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<v Speaker 1>Chapter fifty five of Great Expectations. This is a LibriVox recording.

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<v Speaker 1>All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more

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<v Speaker 1>information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. This

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<v Speaker 1>recording is by Mark Smith of Simpsonville, South Carolina. Great

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<v Speaker 1>Expectations by Charles Dickens, chapter fifty five. He was taken

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<v Speaker 1>to the police court next day and would have been

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<v Speaker 1>immediately committed for trial, but that it was necessary to

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<v Speaker 1>send down for an old officer of the prison ship

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<v Speaker 1>from which he had once escaped to speak to his identity.

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<v Speaker 1>Nobody doubted it, but Copyson, who had meant to depose

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<v Speaker 1>to it, was tumbling on the tides dead. And it

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<v Speaker 1>happened that there was not at that time any prison

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<v Speaker 1>officer in London who could give the required evidence. I

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<v Speaker 1>had gone direct to mister Jaggers at his private house

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<v Speaker 1>my arrival over night to retain his assistance, and mister Jaggers,

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<v Speaker 1>on the prisoner's behalf, would admit nothing. It was the

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<v Speaker 1>sole resource. For he told me that the case must

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<v Speaker 1>be over in five minutes when the witness was there,

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<v Speaker 1>and that no power on earth could prevent its going

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<v Speaker 1>against us. I imparted to mister Jaggers my design of

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<v Speaker 1>keeping him in ignorance of the fate of his wealth.

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<v Speaker 1>Mister Jaggers was querulous and angry with me for having

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<v Speaker 1>let it slip through my fingers, and said we must

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<v Speaker 1>memorialize by and by, and try at all events for

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<v Speaker 1>some of it. But he did not conceal from me

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<v Speaker 1>that although there might be many cases in which the

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<v Speaker 1>forfeiture could not be exacted, there were no circumstances in

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<v Speaker 1>this case to make it one of them. I understood

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<v Speaker 1>that very well I was not related to the outlaw,

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<v Speaker 1>or connected with him by any recognizable tie. He had

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<v Speaker 1>put his hand to no writing or settlement in my

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<v Speaker 1>favor before his apprehension, and to do so now would

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<v Speaker 1>be idle. I had no claim, and I finally resolved,

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<v Speaker 1>and ever afterwards abided by the resolution that my heart

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<v Speaker 1>should never be sickened with the hopeless task of attempting

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<v Speaker 1>to establish one. There appeared to be reason for supposing

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<v Speaker 1>that the drowned informer had hoped for a reward out

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<v Speaker 1>of this forfeiture, and had obtained some accurate knowledge of

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<v Speaker 1>Magwitch's affairs. When his body was found many miles from

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<v Speaker 1>the scene of his death, and so horribly disfigured that

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<v Speaker 1>he was only recognizable by the contents of his pockets.

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<v Speaker 1>Notes were still legible, folded in a case he carried.

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<v Speaker 1>Among these were the name of a banking house in

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<v Speaker 1>New South Wales where a sum of money was and

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<v Speaker 1>the designation of certain lands of considerable value. Both these

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<v Speaker 1>heads of information were in a list that Magwitch, while

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<v Speaker 1>in prison, gave to mister Jaggers of the possessions. He

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<v Speaker 1>supposed I should inherit his ignorance. Poor fellow at last

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<v Speaker 1>served him. He never mistrusted, but that my inheritance was

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<v Speaker 1>quite safe with mister Jagger's aid. After three days delay,

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<v Speaker 1>during which the Crown Prosecution stood over for the production

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<v Speaker 1>of the witness from the prison ship, the witness came

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<v Speaker 1>and completed the easy case. He was committed to take

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<v Speaker 1>his trial at the next sessions, which would come on

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<v Speaker 1>in a month. It was at this dark time of

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<v Speaker 1>my life that Herbert returned home one evening a good

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<v Speaker 1>deal cast down, and said, my dear handel, I fear

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<v Speaker 1>I shall soon have to leave you. His partner, having

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<v Speaker 1>prepared me for that, I was less surprised than he thought.

