He was taken to the Police Court next day, and would
have been immediately committed for trial, but that
it was necessary to send down for an old officer of
the prison-ship from which he had once escaped, to
speak to his identity. Nobody doubted it; but,
Compeyson, who had meant to depose to it, was tumbling
on the tides, dead, and it happened that there was
not at that time any prison officer in London who
could give the required evidence. I had gone
direct to Mr. Jaggers at his private house, on my arrival
over night, to retain his assistance, and Mr. Jaggers
on the prisoner’s behalf would admit nothing.
It was the sole resource, for he told me that the
case must be over in five minutes when the witness
was there, and that no power on earth could prevent
its going against us.
I imparted to Mr. Jaggers my design of keeping him
in ignorance of the fate of his wealth. Mr.
Jaggers was querulous and angry with me for having
“let it slip through my fingers,” and said
we must memorialize by-and-by, and try at all events
for some of it. But, he did not conceal from
me that although there might be many cases in which
the forfeiture would not be exacted, there were no
circumstances in this case to make it one of them.
I understood that, very well. I was not related
to the outlaw, or connected with him by any recognizable
tie; he had put his hand to no writing or settlement
in my favour before his apprehension, and to do so
now would be idle. I had no claim, and I finally
resolved, and ever afterwards abided by the resolution,
that my heart should never be sickened with the hopeless
task of attempting to establish one.
There appeared to be reason for supposing that the
drowned informer had hoped for a reward out of this
forfeiture, and had obtained some accurate knowledge
of Magwitch’s affairs. When his body was
found, many miles from the scene of his death, and
so horribly disfigured that he was only recognizable
by the contents of his pockets, notes were still legible,
folded in a case he carried. Among these, were
the name of a banking-house in New South Wales where
a sum of money was, and the designation of certain
lands of considerable value. Both these heads
of information were in a list that Magwitch, while
in prison, gave to Mr. Jaggers, of the possessions
he supposed I should inherit. His ignorance,
poor fellow, at last served him; he never mistrusted
but that my inheritance was quite safe, with Mr. Jaggers’s
aid.
After three days’ delay, during which the crown
prosecution stood over for the production of the witness
from the prison-ship, the witness came, and completed
the easy case. He was committed to take his
trial at the next Sessions, which would come on in
a month.
It was at this dark time of my life that Herbert returned
home one evening, a good deal cast down, and said:
“My dear Handel, I fear I shall soon have to
leave you.”
