“What a very unpleasant girl, Traddles!” I remarked.

“Oh, I beg your pardon, Copperfield!” said Traddles. “She is a very charming girl, but she has a great deal of feeling. In fact, they all have. Sophy told me afterwards, that the self-reproach she underwent while she was in attendance upon Sarah, no words could describe. I know it must have been severe, by my own feelings, Copperfield; which were like a criminal’s. After Sarah was restored, we still had to break it to the other eight; and it produced various effects upon them of a most pathetic nature. The two little ones, whom Sophy educates, have only just left off detesting me.”

“At any rate, they are all reconciled to it now, I hope?” said I.

“Ye-yes, I should say they were, on the whole, resigned to it,” said Traddles, doubtfully. “The fact is, we avoid mentioning the subject; and my unsettled prospects and indifferent circumstances are a great consolation to them. There will be a deplorable scene, whenever we are married. It will be much more like a funeral, than a wedding. And they’ll all hate me for taking her away!”