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Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
clench his fist； and grind his teeth； and pull his hair in an
unaccountable manner。 But he had these peculiarities： and at first
they frightened me； though I soon got used to them。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Chapter 6
I ENLARGE MY CIRCLE OF ACQUAINTANCE
Ihad led this life about a month； when the man with the
wooden leg began to stump about with a mop and a bucket of
water； from which I inferred that preparations were making
to receive Mr。 Creakle and the boys。 I was not mistaken； for the
mop came into the schoolroom before long； and turned out Mr。
Mell and me； who lived where we could； and got on how we could；
for some days； during which we were always in the way of two or
three young women； who had rarely shown themselves before； and
were so continually in the midst of dust that I sneezed almost as
much as if Salem House had been a great snuff…box。
One day I was informed by Mr。 Mell that Mr。 Creakle would be
home that evening。 In the evening； after tea； I heard that he was
come。 Before bedtime； I was fetched by the man with the wooden
leg to appear before him。
Mr。 Creakle’s part of the house was a good deal more
comfortable than ours； and he had a snug bit of garden that looked
pleasant after the dusty playground； which was such a desert in
miniature； that I thought no one but a camel； or a dromedary；
could have felt at home in it。 It seemed to me a bold thing even to
take notice that the passage looked comfortable； as I went on my
way； trembling； to Mr。 Creakle’s presence： which so abashed me；
when I was ushered into it； that I hardly saw Mrs。 Creakle or Miss
Creakle （who were both there； in the parlour）； or anything but Mr。
Creakle； a stout gentleman with a bunch of watch…chain and seals；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
in an arm…chair； with a tumbler and bottle beside him。
‘So！’ said Mr。 Creakle。 ‘This is the young gentleman whose
teeth are to be filed！ Turn him round。’
The wooden…legged man turned me about so as to exhibit the
placard； and having afforded time for a full survey of it； turned me
about again； with my face to Mr。 Creakle； and posted himself at
Mr。 Creakle’s side。 Mr。 Creakle’s face was fiery； and his eyes were
small； and deep in his head； he had thick veins in his forehead； a
little nose； and a large chin。 He was bald on the top of his head；
and had some thin wet…looking hair that was just turning grey；
brushed across each temple； so that the two sides interlaced on his
forehead。 But the circumstance about him which impressed me
most； was； that he had no voice； but spoke in a whisper。 The
exertion this cost him； or the consciousness of talking in that
feeble way； made his angry face so much more angry； and his thick
veins so much thicker； when he spoke； that I am not surprised； on
looking back； at this peculiarity striking me as his chief one。 ‘Now；’
said Mr。 Creakle。 ‘What’s the report of this boy？’
‘There’s nothing against him yet；’ returned the man with the
wooden leg。 ‘There has been no opportunity。’
I thought Mr。 Creakle was disappointed。 I thought Mrs。 and
Miss Creakle （at whom I now glanced for the first time； and who
were； both； thin and quiet） were not disappointed。
‘Come here； sir！’ said Mr。 Creakle； beckoning to me。
‘Come here！’ said the man with the wooden leg； repeating the
gesture。
‘I have the happiness of knowing your father…in…law；’ whispered
Mr。 Creakle； taking me by the ear； ‘and a worthy man he is； and a
man of a strong character。 He knows me； and I know him。 Do you
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
know me？ Hey？’ said Mr。 Creakle； pinching my ear with ferocious
playfulness。
‘Not yet； sir；’ I said； flinching with the pain。
‘Not yet？ Hey？’ repeated Mr。 Creakle。 ‘But you will soon。 Hey？’
‘You will soon。 Hey？’ repeated the man with the wooden leg。 I
afterwards found that he generally acted； with his strong voice； as
Mr。 Creakle’s interpreter to the boys。
I was very much frightened； and said； I hoped so； if he pleased。
I felt； all this while； as if my ear were blazing； he pinched it so
hard。
‘I’ll tell you what I am；’ whispered Mr。 Creakle； letting it go at
last； with a screw at parting that brought the water into my eyes。
‘I’m a Tartar。’
‘A Tartar；’ said the man with the wooden leg。
‘When I say I’ll do a thing； I do it；’ said Mr。 Creakle； ‘and when I
say I will have a thing done； I will have it done。’
‘—Will have a thing done； I will have it done；’ repeated the man
with the wooden leg。
‘I am a determined character；’ said Mr。 Creakle。 ‘That’s what I
am。 I do my duty。 That’s what I do。 My flesh and blood’—he looked
at Mrs。 Creakle as he said this—‘when it rises against me； is not
my flesh and blood。 I discard it。 Has that fellow’—to the man with
the wooden leg—‘been here again？’
‘No；’ was the answer。
‘No；’ said Mr。 Creakle。 ‘He knows better。 He knows me。 Let him
keep away。 I say let him keep away；’ said Mr。 Creakle； striking his
hand upon the table； and looking at Mrs。 Creakle； ‘for he knows
me。 Now you have begun to know me too； my young friend； and
you may go。 Take him away。’
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
I was very glad to be ordered away； for Mrs。 and Miss Creakle
were both wiping their eyes； and I felt as uncomfortable for them
as I did for myself。 But I had a petition on my mind which
concerned me so nearly； that I couldn’t help saying； though I
wondered at my own courage：
‘If you please； sir—’
Mr。 Creakle whispered； ‘Hah！ What’s this？’ and bent his eyes
upon me； as if he would have burnt me up with them。
‘If you please； sir；’ I faltered； ‘if I might be allowed （I am very
sorry indeed； sir； for what I did） to take this writing off； before the
boys come back—’
Whether Mr。 Creakle was in earnest； or whether he only did it
to frighten me； I don’t know； but he made a burst out of his chair；
before which I precipitately retreated； without waiting for the
escort Of the man with the wooden leg； and never once stopped
until I reached my own bedroom； where； finding I was not
pursued； I went to bed； as it was time； and lay quaking； for a
couple of hours。
Next morning Mr。 Sharp came back。 Mr。 Sharp was the first
master； and superior to Mr。 Mell。 Mr。 Mell took his meals with the
boys； but Mr。 Sharp dined and supped at Mr。 Creakle’s table。 He
was a limp； delicate…looking gentleman； I thought； with a good deal
of nose； and a way of carrying his head on one side； as if it were a
little too heavy for him。 His hair was very smooth and wavy； but I
was informed by the very first boy who came back that it was a wig
（a second…hand one he said）； and that Mr。 Sharp went out every
Saturday afternoon to get it curled。
It was no other than Tommy Traddles who gave me this piece
of intelligence。 He was the first boy who returned。 He introduced
Charle