Highgate, London to Yarmouth

Steerforth and Copperfield arrived at Yarmouth late in the night.  The place was familiar to Copperfield.  The inn with the picture of Dolphin on the doors.  While they went to bed he saw a pair of dirty shoes and gaiters of his old friend, the waiter William at the door.

Early morning.  Copperfield had been sleeping.  But Steerforth was in great spirits, and took a stroll alone about the beach.  He had acquainted with some boatmen, and had seen the house of Mr Peggotty.  Later, in their room the friends decided to visit Peggoty's house  by surprise. They decided to take separate ways and meet at Barkis's house. Copperfield was to meet Peggotty first, and so he gave Steerforth some minute description of Mr Barkis's house in Blunderstone and how to reach there.

Omer's shop was on the way to Barkis's house.  The name of the shop was changed to OMER & JORAM.  There was a pretty woman at the back of the shop, a dancing child in her arms, while another little fellow clung to her apron. Minnie and her children, thought Copperfield.  The glass door of the parlour was not open, but from the workshop accross the  yard came the distant old tune, as if it had never left off.

'Is Mr Omer at home?' said Copperfield entering.  'I should like to see him, for a moment.'

'Oh yes, sir, he is at home,' said Minnie; 'the weather don't suit his asthma out of doors.  'Joe call your grandfather!'

The little fellow who was holding her apron, gave a vigorous shout and the sound of it made him shy, and buried his face in her skirt, to her great admiration.  Mr Omer, more short-winded than before came sooner and stood before Copperfield.

Omer could not recognise Copperfield. To revive his memory, Copperfield had to narrate him of his return journey from Salem House to attend the funeral of his mother.

Omer was a satisfied man.  Though old and sickly he was reconciled to it.

Omer coughed in consequence of his laughing and was assisted out of his fit by Minnie who now stood close beside, dancing her smallest child on the counter.

'Dear me!' said Mr Omer, 'to be sure, if you will believe me, the day was named for my daughter Minnie to marry Joram.' Both Minnie and Joram agreed with Omer.

Minnie laughed and stroked her banded hair upon her temples, as her father put one of his fat fingers into the hand of the child she had been dancing on the counter.

Omer remembered Peggotty, Mr Peggotty and Mr Barkis.  'Well, sir we have got a young relation of hers here, under articles to us.  She has an elegant taste in dress-making business, I assure you not a duchess can touch her.'

'Not little Emily?' asked Copperfield.

He said that it was her name, and that half the women in Yarmouth are mad against her. Minnie contradicted that Emily should have kept to her own station in life, and not have given them any hold to talk about her.

Omer stated that Emily hadn't taken much companions here.  She hadn't taken particular acquaintances and friends, not to mention sweethearts. Consequently, an ill-natured story spread that she wanted to become a lady.  It may be that her saying in school, that if she was a lady she would like to do so-and-so for her uncle, and buy him such-and-such things was the cause of the story.  Copperfield confirmed it as she told it when they were children.  Mr Omer continued that she was independent, but people thought that she was wayward.  When she kept company with a fractious lady the story was complete.  She came to Omer and Joram apprenticed there for three years.  She had been as good a girl as ever.

All these time, when this discussion were going on, Emily was in the workyard of Omer and Joram, and both Mr Omer and her daughter talked in a subdued way.  Copperfield, with permission, peeped in and saw her.  She was a beautiful little creature with the cloudless blue eyes, that looked into his childish heart.  She turned laughingly upon another child of Minnie's who was playing near her.

Mr Omer encouraged Copperfield to meet her. But he was shy and confused as to meet her or not. He understood the time at which she left of an evening, and decided to meet her another time.  Taking leave of Omer and his family Copperfield departed to meet his old nurse.

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Peggotty was in her tiled kitchen, cooking dinner. She did not recognise the young man who knocked at her door.  She politely asked him what he wanted.  Though Copperfield smiled at her she did not return it.  Seven years had elapsed since she met her Davy last.  She did never see the adolescent Copperfield, though he never ceased to write to her.  

