I said, or tried to say, that I was much
obliged to him for his recommendation——

"No, my young friend!" he interrupted,
shaking his great head very slowly. "Recollect
yourself!"

Not recollecting myself, I began again that
I was much obliged to him for his recommendation——

"No, my young friend," he interrupted,
shaking his head and frowning and smiling both
at once; "no, no, no; it's very well done but
it won't do; you are too young to fix me with
it. Recommendation is not the word, Mr. Pip.
Try another."

Correcting myself, I said that I was much
obliged to him for his mention of Mr. Matthew
Pocket——

"That's more like it!" cried Mr. Jaggers.

—And (I added), I would gladly try that
gentleman.

"Good. You had better try him in his own
house. The way shall be prepared for you, and
you can see his son first, who is in London.
When will you come to London?"

I said (glancing at Joe, who stood looking on
motionless), that I supposed I could come
directly.

"First," said Mr. Jaggers, "you should have
some new clothes to come in, and they should
not be working clothes. Say this day week.
You'll want some money. Shall I leave you
twenty guineas?"

He produced a long purse, with the greatest
coolness, and counted them out on the table and
pushed them over to me. This was the first
time he had taken his leg from the chair. He
sat astride of the chair when he had pushed the
money over, and sat swinging his purse and
eyeing Joe.

"Well, Joseph Gargery? You look
dumbfoundered?"

"I am!" said Joe, in a very decided manner.

"It was understood that you wanted nothing
for yourself, remember?"

"It were understood," said Joe. "And it
are understood. And it ever will be similar
according."

"But what," said Mr. Jaggers, swinging his
purse, "what if it was in my instructions to
make you a present, as compensation?"

"As compensation what for?" Joe demanded.

"For the loss of his services."

Joe laid his hand upon my shoulder with the
touch of a woman. I have often thought him
since, like the steam-hammer, that can crush a
man or pat an eggshell, in his combination of
strength with gentleness. "Pip is that hearty
welcome," said Joe, "to go free with his services
to honour and fortun', as no words can tell him.
But if you think as Money can make compensation
to me for the loss of the little child—
what come to the forge—and ever the best of
friends!——"

O dear good Joe, whom I was so ready to
leave and so unthankful to, I see you again,
with your muscular blacksmith's arm before
your eyes, and your broad chest heaving, and
your voice dying away. O dear good faithful
tender Joe, I feel the loving tremble of your
hand upon my arm, as solemnly this day as if it
had been the rustle of an angel's wing!

But I encouraged Joe at the time. I was lost
in the mazes of my future fortunes, and could
not retrace the by-paths we had trodden
together. I begged Joe to be comforted, for (as
he said) we had ever been the best of friends, and
(as I said) we ever would be so. Joe scooped his
eyes with his disengaged wrist, as if he were bent
on gouging himself, but said not another word.

Mr. Jaggers had looked on at this, as one
who recognised in Joe the village idiot and in me
his keeper. When it was over, he said, weighing
in his hand the purse he had ceased to swing:

"Now, Joseph Gargery, I warn you this is
your last chance. No half measures with me.
If you mean to take a present that I have it in
charge to make you, speak out, and you shall have
it. If on the contrary you mean to say——"
Here, to his great amazement he was stopped by
Joe's suddenly working round him with every
demonstration of a fell pugilistic purpose.

"Which I meantersay," cried Joe, "that if
you come into my place bull-baiting and badgering
me, come out! Which I meantersay as such
if you're a man, come on! Which I meantersay
that what I say, I meantersay and stand or fall
by!"

I drew Joe away, and he immediately became
placable; merely stating to me, in an obliging
manner and as a polite expostulatory notice to
anyone whom it might happen to concern, that he
were not a going to be bull-baited and badgered
in his own place. Mr. Jaggers had risen when
Joe demonstrated, and had backed to near the
door. Without evincing any inclination to come
in again, he there delivered his valedictory
remarks. They were these.

"Well, Mr. Pip, I think the sooner you leave
here—as you are to be a gentleman—the better.
Let it stand for this day week, and you shall
receive my printed address in the mean time.
You can take a hackney-coach at the stage
coach-office in London, and come straight to
me. Understand that I express no opinion, one
way or other, on the trust I undertake. I am
paid for undertaking it, and I do so. Now,
understand that, finally. Understand that!"

He was throwing his finger at both of us, and
I think would have gone on, but for his seeming
to think Joe dangerous, and going off.

Something came into my head which induced
me to run after him, as he was going down to
the Jolly Bargemen where he had left a hired
carriage.

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Jaggers."

"Halloa!" said he, facing round, ''what's
the matter?"

"I wish to be quite right, Mr. Jaggers, and
to keep to your directions; so I thought I had
better ask. Would there be any objection to
my taking leave of any one I know, about here,
before I go away?"

"No," said he, looking as if he hardly understood
me.