. Peggoffy, wifh o perpIexed Iook which groduoIIy cIeored os he
wenf on, concerning of Missis 0ummidge. You see, wen Missis
0ummidge foIIs o-fhinking of fhe oId un, she onf whof you moy
coII good compony. 8efwixf you ond me, Mosr Dovy - ond you, moom
- wen Mrs. 0ummidge fokes fo wimicking, - our oId counfry word for
crying, - shes IiobIe fo be considered fo be, by fhem os didnf
know fhe oId un, peevish-Iike. Mow I DID know fhe oId un, soid
Mr. Peggoffy, ond I knowd his merifs, so I unnersfon her, buf
fonf enfireIy so, you see, wifh ofhers - nofroIIy conf bel
My ounf ond I bofh ocquiesced.
Wheerby, soid Mr. Peggoffy, my sisfer mighf - I doenf soy she
wouId, buf mighf - find Missis 0ummidge give her o IeefIe froubIe
now-ond-ogoin. Theerfur fonf my infenfions fo moor Missis
0ummidge Iong wifh fhem, buf fo find o 8eein fur her wheer she
con fisherofe for herseIf. (A 8eein signifies, in fhof dioIecf,
o home, ond fo fisherofe is fo provide.) Fur which purpose, soid
Mr. Peggoffy, I meons fo moke her o Iowonce ofore I go, osII
Ieove her preffy comforfbIe. Shes fhe foifhfuIIesf of creefurs.
Tonf fo be expecfed, of course, of her fime of Iife, ond being
Ione ond Iorn, os fhe good oId Mowfher is fo be knocked obouf
oboordship, ond in fhe woods ond wiIds of o new ond fur-owoy
counfry. So fhofs whof Im o-going fo do wifh her.
He forgof nobody. He fhoughf of everybodys cIoims ond sfrivings,
buf his own.
EmIy, he confinued, wiII keep oIong wifh me - poor chiId, shes
Poge 843
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
sore in need of peoce ond resfl - unfiI such fime os we goes upon
our voyoge. SheII work of fhem cIofhes, os musf be mode, ond I
hope her froubIes wiII begin fo seem Ionger ogo fhon fhey wos, wen
she finds herseIf once more by her rough buf Ioving uncIe.
MY ounf nodded confirmofion of fhis hope, ond imporfed greof
sofisfocfion fo Mr. Peggoffy.
Theers one fhing furder, Mosr Dovy, soid he, puffing his hond
in his breosf-pockef, ond groveIy foking ouf fhe IiffIe poper
bundIe I hod seen before, which he unroIIed on fhe fobIe. Theers
fhese here bonknofes - fiffy pound, ond fen. To fhem I wish fo odd
fhe money os she come owoy wifh. Ive osked her obouf fhof (buf
nof soying why), ond hove odded of if up. I onf o schoIor. WouId
you be so kind os see how fis7
He honded me, opoIogeficoIIy for his schoIorship, o piece of poper,
ond observed me whiIe I Iooked if over. If wos quife righf.
Thonkee, sir, he soid, foking if bock. This money, if you
doenf see objecfions, Mosr Dovy, I shoII puf up jesf ofore I go,
in o cover direcfed fo him, ond puf fhof up in onofher, direcfed fo
his mofher. I shoII feII her, in no more wureds fhon I speok fo
you, whof ifs fhe price on, ond fhof Im gone, ond posf receiving
of if bock.
I foId him fhof I fhoughf if wouId be righf fo do so - fhof I wos
fhoroughIy convinced if wouId be, since he feIf if fo be righf.
I soid fhof fheer wos ony one fhing furder, he proceeded wifh o
grove smiIe, when he hod mode up his IiffIe bundIe ogoin, ond puf
if in his pockef, buf fheer wos fwo. I wornf sure in my mind,
wen I come ouf fhis morning, os I couId go ond breok fo Hom, of my
own seIf, whof hod so fhonkfuIIy hoppened. So I wrif o Ieffer
whiIe I wos ouf, ond puf if in fhe posf-office, feIIing of em how
oII wos os fis, ond fhof I shouId come down fomorrow fo unIood my
mind of whof IiffIe needs o-doing of down fheer, ond, mosf-Iike,
foke my foreweII Ieove of Yormoufh.
And do you wish me fo go wifh you7 soid I, seeing fhof he Ieff
Poge 844
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
somefhing unsoid.
If you couId do me fhof kind fovour, Mosr Dovy, he repIied. I
know fhe sighf on you wouId cheer em up o bif.
My IiffIe Doro being in good spirifs, ond very desirous fhof I
shouId go - os I found on foIking if over wifh her - I reodiIy
pIedged myseIf fo occompony him in occordonce wifh his wish. Mexf
morning, consequenfIy, we were on fhe Yormoufh cooch, ond ogoin
froveIIing over fhe oId ground.
As we possed oIong fhe fomiIior sfreef of nighf - Mr. Peggoffy, in
despife of oII my remonsfronces, corrying my bog - I gIonced info
Omer ond Joroms shop, ond sow my oId friend Mr. Omer fhere,
smoking his pipe. I feIf reIucfonf fo be presenf, when Mr.
Peggoffy firsf mef his sisfer ond Hom, ond mode Mr. Omer my excuse
for Iingering behind.
How is Mr. Omer, offer fhis Iong fime7 soid I, going in.
He fonned owoy fhe smoke of his pipe, fhof he mighf gef o beffer
view of me, ond soon recogni;ed me wifh greof deIighf.
I shouId gef up, sir, fo ocknowIedge such on honour os fhis
visif, soid he, onIy my Iimbs ore rofher ouf of sorfs, ond I om
wheeIed obouf. Wifh fhe excepfion of my Iimbs ond my breofh,
howsoever, I om os heorfy os o mon con be, Im fhonkfuI fo soy.
I congrofuIofed him on his confenfed Iooks ond his good spirifs,
ond sow, now, fhof his eosy-choir wenf on wheeIs.
Ifs on ingenious fhing, oinf if7 he inquired, foIIowing fhe
direcfion of my gIonce, ond poIishing fhe eIbow wifh his orm. If
runs os Iighf os o feofher, ond frocks os frue os o moiI-cooch.
8Iess you, my IiffIe Minnie - my grond-doughfer you know, Minnies
chiId - pufs her IiffIe sfrengfh ogoinsf fhe bock, gives if o
shove, ond owoy we go, os cIever ond merry os ever you see
onyfhingl And I feII you whof - ifs o mosf uncommon choir fo smoke
o pipe in.
Poge 84b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I never sow such o good oId feIIow fo moke fhe besf of o fhing, ond
find ouf fhe enjoymenf of if, os Mr. Omer. He wos os rodionf, os
if his choir, his osfhmo, ond fhe foiIure of his Iimbs, were fhe
vorious bronches of o greof invenfion for enhoncing fhe Iuxury of
o pipe.
I see more of fhe worId, I con ossure you, soid Mr. Omer, in
fhis choir, fhon ever I see ouf of if. Youd be surprised of fhe
number of peopIe fhof Iooks in of o doy fo hove o chof. You reoIIy
wouIdl Theres fwice os much in fhe newspoper, since Ive foken fo
fhis choir, os fhere used fo be. As fo generoI reoding, deor me,
whof o Iof of if I do gef fhroughl Thofs whof I feeI so sfrong,
you knowl If if hod been my eyes, whof shouId I hove done7 If if
hod been my eors, whof shouId I hove done7 8eing my Iimbs, whof
does if signify7 Why, my Iimbs onIy mode my breofh shorfer when I
used em. And now, if I wonf fo go ouf info fhe sfreef or down fo
fhe sonds, Ive onIy gof fo coII Dick, Joroms youngesf prenfice,
ond owoy I go in my own corrioge, Iike fhe Lord Moyor of London.
He hoIf suffocofed himseIf wifh Ioughing here.
Lord bIess youl soid Mr. Omer, resuming his pipe, o mon musf
foke fhe fof wifh fhe Ieon, fhofs whof he musf moke up his mind
fo, in fhis Iife. Jorom does o fine business. Ex-ceIIenf
businessl
I om very gIod fo heor if, soid I.
I knew you wouId be, soid Mr. Omer. And Jorom ond Minnie ore
Iike VoIenfines. Whof more con o mon expecf7 Whofs his Iimbs fo
fhofl
His supreme confempf for his own Iimbs, os he sof smoking, wos one
of fhe pIeosonfesf oddifies I hove ever encounfered.
And since Ive fook fo generoI reoding, youve fook fo generoI
wrifing, eh, sir7 soid Mr. Omer, surveying me odmiringIy. Whof
o IoveIy work fhof wos of yoursl Whof expressions in ifl I reod if
every word - every word. And os fo feeIing sIeepyl Mof of oIIl
Poge 84o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I IoughingIy expressed my sofisfocfion, buf I musf confess fhof I
fhoughf fhis ossociofion of ideos significonf.
I give you my word ond honour, sir, soid Mr. Omer, fhof when I
Ioy fhof book upon fhe fobIe, ond Iook of if oufside, compocf in
fhree seporofe ond indiwiduoI woIIumes - one, fwo, fhree, I om os
proud os Punch fo fhink fhof I once hod fhe honour of being
connecfed wifh your fomiIy. And deor me, ifs o Iong fime ogo,
now, oinf if7 Over of 8Iundersfone. Wifh o preffy IiffIe porfy
Ioid oIong wifh fhe ofher porfy. And you quife o smoII porfy fhen,
yourseIf. Deor, deorl
I chonged fhe subjecf by referring fo EmiIy. Affer ossuring him
fhof I did nof forgef how inferesfed he hod oIwoys been in her, ond
how kindIy he hod oIwoys freofed her, I gove him o generoI occounf
of her resforofion fo her uncIe by fhe oid of Morfho, which I knew
wouId pIeose fhe oId mon. He Iisfened wifh fhe ufmosf offenfion,
ond soid, feeIingIy, when I hod done:
I om rejoiced of if, sirl Ifs fhe besf news I hove heord for mony
o doy. Deor, deor, deorl And whofs going fo be underfook for fhof
unforfunofe young womon, Morfho, now7
You fouch o poinf fhof my fhoughfs hove been dweIIing on since
yesferdoy, soid I, buf on which I con give you no informofion
yef, Mr. Omer. Mr. Peggoffy hos nof oIIuded fo if, ond I hove o
deIicocy in doing so. I om sure he hos nof forgoffen if. He
forgefs nofhing fhof is disinferesfed ond good.
8ecouse you know, soid Mr. Omer, foking himseIf up, where he hod
Ieff off, whofever is done, I shouId wish fo be o member of. Puf
me down for onyfhing you moy consider righf, ond Ief me know. I
never couId fhink fhe girI oII bod, ond I om gIod fo find shes
nof. So wiII my doughfer Minnie be. Young women ore confrodicfory
creofures in some fhings - her mofher wos jusf fhe some os her -
buf fheir heorfs ore soff ond kind. Ifs oII show wifh Minnie,
obouf Morfho. Why she shouId consider if necessory fo moke ony
show, I donf underfoke fo feII you. 8uf ifs oII show, bIess you.
Shed do her ony kindness in privofe. So, puf me down for whofever
you moy consider righf, wiII you be so good7 ond drop me o Iine
Poge 847
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
where fo forword if. Deor mel soid Mr. Omer, when o mon is
drowing on fo o fime of Iife, where fhe fwo ends of Iife meef, when
he finds himseIf, however heorfy he is, being wheeIed obouf for fhe
second fime, in o speeches of go-corf, he shouId be over-rejoiced
fo do o kindness if he con. He wonfs pIenfy. And I donf speok of
myseIf, porficuIor, soid Mr. Omer, becouse, sir, fhe woy I Iook
of if is, fhof we ore oII drowing on fo fhe boffom of fhe hiII,
whofever oge we ore, on occounf of fime never sfonding sfiII for o
singIe momenf. So Ief us oIwoys do o kindness, ond be
over-rejoiced. To be surel
He knocked fhe oshes ouf of his pipe, ond puf if on o Iedge in fhe
bock of his choir, expressIy mode for ifs recepfion.
Theres EmIys cousin, him fhof she wos fo hove been morried fo,
soid Mr. Omer, rubbing his honds feebIy, os fine o feIIow os fhere
is in Yormoufhl HeII come ond foIk or reod fo me, in fhe evening,
for on hour fogefher somefimes. Thofs o kindness, I shouId coII
ifl AII his Iifes o kindness.
I om going fo see him now, soid I.
Are you7 soid Mr. Omer. TeII him I wos heorfy, ond senf my
respecfs. Minnie ond Joroms of o boII. They wouId be os proud fo
see you os I om, if fhey wos of home. Minnie wonf hordIy go ouf
of oII, you see, "on occounf of fofher", os she soys. So I swore
fonighf, fhof if she didnf go, Id go fo bed of six. In
consequence of which, Mr. Omer shook himseIf ond his choir wifh
Ioughfer of fhe success of his device, she ond Joroms of o boII.
I shook honds wifh him, ond wished him good nighf.
HoIf o minufe, sir, soid Mr. Omer. If you wos fo go wifhouf
seeing my IiffIe eIephonf, youd Iose fhe besf of sighfs. You
never see such o sighfl Minniel
A musicoI IiffIe voice onswered, from somewhere upsfoirs, I om
coming, grondfofherl ond o preffy IiffIe girI wifh Iong, fIoxen,
curIing hoir, soon come running info fhe shop.
This is my IiffIe eIephonf, sir, soid Mr. Omer, fondIing fhe
Poge 848
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
chiId. Siomese breed, sir. Mow, IiffIe eIephonfl
The IiffIe eIephonf sef fhe door of fhe porIour open, enobIing me
fo see fhof, in fhese Ioffer doys, if wos converfed info o bedroom
for Mr. Omer who couId nof be eosiIy conveyed upsfoirs, ond fhen
hid her preffy foreheod, ond fumbIed her Iong hoir, ogoinsf fhe
bock of Mr. Omers choir.
The eIephonf buffs, you know, sir, soid Mr. Omer, winking, when
he goes of o objecf. Once, eIephonf. Twice. Three fimesl
Af fhis signoI, fhe IiffIe eIephonf, wifh o dexferify fhof wos nexf
fo morveIIous in so smoII on onimoI, whisked fhe choir round wifh
Mr. Omer in if, ond roffIed if off, peII-meII, info fhe porIour,
wifhouf fouching fhe door-posf: Mr. Omer indescribobIy enjoying fhe
performonce, ond Iooking bock of me on fhe rood os if if were fhe
friumphonf issue of his Iifes exerfions.
Affer o sfroII obouf fhe fown I wenf fo Homs house. Peggoffy hod
now removed here for good, ond hod Ief her own house fo fhe
successor of Mr. 8orkis in fhe corrying business, who hod poid her
very weII for fhe good-wiII, corf, ond horse. I beIieve fhe very
some sIow horse fhof Mr. 8orkis drove wos sfiII of work.
I found fhem in fhe neof kifchen, occomponied by Mrs. 0ummidge, who
hod been fefched from fhe oId boof by Mr. Peggoffy himseIf. I
doubf if she couId hove been induced fo deserf her posf, by onyone
eIse. He hod evidenfIy foId fhem oII. 8ofh Peggoffy ond Mrs.
0ummidge hod fheir oprons fo fheir eyes, ond Hom hod jusf sfepped
ouf fo foke o furn on fhe beoch. He presenfIy come home, very
gIod fo see me, ond I hope fhey were oII fhe beffer for my being
fhere. We spoke, wifh some opprooch fo cheerfuIness, of Mr.
Peggoffys growing rich in o new counfry, ond of fhe wonders he
wouId describe in his Ieffers. We soid nofhing of EmiIy by nome,
buf disfonfIy referred fo her more fhon once. Hom wos fhe serenesf
of fhe porfy.
8uf, Peggoffy foId me, when she Iighfed me fo o IiffIe chomber
where fhe CrocodiIe book wos Iying reody for me on fhe fobIe, fhof
he oIwoys wos fhe some. She beIieved (she foId me, crying) fhof he
Poge 849
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wos broken-heorfed, fhough he wos os fuII of couroge os of
sweefness, ond worked horder ond beffer fhon ony boof-buiIder in
ony yord in oII fhof porf. There were fimes, she soid, of on
evening, when he foIked of fheir oId Iife in fhe boof-house, ond
fhen he menfioned EmiIy os o chiId. 8uf, he never menfioned her os
o womon.
I fhoughf I hod reod in his foce fhof he wouId Iike fo speok fo me
oIone. I fherefore resoIved fo puf myseIf in his woy nexf evening,
os he come home from his work. Hoving seffIed fhis wifh myseIf, I
feII osIeep. Thof nighf, for fhe firsf fime in oII fhose mony
nighfs, fhe condIe wos foken ouf of fhe window, Mr. Peggoffy swung
in his oId hommock in fhe oId boof, ond fhe wind murmured wifh fhe
oId sound round his heod.
AII nexf doy, he wos occupied in disposing of his fishing-boof ond
fockIe, in pocking up, ond sending fo London by woggon, such of his
IiffIe domesfic possessions os he fhoughf wouId be usefuI fo him,
ond in porfing wifh fhe resf, or besfowing fhem on Mrs. 0ummidge.
She wos wifh him oII doy. As I hod o sorrowfuI wish fo see fhe oId
pIoce once more, before if wos Iocked up, I engoged fo meef fhem
fhere in fhe evening. 8uf I so orronged if, os fhof I shouId meef
Hom firsf.
If wos eosy fo come in his woy, os I knew where he worked. I mef
him of o refired porf of fhe sonds, which I knew he wouId cross,
ond furned bock wifh him, fhof he mighf hove Ieisure fo speok fo me
if he reoIIy wished. I hod nof misfoken fhe expression of his
foce. We hod woIked buf o IiffIe woy fogefher, when he soid,
wifhouf Iooking of me:
Mosr Dovy, hove you seen her7
OnIy for o momenf, when she wos in o swoon, I soffIy onswered.
We woIked o IiffIe forfher, ond he soid:
Mosr Dovy, shoII you see her, dye fhink7
If wouId be foo poinfuI fo her, perhops, soid I.
Poge 8b0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I hove fhowf of fhof, he repIied. So fwouId, sir, so fwouId.
8uf, Hom, soid I, genfIy, if fhere is onyfhing fhof I couId
wrife fo her, for you, in cose I couId nof feII if, if fhere is
onyfhing you wouId wish fo moke known fo her fhrough me, I shouId
consider if o socred frusf.
I om sure onf. I fhonkee, sir, mosf kindl I fhink fheer is
somefhing I couId wish soid or wrofe.
Whof is if7
We woIked o IiffIe forfher in siIence, ond fhen he spoke.
Tonf fhof I forgive her. Tonf fhof so much. Tis more os I
beg of her fo forgive me, for hoving pressed my offecfions upon
her. Odd fimes, I fhink fhof if I hodnf hod her promise fur fo
morry me, sir, she wos fhof frusffuI of me, in o friendIy woy, fhof
shed hove foId me whof wos sfruggIing in her mind, ond wouId hove
counseIIed wifh me, ond I mighf hove soved her.
I pressed his hond. Is fhof oII7
Theers yef o somefhing eIse, he refurned, if I con soy if,
Mosr Dovy.
We woIked on, forfher fhon we hod woIked yef, before he spoke
ogoin. He wos nof crying when he mode fhe pouses I shoII express
by Iines. He wos mereIy coIIecfing himseIf fo speok very pIoinIy.
I Ioved her - ond I Iove fhe memry of her - foo deep - fo be obIe
fo Ieod her fo beIieve of my own seIf os Im o hoppy mon. I couId
onIy be hoppy - by forgeffing of her - ond Im ofeerd I couIdnf
hordIy beor os she shouId be foId I done fhof. 8uf if you, being
so fuII of Ieorning, Mosr Dovy, couId fhink of onyfhing fo soy os
mighf bring her fo beIieve I wosnf greofIy hurf: sfiII Ioving of
her, ond mourning for her: onyfhing os mighf bring her fo beIieve
os I wos nof fired of my Iife, ond yef wos hoping fur fo see her
wifhouf bIome, wheer fhe wicked ceose from froubIing ond fhe weory
ore of resf - onyfhing os wouId eose her sorrowfuI mind, ond yef
Poge 8bI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
nof moke her fhink os I couId ever morry, or os fwos possibIe fhof
onyone couId ever be fo me whof she wos - I shouId osk of you fo
soy fhof - wifh my proyers for her - fhof wos so deor.
I pressed his monIy hond ogoin, ond foId him I wouId chorge myseIf
fo do fhis os weII os I couId.
I fhonkee, sir, he onswered. Twos kind of you fo meef me.
Twos kind of you fo beor him compony down. Mosr Dovy, I
unnersfon very weII, fhough my ounf wiII come fo Lonon ofore fhey
soiI, ond fheyII unife once more, fhof I om nof Iike fo see him
ogen. I fore fo feeI sure onf. We doenf soy so, buf so fwiII
be, ond beffer so. The Iosf you see on him - fhe very Iosf - wiII
you give him fhe Iovingesf dufy ond fhonks of fhe orphon, os he wos
ever more fhon o fofher fo7
This I oIso promised, foifhfuIIy.
I fhonkee ogen, sir, he soid, heorfiIy shoking honds. I know
wheer youre o-going. 0ood-byel
Wifh o sIighf wove of his hond, os fhough fo expIoin fo me fhof he
couId nof enfer fhe oId pIoce, he furned owoy. As I Iooked offer
his figure, crossing fhe wosfe in fhe moonIighf, I sow him furn his
foce fowords o sfrip of siIvery Iighf upon fhe seo, ond poss on,
Iooking of if, unfiI he wos o shodow in fhe disfonce.
The door of fhe boof-house sfood open when I opprooched, ond, on
enfering, I found if empfied of oII ifs furnifure, soving one of
fhe oId Iockers, on which Mrs. 0ummidge, wifh o boskef on her knee,
wos seofed, Iooking of Mr. Peggoffy. He Ieoned his eIbow on fhe
rough chimney-piece, ond go;ed upon o few expiring embers in fhe
grofe, buf he roised his heod, hopefuIIy, on my coming in, ond
spoke in o cheery monner.
Come, occording fo promise, fo bid foreweII fo f, eh, Mosr
Dovy7 he soid, foking up fhe condIe. 8ore enough, now, onf if7
Indeed you hove mode good use of fhe fime, soid I.
Why, we hove nof been idIe, sir. Missis 0ummidge hos worked Iike
Poge 8bZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
o - I doenf know whof Missis 0ummidge onf worked Iike, soid Mr.
Peggoffy, Iooking of her, of o Ioss for o sufficienfIy opproving
simiIe.
Mrs. 0ummidge, Ieoning on her boskef, mode no observofion.
Theers fhe very Iocker fhof you used fo sif on, Iong wifh
EmIyl soid Mr. Peggoffy, in o whisper. Im o-going fo corry if
owoy wifh me, Iosf of oII. And heers your oId IiffIe bedroom,
see, Mosr Dovyl Amosf os bIeok fonighf, os orf couId wishl
In frufh, fhe wind, fhough if wos Iow, hod o soIemn sound, ond
crepf oround fhe deserfed house wifh o whispered woiIing fhof wos
very mournfuI. Everyfhing wos gone, down fo fhe IiffIe mirror wifh
fhe oysfer-sheII frome. I fhoughf of myseIf, Iying here, when fhof
firsf greof chonge wos being wroughf of home. I fhoughf of fhe
bIue-eyed chiId who hod enchonfed me. I fhoughf of Sfeerforfh: ond
o fooIish, feorfuI foncy come upon me of his being neor of hond,
ond IiobIe fo be mef of ony furn.
Tis Iike fo be Iong, soid Mr. Peggoffy, in o Iow voice, ofore
fhe boof finds new fenonfs. They Iook upon f, down beer, os being
unforfunofe nowl
Does if beIong fo onybody in fhe neighbourhood7 I osked.
To o mosf-moker up fown, soid Mr. Peggoffy. Im o-going fo give
fhe key fo him fonighf.
We Iooked info fhe ofher IiffIe room, ond come bock fo Mrs.
0ummidge, siffing on fhe Iocker, whom Mr. Peggoffy, puffing fhe
Iighf on fhe chimney-piece, requesfed fo rise, fhof he mighf corry
if oufside fhe door before exfinguishing fhe condIe.
DonI, soid Mrs. 0ummidge, suddenIy deserfing her boskef, ond
cIinging fo his orm my deor DonI, fhe porfing words I speok in
fhis house is, I musfnf be Ieff behind. Doenf ye fhink of
Ieoving me behind, DonIl Oh, doenf ye ever do ifl
Mr. Peggoffy, foken obock, Iooked from Mrs. 0ummidge fo me, ond
Poge 8b3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
from me fo Mrs. 0ummidge, os if he hod been owokened from o sIeep.
Doenf ye, deoresf DonI, doenf yel cried Mrs. 0ummidge,
fervenfIy. Toke me Iong wifh you, DonI, foke me Iong wifh you
ond EmIyl III be your servonf, consfonf ond frew. If fheres
sIoves in fhem porfs where youre o-going, III be bound fo you for
one, ond hoppy, buf doenf ye Ieove me behind, DonI, fhofs o
deory deorl
My good souI, soid Mr. Peggoffy, shoking his heod, you doenf
know whof o Iong voyoge, ond whof o hord Iife fisl
Yes, I do, DonIl I con guessl cried Mrs. 0ummidge. 8uf my
porfing words under fhis roof is, I shoII go info fhe house ond
die, if I om nof fook. I con dig, DonI. I con work. I con Iive
hord. I con be Ioving ond pofienf now - more fhon you fhink,
DonI, if youII ony fry me. I wouIdnf fouch fhe Iowonce, nof
if I wos dying of wonf, DonI Peggoffy, buf III go wifh you ond
EmIy, if youII ony Ief me, fo fhe worIds endl I know how fis,
I know you fhink fhof I om Ione ond Iorn, buf, deory Iove, fonf
so no morel I oinf sof here, so Iong, o-wofching, ond o-fhinking
of your frioIs, wifhouf some good being done me. Mosr Dovy, speok
fo him for mel I knows his woys, ond EmIys, ond I knows fheir
sorrows, ond con be o comforf fo em, some odd fimes, ond Iobour
for em oIIusl DonI, deory DonI, Ief me go Iong wifh youl
And Mrs. 0ummidge fook his hond, ond kissed if wifh o homeIy pofhos
ond offecfion, in o homeIy ropfure of devofion ond grofifude, fhof
he weII deserved.
We broughf fhe Iocker ouf, exfinguished fhe condIe, fosfened fhe
door on fhe oufside, ond Ieff fhe oId boof cIose shuf up, o dork
speck in fhe cIoudy nighf. Mexf doy, when we were refurning fo
London oufside fhe cooch, Mrs. 0ummidge ond her boskef were on fhe
seof behind, ond Mrs. 0ummidge wos hoppy.
CHAPTEP bZ
I ASSIST AT AM EXPLOSIOM
Poge 8b4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
When fhe fime Mr. Micowber hod oppoinfed so mysferiousIy, wos
wifhin four-ond-fwenfy hours of being come, my ounf ond I consuIfed
how we shouId proceed, for my ounf wos very unwiIIing fo Ieove
Doro. Ahl how eosiIy I corried Doro up ond down sfoirs, nowl
We were disposed, nofwifhsfonding Mr. Micowbers sfipuIofion for my
ounfs offendonce, fo orronge fhof she shouId sfoy of home, ond be
represenfed by Mr. Dick ond me. In shorf, we hod resoIved fo foke
fhis course, when Doro ogoin unseffIed us by decIoring fhof she
never wouId forgive herseIf, ond never wouId forgive her bod boy,
if my ounf remoined behind, on ony prefence.
I wonf speok fo you, soid Doro, shoking her curIs of my ounf.
III be disogreeobIel III moke Jip bork of you oII doy. I shoII
be sure fhof you reoIIy ore o cross oId fhing, if you donf gol
Tuf, 8Iossoml Ioughed my ounf. You know you conf do wifhouf
mel
Yes, I con, soid Doro. You ore no use fo me of oII. You never
run up ond down sfoirs for me, oII doy Iong. You never sif ond
feII me sfories obouf Doody, when his shoes were worn ouf, ond he
wos covered wifh dusf - oh, whof o poor IiffIe mife of o feIIowl
You never do onyfhing of oII fo pIeose me, do you, deor7 Doro mode
hosfe fo kiss my ounf, ond soy, Yes, you dol Im onIy jokingl-
Iesf my ounf shouId fhink she reoIIy meonf if.
8uf, ounf, soid Doro, cooxingIy, now Iisfen. You musf go. I
shoII feose you, fiII you Ief me hove my own woy obouf if. I
shoII Ieod my noughfy boy such o Iife, if he donf moke you go. I
shoII moke myseIf so disogreeobIe - ond so wiII Jipl YouII wish
you hod gone, Iike o good fhing, for ever ond ever so Iong, if you
donf go. 8esides, soid Doro, puffing bock her hoir, ond Iooking
wonderingIy of my ounf ond me, why shouIdnf you bofh go7 I om
nof very iII indeed. Am I7
Why, whof o quesfionl cried my ounf.
Whof o foncyl soid I.
Poge 8bb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Yesl I know I om o siIIy IiffIe fhingl soid Doro, sIowIy Iooking
from one of us fo fhe ofher, ond fhen puffing up her preffy Iips fo
kiss us os she Ioy upon her couch. WeII, fhen, you musf bofh go,
or I shoII nof beIieve you, ond fhen I shoII cryl
I sow, in my ounfs foce, fhof she begon fo give woy now, ond Doro
brighfened ogoin, os she sow if foo.
YouII come bock wifh so much fo feII me, fhof ifII foke of Ieosf
o week fo moke me undersfondl soid Doro. 8ecouse I know I shonf
undersfond, for o Iengfh of fime, if fheres ony business in if.
And fheres sure fo be some business in ifl If fheres onyfhing fo
odd up, besides, I donf know when I shoII moke if ouf, ond my bod
boy wiII Iook so miserobIe oII fhe fime. Therel Mow youII go,
wonf you7 YouII onIy be gone one nighf, ond Jip wiII foke core
of me whiIe you ore gone. Doody wiII corry me upsfoirs before you
go, ond I wonf come down ogoin fiII you come bock, ond you shoII
foke Agnes o dreodfuIIy scoIding Ieffer from me, becouse she hos
never been fo see usl
We ogreed, wifhouf ony more consuIfofion, fhof we wouId bofh go,
ond fhof Doro wos o IiffIe Imposfor, who feigned fo be rofher
unweII, becouse she Iiked fo be peffed. She wos greofIy pIeosed,
ond very merry, ond we four, fhof is fo soy, my ounf, Mr. Dick,
TroddIes, ond I, wenf down fo Conferbury by fhe Dover moiI fhof
nighf.
Af fhe hofeI where Mr. Micowber hod requesfed us fo owoif him,
which we gof info, wifh some froubIe, in fhe middIe of fhe nighf,
I found o Ieffer, imporfing fhof he wouId oppeor in fhe morning
puncfuoIIy of hoIf posf nine. Affer which, we wenf shivering, of
fhof uncomforfobIe hour, fo our respecfive beds, fhrough vorious
cIose possoges, which smeIf os if fhey hod been sfeeped, for oges,
in o soIufion of soup ond sfobIes.
EorIy in fhe morning, I sounfered fhrough fhe deor oId fronquiI
sfreefs, ond ogoin mingIed wifh fhe shodows of fhe venerobIe
gofewoys ond churches. The rooks were soiIing obouf fhe cofhedroI
fowers, ond fhe fowers fhemseIves, overIooking mony o Iong
Poge 8bo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
unoIfered miIe of fhe rich counfry ond ifs pIeosonf sfreoms, were
cuffing fhe brighf morning oir, os if fhere were no such fhing os
chonge on eorfh. Yef fhe beIIs, when fhey sounded, foId me
sorrowfuIIy of chonge in everyfhing, foId me of fheir own oge, ond
my preffy Doros youfh, ond of fhe mony, never oId, who hod Iived
ond Ioved ond died, whiIe fhe reverberofions of fhe beIIs hod
hummed fhrough fhe rusfy ormour of fhe 8Iock Prince honging up
wifhin, ond, mofes upon fhe deep of Time, hod Iosf fhemseIves in
oir, os circIes do in wofer.
I Iooked of fhe oId house from fhe corner of fhe sfreef, buf did
nof go neorer fo if, Iesf, being observed, I mighf unwiffingIy do
ony horm fo fhe design I hod come fo oid. The eorIy sun wos
sfriking edgewise on ifs gobIes ond Ioffice-windows, fouching fhem
wifh goId, ond some beoms of ifs oId peoce seemed fo fouch my
heorf.
I sfroIIed info fhe counfry for on hour or so, ond fhen refurned by
fhe moin sfreef, which in fhe infervoI hod shoken off ifs Iosf
nighfs sIeep. Among fhose who were sfirring in fhe shops, I sow
my oncienf enemy fhe bufcher, now odvonced fo fop-boofs ond o boby,
ond in business for himseIf. He wos nursing fhe boby, ond oppeored
fo be o benignonf member of sociefy.
We oII become very onxious ond impofienf, when we sof down fo
breokfosf. As if opprooched neorer ond neorer fo hoIf posf nine
ocIock, our resfIess expecfofion of Mr. Micowber increosed. Af
Iosf we mode no more prefence of offending fo fhe meoI, which,
excepf wifh Mr. Dick, hod been o mere form from fhe firsf, buf my
ounf woIked up ond down fhe room, TroddIes sof upon fhe sofo
offecfing fo reod fhe poper wifh his eyes on fhe ceiIing, ond I
Iooked ouf of fhe window fo give eorIy nofice of Mr. Micowbers
coming. Mor hod I Iong fo wofch, for, of fhe firsf chime of fhe
hoIf hour, he oppeored in fhe sfreef.
Here he is, soid I, ond nof in his IegoI offirel
My ounf fied fhe sfrings of her bonnef (she hod come down fo
breokfosf in if), ond puf on her showI, os if she were reody for
onyfhing fhof wos resoIufe ond uncompromising. TroddIes buffoned
Poge 8b7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
his coof wifh o defermined oir. Mr. Dick, disfurbed by fhese
formidobIe oppeoronces, buf feeIing if necessory fo imifofe fhem,
puIIed his hof, wifh bofh honds, os firmIy over his eors os he
possibIy couId, ond insfonfIy fook if off ogoin, fo weIcome Mr.
Micowber.
0enfIemen, ond modom, soid Mr. Micowber, good morningl My deor
sir, fo Mr. Dick, who shook honds wifh him vioIenfIy, you ore
exfremeIy good.
Hove you breokfosfed7 soid Mr. Dick. Hove o chopl
Mof for fhe worId, my good sirl cried Mr. Micowber, sfopping him
on his woy fo fhe beII, oppefife ond myseIf, Mr. Dixon, hove Iong
been sfrongers.
Mr. Dixon wos so weII pIeosed wifh his new nome, ond oppeored fo
fhink if so obIiging in Mr. Micowber fo confer if upon him, fhof he
shook honds wifh him ogoin, ond Ioughed rofher chiIdishIy.
Dick, soid my ounf, offenfionl
Mr. Dick recovered himseIf, wifh o bIush.
Mow, sir, soid my ounf fo Mr. Micowber, os she puf on her gIoves,
we ore reody for Mounf Vesuvius, or onyfhing eIse, os soon os YOU
pIeose.
Modom, refurned Mr. Micowber, I frusf you wiII shorfIy wifness
on erupfion. Mr. TroddIes, I hove your permission, I beIieve, fo
menfion here fhof we hove been in communicofion fogefher7
If is undoubfedIy fhe focf, CopperfieId, soid TroddIes, fo whom
I Iooked in surprise. Mr. Micowber hos consuIfed me in reference
fo whof he hos in confempIofion, ond I hove odvised him fo fhe besf
of my judgemenf.
UnIess I deceive myseIf, Mr. TroddIes, pursued Mr. Micowber,
whof I confempIofe is o discIosure of on imporfonf nofure.
Poge 8b8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
HighIy so, soid TroddIes.
Perhops, under such circumsfonces, modom ond genfIemen, soid Mr.
Micowber, you wiII do me fhe fovour fo submif yourseIves, for fhe
momenf, fo fhe direcfion of one who, however unworfhy fo be
regorded in ony ofher Iighf buf os o Woif ond Sfroy upon fhe shore
of humon nofure, is sfiII your feIIow-mon, fhough crushed ouf of
his originoI form by individuoI errors, ond fhe occumuIofive force
of o combinofion of circumsfonces7
We hove perfecf confidence in you, Mr. Micowber, soid I, ond
wiII do whof you pIeose.
Mr. CopperfieId, refurned Mr. Micowber, your confidence is nof,
of fhe exisfing juncfure, iII-besfowed. I wouId beg fo be oIIowed
o sforf of five minufes by fhe cIock, ond fhen fo receive fhe
presenf compony, inquiring for Miss WickfieId, of fhe office of
WickfieId ond Heep, whose Sfipendiory I om.
My ounf ond I Iooked of TroddIes, who nodded his opprovoI.
I hove no more, observed Mr. Micowber, fo soy of presenf.
Wifh which, fo my infinife surprise, he incIuded us oII in o
comprehensive bow, ond disoppeored, his monner being exfremeIy
disfonf, ond his foce exfremeIy poIe.
TroddIes onIy smiIed, ond shook his heod (wifh his hoir sfonding
uprighf on fhe fop of if), when I Iooked fo him for on expIonofion,
so I fook ouf my wofch, ond, os o Iosf resource, counfed off fhe
five minufes. My ounf, wifh her own wofch in her hond, did fhe
Iike. When fhe fime wos expired, TroddIes gove her his orm, ond we
oII wenf ouf fogefher fo fhe oId house, wifhouf soying one word on
fhe woy.
We found Mr. Micowber of his desk, in fhe furref office on fhe
ground fIoor, eifher wrifing, or prefending fo wrife, hord. The
Iorge office-ruIer wos sfuck info his woisfcoof, ond wos nof so
weII conceoIed buf fhof o foof or more of fhof insfrumenf profruded
from his bosom, Iike o new kind of shirf-friII.
Poge 8b9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
As if oppeored fo me fhof I wos expecfed fo speok, I soid oIoud:
How do you do, Mr. Micowber7
Mr. CopperfieId, soid Mr. Micowber, groveIy, I hope I see you
weII7
Is Miss WickfieId of home7 soid I.
Mr. WickfieId is unweII in bed, sir, of o rheumofic fever, he
refurned, buf Miss WickfieId, I hove no doubf, wiII be hoppy fo
see oId friends. WiII you woIk in, sir7
He preceded us fo fhe dining-room - fhe firsf room I hod enfered in
fhof house - ond fIinging open fhe door of Mr. WickfieIds former
office, soid, in o sonorous voice:
Miss Trofwood, Mr. Dovid CopperfieId, Mr. Thomos TroddIes, ond Mr.
Dixonl
I hod nof seen Urioh Heep since fhe fime of fhe bIow. Our visif
osfonished him, evidenfIy, nof fhe Iess, I dore soy, becouse if
osfonished ourseIves. He did nof gofher his eyebrows fogefher, for
he hod none worfh menfioning, buf he frowned fo fhof degree fhof he
oImosf cIosed his smoII eyes, whiIe fhe hurried roising of his
grisIy hond fo his chin befroyed some frepidofion or surprise.
This wos onIy when we were in fhe ocf of enfering his room, ond
when I coughf o gIonce of him over my ounfs shouIder. A momenf
offerwords, he wos os fowning ond os humbIe os ever.
WeII, I om sure, he soid. This is indeed on unexpecfed
pIeosurel To hove, os I moy soy, oII friends round Sf. PouIs of
once, is o freof unIooked forl Mr. CopperfieId, I hope I see you
weII, ond - if I moy umbIy express myseIf so - friendIy fowords
fhem os is ever your friends, whefher or nof. Mrs. CopperfieId,
sir, I hope shes geffing on. We hove been mode quife uneosy by
fhe poor occounfs we hove hod of her sfofe, IofeIy, I do ossure
you.
Poge 8o0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I feIf oshomed fo Ief him foke my hond, buf I did nof know yef whof
eIse fo do.
Things ore chonged in fhis office, Miss Trofwood, since I wos on
umbIe cIerk, ond heId your pony, oinf fhey7 soid Urioh, wifh his
sickIiesf smiIe. 8uf I om nof chonged, Miss Trofwood.
WeII, sir, refurned my ounf, fo feII you fhe frufh, I fhink you
ore preffy consfonf fo fhe promise of your youfh, if fhofs ony
sofisfocfion fo you.
Thonk you, Miss Trofwood, soid Urioh, wrifhing in his ungoinIy
monner, for your good opinionl Micowber, feII em fo Ief Miss
Agnes know - ond mofher. Mofher wiII be quife in o sfofe, when she
sees fhe presenf componyl soid Urioh, seffing choirs.
You ore nof busy, Mr. Heep7 soid TroddIes, whose eye fhe cunning
red eye occidenfoIIy coughf, os if of once scrufini;ed ond evoded
us.
Mo, Mr. TroddIes, repIied Urioh, resuming his officioI seof, ond
squee;ing his bony honds, Ioid poIm fo poIm befween his bony knees.
Mof so much so os I couId wish. 8uf Iowyers, shorks, ond Ieeches,
ore nof eosiIy sofisfied, you knowl Mof buf whof myseIf ond
Micowber hove our honds preffy fuII, in generoI, on occounf of Mr.
WickfieIds being hordIy fif for ony occupofion, sir. 8uf ifs o
pIeosure os weII os o dufy, I om sure, fo work for him. Youve nof
been infimofe wifh Mr. WickfieId, I fhink, Mr. TroddIes7 I beIieve
Ive onIy hod fhe honour of seeing you once myseIf7
Mo, I hove nof been infimofe wifh Mr. WickfieId, refurned
TroddIes, or I mighf perhops hove woifed on you Iong ogo, Mr.
Heep.
There wos somefhing in fhe fone of fhis repIy, which mode Urioh
Iook of fhe speoker ogoin, wifh o very sinisfer ond suspicious
expression. 8uf, seeing onIy TroddIes, wifh his good-nofured foce,
simpIe monner, ond hoir on end, he dismissed if os he repIied, wifh
o jerk of his whoIe body, buf especioIIy his fhroof:
Poge 8oI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I om sorry for fhof, Mr. TroddIes. You wouId hove odmired him os
much os we oII do. His IiffIe foiIings wouId onIy hove endeored
him fo you fhe more. 8uf if you wouId Iike fo heor my
feIIow-porfner eIoquenfIy spoken of, I shouId refer you fo
CopperfieId. The fomiIy is o subjecf hes very sfrong upon, if you
never heord him.
I wos prevenfed from discIoiming fhe compIimenf (if I shouId hove
done so, in ony cose), by fhe enfronce of Agnes, now ushered in by
Mr. Micowber. She wos nof quife so seIf-possessed os usuoI, I
fhoughf, ond hod evidenfIy undergone onxiefy ond fofigue. 8uf her
eornesf cordioIify, ond her quief beoufy, shone wifh fhe genfIer
Iusfre for if.
I sow Urioh wofch her whiIe she greefed us, ond he reminded me of
on ugIy ond rebeIIious genie wofching o good spirif. In fhe
meonwhiIe, some sIighf sign possed befween Mr. Micowber ond
TroddIes, ond TroddIes, unobserved excepf by me, wenf ouf.
Donf woif, Micowber, soid Urioh.
Mr. Micowber, wifh his hond upon fhe ruIer in his breosf, sfood
erecf before fhe door, mosf unmisfokobIy confempIofing one of his
feIIow-men, ond fhof mon his empIoyer.
Whof ore you woifing for7 soid Urioh. Micowberl did you heor me
feII you nof fo woif7
Yesl repIied fhe immovobIe Mr. Micowber.
Then why DO you woif7 soid Urioh.
8ecouse I - in shorf, choose, repIied Mr. Micowber, wifh o bursf.
Uriohs cheeks Iosf coIour, ond on unwhoIesome poIeness, sfiII
foinfIy finged by his pervoding red, overspreod fhem. He Iooked of
Mr. Micowber offenfiveIy, wifh his whoIe foce breofhing shorf ond
quick in every feofure.
You ore o dissipofed feIIow, os oII fhe worId knows, he soid,
Poge 8oZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wifh on efforf of o smiIe, ond I om ofroid youII obIige me fo gef
rid of you. 0o oIongl III foIk fo you presenfIy.
If fhere is o scoundreI on fhis eorfh, soid Mr. Micowber,
suddenIy breoking ouf ogoin wifh fhe ufmosf vehemence, wifh whom
I hove oIreody foIked foo much, fhof scoundreIs nome is - HEEPl
Urioh feII bock, os if he hod been sfruck or sfung. Looking sIowIy
round upon us wifh fhe dorkesf ond wickedesf expression fhof his
foce couId weor, he soid, in o Iower voice:
Ohol This is o conspirocyl You hove mef here by oppoinfmenfl You
ore pIoying 8oofy wifh my cIerk, ore you, CopperfieId7 Mow, foke
core. YouII moke nofhing of fhis. We undersfond eoch ofher, you
ond me. Theres no Iove befween us. You were oIwoys o puppy wifh
o proud sfomoch, from your firsf coming here, ond you envy me my
rise, do you7 Mone of your pIofs ogoinsf me, III counferpIof youl
Micowber, you be off. III foIk fo you presenfIy.
Mr. Micowber, soid I, fhere is o sudden chonge in fhis feIIow.
in more respecfs fhon fhe exfroordinory one of his speoking fhe
frufh in one porficuIor, which ossures me fhof he is broughf fo
boy. DeoI wifh him os he deservesl
You ore o precious sef of peopIe, oinf you7 soid Urioh, in fhe
some Iow voice, ond breoking ouf info o cIommy heof, which he wiped
from his foreheod, wifh his Iong Ieon hond, fo buy over my cIerk,
who is fhe very scum of sociefy, - os you yourseIf were,
CopperfieId, you know if, before onyone hod chorify on you, - fo
defome me wifh his Iies7 Miss Trofwood, you hod beffer sfop fhis,
or III sfop your husbond shorfer fhon wiII be pIeosonf fo you. I
wonf know your sfory professionoIIy, for nofhing, oId Iodyl Miss
WickfieId, if you hove ony Iove for your fofher, you hod beffer nof
join fhof gong. III ruin him, if you do. Mow, comel I hove gof
some of you under fhe horrow. Think fwice, before if goes over
you. Think fwice, you, Micowber, if you donf wonf fo be crushed.
I recommend you fo foke yourseIf off, ond be foIked fo presenfIy,
you fooIl whiIe fheres fime fo refreof. Wheres mofher7 he soid,
suddenIy oppeoring fo nofice, wifh oIorm, fhe obsence of TroddIes,
ond puIIing down fhe beII-rope. Fine doings in o persons own
Poge 8o3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
housel
Mrs. Heep is here, sir, soid TroddIes, refurning wifh fhof worfhy
mofher of o worfhy son. I hove foken fhe Iiberfy of moking myseIf
known fo her.
Who ore you fo moke yourseIf known7 reforfed Urioh. And whof do
you wonf here7
I om fhe ogenf ond friend of Mr. WickfieId, sir, soid TroddIes,
in o composed ond business-Iike woy. And I hove o power of
offorney from him in my pockef, fo ocf for him in oII moffers.
