The　schoolroom　was　a　pretty　large　hall；　on　the　quietest　side　of
  the　house；　confronted　by　the　stately　stare　of　some　half…dozen　of
  the　great　urns；　and　commanding　a　peep　of　an　old　secluded　garden
  belonging　to　the　Doctor；　where　the　peaches　were　ripening　on　the
  sunny　south　wall。　There　were　two　great　aloes；　in　tubs；　on　the　turf
  outside　the　windows；　the　broad　hard　leaves　of　which　plant
  （looking　as　if　they　were　made　of　painted　tin）　have　ever　since；　by
  association；　been　symbolical　to　me　of　silence　and　retirement。
  About　five…and…twenty　boys　were　studiously　engaged　at　their
  books　when　we　went　in；　but　they　rose　to　give　the　Doctor　good
  morning；　and　remained　standing　when　they　saw　Mr。　Wickfield　and
  me。
  ‘A　new　boy；　young　gentlemen；’　said　the　Doctor；　‘Trotwood
  Copperfield。’
  One　Adams；　who　was　the　head…boy；　then　stepped　out　of　his
  place　and　welcomed　me。　He　looked　like　a　young　clergyman；　in　his
  white　cravat；　but　he　was　very　affable　and　good…humoured；　and　he
  showed　me　my　place；　and　presented　me　to　the　masters；　in　a
  gentlemanly　way　that　would　have　put　me　at　my　ease；　if　anything
  could。
  It　seemed　to　me　so　long；　however；　since　I　had　been　among　such
  boys；　or　among　any　companions　of　my　own　age；　except　Mick
  Walker　and　Mealy　Potatoes；　that　I　felt　as　strange　as　ever　I　have
  done　in　my　life。　I　was　so　conscious　of　having　passed　through
  scenes　of　which　they　could　have　no　knowledge；　and　of　having
  acquired　experiences　foreign　to　my　age；　appearance；　and
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  condition　as　one　of　them；　that　I　half　believed　it　was　an　imposture
  to　come　there　as　an　ordinary　little　schoolboy。　I　had　become；　in　the
  Murdstone　and　Grinby　time；　however　short　or　long　it　may　have
  been；　so　unused　to　the　sports　and　games　of　boys；　that　I　knew　I　was
  awkward　and　inexperienced　in　the　commonest　things　belonging　to
  them。　Whatever　I　had　learnt；　had　so　slipped　away　from　me　in　the
  sordid　cares　of　my　life　from　day　to　night；　that　now；　when　I　was
  examined　about　what　I　knew；　I　knew　nothing；　and　was　put　into　the
  lowest　form　of　the　school。　But；　troubled　as　I　was；　by　my　want　of
  boyish　skill；　and　of　book…learning　too；　I　was　made　infinitely　more
  uncomfortable　by　the　consideration；　that；　in　what　I　did　know；　I
  was　much　farther　removed　from　my　companions　than　in　what　I
  did　not。　My　mind　ran　upon　what　they　would　think；　if　they　knew　of
  my　familiar　acquaintance　with　the　King’s　Bench　Prison？　Was
  there　anything　about　me　which　would　reveal　my　proceedings　in
  connexion　with　the　Micawber　family—all　those　pawnings；　and
  sellings；　and　suppers—in　spite　of　myself？　Suppose　some　of　the
  boys　had　seen　me　coming　through　Canterbury；　wayworn　and
  ragged；　and　should　find　me　out？　What　would　they　say；　who　made
  so　light　of　money；　if　they　could　know　how　I　had　scraped　my
  halfpence　together；　for　the　purchase　of　my　daily　saveloy　and　beer；
  or　my　slices　of　pudding？　How　would　it　affect　them；　who　were　so
  innocent　of　London　life；　and　London　streets；　to　discover　how
