much　for　the　sake　of　principle；　I　believe；　as　because　she　happened
  not　to　like　him。
  Although　it　required　an　effort　to　leave　Miss　Mills；　I　fell　rather
  willingly　into　my　aunt’s　pretence；　as　a　means　of　enabling　me　to
  pass　a　few　tranquil　hours　with　Agnes。　I　consulted　the　good　Doctor
  relative　to　an　absence　of　three　days；　and　the　Doctor　wishing　me　to
  take　that　relaxation；—he　wished　me　to　take　more；　but　my　energy
  could　not　bear　that；—I　made　up　my　mind　to　go。
  As　to　the　Commons；　I　had　no　great　occasion　to　be　particular
  about　my　duties　in　that　quarter。　To　say　the　truth；　we　were　getting
  in　no　very　good　odour　among　the　tip…top　proctors；　and　were
  rapidly　sliding　down　to　but　a　doubtful　position。　The　business　had
  been　indifferent　under　Mr。　Jorkins；　before　Mr。　Spenlow’s　time；
  and　although　it　had　been　quickened　by　the　infusion　of　new　blood；
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  David　Copperfield
  and　by　the　display　which　Mr。　Spenlow　made；　still　it　was　not
  established　on　a　sufficiently　strong　basis　to　bear；　without　being
  shaken；　such　a　blow　as　the　sudden　loss　of　its　active　manager。　It　fell
  off　very　much。　Mr。　Jorkins；　notwithstanding　his　reputation　in　the
  firm；　was　an　easy…going；　incapable　sort　of　man；　whose　reputation
  out　of　doors　was　not　calculated　to　back　it　up。　I　was　turned　over　to
  him　now；　and　when　I　saw　him　take　his　snuff　and　let　the　business
  go；　I　regretted　my　aunt’s　thousand　pounds　more　than　ever。
  But　this　was　not　the　worst　of　it。　There　were　a　number　of
  hangers…on　and　outsiders　about　the　Commons；　who；　without　being
  proctors　themselves；　dabbled　in　common…form　business；　and　got　it
  done　by　real　proctors；　who　lent　their　names　in　consideration　of　a
  share　in　the　spoil；—and　there　were　a　good　many　of　these　too。　As
  our　house　now　wanted　business　on　any　terms；　we　joined　this　noble
  band；　and　threw　out　lures　to　the　hangers…on　and　outsiders；　to
  bring　their　business　to　us。　Marriage　licences　and　small　probates
  were　what　we　all　looked　for；　and　what　paid　us　best；　and　the
  competition　for　these　ran　very　high　indeed。　Kidnappers　and
  inveiglers　were　planted　in　all　the　avenues　of　entrance　to　the
  Commons；　with　instructions　to　do　their　utmost　to　cut　off　all
  persons　in　mourning；　and　all　gentlemen　with　anything　bashful　in
  their　appearance；　and　entice　them　to　the　offices　in　which　their
  respective　employers　were　interested；　which　instructions　were　so
  well　observed；　that　I　myself；　before　I　was　known　by　sight；　was
  twice　hustled　into　the　premises　of　our　principal　opponent。　The
  conflicting　interests　of　these　touting　gentlemen　being　of　a　nature
  to　irritate　their　feelings；　personal　collisions　took　place；　and　the
  Commons　was　even　scandalized　by　our　principal　inveigler　（who
  had　formerly　been　in　the　wine　trade；　and　afterwards　in　the　sworn
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  David　Copperfield
  brokery　line）　walking　about　for　some　days　with　a　black　eye。　Any
  one　of　these　scouts　used　to　think　nothing　of　politely　assisting　an
  old　lady　in　black　out　of　a　vehicle；　killing　any　proctor　whom　she
  inquired　for；　representing　his　employer　as　the　lawful　successor
  and　representative　of　that　proctor；　and　bearing　the　old　lady　off
  （sometimes　greatly　affected）　to　his　employer’s　office。　Many
  captives　were　brought　to　me　in　this　way。　As　to　marriage　licences；
  the　competition　rose　to　such　a　pitch；　that　a　shy　gentleman　in　want
  of　one；　had　nothing　to　do　but　submit　himself　to　the　first　inveigler；
  or　be　fought　for；　and　become　the　prey　of　the　strongest。　One　of　our
  clerks；　who　was　an　outsider；　used；　in　the　height　of　this　contest；　to
  sit　with　his　hat　on；　that　he　might　be　ready　to　rush　out　and　swear
  before　a　surrogate　any　victim　who　was　brought　in。　The　system　of
  inveigling　continues；　I　believe；　to　this　day。　The　last　time　I　was　in
  the　Commons；　a　civil　able…bodied　person　in　a　white　apron　pounced
  out　upon　me　from　a　doorway；　and　whispering　the　word　‘Marriagelicence’　in　my　ear；　was　with　great　difficulty　prevented　from　taking
  me　up　in　his　arms　and　lifting　me　into　a　proctor’s。　From　this
  digression；　let　me　proceed　to　Dover。
  I　found　everything　in　a　satisfactory　state　at　the　cottage；　and　was
  enabled　to　gratify　my　aunt　exceedingly　by　reporting　that　the
  tenant　inherited　her　feud；　and　waged　incessant　war　against
  donkeys。　Having　settled　the　little　business　I　had　to　transact　there；
  and　slept　there　one　night；　I　walked　on　to　Canterbury　early　in　the
  morning。　It　was　now　winter　again；　and　the　fresh；　cold　windy　day；
  and　the　sweeping　downland；　brightened　up　my　hopes　a　little。
  Coming　into　Canterbury；　I　loitered　through　the　old　streets　with
