The Fix (2017) a Detective Novel by David Baldacci

“His memory had served him particularly well.” (p. 558)

Walter Dabney has shot a woman in the late morning. There is no record about the victim. But in fact, the victim, a substitute schoolteacher lives in a multimillion-dollar condo and owns an expensive car. Amos Decker and his team are led to an espionage. Mr. Baldacci is really master of the plot, he brings Melvin Mars into the tale. Mars, the wrongfully convicted in murder from the Last Mile runs a low-income housing and now he is in love with a new character Agent Harper Brown, a woman from DIA- Defense Intelligence Agency. The 588-page detective novel was published by Pan Books in 2017, and this book is really unpredictable one.

The Fix (2017) a Detective Novel by David Baldacci

The tall man was in his sixties, with thinning salt-and pepper hair parted on the side. Walter Dabney was in a coffee shop ordered some food, and now walking the rest of the way. His suit was expensive and fit his colorful pocket with the touch of a tailored hand. He wore a lanyard around his neck loaded with clearances sufficient to allow him access into the inner sanctums of the Hoover Building with an escort along for the ride.

A woman was coming from the opposite direction. She was in her late fifties, with gray hair cut in her parentheses around her long oval face. As she approached the Hoover Building she seemed to hesitate. There was no lanyard around her neck. The only ID she possessed was the driver’s license in her purse.

It was late morning and the streets were not as crowded as they would been earlier. About twenty yards behind Dabney, Amos Decker trudged along alone. He was six-five and built like the football player he had once been. Decker worked at FBI on a joint task force. He was in his way to a meeting at the Hoover Building.

Dabney reached for his weapon, and he was aiming a compact Beretta at the back of the woman’s head. Anne fell forward onto the pavement. His pistol out, Decker ran forward as others on the street creamed and ran away. Decker aimed his gun on him, but Dabney press the gun to the bottom of his chin and pulled the trigger.

Anne Berkshire lay on a metal table, there was no doubt whatsoever as to what had caused the women’s death. She was fifty-nine, unmarried, substitute schoolteacher at a Catholic school in Faifax County. She had no relatives came forward. There was no record about the victim, but she lived in a  multimillion-dollar apartment.

Alex Jamison and Ross Bogart, two of Decker’s colleagues on a joint task force composed of civilians and FB agents, were with Dabney at the hospital right now. Decker glanced over as Todd Milligan, the fourth member of the joint task force, entered the room. A fifth member Lisa Davenport, a psychologist by training.

The shooter, Dabney, was sixty-one, married, with four grown daughters. He had a successful government contracting business. Before that he worked at NSA for ten years. He lived in McLean in a big house. His children were spread all over the place. One lived in France.

Alex Jamison was in her late twenties, tall, slim, and pretty with long brunette hair. She sat on the right side of the hospital bed. Ross Bogart, an FBI special agent in his late forties, with a bit of gray the only thing marrying his perfectly combed dark hair, his fingers clutched the bed’s safety rail.

Dabney right eye was an empty crater, his facial stained purple by burst capillaries. He was dying. Mrs. Eleanor Dabney, better known as Ellie, had arrived thirty minutes after the FBI had told her what had happened. She was tall and broad-shouldered, with long legs and a slender waist and narrow hips. Her features was quite attractive. Her hair was long and she had let it go naturally silver. Now in her early sixties, the mother of four grown children with three grandchildren and one mortally wounded husband. She never heard Anne Berkshire in her life.

Joey Scott was only ten years old, but his short life was nearing its end. He was in process of being adopted out of foster care. When he got sick his adoptive parents pulled out. They wanted a healthy model. The boy had talked to Anne before she died.

Decker and Milligan were visiting Anne’s condo on the top floor of a luxury building directly across the street from the Reston Town Center. The apartment and the Mercedes SL600 were too luxurious for a substitute teacher. She lived in Atlanta for three years and had no an occupation. There was no address. She thought math for four years.

Walter Dabney and Associates was located off the Fairfax County in Reston Virginia. The area  was home to lots of government contractors. After showing their IDs, Decker and Jamison were escorted to a small room conference by a young woman. A minute later Faye Thompson appeared and she was a partner. She had been there fifteen years, made partner eight years ago. Most of projects they worked on were classified. He appeared the day before normally.

The Decker wanted a room, he was exhausted to commute every day. Milligan and Decker just found that Melvin Mars bought the building with some money from his settlement with the government. It was for low-income housing. Alex Jamison offered Decker to live together. They were roomates in Mars’s building. The building had been an old brick warehouse with huge windows, Jamison had informed him that it had been divided up into apartments. The rent on the place was well under the going rate. Everyone lived there had a job. Fifteen units were rented , two residents were single, and the rest were families.

Decker had lost his family, his job and his home. He had come a far distance from his former life in Burlington, Ohio.

To Jules Berkshire her father was great in his business and her mother was the perfect partner.  The blood drained from Samantha’ face when he found that her father was terminal brain tumor. Decker found Mrs. Berkshire consume the Zoloft for her depression.

Samantha was in her early thirties, with brown hair cut short, glasses, and the same tall, lean build as Jules. Jules was sent key to his father box at the bank. They stared at an empty deposit box. Five days ago Mr. Dabney came in and accessed his box. There was a woman with Dabney. It was not his wife. She was shorter and stout, with dark with. The woman was wearing the wig. The woman was carrying a small bag that clearly had something in it. They left the bank with a copy of the video.

Anne Berkshire

Decker and Jamison were the principal of the Catholic school where Berkshire had been a substitute teacher. Cole was in her fifties, and all about Anne was standard. She had a teacher’s certificate. The school had lucky to have her. She had graduated from college and had the requisite teaching experience. But the principal was shock to know Anne lived in a penthouse.

Cole only knew that Anne drove dark Honda Accord and the surveillances camera never caught a luxury car at the parking lot. Anne never talked about her family. Cole gave a name of the teacher who could tell Decker more. Anne bought a multi-million dollar condo and expensive car and worked at school, and volunteer at a hospice.

Decker at his new apartment and Tomas Amaya

Decker was sitting on the front steps of his apartment building his coffee when the door behind him opened. Tomas Amaya had on his work clothes, and his son Danny had on jeans with his school bag over his shoulder. The little boy jumped into the passenger seat while his father pulled out the keys. Two men climbed out, one large and one small. Pistols were in their waistband. Decker aimed his pistol to the two men. The two men ran for their car.

Harper Brown

She was about five-seven, lean, and fit, with blond hair down to her shoulders. Brown was in her late thirties, and worked at Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). She was raised in Alabama by God-fearing parents. Dabney had been involved in a lot of high-level government contracting work. She had a theory, Dabney was stealing secrets and he did it for gambling debts. The secrets that he stole compromise strategic assets of the country.

Tomas Amaya did not look happy to see Decker and Jamison in his doorway. Jamison introduced herself as the manager of the building. Amaya refused to say anything to the police. The two dead men had no Id, but one of the cops thought he recognized the AK shooter. The shooters were after Tomas, but Jamison and Decker were involved right now. When they reached apartment building, the crime scene was still being processed, but the bodies had been taken away. A trembling Danny was escorted to his apartment.

Decker had put aside the issue of the Amayas and come back to Dabney/Berkshire investigation. Anne’s car was purchased a year after she bought the condo. She lived in Atlanta previously. Harper Brown had told them that Dabney was selling secrets to cover the gambling debts. Natalie had landed from Paris, since they found her father was not a gambler. Brown believed it was Natalie’s husband. Natalie used a couple of words that triggered an NSA algorithm so it got recorded and dumped in a data box. The gambling and the Russian mob connection. It was ten million dollars.   

Decker and team studied the surveillance video for days. A clown was there. No circus or other show in town. There was no sign advertising an upcoming events. The clown obviously knew where the camera and the gaps were. According to Agent Brown, the gambling debts were paid off.

Four men appeared on the stairs. Tomas Amaya’s face was bruised and bloody. Two of the men had guns out. They were young and tough-looking. Decker was about to fire when the other man was hit so hard. Melvin Mars had saved Decker and Amaya. The guy Decker had shot was dead, and the other three, handled by Mars.

Brown’s BMW brought Decker to a street full of old high-dollar row houses that looked newly renovated. Her great-grandfather was one of the earliest investors in Hewlett-Packard. He set up a trust fund. She inherited the house and the money from him. Her father was military and a full colonel in Vietnam War. He was the reason she joined up. Technically Harper was in army, had two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. She was Explosive Ordinance specialist. She defused unexploded bombs. She rubbed her bare foot.

Brown found lately that Anne Berkshire had no past further back than ten years. But she had resume showing she graduated from Virginia Tech.

Nancy Billings was calling for Amos Decker or Alex Jamison. She was a teacher at school where Anne Berkshire worked as a substitute. She was in her late thirties, a carefree manner and a nose ring. Decker was just wondering a Catholic school teacher wore a nose ring. She said she just wore it in off hours. She was sick home, had attended some teacher training. She has to help her mother, her father had dementia. Anne was very good, stuck to the lesson plan. She had no idea about Anne’s luxurious life. She thought she was as poor as Nancy. Both of them taught math. Anne never spoke foreign language to her, but sometimes she could detect a little bit of an accent.

Decker and Brown had just entered Berkshire’s luxurious condo. They found old floppy disk, the 1980s KGB communication. Bogart found someone apparently created a database profile for Berkshire, complete with prints showing no criminal background. Her references looked legit but they were also fake. Based on what Brown found in that Russian communication, it seems that Berkshire was a Russian spy going way back.

Dabney’s House

The housekeeper was in her sixties, with gray hair. Cecilia Randal allowed them to kitchen. Decker just knew from her that Dabney was buying the house he was still working at NSA, and Mrs. Dabney came from money. Ellie Dabney was shocked to knowing her son in law’s gambling debt. The other Dabney’s daughter were shocked too. Jules, Amanda, and Samantha did not know their father stole government secret for paying for Natalie’s husband.

Melvin Mars was there when Decker and the team got back to the apartment. Brown preferred to identify him as the former football player than dude on Texas’s death row. Mars and Brown drove off in their cars, and Decker and Jamison going up to their apartment. The man had on a black hoodie tightly closed so Jamison could not see his face. He had a gun that was pointed at Decker’s chest. He led them to a sedan. He put Decker in passenger seat and handed Jamison the car keys. They drove off. Luis Alvarez, the construction supervisor at the building where Tomas Amaya had worked. Agent Bogart had been listening to everything they’ve been saying. The chip in his phone has led the fed right there. A shot rang out. Bogart sat down next to Jamison and Decker’s apartment.

Brown and Melvin fell into relationship. Melvin was Decker’s friend and he did not want to see him get hurt either. Jamison disagreed with that situation. Technically she worked for Melvin and she had a right to know everything about Melvin now. Brown and Melvin spent time together at Melvin’s hotel. 

Berkshire’ condo was empty. Her closet was pretty bare. No jewelry, no expensive bag. The clothes she had on when she died were from a discount store. Cecilia Randall called him about Natalie. The funeral was over, she was heading back to France. Bogart brought her back and investigated her on her husband. Decker pulled an electronic book that showed her on the floor a casino in Paris. A spoiled girl lied about everything and put her own daughter in danger because she could not stop rolling the dice.

Natalie described the guy who approached her. He sounded Russian to him. Ten million for the secrets that Dabney stole was probably sham transaction.

Visiting hours were over, the director, Sally Palmer, had gone home for night. She never met Anne Berkshire, though she heard the name. She only knew a few patients and Jenkins, the prisoner, might knew something.

Joey Scott had leukemia, and Anne read the book to him. Alvin Jenkins was nowhere to be found. He was probably got a half dozen passports. Alvin Jenkins was working for Anne Berkshire. Anne was reading a book to a dying boy just as a way to send stolen secrets. They were using the cover of a dying little boy to pass along stolen secrets. 

The house keeper, Cecilia Randall, was killed by a professional hit. Natalie had formally charged and was with FBI now. She was shock to heard the death of Cecilia.

Sally Palmer explained the disappearance of Alvin Jenkins, The man started working there only about two months ago. The three of them (Alvin, Joey, and Anne) were in hospice around the same time. Sally gave them the address of the man who sent Joey.

Alfred and Julia Gorski hosted a charity balls on hospital wings, throw great parties, one of which the head of his agency has attended. They were immigrants from Poland, and built a huge import-export company. The Gorskis have been rich for decades and have been spying the whole time. They had also moved into high circles and they came into contact with people  who do the secrets.

Special Agent Nathan Deel, a Secret Service, was led Decker and team to meet the President. They told everything about the Gorski to the President. The Gorski had financed a young boy at a hospice in Reston. A book being read to this young boy by Anne Berkshire, who was certainly a spy, continued coded classified information stolen from various agencies. The money had been traced and the payoff for the gambling debt that caused Walter Dabney to steal classified secrets related to the Russians.  

