and　me　has　got　to　show　you？’
  We　went　out。　As　I　passed　him　at　the　door；　I　saw；　to　my
  astonishment　and　fright；　that　he　was　deadly　pale。　He　pushed　me
  hastily　into　the　open　air；　and　closed　the　door　upon　us。　Only　upon
  us　two。
  ‘Ham！　what’s　the　matter？’
  ‘Mas’r　Davy！—’　Oh；　for　his　broken　heart；　how　dreadfully　he
  wept！
  I　was　paralysed　by　the　sight　of　such　grief。　I　don’t　know　what　I
  thought；　or　what　I　dreaded。　I　could　only　look　at　him。
  ‘Ham！　Poor　good　fellow！　For　Heaven’s　sake；　tell　me　what’s　the
  matter！’
  ‘My　love；　Mas’r　Davy—the　pride　and　hope　of　my　art—her　that
  I’d　have　died　for；　and　would　die　for　now—she’s　gone！’
  ‘Gone！’
  ‘Em’ly’s　run　away！　Oh；　Mas’r　Davy；　think　how　she’s　run　away；
  when　I　pray　my　good　and　gracious　God　to　kill　her　（her　that　is　so
  dear　above　all　things）　sooner　than　let　her　come　to　ruin　and
  disgrace！’
  The　face　he　turned　up　to　the　troubled　sky；　the　quivering　of　his
  clasped　hands；　the　agony　of　his　figure；　remain　associated　with　the
  lonely　waste；　in　my　remembrance；　to　this　hour。　It　is　always　night
  there；　and　he　is　the　only　object　in　the　scene。
  ‘You’re　a　scholar；’　he　said；　hurriedly；　‘and　know　what’s　right
  and　best。　What　am　I　to　say；　indoors？　How　am　I　ever　to　break　it　to
  him；　Mas’r　Davy？’
  I　saw　the　door　move；　and　instinctively　tried　to　hold　the　latch　on
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  the　outside；　to　gain　a　moment’s　time。　It　was　too　late。　Mr。　Peggotty
  thrust　forth　his　face；　and　never　could　I　forget　the　change　that
  came　upon　it　when　he　saw　us；　if　I　were　to　live　five　hundred　years。
  I　remember　a　great　wail　and　cry；　and　the　women　hanging　about
  him；　and　we　all　standing　in　the　room；　I　with　a　paper　in　my　hand；
  which　Ham　had　given　me；　Mr。　Peggotty；　with　his　vest　torn　open；
  his　hair　wild；　his　face　and　lips　quite　white；　and　blood　trickling
  down　his　bosom　（it　had　sprung　from　his　mouth；　I　think）；　looking
  fixedly　at　me。
  ‘Read　it；　sir；’　he　said；　in　a　low　shivering　voice。　‘Slow；　please。　I
  doen’t　know　as　I　can　understand。’
  In　the　midst　of　the　silence　of　death；　I　read　thus；　from　a　blotted
  letter：
  ‘“When　you；　who　love　me　so　much　better　than　I　ever
  have　deserved；　even　when　my　mind　was　innocent；　see
  this；　I　shall　be　far　away。”’
  ‘I　shall　be　fur　away；’　he　repeated　slowly。　‘Stop！　Em’ly　fur　away。
  Well！’
  ‘“When　I　leave　my　dear　home—my　dear　home—oh；　my
  dear　home！—in　the　morning；”’
  the　letter　bore　date　on　the　previous　night：
  ‘“—it　will　be　never　to　come　back；　unless　he　brings　me
  back　a　lady。　This　will　be　found　at　night；　many　hours
  after；　instead　of　me。　Oh；　if　you　knew　how　my　heart　is
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  torn。　If　even　you；　that　I　have　wronged　so　much；　that
  never　can　forgive　me；　could　only　know　what　I　suffer！　I
  am　too　wicked　to　write　about　myself！　Oh；　take　comfort
  in　thinking　that　I　am　so　bad。　Oh；　for　mercy’s　sake；　tell
  uncle　that　I　never　loved　him　half　so　dear　as　now。　Oh；
  don’t　remember　how　affectionate　and　kind　you　have　all
