Canterbury

Trotwood and Mr Dick became great friends.  They would fly kites, and attend to the worries of Dick with regard to his Memorial.  His aunt further shortened his name to Trot.  And one day she asked Trot whether he would like to go to a school at Canterbury.  Trot was very much delighted.

Miss Betsey asked Janet to arrange a pony and chaise by next day to go to Canterbury.  All his clothes were packed in the night.

Canterbury is fifteen miles west of Dover;  on the way to London.  Miss Betsey was indifferent to public opinion; and she drove the chaise herself through Dover in a masterly way.

It was a market day in Canterbury, and was crowded and busy.  They dodged among the carts, baskets, vegetables and huckster's goods.  The hairbreath turns and twists, the loud noise of crowd, the rattling of carts.

The grey pony chaise reached in front of an old house.  Long latticed windows, and beams with carved ends stood facing the narrow pavement.  The old-fashioned brass knocker on the low arched door ornamented with carved garlands of fruits and flowers twinkled like a star.

It was a quaint and neat old house.

The pony-chaise stopped at the door. A pale face appeared at a window in a little round tower in a corner that formed one side of the house. It belonged to a red-haired youth of fifteen.  His hair was cropped as close stubble.  He had no eyebrow or eyelashes to shade his red-brown eyes.  He was high-shouldered and bony, dressed in black, with a white neck-cloth, buttoned up to the throat, had a long skeleton hand.  He stood at pony's head, rubbing his chin with it, looking up at Miss Betsey and Trotwood.

He was Uriah Heep.  Miss Betsey asked him whether Mr Wickfield was in.

As she found that Mr Wickfield was home, she took Trotwood along with her, and they entered the parlour.  Opposite the chimney piece were two portraits: one, an old gentleman with grey hair, looking up at some some papers tied together with red tape; the other, a lady with placid expression.

A door at farther end opened, and a gentleman came who resembled the one in the portrait, but much older.

He welcomed Miss Betsey Trotwood and asked her to excuse him for being busy.

He was Mr Wickfield, a lawyer, and steward of a rich man.  As they sat down in his office, he asked Miss Betsey what brought her there.

He was a handsome man of rich complexion, cleanly dressed in blue coat, striped waist-coat and nankeen trousers, and his frilled shirt and cambric neckcloth looked soft and white.

Miss Betsey introduced her nephew to him.  She had adopted him and brought him there to put him in a school.

Mr Wickfield said that he would show her the school and two or three houses where her nephew could stay.  Mr Wickfield suggested that her nephew to remain there while they go and see the school.  She agreed with him, and thus Trotwood Copperfield was left in the office of Mr Wickfield.

The chair on which Trotwood sat, was opposite a narrow passage, which ended in the little circular room, where Uriah Heep was at work at a desk.  Trotwood found it uncomfortable that Uriah had been watching him stealthy, every now and then.  Fortunately, his aunt and Mr Wickfield returned after a long absence.

Miss Trotwood found the school very good but the boarding houses not satisfactory.  Mr Wickfield asked her to leave her nephew in his house, for the present, and she accepted the offer, though with some delicacy.  Mr Wickfield said that she may pay the cost for his stay but he was not insisting on it.  

When Miss Trotwood agreed, he took them up a staircase with high balustrade into a shady old drawing room lighted by two or three quaint windows which had old oak seats in them.  Its floor and the beams in the ceiling were made of oak.  There were some furniture in red and green, a piano and some flowers.  In every corner there was a table, or cupboard or a bookcase or a seat.

Mr Wickfield tapped at a door in a corner of the panelled wall and a girl of Trotwood's age came out and kissed Mr Wickfield.  Her countenance resembled that of the lady in the portrait, which attracted his attention early.  Mr Wickfield said she was his daughter Agnes, and also her housekeeper. She had a little  basket hanging at her side with keys in it.  She listened to her father when he told of their guests, and when he concluded proposed Miss Trotwood and her nephew that they should go upstairs and see Trotwood's room,and ushered them to the room.

