likely　to　meet　him。　To　say　‘How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Larkins？　Are　the
  young　ladies　and　all　the　family　quite　well？’　seems　so　pointed；　that　I
  blush。
  I　think　continually　about　my　age。　Say　I　am　seventeen；　and　say
  that　seventeen　is　young　for　the　eldest　Miss　Larkins；　what　of　that？
  Besides；　I　shall　be　one…and…twenty　in　no　time　almost。　I　regularly
  take　walks　outside　Mr。　Larkins’s　house　in　the　evening；　though　it
  cuts　me　to　the　heart　to　see　the　officers　go　in；　or　to　hear　them　up　in
  the　drawing…room；　where　the　eldest　Miss　Larkins　plays　the　harp。　I
  even　walk；　on　two　or　three　occasions；　in　a　sickly；　spoony　manner；
  round　and　round　the　house　after　the　family　are　gone　to　bed；
  wondering　which　is　the　eldest　Miss　Larkins’s　chamber　（and
  pitching；　I　dare　say　now；　on　Mr。　Larkins’s　instead）；　wishing　that　a
  fire　would　burst　out；　that　the　assembled　crowd　would　stand
  appalled；　that　I；　dashing　through　them　with　a　ladder；　might　rear　it
  against　her　window；　save　her　in　my　arms；　go　back　for　something
  she　had　left　behind；　and　perish　in　the　flames。　For　I　am　generally
  disinterested　in　my　love；　and　think　I　could　be　content　to　make　a
  figure　before　Miss　Larkins；　and　expire。
  Generally；　but　not　always。　Sometimes　brighter　visions　rise
  before　me。　When　I　dress　（the　occupation　of　two　hours）；　for　a　great
  ball　given　at　the　Larkins’s　（the　anticipation　of　three　weeks）；　I
  indulge　my　fancy　with　pleasing　images。　I　picture　myself　taking
  courage　to　make　a　declaration　to　Miss　Larkins。　I　picture　Miss
  Larkins　sinking　her　head　upon　my　shoulder；　and　saying；　‘Oh；　Mr。
  Copperfield；　can　I　believe　my　ears！’　I　picture　Mr。　Larkins　waiting
  on　me　next　morning；　and　saying；　‘My　dear　Copperfield；　my
  daughter　has　told　me　all。　Youth　is　no　objection。　Here　are　twenty
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  thousand　pounds。　Be　happy！’　I　picture　my　aunt　relenting；　and
  blessing　us；　and　Mr。　Dick　and　Doctor　Strong　being　present　at　the
  marriage　ceremony。　I　am　a　sensible　fellow；　I　believe—I　believe；　on
  looking　back；　I　mean—and　modest　I　am　sure；　but　all　this　goes　on
  notwithstanding。　I　repair　to　the　enchanted　house；　where　there　are
  lights；　chattering；　music；　flowers；　officers　（I　am　sorry　to　see）；　and
  the　eldest　Miss　Larkins；　a　blaze　of　beauty。　She　is　dressed　in　blue；
  with　blue　flowers　in　her　hair—forget…me…nots—as　if　SHE　had　any
  need　to　wear　forget…me…nots。　It　is　the　first　really　grown…up　party
  that　I　have　ever　been　invited　to；　and　I　am　a　little　uncomfortable；
  for　I　appear　not　to　belong　to　anybody；　and　nobody　appears　to　have
  anything　to　say　to　me；　except　Mr。　Larkins；　who　asks　me　how　my
  schoolfellows　are；　which　he　needn’t　do；　as　I　have　not　come　there　to
  be　insulted。
  But　after　I　have　stood　in　the　doorway　for　some　time；　and
  feasted　my　eyes　upon　the　goddess　of　my　heart；　she　approaches
  me—she；　the　eldest　Miss　Larkins！—and　asks　me　pleasantly；　if　I
  dance？
  I　stammer；　with　a　bow；　‘With　you；　Miss　Larkins。’
  ‘With　no　one　else？’　inquires　Miss　Larkins。