  been　to　me—don’t　remember　we　were　ever　to　be
  married—but　try　to　think　as　if　I　died　when　I　was　little；
  and　was　buried　somewhere。　Pray　Heaven　that　I　am
  going　away　from；　have　compassion　on　my　uncle！　Tell
  him　that　I　never　loved　him　half　so　dear。　Be　his　comfort。
  Love　some　good　girl　that　will　be　what　I　was　once　to
  uncle；　and　be　true　to　you；　and　worthy　of　you；　and　know
  no　shame　but　me。　God　bless　all！　I’ll　pray　for　all；　often；
  on　my　knees。　If　he　don’t　bring　me　back　a　lady；　and　I
  don’t　pray　for　my　own　self；　I’ll　pray　for　all。　My　parting
  love　to　uncle。　My　last　tears；　and　my　last　thanks；　for
  uncle！”’
  That　was　all。
  He　stood；　long　after　I　had　ceased　to　read；　still　looking　at　me。　At
  length　I　ventured　to　take　his　hand；　and　to　entreat　him；　as　well　as　I
  could；　to　endeavour　to　get　some　command　of　himself。　He　replied；
  ‘I　thankee；　sir；　I　thankee！’　without　moving。
  Ham　spoke　to　him。　Mr。　Peggotty　was　so　far　sensible　of　his
  affliction；　that　he　wrung　his　hand；　but；　otherwise；　he　remained　in
  the　same　state；　and　no　one　dared　to　disturb　him。
  Slowly；　at　last；　he　moved　his　eyes　from　my　face；　as　if　he　were
  waking　from　a　vision；　and　cast　them　round　the　room。　Then　he
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  said；　in　a　low　voice：
  ‘Who’s　the　man？　I　want　to　know　his　name。’
  Ham　glanced　at　me；　and　suddenly　I　felt　a　shock　that　struck　me
  back。
  ‘There’s　a　man　suspected；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　‘Who　is　it？’
  ‘Mas’r　Davy！’　implored　Ham。　‘Go　out　a　bit；　and　let　me　tell　him
  what　I　must。　You　doen’t　ought　to　hear　it；　sir。’
  I　felt　the　shock　again。　I　sank　down　in　a　chair；　and　tried　to　utter
  some　reply；　but　my　tongue　was　fettered；　and　my　sight　was　weak。
  ‘I　want　to　know　his　name！’　I　heard　said　once　more。
  ‘For　some　time　past；’　Ham　faltered；　‘there’s　been　a　servant
  about　here；　at　odd　times。　There’s　been　a　gen’lm’n　too。　Both　of　’em
  belonged　to　one　another。’
  Mr。　Peggotty　stood　fixed　as　before；　but　now　looking　at　him。
  ‘The　servant；’　pursued　Ham；　‘was　seen　along　with—our　poor
  girl—last　night。　He’s　been　in　hiding　about　here；　this　week　or　over。
  He　was　thought　to　have　gone；　but　he　was　hiding。　Doen’t　stay；
  Mas’r　Davy；　doen’t！’
  I　felt　Peggotty’s　arm　round　my　neck；　but　I　could　not　have
  moved　if　the　house　had　been　about　to　fall　upon　me。
  ‘A　strange　chay　and　hosses　was　outside　town；　this　morning；　on
  the　Norwich　road；　a’most　afore　the　day　broke；’　Ham　went　on。　‘The
  servant　went　to　it；　and　come　from　it；　and　went　to　it　again。　When　he
  went　to　it　again；　Em’ly　was　nigh　him。　The　t’other　was　inside。　He’s
  the　man。’
  ‘For　the　Lord’s　love；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　falling　back；　and
  putting　out　his　hand；　as　if　to　keep　off　what　he　dreaded。　‘Doen’t　tell
  me　his　name’s　Steerforth！’
  ‘Mas’r　Davy；’　exclaimed　Ham；　in　a　broken　voice；　‘it　ain’t　no　fault
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  of　yourn—and　I　am　far　from　laying　of　it　to　you—but　his　name　is
