English
HerbertandIwentonfrombadtoworse,inthewayofincreasingourdebts,lookingintoouraffairs,leavingMargins,andthelikeexemplarytransactions;andTimewenton,whetherorno,ashehasawayofdoing;andIcameofage—infulfilmentofHerbert’sprediction,thatIshoulddosobeforeIknewwhereIwas.
Herberthimselfhadcomeofage,eightmonthsbeforeme.
Ashehadnothingelsethanhismajoritytocomeinto,theeventdidnotmakeaprofoundsensationinBarnard’sInn.
Butwehadlookedforwardtomyone-and-twentiethbirthday,withacrowdofspeculationsandanticipations,forwehadbothconsideredthatmyguardiancouldhardlyhelpsayingsomethingdefiniteonthatoccasion.
IhadtakencaretohaveitwellunderstoodinLittleBritain,whenmybirthdaywas.
Onthedaybeforeit,IreceivedanofficialnotefromWemmick,informingmethatMr.JaggerswouldbegladifIwouldcalluponhimatfiveintheafternoonoftheauspiciousday.
Thisconvincedusthatsomethinggreatwastohappen,andthrewmeintoanunusualflutterwhenIrepairedtomyguardian’soffice,amodelofpunctuality.
IntheouterofficeWemmickofferedmehiscongratulations,andincidentallyrubbedthesideofhisnosewithafoldedpieceoftissuepaperthatIlikedthelookof.
Buthesaidnothingrespectingit,andmotionedmewithanodintomyguardian’sroom.
ItwasNovember,andmyguardianwasstandingbeforehisfireleaninghisbackagainstthechimney-piece,withhishandsunderhiscoattails.
“Well,Pip,”saidhe,“ImustcallyouMr.Pipto-day.Congratulations,Mr.Pip.”
Weshookhands—hewasalwaysaremarkablyshortshaker—andIthankedhim.
“Takeachair,Mr.Pip,”saidmyguardian.
AsIsatdown,andhepreservedhisattitudeandbenthisbrowsathisboots,Ifeltatadisadvantage,whichremindedmeofthatoldtimewhenIhadbeenputuponatombstone.
Thetwoghastlycastsontheshelfwerenotfarfromhim,andtheirexpressionwasasiftheyweremakingastupidapoplecticattempttoattendtotheconversation.
“Nowmyyoungfriend,”myguardianbegan,asifIwereawitnessinthebox,“Iamgoingtohaveawordortwowithyou.”
“Ifyouplease,sir.”
“Whatdoyousuppose,”saidMr.Jaggers,bendingforwardtolookattheground,andthenthrowinghisheadbacktolookattheceiling,“whatdoyousupposeyouarelivingattherateof?”
“Attherateof,sir?”
“At,”repeatedMr.Jaggers,stilllookingattheceiling,“the—rate—of?”Andthenlookedallroundtheroom,andpausedwithhispocket-handkerchiefinhishand,halfwaytohisnose.
Ihadlookedintomyaffairssooften,thatIhadthoroughlydestroyedanyslightnotionImighteverhavehadoftheirbearings.
Reluctantly,Iconfessedmyselfquiteunabletoanswerthequestion.
ThisreplyseemedagreeabletoMr.Jaggers,whosaid,“Ithoughtso!”
andblewhisnosewithanairofsatisfaction.
“Now,Ihaveaskedyouaquestion,myfriend,”saidMr.Jaggers.“Haveyouanythingtoaskme?”
“Ofcourseitwouldbeagreatrelieftometoaskyouseveralquestions,sir;butIrememberyourprohibition.”
“Askone,”saidMr.Jaggers.
“Ismybenefactortobemadeknowntometo-day?”
“No.Askanother.”
“Isthatconfidencetobeimpartedtomesoon?”
“Waivethat,amoment,”saidMr.Jaggers,“andaskanother.”
Ilookedaboutme,butthereappearedtobenownopossibleescapefromtheinquiry,“Have—I—anythingtoreceive,sir?”
