Page 214 - david-copperfield

in her I wondered at very much. The tea table was ready, and
our little locker was put out in its old place, but instead of
coming to sit by me, she went and bestowed her company
upon that grumbling Mrs. Gummidge: and on Mr. Peggot-
ty’s inquiring why, rumpled her hair all over her face to hide
it, and could do nothing but laugh.
‘A little puss, it is!’ said Mr. Peggotty, patting her with his
great hand.
‘So sh’ is! so sh’ is!’ cried Ham. ‘Mas’r Davy bor’, so sh’ is!’
and he sat and chuckled at her for some time, in a state of
mingled admiration and delight, that made his face a burn-
ing red.
Little Em’ly was spoiled by them all, in fact; and by no
one more than Mr. Peggotty himself, whom she could have
coaxed into anything, by only going and laying her cheek
against his rough whisker. That was my opinion, at least,
when I saw her do it; and I held Mr. Peggotty to be thoroughly
in the right. But she was so affectionate and sweet-natured,
and had such a pleasant manner of being both sly and shy at
once, that she captivated me more than ever.
She was tender-hearted, too; for when, as we sat round
the fire after tea, an allusion was made by Mr. Peggotty over
his pipe to the loss I had sustained, the tears stood in her
eyes, and she looked at me so kindly across the table, that I
felt quite thankful to her.
‘Ah!’ said Mr. Peggotty, taking up her curls, and running
them over his hand like water, ‘here’s another orphan, you
see, sir. And here,’ said Mr. Peggotty, giving Ham a back-
handed knock in the chest, ‘is another of ‘em, though he

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