Great Expectations

Chapter 7

At the time when I stood in the churchyard, reading the family

tombstones, I had just enough learning to be able to spell them

out. My construction even of their simple meaning was not very

correct, for I read "wife of the Above" as a complimentary

reference to my father's exaltation to a better world; and if any

one of my deceased relations had been referred to as "Below," I

have no doubt I should have formed the worst opinions of that

member of the family. Neither, were my notions of the theological

positions to which my Catechism bound me, at all accurate; for, I

have a lively remembrance that I supposed my declaration that I was

to "walk in the same all the days of my life," laid me under an

obligation always to go through the village from our house in one

particular direction, and never to vary it by turning down by the

wheelwright's or up by the mill.



When I was old enough, I was to be apprenticed to Joe, and until I

could assume that dignity I was not to be what Mrs. Joe called

"Pompeyed," or (as I render it) pampered. Therefore, I was not only

odd-boy about the forge, but if any neighbour happened to want an

extra boy to frighten birds, or pick up stones, or do any such job,

I was favoured with the employment. In order, however, that our

superior position might not be compromised thereby, a money-box was

kept on the kitchen mantel-shelf, in to which it was publicly made

known that all my earnings were dropped. I have an impression that

they were to be contributed eventually towards the liquidation of

the National Debt, but I know I had no hope of any personal

participation in the treasure.



Mr. Wopsle's great-aunt kept an evening school in the village; that

is to say, she was a ridiculous old woman of limited means and

unlimited infirmity, who used to go to sleep from six to seven

every evening, in the society of youth who paid twopence per week

each, for the improving opportunity of seeing her do it. She rented

a small cottage, and Mr. Wopsle had the room up-stairs, where we

students used to overhear him reading aloud in a most dignified and

terrific manner, and occasionally bumping on the ceiling. There was

a fiction that Mr. Wopsle "examined" the scholars, once a quarter.

What he did on those occasions was to turn up his cuffs, stick up

his hair, and give us Mark Antony's oration over the body of

Caesar. This was always followed by Collins's Ode on the Passions,

wherein I particularly venerated Mr. Wopsle as Revenge, throwing his

blood-stained sword in thunder down, and taking the War-denouncing

trumpet with a withering look. It was not with me then, as it was

in later life, when I fell into the society of the Passions, and

compared them with Collins and Wopsle, rather to the disadvantage

of both gentlemen.



Mr. Wopsle's great-aunt, besides keeping this Educational

Institution, kept - in the same room - a little general shop. She

had no idea what stock she had, or what the price of anything in it

was; but there was a little greasy memorandum-book kept in a

drawer, which served as a Catalogue of Prices, and by this oracle

Biddy arranged all the shop transaction. Biddy was Mr. Wopsle's

great-aunt's granddaughter; I confess myself quiet unequal to the

working out of the problem, what relation she was to Mr. Wopsle. She

was an orphan like myself; like me, too, had been brought up by

hand. She was most noticeable, I thought, in respect of her

extremities; for, her hair always wanted brushing, her hands always

wanted washing, and her shoes always wanted mending and pulling up

at heel. This description must be received with a week-day

limitation. On Sundays, she went to church elaborated.



Much of my unassisted self, and more by the help of Biddy than of

Mr. Wopsle's great-aunt, I struggled through the alphabet as if it

had been a bramble-bush; getting considerably worried and scratched

by every letter. After that, I fell among those thieves, the nine

figures, who seemed every evening to do something new to disguise

themselves and baffle recognition. But, at last I began, in a

purblind groping way, to read, write, and cipher, on the very

smallest scale.



One night, I was sitting in the chimney-corner with my slate,

expending great efforts on the production of a letter to Joe. I

think it must have been a fully year after our hunt upon the

marshes, for it was a long time after, and it was winter and a hard

frost. With an alphabet on the hearth at my feet for reference, I

contrived in an hour or two to print and smear this epistle:



"MI DEER JO i OPE U R KR WITE WELL i OPE i SHAL SON B HABELL 4 2

TEEDGE U JO AN THEN WE SHORL B SO GLODD AN WEN i M PRENGTD 2 U JO

WOT LARX AN BLEVE ME INF XN PIP."



