David Copperfield

Chapter 28
Chapter 12 Determined to flee (1)
It was some time before Mr. Micawber's submission was finally dealt with.I'm quite excited that the gentleman will be released from prison under the Act.His creditors were not irreconcilable, Mr. Micawber told me, and even the fierce shoemaker publicly declared that he was not a deadly enemy to Mr. Micawber, but he still wanted to recover what was owed to him.He said he thought it was a human right.

Although Mr. Micawber has concluded the case, he still has to return to the High Court prison because he needs to pay some necessary expenses and complete some necessary procedures before he can be officially released.The club members gave him a warm welcome and a special evening was held.Mrs. Micawber and I ate a plate of haggis on the sly, while the children were fast asleep.

"At this moment, Master Copperfield," said Mrs. Micawber, "we'll have some more of the fork (for I've had some)."

"Are they all dead, ma'am?" I asked her after my toast.

"My mother," said Mrs. Micawber, "dead before Mr. Micawber's troubles, or at least before they were more dire. My father died after bailing Mr. Micawber many times, and everyone I feel sorry for him."

When Mrs. Micawber said this, she shook her head and shed filial tears on the twins in her arms.

I then thought that this would be an opportune occasion to ask a question which concerned me, and so I said to Mrs. Micawber:

"May I ask, ma'am? Now that Mr. Micawber is out of danger and at liberty, what are you and him going to do? Have you thought it over?"

"My natal family," said Mrs. Micawber (she always said those three words perfectly, but I never found out who she was referring to), "is that Mr. Micawber should not He's stuck in London, he should be out in the counties to make use of his expertise. Mr Micawber is no easy fellow, Master Copperfield."

I nodded in agreement.

"Capable," repeated Mrs. Micawber. "My family thought that a man of Mr. Micawber's caliber, with a little help, could make his way in the Customs House. My family had power only locally, So hopefully he goes to Primus. They think he has to go there."

"Can he go now?" I motioned.

"Indeed," replied Mrs. Micawber, "now—if there is an opportunity."

"And you, ma'am?"

The situation at that time, coupled with the twins, and perhaps the cooking wine, made Mrs. Micawber a little hysterical, so she said with tears:

"I will never abandon him. Mr. Micawber may not have told the truth at first, but his optimism may have enabled him to get over it. I sold all the bead bracelets my mother left me for less half of the original; I threw away papa's wedding present, the coral ones, almost for nothing. In any case, I cannot and I will not leave Mr. Micawber, no!" cried Mrs. Micawber, more than before. Even more emotional, "I would never do that! Absolutely not!"

I felt uneasy, as if Mrs. Micawber suspected that I wanted her to do that.I sat there apprehensively.

"Mr. Micawber has faults. He really has no plans, and I understand that he keeps my property and debts from me," she went on, looking at the wall, "but I will never desert him."

Mrs. Micawber had by this time raised her voice almost to a scream.I hastened to the club, and informed Mr. Micawber of Mrs. Micawber's critical moment.At that time, he was the chairman at a long table, leading everyone to sing:

"Go on, Dobbin,

Come on, Dobbin,

Come on, Dobbin,

Go on, go on—!”

Mr. Micawber burst into tears at the news, and walked out of the club with me, with his vest full of leftover heads and tails.

"Emma, ​​my Angel!" cried Mr. Micawber, running into the house, "what is the matter, dear?"

"I will never desert you, Micawber!" she cried.

"My life!" said Mr. Micawber, taking her in his arms, "I know all about it."

"He is the father of my children! He is the father of my twins, he is my heart, my dear husband!" cried Mrs. Micawber wildly. "I will never abandon Mr. Micawber !"

Mr. Micawber was so moved by her devotion (and my eyes welled up) that he hugged her passionately, leaned over her, and begged her to look up and keep her still.But the more he begged her to look up, the more she refused to look; the more he begged her to be quiet, the more she refused to be quiet.As a result, Mr. Micawber was moved to cry with her.Then he begged for my help and found a chair to sit on the stairs so that she could fall asleep.I meant to go back and spend the night, but he wouldn't let me go until the bell rang.So I sat by the staircase window until he came to sit with me with another chair.

"Is Mrs. Micawber all right, sir?" I asked.

"Lack of spirit," sighed Mr. Micawber. "It's a dreadful day! I'm alone now, and everything is going away from me."

Mr. Micawber clasped my hand, and wept aloud.I was both moved and a little disappointed, because I thought they should be very happy on this long-awaited day.The Micawbers, however, may have gotten used to their old life, and they missed it terribly when they thought they were out of it.All their fitness was gone, and I never saw them so sad as they were in the middle of the night.When, therefore, the bell rang, and Mr. Micawber and I came out of the lodgings, and bid me a farewell there, I could not bear to go, for he was so miserable.

But when we were all down, I realized that the Micawbers were going away, and our parting was imminent.It was on my return to the lodgings, and as I subsequently tossed and turned in bed, that an idea occurred to me for the first time—though I don't know how it came to me—that formed an unshakable resolution.

I have shared weal and woe with the Micawbers, and they are my only friends.Now that I was away from them and alone again, the thought of finding a new home, of living among strangers again, seemed to come back to me with a knowledge of reality acquired by experience.This situation, and the fear in my heart was intensified by the thought of the feelings that had been stung by that situation, and all the humiliation and pain that it had seared in me.So I think days like that are unbearable.

I realized clearly that there was no hope of escaping that life unless I voluntarily escaped.I hear occasionally from Miss Murdstone, never from Mr. Murdstone.There were only two or three packages of ready-made or mended clothes, handed over to me by Mr. Quinn, and in each package was a note saying: "Jane Moore wishes D. Co. to work hard and do his best"—they They clearly believed that I was only suitable for such a lowly hard labor, whether I had the possibility of doing other things, they did not express at all.

While my mind was agitated and agitated by the circumstances, it all told me that Mrs. Micawber had not spoken of their departure for nothing.They stayed for a week in the house where I was staying, and then the family went to Primos.Mr. Micawber went to the counting house in the afternoon, and told Mr. Quinen that I had to be kept on their departure, and spoke highly of me, which I believe was well deserved.So Mr. Quinn called in Dipper, the coachman (he was married, and had a room to let), and arranged for me to lodge with Dipper--he was quite sure that we both agreed, for I hadn't said a word. , but secretly had his own plan.

During the last few days when I lived in the same house with the Micawbers, I spent every evening with them.I feel that the further getting along these few days has made our feelings grow day by day.On the last Sunday they invited me to lunch and we had cat loin and applesauce and a pudding.I bought a speckled wooden horse the night before for little Wilkin Micawber (that's the guy) and a rag doll for little Emma as a parting present, and I gave A shilling for orphaned children.

We had a very pleasant day, but we were vulnerable to the upcoming parting.

"Master Copperfield," said Mrs. Micawber, "I think of you when I think of Mr. Micawber's misery. You helped us through it without complaint. You were never just a lodger. You are a true friend."

"My dear," said Mr. Micawber, "Copperfield," as he had often called me of late, "had a good heart, and was true to his friend when he was in trouble. He had a Brain to figure out, he has hands to work—in short, an extraordinary ability to dispose of useless things."

I accepted his compliment, and said I was very sorry that we were going to part.

"My dear young friend," said Mr. Micawber, "I have a little experience in life. At present, I am looking forward to opportunities. I even look forward to them every minute. But in my situation Now, I have nothing to give you but advice. These words of advice are of some value, but I have never fulfilled them myself, and I have become—” said Mr. Micawber, smiling, suddenly Put on a sad face "The poor man in front of you!"

(End of this chapter)