Great Expectations / Большие надежды

”

“That's true, Pip; and unless you was to turn her out a set of shoes all four round, – and which I meantersay as even a set of shoes all four round might not be acceptable as a present, in a total wacancy of hoofs-”

“I don't mean that sort of remembrance, Joe; I don't mean a present.”

But Joe had got the idea of a present in his head and must harp upon it. “Or even,” said he, “if you was helped to knocking her up a new chain for the front door, – or say a gross or two of shark-headed screws for general use, – or some light fancy article, such as a toasting-fork when she took her muffins, – or a gridiron when she took a sprat or such like-”

“I don't mean any present at all, Joe,” I interposed.

“Well,” said Joe, still harping on it as though I had particularly pressed it, “if I was yourself, Pip, I wouldn't. No, I would not. For what's a door-chain when she's got one always up? And shark-headers is open to misrepresentations. And if it was a toasting-fork, you'd go into brass and do yourself no credit.

And the oncommonest workman can't show himself oncommon in a gridiron, – for a gridiron IS a gridiron,” said Joe, steadfastly impressing it upon me, as if he were endeavouring to rouse me from a fixed delusion, “and you may haim at what you like, but a gridiron it will come out, either by your leave or again your leave, and you can't help yourself-”

“My dear Joe,” I cried, in desperation, taking hold of his coat, “don't go on in that way.

I never thought of making Miss Havisham any present.”

“No, Pip,” Joe assented, as if he had been contending for that, all along; “and what I say to you is, you are right, Pip.”

“Yes, Joe; but what I wanted to say, was, that as we are rather slack just now, if you would give me a half-holiday to-morrow, I think I would go uptown and make a call on Miss Est – Havisham.”

“Which her name,” said Joe, gravely, “ain't Estavisham, Pip, unless she have been rechris'ened.

”

“I know, Joe, I know. It was a slip of mine. What do you think of it, Joe?”

In brief, Joe thought that if I thought well of it, he thought well of it. But, he was particular in stipulating that if I were not received with cordiality, or if I were not encouraged to repeat my visit as a visit which had no ulterior object but was simply one of gratitude for a favour received, then this experimental trip should have no successor.