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256 , CHARLES DIOIi’E’NS’ WORKS. ‘
Iopencd the door, and admitted, not only Mr. Wick-
field, but Uriah Heep. I had not seen’ Mr. lVickfield for
some time. I was prepared for a great change in him,
after what I had heard from Agnes, but his appearance
shocked me. . . , ’ , A A
,. It was not that he looked many years older, though
still dressed with the old scrupulous cleanliness, ; or that
there was an unwholesome ruddiness upon his face ; or
that his eyes were full andbloodshot ; or that there was
a nervous trembling in his hand, the cause of which I
knew, and had for some years seen at work. It was not
that he had lost his good looks, or his old bearing of , a
gentleman-for that he had not-but the thing that .
struck me most, was, that with theevidences of his
native superiority, still upon him, he should submit liim-
self to that crawling impersonation of meanness, Uriah
Heep. The reversal of the two natures, in their relative
positions, Uriah’s of power and Mr. lVickfie1d’s of,‘de-
pendence, was a sightmore painful to rnethan I can ex- i
press. If I had seen an Ape taking. command of a Man,
I should hardly have thought it a more degrading’ spec-
tacle. . . ' i i i , . .
. He appeared to be only too conscious of it himself.
When he came -in, he stood still; and with his head
bowed, as if he felt it. This was only for a moment ;
for Agnes softly said to him, “Papal Here is'Miss
Trotwood-and Trotwood, whom you have not seen for
a long while ! ” and then he approached, and constrain-
edly gave my aunt his hand, and shook hands more cor-
dially with ,me. In the moment’s pause I speak of, I
saw Uriah’s countenance form itself into a most ,il1-fav-
oured smile. Agnes saw it too, I think, for she shrank
from him. ’ ‘ ' ,
VVhat my aunt saw, or did not see, I defy the science
of physiognomyto have made out, without her own con.
sent. I believe there neverwas anybody with such an
imperturbable countcnancowlien she chose. Her face
might have been a dead wall on the occasion inques-
tion, for any light it threw upon her thoughts ; until she
broke silence with her usual abruptness.
“ IVell, XVickfield I," said my aunt ; and he looked up
at her for the first time. “Iliave been telling your
daughter how well I have been disposing of my money
for myself, because I couldn’t trust it to you, as you
were growing rusty in business matters. VVe have been
taking counsel together, and getting ‘on very well, all
things considered. Agnes is worth the whole firm, in
my opinion.” . ,
“ If I may umbly make the remark,” said Uriah Heep
with a writhe, “I fully agree with Miss Betsey Trot:
wood, and should be only, too appy if Miss Agnes was 3,
partner. .
“You’re a partner yourself, you know,” returned my
aunt, " and that’s about enough for you, I expect, How
do you find yourself, sir?”
In acknowledgment of this question, addressed to him
with extraordinary curtness, Mr. Heep, uncomfortably
clutching the blue bag he carried, replied that he was
pretty well, he thanked my aunt, and hoped she was the
same. ‘
“ And you, Master-I should say, Mister Co erfield ”
pursued Uriah. “I. hope I see you well! PI am rig.
joiced to see you. Mister Copperfield, even under pres.
ent circumstances.” I believed that; for he seemed to
relish them very much. ‘f Present circumstances is not
‘ what your friends would wish for you, Mister Copper-
field, but it isn’t money makes the man: it’saI am
really unequal with my umble powers to express what
it is,” said Uriah, with a fawning jerk, “but it isn't
money l” . ' ‘
Here he shook hands, with me: not in the common .
’way, but standing at a good distance from me, and lift.
iiig my hand up and down like 11 pump handle, that he
.wasX little afraid of. , , , V
“ nd how do you think we are looking, M t ‘C ,
perfield,-I should say, Mister? ” fawned Urializis ?.‘rDo01i3t
you find Mr. Wickfield blooming, sir? Years don't ten
much in our firm, Master Copperfield, except in raising
-up the umble, namely, mother and self-and in den],
oping,” he added as an after-thought, ‘(the beautiful
namely Miss Agnes.” > x , ’
He jerked himself about, after this compliment, in
such an intolerable manner, that my aunt, who had sat
looking straight at him,.lost all patience.
