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DA VID OOPPERFIEILD. e l e 203
fire, “ than to be myself, twenty times richer and twenty
times wiser, and be the torment to myself than I-have
been, in this Devil’s bark of a boat, within the last lialf-
hour I” I ' '
I was so confounded by the alteration in him, that at
first I could only observe him in silence, as he stood
leaning his head upon his hand, and looking gloomily
down at the fire. At length I begged him, with all the
earnestness I felt, to tell me what had occurred to cross
him so unusually and to let me sympathise with him, if I
could not hope to advise him. Before I had well con-
cluded, he began to laugh-fretfully at first, but soon
with returning gaiety. ' > '
- “ Tut, it's nothing, Daisy 1 nothing I ” he replied. .“ I
told you at the inn in London, I am heavy C0ln1)O.Il)"fOl'
myself sometimes. I have been a nightmare to myself,
just now-must have had one, I think. At odd dull
times, nursery tales come up into the memory, unrecog-
nised for what they are. I believe I have been confound-
ing myself with the bad boy who ‘didn't care,’ and be-
came food for lions-a grander kind of going to the
dogs, I suppose. VVhat old women call the horrors, have
been creeping over me from head to foot. I have been
afraid of myself." '
’ “You are afraid of nothing else, I think," said I.
V “Perhaps not, and yet may have enough to be afraid
of too,” he answered. “ VVell 1 So it goes by l I am
not about to be hipped again, David ; but I tell you, my .
good fellow, once more, that it would have been well for l
me (and for more than me) if I had had a steadfast and
judicious father l" .
-His face was always full of expression, but I never
saw it express such a dark kind of earnestness as when l
he said these words, with his glance bent on the fire.
“ So much for that l” he said, making as if he tossed
something light into the air, with his hand.
“ ‘ Why, being gone, I am a man again,’
like Macbeth. And now for dinner i If I have not
(Macbeth like) broken up the feast with most admired
disorder, Daisy.”
“ But where are they all, I wonder I ” said I.
“ God knows,” said Steerforth. "After strolling to
the ferry lookin for you, I strolled in here and found
the place dcscrte . That set me thinking, and you found
me thinking.”
The advent of Hrs. Guinmidge with a basket, explained
how the house had Jia pened to be empty. She had liur-
ried out to buy somet ing‘ that was needed against Mr.
Peggotty’s return with t e tide ; and had left the door
open in the meanwhile, lest Ham and little Em'ly, with
whom it was an early night, should come home while
she was gone. Steerforth, after very much improving
Mrs. Gummidge’s spirits by ii cheerful salutation, and a
jocose embrace, took my arm, and hurried me away. .
He had improved his own spirits, no less than Mrs.
Gumniidgds, for they were again at their usual flow,
Eid he was full of vivacious conversation as we went
ong.
“ And so,” he said, gaily, “ we abandon this buccaneer
life to-morrow do we?”
. “ So we agreed,” I returned.
coach are taken, you know.”
“‘ Ay l there's no help for it, I suppose,” said Steer-
forth. " I have almost forgotten that there is anything
to do in the world but to go out tossing on the sea here.
I wish there was not.”
. “As long as the novelty should last," said I, laugh-
in .
g‘ Like enough,” he returned ; “though there’s a sar-
castic meaning in that observation for an amiable piece
of innocence like my young friend. ‘Veil? I dare say I
am a capricious fellow, David. I know I am ; but while
the iron 129 hot, I can strike it vigorously too. I could
pass a reasonably good examination already, as a pilot in
these waters, I think.”
" Mr. Peggotty says you are a wonder," I returned.
“A nautical henomenon, eh ‘I’’ laughed Steerforth.
“ Indeed he oes, and you know how truly ; knowing
“ And your places by the
how ardent you are in any ursuit you follow, and how
easily you can master it. died that amazes me most in
you, Stcerfortli-that you should be contented with such
fitful uses of your powers.” I V -
' ‘'Contented?’’ he answered, merrily. “I am never
contented, except with your freshness, my gentle Daisy.
As to fitfuliiess, I have never learnt the art of binding
myself to any of the wheels on which the lxions of these
days are turning round and round. I missed it somehow
in a bad apprenticeshi , and now don‘t care about it.--
You know I have bong t a beat down here ‘I ”
“ “’hat an extraordinary fellow you are, Steerforth l”
I erclaimed, stopping-for this was the first I had heard
of it. “‘ lVlien you may never care to come near the
place again !” .
“ I don't know that,” he returned. “ I have taken a
fancy to the place. At all events," walking mo briskly
on, “ I have bought a boat that was for sale-a clipper,
Mr. Peggotty says ; and so sheis-and Mr. Peggotty will
be master of her in my absence.”
“ Now I understand you, Stecrforth l” said I, exulting-
ly. “ You pretend you have bought it for yourself, but '
you have really done so to confer a benefit on him. I
might have known as much at first, knowing you. My
dear kind Steerforth, how can I tell you what I think of
your generosity ‘Z ” -
“ Tush l” he answered, turning red. “ The less said,
the better.” ' -
“ Didn’t I know?” cried I, “ didn't I say that there
was not joy, or sorrow, or any emotion, of such honest
hearts that was indifferent to you‘? ”
“. Ay, ay,” he answered, “ you told me all that. There
let it rest, we have said enough 1” r '
Afraid of offending him by pursuing the subject when
he made so light of it, I only pursued it in my thoughts
as we went on at even a quicker pace than before.
“ She must be newly rigged,” said Steerforth, “and I
shall leave Littimer behind to see it done, that lmay
know she is quite complete, Did I tell you Littimer had
come down?"
“ No.”
“ Oh, yes ! came down this morning, with a letter from
my mother.”
As our looks met, I observed that he was pale even to
his lips, though he looked very steadily at me. I feared
that some difference between him and his mother might
have led to his being in the frame of mind in wliic i I
had found him at the solitary fireside. I hinted so.
“Oh, no 1” he said, shaking his head, and giving a
slight laugh. “ Nothing of the sort I Yes. He is come
down, that man of mine.”
“ The same as ever? ” said I. .
“ The same as ever,” said Steerfortli. “ Distant and
quiet as the North Pole. He shall see to the boat, being
fresh named. She's the Stormy Petrol now. NV hat does
Mr. Peggotty care for Stormy Petrels ! I’ll have her
christened again.” , >
“ By what name?” I asked.
“ The Little Em’ly." ‘ .
As he had continued to look steadily at me, I tool; it as
a reminder that lie objected to being extolled for his con-
sideration. I could not help showing in my face how
much it pleased me, but I said little, and he resumed his
usual smile, and seemed relieved.-
“But see here,” he said, locking before us, “where
the original little Em’ly comes! And that fellow with
her, eh? Upon my soul, he’s a true knight. He never
leaves her. ” , ,
Ham was a boat-builder in these days, having‘ im-
proved a natural ingenuity 111 that liandicraft, until he
had become a skilled workman. He was in IllS-“'OI‘klI1g'-
dress, and looked rugged enough, butmanly withal, and
a very fit protector for the blooming IIHIO. creature at his
side. Indeed, there was a frankness in his face, an hon-
esty and an undisgiiisod show of his pride in her, and his
10‘-e’f0r her which were, to me, the best of good looks.
I thought, as they came towards us, that they were well
matched, oven in that particular. I
She withdrew her hand tiinidly from his arm as. we
stopped to speak to them, and blushed as she gave it to
Steerforth and to me. lVlien they passed on, after we
had eXchann'C(1 a few words, she did not like to replace
that hand, Iiut, still appearing timid and constrained,
walked by herself. I thought all this very pretty and
0
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