Miss Trotwood could not wait for dinner, because she could not reach home before dark. She had some lunch, and after that, Mr Wickfield and his daughter took leave of them. 

When they were alone Trotwood's aunt told him that Mr Wickfield would take care of everything. In conclusion Miss Trotwood said: :'Trot, be a credit to yourself, to me, and Mr Dick, and Heaven be with you!'

Trotwood was greatly overcome, and.

could only thank her, again and again, and send his love to Mr Dick.

She continued: 'Never be mean in anything; never be false; never be cruel.  Avoid those three vices, Trot, and I can always be hopeful of you.'

Trotwood promised that she would not abuse her kindness or forget her admonition.

Miss Trotwood's departure was very abrupt. Trot feared that he had  displeased her, but when he looked into the street, and saw how dejectedly she got into the chaise, and drove away without looking up he understood her better as he had understood her touch on his mother's hair on the night of his birth.

It was five o'clock, and Mr Wickfield's dinner hour.  Trot was ready for his knife and fork. Agnes was waiting in the drawing room.  She went down with her father.  Trot followed them. The cloth was laid for the three.

After dinner they came up into the drawing room again. Agnes set glasses and a decanter of port wine for her father in a snug corner.

There he sat taking his wine, and taking a good deal of it; while Agnes played on the piano, and talked to her father and Trot.  He was for the most part happy and cheerful, but sometimes his eyes rested on her, and he fell into a reverie.  She always observed this quickly, and roused him with a question or caress.  Then he came out of it to drink more wine.

Next morning, Mr Wickfield took Trot to the new school, that was run by Doctor Strong, a scholar, near the cathedral.   A grave building in a courtyard where stray rooks and jackdaws from the cathedral towers came down, walked with clerkly bearing on the grass plot.

Dr Strong was in his library, and he looked almost weak, with clothes not well-brushed, and his hair not well combed; his knee- caps unbraced; his long gaiters unbuttoned; and his two shoes yawning like two caverns on the hearth-rug.  His lackluster eyes reminded Trotwood of a long forgotten blind horse who used to graze in Blunderstone churchyard.  He said he was glad to meet Trotwood and 

gave him his hand.

Not far from Dr Strong there was a lady, whom he called Annie.  David thought she was his daughter.  She knelt down to put Doctor Strong's shoes on, and button his gaiters which she did quickly and cheerfully.

Later Trotwood heard Mr Wickfield address her 'Mrs Strong' but still Trotwood was doubtful if she was Dr Strong's son's wife.

Dr Strong asked Mr Wickfield whether he had found any suitable provision for his Annie's  cousin. When Mr Wickfield replied in the negative Dr Strong emphasised the urgency of the matter.

The school room was a pretty large hall on the quiet side of the house, commanding a view of the old secluded garden, belonging to the Doctor. About five and twenty boys were studiously engaged at their books.  They rose to give the Doctor good morning and remained standing.

The Doctor introduced Trotwood Copperfield to the boys.

Adams the head-boy stepped out and welcomed Trotwood.  He looked like a young clergy man in his white cravat, but he was very affable and good humoured.  He presented Trot to the masters in a gentlemanly way. 

Trotwood was put in the lowest form because he knew nothing, because he gained nothing from the Salem House.  Moreover he was ashamed of his life in Murdstone and Grinbys and of his association with King's Bench Prison, and his contact with Micawbers and all those sales and pawns.  When the school was over he hurried off immediately, because he was afraid he would commit himself in his response to any friendly notice or advance.

The uneasiness he felt at the school was softened the moment he knocked the door of Mr Wickfield's house.  School hours were upto three o'clock so he spent his time conning his books until dinner time; and went down hopeful of becoming a passable sort of boy yet.

Agnes was in the drawing room waiting for Mr Wickfield.  With her pleasant smile she asked him whether he liked school.  Trot told her that he liked it very much, though he felt strange to it at first.

