Bleak House Dickens summary. "Bleak House"

In the house of godmother Miss Burberry, where Esther Summerston spent her childhood, the girl feels lonely. She strives to find out the secret of her birth, asks her godmother to tell something about her mother, but to no avail. One day, returning from school, the girl finds an unfamiliar gentleman at home, who, after looking at her, says “Yes!”, then leaves.

When Esther was fourteen years old, her godmother died. After the funeral the same gentleman appeared. His last name was Kenj. On behalf of Mr. Jarndyce, he proposes to place Esther in a prestigious educational institution. Six happy years of her life passed at the boarding school.
After studying, Jarndyce assigned Esther as a companion to his cousin Ada Claire. Together with Ada Claire's relative, Richard Carston, they settle in the guardian's estate, known locally as Bleak House. This house, which was once in disrepair, now looks transformed thanks to the efforts of Jarndyce. With the advent of young people, it comes to life even more. Reasonable and intelligent Esther is given the keys to all rooms and storage rooms. The girl copes well with household chores.

Their neighbors are Sir Leicester Dedlock and his wife, who is much younger than her husband.
William Guppy, an employee of Kenge's office, falls in love with Esther. Once, while visiting the Dedlock estate, he, quite amazed, stops at a family portrait. The face of the mistress of the house seems very familiar to him. He confesses his feelings to Esther, but is rejected. Then the young man hints at the striking similarity between Esther and my lady. He receives letters from an unknown gentleman who died of an opium overdose and was buried in a cemetery for the poor. From letters, Guppy learned about the relationship between Captain Hawdon and Lady Dedlock, and about the birth of their daughter. Guppy immediately tells Lady Dedlock about this, causing her great embarrassment.

Lady Dedlock, having secretly met with Esther in the park, admits that she is her mother. When Hawdon abandoned her, she was then assured that she gave birth to a stillborn child. She could not think that the child would come to life in the arms of her sister, and the girl would be raised in secret from her own mother. The woman sincerely repented and begged for forgiveness and silence. Esther, shocked by the discovery, agreed to any conditions.

Clouds gathered around Lady Dedlock. A few carelessly thrown words lead lawyer Tulkinghorn to the trail of this woman’s secret. The lawyer suspects that the lady, dressed in a maid's dress, visited the house and grave of her lover. Steals Hawdon's letters from Guppy. Somehow, in the presence of the Dedlocks and all their guests, Tulkinghorn tells this story, which supposedly happened to another woman, unknown to anyone.

As a result, Tulkinghorn threatened Lady Dedlock to reveal the whole shameful truth to her husband. When he is found dead, suspicion falls on Lady Dedlock. Sir Leicester is struck down.
Milady runs away from home without taking any money or jewelry. She leaves farewell letter, in which he writes that he is innocent. Inspector Bucket sets out to look for her, turning to Esther for help. The paralyzed husband forgives his wife and waits for her to return home soon. Doctor Allen Woodcourt, who is in love with Esther, also joins the search. At the cemetery for the poor, Allen discovers the body of Esther's mother. The girl is painfully worried about everything that happened.
Guardian Jarndyce took care to settle Hester and Allen in a glorious estate in Yorkshire, where Allen Woodcourt received a position as a doctor in a hospital for the poor. For Esther and her husband, he remained forever best friend.

Please note that this is only summary literary work"Bleak House" Many things are missing from this summary. important points and quotes.

Esther is fourteen years old when her godmother suddenly dies. What could be worse than being orphaned twice! After the funeral, the same gentleman named Kenge appears and, on behalf of a certain Mr. Jarndyce, aware of the sad situation of the young lady, offers to place her in a first-class educational institution, where she will not need anything and will prepare for “fulfilling her duty in the public field.” The girl gratefully accepts the offer and a week later, abundantly supplied with everything she needs, she leaves for the city of Reading, to Miss Donnie's boarding house. There are only twelve girls studying there, and the future teacher Esther, with her kind character and desire to help, wins their affection and love. This is how the six happiest years of her life pass.

