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locker was put out in its old place； but instead of coming to sit by
me； she went and bestowed her company upon that grumbling
Mrs。 Gummidge： and on Mr。 Peggotty’s inquiring why； rumpled
her hair all over her face to hide it； and could do nothing but
laugh。
‘A little puss； it is！’ said Mr。 Peggotty； patting her with his great
hand。
‘So sh’ is！ so sh’ is！’ cried Ham。 ‘Mas’r Davy bor’； so sh’ is！’ and
he sat and chuckled at her for some time； in a state of mingled
admiration and delight； that made his face a burning red。
Little Em’ly was spoiled by them all； in fact； and by no one
more than Mr。 Peggotty himself； whom she could have coaxed into
anything； by only going and laying her cheek against his rough
whisker。 That was my opinion； at least； when I saw her do it； and I
held Mr。 Peggotty to be thoroughly in the right。 But she was so
affectionate and sweet…natured； and had such a pleasant manner
of being both sly and shy at once； that she captivated me more
than ever。
She was tender…hearted； too； for when； as we sat round the fire
after tea； an allusion was made by Mr。 Peggotty over his pipe to
the loss I had sustained； the tears stood in her eyes； and she
looked at me so kindly across the table； that I felt quite thankful to
her。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
‘Ah！’ said Mr。 Peggotty； taking up her curls； and running them
over his hand like water； ‘here’s another orphan； you see； sir。 And
here；’ said Mr。 Peggotty； giving Ham a backhanded knock in the
chest； ‘is another of ’em； though he don’t look much like it。’
‘If I had you for my guardian； Mr。 Peggotty；’ said I； shaking my
head； ‘I don’t think I should feel much like it。’
‘Well said； Mas’r Davy bor’！’ cried Ham； in an ecstasy。 ‘Hoorah！
Well said！ Nor more you wouldn’t！ Hor！ Hor！’—Here he returned
Mr。 Peggotty’s back…hander； and little Em’ly got up and kissed Mr。
Peggotty。 ‘And how’s your friend； sir？’ said Mr。 Peggotty to me。
‘Steerforth？’ said I。
‘That’s the name！’ cried Mr。 Peggotty； turning to Ham。 ‘I
knowed it was something in our way。’
‘You said it was Rudderford；’ observed Ham； laughing。
‘Well！’ retorted Mr。 Peggotty。 ‘And ye steer with a rudder； don’t
ye？ It ain’t fur off。 How is he； sir？’
‘He was very well indeed when I came away； Mr。 Peggotty。’
‘There’s a friend！’ said Mr。 Peggotty； stretching out his pipe。
‘There’s a friend； if you talk of friends！ Why； Lord love my heart
alive； if it ain’t a treat to look at him！’
‘He is very handsome； is he not？’ said I； my heart warming with
this praise。
‘Handsome！’ cried Mr。 Peggotty。 ‘He stands up to you like—like
a—why I don’t know what he don’t stand up to you like。 He’s so
bold！’
‘Yes！ That’s just his character；’ said I。 ‘He’s as brave as a lion；
and you can’t think how frank he is； Mr。 Peggotty。’
‘And I do suppose； now；’ said Mr。 Peggotty； looking at me
through the smoke of his pipe； ‘that in the way of book…larning
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
he’d take the wind out of a’most anything。’
‘Yes；’ said I； delighted； ‘he knows everything。 He is
astonishingly clever。’
‘There’s a friend！’ murmured Mr。 Peggotty； with a grave toss of
his head。
‘Nothing seems to cost him any trouble；’ said I。 ‘He knows a
task if he only looks at it。 He is the best cricketer you ever saw。 He
will give you almost as many men as you like at draughts； and beat
you easily。’
Mr。 Peggotty gave his head another toss； as much as to say： ‘Of
course he will。’
‘He is such a speaker；’ I pursued； ‘that he can win anybody
over； and I don’t know what you’d say if you were to hear him
sing； Mr。 Peggotty。’
Mr。 Peggotty gave his head another toss； as much as to say： ‘I
have no doubt of it。’
‘Then； he’s such a generous； fine； noble fellow；’ said I； quite
carried away by my favourite theme； ‘that it’s hardly possible to
give him as much praise as he deserves。 I am sure I can never feel
thankful enough for the generosity with which he has protected
me； so much younger and lower in the school than himself。’
I was running on； very fast indeed； when my eyes rested on
little Em’ly’s face； which was bent forward over the table； listening
with the deepest attention； her breath held； her blue eyes
sparkling like jewels； and the colour mantling in her cheeks。 She
looked so extraordinarily earnest and pretty； that I stopped in a
sort of wonder； and they all observed her at the same time； for as I
stopped； they laughed and looked at her。
‘Em’ly is like me；’ said Peggotty； ‘and would like to see him。’
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
Em’ly was confused by our all observing her； and hung down
her head； and her face was covered with blushes。 Glancing up
presently through her stray curls； and seeing that we were all
looking at her still （I am sure I； for one； could have looked at her
for hours）； she ran away； and kept away till it was nearly bedtime。
I lay down in the old little bed in the stern of the boat； and the
wind came moaning on across the flat as it had done before。 But I
could not help fancying； now； that it moaned of those who were
gone； and instead of thinking that the sea might rise in the night
and float the boat away； I thought of the sea that had risen； since I
last heard those sounds； and drowned my happy home。 I recollect；
as the wind and water began to sound fainter in my ears； putting a
short clause into my prayers； petitioning that I might grow up to
marry little Em’ly； and so dropping lovingly asleep。
The days passed pretty much as they had passed before；
except—it was a great exception—that little Em’ly and I seldom
wandered on the beach now。 She had tasks to learn； and needlework to do； and was absent during a great part of each day。 But I
felt that we should not have had those old wanderings； even if it
had been otherwise。 Wild and full of childish whims as Em’ly was；
she was more of a little woman than I had supposed。 She seemed
to have got a great distance away from me； in little more than a
year。 She liked me； but she laughed at me； and tormented me； and
when I went to meet her； stole home another way； and was
laughing at the door when I came back； disappointed。 The best
times were when she sat quietly at work in the doorway； and I sat
on the wooden step at her feet； reading to her。 It seems to me； at
this hour； that I have never seen such sunlight as on those bright
April afternoons； that I have never seen such a sunny little figure
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David Copperfield 203
as I used to see； sitting in the doorway of the old boat； that I have
never beheld such sky； such water； such glorified ships sailing
away into golden air。
On the very first evening after our arrival； Mr。 Barkis appeared
in an exceedingly vacant and awkward condition； and with a
bundle of oranges tied up in a handkerchief。 As he made no
allusion of any kin