Shestillheldhim，andlookedeagerlyintohisface，withherhairdishevelledandhereyesallbloodshot。Shehadnothoughtnowofherself，nocarenowforherappearance；andyethethoughthehadneverseenherhalfsolovely；hewasamazedattheintensityofherbeauty，andcouldhardlybelievethatitwasshewhomhehaddaredtolove。’Promiseme，’
saidshe；’Iwillnotleaveyoutillyouhavepromisedme。’
’Iwill，’saidheatlength；’Ido——allIcando，Iwilldo。’
’ThenmayGodAlmightyblessyouforeverandever！’saidEleanor；andfallingonherkneeswithherfaceinMary’slap，sheweptandsobbedlikeachild:herstrengthhadcarriedherthroughherallottedtask，butnowitwaswellnighexhausted。
Inawhileshewaspartlyrecovered，andgotuptogo，andwouldhavegone，hadnotBoldmadeherunderstandthatitwasnecessaryforhimtoexplaintoherhowfaritwasinhispowertoputanendtotheproceedingswhichhadbeentakenagainstMrHarding。Hadhespokenonanyothersubject，shewouldhavevanished，butonthatshewasboundtohearhim；andnowthedangerofherpositioncommenced。Whileshehadanactiveparttoplay，whilesheclungtohimasasuppliant，itwaseasyenoughforhertorejecthisprofferedlove，andcastfromherhiscaressingwords；butnow——nowthathehadyielded，andwastalkingtohercalmlyandkindlyastoherfather’swelfare，itwashardenoughforhertodoso。
ThenMaryBoldassistedher；butnowshewasquiteonherbrother’sside。Marysaidbutlittle，buteverywordshedidsaygavesomedirectanddeadlyblow。ThefirstthingshedidwastomakeroomforherbrotherbetweenherselfandEleanoronthesofa:asthesofawasfulllargeforthree，Eleanorcouldnotresentthis，norcouldsheshowsuspicionbytakinganotherseat；butshefeltittobeamostunkindproceeding。AndthenMarywouldtalkasthoughtheythreewerejoinedinsomeclosepeculiarbondtogether；asthoughtheywereinfuturealwaystowishtogether，contrivetogether，andacttogether；
andEleanorcouldnotgainsaythis；shecouldnotmakeanotherspeech，andsay，’MrBoldandIarestrangers，Mary，andarealwaystoremainso！’
Heexplainedtoherthat，thoughundoubtedlytheproceedingagainstthehospitalhadcommencedsolelywithhimself，manyotherswerenowinterestedinthematter，someofwhomweremuchmoreinfluentialthanhimself；thatitwastohimalone，however，thatthelawyerslookedforinstructionastotheirdoings，and，moreimportantstill，forthepaymentoftheirbills；andhepromisedthathewouldatoncegivethemnoticethatitwashisintentiontoabandonthecause。Hethought，hesaid，thatitwasnotprobablethatanyactivestepswouldbetakenafterhehadsecededfromthematter，thoughitwaspossiblethatsomepassingallusionmightstillbemadetothehospitalinthedailyJupiter。Hepromised，however，thathewouldusehisbestinfluencetopreventanyfurtherpersonalallusionbeingmadetoMrHarding。HethensuggestedthathewouldonthatafternoonrideoverhimselftoDrGrantly，andinformhimofhisalteredintentionsonthesubject，andwiththisview，hepostponedhisimmediatereturntoLondon。
Thiswasallverypleasant，andEleanordidenjoyasortoftriumphinthefeelingthatshehadattainedtheobjectforwhichshehadsoughtthisinterview；butstillthepartofIphigeniawastobeplayedout。Thegodshadheardherprayer，grantedherrequest，andweretheynottohavetheirpromisedsacrifice？Eleanorwasnotagirltodefraudthemwilfully；so，assoonasshedecentlycould，shegotupforherbonnet。
’Areyougoingsosoon？’saidBold，whohalfanhoursincewouldhavegivenahundredpoundsthathewasinLondon，andshestillatBarchester。
’Ohyes！’saidshe。’Iamsomuchobligedtoyou；papawillfeelthistobesokind。’Shedidnotquiteappreciateallherfather’sfeelings。’OfcourseImusttellhim，andIwillsaythatyouwillseethearchdeacon。’
’ButmayInotsayonewordformyself？’saidBold。
’I’llfetchyouyourbonnet，Eleanor，’saidMary，intheactofleavingtheroom。
’Mary，Mary，’saidshe，gettingupandcatchingherbyherdress；’don’tgo，I’llgetmybonnetmyself。’ButMary，thetraitress，stoodfastbythedoor，andpermittednosuchretreat。
PoorIphigenia！
Andwithavolleyofimpassionedlove，JohnBoldpouredforththefeelingsofhisheart，swearing，asmendo，sometruthsandmanyfalsehoods；andEleanorrepeatedwitheveryshadeofvehemencethe’No，no，no，’whichhadhadashorttimesincesomucheffect；butnow，alas！itsstrengthwasgone。
Letherbeneversovehement，hervehemencewasnotrespected；
allher’No，no，no’s’weremetwithcounter-asseverations，andatlastwereoverpowered。Thegroundwascutfromunderheroneveryside。Shewaspressedtosaywhetherherfatherwouldobject；whethersheherselfhadanyaversionaversion！Godhelpher，poorgirl！thewordnearlymadeherjumpintohisarms；anyotherpreferencethissheloudlydisclaimed；whetheritwasimpossiblethatsheshouldlovehimEleanorcouldnotsaythatitwasimpossible:andsoatlastallherdefencesdemolished，allhermaidenbarrierssweptaway，shecapitulated，orrathermarchedoutwiththehonoursofwar，vanquishedevidently，palpablyvanquished，butstillnotreducedtothenecessityofconfessingit。
