痗lock，I　heard　a　heavy　footstep　on　the　stairs．When　I　went　to　the　door　with　my　lamp，I　saw　a　man　coming　slowly　upstairs．He　was　wearing　rough　clothes，and　he　was　about　six－ty，with　a　brown　face　and　long　grey　hair．But　what　really　surprized　me　was　that　he　was　holding　out　both　hands　to　me．
  ‘Can　I　help　you？’I　asked　politely　but　coldly．
  ‘Ah！Yes，’he　said，dropping　his　hands，‘yes，I'll　explain．’He　came　into　the　sitting－room，where　he　looked　round　admiringly　at　my　furniture　and　books．He　held　out　his　hands　to　me　again，but　I　refused　to　take　them．Then　he　sat　down　heavily　in　a　chair，and　rubbed　his　eyes　with　one　rather　dirty　hand．
  ‘You　see，’he　said，‘it's　disappointing．Looked　forward　to　this　day　for　so　long，I　have．But　it's　not　your　fault．I'll　explain．Is　there　anybody　near　who　can　hear　us？’
  ‘Why　do　you，a　stranger，visiting　me　late　at　night，ask　that　question？’I　asked．And　then　suddenly　I　knew　who　he　was！In　spite　of　the　years　that　had　passed，I　was　sure　he　was　my　convict！　And　when　he　held　out　his　hands　again，this　time　I　took　them．He　raised　my　hands　to　his　lips　and　kissed　them．
  ‘You　helped　me　all　those　years　ago，Pip！Never　forgotten　it！’He　seemed　to　want　to　put　his　arms　around　me，but　I　stopped　him．
  ‘If　you　are　grateful　to　me　for　what　I　did　in　my　childhood，I　hope　you　have　improved　your　way　of　life　now．It　wasn't　necessary　to　come　here　to　thank　me．But　you　must　understand　that．…’I　stopped　speaking　as　I　noticed　how　strangely　he　was　staring　at　me．
  ‘What　must　I　understand？’he　asked，his　eyes　fixed　on　me．
  ‘That　I　don't　wish　to　be　your　friend．You　and　I　met　once　in　the　past，but　now　our　lives　are　separate．Will　you　have　a　drink　before　you　leave？’As　I　handed　him　a　glass　of　rum，I　noticed　that　his　eyes　were　full　of　tears．‘I'm　sorry　if　that　sounds　hard，’l　added．‘I　didn't　mean　it　to　be．Good　luck　in　the　future！’We　drank　together．‘How　have　you　been　living　recently？’
  ‘I　was　sent　to　Australia，you　know，because　I　escaped　from　the　prison…ship．After　several　years　I　finished　my　punishment，　and　so　I　was　allowed　to　work　for　myself．I　did　every　kind　of　job　there．It　was　a　hard　life，but　I　made　a　lot　of　money．’
  ‘I'm　glad　to　hear　it，’I　said．‘That　reminds　me，I　must　give　you　back　the　two　pounds　you　sent　me．I　don't　need　it　now．’And　I　handed　him　two　new　pound　notes　from　my　purse．Still　watching　me，he　held　them　near　the　lamp　until　they　caught　fire．
  ‘May　I　ask，’he　said，‘how　you　have　done　so　well，since　you　and　I　met　on　those　lonely　marshes？’His　eves　were　still　fixed　on　mine，and　I　began　to　tremble．
  ‘I－I've　been　chosen　to　inherit　a　fortune，’I　whispered．
  ‘Perhaps　I　can　guess　how　much，’said　the　convict．‘Could　it　be，well，five　hundred　pounds　a　year？’I　stood　up，holding　on　to　the　back　of　my　chair，my　heart　beating　like　a　hammer．
  ‘The　agent　who　arranged　it　all，’he　continued．‘was　he　perhaps　a　lawyer，name　of　Jaggers？’
  Suddenly　I　realized　the　awful　truth．I　could　not　speak　nor　breathe，and　fell　on　to　the　sofa．He　brought　his　fierce　old　face　close　to　mine，and　bent　over　me．
