Then I won't see you and mother very often！

Then I won't see you and mother very often！ ‘You must be very careful today， David,’ he said with his unpleasant smile， holding the stick in both hands． I knew what would happen then. A terrible fear took hold of me， and all that I had learnt disappeared immediately from my memory， so that I could not answer any of my mother's questions. Mr Murdstone got up from his chair. ‘Well David，’he said heavily,‘ I think you've worried your mother enough today. We'll go upstairs， boy. Come，’and he picked up the stick. I heard my mother crying as we went upstairs. ‘Please，Mr Murdstone！’I cried.

‘Don't beat me！I've tried to learn，really I have, sir！’ But he did not listen to me. In my bedroom，he held my arms and started hitting me with the stick. I managed to get hold of his hand， and bit deep into it. He cried out angrily，and began to hit me as hard as he could．Above the noise of my screams， I could hear my mother and Peggotty crying outside the door. Then the next moment， he was gone. I heard him lock the door. And I was lying， sore and bleeding, on the floor. The whole house seemed suddenly very quiet. I stayed there for a time， without moving. In the evening Miss Murdstone brought me some bread and milk， which she left on the floor beside me，frowning angrily at me as she went out. I was kept locked in that room for five days and nights，and saw nobody except Miss Murdstone， who brought me food but never spoke to me. To a small boy， the five days seemed like years，and I can still remember how frightened and guilty I felt． But during the fifth night I heard a strange noise at the key-hole. It was Peggotty，trying to give me a message．

‘Master David，my dear，’she whispered, sobbing，‘they are going to send you away to boarding school！ Tomorrow！’ ‘Oh Peggotty！’ I cried.‘Then I won't see you and mother very often！’ ‘No， my love. But don't forget， I'll take care of your mother. She needs her cross old Peggotty！ I'll stay with her，although I hate these Murdstones. And remember，David, I love you as much as I love your mother，and more. And I'll Write to you.’ ‘Thank you，dear Peggotty！’I whispered back, tears rolling down my face.‘Will you write to your brother too，and Ham，and little qingxuyang Emily, and tell them I'm not as bad as the Murdstones think？ And send my love to them，especially little Emily？’ Peggotty promised to do what I asked.