English
OnedaywhenIwasbusywithmybooksandMr.Pocket,Ireceivedanotebythepost,themereoutsideofwhichthrewmeintoagreatflutter;for,thoughIhadneverseenthehandwritinginwhichitwasaddressed,Idivinedwhosehanditwas.
Ithadnosetbeginning,asDearMr.Pip,orDearPip,orDearSir,orDearAnything,butranthus:
“IamtocometoLondonthedayafterto-morrowbythemid-daycoach.
Ibelieveitwassettledyoushouldmeetme?
AtalleventsMissHavishamhasthatimpression,andIwriteinobediencetoit.Shesendsyouherregard.
Yours,ESTELLA.”
Iftherehadbeentime,Ishouldprobablyhaveorderedseveralsuitsofclothesforthisoccasion;butastherewasnot,IwasfaintobecontentwiththoseIhad.
Myappetitevanishedinstantly,andIknewnopeaceorrestuntilthedayarrived.
Notthatitsarrivalbroughtmeeither;for,thenIwasworsethanever,andbeganhauntingthecoach-officeinwood-street,Cheapside,beforethecoachhadlefttheBlueBoarinourtown.
ForallthatIknewthisperfectlywell,Istillfeltasifitwerenotsafetoletthecoach-officebeoutofmysightlongerthanfiveminutesatatime;andinthisconditionofunreasonIhadperformedthefirsthalf-hourofawatchoffourorfivehours,whenWemmickranagainstme.
“Halloa,Mr.Pip,”saidhe;“howdoyoudo?Ishouldhardlyhavethoughtthiswasyourbeat.”
IexplainedthatIwaswaitingtomeetsomebodywhowascomingupbycoach,andIinquiredaftertheCastleandtheAged.
“Bothflourishingthankye,”saidWemmick,“andparticularlytheAged.He’sinwonderfulfeather.He’llbeeighty-twonextbirthday.
Ihaveanotionoffiringeighty-twotimes,iftheneighbourhoodshouldn’tcomplain,andthatcannonofmineshouldproveequaltothepressure.However,thisisnotLondontalk.wheredoyouthinkIamgoingto?”
“Totheoffice?”saidI,forhewastendinginthatdirection.
“Nextthingtoit,”returnedWemmick,“IamgoingtoNewgate.
Weareinabanker’s-parcelcasejustatpresent,andIhavebeendowntheroadtakingassquintatthesceneofaction,andthereuponmusthaveawordortwowithourclient.”
“Didyourclientcommittherobbery?”Iasked.
“Blessyoursoulandbody,no,”answeredWemmick,verydrily.“Butheisaccusedofit.SomightyouorIbe.Eitherofusmightbeaccusedofit,youknow.”
“Onlyneitherofusis,”Iremarked.
“Yah!”saidWemmick,touchingmeonthebreastwithhisforefinger;“you’readeepone,Mr.Pip!WouldyouliketohavealookatNewgate?Haveyoutimetospare?”
Ihadsomuchtimetospare,thattheproposalcameasarelief,notwithstandingitsirreconcilabilitywithmylatentdesiretokeepmyeyeonthecoach-office.
MutteringthatIwouldmaketheinquirywhetherIhadtimetowalkwithhim,Iwentintotheoffice,andascertainedfromtheclerkwiththenicestprecisionandmuchtothetryingofhistemper,theearliestmomentatwhichthecoachcouldbeexpected—whichIknewbeforehand,quiteaswellashe.
IthenrejoinedMr.Wemmick,andaffectingtoconsultmywatchandtobesurprisedbytheinformationIhadreceived,acceptedhisoffer.
WewereatNewgateinafewminutes,andwepassedthroughthelodgewheresomefetterswerehanginguponthebarewallsamongtheprisonrules,intotheinteriorofthejail.
Atthattime,jailsweremuchneglected,andtheperiodofexaggeratedreactionconsequentonallpublicwrong-doing—andwhichisalwaysitsheaviestandlongestpunishment—wasstillfaroff.
So,felonswerenotlodgedandfedbetterthansoldiers(tosaynothingofpaupers),andseldomsetfiretotheirprisonswiththeexcusableobjectofimprovingtheflavouroftheirsoup.
ItwasvisitingtimewhenWemmicktookmein;andapotmanwasgoinghisroundswithbeer;andtheprisoners,behindbarsinyards,werebuyingbeer,andtalkingtofriends;andafrouzy,ugly,disorderly,depressingsceneitwas.
ItstruckmethatWemmickwalkedamongtheprisoners,muchasagardenermightwalkamonghisplants.
