Reminding　him　of　the　fact；　that　Mr。　Peggotty　derived　a　steady；
  though　certainly　a　very　moderate　income　from　the　bequest　of　his
  late　brother…in…law；　I　promised　to　do　so。　We　then　took　leave　of
  each　other。　I　cannot　leave　him　even　now；　without　remembering
  with　a　pang；　at　once　his　modest　fortitude　and　his　great　sorrow。
  As　to　Mrs。　Gummidge；　if　I　were　to　endeavour　to　describe　how
  she　ran　down　the　street　by　the　side　of　the　coach；　seeing　nothing
  but　Mr。　Peggotty　on　the　roof；　through　the　tears　she　tried　to
  repress；　and　dashing　herself　against　the　people　who　were　coming
  in　the　opposite　direction；　I　should　enter　on　a　task　of　some
  difficulty。　Therefore　I　had　better　leave　her　sitting　on　a　baker’s
  door…step；　out　of　breath；　with　no　shape　at　all　remaining　in　her
  bonnet；　and　one　of　her　shoes　off；　lying　on　the　pavement　at　a
  considerable　distance。
  When　we　got　to　our　journey’s　end；　our　first　pursuit　was　to　look
  about　for　a　little　lodging　for　Peggotty；　where　her　brother　could
  have　a　bed。　We　were　so　fortunate　as　to　find　one；　of　a　very　clean
  and　cheap　description；　over　a　chandler’s　shop；　only　two　streets
  removed　from　me。　When　we　had　engaged　this　domicile；　I　bought
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  some　cold　meat　at　an　eating…house；　and　took　my　fellow…travellers
  home　to　tea；　a　proceeding；　I　regret　to　state；　which　did　not　meet
  with　Mrs。　Crupp’s　approval；　but　quite　the　contrary。　I　ought　to
  observe；　however；　in　explanation　of　that　lady’s　state　of　mind；　that
  she　was　much　offended　by　Peggotty’s　tucking　up　her　widow’s
  gown　before　she　had　been　ten　minutes　in　the　place；　and　setting　to
  work　to　dust　my　bedroom。　This　Mrs。　Crupp　regarded　in　the　light
  of　a　liberty；　and　a　liberty；　she　said；　was　a　thing　she　never　allowed。
  Mr。　Peggotty　had　made　a　communication　to　me　on　the　way　to
  London　for　which　I　was　not　unprepared。　It　was；　that　he　purposed
  first　seeing　Mrs。　Steerforth。　As　I　felt　bound　to　assist　him　in　this；
  and　also　to　mediate　between　them；　with　the　view　of　sparing　the
  mother’s　feelings　as　much　as　possible；　I　wrote　to　her　that　night。　I
  told　her　as　mildly　as　I　could　what　his　wrong　was；　and　what　my　own
  share　in　his　injury。　I　said　he　was　a　man　in　very　common　life；　but　of
  a　most　gentle　and　upright　character；　and　that　I　ventured　to
  express　a　hope　that　she　would　not　refuse　to　see　him　in　his　heavy
  trouble。　I　mentioned　two　o’clock　in　the　afternoon　as　the　hour　of
  our　coming；　and　I　sent　the　letter　myself　by　the　first　coach　in　the
  morning。
  At　the　appointed　time；　we　stood　at　the　door—the　door　of　that
  house　where　I　had　been；　a　few　days　since；　so　happy：　where　my
  youthful　confidence　and　warmth　of　heart　had　been　yielded　up　so
  freely：　which　was　closed　against　me　henceforth：　which　was　now　a
  waste；　a　ruin。
  No　Littimer　appeared。　The　pleasanter　face　which　had　replaced
  his；　on　the　occasion　of　my　last　visit；　answered　to　our　summons；
  and　went　before　us　to　the　drawing…room。　Mrs。　Steerforth　was
  sitting　there。　Rosa　Dartle　glided；　as　we　went　in；　from　another　part