  knowing　I　was　（and　was　ashamed　to　be）　in　some　of　the　meanest
  phases　of　both？　All　this　ran　in　my　head　so　much；　on　that　first　day
  at　Doctor　Strong’s；　that　I　felt　distrustful　of　my　slightest　look　and
  gesture；　shrunk　within　myself　whensoever　I　was　approached　by
  one　of　my　new　schoolfellows；　and　hurried　off　the　minute　school
  was　over；　afraid　of　committing　myself　in　my　response　to　any
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  friendly　notice　or　advance。
  But　there　was　such　an　influence　in　Mr。　Wickfield’s　old　house；
  that　when　I　knocked　at　it；　with　my　new　school…books　under　my
  arm；　I　began　to　feel　my　uneasiness　softening　away。　As　I　went　up　to
  my　airy　old　room；　the　grave　shadow　of　the　staircase　seemed　to　fall
  upon　my　doubts　and　fears；　and　to　make　the　past　more　indistinct。　I
  sat　there；　sturdily　conning　my　books；　until　dinner…time　（we　were
  out　of　school　for　good　at　three）；　and　went　down；　hopeful　of
  becoming　a　passable　sort　of　boy　yet。
  Agnes　was　in　the　drawing…room；　waiting　for　her　father；　who　was
  detained　by　someone　in　his　office。　She　met　me　with　her　pleasant
  smile；　and　asked　me　how　I　liked　the　school。　I　told　her　I　should　like
  it　very　much；　I　hoped；　but　I　was　a　little　strange　to　it　at　first。
  ‘You　have　never　been　to　school；’　I　said；　‘have　you？’
  ‘Oh　yes！　Every　day。’
  ‘Ah；　but　you　mean　here；　at　your　own　home？’
  ‘Papa　couldn’t　spare　me　to　go　anywhere　else；’　she　answered；
  smiling　and　shaking　her　head。　‘His　housekeeper　must　be　in　his
  house；　you　know。’
  ‘He　is　very　fond　of　you；　I　am　sure；’　I　said。
  She　nodded　‘Yes；’　and　went　to　the　door　to　listen　for　his　coming
  up；　that　she　might　meet　him　on　the　stairs。　But；　as　he　was　not
  there；　she　came　back　again。
  ‘Mama　has　been　dead　ever　since　I　was　born；’　she　said；　in　her
  quiet　way。　‘I　only　know　her　picture；　downstairs。　I　saw　you　looking
  at　it　yesterday。　Did　you　think　whose　it　was？’
  I　told　her　yes；　because　it　was　so　like　herself。
  ‘Papa　says　so；　too；’　said　Agnes；　pleased。　‘Hark！　That’s　papa
  now！’
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  Her　bright　calm　face　lighted　up　with　pleasure　as　she　went　to
  meet　him；　and　as　they　came　in；　hand　in　hand。　He　greeted　me
  cordially；　and　told　me　I　should　certainly　be　happy　under　Doctor
  Strong；　who　was　one　of　the　gentlest　of　men。
  ‘There　may　be　some；　perhaps—I　don’t　know　that　there　are—
  who　abuse　his　kindness；’　said　Mr。　Wickfield。　‘Never　be　one　of
  those；　Trotwood；　in　anything。　He　is　the　least　suspicious　of
  mankind；　and　whether　that’s　a　merit；　or　whether　it’s　a　blemish；　it
  deserves　consideration　in　all　dealings　with　the　Doctor；　great　or
  small。’
  He　spoke；　I　thought；　as　if　he　were　weary；　or　dissatisfied　with
  something；　but　I　did　not　pursue　the　question　in　my　mind；　for
  dinner　was　just　then　announced；　and　we　went　down　and　took　the
  same　seats　as　before。
  We　had　scarcely　done　so；　when　Uriah　Heep　put　in　his　red　head
  and　his　lank　hand　at　the　door；　and　said：
  ‘Here’s　Mr。　Maldon　begs　the　favour　of　a　word；　sir。’
