ground，but　only　after　watching　the　fight　through　the　window．　She　stayed　in　the　kitchen　for　the　rest　of　the　day，and　Joe　and　Orlick　shared　a　glass　of　beer　peacefully　together　in　the　forge．
  That　afternoon　when　I　arrived　at　Miss　Havisham's　house，it　wasn't　Estella　who　opened　the　gate，but　a　cousin　of　the　old　lady's．Miss　Havisham　looked　just　the　same　as　before．
  ‘Well？’she　said，‘I　hope　you　don't　expect　me　to　give　you　anything．’　‘No，indeed，Miss　Havisham．I　only　want　you　to　know　that　I'm　very　grateful　to　you　for　helping　me　become　Joe's　apprentice。　‘Good．Come　and　see　me　again，on　your　birthday．Ah！’she　cried　suddenly，‘you're　looking　for　Estella，aren't　you？Answer！’　‘Ye…yes，’I　admitted．‘I　hope　Miss　Estella　is　well？’　‘　She's　abroad；　receiving　a　lady's　education．She's　more　beautiful　than　ever，and　admired　by　all　who　see　her　。Do　you　feel　you've　lost　her？'　She　gave　such　an　unpleasant　laugh　with　these　last　words　that　I　didn't　know　what　to　say，and　as　I　left　the　house　I　felt　even　more　miserable．
  On　my　way　through　town　I　met　Mr　Wopsle，and　together　we　started　the　long　walk　home　to　the　village．　It　was　a　dark，wet，misty　night，and　we　could　only　just　see　someone　ahead　of　us．
  ‘Hello！’we　called。‘Is　that　Orlick？’
  ‘Yes！’he　answered．‘I'll　walk　home　with　you．Been　in　town　all　afternoon，I　have．Did　you　hear　the　big　gun　firing，from　the　prison…ships？Must　be　some　prisoners　who'　ve　escaped．'That　made　me　think　of　my　convict．We　didn't　talk　any　more，but　walked　along　in　silence．We　heard　the　gun　firing　several　times。
  It　was　late　by　the　time　we　got　to　the　village，and　we　were　surprised　to　see　lights　on　at　the　pub，and　people　running　in　and　out　。　Mr　Wopsle　went　in　to　discover　what　was　happening，and　after　a　few　minutes　rushed　out，calling，‘Something　wrong　up　at　the　forge，Pip！Run！They　say　perhaps　it　was　an　escaped　convict　who　got　into　the　house　while　Joe　was　out．Someone's　been　attacked！’
  We　didn't　stop　running　until　we　reached　the　forge．In　Mrs　Joe's　kitchen　there　was　a　doctor，and　Joe，and　a　group　of　Women　。　And　on　the　floor　in　the　middle　of　them　all　was　my　sister，lying　unconscious．She　would　never　scold　us　again．
  Joe　had　been　at　the　pub　that　evening，and　when　he　arrived　home　just　before　ten，he　found　her　on　the　floor．Nothing　had　been　stolen　。She　had　been　hit　violently　on　the　back　of　the　head　with　a　heavy　weapon．On　the　floor　beside　her　was　a　convict's　iron　chain．It　did　not　belong　to　the　prisoners　who　had　escaped　that　day．
  The　police　spent　the　next　week　investigating　the　attack，but　did　not　arrest　anybody。　I　felt　sure　the　iron　chain　belonged　to　my　convict，but　I　did　not　think　he　had　attacked　my　sister。　The　attacker　could　have　been　either　Orlick，or　the　stranger　who　had　shown　me　the　file　。　But　several　witnesses　had　seen　Or－lick　in　town　all　evening．My　only　reason　for　suspecting　him　was　his　quarrel　with　my　sister，but　she　had　quarrelled　with　everyone　in　the　village　ten　thousand　times．And　if　the　stranger　had　come　to　ask　for　his　two　pounds　back，my　sister　would　gladly　have　given　it　to　him．So　I　could　not　imagine　who　her　attacker　was．
