远大前程-第11章

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rguing，she　was　judged　innocent　of　murder．Aftef　the　trial　she　left　her　husband　and　became　Jaggers’housekeeper．

　　



　


16　　Miss　Havisham　realizes　how　Pip　has　suffered

　　

When　I　went　to　see　Miss　Havisham　the　next　day，as　she　had　requested，her　house　looked　darker　than　ever，and　I　realized　how　lonely　she　was　without　Estella．She　looked　sadly　at　me．

‘Tell　me，Pip，’she　said，stretching　out　her　hand　to　me，‘how　can　I　help　your　friend？You　said　something　about　it　last　time．

I　explained　my　agreement　with　Clarrikers　to　make　Herbert　a　partner．Nine　hundred　pounds　still　had　to　be　paid．

‘And　you　will　be　happier　if　I　pay　this？’

‘Much　happier．’

‘can't　I　help　you　yourself，Pip？’

‘There　is　nothing　you　can　do，’I　answered．

She　wrote　a　cheque　which　she　handed　to　me．‘Mr　Jaggers　will　give　you　the　money．And…here，Pip，’handing　me　another　piece　of　paper，‘here　is　a　note　with　my　name　on．If，one　day，you　can　write　under　my　name“I　forgive　her”，please　do　it．’

‘Oh　Miss　Havisham，’I　said，‘I　can　do　it　now．We　have　all　made　mistakes．I　can't　be　bitter　with　anyone．’

‘What　have　I　done，Pip！’she　cried，dropping　to　her　knees　in　front　of　me．‘I　should　never　have　brought　up　Estella　like　that，or　allowed　you　to　be　hurt！’

‘Could　I　ask　you　something　about　Estella？How　and　why　did　you　adopt　her？’

‘I　never　knew　her　parents，’she　said　quietly．‘I　asked　Jaggers　to　find　a　little　girl　for　me　to　adopt，and　he　brought　Estella　here，when　she　was　about　three．’

We　had　no　more　to　say　to　each　other，and　so　I　left．But　on　my　way　through　the　old　garden　I　had　a　strange　feeling　that　something　was　wrong，and　I　ran　back　upstairs　to　check　that　Miss　Havisham　was　all　right．As　I　opened　the　door　of　her　room，I　saw　her　sitting　close　to　the　fire．Suddenly　a　great　flame　lit　the　room．She　turned　and　rushed　towards　me，screaming，her　hair　and　clothes　on　fire．Somehow　I　managed　to　cover　her　with　my　coat　and　put　out　the　flames　with　my　hands．

I　sent　for　a　doctor，who　cleaned　her　wounds．Her　bed　was　placed　on　the　great　dining　table，where　her　wedding　cake　had　been，and　she　lay　there，covered　with　a　white　sheet，half　con…scions．I　could　not　stay，but　left　her　in　the　care　of　the　doctor　and　several　nurses，and　returned　to　London．

My　hands　and　right　arm　had　been　badly　burnt．But　al－though　I　was　in　great　pain，I　was　desperate　to　know　if　Mag－witch　was　safe．

‘Everything's　fine，’Handel，’Herbert　told　me　calmly，as　he　gently　put　bandages　on　my　hands．‘He　seems　much　pleasanter　than　before．I　actually　like　him　now．Do　you　know，yesterday　he　was　telling　me　about　his　past．Apparently　at　one　time　he　was　married　to　a　young　woman　who　was　jealous　of　an…other　woman．There　was　a　fight，　and　his　wife　killed　the　other　Luckily　for　her，she　had　a　clever　lawyer　at　her　trial，and　was　never　punished　for　the　murder．She　and　Magwitch　had　a　daughter，　who　Magwitch　dearly　loved　Both　wife　and　child　disappeared　after　the　trial，　and　he　thought　his　wife　must　have　killed　their　daughter．’

‘How　old　was　the　child？’I　asked，trying　to　control　my　excitement．

‘She　would　have　been　about　your　age，if　she　had　lived．’

‘Herbert，’　I　said，‘am　I　ill　or　mad　or　anything？’

‘No，’replied　Herbert，　after　examining　me　carefully，‘al…though　you　do　look　a　little　excited．’

‘Listen，　Herbert．Magwitch　is　Estella's　father．’

The　next　day，although　I　felt　ill　and　weak，because　of　my　burns，I　went　straight　to　Jaggers’office．He　admitted　that　Estella　was　his　housekeeper's　daughter，adopted　by　Miss　Hav…isham　to　give　her　the　chance　of　a　better　life．　But　even　he，the　great　Jaggers，did　not　know　that　Magwitch　was　Estella's　father．

　　



17　　Pip　is　close　to　death

　　