Dabney was working at NSA, Maryland, right out the college, Ellie worked as a waitress at a café near there. Ellie did not come from money. Dabney had used a doll to pass the secrets. A little girl with a doll of transporting the secret was just like the way Joey and the book. They brought all the doll from Dabney’s house and found Zoloft there. Ellie Dabney took those pills for the last three years of her life. Cecilia Randal as murdered. It was her daughter when Decker got Cecilia’s house. She was black, thin, and around forty. Rhonda Kaine, the only child of Cecilia, just came by to pick up something. Decker found a doll at the house, Rhonda’s doll. Cecilia’s daughter’s dolls were identical to those of the four Dabney’s doll.

Walter Dabney brought secrets home from work. Oral Turinabol was the steroid of choice for East Germans. It was a real turbocharger for athletic performance. Ellie was being groomed for the Olympics. Over the years she was given Oral Turinabol. They wanted to build something akin to Hitler’s perfect Aryan’s race. They taught her English until she could speak it fluently with no accent. She learned as if it was her own. She was from Oregon, her parents died in mudslide, and raised in orphanage. She became a waitress and targeted the young Dabney. He left NSA and started his own firm. She had ship the information out using the doll.

Oral Turinabol caused both liver and kidney disease, bone density loss, high cholesterol and asthma, all conditions which she have and for which she was currently taking medications. It also caused miscarriages, and birth defects, like the ones her daughters had. She also took Zoloft for depression. She knew Anne Berkshire when her name was Anna Seryyzamok. She was Ellie’s handler.

Anne was still working with the spies. She uses Dominion Hospice and her work with the Gorski and Alvin Jenkins. She made a comment to a teacher at the school where she volunteered. Everything was fine for long time and along came Natalie and her gambling problems. Natalie was her opportunity. Ten million dollars or her daughter and her family got slaughtered by the Russians. Berkshire was probably monitoring her family for any weakness to use against Ellie. She realized that Berkshire had deceived her. It was Ellen’s idea to kill Berkshire. Walters was terminal ill, he would never stand for trial. On that morning Ellie dressed as the clown gave the signal to her husband.  Before he killed Berkshire, the CCTV showed a woman was removing items from Walter’s safe deposit.

After her athletic hopes ended back in East German, Ellie was recruited by MfS - the East German Ministry for State Security. They worked closely with KGB. They had formed a joint intelligent program that would delivers agents into the States, not as foreigners but with the background to make them appeared to be citizens. It was also during that time she met Anna, but on the KGB side. Ellie was a spy and Anna was her handler. She told Walter that the money for the house and the car were from a trust fund set up for her by logging company that was at fault for the mudslide that killed her parents.

A van was waiting there. A man crouching there aiming a gun at him. He had on no mask. His captors marched him up to the front porch. He recognized the woman as the one in the bank video with Walter Dabney. Decker was saved by Bogart, but Alex was kidnapped. Some of the captors chattered in Arabic. Walter Dabney knew something and he was trying to send the terrorists a powerful message but wrong about the recipient. A message with no words. He committed an act of violence at the FBI headquarter. The woman kidnapped Alex told that the target was not just President and the two other leaders, but symbolic, the Hoover Building.

They worked their way down the tunnel, finally found a cylindrical metal device with wiring coming out of the top. The bomb was attached to the pipe. Brown was a bomb specialist in the Army. On the raised dais was a podium with a microphone. The President walked to the lectern and gave award to Major Harper Brown. She lost the wheelchair for good. They said she had some temporary weakness because of what happened with the gas. Ellie Dabney was going to do some serious prison time. Natalie might get off with some sort of probation. They could not prove she knew anything about the actual espionage. Decker did not even know if Jamison wanted to continue working with FBI. For all he knew Mars and Brown might get married. Bogart and Milligan might get transferred. Amos Decker was alone again. 

  

*****

May 3, 2018

Sekapur Sirih

Fiksi ini sangat tepat mengisi waktu dalam perjalanan, satu lagi karya Baldacci dengan plot kuat, kompleks dan sulit ditebak. Amos Decker masih bersama Alex Jamison dan Ross Bogart memecahkan sebuah kasus pembunuhan terhadap Anne Berkshire, seorang guru pengganti, pembunuhnya sangat jelas, lelaki tua bernama Walter Dabney, suami pengusaha sukses, pekerja keras dan setia, sosok ayah teladan bagi keempat putrinya yang kini sudah dewasa, dan kakek penyayang.

Dabney menembak mati Anne sesaat setelah meninggalkan sebuah kedai kopi, hanya beberapa meter dari kantor FBI, dan pak tua Dabney menarik pemicu pistol ke bawah dagunya, menghantarkan nyawanya ke koma hingga tewas. Peristiwa penembakan di tempat umum dan hanya sesaat menjelang siang hari.

Berkat ketekunan Amos Decker, tentu saja, bantuan tim termasuk rekannya Ross Bogart mampu menemukan motif dan sama sekali tidak terduga. Perjudian dan terlibat utang menjadi lokomotif dalam permainan mata-mata dan espionase. Kehadiran tokoh baru Harper Brown mencairkan suasana sebagai pasangan eks bintang NFL Melvin Mars (korban salah tangkap dari the Last Mile). Sebaiknya Anda membaca the Last Mile terlebih dahulu sebelum membaca fiksi ini. Namun jika memang tidak sempat membacanya, tidak perlu terlalu kuatir, penulis sering mengingatkan kisah masa lalu dan jati diri tokoh-tokohnya, dan kasus pembunuhan dalam fiksi ini independen.

Amos dengan gaji pas-pasan digambarkan realistis saat tinggal di gedung milik Melvin Mars. Bayangan kepedihan atas terbunuhnya istri dan putrinya masih menyeret pikirannya, namun ia selalu gigih dalam bekerja bahkan nyaris di ambang kematian.

Cerita detektif dan suspense yang menarik, penulis Baldacci benar-benar brillian dalam menciptakan tokoh-tokoh dan plot memilin. Ditorehkan dalam 588 halaman, terbitan Pan Books tahun 2017, sangat mudah dicerna tanpa menihilkan kekuatan bahasa, the Fix menarik untuk dimiliki.

Terjemahan dalam Bahasa Indonesia, the Fix (2017), David Baldacci: ringkasan

Pria berpakaian bagus berumur enam puluhan menabak mati seoarang wanita di tempat umum. Kamera pemantau jelas memperlihatkan lelaki itu langsung mengarahkan pistolnya ke dagunya. Korban Anne Berkshire berumur lima puluhan adalah seorang guru pengganti di sebuah sekolah Katholik dan penembaknya adalah pengusaha sukses. Amos Decker berada tidak jauh dari kejadian, dia bahkan sempat mengarahkan senjatanya pada Walter Dabney. Baik Amos, Anne, maupun Walter terlihat hendak memasuki gedung FBI.

Terkuak kemudian, pelaku adalah pemilik perusahaan kontraktor untuk pemerintah, bahkan lelaki itu sempat bekerja pada NSA berdekade lalu. Yang menjadi pertanyaan besar bagi Amos Decker, Alex Jamison, dan Ross Bogart, dan Todd Milligan, apa pentingnya seorang pengusaha kaya seperti Dabney membunuh senekat itu di tempat umum.

Hasil otopsi mengejutkan keempat putri dan istrinya, Dabney mengidap tumor ganas di otaknya, dan peluang hidupnya sempit. Setelah melakukan penyelidikan terhadap korban fakta mengejutkan ditemukan: Anne memiliki apartemen mewah bernilai jutaan dolar dan mobil mewah, dia juga aktif sebagai sukarelawan di sebuah rumah hospis, rumah sakit khusus bagi mereka yang mengidap penyakit stadium parah. Kepala sekolah tidak tahu menahu asal-usul Anne sama sekali, namun dari arsip menunjukkan tidka ada yang ganjil bahkan kehormatan bagai sekolah tersebut memiliki Anne. Kepsek tentu saja terkaget dengan harta Anne, keseharian ia dikenal dengan sederhana Honda Accord-nya.

Keempat putri Dabney telah dewasa dan bahkan ia telah memiliki 3 cucu dan setia pada istriya yang tangguh. Hasil otopsi sangat mengagetkan kelima wanita itu. Tidak ada harapan lagi bagi Dabney, tumor otak yang dideritanya sudah sangat parah.

Agen Harper Brown, mantan militer yang sudah dua kali tur ke Afganistan dan Irak, sekarang bergabung dengan DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) di bawah FBI. Wanita yang berayahkan seorang kolonel dari perang Vietnam, dan kakek seorang ilmuwan pemilik hak paten mewariskan uang besar dan royalty. Ia hidup dalam kemewahan dan memutuskan diri menjadi ahli bom. Ketika pertama kali berjumpa dengan Mars, ia memiliki sudut pandang berbeda dengan pria itu. Sekarang Mars sering bersama Decker dan tidak terpungkiri ia diperkenalkan pada wanita tangguh itu.

Hasil penyidikan tim Brown dari FBI mendapati aliran dana mengarah ke seorang keluarga imigran dari Polandia mafia yang terhubung dengan orang Rusia. Hutang dari putri Dabney telah dibayarkan dengan perjanjian membocorkan rahasia pada pihak Rusia. Dabney menyadari umurnya yang tidak panjang lagi dan yakin tidak akan menghadapi tuntutan.

Decker dan tim bergeser ke rumah sakit, mendapati sebuah pola penyeludupan rahasia lewat buku bacaan anak. Anne Berkshire seorang donatur dan sukarelawan pada sebuah rumah sakit. Ia rutin membacakan buku untuk seorang anak sekarat, dan bergantian dengan seorang pria yang belakangan diketahui mantan napi, Alvin Jenkins. Kehadiran anak itu, Anne dan Alvin dalam waktu yang bisa dibilang bersamaan. Anak sakit itu telah dimanfaatkan sebagai sarana pertukaran rahasia.

Kembali ke masa muda Dabney, Decker menemukan pola yang sama yakni boneka. Dabney menggunakan boneka untuk menjual informasi. Boneka yang ditemukan di rumah pengasuh anaknya dan boneka putrinya dijadikan media pertukaran. Ketika keempat putrinya sudah besar, tentu saja kisah boneka juga berlalu. Penyidikan akhir yang sangat mengejutkan bahwa sebenarnya yang menjadi agen mata-mata dan agen rahasia adalah istri Dabney, Ellen. Pernyataan pembantunya yang mengatakan ia datang dari uang tidak sinkron dengan pernyataan putrinya dan fakta.

Ellen adalah anak yang dipilih dari panti asuhan, dididik dan dilatih menjadi mata-mata. Sama sekali tidak memiliki pohon keluarga. Pemeritah Jerman tengah mengadakan sebuah proyek percobaan untuk mendapatkan manusia unggul dan handal dengan menyuntikkan sebuah zat padanya sejak dini. Memang, Ellen tumbuh menjadi wanita cerdas, gesit, dan terlatih, dengan badan yang kokoh. Badan rahasia Jerman telah bekerja sama dengan Rusia untuk memata-matai Amerika. Secara praktek Ellen bekerjasama dengan agen- agen Rusia dan disusupkan di Amerika.

Ia telah dicuci-otak dan ditanam di sebuah keluarga, dan diciptakan cerita. Orang tuanya tewas dalam kecelakaan, dan pihak perusahaan yang menabrak memberikan uang santunan banyak untuk pendidikan dan hidupnya. Dabney bekerja pada NSA dan ia seorang pelayan pada kantin tidak jauh dari kantor Dabney memikat hatinya. Setelah keduanya menikah, Dabney pun akhirnya keluar dari pekerjaannya. Tidak berselang lama Ellen membeli rumah dan kendaraan mewah yang katanya berasal dari dana santunan kematian orang tuanya. 

Dabney pun memulai bisnis, namun diam-diam Ellen tetap menjadi mata-mata. Dabney adalah targetnya. Uang yang diklaim dana santunan adalah dari hasil mata-mata. Karena anaknya sudah besar dan ia tidak mungkin melakukannya sendiri, Anne Berkshire pun hadir, wanita yang bernama asli Anna Seryyzamok. Wanita itu menjadi penyambungnya.

Anne ingin menghancurkan Ellen, karena tidak mau menjadi pesuruh abadi, sebelumnya itu terjadi Ellen ingin membunuhnya terlebih dahulu. Rupanya Anne tidak sendiri, ia bekerjasama dengan kelompok Rusia, dan mereka pun sudah mempelajari perilaku anak-anak Ellen. Kebiasaan buruk dari putrinya Natalie yang gemar berjudi dijadikan perasan. Ellen dan Dabney lebih memilih nyawa cucu dan putrinya. Adalah ide Dabney sendiri yang akan membunuh Berkshire dan menyerahkan tebusan berupa dokumen rahasia kepada kelompok Rusia.

