in　one　particular　instance；　in　an　unflinching　manner　that　was　a
  little　tantalizing；　I　suspect；　to　poor　Traddles　and　the　rest。
  Peggotty’s　promised　letter—what　a　comfortable　letter　it　was！—
  arrived　before　‘the　half’　was　many　weeks　old；　and　with　it　a　cake　in
  a　perfect　nest　of　oranges；　and　two　bottles　of　cowslip　wine。　This
  treasure；　as　in　duty　bound；　I　laid　at　the　feet　of　Steerforth；　and
  begged　him　to　dispense。
  ‘Now；　I’ll　tell　you　what；　young　Copperfield；’　said　he：　‘the　wine
  shall　be　kept　to　wet　your　whistle　when　you　are　story…telling。’
  I　blushed　at　the　idea；　and　begged　him；　in　my　modesty；　not　to
  think　of　it。　But　he　said　he　had　observed　I　was　sometimes　hoarse—
  a　little　roopy　was　his　exact　expression—and　it　should　be；　every
  drop；　devoted　to　the　purpose　he　had　mentioned。　Accordingly；　it
  was　locked　up　in　his　box；　and　drawn　off　by　himself　in　a　phial；　and
  administered　to　me　through　a　piece　of　quill　in　the　cork；　when　I
  was　supposed　to　be　in　want　of　a　restorative。　Sometimes；　to　make　it
  a　more　sovereign　specific；　he　was　so　kind　as　to　squeeze　orange
  juice　into　it；　or　to　stir　it　up　with　ginger；　or　dissolve　a　peppermint
  drop　in　it；　and　although　I　cannot　assert　that　the　flavour　was
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  improved　by　these　experiments；　or　that　it　was　exactly　the
  compound　one　would　have　chosen　for　a　stomachic；　the　last　thing
  at　night　and　the　first　thing　in　the　morning；　I　drank　it　gratefully　and
  was　very　sensible　of　his　attention。
  We　seem；　to　me；　to　have　been　months　over　Peregrine；　and
  months　more　over　the　other　stories。　The　institution　never　flagged
  for　want　of　a　story；　I　am　certain；　and　the　wine　lasted　out　almost　as
  well　as　the　matter。　Poor　Traddles—I　never　think　of　that　boy　but
  with　a　strange　disposition　to　laugh；　and　with　tears　in　my　eyes—
  was　a　sort　of　chorus；　in　general；　and　affected　to　be　convulsed　with
  mirth　at　the　comic　parts；　and　to　be　overcome　with　fear　when　there
  was　any　passage　of　an　alarming　character　in　the　narrative。　This
  rather　put　me　out；　very　often。　It　was　a　great　jest　of　his；　I　recollect；
  to　pretend　that　he　couldn’t　keep　his　teeth　from　chattering；
  whenever　mention　was　made　of　an　Alguazill　in　connexion　with　the
  adventures　of　Gil　Blas；　and　I　remember　that　when　Gil　Blas　met
  the　captain　of　the　robbers　in　Madrid；　this　unlucky　joker
  counterfeited　such　an　ague　of　terror；　that　he　was　overheard　by　Mr。
  Creakle；　who　was　prowling　about　the　passage；　and　handsomely
  flogged　for　disorderly　conduct　in　the　bedroom。　Whatever　I　had
  within　me　that　was　romantic　and　dreamy；　was　encouraged　by　so
  much　story…telling　in　the　dark；　and　in　that　respect　the　pursuit　may
  not　have　been　very　profitable　to　me。　But　the　being　cherished　as　a
  kind　of　plaything　in　my　room；　and　the　consciousness　that　this
  accomplishment　of　mine　was　bruited　about　among　the　boys；　and
  attracted　a　good　deal　of　notice　to　me　though　I　was　the　youngest
  there；　stimulated　me　to　exertion。　In　a　school　carried　on　by　sheer
  cruelty；　whether　it　is　presided　over　by　a　dunce　or　not；　there　is　not
