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Ten Boys from Dickens

by Kate Dickinson Sweetser · English · Gutenberg #11227 · 357,357 chars · public domain (US)

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Title: Ten Boys from Dickens

Author: Kate Dickinson Sweetser

Illustrator: George Alfred Williams


        
Release date: February 1, 2004 [eBook #11227]
                Most recently updated: October 28, 2024

Language: English

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TEN BOYS FROM DICKENS ***

TEN BOYS from
DICKENS

By
Kate Dickinson Sweetser


Illustrated by
George Alfred Williams

1901




PREFACE


In this small volume there are presented as complete stories the boy-lives
portrayed in the works of Charles Dickens. The boys are followed only to
the threshold of manhood, and in all cases the original text of the story
has been kept, except where of necessity a phrase or paragraph has been
inserted to connect passages;--while the net-work of characters with which
the boys are surrounded in the books from which they are taken, has been
eliminated, except where such characters seem necessary to the development
of the story in hand.

Charles Dickens was a loyal champion of all boys, and underlying his pen
pictures of them was an earnest desire to remedy evils which he had found
existing in London and its suburbs. Poor Jo, who was always being "moved
on," David Copperfield, whose early life was a picture of Dickens' own
childhood, workhouse-reared Oliver, and the miserable wretches at Dotheboy
Hall were no mere creations of an author's vivid imagination. They were
descriptions of living boys, the victims of tyranny and oppression which
Dickens felt he must in some way alleviate. And so he wrote his novels
with the histories in them which affected the London public far more
deeply, of course, than they affect us, and awakened a storm of
indignation and protest.

Schools, work-houses, and other public institutions were subjected to a
rigorous examination, and in consequence several were closed, while all
were greatly improved. Thus, in his sketches of boy-life, Dickens
accomplished his object.

My aim is to bring these sketches, with all their beauty and pathos, to
the notice of the young people of to-day. If through this volume any boy
or girl should be aroused to a keener interest in the great writer, and
should learn to love him and his work, my labour will be richly repaid.

KATE DICKINSON SWEETSER




CONTENTS


TINY TIM

OLIVER TWIST

TOMMY TRADDLES

"DEPUTY"

DOTHEBOYS HALL

DAVID COPPERFIELD

KIT NUBBLES

JO, THE CROSSING SWEEPER

PAUL DOMBEY

PIP




TINY TIM


[Illustration: TINY TIM AND HIS FATHER.]

Charles Dickens has given us no picture of Tiny Tim, but at the thought of
him comes a vision of a delicate figure, less boy than spirit. We seem to
see a face oval in shape and fair in colouring. We see eyes deep-set and
grey, shaded by lashes as dark as the hair parted from the middle of his
low forehead. We see a sunny, patient smile which from time to time lights
up his whole face, and a mouth whose firm, strong lines reveal clearly the
beauty of character, and the happiness of disposition, which were Tiny
Tim's.

He was a rare little chap indeed, and a prime favourite as well. Ask the
Crachits old and young, whose smile they most desired, whose applause they
most coveted, whose errands they almost fought with one another to run,
whose sadness or pain could most affect the family happiness, and with one
voice they would answer, "Tim's!"

It was Christmas Day, and in all the suburbs of London there was to be no
merrier celebration than at the Crachits. To be sure, Bob Crachit had but
fifteen "Bob" himself a week on which to clothe and feed all the little
Crachits, but what they lacked in luxuries they made up in affection and
contentment, and would not have changed places, one of them, with any king
or queen.

While Bob took Tiny Tim to church, preparations for the feast were going
on at home. Mrs. Crachit was dressed in a twice-turned gown, but brave in
ribbons which are cheap and make a goodly show for sixpence; and she laid
the cloth, assisted by Belinda, second of her daughters, also brave in
ribbons, while Master Peter Crachit plunged a fork into a saucepan full of
potatoes, getting the corners of his monstrous shirt collar (Bob's private
property, conferred upon his son and heir in honour of the day) into his
mouth, but rejoiced to find himself so finely dressed, and yearning to
show his linen in the fashionable Parks.

Two smaller Crachits, boy and girl, came tearing in, screaming that
outside the baker's they had smelt the goose, and known it for their own;
and basking in luxurious thoughts of sage and onions, these young Crachits
danced about the table, and exalted Master Peter Crachit to the skies,
while he (not proud, although his collar almost choked him) blew the fire,
until the slow potatoes, bubbling up, knocked loudly at the saucepan-lid
to be let out and peeled.

"What has ever got your precious father, then?" said Mrs. Crachit. "And
your brother, Tiny Tim! And Martha warn't as late last Christmas Day by
half an hour!"

"Here's Martha, mother!" cried the two young Crachits. "_Hurrah_! there's
_such_ a goose, Martha!"

"Why, bless your heart alive, dear, how late you are!" said Mrs. Crachit,
kissing the daughter, who lived away from home, a dozen times. "Well,
never mind as long as you are come!"

"There's father coming!" cried the two young Crachits, who were everywhere
at once. "_Hide_, Martha, _hide_!"

So Martha hid herself, and in came little Bob, the father, with at least
three feet of comforter hanging down before him, and his threadbare
clothes darned up and brushed to look seasonable; and Tiny Tim upon his
shoulder. Why was the child thus carried? Alas for Tiny Tim, he bore a
little crutch and had his limbs supported by an iron frame! Patient little
Tim,--never was he heard to utter a fretful or complaining word. No wonder
they cherished him so tenderly!

"Why, where's our Martha?" cried Bob Crachit looking round.

"Not coming!" said Mrs. Crachit.

"Not coming?" said Bob, with a sudden declension in his high spirits; for
he had been Tim's blood horse all the way from church, and had come home
rampant.

"Not coming upon Christmas Day!"

Martha didn't like to see him disappointed, if it were only in joke; so
she ran out from behind the closet door, and ran into his arms, while the
two young Crachits hustled Tiny Tim, and bore him off into the wash-house,
that he might hear the pudding singing in the copper.

"And how did little Tim behave?" asked Mrs. Crachit; when she had rallied
Bob on his credulity, and Bob had hugged his daughter to his heart's
content.

"As good as gold," said Bob, "and better. Somehow he gets thoughtful,
sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever
heard. He told me, coming home, that 'he hoped the people saw him in the
church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to
remember upon Christmas Day, Who made lame beggars walk and blind men
see.'"

Bob's voice was tremulous when he told them this, and it trembled more
when he said that Tiny Tim was growing strong and hearty.

His active little crutch was heard upon the floor, and back came Tiny Tim
before another word was spoken, escorted by his brother and sister to his
stool before the fire; and while Bob compounded some hot mixture in a jug
and put it on the hob to simmer, Master Peter and the two young Crachits
went to fetch the goose, with which they soon returned in high procession.

Such a bustle ensued that you might have thought the goose the rarest of
all birds, and in truth it _was_ something very like it in that house.
Mrs. Crachit made the gravy hissing hot; Master Peter mashed the potatoes
with incredible vigour; Miss Belinda sweetened up the apple sauce; Martha
dusted the hot plates; Bob took Tiny Tim beside him in a corner at the
table; the two young Crachits set chairs for everybody, not forgetting
themselves, and mounting guard upon their posts, crammed spoons into their
mouths, lest they should shriek for goose before their turn came to be
helped. At last the dishes were set on and grace was said. It was
succeeded by a breathless pause, as Mrs. Crachit, looking slowly along the
carving knife, prepared to plunge it in the breast. When she did one
murmur of delight arose all round the board, and even Tiny Tim, excited by
the two young Crachits, beat on the table with the handle of his knife,
and feebly cried "Hurrah!"

There never was such a goose! its tenderness and size, flavour and
cheapness, were the themes of universal admiration. Eked out by
apple-sauce and mashed potatoes, every one had enough, and the youngest
Crachits were steeped in sage and onion to the eyebrows! But now, the
plates being changed, Mrs. Crachit left the room alone--too nervous to
bear witnesses--to take the pudding up, and bring it in.

Suppose it should not be done enough! Suppose it should break in turning
out! All sorts of horrors were supposed.

Hallo! a great deal of steam! The pudding was out of the copper, and in
half a minute Mrs. Crachit entered, flushed, but smiling proudly, with the
pudding blazing in ignited brandy, and with Christmas holly stuck into the
top.

Its appearance was hailed with cheers and with exclamations of joyous
admiration. Then, when it was safely landed upon the table, what a racket
and clatter there was! Such stories and songs and jokes, and such riotous
applause no one can imagine who was not there to see and hear!

At last the dinner was all done, the cloth was cleared, the hearth swept,
and the fire made up. The compound in the jug being tasted and pronounced
perfect, apples and oranges were put upon the table and a shovelful of
chestnuts on the fire. Then all the Crachit family drew round the hearth,
Tiny Tim very close to his father's side, upon his little stool, while he
gave them a song in his plaintive little voice, about a lost child, and
sang it very well indeed.

At Bob Crachit's elbow stood the family display of glass; two tumblers and
a custard cup without a handle. These held the hot stuff from the jug,
however, as well as golden goblets would have done, and Bob served it out
with beaming looks, while the chestnuts sputtered and cracked noisily.
Then Bob proposed:

  "_A merry Christmas to us all, my dears,--God bless us_!"

which was just what was needed to bring the joy and enthusiasm to a
climax. Cheer after cheer went up, over and over the toast was re-echoed,
and then one was added for the family ogre, Bob's hard employer, Mr.
Scrooge, and one for old and for young, for sick and for well, for Father
Christmas and for Father Crachit and for all the little Crachits;--for
everyone everywhere who had heard the holiday bells, there was a toast
given. Then when the uproar ceased for a moment, low and sweet spoke Tiny
Tim alone:

  "_God bless us every one!"_

Clearly it rang out in the earnest childish voice. There was a sudden hush
of the merriment, while Bob's arm stole round his son with a firmer grasp
and for a moment the shadow of a coming Christmas fell upon him, when the
little stool would be vacant and the little crutch unused.

Spirit of Tiny Tim, thy childish essence was from God! Thou didst not know
that in the benediction of lives like thine, is given the answer to such
prayers. Much did thy loved ones learn from thee; much can the world learn
of the nobility of patience from thy sweet child life. Unawares thou wert
thyself an answer to thy Christmas prayer:

  "_God bless us every one!"_




OLIVER TWIST


[Illustration: OLIVER TWIST.]

Oliver Twist was the child of an unknown woman who died in the workhouse
of an English village, almost as soon as her babe drew his first breath.
The mother's name being unknown, the workhouse officials called the child
Oliver Twist, under which title he grew up. For nine years he was farmed
out at a branch poorhouse, where with twenty or thirty other children he
bore all the miseries consequent on neglect, abuse, and starvation. He was
then removed to the workhouse proper to be taught a useful trade.

His ninth birthday found him a pale, thin child, diminutive in stature,
and decidedly small in circumference, but possessed of a good sturdy
spirit, which was not broken by the policy of the officials who tried to
get as much work out of the paupers as possible, and to keep them on as
scant a supply of food as would sustain life.

The boys were fed in a large stone hall, with a copper at one end, out of
which the gruel was ladled at meal-times. Of this festive composition each
boy had one porringer, and no more--except on occasions of great public
rejoicing, when he had two ounces and a quarter of bread besides. The
bowls never wanted washing. The boys polished them with their spoons till
they shone again; and when they had performed this operation, they would
sit staring at the copper, as if they could have devoured the very bricks
of which it was composed; sucking their fingers, with the view of catching
up any stray splashes of gruel that might have been cast thereon.

Boys have generally excellent appetites. Oliver Twist and his companions
suffered the tortures of slow starvation for three months: at last they
got so voracious and wild that one boy hinted darkly that unless he had
another basin of gruel a day, he was afraid he might some night happen to
eat the boy who slept next him. He had a wild, hungry, eye; and they
implicitly believed him. A council was held; lots were cast who should
walk up to the master, and ask for more, and it fell to Oliver Twist.

The evening arrived; the boys took their places. The gruel was served out,
and a long grace was said. The gruel disappeared; the boys whispered each
other, and winked at Oliver; while his next neighbours nudged him. Child
as he was, he was desperate with hunger, and reckless with misery. He rose
and advancing to the master, basin and spoon in hand, said, somewhat
alarmed at his own temerity:

"Please, sir, I want some more!"

The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned very pale. He gazed in
stupified astonishment on the small rebel for some seconds, and then clung
for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder; the
boys with fear.

"What?" said the master at length, in a faint voice.

"Please, sir," replied Oliver, "I want some more."

The master aimed a blow at Oliver's head with the ladle; pinioned him in
his arms; and shrieked for the beadle, and when that gentleman appeared,
an animated discussion took place. Oliver was ordered into instant
confinement; and a bill was next morning pasted on the outside of the
gate, offering a reward of five pounds to any body who would take Oliver
Twist off the hands of the parish. In other words, five pounds, and Oliver
Twist were offered to any man or woman who wanted an apprentice to any
trade, business, or calling.

Mr. Sowerberry, the parish undertaker, finally applied for the prize, and
carried Oliver away with him, which, for the poor boy, was a matter of
falling from the frying pan into the fire, and in his short career as
undertaker's assistant he even sighed for the workhouse,--miserable as his
life there had been. At the undertaker's, Oliver's bed was in the shop.
The atmosphere seemed tainted with the smell of coffins. The recess behind
the counter in which his mattress was thrust, looked like a grave. His
food was broken bits left from the meals of others, and his constant
companion was an older boy, Noah Claypole, who, although a charity boy
himself, was not a workhouse orphan, and therefore considered himself in a
position above Oliver. He made Oliver's days hideous with his abuse, which
the younger boy bore as quietly as he could, until the day when Noah made
a sneering remark about Oliver's dead mother. That was too much. Crimson
with fury, Oliver started up, seized Noah by the throat, shook him till
his teeth chattered, and then with one heavy blow, felled him to the
ground.

This brought about a violent scene, for Noah accused Oliver of attempting
to murder him, and Mrs. Sowerberry, the maid, and the beadle,--who had
been hastily summoned,--agreed that Oliver was a hardened wretch, only fit
for confinement, and he was accordingly placed in the cellar, till the
undertaker came in, when he was dragged out again to have the story
retold. To do Mr. Sowerberry justice, he would have been kindly disposed
towards Oliver, but for the prejudice of his wife against the boy.
However, to satisfy her, he gave Oliver a sound beating, and shut him up
in the back kitchen until night, when, amidst the jeers and pointings of
Noah and Mrs. Sowerberry, he was ordered up-stairs to his dismal bed.

It was then, alone, in the silence of the gloomy workshop, that Oliver
gave way to his feelings, wept bitterly, and resolved no longer to bear
such treatment. Softly he undid the fastenings of the door, and looked
abroad. It was a cold night. The stars seemed, to the boy's eyes, farther
from the earth than he had ever seen them before; there was no wind; and
the sombre shadows looked sepulchral and death-like, from being so still.
He softly reclosed the door, and having availed himself of the expiring
light of the candle to tie up in a handkerchief the few articles of
wearing apparel he had, sat himself down to wait for morning.

With the first ray of light, Oliver arose, and again unbarred the door.
One timid look around,--one minute's pause of hesitation,--he had closed
it behind him.

He looked to the right, and to the left, uncertain whither to fly. He
remembered to have seen the waggons, as they went out, toiling up the
hill, so he took the same route; and arriving at a footpath which he knew
led out into the road, struck into it, and walked quickly on.

For seven long days he tramped in the direction of London, tasting nothing
but such scraps of meals as he could beg from the occasional cottages by
the roadside. On the seventh morning he limped slowly into the little town
of Barnet, and as he was resting for a few moments on the steps of a
public-house, a boy crossed over, and walking close to him, said,

"Hullo! my covey! What's the row?"

The boy who addressed this inquiry to the young wayfarer, was about his
own age: but one of the queerest looking boys that Oliver had ever seen.
He was a snub-nosed, flat-browed, common-faced boy enough; and as dirty a
juvenile as one would wish to see; but he had about him all the airs and
manners of a man. He was short, with bow-legs, and little, sharp, ugly,
eyes. His hat was stuck on the top of his head, and he wore a man's coat
that reached nearly to his heels.

"Hullo, my covey! What's the row?" said this strange young gentleman to
Oliver.

"I am very hungry and tired," replied Oliver; the tears standing in his
eyes as he spoke. "I have walked a long way. I have been walking these
seven days."

"Going to London?" inquired the strange boy.

"Yes."

"Got any lodgings?"

"No."

"Money?"

"No."

The strange boy whistled; and put his arms into his pockets.

"Do you live in London?" inquired Oliver.

"Yes, I do when I'm at home," replied the boy. "I suppose you want some
place to sleep in to-night, don't you?"

Upon Oliver answering in the affirmative, the strange boy, whose name was
Jack Dawkins, said, "I've got to be in London to-night; and I know a
'spectable old genelman as lives there, wot'll give you lodgings for
nothink, and never ask for the change--that is, if any genelman he knows
interduces you."

This offer of shelter was too tempting to be resisted, and Oliver trudged
off with his new friend. Into the city they passed, and through the worst
and darkest streets, the sight of which filled Oliver with alarm. At
length they reached the door of a house, which Jack entered, drawing
Oliver after him, into its dark passage-way, and closing the door after
them.

Oliver, groping his way with one hand, and having the other firmly grasped
by his companion, ascended with much difficulty the dark and broken
stairs, which his conductor mounted with an expedition that showed he was
well acquainted with them. He threw open the door of a back-room and drew
Oliver in after him.

The walls and ceiling of the room were perfectly black with age and dirt.
There was a clothes-horse, over which a great number of silk handkerchiefs
were hanging; and a deal table before the fire; upon which were a candle,
stuck in a ginger-beer bottle, two or three pewter pots, a loaf and
butter, and a plate. In a frying pan, which was on the fire, some sausages
were cooking, and standing over them, with a toasting-fork in his hand,
was a very old shrivelled Jew, whose villanous-looking and repulsive face
was obscured by a quantity of matted red hair.

Several rough beds, made of old sacks, were huddled side by side on the
floor. Seated round the table were four or five boys, none older than Jack
Dawkins, familiarly called the Dodger. The boys all crowded about their
associate, as he whispered a few words to the Jew; and then they turned
round and grinned at Oliver. So did the Jew himself, toasting-fork in
hand.

"This is him, Fagin," said Jack Dawkins; "my friend Oliver Twist."

The Jew, making a low bow to Oliver, took him by the hand, and hoped he
should have the honour of his intimate acquaintance. Upon this the young
gentlemen came round him, and shook his hand very hard, especially the one
in which he held his little bundle.

"We are very glad to see you, Oliver, very," said the Jew. "Dodger take
off the sausages; and draw a tub near the fire for Oliver. Ah, you're
a-staring at the pocket-handkerchiefs! eh, my dear? There are a good many
of 'em, ain't there? We've just looked 'em out ready for the wash; that's
all, Oliver, that's all. Ha! ha! ha!"

The latter part of this speech was hailed by a boisterous shout from the
boys, who, Oliver found, were all pupils of the merry old gentleman. In
the midst of which they went to supper.

Oliver ate his share, and the Jew then mixed him a glass of hot gin and
water, telling him he must drink it off directly because another gentleman
wanted the tumbler. Oliver did as he was desired. Immediately afterwards,
he felt himself gently lifted on to one of the sacks; and then he sunk
into a deep sleep.

It was late next morning when Oliver awoke, from a sound, long sleep.
There was no other person in the room but the old Jew, who was boiling
some coffee in a saucepan for breakfast, and whistling softly to himself
as he stirred it. He would stop every now and then to listen when there
was the least noise below; and, when he had satisfied himself, he would go
on, whistling and stirring again, as before.

When the coffee was done, the Jew drew the saucepan to the hob, then he
turned and looked at Oliver, and called him by name, but the boy did not
answer, and was to all appearances asleep. After satisfying himself upon
this head, the Jew stepped gently to the door, which he fastened. He then
drew forth as it seemed to Oliver, from some trap in the floor a small
box, which he placed carefully on the table. His eyes glistened as he
raised the lid, and looked in. Dragging an old chair to the table, he sat
down, and took from it a magnificent gold watch, sparkling with jewels.

At least half a dozen more were severally drawn forth from the same box,
besides rings, brooches, bracelets, and other articles of jewellery, of
such magnificent materials, and costly workmanship, that Oliver had no
idea, even of their names.

At length the bright, dark eyes of the Jew, which had been staring
vacantly before him, fell on Oliver's face; the boy's eyes were fixed on
his in mute curiosity; and, although the recognition was only for an
instant,--it was enough to show the man that he had been observed. He
closed the lid of the box with a loud crash; and, laying his hand on a
bread knife which was on the table, started furiously up.

"What's that?" said the Jew. "What do you watch me for? Why are you awake?
What have you seen? Speak out, boy! Quick--quick! for your life!"

"I wasn't able to sleep any longer, sir," replied Oliver meekly. "I am
very sorry if I have disturbed you, sir."

"You were not awake an hour ago?" said the Jew, scowling fiercely.

"No! No indeed!" replied Oliver.

"Are you sure?" cried the Jew, with a still fiercer look than before, and
a threatening attitude.

"Upon my word I was not, sir," replied Oliver, earnestly. "I was not,
indeed, sir."

"Tush, tush, my dear!" said the Jew, abruptly resuming his old manner. "Of
course I know that, my dear, I only tried to frighten you. You're a brave
boy. Ha! ha! you're a brave boy, Oliver!"

The Jew rubbed his hands with a chuckle, but glanced uneasily at the box,
notwithstanding.

