rodea
hunting
with
bow
and
arrow
;
bear
witness
to
his
greatness
.
Inside
,
his
forefathers
,
looking
on
him
from
the
walls
,
say
,
“
Each
of
us
was
a
passing
reality
here
,
and
left
this
colored
shadow
of
himself
,
and
melted
into
remembrance
as
dreamy
as
the
distant
voices
of
the
rooks
now
lulling
you
to
rest
;
”
and
bear
their
testimony
to
his
greatness
too
.
And
he
is
very
great
,
this
day
.
And
woe
to
Boythorn
,
or
other
daring
wight
,
who
shall
presumptuously
contest
an
inch
with
him
!
My
Lady
is
at
present
represented
,
near
Sir
Leicester
,
by
her
portrait
.
She
has
flitted
away
to
town
,
with
no
intention
of
remaining
there
,
and
will
soon
flit
hither
again
,
to
the
confusion
of
the
fashionable
intelligence
.
The
house
in
town
is
not
prepared
for
her
reception
.
It
is
muffled
and
dreary
.
Only
one
Mercury
in
powder
,
gapes
disconsolate
at
the
hall-window
;
and
he
mentioned
last
night
to
another
Mercury
of
his
acquaintance
,
also
accustomed
to
good
society
,
that
if
that
sort
of
thing
was
to
last
—
which
it
could
n't
,
for
a
man
of
his
spirits
could
n't
bear
it
,
and
a
man
of
his
figure
could
n't
be
expected
to
bear
it
—
there
would
be
no
resource
for
him
,
upon
his
honor
,
but
to
cut
his
throat
!
What
connexion
can
there
be
,
between
the
place
in
Lincolnshire
,
the
house
in
town
,
the
Mercury
in
powder
,
and
the
whereabout
of
Jo
the
outlaw
with
the
broom
,
who
had
that
distant
ray
of
light
upon
him
when
he
swept
the
churchyard-step
?
What
connexion
can
there
have
been
between
many
people
in
the
innumerable
histories
of
this
world
,
who
,
from
opposite
sides
of
great
gulfs
,
have
,
nevertheless
,
been
very
curiously
brought
together
!
Jo
sweeps
his
crossing
all
day
long
,
unconscious
of
the
link
,
if
any
link
there
be
.
He
sums
up
his
mental
condition
,
when
asked
a
question
,
by
replying
that
he
“
do
n't
know
nothink
.
”
He
knows
that
it
's
hard
to
keep
the
mud
off
the
crossing
in
dirty
weather
,
and
harder
still
to
live
by
doing
it
.
Nobody
taught
him
,
even
that
much
;
he
found
it
out
.
Jo
lives
—
that
is
to
say
,
Jo
has
not
yet
died
—
in
a
ruinous
place
,
known
to
the
like
of
him
by
the
name
of
Tom-all-alone
's
.
It
is
a
black
,
dilapidated
street
,
avoided
by
all
decent
people
;
where
the
crazy
houses
were
seized
upon
,
when
their
decay
was
far
advanced
,
by
some
bold
vagrants
,
who
,
after
establishing
their
own
possession
,
took
to
letting
them
out
in
lodgings
.
Now
,
these
tumbling
tenements
contain
,
by
night
,
a
swarm
of
misery
.
As
,
on
the
ruined
human
wretch
,
vermin
parasites
appear
,
so
,
these
ruined
shelters
have
bred
a
crowd
of
foul
existence
that
crawls
in
and
out
of
gaps
in
walls
and
boards
;
and
coils
itself
to
sleep
,
in
maggot
numbers
,
where
the
rain
drips
in
;
and
comes
and
goes
,
fetching
and
carrying
fever
,
and
sowing
more
evil
in
its
every
footprint
than
Lord
Coodle
,
and
Sir
Thomas
Doodle
,
and
the
Duke
of
Foodle
,
and
all
the
fine
gentlemen
in
office
,
down
to
Zoodle
,
shall
set
right
in
five
hundred
years
—
though
born
expressly
to
do
it
.
Twice
,
lately
,
there
has
been
a
crash
and
a
cloud
of
dust
,
like
the
springing
of
a
mine
,
in
Tom-all-alone
's
;
and
,
each
time
,
a
house
has
fallen
.
These
accidents
have
made
a
paragraph
in
the
newspapers
,
and
have
filled
a
bed
or
two
in
the
nearest
hospital
.
The
gaps
remain
,
and
there
are
not
unpopular
lodgings
among
the
rubbish
.
As
several
more
houses
are
nearly
ready
to
go
,
the
next
crash
in
Tom-all-alone
's
may
be
expected
to
be
a
good
one
.
This
desirable
property
is
in
Chancery
,
of
course
.
It
would
be
an
insult
to
the
discernment
of
any
man
with
half
an
eye
,
to
tell
him
so
.
Whether
“
Tom
”
is
the
popular
representative
of
the
original
plaintiff
or
defendant
in
Jarndyce
and
Jarndyce
;
or
,
whether
Tom
lived
here
when
the
suit
had
laid
the
street
waste
all
alone
,
until
other
settlers
came
to
join
him
;
or
,
whether
the
traditional
title
is
a
comprehensive
name
for
a
retreat
cut
off
from
honest
company
and
put
out
of
the
pale
of
hope
;
perhaps
nobody
knows
.
Certainly
,
Jo
do
n't
know
.
“
For
I
do
n't
,
”
says
Jo
,
“
I
do
n't
know
nothink
.
”
It
must
be
a
strange
state
to
be
like
Jo
!
To
shuffle
through
the
streets
,
unfamiliar
with
the
shapes
,
and
in
utter
darkness
as
to
the
meaning
,
of
those
mysterious
symbols
,
so
abundant
over
the
shops
,
and
at
the
corners
of
streets
,
and
on
the
doors
,
and
in
the
windows
!
To
see
people
read
,
and
to
see
people
write
,
and
to
see
the
postmen
deliver
letters
,
and
not
to
have
the
least
idea
of
all
that
language
—
to
be
,
to
every
scrap
of
it
,
stone
blind
and
dumb
!
It
must
be
very
puzzling
to
see
the
good
company
going
to
the
churches
on
Sundays
,
with
their
books
in
their
hands
,
and
to
think
(
for
perhaps
Jo
does
think
,
at
odd
times
)
what
does
it
all
mean
,
and
if
it
means
anything
to
anybody
,
how
comes
it
that
it
means
nothing
to
me
?
To
be
hustled
,
and
jostled
,
and
moved
on
;
and
really
to
feel
that
it
would
appear
to
be
perfectly
true
that
I
have
no
business
,
here
,
or
there
,
or
anywhere
;
and
yet
to
be
perplexed
by
the
consideration
that
I
am
here
somehow
,
too
,
and
everybody
overlooked
me
until
I
became
the
creature
that
I
am
!
It
must
be
a
strange
state
,
not
merely
to
be
told
that
I
am
scarcely
human
(
as
in
the
case
of
my
offering
myself
for
a
witness
)
,
but
to
feel
it
of
my
own
knowledge
all
my
life
!
To
see
the
horses
,
dogs
,
and
cattle
,
go
by
me
,
and
to
know
that
in
ignorance
I
belong
to
them
,
and
not
to
the
superior
beings
in
my
shape
,
whose
delicacy
I
offend
!
Jo
's
ideas
of
a
Criminal
Trial
,
or
a
Judge
,
or
a
Bishop
,
or
a
Government
,
or
that
inestimable
jewel
to
him
(
if
he
only
knew
it
)
the
Constitution
,
should
be
strange
!
His
whole
material
and
immaterial
life
is
wonderfully
strange
;
his
death
,
the
strangest
thing
of
all
.