  She　lay　ill　in　bed　for　a　long　time．She　could　not　speak　or　understand　much，and　her　character　was　greatly　changed．She　had　become　quiet，patient，and　grateful　for　all　our　care．She　used　to　write　a　word　or　draw　a　picture　when　she　wanted　some－thing，and　we　tried　to　discover　what　she　meant．She　needed　someone　to　take　care　of　her　all　the　time，and　luckily　old　Mrs　Wopsle　had　just　died，so　Biddy　came　to　live　with　us。　She　understood　my　sister　perfectly　and　looked　after　us　all　very　well。
  One　day　my　sister　drew　a　T，and　seemed　to　want　it　very　much．I　brought　her　toast，and　tea，but　Biddy　knew　immediately。
  ‘It's　not　a　T，it's　Orlick's　hammer！’she　cried．‘She's　forgotten　his　name　but　she　wants　to　see　Orlick！’
  I　must　say　l　expected　to　see　my　sister　accuse　Orlick　of　at－tacking　her，but　instead　she　seemed　very　pleased　to　see　him。　She　often　used　to　ask　for　him　after　that，and　nobody　knew　why。
  One　Sunday　I　asked　Biddy　to　come　for　a　walk　on　the　marshes．
  ‘Biddy，’I　said　seriously，‘promise　to　keep　this　a　secret．I'm　going　to　tell　you　something．I　want　to　be　a　gentleman。'
  ‘Don't　you　think　you're　happier　as　you　are？’she　replied．
  I　had　often　wondered　this　myself，but　I　didn't　want　to　hear　it　from　her。　‘It's　a　pity，I　know，’I　said．‘It　would　have　been　much　better　if　I　could　have　been　happy　working　at　the　forge．Perhaps　you　and　I　would　have　spent　more　time　together．I　would　have　been　good　enough　for　you，wouldn't　I，Biddy？’
  ‘Oh　yes，’she　said　sadly．‘But　I　don't　ask　for　very　much．'
  ‘The　point　is，'I　continued　crossly，‘if　nobody　had　told　me　I　was　coarse　and　common，I　wouldn't　have　thought　abut　it！’
  Biddy　looked　at　me，interested．‘That　wasn't　a　true　or　polite　thing　to　say。　Who　said　it？’
  ‘It　was　the　beautiful　young　lady　at　Miss　Havisham's，and　I　admire　her　greatly，and　I　want　to　be　a　gentleman　for　her！'The　words　rushed　out　before　I　could　stop　them．
  Biddy　said　gently，‘She　may　not　be　worth　the　trouble，Pip。’
  ‘That　may　be　true，but　I　can't　stop　myself　admiring　her。'
  Biddy　was　the　most　sensible　of　girls，and　did　not　try　to　persuade　me　any　more．As　we　walked　home，I　felt　rested　and　comforted．
  ‘Pip，what　a　fool　you　are！'I　said　to　myself．I　realized　how　much　happier　I　would　always　be　with　Biddy　than　with　Estella．
  ‘Biddy，I　wish　I　could　make　myself　fall　in　love　with　you！’I　said　suddenly．‘You　don't　mind　my　speaking　so　openly，as　you're　such　an　old　friend？’
  ‘No，of　course　not．But　you　never　will　fall　in　love　with　me，you　see，'she　answered，a　little　sadly　。
  I　wondered　if　I　should　continue　working　with　Joe　in　a　plain，honest　way　of　life，and　perhaps　marry　Biddy。　Or　dare　I　hope　that　Miss　Havisham　would　make　my　fortune　and　marry　me　to　Estella？
  6　　Great　expectations
  One　Saturday　evening，when　I　had　been　apprenticed　to　Joe　for　four　years，he　and　I　were　sitting　in　the　pub，with　some　of　the　villagers；　listening　to　Mr　Wopsle．He　was　giving　a　dramatic　reading　of　a　newspaper　report　of　a　murder　trial；　and　we　all　enjoyed　watching　him　act　the　main　characters。　His　witnesses　were　old　and　feeble，his　lawyers　were　clever　and　sharp…eyed，and　his　accused　was　a　violent，wicked　murderer。
