The Adelphi - ELEVEN: Miss Betsey Is Bankrupt

Trotwood wrote a letter to Agnes about his engagement with Dora Spenlow.  The letter also stated the plight of Steerforth and Emily.

Traddles came to the Adelphi on two or three occasions.  He met Peggotty, who had been by this time, a resident of the Adelphi along with her Davy.  Mrs Crupp not at all favoured  this.  Her displeasure appeared, first as a long letter advising against 'spies and intruders in mourning weed', and when this was ignored, pitcher plants began to appear on the stairs - an attempt to delude Peggotty into breaking her leg.

According to Traddles Sophy was the fourth among the ten.  The mother of Sophy was a superior woman. But the damp country was not suitable for her constitution.  And she had lost the use of her limbs.  But Sophy is a mother to her mother, and other nine.

Traddles was not living with Mr Micawber's.  There was an execution for rent. Mr Micawber changed his name to Mortimer, and didn't come out till dark, and when he comes, he comes in dark in spectacles.  Mrs Micawber was in a dreadful state, that Traddles gave his name to a second bill, and the matter was thus settled.  Within a week another execution came, the broker carried Traddles's round table and Sophy's flower pot and stand, and he shifted himself to another furnished apartment. 

'Now the broker has put those things for sale, resumed Traddles.  'now I have money to purchase it. But the broker may demand exorbitant price if I go to him.  So I want your Peggotty to go for it and buy it. I would show her the things and the shop.'

This idea of Traddles was carried out successfully.

After the accomplishment of Traddles's job at broker's shop, and the disposal of retrieved things to him, Trotwood and Peggotty loitered the streets, a window shopping to her delight.

When they returned to the Adelphi, Trotwood saw a sudden disappearance of pitcher plants on the stairs. Instead there were  the prints of recent footsteps.  The  outer door of the chambers were opened, some voices inside were heard.

They looked at one another, without knowing what to make of this, and went into the sitting room.  Miss Betsey and Mr Dick were there!  Miss Betsey had been sitting on a quantity of luggage, with her two birds before her, and her cat on her knee, drinking tea.  Mr Dick was leaning on a kite, with more luggage about him.

'My dear aunt,' cried Trotwood, 'what an unexpected pleasure!'

They embraced each other, and then,  Trotwood shook hands with Mr Dick.  Mrs Crupp was busy making tea.

'Hello,' said Miss Betsey to Peggotty, who quailed before her presence.  'How are you?'

'You remember my aunt, Peggotty?' asked Trotwood.

'For the love of goodness, child,' exclaimed Betsey, 'don't call her by that Southsea Island name.  If she's married, why don't you give the benefit of the change?  'What's your name now P-?'

'Barkis ma'am,' said Peggotty, with a curtsey.

'Well that's human,' said Miss Betsey. 'How do you do, Barkis, I hope you're well?

Encouraged by these gracious words, Peggotty took the extended hand of Miss Betsey, and curtseyed her acknowledgements.

'We are older than we were,' said Miss Betsey, 'we have only once.  A nice business we had made of it then!  Trot, my dear, another cup.'

Trotwood handed it to his aunt, who was sitting in her usual inflexible state of figure on a box brought by her.

Trotwood drew a sofa and requested her to sit on it.

'Thank you, Trot,' replied his aunt, 'I prefer to sit upon my own property.'  Then she looked at Mrs Crupp and said, 'we needn't trouble you to wait ma'am.'

'Shall I put a little more coffee in the tea-pot before I go, ma'am?' said Mrs Crupp.

'No, thank you, ma'am,' replied Miss Betsey.

Mrs Crupp was not willing to leave, but continued to pester around with a volley of requests, but Miss Betsey was able to dispose of her. Miss Betsey thought that Mrs Crupp was a wealth worshipper, and asked Peggotty for another cup of tea.

Trotwood knew that his aunt had a mission, and guessed different possibilities, but began to chat with her birds and her cat.

'Trot,' said Miss Betsey at last, when she had finished her tea, and carefully smoothed down her dress, and wiped her lips -'you needn't go Barkis! - Trot, have you got to be firm and self-reliant?

'I hope so, aunt?'

'What do you think?' inquired Miss Betsey.

'I think so, aunt.'

'Then why, my love,' said Miss Betsey looking at her nephew, 'why do you think I prefer to sit upon this property of mine tonight?'

Trotwood shook his head, unable to guess.

'Because,' said Miss Betsey, 'it's all I have.  I am ruined, my dear!'

Trotwood felt as If the whole house and everybody in it had been tumbled down and washed away by floods in Thames.

'Dick knows it,' said Miss Betsey, laying her hand on Trotwood's shoulder.  'I am bankrupt my dear Trot!  All I have in the world is this room, except my cottage; and that I have left Janet to let it.  Barkis, I want to get a bed for this gentleman tonight.  To save expense, perhaps you can make up something here for myself.  Anything will do.  It's only for tonight. We will talk about this, more, tomorrow.'

Trotwood was amazed.  He had no idea of what her means were.  She had already spent much on his education at Doctor Strong.  On the eve of joining Doctors' Commons, he had brought up the question whether she had the means to sustain it.

'We must meet our reverses boldly ,' she said through her tears, 'and not suffer them to frighten us, my dear.  We must learn to act the play out.  We must live misfortune down, Trot!'

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