Great Expectations

He was taken to the Police Court next day, and would have been

immediately committed for trial, but that it was necessary to send down

for an old officer of the prison-ship from which he had once escaped, to

speak to his identity. Nobody doubted it; but Compeyson, who had meant

to depose to it, was tumbling on the tides, dead, and it happened that

there was not at that time any prison officer in London who could give

the required evidence. I had gone direct to Mr. Jaggers at his private

house, on my arrival over night, to retain his assistance, and Mr.

Jaggers on the prisoner's behalf would admit nothing. It was the sole

resource; for he told me that the case must be over in five minutes

when the witness was there, and that no power on earth could prevent its

going against us.

I imparted to Mr. Jaggers my design of keeping him in ignorance of the

fate of his wealth. Mr. Jaggers was querulous and angry with me for

having "let it slip through my fingers," and said we must memorialize

by and by, and try at all events for some of it. But he did not conceal

from me that, although there might be many cases in which the forfeiture

would not be exacted, there were no circumstances in this case to make

it one of them. I understood that very well. I was not related to the

outlaw, or connected with him by any recognizable tie; he had put his

hand to no writing or settlement in my favor before his apprehension,

and to do so now would be idle. I had no claim, and I finally resolved,

and ever afterwards abided by the resolution, that my heart should never

be sickened with the hopeless task of attempting to establish one.

There appeared to be reason for supposing that the drowned informer

had hoped for a reward out of this forfeiture, and had obtained some

accurate knowledge of Magwitch's affairs. When his body was found, many

miles from the scene of his death, and so horribly disfigured that he

was only recognizable by the contents of his pockets, notes were still

legible, folded in a case he carried. Among these were the name of a

banking-house in New South Wales, where a sum of money was, and the

designation of certain lands of considerable value. Both these heads of

information were in a list that Magwitch, while in prison, gave to Mr.

Jaggers, of the possessions he supposed I should inherit. His ignorance,

poor fellow, at last served him; he never mistrusted but that my

inheritance was quite safe, with Mr. Jaggers's aid.