Onthat,Mr.Jaggerssaid,triumphantly,“Ithoughtweshouldcometoit!”
andcalledtoWemmicktogivehimthatpieceofpaper.
Wemmickappeared,handeditin,anddisappeared.
“Now,Mr.Pip,”saidMr.Jaggers,“attend,ifyouplease.Youhavebeendrawingprettyfreelyhere;yournameoccursprettyofteninWemmick’scash-book;butyouareindebt,ofcourse?”
“IamafraidImustsayyes,sir.”
“Youknowyoumustsayyes;don’tyou?”saidMr.Jaggers.
“Yes,sir.”
“Idon’taskyouwhatyouowe,becauseyoudon’tknow;andifyoudidknow,youwouldn’ttellme;youwouldsayless.
Yes,yes,myfriend,”criedMr.Jaggers,wavinghisforefingertostopme,asImadeashowofprotesting:“it’slikelyenoughthatyouthinkyouwouldn’t,butyouwould.
You’llexcuseme,butIknowbetterthanyou.
Now,takethispieceofpaperinyourhand.Youhavegotit?Verygood.Now,unfolditandtellmewhatitis.”
“Thisisabank-note,”saidI,“forfivehundredpounds.”
“Thatisabank-note,”repeatedMr.Jaggers,“forfivehundredpounds.Andaveryhandsomesumofmoneytoo,Ithink.Youconsideritso?”
“HowcouldIdootherwise!”
“Ah!Butanswerthequestion,”saidMr.Jaggers.
“Undoubtedly.”
“Youconsiderit,undoubtedly,ahandsomesumofmoney.
Now,thathandsomesumofmoney,Pip,isyourown.
Itisapresenttoyouonthisday,inearnestofyourexpectations.
Andattherateofthathandsomesumofmoneyperannum,andatnohigherrate,youaretoliveuntilthedonorofthewholeappears.
Thatistosay,youwillnowtakeyourmoneyaffairsentirelyintoyourownhands,andyouwilldrawfromWemmickonehundredandtwenty-fivepoundsperquarter,untilyouareincommunicationwiththefountain-head,andnolongerwiththemereagent.
AsIhavetoldyoubefore,Iamthemereagent.
Iexecutemyinstructions,andIampaidfordoingso.
Ithinktheminjudicious,butIamnotpaidforgivinganyopinionontheirmerits.”
IwasbeginningtoexpressmygratitudetomybenefactorforthegreatliberalitywithwhichIwastreated,whenMr.Jaggersstoppedme.
“Iamnotpaid,Pip,”saidhe,coolly,“tocarryyourwordstoanyone;”andthengathereduphiscoat-tails,ashehadgatheredupthesubject,andstoodfrowningathisbootsasifhesuspectedthemofdesignsagainsthim.
Afterapause,Ihinted:
“Therewasaquestionjustnow,Mr.Jaggers,whichyoudesiredmetowaiveforamoment.IhopeIamdoingnothingwronginaskingitagain?”
“Whatisit?”saidhe.
Imighthaveknownthathewouldneverhelpmeout;butittookmeabacktohavetoshapethequestionafresh,asifitwerequitenew.
“Isitlikely,”Isaid,afterhesitating,“thatmypatron,thefountain-headyouhavespokenof,Mr.Jaggers,willsoon—”thereIdelicatelystopped.
“Willsoonwhat?”askedMr.Jaggers.“That’snoquestionasitstands,youknow.”
“WillsooncometoLondon,”saidI,aftercastingaboutforapreciseformofwords,“orsummonmeanywhereelse?”
“Nowhere,”repliedMr.Jaggers,fixingmeforthefirsttimewithhisdarkdeep-seteyes,“wemustreverttotheeveningwhenwefirstencounteredoneanotherinyourvillage.WhatdidItellyouthen,Pip?”
