Home


Charles Dickens
Chapter 42
Charles Dickens
 
 
1       At last, an answer came from the two old ladies. They presented
2  their compliments to Mr. Copperfield, and informed him that they
3  had given his letter their best consideration, 'with a view to the
4  happiness of both parties' - which I thought rather an alarming
5  expression, not only because of the use they had made of it in
6  relation to the family difference before-mentioned, but because I
7  had (and have all my life) observed that conventional phrases are
8  a sort of fireworks, easily let off, and liable to take a great
9  variety of shapes and colours not at all suggested by their
10  original form. The Misses Spenlow added that they begged to
11  forbear expressing, 'through the medium of correspondence', an
12  opinion on the subject of Mr. Copperfield's communication; but that
13  if Mr. Copperfield would do them the favour to call, upon a certain
14  day (accompanied, if he thought proper, by a confidential friend),
15  they would be happy to hold some conversation on the subject.

16       To this favour, Mr. Copperfield immediately replied, with his
17  respectful compliments, that he would have the honour of waiting on
18  the Misses Spenlow, at the time appointed; accompanied, in
19  accordance with their kind permission, by his friend Mr. Thomas
20  Traddles of the Inner Temple. Having dispatched which missive, Mr.
21  Copperfield fell into a condition of strong nervous agitation; and
22  so remained until the day arrived.

23       It was a great augmentation of my uneasiness to be bereaved, at
24  this eventful crisis, of the inestimable services of Miss Mills.
25  But Mr. Mills, who was always doing something or other to annoy me
26  - or I felt as if he were, which was the same thing - had brought
27  his conduct to a climax, by taking it into his head that he would
28  go to India. Why should he go to India, except to harass me? To
29  be sure he had nothing to do with any other part of the world, and
30  had a good deal to do with that part; being entirely in the India
31  trade, whatever that was (I had floating dreams myself concerning
32  golden shawls and elephants' teeth); having been at Calcutta in his
33  youth; and designing now to go out there again, in the capacity of
34  resident partner. But this was nothing to me. However, it was so
35  much to him that for India he was bound, and Julia with him; and
36  Julia went into the country to take leave of her relations; and the
37  house was put into a perfect suit of bills, announcing that it was
38  to be let or sold, and that the furniture (Mangle and all) was to
39  be taken at a valuation. So, here was another earthquake of which
40  I became the sport, before I had recovered from the shock of its
41  predecessor!

42       I was in several minds how to dress myself on the important day;
43  being divided between my desire to appear to advantage, and my
44  apprehensions of putting on anything that might impair my severely
45  practical character in the eyes of the Misses Spenlow. I
46  endeavoured to hit a happy medium between these two extremes; my
47  aunt approved the result; and Mr. Dick threw one of his shoes after
48  Traddles and me, for luck, as we went downstairs.

49       Excellent fellow as I knew Traddles to be, and warmly attached to
50  him as I was, I could not help wishing, on that delicate occasion,
51  that he had never contracted the habit of brushing his hair so very
52  upright. It gave him a surprised look - not to say a hearth-broomy
53  kind of expression - which, my apprehensions whispered, might be
54  fatal to us.

55       I took the liberty of mentioning it to Traddles, as we were walking
56  to Putney; and saying that if he WOULD smooth it down a little -

57       'My dear Copperfield,' said Traddles, lifting off his hat, and
58  rubbing his hair all kinds of ways, 'nothing would give me greater
59  pleasure. But it won't.'

60       'Won't be smoothed down?' said I.

61       'No,' said Traddles. 'Nothing will induce it. If I was to carry
62  a half-hundred-weight upon it, all the way to Putney, it would be
63  up again the moment the weight was taken off. You have no idea
64  what obstinate hair mine is, Copperfield. I am quite a fretful
65  porcupine.'

66       I was a little disappointed, I must confess, but thoroughly charmed
67  by his good-nature too. I told him how I esteemed his good-nature;
68  and said that his hair must have taken all the obstinacy out of his
69  character, for he had none.

70       'Oh!' returned Traddles, laughing. 'I assure you, it's quite an
71  old story, my unfortunate hair. My uncle's wife couldn't bear it.
72  She said it exasperated her. It stood very much in my way, too,
73  when I first fell in love with Sophy. Very much!'

74       'Did she object to it?'

75       'SHE didn't,' rejoined Traddles; 'but her eldest sister - the one
76  that's the Beauty - quite made game of it, I understand. In fact,
77  all the sisters laugh at it.'

