远大前程-第3节

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us．There's　room　for　him　at　the　forge！”’

I　put　my　arms　round　Joe's　neck　and　cried　into　his　shirt．

‘Don't　cry，old　boy！’he　said．‘Always　the　best　of　friends，you　and　me！’　As　I　dried　my　tears，he　continued，‘So　here　we　are，Pip！Now　if　you　teach　me　a　bit（and　I　warn　you　now　that　I'm　very　stupid）Mrs　Joe　must　never　know．And　why？Because　she　likes　to　be…in　charge…you　know…giving　the　orders．’

‘Joe，’I　asked，‘why　don't　you　ever　rebel？’

‘Well，’said　Joe，‘　to　start　with，your　sister's　clever．And　I'm　not．And　another　thing，and　this　is　serious，old　boy，when　I　think　of　my　poor　mother's　hard　life，I'm　afraid　of　not　behaving　right　to　a　woman．So　I'd　much　rather　seem　a　bit　weak　with　Mrs　Joe　than　shout　at　her，or　hurt　her，or　hit　her．I'm　just　sorry　she　scolds　you　as　well，Pip，and　hits　you　with　the　stick．I　wish　I　could　take　all　the　scolding　myself．But　there　it　is，Pip．’

Just　then　we　heard　the　sound　of　a　horse　on　the　road．Mrs　Joe　and　Uncle　Pumblechook　were　returning　from　market．The　carriage　arrived，and　in　a　rush　of　cold　air，they　were　in　the　kitchen．

‘Now，’said　Mrs　Joe，excitedly　throwing　off　her　cloak，‘if　this　boy　isn't　grateful　tonight，he　never　will　be！’

‘She's　offering　the　boy　a　great　opportunity，’agreed　Pumblechook．Trying　to　look　grateful，I　looked　at　Joe，making　the　word‘She？’with　my　lips．He　clearly　did　not　know　either．

‘You　were　speaking　of　a　she？’he　said　Politely　to　them．

‘She　is　a　she，I　suppose，’Mrs　Joe　replied　crossly．‘Unless　you　call　Miss　Havisham　a　he．And　even　you　wouldn't　do　that．’

‘The　rich　Miss　Havisham　who　lives　all　alone　in　the　big　house　in　town？’asked　Joe．

‘There　aren't　any　other　Miss　Havishams　that　I　know　of！She　wants　a　boy　to　go　and　play　there．She　asked　Uncle　Pumblechook　if　he　knew　of　anyone．And　Uncle　Pumblechook，thinking　of　us　as　he　always　does，suggested　this　boy．And　what's　more，Uncle　Pumblechook，realizing　that　this　boy's　fortune　may　be　made　by　going　to　Miss　Havisham's，has　of…fered　to　take　him　into　town　tonight　in　his　carriage，and　let　him　sleep　in　his　own　house，and　deliver　him　tomorrow　to　Miss　Havisham's．And　just　look！’she　cried，catching　hold　of　me．‘Look　at　the　dirt　on　this　by！’

I　was　washed　from　top　to　toe　in　Mrs　Joe's　usual　violent　manner，and　handed　over，in　my　tightest　Sunday　clothes，to　Mr　Pumblechook．In　the　carriage　taking　me　into　town，I　cried　a　little．I　had　never　been　away　from　Joe　before，and　I　had　no　idea　what　was　going　to　happen　to　me　at　Miss　Havisham's．

Mr　Pumblechook　seemed　to　agree　with　my　sister　that　I　should　be　punished　as　much　as　possible，even　when　eating，and　so　for　breakfast　next　morning　he　gave　me　a　large　piece　of　bread　with　very　little　butter，and　a　cup　of　warm　water　with　very　little　milk，and　insisted　on　checking　my　learning．

‘What's　seven　and　thirteen，boy？’He　continued　testing　me　all　through　breakfast．‘And　nine？And　eleven？’

