CHAPTER 6 - I ENLARGE MY CIRCLE OF ACQUAINTANCE

I HAD led this life about a month, when the man with the wooden leg

began to stump about with a mop and a bucket of water, from which

I inferred that preparations were making to receive Mr. Creakle and

the boys. I was not mistaken; for the mop came into the schoolroom

before long, and turned out Mr. Mell and me, who lived where we

could, and got on how we could, for some days, during which we were

always in the way of two or three young women, who had rarely shown

themselves before, and were so continually in the midst of dust

that I sneezed almost as much as if Salem House had been a great

snuff-box.

One day I was informed by Mr. Mell that Mr. Creakle would be home

that evening. In the evening, after tea, I heard that he was come.

Before bedtime, I was fetched by the man with the wooden leg to

appear before him.

Mr. Creakle's part of the house was a good deal more comfortable

than ours, and he had a snug bit of garden that looked pleasant

after the dusty playground, which was such a desert in miniature,

that I thought no one but a camel, or a dromedary, could have felt

at home in it. It seemed to me a bold thing even to take notice

that the passage looked comfortable, as I went on my way,

trembling, to Mr. Creakle's presence: which so abashed me, when I

was ushered into it, that I hardly saw Mrs. Creakle or Miss Creakle

(who were both there, in the parlour), or anything but Mr. Creakle,

a stout gentleman with a bunch of watch-chain and seals, in an

arm-chair, with a tumbler and bottle beside him.

'So!' said Mr. Creakle. 'This is the young gentleman whose teeth

are to be filed! Turn him round.'

The wooden-legged man turned me about so as to exhibit the placard;

and having afforded time for a full survey of it, turned me about

again, with my face to Mr. Creakle, and posted himself at Mr.

Creakle's side. Mr. Creakle's face was fiery, and his eyes were

small, and deep in his head; he had thick veins in his forehead, a

little nose, and a large chin. He was bald on the top of his head;

and had some thin wet-looking hair that was just turning grey,

brushed across each temple, so that the two sides interlaced on his

forehead. But the circumstance about him which impressed me most,

was, that he had no voice, but spoke in a whisper. The exertion

this cost him, or the consciousness of talking in that feeble way,

made his angry face so much more angry, and his thick veins so much

thicker, when he spoke, that I am not surprised, on looking back,

at this peculiarity striking me as his chief one.

'Now,' said Mr. Creakle. 'What's the report of this boy?'

'There's nothing against him yet,' returned the man with the wooden

leg. 'There has been no opportunity.'

I thought Mr. Creakle was disappointed. I thought Mrs. and Miss

Creakle (at whom I now glanced for the first time, and who were,

both, thin and quiet) were not disappointed.

'Come here, sir!' said Mr. Creakle, beckoning to me.

'Come here!' said the man with the wooden leg, repeating the

gesture.

'I have the happiness of knowing your father-in-law,' whispered Mr.

Creakle, taking me by the ear; 'and a worthy man he is, and a man

of a strong character. He knows me, and I know him. Do YOU know

me? Hey?' said Mr. Creakle, pinching my ear with ferocious

playfulness.

'Not yet, sir,' I said, flinching with the pain.

'Not yet? Hey?' repeated Mr. Creakle. 'But you will soon. Hey?'

'You will soon. Hey?' repeated the man with the wooden leg. I

afterwards found that he generally acted, with his strong voice, as

Mr. Creakle's interpreter to the boys.

I was very much frightened, and said, I hoped so, if he pleased.

I felt, all this while, as if my ear were blazing; he pinched it so

hard.

'I'll tell you what I am,' whispered Mr. Creakle, letting it go at

last, with a screw at parting that brought the water into my eyes.

'I'm a Tartar.'

'A Tartar,' said the man with the wooden leg.

'When I say I'll do a thing, I do it,' said Mr. Creakle; 'and when

I say I will have a thing done, I will have it done.'

'- Will have a thing done, I will have it done,' repeated the man

with the wooden leg.

'I am a determined character,' said Mr. Creakle. 'That's what I

am. I do my duty. That's what I do. My flesh and blood' - he

looked at Mrs. Creakle as he said this - 'when it rises against me,

is not my flesh and blood. I discard it. Has that fellow' - to

the man with the wooden leg -'been here again?'

'No,' was the answer.

'No,' said Mr. Creakle. 'He knows better. He knows me. Let him

keep away. I say let him keep away,' said Mr. Creakle, striking

his hand upon the table, and looking at Mrs. Creakle, 'for he knows

me. Now you have begun to know me too, my young friend, and you

may go. Take him away.'

I was very glad to be ordered away, for Mrs. and Miss Creakle were

both wiping their eyes, and I felt as uncomfortable for them as I

did for myself. But I had a petition on my mind which concerned me

so nearly, that I couldn't help saying, though I wondered at my own

courage:

'If you please, sir -'

Mr. Creakle whispered, 'Hah! What's this?' and bent his eyes upon

me, as if he would have burnt me up with them.