Jo
comes
out
of
Tom-all-alone
's
,
meeting
the
tardy
morning
which
is
always
late
in
getting
down
there
,
and
munches
his
dirty
bit
of
bread
as
he
comes
along
.
His
way
lying
through
many
streets
,
and
the
houses
not
yet
being
open
,
he
sits
down
to
breakfast
on
the
door-step
of
the
Society
for
the
Propagation
of
the
Gospel
in
Foreign
Parts
,
and
gives
it
a
brush
when
he
has
finished
,
as
an
acknowledgment
of
the
accommodation
.
He
admires
the
size
of
the
edifice
,
and
wonders
what
it
's
all
about
.
He
has
no
idea
,
poor
wretch
,
of
the
spiritual
destitution
of
a
coral
reef
in
the
Pacific
,
or
what
it
costs
to
look
up
the
precious
souls
among
the
cocoanuts
and
bread-fruit
.
He
goes
to
his
crossing
,
and
begins
to
lay
it
out
for
the
day
.
The
town
awakes
;
the
great
tee-totum
is
set
up
for
its
daily
spin
and
whirl
;
all
that
unaccountable
reading
and
writing
,
which
has
been
suspended
for
a
few
hours
,
recommences
.
Jo
,
and
the
other
lower
animals
,
get
on
in
the
unintelligible
mess
as
they
can
.
It
is
market-day
.
The
blinded
oxen
,
over-goaded
,
over-driven
,
never
guided
,
run
into
wrong
places
and
are
beaten
out
;
and
plunge
,
red-eyed
and
foaming
,
at
stone
walls
;
and
often
sorely
hurt
the
innocent
,
and
often
sorely
hurt
themselves
.
Very
like
Jo
and
his
order
;
very
,
very
like
!
A
band
of
music
comes
,
and
plays
.
Jo
listens
to
it
.
So
does
a
dog
—
a
drover
's
dog
,
waiting
for
his
master
outside
a
butcher
's
shop
,
and
evidently
thinking
about
those
sheep
he
has
had
upon
his
mind
for
some
hours
,
and
is
happily
rid
of
.
He
seems
perplexed
respecting
three
or
four
;
ca
n't
remember
where
he
left
them
;
looks
up
and
down
the
street
,
as
half
expecting
to
see
them
astray
;
suddenly
pricks
up
his
ears
and
remembers
all
about
it
.
A
thoroughly
vagabond
dog
,
accustomed
to
low
company
and
public-houses
;
a
terrific
dog
to
sheep
;
ready
at
a
whistle
to
scamper
over
their
backs
,
and
tear
out
mouthfuls
of
their
wool
;
but
an
educated
,
improved
,
developed
dog
,
who
has
been
taught
his
duties
and
knows
how
to
discharge
them
.
He
and
Jo
listen
to
the
music
,
probably
with
much
the
same
amount
of
animal
satisfaction
;
likewise
,
as
to
awakened
association
,
aspiration
or
regret
,
melancholy
or
joyful
reference
to
things
beyond
the
senses
,
they
are
probably
upon
a
par
.
But
,
otherwise
,
how
far
above
the
human
listener
is
the
brute
!
Turn
that
dog
's
descendants
wild
,
like
Jo
,
and
in
a
very
few
years
they
will
so
degenerate
that
they
will
lose
even
their
bark
—
but
not
their
bite
.
The
day
changes
as
it
wears
itself
away
,
and
becomes
dark
and
drizzly
.
Jo
fights
it
out
,
at
his
crossing
,
among
the
mud
and
wheels
,
the
horses
,
whips
,
and
umbrellas
,
and
gets
but
a
scanty
sum
to
pay
for
the
unsavory
shelter
of
Tom-all-alone
's
.
Twilight
comes
on
;
gas
begins
to
start
up
in
the
shops
;
the
lamplighter
,
with
his
ladder
,
runs
along
the
margin
of
the
pavement
.
A
wretched
evening
is
beginning
to
close
in
.
In
his
chambers
,
Mr.
Tulkinghorn
sits
meditating
an
application
to
the
nearest
magistrate
to-morrow
morning
for
a
warrant
.
Gridley
,
a
disappointed
suitor
,
has
been
here
to-day
,
and
has
been
alarming
.
We
are
not
to
be
put
in
bodily
fear
,
and
that
ill-conditioned
fellow
shall
be
held
to
bail
again
.
From
the
ceiling
,
foreshortened
allegory
,
in
the
person
of
one
impossible
Roman
upside
down
,
points
with
the
arm
of
Samson
(
out
of
joint
,
and
an
odd
one
)
obtrusively
toward
the
window
.
Why
should
Mr.
Tulkinghorn
,
for
such
no-reason
,
look
out
of
window
?
Is
the
hand
not
always
pointing
there
?
So
he
does
not
look
out
of
window
.
And
if
he
did
,
what
would
it
be
to
see
a
woman
going
by
?
There
are
women
enough
in
the
world
,
Mr.
Tulkinghorn
thinks
—
too
many
;
they
are
at
the
bottom
of
all
that
goes
wrong
in
it
,
though
,
for
the
matter
of
that
,
they
create
business
for
lawyers
.
What
would
it
be
to
see
a
woman
going
by
,
even
though
she
were
going
secretly
?
They
are
all
secret
.
Mr.
Tulkinghorn
knows
that
,
very
well
.
But
they
are
not
all
like
the
woman
who
now
leaves
him
and
his
house
behind
;
between
whose
plain
dress
,
and
her
refined
manner
,
there
is
something
exceedingly
inconsistent
.
She
should
be
an
upper
servant
by
her
attire
,
yet
,
in
her
air
and
step
,
though
both
are
hurried
and
assumed
—
as
far
as
she
can
assume
in
the
muddy
streets
,
which
she
treads
with
an
unaccustomed
foot
—
she
is
a
lady
.
Her
face
is
veiled
,
and
still
she
sufficiently
betrays
herself
to
make
more
than
one
of
those
who
pass
her
look
round
sharply
.
She
never
turns
her
head
.
Lady
or
servant
,
she
has
a
purpose
in
her
,
and
can
follow
it
.
She
never
turns
her
head
,
until
she
comes
to
the
crossing
where
Jo
plies
with
his
broom
.
He
crosses
with
her
,
and
begs
.
Still
,
she
does
not
turn
her
head
until
she
has
landed
on
the
other
side
.
Then
,
she
slightly
beckons
to
him
,
and
says
“
Come
here
!
”
Jo
follows
her
,
a
pace
or
two
,
into
a
quiet
court
.
“
Are
you
the
boy
I
have
read
of
in
the
papers
?
”
she
asks
behind
her
veil
.
“
I
do
n't
know
,
”
says
Jo
,
staring
moodily
at
the
veil
,
“
nothink
about
no
papers
.
I
do
n't
know
nothink
about
nothink
at
all
.
”
“
Were
you
examined
at
an
Inquest
?
”
“
I
dont
know
nothink
about
no
—
where
I
was
took
by
the
beadle
,
do
you
mean
?
”
says
Jo
.
“
Was
the
boy
's
name
at
the
Inkwhich
,
Jo
?
”
“
Yes
.
”
“
That
's
me
!
”
says
Jo
.
“
Come
farther
up
.
”
“
You
mean
about
the
man
?
”
says
Jo
,
following
.
“
Him
as
wos
dead
?
”
“
Hush
!
Speak
in
a
whisper
!
Yes
.
Did
he
look
,
when
he
was
living
,
so
very
ill
and
poor
?
”
“
O
jist
!
”
says
Jo
.
“
Did
he
look
like
—
not
like
you
?
