远大前程-第12节

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wenty　years　ago　I　met　Compeyson．I'd　kill　him　now，at　once，if　I　met　him！He's　the　man　I　was　fighting　when　the　soldiers　found　me　on　the　marshes，Pip．He　was　handsome　and　educated，so　people　thought　he　was　a　gentleman　and　trusted　him．I　was　a　partner　in　his　business，and　a　dirty　business　it　was，too．We　persuaded　rich　people　to　invest　their　money　with　us，we　used　stolen　banknotes，we　wrote　false　cheques．Compeyson　was　clever，but　what　a　wicked，cold　hear　the　had！He　always　got　the　profits　but　never　the　blame．

‘His　former　partner，Arthur，lived　in　Compeyson's　house　and　was　very　ill．In　fact　he　was　dying．He　and　Compeyson　had　got　a　lot　of　money　out　of　a　rich　lady　some　years　before，and　Arthur　kept　dreaming　of　this　lady．Late　one　night　he　appeared　at　the　sitting－room　door，pale　and　shaking，crying，“Compeyson，she's　there！In　my　room！All　dressed　in　white，ready　for　the　wedding！She's　angry，she　says　she　wants　revenge！You　brobke　her　heart，you　know　you　did！And　now　she　say　I'm　going　to　die！”

‘Compeyson　and　his　wife　put　Arthur　back　to　bed，but　at　five　o’clock　in　the　morning　we　heard　screams　coming　from　his　room，and　he　died　soon　after．

‘I　should　have　realized　it　was　a　mistake　getting　involved　with　Compeyson．In　the　end　we　were　both　arrested　for　several　crimes．And　what　happened？At　the　trial　he　lied　and　lied．I　was　the　criminal，in　and　out　of　prison　all　my　life，and　I　got　fourteen　years　on　the　prison…ship．He　was　the　gentleman，of　good　character　and　with　important　friends，and　only　got　seven　years．

Magwitch　had　become　very　excited，and　had　to　breathe　deeply　to　calm　himself．‘I　promised　myself　I'd　smash　his　handsome　face　when　I　saw　him　on　the　prison…ship．I　was　just　going　to，when　a　guard　caught　hold　of　me．I　managed　to　escape　by　diving　into　the　river．That's　how　I　reached　the　marshes，and　the　churchyard．And　then　Pip，my　boy，you　told　me　Compeyson　was　on　the　marshes　too．He　must　have　escaped，like　me．So　I　hunted　him　and　smashed　his　face，and　I　was　going　to　take　him　back　to　the　prison…ship，so　that　he　wouldn't　have　the　pleasure　of　being　free，when　the　soldiers　caught　us．Again　he　was　clever．His　punishment　for　escaping　was　light．But　I　was　brought　to　trial　again，and　sent　to　Australia　for　life．’

‘Is　Compeyson　dead？’I　asked　after　a　silence．

‘Heard　no　more　of　him，’he　said，shaking　his　head．‘But　if　he's　alive，he　hopes　I'm　dead，that's　certain！’

Herbert　passed　me　a　note　he　had　been　writing．It　said：

‘The　name　of　Miss　Havisham's　half－brother　was　Arthur．Compeyson　is　the　man　who　pretended　to　be　in　love　with　her．’

　　



　


14　　Pip　visits　Estella　and　Miss　Havisham　again

　　

Before　taking　Magwitch　abroad，I　felt　I　must　see　both　Estella　and　Miss　Havisham．When　I　visited　Estella's　London　home，I　found　she　had　gone　to　stay　with　Miss　Hav－isham，and　so，leaving　Magwitch　in　Herbert's　care，I　went　by　coach　to　the　town　I　knew　so　well．

