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133. I OIIARLES DICKENS’ WORKS:
has, for some years, contended against the pressure of
pecuniary difficulties.” I knew he was certain to say
Something of this kind ; he always would be so boastful
about his difliculties. “ Sometimes I have risen superior
to my difliculties. Sometimes my difficulties have-in
short, have floored me. There have been times when I
have administered a succession of facers to them : there
have been times when they have been too many for me,
and I have given in, and said to Mrs. Micawber, in the
words of Cato, ‘ Plato, thou reasonest well.’ It’s all up
now. I can show fight no more. But at no time of my
life,’' said Mr. Micawber, “ have I enjoyed a higher de-
gree of satisfaction than in pouring my griefs (if I may
describe difliculties, chiefly arising out of warrants of
attorney and promissory notes at two and four months,
by that word) into the bosom of my friend Copperfield.”
Mr. Micawber closed this handsome tribute by saying,
“Mr. Ileep 1 Good evening. Mrs. Ilecp l Your ser-
vant,” and then walking out with me in his most fashion-
able inauiier, niaking a. good deal of noise on the pave-
ment with his shoes, and humming a tune as we went.
It was a little inn where Mr. Micawber put up, and he
occupied a little room in it, partitioned off from the coni-
mercial 'room, and strongly flavoured with tobacco smoke;
‘ I think it was over the kitchen, because a warm, .greasy
smell appeared to come up through the chinks in the
floor, and there was a flabby perspiration on the walls.
I know it was near the bar, on account of the smell of
spirits and jingling of glasses. Here, recumbent on a
small sofa, underneath a picture of a racehorse, with her
head close to the fire, and her feet pushing the mustard
oil the duiiib-waiter at the other end of the room, was
Mrs. Micawber, to whom Mr. Micawber entered first,
saying, “ My dear, allow me to introduce to you a pupil
of Doctor Strong’s.”
I noticed, by-tlic-by, that although Mr. Micawber was
just as much confused as ever about my age and stand-
ing, lio always remembered, as a genteel thing, that 1
was a pupil of Doctor Strong's.
Mrs. Micawber was amazed, but very glad to see me.
I was very glad to see her too, and after an adectionato
reeting on both sides, sat down on the small sofa near
er.
“My dear,” said Mr. Micawber, “if you will mention
to Copperfield what our present position is, which I have
no doubt he will like to know, I will go and look at the
paper the while, and see whether anything turns up
among the advertisements."
r “I thought you were at Plymouth, ma’am,” I said to
Mrs. Micawber, as he went out.
t ‘1‘3lltIy dealr Master Copperfield,” she replied, “ we went
0 yinout i.
“ 'l‘o be on the spot,” I hinted.
“ Just so,” said Mrs. Micawber. “ To be on the spot.
But, the truth is, talent is not wanted in the Custom
House. The local influence of my family was quite un-
availing to obtain any employment in that department,
for a man of Mr. Micawber‘s abilities. They would
rather not have a man of Mr. Micawber’s abilities. IIe
would only show the deficiency of the others. Apart
from which," said Mrs. Micawber, “ I will not disguise
from you, my dear Master Copperfield, that when that
branch of my family which is settled in Plymouth be-
came aware that Mr. Micawber was accompanied by my-
self, and by little Wilkins and his sister, and by the
twins, they did not receive him with that ardour which
he might have expected, being so newly released from
I captivity. In fact,” said Mrs. Micawber, lowering her
voice,-“ this is between ourselves-our reception was
cool.” -
‘ " Dear me !” I said.
“les,” said Mrs. Micawber. “ It is truly painful to
contemplate mankind in such an aspect, Master Copper- ’
field, but our reception was, decidedly, cool. '1‘here is
no doubt about it. In fact, that branch of my family
which is settled in Plymouth became quite personal to
Mr. Micawber, before we had been there a week.”
I said, and thought, that they ought to be ashamed of
themselves. '
“ Still, so it was,” continued Mrs. Micawber. " Under
such circumstances, what could aman of Mr. Micawber’s
spirit do‘? But one obvious course was left. To borrow
of that branch of my family the money to return to lmi.
d to return at any sacrifice.” . . :
dO.Ii'Tu1?;,n you all came baclcagain, nia’am ‘I " I said, ..
u “re an came back again,” replied Mrs. Micawber.
