pleasure　of　Miss　Lavinia’s　life　was　to　wait　upon　her；　curl　her　hair；
  make　ornaments　for　her；　and　treat　her　like　a　pet　child。　What　Miss
  Lavinia　did；　her　sister　did　as　a　matter　of　course。　It　was　very　odd　to
  me；　but　they　all　seemed　to　treat　Dora；　in　her　degree；　much　as　Dora
  treated　Jip　in　his。
  I　made　up　my　mind　to　speak　to　Dora　about　this；　and　one　day
  when　we　were　out　walking　（for　we　were　licensed　by　Miss　Lavinia；
  after　a　while；　to　go　out　walking　by　ourselves）；　I　said　to　her　that　I
  wished　she　could　get　them　to　behave　towards　her　differently。
  ‘Because　you　know；　my　darling；’　I　remonstrated；　‘you　are　not　a
  child。’
  ‘There！’　said　Dora。　‘Now　you’re　going　to　be　cross！’
  ‘Cross；　my　love？’
  ‘I　am　sure　they’re　very　kind　to　me；’　said　Dora；　‘and　I　am　very
  happy—’
  ‘Well！　But　my　dearest　life！’　said　I；　‘you　might　be　very　happy；
  and　yet　be　treated　rationally。’
  Dora　gave　me　a　reproachful　look—the　prettiest　look！—and　then
  began　to　sob；　saying；　if　I　didn’t　like　her；　why　had　I　ever　wanted　so
  much　to　be　engaged　to　her？　And　why　didn’t　I　go　away；　now；　if　I
  couldn’t　bear　her？
  What　could　I　do；　but　kiss　away　her　tears；　and　tell　her　how　I
  doted　on　her；　after　that！
  ‘I　am　sure　I　am　very　affectionate；’　said　Dora；　‘you　oughtn’t　to　be
  cruel　to　me；　Doady！’
  ‘Cruel；　my　precious　love！　As　if　I　would—or　could—be　cruel　to
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  you；　for　the　world！’
  ‘Then　don’t　find　fault　with　me；’　said　Dora；　making　a　rosebud　of
  her　mouth；　‘and　I’ll　be　good。’
  I　was　charmed　by　her　presently　asking　me；　of　her　own　accord；
  to　give　her　that　cookery…book　I　had　once　spoken　of；　and　to　show
  her　how　to　keep　accounts　as　I　had　once　promised　I　would。　I
  brought　the　volume　with　me　on　my　next　visit　（I　got　it　prettily
  bound；　first；　to　make　it　look　less　dry　and　more　inviting）；　and　as　we
  strolled　about　the　Common；　I　showed　her　an　old　housekeeping…
  book　of　my　aunt’s；　and　gave　her　a　set　of　tablets；　and　a　pretty　little
  pencil…case　and　box　of　leads；　to　practise　housekeeping　with。
  But　the　cookery…book　made　Dora’s　head　ache；　and　the　figures
  made　her　cry。　They　wouldn’t　add　up；　she　said。　So　she　rubbed　them
  out；　and　drew　little　nosegays　and　likenesses　of　me　and　Jip；　all　over
  the　tablets。
  Then　I　playfully　tried　verbal　instruction　in　domestic　matters；　as
  we　walked　about　on　a　Saturday　afternoon。　Sometimes；　for
  example；　when　we　passed　a　butcher’s　shop；　I　would　say：
  ‘Now　suppose；　my　pet；　that　we　were　married；　and　you　were
  going　to　buy　a　shoulder　of　mutton　for　dinner；　would　you　know　how
  to　buy　it？’
  My　pretty　little　Dora’s　face　would　fall；　and　she　would　make　her
  mouth　into　a　bud　again；　as　if　she　would　very　much　prefer　to　shut
  mine　with　a　kiss。
  ‘Would　you　know　how　to　buy　it；　my　darling？’　I　would　repeat；
  perhaps；　if　I　were　very　inflexible。
  Dora　would　think　a　little；　and　then　reply；　perhaps；　with　great
  triumph：
  ‘Why；　the　butcher　would　know　how　to　sell　it；　and　what　need　I
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  know？　Oh；　you　silly　Boy！’
