I dare say, no words she could have uttered would have affected me so much, then, as her calling me her child. I hid my tears in the bedclothes, and pressed her from me with my hand, when she would have raised me up.
Then I felt the touch of a hand that I knew was neither hers nor Peggotty's, and slipped to my feet at the bedside. It was Mr. Murdstone's hand, and he kept it on my arm as he said:
"What's this? Clara, my love, have you forgotten? Firmness, my dear!"
"I am very sorry, Edward," said my mother. "I meant to be very good."
"Go below, my dear," he answered. "David and I will come down together."
When we two were left alone, he shut the door, and sitting on a chair, and holding me standing before him, looked steadily into my eyes.
"David," he said, making his lips thin, by pressing them together, "if I have an obstinate horse or dog to deal with, what do you think I do?"
"I don't know."
"I beat him. I make him wince and smart. I say to myself, 'I'll conquer that fellow'; and if it were to cost him all the blood he had, I should do it. What is that upon your face?"
"Dirt," I said.