Great Expectations

Another sable warder (a carpenter, who had once eaten two geese for a

wager) opened the door, and showed me into the best parlor. Here, Mr.

Trabb had taken unto himself the best table, and had got all the leaves

up, and was holding a kind of black Bazaar, with the aid of a quantity

of black pins. At the moment of my arrival, he had just finished putting

somebody's hat into black long-clothes, like an African baby; so he held

out his hand for mine. But I, misled by the action, and confused by the

occasion, shook hands with him with every testimony of warm affection.

Poor dear Joe, entangled in a little black cloak tied in a large bow

under his chin, was seated apart at the upper end of the room; where,

as chief mourner, he had evidently been stationed by Trabb. When I bent

down and said to him, "Dear Joe, how are you?" he said, "Pip, old chap,

you knowed her when she were a fine figure of a--" and clasped my hand

and said no more.

Biddy, looking very neat and modest in her black dress, went quietly

here and there, and was very helpful. When I had spoken to Biddy, as

I thought it not a time for talking I went and sat down near Joe, and

there began to wonder in what part of the house it--she--my sister--was.

The air of the parlor being faint with the smell of sweet-cake, I looked

about for the table of refreshments; it was scarcely visible until one

had got accustomed to the gloom, but there was a cut-up plum cake upon

it, and there were cut-up oranges, and sandwiches, and biscuits, and two

decanters that I knew very well as ornaments, but had never seen used

in all my life; one full of port, and one of sherry. Standing at this

table, I became conscious of the servile Pumblechook in a black cloak

and several yards of hatband, who was alternately stuffing himself,

and making obsequious movements to catch my attention. The moment he

succeeded, he came over to me (breathing sherry and crumbs), and said

in a subdued voice, "May I, dear sir?" and did. I then descried Mr. and

Mrs. Hubble; the last-named in a decent speechless paroxysm in a corner.

We were all going to "follow," and were all in course of being tied up

separately (by Trabb) into ridiculous bundles.

"Which I meantersay, Pip," Joe whispered me, as we were being what Mr.

Trabb called "formed" in the parlor, two and two,--and it was dreadfully

like a preparation for some grim kind of dance; "which I meantersay,

sir, as I would in preference have carried her to the church myself,

along with three or four friendly ones wot come to it with willing harts

and arms, but it were considered wot the neighbors would look down on

such and would be of opinions as it were wanting in respect."