But, the forge was a very short distance off,
and I went towards it under the sweet green
limes, listening for the clink of Joe's hammer.
Long after I ought to have heard it, and long
after I had fancied I heard it and found it but
a fancy, all was still. The limes were there,
and the white thorns were there, and the
chesnut-trees were there, and their leaves rustled
harmoniously when I stopped to listen; but, the
clink of Joe's hammer was not in the midsummer
wind.

Almost fearing, without knowing why, to
come in view of the forge, I saw it at last, and
saw that it was closed. No gleam of fire, no
glittering shower of sparks, no roar of bellows;
all shut up, and still.

But, the house was not deserted, and the
best parlour seemed to be in use, for there were
white curtains fluttering in its window, and the
window was open and gay with flowers. I
went softly towards it, meaning to peep over
the flowers, when Joe and Biddy stood before
me, arm in arm.

At first Biddy gave a cry, as if she thought
it was my apparition, but in another moment she
was in my embrace. I wept to see her, and she
wept to see me; I, because she looked so fresh
and pleasant; she, because I looked so worn and
white.

"Dear Biddy, how smart you are!"

"Yes, dear Pip."

"And Joe, how smart you are!"

"Yes, dear old Pip, old chap."

I looked at both of them, from one to the
other, and then——

"It's my wedding-day," cried Biddy, in a
burst of happiness, "and I am married to Joe!"

They had taken me into the kitchen, and I
had laid my head down on the old deal table.
Biddy held one of my hands to her lips, and
Joe's restoring touch was on my shoulder.
"Which he warn't strong enough, my dear, fur
to be surprised," said Joe. And Biddy said, "I
ought to have thought of it, dear Joe, but I was
too happy." They were both so overjoyed to
see me, so proud to see me, so touched by my
coming to them, so delighted that I should have
come by accident to make their day complete!

My first thought was one of great thankfulness
that I had never breathed this last baffled
hope to Joe. How often, while he was with me
in my illness, had it risen to my lips. How
irrevocable would have been his knowledge of it, if
he had remained with me but another hour!

"Dear Biddy," said I, "you have the best
husband in the whole world, and if you could
have seen him by my bed you would have——
But no, you couldn't love him better than you
do."

"No, I couldn't, indeed," said Biddy.

"And, dear Joe, you have the best wife in the
whole world, and she will make you as happy as
even you deserve to be, you dear, good, noble
Joe!"

Joe looked at me with a quivering lip, and
fairly put his sleeve before his eyes.

"And Joe and Biddy both, as you have been
to church to-day, and are in charity and love
with all mankind, receive my humble thanks for
all you have done for me, and all I have so ill
repaid! And when I say that I am going away
within the hour, for I am soon going abroad,
and that I shall never rest until I have worked
for the money with which you have kept me out
of prison, and have sent it to you, don't think,
dear Joe and Biddy, that if I could repay it a
thousand times over, I suppose I could cancel a
farthing of the debt I owe you, or that I would
do so if I could!"

They were both melted by these words, and
both entreated me to say no more.

"But I must say more. Dear Joe, I hope
you will have children to love, and that some
little fellow will sit in this chimney corner of a
winter night, who may remind you of another
little fellow gone out of it for ever. Don't tell
him, Joe, that I was thankless; don't tell him,
Biddy, that I was ungenerous and unjust;
only tell him that I honoured you both, because
you were both so good and true, and that, as
your child, I said it would be natural to him to
grow up a much better man than I did."

"I ain't a going," said Joe, from behind his
sleeve, "to tell him nothink o' that natur, Pip.
Nor Biddy ain't. Nor yet no one ain't."

"And now, though I know you have already
done it in your own kind hearts, pray tell me, both,
that you forgive me! Pray let me hear you say
the words, that I may carry the sound of them
away with me, and then I shall be able to believe
that you can trust me, and think better of me, in
the time to come!"

"O dear old Pip, old chap," said Joe. "God
knows as I forgive you, if I have anythink to
forgive!"

"Amen! And God knows I do!" echoed
Biddy.

"Now let me go up and look at my old little
room, and rest there a few minutes by myself,
and then when I have eaten and drunk with you,
go with me as far as the finger-post, dear Joe
and Biddy, before we say good-by!"

I sold all I had, and I put aside as much as I
could, for a composition with my creditors—who
gave me ample time to pay them in full—and I
went out and joined Herbert. Within a month,
I had quitted England, and within two months
I was clerk to Clarriker and Co, and within
four months I assumed my first undivided
responsibility. For, the beam across the parlour
ceiling at Mill Pond Bank, had then ceased to
tremble under old Bill Barley's growls and was
at peace, and Herbert had gone away to marry
Clara, and I was left in sole charge of the
Eastern Branch until he brought her back.

Many a year went round, before I was a
partner in the House; but, I lived happily with
Herbert and his wife, and lived frugally, and
paid my debts, and maintained a constant
correspondence with Biddy and Joe. It was not
until I became third in the firm, that Clarriker