`You see, Pip,' Joe pursued, as soon as he was past that danger, `Miss Havisham done the handsome thing by you. When Miss Havisham done the handsome thing by you, she called me back to say to me as that were all.'

`Yes, Joe. I heard her.'

`ALL,' Joe repeated, very emphatically.

`Yes, Joe. I tell you, I heard her.'

`Which I meantersay, Pip, it might be that her meaning were - Make a end on it! - As you was! - Me to the North, and you to the South! - Keep in sunders!'

I had thought of that too, and it was very far from comforting to me to find that he had thought of it; for it seemed to render it more probable.

`But, Joe.'

`Yes, old chap.'

`Here am I, getting on in the first year of my time, and, since the day of my being bound, I have never thanked Miss Havisham, or asked after her, or shown that I remember her.'

`That's true, Pip; and unless you was to turn her out a set of shoes all four round - and which I meantersay as even a set of shoes all four round might not act acceptable as a present, in a total wacancy of hoofs-- '

`I don't mean that sort of remembrance, Joe; I don't mean a present.'

But Joe had got the idea of a present in his head and must harp upon it. `Or even,' said he, `if you was helped to knocking her up a new chain for the front door - or say a gross or two of sharkheadedscrews for general use - or some light fancy article, such as a toasting-fork when she took her muffins - or a gridiron when she took a sprat or such like--'

`I don't mean any present at all, Joe,' I interposed.

`Well,' said Joe, still harping on it as though I had particularly pressed it, `if I was yourself, Pip, I wouldn't. No, I would not. For what's a door-chain when she's got one always up? And sharkheaders is open to misrepresentations. And if it was a toasting-fork, you'd go into brass and do yourself no credit. And the oncommonest workman can't show himself oncommon in a gridiron - for a gridiron IS a gridiron,' said Joe, steadfastly impressing it upon me, as if he were endeavouring to rouse me from a fixed delusion, `and you may haim at what you like, but a gridiron it will come out, either by your leave or again your leave, and you can't help yourself--'

`My dear Joe,' I cried, in desperation, taking hold of his coat, `don't go on in that way. I never thought of making Miss Havisham any present.'

`No, Pip,' Joe assented, as if he had been contending for that, all along; `and what I say to you is, you are right, Pip.'

`Yes, Joe; but what I wanted to say, was, that as we are rather slack just now, if you would give me a half-holiday to-morrow, I think I would go up-town and make a call on Miss Est - Havisham.'

`Which her name,' said Joe, gravely, `ain't Estavisham, Pip, unless she have been rechris'ened.'

`I know, Joe, I know. It was slip of mine. What do you think of it, Joe?'