'If you please, sir,' I faltered, 'if I might be allowed (I am very

sorry indeed, sir, for what I did) to take this writing off, before

the boys come back -'

Whether Mr. Creakle was in earnest, or whether he only did it to

frighten me, I don't know, but he made a burst out of his chair,

before which I precipitately retreated, without waiting for the

escort Of the man with the wooden leg, and never once stopped until

I reached my own bedroom, where, finding I was not pursued, I went

to bed, as it was time, and lay quaking, for a couple of hours.

Next morning Mr. Sharp came back. Mr. Sharp was the first master,

and superior to Mr. Mell. Mr. Mell took his meals with the boys,

but Mr. Sharp dined and supped at Mr. Creakle's table. He was a

limp, delicate-looking gentleman, I thought, with a good deal of

nose, and a way of carrying his head on one side, as if it were a

little too heavy for him. His hair was very smooth and wavy; but

I was informed by the very first boy who came back that it was a

wig (a second-hand one HE said), and that Mr. Sharp went out every

Saturday afternoon to get it curled.

It was no other than Tommy Traddles who gave me this piece of

intelligence. He was the first boy who returned. He introduced

himself by informing me that I should find his name on the right-

hand corner of the gate, over the top-bolt; upon that I said,

'Traddles?' to which he replied, 'The same,' and then he asked me

for a full account of myself and family.

It was a happy circumstance for me that Traddles came back first.

He enjoyed my placard so much, that he saved me from the

embarrassment of either disclosure or concealment, by presenting me

to every other boy who came back, great or small, immediately on

his arrival, in this form of introduction, 'Look here! Here's a

game!' Happily, too, the greater part of the boys came back

low-spirited, and were not so boisterous at my expense as I had

expected. Some of them certainly did dance about me like wild

Indians, and the greater part could not resist the temptation of

pretending that I was a dog, and patting and soothing me, lest I

should bite, and saying, 'Lie down, sir!' and calling me Towzer.

This was naturally confusing, among so many strangers, and cost me

some tears, but on the whole it was much better than I had

anticipated.

I was not considered as being formally received into the school,

however, until J. Steerforth arrived. Before this boy, who was

reputed to be a great scholar, and was very good-looking, and at

least half-a-dozen years my senior, I was carried as before a

magistrate. He inquired, under a shed in the playground, into the

particulars of my punishment, and was pleased to express his

opinion that it was 'a jolly shame'; for which I became bound to

him ever afterwards.

'What money have you got, Copperfield?' he said, walking aside with

me when he had disposed of my affair in these terms. I told him

seven shillings.

'You had better give it to me to take care of,' he said. 'At

least, you can if you like. You needn't if you don't like.'

I hastened to comply with his friendly suggestion, and opening

Peggotty's purse, turned it upside down into his hand.

'Do you want to spend anything now?' he asked me.

'No thank you,' I replied.

'You can, if you like, you know,' said Steerforth. 'Say the word.'

'No, thank you, sir,' I repeated.

'Perhaps you'd like to spend a couple of shillings or so, in a

bottle of currant wine by and by, up in the bedroom?' said

Steerforth. 'You belong to my bedroom, I find.'

It certainly had not occurred to me before, but I said, Yes, I

should like that.

'Very good,' said Steerforth. 'You'll be glad to spend another

shilling or so, in almond cakes, I dare say?'

I said, Yes, I should like that, too.

'And another shilling or so in biscuits, and another in fruit, eh?'

said Steerforth. 'I say, young Copperfield, you're going it!'

I smiled because he smiled, but I was a little troubled in my mind,

too.

'Well!' said Steerforth. 'We must make it stretch as far as we

can; that's all. I'll do the best in my power for you. I can go

out when I like, and I'll smuggle the prog in.' With these words

he put the money in his pocket, and kindly told me not to make

myself uneasy; he would take care it should be all right.

He was as good as his word, if that were all right which I had a

secret misgiving was nearly all wrong - for I feared it was a waste

of my mother's two half-crowns - though I had preserved the piece

of paper they were wrapped in: which was a precious saving. When

we went upstairs to bed, he produced the whole seven

shillings'worth, and laid it out on my bed in the moonlight,

saying:

'There you are, young Copperfield, and a royal spread you've got.'

I couldn't think of doing the honours of the feast, at my time of

life, while he was by; my hand shook at the very thought of it. I

begged him to do me the favour of presiding; and my request being

seconded by the other boys who were in that room, he acceded to it,

and sat upon my pillow, handing round the viands - with perfect

fairness, I must say - and dispensing the currant wine in a little

glass without a foot, which was his own property. As to me, I sat

on his left hand, and the rest were grouped about us, on the

nearest beds and on the floor.