After graduation, John Jarndyce (guardian, as Esther calls him) assigns the girl as a companion to his cousin Ada Clare. Together with Ada's young relative, Mr. Richard Carston, they travel to the guardian's estate known as Bleak House. The house once belonged to Mr. Jarndyce's great-uncle, the unfortunate Sir Tom, and was called "The Spiers." Perhaps the most famous case of the so-called Chancery Court, “Jarndyce v. Jarndyce,” was associated with this house. The Court of Chancery was created during the era of Richard II, who reigned from 1377-1399, to control the Court of Common Law and correct its errors. But the British hopes for the emergence of a “Court of Justice” were not destined to come true: red tape and abuses by officials led to processes lasting for decades, plaintiffs, witnesses, and lawyers dying, thousands of papers accumulating, and no end to the litigation in sight. Such was the dispute over the Jarndyce inheritance - a long-term trial, during which the owner of Bleak House, mired in legal matters, forgets about everything, and his home deteriorates under the influence of wind and rain. “It seemed as if the house had taken a bullet in the forehead, just like its desperate owner.” Now, thanks to the efforts of John Jarndyce, the house looks transformed, and with the arrival of young people it comes to life even more. The smart and sensible Esther is given the keys to the rooms and storage rooms. She copes excellently with difficult household chores - it’s not for nothing that Sir John affectionately calls her Bustle! Life in the house flows smoothly, visits alternate with trips to London theaters and shops, receiving guests gives way to long walks...

Their neighbors turn out to be Sir Leicester Dedlock and his wife, a good two decades younger than him. As experts joke, my lady has “the impeccable appearance of the most well-groomed mare in the entire stable.” The secular chronicle notes her every step, every event in her life. Sir Leicester is not so popular, but does not suffer from this, for he is proud of his aristocratic family and cares only about the purity of his honorable name. Neighbors sometimes meet in church, on walks, and Esther for a long time cannot forget the emotional excitement that gripped her at the first sight of Lady Dedlock.

The young employee of Kendge's office, William Guppy, experiences a similar excitement: when he sees Esther, Ada and Richard in London on the way to Sir John's estate, he falls in love with the pretty, gentle Esther at first sight. While in those parts on company business, Guppy visits the Dedlock estate and, amazed, stops at one of the family portraits. The face of Lady Dedlock, seen for the first time, seems strangely familiar to the clerk. Soon Guppy arrives at Bleak House and confesses his love to Esther, but receives a decisive rebuff. Then he hints at the amazing similarity between Hester and my lady. “Give me your hand,” William persuades the girl, “and I can’t think of anything to protect your interests and make you happy!” I can’t find out anything about you!” He kept his word. Letters from an unknown gentleman fall into his hands, who died from an excessive dose of opium in a dirty, wretched closet and was buried in a common grave in a cemetery for the poor. From these letters, Guppy learns about the connection between Captain Hawdon (that was the name of this gentleman) and Lady Dedlock, about the birth of their daughter. William immediately shares his discovery with Lady Dedlock, causing her extreme embarrassment. But, without giving in to panic, she aristocratically coldly rejects the clerk’s arguments and only after she leaves exclaims: “Oh, my child, my daughter! That means she didn’t die in the first hours of her life!”

Esther becomes seriously ill with smallpox. This happened after the orphaned daughter of a court official, Charlie, appears on their estate, who becomes both a grateful pupil and a devoted maid for Esther. Esther nurses a sick girl and becomes infected herself. Household members hide mirrors for a long time so as not to upset Troublemaker with the sight of her dull face. Lady Dedlock, waiting for Esther to recover, secretly meets with her in the park and admits that she is her unhappy mother. In those early days, when Captain Hawdon abandoned her, she - so she was led to believe - gave birth dead child. Could she have imagined that the girl would come to life in her arms? older sister and will be raised in complete secret from her mother... Lady Dedlock sincerely repents and begs for forgiveness, but most of all - for silence in order to preserve normal life a rich and noble person and the peace of a spouse. Esther, shocked by the discovery, agrees to any conditions.

No one has any idea what happened - not only Sir John, burdened with worries, but also the young doctor Allen Woodcourt, who is in love with Esther. Smart and reserved, he makes a favorable impression on the girl. He lost his father early, and his mother invested all her meager funds in his education. But, not having enough connections and money in London, Allen cannot earn it by treating the poor. It is not surprising that at the first opportunity, Dr. Woodcourt agrees to the position of ship’s doctor and goes to India and China for a long time. Before leaving, he visits Bleak House and excitedly says goodbye to its inhabitants.