78       'Agreeable!' said I.

79       'Yes,' returned Traddles with perfect innocence, 'it's a joke for
80  us. They pretend that Sophy has a lock of it in her desk, and is
81  obliged to shut it in a clasped book, to keep it down. We laugh
82  about it.'

83       'By the by, my dear Traddles,' said I, 'your experience may suggest
84  something to me. When you became engaged to the young lady whom
85  you have just mentioned, did you make a regular proposal to her
86  family? Was there anything like - what we are going through today,
87  for instance?' I added, nervously.

88       'Why,' replied Traddles, on whose attentive face a thoughtful shade
89  had stolen, 'it was rather a painful transaction, Copperfield, in
90  my case. You see, Sophy being of so much use in the family, none
91  of them could endure the thought of her ever being married.
92  Indeed, they had quite settled among themselves that she never was
93  to be married, and they called her the old maid. Accordingly, when
94  I mentioned it, with the greatest precaution, to Mrs. Crewler -'

95       'The mama?' said I.

96       'The mama,' said Traddles - 'Reverend Horace Crewler - when I
97  mentioned it with every possible precaution to Mrs. Crewler, the
98  effect upon her was such that she gave a scream and became
99  insensible. I couldn't approach the subject again, for months.'

100       'You did at last?' said I.

101       'Well, the Reverend Horace did,' said Traddles. 'He is an
102  excellent man, most exemplary in every way; and he pointed out to
103  her that she ought, as a Christian, to reconcile herself to the
104  sacrifice (especially as it was so uncertain), and to bear no
105  uncharitable feeling towards me. As to myself, Copperfield, I give
106  you my word, I felt a perfect bird of prey towards the family.'

107       'The sisters took your part, I hope, Traddles?'

108       'Why, I can't say they did,' he returned. 'When we had
109  comparatively reconciled Mrs. Crewler to it, we had to break it to
110  Sarah. You recollect my mentioning Sarah, as the one that has
111  something the matter with her spine?'

112       'Perfectly!'

113       'She clenched both her hands,' said Traddles, looking at me in
114  dismay; 'shut her eyes; turned lead-colour; became perfectly stiff;
115  and took nothing for two days but toast-and-water, administered
116  with a tea-spoon.'

117       'What a very unpleasant girl, Traddles!' I remarked.

118       'Oh, I beg your pardon, Copperfield!' said Traddles. 'She is a
119  very charming girl, but she has a great deal of feeling. In fact,
120  they all have. Sophy told me afterwards, that the self-reproach
121  she underwent while she was in attendance upon Sarah, no words
122  could describe. I know it must have been severe, by my own
123  feelings, Copperfield; which were like a criminal's. After Sarah
124  was restored, we still had to break it to the other eight; and it
125  produced various effects upon them of a most pathetic nature. The
126  two little ones, whom Sophy educates, have only just left off
127  de-testing me.'

128       'At any rate, they are all reconciled to it now, I hope?' said I.

129       'Ye-yes, I should say they were, on the whole, resigned to it,'
130  said Traddles, doubtfully. 'The fact is, we avoid mentioning the
131  subject; and my unsettled prospects and indifferent circumstances
132  are a great consolation to them. There will be a deplorable scene,
133  whenever we are married. It will be much more like a funeral, than
134  a wedding. And they'll all hate me for taking her away!'

135       His honest face, as he looked at me with a serio-comic shake of his
136  head, impresses me more in the remembrance than it did in the
137  reality, for I was by this time in a state of such excessive
138  trepidation and wandering of mind, as to be quite unable to fix my
139  attention on anything. On our approaching the house where the
140  Misses Spenlow lived, I was at such a discount in respect of my
141  personal looks and presence of mind, that Traddles proposed a
142  gentle stimulant in the form of a glass of ale. This having been
143  administered at a neighbouring public-house, he conducted me, with
144  tottering steps, to the Misses Spenlow's door.

