We remained at the public-house until the tide turned, and thenMagwitch was carried down to the galley and put on board. Herbertand Startop were to get to London by land, as soon as they could.We had a doleful parting, and when I took my place by Magwitch'sside, I felt that that was my place henceforth while he lived.

For now, my repugnance to him had all melted away, and in thehunted wounded shackled creature who held my hand in his, I onlysaw a man who had meant to be my benefactor, and who had feltaffectionately, gratefully, and generously, towards me with greatconstancy through a series of years. I only saw in him a muchbetter man than I had been to Joe.

His breathing became more difficult and painful as the night drewon, and often he could not repress a groan. I tried to rest him onthe arm I could use, in any easy position; but, it was dreadful tothink that I could not be sorry at heart for his being badly hurt,since it was unquestionably best that he should die. That therewere, still living, people enough who were able and willing toidentify him, I could not doubt. That he would be lenientlytreated, I could not hope. He who had been presented in the worstlight at his trial, who had since broken prison and had been triedagain, who had returned from transportation under a life sentence,and who had occasioned the death of the man who was the cause ofhis arrest.

As we returned towards the setting sun we had yesterday left behindus, and as the stream of our hopes seemed all running back, I toldhim how grieved I was to think that he had come home for my sake.

"Dear boy," he answered, "I'm quite content to take my chance. I'veseen my boy, and he can be a gentleman without me."

No. I had thought about that, while we had been there side by side.No. Apart from any inclinations of my own, I understood Wemmick'shint now. I foresaw that, being convicted, his possessions would beforfeited to the Crown.

"Lookee here, dear boy," said he "It's best as a gentleman shouldnot be knowed to belong to me now. Only come to see me as if youcome by chance alonger Wemmick. Sit where I can see you when I amswore to, for the last o' many times, and I don't ask no more."

"I will never stir from your side," said I, "when I am suffered tobe near you. Please God, I will be as true to you, as you have beento me!"

I felt his hand tremble as it held mine, and he turned his faceaway as he lay in the bottom of the boat, and I heard that oldsound in his throat - softened now, like all the rest of him. Itwas a good thing that he had touched this point, for it put into mymind what I might not otherwise have thought of until too late:That he need never know how his hopes of enriching me had perished.

Chapter 55

He was taken to the Police Court next day, and would have beenimmediately committed for trial, but that it was necessary to senddown for an old officer of the prison-ship from which he had onceescaped, to speak to his identity. Nobody doubted it; but,Compeyson, who had meant to depose to it, was tumbling on thetides, dead, and it happened that there was not at that time anyprison officer in London who could give the required evidence. Ihad gone direct to Mr. Jaggers at his private house, on my arrivalover night, to retain his assistance, and Mr. Jaggers on theprisoner's behalf would admit nothing. It was the sole resource,for he told me that the case must be over in five minutes when thewitness was there, and that no power on earth could prevent itsgoing against us.

I imparted to Mr. Jaggers my design of keeping him in ignorance ofthe fate of his wealth. Mr. Jaggers was querulous and angry with mefor having "let it slip through my fingers," and said we mustmemorialize by-and-by, and try at all events for some of it. But,he did not conceal from me that although there might be many casesin which the forfeiture would not be exacted, there were nocircumstances in this case to make it one of them. I understoodthat, very well. I was not related to the outlaw, or connected withhim by any recognizable tie; he had put his hand to no writing orsettlement in my favour before his apprehension, and to do so nowwould be idle. I had no claim, and I finally resolved, and everafterwards abided by the resolution, that my heart should never besickened with the hopeless task of attempting to establish one.