Richard is also trying to change his life: he chooses the legal field. Having started working in Kenge's office, he, to Guppy's displeasure, boasts that he figured out the Jarndyce case. Despite Esther's advice not to enter into a tedious litigation with the Court of Chancery, Richard files an appeal in the hope of winning an inheritance from Sir John for himself and his cousin Ada, to whom he is engaged. He “gambles everything he can scrape together,” spends his beloved’s small savings on duties and taxes, but legal red tape is robbing him of his health. Having secretly married Ada, Richard falls ill and dies in the arms of his young wife, never seeing his unborn son.

And clouds are gathering around Lady Dedlock. Some careless words They lead lawyer Tulkinghorn, a regular at their house, on the trail of her secret. This respectable gentleman, whose services are generously paid in high society, masterfully masters the ability to live and makes it his duty to do without any convictions. Tulkinghorn suspects that Lady Dedlock, disguised as a French maid, visited the house and grave of her lover, Captain Hawdon. He steals letters from Guppy - this is how he learns the details love story. In the presence of the Dedlocks and their guests, Tulkinghorn tells this story, which supposedly happened to some unknown person. Milady understands that the time has come to find out what he is trying to achieve. In response to her words that she wants to disappear from her home forever, the lawyer convinces her to continue to keep the secret for the sake of the peace of mind of Sir Leicester, who “even the fall of the moon from the sky would not be as stunned” as the revelation of his wife.

Esther decides to reveal her secret to her guardian. He greets her confused story with such understanding and tenderness that the girl is filled with “fiery gratitude” and a desire to work hard and selflessly. It is not difficult to guess that when Sir John makes her an offer to become the real mistress of Bleak House, Esther agrees.

A terrible event distracts her from the pleasant upcoming chores and pulls her out of Bleak House for a long time. It so happened that Tulkinghorn broke the agreement with Lady Dedlock and threatened to soon reveal the shameful truth to Sir Leicester. After a difficult conversation with Milady, the lawyer goes home, and the next morning he is found dead. Suspicion falls on Lady Dedlock. Police Inspector Bucket conducts an investigation and informs Sir Leicester of the results: all the evidence collected points against the French maid. She's under arrest.

Sir Leicester cannot bear the thought that his wife has been “thrown down from the heights that she adorned,” and he himself falls, struck down by the blow. Milady, feeling hunted, runs away from home without taking any jewelry or money. She left a farewell letter saying that she was innocent and wanted to disappear. Inspector Bucket sets out to find this troubled soul and turns to Esther for help. Long haul They follow in the footsteps of Lady Dedlock. The paralyzed husband, disregarding the threat to the honor of the family, forgives the fugitive and eagerly awaits her return. Dr. Allen Woodcourt, who recently returned from China, joins the search. During the separation, he fell in love with Esther even more, but alas... At the grate of the memorial cemetery for the poor, he discovers the lifeless body of her mother.

Esther experiences what happened for a long time, painfully, but gradually life takes its toll. Her guardian, having learned of Allen's deep feelings, nobly makes way for him. Bleak House is empty: John Jarndyce, who is also the guardian, has taken care of arranging for Esther and Allen an equally glorious smaller estate in Yorkshire, where Allen gets a position as a doctor for the poor. He also called this estate “Bleak House”. There was also a place in it for Ada and her son, named Richard after his father. With the first available money, they build a room for the guardian (“the grumbling room”) and invite him to stay. Sir John becomes a loving guardian to now Ada and her little Richard. They return to the “elder” Bleak House, and often come to stay with the Woodcourts: for Esther and her husband, Sir John has always remained the best friend. Thus seven happy years pass, and the words of the wise guardian come true: “Both houses are dear to you, but the elder Bleak House claims primacy.”

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Esther Summerson spends her childhood in Windsor, in the house of her godmother, Miss Barbery. The girl feels lonely and wants to find out the secret of her origin. One day Miss Barbery can’t stand it and says sternly: “Your mother has covered herself with shame, and you have brought shame on her. Forget about her...” A few years later, the godmother suddenly dies and Hester learns from the attorney lawyer Kenge, representing a certain Mr. John Jarndyce, that she is an illegitimate child; he declares, in accordance with the law: “Miss Barbery was your only relative (illegal, of course; by law, I must note, you have no relatives).” After the funeral, Kenge, aware of her lonely situation, offers her study at a boarding house in Reading, where she will not need anything and will prepare to “fulfill her duty in the public sphere.” The girl gratefully accepts the offer. “The six happiest years of her life” pass there.