145       I had a vague sensation of being, as it were, on view, when the
146  maid opened it; and of wavering, somehow, across a hall with a
147  weather-glass in it, into a quiet little drawing-room on the
148  ground-floor, commanding a neat garden. Also of sitting down here,
149  on a sofa, and seeing Traddles's hair start up, now his hat was
150  removed, like one of those obtrusive little figures made of
151  springs, that fly out of fictitious snuff-boxes when the lid is
152  taken off. Also of hearing an old-fashioned clock ticking away on
153  the chimney-piece, and trying to make it keep time to the jerking
154  of my heart, - which it wouldn't. Also of looking round the room
155  for any sign of Dora, and seeing none. Also of thinking that Jip
156  once barked in the distance, and was instantly choked by somebody.
157  Ultimately I found myself backing Traddles into the fireplace, and
158  bowing in great confusion to two dry little elderly ladies, dressed
159  in black, and each looking wonderfully like a preparation in chip
160  or tan of the late Mr. Spenlow.

161       'Pray,' said one of the two little ladies, 'be seated.'

162       When I had done tumbling over Traddles, and had sat upon something
163  which was not a cat - my first seat was - I so far recovered my
164  sight, as to perceive that Mr. Spenlow had evidently been the
165  youngest of the family; that there was a disparity of six or eight
166  years between the two sisters; and that the younger appeared to be
167  the manager of the conference, inasmuch as she had my letter in her
168  hand - so familiar as it looked to me, and yet so odd! - and was
169  referring to it through an eye-glass. They were dressed alike, but
170  this sister wore her dress with a more youthful air than the other;
171  and perhaps had a trifle more frill, or tucker, or brooch, or
172  bracelet, or some little thing of that kind, which made her look
173  more lively. They were both upright in their carriage, formal,
174  precise, composed, and quiet. The sister who had not my letter,
175  had her arms crossed on her breast, and resting on each other, like
176  an Idol.

177       'Mr. Copperfield, I believe,' said the sister who had got my
178  letter, addressing herself to Traddles.

179       This was a frightful beginning. Traddles had to indicate that I
180  was Mr. Copperfield, and I had to lay claim to myself, and they had
181  to divest themselves of a preconceived opinion that Traddles was
182  Mr. Copperfield, and altogether we were in a nice condition. To
183  improve it, we all distinctly heard Jip give two short barks, and
184  receive another choke.

185       'Mr. Copperfield!' said the sister with the letter.

186       I did something - bowed, I suppose - and was all attention, when
187  the other sister struck in.

188       'My sister Lavinia,' said she 'being conversant with matters of
189  this nature, will state what we consider most calculated to promote
190  the happiness of both parties.'

191       I discovered afterwards that Miss Lavinia was an authority in
192  affairs of the heart, by reason of there having anciently existed
193  a certain Mr. Pidger, who played short whist, and was supposed to
194  have been enamoured of her. My private opinion is, that this was
195  entirely a gratuitous assumption, and that Pidger was altogether
196  innocent of any such sentiments - to which he had never given any
197  sort of expression that I could ever hear of. Both Miss Lavinia
198  and Miss Clarissa had a superstition, however, that he would have
199  declared his passion, if he had not been cut short in his youth (at
200  about sixty) by over-drinking his constitution, and over-doing an
201  attempt to set it right again by swilling Bath water. They had a
202  lurking suspicion even, that he died of secret love; though I must
203  say there was a picture of him in the house with a damask nose,
204  which concealment did not appear to have ever preyed upon.

205       'We will not,' said Miss Lavinia, 'enter on the past history of
206  this matter. Our poor brother Francis's death has cancelled that.'

207       'We had not,' said Miss Clarissa, 'been in the habit of frequent
208  association with our brother Francis; but there was no decided
209  division or disunion between us. Francis took his road; we took
210  ours. We considered it conducive to the happiness of all parties
211  that it should be so. And it was so.'

212       Each of the sisters leaned a little forward to speak, shook her
213  head after speaking, and became upright again when silent. Miss
214  Clarissa never moved her arms. She sometimes played tunes upon
215  them with her fingers - minuets and marches I should think - but
216  never moved them.

217       'Our niece's position, or supposed position, is much changed by our
218  brother Francis's death,' said Miss Lavinia; 'and therefore we
219  consider our brother's opinions as regarded her position as being
220  changed too. We have no reason to doubt, Mr. Copperfield, that you
221  are a young gentleman possessed of good qualities and honourable
222  character; or that you have an affection - or are fully persuaded
223  that you have an affection - for our niece.'

224       I replied, as I usually did whenever I had a chance, that nobody
225  had ever loved anybody else as I loved Dora. Traddles came to my
226  assistance with a confirmatory murmur.