Ellen pun akhirnya masuk penjara, Natalie dibebaskan.  Hubungan Mars dan Harper semakin dalam dan akan segera menikah. Amos Decker sendiri kembali dalam kesendirian, pikirannya masih terjebak mengingat putri dan istrinya yang tewas dibunuh. 

*****

3 Mei 2018

Great Expectations (1860), a Classic Novel by Charles Dickens: summary

"When suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has thought me to understand what your heart used to be. She had been bent and broken, but - I hope - into a better shape." (p.412)

The classic book, Dickens’s thirteenth novel, was first published in the pages his weekly magazine All the Year Round between December 1860 and August 1861. The 412-page edition is published by Wordsworth Classics (inexpensive edition), in 2000, Great Britain. Though this edition preserves notes to help the reader to grasp the old words or terms back to 1860’s, but the book is still difficult one for me. I read it twice.

Lately I only recognize Dickens from the adaption movie of Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist. But back to decades ago, David Copperfield, Bleak House, Oedipus Rex, had gotten familiar on my ears. I had heard them in my class, but I am totally has forgotten all about them. At the first sight when I saw this book at the bookstore, I was not so sure to purchase this edition. But since I never have Dickens’s works before, the Great Expectation will be a good idea. After reading this book, I now realize that I am so lucky having this book. The book is not only a rich book, but also a beautifully constructed one.  

Pip, the central character, never does heroic acts. At the first scene he met a convict at the churchyard. The orphan boy lives with his sister who marries to a blacksmith, named Joe Gargery. He frequently gets the violence from his sister, Mrs Joe, then a strange and rich woman invites the boy to play at her large house called Satis House. Miss Havisham, the lady in wedding dress is the victim of trauma, and imprisons herself in a house like a crypt. The grown up Pip moves to London where he has a good life and a classy neighborhood. A secret benefactor has funded his luxurious life and now he goes to the party with his new educated and rich friends. He falls in love with Estella, the girl from Satis House, and this passion runs throughout his life. The element of surprise reveals at the end of story, Pip finds that ex-con Abel Magwitch, the convict he met at the churchyard at the first scene, is the biological father of Estella and his benefactor.

Great Expectations is a romantic drama. Pip, Estella, Magwitch, and Miss Havisham, all the central characters in the book, are living in the shadow of past. Pip too obsesses with the beautiful Estella, and I find the tone quite similar to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. 

Great Expectations (1860 & 1861), a Classic Novel by Charles Dickens: summary

His name was Philip Pirrip, he called himself Pip. His infant tongue made of both names nothing longer or more explicit than Pip. As he never saw his mother of his father, and never saw any likeness of either of them. They had died before the days of the photograph’s invention. He drew into a childish conclusion that his mother was freckled and sickly. There were five little stone had arranged neatly row beside the grave, and they were sacred to the memory of five brothers of him.  

The seven-year-old Pip was on the grave at the churchyard when a stranger approached him. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round head. A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud. After the boy gave his name and pointed to where his village lay, the man emptied the boy’s pocket. 

A piece of bread had made him strong and threatened the boy to bring him food and a file. Later the man with ironed leg discovered that the boy’s was an orphan and now who lived with his sister who married to a blacksmith with the name of Joe Gargery. He made the boy to take an oath not to tell anybody and bring him things in the next day. The very early morning Pip brought him the things that he asked him, the man limped towards to the low church wall, then picked the food and the handsaw.

His sister was more than twenty years older than him. Mrs Joe Gargery was not good-looking woman, she must have made Joe Gargery marry her by hand. Joe was a fair man with curls of flaxen hair on each side of his smooth face. He was a mild, good-natured, sweet-tempered, easy-going, foolish, dear fellow- a sort of Hercules in strength, and also in weakness. His sister with black hair and eyes, had such a prevailing redness of skin. She was tall and bony, and almost wore a coarse apron, fastened over her figure behind with two loops.

Pip’s sister was angry to him, for he went to the churchyard. He was hungry but he dared not eat his bread. Joe also lost his appetite, but he had tried to entertain the boy. But this time, his sister was quite desperate, so she pounced on Joe, and taking him by the two whiskers, knocked his head or a little while against the wall behind him. Pip sat on the corner, looked guiltily on it. His sister made a dive at him, and fished him up by the hair then said the awful words.

It was a Christmas Eve, and he had to stir the pudding at the next day. Joe said there was another convict off. The soldier was firing warning another from Hulks. Hulks were prison-ship. Pip did not understand what a convict was. He was never allowed a candle to light him to bed, and he went upstairs in the dark. He was afraid to sleep for he knew that at the firs dawn at morning he must rob the pantry. Pip stole some bread, some cheese, about half of mincemeat, some brandy. He was nearly going away without pie. A man was dressed in coarse gray, and had a great iron in his leg, he had not had the same face, felt hat on, and was lame. The man caught Pip, but he was sure that he was not the same man that he met yesterday. He called him a thief. Pip’s friend later found him, but the man with hat had ran and taken the food.

Mrs. Joe was prodigiously busy in getting the house ready for festivities of the day, and Joe had been put the kitchen door-step to keep him out of the dustpan. They were to have a superb dinner, consisting of a leg pickled pork and greens and a pair of roast stuffed fowls. Mrs Joe was a very clean housekeeper, but had an exquisite art making her cleanliness more uncomfortable and unacceptable than dirt itself. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

Joe and Pip were going to church. Mr Wopsle, the clerk at church, was to dine with them; and Mr Hubble, the wheelwright, and Mrs Hubble; and Uncle Pumblechook (Joe’s uncle, but Mrs Joe appropriated him), was well-to-do corn-chandler in the nearest town, and drove his own chaise-chart. They dined on that occasions in the kitchen, and the soldiers were at the door of the kitchen. The sergeant looked for the blacksmith. There was an accident, he found the lock of one of the convicts went wrong. Joe was to hammer and clink for them. At last, Joe’s job was done. The sergeant took a polite leave of the ladies.

Mr Wopsle, Joe and Pip were joining the soldier to hunt the fugitives. Joe had heard the shouting of two voices. Both the voices would seem to be stifled in a struggle. The sergeant ran Water was splashing, and mud was flying, and oaths were being sworn, and blows were being struck, when more men went down into the ditch to help sergeant, and dragged out, separately, Pip’s convict and another one. Both bleeding and panting and execrating and struggling, but of course Pip knew them directly. The two convicts yelled each other, then they took apart, and each walked surrounded by a separate guard. Pip’s convict never looked at him. He admitted that he had stolen some wittles from Joe the blacksmith. By the light of the torches, they saw the black Hulk lying out a little away from the mud of the shore.

At the time he stood in the churchyard, reading the family tombstones, Pip just enough learning to be able to spell them out. When he was old enough, he was to be apprenticed to Joe. Mr Wopsle’s great aunt kept an evening school in the village, that is to say; she was a ridiculous old woman limited means and unlimited infirmity, who used to go to sleep six to seven every evening. She rented a small cottage and Mr Wopsle had the room upstairs, where the students used to overhear him reading aloud in a most dignified and terrific manner, and occasionally bumping on the ceiling.

Mr Wopsle’s great aunt, besides keeping the educational institution, kept – in the same room-a little general shop. She had no idea what stock she had, or the price of anything in it was; but there was a little book in the drawer which served as a catalogue of prices, by this oracle Biddy arranged all the shop transaction. Biddy was an orphan like Pip, had been brought out by hand. She was most noticeable, in respect her extremities, for her hair always wanting brushing, her hands always wanting washing, her shoes always wanting mending and pulling up the heel.

Pip never heard Joe read aloud to any greater, and Pip had observed at the church last Sunday. Joe did ever go to school. His father was a drunkard, he hammered away at his mother. Joe and his mother ran away from his father several times. His mother had ran away and get a job. She wanted to send Joe for school, but his father took them home, and hammered them. Joe had worked tolerable hard, and his father went off in a purple leptic (apoplectic) fit. His mother was in poor health, and quite broke. She died soon. Joe was lonesome and he got acquainted with Pip’s sister. For him. Pip’s sister was a fine figure of a woman. Young as he was, he believe that he dated a new admiration of Joe from the conversation. They were equal afterwards.

Mrs Joe made occasional trips with Uncle Pumblechook on market days to assist him in buying  such household stuffs and goods as required a woman’s judgement; Uncle Publechook being a bachelor and reposing no confidences in his domestics servant. Uncle Pumblechook brought the news from up town, Miss Havisham wanted Pip to go and play in her house. She was a rich and grim lady who lived in a large and dismal house barricaded against robbers and who led a life of seclusion. Uncle Pumblechook may be a tenant of hers. Pip was put into clean linen of the stiffest character and then delivered over to Mr Pumblechook, who formally received him as if he was the Sheriff.

Mr Pumblechook and Pip breakfasted at eight o’clock in the parlor behind the shop, Pip considered Mr Pumblechook wretched company. For such reason, the boy was very glad when ten o’clock came and they started for Miss Havisham. The house had a great many iron bars to it. There were courtyard in front and that was barred. The girl raised a window and asked the visitor’s name. 

The boy was now in Satis House, the pretty girl explained the name was equal to enough house. They went into the house, the first thing he noticed was that the passages were all dark, and she had left a candle burning there. It was all dark, and only the candle lighted them. Pip was a half afraid.

In arm-chair, with an elbow resting on the table and her head leaning on that hand, sat the strangest lady he have ever seen. She was dressed in rich materials – satins, and lace, and silks – all of white. Her shoes was white. She had along white veil dependent from her hair. Some bright jewels lay sparkles on her necks and on her hands, and some other jewels lay sparkled on the table.

It was then Pip began to understand everything in the room. He noticed Miss Havishman just wanted to play and Estella dealt the cards. So Miss Havisham sat, corpse-like, as they played at cards, the frillings and trimmings on her bridal dress looking like earthy paper. Pip misdealt, as was only natural, and she denounced him for a stupid, clumsy laboring-boy. The lady knew Pip liked to see Estella again, though he said she was very insulting.

When he reached home, his sister was very curious to know all about Miss Havisham’s and asked a number of questions. Pip described Miss Havisham’s as his eyes had seen it. Uncle Pumblechook said Estella was Miss Havisham’s niece. And then he told Joe that he felt very miserable and that he had not been able to explain himself to Mrs Joe and Pumblechook were so rude to him, and that there had been a beautiful lady at Miss Havisham’s who was dreadfully proud, and that she had said Pip was common. How common Estella considered Joe, a mere blacksmith with thick boots and coarse hands. Pip thought how Joe and his sister were then sitting in the kitchen, and how Miss Havisham and Estella never sat in the kitchen, but far above the level of such common doings. It was a memorable day to him, for it made a great changes in him.

Of course there was a public –house in the village, and of course Joe liked sometimes to smoke his pipe there. Pip received strict orders from his sister call for him at The Three Jolly Bargemen that evening, on his way from school that day, bring him home at his peril. There was a bar at the Jolly Bargemen, Joe was smoking his pipe in company with Mr. Wosple and a stranger. He was a secret-looking man whom he had never seen before. He had a pipe in his mouth and looked hard on Pip, and nodded to him more than once. All the while, the strange man looked nobody but Pip, and looked as if he were determined to have a shot at him at last, and bring him down.

At the appointed time he returned to Miss Havisham, and his hesitating ring at the gate brought out Estella. His coming had stopped the conversation in the room. There were three ladies in the room and one gentleman. The lady, whose name was Camilla, very much like reminded him of his sister, with the difference was she was older. Mr and Mrs Camilla, Cousin Raymond, Sarah Pocket, Georgiana, were there. It was Miss Havisham’s birthday.

Pip had exhausted in the garden when he met a pale young gentlemen with red eyelids and light hair, He had been at his books when he had found himself staring at him. The pale boy asked Pip to fight. Pip judged him to be about his own age, but he was much taller, and had a way of spinning himself about that was full of appearance. Pip let out his first bow the pale boy lay on his back with a bloody nose. His spirit inspired Pip with great respect. He seemed no strength, never once hit Pip hard. He seemed so brave and innocent. Estella saw the fight and already waiting with the keys. She offered him to kiss her, so Pip kissed her on the cheek. The birthday visitors, the cards, fight had lasted so long. He never forgot the kiss since then.

As they began to be more used to one another, Miss Havisham asked him such questions and his plan in the future. He only wanted to be apprenticed to Joe. Miss Havisham asked Pip to bring Joe for the next visit. It was a trial to his feelings, to see Joe arraying himself in hi Sunday clothes to accompany him to Miss Havisham.

