perfectly　covered　with　a　great　brass…plate；　on　which　was　engraved
  ‘Mrs。　Micawber’s　Boarding　Establishment　for　Young　Ladies’：　but　I
  never　found　that　any　young　lady　had　ever　been　to　school　there；　or
  that　any　young　lady　ever　came；　or　proposed　to　come；　or　that　the
  least　preparation　was　ever　made　to　receive　any　young　lady。　The
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  only　visitors　I　ever　saw；　or　heard　of；　were　creditors。　They　used　to
  come　at　all　hours；　and　some　of　them　were　quite　ferocious。　One
  dirty…faced　man；　I　think　he　was　a　boot…maker；　used　to　edge　himself
  into　the　passage　as　early　as　seven　o’clock　in　the　morning；　and　call
  up　the　stairs　to　Mr。　Micawber—‘Come！　You　ain’t　out　yet；　you
  know。　Pay　us；　will　you？　Don’t　hide；　you　know；　that’s　mean。　I
  wouldn’t　be　mean　if　I　was　you。　Pay　us；　will　you？　You　just　pay　us；
  d’ye　hear？　Come！’　Receiving　no　answer　to　these　taunts；　he　would
  mount　in　his　wrath　to　the　words　‘swindlers’　and　‘robbers’；　and
  these　being　ineffectual　too；　would　sometimes　go　to　the　extremity　of
  crossing　the　street；　and　roaring　up　at　the　windows　of　the　second
  floor；　where　he　knew　Mr。　Micawber　was。　At　these　times；　Mr。
  Micawber　would　be　transported　with　grief　and　mortification；　even
  to　the　length　（as　I　was　once　made　aware　by　a　scream　from　his　wife）
  of　making　motions　at　himself　with　a　razor；　but　within　half…an…hour
  afterwards；　he　would　polish　up　his　shoes　with　extraordinary　pains；
  and　go　out；　humming　a　tune　with　a　greater　air　of　gentility　than
  ever。　Mrs。　Micawber　was　quite　as　elastic。　I　have　known　her　to　be
  thrown　into　fainting　fits　by　the　king’s　taxes　at　three　o’clock；　and　to
  eat　lamb　chops；　breaded；　and　drink　warm　ale　（paid　for　with　two
  tea…spoons　that　had　gone　to　the　pawnbroker’s）　at　four。　On　one
  occasion；　when　an　execution　had　just　been　put　in；　coming　home
  through　some　chance　as　early　as　six　o’clock；　I　saw　her　lying　（of
  course　with　a　twin）　under　the　grate　in　a　swoon；　with　her　hair　all
  torn　about　her　face；　but　I　never　knew　her　more　cheerful　than　she
  was；　that　very　same　night；　over　a　veal　cutlet　before　the　kitchen
  fire；　telling　me　stories　about　her　papa　and　mama；　and　the
  company　they　used　to　keep。
  In　this　house；　and　with　this　family；　I　passed　my　leisure　time。　My
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  own　exclusive　breakfast　of　a　penny　loaf　and　a　pennyworth　of　milk；
  I　provided　myself。　I　kept　another　small　loaf；　and　a　modicum　of
  cheese；　on　a　particular　shelf　of　a　particular　cupboard；　to　make　my
  supper　on　when　I　came　back　at　night。　This　made　a　hole　in　the　six
  or　seven　shillings；　I　know　well；　and　I　was　out　at　the　warehouse　all
  day；　and　had　to　support　myself　on　that　money　all　the　week。　From
  Monday　morning　until　Saturday　night；　I　had　no　advice；　no
  counsel；　no　encouragement；　no　consolation；　no　assistance；　no
  support；　of　any　kind；　from　anyone；　that　I　can　call　to　mind；　as　I
  hope　to　go　to　heaven！
  I　was　so　young　and　childish；　and　so　little　qualified—how　could　I
  be　otherwise？—to　undertake　the　whole　charge　of　my　own