  ‘I　am　but　this　moment　quit　of　Mr。　Maldon；’　said　his　master。
  ‘Yes；　sir；’　returned　Uriah；　‘but　Mr。　Maldon　has　come　back；　and
  he　begs　the　favour　of　a　word。’　As　he　held　the　door　open　with　his
  hand；　Uriah　looked　at　me；　and　looked　at　Agnes；　and　looked　at　the
  dishes；　and　looked　at　the　plates；　and　looked　at　every　object　in　the
  room；　I　thought；—yet　seemed　to　look　at　nothing；　he　made　such　an
  appearance　all　the　while　of　keeping　his　red　eyes　dutifully　on　his
  master。　‘I　beg　your　pardon。　It’s　only　to　say；　on　reflection；’　observed
  a　voice　behind　Uriah；　as　Uriah’s　head　was　pushed　away；　and　the
  speaker’s　substituted—‘pray　excuse　me　for　this　intrusion—that　as
  it　seems　I　have　no　choice　in　the　matter；　the　sooner　I　go　abroad　the
  better。　My　cousin　Annie　did　say；　when　we　talked　of　it；　that　she
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  liked　to　have　her　friends　within　reach　rather　than　to　have　them
  banished；　and　the　old　Doctor—’
  ‘Doctor　Strong；　was　that？’　Mr。　Wickfield　interposed；　gravely。
  ‘Doctor　Strong；　of　course；’　returned　the　other；　‘I　call　him　the　old
  Doctor；　it’s　all　the　same；　you　know。’
  ‘I　don’t　know；’　returned　Mr。　Wickfield。
  ‘Well；　Doctor　Strong；’　said　the　other—‘Doctor　Strong　was　of　the
  same　mind；　I　believed。　But　as　it　appears　from　the　course　you　take
  with　me　he　has　changed　his　mind；　why　there’s　no　more　to　be　said；
  except　that　the　sooner　I　am　off；　the　better。　Therefore；　I　thought　I’d
  come　back　and　say；　that　the　sooner　I　am　off　the　better。　When　a
  plunge　is　to　be　made　into　the　water；　it’s　of　no　use　lingering　on　the
  bank。’
  ‘There　shall　be　as　little　lingering　as　possible；　in　your　case；　Mr。
  Maldon；　you　may　depend　upon　it；’　said　Mr。　Wickfield。
  ‘Thank’ee；’　said　the　other。　‘Much　obliged。　I　don’t　want　to　look　a
  gift…horse　in　the　mouth；　which　is　not　a　gracious　thing　to　do；
  otherwise；　I　dare　say；　my　cousin　Annie　could　easily　arrange　it　in
  her　own　way。　I　suppose　Annie　would　only　have　to　say　to　the　old
  Doctor—’
  ‘Meaning　that　Mrs。　Strong　would　only　have　to　say　to　her
  husband—do　I　follow　you？’　said　Mr。　Wickfield。
  ‘Quite　so；’　returned　the　other；　‘—would　only　have　to　say；　that
  she　wanted　such　and　such　a　thing　to　be　so　and　so；　and　it　would　be
  so　and　so；　as　a　matter　of　course。’
  ‘And　why　as　a　matter　of　course；　Mr。　Maldon？’　asked　Mr。
  Wickfield；　sedately　eating　his　dinner。
  ‘Why；　because　Annie’s　a　charming　young　girl；　and　the　old
  Doctor—Doctor　Strong；　I　mean—is　not　quite　a　charming　young
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  boy；’　said　Mr。　Jack　Maldon；　laughing。　‘No　offence　to　anybody；　Mr。
  Wickfield。　I　only　mean　that　I　suppose　some　compensation　is　fair
  and　reasonable　in　that　sort　of　marriage。’
  ‘Compensation　to　the　lady；　sir？’　asked　Mr。　Wickfield　gravely。
  ‘To　the　lady；　sir；’　Mr。　Jack　Maldon　answered；　laughing。　But
  appearing　to　remark　that　Mr。　Wickfield　went　on　with　his　dinner　in
  the　same　sedate；　immovable　manner；　and　that　there　was　no　hope
  of　making　him　relax　a　muscle　of　his　fac