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in it； but my mind was thoroughly made up that it must be carried
into execution。
Again； and again； and a hundred times again； since the night
when the thought had first occurred to me and banished sleep； I
had gone over that old story of my poor mother’s about my birth；
which it had been one of my great delights in the old time to hear
her tell； and which I knew by heart。 My aunt walked into that
story； and walked out of it； a dread and awful personage； but there
was one little trait in her behaviour which I liked to dwell on； and
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
which gave me some faint shadow of encouragement。 I could not
forget how my mother had thought that she felt her touch her
pretty hair with no ungentle hand； and though it might have been
altogether my mother’s fancy； and might have had no foundation
whatever in fact； I made a little picture； out of it； of my terrible
aunt relenting towards the girlish beauty that I recollected so well
and loved so much； which softened the whole narrative。 It is very
possible that it had been in my mind a long time； and had
gradually engendered my determination。
As I did not even know where Miss Betsey lived； I wrote a long
letter to Peggotty； and asked her； incidentally； if she remembered；
pretending that I had heard of such a lady living at a certain place
I named at random； and had a curiosity to know if it were the
same。 In the course of that letter； I told Peggotty that I had a
particular occasion for half a guinea； and that if she could lend me
that sum until I could repay it； I should be very much obliged to
her； and would tell her afterwards what I had wanted it for。
Peggotty’s answer soon arrived； and was； as usual； full of
affectionate devotion。 She enclosed the half guinea （I was afraid
she must have had a world of trouble to get it out of Mr。 Barkis’s
box）； and told me that Miss Betsey lived near Dover； but whether
at Dover itself； at Hythe； Sandgate； or Folkestone； she could not
say。 One of our men； however； informing me on my asking him
about these places； that they were all close together； I deemed this
enough for my object； and resolved to set out at the end of that
week。
Being a very honest little creature； and unwilling to disgrace
the memory I was going to leave behind me at Murdstone and
Grinby’s； I considered myself bound to remain until Saturday
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David Copperfield
night； and； as I had been paid a week’s wages in advance when I
first came there； not to present myself in the counting…house at the
usual hour； to receive my stipend。 For this express reason； I had
borrowed the half…guinea； that I might not be without a fund for
my travelling…expenses。 Accordingly； when the Saturday night
came； and we were all waiting in the warehouse to be paid； and
Tipp the carman； who always took precedence； went in first to
draw his money； I shook Mick Walker by the hand； asked him；
when it came to his turn to be paid； to say to Mr。 Quinion that I
had gone to move my box to Tipp’s； and； bidding a last good night
to Mealy Potatoes； ran away。
My box was at my old lodging； over the water； and I had written
a direction for it on the back of one of our address cards that we
nailed on the casks： ‘Master David； to be left till called for； at the
Coach Office； Dover。’ This I had in my pocket ready to put on the
box； after I should have got it out of the house； and as I went
towards my lodging； I looked about me for someone who would
help me to carry it to the booking…office。
There was a long…legged young man with a very little empty
donkey…cart； standing near the Obelisk； in the Blackfriars Road；
whose eye I caught as I was going by； and who； addressing me as
‘Sixpenn’orth of bad ha’pence；’ hoped ‘I should know him agin to
swear to’—in allusion； I have no doubt； to my staring at him。 I
stopped to assure him that I had not done so in bad manners； but
uncertain whether he might or might not like a job。
‘Wot job？’ said the long…legged young man。
‘To move a box；’ I answered。
‘Wot box？’ said the long…legged young man。
I told him mine； which was down that street there； and which I
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
wanted him to take to the Dover coach office for sixpence。
‘Done with you for a tanner！’ said the long…legged young man；
and directly got upon his cart； which was nothing but a large
wooden tray on wheels； and rattled away at such a rate； that it was
as much as I could do to keep pace with the donkey。
There was a defiant manner about this young man； and
particularly about the way in which he chewed straw as he spoke
to me； that I did not much like； as the bargain was made； however；
I took him upstairs to the room I was leaving； and we brought the
box down； and put it on his cart。 Now； I was unwilling to put the
direction…card on there； lest any of my landlord’s family should
fathom what I was doing； and detain me； so I said to the young
man that I would be glad if he would stop for a minute； when he
came to the dead…wall of the King’s Bench prison。 The words were
no sooner out of my mouth； than he rattled away as if he； my box；
the cart； and the donkey； were all equally mad； and I was quite out
of breath with running and calling after him； when I caught him at
the place appointed。
Being much flushed and excited； I tumbled my half…guinea out
of my pocket in pulling the card out。 I put it in my mouth for
safety； and though my hands trembled a good deal； had just tied
the card on very much to my satisfaction； when I felt myself
violently chucked under the chin by the long…legged young man；
and saw my half…guinea fly out of my mouth into his hand。
‘Wot！’ said the young man； seizing me by my jacket collar； with
a frightful grin。 ‘This is a pollis case； is it？ You’re a…going to bolt；
are you？ Come to the pollis； you young warmin； come to the
pollis！’
‘You give me my money back； if you please；’ said I； very much
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
David Copperfield
frightened； ‘and leave me alone。’
‘Come to the pollis！’ said the young man。 ‘You shall prove it
yourn to the pollis。’
‘Give me my box and money； will you；’ I cried； bursting into
tears。
The young man still replied： ‘Come to the pollis！’ and was
dragging me against the donkey in a violent manner； as if there
were any affinity between that animal and a magistrate； when he
changed his mind； jumped into the cart； sat upon my box； and；
exclaiming that he would drive to the pollis straight； rattled away
harder than ever。
I ran after him as fast as I could； but I had no breath to call out
with； and should not have dared to call out； now； if I had。 I
narrowly escaped being run over； twenty times at least； in half a
mile。 Now I lost him； now I saw him； now I lost him； now I was cut
at with a whip； now shouted at； now down in the mud； now up
again； now running into somebody’s arms； now running headlong
at a post。 At length；