'Where have you been, you young monkey said
Mrs. Joe, stamping her foot. 'Tell me directly
what you've been doing to wear me away with fret
and fright and worrit, or I'd have you out of that
corner if you was fifty Pips, and he was five
hundred Gargerys' (11,7)
Though Mrs. Joe is given to self-dramatisation, one cannot help but feel that
her worrying is genuine, which would suggest some positive feeling for her
only surviving brother. When Pip considers her to be a hypocrite for creating
such a fuss over Pumblechook and Wopsle, he is blind to the fact that she thrives
on the little admiration and respect she considers her due. The unselfish Joe
is far more perceptive. Notwithstanding his assertion that 'lies is lies'
(IX,65), Joe fabricated a delightful apology on the part of Miss Havisham,
not to defend himself as Pip had done on an earlier occasion, but, one feels,
just to please her:
'Miss Havisham', said Joe, with a fixed look
at me, like an effort of remembrance, 'made it
wery partick'ler that we should give her--were
it compliments or respects, Pip?'
'Compliments', I said.
'Which that were my own belief, answered Joe--
her compliments to Mrs. J. Gargery--'
'Much good they'll do me observed my sister:
but rather gratified too.
'And wishing', pursued Joe, with another fixed
look at me like another effort of remembrance,
'that the state of Miss Havisham's elth were sitch
as would have--allowed, were it, Pip
'Of her having the pleasure', I added.
'Of ladies'company'said Joe. And drew a long
breath.
'Well!' cried my sister, with a mollified glance
at Mr. Pumblechook. 'She might have had the polite
ness to send that message at first, but it's better
late than never'. (XIII,96-7).
This last remark shows how she craves to feel superior to her lowly position
as a blacksmith's wife.
Pip, I think, is uncomfortably aware of not having given her her due,
when he hears of her death. But even then his grudge is stronger:
Whatever my fortunes might have been, I could
scarcely have recalled my sister with much tenderness.
But I suppose there is a shock of regret which may
exist without much tenderness. Underwits influence
(and perhaps to make up for the want of the softer
feeling) I was seized with a violent indignation
against the assailant from whom she had suffered so
much; and I felt that on sufficient proof I could
have revengefully pursued Orlick, or anyone else,
to the last extremity (XXXV,264) (the underlining
is mine)
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