be；　Gorm　the　t’other　one；　and　horroar　for　it！’
  After　delivering　this　speech　all　in　a　breath；　and　with
  extraordinary　animation　and　pleasure；　Mr。　Peggotty　put　one　of　his
  large　hands　rapturously　on　each　side　of　his　niece’s　face；　and
  kissing　it　a　dozen　times；　laid　it　with　a　gentle　pride　and　love　upon
  his　broad　chest；　and　patted　it　as　if　his　hand　had　been　a　lady’s。
  Then　he　let　her　go；　and　as　she　ran　into　the　little　chamber　where　I
  used　to　sleep；　looked　round　upon　us；　quite　hot　and　out　of　breath
  with　his　uncommon　satisfaction。
  ‘If　you　two　gent’lmen—gent’lmen　growed　now；　and　such
  gent’lmen—’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。
  ‘So　th’　are；　so　th’　are！’　cried　Ham。　‘Well　said！　So　th’　are。　Mas’r
  Davy　bor’—gent’lmen　growed—so　th’　are！’
  ‘If　you　two　gent’lmen；　gent’lmen　growed；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；
  ‘don’t　ex…cuse　me　for　being　in　a　state　of　mind；　when　you
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  understand　matters；　I’ll　arks　your　pardon。　Em’ly；　my　dear！—She
  knows　I’m　a　going　to　tell；’　here　his　delight　broke　out　again；　‘and
  has　made　off。　Would　you　be　so　good　as　look　arter　her；　Mawther；　for
  a　minute？’
  Mrs。　Gummidge　nodded　and　disappeared。
  ‘If　this　ain’t；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　sitting　down　among　us　by　the
  fire；　‘the　brightest　night　o’　my　life；　I’m　a　shellfish—biled　too—and
  more　I　can’t　say。　This　here　little　Em’ly；　sir；’　in　a　low　voice　to
  Steerforth；　‘—her　as　you　see　a　blushing　here　just　now—’
  Steerforth　only　nodded；　but　with　such　a　pleased　expression　of
  interest；　and　of　participation　in　Mr。　Peggotty’s　feelings；　that　the
  latter　answered　him　as　if　he　had　spoken。
  ‘To　be　sure；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　‘That’s　her；　and　so　she　is。
  Thankee；　sir。’
  Ham　nodded　to　me　several　times；　as　if　he　would　have　said　so
  too。
  ‘This　here　little　Em’ly　of　ours；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　‘has　been；　in
  our　house；　what　I　suppose　（I’m　a　ignorant　man；　but　that’s　my
  belief）　no　one　but　a　little　bright…eyed　creetur　can　be　in　a　house。
  She　ain’t　my　child；　I　never　had　one；　but　I　couldn’t　love　her　more。
  You　understand！　I　couldn’t　do　it！’
  ‘I　quite　understand；’　said　Steerforth。
  ‘I　know　you　do；　sir；’　returned　Mr。　Peggotty；　‘and　thankee　again。
  Mas’r　Davy；　he　can　remember　what　she　was；　you　may　judge　for
  your　own　self　what　she　is；　but　neither　of　you　can’t　fully　know　what
  she　has　been；　is；　and　will　be；　to　my　loving　art。　I　am　rough；　sir；’　said
  Mr。　Peggotty；　‘I　am　as　rough　as　a　Sea　Porkypine；　but　no　one；
  unless；　mayhap；　it　is　a　woman；　can　know；　I　think；　what　our　little
  Em’ly　is　to　me。　And　betwixt　ourselves；’　sinking　his　voice　lower　yet；
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  ‘that　woman’s　name　ain’t　Missis　Gummidge　neither；　though　she
  has　a　world　of　merits。’　Mr。　Peggotty　ruffled　his　hair　again；　with
  both　hands；　as　a　further　preparation　for　what　he　was　going　to　say；
  and　went　on；　with　a　hand　upon　each　of　his　knees：