Upon completion of her studies, John Jarndyce (who became her guardian) assigns the girl as a companion to his cousin Ada Claire. Together with Ada's young relative Richard Carston, they go to an estate called Bleak House. The house once belonged to Mr. Jarndyce's great-uncle Tom Jarndyce, who shot himself after being unable to withstand the stress of the Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce inheritance battle. Red tape and abuses by officials led to the process lasting for several decades; the original plaintiffs, witnesses, and lawyers had already died, and dozens of bags of documents related to the case had accumulated. “It seemed as if the house had taken a bullet in the forehead, just like its desperate owner.” But thanks to the efforts of John Jarndyce, the house looks better, and with the arrival of young people it comes to life. The smart and sensible Esther is given the keys to the rooms and storage rooms. She copes well with household chores - no wonder John affectionately calls her Troublesome.

Their neighbors turn out to be Baronet Sir Leicester Dedlock (pompous and stupid) and his wife Honoria Dedlock (beautiful and arrogantly cold), who is 20 years younger than him. The secular chronicle notes her every step, every event in her life. Sir Leicester is extremely proud of his aristocratic family and cares only about the purity of his good name.

A young employee of Kenja's office, William Guppy, falls in love with Esther at first sight. While on company business at the Dedlock estate, he is struck by her resemblance to Lady Dedlock. Soon Guppy arrives at Bleak House and confesses his love to Esther, but receives a decisive refusal. Then he hints at the amazing similarity between Hester and the lady. “Honour me with your hand, and I can’t think of anything to protect your interests and make you happy! I can’t find out anything about you!” He kept his word. Letters from an unknown gentleman fall into his hands, who died from an excessive dose of opium in a dirty, wretched closet and was buried in a common grave in a cemetery for the poor. From these letters, Guppy learns about the connection between Captain Hawdon (this man) and Lady Dedlock, about the birth of their daughter. William immediately shares his discovery with Lady Dedlock, which causes her extreme confusion.