  So；　when　I　once　asked　Dora；　with　an　eye　to　the　cookery…book；
  what　she　would　do；　if　we　were　married；　and　I　were　to　say　I　should
  like　a　nice　Irish　stew；　she　replied　that　she　would　tell　the　servant　to
  make　it；　and　then　clapped　her　little　hands　together　across　my　arm；
  and　laughed　in　such　a　charming　manner　that　she　was　more
  delightful　than　ever。
  Consequently；　the　principal　use　to　which　the　cookery…book　was
  devoted；　was　being　put　down　in　the　corner　for　Jip　to　stand　upon。
  But　Dora　was　so　pleased；　when　she　had　trained　him　to　stand　upon
  it　without　offering　to　come　off；　and　at　the　same　time　to　hold　the
  pencil…case　in　his　mouth；　that　I　was　very　glad　I　had　bought　it。
  And　we　fell　back　on　the　guitar…case；　and　the　flower…painting；
  and　the　songs　about　never　leaving　off　dancing；　Ta　ra　la！　and　were
  as　happy　as　the　week　was　long。　I　occasionally　wished　I　could
  venture　to　hint　to　Miss　Lavinia；　that　she　treated　the　darling　of　my
  heart　a　little　too　much　like　a　plaything；　and　I　sometimes　awoke；　as
  it　were；　wondering　to　find　that　I　had　fallen　into　the　general　fault；
  and　treated　her　like　a　plaything　too—but　not　often。
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  Chapter　42
  MISCHIEF
  Ifeel　as　if　it　were　not　for　me　to　record；　even　though　this
  manuscript　is　intended　for　no　eyes　but　mine；　how　hard　I
  worked　at　that　tremendous　short…hand；　and　all　improvement
  appertaining　to　it；　in　my　sense　of　responsibility　to　Dora　and　her
  aunts。　I　will　only　add；　to　what　I　have　already　written　of　my
  perseverance　at　this　time　of　my　life；　and　of　a　patient　and
  continuous　energy　which　then　began　to　be　matured　within　me；
  and　which　I　know　to　be　the　strong　part　of　my　character；　if　it　have
  any　strength　at　all；　that　there；　on　looking　back；　I　find　the　source　of
  my　success。　I　have　been　very　fortunate　in　worldly　matters；　many
  men　have　worked　much　harder；　and　not　succeeded　half　so　well；
  but　I　never　could　have　done　what　I　have　done；　without　the　habits
  of　punctuality；　order；　and　diligence；　without　the　determination　to
  concentrate　myself　on　one　object　at　a　time；　no　matter　how　quickly
  its　successor　should　come　upon　its　heels；　which　I　then　formed。
  Heaven　knows　I　write　this；　in　no　spirit　of　self…laudation。　The　man
  who　reviews　his　own　life；　as　I　do　mine；　in　going　on　here；　from　page
  to　page；　had　need　to　have　been　a　good　man　indeed；　if　he　would　be
  spared　the　sharp　consciousness　of　many　talents　neglected；　many
  opportunities　wasted；　many　erratic　and　perverted　feelings
  constantly　at　war　within　his　breast；　and　defeating　him。　I　do　not
  hold　one　natural　gift；　I　dare　say；　that　I　have　not　abused。　My
  meaning　simply　is；　that　whatever　I　have　tried　to　do　in　life；　I　have
  tried　with　all　my　heart　to　do　well；　that　whatever　I　have　devoted
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  myself　to；　I　have　devoted　myself　to　completely；　that　in　great　aims
  and　in　small；　I　have　always　been　thoroughly　in　earnest。　I　have
  never　believed　it　possible　that　any　natural　or　improved　ability　can
