"I am sorry, Pip," said he, as I put the check in my pocket, when he had signed it, "that we do nothing for you." "Miss Havisham was good enough to ask me," I returned, "whether she could do nothing for me, and I told her No." "Everybody should know his own business," said Mr.Jaggers.And I saw Wemmick's lips form the words "portable property." "I should not have told her No, if I had been you," said Mr Jaggers; "but every man ought to know his own business best." "Every man's business," said Wemmick, rather reproachfully towards me, "is portable property." As I thought the time was now come for pursuing the theme I had at heart, I said, turning on Mr.Jaggers:-- "I did ask something of Miss Havisham, however, sir.

I asked her to give me some information relative to her adopted daughter, and she gave me all she possessed." "Did she ?" said Mr.Jaggers, bending forward to look at his boots and then straightening himself.

"Hah! I don't think I should have done so, if I had been Miss Havisham.

But she ought to know her own business best." "I know more of the history of Miss Havisham's adopted child than Miss Havisham herself does, sir.

I know her mother." Mr.Jaggers looked at me inquiringly, and repeated "Mother ?" "I have seen her mother within these three days." "Yes ?" said Mr.Jaggers.
"And so have you, sir.