The baby was the soul of honour,and protested with all its might.It doubled itself up the wrong way over Mrs.Pocket’s arm, exhibited a pair of knitted shoes and dimpled ankles to the company in lieu of its soft face, and was carried out in the highest state of mutiny. And it gained its point after all, for I saw it through the window within a few minutes, being nursed by little Jane.
It happened that the other five children were left behind at the dinner-table,through Flopson’s having some private engagement,and their not being anybody else’s business.I thus became aware of the mutual relations between them and Mr.Pocket, which were exemplified in the following manner.Mr. Pocket, with the normal perplexity of his face heightened and his hair rumpled, looked at them for some minutes, as if he couldn’t make out how they came to be boarding and lodging in that establishment, and why they hadn’t been billeted by Nature on somebody else. Then, in a distant Missionary way he asked them certain questions,—as why little Joe had that hole in his frill, who said, Pa, Flopson was going to mend it when she had time,—and how little Fanny came by that whitlow, who said, Pa, Millers was going to poultice it when she didn’t forget. Then, he melted into parental tenderness, and gave them a shilling apiece and told them to go and play; and then as they went out, with one very strong effort to lift himself up by the hair he dismissed the hopeless subject.
In the evening there was rowing on the river.As Drummle and Startop had each a boat,I resolved to set up mine, and to cut them both out.I was pretty good at most exercises in which country boys are adepts,but as I was conscious of wanting elegance of style for the Thames,—not to say for other waters,—I at once engaged to place myself under the tuition of the winner of a prize-wherry who plied at our stairs, and to whom I was introduced by my new allies. This practical authority confused me very much by saying I had the arm of a blacksmith. If he could have known how nearly the compliment lost him his pupil, I doubt if he would have paid it.
There was a supper-tray after we got home at night,and I think we should all have enjoyed ourselves,but for a rather disagreeable domestic occurrence. Mr.Pocket was in good spirits, when a housemaid came in,and said, “If you please, sir,I should wish to speak to you.”
“Speak to your master?” said Mrs. Pocket, whose dignity was roused again.“How can you think of such a thing?Go and speak to Flopson.Or speak to me—at some other time.”
“Begging your pardon, ma’am,” returned the housemaid,“I should wish to speak at once,and to speak to master.”
Hereupon, Mr. Pocket went out of the room,and we made the best of ourselves until he came back.
“This is a pretty thing, Belinda!” said Mr. Pocket, returning with a countenance expressive of grief and despair.“Here’s the cook lying insensibly drunk on the kitchen floor,with a large bundle of fresh butter made up in the cupboard ready to sell for grease!”
Mrs. Pocket instantly showed much amiable emotion,and said, “This is that odious Sophia’s doing!”
“What do you mean, Belinda?” demanded Mr. Pocket.
“Sophia has told you,” said Mrs. Pocket.“Did I not see her with my own eyes and hear her with my own ears,come into the room just now and ask to speak to you?”
“But has she not taken me downstairs, Belinda,” returned Mr. Pocket, “and shown me the woman, and the bundle too?”
“And do you defend her, Matthew,” said Mrs. Pocket,“for making mischief?”
Mr. Pocket uttered a dismal groan.
“Am I, grandpapa’s granddaughter,to be nothing in the house?” said Mrs. Pocket. “Besides,the cook has always been a very nice respectful woman,and said in the most natural manner when she came to look after the situation,that she felt I was born to be a Duchess.”
There was a sofa where Mr. Pocket stood,and he dropped upon it in the attitude of the Dying Gladiator.Still in that attitude he said, with a hollow voice,“Good night, Mr. Pip,” when I deemed it advisable to go to bed and leave him.
Chapter XXIV.
After two or three days,when I had established myself in my room and had gone backwards and forwards to London several times, and had ordered all I wanted of my tradesmen, Mr. Pocket and I had a long talk together. He knew more of my intended career than I knew myself, for he referred to his having been told by Mr. Jaggers that I was not designed for any profession, and that I should be well enough educated for my destiny if I could “hold my own” with the average of young men in prosperous circumstances. I acquiesced, of course, knowing nothing to the contrary.
He advised my attending certain places in London,for the acquisition of such mere rudiments as I wanted,and my investing him with the functions of explainer and director of all my studies. He hoped that with intelligent assistance I should meet with little to discourage me, and should soon be able to dispense with any aid but his. Through his way of saying this, and much more to similar purpose, he placed himself on confidential terms with me in an admirable manner; and I may state at once that he was always so zealous and honourable in fulfilling his compact with me, that he made me zealous and honourable in fulfilling mine with him. If he had shown indifference as a master, I have no doubt I should have returned the compliment as a pupil; he gave me no such excuse, and each of us did the other justice. Nor did I ever regard him as having anything ludicrous about him—or anything but what was serious, honest, and good—in his tutor communication with me.
When these points were settled,and so far carried out as that I had begun to work in earnest,it occurred to me that if I could retain my bedroom in Barnard’s Inn,my life would be agreeably varied,while my manners would be none the worse for Herbert’s society.Mr. Pocket did not object to this arrangement,but urged that before any step could possibly be taken in it,it must be submitted to my guardian.I felt that this delicacy arose out of the consideration that the plan would save Herbert some expense, so I went off to Little Britain and imparted my wish to Mr. Jaggers.
“If I could buy the furniture now hired for me,” said I,“and one or two other little things,I should be quite at home there.”
“Go it!” said Mr. Jaggers, with a short laugh.“I told you you’d get on. Well!How much do you want?”
I said I didn’t know how much.
“Come!” retorted Mr. Jaggers. “How much?Fifty pounds?”
“O, not nearly so much.”
“Five pounds?” said Mr. Jaggers.
This was such a great fall, that I said in discomfiture,“O, more than that.”
“More than that, eh!” retorted Mr. Jaggers, lying in wait for me,with his hands in his pockets, his head on one side,and his eyes on the wall behind me; “how much more?”
“It is so difficult to fix a sum,” said I, hesitating.
“Come!” said Mr. Jaggers. “Let’s get at it. Twice five; will that do?Three times five; will that do?Four times five; will that do?”
I said I thought that would do handsomely.
“Four times five will do handsomely, will it?” said Mr. Jaggers, knitting his brows. “Now,what do you make of four times five?”
“What do I make of it?”
“Ah!” said Mr. Jaggers; “how much?”
“I suppose you make it twenty pounds,” said I, smiling.
“Never mind what _I_ make it, my friend,” observed Mr.Jaggers, with a knowing and contradictory toss of his head.“I want to know what _you_ make it.”
“Twenty pounds, of course.”
“Wemmick!” said Mr. Jaggers, opening his office door. “Take Mr.Pip’s written order, and pay him twenty pounds.”