‘I　really　can’t　say；　sir。　I　think—but　I　really　can’t　say；　sir。　I　wish
  you　good　night；　sir。’
  He　comprehended　everybody　present；　in　the　respectful　bow
  with　which　he　followed　these　words；　and　disappeared。　My　visitors
  seemed　to　breathe　more　freely　when　he　was　gone；　but　my　own
  relief　was　very　great；　for　besides　the　constraint；　arising　from　that
  extraordinary　sense　of　being　at　a　disadvantage　which　I　always　had
  in　this　man’s　presence；　my　conscience　had　embarrassed　me　with
  whispers　that　I　had　mistrusted　his　master；　and　I　could　not　repress
  a　vague　uneasy　dread　that　he　might　find　it　out。　How　was　it；　having
  so　little　in　reality　to　conceal；　that　I　always　DID　feel　as　if　this　man
  were　finding　me　out？
  Mr。　Micawber　roused　me　from　this　reflection；　which　was
  blended　with　a　certain　remorseful　apprehension　of　seeing
  Steerforth　himself；　by　bestowing　many　encomiums　on　the　absent
  Littimer　as　a　most　respectable　fellow；　and　a　thoroughly　admirable
  servant。　Mr。　Micawber；　I　may　remark；　had　taken　his　full　share　of
  the　general　bow；　and　had　received　it　with　infinite　condescension。
  ‘But　punch；　my　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　tasting　it；
  ‘like　time　and　tide；　waits　for　no　man。　Ah！　it　is　at　the　present
  moment　in　high　flavour。　My　love；　will　you　give　me　your　opinion？’
  Mrs。　Micawber　pronounced　it　excellent。
  ‘Then　I　will　drink；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘if　my　friend　Copperfield
  will　permit　me　to　take　that　social　liberty；　to　the　days　when　my
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  friend　Copperfield　and　myself　were　younger；　and　fought　our　way
  in　the　world　side　by　side。　I　may　say；　of　myself　and　Copperfield；　in
  words　we　have　sung　together　before　now；　that
  “We　twa　hae　run　about　the　braes
  And　pu’d　the　gowans’　fine”
  —in　a　figurative　point　of　view—on　several　occasions。　I　am　not
  exactly　aware；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　with　the　old　roll　in　his　voice；
  and　the　old　indescribable　air　of　saying　something　genteel；　‘what
  gowans　may　be；　but　I　have　no　doubt　that　Copperfield　and　myself
  would　frequently　have　taken　a　pull　at　them；　if　it　had　been　feasible。’
  Mr。　Micawber；　at　the　then　present　moment；　took　a　pull　at　his
  punch。　So　we　all　did：　Traddles　evidently　lost　in　wondering　at　what
  distant　time　Mr。　Micawber　and　I　could　have　been　comrades　in　the
  battle　of　the　world。
  ‘Ahem！’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　clearing　his　throat；　and　warming
  with　the　punch　and　with　the　fire。　‘My　dear；　another　glass？’
  Mrs。　Micawber　said　it　must　be　very　little；　but　we　couldn’t　allow
  that；　so　it　was　a　glassful。
  ‘As　we　are　quite　confidential　here；　Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Mrs。
  Micawber；　sipping　her　punch；　‘Mr。　Traddles　being　a　part　of　our
  domesticity；　I　should　much　like　to　have　your　opinion　on　Mr。
  Micawber’s　prospects。　For　corn；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber
  argumentatively；　‘as　I　have　repeatedly　said　to　Mr。　Micawber；　may
  be　gentlemanly；　but　it　is　not　remunerative。　Commission　to　the
  extent　of　two　and　ninepence　in　a　fortnight　cannot；　however　limited
  our　ideas；　be　considered　remunerative。’
  We　were　all　agreed　upon　that。
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  ‘Then；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　who　prided　herself　on　taking　a
  clear　view　of　things；　and　keeping　Mr。　Micawber　straight　by　her
  woman’s　wisdom；　when　he　might　otherwise　go　a　little　crooked；
  ‘then　I　ask　myself　this　question。　If　corn　is　not　to　be　relied　upon；
  what　is？　Are　coals　to　be　relied　upon？　Not　at　all。　We　have　turned
  our　attention　to　that　experiment；　on　the　suggestion　of　my　family；
  and　we　find　it　fallacious。’
  Mr。　Micawber；　leaning　back　in　his　chair　with　his　hands　in　his
  pockets；　eyed　us　aside；　and　nodded　his　head；　as　much　as　to　say
  that　the　case　was　very　clearly　put。
  ‘The　articles　of　corn　and　coals；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　still　more
  argumentatively；　‘being　equally　out　of　the　question；　Mr。
  Copperfield；　I　naturally　look　round　the　world；　and　say；　“What　is
  there　in　which　a　person　of　Mr。　Micawber’s　talent　is　likely　to
  succeed？”　And　I　exclude　the　doing　anything　on　commission；
  because　commission　is　not　a　certainty。　What　is　best　suited　to　a
  person　of　Mr。　Micawber’s　peculiar　temperament　is；　I　am
  convinced；　a　certainty。’
  Traddles　and　I　both　expressed；　by　a　feeling　murmur；　that　this
  great　discovery　was　no　doubt　true　of　Mr。　Micawber；　and　that　it　did
  him　much　credit。
  ‘I　will　not　conceal　from　you；　my　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Mrs。
  Micawber；　‘that　I　have　long　felt　the　Brewing　business　to　be
  particularly　adapted　to　Mr。　Micawber。　Look　at　Barclay　and