How well I recollect our sitting there, talking in whispers; or

their talking, and my respectfully listening, I ought rather to

say; the moonlight falling a little way into the room, through the

window, painting a pale window on the floor, and the greater part

of us in shadow, except when Steerforth dipped a match into a

phosphorus-box, when he wanted to look for anything on the board,

and shed a blue glare over us that was gone directly! A certain

mysterious feeling, consequent on the darkness, the secrecy of the

revel, and the whisper in which everything was said, steals over me

again, and I listen to all they tell me with a vague feeling of

solemnity and awe, which makes me glad that they are all so near,

and frightens me (though I feign to laugh) when Traddles pretends

to see a ghost in the corner.

I heard all kinds of things about the school and all belonging to

it. I heard that Mr. Creakle had not preferred his claim to being

a Tartar without reason; that he was the sternest and most severe

of masters; that he laid about him, right and left, every day of

his life, charging in among the boys like a trooper, and slashing

away, unmercifully. That he knew nothing himself, but the art of

slashing, being more ignorant (J. Steerforth said) than the lowest

boy in the school; that he had been, a good many years ago, a small

hop-dealer in the Borough, and had taken to the schooling business

after being bankrupt in hops, and making away with Mrs. Creakle's

money. With a good deal more of that sort, which I wondered how

they knew.

I heard that the man with the wooden leg, whose name was Tungay,

was an obstinate barbarian who had formerly assisted in the hop

business, but had come into the scholastic line with Mr. Creakle,

in consequence, as was supposed among the boys, of his having

broken his leg in Mr. Creakle's service, and having done a deal of

dishonest work for him, and knowing his secrets. I heard that with

the single exception of Mr. Creakle, Tungay considered the whole

establishment, masters and boys, as his natural enemies, and that

the only delight of his life was to be sour and malicious. I heard

that Mr. Creakle had a son, who had not been Tungay's friend, and

who, assisting in the school, had once held some remonstrance with

his father on an occasion when its discipline was very cruelly

exercised, and was supposed, besides, to have protested against his

father's usage of his mother. I heard that Mr. Creakle had turned

him out of doors, in consequence; and that Mrs. and Miss Creakle

had been in a sad way, ever since.

But the greatest wonder that I heard of Mr. Creakle was, there

being one boy in the school on whom he never ventured to lay a

hand, and that boy being J. Steerforth. Steerforth himself

confirmed this when it was stated, and said that he should like to

begin to see him do it. On being asked by a mild boy (not me) how

he would proceed if he did begin to see him do it, he dipped a

match into his phosphorus-box on purpose to shed a glare over his

reply, and said he would commence by knocking him down with a blow

on the forehead from the seven-and-sixpenny ink-bottle that was

always on the mantelpiece. We sat in the dark for some time,

breathless.

I heard that Mr. Sharp and Mr. Mell were both supposed to be

wretchedly paid; and that when there was hot and cold meat for

dinner at Mr. Creakle's table, Mr. Sharp was always expected to say

he preferred cold; which was again corroborated by J. Steerforth,

the only parlour-boarder. I heard that Mr. Sharp's wig didn't fit

him; and that he needn't be so 'bounceable' - somebody else said

'bumptious' - about it, because his own red hair was very plainly

to be seen behind.

I heard that one boy, who was a coal-merchant's son, came as a

set-off against the coal-bill, and was called, on that account,

'Exchange or Barter' - a name selected from the arithmetic book as

expressing this arrangement. I heard that the table beer was a

robbery of parents, and the pudding an imposition. I heard that

Miss Creakle was regarded by the school in general as being in love

with Steerforth; and I am sure, as I sat in the dark, thinking of

his nice voice, and his fine face, and his easy manner, and his

curling hair, I thought it very likely. I heard that Mr. Mell was

not a bad sort of fellow, but hadn't a sixpence to bless himself

with; and that there was no doubt that old Mrs. Mell, his mother,

was as poor as job. I thought of my breakfast then, and what had

sounded like 'My Charley!' but I was, I am glad to remember, as

mute as a mouse about it.

The hearing of all this, and a good deal more, outlasted the

banquet some time. The greater part of the guests had gone to bed

as soon as the eating and drinking were over; and we, who had

remained whispering and listening half-undressed, at last betook

ourselves to bed, too.

'Good night, young Copperfield,' said Steerforth. 'I'll take care

of you.'

'You're very kind,' I gratefully returned. 'I am very much obliged

to you.'

'You haven't got a sister, have you?' said Steerforth, yawning.

'No,' I answered.

'That's a pity,' said Steerforth. 'If you had had one, I should

think she would have been a pretty, timid, little, bright-eyed sort

of girl. I should have liked to know her. Good night, young

Copperfield.'

'Good night, sir,' I replied.

I thought of him very much after I went to bed, and raised myself,

I recollect, to look at him where he lay in the moonlight, with his

handsome face turned up, and his head reclining easily on his arm.

He was a person of great power in my eyes; that was, of course, the

reason of my mind running on him. No veiled future dimly glanced

upon him in the moonbeams. There was no shadowy picture of his

footsteps, in the garden that I dreamed of walking in all night.

Read next: CHAPTER 7 - MY 'FIRST HALF' AT SALEM HOUSE

Read previous: CHAPTER 5 - I AM SENT AWAY FROM HOME

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