'Is Mr Barkis at home, ma'am?' asked Copperfield feigning to speak roughly to her.

'He's at home, sir,' returned Peggotty, 'but he's bad abed with the rheumatics.'

'Doesn't he go over to Blundestone now?'

'When he's well he do,' she answered.

'Do YOU ever go there Mrs Barkis?'

She looked at him attentively, and a moment's thought flashed in her mind that it was her 'Davy', and a quick movement of her hands towards each other to hug him.  But she checked herself reasoning that it was only her fancy.

'Because I want to ask a question about a house there, that they call - what is it? - the Rookery,' said Copperfield.

Peggotty took a step forward, and put out her hands in an undecided frightened way, as if to keep Copperfield away.

'Peggotty!' said David to clear her doubts.

She came forward crying, 'my darling boy!' and both of them burst into tears, and were locked in one another's arms.

Both were in a flood of tears.  Her laughing and crying, her pride and joy, her pent up affection showered on her foster son like a cloudburst, that David could not control his tears of laugh.

Peggotty took David upstairs to Barkis.  He waited outside while Peggotty got Barkis prepared for the visit.

Barkis received David with absolute enthusiasm.  He was too rheumatic to shake hands with, so he asked David to shake the tassel on the top of his night cap, which he did most cordially.  David sat by the side of his bed.  He lay in his bed fully covered, except his face, which looked upward, like a conventional cherubim.  He asked David what name he wrote up on the tilt of the cart.  He recollected how he was willing.  How the little boy, David, was telling about her making apple pastries and doing all the cooking; it was as true as turnip and taxes; he said that he found up this when he was laid up.  That he was a poor man.

His right hand came slowly and feebly from under the bed clothes, and with a purposeless uncertain grasp took hold of a stick which was loosely tied to the side of the bed.  After some poking about with the stick, and his assuming various distracted expression he poked it against a box.  Then his face became composed.

'Old clothes,' said Mr Barkis.

'Oh,' said Copperfield.

'I wish it was money, sir.'

'I wish it was, indeed.'

'But it ain't.'

Mr Barkis turned his eyes gently to his wife, and said:

'She's the usefullest and best of women, C.P. Barkis.  All the praise that anyone can give to C.P. Barkis she deserves, and more!  My dear, you'll get a dinner today, for company; something good to eat and drink, will you?'

'I have got a trifle of money somewhere about me, my dear,' continued Mr Barkis, 'but I am little tired.  If you and Mr David will leave me for a short nap, I'll try and find it when I wake.'

They left the room and stood outside.  Mr Barkis always resorted to this trick before producing a single coin out of his stock. It was an agony for him to crawl alone out of bed and take out money.  This magpie proceeding racked him in every joint and Peggoty's compassion for him reflected in her eyes.  Peggotty thought that his general impulse would do him good, and it was better not to check it.  After the groans of agonies he got into his bed and called them in, pretending to have just woke from the nap, and produced the guinea from under his pillow.  He was satisfied that he had kept his box a secret. It was the compensation for his sufferings.

Peggotty was informed of Steerforth's arrival, and before long he arrived.  His handsome looks, easy going manner, and good humour attracted Peggotty.  He stayed for dinner, went to Barkis's room like light and air, brightening and refreshing.

Steerforth agreed to sleep at hotel and Copperfield in his room at Peggoty's.  After dinner, both the friends started towards Mr Peggotty's house.

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The friends arrived at the Boathouse of Mr Peggotty.  Copperfield touched the latch of the door, whispering to Steerforth behind him to come in.  A murmer followed by the clapping of Mrs Gummidge who was at the back of the gathering.  Mr Peggotty, whose face brightened, was laughing with all his might.  Ham was slow and shy but happy.  He held little Emily by hand as if he were presenting her to Mr Peggotty.  As the friends entered from darkness of the cold night into the warm light of the room Emily sprang from Ham to nestle in Mr Peggotty's embrace.  Mrs Gummidge continued her clapping like a mad woman.

