Summary

Chapter 16. An investigation into the attack on Mrs. Joe reveals that she was hit over the head with a rusty pair of leg irons, leg irons that Pip believes belonged to his own convict. This causes Pip some guilt because he wonders if somehow he could be responsible for her injury even though he was not there and did not commit it himself. No clues are ever found to the responsible party however, and interest wanes. Mrs. Joe recovers from her injury, but her mental capacity is forever altered. Mrs. Joe cannot speak properly and is forced to write in her own crude way for what she wants to say. Biddy, who has lost her position in the Wopsle home due to the death of Mr. Wopsle’s aunt, comes to stay so that she might care for Mrs. Joe. Biddy has an uncanny ability...