227       Miss Lavinia was going on to make some rejoinder, when Miss
228  Clarissa, who appeared to be incessantly beset by a desire to refer
229  to her brother Francis, struck in again:

230       'If Dora's mama,' she said, 'when she married our brother Francis,
231  had at once said that there was not room for the family at the
232  dinner-table, it would have been better for the happiness of all
233  parties.'

234       'Sister Clarissa,' said Miss Lavinia. 'Perhaps we needn't mind
235  that now.'

236       'Sister Lavinia,' said Miss Clarissa, 'it belongs to the subject.
237  With your branch of the subject, on which alone you are competent
238  to speak, I should not think of interfering. On this branch of the
239  subject I have a voice and an opinion. It would have been better
240  for the happiness of all parties, if Dora's mama, when she married
241  our brother Francis, had mentioned plainly what her intentions
242  were. We should then have known what we had to expect. We should
243  have said "Pray do not invite us, at any time"; and all possibility
244  of misunderstanding would have been avoided.'

245       When Miss Clarissa had shaken her head, Miss Lavinia resumed: again
246  referring to my letter through her eye-glass. They both had little
247  bright round twinkling eyes, by the way, which were like birds'
248  eyes. They were not unlike birds, altogether; having a sharp,
249  brisk, sudden manner, and a little short, spruce way of adjusting
250  themselves, like canaries.

251       Miss Lavinia, as I have said, resumed:

252       'You ask permission of my sister Clarissa and myself, Mr.
253  Copperfield, to visit here, as the accepted suitor of our niece.'

254       'If our brother Francis,' said Miss Clarissa, breaking out again,
255  if I may call anything so calm a breaking out, 'wished to surround
256  himself with an atmosphere of Doctors' Commons, and of Doctors'
257  Commons only, what right or desire had we to object? None, I am
258  sure. We have ever been far from wishing to obtrude ourselves on
259  anyone. But why not say so? Let our brother Francis and his wife
260  have their society. Let my sister Lavinia and myself have our
261  society. We can find it for ourselves, I hope.'

262       As this appeared to be addressed to Traddles and me, both Traddles
263  and I made some sort of reply. Traddles was inaudible. I think I
264  observed, myself, that it was highly creditable to all concerned.
265  I don't in the least know what I meant.

266       'Sister Lavinia,' said Miss Clarissa, having now relieved her mind,
267  'you can go on, my dear.'

268       Miss Lavinia proceeded:

269       'Mr. Copperfield, my sister Clarissa and I have been very careful
270  indeed in considering this letter; and we have not considered it
271  without finally showing it to our niece, and discussing it with our
272  niece. We have no doubt that you think you like her very much.'

273       'Think, ma'am,' I rapturously began, 'oh! -'

274       But Miss Clarissa giving me a look (just like a sharp canary), as
275  requesting that I would not interrupt the oracle, I begged pardon.

276       'Affection,' said Miss Lavinia, glancing at her sister for
277  corroboration, which she gave in the form of a little nod to every
278  clause, 'mature affection, homage, devotion, does not easily
279  express itself. Its voice is low. It is modest and retiring, it
280  lies in ambush, waits and waits. Such is the mature fruit.
281  Sometimes a life glides away, and finds it still ripening in the
282  shade.'

283       Of course I did not understand then that this was an allusion to
284  her supposed experience of the stricken Pidger; but I saw, from the
285  gravity with which Miss Clarissa nodded her head, that great weight
286  was attached to these words.

287       'The light - for I call them, in comparison with such sentiments,
288  the light - inclinations of very young people,' pursued Miss
289  Lavinia, 'are dust, compared to rocks. It is owing to the
290  difficulty of knowing whether they are likely to endure or have any
291  real foundation, that my sister Clarissa and myself have been very
292  undecided how to act, Mr. Copperfield, and Mr. -'

293       'Traddles,' said my friend, finding himself looked at.

294       'I beg pardon. Of the Inner Temple, I believe?' said Miss
295  Clarissa, again glancing at my letter.

296       Traddles said 'Exactly so,' and became pretty red in the face.

297       Now, although I had not received any express encouragement as yet,
298  I fancied that I saw in the two little sisters, and particularly in
299  Miss Lavinia, an intensified enjoyment of this new and fruitful
300  subject of domestic interest, a settling down to make the most of
301  it, a disposition to pet it, in which there was a good bright ray
302  of hope. I thought I perceived that Miss Lavinia would have
303  uncommon satisfaction in superintending two young lovers, like Dora
304  and me; and that Miss Clarissa would have hardly less satisfaction
305  in seeing her superintend us, and in chiming in with her own
306  particular department of the subject whenever that impulse was
307  strong upon her. This gave me courage to protest most vehemently
308  that I loved Dora better than I could tell, or anyone believe; that
309  all my friends knew how I loved her; that my aunt, Agnes, Traddles,
310  everyone who knew me, knew how I loved her, and how earnest my love
311  had made me. For the truth of this, I appealed to Traddles. And
312  Traddles, firing up as if he were plunging into a Parliamentary
313  Debate, really did come out nobly: confirming me in good round
314  terms, and in a plain sensible practical manner, that evidently
315  made a favourable impression.