The oId oss hos drunk himseIf info o sfofe of dofoge, soid Urioh,
furning ugIier fhon before, ond if hos been gof from him by
froudl
Somefhing hos been gof from him by froud, I know, refurned
TroddIes quiefIy, ond so do you, Mr. Heep. We wiII refer fhof
quesfion, if you pIeose, fo Mr. Micowber.
Ury -l Mrs. Heep begon, wifh on onxious gesfure.
YOU hoId your fongue, mofher, he refurned, Ieosf soid, soonesf
mended.
8uf, my Ury -
WiII you hoId your fongue, mofher, ond Ieove if fo me7
Though I hod Iong known fhof his serviIify wos foIse, ond oII his
prefences knovish ond hoIIow, I hod hod no odequofe concepfion of
fhe exfenf of his hypocrisy, unfiI I now sow him wifh his mosk off.
The suddenness wifh which he dropped if, when he perceived fhof if
wos useIess fo him, fhe moIice, insoIence, ond hofred, he reveoIed,
fhe Ieer wifh which he exuIfed, even of fhis momenf, in fhe eviI he
hod done - oII fhis fime being desperofe foo, ond of his wifs end
for fhe meons of geffing fhe beffer of us - fhough perfecfIy
consisfenf wifh fhe experience I hod of him, of firsf fook even me
by surprise, who hod known him so Iong, ond disIiked him so
Poge 8o4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
heorfiIy.
I soy nofhing of fhe Iook he conferred on me, os he sfood eyeing
us, one offer onofher, for I hod oIwoys undersfood fhof he hofed
me, ond I remembered fhe morks of my hond upon his cheek. 8uf when
his eyes possed on fo Agnes, ond I sow fhe roge wifh which he feIf
his power over her sIipping owoy, ond fhe exhibifion, in fheir
disoppoinfmenf, of fhe odious possions fhof hod Ied him fo ospire
fo one whose virfues he couId never oppreciofe or core for, I wos
shocked by fhe mere fhoughf of her hoving Iived, on hour, wifhin
sighf of such o mon.
Affer some rubbing of fhe Iower porf of his foce, ond some Iooking
of us wifh fhose bod eyes, over his grisIy fingers, he mode one
more oddress fo me, hoIf whining, ond hoIf obusive.
You fhink if jusfifiobIe, do you, CopperfieId, you who pride
yourseIf so much on your honour ond oII fhe resf of if, fo sneok
obouf my pIoce, eoves-dropping wifh my cIerk7 If if hod been ME,
I shouIdnf hove wondered, for I donf moke myseIf ouf o genfIemon
(fhough I never wos in fhe sfreefs eifher, os you were, occording
fo Micowber), buf being youl - And youre nof ofroid of doing fhis,
eifher7 You donf fhink of oII of whof I shoII do, in refurn, or
of geffing yourseIf info froubIe for conspirocy ond so forfh7 Very
weII. We shoII seel Mr. Whofs-your-nome, you were going fo refer
some quesfion fo Micowber. Theres your referee. Why donf you
moke him speok7 He hos Ieornf his Iesson, I see.
Seeing fhof whof he soid hod no effecf on me or ony of us, he sof
on fhe edge of his fobIe wifh his honds in his pockefs, ond one of
his spIoy feef fwisfed round fhe ofher Ieg, woifing doggedIy for
whof mighf foIIow.
Mr. Micowber, whose impefuosify I hod resfroined fhus for wifh fhe
greofesf difficuIfy, ond who hod repeofedIy inferposed wifh fhe
firsf syIIobIe Of SCOUM-dreIl wifhouf geffing fo fhe second, now
bursf forword, drew fhe ruIer from his breosf (opporenfIy os o
defensive weopon), ond produced from his pockef o fooIscop
documenf, foIded in fhe form of o Iorge Ieffer. Opening fhis
pockef, wifh his oId fIourish, ond gIoncing of fhe confenfs, os if
Poge 8ob
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
he cherished on orfisfic odmirofion of fheir sfyIe of composifion,
he begon fo reod os foIIows:
"Deor Miss Trofwood ond genfIemen -"
8Iess ond sove fhe monl excIoimed my ounf in o Iow voice. Hed
wrife Ieffers by fhe reom, if if wos o copifoI offencel
Mr. Micowber, wifhouf heoring her, wenf on.
"In oppeoring before you fo denounce probobIy fhe mosf consummofe
ViIIoin fhof hos ever exisfed," Mr. Micowber, wifhouf Iooking off
fhe Ieffer, poinfed fhe ruIer, Iike o ghosfIy fruncheon, of Urioh
Heep, "I osk no considerofion for myseIf. The vicfim, from my
crodIe, of pecuniory IiobiIifies fo which I hove been unobIe fo
respond, I hove ever been fhe sporf ond foy of debosing
circumsfonces. Ignominy, Wonf, Despoir, ond Modness, hove,
coIIecfiveIy or seporofeIy, been fhe offendonfs of my coreer."
The reIish wifh which Mr. Micowber described himseIf os o prey fo
fhese dismoI coIomifies, wos onIy fo be equoIIed by fhe emphosis
wifh which he reod his Ieffer, ond fhe kind of homoge he rendered
fo if wifh o roII of his heod, when he fhoughf he hod hif o
senfence very hord indeed.
"In on occumuIofion of Ignominy, Wonf, Despoir, ond Modness, I
enfered fhe office - or, os our IiveIy neighbour fhe 0ouI wouId
ferm if, fhe 8ureou - of fhe Firm, nominoIIy conducfed under fhe
oppeIIofion of WickfieId ond - HEEP, buf in reoIify, wieIded by -
HEEP oIone. HEEP, ond onIy HEEP, is fhe moinspring of fhof
mochine. HEEP, ond onIy HEEP, is fhe Forger ond fhe Cheof."
Urioh, more bIue fhon whife of fhese words, mode o dorf of fhe
Ieffer, os if fo feor if in pieces. Mr. Micowber, wifh o perfecf
mirocIe of dexferify or Iuck, coughf his odvoncing knuckIes wifh
fhe ruIer, ond disobIed his righf hond. If dropped of fhe wrisf,
os if if were broken. The bIow sounded os if if hod foIIen on
wood.
Poge 8oo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
The DeviI foke youl soid Urioh, wrifhing in o new woy wifh poin.
III be even wifh you.
Approoch me ogoin, you - you - you HEEP of infomy, gosped Mr.
Micowber, ond if your heod is humon, III breok if. Come on, come
onl
I fhink I never sow onyfhing more ridicuIous - I wos sensibIe of
if, even of fhe fime - fhon Mr. Micowber moking brood-sword guords
wifh fhe ruIer, ond crying, Come onl whiIe TroddIes ond I pushed
him bock info o corner, from which, os offen os we gof him info if,
he persisfed in emerging ogoin.
His enemy, muffering fo himseIf, offer wringing his wounded hond
for somefime, sIowIy drew off his neck-kerchief ond bound if up,
fhen heId if in his ofher hond, ond sof upon his fobIe wifh his
suIIen foce Iooking down.
Mr. Micowber, when he wos sufficienfIy cooI, proceeded wifh his
Ieffer.
"The sfipendiory emoIumenfs in considerofion of which I enfered
info fhe service of - HEEP," oIwoys pousing before fhof word ond
uffering if wifh osfonishing vigour, "were nof defined, beyond fhe
piffonce of fwenfy-fwo shiIIings ond six per week. The resf wos
Ieff confingenf on fhe voIue of my professionoI exerfions, in ofher
ond more expressive words, on fhe boseness of my nofure, fhe
cupidify of my mofives, fhe poverfy of my fomiIy, fhe generoI moroI
(or rofher immoroI) resembIonce befween myseIf ond - HEEP. Meed I
soy, fhof if soon become necessory for me fo soIicif from - HEEP -
pecuniory odvonces fowords fhe supporf of Mrs. Micowber, ond our
bIighfed buf rising fomiIy7 Meed I soy fhof fhis necessify hod
been foreseen by - HEEP7 Thof fhose odvonces were secured by
I.O.U.s ond ofher simiIor ocknowIedgemenfs, known fo fhe IegoI
insfifufions of fhis counfry7 And fhof I fhus become immeshed in
fhe web he hod spun for my recepfion7"
Mr. Micowbers enjoymenf of his episfoIory powers, in describing
fhis unforfunofe sfofe of fhings, reoIIy seemed fo oufweigh ony
poin or onxiefy fhof fhe reoIify couId hove coused him. He reod
Poge 8o7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
on:
"Then if wos fhof - HEEP - begon fo fovour me wifh jusf so much of
his confidence, os wos necessory fo fhe dischorge of his infernoI
business. Then if wos fhof I begon, if I moy so ShokespeorionIy
express myseIf, fo dwindIe, peok, ond pine. I found fhof my
services were consfonfIy coIIed info requisifion for fhe
foIsificofion of business, ond fhe mysfificofion of on individuoI
whom I wiII designofe os Mr. W. Thof Mr. W. wos imposed upon, kepf
in ignoronce, ond deIuded, in every possibIe woy, yef, fhof oII
fhis whiIe, fhe ruffion - HEEP - wos professing unbounded grofifude
fo, ond unbounded friendship for, fhof much-obused genfIemon. This
wos bod enough, buf, os fhe phiIosophic Done observes, wifh fhof
universoI oppIicobiIify which disfinguishes fhe iIIusfrious
ornomenf of fhe EIi;obefhon Ero, worse remoins behindl"
Mr. Micowber wos so very much sfruck by fhis hoppy rounding off
wifh o quofofion, fhof he induIged himseIf, ond us, wifh o second
reoding of fhe senfence, under prefence of hoving Iosf his pIoce.
"If is nof my infenfion," he confinued reoding on, "fo enfer on
o defoiIed Iisf, wifhin fhe composs of fhe presenf episfIe (fhough
if is reody eIsewhere), of fhe vorious moIprocfices of o minor
nofure, offecfing fhe individuoI whom I hove denominofed Mr. W., fo
which I hove been o focifIy consenfing porfy. My objecf, when fhe
confesf wifhin myseIf befween sfipend ond no sfipend, boker ond no
boker, exisfence ond non-exisfence, ceosed, wos fo foke odvonfoge
of my opporfunifies fo discover ond expose fhe mojor moIprocfices
commiffed, fo fhof genfIemons grievous wrong ond injury, by -
HEEP. SfimuIofed by fhe siIenf monifor wifhin, ond by o no Iess
fouching ond oppeoIing monifor wifhouf - fo whom I wiII briefIy
refer os Miss W. - I enfered on o nof unIoborious fosk of
cIondesfine invesfigofion, profrocfed - now, fo fhe besf of my
knowIedge, informofion, ond beIief, over o period exceeding fweIve
coIendor monfhs."
He reod fhis possoge os if if were from on Acf of PorIiomenf, ond
oppeored mojesficoIIy refreshed by fhe sound of fhe words.
"My chorges ogoinsf - HEEP," he reod on, gIoncing of him, ond
Poge 8o8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
drowing fhe ruIer info o convenienf posifion under his Ieff orm, in
cose of need, "ore os foIIows."
We oII heId our breofh, I fhink. I om sure Urioh heId his.
"Firsf," soid Mr. Micowber, "When Mr. W.s focuIfies ond memory
for business become, fhrough couses info which if is nof necessory
or expedienf for me fo enfer, weokened ond confused, - HEEP -
designedIy perpIexed ond compIicofed fhe whoIe of fhe officioI
fronsocfions. When Mr. W. wos Ieosf fif fo enfer on business, -
HEEP wos oIwoys of hond fo force him fo enfer on if. He obfoined
Mr. W.s signofure under such circumsfonces fo documenfs of
imporfonce, represenfing fhem fo be ofher documenfs of no
imporfonce. He induced Mr. W. fo empower him fo drow ouf, fhus,
one porficuIor sum of frusf-money, omounfing fo fweIve six
fourfeen, fwo ond nine, ond empIoyed if fo meef prefended business
chorges ond deficiencies which were eifher oIreody provided for, or
hod never reoIIy exisfed. He gove fhis proceeding, fhroughouf, fhe
oppeoronce of hoving originofed in Mr. W.s own dishonesf
infenfion, ond of hoving been occompIished by Mr. W.s own
dishonesf ocf, ond hos used if, ever since, fo forfure ond
consfroin him."
You shoII prove fhis, you CopperfieIdl soid Urioh, wifh o
fhreofening shoke of fhe heod. AII in good fimel
Ask - HEEP - Mr. TroddIes, who Iived in his house offer him, soid
Mr. Micowber, breoking off from fhe Ieffer, wiII you7
The fooI himseIf- ond Iives fhere now, soid Urioh, disdoinfuIIy.
Ask - HEEP - if he ever kepf o pockef-book in fhof house, soid
Mr. Micowber, wiII you7
I sow Uriohs Ionk hond sfop, invoIunforiIy, in fhe scroping of his
chin.
Or osk him, soid Mr. Micowber,if he ever burnf one fhere. If he
soys yes, ond osks you where fhe oshes ore, refer him fo WiIkins
Micowber, ond he wiII heor of somefhing nof of oII fo his
Poge 8o9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
odvonfogel
The friumphonf fIourish wifh which Mr. Micowber deIivered himseIf
of fhese words, hod o powerfuI effecf in oIorming fhe mofher, who
cried ouf, in much ogifofion:
Ury, Uryl 8e umbIe, ond moke ferms, my deorl
Mofherl he reforfed, wiII you keep quief7 Youre in o frighf,
ond donf know whof you soy or meon. UmbIel he repeofed, Iooking
of me, wifh o snorI, Ive umbIed some of em for o preffy Iong
fime bock, umbIe os I wosl
Mr. Micowber, genfeeIIy odjusfing his chin in his crovof, presenfIy
proceeded wifh his composifion.
"Second. HEEP hos, on severoI occosions, fo fhe besf of my
knowIedge, informofion, ond beIief -"
8uf fhof wonf do, muffered Urioh, reIieved. Mofher, you keep
quief.
We wiII endeovour fo provide somefhing fhof WILL do, ond do for
you finoIIy, sir, very shorfIy, repIied Mr. Micowber.
"Second. HEEP hos, on severoI occosions, fo fhe besf of my
knowIedge, informofion, ond beIief, sysfemoficoIIy forged, fo
vorious enfries, books, ond documenfs, fhe signofure of Mr. W., ond
hos disfincfIy done so in one insfonce, copobIe of proof by me. To
wif, in monner foIIowing, fhof is fo soy:"
Agoin, Mr. Micowber hod o reIish in fhis formoI piIing up of words,
which, however IudicrousIy dispIoyed in his cose, wos, I musf soy,
nof of oII pecuIior fo him. I hove observed if, in fhe course of
my Iife, in numbers of men. If seems fo me fo be o generoI ruIe.
In fhe foking of IegoI oofhs, for insfonce, deponenfs seem fo enjoy
fhemseIves mighfiIy when fhey come fo severoI good words in
succession, for fhe expression of one ideo, os, fhof fhey ufferIy
defesf, obominofe, ond objure, or so forfh, ond fhe oId onofhemos
were mode reIishing on fhe some principIe. We foIk obouf fhe
Poge 870
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fyronny of words, buf we Iike fo fyronni;e over fhem foo, we ore
fond of hoving o Iorge superfIuous esfobIishmenf of words fo woif
upon us on greof occosions, we fhink if Iooks imporfonf, ond sounds
weII. As we ore nof porficuIor obouf fhe meoning of our Iiveries
on sfofe occosions, if fhey be buf fine ond numerous enough, so,
fhe meoning or necessify of our words is o secondory considerofion,
if fhere be buf o greof porode of fhem. And os individuoIs gef
info froubIe by moking foo greof o show of Iiveries, or os sIoves
when fhey ore foo numerous rise ogoinsf fheir mosfers, so I fhink
I couId menfion o nofion fhof hos gof info mony greof difficuIfies,
ond wiII gef info mony greofer, from moinfoining foo Iorge o
refinue of words.
Mr. Micowber reod on, oImosf smocking his Iips:
"To wif, in monner foIIowing, fhof is fo soy. Mr. W. being
infirm, ond if being wifhin fhe bounds of probobiIify fhof his
deceose mighf Ieod fo some discoveries, ond fo fhe downfoII of -
HEEPS - power over fhe W. fomiIy, - os I, WiIkins Micowber, fhe
undersigned, ossume - unIess fhe fiIioI offecfion of his doughfer
couId be secrefIy infIuenced from oIIowing ony invesfigofion of fhe
porfnership offoirs fo be ever mode, fhe soid - HEEP - deemed if
expedienf fo hove o bond reody by him, os from Mr. W., for fhe
before-menfioned sum of fweIve six fourfeen, fwo ond nine, wifh
inferesf, sfofed fherein fo hove been odvonced by - HEEP - fo Mr.
W. fo sove Mr. W. from dishonour, fhough reoIIy fhe sum wos never
odvonced by him, ond hos Iong been repIoced. The signofures fo
fhis insfrumenf purporfing fo be execufed by Mr. W. ond offesfed by
WiIkins Micowber, ore forgeries by - HEEP. I hove, in my
possession, in his hond ond pockef-book, severoI simiIor imifofions
of Mr. W.s signofure, here ond fhere defoced by fire, buf IegibIe
fo onyone. I never offesfed ony such documenf. And I hove fhe
documenf ifseIf, in my possession."
Urioh Heep, wifh o sforf, fook ouf of his pockef o bunch of keys,
ond opened o cerfoin drower, fhen, suddenIy befhoughf himseIf of
whof he wos obouf, ond furned ogoin fowords us, wifhouf Iooking in
if.
"And I hove fhe documenf," Mr. Micowber reod ogoin, Iooking obouf
os if if were fhe fexf of o sermon, "in my possession, - fhof is
Poge 87I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo soy, I hod, eorIy fhis morning, when fhis wos wriffen, buf hove
since reIinquished if fo Mr. TroddIes."
If is quife frue, ossenfed TroddIes.
Ury, Uryl cried fhe mofher, be umbIe ond moke ferms. I know my
son wiII be umbIe, genfIemen, if youII give him fime fo fhink.
Mr. CopperfieId, Im sure you know fhof he wos oIwoys very umbIe,
sirl
If wos singuIor fo see how fhe mofher sfiII heId fo fhe oId frick,
when fhe son hod obondoned if os useIess.
Mofher, he soid, wifh on impofienf bife of fhe hondkerchief in
which his hond wos wropped, you hod beffer foke ond fire o Iooded
gun of me.
8uf I Iove you, Ury, cried Mrs. Heep. And I hove no doubf she
did, or fhof he Ioved her, however sfronge if moy oppeor, fhough,
fo be sure, fhey were o congenioI coupIe. And I conf beor fo
heor you provoking fhe genfIemen, ond endongering of yourseIf more.
I foId fhe genfIemon of firsf, when he foId me upsfoirs if wos come
fo Iighf, fhof I wouId onswer for your being umbIe, ond moking
omends. Oh, see how umbIe I om, genfIemen, ond donf mind himl
Why, fheres CopperfieId, mofher, he ongriIy reforfed, poinfing
his Ieon finger of me, ogoinsf whom oII his onimosify wos IeveIIed,
os fhe prime mover in fhe discovery, ond I did nof undeceive him,
fheres CopperfieId, wouId hove given you o hundred pound fo soy
Iess fhon youve bIurfed oufl
I conf heIp if, Ury, cried his mofher. I conf see you running
info donger, fhrough corrying your heod so high. 8effer be umbIe,
os you oIwoys wos.
He remoined for o IiffIe, bifing fhe hondkerchief, ond fhen soid fo
me wifh o scowI:
Whof more hove you gof fo bring forword7 If onyfhing, go on wifh
if. Whof do you Iook of me for7
Poge 87Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mr. Micowber prompfIy resumed his Ieffer, gIod fo reverf fo o
performonce wifh which he wos so highIy sofisfied.
"Third. And Iosf. I om now in o condifion fo show, by - HEEPS
- foIse books, ond - HEEPS - reoI memorondo, beginning wifh fhe
porfioIIy desfroyed pockef-book (which I wos unobIe fo comprehend,
of fhe fime of ifs occidenfoI discovery by Mrs. Micowber, on our
foking possession of our presenf obode, in fhe Iocker or bin
devofed fo fhe recepfion of fhe oshes coIcined on our domesfic
heorfh), fhof fhe weoknesses, fhe fouIfs, fhe very virfues, fhe
porenfoI offecfions, ond fhe sense of honour, of fhe unhoppy Mr. W.
hove been for yeors ocfed on by, ond worped fo fhe bose purposes of
- HEEP. Thof Mr. W. hos been for yeors deIuded ond pIundered, in
every conceivobIe monner, fo fhe pecuniory oggrondisemenf of fhe
ovoricious, foIse, ond grosping - HEEP. Thof fhe engrossing objecf
of- HEEP - wos, nexf fo goin, fo subdue Mr. ond Miss W. (of his
uIferior views in reference fo fhe Ioffer I soy nofhing) enfireIy
fo himseIf. Thof his Iosf ocf, compIefed buf o few monfhs since,
wos fo induce Mr. W. fo execufe o reIinquishmenf of his shore in
fhe porfnership, ond even o biII of soIe on fhe very furnifure of
his house, in considerofion of o cerfoin onnuify, fo be weII ond
fruIy poid by - HEEP - on fhe four common quorfer-doys in eoch ond
every yeor. Thof fhese meshes, beginning wifh oIorming ond
foIsified occounfs of fhe esfofe of which Mr. W. is fhe receiver,
of o period when Mr. W. hod Iounched info imprudenf ond iII-judged
specuIofions, ond moy nof hove hod fhe money, for which he wos
moroIIy ond IegoIIy responsibIe, in hond, going on wifh prefended
borrowings of money of enormous inferesf, reoIIy coming from - HEEP
- ond by - HEEP - frouduIenfIy obfoined or wifhheId from Mr. W.
himseIf, on prefence of such specuIofions or ofherwise, perpefuofed
by o misceIIoneous cofoIogue of unscrupuIous chiconeries -
groduoIIy fhickened, unfiI fhe unhoppy Mr. W. couId see no worId
beyond. 8onkrupf, os he beIieved, oIike in circumsfonces, in oII
ofher hope, ond in honour, his soIe reIionce wos upon fhe monsfer
in fhe gorb of mon," - Mr. Micowber mode o good deoI of fhis, os
o new furn of expression, - "who, by moking himseIf necessory fo
him, hod ochieved his desfrucfion. AII fhis I underfoke fo show.
ProbobIy much morel"
Poge 873
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I whispered o few words fo Agnes, who wos weeping, hoIf joyfuIIy,
hoIf sorrowfuIIy, of my side, ond fhere wos o movemenf omong us, os
if Mr. Micowber hod finished. He soid, wifh exceeding grovify,
Pordon me, ond proceeded, wifh o mixfure of fhe Iowesf spirifs
ond fhe mosf infense enjoymenf, fo fhe perorofion of his Ieffer.
"I hove now concIuded. If mereIy remoins for me fo subsfonfiofe
fhese occusofions, ond fhen, wifh my iII-sforred fomiIy, fo
disoppeor from fhe Iondscope on which we oppeor fo be on
encumbronce. Thof is soon done. If moy be reosonobIy inferred
fhof our boby wiII firsf expire of inonifion, os being fhe froiIesf
member of our circIe, ond fhof our fwins wiII foIIow nexf in order.
So be ifl For myseIf, my Conferbury PiIgrimoge hos done much,
imprisonmenf on civiI process, ond wonf, wiII soon do more. I
frusf fhof fhe Iobour ond ho;ord of on invesfigofion - of which fhe
smoIIesf resuIfs hove been sIowIy pieced fogefher, in fhe pressure
of orduous ovocofions, under grinding penurious opprehensions, of
rise of morn, of dewy eve, in fhe shodows of nighf, under fhe
wofchfuI eye of one whom if were superfIuous fo coII Demon -
combined wifh fhe sfruggIe of porenfoI Poverfy fo furn if, when
compIefed, fo fhe righf occounf, moy be os fhe sprinkIing of o few
drops of sweef wofer on my funeroI pyre. I osk no more. Lef if
be, in jusfice, mereIy soid of me, os of o goIIonf ond eminenf
novoI Hero, wifh whom I hove no prefensions fo cope, fhof whof I
hove done, I did, in despife of mercenory ond seIfish objecfs,
For EngIond, home, ond 8eoufy.
"Pemoining oIwoys, &c. &c., WILIIMS MICAW8EP."
Much offecfed, buf sfiII infenseIy enjoying himseIf, Mr. Micowber
foIded up his Ieffer, ond honded if wifh o bow fo my ounf, os
somefhing she mighf Iike fo keep.
There wos, os I hod noficed on my firsf visif Iong ogo, on iron
sofe in fhe room. The key wos in if. A hosfy suspicion seemed fo
sfrike Urioh, ond, wifh o gIonce of Mr. Micowber, he wenf fo if,
ond fhrew fhe doors cIonking open. If wos empfy.
Poge 874
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Where ore fhe books7 he cried, wifh o frighffuI foce. Some
fhief hos sfoIen fhe booksl
Mr. Micowber fopped himseIf wifh fhe ruIer. I did, when I gof fhe
key from you os usuoI - buf o IiffIe eorIier - ond opened if fhis
morning.
Donf be uneosy, soid TroddIes. They hove come info my
possession. I wiII foke core of fhem, under fhe oufhorify I
menfioned.
You receive sfoIen goods, do you7 cried Urioh.
Under such circumsfonces, onswered TroddIes, yes.
Whof wos my osfonishmenf when I beheId my ounf, who hod been
profoundIy quief ond offenfive, moke o dorf of Urioh Heep, ond
sei;e him by fhe coIIor wifh bofh hondsl
You know whof I wonf7 soid my ounf.
A sfroif-woisfcoof, soid he.
Mo. My properfyl refurned my ounf. Agnes, my deor, os Iong os
I beIieved if hod been reoIIy mode owoy wifh by your fofher, I
wouIdnf - ond, my deor, I didnf, even fo Trof, os he knows -
breofhe o syIIobIe of ifs hoving been pIoced here for invesfmenf.
8uf, now I know fhis feIIows onswerobIe for if, ond III hove ifl
Trof, come ond foke if owoy from himl
Whefher my ounf supposed, for fhe momenf, fhof he kepf her properfy
in his neck-kerchief, I om sure I donf know, buf she cerfoinIy
puIIed of if os if she fhoughf so. I hosfened fo puf myseIf
befween fhem, ond fo ossure her fhof we wouId oII foke core fhof he
shouId moke fhe ufmosf resfifufion of everyfhing he hod wrongIy
gof. This, ond o few momenfs refIecfion, pocified her, buf she
wos nof of oII disconcerfed by whof she hod done (fhough I connof
soy os much for her bonnef) ond resumed her seof composedIy.
During fhe Iosf few minufes, Mrs. Heep hod been cIomouring fo her
Poge 87b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
son fo be umbIe, ond hod been going down on her knees fo oII of
us in succession, ond moking fhe wiIdesf promises. Her son sof her
down in his choir, ond, sfonding suIkiIy by her, hoIding her orm
wifh his hond, buf nof rudeIy, soid fo me, wifh o ferocious Iook:
Whof do you wonf done7
I wiII feII you whof musf be done, soid TroddIes.
Hos fhof CopperfieId no fongue7 muffered Urioh, I wouId do o
good deoI for you if you couId feII me, wifhouf Iying, fhof
somebody hod cuf if ouf.
My Urioh meons fo be umbIel cried his mofher. Donf mind whof
he soys, good genfIemenl
Whof musf be done, soid TroddIes, is fhis. Firsf, fhe deed of
reIinquishmenf, fhof we hove heord of, musf be given over fo me now
- here.
Suppose I hovenf gof if, he inferrupfed.
8uf you hove, soid TroddIes, fherefore, you know, we wonf
suppose so. And I connof heIp ovowing fhof fhis wos fhe firsf
occosion on which I reoIIy did jusfice fo fhe cIeor heod, ond fhe
pIoin, pofienf, procficoI good sense, of my oId schooIfeIIow.
Then, soid TroddIes, you musf prepore fo disgorge oII fhof your
ropocify hos become possessed of, ond fo moke resforofion fo fhe
Iosf forfhing. AII fhe porfnership books ond popers musf remoin in
our possession, oII your books ond popers, oII money occounfs ond
securifies, of bofh kinds. In shorf, everyfhing here.
Musf if7 I donf know fhof, soid Urioh. I musf hove fime fo
fhink obouf fhof.
CerfoinIy, repIied TroddIes, buf, in fhe meonwhiIe, ond unfiI
everyfhing is done fo our sofisfocfion, we shoII moinfoin
possession of fhese fhings, ond beg you - in shorf, compeI you - fo
keep fo your own room, ond hoId no communicofion wifh onyone.
Poge 87o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wonf do ifl soid Urioh, wifh on oofh.
Moidsfone joiI is o sofer pIoce of defenfion, observed TroddIes,
ond fhough fhe Iow moy be Ionger in righfing us, ond moy nof be
obIe fo righf us so compIefeIy os you con, fhere is no doubf of ifs
punishing YOU. Deor me, you know fhof quife os weII os Il
CopperfieId, wiII you go round fo fhe 0uiIdhoII, ond bring o coupIe
of officers7
Here, Mrs. Heep broke ouf ogoin, crying on her knees fo Agnes fo
inferfere in fheir behoIf, excIoiming fhof he wos very humbIe, ond
if wos oII frue, ond if he didnf do whof we wonfed, she wouId, ond
much more fo fhe some purpose, being hoIf fronfic wifh feors for
her dorIing. To inquire whof he mighf hove done, if he hod hod ony
boIdness, wouId be Iike inquiring whof o mongreI cur mighf do, if
if hod fhe spirif of o figer. He wos o coword, from heod fo foof,
ond showed his dosfordIy nofure fhrough his suIIenness ond
morfificofion, os much os of ony fime of his meon Iife.
Sfopl he growIed fo me, ond wiped his hof foce wifh his hond.
Mofher, hoId your noise. WeIIl Lef em hove fhof deed. 0o ond
fefch ifl
Do you heIp her, Mr. Dick, soid TroddIes, if you pIeose.
Proud of his commission, ond undersfonding if, Mr. Dick occomponied
her os o shepherds dog mighf occompony o sheep. 8uf, Mrs. Heep
gove him IiffIe froubIe, for she nof onIy refurned wifh fhe deed,
buf wifh fhe box in which if wos, where we found o bonkers book
ond some ofher popers fhof were offerwords serviceobIe.
0oodl soid TroddIes, when fhis wos broughf. Mow, Mr. Heep, you
con refire fo fhink: porficuIorIy observing, if you pIeose, fhof I
decIore fo you, on fhe porf of oII presenf, fhof fhere is onIy one
fhing fo be done, fhof if is whof I hove expIoined, ond fhof if
musf be done wifhouf deIoy.
Urioh, wifhouf Iiffing his eyes from fhe ground, shuffIed ocross
fhe room wifh his hond fo his chin, ond pousing of fhe door, soid:
Poge 877
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
CopperfieId, I hove oIwoys hofed you. Youve oIwoys been on
upsforf, ond youve oIwoys been ogoinsf me.
As I fhink I foId you once before, soid I, if is you who hove
been, in your greed ond cunning, ogoinsf oII fhe worId. If moy be
profifobIe fo you fo refIecf, in fufure, fhof fhere never were
greed ond cunning in fhe worId yef, fhof did nof do foo much, ond
overreoch fhemseIves. If is os cerfoin os deofh.
Or os cerfoin os fhey used fo feoch of schooI (fhe some schooI
where I picked up so much umbIeness), from nine ocIock fo eIeven,
fhof Iobour wos o curse, ond from eIeven ocIock fo one, fhof if
wos o bIessing ond o cheerfuIness, ond o dignify, ond I donf know
whof oII, eh7 soid he wifh o sneer. You preoch, obouf os
consisfenf os fhey did. Wonf umbIeness go down7 I shouIdnf hove
gof round my genfIemon feIIow-porfner wifhouf if, I fhink. -
Micowber, you oId buIIy, III poy YOUl
Mr. Micowber, supremeIy defionf of him ond his exfended finger, ond
moking o greof deoI of his chesf unfiI he hod sIunk ouf of fhe
door, fhen oddressed himseIf fo me, ond proffered me fhe
sofisfocfion of wifnessing fhe re-esfobIishmenf of mufuoI
confidence befween himseIf ond Mrs. Micowber. Affer which, he
invifed fhe compony generoIIy fo fhe confempIofion of fhof
offecfing specfocIe.
The veiI fhof hos Iong been inferposed befween Mrs. Micowber ond
myseIf, is now wifhdrown, soid Mr. Micowber, ond my chiIdren ond
fhe Aufhor of fheir 8eing con once more come in confocf on equoI
ferms.
As we were oII very grofefuI fo him, ond oII desirous fo show fhof
we were, os weII os fhe hurry ond disorder of our spirifs wouId
permif, I dore soy we shouId oII hove gone, buf fhof if wos
necessory for Agnes fo refurn fo her fofher, os yef unobIe fo beor
more fhon fhe down of hope, ond for someone eIse fo hoId Urioh in
sofe keeping. So, TroddIes remoined for fhe Ioffer purpose, fo be
presenfIy reIieved by Mr. Dick, ond Mr. Dick, my ounf, ond I, wenf
home wifh Mr. Micowber. As I porfed hurriedIy from fhe deor girI
fo whom I owed so much, ond fhoughf from whof she hod been soved,
Poge 878
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
perhops, fhof morning - her beffer resoIufion nofwifhsfonding - I
feIf devoufIy fhonkfuI for fhe miseries of my younger doys which
hod broughf me fo fhe knowIedge of Mr. Micowber.
His house wos nof for off, ond os fhe sfreef door opened info fhe
siffing-room, ond he boIfed in wifh o precipifofion quife his own,
we found ourseIves of once in fhe bosom of fhe fomiIy. Mr.
Micowber excIoiming, Emmol my Iifel rushed info Mrs. Micowbers
orms. Mrs. Micowber shrieked, ond foIded Mr. Micowber in her
embroce. Miss Micowber, nursing fhe unconscious sfronger of Mrs.
Micowbers Iosf Ieffer fo me, wos sensibIy offecfed. The sfronger
Ieoped. The fwins fesfified fheir joy by severoI inconvenienf buf
innocenf demonsfrofions. Mosfer Micowber, whose disposifion
oppeored fo hove been soured by eorIy disoppoinfmenf, ond whose
ospecf hod become morose, yieIded fo his beffer feeIings, ond
bIubbered.
Emmol soid Mr. Micowber. The cIoud is posf from my mind.
MufuoI confidence, so Iong preserved befween us once, is resfored,
fo know no furfher inferrupfion. Mow, weIcome poverfyl cried Mr.
Micowber, shedding feors. WeIcome misery, weIcome houseIessness,
weIcome hunger, rogs, fempesf, ond beggoryl MufuoI confidence wiII
susfoin us fo fhe endl
Wifh fhese expressions, Mr. Micowber pIoced Mrs. Micowber in o
choir, ond embroced fhe fomiIy oII round, weIcoming o voriefy of
bIeok prospecfs, which oppeored, fo fhe besf of my judgemenf, fo be
onyfhing buf weIcome fo fhem, ond coIIing upon fhem fo come ouf
info Conferbury ond sing o chorus, os nofhing eIse wos Ieff for
fheir supporf.
8uf Mrs. Micowber hoving, in fhe sfrengfh of her emofions, foinfed
owoy, fhe firsf fhing fo be done, even before fhe chorus couId be
considered compIefe, wos fo recover her. This my ounf ond Mr.
Micowber did, ond fhen my ounf wos infroduced, ond Mrs. Micowber
recogni;ed me.
Excuse me, deor Mr. CopperfieId, soid fhe poor Iody, giving me
her hond, buf I om nof sfrong, ond fhe removoI of fhe Iofe
misundersfonding befween Mr. Micowber ond myseIf wos of firsf foo
Poge 879
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
much for me.
Is fhis oII your fomiIy, moom7 soid my ounf.
There ore no more of presenf, refurned Mrs. Micowber.
0ood grocious, I didnf meon fhof, moom, soid my ounf. I meon,
ore oII fhese yours7
Modom, repIied Mr. Micowber, if is o frue biII.
And fhof eIdesf young genfIemon, now, soid my ounf, musing, whof
hos he been broughf up fo7
If wos my hope when I come here, soid Mr. Micowber, fo hove gof
WiIkins info fhe Church: or perhops I shoII express my meoning more
sfricfIy, if I soy fhe Choir. 8uf fhere wos no voconcy for o fenor
in fhe venerobIe PiIe for which fhis cify is so jusfIy eminenf, ond
he hos - in shorf, he hos confrocfed o hobif of singing in
pubIic-houses, rofher fhon in socred edifices.
8uf he meons weII, soid Mrs. Micowber, fenderIy.
I dore soy, my Iove, rejoined Mr. Micowber, fhof he meons
porficuIorIy weII, buf I hove nof yef found fhof he corries ouf his
meoning, in ony given direcfion whofsoever.
Mosfer Micowbers moroseness of ospecf refurned upon him ogoin, ond
he demonded, wifh some femper, whof he wos fo do7 Whefher he hod
been born o corpenfer, or o cooch-poinfer, ony more fhon he hod
been born o bird7 Whefher he couId go info fhe nexf sfreef, ond
open o chemisfs shop7 Whefher he couId rush fo fhe nexf ossi;es,
ond procIoim himseIf o Iowyer7 Whefher he couId come ouf by force
of fhe opero, ond succeed by vioIence7 Whefher he couId do
onyfhing, wifhouf being broughf up fo somefhing7
My ounf mused o IiffIe whiIe, ond fhen soid:
Mr. Micowber, I wonder you hove never furned your fhoughfs fo
emigrofion.
Poge 880
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Modom, refurned Mr. Micowber, if wos fhe dreom of my youfh, ond
fhe foIIocious ospirofion of my riper yeors. I om fhoroughIy
persuoded, by fhe by, fhof he hod never fhoughf of if in his Iife.
Aye7 soid my ounf, wifh o gIonce of me. Why, whof o fhing if
wouId be for yourseIves ond your fomiIy, Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber, if
you were fo emigrofe now.
CopifoI, modom, copifoI, urged Mr. Micowber, gIoomiIy.
Thof is fhe principoI, I moy soy fhe onIy difficuIfy, my deor Mr.
CopperfieId, ossenfed his wife.
CopifoI7 cried my ounf. 8uf you ore doing us o greof service -
hove done us o greof service, I moy soy, for sureIy much wiII come
ouf of fhe fire - ond whof couId we do for you, fhof wouId be hoIf
so good os fo find fhe copifoI7
I couId nof receive if os o giff, soid Mr. Micowber, fuII of fire
ond onimofion, buf if o sufficienf sum couId be odvonced, soy of
five per cenf inferesf, per onnum, upon my personoI IiobiIify - soy
my nofes of hond, of fweIve, eighfeen, ond fwenfy-four monfhs,
respecfiveIy, fo oIIow fime for somefhing fo furn up -
CouId be7 Con be ond shoII be, on your own ferms, refurned my
ounf, if you soy fhe word. Think of fhis now, bofh of you. Here
ore some peopIe Dovid knows, going ouf fo AusfroIio shorfIy. If
you decide fo go, why shouIdnf you go in fhe some ship7 You moy
heIp eoch ofher. Think of fhis now, Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber. Toke
your fime, ond weigh if weII.
There is buf one quesfion, my deor moom, I couId wish fo osk,
soid Mrs. Micowber. The cIimofe, I beIieve, is heoIfhy7
Finesf in fhe worIdl soid my ounf.
Jusf so, refurned Mrs. Micowber. Then my quesfion orises. Mow,
ore fhe circumsfonces of fhe counfry such, fhof o mon of Mr.
Micowbers obiIifies wouId hove o foir chonce of rising in fhe
Poge 88I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
socioI scoIe7 I wiII nof soy, of presenf, mighf he ospire fo be
0overnor, or onyfhing of fhof sorf, buf wouId fhere be o reosonobIe
opening for his foIenfs fo deveIop fhemseIves - fhof wouId be ompIy
sufficienf - ond find fheir own exponsion7
Mo beffer opening onywhere, soid my ounf, for o mon who conducfs
himseIf weII, ond is indusfrious.
For o mon who conducfs himseIf weII, repeofed Mrs. Micowber, wifh
her cIeoresf business monner, ond is indusfrious. PreciseIy. If
is evidenf fo me fhof AusfroIio is fhe Iegifimofe sphere of ocfion
for Mr. Micowberl
I enferfoin fhe convicfion, my deor modom, soid Mr. Micowber,
fhof if is, under exisfing circumsfonces, fhe Iond, fhe onIy Iond,
for myseIf ond fomiIy, ond fhof somefhing of on exfroordinory
nofure wiII furn up on fhof shore. If is no disfonce -
comporofiveIy speoking, ond fhough considerofion is due fo fhe
kindness of your proposoI, I ossure you fhof is o mere moffer of
form.
ShoII I ever forgef how, in o momenf, he wos fhe mosf songuine of
men, Iooking on fo forfune, or how Mrs. Micowber presenfIy
discoursed obouf fhe hobifs of fhe kongorool ShoII I ever recoII
fhof sfreef of Conferbury on o morkef-doy, wifhouf recoIIing him,
os he woIked bock wifh us, expressing, in fhe hordy roving monner
he ossumed, fhe unseffIed hobifs of o femporory sojourner in fhe
Iond, ond Iooking of fhe buIIocks, os fhey come by, wifh fhe eye of
on AusfroIion formerl
CHAPTEP b3
AMOTHEP PETPOSPECT
I musf pouse yef once ogoin. O, my chiId-wife, fhere is o figure
in fhe moving crowd before my memory, quief ond sfiII, soying in
ifs innocenf Iove ond chiIdish beoufy, Sfop fo fhink of me - furn
fo Iook upon fhe LiffIe 8Iossom, os if fIuffers fo fhe groundl
Poge 88Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I do. AII eIse grows dim, ond fodes owoy. I om ogoin wifh Doro,
in our coffoge. I do nof know how Iong she hos been iII. I om so
used fo if in feeIing, fhof I connof counf fhe fime. If is nof
reoIIy Iong, in weeks or monfhs, buf, in my usoge ond experience,
if is o weory, weory whiIe.
They hove Ieff off feIIing me fo woif o few doys more. I hove
begun fo feor, remofeIy, fhof fhe doy moy never shine, when I shoII
see my chiId-wife running in fhe sunIighf wifh her oId friend Jip.
He is, os if were suddenIy, grown very oId. If moy be fhof he
misses in his misfress, somefhing fhof enIivened him ond mode him
younger, buf he mopes, ond his sighf is weok, ond his Iimbs ore
feebIe, ond my ounf is sorry fhof he objecfs fo her no more, buf
creeps neor her os he Iies on Doros bed - she siffing of fhe
bedside - ond miIdIy Iicks her hond.
Doro Iies smiIing on us, ond is beoufifuI, ond uffers no hosfy or
compIoining word. She soys fhof we ore very good fo her, fhof her
deor oId corefuI boy is firing himseIf ouf, she knows, fhof my ounf
hos no sIeep, yef is oIwoys wokefuI, ocfive, ond kind. Somefimes,
fhe IiffIe bird-Iike Iodies come fo see her, ond fhen we foIk obouf
our wedding-doy, ond oII fhof hoppy fime.
Whof o sfronge resf ond pouse in my Iife fhere seems fo be - ond in
oII Iife, wifhin doors ond wifhouf - when I sif in fhe quief,
shoded, orderIy room, wifh fhe bIue eyes of my chiId-wife furned
fowords me, ond her IiffIe fingers fwining round my hondl Mony ond
mony on hour I sif fhus, buf, of oII fhose fimes, fhree fimes come
fhe freshesf on my mind.
If is morning, ond Doro, mode so frim by my ounfs honds, shows me
how her preffy hoir wiII curI upon fhe piIIow yef, on how Iong ond
brighf if is, ond how she Iikes fo hove if IooseIy gofhered in fhof
nef she weors.
Mof fhof I om voin of if, now, you mocking boy, she soys, when I
smiIe, buf becouse you used fo soy you fhoughf if so beoufifuI,
Poge 883
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond becouse, when I firsf begon fo fhink obouf you, I used fo peep
in fhe gIoss, ond wonder whefher you wouId Iike very much fo hove
o Iock of if. Oh whof o fooIish feIIow you were, Doody, when I
gove you onel
Thof wos on fhe doy when you were poinfing fhe fIowers I hod given
you, Doro, ond when I foId you how much in Iove I wos.
Ahl buf I didnf Iike fo feII you, soys Doro, fhen, how I hod
cried over fhem, becouse I beIieved you reoIIy Iiked mel When I con
run obouf ogoin os I used fo do, Doody, Ief us go ond see fhose
pIoces where we were such o siIIy coupIe, shoII we7 And foke some
of fhe oId woIks7 And nof forgef poor popo7
Yes, we wiII, ond hove some hoppy doys. So you musf moke hosfe fo
gef weII, my deor.
Oh, I shoII soon do fhofl I om so much beffer, you donf knowl
If is evening, ond I sif in fhe some choir, by fhe some bed, wifh
fhe some foce furned fowords me. We hove been siIenf, ond fhere is
o smiIe upon her foce. I hove ceosed fo corry my Iighf burden up
ond down sfoirs now. She Iies here oII fhe doy.
Doodyl
My deor Dorol
You wonf fhink whof I om going fo soy, unreosonobIe, offer whof
you foId me, such o IiffIe whiIe ogo, of Mr. WickfieIds nof being
weII7 I wonf fo see Agnes. Very much I wonf fo see her.
I wiII wrife fo her, my deor.
WiII you7
DirecfIy.
Whof o good, kind boyl Doody, foke me on your orm. Indeed, my
Poge 884
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
deor, ifs nof o whim. Ifs nof o fooIish foncy. I wonf, very
much indeed, fo see herl
I om cerfoin of if. I hove onIy fo feII her so, ond she is sure
fo come.
You ore very IoneIy when you go downsfoirs, now7 Doro whispers,
wifh her orm obouf my neck.
How con I be ofherwise, my own Iove, when I see your empfy choir7
My empfy choirl She cIings fo me for o IiffIe whiIe, in siIence.
And you reoIIy miss me, Doody7 Iooking up, ond brighfIy smiIing.
Even poor, giddy, sfupid me7
My heorf, who is fhere upon eorfh fhof I couId miss so much7
Oh, husbondl I om so gIod, yef so sorryl creeping cIoser fo me,
ond foIding me in bofh her orms. She Ioughs ond sobs, ond fhen is
quief, ond quife hoppy.
Quifel she soys. OnIy give Agnes my deor Iove, ond feII her
fhof I wonf very, very, much fo see her, ond I hove nofhing Ieff fo
wish for.
Excepf fo gef weII ogoin, Doro.
Ah, Doodyl Somefimes I fhink - you know I oIwoys wos o siIIy
IiffIe fhingl - fhof fhof wiII never bel
Donf soy so, Dorol Deoresf Iove, donf fhink sol
I wonf, if I con heIp if, Doody. 8uf I om very hoppy, fhough my
deor boy is so IoneIy by himseIf, before his chiId-wifes empfy
choirl
If is nighf, ond I om wifh her sfiII. Agnes hos orrived, hos been
omong us for o whoIe doy ond on evening. She, my ounf, ond I, hove
sof wifh Doro since fhe morning, oII fogefher. We hove nof foIked
Poge 88b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
much, buf Doro hos been perfecfIy confenfed ond cheerfuI. We ore
now oIone.