"Did you see any of these pretty things, my dear?" said the Jew.

"Yes, sir," replied Oliver.

"Ah!" said Fagin, turning rather pale. "They--they're mine, Oliver; my
little property. All I have to live upon in my old age. The folks call me
a miser, my dear. Only a miser; that's all."

Oliver thought the old gentleman must be a decided miser to live in such a
dirty place, with so many watches; but thinking that perhaps his fondness
for the Dodger and the other boys, cost him a good deal of money, he only
cast a deferential look at the Jew, and asked if he might get up.
Permission being granted him, he got up, walked across the room, and
stooped for an instant to raise the water-pitcher. When he turned his
head, the box was gone.

Presently the Dodger returned with a friend, Charley Bates, and the four
sat down to a breakfast of coffee, and some hot rolls, and ham, which the
Dodger had brought home in the crown of his hat.

"Well," said the Jew, "I hope you've been at work this morning, my dears?"

"Hard," replied the Dodger.

"As Nails," added Charley Bates.

"Good boys, good boys!" said the Jew. "What have _you_ got, Dodger?"

"A couple of pocket-books," replied the young gentleman.

"Lined?" inquired the Jew, with eagerness.

"Pretty well," replied the Dodger, producing two pocket-books.

"And what have you got, my dear?" said Fagin to Charley Bates.

"Wipes," replied Master Bates; at the same time producing four
pocket-handkerchiefs.

"Well," said the Jew, inspecting them closely; "they 're very good ones,
very. You haven't marked them well, though, Charley; so the marks shall be
picked out with a needle, and we'll teach Oliver how to do it. Shall us,
Oliver, eh?"

"If you please, sir," said Oliver.

"You'd like to be able to make pocket-handkerchiefs as easy as Charley
Bates, wouldn't you, my dear?" said the Jew.

"Very much indeed, if you'll teach me, sir," replied Oliver.

Master Bates saw something so exquisitely ludicrous in this reply, that he
burst into a laugh; which laugh, meeting the coffee he was drinking, and
carrying it down some wrong channel, very nearly terminated in his
suffocation.

"He is so jolly green!" said Charley, when he recovered, as an apology to
the company for his unpolite behaviour.

When the breakfast was cleared away, the merry old gentleman and the two
boys played at a very curious and uncommon game, which was performed in
this way. Fagin, placing a snuff-box in one pocket of his trousers, a
notecase in the other, and a watch in his waistcoat pocket, with a
guard-chain round his neck, and sticking a mock diamond pin in his shirt,
buttoned his coat tight round him, and putting his spectacle-case and
handkerchief in his pockets, trotted up and down with a stick, in
imitation of the manner in which old gentlemen walk about the streets.
Sometimes he stopped at the fire-place, and sometimes at the door, making
believe that he was staring with all his might into shop windows. At such
times he would look constantly round him, for fear of thieves, and would
keep slapping all his pockets in turn, to see that he hadn't lost
anything, in such a very funny and natural manner, that Oliver laughed
till the tears ran down his face.

All this time, the two boys followed him closely about; getting out of his
sight so nimbly, that it was impossible to follow their motions. At last,
the Dodger trod upon his toes accidentally, while Charley Bates stumbled
up against him behind; and in that one moment they took from him, with the
most extraordinary rapidity, snuff-box, note-case, watch-guard, chain,
shirt-pin, pocket-handkerchief--even the spectacle-case. If the old
gentleman felt a hand in one of his pockets, he cried out where it was;
and then the game began all over again.

When this game had been played a great many times, a couple of young women
came in; one of whom was named Bet, and the other Nancy, and afterwards
Oliver discovered that they also were pupils of Fagin's as well as the
boys.

Later the young people went out, leaving Oliver alone with the Jew, who
was pacing up and down the room.

"Is my handkerchief hanging out of my pocket, my dear?" said the Jew,
stopping short, in front of Oliver.

"Yes sir," said Oliver.

"See if you can take it out, without my feeling it: as you saw them do
when we were at play."

Oliver held up the bottom of the pocket with one hand, as he had seen the
Dodger hold it, and drew the handkerchief lightly out of it with the
other.

"Is it gone?" cried the Jew.

"Here it is, sir," said Oliver, showing it in his hand.

"You're a clever boy, my dear," said the playful old gentleman, patting
Oliver on the head approvingly. "I never saw a sharper lad. Here's a
shilling for you. If you go on in this way, you'll be the greatest man of
the time. And now come here, and I'll show you how to take the marks out
of the handkerchiefs."

Oliver wondered what picking the old gentleman's pocket in play, had to do
with his chances of being a great man. But, thinking that the Jew, being
so much his senior, must know best, he followed him quietly to the table,
and was soon deeply involved in his new study.

For many days Oliver remained in the Jew's room, picking marks out of the
pocket-handkerchiefs. But at length, he began to languish, and entreated
Fagin to allow him to go out to work with his two companions. So, one
morning, he obtained permission to go out, under the guardianship of
Charley Bates and the Dodger.

The three boys sallied out; the Dodger with his coat-sleeves tucked up,
and his hat cocked as usual; Master Bates sauntering along with his hands
in his pockets; and Oliver between them, wondering where they were going,
and what branch of manufacture he would be instructed in, first.

They were just emerging from a narrow court, when the Dodger made a sudden
stop; and, laying his finger on his lip, drew his companions back again
with the greatest caution.

"What's the matter?" demanded Oliver.

"Hush!" replied the Dodger. "Do you see that old cove at the book-stall?"

"The old gentleman over the way?" said Oliver. "Yes, I see him."

"He'll do," said the Dodger.

"A prime plant," observed Master Charley Bates.

Oliver looked from one to the other, with the greatest surprise; but could
not ask any questions, for the two boys walked stealthily across the road,
and slunk close behind the old gentleman. Oliver walked a few paces behind
them, looking on in silent amazement.

The old gentleman had taken up a book from the stall; and there he stood:
reading away, perfectly absorbed, and saw not the book-stall, nor the
street, nor the boys, nor anything but the book itself. What was Oliver's
horror and alarm to see the Dodger plunge his hand into the old
gentleman's pocket, and draw from thence a handkerchief! To see him hand
the same to Charley Bates; and finally to behold them, both, running away
round the corner at full speed!

In an instant the whole mystery of the handkerchiefs, and the watches, and
the jewels, and the Jew, rushed upon the boy's mind. He stood, for a
moment, with the blood tingling through all his veins from terror; then,
confused and frightened, he took to his heels.

In the very instant when Oliver began to run, the old gentleman, putting
his hand to his pocket, and missing his handkerchief, turned sharp round.
Seeing the boy scudding away at such a rapid pace, he very naturally
concluded him to be the depredator, and, shouting "Stop thief!" with all
his might, made off after him, book in hand. The Dodger and Master Bates,
who had merely retired into the first doorway round the corner, no sooner
heard the cry, and saw Oliver running, than they issued forth with great
promptitude; and, shouting, "Stop thief! Stop thief!" too, joined in the
pursuit like good citizens.

"Stop thief!" The cry is taken up by a hundred voices, the tradesman, the
carman, the butcher, the baker, the milkman, the school-boy, follow in hot
pursuit. Away they run, pell-mell, helter-skelter, slap-dash: tearing,
yelling: screaming, knocking down the passengers as they turn the corners,
splashing through the mud, and rattling along the pavements, following
after the wretched, breathless, panting child, gaining upon him every
instant. Stopped at last! A clever blow! He is down upon the pavement,
covered with mud and dust, looking wildly round upon the heap of faces
that surround him.

"Yes," said the old gentleman, "I am afraid that is the boy. Poor fellow!
he has hurt himself!"

Just then a police officer appeared and dragged the half fainting boy off,
the old gentleman walking beside him, Oliver protesting his innocence as
they went. At the police station Oliver was searched in vain, and then
locked in a cell for a time, while the old gentleman sat outside waiting,
and read his book. Presently the boy was brought out before the
Magistrate; and the policeman and the old gentleman preferred their
charges against him. While the case was proceeding, Oliver fell to the
floor in a fainting fit, and as he lay there the Magistrate uttered his
penance, "He stands committed for three months of hard labour. Clear the
office!" A couple of men were about to carry the insensible boy to his
cell, when an elderly man rushed hastily into the office. "Stop, stop!" he
said. "Don't take him away! I saw it all. I keep the book-stall. I saw
three boys loitering on the opposite side of the way when this gentleman
was reading. The robbery was committed by another boy. I saw it done; and
I saw that this boy was perfectly amazed and stupified by it!"

Having by this time recovered a little breath, the bookstall keeper
proceeded to relate in a more coherent manner the exact circumstances of
the robbery, in consequence of which explanation Oliver Twist was
discharged, and carried off, still white and faint, in a coach, by the
kind-hearted old gentleman whose name was Brownlow, who seemed to feel
himself responsible for the boy's condition, and resolved to have him
cared for in his own home.

After Charley Bates and the Dodger had seen Oliver dragged away by the
police officer, they scoured off with great rapidity. Coming to a halt
Master Bates burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

"What's the matter?" inquired the Dodger.

"I can't help it," said Charley, "I can't help it! To see him splitting
away at that pace, and cutting round the corners, and knocking up against
the posts, and starting on again as if he was made of iron, and me with
the wipe in my pocket, singing out arter him--oh, my eye!" The vivid
imagination of Master Bates presented the scene before him in too strong
colours, and he rolled upon a door-step and laughed louder than before.

"What'll Fagin say?" inquired the Dodger, and the question sobered Master
Bates at once, as both boys stood in great dread of the Jew. And their
worst fears were realised. Fagin was livid with rage at the loss of his
promising pupil, as well as fearful of the disclosures he might make.
After long consultation on the subject, it was agreed by the band that
Nancy was to go to the police station in a disguised dress, to find out
what had been done with Oliver, for whom she was to search as her "dear
little lost brother."

Meanwhile Oliver lay for many days burning with fever and unconscious of
his surroundings, in the quietly comfortable home of Mr. Brownlow at
Pentonville. At length, weak, and thin, and pallid, he awoke from what
seemed a dream, and found himself being nursed by Mrs. Bedwin, Mr.
Brownlow's motherly old house-keeper, and visited constantly by the
doctor. Gradually he grew stronger, and soon could sit up a little. Those
were happy, peaceful days of his recovery, the only happy ones he had ever
known. Everybody was so kind and gentle that it seemed like Heaven itself,
as he sat by the fireside in the house-keeper's room. On the wall hung a
portrait of a beautiful, mild, lady with sorrowful eyes, of which Oliver
was the living copy. Every feature was the same--to Mr. Brownlow's intense
astonishment, as he gazed from it to Oliver.

Later, Oliver heard the history of the portrait and his own connection
with it.

When he was strong enough to put his clothes on, Mr. Brownlow caused a
complete new suit, and a new cap, and a new pair of shoes, to be provided
for him. Oliver gave his old clothes to one of the servants who had been
kind to him, and she sold them to a Jew who came to the house.

One evening Mr. Brownlow sent up word to have Oliver come down into his
study and see him for a little while,--so Mrs. Bedwin helped him to
prepare himself, and although there was not even time to crimp the little
frill that bordered his shirt-collar, he looked so delicate and handsome,
that she surveyed him with great complacency.

Mr. Brownlow was reading, but when he saw Oliver, he pushed the book away,
and told him to come near, and sit down, which Oliver did. Then the old
gentleman began to talk kindly of what Oliver's future was to be.
Instantly the boy became pallid with fright, and implored Mr. Brownlow to
let him stay with him, as a servant, as anything, only not to send him out
into the streets again, and the old gentleman, touched by the appeal,
assured the boy that unless he should deceive him, he would be his
faithful friend. He then asked Oliver to relate the whole story of his
life, which he was beginning to do when an old friend of Mr. Brownlow's--a
Mr. Grimwig,--entered.

He was an eccentric old man, and was loud in his exclamations of distrust
in this boy whom Mr. Brownlow was harbouring.

"I'll answer for that boy's truth with my life!" said Mr. Brownlow,
knocking the table.

"And I for his falsehood with my head!" rejoined Mr. Grimwig, knocking the
table also.

"We shall see!" said Mr. Brownlow, checking his rising anger.

"We will!" said Mr. Grimwig, with a provoking smile; "we will."

Just then Mrs. Bedwin brought in some books which had been bought of the
identical book stall-keeper who has already figured in this history. Mr.
Brownlow was greatly disturbed that the boy who brought them had not
waited, as there were some other books to be returned.

"Send Oliver with them," suggested Mr. Grimwig, "he will be sure to
deliver them safely, you know!"

"Yes; do let me take them, if you please, sir," said Oliver "I'll run all
the way, sir."

Mr. Brownlow was about to refuse to have Oliver go out, when Mr. Grimwig's
malicious cough made him change his mind, and let the boy go.

"You are to say," said Mr. Brownlow, "that you have brought those books
back; and that you have come to pay the four pound ten I owe him. This is
a five-pound note, so you will have to bring me back ten shilling change."

"I won't be ten minutes, sir," replied Oliver, eagerly, as with a
respectful bow he left the room. Mrs. Bedwin watched him out of sight
exclaiming, "Bless his sweet face!"--while Oliver looked gaily round, and
nodded before he turned the corner.

Then Mr. Brownlow drew out his watch and waited, while Mr. Grimwig
asserted that the boy would never be back. "He has a new suit of clothes
on his back; a set of valuable books under his arm; and a five-pound note
in his pocket. He'll join his old friends the thieves, and laugh at you.
If ever that boy returns to this house, sir," said Mr. Grimwig, "I'll eat
my head!"

It grew so dark that the figures on the dial-plate were scarcely
discernible. The gas lamps were lighted; Mrs. Bedwin was waiting anxiously
at the open door; the servant had run up the street twenty times to see if
there were any traces of Oliver; and still the two old gentlemen sat,
perseveringly, in the dark parlour, with the watch between them,
waiting--but Oliver did not come.

He meanwhile, had walked along, on his way to the bookstall, thinking how
happy and contented he ought to feel, when he was startled by a young
woman screaming out very loud, "Oh, my dear brother!"--and then he was
stopped by having a pair of arms thrown tight round his neck.

"Don't!" cried Oliver, struggling. "Let go of Who is it? What are you
stopping me for?"

"Oh my gracious!" said the young woman, "I've found him! Oh you naughty
boy, to make me suffer sich distress on your account! Come home, dear,
come!" With these and more incoherent exclamations, the young woman burst
out crying, and told the onlookers that Oliver was her brother, who had
run away from his respectable parents a month ago, joined a gang of
thieves and almost broke his mother's heart,--to which Oliver, greatly
alarmed, replied that he was an orphan, had no sister, and lived at
Pentonville. Then, catching sight of the woman's face for the first time,
he cried,--"Why, it's Nancy!"

"You see he knows me!" cried Nancy. "Make him come home, there's good
people, or he'll kill his dear mother and father, and break my heart!"
With this a man who was Nancy's accomplice, Bill Sikes by name, came to
the rescue, tore the volumes from Oliver's grasp, and struck him on the
head. Weak still, and stupified by the suddenness of the attack,
overpowered and helpless, what could one poor child do? Darkness had set
in; it was a low neighbourhood; no help was near--resistance was useless.
In another moment he was dragged into a labyrinth of dark narrow courts:
and was forced along them, at a pace which rendered the few cries he dared
to give utterance to, unintelligible.

At length they turned into a very filthy street, and stopped at an
apparently untenanted house into which Bill Sikes and Nancy led Oliver,
and there, were his old friends, Charley Bates, the Dodger, and Fagin.

They greeted Oliver with cheers, and at once rifled his pockets of the
five-pound note, and relieved him of the books,--although Oliver pleaded
that the books and money be sent back to Mr. Brownlow. When he found that
all pleading and resistance were useless, he jumped suddenly to his feet
and tore wildly from the room, uttering shrieks for help which made the
bare old house echo to the roof, and then attempted to dart through the
door, opened for a moment, but he was instantly caught, while Sikes' dog
would have sprung upon him, except for Nancy's intervention. She was
struck with Oliver's pallor and great grief and tried to shield him from
violence. But it was of little avail. He was beaten by the Jew, and then
led off by Master Bates into an adjacent kitchen to go to bed. His new
clothes were taken from him and he was given the identical old suit which
he had so congratulated himself upon leaving off at Mr. Brownlow's, and
the accidental display of which to Fagin, by the Jew who purchased them,
had been the first clue to Oliver's whereabouts.

For a week or so the boy was kept locked up, but after that the Jew left
him at liberty to wander about the house; which was a weird, ghostlike
place, with the mouldering shutters fast closed, and no evidence from
outside that it sheltered human creatures. Oliver was constantly with
Charley Bates and the Dodger, who played the old game with the Jew every
day. At times Fagin entertained the boys with stories of robberies he had
committed in his younger days, which made Oliver laugh heartily, and show
that he was amused in spite of his better feelings. In short, the wily old
Jew had the boy in his toils, and hoped gradually to instil into his soul
the poison which would blacken it and change its hue forever.

Meanwhile Fagin, Bill Sikes, and Nancy were arranging a plot in which poor
Oliver was to play a notable part. One morning he found to his surprise, a
pair of stout new shoes by his bedside, and at breakfast Fagin told him
that he was to be taken to the residence of Bill Sikes that night, but no
reason for this was given. Fagin then left him and presently Nancy came
in, looking pale and ill. She came from Sikes to take Oliver to him. Her
countenance was agitated and she trembled.

"I have saved you from being ill-used once, and I will again; and I do
now," she said, "for those who would have fetched you if I had not, would
have been far more rough than me. Remember this, and don't let me suffer
more for you just now. If I could help you, I would; but I have not the
power. I have promised for your being quiet; if you are not, you will harm
youself and perhaps be my death. Hush! Give me your hand! Make haste!"

Blowing out the light, she drew Oliver hastily after her, out, and into a
hackney-cabriolet. The driver wanted no directions, but lashed his horse
into full speed, and presently they were in a strange house. There, with
Nancy and Sikes, Oliver remained until an early hour the next morning,
when the three set out, whither or for what Oliver did not know, but
before they started Sikes drew out a pistol, and holding it close to
Oliver's temple said, "If you speak a word while you're out of doors, with
me, except when I speak to you, that loading will be in your head without
notice!" And Oliver did not doubt the statement.

In the gray dawn of a cheerless morning the trio started off, and by
continual tramping, and an occasional lift from a carter reached a public
house where they lingered for some hours, and then went on again until the
next night. They turned into no house at Shepperton, as the weary boy had
expected; but still kept walking on, in mud and darkness, until they came
in sight of the lights of a town. Then they stopped for a time at a
solitary, dilapidated house, where they were met by other men. The party
then crossed a bridge and were soon in the little town of Chertsey. There
was nobody abroad. They had cleared the town as the church-bell struck
two. After walking about a quarter of a mile, they stopped before a
detached house surrounded by a wall: to the top of which one of the men,
Toby Crackit, climbed in a twinkling.

"The boy next!" said Toby. "Hoist him up; I'll catch hold of him."

Before Oliver had time to look round, Sikes had caught him under the arms;
and he and Toby were lying on the grass, on the other side of the wall.
Sikes followed, and they stole towards the house. Now, for the first time
Oliver realised that robbery, if not murder, was the object of the
expedition. In vain he pleaded that they let him go,--he was answered only
by oaths, while the robbers were busy opening a little window not far from
the ground at the back of the house, which was just large enough to admit
Oliver. Toby planted himself firmly with his head against the wall beneath
the window, then Sikes, mounting upon him, put Oliver through the window
with his feet first, and without leaving hold of his collar, planted him
safely on the floor inside.

"Take this lantern," whispered Sikes, looking into the room, "You see the
stairs afore you; go up softly and unfasten the street door."

Oliver, more dead than alive gasped out, "Yes." Sikes then advised him to
take notice that he was within shot all the way; and that if he faltered,
he would fall dead that instant.

"It's done in a minute," said Sikes. "Directly I leave go of you, do your
work. Hark!"

"What's that?" whispered the other man.

"Nothing," said Sikes,--"_Now_!"

In the short time he had to collect his senses, Oliver had resolved that,
whether he died in the attempt or not, he would make one effort to dart up
stairs and to alarm the family. Filled with this idea, he advanced at
once, but stealthily.

"Come back!" suddenly cried Sikes aloud. "_Back! Back!"_

Scared by the sudden breaking of the stillness and by a loud cry which
followed it, Oliver let his lantern fall and knew not whether to advance
or fly. The cry was repeated--a light appeared--a vision of two terrified
half-dressed men at the top of the stairs swam before his eyes--a flash--a
smoke--a crash somewhere,--and he staggered back.

Sikes had disappeared for an instant; but he was up again, and had Oliver
by the collar before the smoke had cleared away. He fired his pistol after
the men, and dragged the boy up.

"Clasp your arm tighter," said Sikes, as he drew him through the window.
"Give me a shawl here. They've hit him. Quick! How the boy bleeds!"

Then came the loud ringing of a bell, mingled with the noise of fire-arms,
the shouts of men, and the sensation of being carried over uneven ground
at a rapid pace. Then the noises grew confused in the distance; and the
boy saw or heard no more. Bill Sikes had him on his back scudding like the
wind. Oliver's head hung down, and he was deadly cold. The pursuers were
close upon Sikes' heels. He dropped the boy in a ditch and fled.

