Chapter 199.docx

Chapter 199.docx

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Chapter199

Chapter19

MORNINGmadeaconsiderabledifferenceinmygeneralprospectofLife,andbrighteneditsomuchthatitscarcelyseemedthesame.Whatlayheaviestonmymind,was,theconsiderationthatsixdaysintervenedbetweenmeandthedayofdeparture;for,IcouldnotdivestmyselfofamisgivingthatsomethingmighthappentoLondoninthemeanwhile,andthat,whenIgotthere,itwouldbeeithergreatlydeterioratedorcleangone.JoeandBiddywereverysympatheticandpleasantwhenIspokeofourapproachingseparation;buttheyonlyreferredtoitwhenIdid.Afterbreakfast,Joebroughtoutmyindenturesfromthepressinthebestparlour,andweputtheminthefire,andIfeltthatIwasfree.Withallthenoveltyofmyemancipationonme,IwenttochurchwithJoe,andthought,perhapstheclergymanwouldn'thavereadthatabouttherichmanandthekingdomofHeaven,ifhehadknownall.

AfterourearlydinnerIstrolledoutalone,purposingoffinishoffthemarshesatonce,andgetthemdonewith.AsIpassedthechurch,Ifelt（asIhadfeltduringserviceinthemorning）asublimecompassionforthepoorcreatureswhoweredestinedtogothere,SundayafterSunday,alltheirlivesthrough,andtolieobscurelyatlastamongthelowgreenmounds.IpromisedmyselfthatIwoulddosomethingforthemoneofthesedays,andformedaplaninoutlineforbestowingadinnerofroast-beefandplumpudding,apintofale,andagallonofcondescension,uponeverybodyinthevillage.

IfIhadoftenthoughtbefore,withsomethingalliedtoshame,ofmycompanionshipwiththefugitivewhomIhadonceseenlimpingamongthosegraves,whatweremythoughtsonthisSunday,whentheplacerecalledthewretch,raggedandshivering,withhisfelonironandbadge!

Mycomfortwas,thatithappenedalongtimeago,andthathehaddoubtlessbeentransportedalongwayoff,andthathewasdeadtome,andmightbeveritablydeadintothebargain.

Nomorelowwetgrounds,nomoredykesandsluices,nomoreofthesegrazingcattle-thoughtheyseemed,intheirdullmanner,towearamorerespectfulairnow,andtofaceround,inorderthattheymightstareaslongaspossibleatthepossessorofsuchgreatexpectations-farewell,monotonousacquaintancesofmychildhood,henceforthIwasforLondonandgreatness:

notforsmith'sworkingeneralandforyou!

ImademyexultantwaytotheoldBattery,and,lyingdowntheretoconsiderthequestionwhetherMissHavishamintendedmeforEstella,fellasleep.

WhenIawoke,IwasmuchsurprisedtofindJoesittingbesideme,smokinghispipe.Hegreetedmewithacheerfulsmileonmyopeningmyeyes,andsaid:

`Asbeingthelasttime,Pip,IthoughtI'dfoller.'

`AndJoe,Iamverygladyoudidso.'

`Thankee,Pip.'

`Youmaybesure,dearJoe,'Iwenton,afterwehadshakenhands,`thatIshallneverforgetyou.'

`No,no,Pip!

'saidJoe,inacomfortabletone,`I'msureofthat.Ay,ay,oldchap!

Blessyou,itwereonlynecessarytogetitwellroundinaman'smind,tobecertainonit.Butittookabitoftimetogetitwellround,thechangecomesooncommonplump;didn'tit?

'

Somehow,IwasnotbestpleasedwithJoe'sbeingsomightilysecureofme.Ishouldhavelikedhimtohavebetrayedemotion,ortohavesaid,`Itdoesyoucredit,Pip,'orsomethingofthatsort.Therefore,ImadenoremarkonJoe'sfirsthead:

merelysayingastohissecond,thatthetidingshadindeedcomesuddenly,butthatIhadalwayswantedtobeagentleman,andhadoftenandoftenspeculatedonwhatIwoulddo,ifIwereone.

`Haveyouthough?

'saidJoe.`Astonishing!

'

`It'sapitynow,Joe,'saidI,`thatyoudidnotgetonalittlemore,whenwehadourlessonshere;isn'tit?

'

`Well,Idon'tknow,'returnedJoe.`I'msoawfuldull.I'monlymasterofmyowntrade.ItwerealwaysapityasIwassoawfuldull;butit'snomoreofapitynow,thanitwas-thisdaytwelvemonth-don'tyousee?

'

WhatIhadmeantwas,thatwhenIcameintomypropertyandwasabletodosomethingforJoe,itwouldhavebeenmuchmoreagreeableifhehadbeenbetterqualifiedforariseinstation.Hewassoperfectlyinnocentofmymeaning,however,thatIthoughtIwouldmentionittoBiddyinpreference.

So,whenwehadwalkedhomeandhadhadtea,ItookBiddyintoourlittlegardenbythesideofthelane,and,afterthrowingoutinageneralwayforelevationofherspirits,thatIshouldneverforgether,saidIhadafavourtoaskofher.

`Anditis,Biddy,'saidI,`thatyouwillnotomitanyopportunityofhelpingJoeon,alittle.'

`Howhelpinghimon?

'askedBiddy,withasteadysortofglance.

`Well!

Joeisadeargoodfellow-infact,Ithinkheisthedearestfellowthateverlived-butheisratherbackwardinsomethings.Forinstance,Biddy,inhislearningandhismanners.'

