远大前程-第12章

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s　quite　annoyed　with　me　about　it．

‘Really，　Mr　Pip，　to　lose　so　much　cash！’　he　said．‘You　see，Compeyson　was　so　determined　to　get　his　revenge　that　you　couldn't　have　saved　Magwitch．　But　you　certainly　could　have　saved　the　cash．That's　the　difference．　But　could　I　ask　you　something，　Mr　Pip？　Would　you　come　for　a　walk　with　me　on　Monday　morning？’

It　seemed　a　strange　request，　and　although　I　did　not　really　feel　like　accepting，　he　politely　insisted．

I　arrived　at　the　Castle　early　on　Monday　morning，　and　after　a　glass　of　rum　and　milk，　we　set　out　on　the　road．

‘Well，well！’　said　Wemmick　suddenly．‘Here's　a　church！Let's　go　in！’And　when　we　were　inside，there　was　another　surprise．

‘Well，well！’　he　said　again．‘Look　what　I've　found　in　my　pockets！Let's　put　them　on！’As　he　had‘found’two　pairs　of　white　gloves，and　his　post…box　mouth　was　as　wide　as　it　could　possibly　be，I　began　to　suspect　something．And　when　I　saw　the　Aged　come　in　with　a　lady，I　knew　I　was　right．

‘Well，well！’said　Wemmick，still　pretending　to　be　sur…prised，‘here's　the　Aged，and　Miss　Skiffins！　Let's　have　a　wedding！’

And　so　wemmick　was　married　to　Miss　Skiffins，　and　we　all　celebrated　afterwards　at　a　little　pub　near　the　church．

I　was　delighted　for　Wemmick，but　I　could　not　stop　worrying　about　Magwitch．He　had　been　so　badly　injured　that　he　was　moved　to　the　prison　hospital，where　I　visited　him　every　day．I　read　to　him，　and　talked　to　him，　and　did　everything　I　could　to　make　him　comfortable．　But　day　by　day　I　watched　him　becom…ing　weaker，although　he　never　complained．To　the　prison　guards　he　was　a　dangerous　criminal，　but　to　me　he　was　an　un…fortunate　man，who　had　at　least　some　goodness　in　him．I　could　not　leave　him　now．

At　his　trial　Jaggers　was　proved　right．　The　judge　decided　that　Magwitch，a　convict　sent　away　for　life　who　had　returned，must　be　hanged．I　could　not　accept　this　terrible　punishment，and　wrote　to　all　the　important　people　I　could　think　of，　asking　for　mercy　for　Magwitch．But　all　of　them　refused　to　help．

I　noticed，on　my　daily　visits　to　him，　that　he　was　getting　much　worse．He　lay　in　bed，looking　calmly　at　the　white　ceiling．Sometimes　he　could　not　speak，and　just　pressed　my　hand．One　evening　as　I　entered　his　room，　he　smiled　weakly　at　me．

‘Dear　boy，’he　said，‘you're　never　late．’

‘I　don't　want　to　lose　a　moment　of　the　time　I'm　allowed　to　visit　you，’I　said．

‘Thank　you，　dear　boy．God　bless　you！You've　never　de　serted　me，dear　boy！’　He　had　spoken　his　last　words．

I　touched　his　chest，remembering　that　I　had　wanted　to　desert　him　once．He　put　both　his　hands　on　mine．

‘Dear　Magwitch，listen　to　me．You　had　a　child　once，　who　you　loved　and　lost．’He　pressed　my　hand　gently．‘She's　alive．She's　a　lady　and　very　beautiful．And　I　love　her！’

He　was　too　weak　to　speak　any　more，　but　he　just　managed　to　lift　my　hand　to　his　lips．Then　he　looked　peacefully　up　at　the　white　ceiling　again．Slowly　his　eyes　closed　and　his　head　dropped　quietly　on　to　his　chest．

　　


19　　A　wedding

　　

The　excitement　of　all　these　events　made　me　seriously　ill　for　several　weeks．Herbert　was　abroad，　on　business　for　Clarrikers，and　there　would　have　been　nobody　to　look　after　me，　if　Joe　bad　not　heard　about　my　illness　and　come　to　London　to　nurse　me．

When　I　was　getting　better，　he　told　me　some　of　the　local　news．Miss　Havisham　had　died，and　left　all　her　fortune　to　Estella，except　for￡4000，which　Matthew　Pocket　inherited．And　Orlick　had　been　arrested　for　breaking　into　Pumblechook's　house　and　stealing　his　money．Dear　old　Joe　seemed　just　the　same，　but　as　I　got　better，he　began　to　remember　I　was　a　gentleman，and　call　me　sir　again，and　when　I　got　up　one　morning，I　discovered　he　had　gone．

I　decided　to　go　back　to　the　village，to　thank　him　for　all　his　help，and　to　carry　out　a　plan　I　had　been　considering　for　some　time．I　wanted　to　ask　Biddy　to　marry　me，and　I　knew　I　would　be　happy　with　her．So　I　went　by　coach　to　the　old　town，as　I　had　done　so　many　times　before，　and　walked　to　the　forge．　But　as　I　came　closer，I　could　not　hear　the　sound　of　Joe's　hammer，and　I　noticed　fresh　white　curtains　at　the　windows，　and　bright　flowers　everywhere．Suddenly　I　saw　Biddy　and　Joe　at　the　door，arm　in　arm．

