Page 1077 - david-copperfield

CHAPTER 51

THE BEGINNING OF A

LONGER JOURNEY

t was yet early in the morning of the following day, when,
Ias I was walking in my garden with my aunt (who took
little other exercise now, being so much in attendance on
my dear Dora), I was told that Mr. Peggotty desired to speak
with me. He came into the garden to meet me half-way, on
my going towards the gate; and bared his head, as it was
always his custom to do when he saw my aunt, for whom
he had a high respect. I had been telling her all that had
happened overnight. Without saying a word, she walked up
with a cordial face, shook hands with him, and patted him
on the arm. It was so expressively done, that she had no
need to say a word. Mr. Peggotty understood her quite as
well as if she had said a thousand.
‘I’ll go in now, Trot,’ said my aunt, ‘and look after Little
Blossom, who will be getting up presently.’
‘Not along of my being heer, ma’am, I hope?’ said Mr. Peg-
gotty. ‘Unless my wits is gone a bahd’s neezing’ - by which
Mr. Peggotty meant to say, bird’s-nesting - ‘this morning,

10 David Copperfield