Pip, in his fourth year of apprenticeship, joins Joe at the Jolly Bargemen, where they listen to Wopsle expound on a criminal story in the newspaper. A strange man takes issue with Wopsle’s comments and proceeds to destroy his arguments. The man repeatedly bites his forefinger and throws his forefinger toward Wopsle as he makes his points. Pip recognizes him as the soap-scented man from Miss Havisham’s. The man asks to speak to Joe and Pip, so they return home and sit in the state parlor. He tells them his name is Jaggers, and he is a lawyer from London with news for Pip. The young man is to come into a handsome property and therefore has great expectations. Joe and Pip are both astounded. Pip views this as his dream come true, and Pip thinks it is Miss Havisham’s doing because this man is her lawyer. The two conditions to his expectations are that he must keep the name of Pip and not ask the name of his benefactor. That person will step forward when the time is right. Jaggers mentions that Pip should study with someone to learn to be a gentleman and mentions Matthew Pocket, a relative of Miss Havisham’s. Jaggers is clear that he makes no recommendations, but merely gives the information. He further states that, in this matter, he is paid or he would not be there, and if his opinion were asked, he would not have recommended this gift. When Jaggers badgers Joe about financial compensation for losing Pip in the forge, Joe is insulted and is ready to fight Jaggers.
