d　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　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！’