 felt at a disadvantage, which reminded me of that old time when I had
been put upon a tombstone. The two ghastly casts on the shelf were not far from
him, and their expression was as if they were making a stupid apoplectic attempt
to attend to conversation.
    »Now, my young friend,« my guardian began, as if I were a witness in the
box, »I am going to have a word or two with you.«
    »If you please, sir.«
    »What do you suppose,« said Mr. Jaggers, bending forward to look at the
ground, and then throwing his head back to look at the ceiling, »what do you
suppose you are living at the rate of?«
    »At the rate of, sir?«
    »At,« repeated Mr. Jaggers, still looking at the ceiling, »the - rate - of?«
And then looked all round the room, and paused with his pocket-handkerchief in
his hand, half-way to his nose.
    I had looked into my affairs so often, that I had thoroughly destroyed any
slight notion I might ever have had of their bearings. Reluctantly, I confessed
myself quite unable to answer the question. This reply seemed agreeable to Mr.
Jaggers, who said, »I thought so!« and blew his nose with an air of
satisfaction.
    »Now, I have asked you a question, my friend,« said Mr. Jaggers. »Have you
anything to ask me?«
    »Of course it would be a great relief to me to ask you several questions,
sir; but I remember your prohibition.«
    »Ask one,« said Mr. Jaggers.
    »Is my benefactor to be made known to me to-day?«
    »No. Ask another.«
    »Is that confidence to be imparted to me soon?«
    »Waive that, a moment,« said Mr. Jaggers, »and ask another.«
    I looked about me, but there appeared to be now no possible escape from the
inquiry, »Have - I - anything to receive, sir?« On that, Mr. Jaggers said,
triumphantly, »I thought we should come to it!« and called to Wemmick to give
him that piece of paper. Wemmick appeared, handed it in, and disappeared.
    »Now, Mr. Pip,« said Mr. Jaggers, »attend if you please. You have been
drawing pretty freely here; your name occurs pretty often in Wemmick's
cash-book: but you are in debt
