English
ItwasclearthatImustrepairtoourtownnextday,andinthefirstflowofmyrepentanceitwasequallyclearthatImuststayatJoe’s.
But,whenIhadsecuredmybox-placebyto-morrow’scoachandhadbeendowntoMr.Pocket’sandback,Iwasnotbyanymeansconvincedonthelastpoint,andbegantoinventreasonsandmakeexcusesforputtingupattheBlueBoar.
IshouldbeaninconvenienceatJoe’s;Iwasnotexpected,andmybedwouldnotbeready;IshouldbetoofarfromMissHavisham’s,andshewasexactingandmightn’tlikeit.
Allotherswindlersuponeartharenothingtotheself-swindlers,andwithsuchpretencesdidIcheatmyself.Surelyacuriousthing.
ThatIshouldinnocentlytakeabadhalf-crownofsomebodyelse’smanufacture,isreasonableenough;butthatIshouldknowinglyreckonthespuriouscoinofmyownmake,asgoodmoney!
Anobligingstranger,underpretenceofcompactlyfoldingupmybank-notesforsecurity’ssake,abstractsthenotesandgivesmenutshells;butwhatishissleightofhandtomine,whenIfoldupmyownnutshellsandpassthemonmyselfasnotes!
HavingsettledthatImustgototheBlueBoar,mymindwasmuchdisturbedbyindecisionwhetherornottotaketheAvenger.
ItwastemptingtothinkofthatexpensiveMercenarypubliclyairinghisbootsinthearchwayoftheBlueBoar’sposting-yard;itwasalmostsolemntoimaginehimcasuallyproducedinthetailor’sshopandconfoundingthedisrespectfulsensesofTrabb’sboy.
Ontheotherhand,Trabb’sboymightwormhimselfintohisintimacyandtellhimthings;or,recklessanddesperatewretchasIknewhecouldbe,mighthoothimintheHigh-street,Mypatroness,too,mighthearofhim,andnotapprove.
Onthewhole,IresolvedtoleavetheAvengerbehind.
ItwastheafternooncoachbywhichIhadtakenmyplace,and,aswinterhadnowcomeround,Ishouldnotarriveatmydestinationuntiltwoorthreehoursafterdark.
OurtimeofstartingfromtheCrossKeyswastwoo’clock.
Iarrivedonthegroundwithaquarterofanhourtospare,attendedbytheAvenger—ifImayconnectthatexpressionwithonewhoneverattendedonmeifhecouldpossiblyhelpit.
AtthattimeitwascustomarytocarryConvictsdowntothedockyardsbystage-coach.
AsIhadoftenheardoftheminthecapacityofoutsidepassengers,andhadmorethanonceseenthemonthehighroaddanglingtheirironedlegsoverthecoachroof,IhadnocausetobesurprisedwhenHerbert,meetingmeintheyard,cameupandtoldmethereweretwoconvictsgoingdownwithme.
ButIhadareasonthatwasanoldreasonnow,forconstitutionallyfalteringwheneverIheardthewordconvict.
“Youdon’tmindthem,Handel?”saidHerbert.
“Ohno!”
“Ithoughtyouseemedasifyoudidn’tlikethem?”
“Ican’tpretendthatIdolikethem,andIsupposeyoudon’tparticularly.ButIdon’tmindthem.”
“See!Theretheyare,”saidHerbert,“comingoutoftheTap.Whatadegradedandvilesightitis!”
Theyhadbeentreatingtheirguard,Isuppose,fortheyhadagaolerwiththem,andallthreecameoutwipingtheirmouthsontheirhands.
Thetwoconvictswerehandcuffedtogether,andhadironsontheirlegs—ironsofapatternthatIknewwell.
TheyworethedressthatIlikewiseknewwell.
Theirkeeperhadabraceofpistols,andcarriedathick-knobbedbludgeonunderhisarm;buthewasontermsofgoodunderstandingwiththem,andstood,withthembesidehim,lookingonattheputting-toofthehorses,ratherwithanairasiftheconvictswereaninterestingExhibitionnotformallyopenatthemoment,andhetheCurator.
Onewasatallerandstoutermanthantheother,andappearedasamatterofcourse,accordingtothemysteriouswaysoftheworldbothconvictandfree,tohavehadallottedtohimthesmallersuitofclothes.
Hisarmsandlegswerelikegreatpincushionsofthoseshapes,andhisattiredisguisedhimabsurdly;butIknewhishalf-closedeyeatoneglance.
TherestoodthemanwhomIhadseenonthesettleattheThreeJollyBargemenonaSaturdaynight,andwhohadbroughtmedownwithhisinvisiblegun!
Itwaseasytomakesurethatasyetheknewmenomorethanifhehadneverseenmeinhislife.
