Samuelstayedtilltheservantcame，chattingandpattingthehorse；butassoonasBoldhaddisappearedthroughthefrontdoor，hestuckaswitchundertheanimal’stailtomakehimkickifpossible。
Thechurchreformersoonfoundhimselftete-a-tetewiththearchdeaconinthatsameroom，inthatsanctumsanctorumoftherectory，towhichwehavealreadybeenintroduced。Asheenteredheheardtheclickofacertainpatentlock，butitstruckhimwithnosurprise；theworthyclergymanwasnodoubthidingfromeyesprofanehislastmuch-studiedsermon；forthearchdeacon，thoughhepreachedbutseldom，wasfamousforhissermons。Noroom，Boldthought，couldhavebeenmorebecomingforadignitaryofthechurch；eachwallwasloadedwiththeology；overeachseparatebookcasewasprintedinsmallgoldlettersthenamesofthosegreatdivineswhoseworkswererangedbeneath:beginningfromtheearlyfathersinduechronologicalorder，thereweretobefoundthepreciouslaboursofthechosenservantsofthechurchdowntothelastpamphletwritteninoppositiontotheconsecrationofDrHampden；andraisedabovethisweretobeseenthebustsofthegreatestamongthegreat:Chrysostom，StAugustine，ThomasaBecket，CardinalWolsey，ArchbishopLaud，andDrPhilpotts。
Everyappliancethatcouldmakestudypleasantandgiveeasetotheovertoiledbrainwasthere；chairsmadetorelieveeachlimbandmuscle；reading-desksandwriting-deskstosuiteveryattitude；lampsandcandlesmechanicallycontrivedtothrowtheirlightonanyfavouredspot，asthestudentmightdesire；ashoalofnewspaperstoamusethefewleisuremomentswhichmightbestolenfromthelaboursoftheday；
andthenfromthewindowaviewrightthroughaboskyvistaalongwhichranabroadgreenpathfromtherectorytothechurch——attheendofwhichthetawny-tintedfineoldtowerwasseenwithallitsvariegatedpinnaclesandparapets。FewparishchurchesinEnglandareinbetterrepair，orbetterworthkeepingso，thanthatatPlumsteadEpiscopi；andyetitisbuiltinafaultystyle:thebodyofthechurchislow——solow，thatthenearlyflatleadenroofwouldbevisiblefromthechurchyard，wereitnotforthecarvedparapetwithwhichitissurrounded。Itiscruciform，thoughthetranseptsareirregular，onebeinglargerthantheother；andthetowerismuchtoohighinproportiontothechurch。Butthecolourofthebuildingisperfect；itisthatrichyellowgraywhichonefindsnowherebutinthesouthandwestofEngland，andwhichissostrongacharacteristicofmostofouroldhousesofTudorarchitecture。Thestoneworkalsoisbeautiful；themullionsofthewindowsandthethicktraceryoftheGothicworkmanshipisasrichasfancycandesire；andthoughingazingonsuchastructureoneknowsbyrulethattheoldpriestswhobuiltit，builtitwrong，onecannotbringoneselftowishthattheyshouldhavemadeitotherthanitis。
WhenBoldwasusheredintothebook-room，hefounditsownerstandingwithhisbacktotheemptyfire-placereadytoreceivehim，andhecouldnotbutperceivethatthatexpansivebrowwaselatedwithtriumph，andthatthosefullheavylipsboremoreprominentlythanusualanappearanceofarrogantsuccess。
’Well，MrBold，’saidhe——’well，whatcanIdoforyou？
Veryhappy，Icanassureyou，todoanythingforsuchafriendofmyfather-in-law。’
’Ihopeyou’llexcusemycalling，DrGrantly。’
’Certainly，certainly，’saidthearchdeacon；’Icanassureyou，noapologyisnecessaryfromMrBold；onlyletmeknowwhatIcandoforhim。’
DrGrantlywasstandinghimself，andhedidnotaskBoldtosit，andthereforehehadtotellhistalestanding，leaningonthetable，withhishatinhishand。Hedid，however，managetotellit；andasthearchdeaconneveronceinterruptedhim，orevenencouragedhimbyasingleword，hewasnotlongincomingtotheendofit。
’Andso，MrBold，I’mtounderstand，Ibelieve，thatyouaredesirousofabandoningthisattackuponMrHarding。’
’Oh，DrGrantly，therehasbeennoattack，Icanassureyou——’
’Well，well，wewon’tquarrelaboutwords；Ishouldcallitanattack——mostmenwouldsocallanendeavourtotakeawayfromamaneveryshillingofincomethathehastoliveupon；
butitsha’n’tbeanattack，ifyoudon’tlikeit；youwishtoabandonthis——thislittlegameofbackgammonyou’vebeguntoplay。’
’IintendtoputanendtothelegalproceedingswhichIhavecommenced。’
’Iunderstand，’saidthearchdeacon。’You’vealreadyhadenoughofit；well，Ican’tsaythatIamsurprised；carryingonalosinglawsuitwhereonehasnothingtogain，buteverythingtopay，isnotpleasant。’
Boldturnedveryredintheface。’Youmisinterpretmymotives，’saidhe；’but，however，thatisoflittleconsequence。
