believe now； Mrs Jellyby； you have received as many as from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred letters respecting Africa in a
single day； have you not？” or； “If my memory does not deceive me；
Mrs Jellyby； you once mentioned that you had sent off five
thousand circulars from one post…office at one time？”—always
repeating Mrs Jellyby’s answer to us like an interpreter。 During
the whole evening； Mr Jellyby sat in a corner with his head against
the wall； as if he were subject to low spirits。 It seemed that he had
several times opened his mouth when alone with Richard； after
dinner； as if he had something on his mind； but had always shut it
again； to Richard’s extreme confusion； without saying anything。
Mrs Jellyby； sitting in quite a nest of waste paper； drank coffee
all the evening； and dictated at intervals to her eldest daughter。
She also held a discussion with Mr Quale； of which the subject
seemed to be—if I understood it—the Brotherhood of Humanity；
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and gave utterance to some beautiful sentiments。 I was not so
attentive an auditor as I might have wished to be； however； for
Peepy and the other children came flocking about Ada and me in a
corner of the drawing…room to ask for another story； so we sat
down among them； and told them in whispers Puss in Boots and I
don’t know what else； until Mrs Jellyby； accidentally remembering
them； sent them to bed。 As Peepy cried for me to take him to bed； I
carried him upstairs； where the young woman with the flannel
bandage charged into the midst of the little family like a dragoon；
and overturned them into cribs。
After that； I occupied myself in making our room a little tidy；
and in coaxing a very cross fire that had been lighted； to burn；
which at last it did； quite brightly。 On my return downstairs； I felt
that Mrs Jellyby looked down upon me rather； for being so
frivolous； and I was sorry for it； though at the same time I knew
that I had no higher pretensions。
It was nearly midnight before we found an opportunity of going
to bed； and even then we left Mrs Jellyby among her papers
drinking coffee； and Miss Jellyby biting the feather of her pen。
“What a strange house！” said Ada； when we got upstairs。 “How
curious of my cousin Jarndyce to send us here！”
“My love；” said I； “it quite confuses me。 I want to understand it；
and I can’t understand it at all。”
“What？” asked Ada； with her pretty smile。
“All this； my dear；” said I。 “It must be very good of Mrs Jellyby
to take such pains about a scheme for the benefit of Natives—and
yet—Peepy and the housekeeping！”
Ada laughed； and put her arm about my neck； as I stood looking
at the fire； and told me I was a quiet； dear； good creature； and had
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won her heart。 “You are so thoughtful； Esther；” she said； “and yet
so cheerful！ and you do so much； so unpretendingly！ You would
make a home out of even this house。”
My simple darling！ She was quite unconscious that she only
praised herself； and that it was in the goodness of her own heart
that she made so much of me！
“May I ask you a question？” said I； when we had sat before the
fire a little while。
“Five hundred；” said Ada。
“Your cousin； Mr Jarndyce。 I owe so much to him。 Would you
mind describing him to me？”
Shaking back her golden hair； Ada turned her eyes upon me
with such laughing wonder； that I was full of wonder too—partly
at her beauty； partly at her surprise。
“Esther！” she cried。
“My dear！”
“You want a description of my cousin Jarndyce？”
“My dear； I never saw him。”
“And I never saw him！” returned Ada。
Well； to be sure！
No； she had never seen him。 Young as she was when her mama
died； she remembered how the tears would come into her eyes
when she spoke of him； and of the noble generosity of his
character； which she had said was to be trusted above all earthly
things； and Ada trusted it。 Her cousin Jarndyce had written to her
a few months ago；—“a plain； honest letter；” Ada said—proposing
the arrangement we were now to enter on； and telling her that； “in
time it might heal some of the wounds made by the miserable
Chancery suit。” She had replied； gratefully accepting his proposal。
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Richard had received a similar letter； and had made a similar
response。 He had seen Mr Jarndyce once； but only once； five years
ago； at Winchester school。 He had told Ada； when they were
leaning on the screen before the fire where I found them； that he
recollected him as “a bluff； rosy fellow。” This was the utmost
description Ada could give me。
It set me thinking so； that when Ada was asleep； I still remained
before the fire； wondering and wondering about Bleak House； and
wondering and wondering that yesterday morning should seem so
long ago。 I don’t know where my thoughts had wandered； when
they were recalled by a tap at the door。
I opened it softly； and found Miss Jellyby shivering there； with a
broken candle in a broken candlestick in one hand； and an eggcup
in the other。
“Good night！” she said； very sulkily。
“Good night！” said I。
“May I come in？” she shortly and unexpectedly asked me in the
same sulky way。
“Certainly；” said I。 “Don’t wake Miss Clare。”
She would not sit down； but stood by the fire； dipping her inky
middle finger in the eggcup； which contained vinegar； and
smearing it over the ink stains on her face； frowning； the whole
time； and looking very gloomy。
“I wish Africa was dead！” she said on a sudden。
I was going to remonstrate。
“I do！” she said。 “Don’t talk to me； Miss Summerson。 I hate it
and detest it。 It’s a beast！”
I told her she was tired； and I was sorry。 I put my hand upon
her head； and touched her forehead； and said it was hot now； but
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would be cool tomorrow。 She still stood； pouting and frowning at
me； but presently put down her eggcup； and turned softly towards
the bed where Ada lay。
“She is very pretty！” she said； with the same knitted brow； and
in the same uncivil manner。
I assented with a smile。
“An orphan。 Ain’t she？”
“Yes。”
But knows a quantity； I suppose？ Can dance； and play music；
and sing？ She can talk French； I suppose； and do geography； and
globes； and needlework； and every thing？”
“No doubt；” said I。
“I can’t；” she returned。 “I can’t do anything hardly； except
write。 I’m always writing for Ma。 I wonder you two were not
ashamed of yourselves to come in this afternoon； and see me able
to do nothing else。 It was like your ill…nature。 Yet you think
yourselves very fine； I dare say！”
I could see that the poor girl was near crying； and I resumed my
chair without speaking； and looked at her （I hope） as mildly as I
felt towards her。
“It’s disgraceful；” she said。 “You know it is。 The whole house is
disgraceful。 The children are disgraceful。 I’m disgraceful。 Pa’s
miserable； and no wonder！ Priscilla drinks—she’s always drinking。
It’s a great shame and great story of you； if you say you didn’t
smell her today。 It was as bad as a public…house； waiting at dinner；
you know it was！”
“My dear； I don’t know it；” said I。
“You do；” she said； very shortly。 “You shan’t say you don’t。 You
do！”
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“O； my dear！” said I； “if you won’t let me speak—”
“You’re speaking now。 You know you are。 Don’t tell stories；
Miss Summerson。”
“My dear；” said I； “as long as you won’t hear me out—”
“I don’t want to hear you out。”
“O yes； I think you do；” said I； “because that would be so very
unreasonable。 I did not know what you tell me； because the
servant did not come near me at dinner； but I don’t doubt what
you tell me； and I am sorry to hear it。”
“You needn’t make a merit of that；” said she。
“No； my dear；” said I。 “That would be very foolish。”
She was still standing by the bed； and now stooped down （but
still with the same discontented face） and kissed Ada。 That done；
she cam
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