Triumph

The day for Estella's departure came. Miss Havisham stood upon the dim staircase, where the breeze from the window fitfully played with her hair and her dress, and saw the girl standing at the bottom, quiet, self-possessed, more beautiful than ever in her new travelling costume.

She watched Miss Havisham descend the steps and draw near to her, and suffered herself to be embraced, and heard her feverish whisper, "Remember all you have been taught!" all without a change of expression. Miss Havisham was weeping a little when she drew back at last; but there were no tears in Estella's cool, bright eyes.

She said her farewells and went out, perfectly composed; and Miss Havisham ran back up to the window to stand and watch her to the last. When the carriage had passed finally from view, she went slowly up to her room, and sat before the looking-glass, and looked fixedly at her own faded image. In her mind's eye, she saw Estella in the days to come, at balls and banquets, flitting from success to success—saw her revenge and her victory achieved at long last.

Suddenly she bent forward and hid her face in her hands.