Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
nature
:ularl.i
imse
mg, on"
lity he
. I was 2
and la?
as find?
tram“ ‘
null n
s rig ‘
specks;
.o'cl0Ck .-
iectlllll‘ 1 ‘
he in“:
,t it HP,‘
it. ,
"Mr. Steerforth will be glad to hear how you have
rested, sir.” ‘ ' ‘ '
“ Thank you,” said I, “ very well indeed. ' Is Mr.
Stcerforth quite well ‘2 ” '
“ Thank you, sir, Mr. Steerforth is tolcrably well.”
Another of his characteristics -no use of Superlatives.
A cool calm medium always. .
“Is there anything more I can have the honour of
doing for you, sir‘? 'l‘he warning-bell will ring at nine;
the family take breakfast at half-past nine.”
“Nothing, I thank you.”
“ I thank you, sir, if you please ;" and with that. and
with a little inclination of his head, when he passed the
bedside, as an apology for correctin , me, he went out,
shutting the door as delicately as if Igliad just fallen into
a sweet sleep on which my life depended.
Every morning we held exactly this conversation :
never any more, and never any less: and yet, invariably,
however far I might have been lifted out of myself
over-night, and advanced towards maturer years, by
Stcerfortlfs companionship, or Mrs. Steerfor-th’s con-
fidence, or Miss Dartle’s conversation, in tho presence of
this most respectable man I became, as our smaller poets
. sing, “ a boy ngain.”
He got horses for ‘us ; and Steerforth, who knew
everything, gave me lessons in riding. He provided
foils for us, and Stecrforth gave me lessons in fencing
-gloves, and I began, of the same master, to improve
in boxing. It gave me no manner of concern that Steer-
forth should find me anovice in these sciences, but I
never could bear to show my want of skill before the
respectable Littimer. I had no reason to believe that
Littimer understood such arts himself ; he never led me
to suppose anything of the kind, by so much as the vi-
bration of oncof his respectable eyelashes ; yet whenever
he was by, while we were practising, I felt myself the
greenest and most inexperienced of mortals.
I am particular about this man, because he made a
particular effect on me at that time, and because of what
took place thereafter. -
The week passed away in a most delightful manner.
It passed rapidly, as may be supposed, to one entranced
as I was: and yet it gave me so many occasions for
knowing Steerforth better, and admiring him more in a-
thousand respects,.that at its close I seemed to have been
with him for a much longer time. A dashing way he
had of treating me like a. plnything. was more agreeable
to me than any behaviour he could have adopted. It
reminded me of our old acquaintance; it seemed the
natural sequel of it; it showed me that he was un-
changed ; it relieved me of any uneasiness I might have
felt, in comparing my merits with his, and measuring
my claims upon his friendship by any equal standard;
above all, it was a familiar, unrestrained, affectionate
demeanour that he used towards no one else. As he had
treated me at school differently from all the rest, I joy-
fully believed that he treated me in life unlike any other
friend he had. I believed that I was nearer to his heart
than any other friend, and my own heart warmed with
attachment to him. '
He made up his mind to go with me into the country,
and the day arrived for our departure. He had been
doubtful at first whether to take Littimer or not, but de-
cided to leave him at home. The respectable creature,
satisfied with his lot whatever it was, arranged our port-
manteaus on the little carriage that was to take us into
London, as if they were intended to defy the shocks of
ages ; and received my modestly profIered donation with
perfect tranquillity.
VV'o bade adieu to Mrs. Steerforth and Miss Dartle,
with many thanks on my part, and much kindness on the
devoted mothcr’s. The last thing I saw was Littimor’s
unrutlled eye; fraught, as I fancied, with the silent con-
viction that I was very young indeed.
lVhat I felt, in returning so auspiciously to the old
familiar places, I shall not endeavour to describe. ‘V0
went down by the Mail. I was so concerned, I recollect,
even for the honour of Yarmouth, that when Steerforth
said as we drove through its dark streets to the inn,
that, as well as he could make out, it was a good, queer,
DA VID OOPPERFIELD.
r
197
shoes ‘and gaiters in connexion with my old friend the
Dolplunas we passed that door), and breakfastcd late in
the morning. Steerforth, who was in great spirits, had
been strolling about the beach before I was up, and had
made acquaintance, he said, with half the boatmen in
the place. Moreover, he had seen, in the distance, what
he wassure must be theidentical house of Mr. Peggotty,
with smoke coming out of the chimney; and had had a.
great mind, he told me,to walk in and swear he was my-
self grown out of knowledge.
