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Charley to the Griffin。 “What the unmentionable to ears polite； do
you think I want with rouge？” “No offence； sir；” said the Griffin；
“we have it asked for by so many names； I thought it might be。”
Now that； my child；’ continued Miss Mowcher； rubbing all the
time as busily as ever； ‘is another instance of the refreshing
humbug I was speaking of。 I do something in that way myself—
perhaps a good deal—perhaps a little—sharp’s the word； my dear
boy—never mind！’
‘In what way do you mean？ In the rouge way？’ said Steerforth。
‘Put this and that together； my tender pupil；’ returned the wary
Mowcher； touching her nose； ‘work it by the rule of Secrets in all
trades； and the product will give you the desired result。 I say I do a
little in that way myself。 One Dowager； she calls it lip…salve。
Another； she calls it gloves。 Another； she calls it tucker…edging。
Another； she calls it a fan。 I call it whatever they call it。 I supply it
for ’em； but we keep up the trick so； to one another； and make
believe with such a face； that they’d as soon think of laying it on；
before a whole drawing…room； as before me。 And when I wait upon
’em； they’ll say to me sometimes—with it on—thick； and no
mistake—“How am I looking； Mowcher？ Am I pale？” Ha！ ha！ ha！
ha！ Isn’t that refreshing； my young friend！’
I never did in my days behold anything like Mowcher as she
stood upon the dining table； intensely enjoying this refreshment；
rubbing busily at Steerforth’s head； and winking at me over it。
‘Ah！’ she said。 ‘Such things are not much in demand
hereabouts。 That sets me off again！ I haven’t seen a pretty woman
since I’ve been here； jemmy。’
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘No？’ said Steerforth。
‘Not the ghost of one；’ replied Miss Mowcher。
‘We could show her the substance of one； I think？’ said
Steerforth； addressing his eyes to mine。 ‘Eh； Daisy？’
‘Yes； indeed；’ said I。
‘Aha？’ cried the little creature； glancing sharply at my face； and
then peeping round at Steerforth’s。 ‘Umph？’
The first exclamation sounded like a question put to both of us；
and the second like a question put to Steerforth only。 She seemed
to have found no answer to either； but continued to rub； with her
head on one side and her eye turned up； as if she were looking for
an answer in the air and were confident of its appearing presently。
‘A sister of yours； Mr。 Copperfield？’ she cried； after a pause；
and still keeping the same look…out。 ‘Aye； aye？’
‘No；’ said Steerforth； before I could reply。 ‘Nothing of the sort。
On the contrary； Mr。 Copperfield used—or I am much mistaken—
to have a great admiration for her。’
‘Why； hasn’t he now？’ returned Miss Mowcher。 ‘Is he fickle？
Oh； for shame！ Did he sip every flower； and change every hour；
until Polly his passion requited？—Is her name Polly？’
The Elfin suddenness with which she pounced upon me with
this question； and a searching look； quite disconcerted me for a
moment。
‘No； Miss Mowcher；’ I replied。 ‘Her name is Emily。’
‘Aha？’ she cried exactly as before。 ‘Umph？ What a rattle I am！
Mr。 Copperfield； ain’t I volatile？’
Her tone and look implied something that was not agreeable to
me in connexion with the subject。 So I said； in a graver manner
than any of us had yet assumed： ‘She is as virtuous as she is pretty。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
She is engaged to be married to a most worthy and deserving man
in her own station of life。 I esteem her for her good sense； as much
as I admire her for her good looks。’
‘Well said！’ cried Steerforth。 ‘Hear； hear； hear！ Now I’ll quench
the curiosity of this little Fatima； my dear Daisy； by leaving her
nothing to guess at。 She is at present apprenticed； Miss Mowcher；
or articled； or whatever it may be； to Omer and Joram；
Haberdashers； Milliners； and so forth； in this town。 Do you
observe？ Omer and Joram。 The promise of which my friend has
spoken； is made and entered into with her cousin； Christian name；
Ham； surname； Peggotty； occupation； boat…builder； also of this
town。 She lives with a relative； Christian name； unknown；
surname； Peggotty； occupation； seafaring； also of this town。 She is
the prettiest and most engaging little fairy in the world。 I admire
her—as my friend does—exceedingly。 If it were not that I might
appear to disparage her Intended； which I know my friend would
not like； I would add； that to me she seems to be throwing herself
away； that I am sure she might do better； and that I swear she was
born to be a lady。’
Miss Mowcher listened to these words； which were very slowly
and distinctly spoken； with her head on one side； and her eye in
the air as if she were still looking for that answer。 When he ceased
she became brisk again in an instant； and rattled away with
surprising volubility。
‘Oh！ And that’s all about it； is it？’ she exclaimed； trimming his
whiskers with a little restless pair of scissors； that went glancing
round his head in all directions。 ‘Very well： very well！ Quite a long
story。 Ought to end “and they lived happy ever afterwards”；
oughtn’t it？ Ah！ What’s that game at forfeits？ I love my love with
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
an E； because she’s enticing； I hate her with an E； because she’s
engaged。 I took her to the sign of the exquisite； and treated her
with an elopement； her name’s Emily； and she lives in the east？
Ha！ ha！ ha！ Mr。 Copperfield； ain’t I volatile？’
Merely looking at me with extravagant slyness； and not waiting
for any reply； she continued； without drawing breath：
‘There！ If ever any scapegrace was trimmed and touched up to
perfection； you are； Steerforth。 If I understand any noddle in the
world； I understand yours。 Do you hear me when I tell you that；
my darling？ I understand yours；’ peeping down into his face。 ‘Now
you may mizzle； jemmy （as we say at Court）； and if Mr。
Copperfield will take the chair I’ll operate on him。’
‘What do you say； Daisy？’ inquired Steerforth； laughing； and
resigning his seat。 ‘Will you be improved？’
‘Thank you； Miss Mowcher； not this evening。’
‘Don’t say no；’ returned the little woman； looking at me with the
aspect of a connoisseur； ‘a little bit more eyebrow？’
‘Thank you；’ I returned； ‘some other time。’
‘Have it carried half a quarter of an inch towards the temple；’
said Miss Mowcher。 ‘We can do it in a fortnight。’
‘No； I thank you。 Not at present。’
‘Go in for a tip；’ she urged。 ‘No？ Let’s get the scaffolding up；
then； for a pair of whiskers。 Come！’
I could not help blushing as I declined； for I felt we were on my
weak point； now。 But Miss Mowcher； finding that I was not at
present disposed for any decoration within the range of her art；
and that I was； for the time being； proof against the blandishments
of the small bottle which she held up before one eye to enforce her
persuasions； said we would make a beginning on an early day； and
Charle