Большие надежды. Уровень 2 / Great Expectations

“Who said she knew him?” cried my sister. “She just asked Uncle Pumblechook if he knew of a boy to go and play there. Uncle Pumblechook thinks that that is the boy’s fortune. So he offered to take him into town tonight in his own chaise-cart, and to take him with his own hands to Miss Havisham’s tomorrow morning.”

I was then delivered over to Mr. Pumblechook. He said:

“Boy, be forever grateful!”

“Good-bye, Joe!”

“God bless you, Pip, old chap!”

I never parted from him before.

I did not understand why I was going to play at Miss Havisham’s, and what to play at.

Chapter 7

Mr. Pumblechook and I breakfasted at eight o’clock in the parlor behind the shop. I didn’t like Mr. Pumblechook. He said, pompously,

“Seven times nine, boy?[18 - Seven times nine, boy? – Сколько будет семью девять, мальчик?]”

I was very hungry, but the math lesson lasted all through the breakfast.

“Seven?” “And four?” “And eight?” “And six?” “And two?” “And ten?” And so on.

For such reasons, I was very glad when ten o’clock came and we started for Miss Havisham’s. Miss Havisham’s house was of old brick, and dismal, and had many iron bars. While we waited at the gate, Mr. Pumblechook said, “And fourteen?” but I did not answer.

A window was raised, and a clear voice demanded,

“What name?”

My conductor replied,

“Pumblechook.”

The voice returned, “Quite right,” and the window was shut again.

Then a young lady came across the courtyard, 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.

“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 didn’t.”

Mr. Pumblechook did not protest. My young conductress locked the gate, and we went across the courtyard. It was paved and clean, but grass was growing in every crevice. The cold wind seemed to blow colder there than outside the gate.

“Now, boy, you are at the Manor House,” said the girl.

“Is that the name of this house, miss?”

“One of its names, boy.