I　paid　Clarrikers　Miss　Havisham's　nine　hundred　pounds，and　felt　glad　that　Herbert's　future，at　least，　was　safe．Clarrikers　were　going　to　send　Herbert　to　India，to　open　a　new　office　there．So　while　helping　my　old　friend，I　would　be　losing　him　at　the　same　time．

Wemmick　advised　us　to　move　Magwitch　out　of　the　country　in　the　middle　of　the　week．So　we　decided　to　row　the　boat　down　to　Clara's　house　on　Wednesday，collect　Magwitch，and　continue　right　down　the　river　to　Essex，where　we　could　stop　one　of　the　foreign　ships　sailing　from　the　port　of　London　to　Ger　many　or　Holland．With　luck，nobody　would　notice　us　or　sus　pect　us．Our　friend　Startop　agreed　to　row　instead　of　me，as　my　hands　were　still　too　painful．

However，　when　I　went　back　to　our　rooms　on　Monday，　my　head　full　of　arrangements　for　the　journey，I　found　a　letter，ad　dressed　to　me　and　delivered　by　hand．It　said：

‘If　you　want　information　about　your　guest，you　should　come　tonight　or　tomorrow　night　to　the　old　house　near　the　lime　kiln　on　the　marshes．Tell　no　one．You　must　come　alone．’

I　did　not　have　time　to　consider．　I　rushed　out　again　and　was　just　in　time　to　catch　the　afternoon　coach．

I　stopped　in　town　only　to　ask　about　Miss　Havisham．　She　was　still　very　ill，　it　seemed．Then　I　walked　fast　on　to　the　dark　lonely　marshes．Soon　I　arrived　at　the　lime…kiln，　which　was　still　burning，although　the　workmen　had　all　gone　home．I　pushed　open　the　door　of　the　old　house，　which　I　thought　was　uninhabited，but　to　my　surprise　there　was　a　bed，　a　table　and　a　candle　inside　Suddenly　the　candle　was　blown　out，I　was　at…tacked　from　behind　and　my　arms　were　tied　close　to　my　sides　with　a　thick　rope．The　pain　in　my　injured　arm　was　terrible．In　a　moment　the　candle　was　lit　again，and　I　recognized　my　at…tacker．Orlick！I　saw　he　had　been　drinking，and　I　knew　I　was　in　a　very　dangerous　situation．

‘Now，’　he　said　fiercely，‘I've　got　you！’

‘Why　have　you　brought　me　here？’I　asked．

‘Don't　yon　know？’　he　replied，　drinking　straight　from　a　bottle．‘Because　you're　my　enemy．　I　lost　that　job　at　Miss　Havisham's　because　of　you．　And　what's　more，　Biddy　would　have　liked　me　if　you　hadn't　been　there．You've　been　in　my　way　ever　since　you　were　a　child．And　now　I'm　going　to　have　your　life！Tonight　you're　going　to　die！’

I　felt　I　was　looking　down　into　my　own　grave．　I　could　see　no　possible　way　of　escape．

‘More　than　that，’he　said，‘I　don't　want　anything　left　of　you．I'll　put　your　body　in　the　kiln．Even　your　clothes　will　be　burnt，and　in　the　morning　there'll　be　nothing　left．’

I　realized　I　had　not　told　anybody　where　I　was　going．No…body　would　know　where　to　look　for　me．

‘Another　thing，’he　said，smiling　cruelly，‘it　was　your　fault　your　ugly　sister　was　attacked．I　did　it，I　hit　her　with　the　iron　chain　your　convict　left　on　the　marshes，but　I　did　it　be　cause　I　hated　you！’　He　drank　again．I　watched　the　level　of　the　liquid　go　down．I　knew　that　when　he　finished　the　bottle，　my　life　would　end．

‘And　I　know　all　about　that　convict　you’　re　hiding．　I've　waited　and　watched　outside　your　rooms　and　on　the　stairs．You　fell　over　me　once．I've　got　a　friend　who's　going　to　inform　the　police　about　him．Yes，Compeyson'll　make　sure　he's　hanged，when　you're　dead！’

The　last　of　the　rum　went　down　his　throat，　and　picking　up　his　hammer　he　came　towards　me．Determined　to　fight，I　shouted　as　loudly　as　I　could．　Suddenly　the　door　was　thrown　open　and　Herbert　and　Startop　rushed　in．　With　a　violent　shout　Orlick　jumped　over　the　table　and　escaped　into　the　night．

My　two　friends　had　found　Orlick's　letter　to　me，　which，　in　my　hurry，I　had　dropped　in　my　room　in　London．　They　had　suspected　some　wicked　plot，　and　come　straight　to　the　town，and　then　to　the　marshes，　to　find　me．　Luckily　they　had　arrived　just　in　time．

