If you are saved, your child is saved too; if you

are lost, your child is still saved." Put the case that this was

done, and that the woman was cleared."

"I understand you perfectly."

"But that I make no admissions?"

"That you make no admissions." And Wemmick repeated, "No

admissions."

"Put the case, Pip, that passion and the terror of death had a

little shaken the woman's intellect, and that when she was set at

liberty, she was scared out of the ways of the world and went to

him to be sheltered. Put the case that he took her in, and that he

kept down the old wild violent nature whenever he saw an inkling of

its breaking out, by asserting his power over her in the old way.

Do you comprehend the imaginary case?"

"Quite."

"Put the case that the child grew up, and was married for money.

That the mother was still living. That the father was still living.

That the mother and father unknown to one another, were dwelling

within so many miles, furlongs, yards if you like, of one another.

That the secret was still a secret, except that you had got wind of

it. Put that last case to yourself very carefully."

"I do."

"I ask Wemmick to put it to himself very carefully."

And Wemmick said, "I do."

"For whose sake would you reveal the secret? For the father's? I

think he would not be much the better for the mother. For the

mother's? I think if she had done such a deed she would be safer

where she was. For the daughter's? I think it would hardly serve

her, to establish her parentage for the information of her husband,

and to drag her back to disgrace, after an escape of twenty years,

pretty secure to last for life. But, add the case that you had

loved her, Pip, and had made her the subject of those 'poor dreams'

which have, at one time or another, been in the heads of more men

than you think likely, then I tell you that you had better - and

would much sooner when you had thought well of it - chop off that

bandaged left hand of yours with your bandaged right hand, and then

pass the chopper on to Wemmick there, to cut that off, too."

I looked at Wemmick, whose face was very grave. He gravely touched

his lips with his forefinger. I did the same. Mr. Jaggers did the

same. "Now, Wemmick," said the latter then, resuming his usual

manner, "what item was it you were at, when Mr. Pip came in?"

Standing by for a little, while they were at work, I observed that

the odd looks they had cast at one another were repeated several

times: with this difference now, that each of them seemed

suspicious, not to say conscious, of having shown himself in a weak

and unprofessional light to the other. For this reason, I suppose,

they were now inflexible with one another; Mr. Jaggers being highly

dictatorial, and Wemmick obstinately justifying himself whenever

there was the smallest point in abeyance for a moment. I had never

seen them on such ill terms; for generally they got on very well

indeed together.

But, they were both happily relieved by the opportune appearance of

Mike, the client with the fur cap and the habit of wiping his nose

on his sleeve, whom I had seen on the very first day of my

appearance within those walls. This individual, who, either in his

own person or in that of some member of his family, seemed to be

always in trouble (which in that place meant Newgate), called to

announce that his eldest daughter was taken up on suspicion of

shop-lifting. As he imparted this melancholy circumstance to

Wemmick, Mr. Jaggers standing magisterially before the fire and

taking no share in the proceedings, Mike's eye happened to twinkle

with a tear.

"What are you about?" demanded Wemmick, with the utmost

indignation. "What do you come snivelling here for?"

"I didn't go to do it, Mr. Wemmick."

"You did," said Wemmick. "How dare you? You're not in a fit state

to come here, if you can't come here without spluttering like a bad

pen.