Jaggers stopped
me. "I am not paid, Pip," said he, coolly, "to carry your words to
any one;" and then gathered up his coat-tails, as he had gathered
up the subject, and stood frowning at his boots as if he suspected
them of designs against him.
After a pause, I hinted,--
"There was a question just now, Mr. Jaggers, which you desired me to
waive for a moment. I hope I am doing nothing wrong in asking it
again?"
"What is it?" said he.
I might have known that he would never help me out; but it took me
aback to have to shape the question afresh, as if it were quite
new. "Is it likely," I said, after hesitating, "that my patron, the
fountain-head you have spoken of, Mr. Jaggers, will soon--" there I
delicately stopped.
"Will soon what?" asked Mr. Jaggers. "That's no question as it
stands, you know."
"Will soon come to London," said I, after casting about for a
precise form of words, "or summon me anywhere else?"
"Now, here," replied Mr. Jaggers, fixing me for the first time with
his dark deep-set eyes, "we must revert to the evening when we
first encountered one another in your village. What did I tell you
then, Pip?"
"You told me, Mr. Jaggers, that it might be years hence when that
person appeared."
"Just so," said Mr. Jaggers, "that's my answer.
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