David Copperfield: Chapter 64 Summary & Analysis

David explains that his narrative is now finished, and announces that he will "look back, once more—for the last time—before I close these leaves."

David pictures himself with Agnes and his children, "journeying along the road of life," surrounded by many other people. He then describes these "faces." Miss Betsey, for instance, is now in her eighties but is still "a steady walker of six miles at a stretch." Peggotty, meanwhile, is now "shrivelled" rather than ruddy, but retains her old habit of needlework, and still carries around the book about crocodiles that David read as a child. She shows this to David's children (two of whom she is godmother to), reminding David of his own childhood. Mr. Dick also spends time with David's children, flying his kite with the boys and saying that he intends to finish the Memorial when he has time.

David describes a visit to Mrs. Steerforth and Rosa. Although Mrs. Steerforth still possesses "traces of old pride and beauty," her overall state of mind is confused and "fretful." She asks Rosa who David is and, when Rosa tells her, says she is sorry he is in mourning and asks whether he has reconciled with Steerforth. She then suddenly remembers that Steerforth is dead and cries out for Rosa, who alternately soothes her and insists that she loved Steerforth "better."

Miss Mills eventually returns from India married to a very wealthy man. She has several servants and now talks about money rather than the miseries of love. David disapproves of this and "what Julia calls 'society,'" which includes people like Jack Maldon. Maldon himself is safe in a post Doctor Strong secured for him, but nevertheless speaks condescendingly of the Doctor, calling him "charmingly antique."

Meanwhile, Doctor Strong continues to work on his dictionary. He and Annie Strong now have a happy life together, in part because Mrs. Markleham no longer has the influence she once had.

Traddles is now a very successful lawyer on the cusp of becoming a judge. He reminisces with David about the period when Sophy acted as his clerk. As the two men walk to Sophy’s birthday dinner, Traddles also remarks that he has been able to accomplish many other things he wished to, including providing Sophy's father with a larger income, educating his sons well, and seeing several of Sophy's sisters happily married. Three other sisters have come to live with Sophy and Traddles, while an additional three keep house for Sophy's father. The only one who is not happy is "the Beauty," who married a "vagabond." She has since separated from her husband and is living with Traddles and Sophy, who are trying to cheer her up.

Traddles and David reach Traddles's house, which is one of the properties he and Sophy used to look at. Since so many of Sophy's relatives are either living with or visiting them at any given time, Traddles and his wife have "squeezed themselves" into some small upstairs rooms. Everyone sits down to dinner, and David notes that Traddles and Sophy now have real silverware.

David explains that he is approaching the end of his story and "subduing [his] desire to linger yet," but that one face—Agnes's—remains with him even as he does so. He sees her next to him, keeping him company while he writes late into the night. He then closes with a prayer that when he "closes [his] life indeed," Agnes will still be beside him, "pointing upward."