  ‘Yes，Pip，dear　boy，　I've　made　a　gentleman　of　you！You　see，I　promised　myself　that　all　the　money　I　earned　out　there　in　Australia　should　go　to　you！I'm　your　second　father，Pip！I'm　not　a　gentleman　myself，and　I　didn't　go　to　school，but　I've　got　you，Pip！And　look　what　a　gentleman　you　are！And　what　books　you've　got！　You'll　read　them　to　me，Pip！And　I'll　be　proud　of　you　even　if　I　can't　understand　them！Didn't　you　ever　think　it　could　be　me　who　was　sending　the　money？’
  ‘Oh　no，no，no，’I　replied．‘Never，never！Wasn't　any－one　else　involved　at　all？’
  No，just　me，and　Jaggers，of　course．Who　else　could　there　be？Dear　boy，I　kept　myself　going，you　see，through　all　the　hard　work，just　by　thinking　of　you．And　I　promised　myself　I'd　come　back　to　England　one　day，and　see　my　boy．’He　laid　his　band　on　my　shoulder．‘Now　you　must　find　a　bed　for　me，’he　added，‘and　remember，not　a　word　to　anybody．I　was　sent　away　for　life，and　they'll　hang　me　if　they　discover　I've　come　back．’
  My　feelings　were　horribly　confused．The　man　who　had　paid　for　my　education　and　luxuries　for　years　was　risking　his　life　to　see　me．I　could　not　like　him，in　fact　my　whole　body　trembled　with　disgust　when　he　touched　me，but　I　had　to　protect　him．
  He　went　to　sleep　in　Herbert's　room．After　locking　all　the　doors　carefully，I　sat　weakly　down　by　the　fire　and　tried　to　make　sense　of　my　life．How　foolish　my　dreams　had　been！　Miss　Havisham　had　never　intended　to　make　me　rich，or　let　me　marry　Estella．But　there　was　something　worse　than　that．It　was　for　this　convict，who　could　be　caught　and　hanged　at　any　moment，that　I　had　deserted　Joe．I　could　never，never，never　forgive　myself　for　that．
  13　　Planning　Magwitch's　futureand　hearing　about　his　past
  I　slept　a　little，but　woke　early．I　felt　I　needed　some　fresh　air，and　went　downstairs　and　out　of　the　building．On　the　way　down　I　fell　over　a　man　hiding　in　a　dark　corner，who　ran　away　immediately．This　worried　me．I　suspected　he　had　followed　my　convict　to　the　house．Would　he　now　inform　the　police？
  My　guest　and　I　had　breakfast　together．He　ate　noisily　and　greedily，like　an　animal．I　tried　hard　not　to　be　disgusted　by　his　manners．He　told　me　his　name　was　Abel　Magwitch，and　after　breakfast　he　lit　his　pipe　and　held　out　his　hands　for　mine　again．
  ‘All　I　want　is　to　stand　and　look　at　you，dear　boy！’he　said．‘A　real　gentleman，made　by　me！You're　going　to　have　every－thing　a　London　gentleman　should　have，a　carriage，and　horses，and　everything！’He　threw　a　great　thick　wallet　on　to　the　table．‘All　that　is　yours．I've　come　back　to　England　to　watch　you　spend　it．’
  ‘Stop！’I　cried　desperately．‘We　must　discuss　your　plans．How　long　are　you　going　to　stay　here？’
  ‘How　long？’he　repeated，surprised．‘I'm　not　going　back．’
  ‘But　where　will　yon　be　safe？’
  ‘Dear　boy，who　knows　I'm　here？You，Jaggers　and　Wemmick，that's　all．Anyway，I　know　I　can　live　with　the　fear　of　death．I've　done　that　all　my　life．’
