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dressed like him in black gowns with white fur upon them； sitting
at a long green table。 Their cravats were in general stiff； I thought；
and their looks haughty； but in this last respect I presently
conceived I had done them an injustice； for when two or three of
them had to rise and answer a question of the presiding dignitary；
I never saw anything more sheepish。 The public； represented by a
boy with a comforter； and a shabby…genteel man secretly eating
crumbs out of his coat pockets； was warming itself at a stove in the
centre of the Court。 The languid stillness of the place was only
broken by the chirping of this fire and by the voice of one of the
Doctors； who was wandering slowly through a perfect library of
evidence； and stopping to put up； from time to time； at little
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
roadside inns of argument on the journey。 Altogether； I have
never； on any occasion； made one at such a cosey； dosey； old…
fashioned； time…forgotten； sleepy…headed little family…party in all
my life； and I felt it would be quite a soothing opiate to belong to it
in any character—except perhaps as a suitor。
Very well satisfied with the dreamy nature of this retreat； I
informed Mr。 Spenlow that I had seen enough for that time； and
we rejoined my aunt； in company with whom I presently departed
from the Commons； feeling very young when I went out of
Spenlow and Jorkins’s； on account of the clerks poking one
another with their pens to point me out。
We arrived at Lincoln’s Inn Fields without any new adventures；
except encountering an unlucky donkey in a costermonger’s cart；
who suggested painful associations to my aunt。 We had another
long talk about my plans； when we were safely housed； and as I
knew she was anxious to get home； and； between fire； food； and
pickpockets； could never be considered at her ease for half…anhour in London； I urged her not to be uncomfortable on my
account； but to leave me to take care of myself。
‘I have not been here a week tomorrow； without considering
that too； my dear；’ she returned。 ‘There is a furnished little set of
chambers to be let in the Adelphi； Trot； which ought to suit you to
a marvel。’
With this brief introduction； she produced from her pocket an
advertisement； carefully cut out of a newspaper； setting forth that
in Buckingham Street in the Adelphi there was to be let furnished；
with a view of the river； a singularly desirable； and compact set of
chambers； forming a genteel residence for a young gentleman； a
member of one of the Inns of Court； or otherwise； with immediate
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
possession。 Terms moderate； and could be taken for a month only；
if required。
‘Why； this is the very thing； aunt！’ said I； flushed with the
possible dignity of living in chambers。
‘Then come；’ replied my aunt； immediately resuming the
bonnet she had a minute before laid aside。 ‘We’ll go and look at
’em。’
Away we went。 The advertisement directed us to apply to Mrs。
Crupp on the premises； and we rung the area bell； which we
supposed to communicate with Mrs。 Crupp。 It was not until we
had rung three or four times that we could prevail on Mrs。 Crupp
to communicate with us； but at last she appeared； being a stout
lady with a flounce of flannel petticoat below a nankeen gown。
‘Let us see these chambers of yours； if you please； ma’am；’ said
my aunt。
‘For this gentleman？’ said Mrs。 Crupp； feeling in her pocket for
her keys。
‘Yes； for my nephew；’ said my aunt。
‘And a sweet set they is for sich！’ said Mrs。 Crupp。
So we went upstairs。
They were on the top of the house—a great point with my aunt；
being near the fire…escape—and consisted of a little half…blind
entry where you could see hardly anything； a little stone…blind
pantry where you could see nothing at all； a sitting…room； and a
bedroom。 The furniture was rather faded； but quite good enough
for me； and； sure enough； the river was outside the windows。
As I was delighted with the place； my aunt and Mrs。 Crupp
withdrew into the pantry to discuss the terms； while I remained on
the sitting…room sofa； hardly daring to think it possible that I could
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
be destined to live in such a noble residence。 After a single combat
of some duration they returned； and I saw； to my joy； both in Mrs。
Crupp’s countenance and in my aunt’s； that the deed was done。
‘Is it the last occupant’s furniture？’ inquired my aunt。
‘Yes； it is； ma’am；’ said Mrs。 Crupp。
‘What’s become of him？’ asked my aunt。
Mrs。 Crupp was taken with a troublesome cough； in the midst
of which she articulated with much difficulty。 ‘He was took ill here；
ma’am； and—ugh！ ugh！ ugh！ dear me！—and he died！’
‘Hey！ What did he die of？’ asked my aunt。
‘Well； ma’am； he died of drink；’ said Mrs。 Crupp； in confidence。
‘And smoke。’
‘Smoke？ You don’t mean chimneys？’ said my aunt。
‘No； ma’am；’ returned Mrs。 Crupp。 ‘Cigars and pipes。’
‘That’s not catching； Trot； at any rate；’ remarked my aunt；
turning to me。
‘No； indeed；’ said I。
In short； my aunt； seeing how enraptured I was with the
premises； took them for a month； with leave to remain for twelve
months when that time was out。 Mrs。 Crupp was to find linen； and
to cook； every other necessary was already provided； and Mrs。
Crupp expressly intimated that she should always yearn towards
me as a son。 I was to take possession the day after tomorrow； and
Mrs。 Crupp said； thank Heaven she had now found summun she
could care for！
On our way back； my aunt informed me how she confidently
trusted that the life I was now to lead would make me firm and
self…reliant； which was all I wanted。 She repeated this several
times next day； in the intervals of our arranging for the
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
transmission of my clothes and books from Mr。 Wickfield’s；
relative to which； and to all my late holiday； I wrote a long letter to
Agnes； of which my aunt took charge； as she was to leave on the
succeeding day。 Not to lengthen these particulars； I need only add；
that she made a handsome provision for all my possible wants
during my month of trial； that Steerforth； to my great
disappointment and hers too； did not make his appearance before
she went away； that I saw her safely seated in the Dover coach；
exulting in the coming discomfiture of the vagrant donkeys； with
Janet at her side； and that when the coach was gone； I turned my
face to the Adelphi； pondering on the old days when I used to
roam about its subterranean arches； and on the happy changes
which had brought me to the surface。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Chapter 24
MY FIRST DISSIPATION
It was a wonderfully fine thing to have that lofty castle to
myself； and to feel； when I shut my outer door； like Robinson
Crusoe； when he had got into his fortification； and pulled his
ladder up after