316       'I speak, if I may presume to say so, as one who has some little
317  experience of such things,' said Traddles, 'being myself engaged to
318  a young lady - one of ten, down in Devonshire - and seeing no
319  probability, at present, of our engagement coming to a
320  termination.'

321       'You may be able to confirm what I have said, Mr. Traddles,'
322  observed Miss Lavinia, evidently taking a new interest in him, 'of
323  the affection that is modest and retiring; that waits and waits?'

324       'Entirely, ma'am,' said Traddles.

325       Miss Clarissa looked at Miss Lavinia, and shook her head gravely.
326  Miss Lavinia looked consciously at Miss Clarissa, and heaved a
327  little sigh.
328  'Sister Lavinia,' said Miss Clarissa, 'take my smelling-bottle.'

329       Miss Lavinia revived herself with a few whiffs of aromatic vinegar
330  - Traddles and I looking on with great solicitude the while; and
331  then went on to say, rather faintly:

332       'My sister and myself have been in great doubt, Mr. Traddles, what
333  course we ought to take in reference to the likings, or imaginary
334  likings, of such very young people as your friend Mr. Copperfield
335  and our niece.'

336       'Our brother Francis's child,' remarked Miss Clarissa. 'If our
337  brother Francis's wife had found it convenient in her lifetime
338  (though she had an unquestionable right to act as she thought best)
339  to invite the family to her dinner-table, we might have known our
340  brother Francis's child better at the present moment. Sister
341  Lavinia, proceed.'

342       Miss Lavinia turned my letter, so as to bring the superscription
343  towards herself, and referred through her eye-glass to some
344  orderly-looking notes she had made on that part of it.

345       'It seems to us,' said she, 'prudent, Mr. Traddles, to bring these
346  feelings to the test of our own observation. At present we know
347  nothing of them, and are not in a situation to judge how much
348  reality there may be in them. Therefore we are inclined so far to
349  accede to Mr. Copperfield's proposal, as to admit his visits here.'

350       'I shall never, dear ladies,' I exclaimed, relieved of an immense
351  load of apprehension, 'forget your kindness!'

352       'But,' pursued Miss Lavinia, - 'but, we would prefer to regard
353  those visits, Mr. Traddles, as made, at present, to us. We must
354  guard ourselves from recognizing any positive engagement between
355  Mr. Copperfield and our niece, until we have had an opportunity -'

356       'Until YOU have had an opportunity, sister Lavinia,' said Miss
357  Clarissa.

358       'Be it so,' assented Miss Lavinia, with a sigh - 'until I have had
359  an opportunity of observing them.'

360       'Copperfield,' said Traddles, turning to me, 'you feel, I am sure,
361  that nothing could be more reasonable or considerate.'

362       'Nothing!' cried I. 'I am deeply sensible of it.'

363       'In this position of affairs,' said Miss Lavinia, again referring
364  to her notes, 'and admitting his visits on this understanding only,
365  we must require from Mr. Copperfield a distinct assurance, on his
366  word of honour, that no communication of any kind shall take place
367  between him and our niece without our knowledge. That no project
368  whatever shall be entertained with regard to our niece, without
369  being first submitted to us -'
370  'To you, sister Lavinia,' Miss Clarissa interposed.

371       'Be it so, Clarissa!' assented Miss Lavinia resignedly - 'to me -
372  and receiving our concurrence. We must make this a most express
373  and serious stipulation, not to be broken on any account. We
374  wished Mr. Copperfield to be accompanied by some confidential
375  friend today,' with an inclination of her head towards Traddles,
376  who bowed, 'in order that there might be no doubt or misconception
377  on this subject. If Mr. Copperfield, or if you, Mr. Traddles, feel
378  the least scruple, in giving this promise, I beg you to take time
379  to consider it.'

