Herbert and I went on from bad to worse, in the way of increasing our

debts, looking into our affairs, leaving Margins, and the like exemplary

transactions; and Time went on, whether or no, as he has a way of doing;

and I came of age,--in fulfilment of Herbert's prediction, that I should

do so before I knew where I was.

Herbert himself had come of age eight months before me. As he had

nothing else than his majority to come into, the event did not make a

profound sensation in Barnard's Inn. But we had looked forward to

my one-and-twentieth birthday, with a crowd of speculations and

anticipations, for we had both considered that my guardian could hardly

help saying something definite on that occasion.

I had taken care to have it well understood in Little Britain when my

birthday was. On the day before it, I received an official note from

Wemmick, informing me that Mr. Jaggers would be glad if I would call

upon him at five in the afternoon of the auspicious day. This convinced

us that something great was to happen, and threw me into an unusual

flutter when I repaired to my guardian's office, a model of punctuality.

In the outer office Wemmick offered me his congratulations, and

incidentally rubbed the side of his nose with a folded piece of

tissue-paper that I liked the look of. But he said nothing respecting

it, and motioned me with a nod into my guardian's room. It was November,

and my guardian was standing before his fire leaning his back against

the chimney-piece, with his hands under his coattails.

"Well, Pip," said he, "I must call you Mr. Pip to-day. Congratulations,

Mr. Pip."

We shook hands,--he was always a remarkably short shaker,--and I thanked

him.

"Take a chair, Mr. Pip," said my guardian.

As I sat down, and he preserved his attitude and bent his brows at his

boots, I felt at a disadvantage, which reminded me of that old time when

I had been put upon a tombstone. The two ghastly casts on the shelf

were not far from him, and their expression was as if they were making a

stupid apoplectic attempt to attend to the conversation.

"Now my young friend," my guardian began, as if I were a witness in the

box, "I am going to have a word or two with you."

"If you please, sir."

"What do you suppose," said Mr. Jaggers, bending forward to look at the

ground, and then throwing his head back to look at the ceiling,--"what

do you suppose you are living at the rate of?"




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