Hours afterwards Oliver came to himself, and found his left arm rudely
bandaged hung useless at his side. He was so weak that he could scarcely
move. Trembling from cold and exhaustion he made an effort to stand
upright, but fell back, groaning with pain. Then a creeping stupor came
over him, warning him that if he lay there he must surely die. So he got
upon his feet, and stumbling on, dizzy and half unconscious, drew near to
the very house which caused him to shudder with horror at the memory of
last night's dreadful scene.

Within, in the kitchen all the servants were gathered round the fire
discussing the attempted burglary. While Mr. Giles, the butler, was giving
his version of the affair, there came a timid knock. They opened the door
cautiously and beheld poor little Oliver Twist, speechless and exhausted,
who raised his heavy eyes and mutely solicited their compassion. Instantly
there was an outcry, and Oliver was seized by one leg and one arm, lugged
into the hall, and laid on the floor. "Here he is!" bawled Giles up the
staircase; "here's one of the thieves, ma'am! Here's a thief, miss!
Wounded, miss. I shot him, miss; and Brittles held the light!" There was
great confusion then, all the servants talking at once, but the sound of a
sweet voice from above quelled the commotion. On learning that a wounded
thief was lying in the house, the voice directed that he be instantly
carried up-stairs to the room of Mr. Giles, and a doctor be summoned; and
so for the second time in his short, tragic existence, Oliver fell into
kind hands at a moment when all hope had left his breast. He was now in
the home of Mrs. Maylie, a finely preserved, bright-eyed, elderly lady,
and her fair young adopted niece, Rose.

The attempted burglary had greatly shocked them both, and the fact that
one of the robbers was in the house added to their nervousness. So when
Dr. Losberne came, and begged them to accompany him to the patient's room,
they dreaded to comply with the request, but finally yielded to his
demand. What was their astonishment when the bed-curtains were drawn
aside, instead of a black-visaged ruffian, to see a mere child, worn with
pain, and sunk into a deep sleep. His wounded arm bound and splintered up,
was crossed upon his breast. His head reclined upon the other arm, which
was half hidden by his long hair, as it streamed over the pillow. The boy
smiled in his sleep as at a pleasant dream, when Rose bent tenderly over
him, while the older lady and the Doctor discussed the probability of the
child's having been the tool of robbers. Fearing that the doctor might
influence her aunt to send the boy away, Rose pleaded that he be kept and
cared for; it was finally decided that when Oliver awoke he should be
examined as to his past life, and if the result seemed satisfactory, he
should remain. But not until evening was he able to be questioned. He then
told them all his simple history. It was a solemn thing to hear the feeble
voice of the sick child recounting a weary catalogue of evils and
calamities which hard men had brought upon him, and his hearers were
profoundly moved by the recital. His pillow was smoothed by gentle hands
that night and he slept as sleep the calm and happy.

On the following day, officers who had heard of the burglary, and that a
thief was prisoner in the Maylie house, came from London to arrest him,
but Dr. Losberne and Mrs. Maylie shielded him, and their joint bail was
accepted for the boy's appearance in court if it should ever be required.

With the Maylies Oliver remained, and thanks to their tender care,
gradually throve and prospered, although it was long weeks before he was
quite himself again. Many times he spoke to the two sweet ladies of his
gratitude to them, saying that he only desired to serve them always. To
this they responded that he should go with them to the country, and there
could serve them in a hundred ways.

Only one cloud was on Oliver's sky. He longed to go to Mr. Brownlow and
tell him the true story of his seeming ingratitude. So as soon as he was
sufficiently recovered, Dr. Losberne drove him out to the place where he
said Mr. Brownlow resided. They hastened to the house, but alas! it was
empty. There was a bill in the window, "To Let" and upon inquiring, they
found that Mr. Brownlow, Mr. Grimwig, and Mrs. Bedwin had gone to the West
Indies.

The disappointment was a cruel one, for all through his sickness Oliver
had anticipated the delight of seeing his first benefactor, and clearing
himself of guilt, but now that was impossible.

In a fortnight the Maylies went to the country, and Oliver, whose life had
been spent in squalid crowds, seemed to enter on a new existence there.
The sky and the balmy air, the woods and glistening water, the rose and
honeysuckle, were each a daily joy to him. Every morning he went to a
white-haired old gentleman who taught him to read better and to write,
then he would walk and talk with Rose and Mrs. Maylie, and so three happy
months glided away.

In the summer Rose was taken down with a terrible fever, and anxiety hung
like a cloud over the cottage where she was so dear, but at length the
danger passed and the loving hearts grew lighter again.

Meanwhile a man named Monks,--a friend of Fagin's--had by chance seen
Oliver, had been strangely excited and angered at sight of him, and after
carefully learning some details of the boy's history, had gone to the
beadle at the workhouse where Oliver began life, and by dint of bribes,
had extorted information concerning Oliver's mother, which only one person
knew. Satisfied with what he learned, Monks conferred with Fagin, telling
some facts about Oliver which caused Nancy, who happened to overhear them,
to become terror-stricken.

As soon as she could, she stole away from her companions, out towards the
West End of London, to a hotel where the Maylies were then boarding, and
which she had heard Monks mention. Nancy was such a ragged object that she
found it difficult to have her name carried up to Rose Maylie, but at
length she succeeded, and was ushered into the sweet young lady's
presence, where she quickly related what she had come to tell. That Monks
had accidentally seen Oliver, and found out where he was living, and with
whom;--that a bargain had been struck with Fagin that he should have a
certain sum of money if Oliver were brought back, and a still larger
amount if the boy could be made a thief. Nancy then went on to tell that
Monks spoke of Oliver as his young brother, and boasted that the proofs of
the boy's identity lay at the bottom of the river--that he, Monks, had
money which by right should have been shared with Oliver, and that his one
desire was to take the boy's life.

These disclosures made Rose Maylie turn pale, and ask many questions, from
which she discovered that Nancy's confession was actuated by a real liking
for Oliver and a fierce hatred for the man Monks. Her tale finished, and
refusing money, or help of any kind, Nancy went as swiftly as she had
come, and when she left, Rose sank into a chair completely overcome by
what she had heard.

Of course the matter was too serious to pass over, and the next day, as
Rose was trying to decide upon a course of action, Oliver settled it for
her, by rushing in with breathless haste, and exclaiming, "I have seen the
gentleman--the gentleman who was so good to me--Mr. Brownlow!"

"Where?" asked Rose.

"Going into a house," replied Oliver. "And Giles asked, for me, whether he
lived there, and they said he did. Look here," producing a scrap of paper,
"here it is; here's where he lives--I'm going there directly! OH, DEAR ME!
DEAR ME! what shall I do when I come to hear him speak again!"

With her attention not a little distracted by these exclamations of joy,
an idea came to Rose, and she determined upon turning this discovery to
account.

"Quick!" she said, "tell them to fetch a hackney-coach, and be ready to go
with me. I will take you to see Mr. Brownlow directly."

Oliver needed no urging and they were soon on their way to Craven Street.
When they arrived, Rose left Oliver in the coach, and sending up her card,
requested to see Mr. Brownlow on business. She was shown up stairs, and
presented to Mr. Brownlow, an elderly gentleman of benevolent appearance,
in a bottle-green coat, and with him was his friend, Mr. Grimwig. Rose
began at once upon her errand, to the great amazement of the two old
gentlemen. She related in a few natural words all that had befallen Oliver
since he left Mr. Brownlow's house, concluding with the assurance that his
only sorrow for many months had been the not being able to meet with his
former benefactor and friend.

"Thank God!" said Mr. Brownlow. "This is great happiness to me; great
happiness! But why not have brought him?"

"He is waiting in a coach at the door," replied Rose.

"At this door!" cried Mr. Brownlow. With which he hurried down the stairs,
without another word, and came back with Oliver. Then Mrs. Bedwin was sent
for. "God be good to me!" she cried, embracing him; "it is my innocent
boy! He would come back--I knew he would! How well he looks, and how like
a gentleman's son he is dressed again! Where have you been, this long,
long while?"

Running on thus,--now holding Oliver from her, now clasping him to her and
passing her fingers through his hair, the good soul laughed and wept upon
his neck by turns.

Leaving Oliver with her, Mr. Brownlow led Rose into another room, by her
request, and she narrated her interview with Nancy, which occasioned Mr.
Brownlow no small amount of perplexity and surprise. After a long
consultation they decided to take Mrs. Maylie and Dr. Losberne into their
confidence, also Mr. Grimwig, thus forming a committee for the purpose of
guarding the young lad from further entanglement in the plots of villains.

Through Nancy, with whom Rose had another interview, the man Monks was
tracked, and finally captured by Mr. Brownlow, who to his sorrow, found
that the villain was the erring son of his oldest friend, and his name of
Monks only an assumed one. Facing him in a room of his own house, to which
Monks had been brought,--Mr. Brownlow charged the man with one crime after
another.

The father of Monks had two children who were half brothers, Monks and
Oliver Twist. The father died suddenly, leaving in Mr. Brownlow's home the
portrait of Oliver's mother, which was hanging in the house-keeper's room.
The striking likeness between this portrait and Oliver had led Mr.
Brownlow to recognise the boy as the child of his dear old friend. Then,
just when he had determined to adopt Oliver, the boy had disappeared, and
all efforts to find him had proved unavailing. Mr. Brownlow knew that,
although the mother and father were dead, the elder brother was alive, and
at once commenced a search for him. Now he had discovered him in the man
Monks, the friend of thieves and murderers, and by a chance clue he found
also that there had been a will, dividing the property between the two
brothers. That will had been destroyed, together with all proofs of
Oliver's parentage, so that Monks might have the entire property. Fearing
discovery, Monks had bargained with Fagin to keep the child a thief or to
kill him outright.

This revelation of his crime in all its terrible details, told in clear
cutting tones by Mr. Brownlow, while his eyes never left the man's face,
overwhelmed the coward Monks. He stood convicted, and confessed his guilt.

Then, because the man was son of his old friend, Mr. Brownlow was
merciful.

"Will you set your hand to a statement of truth and facts, and repeat it
before witnesses?" he asked.

"That I promise," said Monks.

"Remain quietly here until such a document is drawn up, and proceed with
me to such a place as I may deem advisable, to attest it?"

To this also Monks agreed.

"You must do more than that," said Mr. Brownlow; "Make restitution to
Oliver. You have not forgotten the provisions of the will. Carry them into
execution so far as your brother is concerned, and then go where you
please. In this world you need meet no more."

To this also, at length Monks gave fearing assent.

A few days later Oliver found himself in a travelling carriage rolling
fast towards his native town, with the Maylies, Mrs. Bedwin, Dr. Losberne,
and Mr. Grimwig, while Mr. Brownlow followed in a post-chaise with Monks.

Oliver was much excited, for he had been told of the disclosures of Monks,
which, together with journeying over a road which he had last travelled on
foot, a poor houseless, wandering boy, without a friend, or a roof to
shelter his head, caused his heart to beat violently and his breath to
come in quick gasps.

"See there, there!" he cried, "that's the stile I came over; there are the
hedges I crept behind, for fear anyone should overtake me and force me
back!"

As they approached the town, and drove through its narrow streets, it
became matter of no small difficulty to restrain the boy within reasonable
bounds. There was the undertaker's just as it used to be, only less
imposing in appearance than he remembered it. There was the workhouse, the
dreary prison of his youthful days; there was the same lean porter
standing at the gate. There was nearly everything as if he had left it but
yesterday, and all his recent life had been a happy dream.

They drove at once to the hotel where Mr. Brownlow joined them with Monks,
and there in the presence of the whole party, the wretched man made his
full confession of guilt, and surrendered one half of the property--about
three thousand pounds--to his half-brother, upon whom even as he spoke, he
cast looks of hatred so violent that Oliver trembled. From some details of
his confession it was also discovered that Rose Maylie, who was only an
adopted niece of Mrs. Maylie, had been the sister of Oliver's mother, and
was therefore the boy's aunt, the first blood relation, except Monks, that
he had ever possessed.

"Not aunt," cried Oliver, throwing his arms about her neck, "I'll never
call her _aunt_. Sister, my own, dear sister, that something taught my
heart to love so dearly from the first, Rose! dear, darling Rose!" And in
Rose's close embrace, the boy found compensation for all his past sadness.

The only link to his old life which remained was soon broken. Fagin had
been captured too, sentenced to death, and was in prison awaiting the
fulfilment of his doom. In his possession he had papers relating to
Oliver's parentage, and the boy went with Mr. Brownlow to the prison to
try to recover them. With Mr. Brownlow, Fagin was obstinately silent, but
to Oliver he whispered where they could be found, and then begged and
prayed the boy to help him escape justice, and sent up cry after cry that
rang in Oliver's ears for months afterwards.

But youth and sorrow are seldom companions for long, and our last glimpse
of Oliver is of a boy as thoroughly happy as one often is. He is now the
adopted son of the good Mr. Brownlow. Removing with him and Mrs. Bedwin to
within a mile of the Maylies' home, Mr. Brownlow gratified the only
remaining wish of Oliver's warm and earnest heart, and as the happy days
go swiftly by, the past becomes the shadow of a dream.

Several times a year Mr. Grimwig visits in the neighbourhood, and it is a
favourite joke for Mr. Brownlow to rally him on his old prophecy
concerning Oliver, and to remind him of the night on which they sat with
the watch between them awaiting his return. But Mr. Grimwig contends that
he was right in the main, and in proof thereof remarks that Oliver _did
not come back after all_,--which always calls forth a laugh on his side,
and increases his good humour.




TOMMY TRADDLES


[Illustration: TOMMY TRADDLES.]

Poor Traddles! In a tight sky-blue suit that made his arms and legs like
German sausages, or roly-poly puddings, and with his hair standing
upright, giving him the expression of a fretful porcupine, he was the
merriest and most miserable of all the boys at Mr. Creakle's school,
called Salem House. I never think of him without a strange disposition to
laugh, and yet with tears in my eyes.

He was always being caned--I think he was caned every day in the half-year
I spent at Salem House, except one holiday Monday when he was only ruler'd
on both hands--and was always going to write to his uncle about it, and
never did. After laying his head on the desk for a little while, he would
cheer up somehow, begin to laugh again, and draw skeletons all over his
slate, before his eyes were dry. I used at first to wonder what comfort
Traddles found in drawing skeletons; and for some time looked upon him as
a sort of a hermit, who reminded himself by those symbols of mortality
that caning couldn't last for ever. But I believe he only did it because
they were easy, and didn't want any features.

He was very honourable, Traddles was; and held it as a solemn duty in the
boys to stand by one another. He suffered for this code of honour on
several occasions. One evening we had a great spread up in our room after
time for lights to be down, and we all got happily out of it but Traddles.
He was too unfortunate even to come through a supper like anybody else. He
was taken ill in the night--quite prostrate he was--in consequence of
Crab; and after being drugged to an extent which Demple (whose father was
a doctor) said was enough to undermine a horse's constitution, received a
caning and six chapters of Greek Testament for refusing to confess.

At another time, when Steerforth (who was the only parlour-boarder and the
lion of the school) laughed in church, the Beadle, who thought the
offender was Traddles, took _him_ out. I see him now, going away in
custody, despised by the congregation. He never said who was the real
offender, although he smarted for it next day, and was imprisoned so many
hours that he came forth with a whole churchyardful of skeletons swarming
all over his Latin dictionary. But he had his reward. Steerforth said
there was nothing of the sneak in Traddles, and we all felt that to be the
highest praise.

On still a third occasion during my half-year at Salem House I have a
vivid recollection of Traddles in distress; that time for siding with the
down-trodden under-teacher, Mr. Mell, in a heated discussion between that
gentleman and Steerforth.

The discussion took place on a Saturday which should have properly been a
half-holiday, but as Mr. Creakle was indisposed, and the noise in the
playground would have disturbed him; and the weather was not favourable
for going out walking, we were ordered into school in the afternoon, and
set some lighter tasks than usual; and Mr. Mell, a pale, delicately-built,
little man, was detailed to keep us in order, which he tried in vain to
accomplish.

Boys started in and out of their places, playing at puss-in-the-corner
with other boys; there were laughing boys, singing boys, talking boys,
dancing boys, howling boys; boys shuffled with their feet, boys whirled
about him, grinning, making faces, mimicking him behind his back and
before his eyes: mimicking his poverty, his boots, his coat, his mother,
every thing belonging to him that they should have had consideration for.

"Silence!" cried Mr. Mell, suddenly rising up, and striking his desk with
the book. "What does this mean! It's impossible to bear it. It's
maddening. How can you do it to me, boys?"

The boys all stopped, some suddenly surprised, some half afraid, and some
sorry perhaps.

Steerforth alone remained in his lounging position, hands in his pockets,
and looked at Mr. Mell with his mouth shut up as if he were whistling,
when Mr. Mell looked at him.

"Silence, Mr. Steerforth!" said Mr. Mell.

"Silence yourself," said Steerforth, turning red. "Whom are you talking
to?"

"Sit down!" said Mr. Mell.

"Sit down yourself!" said Steerforth, "and mind your business."

There was a titter and some applause; but Mr. Mell was so white, that
silence immediately succeeded.

"When you make use of your position of favouritism, here, sir," pursued
Mr. Mell, with his lip trembling very much, "to insult a gentleman----"

"A what?--where is he?" said Steerforth.

Here somebody cried out, "Shame, J. Steerforth! Too bad!" It was Traddles;
whom Mr. Mell instantly discomfited by bidding him to hold his tongue,----

"--to insult one who is not fortunate in life, sir, and who never gave you
the least offence, and the many reasons for not insulting whom you are old
enough and wise enough to understand," said Mr. Mell, with his lip
trembling more and more, "you commit a mean and base action. You can sit
down or stand up as you please, sir."

"I tell you what, Mr. Mell," said Steerforth, coming forward, "once for
all. When you take the liberty of calling me mean or base, or anything of
that sort, you are an impudent beggar. You are always a beggar, you know;
but when you do that, you are an impudent beggar."

Had Mr. Creakle not entered the room at that moment, there is no knowing
what might have happened, for the highest pitch of excitement had been
reached by combatants and lookers-on.

Both Steerforth and the under-teacher at once turned to Mr. Creakle,
pouring out in his attentive ear the story of the burning wrong to which
each had subjected the other, and the end of the whole affair was that Mr.
Mell--having discovered that Mr. Creakle's veneration for money, and fear
of offending his head-pupil, far outweighed any consideration for the
teacher's feelings,--taking his flute and a few books from his desk, and
leaving the key in it for his successor, went out of the school, with his
property under his arm.

Mr. Creakle then made a speech, in which he thanked Steerforth for
asserting (though perhaps too warmly) the independence and respectability
of Salem House; and which he wound up by shaking hands with Steerforth;
while we gave three cheers--I did not quite know what for, but I supposed
for Steerforth, and joined in them, though I felt miserable. Mr. Creakle
then caned Tommy Traddles for being discovered in tears, instead of
cheers, and went away leaving us to ourselves.

Steerforth was very angry with Traddles, and said he was glad he had
caught it. Poor Traddles, who had passed the stage of lying with his head
upon the desk, and was relieving himself as usual with a burst of
skeletons, said he didn't care. Mr. Mell was ill-used.

"Who has ill-used him, you girl?" said Steerforth.

"Why, you have," returned Traddles.

"What have I done?" said Steerforth.

"What have you done?" retorted Traddles. "Hurt his feelings and lost him
his situation."

"His feelings!" repeated Steerforth, disdainfully. "His feelings will soon
get the better of it, I'll be bound. His feelings are not like yours, Miss
Traddles! As to his situation--which was a precious one, wasn't it?--do
you suppose I am not going to write home and take care that he gets some
money?"

We all thought this intention very noble in Steerforth, whose mother was a
rich widow, and, it was said, would do anything he asked her. We were all
very glad to see Traddles so put down, and exalted Steerforth to the
skies, and none of us appreciated at that time that our hero, J.
Steerforth was very, very small indeed, as to character, in comparison to
funny, unfortunate Tommy Traddles.

Years later, when Salem House was only a memory, and we were both men,
Traddles and I met again. He had the same simple character and good temper
as of old, and had, too, some of his old unlucky fortune, which clung to
him always; yet notwithstanding that--as all of his trouble came from
good-natured meddling with other people's affairs, for their benefit, I am
not at all certain that I would not risk my chance of success--in the
broadest meaning of that word--in the next world surely, if not in this,
against all the Steerforths living, if I were Tommy Traddles.

Poor Traddles?--No, happy Traddles!




"DEPUTY"


[Illustration: "DEPUTY".]

They were certainly the very oddest pair that ever the moon shone
on,--Stony Durdles and the boy "Deputy."

Durdles was a stone-mason, from which occupation, undoubtedly, came his
nickname "Stony," and Deputy was a hideous small boy hired by Durdles to
pelt him home if he found him out too late at night, which duty the boy
faithfully performed. In all the length and breadth of Cloisterham there
was no more noted man than the stone-mason, Durdles, not, I regret to say,
on account of his virtues, but rather because of his talent for remaining
out late at night, and not being able to guide his steps homeward. There
is a coarser term which might have been applied to this talent of Durdles,
but we have nothing to do with that, here and now; what we desire is an
introduction to the small boy who is Durdles's shadow.

One night, John Jasper, choir-master in Cloisterham Cathedral, on his way
home through the Close, is brought to a standstill by the spectacle of
Stony Durdles, dinner-bundle and all, leaning against the iron railing of
the burial-ground, while a hideous small boy in rags flings stones at him,
in the moonlight. Sometimes the stones hit him, and sometimes they miss
him, but Durdles seems indifferent to either fortune. The hideous small
boy, on the contrary, whenever he hits Durdles, blows a whistle of triumph
through a jagged gap in the front of his mouth, where half his teeth are
wanting; and whenever he misses him, yelps out, "Mulled agin!" and tries
to atone for the failure by taking a more correct and vicious aim.

