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Chapter no 13

Great Expectations

It was a trial to my feelings, on the next day but one, to see Joe arraying himself in his Sunday clothes to accompany me to Miss Havishamโ€™s. However, as he thought his court-suit necessary to the occasion, it was not for me to tell him that he looked far better in his working-dress; the rather, because I knew he made himself so dreadfully uncomfortable, entirely on my account, and that it was for me he pulled up his shirt-collar so very high behind, that it made the hair on the crown of his head stand up like a tuft of feathers.

At breakfast-time my sister declared her intention of going to town with us, and being left at Uncle Pumblechookโ€™s and called for โ€œwhen we had done with our fine ladiesโ€โ€”a way of putting the case, from which Joe appeared inclined to augur the worst. The forge was shut up for the day, and Joe inscribed in chalk upon the door (as it was his custom to do on the very rare occasions when he was not at work) the monosyllableย HOUT, accompanied by a sketch of an arrow supposed to be flying in the direction he had taken.

We walked to town, my sister leading the way in a very large beaver bonnet, and carrying a basket like the Great Seal of England in plaited Straw, a pair of pattens, a spare shawl, and an umbrella, though it was a fine bright day. I am not quite clear whether these articles were carried penitentially or ostentatiously; but I rather think they were displayed as articles of property,โ€”much as Cleopatra or any other sovereign lady on the Rampage might exhibit her wealth in a pageant or procession.

When we came to Pumblechookโ€™s, my sister bounced in and left us. As it was almost noon, Joe and I held straight on to Miss Havishamโ€™s house. Estella opened the gate as usual, and, the moment she appeared, Joe took his hat off and stood weighing it by the brim in both his hands; as if he had some urgent reason in his mind for being particular to half a quarter of an ounce.

Estella took no notice of either of us, but led us the way that I knew so well. I followed next to her, and Joe came last. When I looked back at Joe in the long passage, he was still weighing his hat with the greatest care, and was coming after us in long strides on the tips of his toes.

Estella told me we were both to go in, so I took Joe by the coat-cuff and conducted him into Miss Havishamโ€™s presence. She was seated at her dressing-table, and looked round at us immediately.

โ€œOh!โ€ said she to Joe. โ€œYou are the husband of the sister of this boy?โ€

I could hardly have imagined dear old Joe looking so unlike himself or so like some extraordinary bird; standing as he did speechless, with his tuft of feathers ruffled, and his mouth open as if he wanted a worm.

โ€œYou are the husband,โ€ repeated Miss Havisham, โ€œof the sister of this boy?โ€

It was very aggravating; but, throughout the interview, Joe persisted in addressing Me instead of Miss Havisham.

โ€œWhich I meantersay, Pip,โ€ Joe now observed in a manner that was at once expressive of forcible argumentation, strict confidence, and great politeness, โ€œas I hup and married your sister, and I were at the time what you might call (if you was anyways inclined) a single man.โ€

โ€œWell!โ€ said Miss Havisham. โ€œAnd you have reared the boy, with the intention of taking him for your apprentice; is that so, Mr. Gargery?โ€

โ€œYou know, Pip,โ€ replied Joe, โ€œas you and me were ever friends, and it were looked forโ€™ard to betwixt us, as being calcโ€™lated to lead to larks. Not but what, Pip, if you had ever made objections to the business,โ€”such as its being open to black and sut, or such-like,โ€”not but what they would have been attended to, donโ€™t you see?โ€

โ€œHas the boy,โ€ said Miss Havisham, โ€œever made any objection? Does he like the trade?โ€

โ€œWhich it is well beknown to yourself, Pip,โ€ returned Joe, strengthening his former mixture of argumentation, confidence, and politeness, โ€œthat it were the wish of your own hart.โ€ (I saw the idea suddenly break upon him that he would adapt his epitaph to the occasion, before he went on to say) โ€œAnd there werenโ€™t no objection on your part, and Pip it were the great wish of your hart!โ€

It was quite in vain for me to endeavour to make him sensible that he ought to speak to Miss Havisham. The more I made faces and gestures to him to do it, the more confidential, argumentative, and polite, he persisted in being to Me.

