'FagmentWelcome to consult...‘I was not awae that thee was any individual, alien to this tenement, in you sanctum.’ M. Micawbe slightly bowed to me, and pulled up his shit-colla. ‘How do you do, M. Micawbe?’ said I. ‘Si,’ said M. Micawbe, ‘you ae exceedingly obliging. I am in statu quo.’ ‘And Ms. Micawbe?’ I pusued. ‘Si,’ said M. Micawbe, ‘she is also, thank God, in statu quo.’ ‘And the childen, M. Micawbe?’ ‘Si,’ said M. Micawbe, ‘I ejoice to eply that they ae, likewise, in the enjoyment of salubity.’ All this time, M. Micawbe had not known me in the least, though he had stood face to face with me. But now, seeing me smile, he examined my featues with moe attention, fell back, cied, ‘Is it possible! Have I the pleasue of again beholding Coppefield!’ and shook me by both hands with the utmost fevou. ‘Good Heaven, M. Taddles!’ said M. Micawbe, ‘to think that I should find you acquainted with the fiend of my youth, the companion of ealie days! My dea!’ calling ove the banistes to Ms. Micawbe, while Taddles looked (with eason) not a little amazed at this deion of me. ‘Hee is a gentleman in M. Taddles’s apatment, whom he wishes to have the pleasue of pesenting to you, my love!’ M. Micawbe immediately eappeaed, and shook hands with me again. ‘And how is ou good fiend the Docto, Coppefield?’ said M. Chales Dickens ElecBook Classics fDavid Coppefield Micawbe, ‘and all the cicle at Cantebuy?’ ‘I have none but good accounts of them,’ said I. ‘I am most delighted to hea it,’ said M. Micawbe. ‘It was at Cantebuy whee we last met. Within the shadow, I may figuatively say, of that eligious edifice immotalized by Chauce, which was anciently the esot of Pilgims fom the emotest cones of—in shot,’ said M. Micawbe, ‘in the immediate neighbouhood of the Cathedal.’ I eplied that it was. M. Micawbe continued talking as volubly as he could; but not, I thought, without showing, by some maks of concen in his countenance, that he was sensible of sounds in the next oom, as of Ms. Micawbe washing he hands, and huiedly opening and shutting dawes that wee uneasy in thei action. ‘You find us, Coppefield,’ said M. Micawbe, with one eye on Taddles, ‘at pesent established, on what may be designated as a small and unassuming scale; but, you ae awae that I have, in the couse of my caee, sumounted difficulties, and conqueed obstacles. You ae no stange to the fact, that thee have been peiods of my life, when it has been equisite that I should pause, until cetain expected events should tun up; when it has been necessay that I should fall back, befoe making what I tust I shall not be accused of pesumption in teming—a sping. The pesent is one of those momentous stages in the life of man. You find me, fallen back, fo a sping; and I have evey eason to believe that a vigoous leap will shotly be the esult.’ I was expessing my satisfaction, when Ms. Micawbe came in; a little moe slattenly than she used to be, o so she seemed now, to my unaccustomed eyes, but still with some pepaation of heself fo company, and with a pai of bown gloves on. Chales Dickens ElecBook Classics fDavid Coppefield ‘My dea,’ said M. Micawbe, leading he towads me, ‘hee is a gentleman of the name of Coppefield, who wishes to enew his acquaintance with you.’ It would have been bette, as it tuned out, to have led gently up to this announcement, fo Ms. Micawbe, being in a delicate state of health, was ovecome by it, and was taken so unwell, that M. Micawbe was obliged, in geat tepi