Helookedacrossatme,andhiseyeappraisedmywatch-chain,andthenheincidentallyspatandsaidsomethingtotheotherconvict,andtheylaughedandsluedthemselvesroundwithaclinkoftheircouplingmanacle,andlookedatsomethingelse.
Thegreatnumbersontheirbacks,asiftheywerestreetdoors;theircoarsemangyungainlyoutersurface,asiftheywereloweranimals;theirironedlegs,apologeticallygarlandedwithpocket-handkerchiefs;andthewayinwhichallpresentlookedatthemandkeptfromthem;madethem(asHerberthadsaid)amostdisagreeableanddegradedspectacle.
Butthiswasnottheworstofit.ItcameoutthatthewholeofthebackofthecoachhadbeentakenbyafamilyremovingfromLondon,andthattherewerenoplacesforthetwoprisonersbutontheseatinfront,behindthecoachman.
Hereupon,acholericgentleman,whohadtakenthefourthplaceonthatseat,flewintoamostviolentpassion,andsaidthatitwasabreachofcontracttomixhimupwithsuchvillainouscompany,andthatitwaspoisonousandperniciousandinfamousandshameful,andIdon’tknowwhatelse.
Atthistimethecoachwasreadyandthecoachmanimpatient,andwewereallpreparingtogetup,andtheprisonershadcomeoverwiththeirkeeper—bringingwiththemthatcuriousflavourofbread-poultice,baize,rope-yarn,andhearthstone,whichattendstheconvictpresence.
“Don’ttakeitsomuchamiss.sir,”pleadedthekeepertotheangrypassenger;“I’llsitnextyoumyself.I’llput‘emontheoutsideoftherow.Theywon’tinterferewithyou,sir.Youneedn’tknowthey’rethere.”
“Anddon’tblameme,”growledtheconvictIhadrecognized.“Idon’twanttogo.Iamquitereadytostaybehind.AsfurasIamconcernedanyone’swelcometomyplace.”
“Ormine,”saidtheother,gruffly.“Iwouldn’thaveincommodednoneofyou,ifI’dhadmyway.”
Then,theybothlaughed,andbegancrackingnuts,andspittingtheshellsabout.
—AsIreallythinkIshouldhavelikedtodomyself,ifIhadbeenintheirplaceandsodespised.
Atlength,itwasvotedthattherewasnohelpfortheangrygentleman,andthathemusteithergoinhischancecompanyorremainbehind.
So,hegotintohisplace,stillmakingcomplaints,andthekeepergotintotheplacenexthim,andtheconvictshauledthemselvesupaswellastheycould,andtheconvictIhadrecognizedsatbehindmewithhisbreathonthehairofmyhead.
“Good-bye,Handel!”Herbertcalledoutaswestarted.Ithoughtwhatablessedfortuneitwas,thathehadfoundanothernameformethanPip.
ItisimpossibletoexpresswithwhatacutenessIfelttheconvict’sbreathing,notonlyonthebackofmyhead,butallalongmyspine.
Thesensationwaslikebeingtouchedinthemarrowwithsomepungentandsearchingacid,itsetmyveryteethonedge.
Heseemedtohavemorebreathingbusinesstodothananotherman,andtomakemorenoiseindoingit;andIwasconsciousofgrowinghigh-shoulderdononeside,inmyshrinkingendeavourstofendhimoff.
Theweatherwasmiserablyraw,andthetwocursedthecold.
Itmadeusalllethargicbeforewehadgonefar,andwhenwehadlefttheHalf-wayHousebehind,wehabituallydozedandshiveredandweresilent.
Idozedoff,myself,inconsideringthequestionwhetherIoughttorestoreacoupleofpoundssterlingtothiscreaturebeforelosingsightofhim,andhowitcouldbestbedone.
IntheactofdippingforwardasifIweregoingtobatheamongthehorses,Iwokeinafrightandtookthequestionupagain.
ButImusthavelostitlongerthanIhadthought,since,althoughIcouldrecognizenothinginthedarknessandthefitfullightsandshadowsofourlamps,Itracedmarshcountryinthecolddampwindthatblewatus.
Coweringforwardforwarmthandtomakemeascreenagainstthewind,theconvictswereclosertomethanbefore.
TheyveryfirstwordsIheardtheminterchangeasIbecameconsciouswerethewordsofmyownthought,“TwoOnePoundnotes.”
“Howdidheget‘em?”saidtheconvictIhadneverseen.
“HowshouldIknow?”returnedtheother.“Hehad‘emstowedawaysomehows.Givhimbyfriends,Iexpect.”
“Iwish,”saidtheother,withabittercurseuponthecold,“thatIhad‘emhere.”
“Twoonepoundnotes,orfriends?”
“Twoonepoundnotes.I’dsellallthefriendsIeverhad,forone,andthinkitablessedgoodbargain.Well?Sohesays—?”