"What are you doing to the man?" demands Jasper.

"Makin' a cock-shy of him," replies the hideous small boy.

"Give me those stones in your hand."

"Yes, I'll give 'em you down your throat, if you come a ketchin' hold of
me," says the small boy, shaking himself loose from Jasper's touch, and
backing. "I'll smash your eye if you don't look out!"

"What has the man done to you?"

"He won't go home."

"What is that to you?"

"He gives me a 'apenny to pelt him home if I ketches him out too late,"
says the boy. And then chants, like a little savage, half stumbling, and
half dancing, among the rags and laces of his dilapidated boots,----

  _Widdy widdy wen!
  I--ke--ches--'im out--ar--ter ten,
  Widdy widdy wy!
  Then--'E--don't--go--then--I shy,
  Widdy widdy Wakecock warning!_

--with a sweeping emphasis on the last word, and one more shot at Durdles.
The bit of doggerel is evidently a sign which Durdles understands to mean
either that he must prove himself able to stand clear of the shots, or
betake himself immediately homeward, but he does not stir.

John Jasper crosses over to the railing where the Stony One is still
profoundly meditating.

"Do you know this thing, this child?" he asks.

"Deputy," says Durdles, with a nod.

"Is that its--his--name?"

"Deputy," assents Durdles, whereupon the small boy feels called upon to
speak for himself.

"I'm man-servant up at the Travellers Twopenny in Gas Works Garding," he
explains. "All us man-servants at Travellers Lodgings is named Deputy, but
I never pleads to no name, mind yer. When they says to me in the Lockup,
'What's your name?' I says to 'em 'find out.' Likewise when they says,
'What's your religion?' I says, 'find out'!" After delivering himself of
this speech, he withdraws into the road and taking aim, he resumes:----

  _Widdy widdy wen!
  I--ket--ches--'im--out--ar--ter--_

"Hold your hand!" cries Jasper, "and don't throw while I stand so near
him, or I'll kill you! Come Durdles, let me walk home with you to-night.
Shall I carry your bundle?"

"Not on any account," replies Durdles, adjusting it, and continuing to
talk in a rambling way, as he and Jasper walk on together.

"This creature, Deputy, is behind us," says Jasper, looking back. "Is he
to follow us?"

The relations between Durdles and Deputy seem to be of a capricious kind,
for on Durdles turning to look at the boy, Deputy makes a wide circuit
into the road and stands on the defensive.

"You never cried Widdy Warning before you begun tonight," cries Durdles,
unexpectedly reminded of, or imagining an injury.

"Yer lie; I did," says Deputy, in his only polite form of contradiction,
whereupon Durdles turns back again and forgets the offence as unexpectedly
as he had recalled it, and says to Jasper, in reference to Deputy.

"Own brother, sir, to Peter, the Wild Boy! But I gave him an object in
life."

"At which he takes aim?" Mr. Jasper suggests.

"That is it, sir," returns Durdles; "at which he takes aim. I took him in
hand and gave him an object. What was he before? A destroyer. What work
did he do? Nothing but destruction. What did he earn by it? Short terms in
Cloisterham jail. Not a person, not a piece of property, not a winder, not
a horse, nor a dog, nor a cat, nor a bird, nor a fowl, nor a pig, but that
he stoned for want of an enlightened object. I put that enlightened object
before him, and now he can turn his honest halfpenny by the three pennorth
a week."

"I wonder he has no competitors."

"He has plenty, Mr. Jasper, but he stones 'em all away."

"He still keeps behind us," repeats Jasper, looking back, "is he to follow
us?"

"We can't help going round by the Travellers Twopenny, if we go the short
way, which is the back way," Durdles answers, "and we'll drop him there."

So they go on; Deputy attentive to every movement of the Stony One, until
at length nearly at their destination Durdles whistles, and
calls--"Holloa, you Deputy!"

"Widdy!" is Deputy's shrill response, standing off again.

"Catch that ha'penny. And don't let me see any more of you to-night, after
we come to the Travellers Twopenny."

"Warning!" returns Deputy, having caught the halfpenny, and appearing by
this mystic word to express his assent to the arrangement, then off he
darts.

Such was the occupation of the small boy, Deputy, night after night, week
after week, month after month, during the year when we catch a glimpse of
him, and it is reasonable to suppose that the remainder of his life, after
we lose sight of him was spent, in making a cock-shy of everything that
came in his way, whether Durdles or inanimate objects. When he had nothing
living to stone, I believe that he used to stone the dead, through the
railing of the churchyard. He found this a relishing and piquing pursuit;
firstly, because their resting place is supposed to be sacred, and,
secondly, because the tall headstones are sufficiently like themselves to
justify the delicious fancy that they are hurt when hit.

We have nothing told us to support the theory that Deputy's life ever
changed in its routine of work, and I am sure you agree with me that there
were never an odder pair than the two: Durdles, the stone-mason, and
Deputy, his servant.

Perhaps you will be in Cloisterham at some not far distant time; if so,
wander out at night in the old graveyard, when the moon is up, and in
among the cathedral crypts, if you can gain access to them; and see if
from some shadowy corner of lane or building does not start out before you
the wraith of the hideous small boy, Deputy, eluding your touch, and
chanting as he dances in front of you the old song which was the badge of
his office as the keeper of Durdles,----

  _Widdy widdy wen!
  I--ket--ches--'im--out--ar--ter--ten,
  Widdy widdy wy!
  Then--'E--don't--go--then--I--shy,
  Widdy widdy Wakecock Warning!_




DOTHEBOYS HALL


[Illustration: DOTHEBOYS HALL.]

"Education.--At Mr. Wackford Squeers's Academy, Dotheboys Hall, at the
delightful village of Dotheboys, near Greta Bridge in Yorkshire, Youth are
boarded, clothed, booked, furnished with pocket-money, provided with all
necessaries, instructed in all languages living and dead, mathematics,
orthography geometry, astronomy, trigonometry, the use of the globes,
algebra, single stick (if required), writing, arithmetic, fortification,
and every other branch of classical literature. Terms, twenty guineas per
annum. No extras, no vacations, and diet unparalleled. Mr. Squeers is in
town, and attends daily from one till four, at the Saracen's Head, Snow
Hill. N.B. An able assistant wanted. Annual salary £5. A Master of Arts
would be preferred."

When this advertisement in the "London Herald" came to the notice of Mr.
Nicholas Nickleby, then in search of a position as teacher, it seemed to
be the opening for which he was looking, and the next day he hastened to
the Saracen's Head, Snow Hill, to have an interview with Mr. Wackford
Squeers.

Mr. Squeers's appearance was not prepossessing. He had but one eye, and
the popular prejudice runs in favour of two. The blank side of his face
was much wrinkled and puckered up, which gave him a very sinister
appearance, especially when he smiled. His hair was very flat and shiny,
save at the ends, where it was brushed stiffly up from a low protruding
forehead, which assorted well with his harsh voice and coarse manner. He
was about two or three and fifty, and a trifle below the middle size; he
wore a white neckerchief and a suit of scholastic black; but his coat
sleeves being a great deal too long, and his trousers a great deal too
short, he appeared ill at ease in his clothes.

In the corner of the room with Mr. Squeers was a very small deal trunk,
tied round with a scanty piece of cord, and on the trunk was perched--his
lace-up half-boots and corduroy trousers dangling in the air--a diminutive
boy, with his shoulders drawn up to his ears, and his hands planted on his
knees, who glanced timidly at the schoolmaster from time to time, with
evident dread and apprehension, and at last gave a violent sneeze.

"Halloa, sir!" growled the schoolmaster, turning round. "What's that,
sir?"

"Nothing, please sir," said the little boy.

"Nothing, sir!" exclaimed Mr. Squeers.

"Please, sir, I sneezed," rejoined the boy, trembling till the little
trunk shook under him.

"Oh! sneezed, did you?" retorted Mr. Squeers. "Then what did you say
'nothing' for, sir?"

In default of a better answer to this question, the little boy screwed a
couple of knuckles into each of his eyes and began to cry; wherefore Mr.
Squeers knocked him off the trunk with a blow on one side of his face, and
knocked him on again with a blow on the other.

"Wait till I get you down into Yorkshire, my young gentleman," said Mr.
Squeers, "and then I'll give you the rest. Will you hold that noise, sir?"

"Ye-ye-yes," sobbed the little boy, rubbing his face very hard.

"Then do so at once, sir," said Squeers. "Do you hear?"

As this admonition was accompanied with a threatening gesture, and uttered
with a savage aspect, the little boy rubbed his face harder, and between
alternately sniffing and choking, gave no further vent to his emotions.

"Mr. Squeers," said the waiter, at this juncture; "here's a gentleman
asking for you."

"Show the gentleman in, Richard," replied Mr. Squeers, in a soft voice.
"Put your handkerchief in your pocket, you little scoundrel, or I'll
murder you when the gentleman goes."

The schoolmaster had scarcely uttered these words in a fierce whisper,
when the stranger entered. Affecting not to see him, Mr. Squeers feigned
to be intent upon mending a pen, and offering benevolent advice to his
youthful pupil.

"My dear child," said Mr. Squeers, "All people have their trials. This
early trial of yours that is fit to make your little heart burst, and your
very eyes come out of your head with crying, what is it? Less than
nothing. You are leaving your friends, but you will have a father in me,
my dear, and a mother in Mrs. Squeers. At the delightful village of
Dotheboys, near Greta Bridge in Yorkshire, where youth are boarded,
clothed, booked, washed, furnished with pocket-money, provided with all
necessaries----"

Here the waiting stranger interrupted with inquiries about sending his
boys to Mr. Squeers, and before he and Mr. Squeers had finished their
talk, Nicholas Nickleby entered. He briefly stated his desire for a
position, his having seen Mr. Squeers's "Herald" advertisement, and, after
more or less questioning and examination from the schoolmaster, Nicholas
was engaged as assistant master for Dotheboys Hall, and it was settled
that he was to go by coach with Mr. Squeers at eight o'clock the next
morning.

When he arrived, punctually at the appointed hour, he found that learned
gentleman sitting at breakfast, with five little boys, whom he was to take
down with him, ranged in a row on the opposite seat. Mr. Squeers had
before him a small measure of coffee, a plate of hot toast, and a cold
round of beef, but he was at that moment intent on preparing breakfast for
the little boys.

"This is twopenn'orth of milk, is it waiter?" said Mr. Squeers.

"That's twopenn'orth, sir," replied the waiter.

"What a rare article milk is, to be sure, in London!" said Mr. Squeers,
with a sigh. "Just fill that mug up with lukewarm water, William, will
you?"

"To the wery top, sir?" inquired the waiter. "Why, the milk will be
drownded."

"Never you mind that," replied Mr. Squeers. "Serve it right for being so
dear. You ordered that thick bread and butter for three, did you?"

"Coming directly, sir."

"You needn't hurry yourself," said Squeers, "there's plenty of time.
Conquer your passions, boys, and don't be eager after vittles." As he
uttered this moral precept, Mr. Squeers took a large bite out of the cold
beef, and recognised Nicholas.

"Sit down, Mr. Nickleby," said Squeers. "Here we are, a breakfasting, you
see."

Nicholas did _not_ see that anybody was breakfasting, except Mr. Squeers;
but he bowed with all becoming reverence, and looked as cheerful as he
could.

"Oh, that's the milk and water, is it, William?" said Mr. Squeers. "Very
good; don't forget the bread and butter presently."

At this fresh mention of the bread and butter, the five little boys looked
very eager, and followed the waiter out, with their eyes; meanwhile Mr.
Squeers tasted the milk and water.

"Ah," said that gentleman, smacking his lips, "here's richness! Think of
the many beggars and orphans in the streets that would be glad of this,
little boys. A shocking thing hunger is, isn't it, Mr. Nickleby?"

"Very shocking, sir," said Nicholas.

"When I say number one," pursued Mr. Squeers, putting the mug before the
children, "the boy on the left hand nearest the window may take a drink;
and when I say number two, the boy next him will go in, and so till we
come to number five, which is the last boy. Are you ready?"

"Yes, sir," cried all the little boys with great eagerness.

"That's right," said Squeers, calmly getting on with his breakfast; "keep
ready till I tell you to begin. Subdue your appetites, my dears, and
you've conquered human natur. This is the way we inculcate strength of
mind, Mr. Nickleby," said the schoolmaster, turning to Nicholas.

Nicholas murmured something--he knew not what--in reply; and the little
boys, dividing their gaze between the mug, the bread and butter (which by
this time had arrived) and every morsel which Mr. Squeers took into his
mouth, remained with strained eyes in torments of expectation.

"Thank God for a good breakfast," said Squeers when he had finished.
"Number one may take a drink."

Number one seized the mug ravenously, and had just drunk enough to make
him wish for more, when Mr. Squeers gave the signal for number two, who
gave up at the same interesting moment to number three; and the process
was repeated until the milk and water terminated with number five.

"And now," said the schoolmaster, dividing the bread and butter for three
into as many portions as there were children, "you had better look sharp
with your breakfast, for the horn will blow in a minute or two, and then
every boy leaves off."

Permission being thus given to fall to, the boys began to eat voraciously,
and in desperate haste; while the schoolmaster (who was in high good
humour after his meal) looked smilingly on. In a very short time the horn
was heard.

"I thought it wouldn't be long," said Squeers, jumping up and producing a
little basket from under the seat; "put what you haven't had time to eat,
in here, boys. You'll want it on the road!"

Nicholas was considerably startled by these very economical arrangements;
but he had no time to reflect upon them, for the little boys had to be got
up to the top of the coach, and their boxes had to be brought out and put
in, and Mr. Squeers's luggage was to be seen carefully deposited in the
boot, and all these offices were in his department.

Presently, however, the coach was off, and they had started on their long
trip, made doubly long by the severity of the weather, which caused them
to be detained several times; so it was not until six o'clock the
following night, that he and Mr. Squeers, and the little boys, were all
put down together at the George and New Inn, Greta Bridge.

"Is it much farther to Dotheboys Hall, sir?" asked Nicholas, when they had
started off, the little boys in one vehicle, he and Mr. Squeers in
another.

"About three mile from here," replied Squeers. "But you needn't call it a
Hall down here. The fact is, it ain't a Hall," observed Squeers, drily.

"Oh, indeed!" said Nicholas, whom this piece of intelligence much
astonished.

"No," replied Squeers. "We call it a Hall up in London, because it sounds
better, but they don't know it by that name in these parts. A man may call
his house an island if he likes; there's no act of Parliament against
that, I believe?"

"I believe not, sir," rejoined Nicholas.

Squeers eyed his companion slily at the conclusion of this little
dialogue, and finding that he had grown thoughtful and appeared in nowise
disposed to volunteer any observations, contented himself with lashing the
pony until they reached their journey's end.

"Jump out," said Squeers. "Hallo there! Come and put this horse up. Be
quick, will you!"

While the schoolmaster was uttering these and other impatient cries,
Nicholas had time to observe that the school was a long, cold-looking
house, one story high, with a few straggling outbuildings behind, and a
barn and stable adjoining. Mr. Squeers had dismounted, and after ordering
the boy, whom he called Smike, to see to the pony, and to take care that
he hadn't any more corn that night, he told Nicholas to wait at the front
door a minute, while he went round and let him in.

A host of unpleasant misgivings, which had been crowding upon Nicholas
during the whole journey, thronged into his mind. His great distance from
home, and the impossibility of reaching it, except on foot, should he feel
ever so anxious, presented itself to him in most alarming colours; and as
he looked up at the dreary house and dark windows, and upon the wild
country round, covered with snow, he felt a depression of heart and spirit
which he never had experienced before.

"Now, then!" cried Squeers, poking his head out at the front door, "Where
are you, Nickleby?"

"Here, sir," replied Nicholas.

"Come in, then," said Squeers, "the wind blows in, at this door, fit to
knock a man off his legs."

Nicholas sighed, and hurried in. Mr. Squeers ushered him into a small
parlour scantily furnished with a few chairs, a yellow map hung against
the wall, and a couple of tables; one of which bore some preparations for
supper. Mrs. Squeers then came in, and was duly made acquainted with
Nicholas, and after some conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Squeers, a
young servant girl brought in a Yorkshire pie, which being set upon the
table, the boy Smike appeared with a jug of ale.

Mr. Squeers meanwhile was emptying his great-coat pockets of letters to
different boys, which he had brought down. Smike glanced, with an anxious
and timid expression, at the papers, as if with a sickly hope that one
among them might relate to him. The look was a very painful one, and went
to Nicholas's heart at once; for it told a sad history. He considered the
boy more attentively, and was surprised to observe the extraordinary
mixture of garments which formed his dress. Although he could not have
been less than eighteen or nineteen years old, and was tall for that age,
he wore a skeleton suit, which, though most absurdly short in the arms and
legs, was quite wide enough for his attenuated frame. In order that the
lower part of his legs might be in keeping with this singular dress, he
had a very large pair of boots, originally made for tops, but now too
patched and tattered for a beggar. He was lame, and as he feigned to be
busy arranging the table, glanced at the letters with a look so keen, and
yet so dispirited and hopeless that Nicholas could hardly bear to watch
him.

"What are you bothering about there, Smike?" cried Mrs. Squeers; "let the
things alone, can't you?"

"Eh," said Squeers, looking up. "Oh, it's you, is it?"

"Yes, sir," replied the youth, pressing his hands together, as though to
control, by force, the nervous wandering of his fingers. "Is there----"

"Well!" said Squeers.

"Have you--did anybody--has nothing been heard--about me?"

"Not a word," resumed Squeers, "and never will be. Now, this is a pretty
sort of thing, isn't it, that you should have been left here, all these
years, and no money paid after the first six--nor no notice taken, nor no
clue to be got who you belong to? It's a pretty sort of thing that I
should have to feed a great fellow like you, and never hope to get one
penny for it, isn't it?"

The boy put his hand to his head as if he were making an effort to
recollect something, and then, looking vacantly at his questioner,
gradually broke into a smile, and limped away.

The following morning, when Nicholas appeared downstairs, Mrs. Squeers was
in a state of great excitement.

"I can't find the school spoon anywhere," she said anxiously.

"Never mind it, my dear," observed Squeers in a soothing manner; "it's of
no consequence."

"No consequence? Why, how you talk!" retorted Mrs. Squeers sharply, "isn't
it brimstone morning?"

"I forgot, my dear," rejoined Squeers; "yes, it certainly is. We purify
the boys' bloods now and then, Nickleby."

"Oh! nonsense," rejoined Mrs. Squeers. "If the young man comes to be a
teacher here, let him understand, at once, that we don't want any foolery
about the boys. They have the brimstone and treacle, partly because if
they hadn't something or other in the way of medicine they 'd be always
ailing and giving a world of trouble, and partly because it spoils their
appetites and comes cheaper than breakfast and dinner. So, it does them
good and us good at the same time, and that's fair enough, I'm sure!"

"But come," said Squeers, "let's go to the schoolroom; and lend me a hand
with my school-coat, will you?"

Nicholas assisted his master to put on an old fustian shooting jacket, and
Squeers, arming himself with his cane, led the way across a yard, to a
door in the rear of the house.

"There," said the schoolmaster, as they stepped in together; "this is our
shop, Nickleby!"

The "shop" was a bare and dirty room, with a couple of windows, whereof a
tenth part might be of glass, the remainder being stopped up with old
copybooks and paper. There were a couple of long, old rickety desks, cut
and notched, and inked, and damaged, in every possible way; two or three
forms; a detached desk for Squeers; and another for his assistant. The
ceiling was supported, like that of a barn, by cross beams and rafters;
and the walls were so stained and discoloured, that it was impossible to
tell whether they had ever been touched with paint or whitewash.

But the pupils! How the last faint traces of hope faded from the mind of
Nicholas as he looked in dismay around! There were pale and haggard faces,
lank and bony figures, boys of stunted growth; little faces which should
have been handsome, darkened with the scowl of sullen, dogged suffering;
vicious-faced boys, brooding with leaden eyes, with every kindly sympathy
and affection blasted in its birth, with every young and healthy feeling
flogged and starved down.

And yet this scene, painful as it was, had its grotesque features. Mrs.
Squeers stood at one of the desks, presiding over an immense basin of
brimstone and treacle, of which delicious compound she administered a
large instalment to each boy in succession: using for the purpose a common
wooden spoon, which widened every young gentleman's mouth considerably:
they being all obliged, under heavy corporal penalties, to take in the
whole of the bowl at a gasp.

In another corner, huddled together for companionship, were the little
boys who had arrived on the preceding night: at no great distance from
these was seated the juvenile son and heir of Mr. Squeers, Wackford by
name--a striking likeness of his father--kicking, with great vigour, under
the hands of Smike, who was fitting upon him a pair of new boots that bore
a most suspicious resemblance to those which the least of the little boys
had worn on the journey down--as the little boy himself seemed to think,
for he was regarding the appropriation with a look of rueful amazement.

"Now," said Squeers, giving the desk a great rap with his cane, which made
half the little boys nearly jump out of their boots, "is that physicking
over?"

"Just over," said Mrs. Squeers, choking the last boy in her hurry, and
tapping the crown of his head with the spoon to restore him. "Here, you
Smike; take away now. Look sharp!"

