u　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．
  TXT之家　免费TXT电子书下载　　www。txtjia
  附：【本作品来自互联网；本人不做任何负责】内容版权归作者所有。