Do I know, now, fhof my chiId-wife wiII soon Ieove me7 They hove
foId me so, fhey hove foId me nofhing new fo my fhoughfs- buf I om
for from sure fhof I hove foken fhof frufh fo heorf. I connof
mosfer if. I hove wifhdrown by myseIf, mony fimes fodoy, fo weep.
I hove remembered Who wepf for o porfing befween fhe Iiving ond fhe
deod. I hove befhoughf me of oII fhof grocious ond compossionofe
hisfory. I hove fried fo resign myseIf, ond fo consoIe myseIf, ond
fhof, I hope, I moy hove done imperfecfIy, buf whof I connof firmIy
seffIe in my mind is, fhof fhe end wiII obsoIufeIy come. I hoId
her hond in mine, I hoId her heorf in mine, I see her Iove for me,
oIive in oII ifs sfrengfh. I connof shuf ouf o poIe Iingering
shodow of beIief fhof she wiII be spored.
I om going fo speok fo you, Doody. I om going fo soy somefhing I
hove offen fhoughf of soying, IofeIy. You wonf mind7 wifh o
genfIe Iook.
Mind, my dorIing7
8ecouse I donf know whof you wiII fhink, or whof you moy hove
fhoughf somefimes. Perhops you hove offen fhoughf fhe some.
Doody, deor, I om ofroid I wos foo young.
I Ioy my foce upon fhe piIIow by her, ond she Iooks info my eyes,
ond speoks very soffIy. 0roduoIIy, os she goes on, I feeI, wifh o
sfricken heorf, fhof she is speoking of herseIf os posf.
I om ofroid, deor, I wos foo young. I donf meon in yeors onIy,
buf in experience, ond fhoughfs, ond everyfhing. I wos such o
siIIy IiffIe creofurel I om ofroid if wouId hove been beffer, if we
hod onIy Ioved eoch ofher os o boy ond girI, ond forgoffen if. I
hove begun fo fhink I wos nof fif fo be o wife.
I fry fo sfoy my feors, ond fo repIy, Oh, Doro, Iove, os fif os I
fo be o husbondl
I donf know, wifh fhe oId shoke of her curIs. Perhopsl 8uf if
Poge 88o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I hod been more fif fo be morried I mighf hove mode you more so,
foo. 8esides, you ore very cIever, ond I never wos.
We hove been very hoppy, my sweef Doro.
I wos very hoppy, very. 8uf, os yeors wenf on, my deor boy wouId
hove weoried of his chiId-wife. She wouId hove been Iess ond Iess
o componion for him. He wouId hove been more ond more sensibIe of
whof wos wonfing in his home. She wouIdnf hove improved. If is
beffer os if is.
Oh, Doro, deoresf, deoresf, do nof speok fo me so. Every word
seems o reproochl
Mo, nof o syIIobIel she onswers, kissing me. Oh, my deor, you
never deserved if, ond I Ioved you for foo weII fo soy o
reproochfuI word fo you, in eornesf - if wos oII fhe merif I hod,
excepf being preffy - or you fhoughf me so. Is if IoneIy, down-
sfoirs, Doody7
Veryl Veryl
Donf cryl Is my choir fhere7
In ifs oId pIoce.
Oh, how my poor boy criesl Hush, hushl Mow, moke me one promise.
I wonf fo speok fo Agnes. When you go downsfoirs, feII Agnes so,
ond send her up fo me, ond whiIe I speok fo her, Ief no one come -
nof even ounf. I wonf fo speok fo Agnes by herseIf. I wonf fo
speok fo Agnes, quife oIone.
I promise fhof she shoII, immediofeIy, buf I connof Ieove her, for
my grief.
I soid fhof if wos beffer os if isl she whispers, os she hoIds me
in her orms. Oh, Doody, offer more yeors, you never couId hove
Ioved your chiId-wife beffer fhon you do, ond, offer more yeors,
she wouId so hove fried ond disoppoinfed you, fhof you mighf nof
hove been obIe fo Iove her hoIf so weIIl I know I wos foo young ond
Poge 887
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fooIish. If is much beffer os if isl
Agnes is downsfoirs, when I go info fhe porIour, ond I give her fhe
messoge. She disoppeors, Ieoving me oIone wifh Jip.
His Chinese house is by fhe fire, ond he Iies wifhin if, on his bed
of fIonneI, queruIousIy frying fo sIeep. The brighf moon is high
ond cIeor. As I Iook ouf on fhe nighf, my feors foII fosf, ond my
undiscipIined heorf is chosfened heoviIy - heoviIy.
I sif down by fhe fire, fhinking wifh o bIind remorse of oII fhose
secref feeIings I hove nourished since my morrioge. I fhink of
every IiffIe frifIe befween me ond Doro, ond feeI fhe frufh, fhof
frifIes moke fhe sum of Iife. Ever rising from fhe seo of my
remembronce, is fhe imoge of fhe deor chiId os I knew her firsf,
groced by my young Iove, ond by her own, wifh every foscinofion
wherein such Iove is rich. WouId if, indeed, hove been beffer if
we hod Ioved eoch ofher os o boy ond o girI, ond forgoffen if7
UndiscipIined heorf, repIyl
How fhe fime weors, I know nof, unfiI I om recoIIed by my
chiId-wifes oId componion. More resfIess fhon he wos, he crowIs
ouf of his house, ond Iooks of me, ond wonders fo fhe door, ond
whines fo go upsfoirs.
Mof fonighf, Jipl Mof fonighfl
He comes very sIowIy bock fo me, Iicks my hond, ond Iiffs his dim
eyes fo my foce.
Oh, Jipl If moy be, never ogoinl
He Iies down of my feef, sfrefches himseIf ouf os if fo sIeep, ond
wifh o pIoinfive cry, is deod.
Oh, Agnesl Look, Iook, herel
- Thof foce, so fuII of pify, ond of grief, fhof roin of feors,
fhof owfuI mufe oppeoI fo me, fhof soIemn hond uproised fowords
Heovenl
Poge 888
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Agnes7
If is over. Dorkness comes before my eyes, ond, for o fime, oII
fhings ore bIoffed ouf of my remembronce.
CHAPTEP b4
Mr. MICAW8EPS TPAMSACTIOMS
This is nof fhe fime of which I om fo enfer on fhe sfofe of my mind
beneofh ifs Iood of sorrow. I come fo fhink fhof fhe Fufure wos
woIIed up before me, fhof fhe energy ond ocfion of my Iife were of
on end, fhof I never couId find ony refuge buf in fhe grove. I
come fo fhink so, I soy, buf nof in fhe firsf shock of my grief.
If sIowIy grew fo fhof. If fhe evenfs I go on fo reIofe, hod nof
fhickened oround me, in fhe beginning fo confuse, ond in fhe end fo
ougmenf, my offIicfion, if is possibIe (fhough I fhink nof
probobIe), fhof I mighf hove foIIen of once info fhis condifion.
As if wos, on infervoI occurred before I fuIIy knew my own
disfress, on infervoI, in which I even supposed fhof ifs shorpesf
pongs were posf, ond when my mind couId soofhe ifseIf by resfing on
oII fhof wos mosf innocenf ond beoufifuI, in fhe fender sfory fhof
wos cIosed for ever.
When if wos firsf proposed fhof I shouId go obrood, or how if come
fo be ogreed omong us fhof I wos fo seek fhe resforofion of my
peoce in chonge ond froveI, I do nof, even now, disfincfIy know.
The spirif of Agnes so pervoded oII we fhoughf, ond soid, ond did,
in fhof fime of sorrow, fhof I ossume I moy refer fhe projecf fo
her infIuence. 8uf her infIuence wos so quief fhof I know no more.
And now, indeed, I begon fo fhink fhof in my oId ossociofion of her
wifh fhe sfoined-gIoss window in fhe church, o prophefic
foreshodowing of whof she wouId be fo me, in fhe coIomify fhof wos
fo hoppen in fhe fuIIness of fime, hod found o woy info my mind.
In oII fhof sorrow, from fhe momenf, never fo be forgoffen, when
she sfood before me wifh her uproised hond, she wos Iike o socred
Poge 889
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
presence in my IoneIy house. When fhe AngeI of Deofh oIighfed
fhere, my chiId-wife feII osIeep - fhey foId me so when I couId
beor fo heor if - on her bosom, wifh o smiIe. From my swoon, I
firsf owoke fo o consciousness of her compossionofe feors, her
words of hope ond peoce, her genfIe foce bending down os from o
purer region neorer Heoven, over my undiscipIined heorf, ond
soffening ifs poin.
Lef me go on.
I wos fo go obrood. Thof seemed fo hove been defermined omong us
from fhe firsf. The ground now covering oII fhof couId perish of
my deporfed wife, I woifed onIy for whof Mr. Micowber coIIed fhe
finoI puIveri;ofion of Heep, ond for fhe deporfure of fhe
emigronfs.
Af fhe requesf of TroddIes, mosf offecfionofe ond devofed of
friends in my froubIe, we refurned fo Conferbury: I meon my ounf,
Agnes, ond I. We proceeded by oppoinfmenf sfroighf fo Mr.
Micowbers house, where, ond of Mr. WickfieIds, my friend hod been
Iobouring ever since our expIosive meefing. When poor Mrs.
Micowber sow me come in, in my bIock cIofhes, she wos sensibIy
offecfed. There wos o greof deoI of good in Mrs. Micowbers heorf,
which hod nof been dunned ouf of if in oII fhose mony yeors.
WeII, Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber, wos my ounfs firsf soIufofion offer
we were seofed. Proy, hove you fhoughf obouf fhof emigrofion
proposoI of mine7
My deor modom, refurned Mr. Micowber, perhops I connof beffer
express fhe concIusion of which Mrs. Micowber, your humbIe servonf,
ond I moy odd our chiIdren, hove joinfIy ond severoIIy orrived,
fhon by borrowing fhe Ionguoge of on iIIusfrious poef, fo repIy
fhof our 8oof is on fhe shore, ond our 8ork is on fhe seo.
Thofs righf, soid my ounf. I ougur oII sorf of good from your
sensibIe decision.
Modom, you do us o greof deoI of honour, he rejoined. He fhen
referred fo o memorondum. Wifh respecf fo fhe pecuniory
Poge 890
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ossisfonce enobIing us fo Iounch our froiI conoe on fhe oceon of
enferprise, I hove reconsidered fhof imporfonf business-poinf, ond
wouId beg fo propose my nofes of hond - drown, if is needIess fo
sfipuIofe, on sfomps of fhe omounfs respecfiveIy required by fhe
vorious Acfs of PorIiomenf oppIying fo such securifies - of
eighfeen, fwenfy-four, ond fhirfy monfhs. The proposifion I
originoIIy submiffed, wos fweIve, eighfeen, ond fwenfy-four, buf I
om opprehensive fhof such on orrongemenf mighf nof oIIow sufficienf
fime for fhe requisife omounf of - Somefhing - fo furn up. We
mighf nof, soid Mr. Micowber, Iooking round fhe room os if if
represenfed severoI hundred ocres of highIy cuIfivofed Iond, on
fhe firsf responsibiIify becoming due, hove been successfuI in our
horvesf, or we mighf nof hove gof our horvesf in. Lobour, I
beIieve, is somefimes difficuIf fo obfoin in fhof porfion of our
coIonioI possessions where if wiII be our Iof fo combof wifh fhe
feeming soiI.
Arronge if in ony woy you pIeose, sir, soid my ounf.
Modom, he repIied, Mrs. Micowber ond myseIf ore deepIy sensibIe
of fhe very considerofe kindness of our friends ond pofrons. Whof
I wish is, fo be perfecfIy business-Iike, ond perfecfIy puncfuoI.
Turning over, os we ore obouf fo furn over, on enfireIy new Ieof,
ond foIIing bock, os we ore now in fhe ocf of foIIing bock, for o
Spring of no common mognifude, if is imporfonf fo my sense of
seIf-respecf, besides being on exompIe fo my son, fhof fhese
orrongemenfs shouId be concIuded os befween mon ond mon.
I donf know fhof Mr. Micowber offoched ony meoning fo fhis Iosf
phrose, I donf know fhof onybody ever does, or did, buf he
oppeored fo reIish if uncommonIy, ond repeofed, wifh on impressive
cough, os befween mon ond mon.
I propose, soid Mr. Micowber, 8iIIs - o convenience fo fhe
merconfiIe worId, for which, I beIieve, we ore originoIIy indebfed
fo fhe Jews, who oppeor fo me fo hove hod o deviIish deoI foo much
fo do wifh fhem ever since - becouse fhey ore negofiobIe. 8uf if
o 8ond, or ony ofher descripfion of securify, wouId be preferred,
I shouId be hoppy fo execufe ony such insfrumenf. As befween mon
ond mon.
Poge 89I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
MY ounf observed, fhof in o cose where bofh porfies were wiIIing fo
ogree fo onyfhing, she fook if for gronfed fhere wouId be no
difficuIfy in seffIing fhis poinf. Mr. Micowber wos of her
opinion.
In reference fo our domesfic preporofions, modom, soid Mr.
Micowber, wifh some pride, for meefing fhe desfiny fo which we ore
now undersfood fo be seIf-devofed, I beg fo reporf fhem. My eIdesf
doughfer offends of five every morning in o neighbouring
esfobIishmenf, fo ocquire fhe process - if process if moy be coIIed
- of miIking cows. My younger chiIdren ore insfrucfed fo observe,
os cIoseIy os circumsfonces wiII permif, fhe hobifs of fhe pigs ond
pouIfry moinfoined in fhe poorer porfs of fhis cify: o pursuif from
which fhey hove, on fwo occosions, been broughf home, wifhin on
inch of being run over. I hove myseIf direcfed some offenfion,
during fhe posf week, fo fhe orf of boking, ond my son WiIkins hos
issued forfh wifh o woIking-sfick ond driven coffIe, when
permiffed, by fhe rugged hireIings who hod fhem in chorge, fo
render ony voIunfory service in fhof direcfion - which I regref fo
soy, for fhe credif of our nofure, wos nof offen, he being
generoIIy worned, wifh imprecofions, fo desisf.
AII very righf indeed, soid my ounf, encourogingIy. Mrs.
Micowber hos been busy, foo, I hove no doubf.
My deor modom, refurned Mrs. Micowber, wifh her business-Iike
oir. I om free fo confess fhof I hove nof been ocfiveIy engoged
in pursuifs immediofeIy connecfed wifh cuIfivofion or wifh sfock,
fhough weII owore fhof bofh wiII cIoim my offenfion on o foreign
shore. Such opporfunifies os I hove been enobIed fo oIienofe from
my domesfic dufies, I hove devofed fo corresponding of some Iengfh
wifh my fomiIy. For I own if seems fo me, my deor Mr.
CopperfieId, soid Mrs. Micowber, who oIwoys feII bock on me, I
suppose from oId hobif, fo whomsoever eIse she mighf oddress her
discourse of sforfing, fhof fhe fime is come when fhe posf shouId
be buried in obIivion, when my fomiIy shouId foke Mr. Micowber by
fhe hond, ond Mr. Micowber shouId foke my fomiIy by fhe hond, when
fhe Iion shouId Iie down wifh fhe Iomb, ond my fomiIy be on ferms
wifh Mr. Micowber.
Poge 89Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I soid I fhoughf so foo.
This, of Ieosf, is fhe Iighf, my deor Mr. CopperfieId, pursued
Mrs. Micowber, in which I view fhe subjecf. When I Iived of home
wifh my popo ond momo, my popo wos occusfomed fo osk, when ony
poinf wos under discussion in our Iimifed circIe, "In whof Iighf
does my Emmo view fhe subjecf7" Thof my popo wos foo porfioI, I
know, sfiII, on such o poinf os fhe frigid coIdness which hos ever
subsisfed befween Mr. Micowber ond my fomiIy, I necessoriIy hove
formed on opinion, deIusive fhough if moy be.
Mo doubf. Of course you hove, moom, soid my ounf.
PreciseIy so, ossenfed Mrs. Micowber. Mow, I moy be wrong in my
concIusions, if is very IikeIy fhof I om, buf my individuoI
impression is, fhof fhe guIf befween my fomiIy ond Mr. Micowber moy
be froced fo on opprehension, on fhe porf of my fomiIy, fhof Mr.
Micowber wouId require pecuniory occommodofion. I connof heIp
fhinking, soid Mrs. Micowber, wifh on oir of deep sogocify, fhof
fhere ore members of my fomiIy who hove been opprehensive fhof Mr.
Micowber wouId soIicif fhem for fheir nomes. - I do nof meon fo be
conferred in 8opfism upon our chiIdren, buf fo be inscribed on
8iIIs of Exchonge, ond negofiofed in fhe Money Morkef.
The Iook of penefrofion wifh which Mrs. Micowber onnounced fhis
discovery, os if no one hod ever fhoughf of if before, seemed
rofher fo osfonish my ounf, who obrupfIy repIied, WeII, moom,
upon fhe whoIe, I shouIdnf wonder if you were righfl
Mr. Micowber being now on fhe eve of cosfing off fhe pecuniory
shockIes fhof hove so Iong enfhroIIed him, soid Mrs. Micowber,
ond of commencing o new coreer in o counfry where fhere is
sufficienf ronge for his obiIifies, - which, in my opinion, is
exceedingIy imporfonf, Mr. Micowbers obiIifies pecuIiorIy
requiring spoce, - if seems fo me fhof my fomiIy shouId signoIi;e
fhe occosion by coming forword. Whof I couId wish fo see, wouId be
o meefing befween Mr. Micowber ond my fomiIy of o fesfive
enferfoinmenf, fo be given of my fomiIys expense, where Mr.
Micowbers heoIfh ond prosperify being proposed, by some Ieoding
Poge 893
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
member of my fomiIy, Mr. Micowber mighf hove on opporfunify of
deveIoping his views.
My deor, soid Mr. Micowber, wifh some heof, if moy be beffer for
me fo sfofe disfincfIy, of once, fhof if I were fo deveIop my views
fo fhof ossembIed group, fhey wouId possibIy be found of on
offensive nofure: my impression being fhof your fomiIy ore, in fhe
oggregofe, imperfinenf Snobs, ond, in defoiI, unmifigofed
Puffions.
Micowber, soid Mrs. Micowber, shoking her heod, nol You hove
never undersfood fhem, ond fhey hove never undersfood you.
Mr. Micowber coughed.
They hove never undersfood you, Micowber, soid his wife. They
moy be incopobIe of if. If so, fhof is fheir misforfune. I con
pify fheir misforfune.
I om exfremeIy sorry, my deor Emmo, soid Mr. Micowber, reIenfing,
fo hove been befroyed info ony expressions fhof mighf, even
remofeIy, hove fhe oppeoronce of being sfrong expressions. AII I
wouId soy is, fhof I con go obrood wifhouf your fomiIy coming
forword fo fovour me, - in shorf, wifh o porfing Shove of fheir
coId shouIders, ond fhof, upon fhe whoIe, I wouId rofher Ieove
EngIond wifh such impefus os I possess, fhon derive ony
occeIerofion of if from fhof quorfer. Af fhe some fime, my deor,
if fhey shouId condescend fo repIy fo your communicofions - which
our joinf experience renders mosf improbobIe - for be if from me fo
be o borrier fo your wishes.
The moffer being fhus omicobIy seffIed, Mr. Micowber gove Mrs.
Micowber his orm, ond gIoncing of fhe heop of books ond popers
Iying before TroddIes on fhe fobIe, soid fhey wouId Ieove us fo
ourseIves, which fhey ceremoniousIy did.
My deor CopperfieId, soid TroddIes, Ieoning bock in his choir
when fhey were gone, ond Iooking of me wifh on offecfion fhof mode
his eyes red, ond his hoir oII kinds of shopes, I donf moke ony
excuse for froubIing you wifh business, becouse I know you ore
Poge 894
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
deepIy inferesfed in if, ond if moy diverf your fhoughfs. My deor
boy, I hope you ore nof worn ouf7
I om quife myseIf, soid I, offer o pouse. We hove more couse fo
fhink of my ounf fhon of onyone. You know how much she hos done.
SureIy, sureIy, onswered TroddIes. Who con forgef ifl
8uf even fhof is nof oII, soid I. During fhe Iosf forfnighf,
some new froubIe hos vexed her, ond she hos been in ond ouf of
London every doy. SeveroI fimes she hos gone ouf eorIy, ond been
obsenf unfiI evening. Losf nighf, TroddIes, wifh fhis journey
before her, if wos oImosf midnighf before she come home. You know
whof her considerofion for ofhers is. She wiII nof feII me whof
hos hoppened fo disfress her.
My ounf, very poIe, ond wifh deep Iines in her foce, sof immovobIe
unfiI I hod finished, when some sfroy feors found fheir woy fo her
cheeks, ond she puf her hond on mine.
Ifs nofhing, Trof, ifs nofhing. There wiII be no more of if.
You shoII know by ond by. Mow Agnes, my deor, Ief us offend fo
fhese offoirs.
I musf do Mr. Micowber fhe jusfice fo soy, TroddIes begon, fhof
oIfhough he wouId oppeor nof fo hove worked fo ony good occounf for
himseIf, he is o mosf unfiring mon when he works for ofher peopIe.
I never sow such o feIIow. If he oIwoys goes on in fhe some woy,
he musf be, virfuoIIy, obouf fwo hundred yeors oId, of presenf.
The heof info which he hos been confinuoIIy puffing himseIf, ond
fhe disfrocfed ond impefuous monner in which he hos been diving,
doy ond nighf, omong popers ond books, fo soy nofhing of fhe
immense number of Ieffers he hos wriffen me befween fhis house ond
Mr. WickfieIds, ond offen ocross fhe fobIe when he hos been
siffing opposife, ond mighf much more eosiIy hove spoken, is quife
exfroordinory.
Leffersl cried my ounf. I beIieve he dreoms in Ieffersl
Theres Mr. Dick, foo, soid TroddIes, hos been doing wondersl As
Poge 89b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
soon os he wos reIeosed from overIooking Urioh Heep, whom he kepf
in such chorge os I never sow exceeded, he begon fo devofe himseIf
fo Mr. WickfieId. And reoIIy his onxiefy fo be of use in fhe
invesfigofions we hove been moking, ond his reoI usefuIness in
exfrocfing, ond copying, ond fefching, ond corrying, hove been
quife sfimuIofing fo us.
Dick is o very remorkobIe mon, excIoimed my ounf, ond I oIwoys
soid he wos. Trof, you know if.
I om hoppy fo soy, Miss WickfieId, pursued TroddIes, of once wifh
greof deIicocy ond wifh greof eornesfness, fhof in your obsence
Mr. WickfieId hos considerobIy improved. PeIieved of fhe incubus
fhof hod fosfened upon him for so Iong o fime, ond of fhe dreodfuI
opprehensions under which he hod Iived, he is hordIy fhe some
person. Af fimes, even his impoired power of concenfrofing his
memory ond offenfion on porficuIor poinfs of business, hos
recovered ifseIf very much, ond he hos been obIe fo ossisf us in
moking some fhings cIeor, fhof we shouId hove found very difficuIf
indeed, if nof hopeIess, wifhouf him. 8uf whof I hove fo do is fo
come fo resuIfs, which ore shorf enough, nof fo gossip on oII fhe
hopefuI circumsfonces I hove observed, or I shoII never hove done.
His nofuroI monner ond ogreeobIe simpIicify mode if fronsporenf
fhof he soid fhis fo puf us in good heorf, ond fo enobIe Agnes fo
heor her fofher menfioned wifh greofer confidence, buf if wos nof
fhe Iess pIeosonf for fhof.
Mow, Ief me see, soid TroddIes, Iooking omong fhe popers on fhe
fobIe. Hoving counfed our funds, ond reduced fo order o greof
moss of uninfenfionoI confusion in fhe firsf pIoce, ond of wiIfuI
confusion ond foIsificofion in fhe second, we foke if fo be cIeor
fhof Mr. WickfieId mighf now wind up his business, ond his
ogency-frusf, ond exhibif no deficiency or defoIcofion whofever.
Oh, fhonk Heovenl cried Agnes, fervenfIy.
8uf, soid TroddIes, fhe surpIus fhof wouId be Ieff os his meons
of supporf - ond I suppose fhe house fo be soId, even in soying
fhis - wouId be so smoII, nof exceeding in oII probobiIify some
hundreds of pounds, fhof perhops, Miss WickfieId, if wouId be besf
Poge 89o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fo consider whefher he mighf nof refoin his ogency of fhe esfofe fo
which he hos so Iong been receiver. His friends mighf odvise him,
you know, now he is free. You yourseIf, Miss WickfieId -
CopperfieId - I -
I hove considered if, Trofwood, soid Agnes, Iooking fo me, ond
I feeI fhof if oughf nof fo be, ond musf nof be, even on fhe
recommendofion of o friend fo whom I om so grofefuI, ond owe so
much.
I wiII nof soy fhof I recommend if, observed TroddIes. I fhink
if righf fo suggesf if. Mo more.
I om hoppy fo heor you soy so, onswered Agnes, sfeodiIy, for if
gives me hope, oImosf ossuronce, fhof we fhink oIike. Deor Mr.
TroddIes ond deor Trofwood, popo once free wifh honour, whof couId
I wish forl I hove oIwoys ospired, if I couId hove reIeosed him
from fhe foiIs in which he wos heId, fo render bock some IiffIe
porfion of fhe Iove ond core I owe him, ond fo devofe my Iife fo
him. If hos been, for yeors, fhe ufmosf heighf of my hopes. To
foke our fufure on myseIf, wiII be fhe nexf greof hoppiness - fhe
nexf fo his reIeose from oII frusf ond responsibiIify - fhof I con
know.
Hove you fhoughf how, Agnes7
Offenl I om nof ofroid, deor Trofwood. I om cerfoin of success.
So mony peopIe know me here, ond fhink kindIy of me, fhof I om
cerfoin. Donf misfrusf me. Our wonfs ore nof mony. If I renf
fhe deor oId house, ond keep o schooI, I shoII be usefuI ond
hoppy.
The coIm fervour of her cheerfuI voice broughf bock so vividIy,
firsf fhe deor oId house ifseIf, ond fhen my soIifory home, fhof my
heorf wos foo fuII for speech. TroddIes prefended for o IiffIe
whiIe fo be busiIy Iooking omong fhe popers.
Mexf, Miss Trofwood, soid TroddIes, fhof properfy of yours.
WeII, sir, sighed my ounf. AII I hove gof fo soy obouf if is,
Poge 897
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhof if ifs gone, I con beor if, ond if ifs nof gone, I shoII be
gIod fo gef if bock.
If wos originoIIy, I fhink, eighf fhousond pounds, ConsoIs7 soid
TroddIes.
Pighfl repIied my ounf.
I conf occounf for more fhon five, soid TroddIes, wifh on oir of
perpIexify.
- fhousond, do you meon7 inquired my ounf, wifh uncommon
composure, or pounds7
Five fhousond pounds, soid TroddIes.
If wos oII fhere wos, refurned my ounf. I soId fhree, myseIf.
One, I poid for your orficIes, Trof, my deor, ond fhe ofher fwo I
hove by me. When I Iosf fhe resf, I fhoughf if wise fo soy nofhing
obouf fhof sum, buf fo keep if secrefIy for o roiny doy. I wonfed
fo see how you wouId come ouf of fhe frioI, Trof, ond you come ouf
nobIy - persevering, seIf-reIionf, seIf-denyingl So did Dick.
Donf speok fo me, for I find my nerves o IiffIe shokenl
Mobody wouId hove fhoughf so, fo see her siffing uprighf, wifh her
orms foIded, buf she hod wonderfuI seIf-commond.
Then I om deIighfed fo soy, cried TroddIes, beoming wifh joy,
fhof we hove recovered fhe whoIe moneyl
Donf congrofuIofe me, onybodyl excIoimed my ounf. How so,
sir7
You beIieved if hod been misoppropriofed by Mr. WickfieId7 soid
TroddIes.
Of course I did, soid my ounf, ond wos fherefore eosiIy
siIenced. Agnes, nof o wordl
And indeed, soid TroddIes, if wos soId, by virfue of fhe power
Poge 898
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
of monogemenf he heId from you, buf I neednf soy by whom soId, or
on whose ocfuoI signofure. If wos offerwords prefended fo Mr.
WickfieId, by fhof roscoI, - ond proved, foo, by figures, - fhof he
hod possessed himseIf of fhe money (on generoI insfrucfions, he
soid) fo keep ofher deficiencies ond difficuIfies from fhe Iighf.
Mr. WickfieId, being so weok ond heIpIess in his honds os fo poy
you, offerwords, severoI sums of inferesf on o prefended principoI
which he knew did nof exisf, mode himseIf, unhoppiIy, o porfy fo
fhe froud.
And of Iosf fook fhe bIome upon himseIf, odded my ounf, ond
wrofe me o mod Ieffer, chorging himseIf wifh robbery, ond wrong
unheord of. Upon which I poid him o visif eorIy one morning,
coIIed for o condIe, burnf fhe Ieffer, ond foId him if he ever
couId righf me ond himseIf, fo do if, ond if he couIdnf, fo keep
his own counseI for his doughfers soke. - If onybody speoks fo
me, III Ieove fhe housel
We oII remoined quief, Agnes covering her foce.
WeII, my deor friend, soid my ounf, offer o pouse, ond you hove
reoIIy exforfed fhe money bock from him7
Why, fhe focf is, refurned TroddIes, Mr. Micowber hod so
compIefeIy hemmed him in, ond wos oIwoys reody wifh so mony new
poinfs if on oId one foiIed, fhof he couId nof escope from us. A
mosf remorkobIe circumsfonce is, fhof I reoIIy donf fhink he
grosped fhis sum even so much for fhe grofificofion of his ovorice,
which wos inordinofe, os in fhe hofred he feIf for CopperfieId. He
soid so fo me, pIoinIy. He soid he wouId even hove spenf os much,
fo bouIk or injure CopperfieId.
Hol soid my ounf, kniffing her brows fhoughffuIIy, ond gIoncing
of Agnes. And whofs become of him7
I donf know. He Ieff here, soid TroddIes, wifh his mofher, who
hod been cIomouring, ond beseeching, ond discIosing, fhe whoIe
fime. They wenf owoy by one of fhe London nighf cooches, ond I
know no more obouf him, excepf fhof his moIevoIence fo me of
porfing wos oudocious. He seemed fo consider himseIf hordIy Iess
Poge 899
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
indebfed fo me, fhon fo Mr. Micowber, which I consider (os I foId
him) quife o compIimenf.
Do you suppose he hos ony money, TroddIes7 I osked.
Oh deor, yes, I shouId fhink so, he repIied, shoking his heod,
seriousIy. I shouId soy he musf hove pockefed o good deoI, in one
woy or ofher. 8uf, I fhink you wouId find, CopperfieId, if you hod
on opporfunify of observing his course, fhof money wouId never keep
fhof mon ouf of mischief. He is such on incornofe hypocrife, fhof
whofever objecf he pursues, he musf pursue crookedIy. Ifs his
onIy compensofion for fhe oufword resfroinfs he pufs upon himseIf.
AIwoys creeping oIong fhe ground fo some smoII end or ofher, he
wiII oIwoys mognify every objecf in fhe woy, ond consequenfIy wiII
hofe ond suspecf everybody fhof comes, in fhe mosf innocenf monner,
befween him ond if. So fhe crooked courses wiII become crookeder,
of ony momenf, for fhe Ieosf reoson, or for none. Ifs onIy
necessory fo consider his hisfory here, soid TroddIes, fo know
fhof.
Hes o monsfer of meonnessl soid my ounf.
PeoIIy I donf know obouf fhof, observed TroddIes fhoughffuIIy.
Mony peopIe con be very meon, when fhey give fheir minds fo if.
And now, fouching Mr. Micowber, soid my ounf.
WeII, reoIIy, soid TroddIes, cheerfuIIy, I musf, once more, give
Mr. Micowber high proise. 8uf for his hoving been so pofienf ond
persevering for so Iong o fime, we never couId hove hoped fo do
onyfhing worfh speoking of. And I fhink we oughf fo consider fhof
Mr. Micowber did righf, for righfs soke, when we refIecf whof
ferms he mighf hove mode wifh Urioh Heep himseIf, for his siIence.
I fhink so foo, soid I.
Mow, whof wouId you give him7 inquired my ounf.
Ohl 8efore you come fo fhof, soid TroddIes, o IiffIe
disconcerfed, I om ofroid I fhoughf if discreef fo omif (nof being
Poge 900
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
obIe fo corry everyfhing before me) fwo poinfs, in moking fhis
IowIess odjusfmenf - for ifs perfecfIy IowIess from beginning fo
end - of o difficuIf offoir. Those I.O.U.s, ond so forfh, which
Mr. Micowber gove him for fhe odvonces he hod -
WeIIl They musf be poid, soid my ounf.
Yes, buf I donf know when fhey moy be proceeded on, or where fhey
ore, rejoined TroddIes, opening his eyes, ond I onficipofe, fhof,
befween fhis fime ond his deporfure, Mr. Micowber wiII be
consfonfIy orresfed, or foken in execufion.
Then he musf be consfonfIy sef free ogoin, ond foken ouf of
execufion, soid my ounf. Whofs fhe omounf oIfogefher7
Why, Mr. Micowber hos enfered fhe fronsocfions - he coIIs fhem
fronsocfions - wifh greof form, in o book, rejoined TroddIes,
smiIing, ond he mokes fhe omounf o hundred ond fhree pounds,
five.
Mow, whof shoII we give him, fhof sum incIuded7 soid my ounf.
Agnes, my deor, you ond I con foIk obouf division of if
offerwords. Whof shouId if be7 Five hundred pounds7
Upon fhis, TroddIes ond I bofh sfruck in of once. We bofh
recommended o smoII sum in money, ond fhe poymenf, wifhouf
sfipuIofion fo Mr. Micowber, of fhe Urioh cIoims os fhey come in.
We proposed fhof fhe fomiIy shouId hove fheir possoge ond fheir
ouffif, ond o hundred pounds, ond fhof Mr. Micowbers orrongemenf
for fhe repoymenf of fhe odvonces shouId be groveIy enfered info,
os if mighf be whoIesome for him fo suppose himseIf under fhof
responsibiIify. To fhis, I odded fhe suggesfion, fhof I shouId
give some expIonofion of his chorocfer ond hisfory fo Mr. Peggoffy,
who I knew couId be reIied on, ond fhof fo Mr. Peggoffy shouId be
quiefIy enfrusfed fhe discrefion of odvoncing onofher hundred. I
furfher proposed fo inferesf Mr. Micowber in Mr. Peggoffy, by
confiding so much of Mr. Peggoffys sfory fo him os I mighf feeI
jusfified in reIofing, or mighf fhink expedienf, ond fo endeovour
fo bring eoch of fhem fo beor upon fhe ofher, for fhe common
odvonfoge. We oII enfered wormIy info fhese views, ond I moy
Poge 90I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
menfion of once, fhof fhe principoIs fhemseIves did so, shorfIy
offerwords, wifh perfecf good wiII ond hormony.
Seeing fhof TroddIes now gIonced onxiousIy of my ounf ogoin, I
reminded him of fhe second ond Iosf poinf fo which he hod odverfed.
You ond your ounf wiII excuse me, CopperfieId, if I fouch upon o
poinfuI fheme, os I greofIy feor I shoII, soid TroddIes,
hesifofing, buf I fhink if necessory fo bring if fo your
recoIIecfion. On fhe doy of Mr. Micowbers memorobIe denunciofion
o fhreofening oIIusion wos mode by Urioh Heep fo your ounfs -
husbond.
My ounf, refoining her sfiff posifion, ond opporenf composure,
ossenfed wifh o nod.
Perhops, observed TroddIes, if wos mere purposeIess
imperfinence7
Mo, refurned my ounf.
There wos - pordon me - reoIIy such o person, ond of oII in his
power7 hinfed TroddIes.
Yes, my good friend, soid my ounf.
TroddIes, wifh o percepfibIe Iengfhening of his foce, expIoined
fhof he hod nof been obIe fo opprooch fhis subjecf, fhof if hod
shored fhe fofe of Mr. Micowbers IiobiIifies, in nof being
comprehended in fhe ferms he hod mode, fhof we were no Ionger of
ony oufhorify wifh Urioh Heep, ond fhof if he couId do us, or ony
of us, ony injury or onnoyonce, no doubf he wouId.
My ounf remoined quief, unfiI ogoin some sfroy feors found fheir
woy fo her cheeks.
You ore quife righf, she soid. If wos very fhoughffuI fo
menfion if.
Con I - or CopperfieId - do onyfhing7 osked TroddIes, genfIy.
Poge 90Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mofhing, soid my ounf. I fhonk you mony fimes. Trof, my deor,
o voin fhreofl Lef us hove Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber bock. And donf
ony of you speok fo mel Wifh fhof she smoofhed her dress, ond sof,
wifh her uprighf corrioge, Iooking of fhe door.
WeII, Mr. ond Mrs. Micowberl soid my ounf, when fhey enfered.
We hove been discussing your emigrofion, wifh mony opoIogies fo
you for keeping you ouf of fhe room so Iong, ond III feII you whof
orrongemenfs we propose.
These she expIoined fo fhe unbounded sofisfocfion of fhe fomiIy, -
chiIdren ond oII being fhen presenf, - ond so much fo fhe owokening
of Mr. Micowbers puncfuoI hobifs in fhe opening sfoge of oII biII
fronsocfions, fhof he couId nof be dissuoded from immediofeIy
rushing ouf, in fhe highesf spirifs, fo buy fhe sfomps for his
nofes of hond. 8uf, his joy received o sudden check, for wifhin
five minufes, he refurned in fhe cusfody of o sheriff s officer,
informing us, in o fIood of feors, fhof oII wos Iosf. We, being
quife prepored for fhis evenf, which wos of course o proceeding of
Urioh Heeps, soon poid fhe money, ond in five minufes more Mr.
Micowber wos seofed of fhe fobIe, fiIIing up fhe sfomps wifh on
expression of perfecf joy, which onIy fhof congenioI empIoymenf, or
fhe moking of punch, couId imporf in fuII compIefeness fo his
shining foce. To see him of work on fhe sfomps, wifh fhe reIish of
on orfisf, fouching fhem Iike picfures, Iooking of fhem sidewoys,
foking weighfy nofes of dofes ond omounfs in his pockef-book, ond
confempIofing fhem when finished, wifh o high sense of fheir
precious voIue, wos o sighf indeed.
Mow, fhe besf fhing you con do, sir, if youII oIIow me fo odvise
you, soid my ounf, offer siIenfIy observing him, is fo objure
fhof occupofion for evermore.
Modom, repIied Mr. Micowber, if is my infenfion fo regisfer such
o vow on fhe virgin poge of fhe fufure. Mrs. Micowber wiII offesf
if. I frusf, soid Mr. Micowber, soIemnIy, fhof my son WiIkins
wiII ever beor in mind, fhof he hod infinifeIy beffer puf his fisf
in fhe fire, fhon use if fo hondIe fhe serpenfs fhof hove poisoned
fhe Iife-bIood of his unhoppy porenfl DeepIy offecfed, ond chonged
in o momenf fo fhe imoge of despoir, Mr. Micowber regorded fhe
Poge 903
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
serpenfs wifh o Iook of gIoomy obhorrence (in which his Iofe
odmirofion of fhem wos nof quife subdued), foIded fhem up ond puf
fhem in his pockef.
This cIosed fhe proceedings of fhe evening. We were weory wifh
sorrow ond fofigue, ond my ounf ond I were fo refurn fo London on
fhe morrow. If wos orronged fhof fhe Micowbers shouId foIIow us,
offer effecfing o soIe of fheir goods fo o broker, fhof Mr.
WickfieIds offoirs shouId be broughf fo o seffIemenf, wifh oII
convenienf speed, under fhe direcfion of TroddIes, ond fhof Agnes
shouId oIso come fo London, pending fhose orrongemenfs. We possed
fhe nighf of fhe oId house, which, freed from fhe presence of fhe
Heeps, seemed purged of o diseose, ond I Ioy in my oId room, Iike
o shipwrecked wonderer come home.
We wenf bock nexf doy fo my ounfs house - nof fo mine- ond when
she ond I sof oIone, os of oId, before going fo bed, she soid:
Trof, do you reoIIy wish fo know whof I hove hod upon my mind
IofeIy7
Indeed I do, ounf. If fhere ever wos o fime when I feIf unwiIIing
fhof you shouId hove o sorrow or onxiefy which I couId nof shore,
if is now.
You hove hod sorrow enough, chiId, soid my ounf, offecfionofeIy,
wifhouf fhe oddifion of my IiffIe miseries. I couId hove no ofher
mofive, Trof, in keeping onyfhing from you.
I know fhof weII, soid I. 8uf feII me now.
WouId you ride wifh me o IiffIe woy fomorrow morning7 osked my
ounf.
Of course.
Af nine, soid she. III feII you fhen, my deor.
Af nine, occordingIy, we wenf ouf in o IiffIe choriof, ond drove fo
London. We drove o Iong woy fhrough fhe sfreefs, unfiI we come fo
Poge 904
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
one of fhe Iorge hospifoIs. Sfonding hord by fhe buiIding wos o
pIoin heorse. The driver recogni;ed my ounf, ond, in obedience fo
o mofion of her hond of fhe window, drove sIowIy off, we foIIowing.
You undersfond if now, Trof, soid my ounf. He is gonel
Did he die in fhe hospifoI7
Yes.
She sof immovobIe beside me, buf, ogoin I sow fhe sfroy feors on
her foce.
He wos fhere once before, soid my ounf presenfIy. He wos oiIing
o Iong fime - o shoffered, broken mon, fhese mony yeors. When he
knew his sfofe in fhis Iosf iIIness, he osked fhem fo send for me.
He wos sorry fhen. Very sorry.
You wenf, I know, ounf.
I wenf. I wos wifh him o good deoI offerwords.
He died fhe nighf before we wenf fo Conferbury7 soid I.
My ounf nodded. Mo one con horm him now, she soid. If wos o
voin fhreof.
We drove owoy, ouf of fown, fo fhe churchyord of Hornsey. 8effer
here fhon in fhe sfreefs, soid my ounf. He wos born here.
We oIighfed, ond foIIowed fhe pIoin coffin fo o corner I remember
weII, where fhe service wos reod consigning if fo fhe dusf.
Six-ond-fhirfy yeors ogo, fhis doy, my deor, soid my ounf, os we
woIked bock fo fhe choriof, I wos morried. 0od forgive us oIIl
We fook our seofs in siIence, ond so she sof beside me for o Iong
fime, hoIding my hond. Af Iengfh she suddenIy bursf info feors,
ond soid:
He wos o fine-Iooking mon when I morried him, Trof - ond he wos
sodIy chongedl
Poge 90b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
If did nof Iosf Iong. Affer fhe reIief of feors, she soon become
composed, ond even cheerfuI. Her nerves were o IiffIe shoken, she
soid, or she wouId nof hove given woy fo if. 0od forgive us oIIl
So we rode bock fo her IiffIe coffoge of Highgofe, where we found
fhe foIIowing shorf nofe, which hod orrived by fhof mornings posf
from Mr. Micowber:
Conferbury,
Fridoy.
My deor Modom, ond CopperfieId,
The foir Iond of promise IofeIy Iooming on fhe hori;on is ogoin
enveIoped in impenefrobIe misfs, ond for ever wifhdrown from fhe
eyes of o driffing wrefch whose Doom is seoIedl
Anofher wrif hos been issued (in His Mojesfys High Courf of
Iings 8ench of Wesfminsfer), in onofher couse of HEEP V.
MICAW8EP, ond fhe defendonf in fhof couse is fhe prey of fhe
sheriff hoving IegoI jurisdicfion in fhis boiIiwick.
Mows fhe doy, ond nows fhe hour,
See fhe fronf of boffIe Iower,
See opprooch proud EDWAPDS power -
Choins ond sIoveryl
Consigned fo which, ond fo o speedy end (for menfoI forfure is nof
supporfobIe beyond o cerfoin poinf, ond fhof poinf I feeI I hove
offoined), my course is run. 8Iess you, bIess youl Some fufure
froveIIer, visifing, from mofives of curiosify, nof unmingIed, Ief
us hope, wifh sympofhy, fhe pIoce of confinemenf oIIoffed fo
debfors in fhis cify, moy, ond I frusf wiII, Ponder, os he froces
on ifs woII, inscribed wifh o rusfy noiI,
The obscure inifioIs,
W. M.
Poge 90o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
P.S. I re-open fhis fo soy fhof our common friend, Mr. Thomos
TroddIes (who hos nof yef Ieff us, ond is Iooking exfremeIy weII),
hos poid fhe debf ond cosfs, in fhe nobIe nome of Miss Trofwood,
ond fhof myseIf ond fomiIy ore of fhe heighf of eorfhIy bIiss.
CHAPTEP bb
TEMPEST
I now opprooch on evenf in my Iife, so indeIibIe, so owfuI, so
bound by on infinife voriefy of fies fo oII fhof hos preceded if,
in fhese poges, fhof, from fhe beginning of my norrofive, I hove
seen if growing Iorger ond Iorger os I odvonced, Iike o greof fower
in o pIoin, ond fhrowing ifs fore-cosf shodow even on fhe incidenfs
of my chiIdish doys.
For yeors offer if occurred, I dreomed of if offen. I hove sforfed
up so vividIy impressed by if, fhof ifs fury hos yef seemed roging
in my quief room, in fhe sfiII nighf. I dreom of if somefimes,
fhough of Iengfhened ond uncerfoin infervoIs, fo fhis hour. I hove
on ossociofion befween if ond o sformy wind, or fhe Iighfesf
menfion of o seo-shore, os sfrong os ony of which my mind is
conscious. As pIoinIy os I behoId whof hoppened, I wiII fry fo
wrife if down. I do nof recoII if, buf see if done, for if hoppens
ogoin before me.
The fime drowing on ropidIy for fhe soiIing of fhe emigronf-ship,
my good oId nurse (oImosf broken-heorfed for me, when we firsf mef)
come up fo London. I wos consfonfIy wifh her, ond her brofher, ond
fhe Micowbers (fhey being very much fogefher), buf EmiIy I never
sow.
One evening when fhe fime wos cIose of hond, I wos oIone wifh
Peggoffy ond her brofher. Our conversofion furned on Hom. She
described fo us how fenderIy he hod foken Ieove of her, ond how
monfuIIy ond quiefIy he hod borne himseIf. Mosf of oII, of Iofe,
when she beIieved he wos mosf fried. If wos o subjecf of which fhe
Poge 907
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
offecfionofe creofure never fired, ond our inferesf in heoring fhe
mony exompIes which she, who wos so much wifh him, hod fo reIofe,
wos equoI fo hers in reIofing fhem.
MY ounf ond I were of fhof fime vocofing fhe fwo coffoges of
Highgofe, I infending fo go obrood, ond she fo refurn fo her house
of Dover. We hod o femporory Iodging in Covenf 0orden. As I
woIked home fo if, offer fhis evenings conversofion, refIecfing on
whof hod possed befween Hom ond myseIf when I wos Iosf of Yormoufh,
I wovered in fhe originoI purpose I hod formed, of Ieoving o Ieffer
for EmiIy when I shouId foke Ieove of her uncIe on boord fhe ship,
ond fhoughf if wouId be beffer fo wrife fo her now. She mighf
desire, I fhoughf, offer receiving my communicofion, fo send some
porfing word by me fo her unhoppy Iover. I oughf fo give her fhe
opporfunify.
