Once more, I stammered with difficulty that I had no objection.

"I should think not! Now, Mr. Pip, I have done with stipulations."

Though he called me Mr. Pip, and began rather to make up to me, he still

could not get rid of a certain air of bullying suspicion; and even now

he occasionally shut his eyes and threw his finger at me while he

spoke, as much as to express that he knew all kinds of things to my

disparagement, if he only chose to mention them. "We come next, to mere

details of arrangement. You must know that, although I have used

the term 'expectations' more than once, you are not endowed with

expectations only. There is already lodged in my hands a sum of money

amply sufficient for your suitable education and maintenance. You will

please consider me your guardian. Oh!" for I was going to thank him, "I

tell you at once, I am paid for my services, or I shouldn't render them.

It is considered that you must be better educated, in accordance with

your altered position, and that you will be alive to the importance and

necessity of at once entering on that advantage."

I said I had always longed for it.

"Never mind what you have always longed for, Mr. Pip," he retorted;

"keep to the record. If you long for it now, that's enough. Am I

answered that you are ready to be placed at once under some proper

tutor? Is that it?"

I stammered yes, that was it.

"Good. Now, your inclinations are to be consulted. I don't think that

wise, mind, but it's my trust. Have you ever heard of any tutor whom you

would prefer to another?"

I had never heard of any tutor but Biddy and Mr. Wopsle's great-aunt;

so, I replied in the negative.

"There is a certain tutor, of whom I have some knowledge, who I think

might suit the purpose," said Mr. Jaggers. "I don't recommend him,

observe; because I never recommend anybody. The gentleman I speak of is

one Mr. Matthew Pocket."

Ah! I caught at the name directly. Miss Havisham's relation. The Matthew

whom Mr. and Mrs. Camilla had spoken of. The Matthew whose place was to

be at Miss Havisham's head, when she lay dead, in her bride's dress on

the bride's table.

"You know the name?" said Mr. Jaggers, looking shrewdly at me, and then

shutting up his eyes while he waited for my answer.

My answer was, that I had heard of the name.




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