โ€œHave you brought his indentures with you?โ€ asked Miss Havisham.

โ€œWell, Pip, you know,โ€ replied Joe, as if that were a little unreasonable, โ€œyou yourself see me put โ€™em in my โ€™at, and therefore you know as they are here.โ€ With which he took them out, and gave them, not to Miss Havisham, but to me. I am afraid I was ashamed of the dear good fellow,โ€”Iย knowย I was ashamed of him,โ€”when I saw that Estella stood at the back of Miss Havishamโ€™s chair, and that her eyes laughed mischievously. I took the indentures out of his hand and gave them to Miss Havisham.

โ€œYou expected,โ€ said Miss Havisham, as she looked them over, โ€œno premium with the boy?โ€

โ€œJoe!โ€ I remonstrated, for he made no reply at all. โ€œWhy donโ€™t you answerโ€”โ€

โ€œPip,โ€ returned Joe, cutting me short as if he were hurt, โ€œwhich I meantersay that were not a question requiring a answer betwixt yourself and me, and which you know the answer to be full well No. You know it to be No, Pip, and wherefore should I say it?โ€

Miss Havisham glanced at him as if she understood what he really was better than I had thought possible, seeing what he was there; and took up a little bag from the table beside her.

โ€œPip has earned a premium here,โ€ she said, โ€œand here it is. There are five-and-twenty guineas in this bag. Give it to your master, Pip.โ€

As if he were absolutely out of his mind with the wonder awakened in him by her strange figure and the strange room, Joe, even at this pass, persisted in addressing me.

โ€œThis is wery liberal on your part, Pip,โ€ said Joe, โ€œand it is as such received and grateful welcome, though never looked for, far nor near, nor nowheres. And now, old chap,โ€ said Joe, conveying to me a sensation, first of burning and then of freezing, for I felt as if that familiar expression were applied to Miss Havisham,โ€”โ€œand now, old chap, may we do our duty! May you and me do our duty, both on us, by one and another, and by them which your liberal presentโ€”have-conweyedโ€”to beโ€”for the satisfaction of mind-ofโ€”them as neverโ€”โ€ here Joe showed that he felt he had fallen into frightful difficulties, until he triumphantly rescued himself with the words, โ€œand from myself far be it!โ€ These words had such a round and convincing sound for him that he said them twice.

โ€œGood-bye, Pip!โ€ said Miss Havisham. โ€œLet them out, Estella.โ€

โ€œAm I to come again, Miss Havisham?โ€ I asked.

โ€œNo. Gargery is your master now. Gargery! One word!โ€

Thus calling him back as I went out of the door, I heard her say to Joe in a distinct emphatic voice, โ€œThe boy has been a good boy here, and that is his reward. Of course, as an honest man, you will expect no other and no more.โ€

How Joe got out of the room, I have never been able to determine; but I know that when he did get out he was steadily proceeding upstairs instead of coming down, and was deaf to all remonstrances until I went after him and laid hold of him. In another minute we were outside the gate, and it was locked, and Estella was gone. When we stood in the daylight alone again, Joe backed up against a wall, and said to me, โ€œAstonishing!โ€ And there he remained so long saying, โ€œAstonishingโ€ at intervals, so often, that I began to think his senses were never coming back. At length he prolonged his remark into โ€œPip, I do assureย youย this is as-TON-ishing!โ€ and so, by degrees, became conversational and able to walk away.

I have reason to think that Joeโ€™s intellects were brightened by the encounter they had passed through, and that on our way to Pumblechookโ€™s he invented a subtle and deep design. My reason is to be found in what took place in Mr. Pumblechookโ€™s parlour: where, on our presenting ourselves, my sister sat in conference with that detested seedsman.

