05-01-远大前程 [47]
with a brown face and long grey hair．But what really surprized me was that he was holding out both hands to me．
‘Can I help you？’I asked politely but coldly．
‘Ah！Yes，’he said，dropping his hands，‘yes，I'll explain．’He came into the sitting－room，where he looked round admiringly at my furniture and books．He held out his hands to me again，but I refused to take them．Then he sat down heavily in a chair，and rubbed his eyes with one rather dirty hand．
‘You see，’he said，‘it's disappointing．Looked forward to this day for so long，I have．But it's not your fault．I'll explain．Is there anybody near who can hear us？’
‘Why do you，a stranger，visiting me late at night，ask that question？’I asked．And then suddenly I knew who he was！In spite of the years that had passed，I was sure he was my convict！ And when he held out his hands again，this time I took them．He raised my hands to his lips and kissed them．
‘You helped me all those years ago，Pip！Never forgotten it！’He seemed to want to put his arms around me，but I stopped him．
‘If you are grateful to me for what I did in my childhood，I hope you have improved your way of life now．It wasn't necessary to come here to thank me．But you must understand that．…’I stopped speaking as I noticed how strangely he was staring at me．
‘What must I understand？’he asked，his eyes fixed on me．
‘That I don't wish to be your friend．You and I met once in the past，but now our lives are separate．Will you have a drink before you leave？’As I handed him a glass of rum，I noticed that his eyes were full of tears．‘I'm sorry if that sounds hard，’l added．‘I didn't mean it to be．Good luck in the future！’We drank together．‘How have you been living recently？’
‘I was sent to Australia，you know，because I escaped from the prison-ship．After several years I finished my punishment， and so I was allowed to work for myself．I did every kind of job there．It was a hard life，but I made a lot of money．’
‘I'm glad to hear it，’I said．‘That reminds me，I must give you back the two pounds you sent me．I don't need it now．’And I handed him two new pound notes from my purse．Still watching me，he held them near the lamp until they caught fire．
‘May I ask，’he said，‘how you have done so well，since you and I met on those lonely marshes？’His eves were still fixed on mine，and I began to tremble．
‘I－I've been chosen to inherit a fortune，’I whispered．
‘Perhaps I can guess how much，'said the convict．‘Could it be，well，five hundred pounds a year？’I stood up，holding on to the back of my chair，my heart beating like a hammer．
‘The agent who arranged it all，’he continued．‘was he perhaps a lawyer，name of Jaggers？’
Suddenly I realized the awful truth．I could not speak nor breathe，and fell on to the sofa．He brought his fierce old face close to mine，and bent over me．
‘Yes，Pip，dear boy， I've made a gentleman of you！You see，I promised myself that all the money I earned out there in Australia should go to you！I'm your second father，Pip！I'm not a gentleman myself，and I didn't go to school，but I've got you，Pip！And look what a gentleman you are！And what books you've got！ You'll read them to me，Pip！And I'll be proud of you even if I can't understand them！Didn't you ever think it could be me who was sending the money？’
‘Oh no，no，no，’I replied．‘Never，never！Wasn't any－one else involved at all？’
No，just me，and Jaggers，of course．Who else could there be？Dear boy，I kept myself going，you see，through all the hard work，just by thinking of you．And I promised myself I'd come back to England one day，and see my boy．’He laid his band on my shoulder．‘Now you must find a bed for me，’h
‘Can I help you？’I asked politely but coldly．
‘Ah！Yes，’he said，dropping his hands，‘yes，I'll explain．’He came into the sitting－room，where he looked round admiringly at my furniture and books．He held out his hands to me again，but I refused to take them．Then he sat down heavily in a chair，and rubbed his eyes with one rather dirty hand．
‘You see，’he said，‘it's disappointing．Looked forward to this day for so long，I have．But it's not your fault．I'll explain．Is there anybody near who can hear us？’
‘Why do you，a stranger，visiting me late at night，ask that question？’I asked．And then suddenly I knew who he was！In spite of the years that had passed，I was sure he was my convict！ And when he held out his hands again，this time I took them．He raised my hands to his lips and kissed them．
‘You helped me all those years ago，Pip！Never forgotten it！’He seemed to want to put his arms around me，but I stopped him．
‘If you are grateful to me for what I did in my childhood，I hope you have improved your way of life now．It wasn't necessary to come here to thank me．But you must understand that．…’I stopped speaking as I noticed how strangely he was staring at me．
‘What must I understand？’he asked，his eyes fixed on me．
‘That I don't wish to be your friend．You and I met once in the past，but now our lives are separate．Will you have a drink before you leave？’As I handed him a glass of rum，I noticed that his eyes were full of tears．‘I'm sorry if that sounds hard，’l added．‘I didn't mean it to be．Good luck in the future！’We drank together．‘How have you been living recently？’
‘I was sent to Australia，you know，because I escaped from the prison-ship．After several years I finished my punishment， and so I was allowed to work for myself．I did every kind of job there．It was a hard life，but I made a lot of money．’
‘I'm glad to hear it，’I said．‘That reminds me，I must give you back the two pounds you sent me．I don't need it now．’And I handed him two new pound notes from my purse．Still watching me，he held them near the lamp until they caught fire．
‘May I ask，’he said，‘how you have done so well，since you and I met on those lonely marshes？’His eves were still fixed on mine，and I began to tremble．
‘I－I've been chosen to inherit a fortune，’I whispered．
‘Perhaps I can guess how much，'said the convict．‘Could it be，well，five hundred pounds a year？’I stood up，holding on to the back of my chair，my heart beating like a hammer．
‘The agent who arranged it all，’he continued．‘was he perhaps a lawyer，name of Jaggers？’
Suddenly I realized the awful truth．I could not speak nor breathe，and fell on to the sofa．He brought his fierce old face close to mine，and bent over me．
‘Yes，Pip，dear boy， I've made a gentleman of you！You see，I promised myself that all the money I earned out there in Australia should go to you！I'm your second father，Pip！I'm not a gentleman myself，and I didn't go to school，but I've got you，Pip！And look what a gentleman you are！And what books you've got！ You'll read them to me，Pip！And I'll be proud of you even if I can't understand them！Didn't you ever think it could be me who was sending the money？’
‘Oh no，no，no，’I replied．‘Never，never！Wasn't any－one else involved at all？’
No，just me，and Jaggers，of course．Who else could there be？Dear boy，I kept myself going，you see，through all the hard work，just by thinking of you．And I promised myself I'd come back to England one day，and see my boy．’He laid his band on my shoulder．‘Now you must find a bed for me，’h