Before　walking　to　Miss　Havisham's，I　went　to　the　hotel　for　breakfast．It　was　an　unpleasant　shock　to　discover　Bentley　Drummle　there，but　I　could　imagine　his　reason　for　visiting　the　area．When　he　noticed　me，he　immediately　called　to　the　waiter，making　sure　I　could　hear，‘Listen，you！The　lady　isn't　going　riding　today．And　remember，I'm　not　having　dinner　here　tonight，I'll　be　at　the　lady's．’And　Drummle　smiled　wickedly　at　me，knowing　that　what　he　said　cut　me　to　the　heart．He　went　out，shouting　for　his　horse．

If　he　had　spoken　Estella's　name，I　would　have　hit　him．I　was　so　angry　with　him，and　so　depressed　about　my　future，that　I　could　not　eat　the　breakfast．Instead　I　went　straight　to　the　old　house．

I　found　Miss　Havisham　and　Estella　sitting　in　the　same　room，with　candles　burning　as　usual．

‘Miss　Havisham，’I　said，‘I　must　tell　you　that　I'm　as　unhappy　as　you　ever　wanted　me　to　be．I've　discovered　who　has　been　paying　for　my　education．Now　I　know　I　shall　never　be　rich，or　important．I　cannot　tell　you　any　more．It　isn't　my　secret，but　another　person's．’I　stopped，considering　what　to　say　next．

‘Go　on，’said　Miss　Havisham，looking　interested．

‘I　thought　it　was　you，Miss　Havisham！And　you　encouraged　me　in　my　mistake！’

‘Why　should　I　be　kind　to　anybody　after　all　I've　suffered！’cried　Miss　Havisham　angrily．

‘Yes，you're　right，’I　said　quickly，to　calm　her．‘But　you　also　encouraged　your　relations　to　think　I　would　inherit　some　of　your　fortune．’

‘Why　shouldn't　I？’she　cried　wildly．

‘But　Matthew　Pocket　and　his　son　are　different．They　aren't　selfish　or　greedy，they're　generous　and　honest．I　want　you　to　know　that．’

She　looked　carefully　at　me．‘What　do　you　want　for　them？’

‘I'm　asking　for　money，’I　replied，my　cheeks　red．‘I　would　like　you　to　help　my　friend　Herbert　become　a　partner　in　his　company．I　started　paying　for　this　myself　two　years　ago…and　I　want　to　keep　it　a　secret　from　him－but　now　I　find　I　can't　continue　the　payments．I　can't　explain　why．It's　part　of　the　other　person's　secret．

Miss　Havisham　looked　at　the　fire，and　then　at　me　again．

‘What　else？’she　asked．

Turning　to　Estella，I　tried　to　control　my　trembling　voice．‘You　know　I　love　you，Estella，’I　said．‘I　have　loved　you　long　and　dearly．’She　shook　her　head．

‘I　know，I　know　I　have　no　hope　of　ever　marrying　you，Estella．But　I　have　loved　you　ever　since　I　first　saw　you　in　this　house．It　was　cruel　of　Miss　Havisham　to　encourage　me　to　hope，but　I　don't　think　she　meant　to　be　unkind．’

‘What　you　say，’said　Estella　very　calmly，‘doesn't　touch　my　heart．I　can't　feel　love　as　you　do．　And　I've　warned　you　of　this．Haven't　I？’

‘Yes，’I　answered　miserably，‘but　I　couldn't　believe　it．’

‘It's　the　way　I've　been　brought　up．’

‘Estella，Bentley　Drummle　is　in　town　here．You　go　riding　with　him，don't　you？Is　he　having　dinner　with　you　tonight？’

‘It　is　all　true，’she　answered，a　little　surprised．

‘You　cannot　love　him，Estella！’I　cried．

‘Didn't　you　listen？I　can　never　love　anyone！’And　then　she　added，‘But　why　not　tell　you　the　truth？　I'm　going　to　marry　him．’

