I had never been brought up to any profession, and at first I was at a loss what to do for myself. However, I began, with the assistance of the son of a professional man, who had been to Salem House — Yawler, with his nose on one side. Do you recollect him?’

No. He had not been there with me; all the noses were straight in my day.

‘It don’t matter,’ said Traddles. ‘I began, by means of his assistance, to copy law writings.

That didn’t answer very well; and then I began to state cases for them, and make abstracts, and that sort of work. For I am a plodding kind of fellow, Copperfield, and had learnt the way of doing such things pithily. Well! That put it in my head to enter myself as a law student; and that ran