The sentence above describes Pip's sense of urgency as he tries to fulfill the duties to which the convict has bound him. In no uncertain terms, the convict has instructed Pip to bring him a file and some food at the cemetery the next morning. To frighten Pip into complying, the convict has told him that there is another "young man" with him who has "a secret way...of getting at a boy, and at his heart and at his liver". The convict adds, "I am a keeping that young man from harming of you at the present moment, with great difficulty"; it is only through his intercession that Pip has so far been spared a gory fate at the hands of the convict's bestial companion (Chapter 1).
As Pip tries to secure a file and some food to take back to the convict as directed, he is worried. He cannot forget about the young man, who "was with so much difficulty restrained (by the convict) from imbruing his hands in (him)". Pip wonders what would happen if the young man "should yield to a constitutional impatience, or should mistake the time", thinking that he should have the right to eviscerate Pip "to-night, instead of to-morrow". The young man has apparently been instructed by the convict not to rip out Pip's heart and liver unless the boy does not come through with a file and "wittles" as ordered. Pip wonders what would happen if the young man became impatient or misunderstood his instructions, thinking that he is entitled to savage him tonight instead of possibly tomorrow (Chapter 2).
A seven-year-old today might express these same thoughts with words such as these -
"The convict said he that it was very hard for him to keep the scary young man from tearing me apart. What if the young man doesn't like to wait for things, or gets the convict's instructions wrong about the time? Then, he might think he can take out my heart and liver tonight instead of tomorrow"!
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