Great Expectations

("And when don't you, you know?" Herbert threw in, with his eyes on the

fire; which I thought kind and sympathetic of him.) "--Then, my dear Herbert, I cannot tell you how dependent and uncertain

I feel, and how exposed to hundreds of chances. Avoiding forbidden

ground, as you did just now, I may still say that on the constancy of

one person (naming no person) all my expectations depend. And at the

best, how indefinite and unsatisfactory, only to know so vaguely what

they are!" In saying this, I relieved my mind of what had always been

there, more or less, though no doubt most since yesterday.

"Now, Handel," Herbert replied, in his gay, hopeful way, "it seems to me

that in the despondency of the tender passion, we are looking into our

gift-horse's mouth with a magnifying-glass. Likewise, it seems to me

that, concentrating our attention on the examination, we altogether

overlook one of the best points of the animal. Didn't you tell me that

your guardian, Mr. Jaggers, told you in the beginning, that you were

not endowed with expectations only? And even if he had not told you

so,--though that is a very large If, I grant,--could you believe that of

all men in London, Mr. Jaggers is the man to hold his present relations

towards you unless he were sure of his ground?"

I said I could not deny that this was a strong point. I said it (people

often do so, in such cases) like a rather reluctant concession to truth

and justice;--as if I wanted to deny it!

"I should think it was a strong point," said Herbert, "and I should

think you would be puzzled to imagine a stronger; as to the rest, you

must bide your guardian's time, and he must bide his client's time.

You'll be one-and-twenty before you know where you are, and then perhaps

you'll get some further enlightenment. At all events, you'll be nearer

getting it, for it must come at last."

"What a hopeful disposition you have!" said I, gratefully admiring his

cheery ways.

"I ought to have," said Herbert, "for I have not much else. I must

acknowledge, by the by, that the good sense of what I have just said is

not my own, but my father's. The only remark I ever heard him make on

your story, was the final one, "The thing is settled and done, or Mr.

Jaggers would not be in it." And now before I say anything more about my

father, or my father's son, and repay confidence with confidence, I want

to make myself seriously disagreeable to you for a moment,--positively

repulsive."