Agnes had her schooling in her home because Mr Wickfield could not spare her to go anywhere else.  His housekeeper must be in his house.

Her mama had been dead ever since she was born.  She only knew her picture, downstairs.  She saw Trot looking at it the previous day.  He said that it was so like herself.

Mr Wickfield came, and he greeted Trotwood cordially, and told him that he should be certainly happy under Doctor Strong who was one of the gentlest of men.  There may be some who abuse his kindness, and never be one of those.  He is the least suspicious of mankind; whether it was a merit or a blemish was to be considered in all dealings with the  Doctor; great or small.  Mr Wickfield spoke as if he were weary, or dissatisfied with something.  The dinner was announced and they went down to take the same seats as before.

Uriah Heep came and said that Mr Maldon had come and want to have a word with Mr Wickfield 

As he held the door open with his hand, Uriah looked at Trotwood, and looked at Agnes, and looked at the dishes, looked at the plates, and looked at every object in the room, and yet seemed to look at nothing.

A voice came from behind of Uriah Heep, followe by the head of its owner.  It was Jack Maldon.  He sought the pardon of Mr Wickfield for his intrusion.  His cousin Annie told him that her friends should be within her reach rather than banished, but the old Doctor-  He did not complete the sentence.

Mr Wickfield interposed and asked him whether he meant Dr Strong.

Jack Maldon confirmed that it was Doctor Strong. He thought that Doctor Strong was also of same opinion.  But as it appeared from the course Mr Wickfield was taking  there was a change in old Doctor's mind.  That he wanted Mr Maldon to be sent abroad.  Maldon knew that he had no choice in the matter, and he thought that the sooner he went the better.  When a plunge was to be made into the water it was no use of lingering on the bank.

Mr Wickfield assured him that there was no lingering.  Mr Maldon expressed his gratitude to Mr Wickfield.  He continued that he did not want to look a gift horse in the mouth.  That his cousin Annie could easily arrange it in her own way.  That Annie would only have to say to the Doctor. 

Mr Wickfield asked Mr Maldon whether he meant Mrs Strong would only have to say to her husband.

Mr Maldon confirmed it.  He further explained that Annie was a charming girl.  And the old Doctor was not quite charming.  A fair compensation was fair and reasonable in that sort of marriage.

Mr Wickfield sought a clarification whether he meant compensation to the lady.

Mr Maldon confirmed it.

Mr Wickfield said that the matter would be taken up as one between him and Maldon and not to be referred to Doctor.

Trotwood found Maldon a shallow sort of young gentleman, with handsome face, a rapid utterance and a confident bold air.

After dinner they went upstairs.  Agnes set the glasses and decanters in the same corner.  Mr Wickfield sat down to drink, and drank a good deal.  Agnes played piano, sat by him, worked and talked, played some games at dominoes with Trotwood. Then she made some tea.  Afterwards when Trotwood brought his books downwards, looked into them, explained the best ways to learn them.  Trotwood found the presence of Agnes very happy and peaceful.

After Agnes left, and while Trotwood was leaving Mr Wickfield checked him, and asked whether he would like to stay or go elsewhere.  Trotwood said that he liked to stay.

Mr Wickfield said that they lead a dull life. 

'Not more dull for me, than Agnes,' said Trotwood.

Mr Wickfield wondered whether Agnes was tired of him.

Before going to sleep, Trot had a meeting with Uriah Heep.  Uriah was an articled clerk.  He had been studying for law.  He was studying Tidd's "Practice of the court King's Bench" when Trot met him. William Tidd was a legal writer of eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.  The above volume appeared first in 1790, and was the sole authority of common law practice.  Besides, he had written other books on law. Uriah's father was a sexton, i.e. a person who looked after a church and churchyard, typically acting as a bell-ringer and gravedigger.  Uriah held Mr Wickfield in high esteem and had great appreciation of Agnes and Miss Trotwood.  Uriah invited him to his house to see his mother.