There appeared to be reason for supposing that the drowned informerhad hoped for a reward out of this forfeiture, and had obtainedsome accurate knowledge of Magwitch's affairs. When his body wasfound, many miles from the scene of his death, and so horriblydisfigured that he was only recognizable by the contents of hispockets, notes were still legible, folded in a case he carried.Among these, were the name of a banking-house in New South Waleswhere a sum of money was, and the designation of certain lands ofconsiderable value. Both these heads of information were in a listthat Magwitch, while in prison, gave to Mr. Jaggers, of thepossessions he supposed I should inherit. His ignorance, poorfellow, at last served him; he never mistrusted but that myinheritance was quite safe, with Mr. Jaggers's aid.

After three days' delay, during which the crown prosecution stoodover for the production of the witness from the prison-ship, thewitness came, and completed the easy case. He was committed to takehis trial at the next Sessions, which would come on in a month.

It was at this dark time of my life that Herbert returned home oneevening, a good deal cast down, and said:

"My dear Handel, I fear I shall soon have to leave you."

His partner having prepared me for that, I was less surprised thanhe thought.

"We shall lose a fine opportunity if I put off going to Cairo, andI am very much afraid I must go, Handel, when you most need me."

"Herbert, I shall always need you, because I shall always love you;but my need is no greater now, than at another time."

"You will be so lonely."

"I have not leisure to think of that," said I. "You know that I amalways with him to the full extent of the time allowed, and that Ishould be with him all day long, if I could. And when I come awayfrom him, you know that my thoughts are with him."

The dreadful condition to which he was brought, was so appalling toboth of us, that we could not refer to it in plainer words.

"My dear fellow," said Herbert, "let the near prospect of ourseparation - for, it is very near - be my justification fortroubling you about yourself. Have you thought of your future?"

"No, for I have been afraid to think of any future."

"But yours cannot be dismissed; indeed, my dear dear Handel, itmust not be dismissed. I wish you would enter on it now, as far asa few friendly words go, with me."

"I will," said I.

"In this branch house of ours, Handel, we must have a--"

I saw that his delicacy was avoiding the right word, so I said, "Aclerk."

"A clerk. And I hope it is not at all unlikely that he may expand(as a clerk of your acquaintance has expanded) into a partner. Now,Handel - in short, my dear boy, will you come to me?"

There was something charmingly cordial and engaging in the mannerin which after saying "Now, Handel," as if it were the gravebeginning of a portentous business exordium, he had suddenly givenup that tone, stretched out his honest hand, and spoken like aschoolboy.

"Clara and I have talked about it again and again," Herbertpursued, "and the dear little thing begged me only this evening,with tears in her eyes, to say to you that if you will live with uswhen we come together, she will do her best to make you happy, andto convince her husband's friend that he is her friend too. Weshould get on so well, Handel!"

I thanked her heartily, and I thanked him heartily, but said Icould not yet make sure of joining him as he so kindly offered.Firstly, my mind was too preoccupied to be able to take in thesubject clearly. Secondly - Yes! Secondly, there was a vaguesomething lingering in my thoughts that will come out very near theend of this slight narrative.

"But if you thought, Herbert, that you could, without doing anyinjury to your business, leave the question open for a littlewhile--"

"For any while," cried Herbert. "Six months, a year!"

"Not so long as that," said I. "Two or three months at most."

Herbert was highly delighted when we shook hands on thisarrangement, and said he could now take courage to tell me that hebelieved he must go away at the end of the week.

"And Clara?" said I.

"The dear little thing," returned Herbert, "holds dutifully to herfather as long as he lasts; but he won't last long. Mrs. Whimpleconfides to me that he is certainly going."

"Not to say an unfeeling thing," said I, "he cannot do better thango."

"I am afraid that must be admitted," said Herbert: "and then Ishall come back for the dear little thing, and the dear littlething and I will walk quietly into the nearest church. Remember!The blessed darling comes of no family, my dear Handel, and neverlooked into the red book, and hasn't a notion about her grandpapa.What a fortune for the son of my mother!"

On the Saturday in that same week, I took my leave of Herbert -full of bright hope, but sad and sorry to leave me - as he sat onone of the seaport mail coaches. I went into a coffee-house towrite a little note to Clara, telling her he had gone off, sendinghis love to her over and over again, and then went to my lonelyhome - if it deserved the name, for it was now no home to me, and Ihad no home anywhere.