Smike shuffled out with the basin, and Mrs. Squeers, hurried out after him
into a wash-house where there were a number of little wooden bowls which
were arranged upon a board. Into these bowls, Mrs. Squeers poured a brown
composition, which was called porridge. A minute wedge of brown bread was
inserted in each bowl, and when they had eaten their porridge by means of
it, the boys ate the bread itself, and had finished their breakfast;
whereupon Mr. Squeers said in a solemn voice, "For what we have received,
may the Lord make us truly thankful!"--and went away to his own.

After eating his share of porridge, and having further disposed of a slice
of bread and butter, allotted to him in virtue of his office, Nicholas sat
himself down, to wait for school-time. He could not but observe how silent
and sad the boys seemed to be. There was none of the noise and clamour of
a school-room; none of its boisterous play, or hearty mirth. The only
pupil who evinced the slightest tendency towards locomotion or playfulness
was Master Squeers, and as his chief amusement was to tread upon the other
boys' toes in his new boots, his flow of spirits was rather disagreeable
than otherwise.

After some half-hour's delay, Mr. Squeers reappeared, and the boys took
their places and their books, and ranged themselves in front of the
schoolmaster's desk.

"This is the class in English spelling, and philosophy, Nickleby," said
Squeers, beckoning Nicholas to stand beside him. "We'll get up a Latin
one, and hand that over to you. Now, then, where's the first boy?"

"Please, sir, he's cleaning the back parlour window," answered one of the
class.

"So he is, to be sure," rejoined Squeers. "We go upon the practical mode
of teaching, Nickleby; the regular education system. C-l-e-a-n, clean,
verb active, to make bright, to scour. When the boy knows this out of
book, he goes and does it. Where's the second boy?"

"Please, sir, he's weeding the garden," replied a small voice.

"To be sure," said Squeers. "So he is. B-o-t, bot, t-i-n, tin, n-e-y, ney,
bottinney, noun substantive, a knowledge of plants. Third boy, what's a
horse?"

"A beast, sir," replied the boy.

"So it is," said Squeers. "Ain't it, Nickleby?"

"I believe there is no doubt of that, sir," answered Nicholas.

"Of course there isn't," said Squeers. "A horse is a quadruped, and
quadruped's Latin for beast, as every body that's gone through the grammar
knows. As you're perfect in that," resumed Squeers, turning to the boy,
"go and look after _my_ horse, and rub him down well, or I'll rub you
down. The rest of the class go and draw water up till somebody tells you
to leave off, for it's washing day to-morrow."

So saying, he dismissed the class, and eyed Nicholas with a look, half
cunning and half doubtful, as if he were not altogether certain what he
might think of him by this time.

"That's the way we do it, Nickleby," he said, after a pause.

Nicholas shrugged his shoulders, and said he saw it was.

"And a very good way it is, too," said Squeers. "Now just take them
fourteen little boys and hear them some reading, because, you know, you
must begin to be useful."

Mr. Squeers said this as if it had suddenly occurred to him, either that
he must not say too much to his assistant, or that his assistant did not
say enough to him in praise of the establishment. The children were
arranged in a semi-circle round the new master, and he was soon listening
to their dull, drawling, hesitating recital of stories to be found in the
old spelling books. In this exciting occupation the morning lagged heavily
on. At one o'clock, the boys sat down in the kitchen to some hard salt
beef. After this, there was another hour of crouching in the schoolroom
and shivering with cold, and then school began again.

It was Mr. Squeers's custom to call the boys together, and make a sort of
report, after every half-yearly visit to the metropolis, regarding the
relations and friends he had seen, the news he had heard, the letters he
had brought down, and so forth. This solemn proceeding took place on the
afternoon of the day succeeding his return. The boys were recalled from
house-window, garden and stable, and cow-yard, when Mr. Squeers with a
small bundle of papers in his hand, and Mrs. Squeers following with a pair
of canes, entered the room, and proclaimed silence.

"Let any boy speak without leave," said Mr. Squeers mildly, "and I'll take
the skin off his back."

This special proclamation had the desired effect, and a death-like silence
immediately prevailed, in the midst of which Mr. Squeers went on to say:

"Boys, I've been to London, and have returned as strong and well as ever."

According to half-yearly custom, the boys gave three feeble cheers at this
refreshing intelligence. Such cheers! Sighs of extra strength with the
chill on.

Squeers then proceeded to give several messages of various degrees of
unpleasantness to sundry of the boys, followed up by vigorous canings
where he had any grudge to pay off. One by one the boys answered to their
names.

"Now let us see," said Squeers. "A letter for Cobbey. Stand up, Cobbey."

Another boy stood up and eyed the letter very hard, while Squeers made a
mental abstract of the same.

"Oh," said Squeers; "Cobbey's grandmother is dead, which is all the news
his sister sends, except eighteenpence, which will just pay for that
broken square of glass. Mrs. Squeers, my dear, will you take the money?"

The worthy lady pocketed the eighteenpence with a most business-like air,
and Squeers passed on to the next boy, as coolly as possible.

"Mobbs's step-mother," said Squeers, "took to her bed on hearing that he
wouldn't eat fat, and has been very ill ever since. She wishes to know, by
an early post, where he expects to go to if he quarrels with his vittles;
and with what feelings he could turn up his nose at the cow's liver broth,
after his good master had asked a blessing on it. This was told her in the
London newspapers--not by Mr. Squeers, for he is too kind and good to set
anybody against anybody--and it has vexed her so much, Mobbs can't think.
She is sorry to find he is discontented, which is sinful and horrid, and
hopes Mr. Squeers will flog him into a happier state of mind; and with
this view, she has also stopped his halfpenny a week pocket-money, and
given a double-bladed knife with a corkscrew in it to the Missionaries,
which she had bought on purpose for him."

[Illustration: BOLDER, COBBEY, GRAYMARSH, MOBB'S.]

"A sulky state of feeling," said Squeers, after a terrible pause.
"Cheerfulness and contentment must be kept up. Mobbs, come to me."

Mobbs moved slowly towards the desk, rubbing his eyes in anticipation of
good cause for doing so; and he soon afterwards retired by the side door,
with as good a cause as a boy need have.

Mr. Squeers then proceeded to open a miscellaneous collection of letters;
some enclosing money, which Mrs. Squeers "took care of;" and others
referring to small articles of apparel, all of which the same lady stated
to be too large, or too small, and calculated for nobody but young
Squeers, who would appear indeed to have had most accommodating limbs,
since everything that came into the school fitted him to a nicety. His
head, in particular, must have been singularly elastic, for hats and caps
of all dimensions were alike to him.

This business despatched, a few slovenly lessons were performed, and
Squeers retired to his fireside, leaving Nicholas to take care of the boys
in the schoolroom. There was a small stove at that corner of the room
which was nearest to the master's desk, and by it Nicholas sat down,
depressed and degraded by the consciousness of his position. But for the
present his resolve was taken. He had written to his mother and sister,
announcing the safe conclusion of his journey, and saying as little about
Dotheboys Hall, and saying that little as cheerfully, as he could. He
hoped that by remaining where he was, he might do some good, even there;
at all events, others depended too much on him to admit of his complaining
just then.

From the moment of making that resolve, Nicholas got on in his place as
well as he could, doing his best to improve matters. He arranged a few
regular lessons for the boys, and saw that they were well attended; but
his heart sank more and more, for besides the dull, unvarying round of
misery there was another system of annoyance which nearly drove him wild
by its injustice and cruelty. Upon the wretched creature Smike, all the
spleen and ill-humour that could not be vented on Nicholas, were
unceasingly bestowed. Drudgery would have been nothing--Smike was well
used to that. Buffetings inflicted without cause would have been equally a
matter of course, for to them also he had served a long and weary
apprenticeship; but it was no sooner observed that he had become attached
to Nicholas, than stripes and blows, morning, noon, and night, were his
only portion. Squeers was jealous of the influence which his new teacher
had so soon acquired; and his family hated him, and Smike paid for both.
Nicholas saw this, and ground his teeth at every repetition of the savage
and cowardly attack.

Not many weeks later, on a cold January morning, when Nicholas awoke he
found the entire school agog with quivering excitement. Smike had run
away, and Squeers's anger was at white heat against him and every one
else.

"He is off," said Mrs. Squeers, angrily. "The cowhouse and stable are
locked up, so he can't be there; and he's not down stairs anywhere. He
must have gone York way, and by a public road too. Then of course,"
continued Mrs. Squeers, "as he had no money he must beg his way, and he
could do that nowhere, but on the public road."

"That's true," exclaimed Squeers, clapping his hands.

"True! Yes; but you would never have thought of it, if I hadn't said so,"
replied his wife. "Now, if you take the chaise and go one road, and I
borrow Swallow's chaise and go the other, one or other of us is pretty
certain to lay hold of him!"

This plan was adopted and put in execution without a moment's delay.

After a very hasty breakfast, Squeers started forth in the pony-chaise,
intent upon discovery and vengeance. Shortly afterwards, Mrs. Squeers
issued forth in another chaise and another direction, taking with her a
good-sized bludgeon, several odd pieces of strong cord, and a stout
labouring man.

Nicholas remained behind, in a tumult of feeling, sensible that whatever
might be the upshot of the boy's flight, nothing but painful and
deplorable consequences were likely to ensue from it. The unhappy being
had established a hold upon his sympathy and compassion, which made his
heart ache at the prospect of the suffering he was destined to undergo.

The next evening Squeers returned alone and unsuccessful. Another day
came, and Nicholas was scarcely awake when he heard the wheels of a chaise
approaching the house. It stopped. The voice of Mrs. Squeers was heard in
exultation. Nicholas hardly dared to look out of the window; but he did
so, and the very first object that met his eyes was the wretched Smike: so
bedabbled with mud and rain, so haggard, and worn, and wild, that, but for
his garments being such as no scarecrow was ever seen to wear, he might
have been doubtful, even then, of his identity.

"Lift him out," said Squeers, after he had literally feasted his eyes upon
the culprit. "Bring him in; bring him in!"

"Take care!" cried Mrs. Squeers. "We tied his legs under the apron and
made 'em fast to the chaise, to prevent his giving us the slip again."

With hands trembling with delight, Squeers unloosened the cord; and Smike,
more dead than alive, was brought into the house and securely locked up in
a cellar.

It may be a matter of surprise to some persons that Mr. and Mrs. Squeers
should have taken so much trouble to repossess themselves of an
incumbrance of which it was their wont to complain so loudly; but the
services of the drudge, if performed by any one else, would have cost some
ten or twelve shillings per week in the shape of wages; and furthermore,
all runaways were, as a matter of policy, made severe examples of, at
Dotheboys Hall, as in consequence of the limited extent of its
attractions, there was but little inducement, beyond the powerful impulse
of fear, for any pupil, provided with the usual number of legs and the
power of using them, to remain.

The news that Smike had been caught and brought back in triumph, ran like
wild-fire through the hungry community, and expectation was on tiptoe all
the morning. On tiptoe it was destined to remain, however, until
afternoon; when Squeers called the school together, and dragged Smike by
the collar to the front of the room before them all.

"Have you anything to say?" demanded Squeers, giving his right arm two or
three flourishes to try its power and suppleness. "Stand a little out of
the way, Mrs. Squeers, my dear; I've hardly got room enough."

"Spare me, sir!" cried Smike.

"Oh! that's all, is it?" said Squeers. "Yes, I'll flog you within an inch
of your life, and spare you that."

"I was driven to do it," said Smike faintly; and casting an imploring look
about him.

"Driven to do it, were you?" said Squeers. "Oh! It wasn't your fault; it
was mine, I suppose--eh?"

Squeers caught the boy firmly in his grip; one desperate cut had fallen on
his body--he was wincing from the lash and uttering a scream of pain--it
was raised again, and again about to fall--when Nicholas Nickleby,
suddenly starting up, cried "Stop!" in a voice that made the rafters ring.

"Who cried stop?" said Squeers, turning savagely round.

"I," said Nicholas, stepping forward. "This must not go on!"

"Must not go on!" cried Squeers, almost in a shriek.

"No!" thundered Nicholas.

Aghast and stupified by the boldness of the interference, Squeers released
his hold of Smike, and, falling back a pace or two, gazed upon Nicholas
with looks that were positively frightful.

"I say must not," repeated Nicholas, nothing daunted; "shall not. I will
prevent it."

Squeers continued to gaze upon him, with his eyes starting out of his
head; but astonishment had actually, for the moment, bereft him of speech.

"You have disregarded all my quiet interference in the miserable lad's
behalf," said Nicholas; "you have returned no answer to the letter in
which I begged forgiveness for him, and offered to be responsible that he
would remain quietly here. Don't blame me for this public interference.
You have brought it upon yourself; not I."

"Sit down, beggar!" screamed Squeers, almost beside himself with rage, and
seizing Smike as he spoke.

"Wretch," rejoined Nicholas, fiercely, "touch him at your peril! I will
not stand by and see it done. My blood is up, and I have the strength of
ten such men as you. Look to yourself, for by Heaven I will not spare you,
if you drive me on!"

"Stand back," cried Squeers, brandishing his weapon.

"I have a long series of insults to avenge," said Nicholas, flushed with
passion; "and my indignation is aggravated by the dastardly cruelties
practised on helpless infancy in this foul den. Have a care; for if you do
rouse the devil within me, the consequences shall fall heavily upon your
own head!"

He had scarcely spoken, when Squeers, in a violent outbreak of wrath, and
with a cry like the howl of a wild beast, struck him a blow across the
face with his instrument of torture, which raised up a bar of livid flesh
as it was inflicted. Smarting with the agony of the blow, and
concentrating into that one moment all his feelings of rage, scorn, and
indignation, Nicholas sprang upon him, wrested the weapon from his hand,
and pinning him by the throat, beat the ruffian till he roared for mercy.

Then he hastily retired from the fray, leaving Squeers's family to restore
him as best they might. Seeking his room with all possible haste, Nicholas
considered seriously what course of action was best for him to adopt.

After a brief consideration, he packed up a few clothes in a small
leathern valise, and, finding that nobody offered to oppose his progress,
marched boldly out by the front door, and struck into the road which led
to Greta Bridge.

When he had cooled, sufficiently to be enabled to give his present
circumstances some little reflection, they did not appear in a very
encouraging light; he had only four shillings and a few pence in his
pocket, and was something more than two hundred and fifty miles from
London, whither he resolved to direct his steps.

He lay, that night, at a cottage where beds were let at a cheap rate to
the more humble class of travellers; and, rising betimes next morning,
made his way before night to Boroughbridge. Passing through that town in
search of some cheap resting-place, he stumbled upon an empty barn within
a couple of hundred yards of the road side; in a warm corner of which he
stretched his weary limbs, and soon fell asleep.

When he awoke next morning, and tried to recollect his dreams, which had
been all connected with his recent sojourn at Dotheboys Hall, he sat up,
rubbed his eyes, and stared--not with the most composed countenance
possible--at some motionless object which seemed to be stationed within a
few yards in front of him.

"Strange!" cried Nicholas, "can this be some lingering creation of the
visions that have scarcely left me? It cannot be real--and yet I--I am
awake! Smike!"

The form moved, rose, advanced, and dropped upon its knees at his feet. It
was Smike indeed.

"Why do you kneel to me?" said Nicholas, hastily raising him.

"To go with you--anywhere--everywhere--to the world's end--to the
churchyard grave," replied Smike, clinging to his hand. "Let me, oh, do
let me. You are my home--my kind friend--take me with you, pray."

I am a friend who can do "little for you," said Nicholas, kindly. "How
came you here?"

He had followed him, it seemed; had never lost sight of him all the way;
had watched while he slept, and when he halted for refreshment; and had
feared to appear before, lest he should be sent back. He had not intended
to appear now, but Nicholas had awakened more suddenly than he looked for,
and he had had no time to conceal himself.

"Poor fellow!" said Nicholas, "your hard fate denies you any friend but
one, and he is nearly as poor and helpless as yourself."

"May I--may I go with you?" asked Smike timidly. "I will be your faithful
hard-working servant, I will, indeed. I want no clothes," added the poor
creature, drawing his rags together; "these will do very well. I only want
to be near you."

"And you shall!" cried Nicholas. "The world shall deal by you as it does
by me, till one or both of us shall quit it for a better. Come!"

With these words, he strapped his burden on his shoulders, and, taking his
stick in one hand, extended the other to his delighted charge; and so they
passed out of the old barn together, out from the nightmare of life at
Dotheboys Hall, into the busy world outside.

       *       *       *       *       *

Some years later, when Mr. Squeers was making one of his customary
semi-annual visits to London, he was arrested and sent to jail by persons
who had discovered his system of fraud and cruelty, as well as the fact
that he had in his possession a stolen will. Upon John Browdie, a burly
Scotchman, devolved the duty of carrying the painful news to Mrs. Squeers,
and of dismissing the school.

So, arriving at Dotheboys Hall, he tied his horse to a gate, and made his
way to the schoolroom door, which he found locked on the inside. A
tremendous noise and riot arose from within, and, applying his eye to a
convenient crevice in the wall, he did not remain long in ignorance of its
meaning.

The news of Mr. Squeers's downfall had reached Dotheboys; that was quite
clear. To all appearance, it had very recently become known to the young
gentlemen; for rebellion had just broken out.

It was one of the brimstone-and-treacle mornings, and Mrs. Squeers had
entered school according to custom with the large bowl and spoon, followed
by Miss Squeers and the amiable Wackford: who, during his father's
absence, had taken upon himself such minor branches of the executive as
kicking the pupils with his nailed boots, pulling the hair of some of the
smaller boys, pinching the others in aggravating places, and rendering
himself in various similar ways a great comfort and happiness to his
mother. Their entrance, whether by premeditation or a simultaneous
impulse, was the signal of revolt for the boys. While one detachment
rushed to the door and locked it, and another mounted the desks and forms,
the stoutest (and consequently the newest) boy seized the cane, and,
confronting Mrs. Squeers with a stern countenance, snatched off her cap
and beaver bonnet, put it on his own head, armed himself with the wooden
spoon, and bade her, on pain of death, go down upon her knees and take a
dose directly. Before that estimable lady could recover herself, or offer
the slightest retaliation, she was forced into a kneeling posture by a
crowd of shouting tormentors, and compelled to swallow a spoonful of the
odious mixture, rendered more than usually savoury by the immersion in the
bowl of Master Wackford's head, whose ducking was entrusted to another
rebel. The success of this first achievement prompted the malicious crowd,
whose faces were clustered together in every variety of lank and
half-starved ugliness, to further acts of outrage. The leader was
insisting upon Mrs. Squeers repeating her dose, Master Squeers was
undergoing another dip in the treacle, when John Browdie, bursting open
the door with a vigorous kick, rushed to the rescue. The shouts, screams,
groans, hoots, and clapping of hands, suddenly ceased, and a dead silence
ensued.

"Ye be noice chaps," said John, looking steadily round. "What's to do
here, thou yoong dogs?"

"Squeers is in prison, and we are going to run away!" cried a score of
shrill voices. "We won't stop, we won't stop!"

"Weel then, dinnot stop," replied John; "who waants thee to stop? Roon
awa' loike men, but dinnot hurt the women.

"Hurrah!" cried the shrill voices, more shrilly still.

"Hurrah?" repeated John. "Weel, hurrah loike men too. Noo then, look out.
Hip--hip--hip--hurrah!"

"Hurrah!" cried the voices.

"Hurrah! agean," said John. "Looder still."

The boys obeyed.

"Anoother!" said John. "Dinnot be afeared on it Let's have a good un!"

"Hurrah!"

"Noo then," said John, "let's have yan more to end wi', and then coot off
as quick as you loike. Tak' a good breath noo--Squeers be in jail--the
school's brokken oop--it's all ower--past and gane--think o' thot, and let
it be a hearty 'un! Hurrah!"

Such a cheer arose as the walls of Dotheboys Hall had never echoed before,
and were destined never to respond to again. When the sound had died away,
the school was empty; and of the busy noisy crowd which had peopled it but
five minutes before, not one remained.

For some days afterwards, the neighbouring country was overrun with boys,
who, the report went, had been secretly furnished by Mr. and Mrs. Browdie,
not only with a hearty meal of bread and meat, but with sundry shillings
and sixpences to help them on their way.

There were a few timid young children, who, miserable as they had been,
and many as were the tears they had shed in the wretched school, still
knew no other home, and had formed for it a sort of attachment which made
them weep when the bolder spirits fled, and cling to it as a refuge. Of
these, some were found crying under hedges and in such places, frightened
at the solitude. One had a dead bird in a little cage; he had wandered
nearly twenty miles, and when his poor favourite died, lost courage, and
lay down beside him. Another was discovered in a yard hard by the school,
sleeping with a dog, who bit at those who came to remove him, and licked
the sleeping child's pale face.

They were taken back, and some other stragglers were recovered, but by
degrees they were all claimed, and, in course of time, Dotheboys Hall and
its last breaking up began to be forgotten by the neighbours, or to be
only spoken of as among things that had been.




DAVID COPPERFIELD


[Illustration: LITTLE EM'LY AND DAVID COPPERFIELD.]

The first things that assume shape and form in the recollections of my
childhood are my mother, with her pretty hair and youthful shape, and
Peggotty, our faithful serving maid, with no shape at all, and eyes so
dark that they seemed to darken their whole neighbourhood in her face, and
cheeks and arms so hard and red that I wonder the birds didn't peck her in
preference to apples.

