“As you didn’t understand me, Master Copperfield,” resumed Uriah in the same officious manner, “I may take the liberty of ’umbly mentioning, being among friends, that I have called Doctor Strong’s attention to the goings-on of Mrs. Strong. It’s much against the grain with me, I assure you, Copperfield, to be concerned in anything so unpleasant; but really, as it is, we’re all mixing ourselves up with what oughtn’t to be. That was what my meaning was, sir, when you didn’t understand me.” I wonder now, when I recall his leer, that I did not collar him, and try to shake the breath out of his body.

“I dare say I didn’t make myself very clear,” he went on, “nor you neither. Naturally, we was both of us inclined to give such a subject a wide berth. Hows’ever, at last I have made up my mind to speak plain; and I have mentioned to Doctor Strong that⁠—did you speak, sir?”

This was to the Doctor, who had moaned. The sound might have touched any heart, I thought, but it had no effect upon Uriah’s.