There was no indispensable necessity for my communicating with Joe

by letter, inasmuch as he sat beside me and we were alone. But, I

delivered this written communication (slate and all) with my own

hand, and Joe received it as a miracle of erudition.



"I say, Pip, old chap!" cried Joe, opening his blue eyes wide,

"what a scholar you are! An't you?"



"I should like to be," said I, glancing at the slate as he held it:

with a misgiving that the writing was rather hilly.



"Why, here's a J," said Joe, "and a O equal to anythink! Here's a J

and a O, Pip, and a J-O, Joe."



I had never heard Joe read aloud to any greater extent than this

monosyllable, and I had observed at church last Sunday when I

accidentally held our Prayer-Book upside down, that it seemed to

suit his convenience quite as well as if it had been all right.

Wishing to embrace the present occasion of finding out whether in

teaching Joe, I should have to begin quite at the beginning, I

said, "Ah! But read the rest, Jo."



"The rest, eh, Pip?" said Joe, looking at it with a slowly

searching eye, "One, two, three. Why, here's three Js, and three

Os, and three J-O, Joes in it, Pip!"



I leaned over Joe, and, with the aid of my forefinger, read him the

whole letter.



"Astonishing!" said Joe, when I had finished. "You ARE a scholar."



"How do you spell Gargery, Joe?" I asked him, with a modest

patronage.



"I don't spell it at all," said Joe.



"But supposing you did?"



"It can't be supposed," said Joe. "Tho' I'm oncommon fond of

reading, too."



"Are you, Joe?"



"On-common. Give me," said Joe, "a good book, or a good newspaper,

and sit me down afore a good fire, and I ask no better. Lord!" he

continued, after rubbing his knees a little, "when you do come to a

J and a O, and says you, "Here, at last, is a J-O, Joe," how

interesting reading is!"



I derived from this last, that Joe's education, like Steam, was yet

in its infancy, Pursuing the subject, I inquired:



"Didn't you ever go to school, Joe, when you were as little as me?"



"No, Pip."



"Why didn't you ever go to school, Joe, when you were as little as

me?"



"Well, Pip," said Joe, taking up the poker, and settling himself to

his usual occupation when he was thoughtful, of slowly raking the

fire between the lower bars: "I'll tell you. My father, Pip, he

were given to drink, and when he were overtook with drink, he

hammered away at my mother, most onmerciful. It were a'most the

only hammering he did, indeed, 'xcepting at myself. And he hammered

at me with a wigour only to be equalled by the wigour with which he

didn't hammer at his anwil. - You're a-listening and understanding,

Pip?"



"Yes, Joe."



"'Consequence, my mother and me we ran away from my father,

several times; and then my mother she'd go out to work, and she'd

say, "Joe," she'd say, "now, please God, you shall have some

schooling, child," and she'd put me to school. But my father were

that good in his hart that he couldn't abear to be without us. So,

he'd come with a most tremenjous crowd and make such a row at the

doors of the houses where we was, that they used to be obligated to

have no more to do with us and to give us up to him. And then he

took us home and hammered us. Which, you see, Pip," said Joe,

pausing in his meditative raking of the fire, and looking at me,

"were a drawback on my learning."



"Certainly, poor Joe!"



"Though mind you, Pip," said Joe, with a judicial touch or two of

the poker on the top bar, "rendering unto all their doo, and

maintaining equal justice betwixt man and man, my father were that

good in his hart, don't you see?"



I didn't see; but I didn't say so.



"Well!" Joe pursued, "somebody must keep the pot a biling, Pip, or

the pot won't bile, don't you know?"



I saw that, and said so.