Ididnotcometotroubleyouwithmymotives，buttotellyouamatteroffact。Good-morning，DrGrantly。’
’Onemoment——onemoment，’saidtheother。’Idon’texactlyappreciatethetastewhichinducedyoutomakeanypersonalcommunicationtomeonthesubject；butIdaresayI’mwrong，Idaresayyourjudgmentisthebetterofthetwo；
butasyouhavedonemethehonour——asyouhave，asitwere，forcedmeintoacertainamountofconversationonasubjectwhichhadbetter，perhaps，havebeenlefttoourlawyers，youwillexcusemeifIaskyoutohearmyreplytoyourcommunication。’
’Iaminnohurry，DrGrantly。’
’Well，Iam，MrBold；mytimeisnotexactlyleisuretime，and，therefore，ifyouplease，we’llgotothepointatonce——you’regoingtoabandonthislawsuit？’——andhepausedforareply。
’Yes，DrGrantly，Iam。’
’Havingexposedagentlemanwhowasoneofyourfather’swarmestfriendstoalltheignominyandinsolencewhichthepresscouldheapuponhisname，havingsomewhatostentatiouslydeclaredthatitwasyourdutyasamanofhighpublicvirtuetoprotectthosepooroldfoolswhomyouhavehumbuggedthereatthehospital，younowfindthatthegamecostsmorethanit’sworth，andsoyoumakeupyourmindtohavedonewithit。Aprudentresolution，MrBold；butitisapityyoushouldhavebeensolongcomingtoit。Hasitstruckyouthatwemaynotnowchoosetogiveover？thatwemayfinditnecessarytopunishtheinjuryyouhavedonetous？Areyouaware，sir，thatwehavegonetoenormousexpensetoresistthisiniquitousattemptofyours？’
Bold’sfacewasnowfuriouslyred，andhenearlycrushedhishatbetweenhishands；buthesaidnothing。
’Wehavefounditnecessarytoemploythebestadvicethatmoneycouldprocure。Areyouaware，sir，whatmaybetheprobablecostofsecuringtheservicesoftheattorney-general？’
’Notintheleast，DrGrantly。’
’Idaresaynot，sir。WhenyourecklesslyputthisaffairintothehandsofyourfriendMrFinney，whosesix-and-eightpencesandthirteen-and-fourpencesmay，probably，notamounttoalargesum，youwereindifferentastothecostandsufferingwhichsuchaproceedingmightentailonothers；butareyouaware，sir，thatthesecrushingcostsmustnowcomeoutofyourownpocket？’
’AnydemandofsuchanaturewhichMrHarding’slawyermayhavetomakewilldoubtlessbemadetomylawyer。’
’“MrHarding’slawyerandmylawyer！“Didyoucomeheremerelytorefermetothelawyers？UponmywordI
thinkthehonourofyourvisitmighthavebeenspared！Andnow，sir，I’lltellyouwhatmyopinionis——myopinionis，thatweshallnotallowyoutowithdrawthismatterfromthecourts。’
’Youcandoasyouplease，DrGrantly；good-morning。’
’Hearmeout，sir，’saidthearchdeacon；’IhavehereinmyhandsthelastopiniongiveninthismatterbySirAbrahamHaphazard。Idaresayyouhavealreadyheardofthis——I
daresayithashadsomethingtodowithyourvisitheretoday。’
’IknownothingwhateverofSirAbrahamHaphazardorhisopinion。’
’Bethatasitmay，hereitis；hedeclaresmostexplicitlythatundernophasisoftheaffairwhateverhaveyoualegtostandupon；thatMrHardingisassafeinhishospitalasIamhereinmyrectory；thatamorefutileattempttodestroyamanwasnevermade，thanthiswhichyouhavemadetoruinMrHarding。Here，’andheslappedthepaperonthetable，’I
havethisopinionfromtheveryfirstlawyerintheland；andunderthesecircumstancesyouexpectmetomakeyoualowbowforyourkindoffertoreleaseMrHardingfromthetoilsofyournet！Sir，yournetisnotstrongenoughtoholdhim；
sir，yournethasfallentopieces，andyouknewthatwellenoughbeforeItoldyou——andnow，sir，I’llwishyougood-
morning，forI’mbusy。’
Boldwasnowchokingwithpassion。Hehadletthearchdeaconrunonbecauseheknewnotwithwhatwordstointerrupthim；butnowthathehadbeensodefiedandinsulted，hecouldnotleavetheroomwithoutsomereply。
’DrGrantly，’hecommenced。
’Ihavenothingfurthertosayortohear，’saidthearchdeacon。
’I’lldomyselfthehonourtoorderyourhorse。’Andherangthebell。
’Icamehere，DrGrantly，withthewarmest，kindestfeelings——’
’Oh，ofcourseyoudid；nobodydoubtsit。’
’Withthekindestfeelings——andtheyhavebeenmostgrosslyoutragedbyyourtreatment。’
’Ofcoursetheyhave——Ihavenotchosentoseemyfather-in-lawruined；whatanoutragethathasbeentoyourfeelings！’
’Thetimewillcome，DrGrantly，whenyouwillunderstandwhyIcalleduponyoutoday。’
’Nodoubt，nodoubt。IsMrBold’shorsethere？That’sright；openthefrontdoor。Good-morning，MrBold’；andthedoctorstalkedintohisowndrawing-room，closingthedoorbehindhim，andmakingitquiteimpossiblethatJohnBoldshouldspeakanotherword。