"Of course he'd much the best of it to the last,--his character was so good. He had escaped when he was made half wild by me and my murderous intentions; and his punishment was light. I was put in irons, brought to trial again, and sent for life. I didn't stop for life, dear boy and Pip's comrade, being here."

     "He wiped himself again, as he had done before, and then slowly took his tangle of tobacco from his pocket, and plucked his pipe from his button-hole, and slowly filled it, and began to smoke.

     "Is he dead?" I asked, after a silence.

     "Is who dead, dear boy?"

     "Compeyson."

     "He hopes I am, if he's alive, you may be sure," with a fierce look. "I never heerd no more of him."

     Herbert had been writing with his pencil in the cover of a book. He softly pushed the book over to me, as Provis stood smoking with his eyes on the fire, and I read in it:--

     "Young Havisham's name was Arthur. Compeyson is the man who professed to be Miss Havisham's lover."