“Youtoldme,Mr.Jaggers,thatitmightbeyearshencewhenthatpersonappeared.”
“Justso,”saidMr.Jaggers;“that’smyanswer.”
Aswelookedfullatoneanother,Ifeltmybreathcomequickerinmystrongdesiretogetsomethingoutofhim.
AndasIfeltthatitcamequicker,andasIfeltthathesawthatitcamequicker,IfeltthatIhadlesschancethaneverofgettinganythingoutofhim.
“Doyousupposeitwillstillbeyearshence,Mr.Jaggers?”
Mr.Jaggersshookhishead—notinnegativingthequestion,butinaltogethernegativingthenotionthathecouldanyhowbegottoanswerit—andthetwohorriblecastsofthetwitchedfaceslooked,whenmyeyesstrayeduptothem,asiftheyhadcometoacrisisintheirsuspendedattention,andweregoingtosneeze.
“Come!”saidMr.Jaggers,warmingthebacksofhislegswiththebacksofhiswarmedhands,“I’llbeplainwithyou,myfriendPip.That’saquestionImustnotbeasked.
You’llunderstandthat,better,whenItellyouit’saquestionthatmightcompromiseme.Come!
I’llgoalittlefurtherwithyou;I’llsaysomethingmore.”
Hebentdownsolowtofrownathisboots,thathewasabletorubthecalvesofhislegsinthepausehemade.
“Whenthatpersondiscloses,”saidMr.Jaggers,straighteninghimself,“youandthatpersonwillsettleyourownaffairs.
Whenthatpersondiscloses,mypartinthisbusinesswillceaseanddetermine.
Whenthatpersondiscloses,itwillnotbenecessaryformetoknowanythingaboutit.Andthat’sallIhavegottosay.”
WelookedatoneanotheruntilIwithdrewmyeyes,andlookedthoughtfullyatthefloor.
FromthislastspeechIderivedthenotionthatMissHavisham,forsomereasonornoreason,hadnottakenhimintoherconfidenceastoherdesigningmeforEstella;thatheresentedthis,andfeltajealousyaboutit;orthathereallydidobjecttothatscheme,andwouldhavenothingtodowithit.
WhenIraisedmyeyesagain,Ifoundthathehadbeenshrewdlylookingatmeallthetime,andwasdoingsostill.
“Ifthatisallyouhavetosay,sir,”Iremarked,“therecanbenothingleftformetosay.”
Henoddedassent,andpulledouthisthief-dreadedwatch,andaskedmewhereIwasgoingtodine?
Irepliedatmyownchambers,withHerbert.
Asanecessarysequence,Iaskedhimifhewouldfavouruswithhiscompany,andhepromptlyacceptedtheinvitation.
Butheinsistedonwalkinghomewithme,inorderthatImightmakenoextrapreparationforhim,andfirsthehadaletterortwotowrite,and(ofcourse)hadhishandstowash.
So,IsaidIwouldgointotheouterofficeandtalktoWemmick.
Thefactwas,thatwhenthefivehundredpoundshadcomeintomypocket,athoughthadcomeintomyheadwhichhadbeenoftentherebefore;anditappearedtomethatWemmickwasagoodpersontoadvisewith,concerningsuchthought.
Hehadalreadylockeduphissafe,andmadepreparationsforgoinghome.
Hehadlefthisdesk,broughtouthistwogreasyofficecandlesticksandstoodtheminlinewiththesnuffersonaslabnearthedoor,readytobeextinguished;hehadrakedhisfirelow,puthishatandgreat-coatready,andwasbeatinghimselfalloverthechestwithhissafe-key,asanathleticexerciseafterbusiness.
“Mr.Wemmick,”saidI,“Iwanttoaskyouropinion.Iamverydesiroustoserveafriend.”
Wemmicktightenedhispost-officeandshookhishead,asifhisopinionweredeadagainstanyfatalweaknessofthatsort.
