and　make　it　a　brisk　one！　and　Mr。　Peggotty；　unless　you　can　induce
  your　gentle　niece　to　come　back　（for　whom　I　vacate　this　seat　in　the
  corner）；　I　shall　go。　Any　gap　at　your　fireside　on　such　a　night—such
  a　gap　least　of　all—I　wouldn’t　make；　for　the　wealth　of　the　Indies！’
  So　Mr。　Peggotty　went　into　my　old　room　to　fetch　little　Em’ly。　At
  first　little　Em’ly　didn’t　like　to　come；　and　then　Ham　went。　Presently
  they　brought　her　to　the　fireside；　very　much　confused；　and　very
  shy；—but　she　soon　became　more　assured　when　she　found　how
  gently　and　respectfully　Steerforth　spoke　to　her；　how　skilfully　he
  avoided　anything　that　would　embarrass　her；　how　he　talked　to　Mr。
  Peggotty　of　boats；　and　ships；　and　tides；　and　fish；　how　he　referred
  to　me　about　the　time　when　he　had　seen　Mr。　Peggotty　at　Salem
  House；　how　delighted　he　was　with　the　boat　and　all　belonging　to　it；
  how　lightly　and　easily　he　carried　on；　until　he　brought　us；　by
  degrees；　into　a　charmed　circle；　and　we　were　all　talking　away
  without　any　reserve。
  Em’ly；　indeed；　said　little　all　the　evening；　but　she　looked；　and
  listened；　and　her　face　got　animated；　and　she　was　charming。
  Steerforth　told　a　story　of　a　dismal　shipwreck　（which　arose　out　of
  his　talk　with　Mr。　Peggotty）；　as　if　he　saw　it　all　before　him—and　little
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  David　Copperfield
  Em’ly’s　eyes　were　fastened　on　him　all　the　time；　as　if　she　saw　it　too。
  He　told　us　a　merry　adventure　of　his　own；　as　a　relief　to　that；　with　as
  much　gaiety　as　if　the　narrative　were　as　fresh　to　him　as　it　was　to
  us—and　little　Em’ly　laughed　until　the　boat　rang　with　the　musical
  sounds；　and　we　all　laughed　（Steerforth　too）；　in　irresistible
  sympathy　with　what　was　so　pleasant　and　light…hearted。　He　got　Mr。
  Peggotty　to　sing；　or　rather　to　roar；　‘When　the　stormy　winds　do
  blow；　do　blow；　do　blow’；　and　he　sang　a　sailor’s　song　himself；　so
  pathetically　and　beautifully；　that　I　could　have　almost　fancied　that
  the　real　wind　creeping　sorrowfully　round　the　house；　and
  murmuring　low　through　our　unbroken　silence；　was　there　to　listen。
  As　to　Mrs。　Gummidge；　he　roused　that　victim　of　despondency
  with　a　success　never　attained　by　anyone　else　（so　Mr。　Peggotty
  informed　me）；　since　the　decease　of　the　old　one。　He　left　her　so　little
  leisure　for　being　miserable；　that　she　said　next　day　she　thought　she
  must　have　been　bewitched。
  But　he　set　up　no　monopoly　of　the　general　attention；　or　the
  conversation。　When　little　Em’ly　grew　more　courageous；　and　talked
  （but　still　bashfully）　across　the　fire　to　me；　of　our　old　wanderings
  upon　the　beach；　to　pick　up　shells　and　pebbles；　and　when　I　asked
  her　if　she　recollected　how　I　used　to　be　devoted　to　her；　and　when
  we　both　laughed　and　reddened；　casting　these　looks　back　on　the
  pleasant　old　times；　so　unreal　to　look　at　now；　he　was　silent　and
  attentive；　and　observed　us　thoughtfully。　She　sat；　at　this　time；　and
  all　the　evening；　on　the　old　locker　in　her　old　little　corner　by　the
  fire—Ham　beside　her；　where　I　used　to　sit。　I　could　not　satisfy
  myself　whether　it　was　in　her　own　little　tormenting　way；　or　in　a
