Bleak House

Tulkinghorn travels from Chesney Wold to London. He is visited by Snagsby, who complains that Mademoiselle Hortense has been “hovering” around him and demanding to see Tulkinghorn. Her presence has made Mrs. Snagsby very jealous. Tulkinghorn agrees to see Hortense and retires to his chambers. Hortense confronts him, complaining that she has done exactly as he asked by dressing as Lady Dedlock and meeting with Jo. She is too angry to spend the money Tulkinghorn paid her, and she throws it at Tulkinghorn with “violence” (607). She is still furious with Lady Dedlock and demands that Tulkinghorn find her a new job. Otherwise, she wants to help Tulkinghorn bring Lady Dedlock down. Unless he agrees, she says, she will continue to bother him. Tulkinghorn refuses her demands. If she does bother him, he says, he will have her thrown in jail. Hortense leaves in a furious state.

Esther avoids any mention or even thought of Lady Dedlock. Instead, she and Ada discuss Richard with Jarndyce. According to Jarndyce, Richard has become hopelessly obsessed with the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case. Skimpole has been encouraging Richard’s obsession. Jarndyce cannot bring himself to be angry with his childlike friend and insists that Skimpole didn’t understand what he was doing when he introduced Richard to Vholes in exchange for money.

When Esther, Ada, and Jarndyce visit Skimpole, they see his dingy, small apartment. Skimpole is happy to see them but becomes defensive when Jarndyce tells him to stop taking Richard’s money. Skimpole refuses, as he always assumed that Richard was “immensely rich.” He also suggests that all his comments about the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case are due to his childish inability to comprehend the reality of the case. Afterward, Skimpole introduces his guests to his family: a wife and three daughters. The group returns to Bleak House with Skimpole.

At Bleak House, Sir Leicester pays an unexpected visit. He insists that his ongoing argument with Boythorn does not mean that they are not welcome at Chesney Wold. When he mentions that Mrs. Rouncewell has spoken about Skimpole, Jarndyce introduces Sir Leicester to Skimpole. Sir Leicester repeats his invitation to the group. After he leaves, Esther privately tells Jarndyce about her connection to Lady Dedlock. Jarndyce claims that he does not know why Lady Dedlock and her sister went “their several ways” many years before (625), though he mentions that Boythorn was once in a romantic relationship with Lady Dedlock’s sister. This is the old lover who left him. The reason for their separation, Jarndyce explains, was an argument regarding Lady Dedlock. Esther blames herself for Boythorn’s “sorrow.” She is once again grateful for Jarndyce’s kindness and comfort.

Though Jarndyce warns Esther to tell no one about her relationship to Lady Dedlock, she worries that Tulkinghorn, Guppy, and Hortense may know something. Jarndyce has something else he would like to tell Esther, but he can only bring himself to write it in a letter, which Charley brings to Esther. As Esther suspected, it contains a marriage proposal. By marrying Jarndyce, Esther thinks that she can repay him for his many years of kindness toward her. Despite her happiness, she cannot help but cry. Esther feels she has “lost” something but insists that she must be positive. When she remembers the flowers from Mr. Woodcourt, she burns them. A week later, she accepts Jarndyce’s offer.

Esther and Ada walk in the garden. They see Richard enter Bleak House with Vholes. Esther is summoned to see Jarndyce, who introduces her to Richard’s legal advisor. Vholes explains that Richard is deeply in debt. He cannot obtain any more advances on his future inheritance and may be forced to leave the military. Jarndyce asks Esther whether she can help Richard. Esther suggests that she go to the place where Richard is posted, Deal, in an attempt “to avert the worst” (637). She takes Charley with her as well as a letter from Ada. When Esther finds Richard, he does not look well. He confesses that he has been experiencing problems and has already left the military. The only thing that matters to him now is the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case, much to Esther’s displeasure. In her letter, Ada offers to give Richard her “little inheritance.” The offer makes Richard sad and then angry. He blames Jarndyce for conspiring against him by trying to break up his relationship with Ada. He plans to refuse Ada’s offer to share her money, saying he is sure that Vholes is already making progression on the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case. Esther cannot reason with him.

Esther leaves Richard. On her way to the hotel, she watches a boat dock, surrounded by an excited crowd. Esther recognizes a face in the crowd: Mr. Woodcourt. She returns to the hotel in a haste, frightened that he will see her “altered looks,” and writes to Woodcourt to let him know that she is nearby. Woodcourt receives the note and visits her. Esther is sure that she sees pity in his face. Richard also visits and talks for a while with Woodcourt. Esther later wonders whether Woodcourt would be willing to befriend and help Richard. Woodcourt agrees.

Woodcourt visits Tom-all-Alone’s and helps to bandage a wounded woman. Noting the signs of abuse, he asks if the woman—Jenny—has a child. She says that she does not, though her friend Liz has a child whom Jenny treats as her own. As he continues to walk, Woodcourt meets Jo. Hearing an angry woman yelling for the boy, Woodcourt grabs Jo, assuming that he has stolen something. The woman explains that Jo did not steal from her. Instead, she has been looking for this “ungrateful wretch,” who infected a woman who took him in when he was sick. Woodcourt is shocked, and he asks Jo about the incident. Jo recalls how the woman cared for him and insists that he never wanted to hurt her. He refuses to name the man who sent him away, though he says that the man paid him and that the man seems to be “in all manner of places, all at wunst” (655).

