CHAPTER 4.
I FALL INTO DISGRACE
I went up to my old empty room and laying down near the window, and I admit in tears until a fell to sleep. I was awoken by a voice
‘Here he is!’ and uncovering my hot head. My mother and Peggotty had come to look for me, and it was one of them who had done it.
I was unable to hide my distress, but it was Peggotty whom my mother appeared to blame for my behaviour.
Suddenly my new father Mr Murdstone appeared and seem to take control, warning my mother that she was not being firm enough, she laid he head on his shoulder and I knew from that moment that he had full control of her.
He ordered my mother down and then Peggotty and now I was alone with him
‘David,’ he said, making his lips thin, by pressing them together, ‘if I have an obstinate horse or dog to deal with, what do you think I do'’
‘I don’t know.’
‘I beat him.’
He ordered me to wash my face and we went down and I could see from the look in my mother’s eye that she cared but that there was nothing she could do.
We three dined later that evening, It appeared that he was fond of my mother and she of him, but I still disliked him. It appeared that he had a business interest in a wind firm in the city. I was also told that his sister, who also had an interest in the firm, was to come and stay with us later that evening.
When the carriage arrive he went out ahead of us, my mother behind him secretly held my hand which was a great comfort to me.
She was a very dark unpleasant woman who did not like me and I her. It appeared that she resented my mother and seemed to want to take charge of everything and it certainly looked like she was here to stay.
The first thing she said to my mother the next morning was: ‘Now, Clara, my dear, I am come here, you know, to relieve you of all the trouble I can. You’re much too pretty and thoughtless’—my mother blushed but laughed, and seemed not to dislike this character—‘to have any duties imposed upon you that can be undertaken by me. If you’ll be so good as give me your keys, my dear, I’ll attend to all this sort of thing in future.’
It was soon evident that this new arrangement upset my mother a great deal but there was little she could do about it.
Jane Murdstone became angry at this point and threatened to leave, my mother kept apologising - just who was going to give in'
The next morning as I went pass the parlour I heard my mother apologising and asking Miss Murdsone for her forgiveness which was granted.
I was no happier either when we went to church, it seemed very unpleasant to have Miss Murdstone sitting next to me instead of my mother.
Mr Murdstone insists on my having homeschool lessons and takes on the roll of my teacher with the aid of Miss Murdstone. I am afraid that I do not like the lessons which I think he tries to make far too hard for me. This went on for months and months and made me miserable.
During this period the only comfort I had was from reading some of the books my father had left me, great books I thought with titles such as Tom Jones, the Vicar of Wakefield, Don Quixote, Gil Blas, and Robinson Crusoe.
One awful homeschool day he appeared to be especially stern and had in his hand a cane. Not satisfied with me he took up upstairs to my room, and I pleaded with him not to hurt me but as prepared to cane me I bit his hand and caused such a noise that my mother and Miss Murdstone came running up, but he closed the door locking it, leaving me on the floor.
No one came, it was getting dark and I lay on my bed in much fear that I had committed some criminal act.
The next five days were the same, Miss Murstone would come and bring me food and order once a day out into the garden to walk about for one hour and then I was sent back to my room and the door locked.
I say my mother from a distance but she appeared not to look at me, Mr Murstone had his wrapped in a linen wrapper.
It was the evening of the 5th day when I heard someone whisper my name - It was Peggotty through the keyhole, we whispered to each other and she told me that tomorrow I was to be sent to a school near London. She was upset and said she would care for my mother and write to me and tell all at Yarmouth all that had happened.
The next morning Miss Murdstone told me about the school andI was sent down to breakfast. My mother was there with red eyes and told me she forgave me. There was the noise of the cart outside, Miss Murdstone ordered the carrier to take my box out. My mother held me but was told by Miss Murdstone to stop.
‘Clara!’ Miss Murdstone repeated.
Miss Murdstone was good enough to take me out to the cart, and to say on the way that she hoped I would repent, before I came to a bad end; and then I got into the cart, and the lazy horse walked off with it.
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Chapter 5
I Am Sent Away from Home
We had not been on the road very long before the driver stopped and into the cart flew Peggotty, saying not a word hugging me and giving me gifts of cash and cakes. She disappeared as quickly as she had appeared.
The purse contain silver coins and a note from my mother ‘For Davy. With my love.’ and soon more tears flowed from my already red eyes.
The carrier, whose name was Barkis,* told me after my enquiry that he was taking me to Yarmouth where I was to catch a stage coach for the rest of the way.
To my surprise Mr Barkis started to ask me all sorts of questions about Peggotty especially about her cooking and then gave me a special message - I was to write to her and say “Barkis is Willing*!” and when we arrived and I was waiting for the cart I wrote a note which contain that phrase.
I then fell asleep in the cart and when I woke up the coach was there but no horses as yet and a lady from the Inn asked if I wanted some food (it had been ordered by Mr Murdstone)
The waiter was most kind, when he brought me the 1/2 pint ale he was very helpful in telling me about the man who suddenly died yesterday after drinking it and suggested that he should try it first just in case. Afterwards he also suggested that he share in my chops as they were know to help in case the ale was off.
The situation was even stranger to me when we set off for the passengers seemed to think I was very rich or a great eater or something.
We had set off about 3.00 in the afternoon and expected to get to London about 8.00 the next morning. I did not enjoy my fellow passengers very much but did my best to look out when I could to see and imagine what was happening in houses as we past.
As the sun rose so did some of the passengers and I could see with excitement the city of London getting closer until we arrived at our destination an in Called the Blue ‘something’ - I cannot remember it’s name.
However I was alarmed when the guard called to ask if there was something there to pick me up for no one appeared to be waiting for me.
I waited for some hours getting more and more anxious, perhaps I was sent there to die' where should I go if no one came for me'
However eventually someone arrived and took charge of me, he was a young man dressed untidily in black
We set off then turned back when I remembered my box, it was arranged for someone to pick it up at noon
The man told me he was the master of Salem House which over awed me. Then, after I told him I had had nothing to eat and could I buy something, suggested before we catch the coach to called at someone he knew first.
The Lady lived in a poor neighborhood, and helped with cooking my egg and bacon and a glass of milk which I had bought.
There is also another old lady there who asks the Master if he has his flute and if so would he play it, he got it out and did so but I thought it sounded awful. Cannot remember if I ate all my breakfast for I eventually fell to sleep.
I eventually woke or was woken for we had not to leave to find the coach. Once again I dozed and slept until we reached our destination.
We had another short walk until we arrived at Salem House where a man let us in
We past the old man house who had let us in who threw some boots at my master (Mr Mell) they were very old and had been repaired.
We arrived at the schoolhouse but it was deserted, I then found out from Mr Mell that the boys were all away on holidays and I was sent at that time as punishment.
Mr Mell went away with his old boots and I looked up and down and found a placard which read
TAKE CARE OF HIM. HE BITES.
I found out shortly that the placard was made for me and not for a dog which I first thought and I had to wear it on my back.
I did what I was told and wore it even though there were no other boys around, the various tradesmen, servants, bakers etc who came and went though must have read it.
I got to know the names of some of the boys of the school and dreaded when they returned to wonder what they would think of me 'Take care of him. He bites!'
The only company I had at this time was Mr Mell and we spend much time in the classroom, he with his pens paper and ink writing things, he would talk to himself sometimes, and grin, and clench his fist, and grind his teeth, and pull his hair in an unaccountable manner. But he had these peculiarities: and at first they frightened me, though I soon got used to them
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