  likely　to　be　much　learnt。　I　believe　our　boys　were；　generally；　as
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  ignorant　a　set　as　any　schoolboys　in　existence；　they　were　too　much
  troubled　and　knocked　about　to　learn；　they　could　no　more　do　that
  to　advantage；　than　any　one　can　do　anything　to　advantage　in　a　life
  of　constant　misfortune；　torment；　and　worry。　But　my　little　vanity；
  and　Steerforth’s　help；　urged　me　on　somehow；　and　without　saving
  me　from　much；　if　anything；　in　the　way　of　punishment；　made　me；
  for　the　time　I　was　there；　an　exception　to　the　general　body；
  insomuch　that　I　did　steadily　pick　up　some　crumbs　of　knowledge。
  In　this　I　was　much　assisted　by　Mr。　Mell；　who　had　a　liking　for　me
  that　I　am　grateful　to　remember。　It　always　gave　me　pain　to　observe
  that　Steerforth　treated　him　with　systematic　disparagement；　and
  seldom　lost　an　occasion　of　wounding　his　feelings；　or　inducing
  others　to　do　so。　This　troubled　me　the　more　for　a　long　time；　because
  I　had　soon　told　Steerforth；　from　whom　I　could　no　more　keep　such
  a　secret；　than　I　could　keep　a　cake　or　any　other　tangible　possession；
  about　the　two　old　women　Mr。　Mell　had　taken　me　to　see；　and　I　was
  always　afraid　that　Steerforth　would　let　it　out；　and　twit　him　with　it。
  We　little　thought；　any　one　of　us；　I　dare　say；　when　I　ate　my
  breakfast　that　first　morning；　and　went　to　sleep　under　the　shadow
  of　the　peacock’s　feathers　to　the　sound　of　the　flute；　what
  consequences　would　come　of　the　introduction　into　those　almshouses　of　my　insignificant　person。　But　the　visit　had　its　unforeseen
  consequences；　and　of　a　serious　sort；　too；　in　their　way。
  One　day　when　Mr。　Creakle　kept　the　house　from　indisposition；
  which　naturally　diffused　a　lively　joy　through　the　school；　there　was
  a　good　deal　of　noise　in　the　course　of　the　morning’s　work。　The　great
  relief　and　satisfaction　experienced　by　the　boys　made　them　difficult
  to　manage；　and　though　the　dreaded　Tungay　brought　his　wooden
  leg　in　twice　or　thrice；　and　took　notes　of　the　principal　offenders’
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  names；　no　great　impression　was　made　by　it；　as　they　were　pretty
  sure　of　getting　into　trouble　tomorrow；　do　what　they　would；　and
  thought　it　wise；　no　doubt；　to　enjoy　themselves　today。
  It　was；　properly；　a　half…holiday；　being　Saturday。　But　as　the
  noise　in　the　playground　would　have　disturbed　Mr。　Creakle；　and
  the　weather　was　not　favourable　for　going　out　walking；　we　were
  ordered　into　school　in　the　afternoon；　and　set　some　lighter　tasks
  than　usual；　which　were　made　for　the　occasion。　It　was　the　day　of
  the　week　on　which　Mr。　Sharp　went　out　to　get　his　wig　curled；　so
  Mr。　Mell；　who　always　did　the　drudgery；　whatever　it　was；　kept
  school　by　himself。　If　I　could　associate　the　idea　of　a　bull　or　a　bear
  with　anyone　so　mild　as　Mr。　Mell；　I　should　think　of　him；　in
  connexion　with　that　afternoon　when　the　uproar　was　at　its　height；
  as　of　one　of　those　animals；　baited　by　a　thousand　dogs。　I　recall　him
  bending　his　aching　head；　supported　on　his　bony　hand；　over　the