“ Deuce take the man I’’ said my aunt, sternly, ‘fwhat’s
he about. ,Don’t be galvanic, sir l" . , g
. .“ I ask your pardon, Miss 'l‘rotwood,’,’ returned Uriah;
“ I’m aware you’re nervous.” ,
“Go along with you, sir I” said my aunt, anything
but appeased. ‘,‘dDon’t presume to say so I I am nothing of
the sort. If you’re an eel, sir, conductyourself like one.
If you’re a man, control your limbs, siri Good God !”
said my aunt, with great indignation, "I am not going
to be serpentiued and corkscrcwed out of my senses 1”
Mr. Heep was rather abashcd, as most people might
have been, by this explosion; which derived reat ad-
ditional force from the indignant manner in w iich my
aunt afterwards moved in her chair, and shook her head
as if she” were making snaps or bounces at him. But 1‘-0
said to me aside in n. meek voice : I
“ I am well aware, Master Cop erfield, that Miss Trot-
wood," though ‘an excellent lady, had a quick temper (m-
deed I think I had the pleasure of knowing her, whenl
was an umble clerk, before you did, Master Copperfield).
and it’s only natural, I am sure, that it should be made
quicker by present circumstances. The wonderis, that
it isn't. much ‘worse! I only called to say that if there
was anything we could do, in present circumstances,
mother or self, or VVickfield and Heep, we should be
really glad. I may go so far 7 " said Uriah, with a sickly
smile at his partner.
“ Uriah Heep,” said Mr. W'ickfield, in a monotonous
forced way, " is active in the business, Trotwood. ‘VIM
he says, I quite concur in.5 You know I had an old in-
terest in you. Apart from that, what Uriah says I ‘lime
concur in l”
“Oh, what a reward it is,” said Uriah, drawing “P
one leg, at the risk of bringing down upon himself ful-
other visitation, from my aunt, “to be soltrusted 111!
But I hope I am able to do something to relieve him from
the fatigues of business, Master Copperfield I” ,
“ Uriah Heep is a great relief to rue,” said Mr. W301“
tield, in the same dull voice, “‘ It’s a load off my mind:
Trotwood, to have such a partner.” . .
The red fox made him say all this, I knew, to cxhlb“
him to me in the light he iimi indicated on the night
when he poisoned my rest. I saw the same ill-favour?
smile upon his face again, and saw how he watched 1119-
“You-are not going, papa?” said Agnes, anxious Y-
“ lVil1 you not walk back with Trotwood and me?
He would have looked to Uriah, I believe, before 16'
plying, if that worthy had not anticipated him. . ’
‘.‘I am bespoke myself,” said Uriah, “on liusm9$5r
otherwise I should have been appy to have k0Pt “qt
my friends. But I leave my partner to represent the
firm. Miss Agnes, ever yours! I wish you goodday’
Master Copperfield, and leave my uinblo respects 0?
Miss Betsey 'l‘rotwoo(l." '
“’ith these words, he retired, kissing his great band:
and lecring at us like a mask. ' -
-. .XVe sat there, talking about our pleasant old Canter‘
bury days. an hour 01' two. Mr. Wickficld, 10“ ‘O
Agnes, soon became more like his former self ; ihwgh
there was a settled depression upon him, which he DGV“
shook off. For all that, he brinhtened ; and 11!)
evident pleasure in hearing us rczdall the little incidents
0f,011l‘ 014 life, many of which he remembered V017 Wee;
He said it was like those times, to be alone with Agn r
and me again ; and he wished to Heaven they had 119V?d
changed. I am sure there was an influence in the Pm“
face of A es, and in the very touch of her hand “Po”
his arm, t at did wonders for him. , -,1,
My aunt. (who ‘was busy nearly all this while W1“
Peggotty, in the inner room), would not acc-orxiip-“Y 6
to t e place where they were staying, but insist f
1133’ ‘going ;, and I went. We dined together. (1 out
dinner, Agnes sat beside him, as of old, and 1101119 ,
his wine. He took what she gave him, and 11‘? nfoaew
like a child-and we all three‘ sat together at I1 W1” 0
as the evening gathered in. IVhen it was almostgirlii
he lay down on a sofa, Agnes pillowing his $1131 came
bending over him a little while; and when
back to the window, it was not so dark but I 00
tears glittering in her eyes,
in see
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