  existence；　that　often；　in　going　to　Murdstone　and　Grinby’s；　of　a
  morning；　I　could　not　resist　the　stale　pastry　put　out　for　sale　at　half…
  price　at　the　pastrycooks’　doors；　and　spent　in　that　the　money　I
  should　have　kept　for　my　dinner。　Then；　I　went　without　my　dinner；
  or　bought　a　roll　or　a　slice　of　pudding。　I　remember　two　pudding
  shops；　between　which　I　was　divided；　according　to　my　finances。
  One　was　in　a　court　close　to　St。　Martin’s　Church—at　the　back　of　the
  church；—which　is　now　removed　altogether。　The　pudding　at　that
  shop　was　made　of　currants；　and　was　rather　a　special　pudding；　but
  was　dear；　twopennyworth　not　being　larger　than　a　pennyworth　of
  more　ordinary　pudding。　A　good　shop　for　the　latter　was　in　the
  Strand—somewhere　in　that　part　which　has　been　rebuilt　since。　It
  was　a　stout　pale　pudding；　heavy　and　flabby；　and　with　great　flat
  raisins　in　it；　stuck　in　whole　at　wide　distances　apart。　It　came　up　hot
  at　about　my　time　every　day；　and　many　a　day　did　I　dine　off　it。　When
  I　dined　regularly　and　handsomely；　I　had　a　saveloy　and　a　penny
  loaf；　or　a　fourpenny　plate　of　red　beef　from　a　cook’s　shop；　or　a　plate
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  of　bread　and　cheese　and　a　glass　of　beer；　from　a　miserable　old
  public…house　opposite　our　place　of　business；　called　the　Lion；　or　the
  Lion　and　something　else　that　I　have　forgotten。　Once；　I　remember
  carrying　my　own　bread　（which　I　had　brought　from　home　in　the
  morning）　under　my　arm；　wrapped　in　a　piece　of　paper；　like　a　book；
  and　going　to　a　famous　alamode　beef…house　near　Drury　Lane；　and
  ordering　a　‘small　plate’　of　that　delicacy　to　eat　with　it。　What　the
  waiter　thought　of　such　a　strange　little　apparition　coming　in　all
  alone；　I　don’t　know；　but　I　can　see　him　now；　staring　at　me　as　I　ate
  my　dinner；　and　bringing　up　the　other　waiter　to　look。　I　gave　him　a
  halfpenny　for　himself；　and　I　wish　he　hadn’t　taken　it。
  We　had　half…an…hour；　I　think；　for　tea。　When　I　had　money
  enough；　I　used　to　get　half…a…pint　of　ready…made　coffee　and　a　slice
  of　bread　and　butter。　When　I　had　none；　I　used　to　look　at　a　venison
  shop　in　Fleet　Street；　or　I　have　strolled；　at　such　a　time；　as　far　as
  Covent　Garden　Market；　and　stared　at　the　pineapples。　I　was　fond　of
  wandering　about　the　Adelphi；　because　it　was　a　mysterious　place；
  with　those　dark　arches。　I　see　myself　emerging　one　evening　from
  some　of　these　arches；　on　a　little　public…house　close　to　the　river；
  with　an　open　space　before　it；　where　some　coal…heavers　were
  dancing；　to　look　at　whom　I　sat　down　upon　a　bench。　I　wonder　what
  they　thought　of　me！
  I　was　such　a　child；　and　so　little；　that　frequently　when　I　went　into
  the　bar　of　a　strange　public…house　for　a　glass　of　ale　or　porter；　to
  moisten　what　I　had　had　for　dinner；　they　were　afraid　to　give　it　me。　I
  remember　one　hot　evening　I　went　into　the　bar　of　a　public…house；
  and　said　to　the　landlord：
  ‘What　is　your　best—your　very　best—ale　a　glass？’　For　it　was　a
  special　occasion。　I　don’t　know　what。　It　may　have　been　my
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  birthday。