His sister declared her attention of going town with them, and being left at Uncle Pumblechook. Estella opened the gate as usual. Pip was afraid he was ashamed of Joe. Miss Havisham said Pip has earned a premium in her house, and she also gave some money to Joe. Then she said Joe was now his master and never coming back.

Pip was now an apprentice to Joe. He had a thought of making Mrs Havisham a present. Pip tried to visit Mrs Havisham’s house, but there was no Estella anymore. It was Sarah Pocket who opened the door. Pip said that he only came to see how Miss Havisham was, but in fact he looked for Estella. Estella was on board attending education for a lady.

The guns have been going since dark at the Hulks. The house seemed to have been violently entered when Joe Gargery was out. Somebody has been attacked and hurt. Pip and some men from   bar were running too fast and made no stop until they got into their kitchen. It was full of people, the whole village was there, and there was Joe. His sister laid without sense movement and she had been knocked down by tremendous blow on the back of her head. Nothing had been taking away from any part of the house.

It was a horrible to think that Pip had provided the weapon. The Constables from London were about the house for week or two. They took up several obviously wrong people. Long after the constitutional power had dispersed, his sister lay very ill in bed. Her sight was disturbed, her hearing was greatly impaired, her memory also; and her speech was unintelligence. However her temper was greatly improved and she was patient.

Pip now fell into a regular of apprentice-life, by no more remarkable circumstances than the arrival of his birthday and his paying visit to Miss Havisham. He still found Miss Sarah Pocket still on duty at the gate. So unchangeable was the dull of the house. Daylight never entered the house.

Biddy

Imperceptibly he became conscious of change in Biddy, however. Her shoes came up to the heel, her hair grew bright and neat, her hands were always clean. She was not beautiful – she was common, and could not be like Estella – but she was pleasant and wholesome and sweet –tempered.

It came of his lifting up his eyes from writing some passages from the book. He laid down his pen and Biddy stopped in her needlework without laying it down. She managed our whole domestic life, and wonderful too. She said how Pip managed to be a very clever man while she was still very stupid. Since the conversation Pip began to think her rather an extraordinary girl. She was crying, she was Pip’s first teacher. It was like her self-forgetfulness, to transfer remark to his sister. His sister was never left alone now, Joe more than readily undertook the care on her on that Sunday afternoon, Biddy and Pip went together. They were out the marshes and began to see the sails and the ships. When they came to riverside, Pip told her that he was not at all happy as he was. He want to be a gentleman on Estella account. He really wanted to be a gentleman. Having made his lunatic confession to Biddy, he began throw his torn-up grass to the river. She listened and comforted him with her coarse hands.

The strange gentleman with an air of authority not to be disputed came at the door. He looked Joe’s apprentice.  His name was Jagger, a lawyer from London. The communication he had gotten to make was, that Pip has Great Expectations. The lawyer had instructed to communicate with Pip. He would be come into a handsome property. Pip’s dream was out; his wild fancy was surpassed by sober reality; Miss Havisham was going to make his fortune on grand scale. His heart was beating so fast, and there was no any objection.

Jaggers had recommended Mr. Matthew Pocket, Pip knew the name from Miss Havishman household. The Matthew whom Mr and Mrs Camilla had spoken of. The Matthew whose place was to be at Miss Havisham‘s head, when she lay dead, in her bride dress on the bride’s table.

Pip extended clemency to Biddy. Putting the best clothes he had, he went into the town as early as he could to find the shops open, and presented himself before Mr Trabb, the tailor. Mr Pumblechook treated and welcomed him well. His ill-manner to Pip had removed drastically since he knew Pip’s life now had changed.  He mentioned to Mr Pumblechook his new clothes sent to his house. He went circuitously to Miss Havisham, rang the bell constrainedly, on account of the stiff long finger on the glove.

She already heard about London’s stuff from Mr Jaggers. Pip was adopted by a rich person. She stretched her hand, and Pip knelt down on his knee and put it to his lips. Biddy was astir early morning to get his breakfast, it was a hurried breakfast with no taste in it. He kissed his sister, who was laughing and nodding and shaking in her usual chair, and kissed Biddy, and threw his arms and Joe’s neck. The last he saw of them was, and looking back, saw Joe throwing an old shoe after him, and Biddy throwing another old shoe. Biddy was crying.  
                    ******This is the end of the first stage of Pip’s expectation******

Pip in London

The journey from his town to the metropolis was a journey of about five hours. It was a little past mid-day when the four-horse stage coach  by which he was a passenger  into ravel of traffic frayed out in London. Mr Jagger was dully sent him his address. Mr Jaggers was in Court when Pip arrived at his office. Mr Jaggers’s room was lighted by a skylight only, and was a most dismal place.   

Of course he had no experience of a London summer day, and his spirits may have been oppressed by the hot exhausted air, and by the dust and grit that lay on everything. He made a little tour and now he became aware that other people were waiting about for Mr Jaggers. All the others whose were waiting, saw him at the same time. Two men waved to the lawyer and the suitor kissed his the hem of the lawyer’s garment. His guardian took him to his room, informed him what arrangements he had made for him. Pip then found that Wemmick was the clerk in the next room. Another clerk was rung down upstairs to take his place when Pip was down. 

Pip was to go to Barnard’s Inn to young Pocket’s room, where a bed had been sent it for his accommodation. He had nearly madded himself with looking out for half an hour, and written his name with finger several times in the its of every pane in the window. Mr Pocket gradually there arose before the hat, his clothes, of a member of society of about Pip standing. He had a paper-bag under each arm. He exclaimed he extremely sorry, he just went to market to get some food.

The pale young gentleman and Pip stood contemplating one another in Barnard’s Inn, until they both burst out laughing. He was still a pale young gentleman. He had not a handsome face, but it was better than handsome. Herbert Pocket told him everything about Miss Havisham’s household. Estella was Miss Havisham’s adopted daughter, Mr Jagger was Miss Havisham’s lawyer. The lawyer was the one who suggested Herbert to be Pip’s mentor.

Miss Havisham

Miss Havisham’s mother died when she was a baby, and her father denied her nothing. Her father was a county gentleman down in the part of the world, and was a brewer. Mr Havisham was very rich and very proud. She was not the only child, she had a half-brother. Her father privately married again – his cook. His second wife died and Mr Havisham told his daughter what he had done. Her half brother and she were stronger differences. The brother cherished a deep ad mortal grudge against her, as having influenced her father’s anger. He pursued Miss Havishman closely, and professed to be devoted to her. 

She had not shown much susceptibility up that time, but all she possessed, certainly came out then, and she passionately idolized him. He practiced on her affection in that systematic way, he got great sums of money from her, and he induced her to buy her brother out of a share in the brewery, on the plea that when he was her husband he must hold and manage it all. The marriage day was fixed, the wedding dresses were bought, the wedding tour was planned out, the wedding quest were invited. The day came, but not the bridegroom.

When she recovered from a bad illness that she had, and she has never since looked upon the light of day. He may had been married already, and her cruel mortification have been a part of her half-brother’s scheme.

Mr Pocket

He had been educated at Harrow and at Cambridge, he had married Mrs Pocket very early life. Mr and Mrs Pocket had a toady neighbor, a widow lady of that highly sympathetic nature that she agreed with everybody, shed smiles and tears to everybody. Mrs Coiler had Pip the honor of taking her down to dinner. It came to his knowledge, through what passed between Mrs Pocket and Drummle while Pip was attentive to dinner instruments, that Drummle, whose Christian name was Bentley, was actually the next heir but one to a baronetcy. After dinner Pocket’s children were introduced. There were four little girls, and two little boys.

Bentley Drummle

He came of rich people down in Sommersetshire, who nursed this combination of qualities until they made the discovery that it was just age and a blockhead. Thus, Bentley drummle had come to Mr Pocket when he was a head taller than that gentleman, and half a dozen heads thicker than most gentlemen. When Pip stayed in Pocket’s family in a month, Mr and Mrs Camilla turned up. Camilla was Mr. Pocket’s sister. Georgiana, whom he had seen at Miss Havisham’s on the same occasion, also turned up. She was a cousin. These were surroundings among which Pip settled down, and applied his to education. Pip soon econtracted expensive habits, and began to spend an amount of money.

Joe Gargery in London

Pip received a letter form Biddy which announced that Joe would be in London to see him. If he could kept him away by paying money. He certainly would paid money. His greatest reassure was, that he was coming to Barnard’s inn, not to Hammersmith, and consequently would not fall in Bentley Drummle’s way. He had little objection to his being seen by Herbert or his father, but he had the sharpest sensitiveness as to his being seen by Drummle.

He knew it was Joe, by his clumsy manner of coming upstairs. A ghost-seeing effect on Joe’s own countenance informed him that Herbert had entered the room. Having settled he must go to the Blue Boar. The coffee room at the Blue Boar was empty. At the time it was customary to carry Convicts down to the dockyards by stage-coach. There stood the man whom he had seen on the chair at the Three Jolly Bargemen.

She was in her chair near the old table, in the old dress, Sitting near her, was an elegant lady, whom he never seen before, and the he saw that eyes were Estella’s eyes.

One day when Pip was busy with books and Mr Pocket, he received a note from Estella by post. In her furred traveling-dress, Estella seemed more delicately beautiful than she had ever seemed yet, even in his eyes. Her manner was more winning than she had cared to let it be to him before, and he thought Miss Havisham’s influence in the change. Estella would live at Richmond, she had a great expense, with a lady there, who had the power.

They fell into other talk, and it as principally about the way by which they were traveling, and about what parts of London lay on his side of it, and what on that. When they passed through Hammersmith, Pip showed her where Mr Matthew Pocket lived, and said it was no great way from Richmond, and that he hoped he should see her sometimes. They came to Richmond all too soon, their destination there was a house by the Green, a staid old house. Pip stood looking at the house thinking he should be at that house with her.

He got into the carriage. To be taken back to Hammersmith, and he got in with a bad heart-ache. At the door, he found little Jane Pocket coming home from little party escorted by her little lover. Mr Pocket was out lecturing; for he was a most delightful lecturer on domestic economy, and his treaties on the management of children and servants were considered the very best text-books on those themes. But Mrs Pocket was at home, and was in a little difficulty on account on the baby’s playing the needle.

The Finches Club

As he had grown accustomed to his expectations, Pip had insensibly begun to notice their effect upon himself and those around him. Their influence on his character, but he knew very well that it was not all good. He lived in a state of chronic uneasiness respecting his behavior to Joe. As an infallible way of thinking way of making little ease great ease, Pip began to contract a quantity of debt. He could hardly begin but Herbert must begin too, so he soon followed.  

They put themselves down for election into the club called the Finches of the Grove: the object of which institution he never divined. The Finches spent their money foolishly, and the first Finch he saw, when he had the honor of joining the Grove, was Bentley Drummle.

In thus confidence in his own resources, he would willingly have taken Herbert’s expenses on himself; but Herbert was proud. They spent as much money as they could. As they got more and more into debt, breakfast became a hollower. They got a memorandum of Pip’s debt and a memorandum of Herbert’s debt. At the same time, Pip got a letter from village and it was signed by Trabb & Co. His sister had died.

At the moment of his arrival, he confused by occasion. Poor Joe entangled in a little black cloack tied in a large bow under his chin, was eaten apart at the upper end of the room. Biddy, looking very neat and modest in her black dress, went quietly here and there, and was very helpful. She was so quite, and had such an orderly, good, and pretty way with her. She had been speaking to Mrs Hubble and she would work for her. Biddy was going to try to get the place of mistress in the new school nearly she finished. Early in the morning after the funeral, he was to go.

Herbert and Pip went on from bad to worse, in the way of increasing their debt. Herbert himself had come of age, eight months before him. On the one-and twentieth birthday, Pip’s guardian, Mr Jagger, handed him a bank note, the handsome sum of money. It was birthday present, in earnest of his expectations. It was a Pip was beginning to express his gratitude to his benefactor for the great liberality with which he was treated.

When the money had come into his pocket, a thought had come into his head which had been often there before, and it appeared to him that Wemmick was a good person to advise him. He got the idea to invest portable property. Deeming Sunday the best day for taking Mr Wemmick’s Walworth sentiments, he devoted the next ensuing Sunday afternoon to a pilgrimage to the castle.

Estella 

The lady with whom Estella was placed, Mrs Bradley by name, was a widow with one daughter several years older than Estella. The mother looked young and the daughter looked old; the mother set up for frivolity, and the daughter for theology. Mrs Bradley had been a friend of Miss Havisham’s before the time of her seclusion. Estella had admirers without end. She mad use of me to tease other admirer, and she turned very familiarity between herself and him.

