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‘To who； sir？’ said Uriah； stretching out his neck； and shading
his ear with his hand。
‘To the hangman；’ I returned。 ‘The most unlikely person I could
think of；’—though his own face had suggested the allusion quite as
a natural sequence。 ‘I am engaged to another young lady。 I hope
that contents you。’
‘Upon your soul？’ said Uriah。
I was about indignantly to give my assertion the confirmation
he required； when he caught hold of my hand； and gave it a
squeeze。
‘Oh； Master Copperfield！’ he said。 ‘If you had only had the
condescension to return my confidence when I poured out the
fulness of my art； the night I put you so much out of the way by
sleeping before your sitting…room fire； I never should have
doubted you。 As it is； I’m sure I’ll take off mother directly； and only
too appy。 I know you’ll excuse the precautions of affection； won’t
you？ What a pity； Master Copperfield； that you didn’t condescend
to return my confidence！ I’m sure I gave you every opportunity。
But you never have condescended to me； as much as I could have
wished。 I know you have never liked me； as I have liked you！’
All this time he was squeezing my hand with his damp fishy
fingers； while I made every effort I decently could to get it away。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
But I was quite unsuccessful。 He drew it under the sleeve of his
mulberry…coloured great…coat； and I walked on； almost upon
compulsion； arm…in…arm with him。
‘Shall we turn？’ said Uriah； by and by wheeling me face about
towards the town； on which the early moon was now shining；
silvering the distant windows。
‘Before we leave the subject； you ought to understand；’ said I；
breaking a pretty long silence； ‘that I believe Agnes Wickfield to be
as far above you； and as far removed from all your aspirations； as
that moon herself！’
‘Peaceful！ Ain’t she！’ said Uriah。 ‘Very！ Now confess； Master
Copperfield； that you haven’t liked me quite as I have liked you。
All along you’ve thought me too umble now； I shouldn’t wonder？’
‘I am not fond of professions of humility；’ I returned； ‘or
professions of anything else。’
‘There now！’ said Uriah； looking flabby and lead…coloured in the
moonlight。 ‘Didn’t I know it！ But how little you think of the
rightful umbleness of a person in my station； Master Copperfield！
Father and me was both brought up at a foundation school for
boys； and mother； she was likewise brought up at a public； sort of
charitable； establishment。 They taught us all a deal of
umbleness—not much else that I know of； from morning to night。
We was to be umble to this person； and umble to that； and to pull
off our caps here； and to make bows there； and always to know our
place； and abase ourselves before our betters。 And we had such a
lot of betters！ Father got the monitor…medal by being umble。 So
did I。 Father got made a sexton by being umble。 He had the
character； among the gentlefolks； of being such a well…behaved
man； that they were determined to bring him in。 “Be umble；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Uriah；” says father to me； “and you’ll get on。 It was what was
always being dinned into you and me at school； it’s what goes
down best。 Be umble；” says father；” and you’ll do！” And really it
ain’t done bad！’
It was the first time it had ever occurred to me； that this
detestable cant of false humility might have originated out of the
Heep family。 I had seen the harvest； but had never thought of the
seed。
‘When I was quite a young boy；’ said Uriah； ‘I got to know what
umbleness did； and I took to it。 I ate umble pie with an appetite。 I
stopped at the umble point of my learning； and says I； “Hold
hard！” When you offered to teach me Latin； I knew better。 “People
like to be above you；” says father； “keep yourself down。” I am very
umble to the present moment； Master Copperfield； but I’ve got a
little power！’
And he said all this—I knew； as I saw his face in the
moonlight—that I might understand he was resolved to
recompense himself by using his power。 I had never doubted his
meanness； his craft and malice； but I fully comprehended now； for
the first time； what a base； unrelenting； and revengeful spirit； must
have been engendered by this early； and this long； suppression。
His account of himself was so far attended with an agreeable
result； that it led to his withdrawing his hand in order that he
might have another hug of himself under the chin。 Once apart
from him； I was determined to keep apart； and we walked back；
side by side； saying very little more by the way。 Whether his spirits
were elevated by the communication I had made to him； or by his
having indulged in this retrospect； I don’t know； but they were
raised by some influence。 He talked more at dinner than was usual
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
with him； asked his mother （off duty； from the moment of our reentering the house） whether he was not growing too old for a
bachelor； and once looked at Agnes so； that I would have given all
I had； for leave to knock him down。
When we three males were left alone after dinner； he got into a
more adventurous state。 He had taken little or no wine； and I
presume it was the mere insolence of triumph that was upon him；
flushed perhaps by the temptation my presence furnished to its
exhibition。
I had observed yesterday； that he tried to entice Mr。 Wickfield
to drink； and； interpreting the look which Agnes had given me as
she went out； had limited myself to one glass； and then proposed
that we should follow her。 I would have done so again today； but
Uriah was too quick for me。
‘We seldom see our present visitor； sir；’ he said； addressing Mr。
Wickfield； sitting； such a contrast to him； at the end of the table；
‘and I should propose to give him welcome in another glass or two
of wine； if you have no objections。 Mr。 Copperfield； your elth and
appiness！’
I was obliged to make a show of taking the hand he stretched
across to me； and then； with very different emotions； I took the
hand of the broken gentleman； his partner。
‘Come； fellow…partner；’ said Uriah； ‘if I may take the liberty；—
now； suppose you give us something or another appropriate to
Copperfield！’
I pass over Mr。 Wickfield’s proposing my aunt； his proposing
Mr。 Dick； his proposing Doctors’ Commons； his proposing Uriah；
his drinking everything twice； his consciousness of his own
weakness； the ineffectual effort that he made against it； the
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
struggle between his shame in Uriah’s deportment； and his desire
to conciliate him； the manifest exultation with which Uriah twisted
and turned； and held him up before me。 It made me sick at heart
to see； and my hand recoils from writing it。
‘Come； fellow…partner！’ said Uriah； at last； ‘I’ll give you another
one； and I umbly ask for bumpers； seeing I intend to make it the
divinest of her sex。’
Her father had hi