Wemmick　was　right　in　saying　that　Mr　Jaggers　would　invite　me　to　dinner．　Startop，　Drummle，　Herbert　and　I　were　asked　to　go　to　the　office　at　six　o’clock　the　next　evening．There　we　found　Jaggers　washing　his　hands　and　face　carefully　with　per－fumed　soap．　He　did　this　every　evening　before　going　home．　He　seemed　to　be　washing　away　his　clients　and　his　work，　like　dirt．We　all　walked　to　his　house　together．
  The　housekeeper　brought　in　the　first　dish．　She　was　about　forty，with　a　strange　wild　expression　on　her　pale　face．　She　seemed　almost　afraid　of　her　master，　and　looked　anxiously　at　him　whenever　she　entered　the　room．
  The　food　was　indeed　very　good，　and　the　conversation　was　cheerful．　But　somehow　Mr　Jaggers　made　us　all　show　the　worst　side　of　our　characters，　and　encouraged　Drummle，　who　we　all　disliked，to　annoy　us．　When　Drummle　stupidly　said　that　he　was　stronger　than　any　of　us，　we　all　protested，　foolishly　showing　each　other　our　muscles　to　prove　how　strong　we　were．Suddenly　Mr　Jaggers　clapped　his　large　hand　on　the　housekeeper's，as　she　was　removing　a　dish．　We　stopped　talking　immediately．
  ‘Gentlemen，’　he　said，‘look　at　my　housekeeper　here．She　is　stronger　than　any　of　you．Molly，　show　them　your　wrists．’
  ‘No，　please，　master，’　she　begged，　trying　to　pull　away，　but　he　held　her　hand　firmly．
  ‘Show　them，Molly，’　he　said，and　she　held　her　wrists　out　to　us．‘I've　never　seen　stronger　hands　than　these，’he　said．There　was　silence　for　a　few　minutes．‘All　right，　Molly，　you　can　go，’he　said，　and　she　hurried　out．
  During　the　rest　of　the　dinner，　Mr　Jaggers　continued　to　enjoy　watching　us　quarrelling　with　Drummle．He　gave　the　impression，surprisingly，　of　liking　Drummle　very　much．But　I　was　glad　when　the　dinner　was　over，　and　Herbert　and　I　could　walk　quietly　back　to　our　rooms　together．
  9　　A　visit　from　Joe
  ‘My　dear　Pip，Mr　Gargery　asks　me　to　tell　you　he　will　be　in　Lon－don　soon，and　could　visit　you　at　9　o’clock　on　Tuesday　morning，at　Mr　Herbert　Pocket's　rooms，　if　that　is　all　right　with　you．He　and　I　talk　about　you　every　night，　and　wonder　what　you　are　saying　and　doing．
  Best　wishes，
  Biddy．
  P．S．I　hope　you　will　not　refuse　to　see　him，　even　though　you　are　a　gentleman　now．　He　is　such　a　good　man．’
  I　received　this　letter　on　Monday，　and　realized　that　Joe　would　arrive　the　next　day．　I　am　sorry　to　confess　that　I　did　not　look　forward　to　seeing　him　at　all．If　I　could　have　kept　him　away　by　paying　money，　I　certainly　would　have　paid　money．I　knew　that　his　clothes，　his　manners　and　uneducated　way　of　speaking　would　make　me　ashamed　of　him．　Luckily　Herbert　would　not　laugh　at　him．
  At　nine　o’clock　the　next　morning　I　heard　Joe's　clumsy　boots　on　the　stairs，　and　at　last　he　entered　Herbert's　rooms．
  ‘Pip，　how　are　you，　Pip？’　He　shook　both　my　hands　together，　his　good　honest　face　shining　with　happiness．
  ‘I'm　glad　to　see　you，　Joe．Give　me　your　hat．’
  But　Joe　insisted　on　holding　it　carefully　in　front　of　him．He　was　wearing　his　best　suit，　which　did　not　fit　him　at　all．
