spiritless　unhappy　way；　only　went　whither　she　was　led；　and
  seemed　to　have　no　care　for　anything。
  I　did　not　know　what　to　think。　Neither　did　my　aunt；　who　must
  have　walked；　at　various　times；　a　hundred　miles　in　her　uncertainty。
  What　was　strangest　of　all　was；　that　the　only　real　relief　which
  seemed　to　make　its　way　into　the　secret　region　of　this　domestic
  unhappiness；　made　its　way　there　in　the　person　of　Mr。　Dick。
  What　his　thoughts　were　on　the　subject；　or　what　his　observation
  was；　I　am　as　unable　to　explain；　as　I　dare　say　he　would　have　been　to
  assist　me　in　the　task。　But；　as　I　have　recorded　in　the　narrative　of　my
  school　days；　his　veneration　for　the　Doctor　was　unbounded；　and
  there　is　a　subtlety　of　perception　in　real　attachment；　even　when　it　is
  borne　towards　man　by　one　of　the　lower　animals；　which　leaves　the
  highest　intellect　behind。　To　this　mind　of　the　heart；　if　I　may　call　it
  so；　in　Mr。　Dick；　some　bright　ray　of　the　truth　shot　straight。
  He　had　proudly　resumed　his　privilege；　in　many　of　his　spare
  hours；　of　walking　up　and　down　the　garden　with　the　Doctor；　as　he
  had　been　accustomed　to　pace　up　and　down　The　Doctor’s　Walk　at
  Canterbury。　But　matters　were　no　sooner　in　this　state；　than　he
  devoted　all　his　spare　time　（and　got　up　earlier　to　make　it　more）　to
  these　perambulations。　If　he　had　never　been　so　happy　as　when　the
  Doctor　read　that　marvellous　performance；　the　Dictionary；　to　him；
  he　was　now　quite　miserable　unless　the　Doctor　pulled　it　out　of　his
  pocket；　and　began。　When　the　Doctor　and　I　were　engaged；　he　now
  fell　into　the　custom　of　walking　up　and　down　with　Mrs。　Strong；　and
  helping　her　to　trim　her　favourite　flowers；　or　weed　the　beds。　I　dare
  say　he　rarely　spoke　a　dozen　words　in　an　hour：　but　his　quiet
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  interest；　and　his　wistful　face；　found　immediate　response　in　both
  their　breasts；　each　knew　that　the　other　liked　him；　and　that　he
  loved　both；　and　he　became　what　no　one　else　could　be—a　link
  between　them。
  When　I　think　of　him；　with　his　impenetrably　wise　face；　walking
  up　and　down　with　the　Doctor；　delighted　to　be　battered　by　the　hard
  words　in　the　Dictionary；　when　I　think　of　him　carrying　huge
  watering…pots　after　Annie；　kneeling　down；　in　very　paws　of　gloves；
  at　patient　microscopic　work　among　the　little　leaves；　expressing　as
  no　philosopher　could　have　expressed；　in　everything　he　did；　a
  delicate　desire　to　be　her　friend；　showering　sympathy；　trustfulness；
  and　affection；　out　of　every　hole　in　the　watering…pot；　when　I　think
  of　him　never　wandering　in　that　better　mind　of　his　to　which
  unhappiness　addressed　itself；　never　bringing　the　unfortunate　King
  Charles　into　the　garden；　never　wavering　in　his　grateful　service；
  never　diverted　from　his　knowledge　that　there　was　something
  wrong；　or　from　his　wish　to　set　it　right—I　really　feel　almost
  ashamed　of　having　known　that　he　was　not　quite　in　his　wits；　taking
  account　of　the　utmost　I　have　done　with　mine。
  ‘Nobody　but　myself；　Trot；　knows　what　that　man　is！’　my　aunt
  would　proudly　remark；　when　we　conversed　about　it。　‘Dick　will
  distinguish　himself　yet！’
  I　must　refer　to　one　other　topic　before　I　close　this　chapter。　While
  the　visit　at　the　Doctor’s　was　still　in　progress；　I　observed　that　the
  postman　brought　two　or　three　letters　every　morning　for　Uriah
  Heep；　who　remained　at　Highgate　until　the　rest　went　back；　it　being
  a　leisure　time；　and　that　these　were　always　directed　in　a　businesslike　manner　by　Mr。　Micawber；　who　now　assumed　a　round　legal
  hand。　I　was　glad　to　infer；　from　these　slight　premises；　that　Mr。
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  Micawber　was　doing　well；　and　consequently　was　much　surprised
  to　receive；　about　this　time；　the　following　letter　from　his　amiable
  wife。
  ‘CANTERBURY；　Monday　Evening。
  ‘You　will　doubtless　be　surprised；　my　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；　to
  receive　this　communication。　Still　more　so；　by　its　contents。　Still
  more　so；　by　the　stipulation　of　implicit　confidence　which　I　beg　to
  impose。　But　my　feelings　as　a　wife　and　mother　require　relief；　and　as
  I　do　not　wish　to　consult　my　family　（already　obnoxious　to　the
  feelings　of　Mr。　Micawber）；　I　know　no　one　of　whom　I　can　better　ask
  advice　than　my　friend　and　former　lodger。
  ‘You　may　be　aware；　my　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；　that　between
  myself　and　Mr。　Micawber　（whom　I　will　never　desert）；　there　has
  always　been　preserved　a　spirit　of　mutual　confidence。　Mr。
  Micawber　may　have　occasionally　given　a　bill　without　consulting
  me；　or　he　may　have　misled　me　as　to　the　period　when　that