AlthoughIwaslookingatBiddyasIspoke,andalthoughsheopenedhereyesverywidewhenIhadspoken,shedidnotlookatme.

`Oh,hismanners!

won'thismannersdo,then?

'askedBiddy,pluckingablack-currantleaf.

`MydearBiddy,theydoverywellhere--'

`Oh!

theydoverywellhere?

'interruptedBiddy,lookingcloselyattheleafinherhand.

`Hearmeout-butifIweretoremoveJoeintoahighersphere,asIshallhopetoremovehimwhenIfullycomeintomyproperty,theywouldhardlydohimjustice.'

`Anddon'tyouthinkheknowsthat?

'askedBiddy.

Itwassuchaveryprovokingquestion（forithadneverinthemostdistantmanneroccurredtome）,thatIsaid,snappishly,`Biddy,whatdoyoumean?

'

Biddyhavingrubbedtheleaftopiecesbetweenherhands-andthesmellofablack-currantbushhaseversincerecalledtomethateveninginthelittlegardenbythesideofthelane-said,`Haveyouneverconsideredthathemaybeproud?

'

`Proud?

'Irepeated,withdisdainfulemphasis.

`Oh!

therearemanykindsofpride,'saidBiddy,lookingfullatmeandshakingherhead;`prideisnotallofonekind--'

`Well?

Whatareyoustoppingfor?

'saidI.

`Notallofonekind,'resumedBiddy.`Hemaybetooproudtoletanyonetakehimoutofaplacethatheiscompetenttofill,andfillswellandwithrespect.Totellyouthetruth,Ithinkheis:

thoughitsoundsboldinmetosayso,foryoumustknowhimfarbetterthanIdo.'

`Now,Biddy,'saidI,`Iamverysorrytoseethisinyou.Ididnotexpecttoseethisinyou.Youareenvious,Biddy,andgrudging.Youaredissatisfiedonaccountofmyriseinfortune,andyoucan'thelpshowingit.'

`Ifyouhavethehearttothinkso,'returnedBiddy,`sayso.Saysooverandoveragain,ifyouhavethehearttothinkso.'

`Ifyouhavethehearttobeso,youmean,Biddy,'saidI,inavirtuousandsuperiortone;`don'tputitoffuponme.Iamverysorrytoseeit,andit'sa-it'sabadsideofhumannature.IdidintendtoaskyoutouseanylittleopportunitiesyoumighthaveafterIwasgone,ofimprovingdearJoe.Butafterthis,Iaskyounothing.Iamextremelysorrytoseethisinyou,Biddy,'Irepeated.`It'sa-it'sabadsideofhumannature.'

`Whetheryouscoldmeorapproveofme,'returnedpoorBiddy,`youmayequallydependuponmytryingtodoallthatliesinmypower,here,atalltimes.Andwhateveropinionyoutakeawayofme,shallmakenodifferenceinmyremembranceofyou.Yetagentlemanshouldnotbeunjustneither,'saidBiddy,turningawayherhead.

Iagainwarmlyrepeatedthatitwasabadsideofhumannature（inwhichsentiment,waivingitsapplication,IhavesinceseenreasontothinkIwasright）,andIwalkeddownthelittlepathawayfromBiddy,andBiddywentintothehouse,andIwentoutatthegardengateandtookadejectedstrolluntilsupper-time;againfeelingitverysorrowfulandstrangethatthis,thesecondnightofmybrightfortunes,shouldbeaslonelyandunsatisfactoryasthefirst.

But,morningoncemorebrightenedmyview,andIextendedmyclemencytoBiddy,andwedroppedthesubject.PuttingonthebestclothesIhad,IwentintotownasearlyasIcouldhopetofindtheshopsopen,andpresentedmyselfbeforeMrTrabb,thetailor:

whowashavinghisbreakfastintheparlourbehindhisshop,andwhodidnotthinkitworthhiswhiletocomeouttome,butcalledmeintohim.

`Well!

'saidMrTrabb,inahail-fellow-well-metkindofway.`Howareyou,andwhatcanIdoforyou?

'

MrTrabbhadslicedhishotrollintothreefeatherbeds,andwasslippingbutterinbetweentheblankets,andcoveringitup.Hewasaprosperousoldbachelor,andhisopenwindowlookedintoaprosperouslittlegardenandorchard,andtherewasaprosperousironsafeletintothewallatthesideofhisfireplace,andIdidnotdoubtthatheapsofhisprosperitywereputawayinitinbags.

`MrTrabb,'saidI,`it'sanunpleasantthingtohavetomention,becauseitlookslikeboasting;butIhavecomeintoahandsomeproperty.'

AchangepassedoverMrTrabb.Heforgotthebutterinbed,gotupfromthebedside,andwipedhisfingersonthetable-cloth,exclaiming,`Lordblessmysoul!

'

`IamgoinguptomyguardianinLondon,'saidI,casuallydrawingsomeguineasoutofmypocketandlookingatthem;`andIwantafashionablesuitofclothestogoin.Iwishtopayforthem,'Iadded-otherwiseIthoughthemightonlypretendtomakethem-`withreadymoney.'

`Mydearsir,'saidMrTrabb,asherespectfullybenthisbody,openedhisarms,andtookthelibertyoftouchingmeontheoutsideofeachelbow,`don'thurtmebymentioningthat.MayIventuretocongratulateyou?

Wouldyoudomethefavourofsteppingintotheshop?

'

MrTrabb'sboywasthemostaudaciousboyinallthatcountryside.WhenIhadenteredhewassweepingtheshop,andhehadsweetenedhislaboursbysweeping