Great Expectations

d the dinner-party to rise from table in confusion, and caused Mrs Joe re-entering the kitchen empty-handed, to

the use of my senses. It was the sergeant who had spoken to me, and he was now looking round at the com

mentioned at the door to this smart young shaver' (which he hadn't),

h him?' retorted my sister, quick

I should reply, the honour and pleasure of his fine wife's ac

the sergeant; insomuch that Mr Pum

have had an accident with these, and I find the lock of one of 'em goes wrong, and the couplin

`as it's on his Majesty's service. And if my men can beat a hand anywhere, they'll make themselves useful.' With that, he called to his men, who came trooping into the kitchen one after another, and piled their arms in a corner. And t

But, beginning to perceive that the handcuffs were not for me, and that the military had so far got

himself to Mr Pumblechook, as to a man whose appreciative

gone half

rced to halt here nigh two hours, that'll do. How far might you call

ile,' sai

upon 'em about dusk. A little befo

asked Mr Wopsle, in

be out on the marshes still, and they won't try to get clear o

d, said no, with confiden

ped in a circle, I expect, sooner than they count on. No

soldiers opened its wooden windows, another lightened the fire, another turned to at the bellows, the rest stood

nt to take a glass of brandy. But Mr Pumblechook said, sharply, `Give him wine, Mum. I'll engage there's no Tar in that:' so, the sergeant thanked him and said that as he preferred his drink wit

sergeant?' said

rned the sergeant; `I suspect t

a fat sort of laugh,

clapping him on the shoulder, `you

mblechook, with his former

the top of mine - Ring once, ring twice - the best tune on the Musical Glasses! Your health. May you live a t

at he had made a present of the wine, but took the bottle from Mrs Joe and had all the credit of handing it about in a gush of joviality. Even I got som

ened with the excitement he furnished. And now, when they were all in lively anticipation of `the two villains' being taken, and when the bellows seemed to roar for the fugitives, the fire to flare for them, the smoke to hurry away in pursuit of them, Joe to hammer and

Mr Hubble declined, on the plea of a pipe and ladies' society; but Mr Wopsle said he would go, if Joe would. Joe said he was agreeable, and would take me, if Mrs Joe approved. We never should have got leave to go, I am

omething moist was going. His men resumed their muskets and fell in. Mr Wopsle, Joe, and I, received strict charge to keep in the rear, and to speak no word after we reached the marshes. When we were all out

looked after us, but none came out. We passed the finger-post, and held straight on to the churchyard. There, we were stopped a few minutes by a signal from the sergeant's hand, while two or three of his men dispersed themselves among the graves, and

with great dread, if we should come upon them, would my particular convict suppose that it was I who had brought the soldiers there? He had asked me if I was a deceiving imp,

th us. The soldiers were in front of us, extending into a pretty wide line with an interval between man and man. We were taking the course I had begun with, and from which I had diverged in the mist. Either the mist was not

sounds by this time, and could dissociate them from the object of pursuit. I got a dreadful start, when I thought I heard the file still going; but it was only a sheep bell. The sheep stopped in their eating and looked timidly at us; and the cattle, t

all stopped. For, there had reached us on the wings of the wind and rain, a long shout. It was repeated. It was at a distance towards the e

and Mr Wopsle (who was a bad judge) agreed. The sergeant, a decisive man, ordered that the sound should not be answered, but that the course should be changed, and that his

re and more apparent that it was made by more than one voice. Sometimes, it seemed to stop altogether, and then the soldiers stopped. When it broke out again, the soldiers made for it at a greater rate than ever, and we after them. After a while, we had so run it down, that we c

uite down, and two of his men ran in close upon him. T

ng at the bottom of a ditch. `Surrender, you two!

more men went down into the ditch to help the sergeant, and dragged out, separately, my convict and the othe

th his ragged sleeves, and shaking torn hair from his

sergeant; `it'll do you small good, my man, bein

me more good than it does now,' said my convict, with a gr

ce, seemed to be bruised and torn all over. He could not so much as get his breath to speak, un

he tried to murder me,

d him getting off the marshes, but I dragged him here - dragged him this far on his way back. He's a gentleman, if you please, this villain. No

He tried - he tried - to - mu

ou won't find much iron on it - if I hadn't made discovery that he was here. Let him go free? Let him profit by the means as I found out? Let him make a tool of me afresh and again? Once more? No, no,

r of his companion, repeated, `He tried to murder me.

rn, and he'll die a liar. Look at his face; ain't it written th

nervous working of his mouth into any set expression - looked at the soldiers, and l

he is? Do you see those grovelling and wandering eyes? That's h

' and with a half-taunting glance at the bound hands. At that point, my convict became so frantically exasperated, that he would have rushed upon him but for the interposition of the soldiers. `Didn't I

,' said the sergeant.

moved since. I looked at him eagerly when he looked at me, and slightly moved my hands and shook my head. I had been waiting for him to see me, that I might try to assure him of my innocence. It was not at all expressed to me that he even co

but now it seemed quite dark, and soon afterwards very dark. Before we departed from that spot, four soldiers standing in a ring, fired twice into the air. Presen

med to burst something inside my ear. `You are expected on board,' said the sergea

a divergence here and there where a dyke came, with a miniature windmill on it and a muddy sluice-gate. When I looked round, I could see the other lights coming in after us. The torches we carried, dropped great blotches of the upon the track, and I could see those, too, lying smoking and flaring. I could see nothi

re, and a lamp, and a stand of muskets, and a drum, and a low wooden bedstead, like an overgrown mangle without the machinery, capable of holding about a dozen soldiers all at once. Three or four soldiers who lay upon it in their great-coats, were not much inte

ooking thoughtfully at it, or putting up his feet by turns upon the hob, and looking thoughtfully at t

his escape. It may prevent some perso

m with his arms folded, `but you have no call to say it here. You'll have opportu

starve; at least I can't. I took some wittles, up at the willage

ole,' said t

where from. From

the sergeant,

' said Joe, s

- that's what it was - and a

articles as a pie, blacksmith?' a

y moment when you came i

nner, and without the least glance at me; `so you're the bla

a saving remembrance of Mrs Joe. `We don't know what you have done, but we wouldn'

to see him, or interested in seeing him, or glad to see him, or sorry to see him, or spoke a word, except that somebody in the boat growled as if to dogs, `Give way, you!' which was the signal for the dip of the oars. By the light of torches, we was the black Hulk lying out a little way from the mud of the shore, like a wicked