What else do I remember?--let me see. There comes to me a vision of our
home, Blunderstone Rookery, with its ground-floor kitchen, and long
passage leading from it to the front door. A dark store-room opens out of
the kitchen, and in it there is the smell of soap, pickles, pepper,
candles, and coffee, all at one whiff. Then there are the two
parlours;--the one in which we sit of an evening, my mother and I and
Peggotty,--for Peggotty is quite our companion,--and the best parlour
where we sit on a Sunday; grandly, but not so comfortably, while my mother
reads the old familiar Bible stories to us.

And now I see the outside of our house, with the latticed bedroom windows,
and the ragged old rooks' nests dangling in the elm-trees. I see the
garden--a very preserve of butterflies, where the pigeon house and
dog-kennel are, and the fruit trees. And I see again my mother winding her
bright curls around her fingers, and nobody is as proud of her beauty as I
am.

One night when Peggotty and I had been sitting cosily by the parlour fire,
my mother came home from spending the evening at a neighbour's, and with
her was a gentleman with beautiful black hair and whiskers. As my mother
stooped to kiss me, the gentleman said I was a more highly privileged
little fellow than a monarch.

"What does that mean?" I asked him. He smiled and patted me on the head in
reply, but somehow I didn't like him, and I shrank away, jealous that his
hand should touch my mother's in touching me--although my mother's gentle
chiding made me ashamed of the involuntary motion, and of my dislike for
this new friend of hers, but from chance words which I heard Peggotty
utter, I knew that she too felt as I did.

From that time the gentleman with black whiskers, Mr. Murdstone by name,
was at our house constantly, and gradually I became used to seeing him,
but I liked him no better than at first. The sight of him filled me with a
fear that something was going to happen, and time proved that I was right
in my apprehension. One night when my mother, as usual, was out, Peggotty
asked me,

"Master Davy, how should you like to go along with me and spend a
fortnight at my brother's at Yarmouth? Wouldn't _that_ be a treat?"

"Is your brother an agreeable man, Peggotty?" I inquired, provisionally.

"Oh what an agreeable man he is!" cried Peggotty, holding up her hands.
"Then there's the sea; and the boats; and the fishermen; and the beach;
and 'Am to play with----"

Peggotty meant her nephew Ham, but she spoke of him as a morsel of English
Grammar.

I was flushed with her summary of delights, and replied that it would
indeed be a treat, but what would my mother say?

But Peggotty was sure that I would be allowed to go, and so it proved. My
mother did not seem nearly so much surprised as I expected, and arranged
at once for my visit.

The day soon came for our going. I was in a fever of expectation, and half
afraid that an earthquake might stop the expedition, but soon after
breakfast we set off, in a carrier's cart, and the carrier's lazy horse
shuffled along, carrying us towards Yarmouth. We had a fine basket of
refreshments, and we ate a good deal, and slept a good deal, and finally
arrived in Yarmouth, where at the public-house we found Ham waiting for
us. He was a huge, strong fellow of six feet, with a simpering boy's face
and curly light hair, and he insisted on carrying me on his back, as well
as a small box of ours under his arm. We turned down lanes, and went past
gas-works, boat-builders' yards, and riggers' lofts, and presently Ham
said,

"Yon's our house, Mas'r Davy!"

I looked over the wilderness, and away at the sea, and away at the river,
but no house could _I_ make out. There was a black barge not far off, high
and dry on the ground, with an iron funnel for a chimney, and smoking very
cosily.

"That's not it?" said I. "That ship-looking thing?"

"That's it, Mas'r Davy," returned Ham.

If it had been Aladdin's palace, I could not have been more charmed with
the romantic idea of living in it. There was a delightful door cut in the
side, and it was roofed in, and there were little windows in it. It was
beautifully clean inside and as tidy as possible. There was a table, and a
Dutch clock, and a chest of drawers. On the walls were some coloured
pictures of Biblical subjects. Abraham in red, going to sacrifice Isaac in
blue, and Daniel in yellow, cast into a den of green lions, were most
prominent. Also, there was a mantel-shelf, and some lockers and boxes
which served for seats. Then Peggotty showed me the completest little
bedroom ever seen, in the stern of the vessel, with a tiny bed, a little
looking-glass framed in oyster-shells, and a nosegay of seaweed in a blue
mug on the table. The walls were white-washed, and the patchwork
counterpane made my eyes quite ache with its brightness.

When I took out my pocket-handkerchief, it smelt as if it had wrapped up a
lobster. When I confided this to Peggotty, she told me that her brother
dealt in lobsters, crabs, and crawfish, which accounted for the sea smells
in the delightful house.

The inmates of the boat were its master, Mr. Peggotty and his orphan
nephew and niece, Ham and little Em'ly, which latter was a beautiful
little girl, who wore a necklace of blue beads. There was also Mrs.
Gummidge, an old lady who sat continually by the fire and knitted, and who
was the widow of a former partner of Mr. Peggotty's.

With little Em'ly I at once fell violently in love, and we used to walk
upon the beach in a loving manner, hours and hours. I am sure I loved that
baby quite as truly and with more purity than can enter into the best love
of a later time of life; and when the time came for going home, our agony
of mind at parting was intense.

During my visit I had been completely absorbed in my new companions, but
no sooner were we turned homeward than my heart began to throb at thought
of again seeing my mother,--my comforter and friend. To my surprise, when
we reached the dear old Rookery, not my mother, but a strange servant
opened the door.

"Why, Peggotty," I said, ruefully, "isn't she come home?"

"Yes, yes, Master Davy," said Peggotty, "She's come home. Wait a bit,
Master Davy, and I'll--I'll tell you something."

Intensely agitated, Peggotty led me into the kitchen and closed the door,
then, as she untied her bonnet with a shaking hand, she said breathlessly;
"Master Davy, what do you think? You have got a Pa!"

I trembled and turned white, and thought of my father's grave in the
churchyard, which I knew so well.

"A new one," said Peggotty.

"A new one?" I repeated.

Peggotty gasped, as if she were swallowing something very hard, and,
putting out her hand, said,

"Come and see him."

"I don't want to see him."

"And your mama," said Peggotty.

I ceased to draw back, and we went straight to the best parlour. On one
side of the fire, sat my mother; on the other, Mr. Murdstone. My mother
dropped her work, and arose hurriedly, but timidly, I thought.

"Now, Clara, my dear," said Mr. Murdstone. "Recollect! control yourself!
Davy boy, how do you do?"

I gave him my hand. Then I went over to my mother. She kissed me, patted
me gently on the shoulder, and sat down again to her work, while Mr.
Murdstone watched us both. I turned to look out of the window, and as soon
as I could, I crept up-stairs. My old dear bedroom was changed, and I was
to sleep a long way off, and there on my bed, thinking miserable thoughts,
I cried myself to sleep. I was awakened by somebody saying, "Here he is!"
and there beside me were my mother and Peggotty, asking what was the
matter.

I answered, "Nothing," and turned over, to hide my trembling lip.

"Davy," said my mother. "Davy, my child!"

Then when she would have caressed me in the old fashion, Mr. Murdstone
came up and sent the others away.

"David," he said, making his lips thin, by pressing them together, "if I
have an obstinate horse or dog to deal with, what do you think I do?"

"I don't know."

"I beat him. I make him wince and smart. I say to myself, 'I'll conquer
that fellow;' and if it were to cost him all the blood he had, I should do
it. What is that upon your face?"

"Dirt," I said.

He knew it was the mark of tears as well as I. But if he had asked the
question twenty times, with twenty blows, I believe my baby heart would
have burst before I would have told him so.

"You have a good deal of intelligence for a little fellow," he said, "and
you understood me very well, I see. Wash that face, sir, and come down
with me."

He pointed to the washstand, and motioned me to obey him directly, and I
have little doubt that he would have knocked me down, had I hesitated.

As he walked me into the parlour, he said to my mother, "Clara, my dear,
you will not be made uncomfortable any more, I hope. We shall soon improve
our youthful humours."

I might have been made another creature for life, by a kind word just
then. A word of welcome home, of reassurance that it _was_ home, might
have made me dutiful to my new father, and made me respect instead of hate
him; but the word was not spoken, and the time for it was gone.

After that my life was a lonely one. Mr. Murdstone seemed to be very fond
of my mother, and she of him, but also she seemed to stand in great awe of
him, and dared not do what he might not approve. Soon Miss Murdstone came
to live with us. She was a gloomy-looking lady, dark like her brother, and
much like him in character. She assumed the care of the house, and mother
had nothing more to do with it. Meanwhile, I learnt lessons at home.

Shall I ever forget those lessons! They were presided over nominally by my
mother, but really by Mr. Murdstone and his sister, who were always
present, and the very sight of the Murdstones had such an effect upon me,
that every word I had tried to learn would glide away, and go I know not
where. I was treated to so much systematic cruelty that after six months,
I became sullen, dull, and dogged, and this feeling was not lessened by
the fact that I was more and more shut out from my mother. I believe I
should have been almost stupified but for the small collection of books
which had belonged to my own father, and to which I had access. From that
blessed little room, came forth "Roderick Random," "Peregrine Pickle,"
"Tom Jones," "The Vicar of Wakefield," "Robinson Crusoe," "Gil Blas," and
"Don Quixote,"--a glorious company to sustain me. They kept alive my
fancy, and my hope of something beyond that place and time--they, and the
"Arabian Nights" and "Tales of the Genii,"--and were my only comfort.

One morning, when I went into the parlour with my books, I found Mr.
Murdstone poising a cane in the air, which he had obtained, it seemed, for
the purpose of flogging me for any mistake I might make. My apprehension
was so great, that the words of my lessons slipped off by the entire
page,--I made mistake after mistake, failure upon failure,--and presently
Mr. Murdstone rose, taking up the cane, and telling me to follow him. As
he took me out at the door, my mother ran towards us. Miss Murdstone said,
"Clara! are you a perfect fool?" and interfered. I saw my mother stop her
ears then, and I heard her crying.

Mr. Murdstone walked me up to my room, and when we got there suddenly
twisted my head under his arm.

"Mr. Murdstone! Sir!" I cried, "Don't. Pray don't beat me! I have tried to
learn, sir, but I can't learn while you and Miss Murdstone are by. I can't
indeed!"

"Can't you, indeed, David?" he said. "We'll try that." He had my head as
in a vise, but I twined round him somehow, and stopped him for a moment,
entreating him again not to beat me. It was only for a moment though, for
he cut me heavily an instant afterwards, and in the same instant I caught
the hand with which he held me in my mouth and bit it through. It sets my
teeth on edge to think of it.

He beat me then, as if he would have beaten me to death. Above all the
noise we made, I heard them running up the stairs and crying out--my
mother and Peggotty. Then he was gone; and the door was locked outside;
and I was lying, fevered and hot, and torn, and sore, and raging in my
puny way, upon the floor.

How well I recollect, when I became quiet, what an unnatural stillness
seemed to reign through the house! When my passion began to cool, how
wicked I began to feel! My stripes were sore and stiff, and made me cry
afresh when I moved, but they were nothing to the guilt I felt. It lay
like lead upon my breast. For five days I was imprisoned, and of the
length of those days I can convey no idea to any one. They occupy the
place of years in my remembrance. On the fifth night Peggotty came to my
door and whispered my name through the keyhole.

"What is going to be done with me, Peggotty dear?" I asked.

"School. Near London," was Peggotty's answer.

"When, Peggotty?"

"To-morrow."

"Is that the reason why Miss Murdstone took the clothes out of my
drawers?"

"Yes," said Peggotty. "Box."

"Shan't I see mama?"

"Yes," said Peggotty. "Morning."

Then followed some assurances of affection, which Peggotty sobbed through
the keyhole, and from that night I had an affection for her greater than
for any one, except my mother.

In the morning Miss Murdstone appeared and told me what I already knew,
and said that I was to come down into the parlour, and have my breakfast.
My mother was there, very pale, and with red eyes, into whose arms I ran,
and begged her pardon from my suffering soul.

"Oh, Davy," she said. "That you could hurt any one I love! Try to be
better, pray to be better! I forgive you, but I am so grieved, Davy, that
you should have such bad passions in your heart!"

They had persuaded her that I was a wicked fellow, and she was more sorry
for that, than for my going away. I felt it sorely. I tried to eat, but
tears dropped upon my bread-and-butter, and trickled into my tea, and I
could not swallow.

Presently the carrier was at the door, my box was in the cart, and before
I could realise it, my mother was holding me in a farewell embrace, and
then I got into the cart, and the lazy horse started off.

About half a mile away from home the carrier stopped, and Peggotty burst
from a hedge and climbed into the cart. She squeezed me until I could
scarcely speak, and crammed some bags of cakes into my pockets, and a
purse into my hand, but not a word did she speak. Then with a final hug,
she climbed down and ran away again, and we started on once more.

Having by this time cried as much as I possibly could, I began to think it
was of no use crying any more. The carrier agreed with me, and proposed
that my pocket handkerchief should be spread upon the horse's back to dry,
to which I assented, and then turned my attention to the purse. It had
three bright shillings in it, which Peggotty had evidently polished up
with whitening,--but more precious yet,--were two half-crowns in a bit of
paper on which my mother had written, "For Davy. With my love."

I was so overcome by this that I asked the carrier to reach me my pocket
handkerchief again, but he thought I had better do without it, so I wiped
my eyes on my sleeve and stopped myself--and on we jogged.

At Yarmouth we drove to the inn-yard, where I dismounted, and was given
dinner, after which I mounted the coach for London, and at three o'clock
we started off on a trip which was not unpleasant to me, with its many
novel sights and experiences. In London, at an inn in Whitechapel, I was
met by a Mr. Mell, one of the teachers at Salem House, the school to which
I was going. We journeyed on together, and by the next day were at Salem
House, which was a square brick building with wings, enclosed with a high
brick wall. I was astonished at the perfect quiet there, until Mr. Mell
told me that the boys were at their homes on account of it being
holiday-time, and that even the proprietor was away. And he added that I
was sent in vacation as a punishment for my misdoing.

I can see the schoolroom now, into which he took me, with its long rows of
desks and forms, and bristling all round with pegs for hats and slates.
Scraps of old copy-books and exercises littered the dirty floor, ink had
been splashed everywhere, and the air of the place was indescribably
dreary. My companion left me there alone for a while, and as I roamed
round, I came upon a pasteboard placard, beautifully written, lying on a
desk, bearing these words, "_Take care of him. He bites_."

I got upon the desk immediately, apprehensive of at least a great dog
underneath, but I could see nothing of him. I was still peering about,
when Mr. Mell came back, and asked what I did up there.

"I beg your pardon, sir," said I, "I'm looking for the dog."

"Dog," said he, "What dog?"

"The one that's to be taken care of, sir; that bites."

"Copperfield," said he, gravely, "that's not a dog. That's a boy. My
instructions are, Copperfield, to put this placard on your back. I am
sorry to make such a beginning with you, but I must do it."

With that he took me down, and tied the placard on my shoulders, and
wherever I went afterwards I carried it. What I suffered from that
placard, nobody can imagine. I always fancied that somebody was reading
it, and I began to have a dread of myself, as a kind of wild boy who _did_
bite. Above and beyond all, I dreaded the coming back of the boys and what
they might think of me, and my days and nights were filled with gloomy
forebodings. In a month Mr. Creakle, the proprietor of Salem House
arrived. He was stout, with a bald head, a fiery face, small, deep-set
eyes, thick veins in his forehead, a little nose, and a large chin. His
face always looked angry, but what impressed me most about him was that he
spoke always in a whisper. He inquired at once about my behaviour, and
seemed disappointed to find that there was nothing against me so far. He
then told me that he knew my stepfather as a man of strong character, and
that he should carry out his wishes concerning me. He pinched my ear with
ferocious playfulness, and I was very much frightened by his manner and
words; but before I was ordered away, I ventured to ask if the placard
might not be removed. Whether Mr. Creakle was in earnest, or only meant to
frighten me, I don't know, but he made a burst out of his chair, before
which I precipitately retreated, and never once stopped until I reached my
own bedroom, where, finding I was not pursued, I went to bed, and lay
quaking for a couple of hours.

The next day the other masters and the scholars began to arrive. Jolly
Tommy Traddles was the first boy back, and it was a happy circumstance for
me. He enjoyed my placard so much that he saved me from the embarrassment
of either disclosure or concealment, by presenting me to the other boys in
this way; "Look here! Here's a game!" Happily, too, most of the boys came
back low-spirited, and were not as boisterous at my expense as I expected.
Some of them did dance about me like wild Indians and pretended I was a
dog, patting me and saying, "Lie down, sir!" and calling me Towzer, which
of course was trying, but, on the whole, much better than I had
anticipated.

I was not considered as formally received into the school until I had met
J. Steerforth. He was one of the older scholars, reputed to be brilliant
and clever, and quite the lion of the school. He inquired, under a shed in
the playground, into the particulars of my punishment, and said it was "a
jolly shame," which opinion bound me to him ever afterwards. Then he asked
me what money I had, and when I answered seven shillings, he suggested
that I spend a couple of shillings or so in a bottle of currant wine, and
a couple or so in almond cakes, and another in fruit, and another in
biscuit, for a little celebration that night in our bedroom, in honour of
my arrival, and of course I said I should be glad to do so. I was a little
uneasy about wasting my mother's half-crowns, but I did not dare to say
so, and Steerforth procured the feast and laid it out on my bed, saying,
"There you are, young Copperfield, and a royal spread you've got."

I couldn't think of doing the honours of the feast, and begged him to
preside. So he sat upon my pillow, handing round the viands, and
dispensing the wine. As to me, I sat next to him, and the rest grouped
about us on the nearest beds and on the floor; and there we sat in the dim
moonlight, talking in whispers, while I heard all the school gossip, about
Mr. Creakle and his cruelty, and about the other masters, and that the
only boy on whom Mr. Creakle never dared to lay a hand was Steerforth. All
this and much more I heard before we at last betook ourselves to bed.

The next day school began in earnest, and so far as the boys were
concerned, Steerforth continued his protection of me, and was always a
very firm and useful friend, as no one dared annoy any one whom he liked.

One night he discovered that my head was filled with stories of my
favourite heroes, which I could relate with some measure of graphic
talent, and after that I was obliged to reel off stories by the yard,
making myself into a regular Sultana Scheherezade for his benefit. I was
much flattered by his interest in my tales, and the only drawback to
telling them was that I was often very sleepy at night, and it was
sometimes very hard work to be roused and forced into a long recital
before the rising bell rang, but Steerforth was resolute, and as in return
he explained sums and exercises to me, I was no loser by the transaction.
Also, I honestly admired and loved the handsome fellow, and desired to
please him.

And so from week to week the story-telling in the dark went on, and
whatever I had within me that was romantic or dreamy was encouraged by it.
By degrees the other boys joined the circle of listeners. Traddles was
always overcome with mirth at the comic parts of the stories. He used to
pretend that he couldn't keep his teeth from chattering when an Alguazil
was mentioned in connection with the adventures of Gil Blas, and I
remember when Gil Blas met the captain of the robbers in Madrid, Traddles
counterfeited such an ague of terror, that Mr. Creakle who was prowling
about the passage, overheard him, and flogged him for disorderly conduct.

There was little of especial moment in my first half-term at Salem House,
except the quarrel which took place between Steerforth and Mr. Mell; and
an unexpected visit from Ham and Mr. Peggotty when I had the delight of
introducing those rollicking fellows to Steerforth, whose bright, easy
manner charmed them, as it did most persons.

The rest of the half-year is a jumble in my recollection; and then came
the holidays, which were spent at home. I found my mother as tender as of
old. She hugged me and kissed me, and on that first blessed night, as Mr.
and Miss Murdstone were away on a visit, mother and Peggotty and I dined
together by the fireside in the old fashion. My mother spoke of herself as
a weak, ignorant young thing whom the Murdstones were endeavouring to make
as strong in character as themselves. Then we talked about Salem House and
my experiences and friends there, and were very happy. That evening as the
last of its race will never pass out of my memory. I was at home for a
month, but after that first night I felt in the way, for the Murdstones
were always with my mother. On the evening after my return I made a very
humble apology to Mr. Murdstone, which he received with cold dignity. I
tried to spend my evenings in the kitchen with Peggotty, but of this Mr.
Murdstone did not approve, so I sat wearily in the parlour, waiting for
the hours to wear themselves away. What walks I took alone! What meals I
had in silence and embarrassment! What dull evenings, poring over tables
of weights and measures, and what yawns and dozes I lapsed into in spite
of all my care! Thus the holidays lagged away, until the morning came when
Miss Murdstone gave me the closing cup of tea of the vacation. I was not
sorry to go. I had lapsed into a stupid state; but I was recovering a
little and looking foward to Steerforth. I kissed my mother, and had
climbed into the carrier's cart when I heard her calling me. I looked
back, and she stood at the garden-gate, looking intently at me.

So I lost her. So I saw her afterwards, in my sleep at school,--a silent
presence near my bed--looking at me with the same intent face,--and the
vision is still a constant blessing to me.

From then I pass over all that happened at Salem House until my birthday
in March. On the morning of that day I was summoned into Mr. Creakle's
august presence. Mrs. Creakle was in the room too, and somehow they broke
it to me that my mother was very ill. I knew all now!

"She is dead," they said.

There was no need to tell me so. I had already broken out into a desolate
cry, and felt an orphan in the wide world. If ever child were stricken
with sincere grief, I was. But I remember even so, that my sorrow was a
kind of satisfaction to me, when I walked in the playground, while the
boys were in school, and saw them glancing at me out of the windows, and
because of my grief I felt distinguished, and of vast importance. We had
no story-telling that night, and Traddles insisted on lending me his
pillow as a guarantee of his sympathy, which I understood and accepted.

