dear wee kara jumped at the chance for steerforth/copperfield, but then realized that i like that pairing. so this is what she ended up getting, poor girl.
I was not a cowardly child, for there had heretofore been in my existence no reason for such vice to take root in my person; Peggoty would not have seen it so, and my dear mother referred to me as her strong, brave boy with such affection and assurance that had I even felt cause for fear or apprehension, the desire to present to her always a face of sturdy dependability would have quite exhumed such infirmities before they developed.
However, when Mr. Murdstone once more carried me away to my bedroom, locked the door and turned to me with such stormy countenance as to frighten even the most stern of souls, I could not help but feel my resolve quake and quiver at the sight of the long, cruel switch in his hand.
"One would suppose," he intoned blackly, "that one such punishment would be enough for a boy. One would further suppose that such a boy would feel repentant for such grief as he has caused his gentle mother."
His words struck me to the very bone, for I did suffer paroxysms of agony thinking of my sweet mother left to only the comforts of Miss Murdstone, her iron eye and her steel pin words. But there was still something of the unyielding bent to my childish nature, and I confessed nothing of the sort to Murdstone, who raised his fine eyebrows and set his waxen, white jaw.
"Very well," he said. "We shall see how best to deal with a willful and ungrateful child. Kneel against the bed there, sirrah."
I knew what was to come next, and even still felt the smart of his previous punishment, sore and raw beneath my clothes, but the sting of the first blow nontheless made the tears spring afresh to my eyes and made a cry of despair quite fly from my body. Murdstone paused and I heard him take a sharp intake of breath; had I not been fully focused on the pain of the initial stripe, I should have realized that this short inhalation was for this phlegmatic gentleman a veritably florid display of passion.
"Come, Copperfield," he breathed, "let us see what it is your mother dotes on so." He raised the switch again.
