Great Expectations

Thus, we walked through Wemmick's greenhouse, until he turned to me and

said, "Notice the man I shall shake hands with." I should have done so,

without the preparation, as he had shaken hands with no one yet.

Almost as soon as he had spoken, a portly upright man (whom I can

see now, as I write) in a well-worn olive-colored frock-coat, with a

peculiar pallor overspreading the red in his complexion, and eyes that

went wandering about when he tried to fix them, came up to a corner

of the bars, and put his hand to his hat--which had a greasy and fatty

surface like cold broth--with a half-serious and half-jocose military

salute.

"Colonel, to you!" said Wemmick; "how are you, Colonel?"

"All right, Mr. Wemmick."

"Everything was done that could be done, but the evidence was too strong

for us, Colonel."

"Yes, it was too strong, sir,--but I don't care."

"No, no," said Wemmick, coolly, "you don't care." Then, turning to me,

"Served His Majesty this man. Was a soldier in the line and bought his

discharge."

I said, "Indeed?" and the man's eyes looked at me, and then looked over

my head, and then looked all round me, and then he drew his hand across

his lips and laughed.

"I think I shall be out of this on Monday, sir," he said to Wemmick.

"Perhaps," returned my friend, "but there's no knowing."

"I am glad to have the chance of bidding you good by, Mr. Wemmick," said

the man, stretching out his hand between two bars.

"Thankye," said Wemmick, shaking hands with him. "Same to you, Colonel."

"If what I had upon me when taken had been real, Mr. Wemmick," said the

man, unwilling to let his hand go, "I should have asked the favor of

your wearing another ring--in acknowledgment of your attentions."

"I'll accept the will for the deed," said Wemmick. "By the by; you were

quite a pigeon-fancier." The man looked up at the sky. "I am told you

had a remarkable breed of tumblers. Could you commission any friend of

yours to bring me a pair, of you've no further use for 'em?"

"It shall be done, sir?"

"All right," said Wemmick, "they shall be taken care of. Good afternoon,

Colonel. Good by!" They shook hands again, and as we walked away Wemmick

said to me, "A Coiner, a very good workman. The Recorder's report is

made to-day, and he is sure to be executed on Monday. Still you see, as

far as it goes, a pair of pigeons are portable property all the same."

With that, he looked back, and nodded at this dead plant, and then cast

his eyes about him in walking out of the yard, as if he were considering

what other pot would go best in its place.