David Copperfield

Chapter 22
Chapter 10 Getting Support(1)
When the day of the funeral was past and the sun was streaming into the rooms of the house, the first thing Miss Murdstone did was give Peggotty a notice of her dismissal in a month's time.Peggotty certainly didn't like that kind of job, but I knew she would sacrifice the best job in the world to stay with me because of me.She said we must part, and told me why we had to.So we blessed each other with great sincerity.

They said nothing and took no action about me or my future.I think they would be very happy if they could also dismiss me with a month's notice.I once ventured to ask Miss Murdstone when I was going back to school, and she replied dryly that she did not think I would go back.I was very anxious to know what they were going to do with me; Peggotty wanted to know too.But on this issue, she, like me, has no news at all.

There is a change in my position which, though it relieves me of many present insecurities, would, if I thought it over, make me still more apprehensive about my future.The change was this: all my former restraints were lifted, and instead of keeping me in the parlour, Miss Murdstone several times motioned me to go away while I sat there.They no longer forbid me to be with Peggotty, and if I am not in the presence of Mr. Murdstone I will never be sought.At first I had a daily dread of his coming to teach me, or of Miss Murdstone; but I soon began to think that this fear was unfounded, and that all that I could have expected was ignored.

I didn't feel at the time how sad they were to me.My mother's sudden departure left me in a daze, indifferent to all trifles.I think now that I also thought at the time: I would stop reading and be neglected, and grow up to be a vulgar morose fellow, living an idle life in the country; Like a hero in a story, go everywhere to find my luck and start my business.But those were fleeting fantasies, fantasies I sat there and saw dimly painted or written on the wall of my bedroom, and then disappeared and there was nothing on the wall.

One evening, as I warmed myself before the kitchen fire, I murmured thoughtfully: "Mr. Murdstone hates me more than ever. He hated me already, Peggotty, but now, if he can , he doesn’t even want to see me.”

"Perhaps it is because he is mourning," said Peggotty, stroking my hair lightly.

"I'm sure, Peggotty, so do I. If that's why he ignores me, I don't care at all. But he doesn't ignore me because he's sad. No, not because of that."

"How do you know it's not like that?" said Peggotty after a moment's thought.

"Oh, his mourning is quite another matter. He is sad now sitting before the fire with Miss Murdstone, but as soon as I go in, Peggotty, he is in a different shape."

"What is it like?" said Peggotty.

"He gets angry," I unconsciously imitated his sullen frown. "If he was just sad, he wouldn't look at me that way. I'm just sad, and his sadness makes me softer."

Peggotty stayed for a while, and I said nothing, but warmed my hands in front of the fire.

"Wei," she said later.

"What, Peggotty?"

"I tried everything—in short, everything possible—to stay here, at Brandstone, and find a similar occupation, but it couldn't, my dear."

"What are you going to do, Peggotty?" I said thoughtfully. "You mean to try your luck?"

"I think I must go back to Yarmouth," replied Peggotty, "and live there."

"I thought you were going to go farther and never see me again," I said (with some relief), "I might go and see you there sometime, my dear old Peggotty, don't you Will go to the ends of the earth, will you?"

"No, God bless!" cried Peggotty excitedly. "As long as you are here, my darling, I will come to see you every week, and as long as you are here, I must come every week."

I was relieved to hear this, and Peggotty went on:

"Wei, I'm leaving. I'm going to live with my brother for two weeks—when I have time to think about it and settle down. Then, I think, since they don't want you here, they'll ask you to come with me." I'm going to stay for a few days."

My greatest desire at the time was to change relations with those around me (except Peggotty), and if there was anything else that could have pleased me, it was Peggotty's suggestion.The thought of being with those honest and honest people again, of reliving the lovely Sunday mornings, of hearing the bells jingling, watching pebbles being thrown into the water, watching the shadowy shadows of boats emerge from the mist, with little Emily wandered about together, and sought a charm from my troubles among the shells and stones on the beach, and all these things made me uneasy.However, to be honest, the peace was disturbed for a while by the thought of Miss Murdstone's permission, but this trouble soon disappeared.Because that night, when Peggotty and I were talking, Miss Murdstone went to the storeroom to search for something, and I did not expect Peggotty to bring up the subject at that time.

"The kid's going to get lazy there," she said, looking at a pickle jar. That's for sure."

I could see that Peggotty had prepared an angry answer, but she managed to hold back for my sake.

"Ah!" said Miss Murdstone, keeping her eyes on the pickle. "It is more important than anything that my brother should not be disturbed, or disturbed by anything that would make him uncomfortable. I think I'd better promise."

I thanked her without any sign of pleasure lest she withdraw her promise.She stared at me from the pickle jar with so much sourness, it was as if her eyes had absorbed the contents of the urn.So I couldn't help but think that my worries above were justified.However, the promise was made and never taken back, and by the end of the month we were ready to go.

Mr. Barkis came to our house to carry Peggotty's box.I had never seen him pass the garden gate before, but this time he was inside the house.He glanced at me as he went out with the largest case on his shoulders, and I felt that if Mr. Baggis's face could express anything, there must be something in it.

Peggotty had been away for many years from her native country, which had formed the two great attachments of her life--to my mother and me--and it was naturally unhappy to be away.She too had been walking up and down the cemetery early; now she got into the car and sat in it with a handkerchief over her eyes.

