she might offer me some help.  But she did not, on the contrary she seemed to prefer my being ignorant.  Nor did she give me any money, nor anything but my daily dinner.  Estella always let me in and out.  Sometimes she would coldly tolerate me, sometimes condescend to me, sometimes be quite familiar with me, and at other times she would tell me that she hated me; and all the time my admiration for her grew apace.

There was a song Joe used to hum at the forge, of which the burden was “Old Clem.”  The song imitated the beating upon iron.  Thus you were to hammer;—­Boys round—­Old Clem!  With a thump and a sound—­Old Clem!  Beat it out, beat it out—­Old Clem!  With a clink for the stout—­Old Clem!  Blow the fire, blow the fire—­Old Clem!  Roaring dryer, soaring higher—­Old Clem!  One day I was crooning this ditty as I pushed Miss Havisham about.  It happened to catch her fancy and she took it up in a low brooding voice.  After that it became customary with us to sing it as we moved about, and often Estella joined in, though the whole strain was so subdued that it made less noise in the grim old house than the lightest breath of wind.  How could my character fail to be influenced by such surroundings?  Is it to be wondered at if my thoughts were dazed, as my eyes were, when I came out into the natural light from the misty yellow rooms?

We went on this way for a long time, but one day Miss Havisham stopped short as she and I were walking and said, with displeasure:  “You are growing tall, Pip!”

In answer I suggested that this might be a thing over which I had no control, and she said no more at that time, but on the following day she said: 

“Tell me the name again of the blacksmith of yours to whom you were to be apprenticed?”

“Joe Gargery, ma’am,”

“You had better be apprenticed at once.  Would Gargery come here with you, and bring your indentures, do you think?”

I signified that I thought he would consider it an honour to be asked.

“Then let him come!”

“At any particular time, Miss Havisham?”

“There, there, I know nothing about time.  Let him come soon, and come alone with you!”

In consequence, two days later, Joe, arrayed in his Sunday clothes, set out with me to visit Miss Havisham, and as he thought his court dress necessary to the occasion, it was not for me to tell him that he looked far better in his working dress.  We arrived at Miss Havisham’s, and as usual Estella opened the door, and led the way to Miss Havisham’s room.  She immediately addressed Joe, asking him questions about himself and about having me for apprentice and finally she asked to see my indentures, which Joe produced; I am afraid I was ashamed of the dear good fellow—­I know I was when I saw Estella’s eyes were laughing mischievously.

Miss Havisham then took a little bag from the table and handed it to me.

“Pip has earned a premium here,” she said, “and here it is.  There are five and twenty guineas in the bag.  Give it to your Master, Pip.”