shrunk　a　little　in　my　eyes；　and　Mrs。　Gummidge　was　waiting　at　the
  door　as　if　she　had　stood　there　ever　since。　All　within　was　the　same；
  down　to　the　seaweed　in　the　blue　mug　in　my　bedroom。　I　went　into
  the　out…house　to　look　about　me；　and　the　very　same　lobsters；　crabs；
  and　crawfish　possessed　by　the　same　desire　to　pinch　the　world　in
  general；　appeared　to　be　in　the　same　state　of　conglomeration　in　the
  same　old　corner。
  But　there　was　no　little　Em’ly　to　be　seen；　so　I　asked　Mr。　Peggotty
  where　she　was。
  ‘She’s　at　school；　sir；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　wiping　the　heat
  consequent　on　the　porterage　of　Peggotty’s　box　from　his　forehead；
  ‘she’ll　be　home；’　looking　at　the　Dutch　clock；　‘in　from　twenty
  minutes　to　half…an…hour’s　time。　We　all　on　us　feel　the　loss　of　her；
  bless　ye！’
  Mrs。　Gummidge　moaned。
  ‘Cheer　up；　Mawther！’　cried　Mr。　Peggotty。
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  ‘I　feel　it　more　than　anybody　else；’　said　Mrs。　Gummidge；　‘I’m　a
  lone　lorn　creetur’；　and　she　used　to　be　a’most　the　only　thing　that
  didn’t　go　contrary　with　me。’
  Mrs。　Gummidge；　whimpering　and　shaking　her　head；　applied
  herself　to　blowing　the　fire。　Mr。　Peggotty；　looking　round　upon　us
  while　she　was　so　engaged；　said　in　a　low　voice；　which　he　shaded
  with　his　hand：　‘The　old　’un！’　From　this　I　rightly　conjectured　that
  no　improvement　had　taken　place　since　my　last　visit　in　the　state　of
  Mrs。　Gummidge’s　spirits。
  Now；　the　whole　place　was；　or　it　should　have　been；　quite　as
  delightful　a　place　as　ever；　and　yet　it　did　not　impress　me　in　the
  same　way。　I　felt　rather　disappointed　with　it。　Perhaps　it　was
  because　little　Em’ly　was　not　at　home。　I　knew　the　way　by　which　she
  would　come；　and　presently　found　myself　strolling　along　the　path　to
  meet　her。
  A　figure　appeared　in　the　distance　before　long；　and　I　soon　knew
  it　to　be　Em’ly；　who　was　a　little　creature　still　in　stature；　though　she
  was　grown。　But　when　she　drew　nearer；　and　I　saw　her　blue　eyes
  looking　bluer；　and　her　dimpled　face　looking　brighter；　and　her
  whole　self　prettier　and　gayer；　a　curious　feeling　came　over　me　that
  made　me　pretend　not　to　know　her；　and　pass　by　as　if　I　were　looking
  at　something　a　long　way　off。　I　have　done　such　a　thing　since　in　later
  life；　or　I　am　mistaken。
  Little　Em’ly　didn’t　care　a　bit。　She　saw　me　well　enough；　but
  instead　of　turning　round　and　calling　after　me；　ran　away　laughing。
  This　obliged　me　to　run　after　her；　and　she　ran　so　fast　that　we　were
  very　near　the　cottage　before　I　caught　her。
  ‘Oh；　it’s　you；　is　it？’　said　little　Em’ly。
  ‘Why；　you　knew　who　it　was；　Em’ly；’　said　I。
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  David　Copperfield
  ‘And　didn’t　you　know　who　it　was？’　said　Em’ly。　I　was　going　to
  kiss　her；　but　she　covered　her　cherry　lips　with　her　hands；　and　said
  she　wasn’t　a　baby　now；　and　ran　away；　laughing　more　than　ever；
  into　the　house。
  She　seemed　to　delight　in　teasing　me；　which　was　a　change　in　her
  I　wondered　at　very　much。　The　tea　table　was　ready；　and　our　little
