The term had commenced, and my guardian found an intimation fromMr. Kenge that the cause would come on in two days. As I hadsufficient hopes of the will to be in a flutter about it, Allan andI agreed to go down to the court that morning. Richard wasextremely agitated and was so weak and low, though his illness wasstill of the mind, that my dear girl indeed had sore occasion to besupported. But she looked forward--a very little way now--to thehelp that was to come to her, and never drooped.

　　It was at Westminster that the cause was to come on. It had comeon there, I dare say, a hundred times before, but I could notdivest myself of an idea that it MIGHT lead to some result now. Weleft home directly after breakfast to be at Westminster Hall ingood time and walked down there through the lively streets--sohappily and strangely it seemed!--together.

　　As we were going along, planning what we should do for Richard andAda, I heard somebody calling "Esther! My dear Esther! Esther!"And there was Caddy Jellyby, with her head out of the window of alittle carriage which she hired now to go about in to her pupils(she had so many), as if she wanted to embrace me at a hundredyards' distance. I had written her a note to tell her of all thatmy guardian had done, but had not had a moment to go and see her.

　　Of course we turned back, and the affectionate girl was in thatstate of rapture, and was so overjoyed to talk about the night whenshe brought me the flowers, and was so determined to squeeze myface (bonnet and all) between her hands, and go on in a wild manneraltogether, calling me all kinds of precious names, and tellingAllan I had done I don't know what for her, that I was just obligedto get into the little carriage and caln her down by letting hersay and do exactly what she liked. Allan, standing at the window,was as pleased as Caddy; and I was as pleased as either of them;and I wonder that I got away as I did, rather than that I came offlaughing, and red, and anything but tidy, and looking after Caddy,who looked after us out of the coach-window as long as she couldsee us.

　　This made us some quarter of an hour late, and when we came toWestminster Hall we found that the day's business was begun. Worsethan that, we found such an unusual crowd in the Court of Chancerythat it was full to the door, and we could neither see nor hearwhat was passing within. It appeared to be something droll, foroccasionally there was a laugh and a cry of "Silence!" It appearedto be something interesting, for every one was pushing and strivingto get nearer. It appeared to be something that made theprofessional gentlemen very merry, for there were several youngcounsellors in wigs and whiskers on the outside of the crowd, andwhen one of them told the others about it, they put their hands intheir pockets, and quite doubled themselves up with laughter, andwent stamping about the pavement of the Hall.

　　We asked a gentleman by us if he knew what cause was on. He toldus Jarndyce and Jarndyce. We asked him if he knew what was doingin it. He said really, no he did not, nobody ever did, but as wellas he could make out, it was over. Over for the day? we asked him.

　　No, he said, over for good.

　　Over for good!

　　When we heard this unaccountable answer, we looked at one anotherquite lost in amazement. Could it be possible that the will hadset things right at last and that Richard and Ada were going to berich? It seemed too good to be true. Alas it was!

　　Our suspense was short, for a break-up soon took place in thecrowd, and the people came streaming out looking flushed and hotand bringing a quantity of bad air with them. Still they were allexceedingly amused and were more like people coming out from afarce or a juggler than from a court of justice. We stood aside,watching for any countenance we knew, and presently great bundlesof paper began to be carried out--bundles in bags, bundles toolarge to be got into any bags, immense masses of papers of allshapes and no shapes, which the bearers staggered under, and threwdown for the time being, anyhow, on the Hall pavement, while theywent back to bring out more. Even these clerks were laughing. Weglanced at the papers, and seeing Jarndyce and Jarndyce everywhere,asked an official-looking person who was standing in the midst ofthem whether the cause was over. Yes, he said, it was all up withit at last, and burst out laughing too.

　　At this juncture we perceived Mr. Kenge coming out of court with anaffable dignity upon him, listening to Mr. Vholes, who wasdeferential and carried his own bag. Mr. Vholes was the first tosee us. "Here is Miss Summerson, sir," he said. "And Mr.

　　Woodcourt.""Oh, indeed! Yes. Truly!" said Mr. Kenge, raising his hat to mewith polished politeness. "How do you do? Glad to see you. Mr.

　　Jarndyce is not here?"No. He never came there, I reminded him.

　　"Really," returned Mr. Kenge, "it is as well that he is NOT hereto-day, for his--shall I say, in my good friend's absence, hisindomitable singularity of opinion?--might have been strengthened,perhaps; not reasonably, but might have been strengthened.""Pray what has been done to-day?" asked Allan.

　　"I beg your pardon?" said Mr. Kenge with excessive urbanity.

　　"What has been done to-day?""What has been done," repeated Mr. Kenge. "Quite so. Yes. Why,not much has been done; not much. We have been checked--brought upsuddenly, I would say--upon the--shall I term it threshold?""Is this will considered a genuine document, sir?" said Allan.

　　"Will you tell us that?""Most certainly, if I could," said Mr. Kenge; "but we have not goneinto that, we have not gone into that.""We have not gone into that," repeated Mr. Vholes as if his lowinward voice were an echo.

　　"You are to reflect, Mr. Woodcourt," observed Mr. Kenge, using hissilver trowel persuasively and smoothingly, "that this has been agreat cause, that this has been a protracted cause, that this hasbeen a complex cause. Jarndyce and Jarndyce has been termed, notinaptly, a monument of Chancery practice.""And patience has sat upon it a long time," said Allan.

　　"Very well indeed, sir," returned Mr. Kenge with a certaincondeseending laugh he had. "Very well! You are further toreflect, Mr. Woodcourt," becoming dignified almost to severity,"that on the numerous difficulties, contingencies, masterlyfictions, and forms of procedure in this great cause, there hasbeen expended study, ability, eloquence, knowledge, intellect, Mr.

　　Woodcourt, high intellect. For many years, the--a--I would say theflower of the bar, and the--a--I would presume to add, the maturedautumnal fruits of the woolsack--have been lavished upon Jarndyceand Jarndyce. If the public have the benefit, and if the countryhave the adornment, of this great grasp, it must be paid for inmoney or money's worth, sir.""Mr. Kenge," said Allan, appearing enlightened all in a moment.

　　"Excuse me, our time presses. Do I understand that the wholeestate is found to have been absorbed in costs?""Hem! I believe so," returned Mr. Kenge. "Mr. Vholes, what do YOUsay?""I believe so," said Mr. Vholes.

　　"And that thus the suit lapses and melts away?""Probably," returned Mr. Kenge. "Mr. Vholes?""Probably," said Mr. Vholes.

　　"My dearest life," whispered Allan, "this will break Richard'sheart!"There was such a shock of apprehension in his face, and he knewRichard so perfectly, and I too had seen so much of his gradualdecay, that what my dear girl had said to me in the fullness of herforeboding love sounded like a knell in my ears.

　　"In case you should be wanting Mr. C., sir," said Mr. Vholes,coming after us, "you'll find him in court. I left him thereresting himself a little. Good day, sir; good day, MissSummerson.&q............