David Copperfield

David decides to remain with Miss Betsey until he finishes his novel. In the meantime, he makes trips to London both for pleasure and to confer with Traddles, who managed David's business affairs while he was abroad. Traddles also receives all of David's fan mail, including requests to use David's name to practice law, in exchange for a cut of the profits. David, however, declines these offers to avoid encouraging corruption.

While visiting Traddles, David notices that Sophy is often writing in a book that she quickly hides upon seeing David. Eventually, Traddles shows David a piece of paper full of "extraordinarily legal and formal" handwriting, explaining that Sophy is learning to work as his clerk. Sophy is embarrassed, but Traddles is proud to have such a skilled and helpful wife. In fact, he says, he can hardly believe how happy and lucky he is when he sees Sophy going about her daily routine. Although there are still many things they can't afford, Traddles and Sophy often take pleasure in walking past shops and discussing what they would buy: they even plan which house they would move into if Traddles became a judge, and "parcel it out" as if they owned it already.

David remarks that Traddles can always find ways to enjoy life, regardless of his circumstances, and asks whether he still draws skeletons the way he used to. Traddles admits that he does, and laughs, in a "forgiving way," about "Old Creakle." David then takes out a letter Creakle has sent him, explaining that his fame has caused Creakle to "discover" that he always liked David. Mr. Creakle is now a magistrate, and has invited David for a tour of the prison he oversees, so that David can see for himself "the only true system of prison discipline." Traddles agrees to accompany David on a tour, as David comments disapprovingly on the fact that Creakle feels so much "tenderness" for prisoners after having abused and abandoned members of his own family.

When the day of the tour arrives, David and Traddles go to the prison, which is an imposing and expensive building. Once inside, they meet several magistrates, and Mr. Creakle greets David and Traddles warmly. There is a conversation about prison conditions that David finds irritating, because he thinks the money would be better spent on schools or housing. The group then begins its tour, and David observes to Traddles that the prisoners are better fed than many workers. This David, says, is explained as a necessary part of "the 'system.'" When David asks what makes this system so effective, the magistrates say that the "perfect isolation of prisoners" encourages them to repent. David suspects, however, that the prisoners are able to communicate with one another, and explains that this later proved to be the case.

As the tour goes on, David feels that most of the prisoners are simply parroting what they have learned, which passes for penitence. In fact, he suspects that some particularly self-centered men take pleasure in the attention they receive for expressing remorse. Having heard that "Twenty Eight" and (especially) "Twenty Seven" are model prisoners, David tries not to form a final opinion until after seeing them.  

Finally, the group arrives at Twenty-Seven's cell, and David is surprised to see that the prisoner is Uriah Heep, who greets both him and Traddles. Mr. Creakle asks Uriah how he is, and he replies that he is "very umble." One of the other magistrates then asks whether Uriah is "comfortable," and Uriah says he is, because he is better able to see his faults than he was outside prison. This moves the magistrates, as does Uriah's declaration that it is his "duty" to put up with things like overcooked meals.

The magistrates call for Twenty-Eight to be brought out, and David sees that it is Littimer. One of the magistrates asks whether the quality of the cocoa has improved since Littimer complained about it, and Littimer says that it has, although he suspects the milk isn't entirely pure. After further questioning, Littimer says that he understands his "follies" now and is happy. He adds, however, that he knows David from his "former life," and wants to take the opportunity to warn him that he views all his crimes as the result of "having lived a thoughtless life in the service of young men." He also says that he tried to save a woman who "fell into dissolute courses"—that is, little Em'ly—and wants David to tell her that Littimer forgives her and hopes she will repent.

Both the magistrate and Mr. Littimer express hopes that David will be affected by what the latter has said and repent. Littimer then exchanges a glance with Uriah and returns to his cell. Mr. Creakle asks whether there is anything more he can do for Uriah, and Uriah asks permission to write to Mrs. Heep again: he is worried about the state of his mother's soul and wishes she could be brought to the prison, which he views as the only place without "sin." He assures Mr. Creakle, however, that he himself is a changed man and could safely be let out.

Mr. Creakle asks whether Uriah has anything to say to David. Uriah says he does, reminding David that he once hit Uriah and saying he forgives him. Furthermore, he says he hopes that David, Mr. Wickfield, Agnes, and "all of that sinful lot" will see the error of their ways: in fact, he hopes that they could all "be took up and brought here [to the prison]." He then returns to his cell as the magistrates all congratulate him.

David asks a magistrate what crime led to Uriah's imprisonment, and learns that he was the ringleader in a case of "fraud, forgery, and conspiracy." Littimer, meanwhile, robbed an employer: the magistrate says he particularly remembers this case because a "little woman" turned Littimer in. David guesses that he is talking about Miss Mowcher, and the magistrate confirms that she recognized Littimer while he was trying to escape in disguise, grabbed hold of him despite him "cut[ting] her face right open," and testified at his trial.

As the tour ends, David feels it would be useless to try to convince Mr. Creakle that Uriah and Littimer are not repentant at all. Instead, he and Traddles simply leave the prisoners and the magistrates to their "system," which they hope will prove hollow sooner rather than later.