They were in the midst of the family, exchanging pleasantries one another.  Mr Peggotty was proud and happy to see them, that he did not know what to say or do, that he kept shaking hands first with Copperfield and then with Steerforth, and again with Copperfield and so on.  Then he ruffled his shaggy hair all over his head, and talking with such glee and triumph, that it was a treat to see them all together.  Emily was introduced to Steerforth who was familiar to her  by Copperfield's narrative.  Peggotty saw that the two boys he met at the Salem House school are now two gentlemen.

Mr Peggotty introduced Emily in details to Steerforth, and added that the latter had come to see her. The intimacy between Mr Peggotty and Emily was well manifested by Mr Peggotty by his caress and kisses; after which Emily ran into her little chamber where David as a boy used to sleep when he was a guest of the family.  Then he talked of Mrs Gummidge.  Then he talked of Ham, the man who had been courting Emily. And Mr Peggotty thought that Emily would be safe in him.  'He was not a handsome man,' said Mr Peggotty.  'But he knew Emily since the time her father was drowned.  But at first, Emily was not reconciled to his marrying her, because he had been so intimate with him so many years.  "Uncle I never can have him.  He's such a good fellow," she said.

"My dear," said Peggotty, "you are right to speak out, you are to choose for yourself, you are as free as a little bird."

All of a sudden, one evening Ham came with Emily and said to Mr Peggotty with utmost joy, "Look here!  This is to be my little wife!"  And she says half bold and half shy, and half a laughing and half a crying, 

"yes uncle!  If you please," said Emily, "if please!" cried Mr Peggotty, rolling his head in an ecstacy at the idea; "Lord, as if I should do anything 

else-" 

"If you please, I am steadier now, and I have thought better of it, and I'll be as good a little wife as I can to him, for he's a dear good fellow!" said Emily.  Then Missis Gummidge, she claps her hand like a play, and you came in.

Ham was very happy and content.  He believed that there was no other gentleman in all land and seas who loved his lady as he loved Emily.  It was Steerforth who played upon the prevailing harmony among them.  He said, 'Peggotty you are thoroughly a good fellow, and deserved to be as happy as you are tonight.  My hand upon it!  Ham, I give you joy my boy.  My hand upon that too!  Daisy, stir the fire and make it a brisk one!  And Mr Peggotty, unless you can induce your gentle niece to come back.  I shall vacate this seat for her in the corner.  Any gap at your fireside on such a night I wouldn't make for the wealth of Indies.'

So, Peggotty went to fetch little Emily.  At first she was reluctant to come.  Then Ham went to fetch her.  Very much confused and shy little Emily was brought to fireside.  But when she found that Steerforth spoke to her gently and respectfully, she was assured.  He skilfully avoided anything that would embarass her.  He talked about boats, ships, tides, fish; about how he had seen Mr Peggotty at Salem House; how delighted he was with the boat and all belonging to it.  He carried on lightly and easily, until he brought everyone, by degrees into a charm and all were talking away without any reserve.

Little Emily listened to the narratives of Steerforth - of a dismal shipwreck, as if he had seen it, followed by his own merry adventure - her eyes fastened to him.  She recollected to Copperfield their loitering on the beach picking pebbles. Steerforth made Peggotty sing in his rough voice.  He brought Missis Gummidge, the victim of despondency to cheerfulness.

It was midnight, and after having a supper of biscuits and dried fish, and a full flask of Hollands, which Steerforth produced out of his pocket, for all the men, the friends parted.  They all stood crowded round the door to light the departing guests as far as they could upon the road.  Emily was standing behind Ham, peeping after the guests, and her soft voice calling after them to be careful.

'A most engaging little beauty!' said Steerforth to his friend.  'Well it's a quaint place, and they are quaint company, and it's quite a new sensation to mix with them,' he continued.