”
says
the
woman
with
abhorrence
.
“
O
not
so
bad
as
me
,
”
says
Jo
.
“
I
'm
a
reg'lar
one
,
I
am
!
You
did
n't
know
him
,
did
you
?
”
“
How
dare
you
ask
me
if
I
knew
him
?
”
“
No
offence
,
my
lady
,
”
says
Jo
,
with
much
humility
;
for
even
he
has
got
at
the
suspicion
of
her
being
a
lady
.
“
I
am
not
a
lady
.
I
am
a
servant
.
”
“
You
are
a
jolly
servant
!
”
says
Jo
;
without
the
least
idea
of
saying
anything
offensive
;
merely
as
a
tribute
of
admiration
.
“
Listen
and
be
silent
.
Do
n't
talk
to
me
,
and
stand
farther
from
me
!
Can
you
shew
me
all
those
places
that
were
spoken
of
in
the
account
I
read
?
The
place
he
wrote
for
,
the
place
he
died
at
,
the
place
where
you
were
taken
to
,
and
the
place
where
he
was
buried
?
Do
you
know
the
place
where
he
was
buried
?
”
Jo
answers
with
a
nod
;
having
also
nodded
as
each
other
place
was
mentioned
.
“
Go
before
me
,
and
show
me
all
those
dreadful
places
.
Stop
opposite
to
each
,
and
do
n't
speak
to
me
unless
I
speak
to
you
.
Do
n't
look
back
.
Do
what
I
want
,
and
I
will
pay
you
well
.
”
Jo
attends
closely
while
the
words
are
being
spoken
;
tells
them
off
on
his
broom-handle
,
finding
them
rather
hard
;
pauses
to
consider
their
meaning
;
considers
it
satisfactory
,
and
nods
his
ragged
head
.
“
I
am
fly
,
”
says
Jo
.
“
But
fen
larks
,
you
know
!
Stow
hooking
it
!
”
“
What
does
the
horrible
creature
mean
?
”
exclaims
the
servant
,
recoiling
from
him
.
“
Stow
cutting
away
,
you
know
!
”
says
Jo
.
“
I
do
n't
understand
you
.
Go
on
before
!
I
will
give
you
more
money
than
you
ever
had
in
your
life
.
”
Jo
screws
up
his
mouth
into
a
whistle
,
gives
his
ragged
head
a
rub
,
takes
his
broom
under
his
arm
,
and
leads
the
way
;
passing
deftly
,
with
his
bare
feet
,
over
the
hard
stones
,
and
through
the
mud
and
mire
.
Cook
's
Court
.
Jo
stops
.
A
pause
.
“
Who
lives
here
?
”
“
Him
wot
give
him
his
writing
,
and
give
me
half
a
bull
,
”
says
Jo
,
in
a
whisper
,
without
looking
over
his
shoulder
.
“
Go
on
to
the
next
.
”
Krook
's
house
.
Jo
stops
again
.
A
longer
pause
.
“
Who
lives
here
?
”
“
He
lived
here
,
”
Jo
answers
as
before
.
After
a
silence
,
he
is
asked
“
In
which
room
?
”
“
In
the
back
room
up
there
.
You
can
see
the
winder
from
this
corner
.
Up
there
!
That
's
where
I
see
him
stritched
out
.
This
is
the
public
ouse
where
I
was
took
to
.
”
“
Go
on
to
the
next
!
”
It
is
a
longer
walk
to
the
next
;
but
,
Jo
,
relieved
of
his
first
suspicions
,
sticks
to
the
terms
imposed
upon
him
,
and
does
not
look
round
.
By
many
devious
ways
,
reeking
with
offence
of
many
kinds
,
they
come
to
the
little
tunnel
of
a
court
,
and
to
the
gas-lamp
(
lighted
now
)
,
and
to
the
iron
gate
.
“
He
was
put
there
,
”
says
Jo
,
holding
to
the
bars
and
looking
in
.
“
Where
?
O
,
what
a
scene
of
horror
!
”
“
There
!
”
says
Jo
,
pointing
.
“
Over
yinder
.
Among
them
piles
of
bones
,
and
close
to
that
there
kitchin
winder
!
They
put
him
wery
nigh
the
top
.
They
was
obliged
to
stamp
upon
it
to
git
it
in
.
I
could
unkiver
it
for
you
,
with
my
broom
,
if
the
gate
was
open
.
That
's
why
they
locks
it
,
I
s'pose
,
”
giving
it
a
shake
.
“
It
's
always
locked
.
Look
at
the
rat
!
”
cries
Jo
,
excited
.
“
Hi
!
Look
!
There
he
goes
!
Ho
!
Into
the
ground
!
”
The
servant
shrinks
into
a
corner
—
into
a
corner
of
that
hideous
archway
,
with
its
deadly
stains
contaminating
her
dress
;
and
putting
out
her
two
hands
,
and
passionately
telling
him
to
keep
away
from
her
,
for
he
is
loathsome
to
her
,
so
remains
for
some
moments
.
Jo
stands
staring
,
and
is
still
staring
when
she
recovers
herself
.
“
Is
this
place
of
abomination
,
consecrated
ground
?
”
“
I
do
n't
know
nothink
of
consequential
ground
,
”
says
Jo
,
still
staring
.
“
Is
it
blessed
?
”
“
WHICH
?
”
says
Jo
,
in
the
last
degree
amazed
.
“
Is
it
blessed
?
”
“
I
'm
blest
if
I
know
,
”
says
Jo
,
staring
more
than
ever
;
“
but
I
should
n't
think
it
war
n't
.
Blest
?
”
repeats
Jo
,
something
troubled
in
his
mind
.
“
It
a
n't
done
it
much
good
if
it
is
.
Blest
?
I
should
think
it
was
t'othered
myself
.
But
I
do
n't
know
nothink
!
”
The
servant
takes
as
little
heed
of
what
he
says
,
as
she
seems
to
take
of
what
she
has
said
herself
.
She
draws
off
her
glove
,
to
get
some
money
from
her
purse
.
Jo
silently
notices
how
white
and
small
her
hand
is
,
and
what
a
jolly
servant
she
must
be
to
wear
such
sparkling
rings
.
She
drops
a
piece
of
money
in
his
hand
,
without
touching
it
,
and
shuddering
as
their
hands
approach
.
“
Now
,
”
she
adds
,
“
show
me
the
spot
again
!
”
Joe
thrusts
the
handle
of
his
broom
between
the
bars
of
the
gate
,
and
,
with
his
utmost
power
of
elaboration
,
points
it
out
.
At
length
,
looking
aside
to
see
if
he
has
made
himself
intelligible
,
he
finds
that
he
is
alone
.
His
first
proceeding
,
is
,
to
hold
the
piece
of
money
to
the
gas-light
,
and
to
be
overpowered
at
finding
that
it
is
yellow
—
gold
.
His
next
,
is
,
to
give
it
a
one-sided
bite
at
the
edge
,
as
a
test
of
its
quality
.
His
next
,
to
put
it
in
his
mouth
for
safety
,
and
to
sweep
the
step
and
passage
with
great
care
.
His
job
done
,
he
sets
off
for
Tom-all-alone
's
;
stopping
in
the
light
of
innumerable
gas-lamps
to
produce
the
piece
of
gold
,
and
give
it
another
one-sided
bite
,
as
a
re-assurance
of
its
being
genuine
.
The
Mercury
in
powder
is
in
no
want
of
society
to-night
,
for
my
Lady
goes
to
a
grand
dinner
and
three
or
four
balls
.
Sir
Leicester
is
fidgetty
,
down
at
Chesney
Wold
,
with
no
better
company
than
the
gout
;
he
complains
to
Mrs.
