"Dear boy," he answered, "I'm quite content to take my chance. I've

seen my boy, and he can be a gentleman without me."

No. I had thought about that, while we had been there side by side.

No. Apart from any inclinations of my own, I understood Wemmick's

hint now. I foresaw that, being convicted, his possessions would be

forfeited to the Crown.

"Lookee here, dear boy," said he "It's best as a gentleman should

not be knowed to belong to me now. Only come to see me as if you

come by chance alonger Wemmick. Sit where I can see you when I am

swore to, for the last o' many times, and I don't ask no more."

"I will never stir from your side," said I, "when I am suffered to

be near you. Please God, I will be as true to you, as you have been

to me!"

I felt his hand tremble as it held mine, and he turned his face

away as he lay in the bottom of the boat, and I heard that old

sound in his throat - softened now, like all the rest of him. It

was a good thing that he had touched this point, for it put into my

mind what I might not otherwise have thought of until too late:

That he need never know how his hopes of enriching me had perished.

Chapter 55

He was taken to the Police Court next day, and would have been

immediately committed for trial, but that it was necessary to send

down for an old officer of the prison-ship from which he had once

escaped, to speak to his identity. Nobody doubted it; but,

Compeyson, who had meant to depose to it, was tumbling on the

tides, dead, and it happened that there was not at that time any

prison officer in London who could give the required evidence. I

had gone direct to Mr. Jaggers at his private house, on my arrival

over night, to retain his assistance, and Mr. Jaggers on the

prisoner's behalf would admit nothing. It was the sole resource,

for he told me that the case must be over in five minutes when the

witness was there, and that no power on earth could prevent its

going against us.

I imparted to Mr. Jaggers my design of keeping him in ignorance of

the fate of his wealth. Mr. Jaggers was querulous and angry with me

for having "let it slip through my fingers," and said we must

memorialize by-and-by, and try at all events for some of it. But,

he did not conceal from me that although there might be many cases

in which the forfeiture would not be exacted, there were no

circumstances in this case to make it one of them. I understood

that, very well. I was not related to the outlaw, or connected with

him by any recognizable tie; he had put his hand to no writing or

settlement in my favour before his apprehension, and to do so now

would be idle. I had no claim, and I finally resolved, and ever

afterwards abided by the resolution, that my heart should never be

sickened with the hopeless task of attempting to establish one.

There appeared to be reason for supposing that the drowned informer

had hoped for a reward out of this forfeiture, and had obtained

some accurate knowledge of Magwitch's affairs. When his body was

found, many miles from the scene of his death, and so horribly

disfigured that he was only recognizable by the contents of his

pockets, notes were still legible, folded in a case he carried.

Among these, were the name of a banking-house in New South Wales

where a sum of money was, and the designation of certain lands of

considerable value. Both these heads of information were in a list

that Magwitch, while in prison, gave to Mr. Jaggers, of the

possessions he supposed I should inherit. His ignorance, poor

fellow, at last served him; he never mistrusted but that my

inheritance was quite safe, with Mr. Jaggers's aid.

After three days' delay, during which the crown prosecution stood

over for the production of the witness from the prison-ship, the

witness came, and completed the easy case. He was committed to take

his trial at the next Sessions, which would come on in a month.