'How fortunate we are to witness their happiness in the proposed marriage,' said Copperfield.

'That's farther a stupid fellow for the girl, isn't he?'

'Ah, Steerforth!  It's well for you to joke about the poor!  I saw how exquisitely you moved among these poor folks. I hope you are not indifferent to them.  And I admire and love you for it.'

He stopped, looked into the eyes of Copperfield and said, 'Daisy, I believe you are earnest, and are good.  I wish we all were!'  Next moment he was singing gaily Peggoty's song, as they walked at a round pace back to Yarmouth.

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Copperfield and Steerforth stayed at different places.  Copperfield at Peggoty's and Steerforth in the inn.  Steerforth was free to spend his nights as he liked.  Peggotty took great care and perseverance in  attending Mr Barkis.  So, Copperfield used to come early in the night to avoid inconvenience to her.  Steerforth began to give little treats to fishermen in 'The Willing Mind' in the night.  His restless nature and bold spirits delighted to find a vent in rough toil and hard weather.  Copperfield made occasional visits to Blunderstone while Steerforth found it dull after one visit. After breakfast the friends would separate till the dinner.  Copperfield had no idea how Steerforth employed this interval. However, He was very popular in the place.

Copperfield's visits were confined to the surroundings of his childhood memories - Rookery and it's neighbourhood.  Rookery was all changed.  No nests. The trees were lopped and topped. The garden had run wild. Half of the windows were shut up.  It was occupied by a poor lunatic man, and the people who took care of him.  Mr and Mrs Grayper had gone to South America.  The rain had made its way through the roof of the deserted house. Mr Chillip was married again to a tall, high-nosed wife, and they had a weazen little baby.

Turning over the leaves of the crocodile book before going to sleep, Copperfield remembered his aunt, Peggotty and his friend Steerforth.

Copperfield would return from Blunderstone using the nearest way to Yarmouth by a ferry.  Mr Peggotty's house being on the way, not a hundred yards out of his track, he always looked in as he went by. Steerforth was sure to be expecting him, and they went on together through the frosty air and gathering fog towards the twinkling light of the town.

One dark evening, towards the end of their stay at Yarmouth, while returning from Blunderstone to Yarmouth Copperfield found Steerforth alone in Mr Peggotty's house, sitting thoughtfully before the fire.  He was fully absorbed in his own reflections, that he did not feel the presence of Copperfield.

He gave such a start when Copperfield put his hand upon the shoulder of his friend.

'You come upon me,' said he, almost angrily, 'like a reproachful ghost!'

'I was obliged to announce myself, somehow,' replied Copperfield.  'Have I called you down from the stars?'

'No,' he answered. 'No.'

'Up from anywhere, then?' said Copperfield, taking his seat near him.

'I was looking at the pictures in the fire,' he returned.

'But you are spoiling them for me,' said Copperfield, as his friend stirred it quickly with a piece of burning wood, striking out of it a train of red-hot sparks that went careering up the little chimney, and roaring out into the air.

'You would not have seen them,' he returned.  'I detest this dusk. Neither day nor night.  How late you are! Where have you been?'

'I have been taking leave of my usual walk,' said Copperfield.

'And I have been sitting here,' said Steerforth, glancing round the room, 'thinking that all people we found so glad on the night of our coming down might be dispersed, or dead or come to I don't know what harm.  David, I wish to God I had had a judicious father these last twenty years!'

'My dear Steerforth, what is the matter?'

'I wish with all my soul I had been better guided!' he exclaimed.  'I wish with all my soul I could guide myself better!'

There was a passionate dejection in his manner that quite amazed Copperfield. He was more unlike himself.

'It would be better to be this poor Peggotty, or his lout of a nephew,' he said, getting up and leaning moodily against the chimney-piece, with his face towards the fire, 'than to be myself, twenty times richer and twenty wiser, and be the torment to myself that I have been, in this devil's bark of a boat, within the last half hour!'

