“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
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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。
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“He can’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
couldn’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 don’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
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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
don’t care much about it。 But O； it don’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 don’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 today is too
like yesterday； and tomorrow is too like today。”
“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
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opportunity to hint to Richard； that if he were sometimes a little
careless of himself； I was 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 earnest； and—
somehow—not exactly being so。 I don’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
don’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 don’t like what you
have chosen。”
“Poor fellow！” said Ada； “I am sure I don’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 don’t seem
to lie in that direction。 I couldn’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
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particular？”
“I don’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 took
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