nd goods as required a woman's
judgment. Just as we had completed our preparations, she and Uncle
Pumblechook drove up, and came in wrapped up to the eyes, for it was a
bitter night.

"Now," said Mrs. Joe, unwrapping herself in haste and excitement, "if this
boy ain't grateful to-night, he never will be!"

I looked as grateful as any boy could who had no idea what he was to be
grateful about, and after many side remarks addressed to the others, Mrs.
Joe informed me that Miss Havisham wished me to go and play at her house
for her amusement. "And of course, he's going," added my sister severely,
"And he had better play there, or I'll work him!"

I had heard of Miss Havisham, everybody for miles round had heard of her,
as an immensely rich and grim old lady, who lived a life of seclusion in a
large and dismal house, barricaded against robbers.

"Well, to be sure," said Joe, astounded, "I wonder how she comes to know
Pip!"

"Noodle," said my sister, "who said she knew him? Couldn't she ask Uncle
Pumblechook if he knew of a boy to go and play there? And couldn't Uncle
Pumblechook, being always thoughtful for us, then mention this boy, that I
have forever been a willing slave to?" After this she added, "For anything
we can tell, the boy's fortune is made by this. Uncle Pumblechook has
offered to take him into town to-night and keep him over night, and to
take him with his own hands to Miss Havisham's to-morrow morning, and
Lor-a-mussy me!" cried my sister. "Here I stand talking, with Uncle
Pumblechook waiting, and the mare catching cold at the door, and the boy
grimed with dirt from the hair of his head to the sole of his foot!" With
that she pounced on me and I was scraped and kneaded, and towelled and
thumped, and harrowed and reaped, until I was really quite beside myself.
When at last my ablutions were completed, I was put into clean linen of
the stiffest character, and in my tightest and fearfullest suit, I was
then delivered over to Mr. Pumblechook, who said dramatically: "Boy, be
forever grateful to all friends, but especially unto them which brought
you up by hand!"

"Good-bye, Joe."

"God bless you, Pip, old chap!"

I had never parted from him before, and what with my feelings, and what
with soap-suds, I could at first see no stars from the chaise cart. But
they twinkled out one by one without throwing any light on the question
why on earth I was going to play at Miss Havisham's, and what on earth I
was exp