I left Salem House upon noon the next day, stopping in Yarmouth to be
measured for my suit of black. Then all too soon I was at home again, only
it was home no longer, for my mother was not there. Mr. Murdstone, who was
weeping, took no notice of me. Miss Murdstone gave me her cold fingers,
and asked if I had been measured for my mourning, and if I had brought
home my shirts. There was no sign that they thought of my suffering,
and--alone--except for dear faithful Peggotty, I remained there,
motherless, and worse than fatherless, still stunned and giddy with the
shock. As soon as the funeral was over, Peggotty obtained permission to
take me home with her for a visit, and I was thankful for the change, even
though I knew that Peggotty was leaving the Rookery forever.

We found the old boat the same pleasant place as ever, only little Em'ly
and I seldom wandered on the beach now. She had tasks to learn, and
needlework to do. During the visit I had a great surprise, which was no
less than Peggotty's marriage to the carrier who had taken me on so many
trips, and whose affections it seemed, had long been fastened upon
Peggotty. He took her to a nice little home, and there she showed me a
room which she said would be mine whenever I chose to occupy it. I felt
the constancy of my dear old nurse, and thanked her as well as I could,
but the next day I was obliged to go back to the Murdstones. Peggotty made
the journey with me, and no words can express my forlorn and desolate
feelings when the cart took her away again, and I was left alone in the
place where I used to be so happy.

And now I fell into a state of neglect, apart from other boys of my own
age, and apart from all friendly faces. What would I not have given to
have been sent to school! I think Mr. Murdstone's means were straightened
at that time, and there was no mention of Salem House or of any other
school. I was not beaten or starved, only coldly neglected. Peggotty I was
seldom allowed to visit, but once a week she either came to see me or met
me somewhere, and that, and the dear old books were my only comfort.

One day Mr. Quinion, a visitor at the house, took pains to ask me some
questions about myself, and afterwards Mr. Murdstone called me to him, and
said:

"I suppose you know, David, that I am not rich. You have received some
considerable education already. Education is costly; and even if I could
afford it, I am of opinion that it would not be at all advantageous to you
to be kept at a school. There is before you a fight with the world; and
the sooner you begin it the better. You may have heard of the counting
house of Murdstone and Grinby, in the wine trade? Mr. Quinion manages the
business, and he suggests thit it gives employment to some other boys, and
that he sees no reason why it shouldn't give employment to you. You will
earn enough to provide for your eating, and drinking, and pocket money.
Your lodging will be paid by me. So will your washing. Your clothes will
be looked after for you, too," said Mr. Murdstone, "as you will not be
able, yet awhile, to get them for yourself. So you are now going to
London, David, to begin the world on your own account."

Behold me, on the morrow, in a much-worn little white hat, with a crape
band round it, a black jacket, and stiff corduroy trousers! Behold me so
attired, and with my little worldly all in a small trunk, sitting, a lone,
lorn child, in the post-chaise, journeying to London with Mr. Quinion!
Behold me at ten years old, a little labouring hind in Murdstone and
Grinby's warehouse on the waterside at Blackfriars! It was a crazy old
house with a wharf of its own, but rotting with dirt and age. Their trade
was among many kinds of people, chiefly supplying wines and spirits to
certain packet ships. My work was pasting labels on full bottles, or
fitting corks to them, or sealing the corks, and the work was not half so
distasteful as were my companions, far below me in birth and education.
The oldest of the regular boys was named Mick Walker, and another boy in
my department, on account of his complexion, was called Mealy Potatoes. No
words can express the secret agony of my soul as I sunk into this
companionship, and thought sadly of Traddles, Steerforth, and those other
boys, whom I felt sure would grow up to be great men.

I lodged with a Mr. Micawber who lived in Windsor Terrace. My pay at the
warehouse was six shillings a week. I provided my own breakfast and kept
bread and cheese to eat at night. Also, child that I was,--sometimes I
could not resist pastry cakes and puddings in the shop windows, all of
which made a large hole in my six shillings. From Monday to Saturday I had
no advice, no encouragement or help of any kind. I worked with common men
and boys, a shabby child. I lounged about the streets, insufficiently and
unsatisfactorily fed. But for the mercy of God, I might easily have been,
for any care that was taken of me, a little robber or a little vagabond.
Yet they were kind to me at the warehouse and that I suffered and was
miserably unhappy, no one noticed. I concealed the fact even from Peggotty
(partly for love of her, and partly for shame).

I did my work not unskilfully, and though perfectly familiar with my
companions, my conduct and manner placed a space between us and I was
usually spoken of as the "little Gent." In my desolate condition, I became
really attached to the Micawbers, and when they experienced reverses of
fortune, and Mr. Micawber was carried off to the Debtors' Prison, I did
all that I could for them, and remained with Mrs. Micawber in lodgings
near the prison. But I plainly saw that a parting was near at hand, as it
was the Micawbers' intention to leave London as soon as Mr. Micawber could
free himself. So keen was my dread of lodging with new people, added to
the misery of my daily life at the warehouse, that I could not endure the
thought, and finally I made a resolution. I would run away!

Many times in the old days, my mother had told me the story of my one
relative, Aunt Betsey, who had been present at the time of my birth,
confident in her hopes of a niece who should be named for her, Betsey
Trotwood, and for whom she proposed to provide liberally. When I, David
Copperfield, came in place of the longed-for niece, Aunt Betsey shook the
dust of the place off her feet, and my mother never saw her afterwards. My
idea now was to find Aunt Betsey. Not knowing where she lived, I wrote a
long letter to Peggotty, and asked in it incidentally if she knew the
address, and also if she could lend me half a guinea for a short time. She
answered promptly and enclosed the half guinea, saying that Miss Betsey
lived just outside of Dover, which place I at once resolved to set out
for. However, I considered myself bound to remain at the warehouse until
Saturday night; and as when I first came there I had been paid for a week
in advance, not to present myself as usual to receive my wages. For this
reason I had borrowed the half guinea, that I might have a fund for my
travelling expenses.

Accordingly, when Saturday night came, I shook Mick Walker's hand, bade
good-night to Mealy Potatoes--and ran away.

My box was at my old lodging, and I had a card ready for it, addressed to
"Master David, to be left till called for at the Coach Office, Dover."

I found a young man with a donkey-cart whom I engaged for sixpence, to
remove my box, and in pulling the card for it out of my pocket, I tumbled
my half guinea out too. I put it in my mouth for safety, and had just tied
the card on, when I felt myself violently chucked under the chin by the
young man, and saw my half guinea fly out of my mouth into his hand.

"You give me my money back, if you please," said I, very much frightened.
"And leave me alone!"

"Come to the pollis," said he; "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!"

Then suddenly changed his mind, jumped into the cart, sat upon my box, and
exclaiming that he would drive to the pollis straight, rattled away.

I ran after him as fast as I could, narrowly escaping being run over some
twenty times in a mile, until I had no breath left to call out with. Now I
lost him, now I saw him, but at length, confused and exhausted, I left him
to go where he would with my box and money, and, panting and crying, but
never stopping, I faced about for Greenwich, and had some wild idea of
running straight to Dover. However, my scattered senses were soon
collected and I sat down on a doorstep, quite spent. Fortunately, it was a
fine summer night, and when I had recovered my breath, I went on again.
But I had only three-halfpence in the world, and as I trudged on, I
pictured to myself how I should be found dead in a day or two, under some
hedge. Passing a little pawnshop, I left my waistcoat, and went on, richer
by ninepence, and I foresaw that my jacket would go next, in fact that I
should be lucky if I got to Dover in a shirt and a pair of trousers.

It had occurred to me to go on as fast as I could towards Salem House, and
spend the night behind the wall at the back of my old school, where there
used to be a haystack. I imagined it would be a kind of company to have
the boys and the bedroom where I used to tell the stories, so near me. I
had a hard day's walk, and with great trouble found Salem House, and the
haystack, and lay down outside the dark and silent house. Never shall I
forget the lonely sensation of first lying down, without a roof above my
head! But at last I slept, and dreamed of old school-days, until the warm
beams of the sun, and the rising bell at Salem House awoke me. As none of
my old companions could still be there, I had no wish to linger, so I
crept away from the wall and struck out into the dusty Dover road.

That day I got through three and twenty miles, and at night I passed over
the bridge at Rochester, footsore and tired, eating bread as I walked.
There were plenty of signs, "Lodgings for Travellers," but I sought no
shelter, fearing to spend the few pence I had. Very stiff and sore of foot
I was in the morning, and I felt that I could go only a short distance
that day. I took off my jacket, and went into a shop, where I exchanged it
finally for one and fourpence. For threepence I refreshed myself
completely, and limped seven miles further. I slept under another
haystack, after washing my blistered feet in a stream, and went on in
rather better spirits, coming at last to the bare wide downs near Dover. I
then began to inquire of everyone I met, about my aunt, but no one knew
her, and finally, when the morning was far spent, in despair I went into a
little shop to ask once more. I spoke to the clerk, but a young woman on
whom he was waiting, took the inquiry to herself.

"My mistress?" she said. "What do you want with her, boy?"

On my replying that I wished to see Miss Trotwood, the young woman told me
to follow her. I needed no second permission, though by this time my legs
shook under me. Soon we came to a neat little cottage with cheerful
bow-windows, in front of it a gravelled court, full of flowers.

"This is Miss Trotwood's," said the young woman, and then she hurried in,
and left me standing at the gate. My shoes were by this time in a woeful
condition, my hat was crushed and bent, my shirt and trousers stained and
torn, my hair had known no comb or brush since I left London, my face,
neck, and hands, from unaccustomed exposure, were burnt to a berry-brown.
From head to foot I was powdered with dust. In this plight I waited to
introduce myself to my formidable aunt.

As I waited, there came out of the house a lady with a handkerchief tied
over her cap, a pair of gardening gloves on her hands, and carrying a
great knife. I knew her immediately, for she stalked out of the house
exactly as my mother had so often described her stalking up our garden at
home.

"Go away!" said Miss Betsey, shaking her head, and waving her knife. "Go
along! No boys here!"

I watched her, with my heart at my lips, as she stopped to dig up a root.
Then I went up and touched her.

"If you please, ma'am," I began.

She started, and looked up.

"If you please, aunt."

"Eh?" exclaimed Miss Betsey, in a tone of amazement I have never heard
approached.

"If you please, aunt, I am your nephew."

"Oh, Lord!" said my aunt. And sat down flat in the garden-path.

"I am David Copperfield, of Blunderstone, in Suffolk--where you came, on
the night when I was born, and saw my dear mama. I have been very unhappy
since she died. I have been slighted and taught nothing, and thrown upon
myself, and put to work not fit for me. It made me run away to you. I was
robbed at first setting out, and have walked all the way, and have never
slept in a bed since I began the journey." Here my self-support gave way
all at once, and I broke into a passion of crying.

My aunt sat on the gravel, staring at me, until I began to cry, when she
got up in a great hurry, collared me, and took me into the parlour. Her
first proceeding there was to unlock a tall press, bring out several
bottles, and pour some of the contents of each into my mouth. I think they
must have been taken out at random, for I am sure I tasted aniseed water,
anchovy sauce, and salad dressing. Then she put me on a sofa with a shawl
under my head, and a handkerchief under my feet, lest I should soil the
cover, and then, sitting down so I could not see her face, she ejaculated
"Mercy on us!" at regular intervals.

After a time she rang a bell, and a grey-headed, florid old gentleman,
called Mr. Dick, who had the appearance of a grown-up boy, and who lived
with my aunt, appeared. When my aunt asked his opinion about what to do
with me, his advice was to wash me.

This Janet, the maid, was preparing to do, when suddenly my aunt became,
in one moment, rigid with indignation, and cried out, "Janet! Donkeys!"

Upon which, Janet came running as if the house were in flames, and darted
out on a little piece of green in front, to warn off two donkeys, lady
ridden, while my aunt seized the bridle of a third animal, laden with a
child, led him from the sacred spot, and boxed the ears of the unlucky
urchin in attendance.

To this hour I do not know whether my aunt had any lawful right of way
over that patch of green, but she had settled it in her own mind that she
had, and it was all the same to her. The passage of a donkey over that
spot was the one great outrage of her life. In whatever occupation or
conversation she was engaged, a donkey turned the current of her ideas,
and she was upon him straight. Jugs of water were kept in secret places
ready to be discharged on the offenders, sticks were laid in ambush behind
the doors; sallies were made at all hours, and incessant war prevailed,
which was perhaps an agreeable excitement to the donkey boys.

The bath was a great comfort, for I began to feel acute pains in my limbs,
and was so tired that I could scarcely keep awake for five minutes
together. Enrobed in clothes belonging to Mr. Dick, and tied up in great
shawls, I fell asleep, on the sofa, and only awoke in time to dine off a
roast fowl and pudding, while my aunt asked me a number of questions, and
spoke of my mother and Peggotty, and in the afternoon we talked again and
there was another alarm of Donkeys.

After tea we sat at the window until dusk, and shortly afterwards I was
escorted up to a pleasant room at the top of the house. When I had said my
prayers, and the candle had burnt out, I lay there yielding to a sensation
of profound gratitude and rest, nestling in the snow white sheets, and I
prayed that I might never be houseless any more, and might never forget
the houseless.

At breakfast the following day, I found myself the object of my aunt's
most rigid scrutiny.

"Hallo!" she said, after a time to attract my attention, and when I looked
up she told me that she had written Mr. Murdstone in regard to me, under
which information I became heavy of heart, for I felt that some efforts
would be made to force me to return to the warehouse, while the more I saw
of my aunt, the more sure I felt that she was the one with whom I wished
to stay; that with all her eccentricities and humours, she was one to be
honoured and trusted in.

On the second day after my arrival, my Aunt gave a sudden alarm of
donkeys, and to my consternation I beheld Miss Murdstone ride over the
sacred piece of green, and stop in front of the house.

"Go along with you!" cried my aunt, shaking her head and her fist at the
window. "You have no business there. How dare you trespass? Oh! you
bold-faced thing!"

I hurriedly told her who the offender was, and that Mr. Murdstone was
behind her, but Aunt Betsey was frantic, and cried, "I don't care who it
is--I won't allow it! Go away! Janet, lead him off!" and from behind my
aunt, I saw the donkey pulled round by the bridle, while Mr. Murdstone
tried to lead him on, and Miss Murdstone struck at Janet with a parasol,
and several boys shouted vigorously. But my aunt suddenly discovering the
donkey's guardian to be one of the most inveterate offenders against her,
rushed out and pounced upon him, while the Murdstones waited until she
should be at leisure to receive them. She marched past them into the
house, a little ruffled by the combat, and took no notice of them until
they were announced by Janet.

"Shall I go away, aunt?" I asked trembling.

"No, sir," said she. "Certainly not!" With which she pushed me into a
corner, and fenced me in with a chair, as if it were a prison, and there I
stayed. There were several sharp passages at arms between my aunt and the
Murdstones, when my past, and my mother's life came up for discussion.
Finally Mr. Murdstone said:

"I am here to take David back, Miss Trotwood; to dispose of him as I think
proper, and to deal with him as I think right. I am not here to make any
promise to anybody. You may possibly have some idea, Miss Trotwood, of
abetting him in his running away, and in his complaints to you. Now, I
must caution you, that if you abet him once, you abet him for good and
all. I cannot trifle, or be trifled with. I am here, for the first and
last time, to take him away. Is he ready to go? If you tell me he is not,
it is indifferent to me on what pretence,--my doors are shut against him
henceforth, and yours, I take it for granted are open to him."

My aunt had listened with the closest attention, her hands folded on her
knee, and looking grimly at the speaker. When he had finished, she turned
to Miss Murdstone, and said:

"Well, ma'am, have _you_ got anything to remark?"

As she had not, my aunt turned to me.

"And what does the boy say?" she said. "Are you ready to go, David?"

I answered no, and entreated her not to let me go. I begged and prayed my
aunt to befriend and protect me, for my father's sake.

My aunt consulted for a moment with Mr. Dick, and then she pulled me
towards her, and said to Mr. Murdstone:

"You can go when you like; I'll take my chance with the boy. If he's all
you say he is, at least I can do as much for him then, as you have done.
But I don't believe a word of it."

There were some additional words on both sides, and then the Murdstones
stood ready to leave.

"Good day, sir," said my aunt "and good-bye! Good day to you too,
ma'am,"--turning suddenly upon his sister. "Let me see you ride a donkey
over my green again, and as sure as you have a head upon your shoulders,
I'll knock your bonnet off, and tread upon it!"

The manner and matter of this speech were so fiery, that Miss Murdstone
without a word in answer, discreetly put her arm through her brother's,
and walked hastily out of the cottage, my aunt remaining at the window,
prepared in case of the donkey's re-appearance, to carry her threat into
execution. No attempt at defiance being made, however, her face gradually
relaxed, and became so pleasant, that I was emboldened to kiss and thank
her; which I did with great heartiness. She then told me that she wished
my name to be changed to Trotwood Copperfield, and this notion so pleased
her, that some ready-made clothes purchased for me that very day, were
marked "Trotwood Copperfield," in indelible ink before I put them on, and
it was settled that all my clothes thereafter should be marked in the same
way.

Thus I began my new life in a new name, and with everything new about me.
For many days I felt that it was all a dream, and then the truth came over
me in waves of joy that it was no dream, but blessed, blessed reality!

Aunt Betsey soon sent me to Doctor Strong's excellent school at
Canterbury. It was decorously ordered on a sound system, with an appeal in
everything to the honour and good faith of the boys. We all felt that we
had a part in the management of the place, and learnt with a good will,
desiring to do it credit. We had noble games out of hours, and plenty of
liberty, and the whole plan of the school was as superior to that of Salem
House as can be imagined. I soon became warmly attached to the place, the
teachers, and the boys, and in a little while the Murdstone and Grinsby
life became so strange that I hardly believed in it. Of course I wrote to
Peggotty, relating my experiences, and how my aunt had taken me under her
care, and returning the half guinea I had borrowed, and Peggotty answered
promptly, but although she expressed herself as glad in my gladness, I
could see that she did not take quite kindly to my Aunt as yet.

The days glide swiftly on. I am higher in the school,--I am growing great
in Latin verse, think dancing school a tiresome affair, and neglect the
laces of my boots. Doctor Strong refers to me publicly as a promising
young scholar, at which my aunt remits me a guinea by the next post.

The shade of a young butcher crosses my path. He is the terror of Doctor
Strong's young gentlemen, whom he publicly disparages. He names
individuals (myself included) whom he could undertake to settle with one
hand, and the other tied behind him. He waylays the smaller boys to punch
their unprotected heads, and calls challenges after me in the streets. For
these reasons, I resolve to fight the butcher.

We meet by appointment with a select audience. Soon, I don't know where
the wall is, or where I am, or where anybody is, but after a bloody tangle
and tussle in the trodden grass, feeling very queer about the head, I
awake, and augur justly that the victory is not mine. I am taken home in a
sad plight, to have beef-steaks put to my eyes, and am rubbed with vinegar
and brandy, and find a great white puffy place on my upper lip, and for
several days I remain in the house with a green shade over my eyes, and
yet feeling that I did right to fight the butcher.

I change more and more, and now I am the head boy. I wear a gold watch and
chain, a ring upon my little finger, and a long-tailed coat. I am
seventeen, and am smitten with a violent passion for the eldest Miss
Larkins, who is about thirty. She amuses herself with me as with a new
toy, wears my ring for a season, and then announces her engagement to a
Mr. Chestle. I am terribly dejected for a week or two, then I rally,
become a boy once more, fight the butcher again, gloriously defeat him,
and feel better,--and soon my school days draw to a close.

My aunt and I had many grave deliberations on the calling to which I
should devote myself, but could come to no conclusion, as I had no
particular liking that I could discover, for any profession. So my aunt
proposed that while I was thinking the matter over, I take a little trip,
a breathing spell, as it were.

"What I want you to be, Trot," said my aunt,--"I don't mean physically,
but morally; you are very well physically--is, a firm fellow, a fine, firm
fellow, with a will of your own, with determination. With character, Trot,
with strength of character that is not to be influenced, except on good
reason, by anybody, or by anything. That's what I want you to be."

I intimated that I hoped I should be what she described, and she added
that it was best for me to go on my trip alone, to learn to rely upon
myself.

So I was fitted out with a handsome purse of money, and tenderly dismissed
upon my expedition, promising to write three times a week, and to be back
in a month's time.

I went first to say farewell to Doctor Strong, and then took my seat on
the box of the London coach. It was interesting to be sitting up there,
behind four horses; well educated, well dressed, with plenty of money, and
to look out for the places where I had slept on my weary journey. I
stretched my neck eagerly, looking for old landmarks, and when we passed
Salem House I fairly tingled with emotion. At Charing Cross I stopped at
the Golden Cross, and as soon as I had taken a room, ordered my dinner,
trying to appear as old and dignified as possible. In the evening I went
to the Covent Garden Theatre, and saw Julius Caesar and a pantomime. It
was new to me, and the mingled reality and mystery of the whole show,
lights, music, company, and glittering scenery, were so dazzling that when
I went out at midnight into the rain, I felt as if I had been for a time
an inmate of another world, and was so excited that instead of going to my
room in the hotel I ordered some porter and oysters, and sat revolving the
glorious visions in my mind until past one o'clock. Presently, I began to
watch a young man near me whose face was very familiar. Finally, I rose,
and with a fast-beating heart said,

"Steerforth, won't you speak to me?"

He quickly glanced up, but there was no recognition in his face.

"My God," he suddenly exclaimed, "It's little Copperfield!"