  claim　immunity　from　the　companionship　of　the　steady；　plain；
  hard…working　qualities；　and　hope　to　gain　its　end。　There　is　no　such
  thing　as　such　fulfilment　on　this　earth。　Some　happy　talent；　and
  some　fortunate　opportunity；　may　form　the　two　sides　of　the　ladder
  on　which　some　men　mount；　but　the　rounds　of　that　ladder　must　be
  made　of　stuff　to　stand　wear　and　tear；　and　there　is　no　substitute　for
  thorough…going；　ardent；　and　sincere　earnestness。　Never　to　put　one
  hand　to　anything；　on　which　I　could　throw　my　whole　self；　and　never
  to　affect　depreciation　of　my　work；　whatever　it　was；　I　find；　now；　to
  have　been　my　golden　rules。
  How　much　of　the　practice　I　have　just　reduced　to　precept；　I　owe
  to　Agnes；　I　will　not　repeat　here。　My　narrative　proceeds　to　Agnes；
  with　a　thankful　love。
  She　came　on　a　visit　of　a　fortnight　to　the　Doctor’s。　Mr。　Wickfield
  was　the　Doctor’s　old　friend；　and　the　Doctor　wished　to　talk　with
  him；　and　do　him　good。　It　had　been　matter　of　conversation　with
  Agnes　when　she　was　last　in　town；　and　this　visit　was　the　result。　She
  and　her　father　came　together。　I　was　not　much　surprised　to　hear
  from　her　that　she　had　engaged　to　find　a　lodging　in　the
  neighbourhood　for　Mrs。　Heep；　whose　rheumatic　complaint
  required　change　of　air；　and　who　would　be　charmed　to　have　it　in
  such　company。　Neither　was　I　surprised　when；　on　the　very　next
  day；　Uriah；　like　a　dutiful　son；　brought　his　worthy　mother　to　take
  possession。
  ‘You　see；　Master　Copperfield；’　said　he；　as　he　forced　himself
  upon　my　company　for　a　turn　in　the　Doctor’s　garden；　‘where　a
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  person　loves；　a　person　is　a　little　jealous—leastways；　anxious　to
  keep　an　eye　on　the　beloved　one。’
  ‘Of　whom　are　you　jealous；　now？’　said　I。
  ‘Thanks　to　you；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　returned；　‘of　no　one　in
  particular　just　at　present—no　male　person；　at　least。’
  ‘Do　you　mean　that　you　are　jealous　of　a　female　person？’
  He　gave　me　a　sidelong　glance　out　of　his　sinister　red　eyes；　and
  laughed。
  ‘Really；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　said；　‘—I　should　say　Mister；　but
  I　know　you’ll　excuse　the　abit　I’ve　got　into—you’re　so　insinuating；
  that　you　draw　me　like　a　corkscrew！　Well；　I　don’t　mind　telling　you；’
  putting　his　fish…like　hand　on　mine；　‘I’m　not　a　lady’s　man　in
  general；　sir；　and　I　never　was；　with　Mrs。　Strong。’
  His　eyes　looked　green　now；　as　they　watched　mine　with　a
  rascally　cunning。
  ‘What　do　you　mean？’　said　I。
  ‘Why；　though　I　am　a　lawyer；　Master　Copperfield；’　he　replied；
  with　a　dry　grin；　‘I　mean；　just　at　present；　what　I　say。’
  ‘And　what　do　you　mean　by　your　look？’　I　retorted；　quietly。
  ‘By　my　look？　Dear　me；　Copperfield；　that’s　sharp　practice！　What
  do　I　mean　by　my　look？’
  ‘Yes；’　said　I。　‘By　your　look。’
  He　seemed　very　much　amused；　and　laughed　as　heartily　as　it
  was　in　his　nature　to　laugh。　After　some　scraping　of　his　chin　with　his
  hand；　he　went　on　to　say；　with　his　eyes　cast　downward—still
  scraping；　ve