On a certain occasion when the Finchs were assembled in force, and when the good feeling as being promoted in the unsul manner, Drummle had not yet toasted a lady, he picked Estella for the game. The Finches were divided. Pip express his regret as a gentlemen and a Finch. However, it was decide at last that if Mr Drummle would bring never so slight a certificate from the lady. The next day Drummle appeared with a polite avowal in Estella’s hand. The spider a Mr Jaggers had called him, was used to lying in wait, and had the patence of his tribe. Hehad a blokhead confidence in his money and in his family greatness.

The Benefactor

His twenty-third birthday was a week gone. Herbert and Pip ha left Barnard’s Inn more than a year, and lived in the Temple. They had some time parted company as to their original relations, though they continued on the best terms. Pip had a taste for reading, and read regularly so many hours a day. Business had taken Herbert to Marsailles, he was alone.

A voice from the darkness came out and wanted to meet Pip. Pip stood with his lamp held out very the stair-nail, he had seen a face that was strange to him. The stranger was substantially dressed, but roughly; like a voyager by sea. He had long iron-gray hair, his age was about sixty. His had was furrowed and bald, and that log iron-gray hair grew only on its sides. He shook his head at me with a deliberate affection, at once most unintelligence and more exasperating. Pip could not recalled single feature.

He had been a sheep-farmer, stock-breeder, and the other trades besides, away in the new world. After having some drink, Pip took out his purse. He watched Pip as he separated a bank note from its contents. The stager knew about Pip’s guardian, all the truth of his position came flashing on him. He said he was Pip’s second father. He got the money left by his master which died and had been the same as him, then he got his liberty and went to himself. The gains of first few year what he sent to Mr Jagger and all to Pip, when the lawyer first came after Pip, for agreeable to his letter.

His benefactor was sent for life, and it was death to come back. He should of certainty to be hanged. When he stood at the table drinking rum and eating biscuit, Pip saw his convict on the marshes at his meal again. He had the sharpest and the deepest pain of all. It was for the convict, the secret person who was making him to be a gentlemen. Miss Havisham’s intentions towards him, all a mere dream; Estella was not designed for him. He had deserted Joe, he would not have gone back to Joe now. Pip had seen him with his childish eyes to be a desperately violent man, and he had heard that other convict reiterate that he had tried to murder him.

                   ******This is the end of the second stage of Pip’s expectation******

Pip supposed it was Miss Havisham, but he found his real benefactor was Abel Magwitch from New South Wales. Wemmick had received a letter from Portsmouth, from a colonist of the name of Pruvis, asking for the particulars of Pip’s address, on behalf of Magwitch. After his arguing with Mr Jaggers about his benefactor, Pip went straight back to the Temple, where he found the terrible Provis drinking rum-and water and smoking negro-head, in safety.

Whatever he put on, he became less. There was something in him that made it hopeless to attempt to disguise him. The more Pip dressed him, and the better he he dressed him, the more looked like the slouching fugitive on the marshes.

It lasted five days. Expecting Herbert all the time, Pip dared not to go out except when when he took Provis for an airing dark night. As usually Herbert came at the door, yelled at Pip, usually called him Handel. Herbert got an idea to send away Provis. His power would over him as long as he remained in England.  

Abel Magwicth’s Confession

He spent his life in jail and out of jail. He first became aware of himself down in Essex, a thieving turnips for his living. He was a ragged little creature as much to be pitied as ever he see, even he got the name of being hardened. He could not read and made him speeches what I could not understand. Tramping begging, thieving, working sometimes when he could.

A deserting soldier in a Traveler’s Rest, what lay hid up to the chin under a lot of taturs, learned  him to read; and traveling Giant what he signed his name at a penny a time learned him to write. He had a good share of key-metal skill. At up some races, a matter of over twenty years ago, he got acquainted with a man named Compassion. That was the man was in the ditch that the truly Pip comrade after he was gone in the other night.

He set up for a gentleman, Compassion, and he had been to a public boarding-school and had learning. He was smooth one to talk, and was like the ways of gentlemen. He was good looking too. Jail’s records had tangled Abel into bad appearance, Compassion offered him for a new luck. His business was the swindling, handwriting forging, the stolen bank-note passing, and suchlike. There was another in with Compassion, as was called Arthur. He and Compassion had been in a bad thing with a rich lady some years before, and they made a pot money by it.

Arthur lived at the top of Compassion’s house. And Compassion kept a careful account agent him for board and lodging, in case ever get better to work it out. Arthur came down into Compassion’s parlour late at night, in only a flannel gown.  Later Compassion and Abel found his wife, Sally, was standing in the corner at the foot of Arthur’s bed, awful mad. Compassion was so angry and ordered Abel to give him a lesson. Sally was shaking the shroud at Magwitch, and she was gone. Since then Compassion took Abel as his man. Abel was always in debt to him, At last, Abel and Compassion, were both committed for felony on a charge putting stolen notes in circulation. Abel was so miserable poor, then he sold all the clothes he had, except what hung on his back, before he could get Jaggers.

They were sentenced; he got only seven years, but Abel got fourteen. They were at the same prison-ship, but Abel could not get at him for long. At last, Abel hit him on the cheek and got a smashing one at him. Abel escaped to the shore, and he was hiding among the graves, and that was the first time he met Pip.

Compassion was out on them marshes too. Abel also haunted him too. He had escaped when he was made half wild by Abel, and his murderous intention, and his punishment was light. Abel was put in irons and sent for life. Herbert noticed that Young Havisham’s name was Arthur, and Compassion was the man who professed to be Mrs Havisham’s lover.

Pip in Satis House

Mrs Bradley’s maid was called to tell him that Estella had gone into the country. Pip knew Estella must be going home. Unpredictably he met Drummle there. Miss Havisham retorted rather angrily to Pip and warned him never to marry Estella. Meanwhile the preparations for Estella’s marriage were making and shall be married soon. Though Pip already insisted that he knew worthier person than Drummle.

For he had by that time come to himself so far, as to consider that he could not go back to the inn and see Drummle there. As the seldom happened that he came in at the gate after the Temple was closed, the messenger handed him a warning note from Wemmick: Don’t go home. He left the direction and directly went to Wemmick’s place. A certain person, bad guy, was in Pip’s place. By all that time, why he was not to go home, and whether Provis was safe at home, were questions occupying his mind so busily. The more painful feeling he had, he and Estella had parted that day for ever. In short, he was always full of fears for the rash man who was in hiding. Someweeks passed without bringing any change. Herbert and Pip waited for Wemmick, and he made no sign.

His worldly affairs began to wear a gloomy appearance, and Pip was pressed for money by more than one creditor. He began to know the want of money, and to relieve it by converting some easily spared articles of jewelery into cash. He was an unhappy life that he lived, and its one dominant anxiety.  

Herbert first knew Clara Barley when she was completing he education at an establishment at Hammersmith, and she had confided their affection the motherly Mrs Whimple, by whom with had been fostered and regulated with equal kindness and discretion, ever since. Clara was a very pretty, slight, dark-eyed girl of twenty. She really was a most charming girl. Her father was very ill. Old Barley was growling and swearing when they passed his door. As they passed Mr Barley’s door, he was heard hoarsely muttering within. In his two cabin rooms at the top of the house, which were fresh and airy, and in which Mr Barley was less audible than blow, Pip found Provis comfortably settled. 

Miss Havisham’s note had made Pip was on Jagger’s place. That lady wanted to see him. Pip was invited to Jaggers’s place. A woman, Jagger’s maid, had helped Pip to set his luggage. Molly stood looking at her master, not understanding whether she was free to go, or whether he had more to say to her. Her look was very intent. Pip looked again at those hands and eyes of the housekeeper, and thought of the inexplicable feeling. He had passed a chance swift from Estella’s name to the fingers with their knitting action, and the attentive eyes. Pip felt absolutely certain that the woman was Estella’s mother.

Mr Jaggers had seen him with Estella, was not likely to have missed the sentiments he had been at no pains to conceal. Only twice more did the housekeeper reappear, and then her stay in the room was very short, and Mr Jaggers was sharp with her. But her hands were Estella’s hands, and her eyes were Estella’s eyes. Wemmick knew nothing about Mrs Drummle’s biological mother. He only knew the housekeeper has been with Jaggers many long years. The woman was tried at the Old Bailey for murder, and was acquitted. She was a very handsome young woman, and had some gipsy blood in her.

Mr Jaggers was for her, it was a desperate case. Jaggers worked it himself at the police-office, day after day for many days. The murder person was a woman, it was a case of jealousy. It was attempted to be set up in proof of her jealousy, that she was under strong suspicion of having, at about the time of murder, frantically destroyed her child by this man-some three years old - to revenge herself upon him. Mr Jaggers was altogether too many for the Jury, and they gave in. She had been in his service ever since immediately after her acquittal, tamed as she was now. She then had a baby girl.

Satis House

Pip began explaining to her that secret history of partnership. Miss Havisham set her hand upon her stick, in the resolute way that sometimes was habitual to her, and looked, at the fire with wit a strong expression of forcing herself to attend. She gave him the money he needed. To see her with her white hair and her and her worn face kneeling at my feet, gave him a shock through all his frame. He had never seen her shed a tear before, and in the hope that the relief might do her good. She regret bout what she had done to Estella. When Estella first came to her life, she meant to save her from misery like her own. Now it happened to Estella, the lady found that Drummle was not a good husband.

Miss Havisham had never known who Estella’s biological’s mother was. Jaggers had brought the three-year-old baby and told her as an orphan child. Twilight was closing in when Pip went downstairs into the natural air. He made his way to the ruined garden. He went to upstairs and assured himself that Miss Havisham was as safe and well as he had left her. He looked into the room where Pip had left her, and saw her seated in the ragged chair upon the earth, close to the fire, with her back towards him. He saw a great flaming light spring up. He saw her running at him, with a whirl of fire blazing all about her. Pip still held her forcibly down with all his strength, she was insensible.

On examination it was pronounced that she had received serious hurts. By the surgeon’s directions, her bed was carried into that room and laid upon the great table. Though her dress was burnt, she still had something of her old ghastly bridal appearance. He found, on questioning the servants, that Estella was in Paris, and he got a promise from the surgeon that he would write to her by the next post. Miss Havisham’s family Pip took upon himself, and intending to communicate with Mr Matthew Pocket only.

Pip’s left arm was good deal burned to the elbow, and less severly, as high as the shoulder; it was painful. His right hand was not so badly burnt that Pip could move the fingers. It was bandaged. His hair had been caught by the fire, but not his head or face.

Herbert had been down to Hammersmith and seen his father, he came back to Pip at their chambers. He was the kindness of nurses, and stated times took off the bandages, with a tenderness that Pip was deeply grateful for. They fell into conversation about Provis and the jealous woman. Molly had presented herself before Provis for one moment, and swore that she would destroy the child, then he should never it again, then, she vanished.

Avoiding the Blue Boar, Pip put up at an inn of minor reputation down the town, and ordered some dinner. Pip went to Satis House and inquired for Miss Havisham; she was still very ill, though considered something better.

Towards the marshes Pip went straight, having the direction to his old home lay. His back was turned towards the distant Hulks as Pip walked on, and he could see the old lights away on the spits of sand. He knew the limekiln as well as he knew the old battery, but they were miles apart.

A strong man’s hand, sometimes a strong man’s breast, was set against his mouth to deaden his cries. The man was in no hurry, and struck again with the flint and steel. Presently he saw his blue lips again, and then a flare of light flashed up, and showed him Orlick. He had been drinking, and his eyes were red and bloodshot. Around his neck was slung a tin bottle.  

It came to his understanding that Orlick was Compassion. He had hunt for his Uncle Magwitch and had attacked his sister. Pip shouted out with all his might, and struggled with all his might. In the same instant Pip heard responsive shouts, saw figures and a gleam of light dash in at the door, heard voices, and saw Orlick emerge from struggle of men. Herbert and Trabb’s boy had rescued Pip from the drunken Orlick. They determined to go back to London.

Their plan was to shipping Provis out of London. They transported him by the boat through the river at the dark night. They lied by all night in waiting a vessel. At that time, the steam-traffic on the Thames was far below its presents extent, and watermen’s boats were far more numerous. Provis had his boat-cloack on him, a natural part of the scene. The Rotterdam steamer no came up, apparently, not understanding what had happened, came on speed. 

By the time she had been hailed and stopped, both streamers were drifting away from them, and they were rising and falling in trouble wake of water. Provis got the injury to his chest. The officer had caught them, he further gave Pip leave to accompany Provis to London. Pip only saw a man who had meant to be his benefactor. He had felt affectionately, gratefully, and generously towards him with great constancy throughout a series of years. He was committed to trial, which would come on in a month. It was dark time of his life that Herbert returned home and pursue a fine opportunity. He shall soon have to leave him, he was going to Cairo.

