house its little mistress, and before God it is the brightest day in all
my life."

He rose, and raised me with him. We were no longer alone. My husband--I
have called him by that name full seven happy years now--stood at my
side.

"Allan," said my guardian, "take from me the best wife that ever man
had. What more can I say for you than that I know you deserve her?"

He kissed me once again. And now the tears were in his eyes as he said,
more softly, "Esther, my dearest, after so many years, there is a kind
of parting in this too. I know that my mistake has caused you some
distress. Forgive your old guardian in restoring him to his old place in
your affections. Allan, take my dear."

We all three went home together next day. We had an intimation from Mr.
Kenge that the case would come on at Westminster in two days, and that a
certain will had been found which might end the suit in Richard's
favour.

Allan took me down to Westminster, and when we came to Westminster Hall
we found that the Court of Chancery was full, and that something unusual
had occurred. We asked a gentleman by us if he knew what case was on. He
told us Jarndyce and Jarndyce, and that, as well as he could make out,
it was over. Over for the day? "No," he said; "over for good."

In a few minutes a crowd came streaming out, and we saw Mr. Kenge. He
told us that Jarndyce and Jarndyce was a monument of Chancery practice,
and--in a good many words--that the case was over because the whole