380       I exclaimed, in a state of high ecstatic fervour, that not a
381  moment's consideration could be necessary. I bound myself by the
382  required promise, in a most impassioned manner; called upon
383  Traddles to witness it; and denounced myself as the most atrocious
384  of characters if I ever swerved from it in the least degree.

385       'Stay!' said Miss Lavinia, holding up her hand; 'we resolved,
386  before we had the pleasure of receiving you two gentlemen, to leave
387  you alone for a quarter of an hour, to consider this point. You
388  will allow us to retire.'

389       It was in vain for me to say that no consideration was necessary.
390  They persisted in withdrawing for the specified time. Accordingly,
391  these little birds hopped out with great dignity; leaving me to
392  receive the congratulations of Traddles, and to feel as if I were
393  translated to regions of exquisite happiness. Exactly at the
394  expiration of the quarter of an hour, they reappeared with no less
395  dignity than they had disappeared. They had gone rustling away as
396  if their little dresses were made of autumn-leaves: and they came
397  rustling back, in like manner.

398       I then bound myself once more to the prescribed conditions.

399       'Sister Clarissa,' said Miss Lavinia, 'the rest is with you.'

400       Miss Clarissa, unfolding her arms for the first time, took the
401  notes and glanced at them.

402       'We shall be happy,' said Miss Clarissa, 'to see Mr. Copperfield to
403  dinner, every Sunday, if it should suit his convenience. Our hour
404  is three.'

405       I bowed.

406       'In the course of the week,' said Miss Clarissa, 'we shall be happy
407  to see Mr. Copperfield to tea. Our hour is half-past six.'

408       I bowed again.

409       'Twice in the week,' said Miss Clarissa, 'but, as a rule, not
410  oftener.'

411       I bowed again.

412       'Miss Trotwood,' said Miss Clarissa, 'mentioned in Mr.
413  Copperfield's letter, will perhaps call upon us. When visiting is
414  better for the happiness of all parties, we are glad to receive
415  visits, and return them. When it is better for the happiness of
416  all parties that no visiting should take place, (as in the case of
417  our brother Francis, and his establishment) that is quite
418  different.'

419       I intimated that my aunt would be proud and delighted to make their
420  acquaintance; though I must say I was not quite sure of their
421  getting on very satisfactorily together. The conditions being now
422  closed, I expressed my acknowledgements in the warmest manner; and,
423  taking the hand, first of Miss Clarissa, and then of Miss Lavinia,
424  pressed it, in each case, to my lips.

425       Miss Lavinia then arose, and begging Mr. Traddles to excuse us for
426  a minute, requested me to follow her. I obeyed, all in a tremble,
427  and was conducted into another room. There I found my blessed
428  darling stopping her ears behind the door, with her dear little
429  face against the wall; and Jip in the plate-warmer with his head
430  tied up in a towel.

431       Oh! How beautiful she was in her black frock, and how she sobbed
432  and cried at first, and wouldn't come out from behind the door!
433  How fond we were of one another, when she did come out at last; and
434  what a state of bliss I was in, when we took Jip out of the
435  plate-warmer, and restored him to the light, sneezing very much,
436  and were all three reunited!

437       'My dearest Dora! Now, indeed, my own for ever!'

438       'Oh, DON'T!' pleaded Dora. 'Please!'

439       'Are you not my own for ever, Dora?'

440       'Oh yes, of course I am!' cried Dora, 'but I am so frightened!'

441       'Frightened, my own?'

442       'Oh yes! I don't like him,' said Dora. 'Why don't he go?'

443       'Who, my life?'

444       'Your friend,' said Dora. 'It isn't any business of his. What a
445  stupid he must be!'

446       'My love!' (There never was anything so coaxing as her childish
447  ways.) 'He is the best creature!'

448       'Oh, but we don't want any best creatures!' pouted Dora.

449       'My dear,' I argued, 'you will soon know him well, and like him of
450  all things. And here is my aunt coming soon; and you'll like her
451  of all things too, when you know her.'

452       'No, please don't bring her!' said Dora, giving me a horrified
453  little kiss, and folding her hands. 'Don't. I know she's a
454  naughty, mischief-making old thing! Don't let her come here,
455  Doady!' which was a corruption of David.