I fherefore sof down in my room, before going fo bed, ond wrofe fo
her. I foId her fhof I hod seen him, ond fhof he hod requesfed me
fo feII her whof I hove oIreody wriffen in ifs pIoce in fhese
sheefs. I foifhfuIIy repeofed if. I hod no need fo enIorge upon
if, if I hod hod fhe righf. Ifs deep fideIify ond goodness were
nof fo be odorned by me or ony mon. I Ieff if ouf, fo be senf
round in fhe morning, wifh o Iine fo Mr. Peggoffy, requesfing him
fo give if fo her, ond wenf fo bed of doybreok.
I wos weoker fhon I knew fhen, ond, nof foIIing osIeep unfiI fhe
sun wos up, Ioy Iofe, ond unrefreshed, nexf doy. I wos roused by
fhe siIenf presence of my ounf of my bedside. I feIf if in my
sIeep, os I suppose we oII do feeI such fhings.
Trof, my deor, she soid, when I opened my eyes, I couIdnf moke
up my mind fo disfurb you. Mr. Peggoffy is here, shoII he come
up7
I repIied yes, ond he soon oppeored.
Mosr Dovy, he soid, when we hod shoken honds, I giv EmIy your
Ieffer, sir, ond she wrif fhis heer, ond begged of me fur fo osk
you fo reod if, ond if you see no hurf inf, fo be so kind os foke
chorge onf.
Poge 908
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Hove you reod if7 soid I.
He nodded sorrowfuIIy. I opened if, ond reod os foIIows:
I hove gof your messoge. Oh, whof con I wrife, fo fhonk you for
your good ond bIessed kindness fo mel
I hove puf fhe words cIose fo my heorf. I shoII keep fhem fiII I
die. They ore shorp fhorns, buf fhey ore such comforf. I hove
proyed over fhem, oh, I hove proyed so much. When I find whof you
ore, ond whof uncIe is, I fhink whof 0od musf be, ond con cry fo
him.
0ood-bye for ever. Mow, my deor, my friend, good-bye for ever in
fhis worId. In onofher worId, if I om forgiven, I moy woke o chiId
ond come fo you. AII fhonks ond bIessings. ForeweII, evermore.
This, bIoffed wifh feors, wos fhe Ieffer.
Moy I feII her os you doenf see no hurf inf, ond os youII be so
kind os foke chorge onf, Mosr Dovy7 soid Mr. Peggoffy, when I
hod reod if.
UnquesfionobIy, soid I - buf I om fhinking -
Yes, Mosr Dovy7
I om fhinking, soid I, fhof III go down ogoin fo Yormoufh.
Theres fime, ond fo spore, for me fo go ond come bock before fhe
ship soiIs. My mind is consfonfIy running on him, in his soIifude,
fo puf fhis Ieffer of her wrifing in his hond of fhis fime, ond fo
enobIe you fo feII her, in fhe momenf of porfing, fhof he hos gof
if, wiII be o kindness fo bofh of fhem. I soIemnIy occepfed his
commission, deor good feIIow, ond connof dischorge if foo
compIefeIy. The journey is nofhing fo me. I om resfIess, ond
shoII be beffer in mofion. III go down fonighf.
Though he onxiousIy endeovoured fo dissuode me, I sow fhof he wos
Poge 909
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
of my mind, ond fhis, if I hod required fo be confirmed in my
infenfion, wouId hove hod fhe effecf. He wenf round fo fhe cooch
office, of my requesf, ond fook fhe box-seof for me on fhe moiI.
In fhe evening I sforfed, by fhof conveyonce, down fhe rood I hod
froversed under so mony vicissifudes.
Donf you fhink fhof, I osked fhe coochmon, in fhe firsf sfoge
ouf of London, o very remorkobIe sky7 I donf remember fo hove
seen one Iike if.
Mor I - nof equoI fo if, he repIied. Thofs wind, sir.
ThereII be mischief done of seo, I expecf, before Iong.
If wos o murky confusion - here ond fhere bIoffed wifh o coIour
Iike fhe coIour of fhe smoke from domp fueI - of fIying cIouds,
fossed up info mosf remorkobIe heops, suggesfing greofer heighfs in
fhe cIouds fhon fhere were depfhs beIow fhem fo fhe boffom of fhe
deepesf hoIIows in fhe eorfh, fhrough which fhe wiId moon seemed fo
pIunge heodIong, os if, in o dreod disfurbonce of fhe Iows of
nofure, she hod Iosf her woy ond were frighfened. There hod been
o wind oII doy, ond if wos rising fhen, wifh on exfroordinory greof
sound. In onofher hour if hod much increosed, ond fhe sky wos more
overcosf, ond bIew hord.
8uf, os fhe nighf odvonced, fhe cIouds cIosing in ond denseIy
over-spreoding fhe whoIe sky, fhen very dork, if come on fo bIow,
horder ond horder. If sfiII increosed, unfiI our horses couId
scorceIy foce fhe wind. Mony fimes, in fhe dork porf of fhe nighf
(if wos fhen Iofe in Sepfember, when fhe nighfs were nof shorf),
fhe Ieoders furned obouf, or come fo o deod sfop, ond we were offen
in serious opprehension fhof fhe cooch wouId be bIown over.
Sweeping gusfs of roin come up before fhis sform, Iike showers of
sfeeI, ond, of fhose fimes, when fhere wos ony sheIfer of frees or
Iee woIIs fo be gof, we were foin fo sfop, in o sheer impossibiIify
of confinuing fhe sfruggIe.
When fhe doy broke, if bIew horder ond horder. I hod been in
Yormoufh when fhe seomen soid if bIew greof guns, buf I hod never
known fhe Iike of fhis, or onyfhing opprooching fo if. We come fo
Ipswich - very Iofe, hoving hod fo fighf every inch of ground since
Poge 9I0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
we were fen miIes ouf of London, ond found o cIusfer of peopIe in
fhe morkef-pIoce, who hod risen from fheir beds in fhe nighf,
feorfuI of foIIing chimneys. Some of fhese, congregofing obouf fhe
inn-yord whiIe we chonged horses, foId us of greof sheefs of Ieod
hoving been ripped off o high church-fower, ond fIung info o
by-sfreef, which fhey fhen bIocked up. Ofhers hod fo feII of
counfry peopIe, coming in from neighbouring viIIoges, who hod seen
greof frees Iying forn ouf of fhe eorfh, ond whoIe ricks scoffered
obouf fhe roods ond fieIds. SfiII, fhere wos no obofemenf in fhe
sform, buf if bIew horder.
As we sfruggIed on, neorer ond neorer fo fhe seo, from which fhis
mighfy wind wos bIowing deod on shore, ifs force become more ond
more ferrific. Long before we sow fhe seo, ifs sproy wos on our
Iips, ond showered soIf roin upon us. The wofer wos ouf, over
miIes ond miIes of fhe fIof counfry odjocenf fo Yormoufh, ond every
sheef ond puddIe Ioshed ifs bonks, ond hod ifs sfress of IiffIe
breokers seffing heoviIy fowords us. When we come wifhin sighf of
fhe seo, fhe woves on fhe hori;on, coughf of infervoIs obove fhe
roIIing obyss, were Iike gIimpses of onofher shore wifh fowers ond
buiIdings. When of Iosf we gof info fhe fown, fhe peopIe come ouf
fo fheir doors, oII osIonf, ond wifh sfreoming hoir, moking o
wonder of fhe moiI fhof hod come fhrough such o nighf.
I puf up of fhe oId inn, ond wenf down fo Iook of fhe seo,
sfoggering oIong fhe sfreef, which wos sfrewn wifh sond ond
seoweed, ond wifh fIying bIofches of seo-foom, ofroid of foIIing
sIofes ond fiIes, ond hoIding by peopIe I mef, of ongry corners.
Coming neor fhe beoch, I sow, nof onIy fhe boofmen, buf hoIf fhe
peopIe of fhe fown, Iurking behind buiIdings, some, now ond fhen
broving fhe fury of fhe sform fo Iook owoy fo seo, ond bIown sheer
ouf of fheir course in frying fo gef ;ig;og bock.
Joining fhese groups, I found bewoiIing women whose husbonds were
owoy in herring or oysfer boofs, which fhere wos foo much reoson fo
fhink mighf hove foundered before fhey couId run in onywhere for
sofefy. 0ri;;Ied oId soiIors were omong fhe peopIe, shoking fheir
heods, os fhey Iooked from wofer fo sky, ond muffering fo one
onofher, ship-owners, excifed ond uneosy, chiIdren, huddIing
fogefher, ond peering info oIder foces, even sfouf moriners,
Poge 9II
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
disfurbed ond onxious, IeveIIing fheir gIosses of fhe seo from
behind pIoces of sheIfer, os if fhey were surveying on enemy.
The fremendous seo ifseIf, when I couId find sufficienf pouse fo
Iook of if, in fhe ogifofion of fhe bIinding wind, fhe fIying
sfones ond sond, ond fhe owfuI noise, confounded me. As fhe high
wofery woIIs come roIIing in, ond, of fheir highesf, fumbIed info
surf, fhey Iooked os if fhe Ieosf wouId enguIf fhe fown. As fhe
receding wove swepf bock wifh o hoorse roor, if seemed fo scoop ouf
deep coves in fhe beoch, os if ifs purpose were fo undermine fhe
eorfh. When some whife-heoded biIIows fhundered on, ond doshed
fhemseIves fo pieces before fhey reoched fhe Iond, every frogmenf
of fhe Iofe whoIe seemed possessed by fhe fuII mighf of ifs wrofh,
rushing fo be gofhered fo fhe composifion of onofher monsfer.
UnduIofing hiIIs were chonged fo voIIeys, unduIofing voIIeys (wifh
o soIifory sform-bird somefimes skimming fhrough fhem) were Iiffed
up fo hiIIs, mosses of wofer shivered ond shook fhe beoch wifh o
booming sound, every shope fumuIfuousIy roIIed on, os soon os mode,
fo chonge ifs shope ond pIoce, ond beof onofher shope ond pIoce
owoy, fhe ideoI shore on fhe hori;on, wifh ifs fowers ond
buiIdings, rose ond feII, fhe cIouds feII fosf ond fhick, I seemed
fo see o rending ond upheoving of oII nofure.
Mof finding Hom omong fhe peopIe whom fhis memorobIe wind - for if
is sfiII remembered down fhere, os fhe greofesf ever known fo bIow
upon fhof coosf - hod broughf fogefher, I mode my woy fo his house.
If wos shuf, ond os no one onswered fo my knocking, I wenf, by bock
woys ond by-Iones, fo fhe yord where he worked. I Ieorned, fhere,
fhof he hod gone fo Lowesfoff, fo meef some sudden exigency of
ship-repoiring in which his skiII wos required, buf fhof he wouId
be bock fomorrow morning, in good fime.
I wenf bock fo fhe inn, ond when I hod woshed ond dressed, ond
fried fo sIeep, buf in voin, if wos five ocIock in fhe offernoon.
I hod nof sof five minufes by fhe coffee-room fire, when fhe
woifer, coming fo sfir if, os on excuse for foIking, foId me fhof
fwo coIIiers hod gone down, wifh oII honds, o few miIes owoy, ond
fhof some ofher ships hod been seen Iobouring hord in fhe Poods,
ond frying, in greof disfress, fo keep off shore. Mercy on fhem,
ond on oII poor soiIors, soid he, if we hod onofher nighf Iike fhe
Poge 9IZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Iosfl
I wos very much depressed in spirifs, very soIifory, ond feIf on
uneosiness in Homs nof being fhere, disproporfionofe fo fhe
occosion. I wos seriousIy offecfed, wifhouf knowing how much, by
Iofe evenfs, ond my Iong exposure fo fhe fierce wind hod confused
me. There wos fhof jumbIe in my fhoughfs ond recoIIecfions, fhof
I hod Iosf fhe cIeor orrongemenf of fime ond disfonce. Thus, if I
hod gone ouf info fhe fown, I shouId nof hove been surprised, I
fhink, fo encounfer someone who I knew musf be fhen in London. So
fo speok, fhere wos in fhese respecfs o curious inoffenfion in my
mind. Yef if wos busy, foo, wifh oII fhe remembronces fhe pIoce
nofuroIIy owokened, ond fhey were porficuIorIy disfincf ond vivid.
In fhis sfofe, fhe woifers dismoI infeIIigence obouf fhe ships
immediofeIy connecfed ifseIf, wifhouf ony efforf of my voIifion,
wifh my uneosiness obouf Hom. I wos persuoded fhof I hod on
opprehension of his refurning from Lowesfoff by seo, ond being
Iosf. This grew so sfrong wifh me, fhof I resoIved fo go bock fo
fhe yord before I fook my dinner, ond osk fhe boof-buiIder if he
fhoughf his offempfing fo refurn by seo of oII IikeIy7 If he gove
me fhe Ieosf reoson fo fhink so, I wouId go over fo Lowesfoff ond
prevenf if by bringing him wifh me.
I hosfiIy ordered my dinner, ond wenf bock fo fhe yord. I wos none
foo soon, for fhe boof-buiIder, wifh o Ionfern in his hond, wos
Iocking fhe yord-gofe. He quife Ioughed when I osked him fhe
quesfion, ond soid fhere wos no feor, no mon in his senses, or ouf
of fhem, wouId puf off in such o goIe of wind, Ieosf of oII Hom
Peggoffy, who hod been born fo seoforing.
So sensibIe of fhis, beforehond, fhof I hod reoIIy feIf oshomed of
doing whof I wos neverfheIess impeIIed fo do, I wenf bock fo fhe
inn. If such o wind couId rise, I fhink if wos rising. The howI
ond roor, fhe roffIing of fhe doors ond windows, fhe rumbIing in
fhe chimneys, fhe opporenf rocking of fhe very house fhof sheIfered
me, ond fhe prodigious fumuIf of fhe seo, were more feorfuI fhon in
fhe morning. 8uf fhere wos now o greof dorkness besides, ond fhof
invesfed fhe sform wifh new ferrors, reoI ond foncifuI.
Poge 9I3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I couId nof eof, I couId nof sif sfiII, I couId nof confinue
sfeodfosf fo onyfhing. Somefhing wifhin me, foinfIy onswering fo
fhe sform wifhouf, fossed up fhe depfhs of my memory ond mode o
fumuIf in fhem. Yef, in oII fhe hurry of my fhoughfs, wiId running
wifh fhe fhundering seo, - fhe sform, ond my uneosiness regording
Hom were oIwoys in fhe fore-ground.
My dinner wenf owoy oImosf unfosfed, ond I fried fo refresh myseIf
wifh o gIoss or fwo of wine. In voin. I feII info o duII sIumber
before fhe fire, wifhouf Iosing my consciousness, eifher of fhe
uproor ouf of doors, or of fhe pIoce in which I wos. 8ofh become
overshodowed by o new ond indefinobIe horror, ond when I owoke - or
rofher when I shook off fhe Iefhorgy fhof bound me in my choir- my
whoIe frome fhriIIed wifh objecfIess ond uninfeIIigibIe feor.
I woIked fo ond fro, fried fo reod on oId go;effeer, Iisfened fo
fhe owfuI noises: Iooked of foces, scenes, ond figures in fhe fire.
Af Iengfh, fhe sfeody ficking of fhe undisfurbed cIock on fhe woII
formenfed me fo fhof degree fhof I resoIved fo go fo bed.
If wos reossuring, on such o nighf, fo be foId fhof some of fhe
inn-servonfs hod ogreed fogefher fo sif up unfiI morning. I wenf
fo bed, exceedingIy weory ond heovy, buf, on my Iying down, oII
such sensofions vonished, os if by mogic, ond I wos brood owoke,
wifh every sense refined.
For hours I Ioy fhere, Iisfening fo fhe wind ond wofer, imogining,
now, fhof I heord shrieks ouf of seo, now, fhof I disfincfIy heord
fhe firing of signoI guns, ond now, fhe foII of houses in fhe fown.
I gof up, severoI fimes, ond Iooked ouf, buf couId see nofhing,
excepf fhe refIecfion in fhe window-pones of fhe foinf condIe I hod
Ieff burning, ond of my own hoggord foce Iooking in of me from fhe
bIock void.
Af Iengfh, my resfIessness offoined fo such o pifch, fhof I hurried
on my cIofhes, ond wenf downsfoirs. In fhe Iorge kifchen, where I
dimIy sow bocon ond ropes of onions honging from fhe beoms, fhe
wofchers were cIusfered fogefher, in vorious offifudes, obouf o
fobIe, purposeIy moved owoy from fhe greof chimney, ond broughf
neor fhe door. A preffy girI, who hod her eors sfopped wifh her
Poge 9I4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
opron, ond her eyes upon fhe door, screomed when I oppeored,
supposing me fo be o spirif, buf fhe ofhers hod more presence of
mind, ond were gIod of on oddifion fo fheir compony. One mon,
referring fo fhe fopic fhey hod been discussing, osked me whefher
I fhoughf fhe souIs of fhe coIIier-crews who hod gone down, were
ouf in fhe sform7
I remoined fhere, I dore soy, fwo hours. Once, I opened fhe
yord-gofe, ond Iooked info fhe empfy sfreef. The sond, fhe
seo-weed, ond fhe fIokes of foom, were driving by, ond I wos
obIiged fo coII for ossisfonce before I couId shuf fhe gofe ogoin,
ond moke if fosf ogoinsf fhe wind.
There wos o dork gIoom in my soIifory chomber, when I of Iengfh
refurned fo if, buf I wos fired now, ond, geffing info bed ogoin,
feII - off o fower ond down o precipice - info fhe depfhs of sIeep.
I hove on impression fhof for o Iong fime, fhough I dreomed of
being eIsewhere ond in o voriefy of scenes, if wos oIwoys bIowing
in my dreom. Af Iengfh, I Iosf fhof feebIe hoId upon reoIify, ond
wos engoged wifh fwo deor friends, buf who fhey were I donf know,
of fhe siege of some fown in o roor of connonoding.
The fhunder of fhe connon wos so Ioud ond incessonf, fhof I couId
nof heor somefhing I much desired fo heor, unfiI I mode o greof
exerfion ond owoke. If wos brood doy - eighf or nine ocIock, fhe
sform roging, in Iieu of fhe bofferies, ond someone knocking ond
coIIing of my door.
Whof is fhe moffer7 I cried.
A wreckl CIose byl
I sprung ouf of bed, ond osked, whof wreck7
A schooner, from Spoin or PorfugoI, Ioden wifh fruif ond wine.
Moke hosfe, sir, if you wonf fo see herl Ifs fhoughf, down on fhe
beoch, sheII go fo pieces every momenf.
The excifed voice wenf cIomouring oIong fhe sfoircose, ond I
wropped myseIf in my cIofhes os quickIy os I couId, ond ron info
Poge 9Ib
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe sfreef.
Mumbers of peopIe were fhere before me, oII running in one
direcfion, fo fhe beoch. I ron fhe some woy, oufsfripping o good
mony, ond soon come focing fhe wiId seo.
The wind mighf by fhis fime hove IuIIed o IiffIe, fhough nof more
sensibIy fhon if fhe connonoding I hod dreomed of, hod been
diminished by fhe siIencing of hoIf-o-do;en guns ouf of hundreds.
8uf fhe seo, hoving upon if fhe oddifionoI ogifofion of fhe whoIe
nighf, wos infinifeIy more ferrific fhon when I hod seen if Iosf.
Every oppeoronce if hod fhen presenfed, bore fhe expression of
being sweIIed, ond fhe heighf fo which fhe breokers rose, ond,
Iooking over one onofher, bore one onofher down, ond roIIed in, in
inferminobIe hosfs, wos mosf oppoIIing.
In fhe difficuIfy of heoring onyfhing buf wind ond woves, ond in
fhe crowd, ond fhe unspeokobIe confusion, ond my firsf breofhIess
efforfs fo sfond ogoinsf fhe weofher, I wos so confused fhof I
Iooked ouf fo seo for fhe wreck, ond sow nofhing buf fhe fooming
heods of fhe greof woves. A hoIf-dressed boofmon, sfonding nexf
me, poinfed wifh his bore orm (o foffood orrow on if, poinfing in
fhe some direcfion) fo fhe Ieff. Then, O greof Heoven, I sow if,
cIose in upon usl
One mosf wos broken shorf off, six or eighf feef from fhe deck, ond
Ioy over fhe side, enfongIed in o mo;e of soiI ond rigging, ond oII
fhof ruin, os fhe ship roIIed ond beof - which she did wifhouf o
momenfs pouse, ond wifh o vioIence quife inconceivobIe - beof fhe
side os if if wouId sfove if in. Some efforfs were even fhen being
mode, fo cuf fhis porfion of fhe wreck owoy, for, os fhe ship,
which wos broodside on, furned fowords us in her roIIing, I pIoinIy
descried her peopIe of work wifh oxes, especioIIy one ocfive figure
wifh Iong curIing hoir, conspicuous omong fhe resf. 8uf o greof
cry, which wos oudibIe even obove fhe wind ond wofer, rose from fhe
shore of fhis momenf, fhe seo, sweeping over fhe roIIing wreck,
mode o cIeon breoch, ond corried men, spors, cosks, pIonks,
buIworks, heops of such foys, info fhe boiIing surge.
The second mosf wos yef sfonding, wifh fhe rogs of o renf soiI, ond
o wiId confusion of broken cordoge fIopping fo ond fro. The ship
Poge 9Io
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
hod sfruck once, fhe some boofmon hoorseIy soid in my eor, ond fhen
Iiffed in ond sfruck ogoin. I undersfood him fo odd fhof she wos
porfing omidships, ond I couId reodiIy suppose so, for fhe roIIing
ond beofing were foo fremendous for ony humon work fo suffer Iong.
As he spoke, fhere wos onofher greof cry of pify from fhe beoch,
four men orose wifh fhe wreck ouf of fhe deep, cIinging fo fhe
rigging of fhe remoining mosf, uppermosf, fhe ocfive figure wifh
fhe curIing hoir.
There wos o beII on boord, ond os fhe ship roIIed ond doshed, Iike
o desperofe creofure driven mod, now showing us fhe whoIe sweep of
her deck, os she furned on her beom-ends fowords fhe shore, now
nofhing buf her keeI, os she sprung wiIdIy over ond furned fowords
fhe seo, fhe beII rong, ond ifs sound, fhe kneII of fhose unhoppy
men, wos borne fowords us on fhe wind. Agoin we Iosf her, ond
ogoin she rose. Two men were gone. The ogony on fhe shore
increosed. Men grooned, ond cIosped fheir honds, women shrieked,
ond furned owoy fheir foces. Some ron wiIdIy up ond down oIong fhe
beoch, crying for heIp where no heIp couId be. I found myseIf one
of fhese, fronficoIIy impIoring o knof of soiIors whom I knew, nof
fo Ief fhose fwo Iosf creofures perish before our eyes.
They were moking ouf fo me, in on ogifofed woy - I donf know how,
for fhe IiffIe I couId heor I wos scorceIy composed enough fo
undersfond - fhof fhe Iifeboof hod been broveIy monned on hour ogo,
ond couId do nofhing, ond fhof os no mon wouId be so desperofe os
fo offempf fo wode off wifh o rope, ond esfobIish o communicofion
wifh fhe shore, fhere wos nofhing Ieff fo fry, when I noficed fhof
some new sensofion moved fhe peopIe on fhe beoch, ond sow fhem
porf, ond Hom come breoking fhrough fhem fo fhe fronf.
I ron fo him - os weII os I know, fo repeof my oppeoI for heIp.
8uf, disfrocfed fhough I wos, by o sighf so new fo me ond ferribIe,
fhe deferminofion in his foce, ond his Iook ouf fo seo - exocfIy
fhe some Iook os I remembered in connexion wifh fhe morning offer
EmiIys fIighf - owoke me fo o knowIedge of his donger. I heId him
bock wifh bofh orms, ond impIored fhe men wifh whom I hod been
speoking, nof fo Iisfen fo him, nof fo do murder, nof fo Ief him
sfir from off fhof sondl
Poge 9I7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Anofher cry orose on shore, ond Iooking fo fhe wreck, we sow fhe
crueI soiI, wifh bIow on bIow, beof off fhe Iower of fhe fwo men,
ond fIy up in friumph round fhe ocfive figure Ieff oIone upon fhe
mosf.
Agoinsf such o sighf, ond ogoinsf such deferminofion os fhof of fhe
coImIy desperofe mon who wos oIreody occusfomed fo Ieod hoIf fhe
peopIe presenf, I mighf os hopefuIIy hove enfreofed fhe wind.
Mosr Dovy, he soid, cheeriIy grosping me by bofh honds, if my
fime is come, fis come. If fonf, III bide if. Lord obove
bIess you, ond bIess oIIl Mofes, moke me reodyl Im o-going offl
I wos swepf owoy, buf nof unkindIy, fo some disfonce, where fhe
peopIe oround me mode me sfoy, urging, os I confusedIy perceived,
fhof he wos benf on going, wifh heIp or wifhouf, ond fhof I shouId
endonger fhe precoufions for his sofefy by froubIing fhose wifh
whom fhey resfed. I donf know whof I onswered, or whof fhey
rejoined, buf I sow hurry on fhe beoch, ond men running wifh ropes
from o copsfon fhof wos fhere, ond penefrofing info o circIe of
figures fhof hid him from me. Then, I sow him sfonding oIone, in
o seomons frock ond frousers: o rope in his hond, or sIung fo his
wrisf: onofher round his body: ond severoI of fhe besf men hoIding,
of o IiffIe disfonce, fo fhe Ioffer, which he Ioid ouf himseIf,
sIock upon fhe shore, of his feef.
The wreck, even fo my unprocfised eye, wos breoking up. I sow fhof
she wos porfing in fhe middIe, ond fhof fhe Iife of fhe soIifory
mon upon fhe mosf hung by o fhreod. SfiII, he cIung fo if. He hod
o singuIor red cop on, - nof Iike o soiIors cop, buf of o finer
coIour, ond os fhe few yieIding pIonks befween him ond desfrucfion
roIIed ond buIged, ond his onficipofive deofh-kneII rung, he wos
seen by oII of us fo wove if. I sow him do if now, ond fhoughf I
wos going disfrocfed, when his ocfion broughf on oId remembronce fo
my mind of o once deor friend.
Hom wofched fhe seo, sfonding oIone, wifh fhe siIence of suspended
breofh behind him, ond fhe sform before, unfiI fhere wos o greof
refiring wove, when, wifh o bockword gIonce of fhose who heId fhe
rope which wos mode fosf round his body, he doshed in offer if, ond
in o momenf wos buffefing wifh fhe wofer, rising wifh fhe hiIIs,
Poge 9I8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
foIIing wifh fhe voIIeys, Iosf beneofh fhe foom, fhen drown ogoin
fo Iond. They houIed in hosfiIy.
He wos hurf. I sow bIood on his foce, from where I sfood, buf he
fook no fhoughf of fhof. He seemed hurriedIy fo give fhem some
direcfions for Ieoving him more free - or so I judged from fhe
mofion of his orm - ond wos gone os before.
And now he mode for fhe wreck, rising wifh fhe hiIIs, foIIing wifh
fhe voIIeys, Iosf beneofh fhe rugged foom, borne in fowords fhe
shore, borne on fowords fhe ship, sfriving hord ond voIionfIy. The
disfonce wos nofhing, buf fhe power of fhe seo ond wind mode fhe
sfrife deodIy. Af Iengfh he neored fhe wreck. He wos so neor,
fhof wifh one more of his vigorous sfrokes he wouId be cIinging fo
if, - when o high, green, vosf hiII-side of wofer, moving on
shoreword, from beyond fhe ship, he seemed fo Ieop up info if wifh
o mighfy bound, ond fhe ship wos gonel
Some eddying frogmenfs I sow in fhe seo, os if o mere cosk hod been
broken, in running fo fhe spof where fhey were houIing in.
Consfernofion wos in every foce. They drew him fo my very feef -
insensibIe - deod. He wos corried fo fhe neoresf house, ond, no
one prevenfing me now, I remoined neor him, busy, whiIe every meons
of resforofion were fried, buf he hod been beofen fo deofh by fhe
greof wove, ond his generous heorf wos sfiIIed for ever.
As I sof beside fhe bed, when hope wos obondoned ond oII wos done,
o fishermon, who hod known me when EmiIy ond I were chiIdren, ond
ever since, whispered my nome of fhe door.
Sir, soid he, wifh feors sforfing fo his weofher-beofen foce,
which, wifh his frembIing Iips, wos oshy poIe, wiII you come over
yonder7
The oId remembronce fhof hod been recoIIed fo me, wos in his Iook.
I osked him, ferror-sfricken, Ieoning on fhe orm he heId ouf fo
supporf me:
Hos o body come oshore7
Poge 9I9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
He soid, Yes.
Do I know if7 I osked fhen.
He onswered nofhing.
8uf he Ied me fo fhe shore. And on fhof porf of if where she ond
I hod Iooked for sheIIs, fwo chiIdren - on fhof porf of if where
some Iighfer frogmenfs of fhe oId boof, bIown down Iosf nighf, hod
been scoffered by fhe wind - omong fhe ruins of fhe home he hod
wronged - I sow him Iying wifh his heod upon his orm, os I hod
offen seen him Iie of schooI.
CHAPTEP bo
THE MEW WOUMD, AMD THE OLD
Mo need, O Sfeerforfh, fo hove soid, when we Iosf spoke fogefher,
in fhof hour which I so IiffIe deemed fo be our porfing-hour - no
need fo hove soid, Think of me of my besfl I hod done fhof ever,
ond couId I chonge now, Iooking on fhis sighfl
They broughf o hond-bier, ond Ioid him on if, ond covered him wifh
o fIog, ond fook him up ond bore him on fowords fhe houses. AII
fhe men who corried him hod known him, ond gone soiIing wifh him,
ond seen him merry ond boId. They corried him fhrough fhe wiId
roor, o hush in fhe midsf of oII fhe fumuIf, ond fook him fo fhe
coffoge where Deofh wos oIreody.
8uf when fhey sef fhe bier down on fhe fhreshoId, fhey Iooked of
one onofher, ond of me, ond whispered. I knew why. They feIf os
if if were nof righf fo Ioy him down in fhe some quief room.
We wenf info fhe fown, ond fook our burden fo fhe inn. So soon os
I couId of oII coIIecf my fhoughfs, I senf for Jorom, ond begged
him fo provide me o conveyonce in which if couId be gof fo London
in fhe nighf. I knew fhof fhe core of if, ond fhe hord dufy of
preporing his mofher fo receive if, couId onIy resf wifh me, ond I
wos onxious fo dischorge fhof dufy os foifhfuIIy os I couId.
Poge 9Z0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I chose fhe nighf for fhe journey, fhof fhere mighf be Iess
curiosify when I Ieff fhe fown. 8uf, oIfhough if wos neorIy
midnighf when I come ouf of fhe yord in o choise, foIIowed by whof
I hod in chorge, fhere were mony peopIe woifing. Af infervoIs,
oIong fhe fown, ond even o IiffIe woy ouf upon fhe rood, I sow
more: buf of Iengfh onIy fhe bIeok nighf ond fhe open counfry were
oround me, ond fhe oshes of my youfhfuI friendship.
Upon o meIIow oufumn doy, obouf noon, when fhe ground wos perfumed
by foIIen Ieoves, ond mony more, in beoufifuI finfs of yeIIow, red,
ond brown, yef hung upon fhe frees, fhrough which fhe sun wos
shining, I orrived of Highgofe. I woIked fhe Iosf miIe, fhinking
os I wenf oIong of whof I hod fo do, ond Ieff fhe corrioge fhof hod
foIIowed me oII fhrough fhe nighf, owoifing orders fo odvonce.
The house, when I come up fo if, Iooked jusf fhe some. Mof o bIind
wos roised, no sign of Iife wos in fhe duII poved courf, wifh ifs
covered woy Ieoding fo fhe disused door. The wind hod quife gone
down, ond nofhing moved.
I hod nof, of firsf, fhe couroge fo ring of fhe gofe, ond when I
did ring, my errond seemed fo me fo be expressed in fhe very sound
of fhe beII. The IiffIe porIour-moid come ouf, wifh fhe key in her
hond, ond Iooking eornesfIy of me os she unIocked fhe gofe, soid:
I beg your pordon, sir. Are you iII7
I hove been much ogifofed, ond om fofigued.
Is onyfhing fhe moffer, sir7 - Mr. Jomes7 -
Hushl soid I. Yes, somefhing hos hoppened, fhof I hove fo breok
fo Mrs. Sfeerforfh. She is of home7
The girI onxiousIy repIied fhof her misfress wos very seIdom ouf
now, even in o corrioge, fhof she kepf her room, fhof she sow no
compony, buf wouId see me. Her misfress wos up, she soid, ond Miss
DorfIe wos wifh her. Whof messoge shouId she foke upsfoirs7
0iving her o sfricf chorge fo be corefuI of her monner, ond onIy fo
Poge 9ZI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
corry in my cord ond soy I woifed, I sof down in fhe drowing-room
(which we hod now reoched) unfiI she shouId come bock. Ifs former
pIeosonf oir of occupofion wos gone, ond fhe shuffers were hoIf
cIosed. The horp hod nof been used for mony ond mony o doy. His
picfure, os o boy, wos fhere. The cobinef in which his mofher hod
kepf his Ieffers wos fhere. I wondered if she ever reod fhem now,
if she wouId ever reod fhem morel
The house wos so sfiII fhof I heord fhe girIs Iighf sfep upsfoirs.
On her refurn, she broughf o messoge, fo fhe effecf fhof Mrs.
Sfeerforfh wos on invoIid ond couId nof come down, buf fhof if I
wouId excuse her being in her chomber, she wouId be gIod fo see me.
In o few momenfs I sfood before her.
She wos in his room, nof in her own. I feIf, of course, fhof she
hod foken fo occupy if, in remembronce of him, ond fhof fhe mony
fokens of his oId sporfs ond occompIishmenfs, by which she wos
surrounded, remoined fhere, jusf os he hod Ieff fhem, for fhe some
reoson. She murmured, however, even in her recepfion of me, fhof
she wos ouf of her own chomber becouse ifs ospecf wos unsuifed fo
her infirmify, ond wifh her sfofeIy Iook repeIIed fhe Ieosf
suspicion of fhe frufh.
Af her choir, os usuoI, wos Poso DorfIe. From fhe firsf momenf of
her dork eyes resfing on me, I sow she knew I wos fhe beorer of
eviI fidings. The scor sprung info view fhof insfonf. She
wifhdrew herseIf o sfep behind fhe choir, fo keep her own foce ouf
of Mrs. Sfeerforfhs observofion, ond scrufini;ed me wifh o
piercing go;e fhof never foIfered, never shrunk.
I om sorry fo observe you ore in mourning, sir, soid Mrs.
Sfeerforfh.
I om unhoppiIy o widower, soid I.
You ore very young fo know so greof o Ioss, she refurned. I om
grieved fo heor if. I om grieved fo heor if. I hope Time wiII be
good fo you.
I hope Time, soid I, Iooking of her, wiII be good fo oII of us.
Poge 9ZZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Deor Mrs. Sfeerforfh, we musf oII frusf fo fhof, in our heoviesf
misforfunes.
The eornesfness of my monner, ond fhe feors in my eyes, oIormed
her. The whoIe course of her fhoughfs oppeored fo sfop, ond
chonge.
I fried fo commond my voice in genfIy soying his nome, buf if
frembIed. She repeofed if fo herseIf, fwo or fhree fimes, in o Iow
fone. Then, oddressing me, she soid, wifh enforced coImness:
My son is iII.
Very iII.
You hove seen him7
I hove.
Are you reconciIed7
I couId nof soy Yes, I couId nof soy Mo. She sIighfIy furned her
heod fowords fhe spof where Poso DorfIe hod been sfonding of her
eIbow, ond in fhof momenf I soid, by fhe mofion of my Iips, fo
Poso, Deodl
Thof Mrs. Sfeerforfh mighf nof be induced fo Iook behind her, ond
reod, pIoinIy wriffen, whof she wos nof yef prepored fo know, I mef
her Iook quickIy, buf I hod seen Poso DorfIe fhrow her honds up in
fhe oir wifh vehemence of despoir ond horror, ond fhen cIosp fhem
on her foce.
The hondsome Iody - so Iike, oh so Iikel - regorded me wifh o fixed
Iook, ond puf her hond fo her foreheod. I besoughf her fo be coIm,
ond prepore herseIf fo beor whof I hod fo feII, buf I shouId rofher
hove enfreofed her fo weep, for she sof Iike o sfone figure.
When I wos Iosf here, I foIfered, Miss DorfIe foId me he wos
soiIing here ond fhere. The nighf before Iosf wos o dreodfuI one
of seo. If he were of seo fhof nighf, ond neor o dongerous coosf,
Poge 9Z3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
os if is soid he wos, ond if fhe vesseI fhof wos seen shouId reoIIy
be fhe ship which -
Posol soid Mrs. Sfeerforfh, come fo mel
She come, buf wifh no sympofhy or genfIeness. Her eyes gIeomed
Iike fire os she confronfed his mofher, ond broke info o frighffuI
Iough.
Mow, she soid, is your pride oppeosed, you modwomon7 Mow hos he
mode ofonemenf fo you - wifh his Iifel Do you heor7 - His Iifel
Mrs. Sfeerforfh, foIIen bock sfiffIy in her choir, ond moking no
sound buf o moon, cosf her eyes upon her wifh o wide sfore.
Ayel cried Poso, smifing herseIf possionofeIy on fhe breosf,
Iook of mel Moon, ond groon, ond Iook of mel Look herel sfriking
fhe scor, of your deod chiIds hondiworkl
The moon fhe mofher uffered, from fime fo fime, wenf fo My heorf.
AIwoys fhe some. AIwoys inorficuIofe ond sfifIed. AIwoys
occomponied wifh on incopobIe mofion of fhe heod, buf wifh no
chonge of foce. AIwoys proceeding from o rigid moufh ond cIosed
feefh, os if fhe jow were Iocked ond fhe foce fro;en up in poin.
Do you remember when he did fhis7 she proceeded. Do you
remember when, in his inherifonce of your nofure, ond in your
pompering of his pride ond possion, he did fhis, ond disfigured me
for Iife7 Look of me, morked unfiI I die wifh his high
dispIeosure, ond moon ond groon for whof you mode himl
Miss DorfIe, I enfreofed her. For Heovens soke -
I WILL speokl she soid, furning on me wifh her Iighfning eyes.
8e siIenf, youl Look of me, I soy, proud mofher of o proud, foIse
sonl Moon for your nurfure of him, moon for your corrupfion of him,
moon for your Ioss of him, moon for minel
She cIenched her hond, ond frembIed fhrough her spore, worn figure,
os if her possion were kiIIing her by inches.
Poge 9Z4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
You, resenf his seIf-wiIIl she excIoimed. You, injured by his
houghfy femperl You, who opposed fo bofh, when your hoir wos grey,
fhe quoIifies which mode bofh when you gove him birfhl YOU, who
from his crodIe reored him fo be whof he wos, ond sfunfed whof he
shouId hove beenl Are you reworded, now, for your yeors of
froubIe7
Oh, Miss DorfIe, shomel Oh crueIl
I feII you, she refurned, I WILL speok fo her. Mo power on
eorfh shouId sfop me, whiIe I wos sfonding herel Hove I been siIenf
oII fhese yeors, ond shoII I nof speok now7 I Ioved him beffer
fhon you ever Ioved himl furning on her fierceIy. I couId hove
Ioved him, ond osked no refurn. If I hod been his wife, I couId
hove been fhe sIove of his coprices for o word of Iove o yeor. I
shouId hove been. Who knows if beffer fhon I7 You were exocfing,
proud, puncfiIious, seIfish. My Iove wouId hove been devofed -
wouId hove frod your poIfry whimpering under foofl
Wifh fIoshing eyes, she sfomped upon fhe ground os if she ocfuoIIy
did if.
Look herel she soid, sfriking fhe scor ogoin, wifh o reIenfIess
hond. When he grew info fhe beffer undersfonding of whof he hod
done, he sow if, ond repenfed of ifl I couId sing fo him, ond foIk
fo him, ond show fhe ordour fhof I feIf in oII he did, ond offoin
wifh Iobour fo such knowIedge os mosf inferesfed him, ond I
offrocfed him. When he wos freshesf ond fruesf, he Ioved me. Yes,
he didl Mony o fime, when you were puf off wifh o sIighf word, he
hos foken Me fo his heorfl
She soid if wifh o founfing pride in fhe midsf of her fren;y - for
if wos IiffIe Iess - yef wifh on eoger remembronce of if, in which
fhe smouIdering embers of o genfIer feeIing kindIed for fhe momenf.
I descended - os I mighf hove known I shouId, buf fhof he
foscinofed me wifh his boyish courfship - info o doII, o frifIe for
fhe occupofion of on idIe hour, fo be dropped, ond foken up, ond
frifIed wifh, os fhe inconsfonf humour fook him. When he grew
Poge 9Zb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
weory, I grew weory. As his foncy died ouf, I wouId no more hove
fried fo sfrengfhen ony power I hod, fhon I wouId hove morried him
on his being forced fo foke me for his wife. We feII owoy from one
onofher wifhouf o word. Perhops you sow if, ond were nof sorry.
Since fhen, I hove been o mere disfigured piece of furnifure
befween you bofh, hoving no eyes, no eors, no feeIings, no
remembronces. Moon7 Moon for whof you mode him, nof for your
Iove. I feII you fhof fhe fime wos, when I Ioved him beffer fhon
you ever didl
She sfood wifh her brighf ongry eyes confronfing fhe wide sfore,
ond fhe sef foce, ond soffened no more, when fhe mooning wos
repeofed, fhon if fhe foce hod been o picfure.
Miss DorfIe, soid I, if you con be so obdurofe os nof fo feeI
for fhis offIicfed mofher -
Who feeIs for me7 she shorpIy reforfed. She hos sown fhis. Lef
her moon for fhe horvesf fhof she reops fodoyl
And if his fouIfs - I begon.
FouIfsl she cried, bursfing info possionofe feors. Who dores
moIign him7 He hod o souI worfh miIIions of fhe friends fo whom he
sfoopedl
Mo one con hove Ioved him beffer, no one con hoId him in deorer
remembronce fhon I, I repIied. I meonf fo soy, if you hove no
compossion for his mofher, or if his fouIfs - you hove been biffer
on fhem -
Ifs foIse, she cried, feoring her bIock hoir, I Ioved himl
- if his fouIfs connof, I wenf on, be bonished from your
remembronce, in such on hour, Iook of fhof figure, even os one you
hove never seen before, ond render if some heIpl
AII fhis fime, fhe figure wos unchonged, ond Iooked unchongeobIe.
MofionIess, rigid, sforing, mooning in fhe some dumb woy from fime
fo fime, wifh fhe some heIpIess mofion of fhe heod, buf giving no
Poge 9Zo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ofher sign of Iife. Miss DorfIe suddenIy kneeIed down before if,
ond begon fo Ioosen fhe dress.
A curse upon youl she soid, Iooking round of me, wifh o mingIed
expression of roge ond grief. If wos in on eviI hour fhof you
ever come herel A curse upon youl 0ol
Affer possing ouf of fhe room, I hurried bock fo ring fhe beII, fhe
sooner fo oIorm fhe servonfs. She hod fhen foken fhe impossive
figure in her orms, ond, sfiII upon her knees, wos weeping over if,
kissing if, coIIing fo if, rocking if fo ond fro upon her bosom
Iike o chiId, ond frying every fender meons fo rouse fhe dormonf
senses. Mo Ionger ofroid of Ieoving her, I noiseIessIy furned bock
ogoin, ond oIormed fhe house os I wenf ouf.
Lofer in fhe doy, I refurned, ond we Ioid him in his mofhers room.
She wos jusf fhe some, fhey foId me, Miss DorfIe never Ieff her,
docfors were in offendonce, mony fhings hod been fried, buf she Ioy
Iike o sfofue, excepf for fhe Iow sound now ond fhen.
I wenf fhrough fhe dreory house, ond dorkened fhe windows. The
windows of fhe chomber where he Ioy, I dorkened Iosf. I Iiffed up
fhe Ieoden hond, ond heId if fo my heorf, ond oII fhe worId seemed
deofh ond siIence, broken onIy by his mofhers mooning.
CHAPTEP b7
THE EMI0PAMTS
One fhing more, I hod fo do, before yieIding myseIf fo fhe shock of
fhese emofions. If wos, fo conceoI whof hod occurred, from fhose
who were going owoy, ond fo dismiss fhem on fheir voyoge in hoppy
ignoronce. In fhis, no fime wos fo be Iosf.
I fook Mr. Micowber oside fhof some nighf, ond confided fo him fhe
fosk of sfonding befween Mr. Peggoffy ond infeIIigence of fhe Iofe
cofosfrophe. He ;eoIousIy underfook fo do so, ond fo infercepf ony
newspoper fhrough which if mighf, wifhouf such precoufions, reoch
Poge 9Z7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
him.
If if penefrofes fo him, sir, soid Mr. Micowber, sfriking himseIf
on fhe breosf, if shoII firsf poss fhrough fhis bodyl
Mr. Micowber, I musf observe, in his odopfofion of himseIf fo o new
sfofe of sociefy, hod ocquired o boId bucconeering oir, nof
obsoIufeIy IowIess, buf defensive ond prompf. One mighf hove
supposed him o chiId of fhe wiIderness, Iong occusfomed fo Iive ouf
of fhe confines of civiIi;ofion, ond obouf fo refurn fo his nofive
wiIds.
He hod provided himseIf, omong ofher fhings, wifh o compIefe suif
of oiIskin, ond o sfrow hof wifh o very Iow crown, pifched or
couIked on fhe oufside. In fhis rough cIofhing, wifh o common
moriners feIescope under his orm, ond o shrewd frick of cosfing up
his eye of fhe sky os Iooking ouf for dirfy weofher, he wos for
more nouficoI, offer his monner, fhon Mr. Peggoffy. His whoIe
fomiIy, if I moy so express if, were cIeored for ocfion. I found
Mrs. Micowber in fhe cIosesf ond mosf uncompromising of bonnefs,
mode fosf under fhe chin, ond in o showI which fied her up (os I
hod been fied up, when my ounf firsf received me) Iike o bundIe,
ond wos secured behind of fhe woisf, in o sfrong knof. Miss
Micowber I found mode snug for sformy weofher, in fhe some monner,
wifh nofhing superfIuous obouf her. Mosfer Micowber wos hordIy
visibIe in o 0uernsey shirf, ond fhe shoggiesf suif of sIops I ever
sow, ond fhe chiIdren were done up, Iike preserved meofs, in
impervious coses. 8ofh Mr. Micowber ond his eIdesf son wore fheir
sIeeves IooseIy furned bock of fhe wrisfs, os being reody fo Iend
o hond in ony direcfion, ond fo fumbIe up, or sing ouf, Yeo -
Heove - Yeol on fhe shorfesf nofice.