  ‘Well！What　a　gentleman　you　are　now，　Pip！’
  ‘And　you　look　wonderfully　well，　Joe．’
  ‘Yes，　thank　God．And　your　poor　sister　is　no　worse．　And　Biddy　is　as　hard－working　as　ever．　But　Wopsle　isn't　our　church　clerk　any　longer！　He's　become　an　actor！Acting　in　one　of　your　London　theatres，　he　is！’Joe's　eyes　rolled　around　the　room，noticing　the　expensive　furniture　I　had　bught　recently．
  ‘Do　sit　down　to　breakfast，　Mr　Gargery，’said　Herbert　politely．Joe　looked　round　desperately　for　a　place　to　put　his　hat，and　finally　laid　it　lovingly　on　a　shelf．　Breakfast　was　a　painful　experience　for　me．Joe　waved　his　fork　in　the　air　so　much，　and　dropped　so　much　more　than　he　ate，　that　I　was　glad　when　Her－bert　left　to　go　to　work．I　was　not　sensitive　enough　to　realize　that　it　was　all　my　fault，　and　that　if　I　hadn't　considered　him　common，　he　wouldn't　have　been　so　clumsy．
  ‘As　we　are　now　alone，　sir——’began　Joe．
  ‘Joe，’　I　said　crossly，‘how　can　you　call　me　sir？’
  He　looked　at　me　quietly　for　a　moment．‘Wouldn't　have　come，　you　see，’he　said　slowly　and　carefully．‘wouldn't　have　had　the　pleasure　of　breakfast　with　you　gentlemen．　But　I　had　to　come．Got　a　message　for　you，　Pip．Miss　Havisham　says　Es…tella's　come　home　and　would　be　glad　to　see　you．’
  I　felt　the　blood　rush　to　my　face　as　I　heard　her　name．
  ‘And　now　I've　given　my　message，’said　Joe，standing　up　and　picking　up　his　hat．‘Pip，I　wish　you　even　more　success．’
  ‘But　you　aren't　leaving　already，　Joe？’I　protested．
  ‘Yes，　I　am，’he　said　firmly．　Our　eyes　met，　and　all　the　‘sir’　melted　out　of　his　honest　heart　as　he　gave　me　his　hand．‘Pip，dear　old　boy，life　is　full　of　so　many　goodbyes．I'm　a　blacksmith，　and　you're　a　gentleman．　We　must　live　apart．I'm　not　proud，it's　just　that　I　want　to　be　in　the　right　place．I'm　wrong　in　these　clothes，　and　I'm　wrong　in　London，but　I'm　fine　at　the　forge，　or　in　the　kitchen，　or　on　the　marshes．　You　won't　find　so　much　wrong　with　me　if　you　come　to　see　Joe，the　blacksmith，　at　the　old　forge，doing　the　old　work．I　know　I'm　stupid，　but　I　think　I've　understood　this　at　last．　And　so　God　bless　you，　Pip，　dear　old　boy，　God　bless　you！’
  His　words，　spoken　simply　and　from　the　heart，touched　me　deeply．　By　the　time　I　had　managed　to　control　my　tears，　and　looked　round　for　him，　he　had　gone．
  I　decided　to　visit　Miss　Havisham　as　soon　as　possible．　Next　day，　when　I　arrived　to　take　my　seat　on　the　coach　to　our　town，I　discovered　I　was　sitting　in　front　of　two　convicts，　who　were　being　taken　to　the　prison…ships　by　their　guard．The　prisoners　wore　handcuffs，　and　iron　chains　on　their　legs．　With　horror　I　suddenly　recognized　one　of　them－it　was　the　man　in　our　village　pub　who　had　given　me　the　two　pound　notes！　and　strangely　enough，　during　the　journey　I　heard　the　prisoners　talking　about　it．
  ‘So　Magwitch　asked　you　to　give　the　boy　two　pounds？Trusted　you　to　do　it？’
  ‘That's　right．And　I　did　what　he　asked．The　boy　had　helped　him，　you　see．　Fed　him，　and　kept　his　secret．’
  ‘What　happened　to　Magwitch　in　the　end？’