I　covered　my　face　with　my　hands．After　a　moment　I　lifted　my　head　and　cried，‘Dont't　throw　yourself　away　on　an　animal　like　him！Even　if　you　won't　marry　me，there　must　be　others　who　love　you．Any　of　them　would　be　a　thousand　times　better　than　Drummle！’

‘I　can't　marry　a　man　who　expects　me　to　love　him．So　Drummle　will　do　well　enough　as　my　husband．You　will　soon　forget　me．’

‘Never，Estella！You　are　part　of　myself．You　are　in　every　line　I've　read，in　every　view　I've　seen，in　every　dream　I've　dreamt．To　the　last　hour　of　my　life，you　will　remain　part　of　me．　God　bless　you　and　God　forgive　you！’I　held　her　hand　to　my　lips　for　a　moment．As　I　left，Estella's　lovely　face　looked　at　me　in　wonder，but　Miss　Havisham　was　staring　at　me　with　a　mixture　of　pity　and　guilt．

It　was　all　over．To　calm　my　feelings　I　walked　all　the　way　back　to　London．At　night　the　Temple　gates　were　always　closed，but　the　night－porter　let　me　in　when　I　told　him　my　name．He　gave　me　an　envelope　addressed　to　Mr　Pip．Inside，in　Wemmick's　writing，it　said：‘DON’T　GO　HOME．’

　　



　


15　　Shelter　for　Magwitch

　　

I　spent　a　restless　night　at　a　hotel，worrying　about　the　reasons　for　Wemmick's　warning．Early　in　the　morning　I　went　to　see　him　at　the　Castle．He　told　me　he　had　heard　I　was　being　watched，and　that　someone　was　looking　for　Magwitch．He　also　knew　that　Compeyson　was　alive　and　in　London．While　I　was　absent，Wemmick　had　warned　Herbert　to　move　our　guest　to　a　safer　place．Clara，the　girl　Herbert　was　in　love　with，lived　with　her　old　father　in　a　house　on　the　river，quite　near　the　open　sea，and　Herbert　had　arranged　to　rent　rooms　for　Magwitch　in　this　house．It　was　further　away　from　the　centre　of　London　and　our　home，and　we　could　easily　take　Magwitch　abroad　by　boat　from　there．

‘Our　friend　is　there　now，’said　Wemmick，‘and　you　can　visit　him　tonight，but　don't　go　back　there　after　that．And　re－member，Mr　Pip，’he　added　firmly，‘remember　to　get　his　cash．You　don't　know　what　may　happen　to　him．Don't　let　anything　happen　to　his　cash．’

I　could　not　explain　to　Wemmick　how　I　felt　about　Magwich's　money，so　I　said　nothing．

That　evening　I　visited　the　house，and　met　Clara，a　lovely　girl，obviously　in　love　with　Herbert．How　lucky　she　and　Herbert　were！I　thought　of　Estella，and　felt　very　sad．

Magwitch　seemed　quieter　and　more　likeable　than　the　last　time　I　had　seen　him．He　accepted　all　our　arrangements　for　him　gratefully．I　was　almost　sorry　to　say　goodbye　to　him．

I　decided　to　keep　a　rowing　boat　near　our　rooms，so　that　Her－bert　or　I　could　row　up　and　down　the　river，as　far　as　Clara's　house．If　Magwitch　saw　us　on　the　river，he　could　draw　his　bedroom　curtain　to　show　everything　was　all　right．

For　the　next　few　weeks，life　went　on　as　normal．Herbert　went　to　work　and　visited　Clara　in　the　evenings．I　rowed　on　the　river，and　waited　for　news　from　Wemmick．

One　evening，instead　of　reading　alone　in　my　room，I　went　to　the　theatre　where　Mr　Wopsle　was　acting．He　noticed　me　in　the　audience，and　kept　looking　at　me　in　a　very　strange　way．After　the　play　we　met　outside　the　theatre，and　he　asked　immediately，

‘You　didn't　see　that　man　sitting　right　behind　you，Mr　Pip？’