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It was still on her mind when I bade her adieu； and she said to
me； in her pretty coaxing way—as if I were a doll； I used to think：
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘Now don’t get up at five o’clock； you naughty boy。 It’s so
nonsensical！’
‘My love；’ said I； ‘I have work to do。’
‘But don’t do it！’ returned Dora。 ‘Why should you？’
It was impossible to say to that sweet little surprised face；
otherwise than lightly and playfully； that we must work to live。
‘Oh！ How ridiculous！’ cried Dora。
‘How shall we live without； Dora？’ said I。
‘How？ Any how！’ said Dora。
She seemed to think she had quite settled the question； and
gave me such a triumphant little kiss； direct from her innocent
heart； that I would hardly have put her out of conceit with her
answer； for a fortune。
Well！ I loved her； and I went on loving her； most absorbingly；
entirely； and completely。 But going on； too； working pretty hard；
and busily keeping red…hot all the irons I now had in the fire； I
would sit sometimes of a night； opposite my aunt； thinking how I
had frightened Dora that time； and how I could best make my way
with a guitar…case through the forest of difficulty； until I used to
fancy that my head was turning quite grey。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Chapter 38
A DISSOLUTION OF PARTNERSHIP
Idid not allow my resolution； with respect to the Parliamentary
Debates； to cool。 It was one of the irons I began to heat
immediately； and one of the irons I kept hot； and hammered
at； with a perseverance I may honestly admire。 I bought an
approved scheme of the noble art and mystery of stenography
（which cost me ten and sixpence）； and plunged into a sea of
perplexity that brought me； in a few weeks； to the confines of
distraction。 The changes that were rung upon dots； which in such
a position meant such a thing； and in such another position
something else； entirely different； the wonderful vagaries that
were played by circles； the unaccountable consequences that
resulted from marks like flies’ legs； the tremendous effects of a
curve in a wrong place； not only troubled my waking hours； but
reappeared before me in my sleep。 When I had groped my way；
blindly； through these difficulties； and had mastered the alphabet；
which was an Egyptian Temple in itself； there then appeared a
procession of new horrors； called arbitrary characters； the most
despotic characters I have ever known； who insisted； for instance；
that a thing like the beginning of a cobweb； meant expectation；
and that a pen…and…ink sky…rocket； stood for disadvantageous。
When I had fixed these wretches in my mind； I found that they
had driven everything else out of it； then； beginning again； I forgot
them； while I was picking them up； I dropped the other fragments
of the system； in short； it was almost heart…breaking。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
It might have been quite heart…breaking； but for Dora； who was
the stay and anchor of my tempest…driven bark。 Every scratch in
the scheme was a gnarled oak in the forest of difficulty； and I went
on cutting them down； one after another； with such vigour； that in
three or four months I was in a condition to make an experiment
on one of our crack speakers in the Commons。 Shall I ever forget
how the crack speaker walked off from me before I began； and left
my imbecile pencil staggering about the paper as if it were in a fit！
This would not do； it was quite clear。 I was flying too high； and
should never get on； so。 I resorted to Traddles for advice； who
suggested that he should dictate speeches to me； at a pace； and
with occasional stoppages； adapted to my weakness。 Very grateful
for this friendly aid； I accepted the proposal； and night after night；
almost every night； for a long time； we had a sort of Private
Parliament in Buckingham Street； after I came home from the
Doctor’s。
I should like to see such a Parliament anywhere else！ My aunt
and Mr。 Dick represented the Government or the Opposition （as
the case might be）； and Traddles； with the assistance of Enfield’s
Speakers； or a volume of parliamentary orations； thundered
astonishing invectives against them。 Standing by the table； with
his finger in the page to keep the place； and his right arm
flourishing above his head； Traddles； as Mr。 Pitt； Mr。 Fox； Mr。
Sheridan； Mr。 Burke； Lord Castlereagh； Viscount Sidmouth； or
Mr。 Canning； would work himself into the most violent heats； and
deliver the most withering denunciations of the profligacy and
corruption of my aunt and Mr。 Dick； while I used to sit； at a little
distance； with my notebook on my knee； fagging after him with all
my might and main。 The inconsistency and recklessness of
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Traddles were not to be exceeded by any real politician。 He was
for any description of policy； in the compass of a week； and nailed
all sorts of colours to every denomination of mast。 My aunt；
looking very like an immovable Chancellor of the Exchequer；
would occasionally throw in an interruption or two； as ‘Hear！’ or
‘No！’ or ‘Oh！’ when the text seemed to require it： which was always
a signal to Mr。 Dick （a perfect country gentleman） to follow lustily
with the same cry。 But Mr。 Dick got taxed with such things in the
course of his Parliamentary career； and was made responsible for
such awful consequences； that he became uncomfortable in his
mind sometimes。 I believe he actually began to be afraid he really
had been doing something； tending to the annihilation of the
British constitution； and the ruin of the country。
Often and often we pursued these debates until the clock
pointed to midnight； and the candles were burning down。 The
result of so much good practice was； that by and by I began to
keep pace with Traddles pretty well； and should have been quite
triumphant if I had had the least idea what my notes were about。
But； as to reading them after I had got them； I might as well have
copied the Chinese inscriptions of an immense collection of tea…
chests； or the golden characters on all the great red and green
bottles in the chemists’ shops！
There was nothing for it； but to turn back and begin all over
again。 It was very hard； but I turned back； though with a heavy
heart； and began laboriously and methodically to plod over the
same tedious ground at a snail’s pace； stopping to examine
minutely every speck in the way； on all sides； and making the most
desperate efforts to know these elusive characters by sight
wherever I met them。 I was always punctual at the office； at the
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Doctor’s too： and I really did work； as the common expression is；
like a cart…horse。 One day； when I went to the Commons as usual； I
found Mr。 Spenlow in the doorway looking extremely grave； and
talking to himself。 As he was in the habit of complaining of pains
in his head—he had naturally a short throat； and I do seriously
b