it.
"Good. Now, your inclinations are to be consulted. I don't think that
wise, mind, but it's my trust. Have you ever heard of any tutor whom you
would prefer to another?"
I had never heard of any tutor but Biddy and Mr. Wopsle's great-aunt;
so, I replied in the negative.
"There is a certain tutor, of whom I have some knowledge, who I think
might suit the purpose," said Mr. Jaggers. "I don't recommend him,
observe; because I never recommend anybody. The gentleman I speak of is
one Mr. Matthew Pocket."
Ah! I caught at the name directly. Miss Havisham's relation. The Matthew
whom Mr. and Mrs. Camilla had spoken of. The Matthew whose place was to
be at Miss Havisham's head, when she lay dead, in her bride's dress on
the bride's table.
"You know the name?" said Mr. Jaggers, looking shrewdly at me, and then
shutting up his eyes while he waited for my answer.
My answer was, that I had heard of the name.
"Oh!" said he. "You have heard of the name. But the question is, what do
you say of it?"
I said, or tried to say, that I was much obliged to him for his
recommendation--
"No, my young friend!" he interrupted, shaking his great head very
slowly. "Recollect yourself!"
Not recollecting myself, I began again that I was much obliged to him
for his recommendation--
"No, my young friend," he interrupted, shaking his head and frowning and
smiling both at once,--"no, no, no; it's very well done, but it won't
do; you are too young to fix me with it. Recommendation is not the word,
Mr. Pip. Try another."
Correcting myself, I said that I was much obliged to him for his mention
of Mr. Matthew Pocket--
"That's more like it!" cried Mr. Jaggers.--And (I added), I would
gladly try that gentleman.
"Good. You had better try him in his own house. The way shall be
prepared for you, and you can see his son first, who is in London. When
will you come to London?"
I said (glancing at Joe, who stood looking on, motionless), that I
supposed I could come directly.
"First," said Mr. Jaggers, "you should have some new clothes to come in,
and they should not be working-clothes. Say this day week. You'll want
some money. Shall I leave you twenty guineas?"
He produced a long purse, with the greatest coolness, and counted them
out on the table and pushed them over to me. This was the first time he
had taken his leg from the chair. He sat astride of the chair when he
had pushed the money over, and sat swinging his purse
|