Ada leaned upon his pillow, holding his head upon her arm. He dozed often; and whenever he awoke without seeing him, said first of all, “Where is Woodcourt?”

Evening had come on, when I lifted up my eyes, and saw my guardian standing in the little hall. “Who is that, Dame Durden?” Richard asked me. The door was behind him, but he had observed in my face that some one was there.

I looked to Allan for advice, and as he nodded “Yes,” bent over Richard and told him. My guardian saw what passed, came softly by me in a moment, and laid his hand on Richard‘s. “O sir,” said Richard, “you are a good man, you are a good man!” and burst into tears for the first time.

My guardian, the picture of a good man, sat down in my place, keeping his hand on Richard‘s.

“My dear Rick,” said he, “the clouds have cleared away, and it is bright now. We can see now. We were all bewildered, Rick, more or less. What matters! And how are you, my dear boy?”

“I am very weak, sir, but I hope I shall be stronger. I have to begin the world.”

“Aye, truly; well said!” cried my guardian.

“I will not begin it in the old way now,” said Richard with a sad smile. “I have learned a lesson now, sir. It was a hard one; but you shall be assured, indeed, that I have learned it.”

“Well, well,” said my guardian, comforting him; “well, well, well, dear boy!”

“I was thinking, sir,” resumed Richard, “that there is nothing on earth I should so much like to see as their house — Dame Durden‘s and Woodcourt‘s house. If I could be removed there when I begin to recover my strength, I feel as if I should get well there, sooner than anywhere.”

“Why, so have I been thinking, too, Rick,” said my guardian, “and our little woman likewise; she and I have been talking of it, this very day. I dare say her husband won‘t object. What do you think?”

Richard smiled; and lifted up his arm to touch him, as he stood behind the head of his couch.

“I say nothing of Ada,” said Richard, “but I think of her, and have thought of her very much. Look at her! See her here, sir, bending over this pillow when she has so much need to rest upon it herself, my dear love, my poor girl!”

He clasped her in his arms, and none of us spoke. He gradually released her; and she looked upon us, and looked up to Heaven, and moved her lips.

“When I get down to Bleak House,” said Richard, “I shall have much to tell you, sir, and you will have much to show me. You will go, won‘t you?”

“Undoubtedly, dear Rick.”

“Thank you; like you, like you,” said Richard. “But it‘s all like you. They have been telling me how you planned it, and how you remembered all Esther‘s familiar tastes and ways. It will be like coming to the old Bleak House again.”

“And you will come there too, I hope, Rick. I am a solitary man now, you know, and it will be a charity to come to me. A charity to come to me, my love!” he repeated to Ada, as he gently passed his hand over her golden hair, and put a lock of it to his lips. (I think he vowed within himself to cherish her if she were left alone.)

“It was a troubled dream?” said Richard, clasping both my guardian‘s hands eagerly.