  All　I　knew　was　that　I　must　keep　him　out　of　sight　until　Herbert　returned　Then　we　could　produce　a　better　plan　for　the　future．I　decided　to　rent　a　room　for　him　in　a　house　near　ours，where　I　thought　he　would　be　safe　for　the　moment．I　bought　him　different　clothes，and　had　his　hair　cut，but　to　me　he　looked　just　the　same，and　I　lived　in　constant　fear　that　he　would　he　recognized　by　someone　who　had　known　him　in　the　past．
  My　unwanted　guest　and　I　spent　five　long　days　and　evenings　together，with　the　wind　and　rain　beating　on　the　windows．Those　few　days　seemed　more　like　a　year　to　me．He　slept，or　ate，or　played　cards．Sometimes　he　listened　to　me　reading，with　a　proud　smile　on　his　face．I　could　not　sleep　or　eat．　I　used　to　watch　him　sleep，wondering　what　bloody　crimes　lay　in　his　past，and　knowing　that　I　alone　protected　him　from　a　horrible　death．
  I　cannot　describe　my　joy　when　Herbert　finally　returned．　At　last　I　could　share　my　terrible　news　with　my　friend．He，too，was　shocked　to　hear　that　my　great　expectations　came　from　the　prisoner　I　had　helped　so　long　ago，and　when　I　introduced　him　to　our　guest，Herbert　could　hardly　hide　his　dislike．
  When　we　were　alone，he　said　to　me，‘You　look　so　pale，Handel．This　has　been　a　painful　time　for　you．’
  ‘Herbert，something　must　be　done．He　wants　to　spend　even　more　on　me！He　must　be　stopped！’
  ‘You　mean　you　can't　accept　any　more　of　his　money？’
  ‘How　can　I？　You　know　he's　a　criminal！How　do　I　know　where　his　money　comes　from？　And　think　what　I　owe　him　al－ready！I　have　no　way　of　paying　him　back．Oh　Herbert，if　I　didn't　have　you　as　a　friend，I'd　be　desperate！’I　could　only　just　control　my　tears．Herbert　kindly　pretended　not　to　notice．
  ‘My　dear　Handel，’he　said，‘if　you　want　to　pay　back　what　you　owe　him，you　could　always　join　my　company，Clarrikers．I'm　going　to　be　a　partner　there　soon，you　know．’Poor　Her…bert！He　did　not　suspect　whose　money　was　helping　him　be－come　a　partner．
  ‘But　there's　another　thing，’added　Herbert．‘This　man　has　a　fierce　and　violent　character．He's　come　here　with　a　fixed　idea，which　he's　been　looking　forward　to　for　half　his　life．If　you　destroy　his　idea，his　life　will　be　worthless．’
  ‘And　he　will　allow　himself　to　be　arrested　and　hanged，’I　continued，nodding．‘Yes，I've　thought　that　ever　since　he　arrived．If　that　happened，I'd　feel　guilty　for　ever．’
  ‘So　you　cannot　destroy　his　dream　now．First　we　must　get　him　out　of　England，where　he　risks　death　every　moment．Then　you　will　explain　that　you　can't　accept　his　money．I'll　help　you　all　the　way，trust　me．’I　shook　Herbert's　hand　gratefully．
  Next　morning　after　breakfast　we　asked　Magwitch　to　tell　us　more　about　his　past　life，so　that　we　could　protect　him　better．
  ‘You　promise　to　keep　it　a　secret，Pip's　friend？’he　said　to　Herbert．‘Well　I'll　put　it　in　a　few　words．In　prison　and　out　of　prison．That's　been　my　life，more　or　less．Don't　remember　my　parents．No　idea　where　I　was　born．I　slept　in　fields，I　stole　food，sometimes　I　worked．And　I　grew　to　be　a　man．It　was　about　twenty　years　ago　I　met　Compeyson．I'd　kill　him　now，at　once，if　I　met　him！He's　the　man　I　was　fightin