Within two weeks Trotwood was quite at home at his school, and happy among his new companions.  Trotwood was awkward in games and backward in studies but he was confident of improving in both.  Very soon, Murdstone and Grinbys life was pushed to the back of his memory and the life in Canterbury became the new normal.

Dr Strong's school was an excellent one. It had a dignified form and system.  The students felt that they had a place in the management of the place and in sustaining it's character and dignity.  Hence, they were soon warmly attached to it.  They were all well spoken of in the town and rarely did any disgrace by appearance or manner to the reputation of the school.

From the students boarded at Doctor's house Trotwood came to know that the Doctor had been working at a dictionary.

There was a story current among the students that one day the Doctor bestowed his fine gaiters to a begger woman.  She occasioned some scandal in the neighborhood by exhibiting a fine baby from door to door, wrapped in those garments, and which were universally recognised in the vicinity.  The legend added that the only person who did not identify them was the Doctor himself, who, when they were shortly afterwards displayed at the door of a second-hand shop, was more than once observed to handle them approvingly, and admired its novelty in pattern.

The Doctor had a fatherly way of showing his fondness for his wife.  Trotwood often seen them walking in the garden, and sometimes had a close observation in the study or the parlour.  She appeared to take great care of the Doctor, who would expound about the Dictionary, the fragments of which he always carried with him, in his pockets or lining of his hat.

There was a curious constraint between her and Mr Wickfield.  When she came there of an evening she always shrunk from accepting his escort home and ran away with Trotwood instead.  Sometimes, as they were running accross the Cathedral yard together, they would meet Mr Jack Maldon.

Mrs Markleham was the mama of Mrs Strong.   But the boys of the school used to call her Old Soldier because of her generalship and skill in marshalling forces against the Doctor.  She was a little sharp-eyed woman, who used to wear a cap ornamented with artificial flowers and two artificial butterflies hovering over it.  The boys believed that this cap had come from France.

On the occasion of Mr Jack Maldon's departure for India a party was given to him.  It happened to be Doctor Strong's birthday too.  Since it was his birthday the boys had a holiday.  The boys made presents to him.  The head-boy made a speech representing all other boys, who cheered him till they were hoarse.  In the evening Trotwood went with Mr Wickfield and Agnes to Doctor's house to have a tea with him.

Mr Jack Maldon and Mrs Markleham were present. Mrs Strong was in white with cherry-coloured ribbons.  She had been playing piano, and Jack Maldon was leaning over her to turn the leaves.

Mrs Markleham wished the Doctor many happy returns of the day.  Then she continued her small talk about some past events in the life of Jack Maldon and Annie when they were mere children.  Then she brought the circumstances under which Doctor Strong proposed to her daughter.  All these digging up the bone with a view to extract favour from the Doctor.  As if she was showering praises on Doctor Strong she castigated him in the name of his marriage to Annie.  She did not pay any attention to her daughter who was not comfortable with her mama's talks.

Mr Jack Maldon was to leave for India from Gravesend, a port town on the right bank of Thames, downstream from London.  He was to leave that night after supper.

At the time of parting Doctor Strong stood up, followed by all the people assembled; and the Doctor wished a prosperous voyage and a thriving career abroad to Mr Maldon.

All the boys drank the toast and all shook hands with Mr Maldon.  He hastily took leave of ladies, and hurried to the door.  When he got into the chaise the boys cheered him tremendously.  Very close to the chaise Trotwood saw Mr Jack Maldon rattle past with an agitated face, and with something cherry coloured in his hand.

After another cheers for Doctor and his wife, the boys dispersed.  

Trotwood went into the house, and saw all guests around the Doctor, talking about Mr Maldon and his departure.  Suddenly Mrs Markleham alerted that Annie was not seen.  All pressing out of the room, in a crowd, to see what happened to Mrs Strong, found her lying on the floor of the hall.  There was great alarm.  It was found that she was in a swoon.  She recovered gradually.  The  Doctor said that it was because of the parting of her old playfellow to a distant land.

