The Adelphi - NINE: Mr Peggotty At Highgate

The news of what happened soon spread through the town.  Many were hard upon Emily, but some were hard upon Steerforth.  But towards Peggotty her second father and Ham her lover, there was but one sentiment.  They were kind and sympathetic to them.

Trotwood was on a stroll and found Peggotty and Ham on the beach.  Peggotty's head was bowed.  They were both grave as the sea lying beneath the dark sky.

'We had a great deal of talk, sir,' said Mr Peggotty, while walking, 'of what we ought to do, and we see our course now.'

'I am going to seek my niece,' he said.  Then he asked Trotwood whether he was going to London.  Trotwood would have left, but he stayed, thinking he may be of any service to them.  He was ready to go when Mr Peggotty would.

'I will go along with you, sir,' he rejoined, 'if you are agreeable, tomorrow.'

'Ham,' he resumed, 'will hold on to his present work, and go and live with my sister.'

'Will you desert the boathouse?' asked Trotwood.

'No, sir,' he replied, 'It shall look, day and night, winter and summer, since she first knew it.  If ever she should come back, it should tempt her draw near to it and peep in.  Seeing Mrs Gummidge only, she might take heart to creep in, trembling, and come to be laid down, in her old bed.'

Trotwood was silent.

'Every night,' he resumed, 'the candle must stand in its old pane of glass, and it may seem to say, "come back, my child, come back!"  If ever, there is a soft knock, Ham, after dark, at your aunt's door, you don't go near it.  Let it be your aunt - not you that sees my fallen child!'

While they entered the boathouse, Mrs Gummidge was busily engaged in the preparation of breakfast.  She took Mr Peggotty's hat, placed a seat for him, and spoke softly.

'Dan'l my good man,' said she, 'you must eat and drink, and keep up your strength.'

When she had served the food, she withdrew to the window, and engaged herself in repairing some shirts and other belongings of Mr Peggotty.

'All times and seasons, you know Dan'l,' said Mrs Gummidge, I shall be here, and everything will look according to your wishes.  I am a poor scholar, but I shall write to you, when you are away, and send my letters to Master Davy.  May you'll write to me, too, and tell me how you fare to feel upon your journey.'

'You'll be a solitary woman here, I am afraid,' said Mr Peggotty.

'No, no, Dan'l,' she exclaimed, 'I shall have enough here to keep your home. I shall sit outside the door as I used to.'

Mrs Gummidge was a changed women in a little time!  She was more devoted, she had a quick perception of what it would be well to say, and what it would be well to leave unsaid.

Thinking of this change in Mrs Gummidge, Trotwood left the boathouse, and strolled through the town, and stopped at Mr Omer's door.  Minnie told him that her father was very much upset by the news, that he had been very low and poor all day, and had gone to bed without his pipe.  Minne too was disturbed.  She cursed Emily, and then she began to sob.

Little Minnie and Emily were very much attached to each other. 'The last night she was here,' said Minnie, 'she tied a ribbon round my little Minnie's neck, and laid her head down on the pillow beside her, till she was fast asleep!  The ribbon is still round my little Minnie's neck.'

Minnie was so unhappy, that her husband came to take care of her.

Trotwood left for Peggotty's house.

Peggotty was not in her home.  She was at her brother's where she would remain till morning.

Trotwood was in reflections about the inmates of boathouse, and how he had been an instrument in bringing chaos to their peaceful life.  He thought of his blind devotion to Steerforth, his aunt's selfless love of him, and Peggoty's earnest love of him and his mother, and of Barkis who had left him one thousand pounds.  He also thought of his love of Miss Sharp, Miss Larkins, and now Dora Spenlow.  For the first time he was aware of his unworthiness, when he heard a soft knock on the door.  There was a knocker on the door, but it was not that which made the sound.  The tap was from a hand, and low down upon the door, as if it were given by a child.

Trotwood opened the door, to see nothing but an umbrella walking about itself.  But soon he discovered underneath it, Miss Mowcher.  After removing the umbrella, she was not able to shut it up. Trotwood went and relieved of her, shut the umbrella, and closed the door.

Miss Mowcher hurried into the kitchen and sat on the corner of the fender. 

'Miss Mowcher!' said he, 'how do you come here?  What's the matter?'

