CHAPTER 1. I AM BORN

Rookery?’saidMissBetsey.‘Cookerywouldhavebeenmoretothepurpose,ifyouhadhadanypracticalideasoflife,eitherofyou.’ ‘ThenamewasMr.Copperfield’schoice,’returnedmymother.‘Whenheboughtthehouse,helikedtothinkthattherewererooksaboutit.’ Theeveningwindmadesuchadisturbancejustnow,amongsometalloldelm-treesatthebottomofthegarden,thatneithermymothernorMissBetseycouldforbearglancingthatway.Astheelmsbenttooneanother,likegiantswhowerewhisperingsecrets,andafterafewsecondsofsuchrepose,fellintoaviolentflurry,tossingtheirwildarmsabout,asiftheirlateconfidenceswerereallytoowickedfortheirpeaceofmind,someweatherbeatenraggedoldrooks’-nests,burdeningtheirhigherbranches,swunglikewrecksuponastormysea. ‘Wherearethebirds?’askedMissBetsey. ‘The—?’Mymotherhadbeenthinkingofsomethingelse. ‘Therooks—whathasbecomeofthem?’askedMissBetsey. ‘Therehavenotbeenanysincewehavelivedhere,’saidmymother.‘Wethought—Mr.Copperfieldthought—itwasquitealargerookerybutthenestswereveryoldones,andthebirdshavedesertedthemalongwhile.’ ‘DavidCopperfieldallover!’criedMissBetsey.‘DavidCopperfieldfromheadtofoot!Callsahousearookerywhenthere’snotarooknearit,andtakesthebirdsontrust,becauseheseesthenests!’ ‘Mr.Copperfield,’returnedmymother,‘isdead,andifyoudaretospeakunkindlyofhimtome—’ Mypoordearmother,Isuppose,hadsomemomentaryintentionofcommittinganassaultandbatteryuponmyaunt,whocouldeasilyhavesettledherwithonehand,evenifmymotherhadbeeninfarbettertrainingforsuchanencounterthanshewasthatevening.Butitpassedwiththeactionofrisingfromherchairandshesatdownagainverymeekly,andfainted. Whenshecametoherself,orwhenMissBetseyhadrestoredher,whicheveritwas,shefoundthelatterstandingatthewindow.Thetwilightwasbythistimeshadingdownintodarknessanddimlyastheysaweachother,theycouldnothavedonethatwithouttheaidofthefire. ‘Well?’saidMissBetsey,comingbacktoherchair,asifshehadonlybeentakingacasuallookattheprospect‘andwhendoyouexpect—’ ‘Iamallinatremble,’falteredmymother.‘Idon’tknowwhat’sthematter.Ishalldie,Iamsure!’ ‘No,no,no,’saidMissBetsey.‘Havesometea.’ ‘Ohdearme,dearme,doyouthinkitwilldomeanygood?’criedmymotherinahelplessmanner. ‘Ofcourseitwill,’saidMissBetsey.‘It’snothingbutfancy.Whatdoyoucallyourgirl?’ ‘Idon’tknowthatitwillbeagirl,yet,ma’am,’saidmymotherinnocently. ‘BlesstheBaby!’exclaimedMissBetsey,unconsciouslyquotingthesecondsentimentofthepincushioninthedrawerupstairs,butapplyingittomymotherinsteadofme,‘Idon’tmeanthat.Imeanyourservant-girl.’ ‘Peggotty,’saidmymother. ‘Peggotty!’repeatedMissBetsey,withsomeindignation.‘Doyoumeantosay,child,thatanyhumanbeinghasgoneintoaChristianchurch,andgotherselfnamedPeggotty?’‘It’shersurname,’saidmymother,faintly.‘Mr.Copperfieldcalledherbyit,becauseherChristiannamewasthesameasmine.’ ‘Here!Peggotty!’criedMissBetsey,openingtheparlourdoor.‘Tea.Yourmistressisalittleunwell.Don’tdawdle.’ Havingissuedthismandatewithasmuchpotentialityasifshehadbeenarecognizedauthorityinthehouseeversinceithadbeenahouse,andhavinglookedouttoconfronttheamazedPeggottycomingalongthepassagewithacandleatthesoundofastrangevoice,MissBetseyshutthedooragain,andsatdownasbefore:withherfeetonthefender,theskirtofherdresstuckedup,andherhandsfoldedononeknee. ‘Youwerespeakingaboutitsbeingagirl,’saidMissBetsey.‘Ihavenodoubtitwillbeagirl.Ihaveapresentimentthatitmustbeagirl.Nowchild,fromthemomentofthebirthofthisgirl—’ ‘Perhapsboy,’mymothertookthelibertyofputtingin. ‘ItellyouIhaveapresentimentthatitmustbeagirl,’returnedMissBetsey.‘Don’tcontradict.Fromthemomentofthisgirl’sbirth,child,Iintendtobeherfriend.Iintendtobehergodmother,andIbegyou’llcallherBetseyTrotwoodCopperfield.TheremustbenomistakesinlifewithTHISBetseyTrotwood.TheremustbenotriflingwithHERaffections,poordear.Shemustbewellbroughtup,andwellguardedfromreposinganyfoolishconfidenceswheretheyarenotdeserved.ImustmakethatMYcare.’ TherewasatwitchofMissBetsey’shead,aftereachofthesesentences,asifherownoldwrongswereworkingwithinher,andsherepressedanyplainerreferencetothembystrongconstraint.Somymothersuspected,atleast,assheobservedherbythelowglimmerofthefire:toomuchscaredbyMissBetsey,toouneasyinherself,andtoosubduedandbewilderedaltogether,toobserveanythingveryclearly,ortoknowwhattosay.