“ When do you propose to introduce me there, Daisy?”
he said. “ I am at your disposal. Make your own ar-
rangements.”
“ lVhy, I was thinking that this evening would be a
good time, Steerforth, when they are all sitting round the
fire. I should like you to see it,when it’s snug, it's such
a curious place.”
“ So be it i” returned Steerforth. " This evening.”
“I shall not give them any notice that we are here,
you know,” said I delighted. “ ‘Va must take them by
surprise.”
“ Oh, of course! It’s no fun,” said Steerforth, “ un.
less we take them by surprise. Let us see the.natives
in their aboriginal condition.” '
“Though they are that sort of people that you men-
tioned," I returned. ‘ >
“ Aha I VVhat I you recollect my skirmishes, with
Rosa, do you? ” he exclaimed with a quick look. “ Con-
found the girl, I am half afraid of her. She’s like a. gob-
lin to me. But never mind her. Now what are you go-
ing to do‘? You are going to see your nurse, I suppose?”
“ “Thy, yes, ” I said, “I must see Peggotty first of
S-7
r-I
u-I
“‘ VVell,” replied Steerforth, looking at his watch.
“fS]upp:se II dgivteigylou up to1b?e"cricd over for a couple
0 mar . s in g enoug 1
I answered, laughing, that I thought we might get
through in that tirnlel, but that hle inust come ilso; for
he would find that is renown ia preceded im and
that he was almost as great a. personage as I was. ,
“ I’ll come anywhere you like,” said Steerforth, “ or
do anything you like. Tell me where to come to; and
in two hours I'll produce myself in any state you please,
sentimental or comical.”
I gave him minute directions for finding the residence
of Mr. Barkis, carrier to Blunderstone and elsewhere;
and on this understanding, I went out alone. There was a.
sharp bracing air ; the ground was dry; the sea was crisp
and clear ‘ the sun was diffusing abundance of light, if
not much ,warmth ; and everything was fresh and lively.
I was so fresh and lively myself, in the pleasure of being
there, that 1 could have stopped the people 111 the streets
and shaken hands with them.
The streets looked small, of course. The streets that
we have only seen as children always do, I believe, when
we go back to them. But I had forgotten nothing in
them, and found nothing changed, until I came to Mr.
0mcr’s shop. Oman AND JORAM was now written up,
where Oman used to be; but the inscription, DRAPER,
TAILOR,dHABEItDASI1EI1, FUNERAL Fumvrsnnn, mu,
romaine as it was.
My footsteps seemed to tend so naturally to the shop-
d!oor,Iafter I l1adx;tI:1adth<(3ls:e xgofdsl fgom ovvgri the way,
t mt went across e roa an on re 1!]. iere was a
pretty woman at the back of the shop, dancing at little
child in her arms, while another little fellow clung to
[ her apron. I had no difficulty in recognising either Min-
nie or Minnie’s children. The glass-door of the parlour
was not open; but in the workshop across-the yard, I
could faintly hear the old tune playing, as If It had new!‘
left off.
“ Is Mr. Omer at home?” saidfi, entering. “I should
l'ke to se 1' , for a moment, i e is. ’
1 “Oh yeesjuslir, he is at home,” said Minnie : " this
weather don't suit his asthma out of doors. Joe, call
our randfather !”
y This; little fellow, who was holding her ap‘r.on, gave
such a lusty shout, that the sound of it made 1m bash-
ful, and he buried his face in her skirts, to her great ad-
miration. I heard a heavy pulling and blowing coming
out-of-the-way kind of hole, I was highly pleased. VVe towards us, and soon Mr. Omer, shorter-winded than of
went to bed on our arrival (I observed a pair of dirty yore, but not much older looking, stood before me.