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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
waste your time here； and to stay usefully employed； down in
Shropshire。’ ‘My Lord； my Lord； I know it would；’ said I to him；
‘and it would have been far better for me never to have heard the
name of your high office； but； unhappily for me； I can’t undo the
past； and the past drives me here！’—Besides；” he added； breaking
fiercely out； “I’ll shame them。 To the last； I’ll show myself in that
court to its shame。 If I knew when I was going to die； and could be
carried there； and had a voice to speak with； I would die there；
saying； ‘You have brought me here； and sent me from here； many
and many a time。 Now send me out feet foremost！’“ His
countenance had； perhaps for years； become so set in its
contentious expression that it did not soften； even now when he
was quiet。
“I came to take these babies down to my room for an hour；” he
said； going to them again； “and let them play about。 I didn’t mean
to say all this； but it don’t much signify。 You’re not afraid of me；
Tom； are you？”
“No！” said Tom。 “You ain’t angry with me。”
“You are right； my child。 You’re going back； Charley？ Aye？
Come； then； little one！” He took the youngest child on his arm；
where she was willing enough to be carried。 “I shouldn’t wonder if
we found a gingerbread soldier downstairs。 Let’s go and look for
him！”
He made his former rough salutation； which was not deficient
in a certain respect； to Mr Jarndyce； and bowing slightly to us；
went downstairs to his room。
Upon that； Mr Skimpole began to talk for the first time since
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our arrival； in his usual gay strain。 He said； Well； it was really very
pleasant to see how things lazily adapted themselves to purposes。
Here was this Mr Gridley； a man of a robust will and surprising
energy—intellectually speaking； a sort of inharmonious
blacksmith—and he could easily imagine that there Gridley was；
years ago； wandering about in life for something to expend his
superfluous combativeness upon—a sort of Young Love among
the thorns—when the Court of Chancery came in his way； and
accommodated him with the exact thing he wanted。 There they
were； matched； ever afterwards！ Otherwise he might have been a
great general； blowing up all sort of towns； or he might have been
a great politician； dealing in all sorts of parliamentary rhetoric；
but； as it was； he and the Court of Chancery had fallen upon each
other in the pleasantest way； and nobody was much the worse；
and Gridley was； so to speak； from that hour provided for。 Then
look at Coavinses！ How delightfully poor Coavinses （father of these
charming children） illustrated the same principle！ He； Mr
Skimpole； himself； had sometimes repined at the existence of
Coavinses。 He had found Coavinses in his way。 He could have
dispensed with Coavinses。 There had been times； when； if he had
been a Sultan； and his Grand Vizier had said one morning； “What
does the Commander of the Faithful require at the hands of his
slave？” he might have even gone so far as to reply； “The head of
Coavinses！” But what turned out to be the case？ That； all that
time； he had been giving employment to a most deserving man；
that he had been a benefactor to Coavinses； that he had actually
been enabling Coavinses to bring up these charming children in
this agreeable way； developing these social virtues？ Insomuch that
his heart had just now swelled； and the tears had come into his
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eyes； when he had looked round the room； and thought； “I was the
great patron of Coavinses； and his little comforts were my work！”
There was something so captivating in his light way of touching
these fantastic strings； and he was such a mirthful child by the
side of the graver childhood we had seen； that he made my
Guardian smile even as he turned towards us from a little private
talk with Mrs Blinder。 We kissed Charley； and took her downstairs
with us； and stopped outside the house to see her run away to her
work。 I don’t know where she was going； but we saw her run； such
a little； little creature； in her womanly bonnet and apron； through
a covered way at the bottom of the court； and melt into the city’s
strife and sound； like a dewdrop in an ocean。
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Chapter 16
Tom…All…Alone’s
y Lady Dedlock is restless； very restless。 The astonished
fashionable intelligence hardly knows where to have
M
her。 Today she is at Chesney Wold； yesterday she was
at her house in town； tomorrow she may be abroad； for anything
the fashionable int