He lay in prison very ill, during the interval between his committal for trial. Being far too ill to remain in the common prison, he was removed, after the first day or so, into the infirmary. The trial very short and clear. Provis said to the judge that he received his sentence of Death from the Almighty, but he bowed to them. Pip earnestly hoped and prayed that he might die before the Recorder’s report was made. He began to write out a petition to the Home Secretary of State, setting forth his knowledge of him.

The daily visits he could make him were shortened now, and he was more strictly kept. He had spoken last words. At last Pip told him about his daughter that lived and found powerful friends, she was a lady and Pip loved her. Provis understood what he had said, He raised Pip’s hand to his lips, then he gently let it sink upon his breast again, with his own hands lying on it. He died.

Pip was under arrested by the men for his debt. Pip had a fever and was avoided, and he suffered greatly. He was very ill and he noticed Joe was at his side. Biddy had taught Joe to write, and his figure was quite changed. Miss Havisham was dead only a week after Pip was very ill. She left four thousand to Mr Matthew Pocket. Mr Pocket said Pip’s account of him.

As he became stronger and better, Joe became a little easy with him. In his weakness and entire dependence on him, the dear fellow had fallen into the old tone, and called him by the old names, He too had fallen into the old ways. It was on the third or fourth occasion o his going walking in the Temple Gardens leaning on Joe’s arm. Pip went to his room, Joe was not there. He found a letter and an enclosed in it. A receipt fro the debt and cost on which he had been arrested. He never dreamed of Joe’s having paid the money. And the receipt was in his name.

After three days more of recovery he went down to the old place. It was evening when he arrived, the Boar could not put him into his usual bedroom. Early in the morning he strolled round by Satis House. There were printed bills on the gate, and on bits of carpet hanging out of the windows, announcing a sale by auction next week. When he got back to his breakfast in the Boar’s coffee room, he found Mr Pumlechook conversing with landlord.

The schoolhouse where Biddy was mistress, he had never seen. The day was holiday, no children were there, and Biddy’s house was closed. He listened the click of Joe’s hammer. The house was not deserted, and the best palour, seemed to be in use. Joe and Biddy stood befire him arm in arm. Biddy looked so fresh and pleasant. It was her wedding day.

For eleven years, he had not seen Biddy nor Joe with his bodily eyes, he laid his hand softly on the latch of the old kitchen. Joe named his son the name of Pip for his sake. Biddy was holding the little girl sleeping in her lap. Clara and Herbert had so settled down in their home, but Pip was still an old bachelor. Pip secretly intended to revisit the site of the old house that evening, alone, for her sake. Estella had a most unhappy life, and as being separated from her husband, who had used her with great cruelty. Pip had heard of the death of her husband, from an accident consequent on his ill-treatment of a horse. She was married again.

There was no house now, no brewery, no building whatever left, but the wall of the old garden. Pip could trace out where every part of the old house had been, and where the brewery had been, and where the gate. He saw the figure of a woman. She was greatly changed. She knew that Pip still lived abroad. They shared their story. The suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has thought her to understand what her heart to be. She had been bent and broken, but she went into a better shape. They were friends.

It was two years more, before he saw Estella. He had heard that the doctor was not rich, and they lived on her own personal fortune. He was in England again, and walking along Piccadilly with little Pip, a servant came running after him to ask would he stepped back to a lady in a carriage who wished speak to him. It was a little pony carriage, which the lady was driving; both of the two looked sadly enough on one another. She gave him the assurance, that suffering had been stronger than Miss Havisham’s teaching.  

*****

April 9, 2018

Sekapur Sirih

“Ketika penderitaan lebih besar daripada semua ajaran lainnya dan telah membuatku memahami seperti apa hatimu sebelumnya. Ia telah bengkok dan patah, tapi aku berharap ke bentuk yang lebih baik.” (hlm. 412).

Great Expectations, novel Dickens yang ketiga belas, pertama kali diterbitkan dalam majalah mingguan All the Year Round antara Desember 1860 dan Agustus 1861. Saat ia menuliskan karya ini, Dickens berada pada puncak sukses sebagai penulis terbaik dalam kesusastraan dalam seperempat abad.

Pip sebagai tokoh sentral, walau bukanlah pahlawan, mampu menarik perhatian di awal. Bocah Pip berumur 7 tahun dengan berbagai keluguannya dan kejadian menggelitik cara kakaknya menghukum Pip. Kakaknya sangat bawel dan abusif. Joe abang iparnya, pandai besi yang baik hati dan lugu. Nona Havisham wanita aneh yang tidak pernah keluar kamar dan putri adopsinya Estella, tumbuh menjadi gadis cantik. Tokoh Abel Magwitch menjadi tokoh awal dan kelak pengikat dan menjadi elemen pengejut pada akhir cerita.  

Kehidupan masa kecil Pip di desa, saat tumbuh menjadi pemuda, ia pindah ke kota London, menjalani kehidupan berkelas dan mewah, hingga sempat malu mengakui Joe bagian dari hidupnya. Dalam perjalanan cerita, tiap tokoh selalu mengingat romantisme masa lalu seperti the Great Gatsby milik Fitzgerald. Tokoh Pip tertarik gravitasi kenangan masa kecilnya, terobsesi tiada henti menginginkan Estella, padahal gadis itu telah memiliki kehidupan baru.  

Karakter pendukung lain dalam kisah ini berhasil membuat pembaca jatuh ke dalam perasaan iba, jengkel dan gemas, dan beberapa ekspresi pengampunan, kasih, kekeluargaan, dan persahabatan. Joe, pandai besi yang baik hati dapat memaafkan dan menerima kembali Pip. Kemewahan dan kenikmatan hidup di kota London dengan pesta-pesta bersama orang-orang kaya dan berkelas, sempat membuat Pip malu dengan sikap ceroboh dan tidak terpelajar Joe. 

Sebelum memutuskan membeli fiksi drama romansa ini, sempat ragu. Karya klasik sulit dinikmati. Font-nya yang terlalu kecil, memang cetakan setebal 412 halaman ini dikeluarkan oleh Wordsworth Edisions tahun 2000, sebuah edisi tidak mahal diperuntukkan bagi pelajar dan umum. Selama ini belum pernah memiliki karya Dickens, padahal di bangku kuliah cukup kerap membahas karya-karyanya secara umum. Christmas Carol dan Oliver Twist adalah dua judul terbersit ketika mendengar nama Dickens, lewat bentuk film, karya lain akrab di telinga seperti David Copperfield, Oedipus Rex, dan Bleak House.

Kebetulan sekali, beberapa minggu sebelumnya, saya baru menikmati sebuah film fantasi berjudul the Man who Invented Christmas (2017), diadaptasi dari buku dengan judul sama ditulis oleh Les Standiford. Kisah berfokus pada saat Charles Dickens menemukan ide dalam menuliskan Christmas Carol. Dalam film bagus ini, diselipkan kehidupan masa kecil Dickens susah, harus berjuang bekerja dan hidup di pabrik sepatu karena ayahnya di penjara.  Sekalipun sudah terkenal hingga Amerika, ia mengalami masa bangkrut, jengkel menghadapi sifat ayahnya yang cukup menggangu konsentrasinya saat menulis, ditolak penerbit, namun ada sisi baik dalam semua kekalutannya, ia terinspirasi dari cerita rakyat yang dibawakan pengasuh anak. Pengasuh berasal dari desa Irlandia tersebut hobi membaca dan gemar pula membacakan cerita untuk anak-anaknya.

Terjemahan dalam Bahasa Indonesia, Great Expectations, Novel Klasik dari Charles Dickens: ringkasan

Hari sudah sore, seorang bocah berumur 7 tahun tampak masih berada di depan kuburan di halaman gereja. Namanya Philip Pirrip, karena lidah bocahnya kesulitan mengeja, ia pun menyebut dirinya Pip.  Sebuah batu nisan bertuliskan nama ayah dan ibunya, di pinggiran kuburan juga tersusun lima batu, tanda sakral baginya mengenang lima saudara kecilnya.

Pip tidak sempat mengenal wajah ayah ibunya, ditambah kala itu belum ada alat fotografi. Pip hanya membayang-bayangkan saja ayah dan ibunya dalam pikirannya. Anak yatim piatu itu kini dibesarkan oleh kakaknya biasa dipanggil Mrs Joe Gargery.

Mendadak seorang lelaki dewasa keluar dari balik semak, sigap menangkap bocah, bajunya kumal dan kakinya terikat besi. Tangannya pun berhasil mengambil sepotong roti dari kantong Pip. Lelaki kotor berlumpur itu, tanpa topi, baju compang-camping mirip, bagi bocah pria di hadapannya mirip perompak laut. Pip ketakutan, pria itu pun meminta Pip bersumpah untuk tidak memberitahu siapapun keberadaannya. Dari jawaban bocah, pria kumal pun mengetahui Pip adalah anak yatim piatu yang tinggal dbersama kakaknya pandai besi bernama Joe Gargery. Dia menyuruh Pip membawa makanan dan gergaji esok paginya.

Ketika kembali di rumah, kakak Pip begitu marah, dia mencari-cari anak itu. Kakaknya hingga menyumpahi Pip yang tidak tahu diuntung. Bocah tentu semakin takut mengatakan bahwa ia bertemu orang asing dan mencuri makanan dan gergaji. Joe, kakak iparnya, bertolak belakang dengan sikap bawel kakaknya. Pandai besi itu sangat baik pada Pip dan mereka berkawan akrab, Ny. Joe pun sering memarahi suaminya.

Kakak Pip bukanlah wanita cantik, Joe menikahinya karena tangannya. Ny. Joe Gragery pandai besi handal dan pekerja keras. Sepanjang hari dia mengenakan apron tebalnya, tanpa pernah melepaskannya. Rambutnya hitam, bertubuh tinggi, dan wajahnya memerah. Bagi Joe dia wanita baik. Ny Joe mengutamakan kebersihan, rumah harus bersih hingga sampai membuat Pip dan Joe tidak nyaman. Kebersihaan dekat dengan keilahian.

Sebuah tembakan terdengar dari luar, penjahat telah melarikan diri malam itu. Pip mendengar percakapan Joe dan kakaknya, ia pun menanyakan apa arti penjahat dan Joe menjelaskannya dengan kebingungan. Bocah itu baru mengetahui orang yang suka mencuri dan membunuh adalah akan disebut penjahat dan dijadikan tahan. Mereka dimasukkan ke dalam penjara kapal bernama Hulks.

Malamnya Pip tidak bisa tidur, karena ia dihantui tugasnya mengantarkan makanan untuk orang yang di halaman gereja. Dalam gelap ia mencuri makanan dan brandy milik Ny Joe, dan seorang lelaki yang berpakaian yang sama dengan lelaki kemarinnya menyergapnya. Semua makanan dan menuman disita dan pria itu kembali masuk ke semak. Jelas, lelaki itu bukan temannya yang kemarin, lelaki pakaian yang sama dengan rantai besi di kakinya, namun dia bertopi.

Malam Natal, Ny Joe mengundang Paman Pumblechook, paman dari Joe (tapi kakak Pip akrab dengannya), Tn Wopsle, seorang pekerja gereja, dan Tuan Humble, pemilik usaha roda, dan istrinya. Hidangan terenak pun tersaji, dari roti, bandy, dan hidangan dari kaki babi. Ny. Joe pun mendapati kehilangan roti dan kuenya, termasuk brandy. Pip semakin takut, jika kakaknya mendapatinya. Tiba-tiba ketukan terdengar dari balik pintu, seorang sersan muncul dan menanyakan tentang pandai besi. Serdadu kerajaan tersebut meminta pertolongan Joe membetulkan sesuatu. Rupanya mereka mendapat kecelakaan, dan salah satu dari gembok tawanan rusak dan menyakiti tawanan dan dua orang tawanan telah melarikan diri.

Tuan Wopsle, Joe, dan Pip pun mengikuti sersan mencari tawanan yang lari malam itu juga. Joe mendengar perkelahian dari balik semak, sersan dan anak buahnya akhirnya menangkap dua orang buron yang sedang berkelahi. Pip mengingat kedua pria tawanan, tak lain pria berbelenggu besi di kakinya di kuburan dan yang mengambil makanannya. Tawanan Pip, tidak berani melibatkan bocah, setelah ditangkap, ia mengaku telah mencuri makanan dari rumah Joe, si pandai besi. Kurungan kapal bernama Hulks berisi tawanan pun akhirnya berangkat berlayar meninggalkan kampung.