"'Consequence, my father didn't make objections to my going to

work; so I went to work to work at my present calling, which were

his too, if he would have followed it, and I worked tolerable hard,

I assure you, Pip. In time I were able to keep him, and I kept him

till he went off in a purple leptic fit. And it were my intentions

to have had put upon his tombstone that Whatsume'er the failings on

his part, Remember reader he were that good in his hart."



Joe recited this couplet with such manifest pride and careful

perspicuity, that I asked him if he had made it himself.



"I made it," said Joe, "my own self. I made it in a moment. It was

like striking out a horseshoe complete, in a single blow. I never

was so much surprised in all my life - couldn't credit my own ed -

to tell you the truth, hardly believed it were my own ed. As I was

saying, Pip, it were my intentions to have had it cut over him; but

poetry costs money, cut it how you will, small or large, and it

were not done. Not to mention bearers, all the money that could be

spared were wanted for my mother. She were in poor elth, and quite

broke. She weren't long of following, poor soul, and her share of

peace come round at last."



Joe's blue eyes turned a little watery; he rubbed, first one of

them, and then the other, in a most uncongenial and uncomfortable

manner, with the round knob on the top of the poker.



"It were but lonesome then," said Joe, "living here alone, and I

got acquainted with your sister. Now, Pip;" Joe looked firmly at

me, as if he knew I was not going to agree with him; "your sister

is a fine figure of a woman."



I could not help looking at the fire, in an obvious state of doubt.



"Whatever family opinions, or whatever the world's opinions, on

that subject may be, Pip, your sister is," Joe tapped the top bar

with the poker after every word following, "a - fine - figure - of

- a - woman!"



I could think of nothing better to say than "I am glad you think

so, Joe."



"So am I," returned Joe, catching me up. "I am glad I think so,

Pip. A little redness or a little matter of Bone, here or there,

what does it signify to Me?"



I sagaciously observed, if it didn't signify to him, to whom did it

signify?



"Certainly!" assented Joe. "That's it. You're right, old chap! When

I got acquainted with your sister, it were the talk how she was

bringing you up by hand. Very kind of her too, all the folks said,

and I said, along with all the folks. As to you," Joe pursued with

a countenance expressive of seeing something very nasty indeed: "if

you could have been aware how small and flabby and mean you was,

dear me, you'd have formed the most contemptible opinion of

yourself!"



Not exactly relishing this, I said, "Never mind me, Joe."



"But I did mind you, Pip," he returned with tender simplicity.

"When I offered to your sister to keep company, and to be asked in

church at such times as she was willing and ready to come to the

forge, I said to her, 'And bring the poor little child. God bless

the poor little child,' I said to your sister, 'there's room for

him at the forge!'"



I broke out crying and begging pardon, and hugged Joe round the

neck: who dropped the poker to hug me, and to say, "Ever the best

of friends; an't us, Pip? Don't cry, old chap!"



When this little interruption was over, Joe resumed:



"Well, you see, Pip, and here we are! That's about where it lights;

here we are! Now, when you take me in hand in my learning, Pip (and

I tell you beforehand I am awful dull, most awful dull), Mrs. Joe

mustn't see too much of what we're up to. It must be done, as I may

say, on the sly. And why on the sly? I'll tell you why, Pip."



He had taken up the poker again; without which, I doubt if he could

have proceeded in his demonstration.



"Your sister is given to government."



"Given to government, Joe?" I was startled, for I had some shadowy

idea (and I am afraid I must add, hope) that Joe had divorced her

in a favour of the Lords of the Admiralty, or Treasury.



"Given to government," said Joe. "Which I meantersay the government

of you and myself."



"Oh!"



"And she an't over partial to having scholars on the premises," Joe

continued, "and in partickler would not be over partial to my being

a scholar, for fear as I might rise. Like a sort or rebel, don't

you see?"



I was going to retort with an inquiry, and had got as far as

"Why--" when Joe stopped me.



