I was soon at the Battery after that, and there was the right man waiting for me. He was awfully cold. And his eyes looked awfully hungry. He devoured the food, mincemeat, meatbone, bread, cheese, and pork pie, all at once--more like a man who was putting it away somewhere in a violent hurry, than a man who was eating it, only stopping from time to time to listen. "You're not a deceiving imp? You brought no one with you?" "No, sir! No!" "Well," said he, "I believe you. You'd be but a fierce young hound indeed if at your time of life you could help to hunt a wretched varmint, hunted as near death and dunghill as this poor wretched varmint is." While he was eating I mentioned that I had just seen another man dressed like him, and with a badly bruised face. "Not here?" he exclaimed, striking his left cheek. "Yes, there!" He swore he would pull him down like a bloodhound, and then crammed what little food was left into the breast of his grey jacket, and began to file at his iron like a madman; so I thought the best thing that I could do was to slip off home. _II.--I Meet Estella_ I must have been about ten years old when I went to Miss Havisham's, and first met Estella. My uncle Pumblechook, who kept a cornchandler's shop in the high-street of the town, took me to the large old, dismal house, which had all its windows barred. For miles round everybody had heard of Miss Havisham as an immensely rich and grim lady who led a life of seclusion; and everybody soon knew that Mr. Pumblechook had been commissioned to bring her a boy. He left me at the courtyard, and a young lady, who was very pretty and seemed very proud, let me in, and I noticed that the passages were all dark, and that there was a candle burning. My guide, who called me "boy," but was really about my own age, was as scornful of me as if she had been one-and-twenty, and a queen. She led me to Miss Havisham's room, and there, in an armchair, with her elbow resting on the table, sat the strangest lady I have ever seen, or shall ever see. She was dressed in rich materials--satins and lace and silks--all of white--or rather, which had been white, but, like all else in the room, were now faded yellow. Her shoes were white, and she had a long white veil dependent from her hair, and bridal flowers in her hair; but her hair was white. I saw that the bride within the bridal dress had withered like the dress. "Who is it?" said the lady at the table. "Pip, ma'am. Mr. Pumblechook's boy." "Come nearer; let me look at you; come close. You are not afraid of a woman who has never seen the sun since you were born?" "No, ma'am." "Do you know what I touch here?" she said, laying her hands, one upon the other, on her left side. "Yes, ma'am; your heart." "Broken!" She was silent for a little while, and then added, "I am tired; I want diversion. Play, play, play!" What was an unfortunate boy to do? I didn't know how to play. "Call Estella," said the lady. "Call Estella, at the door."