David Copperfield. Charles Dickens

doctor, what’s the news? How is she?’

      ‘The young mother is quite comfortable, madam,’ replied the doctor politely.

      ‘But she, the baby, how is she?’ cried Miss Betsey.

      The doctor looked strangely at Miss Betsey. ‘It’s a boy, madam,’ he replied.

      Miss Betsey said nothing, but walked straight out of the house, and never came back.

      That was how I was born. My early childhood was extremely happy, as my beautiful mother and kind Peggotty took care of me. But when I was about eight, a shadow passed over my happiness. My mother often went out walking, in her best clothes, with a gentleman called Mr Murdstone. He had black hair, a big black moustache and an unpleasant smile, and seemed to be very fond of my mother. But I knew that Peggotty did not like him.