Rouncewell
that
the
rain
makes
such
a
monotonous
pattering
on
the
terrace
,
that
he
ca
n't
read
the
paper
,
even
by
the
fireside
in
his
own
snug
dressing-room
.
“
Sir
Leicester
would
have
done
better
to
try
the
other
side
of
the
house
,
my
dear
,
”
says
Mrs.
Rouncewell
to
Rosa
.
“
His
dressing-room
is
on
my
Lady
's
side
.
And
in
all
these
years
I
never
heard
the
step
upon
the
Ghost
's
Walk
,
more
distinct
than
it
is
to-night
!
”
CHAPTER
XVII
.
ESTHER
'S
NARRATIVE
.
RICHARD
very
often
came
to
see
us
while
we
remained
in
London
(
though
he
soon
failed
in
his
letter-writing
)
,
and
with
his
quick
abilities
,
his
good
spirits
,
his
good
temper
,
his
gaiety
and
freshness
,
was
always
delightful
.
But
,
though
I
liked
him
more
and
more
,
the
better
I
knew
him
,
I
still
felt
more
and
more
how
much
it
was
to
be
regretted
that
he
had
been
educated
in
no
habits
of
application
and
concentration
.
The
system
which
had
addressed
him
in
exactly
the
same
manner
as
it
had
addressed
hundreds
of
other
boys
,
all
varying
in
character
and
capacity
,
had
enabled
him
to
dash
through
his
tasks
,
always
with
fair
credit
,
and
often
with
distinction
;
but
in
a
fitful
,
dazzling
way
that
had
confirmed
his
reliance
on
those
very
qualities
in
himself
,
which
it
had
been
most
desirable
to
direct
and
train
.
They
were
great
qualities
,
without
which
no
high
place
can
be
meritoriously
won
;
but
,
like
fire
and
water
,
though
excellent
servants
,
they
were
very
bad
masters
.
If
they
had
been
under
Richard
's
direction
,
they
would
have
been
his
friends
;
but
,
Richard
being
under
their
direction
,
they
became
his
enemies
.
I
write
down
these
opinions
,
not
because
I
believe
that
this
or
any
other
thing
was
so
,
because
I
thought
so
;
but
only
because
I
did
think
so
,
and
I
want
to
be
quite
candid
about
all
I
thought
and
did
.
These
were
my
thoughts
about
Richard
.
I
thought
I
often
observed
besides
,
how
right
my
guardian
was
in
what
he
had
said
;
and
that
the
uncertainties
and
delays
of
the
Chancery
suit
had
imparted
to
his
nature
something
of
the
careless
spirit
of
a
gamester
,
who
felt
that
he
was
part
of
a
great
gaming
system
.
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Bayham
Badger
coming
one
afternoon
,
when
my
guardian
was
not
at
home
,
in
the
course
of
conversation
I
naturally
inquired
after
Richard
.
“
Why
,
Mr.
Carstone
,
”
said
Mrs.
Badger
,
“
is
very
well
,
and
is
,
I
assure
you
,
a
great
acquisition
to
our
society
.
Captain
Swosser
used
to
say
of
me
that
I
was
always
better
than
land
a-head
and
a
breeze
a-starn
to
the
midshipmen
's
mess
when
the
purser
's
junk
had
become
as
tough
as
the
fore-topsel
weather
earings
.
It
was
his
naval
way
of
mentioning
generally
that
I
was
an
acquisition
to
any
society
.
I
may
render
the
same
tribute
,
I
am
sure
,
to
Mr.
Carstone
.
But
,
I
—
you
wo
n't
think
me
premature
if
I
mention
it
?
”
I
said
no
,
as
Mrs.
Badger
's
insinuating
tone
seemed
to
require
such
an
answer
.
“
Nor
Miss
Clare
?
”
said
Mrs.
Bayham
Badger
,
sweetly
.
Ada
said
no
,
too
,
and
looked
uneasy
.
“
Why
,
you
see
,
my
dears
,
”
said
Mrs.
Badger
—
“
you
'll
excuse
my
calling
you
my
dears
?
”
We
entreated
Mrs.
Badger
not
to
mention
it
.
“
Because
you
really
are
,
if
I
may
take
the
liberty
of
saying
so
,
”
pursued
Mrs.
Badger
,
“
so
perfectly
charming
.
You
see
,
my
dears
,
that
although
I
am
still
young
—
or
Mr.
Bayham
Badger
pays
me
the
compliment
of
saying
so
—
”
“
No
,
”
Mr.
Badger
called
out
,
like
some
one
contradicting
at
a
public
meeting
.
“
Not
at
all
!
”
“
Very
well
,
”
smiled
Mrs.
Badger
,
“
we
will
say
still
young
.
”
(
“
Undoubtedly
,
”
said
Mr.
Badger
.
)
“
My
dears
,
though
still
young
,
I
have
had
many
opportunities
of
observing
young
men
.
There
were
many
such
on
board
the
dear
old
Crippler
,
I
assure
you
.
After
that
,
when
I
was
with
Captain
Swosser
in
the
Mediterranean
,
I
embraced
every
opportunity
of
knowing
and
befriending
the
midshipmen
under
Captain
Swosser
's
command
.
You
never
heard
them
called
the
young
gentlemen
,
my
dears
,
and
probably
would
not
understand
allusions
to
their
pipeclaying
their
weekly
accounts
;
but
it
is
otherwise
with
me
,
for
blue
water
has
been
a
second
home
to
me
,
and
I
have
been
quite
a
sailor
.
Again
,
with
Professor
Dingo
.
”
(
“
A
man
of
European
reputation
,
”
murmured
Mr.
Badger
.
)
“
When
I
lost
my
dear
first
,
and
became
the
wife
of
my
dear
second
,
”
said
Mrs.
Badger
,
speaking
of
her
former
husbands
as
if
they
were
parts
of
a
charade
,
“
I
still
enjoyed
opportunities
of
observing
youth
.
The
class
attendant
on
Professor
Dingo
's
lectures
was
a
large
one
,
and
it
became
my
pride
,
as
the
wife
of
an
eminent
scientific
man
seeking
herself
in
science
the
utmost
consolation
it
could
impart
,
to
throw
our
house
open
to
the
students
,
as
a
kind
of
Scientific
Exchange
.
Every
Tuesday
evening
there
was
lemonade
and
a
mixed
biscuit
,
for
all
who
chose
to
partake
of
those
refreshments
.
And
there
was
Science
to
an
unlimited
extent
.
”
(
“
Remarkable
assemblies
those
,
Miss
Summerson
,
”
said
Mr.
Badger
,
reverentially
.
“
There
must
have
been
great
intellectual
friction
going
on
there
,
under
the
auspices
of
such
a
man
!
”
)
“
And
now
,
”
pursued
Mrs.
Badger
,
“
now
that
I
am
the
wife
of
my
dear
third
,
Mr.
Badger
,
I
still
pursue
those
habits
of
observation
which
were
formed
during
the
lifetime
of
Captain
Swosser
,
and
adapted
to
new
and
unexpected
purposes
during
the
lifetime
of
Professor
Dingo
.
I
therefore
have
not
come
to
the
consideration
of
Mr.
Carstone
as
a
Neophyte
.
And
yet
I
am
very
much
of
the
opinion
,
my
dears
,
that
he
has
not
chosen
his
profession
advisedly
.
”
Ada
looked
so
very
anxious
now
,
that
I
asked
Mrs.
Badger
on
what
she
founded
her
supposition
?
“
My
dear
Miss
Summerson
,
”
she
replied
,
“
on
Mr.
