Reminder

Ran into the friend that always asks me how "David Copperfield is going."  (When the conversation started, in 2012, I was reading "Great Expectations," I think.)  Re-read a bit on the bus, where Peggotty and David help Traddles buy back his belongings, and when David and P arrive back at the lodgings they find Aunt Betsey and Dick in the room, with Mrs. Crupp making them tea, all their belongings at there feet.  When Mrs. Crupp is finally dismissed (Betsey calling out her false servitude "a time-server and wealth-worshipper"), we learn that Betsey is "ruined."  She has only what is with her, and has left Janet to let out the house.  We don't know why.  The chapter ends with her words to Trot (David), "we must learn to act the play out.  We must live misfortune down, Trot."

Later, we learn that Peggotty (now known as Barkis, since Betsey detests the name of "Peggotty") offered her money, and Betsey tries to hide how moved she is by this.  She declined.  She knows about both the fate of Em'ly and that David loves Dora.

David lies in bed all night tortured by his new found circumstances, he can't possibly court or marry Dora with no living.  He decides to explain his cause to Mr. Spenlow the next morning, to be released from his articles (he doesn't get paid) so that he can work for money.  Mr. Spenlow refuses, saying that Mr. Jenkins would object.  David goes to see Jenkins, who refuses and runs out on the pretense of another appointment, not to return for three more days.  David leaves without an out.

A carriage pulls up to him as he walks home.  It's Agnes. ("She was like Hope embodied to me.")  Her father and Uriah had become partners and were also in town.  Agnes was there to visit Betsey.  Uriah and his mother have moved into the home with Agnes and her father.  He comes between them, she can't watch over her father as she would like. ("if any fraud or treachery is practising against him, I hope that simply love and truth will be stronger in the end.  I hope that real love and truth are stronger in the end than any evil or misfortune in the world.")  They go to Betsey.  She, in her way, tells them that she lost all of her money in bad investments.  After all this, Agnes offers David a job as secretary to Dr. Strong.

Later still, Mr. Wickfield and Uriah stop by the lodgings.  David is struck by the power shift between the two, how Uriah holds the power and Wickfield subservient to him, a degrading spectacle.  Uriah the devil, and Agnes the angel.