  maidenly　reserve　before　us；　that　she　kept　quite　close　to　the　wall；
  and　away　from　him；　but　I　observed　that　she　did　so；　all　the　evening。
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  David　Copperfield
  As　I　remember；　it　was　almost　midnight　when　we　took　our　leave。
  We　had　had　some　biscuit　and　dried　fish　for　supper；　and　Steerforth
  had　produced　from　his　pocket　a　full　flask　of　Hollands；　which　we
  men　（I　may　say　we　men；　now；　without　a　blush）　had　emptied。　We
  parted　merrily；　and　as　they　all　stood　crowded　round　the　door　to
  light　us　as　far　as　they　could　upon　our　road；　I　saw　the　sweet　blue
  eyes　of　little　Em’ly　peeping　after　us；　from　behind　Ham；　and　heard
  her　soft　voice　calling　to　us　to　be　careful　how　we　went。
  ‘A　most　engaging　little　Beauty！’　said　Steerforth；　taking　my　arm。
  ‘Well！　It’s　a　quaint　place；　and　they　are　quaint　company；　and　it’s
  quite　a　new　sensation　to　mix　with　them。’
  ‘How　fortunate　we　are；　too；’　I　returned；　‘to　have　arrived　to
  witness　their　happiness　in　that　intended　marriage！　I　never　saw
  people　so　happy。　How　delightful　to　see　it；　and　to　be　made　the
  sharers　in　their　honest　joy；　as　we　have　been！’
  ‘That’s　rather　a　chuckle…headed　fellow　for　the　girl；　isn’t　he？’
  said　Steerforth。
  He　had　been　so　hearty　with　him；　and　with　them　all；　that　I　felt　a
  shock　in　this　unexpected　and　cold　reply。　But　turning　quickly　upon
  him；　and　seeing　a　laugh　in　his　eyes；　I　answered；　much　relieved：
  ‘Ah；　Steerforth！　It’s　well　for　you　to　joke　about　the　poor！　You
  may　skirmish　with　Miss　Dartle；　or　try　to　hide　your　sympathies　in
  jest　from　me；　but　I　know　better。　When　I　see　how　perfectly　you
  understand　them；　how　exquisitely　you　can　enter　into　happiness
  like　this　plain　fisherman’s；　or　humour　a　love　like　my　old　nurse’s；　I
  know　that　there　is　not　a　joy　or　sorrow；　not　an　emotion；　of　such
  people；　that　can　be　indifferent　to　you。　And　I　admire　and　love　you
  for　it；　Steerforth；　twenty　times　the　more！’
  He　stopped；　and；　looking　in　my　face；　said；　‘Daisy；　I　believe　you
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  David　Copperfield
  are　in　earnest；　and　are　good。　I　wish　we　all　were！’　Next　moment　he
  was　gaily　singing　Mr。　Peggotty’s　song；　as　we　walked　at　a　round
  pace　back　to　Yarmouth。
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  David　Copperfield
  Chapter　22
  SOME　OLD　SCENES；　AND　SOME　NEW　PEOPLE
  Steerforth　and　I　stayed　for　more　than　a　fortnight　in　that　part
  of　the　country。　We　were　very　much　together；　I　need　not
  say；　but　occasionally　we　were　asunder　for　some　hours　at　a
  time。　He　was　a　good　sailor；　and　I　was　but　an　indifferent　one；　and
  when　he　went　out　boating　with　Mr。　Peggotty；　which　was　a
  favourite　amusement　of　his；　I　generally　remained　ashore。　My
  occupation　of　Peggotty’s　spare…room　put　a　constraint　upon　me；
  from　which　he　was　free：　for；　knowing　how　assiduously　she
  attended　on　Mr。　Barkis　all　day；　I　did　not　like　to　remain　out　late　at
  night；　whereas　Steerforth；　lying　at　the　Inn；　had　nothing　to　consult
  but　his　own　humour。　Thus　it　came　about；　that　I　heard　of　his