Woodcourt offers to help hide Jo from the man he’s afraid of, and they leave Tom-all-Alone’s together. Woodcourt buys breakfast for Jo, hears his story about the lady in the veil, and—with Miss Flite’s help—takes Jo to George’s shooting gallery. George agrees to hide Jo from Inspector Bucket, as it would be a “privilege” to help the boy whom Esther tried to help. George tells Woodcourt that Bucket is associated with Tulkinghorn, who could cause George to lose his business at any moment.

The next day, Woodcourt goes to fetch Jarndyce and encourages Jo to tell his story to him. Woodcourt then visits Snagsby, whom Jo mentioned several times. Woodcourt is told to speak quietly so as not to wake the increasingly suspicious Mrs. Snagsby. Whispering, Snagsby complains that he is constantly enmeshed in other people’s secrets even though he has no secrets of his own. He has been told by someone not to talk about Jo but agrees to Woodcourt’s request that he visit Jo, who is happy to see Snagsby. Jo asks Snagsby for a written explanation of events to prove that Jo didn’t mean to make Esther sick. Snagsby agrees, but they never meet again; when Woodcourt returns, Jo’s condition is much worse. Woodcourt prays with Jo, but the youngster dies soon after.

Sir Leicester and Lady Dedlock are in London. Lady Dedlock continues to act normally, taking center stage at social events. No one suspects her secret. Nonetheless, Lady Dedlock has decided to act. She decides to send Rosa away, which upsets Rosa. Lady Dedlock says that Rosa “should not remain” at Chesney Wold for reasons she cannot explain (674). After Rosa leaves, Lady Dedlock goes to her husband and finds Tulkinghorn “haunting” the room, as ever. She announces that she has arranged for Mr. Rouncewell to collect Rosa. Mr. Rouncewell and Sir Leicester discuss the matter. Lady Dedlock delivers a cold farewell to a distraught Rosa.

That evening, Tulkinghorn has a private conversation with Lady Dedlock. He accuses her of breaking their “agreement” and says that the sudden dismissal of Rosa might alert people’s suspicions. He reiterates that his only concern is to protect Sir Leicester, accusing Lady Dedlock of prioritizing Rosa’s well-being over her husband’s. Tulkinghorn implies that he plans to tell Sir Leicester about Lady Dedlock’s affair, but he refuses to tell her when.

Tulkinghorn leaves and returns home. The “very quiet night” is interrupted by the sound of a gunshot (685): Someone has shot and killed Tulkinghorn.

Mr. Bagnet throws an elaborate party for his wife’s birthday. He hopes that George will attend, but Mrs. Bagnet suspects that George will soon return to his “roving” lifestyle. At dinner, however, George appears. He is pale and stricken, upset by Jo’s death. When passing the house, Bucket spots George through the window and comes inside. He wishes to speak to the clearly upset George; the Bagnets distract him with conversation and music. As Bucket impresses everyone with his “agreeable” spirit, George warms to him. When George prepares to leave, Bucket asks to accompany him. Before he departs, he assures Mr. Bagnet that he will return to the shop the following day to purchase an instrument for a friend.

Bucket walks through the streets with George. Unexpectedly, Bucket shoves George into an inn and arrests him. George is shocked, especially when Bucket reveals that he is suspected for the murder of the lawyer, Tulkinghorn. Much to George’s horror, Bucket knows that George visited the lawyer’s office on the night of the murder and that—as on many occasions when George visited—the two men argued. He quotes a witness who heard Tulkinghorn describe someone (Gridley, in actuality) as a “threatening, murdering, dangerous” man (700). Sir Leicester has posted a reward for anyone who captures Tulkinghorn’s murderer, and Bucket leads George away in handcuffs.

Caddy writes to Esther. She is now a mother, but both she and the baby are in poor health. Since Caddy believes that Esther’s presence brings her luck and since Esther is her baby’s godmother, she asks Esther to visit. Esther travels to London and sees Caddy each day. Given the frequency of her visits, Jarndyce suggests that they all stay in London for a while. He also recommends Woodcourt as a family doctor for Caddy and the child. The mention of Woodcourt persuades Esther to finally tell Ada that she is engaged to Jarndyce. When Woodcourt begins treating Caddy, her condition improves. His frequent visits allow Esther to spend more time with Woodcourt, but she continues to think he pities her. Meanwhile, Esther notices a change in Ada’s demeanor. She suspects that Ada is “a little grieved” about Esther’s engagement to Jarndyce (708).

Caddy and Jarndyce praise Woodcourt’s skills as a doctor. Though Jarndyce wishes that he could help with Woodcourt’s career, he says that the young doctor seems “half inclined for another voyage” (709). He senses that Woodcourt is in some way disappointed. One evening, Esther finds Ada crying. Esther suspects that Ada does not want to upset anyone by discussing her disapproval of Esther‘s engagement to Jarndyce. Esther assures Ada that she will always love her. When Ada falls asleep, Esther notices that she has “one hand under her pillow” (711).