Copperfield was very much confounded by this change in the mood of his friend.  He asked him earnestly the reason for this change. The answer was a laugh, though fretful in the beginning, but cheerfulness returned soon.  He said that he had been confounding a bad boy in himself who didn't care for the unpleasant situation that his deeds brought.  So he was afraid of himself.  It would have been well if he had a steadfast and judicious father, he told.

'But where they are all, I wonder,' said Copperfield.

'God knows,' said Steerforth.  'After a stroll about the ferry looking for you, I strolled in here and found the place deserted.  That set me thinking, and you found me thinking.'

The advent of Missis Gummidge with a basket explained, how the house had happened to be deserted.  She had hurried out to buy something that was needed, against Mr Peggotty's return with the tide; and had left the door open in the meanwhile, lest Ham and Emily would come home while she was gone.  Steerforth, after very much improving Missis Gummidge's spirits by a cheerful salutation and jocose embrace, took his friend's arm and hurried him away.

Steerforth came back to his own self, and was full of lively conversation as he went along.

Later, Copperfield came to know from Steerforth that he had bought a boat in Yarmouth - a clipper,  and Mr Peggotty would be the master of her in his absence.  Littimer had brought a letter from Mrs Steerforth to his son.  That Littimer would remain here to oversee the matters connected with the clipper.  Copperfield doubted some difference between Mrs Steerforth and his son, and that led to his being in the frame of mind in which he was seen at the fireside.  When hinted he denied that nothing of the sort.  Name of the boat was Stormy Petrels.  

'What does Mr Peggotty care for Stormy Petrels!  I will have her christened again,' said Steerforth.

'By what name?' asked Copperfield.  The answer came with a smile.

'The "Little Emily".'

It very much pleased Copperfield, but he did not say anything.

'But see here,' he said looking forward, 'where the original little Emily comes!  And the fellow with her, eh?  Upon my sight he is a true knight.' Ham and Emily were on their way home.

Ham was a boat builder.  He was in his working dress. Copperfield thought that they were well matched. 

Emily withdrew her hand timidly from Ham as the two friends stopped to speak to them, and blushed as she gave it to them.  They passed on after they had a few words  with the friends.

The hotel where Steerforth stayed.  The friends were sitting over the decanters of wine, before the fire when Littimer opened the door and announced that Miss Mowcher had come.

Miss Mowcher was a fat dwarf who waddled round the sofa in front of Copperfield. She was around forty. She had large head and face and a pair of mischievous eyes.  Her hands were too little, and she had a double chin.  Throat she had none; and the waist she had none.  She was dressed in an off-hand easy style.

'What! My flower!' she pleasantly began shaking her head at Steerforth.  'You are there, are you!  Oh, you naughty boy, fie for shame.  What are you doing far away from your home?  Oh, you are a downy fellow Steerforth, so you are, and I am another, ain't I?  What comfort you are to your blessed mother?

Miss Mowcher untied her bonnet, threw back the strings, and sat down panting, on a footstool in front of the fire.  'After a flight of so many stairs, it gives me so many trouble to draw every breath I want.  If you saw me looking out of an upper window, you'd think I was a fine woman, wouldn't you?'

'I should think that whenever I saw you,' replied Steerforth.

'Go along, you dog, do!' cried the little creature making a whisk at him with the handkerchief with which she was wiping her face.

She had drawn a chair to his side, and was busily engaged in producing from her bag all those hairdresser's equipment, and put them one by one upon the chair. 

'Who's your friend?' she asked.

'Mr Copperfield,' said Steerforth, 'he wants to know you.'

She came waddling up laughing to Copperfield, stood on tiptoe, pinched him on his face and said, 'like a peach. Quite tempting. Happy to make your acquaintance, Mr Copperfield.'

Copperfield responded warmly to her compliment.

'Well, well!' she said, rising, 'this is not business.  Come Steerforth, let's explore the polar regions, and have it over.'

