Bleak House

Charles Dickens, 1853

Charles Dickens’s novel of the endless Chancery lawsuit of Jarndyce and Jarndyce and the lives it touches, told partly by Esther Summerson, a young woman of unknown parentage taken in by John Jarndyce.

Start reading68 chapters, about 357,000 words

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London. Michaelmas term lately over, and the Lord Chancellor sitting in Lincoln’s Inn Hall. Implacable November weather. As much mud in the streets as if the waters had but newly retired from the face of the earth, and it would not be wonderful to meet a Megalosaurus, forty feet long or so, waddling like an elephantine lizard up Holborn Hill.
Chapter IIn context
It is said that the children of the very poor are not brought up, but dragged up.
Chapter VIIn context
- Children
Not to put too fine a point upon it
Chapter XIIn context
- Talking
It’s my old girl that advises. She has the head. But I never own to it before her. Discipline must be maintained.
Chapter XXVIIIn context
- Comedy
- Marriage
It is a melancholy truth that even great men have their poor relations.
Chapter XXVIIIIn context
- Family
The one great principle of the English law is to make business for itself.
Chapter XXXIXIn context
- Clever Jabs
- Laws
My experience teaches me, Lady Dedlock, that most of the people I know would do far better to leave marriage alone. It is at the bottom of three fourths of their troubles.
Chapter XLIIn context
- Marriage
Dead, your Majesty. Dead, my lords and gentlemen. Dead, right reverends and wrong reverends of every order. Dead, men and women, born with heavenly compassion in your hearts. And dying thus around us every day.
Chapter XLVIIIn context
- Life & Death

Preface
Chapter IIn Chancery
Chapter IIIn Fashion
Chapter IIIA Progress
Chapter IVTelescopic Philanthropy
Chapter VA Morning Adventure
Chapter VIQuite at Home
Chapter VIIThe Ghost’s Walk
Chapter VIIICovering a Multitude of Sins
Chapter IXSigns and Tokens
Chapter XThe Law-Writer
Chapter XIOur Dear Brother
Chapter XIIOn the Watch
Chapter XIIIEsther’s Narrative
Chapter XIVDeportment
Chapter XVBell Yard
Chapter XVITom-all-Alone’s
Chapter XVIIEsther’s Narrative
Chapter XVIIILady Dedlock
Chapter XIXMoving On
Chapter XXA New Lodger
Chapter XXIThe Smallweed Family
Chapter XXIIMr. Bucket
Chapter XXIIIEsther’s Narrative
Chapter XXIVAn Appeal Case
Chapter XXVMrs. Snagsby Sees It All
Chapter XXVISharpshooters
Chapter XXVIIMore Old Soldiers Than One
Chapter XXVIIIThe Ironmaster
Chapter XXIXThe Young Man
Chapter XXXEsther’s Narrative
Chapter XXXINurse and Patient
Chapter XXXIIThe Appointed Time
Chapter XXXIIIInterlopers
Chapter XXXIVA Turn of the Screw
Chapter XXXVEsther’s Narrative
Chapter XXXVIChesney Wold
Chapter XXXVIIJarndyce and Jarndyce
Chapter XXXVIIIA Struggle
Chapter XXXIXAttorney and Client
Chapter XLNational and Domestic
Chapter XLIIn Mr. Tulkinghorn’s Room
Chapter XLIIIn Mr. Tulkinghorn’s Chambers
Chapter XLIIIEsther’s Narrative
Chapter XLIVThe Letter and the Answer
Chapter XLVIn Trust
Chapter XLVIStop Him!
Chapter XLVIIJo’s Will
Chapter XLVIIIClosing In
Chapter XLIXDutiful Friendship
Chapter LEsther’s Narrative
Chapter LIEnlightened
Chapter LIIObstinacy
Chapter LIIIThe Track
Chapter LIVSpringing a Mine
Chapter LVFlight
Chapter LVIPursuit
Chapter LVIIEsther’s Narrative
Chapter LVIIIA Wintry Day and Night
Chapter LIXEsther’s Narrative
Chapter LXPerspective
Chapter LXIA Discovery
Chapter LXIIAnother Discovery
Chapter LXIIISteel and Iron
Chapter LXIVEsther’s Narrative
Chapter LXVBeginning the World
Chapter LXVIDown in Lincolnshire
Chapter LXVIIThe Close of Esther’s Narrative

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Contents