[Vwoolf] Another Daisy

[Jeremy Hawthorn]

I woke up in the middle of the night recalling another, strange, Daisy. It is the nickname that Steerforth bestows on David Copperfield in Dickens's novel.

'My dear young Davy,' he [Steerforth] said, clapping me on the shoulder again, 'you are a very Daisy. The daisy of the field, at sunrise, is not fresher than you are.'

When the evening was pretty far spent, and a tray of glasses and decanters came in, Steerforth promised, over the fire, that he would seriously think of going down into the country with me. There was no hurry, he said; a week hence would do; and his mother hospitably said the same. While we were talking, he more than once called me Daisy; which brought Miss Dartle out again.
               'But really, Mr. Copperfield,' she asked, 'is it a nickname? And why does he give it you? Is it - eh? - because he thinks you young and innocent? I am so stupid in these things.'
               I coloured in replying that I believed it was.

As a million examination questions have it: "Discuss."

Jeremy H

Jeremy Hawthorn
Professor Emeritus
NTNU
7491 Trondheim
Norway

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