David's new life1

David's new life1 With Agnes's encouragement I felt much stronger，and no longer depressed ．My life now bad a purpose．I intended to work as hard as I could，to help my aunt and to earn enough money to marry Dora．I got up every morning at five o’clock，walked to Dr Strong's house on the other side of London，worked with him for two hours every morning，and then walked back to Mr Spenlow's office，where I spent most of the day in the lawcourts．Then I returned to Dr Strong's for two or three more hours in the evening，and finally came home to my flat，where my aunt，Peggotty and Mr Dick would be waiting for me．I was glad to be able to tell my aunt that Dr Strong would pay me seventy pounds a year for my work．With that，and the rent from my aunt's house in Kent，we could live quite well，if we were careful．Because I was young and healthy，I did not mind hard work，and whenever I was tired，I told myself，‘You're doing it for Dora！’and that made me work even harder．

When I met Traddles one day near the courts，I told him about my new situation，and he was very sympathetic．

‘But I have news for you too，Copperfield！’he said．‘The Micawbers are moving to Canterbury．’

‘Oh！That means something must have turned up for them！’I replied，interested．

‘Yes，Mr Micawber is going to become assistant to someone called Uriah Heep ，a partner in a firm of Canterbury lawyers．’

‘Heep！’I cried in horror．‘I know him！Why would Mr Micawber want to work for him？’

‘Well，I do know that Heep has paid all Mr Micawber's debts in London，’answered Traddles．‘The whole family is leaving tomorrow．They asked me to tell you．’

I wondered why Heep wanted Micawber to work for him，and I felt sure Uriah had some evil plan in his ugly head．

The next day Peggotty was returning to Yarmouth to look after Ham ，while Daniel was away．After I had taken her to the coach station and said goodbye to her，I hurried to Miss Mills's house．I had not yet told Dora about the changes in my life，because I had not wanted to explain it all in a letter，but today she was visiting Julia Mills and was expecting me to come to tea．

How happy and heautiful Dora looked when she met me in the sitting-room！And how shocked and miserable she looked when I asked her immediately，‘Can you love a beggar，Dora？’My pretty little Dora！She had no idea what I meant．

‘Don't be silly，David！’she cried．‘What are you talking about？’

‘It's true，Dora，my love！’I cried．‘I've lost all my money！I'm a beggar！’And I looked so serious that Dora was frightened，and began to sob bitterly on my shoulder．

‘But I love you，Dora，and always will！’I continued．‘It doesn't matter if we are poor，because I'll work hard to buy our bread．We don't need much as long as we have each other！Tell me your heart is still mine，dear Dora！’

‘Oh yes！’she cried．‘Oh yes，it's all yours！Only，don't frighten me again！Don't talk of hard work and bread！I don't understand！I hardly ever eat bread！’

I loved her more than ever．But I felt she was not very practical．In a few moments，when she had stopped crying and was calmer，I tried again to make her understand．

‘My dearest！May I mention something？’

‘Oh，please don't be practical！begged Dora，tears coming to her lovely eyes．‘It frightens me so much！’

‘My dear one，if we work together，and share our problems，it will make us，and our love，stronger．

‘But I'm not strong at all！’she cried miserably．‘Ask Julia！She'll tell you—I'm weak，and foolish！’

‘But if you thought sometimes，my sweet Dora ，that you are engaged to a poor man—if you tried to see how your father manages the servants，or how much food costs in the markets，it would be helpful to us．We must be brave ，dear Dora！Our path in life is steep and rocky—’