While she was in this mood, Bagis didn't say anything, he sat in the same place as before, like a stuffed model.But when she started talking to me, he nodded and grinned several times, and I had no idea why he did that.

"It's a fine day, isn't it, Mr Bagis!" I said, as a courtesy.

"It's not a bad day," said Mr. Baggis, who was always sparing with his words and seldom revealed himself.

"Peggotty is feeling better now, Mr Bagis." I said this to reassure him.

"Is it?" said Mr. Baggis.

Mr. Barkis, after some consideration, said with an air of wisdom:

"Are you feeling better?"

Peggotty smiled and nodded.

"But, you know, what I'm asking is, really, is it comfortable?" Mr. Barkis snorted, and moving a little nearer to Peggotty, nudged her, and said, "Yes. Really?" At each question, Mr Bagis moved a little closer and bumped into her again, so that at last we were all crowded together in the left corner of the car, and I was almost out of breath.Later, when I saw him coming, I stood up and stood on the step, pretending to look at the distant scenery, so that I would not be squeezed.

He was very hospitable, and stopped in front of a tavern just for us, and treated us to roast lamb and beer.While Peggotty was drinking, he began to squeeze her as before, almost choking her.But as we approached the end of the journey, he had more to do than he had time to be courteous.By the time we got out onto the Yarmouth pavement, I felt we were all too shaken to care about anything else.

Mr. Peggotty and Ham met us in the usual place.They greeted me and Peggotty warmly, and embraced Mr. Barkis.But Mr. Barkis, as far as I could see, seemed to be in a daze, with his hat on the back of his head, and a look of self-consciousness extending from his face to his legs.They each carried one of Peggotty's great trunks, and as they went away Mr. Barkis greeted me solemnly with his forefinger, and called me under the porch.

Mr. Baggis snorted: "It's going well."

I looked up at his face, deliberately made a deep look and replied, "Oh!"

"It's not over," said Mr. Baggis, nodding secretly. "It's going well."

I responded casually.

"You know who would, you know?" said my friend. "That's Bages, that's Bages."

I agree.

"It's going well," said Mr. Barkis, shaking hands. "We're friends, and it's going well, and it's going well!"

Mr. Barkis, who would have made the matter so clear, made it so mysterious that if Peggotty had not told me to go, I would have stood before him and watched him for an hour, and looked at him as if before a plane. Like a stopped clock, there is no news.As we walked forward together, she asked me what he had said, and I repeated it.

"Shameless as he is," said Peggotty, "but it's all right! What would you think, my dear, if I married?"

"Ha--I suppose, you're married and you'll still love me as much as you do now?" I said, considering it.

The good man stopped suddenly and embraced me, and made many oaths of her undying love, much to the astonishment of the others.

"Come on, what do you want, baby?" she asked afterward.

"Will you marry—Mr. Bagkis, Peggotty?"

"Yes," said Peggotty.

"I think that's a good thing, because then, you can take a carriage to see me at any time, which saves money, and you can come whenever you want."

"My darling is lovely!" said Peggotty; "and that's what I've been thinking about for the past month. Yes, I think I'm freer. It's easier to do things in my own house than in anyone's." Better. I am now a stranger's servant, and I don't know if I can do it well. I am married, and I shall be near my girl's grave forever." Peggotty thought again, "I like Whenever I go to see her, I can see her; and when I close my eyes I can rest a little nearer to my sweet girl."

Neither of us said anything for a while.

"But if you don't want to," said Peggotty cheerfully, "I won't think about it—not even if I'm asked thirty-three times in church and let the ring rot in my pocket." Go think about it."

"Look at me, Peggotty," I replied, "see if I'm really happy, and I really hope to be." I did approve of the matter with all my heart.

"Well, my soul," said Peggotty, giving me a squeeze, "I've been thinking about it day and night from all sides, and I think it's a good idea, and I'll have to think it over again and talk to my brother about it. Talk about it, and keep it to no one else. As long as we know, David, Bagis is a good, honest man." Pogogo thought, "if I don't do my duty to him, if I don't—if I don't feel Well, that must be my fault," said Peggotty sincerely.

The quotation from Mr. Baggis was so apt that it amused us both, so that we both laughed and laughed, with great pleasure, till we saw Mr. Peggotty's cabin.We're really excited.

The hut still looked the same, though it seemed a little smaller than before.Mrs. Gummidge stood at the door again.It seems that since that time, it has been standing there, never moving.Everything in the house is the same as before, not even the seaweed in the blue cup in my bedroom.I went to the outer room and looked, those lobsters, crabs, and big shrimps were in the same corner, entangled as before.

But little Emily was gone.

"She's gone to school, sir," said Mr. Peggotty, wiping the sweat from his brow. "She'll be home in a minute, and we'll all miss her, she's lovely!"

Mrs. Gummidge sighed again.

"Come on, madam!" cried Mr Peggotty.

"I miss her more than anyone else," said Mrs. Gummidge. "I'm a loner, and she's always the only one who's not against me."

Mrs. Gummidge cried and shook her head, and concentrated on blowing the fire.As she did so, Mr. Peggotty looked round at us, put his hand over his mouth, and said in a low voice, "Old man!" Mood did not improve.

(End of this chapter)