  Suddenly　we　became　aware　of　a　strange　gentleman　who　had　also　been　listening，and　was　now　looking　coldly　at　us。
  ‘Well！’he　said　to　us，biting　the　side　of　his　finger。‘So　you've　decided　the　accused　was　the　murderer，have　you？'
  ‘Sir，'answered　Mr　Wopsle　firmly，‘yes，I　do　think　he　is　guilty。’We　all　nodded　our　heads　in　agreement。
  ‘But，’said　the　stranger，‘do　you　or　do　you　not　know　that　the　law　of　England　supposes　every　man　to　be　innocent　until　he　is　proved…proved…to　be　guilty？’
  ‘Sir，’began　Mr　Wopsle，‘as　an　Englishman　myself，I…’
  ‘Come！’said　the　stranger，‘don't　avoid　the　question．Either　you　know　it，or　you　don't　know　it．Which　is　it？’
  ‘Of　course　I　know　it，’answered　poor　Mr　Wopsle。
  ‘Then　why　didn't　you　say　so　at　first？Another　question。　Do　you　know　that　this　trial　isn't　finished　yet？’
  Mr　Wopsle　hesitated，and　we　all　began　to　have　a　rather　bad　opinion　of　him　。
  ‘And　you　were　going　to　say　that　the　accused　was　guilty，before　the　end　of　the　trial，before　he　has　been　proved　guilty！’We　realized　that　the　unfortunate　Wopsle　had　no　understanding　of　the　law，or　indeed　anything　at　all。
  Now　the　stranger　stood　in　front　of　our　little　group。
  ‘I'm　looking　for　the　blacksmith，Joe　Gargery，’he　said，‘and　his　apprentice，Pip．’He　did　not　recognize　me　but　I　knew　he　was　the　gentleman　I　had　met　on　the　stairs　when　visiting　Miss　Havisham。　There　was　even　the　same　smell　of　per－fumed　soap　on　his　large　hands。‘I　want　to　speak　to　you　two　in　private，’he　said，and　so　Joe　and　I　left　the　pub　and　walked　home　with　him．
  ‘My　name　is　Jaggers，and　I'm　a　lawyer，’he　said，when　he　reached　the　forge．‘Joe　Gargery，I　am　sent　by　someone　who　suggests　cancelling　this　boy's　apprenticeship　to　you．Would　you　want　any　money，if　you　lost　your　apprentice？'
  ‘I'd　never　stand　in　Pip's　way，never，'said　Joe，staring。‘The　answer　is　no。’
  ‘Don't　try　to　change　that　answer　later，’said　Mr　Jaggers　。‘Now，what　I　have　to　say，and　remember，I'm　only　an　agent，I　don't　speak　for　myself，is　that　this　young　man　has　great　expectations。’
  Joe　and　I　gasped，and　looked　at　each　other。
  ‘I　have　been　told　to　say　that　he　will　be　very　rich　when　he　is　older。In　addition，the　person　who　sent　me　wants　the　young　man　to　be　removed　from　his　home　and　educated　as　a　gentleman　who　expects　to　inherit　a　fortune。'
  My　dream　had　come　true。　Miss　Havisham　was　making　me　rich！
  ‘Now，Mr　Pip，’continued　the　lawyer，‘there　are　two　conditions．The　first　is　that　you　always　use　the　name　of　Pip．The　second　is　that　the　name　of　the　person　who　has　heen　so　generous　to　you　must　remain　a　secret，until　that　person　chooses　to　tell　you．You　are　forbidden　to　ask　any　questions　or　try　to　discover　who　the　person　is．Do　you　accept　these　conditions？
  My　heart　was　beating　fast　as　I　whispered，‘Yes　'。
  ‘Now，to　details．I　have　been　given　enough　money　for　you　to　live　the　life　of　a　gentleman　in　L