3 Pip Visits Miss Havisham

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 out from a window at the top of the house.

"Pumblechook 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 Pumblechook 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 rundown 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 left alone in this 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. Drooping 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 are 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!" "B-by myself?" "Call Estella!" I walked back and shouted "Estella!" The snobby girl who had showed 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 you, 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. "Estella," 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 set 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