Chapter 19-28
Pips last week in his home town is lonely. He has a fight with Biddy about Joe, who is sad about his young friend leaving. On the other hand he suddenly on very good terms with Pumblechook, who has drinks with him and behaves generally as if they were old friends.
In London he meets with Mr Jaggers, his guardian. Whenever the two of them walk through the streets several people try to talk with Jaggers, but he's always passive and asks just brief case relevant questions and doesn't want to know anymore.
Next we meet Wemmick (a partner of Jaggers?). He's a more friendly character and he's the one who walks Pip to his residence over the weekend, before he can meet Matthew Pocket on Monday.
Pip stays at the Barnard's Inn. There he meets Mr Pockets son. They're soon close friends. Herbert, the name of Mr Pocket Jr, shows Pip some formalities of he higher society. Soon they discover that they know each other. Herberts the "pale young gentlemen" Pip had the fight in Ms Havisham's backyard all those years ago. Herbert also gives Pip a nickname, after he offered to be called by his christian name: "Handel".
Herbert tells a bit of Mr Harvishams back story. She fell madly in love with that guy, everybody (including Matthew Pocket) warned her about. She was quite rich, because her Dad made a good fortune with brewing. She was an only child, expect a half-brother her dad had with another woman. When that second wife of his died, the young boy moved in with Ms Havisham and her dad. He turned out to be a bad person. Mr Havisham hated his wasteful character. And when she got left her everything from her father, the brother hold a grudge against her (he though she influenced their father in doing so). So when Mr Havisham got the message, that her groom wouldn't show up at 20 to 9, when she just put on one shoe, her world fell apart. she ever since suspected her brother to be part of that cruel complot. And Matthew Pocket, who's her cousin, hasn't spoken to her ever since, because every attempt would automatically feel as if he'd say "I told you so".
On Monday Pip goes to see Matthew Pocket at his house. He meets Mrs Pocket, who's grandfather was kind of important and who hoped to marry a title with Matthew (which she didn't). The family has several kids looked after by the maids. Mrs Pocket shows clearly that she doesn't have much talent with kids.
Pip also meets his fellow students(?), Drummle and Startop. Pip soon becomes friends with Startop. But he generally dislikes Drummle ('the spider' as Mr Jaggers who likes him, puts it).
Pip has dinner with both Mr Wemmick and Mr Jaggers, which shows the difference between those. Mr Wemmick never talks about work at home and lives with 'the aged' his father. Mr Jaggers has a study and everything looking like a second office. the only other person, we "meet" in his house is his servant Molly, who he's rude and cruel to.
Pip live in Matthew Pockets house, while he still shares the rooms in the Inn with Herbert.
It's in the Inn where he meets Joe again, who came to London with a friend. Joe calls Pip Sir now and just slips into Pip every once in a while. He hold onto his hat and is uncomfortable in the presence of the two gentlemen. Before Joe leaves, he tells Pip that he's right where he is as a blacksmith and he's proud to be one, because that's his place in the world.
Mr Jaggers tells Pip that Ms Havisham wants to see him, because Estella is back. Pip takes a coach he shares with two convicts. Pip recognises one of them. But its not "his" convict, but the one who escaped with him.
Back home Pip checks in at a hotel instead of going to stay with Joe, Biddy and his sister. He tries to make up excuses for himself, so just to not stay with them, but not to see them at all.