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<v Speaker 1>We shall lose a fine opportunity if I put off

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<v Speaker 1>going to Cairo. And I am very much afraid I

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<v Speaker 1>must go Handel when you most need me, Herbert, I

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<v Speaker 1>shall always need you, because I shall always love you.

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<v Speaker 1>But my need is no great now than at another

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<v Speaker 1>time you will be so lonely. I have not leisure

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<v Speaker 1>to think of that, said I. You know that I

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<v Speaker 1>am always with him to the full extent of the

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<v Speaker 1>time aloud, and that I should be with him all

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<v Speaker 1>day long if I could. And when I come away

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<v Speaker 1>from him, you know that my thoughts are with him.

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<v Speaker 1>The dreadful condition to which he was brought was so

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<v Speaker 1>appalling to both of us that we could not refer

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<v Speaker 1>to it in plainer words. My dear fellow, said Herbert.

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<v Speaker 1>Let the near prospect of our separation, for it is

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<v Speaker 1>very near, be my justification for troubling you about yourself.

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<v Speaker 1>Have you thought of your future? No, for I have

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<v Speaker 1>been afraid to think of any future. But yours cannot

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<v Speaker 1>be dismissed. Indeed, my dear dear Handel, it must not

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<v Speaker 1>be dismissed. I wish you would enter on it now.

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<v Speaker 1>As far as a few friendly words go with me,

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<v Speaker 1>I will said I in this branch house of ours, Handel,

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<v Speaker 1>we must have a I saw that his delicacy was

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<v Speaker 1>avoiding the right words, so I said, a clerk, a clerk,

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<v Speaker 1>and I hope it is not unlikely that he may expand,

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<v Speaker 1>as a clerk of your acquaintance has expanded into a partner. Now, Handel,

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<v Speaker 1>in short, my dear boy, will you come to me?

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<v Speaker 1>There was something charmingly cordial and engaging in the manner

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<v Speaker 1>in which, after saying, now, handle, as if it were

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<v Speaker 1>the grave beginning of a portentis business exordium, he had

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<v Speaker 1>suddenly given up that tone, stretched out his honest hand,

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<v Speaker 1>and spoken like a schoolboy. Clara and I have talked

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<v Speaker 1>about it again and again, Herbert pursued, and the dear

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<v Speaker 1>little thing begged me only this evening, with tears in

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<v Speaker 1>her eyes, to say to you that if you will

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<v Speaker 1>live with us, when we come together, she will do

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<v Speaker 1>her best to make you happy, and to convince her

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<v Speaker 1>husband's friend that he is her friend too. We should

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<v Speaker 1>get on so well, Handel. I thanked her heartily, and

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<v Speaker 1>I thanked him heartily, but said I could not yet

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<v Speaker 1>make sure of joining him, as he so kindly offered. Firstly,

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<v Speaker 1>my mind was too preoccupied to be able to take

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<v Speaker 1>in the subject clearly. Secondly, yes, Secondly, there was a

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<v Speaker 1>vague something lingering in my thoughts that will come out

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<v Speaker 1>very near the end of this slight narrative. But if

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<v Speaker 1>you thought, Herbert, that you could, without doing any injury

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<v Speaker 1>to your business, leave the question open for a little while,

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<v Speaker 1>For any while, cried Herbert. Six months a year, not

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<v Speaker 1>so long as that, said I, two or three months

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<v Speaker 1>at most. Herbert highly delighted when we shook hands on

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<v Speaker 1>this arrangement, and said he could now take courage to

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<v Speaker 1>tell me that he believed he must go away at

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<v Speaker 1>the end of the week. And Clara said I the

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<v Speaker 1>dear little thing returned. Herbert holds dutifully to her father

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<v Speaker 1>as long as he lasts. But he won't last long.

