He remained calm and silent, with his eyes fixed on the ground, and the tip of every finger of his right hand delicately poised against the tip of every finger of his left.
Miss Dartle turned her head disdainfully towards him.
"I beg your pardon, miss," he said, awakening from his abstraction, "but, however submissive to you, I have my position, though a servant.
Mr. Copperfield and you, miss, are different people. If Mr. Copperfield wishes to know anything from me, I take the liberty of reminding Mr.
Copperfield that he can put a question to me. I have a character to maintain."
After a momentary struggle with myself, I turned my eyes upon him, and said, "You have heard my question. Consider it addressed to yourself, if you choose. What answer do you make?"
"Sir," he rejoined, with an occasional separation and reunion of those delicate tips, "my answer must be qualified; because, to betray Mr.
james"s confidence to his mother, and to betray it to you, are two different actions. It is not probable, I consider, that Mr. James would encourage the receipt of letters likely to increase low spirits and unpleasantness; but further than that, sir, I should wish to avoid going."
"Is that all?" inquired Miss Dartle of me.
I indicated that I had nothing more to say. "Except," I added, as I saw him moving off, "that I understand this fellow"s part in the wicked story, and that, as I shall make it known to the honest man who has been her father from her childhood, I would recommend him to avoid going too much into public."
He had stopped the moment I began, and had listened with his usual repose of manner.
"Thank you, sir. But you"ll excuse me if I say, sir, that there are neither slaves nor slave-drivers in this country, and that people are not allowed to take the law into their own hands. If they do, it is more to their own peril, I believe, than to other people"s. Consequently speaking, I am not at all afraid of going wherever I may wish, sir."
With that, he made a polite bow; and, with another to Miss Dartle, went away through the arch in the wall of holly by which he had come. Miss Dartle and I regarded each other for a little while in silence; her manner being exactly what it was, when she had produced the man.
"He says besides," she observed, with a slow curling of her lip, "that his master, as he hears, is coasting Spain; and this done, is away to gratify his seafaring tastes till he is weary. But this is of no interest to you. Between these two proud persons, mother and son, there is a wider breach than before, and little hope of its healing, for they are one at heart, and time makes each more obstinate and imperious.
Neither is this of any interest to you; but it introduces what I wish to say. This devil whom you make an angel of. I mean this low girl whom he picked out of the tide-mud," with her black eyes full upon me, and her pa.s.sionate finger up, "may be alive,--for I believe some common things are hard to die. If she is, you will desire to have a pearl of such price found and taken care of. We desire that, too; that he may not by any chance be made her prey again. So far, we are united in one interest; and that is why I, who would do her any mischief that so coa.r.s.e a wretch is capable of feeling, have sent for you to hear what you have heard."
I saw, by the change in her face, that someone was advancing behind me.
It was Mrs. Steerforth, who gave me her hand more coldly than of yore, and with an augmentation of her former stateliness of manner, but still, I perceived--and I was touched by it--with an ineffaceable remembrance of my old love for her son. She was greatly altered. Her fine figure was far less upright, her handsome face was deeply marked, and her hair was almost white. But when she sat down on the seat, she was a handsome lady still; and well I knew the bright eye with its lofty look, that had been a light in my very dreams at school.
"Is Mr. Copperfield informed of everything, Rosa?"
"Yes."
"And has he heard Littimer himself?"
"Yes; I have told him why you wished it." "You are a good girl. I have had some slight correspondence with your former friend, sir," addressing me, "but it has not restored his sense of duty or natural obligation.
Therefore I have no other object in this, than what Rosa has mentioned.
If, by the course which may relieve the mind of the decent man you brought here (for whom I am sorry--I can say no more), my son may be saved from again falling into the snares of a designing enemy, well!"
She drew herself up, and sat looking straight before her, far away.
"Madam," I said respectfully, "I understand. I a.s.sure you I am in no danger of putting any strained construction on your motives. But I must say, even to you, having known this injured family from childhood, that if you suppose the girl, so deeply wronged, has not been cruelly deluded, and would not rather die a hundred deaths than take a cup of water from your son"s hand now, you cherish a terrible mistake."