She then selected two or three of the little instruments, and a little bottle, pushed a chair against the table, and begging Copperfield to stretch his hand, mounted up nimbly, to the top, as if it were a stage.

'Now, ducky, ducky, ducky, come to Mrs Bond and be killed.'  This was an invocation to Steerforth to place himself under her hand.  He sat himself down, with his back to the table, and submitted his head to her.  Miss Mowcher stood over him, looking at his rich profusion of brown hair through a magnifying glass, which she took out of her pocket.  She did her work as a ritual and throughout its performance she engaged herself with gossip, which was common to that performers.

In the small talk during Mowcher's performance the name of Emily cropped up.  It was first brought up by Steerforth but punted up by Copperfield.  All details concerning Emily were revealed. 

'There! If any scapegrace was trimmed and touched upto perfection, you are Steerforth,' said Miss Mowcher.  'If Mr Copperfield will take the chair I'll operate on him.'

'What do you say Daisy,' inquired Steerforth, laughing and resigning to his seat.

'Thank you Miss Mowcher, not this evening.'

Miss Mowcher requested the hand of Copperfield to descend from her elevated station.  Thus assisted, she skipped down with much agility, and began to tie her double chin in her bonnet.

After taking her reward, and collecting all her things into her bag, she waddled out.

Copperfield was surprised, when he came to Peggoty's house, to find Ham walking up and down in front of it.  Since Emily was talking to someone inside he chose to remain outside.

Martha Endell was inside the house, speaking to Emily in the presence of Peggotty.  She was a school mate of Emily.  Later both of them worked together with Omer and Joram.  Emily's ambition to become a lady brought her to Martha.  Unfortunately, something happened to discredit her honour.  Martha wanted to leave for London where nobody knew her and would not attract public attention.

Martha came to the window of Emily with a request: 'Em'ly, Em'ly, for Christ's sake, have a woman's heart towards me.  I was once like you.' said Martha.

'Martha, is it you?  Oh, Martha!, Can it be you?' said Emily.  Her uncle was in the house.  He would not like the presence of Martha by the side of his niece.  So Emily wrote in a pencil on a bit of paper that Martha should wait at Peggoty's house.

After Mr Peggotty was gone Emily together with Ham came to their aunt's house, where they knew Martha had been waiting.  

The door of the house was opened and Peggotty asked Ham to join them.  She asked Copperfield too, to join.

Martha - the girl whom Copperfield saw on the sands - was sitting on the ground, with her head and one arm lying on the chair.  Her hair fell loose and scattered.  She was young and of fair complexion.  Peggotty had been crying, and so Emily.  She spoke first, 'Martha wants to go to London.' 

'Why to London?' returned Ham.  He stood between them looking on the prostrate girl with compassion.

'Better than here,' whispered Martha, 'no one knows me there.  Everybody knows me here.' 

She lifted up her head, and looked at him for a moment, then laid it down again.

'She will try to do well,' said Emily.

'I will try, you will help me away.  I never can do worse than I have done here.  I may do better. Oh!' with a dreadful shiver, take me out of these streets, where the whole town knows me from a child!'

Emily held out her hand, and Ham put in it a little canvas bag.  She went to Martha, stooped over her and put the money in her bosom, took her hand and kissed it.

Martha stood up, covering her face with her shawl and weeping aloud, went slowly to the door.  She hesitated for a moment, and then went out.  As the door closed Emily looked at Ham and Peggotty, hid her face in her hands, and fell to sobbing.

'Don't Em'ly!'  said Ham, tapping her gently on the shoulder, 'don't my dear!'

'Oh Ham!' she exclaimed still weeping, 'I am not so good a girl I ought to be.'

'Yes, yes, you are,' said Ham

'I try your love too much.  I know I do!' she sobbed.  'I am often cross to you, and changeable with you, when I ought to be different.  You are never so to me.'  I should think of nothing, but make you happy!'

'You always make me so.  I am happy in the sight of you,' said Ham.