โ€œWell?โ€ cried my sister, addressing us both at once. โ€œAnd whatโ€™s happened toย you? I wonder you condescend to come back to such poor society as this, I am sure I do!โ€

โ€œMiss Havisham,โ€ said Joe, with a fixed look at me, like an effort of remembrance, โ€œmade it wery partickโ€™ler that we should give herโ€”were it compliments or respects, Pip?โ€

โ€œCompliments,โ€ I said.

โ€œWhich that were my own belief,โ€ answered Joe; โ€œher compliments to Mrs. J. Gargeryโ€”โ€

โ€œMuch good theyโ€™ll do me!โ€ observed my sister; but rather gratified too.

โ€œAnd wishing,โ€ pursued Joe, with another fixed look at me, like another effort of remembrance, โ€œthat the state of Miss Havishamโ€™s elth were sitch as would haveโ€”allowed, were it, Pip?โ€

โ€œOf her having the pleasure,โ€ I added.

โ€œOf ladiesโ€™ company,โ€ said Joe. And drew a long breath.

โ€œWell!โ€ cried my sister, with a mollified glance at Mr. Pumblechook. โ€œShe might have had the politeness to send that message at first, but itโ€™s better late than never. And what did she give young Rantipole here?โ€

โ€œShe givโ€™ him,โ€ said Joe, โ€œnothing.โ€

Mrs. Joe was going to break out, but Joe went on.

โ€œWhat she givโ€™,โ€ said Joe, โ€œshe givโ€™ to his friends. โ€˜And by his friends,โ€™ were her explanation, โ€˜I mean into the hands of his sister Mrs. J. Gargery.โ€™ Them were her words; โ€˜Mrs. J. Gargery.โ€™ She maynโ€™t have knowโ€™d,โ€ added Joe, with an appearance of reflection, โ€œwhether it were Joe, or Jorge.โ€

My sister looked at Pumblechook: who smoothed the elbows of his wooden arm-chair, and nodded at her and at the fire, as if he had known all about it beforehand.

โ€œAnd how much have you got?โ€ asked my sister, laughing. Positively laughing!

โ€œWhat would present company say to ten pound?โ€ demanded Joe.

โ€œTheyโ€™d say,โ€ returned my sister, curtly, โ€œpretty well. Not too much, but pretty well.โ€

โ€œItโ€™s more than that, then,โ€ said Joe.

That fearful Impostor, Pumblechook, immediately nodded, and said, as he rubbed the arms of his chair, โ€œItโ€™s more than that, Mum.โ€

โ€œWhy, you donโ€™t mean to sayโ€”โ€ began my sister.

โ€œYes I do, Mum,โ€ said Pumblechook; โ€œbut wait a bit. Go on, Joseph. Good in you! Go on!โ€

โ€œWhat would present company say,โ€ proceeded Joe, โ€œto twenty pound?โ€

โ€œHandsome would be the word,โ€ returned my sister.

โ€œWell, then,โ€ said Joe, โ€œItโ€™s more than twenty pound.โ€

That abject hypocrite, Pumblechook, nodded again, and said, with a patronizing laugh, โ€œItโ€™s more than that, Mum. Good again! Follow her up, Joseph!โ€

โ€œThen to make an end of it,โ€ said Joe, delightedly handing the bag to my sister; โ€œitโ€™s five-and-twenty pound.โ€

โ€œItโ€™s five-and-twenty pound, Mum,โ€ echoed that basest of swindlers, Pumblechook, rising to shake hands with her; โ€œand itโ€™s no more than your merits (as I said when my opinion was asked), and I wish you joy of the money!โ€

If the villain had stopped here, his case would have been sufficiently awful, but he blackened his guilt by proceeding to take me into custody, with a right of patronage that left all his former criminality far behind.