Pip kembali mengunjungi pusara keluarganya, bocah itu sudah mulai bisa mengeja tulisan pada nisan. Bibi tua Wopsle mengadakan sekolah sore di rumahnya. Wanita aneh itu telah menyewa sebuah tempat dan Tn. Wopsle tinggal di lantai atas. Murid-murid tidak jarang mendengar Tn.Wopsle membaca kuat dan perangainya yang aneh. Di lantai bawah dan tempat yang sama dengan muridnya, Bibinya Wopsle membuka toko. Wanita itu tidak pernah tahu berapa banyak stok barangnya maupun harga-harganya, namun ada sebuah buku di dalam laci, katalog harga. Biddy gadis malang yang juga seorang yatim piatu seperti Pip, mengelola toko. Pip prihatin melihat tampilan Biddy, rambut gadis itu perlu disisir, bajunya perlu dicuci, sepatunya perlu disol.

Malam itu, Pip sedang belajar membaca dan meminta Joe mengajarinya. Bocah itu telah menduga, Joe tidak bisa membaca. Saat di gereja suara Joe hampir tidak pernah terdengar saat pembacaan ayat. Joe pun berterus terang, dia tidak pernah sekolah. Ayahnya seorang peminum berat dan kerap membelasah Joe dan ibunya. Berkali-kali ibu Joe melarikan diri membawa Joe, ia sangat ingin menyekolahkan Joe. Ibu Joe sudah sempat mendapat pekerjaan, tapi ayah Joe mendapati keberadaan mereka dan membawanya pulang ke rumah.

Tidak lama kemudian, ayah Joe sakit dan meninggal dunia, Joe harus bekerja keras, tidak lama kemudian ibunya jatuh sakit dan meninggal.  Saat itu  Joe hidup sebatang kara. Ia membutuhkan teman dan Joe akhirnya menikah kakak Pip. Baginya perempuan itu wanita cantik dan baik padanya. Sejak malam itu Pip merasa senasib dengan Joe.

Kakak Pip sangat akrab dengan Paman Pumblechook (Pamannya Joe), orang tua itu hidup sendiri dan memiliki kereta sendiri. Ny. Joe sangat senang bila Pumlechook menjemputnya belanja, sang paman tidka begitu percaya pada pembantunya di rumah, ia butuh pertimbangan wanita dalam berbelanja. Pip nyamn bersama Joe. Ia tidak berani mengatakan betapa kasar perlakuan kakaknya dan Tn Pumblechook padanya.

Tiba dari kota, Tn Pumblechook membawa kabar gembira dari wanita kaya pemilik rumah besar, Nn Havishman. Tentu saja, Pip tahu rumah yang dimaksud. Bocah diminta datang bermain ke sana. Paman tidak pernah ungkapkan hubungannya dengan wanita kaya tersebut, tapi Pip menduga, Tn Pumblechook adalah penyewa salah satu rumahnya.

Rumah Satis dan Nn Havisham

Sesuai dengan waktu yang ditentukan, Pip berangkat dengan pakaian terbaiknya, dijemput paman dan dihantarkan ke rumah besar. Pagar besi sangat tinggi mengelilingi rumah untuk menghindari perampok. Tampak gadis kecil menanyakan identitas mereka, sebelum membukakan gerbang. Rumah sangat besar dilengkapi taman luas. Gadis itu memegang lilin memasuki ruangan gelap, suasana yang membuat Pip setengah ketakutan. Akhirnya mereka sampai di sebuah ruangan besar, wanita dengan pakaian putih, pakaian nikah dengan perhiasan lengkap di pergelangan, tangan dan lehernya. Ia sedang duduk di sebuah kursi tinggi berlengan bagus. Di sampingnya terdapat sebuah meja besar, setumpuk perhiasan, buku kecil, dan alkitab. Jendela tertutup gorden besar, tidak ada cahaya matahari masuk sama sekali.

Wanita dalam pakaian mewah itu menanyakan namanya, tanpa basa-basi mereka pun bermain kartu. Estella gadis pembuka pintu, memulai permainan dan membagikan kartu. Percakapan mereka, membuat Pip tersinggung. Estella dan Nn Havisham meremehkan dirinya, dan memanggilnya bocah buruh.  Pip mengagumi kecantikan Estella, tapi sisi lain perlakuan gadis membuat dirinya marah. Permainan selesai, setelah diberi makan, Pip pun meminta pulang. Kesal dan malu, ia meratapi diri dan kemiskinan keluarganya, hingga kaki kecilnya menendang tembok sebelum Estella membuka gerbang untuknya.

Begitu sampai di rumah, kakak dan Paman Pumblechook bertanya banyak dan penasaran dengan sosok Nn. Havisham, wanita misteri bagi mereka. Pip menjawab apa yang dilihatnya, dan malam itu ia susah tidur. Memikirkan sikap dari orang kaya itu padanya, ia menjadi tahu pandai besi adalah kelas rendah, dan membandingkan kemewahan rumah Nn Havisham. Membayangkan kakaknya dan Joe hari-harinya berada di dapur, sementara orang kaya seperti Estella dan Nona Havisan tidak pernah ke dapur. Walau begitu, keinginannya bermain di rumah mewah tetap membuncah, ia sudah menanti hari yang ditetapkan.

Kunjungan berikutnya, bocah miskin itu dikagetkan dengan banyaknya tamu di rumah, Nn Havisham sedang merayakan ulang tahun. Tetamu yang tadinya sedang berbincang terdiam seketika begitu melihat Pip, Estella pun menjelaskan bocah itu bukanlah siapa-siapa, hanya anak tetangga. Hari itu menjadi hari terpanjang dalam hidupnya, dari bermain kartu, bertemu tamu banyak, bermain tinju dengan anak sebayanya, putra dari tamu Nn Havsiham. Anak pucat itu datang menantang Pip dalam permainan tarung. Berulang kali bocah pucat kalah dan berdarah, tapi ia tetap semangat. Pip sangat kagum pada bocah pucat, anak itu tidak cengeng dan marah dan tetap ikuti aturan permainan. Dari balik jendela, Estella diam-diam memerhatikan mereka, mengagumi kehebatan Pip. Saat hendak menghantarkannya ke pintu, gadis itu mengijinkan Pip memberinya sebuah kecupan jika ia mau, tentu saja Pip sangat senang, dan mencium pipi gadis itu. Semenjak itu hidupnya berubah.

Pip sudah agak besar, kakaknya menyuruhnya memanggil Joe dari rumah komunitas. Rumah itu menjadi tempat berkumpulnya penduduk desa. Joe sering ke sana menghabiskan rokoknya, ada sebuah bar di sana.  Pip sangat heran melihat seorang pria asing yang selalu memerhatikan dirinya.

Semakin lama Pip dan Nn Havisham semakin akrab. Wanita itu pun banyak bertanya tentang rencana hidup Pip. Saat ia memasuki 14 tahun, ia akan belajar pandai besi dan melanjutkan usaha kakak iparnya. Nn Havisham menyuruh Pip mengajak Joe ke rumahnya, dan wanita kaya itu memberi Joe setumpuk uang dan berpesan pada Pip, agar belajar dengan baik dari tuannya. Joe adalah tuannya mulai saat itu. Semenjak itu Pip tidak diperbolehkan bermain lagi ke rumah besar yang disebut juga Rumah Satis (cukup).

Hari-hari Pip diwarnai belajar pandai besi dari Joe, sesekali ia mengingat Estella dan Nn Havisham. Ia pun terpikir membuatkan sesuatu sebagai ucapan terima kasih pada wanita kaya itu. Rumah itu menua dan pintu gerbang masih seperti dulu, namun kali ini Sarah Pocket yang membukakan pintu untuknya, ia sudah sangat berharap ada Estella. Gadis itu sudah pergi ke kota, bersekolah untuk menjadi seorang wanita, Nn Havisham dan masih serumahnya masih seperti dahulu, tidak ada tidak berubah.

Saat Joe dan Pip keluar rumah, seseorang telah memaksa masuk ke rumah dan menyerang Ny Joe. Kakak Pip ditemukan berdarah tergeletak di lantai. Sebelumnya warga sudah mendengar tembakan dari penjara kapal Hulks. Dua minggu ditangani polisi, tapi perampok yang dimaksud tidak tertangkap, malah menangkap orang yang tidak bersalah. Sejak itu Pip merasa memerlukan senjata.

Ia tetap rajin belajar dan menulis. Biddy sangat kagum dengan kepintaran Joe. Gadis itu tertinggal jauh, padahal ia adalah guru pertama Pip. Biddy meratapi nasibnya kian hari membodoh, disibukkan pekerjaan rumah tangga untuk berthan hidup. Pip baru menyadari Biddy telah tumbuh menjadi gadis, tapi tidaklah cantik, biasa saja. Kecantikan Estella selalu membayangi ingatannya. Pip melakukan pengakuan konyol pada Biddy betapa ia tergila-gila dengan Estella. Hidupnya tidaklah segemberi yang terlihat, ia sedih dengan keadaannya yang miskin. Keinginannya menjadi seorang lelaki terhormat sangat kuat agar dapat mendapatkan Estella. Dengan sabar Biddy mendengar dan dengan bijak membesarkan hati Pip. Pemuda itu tidak tahu apa yang ia lakukan, dengan spontan ia memberi ciuman pada Biddy.

Malam itu, lelaki asing mengetuk pintu mencari dirinya. Tn Jaggers, seorang pengacara dari London, meyampaikan sebuah tawaran dari orang yang tidak ingin disebut identitasnya.  Orang kaya telah memberi hunian, mentor, dan mendanai Pip, orang itu memberinya kesempatan, Great Expectation, harapan besar. Pengacara itu meninggalkan uang dan alamatnya di London. Setelah menjahitkan jas bagus, ia pun bertolak ke London. Pemuda desa itu sangat bersedih meninggalkan Joe dan Biddy. Kakaknya sendiri kini sakit-sakitan dan hanya bisa mengangguk dan daya berpikirnya menurun. Biddy telah tinggal di rumah keluarganya. Tidak lupa, ia pamit pada Nn Havisham, semula ia menduga yang dimaksud donaturnya adalah nyonya kaya itu. Wanita itu tidak kaget dengan perubahan nasib Pip, ia juga sudah mengetahuinya dari Tn Jaggers.

Selamat Tinggal Kampung Halaman

Lima jam menaiki kereta berkuda, ia dan beberapa penumpang lainnya akhirnya tiba di London. Keramaian kota adalah hal menakjubkan baginya. Tn Jaggers sedang berada di pengadilan ketika ia sampai di alamat, sebuah kantor pengacara. Ia pun dihantarkan ke apartemennya dan mendapati  mentornya bernama Matthew Pocket. Ia pun akhirnya mengingat kembali, pemuda berpenampilan rapih itu tak lain adalah bocah pucat di rumah Nn Havisham. Matthew, pemuda kota berkelas, tugasnya mengajari Pip tentang etika dan pergaulan orang kaya.

Hingga suatu ketika, ia menerima sepucuk surat dari Biddy, Joe hendak berkunjung ke London. Pip takut malu dengan kelakuan Joe yang gegabah, lelaki tidak berpendidikan yang dapat merusak reputasinya. Pertemuan kaku itu membuat Joe menyadari dirinya tidak layak lagi berteman dengan Pip. Hati kecil Pip terkoyak dan malu pada dirinya, telah memperlakukan Joe seperti itu.

Seorang pria kaya mencarinya, Pip sangat kebingungan siapa lelaki tua itu. Abel Magwitch orang tua dalam pakaian bagus, menjelaskan dirinya adalah lelaki yang diskuburan, orang yang ditolong Pip. Mantan tahanan itu kini menjadi orang kaya. Ia pula menceritakan kisahnya, sebenarnya tidak melakukan kesalahan, ia telah dituduh. Ia menolong Pip, ingin membalas dan sangat berterim kasih atas kebaikan Pip. Ia terpisah dari istri dan putrinya, seandai saja putrinya hidup mungkin sudah sebesar Pip.

Tn Jaggers menjelaskan semuanya. Lelaki itu menjadi buron, ancaman hukuman mati di kota London, ia tidak diperbolehkan memasuki kota London. Wanita pembantu di kantor Jaggers adalah istri Magwitch, ibu dari bayi Estella. Jaggers adalah pengacara wanita kaya itu. Sejak kegagalannya menikah, Nona Havisham berubah menjadi penyendiri, tidak pernah keluar rumah, dan membuat meja perkawinan di kamarnya. Rumahnya seperti kuburan, dan mengenakan baju nikah setiap waktu. Jaggers berpikir bayi Estella akan menghibur wanita kaya itu. Pip tidak kaget mengenai status Estella, anak adopsi bukanlah keponakan seperti pemikirannya selama ini. Herbert banyak bercerita tentang keluarga Havisham.