AndsothealtarontheshoreofthemodernAulisreekedwithnosacrifice。
MrBold’sVisittoPlumsteadWhetherornotheill-naturedpredictionmadebycertainladiesinthebeginningofthelastchapterwasorwasnotcarriedouttotheletter，Iamnotinapositiontostate。
Eleanor，however，certainlydidfeelherselftohavebeenbaffledasshereturnedhomewithallhernewstoherfather。
Certainlyshehadbeenvictorious，certainlyshehadachievedherobject，certainlyshewasnotunhappy，andyetshedidnotfeelherselftriumphant。Everythingwouldrunsmoothnow。
EleanorwasnotatalladdictedtotheLydianschoolofromance；shebynomeansobjectedtoherloverbecausehecameinatthedoorunderthenameofAbsolute，insteadofpullingheroutofawindowunderthenameofBeverley；andyetshefeltthatshehadbeenimposedupon，andcouldhardlythinkofMaryBoldwithsisterlycharity。’IdidthinkIcouldhavetrustedMary，’shesaidtoherselfoverandoveragain。
’OhthatsheshouldhavedaredtokeepmeintheroomwhenItriedtogetout！’Eleanor，however，feltthatthegamewasup，andthatshehadnownothingfurthertodobuttoaddtothebudgetofnewswhichwaspreparedforherfather，thatJohnBoldwasheracceptedlover。
Wewill，however，nowleaveheronherway，andgowithJohnBoldtoPlumsteadEpiscopi，merelypremisingthatEleanoronreachinghomewillnotfindthingssosmoothasshefondlyexpected；twomessengershadcome，onetoherfatherandtheothertothearchdeacon，andeachofthemmuchopposedtoherquietmodeofsolvingalltheirdifficulties；theoneintheshapeofanumberofTheJupiter，andtheotherinthatofafurtheropinionfromSirAbrahamHaphazard。
JohnBoldgotonhishorseandrodeofftoPlumsteadEpiscopi；
notbrisklyandwitheagerspur，asmendoridewhenself-
satisfiedwiththeirownintentions；butslowly，modestly，thoughtfully，andsomewhatindreadofthecominginterview。
Nowandagainhewouldrecurtothescenewhichwasjustover，supporthimselfbytheremembranceofthesilencethatgivesconsent，andexultasahappylover。Buteventhisfeelingwasnotwithoutashadeofremorse。Hadhenotshownhimselfchildishlyweakthustoyielduptheresolveofmanyhoursofthoughttothetearsofaprettygirl？Howwashetomeethislawyer？Howwashetobackoutofamatterinwhichhisnamewasalreadysopubliclyconcerned？What，ohwhat！
washetosaytoTomTowers？Whilemeditatingthesepainfulthingshereachedthelodgeleadinguptothearchdeacon’sglebe，andforthefirsttimeinhislifefoundhimselfwithinthesacredprecincts。
Allthedoctor’schildrenweretogetherontheslopeofthelawnclosetotheroad，asBoldrodeuptothehalldoor。TheywerethereholdinghighdebateonmattersevidentlyofdeepinterestatPlumsteadEpiscopi，andthevoicesoftheboyshadbeenheardbeforethelodgegatewasclosed。
FlorindaandGrizzel，frightenedatthesightofsowell-
knownanenemytothefamily，fledonthefirstappearanceofthehorseman，andraninterrortotheirmother’sarms；notforthemwasit，tenderbranches，toresentinjuries，orasmembersofachurchmilitanttoputonarmouragainstitsenemies。Buttheboysstoodtheirgroundlikeheroes，andboldlydemandedthebusinessoftheintruder。
’Doyouwanttoseeanybodyhere，sir？’saidHenry，withadefianteyeandahostiletone，whichplainlysaidthatatanyratenoonetherewantedtoseethepersonsoaddressed；andashespokehebrandishedalofthisgardenwater-pot，holdingitbythespout，readyforthebrainingofanyone。
’Henry，’saidCharlesJamesslowly，andwithacertaindignityofdiction，’MrBoldofcoursewouldnothavecomewithoutwantingtoseesomeone；ifMrBoldhasapropergroundforwantingtoseesomepersonhere，ofcoursehehasarighttocome。’
ButSamuelsteppedlightlyuptothehorse’shead，andofferedhisservices。’Oh，MrBold，’saidhe，’papa，I’msure，willbegladtoseeyou；Isupposeyouwanttoseepapa。ShallIholdyourhorseforyou？Ohwhataveryprettyhorse！’andheturnedhisheadandwinkedfunnilyathisbrothers。’Papahasheardsuchgoodnewsabouttheoldhospitaltoday。Weknowyou’llbegladtohearit，becauseyou’resuchafriendofgrandpapaHarding，andsomuchinlovewithAuntNelly！’
’Howd’yedo，lads？’saidBold，dismounting。’Iwanttoseeyourfatherifhe’sathome。’
’Lads！’saidHenry，turningonhisheelandaddressinghimselftohisbrother，butloudenoughtobeheardbyBold；’lads，indeed！ifwe’relads，whatdoeshecallhimself？’
CharlesJamescondescendedtosaynothingfurther，butcockedhishatwithmuchprecision，andleftthevisitortothecareofhisyoungestbrother。