Great Expectations

At last, one day, I took courage, and said, "Is it Joe?"

And the dear old home-voice answered, "Which it air, old chap."

"O Joe, you break my heart! Look angry at me, Joe. Strike me, Joe. Tell

me of my ingratitude. Don't be so good to me!"

For Joe had actually laid his head down on the pillow at my side, and

put his arm round my neck, in his joy that I knew him.

"Which dear old Pip, old chap," said Joe, "you and me was ever friends.

And when you're well enough to go out for a ride--what larks!"

After which, Joe withdrew to the window, and stood with his back towards

me, wiping his eyes. And as my extreme weakness prevented me from

getting up and going to him, I lay there, penitently whispering, "O God

bless him! O God bless this gentle Christian man!"

Joe's eyes were red when I next found him beside me; but I was holding

his hand, and we both felt happy.

"How long, dear Joe?"

"Which you meantersay, Pip, how long have your illness lasted, dear old

chap?"

"Yes, Joe."

"It's the end of May, Pip. To-morrow is the first of June."

"And have you been here all that time, dear Joe?"

"Pretty nigh, old chap. For, as I says to Biddy when the news of your

being ill were brought by letter, which it were brought by the post, and

being formerly single he is now married though underpaid for a deal of

walking and shoe-leather, but wealth were not a object on his part, and

marriage were the great wish of his hart--"

"It is so delightful to hear you, Joe! But I interrupt you in what you

said to Biddy."

"Which it were," said Joe, "that how you might be amongst strangers, and

that how you and me having been ever friends, a wisit at such a moment

might not prove unacceptabobble. And Biddy, her word were, 'Go to him,

without loss of time.' That," said Joe, summing up with his judicial

air, "were the word of Biddy. 'Go to him,' Biddy say, 'without loss of

time.' In short, I shouldn't greatly deceive you," Joe added, after a

little grave reflection, "if I represented to you that the word of that

young woman were, 'without a minute's loss of time.'"

There Joe cut himself short, and informed me that I was to be talked

to in great moderation, and that I was to take a little nourishment at

stated frequent times, whether I felt inclined for it or not, and that

I was to submit myself to all his orders. So I kissed his hand, and lay

quiet, while he proceeded to indite a note to Biddy, with my love in it.