When she opened her eyes and saw where she was, and saw the crowd standing about her, she arose with the Doctor's assistance.  Trotwood was not certain whether she turned her head to lay it on the Doctor's shoulder or to hide it.  Later, when she was brought among the guests Mrs Markleham found out that Annie had lost her bow and the cherry coloured ribbon.  Though searched, it could not be found.

Mr Wickfield, Agnes and Trotwood walked home; admiring the moonlight, reached their door when Agnes discovered that she had left her little reticule behind.  Delighted to be of any service to her, Trotwood ran back to fetch it.

Trotwood went into supper room where it had been left.  It was deserted and dark.  But a door of communication between that and the Doctor's study was opened.  Trotwood passed on there to get a candle.

The Doctor was sitting in his 

easy-chair by the fireside and his young wife was on a stool at his feet.  The Doctor was reading, and she was looking up at him.  Her face was ashy pale and she looked abstractly.  Trotwood's entrance and his saying what he wanted roused her.   When he went back to replace the candle, the Doctor was patting her head in his fatherly way and asked her to go to bed.  But she asked him to let her stay.  She looked at Trotwood as he left the room.  He saw her cross her hands upon the knees of Doctor Strong and looked up at him.  

Trotwood remembered her look for a long time afterwards; because it made a great impression upon him.

When David was housed in Dover he wrote to Peggotty.  When later, he was adopted as Trotwood Copperfield he again wrote to her.  When he he was brought to Canterbury for education he again wrote to Peggotty.  For the money he received from Mr Dick he got a gold half-guinea and sent it to Peggotty.  To these letters her reply came promptly.  Her blots were more expressive than her composition because it showed that she had been crying all over the paper.  She wrote that to think Miss Betsey should be so different from what she had been thought to be was a Moral!  From her repeated hints that the coach-fare to Yarmouth was always to be had of her,  David thought that she still entertained her fear of Miss Betsey.

She gave him one piece of intelligence that there had been a sale of the furniture of Rookery, and that Mr and Miss Murdstone were gone away.  The house was shut up to let or sale.  The news disturbed David.  To think of the dear old place abandoned; of the weeds growing tall in the garden; of fallen leaves lying thick and wet upon the paths.  How the winds of winter would howl round it, how the rain would beat upon the window-glass, how the moon would make ghosts on the walls of the empty room, watching their solitude all the night.  The grave in the churchyard, underneath the tree; and it seemed as if the house were dead too, and all connected with his mother and father were faded away.

Peggotty had given David all the intelligence about her brother and all other people at Yarmouth.

Miss Betsey used to make frequent and surprise visits to Canterbury to see how things were going on about her nephew.  But when she was satisfied with the matters she stopped coming to Canterbury.  It was the turn of Trotwood to visit her at Dover every third or fourth Saturday.  Mr Dick would come every alternate Wednesday noon by stage-coach to stay until noon.  These visits made Mr Dick very popular with the boys as also with Mr and Mrs Strong.  Mr Dick would sit on a particular stool waiting for Trotwood and would listen to class, and the stool was called 'Dick' after him.  During this period Mr Dick brought the news of a stranger visiting Miss Betsey to receive money.  He also struck friendship with Agnes and Uriah.

Trotwood had visited Uriah's home at the invitation of the latter.  It was a low old fashioned room walked straight into from the street.  Mrs Heep was the dead image of Uriah, but only short.  She took special interest in exhibiting her love towards her son and unnecessarily dragged it a subject for talk.  The room was half parlour and half kitchen.  The tea-things were set upon the table and the kettle was boiling on the hob.  There was a small chest of drawers with an escritoire top for Uriah, there was his bag lying down, the books, a corner cupboard, and the usual articles of furniture.

