propitiatory or derisive, he fell into step beside me.

‘Uriah!’ said I, as civilly as I could, after a silence.

‘Master Copperfield!’ said Uriah.

‘To tell you the truth (at which you will not be offended), I came Out to walk alone, because I have had so much company.’

He looked at me sideways, and said with his hardest grin, ‘You mean mother.’

‘Why yes, I do,’ said I.

‘Ah! But you know we’re so very umble,’ he returned.

‘And having such a knowledge of our own umbleness, we must really take care that we’re not pushed to the wall by them as isn’t