, could think of anything to say as might bring her to believe
I wasn't greatly hurt: still loving of her, and mourning for her:
anything as might bring her to believe as I was not tired of my life,
and yet was hoping fur to see her without blame, wheer the wicked cease
from troubling and the weary are at rest--anything as would ease her
sorrowful mind, and yet not make her think as I could ever marry, or as
'twas possible that anyone could ever be to me what she was--I should
ask of you to say that--with my prayers for her--that was so dear.'

I pressed his manly hand again, and told him I would charge myself to do
this as well as I could.

'I thankee, sir,' he answered. ''Twas kind of you to meet me. 'Twas kind
of you to bear him company down. Mas'r Davy, I unnerstan' very well,
though my aunt will come to Lon'on afore they sail, and they'll unite
once more, that I am not like to see him agen. I fare to feel sure on't.
We doen't say so, but so 'twill be, and better so. The last you see on
him--the very last--will you give him the lovingest duty and thanks of
the orphan, as he was ever more than a father to?'

This I also promised, faithfully.

'I thankee agen, sir,' he said, heartily shaking hands. 'I know wheer
you're a-going. Good-bye!'

With a slight wave of his hand, as though to explain to me that he could
not enter the old place, he turned away. As I looked after his figure,
crossing the waste in the moonlight, I saw him turn his face towards a
strip of silvery light upon the sea, and pass on, looking at it, until
he was a shadow in the distance.

The door of the boat-house stood open when I approached; and, on
entering, I found it emptied of all its furniture, saving one of the old
lockers, on which Mrs. Gummidge, with a basket on her knee, was seated,
looking at Mr. Peggotty. He leaned his elbow on the rough chimney-piece,
and gazed upon a few expiring embers in the grate; but he raised his
head, hopefully, on my coming in, and spoke in a cheery manner.

'Come, according to promise, to bid farewell to 't, eh, Mas'r Davy?'
he said, taking up the candle. 'Bare enough, now, an't it?' 'Indeed you
have made good use of the time,' said I.

'Why, we have not been idle, sir. Missis Gummidge has worked like a--I
doen't know what Missis Gummidge an't worked like,' said Mr. Peggotty,
looking at her, at a loss for a sufficiently approving simile.

Mrs. Gummidge, leaning on her basket, made no observation.

'The