Mrs Heep still wore her mourning weeds.  Both the mother and son had been trying to worm information they wanted out of Trotwood, but luckily he recollected his aunt's advice to observe silence on Murdstones.  Trotwood was a tender young cork against a pair of corkscrews.  When there was nothing to be got about Trotwood himself, they began about Mr Wickfield and Agnes.  It was like a game with ball.  The son threw the ball to his mother; she caught it and threw it back to son; he kept it up a little while, and then sent it back to his mother; they went on tossing it about, and Trotwood had no idea who had got it. And the questions ranged from the excellence of Mr Wickfield to the quantity of wine he used to take.  Trotwood perpetually let out something or other he had no business to let out.  

Trotwood was feeling little uncomfortable, and wished himself out of the visit, when Mr Micawber coming down the street passed the door, came back, looked in, and walked in, exclaimed loudly, whether it was Copperfield.  Both of them were very happy to meet each other.

Mr Micawber told that Mrs Micawber was also with him.  To get him away from the house of Uriah, Copperfield asked him whether he could meet Mrs Micawber.

Mr Micawber was ready, but at the time of leaving he exposed his pecuniary difficulties to Uriah and his mother.

It was a little inn where Mr Micawber stayed.  The little room smelt Tobacco.  It was over a kitchen, and a greasy smell appeared to come up through the chinks in the floor.  The smell of alcohol and jingling of glasses indicated a bar close by.  Emma was lying on a small sofa, underneath a picture of race-horse, with her head close to the fire, and her feet pushing the mustard off the serving trays at the other end of the room.  

Emma was very much amazed, but happy to see Copperfield, and after greetings, he sat on a small sofa near her.

In Plymouth Mr Micawber did not get a job in Customs.  Emma's family was very cool in their reception of Micawbers.  Micawbers borrowed money of that branch of wife's family and came to London.  Mr Micawber then tried to find an opening in coal business.  But Emma was of the view that though Mr Micawber had enough talent he had no capital.  On their way to Medway they thought of visiting the Cathedral.  Other members of the family and the servant were in a lodging at Pentonville.  It was a locality in the periphery of Central London.  Before leaving for Pentonville they must first clear the dues in the little inn in Canterbury.  They had been expecting some remittance to clear it.

Mr Micawber wept over his plight, but when Emma entreated him to be calm he recovered immediately and rang the bell for the waiter, and ordered a hot kidney pudding and a plate of shrimps for the breakfast.

Next day Mr Micawber came to Doctor Strong's school to invite Trotwood Copperfield to a dinner he had proposed the other day. When Trotwood asked him whether he had received the expected remittance, he pressed his hand and departed.

Next day, before attending the dinner hosted by Mr Micawber, Trotwood had understood that Mr Micawber had struck friendship with Uria Heep and his mother.  At the dinner Mr Micawber himself let the cat out of the bag.  He had gone with Uriah to Mrs Heep and had brandy and water there.  He regretted that if he had known Uriah at the time of his difficulties he could have managed his creditors a great deal better.

The dinner was very good. Mr Micawber was found very happy.

But next day Trotwood Copperfield received a letter from Mr Micawber that the purported remittance did not come.  And he presented a bill payable at Pentonville after fifteen days, and he was certain that it would be dishonoured.  He also intimated that it would be his last communication.  Trotwood hurried towards the little inn.  But half the way he saw Mr and Mrs Micawber aboard the London coach, eating walnut out of paper bag and cracking jokes.

Miss Sharp was Trotwood's first love in his adolescence.  It was not like the child's fancy for little Emily.  Miss Sharp was a boarder at Mrs Nettingalls.  Chapter Eighteen enumerates the adolescent encounters of Trotwood's love and fight.

Miss Shepherd was a little girl in spencer, with a round face and curly flaxen hair.  With the fever of love everything and everywhere was Miss Shepherd.  But it was a momentary phase and soon died out.  A coolness grew between Miss Shepherd and Trotwood.  Master Jones came in between Miss Shepherd and Trotwood. 

 Dr Strong in public referred to Trotwood as a promising young man.

