Chapter 3 Pip Visits Miss Havisham The next morning, Uncle Pumblechook walked me to Miss Havisham's.
Within fifteen minutes, we stopped at the biggest house I had ever seen.
Made of brick, its many windows were either walled up or barred.
Two large chimneys poked up from the roof, and thin black strips of smoke drifted out from each one.
We could barely see the house through the giant, overgrown courtyard.
A locked gate stopped us from walking right in.
Peering through it, I noticed a large, abandoned building off to the side.
We rang the bell and waited.
Who's there?
A voice cried from a window at the top of the house.
Bumblechook and Pip, Uncle said.
A young lady came outside with the keys in her hand.
She was pretty, but maybe a bit too proud.
I felt embarrassed and ashamed when she looked me up and down.
So, this is Pip, is it? she said with a sneer as she unlocked the door.
I guess you might as well come in.
I left Uncle Pumblechuck and followed the girl.
She locked the gate behind us and we went into the courtyard.
Grass grew in every nook and cranny of the pavement.
She waited impatiently as I looked around.
The place was falling apart.
Manor house continues to crumble.
The factory over there, she pointed to the run-down old structure behind us, also never gets used.
Is that what this house is called, Miss?
Manor House, I asked.
One of its two names, she said.
The other is Satis, which is Greek or Latin or Hebrew or all three for enough.
Enough House, that's a funny name.
It's supposed to mean that whoever lives here has enough.
Those were happier days.
Let's go, boy, don't dawdle, she said.
Even though we looked to be the same age, I felt like my sister was there scolding me.
When she called me boy, she spoke as if she were a queen and I were her servant.
We entered the house by a side door and walked through dark hallways lit only by the single candle she carried.
For some reason, I felt nervous.
She stopped in front of a door.
Go in, she said.
After you, miss, I said, afraid of being alone in the scary place.
She said, don't be silly, I'm not going in.
And she walked away.
Swallowing my fear, I knocked at the door.
Someone on the other side said, enter.
I saw Miss Havisham for the first time.
She was dressed in rich materials, silk, lace, satin.
But she wore only one shoe.
Grouping flowers were tucked behind her ear.
Everything, even her hair, was white with a faded yellow tinge.
Her clothes were meant for a much younger woman, a bride, and were too big for her bony frame.
Who is it? she said in a shaky voice.
Pip.
Mr. Pumblechook has brought me to play.
Come here.
Let me look at you, she ordered.
I stood in front of her, looking around so I didn't have to peer into her sunken eyes.
I noticed that every clock in the room had stopped at twenty minutes to nine.
I wondered why they were all broken.
You're not afraid of a woman who hasn't seen the sun since you were born?
She asked.
No.
Do you know what this is?
She placed her hand on her chest.
I answered.
Your heart?
Broken, she shouted.
I need you to take my mind off it now.
Play.
I didn't move.
Play.
I said, play.
By myself.
Call Estella.
I walked back and shouted.
Estella?
The snobby girl who had shown me into the house came into the room.
Miss Havisham said, play cards with this boy to entertain me.
Estella pouted, play cards with a boy who has rough hands and thick boots.
He's common.
I immediately hid my hands in my pockets.
Miss Havisham picked up a handful of sparkling jewels, rich necklaces full of gems, and said to Estella, these will be all yours one day.
Is it too much for you to do as I ask?
Play cards with him.
Estella picked up the deck and shuffled.
I saw that Miss Havisham's other shoe lay next to her.
Its perfect sole didn't have a mark on it, and the style was years out of date.
The stocking on her bare foot was ragged and torn.
Miss Havisham was so pale that if light was allowed into this room, she might turn to dust.
Estella won the first game.
I dealt another hand.
When I made a mistake, Estella told me I was foolish and silly.
Miss Havisham said, She says mean things about your boy.
What do you say about her?
It isn't polite, ma'am.
Whisper in my ear.
I whispered.
Estella was proud, pretty, and perhaps too mean.
I think I'd like to go home now.
You'll never be her friend.
I would be her friend, but I want to go home now.
Miss Havisham said, Finish the game first.
Estella beat me again and again.
When we finished playing, Miss Havisham asked, When shall I have you back again?
Before I could reply, Miss Havisham told me to come back in six days.
Yes, ma'am, I said slowly. she said slowly.
Feed him.
Let him roam around the courtyard before he leaves.
I followed Estella and her candle through the house.
The sunlight almost blinded me when she opened the door.
Wait here, boy.
The door slammed and I stood alone in the courtyard.
When she returned, Estella sat down bread and meat on a stone as if I were a dog.
Feelings of anger and hurt welled up inside me and I started to cry.
Estella made fun of me, which made me cry more.
I ran away to the factory and kicked the wall a few times before I left to go home.
When I got home, my sister started asking questions.
I felt awful because of the way Estella had treated me, but I did my best to answer.
Uncle Pumblechook arrived and he asked how it went.
I said fine.
That's no answer.
What happened exactly?
My sister glared at me.
Uncle Pummelchuck said, Don't lose your temper, Mrs. Joe.
I'll handle this.
What did you think of Miss Havisham?
I sputtered, She's tall?
There, that wasn't so hard, was it, Pip?
What was she doing when you went inside?
Sitting on a black velvet chair.
Both my sister and Uncle Pumblechuck cooed at the thought of a black velvet chair.
Miss Estella, I said, handed her cake on gold plates and water in gold cups.
Everything looked delicious.
Uncle Pumblechuck asked, who else was there?
Four dogs, I answered, large or small.
Huge, I said.
They ate out of silver dishes.
Dogs!
Eating out of silver dishes!
My sister and Uncle Pumblechook exclaimed.
I would have continued my story if Joe had not come in for his dinner.
My sister and Uncle Pumblechook talked about my good fortune all through the meal.
They were thrilled Miss Havisham might take me under her wing.
After dinner, I went into the forge to find Joe and told him the truth.
Why did you lie? he asked gently.
The words came pouring out.
I told him about Miss Havisham and how Estella called me common.
I told him I didn't want to disappoint my sister and about my rough hands and thick boots.
Joe paused.
Lying won't make you any less common, Pip, he continued.
Don't tell any more lies.
You can't go straight if you're crooked.
If you live well and honest, everything will be fine.
I left him and then went up to my room.
I wondered, if I was common, how common was Joe?
Before today, I had never considered myself common.
I had never imagined how different people's lives were from my own.
I didn't know what it meant to be a young gentleman, but I wanted badly for Estella to see me in that way.
Before crawling into bed, I promised myself she'd never see me cry again, no matter how much she hurt my feelings.