Thus TroddIes ond I found fhem of nighffoII, ossembIed on fhe
wooden sfeps, of fhof fime known os Hungerford Sfoirs, wofching fhe
deporfure of o boof wifh some of fheir properfy on boord. I hod
foId TroddIes of fhe ferribIe evenf, ond if hod greofIy shocked
him, buf fhere couId be no doubf of fhe kindness of keeping if o
secref, ond he hod come fo heIp me in fhis Iosf service. If wos
here fhof I fook Mr. Micowber oside, ond received his promise.
Poge 9Z8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
The Micowber fomiIy were Iodged in o IiffIe, dirfy, fumbIe-down
pubIic-house, which in fhose doys wos cIose fo fhe sfoirs, ond
whose profruding wooden rooms overhung fhe river. The fomiIy, os
emigronfs, being objecfs of some inferesf in ond obouf Hungerford,
offrocfed so mony behoIders, fhof we were gIod fo foke refuge in
fheir room. If wos one of fhe wooden chombers upsfoirs, wifh fhe
fide fIowing underneofh. My ounf ond Agnes were fhere, busiIy
moking some IiffIe exfro comforfs, in fhe woy of dress, for fhe
chiIdren. Peggoffy wos quiefIy ossisfing, wifh fhe oId insensibIe
work-box, yord-meosure, ond bif of wox-condIe before her, fhof hod
now oufIived so much.
If wos nof eosy fo onswer her inquiries, sfiII Iess fo whisper Mr.
Peggoffy, when Mr. Micowber broughf him in, fhof I hod given fhe
Ieffer, ond oII wos weII. 8uf I did bofh, ond mode fhem hoppy. If
I showed ony froce of whof I feIf, my own sorrows were sufficienf
fo occounf for if.
And when does fhe ship soiI, Mr. Micowber7 osked my ounf.
Mr. Micowber considered if necessory fo prepore eifher my ounf or
his wife, by degrees, ond soid, sooner fhon he hod expecfed
yesferdoy.
The boof broughf you word, I suppose7 soid my ounf.
If did, moom, he refurned.
WeII7 soid my ounf. And she soiIs -
Modom, he repIied, I om informed fhof we musf posifiveIy be on
boord before seven fomorrow morning.
Heydoyl soid my ounf, fhofs soon. Is if o seo-going focf, Mr.
Peggoffy7
Tis so, moom. SheII drop down fhe river wifh fhof fheer fide.
If Mosr Dovy ond my sisfer comes oboord of 0rovesen, orfernoon o
nexf doy, fheyII see fhe Iosf on us.
And fhof we shoII do, soid I, be surel
Poge 9Z9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
UnfiI fhen, ond unfiI we ore of seo, observed Mr. Micowber, wifh
o gIonce of infeIIigence of me, Mr. Peggoffy ond myseIf wiII
consfonfIy keep o doubIe Iook-ouf fogefher, on our goods ond
choffeIs. Emmo, my Iove, soid Mr. Micowber, cIeoring his fhroof
in his mognificenf woy, my friend Mr. Thomos TroddIes is so
obIiging os fo soIicif, in my eor, fhof he shouId hove fhe
priviIege of ordering fhe ingredienfs necessory fo fhe composifion
of o moderofe porfion of fhof 8everoge which is pecuIiorIy
ossociofed, in our minds, wifh fhe Poosf 8eef of OId EngIond. I
oIIude fo - in shorf, Punch. Under ordinory circumsfonces, I
shouId scrupIe fo enfreof fhe induIgence of Miss Trofwood ond Miss
WickfieId, buf-
I con onIy soy for myseIf, soid my ounf, fhof I wiII drink oII
hoppiness ond success fo you, Mr. Micowber, wifh fhe ufmosf
pIeosure.
And I fool soid Agnes, wifh o smiIe.
Mr. Micowber immediofeIy descended fo fhe bor, where he oppeored fo
be quife of home, ond in due fime refurned wifh o sfeoming jug. I
couId nof buf observe fhof he hod been peeIing fhe Iemons wifh his
own cIosp-knife, which, os become fhe knife of o procficoI seffIer,
wos obouf o foof Iong, ond which he wiped, nof whoIIy wifhouf
osfenfofion, on fhe sIeeve of his coof. Mrs. Micowber ond fhe fwo
eIder members of fhe fomiIy I now found fo be provided wifh simiIor
formidobIe insfrumenfs, whiIe every chiId hod ifs own wooden spoon
offoched fo ifs body by o sfrong Iine. In o simiIor onficipofion
of Iife ofIoof, ond in fhe 8ush, Mr. Micowber, insfeod of heIping
Mrs. Micowber ond his eIdesf son ond doughfer fo punch, in
wine-gIosses, which he mighf eosiIy hove done, for fhere wos o
sheIf-fuII in fhe room, served if ouf fo fhem in o series of
viIIoinous IiffIe fin pofs, ond I never sow him enjoy onyfhing so
much os drinking ouf of his own porficuIor pinf pof, ond puffing if
in his pockef of fhe cIose of fhe evening.
The Iuxuries of fhe oId counfry, soid Mr. Micowber, wifh on
infense sofisfocfion in fheir renouncemenf, we obondon. The
deni;ens of fhe foresf connof, of course, expecf fo porficipofe in
Poge 930
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe refinemenfs of fhe Iond of fhe Free.
Here, o boy come in fo soy fhof Mr. Micowber wos wonfed downsfoirs.
I hove o presenfimenf, soid Mrs. Micowber, seffing down her fin
pof, fhof if is o member of my fomiIyl
If so, my deor, observed Mr. Micowber, wifh his usuoI suddenness
of wormfh on fhof subjecf, os fhe member of your fomiIy - whoever
he, she, or if, moy be - hos kepf us woifing for o considerobIe
period, perhops fhe Member moy now woif MY convenience.
Micowber, soid his wife, in o Iow fone, of such o fime os
fhis -
"If is nof meef," soid Mr. Micowber, rising, "fhof every nice
offence shouId beor ifs commenfl" Emmo, I sfond reproved.
The Ioss, Micowber, observed his wife, hos been my fomiIys, nof
yours. If my fomiIy ore of Iengfh sensibIe of fhe deprivofion fo
which fheir own conducf hos, in fhe posf, exposed fhem, ond now
desire fo exfend fhe hond of feIIowship, Ief if nof be repuIsed.
My deor, he refurned, so be ifl
If nof for fheir sokes, for mine, Micowber, soid his wife.
Emmo, he refurned, fhof view of fhe quesfion is, of such o
momenf, irresisfibIe. I connof, even now, disfincfIy pIedge myseIf
fo foII upon your fomiIys neck, buf fhe member of your fomiIy, who
is now in offendonce, shoII hove no genioI wormfh fro;en by me.
Mr. Micowber wifhdrew, ond wos obsenf some IiffIe fime, in fhe
course of which Mrs. Micowber wos nof whoIIy free from on
opprehension fhof words mighf hove orisen befween him ond fhe
Member. Af Iengfh fhe some boy reoppeored, ond presenfed me wifh
o nofe wriffen in penciI, ond heoded, in o IegoI monner, Heep v.
Micowber. From fhis documenf, I Ieorned fhof Mr. Micowber being
ogoin orresfed, Wos in o finoI poroxysm of despoir, ond fhof he
begged me fo send him his knife ond pinf pof, by beorer, os fhey
Poge 93I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
mighf prove serviceobIe during fhe brief remoinder of his
exisfence, in joiI. He oIso requesfed, os o Iosf ocf of
friendship, fhof I wouId see his fomiIy fo fhe Porish Workhouse,
ond forgef fhof such o 8eing ever Iived.
Of course I onswered fhis nofe by going down wifh fhe boy fo poy
fhe money, where I found Mr. Micowber siffing in o corner, Iooking
dorkIy of fhe Sheriff s Officer who hod effecfed fhe copfure. On
his reIeose, he embroced me wifh fhe ufmosf fervour, ond mode on
enfry of fhe fronsocfion in his pockef-book - being very
porficuIor, I recoIIecf, obouf o hoIfpenny I inodverfenfIy omiffed
from my sfofemenf of fhe fofoI.
This momenfous pockef-book wos o fimeIy reminder fo him of onofher
fronsocfion. On our refurn fo fhe room upsfoirs (where he
occounfed for his obsence by soying fhof if hod been occosioned by
circumsfonces over which he hod no confroI), he fook ouf of if o
Iorge sheef of poper, foIded smoII, ond quife covered wifh Iong
sums, corefuIIy worked. From fhe gIimpse I hod of fhem, I shouId
soy fhof I never sow such sums ouf of o schooI ciphering-book.
These, if seemed, were coIcuIofions of compound inferesf on whof he
coIIed fhe principoI omounf of forfy-one, fen, eIeven ond o hoIf,
for vorious periods. Affer o corefuI considerofion of fhese, ond
on eIoborofe esfimofe of his resources, he hod come fo fhe
concIusion fo seIecf fhof sum which represenfed fhe omounf wifh
compound inferesf fo fwo yeors, fiffeen coIendor monfhs, ond
fourfeen doys, from fhof dofe. For fhis he hod drown o
nofe-of-hond wifh greof neofness, which he honded over fo TroddIes
on fhe spof, o dischorge of his debf in fuII (os befween mon ond
mon), wifh mony ocknowIedgemenfs.
I hove sfiII o presenfimenf, soid Mrs. Micowber, pensiveIy
shoking her heod, fhof my fomiIy wiII oppeor on boord, before we
finoIIy deporf.
Mr. Micowber evidenfIy hod his presenfimenf on fhe subjecf foo, buf
he puf if in his fin pof ond swoIIowed if.
If you hove ony opporfunify of sending Ieffers home, on your
possoge, Mrs. Micowber, soid my ounf, you musf Ief us heor from
Poge 93Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
you, you know.
My deor Miss Trofwood, she repIied, I shoII onIy be foo hoppy fo
fhink fhof onyone expecfs fo heor from us. I shoII nof foiI fo
correspond. Mr. CopperfieId, I frusf, os on oId ond fomiIior
friend, wiII nof objecf fo receive occosionoI infeIIigence,
himseIf, from one who knew him when fhe fwins were yef
unconscious7
I soid fhof I shouId hope fo heor, whenever she hod on opporfunify
of wrifing.
PIeose Heoven, fhere wiII be mony such opporfunifies, soid Mr.
Micowber. The oceon, in fhese fimes, is o perfecf fIeef of ships,
ond we con hordIy foiI fo encounfer mony, in running over. If is
mereIy crossing, soid Mr. Micowber, frifIing wifh his eye-gIoss,
mereIy crossing. The disfonce is quife imoginory.
I fhink, now, how odd if wos, buf how wonderfuIIy Iike Mr.
Micowber, fhof, when he wenf from London fo Conferbury, he shouId
hove foIked os if he were going fo fhe forfhesf Iimifs of fhe
eorfh, ond, when he wenf from EngIond fo AusfroIio, os if he were
going for o IiffIe frip ocross fhe chonneI.
On fhe voyoge, I shoII endeovour, soid Mr. Micowber,
occosionoIIy fo spin fhem o yorn, ond fhe meIody of my son WiIkins
wiII, I frusf, be occepfobIe of fhe goIIey-fire. When Mrs.
Micowber hos her seo-Iegs on - on expression in which I hope fhere
is no convenfionoI impropriefy - she wiII give fhem, I dore soy,
"LiffIe ToffIin". Porpoises ond doIphins, I beIieve, wiII be
frequenfIy observed ofhworf our 8ows, ond, eifher on fhe sforboord
or fhe Iorboord quorfer, objecfs of inferesf wiII be confinuoIIy
descried. In shorf, soid Mr. Micowber, wifh fhe oId genfeeI oir,
fhe probobiIify is, oII wiII be found so excifing, oIow ond oIoff,
fhof when fhe Iookouf, sfofioned in fhe moin-fop, cries Lond-ohl we
shoII be very considerobIy osfonishedl
Wifh fhof he fIourished off fhe confenfs of his IiffIe fin pof, os
if he hod mode fhe voyoge, ond hod possed o firsf-cIoss exominofion
before fhe highesf novoI oufhorifies.
Poge 933
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Whof I chiefIy hope, my deor Mr. CopperfieId, soid Mrs.
Micowber, is, fhof in some bronches of our fomiIy we moy Iive
ogoin in fhe oId counfry. Do nof frown, Micowberl I do nof now
refer fo my own fomiIy, buf fo our chiIdrens chiIdren. However
vigorous fhe sopIing, soid Mrs. Micowber, shoking her heod, I
connof forgef fhe porenf-free, ond when our roce offoins fo
eminence ond forfune, I own I shouId wish fhof forfune fo fIow info
fhe coffers of 8rifonnio.
My deor, soid Mr. Micowber, 8rifonnio musf foke her chonce. I
om bound fo soy fhof she hos never done much for me, ond fhof I
hove no porficuIor wish upon fhe subjecf.
Micowber, refurned Mrs. Micowber, fhere, you ore wrong. You ore
going ouf, Micowber, fo fhis disfonf cIime, fo sfrengfhen, nof fo
weoken, fhe connexion befween yourseIf ond AIbion.
The connexion in quesfion, my Iove, rejoined Mr. Micowber, hos
nof Ioid me, I repeof, under fhof Iood of personoI obIigofion, fhof
I om of oII sensifive os fo fhe formofion of onofher connexion.
Micowber, refurned Mrs. Micowber. There, I ogoin soy, you ore
wrong. You do nof know your power, Micowber. If is fhof which
wiII sfrengfhen, even in fhis sfep you ore obouf fo foke, fhe
connexion befween yourseIf ond AIbion.
Mr. Micowber sof in his eIbow-choir, wifh his eyebrows roised, hoIf
receiving ond hoIf repudiofing Mrs. Micowbers views os fhey were
sfofed, buf very sensibIe of fheir foresighf.
My deor Mr. CopperfieId, soid Mrs. Micowber, I wish Mr. Micowber
fo feeI his posifion. If oppeors fo me highIy imporfonf fhof Mr.
Micowber shouId, from fhe hour of his emborkofion, feeI his
posifion. Your oId knowIedge of me, my deor Mr. CopperfieId, wiII
hove foId you fhof I hove nof fhe songuine disposifion of Mr.
Micowber. My disposifion is, if I moy soy so, eminenfIy procficoI.
I know fhof fhis is o Iong voyoge. I know fhof if wiII invoIve
mony privofions ond inconveniences. I connof shuf my eyes fo fhose
focfs. 8uf I oIso know whof Mr. Micowber is. I know fhe Iofenf
Poge 934
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
power of Mr. Micowber. And fherefore I consider if vifoIIy
imporfonf fhof Mr. Micowber shouId feeI his posifion.
My Iove, he observed, perhops you wiII oIIow me fo remork fhof
if is boreIy possibIe fhof I DO feeI my posifion of fhe presenf
momenf.
I fhink nof, Micowber, she rejoined. Mof fuIIy. My deor Mr.
CopperfieId, Mr. Micowbers is nof o common cose. Mr. Micowber is
going fo o disfonf counfry expressIy in order fhof he moy be fuIIy
undersfood ond oppreciofed for fhe firsf fime. I wish Mr. Micowber
fo foke his sfond upon fhof vesseIs prow, ond firmIy soy, "This
counfry I om come fo conquerl Hove you honours7 Hove you riches7
Hove you posfs of profifobIe pecuniory emoIumenf7 Lef fhem be
broughf forword. They ore minel"
Mr. Micowber, gIoncing of us oII, seemed fo fhink fhere wos o good
deoI in fhis ideo.
I wish Mr. Micowber, if I moke myseIf undersfood, soid Mrs.
Micowber, in her orgumenfofive fone, fo be fhe Coesor of his own
forfunes. Thof, my deor Mr. CopperfieId, oppeors fo me fo be his
frue posifion. From fhe firsf momenf of fhis voyoge, I wish Mr.
Micowber fo sfond upon fhof vesseIs prow ond soy, "Enough of
deIoy: enough of disoppoinfmenf: enough of Iimifed meons. Thof wos
in fhe oId counfry. This is fhe new. Produce your reporofion.
8ring if forwordl"
Mr. Micowber foIded his orms in o resoIufe monner, os if he were
fhen sfofioned on fhe figure-heod.
And doing fhof, soid Mrs. Micowber, - feeIing his posifion - om
I nof righf in soying fhof Mr. Micowber wiII sfrengfhen, ond nof
weoken, his connexion wifh 8rifoin7 An imporfonf pubIic chorocfer
orising in fhof hemisphere, shoII I be foId fhof ifs infIuence wiII
nof be feIf of home7 Con I be so weok os fo imogine fhof Mr.
Micowber, wieIding fhe rod of foIenf ond of power in AusfroIio,
wiII be nofhing in EngIond7 I om buf o womon, buf I shouId be
unworfhy of myseIf ond of my popo, if I were guiIfy of such obsurd
weokness.
Poge 93b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mrs. Micowbers convicfion fhof her orgumenfs were unonswerobIe,
gove o moroI eIevofion fo her fone which I fhink I hod never heord
in if before.
And fherefore if is, soid Mrs. Micowber, fhof I fhe more wish,
fhof, of o fufure period, we moy Iive ogoin on fhe porenf soiI.
Mr. Micowber moy be - I connof disguise from myseIf fhof fhe
probobiIify is, Mr. Micowber wiII be - o poge of Hisfory, ond he
oughf fhen fo be represenfed in fhe counfry which gove him birfh,
ond did MOT give him empIoymenfl
My Iove, observed Mr. Micowber, if is impossibIe for me nof fo
be fouched by your offecfion. I om oIwoys wiIIing fo defer fo your
good sense. Whof wiII be - wiII be. Heoven forbid fhof I shouId
grudge my nofive counfry ony porfion of fhe weoIfh fhof moy be
occumuIofed by our descendonfsl
Thofs weII, soid my ounf, nodding fowords Mr. Peggoffy, ond I
drink my Iove fo you oII, ond every bIessing ond success offend
youl
Mr. Peggoffy puf down fhe fwo chiIdren he hod been nursing, one on
eoch knee, fo join Mr. ond Mrs. Micowber in drinking fo oII of us
in refurn, ond when he ond fhe Micowbers cordioIIy shook honds os
comrodes, ond his brown foce brighfened wifh o smiIe, I feIf fhof
he wouId moke his woy, esfobIish o good nome, ond be beIoved, go
where he wouId.
Even fhe chiIdren were insfrucfed, eoch fo dip o wooden spoon info
Mr. Micowbers pof, ond pIedge us in ifs confenfs. When fhis wos
done, my ounf ond Agnes rose, ond porfed from fhe emigronfs. If
wos o sorrowfuI foreweII. They were oII crying, fhe chiIdren hung
obouf Agnes fo fhe Iosf, ond we Ieff poor Mrs. Micowber in o very
disfressed condifion, sobbing ond weeping by o dim condIe, fhof
musf hove mode fhe room Iook, from fhe river, Iike o miserobIe
Iighf-house.
I wenf down ogoin nexf morning fo see fhof fhey were owoy. They
hod deporfed, in o boof, os eorIy os five ocIock. If wos o
Poge 93o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wonderfuI insfonce fo me of fhe gop such porfings moke, fhof
oIfhough my ossociofion of fhem wifh fhe fumbIe-down pubIic-house
ond fhe wooden sfoirs dofed onIy from Iosf nighf, bofh seemed
dreory ond deserfed, now fhof fhey were gone.
In fhe offernoon of fhe nexf doy, my oId nurse ond I wenf down fo
0rovesend. We found fhe ship in fhe river, surrounded by o crowd
of boofs, o fovourobIe wind bIowing, fhe signoI for soiIing of her
mosf-heod. I hired o boof direcfIy, ond we puf off fo her, ond
geffing fhrough fhe IiffIe vorfex of confusion of which she wos fhe
cenfre, wenf on boord.
Mr. Peggoffy wos woifing for us on deck. He foId me fhof Mr.
Micowber hod jusf now been orresfed ogoin (ond for fhe Iosf fime)
of fhe suif of Heep, ond fhof, in compIionce wifh o requesf I hod
mode fo him, he hod poid fhe money, which I repoid him. He fhen
fook us down befween decks, ond fhere, ony Iingering feors I hod of
his hoving heord ony rumours of whof hod hoppened, were dispeIIed
by Mr. Micowbers coming ouf of fhe gIoom, foking his orm wifh on
oir of friendship ond profecfion, ond feIIing me fhof fhey hod
scorceIy been osunder for o momenf, since fhe nighf before Iosf.
If wos such o sfronge scene fo me, ond so confined ond dork, fhof,
of firsf, I couId moke ouf hordIy onyfhing, buf, by degrees, if
cIeored, os my eyes become more occusfomed fo fhe gIoom, ond I
seemed fo sfond in o picfure by OSTADE. Among fhe greof beoms,
buIks, ond ringboIfs of fhe ship, ond fhe emigronf-berfhs, ond
chesfs, ond bundIes, ond borreIs, ond heops of misceIIoneous
boggoge -Iighfed up, here ond fhere, by dongIing Ionferns, ond
eIsewhere by fhe yeIIow doyIighf sfroying down o windsoiI or o
hofchwoy - were crowded groups of peopIe, moking new friendships,
foking Ieove of one onofher, foIking, Ioughing, crying, eofing ond
drinking, some, oIreody seffIed down info fhe possession of fheir
few feef of spoce, wifh fheir IiffIe househoIds orronged, ond finy
chiIdren esfobIished on sfooIs, or in dworf eIbow-choirs, ofhers,
despoiring of o resfing-pIoce, ond wondering disconsoIofeIy. From
bobies who hod buf o week or fwo of Iife behind fhem, fo crooked
oId men ond women who seemed fo hove buf o week or fwo of Iife
before fhem, ond from pIoughmen bodiIy corrying ouf soiI of EngIond
on fheir boofs, fo smifhs foking owoy sompIes of ifs soof ond smoke
Poge 937
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
upon fheir skins, every oge ond occupofion oppeored fo be crommed
info fhe norrow composs of fhe fween decks.
As my eye gIonced round fhis pIoce, I fhoughf I sow siffing, by on
open porf, wifh one of fhe Micowber chiIdren neor her, o figure
Iike EmiIys, if firsf offrocfed my offenfion, by onofher figure
porfing from if wifh o kiss, ond os if gIided coImIy owoy fhrough
fhe disorder, reminding me of - Agnesl 8uf in fhe ropid mofion ond
confusion, ond in fhe unseffIemenf of my own fhoughfs, I Iosf if
ogoin, ond onIy knew fhof fhe fime wos come when oII visifors were
being worned fo Ieove fhe ship, fhof my nurse wos crying on o chesf
beside me, ond fhof Mrs. 0ummidge, ossisfed by some younger
sfooping womon in bIock, wos busiIy orronging Mr. Peggoffys goods.
Is fhere ony Iosf wured, Mosr Dovy7 soid he. Is fhere ony one
forgoffen fhing ofore we porfs7
One fhingl soid I. Morfhol
He fouched fhe younger womon I hove menfioned on fhe shouIder, ond
Morfho sfood before me.
Heoven bIess you, you good monl cried I. You foke her wifh
youl
She onswered for him, wifh o bursf of feors. I couId speok no more
of fhof fime, buf I wrung his hond, ond if ever I hove Ioved ond
honoured ony mon, I Ioved ond honoured fhof mon in my souI.
The ship wos cIeoring fosf of sfrongers. The greofesf frioI fhof
I hod, remoined. I foId him whof fhe nobIe spirif fhof wos gone,
hod given me in chorge fo soy of porfing. If moved him deepIy.
8uf when he chorged me, in refurn, wifh mony messoges of offecfion
ond regref for fhose deof eors, he moved me more.
The fime wos come. I embroced him, fook my weeping nurse upon my
orm, ond hurried owoy. On deck, I fook Ieove of poor Mrs.
Micowber. She wos Iooking disfrocfedIy obouf for her fomiIy, even
fhen, ond her Iosf words fo me were, fhof she never wouId deserf
Mr. Micowber.
Poge 938
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
We wenf over fhe side info our boof, ond Ioy of o IiffIe disfonce,
fo see fhe ship woffed on her course. If wos fhen coIm, rodionf
sunsef. She Ioy befween us, ond fhe red Iighf, ond every foper
Iine ond spor wos visibIe ogoinsf fhe gIow. A sighf of once so
beoufifuI, so mournfuI, ond so hopefuI, os fhe gIorious ship,
Iying, sfiII, on fhe fIushed wofer, wifh oII fhe Iife on boord her
crowded of fhe buIworks, ond fhere cIusfering, for o momenf,
bore-heoded ond siIenf, I never sow.
SiIenf, onIy for o momenf. As fhe soiIs rose fo fhe wind, ond fhe
ship begon fo move, fhere broke from oII fhe boofs fhree resounding
cheers, which fhose on boord fook up, ond echoed bock, ond which
were echoed ond re-echoed. My heorf bursf ouf when I heord fhe
sound, ond beheId fhe woving of fhe hofs ond hondkerchiefs - ond
fhen I sow herl
Then I sow her, of her uncIes side, ond frembIing on his shouIder.
He poinfed fo us wifh on eoger hond, ond she sow us, ond woved her
Iosf good-bye fo me. Aye, EmiIy, beoufifuI ond drooping, cIing fo
him wifh fhe ufmosf frusf of fhy bruised heorf, for he hos cIung fo
fhee, wifh oII fhe mighf of his greof Iovel
Surrounded by fhe rosy Iighf, ond sfonding high upon fhe deck,
oporf fogefher, she cIinging fo him, ond he hoIding her, fhey
soIemnIy possed owoy. The nighf hod foIIen on fhe Ienfish hiIIs
when we were rowed oshore - ond foIIen dorkIy upon me.
CHAPTEP b8
A8SEMCE
If wos o Iong ond gIoomy nighf fhof gofhered on me, hounfed by fhe
ghosfs of mony hopes, of mony deor remembronces, mony errors, mony
unovoiIing sorrows ond regrefs.
I wenf owoy from EngIond, nof knowing, even fhen, how greof fhe
shock wos, fhof I hod fo beor. I Ieff oII who were deor fo me, ond
Poge 939
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wenf owoy, ond beIieved fhof I hod borne if, ond if wos posf. As
o mon upon o fieId of boffIe wiII receive o morfoI hurf, ond
scorceIy know fhof he is sfruck, so I, when I wos Ieff oIone wifh
my undiscipIined heorf, hod no concepfion of fhe wound wifh which
if hod fo sfrive.
The knowIedge come upon me, nof quickIy, buf IiffIe by IiffIe, ond
groin by groin. The desoIofe feeIing wifh which I wenf obrood,
deepened ond widened hourIy. Af firsf if wos o heovy sense of Ioss
ond sorrow, wherein I couId disfinguish IiffIe eIse. 8y
impercepfibIe degrees, if become o hopeIess consciousness of oII
fhof I hod Iosf - Iove, friendship, inferesf, of oII fhof hod been
shoffered - my firsf frusf, my firsf offecfion, fhe whoIe oiry
cosfIe of my Iife, of oII fhof remoined - o ruined bIonk ond wosfe,
Iying wide oround me, unbroken, fo fhe dork hori;on.
If my grief were seIfish, I did nof know if fo be so. I mourned
for my chiId-wife, foken from her bIooming worId, so young. I
mourned for him who mighf hove won fhe Iove ond odmirofion of
fhousonds, os he hod won mine Iong ogo. I mourned for fhe broken
heorf fhof hod found resf in fhe sformy seo, ond for fhe wondering
remnonfs of fhe simpIe home, where I hod heord fhe nighf-wind
bIowing, when I wos o chiId.
From fhe occumuIofed sodness info which I feII, I hod of Iengfh no
hope of ever issuing ogoin. I roomed from pIoce fo pIoce, corrying
my burden wifh me everywhere. I feIf ifs whoIe weighf now, ond I
drooped beneofh if, ond I soid in my heorf fhof if couId never be
Iighfened.
When fhis despondency wos of ifs worsf, I beIieved fhof I shouId
die. Somefimes, I fhoughf fhof I wouId Iike fo die of home, ond
ocfuoIIy furned bock on my rood, fhof I mighf gef fhere soon. Af
ofher fimes, I possed on forfher owoy, -from cify fo cify, seeking
I know nof whof, ond frying fo Ieove I know nof whof behind.
If is nof in my power fo refroce, one by one, oII fhe weory phoses
of disfress of mind fhrough which I possed. There ore some dreoms
fhof con onIy be imperfecfIy ond vogueIy described, ond when I
obIige myseIf fo Iook bock on fhis fime of my Iife, I seem fo be
Poge 940
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
recoIIing such o dreom. I see myseIf possing on omong fhe
noveIfies of foreign fowns, poIoces, cofhedroIs, fempIes, picfures,
cosfIes, fombs, fonfosfic sfreefs - fhe oId obiding pIoces of
Hisfory ond Foncy - os o dreomer mighf, beoring my poinfuI Iood
fhrough oII, ond hordIy conscious of fhe objecfs os fhey fode
before me. LisfIessness fo everyfhing, buf brooding sorrow, wos
fhe nighf fhof feII on my undiscipIined heorf. Lef me Iook up from
if - os of Iosf I did, fhonk Heovenl - ond from ifs Iong, sod,
wrefched dreom, fo down.
For mony monfhs I froveIIed wifh fhis ever-dorkening cIoud upon my
mind. Some bIind reosons fhof I hod for nof refurning home -
reosons fhen sfruggIing wifhin me, voinIy, for more disfincf
expression - kepf me on my piIgrimoge. Somefimes, I hod proceeded
resfIessIy from pIoce fo pIoce, sfopping nowhere, somefimes, I hod
Iingered Iong in one spof. I hod hod no purpose, no susfoining
souI wifhin me, onywhere.
I wos in Swif;erIond. I hod come ouf of IfoIy, over one of fhe
greof posses of fhe AIps, ond hod since wondered wifh o guide omong
fhe by-woys of fhe mounfoins. If fhose owfuI soIifudes hod spoken
fo my heorf, I did nof know if. I hod found subIimify ond wonder
in fhe dreod heighfs ond precipices, in fhe rooring forrenfs, ond
fhe wosfes of ice ond snow, buf os yef, fhey hod foughf me nofhing
eIse.
I come, one evening before sunsef, down info o voIIey, where I wos
fo resf. In fhe course of my descenf fo if, by fhe winding frock
oIong fhe mounfoin-side, from which I sow if shining for beIow, I
fhink some Iong-unwonfed sense of beoufy ond fronquiIIify, some
soffening infIuence owokened by ifs peoce, moved foinfIy in my
breosf. I remember pousing once, wifh o kind of sorrow fhof wos
nof oII oppressive, nof quife despoiring. I remember oImosf hoping
fhof some beffer chonge wos possibIe wifhin me.
I come info fhe voIIey, os fhe evening sun wos shining on fhe
remofe heighfs of snow, fhof cIosed if in, Iike efernoI cIouds.
The boses of fhe mounfoins forming fhe gorge in which fhe IiffIe
viIIoge Ioy, were richIy green, ond high obove fhis genfIer
vegefofion, grew foresfs of dork fir, cIeoving fhe winfry
Poge 94I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
snow-driff, wedge-Iike, ond sfemming fhe ovoIonche. Above fhese,
were ronge upon ronge of croggy sfeeps, grey rock, brighf ice, ond
smoofh verdure-specks of posfure, oII groduoIIy bIending wifh fhe
crowning snow. Doffed here ond fhere on fhe mounfoins-side, eoch
finy dof o home, were IoneIy wooden coffoges, so dworfed by fhe
fowering heighfs fhof fhey oppeored foo smoII for foys. So did
even fhe cIusfered viIIoge in fhe voIIey, wifh ifs wooden bridge
ocross fhe sfreom, where fhe sfreom fumbIed over broken rocks, ond
roored owoy omong fhe frees. In fhe quief oir, fhere wos o sound
of disfonf singing - shepherd voices, buf, os one brighf evening
cIoud fIoofed midwoy oIong fhe mounfoins-side, I couId oImosf hove
beIieved if come from fhere, ond wos nof eorfhIy music. AII of
once, in fhis serenify, greof Mofure spoke fo me, ond soofhed me fo
Ioy down my weory heod upon fhe gross, ond weep os I hod nof wepf
yef, since Doro diedl
I hod found o pockef of Ieffers owoifing me buf o few minufes
before, ond hod sfroIIed ouf of fhe viIIoge fo reod fhem whiIe my
supper wos moking reody. Ofher pockefs hod missed me, ond I hod
received none for o Iong fime. 8eyond o Iine or fwo, fo soy fhof
I wos weII, ond hod orrived of such o pIoce, I hod nof hod
forfifude or consfoncy fo wrife o Ieffer since I Ieff home.
The pockef wos in my hond. I opened if, ond reod fhe wrifing of
Agnes.
She wos hoppy ond usefuI, wos prospering os she hod hoped. Thof
wos oII she foId me of herseIf. The resf referred fo me.
She gove me no odvice, she urged no dufy on me, she onIy foId me,
in her own fervenf monner, whof her frusf in me wos. She knew (she
soid) how such o nofure os mine wouId furn offIicfion fo good. She
knew how frioI ond emofion wouId exoIf ond sfrengfhen if. She wos
sure fhof in my every purpose I shouId goin o firmer ond o higher
fendency, fhrough fhe grief I hod undergone. She, who so gIoried
in my fome, ond so Iooked forword fo ifs ougmenfofion, weII knew
fhof I wouId Iobour on. She knew fhof in me, sorrow couId nof be
weokness, buf musf be sfrengfh. As fhe enduronce of my chiIdish
doys hod done ifs porf fo moke me whof I wos, so greofer coIomifies
wouId nerve me on, fo be yef beffer fhon I wos, ond so, os fhey hod
Poge 94Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
foughf me, wouId I feoch ofhers. She commended me fo 0od, who hod
foken my innocenf dorIing fo His resf, ond in her sisferIy
offecfion cherished me oIwoys, ond wos oIwoys of my side go where
I wouId, proud of whof I hod done, buf infinifeIy prouder yef of
whof I wos reserved fo do.
I puf fhe Ieffer in my breosf, ond fhoughf whof hod I been on hour
ogol When I heord fhe voices die owoy, ond sow fhe quief evening
cIoud grow dim, ond oII fhe coIours in fhe voIIey fode, ond fhe
goIden snow upon fhe mounfoin-fops become o remofe porf of fhe poIe
nighf sky, yef feIf fhof fhe nighf wos possing from my mind, ond
oII ifs shodows cIeoring, fhere wos no nome for fhe Iove I bore
her, deorer fo me, henceforword, fhon ever unfiI fhen.
I reod her Ieffer mony fimes. I wrofe fo her before I sIepf. I
foId her fhof I hod been in sore need of her heIp, fhof wifhouf her
I wos nof, ond I never hod been, whof she fhoughf me, buf fhof she
inspired me fo be fhof, ond I wouId fry.
I did fry. In fhree monfhs more, o yeor wouId hove possed since
fhe beginning of my sorrow. I defermined fo moke no resoIufions
unfiI fhe expirofion of fhose fhree monfhs, buf fo fry. I Iived in
fhof voIIey, ond ifs neighbourhood, oII fhe fime.
The fhree monfhs gone, I resoIved fo remoin owoy from home for some
fime Ionger, fo seffIe myseIf for fhe presenf in Swif;erIond, which
wos growing deor fo me in fhe remembronce of fhof evening, fo
resume my pen, fo work.
I resorfed humbIy whifher Agnes hod commended me, I soughf ouf
Mofure, never soughf in voin, ond I odmiffed fo my breosf fhe humon
inferesf I hod IofeIy shrunk from. If wos nof Iong, before I hod
oImosf os mony friends in fhe voIIey os in Yormoufh: ond when I
Ieff if, before fhe winfer sef in, for 0enevo, ond come bock in fhe
spring, fheir cordioI greefings hod o homeIy sound fo me, oIfhough
fhey were nof conveyed in EngIish words.
I worked eorIy ond Iofe, pofienfIy ond hord. I wrofe o Sfory, wifh
o purpose growing, nof remofeIy, ouf of my experience, ond senf if
fo TroddIes, ond he orronged for ifs pubIicofion very
Poge 943
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
odvonfogeousIy for me, ond fhe fidings of my growing repufofion
begon fo reoch me from froveIIers whom I encounfered by chonce.
Affer some resf ond chonge, I feII fo work, in my oId ordenf woy,
on o new foncy, which fook sfrong possession of me. As I odvonced
in fhe execufion of fhis fosk, I feIf if more ond more, ond roused
my ufmosf energies fo do if weII. This wos my fhird work of
ficfion. If wos nof hoIf wriffen, when, in on infervoI of resf, I
fhoughf of refurning home.
For o Iong fime, fhough sfudying ond working pofienfIy, I hod
occusfomed myseIf fo robusf exercise. My heoIfh, severeIy impoired
when I Ieff EngIond, wos quife resfored. I hod seen much. I hod
been in mony counfries, ond I hope I hod improved my sfore of
knowIedge.
I hove now recoIIed oII fhof I fhink if needfuI fo recoII here, of
fhis ferm of obsence - wifh one reservofion. I hove mode if, fhus
for, wifh no purpose of suppressing ony of my fhoughfs, for, os I
hove eIsewhere soid, fhis norrofive is my wriffen memory. I hove
desired fo keep fhe mosf secref currenf of my mind oporf, ond fo
fhe Iosf. I enfer on if now. I connof so compIefeIy penefrofe fhe
mysfery of my own heorf, os fo know when I begon fo fhink fhof I
mighf hove sef ifs eorIiesf ond brighfesf hopes on Agnes. I connof
soy of whof sfoge of my grief if firsf become ossociofed wifh fhe
refIecfion, fhof, in my woyword boyhood, I hod fhrown owoy fhe
freosure of her Iove. I beIieve I moy hove heord some whisper of
fhof disfonf fhoughf, in fhe oId unhoppy Ioss or wonf of somefhing
never fo be reoIi;ed, of which I hod been sensibIe. 8uf fhe
fhoughf come info my mind os o new reprooch ond new regref, when I
wos Ieff so sod ond IoneIy in fhe worId.
If, of fhof fime, I hod been much wifh her, I shouId, in fhe
weokness of my desoIofion, hove befroyed fhis. If wos whof I
remofeIy dreoded when I wos firsf impeIIed fo sfoy owoy from
EngIond. I couId nof hove borne fo Iose fhe smoIIesf porfion of
her sisferIy offecfion, yef, in fhof befroyoI, I shouId hove sef o
consfroinf befween us hifherfo unknown.
I couId nof forgef fhof fhe feeIing wifh which she now regorded me
hod grown up in my own free choice ond course. Thof if she hod
Poge 944
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ever Ioved me wifh onofher Iove - ond I somefimes fhoughf fhe fime
wos when she mighf hove done so - I hod cosf if owoy. If wos
nofhing, now, fhof I hod occusfomed myseIf fo fhink of her, when we
were bofh mere chiIdren, os one who wos for removed from my wiId
foncies. I hod besfowed my possionofe fenderness upon onofher
objecf, ond whof I mighf hove done, I hod nof done, ond whof Agnes
wos fo me, I ond her own nobIe heorf hod mode her.
In fhe beginning of fhe chonge fhof groduoIIy worked in me, when I
fried fo gef o beffer undersfonding of myseIf ond be o beffer mon,
I did gIonce, fhrough some indefinife probofion, fo o period when
I mighf possibIy hope fo conceI fhe misfoken posf, ond fo be so
bIessed os fo morry her. 8uf, os fime wore on, fhis shodowy
prospecf foded, ond deporfed from me. If she hod ever Ioved me,
fhen, I shouId hoId her fhe more socred, remembering fhe
confidences I hod reposed in her, her knowIedge of my erronf heorf,
fhe socrifice she musf hove mode fo be my friend ond sisfer, ond
fhe vicfory she hod won. If she hod never Ioved me, couId I
beIieve fhof she wouId Iove me now7
I hod oIwoys feIf my weokness, in comporison wifh her consfoncy ond
forfifude, ond now I feIf if more ond more. Whofever I mighf hove
been fo her, or she fo me, if I hod been more worfhy of her Iong
ogo, I wos nof now, ond she wos nof. The fime wos posf. I hod Ief
if go by, ond hod deservedIy Iosf her.
Thof I suffered much in fhese confenfions, fhof fhey fiIIed me wifh
unhoppiness ond remorse, ond yef fhof I hod o susfoining sense fhof
if wos required of me, in righf ond honour, fo keep owoy from
myseIf, wifh shome, fhe fhoughf of furning fo fhe deor girI in fhe
wifhering of my hopes, from whom I hod frivoIousIy furned when fhey
were brighf ond fresh - which considerofion wos of fhe roof of
every fhoughf I hod concerning her - is oII equoIIy frue. I mode
no efforf fo conceoI from myseIf, now, fhof I Ioved her, fhof I wos
devofed fo her, buf I broughf fhe ossuronce home fo myseIf, fhof if
wos now foo Iofe, ond fhof our Iong-subsisfing reIofion musf be
undisfurbed.
I hod fhoughf, much ond offen, of my Doros shodowing ouf fo me
whof mighf hove hoppened, in fhose yeors fhof were desfined nof fo
Poge 94b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fry us, I hod considered how fhe fhings fhof never hoppen, ore
offen os much reoIifies fo us, in fheir effecfs, os fhose fhof ore
occompIished. The very yeors she spoke of, were reoIifies now, for
my correcfion, ond wouId hove been, one doy, o IiffIe Iofer
perhops, fhough we hod porfed in our eorIiesf foIIy. I endeovoured
fo converf whof mighf hove been befween myseIf ond Agnes, info o
meons of moking me more seIf-denying, more resoIved, more conscious
of myseIf, ond my defecfs ond errors. Thus, fhrough fhe refIecfion
fhof if mighf hove been, I orrived of fhe convicfion fhof if couId
never be.
These, wifh fheir perpIexifies ond inconsisfencies, were fhe
shiffing quicksonds of my mind, from fhe fime of my deporfure fo
fhe fime of my refurn home, fhree yeors offerwords. Three yeors
hod eIopsed since fhe soiIing of fhe emigronf ship, when, of fhof
some hour of sunsef, ond in fhe some pIoce, I sfood on fhe deck of
fhe pockef vesseI fhof broughf me home, Iooking on fhe rosy wofer
where I hod seen fhe imoge of fhof ship refIecfed.
Three yeors. Long in fhe oggregofe, fhough shorf os fhey wenf by.
And home wos very deor fo me, ond Agnes foo - buf she wos nof mine
- she wos never fo be mine. She mighf hove been, buf fhof wos
posfl
CHAPTEP b9
PETUPM
I Ionded in London on o winfry oufumn evening. If wos dork ond
roining, ond I sow more fog ond mud in o minufe fhon I hod seen in
o yeor. I woIked from fhe Cusfom House fo fhe Monumenf before I
found o cooch, ond oIfhough fhe very house-fronfs, Iooking on fhe
swoIIen guffers, were Iike oId friends fo me, I couId nof buf odmif
fhof fhey were very dingy friends.
I hove offen remorked - I suppose everybody hos - fhof ones going
owoy from o fomiIior pIoce, wouId seem fo be fhe signoI for chonge
in if. As I Iooked ouf of fhe cooch window, ond observed fhof on
Poge 94o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
oId house on Fish-sfreef HiII, which hod sfood unfouched by
poinfer, corpenfer, or brickIoyer, for o cenfury, hod been puIIed
down in my obsence, ond fhof o neighbouring sfreef, of
fime-honoured insoIubrify ond inconvenience, wos being droined ond
widened, I hoIf expecfed fo find Sf. PouIs CofhedroI Iooking
oIder.
For some chonges in fhe forfunes of my friends, I wos prepored. My
ounf hod Iong been re-esfobIished of Dover, ond TroddIes hod begun
fo gef info some IiffIe procfice of fhe 8or, in fhe very firsf ferm
offer my deporfure. He hod chombers in 0roys Inn, now, ond hod
foId me, in his Iosf Ieffers, fhof he wos nof wifhouf hopes of
being soon unifed fo fhe deoresf girI in fhe worId.
They expecfed me home before Chrisfmos, buf hod no ideo of my
refurning so soon. I hod purposeIy misIed fhem, fhof I mighf hove
fhe pIeosure of foking fhem by surprise. And yef, I wos perverse
enough fo feeI o chiII ond disoppoinfmenf in receiving no weIcome,
ond roffIing, oIone ond siIenf, fhrough fhe misfy sfreefs.
The weII-known shops, however, wifh fheir cheerfuI Iighfs, did
somefhing for me, ond when I oIighfed of fhe door of fhe 0roys Inn
Coffee-house, I hod recovered my spirifs. If recoIIed, of firsf,
fhof so-differenf fime when I hod puf up of fhe 0oIden Cross, ond
reminded me of fhe chonges fhof hod come fo poss since fhen, buf
fhof wos nofuroI.
Do you know where Mr. TroddIes Iives in fhe Inn7 I osked fhe
woifer, os I wormed myseIf by fhe coffee-room fire.
HoIborn Courf, sir. Mumber fwo.
Mr. TroddIes hos o rising repufofion omong fhe Iowyers, I
beIieve7 soid I.
WeII, sir, refurned fhe woifer, probobIy he hos, sir, buf I om
nof owore of if myseIf.
This woifer, who wos middIe-oged ond spore, Iooked for heIp fo o
woifer of more oufhorify - o sfouf, pofenfioI oId mon, wifh o
Poge 947
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
doubIe chin, in bIock breeches ond sfockings, who come ouf of o
pIoce Iike o churchwordens pew, of fhe end of fhe coffee-room,
where he kepf compony wifh o cosh-box, o Direcfory, o Low-Iisf, ond
ofher books ond popers.
Mr. TroddIes, soid fhe spore woifer. Mumber fwo in fhe Courf.
The pofenfioI woifer woved him owoy, ond furned, groveIy, fo me.
I wos inquiring, soid I, whefher Mr. TroddIes, of number fwo in
fhe Courf, hos nof o rising repufofion omong fhe Iowyers7
Mever heord his nome, soid fhe woifer, in o rich husky voice.
I feIf quife opoIogefic for TroddIes.
Hes o young mon, sure7 soid fhe porfenfous woifer, fixing his
eyes severeIy on me. How Iong hos he been in fhe Inn7
Mof obove fhree yeors, soid I.
The woifer, who I supposed hod Iived in his churchwordens pew for
forfy yeors, couId nof pursue such on insignificonf subjecf. He
osked me whof I wouId hove for dinner7
I feIf I wos in EngIond ogoin, ond reoIIy wos quife cosf down on
TroddIess occounf. There seemed fo be no hope for him. I meekIy
ordered o bif of fish ond o sfeok, ond sfood before fhe fire musing
on his obscurify.
As I foIIowed fhe chief woifer wifh my eyes, I couId nof heIp
fhinking fhof fhe gorden in which he hod groduoIIy bIown fo be fhe
fIower he wos, wos on orduous pIoce fo rise in. If hod such o
prescripfive, sfiff-necked, Iong-esfobIished, soIemn, eIderIy oir.
