bedroom　was　changed；　and　I　was　to　lie　a　long　way　off。　I　rambled
  downstairs　to　find　anything　that　was　like　itself；　so　altered　it　all
  seemed；　and　roamed　into　the　yard。　I　very　soon　started　back　from
  there；　for　the　empty　dog…kennel　was　filled　up　with　a　great　dog—
  deep　mouthed　and　black…haired　like　Him—and　he　was　very　angry
  at　the　sight　of　me；　and　sprang　out　to　get　at　me。
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  Chapter　4
  I　FALL　INTO　DISGRACE
  If　the　room　to　which　my　bed　was　removed　were　a　sentient
  thing　that　could　give　evidence；　I　might　appeal　to　it　at　this
  day—who　sleeps　there　now；　I　wonder！—to　bear　witness　for
  me　what　a　heavy　heart　I　carried　to　it。　I　went　up　there；　hearing　the
  dog　in　the　yard　bark　after　me　all　the　way　while　I　climbed　the
  stairs；　and；　looking　as　blank　and　strange　upon　the　room　as　the
  room　looked　upon　me；　sat　down　with　my　small　hands　crossed；　and
  thought。
  I　thought　of　the　oddest　things。　Of　the　shape　of　the　room；　of　the
  cracks　in　the　ceiling；　of　the　paper　on　the　walls；　of　the　flaws　in　the
  window…glass　making　ripples　and　dimples　on　the　prospect；　of　the
  washing…stand　being　rickety　on　its　three　legs；　and　having　a
  discontented　something　about　it；　which　reminded　me　of　Mrs。
  Gummidge　under　the　influence　of　the　old　one。　I　was　crying　all　the
  time；　but；　except　that　I　was　conscious　of　being　cold　and　dejected；　I
  am　sure　I　never　thought　why　I　cried。　At　last　in　my　desolation　I
  began　to　consider　that　I　was　dreadfully　in　love　with　little　Em’ly；
  and　had　been　torn　away　from　her　to　come　here　where　no　one
  seemed　to　want　me；　or　to　care　about　me；　half　as　much　as　she　did。
  This　made　such　a　very　miserable　piece　of　business　of　it；　that　I
  rolled　myself　up　in　a　corner　of　the　counterpane；　and　cried　myself
  to　sleep。
  I　was　awoke　by　somebody　saying　‘Here　he　is！’　and　uncovering
  my　hot　head。　My　mother　and　Peggotty　had　come　to　look　for　me；
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  and　it　was　one　of　them　who　had　done　it。
  ‘Davy；’　said　my　mother。　‘What’s　the　matter？’
  I　thought　it　was　very　strange　that　she　should　ask　me；　and
  answered；　‘Nothing。’　I　turned　over　on　my　face；　I　recollect；　to　hide
  my　trembling　lip；　which　answered　her　with　greater　truth。　‘Davy；’
  said　my　mother。　‘Davy；　my　child！’
  I　dare　say　no　words　she　could　have　uttered　would　have　affected
  me　so　much；　then；　as　her　calling　me　her　child。　I　hid　my　tears　in　the
  bedclothes；　and　pressed　her　from　me　with　my　hand；　when　she
  would　have　raised　me　up。
  ‘This　is　your　doing；　Peggotty；　you　cruel　thing！’　said　my　mother。
  ‘I　have　no　doubt　at　all　about　it。　How　can　you　reconcile　it　to　your
  conscience；　I　wonder；　to　prejudice　my　own　boy　against　me；　or
  against　anybody　who　is　dear　to　me？　What　do　you　mean　by　it；
  Peggotty？’
  Poor　Peggotty　lifted　up　her　hands　and　eyes；　and　only　answered；
  in　a　sort　of　paraphrase　of　the　grace　I　usually　repeated　after　dinner；
  ‘Lord　forgive　you；　Mrs。　Copperfield；　and　for　what　you　have　said
  this　minute；　may　you　never　be　truly　sorry！’