456       Remonstrance was of no use, then; so I laughed, and admired, and
457  was very much in love and very happy; and she showed me Jip's new
458  trick of standing on his hind legs in a corner - which he did for
459  about the space of a flash of lightning, and then fell down - and
460  I don't know how long I should have stayed there, oblivious of
461  Traddles, if Miss Lavinia had not come in to take me away. Miss
462  Lavinia was very fond of Dora (she told me Dora was exactly like
463  what she had been herself at her age - she must have altered a good
464  deal), and she treated Dora just as if she had been a toy. I
465  wanted to persuade Dora to come and see Traddles, but on my
466  proposing it she ran off to her own room and locked herself in; so
467  I went to Traddles without her, and walked away with him on air.

468       'Nothing could be more satisfactory,' said Traddles; 'and they are
469  very agreeable old ladies, I am sure. I shouldn't be at all
470  surprised if you were to be married years before me, Copperfield.'

471       'Does your Sophy play on any instrument, Traddles?' I inquired, in
472  the pride of my heart.

473       'She knows enough of the piano to teach it to her little sisters,'
474  said Traddles.

475       'Does she sing at all?' I asked.

476       'Why, she sings ballads, sometimes, to freshen up the others a
477  little when they're out of spirits,' said Traddles. 'Nothing
478  scientific.'

479       'She doesn't sing to the guitar?' said I.

480       'Oh dear no!' said Traddles.

481       'Paint at all?'

482       'Not at all,' said Traddles.

483       I promised Traddles that he should hear Dora sing, and see some of
484  her flower-painting. He said he should like it very much, and we
485  went home arm in arm in great good humour and delight. I
486  encouraged him to talk about Sophy, on the way; which he did with
487  a loving reliance on her that I very much admired. I compared her
488  in my mind with Dora, with considerable inward satisfaction; but I
489  candidly admitted to myself that she seemed to be an excellent kind
490  of girl for Traddles, too.

491       Of course my aunt was immediately made acquainted with the
492  successful issue of the conference, and with all that had been said
493  and done in the course of it. She was happy to see me so happy,
494  and promised to call on Dora's aunts without loss of time. But she
495  took such a long walk up and down our rooms that night, while I was
496  writing to Agnes, that I began to think she meant to walk till
497  morning.

498       My letter to Agnes was a fervent and grateful one, narrating all
499  the good effects that had resulted from my following her advice.
500  She wrote, by return of post, to me. Her letter was hopeful,
501  earnest, and cheerful. She was always cheerful from that time.

502       I had my hands more full than ever, now. My daily journeys to
503  Highgate considered, Putney was a long way off; and I naturally
504  wanted to go there as often as I could. The proposed tea-drinkings
505  being quite impracticable, I compounded with Miss Lavinia for
506  permission to visit every Saturday afternoon, without detriment to
507  my privileged Sundays. So, the close of every week was a delicious
508  time for me; and I got through the rest of the week by looking
509  forward to it.

510       I was wonderfully relieved to find that my aunt and Dora's aunts
511  rubbed on, all things considered, much more smoothly than I could
512  have expected. My aunt made her promised visit within a few days
513  of the conference; and within a few more days, Dora's aunts called
514  upon her, in due state and form. Similar but more friendly
515  exchanges took place afterwards, usually at intervals of three or
516  four weeks. I know that my aunt distressed Dora's aunts very much,
517  by utterly setting at naught the dignity of fly-conveyance, and
518  walking out to Putney at extraordinary times, as shortly after
519  breakfast or just before tea; likewise by wearing her bonnet in any
520  manner that happened to be comfortable to her head, without at all
521  deferring to the prejudices of civilization on that subject. But
522  Dora's aunts soon agreed to regard my aunt as an eccentric and
523  somewhat masculine lady, with a strong understanding; and although
524  my aunt occasionally ruffled the feathers of Dora's aunts, by
525  expressing heretical opinions on various points of ceremony, she
526  loved me too well not to sacrifice some of her little peculiarities
527  to the general harmony.

528       The only member of our small society who positively refused to
529  adapt himself to circumstances, was Jip. He never saw my aunt
530  without immediately displaying every tooth in his head, retiring
531  under a chair, and growling incessantly: with now and then a
532  doleful howl, as if she really were too much for his feelings. All
533  kinds of treatment were tried with him, coaxing, scolding,
534  slapping, bringing him to Buckingham Street (where he instantly
535  dashed at the two cats, to the terror of all beholders); but he
536  never could prevail upon himself to bear my aunt's society. He
537  would sometimes think he had got the better of his objection, and
538  be amiable for a few minutes; and then would put up his snub nose,
539  and howl to that extent, that there was nothing for it but to blind
540  him and put him in the plate-warmer. At length, Dora regularly
541  muffled him in a towel and shut him up there, whenever my aunt was
542  reported at the door.

