because　she　was　very　fond　of　Agnes；　and　was　often　backwards　and
  forwards　at　our　house。　There　was　a　curious　constraint　between
  her　and　Mr。　Wickfield；　I　thought　（of　whom　she　seemed　to　be
  afraid）；　that　never　wore　off。　When　she　came　there　of　an　evening；
  she　always　shrunk　from　accepting　his　escort　home；　and　ran　away
  with　me　instead。　And　sometimes；　as　we　were　running　gaily　across
  the　Cathedral　yard　together；　expecting　to　meet　nobody；　we　would
  meet　Mr。　Jack　Maldon；　who　was　always　surprised　to　see　us。
  Mrs。　Strong’s　mama　was　a　lady　I　took　great　delight　in。　Her
  name　was　Mrs。　Markleham；　but　our　boys　used　to　call　her　the　Old
  Soldier；　on　account　of　her　generalship；　and　the　skill　with　which
  she　marshalled　great　forces　of　relations　against　the　Doctor。　She
  was　a　little；　sharp…eyed　woman；　who　used　to　wear；　when　she　was
  dressed；　one　unchangeable　cap；　ornamented　with　some　artificial
  flowers；　and　two　artificial　butterflies　supposed　to　be　hovering
  above　the　flowers。　There　was　a　superstition　among　us　that　this　cap
  had　come　from　France；　and　could　only　originate　in　the
  workmanship　of　that　ingenious　nation：　but　all　I　certainly　know
  about　it；　is；　that　it　always　made　its　appearance　of　an　evening；
  wheresoever　Mrs。　Markleham　made　her　appearance；　that　it　was
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  carried　about　to　friendly　meetings　in　a　Hindoo　basket；　that　the
  butterflies　had　the　gift　of　trembling　constantly；　and　that　they
  improved　the　shining　hours　at　Doctor　Strong’s　expense；　like　busy
  bees。
  I　observed　the　Old　Soldier—not　to　adopt　the　name
  disrespectfully—to　pretty　good　advantage；　on　a　night　which　is
  made　memorable　to　me　by　something　else　I　shall　relate。　It　was　the
  night　of　a　little　party　at　the　Doctor’s；　which　was　given　on　the
  occasion　of　Mr。　Jack　Maldon’s　departure　for　India；　whither　he　was
  going　as　a　cadet；　or　something　of　that　kind：　Mr。　Wickfield　having
  at　length　arranged　the　business。　It　happened　to　be　the　Doctor’s
  birthday；　too。　We　had　had　a　holiday；　had　made　presents　to　him　in
  the　morning；　had　made　a　speech　to　him　through　the　head…boy；　and
  had　cheered　him　until　we　were　hoarse；　and　until　he　had　shed
  tears。　And　now；　in　the　evening；　Mr。　Wickfield；　Agnes；　and　I；　went
  to　have　tea　with　him　in　his　private　capacity。
  Mr。　Jack　Maldon　was　there；　before　us。　Mrs。　Strong；　dressed　in
  white；　with　cherry…coloured　ribbons；　was　playing　the　piano；　when
  we　went　in；　and　he　was　leaning　over　her　to　turn　the　leaves。　The
  clear　red　and　white　of　her　complexion　was　not　so　blooming　and
  flower…like　as　usual；　I　thought；　when　she　turned　round；　but　she
  looked　very　pretty；　Wonderfully　pretty。
  ‘I　have　forgotten；　Doctor；’　said　Mrs。　Strong’s　mama；　when　we
  were　seated；　‘to　pay　you　the　compliments　of　the　day—though　they
  are；　as　you　may　suppose；　very　far　from　being　mere　compliments　in
  my　case。　Allow　me　to　wish　you　many　happy　returns。’
  ‘I　thank　you；　ma’am；’　replied　the　Doctor。
  ‘Many；　many；　many；　happy　returns；’　said　the　Old　Soldier。　‘Not