  ‘It’s　enough　to　distract　me；’　cried　my　mother。　‘In　my
  honeymoon；　too；　when　my　most　inveterate　enemy　might　relent；
  one　would　think；　and　not　envy　me　a　little　peace　of　mind　and
  happiness。　Davy；　you　naughty　boy！　Peggotty；　you　savage　creature！
  Oh；　dear　me！’　cried　my　mother；　turning　from　one　of　us　to　the
  other；　in　her　pettish　wilful　manner；　‘what　a　troublesome　world　this
  is；　when　one　has　the　most　right　to　expect　it　to　be　as　agreeable　as
  possible！’
  I　felt　the　touch　of　a　hand　that　I　knew　was　neither　hers　nor
  Peggotty’s；　and　slipped　to　my　feet　at　the　bed…side。　It　was　Mr。
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  Murdstone’s　hand；　and　he　kept　it　on　my　arm　as　he　said：
  ‘What’s　this？　Clara；　my　love；　have　you　forgotten？—Firmness；
  my　dear！’
  ‘I　am　very　sorry；　Edward；’　said　my　mother。　‘I　meant　to　be　very
  good；　but　I　am　so　uncomfortable。’
  ‘Indeed！’　he　answered。　‘That’s　a　bad　hearing；　so　soon；　Clara。’
  ‘I　say　it’s　very　hard　I　should　be　made　so　now；’　returned　my
  mother；　pouting；　‘and　it　is—very　hard—isn’t　it？’
  He　drew　her　to　him；　whispered　in　her　ear；　and　kissed　her。　I
  knew　as　well；　when　I　saw　my　mother’s　head　lean　down　upon　his
  shoulder；　and　her　arm　touch　his　neck—I　knew　as　well　that　he
  could　mould　her　pliant　nature　into　any　form　he　chose；　as　I　know；
  now；　that　he　did　it。
  ‘Go　you　below；　my　love；’　said　Mr。　Murdstone。　‘David　and　I　will
  come　down；　together。　My　friend；’　turning　a　darkening　face　on
  Peggotty；　when　he　had　watched　my　mother　out；　and　dismissed　her
  with　a　nod　and　a　smile；　‘do　you　know　your　mistress’s　name？’
  ‘She　has　been　my　mistress　a　long　time；　sir；’　answered　Peggotty；
  ‘I　ought　to　know　it。’
  ‘That’s　true；’　he　answered。　‘But　I　thought　I　heard　you；　as　I　came
  upstairs；　address　her　by　a　name　that　is　not　hers。　She　has　taken
  mine；　you　know。　Will　you　remember　that？’
  Peggotty；　with　some　uneasy　glances　at　me；　curtseyed　herself
  out　of　the　room　without　replying；　seeing；　I　suppose；　that　she　was
  expected　to　go；　and　had　no　excuse　for　remaining。　When　we　two
  were　left　alone；　he　shut　the　door；　and　sitting　on　a　chair；　and
  holding　me　standing　before　him；　looked　steadily　into　my　eyes。　I
  felt　my　own　attracted；　no　less　steadily；　to　his。　As　I　recall　our　being
  opposed　thus；　face　to　face；　I　seem　again　to　hear　my　heart　beat　fast
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  and　high。
  ‘David；’　he　said；　making　his　lips　thin；　by　pressing　them
  together；　‘if　I　have　an　obstinate　horse　or　dog　to　deal　with；　what　do
  you　think　I　do？’
  ‘I　don’t　know。’
  ‘I　beat　him。’
  I　had　answered　in　a　kind　of　breathless　whisper；　but　I　felt；　in　my
  silence；　that　my　breath　was　shorter　now。
  ‘I　make　him　wince；　and　smart。　I　say　to　myself；　“I’ll　conquer　that
  fellow”；　and　if　it　were　to　cost　him　all　the　blood　he　had；　I　should　do
  it。　What　is　that　upon　your　face？’
  ‘Dirt；’　I　said。
  He　knew　it　was　the　mark　of　tears　as　well　as　I。　But　if　he　had
  asked　the　question　twenty　times；　each　time　with　twenty　blows；　I