  ‘There　was　a　certain　person　as　had　know’d　our　Em’ly；　from　the
  time　when　her　father　was　drownded；　as　had　seen　her　constant；
  when　a　babby；　when　a　young　gal；　when　a　woman。　Not　much　of　a
  person　to　look　at；　he　warn’t；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　‘something　o’　my
  own　build—rough—a　good　deal　o’　the　sou’…wester　in　him—wery
  salt—but；　on　the　whole；　a　honest　sort　of　a　chap；　with　his　art　in　the
  right　place。’
  I　thought　I　had　never　seen　Ham　grin　to　anything　like　the　extent
  to　which　he　sat　grinning　at　us　now。
  ‘What　does　this　here　blessed　tarpaulin　go　and　do；’　said　Mr。
  Peggotty；　with　his　face　one　high　noon　of　enjoyment；　‘but　he　loses
  that　there　art　of　his　to　our　little　Em’ly。　He　follers　her　about；　he
  makes　hisself　a　sort　o’　servant　to　her；　he　loses　in　a　great　measure
  his　relish　for　his　wittles；　and　in　the　long…run　he　makes　it　clear　to
  me　wot’s　amiss。　Now　I　could　wish　myself；　you　see；　that　our　little
  Em’ly　was　in　a　fair　way　of　being　married。　I　could　wish　to　see　her；
  at　all　ewents；　under　articles　to　a　honest　man　as　had　a　right　to
  defend　her。　I　don’t　know　how　long　I　may　live；　or　how　soon　I　may
  die；　but　I　know　that　if　I　was　capsized；　any　night；　in　a　gale　of　wind
  in　Yarmouth　Roads　here；　and　was　to　see　the　town…lights　shining
  for　the　last　time　over　the　rollers　as　I　couldn’t　make　no　head
  against；　I　could　go　down　quieter　for　thinking　“There’s　a　man
  ashore　there；　iron…true　to　my　little　Em’ly；　God　bless　her；　and　no
  wrong　can　touch　my　Em’ly　while　so　be　as　that　man　lives。”’
  Mr。　Peggotty；　in　simple　earnestness；　waved　his　right　arm；　as　if
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  he　were　waving　it　at　the　town…lights　for　the　last　time；　and　then；
  exchanging　a　nod　with　Ham；　whose　eye　he　caught；　proceeded　as
  before。
  ‘Well！　I　counsels　him　to　speak　to　Em’ly。　He’s　big　enough；　but
  he’s　bashfuller　than　a　little　un；　and　he　don’t　like。　So　I　speak。
  “What！　Him！”　says　Em’ly。　“Him　that　I’ve　know’d　so　intimate　so
  many　years；　and　like　so　much。　Oh；　Uncle！　I　never　can　have　him。
  He’s　such　a　good　fellow！”　I　gives　her　a　kiss；　and　I　says　no　more　to
  her　than；　“My　dear；　you’re　right　to　speak　out；　you’re　to　choose　for
  yourself；　you’re　as　free　as　a　little　bird。”　Then　I　aways　to　him；　and　I
  says；　“I　wish　it　could　have　been　so；　but　it　can’t。　But　you　can　both
  be　as　you　was；　and　wot　I　say　to　you　is；　Be　as　you　was　with　her；　like
  a　man。”　He　says　to　me；　a…shaking　of　my　hand；　“I　will！”　he　says。
  And　he　was—honourable　and　manful—for　two　year　going　on；　and
  we　was　just　the　same　at　home　here　as　afore。’
  Mr。　Peggotty’s　face；　which　had　varied　in　its　expression　with　the
  various　stages　of　his　narrative；　now　resumed　all　its　former
  triumphant　delight；　as　he　laid　a　hand　upon　my　knee　and　a　hand
  upon　Steerforth’s　（previously　wetting　them　both；　for　the　greater
  emphasis　of　the　action）；　and　divided　the　following　speech　between
  us：
  ‘All　of　a　sudden；　one　evening—as　it　might　be　tonight—comes
  little　Em’ly　from　her　work；　and　him　with　her！　There　ain’t　so　much
