A window was raised, and a clear voice demanded "What name?" To which my conductor replied, "Pumblechook." The voice returned, "Quite right," and the window was shut again, and a young lady came across the court-yard, with keys in her hand.

     "This," said Mr. Pumblechook, "is Pip."

     "This is Pip, is it?" returned the young lady, who was very pretty and seemed very proud; "come in, Pip."

     Mr. Pumblechook was coming in also, when she stopped him with the gate.

     "Oh!" she said. "Did you wish to see Miss Havisham?"

     "If Miss Havisham wished to see me," returned Mr. Pumblechook, discomfited.

     "Ah!" said the girl; "but you see she don't."

     She said it so finally, and in such an undiscussible way, that Mr. Pumblechook, though in a condition of ruffled dignity, could not protest. But he eyed me severely,--as if I had done anything to him!--and departed with the words reproachfully delivered: "Boy! Let your behavior here be a credit unto them which brought you up by hand!" I was not free from apprehension that he would come back to propound through the gate, "And sixteen?" But he didn't.