"Stay a bit. I know what you're a-going to say, Pip; stay a bit! I

don't deny that your sister comes the Mo-gul over us, now and

again. I don't deny that she do throw us back-falls, and that she

do drop down upon us heavy. At such times as when your sister is on

the Ram-page, Pip," Joe sank his voice to a whisper and glanced at

the door, "candour compels fur to admit that she is a Buster."



Joe pronounced this word, as if it began with at least twelve

capital Bs.



"Why don't I rise? That were your observation when I broke it off,

Pip?"



"Yes, Joe."



"Well," said Joe, passing the poker into his left hand, that he

might feel his whisker; and I had no hope of him whenever he took

to that placid occupation; "your sister's a master-mind. A

master-mind."



"What's that?" I asked, in some hope of bringing him to a stand.

But, Joe was readier with his definition than I had expected, and

completely stopped me by arguing circularly, and answering with a

fixed look, "Her."



"And I an't a master-mind," Joe resumed, when he had unfixed his

look, and got back to his whisker. "And last of all, Pip - and this

I want to say very serious to you, old chap - I see so much in my

poor mother, of a woman drudging and slaving and breaking her

honest hart and never getting no peace in her mortal days, that I'm

dead afeerd of going wrong in the way of not doing what's right by

a woman, and I'd fur rather of the two go wrong the t'other way,

and be a little ill-conwenienced myself. I wish it was only me that

got put out, Pip; I wish there warn't no Tickler for you, old chap;

I wish I could take it all on myself; but this is the

up-and-down-and-straight on it, Pip, and I hope you'll overlook

shortcomings."



Young as I was, I believe that I dated a new admiration of Joe from

that night. We were equals afterwards, as we had been before; but,

afterwards at quiet times when I sat looking at Joe and thinking

about him, I had a new sensation of feeling conscious that I was

looking up to Joe in my heart.



"However," said Joe, rising to replenish the fire; "here's the

Dutch-clock a working himself up to being equal to strike Eight of

'em, and she's not come home yet! I hope Uncle Pumblechook's mare

mayn't have set a fore-foot on a piece o' ice, and gone down."



Mrs. Joe made occasional trips with Uncle Pumblechook on

market-days, to assist him in buying such household stuffs and

goods as required a woman's judgment; Uncle Pumblechook being a

bachelor and reposing no confidences in his domestic servant. This

was market-day, and Mrs. Joe was out on one of these expeditions.



Joe made the fire and swept the hearth, and then we went to the

door to listen for the chaise-cart. It was a dry cold night, and

the wind blew keenly, and the frost was white and hard. A man would

die to-night of lying out on the marshes, I thought. And then I

looked at the stars, and considered how awful if would be for a man

to turn his face up to them as he froze to death, and see no help

or pity in all the glittering multitude.



"Here comes the mare," said Joe, "ringing like a peal of bells!"



The sound of her iron shoes upon the hard road was quite musical,

as she came along at a much brisker trot than usual. We got a chair

out, ready for Mrs. Joe's alighting, and stirred up the fire that

they might see a bright window, and took a final survey of the

kitchen that nothing might be out of its place. When we had

completed these preparations, they drove up, wrapped to the eyes.

Mrs. Joe was soon landed, and Uncle Pumblechook was soon down too,

covering the mare with a cloth, and we were soon all in the

kitchen, carrying so much cold air in with us that it seemed to

drive all the heat out of the fire.



"Now," said Mrs. Joe, unwrapping herself with haste and excitement,

and throwing her bonnet back on her shoulders where it hung by the

strings: "if this boy an't grateful this night, he never will be!"



I looked as grateful as any boy possibly could, who was wholly

uninformed why he ought to assume that expression.



"It's only to be hoped," said my sister, "that he won't be

Pomp-eyed. But I have my fears."



"She an't in that line, Mum," said Mr. Pumblechook. "She knows

better."



