? ? ? ? We alighted; and followed the plain coffin to a corner I remember well, where the service was read consigning it to the dust.
? ? ? ? 'Six-and-thirty years ago, this day, my dear,' said my aunt, as we walked back to the chariot, 'I was married. God forgive us all!' We took our seats in silence; and so she sat beside me for a long time, holding my hand. At length she suddenly burst into tears, and said:
? ? ? ? 'He was a fine-looking man when I married him, Trot - and he was sadly changed!'
? ? ? ? It did not last long. After the relief of tears, she soon became composed, and even cheerful. Her nerves were a little shaken, she said, or she would not have given way to it. God forgive us all!
? ? ? ? So we rode back to her little cottage at Highgate, where we found the following short note, which had arrived by that morning's post from Mr. Micawber:
'Canterbury,
'Friday.'My dear Madam, and Copperfield,
? ? ? ? 'The fair land of promise lately looming on the horizon is again enveloped in impenetrable mists, and for ever withdrawn from the eyes of a drifting wretch whose Doom is sealed!
? ? ? ? 'Another writ has been issued (in His Majesty's High Court of King's Bench at Westminster), in another cause of HEEP V.
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