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<v Speaker 1>Missus Wimple confides to me that he is certainly going,

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<v Speaker 1>not to say an unfeeling thing, said I. He cannot

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<v Speaker 1>do better than go. I am afraid that must be admitted,

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<v Speaker 1>said Herbert. And then I shall come back for the

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<v Speaker 1>dear little thing, and the dear little thing, and I

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<v Speaker 1>will walk quietly into the nearest church. Remember the blessed

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<v Speaker 1>darling comes of no family, my dear handel, and never

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<v Speaker 1>looked into the Red Book, and hasn't a notion about

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<v Speaker 1>her grandpapa. What a fortune for the son of my mother.

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<v Speaker 1>On the Saturday in that same week, I took my

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<v Speaker 1>leave of Herbert, full of bright hope, but sad and

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<v Speaker 1>sorry to leave me, as he sat on one of

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<v Speaker 1>the seaport mail coaches. I went into a coffee house

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<v Speaker 1>to write a little note to Clara, telling her he

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<v Speaker 1>had gone off, sending his love to her over and

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<v Speaker 1>over again, and then went to my lonely home, if

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<v Speaker 1>it deserved the name, for it was now no home

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<v Speaker 1>to me, and I had no home anywhere. On the

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<v Speaker 1>stairs I encountered Wemmick, who was coming down after an

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<v Speaker 1>unsuccessful application of his knuckles to my door. I had

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<v Speaker 1>not seen him alone since the disastrous issue of the

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<v Speaker 1>attempted flight, and he had come in his private, impersonal

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<v Speaker 1>capacity to say a few words of explanation in reference

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<v Speaker 1>to that failure. The late Compison said Wemmick had, by

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<v Speaker 1>little and little, got at the bottom of half of

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<v Speaker 1>the regular business now transacted. And it twas from the

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<v Speaker 1>talk of some of his people in trouble, some of

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<v Speaker 1>his people being always in trouble that I heard what

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<v Speaker 1>I did. I kept my ears open, seeming to have

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<v Speaker 1>them shut, until I heard that he was absent, and

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<v Speaker 1>I thought that would be the best time for making

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<v Speaker 1>the attempt. I can only suppose now that it was

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<v Speaker 1>a part of his policy as a very clever man,

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<v Speaker 1>habitually to deceive his own instruments. You don't blame me,

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<v Speaker 1>I hope, mister Pip. I am sure I tried to

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<v Speaker 1>serve you with all my heart. I am as sure

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<v Speaker 1>of that, Wemmick as you can be. And I thank

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<v Speaker 1>you most earnestly for all your interest and friendship. Thank you,

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<v Speaker 1>thank you very much. It's a bad job, said Wemmick,

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<v Speaker 1>scratching his head. And I assure you I haven't been

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<v Speaker 1>so cut up for a long time. What I look

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<v Speaker 1>at is the sacrifice of so much portable property. Dear me,

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<v Speaker 1>What I think of Wemmick as the poor owner or

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<v Speaker 1>the property. Yes, to be sure, said Wemmick. Of course

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<v Speaker 1>there can be no objection to your being sorry for him,

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<v Speaker 1>And I'd put down a five pound note myself to

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<v Speaker 1>get him out of it. But what I look at

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<v Speaker 1>is this the late Copysen, having been beforehand with him

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<v Speaker 1>in intelligence of his return, and being so determined to

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<v Speaker 1>bring him to book, I do not think he could

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<v Speaker 1>have been saved, whereas the portable property certainly could have

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<v Speaker 1>been saved. That's the difference between the property and the owner,

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<v Speaker 1>don't you see. I invited Wemmick to come upstairs and

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<v Speaker 1>refresh himself with a glass of grog before walking to Walworth.

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<v Speaker 1>He accepted the invitation while he was drinking his moderate allowance.

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<v Speaker 1>He said, with nothing to lead up to it, and

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<v Speaker 1>after having appeared rather fidgety, what do you think of

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<v Speaker 1>my meaning to take a holiday on Monday, mister Pip?

