Chapter XLIV

 Size: 39 cm x 27 cm

After Pip learns that Estella is going to marry his arch-rival Drummle, he delivers a heart-wrenching monologue about his good intentions on and for Estella, while holding her hand. Miss Havisham is awestruck by his words from deep down his soul, and by his noble behaviour.

The convict Provis escaped from Australia, and made himself known to Pip in London as the man who realized his great expectations. Pip is in a grave crisis. Not only does he need to keep Provis away from getting executed, for his staying in Britain is a capital crime, but his overestimation of Miss Havisham's role in his life, whom he thought to be his secret benefactress, and more so believed Estella to be given to him as bride, sends him back to his old town in Kent on the path to learn the truth about his misconception.

In his hometown, he stumbles accidentally unto Drummle at the Blue Boar. Drummle hints at meeting a certain lady, and Pip gets a very bad feeling. He then goes to Satis House, Miss Havisham's place, to confront her. 

In Miss Havisham's obscured room with the mirror, Estella is employing herself on an embroidery hoop. She sits at the foot of Miss Havisham, who looks into the fire, and holds a walking stick. First, Pip confronts Miss Havisham why she never told him not to be his secret benefactress. The discussion terminated, he turns to Estella, and asks her if she's going to be married to Drummle. When she affirms it, he almost collapses with grief. He implores her to not throw herself away on Drummle, and not to listen to Miss Havisham's foul scheme. But this plea falls on deaf ears. She coldly refuses Pip's advice, and as a throwaway motion lays her hand on Pip's, telling him to not mind it. 

Pip sheds some tears on her hand and stutters a brilliant monologue, which I must include in this description:

Estella: 

‘You will get me out of your thoughts in a week.’

Pip: 

‘Out of my thoughts! You are part of my existence, part of myself. You have been in every line I have ever read, since I first came here, the rough common boy whose poor heart you wounded even then. You have been in every prospect I have ever seen since - on the river, on the sails of the ships, on the marshes, in the clouds, in the light, in the darkness, in the wind, in the woods, in the sea, in the streets. You have been the embodiment of every graceful fancy that my mind has ever become acquainted with. The stones of which the strongest London buildings are made, are not more real, or more impossible to be displaced by your hands, than your presence and influence have been to me, there and everywhere, and will be. Estella, to the last hour of my life, you cannot choose but remain part of my character, part of the little good in me, part of the evil. But, in this separation I associate you only with the good, and I will faithfully hold you to that always, for you must have done me far more good than harm, let me feel now what sharp distress I may. O God bless you, God forgive you!’

 Miss Havisham holds her hand to her heart, and looks with a ghastly look, mostly remorse for having deceived Pip into believing Estella was meant for him, just to hear the benevolent and revenge-free speech of Pip. She, left at the wedding altar by a scoundrel, expected only the worst from the heart of man. In her folly, she encouraged Pip to fall in love with Estella, hoping to see his heart break on the knowledge of this terrible news. However, Pip's self-sacrificing behaviour came as something totally unknown to her, who expected everybody to act as selfish as she was.