Then ensued a violent shaking of hands, and a volley of questions on both
sides. He was studying at Oxford, but was on his way to visit his mother,
who lived just out of London. He was as handsome, and fascinating, and
gay, as ever, in fact quite bewilderingly so to me; and all those things
which I enjoyed, he pronounced dreadful bores, quite like a man of the
world. However, we got on famously, and when he invited me to go with him
to his home at Highgate, I accepted with pleasure, and spent a delightful
week there in the genteel, old-fashioned, quiet home. At the end of the
week, Steerforth decided to go with me to Yarmouth, so we travelled on
together to the inn there, and took rooms.

As early as possible the next day, I visited Peggotty. She did not
recognise me after our seven years' separation, but when at last it dawned
on her who I was, she cried, "My darling boy!" and we both burst into
tears, and were locked in one another's arms as though I were a child
again.

That evening Steerforth and I went to see Mr. Peggotty and my other
friends in the boat, and we were so warmly received that it was nearly
midnight when we took our leave. We stayed in Yarmouth for more than a
fortnight, and I made many pilgrimages to the dear haunts of my childhood,
particularly to that place where my mother and father lay, and mingled
with my sad thoughts were brighter ones, about my future--and of how in it
I was to become a man of whom they might have been proud.

At the end of the fortnight came a letter from Aunt Betsey, saying that
she had taken lodgings for a week in London, and that if I would join her,
we could discuss her latest plan for me, which was that I become a proctor
in Doctors' Commons.

I mentioned the plan to Steerforth, and he advised me to take kindly to
it, and by the time that I reached London I had made up my mind to do so.
My aunt was greatly pleased when I told her this, whereupon I proceeded to
add that my only objection to the plan lay in the great expense it would
be to article me,--a thousand pounds at least. I spoke of her past
liberality to me, and asked her whether I had not better choose some work
which required less expensive preliminaries.

For a time my aunt was deep in thought. Then she replied:

"Trot, my child, if I have any object in life, it is to provide for your
being a good, sensible, and happy man. I am bent upon it. It's in vain,
Trot, to recall the past, unless it has some influence upon the present.
Perhaps I might have been better friends with your father and mother. When
you came to me, a little runaway boy, perhaps I thought so. From that time
until now, Trot, you have ever been a credit to me, and a pride and
pleasure. I have no other claim upon my means,--and you are my adopted
child. Only be a loving child to me in my old age, and bear with my whims
and fancies, and you will do more for an old woman whose prime of life was
not so happy as it might have been, than ever that old woman did for you."

It was the first time I had heard my aunt refer to her past history. Her
quiet way of doing it would have exalted her in my respect and affection,
if anything could.

"All is agreed and understood between us now, Trot," she said, "and we
need talk of this no more. Give me a kiss, and we'll go to the Commons in
the morning."

And accordingly at noon the next day we made our way to Doctors' Commons,
interviewed Mr. Spenlow, of the firm of Spenlow and Jorkins, and I was
accepted on a month's probation as an articled clerk. Mr. Spenlow then
conducted me through the Court, that I might see what sort of a place it
was. Then my aunt and I set off in search of lodgings for me, and before
night I was the proud and happy owner of the key to a little set of
chambers in the Adelphi, conveniently situated near the Court, and to my
taste in all ways. Seeing how enraptured I was with them, my aunt took
them for a month, with the privilege of a year, made arrangements with the
landlady about meals and linen, and I was to take possession in two days;
during which time I saw Aunt Betsey safely started on her homeward journey
towards Dover, dreading to leave me, but exulting in the coming
discomfiture of the vagrant donkeys.

It was a wonderfully fine thing to have that lofty castle to myself, and
when I had taken possession and shut my outer door, I felt like Robinson
Crusoe, when he had got within his fortification, and pulled his ladder up
after him. I felt rich, powerful, old, and important, and when I walked
out about town, with the keys of my house in my pocket, and able to ask
any fellow to come home with me, without giving anybody any inconvenience,
I became a quite different personage than ever heretofore.

Whatever there was of happiness or of sorrow, of success or of failure, in
my later life, does not belong on these pages. The identity of the child,
and of the boy, David Copperfield is now forever merged in the personality
of--Trotwood Copperfield, Esquire, householder and Man.




KIT NUBBLES


[Illustration: KIT NUBBLES.]

Christopher, or Kit Nubbles, as he was commonly called, was not handsome
in the estimation of anyone except his mother, and mothers are apt to be
partial. He was a shock-headed, shambling, awkward lad, with an uncommonly
wide mouth, very red cheeks, a turned-up nose, and certainly the most
comical expression of face I ever saw.

He was errand-boy at the Old Curiosity Shop, and deeply attached to both
little Nell Trent and her grandfather, his employer. And just here let me
explain that Nell's grandfather led a curious sort of double life; his
days were spent in the shop, but when night fell, he invariably took his
cloak, his hat, and his stick, and kissing the child, passed out, leaving
her alone through the long hours of the night, and Nell had no knowledge
that in those nightly absences he was haunting the gaming table; risking
large sums, and ever watching with feverish anticipation for the time when
he should win a vast fortune to lay by for the child, his pet and darling,
to keep her from want if death should take him away. But of this little
Nell knew nothing, or she would have implored him to give up the wicked
and dangerous pastime.

Nor did she know that it was from Quilp, a strange, rich, little dwarf,
who had many trades and callings, that her grandfather was borrowing the
money which he staked nightly in hopes of winning more, pledging his
little stock as security for the debt.

It was a lonely life that Nell led, with only the old man for companion,
so she had a genuine affection for the awkward errand-boy, Christopher,
who was one of the few bits of comedy in her days, and his devotion to her
verged on worship. One morning Nell's grandfather sent her with a note to
the little dwarf, Quilp; and Kit, who escorted her, while he waited for
her, got into a tussle with Quilp's boy, who asserted that Nell was ugly,
and that she and her grandfather were entirely in Quilp's power.

That was too much for Kit to bear in silence, and he retorted that Quilp
was the ugliest dwarf that could be seen anywheres for a penny.

This enraged Quilp's boy, who sprang upon Kit, and the two were engaged in
a hand-to-hand fight, when Quilp appeared and separated them, asking the
cause of the quarrel, and was told that Kit had called him, "The ugliest
dwarf that could be seen anywheres for a penny." Poor Kit never dreamed
that his unguarded remark was to be treasured up against him in the mind
of the jealous, vindictive, little dwarf, and used to separate him from
his idolised mistress and her grandfather, but it was even so, for there
was a power of revenge, a hatred, in the tiny body of the dwarf, entirely
out of proportion to his size.

Quilp at this time desired to injure the old man and his grandchild, and
soon made several discoveries in a secret way, which, added to what he
found out from little Nell's own artless words about her home life, and
her grandfather's habits, enabled him to put two and two together, and
guess correctly for what purpose the old man borrowed such large sums from
him, and he refused him further loans. More than this, he told the old man
that he (Quilp) held a bill of sale on his stock and property, and that he
and little Nell would be henceforth homeless and penniless.

The old man pleaded, with agony in his face and voice for one more
advance,--one more trial,--but Quilp was firm.

"Who is it?" retorted the old man, desperately, "that, notwithstanding all
my caution, told you? Come, let me know the name,--the person."

The crafty dwarf stopped short in his answer, and said,----

"Now, who do you think?"

"It was Kit. It must have been the boy. He played the spy, and you
tampered with him."

"How came you to think of him?" said the dwarf. "Yes, it was Kit. Poor
Kit!" So saying, he nodded in a friendly manner, and took his leave;
stopping when he passed the outer door a little distance, and grinning
with extraordinary delight.

"Poor Kit!" muttered Quilp. "I think it was Kit who said I was an uglier
dwarf than could be seen anywhere for a penny, wasn't it? Ha, ha, ha! Poor
Kit!"

And with that he went his way, still chuckling as he went.

That evening Kit spent in his own home. The room in which he sat down, was
an extremely poor and homely place, but with that air of comfort about it,
nevertheless, which cleanliness and order can always impart in some
degree. Late as the Dutch clock showed it to be, Kit's mother was still
hard at work at an ironing-table; a young child lay sleeping in a cradle
near the fire; and another, a sturdy boy of two or three years old, very
wide awake, was sitting bolt upright in a clothes-basket, staring over the
rim with his great round eyes. It was rather a queer-looking family; Kit,
his mother, and the children, being all strongly alike.

Kit was disposed to be out of temper, but he looked at the youngest child,
and from him to his other brother in the clothes-basket, and from him to
his mother, who had been at work without complaint since morning, and
thought it would be a better and kinder thing to be good-humoured. So he
rocked the cradle with his foot, made a face at the rebel in the
clothes-basket, which put him in high good-humour directly, and stoutly
determined to be talkative, and make himself agreeable.

"Did you tell me just now, that your master hadn't gone out to-night?"
inquired Mrs. Nubbles.

"Yes," said Kit, "worse luck!"

"You should say better luck, I think," returned his mother, "because Miss
Nelly won't have been left alone."

"Ah!" said Kit, "I forgot that. I said worse luck, because I've been
watching ever since eight o'clock, and seen nothing of her. Hark, what's
that?"

"It's only somebody outside."

"It's somebody crossing over here," said Kit, standing up to listen, "and
coming very fast too. He can't have gone out after I left, and the house
caught fire, mother!"

The boy stood for a moment, really bereft, by the apprehension he had
conjured up, of the power to move. The footsteps drew nearer, the door was
opened with a hasty hand, and the child herself, pale and breathless,
hurried into the room.

"Miss Nelly! What is the matter?" cried mother and son together.

"I must not stay a moment," she returned, "grandfather has been taken very
ill. I found him in a fit upon the floor."

"I'll run for a doctor----" said Kit, seizing his brimless hat. "I'll be
there directly, I'll----"

"No, no," cried Nell, "there is one there, you're not wanted,
you--you--must never come near us any more!"

"What!" roared Kit.

"Never again," said the child. "Don't ask me why, for I don't know. Pray
don't ask me why, pray don't be sorry, pray don't be vexed with me! I have
nothing to do with it indeed!

"He complains of you and raves of you," added the child, "I don't know
what you have done, but I hope it's nothing very bad."

"_I_ done!" roared Kit.

"He cries that you're the cause of all his misery," returned the child,
with tearful eyes. "He screamed and called for you; they say you must not
come near him, or he will die. You must not return to us any more. I came
to tell you. I thought it would be better that I should. Oh, Kit, what
_have_ you done? You, in whom I trusted so much, and who were almost the
only friend I had!"

The unfortunate Kit looked at his young mistress harder and harder, and
with eyes growing wider and wider, but was perfectly motionless and still.

"I have brought his money for the week," said the child, looking to the
woman, and laying it on the table,--"and--and--a little more, for he was
always good and kind to me. I hope he will be sorry and do well somewhere
else and not take this to heart too much. It grieves me very much to part
with him like this, but there is no help. It must be done. Good-night!"

With the tears streaming down her face, and her slight figure trembling
with intense agitation, the child hastened to the door, and disappeared as
rapidly as she had come.

The poor woman, who had no cause to doubt her son, but every reason for
relying on his honesty and truth, was staggered, notwithstanding, by his
not having advanced one word in his own defence.

Visions of gallantry, knavery, robbery, flocked into her brain and
rendered her afraid to question him. She rocked herself upon a chair,
wringing her hands and weeping bitterly. The baby in the cradle woke up
and cried; the boy in the clothes-basket fell over on his back with the
basket on him, and was seen no more; the mother wept louder yet and rocked
faster; but Kit, insensible to all the din and tumult, remained in a state
of utter stupefaction.

Of course, after that there was nothing for him to do but to keep as far
away as possible from the shop, which he did, except in the evenings, when
he often stole beneath Nell's window on a chance of merely seeing her. One
night he was rewarded by a scrap of whispered conversation with her from
her window. She told him how sick her grandfather had been, and over and
over Kit reiterated all there was for him to say--that he had done nothing
to cause that sickness.

"He'll be sure to get better now," said the boy, anxiously, "when he does,
say a good word--say a kind word for me, Miss Nell!"

"They tell me I must not even mention your name to him for a long, long
time," rejoined the child. "I dare not; and even if I might, what good
would a kind word do you, Kit? We shall be very poor they say. We shall
scarcely have bread to eat, for everything has been taken from us."

"It's not that I may be taken back," said the boy. "No, it's not that. It
isn't for the sake of food and wages that I've been waiting about in hopes
of seeing you. Don't think that I'd come in a time of trouble to talk of
such things as them. It's something very different from that. Perhaps he
might think it over-venturesome of me to say--well then,--to say this,"
said Kit, with sudden boldness. "This home is gone from you and him.
Mother and I have got a poor one, and why not come there, till he's had
time to look about and find a better? You think," said the boy, "that it's
very small and inconvenient. So it is, but it's very clean. Do try, Miss
Nell, do try. The little front room upstairs is very pleasant. Mother says
it would be just the thing for you, and so it would; and you'd have her to
wait upon you both, and me to run errands. We don't mean money, bless you;
you're not to think of that! Will you try him, Miss Nell? Only say you'll
try him. Do try to make old master come, and ask him first what I have
done. Will you only promise that, Miss Nell?"

The street door opened suddenly just then, and, conscious that they were
overheard, Nell closed her window quickly, and Kit stole away. And that
was his last view of his beloved mistress, for shortly afterwards the Old
Curiosity Shop was vacant of its tenants. Little Nell and her grandfather
had quietly slipped away, under cover of night, to face their poverty in a
new place; where, no one knew or could find out; and all that remained to
Kit to remind him of his past, was Nell's bird, which he rescued from the
shop, (now in Quilp's hands), took home, and hung in his window, to the
immeasurable delight of his whole family.

It now remained for Kit to find a new situation, and he roamed the city in
search of one daily. He was quite tired out with pacing the streets, to
say nothing of repeated disappointments, and was sitting down upon a step
to rest, one day, when there approached towards him a little clattering,
jingling, four-wheeled chaise, drawn by a little obstinate-looking,
rough-coated pony, and driven by a little placid-faced old gentleman.
Beside the little old gentleman sat a little old lady, plump and placid
like himself. As they passed where he sat, Kit looked so wistfully at the
little turnout, that the old gentleman looked at him. Kit rising and
putting his hand to his hat, the old gentleman intimated to the pony that
he wished to stop, to which proposal the pony graciously acceded.

"I beg your pardon, sir," said Kit. "I'm sorry you stopped, sir, I only
meant, did you want your horse minded."

"I'm going to get down in the next street," returned the old gentleman.
"If you like to come on after us, you may have the job."

Kit thanked him, and joyfully obeyed, and held the refractory little beast
until the little old lady and little old gentleman came out, and the old
gentleman, taking his seat and the reins again, put his hand in his pocket
to find a sixpence for Kit. Not a sixpence could he find, and he thought a
shilling too much, but there was no shop in the street to get change at,
so he gave it to the boy.

"There," he said jokingly, "I'm coming here again next Monday at the same
time, and mind you're here, my lad, to work it out!"

"Thank you, sir," said Kit. "I'll be sure to be here."

He was quite serious, but they laughed heartily at his saying so, and then
the pony started off on a brisk trot, and Kit was left alone. Having
expended his treasure in such purchases as he knew would be most
acceptable at home, not forgetting some seed for the bird, he hastened
back as fast as he could.

Day after day, as he bent his steps homeward, returning from some new
effort to procure employment, Kit raised his eyes to the window of the
little room he had so much commended to the child Nell, and hoped to see
some indication of her presence.

"I think they must certainly come to-morrow, eh, mother?" said Kit, laying
aside his hat with a weary air, and sighing as he spoke. "They have been
gone a week. They surely couldn't stop away more than a week, could they
now?"

The mother shook her head, and reminded him how often he had been
disappointed already, and Kit, looking very mournful, clambered up to the
nail, took down the cage, and set himself to clean it, and to feed the
bird. His thoughts reverting from this occupation to the little old
gentleman who had given him the shilling, he suddenly recollected that
that was the very day--nay, nearly the very hour--at which the old
gentleman had said he should be at the Notary's office again. He no sooner
remembered this, than hastily explaining the nature of his errand, he went
off at full speed to the appointed place, and although when he arrived
there it was full two minutes after the time set, there was as yet no
pony-chaise to be seen. Greatly relieved, Kit leaned against a lamp-post
to take breath, and waited. Before long the pony came trotting round the
corner of the street, and behind him sat the little old gentleman, and the
little old lady.

Upon the pony's refusing to stand at the proper place, the old gentleman
alighted to lead him; whereupon the pony darted off with the old lady, and
stopped at the right house, leaving the old gentleman to come panting on
behind.

It was then that Kit presented himself at the pony's head, and touched his
hat with a smile.

"Why, bless me," cried the old gentleman, "the lad _is_ here! My dear, do
you see?"

"I said I'd be here, sir," said Kit, patting Whisker's neck. "I hope
you've had a pleasant ride, sir. He's a very nice little pony."

"My dear," said the old gentleman. "This is an uncommon lad; a good lad,
I'm sure."

"I'm sure he is," rejoined the old lady, "A very good lad, and I am sure
he is a good son."

Kit acknowledged these expressions of confidence by touching his hat again
and blushing very much. Then the old gentleman helped the old lady out,
and they went into the office--talking about him as they went, Kit could
not help feeling, and a few minutes later he was called in.

Kit entered in a great tremor, for he was not used to going among strange
ladies and gentlemen, and the tin boxes and bundles of dusty papers had in
his eyes an awful and a venerable air. Mr. Witherden, the notary, was a
bustling gentleman, who talked loud and fast.

"Well, boy," said Mr. Witherden, "you came to work out that shilling,--not
to get another, hey?"

"No indeed, sir," replied Kit, taking courage to look up. "I never thought
of such a thing."

"Now," said the old gentleman, Mr. Garland, when they had asked some
further questions of Kit, "I am not going to give you anything." "But," he
added, "perhaps I may want to know something more about you, so tell me
where you live."

Kit told him, and the old gentleman wrote down the address with his
pencil. He had scarcely done so, than there was a great uproar in the
street, and the old lady, hurrying to the window, cried that Whisker had
run away, upon which Kit darted out to the rescue, and the others
followed. Even in running away, however, Whisker was perverse, for he had
not gone far when he suddenly stopped. The old lady then stepped into her
seat, and Mr. Abel, her son, whom they had come to fetch, into his. The
old gentleman took his place also, and they drove away, more than once
turning to nod kindly to Kit, as he watched them from the road.

When Kit reached home, to his amazement he found the pony and his owners
there too.

"We are here before you, you see, Christopher," said Mr. Garland, smiling.

"Yes, sir," said Kit, and as he said it, he looked towards his mother for
an explanation of the visit.

"The gentleman's been kind enough, my dear," said she, "to ask me whether
you were in a good place, or in any place at all, and when I told him no,
he was so good as to say that----"

"That we wanted a good lad in our house," said the old lady and the old
gentleman both together, "and that perhaps we might think of it, if we
found everything as we would wish it to be."

As this thinking of it plainly meant the thinking of engaging Kit, he
immediately fell into a great flutter; for the little old couple were very
methodical and cautious, and asked so many questions that he began to be
afraid there was no chance of his success; but to his surprise at last he
found himself formally hired at an annual income of Six Pounds, over and
above his board and lodging, by Mr. and Mrs. Garland, of Abel Cottage,
Finchley; and it was settled that he should repair to his new abode on the
next day but one.

"Well, mother," said Kit, hurrying back into the house, after he had seen
the old people to their carriage, "I think my fortune's about made now."

"I should think it was indeed, Kit!" rejoined his mother. "Six pound a
year! Only think!"

"Ah!" said Kit, trying to maintain the gravity which the consideration of
such a sum demanded, but grinning with delight in spite of himself.
"There's a property! Please God, we'll make such a lady of you for
Sundays, mother! such a scholar of Jacob, such a child of the baby, such a
room of the one upstairs! Six pound a year!"

The remainder of that day, and the whole of the next, were a busy time for
the Nubbles family, to whom everything connected with Kit's outfit and
departure was matter of as great moment as if he had been about to
penetrate into the interior of Africa, or to take a cruise round the
world. It would be difficult to suppose that there ever was a box which
was opened and shut so many times within four-and-twenty hours as that
which contained his wardrobe and necessaries; and certainly there never
was one which to two small eyes presented such a mine of clothing as this
mighty chest, with its three shirts, and proportionate allowance of
stockings and pocket-handkerchiefs, disclosed to the astonished vision of
little Jacob.

At last, after many kisses and hugs and tears, Kit left the house on the
next morning, and set out to walk to Finchley.

He wore no livery, but was dressed in a coat of pepper-and-salt, with
waistcoat of canary colour, and nether garments of iron-grey; besides
these glories, he shone in the lustre of a new pair of boots and an
extremely stiff and shiny hat. And in this attire, rather wondering that
he attracted so little attention, he made his way towards Abel Cottage.

It was a beautiful little cottage, with a thatched roof and little spires
at the gable-ends, and pieces of stained glass in some of the windows. On
one side of the house was a little stable, just the size for the pony,
with a little room over it, just the size for Kit. White curtains were
fluttering, and birds in cages were singing at the windows; plants were
arranged on either side of the path, and clustered about the door; and the
garden was bright with flowers in full bloom, which shed a sweet odour all
around.

Everything within the house and without seemed to be the perfection of
neatness and order. Kit looked about him, and admired, and looked again,
before he could make up his mind to turn his head and ring the bell.

He rung the bell a great many times, and yet nobody came.

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