Great Expectations

"Says you, 'Joseph, he gave me a little message, which I will now

repeat. It was that, in my being brought low, he saw the finger of

Providence. He knowed that finger when he saw Joseph, and he saw it

plain. It pinted out this writing, Joseph. Reward of ingratitoode to his

earliest benefactor, and founder of fortun's. But that man said he did

not repent of what he had done, Joseph. Not at all. It was right to do

it, it was kind to do it, it was benevolent to do it, and he would do it

again.'"

"It's pity," said I, scornfully, as I finished my interrupted breakfast,

"that the man did not say what he had done and would do again."

"Squires of the Boar!" Pumblechook was now addressing the landlord, "and

William! I have no objections to your mentioning, either up town or down

town, if such should be your wishes, that it was right to do it, kind to

do it, benevolent to do it, and that I would do it again."

With those words the Impostor shook them both by the hand, with an air,

and left the house; leaving me much more astonished than delighted by

the virtues of that same indefinite "it." I was not long after him in

leaving the house too, and when I went down the High Street I saw him

holding forth (no doubt to the same effect) at his shop door to a select

group, who honored me with very unfavorable glances as I passed on the

opposite side of the way.

But, it was only the pleasanter to turn to Biddy and to Joe, whose

great forbearance shone more brightly than before, if that could be,

contrasted with this brazen pretender. I went towards them slowly, for

my limbs were weak, but with a sense of increasing relief as I drew

nearer to them, and a sense of leaving arrogance and untruthfulness

further and further behind.

The June weather was delicious. The sky was blue, the larks were soaring

high over the green corn, I thought all that countryside more beautiful

and peaceful by far than I had ever known it to be yet. Many pleasant

pictures of the life that I would lead there, and of the change for the

better that would come over my character when I had a guiding spirit at

my side whose simple faith and clear home wisdom I had proved, beguiled

my way. They awakened a tender emotion in me; for my heart was softened

by my return, and such a change had come to pass, that I felt like one

who was toiling home barefoot from distant travel, and whose wanderings

had lasted many years.