She? I looked at Joe, making the motion with my lips and eyebrows,

"She?" Joe looked at me, making the motion with his lips and

eyebrows, "She?" My sister catching him in the act, he drew the

back of his hand across his nose with his usual conciliatory air on

such occasions, and looked at her.



"Well?" said my sister, in her snappish way. "What are you staring

at? Is the house a-fire?"



" - Which some individual," Joe politely hinted, "mentioned - she."



"And she is a she, I suppose?" said my sister. "Unless you call

Miss Havisham a he. And I doubt if even you'll go so far as that."



"Miss Havisham, up town?" said Joe.



"Is there any Miss Havisham down town?" returned my sister.



"She wants this boy to go and play there. And of course he's going.

And he had better play there," said my sister, shaking her head at

me as an encouragement to be extremely light and sportive, "or I'll

work him."



I had heard of Miss Havisham up town - everybody for miles round,

had heard of Miss Havisham up town - as an immensely rich and grim

lady who lived in a large and dismal house barricaded against

robbers, and who led a life of seclusion.



"Well to be sure!" said Joe, astounded. "I wonder how she come to

know Pip!"



"Noodle!" cried my sister. "Who said she knew him?"



" - Which some individual," Joe again politely hinted, "mentioned

that she wanted him to go and play there."



"And couldn't she ask Uncle Pumblechook if he knew of a boy to go

and play there? Isn't it just barely possible that Uncle

Pumblechook may be a tenant of hers, and that he may sometimes - we

won't say quarterly or half-yearly, for that would be requiring too

much of you - but sometimes - go there to pay his rent? And

couldn't she then ask Uncle Pumblechook if he knew of a boy to go

and play there? And couldn't Uncle Pumblechook, being always

considerate and thoughtful for us - though you may not think it,

Joseph," in a tone of the deepest reproach, as if he were the most

callous of nephews, "then mention this boy, standing Prancing here"

- which I solemnly declare I was not doing - "that I have for ever

been a willing slave to?"



"Good again!" cried Uncle Pumblechook. "Well put! Prettily pointed!

Good indeed! Now Joseph, you know the case."



"No, Joseph," said my sister, still in a reproachful manner, while

Joe apologetically drew the back of his hand across and across his

nose, "you do not yet - though you may not think it - know the

case. You may consider that you do, but you do not, Joseph. For you

do not know that Uncle Pumblechook, being sensible that for

anything we can tell, this boy's fortune may be made by his going

to Miss Havisham's, has offered to take him into town to-night in

his own chaise-cart, and to keep him to-night, and to take him with

his own hands to Miss Havisham's to-morrow morning. And Lor-a-mussy

me!" cried my sister, casting off her bonnet in sudden desperation,

"here I stand talking to mere Mooncalfs, with Uncle Pumblechook

waiting, and the mare catching cold at the door, and the boy grimed

with crock and dirt from the hair of his head to the sole of his

foot!"



With that, she pounced upon me, like an eagle on a lamb, and my

face was squeezed into wooden bowls in sinks, and my head was put

under taps of water-butts, and I was soaped, and kneaded, and

towelled, and thumped, and harrowed, and rasped, until I really was

quite beside myself. (I may here remark that I suppose myself to be

better acquainted than any living authority, with the ridgy effect

of a wedding-ring, passing unsympathetically over the human

countenance.)



When my ablutions were completed, I was put into clean linen of the

stiffest character, like a young penitent into sackcloth, and was

trussed up in my tightest and fearfullest suit. I was then

delivered over to Mr. Pumblechook, who formally received me as if he

were the Sheriff, and who let off upon me the speech that I knew he

had been dying to make all along: "Boy, be for ever grateful to all

friends, but especially unto them which brought you up by hand!"



"Good-bye, Joe!"



"God bless you, Pip, old chap!"



I had never parted from him before, and what with my feelings and

what with soap-suds, I could at first see no stars from the

chaise-cart. But they twinkled out one by one, without throwing any

light on the questions why on earth I was going to play at Miss

Havisham's, and what on earth I was expected to play at.