'My dear young man,' returned

Miss Mowcher, placing her hands upon her breasts, 'I am here, I am very ill.  To think that it should have come to this - when I might have known it, and prevented it, I had been a fool,' said she swaying her body backwards and forwards.The shade of her large bonnet moved to and fro on the wall, as she swayed.

'I am surprised,' said Trotwood, 'to see you distressed and serious.'

'Yes, it's always so!' she said.  They are all surprised.  These inconsiderate young people, fairly full and grown, to see a natural feeling in a little thing like me! 

'It may be with others,' returned Trotwood, 'I do assure you, it is not with me.  I know so little of you.'

'What can I do?' returned the woman, 'If I had shown myself a sensitive dwarf to your false, false friend, how much of his help and good will do you think I should ever had?  I saw you in the street just now.  I know where you came, and came after you.  I have been here before, but the girl was not at home.'

'Do you know her?'

'I know her, and about her,' she replied, 'from Omer and Joram.  I was here at seven o'clock in the morning.  Do you remember what Steerforth said about this unfortunate girl, that I saw you both at the inn?  May the father of the evil confound him, and ten times that wicked servant, Littimer; but I believe it was YOU who had a boyish passion for her.'

'I -?' replied Trotwood.

'Child, child! In the name of blind ill-fortune,' said Miss Mowcher, swaying backwards and forwards on the fender, 'why did you praise her so, and blushed, and looked disturbed?'

Trotwood had no answer.

'What did I know?' resumed Miss Mowcher, 'He was crossing you and wheedling you, I saw, and you were soft wax in his hands.  Had I left the room a minute, when his man told me that "young innocence" (so he called you) had set his heart upon her, and she was giddy and liked him, but master was resolved that no harm should come of it - more for your sake than hers - and, that was their business here?  How could I but believe him.  I saw Steerforth soothe and please you by his praise of her!  You were the first to mention her name.  You owned to an old admiration of her.  You were hot and cold, and red and white, all at once when I spoke to you of her.  What could I think - that you were a libertine in everything but experience, and you had fallen into hands that had experience enough and could manage you for your own good?  Oh! Oh! Oh! They were afraid of my finding the truth.'  Miss Mowcher getting off the fender and trotting up and down the kitchen, resumed, 'and they deceived me altogether, and I gave the poor unfortunate girl a letter, which I fully believe was the beginning of her ever speaking to Littimer, who was left behind on purpose!'

Trotwood was amazed at the revealation of this perfidy, and looked at Miss Mowcher as she walked up and down the kitchen until she was out of breath.   She sat upon the fender again, and continued, 'My country rounds brought me to Norwich, the night before last.  What I happened to find there, their secret way of coming and going, without you, which was strange, led to my suspecting something wrong.  I got into the coach from London last night, as it came through Norwich, and was here this morning. Oh, oh, oh! Too late!'

After a long silence, she said, 'I must go.  It is too late.  You don't mistrust me?'

Taking his hand to step down from the fender, she repeated, 'you don't mistrust me, if I was a full sized woman!'

There was some truth in what she said.  

'Now, mind me!' she exclaimed, turning back on her way to the door, 'I have reason to suspect that they are gone abroad.  But if ever they return, I will find out soon.  Whatever I know, You shall know.  And Littimer had better have a bloodhound after him, than little Mowcher!'

'Trust me!' she said, taking his hand, while walking towards the door.

Trotwood opened the door and let her out. She bade goodnight, and was out in the rain.  Trotwood saw her umbrella bobbing down the street, through the rain. He went to bed and slept till the morning.

In the morning Trotwood, Peggotty and her brother were in the coach office.  Ham and Mrs Gummidge were waiting to take leave of them.  While Mr Peggotty was stowing his bag among luggage, Ham whispered to Trotwood, 'he doesn't know where he is going.  His voyage will last till he finds what he seeks.  You'll be a friend to him.  

'Trust me I'll indeed,' said Trotwood.

'I have enough work, but no way of spending.  If he is in need of money, let me know, his journey is long.'

Trotwood reminded him of the bequest Mr Peggotty received from, his brother-in-law, Barkis; that it would bring a moderate income.  He then took leave of them, and the sight of Mrs Gummidge running down the street by the coach, looking to Mr Peggotty through her tears lingered in the memory of Trotwood for some days.