Esther Summerston spent her childhood in Windsor, in the house of her godmother, Miss Barbery. The girl feels lonely and often says, turning to her best friend, the rosy-cheeked doll: “You know very well, doll, that I’m a fool, so be kind, don’t be angry with me.” Esther strives to find out the secret of her origin and begs her godmother to tell her at least something about her mother. One day Miss Barbery cannot stand it and sternly says: “Your mother has covered herself with shame, and you have brought shame upon her. Forget about her...” One day, returning from school, Esther finds an important, unfamiliar gentleman in the house. Having looked at the girl, he says something like “Ah!”, then “Yes!” and leaves... Esther was fourteen years old when her godmother suddenly died. What could be worse than being orphaned twice! After the funeral, the same gentleman named Kenge appears and, on behalf of a certain Mr. Jarndyce, aware of the sad situation of the young lady, offers to place her in a first-class educational institution, where she will not need anything and will prepare for “fulfilling her duty in the public field.” The girl gratefully accepts the offer and a week later, abundantly supplied with everything she needs, she leaves for the city of Reading, to Miss Donnie's boarding house. There are only twelve girls studying there, and the future teacher Esther, with her kind character and desire to help, wins their affection and love. This is how the six happiest years of her life pass. After graduation, John Jarndyce (guardian, as Esther calls him) assigns the girl as a companion to his cousin Ada Clare. Together with Ada's young relative, Mr. Richard Carston, they travel to the guardian's estate known as Bleak House. The house once belonged to Mr. Jarndyce's great-uncle, the unfortunate Sir Tom, and was called "The Spiers." Perhaps the most famous case of the so-called Chancery Court, “Jarndyce v. Jarndyce,” was associated with this house. The Court of Chancery was created during the era of Richard II, who reigned from 1377-1399, to control the Court of Common Law and correct its errors. But the British hopes for the emergence of a “Court of Justice” were not destined to come true: red tape and abuses by officials led to processes lasting for decades, plaintiffs, witnesses, and lawyers dying, thousands of papers accumulating, and no end to the litigation in sight. Such was the dispute over the Jarndyce inheritance - a long-term trial, during which the owner of Bleak House, mired in legal matters, forgets about everything, and his home deteriorates under the influence of wind and rain. “It seemed as if the house had taken a bullet in the forehead, just like its desperate owner.” Now, thanks to the efforts of John Jarndyce, the house looks transformed, and with the arrival of young people it comes to life even more. The smart and sensible Esther is given the keys to the rooms and storage rooms. She copes excellently with difficult household chores - it’s not for nothing that Sir John affectionately calls her Bustle! Life in the house flows measuredly, visits alternate with trips to London theaters and shops, receiving guests gives way to long walks... Their neighbors turn out to be Sir Leicester Dedlock and his wife, a good two decades younger than him. As experts joke, my lady has “the impeccable appearance of the most well-groomed mare in the entire stable.” The secular chronicle notes her every step, every event in her life. Sir Leicester is not so popular, but does not suffer from this, for he is proud of his aristocratic family and cares only about the purity of his honorable name. Neighbors sometimes meet in church, on walks, and Esther for a long time cannot forget the emotional excitement that gripped her at the first sight of Lady Dedlock. The young employee of Kendge's office, William Guppy, experiences a similar excitement: when he sees Esther, Ada and Richard in London on the way to Sir John's estate, he falls in love with the pretty, gentle Esther at first sight. While in those parts on company business, Guppy visits the Dedlock estate and, amazed, stops at one of the family portraits. The face of Lady Dedlock, seen for the first time, seems strangely familiar to the clerk. Soon Guppy arrives at Bleak House and confesses his love to Esther, but receives a decisive rebuff. Then he hints at the amazing similarity between Hester and my lady. “Give me your hand,” William persuades the girl, “and I can’t think of anything to protect your interests and make you happy!” I can’t find out anything about you!” He kept his word. Letters from an unknown gentleman fall into his hands, who died from an excessive dose of opium in a dirty, wretched closet and was buried in a common grave in a cemetery for the poor. From these letters, Guppy learns about the connection between Captain Hawdon (that was the name of this gentleman) and Lady Dedlock, about the birth of their daughter. William immediately shares his discovery with Lady Dedlock, causing her extreme embarrassment. But, without giving in to panic, she aristocratically coldly rejects the clerk’s arguments and only after she leaves exclaims: “Oh, my child, my daughter! That means she didn’t die in the first hours of her life!” Esther becomes seriously ill with smallpox. This happened after the orphaned daughter of a court official, Charlie, appears on their estate, who becomes both a grateful pupil and a devoted maid for Esther. Esther nurses a sick girl and becomes infected herself. Household members hide mirrors for a long time so as not to upset Troublemaker with the sight of her dull face. Lady Dedlock, waiting for Esther to recover, secretly meets with her in the park and admits that she is her unhappy mother. In those early days, when Captain Hawdon abandoned her, she - so she was led to believe - gave birth to a stillborn child. Could she have imagined that the girl would come to life in the arms of her older sister and would be raised in complete secrecy from her mother... Lady Dedlock sincerely repents and begs for forgiveness, but