Page 208 - david-copperfield

kerchief at her eyes.
So long as she remained in this condition, Mr. Barkis
gave no sign of life whatever. He sat in his usual place and
attitude like a great stuffed figure. But when she began to
look about her, and to speak to me, he nodded his head and
grinned several times. I have not the least notion at whom,
or what he meant by it.
‘It’s a beautiful day, Mr. Barkis!’ I said, as an act of po-
liteness.
‘It ain’t bad,’ said Mr. Barkis, who generally qualified his
speech, and rarely committed himself.
‘Peggotty is quite comfortable now, Mr. Barkis,’ I re-
marked, for his satisfaction.
‘Is she, though?’ said Mr. Barkis.
After reflecting about it, with a sagacious air, Mr. Barkis
eyed her, and said:
‘ARE you pretty comfortable?’
Peggotty laughed, and answered in the affirmative.
‘But really and truly, you know. Are you?’ growled Mr.
Barkis, sliding nearer to her on the seat, and nudging her
with his elbow. ‘Are you? Really and truly pretty comfort-
able? Are you? Eh?’
At each of these inquiries Mr. Barkis shuffled nearer to
her, and gave her another nudge; so that at last we were all
crowded together in the left-hand corner of the cart, and I
was so squeezed that I could hardly bear it.
Peggotty calling his attention to my sufferings, Mr. Bar-
kis gave me a little more room at once, and got away by
degrees. But I could not help observing that he seemed to

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