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atonement if I had known what to make； and how to make it。
‘Why； Daisy； old boy； dumb…foundered！’ laughed Steerforth；
shaking my hand heartily； and throwing it gaily away。 ‘Have I
detected you in another feast； you Sybarite！ These Doctors’
Commons fellows are the gayest men in town； I believe； and beat
us sober Oxford people all to nothing！’ His bright glance went
merrily round the room； as he took the seat on the sofa opposite to
me； which Mrs。 Micawber had recently vacated； and stirred the
fire into a blaze。
‘I was so surprised at first；’ said I； giving him welcome with all
the cordiality I felt； ‘that I had hardly breath to greet you with；
Steerforth。’
‘Well； the sight of me is good for sore eyes； as the Scotch say；’
replied Steerforth； ‘and so is the sight of you； Daisy； in full bloom。
How are you； my Bacchanal？’
‘I am very well；’ said I； ‘and not at all Bacchanalian tonight；
though I confess to another party of three。’
‘All of whom I met in the street； talking loud in your praise；’
returned Steerforth。 ‘Who’s our friend in the tights？’
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
I gave him the best idea I could； in a few words； of Mr。
Micawber。 He laughed heartily at my feeble portrait of that
gentleman； and said he was a man to know； and he must know
him。 ‘But who do you suppose our other friend is？’ said I； in my
turn。
‘Heaven knows；’ said Steerforth。 ‘Not a bore； I hope？ I thought
he looked a little like one。’
‘Traddles！’ I replied； triumphantly。
‘Who’s he？’ asked Steerforth； in his careless way。
‘Don’t you remember Traddles？ Traddles in our room at Salem
House？’
‘Oh！ That fellow！’ said Steerforth； beating a lump of coal on the
top of the fire； with the poker。 ‘Is he as soft as ever？ And where the
deuce did you pick him up？’
I extolled Traddles in reply； as highly as I could； for I felt that
Steerforth rather slighted him。 Steerforth； dismissing the subject
with a light nod； and a smile； and the remark that he would be
glad to see the old fellow too； for he had always been an odd fish；
inquired if I could give him anything to eat？ During most of this
short dialogue； when he had not been speaking in a wild vivacious
manner； he had sat idly beating on the lump of coal with the
poker。 I observed that he did the same thing while I was getting
out the remains of the pigeon…pie； and so forth。
‘Why； Daisy； here’s a supper for a king！’ he exclaimed； starting
out of his silence with a burst； and taking his seat at the table。 ‘I
shall do it justice； for I have come from Yarmouth。’
‘I thought you came from Oxford？’ I returned。
‘Not I；’ said Steerforth。 ‘I have been seafaring—better
employed。’
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘Littimer was here today； to inquire for you；’ I remarked； ‘and I
understood him that you were at Oxford； though； now I think of it；
he certainly did not say so。’
‘Littimer is a greater fool than I thought him； to have been
inquiring for me at all；’ said Steerforth； jovially pouring out a glass
of wine； and drinking to me。 ‘As to understanding him； you are a
cleverer fellow than most of us； Daisy； if you can do that。’
‘That’s true； indeed；’ said I； moving my chair to the table。 ‘So
you have been at Yarmouth； Steerforth！’ interested to know all
about it。 ‘Have you been there long？’
‘No；’ he returned。 ‘An escapade of a week or so。’
‘And how are they all？ Of course； little Emily is not married
yet？’
‘Not yet。 Going to be； I believe—in so many weeks； or months；
or something or other。 I have not seen much of ’em。 By the by’； he
laid down his knife and fork； which he had been using with great
diligence； and began feeling in his pockets； ‘I have a letter for you。’
‘From whom？’
‘Why； from your old nurse；’ he returned； taking some papers
out of his breast pocket。 “‘J。 Steerforth； Esquire； debtor； to The
Willing Mind”； that’s not it。 Patience； and we’ll find it presently。
Old what’s…his…name’s in a bad way； and it’s about that； I believe。’
‘Barkis； do you mean？’
‘Yes！’ still feeling in his pockets； and looking over their
contents： ‘it’s all over with poor Barkis； I am afraid。 I saw a little
apothecary there—surgeon； or whatever he is—who brought your
worship into the world。 He was mighty learned about the case； to
me； but the upshot of his opinion was； that the carrier was making
his last journey rather fast。—Put your hand into the breast pocket
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
of my great…coat on the chair yonder； and I think you’ll find the
letter。 Is it there？’
‘Here it is！’ said I。
‘That’s right！’
It was from Peggotty； something less legible than usual； and
brief。 It informed me of her husband’s hopeless state； and hinted
at his being ‘a little nearer’ than heretofore； and consequently
more difficult to manage for his own comfort。 It said nothing of her
weariness and watching； and praised him highly。 It was written
with a plain； unaffected； homely piety that I knew to be genuine；
and ended with ‘my duty to my ever darling’—meaning myself。
While I deciphered it； Steerforth continued to eat and drink。
‘It’s a bad job；’ he said； when I had done； ‘but the sun sets every
day； and people die every minute； and we mustn’t be scared by the
common lot。 If we failed to hold our own； because that equal foot
at all men’s doors was heard knocking somewhere； every object in
this world would slip from us。 No！ Ride on！ Rough…shod if need be；
smooth…shod if that will do； but ride on！ Ride on over all obstacles；
and win the race！’
‘And win what race？’ said I。
‘The race that one has started in；’ said he。 ‘Ride on！’
I noticed； I remember； as he paused； looking at me with his
handsome head a little thrown back； and his glass raised in his
hand； that； though the freshness of the sea…wind was on his face；
and it was ruddy； there were traces in it； made since I last saw it；
as if he had applied himself to some habitual strain of the fervent
energy which； when roused； was so passionately roused within
him。 I had it in my thoughts to remonstrate with him upon his
desperate way of pursuing any fancy that he took—such as this
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
buffeting of rough seas； and braving of hard weather； for
example—when my mind glanced off to the immediate subject of
our conversation again； and pursued that instead。
‘I tell you what； Steerforth；’ said I； ‘if your high spirits will listen
to me—’
‘They are potent spirits； and will do whatever you like；’ he
answered； moving from the table to the fireside again。
‘Then I tell you what； Steerforth。 I think I will go down and see
my old nurse。 It is not that I can do her any good； or render her
any real service； but she is so attached to me that my visit will
have as much effect on her； as if I could do both。 She will take it so
kindly that it will