most of all - for silence in order to preserve the usual life of a rich and noble person and the peace of her husband. Esther, shocked by the discovery, agrees to any conditions. No one has any idea what happened - not only Sir John, burdened with worries, but also the young doctor Allen Woodcourt, who is in love with Esther. Smart and reserved, he makes a favorable impression on the girl. He lost his father early, and his mother invested all her meager funds in his education. But, not having enough connections and money in London, Allen cannot earn it by treating the poor. It is not surprising that at the first opportunity, Dr. Woodcourt agrees to the position of ship’s doctor and goes to India and China for a long time. Before leaving, he visits Bleak House and excitedly says goodbye to its inhabitants. Richard is also trying to change his life: he chooses the legal field. Having started working in Kenge's office, he, to Guppy's displeasure, boasts that he figured out the Jarndyce case. Despite Esther's advice not to enter into a tedious litigation with the Court of Chancery, Richard files an appeal in the hope of winning an inheritance from Sir John for himself and his cousin Ada, to whom he is engaged. He “gambles everything he can scrape together,” spends his beloved’s small savings on duties and taxes, but legal red tape is robbing him of his health. Having secretly married Ada, Richard falls ill and dies in the arms of his young wife, never seeing his unborn son. And clouds are gathering around Lady Dedlock. A few careless words lead lawyer Tulkinghorn, a regular at their house, to the trail of her secret. This respectable gentleman, whose services are generously paid in high society, masterfully masters the art of living and makes it his duty to do without any convictions. Tulkinghorn suspects that Lady Dedlock, disguised as a French maid, visited the house and grave of her lover, Captain Hawdon. He steals letters from Guppy - this is how he learns the details of the love story. In the presence of the Dedlocks and their guests, Tulkinghorn tells this story, which supposedly happened to some unknown person. Milady understands that the time has come to find out what he is trying to achieve. In response to her words that she wants to disappear from her home forever, the lawyer convinces her to continue to keep the secret for the sake of the peace of mind of Sir Leicester, who “even the fall of the moon from the sky would not be as stunned” as the revelation of his wife. Esther decides to reveal her secret to her guardian. He greets her confused story with such understanding and tenderness that the girl is filled with “fiery gratitude” and a desire to work hard and selflessly. It is not difficult to guess that when Sir John makes her an offer to become the real mistress of Bleak House, Esther agrees. A terrible event distracts her from the pleasant upcoming chores and pulls her out of Bleak House for a long time. It so happened that Tulkinghorn broke the agreement with Lady Dedlock and threatened to soon reveal the shameful truth to Sir Leicester. After a difficult conversation with Milady, the lawyer goes home, and the next morning he is found dead. Suspicion falls on Lady Dedlock. Police Inspector Bucket conducts an investigation and informs Sir Leicester of the results: all the evidence collected points against the French maid. She's under arrest. Sir Leicester cannot bear the thought that his wife has been “thrown down from the heights that she adorned,” and he himself falls, struck down by the blow. Milady, feeling hunted, runs away from home without taking any jewelry or money. She left a farewell letter saying that she was innocent and wanted to disappear. Inspector Bucket sets out to find this troubled soul and turns to Esther for help. They travel a long way in the footsteps of Lady Dedlock. The paralyzed husband, disregarding the threat to the honor of the family, forgives the fugitive and eagerly awaits her return. Dr. Allen Woodcourt, who recently returned from China, joins the search. During the separation, he fell in love with Esther even more, but alas... At the grate of the memorial cemetery for the poor, he discovers the lifeless body of her mother. Esther experiences what happened for a long time, painfully, but gradually life takes its toll. Her guardian, having learned of Allen's deep feelings, nobly makes way for him. The Bleak House is empty: John Jarndyce, who is also the guardian, has taken care of arranging for Esther and Allen an equally glorious smaller estate in Yorkshire, where Allen gets a position as a doctor for the poor. The Bleak House is empty: John Jarndyce, who is also the guardian, has taken care of the arrangement for Esther and Allen are given an equally nice smaller estate in Yorkshire, where Allen gets a job as a doctor for the poor. He also called this estate “Bleak House”. There was also a place in it for Ada and her son, named Richard after his father. With the first available money, they build a room for the guardian (“the grumbling room”) and invite him to stay. Sir John becomes a loving guardian to now Ada and her little Richard. They return to the “elder” Bleak House, and often come to stay with the Woodcourts: for Esther and her husband, Sir John has always remained the best friend. Thus seven happy years pass, and the words of the wise guardian come true: “Both houses are dear to you, but the elder Bleak House claims primacy.” He also called this estate “Bleak House”. There was also a place in it for Ada and her son, named Richard after his father. With the first available money, they build a room for the guardian (“the grumbling room”) and invite him to stay. Sir John becomes a loving guardian to now Ada and her little Richard. They return to the “elder” Bleak House, and often come to stay with the Woodcourts: for Esther and her husband, Sir John has always remained the best friend. Thus seven happy years pass, and the words of the wise guardian come true: “Both houses are dear to you, but the elder Bleak House claims primacy.”

