Hewasfatigued，andsleptsoundlyforsometime。Somesuddenstopinthemusicalclockwokehimatlength，andhejumpedupwithastart，surprisedtofindtheroomquitefull:
ithadbeennearlyemptywhenhisnapbegan。Withnervousanxietyhepulledouthiswatch，andfoundthatitwashalf-
pastnine。Heseizedhishat，and，hurryingdownstairs，startedatarapidpaceforLincoln’sInn。
ItstillwantedtwentyminutestotenwhenthewardenfoundhimselfatthebottomofSirAbraham’sstairs，sohewalkedleisurelyupanddownthequietinntocoolhimself。
ItwasabeautifuleveningattheendofAugust。Hehadrecoveredfromhisfatigue；hissleepandthecoffeehadrefreshedhim，andhewassurprisedtofindthathewasabsolutelyenjoyinghimself，whentheinnclockstruckten。ThesoundwashardlyoverbeforeheknockedatSirAbraham’sdoor，andwasinformedbytheclerkwhoreceivedhimthatthegreatmanwouldbewithhimimmediately。
SirAbrahamHaphazardMrHardingwasshownintoacomfortableinnersitting-room，lookingmorelikeagentleman’sbook-roomthanalawyer’schambers，andtherewaitedforSirAbraham。
Norwashekeptwaitinglong:intenorfifteenminutesheheardaclatterofvoicesspeakingquicklyinthepassage，andthentheattorney-generalentered。
’Verysorrytokeepyouwaiting，MrWarden，’saidSirAbraham，shakinghandswithhim；’andsorry，too，tonamesodisagreeableanhour；butyournoticewasshort，andasyousaidtoday，Inamedtheveryearliesthourthatwasnotdisposedof。’
MrHardingassuredhimthathewasawarethatitwashethatshouldapologise。
SirAbrahamwasatallthinman，withhairprematurelygray，butbearingnoothersignofage；hehadaslightstoop，inhisneckratherthanhisback，acquiredbyhisconstanthabitofleaningforwardasheaddressedhisvariousaudiences。Hemightbefiftyyearsold，andwouldhavelookedyoungforhisage，hadnotconstantworkhardenedhisfeatures，andgivenhimtheappearanceofamachinewithamind。Hisfacewasfullofintellect，butdevoidofnaturalexpression。Youwouldsayhewasamantouse，andthenhavedonewith；amantobesoughtforongreatemergencies，butill-adaptedforordinaryservices；amanwhomyouwouldasktodefendyourproperty，buttowhomyouwouldbesorrytoconfideyourlove。Hewasbrightasadiamond，andascutting，andalsoasunimpressionable。
Hekneweveryonewhomtoknowwasanhonour，buthewaswithoutafriend；hewantednone，however，andknewnotthemeaningofthewordinotherthanitsparliamentarysense。Afriend！Hadhenotalwaysbeensufficienttohimself，andnow，atfifty，wasitlikelythatheshouldtrustanother？Hewasmarried，indeed，andhadchildren，butwhattimehadheforthesoftidlenessofconjugalfelicity？Hisworkingdaysortermtimeswereoccupiedfromhistimeofrisingtothelatehouratwhichhewenttorest，andevenhisvacationsweremorefulloflabourthanthebusiestdaysofothermen。Heneverquarrelledwithhiswife，buthenevertalkedtoher——heneverhadtimetotalk，hewassotakenupwithspeaking。She，poorlady，wasnotunhappy；
shehadallthatmoneycouldgiveher，shewouldprobablylivetobeapeeress，andshereallythoughtSirAbrahamthebestofhusbands。
SirAbrahamwasamanofwit，andsparkledamongthebrightestatthedinner-tablesofpoliticalgrandees:indeed，healwayssparkled；whetherinsociety，intheHouseofCommons，orthecourtsoflaw，coruscationsflewfromhim；glitteringsparkles，asfromhotsteel，butnoheat；nocoldheartwasevercheeredbywarmthfromhim，nounhappysouleverdroppedaportionofitsburdenathisdoor。
Withhimsuccessalonewaspraiseworthy，andheknewnonesosuccessfulashimself。Noonehadthrusthimforward；nopowerfulfriendshadpushedhimalongonhisroadtopower。
No；hewasattorney-general，andwould，inallhumanprobability，belordchancellorbysheerdintofhisownindustryandhisowntalent。Whoelseinalltheworldrosesohighwithsolittlehelp？
Apremier，indeed！Whohadeverbeenpremierwithoutmightyfriends？Anarchbishop！Yes，thesonorgrandsonofagreatnoble，orelse，probably，histutor。Buthe，SirAbraham，hadhadnomightylordathisback；hisfatherhadbeenacountryapothecary，hismotherafarmer’sdaughter。Whyshouldherespectanybuthimself？Andsoheglittersalongthroughtheworld，thebrightestamongthebright；andwhenhisglitterisgone，andheisgatheredtohisfathers，noeyewillbedimwithatear，noheartwillmournforitslostfriend。