  in　that；　you’ll　say。　No；　because　he　takes　care　on　her；　like　a　brother；
  arter　dark；　and　indeed　afore　dark；　and　at　all　times。　But　this
  tarpaulin　chap；　he　takes　hold　of　her　hand；　and　he　cries　out　to　me；
  joyful；　“Look　here！　This　is　to　be　my　little　wife！”　And　she　says；　half
  bold　and　half　shy；　and　half　a　laughing　and　half　a　crying；　“Yes；
  Uncle！　If　you　please。”—If　I　please！’　cried　Mr。　Peggotty；　rolling　his
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  head　in　an　ecstasy　at　the　idea；　‘Lord；　as　if　I　should　do　anythink
  else！—“If　you　please；　I　am　steadier　now；　and　I　have　thought　better
  of　it；　and　I’ll　be　as　good　a　little　wife　as　I　can　to　him；　for　he’s　a　dear；
  good　fellow！”　Then　Missis　Gummidge；　she　claps　her　hands　like　a
  play；　and　you　come　in。　Theer！　the　murder’s　out！’　said　Mr。
  Peggotty—‘You　come　in！　It　took　place　this　here　present　hour；　and
  here’s　the　man　that’ll　marry　her；　the　minute　she’s　out　of　her　time。’
  Ham　staggered；　as　well　he　might；　under　the　blow　Mr。　Peggotty
  dealt　him　in　his　unbounded　joy；　as　a　mark　of　confidence　and
  friendship；　but　feeling　called　upon　to　say　something　to　us；　he　said；
  with　much　faltering　and　great　difficulty：
  ‘She　warn’t　no　higher　than　you　was；　Mas’r　Davy—when　you
  first　come—when　I　thought　what　she’d　grow　up　to　be。　I　see　her
  grown　up—gent’lmen—like　a　flower。　I’d　lay　down　my　life　for　her—
  Mas’r　Davy—Oh！　most　content　and　cheerful！　She’s　more　to　me—
  gent’lmen—than—she’s　all　to　me　that　ever　I　can　want；　and　more
  than　ever　I—than　ever　I　could　say。　I—I　love　her　true。　There　ain’t　a
  gent’lman　in　all　the　land—nor　yet　sailing　upon　all　the　sea—that
  can　love　his　lady　more　than　I　love　her；　though　there’s　many　a
  common　man—would　say　better—what　he　meant。’
  I　thought　it　affecting　to　see　such　a　sturdy　fellow　as　Ham　was
  now；　trembling　in　the　strength　of　what　he　felt　for　the　pretty　little
  creature　who　had　won　his　heart。　I　thought　the　simple　confidence
  reposed　in　us　by　Mr。　Peggotty　and　by　himself；　was；　in　itself；
  affecting。　I　was　affected　by　the　story　altogether。　How　far　my
  emotions　were　influenced　by　the　recollections　of　my　childhood；　I
  don’t　know。　Whether　I　had　come　there　with　any　lingering　fancy
  that　I　was　still　to　love　little　Em’ly；　I　don’t　know。　I　know　that　I　was
  filled　with　pleasure　by　all　this；　but；　at　first；　with　an　indescribably
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  sensitive　pleasure；　that　a　very　little　would　have　changed　to　pain。
  Therefore；　if　it　had　depended　upon　me　to　touch　the　prevailing
  chord　among　them　with　any　skill；　I　should　have　made　a　poor　hand
  of　it。　But　it　depended　upon　Steerforth；　and　he　did　it　with　such
  address；　that　in　a　few　minutes　we　were　all　as　easy　and　as　happy　as
  it　was　possible　to　be。
  ‘Mr。　Peggotty；’　he　said；　‘you　are　a　thoroughly　good　fellow；　and
  deserve　to　be　as　happy　as　you　are　tonight。　My　hand　upon　it！　Ham；
  I　give　you　joy；　my　boy。　My　hand　upon　that；　too！　Daisy；　stir　the　fire；
  and　make　it　a　brisk　one！　and　Mr。　Peggotty；　unless　you　can　induce
  your　gentle　niece　to　come　back　（for　whom　I　vacate　this　se