Esther is fourteen years old when her godmother suddenly dies. What could be worse than being orphaned twice! After the funeral, the same gentleman named Kenge appears and, on behalf of a certain Mr. Jarndyce, aware of the sad situation of the young lady, offers to place her in a first-class educational institution, where she will not need anything and will prepare for “fulfilling her duty in the public sphere.” The girl gratefully accepts the offer and a week later, abundantly supplied with everything she needs, she leaves for the city of Reading, to Miss Donnie's boarding house. There are only twelve girls studying there, and the future teacher Esther, with her kind character and desire to help, wins their affection and love. This is how the six happiest years of her life pass.

The young employee of Kendge's office, William Guppy, experiences a similar excitement: when he sees Esther, Ada and Richard in London on the way to Sir John's estate, he falls in love with the pretty, gentle Esther at first sight. While in those parts on company business, Guppy visits the Dedlock estate and, amazed, stops at one of the family portraits. The face of Lady Dedlock, seen for the first time, seems strangely familiar to the clerk. Soon Guppy arrives at Bleak House and confesses his love to Esther, but receives a decisive rebuff. Then he hints at the amazing similarity between Hester and my lady. “Give me your hand,” William persuades the girl, “and I can’t think of anything to protect your interests and make you happy!” I can’t find out anything about you!” He kept his word. Letters from an unknown gentleman fall into his hands, who died from an excessive dose of opium in a dirty, wretched closet and was buried in a common grave in a cemetery for the poor. From these letters, Guppy learns about the connection between Captain Hawdon (that was the name of this gentleman) and Lady Dedlock, about the birth of their daughter. William immediately shares his discovery with Lady Dedlock, causing her extreme embarrassment. But, without giving in to panic, she aristocratically coldly rejects the clerk’s arguments and only after he leaves exclaims: “Oh, my child, my daughter! That means she didn’t die in the first hours of her life!”

Esther becomes seriously ill with smallpox. This happened after the orphaned daughter of a court official, Charlie, appears on their estate, who becomes both a grateful pupil and a devoted maid for Esther. Esther nurses a sick girl and becomes infected herself. Household members hide mirrors for a long time so as not to upset Troublemaker with the sight of her dull face. Lady Dedlock, waiting for Esther to recover, secretly meets with her in the park and admits that she is her unhappy mother. In those early days, when Captain Hawdon abandoned her, she - so she was led to believe - gave birth to a stillborn child. Could she have imagined that the girl would come to life in the arms of her older sister and would be raised in complete secrecy from her mother... Lady Dedlock sincerely repents and begs for forgiveness, but most of all, for silence in order to preserve the usual life of a rich and noble person and the peace of her husband. Esther, shocked by the discovery, agrees to any conditions.

And clouds are gathering around Lady Dedlock. A few careless words lead lawyer Tulkinghorn, a regular at their house, to the trail of her secret. This respectable gentleman, whose services are generously paid in high society, masterfully masters the art of living and makes it his duty to do without any convictions. Tulkinghorn suspects that Lady Dedlock, disguised as a French maid, visited the house and grave of her lover, Captain Hawdon. He steals letters from Guppy - this is how he learns the details of the love story. In the presence of the Dedlocks and their guests, Tulkinghorn tells this story, which supposedly happened to some unknown person. Milady understands that the time has come to find out what he is trying to achieve. In response to her words that she wants to disappear from her home forever, the lawyer convinces her to continue to keep the secret for the sake of the peace of mind of Sir Leicester, who “even the fall of the moon from the sky would not be so stunned” as the revelation of his wife.

Sir Leicester cannot bear the thought that his wife has been “thrown down from the heights that she adorned,” and he himself falls, struck down by the blow. Milady, feeling hunted, runs away from home without taking any jewelry or money. She left a farewell letter saying that she was innocent and wanted to disappear. Inspector Bucket sets out to find this troubled soul and turns to Esther for help. They travel a long way in the footsteps of Lady Dedlock. The paralyzed husband, disregarding the threat to the honor of the family, forgives the fugitive and eagerly awaits her return. Dr. Allen Woodcourt, who recently returned from China, joins the search. During the separation, he fell in love with Esther even more, but alas... At the grate of the memorial cemetery for the poor, he discovers the lifeless body of her mother.

Summary of Dickens's novel Bleak House

Bleak House Dickens summary. "Bleak House"

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