collar。
‘How do you do； Mr。 Micawber？’ said I。
‘Sir；’ said Mr。 Micawber； ‘you are exceedingly obliging。 I am in
statu quo。’
‘And Mrs。 Micawber？’ I pursued。
‘Sir；’ said Mr。 Micawber； ‘she is also； thank God； in statu quo。’
‘And the children； Mr。 Micawber？’
‘Sir；’ said Mr。 Micawber； ‘I rejoice to reply that they are；
likewise； in the enjoyment of salubrity。’
All this time； Mr。 Micawber had not known me in the least；
though he had stood face to face with me。 But now； seeing me
smile； he examined my features with more attention； fell back；
cried； ‘Is it possible！ Have I the pleasure of again beholding
Copperfield！’ and shook me by both hands with the utmost
fervour。
‘Good Heaven； Mr。 Traddles！’ said Mr。 Micawber； ‘to think that
I should find you acquainted with the friend of my youth； the
companion of earlier days！ My dear！’ calling over the banisters to
Mrs。 Micawber； while Traddles looked （with reason） not a little
amazed at this description of me。 ‘Here is a gentleman in Mr。
Traddles’s apartment； whom he wishes to have the pleasure of
presenting to you； my love！’
Mr。 Micawber immediately reappeared； and shook hands with
me again。
‘And how is our good friend the Doctor； Copperfield？’ said Mr。
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David Copperfield
Micawber； ‘and all the circle at Canterbury？’
‘I have none but good accounts of them；’ said I。
‘I am most delighted to hear it；’ said Mr。 Micawber。 ‘It was at
Canterbury where we last met。 Within the shadow； I may
figuratively say； of that religious edifice immortalized by Chaucer；
which was anciently the resort of Pilgrims from the remotest
corners of—in short；’ said Mr。 Micawber； ‘in the immediate
neighbourhood of the Cathedral。’
I replied that it was。 Mr。 Micawber continued talking as volubly
as he could； but not； I thought； without showing； by some marks of
concern in his countenance； that he was sensible of sounds in the
next room； as of Mrs。 Micawber washing her hands； and hurriedly
opening and shutting drawers that were uneasy in their action。
‘You find us； Copperfield；’ said Mr。 Micawber； with one eye on
Traddles； ‘at present established； on what may be designated as a
small and unassuming scale； but； you are aware that I have； in the
course of my career； surmounted difficulties； and conquered
obstacles。 You are no stranger to the fact； that there have been
periods of my life； when it has been requisite that I should pause；
until certain expected events should turn up； when it has been
necessary that I should fall back； before making what I trust I shall
not be accused of presumption in terming—a spring。 The present
is one of those momentous stages in the life of man。 You find me；
fallen back； for a spring； and I have every reason to believe that a
vigorous leap will shortly be the result。’
I was expressing my satisfaction； when Mrs。 Micawber came in；
a little more slatternly than she used to be； or so she seemed now；
to my unaccustomed eyes； but still with some preparation of
herself for company； and with a pair of brown gloves on。
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David Copperfield
‘My dear；’ said Mr。 Micawber； leading her towards me； ‘here is a
gentleman of the name of Copperfield； who wishes to renew his
acquaintance with you。’
It would have been better； as it turned out； to have led gently up
to this announcement； for Mrs。 Micawber； being in a delicate state
of health； was overcome by it； and was taken so unwell； that Mr。
Micawber was obliged； in great trepidation； to run down to the
water…butt in the backyard； and draw a basinful to lave her brow
with。 She presently revived； however； and was really pleased to
see me。 We had half…an…hour’s talk； all together； and I asked her
about the twins； who； she said； were ‘grown great creatures’； and
after Master and Miss Micawber； whom she described as ‘absolute
giants’； but they were not produced on that occasion。
Mr。 Micawber was very anxious that I should stay to dinner。 I
should not have been averse to do so； but that I imagined I
detected trouble； and calculation relative to the extent of the cold
meat； in Mrs。 Micawber’s eye。 I therefore pleaded another
engagement； and observing that Mrs。 Micawber’s spirits were
immediately lightened； I resisted all persuasion to forego it。
But I told Traddles； and Mr。 and Mrs。 Micawber； that before I
could think of leaving； they must appoint a day when they would
come and dine with me。 The occupations to which Traddles stood
pledged； rendered it necessary to fix a somewhat distant one； but
an appointment was made for the purpose； that suited us all； and
then I took my leave。
Mr。 Micawber； under pretence of showing me a nearer way
than that by which I had come； accompanied me to the corner of
the street； being anxious （he explained to me） to say a few words
to an old friend； in confidence。
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David Copperfield
‘My dear Copperfield；’ said Mr。 Micawber； ‘I need hardly tell