  Perkins！　Look　at　Truman；　Hanbury；　and　Buxton！　It　is　on　that
  extensive　footing　that　Mr。　Micawber；　I　know　from　my　own
  knowledge　of　him；　is　calculated　to　shine；　and　the　profits；　I　am　told；
  are　e…nor…mous！　But　if　Mr。　Micawber　cannot　get　into　those　firms—
  which　decline　to　answer　his　letters；　when　he　offers　his　services
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  even　in　an　inferior　capacity—what　is　the　use　of　dwelling　upon　that
  idea？　None。　I　may　have　a　conviction　that　Mr。　Micawber’s
  manners—’
  ‘Hem！　Really；　my　dear；’　interposed　Mr。　Micawber。
  ‘My　love；　be　silent；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　laying　her　brown　glove
  on　his　hand。　‘I　may　have　a　conviction；　Mr。　Copperfield；　that　Mr。
  Micawber’s　manners　peculiarly　qualify　him　for　the　Banking
  business。　I　may　argue　within　myself；　that　if　I　had　a　deposit　at　a
  banking…house；　the　manners　of　Mr。　Micawber；　as　representing
  that　banking…house；　would　inspire　confidence；　and　must　extend
  the　connexion。　But　if　the　various　banking…houses　refuse　to　avail
  themselves　of　Mr。　Micawber’s　abilities；　or　receive　the　offer　of　them
  with　contumely；　what　is　the　use　of　dwelling　upon　that　idea？　None。
  As　to　originating　a　banking…business；　I　may　know　that　there　are
  members　of　my　family　who；　if　they　chose　to　place　their　money　in
  Mr。　Micawber’s　hands；　might　found　an　establishment　of　that
  description。　But　if　they　do　not　choose　to　place　their　money　in　Mr。
  Micawber’s　hands—which　they　don’t—what　is　the　use　of　that？
  Again　I　contend　that　we　are　no　farther　advanced　than　we　were
  before。’
  I　shook　my　head；　and　said；　‘Not　a　bit。’　Traddles　also　shook　his
  head；　and　said；　‘Not　a　bit。’
  ‘What　do　I　deduce　from　this？’　Mrs。　Micawber　went　on　to　say；
  still　with　the　same　air　of　putting　a　case　lucidly。　‘What　is　the
  conclusion；　my　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；　to　which　I　am　irresistibly
  brought？　Am　I　wrong　in　saying；　it　is　clear　that　we　must　live？’
  I　answered　‘Not　at　all！’　and　Traddles　answered　‘Not　at　all！’　and
  I　found　myself　afterwards　sagely　adding；　alone；　that　a　person　must
  either　live　or　die。
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  ‘Just　so；’　returned　Mrs。　Micawber；　‘It　is　precisely　that。　And　the
  fact　is；　my　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；　that　we　can　not　live　without
  something　widely　different　from　existing　circumstances　shortly
  turning　up。　Now　I　am　convinced；　myself；　and　this　I　have　pointed
  out　to　Mr。　Micawber　several　times　of　late；　that　things　cannot　be
  expected　to　turn　up　of　themselves。　We　must；　in　a　measure；　assist　to
  turn　them　up。　I　may　be　wrong；　but　I　have　formed　that　opinion。’
  Both　Traddles　and　I　applauded　it　highly。
  ‘Very　well；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber。　‘Then　what　do　I　recommend？
  Here　is　Mr。　Micawber　with　a　variety　of　qualifications—with　great
  talent—’
  ‘Really；　my　love；’　said　Mr。　Micawber。
  ‘Pray；　my　dear；　allow　me　to　conclude。　Here　is　Mr。　Micawber；
  with　a　variety　of　qualifications；　with　great　talent—I　should　say；
  with　genius；　but　that　may　be　the　partiality　of　a　wife—’
  Traddles　and　I　both　murmured　‘No。’
  ‘And　here　is　Mr。　Micawber　without　any　suitable　position　or
  employment。　Where　does　that　responsibility　rest？　Clearly　on
  society。　Then　I　would　make　a　fact　so　disgraceful　known；　and
  boldly　challenge　society　to　set　it　right。　It　appears　to　me；　my　dear
  Mr。　Copperfield；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　forcibly；　‘that　what　Mr。
  Micawber　has　to　do；　is　to　throw　down　the　gauntlet　to　society；　and
  say；　in　effect；　“Show　me　who　will　take　that　up。　Let　the　party
  immediately　step　forward。”’
  I　ventured　to　ask　Mrs。　Micawber　how　this　was　to　be　done。
  ‘By　advertising；’　said　Mrs。　Micawber—‘in　all　the　papers。　It
  appears　to　me；　that　what　Mr。　Micawber　has　to　do；　in　justice　to
  himself；　in　justice　to　his　family；　and　I　will　even　go　so　far　as　to　say　in
  justice　to　society；　by　which　he　has　been　hitherto　overlooked；　is　to
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  advertise　in　all　the　papers；　to　describe　himself　plainly　as　so…and…so；
  with　such　and　such　qualifications　and　to　put　it　thus：　“Now　employ
  me；　on　remunerative　terms；　and　address；　post…paid；　to　W。　M。；　Post
  Office；　Camden　Town。”’
  ‘This　idea　of　Mrs。　Micawber’s；　my　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。
  Micawber；　making　his　shirt…collar　meet　in　front　of　his　chin；　and
  glancing　at　me　sideways；　‘is；　in　fact；　the　Leap　to　which　I　alluded；
  when　I　last　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you。’
  ‘Advertising　is　rather　expensive；’　I　remarked；　dubiously。
  ‘Exactly　so！’　said　Mrs。　Micawber；　preserving　the　same　logical
  air。　‘Quite　true；　my　dear