It is a miserable day in November what with the rain, the mud, and the fog. In the High Court of Chancery, the case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce, which has long lost any relevance or meaning, drags on. The court adjourns for the day, having yet to settle the legality of allowing a boy and a girl, who are associated with Jarndyce and Jarndyce, to be put in the custody of a significantly older cousin.