"Well, Rosa, well!" said Mrs. Steerforth, as the other was about to interpose, "it is no matter. Let it be. You are married, sir, I am told?"
I answered that I had been some time married.
"And are doing well? I hear little in the quiet life I lead, but I understand you are beginning to be famous."
"I have been very fortunate," I said, "and find my name connected with some praise."
"You have no mother?"--in a softened voice.
"No."
"It is a pity," she returned. "She would have been proud of you. Good night!"
I took the hand she held out with a dignified, unbending air, and it was as calm in mine as if her breast had been at peace. Her pride could still its very pulses, it appeared, and draw the placid veil before her face, through which she sat looking straight before her on the far distance.
As I moved away from them along the terrace, I could not help observing how steadily they both sat gazing on the prospect, and how it thickened and closed around them. Here and there, some early lamps were seen to twinkle in the distant city; and in the eastern quarter of the sky the lurid light still hovered. But, from the greater part of the broad valley interposed, a mist was rising like a sea, which, mingling with the darkness, made it seem as if the gathering waters would encompa.s.s them. I have reason to remember this, and think of it with awe; for before I looked upon those two again, a stormy sea had risen to their feet.
Reflecting on what had been thus told me, I felt it right that it should be communicated to Mr. Peggotty. On the following evening I went into London in quest of him. He was always wandering about from place to place, with his one object of recovering his niece before him; but was more in London than elsewhere. Often and often, now, had I seen him in the dead of night pa.s.sing along the streets, searching, among the few who loitered out of doors at those untimely hours, for what he dreaded to find.
He kept a lodging over the little chandler"s shop in Hungerford Market, which I have had occasion to mention more than once, and from which he first went forth upon his errand of mercy. Hither I directed my walk. On making inquiry for him, I learned from the people of the house that he had not gone out yet, and I should find him in his room upstairs.
He was sitting reading by a window in which he kept a few plants. The room was very neat and orderly. I saw in a moment that it was always kept prepared for her reception, and that he never went out but he thought it possible he might bring her home. He had not heard my tap at the door, and only raised his eyes when I laid my hand upon his shoulder.
"Mas"r Davy! Thankee, sir! thankee hearty, for this visit! Sit ye down.
You"re kindly welcome, sir!"
"Mr. Peggotty," said I, taking the chair he handed me, "don"t expect much! I have heard some news."
"Of Em"ly!"
He put his hand, in a nervous manner, on his mouth, and turned pale, as he fixed his eyes on mine.
"It gives no clue to where she is; but she is not with him."
He sat down, looking intently at me, and listened in profound silence to all I had to tell. I well remember the sense of dignity, beauty even, with which the patient gravity of his face impressed me, when, having gradually removed his eyes from mine, he sat looking downward, leaning his forehead on his hand. He offered no interruption, but remained throughout perfectly still. He seemed to pursue her figure through the narrative, and to let every other shape go by him, as if it were nothing.
When I had done, he shaded his face, and continued silent. I looked out of the window for a little while, and occupied myself with the plants.
"How do you fare to feel about it, Mas"r Davy?" he inquired at length.
"I think that she is living," I replied.
"I doen"t know. Maybe the first shock was too rough, and in the wildness of her art--! That there blue water as she used to speak on. Could she have thowt o" that so many year, because it was to be her grave!"
He said this, musing, in a low, frightened voice; and walked across the little room.
"And yet," he added, "Mas"r Davy, I have felt so sure as she was living--I have know"d, awake and sleeping, as it was so trew that I should find her--I have been so led on by it, and held up by it--that I doen"t believe I can have been deceived. No! Em"ly"s alive!"
He put his hand down firmly on the table, and set his sunburnt face into a resolute expression.
"My niece, Em"ly, is alive, sir!" he said, steadfastly. "I doen"t know wheer it comes from, or how "tis, but I am told as she"s alive!"
He looked almost like a man inspired, as he said it. I waited for a few moments, until he could give me his undivided attention; and then proceeded to explain the precaution, that, it had occurred to me last night, it would be wise to take.
"Now, my dear friend--"I began.