“Sohesays,”resumedtheconvictIhadrecognized—”itwasallsaidanddoneinhalfaminute,behindapileoftimberintheDockyard—’You’rea-goingtobedischarged?’Yes,Iwas.
WouldIfindoutthatboythathadfedhimandkephissecret,andgivehimthemtwoonepoundnotes?Yes,Iwould.AndIdid.”
“Morefoolyou,”growledtheother.“I’dhavespent‘emonaMan,inwittlesanddrink.Hemusthavebeenagreenone.Meantosayheknowednothingofyou?”
“Notaha’porth.Differentgangsanddifferentships.Hewastriedagainforprisonbreaking,andgotmadeaLifer.”
“Andwasthat—Honour!—theonlytimeyouworkedout,inthispartofthecountry?”
“Theonlytime.”
“Whatmighthavebeenyouropinionoftheplace?”
“Amostbeastlyplace.Mudbank,mist,swamp,andwork;work,swamp,mist,andmudbank.”
Theybothexecratedtheplaceinverystronglanguage,andgraduallygrowledthemselvesout,andhadnothinglefttosay.
Afteroverhearingthisdialogue,Ishouldassuredlyhavegotdownandbeenleftinthesolitudeanddarknessofthehighway,butforfeelingcertainthatthemanhadnosuspicionofmyidentity.
Indeed,Iwasnotonlysochangedinthecourseofnature,butsodifferentlydressedandsodifferentlycircumstanced,thatitwasnotatalllikelyhecouldhaveknownmewithoutaccidentalhelp.
Still,thecoincidenceofourbeingtogetheronthecoach,wassufficientlystrangetofillmewithadreadthatsomeothercoincidencemightatanymomentconnectme,inhishearing,withmyname.
Forthisreason,Iresolvedtoalightassoonaswetouchedthetown,andputmyselfoutofhishearing.ThisdeviceIexecutedsuccessfully.
Mylittleportmanteauwasinthebootundermyfeet;Ihadbuttoturnahingetogetitout:Ithrewitdownbeforeme,gotdownafterit,andwasleftatthefirstlamponthefirststonesofthetownpavement.
Astotheconvicts,theywenttheirwaywiththecoach,andIknewatwhatpointtheywouldbespiritedofftotheriver.
Inmyfancy,Isawtheboatwithitsconvictcrewwaitingforthemattheslime-washedstairs,—againheardthegruff“Giveway,you!”
likeandordertodogs—againsawthewickedNoah’sArklyingoutontheblackwater.
IcouldnothavesaidwhatIwasafraidof,formyfearwasaltogetherundefinedandvague,buttherewasgreatfearuponme.
AsIwalkedontothehotel,Ifeltthatadread,muchexceedingthemereapprehensionofapainfulordisagreeablerecognition,mademetremble.
Iamconfidentthatittooknodistinctnessofshape,andthatitwastherevivalforafewminutesoftheterrorofchildhood.
Thecoffee-roomattheBlueBoarwasempty,andIhadnotonlyorderedmydinnerthere,buthadsatdowntoit,beforethewaiterknewme.
Assoonashehadapologizedfortheremissnessofhismemory,heaskedmeifheshouldsendBootsforMr.Pumblechook?
“No,”saidI,“certainlynot.”
Thewaiter(itwashewhohadbroughtuptheGreatRemonstrancefromtheCommercials,onthedaywhenIwasbound)appearedsurprised,andtooktheearliestopportunityofputtingadirtyoldcopyofalocalnewspapersodirectlyinmyway,thatItookitupandreadthisparagraph:
Ourreaderswilllearn,notaltogetherwithoutinterest,inreferencetotherecentromanticriseinfortuneofayoungartificerinironofthisneighbourhood(whatatheme,bytheway,forthemagicpenofourasyetnotuniversallyacknowledgedtownsmanTOOBY,thepoetofourcolumns!)
thattheyouth’searliestpatron,companion,andfriend,wasahighly-respectedindividualnotentirelyunconnectedwiththecornandseedtrade,andwhoseeminentlyconvenientandcommodiousbusinesspremisesaresituatewithinahundredmilesoftheHigh-street.
ItisnotwhollyirrespectiveofourpersonalfeelingsthatwerecordHIMastheMentorofouryoungTelemachus,foritisgoodtoknowthatourtownproducedthefounderofthelatter’sfortunes.
DoesthethoughtcontractedbrowofthelocalSageorthelustrouseyeoflocalBeautyinquirewhosefortunes?
WebelievethatQuintinMatsyswastheBLACKSMITHofAntwerp.VERB.SAP.
Ientertainaconviction,baseduponlargeexperience,thatifinthedaysofmyprosperityIhadgonetotheNorthPole,Ishouldhavemetsomebodythere,wanderingEsquimauxorcivilizedman,whowouldhavetoldmethatPumblechookwasmyearliestpatronandthefounderofmyfortunes.
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