I am not sure why I love the scene so much. Maybe it is because it is so full of Victorian notions and ideas (and I am a Victorianist by training). Maybe it is because Mrs Rouncewell is so essentially reassuring and good. Most importantly, I love Dickens's assertion that Lord Deadlock respected his employee housekeeper so much that, if he ever found himself in a compromising situation, he would ask for Mrs Rouncewell to be brought to him and she would make things right again, and restore Lord Deadlock's dignity.
Many "good" characters in novels are not very well designed; eventually, we tend to lose interest in them, or simply dislike them outright. I think some goody characters in Oliver Twist are like that, also I can add Pauline in Charlotte Bronte's Villette (I hate her personally: if she is good, please give me BAD), Agnes in Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte (ditto), Fanny in Mansfield Park -- it's a long list!
Mrs Rouncewell is not like this. Dickens took care to make her essentially honest and good, but also believable and close to reality.
Reading the scene I mentioned in Bleak House always makes me feel content and at ease. It's part of the magic of books, the magic of words and, also, the magic of Charles Dickens!
Have a beautiful start to the week :-)
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