Now, Trotwood was to encounter the challenge of an enemy in the person of a butcher.  The butcher is the terror of the youth of Canterbury.  He used to disparage Doctor Strong's young gentlemen including Trotwood.  Trotwood resolved to fight the butcher. 

In the first attempt the butcher won.

Adams the head-boy had left the school successfully, and Trotwood had become the head-boy.  

Trotwood's outward appearance had also changed.  He wore a gold watch and chain, a ring upon his little finger, and a long-tailed coat, and he used a great deal of bears grease.  And he now worshipped the eldest Miss Larkins.  She is a tall, dark, black-eyed, fine figure of a woman of about thirty.  Trotwood's passion for her was beyond all bounds.  He had turned only  seventeen.  This fancy of Trotwood was only quite natural, because of the physical and mental changes that took place during his growth into adolescence.  Miss Larkins was well aware of this and she was able to manage Trotwood prudently.  She had no delicacy in inviting Trotwood to waltz or to introduce him to Mr Chestle, the hop-grower.  She belonged to a class more urban, sophisticated and civilized.   Agnes was another person who understood Trotwood's love pranks and taunted him by announcing the marriage of Miss Larkins to Mr Chestle.

Trotwood was terribly dejected for about a week or two, abdicated his ring, wore worst clothes, stopped the use of bear's grease, and lamented over Miss Larkins faded flower.  But he received a new provocation from the butcher, went to fight him, and gloriously defeated him.

The school days at Doctor Strong's were coming to an end.  His aunt had been asking him what calling he was goig to take up, and they had many deliberations on the subject.  Trotwood could not find anything of particular interest to him, so he decided to seek any pursuit that would not be a drain on her purse.

After school at Canterbury Trotwood went home to Dover.  His aunt suggested him to go a trip alone to get an exposure of the world around.  His first point was Canterbury.

He went to Agnes first.  She was worried over some changes in her father.  Mr Wickfield was thinking of some business with Uriah.

Doctor Strong was thinking of relinquishing his duties connected with the school, and concentrate on the Dictionary.

Mrs Markleham was worried about Jack Maldon in India.  The Doctor said that if Jack Maldon happened to return, another plan was arranged to keep him in the country.

Doctor Strong was very fond of music, and Agnes and Mrs Strong sang a duet.  Mr Wickfield did not like the intimacy between Agnes and Mrs Strong.  This was manifested at the time of their departure, when Agnes was going to embrace Mrs Strong and kiss her, Mr Wickfield stepped between them as if by accident and drew Agnes quickly away.

The following morning, Trotwood packed up such of his books and clothes as remained there to be sent  to Dover, met Uriah, and then said goodbye to Agnes and her father.

Trotwood was a novice, fresh from the school, though he pretended as a seasoned man.  The driver in the London coach and the chambermaid at the Golden Cross knew him at first sight that he was inexperienced.  Because of this pretence he lost the box seat to the shabby man with a squint.  Later, the waiter supplied him stale leavings in different decanters as half a pint of sherry.  And he was bashful enough to drink it, without any word.

Trotwood went to Convent Garden Theatre and saw Julius Caesar and the new Pantomime.  When the play finished he came out into a busy, rainy street.  Bawling of children, splashing of wheels in the muddy water, umbrellas struggling for space, and jostling of hackney-coaches.  It was twelve o'clock at night.  He was in the road back to the hotel.

At half past one he was in the hotel, sitting by the coffee-room fire, but lost in a reverie about the play.  The waiter had been fidgeting in his small pantry, and Trotwood rose and walked towards the door.  While passing out of the coffee-room he happened to meet his Salem House school friend James Steerforth.  Though he could not recognise Copperfield at first sight Steerforth recognised him, after a few moments, and both the friends spent a lot of time talking, and Steerforth, using his influence with the waiter got Copperfield's room changed to a comfortable one.

Both of them were very happy at this unexpected meeting, and Steerforth invited Copperfield to a breakfast with him next morning.

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