  Steerforth；　and　he’s　a　damned　villain！’
  Mr。　Peggotty　uttered　no　cry；　and　shed　no　tear；　and　moved　no
  more；　until　he　seemed　to　wake　again；　all　at　once；　and　pulled　down
  his　rough　coat　from　its　peg　in　a　corner。
  ‘Bear　a　hand　with　this！　I’m　struck　of　a　heap；　and　can’t　do　it；’　he
  said；　impatiently。　‘Bear　a　hand　and　help　me。　Well！’　when
  somebody　had　done　so。　‘Now　give　me　that　theer　hat！’
  Ham　asked　him　whither　he　was　going。
  ‘I’m　a　going　to　seek　my　niece。　I’m　a　going　to　seek　my　Em’ly。　I’m
  a　going；　first；　to　stave　in　that　theer　boat；　and　sink　it　where　I　would
  have　drownded　him；　as　I’m　a　living　soul；　if　I　had　had　one　thought
  of　what　was　in　him！　As　he　sat　afore　me；’　he　said；　wildly；　holding
  out　his　clenched　right　hand；　‘as　he　sat　afore　me；　face　to　face；　strike
  me　down　dead；　but　I’d　have　drownded　him；　and　thought　it　right！—
  I’m　a　going　to　seek　my　niece。’
  ‘Where？’　cried　Ham；　interposing　himself　before　the　door。
  ‘Anywhere！　I’m　a　going　to　seek　my　niece　through　the　wureld。
  I’m　a　going　to　find　my　poor　niece　in　her　shame；　and　bring　her
  back。　No　one　stop　me！　I　tell　you　I’m　a　going　to　seek　my　niece！’
  ‘No；　no！’　cried　Mrs。　Gummidge；　coming　between　them；　in　a　fit
  of　crying。　‘No；　no；　Dan’l；　not　as　you　are　now。　Seek　her　in　a　little
  while；　my　lone　lorn　Dan’l；　and　that’ll　be　but　right！　but　not　as　you
  are　now。　Sit　ye　down；　and　give　me　your　forgiveness　for　having
  ever　been　a　worrit　to　you；　Dan’l—what　have　my　contraries　ever
  been　to　this！—and　let　us　speak　a　word　about　them　times　when　she
  was　first　an　orphan；　and　when　Ham　was　too；　and　when　I　was　a
  poor　widder　woman；　and　you　took　me　in。　It’ll　soften　your　poor
  heart；　Dan’l；’　laying　her　head　upon　his　shoulder；　‘and　you’ll　bear
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  your　sorrow　better；　for　you　know　the　promise；　Dan’l；　“As　you　have
  done　it　unto　one　of　the　least　of　these；　you　have　done　it　unto　me”；—
  and　that　can　never　fail　under　this　roof；　that’s　been　our　shelter　for
  so　many；　many　year！’
  He　was　quite　passive　now；　and　when　I　heard　him　crying；　the
  impulse　that　had　been　upon　me　to　go　down　upon　my　knees；　and
  ask　their　pardon　for　the　desolation　I　had　caused；　and　curse
  Steerforth；　yielded　to　a　better　feeling；　My　overcharged　heart　found
  the　same　relief；　and　I　cried　too。
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  Chapter　32
  THE　BEGINNING　OF　A　LONG　JOURNEY
  What　is　natural　in　me；　is　natural　in　many　other　men；　I
  infer；　and　so　I　am　not　afraid　to　write　that　I　never　had
  loved　Steerforth　better　than　when　the　ties　that　bound
  me　to　him　were　broken。　In　the　keen　distress　of　the　discovery　of　his
  unworthiness；　I　thought　more　of　all　that　was　brilliant　in　him；　I
  softened　more　towards　all　that　was　good　in　him；　I　did　more　justice
  to　the　qualities　that　might　have　made　him　a　man　of　a　noble　nature
  and　a　great　name；　than　ever　I　had　done　in　the　height　of　my
  devotion　to　him。　Deeply　as　I　felt　my　own　unconscious　part　in　his
  pollution　of　an　honest　home；　I　believed