On the stairs I encountered Wemmick, who was coming down, after anunsuccessful application of his knuckles to my door. I had not seenhim alone, since the disastrous issue of the attempted flight; andhe had come, in his private and personal capacity, to say a fewwords of explanation in reference to that failure.

"The late Compeyson," said Wemmick, "had by little and little gotat the bottom of half of the regular business now transacted, andit was from the talk of some of his people in trouble (some of hispeople being always in trouble) that I heard what I did. I kept myears open, seeming to have them shut, until I heard that he wasabsent, and I thought that would be the best time for making theattempt. I can only suppose now, that it was a part of his policy,as a very clever man, habitually to deceive his own instruments.You don't blame me, I hope, Mr. Pip? I am sure I tried to serve you,with all my heart."

"I am as sure of that, Wemmick, as you can be, and I thank you mostearnestly for all your interest and friendship."

"Thank you, thank you very much. It's a bad job," said Wemmick,scratching his head, "and I assure you I haven't been so cut up fora long time. What I look at, is the sacrifice of so much portableproperty. Dear me!"

"What I think of, Wemmick, is the poor owner of the property."

"Yes, to be sure," said Wemmick. "Of course there can be noobjection to your being sorry for him, and I'd put down afive-pound note myself to get him out of it. But what I look at, isthis. The late Compeyson having been beforehand with him inintelligence of his return, and being so determined to bring him tobook, I do not think he could have been saved. Whereas, theportable property certainly could have been saved. That's thedifference between the property and the owner, don't you see?"

I invited Wemmick to come up-stairs, and refresh himself with aglass of grog before walking to Walworth. He accepted theinvitation. While he was drinking his moderate allowance, he said,with nothing to lead up to it, and after having appeared ratherfidgety:

"What do you think of my meaning to take a holiday on Monday, Mr.Pip?"

"Why, I suppose you have not done such a thing these twelvemonths."

"These twelve years, more likely," said Wemmick. "Yes. I'm going totake a holiday. More than that; I'm going to take a walk. More thanthat; I'm going to ask you to take a walk with me."

I was about to excuse myself, as being but a bad companion justthan, when Wemmick anticipated me.

"I know your engagements," said he, "and I know you are out ofsorts, Mr. Pip. But if you could oblige me, I should take it as akindness. It ain't a long walk, and it's an early one. Say it mightoccupy you (including breakfast on the walk) from eight to twelve.Couldn't you stretch a point and manage it?"

He had done so much for me at various times, that this was verylittle to do for him. I said I could manage it - would manage it -and he was so very much pleased by my acquiescence, that I waspleased too. At his particular request, I appointed to call for himat the Castle at half-past eight on Monday morning, and so weparted for the time.

Punctual to my appointment, I rang at the Castle gate on the Mondaymorning, and was received by Wemmick himself: who struck me aslooking tighter than usual, and having a sleeker hat on. Within,there were two glasses of rum-and-milk prepared, and two biscuits.The Aged must have been stirring with the lark, for, glancing intothe perspective of his bedroom, I observed that his bed was empty.

When we had fortified ourselves with the rum-and-milk and biscuits,and were going out for the walk with that training preparation onus, I was considerably surprised to see Wemmick take up afishing-rod, and put it over his shoulder. "Why, we are not goingfishing!" said I. "No," returned Wemmick, "but I like to walk withone."

I thought this odd; however, I said nothing, and we set off. Wewent towards Camberwell Green, and when we were thereabouts,Wemmick said suddenly:

"Halloa! Here's a church!"

There was nothing very surprising in that; but a gain, I was rathersurprised, when he said, as if he were animated by a brilliantidea:

Title: Great Expectations
Author: Charles Dickens
Viewed 202780 times

...
...	46	47	48	49	50	51	52	53	54	55	56	57	58	59	60	61	62	63	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71