“Thisfriend,”Ipursued,“istryingtogetonincommerciallife,buthasnomoney,andfindsitdifficultanddishearteningtomakeabeginning.Now,Iwantsomehowtohelphimtoabeginning.”
“Withmoneydown?”saidWemmick,inatonedrierthananysawdust.
“Withsomemoneydown,”Ireplied,foranuneasyremembranceshotacrossmeofthatsymmetricalbundleofpapersathome;“withsomemoneydown,andperhapssomeanticipationofmyexpectations.”
“Mr.Pip,”saidWemmick,“Ishouldlikejusttorunoverwithyouonmyfingers,ifyouplease,thenamesofthevariousbridgesupashighasChelseaReach.
Let’ssee;there’sLondon,one;Southwark,two;Blackfriars,three;Waterloo,four;Westminster,five;Vauxhall,six.”
Hehadcheckedoffeachbridgeinitsturn,withthehandleofhissafe-keyonthepalmofhishand.
“There’sasmanyassix,yousee,tochoosefrom.”
“Idon’tunderstandyou,”saidI.
“Chooseyourbridge,Mr.Pip,”returnedWemmick,“andtakeawalkuponyourbridge,andpitchyourmoneyintotheThamesoverthecentrearchofyourbridge,andyouknowtheendofit.
Serveafriendwithit,andyoumayknowtheendofittoo—butit’salesspleasantandprofitableend.”
Icouldhavepostedanewspaperinhismouth,hemadeitsowideaftersayingthis.
“Thisisverydiscouraging,”saidI.
“Meanttobeso,”saidWemmick.
“Thenisityouropinion,”Iinquired,withsomelittleindignation,“thatamanshouldnever—”
”—Investportablepropertyinafriend?”saidWemmick.“Certainlyheshouldnot.
Unlesshewantstogetridofthefriend—andthenitbecomesaquestionhowmuchportablepropertyitmaybeworthtogetridofhim.”
“Andthat,”saidI,“isyourdeliberateopinion,Mr.Wemmick?”
“That,”hereturned,“ismydeliberateopinioninthisoffice.”
“Ah!”saidI,pressinghim,forIthoughtIsawhimnearaloopholehere;“butwouldthatbeyouropinionatWalworth?”
“Mr.Pip,”hereplied,withgravity,“Walworthisoneplace,andthisofficeisanother.
MuchastheAgedisoneperson,andMr.Jaggersisanother.Theymustnotbeconfoundedtogether.
MyWalworthsentimentsmustbetakenatWalworth;nonebutmyofficialsentimentscanbetakeninthisoffice.”
“Verywell,”saidI,muchrelieved,“thenIshalllookyouupatWalworth,youmaydependuponit.”
“Mr.Pip,”hereturned,“youwillbewelcomethere,inaprivateandpersonalcapacity.”
Wehadheldthisconversationinalowvoice,wellknowingmyguardian’searstobethesharpestofthesharp.
Ashenowappearedinhisdoorway,towellinghishands,Wemmickgotonhisgreatcoatandstoodbytosnuffoutthecandles.
Weallthreewentintothestreettogether,andfromthedoor-stepWemmickturnedhisway,andMr.JaggersandIturnedours.
Icouldnothelpwishingmorethanoncethatevening,thatMr.JaggershadhadanAgedinGerrard-street,oraStinger,oraSomething,oraSomebody,tounbendhisbrowsalittle.
Itwasanuncomfortableconsiderationonatwenty-firstbirthday,thatcomingofageatallseemedhardlyworthwhileinsuchaguardedandsuspiciousworldashemadeofit.
HewasathousandtimesbetterinformedandclevererthanWemmick,andyetIwouldathousandtimesratherhavehadWemmicktodinner.
AndMr.Jaggersmadenotmealoneintenselymelancholy,because,afterhewasgone,Herbertsaidofhimself,withhiseyesfixedonthefire,thathethoughthemusthavecommittedafelonyandforgottenthedetailsofit,hefeltsodejectedandguilty.
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