David Copperfield, Charles Dickens [best historical fiction books of all time TXT] 📗

have been amused by this; but I felt that we were all constrained and uneasy, and I watched Mr. Micawber so anxiously, in his vacillations between an evident disposition to reveal something, and a counter-disposition to reveal nothing, that I was in a perfect fever. Traddles, sitting on the edge of his chair, with his eyes wide open, and his hair more emphatically erect than ever, stared by turns at the ground and at Mr. Micawber, without so much as attempting to put in a word. My aunt, though I saw that her shrewdest observation was concentrated on her new guest, had more useful possession of her wits than either of us; for she held him in conversation, and made it necessary for him to talk, whether he liked it or not.

“You are a very old friend of my nephew’s, Mr. Micawber,” said my aunt. “I wish I had had the pleasure of seeing you before.”

“Madam,” returned Mr. Micawber, “I wish I had had the honour of knowing you at an earlier period. I was not always the wreck you at present behold.”

“I hope Mrs. Micawber and your family are well, sir,” said my aunt.

Mr. Micawber inclined his head. “They are as well, ma’am,” he desperately observed after a pause, “as aliens and outcasts can ever hope to be.”

“Lord bless you, sir!” exclaimed my aunt, in her abrupt way. “What are you talking about?”

“The subsistence of my family, ma’am,” returned Mr. Micawber, “trembles in the balance. My employer⁠—”

Here Mr. Micawber provokingly left off; and began to peel the lemons that had been under my directions set before him, together with all the other appliances he used in making punch.

“Your employer, you know,” said Mr. Dick, jogging his arm as a gentle reminder.

“My good sir,” returned Mr. Micawber, “you recall me, I am obliged to you.” They shook hands again. “My employer, ma’am⁠—Mr. Heep⁠—once did me the favour to observe to me, that if I were not in the receipt of the stipendiary emoluments appertaining to my engagement with him, I should probably be a mountebank about the country, swallowing a sword-blade, and eating the devouring element. For anything that I can perceive to the contrary, it is still probable that my children may be reduced to seek a livelihood by personal contortion, while Mrs. Micawber abets their unnatural feats by playing the barrel-organ.”

Mr. Micawber, with a random but expressive flourish of his knife, signified that these performances might be expected to take place after he was no more; then resumed his peeling with a desperate air.

My aunt leaned her elbow on the little round table that she usually kept beside her, and eyed him attentively. Notwithstanding the aversion with which I regarded the idea of entrapping him into any disclosure he was not prepared to make voluntarily, I should have taken him up at this point, but for the strange proceedings in which I saw him engaged; whereof his putting the lemon-peel into the kettle, the sugar into the snuffer-tray, the spirit into the empty jug, and confidently attempting to pour boiling water out of a candlestick, were among the most remarkable. I saw that a crisis was at hand, and it came. He clattered all his means and implements together, rose from his chair, pulled out his pocket-handkerchief, and burst into tears.

“My dear Copperfield,” said Mr. Micawber, behind his handkerchief, “this is an occupation, of all others, requiring an untroubled mind, and self-respect. I cannot perform it. It is out of the question.”

“Mr. Micawber,” said I, “what is the matter? Pray speak out. You are among friends.”

“Among friends, sir!” repeated Mr. Micawber; and all he had reserved came breaking out of him. “Good heavens, it is principally because I am among friends that my state of mind is what it is. What is the matter, gentlemen? What is not the matter? Villainy is the matter; baseness is the matter; deception, fraud, conspiracy, are the matter; and the name of the whole atrocious mass is⁠—Heep!”

My aunt clapped her hands, and we all started up as if we were possessed.

“The struggle is over!” said Mr. Micawber violently gesticulating with his pocket-handkerchief, and fairly striking out from time to time with both arms, as if he were swimming under superhuman difficulties. “I will lead this life no longer. I am a wretched being, cut off from everything that makes life tolerable. I have been under a Taboo in that infernal scoundrel’s service. Give me back my wife, give me back my family, substitute Micawber for the petty wretch who walks about in the boots at present on my feet, and call upon me to swallow a sword tomorrow, and I’ll do it. With an appetite!”

I never saw a man so hot in my life. I tried to calm him, that we might come to something rational; but he got hotter and hotter, and wouldn’t hear a word.

“I’ll put my hand in no man’s hand,” said Mr. Micawber, gasping, puffing, and sobbing, to that degree that he was like a man fighting with cold water, “until I have⁠—blown to fragments⁠—the⁠—a⁠—detestable⁠—serpent⁠—Heep! I’ll partake of no one’s hospitality, until I have⁠—a⁠—moved Mount Vesuvius⁠—to eruption⁠—on⁠—a⁠—the abandoned rascal⁠—Heep! Refreshment⁠—a⁠—underneath this roof⁠—particularly punch⁠—would⁠—a⁠—choke me⁠—unless⁠—I had⁠—previously⁠—choked the eyes⁠—out of the head⁠—a⁠—of⁠—interminable cheat, and liar⁠—Heep! I⁠—a⁠—I’ll know nobody⁠—and⁠—a⁠—say nothing⁠—and⁠—a⁠—live nowhere⁠—until I have crushed⁠—to⁠—a⁠—undiscoverable atoms⁠—the⁠—transcendent and immortal hypocrite and perjurer⁠—Heep!”

I really had some fear of Mr. Micawber’s dying on the spot. The manner in which he struggled through these inarticulate sentences, and, whenever he found himself getting near the name of Heep, fought his way on to it, dashed at it in a fainting state, and brought it out with a vehemence little less than marvellous, was frightful; but now, when he sank into a chair, steaming, and looked at us, with every possible colour in his face that had no business there, and an endless procession of lumps following one another in hot haste up his throat, whence they seemed to shoot into his forehead, he had the appearance of being in the last extremity. I would have gone to his assistance, but he waved me off, and wouldn’t