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and gave her a friendly salutation。
‘I’m umbly thankful to you； sir；’ said Mrs。 Heep； in
acknowledgement of my inquiries concerning her health； ‘but I’m
only pretty well。 I haven’t much to boast of。 If I could see my Uriah
well settled in life； I couldn’t expect much more I think。 How do
you think my Ury looking； sir？’
I thought him looking as villainous as ever； and I replied that I
saw no change in him。
‘Oh； don’t you think he’s changed？’ said Mrs。 Heep。 ‘There I
must umbly beg leave to differ from you。 Don’t you see a thinness
in him？’
‘Not more than usual；’ I replied。
‘Don’t you though！’ said Mrs。 Heep。 ‘But you don’t take notice of
him with a mother’s eye！’
His mother’s eye was an evil eye to the rest of the world； I
thought as it met mine； howsoever affectionate to him； and I
believe she and her son were devoted to one another。 It passed
me； and went on to Agnes。
‘Don’t you see a wasting and a wearing in him； Miss Wickfield？’
inquired Mrs。 Heep。
‘No；’ said Agnes； quietly pursuing the work on which she was
engaged。 ‘You are too solicitous about him。 He is very well。’
Mrs。 Heep； with a prodigious sniff； resumed her knitting。
She never left off； or left us for a moment。 I had arrived early in
the day； and we had still three or four hours before dinner； but she
sat there； plying her knitting…needles as monotonously as an hour…
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
glass might have poured out its sands。 She sat on one side of the
fire； I sat at the desk in front of it； a little beyond me； on the other
side； sat Agnes。 Whensoever； slowly pondering over my letter； I
lifted up my eyes； and meeting the thoughtful face of Agnes； saw it
clear； and beam encouragement upon me； with its own angelic
expression； I was conscious presently of the evil eye passing me；
and going on to her； and coming back to me again； and dropping
furtively upon the knitting。 What the knitting was； I don’t know；
not being learned in that art； but it looked like a net； and as she
worked away with those Chinese chopsticks of knitting…needles；
she showed in the firelight like an ill…looking enchantress； baulked
as yet by the radiant goodness opposite； but getting ready for a
cast of her net by and by。
At dinner she maintained her watch； with the same unwinking
eyes。 After dinner； her son took his turn； and when Mr。 Wickfield；
himself； and I were left alone together； leered at me； and writhed
until I could hardly bear it。 In the drawing…room； there was the
mother knitting and watching again。 All the time that Agnes sang
and played； the mother sat at the piano。 Once she asked for a
particular ballad； which she said her Ury （who was yawning in a
great chair） doted on； and at intervals she looked round at him；
and reported to Agnes that he was in raptures with the music。 But
she hardly ever spoke—I question if she ever did—without making
some mention of him。 It was evident to me that this was the duty
assigned to her。
This lasted until bedtime。 To have seen the mother and son；
like two great bats hanging over the whole house； and darkening it
with their ugly forms； made me so uncomfortable； that I would
rather have remained downstairs； knitting and all； than gone to
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
bed。 I hardly got any sleep。 Next day the knitting and watching
began again； and lasted all day。
I had not an opportunity of speaking to Agnes； for ten minutes。
I could barely show her my letter。 I proposed to her to walk out
with me； but Mrs。 Heep repeatedly complaining that she was
worse； Agnes charitably remained within； to bear her company。
Towards the twilight I went out by myself； musing on what I ought
to do； and whether I was justified in withholding from Agnes； any
longer； what Uriah Heep had told me in London； for that began to
trouble me again； very much。
I had not walked out far enough to be quite clear of the town；
upon the Ramsgate road； where there was a good path； when I
was hailed； through the dust； by somebody behind me。 The
shambling figure； and the scanty great…coat； were not to be
mistaken。 I stopped； and Uriah Heep came up。
‘Well？’ said I。
‘How fast you walk！’ said he。 ‘My legs are pretty long； but you’ve
given ’em quite a job。’
‘Where are you going？’ said I。
‘I am going with you； Master Copperfield； if you’ll allow me the
pleasure of a walk with an old acquaintance。’ Saying this； with a
jerk of his body； which might have been either propitiatory or
derisive； he fell into step beside me。
‘Uriah！’ said I； as civilly as I could； after a silence。
‘Master Copperfield！’ said Uriah。
‘To tell you the truth （at which you will not be offended）； I came
Out to walk alone； because I have had so much company。’
He looked at me sideways； and said with his hardest grin； ‘You
mean mother。’
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘Why yes； I do；’ said I。
‘Ah！ But you know we’re so very umble；’ he returned。 ‘And
having such a knowledge of our own umbleness； we must really
take care that we’re not pushed to the wall by them as isn’t umble。
All stratagems are fair in love； sir。’
Raising his great hands until they touched his chin； he rubbed
them softly； and softly chuckled； looking as like a malevolent
baboon； I thought； as anything human could look。
‘You see；’ he said； still hugging himself in that unpleasant way；
and shaking his head at me； ‘you’re quite a dangerous rival；
Master Copperfield。 You always was； you know。’
‘Do you set a watch upon Miss Wickfield； and make her home
no home； because of me？’ said I。
‘Oh！ Master Copperfield！ Those are very arsh words；’ he
replied。
‘Put my meaning into any words you like；’ said I。 ‘You know
what it is； Uriah； as well as I do。’
‘Oh no！ You must put it into words；’ he said。 ‘Oh； really！ I
couldn’t myself。’
‘Do you suppose；’ said I； constraining myself to be very
temperate and quiet with him； on account of Agnes； ‘that I regard
Miss Wickfield otherwise than as a very dear sister？’
‘Well； Master Copperfield；’ he replied； ‘you perceive I am not
bound to answer that question。 You may not； you know。 But then；
you see； you may！’
Anything to equal the low cunning of his visage； and of his
shadowless eyes without the ghost of an eyelash； I never saw。
‘Come then！’ said I。 ‘For the sake of Miss Wickfield—’
‘My Agnes！’ he exclaimed； with a sickly； angular contortion of
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
himself。 ‘Would you be so good as call her Agnes； Master
Copperfield！’
‘For the sake of Agnes Wickfield—Heaven bless her！’
‘Thank you for that blessing； Master Copperfield！’ he
interposed。
‘I will tell you what I should； under any other circumstances； as
soon have thought of telling to—Jack Ketch。’
‘To who； sir？’ said Uriah； stretching out his neck； and shading
his ear with his hand。
‘To the hangman；’ I r