“Well, Pip,” said Joe, taking up the poker, and settling himself to his usual occupation when he was thoughtful, of slowly raking the fire between the lower bars; “I'll tell you.

My father, Pip, he were given to drink, and when he were overtook with drink, he hammered away at my mother, most onmerciful. It were a'most the only hammering he did, indeed, 'xcepting at myself. And he hammered at me with a wigor only to be equalled by the wigor with which he didn't hammer at his anwil. — You're a listening and understanding, Pip?”

“Yes, Joe.”

“'Consequence, my mother and me we ran away from my father several times; and then my mother she'd go out to work, and she'd say, “Joe,” she'd say, “now, please God, you shall have some schooling, child,”