  ‘I　should　have　no　pleasure　in　dancing　with　anyone　else。’
  Miss　Larkins　laughs　and　blushes　（or　I　think　she　blushes）；　and
  says；　‘Next　time　but　one；　I　shall　be　very　glad。’
  The　time　arrives。　‘It　is　a　waltz；　I　think；’　Miss　Larkins　doubtfully
  observes；　when　I　present　myself。　‘Do　you　waltz？　If　not；　Captain
  Bailey—’
  But　I　do　waltz　（pretty　well；　too；　as　it　happens）；　and　I　take　Miss
  Larkins　out。　I　take　her　sternly　from　the　side　of　Captain　Bailey。　He
  is　wretched；　I　have　no　doubt；　but　he　is　nothing　to　me。　I　have　been
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  wretched；　too。　I　waltz　with　the　eldest　Miss　Larkins！　I　don’t　know
  where；　among　whom；　or　how　long。　I　only　know　that　I　swim　about
  in　space；　with　a　blue　angel；　in　a　state　of　blissful　delirium；　until　I
  find　myself　alone　with　her　in　a　little　room；　resting　on　a　sofa。　She
  admires　a　flower　（pink　camellia　japonica；　price　half…a…crown）；　in
  my　button…hole。　I　give　it　her；　and　say：
  ‘I　ask　an　inestimable　price　for　it；　Miss　Larkins。’
  ‘Indeed！　What　is　that？’　returns　Miss　Larkins。
  ‘A　flower　of　yours；　that　I　may　treasure　it　as　a　miser　does　gold。’
  ‘You’re　a　bold　boy；’　says　Miss　Larkins。　‘There。’
  She　gives　it　me；　not　displeased；　and　I　put　it　to　my　lips；　and　then
  into　my　breast。　Miss　Larkins；　laughing；　draws　her　hand　through
  my　arm；　and　says；　‘Now　take　me　back　to　Captain　Bailey。’
  I　am　lost　in　the　recollection　of　this　delicious　interview；　and　the
  waltz；　when　she　comes　to　me　again；　with　a　plain　elderly　gentleman
  who　has　been　playing　whist　all　night；　upon　her　arm；　and　says：　‘Oh！
  here　is　my　bold　friend！　Mr。　Chestle　wants　to　know　you；　Mr。
  Copperfield。’
  I　feel　at　once　that　he　is　a　friend　of　the　family；　and　am　much
  gratified。
  ‘I　admire　your　taste；　sir；’　says　Mr。　Chestle。　‘It　does　you　credit。　I
  suppose　you　don’t　take　much　interest　in　hops；　but　I　am　a　pretty
  large　grower　myself；　and　if　you　ever　like　to　come　over　to　our
  neighbourhood—neighbourhood　of　Ashford—and　take　a　run
  about　our　place；—we　shall　be　glad　for　you　to　stop　as　long　as　you
  like。’
  I　thank　Mr。　Chestle　warmly；　and　shake　hands。　I　think　I　am　in　a
  happy　dream。　I　waltz　with　the　eldest　Miss　Larkins　once　again。　She
  says　I　waltz　so　well！　I　go　home　in　a　state　of　unspeakable　bliss；　and
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  waltz　in　imagination；　all　night　long；　with　my　arm　round　the　blue
  waist　of　my　dear　divinity。　For　some　days　afterwards；　I　am　lost　in
  rapturous　reflections；　but　I　neither　see　her　in　the　street；　nor　when
  I　call。　I　am　imperfectly　consoled　for　this　disappointment　by　the
  sacred　pledge；　the　perished　flower。
  ‘Trotwood；’　says　Agnes；　one　day　after　dinner。　‘Who　do　you　think
  is　going　to　be　married　tomorrow？　Someone　you　admire。’
  ‘Not　you；　I　suppose；　Agnes？’
  ‘Not　me！’　raising　her　cheerful　face　from　the　music　she　is
  copying。　‘Do　you　hear　him；　Papa？—The　eldest　Miss　Larkins。’
  ‘To—to　Captain　Bailey？’　I　have　just　enough　power　to　ask。
  ‘No；　to　no　Captain。　To　Mr。　Chestle；　a　hop…grower。’
  I　am　terribly　dejected　for　about　a　week　or　two。　I　take　off　my
