«
    »I believe not directly,« he returned.
    »Why, you know not,« said Mr. Creakle. »Don't you, man?«
    »I apprehend you never supposed my worldly circumstances to be very good,«
replied the assistant. »You know what my position is, and always has been here.«
    »I apprehend, if you come to that,« said Mr. Creakle, with his veins
swelling again bigger than ever, »that you've been in a wrong position
altogether, and mistook this for a charity school. Mr. Mell, we'll part, if you
please. The sooner the better.«
    »There is no time,« answered Mr. Mell, rising, »like the present.«
    »Sir, to you!« said Mr. Creakle.
    »I take my leave of you, Mr. Creakle, and all of you,« said Mr. Mell,
glancing round the room, and again patting me gently on the shoulder. »James
Steerforth, the best wish I can leave you is that you may come to be ashamed of
what you have done to-day. At present I would prefer to see you anything rather
than a friend, to me, or to any one in whom I feel an interest.«
    Once more he laid his hand upon my shoulder; and then taking his flute and a
few books from his desk, and leaving the key in it for his successor, he went
out of the school, with his property under his arm. Mr. Creakle then made a
speech, through Tungay, in which he thanked Steerforth for asserting (though
perhaps too warmly) the independence and respectability of Salem House; and
which he wound up by shaking hands with Steerforth, while we gave three cheers -
I did not quite know what for, but I supposed for Steerforth, and so joined in
them ardently, though I felt miserable. Mr. Creakle then caned Tommy Traddles
for being discovered in tears, instead of cheers, on account of Mr. Mell's
departure; and went back to his sofa, or his bed, or wherever he had come from.
    We were left to ourselves now, and looked very blank, I recollect, on one
another. For myself, I felt so much self-reproach and contrition for my part in
what had happened, that nothing would have enabled me to keep back my tears but
the fear that Steerforth, who often looked at me, I saw, might think it
unfriendly - or, I should rather say