  a　sober　pleasure　that　calmed　my　spirits；　and　eased　my　heart。
  There　were　the　old　signs；　the　old　names　over　the　shops；　the　old
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  David　Copperfield
  people　serving　in　them。　It　appeared　so　long；　since　I　had　been　a
  schoolboy　there；　that　I　wondered　the　place　was　so　little　changed；
  until　I　reflected　how　little　I　was　changed　myself。　Strange　to　say；
  that　quiet　influence　which　was　inseparable　in　my　mind　from
  Agnes；　seemed　to　pervade　even　the　city　where　she　dwelt。　The
  venerable　cathedral　towers；　and　the　old　jackdaws　and　rooks　whose
  airy　voices　made　them　more　retired　than　perfect　silence　would
  have　done；　the　battered　gateways；　one　stuck　full　with　statues；　long
  thrown　down；　and　crumbled　away；　like　the　reverential　pilgrims
  who　had　gazed　upon　them；　the　still　nooks；　where　the　ivied　growth
  of　centuries　crept　over　gabled　ends　and　ruined　walls；　the　ancient
  houses；　the　pastoral　landscape　of　field；　orchard；　and　garden；
  everywhere—on　everything—I　felt　the　same　serener　air；　the　same
  calm；　thoughtful；　softening　spirit。
  Arrived　at　Mr。　Wickfield’s　house；　I　found；　in　the　little　lower
  room　on　the　ground　floor；　where　Uriah　Heep　had　been　of　old
  accustomed　to　sit；　Mr。　Micawber　plying　his　pen　with　great
  assiduity。　He　was　dressed　in　a　legal…looking　suit　of　black；　and
  loomed；　burly　and　large；　in　that　small　office。
  Mr。　Micawber　was　extremely　glad　to　see　me；　but　a　little
  confused　too。　He　would　have　conducted　me　immediately　into　the
  presence　of　Uriah；　but　I　declined。
  ‘I　know　the　house　of　old；　you　recollect；’　said　I；　‘and　will　find　my
  way　upstairs。　How　do　you　like　the　law；　Mr。　Micawber？’
  ‘My　dear　Copperfield；’　he　replied。　‘To　a　man　possessed　of　the
  higher　imaginative　powers；　the　objection　to　legal　studies　is　the
  amount　of　detail　which　they　involve。　Even　in　our　professional
  correspondence；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　glancing　at　some　letters　he
  was　writing；　‘the　mind　is　not　at　liberty　to　soar　to　any　exalted　form
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  David　Copperfield
  of　expression。　Still；　it　is　a　great　pursuit。　A　great　pursuit！’
  He　then　told　me　that　he　had　become　the　tenant　of　Uriah　Heep’s
  old　house；　and　that　Mrs。　Micawber　would　be　delighted　to　receive
  me；　once　more；　under　her　own　roof。
  ‘It　is　humble；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　‘—to　quote　a　favourite
  expression　of　my　friend　Heep；　but　it　may　prove　the　stepping…stone
  to　more　ambitious　domiciliary　accommodation。’
  I　asked　him　whether　he　had　reason；　so　far；　to　be　satisfied　with
  his　friend　Heep’s　treatment　of　him？　He　got　up　to　ascertain　if　the
  door　were　close　shut；　before　he　replied；　in　a　lower　voice：
  ‘My　dear　Copperfield；　a　man　who　labours　under　the　pressure　of
  pecuniary　embarrassments；　is；　with　the　generality　of　people；　at　a
  disadvantage。　That　disadvantage　is　not　diminished；　when　that
  pressure　necessitates　the　drawing　of　stipendiary　emoluments；
  before　those　emoluments　are　strictly　due　and　payable。　All　I　can
  say　is；　that　my　friend　Heep　has　responded　to　appeals　to　which　I
  need　not　more　particularly　refer；　in　a　manner　calculated　to
  redound　equally　to　the　honour　of　his　head；　and　of　his　heart。’
  ‘I　should　not　have　supposed　him　to　be　very　free　with　his　money
  either；’　I　observed。
  ‘Pardon　me！’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　with　an　air　of　constraint；　‘I
  speak　of　my　friend　Heep　as　I　have　experience。’
  ‘I　am　glad　your　experience　is　so　favourable；’　I　returned。
  ‘You　are　very　obliging；　my　dear　Copperfield；’　said　Mr。
  Micawber；　and　hummed　a　tune。
  ‘Do　you　see　much　of　Mr。　Wickfield？’　I　asked；　to　change　the
  subject。
  ‘Not　much；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　slightingly。　‘Mr。　Wickfield　is；　I
  dare　say；　a　man　of　very　excellent　intentions；　but　he　is—in　short；　he
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  David　Copperfield
  is　obsolete。’
  ‘I　am　afraid　his　partner　seeks　to　make　him　so；’　said　I。
  ‘My　dear　Copperfield！’　returned　Mr。　Micawber；　after　some
  uneasy　evolutions　on　his　stool；　‘allow　me　to　offer　a　remark！　I　am
  here；　in　a　capacity　of　confidence。　I　am　here；　in　a　position　of　trust。
  The　discussion　of　some　topics；　even　with　Mrs。　Micawber　herself
  （so　long　the　partner　of　my　various　vicissitudes；　and　a　woman　of　a
  remarkable　lucidity　of　intellect）；　is；　I　am　led　to　consider；
  incompatible　with　the　functions　now　devolving　on　me。　I　would
  therefore　take　the　liberty　of　suggesting　that　in　our　friendly
  intercourse—which　I　trust　will　never　be　disturbed！—we　draw　a
  line。　On　one　side　of　this　line；’　said　Mr。　Micawber；　representing　it