  making　little　treats　for　the　fishermen　at　Mr。　Peggotty’s　house　of
  call；　‘The　Willing　Mind’；　after　I　was　in　bed；　and　of　his　being　afloat；
  wrapped　in　fishermen’s　clothes；　whole　moonlight　nights；　and
  coming　back　when　the　morning　tide　was　at　flood。　By　this　time；
  however；　I　knew　that　his　restless　nature　and　bold　spirits　delighted
  to　find　a　vent　in　rough　toil　and　hard　weather；　as　in　any　other
  means　of　excitement　that　presented　itself　freshly　to　him；　so　none
  of　his　proceedings　surprised　me。
  Another　cause　of　our　being　sometimes　apart；　was；　that　I　had
  naturally　an　interest　in　going　over　to　Blunderstone；　and　revisiting
  the　old　familiar　scenes　of　my　childhood；　while　Steerforth；　after
  being　there　once；　had　naturally　no　great　interest　in　going　there
  again。　Hence；　on　three　or　four　days　that　I　can　at　once　recall；　we
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  David　Copperfield
  went　our　several　ways　after　an　early　breakfast；　and　met　again　at　a
  late　dinner。　I　had　no　idea　how　he　employed　his　time　in　the
  interval；　beyond　a　general　knowledge　that　he　was　very　popular　in
  the　place；　and　had　twenty　means　of　actively　diverting　himself
  where　another　man　might　not　have　found　one。
  For　my　own　part；　my　occupation　in　my　solitary　pilgrimages　was
  to　recall　every　yard　of　the　old　road　as　I　went　along　it；　and　to　haunt
  the　old　spots；　of　which　I　never　tired。　I　haunted　them；　as　my
  memory　had　often　done；　and　lingered　among　them　as　my　younger
  thoughts　had　lingered　when　I　was　far　away。　The　grave　beneath　the
  tree；　where　both　my　parents　lay—on　which　I　had　looked　out；　when
  it　was　my　father’s　only；　with　such　curious　feelings　of　compassion；
  and　by　which　I　had　stood；　so　desolate；　when　it　was　opened　to
  receive　my　pretty　mother　and　her　baby—the　grave　which
  Peggotty’s　own　faithful　care　had　ever　since　kept　neat；　and　made　a
  garden　of；　I　walked　near；　by　the　hour。　It　lay　a　little　off　the
  churchyard　path；　in　a　quiet　corner；　not　so　far　removed　but　I　could
  read　the　names　upon　the　stone　as　I　walked　to　and　fro；　startled　by
  the　sound　of　the　church…bell　when　it　struck　the　hour；　for　it　was　like
  a　departed　voice　to　me。　My　reflections　at　these　times　were　always
  associated　with　the　figure　I　was　to　make　in　life；　and　the
  distinguished　things　I　was　to　do。　My　echoing　footsteps　went　to　no
  other　tune；　but　were　as　constant　to　that　as　if　I　had　come　home　to
  build　my　castles　in　the　air　at　a　living　mother’s　side。
  There　were　great　changes　in　my　old　home。　The　ragged　nests；　so
  long　deserted　by　the　rooks；　were　gone；　and　the　trees　were　lopped
  and　topped　out　of　their　remembered　shapes。　The　garden　had　run
  wild；　and　half　the　windows　of　the　house　were　shut　up。　It　was
  occupied；　but　only　by　a　poor　lunatic　gentleman；　and　the　people
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  David　Copperfield
  who　took　care　of　him。　He　was　always　sitting　at　my　little　window；
  looking　out　into　the　churchyard；　and　I　wondered　whether　his
  rambling　thoughts　ever　went　upon　any　of　the　fancies　that　used　to
  occupy　mine；　on　the　rosy　mornings　when