Thiswasfirstputintomyheadbyhisseeingashootthathadcomeupinthenight,andsaying,“What,CaptainTom?Areyouthere?Ah,indeed!”
andalso,“IsthatBlackBillbehindthecistern?
WhyIdidn’tlookforyouthesetwomonths;howdoyoufindyourself?”
Equallyinhisstoppingatthebarsandattendingtoanxiouswhisperers—alwayssingly—Wemmickwithhispost-officeinanimmovablestate,lookedatthemwhileinconference,asifheweretakingparticularnoticeoftheadvancetheyhadmade,sincelastobserved,towardscomingoutinfullblowattheirtrial.
Hewashighlypopular,andIfoundthathetookthefamiliardepartmentofMr.Jaggers’sbusiness:thoughsomethingofthestateofMr.Jaggershungabouthimtoo,forbiddingapproachbeyondcertainlimits.
Hispersonalrecognitionofeachsuccessiveclientwascomprisedinanod,andinhissettlinghishatalittleeasieronhisheadwithbothhands,andthentighteningthepostoffice,andputtinghishandsinhispockets.
Inoneortwoinstances,therewasadifficultyrespectingtheraisingoffees,andthenMr.Wemmick,backingasfaraspossiblefromtheinsufficientmoneyproduced,said,“it’snouse,myboy.I’monlyasubordinate.Ican’ttakeit.
Don’tgooninthatwaywithasubordinate.
Ifyouareunabletomakeupyourquantum,myboy,youhadbetteraddressyourselftoaprincipal;thereareplentyofprincipalsintheprofession,youknow,andwhatisnotworththewhileofone,maybeworththewhileofanother;that’smyrecommendationtoyou,speakingasasubordinate.Don’ttryonuselessmeasures.Whyshouldyou?Now,who’snext?”
Thus,wewalkedthroughWemmick’sgreenhouse,untilheturnedtomeandsaid,“NoticethemanIshallshakehandswith.”
Ishouldhavedoneso,withoutthepreparation,ashehadshakenhandswithnooneyet.
Almostassoonashehadspoken,aportlyuprightman(whomIcanseenow,asIwrite)inawell-wornolive-colouredfrock-coat,withapeculiarpallorover-spreadingtheredinhiscomplexion,andeyesthatwentwanderingaboutwhenhetriedtofixthem,cameuptoacornerofthebars,andputhishandtohishat—whichhadagreasyandfattysurfacelikecoldbroth—withahalf-seriousandhalf-jocosemilitarysalute.
“Colonel,toyou!”saidWemmick;“howareyou,Colonel?”
“Allright,Mr.Wemmick.”
“Everythingwasdonethatcouldbedone,buttheevidencewastoostrongforus,Colonel.”
“Yes,itwastoostrong,sir—butIdon’tcare.”
“No,no,”saidWemmick,coolly,“youdon’tcare.”Then,turningtome,“ServedHisMajestythisman.Wasasoldierinthelineandboughthisdischarge.”
Isaid,“Indeed?”andtheman’seyeslookedatme,andthenlookedovermyhead,andthenlookedallroundme,andthenhedrewhishandacrosshislipsandlaughed.
“IthinkIshallbeoutofthisonMonday,sir,”hesaidtoWemmick.
“Perhaps,”returnedmyfriend,“butthere’snoknowing.”
“Iamgladtohavethechanceofbiddingyougood-bye,Mr.Wemmick,”saidtheman,stretchingouthishandbetweentwobars.
“Thankye,”saidWemmick,shakinghandswithhim.“Sametoyou,Colonel.”
“IfwhatIhaduponmewhentaken,hadbeenreal,Mr.Wemmick,”saidtheman,unwillingtolethishandgo,“Ishouldhaveaskedthefavourofyourwearinganotherring—inacknowledgmentofyourattentions.”
“I’llacceptthewillforthedeed,”saidWemmick.
“By-the-bye;youwerequiteapigeon-fancier.”Themanlookedupatthesky.
“Iamtoldyouhadaremarkablebreedoftumblers.
couldyoucommissionanyfriendofyourstobringmeapair,ofyou’venofurtherusefor‘em?”
“Itshallbedone,sir?”
“Allright,”saidWemmick,“theyshallbetakencareof.Goodafternoon,Colonel.Good-bye!”
Theyshookhandsagain,andaswewalkedawayWemmicksaidtome,“ACoiner,averygoodworkman.
TheRecorder’sreportismadeto-day,andheissuretobeexecutedonMonday.
Stillyousee,asfarasitgoes,apairofpigeonsareportableproperty,allthesame.”
