Bleak House

Esther wants to be alone. The next day, she talks with Jarndyce. She mentions how strange it seems that they have not discussed their marriage. Jarndyce suggests that they marry in a month. Esther accepts. Bucket visits and brings Grandfather Smallweed with him. In Krook’s shop, Smallweed found “a paper with the signature of Jarndyce to it” (865). The document is an old will, which Bucket pointedly notes Smallweed could have gotten into legal trouble for withholding; consequently, after a conversation with Bucket, Smallweed “decided” to bring the document forward. Leaving the will with Jarndyce, Bucket and Smallweed leave. Jarndyce and Esther visit Kenge with the will, which Kenge says postdates all others and diminishes Jarndyce’s own share of the inheritance in favor of Ada and Richard. Vholes arrives and reads the will, affirming its significance. The Jarndyce and Jarndyce case will be brought up again in the following month, and this new will can be introduced.

George has closed his shooting gallery and moved to Chesney Wold. He reunites with the Rouncewell family in the area, and his brother celebrates George seemingly returning from the dead. Since a party has been planned ahead of Watt’s marriage to Rosa, he invites George to celebrate with them. They return to the Rouncewell house and George is introduced to Rosa. The following day, George’s brother tries to find a position for him in the family business. George is troubled and says he does not want to be included in his mother’s will; he does not want his return to “rob” his relatives of their inheritance. His brother persuades him that he can simply give away anything he feels he does not deserve. However, George is adamant that he cannot join the family business because he will serve in Sir Leicester’s “household brigade” at Chesney Wold.

George asks his brother to check a letter he has written to Esther. In the letter, George explains that Bucket gave him a message from “a certain person” that was found among a collection of papers (878). This letter contained instructions (for George) regarding delivering a second letter to a young woman. The writer (i.e., Hawdon) was overseas and the woman (i.e., Lady Dedlock) was in England. George had considered the letter to be just a writing sample and he never intended to cause harm. The unfortunate gentleman, George says, was actually alive even though people had reported that he drowned. With his brother’s approval, George sends the letter to Esther.

Esther plans her wedding to Jarndyce. She hopes for a small ceremony and discusses the matter with Mrs. Woodcourt, who approves. The marriage will not take place until the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case appears again before Chancery.

Jarndyce visits Woodcourt on a business matter. From there, he writes to Esther and invites her to meet him. Esther is slightly confused but follows the instructions. She arrives at a hotel and meets Jarndyce, who says that he is so thankful for Woodcourt‘s “inestimable services” that he has bought the young doctor a house. He asks Esther to help Woodcourt prepare the house. Esther agrees, though later she cries. She hopes that she is crying out of “pleasure” more than sadness.

Jarndyce takes Esther to Woodcourt’s house. The gardens are a miniature copy of Bleak House and the interior is decorated exactly as Esther likes. The house is even named Bleak House. Jarndyce sits Esther down. He explains that he was pleased that she agreed to marry him but always suspected that this was not her true heart’s desire. The return of Woodcourt only proved this to Jarndyce. When Woodcourt admitted to Jarndyce that he was still in love with Esther, Jarndyce happily returned to his role as Esther’s “guardian and […] father” (885). Jarndyce asked Mrs. Woodcourt, who disapproved of Esther’s lack of pedigree, to keep watch over Esther so that she might observe Esther’s virtuous nature during this difficult time. When Esther declined Woodcourt’s marriage proposal, her virtue was demonstrated. Jarndyce has now relinquished any engagement he made with Esther. She is free to marry Woodcourt. He does not want Esther to thank him.

The following day, Woodcourt tells Ada and Richard that he and Esther are engaged. While Esther is at home with Jarndyce, Guppy arrives. He visits numerous times and proposes again to Esther. Jarndyce rejects Guppy’s proposal “on behalf of Miss Summerson” (890), laughing and sending Guppy away with his increasingly angry mother.

The Jarndyce and Jarndyce case returns to the Chancery Court. While traveling to court with Woodcourt, Esther spots Caddy from her carriage and stops to talk. The conversation delays the couple; when they arrive at the court, many people are gathered outside and they learn that the case is “over for good” (893). When Woodcourt and Esther speak to Kenge and Vholes, however, they learn that the protracted nature of the case has “absorbed” the entire inheritance in legal costs.

Woodcourt visits Richard while Esther goes to Jarndyce; they then reunite with Richard and Woodcourt at the house belonging to Richard and Ada. There, they learn that Woodcourt found Richard in a terrible state at the court. Richard tried to shout something at the judge but his mouth was “full of blood” (896). Richard lies down as the others discuss the future. Esther fears for Richard’s life. Richard forgives Jarndyce and asks only to see Woodcourt and Esther’s new house. However, he passes away shortly after saying this. As they mourn, Miss Flite visits. She tells Esther that following the judgment in the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case, she freed all her caged birds.

Chesney Wold is quiet. Sir Leicester has not recovered, though he continues to feud with his neighbor, Boythorn. However, the feud has become a familiar part of life, and Boythorn—pitying his neighbor—only pursues it to buoy Sir Leicester’s spirits. Phil, George’s old shooting gallery assistant, now works in the stables, while George and Mrs. Rouncewell take care of Sir Leicester. Most of the house is closed off, but visitors such as Bagnet occasionally come to Chesney Wold. The cousins are rarely present. The house is so quiet that people are frightened to be alone inside it.

Esther finishes her narration after “full seven happy years” of marriage (905). Her story is coming to a close, and she addresses the “unknown friend” for whom she has been narrating the story. After Richard’s death, Esther, Jarndyce, and Woodcourt stayed with Ada until after the baby’s birth; mother and child later go to live with Jarndyce. By now, Esther has two daughters of her own. She provides updates on other characters. She says that Charley married, Emma (Charley’s sister) now works for Esther, and Tom (Charley’s brother) is an apprentice at a mill. Caddy has found success and has a family of her own. Esther describes how she added a “little growlery” to her own Bleak House, just for Jarndyce. She mentions that the wind no longer seems to blow from the east. Her husband Woodcourt is a successful, respected doctor, and she is happy to be his wife. When she looks in the mirror, she still sees her scarred face. However, she cannot imagine a way in which Woodcourt could love her even more. He insists that she is “prettier than [she] ever [was]” (908). Esther regards everyone in her life as beautiful, but she is unsure of her husband’s comments. Her narration stops mid-sentence, as she remarks that those who love her can do without beauty, “even supposing—” (908).