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  of　the　room　and　stood　behind　her　chair。
  I　saw；　directly；　in　his　mother’s　face；　that　she　knew　from　himself
  what　he　had　done。　It　was　very　pale；　and　bore　the　traces　of　deeper
  emotion　than　my　letter　alone；　weakened　by　the　doubts　her
  fondness　would　have　raised　upon　it；　would　have　been　likely　to
  create。　I　thought　her　more　like　him　than　ever　I　had　thought　her；
  and　I　felt；　rather　than　saw；　that　the　resemblance　was　not　lost　on
  my　companion。
  She　sat　upright　in　her　arm…chair；　with　a　stately；　immovable；
  passionless　air；　that　it　seemed　as　if　nothing　could　disturb。　She
  looked　very　steadfastly　at　Mr。　Peggotty　when　he　stood　before　her；
  and　he　looked　quite　as　steadfastly　at　her。　Rosa　Dartle’s　keen
  glance　comprehended　all　of　us。　For　some　moments　not　a　word　was
  spoken。
  She　motioned　to　Mr。　Peggotty　to　be　seated。　He　said；　in　a　low
  voice；　‘I　shouldn’t　feel　it　nat’ral；　ma’am；　to　sit　down　in　this　house。
  I’d　sooner　stand。’　And　this　was　succeeded　by　another　silence；
  which　she　broke　thus：
  ‘I　know；　with　deep　regret；　what　has　brought　you　here。　What　do
  you　want　of　me？　What　do　you　ask　me　to　do？’
  He　put　his　hat　under　his　arm；　and　feeling　in　his　breast　for
  Emily’s　letter；　took　it　out；　unfolded　it；　and　gave　it　to　her。　‘Please　to
  read　that；　ma’am。　That’s　my　niece’s　hand！’
  She　read　it；　in　the　same　stately　and　impassive　way；—untouched
  by　its　contents；　as　far　as　I　could　see；—and　returned　it　to　him。
  ‘“Unless　he　brings　me　back　a　lady；”’　said　Mr。　Peggotty；　tracing
  out　that　part　with　his　finger。　‘I　come　to　know；　ma’am；　whether　he
  will　keep　his　wured？’
  ‘No；’　she　returned。
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  ‘Why　not？’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。
  ‘It　is　impossible。　He　would　disgrace　himself。　You　cannot　fail　to
  know　that　she　is　far　below　him。’
  ‘Raise　her　up！’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。
  ‘She　is　uneducated　and　ignorant。’
  ‘Maybe　she’s　not；　maybe　she　is；’　said　Mr。　Peggotty。　‘I　think　not；
  ma’am；　but　I’m　no　judge　of　them　things。　Teach　her　better！’
  ‘Since　you　oblige　me　to　speak　more　plainly；　which　I　am　very
  unwilling　to　do；　her　humble　connexions　would　render　such　a　thing
  impossible；　if　nothing　else　did。’
  ‘Hark　to　this；　ma’am；’　he　returned；　slowly　and　quietly。　‘You
  know　what　it　is　to　love　your　child。　So　do　I。　If　she　was　a　hundred
  times　my　child；　I　couldn’t　love　her　more。　You　doen’t　know　what　it
  is　to　lose　your　child。　I　do。　All　the　heaps　of　riches　in　the　wureld
  would　be　nowt　to　me　（if　they　was　mine）　to　buy　her　back！　But；　save
  her　from　this　disgrace；　and　she　shall　never　be　disgraced　by　us。　Not
  one　of　us　that　she’s　growed　up　among；　not　one　of　us　that’s　lived
  along　with　her　and　had　her　for　their　all　in　all；　these　many　year；　will
  ever　look　upon　her　pritty　face　again。　We’ll　be　content　to　let　her　be；
  we’ll　be　content　to　think　of　her；　far　off；　as　if　she　was　underneath
  another　sun　and　sky；　we’ll　be　content　to　trust　her　to　her