Carstone
's
character
and
conduct
.
He
is
of
such
a
very
easy
disposition
,
that
probably
he
would
never
think
it
worth
while
to
mention
how
he
really
feels
;
but
,
he
feels
languid
about
the
profession
.
He
has
not
that
positive
interest
in
it
which
makes
it
his
vocation
.
If
he
has
any
decided
impression
in
reference
to
it
.
I
should
say
it
was
that
it
is
a
tiresome
pursuit
.
Now
,
this
is
not
promising
.
Young
men
,
like
Mr.
Allan
Woodcourt
,
who
take
to
it
from
a
strong
interest
in
all
that
it
can
do
,
will
find
some
reward
in
it
through
a
great
deal
of
work
for
a
very
little
money
,
and
through
years
of
considerable
endurance
and
disappointment
.
But
I
am
quite
convinced
that
this
would
never
be
the
case
with
Mr.
Carstone
.
”
“
Does
Mr.
Badger
think
so
too
?
”
asked
Ada
,
timidly
.
“
Why
,
”
said
Mr.
Badger
,
“
to
tell
the
truth
,
Miss
Clare
,
this
view
of
the
matter
had
not
occurred
to
me
until
Mrs.
Badger
mentioned
it
.
But
,
when
Mrs.
Badger
put
it
in
that
light
,
I
naturally
gave
great
consideration
to
it
;
knowing
that
Mrs.
Badger
's
mind
,
in
addition
to
its
natural
advantages
,
has
had
the
rare
advantage
of
being
formed
by
two
such
very
distinguished
(
I
will
even
say
illustrious
)
public
men
as
Captain
Swosser
of
the
Royal
Navy
and
Professor
Dingo
.
The
conclusion
at
which
I
have
arrived
is
—
in
short
,
is
Mrs.
Badger
's
conclusion
.
”
“
It
was
a
maxim
of
Captain
Swosser
's
,
”
said
Mrs.
Badger
,
“
speaking
in
his
figurative
naval
manner
,
that
when
you
make
pitch
hot
,
you
cannot
make
it
too
hot
;
and
that
if
you
only
have
to
swab
a
plank
,
you
should
swab
it
as
if
Davy
Jones
were
after
you
.
It
appears
to
me
that
this
maxim
is
applicable
to
the
medical
,
as
well
as
to
the
nautical
profession
.
”
“
To
all
professions
,
”
observed
Mr.
Badger
.
“
It
was
admirably
said
by
Captain
Swosser
.
Beautifully
said
.
”
“
People
objected
to
Professor
Dingo
,
when
we
were
staying
in
the
North
of
Devon
,
after
our
marriage
,
”
said
Mrs.
Badger
,
“
that
he
disfigured
some
of
the
houses
and
other
buildings
,
by
chipping
off
fragments
of
those
edifices
with
his
little
geological
hammer
.
But
the
Professor
replied
,
that
he
knew
of
no
building
,
save
the
Temple
of
Science
.
The
principle
is
the
same
,
I
think
?
”
“
Precisely
the
same
,
”
said
Mr.
Badger
.
“
Finely
expressed
!
The
Professor
made
the
same
remark
,
Miss
Summerson
,
in
his
last
illness
;
when
(
his
mind
wandering
)
he
insisted
on
keeping
his
little
hammer
under
the
pillow
,
and
chipping
at
the
countenances
of
the
attendants
.
The
ruling
passion
!
”
Although
we
could
have
dispensed
with
the
length
at
which
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Badger
pursued
the
conversation
,
we
both
felt
that
it
was
disinterested
in
them
to
express
the
opinion
they
had
communicated
to
us
,
and
that
there
was
a
great
probability
of
its
being
sound
.
We
agreed
to
say
nothing
to
Mr.
Jarndyce
until
we
had
spoken
to
Richard
;
and
,
as
he
was
coming
next
evening
,
we
resolved
to
have
a
very
serious
talk
with
him
.
So
,
after
he
had
been
a
little
while
with
Ada
,
I
went
in
and
found
my
darling
(
as
I
knew
she
would
be
)
prepared
to
consider
him
thoroughly
right
in
whatever
he
said
.
“
And
how
do
you
get
on
,
Richard
?
”
said
I
.
I
always
sat
down
on
the
other
side
of
him
.
He
made
quite
a
sister
of
me
.
“
O
!
well
enough
!
”
said
Richard
.
“
He
ca
n't
say
better
than
that
,
Esther
,
can
he
?
”
cried
my
pet
,
triumphantly
.
I
tried
to
look
at
my
pet
in
the
wisest
manner
,
but
of
course
I
could
n't
.
“
Well
enough
?
”
I
repeated
.
“
Yes
,
”
said
Richard
,
“
well
enough
.
It
's
rather
jog-trotty
and
humdrum
.
But
it
'll
do
as
well
as
any
thing
else
!
”
“
O
!
my
dear
Richard
!
”
I
remonstrated
.
“
What
's
the
matter
?
”
said
Richard
.
“
Do
as
well
as
anything
else
!
”
“
I
do
n't
think
there
's
any
harm
in
that
,
Dame
Durden
,
”
said
Ada
,
looking
so
confidingly
at
me
across
him
!
“
Because
if
it
will
do
as
well
as
anything
else
,
it
will
do
very
well
,
I
hope
.
”
“
O
yes
,
I
hope
so
,
”
returned
Richard
,
carelessly
tossing
his
hair
from
his
forehead
.
“
After
all
,
it
may
be
only
a
kind
of
probation
till
our
suit
is
—
I
forgot
though
.
I
am
not
to
mention
the
suit
.
Forbidden
ground
!
O
yes
,
it
's
all
right
enough
.
Let
us
talk
about
something
else
.
”
Ada
would
have
done
so
,
willingly
,
and
with
a
full
persuasion
that
we
had
brought
the
question
to
a
most
satisfactory
state
.
But
I
thought
it
would
be
useless
to
stop
there
,
so
I
began
again
.
“
No
,
but
Richard
,
”
said
I
,
“
and
my
dear
Ada
!
Consider
how
important
it
is
to
you
both
,
and
what
a
point
of
honour
it
is
towards
your
cousin
,
that
you
,
Richard
,
should
be
quite
in
earnest
without
any
reservation
.
I
think
we
had
better
talk
about
this
,
really
,
Ada
.
It
will
be
too
late
,
very
soon
.
”
“
O
yes
!
We
must
talk
about
it
!
”
said
Ada
.
“
But
I
think
Richard
is
right
.
”
What
was
the
use
of
my
trying
to
look
wise
,
when
she
was
so
pretty
,
and
so
engaging
,
and
so
fond
of
him
!
“
Mr.
and
Mrs.
Badger
were
here
yesterday
,
Richard
,
”
said
I
,
“
and
they
seemed
disposed
to
think
that
you
had
no
great
liking
for
the
profession
.
”
“
Did
they
though
?
”
said
Richard
,
“
O
!
Well
,
that
rather
alters
the
case
,
because
I
had
no
idea
that
they
thought
so
,
and
I
should
not
have
liked
to
disappoint
or
inconvenience
them
.
The
fact
is
,
I
do
n't
care
much
about
it
.
But
O
,
it
do
n't
matter
!
It
'll
do
as
well
as
anything
else
!
”
“
You
hear
him
,
Ada
!
”
said
I
.
“
The
fact
is
,
”
Richard
proceeded
,
half
thoughtfully
and
half
jocosely
,
“
it
is
not
quite
in
my
way
.
I
do
n't
take
to
it
.
And
I
get
too
much
of
Mrs.
Bayham
Badger
's
first
and
second
.
”
“
I
am
sure
that
'
s
very
natural
!