’Andso，MrWarden，’saidSirAbraham，’allourtroubleaboutthislawsuitisatanend。’
MrHardingsaidhehopedso，buthedidn’tatallunderstandwhatSirAbrahammeant。SirAbraham，withallhissharpness，couldnothavelookedintohisheartandreadhisintentions。
’Allover。Youneedtroubleyourselfnofurtheraboutit；
ofcoursetheymustpaythecosts，andtheabsoluteexpensetoyouandDrGrantlywillbetrifling——thatis，comparedwithwhatitmighthavebeenifithadbeencontinued。’
’IfearIdon’tquiteunderstandyou，SirAbraham。’
’Don’tyouknowthattheirattorneyshavenoticedusthattheyhavewithdrawnthesuit？’
MrHardingexplainedtothelawyerthatheknewnothingofthis，althoughhehadheardinaroundaboutwaythatsuchanintentionhadbeentalkedof；andhealsoatlengthsucceededinmakingSirAbrahamunderstandthateventhisdidnotsatisfyhim。Theattorney-generalstoodup，puthishandsintohisbreeches’pockets，andraisedhiseyebrows，asMrHardingproceededtodetailthegrievancefromwhichhenowwishedtoridhimself。
’IknowIhavenorighttotroubleyoupersonallywiththismatter，butasitisofmostvitalimportancetome，asallmyhappinessisconcernedinit，IthoughtImightventuretoseekyouradvice。’
SirAbrahambowed，anddeclaredhisclientswereentitledtothebestadvicehecouldgivethem；particularlyaclientsorespectableineverywayastheWardenofBarchesterHospital。
’Aspokenword，SirAbraham，isoftenofmorevaluethanvolumesofwrittenadvice。Thetruthis，Iamill-satisfiedwiththismatterasitstandsatpresent。Idosee——Icannothelpseeing，thattheaffairsofthehospitalarenotarrangedaccordingtothewillofthefounder。’
’Noneofsuchinstitutionsare，MrHarding，norcantheybe；
thealteredcircumstancesinwhichwelivedonotadmitofit。’
’Quitetrue——thatisquitetrue；butIcan’tseethatthosealteredcircumstancesgivemearighttoeighthundredayear。
Idon’tknowwhetherIeverreadJohnHiram’swill，butwereItoreaditnowIcouldnotunderstandit。WhatIwantyou，SirAbraham，totellme，isthis——amI，aswarden，legallyanddistinctlyentitledtotheproceedsoftheproperty，aftertheduemaintenanceofthetwelvebedesmen？’
SirAbrahamdeclaredthathecouldn’texactlysayinsomanywordsthatMrHardingwaslegallyentitledto，&c。，&c。，&c。，andendedinexpressingastrongopinionthatitwouldbemadnesstoraiseanyfurtherquestiononthematter，asthesuitwastobe——nay，was，abandoned。
MrHarding，seatedinhischair，begantoplayaslowtuneonanimaginaryvioloncello。
’Nay，mydearsir，’continuedtheattorney-general，’thereisnofurthergroundforanyquestion；Idon’tseethatyouhavethepowerofraisingit。’
’Icanresign，’saidMrHarding，slowlyplayingawaywithhisrighthand，asthoughthebowwerebeneaththechairinwhichhewassitting。
’What！throwitupaltogether？’saidtheattorney-general，gazingwithutterastonishmentathisclient。
’DidyouseethosearticlesinTheJupiter？’saidMrHarding，piteously，appealingtothesympathyofthelawyer。
SirAbrahamsaidhehadseenthem。Thispoorlittleclergyman，cowedintosuchanactofextremeweaknessbyanewspaperarticle，wastoSirAbrahamsocontemptibleanobject，thathehardlyknewhowtotalktohimastoarationalbeing。
’Hadn’tyoubetterwait，’saidhe，’tillDrGrantlyisintownwithyou？Wouldn’titbebettertopostponeanyserioussteptillyoucanconsultwithhim？’
MrHardingdeclaredvehementlythathecouldnotwait，andSirAbrahambeganseriouslytodoubthissanity。
’Ofcourse，’saidthelatter，’ifyouhaveprivatemeanssufficientforyourwants，andifthis——’
’Ihaven’tasixpence，SirAbraham，’saidthewarden。
’Godblessme！Why，MrHarding，howdoyoumeantolive？’
MrHardingproceededtoexplaintothemanoflawthathemeanttokeephisprecentorship——thatwaseightypoundsayear；and，also，thathemeanttofallbackuponhisownlittlelivingofCrabtree，whichwasanothereightypounds。
That，tobesure，thedutiesofthetwowerehardlycompatible；