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<v Speaker 1>Why I suppose you have not done so to thing

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<v Speaker 1>these twelve months, these twelve years more likely? Said Wemmick. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm going to take a holiday. More than that, I'm

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<v Speaker 1>going to take a walk. More than that, I'm going

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<v Speaker 1>to ask you to take a walk with me. I

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<v Speaker 1>was about to excuse myself as being but a bad

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<v Speaker 1>companion just then when Wemmick anticipated me. I know your engagements,

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<v Speaker 1>said he, and I know you were out of sorts,

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<v Speaker 1>mister Pip, but if you could oblige me, I should

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<v Speaker 1>take it as a kindness. It ain't a long walk,

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<v Speaker 1>and it's an early one. Say it might occupy you,

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<v Speaker 1>including breakfast on the walk from eight to twelve. Couldn't

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<v Speaker 1>you stretch a point and manage it? He had done

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<v Speaker 1>so much for me at various times, that this was

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<v Speaker 1>very little to do for him. I said I could

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<v Speaker 1>manage it, would manage it, And he was so very

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<v Speaker 1>much pleased by my acquiescence that I was pleased to

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<v Speaker 1>at his particular request, I appointed to call for him

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<v Speaker 1>at the castle at half past eight on Monday morning,

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<v Speaker 1>and so we parted for the time punctual to my appointment.

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<v Speaker 1>I rang at the castle gate on the Monday morning

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<v Speaker 1>and was received by Wemmick himself, who struck me as

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<v Speaker 1>looking tighter than usual and having a sleeker hat on.

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<v Speaker 1>Within there were two glasses of rum and milk prepared,

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<v Speaker 1>and two biscuits. The aged must have been stirring with

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<v Speaker 1>the lark. For glancing into the perspective of his bedroom,

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<v Speaker 1>I observed that his bed was empty. When we had

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<v Speaker 1>fortified ourselves with the rum and milk and biscuits and

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<v Speaker 1>were going out for the walk, with that training preparation

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<v Speaker 1>on us, I was considerably surprised to see Wemmick take

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<v Speaker 1>up a fishing rod and put it over his shoulder.

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<v Speaker 1>Why we are not going fishing, said I. No, replied Wemmy,

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<v Speaker 1>but I like to walk with one. I thought this odd, However,

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<v Speaker 1>I said nothing, and we set off. We went towards

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<v Speaker 1>Caberwell Green, and when we were thereabouts, Wemmick said suddenly, Hello,

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<v Speaker 1>here's a church. There was nothing very surprising in that,

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<v Speaker 1>but again I was rather surprised when he said, as

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<v Speaker 1>if he were animated by a brilliant idea, let's go in.

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<v Speaker 1>We went in, Wemmick leaving his fishing rod on the porch,

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<v Speaker 1>and looked all round. In the meantime, Wemmick was diving

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<v Speaker 1>into his coat pockets and getting something out of paper. There, Hello,

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<v Speaker 1>said he, here's a couple a pair of gloves. Let's

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<v Speaker 1>put him on. As the gloves were white kid gloves.

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<v Speaker 1>And as the post office was widened to its utmost extent,

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<v Speaker 1>I now began to have my strong suspicions. They were

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<v Speaker 1>strengthened into certainty when I beheld the aged enter at

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<v Speaker 1>a side door escorting a lady. Hello, said Wemmick, here's

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<v Speaker 1>miss s Gifvens, Let's have a wedding. That discreet damsel

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<v Speaker 1>was attired as usual, except that she was now engaged

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<v Speaker 1>in substituting for her green kid gloves a pair of white.

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<v Speaker 1>The aged was likewise occupied in preparing a similar sacrifice

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<v Speaker 1>for the altar of hymen. The old gentleman, however, experienced

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<v Speaker 1>so much difficulty in getting his gloves on, that Wemmick

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<v Speaker 1>found it necessary to put him with his back against

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<v Speaker 1>a pillar, and then to get behind the pillar himself

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<v Speaker 1>and pull away at them, while I, for my part,

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<v Speaker 1>held the old gentleman round the waist that he might

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<v Speaker 1>present equal and safe resistance. By din of this ingenious scheme,

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<v Speaker 1>his gloves were got on to perfection. The clerk and clergyman,

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<v Speaker 1>then appearing, we were ranged in order at those fatal rails,

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<v Speaker 1>true to his notion of seeming to do it all

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<v Speaker 1>without preparation, I heard Wemmick say to himself, as he

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<v Speaker 1>took something out of his waistcoat pocket before the service began, Hello,

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<v Speaker 1>here's a ring. I acted in the capacity of backer

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<v Speaker 1>or best man to the bridegroom. While a little limp

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<v Speaker 1>pew opener in a soft bonnet like a baby's made

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<v Speaker 1>a feint of being the bosom friend of miss Skiffin's.

