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hands； one after another—at least； they did—and I did； and so he
put his lips to Ada’s hand—and to mine； and so he went away
upon his long； long voyage！
I was very busy indeed； all day； and wrote directions home to
the servants； and wrote notes for my Guardian； and dusted his
books and papers； and jingled my housekeeping keys a good deal；
one way and another。 I was still busy between the lights； singing
and working by the window； when who should come in but Caddy；
whom I had no expectation of seeing！
“Why； Caddy； my dear；” said I； “what beautiful flowers！”
She had such an exquisite little nosegay in her hand。
“Indeed； I think so； Esther；” replied Caddy。 “They are the
loveliest I ever saw。”
“Prince； my dear？” said I； in a whisper。
“No；” answered Caddy； shaking her head； and holding them to
me to smell。 “Not Prince。”
“Well； to be sure； Caddy！” said I。 “You must have two lovers！”
“What？ Do they look like that sort of thing？” said Caddy。
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“Do they look like that sort of thing？” I repeated； pinching her
cheek。
Caddy only laughed in return； and telling me that she had come
for half…an…hour； at the expiration of which time Prince would be
waiting for her at the corner； sat chatting with me and Ada in the
window： every now and then handing me the flowers again； or
trying how they looked against my hair。 At last； when she was
going； she took me into my room and put them in my dress。
“For me？” said I； surprised。
“For you；” said Caddy； with a kiss。 “They were left behind by
Somebody。”
“Left behind？”
“At poor Miss Flite’s；” said Caddy。 “Somebody who has been
very good to her； was hurrying away an hour ago； to join a ship；
and left these flowers behind。 No； no！ Don’t take them out。 Let the
pretty little things lie here！” said Caddy； adjusting them with a
careful hand； “because I was present myself； and I shouldn’t
wonder if Somebody left them on purpose！”
“Do they look like that sort of thing？” said Ada； coming
laughingly behind me； and clasping me merrily round the waist。
“O； yes； indeed they do； Dame Durden！ They look very； very like
that sort of thing。 O； very like it indeed； my dear！”
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Chapter 18
Lady Dedlock
t was not so easy as it had appeared at first； to arrange for
Richard’s making a trial of Mr Kenge’s office。 Richard himself
I
was the chief impediment。 As soon as he had it in his power to
leave Mr Badger at any moment； he began to doubt whether he
wanted to leave him at all。 He didn’t know； he said； really。 It
wasn’t a bad profession； he couldn’t assert that he disliked it；
perhaps he liked it as well as he liked any other—suppose he gave
it one more chance！ Upon that； he shut himself up； for a few
weeks； with some books and some bones； and seemed to acquire a
considerable fund of information； with great rapidity。 His fervour；
after lasting about a month； began to cool； and when it was quite
cooled； began to grow warm again。 His vacillations between law
and medicine lasted so long； that Midsummer arrived before he
finally separated from Mr Badger； and entered on an experimental
course of Messrs。 Kenge and Carboy。 For all his waywardness； he
took great credit to himself as being determined to be in earnest
“this time。” And he was so good…natured throughout； and in such
high spirits； and so fond of Ada； that it was very difficult indeed to
be otherwise than pleased with him。
“As to Mr Jarndyce；” who I may mention； found the wind much
given； during this period； to stick in the east； “As to Mr Jarndyce；”
Richard would say to me； “he is the finest fellow in the world；
Esther！ I must be particularly careful； if it were only for his
satisfaction； to take myself well to task； and have a regular wind…
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up of this business now。”
The idea of his taking himself well to task； with that laughing
face and heedless manner； and with a fancy that everything could
catch and nothing could hold； was ludicrously anomalous。
However； he told us between…whiles； that he was doing it to such
an extent； that he wondered his hair didn’t turn grey。 His regular
wind…up of the business was （as I have said）； that he went to Mr
Kenge’s about Midsummer； to try how he liked it。
All this time he was； in money affairs； what I have described
him in a former illustration： generous； profuse； wildly careless； but
fully persuaded that he was rather calculating and prudent。 I
happened to say to Ada； in his presence； half jestingly； half
seriously； about the time of his going to Mr Kenge’s； that he
needed to have Fortunatus’s purse； he made so light of money；
which he answered in this way：—
“My jewel of a dear cousin； you hear this old woman！ Why does
she say that？ Because I gave eight pounds odd （or whatever it
was） for a certain neat waistcoat and buttons a few days ago。 Now；
if I had stayed at Badger’s； I should have been obliged to spend
twelve pounds at a blow； for some heart…breaking lecture…fees。 So I
make four pounds—in a lump—by the transaction！”
It was a question much discussed between him and my
Guardian what arrangements should be made for his living in
London； while he experimented on the law； for； we had long since
gone back to Bleak House； and it was too far off to admit of his
coming there oftener than once a week。 My Guardian told me that
if Richard were to settle down at Mr Kenge’s he would take some
apartments or chambers； where we； too； could occasionally stay
for a few days at a time； “but little woman；” he added； rubbing his
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head very significantly； “he hasn’t settled down there yet！” The
discussions ended in our hiring for him； by the month； a neat little
furnished lodging in a quiet old house near Queen Square。 He
immediately began to spend all the money he had； in buying the
oddest little ornaments and luxuries for this lodging； and as often
as Ada and I dissuaded him from making any purchase that he
had in contemplation which was particularly unnecessary and
expensive； he took credit for what it would have cost； and made
out that to spend anything less on something els