Chapter 51 Chapter 50

My hands were bandaged twice that night and once again in the morning.My left arm was badly burned from the hand to the elbow, and less so on the upper part, but the whole arm ached; but the fire was so violent in that direction that it did no more damage, but The luck of the misfortune.My right hand didn't burn as badly as my left, and I could move several fingers.Of course, the right hand was also bandaged, but it was much more convenient than the left hand and arm.Because the entire left arm was hung with bandages, the overcoat could only be draped like a cloak, loosely draped over the shoulders, and tied around the neck.My hair was on fire too, luckily it didn't hurt my head or face.

Herbert, having gone to see his father at Hammersmith, hurried back to where we lived, and devoted himself to me all day long.He is the most kind-hearted nurse. He took off my bandage very punctually, soaked it in the prepared cool medicine soaking solution, and then bandaged me again. He was very patient and his movements were very gentle, which made me deeply grateful he. Lying quietly on the couch at first, I found it difficult, if not impossible, to get rid of the bright fire in my brain.The sound of people running, the noise, and the pungent burning smell are always in my mind.Whenever I dozed off, I was awakened by Miss Havisham's cry, as if she were running towards me, with flames rising high above her head.This pain that arises in the mind is far more difficult than any physical pain experienced.As soon as Herbert saw me in this state, he did his best to control my attention.

Neither of us mentioned the boat, but we both thought of the boat.Obviously, while we lip-synced the subject, we agreed without a contract to restore the function of my hands, preferably within a few hours rather than weeks. When I saw Herbert, my first question was to ask him if all was well with the man at Riverside!His answer is affirmative, and his attitude is very sure, and he seems to be in a good mood. This is enough, and there is no need to talk about it.It was not until the day was slowly dying away, and when Herbert changed my bandages that I could no longer rely on the light of the sky, but only by the light of the fire, he did not consciously mention the above incident again.

"Handel, I sat with Provis for two hours last night." "Where did Clara go?" "Don't talk of that sweet little thing!" replied Herbert; "she's been running up and down all night about that monster. Whenever she's gone, he's knocking on the floor like hell. I don't think he'll do it again." How long has he been alive. He wants rum and pepper one moment, and pepper and rum the next, and I don't think he'll have much chance of knocking on the floor." "Herbert, will you be married by then?" "What am I going to do with this sweet little thing if I'm not married? You put your arms on the back of the couch, my man. I'll just sit here and take your bandages off. You won't feel anything, wait." You won't notice it when I take it all off. I was talking about Provis, Handel, and he's got a much better temper now, you know?"

"I told you long ago that he was much milder the last time I saw him." "You did. He's really gentler. He talked a lot last night and told me more about his personal history. You remember last time he mentioned a woman who was giving him trouble, But did he stop talking when he mentioned it?—did I hurt you?" His words gave me a jolt, not that he hurt me when he took off the bandages. "Herbert, I have forgotten the incident, and now, when you mention it, I remember it." "Okay! This time he brings up this incident in his experience, which was a wild one in his life. Will I tell you about it? Or you'll be upset."

"You must speak clearly, not missing a single word." Herbert stooped very close to me, and looked at me carefully, as if my haste and anxiety in my answers were almost beyond his control.He touched my head and said, "Are you in your head?" "Quite sober," said I, "tell me what Provis said, my dear Herbert." Said Herbert: "That seems to be a very nice bandage, and now put on this cool one--beware at first, it makes you shrink back, my dear old friend, doesn't it? But you'll get comfortable in a moment. The woman seemed to be a young woman, a jealous woman, a vengeful woman; Handel, she's vengeful, to the highest degree."

"How far has it reached its peak?" "Kill. Put a bandage on the sensitive part of your skin, don't you think it's cold?" "It doesn't feel cold at all. How did she kill? Who did she kill?" "In fact, her behavior does not constitute such a terrible crime," said Herbert, "but she did stand trial for this matter. Mr. Jaggers defended her, and it was this defense that made Jaggers Mr. Provis rose to prominence, and made Provis his name for the first time. The victim was a man stronger than herself, and there was a fight between them, in a barn. Who struck first People, whether they were beaten fairly or unfairly are questionable. But the result of the beating is beyond doubt, and it was found that the victim was strangled to death with both hands."

"Has this woman been convicted?" "No conviction, she was acquitted—my poor Handel, did I hurt you?" "Your movements are more gentle than ever, Herbert. Is that so? And what else?" "The acquitted woman had a child with Provis, whom Provis was particularly fond of. On the very night I was speaking of, the woman whose hands she strangled to death she envied She had gone to Provis's house at night and swore she would kill the child because it belonged to her, and she would make him never see it again. Then the woman disappeared Yes. Now that your badly burned arm is tied up and hung up and put in place, and this right hand is left, it's much easier. I'd rather bandage you in low light than in Bandage in strong light, because in low light, I can't see those terrible blisters, so I will bandage safely. My brother, don't you feel that your breathing is a little strange? You seem to be breathing faster."

"Perhaps it has sped up, Herbert. Does the woman mean what she says?" "That became the darkest period of Provis's life because she literally killed that kid." "That means Provis thinks she has fulfilled her oath." "Of course, why, my brother," replied Herbert, in a tone of astonishment, and leaning down again to look very closely at me, "that's all he said, and I have no other news. " "Of course not anymore." "Besides," continued Herbert, "whether he was kind to the mother or not to the mother, Provis did not say. But she and he had been together through thick and thin for four or five years. Years, that's what he said at this fireside. He seemed to have a lot of sympathy for her, and a lot of consideration for her, because he was afraid he would be called to testify in the killing of the child, and therefore sentenced her to death. , so he hid. Although he was very sad for the death of the child, according to his own words, he would see no one at that time, and he would never go to court. One case was only vaguely stated about a man named Abel. After the acquittal, she disappeared, and he lost the child and the mother of the child.”

"I want to ask—" "Come on, my man, and I'll be done. That villain, Compeyson, was the rogue of rogues. He knew perfectly well then that Provis was avoiding people, and why he was avoiding them. Compeyson said to torture him, to make him do more and more work, to make him live more and more poorly. It is obvious from last night's conversation that Provis and Compeyson have a bitter rivalry. This is how enmity is forged." "I want to know," I said to him, "I want to know especially, Herbert, when exactly what he told you happened?" "Specially want to know? Let me think about it, I remember him saying, 'It happened about twenty years ago, almost when I started working with Compeyson'. Met him in a country cemetery How old were you?"

"I think it was about seven years old." "Well, he said, he met you three or four years after it happened. The sight of you made him think of his little daughter, who died so badly, and who was about your age." "Herbert," said I hastily, after a moment's silence, "do you see me better by the light from the window, or by the light of the fire?" "By the light of the fire," replied Herbert, drawing closer to me. "Look at me." "I'm looking at you, man." "Touch me." "I'm touching, man." "You don't have to worry, I don't have a fever, and yesterday's accident didn't mess my mind, understand?" "Yes, yes, my dear friend," said Herbert.He looked at me for a while and then said, "You're a little agitated, but you're normal." "I don't know I'm normal. I need you to know that the man we're hiding by the river is Estella's father."