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<v Speaker 1>The responsibility of giving the lady away devolved upon the aged,

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<v Speaker 1>which led to the clergyman's being unintentionally scandalized. And it

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<v Speaker 1>happened thus when he said, who giveth this woman to

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<v Speaker 1>be married to this man? The old gentleman, not in

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<v Speaker 1>the least knowing what point of the ceremony we had

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<v Speaker 1>arrived at, stood most amiably beaming at the Ten Commandments,

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<v Speaker 1>upon which the clergyman said again, who giveth this woman

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<v Speaker 1>to be married to this man? The old gentleman being

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<v Speaker 1>still in a state of most estimable unconsciousness, The bridegroom

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<v Speaker 1>cried out in his accustomed voice, No, Aged, p you

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<v Speaker 1>know who giveth, to which the aged replied with great briskness,

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<v Speaker 1>before saying that he gave all right, John, all right,

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<v Speaker 1>my boy. And the clergyman came to so gloomy a

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<v Speaker 1>pause upon it, that I had doubts for the moment

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<v Speaker 1>whether we should get completely married that day. It was

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<v Speaker 1>completely done, however, and when we were going out of church,

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<v Speaker 1>Wemmick took the cover off the font and put his

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<v Speaker 1>white gloves in it, and put the cover on again.

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<v Speaker 1>Missus Wemmick, more heedful of the future, put her white

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<v Speaker 1>gloves in her pocket and assumed her green Now, mister Pip,

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<v Speaker 1>said Wemmick, triumphantly shouldering the fishing rod as we came out.

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<v Speaker 1>Let me ask you whether anybody would suppose this to

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<v Speaker 1>be a wedding party. Breakfast had been ordered at a

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<v Speaker 1>pleasant little tavern a mile or so away, upon the

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<v Speaker 1>rising ground beyond the green, and there was a bagatelle

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<v Speaker 1>board in the room in case we should desire to

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<v Speaker 1>unbend our minds after the solemnity. It was pleasant to

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<v Speaker 1>observe that Missus Wemmick no longer unwound Wemmick's arm when

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<v Speaker 1>it adapted itself to her figure, but sat in a

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<v Speaker 1>high backed chair against the wall, like a violincello in

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<v Speaker 1>its case, and submitted to be embraced, as that melodious

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<v Speaker 1>instrument might have done. We had an excellent breakfast, and

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<v Speaker 1>when any one declined anything on table, Wemmick said, provided

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<v Speaker 1>by contract, you know, don't be afraid of it. I

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<v Speaker 1>drank to the new couple, drank to the aged, drank

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<v Speaker 1>to the castle, saluted the bride at parting, and made

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<v Speaker 1>myself as agreeable as I could. Wemmick came down to

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<v Speaker 1>the door with me, and I again shook hands with

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<v Speaker 1>him and wished him joy. Think ye, said Wemmick, rubbing

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<v Speaker 1>his hands. She's such a manager of fowls. You have

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<v Speaker 1>no idea. You shall have some eggs and judge for yourself,

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<v Speaker 1>I say, mister Pip, calling me back and speaking low.

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<v Speaker 1>This is altogether a woeworth sentiment. Please I understand not

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<v Speaker 1>to be mentioned in Little Britain, said I. Wemmick nodded.

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<v Speaker 1>After what you let out the other day, mister Jaggers

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<v Speaker 1>may as well not know of it. He might think

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<v Speaker 1>my brain was softening, or something of the kind. End

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<v Speaker 1>of chapter