Trotwood was fortunate to obtain a clean lodgings, forPeggotty, where her brother also could have a bed.  It was near the Adelphi, over the chandler's shop.

Mr Peggotty wanted to see Mrs Steerforth.  Trotwood wrote to her that night.  The letter stated mildly of what happened and his own part in the incident. He introduced Mr Peggotty, and also mentioned two o'clock in the afternoon as the hour of coming, and sent the letter by the first coach in the morning.

At the appointed time, they stood at the door of the house.  Trotwood recollected the time he visited Highgate, on his way to Yarmouth to attend ailing Barkis.  He would not have visited Highgate, but the request of Steerforth. 

The maid came and took them to the drawing room where Mrs Steerforth was sitting.  Rosa Dartle glided, as they went in, from another part of the room and stood behind her chair.

Trotwood could read Mrs Steerforth's face, and he realised, that she knew all.  It was very pale, and bore the traces of deeper emotion.  She was, like her son.

She sat upright in her arm-chair, with a stately, immovable, passionless air.  She looked very steadfastly at Mr Peggotty, when he stood before her, and he looked quite as steadfastly at her.  Rosa Dartle's keen glance comprehended every one.  For some moments not a word was spoken.

She motioned to Mr Peggotty to be seated.  He said in a low voice, 'I shouldn't feel natural, ma'am to sit down in this house. I'd like to stand.'  Another silence followed.

'I know with deep regret,' she broke the silence, 'what has brought you here.  What do you want of me to do?'

He put his hat under his arm, and feeling in his breast for Emily's letter, took it out, unfolded it, and gave it to her.  'Please to read that ma'am.  That's my niece's hand!'

She read it in the same stately impassive way, untouched by its contents, and returned it to him.

"Unless he bring me back a lady" said Mr Peggotty, tracing out that part with his finger.  'I came here, to know whether he will keep his word?'

'No,' She returned.

'Why not?' said Mr Peggotty.

'It's impossible.  He would disgrace himself.  You cannot fail to know that she is far below him.'

'Raise her up,' said Mr Peggotty.

'She is uneducated and ignorant.'

'May be she is not, may be she is,' said Mr Peggotty.  'I think not ma'am; but I am not judge of them things.  Teach her better!'

'Since you oblige me to speak more plainly, which I am very unwilling to do, her humble connections would render such a thing impossible, if nothing else did.'

'Listen to this, ma'am,' he returned, slowly and quietly, 'You know what it is to love your child.  So do I.  If she was a hundred times my child, I couldn't love her more.  You don't know what it is to lose your child.  I do.  All heaps of riches in the world would be nothing to me to get her back!  But, save her from this disgrace, and she shall never be disgraced by us.  Not one of us that she's grew up among, not one of us that's lived along with her and had her for their all in all, these many years, will ever look on her pretty face again.  We'll be content to let her be; we'll be content to think of her, far off, as if she was underneath another sun and sky; we'll be content to trust her to her husband, - to her little children, perhaps - and bide the time when all of us shall be alike.'

'I justify nothing.  I make no counter accusations.  But I am sorry to repeat, it is impossible. Such a marriage would blight my son's career beyond repair, and ruin his prospects.  Nothing is certain that it never can take place, and never will.  If there is any other compensation-' 

'I am looking at the likeness of the face,' interrupted Mr Peggotty, with a steady and kindling eye, 'that has looked at me, in my home, at my fireside, in my boat - where not? Smiling and friendly, when it was so treacherous, that I go half wild when I think of it.  If the likeness of that face don't turn to burning fire, at the thought of offering money to me for my child's blight and ruin, it's bad.  I don't know, being a lady's, but what it's worse-'

'What compensation can you make to ME for opening such a pit between me and my son?  What is your love to mine? What is your separation to ours?'

Miss Dartle softly touched her, and bent down her head to whisper, but she would not hear a word.

'No, Rosa, not a word!  Let the man listen to what I say!  My son, who has been the object of my life, to whom its very thought has been devoted, whom I have gratified from a child in every wish, from whom I have had no separate existence since his birth, to take up in a moment with a miserable girl, and avoid me!  To repay my confidence with systematic deception, for her sake, and quit me for her! To set this wretched fancy, against his mother's claims upon his duty, love, respect and gratitude! Is this no injury?'