  husband；—to　her　little　children；　p’raps；—and　bide　the　time　when
  all　of　us　shall　be　alike　in　quality　afore　our　God！’
  The　rugged　eloquence　with　which　he　spoke；　was　not　devoid　of
  all　effect。　She　still　preserved　her　proud　manner；　but　there　was　a
  touch　of　softness　in　her　voice；　as　she　answered：
  ‘I　justify　nothing。　I　make　no　counter…accusations。　But　I　am　sorry
  to　repeat；　it　is　impossible。　Such　a　marriage　would　irretrievably
  blight　my　son’s　career；　and　ruin　his　prospects。　Nothing　is　more
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  certain　than　that　it　never　can　take　place；　and　never　will。　If　there　is
  any　other　compensation—’
  ‘I　am　looking　at　the　likeness　of　the　face；’　interrupted　Mr。
  Peggotty；　with　a　steady　but　a　kindling　eye；　‘that　has　looked　at　me；
  in　my　home；　at　my　fireside；　in　my　boat—wheer　not？—smiling　and
  friendly；　when　it　was　so　treacherous；　that　I　go　half　wild　when　I
  think　of　it。　If　the　likeness　of　that　face　don’t　turn　to　burning　fire；　at
  the　thought　of　offering　money　to　me　for　my　child’s　blight　and　ruin；
  it’s　as　bad。　I　doen’t　know；　being　a　lady’s；　but　what　it’s　worse。’
  She　changed　now；　in　a　moment。　An　angry　flush　overspread　her
  features；　and　she　said；　in　an　intolerant　manner；　grasping　the　armchair　tightly　with　her　hands：
  ‘What　compensation　can　you　make　to　me　for　opening　such　a　pit
  between　me　and　my　son？　What　is　your　love　to　mine？　What　is　your
  separation　to　ours？’
  Miss　Dartle　softly　touched　her；　and　bent　down　her　head　to
  whisper；　but　she　would　not　hear　a　word。
  ‘No；　Rosa；　not　a　word！　Let　the　man　listen　to　what　I　say！　My　son；
  who　has　been　the　object　of　my　life；　to　whom　its　every　thought　has
  been　devoted；　whom　I　have　gratified　from　a　child　in　every　wish；
  from　whom　I　have　had　no　separate　existence　since　his　birth；—to
  take　up　in　a　moment　with　a　miserable　girl；　and　avoid　me！　To　repay
  my　confidence　with　systematic　deception；　for　her　sake；　and　quit
  me　for　her！　To　set　this　wretched　fancy；　against　his　mother’s　claims
  upon　his　duty；　love；　respect；　gratitude—claims　that　every　day　and
  hour　of　his　life　should　have　strengthened　into　ties　that　nothing
  could　be　proof　against！　Is　this　no　injury？’
  Again　Rosa　Dartle　tried　to　soothe　her；　again　ineffectually。
  ‘I　say；　Rosa；　not　a　word！　If　he　can　stake　his　all　upon　the　lightest
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  object；　I　can　stake　my　all　upon　a　greater　purpose。　Let　him　go
  where　he　will；　with　the　means　that　my　love　has　secured　to　him！
  Does　he　think　to　reduce　me　by　long　absence？　He　knows　his
  mother　very　little　if　he　does。　Let　him　put　away　his　whim　now；　and
  he　is　welcome　back。　Let　him　not　put　her　away　now；　and　he　never
  shall　come　near　me；　living　or　dying；　while　I　can　raise　my　hand　to
  make　a　sign　against　it；　unless；　being　rid　of　her　for　ever；　he　comes
  humbly　to　me　and　begs　for　my　forgiveness。　This　is　my　right。　This
  is　the　acknowledgement　I　will　have。　This　is　the　separation　that
  there　is　between　us！　And　is　this；’　she　added；　looking　at　her　visitor
  with　the　proud　intolerant