They　took　me　back　to　London　that　night，　and　looked　after　me　carefully　all　the　next　day，　so　that，　although　my　arm　was　still　aching，　and　I　felt　very　weak，I　was　fit　enough　for　the　planned　journey　on　Wednesday．

　　



　


18　　The　end　of　Magwitch's　story

　　

It　was　a　cold，bright　morning　when　we　set　out　cheerfully　down　the　river．I　steered　the　boat，Herbert　and　Startop　rowed．At　Clara's　house　Magwitch　was　waiting　for　us，wrapped　in　a　dark　cloak．

‘Dear　boy！’he　said，　putting　his　hand　on　my　shoulder　as　he　sat　down　heavily　in　the　boat．‘Thank　you！’

We　rowed　eastwards　down　the　river　all　day，　looking　round　all　the　time　to　check　that　no　one　was　following　us　Magwitch　seemed　quite　happy，　smoking　his　pipe　and　watching　the　water．

You　don't　know　what　a　pleasure　it　is　to　me，　Pip，’he　said　once，‘to　be　with　my　dear　boy，in　the　open　air．’

‘You'll　be　completely　safe，　and　free，　tomorrow，’　I　said．

‘I　hope　so，dear　boy．But　looking　into　the　frture，well，that's　like　looking　for　the　bottom　of　the　river，　isn't　it？　Can't　be　done．’He　remained　silent　after　that．

We　decided　to　spend　the　night　at　a　little　riverside　pub．It　seemed　safe　because　there　were　no　other　guests，　but　the　pub　owner　asked　us　a　question　which　worried　us．

‘Did　you　see　that　boat　go　past，　gentlemen？　Rowed　by　four　men，　with　two　others　on　board．It's　been　up　and　down　the　river　several　times．Could　be　a　Customs　boat．’

When　he　left　us　alone，　we　discussed　this　information　in　whispers．In　the　end　we　decided　to　go　to　bed，　and　then　set　out　the　next　morning　just　in　time　to　catch　the　ship　to　Hamburg．I　woke　early，and　when　I　looked　out　of　the　window，I　saw　two　men　examining　our　boat，but　I　decided　not　to　wake　Herbert　or　Startop，who　needed　their　rest　after　rowing　all　the　previous　day．

Late　in　the　morning　we　rowed　into　the　centre　of　the　river．We　could　see　the　ship　to　Hamburg　coming　closer．　Magwitch　and　I　picked　up　our　bags，and　said　goodbye　to　Herbert　and　Startop，so　that　we　would　be　ready　to　stop　the　ship　and　get　on　board．Suddenly　a　boat　rowed　by　four　men　appeared　from　nowhere　and　came　out　very　fast　into　the　centre　of　the　river，close　to　us．　A　fifth　man　was　steering，　and　a　sixth，　his　face　hidden　in　his　cloak，　whispered　instructions　to　the　steerer．They　all　stared　at　us．

‘You　have　a　convict　there　who's　returned　from　Australia，’shouted　the　steerer．‘That's　the　man，in　the　cloak．His　name　is　Abel　Magwitch．I'm　a　Customs　officer　and　I　arrest　him！’

Suddenly　their　boat　was　touching　ours．The　Hamburg　ship　was　almost　on　top　of　us，　and　the　ship's　captain　shouted　the　or…der　to　stop　engines，　but　it　was　too　late．　At　the　same　moment　the　Customs　officer　put　his　hand　on　Magwitch's　shoulder，and　Magwitch　pulled　the　cloak　off　the　other　man　in　the　boat．It　was　Compeyson！And　as　I　watched，he　fell　backwards　into　the　water，his　face　full　of　terror．The　huge　ship　hit　our　tiny　boat　with　a　great　crash，Somehow　the　Customs　officers　managed　to　get　me　on　board　their　boat，with　Herbert　and　Startop，but　our　boat　sank，and　the　two　convicts　had　disappeared．

Soon，however，we　discovered　Magwitch　in　the　water，badly　injured，and　pulled　him　into　the　boat．　He　told　me　that　he　had　fallen　into　the　water　with　Compeyson，and　then　been　hit　by　the　ship．I　believed　what　he　said．At　the　time　there　was　no　sign　of　Compeyson，whose　dead　body　was　found　several　days　later．

Magwitch　was　taken　to　prison　to　wait　for　his　trial．I　arranged　for　Jaggers　to　be　his　lawyer，but　Jaggers　warned　me　there　was　almost　no　hope　of　saving　his　life．Magwitch's　thick　wallet　was　handed　over　to　the　police，and　Wemmick　was　quite　annoyed　with　me　about　it．

‘Really，　Mr　Pip，　to　lose　so　much　cash！’　he　said．‘You　se