  ring；　I　wear　my　worst　clothes；　I　use　no　bear’s　grease；　and　I
  frequently　lament　over　the　late　Miss　Larkins’s　faded　flower。　Being；
  by　that　time；　rather　tired　of　this　kind　of　life；　and　having　received
  new　provocation　from　the　butcher；　I　throw　the　flower　away；　go　out
  with　the　butcher；　and　gloriously　defeat　him。
  This；　and　the　resumption　of　my　ring；　as　well　as　of　the　bear’s
  grease　in　moderation；　are　the　last　marks　I　can　discern；　now；　in　my
  progress　to　seventeen。
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  Chapter　19
  I　LOOK　ABOUT　ME；　AND　MAKE　A　DISCOVERY
  Iam　doubtful　whether　I　was　at　heart　glad　or　sorry；　when　my
  school…days　drew　to　an　end；　and　the　time　came　for　my　leaving
  Doctor　Strong’s。　I　had　been　very　happy　there；　I　had　a　great
  attachment　for　the　Doctor；　and　I　was　eminent　and　distinguished　in
  that　little　world。　For　these　reasons　I　was　sorry　to　go；　but　for　other
  reasons；　unsubstantial　enough；　I　was　glad。　Misty　ideas　of　being　a
  young　man　at　my　own　disposal；　of　the　importance　attaching　to　a
  young　man　at　his　own　disposal；　of　the　wonderful　things　to　be　seen
  and　done　by　that　magnificent　animal；　and　the　wonderful　effects　he
  could　not　fail　to　make　upon　society；　lured　me　away。　So　powerful
  were　these　visionary　considerations　in　my　boyish　mind；　that　I
  seem；　according　to　my　present　way　of　thinking；　to　have　left　school
  without　natural　regret。　The　separation　has　not　made　the
  impression　on　me；　that　other　separations　have。　I　try　in　vain　to
  recall　how　I　felt　about　it；　and　what　its　circumstances　were；　but　it　is
  not　momentous　in　my　recollection。　I　suppose　the　opening　prospect
  confused　me。　I　know　that　my　juvenile　experiences　went　for　little　or
  nothing　then；　and　that　life　was　more　like　a　great　fairy　story；　which
  I　was　just　about　to　begin　to　read；　than　anything　else。
  My　aunt　and　I　had　held　many　grave　deliberations　on　the　calling
  to　which　I　should　be　devoted。　For　a　year　or　more　I　had
  endeavoured　to　find　a　satisfactory　answer　to　her　often…repeated
  question；　‘What　I　would　like　to　be？’　But　I　had　no　particular　liking；
  that　I　could　discover；　for　anything。　If　I　could　have　been　inspired
  Charles　Dickens　ElecBook　Classics
  David　Copperfield
  with　a　knowledge　of　the　science　of　navigation；　taken　the　command
  of　a　fast…sailing　expedition；　and　gone　round　the　world　on　a
  triumphant　voyage　of　discovery；　I　think　I　might　have　considered
  myself　completely　suited。　But；　in　the　absence　of　any　such
  miraculous　provision；　my　desire　was　to　apply　myself　to　some
  pursuit　that　would　not　lie　too　heavily　upon　her　purse；　and　to　do
  my　duty　in　it；　whatever　it　might　be。
  Mr。　Dick　had　regularly　assisted　at　our　councils；　with　a
  meditative　and　sage　demeanour。　He　never　made　a　suggestion　but
  once；　and　on　that　occasion　（I　don’t　know　what　put　it　in　his　head）；
  he　suddenly　proposed　that　I　should　be　‘a　Brazier’。　My　aunt
  received　this　proposal　so　very　ungraciously；　that　he　never
  ventured　on　a　second；　but　ever　afterwards　confined　himself　to