Come! I'll go a little further with you; I'll say something more."

He bent down so low to frown at his boots, that he was able to rub

the calves of his legs in the pause he made.

"When that person discloses," said Mr. Jaggers, straightening

himself, "you and that person will settle your own affairs. When

that person discloses, my part in this business will cease and

determine. When that person discloses, it will not be necessary for

me to know anything about it. And that's all I have got to say."

We looked at one another until I withdrew my eyes, and looked

thoughtfully at the floor. From this last speech I derived the

notion that Miss Havisham, for some reason or no reason, had not

taken him into her confidence as to her designing me for Estella;

that he resented this, and felt a jealousy about it; or that he

really did object to that scheme, and would have nothing to do with

it. When I raised my eyes again, I found that he had been shrewdly

looking at me all the time, and was doing so still.

"If that is all you have to say, sir," I remarked, "there can be

nothing left for me to say."

He nodded assent, and pulled out his thief-dreaded watch, and asked

me where I was going to dine? I replied at my own chambers, with

Herbert. As a necessary sequence, I asked him if he would favour us

with his company, and he promptly accepted the invitation. But he

insisted on walking home with me, in order that I might make no

extra preparation for him, and first he had a letter or two to

write, and (of course) had his hands to wash. So, I said I would go

into the outer office and talk to Wemmick.

The fact was, that when the five hundred pounds had come into my

pocket, a thought had come into my head which had been often there

before; and it appeared to me that Wemmick was a good person to

advise with, concerning such thought.

He had already locked up his safe, and made preparations for going

home. He had left his desk, brought out his two greasy office

candlesticks and stood them in line with the snuffers on a slab

near the door, ready to be extinguished; he had raked his fire low,

put his hat and great-coat ready, and was beating himself all over

the chest with his safe-key, as an athletic exercise after

business.

"Mr. Wemmick," said I, "I want to ask your opinion. I am very

desirous to serve a friend."

Wemmick tightened his post-office and shook his head, as if his

opinion were dead against any fatal weakness of that sort.

"This friend," I pursued, "is trying to get on in commercial life,

but has no money, and finds it difficult and disheartening to make

a beginning. Now, I want somehow to help him to a beginning."

"With money down?" said Wemmick, in a tone drier than any sawdust.

"With some money down," I replied, for an uneasy remembrance shot

across me of that symmetrical bundle of papers at home; "with some

money down, and perhaps some anticipation of my expectations."

"Mr. Pip," said Wemmick, "I should like just to run over with you on

my fingers, if you please, the names of the various bridges up as

high as Chelsea Reach. Let's see; there's London, one; Southwark,

two; Blackfriars, three; Waterloo, four; Westminster, five;

Vauxhall, six." He had checked off each bridge in its turn, with

the handle of his safe-key on the palm of his hand. "There's as

many as six, you see, to choose from."

"I don't understand you," said I.

"Choose your bridge, Mr. Pip," returned Wemmick, "and take a walk

upon your bridge, and pitch your money into the Thames over the

centre arch of your bridge, and you know the end of it. Serve a

friend with it, and you may know the end of it too - but it's a

less pleasant and profitable end."

I could have posted a newspaper in his mouth, he made it so wide

after saying this.

"This is very discouraging," said I.

"Meant to be so," said Wemmick.