Ah, more sorrow over the death of Peggotty's husband, but especially over the fact that Emily, the beloved niece and friend, ran off with a good friend of David's. Ham Peggotty (yes, that's his first name) and Mr. Peggotty, Emily's adopted uncle, are preparing to abandon their homes and jobs to search for her, which is causing David much grief and worry. However, the most interesting development in this part of the book is the complete change -- transformation, re-birth, you might say -- of Mrs. Gummidge. She had always been a self-pitying, pessimistic, helpless person, but somehow the two tragedies have awakened her into a new person. She is suddenly helpful, loving, and optimistic. It's a profound event in the story, one that I'll have to give serious thought to in the next few days. (Also, the dwarf, Miss Mowcher, has some powerful things to say about society's cruel treatments of dwarfs and other handicapped people.)