After asking a number of questions with no satisfaction, Uncle Pumblechook began again.
"Now, boy," he said, "what was Miss Havisham a-doing of when you went in to-day?"
"She was sitting," I answered, "in a black velvet coach."
My hearers stared at one another—as they well might—and repeated, "In a black velvet coach?"
"Yes," said I, "and Miss Estella, that's her niece, I think, handed her in cake and wine at the coach window on a gold plate. And we all had cake and wine on gold plates. And I got up behind the coach to eat mine because she told me to."
"Was anybody else there?" asked Mr. Pumblechook.
"Four dogs," said I.
"Large or small?"
"Immense," said I. "And they fought for veal cutlets out of a silver basket."
My hearers stared at one another again in utter amazement. I was perfectly frantic and would have told them anything.