โ€œNow you see, Joseph and wife,โ€ said Pumblechook, as he took me by the arm above the elbow, โ€œI am one of them that always go right through with what theyโ€™ve begun. This boy must be bound, out of hand. Thatโ€™sย myย way. Bound out of hand.โ€

โ€œGoodness knows, Uncle Pumblechook,โ€ said my sister (grasping the money), โ€œweโ€™re deeply beholden to you.โ€

โ€œNever mind me, Mum,โ€ returned that diabolical cornchandler. โ€œA pleasureโ€™s a pleasure all the world over. But this boy, you know; we must have him bound. I said Iโ€™d see to itโ€”to tell you the truth.โ€

The Justices were sitting in the Town Hall near at hand, and we at once went over to have me bound apprentice to Joe in the Magisterial presence. I say we went over, but I was pushed over by Pumblechook, exactly as if I had that moment picked a pocket or fired a rick; indeed, it was the general impression in Court that I had been taken red-handed; for, as Pumblechook shoved me before him through the crowd, I heard some people say, โ€œWhatโ€™s he done?โ€ and others, โ€œHeโ€™s a young โ€™un, too, but looks bad, donโ€™t he?โ€ One person of mild and benevolent aspect even gave me a tract ornamented with a woodcut of a malevolent young man fitted up with a perfect sausage-shop of fetters, and entitled TO BE READ IN MYย CELL.

The Hall was a queer place, I thought, with higher pews in it than a church,โ€”and with people hanging over the pews looking on,โ€”and with mighty Justices (one with a powdered head) leaning back in chairs, with folded arms, or taking snuff, or going to sleep, or writing, or reading the newspapers,โ€”and with some shining black portraits on the walls, which my unartistic eye regarded as a composition of hardbake and sticking-plaster. Here, in a corner my indentures were duly signed and attested, and I was โ€œboundโ€; Mr. Pumblechook holding me all the while as if we had looked in on our way to the scaffold, to have those little preliminaries disposed of.

When we had come out again, and had got rid of the boys who had been put into great spirits by the expectation of seeing me publicly tortured, and who were much disappointed to find that my friends were merely rallying round me, we went back to Pumblechookโ€™s. And there my sister became so excited by the twenty-five guineas, that nothing would serve her but we must have a dinner out of that windfall at the Blue Boar, and that Pumblechook must go over in his chaise-cart, and bring the Hubbles and Mr. Wopsle.

It was agreed to be done; and a most melancholy day I passed. For, it inscrutably appeared to stand to reason, in the minds of the whole company, that I was an excrescence on the entertainment. And to make it worse, they all asked me from time to time,โ€”in short, whenever they had nothing else to do,โ€”why I didnโ€™t enjoy myself? And what could I possibly do then, but say Iย wasย enjoying myself,โ€”when I wasnโ€™t!

However, they were grown up and had their own way, and they made the most of it. That swindling Pumblechook, exalted into the beneficent contriver of the whole occasion, actually took the top of the table; and, when he addressed them on the subject of my being bound, and had fiendishly congratulated them on my being liable to imprisonment if I played at cards, drank strong liquors, kept late hours or bad company, or indulged in other vagaries which the form of my indentures appeared to contemplate as next to inevitable, he placed me standing on a chair beside him to illustrate his remarks.

My only other remembrances of the great festival are, That they wouldnโ€™t let me go to sleep, but whenever they saw me dropping off, woke me up and told me to enjoy myself. That, rather late in the evening Mr. Wopsle gave us Collinsโ€™s ode, and threw his bloodstained sword in thunder down, with such effect, that a waiter came in and said, โ€œThe Commercials underneath sent up their compliments, and it wasnโ€™t the Tumblersโ€™ Arms.โ€ That, they were all in excellent spirits on the road home, and sang, O Lady Fair! Mr. Wopsle taking the bass, and asserting with a tremendously strong voice (in reply to the inquisitive bore who leads that piece of music in a most impertinent manner, by wanting to know all about everybodyโ€™s private affairs) thatย heย was the man with his white locks flowing, and that he was upon the whole the weakest pilgrim going.

Finally, I remember that when I got into my little bedroom, I was truly wretched, and had a strong conviction on me that I should never like Joeโ€™s trade. I had liked it once, but once was not now.

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