butintellingherhewouldkeeptohimselfwhathehadsaidastotheresultofanacquittalinacivilcourt。Sheneednotyetbetoldthathehadpromisedtotakesuchaverdictassufficingalsoforanecclesiasticalacquittal。Inthisspirithisletterwaswrittenandsentoffbeforeheagainsawhiswife。
Hedidnotmeethertilltheycametogetherinthedrawing—roombeforedinner。Inexplainingthewholetruthastocircumstancesastheyexistedatthepalaceatthemoment，itmustbeacknowledgedthatMrsProudieherself，greataswashercourage，andwideasweretheresourceswhichshepossessedwithinherself，wassomewhatappalledbythepositionofaffairs。IfearthatitmaynowbetoolateformetoexcitemuchsympathyinthemindofanyreaderonbehalfofMrsProudie。
Ishallneverbeabletomakeherpopular。Butshehadvirtues，andtheirexistencenowmadeherunhappy。Shedidregardthedignityofherhusband，andshefeltatthepresentmomentthatshehadalmostcompromisedit。Shedidalsoregardthewelfareoftheclergymenaroundher，thinkingofcourseinageneralwaythatcertainofthemwhoagreedwithherweretheclergymenwhosewelfareshouldbestudied，andthatcertainofthemwhodisagreedwithherweretheclergymenwhosewelfareshouldbepostponed。Butnowanideamadeitswayintoherbosomthatshewasnotperhapsdoingthebestforthewelfareofthediocesegenerally。Whatifitshouldcometopassthatalltheclergymenofthedioceseshouldrefusetoopentheirmouthsinherpresenceonecclesiasticalsubjects，asDrTempesthaddone？Thisspecialdaywasnotoneonwhichshewaswellcontentedwithherself，thoughbynomeansonthataccountwasherangermitigatedagainsttheoffendingruraldean。
Duringdinnershestruggledtosayawordortwotoherhusband，asthoughtherehadbeennoquarrelbetweenthem。Withhimthematterhadgonesodeepthathecouldnotanswerherinthesamespirit。Thereweresundrymembersofthefamilypresent——daughters，andason—in—law，andadaughter’sfriendwhowasstayingwiththem；buteveninthehopeofappearingtobeserenebeforethemhecouldnotstrugglethroughhisdeepdespondence。Hewasverysilent，andtohiswife’swordsheansweredhardlyanything。Hewascourteousandgentlewiththemall，buthespokeaslittleaswaspossible，andduringtheeveninghesatalone，withhisheadleaningonhishand——notpretendingeventoread。Hewasawarethatitwastoolatetomakeevenanattempttoconcealhismiseryandhisdisgracefromhisownfamily。
Hiswifecametohimthatnightinhisdressing—roominaspiritoffemininesoftnessthatwasveryunusualwithher。’Mydear，’saidshe，’letusforgetwhatoccurredthismorning。Iftherehasbeenanger，weareboundasChristianstoforgetit。’Shestoodoverhimasshespoke，andputherhanduponhisshoulderalmostcaressingly。