  locker　was　put　out　in　its　old　place；　but　instead　of　coming　to　sit　by
  me；　she　went　and　bestowed　her　company　upon　that　grumbling
  Mrs。　Gummidge：　and　on　Mr。　Peggotty’s　inquiring　why；　rumpled
  her　hair　all　over　her　face　to　hide　it；　and　could　do　nothing　but
  laugh。
  ‘A　little　puss；　it　is！’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　patting　her　with　his　great
  hand。
  ‘So　sh’　is！　so　sh’　is！’　cried　Ham。　‘Mas’r　Davy　bor’；　so　sh’　is！’　and
  he　sat　and　chuckled　at　her　for　some　time；　in　a　state　of　mingled
  admiration　and　delight；　that　made　his　face　a　burning　red。
  Little　Em’ly　was　spoiled　by　them　all；　in　fact；　and　by　no　one
  more　than　Mr。　Peggotty　himself；　whom　she　could　have　coaxed　into
  anything；　by　only　going　and　laying　her　cheek　against　his　rough
  whisker。　That　was　my　opinion；　at　least；　when　I　saw　her　do　it；　and　I
  held　Mr。　Peggotty　to　be　thoroughly　in　the　right。　But　she　was　so
  affectionate　and　sweet…natured；　and　had　such　a　pleasant　manner
  of　being　both　sly　and　shy　at　once；　that　she　captivated　me　more
  than　ever。
  She　was　tender…hearted；　too；　for　when；　as　we　sat　round　the　fire
  after　tea；　an　allusion　was　made　by　Mr。　Peggotty　over　his　pipe　to
  the　loss　I　had　sustained；　the　tears　stood　in　her　eyes；　and　she
  looked　at　me　so　kindly　across　the　table；　that　I　felt　quite　thankful　to
  her。
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  ‘Ah！’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　taking　up　her　curls；　and　running　them
  over　his　hand　like　water；　‘here’s　another　orphan；　you　see；　sir。　And
  here；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　giving　Ham　a　backhanded　knock　in　the
  chest；　‘is　another　of　’em；　though　he　don’t　look　much　like　it。’
  ‘If　I　had　you　for　my　guardian；　Mr。　Peggotty；’　said　I；　shaking　my
  head；　‘I　don’t　think　I　should　feel　much　like　it。’
  ‘Well　said；　Mas’r　Davy　bor’！’　cried　Ham；　in　an　ecstasy。　‘Hoorah！
  Well　said！　Nor　more　you　wouldn’t！　Hor！　Hor！’—Here　he　returned
  Mr。　Peggotty’s　back…hander；　and　little　Em’ly　got　up　and　kissed　Mr。
  Peggotty。　‘And　how’s　your　friend；　sir？’　said　Mr。　Peggotty　to　me。
  ‘Steerforth？’　said　I。
  ‘That’s　the　name！’　cried　Mr。　Peggotty；　turning　to　Ham。　‘I
  knowed　it　was　something　in　our　way。’
  ‘You　said　it　was　Rudderford；’　observed　Ham；　laughing。
  ‘Well！’　retorted　Mr。　Peggotty。　‘And　ye　steer　with　a　rudder；　don’t
  ye？　It　ain’t　fur　off。　How　is　he；　sir？’
  ‘He　was　very　well　indeed　when　I　came　away；　Mr。　Peggotty。’
  ‘There’s　a　friend！’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　stretching　out　his　pipe。
  ‘There’s　a　friend；　if　you　talk　of　friends！　Why；　Lord　love　my　heart
  alive；　if　it　ain’t　a　treat　to　look　at　him！’
  ‘He　is　very　handsome；　is　he　not？’　said　I；　my　heart　warming　with
  this　praise。
  ‘Handsome！’　cried　Mr。　Peggotty。　‘He　stands　up　to　you　like—like
  a—why　I　don’t　know　what　he　don’t　stand　up　to　you　like。　He’s　so
  bold！’
  ‘Yes！　That’s　just　his　character；’　said　I。　‘He’s　as　brave　as　a　lion；
  and　you　can’t　think　how　frank　he　is；　Mr。　Peggotty。’
  ‘And　I　do　suppose；　now；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　looking　at　me
