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‘Well，don't！’said Miss Havisham crossly as we hurried past the little group again。
‘I'm afraid I can't stop myself．I often wish I were less sensitive and loving 。 But that's my character and I have to live with it！'And she started crying softly．‘Look at Matthew now！’she added，through her tears。‘Matthew never comes to see dear Miss Havisham 。But I…’
When she heard Matthew's name，Miss Havisham stopped walking and stood looking at the speaker，who suddenly became silent。 ‘Matthew will come in the end，'said Miss Havisham firmly，‘when I die and am laid on that table。 You will stand around and look at me，you here，you there，you next to her，you two there Now you know where to stand．And now go！'
The ladies and gentlemen went slowly out of the room，some protesting quietly that they had not seen enough of their dear relation。 When they had all gone，Miss Havisham said to me，
‘This is my birthday，Pip．I don't allow anyone to speak of it．My relations always come on this day once a year．This day，long before you were born，was my wedding day 。Pehaps I shall die on this day too．And when they lay me in my wedding dress on that table，I'll have my revenge on him！’
In the heavy air of that dark，dusty room，she was a ghostly figure in her yellow－white dress．There was a long silence．
As usual I left the house and walked towards the gate， but this time something strange happened．In the garden I met a pale young gentleman with fair hair．
‘Hello！’he said．‘Come and fight！This way！’
I was so surprised that I followed him without a word．
‘Wait a minute，’he said，turning round quickly．‘I must give you a reason for fighting．There it is！’And he pulled my hair，then pushed his head hard into my stomach．I was ready to fight him after this，but he danced abut so much that I couldn't get close to bim．
‘Follow the laws of the game！’he said，eagerly preparing himself for our fight．He seemed to know so much about fighting that I was very surprised when I knocked him down with my first hit，and then again with my second．He always got up immediately and seemed very glad to be fighting in the correct manner．I admired him greatly for his bravery and his cheerfulness．Finally he had to agree I had won，and we said goodbye． When I reached the gate，I found Estella waiting for me．She seemed very pleased about something．I wondered if she had been watching our fight．Before I went out，she said，
‘Here！you can kiss me if you like．’
I kissed her cheek．It was true I wanted to kiss her very much，but I felt that kiss was almost like a coin thrown to a poor common boy，and not worth anything．
I didn't see the pale young gentleman there again．I continued my visits to Miss Havisham for almost a year．She took great pleasure in watching my growing admiration for Estella，and my unhappiness when Estella laughed at me．
‘Go on，my love，she used to whisper in Estella's ear，‘break men's hearts and have no mercy！I want my revenge！'
Meanwhile my sister and that fool Pumblechook never stopped discussing Miss Havisham and her considerable wealth．They were sure I could expect a large present from her，either before or after her death．But one day Miss Havisham decided it was time to apprentice me to Joe，and told me to bring him to her house．My sister was very angry because she was not invited as well．
Dear old Joe simply could not believe his eyes when he and I entered Miss Havisham s room the next day．The darkness，the candles，the dust，the ancient furniture，the old lady in her bride's dress－it was almost too much for Joe's limited intelligence．That may be why he refused to speak to Miss Havisham directly，but spoke only to me during the conversation．I was ashamed of him，especially as I could see Estella laughing at me over Miss Havisham's shoulder．
‘So，’began Miss Havisham，‘you，Joe Gargery，black－smith，are ready to take Pip as an apprentice？'
‘You know，Pip，’replied Joe，‘how we've both been looking forward to working together．Haven't we，Pip？'
‘You don't expect any payment when he becomes your ap－prentice？'she continued．
‘Now，Pip，’said Joe，rather offended，‘that question doesn't need an answer。 Between you and me。 Does it，Pip？’
Miss Havisham looked kindly at Joe。 I think she understood more of his character than Estella did．She picked up a little bag from the table．‘Pip has earned something here．There are twenty…five pounds in this bag 。Give it to your master， Pip．'
The strange situation seemed to have made Joe go mad。Even now，he insisted on speaking to me．
This is very generous of you，Pip．Very generous．Now，old boy，we must try to do our duty to each other Mustn't we，Pip？’
‘Goodbye，Pip！’said Miss Havisham．‘Take them out，Estella！’
‘Shall I come again？I asked．
‘No，Gargery is your master now。 Gargery！Remember，I'm giving you this money because he has been a good boy．Don't expect anything more！’
Somehow I managed to get Joe out of the house，and in the daylight he gradually became normal again．In fact I think his intelligence was improved by the interview，because as we walked home he invented a surprisingly clever plan．
‘Well，'cried my sister，as we arrived，‘so you've finished visiting your fine ladies，have you？ I'm surprised you bother to come home at all！’
‘Miss Havisham asked me to send，'said Joe，as if trying to remember the exact words，‘her…best wishes，was it，Pip？to Mrs J．Gargery…'
‘Best wishes，'I agreed．
‘And apologized for not being well enough，what was it，Pip？’
‘To have the pleasure，'I said．
‘To have the pleasure of a lady 's company，’he nodded，giving the impression of a man glad to pass on a message ocr－rectly 。
‘Well！’said my sister，pleased．‘She could have sent that message earlier，but better late than never．And what did she give the boy？’
‘Nothing，’said Joe firmly，stopping Mrs Joe from speaking by raising his hand．‘What she gave，she gave to his sister，Mrs J．Gargery．That' s what she said．Didn't she，Pip？’
‘And how much did she give？asked my sister，laughing．She was actually laughing！
‘What would you say to ten pounds？’ asked Joe．
‘Not bad，’said my sister．
‘It's more than that．What would you say to twenty pounds？’ ‘That's good！’said my sister， ‘Well，here you are，it s twenty…five pounds！’said Joe de－lightedly，handing the bag to my sister．
5 Pip's sister is attacked
I n a single year everything had changed．Before I went to Miss Havisham 's and met Estella，I had always wanted to be apprenticed to Joe，and I had always been happy at home，in spite of my sister' s scolding．Now I was ashamed of my home and my work．I was very miserable．Because of Joe，however，I stayed at the forge and did my best to work hard 。I'm glad that I never told him how unhappy I was then。 I tried to follow his example and become an honest，happy，hardworking man．But all the time I thought of Estella．My worst fear was that one day she would come to the forge and see me working as a common blacksmith，with black face and han