”
cried
Ada
,
quite
delighted
.
“
The
very
thing
we
both
said
yesterday
,
Esther
!
”
“
Then
,
”
pursued
Richard
,
“
it
's
monotonous
,
and
to-day
is
too
like
yesterday
,
and
to-morrow
is
too
like
to-day
.
”
“
But
I
am
afraid
,
”
said
I
,
“
this
is
an
objection
to
all
kinds
of
application
—
to
life
itself
,
except
under
some
very
uncommon
circumstances
.
”
“
Do
you
think
so
?
”
returned
Richard
,
still
considering
.
“
Perhaps
!
Ha
!
Why
,
then
,
you
know
,
”
he
added
,
suddenly
becoming
gay
again
,
“
we
travel
outside
a
circle
,
to
what
I
said
just
now
.
It
'll
do
as
well
as
anything
else
.
O
,
it
's
all
right
enough
!
Let
us
talk
about
something
else
.
”
But
,
even
Ada
,
with
her
loving
face
—
and
if
it
had
seemed
innocent
and
trusting
,
when
I
first
saw
it
in
that
memorable
November
fog
,
how
much
more
so
did
it
seem
now
,
when
I
knew
her
innocent
and
trusting
heart
—
even
Ada
shook
her
head
at
this
,
and
looked
serious
.
So
I
thought
it
a
good
opportunity
to
hint
to
Richard
,
that
if
he
were
sometimes
a
little
careless
of
himself
,
I
was
very
sure
he
never
meant
to
be
careless
of
Ada
;
and
that
it
was
a
part
of
his
affectionate
consideration
for
her
,
not
to
slight
the
importance
of
a
step
that
might
influence
both
their
lives
.
This
made
him
almost
grave
.
“
My
dear
Mother
Hubbard
,
”
he
said
,
“
that
's
the
very
thing
!
I
have
thought
of
that
,
several
times
;
and
have
been
quite
angry
with
myself
for
meaning
to
be
so
much
in
carnest
,
and
—
somehow
—
not
exactly
being
so
.
I
do
n't
know
how
it
is
;
I
seem
to
want
something
or
other
to
stand
by
.
Even
you
have
no
idea
how
fond
I
am
of
Ada
(
my
darling
cousin
,
I
love
you
,
so
much
!
)
,
but
I
do
n't
settle
down
to
constancy
in
other
things
.
It
's
such
uphill
work
,
and
it
takes
such
a
time
!
”
said
Richard
,
with
an
air
of
vexation
.
“
That
may
be
,
”
I
suggested
,
“
because
you
do
n't
like
what
you
have
chosen
.
”
“
Poor
fellow
!
”
said
Ada
.
“
I
am
sure
I
do
n't
wonder
at
it
!
”
No.
It
was
not
of
the
least
use
my
trying
to
look
wise
.
I
tried
again
;
but
how
could
I
do
it
,
or
how
could
it
have
any
effect
if
I
could
,
while
Ada
rested
her
clasped
hands
upon
his
shoulder
,
and
while
he
looked
at
her
tender
blue
eyes
,
and
while
they
looked
at
him
!
“
You
see
,
my
precious
girl
,
”
said
Richard
,
passing
her
golden
curls
through
and
through
his
hand
,
“
I
was
a
little
hasty
,
perhaps
;
or
I
misunderstood
my
own
inclinations
,
perhaps
.
They
do
n't
seem
to
lie
in
that
direction
.
I
could
n't
tell
,
till
I
tried
.
Now
the
question
is
,
whether
it
's
worth
while
to
undo
all
that
has
been
done
.
It
seems
like
making
a
great
disturbance
about
nothing
particular
.
”
“
My
dear
Richard
,
”
said
I
,
“
how
can
you
say
about
nothing
particular
?
”
“
I
do
n't
mean
absolutely
that
,
”
he
returned
.
“
I
mean
that
it
may
be
nothing
particular
,
because
I
may
never
want
it
.
”
Both
Ada
and
I
urged
,
in
reply
,
not
only
that
it
was
decidedly
worth
while
to
undo
what
had
been
done
,
but
that
it
must
be
undone
.
I
then
asked
Richard
whether
he
had
thought
of
any
more
congenial
pursuit
?
“
There
,
my
dear
Mrs.
Shipton
,
”
said
Richard
,
“
you
touch
me
home
.
Yes
,
I
have
.
I
have
been
thinking
that
the
law
is
the
boy
for
me
.
”
“
The
law
!
”
repeated
Ada
,
as
if
she
were
afraid
of
the
name
.
“
If
I
went
into
Kenge
's
office
,
”
said
Richard
,
“
and
if
I
were
placed
under
articles
to
Kenge
,
I
should
have
my
eye
on
the
—
hum
!
—
the
forbidden
ground
—
and
should
be
able
to
study
it
,
and
master
it
,
and
to
satisfy
myself
that
it
was
not
neglected
,
and
was
being
properly
conducted
.
I
should
be
able
to
look
after
Ada
's
interests
,
and
my
own
interests
(
the
same
thing
!
)
;
and
I
should
peg
away
at
Blackstone
and
all
those
fellows
with
the
most
tremendous
ardor
.
”
I
was
not
by
any
means
so
sure
of
that
;
and
I
saw
how
his
hankering
after
the
vague
things
yet
to
come
of
those
long-deferred
hopes
,
cast
a
shade
on
Ada
's
face
.
But
I
thought
it
best
to
encourage
him
in
any
project
of
continuous
exertion
,
and
only
advised
him
to
be
quite
sure
that
his
mind
was
made
up
now
.
“
My
dear
Minerva
,
”
said
Richard
,
“
I
am
as
steady
as
you
are
.
I
made
a
mistake
;
we
are
all
liable
to
mistakes
;
I
wo
n't
do
so
any
more
,
and
I
'll
become
such
a
lawyer
as
is
not
often
seen
.
That
is
,
you
know
,
”
said
Richard
,
relapsing
into
doubt
,
“
if
it
really
is
worth
while
,
after
all
,
to
make
such
a
disturbance
about
nothing
particular
!
”
This
led
to
our
saying
again
,
with
a
great
deal
of
gravity
,
all
that
we
had
said
already
,
and
to
our
coming
to
much
the
same
conclusion
afterwards
.
But
,
we
so
strongly
advised
Richard
to
be
frank
and
open
with
Mr.
Jarndyce
,
without
a
moment
's
delay
;
and
his
disposition
was
naturally
so
opposed
to
concealment
;
that
he
sought
him
out
at
once
(
taking
us
with
him
)
,
and
made
a
full
avowal
.
“
Rick
,
”
said
my
Guardian
,
after
hearing
him
attentively
,
“
we
can
retreat
with
honour
,
and
we
will
.
But
we
must
be
careful
—
for
our
cousin
's
sake
,
Rick
,
for
our
cousin
's
sake
—
that
we
make
no
more
such
mistakes
.
Therefore
,
in
the
matter
of
the
law
,
we
will
have
a
good
trial
before
we
decide
.
We
will
look
before
we
leap
,
and
take
plenty
of
time
about
it
.
”
Richard
's
energy
was
of
such
an
impatient
and
fitful
kind
,
that
he
would
have
liked
nothing
better
than
to
have
gone
to
Mr.
Kenge
's
office
in
that
hour
,
and
to
have
entered
into
articles
with
him
on
the
spot
.
Submitting
,
however
,
with
a
good
grace
to
the
caution
that
we
had
shown
to
be
so
necessary
,
he
contented
himself
with
sitting
down
among
us
in
his
lightest
spirits
,
and
talking
as
if
his
one
unvarying
purpose
in
life
from
childhood
had
been
that
one
which
now
held
possession
of
him
.