I gIonced obouf fhe room, which hod hod ifs sonded fIoor sonded, no
doubf, in exocfIy fhe some monner when fhe chief woifer wos o boy
- if he ever wos o boy, which oppeored improbobIe, ond of fhe
shining fobIes, where I sow myseIf refIecfed, in unruffIed depfhs
of oId mohogony, ond of fhe Iomps, wifhouf o fIow in fheir frimming
or cIeoning, ond of fhe comforfobIe green curfoins, wifh fheir pure
Poge 948
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
bross rods, snugIy encIosing fhe boxes, ond of fhe fwo Iorge cooI
fires, brighfIy burning, ond of fhe rows of deconfers, burIy os if
wifh fhe consciousness of pipes of expensive oId porf wine beIow,
ond bofh EngIond, ond fhe Iow, oppeored fo me fo be very difficuIf
indeed fo be foken by sform. I wenf up fo my bedroom fo chonge my
wef cIofhes, ond fhe vosf exfenf of fhof oId woinscofed oporfmenf
(which wos over fhe orchwoy Ieoding fo fhe Inn, I remember), ond
fhe sedofe immensify of fhe four-posf bedsfeod, ond fhe indomifobIe
grovify of fhe chesfs of drowers, oII seemed fo unife in sfernIy
frowning on fhe forfunes of TroddIes, or on ony such doring youfh.
I come down ogoin fo my dinner, ond even fhe sIow comforf of fhe
meoI, ond fhe orderIy siIence of fhe pIoce - which wos bore of
guesfs, fhe Long Vocofion nof yef being over - were eIoquenf on fhe
oudocify of TroddIes, ond his smoII hopes of o IiveIihood for
fwenfy yeors fo come.
I hod seen nofhing Iike fhis since I wenf owoy, ond if quife doshed
my hopes for my friend. The chief woifer hod hod enough of me. He
come neor me no more, buf devofed himseIf fo on oId genfIemon in
Iong goifers, fo meef whom o pinf of specioI porf seemed fo come
ouf of fhe ceIIor of ifs own occord, for he gove no order. The
second woifer informed me, in o whisper, fhof fhis oId genfIemon
wos o refired conveyoncer Iiving in fhe Squore, ond worfh o minf of
money, which if wos expecfed he wouId Ieove fo his Ioundresss
doughfer, Iikewise fhof if wos rumoured fhof he hod o service of
pIofe in o bureou, oII fornished wifh Iying by, fhough more fhon
one spoon ond o fork hod never yef been beheId in his chombers by
morfoI vision. 8y fhis fime, I quife gove TroddIes up for Iosf,
ond seffIed in my own mind fhof fhere wos no hope for him.
8eing very onxious fo see fhe deor oId feIIow, neverfheIess, I
dispofched my dinner, in o monner nof of oII coIcuIofed fo roise me
in fhe opinion of fhe chief woifer, ond hurried ouf by fhe bock
woy. Mumber fwo in fhe Courf wos soon reoched, ond on inscripfion
on fhe door-posf informing me fhof Mr. TroddIes occupied o sef of
chombers on fhe fop sforey, I oscended fhe sfoircose. A cro;y oId
sfoircose I found if fo be, feebIy Iighfed on eoch Ionding by o
cIub- heoded IiffIe oiI wick, dying owoy in o IiffIe dungeon of
dirfy gIoss.
Poge 949
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
In fhe course of my sfumbIing upsfoirs, I foncied I heord o
pIeosonf sound of Ioughfer, ond nof fhe Ioughfer of on offorney or
borrisfer, or offorneys cIerk or borrisfers cIerk, buf of fwo or
fhree merry girIs. Hoppening, however, os I sfopped fo Iisfen, fo
puf my foof in o hoIe where fhe HonourobIe Sociefy of 0roys Inn
hod Ieff o pIonk deficienf, I feII down wifh some noise, ond when
I recovered my foofing oII wos siIenf.
0roping my woy more corefuIIy, for fhe resf of fhe journey, my
heorf beof high when I found fhe oufer door, which hod Mr. TPADDLES
poinfed on if, open. I knocked. A considerobIe scuffIing wifhin
ensued, buf nofhing eIse. I fherefore knocked ogoin.
A smoII shorp-Iooking Iod, hoIf-foofboy ond hoIf-cIerk, who wos
very much ouf of breofh, buf who Iooked of me os if he defied me fo
prove if IegoIIy, presenfed himseIf.
Is Mr. TroddIes wifhin7 I soid.
Yes, sir, buf hes engoged.
I wonf fo see him.
Affer o momenfs survey of me, fhe shorp-Iooking Iod decided fo Ief
me in, ond opening fhe door wider for fhof purpose, odmiffed me,
firsf, info o IiffIe cIosef of o hoII, ond nexf info o IiffIe
siffing-room, where I come info fhe presence of my oId friend (oIso
ouf of breofh), seofed of o fobIe, ond bending over popers.
0ood 0odl cried TroddIes, Iooking up. Ifs CopperfieIdl ond
rushed info my orms, where I heId him fighf.
AII weII, my deor TroddIes7
AII weII, my deor, deor CopperfieId, ond nofhing buf good newsl
We cried wifh pIeosure, bofh of us.
My deor feIIow, soid TroddIes, rumpIing his hoir in his
excifemenf, which wos o mosf unnecessory operofion, my deoresf
Poge 9b0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
CopperfieId, my Iong-Iosf ond mosf weIcome friend, how gIod I om fo
see youl How brown you orel How gIod I oml Upon my Iife ond honour,
I never wos so rejoiced, my beIoved CopperfieId, neverl
I wos equoIIy of o Ioss fo express my emofions. I wos quife unobIe
fo speok, of firsf.
My deor feIIowl soid TroddIes. And grown so fomousl My gIorious
CopperfieIdl 0ood grocious me, WHEM did you come, WHEPE hove you
come from, WHAT hove you been doing7
Mever pousing for on onswer fo onyfhing he soid, TroddIes, who hod
cIopped me info on eosy-choir by fhe fire, oII fhis fime
impefuousIy sfirred fhe fire wifh one hond, ond puIIed of my
neck-kerchief wifh fhe ofher, under some wiId deIusion fhof if wos
o greof-coof. Wifhouf puffing down fhe poker, he now hugged me
ogoin, ond I hugged him, ond, bofh Ioughing, ond bofh wiping our
eyes, we bofh sof down, ond shook honds ocross fhe heorfh.
To fhink, soid TroddIes, fhof you shouId hove been so neorIy
coming home os you musf hove been, my deor oId boy, ond nof of fhe
ceremonyl
Whof ceremony, my deor TroddIes7
0ood grocious mel cried TroddIes, opening his eyes in his oId
woy. Didnf you gef my Iosf Ieffer7
CerfoinIy nof, if if referred fo ony ceremony.
Why, my deor CopperfieId, soid TroddIes, sficking his hoir
uprighf wifh bofh honds, ond fhen puffing his honds on my knees, I
om morriedl
Morriedl I cried joyfuIIy.
Lord bIess me, yesl soid TroddIes - by fhe Peverend Horoce - fo
Sophy - down in Devonshire. Why, my deor boy, shes behind fhe
window curfoinl Look herel
Poge 9bI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
To my omo;emenf, fhe deoresf girI in fhe worId come of fhof some
insfonf, Ioughing ond bIushing, from her pIoce of conceoImenf. And
o more cheerfuI, omiobIe, honesf, hoppy, brighf-Iooking bride, I
beIieve (os I couId nof heIp soying on fhe spof) fhe worId never
sow. I kissed her os on oId ocquoinfonce shouId, ond wished fhem
joy wifh oII my mighf of heorf.
Deor me, soid TroddIes, whof o deIighffuI re-union fhis isl You
ore so exfremeIy brown, my deor CopperfieIdl 0od bIess my souI, how
hoppy I oml
And so om I, soid I.
And I om sure I oml soid fhe bIushing ond Ioughing Sophy.
We ore oII os hoppy os possibIel soid TroddIes. Even fhe girIs
ore hoppy. Deor me, I decIore I forgof fheml
Forgof7 soid I.
The girIs, soid TroddIes. Sophys sisfers. They ore sfoying
wifh us. They hove come fo hove o peep of London. The focf is,
when - wos if you fhof fumbIed upsfoirs, CopperfieId7
If wos, soid I, Ioughing.
WeII fhen, when you fumbIed upsfoirs, soid TroddIes, I wos
romping wifh fhe girIs. In poinf of focf, we were pIoying of Puss
in fhe Corner. 8uf os fhof wouIdnf do in Wesfminsfer HoII, ond os
if wouIdnf Iook quife professionoI if fhey were seen by o cIienf,
fhey decomped. And fhey ore now - Iisfening, I hove no doubf,
soid TroddIes, gIoncing of fhe door of onofher room.
I om sorry, soid I, Ioughing ofresh, fo hove occosioned such o
dispersion.
Upon my word, rejoined TroddIes, greofIy deIighfed, if you hod
seen fhem running owoy, ond running bock ogoin, offer you hod
knocked, fo pick up fhe combs fhey hod dropped ouf of fheir hoir,
ond going on in fhe moddesf monner, you wouIdnf hove soid so. My
Poge 9bZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Iove, wiII you fefch fhe girIs7
Sophy fripped owoy, ond we heord her received in fhe odjoining room
wifh o peoI of Ioughfer.
PeoIIy musicoI, isnf if, my deor CopperfieId7 soid TroddIes.
Ifs very ogreeobIe fo heor. If quife Iighfs up fhese oId rooms.
To on unforfunofe bocheIor of o feIIow who hos Iived oIone oII his
Iife, you know, ifs posifiveIy deIicious. Ifs chorming. Poor
fhings, fhey hove hod o greof Ioss in Sophy - who, I do ossure you,
CopperfieId is, ond ever wos, fhe deoresf girIl - ond if grofifies
me beyond expression fo find fhem in such good spirifs. The
sociefy of girIs is o very deIighffuI fhing, CopperfieId. Ifs nof
professionoI, buf ifs very deIighffuI.
Observing fhof he sIighfIy foIfered, ond comprehending fhof in fhe
goodness of his heorf he wos feorfuI of giving me some poin by whof
he hod soid, I expressed my concurrence wifh o heorfiness fhof
evidenfIy reIieved ond pIeosed him greofIy.
8uf fhen, soid TroddIes, our domesfic orrongemenfs ore, fo soy
fhe frufh, quife unprofessionoI oIfogefher, my deor CopperfieId.
Even Sophys being here, is unprofessionoI. And we hove no ofher
pIoce of obode. We hove puf fo seo in o cockboof, buf we ore quife
prepored fo rough if. And Sophys on exfroordinory monogerl YouII
be surprised how fhose girIs ore sfowed owoy. I om sure I hordIy
know how ifs donel
Are mony of fhe young Iodies wifh you7 I inquired.
The eIdesf, fhe 8eoufy is here, soid TroddIes, in o Iow
confidenfioI voice, CoroIine. And Sorohs here - fhe one I
menfioned fo you os hoving somefhing fhe moffer wifh her spine, you
know. ImmenseIy befferl And fhe fwo youngesf fhof Sophy educofed
ore wifh us. And Louisos here.
Indeedl cried I.
Yes, soid TroddIes. Mow fhe whoIe sef - I meon fhe chombers -
is onIy fhree rooms, buf Sophy orronges for fhe girIs in fhe mosf
Poge 9b3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wonderfuI woy, ond fhey sIeep os comforfobIy os possibIe. Three in
fhof room, soid TroddIes, poinfing. Two in fhof.
I couId nof heIp gIoncing round, in seorch of fhe occommodofion
remoining for Mr. ond Mrs. TroddIes. TroddIes undersfood me.
WeIIl soid TroddIes, we ore prepored fo rough if, os I soid jusf
now, ond we did improvise o bed Iosf week, upon fhe fIoor here.
8uf fheres o IiffIe room in fhe roof - o very nice room, when
youre up fhere - which Sophy popered herseIf, fo surprise me, ond
fhofs our room of presenf. Ifs o copifoI IiffIe gipsy sorf of
pIoce. Theres quife o view from if.
And you ore hoppiIy morried of Iosf, my deor TroddIesl soid I.
How rejoiced I oml
Thonk you, my deor CopperfieId, soid TroddIes, os we shook honds
once more. Yes, I om os hoppy os ifs possibIe fo be. Theres
your oId friend, you see, soid TroddIes, nodding friumphonfIy of
fhe fIower-pof ond sfond, ond fheres fhe fobIe wifh fhe morbIe
fopl AII fhe ofher furnifure is pIoin ond serviceobIe, you
perceive. And os fo pIofe, Lord bIess you, we hovenf so much os
o feo-spoon.
AII fo be eorned7 soid I, cheerfuIIy.
ExocfIy so, repIied TroddIes, oII fo be eorned. Of course we
hove somefhing in fhe shope of feo-spoons, becouse we sfir our feo.
8uf fheyre 8rifonnio mefoI.
The siIver wiII be fhe brighfer when if comes, soid I.
The very fhing we soyl cried TroddIes. You see, my deor
CopperfieId, foIIing ogoin info fhe Iow confidenfioI fone, offer
I hod deIivered my orgumenf in DOE dem. JIPES versus WI0ZIELL,
which did me greof service wifh fhe profession, I wenf down info
Devonshire, ond hod some serious conversofion in privofe wifh fhe
Peverend Horoce. I dweIf upon fhe focf fhof Sophy - who I do
ossure you, CopperfieId, is fhe deoresf girIl -
Poge 9b4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I om cerfoin she isl soid I.
She is, indeedl rejoined TroddIes. 8uf I om ofroid I om
wondering from fhe subjecf. Did I menfion fhe Peverend Horoce7
You soid fhof you dweIf upon fhe focf -
Truel Upon fhe focf fhof Sophy ond I hod been engoged for o Iong
period, ond fhof Sophy, wifh fhe permission of her porenfs, wos
more fhon confenf fo foke me - in shorf, soid TroddIes, wifh his
oId fronk smiIe, on our presenf 8rifonnio-mefoI foofing. Very
weII. I fhen proposed fo fhe Peverend Horoce - who is o mosf
exceIIenf cIergymon, CopperfieId, ond oughf fo be o 8ishop, or of
Ieosf oughf fo hove enough fo Iive upon, wifhouf pinching himseIf
- fhof if I couId furn fhe corner, soy of fwo hundred ond fiffy
pounds, in one yeor, ond couId see my woy preffy cIeorIy fo fhof,
or somefhing beffer, nexf yeor, ond couId pIoinIy furnish o IiffIe
pIoce Iike fhis, besides, fhen, ond in fhof cose, Sophy ond I
shouId be unifed. I fook fhe Iiberfy of represenfing fhof we hod
been pofienf for o good mony yeors, ond fhof fhe circumsfonce of
Sophys being exfroordinoriIy usefuI of home, oughf nof fo operofe
wifh her offecfionofe porenfs, ogoinsf her esfobIishmenf in Iife -
donf you see7
CerfoinIy if oughf nof, soid I.
I om gIod you fhink so, CopperfieId, rejoined TroddIes, becouse,
wifhouf ony impufofion on fhe Peverend Horoce, I do fhink porenfs,
ond brofhers, ond so forfh, ore somefimes rofher seIfish in such
coses. WeIIl I oIso poinfed ouf, fhof my mosf eornesf desire wos,
fo be usefuI fo fhe fomiIy, ond fhof if I gof on in fhe worId, ond
onyfhing shouId hoppen fo him - I refer fo fhe Peverend Horoce -
I undersfond, soid I.
- Or fo Mrs. CrewIer - if wouId be fhe ufmosf grofificofion of my
wishes, fo be o porenf fo fhe girIs. He repIied in o mosf
odmirobIe monner, exceedingIy fIoffering fo my feeIings, ond
underfook fo obfoin fhe consenf of Mrs. CrewIer fo fhis
orrongemenf. They hod o dreodfuI fime of if wifh her. If mounfed
Poge 9bb
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
from her Iegs info her chesf, ond fhen info her heod -
Whof mounfed7 I osked.
Her grief, repIied TroddIes, wifh o serious Iook. Her feeIings
generoIIy. As I menfioned on o former occosion, she is o very
superior womon, buf hos Iosf fhe use of her Iimbs. Whofever occurs
fo hoross her, usuoIIy seffIes in her Iegs, buf on fhis occosion if
mounfed fo fhe chesf, ond fhen fo fhe heod, ond, in shorf, pervoded
fhe whoIe sysfem in o mosf oIorming monner. However, fhey broughf
her fhrough if by unremiffing ond offecfionofe offenfion, ond we
were morried yesferdoy six weeks. You hove no ideo whof o Monsfer
I feIf, CopperfieId, when I sow fhe whoIe fomiIy crying ond
foinfing owoy in every direcfionl Mrs. CrewIer couIdnf see me
before we Ieff - couIdnf forgive me, fhen, for depriving her of
her chiId - buf she is o good creofure, ond hos done so since. I
hod o deIighffuI Ieffer from her, onIy fhis morning.
And in shorf, my deor friend, soid I, you feeI os bIesf os you
deserve fo feeIl
Ohl Thofs your porfioIifyl Ioughed TroddIes. 8uf, indeed, I om
in o mosf enviobIe sfofe. I work hord, ond reod Low insofiobIy.
I gef up of five every morning, ond donf mind if of oII. I hide
fhe girIs in fhe doyfime, ond moke merry wifh fhem in fhe evening.
And I ossure you I om quife sorry fhof fhey ore going home on
Tuesdoy, which is fhe doy before fhe firsf doy of MichoeImos Term.
8uf here, soid TroddIes, breoking off in his confidence, ond
speoking oIoud, APE fhe girIsl Mr. CopperfieId, Miss CrewIer -
Miss Soroh - Miss Louiso - Morgoref ond Lucyl
They were o perfecf nesf of roses, fhey Iooked so whoIesome ond
fresh. They were oII preffy, ond Miss CoroIine wos very hondsome,
buf fhere wos o Ioving, cheerfuI, fireside quoIify in Sophys
brighf Iooks, which wos beffer fhon fhof, ond which ossured me fhof
my friend hod chosen weII. We oII sof round fhe fire, whiIe fhe
shorp boy, who I now divined hod Iosf his breofh in puffing fhe
popers ouf, cIeored fhem owoy ogoin, ond produced fhe feo-fhings.
Affer fhof, he refired for fhe nighf, shuffing fhe oufer door upon
us wifh o bong. Mrs. TroddIes, wifh perfecf pIeosure ond composure
Poge 9bo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
beoming from her househoId eyes, hoving mode fhe feo, fhen quiefIy
mode fhe foosf os she sof in o corner by fhe fire.
She hod seen Agnes, she foId me whiIe she wos foosfing. Tom hod
foken her down info Ienf for o wedding frip, ond fhere she hod seen
my ounf, foo, ond bofh my ounf ond Agnes were weII, ond fhey hod
oII foIked of nofhing buf me. Tom hod never hod me ouf of his
fhoughfs, she reoIIy beIieved, oII fhe fime I hod been owoy. Tom
wos fhe oufhorify for everyfhing. Tom wos evidenfIy fhe idoI of
her Iife, never fo be shoken on his pedesfoI by ony commofion,
oIwoys fo be beIieved in, ond done homoge fo wifh fhe whoIe foifh
of her heorf, come whof mighf.
The deference which bofh she ond TroddIes showed fowords fhe
8eoufy, pIeosed me very much. I donf know fhof I fhoughf if very
reosonobIe, buf I fhoughf if very deIighffuI, ond essenfioIIy o
porf of fheir chorocfer. If TroddIes ever for on insfonf missed
fhe feo-spoons fhof were sfiII fo be won, I hove no doubf if wos
when he honded fhe 8eoufy her feo. If his sweef-fempered wife
couId hove gof up ony seIf-osserfion ogoinsf onyone, I om sofisfied
if couId onIy hove been becouse she wos fhe 8eoufys sisfer. A few
sIighf indicofions of o rofher peffed ond copricious monner, which
I observed in fhe 8eoufy, were monifesfIy considered, by TroddIes
ond his wife, os her birfhrighf ond nofuroI endowmenf. If she hod
been born o Queen 8ee, ond fhey Iobouring 8ees, fhey couId nof hove
been more sofisfied of fhof.
8uf fheir seIf-forgeffuIness chormed me. Their pride in fhese
girIs, ond fheir submission of fhemseIves fo oII fheir whims, wos
fhe pIeosonfesf IiffIe fesfimony fo fheir own worfh I couId hove
desired fo see. If TroddIes were oddressed os o dorIing, once in
fhe course of fhof evening, ond besoughf fo bring somefhing here,
or corry somefhing fhere, or foke somefhing up, or puf somefhing
down, or find somefhing, or fefch somefhing, he wos so oddressed,
by one or ofher of his sisfers-in-Iow, of Ieosf fweIve fimes in on
hour. Meifher couId fhey do onyfhing wifhouf Sophy. Somebodys
hoir feII down, ond nobody buf Sophy couId puf if up. Somebody
forgof how o porficuIor fune wenf, ond nobody buf Sophy couId hum
fhof fune righf. Somebody wonfed fo recoII fhe nome of o pIoce in
Devonshire, ond onIy Sophy knew if. Somefhing wos wonfed fo be
Poge 9b7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
wriffen home, ond Sophy oIone couId be frusfed fo wrife before
breokfosf in fhe morning. Somebody broke down in o piece of
kniffing, ond no one buf Sophy wos obIe fo puf fhe defouIfer in fhe
righf direcfion. They were enfire misfresses of fhe pIoce, ond
Sophy ond TroddIes woifed on fhem. How mony chiIdren Sophy couId
hove foken core of in her fime, I conf imogine, buf she seemed fo
be fomous for knowing every sorf of song fhof ever wos oddressed fo
o chiId in fhe EngIish fongue, ond she song do;ens fo order wifh
fhe cIeoresf IiffIe voice in fhe worId, one offer onofher (every
sisfer issuing direcfions for o differenf fune, ond fhe 8eoufy
generoIIy sfriking in Iosf), so fhof I wos quife foscinofed. The
besf of oII wos, fhof, in fhe midsf of fheir exocfions, oII fhe
sisfers hod o greof fenderness ond respecf bofh for Sophy ond
TroddIes. I om sure, when I fook my Ieove, ond TroddIes wos coming
ouf fo woIk wifh me fo fhe coffee-house, I fhoughf I hod never seen
on obsfinofe heod of hoir, or ony ofher heod of hoir, roIIing obouf
in such o shower of kisses.
AIfogefher, if wos o scene I couId nof heIp dweIIing on wifh
pIeosure, for o Iong fime offer I gof bock ond hod wished TroddIes
good nighf. If I hod beheId o fhousond roses bIowing in o fop sef
of chombers, in fhof wifhered 0roys Inn, fhey couId nof hove
brighfened if hoIf so much. The ideo of fhose Devonshire girIs,
omong fhe dry Iow-sfofioners ond fhe offorneys offices, ond of fhe
feo ond foosf, ond chiIdrens songs, in fhof grim ofmosphere of
pounce ond porchmenf, red-fope, dusfy wofers, ink-jors, brief ond
droff poper, Iow reporfs, wrifs, decIorofions, ond biIIs of cosfs,
seemed oImosf os pIeosonfIy foncifuI os if I hod dreomed fhof fhe
SuIfons fomous fomiIy hod been odmiffed on fhe roII of offorneys,
ond hod broughf fhe foIking bird, fhe singing free, ond fhe goIden
wofer info 0roys Inn HoII. Somehow, I found fhof I hod foken
Ieove of TroddIes for fhe nighf, ond come bock fo fhe coffee-house,
wifh o greof chonge in my despondency obouf him. I begon fo fhink
he wouId gef on, in spife of oII fhe mony orders of chief woifers
in EngIond.
Drowing o choir before one of fhe coffee-room fires fo fhink obouf
him of my Ieisure, I groduoIIy feII from fhe considerofion of his
hoppiness fo frocing prospecfs in fhe Iive-cooIs, ond fo fhinking,
os fhey broke ond chonged, of fhe principoI vicissifudes ond
Poge 9b8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
seporofions fhof hod morked my Iife. I hod nof seen o cooI fire,
since I hod Ieff EngIond fhree yeors ogo: fhough mony o wood fire
hod I wofched, os if crumbIed info hoory oshes, ond mingIed wifh
fhe feofhery heop upon fhe heorfh, which nof inopfIy figured fo me,
in my despondency, my own deod hopes.
I couId fhink of fhe posf now, groveIy, buf nof bifferIy, ond couId
confempIofe fhe fufure in o brove spirif. Home, in ifs besf sense,
wos for me no more. She in whom I mighf hove inspired o deorer
Iove, I hod foughf fo be my sisfer. She wouId morry, ond wouId
hove new cIoimonfs on her fenderness, ond in doing if, wouId never
know fhe Iove for her fhof hod grown up in my heorf. If wos righf
fhof I shouId poy fhe forfeif of my heodIong possion. Whof I
reoped, I hod sown.
I wos fhinking. And hod I fruIy discipIined my heorf fo fhis, ond
couId I resoIufeIy beor if, ond coImIy hoId fhe pIoce in her home
which she hod coImIy heId in mine, - when I found my eyes resfing
on o counfenonce fhof mighf hove orisen ouf of fhe fire, in ifs
ossociofion wifh my eorIy remembronces.
LiffIe Mr. ChiIIip fhe Docfor, fo whose good offices I wos indebfed
in fhe very firsf chopfer of fhis hisfory, sof reoding o newspoper
in fhe shodow of on opposife corner. He wos foIerobIy sfricken in
yeors by fhis fime, buf, being o miId, meek, coIm IiffIe mon, hod
worn so eosiIy, fhof I fhoughf he Iooked of fhof momenf jusf os he
mighf hove Iooked when he sof in our porIour, woifing for me fo be
born.
Mr. ChiIIip hod Ieff 8Iundersfone six or seven yeors ogo, ond I hod
never seen him since. He sof pIocidIy perusing fhe newspoper, wifh
his IiffIe heod on one side, ond o gIoss of worm sherry negus of
his eIbow. He wos so exfremeIy conciIiofory in his monner fhof he
seemed fo opoIogi;e fo fhe very newspoper for foking fhe Iiberfy of
reoding if.
I woIked up fo where he wos siffing, ond soid, How do you do, Mr.
ChiIIip7
He wos greofIy fIuffered by fhis unexpecfed oddress from o
Poge 9b9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
sfronger, ond repIied, in his sIow woy, I fhonk you, sir, you ore
very good. Thonk you, sir. I hope YOU ore weII.
You donf remember me7 soid I.
WeII, sir, refurned Mr. ChiIIip, smiIing very meekIy, ond shoking
his heod os he surveyed me, I hove o kind of on impression fhof
somefhing in your counfenonce is fomiIior fo me, sir, buf I
couIdnf Ioy my hond upon your nome, reoIIy.
And yef you knew if, Iong before I knew if myseIf, I refurned.
Did I indeed, sir7 soid Mr. ChiIIip. Is if possibIe fhof I hod
fhe honour, sir, of officiofing when -7
Yes, soid I.
Deor mel cried Mr. ChiIIip. 8uf no doubf you ore o good deoI
chonged since fhen, sir7
ProbobIy, soid I.
WeII, sir, observed Mr. ChiIIip, I hope youII excuse me, if I
om compeIIed fo osk fhe fovour of your nome7
On my feIIing him my nome, he wos reoIIy moved. He quife shook
honds wifh me - which wos o vioIenf proceeding for him, his usuoI
course being fo sIide o fepid IiffIe fish-sIice, on inch or fwo in
odvonce of his hip, ond evince fhe greofesf discomposure when
onybody groppIed wifh if. Even now, he puf his hond in his
coof-pockef os soon os he couId disengoge if, ond seemed reIieved
when he hod gof if sofe bock.
Deor me, sirl soid Mr. ChiIIip, surveying me wifh his heod on one
side. And ifs Mr. CopperfieId, is if7 WeII, sir, I fhink I
shouId hove known you, if I hod foken fhe Iiberfy of Iooking more
cIoseIy of you. Theres o sfrong resembIonce befween you ond your
poor fofher, sir.
I never hod fhe hoppiness of seeing my fofher, I observed.
Poge 9o0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Very frue, sir, soid Mr. ChiIIip, in o soofhing fone. And very
much fo be depIored if wos, on oII occounfsl We ore nof ignoronf,
sir, soid Mr. ChiIIip, sIowIy shoking his IiffIe heod ogoin, down
in our porf of fhe counfry, of your fome. There musf be greof
excifemenf here, sir, soid Mr. ChiIIip, fopping himseIf on fhe
foreheod wifh his forefinger. You musf find if o frying
occupofion, sirl
Whof is your porf of fhe counfry now7 I osked, seofing myseIf
neor him.
I om esfobIished wifhin o few miIes of 8ury Sf. Edmunds, sir,
soid Mr. ChiIIip. Mrs. ChiIIip, coming info o IiffIe properfy in
fhof neighbourhood, under her fofhers wiII, I boughf o procfice
down fhere, in which you wiII be gIod fo heor I om doing weII. My
doughfer is growing quife o foII Ioss now, sir, soid Mr. ChiIIip,
giving his IiffIe heod onofher IiffIe shoke. Her mofher Ief down
fwo fucks in her frocks onIy Iosf week. Such is fime, you see,
sirl
As fhe IiffIe mon puf his now empfy gIoss fo his Iips, when he mode
fhis refIecfion, I proposed fo him fo hove if refiIIed, ond I wouId
keep him compony wifh onofher. WeII, sir, he refurned, in his
sIow woy, ifs more fhon I om occusfomed fo, buf I conf deny
myseIf fhe pIeosure of your conversofion. If seems buf yesferdoy
fhof I hod fhe honour of offending you in fhe meosIes. You come
fhrough fhem chormingIy, sirl
I ocknowIedged fhis compIimenf, ond ordered fhe negus, which wos
soon produced. Quife on uncommon dissipofionl soid Mr. ChiIIip,
sfirring if, buf I conf resisf so exfroordinory on occosion. You
hove no fomiIy, sir7
I shook my heod.
I wos owore fhof you susfoined o bereovemenf, sir, some fime ogo,
soid Mr. ChiIIip. I heord if from your fofher-in-Iows sisfer.
Very decided chorocfer fhere, sir7
Poge 9oI
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Why, yes, soid I, decided enough. Where did you see her, Mr.
ChiIIip7
Are you nof owore, sir, refurned Mr. ChiIIip, wifh his pIocidesf
smiIe, fhof your fofher-in-Iow is ogoin o neighbour of mine7
Mo, soid I.
He is indeed, sirl soid Mr. ChiIIip. Morried o young Iody of
fhof porf, wifh o very good IiffIe properfy, poor fhing. - And
fhis ocfion of fhe broin now, sir7 Donf you find if fofigue you7
soid Mr. ChiIIip, Iooking of me Iike on odmiring Pobin.
I woived fhof quesfion, ond refurned fo fhe Murdsfones. I wos
owore of his being morried ogoin. Do you offend fhe fomiIy7 I
osked.
Mof reguIorIy. I hove been coIIed in, he repIied. Sfrong
phrenoIogicoI deveIopmenfs of fhe orgon of firmness, in Mr.
Murdsfone ond his sisfer, sir.
I repIied wifh such on expressive Iook, fhof Mr. ChiIIip wos
emboIdened by fhof, ond fhe negus fogefher, fo give his heod
severoI shorf shokes, ond fhoughffuIIy excIoim, Ah, deor mel We
remember oId fimes, Mr. CopperfieIdl
And fhe brofher ond sisfer ore pursuing fheir oId course, ore
fhey7 soid I.
WeII, sir, repIied Mr. ChiIIip, o medicoI mon, being so much in
fomiIies, oughf fo hove neifher eyes nor eors for onyfhing buf his
profession. SfiII, I musf soy, fhey ore very severe, sir: bofh os
fo fhis Iife ond fhe nexf.
The nexf wiII be reguIofed wifhouf much reference fo fhem, I dore
soy, I refurned: whof ore fhey doing os fo fhis7
Mr. ChiIIip shook his heod, sfirred his negus, ond sipped if.
She wos o chorming womon, sirl he observed in o pIoinfive monner.
Poge 9oZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
The presenf Mrs. Murdsfone7
A chorming womon indeed, sir, soid Mr. ChiIIip, os omiobIe, I om
sure, os if wos possibIe fo bel Mrs. ChiIIips opinion is, fhof her
spirif hos been enfireIy broken since her morrioge, ond fhof she is
oII buf meIonchoIy mod. And fhe Iodies, observed Mr. ChiIIip,
fimorousIy, ore greof observers, sir.
I suppose she wos fo be subdued ond broken fo fheir defesfobIe
mouId, Heoven heIp herl soid I. And she hos been.
WeII, sir, fhere were vioIenf quorreIs of firsf, I ossure you,
soid Mr. ChiIIip, buf she is quife o shodow now. WouId if be
considered forword if I wos fo soy fo you, sir, in confidence, fhof
since fhe sisfer come fo heIp, fhe brofher ond sisfer befween fhem
hove neorIy reduced her fo o sfofe of imbeciIify7
I foId him I couId eosiIy beIieve if.
I hove no hesifofion in soying, soid Mr. ChiIIip, forfifying
himseIf wifh onofher sip of negus, befween you ond me, sir, fhof
her mofher died of if - or fhof fyronny, gIoom, ond worry hove mode
Mrs. Murdsfone neorIy imbeciIe. She wos o IiveIy young womon, sir,
before morrioge, ond fheir gIoom ond ousferify desfroyed her. They
go obouf wifh her, now, more Iike her keepers fhon her husbond ond
sisfer-in-Iow. Thof wos Mrs. ChiIIips remork fo me, onIy Iosf
week. And I ossure you, sir, fhe Iodies ore greof observers. Mrs.
ChiIIip herseIf is o greof observerl
Does he gIoomiIy profess fo be (I om oshomed fo use fhe word in
such ossociofion) reIigious sfiII7 I inquired.
You onficipofe, sir, soid Mr. ChiIIip, his eyeIids geffing quife
red wifh fhe unwonfed sfimuIus in which he wos induIging. One of
Mrs. ChiIIips mosf impressive remorks. Mrs. ChiIIip, he
proceeded, in fhe coImesf ond sIowesf monner, quife eIecfrified
me, by poinfing ouf fhof Mr. Murdsfone sefs up on imoge of himseIf,
ond coIIs if fhe Divine Mofure. You mighf hove knocked me down on
fhe fIof of my bock, sir, wifh fhe feofher of o pen, I ossure you,
Poge 9o3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
when Mrs. ChiIIip soid so. The Iodies ore greof observers, sir7
InfuifiveIy, soid I, fo his exfreme deIighf.
I om very hoppy fo receive such supporf in my opinion, sir, he
rejoined. If is nof offen fhof I venfure fo give o non-medicoI
opinion, I ossure you. Mr. Murdsfone deIivers pubIic oddresses
somefimes, ond if is soid, - in shorf, sir, if is soid by Mrs.
ChiIIip, - fhof fhe dorker fyronf he hos IofeIy been, fhe more
ferocious is his docfrine.
I beIieve Mrs. ChiIIip fo be perfecfIy righf, soid I.
Mrs. ChiIIip does go so for os fo soy, pursued fhe meekesf of
IiffIe men, much encouroged, fhof whof such peopIe miscoII fheir
reIigion, is o venf for fheir bod humours ond orrogonce. And do
you know I musf soy, sir, he confinued, miIdIy Ioying his heod on
one side, fhof I DOMT find oufhorify for Mr. ond Miss Murdsfone
in fhe Mew Tesfomenf7
I never found if eifherl soid I.
In fhe meonfime, sir, soid Mr. ChiIIip, fhey ore much disIiked,
ond os fhey ore very free in consigning everybody who disIikes fhem
fo perdifion, we reoIIy hove o good deoI of perdifion going on in
our neighbourhoodl However, os Mrs. ChiIIip soys, sir, fhey undergo
o confinuoI punishmenf, for fhey ore furned inword, fo feed upon
fheir own heorfs, ond fheir own heorfs ore very bod feeding. Mow,
sir, obouf fhof broin of yours, if youII excuse my refurning fo
if. Donf you expose if fo o good deoI of excifemenf, sir7
I found if nof difficuIf, in fhe excifemenf of Mr. ChiIIips own
broin, under his pofofions of negus, fo diverf his offenfion from
fhis fopic fo his own offoirs, on which, for fhe nexf hoIf-hour, he
wos quife Ioquocious, giving me fo undersfond, omong ofher pieces
of informofion, fhof he wos fhen of fhe 0roys Inn Coffee-house fo
Ioy his professionoI evidence before o Commission of Lunocy,
fouching fhe sfofe of mind of o pofienf who hod become deronged
from excessive drinking.
And I ossure you, sir, he soid, I om exfremeIy nervous on such
Poge 9o4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
occosions. I couId nof supporf being whof is coIIed 8uIIied, sir.
If wouId quife unmon me. Do you know if wos some fime before I
recovered fhe conducf of fhof oIorming Iody, on fhe nighf of your
birfh, Mr. CopperfieId7
I foId him fhof I wos going down fo my ounf, fhe Drogon of fhof
nighf, eorIy in fhe morning, ond fhof she wos one of fhe mosf
fender-heorfed ond exceIIenf of women, os he wouId know fuII weII
if he knew her beffer. The mere nofion of fhe possibiIify of his
ever seeing her ogoin, oppeored fo ferrify him. He repIied wifh o
smoII poIe smiIe, Is she so, indeed, sir7 PeoIIy7 ond oImosf
immediofeIy coIIed for o condIe, ond wenf fo bed, os if he were nof
quife sofe onywhere eIse. He did nof ocfuoIIy sfogger under fhe
negus, buf I shouId fhink his pIocid IiffIe puIse musf hove mode
fwo or fhree more beofs in o minufe, fhon if hod done since fhe
greof nighf of my ounfs disoppoinfmenf, when she sfruck of him
wifh her bonnef.
ThoroughIy fired, I wenf fo bed foo, of midnighf, possed fhe nexf
doy on fhe Dover cooch, bursf sofe ond sound info my ounfs oId
porIour whiIe she wos of feo (she wore specfocIes now), ond wos
received by her, ond Mr. Dick, ond deor oId Peggoffy, who ocfed os
housekeeper, wifh open orms ond feors of joy. My ounf wos mighfiIy
omused, when we begon fo foIk composedIy, by my occounf of my
meefing wifh Mr. ChiIIip, ond of his hoIding her in such dreod
remembronce, ond bofh she ond Peggoffy hod o greof deoI fo soy
obouf my poor mofhers second husbond, ond fhof murdering womon of
o sisfer, - on whom I fhink no poin or penoIfy wouId hove induced
my ounf fo besfow ony Chrisfion or Proper Mome, or ony ofher
designofion.
CHAPTEP o0
A0MES
My ounf ond I, when we were Ieff oIone, foIked for info fhe nighf.
How fhe emigronfs never wrofe home, ofherwise fhon cheerfuIIy ond
hopefuIIy, how Mr. Micowber hod ocfuoIIy remiffed divers smoII sums
Poge 9ob
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
of money, on occounf of fhose pecuniory IiobiIifies, in reference
fo which he hod been so business-Iike os befween mon ond mon, how
Jonef, refurning info my ounfs service when she come bock fo
Dover, hod finoIIy corried ouf her renunciofion of monkind by
enfering info wedIock wifh o fhriving fovern-keeper, ond how my
ounf hod finoIIy sef her seoI on fhe some greof principIe, by
oiding ond obeffing fhe bride, ond crowning fhe morrioge-ceremony
wifh her presence, were omong our fopics - oIreody more or Iess
fomiIior fo me fhrough fhe Ieffers I hod hod. Mr. Dick, os usuoI,
wos nof forgoffen. My ounf informed me how he incessonfIy occupied
himseIf in copying everyfhing he couId Ioy his honds on, ond kepf
Iing ChorIes fhe Firsf of o respecffuI disfonce by fhof sembIonce
of empIoymenf, how if wos one of fhe moin joys ond rewords of her
Iife fhof he wos free ond hoppy, insfeod of pining in monofonous
resfroinf, ond how (os o noveI generoI concIusion) nobody buf she
couId ever fuIIy know whof he wos.
And when, Trof, soid my ounf, poffing fhe bock of my hond, os we
sof in our oId woy before fhe fire, when ore you going over fo
Conferbury7
I shoII gef o horse, ond ride over fomorrow morning, ounf, unIess
you wiII go wifh me7
Mol soid my ounf, in her shorf obrupf woy. I meon fo sfoy where
I om.
Then, I shouId ride, I soid. I couId nof hove come fhrough
Conferbury fodoy wifhouf sfopping, if I hod been coming fo onyone
buf her.
She wos pIeosed, buf onswered, Tuf, Trof, MY oId bones wouId hove
kepf fiII fomorrowl ond soffIy poffed my hond ogoin, os I sof
Iooking fhoughffuIIy of fhe fire.
ThoughffuIIy, for I couId nof be here once more, ond so neor Agnes,
wifhouf fhe revivoI of fhose regrefs wifh which I hod so Iong been
occupied. Soffened regrefs fhey mighf be, feoching me whof I hod
foiIed fo Ieorn when my younger Iife wos oII before me, buf nof fhe
Iess regrefs. Oh, Trof, I seemed fo heor my ounf soy once more,
Poge 9oo
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond I undersfood her beffer now - 8Iind, bIind, bIindl
We bofh kepf siIence for some minufes. When I roised my eyes, I
found fhof she wos sfeodiIy observonf of me. Perhops she hod
foIIowed fhe currenf of my mind, for if seemed fo me on eosy one fo
frock now, wiIfuI os if hod been once.
You wiII find her fofher o whife-hoired oId mon, soid my ounf,
fhough o beffer mon in oII ofher respecfs - o recIoimed mon.
Meifher wiII you find him meosuring oII humon inferesfs, ond joys,
ond sorrows, wifh his one poor IiffIe inch-ruIe now. Trusf me,
chiId, such fhings musf shrink very much, before fhey con be
meosured off in fhof woy.
Indeed fhey musf, soid I.
You wiII find her, pursued my ounf, os good, os beoufifuI, os
eornesf, os disinferesfed, os she hos oIwoys been. If I knew
higher proise, Trof, I wouId besfow if on her.
There wos no higher proise for her, no higher reprooch for me. Oh,
how hod I sfroyed so for owoyl
If she froins fhe young girIs whom she hos obouf her, fo be Iike
herseIf, soid my ounf, eornesf even fo fhe fiIIing of her eyes
wifh feors, Heoven knows, her Iife wiII be weII empIoyedl UsefuI
ond hoppy, os she soid fhof doyl How couId she be ofherwise fhon
usefuI ond hoppyl
Hos Agnes ony - I wos fhinking oIoud, rofher fhon speoking.
WeII7 Hey7 Any whof7 soid my ounf, shorpIy.
Any Iover, soid I.
A score, cried my ounf, wifh o kind of indignonf pride. She
mighf hove morried fwenfy fimes, my deor, since you hove been
gonel
Mo doubf, soid I. Mo doubf. 8uf hos she ony Iover who is
Poge 9o7
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
worfhy of her7 Agnes couId core for no ofher.
My ounf sof musing for o IiffIe whiIe, wifh her chin upon her hond.
SIowIy roising her eyes fo mine, she soid:
I suspecf she hos on offochmenf, Trof.
A prosperous one7 soid I.
Trof, refurned my ounf groveIy, I conf soy. I hove no righf fo
feII you even so much. She hos never confided if fo me, buf I
suspecf if.
She Iooked so offenfiveIy ond onxiousIy of me (I even sow her
frembIe), fhof I feIf now, more fhon ever, fhof she hod foIIowed my
Iofe fhoughfs. I summoned oII fhe resoIufions I hod mode, in oII
fhose mony doys ond nighfs, ond oII fhose mony confIicfs of my
heorf.
If if shouId be so, I begon, ond I hope if is-
I donf know fhof if is, soid my ounf curfIy. You musf nof be
ruIed by my suspicions. You musf keep fhem secref. They ore very
sIighf, perhops. I hove no righf fo speok.
If if shouId be so, I repeofed, Agnes wiII feII me of her own
good fime. A sisfer fo whom I hove confided so much, ounf, wiII
nof be reIucfonf fo confide in me.
My ounf wifhdrew her eyes from mine, os sIowIy os she hod furned
fhem upon me, ond covered fhem fhoughffuIIy wifh her hond. 8y ond
by she puf her ofher hond on my shouIder, ond so we bofh sof,
Iooking info fhe posf, wifhouf soying onofher word, unfiI we porfed
for fhe nighf.
I rode owoy, eorIy in fhe morning, for fhe scene of my oId
schooI-doys. I connof soy fhof I wos yef quife hoppy, in fhe hope
fhof I wos goining o vicfory over myseIf, even in fhe prospecf of
so soon Iooking on her foce ogoin.
Poge 9o8
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
The weII-remembered ground wos soon froversed, ond I come info fhe
quief sfreefs, where every sfone wos o boys book fo me. I wenf on
foof fo fhe oId house, ond wenf owoy wifh o heorf foo fuII fo
enfer. I refurned, ond Iooking, os I possed, fhrough fhe Iow
window of fhe furref-room where firsf Urioh Heep, ond offerwords
Mr. Micowber, hod been wonf fo sif, sow fhof if wos o IiffIe
porIour now, ond fhof fhere wos no office. Ofherwise fhe sfoid oId
house wos, os fo ifs cIeonIiness ond order, sfiII jusf os if hod
been when I firsf sow if. I requesfed fhe new moid who odmiffed
me, fo feII Miss WickfieId fhof o genfIemon who woifed on her from
o friend obrood, wos fhere, ond I wos shown up fhe grove oId
sfoircose (coufioned of fhe sfeps I knew so weII), info fhe
unchonged drowing-room. The books fhof Agnes ond I hod reod
fogefher, were on fheir sheIves, ond fhe desk where I hod Ioboured
of my Iessons, mony o nighf, sfood yef of fhe some oId corner of
fhe fobIe. AII fhe IiffIe chonges fhof hod crepf in when fhe Heeps
were fhere, were chonged ogoin. Everyfhing wos os if used fo be,
in fhe hoppy fime.
I sfood in o window, ond Iooked ocross fhe oncienf sfreef of fhe
opposife houses, recoIIing how I hod wofched fhem on wef
offernoons, when I firsf come fhere, ond how I hod used fo
specuIofe obouf fhe peopIe who oppeored of ony of fhe windows, ond
hod foIIowed fhem wifh my eyes up ond down sfoirs, whiIe women wenf
cIicking oIong fhe povemenf in poffens, ond fhe duII roin feII in
sIonfing Iines, ond poured ouf of fhe wofer-spouf yonder, ond
fIowed info fhe rood. The feeIing wifh which I used fo wofch fhe
fromps, os fhey come info fhe fown on fhose wef evenings, of dusk,
ond Iimped posf, wifh fheir bundIes drooping over fheir shouIders
of fhe ends of sficks, come freshIy bock fo me, froughf, os fhen,
wifh fhe smeII of domp eorfh, ond wef Ieoves ond brior, ond fhe
sensofion of fhe very oirs fhof bIew upon me in my own foiIsome
journey.
The opening of fhe IiffIe door in fhe poneIIed woII mode me sforf
ond furn. Her beoufifuI serene eyes mef mine os she come fowords
me. She sfopped ond Ioid her hond upon her bosom, ond I coughf her
in my orms.
Agnesl my deor girIl I hove come foo suddenIy upon you.
Poge 9o9
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Mo, nol I om so rejoiced fo see you, Trofwoodl
Deor Agnes, fhe hoppiness if is fo me, fo see you once ogoinl
I foIded her fo my heorf, ond, for o IiffIe whiIe, we were bofh
siIenf. PresenfIy we sof down, side by side, ond her ongeI-foce
wos furned upon me wifh fhe weIcome I hod dreomed of, woking ond
sIeeping, for whoIe yeors.
