Great Expectations

He had taken up the poker again; without which, I doubt if he could have

proceeded in his demonstration.

"Your sister is given to government."

"Given to government, Joe?" I was startled, for I had some shadowy idea

(and I am afraid I must add, hope) that Joe had divorced her in a favor

of the Lords of the Admiralty, or Treasury.

"Given to government," said Joe. "Which I meantersay the government of

you and myself."

"Oh!"

"And she an't over partial to having scholars on the premises," Joe

continued, "and in partickler would not be over partial to my being a

scholar, for fear as I might rise. Like a sort or rebel, don't you see?"

I was going to retort with an inquiry, and had got as far as "Why--"

when Joe stopped me.

"Stay a bit. I know what you're a going to say, Pip; stay a bit! I don't

deny that your sister comes the Mo-gul over us, now and again. I don't

deny that she do throw us back-falls, and that she do drop down upon us

heavy. At such times as when your sister is on the Ram-page, Pip," Joe

sank his voice to a whisper and glanced at the door, "candor compels fur

to admit that she is a Buster."

Joe pronounced this word, as if it began with at least twelve capital

Bs.

"Why don't I rise? That were your observation when I broke it off, Pip?"

"Yes, Joe."

"Well," said Joe, passing the poker into his left hand, that he might

feel his whisker; and I had no hope of him whenever he took to that

placid occupation; "your sister's a master-mind. A master-mind."

"What's that?" I asked, in some hope of bringing him to a stand. But

Joe was readier with his definition than I had expected, and completely

stopped me by arguing circularly, and answering with a fixed look,

"Her."

"And I ain't a master-mind," Joe resumed, when he had unfixed his look,

and got back to his whisker. "And last of all, Pip,--and this I want to

say very serious to you, old chap,--I see so much in my poor mother,

of a woman drudging and slaving and breaking her honest hart and never

getting no peace in her mortal days, that I'm dead afeerd of going wrong

in the way of not doing what's right by a woman, and I'd fur rather

of the two go wrong the t'other way, and be a little ill-conwenienced

myself. I wish it was only me that got put out, Pip; I wish there warn't

no Tickler for you, old chap; I wish I could take it all on myself;

but this is the up-and-down-and-straight on it, Pip, and I hope you'll

overlook shortcomings."