'That's because you are good.'

'Poor little tender heart,' said Ham, in a low voice.  'Martha has upset her.'

'Please, aunt,' sobbed Emily, 'come here, and let me lay my head upon you.  Oh, I am very miserable tonight, aunt!'

Peggotty has hastened to the chair before the fire.  Emily with her arms around her neck, kneeled by her, looking up most earnestly into her eyes.

'Oh, pray, aunt, try to help me! Ham, dear, try to help me!  Mr David, for the sake of old times, do, please, try to help me!  I want to be a better girl than I am.  I want to be the wife of a good man, and to lead a peaceful life.' 

She dropped her face on Peggoty's breast, and wept silently, while she hushed her like an infant.

Copperfield had decided to keep the departure of Martha and the conservations around it, at Peggoty's house, a secrete.

While the friends were at breakfast at the hotel, a letter from his aunt was delivered to Copperfield. But he did not make any mention of the contents of it to Steerforth.  They had to take leave of all their friends in Yarmouth. Peggotty and Barkis, were full of grief at their departure.  The whole house of Omer and Joram turned out to bid them goodbye.  There were so many seafaring friends in attendance of Steerforth, that their portmanteaus went to the coach without any porters to carry it. Littimer had also come to bid them goodbye.  

The friends remained silent for some time.  Steerforth was the first to talk.

'Find a voice David, what about the letter you received at the breakfast?

Copperfield took it out of his pocket and said that it was from his aunt.  Looking at it he said that Miss Betsey reminded him that he was on this trip to look about himself and to think a little.

'Which of course you have done,' said Steerforth.

'Indeed, I can't say I have.  To tell you the truth, I am afraid I have forgotten it.'

'Well!  Look about you now, and make up for your negligence,' said Steerforth.  'Look to the right, and you will find a flat, with a good deal of marsh in it; look at the left, and you will see the same; look to the front, and you will find no difference; look to the rear, and there it is still.'

Copperfield replied that he saw no profession in the whole prospect; which was perhaps to be attributed to its flatness.

'What says your aunt on the subject?' said Steerforth, glancing at the letter in Copperfield's hand.

'She asks me, if I think I should like to be a proctor?  What do you think of it?' 

'Well, I don't know,' replied Steerforth, coolly.  You may as well do that as anything else, I suppose?'

He was balancing all callings and professions equally, thought Copperfield.

'Wha's a proctor, Steerforth?' said Copperfield.

'Why, he is a sort of monkish attorney,' replied Steerforth.  'He is to some faded courts held in Doctors' Commons, what solicitors are to the courts of law and equity.  The office of proctor would have terminated about two hundred years ago. Doctors' Commons is a little out- of- the way place, where they  administer Church or clerical laws and plays all kinds of tricks.  It is a place where suits about people's wills, marriages, and disputes about ships are filed.'

'Nonsense, Steerforth!' exclaimed Copperfield.  'You don't mean any affinity between nautical people and clergy.'

'They are managed and decided by the same set of people, down in that Doctors' Commons,' said Steerforth.

David thought that the idea originated in his aunt's mind after her visit to Doctors' Commons for the purpose of settling her will in his favour.  Though Steerforth talked very lightly of proctors and Doctors'Commons, Trotwood was not averse to the proposal of her aunt.

Copperfield told that his aunt was in the town, and had taken lodgings in a private hotel in Lincoln's Inn Fields, where there was a stone staircase and a convenient door in the roof. She was suffering from an overwhelming fear of fire, while she used to visit London.

The rest of their journey was pleasant, with Steerforth picturing Copperfield as a proctor in a variety of whimsical and humorous light that made them both merry.  At the end of journey they parted; Steerforth promised to call upon Copperfield next day but one.  Copperfield drove to Lincoln's Inn-Fields where he found his aunt waiting supper.

Miss Betsey cried out as she embraced her nephew; and said that if Clara had been alive, that silly creature would have shed tears.

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