16 Miss Havisham realizes how Pip has suffered 
　  
　　When I went to see Miss Havisham the next day，as she had requested，her house looked darker than ever，and I realized how lonely she was without Estella．She looked sadly at me． 
　　‘Tell me，Pip，'she said，stretching out her hand to me，‘how can I help your friend？You said something about it last time． 
　　I explained my agreement with Clarrikers to make Herbert a partner．Nine hundred pounds still had to be paid． 
　　‘And you will be happier if I pay this？’ 
　　‘Much happier．’ 
　　‘can't I help you yourself，Pip？’ 
　　‘There is nothing you can do，’I answered． 
　　She wrote a cheque which she handed to me．‘Mr Jaggers will give you the money．And-here，Pip，’handing me another piece of paper，‘here is a note with my name on．If，one day，you can write under my name“I forgive her”，please do it．’ 
　　‘Oh Miss Havisham，’I said，‘I can do it now．We have all made mistakes．I can't be bitter with anyone．’ 
　　‘What have I done，Pip！'she cried，dropping to her knees in front of me．‘I should never have brought up Estella like that，or allowed you to be hurt！’ 
　　‘Could I ask you something about Estella？How and why did you adopt her？’ 
　　‘I never knew her parents，'she said quietly．‘I asked Jaggers to find a little girl for me to adopt，and he brought Estella here，when she was about three．’ 
　　We had no more to say to each other，and so I left．But on my way through the old garden I had a strange feeling that something was wrong，and I ran back upstairs to check that Miss Havisham was all right．As I opened the door of her room，I saw her sitting close to the fire．Suddenly a great flame lit the room．She turned and rushed towards me，screaming，her hair and clothes on fire．Somehow I managed to cover her with my coat and put out the flames with my hands． 
　　I sent for a doctor，who cleaned her wounds．Her bed was placed on the great dining table，where her wedding cake had been，and she lay there，covered with a white sheet，half con-scions．I could not stay，but left her in the care of the doctor and several nurses，and returned to London． 
　　My hands and right arm had been badly burnt．But al－though I was in great pain，I was desperate to know if Mag－witch was safe． 
　　‘Everything's fine，’Handel，’Herbert told me calmly，as he gently put bandages on my hands．‘He seems much pleasanter than before．I actually like him now．Do you know，yesterday he was telling me about his past．Apparently at one time he was married to a young woman who was jealous of an-other woman．There was a fight， and his wife killed the other Luckily for her，she had a clever lawyer at her trial，and was never punished for the murder．She and Magwitch had a daughter， who Magwitch dearly loved Both wife and child disappeared after the trial， and he thought his wife must have killed their daughter．’ 
　　‘How old was the child？’I asked，trying to control my excitement． 
　　‘She would have been about your age，if she had lived．’ 
　　‘Herbert，’ I said，‘am I ill or mad or anything？’ 
　　‘No，’replied Herbert， after examining me carefully，‘al-though you do look a little excited．’ 
　　‘Listen， Herbert．Magwitch is Estella's father．’ 
　　The next day，although I felt ill and weak，because of my burns，I went straight to Jaggers’office．He admitted that Estella was his housekeeper's daughter，adopted by Miss Hav-isham to give her the chance of a better life． But even he，the great Jaggers，did not know that Magwitch was Estella's father． 
　  
16 郝薇香小姐认识到匹普蒙受了不少痛苦 
　  
　　当我第二天去看郝薇香小姐时，由于她的要求，她的屋子看来比以前更黑暗，我认识到，没有艾丝黛拉，她是多么的孤独，她伤心地看着我。 
　　“告诉我，匹普”，她向我伸出手说，“我怎么才能帮助你的朋友？上一次有关这件事你说了一点儿。” 
　　我解释我同克拉雷克斯的协议，让赫伯特有股份，仍然有900英镑必须支付。 
　　“如果我支付这些，你会更高兴？” 
　　“会很高兴。” 
　　“我不能帮助你自己吗？匹普。” 
　　“你没有什么可帮的，”我回答说。 
　　她写了一张支票递给我，“贾格斯先生会给你钱。这儿，匹普，”她递给我另一张纸，“这儿是带有我名字的票据。如果，有一天，你能在我的名字下面写上‘我原谅她’，请你这样做。” 
　　“噢，郝薇香小姐”，我说，“我现在就能这样做，我们都有错儿，我不能怨恨别人”。 
　　“我做了些什么，匹普！”她跪在我面前叫喊着，“我不应该像那样培养艾丝黛拉，或让你受到伤害！” 
　　“我可以问你有关艾丝黛拉的情况吗？怎么和为什么你收养她？” 
　　“我从来不知道她的父母，”她平静地说。“我要求贾格斯为我找一个小女孩收养，她把艾丝黛拉带到这儿，当时她大约3岁。” 
　　我们相互再没有说什么，因此，我离开了。但是，在穿过那个旧花园的路上，我有一个奇怪的感觉，情况不太对头。我跑回来上了楼去核实郝薇香小姐是不是安然无恙。当我打开她的房门，我看到她紧靠火炉坐着。突然，一个巨大的火焰点燃了屋子，她转过身向我扑来，尖叫着，她的头发和衣服着火了。我想方设法用我的外套盖住她，用我的手扑灭了火焰。 
　　我派人去请了一位医生，医生给她清洗了伤口。她的床放在那张大餐桌上，她的结婚蛋糕还在那儿，她躺在那里，上面盖着白床单，半清醒状态。我不能久留，离开她后，交由医生和几名护士照看。我回到伦敦。 
　　我的手和右臂烧得很厉害，但是，虽然我很痛，我还是迫不及待地想知道马格韦契是否安全。 
　　“平安无事，汉德尔，”赫伯特心平气和地告诉我，他轻柔地把我的手缠上绷带，“他好像比以前更高兴。现在，我确实喜欢他。你知道，昨天，他告诉我他的身世。很明显，他和一个年轻的女人结了婚，这个女人嫉妒另外一个女人，在一次厮打中，他的妻子杀了另外一个女人。她很幸运，在她的判决中，有一位精明的律师，对于这次谋杀，她从来没有受到惩罚。她和马格韦契有一个女儿，马格韦契非常爱她。判决以后，妻子和孩子失踪了。他想，他的妻子一定杀了他们的女儿。” 
　　“这个孩子多大？”我尽力控制着激动的心情问道。 
　　“如果她还活着的话，和你的年龄差不多。” 
　　“赫伯特，”我说，“是我病了、疯了、或出了其它什么毛病？” 
　　“不是，”赫伯特仔细地检查了我以后，回答，“虽然你看上去有点兴奋。” 
　　“听着，赫伯特，马格韦契是艾丝黛拉的父亲。” 
　　第二天，尽管因为我的烧伤，感到不舒服和虚弱，我还是直接去了贾格斯的事务所。他承认，艾丝黛拉是他的女管家的女儿，给她一个生活更好一点的机会，被郝薇香小姐收养。但是，至于他，聪明能干的贾格斯却并不知道马格韦契是艾丝黛拉的父亲。 
　　　    


 