‘Pip！’cried　Biddy　happily，running　to　kiss　me．‘Pip，it's　my　wedding　day，and　I'm　married　to　Joe！’

I　was　still　weak　from　my　illness，　and　the　shock　was　too　much　for　me．They　had　to　help　me　into　the　house　and　let　me　rest　in　a　chair．　They　were　both　so　pleased　that　I　had　come，　by　accident，to　make　their　day　perfect．I　could　only　be　glad　that　I　had　never　spoken　of　my　plan　to　Joe，　when　he　was　looking　after　me．

‘Dear　Biddy，’I　said，‘you　have　the　best　husband　in　the　whole　world．’

‘I　couldn't　love　him　more　than　I　do，’　she　replied．

‘And　dear　Joe，　you　have　the　best　wife　in　the　world，　and　she　will　make　you　as　happy　as　even　you　deserve　to　be，　dear　good　Joe！’Joe　put　his　arm　over　his　eyes．‘And　Joe　and　Biddy，　I　want　to　thank　you　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart　for　all　you've　done　for　me．　Tell　me　you　forgive　me　for　not　being　grateful，and　not　being　good．　And　think　better　of　me　in　the　future！’

‘Oh　dear　old　Pip，’said　Joe，‘God　knows　we　forgive　you，if　there　is　anything　to　forgive！’

So　I　left　the　forge，and　started　a　new　life，　working　as　a　clerk　for　Clarrikers，Herbert's　company．　I　was　sent　to　the　new　office　in　India　to　take　charge，while　Herbert　came　back　to　England　to　marry　his　Clara．

Herbert　and　his　wife　invited　me　to　live　with　them，　and　we　all　stayed　out　in　India　for　many　years．In　the　end　I　too　became　a　partner　in　the　company．We　worked　hard　and　honestly，　and　made　good　profits．

It　was　not　until　eleven　years　later　that　I　returned　to　England　and　saw　Biddy　and　Joe　again，although　I　had　been　writing　regularly　to　them．One　evening　in　December　I　gently　pushed　open　the　old　kitchen　door，　and　there，sitting　by　the　fire　next　to　Joe，in　my　old　place，was…Pip！Joe　and　Biddy's　son　had　my　name　and　looked　just　like　me．They　also　had　a　little　daughter，and　were　the　happiest　of　parents．

‘Dear　Pip，’said　Biddy　quietly　to　me　after　supper，‘have　you　quite　forgotten　her？　Tell　me，　as　an　old　friend．’

‘My　dear　Biddy，I　can　never　forget　her．　But　that　was　all　a　dream，　which　has　passed！’

But　I　was　secretly　planning　to　revisit　Miss　Havisham's　old　house，　alone，　as　a　way　of　remembering　Estella．　I　had　heard　that　her　husband　had　been　very　cruel　to　her．They　had　separated，and　then　he　had　died　two　years　ago．Perhaps　she　had　remarried　by　now．

The　old　house　had　been　knocked　down，　and　there　was　nothing　left　but　piles　of　stones　in　the　garden．　In　the　moonlight　I　walked　sadly　around，until　suddenly　I　saw　a　woman's　figure　in　the　shadows．I　went　closer　and　then——

‘Estella！’I　cried．

‘You　recognize　me？I　have　changed　a　lot，’she　answered．

She　was　older，but　still　beautiful．I　had　never　before　seen　such　a　soft　light　in　those　once　proud　eyes，or　felt　such　a　friend…ly　touch　of　her　once　cold　hand．

‘It's　strange，　Estella！　Afer　so　many　years，we　meet　by　chance，here，where　we　first　met！’

‘Yes，it's　strange．I　haven't　been　here　for　years，although　the　land　belongs　to　me．But　tell　me，you　still　live　abroad？’

‘Yes，I　still　do．I'm　doing　well　in　India．’

‘I've　often　thought　of　you．Since…my　husband…died，I　have　given　you　a　place　in　my　heart．’

‘You　have　always　held　your　place　in　my　heart，I　answered．

There　was　silence　for　a　few　moments．

‘I　didn't　think　I　would　say　goodbye　to　you　here，’she　said．

‘It's　painful　saying　goodbye，Estella．’

‘But　last　time　you　said，“God　bless　you，　God　forgive　you！”You　could　say　that　to　me　now，　now　that　I　understand　how　much　you　loved　me，　now　that　I　have　suffered，　now　that　I　am　a　better　person．Tell　me　we　are　friends．’She　spoke　more　eagerly　than　I　had　ever　heard　her　speak　before．

‘We　are　friends，’　I　said，taking　her　hand．

‘And　will　continue　being　friends，even　when　we　are　apart，’said　Estella．

We　walked，hand　in　hand，　out　of　the　old　garden．As　the　morning　mist　had　risen　long　ago　when　I　first　left　the　forge，so　the　evening　mist　was　rising　now，and　in　the　clear　moonlight　I　saw　no　shadow　of　another　separation　from　her．

　　



　

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