Page 101 - bleak-house

‘We thought that, perhaps,’ said I, hesitating, ‘it is right
to begin with the obligations of home, sir; and that, perhaps,
while those are overlooked and neglected, no other duties
can possibly be substituted for them.’
‘The little Jellybys,’ said Richard, coming to my relief,
‘are really—I can’t help expressing myself strongly, sir—in
a devil of a state.’
‘She means well,’ said Mr. Jarndyce hastily. ‘The wind’s
in the east.’
‘It was in the north, sir, as we came down,’ observed
Richard.
‘My dear Rick,’ said Mr. Jarndyce, poking the fire, ‘I’ll
take an oath it’s either in the east or going to be. I am always
conscious of an uncomfortable sensation now and then
when the wind is blowing in the east.’
‘Rheumatism, sir?’ said Richard.
‘I dare say it is, Rick. I believe it is. And so the little Jell
—I had my doubts about ‘em—are in a—oh, Lord, yes, it’s
easterly!’ said Mr. Jarndyce.
He had taken two or three undecided turns up and down
while uttering these broken sentences, retaining the pok-
er in one hand and rubbing his hair with the other, with
a good-natured vexation at once so whimsical and so lov-
able that I am sure we were more delighted with him than
we could possibly have expressed in any words. He gave an
arm to Ada and an arm to me, and bidding Richard bring
a candle, was leading the way out when he suddenly turned
us all back again.
‘Those little Jellybys. Couldn’t you—didn’t you—now,

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