forward； and folding her hands tight upon the band of her little
apron； which she always did； in the enjoyment of anything
mysterious or confidential； “but it’s a gentleman； miss； and his
compliments； and will you please to come without saying anything
about it。”
“Whose compliments； Charley？”
“His’n； miss；” returned Charley： whose grammatical education
was advancing； but not very rapidly。
“And how do you come to be the messenger； Charley？”
“I am not the messenger； if you please； miss；” returned my little
maid。 “It was W。 Grubble； miss。”
“And who is W。 Grubble； Charley？”
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“Mister Grubble； miss；” returned Charley。 “Don’t you know；
miss？ The Dedlock Arms； by W。 Grubble；” which Charley
delivered as if she were slowly spelling out the sign。
“Ay？ The landlord； Charley？”
“Yes； miss。 If you please； miss； his wife is a beautiful woman；
but she broke her ankle and it never joined。 And her brother’s the
sawyer； that was put in the cage； miss； and they expect he’ll drink
himself to death entirely on beer；” said Charley。
Not knowing what might be the matter； and being easily
apprehensive now； I thought it best to go to this place by myself。 I
bade Charley be quick with my bonnet and veil； and my shawl；
and having put them on； went away down the little hilly street；
where I was as much at home as in Mr Boythorn’s garden。
Mr Grubble was standing in his shirt sleeves at the door of his
very clean little tavern； waiting for me。 He lifted off his hat with
both hands when he saw me coming； and carrying it so； as if it
were an iron vessel （it looked as heavy）； preceded me along the
sanded passage to his best parlour： a neat carpeted room； with
more plants in it than were quite convenient； a coloured print of
Queen Caroline； several shells； a good many tea…trays； two stuffed
and dried fish in glass cases； and either a curious egg or a curious
pumpkin （but I don’t know which； and I doubt if many people did）
hanging from the ceiling。 I knew Mr Grubble very well by sight；
from his often standing at his door。 A pleasant…looking； stoutish；
middle…aged man； who never seemed to consider himself cosily
dressed for his own fireside without his hat and top…boots； but who
never wore a coat except at church。
He snuffed the candle； and backing away a little to see how it
looked； backed out of the room—unexpectedly to me； for I was
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going to ask him by whom he had been sent。 The door of the
opposite parlour being then opened； I heard some voices； familiar
in my ears； I thought； which stopped。 A quick light step
approached the room in which I was； and who should stand before
me； but Richard！
“My dear Esther！” he said； “my best friend！” and he really was
so warm…hearted and earnest； that in the first surprise and
pleasure of his brotherly greeting； I could scarcely find breath to
tell him that Ada was well。
“Answering my very thoughts—always the same dear girl！” said
Richard； leading me to a chair； and seating himself beside me。
I put my veil up； but not quite。
“Always the same dear girl！” said Richard； just as heartily as
before。
I put my veil up altogether； and laying my hand on Richard’s
sleeve； and looking in his face； told him how much I thanked him
for his kind welcome； and how greatly I rejoiced to see him； the
more so； because of the determination I had made in my illness；
which I now conveyed to him。
“My love；” said Richard； “there is no one with whom I have a
greater wish to talk； than you； for I want you to understand me。”
“And I want you； Richard；” said I； shaking my head； “to
understand some one else。”
“Since you refer so immediately to John Jarndyce；” said
Richard—“I suppose you mean him？”
“Of course I do。”
“Then； I may say at once that I am glad of it； because it is on
that subject that I am anxious to be understood。 By you； mind—
you； my dear！ I am not accountable to Mr Jarndyce； or Mr
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Anybody。”
I was pained to find him taking this tone； and he observed it。
“Well； well； my dear；” said Richard； “we won’t go into that； now。
I want to appear quietly in your country house here； with you
under my arm； and give my charming cousin a surprise。 I suppose
your loyalty to John Jarndyce will allow that？”
“My dear Richard；” I returned； “you know you would be
heartily welcome at his house—your home； if you will but consider
it so； and you are as heartily welcome here。”
“Spoken like the best of little women！” cried Richard； gaily。
I asked him how he liked his profession？”
“Oh； I like it well enough！” said Richard。 “It’s all right。 It does
as well as anything else； for a time。 I don’t know that I shall care
about it when I come to be settled； but I can sell out then； and—
however； never mind all that botheration at present。”
So young and handsome； and in all respects so perfectly the
opposite of Miss Flite！ And yet； in the clouded； eager seeking look
that passed over him； so dreadfully like her！
“I am in town on leave； just now；” said Richard。
“Indeed？”
“Yes。 I have run over to look after my—my Chancery interests；
before the long vacation；” said Richard； forcing a careless laugh。
“We are beginning to spin along with that old suit at last； I
promise you。”
No wonder that I shook my head！
“As you say； it’s not a pleasant subject。” Richard spoke with the
same shade crossing his face as before。 “Let it go to the four winds
for tonight。—Puff！ Gone！—Who do you suppose is with me？”
“Was it Mr Skimpole’s voice I heard？”
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“That’s the man！ He does me more good than anybody。 What a
fascinating child it is！”
I asked Richard if anyone knew of their coming down together？
He answered； No； nobody。 He had been to call upon the dear old
infant—so he called Mr Skimpole—and the dear old infant had
told him where we were； and he had told the dear old infant he
was bent on coming to see us； and the dear old infant had directly
wanted to come too； and so he had brought him。 “And he is
worth—not to say his sordid expenses—but thrice his weight in
gold；” said Richard。 “He is such a cheery fellow。 No worldliness
about him。 Fresh and green…hearted！”
I certainly did not see the proof of Mr Skimpole’s unworldliness
in his having his expenses paid by Richard； but I made no remark
about that。 Indeed； he came in； and turned our conversation。 He
was charmed to see me； said he had been shedding delicious tears
of joy and sympathy； at intervals for six weeks； on my account； had
never been so happy as in hearing of my progress； began to
understand the mixture of good and evil in the world now； felt that
he appreciated health the more； when somebody else was ill；
didn’t know but what it might be in the scheme of things that A
should squint to make B happier in looking straight； or that C
should carry a wooden leg； to make D better satisfied with his
flesh and blood in a silk stocking。
“My dear Miss Summerson； here is our friend Richard；” said
Mr Skimpole； “full of the brightest visions of the future； which he
evokes out of the darkness of Chancery。 Now that’s delightful；
that’s inspiriting； that’s full of poetry！ In old times； the woods and
solitudes were made joyous to the shepherd by the imaginary
piping and dancing of Pan and the Nymphs。 This present
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shepherd； our pastoral Richard； brightens the dull Inns of Court
by making Fortune and her train sport through them to the
melodious notes of a judgment from the bench。 That’s very
pleasant； you know！ Some ill…conditioned growling fellow may say
to me；
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