543       One thing troubled me much, after we had fallen into this quiet
544  train. It was, that Dora seemed by one consent to be regarded like
545  a pretty toy or plaything. My aunt, with whom she gradually became
546  familiar, always called her Little Blossom; and the pleasure of
547  Miss Lavinia's life was to wait upon her, curl her hair, make
548  ornaments for her, and treat her like a pet child. What Miss
549  Lavinia did, her sister did as a matter of course. It was very odd
550  to me; but they all seemed to treat Dora, in her degree, much as
551  Dora treated Jip in his.

552       I made up my mind to speak to Dora about this; and one day when we
553  were out walking (for we were licensed by Miss Lavinia, after a
554  while, to go out walking by ourselves), I said to her that I wished
555  she could get them to behave towards her differently.

556       'Because you know, my darling,' I remonstrated, 'you are not a
557  child.'

558       'There!' said Dora. 'Now you're going to be cross!'

559       'Cross, my love?'

560       'I am sure they're very kind to me,' said Dora, 'and I am very
561  happy -'

562       'Well! But my dearest life!' said I, 'you might be very happy, and
563  yet be treated rationally.'

564       Dora gave me a reproachful look - the prettiest look! - and then
565  began to sob, saying, if I didn't like her, why had I ever wanted
566  so much to be engaged to her? And why didn't I go away, now, if I
567  couldn't bear her?

568       What could I do, but kiss away her tears, and tell her how I doted
569  on her, after that!

570       'I am sure I am very affectionate,' said Dora; 'you oughtn't to be
571  cruel to me, Doady!'

572       'Cruel, my precious love! As if I would - or could - be cruel to
573  you, for the world!'

574       'Then don't find fault with me,' said Dora, making a rosebud of her
575  mouth; 'and I'll be good.'

576       I was charmed by her presently asking me, of her own accord, to
577  give her that cookery-book I had once spoken of, and to show her
578  how to keep accounts as I had once promised I would. I brought the
579  volume with me on my next visit (I got it prettily bound, first, to
580  make it look less dry and more inviting); and as we strolled about
581  the Common, I showed her an old housekeeping-book of my aunt's, and
582  gave her a set of tablets, and a pretty little pencil-case and box
583  of leads, to practise housekeeping with.

584       But the cookery-book made Dora's head ache, and the figures made
585  her cry. They wouldn't add up, she said. So she rubbed them out,
586  and drew little nosegays and likenesses of me and Jip, all over the
587  tablets.

588       Then I playfully tried verbal instruction in domestic matters, as
589  we walked about on a Saturday afternoon. Sometimes, for example,
590  when we passed a butcher's shop, I would say:

591       'Now suppose, my pet, that we were married, and you were going to
592  buy a shoulder of mutton for dinner, would you know how to buy it?'

593       My pretty little Dora's face would fall, and she would make her
594  mouth into a bud again, as if she would very much prefer to shut
595  mine with a kiss.

596       'Would you know how to buy it, my darling?' I would repeat,
597  perhaps, if I were very inflexible.

598       Dora would think a little, and then reply, perhaps, with great
599  triumph:

600       'Why, the butcher would know how to sell it, and what need I know?
601  Oh, you silly boy!'

602       So, when I once asked Dora, with an eye to the cookery-book, what
603  she would do, if we were married, and I were to say I should like
604  a nice Irish stew, she replied that she would tell the servant to
605  make it; and then clapped her little hands together across my arm,
606  and laughed in such a charming manner that she was more delightful
607  than ever.

608       Consequently, the principal use to which the cookery-book was
609  devoted, was being put down in the corner for Jip to stand upon.
610  But Dora was so pleased, when she had trained him to stand upon it
611  without offering to come off, and at the same time to hold the
612  pencil-case in his mouth, that I was very glad I had bought it.

613       And we fell back on the guitar-case, and the flower-painting, and
614  the songs about never leaving off dancing, Ta ra la! and were as
615  happy as the week was long. I occasionally wished I could venture
616  to hint to Miss Lavinia, that she treated the darling of my heart
617  a little too much like a plaything; and I sometimes awoke, as it
618  were, wondering to find that I had fallen into the general fault,
619  and treated her like a plaything too - but not often.

Previous: Chapter 41 | Next: Chapter 43

Return:    Contents