Pip sangat kaget mengetahuinya, dermawan penyumbang dananya selama ini adalah Abel Magwitch, sekaligus ayah kandung Estella. Joe dan Matthew pun akhirnya menolong Abel Magwicth melarikan diri dari pencarian polisi untuk bisa keluar kota London. Polisi berhasil menangkapnya, Abel terluka dan sakit itu dirawat rumah sakit. Sebelum hembuskan nafas terakhir, Pip memberitahu bahwa putrinya masih hidup, bernama Estella.

Pip mendapat surat, kakaknya meninggal dunia, selepas pemakan ia menyempatkan diri berkunjung ke rumah Nn Havisham dan menemui Estella di sana. Nn Havisham dengan tegas menolak Pip untuk mendekati putri adopsinya. Wanita itu kuatir Pip tidak akan sanggup membahagiakan putrinya. Estella juga tengah dekat dengan putra orang kaya bernama Bentley Drummle, pria berkelas yang menjanjikan dari keluarga terpandang. Kedua wanita itu tidak pernah tahu tabiat buruk Drummle muda yang suka berfoya-foya dan Estella hanyalah objek taruhan di klab yang juga diikuti Pip. Pip sangat tahu Drummle dan bahkan telah mengingatkan Estella.

Sepulang dari kampung, sepucuk catatan dari Wemmick menyuruhnya agar tidak pulang ke rumah, beberapa lelaki kasar mencarinya. Pip dengan rasa penasaran menyusul ke rumah anak buah Jagger itu. Wemmick mengatakan mereka adalah anak buah dari orang jahat.

Abel Magwitch

Ia tidak pernah mengingat dengan jelas seperti apa orang tuanya, ia kerap berpindah-pindah dari satu keluarga ke keluarga lainnya, hingga akhirnya tinggal di pinggir jalan. Ia sudah mencuri dan keluar masuk penjara sejak kecil. Suatu ketika Abel sudah memiliki uang dan kini tampil dalam jas, namun tetap saja perilakunya terlihat kaku dan tidak cocok dengan pakaiannya. Pakaian itu tidak mampu mengangkat derajatnya, apalagi ia tidak bisa membaca. Bahasa tubuhnya terbaca oleh seorang pria.

Seorang pria necis berada di sebuah bar mendatanginya dan mereka pun berteman, dan mengajarinya membaca serta melibatkannya dalam bisnis. Compassion lelaki  berkelas tersebut memperkenalkannya dengan seorang teman bernama Arthur. Ketiganya pun menjalankan sejumlah aktifitas gelap seperti bisnis pemalsuan dokumen dan bank note. Tidak kalah dari ketampanan dan kharisma Compassion, Arthur juga berpenampilan terpandang dan berkelas. Arthur menempati loteng atik kediaman Compassion, dan betapa kaget Compassion mendapati Arthur sedang menggoda istri kesayangannya.

Compassion kehilangan Arthur dan istrinya, yang dimilikinya saat ini hanyalah Abel. Keduanya pun sukses dalam menjalankan bisnis gelapnya. Hingga suatu saat mereka tertangkap atas pemalsuan bank note dalam jumlah besar. Keduanya berhubungan dengan pengadilan. Abel pun mengenal pengacara Jaggers, di saat di proses seorang wanita muda membunuh lelakinya karena cemburu. Pengacara itu merasa iba dengan perempuan muda yang tengah hamil itu. Jaggers pun menyogok juri dan membebaskannya dari tuduhan pembunuhan. Semenjak itu Molly bekerja dan tunduk pada Jaggers.

Hukuman Abel lebih berat, padahal yang paling diuntungkan dan otak kejahatan adalah Compassion, pria bodoh itu merasa ditipu. Keduanya menjalani hukuman di penjara yang sama, penjara kapal yang tidak jauh dari kampung Pip. Abel sangat menghindari Compassion selama di penjara, tak terhindarkan keduanya berkelahi. Abel berhasil melarikan diri dari kapal penjara, dan ia tidak tahu kalau Compassion juga menyusulnya. Abel bersembunyi di kuburan gereja dan sore itu Pip berada di sana dan baginya Pip penyelamatnya. Semenjak mengetahui bocah itu yatim piatu, semenjak itu pula hatinya menganggap Pip adalah anaknya. Compassion adalah orang yang berkelahi dengan tahanan Pip pada malam penangkapan.

Abel menyelesaikan masa hukumannya dan bekerja pada sejumlah tuan silih berganti hingga akhirnya ia bertemu tuan baik hati, orang kaya itu mewariskan harta dan usahanya kepada Abel. Untuk menebus kesalahannya dan mengingat kebaikan bocah Pip, ia pun mencari Pip lewat pengacara Jaggers, dan rutin mengirimi Pip uang, sebagai rasa terima kasihnya. Pip adalah anak yatim piatu seperti dirinya, Abel inginkan anak itu tidak jatuh dalam kebodohan seperti dirinya, ia inginkan Pip menjadi pria terdidik dan terpandang. 

Kehidupan Pip lambat laun berubah, ia sekarang hidup dalam lingkungan borjuis. Ia semakin malu dengan masa lalunya  kebodohan dan kemiskinannya semasa di desa. Dalam suratnya Biddy memberitahu bahwa Joe akan berkunjung, tapi ia sangat malu dengan tingkah Joe di depan Herbert, sangat memalukan. Pip merasa bersalah ketika Joe menyadari dirinya tidak lagi setara dengan Pip, ia pun memutuskan menginap di sebuah hotel kecil ketimbang harus satu ruangan dengan Pip. Rasa bersalah bergejolak dalam hati Pip, tapi dia juga sudah tidak nyaman dengan kehidupan kelas rendah. Sekarang ia bergabung ke sebuah klub orang kaya lajang di London, bahkan dia juga yang membiayai Herbert Pocket.

Pip hidup dalam pesta-pesta dan terbiasa dengan budaya membaca yang ditularkan keluarga Matthew Pocket padanya. Pip sekarang dalam masalah keuangan, terlilit utang besar.  Dan dicari-cari penagih utang hingga akhirnya membuatnya sakit keras, Joe pun mengunjunginya dan membayar seluruh hutangnya. Seperti sebuah tamparan baginya. Beberapa kali ia pulang kampung disurati oleh Ny Havisham. ia menginap di hotel tanpa mampir di rumah lamanya.

Nyawa Abel dan Pip kini terancam, membuat mereka dalam persembunyian dan berpindah-pindah. Sepucuk surat dari Nn Havisham membuat dia pulang kampung. Nona Havisham mengungkapkan penyesalannya tidak mengindahkan larangan Pip. Kini Estella jatuh ke dalam lubang masalah dalam pernikahan, wanita idaman Pip tidak bahagia.

Sebelum masuk ke huniannya bernama Temple, seorang pesuruh memberinya sepucuk pesan dari Wemmick, agar tidak memasuki kamarnya. Seseorang yang berpenampilan kasar mendatanginya, diduga adalah anak buah Compassion ataupun Arthur, orang yang ditemui Abel di hari-hari sebelumnya.

Abel disembunyikan dalam rumah penduduk di pinggiran daerah Sungai Thames dan bermaksud akan dikapalkan meninggalkan London. Rencana sudah disusun, tapi petugas patroli laut menangkap basah Abel dan dibawa kembali ke penjara. Tidak berselang waktu lama, dia harus dirawat di rumah sakit penjara karena sempat terluka parah dalam malam pelarian. Persidangan berjalan dan Pip berusaha keras agar pria malang itu terbebas dari humannya. Kondisi kesehatan Abel semakin kritis dan dalam benaknya ia berharap agar Abel sebaiknya meninggal sebelum hukuman mati dilakukan.

Setiap harinya dengan setia ia menjenguk tahanan Abel di tengah penjagaan sipir yang semakin ketat karena menunggu waktu hukuman mati. Menit-menit terakhir Pip akhirnya mengungkap bahwa putri Abel yang hilang kini tumbuh menjadi wanita terhormat dan Pip mencintai putrinya itu.

Setelah peristiwa kebakaran, kondisi kesehatan sempat membaik, dan ketika Pip kembali ke desa Ny Havisham sudah meninggal dunia. Pip terjebak kesibukan mengurus persidangan hingga pemakaman Abel, saat yang bersamaan pula Nn Havisham meninggal dunia. Nn Havisham mewariskan hartanya dalam jumlah besar kepada Matthew Pocket (ayah Herbert) dan Pip termasuk di dalamnya.

Demi menjaga harga dirinya yang baru, Joe masih menginap di penginapan Boar di tengah kota dan kebetulan tidak jauh dari rumah Pumblechook dan Nn Havisham. Subuh sebelum sarapan, ia sempatkan diri berjalan pagi ke rumah Nn Havisham, sebuah tulisan dijual terpampang pada jendela rumah mewah itu, timbunan tagihan masih menempel di gerbang yang sudah mulai dililit rumput.

Sore hari, ia mengujungi rumah lamanya, melewati rumah sekolah Biddy yang terlihat sepi, karena memang hari itu adalah libur. Langkahnya pun menuju kediaman Joe yang sederhana, sekarang terlihat namun terlihat hidup. Sekarang penampilan dan bahasa tubuh Joe sudah agak berubah, membaik. Biddy telah banyak mengajarinya hingga membaca dan menulis. Ia kaget rumah itu sepi, ternyata ada seseorang di sana. Si tua Orlick dalam keadaan mabuk meneyrang Pip hendak membunuhnya. Pria kasar itu mengetahui bahwa Pip adalah anak angkat Abel, orang yang menjadi musuhnya.

Orlick adalah Compassion, lelaki yang menghancurkan hati dan menipu Nn Havisham, juga orang yang berkelahi di malam Abel ditemukan di samping gereja. Compassion selama ini dikenal dengan nama Orlick. Orang yang hidup dalam caravan, dan sempat berteman dengan Joe. Ny Joe, kakak Joe, semasa hidupnya tidak suka Orlick yang dianggapnya tidak wajar dekat-dekat kehidupan rumah tangga mereka.

Si tua Orlick dikenal berpindah-pindah. Malam itu pula, ia mengakui disanya, dialah penyerang kakak Joe. Orang tua mabuk itu sangat membenci Abel Magwitch, dan ia datang ingin membunuh Pip. Ocehan dan hinaan kakak Joe membuat darah Orlick mendidih hingga menyerangnya. Semenjak itu kakaknya sakit menahun dan meninggal dunia. Sekuat tenaga Pip berusaha menyelamatkan diri dari pisau tajam Orlick dan bertarung melawan pria mabuk itu. Beruntung saja, ada putra pemilik penginapan Boar dan Herbert menyelamatkan Pip.

Malam itu juga Pip dibawa pulang ke London, luka Pip cukup parah dan membuatnya hingga harus dirawat di rumah ayah Herbert. Kebaikan dan ketekunan Herbert merawatnya setiap hari membuatnya semakin terharu. Pip sangat sedih setelah kesembuhannya Herbert berangkat merantau ke Mesir, ada perkerjaan menunggunya di sana, dan harus terpisah dari gadis yang dicintainya, Clara.

Tahun berganti tahun, Pip banyak mengelana ke luar negeri. Sebuah undangan dari Joe tiba. Hari pernikahannya dengan Biddy. Pip sangat bahagia dan pulang.

Beberapa tahun kemudian, Pip pulang ke kampung,  Biddy sudah menggendong bayi perempuan dan kaget melihat seorang bocah lelaki yang sedang belajar berjalan dinamai Pip. Biddy sempat menyinggung kapan Pip mengakhiri kesendiriannya, Herbert telah kembali dan menikahi kekasihnya, keduanya telah bahagia berada di rumahnya sekarang.

Ia pun sempat menghampiri Satis House. Kenangannya dengan Nn Havishman dan Estella membawanya kembali ke rumah yang tidak terawat dan ditumbuhi rumput. Tampak Estella muncul, Kini ia sudah menjanda, Bentley Drummle meninggal terjatuh dari kuda. Pip dan Estella tampak akrab dan banyak bertukar cerita dan sepakat untuk tetap menjalin pertemanan.

Dua tahun berlalu tidak ada kabar tentang Estella. Hingga hari itu, Pip membawa Pip kecil berjalan-jalan di pusat kota London, seorang pesuruh, memberitahu jika tuannya ingin bertemu dirinya. Pip cukup kaget mendapati wanita dalam kereta kecil itu adalah Estella. Reaksi kurang percaya diri tidak mampu disembunyikan wanita itu. Tidak heran, Pip sudah pernah mendengar rumor tentang kehidupan Estella yang kurang cemerlang, ia menikah lagi dengan seorang dokter yang jauh dari kaya.

Hari itu Pip membawa Pip muda, putra Joe, dan memperkenalkannya kepada Estella. Tatapan kesedihan dari Pip tidak terelakkan ketika melihat penampilan Estella yang agak kurang, wanita yang dikasihinya, dan tidak pernah dimilikinya. 

*****

9 April 2018