Page 907 - david-copperfield

tooth and nail. I mustn’t be put upon, as a numble person,
too much. I can’t allow people in my way. Really they must
come out of the cart, Master Copperfield!’
‘I don’t understand you,’ said I.
‘Don’t you, though?’ he returned, with one of his jerks.
‘I’m astonished at that, Master Copperfield, you being usu-
ally so quick! I’ll try to be plainer, another time. - Is that Mr.
Maldon a-norseback, ringing at the gate, sir?’
‘It looks like him,’ I replied, as carelessly as I could.
Uriah stopped short, put his hands between his great
knobs of knees, and doubled himself up with laughter. With
perfectly silent laughter. Not a sound escaped from him. I
was so repelled by his odious behaviour, particularly by this
concluding instance, that I turned away without any cer-
emony; and left him doubled up in the middle of the garden,
like a scarecrow in want of support.
It was not on that evening; but, as I well remember, on
the next evening but one, which was a Sunday; that I took
Agnes to see Dora. I had arranged the visit, beforehand,
with Miss Lavinia; and Agnes was expected to tea.
I was in a flutter of pride and anxiety; pride in my dear
little betrothed, and anxiety that Agnes should like her. All
the way to Putney, Agnes being inside the stage-coach, and
I outside, I pictured Dora to myself in every one of the pret-
ty looks I knew so well; now making up my mind that I
should like her to look exactly as she looked at such a time,
and then doubting whether I should not prefer her looking
as she looked at such another time; and almost worrying
myself into a fever about it.

0 David Copperfield