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right to mention them to Rick and Ada；” looking seriously at me；
“you can。 I leave it to your discretion； Esther。”
“I hope； sir；”—said I。
“I think you had better call me Guardian； my dear。”
I felt that I was choking again—I taxed myself with it； “Esther；
now； you know you are！”—when he feigned to say this slightly； as
if it were a whim； instead of a thoughtful tenderness。 But I gave
the housekeeping keys the least shake in the world as a reminder
to myself； and folding my hands in a still more determined manner
on the basket； looked at him quietly。
“I hope； Guardian；” said I； “that you may not trust too much to
my discretion。 I hope you may not mistake me。 I am afraid it will
be a disappointment to you to know that I am not clever—but it
really is the truth； and you would soon find it out if I had not the
honesty to confess it。”
He did not seem at all disappointed： quite the contrary。 He told
me； with a smile all over his face； that he knew me very well
indeed； and that I was quite clever enough for him。
“I hope I may turn out so；” said I； “but I am much afraid of it；
Guardian。”
“You are clever enough to be the good little woman of our lives
here； my dear；” he returned； playfully； “the little old woman of the
Child’s （I don’t mean Skimpole’s） Rhyme：
‘Little old woman； and whither so high？’—
‘To sweep the cobwebs out of the sky。’
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You will sweep them so neatly out of our sky； in the course of your
housekeeping； Esther； that one of these days； we shall have to
abandon the Growlery and nail up the door。”
This was the beginning of my being called Old Woman； and
Little Old Woman； and Cobweb； and Mrs Shipton； and Mother
Hubbard； and Dame Durden； and so many names of that sort； that
my own name soon became quite lost among them。
“However；” said Mr Jarndyce； “to return to our gossip。 Here’s
Rick； a fine young fellow full of promise。 What’s to be done with
him？”
O my goodness； the idea of asking my advice on such a point！
“Here he is； Esther；” said Mr Jarndyce； comfortably putting his
hands in his pockets and stretching out his legs。 “He must have a
profession； he must make some choice for himself。 There will be a
world more Wiglomeration about it； I suppose； but it must be
done。”
“More what； Guardian？” said I。
“More Wiglomeration；” said he。 “It’s the only name I know for
the thing。 He is a ward in Chancery； my dear。 Kenge and Carboy
will have something to say about it； Master Somebody—a sort of
ridiculous Sexton； digging graves for the merits of causes in a back
room at the end of Quality Court； Chancery Lane—will have
something to say about it； Counsel will have something to say
about it； the Chancellor will have something to say about it； the
Satellites will have something to say about it； they will have to be
handsomely fee’d； all round； about it； the whole thing will be vastly
ceremonious； wordy； unsatisfactory； and expensive； and I call it； in
general； Wiglomeration。 How mankind ever came to be afflicted
with Wiglomeration； or for whose sins these young people ever fell
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into a pit of it； I don’t know； so it is。”
He began to rub his head again； and to hint that he felt the
wind。 But it was a delightful instance of his kindness towards me；
that whether he rubbed his head； or walked about； or did both； his
face was sure to recover its benignant expression as it looked at
mine； and he was sure to turn comfortable again； and put his
hands in his pockets and stretch out his legs。
“Perhaps it would be best； first of all；” said I； “to ask Mr
Richard what he inclines to himself。”
“Exactly so；” he returned。 “That’s what I mean！ You know； just
accustom yourself to talk it over； with your tact and in your quiet
way； with him and Ada； and see what you all make of it。 We are
sure to come at the heart of the matter by your means； little
woman。”
I really was frightened at the thought of the importance I was
attaining； and the number of things that were being confided to
me。 I had not meant this at all； I had meant that he should speak
to Richard。 But of course I said nothing in reply； except that I
would do my best； though I feared （I really felt it necessary to
repeat this） that he thought me much more sagacious than I was。
At which my guardian only laughed the pleasantest laugh I ever
heard。
“Come；” he said； rising and pushing back his chair。 “I think we
may have done with the Growlery for one day！ Only a concluding
word。 Esther； my dear； do you wish to ask me anything？”
He looked so attentively at me； that I looked attentively at him；
and felt sure I understood him。
“About myself； sir？” said I。
“Yes。”
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“Guardian；” said I； venturing to put my hand； which was
suddenly colder than I could have wished； in his； “nothing！ I am
quite sure that if there were anything I ought to know； or had any
need to know； I should not have to ask you to tell it to me。 If my
whole reliance and confidence were not placed in you； I must have
a hard heart indeed。 I have nothing to ask you； nothing in the
world。”
He drew my hand through his arm； and we went away to look
for Ada。 From that hour I felt quite easy with him； quite
unreserved； quite content to know no more； quite happy。
We lived； at first； rather a busy life at Bleak House； for we had
to become acquainted with many residents in and out of the
neighbourhood who knew Mr Jarndyce。 It seemed to Ada and me
that everybody knew him； who wanted to do anything with
anybody else’s money。 It amazed us when we began to sort his
letters； and to answer some of them for him in the Growlery of a
morning； to find how the great object of the lives of nearly all his
correspondents appeared to be to form themselves into
committees for getting in and laying out money。 The ladies were
as desperate as the gentlemen； indeed； I think they were even
more so。 They threw themselves into committees in the most
impassioned manner； and collected subscriptions with a
vehemence quite extraordinary。 It appeared to us that some of
them must pass their whole lives in dealing out subscription cards
to the whole Post…office Directory—shilling cards； half…crown
cards； half…sovereign cards； penny cards。 They wanted everything。
They wanted wearing apparel； they wanted linen rags； they
wanted money； they wanted coals； they wanted soup； they wante