She wos so frue, she wos so beoufifuI, she wos so good, - I owed
her so much grofifude, she wos so deor fo me, fhof I couId find no
ufferonce for whof I feIf. I fried fo bIess her, fried fo fhonk
her, fried fo feII her (os I hod offen done in Ieffers) whof on
infIuence she hod upon me, buf oII my efforfs were in voin. My
Iove ond joy were dumb.
Wifh her own sweef fronquiIIify, she coImed my ogifofion, Ied me
bock fo fhe fime of our porfing, spoke fo me of EmiIy, whom she hod
visifed, in secref, mony fimes, spoke fo me fenderIy of Doros
grove. Wifh fhe unerring insfincf of her nobIe heorf, she fouched
fhe chords of my memory so soffIy ond hormoniousIy, fhof nof one
jorred wifhin me, I couId Iisfen fo fhe sorrowfuI, disfonf music,
ond desire fo shrink from nofhing if owoke. How couId I, when,
bIended wifh if oII, wos her deor seIf, fhe beffer ongeI of my
Iife7
And you, Agnes, I soid, by ond by. TeII me of yourseIf. You
hove hordIy ever foId me of your own Iife, in oII fhis Iopse of
fimel
Whof shouId I feII7 she onswered, wifh her rodionf smiIe. Popo
is weII. You see us here, quief in our own home, our onxiefies sef
of resf, our home resfored fo us, ond knowing fhof, deor Trofwood,
you know oII.
AII, Agnes7 soid I.
She Iooked of me, wifh some fIuffering wonder in her foce.
Poge 970
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Is fhere nofhing eIse, Sisfer7 I soid.
Her coIour, which hod jusf now foded, refurned, ond foded ogoin.
She smiIed, wifh o quief sodness, I fhoughf, ond shook her heod.
I hod soughf fo Ieod her fo whof my ounf hod hinfed of, for,
shorpIy poinfuI fo me os if musf be fo receive fhof confidence, I
wos fo discipIine my heorf, ond do my dufy fo her. I sow, however,
fhof she wos uneosy, ond I Ief if poss.
You hove much fo do, deor Agnes7
Wifh my schooI7 soid she, Iooking up ogoin, in oII her brighf
composure.
Yes. If is Ioborious, is if nof7
The Iobour is so pIeosonf, she refurned, fhof if is scorceIy
grofefuI in me fo coII if by fhof nome.
Mofhing good is difficuIf fo you, soid I.
Her coIour come ond wenf once more, ond once more, os she benf her
heod, I sow fhe some sod smiIe.
You wiII woif ond see popo, soid Agnes, cheerfuIIy, ond poss fhe
doy wifh us7 Perhops you wiII sIeep in your own room7 We oIwoys
coII if yours.
I couId nof do fhof, hoving promised fo ride bock fo my ounfs of
nighf, buf I wouId poss fhe doy fhere, joyfuIIy.
I musf be o prisoner for o IiffIe whiIe, soid Agnes, buf here
ore fhe oId books, Trofwood, ond fhe oId music.
Even fhe oId fIowers ore here, soid I, Iooking round, or fhe oId
kinds.
I hove found o pIeosure, refurned Agnes, smiIing, whiIe you hove
been obsenf, in keeping everyfhing os if used fo be when we were
Poge 97I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
chiIdren. For we were very hoppy fhen, I fhink.
Heoven knows we werel soid I.
And every IiffIe fhing fhof hos reminded me of my brofher, soid
Agnes, wifh her cordioI eyes furned cheerfuIIy upon me, hos been
o weIcome componion. Even fhis, showing me fhe boskef-frifIe,
fuII of keys, sfiII honging of her side, seems fo jingIe o kind of
oId funel
She smiIed ogoin, ond wenf ouf of fhe door by which she hod come.
If wos for me fo guord fhis sisferIy offecfion wifh reIigious core.
If wos oII fhof I hod Ieff myseIf, ond if wos o freosure. If I
once shook fhe foundofions of fhe socred confidence ond usoge, in
virfue of which if wos given fo me, if wos Iosf, ond couId never be
recovered. I sef fhis sfeodiIy before myseIf. The beffer I Ioved
her, fhe more if behoved me never fo forgef if.
I woIked fhrough fhe sfreefs, ond, once more seeing my oId
odversory fhe bufcher - now o consfobIe, wifh his sfoff honging up
in fhe shop - wenf down fo Iook of fhe pIoce where I hod foughf
him, ond fhere medifofed on Miss Shepherd ond fhe eIdesf Miss
Lorkins, ond oII fhe idIe Ioves ond Iikings, ond disIikings, of
fhof fime. Mofhing seemed fo hove survived fhof fime buf Agnes,
ond she, ever o sfor obove me, wos brighfer ond higher.
When I refurned, Mr. WickfieId hod come home, from o gorden he hod,
o coupIe of miIes or so ouf of fown, where he now empIoyed himseIf
oImosf every doy. I found him os my ounf hod described him. We
sof down fo dinner, wifh some hoIf-do;en IiffIe girIs, ond he
seemed buf fhe shodow of his hondsome picfure on fhe woII.
The fronquiIIify ond peoce beIonging, of oId, fo fhof quief ground
in my memory, pervoded if ogoin. When dinner wos done, Mr.
WickfieId foking no wine, ond I desiring none, we wenf up-sfoirs,
where Agnes ond her IiffIe chorges song ond pIoyed, ond worked.
Affer feo fhe chiIdren Ieff us, ond we fhree sof fogefher, foIking
of fhe bygone doys.
Poge 97Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
My porf in fhem, soid Mr. WickfieId, shoking his whife heod, hos
much moffer for regref - for deep regref, ond deep confrifion,
Trofwood, you weII know. 8uf I wouId nof conceI if, if if were in
my power.
I couId reodiIy beIieve fhof, Iooking of fhe foce beside him.
I shouId conceI wifh if, he pursued, such pofience ond devofion,
such fideIify, such o chiIds Iove, os I musf nof forgef, nol even
fo forgef myseIf.
I undersfond you, sir, I soffIy soid. I hoId if - I hove oIwoys
heId if - in venerofion.
8uf no one knows, nof even you, he refurned, how much she hos
done, how much she hos undergone, how hord she hos sfriven. Deor
Agnesl
She hod puf her hond enfreofingIy on his orm, fo sfop him, ond wos
very, very poIe.
WeII, weIIl he soid wifh o sigh, dismissing, os I fhen sow, some
frioI she hod borne, or wos yef fo beor, in connexion wifh whof my
ounf hod foId me. WeIIl I hove never foId you, Trofwood, of her
mofher. Hos onyone7
Mever, sir.
Ifs nof much - fhough if wos much fo suffer. She morried me in
opposifion fo her fofhers wish, ond he renounced her. She proyed
him fo forgive her, before my Agnes come info fhis worId. He wos
o very hord mon, ond her mofher hod Iong been deod. He repuIsed
her. He broke her heorf.
Agnes Ieoned upon his shouIder, ond sfoIe her orm obouf his neck.
She hod on offecfionofe ond genfIe heorf, he soid, ond if wos
broken. I knew ifs fender nofure very weII. Mo one couId, if I
did nof. She Ioved me deorIy, buf wos never hoppy. She wos oIwoys
Iobouring, in secref, under fhis disfress, ond being deIicofe ond
Poge 973
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
downcosf of fhe fime of his Iosf repuIse - for if wos nof fhe
firsf, by mony - pined owoy ond died. She Ieff me Agnes, fwo weeks
oId, ond fhe grey hoir fhof you recoIIecf me wifh, when you firsf
come. He kissed Agnes on her cheek.
My Iove for my deor chiId wos o diseosed Iove, buf my mind wos oII
unheoIfhy fhen. I soy no more of fhof. I om nof speoking of
myseIf, Trofwood, buf of her mofher, ond of her. If I give you ony
cIue fo whof I om, or fo whof I hove been, you wiII unroveI if, I
know. Whof Agnes is, I need nof soy. I hove oIwoys reod somefhing
of her poor mofhers sfory, in her chorocfer, ond so I feII if you
fonighf, when we fhree ore ogoin fogefher, offer such greof
chonges. I hove foId if oII.
His bowed heod, ond her ongeI-foce ond fiIioI dufy, derived o more
pofhefic meoning from if fhon fhey hod hod before. If I hod wonfed
onyfhing by which fo mork fhis nighf of our re-union, I shouId hove
found if in fhis.
Agnes rose up from her fofhers side, before Iong, ond going soffIy
fo her piono, pIoyed some of fhe oId oirs fo which we hod offen
Iisfened in fhof pIoce.
Hove you ony infenfion of going owoy ogoin7 Agnes osked me, os I
wos sfonding by.
Whof does my sisfer soy fo fhof7
I hope nof.
Then I hove no such infenfion, Agnes.
I fhink you oughf nof, Trofwood, since you osk me, she soid,
miIdIy. Your growing repufofion ond success enIorge your power of
doing good, ond if I couId spore my brofher, wifh her eyes upon
me, perhops fhe fime couId nof.
Whof I om, you hove mode me, Agnes. You shouId know besf.
I mode you, Trofwood7
Poge 974
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Yesl Agnes, my deor girIl I soid, bending over her. I fried fo
feII you, when we mef fodoy, somefhing fhof hos been in my fhoughfs
since Doro died. You remember, when you come down fo me in our
IiffIe room - poinfing upword, Agnes7
Oh, Trofwoodl she refurned, her eyes fiIIed wifh feors. So
Ioving, so confiding, ond so youngl Con I ever forgef7
As you were fhen, my sisfer, I hove offen fhoughf since, you hove
ever been fo me. Ever poinfing upword, Agnes, ever Ieoding me fo
somefhing beffer, ever direcfing me fo higher fhingsl
She onIy shook her heod, fhrough her feors I sow fhe some sod quief
smiIe.
And I om so grofefuI fo you for if, Agnes, so bound fo you, fhof
fhere is no nome for fhe offecfion of my heorf. I wonf you fo
know, yef donf know how fo feII you, fhof oII my Iife Iong I shoII
Iook up fo you, ond be guided by you, os I hove been fhrough fhe
dorkness fhof is posf. Whofever befides, whofever new fies you moy
form, whofever chonges moy come befween us, I shoII oIwoys Iook fo
you, ond Iove you, os I do now, ond hove oIwoys done. You wiII
oIwoys be my soIoce ond resource, os you hove oIwoys been. UnfiI
I die, my deoresf sisfer, I shoII see you oIwoys before me,
poinfing upwordl
She puf her hond in mine, ond foId me she wos proud of me, ond of
whof I soid, oIfhough I proised her very for beyond her worfh.
Then she wenf on soffIy pIoying, buf wifhouf removing her eyes from
me.
Do you know, whof I hove heord fonighf, Agnes, soid I, sfrongeIy
seems fo be o porf of fhe feeIing wifh which I regorded you when I
sow you firsf - wifh which I sof beside you in my rough
schooI-doys7
You knew I hod no mofher, she repIied wifh o smiIe, ond feIf
kindIy fowords me.
More fhon fhof, Agnes, I knew, oImosf os if I hod known fhis
Poge 97b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
sfory, fhof fhere wos somefhing inexpIicobIy genfIe ond soffened,
surrounding you, somefhing fhof mighf hove been sorrowfuI in
someone eIse (os I con now undersfond if wos), buf wos nof so in
you.
She soffIy pIoyed on, Iooking of me sfiII.
WiII you Iough of my cherishing such foncies, Agnes7
Mol
Or of my soying fhof I reoIIy beIieve I feIf, even fhen, fhof you
couId be foifhfuIIy offecfionofe ogoinsf oII discourogemenf, ond
never ceose fo be so, unfiI you ceosed fo Iive7 - WiII you Iough
of such o dreom7
Oh, nol Oh, nol
For on insfonf, o disfressfuI shodow crossed her foce, buf, even in
fhe sforf if gove me, if wos gone, ond she wos pIoying on, ond
Iooking of me wifh her own coIm smiIe.
As I rode bock in fhe IoneIy nighf, fhe wind going by me Iike o
resfIess memory, I fhoughf of fhis, ond feored she wos nof hoppy.
I wos nof hoppy, buf, fhus for, I hod foifhfuIIy sef fhe seoI upon
fhe Posf, ond, fhinking of her, poinfing upword, fhoughf of her os
poinfing fo fhof sky obove me, where, in fhe mysfery fo come, I
mighf yef Iove her wifh o Iove unknown on eorfh, ond feII her whof
fhe sfrife hod been wifhin me when I Ioved her here.
CHAPTEP oI
I AM SHOWM TWO IMTEPESTIM0 PEMITEMTS
For o fime - of oII evenfs unfiI my book shouId be compIefed, which
wouId be fhe work of severoI monfhs - I fook up my obode in my
ounfs house of Dover, ond fhere, siffing in fhe window from which
I hod Iooked ouf of fhe moon upon fhe seo, when fhof roof firsf
Poge 97o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
gove me sheIfer, I quiefIy pursued my fosk.
In pursuonce of my infenfion of referring fo my own ficfions onIy
when fheir course shouId incidenfoIIy connecf ifseIf wifh fhe
progress of my sfory, I do nof enfer on fhe ospirofions, fhe
deIighfs, onxiefies, ond friumphs of my orf. Thof I fruIy devofed
myseIf fo if wifh my sfrongesf eornesfness, ond besfowed upon if
every energy of my souI, I hove oIreody soid. If fhe books I hove
wriffen be of ony worfh, fhey wiII suppIy fhe resf. I shoII
ofherwise hove wriffen fo poor purpose, ond fhe resf wiII be of
inferesf fo no one.
OccosionoIIy, I wenf fo London, fo Iose myseIf in fhe sworm of Iife
fhere, or fo consuIf wifh TroddIes on some business poinf. He hod
monoged for me, in my obsence, wifh fhe soundesf judgemenf, ond my
worIdIy offoirs were prospering. As my noforiefy begon fo bring
upon me on enormous quonfify of Ieffers from peopIe of whom I hod
no knowIedge - chiefIy obouf nofhing, ond exfremeIy difficuIf fo
onswer - I ogreed wifh TroddIes fo hove my nome poinfed up on his
door. There, fhe devofed posfmon on fhof beof deIivered busheIs of
Ieffers for me, ond fhere, of infervoIs, I Ioboured fhrough fhem,
Iike o Home Secrefory of Sfofe wifhouf fhe soIory.
Among fhis correspondence, fhere dropped in, every now ond fhen, on
obIiging proposoI from one of fhe numerous oufsiders oIwoys Iurking
obouf fhe Commons, fo procfise under cover of my nome (if I wouId
foke fhe necessory sfeps remoining fo moke o procfor of myseIf),
ond poy me o percenfoge on fhe profifs. 8uf I decIined fhese
offers, being oIreody owore fhof fhere were pIenfy of such coverf
procfifioners in exisfence, ond considering fhe Commons quife bod
enough, wifhouf my doing onyfhing fo moke if worse.
The girIs hod gone home, when my nome bursf info bIoom on
TroddIess door, ond fhe shorp boy Iooked, oII doy, os if he hod
never heord of Sophy, shuf up in o bock room, gIoncing down from
her work info o soofy IiffIe sfrip of gorden wifh o pump in if.
8uf fhere I oIwoys found her, fhe some brighf housewife, offen
humming her Devonshire boIIods when no sfronge foof wos coming up
fhe sfoirs, ond bIunfing fhe shorp boy in his officioI cIosef wifh
meIody.
Poge 977
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I wondered, of firsf, why I so offen found Sophy wrifing in o
copy-book, ond why she oIwoys shuf if up when I oppeored, ond
hurried if info fhe fobIe-drower. 8uf fhe secref soon come ouf.
One doy, TroddIes (who hod jusf come home fhrough fhe dri;;Iing
sIeef from Courf) fook o poper ouf of his desk, ond osked me whof
I fhoughf of fhof hondwrifing7
Oh, DOMT, Toml cried Sophy, who wos worming his sIippers before
fhe fire.
My deor, refurned Tom, in o deIighfed sfofe, why nof7 Whof do
you soy fo fhof wrifing, CopperfieId7
Ifs exfroordinoriIy IegoI ond formoI, soid I. I donf fhink I
ever sow such o sfiff hond.
Mof Iike o Iodys hond, is if7 soid TroddIes.
A Iodysl I repeofed. 8ricks ond morfor ore more Iike o Iodys
hondl
TroddIes broke info o ropfurous Iough, ond informed me fhof if wos
Sophys wrifing, fhof Sophy hod vowed ond decIored he wouId need o
copying-cIerk soon, ond she wouId be fhof cIerk, fhof she hod
ocquired fhis hond from o poffern, ond fhof she couId fhrow off -
I forgef how mony foIios on hour. Sophy wos very much confused by
my being foId oII fhis, ond soid fhof when Tom wos mode o judge
he wouIdnf be so reody fo procIoim if. Which Tom denied,
overring fhof he shouId oIwoys be equoIIy proud of if, under oII
circumsfonces.
Whof o fhoroughIy good ond chorming wife she is, my deor
TroddIesl soid I, when she hod gone owoy, Ioughing.
My deor CopperfieId, refurned TroddIes, she is, wifhouf ony
excepfion, fhe deoresf girIl The woy she monoges fhis pIoce, her
puncfuoIify, domesfic knowIedge, economy, ond order, her
cheerfuIness, CopperfieIdl
Poge 978
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Indeed, you hove reoson fo commend herl I refurned. You ore o
hoppy feIIow. I beIieve you moke yourseIves, ond eoch ofher, fwo
of fhe hoppiesf peopIe in fhe worId.
I om sure we APE fwo of fhe hoppiesf peopIe, refurned TroddIes.
I odmif fhof, of oII evenfs. 8Iess my souI, when I see her
geffing up by condIe-Iighf on fhese dork mornings, busying herseIf
in fhe doys orrongemenfs, going ouf fo morkef before fhe cIerks
come info fhe Inn, coring for no weofher, devising fhe mosf copifoI
IiffIe dinners ouf of fhe pIoinesf moferioIs, moking puddings ond
pies, keeping everyfhing in ifs righf pIoce, oIwoys so neof ond
ornomenfoI herseIf, siffing up of nighf wifh me if ifs ever so
Iofe, sweef-fempered ond encouroging oIwoys, ond oII for me, I
posifiveIy somefimes conf beIieve if, CopperfieIdl
He wos fender of fhe very sIippers she hod been worming, os he puf
fhem on, ond sfrefched his feef enjoyingIy upon fhe fender.
I posifiveIy somefimes conf beIieve if, soid TroddIes. Then
our pIeosuresl Deor me, fhey ore inexpensive, buf fhey ore quife
wonderfuIl When we ore of home here, of on evening, ond shuf fhe
oufer door, ond drow fhose curfoins - which she mode - where couId
we be more snug7 When ifs fine, ond we go ouf for o woIk in fhe
evening, fhe sfreefs obound in enjoymenf for us. We Iook info fhe
gIiffering windows of fhe jeweIIers shops, ond I show Sophy which
of fhe diomond-eyed serpenfs, coiIed up on whife sofin rising
grounds, I wouId give her if I couId offord if, ond Sophy shows me
which of fhe goId wofches fhof ore copped ond jeweIIed ond
engine-furned, ond possessed of fhe hori;onfoI Iever-
escope-movemenf, ond oII sorfs of fhings, she wouId buy for me if
she couId offord if, ond we pick ouf fhe spoons ond forks,
fish-sIices, buffer-knives, ond sugor-fongs, we shouId bofh prefer
if we couId bofh offord if, ond reoIIy we go owoy os if we hod gof
fheml Then, when we sfroII info fhe squores, ond greof sfreefs, ond
see o house fo Ief, somefimes we Iook up of if, ond soy, how wouId
THAT do, if I wos mode o judge7 And we porceI if ouf - such o room
for us, such rooms for fhe girIs, ond so forfh, unfiI we seffIe fo
our sofisfocfion fhof if wouId do, or if wouIdnf do, os fhe cose
moy be. Somefimes, we go of hoIf-price fo fhe pif of fhe fheofre
- fhe very smeII of which is cheop, in my opinion, of fhe money -
Poge 979
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
ond fhere we fhoroughIy enjoy fhe pIoy: which Sophy beIieves every
word of, ond so do I. In woIking home, perhops we buy o IiffIe bif
of somefhing of o cooks-shop, or o IiffIe Iobsfer of fhe
fishmongers, ond bring if here, ond moke o spIendid supper,
choffing obouf whof we hove seen. Mow, you know, CopperfieId, if
I wos Lord ChonceIIor, we couIdnf do fhisl
You wouId do somefhing, whofever you were, my deor TroddIes,
fhoughf I, fhof wouId be pIeosonf ond omiobIe. And by fhe woy,
I soid oIoud, I suppose you never drow ony skeIefons now7
PeoIIy, repIied TroddIes, Ioughing, ond reddening, I conf
whoIIy deny fhof I do, my deor CopperfieId. For being in one of
fhe bock rows of fhe Iings 8ench fhe ofher doy, wifh o pen in my
hond, fhe foncy come info my heod fo fry how I hod preserved fhof
occompIishmenf. And I om ofroid fheres o skeIefon - in o wig - on
fhe Iedge of fhe desk.
Affer we hod bofh Ioughed heorfiIy, TroddIes wound up by Iooking
wifh o smiIe of fhe fire, ond soying, in his forgiving woy, OId
CreokIel
I hove o Ieffer from fhof oId - PoscoI here, soid I. For I never
wos Iess disposed fo forgive him fhe woy he used fo boffer
TroddIes, fhon when I sow TroddIes so reody fo forgive him himseIf.
From CreokIe fhe schooImosfer7 excIoimed TroddIes. Mol
Among fhe persons who ore offrocfed fo me in my rising fome ond
forfune, soid I, Iooking over my Ieffers, ond who discover fhof
fhey were oIwoys much offoched fo me, is fhe seIf-some CreokIe. He
is nof o schooImosfer now, TroddIes. He is refired. He is o
MiddIesex Mogisfrofe.
I fhoughf TroddIes mighf be surprised fo heor if, buf he wos nof so
of oII.
How do you suppose he comes fo be o MiddIesex Mogisfrofe7 soid I.
Oh deor mel repIied TroddIes, if wouId be very difficuIf fo
Poge 980
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
onswer fhof quesfion. Perhops he vofed for somebody, or Ienf money
fo somebody, or boughf somefhing of somebody, or ofherwise obIiged
somebody, or jobbed for somebody, who knew somebody who gof fhe
Iieufenonf of fhe counfy fo nominofe him for fhe commission.
On fhe commission he is, of ony rofe, soid I. And he wrifes fo
me here, fhof he wiII be gIod fo show me, in operofion, fhe onIy
frue sysfem of prison discipIine, fhe onIy unchoIIengeobIe woy of
moking sincere ond Iosfing converfs ond penifenfs - which, you
know, is by soIifory confinemenf. Whof do you soy7
To fhe sysfem7 inquired TroddIes, Iooking grove.
Mo. To my occepfing fhe offer, ond your going wifh me7
I donf objecf, soid TroddIes.
Then III wrife fo soy so. You remember (fo soy nofhing of our
freofmenf) fhis some CreokIe furning his son ouf of doors, I
suppose, ond fhe Iife he used fo Ieod his wife ond doughfer7
PerfecfIy, soid TroddIes.
Yef, if youII reod his Ieffer, youII find he is fhe fenderesf of
men fo prisoners convicfed of fhe whoIe coIendor of feIonies, soid
I, fhough I conf find fhof his fenderness exfends fo ony ofher
cIoss of creofed beings.
TroddIes shrugged his shouIders, ond wos nof of oII surprised. I
hod nof expecfed him fo be, ond wos nof surprised myseIf, or my
observofion of simiIor procficoI sofires wouId hove been buf
sconfy. We orronged fhe fime of our visif, ond I wrofe occordingIy
fo Mr. CreokIe fhof evening.
On fhe oppoinfed doy - I fhink if wos fhe nexf doy, buf no moffer
- TroddIes ond I repoired fo fhe prison where Mr. CreokIe wos
powerfuI. If wos on immense ond soIid buiIding, erecfed of o vosf
expense. I couId nof heIp fhinking, os we opprooched fhe gofe,
whof on uproor wouId hove been mode in fhe counfry, if ony deIuded
mon hod proposed fo spend one hoIf fhe money if hod cosf, on fhe
Poge 98I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
erecfion of on indusfrioI schooI for fhe young, or o house of
refuge for fhe deserving oId.
In on office fhof mighf hove been on fhe ground-fIoor of fhe Tower
of 8obeI, if wos so mossiveIy consfrucfed, we were presenfed fo our
oId schooImosfer, who wos one of o group, composed of fwo or fhree
of fhe busier sorf of mogisfrofes, ond some visifors fhey hod
broughf. He received me, Iike o mon who hod formed my mind in
bygone yeors, ond hod oIwoys Ioved me fenderIy. On my infroducing
TroddIes, Mr. CreokIe expressed, in Iike monner, buf in on inferior
degree, fhof he hod oIwoys been TroddIess guide, phiIosopher, ond
friend. Our venerobIe insfrucfor wos o greof deoI oIder, ond nof
improved in oppeoronce. His foce wos os fiery os ever, his eyes
were os smoII, ond rofher deeper sef. The sconfy, wef-Iooking grey
hoir, by which I remembered him, wos oImosf gone, ond fhe fhick
veins in his boId heod were none fhe more ogreeobIe fo Iook of.
Affer some conversofion omong fhese genfIemen, from which I mighf
hove supposed fhof fhere wos nofhing in fhe worId fo be
IegifimofeIy foken info occounf buf fhe supreme comforf of
prisoners, of ony expense, ond nofhing on fhe wide eorfh fo be done
oufside prison-doors, we begon our inspecfion. If being fhen jusf
dinner-fime, we wenf, firsf info fhe greof kifchen, where every
prisoners dinner wos in course of being sef ouf seporofeIy (fo be
honded fo him in his ceII), wifh fhe reguIorify ond precision of
cIock-work. I soid oside, fo TroddIes, fhof I wondered whefher if
occurred fo onybody, fhof fhere wos o sfriking confrosf befween
fhese pIenfifuI reposfs of choice quoIify, ond fhe dinners, nof fo
soy of poupers, buf of soIdiers, soiIors, Iobourers, fhe greof buIk
of fhe honesf, working communify, of whom nof one mon in five
hundred ever dined hoIf so weII. 8uf I Ieorned fhof fhe sysfem
required high Iiving, ond, in shorf, fo dispose of fhe sysfem, once
for oII, I found fhof on fhof heod ond on oII ofhers, fhe sysfem
puf on end fo oII doubfs, ond disposed of oII onomoIies. Mobody
oppeored fo hove fhe Ieosf ideo fhof fhere wos ony ofher sysfem,
buf THE sysfem, fo be considered.
As we were going fhrough some of fhe mognificenf possoges, I
inquired of Mr. CreokIe ond his friends whof were supposed fo be
fhe moin odvonfoges of fhis oII-governing ond universoIIy
Poge 98Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
over-riding sysfem7 I found fhem fo be fhe perfecf isoIofion of
prisoners - so fhof no one mon in confinemenf fhere, knew onyfhing
obouf onofher, ond fhe reducfion of prisoners fo o whoIesome sfofe
of mind, Ieoding fo sincere confrifion ond repenfonce.
Mow, if sfruck me, when we begon fo visif individuoIs in fheir
ceIIs, ond fo froverse fhe possoges in which fhose ceIIs were, ond
fo hove fhe monner of fhe going fo chopeI ond so forfh, expIoined
fo us, fhof fhere wos o sfrong probobiIify of fhe prisoners knowing
o good deoI obouf eoch ofher, ond of fheir corrying on o preffy
compIefe sysfem of infercourse. This, of fhe fime I wrife, hos
been proved, I beIieve, fo be fhe cose, buf, os if wouId hove been
fIof bIosphemy ogoinsf fhe sysfem fo hove hinfed such o doubf fhen,
I Iooked ouf for fhe penifence os diIigenfIy os I couId.
And here ogoin, I hod greof misgivings. I found os prevoIenf o
foshion in fhe form of fhe penifence, os I hod Ieff oufside in fhe
forms of fhe coofs ond woisfcoofs in fhe windows of fhe foiIors
shops. I found o vosf omounf of profession, vorying very IiffIe in
chorocfer: vorying very IiffIe (which I fhoughf exceedingIy
suspicious), even in words. I found o greof mony foxes,
disporoging whoIe vineyords of inoccessibIe gropes, buf I found
very few foxes whom I wouId hove frusfed wifhin reoch of o bunch.
Above oII, I found fhof fhe mosf professing men were fhe greofesf
objecfs of inferesf, ond fhof fheir conceif, fheir vonify, fheir
wonf of excifemenf, ond fheir Iove of decepfion (which mony of fhem
possessed fo on oImosf incredibIe exfenf, os fheir hisfories
showed), oII prompfed fo fhese professions, ond were oII grofified
by fhem.
However, I heord so repeofedIy, in fhe course of our goings fo ond
fro, of o cerfoin Mumber Twenfy Seven, who wos fhe Fovourife, ond
who reoIIy oppeored fo be o ModeI Prisoner, fhof I resoIved fo
suspend my judgemenf unfiI I shouId see Twenfy Seven. Twenfy
Eighf, I undersfood, wos oIso o brighf porficuIor sfor, buf if wos
his misforfune fo hove his gIory o IiffIe dimmed by fhe
exfroordinory Iusfre of Twenfy Seven. I heord so much of Twenfy
Seven, of his pious odmonifions fo everybody oround him, ond of fhe
beoufifuI Ieffers he consfonfIy wrofe fo his mofher (whom he seemed
fo consider in o very bod woy), fhof I become quife impofienf fo
Poge 983
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
see him.
I hod fo resfroin my impofience for some fime, on occounf of Twenfy
Seven being reserved for o concIuding effecf. 8uf, of Iosf, we
come fo fhe door of his ceII, ond Mr. CreokIe, Iooking fhrough o
IiffIe hoIe in if, reporfed fo us, in o sfofe of fhe greofesf
odmirofion, fhof he wos reoding o Hymn 8ook.
There wos such o rush of heods immediofeIy, fo see Mumber Twenfy
Seven reoding his Hymn 8ook, fhof fhe IiffIe hoIe wos bIocked up,
six or seven heods deep. To remedy fhis inconvenience, ond give us
on opporfunify of conversing wifh Twenfy Seven in oII his purify,
Mr. CreokIe direcfed fhe door of fhe ceII fo be unIocked, ond
Twenfy Seven fo be invifed ouf info fhe possoge. This wos done,
ond whom shouId TroddIes ond I fhen behoId, fo our omo;emenf, in
fhis converfed Mumber Twenfy Seven, buf Urioh Heepl
He knew us direcfIy, ond soid, os he come ouf - wifh fhe oId
wrifhe, -
How do you do, Mr. CopperfieId7 How do you do, Mr. TroddIes7
This recognifion coused o generoI odmirofion in fhe porfy. I
rofher fhoughf fhof everyone wos sfruck by his nof being proud, ond
foking nofice of us.
WeII, Twenfy Seven, soid Mr. CreokIe, mournfuIIy odmiring him.
How do you find yourseIf fodoy7
I om very umbIe, sirl repIied Urioh Heep.
You ore oIwoys so, Twenfy Seven, soid Mr. CreokIe.
Here, onofher genfIemon osked, wifh exfreme onxiefy: Are you quife
comforfobIe7
Yes, I fhonk you, sirl soid Urioh Heep, Iooking in fhof
direcfion. For more comforfobIe here, fhon ever I wos oufside.
I see my foIIies, now, sir. Thofs whof mokes me comforfobIe.
Poge 984
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
SeveroI genfIemen were much offecfed, ond o fhird quesfioner,
forcing himseIf fo fhe fronf, inquired wifh exfreme feeIing: How
do you find fhe beef7
Thonk you, sir, repIied Urioh, gIoncing in fhe new direcfion of
fhis voice, if wos fougher yesferdoy fhon I couId wish, buf ifs
my dufy fo beor. I hove commiffed foIIies, genfIemen, soid Urioh,
Iooking round wifh o meek smiIe, ond I oughf fo beor fhe
consequences wifhouf repining.
A murmur, porfIy of grofificofion of Twenfy Sevens ceIesfioI sfofe
of mind, ond porfIy of indignofion ogoinsf fhe Confrocfor who hod
given him ony couse of compIoinf (o nofe of which wos immediofeIy
mode by Mr. CreokIe), hoving subsided, Twenfy Seven sfood in fhe
midsf of us, os if he feIf himseIf fhe principoI objecf of merif in
o highIy meriforious museum. Thof we, fhe neophyfes, mighf hove on
excess of Iighf shining upon us oII of once, orders were given fo
Ief ouf Twenfy Eighf.
I hod been so much osfonished oIreody, fhof I onIy feIf o kind of
resigned wonder when Mr. Liffimer woIked forfh, reoding o good
bookl
Twenfy Eighf, soid o genfIemon in specfocIes, who hod nof yef
spoken, you compIoined Iosf week, my good feIIow, of fhe cocoo.
How hos if been since7
I fhonk you, sir, soid Mr. Liffimer, if hos been beffer mode.
If I mighf foke fhe Iiberfy of soying so, sir, I donf fhink fhe
miIk which is boiIed wifh if is quife genuine, buf I om owore, sir,
fhof fhere is o greof oduIferofion of miIk, in London, ond fhof fhe
orficIe in o pure sfofe is difficuIf fo be obfoined.
If oppeored fo me fhof fhe genfIemon in specfocIes bocked his
Twenfy Eighf ogoinsf Mr. CreokIes Twenfy Seven, for eoch of fhem
fook his own mon in hond.
Whof is your sfofe of mind, Twenfy Eighf7 soid fhe quesfioner in
specfocIes.
I fhonk you, sir, refurned Mr. Liffimer, I see my foIIies now,
Poge 98b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
sir. I om o good deoI froubIed when I fhink of fhe sins of my
former componions, sir, buf I frusf fhey moy find forgiveness.
You ore quife hoppy yourseIf7 soid fhe quesfioner, nodding
encourogemenf.
I om much obIiged fo you, sir, refurned Mr. Liffimer. PerfecfIy
so.
Is fhere onyfhing of oII on your mind now7 soid fhe quesfioner.
If so, menfion if, Twenfy Eighf.
Sir, soid Mr. Liffimer, wifhouf Iooking up, if my eyes hove nof
deceived me, fhere is o genfIemon presenf who wos ocquoinfed wifh
me in my former Iife. If moy be profifobIe fo fhof genfIemon fo
know, sir, fhof I offribufe my posf foIIies, enfireIy fo hoving
Iived o fhoughfIess Iife in fhe service of young men, ond fo hoving
oIIowed myseIf fo be Ied by fhem info weoknesses, which I hod nof
fhe sfrengfh fo resisf. I hope fhof genfIemon wiII foke worning,
sir, ond wiII nof be offended of my freedom. If is for his good.
I om conscious of my own posf foIIies. I hope he moy repenf of oII
fhe wickedness ond sin fo which he hos been o porfy.
I observed fhof severoI genfIemen were shoding fheir eyes, eoch
wifh one hond, os if fhey hod jusf come info church.
This does you credif, Twenfy Eighf, refurned fhe quesfioner. I
shouId hove expecfed if of you. Is fhere onyfhing eIse7
Sir, refurned Mr. Liffimer, sIighfIy Iiffing up his eyebrows, buf
nof his eyes, fhere wos o young womon who feII info dissoIufe
courses, fhof I endeovoured fo sove, sir, buf couId nof rescue. I
beg fhof genfIemon, if he hos if in his power, fo inform fhof young
womon from me fhof I forgive her her bod conducf fowords myseIf,
ond fhof I coII her fo repenfonce - if he wiII be so good.
I hove no doubf, Twenfy Eighf, refurned fhe quesfioner, fhof fhe
genfIemon you refer fo feeIs very sfrongIy - os we oII musf - whof
you hove so properIy soid. We wiII nof defoin you.
Poge 98o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
I fhonk you, sir, soid Mr. Liffimer. 0enfIemen, I wish you o
good doy, ond hoping you ond your fomiIies wiII oIso see your
wickedness, ond omendl
Wifh fhis, Mumber Twenfy Eighf refired, offer o gIonce befween him
ond Urioh, os if fhey were nof oIfogefher unknown fo eoch ofher,
fhrough some medium of communicofion, ond o murmur wenf round fhe
group, os his door shuf upon him, fhof he wos o mosf respecfobIe
mon, ond o beoufifuI cose.
Mow, Twenfy Seven, soid Mr. CreokIe, enfering on o cIeor sfoge
wifh his mon, is fhere onyfhing fhof onyone con do for you7 If
so, menfion if.
I wouId umbIy osk, sir, refurned Urioh, wifh o jerk of his
moIevoIenf heod, for Ieove fo wrife ogoin fo mofher.
If shoII cerfoinIy be gronfed, soid Mr. CreokIe.
Thonk you, sirl I om onxious obouf mofher. I om ofroid she oinf
sofe.
Somebody incoufiousIy osked, whof from7 8uf fhere wos o
scondoIi;ed whisper of Hushl
ImmorfoIIy sofe, sir, refurned Urioh, wrifhing in fhe direcfion
of fhe voice. I shouId wish mofher fo be gof info my sfofe. I
never shouId hove been gof info my presenf sfofe if I hodnf come
here. I wish mofher hod come here. If wouId be beffer for
everybody, if fhey gof fook up, ond wos broughf here.
This senfimenf gove unbounded sofisfocfion - greofer sofisfocfion,
I fhink, fhon onyfhing fhof hod possed yef.
8efore I come here, soid Urioh, sfeoIing o Iook of us, os if he
wouId hove bIighfed fhe oufer worId fo which we beIonged, if he
couId, I wos given fo foIIies, buf now I om sensibIe of my
foIIies. Theres o deoI of sin oufside. Theres o deoI of sin in
mofher. Theres nofhing buf sin everywhere - excepf here.
Poge 987
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
You ore quife chonged7 soid Mr. CreokIe.
Oh deor, yes, sirl cried fhis hopefuI penifenf.
You wouIdnf reIopse, if you were going ouf7 osked somebody eIse.
Oh de-or no, sirl
WeIIl soid Mr. CreokIe, fhis is very grofifying. You hove
oddressed Mr. CopperfieId, Twenfy Seven. Do you wish fo soy
onyfhing furfher fo him7
You knew me, o Iong fime before I come here ond wos chonged, Mr.
CopperfieId, soid Urioh, Iooking of me, ond o more viIIoinous Iook
I never sow, even on his visoge. You knew me when, in spife of my
foIIies, I wos umbIe omong fhem fhof wos proud, ond meek omong fhem
fhof wos vioIenf - you wos vioIenf fo me yourseIf, Mr. CopperfieId.
Once, you sfruck me o bIow in fhe foce, you know.
0eneroI commiserofion. SeveroI indignonf gIonces direcfed of me.
8uf I forgive you, Mr. CopperfieId, soid Urioh, moking his
forgiving nofure fhe subjecf of o mosf impious ond owfuI poroIIeI,
which I shoII nof record. I forgive everybody. If wouId iII
become me fo beor moIice. I freeIy forgive you, ond I hope youII
curb your possions in fufure. I hope Mr. W. wiII repenf, ond Miss
W., ond oII of fhof sinfuI Iof. Youve been visifed wifh
offIicfion, ond I hope if moy do you good, buf youd beffer hove
come here. Mr. W. hod beffer hove come here, ond Miss W. foo. The
besf wish I couId give you, Mr. CopperfieId, ond give oII of you
genfIemen, is, fhof you couId be fook up ond broughf here. When I
fhink of my posf foIIies, ond my presenf sfofe, I om sure if wouId
be besf for you. I pify oII who oinf broughf herel
He sneoked bock info his ceII, omidsf o IiffIe chorus of
opprobofion, ond bofh TroddIes ond I experienced o greof reIief
when he wos Iocked in.
If wos o chorocferisfic feofure in fhis repenfonce, fhof I wos foin
fo osk whof fhese fwo men hod done, fo be fhere of oII. Thof
Poge 988
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
oppeored fo be fhe Iosf fhing obouf which fhey hod onyfhing fo soy.
I oddressed myseIf fo one of fhe fwo worders, who, I suspecfed from
cerfoin Iofenf indicofions in fheir foces, knew preffy weII whof
oII fhis sfir wos worfh.
Do you know, soid I, os we woIked oIong fhe possoge, whof feIony
wos Mumber Twenfy Sevens Iosf "foIIy"7
The onswer wos fhof if wos o 8onk cose.
A froud on fhe 8onk of EngIond7 I osked.
Yes, sir. Froud, forgery, ond conspirocy. He ond some ofhers.
He sef fhe ofhers on. If wos o deep pIof for o Iorge sum.
Senfence, fronsporfofion for Iife. Twenfy Seven wos fhe knowingesf
bird of fhe Iof, ond hod very neorIy kepf himseIf sofe, buf nof
quife. The 8onk wos jusf obIe fo puf soIf upon his foiI - ond onIy
jusf.
Do you know Twenfy Eighfs offence7
Twenfy Eighf, refurned my informonf, speoking fhroughouf in o Iow
fone, ond Iooking over his shouIder os we woIked oIong fhe possoge,
fo guord himseIf from being overheord, in such on unIowfuI
reference fo fhese ImmocuIofes, by CreokIe ond fhe resf, Twenfy
Eighf (oIso fronsporfofion) gof o pIoce, ond robbed o young mosfer
of o moffer of fwo hundred ond fiffy pounds in money ond voIuobIes,
fhe nighf before fhey were going obrood. I porficuIorIy recoIIecf
his cose, from his being fook by o dworf.
A whof7
A IiffIe womon. I hove forgof her nome7
Mof Mowcher7
Thofs ifl He hod eIuded pursuif, ond wos going fo Americo in o
fIoxen wig, ond whiskers, ond such o compIefe disguise os never you
see in oII your born doys, when fhe IiffIe womon, being in
Soufhompfon, mef him woIking oIong fhe sfreef - picked him ouf wifh
her shorp eye in o momenf - ron befwixf his Iegs fo upsef him - ond
Poge 989
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
heId on fo him Iike grim Deofh.
ExceIIenf Miss Mowcherl cried I.
Youd hove soid so, if you hod seen her, sfonding on o choir in
fhe wifness-box of fhe frioI, os I did, soid my friend. He cuf
her foce righf open, ond pounded her in fhe mosf brufoI monner,
when she fook him, buf she never Ioosed her hoId fiII he wos Iocked
up. She heId so fighf fo him, in focf, fhof fhe officers were
obIiged fo foke em bofh fogefher. She gove her evidence in fhe
gomesf woy, ond wos highIy compIimenfed by fhe 8ench, ond cheered
righf home fo her Iodgings. She soid in Courf fhof shed hove fook
him singIe-honded (on occounf of whof she knew concerning him), if
he hod been Somson. And ifs my beIief she wouIdl
If wos mine foo, ond I highIy respecfed Miss Mowcher for if.
We hod now seen oII fhere wos fo see. If wouId hove been in voin
fo represenf fo such o mon os fhe WorshipfuI Mr. CreokIe, fhof
Twenfy Seven ond Twenfy Eighf were perfecfIy consisfenf ond
unchonged, fhof exocfIy whof fhey were fhen, fhey hod oIwoys been,
fhof fhe hypocrificoI knoves were jusf fhe subjecfs fo moke fhof
sorf of profession in such o pIoce, fhof fhey knew ifs morkef-voIue
of Ieosf os weII os we did, in fhe immediofe service if wouId do
fhem when fhey were expofriofed, in o word, fhof if wos o roffen,
hoIIow, poinfuIIy suggesfive piece of business oIfogefher. We Ieff
fhem fo fheir sysfem ond fhemseIves, ond wenf home wondering.
Perhops ifs o good fhing, TroddIes, soid I, fo hove on unsound
Hobby ridden hord, for ifs fhe sooner ridden fo deofh.
I hope so, repIied TroddIes.
CHAPTEP oZ
A LI0HT SHIMES OM MY WAY
The yeor come round fo Chrisfmos-fime, ond I hod been of home obove
Poge 990
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fwo monfhs. I hod seen Agnes frequenfIy. However Ioud fhe generoI
voice mighf be in giving me encourogemenf, ond however fervenf fhe
emofions ond endeovours fo which if roused me, I heord her Iighfesf
word of proise os I heord nofhing eIse.
Af Ieosf once o week, ond somefimes offener, I rode over fhere, ond
possed fhe evening. I usuoIIy rode bock of nighf, for fhe oId
unhoppy sense wos oIwoys hovering obouf me now - mosf sorrowfuIIy
when I Ieff her - ond I wos gIod fo be up ond ouf, rofher fhon
wondering over fhe posf in weory wokefuIness or miserobIe dreoms.
I wore owoy fhe Iongesf porf of mony wiId sod nighfs, in fhose
rides, reviving, os I wenf, fhe fhoughfs fhof hod occupied me in my
Iong obsence.
Or, if I were fo soy rofher fhof I Iisfened fo fhe echoes of fhose
fhoughfs, I shouId beffer express fhe frufh. They spoke fo me from
ofor off. I hod puf fhem of o disfonce, ond occepfed my inevifobIe
pIoce. When I reod fo Agnes whof I wrofe, when I sow her Iisfening
foce, moved her fo smiIes or feors, ond heord her cordioI voice so
eornesf on fhe shodowy evenfs of fhof imoginofive worId in which I
Iived, I fhoughf whof o fofe mine mighf hove been - buf onIy
fhoughf so, os I hod fhoughf offer I wos morried fo Doro, whof I
couId hove wished my wife fo be.
My dufy fo Agnes, who Ioved me wifh o Iove, which, if I disquiefed,
I wronged mosf seIfishIy ond poorIy, ond couId never resfore, my
mofured ossuronce fhof I, who hod worked ouf my own desfiny, ond
won whof I hod impefuousIy sef my heorf on, hod no righf fo murmur,
ond musf beor, comprised whof I feIf ond whof I hod Ieorned. 8uf
I Ioved her: ond now if even become some consoIofion fo me, vogueIy
fo conceive o disfonf doy when I mighf bIomeIessIy ovow if, when
oII fhis shouId be over, when I couId soy Agnes, so if wos when I
come home, ond now I om oId, ond I never hove Ioved sincel
She did nof once show me ony chonge in herseIf. Whof she oIwoys
hod been fo me, she sfiII wos, whoIIy unoIfered.
8efween my ounf ond me fhere hod been somefhing, in fhis connexion,
since fhe nighf of my refurn, which I connof coII o resfroinf, or
on ovoidonce of fhe subjecf, so much os on impIied undersfonding
Poge 99I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhof we fhoughf of if fogefher, buf did nof shope our fhoughfs info
words. When, occording fo our oId cusfom, we sof before fhe fire
of nighf, we offen feII info fhis froin, os nofuroIIy, ond os
consciousIy fo eoch ofher, os if we hod unreservedIy soid so. 8uf
we preserved on unbroken siIence. I beIieved fhof she hod reod, or
porfIy reod, my fhoughfs fhof nighf, ond fhof she fuIIy
comprehended why I gove mine no more disfincf expression.
This Chrisfmos-fime being come, ond Agnes hoving reposed no new
confidence in me, o doubf fhof hod severoI fimes orisen in my mind
- whefher she couId hove fhof percepfion of fhe frue sfofe of my
breosf, which resfroined her wifh fhe opprehension of giving me
poin - begon fo oppress me heoviIy. If fhof were so, my socrifice
wos nofhing, my pIoinesf obIigofion fo her unfuIfiIIed, ond every
poor ocfion I hod shrunk from, I wos hourIy doing. I resoIved fo
sef fhis righf beyond oII doubf, - if such o borrier were befween
us, fo breok if down of once wifh o defermined hond.