  through　the　smoke　of　his　pipe；　‘that　in　the　way　of　book…larning
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  he’d　take　the　wind　out　of　a’most　anything。’
  ‘Yes；’　said　I；　delighted；　‘he　knows　everything。　He　is
  astonishingly　clever。’
  ‘There’s　a　friend！’　murmured　Mr。　Peggotty；　with　a　grave　toss　of
  his　head。
  ‘Nothing　seems　to　cost　him　any　trouble；’　said　I。　‘He　knows　a
  task　if　he　only　looks　at　it。　He　is　the　best　cricketer　you　ever　saw。　He
  will　give　you　almost　as　many　men　as　you　like　at　draughts；　and　beat
  you　easily。’
  Mr。　Peggotty　gave　his　head　another　toss；　as　much　as　to　say：　‘Of
  course　he　will。’
  ‘He　is　such　a　speaker；’　I　pursued；　‘that　he　can　win　anybody
  over；　and　I　don’t　know　what　you’d　say　if　you　were　to　hear　him
  sing；　Mr。　Peggotty。’
  Mr。　Peggotty　gave　his　head　another　toss；　as　much　as　to　say：　‘I
  have　no　doubt　of　it。’
  ‘Then；　he’s　such　a　generous；　fine；　noble　fellow；’　said　I；　quite
  carried　away　by　my　favourite　theme；　‘that　it’s　hardly　possible　to
  give　him　as　much　praise　as　he　deserves。　I　am　sure　I　can　never　feel
  thankful　enough　for　the　generosity　with　which　he　has　protected
  me；　so　much　younger　and　lower　in　the　school　than　himself。’
  I　was　running　on；　very　fast　indeed；　when　my　eyes　rested　on
  little　Em’ly’s　face；　which　was　bent　forward　over　the　table；　listening
  with　the　deepest　attention；　her　breath　held；　her　blue　eyes
  sparkling　like　jewels；　and　the　colour　mantling　in　her　cheeks。　She
  looked　so　extraordinarily　earnest　and　pretty；　that　I　stopped　in　a
  sort　of　wonder；　and　they　all　observed　her　at　the　same　time；　for　as　I
  stopped；　they　laughed　and　looked　at　her。
  ‘Em’ly　is　like　me；’　said　Peggotty；　‘and　would　like　to　see　him。’
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  Em’ly　was　confused　by　our　all　observing　her；　and　hung　down
  her　head；　and　her　face　was　covered　with　blushes。　Glancing　up
  presently　through　her　stray　curls；　and　seeing　that　we　were　all
  looking　at　her　still　（I　am　sure　I；　for　one；　could　have　looked　at　her
  for　hours）；　she　ran　away；　and　kept　away　till　it　was　nearly　bedtime。
  I　lay　down　in　the　old　little　bed　in　the　stern　of　the　boat；　and　the
  wind　came　moaning　on　across　the　flat　as　it　had　done　before。　But　I
  could　not　help　fancying；　now；　that　it　moaned　of　those　who　were
  gone；　and　instead　of　thinking　that　the　sea　might　rise　in　the　night
  and　float　the　boat　away；　I　thought　of　the　sea　that　had　risen；　since　I
  last　heard　those　sounds；　and　drowned　my　happy　home。　I　recollect；
  as　the　wind　and　water　began　to　sound　fainter　in　my　ears；　putting　a
  short　clause　into　my　prayers；　petitioning　that　I　might　grow　up　to
  marry　little　Em’ly；　and　so　dropping　lovingly　asleep。
  The　days　passed　pretty　much　as　they　had　passed　before；
  except—it　was　a　great　exception—that　little　Em’ly　and　I　seldom
  wandered　on　the　beach　now。　She　had　tasks　to　learn；　and　needlework　to　do；　and　was　absent　during　a　great　part　of　each　day。　But　I
  felt　that　we　should　not　have　had　those　old　wanderings；　even　if　it
  had　been　otherwise。　Wild　and　full　of　childish　whims　as　Em’ly　was；
  she　wa