The Convict and the Churchyard

The Story

t is Christmas Eve. Pip, a young boy at the start of the novel, introduces himself and describes a visit to the graves of his parents and brothers in an isolated country churchyard. He is suddenly set upon and menaced by Magwitch, a convict escaped from a prison hulk moored on the river. Magwitch forces Pip to promise to bring him food, drink and a file to remove his fetters. Pip lives with his much older sister and her husband, the village blacksmith. He is punished severely for his absence from home. The next morning, he gets up early and makes for the marshes with the required items, which he has stolen from the larder and the forge. Before he meets Magwitch, Pip is surprised to discover a second convict, who runs away. He tells Magwitch about it as he gives him the food. Taken aback, Magwitch decides to head off in pursuit.

The illustrations

"Hold your noise!" cried a terrible voice, as a man started up from among the graves at the side of the church porch.

A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg.

Tickler was a wax-ended piece of cane, worn smooth by collision with my tickled frame.

I...ran for the misty marshes.

He shivered all the while, so violently, that it was quite as much as he could do to keep the neck of the bottle between his teeth, without biting it off.