David Copperfield

David once again skims over several years, jumping ahead to his twenty-first birthday (the legal age of adulthood at the time). By this point, David has not only learned shorthand but also become modestly successful as a parliamentary reporter. He has also begun to publish a few works of fiction in magazines, further supplementing his income. Traddles, meanwhile, has qualified as a lawyer and is now earning money himself.

David and Miss Betsey have moved out of his apartment and into a cottage, but Miss Betsey herself will soon be moving again to make room for Dora, whom David is finally marrying. In the meantime, Miss Lavinia works to assemble a wardrobe for Dora, while Miss Clarissa and Miss Betsey find furniture for the couple to look at and approve. Dora, however, sometimes buys less practical furnishings instead, including a "Chinese dog house" for Jip. Peggotty is also hard at work on David and Dora's behalf, cleaning the cottage and everything in it.

David no longer spends much time at Doctors' Commons, but Traddles does visit him there on the day he goes to obtain a marriage license. David can hardly believe he is about to be married, and tells Traddles he hopes that next time they will be coming for Traddles' license. Traddles hopes the same, but says it is comforting to know Sophy will wait for him indefinitely. In any case, he says, he is almost as happy as if he were marrying himself, particularly since Sophy is taking part in the ceremony as a bridesmaid. That evening, Sophy and Agnes (who is also a bridesmaid) arrive at Miss Lavinia's and Miss Clarissa's home. Traddles proudly introduces Sophy to David, who describes her as "not absolutely beautiful" but extremely friendly and kind-looking.

David's state of dazed happiness continues into the next day, when he and his friends visit the cottage he and Dora will live in. He finds himself "unable to regard [him]self as its master," although it has already been furnished with everything from Dora's guitar to Jip's dog house.

That evening before dinner, Miss Lavinia privately brings Dora to see David in the dress she'll be wearing for the wedding. Dora asks David whether the dress is pretty, and whether he is "sure" about Dora herself, and Miss Lavinia has to stop the couple from embracing to prevent her bonnet from being crushed.

The next morning, David wakes up (still in a state of disbelief) and goes to collect Miss Betsey. Peggotty and Mr. Dick are also attending the wedding; in fact, Mr. Dick is giving Dora away. David also meets Traddles along the way, and everyone takes a carriage to church for the "fairy marriage." Just before they arrive, Miss Betsey squeezes David's hand and kisses him, saying she loves him like her own son, and that she can't help but think of Clara Copperfield on this occasion. David says that he is also thinking about his mother, along with everything Miss Betsey herself has done for him. Miss Betsey brushes this off, and they all enter the church.

David explains that he has only< scattered and dreamlike impressions of the ceremony. He notices Dora entering, as well as various other people in the church, including "disagreeable" looking pew-openers and an "ancient mariner […] strongly flavoring the church with rum." At some point, Miss Lavinia begins crying and has to be revived by Miss Clarissa. David also sees Miss Betsey crying, despite her attempts to look "stern." Dora, meanwhile, is trembling throughout the ceremony and clinging to Agnes's hand for support; when the wedding is over, she finally bursts into tears on her father's account, though she quickly cheers up as everyone signs the register.

The aftermath of the wedding is similarly hazy to David. As he and Dora walk out of the church together, he is vaguely reminded of his childhood in Blunderstone. Everyone is very cheerful on the ride back, and Sophy jokes that she is surprised Traddles didn't lose the marriage license David entrusted him with. A breakfast follows, but David can't remember what he ate, or what he said in the speech he gave.

Eventually, Dora goes to change out of her wedding dress and the couple prepares to leave—delayed by the fact that Dora keeps forgetting things. Finally, Dora says her goodbyes to her aunts and leaves with David, carrying Jip to reassure him that she still loves him. Just before she and David get in the carriage, Dora runs back to say one more goodbye to Agnes. She and David then leave for their new home, and David finally believes he is really married as Dora asks one more time whether he is sure he doesn't "repent."

David closes the chapter by saying that he will now resume his story, having "stood aside to see the phantom of those days go by [him]."