  believe　my　baby　heart　would　have　burst　before　I　would　have　told
  him　so。
  ‘You　have　a　good　deal　of　intelligence　for　a　little　fellow；’　he　said；
  with　a　grave　smile　that　belonged　to　him；　‘and　you　understood　me
  very　well；　I　see。　Wash　that　face；　sir；　and　come　down　with　me。’
  He　pointed　to　the　washing…stand；　which　I　had　made　out　to　be
  like　Mrs。　Gummidge；　and　motioned　me　with　his　head　to　obey　him
  directly。　I　had　little　doubt　then；　and　I　have　less　doubt　now；　that　he
  would　have　knocked　me　down　without　the　least　compunction；　if　I
  had　hesitated。
  ‘Clara；　my　dear；’　he　said；　when　I　had　done　his　bidding；　and　he
  walked　me　into　the　parlour；　with　his　hand　still　on　my　arm；　‘you
  will　not　be　made　uncomfortable　any　more；　I　hope。　We　shall　soon
  improve　our　youthful　humours。’
  God　help　me；　I　might　have　been　improved　for　my　whole　life；　I
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  might　have　been　made　another　creature　perhaps；　for　life；　by　a
  kind　word　at　that　season。　A　word　of　encouragement　and
  explanation；　of　pity　for　my　childish　ignorance；　of　welcome　home；
  of　reassurance　to　me　that　it　was　home；　might　have　made　me
  dutiful　to　him　in　my　heart　henceforth；　instead　of　in　my　hypocritical
  outside；　and　might　have　made　me　respect　instead　of　hate　him。　I
  thought　my　mother　was　sorry　to　see　me　standing　in　the　room　so
  scared　and　strange；　and　that；　presently；　when　I　stole　to　a　chair；　she
  followed　me　with　her　eyes　more　sorrowfully　still—missing；
  perhaps；　some　freedom　in　my　childish　tread—but　the　word　was
  not　spoken；　and　the　time　for　it　was　gone。
  We　dined　alone；　we　three　together。　He　seemed　to　be　very　fond
  of　my　mother—I　am　afraid　I　liked　him　none　the　better　for　that—
  and　she　was　very　fond　of　him。　I　gathered　from　what　they　said；　that
  an　elder　sister　of　his　was　coming　to　stay　with　them；　and　that　she
  was　expected　that　evening。　I　am　not　certain　whether　I　found　out
  then；　or　afterwards；　that；　without　being　actively　concerned　in　any
  business；　he　had　some　share　in；　or　some　annual　charge　upon　the
  profits　of；　a　wine…merchant’s　house　in　London；　with　which　his
  family　had　been　connected　from　his　great…grandfather’s　time；　and
  in　which　his　sister　had　a　similar　interest；　but　I　may　mention　it　in
  this　place；　whether　or　no。
  After　dinner；　when　we　were　sitting　by　the　fire；　and　I　was
  meditating　an　escape　to　Peggotty　without　having　the　hardihood　to
  slip　away；　lest　it　should　offend　the　master　of　the　house；　a　coach
  drove　up　to　the　garden…gate　and　he　went　out　to　receive　the　visitor。
  My　mother　followed　him。　I　was　timidly　following　her；　when　she
  turned　round　at　the　parlour　door；　in　the　dusk；　and　taking　me　in
  her　embrace　as　she　had　been　used　to　do；　whispered　me　to　love　my
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  new　father　and　be　obedient　to　him。　She　did　this　hurriedly　and
  secretly；　as　if　it　were　wrong；　but　tenderly；　and；　putting　out　her
  hand　behind　her；　held　mine　in　it；　until　we　came　near　to　where　he
  was　standing　in　the　garden；　where　s