Summary Chapter 27




While advising David with regard avoiding the pitfalls of falling in love, Mrs. Crupp mentions the word skittles. This reminds David of Traddles and of their chance encounter at Ely-place, Holborn, where David had promised Traddles to look him up when the time was favorable. Thus the day after Mrs. Crupps’ mention of the word skittles, David makes his way to Traddles’ residence. Alas, as he arrives at Traddles’ residence, David takes note of the surrounding poverty which inexplicably reminds him of Mr. and Mrs. Micawber.

Presently, David witnesses a milkman ostensibly haranguing a servant girl for unpaid bills. The milkman is actually talking through the servant girl to the unseen family within the apartment. Promising that no milk will be delivered tomorrow if the bills are unpaid, the milkman gives the family, for whom the servant girl works, its supply of daily milk before resuming with his rounds. Presently, David accosts the servant girl who confirms that Traddles lives within the building, echoing an anonymous voice. When David asks where exactly in the building, the servant girl answers upstairs, again echoing the anonymous voice.

David goes upstairs, and there he is immediately greeted and welcomed by Traddles. David takes note of Traddles’ squalid apartment which consists of a mere room. Regardless, Traddles is cheerful. Traddles speaks of his workplace in the rosiest light even though it is equally cramped and squalid. Traddles reminisces of their shared, happy childhood as students in Salem House, under Mr. Creakles. Then Traddles discloses the source of his good cheer: He is engaged to be married to a curates’ daughter. Though current financial circumstances would not allow it, Traddles assures David that they—Traddles and the curate’s daughter—will eventually marry no matter how long they will be forced to wait. In the meantime, Traddles assures David that, his poverty notwithstanding, he is getting along just fine. Traddles mentions his friendship with the Micawbers who occupy the apartment downstairs.

The mention of the Micawbers astonishes David. Just as David informs Traddles of his—David’s—longtime friendship with the Micawbers, Mr. Micawber knocks on the door and is welcomed in. It takes a moment for Mr. Micawber to recognize David, but when he does, Mr. Micawber is his old voluble, outgoing self to the extent he invites David over for dinner this very night. Intuition, that the Micawbers are in dire financial straits and that they could ill-afford throwing a dinner party, compels David to make up an excuse and turn down the invitation. To compensate, David has the Micawbers and Traddles promise to come over his—David’s—apartment for dinner at a future date.

When David takes his leave of Traddles, Mr. Micawber accompanies David outside under the pretext of showing David a shorter route home. Indeed, the point of Mr. Micawber’s accompaniment is to inform David, apologetically, of his sad state of financial affairs. But as always, Mr. Micawber is hopeful that things will turn for the better.



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