So　I　was　glad　to　arrive　at　Miss　Havisham's　house　at　about　ten　o’clock．It　was　a　large　house，made　of　old　stone，and　with　iron　bars　on　the　windows．We　rang　the　bell，and　waited　at　the　gate．Even　then　Mr　Pumblechook　said，‘And　fourteen？’but　I　pretended　not　to　hear　him．Then　a　young　lady　came　to　open　the　gate，and　let　me　in．Mr　Pumblechook　was　following　me　when　she　stopped　him．

‘Do　you　wish　to　see　Miss　Havisham？’she　asked．

‘If　Miss　Havisham　wishes　to　see　me，’answered　Mr　Pumblechook，a　little　confused．

‘Ah！’said　the　girl，‘but　you　see，she　doesn't．’

Mr　Pumblechook　dared　not　protest　but　he　whispered　angrily　to　me　before　he　turned　away，‘Boy！Behave　well　here　and　re…member　those　who　brought　you　up　by　hand！’I　thought　he　would　come　back　and　call　through　the　gate，‘And　sixteen？’but　he　did　not．

The　young　lady　took　me　through　the　untidy　garden　to　the　house．Although　she　called　me　‘boy，’she　was　the　same　age　as　me，but　she　seemed　much　older　than　me．She　was　beautiful，and　as　proud　as　a　queen．We　went　through　many　dark　passages　until　we　reached　a　door，where　she　left　me，taking　her　candle　with　her．

I　knocked　at　the　door　and　was　told　to　enter．I　found　myself　in　a　large　room，where　the　curtains　were　closed　to　allow　no　daylight　in，and　the　candles　were　lit．In　the　centre　of　the　room，sitting　at　a　table，was　the　strangest　lady　I　have　ever　seen，or　shall　ever　see．She　was　wearing　a　wedding　dress　made　of　rich　material．She　had　a　bride's　flowers　in　her　hair，but　her　hair　was　white．There　were　suitcases　full　of　dresses　and　Jewels　around　her，ready　for　a　journey．She　only　had　one　white　shoe　on．‘Then　I　realized　that　over　the　years　the　white　wedding　dress　had　become　yellow，and　the　flowers　in　her　hair　had　died，and　the　bride　inside　the　dress　had　grown　old．Everything　in　the　room　was　ancient　and　dying．The　only　brightness　in　the　room　was　in　her　dark　old　eyes，that　stared　at　me．

‘Who　are　you？’said　the　lady　at　the　table．

‘Pip，madam．Mr　Pumblechook's　boy．Come…to　play．’

‘Come　close．Let　me　look　at　you．’As　I　stood　in　front　of　＊her，I　noticed　that　her　watch　and　a　clock　in　the　room　had　both　stopped　at　twenty　minutes　to　nine．

‘You　aren't　afraid　of　a　woman　who　has　never　seen　the　sun　since　you　were　born？’asked　Miss　Havisham．

I　am　sorry　to　say　I　told　a　huge　lie　by　saying，‘No．’

‘Do　you　know　what　ths　is？’she　asked，putting　her　hand　on　her　left　side．

‘Yes，madam．’It　made　me　think　of　my　convict's　travel…ling　companion．‘Your　heart，madam，’I　added．

‘My　heart！Broken！’she　cried　almost　proudly，with　a　strange　smile．Then　she　said，‘I　am　tired．I　want　to　see　some…thing　different．Play．’

No　order　could　be　more　difficult　to　obey　in　that　house　and　that　room．I　was　desperate　enough　to　consider　rushing　round　the　table　pretending　to　be　Pumblechook's　carriage，but　I　could　not　make　myself　do　it，and　just　stood　there　helplessly．

‘I'm　very　sorry，madam，’I　said，‘my　sister　will　be　very　angry　with　me　if　you　complain，but　I　can't　play　just　now．Everything　is　so　strange，and　new，and　sad…’I　stopped，afraid　to　say　more．Miss　Havisham　looked　down　at　her　dress，and　then　at　her　face　in　the　mirror　on　the　table．

