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

the Old Soldier. “Not only for your own sake, but for Annie’s, and John Maldon’s, and many other people’s. It seems but yesterday to me, John, when you were a little creature, a head shorter than Master Copperfield, making baby love to Annie behind the gooseberry bushes in the back-garden.”

“My dear mama,” said Mrs. Strong, “never mind that now.”

“Annie, don’t be absurd,” returned her mother. “If you are to blush to hear of such things now you are an old married woman, when are you not to blush to hear of them?”

“Old?” exclaimed Mr. Jack Maldon. “Annie? Come!”

“Yes, John,” returned the Soldier. “Virtually, an old married woman. Although not old by years⁠—for when did you ever hear me say, or who has ever heard me say, that a girl of twenty was old by years!⁠—your cousin is the wife of the Doctor, and, as such, what I have described her. It is well for you, John, that your cousin is the wife of the Doctor. You have found in him an influential and kind friend, who will be kinder yet, I venture to predict, if you deserve it. I have no false pride. I never hesitate to admit, frankly, that there are some members of our family who want a friend. You were one yourself, before your cousin’s influence raised up one for you.”

The Doctor, in the goodness of his heart, waved his hand as if to make light of it, and save Mr. Jack Maldon from any further reminder. But Mrs. Markleham changed her chair for one next the Doctor’s, and putting her fan on his coat-sleeve, said:

“No, really, my dear Doctor, you must excuse me if I appear to dwell on this rather, because I feel so very strongly. I call it quite my monomania, it is such a subject of mine. You are a blessing to us. You really are a Boon, you know.”

“Nonsense, nonsense,” said the Doctor.

“No, no, I beg your pardon,” retorted the Old Soldier. “With nobody present, but our dear and confidential friend Mr. Wickfield, I cannot consent to be put down. I shall begin to assert the privileges of a mother-in-law, if you go on like that, and scold you. I am perfectly honest and outspoken. What I am saying, is what I said when you first overpowered me with surprise⁠—you remember how surprised I was?⁠—by proposing for Annie. Not that there was anything so very much out of the way, in the mere fact of the proposal⁠—it would be ridiculous to say that!⁠—but because, you having known her poor father, and having known her from a baby six months old, I hadn’t thought of you in such a light at all, or indeed as a marrying man in any way⁠—simply that, you know.”

“Aye, aye,” returned the Doctor, good-humouredly. “Never mind.”

“But I do mind,” said the Old Soldier, laying her fan upon his lips. “I mind very much. I recall these things that I may be contradicted if I am wrong. Well! Then I spoke to Annie, and I told her what had happened. I said, ‘My dear, here’s Doctor Strong has positively been and made you the subject of a handsome declaration and an offer.’ Did I press it in the least? No. I said, ‘Now, Annie, tell me the truth this moment; is your heart free?’ ‘Mama,’ she said crying, ‘I am extremely young’⁠—which was perfectly true⁠—‘and I hardly know if I have a heart at all.’ ‘Then, my dear,’ I said, ‘you may rely upon it, it’s free. At all events, my love,’ said I, ‘Doctor Strong is in an agitated state of mind, and must be answered. He cannot be kept in his present state of suspense.’ ‘Mama,’ said Annie, still crying, ‘would he be unhappy without me? If he would, I honour and respect him so much, that I think I will have him.’ So it was settled. And then, and not till then, I said to Annie, ‘Annie, Doctor Strong will not only be your husband, but he will represent your late father: he will represent the head of our family, he will represent the wisdom and station, and I may say the means, of our family; and will be, in short, a Boon to it.’ I used the word at the time, and I have used it again, today. If I have any merit it is consistency.”

The daughter had sat quite silent and still during this speech, with her eyes fixed on the ground; her cousin standing near her, and looking on the ground too. She now said very softly, in a trembling voice:

“Mama, I hope you have finished?”

“No, my dear Annie,” returned the Old Soldier, “I have not quite finished. Since you ask me, my love, I reply that I have not. I complain that you really are a little unnatural towards your own family; and, as it is of no use complaining to you, I mean to complain to your husband. Now, my dear Doctor, do look at that silly wife of yours.”

As the Doctor turned his kind face, with its smile of simplicity and gentleness, towards her, she drooped her head more. I noticed that Mr. Wickfield looked at her steadily.

“When I happened to say to that naughty thing, the other day,” pursued her mother, shaking her head and her fan at her, playfully, “that there was a family circumstance she might mention to you⁠—indeed, I think, was bound to mention⁠—she said, that to mention it was to ask a favour; and that, as you were too generous, and as for her to ask was always to have, she wouldn’t.”

“Annie, my dear,” said the Doctor. “That was wrong. It robbed me of a pleasure.”

“Almost the very words I said to her!” exclaimed her mother. “Now really, another time, when I know what she would tell you but for this reason, and won’t, I have a great mind, my dear Doctor, to tell you myself.”

“I shall be glad if you will,” returned the Doctor.

“Shall I?”

“Certainly.”

“Well, then, I will!” said the