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‘Don’t leave me； Peggotty。 Stay with me。 It will not be for long；
perhaps。 What should I ever do without you！’
‘Me leave you； my precious！’ cried Peggotty。 ‘Not for all the
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
world and his wife。 Why； what’s put that in your silly little
head？’—For Peggotty had been used of old to talk to my mother
sometimes like a child。
But my mother made no answer； except to thank her； and
Peggotty went running on in her own fashion。
‘Me leave you？ I think I see myself。 Peggotty go away from you？
I should like to catch her at it！ No； no； no；’ said Peggotty； shaking
her head； and folding her arms； ‘not she； my dear。 It isn’t that
there ain’t some Cats that would be well enough pleased if she did；
but they sha’n’t be pleased。 They shall be aggravated。 I’ll stay with
you till I am a cross cranky old woman。 And when I’m too deaf；
and too lame； and too blind； and too mumbly for want of teeth； to
be of any use at all； even to be found fault with； than I shall go to
my Davy； and ask him to take me in。’
‘And； Peggotty；’ says I； ‘I shall be glad to see you； and I’ll make
you as welcome as a queen。’
‘Bless your dear heart！’ cried Peggotty。 ‘I know you will！’ And
she kissed me beforehand； in grateful acknowledgement of my
hospitality。 After that； she covered her head up with her apron
again and had another laugh about Mr。 Barkis。 After that； she took
the baby out of its little cradle； and nursed it。 After that； she
cleared the dinner table； after that； came in with another cap on；
and her work…box； and the yard…measure； and the bit of wax…
candle； all just the same as ever。
We sat round the fire； and talked delightfully。 I told them what
a hard master Mr。 Creakle was； and they pitied me very much。 I
told them what a fine fellow Steerforth was； and what a patron of
mine； and Peggotty said she would walk a score of miles to see
him。 I took the little baby in my arms when it was awake； and
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
nursed it lovingly。 When it was asleep again； I crept close to my
mother’s side according to my old custom； broken now a long
time； and sat with my arms embracing her waist； and my little red
cheek on her shoulder； and once more felt her beautiful hair
drooping over me—like an angel’s wing as I used to think； I
recollect—and was very happy indeed。
While I sat thus； looking at the fire； and seeing pictures in the
red…hot coals； I almost believed that I had never been away； that
Mr。 and Miss Murdstone were such pictures； and would vanish
when the fire got low； and that there was nothing real in all that I
remembered； save my mother； Peggotty； and I。
Peggotty darned away at a stocking as long as she could see；
and then sat with it drawn on her left hand like a glove； and her
needle in her right； ready to take another stitch whenever there
was a blaze。 I cannot conceive whose stockings they can have been
that Peggotty was always darning； or where such an unfailing
supply of stockings in want of darning can have come from。 From
my earliest infancy she seems to have been always employed in
that class of needlework； and never by any chance in any other。
‘I wonder；’ said Peggotty； who was sometimes seized with a fit
of wondering on some most unexpected topic； ‘what’s become of
Davy’s great…aunt？’
‘Lor； Peggotty！’ observed my mother； rousing herself from a
reverie； ‘what nonsense you talk！’
‘Well； but I really do wonder； ma’am；’ said Peggotty。
‘What can have put such a person in your head？’ inquired my
mother。 ‘Is there nobody else in the world to come there？’
‘I don’t know how it is；’ said Peggotty； ‘unless it’s on account of
being stupid； but my head never can pick and choose its people。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
They come and they go； and they don’t come and they don’t go；
just as they like。 I wonder what’s become of her？’
‘How absurd you are； Peggotty！’ returned my mother。 ‘One
would suppose you wanted a second visit from her。’
‘Lord forbid！’ cried Peggotty。
‘Well then； don’t talk about such uncomfortable things； there’s a
good soul；’ said my mother。 ‘Miss Betsey is shut up in her cottage
by the sea； no doubt； and will remain there。 At all events； she is not
likely ever to trouble us again。’
‘No！’ mused Peggotty。 ‘No； that ain’t likely at all。—I wonder； if
she was to die； whether she’d leave Davy anything？’
‘Good gracious me； Peggotty；’ returned my mother； ‘what a
nonsensical woman you are！ when you know that she took offence
at the poor dear boy’s ever being born at all。’
‘I suppose she wouldn’t be inclined to forgive him now；’ hinted
Peggotty。
‘Why should she be inclined to forgive him now？’ said my
mother； rather sharply。
‘Now that he’s got a brother； I mean；’ said Peggotty。
My mother immediately began to cry； and wondered how
Peggotty dared to say such a thing。
‘As if this poor little innocent in its cradle had ever done any
harm to you or anybody else； you jealous thing！’ said she。 ‘You had
much better go and marry Mr。 Barkis； the carrier。 Why don’t you？’
‘I should make Miss Murdstone happy； if I was to；’ said
Peggotty。
‘What a bad disposition you have； Peggotty！’ returned my
mother。 ‘You are as jealous of Miss Murdstone as it is possible for
a ridiculous creature to be。 You want to keep the keys yourself；
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
and give out all the things； I suppose？ I shouldn’t be surprised if
you did。 When you know that she only does it out of kindness and
the best intentions！ You know she does； Peggotty—you know it
well。’
Peggotty muttered something to the effect of ‘Bother the best
intentions！’ and something else to the effect that there was a little
too much of the best intentions going on。
‘I know what you mean； you cross thing；’ said my mother。 ‘I
understand you； Peggotty； perfectly。 You know I do； and I wonder
you don’t colour up like fire。 But one point at a time。 Miss
Murdstone is the point now； Peggotty； and you sha’n’t escape from
it。 Haven’t you heard her say； over and over again； that she thinks
I am too thoughtless and too—a—a—’
‘Pretty；’ suggested Peggotty。
‘Well；’ returned my mother； half laughing； ‘and if she is so silly
as to say so； can I be blamed for it？’
‘No one says you can；’ said Peggotty。
‘No； I should hope not； indeed！’ returned my mother。 ‘Haven’t
you heard her say； over and over again； that on this account she
wished to spare me a great deal of trouble； which she thinks I am
not suited for； and which I really don’t know myself that I am
suited for； and isn’t she up early and late； and going to and fro
continually—and doesn’t she do all sorts of things； and grope into
all sorts of places； coal…holes and pantries and I don’t know where；
that can’t be very agreeable—and do you mean to insinuate that
there is not a sort of