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the late occurrences to recall the memory of the old one。） ‘Doen’t
be down！ Cheer up； for your own self； on’y a little bit； and see if a
good deal more doen’t come nat’ral！’
‘Not to me； Dan’l；’ returned Mrs。 Gummidge。 ‘Nothink’s nat’ral
to me but to be lone and lorn。’
‘No； no；’ said Mr。 Peggotty； soothing her sorrows。
‘Yes； yes； Dan’l！’ said Mrs。 Gummidge。 ‘I ain’t a person to live
with them as has had money left。 Thinks go too contrary with me。
I had better be a riddance。’
‘Why； how should I ever spend it without you？’ said Mr。
Peggotty； with an air of serious remonstrance。 ‘What are you a
talking on？ Doen’t I want you more now； than ever I did？’
‘I know’d I was never wanted before！’ cried Mrs。 Gummidge；
with a pitiable whimper； ‘and now I’m told so！ How could I expect
to be wanted； being so lone and lorn； and so contrary！’
Mr。 Peggotty seemed very much shocked at himself for having
made a speech capable of this unfeeling construction； but was
prevented from replying； by Peggotty’s pulling his sleeve； and
shaking her head。 After looking at Mrs。 Gummidge for some
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David Copperfield
moments； in sore distress of mind； he glanced at the Dutch clock；
rose； snuffed the candle； and put it in the window。
‘Theer！’said Mr。 Peggotty； cheerily。 ‘Theer we are； Missis
Gummidge！’ Mrs。 Gummidge slightly groaned。 ‘Lighted up；
accordin’ to custom！ You’re a wonderin’ what that’s fur； sir！ Well；
it’s fur our little Em’ly。 You see； the path ain’t over light or
cheerful arter dark； and when I’m here at the hour as she’s a
comin’ home； I puts the light in the winder。 That； you see；’ said
Mr。 Peggotty； bending over me with great glee； ‘meets two objects。
She says； says Em’ly； “Theer’s home！” she says。 And likewise； says
Em’ly； “My uncle’s theer！” Fur if I ain’t theer； I never have no light
showed。’
‘You’re a baby！’ said Peggotty； very fond of him for it； if she
thought so。
‘Well；’ returned Mr。 Peggotty； standing with his legs pretty wide
apart； and rubbing his hands up and down them in his
comfortable satisfaction； as he looked alternately at us and at the
fire。 ‘I doen’t know but I am。 Not； you see； to look at。’
‘Not azackly；’ observed Peggotty。
‘No；’ laughed Mr。 Peggotty； ‘not to look at； but to—to consider
on； you know。 I doen’t care； bless you！ Now I tell you。 When I go a
looking and looking about that theer pritty house of our Em’ly’s；
I’m—I’m Gormed；’ said Mr。 Peggotty； with sudden emphasis—
‘theer！ I can’t say more—if I doen’t feel as if the littlest things was
her； a’most。 I takes ’em up and I put ’em down； and I touches of
’em as delicate as if they was our Em’ly。 So ’tis with her little
bonnets and that。 I couldn’t see one on ’em rough used a
purpose—not fur the whole wureld。 There’s a babby fur you； in
the form of a great Sea Porkypine！’ said Mr。 Peggotty； relieving his
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
earnestness with a roar of laughter。
Peggotty and I both laughed； but not so loud。
‘It’s my opinion； you see；’ said Mr。 Peggotty； with a delighted
face； after some further rubbing of his legs； ‘as this is along of my
havin’ played with her so much； and made believe as we was
Turks； and French； and sharks； and every wariety of forinners—
bless you； yes； and lions and whales； and I doen’t know what all！—
when she warn’t no higher than my knee。 I’ve got into the way on
it； you know。 Why； this here candle； now！’ said Mr。 Peggotty；
gleefully holding out his hand towards it； ‘I know wery well that
arter she’s married and gone； I shall put that candle theer； just the
same as now。 I know wery well that when I’m here o’ nights （and
where else should I live； bless your arts； whatever fortun’ I come
into！） and she ain’t here or I ain’t theer； I shall put the candle in
the winder； and sit afore the fire； pretending I’m expecting of her；
like I’m a doing now。 There’s a babby for you；’ said Mr。 Peggotty；
with another roar； ‘in the form of a Sea Porkypine！ Why； at the
present minute； when I see the candle sparkle up； I says to myself；
“She’s a looking at it！ Em’ly’s a coming！” There’s a babby for you；
in the form of a Sea Porkypine！ Right for all that；’ said Mr。
Peggotty； stopping in his roar； and smiting his hands together； ‘fur
here she is！’
It was only Ham。 The night should have turned more wet since
I came in； for he had a large sou’wester hat on； slouched over his
face。
‘Wheer’s Em’ly？’ said Mr。 Peggotty。
Ham made a motion with his head； as if she were outside。 Mr。
Peggotty took the light from the window； trimmed it； put it on the
table； and was busily stirring the fire； when Ham； who had not
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David Copperfield
moved； said：
‘Mas’r Davy； will you come out a minute； and see what Em’ly
and me has got to show you？’
We went out。 As I passed him at the door； I saw； to my
astonishment and fright； that he was deadly pale。 He pushed me
hastily into the open air； and closed the door upon us。 Only upon
us two。
‘Ham！ what’s the matter？’
‘Mas’r Davy！—’ Oh； for his broken heart； how dreadfully he
wept！
I was paralysed by the sight of such grief。 I don’t know what I
thought； or what I dreaded。 I could only look at him。
‘Ham！ Poor good fellow！ For Heaven’s sake； tell me what’s the
matter！’
‘My love； Mas’r Davy—the pride and hope of my art—her that
I’d have died for； and would die for now—she’s gone！’
‘Gone！’
‘Em’ly’s run away！ Oh； Mas’r Davy； think how she’s run away；
when I pray my good and gracious God to kill her （her that is so
dear above all things） sooner than let her come to ruin and
disgrace！’
The face he turned up to the troubled sky； the quivering of his
clasped hands； the agony of his figure； remain associated with the
lonely waste； in my remembrance； to this hour。 It is always night
there； and he is the only object in the scene。
‘You’re a scholar；’ he said； hurriedly； ‘and know what’s right
and best。 What am I to say； indoors？ How am I ever to break it to
him； Mas’r Davy？’
I saw the door move； and instinctively tried to hold the latch on
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
the outside； to gain a moment’s time。 It was too late。 Mr。 Peggotty
thrust forth his face； and never could I forget the change that
came upon it when he saw us； if I were to live five hundred years。
I remember a great wail and cry； and the women hanging about
him； and we all standing in the room； I with a paper in my hand；
which Ham had given me； Mr。 Peggotty； with his vest torn open；
his hair wild； his face and lips quite white； and blood trickling
down his bosom （it had sprung from his mouth； I think）； looking
fixedly at me。
‘Read it； sir；’ he said； in a low shivering voice。 ‘Slow； please。 I
doen’t know as I can understand。’
In the midst of the silence of death； I read thus