  book　on　his　desk；　and　wretchedly　endeavouring　to　get　on　with　his
  tiresome　work；　amidst　an　uproar　that　might　have　made　the
  Speaker　of　the　House　of　Commons　giddy。　Boys　started　in　and　out
  of　their　places；　playing　at　puss　in　the　corner　with　other　boys；　there
  were　laughing　boys；　singing　boys；　talking　boys；　dancing　boys；
  howling　boys；　boys　shuffled　with　their　feet；　boys　whirled　about
  him；　grinning；　making　faces；　mimicking　him　behind　his　back　and
  before　his　eyes；　mimicking　his　poverty；　his　boots；　his　coat；　his
  mother；　everything　belonging　to　him　that　they　should　have　had
  consideration　for。
  ‘Silence！’　cried　Mr。　Mell；　suddenly　rising　up；　and　striking　his
  desk　with　the　book。　‘What　does　this　mean！　It’s　impossible　to　bear
  it。　It’s　maddening。　How　can　you　do　it　to　me；　boys？’
  It　was　my　book　that　he　struck　his　desk　with；　and　as　I　stood
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  beside　him；　following　his　eye　as　it　glanced　round　the　room；　I　saw
  the　boys　all　stop；　some　suddenly　surprised；　some　half　afraid；　and
  some　sorry　perhaps。
  Steerforth’s　place　was　at　the　bottom　of　the　school；　at　the
  opposite　end　of　the　long　room。　He　was　lounging　with　his　back
  against　the　wall；　and　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　looked　at　Mr。
  Mell　with　his　mouth　shut　up　as　if　he　were　whistling；　when　Mr。　Mell
  looked　at　him。
  ‘Silence；　Mr。　Steerforth！’　said　Mr。　Mell。
  ‘Silence　yourself；’　said　Steerforth；　turning　red。　‘Whom　are　you
  talking　to？’
  ‘Sit　down；’　said　Mr。　Mell。
  ‘Sit　down　yourself；’　said　Steerforth；　‘and　mind　your　business。’
  There　was　a　titter；　and　some　applause；　but　Mr。　Mell　was　so
  white；　that　silence　immediately　succeeded；　and　one　boy；　who　had
  darted　out　behind　him　to　imitate　his　mother　again；　changed　his
  mind；　and　pretended　to　want　a　pen　mended。
  ‘If　you　think；　Steerforth；’　said　Mr。　Mell；　‘that　I　am　not
  acquainted　with　the　power　you　can　establish　over　any　mind
  here’—he　laid　his　hand；　without　considering　what　he　did　（as　I
  supposed）；　upon　my　head—‘or　that　I　have　not　observed　you；
  within　a　few　minutes；　urging　your　juniors　on　to　every　sort　of
  outrage　against　me；　you　are　mistaken。’
  ‘I　don’t　give　myself　the　trouble　of　thinking　at　all　about　you；’　said
  Steerforth；　coolly；　‘so　I’m　not　mistaken；　as　it　happens。’
  ‘And　when　you　make　use　of　your　position　of　favouritism　here；
  sir；’　pursued　Mr。　Mell；　with　his　lip　trembling　very　much；　‘to　insult
  a　gentleman—’
  ‘A　what？—where　is　he？’　said　Steerforth。
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  David　Copperfield
  Here　somebody　cried　out；　‘Shame；　J。　Steerforth！　Too　bad！’　It
  was　Traddles；　whom　Mr。　Mell　instantly　discomfited　by　bidding
  him　hold　his　tongue。
  —‘To　insult　one　who　is　not　fortunate　in　life；　sir；　and　who　never
  gave　you　the　least　offence；　and　the　many　reasons　for　not　insulting
  whom　you　are　old　enough　and　wise　enough　to　understand；’　said
  Mr。　Mell；　with　his　lips　trembling　more　and　more；　‘you　commit　a
  mean　and　base　action。　You　can　sit　down　or　stand　up