My
guardian
was
very
kind
and
cordial
with
him
,
but
rather
grave
;
enough
so
to
cause
Ada
,
when
he
had
departed
and
we
were
going
up-stairs
to
bed
,
to
say
:
“
Cousin
John
,
I
hope
you
do
n't
think
the
worse
of
Richard
?
”
“
No
,
my
love
,
”
said
he
.
“
Because
it
was
very
natural
that
Richard
should
be
mistaken
in
such
a
difficult
case
.
It
is
not
uncommon
.
”
“
No
,
no
,
my
love
,
”
said
he
.
“
Do
n't
look
unhappy
.
”
“
O
,
I
am
not
unhappy
,
cousin
John
!
”
said
Ada
,
smiling
cheerfully
,
with
her
hand
upon
his
shoulder
,
where
she
had
put
it
in
bidding
him
good
night
.
“
But
I
should
be
a
little
so
,
if
you
thought
at
all
the
worse
of
Richard
.
”
“
My
dear
,
”
said
Mr.
Jarndyce
,
“
I
should
think
the
worse
of
him
,
only
if
you
were
ever
in
the
least
unhappy
through
his
means
.
I
should
be
more
disposed
to
quarrel
with
myself
,
even
then
,
than
with
poor
Rick
,
for
I
brought
you
together
.
But
,
tut
,
all
this
is
nothing
!
He
has
time
before
him
,
and
the
race
to
run
.
I
think
the
worse
of
him
?
Not
I
,
my
loving
cousin
!
And
not
you
,
I
swear
!
”
“
No
,
indeed
,
cousin
John
,
”
said
Ada
,
“
I
am
sure
I
could
not
—
I
am
sure
I
would
not
—
think
any
ill
of
Richard
,
if
the
whole
world
did
.
I
could
,
and
I
would
,
think
better
of
him
then
,
than
at
any
other
time
!
”
So
quietly
and
honestly
she
said
it
,
with
her
hands
upon
his
shoulders
—
both
hands
now
—
and
looking
up
into
his
face
,
like
the
picture
of
Truth
!
“
I
think
,
”
said
my
guardian
,
thoughtfully
regarding
her
,
“
I
think
it
must
be
somewhere
written
that
the
virtues
of
the
mothers
shall
,
occasionally
,
be
visited
on
the
children
,
as
well
as
the
sins
of
the
fathers
.
Good
night
,
my
rosebud
.
Good
night
,
little
woman
.
Pleasant
slumbers
!
Happy
dreams
!
”
This
was
the
first
time
I
ever
saw
him
follow
Ada
with
his
eyes
,
with
something
of
a
shadow
on
their
benevolent
expression
.
I
well
remembered
the
look
with
which
he
had
contemplated
her
and
Richard
,
when
she
was
singing
in
the
fire-light
;
it
was
but
a
very
little
while
since
he
had
watched
them
passing
down
the
room
in
which
the
sun
was
shining
,
and
away
into
the
shade
;
but
,
his
glance
was
changed
,
and
even
the
silent
look
of
confidence
in
me
which
now
followed
it
once
more
,
was
not
quite
so
hopeful
and
untroubled
as
it
had
originally
been
.
Ada
praised
Richard
more
to
me
,
that
night
,
than
ever
she
had
praised
him
yet
.
She
went
to
sleep
,
with
a
little
bracelet
he
had
given
her
clasped
upon
her
arm
.
I
fancied
she
was
dreaming
of
him
when
I
kissed
her
cheek
after
she
had
slept
an
hour
,
and
saw
how
tranquil
and
happy
she
looked
.
For
I
was
so
little
inclined
to
sleep
,
myself
,
that
night
,
that
I
sat
up
working
.
It
would
not
be
worth
mentioning
for
its
own
sake
,
but
I
was
wakeful
and
rather
low-spirited
.
I
do
n't
know
why
.
At
least
I
do
n't
think
I
know
why
.
At
least
,
perhaps
I
do
,
but
I
do
n't
think
it
matters
.
At
any
rate
,
I
made
up
my
mind
to
be
so
dreadfully
industrious
that
I
would
leave
myself
not
a
moment
's
leisure
to
be
low-spirited
.
For
I
naturally
said
,
“
Esther
!
You
to
be
low-spirited
.
You
!
”
And
it
really
was
time
to
say
so
,
for
I
—
yes
,
I
really
did
see
myself
in
the
glass
,
almost
crying
.
“
As
if
you
had
anything
to
make
you
unhappy
,
instead
of
everything
to
make
you
happy
,
you
ungrateful
heart
!
”
said
I
.
If
I
could
have
made
myself
go
to
sleep
,
I
would
have
done
it
directly
;
but
,
not
being
able
to
do
that
,
I
took
out
of
my
basket
some
ornamental
work
for
our
house
(
I
mean
Bleak
House
)
that
I
was
busy
with
at
that
time
,
and
sat
down
to
it
with
great
determination
.
It
was
necessary
to
count
all
the
stitches
in
that
work
,
and
I
resolved
to
go
on
with
it
until
I
could
n't
keep
my
eyes
open
,
and
then
,
to
go
to
bed
.
I
soon
found
myself
very
busy
.
But
I
had
left
some
silk
down-stairs
in
a
work-table
drawer
in
the
temporary
Growlery
;
and
coming
to
a
stop
for
want
of
it
,
I
took
my
candle
and
went
softly
down
to
get
it
.
To
my
great
surprise
,
on
going
in
,
I
found
my
guardian
still
there
,
and
sitting
looking
at
the
ashes
.
He
was
lost
in
thought
,
his
book
lay
unheeded
by
his
side
,
his
silvered
iron-grey
hair
was
scattered
confusedly
upon
his
forehead
as
though
his
hand
had
been
wandering
among
it
while
his
thoughts
were
elsewhere
,
and
his
face
looked
worn
.
Almost
frightened
by
coming
upon
him
so
unexpectedly
,
I
stood
still
for
a
moment
;
and
should
have
retired
without
speaking
,
had
he
not
,
in
again
passing
his
hand
abstractedly
through
his
hair
,
seen
me
and
started
.
“
Esther
!
”
I
told
him
what
I
had
come
for
.
“
At
work
so
late
,
my
dear
?
”
“
I
am
working
late
to-night
,
”
said
I
,
“
because
I
could
n't
sleep
,
and
wished
to
tire
myself
.
But
,
dear
guardian
,
you
are
late
too
,
and
look
weary
.
You
have
no
trouble
,
I
hope
,
to
keep
you
waking
?
”
“
None
,
little
woman
,
that
you
would
readily
understand
,
”
said
he
.
He
spoke
in
a
regretful
tone
so
new
to
me
,
that
I
inwardly
repeated
,
as
if
that
would
help
me
to
his
meaning
,
“
That
I
could
readily
understand
!
”
“
Remain
a
moment
,
Esther
,
”
said
he
.
“
You
were
in
my
thoughts
.
”
“
I
hope
I
was
not
the
trouble
,
guardian
?
”
He
slightly
waved
his
hand
,
and
fell
into
his
usual
manner
.
The
change
was
so
remarkable
,
and
he
appeared
to
make
it
by
dint
of
so
much
self-command
,
that
I
found
myself
again
inwardly
repeating
,
“
None
that
I
could
understand
!
”
“
Little
woman
,
”
said
my
guardian
,
“
I
was
thinking
—
that
is
,
I
have
been
thinking
since
I
have
been
sitting
here
—
that
you
ought
to
know
,
of
your
own
history
,
all
I
know
.
It
is
very
little
.
Next
to
nothing
.