  only　for　your　own　sake；　but　for　Annie’s；　and　John　Maldon’s；　and
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  many　other　people’s。　It　seems　but　yesterday　to　me；　John；　when
  you　were　a　little　creature；　a　head　shorter　than　Master　Copperfield；
  making　baby　love　to　Annie　behind　the　gooseberry　bushes　in　the
  back…garden。’
  ‘My　dear　mama；’　said　Mrs。　Strong；　‘never　mind　that　now。’
  ‘Annie；　don’t　be　absurd；’　returned　her　mother。　‘If　you　are　to
  blush　to　hear　of　such　things　now　you　are　an　old　married　woman；
  when　are　you　not　to　blush　to　hear　of　them？’
  ‘Old？’　exclaimed　Mr。　Jack　Maldon。　‘Annie？　Come！’
  ‘Yes；　John；’　returned　the　Soldier。　‘Virtually；　an　old　married
  woman。　Although　not　old　by　years—for　when　did　you　ever　hear
  me　say；　or　who　has　ever　heard　me　say；　that　a　girl　of　twenty　was　old
  by　years！—your　cousin　is　the　wife　of　the　Doctor；　and；　as　such；　what
  I　have　described　her。　It　is　well　for　you；　John；　that　your　cousin　is
  the　wife　of　the　Doctor。　You　have　found　in　him　an　influential　and
  kind　friend；　who　will　be　kinder　yet；　I　venture　to　predict；　if　you
  deserve　it。　I　have　no　false　pride。　I　never　hesitate　to　admit；　frankly；
  that　there　are　some　members　of　our　family　who　want　a　friend。　You
  were　one　yourself；　before　your　cousin’s　influence　raised　up　one　for
  you。’
  The　Doctor；　in　the　goodness　of　his　heart；　waved　his　hand　as　if　to
  make　light　of　it；　and　save　Mr。　Jack　Maldon　from　any　further
  reminder。　But　Mrs。　Markleham　changed　her　chair　for　one　next　the
  Doctor’s；　and　putting　her　fan　on　his　coat…sleeve；　said：
  ‘No；　really；　my　dear　Doctor；　you　must　excuse　me　if　I　appear　to
  dwell　on　this　rather；　because　I　feel　so　very　strongly。　I　call　it　quite
  my　monomania；　it　is　such　a　subject　of　mine。　You　are　a　blessing　to
  us。　You　really　are　a　Boon；　you　know。’
  ‘Nonsense；　nonsense；’　said　the　Doctor。
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  ‘No；　no；　I　beg　your　pardon；’　retorted　the　Old　Soldier。　‘With
  nobody　present；　but　our　dear　and　confidential　friend　Mr。
  Wickfield；　I　cannot　consent　to　be　put　down。　I　shall　begin　to　assert
  the　privileges　of　a　mother…in…law；　if　you　go　on　like　that；　and　scold
  you。　I　am　perfectly　honest　and　outspoken。　What　I　am　saying；　is
  what　I　said　when　you　first　overpowered　me　with　surprise—you
  remember　how　surprised　I　was？—by　proposing　for　Annie。　Not
  that　there　was　anything　so　very　much　out　of　the　way；　in　the　mere
  fact　of　the　proposal—it　would　be　ridiculous　to　say　that！—but
  because；　you　having　known　her　poor　father；　and　having　known
  her　from　a　baby　six　months　old；　I　hadn’t　thought　of　you　in　such　a
  light　at　all；　or　indeed　as　a　marrying　man　in　any　way；—simply　that；
  you　know。’
  ‘Aye；　aye；’　returned　the　Doctor；　good…humouredly。　‘Never
  mind。’
  ‘But　I　do　mind；’　said　the　Old　Soldier；　laying　her　fan　upon　his
  lips。　‘I　mind　very　much。　I　recall　these　things　that　I　may　be
  contradicted　if　I　am　wrong。　Well！　Then　I　spoke　to　Annie；　and　I　told
  her　what　had　happened。　I　said；　“My　dear；　here’s　Doctor　Strong
