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clothes in her customary far…off manner。 They suggested one
distinct idea to her； for she said； with her placid smile； and shaking
her head； “My good Miss Summerson； at half the cost； this weak
child might have been equipped for Africa！”
On our going downstairs again； Mrs Jellyby asked me whether
this troublesome business was really to take place next
Wednesday？ And on my replying yes； she said； “Will my room be
required； my dear Miss Summerson？ For it’s quite impossible that
I can put my papers away。”
I took the liberty of saying that the room would certainly be
wanted； and that I thought we must put the papers away
somewhere。 “Well； my dear Miss Summerson；” said Mrs Jellyby；
“you know best； I dare say。 But by obliging me to employ a boy；
Caddy has embarrassed me to that extent； overwhelmed as I am
with public business； that I don’t know which way to turn。 We
have a Ramification meeting； too； on Wednesday afternoon； and
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the inconvenience is very serious。”
“It is not likely to occur again；” said I； smiling。 “Caddy will be
married but once； probably。”
“That’s true；” Mrs Jellyby replied； “that’s true； my dear。 I
suppose we must make the best of it！”
The next question was； how Mrs Jellyby should be dressed on
the occasion。 I thought it very curious to see her looking on
serenely from her writing…table； while Caddy and I discussed it；
occasionally shaking her head at us with a half…reproachful smile；
like a superior spirit who could just bear with our trifling。
The state in which her dresses were； and the extraordinary
confusion in which she kept them； added not a little to our
difficulty； but at length we devised something not very unlike what
a common…place mother might wear on such an occasion。 The
abstracted manner in which Mrs Jellyby would deliver herself up
to having this attire tried on by the dressmaker； and the sweetness
with which she would then observe to me how sorry she was that I
had not turned my thoughts to Africa； were consistent with the
rest of her behaviour。
The lodging was rather confined as to space； but I fancied that
if Mrs Jellyby’s household had been the only lodgers in Saint
Paul’s or Saint Peter’s； the sole advantage they would have found
in the size of the building would have been its affording a great
deal of room to be dirty in。 I believe that nothing belonging to the
family； which it had been possible to break； was unbroken at the
time of those preparations for Caddy’s marriage； that nothing
which it had been possible to spoil in any way； was unspoilt； and
that no domestic object which was capable of collecting dirt； form
a dear child’s knee to the door…plate； was without as much dirt as
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could well accumulate upon it。
Poor Mr Jellyby； who very seldom spoke； and almost always sat
when he was at home with his head against the wall； became
interested when he saw that Caddy and I were attempting to
establish some order among all this waste and ruin； and took off
his coat to help。 But such wonderful things came tumbling out of
the closets when they were opened—bits of mouldy pie； sour
bottles； Mrs Jellyby’s caps； letters； tea； forks； odd boots and shoes
of children； firewood； wafers； saucepan…lids； damp sugar in odds
and ends of paper bags； footstools； black…lead brushes； bread； Mrs
Jellyby’s bonnets； books with butter sticking to the binding；
guttered candle…ends put out by being turned upside down in
broken candlesticks； nutshells； heads and tails of shrimps； dinner…
mats； gloves； coffee…grounds； umbrellas—that he looked
frightened； and left off again。 But he came in regularly every
evening； and sat without his coat； with his head against the wall；
as though he would have helped us； if he had known how。
“Poor Pa！” said Caddy to me； on the night before the great day；
when we really had got things a little to rights。 “It seems unkind to
leave him； Esther； but what could I do if I stayed！ Since I first
knew you； I have tidied and tidied over and over again； but it’s
useless。 Ma and Africa； together； upset the whole house directly。
We never have a servant who don’t drink。 Ma’s ruinous to
everything。”
Mr Jellyby could not hear what she said； but he seemed very
low indeed； and shed tears； I thought。
“My heart aches for him； that it does！” sobbed Caddy。 “I can’t
help thinking； tonight； Esther； how dearly I hope to be happy with
Prince； and how dearly Pa hoped； I dare say； to be happy with Ma。
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What a disappointed life！”
“My dear Caddy！” said Mr Jellyby； looking slowly round from
the wall。 It was the first time； I think； I ever heard him say three
words together。
“Yes； Pa；” cried Caddy； going to him and embracing him
affectionately。
“My dear Caddy；” said Mr Jellyby。 “Never have—”
“Not Prince； Pa？” faltered Caddy。 “Not have Prince？”
“Yes； my dear；” said Mr Jellyby。 “Have him； certainly。 But；
never have—”
I mentioned； in my account of our first visit in Thavies Inn； that
Richard described Mr Jellyby as frequently opening his mouth
after dinner without saying anything。 It was a habit of his。 He
opened his mouth now； a great many times； and shook his head in
a melancholy manner。
“What do you wish me not to have？ Don’t have what； dear Pa？”
asked Caddy； coaxing him； with her arms round his neck。
“Never have a mission； my dear child。”
Mr Jellyby groaned； and laid his head against the wall again；
and this was the only time I ever heard him make any approach to
expressing his sentiments on the Borrioboolan question。 I suppose
he had been more talkative and lively； once； but he seemed to
have been completely exhausted long before I knew him。
I thought Mrs Jellyby never would have left off serenely looking
over her papers； and drinking coffee； that night。 It was twelve
o’clock before we could obtain possession of the room； and the
clearance it required then； was so discouraging； that Caddy； who
was almost tired out； sat down in the middle of the dust and cried。
But she soon cheered up； and we did wonders with it before we
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went to bed。
In