“Since then, I have‘ consulted other branches ofimy
family on the course which it 13‘ m0St expedient for lifr.
Micawher to take--for I maintain that he must take some
course, Master Copperfield," said Mrs. Micawber, argu.
memm-n.c1 .. “ It is clear that a family ‘of six, not in.
cluding a omestic, cannot live upon air.’ I ‘ .
“ Certainly, ma’am,” SW1 1- -
u The opinion of those other branches of my family,"
pursued Mrs. Micawber, “is, that Mr. Micawber should
immediately turn his attention to coals.” -' I .;.
“ To what, ma’am ?” I .I
" To coals,” said Mrs. Micawber.' “To the coaltrade.
Mr. Micawber was induced to think, on inquiry, rim
there might be an opening for a man of his talent in the
Medway Coal Trade. Then, as Mr. Micawber very prop.
erly said, the first step to be taken clearly was, to come I
and see the Mcdway. VVhich we came and saw. I I say
‘we,’ Master Copperfield; for I never will,” said Mrs,
Micawber with emotion, “I never will desert Mr. Mi.
cawber.” - , ' ‘ V
I murmured my admiration and approbation. ' .
“ VVe came,” repeated Mrs. Micawber, ‘.‘ and saw the
Medway. My opinion of the coal trade on that river, is,
that it may require talent, but that it certainly requires
capital, Talent, Mr. Micawber has; capital, Mr. Mi-
cawber has not. VVe saw, I think, the greater part of
the Medway ; and that is my individual conclusion. Be.
ing so near here, Mr. Micawber was of opinion that it
would be rash not to come on, and see the Cathedral.
Firstly, on account of its being so well worth seeing, and
our never havingseen it ; and secondly, on account of the
great probability of something turning up in a cathedral
town. ‘Ve have been here,” said Mrs. Micawbcr, “three
days. Nothing has, as yet, turned up; and it may not
surprise you, my dear Master Copperfield, so much as it
would a stranger, to know that we are at present wait-
ing for a remittance from London, to’ dischargeour pe-
cuniary obligations at thishotel. Until theIarri,val of
that remittance,” said Mrs.. Micawber, with much feel-
ing, " I am cut off from my home (Iallude tolodgings in
Pentonville), from my boy and girl, and from my twins.”
I felt the utmost sympathy for Mrgand Mrs. Micawber
in this anxious extremity, and said as much to Mr. Micaw-
ber, who now returned : adding that I only wished lhad
money enough, to lend them the amount they needed.
Mr. Micawber’s answer expressed the disturbance of his
mind. He said, shnkingthands with me,’-"‘ Copperfield,
you are a. true friend : but when the worst comes to the
worst, no man is without a friendwho ispossessed of
shaving materials.” At this dreadful hint Mrs. Zilicain
bcr threw her arms around Mr. liIicawber’s neck and en-
treated him to be calm. He wept ; but so far recovered,
almost immediately, as to ring the bell for the waiter,
and bespeak a hot kidney pudding and aplate of shrimps
for breakfast in the morning. 2 I
VVhen I took my leave of them, they both pressed me
so much to come and dine before they went away, that
I could not refuse. :But, as I knew I could not come
next day, when I should have a good deal to prepare in
the evening, Mr. Micawber arran ed that he would call
at Dr. Strong’s’in the course of tie morning (liarin a
presentinient that the remittance would arrive liytuit
post), and propose the day after, if it would suit me bet-
ter. Accordingly I was called out of school next fore-
noon, and found Mr. Micawber in the parlour; who had
called to say that dinner would take place as proposed.
When I asked him if the remittance had come, he pressed ‘ I
my hand and departed. - I
Asl was looking out of window that same evenin ,-it
surprised me, and made me ratlier uneasy, to see A r.
Micawber and Uriah Heep walk past, arm in arm : Uriah
humbly sensible of the honour that was done him, and
Mr. Micawber taking a. bland delight in extending his
patronage to Uriah. But I was still more surprised,
when I went to the little hotel next day at the appointed .
dinner. hour, which was four o’clock, to find, from what
Mr. Micawbcr said, that he had‘ gone home wltli Uriah,
and had drunk brandy-and-water at Mrs. IIeep's. ‘
5. 3-: $2 5. ‘$24: 'a"as-"R2 s::.p..si Y1
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