and over。 So I should say； in general； not so bad； sir； but might be
better。”
Mrs Blinder sat down to give herself a more favourable
opportunity of recovering her breath； exhausted anew by so much
talking before it was fully restored。 Mr Jarndyce was turning to
speak to us； when his attention was attracted by the abrupt
entrance into the room of the Mr Gridley who had been
mentioned； and whom we had seen on our way up。
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“I don’t know what you may be doing here； ladies and
gentlemen；” he said； as if he resented our presence； “but you’ll
excuse my coming in。 I don’t come in to stare about me。 Well；
Charley！ Well； Tom！ Well； little one！ How is it with us all today？”
He bent over the group in a caressing way； and clearly was
regarded as a friend by the children； though his face retained its
stern character； and his manner to us was as rude as it could be。
My Guardian noticed it； and respected it。
“No one； surely； would come here to stare about him；” he said
mildly。
“May be so； sir； may be so；” returned the other； taking Tom
upon his knee； and waving him off impatiently。 “I don’t want to
argue with ladies and gentlemen。 I have had enough of arguing； to
last one man his life。”
“You have sufficient reason； I dare say；” said Mr Jarndyce； “for
being chafed and irritated—”
“There again！” exclaimed the man； becoming violently angry。 “I
am of a quarrelsome temper。 I am irascible。 I am not polite！”
“Not very； I think。”
“Sir；” said Gridley； putting down the child； and going up to him
as if he meant to strike him。 “Do you know anything of Courts of
Equity？”
“Perhaps I do； to my sorrow。”
“To your sorrow？” said the man； pausing in his wrath。 “If so； I
beg your pardon。 I am not polite； I know。 I beg your pardon！ Sir；”
with renewed violence； “I have been dragged for five…and…twenty
years over burning iron； and I have lost the habit of treading upon
velvet。 Go into the Court of Chancery yonder； and ask what is one
of the standing jokes that brighten up their business sometimes；
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and they will tell you that the best joke they have is the man from
Shropshire。 I；” he said； beating one hand on the other；
passionately； “am the man from Shropshire。”
“I believe； I and my family have also had the honour of
furnishing some entertainment in the same grave place；” said my
Guardian； composedly。 “You may have heard my name—
Jarndyce。”
“Mr Jarndyce；” said Gridley； with a rough sort of salutation；
“you bear your wrongs more quietly than I can bear mine。 More
than that； I tell you—and I tell this gentleman； and these young
ladies； if they are friends of yours—that if I took my wrongs in any
other way； I should be driven mad！ It is only by resenting them；
and by revenging them in my mind； and by angrily demanding the
justice I never get； that I am able to keep my wits together。 It is
only that！” he said； speaking in a homely； rustic way； and with
great vehemence。 “You may tell me that I overexcite myself。 I
answer that it’s in my nature to do it； under wrong； and I must do
it。 There’s nothing between doing it； and sinking into the smiling
state of the poor little mad woman that haunts the Court。 If I was
once to sit down under it； I should become imbecile。”
The passion and heat in which he was； and the manner in
which his face worked； and the violent gestures with which he
accompanied what he said； were most painful to see。
“Mr Jarndyce；” he said； “consider my case。 As true as there is a
Heaven above us； this is my case。 I am one of two brothers。 My
father （a farmer） made a will； and left his farm and stock； and so
forth； to my mother； for her life。 After my mother’s death； all was
to come to me； except a legacy of three hundred pounds that I was
then to pay my brother。 My mother died。 My brother； some time
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afterwards； claimed his legacy。 I； and some of my relations； said
that he had had a part of it already； in board and lodging； and
some other things。 Now mind！ That was the question； and nothing
else。 No one disputed the will； no one disputed anything but
whether part of that three hundred pounds had been already paid
or not。 To settle that question； my brother filing a bill； I was
obliged to go into this accursed Chancery； I was forced there；
because the law forced me； and would let me go nowhere else。
Seventeen people were made defendants to that simple suit！ It
first came on； after two years。 It was then stopped for another two
years； while the Master （may his head rot off！） inquired whether I
was my father’s son—about which； there was no dispute at all with
any mortal creature。 He then found out； that there were not
defendants enough—remember； there were only seventeen as
yet！—but； that we must have another who had been left out； and
must begin all over again。 The costs at that time—before the thing
was begun！—were three times the legacy。 My brother would have
given up the legacy； and joyful to escape more costs。 My whole
estate； left to me in that will of my father’s； has gone in costs。 The
suit； still undecided； has fallen into rack； and ruin； and despair；
with everything else—and here I stand； this day！ Now； Mr
Jarndyce； in your suit there are thousands and thousands involved
where in mine there are hundreds。 Is mine less hard to bear； or is
it harder to bear； when my whole living was in it； and has been
thus shamefully sucked away？”
Mr Jarndyce said that he condoled with him with all his heart；
and that he set up no monopoly； himself； in being unjustly treated
by this monstrous system。
“There again；” said Mr Gridley； with no diminution of his rage。
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“The system！ I am told on all hands； it’s the system。 I mustn’t look
to individuals。 It’s the system。 I mustn’t go into Court； and say； ‘My
Lord； I beg to know this from you—is this right or wrong？ Have
you the face to tell me I have received justice； and therefore am
dismissed？’ My Lord knows nothing of it。 He sits there； to
administer the system。 I mustn’t go to Mr Tulkinghorn； the
solicitor in Lincoln’s Inn Fields； and say to him when he makes me
furious； by being so cool and satisfied—as they all do； for I know
they gain by it while I lose； don’t I？—I mustn’t say to him； I will
have something out of some one for my ruin； by fair means or foul！
He is not responsible。 It’s the system。 But if I do no violence to any
of them； here—I may！ I don’t know what may happen if I am
carried beyond myself at last！—I will accuse the individual
workers of that system against me； face to face； before the great
eternal bar！”
His passion was fearful。 I could not have believed in such rage
without seeing it。
“I have done！” he said； sitting down and wiping his face。 “Mr
Jarndyce； I have done！ I am violent； I know。 I ought to know it。 I
have been in prison for contempt of Court。 I have been in prison
for threatening the solicitor。 I have been in this trouble； and that
trouble； and shall be again。 I am the man from Shropshire； and I
sometimes go beyond amusing them—though they have found it
amusing； too； to see me committed into custody； and brought up in
custody； and all that。 It would be better for me； they tell me； if I
restrained myself。 I tell them that if I did restrain myself； I should
become imbecile。 I was a good…enough…tempered man once； I
believe。 People in my part of the country； say； they remember me
so； but； now； I must have this vent under my sense of injury； or
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nothing could hold my wits together。 ‘It would be far better for
you； Mr Gridley；’ the Lord Chancellor told me last week； ‘not to
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