  ‘Twopence…halfpenny；’　says　the　landlord；　‘is　the　price　of　the
  Genuine　Stunning　ale。’
  ‘Then；’　says　I；　producing　the　money；　‘just　draw　me　a　glass　of　the
  Genuine　Stunning；　if　you　please；　with　a　good　head　to　it。’
  The　landlord　looked　at　me　in　return　over　the　bar；　from　head　to
  foot；　with　a　strange　smile　on　his　face；　and　instead　of　drawing　the
  beer；　looked　round　the　screen　and　said　something　to　his　wife。　She
  came　out　from　behind　it；　with　her　work　in　her　hand；　and　joined
  him　in　surveying　me。　Here　we　stand；　all　three；　before　me　now。　The
  landlord　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　leaning　against　the　bar　window…
  frame；　his　wife　looking　over　the　little　half…door；　and　I；　in　some
  confusion；　looking　up　at　them　from　outside　the　partition。　They
  asked　me　a　good　many　questions；　as；　what　my　name　was；　how　old
  I　was；　where　I　lived；　how　I　was　employed；　and　how　I　came　there。
  To　all　of　which；　that　I　might　commit　nobody；　I　invented；　I　am
  afraid；　appropriate　answers。　They　served　me　with　the　ale；　though　I
  suspect　it　was　not　the　Genuine　Stunning；　and　the　landlord’s　wife；
  opening　the　little　half…door　of　the　bar；　and　bending　down；　gave　me
  my　money　back；　and　gave　me　a　kiss　that　was　half　admiring　and
  half　compassionate；　but　all　womanly　and　good；　I　am　sure。
  I　know　I　do　not　exaggerate；　unconsciously　and　unintentionally；
  the　scantiness　of　my　resources　or　the　difficulties　of　my　life。　I　know
  that　if　a　shilling　were　given　me　by　Mr。　Quinion　at　any　time；　I　spent
  it　in　a　dinner　or　a　tea。　I　know　that　I　worked；　from　morning　until
  night；　with　common　men　and　boys；　a　shabby　child。　I　know　that　I
  lounged　about　the　streets；　insufficiently　and　unsatisfactorily　fed。　I
  know　that；　but　for　the　mercy　of　God；　I　might　easily　have　been；　for
  any　care　that　was　taken　of　me；　a　little　robber　or　a　little　vagabond。
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  David　Copperfield
  Yet　I　held　some　station　at　Murdstone　and　Grinby’s　too。　Besides
  that　Mr。　Quinion　did　what　a　careless　man　so　occupied；　and　dealing
  with　a　thing　so　anomalous；　could；　to　treat　me　as　one　upon　a
  different　footing　from　the　rest；　I　never　said；　to　man　or　boy；　how　it
  was　that　I　came　to　be　there；　or　gave　the　least　indication　of　being
  sorry　that　I　was　there。　That　I　suffered　in　secret；　and　that　I　suffered
  exquisitely；　no　one　ever　knew　but　I。　How　much　I　suffered；　it　is；　as　I
  have　said　already；　utterly　beyond　my　power　to　tell。　But　I　kept　my
  own　counsel；　and　I　did　my　work。　I　knew　from　the　first；　that；　if　I
  could　not　do　my　work　as　well　as　any　of　the　rest；　I　could　not　hold
  myself　above　slight　and　contempt。　I　soon　became　at　least　as
  expeditious　and　as　skilful　as　either　of　the　other　boys。　Though
  perfectly　familiar　with　them；　my　conduct　and　manner　were
  different　enough　from　theirs　to　place　a　space　between　us。　They
  and　the　men　generally　spoke　of　me　as　‘the　little　gent’；　or　‘the
  young　Suffolker。’　A　certain　man　named　Gregory；　who　was
  foreman　of　the　packers；　and　another　named　Tipp；　who　was　the
  carman；　and　wore　a　red　jacket；　us