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u forgive me for not being grateful，and not being good． And think better of me in the future！’
‘Oh dear old Pip，’said Joe，‘God knows we forgive you，if there is anything to forgive！’
So I left the forge，and started a new life， working as a clerk for Clarrikers，Herbert's company． I was sent to the new office in India to take charge，while Herbert came back to England to marry his Clara．
Herbert and his wife invited me to live with them， and we all stayed out in India for many years．In the end I too became a partner in the company．We worked hard and honestly， and made good profits．
It was not until eleven years later that I returned to England and saw Biddy and Joe again，although I had been writing regularly to them．One evening in December I gently pushed open the old kitchen door， and there，sitting by the fire next to Joe，in my old place，was…Pip！Joe and Biddy's son had my name and looked just like me．They also had a little daughter，and were the happiest of parents．
‘Dear Pip，’said Biddy quietly to me after supper，‘have you quite forgotten her？ Tell me， as an old friend．’
‘My dear Biddy，I can never forget her． But that was all a dream， which has passed！’
But I was secretly planning to revisit Miss Havisham's old house， alone， as a way of remembering Estella． I had heard that her husband had been very cruel to her．They had separated，and then he had died two years ago．Perhaps she had remarried by now．
The old house had been knocked down， and there was nothing left but piles of stones in the garden． In the moonlight I walked sadly around，until suddenly I saw a woman's figure in the shadows．I went closer and then——
‘Estella！’I cried．
‘You recognize me？I have changed a lot，’she answered．
She was older，but still beautiful．I had never before seen such a soft light in those once proud eyes，or felt such a friend…ly touch of her once cold hand．
‘It's strange， Estella！ Afer so many years，we meet by chance，here，where we first met！’
‘Yes，it's strange．I haven't been here for years，although the land belongs to me．But tell me，you still live abroad？’
‘Yes，I still do．I'm doing well in India．’
‘I've often thought of you．Since…my husband…died，I have given you a place in my heart．’
‘You have always held your place in my heart，I answered．
There was silence for a few moments．
‘I didn't think I would say goodbye to you here，’she said．
‘It's painful saying goodbye，Estella．’
‘But last time you said，“God bless you， God forgive you！”You could say that to me now， now that I understand how much you loved me， now that I have suffered， now that I am a better person．Tell me we are friends．’She spoke more eagerly than I had ever heard her speak before．
‘We are friends，’ I said，taking her hand．
‘And will continue being friends，even when we are apart，’said Estella．
We walked，hand in hand， out of the old garden．As the morning mist had risen long ago when I first left the forge，so the evening mist was rising now，and in the clear moonlight I saw no shadow of another separation from her．
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