Again Rosa Dartle tried to sooth her.

'I say, Rosa, not a word!  If he can stake his all upon the lightest object, I can stake my all on a greater purpose.  Let him go where he will, with the means that my love has secured to him!  Does he think to reduce me by long absence?  He knows his mother very little, if he does.  Let him put away his whim now, and he is welcome back.  Let him not put her away now, and he never shall shall come near me, living or dying, while I can raise my hand to make a sign against it, unless, being rid of her for ever, he comes humbly to me, and begs for my forgiveness.  This is my right.  This is the acknowledgement I WILL HAVE.  This is separation that there is between us!  And is this, no injury?,' she added, looking at her visitor, with the proud intolerant air.

Trotwood thought of how her son confronted Mr Mell at Salem House, that led to the ouster of the poor master, and the contempt he had for the poor.  It was in its strongest springs in her.

Resuming her former restraint, she observed that it was useless to hear more, or to say more, and she begged to put an end to the interview.  She rose with an air of dignity to leave the room, when Mr Peggotty signified that it was needless.

'Don't fear me being any hindrance to you.  I have no more to say, ma'am,' he remarked, as he moved towards the door, 'I came here with no hope, and I take away no hope.  I have done what I thought should be done, but I never looked for any good to come of my standing where I do.  This has been too evil a house for me and mine, to expect any good.'

They departed, leaving her standing by her elbow-chair, a picture of noble presence and a handsome face.

On their way out they cross a paved hall, with glass sides and roof, over which a vine was trained.  Its leaves and shoots were green, and the day being sunny, a pair of glass doors leading to the garden were thrown open.

Rosa Dartle, entering this way with noiseless steps, were close to them, addressed herself to Trotwood:

 'You do well, indeed, to bring this fellow here.'

Rage and scorn darkened her face, and flashed in her eyes.  The scar made by hammer was in an excited state.

'This is a fellow,' she said, 'to champion and bring here, is he not?  You are a true man!'

'Miss Dartle,' he returned, 'you are surely not unjust as to condemn me!'

'Why do you bring division between these two mad creatures?  Don't you know that they are both mad with their own self-will and pride?'

'Is it my doing?' returned Trotwood.

'Is it my doing!' she retorted, 'Why do you bring this man here?'

'He is a deeply injured man, Miss Dartle,' he replied, 'you may not know it.'

'I know that James Steerforth,' she said, with her hand on her bosom, as if to prevent the storm that was raging there from being loud, 'has a false, corrupt heart, and is a deserter.  But what need I know or care about this fellow, and his common niece?'

'Miss Dartle,' he returned, 'you deepen the injury.  It is sufficient already.  I will only say, at parting, you do a great wrong.'

'I am do him no wrong,' she returned.  'They are a depraved, worthless set.  I would have her whipped!'

Mr Peggotty passed on, without a word, and went out of the door.

'Oh, shame, Miss Dartle! Shame!' he said indignantly.  How can you bear to trample on his undeserved affliction!'

'I would trample on them all,' she answered.  I would have his house pulled down.  I would have her branded on the face, dressed in rags, and cast out in the streets to starve. If I could hunt her to grave, I would.'

She was burning with anger and hate, when Trotwood left her, to join Mr  Peggotty, who had been walking slowly and thoughtfully down the hill.

Soon, they joined Peggotty at the lodgings over the chandler's shop.  After dinner, which was brought to the room, they sat near the window, without talking much.  Mr Peggotty got up, and brought his oilskin bag and his stout stick, and laid them on the table.

He accepted from his sister, a small sum on account of his legacy.  He promised to communicate with Trotwood, when anything befell him. 

'All good attend you, good woman,' he said embracing his sister, 'and you too, Master Davy,' shaking hands with him. 'I am going to seek her far and wide.  If she should come home while I am away, but ah, that ain't like  to be! - or if I should bring her back, my meaning is, that she and me shall live and die where no one can reproach her.  If any hurt should come to me, remember the last word I left for her "my unchanged love is with my darling child, and I forgive her!"

He slung his bag about him, took his hat and stick, and bade them both 'Good-bye!' and putting on his hat, went downstairs and went away.

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