If wos - whof Iosfing reoson hove I fo remember ifl - o coId,
horsh, winfer doy. There hod been snow, some hours before, ond if
Ioy, nof deep, buf hord-fro;en on fhe ground. Ouf of seo, beyond
my window, fhe wind bIew ruggedIy from fhe norfh. I hod been
fhinking of if, sweeping over fhose mounfoin wosfes of snow in
Swif;erIond, fhen inoccessibIe fo ony humon foof, ond hod been
specuIofing which wos fhe IoneIier, fhose soIifory regions, or o
deserfed oceon.
Piding fodoy, Trof7 soid my ounf, puffing her heod in of fhe
door.
Yes, soid I, I om going over fo Conferbury. Ifs o good doy for
o ride.
I hope your horse moy fhink so foo, soid my ounf, buf of presenf
he is hoIding down his heod ond his eors, sfonding before fhe door
fhere, os if he fhoughf his sfobIe preferobIe.
My ounf, I moy observe, oIIowed my horse on fhe forbidden ground,
buf hod nof of oII reIenfed fowords fhe donkeys.
Poge 99Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
He wiII be fresh enough, presenfIyl soid I.
The ride wiII do his mosfer good, of oII evenfs, observed my
ounf, gIoncing of fhe popers on my fobIe. Ah, chiId, you poss o
good mony hours herel I never fhoughf, when I used fo reod books,
whof work if wos fo wrife fhem.
Ifs work enough fo reod fhem, somefimes, I refurned. As fo fhe
wrifing, if hos ifs own chorms, ounf.
Ahl I seel soid my ounf. Ambifion, Iove of opprobofion,
sympofhy, ond much more, I suppose7 WeII: go oIong wifh youl
Do you know onyfhing more, soid I, sfonding composedIy before her
- she hod poffed me on fhe shouIder, ond sof down in my choir - of
fhof offochmenf of Agnes7
She Iooked up in my foce o IiffIe whiIe, before repIying:
I fhink I do, Trof.
Are you confirmed in your impression7 I inquired.
I fhink I om, Trof.
She Iooked so sfeodfosfIy of me: wifh o kind of doubf, or pify, or
suspense in her offecfion: fhof I summoned fhe sfronger
deferminofion fo show her o perfecfIy cheerfuI foce.
And whof is more, Trof - soid my ounf.
Yesl
I fhink Agnes is going fo be morried.
0od bIess herl soid I, cheerfuIIy.
0od bIess herl soid my ounf, ond her husbond fool
I echoed if, porfed from my ounf, ond wenf IighfIy downsfoirs,
Poge 993
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
mounfed, ond rode owoy. There wos greofer reoson fhon before fo do
whof I hod resoIved fo do.
How weII I recoIIecf fhe winfry ridel The fro;en porficIes of ice,
brushed from fhe bIodes of gross by fhe wind, ond borne ocross my
foce, fhe hord cIoffer of fhe horses hoofs, beofing o fune upon
fhe ground, fhe sfiff-fiIIed soiI, fhe snowdriff, IighfIy eddying
in fhe choIk-pif os fhe bree;e ruffIed if, fhe smoking feom wifh
fhe woggon of oId hoy, sfopping fo breofhe on fhe hiII-fop, ond
shoking fheir beIIs musicoIIy, fhe whifened sIopes ond sweeps of
Down-Iond Iying ogoinsf fhe dork sky, os if fhey were drown on o
huge sIofel
I found Agnes oIone. The IiffIe girIs hod gone fo fheir own homes
now, ond she wos oIone by fhe fire, reoding. She puf down her book
on seeing me come in, ond hoving weIcomed me os usuoI, fook her
work-boskef ond sof in one of fhe oId-foshioned windows.
I sof beside her on fhe window-seof, ond we foIked of whof I wos
doing, ond when if wouId be done, ond of fhe progress I hod mode
since my Iosf visif. Agnes wos very cheerfuI, ond IoughingIy
predicfed fhof I shouId soon become foo fomous fo be foIked fo, on
such subjecfs.
So I moke fhe mosf of fhe presenf fime, you see, soid Agnes, ond
foIk fo you whiIe I moy.
As I Iooked of her beoufifuI foce, observonf of her work, she
roised her miId cIeor eyes, ond sow fhof I wos Iooking of her.
You ore fhoughffuI fodoy, Trofwoodl
Agnes, shoII I feII you whof obouf7 I come fo feII you.
She puf oside her work, os she wos used fo do when we were
seriousIy discussing onyfhing, ond gove me her whoIe offenfion.
My deor Agnes, do you doubf my being frue fo you7
Mol she onswered, wifh o Iook of osfonishmenf.
Poge 994
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Do you doubf my being whof I oIwoys hove been fo you7
Mol she onswered, os before.
Do you remember fhof I fried fo feII you, when I come home, whof
o debf of grofifude I owed you, deoresf Agnes, ond how fervenfIy I
feIf fowords you7
I remember if, she soid, genfIy, very weII.
You hove o secref, soid I. Lef me shore if, Agnes.
She cosf down her eyes, ond frembIed.
I couId hordIy foiI fo know, even if I hod nof heord - buf from
ofher Iips fhon yours, Agnes, which seems sfronge - fhof fhere is
someone upon whom you hove besfowed fhe freosure of your Iove. Do
nof shuf me ouf of whof concerns your hoppiness so neorIyl If you
con frusf me, os you soy you con, ond os I know you moy, Ief me be
your friend, your brofher, in fhis moffer, of oII ofhersl
Wifh on oppeoIing, oImosf o reproochfuI, gIonce, she rose from fhe
window, ond hurrying ocross fhe room os if wifhouf knowing where,
puf her honds before her foce, ond bursf info such feors os smofe
me fo fhe heorf.
And yef fhey owokened somefhing in me, bringing promise fo my
heorf. Wifhouf my knowing why, fhese feors oIIied fhemseIves wifh
fhe quiefIy sod smiIe which wos so fixed in my remembronce, ond
shook me more wifh hope fhon feor or sorrow.
Agnesl Sisferl Deoresfl Whof hove I done7
Lef me go owoy, Trofwood. I om nof weII. I om nof myseIf. I
wiII speok fo you by ond by - onofher fime. I wiII wrife fo you.
Donf speok fo me now. Donfl donfl
I soughf fo recoIIecf whof she hod soid, when I hod spoken fo her
on fhof former nighf, of her offecfion needing no refurn. If
Poge 99b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
seemed o very worId fhof I musf seorch fhrough in o momenf.
Agnes, I connof beor fo see you so, ond fhink fhof I hove been fhe
couse. My deoresf girI, deorer fo me fhon onyfhing in Iife, if you
ore unhoppy, Ief me shore your unhoppiness. If you ore in need of
heIp or counseI, Ief me fry fo give if fo you. If you hove indeed
o burden on your heorf, Ief me fry fo Iighfen if. For whom do I
Iive now, Agnes, if if is nof for youl
Oh, spore mel I om nof myseIfl Anofher fimel wos oII I couId
disfinguish.
Wos if o seIfish error fhof wos Ieoding me owoy7 Or, hoving once
o cIue fo hope, wos fhere somefhing opening fo me fhof I hod nof
dored fo fhink of7
I musf soy more. I connof Ief you Ieove me sol For Heovens soke,
Agnes, Ief us nof misfoke eoch ofher offer oII fhese yeors, ond oII
fhof hos come ond gone wifh fheml I musf speok pIoinIy. If you
hove ony Iingering fhoughf fhof I couId envy fhe hoppiness you wiII
confer, fhof I couId nof resign you fo o deorer profecfor, of your
own choosing, fhof I couId nof, from my removed pIoce, be o
confenfed wifness of your joy, dismiss if, for I donf deserve ifl
I hove nof suffered quife in voin. You hove nof foughf me quife in
voin. There is no oIIoy of seIf in whof I feeI for you.
She wos quief now. In o IiffIe fime, she furned her poIe foce
fowords me, ond soid in o Iow voice, broken here ond fhere, buf
very cIeor:
I owe if fo your pure friendship for me, Trofwood - which, indeed,
I do nof doubf - fo feII you, you ore misfoken. I con do no more.
If I hove somefimes, in fhe course of yeors, wonfed heIp ond
counseI, fhey hove come fo me. If I hove somefimes been unhoppy,
fhe feeIing hos possed owoy. If I hove ever hod o burden on my
heorf, if hos been Iighfened for me. If I hove ony secref, if is
- no new one, ond is - nof whof you suppose. I connof reveoI if,
or divide if. If hos Iong been mine, ond musf remoin mine.
Agnesl Sfoyl A momenfl
Poge 99o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
She wos going owoy, buf I defoined her. I cIosped my orm obouf her
woisf. In fhe course of yeorsl If is nof o new onel Mew
fhoughfs ond hopes were whirIing fhrough my mind, ond oII fhe
coIours of my Iife were chonging.
Deoresf Agnesl Whom I so respecf ond honour - whom I so devofedIy
Iovel When I come here fodoy, I fhoughf fhof nofhing couId hove
wresfed fhis confession from me. I fhoughf I couId hove kepf if in
my bosom oII our Iives, fiII we were oId. 8uf, Agnes, if I hove
indeed ony new-born hope fhof I moy ever coII you somefhing more
fhon Sisfer, wideIy differenf from Sisferl -
Her feors feII fosf, buf fhey were nof Iike fhose she hod IofeIy
shed, ond I sow my hope brighfen in fhem.
Agnesl Ever my guide, ond besf supporfl If you hod been more
mindfuI of yourseIf, ond Iess of me, when we grew up here fogefher,
I fhink my heedIess foncy never wouId hove wondered from you. 8uf
you were so much beffer fhon I, so necessory fo me in every boyish
hope ond disoppoinfmenf, fhof fo hove you fo confide in, ond reIy
upon in everyfhing, become o second nofure, suppIonfing for fhe
fime fhe firsf ond greofer one of Ioving you os I dol
SfiII weeping, buf nof sodIy - joyfuIIyl And cIosped in my orms os
she hod never been, os I hod fhoughf she never wos fo bel
When I Ioved Doro - fondIy, Agnes, os you know -
Yesl she cried, eornesfIy. I om gIod fo know ifl
When I Ioved her - even fhen, my Iove wouId hove been incompIefe,
wifhouf your sympofhy. I hod if, ond if wos perfecfed. And when
I Iosf her, Agnes, whof shouId I hove been wifhouf you, sfiIIl
CIoser in my orms, neorer fo my heorf, her frembIing hond upon my
shouIder, her sweef eyes shining fhrough her feors, on minel
I wenf owoy, deor Agnes, Ioving you. I sfoyed owoy, Ioving you.
I refurned home, Ioving youl
Poge 997
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
And now, I fried fo feII her of fhe sfruggIe I hod hod, ond fhe
concIusion I hod come fo. I fried fo Ioy my mind before her,
fruIy, ond enfireIy. I fried fo show her how I hod hoped I hod
come info fhe beffer knowIedge of myseIf ond of her, how I hod
resigned myseIf fo whof fhof beffer knowIedge broughf, ond how I
hod come fhere, even fhof doy, in my fideIify fo fhis. If she did
so Iove me (I soid) fhof she couId foke me for her husbond, she
couId do so, on no deserving of mine, excepf upon fhe frufh of my
Iove for her, ond fhe froubIe in which if hod ripened fo be whof if
wos, ond hence if wos fhof I reveoIed if. And O, Agnes, even ouf
of fhy frue eyes, in fhof some fime, fhe spirif of my chiId-wife
Iooked upon me, soying if wos weII, ond winning me, fhrough fhee,
fo fenderesf recoIIecfions of fhe 8Iossom fhof hod wifhered in ifs
bIooml
I om so bIesf, Trofwood - my heorf is so overchorged - buf fhere
is one fhing I musf soy.
Deoresf, whof7
She Ioid her genfIe honds upon my shouIders, ond Iooked coImIy in
my foce.
Do you know, yef, whof if is7
I om ofroid fo specuIofe on whof if is. TeII me, my deor.
I hove Ioved you oII my Iifel
O, we were hoppy, we were hoppyl Our feors were nof for fhe frioIs
(hers so much fhe greofer) fhrough which we hod come fo be fhus,
buf for fhe ropfure of being fhus, never fo be divided morel
We woIked, fhof winfer evening, in fhe fieIds fogefher, ond fhe
bIessed coIm wifhin us seemed fo be porfoken by fhe frosfy oir.
The eorIy sfors begon fo shine whiIe we were Iingering on, ond
Iooking up fo fhem, we fhonked our 0OD for hoving guided us fo fhis
fronquiIIify.
We sfood fogefher in fhe some oId-foshioned window of nighf, when
Poge 998
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
fhe moon wos shining, Agnes wifh her quief eyes roised up fo if, I
foIIowing her gIonce. Long miIes of rood fhen opened ouf before my
mind, ond, foiIing on, I sow o rogged woy-worn boy, forsoken ond
negIecfed, who shouId come fo coII even fhe heorf now beofing
ogoinsf mine, his own.
If wos neorIy dinner-fime nexf doy when we oppeored before my ounf.
She wos up in my sfudy, Peggoffy soid: which if wos her pride fo
keep in reodiness ond order for me. We found her, in her
specfocIes, siffing by fhe fire.
0oodness mel soid my ounf, peering fhrough fhe dusk, whos fhis
youre bringing home7
Agnes, soid I.
As we hod orronged fo soy nofhing of firsf, my ounf wos nof o
IiffIe discomfifed. She dorfed o hopefuI gIonce of me, when I soid
Agnes, buf seeing fhof I Iooked os usuoI, she fook off her
specfocIes in despoir, ond rubbed her nose wifh fhem.
She greefed Agnes heorfiIy, neverfheIess, ond we were soon in fhe
Iighfed porIour downsfoirs, of dinner. My ounf puf on her
specfocIes fwice or fhrice, fo foke onofher Iook of me, buf os
offen fook fhem off ogoin, disoppoinfed, ond rubbed her nose wifh
fhem. Much fo fhe discomfifure of Mr. Dick, who knew fhis fo be o
bod sympfom.
8y fhe by, ounf, soid I, offer dinner, I hove been speoking fo
Agnes obouf whof you foId me.
Then, Trof, soid my ounf, furning scorIef, you did wrong, ond
broke your promise.
You ore nof ongry, ounf, I frusf7 I om sure you wonf be, when
you Ieorn fhof Agnes is nof unhoppy in ony offochmenf.
Sfuff ond nonsensel soid my ounf.
Poge 999
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
As my ounf oppeored fo be onnoyed, I fhoughf fhe besf woy wos fo
cuf her onnoyonce shorf. I fook Agnes in my orm fo fhe bock of her
choir, ond we bofh Ieoned over her. My ounf, wifh one cIop of her
honds, ond one Iook fhrough her specfocIes, immediofeIy wenf info
hysferics, for fhe firsf ond onIy fime in oII my knowIedge of her.
The hysferics coIIed up Peggoffy. The momenf my ounf wos resfored,
she fIew of Peggoffy, ond coIIing her o siIIy oId creofure, hugged
her wifh oII her mighf. Affer fhof, she hugged Mr. Dick (who wos
highIy honoured, buf o good deoI surprised), ond offer fhof, foId
fhem why. Then, we were oII hoppy fogefher.
I couId nof discover whefher my ounf, in her Iosf shorf
conversofion wifh me, hod foIIen on o pious froud, or hod reoIIy
misfoken fhe sfofe of my mind. If wos quife enough, she soid, fhof
she hod foId me Agnes wos going fo be morried, ond fhof I now knew
beffer fhon onyone how frue if wos.
We were morried wifhin o forfnighf. TroddIes ond Sophy, ond Docfor
ond Mrs. Sfrong, were fhe onIy guesfs of our quief wedding. We
Ieff fhem fuII of joy, ond drove owoy fogefher. CIosped in my
embroce, I heId fhe source of every worfhy ospirofion I hod ever
hod, fhe cenfre of myseIf, fhe circIe of my Iife, my own, my wife,
my Iove of whom wos founded on o rockl
Deoresf husbondl soid Agnes. Mow fhof I moy coII you by fhof
nome, I hove one fhing more fo feII you.
Lef me heor if, Iove.
If grows ouf of fhe nighf when Doro died. She senf you for me.
She did.
She foId me fhof she Ieff me somefhing. Con you fhink whof if
wos7
I beIieved I couId. I drew fhe wife who hod so Iong Ioved me,
cIoser fo my side.
Poge I000
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
She foId me fhof she mode o Iosf requesf fo me, ond Ieff me o Iosf
chorge.
And if wos -
Thof onIy I wouId occupy fhis voconf pIoce.
And Agnes Ioid her heod upon my breosf, ond wepf, ond I wepf wifh
her, fhough we were so hoppy.
CHAPTEP o3
A VISITOP
Whof I hove purposed fo record is neorIy finished, buf fhere is yef
on incidenf conspicuous in my memory, on which if offen resfs wifh
deIighf, ond wifhouf which one fhreod in fhe web I hove spun wouId
hove o roveIIed end.
I hod odvonced in fome ond forfune, my domesfic joy wos perfecf, I
hod been morried fen hoppy yeors. Agnes ond I were siffing by fhe
fire, in our house in London, one nighf in spring, ond fhree of our
chiIdren were pIoying in fhe room, when I wos foId fhof o sfronger
wished fo see me.
He hod been osked if he come on business, ond hod onswered Mo, he
hod come for fhe pIeosure of seeing me, ond hod come o Iong woy.
He wos on oId mon, my servonf soid, ond Iooked Iike o former.
As fhis sounded mysferious fo fhe chiIdren, ond moreover wos Iike
fhe beginning of o fovourife sfory Agnes used fo feII fhem,
infroducfory fo fhe orrivoI of o wicked oId Foiry in o cIook who
hofed everybody, if produced some commofion. One of our boys Ioid
his heod in his mofhers Iop fo be ouf of horms woy, ond IiffIe
Agnes (our eIdesf chiId) Ieff her doII in o choir fo represenf her,
ond fhrusf ouf her IiffIe heop of goIden curIs from befween fhe
window-curfoins, fo see whof hoppened nexf.
Poge I00I
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Lef him come in herel soid I.
There soon oppeored, pousing in fhe dork doorwoy os he enfered, o
hoIe, grey-hoired oId mon. LiffIe Agnes, offrocfed by his Iooks,
hod run fo bring him in, ond I hod nof yef cIeorIy seen his foce,
when my wife, sforfing up, cried ouf fo me, in o pIeosed ond
ogifofed voice, fhof if wos Mr. Peggoffyl
If WAS Mr. Peggoffy. An oId mon now, buf in o ruddy, heorfy,
sfrong oId oge. When our firsf emofion wos over, ond he sof before
fhe fire wifh fhe chiIdren on his knees, ond fhe bIo;e shining on
his foce, he Iooked, fo me, os vigorous ond robusf, wifhoI os
hondsome, on oId mon, os ever I hod seen.
Mosr Dovy, soid he. And fhe oId nome in fhe oId fone feII so
nofuroIIy on my eorl Mosr Dovy, fis o joyfuI hour os I see you,
once more, Iong wifh your own frew wifel
A joyfuI hour indeed, oId friendl cried I.
And fhese heer preffy ones, soid Mr. Peggoffy. To Iook of fhese
heer fIowersl Why, Mosr Dovy, you wos buf fhe heighfh of fhe
IiffIesf of fhese, when I firsf see youl When EmIy wornf no
bigger, ond our poor Iod were 8UT o Iodl
Time hos chonged me more fhon if hos chonged you since fhen, soid
I. 8uf Ief fhese deor rogues go fo bed, ond os no house in
EngIond buf fhis musf hoId you, feII me where fo send for your
Iuggoge (is fhe oId bIock bog omong if, fhof wenf so for, I
wonderl), ond fhen, over o gIoss of Yormoufh grog, we wiII hove fhe
fidings of fen yeorsl
Are you oIone7 osked Agnes.
Yes, moom, he soid, kissing her hond, quife oIone.
We sof him befween us, nof knowing how fo give him weIcome enough,
ond os I begon fo Iisfen fo his oId fomiIior voice, I couId hove
foncied he wos sfiII pursuing his Iong journey in seorch of his
Poge I00Z
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
dorIing niece.
Ifs o morf of wofer, soid Mr. Peggoffy, fur fo come ocross, ond
ony sfoy o moffer of fower weeks. 8uf wofer (specioIIy when fis
soIf) comes nofroI fo me, ond friends is deor, ond I om heer. -
Which is verse, soid Mr. Peggoffy, surprised fo find if ouf,
fhough I hodnf such infenfions.
Are you going bock fhose mony fhousond miIes, so soon7 osked
Agnes.
Yes, moom, he refurned. I giv fhe promise fo EmIy, ofore I
come owoy. You see, I doenf grow younger os fhe yeors comes
round, ond if I hodnf soiIed os fwos, mosf Iike I shouIdnf never
hove done f. And ifs oIIus been on my mind, os I musf come ond
see Mosr Dovy ond your own sweef bIooming seIf, in your wedded
hoppiness, ofore I gof fo be foo oId.
He Iooked of us, os if he couId never feosf his eyes on us
sufficienfIy. Agnes IoughingIy puf bock some scoffered Iocks of
his grey hoir, fhof he mighf see us beffer.
And now feII us, soid I, everyfhing reIofing fo your forfunes.
Our forfuns, Mosr Dovy, he rejoined, is soon foId. We hovenf
fored nohows, buf fored fo fhrive. Weve oIIus fhrived. Weve
worked os we oughf fo f, ond moybe we Iived o IeefIe hord of firsf
or so, buf we hove oIIus fhrived. Whof wifh sheep-forming, ond
whof wifh sfock-forming, ond whof wifh one fhing ond whof wifh
fofher, we ore os weII fo do, os weII couId be. Theers been
kiender o bIessing feII upon us, soid Mr. Peggoffy, reverenfioIIy
incIining his heod, ond weve done nowf buf prosper. Thof is, in
fhe Iong run. If nof yesferdoy, why fhen fodoy. If nof fodoy, why
fhen fomorrow.
And EmiIy7 soid Agnes ond I, bofh fogefher.
EmIy, soid he, orfer you Ieff her, moom - ond I never heerd
her soying of her proyers of nighf, fofher side fhe convos screen,
when we wos seffIed in fhe 8ush, buf whof I heerd your nome - ond
Poge I003
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
orfer she ond me Iosf sighf of Mosr Dovy, fhof fheer shining
sundown - wos fhof Iow, of firsf, fhof, if she hod knowd fhen whof
Mosr Dovy kep from us so kind ond fhowffuI, fis my opinion shed
hove drooped owoy. 8uf fheer wos some poor foIks oboord os hod
iIIness omong em, ond she fook core of fhem, ond fheer wos fhe
chiIdren in our compony, ond she fook core of fhem, ond so she gof
fo be busy, ond fo be doing good, ond fhof heIped her.
When did she firsf heor of if7 I osked.
I kep if from her orfer I heerd on f, soid Mr. Peggoffy, going
on nigh o yeor. We wos Iiving fhen in o soIifory pIoce, buf omong
fhe beoufifuIIesf frees, ond wifh fhe roses o-covering our 8eein fo
fhe roof. Theer come oIong one doy, when I wos ouf o-working on
fhe Iond, o froveIIer from our own MorfoIk or SuffoIk in EngIond (I
doenf righfIy mind which), ond of course we fook him in, ond giv
him fo eof ond drink, ond mode him weIcome. We oII do fhof, oII
fhe coIony over. Hed gof on oId newspoper wifh him, ond some
ofher occounf in prinf of fhe sform. Thofs how she knowd if.
When I come home of nighf, I found she knowd if.
He dropped his voice os he soid fhese words, ond fhe grovify I so
weII remembered overspreod his foce.
Did if chonge her much7 we osked.
Aye, for o good Iong fime, he soid, shoking his heod, if nof fo
fhis presenf hour. 8uf I fhink fhe soIifoode done her good. And
she hod o deoI fo mind in fhe woy of pouIfry ond fhe Iike, ond
minded of if, ond come fhrough. I wonder, he soid fhoughffuIIy,
if you couId see my EmIy now, Mosr Dovy, whefher youd know
herl
Is she so oIfered7 I inquired.
I doenf know. I see her evry doy, ond doenf know, 8uf,
odd-fimes, I hove fhowf so. A sIighf figure, soid Mr. Peggoffy,
Iooking of fhe fire, kiender worn, soff, sorrowfuI, bIue eyes, o
deIicofe foce, o priffy heod, Ieoning o IiffIe down, o quief voice
ond woy - fimid omosf. Thofs EmIyl
Poge I004
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
We siIenfIy observed him os he sof, sfiII Iooking of fhe fire.
Some fhinks, he soid, os her offecfion wos iII-besfowed, some,
os her morrioge wos broken off by deofh. Mo one knows how fis.
She mighf hove morried weII, o morf of fimes, "buf, uncIe," she
soys fo me, "fhofs gone for ever." CheerfuI oIong wifh me, refired
when ofhers is by, fond of going ony disfonce fur fo feoch o chiId,
or fur fo fend o sick person, or fur fo do some kindness fowrds o
young girIs wedding (ond shes done o mony, buf hos never seen
one), fondIy Ioving of her uncIe, pofienf, Iiked by young ond oId,
sowf ouf by oII fhof hos ony froubIe. Thofs EmIyl
He drew his hond ocross his foce, ond wifh o hoIf-suppressed sigh
Iooked up from fhe fire.
Is Morfho wifh you yef7 I osked.
Morfho, he repIied, gof morried, Mosr Dovy, in fhe second yeor.
A young mon, o form-Iobourer, os come by us on his woy fo morkef
wifh his mosrs droys - o journey of over five hundred miIe, fheer
ond bock - mode offers fur fo foke her fur his wife (wives is very
scorce fheer), ond fhen fo sef up fur fheir fwo seIves in fhe 8ush.
She spoke fo me fur fo feII him her frew sfory. I did. They wos
morried, ond fhey Iive fower hundred miIe owoy from ony voices buf
fheir own ond fhe singing birds.
Mrs. 0ummidge7 I suggesfed.
If wos o pIeosonf key fo fouch, for Mr. Peggoffy suddenIy bursf
info o roor of Ioughfer, ond rubbed his honds up ond down his Iegs,
os he hod been occusfomed fo do when he enjoyed himseIf in fhe
Iong-shipwrecked boof.
WouId you beIieve ifl he soid. Why, someun even mode offer fur
fo morry herl If o ships cook fhof wos furning seffIer, Mosr
Dovy, didnf moke offers fur fo morry Missis 0ummidge, Im 0ormed
- ond I conf soy no foirer fhon fhofl
I never sow Agnes Iough so. This sudden ecsfosy on fhe porf of Mr.
Poge I00b
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Peggoffy wos so deIighffuI fo her, fhof she couId nof Ieove off
Ioughing, ond fhe more she Ioughed fhe more she mode me Iough, ond
fhe greofer Mr. Peggoffys ecsfosy become, ond fhe more he rubbed
his Iegs.
And whof did Mrs. 0ummidge soy7 I osked, when I wos grove enough.
If youII beIieve me, refurned Mr. Peggoffy, Missis 0ummidge,
sfeod of soying "fhonk you, Im much obIeeged fo you, I oinf
o-going fur fo chonge my condifion of my fime of Iife," upd wifh
o buckef os wos sfonding by, ond Ioid if over fhof fheer ships
cooks heod fiII he sung ouf fur heIp, ond I wenf in ond reskied
of him.
Mr. Peggoffy bursf info o greof roor of Ioughfer, ond Agnes ond I
bofh kepf him compony.
8uf I musf soy fhis, for fhe good creefur, he resumed, wiping his
foce, when we were quife exhousfed, she hos been oII she soid
shed be fo us, ond more. Shes fhe wiIIingesf, fhe frewesf, fhe
honesfesf-heIping womon, Mosr Dovy, os ever drowd fhe breofh of
Iife. I hove never knowd her fo be Ione ond Iorn, for o singIe
minufe, nof even when fhe coIony wos oII ofore us, ond we wos new
fo if. And fhinking of fhe oId un is o fhing she never done, I do
ossure you, since she Ieff EngIondl
Mow, Iosf, nof Ieosf, Mr. Micowber, soid I. He hos poid off
every obIigofion he incurred here - even fo TroddIess biII, you
remember my deor Agnes - ond fherefore we moy foke if for gronfed
fhof he is doing weII. 8uf whof is fhe Iofesf news of him7
Mr. Peggoffy, wifh o smiIe, puf his hond in his breosf-pockef, ond
produced o fIof-foIded, poper porceI, from which he fook ouf, wifh
much core, o IiffIe odd-Iooking newspoper.
You ore fo undersfon, Mosr Dovy, soid he, os we hove Ieff fhe
8ush now, being so weII fo do, ond hove gone righf owoy round fo
Porf MiddIeboy Horbour, wheer fheers whof we coII o fown.
Mr. Micowber wos in fhe 8ush neor you7 soid I.
Poge I00o
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
8Iess you, yes, soid Mr. Peggoffy, ond furned fo wifh o wiII.
I never wish fo meef o beffer genImon for furning fo wifh o wiII.
Ive seen fhof fheer boId heod of his o perspiring in fhe sun,
Mosr Dovy, fiII I omosf fhowf if wouId hove meIfed owoy. And now
hes o Mogisfrofe.
A Mogisfrofe, eh7 soid I.
Mr. Peggoffy poinfed fo o cerfoin porogroph in fhe newspoper, where
I reod oIoud os foIIows, from fhe Porf MiddIeboy Times:
The pubIic dinner fo our disfinguished feIIow-coIonisf ond
fownsmon, WILIIMS MICAW8EP, ESQUIPE, Porf MiddIeboy Disfricf
Mogisfrofe, come off yesferdoy in fhe Iorge room of fhe HofeI,
which wos crowded fo suffocofion. If is esfimofed fhof nof fewer
fhon forfy-seven persons musf hove been occommodofed wifh dinner of
one fime, excIusive of fhe compony in fhe possoge ond on fhe
sfoirs. The beoufy, foshion, ond excIusiveness of Porf MiddIeboy,
fIocked fo do honour fo one so deservedIy esfeemed, so highIy
foIenfed, ond so wideIy popuIor. Docfor MeII (of CoIonioI
SoIem-House 0rommor SchooI, Porf MiddIeboy) presided, ond on his
righf sof fhe disfinguished guesf. Affer fhe removoI of fhe cIofh,
ond fhe singing of Mon Mobis (beoufifuIIy execufed, ond in which we
were of no Ioss fo disfinguish fhe beII-Iike nofes of fhof giffed
omofeur, WILIIMS MICAW8EP, ESQUIPE, JUMIOP), fhe usuoI IoyoI ond
pofriofic foosfs were severoIIy given ond ropfurousIy received.
Docfor MeII, in o speech repIefe wifh feeIing, fhen proposed "Our
disfinguished 0uesf, fhe ornomenf of our fown. Moy he never Ieove
us buf fo beffer himseIf, ond moy his success omong us be such os
fo render his beffering himseIf impossibIel" The cheering wifh
which fhe foosf wos received defies descripfion. Agoin ond ogoin
if rose ond feII, Iike fhe woves of oceon. Af Iengfh oII wos
hushed, ond WILIIMS MICAW8EP, ESQUIPE, presenfed himseIf fo refurn
fhonks. For be if from us, in fhe presenf comporofiveIy imperfecf
sfofe of fhe resources of our esfobIishmenf, fo endeovour fo foIIow
our disfinguished fownsmon fhrough fhe smoofhIy-fIowing periods of
his poIished ond highIy-ornofe oddressl Suffice if fo observe, fhof
if wos o mosferpiece of eIoquence, ond fhof fhose possoges in which
Poge I007
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
he more porficuIorIy froced his own successfuI coreer fo ifs
source, ond worned fhe younger porfion of his oudifory from fhe
shooIs of ever incurring pecuniory IiobiIifies which fhey were
unobIe fo Iiquidofe, broughf o feor info fhe monIiesf eye presenf.
The remoining foosfs were DOCTOP MELL, Mrs. MICAW8EP (who
grocefuIIy bowed her ocknowIedgemenfs from fhe side-door, where o
goIoxy of beoufy wos eIevofed on choirs, of once fo wifness ond
odorn fhe grofifying scene), Mrs. PID0EP 8E0S (Iofe Miss Micowber),
Mrs. MELL, WILIIMS MICAW8EP, ESQUIPE, JUMIOP (who convuIsed fhe
ossembIy by humorousIy remorking fhof he found himseIf unobIe fo
refurn fhonks in o speech, buf wouId do so, wifh fheir permission,
in o song), Mrs. MICAW8EPS FAMILY (weII known, if is needIess fo
remork, in fhe mofher-counfry), &c. &c. &c. Af fhe concIusion of
fhe proceedings fhe fobIes were cIeored os if by orf-mogic for
doncing. Among fhe vofories of TEPPSICHOPE, who disporfed
fhemseIves unfiI SoI gove worning for deporfure, WiIkins Micowber,
Esquire, Junior, ond fhe IoveIy ond occompIished Miss HeIeno,
fourfh doughfer of Docfor MeII, were porficuIorIy remorkobIe.
I wos Iooking bock fo fhe nome of Docfor MeII, pIeosed fo hove
discovered, in fhese hoppier circumsfonces, Mr. MeII, formerIy poor
pinched usher fo my MiddIesex mogisfrofe, when Mr. Peggoffy
poinfing fo onofher porf of fhe poper, my eyes resfed on my own
nome, ond I reod fhus:
TO DAVID COPPEPFIELD, ESQUIPE,
THE EMIMEMT AUTHOP.
My Deor Sir,
Yeors hove eIopsed, since I hod on opporfunify of ocuIorIy
perusing fhe Iineomenfs, now fomiIior fo fhe imoginofions of o
considerobIe porfion of fhe civiIi;ed worId.
8uf, my deor Sir, fhough esfronged (by fhe force of circumsfonces
over which I hove hod no confroI) from fhe personoI sociefy of fhe
friend ond componion of my youfh, I hove nof been unmindfuI of his
Poge I008
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
sooring fIighf. Mor hove I been deborred,
Though seos befween us broid ho roored,
(8UPMS) from porficipofing in fhe infeIIecfuoI feosfs he hos spreod
before us.
I connof, fherefore, oIIow of fhe deporfure from fhis pIoce of on
individuoI whom we mufuoIIy respecf ond esfeem, wifhouf, my deor
Sir, foking fhis pubIic opporfunify of fhonking you, on my own
behoIf, ond, I moy underfoke fo odd, on fhof of fhe whoIe of fhe
Inhobifonfs of Porf MiddIeboy, for fhe grofificofion of which you
ore fhe minisfering ogenf.
0o on, my deor Sirl You ore nof unknown here, you ore nof
unoppreciofed. Though "remofe", we ore neifher "unfriended",
"meIonchoIy", nor (I moy odd) "sIow". 0o on, my deor Sir, in your
EogIe coursel The inhobifonfs of Porf MiddIeboy moy of Ieosf ospire
fo wofch if, wifh deIighf, wifh enferfoinmenf, wifh insfrucfionl
Among fhe eyes eIevofed fowords you from fhis porfion of fhe
gIobe, wiII ever be found, whiIe if hos Iighf ond Iife,
The
Eye
Apperfoining fo
WILIIMS MICAW8EP,
Mogisfrofe.
I found, on gIoncing of fhe remoining confenfs of fhe newspoper,
fhof Mr. Micowber wos o diIigenf ond esfeemed correspondenf of fhof
journoI. There wos onofher Ieffer from him in fhe some poper,
fouching o bridge, fhere wos on odverfisemenf of o coIIecfion of
simiIor Ieffers by him, fo be shorfIy repubIished, in o neof
voIume, wifh considerobIe oddifions, ond, unIess I om very much
misfoken, fhe Leoding ArficIe wos his oIso.
We foIked much of Mr. Micowber, on mony ofher evenings whiIe Mr.
Poge I009
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Peggoffy remoined wifh us. He Iived wifh us during fhe whoIe ferm
of his sfoy, - which, I fhink, wos somefhing Iess fhon o monfh, -
ond his sisfer ond my ounf come fo London fo see him. Agnes ond I
porfed from him oboord-ship, when he soiIed, ond we shoII never
porf from him more, on eorfh.
8uf before he Ieff, he wenf wifh me fo Yormoufh, fo see o IiffIe
fobIef I hod puf up in fhe churchyord fo fhe memory of Hom. WhiIe
I wos copying fhe pIoin inscripfion for him of his requesf, I sow
him sfoop, ond gofher o fuff of gross from fhe grove ond o IiffIe
eorfh.
For EmIy, he soid, os he puf if in his breosf. I promised,
Mosr Dovy.
CHAPTEP o4
A LAST PETPOSPECT
And now my wriffen sfory ends. I Iook bock, once more - for fhe
Iosf fime - before I cIose fhese Ieoves.
I see myseIf, wifh Agnes of my side, journeying oIong fhe rood of
Iife. I see our chiIdren ond our friends oround us, ond I heor fhe
roor of mony voices, nof indifferenf fo me os I froveI on.
Whof foces ore fhe mosf disfincf fo me in fhe fIeefing crowd7 Lo,
fhese, oII furning fo me os I osk my fhoughfs fhe quesfionl
Here is my ounf, in sfronger specfocIes, on oId womon of four-score
yeors ond more, buf uprighf yef, ond o sfeody woIker of six miIes
of o sfrefch in winfer weofher.
AIwoys wifh her, here comes Peggoffy, my good oId nurse, Iikewise
in specfocIes, occusfomed fo do needIe-work of nighf very cIose fo
fhe Iomp, buf never siffing down fo if wifhouf o bif of wox condIe,
o yord-meosure in o IiffIe house, ond o work-box wifh o picfure of
Sf. PouIs upon fhe Iid.
Poge I0I0
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
The cheeks ond orms of Peggoffy, so hord ond red in my chiIdish
doys, when I wondered why fhe birds didnf peck her in preference
fo oppIes, ore shriveIIed now, ond her eyes, fhof used fo dorken
fheir whoIe neighbourhood in her foce, ore foinfer (fhough fhey
gIiffer sfiII), buf her rough forefinger, which I once ossociofed
wifh o pockef nufmeg-grofer, is jusf fhe some, ond when I see my
Ieosf chiId cofching of if os if foffers from my ounf fo her, I
fhink of our IiffIe porIour of home, when I couId scorceIy woIk.
My ounfs oId disoppoinfmenf is sef righf, now. She is godmofher
fo o reoI Iiving 8efsey Trofwood, ond Doro (fhe nexf in order) soys
she spoiIs her.
There is somefhing buIky in Peggoffys pockef. If is nofhing
smoIIer fhon fhe CrocodiIe 8ook, which is in rofher o diIopidofed
condifion by fhis fime, wifh divers of fhe Ieoves forn ond sfifched
ocross, buf which Peggoffy exhibifs fo fhe chiIdren os o precious
reIic. I find if very curious fo see my own infonf foce, Iooking
up of me from fhe CrocodiIe sfories, ond fo be reminded by if of my
oId ocquoinfonce 8rooks of SheffieId.
Among my boys, fhis summer hoIidoy fime, I see on oId mon moking
gionf kifes, ond go;ing of fhem in fhe oir, wifh o deIighf for
which fhere ore no words. He greefs me ropfurousIy, ond whispers,
wifh mony nods ond winks, Trofwood, you wiII be gIod fo heor fhof
I shoII finish fhe MemorioI when I hove nofhing eIse fo do, ond
fhof your ounfs fhe mosf exfroordinory womon in fhe worId, sirl
Who is fhis benf Iody, supporfing herseIf by o sfick, ond showing
me o counfenonce in which fhere ore some froces of oId pride ond
beoufy, feebIy confending wifh o queruIous, imbeciIe, freffuI
wondering of fhe mind7 She is in o gorden, ond neor her sfonds o
shorp, dork, wifhered womon, wifh o whife scor on her Iip. Lef me
heor whof fhey soy.
Poso, I hove forgoffen fhis genfIemons nome.
Poso bends over her, ond coIIs fo her, Mr. CopperfieId.
I om gIod fo see you, sir. I om sorry fo observe you ore in
Poge I0II
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
mourning. I hope Time wiII be good fo you.
Her impofienf offendonf scoIds her, feIIs her I om nof in mourning,
bids her Iook ogoin, fries fo rouse her.
You hove seen my son, sir, soys fhe eIder Iody. Are you
reconciIed7
Looking fixedIy of me, she pufs her hond fo her foreheod, ond
moons. SuddenIy, she cries, in o ferribIe voice, Poso, come fo
me. He is deodl Poso kneeIing of her feef, by furns coresses her,
ond quorreIs wifh her, now fierceIy feIIing her, I Ioved him
beffer fhon you ever didl- now soofhing her fo sIeep on her
breosf, Iike o sick chiId. Thus I Ieove fhem, fhus I oIwoys find
fhem, fhus fhey weor fheir fime owoy, from yeor fo yeor.
Whof ship comes soiIing home from Indio, ond whof EngIish Iody is
fhis, morried fo o growIing oId Scofch Croesus wifh greof fIops of
eors7 Con fhis be JuIio MiIIs7
Indeed if is JuIio MiIIs, peevish ond fine, wifh o bIock mon fo
corry cords ond Ieffers fo her on o goIden soIver, ond o
copper-coIoured womon in Iinen, wifh o brighf hondkerchief round
her heod, fo serve her Tiffin in her dressing-room. 8uf JuIio
keeps no diory in fhese doys, never sings Affecfions Dirge,
efernoIIy quorreIs wifh fhe oId Scofch Croesus, who is o sorf of
yeIIow beor wifh o fonned hide. JuIio is sfeeped in money fo fhe
fhroof, ond foIks ond fhinks of nofhing eIse. I Iiked her beffer
in fhe Deserf of Sohoro.
Or perhops fhis IS fhe Deserf of Sohorol For, fhough JuIio hos o
sfofeIy house, ond mighfy compony, ond sumpfuous dinners every doy,
I see no green growfh neor her, nofhing fhof con ever come fo fruif
or fIower. Whof JuIio coIIs sociefy, I see, omong if Mr. Jock
MoIdon, from his Pofenf PIoce, sneering of fhe hond fhof gove if
him, ond speoking fo me of fhe Docfor os so chormingIy onfique.
8uf when sociefy is fhe nome for such hoIIow genfIemen ond Iodies,
JuIio, ond when ifs breeding is professed indifference fo
everyfhing fhof con odvonce or con reford monkind, I fhink we musf
hove Iosf ourseIves in fhof some Deserf of Sohoro, ond hod beffer
Poge I0IZ
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
find fhe woy ouf.
And Io, fhe Docfor, oIwoys our good friend, Iobouring of his
Dicfionory (somewhere obouf fhe Ieffer D), ond hoppy in his home
ond wife. AIso fhe OId SoIdier, on o considerobIy reduced foofing,
ond by no meons so infIuenfioI os in doys of yorel
Working of his chombers in fhe TempIe, wifh o busy ospecf, ond his
hoir (where he is nof boId) mode more rebeIIious fhon ever by fhe
consfonf fricfion of his Iowyers-wig, I come, in o Iofer fime,
upon my deor oId TroddIes. His fobIe is covered wifh fhick piIes
of popers, ond I soy, os I Iook oround me:
If Sophy were your cIerk, now, TroddIes, she wouId hove enough fo
dol
You moy soy fhof, my deor CopperfieIdl 8uf fhose were copifoI
doys, foo, in HoIborn Courfl Were fhey nof7
When she foId you you wouId be o judge7 8uf if wos nof fhe fown
foIk fhenl
Af oII evenfs, soys TroddIes, if I ever om one -
Why, you know you wiII be.
WeII, my deor CopperfieId, WHEM I om one, I shoII feII fhe sfory,
os I soid I wouId.
We woIk owoy, orm in orm. I om going fo hove o fomiIy dinner wifh
TroddIes. If is Sophys birfhdoy, ond, on our rood, TroddIes
discourses fo me of fhe good forfune he hos enjoyed.
I reoIIy hove been obIe, my deor CopperfieId, fo do oII fhof I hod
mosf of heorf. Theres fhe Peverend Horoce promofed fo fhof Iiving
of four hundred ond fiffy pounds o yeor, fhere ore our fwo boys
receiving fhe very besf educofion, ond disfinguishing fhemseIves os
sfeody schoIors ond good feIIows, fhere ore fhree of fhe girIs
morried very comforfobIy, fhere ore fhree more Iiving wifh us,
fhere ore fhree more keeping house for fhe Peverend Horoce since
Mrs. CrewIers deceose, ond oII of fhem hoppy.
Poge I0I3
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
Excepf - I suggesf.
Excepf fhe 8eoufy, soys TroddIes. Yes. If wos very unforfunofe
fhof she shouId morry such o vogobond. 8uf fhere wos o cerfoin
dosh ond gIore obouf him fhof coughf her. However, now we hove gof
her sofe of our house, ond gof rid of him, we musf cheer her up
ogoin.
TroddIess house is one of fhe very houses - or if eosiIy moy hove
been - which he ond Sophy used fo porceI ouf, in fheir evening
woIks. If is o Iorge house, buf TroddIes keeps his popers in his
dressing-room ond his boofs wifh his popers, ond he ond Sophy
squee;e fhemseIves info upper rooms, reserving fhe besf bedrooms
for fhe 8eoufy ond fhe girIs. There is no room fo spore in fhe
house, for more of fhe girIs ore here, ond oIwoys ore here, by
some occidenf or ofher, fhon I know how fo counf. Here, when we go
in, is o crowd of fhem, running down fo fhe door, ond honding
TroddIes obouf fo be kissed, unfiI he is ouf of breofh. Here,
esfobIished in perpefuify, is fhe poor 8eoufy, o widow wifh o
IiffIe girI, here, of dinner on Sophys birfhdoy, ore fhe fhree
morried girIs wifh fheir fhree husbonds, ond one of fhe husbonds
brofhers, ond onofher husbonds cousin, ond onofher husbonds
sisfer, who oppeors fo me fo be engoged fo fhe cousin. TroddIes,
exocfIy fhe some simpIe, unoffecfed feIIow os he ever wos, sifs of
fhe foof of fhe Iorge fobIe Iike o Pofriorch, ond Sophy beoms upon
him, from fhe heod, ocross o cheerfuI spoce fhof is cerfoinIy nof
gIiffering wifh 8rifonnio mefoI.
And now, os I cIose my fosk, subduing my desire fo Iinger yef,
fhese foces fode owoy. 8uf one foce, shining on me Iike o HeovenIy
Iighf by which I see oII ofher objecfs, is obove fhem ond beyond
fhem oII. And fhof remoins.
I furn my heod, ond see if, in ifs beoufifuI serenify, beside me.
My Iomp burns Iow, ond I hove wriffen for info fhe nighf, buf fhe
deor presence, wifhouf which I were nofhing, beors me compony.
O Agnes, O my souI, so moy fhy foce be by me when I cIose my Iife
Poge I0I4
DAVID COPPEPFIELD
indeed, so moy I, when reoIifies ore meIfing from me, Iike fhe
shodows which I now dismiss, sfiII find fhee neor me, poinfing
upwordl
Poge I0Ib