you that to have beneath our roof； under existing circumstances； a
mind like that which gleams—if I may be allowed the expression—
which gleams—in your friend Traddles； is an unspeakable
comfort。 With a washerwoman； who exposes hard…bake for sale in
her parlour…window； dwelling next door； and a Bow…street officer
residing over the way； you may imagine that his society is a source
of consolation to myself and to Mrs。 Micawber。 I am at present； my
dear Copperfield； engaged in the sale of corn upon commission。 It
is not an avocation of a remunerative description—in other words；
it does not pay—and some temporary embarrassments of a
pecuniary nature have been the consequence。 I am； however；
delighted to add that I have now an immediate prospect of
something turning up （I am not at liberty to say in what direction）；
which I trust will enable me to provide； permanently； both for
myself and for your friend Traddles； in whom I have an unaffected
interest。 You may； perhaps； be prepared to hear that Mrs。
Micawber is in a state of health which renders it not wholly
improbable that an addition may be ultimately made to those
pledges of affection which—in short； to the infantine group。 Mrs。
Micawber’s family have been so good as to express their
dissatisfaction at this state of things。 I have merely to observe； that
I am not aware that it is any business of theirs； and that I repel
that exhibition of feeling with scorn； and with defiance！’
Mr。 Micawber then shook hands with me again； and left me。
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Chapter 28
Mr。 MICAWBER’S GAUNTLET
Until the day arrived on which I was to entertain my
newly…found old friends； I lived principally on Dora and
coffee。 In my love…lorn condition； my appetite
languished； and I was glad of it； for I felt as though it would have
been an act of perfidy towards Dora to have a natural relish for my
dinner。 The quantity of walking exercise I took； was not in this
respect attended with its usual consequence； as the
disappointment counteracted the fresh air。 I have my doubts； too；
founded on the acute experience acquired at this period of my life；
whether a sound enjoyment of animal food can develop itself
freely in any human subject who is always in torment from tight
boots。 I think the extremities require to be at peace before the
stomach will conduct itself with vigour。
On the occasion of this domestic little party； I did not repeat my
former extensive preparations。 I merely provided a pair of soles； a
small leg of mutton； and a pigeon…pie。 Mrs。 Crupp broke out into
rebellion on my first bashful hint in reference to the cooking of the
fish and joint； and said； with a dignified sense of injury； ‘No！ No；
sir！ You will not ask me sich a thing； for you are better acquainted
with me than to suppose me capable of doing what I cannot do
with ampial satisfaction to my own feelings！’ But； in the end； a
compromise was effected； and Mrs。 Crupp consented to achieve
this feat； on condition that I dined from home for a fortnight
afterwards。
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David Copperfield
And here I may remark； that what I underwent from Mrs。
Crupp； in consequence of the tyranny she established over me；
was dreadful。 I never was so much afraid of anyone。 We made a
compromise of everything。 If I hesitated； she was taken with that
wonderful disorder which was always lying in ambush in her
system； ready； at the shortest notice； to prey upon her vitals。 If I
rang the bell impatiently； after half…a…dozen unavailing modest
pulls； and she appeared at last—which was not by any means to be
relied upon—she would appear with a reproachful aspect； sink
breathless on a chair near the door； lay her hand upon her
nankeen bosom； and become so ill； that I was glad； at any sacrifice
of brandy or anything else； to get rid of her。 If I objected to having
my bed made at five o’clock in the afternoon—which I do still
think an uncomfortable arrangement—one motion of her hand
towards the same nankeen region of wounded sensibility was
enough to make me falter an apology。 In short； I would have done
anything in an honourable way rather than give Mrs。 Crupp
offence； and she was the terror of my life。
I bought a second…hand dumb…waiter for this dinner…party； in
preference to re…engaging the handy young man； against whom I
had conceived a prejudice； in consequence of meeting him in the
Strand； one Sunday morning； in a waistcoat remarkably like one
of mine； which had been missing since the former occasion。 The
‘young gal’ was re…engaged； but on the stipulation that she should
only bring in the dishes； and then withdraw to the landing…place；
beyond the outer door； where a habit of sniffing she had
contracted would be lost upon the guests； and where her retiring
on the plates would be a physical impossibility。
Having laid in the materials for a bowl of punch； to be
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