Joe's blue eyes turned a little watery; he rubbed first one of them, and

then the other, in a most uncongenial and uncomfortable manner, with the

round knob on the top of the poker.

"It were but lonesome then," said Joe, "living here alone, and I got

acquainted with your sister. Now, Pip,"--Joe looked firmly at me as

if he knew I was not going to agree with him;--"your sister is a fine

figure of a woman."

I could not help looking at the fire, in an obvious state of doubt.

"Whatever family opinions, or whatever the world's opinions, on that

subject may be, Pip, your sister is," Joe tapped the top bar with the

poker after every word following, "a-fine-figure--of--a--woman!"

I could think of nothing better to say than "I am glad you think so,

Joe."

"So am I," returned Joe, catching me up. "I am glad I think so, Pip. A

little redness or a little matter of Bone, here or there, what does it

signify to Me?"

I sagaciously observed, if it didn't signify to him, to whom did it

signify?

"Certainly!" assented Joe. "That's it. You're right, old chap! When I

got acquainted with your sister, it were the talk how she was bringing

you up by hand. Very kind of her too, all the folks said, and I said,

along with all the folks. As to you," Joe pursued with a countenance

expressive of seeing something very nasty indeed, "if you could have

been aware how small and flabby and mean you was, dear me, you'd have

formed the most contemptible opinion of yourself!"

Not exactly relishing this, I said, "Never mind me, Joe."

"But I did mind you, Pip," he returned with tender simplicity. "When

I offered to your sister to keep company, and to be asked in church at

such times as she was willing and ready to come to the forge, I said to

her, 'And bring the poor little child. God bless the poor little child,'

I said to your sister, 'there's room for him at the forge!'"

I broke out crying and begging pardon, and hugged Joe round the neck:

who dropped the poker to hug me, and to say, "Ever the best of friends;

an't us, Pip? Don't cry, old chap!"

When this little interruption was over, Joe resumed:-"Well, you see, Pip, and here we are! That's about where it lights; here

we are! Now, when you take me in hand in my learning, Pip (and I tell

you beforehand I am awful dull, most awful dull), Mrs. Joe mustn't see

too much of what we're up to. It must be done, as I may say, on the sly.

And why on the sly? I'll tell you why, Pip."




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