Chapter 593.docx

Chapter 593.docx

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Chapter593

Chapter59

FORelevenyears,IhadnotseenJoenorBiddywithmybodilyeyes-thoughtheyhadbothbeenoftenbeforemyfancyintheEast-when,uponaneveninginDecember,anhourortwoafterdark,Ilaidmyhandsoftlyonthelatchoftheoldkitchendoor.ItoucheditsosoftlythatIwasnotheard,andlookedinunseen.There,smokinghispipeintheoldplacebythekitchenfirelight,ashaleandasstrongaseverthoughalittlegrey,satJoe;andthere,fencedintothecornerwithJoe'sleg,andsittingonmyownlittlestoollookingatthefire,was-Iagain!

`Wegiv'himthenameofPipforyoursake,dearoldchap,'saidJoe,delightedwhenItookanotherstoolbythechild'sside（butIdidnotrumplehishair）,`andwehopedhemightgrowalittlebitlikeyou,andwethinkhedo.'

Ithoughtsotoo,andItookhimoutforawalknextmorning,andwetalkedimmensely,understandingoneanothertoperfection.AndItookhimdowntothechurchyard,andsethimonacertaintombstonethere,andheshowedmefromthatelevationwhichstonewassacredtothememoryofPhilipPirrip,lateofthisParish,andAlsoGeorgiana,WifeoftheAbove.

`Biddy,'saidI,whenItalkedwithherafterdinner,asherlittlegirllaysleepinginherlap,`youmustgivePiptome,oneofthesedays;orlendhim,atallevents.'

`No,no,'saidBiddy,gently.`Youmustmarry.'

`SoHerbertandClarasay,butIdon'tthinkIshall,Biddy.Ihavesosettleddownintheirhome,thatit'snotatalllikely.Iamalreadyquiteanoldbachelor.'

Biddylookeddownatherchild,andputitslittlehandtoherlips,andthenputthegoodmatronlyhandwithwhichshehadtouchedit,intomine.TherewassomethingintheactionandinthelightpressureofBiddy'swedding-ring,thathadaveryprettyeloquenceinit.

`DearPip,'saidBiddy,`youaresureyoudon'tfretforher?

'

`Ono-Ithinknot,Biddy.'

`Tellmeasanold,oldfriend.Haveyouquiteforgottenher?

`MydearBiddy,Ihaveforgottennothinginmylifethateverhadaforemostplacethere,andlittlethateverhadanyplacethere.Butthatpoordream,asIonceusedtocallit,hasallgoneby,Biddy,allgoneby!

'

Nevertheless,IknewwhileIsaidthosewords,thatIsecretlyintendedtorevisitthesiteofthehousethatevening,alone,forhersake.Yesevenso.ForEstella'ssake.

Ihadheardofherasleadingamostunhappylife,andasbeingseparatedfromherhusband,whohadusedherwithgreatcruelty,andwhohadbecomequiterenownedasacompoundofpride,avarice,brutality,andmeanness.AndIhadheardofthedeathofherhusband,fromanaccidentconsequentonhisill-treatmentofahorse.Thisreleasehadbefallenhersometwoyearsbefore;foranythingIknew,shewasmarriedagain.

Theearlydinner-houratJoe's,leftmeabundanceoftime,withouthurryingmytalkwithBiddy,towalkovertotheoldspotbeforedark.But,whatwithloiteringontheway,tolookatoldobjectsandtothinkofoldtimes,thedayhadquitedeclinedwhenIcametotheplace.

Therewasnohousenow,nobrewery,nobuildingwhateverleft,butthewalloftheoldgarden.Theclearedspacehadbeenenclosedwitharoughfence,and,lookingoverit,Isawthatsomeoftheoldivyhadstruckrootanew,andwasgrowinggreenonlowquietmoundsofruin.Agateinthefencestandingajar,Ipusheditopen,andwentin.

Acoldsilverymisthadveiledtheafternoon,andthemoonwasnotyetuptoscatterit.But,thestarswereshiningbeyondthemist,andthemoonwascoming,andtheeveningwasnotdark.Icouldtraceoutwhereeverypartoftheoldhousehadbeen,andwherethebreweryhadbeen,andwherethegates,andwherethecasks.Ihaddoneso,andwaslookingalongthedesolategardenwalk,whenIbeheldasolitaryfigureinit.

Thefigureshoweditselfawareofme,asIadvanced.Ithadbeenmovingtowardsme,butitstoodstill.AsIdrewnearer,Isawittobethefigureofawoman.AsIdrewneareryet,itwasabouttoturnaway,whenitstopped,andletmecomeupwithit.Then,itfalteredasifmuchsurprised,andutteredmyname,andIcriedout:

`Estella!

'

`Iamgreatlychanged.Iwonderyouknowme.'

Thefreshnessofherbeautywasindeedgone,butitsindescribablemajestyanditsindescribablecharmremained.Thoseattractionsinit,Ihadseenbefore;whatIhadneverseenbefore,wasthesaddenedsoftenedlightoftheonceproudeyes;whatIhadneverfeltbefore,wasthefriendlytouchoftheonceinsensiblehand.

Wesatdownonabenchthatwasnear,andIsaid,`Aftersomanyyears,itisstrangethatweshouldthusmeetagain,Estella,herewhereourfirstmeetingwas!

Doyouoftencomeback?

'

`Ihaveneverbeenheresince.'

`NorI.'

Themoonbegantorise,andIthoughtoftheplacidlookatthewhiteceiling,whichhadpassedaway.Themoonbegantorise,andIthought