”
“
Dear
guardian
,
”
I
replied
,
“
when
you
spoke
to
me
before
on
that
subject
—
”
“
But
,
since
then
,
”
he
gravely
interposed
,
anticipating
what
I
meant
to
say
,
“
I
have
reflected
that
your
having
anything
to
ask
me
,
and
my
having
anything
to
tell
you
,
are
different
considerations
,
Esther
.
It
is
perhaps
my
duty
to
impart
to
you
the
little
I
know
.
”
“
If
you
think
so
,
guardian
,
it
is
right
.
”
“
I
think
so
,
”
he
returned
,
very
gently
,
and
kindly
,
and
very
distinctly
.
“
My
dear
,
I
think
so
,
now
.
If
any
real
disadvantage
can
attach
to
your
position
,
in
the
mind
of
any
man
or
woman
worth
a
thought
,
it
is
right
that
you
,
at
least
,
of
all
the
world
should
not
magnify
it
to
yourself
,
by
having
vague
impressions
of
its
nature
.
”
I
sat
down
;
and
said
,
after
a
little
effort
to
be
as
calm
as
I
ought
to
be
,
“
One
of
my
earliest
remembrances
,
guardian
,
is
of
these
words
.
‘Your
mother
,
Esther
,
is
your
disgrace
,
and
you
were
hers
.
The
time
will
come
,
and
soon
enough
,
when
you
will
understand
this
better
,
and
will
feel
it
too
,
as
no
one
save
a
woman
can.’
”
I
had
covered
my
face
with
my
hands
,
in
repeating
the
words
;
but
I
took
them
away
now
with
a
better
kind
of
shame
,
I
hope
,
and
told
him
,
that
to
him
I
owed
the
blessing
that
I
had
from
my
childhood
to
that
hour
never
,
never
,
never
felt
it
.
He
put
up
his
hand
as
if
to
stop
me
.
I
well
knew
that
he
was
never
to
be
thanked
,
and
said
no
more
.
“
Nine
years
,
my
dear
,
”
he
said
,
after
thinking
for
a
little
while
,
“
have
passed
since
I
received
a
letter
from
a
lady
living
in
seclusion
,
written
with
a
stern
passion
and
power
that
rendered
it
unlike
all
other
letters
I
have
ever
read
.
It
was
written
to
me
(
as
it
told
me
in
so
many
words
)
,
perhaps
,
because
it
was
the
writer
's
idiosyncrasy
to
put
that
trust
in
me
;
perhaps
,
because
it
was
mine
to
justify
it
.
It
told
me
of
a
child
,
an
orphan
girl
then
twelve
years
old
,
in
some
such
cruel
words
as
those
which
live
in
your
remembrance
.
It
told
me
that
the
writer
had
bred
her
in
secresy
from
her
birth
,
had
blotted
out
all
trace
of
her
existence
,
and
that
if
the
writer
were
to
die
before
the
child
became
a
woman
,
she
would
be
left
entirely
friendless
,
nameless
,
and
unknown
.
It
asked
me
,
to
consider
if
I
would
,
in
that
case
,
finish
what
the
writer
had
begun
?
”
I
listened
in
silence
,
and
looked
attentively
at
him
.
“
Your
early
recollection
,
my
dear
,
will
supply
the
gloomy
medium
through
which
all
this
was
seen
and
expressed
by
the
writer
,
and
the
distorted
religion
which
clouded
her
mind
with
impressions
of
the
need
there
was
for
the
child
to
expiate
an
offence
of
which
she
was
quite
innocent
.
I
felt
concerned
for
the
little
creature
,
in
her
darkened
life
;
and
replied
to
the
letter
.
”
I
took
his
hand
and
kissed
it
.
“
It
laid
the
injunction
on
me
that
I
should
never
propose
to
see
the
writer
,
who
had
long
been
estranged
from
all
intercourse
with
the
world
,
but
who
would
see
a
confidential
agent
if
I
would
appoint
one
.
I
accredited
Mr.
Kenge
.
The
lady
said
,
of
her
own
accord
,
and
not
of
his
seeking
,
that
her
name
was
an
assumed
one
.
That
she
was
,
if
there
were
any
ties
of
blood
in
such
a
case
,
the
child
's
aunt
.
That
more
than
this
she
would
never
(
and
he
was
well
persuaded
of
the
steadfastness
of
her
resolution
)
,
for
any
human
consideration
,
disclose
.
My
dear
,
I
have
told
you
all
.
”
I
held
his
hand
for
a
little
while
in
mine
.
“
I
saw
my
ward
oftener
than
she
saw
me
,
”
he
added
,
cheerily
making
light
of
it
,
“
and
I
always
knew
she
was
beloved
,
useful
,
and
happy
.
She
repays
me
twenty-thousand
fold
,
and
twenty
more
to
that
,
every
hour
in
every
day
!
”
“
And
oftener
still
,
”
said
I
,
“
she
blesses
the
guardian
who
is
a
Father
to
her
!
”
At
the
word
Father
,
I
saw
his
former
trouble
come
into
his
face
.
He
subdued
it
as
before
,
and
it
was
gone
in
an
instant
;
but
,
it
had
been
there
,
and
it
had
come
so
swiftly
upon
my
words
that
I
felt
as
if
they
had
given
him
a
shock
.
I
again
inwardly
repeated
,
wondering
,
“
That
I
could
readily
understand
.
None
that
I
could
readily
understand
!
”
No
,
it
was
true
.
I
did
not
understand
it
.
Not
for
many
and
many
a
day
.
“
Take
a
fatherly
good-night
,
my
dear
,
”
said
he
,
kissing
me
on
the
forehead
,
“
and
so
to
rest
.
These
are
late
hours
for
working
and
thinking
.
You
do
that
for
all
of
us
,
all
day
long
,
little
housekeeper
!
”
I
neither
worked
nor
thought
,
any
more
,
that
night
.
I
opened
my
grateful
heart
to
Heaven
in
thankfulness
for
its
providence
to
me
and
its
care
of
me
,
and
fell
asleep
.
We
had
a
visitor
next
day
.
Mr.
Allan
Woodcourt
came
.
He
came
to
take
leave
of
us
;
he
had
settled
to
do
so
beforehand
.
He
was
going
to
China
,
and
to
India
,
as
a
surgeon
on
board
ship
.
He
was
to
be
away
a
long
,
long
time
.
I
believe
—
at
least
I
know
—
that
he
was
not
rich
.
All
his
widowed
mother
could
spare
had
been
spent
in
qualifying
him
for
his
profession
.
It
was
not
lucrative
to
a
young
practitioner
,
with
very
little
influence
in
London
;
and
although
he
was
,
night
and
day
,
at
the
service
of
numbers
of
poor
people
,
and
did
wonders
of
gentleness
and
skill
for
them
,
he
gained
very
little
by
it
in
money
.
He
was
seven
years
older
than
I
.
Not
that
I
need
mention
it
,
for
it
hardly
seems
to
belong
to
anything
.
I
think
—
I
mean
,
he
told
us
—
that
he
had
been
in
practice
three
or
four
years
,
and
that
if
he
could
have
hoped
to
contend
through
three
or
four
more
he
would
not
have
made
the
voyage
on
which
he
was
bound
.
But
he
had
no
fortune
or
private
means
,
and
so
he
was
going
away
.
He
had
been
to
see
us
several
times
altogether
.
We
thought
it
a
pity
he
should
go
away
.
Because
he
was
distinguished
in
his
art
among
those
who
knew
it
best
,
and
some
of
the
greatest
men
belonging
to
it
had
a
high
opinion
of
him
.
When
he
came
to
bid
us
goodbye