  has　positively　been　and　made　you　the　subject　of　a　handsome
  declaration　and　an　offer。”　Did　I　press　it　in　the　least？　No。　I　said；
  “Now；　Annie；　tell　me　the　truth　this　moment；　is　your　heart　free？”
  “Mama；”　she　said　crying；　“I　am　extremely　young”—which　was
  perfectly　true—“and　I　hardly　know　if　I　have　a　heart　at　all。”　“Then；
  my　dear；”　I　said；　“you　may　rely　upon　it；　it’s　free。　At　all　events；　my
  love；”　said　I；　“Doctor　Strong　is　in　an　agitated　state　of　mind；　and
  must　be　answered。　He　cannot　be　kept　in　his　present　state　of
  suspense。”　“Mama；”　said　Annie；　still　crying；　“would　he　be
  unhappy　without　me？　If　he　would；　I　honour　and　respect　him　so
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  much；　that　I　think　I　will　have　him。”　So　it　was　settled。　And　then；
  and　not　till　then；　I　said　to　Annie；　“Annie；　Doctor　Strong　will　not
  only　be　your　husband；　but　he　will　represent　your　late　father：　he
  will　represent　the　head　of　our　family；　he　will　represent　the　wisdom
  and　station；　and　I　may　say　the　means；　of　our　family；　and　will　be；　in
  short；　a　Boon　to　it。”　I　used　the　word　at　the　time；　and　I　have　used　it
  again；　today。　If　I　have　any　merit　it　is　consistency。’
  The　daughter　had　sat　quite　silent　and　still　during　this　speech；
  with　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground；　her　cousin　standing　near　her；
  and　looking　on　the　ground　too。　She　now　said　very　softly；　in　a
  trembling　voice：
  ‘Mama；　I　hope　you　have　finished？’
  ‘No；　my　dear　Annie；’　returned　the　Old　Soldier；　‘I　have　not　quite
  finished。　Since　you　ask　me；　my　love；　I　reply　that　I　have　not。　I
  complain　that　you　really　are　a　little　unnatural　towards　your　own
  family；　and；　as　it　is　of　no　use　complaining　to　you。　I　mean　to
  complain　to　your　husband。　Now；　my　dear　Doctor；　do　look　at　that
  silly　wife　of　yours。’
  As　the　Doctor　turned　his　kind　face；　with　its　smile　of　simplicity
  and　gentleness；　towards　her；　she　drooped　her　head　more。　I　noticed
  that　Mr。　Wickfield　looked　at　her　steadily。
  ‘When　I　happened　to　say　to　that　naughty　thing；　the　other　day；’
  pursued　her　mother；　shaking　her　head　and　her　fan　at　her；
  playfully；　‘that　there　was　a　family　circumstance　she　might　mention
  to　you—indeed；　I　think；　was　bound　to　mention—she　said；　that　to
  mention　it　was　to　ask　a　favour；　and　that；　as　you　were　too　generous；
  and　as　for　her　to　ask　was　always　to　have；　she　wouldn’t。’
  ‘Annie；　my　dear；’　said　the　Doctor。　‘That　was　wrong。　It　robbed
  me　of　a　pleasure。’
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  ‘Almost　the　very　words　I　said　to　her！’　exclaimed　her　mother。
  ‘Now　really；　another　time；　when　I　know　what　she　would　tell　you
  but　for　this　reason；　and　won’t；　I　have　a　great　mind；　my　dear
  Doctor；　to　tell　you　myself。’
  ‘I　shall　be　glad　if　you　will；’　returned　the　Doctor。
  ‘Shall　I？’
  ‘Certainly。’
  ‘Well；　then；　I　will！’　said　the　Old　Soldier。　‘That’s　a　bargain。’　And
  having；　I　suppose；　carried　her　point；　she　tapped　the　Doctor’s　hand
  several　times　with　her　fan　（which　she　kissed　first）；　and　returned
  triumphantly　to　her