‘So　strange　to　him，so　well…known　to　me，’she　whispered．

‘So　new　to　him，so　old　to　me．And　so　sad　to　us　both！Call　Es…tella！’

When　Estella　finally　came，with　her　candle，along　the　dark　passage，Miss　Havisham　picked　up　a　jewel　from　her　table　and　put　it　in　Estella's　hair．‘Very　pretty，my　dear．It　will　be　yours　one　day．Now　let　me　see　you　play　cards　with　this　boy．’

‘With　this　boy！But　he's　a　common　working　boy！’

I　thought　I　heard　Miss　Havisham　whisper，‘Well！You　can　break　his　heart！’She　sat，like　a　dead　body　ready　for　the　grave，watching　us　play　cards　in　the　candle…light．I　almost　wondered　if　she　was　afraid　that　daylight　would　turn　her　into　dust．

‘What　coarse　hands　this　boy　has！And　what　thick　boots！’cried　Estella　in　disgust，before　we　had　finished　our　first　game．I　was　suddenly　aware　that　what　she　said　was　true．

‘What　do　you　think　of　her？’　Whispered　Miss　Havisham　to　me．

‘I　think　she's　very　proud，’I　whispered　back．

‘Anything　else？’

‘I　think　she's　very　pretty．’

‘Anything　else？’

‘I　think　she's　very　rude．And…and　I'd　like　to　go　home．’

‘And　never　see　her　again，although　she's　so　pretty？’

‘I　don't　know．I'd…I'd　like　to　go　home　now．’

Miss　Havisham　smiled．‘You　can　go　home．Come　again　in　six　days'time．Estella，give　him　some　food．GO，Pip．’

And　so　I　found　myself　back　in　the　overgrown　garden　in　the　bright　daylight．Estella　put　some　bread　and　meat　down　on　the　ground　for　me，like　a　dog．I　was　so　offended　by　her　behaviour　towards　me　that　tears　came　to　my　eyes．As　soon　as　she　saw　this，She　gave　a　delighted　laugh，and　pushed　me　out　of　the　gate．I　walked　the　four　miles　home　to　the　forge，thinking　about　all　I　had　seen．As　I　looked　sadly　at　my　hands　and　boots，I　remembered　that　I　was　only　a　common　working　boy，and　wished　I　could　be　different．

My　sister　was　curious　to　know　all　the　details　of　my　visit，and　kept　asking　me　question　after　question．Somehow　I　felt　I　could　not，or　did　not　want　to，explain　about　Miss　Havisham　and　her　strange　house．I　knew　my　sister　would　not　understand．And　the　worst　of　it　was，that　old　fool　Pumblechook　arrived　at　tea…time，to　ask　more　questions．Just　looking　at　his　fishy　staring　eyes　and　open　mouth　made　me　want　to　keep　silent．

‘Leave　this　boy　to　me，madam，’he　told　Mrs　Joe．‘I'll　make　him　concentrate．Now，boy，what's　forty…three　and　seventy…two？’

‘I　don't　know，’I　said．I　didn't　care，either．

‘Is　it　eighty…five，for　example？’he　joked．

‘Yes！’I　answered，although　I　knew　it　wasn't．My　sister　hit　me　hard　on　the　head．

‘Boy！’he　continued．‘Describe　Miss　Havisham．’

‘Very　tall　and　dark，’I　said，lying．

‘Is　she，uncle？’asked　my　sister　eagerly．

‘Oh　yes，’answered　Mr　Pumblechook．So　I　knew　immediately　that　he　had　never　seen　her．‘This　is　the　way　to　get　information　from　this　boy，’he　added　quietly　to　Mrs　Joe．

‘How　well　you　make　him　obey　you，uncle！’said　Mrs　Joe．

‘　Now，boy！What　was　she　doing　when　you　arrived？’

‘She　was　sitting　in　a　black　carriage，’I　replied．

Mr　Pumblechook　and　Mrs　Joe　stared　at　ea