Summary Chapter 4
Traumatized at how things have changed at home, David cries himself to asleep. When he awakes next morning, David's mother and Peggotty are at bedside. Mrs. Copperfield hugs her boy, but David resists. Mrs. Copperfield accuses Peggotty for having turned David against her. Peggotty objects. By and by, Mr. Murdstone appears. He asks Clara (David's mother) to wait for him downstairs as he will have a talk with the boy before escorting David down himself. Before dismissing Peggotty, Mr. Murdstone reminds the housemaid that Mrs. Copperfield is now Mrs. Murdstone. Alone with David, Mr. Murdstone poses the hypothetical question as to what David thinks Mr. Murdstone will do when faced with an obstinate and an intractable horse or dog. "I beat him," Mr. Murdstone says, answering his own question.
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