'FagmentWelcome to consult...ooth and nail. I mustn’t be put upon, as a numble peson, too much. I can’t allow people in my way. Really they must come out of the cat, Maste Coppefield!’ ‘I don’t undestand you,’ said I. ‘Don’t you, though?’ he etuned, with one of his jeks. ‘I’m astonished at that, Maste Coppefield, you being usually so quick! I’ll ty to be plaine, anothe time. —Is that M. Maldon anoseback, inging at the gate, si?’ ‘It looks like him,’ I eplied, as caelessly as I could. Uiah stopped shot, put his hands between his geat knobs of knees, and doubled himself up with laughte. With pefectly silent laughte. Not a sound escaped fom him. I was so epelled by his odious behaviou, paticulaly by this concluding instance, that I tuned away without any ceemony; and left him doubled up in Chales Dickens ElecBook Classics fDavid Coppefield the middle of the gaden, like a scaecow in want of suppot. It was not on that evening; but, as I well emembe, on the next evening but one, which was a Sunday; that I took Agnes to see Doa. I had aanged the visit, befoehand, with Miss Lavinia; and Agnes was expected to tea. I was in a flutte of pide and anxiety; pide in my dea little betothed, and anxiety that Agnes should like he. All the way to Putney, Agnes being inside the stage-coach, and I outside, I pictued Doa to myself in evey one of the petty looks I knew so well; now making up my mind that I should like he to look exactly as she looked at such a time, and then doubting whethe I should not pefe he looking as she looked at such anothe time; and almost woying myself into a feve about it. I was toubled by no doubt of he being vey petty, in any case; but it fell out that I had neve seen he look so well. She was not in the dawing-oom when I pesented Agnes to he little aunts, but was shyly keeping out of the way. I knew whee to look fo he, now; and sue enough I found he stopping he eas again, behind the same dull old doo. At fist she wouldn’t come at all; and then she pleaded fo five minutes by my watch. When at length she put he am though mine, to be taken to the dawing-oom, he chaming little face was flushed, and had neve been so petty. But, when we went into the oom, and it tuned pale, she was ten thousand times pettie yet. Doa was afaid of Agnes. She had told me that she knew Agnes was ‘too cleve’. But when she saw he looking at once so cheeful and so eanest, and so thoughtful, and so good, she gave a faint little cy of pleased supise, and just put he affectionate ams Chales Dickens ElecBook Classics fDavid Coppefield ound Agnes’s neck, and laid he innocent cheek against he face. I neve was so happy. I neve was so pleased as when I saw those two sit down togethe, side by side. As when I saw my little daling looking up so natually to those codial eyes. As when I saw the tende, beautiful egad which Agnes cast upon he. Miss Lavinia and Miss Claissa patook, in thei way, of my joy. It was the pleasantest tea-table in the wold. Miss Claissa pesided. I cut and handed the sweet seed-cake—the little sistes had a bid-like fondness fo picking up seeds and pecking at suga; Miss Lavinia looked on with benignant patonage, as if ou happy love wee all he wok; and we wee pefectly contented with ouselves and one anothe. The gentle cheefulness of Agnes went to all thei heats. He quiet inteest in eveything that inteested Doa; he manne of making acquaintance with Jip (who esponded instantly); he pleasant way, when Doa was ashamed to come ove to he usual seat by me; he modest gace and ease, eliciting a cowd of blushing little maks of confidence fom Doa; seemed to make ou cicle quite complete. ‘I am so glad,’ said Doa, afte tea, ‘that you like me. I didn’t think you would; and I want, moe than eve, to be liked, now