  obligation　would　become　due。　This　has　actually　happened。　But；　in
  general；　Mr。　Micawber　has　had　no　secrets　from　the　bosom　of
  affection—I　allude　to　his　wife—and　has　invariably；　on　our
  retirement　to　rest；　recalled　the　events　of　the　day。
  ‘You　will　picture　to　yourself；　my　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；　what　the
  poignancy　of　my　feelings　must　be；　when　I　inform　you　that　Mr。
  Micawber　is　entirely　changed。　He　is　reserved。　He　is　secret。　His　life
  is　a　mystery　to　the　partner　of　his　joys　and　sorrows—I　again　allude
  to　his　wife—and　if　I　should　assure　you　that　beyond　knowing　that　it
  is　passed　from　morning　to　night　at　the　office；　I　now　know　less　of　it
  than　I　do　of　the　man　in　the　south；　connected　with　whose　mouth
  the　thoughtless　children　repeat　an　idle　tale　respecting　cold　plum
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  porridge；　I　should　adopt　a　popular　fallacy　to　express　an　actual　fact。
  ‘But　this　is　not　all。　Mr。　Micawber　is　morose。　He　is　severe。　He　is
  estranged　from　our　eldest　son　and　daughter；　he　has　no　pride　in　his
  twins；　he　looks　with　an　eye　of　coldness　even　on　the　unoffending
  stranger　who　last　became　a　member　of　our　circle。　The　pecuniary
  means　of　meeting　our　expenses；　kept　down　to　the　utmost　farthing；
  are　obtained　from　him　with　great　difficulty；　and　even　under　fearful
  threats　that　he　will　Settle　himself　（the　exact　expression）；　and　he
  inexorably　refuses　to　give　any　explanation　whatever　of　this
  distracting　policy。
  ‘This　is　hard　to　bear。　This　is　heart…breaking。　If　you　will　advise
  me；　knowing　my　feeble　powers　such　as　they　are；　how　you　think　it
  will　be　best　to　exert　them　in　a　dilemma　so　unwonted；　you　will　add
  another　friendly　obligation　to　the　many　you　have　already　rendered
  me。　With　loves　from　the　children；　and　a　smile　from　the　happily…
  unconscious　stranger；　I　remain；　dear　Mr。　Copperfield；
  Your　afflicted；
  ‘EMMA　MICAWBER。’
  I　did　not　feel　justified　in　giving　a　wife　of　Mrs。　Micawber’s
  experience　any　other　recommendation；　than　that　she　should　try　to
  reclaim　Mr。　Micawber　by　patience　and　kindness　（as　I　knew　she
  would　in　any　case）；　but　the　letter　set　me　thinking　about　him　very
  much。
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  Chapter　43
  ANOTHER　RETROSPECT
  Once　again；　let　me　pause　upon　a　memorable　period　of　my
  life。　Let　me　stand　aside；　to　see　the　phantoms　of　those　days
  go　by　me；　accompanying　the　shadow　of　myself；　in　dim
  procession。
  Weeks；　months；　seasons；　pass　along。　They　seem　little　more　than
  a　summer　day　and　a　winter　evening。　Now；　the　Common　where　I
  walk　with　Dora　is　all　in　bloom；　a　field　of　bright　gold；　and　now　the
  unseen　heather　lies　in　mounds　and　bunches　underneath　a
  covering　of　snow。　In　a　breath；　the　river　that　flows　through　our
  Sunday　walks　is　sparkling　in　the　summer　sun；　is　ruffled　by　the
  winter　wind；　or　thickened　with　drifting　heaps　of　ice。　Faster　than
  ever　river　ran　towards　the　sea；　it　flashes；　darkens；　and　rolls　away。
  Not　a　thread　changes；　in　the　house　of　the　two　little　bird…like
  ladies。　The　clock　ticks　over　the　fireplace；　the　weather…glass　hangs
  in　the　hall。　Neither　clock　nor　weather…glass　is　ever　right；　but　we
  believe　in　both；　devoutly。
  I　have　come　legally　to　man’s　estate。　I　have　attained　the　dignity
  of　twenty…one。　But　this　is　a　sort　of　dignity　that　may　be　thrust　upon
  one。　Let　me　think　what　I　have　achieved。
  I　have　tamed　that　savage　stenographic　mystery。　I　make　a
  respectable　income　by　it。　I　am　in　high　repute　for　my
  accomplishment　in　all　pertaining　to　the　art；　and　am　joined　with
  eleven　others　in　reporting　the　debates　in　Parliament　for　a　Morning
  Newspaper。　Night　after　night；　I　record　predictions　that　never
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  come　to　pass；　professions　that　are　never　fulfilled；　explanations　that
  are　only　meant　to　mystify。　I　wallow　in　words。　Britannia；　that
  unfortunate　female；　is　always　before　me；　like　a　trussed　fowl：
  skewered　through　and　through　with　office…pens；　and　bound　hand
  and　foot　with　red　tape。　I　am　sufficiently　behind　the　scenes　to　know
  the　worth　of　political　life。　I　am　quite　an　Infidel　about　it；　and　shall
  never　be　converted。
  My　dear　old　Traddles　has　tried　his　hand　at　the　same　pursuit；
  but　it　is　not　in　Traddles’s　way。　He　is　perfectly　good…humoured
  respecting　his　failure；　and　reminds　me　that　he　always　did　consider
  himself　slow。　He　has　occasional　employment　on　the　same
  newspaper；　in　getting　up　the　facts　of　dry　subjects；　to　be　written
  about　and　embellished　by　more　fertile　minds。　He　is　called　to　the
  bar；　and　with　admirable　industry　and　self…denial　has　scraped