Withthat,helookedback,andnoddedatthisdeadplant,andthencasthiseyesabouthiminwalkingoutoftheyard,asifhewereconsideringwhatotherpotwouldgobestinitsplace.
Aswecameoutoftheprisonthroughthelodge,Ifoundthatthegreatimportanceofmyguardianwasappreciatedbytheturnkeys,nolessthanbythosewhomtheyheldincharge.
“Well,Mr.Wemmick,”saidtheturnkey,whokeptusbetweenthetwostuddedandspikedlodgegates,andwhocarefullylockedonebeforeheunlockedtheother,“what’sMr.Jaggersgoingtodowiththatwatersidemurder?
Ishegoingtomakeitmanslaughter,orwhat’shegoingtomakeofit?”
“Whydon’tyouaskhim?”returnedWemmick.
“Ohyes,Idaresay!”saidtheturnkey.
“Now,that’sthewaywiththemhere.Mr.Pip,”remarkedWemmick,turningtomewithhispost-officeelongated.
“Theydon’tmindwhattheyaskofme,thesubordinate;butyou’llnevercatch‘emaskinganyquestionsofmyprincipal.”
“Isthisyounggentlemanoneofthe‘prenticesorarticledonesofyouroffice?”askedtheturnkey,withagrinatMr.Wemmick’shumour.
“Therehegoesagain,yousee!”criedWemmick,“Itoldyouso!Asksanotherquestionofthesubordinatebeforehisfirstisdry!Well,supposingMr.Pipisoneofthem?”
“Whythen,”saidtheturnkey,grinningagain,“heknowswhatMr.Jaggersis.”
“Yah!”criedWemmick,suddenlyhittingoutattheturnkeyinafacetiousway,“you’redumbasoneofyourownkeyswhenyouhavetodowithmyprincipal,youknowyouare.
Letusout,youoldfox,orI’llgethimtobringanactionagainstyouforfalseimprisonment.”
Theturnkeylaughed,andgaveusgoodday,andstoodlaughingatusoverthespikesofthewicketwhenwedescendedthestepsintothestreet.
“Mindyou,Mr.Pip,”saidWemmick,gravelyinmyear,ashetookmyarmtobemoreconfidential;“Idon’tknowthatMr.Jaggersdoesabetterthingthanthewayinwhichhekeepshimselfsohigh.He’salwayssohigh.
Hisconstantheightisofapiecewithhisimmenseabilities.
ThatColoneldurstnomoretakeleaveofhim,thanthatturnkeydurstaskhimhisintentionsrespectingacase.
Then,betweenhisheightandthem,heslipsinhissubordinate—don’tyousee?—andsohehas‘em,soulandbody.”
Iwasverymuchimpressed,andnotforthefirsttime,bymyguardian’ssubtlety.
Toconfessthetruth,Iveryheartilywished,andnotforthefirsttime,thatIhadhadsomeotherguardianofminorabilities.
Mr.WemmickandIpartedattheofficeinLittleBritain,wheresuppliantsforMr.Jaggers’snoticewerelingeringaboutasusual,andIreturnedtomywatchinthestreetofthecoach-office,withsomethreehoursonhand.
IconsumedthewholetimeinthinkinghowstrangeitwasthatIshouldbeencompassedbyallthistaintofprisonandcrime;that,inmychildhoodoutonourlonelymarshesonawintereveningIshouldhavefirstencounteredit;that,itshouldhavereappearedontwooccasions,startingoutlikeastainthatwasfadedbutnotgone;that,itshouldinthisnewwaypervademyfortuneandadvancement.
Whilemymindwasthusengaged,IthoughtofthebeautifulyoungEstella,proudandrefined,comingtowardsme,andIthoughtwithabsoluteabhorrenceofthecontrastbetweenthejailandher.
IwishedthatWemmickhadnotmetme,orthatIhadnotyieldedtohimandgonewithhim,sothat,ofalldaysintheyearonthisday,ImightnothavehadNewgateinmybreathandonmyclothes.
IbeattheprisondustoffmyfeetasIsaunteredtoandfro,andIshookitoutofmydress,andIexhaleditsairfrommylungs.
SocontaminateddidIfeel,rememberingwhowascoming,thatthecoachcamequicklyafterall,andIwasnotyetfreefromthesoilingconsciousnessofMr.Wemmick’sconservatory,whenIsawherfaceatthecoachwindowandherhandwavingtome.
Whatwasthenamelessshadowwhichagaininthatoneinstanthadpassed?
Share this article to
FINISH