n New
South Wales, you know."

"I will say, informed, Mr. Jaggers."

"Good."

"I have been informed by a person named Abel Magwitch, that he is the
benefactor so long unknown to me."

"That is the man," said Mr. Jaggers, "in New South Wales."

"And only he?" said I.

"And only he," said Mr. Jaggers.

"I am not so unreasonable, sir, as to think you at all responsible for
my mistakes and wrong conclusions; but I always supposed it was Miss
Havisham."

"As you say, Pip," returned Mr. Jaggers, turning his eyes upon
me coolly, and taking a bite at his forefinger, "I am not at all
responsible for that."

"And yet it looked so like it, sir," I pleaded with a downcast heart.

"Not a particle of evidence, Pip," said Mr. Jaggers, shaking his head
and gathering up his skirts. "Take nothing on its looks; take everything
on evidence. There's no better rule."

"I have no more to say," said I, with a sigh, after standing silent for
a little while. "I have verified my information, and there's an end."

"And Magwitch--in New South Wales--having at last disclosed himself,"
said Mr. Jaggers, "you will comprehend, Pip, how rigidly throughout
my communication with you, I have always adhered to the strict line of
fact. There has never been the least departure from the strict line of
fact. You are quite aware of that?"

"Quite, sir."

"I communicated to Magwitch--in New South Wales--when he first wrote to
me--from New South Wales--the caution that he must not expect me ever to
deviate from the strict line of fact. I also communicated to him another
caution. He appeared to me to have obscurely hinted in his letter at
some distant idea he had of seeing you in England here. I cautioned
him that I must hear no more of that; that he was not at all likely to
obtain a pardon; that he was expatriated for the term of his natural
life; and that his presenting himself in this country would be an act of
felony, rendering him liable to the extreme penalty of the law. I gave
Magwitch that caution," said Mr. Jaggers, looking hard at me; "I wrote
it to New South Wales. He guided himself by it, no doubt."

"No doubt," said I.

"I have been informed by Wemmick," pursued Mr. Jaggers, still looking
hard at me, "that he has received a letter, under date Portsmouth, from
a colonist of the name of Purvis, or--"

"Or Provis," I suggested.

"Or Provis--thank you, Pip. Perhaps it is Provis? Perhaps you know it's
Provis?"

"Yes," said I.

"