There were three or four of us, counting me.My working place was established in a corner of the warehouse,where Mr. Quinion could see me,when he chose to stand up on the bottom rail of his stool in the counting-house, and look at me through a window above the desk. Hither, on the first morning of my so auspiciously beginning life on my own account, the oldest of the regular boys was summoned to show me my business. His name was Mick Walker, and he wore a ragged apron and a paper cap. He informed me that his father was a bargeman, and walked, in a black velvet head-dress, in the Lord Mayor’s Show. He also informed me that our principal associate would be another boy whom he introduced by the--to me--extraordinary name of Mealy Potatoes. I discovered, however, that this youth had not been christened by that name, but that it had been bestowed upon him in the warehouse, on account of his complexion, which was pale or mealy. Mealy’s father was a waterman, who had the additional distinction of being a fireman, and was engaged as such at one of the large theatres; where some young relation of Mealy’s--I think his little sister--did Imps in the Pantomimes.
No words can express the secret agony of my soul as I sunk into this companionship; compared these henceforth everyday associates with those of my happier childhood--not to say with Steerforth, Traddles, and the rest of those boys; and felt my hopes of growing up to be a learned and distinguished man, crushed in my bosom. The deep remembrance of the sense I had, of being utterly without hope now; of the shame I felt in my position; of the misery it was to my young heart to believe that day by day what I had learned, and thought, and delighted in, and raised my fancy and my emulation up by, would pass away from me, little by little, never to be brought back any more; cannot be written. As often as Mick Walker went away in the course of that forenoon, I mingled my tears with the water in which I was washing the bottles; and sobbed as if there were a flaw in my own breast, and it were in danger of bursting.
The counting-house clock was at half past twelve,and there was general preparation for going to dinner,when Mr. Quinion tapped at the counting-house window,and beckoned to me to go in. I went in,and found there a stoutish, middle-aged person,in a brown surtout and black tights and shoes,with no more hair upon his head (which was a large one,and very shining) than there is upon an egg,and with a very extensive face,which he turned full upon me. His clothes were shabby,but he had an imposing shirt-collar on.He carried a jaunty sort of a stick,with a large pair of rusty tassels to it;and a quizzing-glass hung outside his coat,--for ornament, I afterwards found,as he very seldom looked through it,and couldn’t see anything when he did.
‘This,’ said Mr. Quinion, in allusion to myself, ‘is he. ’
‘This,’ said the stranger,with a certain condescending roll in his voice,and a certain indescribable air of doing something genteel,which impressed me very much, ‘is Master Copperfield.I hope I see you well, sir?’
I said I was very well, and hoped he was.I was sufficiently ill at ease, Heaven knows;but it was not in my nature to complain much at that time of my life,so I said I was very well, and hoped he was.
‘I am,’ said the stranger, ‘thank Heaven, quite well.I have received a letter from Mr. Murdstone,in which he mentions that he would desire me to receive into an apartment in the rear of my house, which is at present unoccupied--and is, in short, to be let as a--in short,’ said the stranger, with a smile and in a burst of confidence, ‘as a bedroom--the young beginner whom I have now the pleasure to--’ and the stranger waved his hand, and settled his chin in his shirt-collar.
‘This is Mr. Micawber,’ said Mr. Quinion to me.
‘Ahem!’ said the stranger, ‘that is my name.’
‘Mr. Micawber,’ said Mr. Quinion, ‘is known to Mr.Murdstone. He takes orders for us on commission,when he can get any. He has been written to by Mr.Murdstone, on the subject of your lodgings,and he will receive you as a lodger.’
‘My address,’ said Mr. Micawber, ‘is Windsor Terrace,City Road. I--in short,’ said Mr. Micawber,with the same genteel air,and in another burst of confidence--‘I live there.’
I made him a bow.
‘Under the impression,’ said Mr. Micawber,‘that your peregrinations in this metropolis have not as yet been extensive,and that you might have some difficulty in penetrating the arcana of the Modern Babylon in the direction of the City Road,--in short,’ said Mr. Micawber, in another burst of confidence, ‘that you might lose yourself--I shall be happy to call this evening, and install you in the knowledge of the nearest way.’
I thanked him with all my heart,for it was friendly in him to offer to take that trouble.
‘At what hour,’ said Mr. Micawber, ‘shall I--’
‘At about eight,’ said Mr. Quinion.
‘At about eight,’ said Mr. Micawber.‘I beg to wish you good day, Mr. Quinion.I will intrude no longer.’
So he put on his hat,and went out with his cane under his arm: very upright,and humming a tune when he was clear of the counting-house.
Mr. Quinion then formally engaged me to be as useful as I could in the warehouse of Murdstone and Grinby, at a salary, I think, of six shillings a week. I am not clear whether it was six or seven. I am inclined to believe, from my uncertainty on this head, that it was six at first and seven afterwards. He paid me a week down (from his own pocket, I believe), and I gave Mealy sixpence out of it to get my trunk carried to Windsor Terrace that night: it being too heavy for my strength, small as it was. I paid sixpence more for my dinner, which was a meat pie and a turn at a neighbouring pump; and passed the hour which was allowed for that meal, in walking about the streets.
At the appointed time in the evening, Mr.Micawber reappeared. I washed my hands and face,to do the greater honour to his gentility,and we walked to our house,as I suppose I must now call it, together; Mr.Micawber impressing the name of streets,and the shapes of corner houses upon me,as we went along, that I might find my way back,easily, in the morning.
Arrived at this house in Windsor Terrace (which I noticed was shabby like himself, but also, like himself, made all the show it could), he presented me to Mrs. Micawber, a thin and faded lady, not at all young, who was sitting in the parlour (the first floor was altogether unfurnished, and the blinds were kept down to delude the neighbours), with a baby at her breast. This baby was one of twins; and I may remark here that I hardly ever, in all my experience of the family, saw both the twins detached from Mrs. Micawber at the same time. One of them was always taking refreshment.
There were two other children; Master Micawber,aged about four, and Miss Micawber, aged about three.These, and a dark-complexioned young woman,with a habit of snorting,who was servant to the family, and informed me,before half an hour had expired,that she was ‘a Orfling’, and came from St.Luke’s workhouse, in the neighbourhood,completed the establishment.My room was at the top of the house, at the back:a close chamber; stencilled all over with an ornament which my young imagination represented as a blue muffin; and very scantily furnished.
‘I never thought,’ said Mrs. Micawber, when she came up,twin and all, to show me the apartment,and sat down to take breath, ‘before I was married,when I lived with papa and mama,that I should ever find it necessary to take a lodger.But Mr. Micawber being in difficulties,all considerations of private feeling must give way.’
I said: ‘Yes, ma’am.’