What then, when that's once done? Here I am. To go back now,

'ud be as bad as to stand ground - worse. Besides, Pip, I'm here,

because I've meant it by you, years and years. As to what I dare,

I'm a old bird now, as has dared all manner of traps since first he

was fledged, and I'm not afeerd to perch upon a scarecrow. If

there's Death hid inside of it, there is, and let him come out, and

I'll face him, and then I'll believe in him and not afore. And now

let me have a look at my gentleman agen."

Once more, he took me by both hands and surveyed me with an air of

admiring proprietorship: smoking with great complacency all the

while.

It appeared to me that I could do no better than secure him some

quiet lodging hard by, of which he might take possession when

Herbert returned: whom I expected in two or three days. That the

secret must be confided to Herbert as a matter of unavoidable

necessity, even if I could have put the immense relief I should

derive from sharing it with him out of the question, was plain to

me. But it was by no means so plain to Mr. Provis (I resolved to

call him by that name), who reserved his consent to Herbert's

participation until he should have seen him and formed a favourable

judgment of his physiognomy. "And even then, dear boy," said he,

pulling a greasy little clasped black Testament out of his pocket,

"we'll have him on his oath."

To state that my terrible patron carried this little black book

about the world solely to swear people on in cases of emergency,

would be to state what I never quite established - but this I can

say, that I never knew him put it to any other use. The book itself

had the appearance of having been stolen from some court of

justice, and perhaps his knowledge of its antecedents, combined

with his own experience in that wise, gave him a reliance on its

powers as a sort of legal spell or charm. On this first occasion of

his producing it, I recalled how he had made me swear fidelity in

the churchyard long ago, and how he had described himself last

night as always swearing to his resolutions in his solitude.

As he was at present dressed in a seafaring slop suit, in which he

looked as if he had some parrots and cigars to dispose of, I next

discussed with him what dress he should wear. He cherished an

extraordinary belief in the virtues of "shorts" as a disguise, and

had in his own mind sketched a dress for himself that would have

made him something between a dean and a dentist. It was with

considerable difficulty that I won him over to the assumption of a

dress more like a prosperous farmer's; and we arranged that he

should cut his hair close, and wear a little powder. Lastly, as he

had not yet been seen by the laundress or her niece, he was to keep

himself out of their view until his change of dress was made.

It would seem a simple matter to decide on these precautions; but

in my dazed, not to say distracted, state, it took so long, that I

did not get out to further them, until two or three in the

afternoon. He was to remain shut up in the chambers while I was

gone, and was on no account to open the door.

There being to my knowledge a respectable lodging-house in

Essex-street, the back of which looked into the Temple, and was

almost within hail of my windows, I first of all repaired to that

house, and was so fortunate as to secure the second floor for my

uncle, Mr. Provis. I then went from shop to shop, making such

purchases as were necessary to the change in his appearance. This

business transacted, I turned my face, on my own account, to Little

Britain. Mr. Jaggers was at his desk, but, seeing me enter, got up

immediately and stood before his fire.

"Now, Pip," said he, "be careful."

"I will, sir," I returned. For, coming along I had thought well of

what I was going to say.

"Don't commit yourself," said Mr. Jaggers, "and don't commit any

one.