er's the very locker that you used to sit on, 'long with Em'ly!'
said Mr. Peggotty, in a whisper. 'I'm a-going to carry it away with me,
last of all. And heer's your old little bedroom, see, Mas'r Davy! A'most
as bleak tonight, as 'art could wish!'

In truth, the wind, though it was low, had a solemn sound, and crept
around the deserted house with a whispered wailing that was very
mournful. Everything was gone, down to the little mirror with the
oyster-shell frame. I thought of myself, lying here, when that first
great change was being wrought at home. I thought of the blue-eyed child
who had enchanted me. I thought of Steerforth: and a foolish, fearful
fancy came upon me of his being near at hand, and liable to be met at
any turn.

''Tis like to be long,' said Mr. Peggotty, in a low voice, 'afore
the boat finds new tenants. They look upon 't, down beer, as being
unfortunate now!'

'Does it belong to anybody in the neighbourhood?' I asked.

'To a mast-maker up town,' said Mr. Peggotty. 'I'm a-going to give the
key to him tonight.'

We looked into the other little room, and came back to Mrs. Gummidge,
sitting on the locker, whom Mr. Peggotty, putting the light on the
chimney-piece, requested to rise, that he might carry it outside the
door before extinguishing the candle.

'Dan'l,' said Mrs. Gummidge, suddenly deserting her basket, and clinging
to his arm 'my dear Dan'l, the parting words I speak in this house is, I
mustn't be left behind. Doen't ye think of leaving me behind, Dan'l! Oh,
doen't ye ever do it!'

Mr. Peggotty, taken aback, looked from Mrs. Gummidge to me, and from me
to Mrs. Gummidge, as if he had been awakened from a sleep.

'Doen't ye, dearest Dan'l, doen't ye!' cried Mrs. Gummidge, fervently.
'Take me 'long with you, Dan'l, take me 'long with you and Em'ly! I'll
be your servant, constant and trew. If there's slaves in them parts
where you're a-going, I'll be bound to you for one, and happy, but
doen't ye leave me behind, Dan'l, that's a deary dear!'

'My good soul,' said Mr. Peggotty, shaking his head, 'you doen't know
what a long voyage, and what a hard life 'tis!' 'Yes, I do, Dan'l! I can
guess!' cried Mrs. Gummidge. 'But my parting words under this roof is,
I shall go into the house and die, if I am not took. I can dig, Dan'l.
I can work. I can live hard. I can be loving and patient now--more than
you think, Dan'l, if you'll on'y try me. I wouldn't touch the 'lowance,
not if I was dying of