  ‘They　sent　him　to　Australia　for　life，　because　he　tried　to　es…cape　from　the　prison－ship．’
  I　knew　I　looked　so　different　that　he　would　not　recognize　me，　but　I　was　afraid　all　the　same．　All　the　horror　of　my　child－hood　experience　with　the　escaped　convict　had　come　back　to　me，　just　when　I　thought　it　was　safe　to　forget　it．
  But　once　we　had　arrived，and　I　was　on　my　way　to　Miss　Havisham's　house，I　thought　only　of　my　bright　future．She　had　adopted　Estella，she　had　more　or　less　adopted　me．　She　perhaps　wanted　me　to　inherit　the　dark　old　house　and　to　marry　Estella．　But　even　though　I　was　in　love，　I　didn't　hide　from　myself　the　fact　that　I　would　be　unhappy　with　Estella．　I　loved　her　because　I　couldn't　stop　myself　loving　her．
  I　was　surprised　to　see　Orlick　opening　the　gate　to　me．
  ‘So　you　aren't　working　for　Joe　any　longer？’I　asked．
  ‘As　you　see，　young　master，’he　said　rudely．
  I　knew　he　could　not　be　trusted，　and　I　decided　to　tell　Mr　Jaggers　that　Orlick　was　not　responsible　enough　to　work　for　Miss　Havisham．　Mr　Jaggers　would　probably　send　him　away．
  When　I　entered　Miss　Havisham's　room，　there　was　a　well－dressed　lady　sitting　with　her．　When　she　lifted　her　head　and　looked　at　me，　I　realized　it　was　Estella．　She　had　become　so　beautiful　that　I　felt　very　distant　from　her．　In　spite　of　all　my　education，　I　still　seemed　to　be　the　coarse，　common　boy　she　used　to　laugh　at．
  ‘She's　changed　very　much，hasn't　she，　Pip？’　asked　Miss　Havisham，　laughing　wickedly．I　replied　confusedly．　I　could　see　that　Estella　was　still　proud，　and　I　knew　that　it　was　she　who　made　me　feel　ashamed　of　home，　and　Joe，but　I　also　knew　that　I　could　never　stop　loving　her．
  She　and　I　walked　in　the　ancient　garden，　talking　quietly　about　our　childhood　meetings．Now　that　we　were　adults，　she　seemed　to　accept　me　as　a　friend．I　could　not　have　been　happier．　I　felt　sure　Miss　Havisham　had　chosen　us　for　each　other．　What　a　fool　I　was！
  Suddenly　she　stopped　and　turned　to　me．‘Miss　Havisham　may　want　us　to　spend　more　time　together　in　future．　But　in　that　case　I　must　warn　you　that　I　have　no　heart．I　can　never　fall　in　love．’
  ‘I　can't　believe　that，’　I　replied．　As　she　looked　straight　at　me，　I　recognized　something　in　her　face．　Had　I　seen　that　ex－pression　recently，on　another　woman？
  When　we　went　back　to　the　house，Miss　Havisham　spoke　to　me　alone．‘Do　you　admire　her，　Pip？’　she　asked　eagerly．
  ‘Everbody　who　sees　her　must　admire　her．’
  She　pulled　my　head　down　to　hers　with　her　bony　arm　and　whispered，‘Love　her，love　her，love　her！If　she　likes　you，love　her！　If　she　hurts　you，　love　her！　If　she　tears　your　heart　to　pieces，love　her！’I　could　feel　the　muscles　on　her　thin　arm　round　my　neck．　She　seemed　so　angry　that　she　could　have　been　talking　about　hate，　or　revenge，　or　death，　rather　than　love．
  10　　Pip　and　Herbert　talk　about　love
  I　returned　to　London，　dreaming　of　the　beautiful　girl，　now　a　woman，　who　had　so　influenced　my　childhood，and　who，　I　hoped，　would　share　my　future　life．　I　am　sorry　to　say　I　did　not　think　about　dea