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Bleak House 85
there； and repeating “Hush！” went before us on tiptoe； as though
even the sound of her footsteps might reveal to him what she had
said。
Passing through the shop on our way out； as we had passed
through it on our way in； we found the old man storing a quantity
of packets of waste paper； in a kind of well in the floor。 He seemed
to be working hard； with the perspiration standing on his
forehead； and had a piece of chalk by him； with which； as he put
each separate package or bundle down； he made a crooked mark
on the panelling of the wall。
Richard and Ada； and Miss Jellyby； and the little old lady； had
gone by him； and I was going； when he touched me on the arm to
stay me； and chalked the letter J upon the wall—in a very curious
manner； beginning with the end of the letter and shaping it
backward。 It was a capital letter； not a printed one； but just such a
letter as any clerk in Messrs。 Kenge and Carboy’s office would
have made。
“Can you read it？” he asked me with a keen glance。
“Surely；” said I。 “It’s very plain。”
“What is it？”
“J。”
With another glance at me； and a glance at the door； he rubbed
it out； and turned an a in its place （not a capital letter this time）；
and said； “What’s that？”
I told him。 He then rubbed that out； and turned the letter r； and
asked me the same question。 He went on quickly； until he had
formed； in the same curious and bottoms of the letters； the word
Jarndyce； without once leaving two letters on the wall together。
“What does that spell？” he asked me。
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When I told him； he laughed。 In the same odd way； yet with the
same rapidity； he then produced singly； and rubbed out singly； the
letters forming the words Bleak House。 These； in some
astonishment； I also read； and he laughed again。
“Hi！” said the old man； laying aside the chalk； “I have a turn for
copying from memory； you see； miss； though I can neither read
nor write。”
He looked so disagreeable； and his cat looked so wickedly at
me； as if I were a blood…relation of the birds upstairs； that I was
quite relieved by Richard’s appearing at the door and saying：
“Miss Summerson； I hope you are not bargaining for the sale of
your hair。 Don’t be tempted。 Three sacks below are quite enough
for Mr Krook！”
I lost no time in wishing Mr Krook good morning； and joining
my friends outside； where we parted with the little old lady； who
gave us her blessing with great ceremony； and renewed her
assurance of yesterday in reference to her intention of settling
estates on Ada and me。 Before we finally turned out of those lanes；
we looked back； and saw Mr Krook standing at his shop door； in
his spectacles； looking after us； with his cat upon his shoulder； and
her tail sticking up on one side of his hairy cap； like a tall feather。
“Quite an adventure for a morning in London！” said Richard；
with a sigh。 “Ah； cousin； cousin； it’s a weary word this Chancery！”
“It is to me； and has been ever since I can remember；” returned
Ada。 “I am grieved that I should be the enemy—as I suppose I
am—of a great number of relations and others； and that they
should be my enemies—as I suppose they are； and that we should
all be ruining one another； without knowing how or why； and be in
constant doubt and discord all our lives。 It seems very strange； as
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Bleak House 87
there must be right somewhere； that an honest judge in real
earnest has not been able to find out through all these years where
it is。”
“Ah； cousin！” said Richard。 “Strange indeed！ all this wasteful
wanton chess…playing is very strange。 To see that composed court
yesterday jogging on so serenely； and to think of the wretchedness
of the pieces on the board； gave me the headache and the
heartache both together。 My head ached with wondering how it
happened； if men were neither fools nor rascals； and my heart
ached to think they could possibly be either。 But at all events；
Ada—I may call you Ada？”
“Of course you may； cousin Richard。”
“At all events； Ada； Chancery will work none of its bad
influence on us。 We have happily been brought together； thanks to
our good kinsman； and it can’t divide us now！”
“Never； I hope； cousin Richard！” said Ada； gently。
Miss Jellyby gave my arm a squeeze； and me a very significant
look。 I smiled in return； and we made the rest of the way back very
pleasantly。
In half…an…hour after our arrival； Mrs Jellyby appeared； and in
the course of an hour the various things necessary for breakfast
straggled one by one into the dining…room。 I do not doubt that Mrs
Jellyby had gone to bed； and got up in the usual manner； but she
presented no appearance of having changed her dress。 She was
greatly occupied during breakfast； for the morning’s post brought
a heavy correspondence relative to Borrioboola…Gha； which would
occasion her （she said） to pass a busy day。 The children tumbled
about； and notched memoranda of their accidents in their legs；
which were perfect little calendars of distress； and Peepy was lost
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for an hour and a half； and brought home from Newgate market
by a policeman。 The equable manner in which Mrs Jellyby
sustained both his absence； and his restoration to the family circle；
surprised us all。
She was by that time perseveringly dictating to Caddy； and
Caddy was fast relapsing into the inky condition in which we had
found her。 At one o’clock an open carriage arrived for us； and a
cart for our luggage。 Mrs Jellyby charged us with many
remembrances to her good friend； Mr Jarndyce； Caddy left her
desk to see us depart； kissed me in the passage； and stood； biting
her pen； and sobbing on the steps； Peepy； I am happy to say； was
asleep； and spared the pain of separation （I was not without
misgivings that he had gone to Newgate market in search of me）；
and all the other children got up behind the barouche and fell off；
and we saw them； with great concern； scattered over the surface of
Thavies Inn； as we rolled out of its precincts。
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Chapter 6
Quite At Home。
he day had brightened very much； and still brightened as
we went westward。 We went our way through the
T
sunshine and the fr