Page 836 - david-copperfield

CHAPTER 39

WICKFIELD AND HEEP

y aunt, beginning, I imagine, to be made seriously
Muncomfortable by my prolonged dejection, made a
pretence of being anxious that I should go to Dover, to see
that all was working well at the cottage, which was let; and
to conclude an agreement, with the same tenant, for a lon-
ger term of occupation. Janet was drafted into the service of
Mrs. Strong, where I saw her every day. She had been unde-
cided, on leaving Dover, whether or no to give the finishing
touch to that renunciation of mankind in which she had
been educated, by marrying a pilot; but she decided against
that venture. Not so 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 con-
sulted 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 par-