? ? ? ? Mr. Spenlow, who, I suppose, had been surprised to see us recognize each other, then put in his word.
? ? ? ? 'I am glad to find,' he said, 'Copperfield, that you and Miss Murdstone are already acquainted.'
? ? ? ? 'Mr. Copperfield and myself,' said Miss Murdstone, with severe composure, 'are connexions. We were once slightly acquainted. It was in his childish days. Circumstances have separated us since. I should not have known him.'
? ? ? ? I replied that I should have known her, anywhere. Which was true enough.
? ? ? ? 'Miss Murdstone has had the goodness,' said Mr. Spenlow to me, 'to accept the office - if I may so describe it - of my daughter Dora's confidential friend. My daughter Dora having, unhappily, no mother, Miss Murdstone is obliging enough to become her companion and protector.'
? ? ? ? A passing thought occurred to me that Miss Murdstone, like the pocket instrument called a life-preserver, was not so much designed for purposes of protection as of assault. But as I had none but passing thoughts for any subject save Dora, I glanced at her, directly afterwards, and was thinking that I saw, in her prettily pettish manner, that she was not very much inclined to be particularly confidential to her companion and protector, when a bell rang, which Mr.
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